Anisotropic alpha-emission in the223Ra decay chain

Anisotropic α-emission from nuclei in the decay chain from²²³Ra to²⁰⁷Tl has been observed using low temperature nuclear orientation in combination with high resolution α-detection at 4.2 K. Information on partial wave amplitudes as well as hyperfine interactions has been extracted.     

Crystallization of Arthrobacter sp. strain 1C N-(1-D-carboxyethyl)-L-norvaline dehydrogenase and its complex with NAD+

The novel NAD+-linked opine dehydrogenase from a soil isolate Arthrobacter sp. strain 1C belongs to an enzyme superfamily whose members exhibit quite diverse substrate specificites. Crystals of this opine dehydrogenase, obtained in the presence or absence of co-factor and substrates, have been shown to diffract to beyond 1.8 ? resolution. X-ray precession photographs have established that the crystals belong to space group P21212, with cell parameters a = 104.9, b = 80.0, c = 45.5 ? and a single subunit in the asymmetric unit. The elucidation of the three-dimensional structure of this enzyme will provide a structural framework for this novel class of dehydrogenases to enable a comparison to be made with other enzyme families and also as the basis for mutagenesis experiments directed towards the production of natural and synthetic opine-type compounds containing two chiral centres.     

On-line nuclear orientation at KOOL

Since the previous conference we extended our series of on-line -anisotropy measurements in the Z=50 and Z=82 region leading a.o. to the identification of the phase transition in the Au isotopes. Besides conventional on-line low temperature nuclear orientation, we introduced the first on-line applications of NMR/ON, on-line -anisotropy measurements and -decay asymmetry experiments. The intriguing information from these new developments both in the field of nuclear structure and solid state physics is briefly discussed.     

Surface characterization of pure and chemically modified minerals by laser microprobe mass spectrometry

Applications of the laser microprobe mass analyzer for characterizing the surface of chemically modified minerals (crown ether/montmorillonite and organosilane/sepiolite) and for detecting micro-crystallites at the surface of an inorganic matrix (brucite surface layer of chrysotile fibers) were investigated using laser desorption conditions. The laser microprobe is shown to be a versatile tool for these applications.     

In situ tissue pathology from spatially encoded mass spectrometry classifiers visualized in real time through augmented reality

Integration between a hand-held mass spectrometry desorption probe based on picosecond infrared laser technology (PIRL-MS) and an optical surgical tracking system demonstrates in situ tissue pathology from point-sampled mass spectrometry data. Spatially encoded pathology classifications are displayed at the site of laser sampling as color-coded pixels in an augmented reality video feed of the surgical field of view. This is enabled by two-way communication between surgical navigation and mass spectrometry data analysis platforms through a custom-built interface. Performance of the system was evaluated using murine models of human cancers sampled in situ in the presence of body fluids with a technical pixel error of 1.0 ± 0.2 mm, suggesting a 84% or 92% (excluding one outlier) cancer type classification rate across different molecular models that distinguish cell-lines of each class of breast, brain, head and neck murine models. Further, through end-point immunohistochemical staining for DNA damage, cell death and neuronal viability, spatially encoded PIRL-MS sampling is shown to produce classifiable mass spectral data from living murine brain tissue, with levels of neuronal damage that are comparable to those induced by a surgical scalpel. This highlights the potential of spatially encoded PIRL-MS analysis for in vivo use during neurosurgical applications of cancer type determination or point-sampling in vivo tissue during tumor bed examination to assess cancer removal. The interface developed herein for the analysis and the display of spatially encoded PIRL-MS data can be adapted to other hand-held mass spectrometry analysis probes currently available.

Integration between a hand-held mass spectrometry desorption probe based on picosecond infrared laser technology (PIRL-MS) and an optical surgical tracking system demonstrates in situ tissue pathology from point-sampled mass spectrometry data.     

4‐Methyl‐2‐[N‐(3,4‐methyl­ene­dioxy­benzyl­idene)hydrazino]­thia­zole and its reduction product, 4‐methyl‐2‐[N‐(3,4‐methyl­ene­dioxybenzyl­idene)hydrazono]‐4,5‐di­hydro­thia­zole

The crystal structures of 4‐methyl‐2‐[N‐(3,4‐methyl­ene­dioxybenzyl­idene)hydrazino]­thia­zole, C₁₂H₁₁N₃O₂S, and its reduction product 4‐methyl‐2‐[N‐(3,4‐methyl­ene­dioxybenzyl­idene)hydrazono]‐4,5‐di­hydro­thia­zole, C₁₂H₁₃N₃O₂S, have been determined and compared. In the reduction product, the tautomer observed bears an H atom on the exocyclic N atom. Both compounds form hydrogen‐bonded dimers over centers of inversion.     

Reglucosylation of the Benzoxazinoid DIMBOA with Inversion of Stereochemical Configuration is a Detoxification Strategy in Lepidopteran Herbivores

Benzoxazinoids are chemical defenses against herbivores and are produced by many members of the grass family. These compounds are stored as stable glucosides in plant cells and require the activity of glucosidases to release the corresponding toxic aglucones. In maize leaves, the most abundant benzoxazinoid is (2R)‐DIMBOA‐Glc, which is converted into the toxic DIMBOA upon herbivory. The ways in which three Spodoptera species metabolize this toxin were investigated. (2S)‐DIMBOA‐Glc, an epimer of the initial plant compound, was observed in the insect frass, and the associated glucosyltransferase activity was detected in the insect gut tissue. The epimeric glucoside produced by the insect was found to be no longer reactive towards plant glucosidases and thus cannot be converted into a toxin. Stereoselective reglucosylation thus represents a detoxification strategy in Spodoptera species that might help to explain their success as agricultural pests on benzoxazinoid‐containing crops.