Monitoring Membrane Protein Conformational Heterogeneity by Fluorescence Lifetime Distribution Analysis Using the Maximum Entropy Method

Due to the inherent difficulty in crystallizing membrane proteins, approaches based on fluorescence spectroscopy have proved useful in elucidating their conformational characteristics. The ion channel peptide gramicidin serves as an excellent prototype for monitoring membrane protein conformation and dynamics due to a number of reasons. We have analyzed conformational heterogeneity in membrane-bound gramicidin using fluorescence lifetime distribution analysis of tryptophan residues by the maximum entropy method (MEM). MEM represents a model-free and robust approach for analyzing fluorescence lifetime distribution. In this paper, we show for the first time, that fluorescence lifetime distribution analysis using MEM could be a convenient approach to monitor conformational heterogeneity in membrane-bound gramicidin in particular and membrane proteins in general. Lifetime distribution analysis by MEM therefore provides a novel window to monitor conformational transitions in membrane proteins.     

Study of electron donor-acceptor complexes of tri-n-octyl amine with [60]- and [70]fullerenes and some other electron acceptors by absorption spectrophotometric method

Electron donor-acceptor (EDA) complexes of tri-n-octylamine (TOA) with [60]- and [70]fullerenes and some other electron acceptors have been studied in chloroform medium by absorption spectrophotometric technique. Charge transfer (CT) absorption bands are observed in the visible region. Vertical ionization potential of TOA was determined utilizing CT transition energy. Oscillator strengths, transition dipole strengths and resonance energies for all the complexes have been calculated. [60]Fullerene/TOA and [70]fullerene/TOA complexes are found to decay slowly with time. Kinetics of these reactions have been studied and activation energies for such processes have been estimated. Ab initio calculations suggest that complexation of [70]fullerene with TOA is enthalpy favoured.     

Optical and electrical properties of p-type transparent conducting CuAlO2 thin film synthesized by reactive radio frequency magnetron sputtering technique

Thin films of p-type transparent conducting CuAlO₂ have been synthesized through reactive radio frequency magnetron sputtering on silicon and glass substrates at substrate temperature 300°C. Reactive sputtering of a target fabricated from Cu and Al powder (1:1.5) was performed in Ar+O₂ atmosphere. The deposition parameters were optimized to obtain phase pure, good quality CuAlO₂ thin films. The films were characterized by studying their structural, morphological, optical and electrical properties.     

Trace formulas for relative Schatten class perturbations

We derive trace formulas for a pair of self-adjoint operators $H+V$ and H under the assumption that ${(H?\mathrm{i})}^{?1}V$ is in a Schatten class. This extends the trace formulas of [8], where V alone is assumed to be in a Schatten class. Our trace formulas apply, in particular, in the setting of differential operators and are based on Taylor-like approximations of operator functions. This significantly improves non-Taylor based trace formulas of [10].     

Ag2CO3-catalyzed cycloaddition of organic azides onto terminal alkynes: A green and sustainable protocol accelerated by aqueous micelles of CPyCl

Using catalytic amount of Ag₂CO₃ a simple, efficient and copper free green protocol has been developed to synthesize 1,4-disubstituted 1,2,3-triazoles regioselectively. Here, the cationic surfactant, cetylpyridinium chloride (CPyCl) in water provides a micellar media and accelerates the subsequent Ag(I)-catalysed azide-alkyne cycloaddition (AgAAC) reaction by increasing the concentration of reactants in the micellar pseudophase. Our method is found to be environmentally friendly from E-factor measurement. The surfactant, CPyCl is found to be nontoxic.     

Characterization of high intensity focused ultrasound transducers using acoustic streaming

A new approach for characterizing high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) transducers is presented. The technique is based upon the acoustic streaming field generated by absorption of the HIFU beam in a liquid medium. The streaming field is quantified using digital particle image velocimetry, and a numerical algorithm is employed to compute the acoustic intensity field giving rise to the observed streaming field. The method as presented here is applicable to moderate intensity regimes, above the intensities which may be damaging to conventional hydrophones, but below the levels where nonlinear propagation effects are appreciable. Intensity fields and acoustic powers predicted using the streaming method were found to agree within 10% with measurements obtained using hydrophones and radiation force balances. Besides acoustic intensity fields, the streaming technique may be used to determine other important HIFU parameters, such as beam tilt angle or absorption of the propagation medium.     

Multi-C−C/C−N-Coupled Light-Emitting Aliphatic Terpolymers: N−H-Functionalized Fluorophore Monomers and High-Performance Applications

To circumvent costly fluorescent labeling, five nonconventional, multifunctional, intrinsically fluorescent aliphatic terpolymers ( 1 – 5 ) have been synthesized by C−C/C−N-coupled, solution polymerization of two non-emissive monomers with protrusions of fluorophore monomers generated in situ. These scalable terpolymers were suitable for sensing and high-performance exclusion of Cu^II, logic function, and bioimaging. The structures of the terpolymers, in situ attachment of fluorescent monomers, aggregation-induced enhanced emission, bioimaging ability, and super adsorption were investigated by ¹H and ¹³C NMR, EPR, FTIR, X-ray photoelectron, UV/Vis, and atomic absorption spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, dynamic light scattering, solid-state fluorescence, fluorescence imaging, and fluorescence lifetime measurements, as well as by isotherm, kinetics, and thermodynamic studies. The geometries and electronic structures of the fluorophores and the absorption and emission properties of the terpolymers were examined by DFT, time-dependent DFT, and natural transition orbital analyses. For 1 , 2 , and 5 , the limits of detection were determined to be 1.03×10⁻⁷, 1.65×10⁻⁷, and 1.77×10⁻⁷ m , respectively, and the maximum adsorption capacities are 1575.21, 1433.70, and 1472.21 mg g⁻¹, respectively.