Topologisch und elektronisch bemerkenswerte „reduzierte”︁ Cluster des Typs [V18O42(X)]n− (X = SO4, VO4) mit Td-Symmetrie und davon abgeleitete Cluster [V(18–p)As2pO42(X)]m− (X = SO3, SO4, H2O; p = 3, 4)

Reduced Clusters with Remarkable Topological and Electronic Properties of the Type of [V₁₈O₄₂(X)]^n? (X = SO₄, VO₄) with T_d-Symmetry and Related Clusters [V_(18—p)As_2pO₄₂(X)]^m? (X = SO₃, SO₄, H₂O; p = 3, 4) The novel cluster-compounds Na₆[V₁₈O₄₂H₉(VO₄)] · 21 H₂O, (NH₄)₈[V₁₈O₄₂(SO₄)] · 25 H₂O, K₆[V₁₅As₆O₄₂(H₂O)] · 8 H₂O, (NH₄)₆[V₁₄As₈O₄₂(SO₃)], (NH₄)₆[V₁₄As₈O₄₂(SO₄)] and [N(CH3)₃]₄[₄V₁₄As₈0₄₂(H₂0)] were prepared and characterized by IR- and UV/Vis/NIR-spectroscopy, magnetic measurements and complete crystal structure analysis. For structural data see Inhaltsübersicht. Topological relations to the rhombicuboctahedron spanned by 24 0-atoms of the genuine hypothetical a-Keggin ion, at which the square planes are capped by V?O or As₂O groups, are discussed. Of particular interest are the ?extended”? Keggin ions [V₁₈O₄₂(X)]ⁿ- (X = SO₄ VO₄), (formaly derived from the hypothetical genuine a-Keggin ion by addition of six V?O groups) which have quite different electron populations in spite of the same structure of their cluster shells.     

Extraction of Pb(II), Cd(II), and Hg(II) from aqueous solution by nitrogen and thiol functionality grafted to silica gel measured by calorimetry

The reaction of ethylene sulfide with 3-aminopropyltrimethoxysilane gave a new silylating agent, which was anchored onto a silica surface via the sol–gel procedure. This surface displayed a chelating moiety containing nitrogen and two sulfur basic centers potentially capable of extracting cations from aqueous solutions. The process of metal extraction was followed by a batch method, and fitted to a modified Langmuir equation. The maximum adsorption capacities found were: 2.06 ± 0.01, 3.72 ± 0.02, and 5.14 ± 0.02 mmol g⁻¹ for Pb(II), Cd(II), and Hg(II), respectively. The enthalpies of bending are: −1.16 ± 0.04, −3.60 ± 0.10, and −8.94 ± 0.03 kJ mol⁻¹ for Cd(II), Pb(II), and Hg(II), respectively. The Gibbs free energies of binding agree with the spontaneity of the proposed reactions between cations and basic centers.     

A model for short alpha-neurotoxin bound to nicotinic acetylcholine receptor from Torpedo californica: comparison with long-chain alpha-neurotoxins and alpha-conotoxins

Short-chain alpha-neurotoxins from snakes are highly selective antagonists of the muscle-type nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChR). Although their spatial structures are known and abundant information on topology of binding to nAChR is obtained by labeling and mutagenesis studies, the accurate structure of the complex is not yet known. Here, we present a model for a short alpha-neurotoxin, neurotoxin II from Naja oxiana (NTII), bound to Torpedo californica nAChR. It was built by comparative modeling, docking and molecular dynamics using 1H NMR structure of NTII, cross-linking and mutagenesis data, cryoelectron microscopy structure of Torpedo marmorata nAChR [Unwin, N., 2005. Refined structure of the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor at 4A resolution. J. Mol. Biol. 346, 967-989] and X-ray structures of acetylcholine-binding protein (AChBP) with agonists [Celie, P.H., van Rossum-Fikkert, S.E., van Dijk, W.J., Brejc, K., Smit, A.B., Sixma, T.K., 2004. Nicotine and carbamylcholine binding to nicotinic acetylcholine receptors as studied in AChBP crystal structures. Neuron 41 (6), 907-914] and antagonists: alpha-cobratoxin, a long-chain alpha-neurotoxin [Bourne, Y., Talley, T.T., Hansen, S.B., Taylor, P., Marchot, P., 2005. Crystal structure of Cbtx-AChBP complex reveals essential interactions between snake alpha-neurotoxins and nicotinic receptors. EMBO J. 24 (8), 1512-1522] and alpha-conotoxin [Celie, P.H., Kasheverov, I.E., Mordvintsev, D.Y., Hogg, R.C., van Nierop, P., van Elk, R., van Rossum-Fikkert, S.E., Zhmak, M.N., Bertrand, D., Tsetlin, V., Sixma, T.K., Smit, A.B., 2005. Crystal structure of nicotinic acetylcholine receptor homolog AChBP in complex with an alpha-conotoxin PnIA variant. Nat. Struct. Mol. Biol. 12 (7), 582-588]. In complex with the receptor, NTII was located at about 30 A from the membrane surface, the tip of its loop II plunges into the ligand-binding pocket between the alpha/gamma or alpha/delta nAChR subunits, while the loops I and III contact nAChR by their tips only in a 'surface-touch' manner. The toxin structure undergoes some changes during the final complex formation (for 1.45 rmsd in 15-25 ps according to AMBER'99 molecular dynamics simulation), which correlates with NMR data. The data on the mobility and accessibility of spin- and fluorescence labels in free and bound NTII were used in MD simulations. The binding process is dependent on spontaneous outward movement of the C-loop earlier found in the AChBP complexes with alpha-cobratoxin and alpha-conotoxin. Among common features in binding of short- and long alpha-neurotoxins is the rearrangement of aromatic residues in the binding pocket not observed for alpha-conotoxin binding. Being in general very similar, the binding modes of short- and long alpha-neurotoxins differ in the ways of loop II entry into nAChR.     

