CO2浓度升高和降水增加协同作用对玉米产量及生长发育的影响

关于[CO₂]升高和降水变化等多因子共同作用对植物的影响报道较少, 制约着人们对植物对全球气候变化响应的认识和预测。玉米(Zea mays)作为重要的C₄植物, 受[CO₂]和降水影响显著, 但鲜有[CO₂]升高和降水增加协同作用对其产量及生长发育影响的报道。该研究利用开顶式生长箱模拟[CO₂]升高(390 (环境)、450和550 μmol·mol^-1), 降水增加量设置为增加自然降水量的15% (以试验地锦州1981-2010年6至8月月平均降水量为基准), 从而形成6个处理: C₅₅₀W_+15%、C₅₅₀W₀、C₄₅₀W_+15%、C₄₅₀W₀、C₃₉₀W_+15%和C₃₉₀W₀。试验材料选用玉米品种‘丹玉39’。结果表明: [CO₂]升高和降水增加的协同作用在玉米的籽粒产量和生物产量上均达到了显著水平(p< 0.05), 二因子均起正作用, 使籽粒产量和生物产量均升高。籽粒产量在[CO₂] 390、450和550 μmol·mol^-1水平下的降水增加处理较自然降水处理分别增加15.94%、9.95%和9.45%, 而生物产量分别增加13.06%、8.13%和6.49%。因为籽粒产量的增幅略大于生物产量的增幅, 所以促进了经济系数的升高。穗部性状变化显著, 其中, 穗粒数、穗粒重、穗长和穗粗等性状值均随[CO₂]升高而升高, 且各[CO₂]水平下均表现为降水增加处理>自然降水处理, 而瘪粒数相反。但是, [CO₂]升高和降水增加的协同作用也促进了轴粗的升高, 对玉米产量的增加起着限制作用。二因子协同作用在净光合速率(P_n)和叶面积上达到了极显著水平(p< 0.01), 而在株高和干物质积累量上达到了显著水平(p< 0.05)。二因子协同作用使玉米叶片的P_n升高, 植株高度升高, 穗位高升高, 茎粗增加, 叶面积变大, 从而促进了干物质积累量的升高, 为玉米增产打下了良好的基础。这表明: 在未来[CO₂]升高条件下, 一定程度的降水增加对玉米的产量具有正向促进作用。     

短期CO2浓度升高对雨林树种盘壳栎光合特性的影响

比较研究了海南岛尖峰岭热带山地雨林上层乔木盘壳栎 (Castanopsis patelliformis(Chun) Chun)叶片光合作用对高 CO2浓度的短期响应。用 L i- 6 4 0 0 (L i- cor,Inc.,USA)便携式光合作用测定系统外置 CO2 气源 ,程序控制 CO2 处理浓度为35 0μmol/ mol及其加倍浓度 ,测定叶片光合速率的日变化进程 ,并通过光合作用相关响应曲线计算主要光合参数。结果表明 ,CO2 浓度倍增可使盘壳栎植株阳性叶净光合速率平均提高 75 % ,光饱和光合速率提高 6 5 % ,气孔导度降低 2 8%～ 73% ,水分利用效率提高 4 3%～ 70 % ,光补偿点升高近 7μmol/ (m2· s) ,饱和点提高 10 0 μmol/ (m2·s) ,表观量子产量提高 6 1% ,反映出 CO2浓度升高可提高植物的光合生产力。叶片光合作用日变化趋势在高 CO2 浓度的短期作用下并未发生明显改变     

