Comparative kinetics of phospholipase A2 action on liposomes and monolayers of phosphatidylcholine spread at the air-water interface

A detailed kinetic model describing the surface transformation of spread liposomes along with their enzymatic hydrolysis was developed. The model was applied to the hydrolysis of the long-chain phosphatidylcholine generating reaction products which remain at the interface and to medium-chain substrates from which the products desorb rapidly into the bulk phase. The overall kinetic constants of the hydrolysis in liposomal systems were compared with those obtained with monolayers under barostatic conditions. The values of the interfacial Michaelis-Menten constant were estimated.     

Methods of constructing optimal stabilizers

The problem of transforming a linear dynamical system in the neighbourhood of a state of equilibrium [1,2] is solved using the special problem of the damping of the system by controls of minimum intensity after a finite time interval. The possibility of using other problems of optimal control is discussed. The main attention is devoted to constructing algorithms of the operation of a device (a stabilizer) which is able, in real time, to generate a stabilizing control circulating in the closed optimal system when unknown perturbations operate constantly [3, 4]. The proposed method is based on the constructive theory of optimal control [5, 6]. Another form of this theory for solving the problem of stabilization is presented in [7](see also [8]).     

2H NMR spectra of 2-(p-heptylbenzoyloxy)-5-(p-heptylbenzenazo)tropone. A new sigmatropic liquid crystal

Liquid crystals incorporating in their molecular framework a seven-membered ring are still relatively rare [1]. Recently the synthesis and thermal behaviour of a series of liquid crystal materials having a tropone moiety in their mesogenic core have been reported [2-4]. These mesogens, based on a 2-(acyloxy)tropone core structure, show intramolecular migration of the acyl substituents between the two oxygen atoms at C-1 and C-2, an effect already known for simple 2-(acyloxy)tropones in their isotropic solutions [5]. This migration involves a concerted [1, 9]-sigmatropic rearrangement [2]. This rearrangement could play a major role in determining the properties of the mesophases: it has been suggested in fact that, because of this rearrangement, the mesogenic molecules acquire a mean rod-like shape which can sustain the mesophase formation [2].     

Application of129Xe 2D-EXSY NMR to intra- and interparticle exchange in zeolites

2D-EXSY NMR methods were used to explore diffusion between different domains in zeolites on two very different length scales. Measurements were made on xenon-containing samples consisting of a mixture of NaX and NaY zeolite particles which give distinct resonance lines. The cross peaks observed were interpreted in terms of interparticle exchange, and exchange rates were measured as a function of particle size. This kind of experiment with a length scale of microns to mm should be useful in model studies of diffusion in packed catalyst beds. Measurements also were made to study exchange on a much smaller length scale between the main-channel and side-pocket sites in samples of microcrystalline Na-mordenite. Exchange rates and site occupancies were measured as a function of temperature, yielding activation energies for xenon desorption and intersite diffusion. Also, information was obtained on the distribution of inequivalent side-pocket sites which leads to the large xenon NMR linewidths for this type of site.     

Measurement of the spin and temperature dependence of ddµ molecule formation rate in solid and liquid deuterium

The ddµ molecule formation rate is experimentally measured for the two hyperfine states of the dµ-atom in the temperature range of 5–30 K. Results are consistent with a preliminary measurement by the TRIUMF group and contradict theoretical predictions. The work has been performed on the JINR phasotron (Dubna).     

Separation of actinides by means of HPLC

A procedure is described separating, identifying and determining the actinides (An) U, Np, Pu, Am and Cm in the presence of the lanthanides (Ln) La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Pm, Sm, Eu and Ho on an analytical scale. It is based on high-pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) combined with a dual on-line detection system and is accomplished within a short time, in one step and under isocratic conditions (for An). The separation was carried out on a strongly acidic and highly capacitive cationic exchange resin on a polystyrene divinylbenzene copolymer (Aminex A9, co. BioRad) basis. Radionuclides emitting α- and β-particles are detected on-line using a custom-made solid scintillation flow-through cell. Inactive components are monitored by colour reagent complex detection (Arsenazo III, λ-648 nm) with a VIS detector placed in series.     

