EVIDENCE FOR THE EXISTENCE OF MEMBRANE-ASSOCIATED PHYTOCHROME IN THE CELL

Abstract Comparative fluorescence and photochemical studies of phytochrome in etiolated seedlings of maize and in soluble and membrane-containing fractions isolated from them were camed out. The membrane fractions prepared in the absence of Mg²⁺ from etiolated coleoptiles contained 13% of total photoreversible phytochrome, which was readily solubilized by mild detergents. Its molecular size was indistinguishable from soluble phytochrome and equal to nondegraded maize phytochrome. Low-temperature fluorescence studies with intact tissue found that the position of the emission maximum at 85 K (λ_max) and the extent of the phototransformation of the red-absorbing form (Pr) into the first stable photoproduct, lumi-R, at 85 K (γ₁), varied in different parts of etiolated seedlings: λ_max and γ₁ reached their maximum values in the tips of coleoptiles and roots, 686 nm and 0.30–0.40, whereas the lowest values, 682 nm and ca 0.05, were observed in the root base. These parameters correlated well with those obtained for the pigment in the soluble and membrane-containing fractions: 684 and 680 nm, and 0.33 and 0.06, respectively. The extent of the Pr phototransformation into the far red-absorbing form (Pfr) (γ₂) did not differ much: values of 0.80–0.85 and 0.70–0.75 correlated with the high and low values of γ₁. These variations of the parameters were interpreted in agreement with our previous observations in terms of two phytochrome A species whose relative concentrations vary depending on the experimental conditions—the longer wavelength bulk light-labile species with high γ₁ (Pr″), and the shorter wavelength minor light-stable species with low γ₁ (Pr″). Close similarity between Pr’and the soluble phytochrome and between Pr″ and the membrane-bound phytochrome points to the possible origin of the native Pr’and PrPrime; species, thus providing evidence for the existence of membrane-bound pigment in the cell.     

2,2‐Dichloro‐1,3‐bis(trimethylsilyl)‐1,3‐diaza‐2‐silacyclopentane

In the title compound, C₈H₂₂Cl₂N₂Si₃, the central Si atom is tetrahedrally coordinated by two Cl and two N atoms in a molecule that has crystallographically imposed C₂ symmetry. Comparison is made with the isomorphous structure having titanium instead of silicon at the central position in the diazacyclopentane ring [Tinkler, Deeth, Duncalf & McCamley (1996). Chem. Commun. pp. 2623–2624].     

Absolutberechnung der Normalfrequenzen des Hydrogendifluoridions

Zusammenfassung Mit Hilfe eines einfachen quantenmechanischen Näherungsansatzes wird versucht, Bindungsabstände und Normalfrequenzen des Hydrogendifluoridions sowie des entsprechenden deuterierten Ions zu berechnen. Hierbei wird die Elektronenwechselwirkung der beiden Fluoridionen untereinander durch einen der Statistik entlehnten Ausdruck berücksichtigt. Die Methode liefert für die Abstände gute, für die Normalfrequenzen durchaus befriedigende Ergebnisse.

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On the basis of a quantum mechanical treatment the bond distances and the normal frequences of the hydrogen difluoride ion and its deuterated analogue are calculated. The electronic interaction of the two fluoride ions is approximated by a statistical calculation. The results are in fairly good agreement with the experimental values.

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Résumé Sur la base d'un traitement quantique simple, le calcul des distances de liaison et des fréquences normales est tenté pour l'ion de bifluorure d'hydrogène et son analogue deutéré. L'intéraction électronique des deux ions fluorures est approximée au moyen d'un calcul statistique. Les résultats sont en très bon accord avec les valeurs expérimentales.

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Der Deutschen Forschungsgemeinschaft danken wir für die Gewährung eines Stipendiums an Karl Hensen.     

