Optimizing the accuracy and precision of the single‐pulse Laue technique for synchrotron photo‐crystallography

The accuracy that can be achieved in single‐pulse pump‐probe Laue experiments is discussed. It is shown that with careful tuning of the experimental conditions a reproducibility of the intensity ratios of equivalent intensities obtained in different measurements of 3–4% can be achieved. The single‐pulse experiments maximize the time resolution that can be achieved and, unlike stroboscopic techniques in which the pump‐probe cycle is rapidly repeated, minimize the temperature increase due to the laser exposure of the sample.     

A functional model for the cysteinate-ligated non-heme iron enzyme superoxide reductase (SOR)

Superoxide reductases (SORs) are cysteine-ligated, non-heme iron enzymes that reduce toxic superoxide radicals (O2-). The functional role of the trans cysteinate, as well as the mechanism by which SOR reduces O2-, is unknown. Herein is described a rare example of a functional metalloenzyme analogue, which catalytically reduces superoxide in a proton-dependent mechanism, via a trans thiolate-ligated iron-peroxo intermediate, the first example of its type. Acetic-acid-promoted H2O2 release, followed by Cp2Co reduction, regenerates the active Fe(II) catalyst. The thiolate ligand and its trans positioning relative to the substrate are shown to contribute significantly to the catalyst's function, by lowering the redox potential, changing the spin state, and dramatically lowering the nuFe-O stretching frequency well-below that of any other reported iron-peroxo, while leaving nuO-O high, so as to favor superoxide reduction and Fe-O, as opposed to O-O, bond cleavage. Thus we provide critical insight into the relationship between the SOR structure and its function, as well as important benchmark parameters for characterizing highly unstable thiolate-ligated iron-peroxo intermediates.     

Stereochemical leakage mechanisms for tricarbonyl(dienyl)iron cations

ψ-Endo to ψ-exo leakage during solvolysis of a ψ-endo-dienol—Fe(CO)₃ dinitrobenzoate ester does not proceed via a syn, syn-cis-dienyl—Fe(CO)₃ cation. The most probable leakage mechanism involves non-stereospecific ionization of the dinitrobenzoate ester. syn,syn-cis-Dienyl—Fe(CO)₃ cations are formed from ψ-exo-dienol—Fe(CO)₃ complex during chromatography on grade I neutral alumina.     

Synthesis and Characterization of Photoactive Methyl 4-Bromo-3-((2,6-Difluorophenyl)diazenyl) Benzoate

Journal of Chemical Crystallography - The synthesis and structure of a novel ortho-fluoroazobenzene, methyl 4-bromo-3-((2,6-difluorophenyl)diazenyl) benzoate is described. The title molecule...     

Algebraic modular forms

In this paper, we develop an algebraic theory of modular forms, for connected, reductive groupsG overQ with the property that every arithmetic subgroup Γ ofG(Q) is finite. This theory includes our previous work [15] on semi-simple groupsG withG(R) compact, as well as the theory of algebraic Hecke characters for Serre tori [20]. The theory of algebraic modular forms leads to a workable theory of modular forms (modp), which we hope can be used to parameterize odd modular Galois representations. The theory developed here was inspired by a letter of Serre to Tate in 1987, which has appeared recently [21]. I want to thank Serre for sending me a copy of this letter, and for many helpful discussions on the topic.     

Ab initio calculations of the equation of state of hydrogen in a regime relevant for inertial fusion applications

We describe ab initio electronic structure calculations (density functional theory molecular dynamics and coupled electron-ion quantum Monte Carlo) of the equation of state (EOS) of hydrogen in a pressure-temperature regime relevant for simulating the initial phase of an inertial confinement fusion capsule implosion. We find the computed EOS to be quite close to that of the most recent SESAME table (constructed by G. Kerley, 2003). A simple density-dependent but temperature-independent correction brings the 2003-Kerley EOS into excellent agreement with ours in the chosen region of the hydrogen phase diagram. Simulations of fusion ignition experiments on the National Ignition Facility (NIF) with this modified 2003-Kerley table are shown to produce results nearly indistinguishable from those of the 2003-Kerley EOS, which was used to design the capsule. In this sense, we do not expect that further improvements to the hydrogen EOS in this particular regime will impact the capsule design.     

Less is more when simulating unsulfated glycosaminoglycan 3D‐structure: Comparison of GLYCAM06/TIP3P,PM3‐CARB1/TIP3P,and SCC‐DFTB‐D/TIP3P predictions with experiment

The 3D‐structure of extracellular matrix glycosaminoglycans is central to function, but is currently poorly understood. Resolving this will provide insight into their heterogeneous biological roles and help to realize their significant therapeutic potential. Glycosaminoglycan chemical isoforms are too numerous to study experimentally and simulation provides a tractable alternative. However, best practice for accurate calculation of glycosaminoglycan 3D‐structure within biologically relevant nanosecond timescales is uncertain. Here, we evaluate the ability of three potentials to reproduce experimentally observed glycosaminoglycan monosaccharide puckering, disaccharide 3D‐conformation, and characteristic solvent interactions. Temporal dynamics of unsulfated chondroitin, chondroitin‐4‐sulfate, and hyaluronan β(1→3) disaccharides were simulated within TIP3P explicit solvent unrestrained for 20 ns using the GLYCAM06 force‐field and two semi‐empirical quantum mechanics methods, PM3‐CARB1 and SCC‐DFTB‐D (both within a hybrid QM/MM formalism). Comparison of calculated and experimental properties (vicinal couplings, nuclear Overhauser enhancements, and glycosidic linkage geometries) showed that the carbohydrate‐specific parameterization of PM3‐CARB1 imparted quantifiable benefits on monosaccharide puckering and that the SCC‐DFTB‐D method (including an empirical correction for dispersion) best modeled the effects of hexosamine 4‐sulfation. However, paradoxically, the most approximate approach (GLYCAM06/TIP3P) was the best at predicting monosaccharide puckering, 3D‐conformation, and solvent interactions. Our data contribute to the debate and emerging consensus on the relative performance of these levels of theory for biological molecules. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Comput Chem, 2010