Micro-Gal laser absolute gravimeter based on high precision heterodyne interferometer

A micro-Gal absolute gravimeter based on high-precision and high-stability heterodyne interferometer is presented. The distance measuring technology of the gravimeter is studied in detail. The experimental results of distance measuring for a free-falling motion show that the high-precision heterodyne interferometer described in this paper can meet the demand of a micro-Gal absolute gravimeter with relative uncertainty of 6.4 × 10-9. Moreover, the heterodyne interferometer is more stable than the Mach-Zehnder interferometer (MZI) which is widely used in present absolute gravimeters.     

Acoustical properties of single crystals of mercurous halides

Velocities of propagation of elastic waves along principal crystallographic directions in Hg₂Br₂ and Hg₂J₂ single crystals were measured using the pulse and phase-pulse techniques. The values obtained were used to calculate the components of the elastic tensors c_ik and s_ik, as well as the phase and group velocities of propagation of longitudinal and transverse waves in the (100) and (001) planes, and the angular deviation of acoustic energy flux from the direction of the corresponding wave normal. Knowledge of the anisotropy of the elastic properties of Hg₂X₂ crystals and of their change with the anion (X = Cl, Br, J) leads to deeper understanding of the character of bonds in the crystal lattice and points the way to a better utilization of technical properties of the crystals. — Minimum velocity of propagation of an elastic wave falls in the case of Hg₂J₂ to a value v [100] [11 10] = 0,25 · 10⁵ cm/s, what is the lowest value known among all crystals. Maximum angular deviation of acoustic energy flux — nearly 50° — is exhibited by the quasi-longitudinal wave in Hg₂J₂ crystals. On substituting the Cl⁻ ions with Br⁻ and J⁻ ions, the anisotropy of elastic moduli C₃₃/C₁₁ increases by nearly 80%. Different mechanisms contribute to vectorial dependence of the elastic properties along different crystallographic directions.     

Enzymatic Synthesis of a Diastereomer of Neoabyssomicin Derivative Using the Diels-Alderase AbyU

Main observation and conclusion The enzyme AbyU catalyses a Diels-Alder (DA) reaction during abyssomicin C biosynthesis.In this study,AbyU is shown to convert t...     

A proposal for preparation of cluster states with linear optics

Measurement-based quantum computation in an optical setup shows great promise towards the implementation oflarge-scale quantum computation. The difficulty of measurement-based quantum computation lies in the preparation ofcluster state. In this paper, we propose the method of generating the large-scale cluster state, which is a platform formeasurement-based quantum computation. In order to achieve more complex quantum circuits, the preparation protocolof N-photon cluster state will be proposed as a generalization of the preparation of four- and five-photon cluster states.Furthermore, our proposal is experimentally feasible.     

The Synthesis and 31P NMR Spectral Studies of Cyclophosphazenes

A modified method for preparing large-scale quantities of pure hexachlorocyclophosphazene (N₃P₃Cl₆) and octachlorocyclotetraphosphazene (N₄P₄Cl₈), phosphorus pentachloride with ammonium chloride, in the presence of zinc chloride, has been developed. The time of the reaction and the quantities of the catalyst are also studied. It is found that the optimum reaction time is 1.5 h and by-products are remarkably reduced by addition of 10% zinc chloride. As indicated by the ³¹ P NMR spectra, the synthesis and separation of cyclophosphazenes can be accomplished in moderate yield of tetramer (39%) and good yield of trimer (83%).     

