The viscoelasticity and structure of fibrous proteins

Summary DynamicYoung's moduli of wool fibres in water have been measured over a range of two decades in rate of extension and at temperatures from 0 to 90 C. Small displacements were used, corresponding to extensions of 0.1%. These were imposed upon mean extensions of (a) 1%, (b) 15% and (c) 40%, representative of the three main extension regions of-keratin. The results obtained show great differences from the slopes of the corresponding regions of the force-extension curve carried out at the same temperature and rate of extension.Comparison of the small-strain dynamic moduli in the three regions (a), (b) and (c) indicate that there is a component of the modulus in (a) amounting to 1.3×10¹⁰ dynes/cm² which is associated with intact-helical filaments, and which is substantially constant up to at least 70 C.Approximate superposition of the dynamic moduli at different rates was achieved using theWilliams-Landel-Ferry (WFL) equation with a reference temperature of 35 C. It is thereby concluded that under the present conditions-keratin has an effective glasstransition in the vicinity of –15 C. Above 60–70 C the WLF relation was not obeyed, indicating the presence of a relaxing process with a different temperature-dependence from that of the normal viscoelastic mechanisms; it is suggested that this process may consist in the fission and re-formation of cystine groups.

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Zusammenfassung Die dynamischenYoung-Moduln von Wollfasern in Wasser wurden über einen Bereich von zwei Dekaden der Streckgeschwindigkeit und Temperaturen zwischen 0 und 90 gemessen. Die maximal verwendeten Auslenkungen entsprechen einer Ausdehnung von 0,1%. Diese wurden den mittleren Dehnungen von (a) 1%, (b) 15% und (c) 40% überlagert entsprechend den drei Hauptbereichen der Dehnung von-Keratin. Die erhaltenen Ergebnisse zeigen gro\e Differenzen für die Steigungen der entsprechenden Bereiche Kraft-Dehnungs-Diagramm für gleiche Temperaturen und gleiche Dehnungsgeschwindigkeit.Ein Vergleich der Dehn-Moduln für kleine Dehnungen in den drei Bereichen (a), (b) und (c) zeigen, da\ in (a) eine Komponente des Moduls von etwa 1,3×10¹⁰dyn/ cm² enthalten ist, verbunden mit den intakten-Helices der Moleküle. Und diese bleiben im wesentlichen unverändert bis zu Temperaturen von wenigstens 70 C.Näherungsweise Superposition der dynamischen Moduln bei verschiedenen Dehngeschwindigkeiten konnte mit Hilfe derWilliams-Landel-Ferry (WLF)-Gleichung hinsichtlich einer Referenz-Temperatur von 35 C erreicht werden. Hieraus folgt, da\ unter den angewandten Bedingungen das-Keratin eine effektive Glasübergangstemperatur in der Nachbarschaft von –15C besitzt. Oberhalb von 60 bis 70 C wird die WLP-Gleichung nicht befolgt. Das zeigt die Mitwirkung von Relaxations-Prozessen mit einer unterschiedlichen Temperatur-Abhängigkeit von der der normalen viscoelastischen Mechanismen an. Es ist zu vermuten, da\ dieser Proze\ auf der Aufspaltung und Wiederbildung von Cystin-Gruppen beruht.

     

Some lessons from the development of metal hydride chemistry in the light of hydrogen storage problems

The main trends of the chemistry of hydrides of transition metals and their alloys are briefly reviewed. “Sensational” hydrogen capacity data and the potential of some metal materials (metals, alloys, and quasi-crystals) and carbon nanomaterials in reversible hydrogen storage applications are critically analyzed. The significance of research in this field for hydrogen energy applications is underlined.     

(2-Vinyloxyethyl)hydrazines

Reaction of hydrazine hydrate with 2-chloroethyl vinyl ether afforded (2-vinyloxyethyl)hydrazine and 1,1-bis(2-vinyloxyethyl)hydrazine in 20-38% yield.     

Fluorescence from the second excited singlet state of [18] annulenes

The emission spectra of the second excited singlet state of [18] annulene and of monofluoro [18] annulene (in a 3-methylpentane glass at 4 K) are reported. The large energy gap between the first and second excited singlet states inhibits fast internal conversion and favours the appearance of S₂ → S₀ emission. In addition, fluorescence from the S₁ state can be observed in monofluoro [13] annulene by exciting into the S₂ or directly into the S₁ absorption.     