Analyse von Kernresonanzspektren in Einkristallen niedriger Symmetrie. I

Zusammenfassung Es wird ein Verfahren beschrieben, das die Tensoren der Kernquadrupolkopplung und der paramagnetischen Hyperfeinstruktur in Einkristallen beliebiger Symmetrie aus Kernresonanz-messungen in mittleren Magnetfeldern zu bestimmen gestattet. Mögliche Anwendungen des Verfahrens in der paramagnetischen Elektronenresonanz werden diskutiert.

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A method is given, to determine the tensors of nuclear quadrupole coupling and paramagnetic hyperfine structure in single crystals of any symmetry from nuclear magnetic resonance measurements in intermediate fields. Possible applications in electron paramagnetic resonance are discussed.

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Résumé On décrit une méthode pour calculer les tenseurs de couplage quadripolaire nucléaire et de la structure hyperfme paramagnétique dans les monocristaux de toute symétrie, étant mesurées les résonances nucléaires dans les champs moyens. On discute l'application éventuelle de cette méthode a la résonance paramagnétique électronique.

     

Determination of estrogenic steroids in surface water and wastewater by liquid chromatography-electrospray tandem mass spectrometry

An analytical method is presented which permits trace level determination of 17alpha-ethynylestradiol (EE2), 17beta-estradiol (E2), and estrone (E1). Using this method, the estrogenic steroids were analyzed in drinking water, surface water, and wastewater (sewage influents and effluents) at concentrations down to 0.1 ng/L. Sample volumes between 100 and 500 mL are concentrated using automated solid-phase extraction. Analysis is performed by liquid chromatography with detection by tandem mass spectrometry. Applying simple clean-up procedures and internal standard calibration, recovery losses resulting from matrix-dependent ion suppression during electrospray ionization could be compensated for all of the investigated compounds. Recoveries around 100% were obtained for all analytes after correction using the internal standards. Limits of quantification (LOQ) were between 0.1 and 0.4 ng/L for purified sewage, surface, ground, and drinking water and between 1 and 2 ng/L in the case of raw sewage. Water treatment by wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) or by a surface water treatment plant affected the removal of all estrogenic steroids. Thus, E1, E2, and EE2 were removed in the municipal WWTPs to the extent of 93%, 93%, and 80%, respectively. In the effluents of the WWTP in Ruhleben (Berlin, Germany), E1, E2, and EE2 were detected at the low ng/L level. E2 and EE2 were, however, not present in the Berlin surface water above the LOQ (0.2 ng/L). E1 was the only compound that could be detected in surface water samples. After additional surface water treatment it was still detectable but only at trace-level concentrations with a mean value of 0.16 ng/L.     

The ground-state energy of the ±J sping glass. A comparison of various biologically motivated algorithms

We compare various evlutionary strategies to determine the ground-state energy of the ±J spin glass. We show that the choice of different evolution laws is less important than a suitable treatment of the free spins of the system At least one combination of these strategies does not give the correct results, but the ground states of the other different strategies coincide. Therefore we are able to extrapolate the infinit-size ground-state energy for the square lattice to –1.401±0.0015 and for the simple cubic lattice to –1.786±0.004.     

Non-Gaussian corrections to higgs mass in autonomousλφ 3+1 4

Recent calculations in one-loop and Gaussian approximation, using the so-called autonomous renormalization scheme, indicate a comparatively massive, narrow Higgs excitation at about 2 TeV. Here I show that this result persists in the framework of a post-Gaussian variational approximation for the pureO(N)-symmetric ⁴-theory forN>1. The method is based on nonlinear transformations of path-integral variables, and the optimization amounts to a Schwinger-Dyson-type summation of diagrams. In the case ofO(4), for example, I findM _Higgs=2.3 TeV, compared with 1.9 TeV and 2.1 TeV in one-loop and Gaussian approximation, respectively. My results are also consistent with the Consoli-Stevenson conjecture that the Gaussian and one-loop results forN=1 are exact and may even hold for generalN.