Single chain force spectroscopy - Reading the sequence of HP protein models

We study the elastic properties of single A/B random copolymer chains, with a specific sequence and use them as theoretical model for so called HP proteins. HP proteins carry hydrophilic (P) and hydrophobic (H) monomers. We predict a rich structure in the force-extension relations which can be attributed to the information in the sequence. The variational method is used to probe local minima on the path of stretching and releasing for the chain molecules. At a given force, we find multiple configurations which are separated by energy barriers. A collapsed globular configuration consists of several domains which unravel cooperatively. Upon stretching, the unfolding path shows a stepwise pattern corresponding to the unfolding of each domain. While releasing, several cores can be created simultaneously in the middle of the chain, resulting in a different path of collapse. The long-range interactions and stiffness of the chain simplify the potential landscape given by the disorder in sequence. Received 5 March 2002 / Received in final form 16 May 2002 Published online 13 August 2002     

Growth and characterization of model oxide catalysts

Oxide catalysts are frequently used to convert toxic species to environmentally benign molecules, and to prevent the formation of toxic species in the first place. In this paper, growth and characterization of model oxide systems employed in both approaches is discussed. An example of the former approach is the selective catalytic reduction (SCR) of NO emitted from power plants by NH₃, which employs tungsten and vanadium oxides supported on the anatase polymorph of TiO₂. To model SCR catalysts, epitaxial titanium, vanadium and tungsten oxide films were grown using molecular beam epitaxy and magnetron sputtering. Two different anatase orientations were grown on LaAlO₃ substrates and their interactions with vanadia were characterized. On LaAlO₃ (0 0 1), anatase exposed a (4 × 1) reconstructed (0 0 1) surface. Vanadia lifted the reconstruction and at 1 ML a (1 × 1) surface with mostly V⁵⁺ was observed. Continued V₂O₅ growth led to loss of order, but at high temperatures epitaxial VO₂ could be grown; vanadia behaved similarly on anatase films on LaAlO₃ (1 1 0). Results suggested that the monolayer is pseudomorphic with O adsorption oxidizing the surface V to 5+, since the anatase structure cannot accommodate more bulk oxygen, only a monolayer can be pseudomorphic and have only V⁵⁺. Thus the vanadia monolayer has unique structural and chemical properties that can help explain why vanadia monolayers on TiO₂ are much more active than bulk V₂O₅. For WO₃, a series of added row reconstructions were observed as the epitaxial films were reduced. The effect of these structures on surface chemistry was characterized by studying 1-propanol adsorption. The results indicated that the structure of the WO₃ surface did not alter its catalytic function but had a strong effect on reaction kinetics. As an example of a system where catalysts prevent the formation of toxic species, the reactivity of oxidized Pd surfaces used in CH₄ catalytic combustion were studied. An ordered PdO-like monolayer was found to be less reactive towards CO than adsorbed O on Pd. On the other hand, the PdO layer favored a lower activation energy C₃H₆ oxidation pathway. The results indicated that Pd oxidation reduces the sticking coefficient of reactive species but once molecules adsorb, the oxide surface can reduce the activation energy for subsequent reaction.     

Mechanistic Insights into the Reversible Formation of Iodosylarene–Iron Porphyrin Complexes in the Reactions of Oxoiron(IV) Porphyrin π‐Cation Radicals and Iodoarenes: Equilibrium,Epoxidizing Intermediate,and Oxygen Exchange

We have shown previously that iodosylbenzene–iron(III ) porphyrin intermediates ( 2 ) are generated in the reactions of oxoiron(IV ) porphyrin π‐cation radicals ( 1 ) and iodobenzene (PhI), that 1 and 2 are at equilibrium in the presence of PhI, and that the epoxidation of olefins by 2 affords high yields of epoxide products. In the present work, we report detailed mechanistic studies on the nature of the equilibrium between 1 and 2 in the presence of iodoarenes (ArI), the determination of reactive species responsible for olefin epoxidation when two intermediates (i.e., 1 and 2 ) are present in a reaction solution, and the fast oxygen exchange between 1 and H₂¹⁸O in the presence of ArI. In the first part, we have provided strong evidence that 1 and 2 are indeed at equilibrium and that the equilibrium is controlled by factors such as the electronic nature of iron porphyrins, the electron richness of ArI, and the concentration of ArI. Secondly, we have demonstrated that 1 is the sole active oxidant in olefin epoxidation when 1 and 2 are present concurrently in a reaction solution. Finally, we have shown that the presence of ArI in a reaction solution containing 1 and H₂¹⁸O facilitates the oxygen exchange between the oxo group of 1 and H₂¹⁸O and that the oxygen exchange is markedly influenced by factors such as ArI incubation time, the amounts of ArI and H₂¹⁸O used, and the electronic nature of ArI. The latter results are rationalized by the formation of an undetectable amount of 2 from the reaction of 1 and ArI through equilibrium that leads to a fast oxygen exchange between 2 and H₂¹⁸O.     