玉米和花生间作体系光合碳同化酶活性对CO2浓度升高的响应特征

该试验以玉米、花生2∶4间作模式为对象,采用开顶式气室法控制环境CO_2浓度,于2018-2019年设环境CO_2浓度(Ca, 390μmol·mol~(-1))和升高CO_2浓度(Ce, 700μmol·mol~(-1)),以及不施磷(P_0)和施磷(180 kg P_2O_5·hm~(-2),P_(180))处理下,分析CO_2浓度升高对间作玉米和间作花生功能叶光合碳同化关键酶活性、净光合速率以及籽粒产量的影响,以明确CO_2浓度升高影响玉米、花生间作体系光合作用的机理,为将来CO_2浓度升高环境下间作高产高效提供理论基础。结果表明:(1) Ce处理提高了间作玉米功能叶的PEPC、PPDK、NADP-MDH、Rubisco、GAPDH和Ru5PK等光合碳同化酶活性,其中PEPC和NADP-MDH在苗后43 d以及PPDK、Rubisco、GAPDH和Ru5PK在苗后59 d增幅均达到显著水平,此时施磷对其有正向调控作用。(2) Ce处理增强了间作花生功能叶的Rubisco、GAPDH、Ru5PK和FBPase等光合碳同化酶活性,在苗后43 d和59 d增幅均达到显著水平,此时施磷进一步显著提高了Rubisco与FBPase活性。(3) Ce处理下间作玉米、间作花生的净光合速率显著提高,间作玉米、间作花生和间作体系的籽粒产量分别显著提高了4.4%～52.0%、10.3%～24.0%和5.7%～47.0%;CO_2浓度升高和施磷对间作玉米、花生功能叶的净光合速率和间作体系产量具有正协同效应。研究表明,CO_2浓度升高可以通过提高间作玉米功能叶片的PEPC、PPDK、Rubisco、GAPDH和Ru5PK及间作花生功能叶片的Rubisco、GAPDH、Ru5PK和FBPase等光合碳同化酶活性,增强其对CO_2羧化固定能力,提高间作玉米、间作花生的光合速率,最终显著增加玉米、花生及间作体系的产量,并且增施磷肥对其具有正调控效应。     

大气CO_2增加对不同生长光强下龙须菜光合生理特性的影响

为了探讨未来大气CO2升高对不同生长光强下大型海藻的影响,选取经济红藻龙须菜为实验材料,研究了其生长速率、光合作用、呼吸作用、叶绿素荧光参数以及光合色素对CO2和光强的响应。实验设置两个CO2浓度,正常空气水平CO2浓度(390μL/L)和高CO2浓度(1000μL/L);两个光强梯度,高光(300μmol m-2s-1)和低光(100μmol m-2s-1)。结果表明,CO2和光强对龙须菜的生长和光合作用有明显的交互作用。大气CO2升高并没有显著影响龙须菜的生长速率,但在不同CO2处理下,龙须菜对光强的响应不同。在空气水平下,光强的变化对其生长速率影响不显著。而在高CO2作用下,高光处理下的藻体有更高的生长速率。CO2显著促进高光生长下龙须菜的呼吸作用速率,但是在低光下作用不明显。而对于光合作用速率来说,低光培养下的藻体CO2表现为负面效应,但对高光下生长的藻体作用不明显。CO2增加没有改变龙须菜生长状态下的电子传递速率,但在高光下,CO2表现为一定的抑制作用。CO2显著降低了龙须菜天线色素藻红蛋白和叶绿素a的含量。这些CO2与光强的结合效应表明,大气CO2的升高对龙须菜光合生理特性的影响随着光强的变化而呈现不同的效应,在未来评估CO2的增加对大型海藻的影响时,要充分考虑其他环境因子的耦合效应。     