Gas transport through homogeneous and asymmetric polyethersulfone membranes

Both homogeneous and asymmetric polyethersulfone (PES) membranes were prepared by solvent casting. The sorption and permeation behavior of CO₂, O₂, and N₂ using these two kinds of cast PES membranes and commercially available homogeneous PES film was investigated to extract the pressure dependence of gas permeability and the permselectivity for CO₂ relative to N₂, and to confirm the validity of the working assumption that a skin layer in an asymmetric membrane can be essentially replaced by a thick homogeneous dense membrane. The pressure dependence of the mean permeability coefficient to CO₂ in homogeneous membranes obeys the dual-mode mobility model. The ideal separation factor for CO₂ relative to N₂ at an upstream pressure of 0.5 MPa attains ca. 40, while the permeability to CO₂ is about 2.7 Barrer at the same upstream pressure. The same separation factor in asymmetric membranes amounts to 35. The diffusion behavior for the skin layer in an asymmetric membrane with a thin skin layer can be simulated approximately by that in a homogeneous dense membrane. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Superconductivity and normal state resistivity of Ba0.6K0.4BiO3: an optical phonon approach

We discuss the nature of the pairing mechanism and the physical properties associated with the normal as well as the superconducting state of cubic perovskites Ba_0.6K_0.4BiO₃using the strong coupling theory. An interaction potential which includes the Coulomb, electron–optical phonon and electron–plasmon interactions is developed to elucidate the superconducting state. A model dielectric function is constructed with these interactions fulfilling thef-sum rule. The screening parameter (μ^* = 0.26) infers the poor screening of charge carriers. The electron–optical phonon strength (λ) estimated as 0.98 is consistent with an attractive electron–electron interaction and supports the moderate to strong coupling theory. The superconducting transition temperature of Ba_0.6K_0.4BiO₃is then estimated as 32 K. Ziman's formula of resistivity is employed to analyse and compare this with the temperature-dependent resistivity of a single crystal. The estimated contribution from the electron–optical phonon together with the residual resistivity clearly infers a difference when a comparison is made with experimental data. The subtracted data infer a quadratic temperature dependence in the temperature domain (30 ≤ T ≤ 200 K). The quadratic temperature dependence of ρ [ = ρ_exp − (ρ₀ + ρ_e–ph)] is understood in terms of 3D electron–electron inelastic scattering. The presence of these el–el and el–ph interactions allows a coherent interpretation of the physical properties. Analysis reveals that a moderate to strong coupling exists in the Ba_0.6K_0.4BiO₃system and the coupling of electrons with the high-energy optical phonons of the oxygen breathing mode will be a reason for superconductivity. The implications of the above analysis are discussed.     

Enumeration of Full Graphs: Onset of the Asymptotic Region

A full graph on n vertices, as defined by Fulkerson, is a representation of the intersection and containment relations among a system of n sets. It has an undirected edge between vertices representing intersecting sets and a directed edge from a to b if the corresponding set A contains B;. Kleitman, Lasaga, and Cowen gave a unified argument to show that asymptotically, almost all full graphs can be obtained by taking an arbitrary undirected graph on the n vertices, distinguishing a clique in this graph, which need not be maximal, and then adding directed edges going out from each vertex in the clique to all vertices to which there is not already an existing undirected edge. Call graphs of this type members of the dominant class. This article obtains the first upper and lower bounds on how large n has to be, so that the asymptotic behavior is indeed observed. It is shown that when n > 170, the dominant class predominates, while when n < 17, the full graphs in the dominant class compose less than half of the total number of realizable full graphs on n vertices.     

Über die Bedeutung von Diffusionsgrenzschichten bei Ionenaustauschvorgängen

Based on NMR imaging results of the spatial and temporal development of ion exchange processes in alginate gels, the question of appropriate modelling of these processes is discussed. For rare earth and actinoid ions, the behaviour is found to correspond qualitatively to the expectations of Stefan’s model (shrinking core model, SCM). However, quantitative correspondence of the experimental data with the model can only be achieved when an additional diffusive layer at the surface of the ion exchange material is assumed. An extension of the SCM with respect to this problem is derived.