Explorative data analysis of two-dimensional electrophoresis gels

Methods for classification of two-dimensional (2-DE) electrophoresis gels based on multivariate data analysis are demonstrated. Two-dimensional gels of ten wheat varieties are analyzed and it is demonstrated how to classify the wheat varieties in two qualities and a method for initial screening of gels is presented. First, an approach is demonstrated in which no prior knowledge of the separated proteins is used. Alignment of the gels followed by a simple transformation of data makes it possible to analyze the gels in an automated explorative manner by principal component analysis, to determine if the gels should be further analyzed. A more detailed approach is done by analyzing spot volume lists by principal components analysis and partial least square regression. The use of spot volume data offers a mean to investigate the spot pattern and link the classified protein patterns to distinct spots on the gels for further investigation. The explorative approach in analysis of 2-D gels makes it possible, in a fast and convenient way, to screen many gels in order to determine the protein patterns that form clusters and could be selected for further examination.     

Metallorganische Lewis-Säuren. XLII. Carbonyl- und Nitrosyl-Komplexe von Mangan und Rhenium mit schwach koordinierten Anionen (Ph3P)2(ON)2MnX, (Ph3P)n(OC)5–nMX (M = Mn,Re; n = 1, 2; X = FBF3, OSO2CF3, OSO2F,OCORf)

Organometallic Lewis Acids. XLII. Carbonyl- and Nitrosyl Complexes of Manganese and Rhenium of Weakly Coordinated Anions (Ph₃P)₂(ON)₂MnX, (Ph₃P)_n(OC)_5–nMX (M = Mn, Re; n = 1, 2; X = FBF₃, OSO₂CF₃, OSO₂F, OCOR_f) The complexes (Ph₃P)₂(ON)₂MnX (X = FBF₃, OSO₂CF₃, OSO₂F, OCOCF₃, OCOC₃F₇) and (Ph₃P)_n(OC)_5–nMX (M = Mn, Re; n = 1, 2; X = FBF₃, OSO₂CF₃) have been obtained by reaction of (Ph₃P)₂(ON)₂MnH and (Ph₃P)_n(OC)_5–nMeMe with the corresponding acids HX or from (Ph₃P)_n(OC)_5–nReBr (n = 1, 2) with silver salts AgX, respectively. The compounds have been characterized by their IR and partially by ¹⁹F-NMR data. An efficient method for the preparation of the hydride (Ph₃P)₂(ON)₂MnH is reported.     

Structural Investigation of Guest-to-Host and Ligand-Ligand Interactions in Werner Clathrates of [Ni(4-Etpy)4(NCS)2]⋅ nG Type (G = Naphthalene Derivatives). The Crystal Structure of [Ni(4-Etpy)4(NCS)2]⋅1-Methylnaphthalene

The stoichiometry and spectral properties of [Ni(4-Etpy)4(NCS)2]nG clathrates have been studied where n = 2 for G = 1-BrN (N = naphthalene), n = 1 or 2 for G = 1-MeN, and n = 0.5 for 2-MeN and 2-BrN. The complexes under study show electronic absorption spectra typical of an octahedral environment of the Ni(II) central atom. The differences found in IR spectra for the (CN) and (Ni–-NNCS) vibrations are discussed. The crystal structure of [Ni(4-Etpy)4(NCS)2]1-MeN was determined by X-ray diffraction and refined to R = 0.0586. Discrete non-centrosymmetric [Ni(4-Etpy)4(NCS)2] molecules form layers of a host structure and the space between the layers is occupied by 1-MeN. The relationship between interatomic distances in the host complex of similar clathrates are discussed.     

