T1Effects in Sequential Dynamic Susceptibility Contrast Experiments

Residual effects of an initial bolus of gadolinium contrast agent have been previously demonstrated in sequential dynamic susceptibility contrast MR experiments. While these residual effects quickly reach a saturation steady state, their etiology is uncertain, and they can lead to spurious estimates of hemodynamic parameters in activation experiments. The possible influence ofT₁effects is now investigated with experiments in whichT₁weighting is varied as well as with serial regionalT₁measurements. Little evidence for significant residualT₁effects is found, suggesting instead that susceptibility effects underlie these observations. An initial saturation dose of contrast agent minimizes this effect.     

Two-photon laser spectroscopy of the muonium 1S–2S transition

The 1² S _1/2(F=1)?2² S _1/2(F=1) energy interval in muonium has been investigated by Doppler-free two-photon laser spectroscopy. The transition was observed by uniquely identifying and counting the muons released after the photoionization of the 2S state by the same laser field. The measured transition frequency of 2455 528016(58)(43) MHz is in good agreement with QED calculations. The experiment can be interpreted as a test of the Lamb shift contributions at the 1% level. The method is also well suited for a precise determination of the mass of the positive muon in a muoniumhydrogen isotope shift measurement.     

Systematic computer-aided interpretation of vibrational spectra

The diagnostic value of an interpretation system for vibrational spectra has been investigated in relation to the number of structural units the system can cope with. For five structural units the correlated wavenumber intervals are derived from three infrared and three Raman files by the CRISE program. The interpretative value of each interval in relation to the intensity threshold is discussed. For most intervals a decrease is found on increasing the number of structural units.     

Systematic computer-aided interpretation of infrared and raman vibrational spectra based on the crise program

The CRISE computer program is used to correlate wavenumber regions and 6 structural elements containing carbon, hydrogen and oxygen on the basis of 2 standard files with 549 infrared and Raman spectra. The degree of correlation, including score percentages and interfering percentages, is established for different types of intervals in relation to various intensity thresholds. Specific regions (score 100%, interference 0%) proved to be rare, whereas pseudo-specific regions (score < 100%, interference 0%) are normally present. The usefulness of selective regions (score 100%, interference > 0%) is doubtful. The infrared and Raman results for a structural element can differ appreciably, yet neither technique is clearly superior for interpretative purposes.     

Synthesis of pyrimidines from 3-trifluoromethylsulfonyl-oxypropeniminium triflates and nitriles; molecular and crystal structure of the 1:1 and 1:2 Adducts of a 4-(2-diethylaminovinyl)pyrimidine with triflic acid

The 3-trifluoromethylsulfonyloxy-1-hexeniminium triflate 1 reacts with two equivalents of an aliphatic nitrile or of benzonitrile to give the 4-(2-diethylaminovinyl)pyrimidinediium bis(triflates) 4 , which can be deprotonated to give the monoprotonated or neutral pyrimidines 5 and 6 , respectively. When the related 1-phenyl-substituted iminium salt 7 is heated in acetonitrile at 140°, 1,5-cyclization of the cation leading to indane derivative 8 competes with formation of the pyrimidinium salt 9 . X-ray crystal structure determination reveals significant differences in the bond lengths of mono-and diprotonated 4-(2-diethylaminovinyl)pyrimidines 5a and 4a .     

Die Kristall- und Molekülstruktur von μ-5-Pyrimidincarboxylato (O,O′)-di-μ-hydroxo-bis[triamminkobalt(III)]perchlorat

Crystal and Molecular Structure of μ-5-Pyrimidinecarboxylato(O,O′)-di-μ-hydroxo-bis-[triamminecobalt(III)]perchlorate μ-5-Pyrimidinecarboxylato(O,O′)-di-[μ-hydroxo-bis(triamminecobalt)(III)]perchlorate, [(NH₃)₃Co-μ(OH, OH, C₅H₄N₂O₂)Co(NH₃)₃](ClO₄)₄, crystallizes in the orthorhombic space group Ibca with a = 12.686, b = 13.079, c = 31.785 Å and Z = 8 formula units. The complex cation adopts C₂ symmetry, but no mirror plane is present. The Co? Co separation in the binuclear complex is 2.794 Å. The four-membered ring defined by the two Co atoms and the bridging oxygens is folded along the O? O axis, the interplanar angle being 154°. One of the ClO₄ tetrahedra is disordered over two sites in the crystal.     

Conformational control in the cyclization of hydrogen-bonded supramolecular polymers

Bifunctional 2-ureido-4[1H]-pyrimidinone (UPy) derivatives can form small cyclic oligomers as well as long supramolecular polymers in chloroform solutions using the quadruple hydrogen-bonding motif. Ring-chain equilibria of a set of supramolecular monomers containing methyl-substituted alkyl linkers between the hydrogen-bonding UPy moieties were investigated by (1)H NMR spectroscopy and viscometry. The data were characterized in terms of critical concentration (CC, denoting the onset of polymerization) and equilibrium cyclic dimer concentration (EDC, representing preorganization of the monomer toward selective formation of cyclic dimer). Methyl substituents in the monomer were found to promote conformations favorable for cyclic dimerization, leading to an increase in both the EDC and the CC with respect to unsubstituted monomer. Furthermore, we observed an odd-even effect in the CC and EDC with increasing length of the linker between the hydrogen-bonding units. The combined results allow tuning of the critical concentration over a broad range and offer detailed information on the correlation between monomer structure, conformation, and polymerizability which may provide new insights for the study and design of other ring-chain equilibria or helix-random coil transitions.     

Spectroscopy and quantum chemical modeling reveal a predominant contribution of excitonic interactions to the bathochromic shift in alpha-crustacyanin, the blue carotenoprotein in the carapace of the lobster Homarus gammarus

To resolve the molecular basis of the coloration mechanism of alpha-crustacyanin, we used (13)C-labeled astaxanthins as chromophores for solid-state (13)C NMR and resonance Raman spectroscopy of [6,6',7,7']-(13)C(4) alpha-crustacyanin and [8,8',9,9',10,10',11,11',20,20']-(13)C(10) alpha-crustacyanin. We complement the experimental data with time-dependent density functional theory calculations on several models based on the structural information available for beta-crustacyanin. The data rule out major changes and strong polarization effects in the ground-state electron density of astaxanthin upon binding to the protein. Conformational changes in the chromophore and hydrogen-bond interactions between the astaxanthin and the protein can account only for about one-third of the total bathochromic shift in alpha-crustacyanin. The exciton coupling due to the proximity of two astaxanthin chromophores is found to be large, suggesting that aggregation effects in the protein represent the primary source of the color change.     

Artificial intelligence for the interpretation of combined spectral data : Design and development of a spectrum interpreter

The design of a knowledge-based system for the interpretation of combined spectral data for structure elucidation (EXSPEC) is described. Some basic design features are discussed and the functioning of the knowledge base, inference mechanism and user-interface is outlined. Attention is focussed on the development of a spectrum interpreter for infrared and mass spectral data. Interpretation of spectra for 120 liquid alcohols used for rule generation was successful. The system can be run on a Macintosh II or, more slowly, on a Macintosh Plus.