Molecular conformation search by distance matrix perturbations

Three-dimensional molecular structure is fundamental in chemical function identification and computer-aided drug design. The enumeration of a small number of feasible conformations provides a rigorous way to determine the optimal or a few acceptable conformations. Our contribution concerns a heuristic enhancement of a method based on distance geometry, typically in relation with experiments of the NMR type. Distance geometry has been approached by different viewpoints; ours is expected to help in several subtasks arising in the process that determines 3D structure from distance information. More precisely, the input to our algorithm consists of a set of approximate distances of varying precision; some are specified by the covalent structure and others by Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) experiments (or X-ray crystallography which, however, requires crystallization). The output is a valid tertiary structure in a specified neighborhood of the input. Our approach should help in detecting outliers of the NMR experiments, and handles inputs with partial information. Moreover, our technique is able to bound the number of degrees of freedom of the conformation manifold. We have used numerical linear algebra algorithms for reasons of speed, and because they are well-implemented, fully documented and widely available. Our main tools include, besides distance matrices, structure-preserving matrix perturbations for minimizing singular values. Our MATLAB (or SCILAB) implementation is described and illustrated.AMS subject Classification: 92E10 Molecular structure, 92C40 Biochemistry, molecular biology, 65F15 Eigenvalues, eigenvectors, 15A18 Eigenvalues, singular values, and eigenvectors     

Microfiltration of protein solutions at thin film composite membranes

An experimental study of the interaction of the enzyme yeast alcohol dehydrogenase (YADH) with polysulfone thin film composite microfiltration membranes (Dow-Danmark) has been carried out. It was found that the membranes adsorbed only 3/4 of a monolayer of the enzyme under the conditions studied. Even so, under filtration conditions, the membrane permeation rate decreased continuously with time. This decrease in permeation rate was due neither to concentration polarisation nor to protein adsorption alone. However, it could be quantified using the standard blocking filtration law, which describes a decrease in pore volume due to deposition of protein in the interior structure of the membrane. Reversal of the membrane, so that the supporting matrix faced the feed solution, gave more stable permeation rates. Implications for the microfiltration of industrial fermentation broths are discussed.     

X-射线荧光分析散射幂函数法原理及其应用I·RhKα相干散射平方法

本文发现6~40号元素对能量为20keV的X_射线的质量吸收系数和质量相干散射系数之间呈二次幂函数关系,并据此提出了X_射线荧光定量分析校正基体效应的新方法——RhKa相干散射平方法.用国家标准物质GBW对该原理进行了验证.本法用于硅酸盐地质样品中微量元素的测定取得令人满意的结果.     

Structure and Magnetic Properties of Nickel–Zinc Ferrite Nanoparticles Prepared by Glass Crystallization Method

Summary. The magnetic and microstructure properties of Fe₂O₃–0.4NiO–0.6ZnO–B₂O₃ glass system, which was subjected to heat treatment in order to induce a magnetic crystalline phase (Ni_0.4Zn_0.6-Fe₂O₄ crystals) within the glass matrix, were investigated. DSC measurement was performed to reveal the crystallization temperature of the prepared glass sample. The obtained samples, produced by heat treatment at 765°C for various times (1, 1.5, 2, and 3 h), were characterized by X-ray diffraction, IR spectra, transmission electron microscopy, and vibrating sample magnetometer. The results indicated the formation of spinel Ni–Zn ferrite in the glass matrix. Particles of the ferrite with sizes ranging from 28 to 120 nm depending on the sintering time were observed. The coercivity values for different heat-treatment samples were found to be in the range from 15.2 to 100 Oe. The combination of zinc content and sintering times leads to samples with saturation magnetization ranging from 12.25 to 17.82 emu/g.     

