Multiphonon vibrations at high angular momentum in 182 Os

Evidence is presented for multiphonon excitations based on a high-spin (25 Planck) intrinsic state in the deformed nucleus 182 Os. Angular momentum generation by this mode competes with collective rotation. The experimental data are compared with tilted-axis cranking calculations, supporting the vibrational interpretation. However, the lower experimental energies provide evidence that more complex interactions of states are playing a role.     

Inert site in a protein zinc cluster: isotope exchange by high resolution mass spectrometry

Using electrospray ionization Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry, we show that one Zn2+ ion in the Zn4 cluster of cyanobacterial metallothionein is inert to exchange with 67Zn2+. We suggest that this is zinc in site A, which together with the surrounding alpha and beta secondary structure forms a zinc-finger fold.     

A new method for the stereoselective synthesis of alpha-substituted serine amino acid analogues

[reaction: see text]. A new method was developed for the stereoselective synthesis of alpha-substituted serine amino acids. The strategy utilizes a common enantiomerically enriched intermediate obtained through an enzymatic desymmetrization. A variety of amino acids were synthesized in good ee's through nucleophilic acetylide addition reactions and palladium-catalyzed Sonogashira couplings.     

Monitoring and fast detection of mycotoxin-producing fungi based on headspace solid-phase microextraction and headspace sorptive extraction of the volatile metabolites

Solid phase microextraction in combination with capillary GC-MS was used as monitoring technique for the collection and detection of the fungal volatile metabolite (+)-aristolochene by sporulated surface cultures of Penicillium roqueforti. A comparison was made between different toxigenic and nontoxigenic strains of P. roqueforti. Different growth conditions and media, such as malt extract agar, potato dextrose agar and sabouraud dextrose agar were compared. Whereas toxigenic strains produced large amounts of (+)-aristolochene, beta-elemene, valencene and germacrene A, nontoxigenic P. roqueforti strains showed a remarkably different headspace profile, in which ethyl-2-hexenoate, E-beta-caryophyllene, aromadendrene and beta-patchoulene were the predominant volatiles, apart from other sesquiterpene hydrocarbons present at lower concentrations. Stir bar sorptive extraction, was also applied in the headspace sampling mode, i.e. headspace sorptive extraction (HSSE) for the enrichment of fungal volatiles from sporulated surface cultures to differentiate between toxigenic and nontoxigenic fungi. Hence, it can be concluded that headspace analysis of volatile fungal metabolites by SPME and HSSE in combination with capillary GC-MS is a suitable monitoring technique for the fast detection of mycotoxin producing fungi.     

High-spin structure of N\simeq Z nuclei around the A = 72 region

High-spin states have been studied in ⁷²Kr and ⁷²Br using the ⁴⁰Ca + ⁴⁰Ca and ³⁶Ar + ⁴⁰Ca reactions at 164 and 145 MeV, respectively. The properties and configurations of the high-spin bands observed have been interpreted using unpaired cranked Nilsson-Strutinsky (CNS), and for ⁷²Kr, paired cranked relativistic Hartree-Bogoliubov (CRHB) calculations. In ⁷²Kr a new band has been identified that has the properties expected for the doubly aligned S-band configuration. In ⁷²Br the previously known bands have been extended to higher spin. This has lead to a re-interpretation of the configurations.Received: 31 October 2002, Published online: 24 February 2004PACS: 21.10.Re Collective levels - 23.20.Lv transitions and level energies - 27.50. + e      

Direct capillary electrophoretic detection of carbohydrate-deficient transferrin in neat serum

Transferrin, an iron transport protein found in serum and cerebrospinal fluid, is known to be microheterogeneous with respect to its carbohydrate and sialic acid content. The forms of transferrin deficient in sialic acid and/or carbohydrate, termed carbohydrate-deficient transferrin (CDT), have been of clinical interest for almost two decades as a result of the initial finding that elevated CDT concentrations are associated with chronic, excessive alcohol abuse. We demonstrate the utility of capillary electrophoresis for examining the CDT sialoform profile via the direct electrophoresis of serum. The need for negligible preelectrophoresis sample preparation and absence of postelectrophoresis processing dramatically decreases analysis time compared to slab gel-based separations. Using a fluorocarbon-coated capillary containing a hydroxyethyl cellulose/borate buffer, the high resolution separation of serum components is effected in less than 30 min. Under these conditions, the beta region proteins (including transferrin) are well resolved from the alpha-2 and gamma zone proteins in a window where the individual transferrin sialoforms can be detected. The usefulness of this method is demonstrated with the electrophoresis of serum from subjects known to be either non-alcoholic and alcoholic.