Pflanzenchemie

Ohne Zusammenfassung     

Investigation of the cranking model wave function with respect to angular momentum

Projection of angular momentum on cranking model wave functions is performed for some simple cases. An extensive analysis has been possible since an algebraic projection technique is employed and a detailed numerical example is presented. The distribution of angular momentum as a function of rotational frequency and signature is analysed, and special attention is focused on the fact that the signature does not give any strict selection of angular momenta contained in the cranking wave function.     

Direct measurement of S-branch N(2)-H(2) Raman linewidths using time-resolved pure rotational coherent anti-Stokes Raman spectroscopy

S-branch N(2)-H(2) Raman linewidths have been measured in the temperature region 294-1466 K using time-resolved dual-broadband picosecond pure rotational coherent anti-Stokes Raman spectroscopy (RCARS). Data are extracted by mapping the dephasing rates of the CARS signal temporal decay. The J-dependent coherence decays are detected in the time domain by following the individual spectral lines as a function of probe delay. The linewidth data set was employed in spectral fits of N(2) RCARS spectra recorded in binary mixtures of N(2) and H(2) at calibrated temperature conditions up to 661 K using a standard nanosecond RCARS setup. In this region, the set shows a deviation of less than 2% in comparison with thermocouples. The results provide useful knowledge for the applicability of N(2) CARS thermometry on the fuel-side of H(2) diffusion flames.     

Mechanisms of protein oligomerization: inhibitor of functional amyloids templates α-synuclein fibrillation

Small organic molecules that inhibit functional bacterial amyloid fibers, curli, are promising new antibiotics. Here we investigated the mechanism by which the ring-fused 2-pyridone FN075 inhibits fibrillation of the curli protein CsgA. Using a variety of biophysical techniques, we found that FN075 promotes CsgA to form off-pathway, non-amyloidogenic oligomeric species. In light of the generic properties of amyloids, we tested whether FN075 would also affect the fibrillation reaction of human α-synuclein, an amyloid-forming protein involved in Parkinson's disease. Surprisingly, FN075 stimulates α-synuclein amyloid fiber formation as measured by thioflavin T emission, electron microscopy (EM), and atomic force microscopy (AFM). NMR data on (15)N-labeled α-synuclein show that upon FN075 addition, α-synuclein oligomers with 7 nm radius form in which the C-terminal 40 residues remain disordered and solvent exposed. The polypeptides in these oligomers contain β-like secondary structure, and the oligomers are detectable by AFM, EM, and size-exclusion chromatography (SEC). Taken together, FN075 triggers oligomer formation of both proteins: in the case of CsgA, the oligomers do not proceed to fibers, whereas for α-synuclein, the oligomers are poised to rapidly form fibers. We conclude that there is a fine balance between small-molecule inhibition and templation that depends on protein chemistry.     

Effective dynamic moment of inertia of 118Xe and 130Ba

The effective moment of inertia J_eff⁽²⁾ of ¹¹⁸Xe and ¹³⁰Ba has been measured using sum-spectrometer techniques. The data are discussed using arguments based on particle alignments and results of cranking calculations. J_band⁽²⁾ and J_eff⁽²⁾ are compared in order to estimate the contribution of particle alignments to the total increase in angular momentum.     

Rotational bands in the odd-odd 152Eu nucleus

The ¹⁵⁰Nd(⁷Li, 5n) reaction has been used to study the high-spin states in the odd-odd nucleus ¹⁵²Eu. Two rotational bands of different behaviour have been identified: a rather regular band based on the I^π = 8^? isomeric state of configuration $\text{[413}\text{5}\text{2}\text{]}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>p</mtext>}}\text{[505}\text{11}\text{2}\text{]n}$ and a strongly decoupled system belonging to the configuration $\text{[}\text{h}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>11</mtext><mtext>2</mtext>}}\text{]}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>p</mtext>}}\text{[i}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>13</mtext><mtext>2</mtext>}}\text{]}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>n</mtext>}}$.It is shown in this work that the aligned angular momentum carried by each two-quasiparticle configuration in ¹⁵²Eu is the sum of the alignment of the odd neutron and odd proton, which indicates a negligible influence of the neutron-proton residual interaction. Particular attention has been focused on the strong deviations of the moment of inertia of the core when different quasiparticle configurations are involved.     

Determination of endogenous 3-hydroxykynurenine in plasma

A method is described which permits determination of 3-hydroxykynurenine (l-3-(2-amino-3-hydroxybenzoyl)-alanine), a metabolite of tryptophan, in plasma with a limit of detection of less than 0.1 pmol. This compound can be extracted by means of adsorption onto a strong anion-exchange resin at pH 9.5 in the presence of an antioxidant. Desorption is achieved by shaking with 2 M perchloric acid. Plasma samples are deproteinized and prepurified by column anion-exchange chromatography in order to eliminate the uric acid present. The compound is then determined by reverse-phase HPLC with amperometric detection. Recovery determinations may be made by addition of an internal standard. Concentrations in rat plasma were found to be of the order 85 nM, which appears to be a value much lower than reported earlier.