Birefringence changes in vertebrate striated muscle.

The changes in birefringence in the rigor to relax transition of single Triton-extracted rabbit psoas muscle fibers have been investigated. The total birefringence of rigor muscle fibers was dependent on sarcomere length and ranged from (1.46 +/- 0.08) X 10(-3) to (1.60 +/- 0.06) X 10(-3) at sarcomere lengths from 2.70 mum to 3.40 mum. An increase in total birefringence was measured dependent on sarcomere length when 55 single fibers were relaxed from the rigor state with Mg-ATP. Pyrophosphate relaxation produced a smaller increase in retardation when compared to Mg-ATP. The expected change in intrinsic birefringence during the rigor to relax transition was calculated assuming a hinge function of the subfragment 2 moiety of myosin. The changes in birefringence during isometric contraction and relaxation have been discussed in relation to possible structural changes.     

IMEP in support of the comparability of measurement results across the Romanian chemical metrology infrastructure

On the basis of quantitative chemical measurements many important decisions are made in support of legislation or in industrial processes or social aspects. For this reason it is important to improve the quality of chemical measurement results and thus make them comparable and acceptable everywhere. The measurement quality is important to enable an equivalent implementation of the European Union regulations and directives across an enlarged EU. In this context, the European Commission–Joint Research Centre–Institute for Reference Materials and Measurement (EC-JRC-IRMM) set up a programme to improve the scientific basis for metrology in chemistry (MiC) in EU candidate countries in the framework of EU enlargement. Several activities were initiated, such as training, fellowships, sponsoring of seminars, conferences and participation in interlaboratory comparisons. To disseminate measurement traceability, IRMM provides through its International Measurement Evaluation Programme (IMEP) an interlaboratory tool to enable the benchmarking of laboratory performance. IMEP emphasizes the metrological aspects of measurement results, such as traceability and measurement uncertainty. In this way it has become a publicly available European tool for MiC. The Romanian Bureau of Legal Metrology – National Institute of Metrology (BRML-INM) actively supports the participation of Romanian authorized and field laboratories in IMEP interlaboratory comparisons. This paper describes the interest of Romanian laboratories participating in this programme, the analytical and metrological problems that became relevant during these exercises and some actions for improvement. The results from Romanian laboratories participating in IMEP-12 (water), IMEP-16 (wine), IMEP-17 (human serum) and IMEP-20 (tuna fish) are presented. To conclude, the educational and training activities at national level organized jointly by the Romanian National Institute of Metrology (INM) and IRMM are also mentioned.     

Proof of the Fukui conjecture via resolution of singularities and related methods. II $$^{\star}$$

The present article is a direct continuation of the first part of this series. We reduce a proof of the Fukui conjecture (concerning the additivity problem of the zero-point vibrational energies of hydrocarbons) to that of a proposition related to the theory of algebraic curves, so that we can focus on the key mechanism of the additivity phenomena. Namely, by establishing what is called the Basic Piecewise Monotone Theorem (BPMT), we reduce a proof of the Fukui conjecture to that of a proposition, called the Local Analyticity Proposition, Version 1 (LAP1), which admits a proof via resolution of singularities. By LAP1, the essential part of the mechanism of the asymptotic linearity phenomena is extracted and is elucidated by using tools from the mathematical theory of algebraic curves, whose language is of vital importance in analyzing the crux of the additivity mechanism. Dedicated to the memory of Prof. Kenichi Fukui (1918–1998).     

Analysis of polyaddition levels in i-Sc3NC80

Using the density functional method, the stabilities of highly hydrogenated and fluorinated [80]fullerenes, both empty and containing the Sc3N molecule, have been calculated. Addition of 44 atoms to i-Sc3NC80 is predicted to be most favorable due to the formation of six octahedrally located benzenoid rings, while addition of up to 52 atoms (consistent with preliminary fluorination data) gives a structure stabilized by the presence of four benzenoid rings. The most stable isomers at this addition level have been determined and the relative stabilities of a number of C80H52, C80F52, and i-Sc3NC80H52 species calculated. The hydrogenation of the i-Sc3NC80 has been computed to be more difficult than the corresponding partner, C80. From the geometrical point of view, the Sc3N molecule is planar in the parent [80]fullerene but is calculated to be pyramidal in some of the hydrogenated/fluorinated derivatives. Moreover, in these it has fixed locations due to orbital interactions arising from deformation of the cage and the presence of localized double bonds.     