Nitration of pentaerythritol by HNO3-H2SO4-H2O system

Conclusions It was shown experimentally that the nitrating agent in the O-nitration of pentaerythritol by HNO₃-H₂SO₄-H₂O nitrating mixtures is not the nitronium cation but evidently the free unionized nitric acid molecule.Translated from Izvestiya Akademii Nauk SSSR, Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 1, pp. 134–140, January, 1970.     

High-throughput cytochrome P450 inhibition screening via cassette probe-dosing strategy. IV. Validation of a direct injection on-line guard cartridge extraction/tandem mass spectrometry method for simultaneous CYP3A4, 2D6 and 2E1 inhibition assessment

A highly efficient direct injection on-line guard cartridge extraction/tandem mass spectrometry (DI-GCE/MS/MS) method has been validated for high-throughput evaluation of cytochrome P450 (CYP) 3A4, 2D6 and 2E1 inhibition potential via cassette dosing of midazolam, dextromethorphan and chlorzoxazone using human hepatic microsomes and 96-well microtiter plates. Microsomal incubations were terminated with formic acid, centrifuged, and the resulting supernatants were injected for analysis by DI-GCE/MS/MS. Due to the novel use of an extremely short C(18) guard cartridge (4 mm in length), this method exhibits several advantages such as no sample preparation, excellent on-line extraction, short run time (2.5 min), and minimized source contamination and performance deterioration. The DI-GCE/MS/MS method demonstrates acceptable accuracy and precision for the simultaneous quantification of 1'-hydroxymidazolam, dextrorphan and 6-hydroxychlorzoxazone in microsomal incubations. The inhibition potential of CYP3A4, 2D6 and 2E1 has been evaluated using their known selective inhibitors. The IC(50) values measured by the cassette dosing approach (high-throughput) are consistent with those observed by an individual dosing regimen (conventional) and are all in good agreement with the literature values. The results suggest that the cassette probe-dosing strategy may provide an in vitro approach to minimize cost while maximizing throughput of CYP inhibition evaluation of new chemical entities in support of drug discovery and development.     

The mechanism of bacteriorhodopsin functioning. I. The light-induced proton throw-over by retinal

The path of proton motion in protein bacteriorhodopsin is constructed: Tyr 43 → Tyr 26 → Asp 212 → Tyr 83 → Tyr 57 → Tyr 79 → Glu 204 → Tyr 64 → Glu 74. From the position of quantum theory the light-induced isomerization of retinal, the process carrying out the proton and throw-over from the inlet H-bond chain (Tyr 43 → Tyr 26 → Lys 216) to the outlet one (Lys 216 → Asp 212 → … → Glu 74) are investigated. The kinetics of the transition of the excitation from the π-electron subsystem to the vibrational one is studied; the function of the nonequilibrial excitation distribution of the collective intramolecular retinal vibrations is found. The mechanism of deprotonation of Schiff base (transmission of proton to the outlet channel) is considered. The correspondence between the theoretically estimated states and spectroscopically identified forms of bacteriorhodosin (initial form bR, intermediates J, K) is proposed.     

Crystallization of filled nylon 6 III. Non-isothermal crystallization

Summary DSC data on crystallization kinetics from the melt at different cooling rates of nylon 6 containing various amonts of untreated and surface-treated fillers, were analyzed in terms of a modified Kolmogorov-Avrami equation. It was established that mechanism of crystallinity development in molten nylon 6 does not change appreciably in presence of aminosilane-treated glass beads and small amounts of untreated glass beads, whereas time exponentn was found to decrease with increasing filler content in samples containing untreated glass beads and Aerosil. On the other hand, dependence of temperature of the onset of crystal nucleation on cooling rate obeyedm = 2 law for pure nylon 6 and samples containing surface-treated filler, whilem = 4 law seemed to hold for samples containing large amounts of untreated fillers at low cooling rates (m is the exponent at degree of supercooling). It was concluded that although isothermal conditions of crystallization should be preferred for further quantitative investigations of polymer-filler interactions in highly filled polymer melts, the above results qualitatively are consistent with trends discovered in isothermal crystallization experiments.     

Synthesis of thieno[3.2-<Emphasis Type="Italic">b</Emphasis>]pyrrolenine derivatives under the Fischer reaction conditions

The reaction of alkyl 4-(2-acetylhydrazino)-2-methyl-3-thiophenecarboxylates with 3-methylbutan-2-one was carried out under the Fischer reaction conditions. The influence of Lewis acids and solvents on the process was studied. A convenient method for the synthesis of thieno [3.2-b]pyrrolenine derivatives was proposed.__________Published in Russian in Izvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 3, pp. 725–729, March, 2005.