Site‐specific reversible immobilization and purification of His‐tagged protein on poly(2‐acetamidoacrylic acid) hydrogel beads

Ni²⁺‐complexed poly(2‐acetamidoacrylic acid) (PAAA) hydrogel beads were developed for the site‐specific reversible immobilization and purification of the histidine‐tagged green fluorescent protein (His‐tagged GFP). PAAA hydrogel beads were prepared by photopolymerization, and significantly improved mechanical properties of PAAA hydrogel beads were observed in comparison with PAAA hydrogel from our previous study. Confocal laser scanning microscopy was used to determine the binding of His‐tagged GFP to the hydrogel beads in three‐dimensional space. Photoluminescence spectroscopy revealed 89% of binding efficiency of His‐tagged GFP to the Ni²⁺‐PAAA hydrogel beads, 51% of yielding recovery. The maximum binding capacity of His‐tagged GFP was estimated to be 0.45 µg/mg of Ni²⁺‐PAAA hydrogel beads. The recombinant His‐tagged GFP from the soluble fraction of E. coli BL21(DE3) cell lysates was purified with Ni²⁺‐PAAA hydrogel beads. The major advantage of the Ni²⁺‐PAAA hydrogel beads system was simple preparation procedures of producing the matrix, because PAAA hydrogel beads had relatively enhanced mechanical strength than soft hydrogels. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Characterizing affinity epitopes between prion protein and β-amyloid using an epitope mapping immunoassay

Cellular prion protein, a membrane protein, is expressed in all mammals. Prion protein is also found in human blood as an anchorless protein, and this protein form is one of the many potential sources of misfolded prion protein replication during transmission. Many studies have suggested that β-amyloid_1–42 oligomer causes neurotoxicity associated with Alzheimer''s disease, which is mediated by the prion protein that acts as a receptor and regulates the hippocampal potentiation. The prevention of the binding of these proteins has been proposed as a possible preventative treatment for Alzheimer''s disease; therefore, a greater understanding of the binding hot-spots between the two molecules is necessary. In this study, the epitope mapping immunoassay was employed to characterize binding epitopes within the prion protein and complementary epitopes in β-amyloid. Residues 23–39 and 93–119 in the prion protein were involved in binding to β-amyloid_1–40 and _1–42, and monomers of this protein interacted with prion protein residues 93–113 and 123–166. Furthermore, β-amyloid antibodies against the C-terminus detected bound β-amyloid_1–42 at residues 23–40, 104–122 and 159–175. β-Amyloid epitopes necessary for the interaction with prion protein were not determined. In conclusion, charged clusters and hydrophobic regions of the prion protein were involved in binding to β-amyloid_1–40 and _1–42. The 3D structure appears to be necessary for β-amyloid to interact with prion protein. In the future, these binding sites may be utilized for 3D structure modeling, as well as for the pharmaceutical intervention of Alzheimer''s disease.     

Liquid chromatographic resolution of racemic rasagiline and its analogues on a chiral stationary phase based on (+)‐(18‐crown‐6)‐2,3,11,12‐tetracarboxylic acid

A liquid chromatographic chiral stationary phase based on (+)‐(18‐crown‐6)‐2,3,11,12‐tetracarboxylic acid was applied to the resolution of 15 analytes, including racemic rasagiline, a chiral drug for the treatment of Parkinson's disease, and its analogues. The composition of mobile phase was optimized to be ethanol/acetonitrile/acetic acid/triethylamine (80:20:0.2:0.3, v/v/v/v) by evaluating the chromatographic results for the resolution of five selected analytes under various mobile phase conditions. Under the optimized mobile phase conditions, racemic rasagiline was resolved quite well with a separation factor of 1.48 and resolution of 2.71 and its 14 analogues were also resolved reasonably well with separation factors of 1.06–1.54 and resolutions of 0.54–2.11. Among 15 analytes, racemic rasagiline was resolved best except for just one analyte. The analyte structure–enantioselectivity relationship indicated that racemic rasagiline has the most appropriate structural characteristics for resolution on the chiral stationary phase.     

Novel Synthesis of Tri- and Penta-Coordinate Phosphorous Saccharide

Two novel tricoordinate phosphorous saccharides, methyl 4,6-O-benzylidene- α -D-glucopyranoside 2,3-cyclic phosphite ethyl ester 3 and its mannoside analogue 5 were synthesized by the reaction of protected pyrannosides (1 and 4) with ethyl dichlorophosphite 2. Addition of 2,3-butanedione to 3 resulted in the formation of pentacoordinate phosphorous compound 6.