CO2和O3浓度升高及其复合作用对玉米（Zea mays L.）活性氧代谢及抗氧化酶活性的影响

为了揭示CO2和O3浓度升高及其复合作用对植物活性氧(ROS)代谢及抗氧化酶活性的影响机理,以玉米(Zea mays L.)为研究材料,利用开顶式气室(OTCs)研究了CO2和O3浓度升高及其复合作用下,玉米叶片活性氧产生速率、含量,膜脂过氧化程度,抗氧化酶活性,净光合速率及玉米籽粒产量的变化.结果表明,在整个生育期内,与对照相比,高浓度CO2((550±20)μmol · mol-1)处理下,玉米叶片净光合速率升高,O- ·2 产生速率、H2O2含量下降, MDA含量、相对电导率减小,SOD、CAT、POD活性增强,玉米百粒重和穗粒数增加;而在O3浓度为(80±10)nmol · mol-1的条件下,玉米叶片净光合速率下降,O- ·2 产生速率、H2O2含量升高,MDA含量、相对电导率增大,SOD、CAT、POD活性减弱,玉米百粒重和穗粒数降低;CO2和O3浓度升高复合((550±20)μmol · mol-1 (80±10)nmol · mol-1)处理下,玉米叶片的净光合速率、H2O2含量、SOD活性先升高后降低, MDA含量、相对电导率、CAT活性增加,POD活性减弱,而O- ·2 产生速率几乎不变化,且玉米的百粒重和穗粒数略低于对照.以上结果说明,CO2浓度升高抑制了玉米叶片活性氧的代谢速率,提高了抗氧化酶的活性,从而增强了光合作用,使玉米籽粒产量增加,对玉米表现为保护效应,而O3浓度升高促进了玉米叶片活性氧的代谢速率,降低了抗氧化酶的活性,抑制了光合作用,使玉米籽粒产量下降,对玉米表现为伤害效应.在CO2和O3浓度升高复合处理下,CO2浓度升高在一定程度上缓解了O3浓度升高对玉米的伤害效应,而O3浓度升高亦在一定程度上削弱了CO2浓度升高对玉米的保护效应.     

内蒙古地带性针茅植物对CO2和气候变化的适应性研究进展

收集了1992—2013年关于模拟CO2浓度升高及气候变化(温度升高、降水变化)对内蒙古地带性草原群落的5个建群种针茅植物(贝加尔针茅、本氏针茅、大针茅、克氏针茅、短花针茅)影响的实验研究结果表明,模拟CO2浓度升高、增温和增雨将提高针茅植物的光合作用和株高生长,但CO2处理时间延长会导致光合适应;温度和降雨变化将改变针茅植物的物候进程,但物种之间反应有差异;CO2浓度升高有助于针茅植物生物量增加,增温和干旱则相反,CO2浓度升高对干旱的影响具有补偿作用;干旱和涝渍胁迫将提高针茅植物植株C/N,CO2浓度升高将加剧水分胁迫下针茅植物植株C/N的增加效应,导致牧草品质下降。由于当前在适应性指标、针茅植物对气候变化协同作用的适应机理及其敏感性研究等方面存在的不足,导致目前无法全面比较各针茅植物对CO2和温度、降水变化的响应差异及其敏感性,因而无法预测未来在全球变化背景下,这几种针茅植物的动态变化及其在地理分布上的迁移替代规律。为科学应对气候变化,未来应加强内蒙古地带性针茅植物的适应性指标、针茅植物对多因子协同作用的适应机理及敏感性研究。     

厚壁毛竹光合作用对CO_2浓度倍增的短期响应

采用Li-6400P光合测定仪对比测定了大气CO2浓度和短期CO2浓度倍增下不同季节厚壁毛竹的光合特性,结果表明:CO2浓度加倍促使最大净光合速率、净光合速率、水分利用率、光合量子效率和光饱和点升高,年平均增幅分别为62.79%、48.74%、94.41%、8.70%和16.67%;CO2浓度加倍促使蒸腾速率、暗呼吸速率和光补偿点下降,年平均降幅分别为17.60%、37.25%和40.50%。不同季节厚壁毛竹光合生理特性参数在CO2浓度加倍后的增加幅度或降低幅度与叶片生理活性和气候变化密切相关。CO2浓度的倍增并未明显改变厚壁毛竹光合特性的季节变化规律,除光补偿点外,其它光合参数的季节大小顺序仍与大气CO2浓度下的相同。厚壁毛竹光合作用对短期CO2浓度升高的响应特征与C3植物光合作用对短期CO2浓度升高响应的普遍规律相符。     