Synthesis and spectral properties of 6H-2,7,7-trimethyl-4-(o,p-R-phenylamino)-7,8-dihydrofuro[3,2-c]azepines

The preparation of nine novel 6H-2,7,7-trimethyl-4(o-,p-R-phenylamino)-7,8-dihydrofuro[3,2-c]-azepines with possible pharmacological activity is described. The structure of all products was corroborated by ir, ¹H-nmr and ms.     

Highly substituted pyridines via tethered imine-enamine (TIE) methodology

A tethered imine-enamine methodology has been developed for the direct conversion of 1,2,4-triazines into highly substituted pyridines via the inverse electron demand Diels-Alder reaction which avoids the need for a discrete aromatisation step. This TIE methodology has also been applied in one pot reaction cascades involving 1,2,4-triazines and utilising MnO(2)-mediated tandem oxidation processes (TOPs).     

Electron capture by protons from theK-shell of H and Ar

Whenever a collision takes place between charged particles, the first Born approximation for electron capture from hydrogenlike ions (Z _T ,e) by a bare nucleusZ _P , must be modified in order to account for the long-range Coulomb effects. One of the simplest ways to fulfill this requirement is provided by theT-matrix of the following form: $$T_{if}^{(1)} = \left\langle {\Phi _f exp\left\{ { - i\frac{{Z_T (Z_p - 1)}}{\upsilon } ln (\upsilon R + v \cdot R)} \right\}\left| {\frac{{Z_P }}{R} - \frac{{Z_P }}{{r_P }}} \right| exp\left\{ {i\frac{{Z_P (Z_T - 1)}}{\upsilon } ln (\upsilon R + v \cdot R)} \right\}\Phi _i } \right\rangle $$ where Φ's are the usual unperturbed channel states andZ's are the nuclear charges. In this transition amplitude, both initial and final scattering states satisfy the correct asymptotic boundary conditions in their respective channels. In the present paper, detailed computation of theK-shell cross sections is carried out for charge exchange in H⁺-H and H⁺-Ar collisions. The results are in good agreement with experimental data.     

The structures of fluorides. XV. Neutron diffraction-kubic harmonic profile analysis of the body-centered cubic phase of sulfur hexafluoride at 193°K

Sulfur hexafluoride has a body-centered cubic phase (a = 5.915(3) Å) between its melting point (222.4°K) and 93°K, below which a lower symmetry phase exists. NMR studies show that in both phases there is rapid reorientation of the sulfur hexafluoride molecules. From a neutron diffraction pattern collected at 193°K with λ = 1.086 Å, the data were not satisfied by a model with a spherically symmetrical fluorine density nor by a refinement with conventional ellipsoidal-shaped atoms. The latter gave systematically low S-F distances and abnormally high β_ij thermal factors. Good agreement was obtained by a combination of Kubic Harmonics with full-matrix least-squares analysis of the neutron profile pattern. The refinement was made with one variable Kubic Harmonic coefficient a₂ = 5.94(11), with $\text{R}{}_{\mathrm{w}}\text{= {}\text{∑ w[y}{}_0\text{? (}\text{1}\text{s}\text{)y}{}_{\mathrm{c}}\text{]}{}^2\text{∑ wy}{}_0{}^2\text{}}{}^{\mathrm{<mtext>1</mtext><mtext>2</mtext>}}\text{= 0.079}$ and $\text{χ}{}^2\text{=}\text{∑ w[y}{}_0\text{? (}\text{1}\text{s}\text{)y}{}_{\mathrm{c}}\text{]}{}^2\text{(NO-NV)}\text{= = 1.2}$. Only four least-squares variables were required with 225 observations in the range of one or more hkl reflections to 2θ = 58.3°. AS-F distance of 1.542(4) Å, obtained from the neutron diffraction data, is in good agreement with the reported value of 1.564(10) Å found from electron diffraction measurements of the vapor. The disordered fluorine distribution has broad maxima on the cell edges similar to those found in the plastic cubic phases of MoF₆ and WF₆.     

Metal cyanurate compounds formed directly from metal salts and urea

Compounds which have been identified as metal cyanurates have been prepared by heating certain metal oxides or salts directly with urea. Copper, nickel, cobalt, zinc, iron and manganese compounds have been formed in this manner. X-ray diffraction data and possible structures for some of these compounds are presented.