Computational study of iron(II) and -(III) complexes with a simple model human H ferritin ferroxidase center

Interaction of iron ions with a six-amino acid model of the ferroxidase center of human H chain ferritin has been examined in density functional theory calculations. The model, based on experimental studies of oxidation of Fe2+ at the center, consists of Glu27, Glu62, His65, Glu107, Gln141, and Ala144. Reasonable structures are obtained in a survey of types of iron complexes inferred to occur in the ferroxidase reaction. Structures of complexes of the model center with one and two Fe2+ ions, with diiron(III) bridged by peroxide and bridged by oxide-peroxide combinations, have been optimized. Calculations on diiron(III) complexes confirm that stable peroxide-bridged complexes can form and that the Fe-Fe distance in at least one is consistent with the experimental Fe-Fe distance observed in the blue peroxodiferric complex of ferritin.     

The effects of sample preparation methods on the variability of the electrospray ionization response for model drug compounds

A post-column infusion system was developed in order to analyze suppression of electrospray ionization (ESI) tandem mass spectrometry response in the presence of endogenous plasma interferences. By enabling direct detection of these interfering components, this experimental system was used to analyze the ability of several common extraction procedures to remove endogenous plasma components that cause changes in the ESI response of model drug substances. Methyl-t-butyl ether (MTBE) liquid-liquid, Oasis and Empore solid-phase, and acetonitrile (ACN) protein precipitation sample preparation methods were tested using the post-column infusion system. In all cases, ACN protein precipitation samples showed the greatest amount of ESI response suppression while liquid-liquid extracts demonstrated the least. In addition, the three test compounds, phenacetin, caffeine, and a representative Merck compound, demonstrated that ESI response suppression is compound dependent. Suppression was greatest with caffeine, the most polar analyte, and the smallest for the Merck compound, the least polar analyte. Copyright 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Gamma-ray spectroscopy with relativistic exotic heavy-ions

Feasibility of gamma-ray spectroscopy at relativistic energies with exotic heavy-ions and new generation of germanium detectors (segmented Clover) is discussed. An experiment with such detector array and radioactive is discussed.     

Percolative transport in the vicinity of charge-order ferromagnetic transition in a hole-doped manganite

We report measurements of non-linear charge transport in epitaxial (La_1−x Pr _x )_0.7Ca_0.3MnO₃ thin films fabricated on (100) oriented SrTiO₃ single crystals by pulsed laser deposition. The end members of this series, namely Pr_0.7Ca_0.3MnO₃ and La_0.7Ca_0.3MnO₃ are canonical charge-ordered (CO) and ferromagnetic manganites, respectively. The onset of the CO state in Pr_0.7Ca_0.3MnO₃ is manifested by a pronounced insulating behavior below ∼ 200 K. The CO state remains stable even when a large (∼ 2×10⁵ V/cm) electric field is applied across the thin film samples. However, on substitution of Pr with La, a crossover from the highly resistive CO state to a state of metallic character is observed at relatively low electric fields. The current-voltage characteristics of the samples at low temperatures show hysteretic and history dependent effects. The electric field driven charge transport in the system is modelled on the basis of an inhomogeneous medium consisting of ferromagnetic metallic clusters dispersed in a CO background.     

Features of the energy surface in Dirac-Fock discrete basis description as applied to the Be atom

The features of the Be atom's energy surface as a function of basis set exponents in the Slater-type basis have been examined for both “balanced” and “unbalanced” basis sets. The results clearly show that the “balanced” basis guarantees a minimum energy which is an upper bound to the numerical Dirac-Fock limit. The “unbalanced” basis, however, gives a minimum energy which is much lower than the numerical limit.     

A contracted bromine basis set for use in calculation of molecular energies

A contracted [9s6p2d] basis set derived from Dunning's (14s11p5d) primitive Gaussian set for bromine has been used in ab initio molecular orbital calculations of the dissociation energies of HBr, CH₃Br, and Br₂, the ionization potentials of Br and HBr, and the electron affinity of Br. The calculated energies are within 0.1 eV of the experimental values. This is similar to the accuracy obtained in a previous study, also using a contracted [9s6p2d] basis set, of the dissociation and ionization energies of the GeH_n, AsH_n, and SeH_n hydrides.     

Self-chemical ionization of diethylzinc

The self-chemical ionization of diethylzinc is examined by Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance (FT-ICR) mass spectrometry and semiempirical molecular orbital calculations. Electron impact of diethylzinc neutral produces the radical cation, C(4)H(15)Zn(+) (m/z x 122), which reacts further with the neutral (C(2)H(5))(2)Zn to give the following product ions: Zn(+) (m/z x 64), C(2)H(5)Zn(+) (m/z x 93), C(4)H(9)Zn(+) (m/z x 121), C(4)H(11)Zn(2)(+) (m/z x 187), and C(6)H(15)Zn(2)(+) (m/z x 215). To determine the structure and pathways for production of these ions, monoisotopic (12)C(4)H(15)(64)Zn(+), (64)Zn(+) and (12)C(2)H(5)(64)Zn(+) were individually isolated and reacted with the neutral background. We also performed semiempirical molecular orbital calculations (ZINDO/1). The molecular orbital calculations and experimental data are consistent in predicting that the ethyl group on the diethylzinc cation carries the positive charge. Copyright 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Structures and energetics of Be(n)Si(n) and Be(2n)Si(n) (n = 1-4) clusters

The structures and energies of Be(n)Si(n) and Be(2n)Si(n) (n = 1-4) clusters have been examined in ab initio theoretical electronic structure calculations. Cluster geometries have been established in B3LYP/6-31G(2df) calculations and accurate relative energies determined by the G3XMP2 method. The two atoms readily bond to each other and to other atoms of their own kind. The result is a great variety of low-energy clusters in a variety of structural types.     

Dirac-Fock discrete-basis calculations on the beryllium atom

Calculations have been performed on the beryllium atom with basis sets of the type used by Drake and Goldman in calculations on one-electron systems. Energies are found to converge toward the Dirac-Fock limit monotonically from above. A basis introduced by Huzinaga, shown to have properties in common with those of Drake and Goldman, is found to produce similar good results.