新型混合脂质体的制备及其与药物的分子识别研究

设计、合成了含核酸碱基的双亲化合物N6-十四酰基-9-辛基腺嘌呤三甲基溴化铵;用目标化合物和卵磷脂制备混合脂质体受体。分别研究了受体与巴比妥酸、核黄素药物在混合脂质体亲脂区通过互补氢键进行的分子识别。紫外可见光谱研究表明,底物巴比妥酸在258nm的吸收峰,核黄素在222nm,264nm的吸收峰随时间的延长而逐渐降低,这种减色作用归因于脂质体内的巴比妥酸和核黄素在亲脂区分别与双亲化合物上的腺嘌呤形成了氢键。     

Photochemical Reactions of Protein Tryptophanyls in the Eye Lenses of Rats in the Presence of Chloroform

The modifying action of chloroform on photochemical reactions induced in the eye lenses of rats by UVB radiation is revealed. In anesthetic concentrations, halogenmethane increases the quantum yield of photodisintegration of protein tryptophanyls with formation of a new photochemical product that absorbs radiation in the UVA range and possesses the photosensitizing activity.     

Effect of maltodextrins on the surface activity of small-molecule surfactants

We report on the effect of commercially important polysaccharides (maltodextrins with variable dextrose equivalent (Paselli SA-2, MD-6 and MD-10) on the surface activity at the air–water interface of small-molecule surfactants (sms), possessing different hydrophobic–lipophilic balance ((SSL (Na⁺), the main component is a sodium salt of stearol–lactoyl lactic acid, and PGE (080), polyglycerol ester of C18 fatty acid), and widely used in food products. A marked change of the surface activity of sms was found in the presence of maltodextrins by tensiometry. The combined data of laser multiangle light scattering and mixing calorimetry have suggested that this result is governed by specific complex formation between maltodextrins and sms in aqueous medium. Measurements have been made of the molar mass, the second virial coefficient and the enthalpy of intermolecular interactions in aqueous solutions. The implication of a degree of polymerization of maltodextrins in this phenomenon was shown. The interrelation between the molecular parameters of the formed complexes and their surface activity at the air–water interface has been revealed and discussed.     

甚高频等离子体增强化学气相沉积法沉积μc-Si∶H薄膜中氧污染的初步研究

对不同的本底真空条件下,采用甚高频等离子体增强化学气相沉积技术沉积的氢化微晶硅（μc_Si∶H）薄膜中的氧污染问题进行了比较研究.对不同氧污染条件下制备的薄膜样品的x射线光电子能谱与傅里叶变换红外吸收光谱测量结果表明：μc_Si∶H薄膜中,氧以Si—O，O—O和O—H三种不同的键合模式存在,不同的键合模式源自不同的物理机理.μc_Si∶H薄膜的Raman光谱、电导率与激活能的测量结果进一步显示：沉积过程中氧污染程度的不同,对μc_Si∶H薄膜的结构特性与电学特性产生显著影响；而不同氧污染对μc_Si∶H薄膜电学特性的影响不同于氢化非晶硅（a_Si:H）薄膜. 关键词： 氢化微晶硅薄膜 甚高频等离子体增强化学气相沉积 氧污染     

Ionic conductivity of epitactic MBE-grown BaF2 films

We studied parallel conductivities of pure BaF₂ films with thicknesses ranging from 35 to 300 nm, epitaxially grown on Al₂O₃(0 1 2) substrates by molecular beam epitaxy technique. The overall conductivities of the films are found to increase with decreasing thickness. The detailed investigation of the overall conductance as a function of the thickness permits the deconvolution of bulk and boundary effects, the latter being attributed to distinct space charge effects in the interface between BaF₂ film and Al₂O₃ substrate. The (extrinsic) Debye length (λ) is estimated to be about 8 nm at T=593 K, which corresponds to an impurity content of 10¹⁸/cm³ (singly ionized dopant assumed). This is consistent with the fact that we observed a constant boundary contribution for all investigated films (film thickness >4λ). It is also consistent with the Debye length observed in a previous report on CaF₂/BaF₂ heterolayers fabricated by the same technique, in which the low temperature enhancement was also attributed to space charges in BaF₂ [Nature 408 (2000) 946]. Only at low temperatures (below 370 °C), the conductance seems to be influenced by strain effect.     

The concentration effect on the ‘hydrophobic’ and ‘hydrophilic’ behaviour around DMSO in dilute aqueous DMSO solutions. A computer simulation study

We have carried out a molecular dynamics study of dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) in water at 298 K at two different densities by simulating two different concentrations: 0.055 and 0.19 mole fraction. We have found an enhancement in the structure of water, an effect that becomes more pronounced as the concentration of DMSO increases. At both concentrations there is a well-defined hydration structure around the oxygen atom of DMSO, which is able to establish strong hydrogen bonds with surrounding water molecules. An increase in the concentration of DMSO depletes the solution of bulk water molecules, reducing the number of hydrogen bonds that water can have in the immediate vicinity of DMSO but increasing the strength of the hydrogen bonds made between the oxygen atom of DMSO and water. There is clear evidence of ‘hydrophobic’ hydration around the methyl groups of DMSO, which is enhanced as the concentration of DMSO increases.     

Differential density matrix overlap: an index for assessment of electron correlation in atoms and molecules

Summary A new index, called the differential density matrix overlap (DDMO), is proposed for assessment of the electron correlation effects in atoms and molecules. DDMO can be easily calculated as the negative value of the correlation energy derivative with respect to the relative position of the occupied and virtual orbitals. DDMO is transparent to physical interpretation. It can serve as a tool for analyzing the accuracy of approximate electron correlation methods and the validity of the Hartree-Fock wavefunction as the zeroth-order approximation. The properties of DDMO are discussed using test calculations on 11 atoms and molecules as an example.