PEO-LiClO_4-ZSM5 composite polymer electrolyte (IV): Polarized optical microscopy study

All solid-state lithium polymer batteries may be one of the best choices for the future electrochemical power source, characterized by high energy densities, good cyclability, reliability and safety[1,2]. Owing to its potential capability to replace the t…     

TiO2与ZnO复合纳米结构电极的光电化学研究

利用尿素加压共沉淀法以Ti(SO4)2与Zn(NO3)2为原料制备了TiO2-ZnO复合纳米粒子, 其纳米结构电极的光电化学研究结果表明, 反应物摩尔比为3∶1, 于530 ℃煅烧制备的复合纳米结构电极的光电转换效率最高. 对吸附染料RuL2(SCN)2∶2TBA的纳米结构TiO2和各种复合纳米粒子的纳米结构电极进行光电研究的结果表明, 染料对各纳米结构电极都起到了敏化作用, 其中也是由反应物摩尔比为3∶1, 于530 ℃煅烧制备的纳米结构电极的光电转换效率最高. 对聚3-甲基噻吩修饰的纳米结构TiO2和摩尔比为3∶1, 于530 ℃煅烧的复合纳米粒子构成的纳米结构电极进行光电性能研究, 结果表明, 聚3-甲基噻吩与半导体纳米粒子之间存在p-n结, 在一定条件下p-n结的存在有利于光生电子/空穴的分离, 从而提高了光电转化效率.     

High-vacuum pyrolysis of 1,1,1-trifluoro-2-bromo-2-chloroethane. IR spectrum of 1,1,1-trifluoro-2-chloroethyl radical in an argon matrix

The products of high-vacuum pyrolysis of 1,1,1-trifluoro-2-bromo-2-chloroethane were studied by matrix IR spectroscopy. The decomposition of 1,1,1-trifluoro-2-bromo-2-chloroethane was shown to occur predominantlyvia two directions: to form the 1,1,1-trifluoro-2-chloroethyl radical and trifluoromethylcarbene isomerizing to trifluoroethylene. The CF₃CHCl radical has been detected in the matrix for the first time. The bands observed in the IR spectrum were calculated by the quantum-chemical B3LYP/6-311 G(d,p) method and assigned to normal vibrations of the radical. Translated fromIzvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 10, pp. 2085–2088, October, 1998.     

Composite Electrode SnO2／TiO2 for Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells

Composite nanoporous electrode SnO2/TiO2 was fabricated for the dye sensitized solar cell (DSSC) with N3 (Cis-Ru). After introducing of TiO2, the open-circuit photovoltage (Voc) was higher than that of the pure SnO2 electrode, while short-circuit photocurrent (Isc) was varied with the ratio of the TiO2. Appropriate content of the TiO2 can be beneficial to the efficiency of the solar cell, and it gives negative impact on the composite electrode when the content of TiO2 is higher.     

Nanocomposite materials from latex and cellulose whiskers

Composite materials were processed by casting a mixture of aqueous suspensions of latex and microfibrils. These microfibrils, or whiskers, are extracted from a sea animal and are monocrystals of cellulose, with an aspect ratio around 100 and an average diameter of 20 nm. It has been found that the mechanical properties (shear modulus) are increased by more than two orders of magnitude in the rubbery state of the polymeric matrix, when the whisker content was 6% (w/w). This very large effect is discussed on the basis of different types of mechanical models and it is concluded that these whiskers form a rigid network, probably linked by hydrogen bonds. The formation of this network is assumed to be governed by a percolation mechanism.     

N-TiO2/ZnO复合纳米管阵列的掺杂机理及其光催化活性

以ZnO纳米柱阵列为模板, 采用溶胶-凝胶法制备出TiO2/ZnO和N掺杂TiO2/ZnO的复合纳米管阵列. 扫描电镜(SEM)、X射线光电子能谱(XPS)和紫外-可见漫反射吸收光谱(UV-Vis)的结果表明: 两种阵列的纳米管均为六角形结构, 直径约为100 nm, 壁厚约为20 nm; 在N-TiO2/ZnO复合纳米管阵列中, 掺入的N离子主要是以N-Ox、N-C和N-N的形式化学吸附在纳米管表面, 仅有少量的N离子以取代式掺杂的方式占据TiO2晶格O的位置; 表面N物种形成的表面态能级和取代式掺杂导致带隙的窄化, 增强了纳米管阵列的光吸收效率, 促进了光生载流子的分离. 光催化实验结果表明, N离子的掺杂有利于N-TiO2/ZnO复合纳米管阵列光催化活性的提高.