Vibrational and high pressure conformational studies of 1,1,2-trichloroethane

The infrared spectra of 1,1,2-trichloroethane were recorded from 4000 to 50 cm^?1 in the vapour and liquid states. Additional spectra above 200 cm^?1 of the low temperature crystal and of two crystalline solids, prepared by compressing the sample in a diamond anvil cell, were obtained. Also, infrared spectra of the liquid and of the compound dissolved in CS₂ were recorded at increased pressures. Raman spectral data of the liquid (including polarization measurements) and of the low temperature crystal were obtained.The fundamental frequencies for each of the two conformers, C₁ and C_s, were assigned and the results checked by normal coordinate analysis. The same diagonal and off-diagonal force constants were employed for the two conformers and the force fields were derived by means of a least squares refinement, including data for chloroethane, 1,1-dichloroethane and various deuterated species. A standard deviation of 3 % was obtained in the final fit.From the changes in relative intensities for infrared bands belonging to the C₁ and C_s conformers with increasing pressure, the volume differences (ΔV¯between the conformers were determined in CS₂ solution and in the pure liquid.     

Are the Elements Elementary? Nineteenth-Century Chemical and Spectroscopical Answers

We analyze the role and influence of a tradition of research linked to the concept of primary matter in nineteenth-century studies on the nature of the elements.The suggestion of William Prout (1785-1850) in 1816 that the atomic weights of pure chemical elements are whole numbers and multiples of the atomic weight of hydrogen, taken as unity, was met with serious confutations,which in turn prompted several attempts to save Prouts hypothesis.We discuss these attempts in detail and the objections raised against them, for instance by Dmitry Ivanovich Mendeleev (1834-1907). We pay particular attention to the use of spectroscopy as a method for proving the existence of elementary forms of matter inside atoms. Leaders in this field of research were two English scientists, the astrophysicist Norman Lockyer (1836-1920) and the chemist William Crookes (1832- 1919). Both of their approaches involved the idea of primary matter. However, while Crookess approach proved to be incorrect, Lockyers ideas survived for several years and supported the discovery of the electron by J.J.Thomson (1856-1940).     

Keratinolytic enzyme-mediated biodegradation of recalcitrant feather by a newly isolated Xanthomonas sp. P5

We isolated and characterized a novel feather-degrading Xanthomonas sp. P5 with keratinolytic activity. In improved medium containing 0.1% (w/v) feather, maximal keratinolytic activity was observed at 5 days (69.0 ± 0.6 U/mL). This value was 7.1-fold higher than the yield in basal feather medium. The strain P5 degraded feather completely after 7 days. Feather degradation resulted in free thiol group, soluble protein and amino acids formation, indicating that sulfitolysis and proteolysis may be responsible for feather degradation by the strain P5. Total free amino acid concentration in the cell-free supernatant was around 188.6 μM. Asparagine, methionine, histidine and threonine were the major amino acids released in the culture. Xanthomonas sp. P5 exhibited multiple plant growth-promoting attributes such as siderophore, indoleacetic acid, ammonia, hydrolytic enzyme and antifungal activity. Our results indicate that Xanthomonas sp. P5 could be not only used to upgrade the nutritional value of recalcitrant feather waste but is also a potential candidate for the development of biofertilizer or biocontrol agent applicable to crop plant soil.     

Thermal chemiluminescence of fibrous proteins

Thermal chemiluminescence (TCL) from the fibrous proteins wool and feather keratin, silk fibroin and Type I collagen is reported for the first time. The proteins all emit TCL when heated in the atmosphere of O₂ or N₂ in the range 40-220 °C. Plotting non-isothermal CL data in O₂ in Arrhenius format showed an increase in the activation energy at temperatures in the range 129-161 °C for each protein. This may indicate that a different free radical oxidation process operates when the mobility of the amorphous phase of the protein is increased above its T_g. Wool, silk and collagen exhibited a luminescence peak at 130 °C (with feather keratin at 145 °C) during non-isothermal CL experiments in N₂, similar to that observed in many synthetic polymers and characteristic of polymer hydroperoxides.     

