A highly active fungal β-glucosidase

A highly active thermostable β-glucosidase was purified to homogeneity from a strain ofTrichoderma sp. The enzyme was an extracellular glycoprotein and showed hydrolytic activity toward several β-glucosides. Cellobiose was found to be the substrate of choice for this enzyme. This finding could suggest future technological applications of the purified protein.     

Synthesis of heteroaryl substituted α‐mercapto acids from thiomalic acid using hexafluoroacetone as protecting and activating reagent

The synthesis of heterocyclic α‐mercapto acids starting from (RS)‐thiomalic acid using hexafluoroacetone as protecting and activating agent is described. The new compounds are useful building blocks for peptide and depsipeptide modification as well as for drug design.     

Photochromic reverse mode polymer dispersed liquid crystals

Control of light intensity and colour are two of the major features required in the realization of smart windows. We designed a bi-functional polymer dispersed liquid crystal (PDLC) film in order to satisfy such requirements, i.e. it is able both to modulate the optical transmission, if an external electric field is applied, and to change colour if exposed to sunlight. A monomer/liquid crystal mixture was doped with a small amount of photochromic material and homeotropically aligned by means of rough surfaces. A transparent and pale pink coloured film was achieved after photopolymerization. Such a film changes colour upon exposure for some seconds to sunlight or ultraviolet radiation in a persistent but reversible manner. In addition, the film appears transparent without the application of an electric field (OFF state) and becomes opaque on application of a driving voltage of about 75 V (ON state), and thus the film operates in reverse mode with respect to conventional PDLCs.     

Transparent boundary conditions for a class of boundary value problems in some ramified domains with a fractal boundary

We consider some boundary value problems in self-similar ramified domains, with Laplace and Helmholtz equations. We discuss transparent boundary conditions. These conditions permit computing the restriction of the solutions to domains obtained by stopping the geometric construction after a finite number of steps. To cite this article: Y. Achdou et al., C. R. Acad. Sci. Paris, Ser. I 342 (2006).     

Millimeter-Wave and High-Resolution Infrared Spectra of Monoisotopic SCSe: Equilibrium, Ground State, and ν1, mν2, and nν3 Rovibrational Parameters

The Fourier transform infrared spectrum of monoisotopic SC⁸⁰Se has been investigated in the ν₂, ν₃, 2ν₂, 2ν₃, and ν₁ regions with a resolution between 3 and 4 × 10⁻³ cm⁻¹. In addition, the millimeter-wave spectrum has been studied in the region 150 to 320 GHz, and ground and ν₂ = 1 excited state transitions have been measured. Ground state constants, B₀ = 2043.285 4(4) MHz and D₀ = 146.53(5) Hz, have been determined from a merge of millimeter-wave data and ground state combination differences spanning J values up to 77 and 143, respectively. The band centers ν₂ = 352.341 075(9) cm⁻¹ and ν₃ = 505.480 06(5)cm⁻¹ have been determined. The rovibrational parameters of numerous overtone and combination levels (ν₁ν^l2₂ν₃) = 02⁰0, 02²0, 03¹0, 03³0, 04⁰0, 04²0, 00⁰2, and 00⁰3 have been obtained from polynomial analyses whose standard deviations ranged from 0.7 to 3.5 × 10⁻⁴ cm⁻¹. The 10⁰0 level, ν_eff 1435.840 cm⁻¹, is anharmonically perturbed by the 04⁰0 level, with an avoided crossing at J = 55, and W₁₂₂₂₂ = 0.963 09(1) cm⁻¹. Transitions to both the upper (E⁺) and lower (E⁻) sublevels of the dyad were observed for 1 ≤ J′ ≤ 117 and 4 ≤ J′ ≤ 171, respectively, and the deperturbed wavenumbers ν₁ = 1435.542 76(2) and 4ν⁰₂ = 1432.725 00(3) cm⁻¹ were derived. Furthermore, a local crossing of the E⁻ and 04²0 levels involving l-type resonance was observed at J = 91.     

Nucleon-nucleon forces in a nonrelativistic quark model

Conclusion We have considered allNN-partial waves simultaneously. The central part of the one gluon exchange is always repulsive, the tensor part can be neglected and the spin-orbit part is too weak for this choice of parameters. An additional colourless V^MEP potential allows us to reproduce the experimental data. However, this potential cannot be related to a long range one-pion exchange potential.Presented at the symposium Mesons and Light Nuclei, Bechyn, Czechoslovakia, May 27–June 1, 1985.     

Spectrophotometric determination of ascorbic acid with potassium hexacyanoferrate(III)

A new, simple and rapid method of determination of ascorbic acid in amounts of 45-360 mug is described. The ascorbic acid is determined spectrophotometrically at 420 nm from the decrease in absorbance it causes in 1 x 10(-3)M hexacyanoferrate(III) in McIlvaine buffer at pH 5.2. The proposed method is suitable for the determination of ascorbic acid in pharmaceutical preparations and probably natural products.