Influence of Cycle Temperatures on the Thermochemical Heat Storage Densities in the Systems Water/Microporous and Water/Mesoporous Adsorbents

The adsorption equilibrium of water on microporous adsorbents (zeolites of NaA-, NaY- and NaX-type as well as their ion exchanged forms) and on mesoporous adsorbents (different silica gels and composite material i.e. silica gel + salt hydrate) has been studied experimentally and theoretically. Using the Dubinin theory of pore filling the characteristic curves of the adsorption systems and other relevant dependences such as isotherms, isobars, isosteres and the curve of the differential heat of adsorption were calculated. For all systems investigated the adsorption were calculated. A_ads and the desorption potential A_des of the closed heat storage system were estimated. These values define the working range of the adsorption/desorption cycle and allow to calculate the specific heat storage density Δ h_sp. On the basis of Δ h_sp the different adsorbents were compared in order to select the optimal porous storage material for a given application. The presented experimental and theoretical investigations show that the adsorption systems water-zeolite and water-composites are promising working pairs for thermochemical heat storage processes for hot tap water supply and space heating of single family dwellings. The advantage of the water-composite system is the low desorption temperature (solar energy) the main shortcoming the low temperature lift. The advantage of the water zeolite system is the high temperature lift, the shortcoming are the relative high desorption temperatures.     

Some thermodynamic aspects of highT c superconductors

Thermochemical and thermodynamical properties of HTSC phases are reviewed for the Y-Ba-Cu-O system and also presented for the newly calculated Bi-Sr-Cu-O system stressing out stoichiometric and phenomenological viewpoints. Simulated data are listed for (H ₂₉₈ ^o -H _o ^o , phase transformation temperatures, standard entropies, standard enthalpies of formation, heat capacities in crystalline phase, etc. Pseudobinary phase diagrams are treated showing the effect of oxygen partial pressure particularly illustrated on the (Sr, Bi, Ba)-Cu-O system.The work was carried out under the project No. A 2010532 supported by the Grant Agency of Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic and the grant No. 104/97/0589 financed by the Grant Agency of the Czech Republic.     

Correlation between excess adsorption data measured for solvent mixture/adsorbent systems and RM values obtained for different solutes chromatographed in binary mobile phases

This paper concerns the application of excess adsorption isotherms, measured for solvent mixture/adsorbent systems, to the characterization of TLC data. For this purpose the excess adsorption isotherms for three liquid mixtures: cyclohexane/ benzene, benzene/acetone, and carbon tetrachloride/ethyl acetate on silica gel at 20°C have been measured. These mixtures have been used as binary mobile phases in TLC measurements. It has been shown for a given solute in binary mobile phase that the quantity R_M is a simple function of the excess adsorption. Parameters of this function have been used to characterize chromatographic systems with binary mobile phases.     

Selective extraction of U(VI) over Th(IV) from acidic streams using di-bis(2-ethylhexyl) malonamide anchored chloromethylated polymeric matrix

A new chelating polymeric sorbent has been developed using Merrifield chloromethylated resin anchored with di-bis (2-ethylhexyl) malonamide (DB2EHM). The modified resin was characterized by CPMAS NMR spectroscopy, FT-NIR-FIR spectroscopy, CHN elemental analysis and also by thermo gravimetric analysis. The fabricated sorbent showed superior binding affinity for U(VI) over Th(IV) and other diverse ions, even under high acidities. Various physio-chemical parameters, like solution acidity, phase exchange kinetics, metal sorption capacity, electrolyte tolerance studies, etc., influencing the resin’s metal extractive behavior were studied by both static and dynamic method. Batch extraction studies performed over a wide range of solution acidity (0.01-10 M) revealed that selective extraction of U(VI) could be achieved even up to 4 M acidity with distribution ratios (D) in the order of ∼10³. The phase exchange kinetics studies performed for U(VI) and Th(IV) revealed that time duration of <15 min was sufficient for >99.5% extraction. But similar studies when preformed for trivalent lanthanides gave very low D values (<50), with the extraction time extending up to 60 min. The metal sorption studies performed for U(VI) and Th(IV) at 5 M HNO₃ was found to be 62.5 and 38.2 mg g⁻¹,respectively. Extraction efficiency in the presence of inferring electrolyte species and inorganic cations were also examined. Metal ion desorption was effective using 10-15 mL of 1 M (NH₄)₂CO₃ or 0.5 M α-hydroxy isobutyric acid (HIBA). Extraction studies performed on a chromatographic column at 5 M acidity were found to give enrichment factor values of 310 and 250 for U(VI) and Th(IV), respectively. The practical utility of the fabricated chelating sorbent and its efficiency to extract actinides from acidic waste streams was tested using a synthetic nuclear spent fuel solution. The R.S.D. values obtained on triplicate measurements (n = 3) were within 5.2%.