羽毛角蛋白稳定的钯纳米颗粒催化Suzuki偶联反应

采在温和条件下羽毛角蛋白负载的Pd纳米颗粒可高效催化水中溴代芳烃与苯硼酸的偶联反应,且具有官能团的广泛适用性,生成的联苯类化合物可在反应液中沉淀出来,具有很好的产率和纯度.催化剂通过简单过滤可重复使用7次.     

武山鸡微量元素含量的研究

为探讨武山鸡的药用机理，对武山鸡的羽毛以下结缔组织的１１－２１种元素进行了ＩＣＰ－ＡＥＳ法测定。结果显示，武山鸡羽毛毛中的钠、钡、铜、锌元素含量，结缔组织中的镁、锰、钡、锌等元素含量，均明显高于来亨鸡。     

改性羽毛对锌离子的吸附

使用单宁酸对禽类羽毛进行化学改性.研究了改性前后羽毛对金属锌离子的吸附及解吸性能,探讨了羽毛上单宁酸负载量,锌盐溶液的pH值等因素对羽毛金属离子吸附性能的影响.结果表明,经单宁酸化学改性的羽毛在碱性环境下能明显增加对金属锌离子的吸附,此时对应Zn2 的最大吸附量为O.97mmol/g,而未改性羽毛在相同条件下的最大吸附量为0.64mmol/g.在酸性环境中,改性羽毛中金属锌离子的解吸附率为16.8%,未改性羽毛的锌离子解吸附率为64.0%,表明改性羽毛的金属复合物具有较高的稳定性.羽毛作为一种廉价的重金属吸附材料,对整治环境污染具有应用前景.     

Properties and Phenomena: Basic Plasma Physics and Fusion Research in Postwar America

I review the changing conceptions of basic physics that the U.S. plasma-physics community put forward in postwar America. I give special attention to the tense relationship between fusion research and the more general study of plasmas in astrophysics, space science, and industry.Although fusion research often led to results that were regarded as basic plasma physics, its dominating influence tended to weaken other plasma work, as becomes evident when I compare the public statements and professional fortunes of plasma scientists during the 1960s, when fusion research experienced a downturn, with those of the 1970s, when fusion research flourished. I also show that the plasmaphysics community’s conceptions of basic physics were not highly regarded or easily understood by science administrators and the general physics community. To make this point, I contrast two general ideas of basic physics: the Big Questions conception and the Properties and Phenomena conception. Gary J.Weisel; Gary J.Weisel is Associate Professor of Physics at Penn State Altoona in Altoona, Pennsylvania. His historical research focuses on the development of subdisciplines in twentieth-century physics. He also carries out research in nuclear physics and materials science.     

A closer look at the feather coloration in the male purple sunbird,Nectarinia asiatica

During the breeding season male, but not female, individuals of the purple sunbird possess colourful plumage of chiefly blue and black coloration with a splatter of orange and yellow on the chest. Representative feathers of these colours were collected from male birds during the breeding season and analyzed by reflectance and scanning electron microscopy. The rachis, which is the central support of a feather on which various barbs and barbules are arranged, is spongy and made up of keratin layers with rod-shaped melanosomes sparsely distributed within these layers. Barbs and barbules are the structural units of the feather and depending on how they are arranged provide a characteristic shape to the feather. X-Ray diffraction (XRD) analyses of the feathers revealed the presence of various metal elements that might contribute to the feathers’ colorations. Blue feathers are iridescent and contain mainly iron, copper, zinc and cobalt (in that order of abundance); black feathers were also found to contain mainly iron and copper, but chromium instead of zinc and cobalt, while yellow feathers were found to contain predominantly cobalt and nickel. The metal content of the feathers in an as yet unknown way may be involved in the production of the distinct absorbance and reflectance patterns that the brilliant plumage of the purple sunbird is renowned for.     

采用拉曼光谱、液相色谱对比研究羊毛、鸡毛的结构

废弃羊毛、鸡毛角朊含量很高,研究其结构、性能并合理利用、变废为宝是目前的重要课题。采用激光显微拉曼光谱仪、液相色谱仪对比分析了羊毛、鸡毛2种角朊在蛋白质分子链构象、二硫键含量、氨基酸含量等结构方面的不同点,为合理利用这2种角朊提供参考。