不同天气水稻光合日变化对大气CO2浓度和温度升高的响应——FACE研究

人类活动导致大气二氧化碳浓度(CO_2)升高、全球气候变暖和光合有效辐射(PAR)降低,影响着绿色作物的光合作用。为了明确高CO_2浓度、高温和低PAR对水稻光合日变化特征的影响,利用中国稻田开放空气CO_2浓度升高系统(free air CO_2enrichment,FACE),以常规粳稻南粳9108为试验材料,设置了环境CO_2和高CO_2浓度(增200μmol/mol)、环境温度和增高温度(增1—2℃)交互的4个处理,从9:00到17:00每隔1h测定了阴天和晴天水稻的光合作用,研究了不同天气对水稻光合日变化对大气CO_2浓度和温度升高的响应。观察到不同天气条件下水稻光合日变化的不同特征,晴天Pn为双峰曲线,发生了光合"午休",阴天未发生。结果表明,高CO_2浓度显著提高了水稻Pn,温度升高有降低水稻Pn趋势,CO_2浓度增加200μmol/mol对水稻光合作用的促进效应远大于增温1—2℃对其的抑制效应。高CO_2浓度显著增加了水稻胞间CO_2浓度(Ci),降低了水稻蒸腾速率(Tr),平均降幅为10.8%—22.0%。高温有降低Ci的趋势,增加了Tr,平均增幅达5.0%—13.5%。晴天比阴天增加了水稻Tr,平均增幅为9.8%—31.2%。CO_2浓度和温度同时升高显著降低了水稻气孔导度(Gs)。这些结果说明CO_2浓度、温度和PAR对水稻水分利用率(WUE)产生综合影响。阴天PAR比晴天平均低53.3%,阴天水稻Pn比晴天显著低,平均降幅达37.1%—72.0%。与对照比较,高CO_2浓度处理,较高PAR(晴天)条件下水稻Pn的增幅(38.6%—58.4%)显著大于较低PAR(阴天)条件下水稻Pn的增幅(21.6%—38.8%),这一现象值得关注和深入探讨。研究结果表明,评估气候变化对水稻生产的影响,需同时考虑未来大气CO_2浓度和温度升高以及PAR下降的因素及其相互作用。     

干旱区胡杨光合作用对高温和CO2浓度的响应

采用LI-6400便携式光合作用测定仪实测的塔里木河下游胡杨(Populus euphratica oliv)光合作用参数,探讨了不同地下水埋深下的胡杨光合作用对CO2浓度增加和温度升高的响应.结果表明:(1)CO2浓度升高减小了胡杨气孔导度,促进了光合速率、胞间CO2浓度和水分利用效率的增加,但不同地下水埋深下,胡杨光合作用参数对CO2浓度升高的响应不同,干旱环境(地下水埋深较深)下的响应程度大于水分适宜(地下水埋深浅)环境下的响应;(2) 高温引起胡杨气孔发生不完全关闭,导致了光合作用的光抑制发生,从而降低了胡杨光合速率,但降低程度受水分条件的影响,地下水埋深较深环境下的影响程度大于地下水埋深浅的;(3)地下水埋深是控制干旱区胡杨光合作用对CO2浓度和温度升高的根本因素,6m是胡杨生长正常的临界地下水埋深,地下水埋深>6m,胡杨即遭到水分胁迫,地下水埋深>7m,胡杨即受到了较严重的水分胁迫.     

黄河三角洲贝壳堤岛叶底珠叶片光合作用对CO_2浓度及土壤水分的响应

为阐明黄河三角洲贝壳砂生境叶底珠叶片光合作用对CO2浓度的响应规律,明确其光合生产力与土壤水分的定量关系,以2年生叶底珠(Securinega suffruticosa)苗木为材料,采用旱棚人工控水试验,利用光合测定系统测定分析了不同水分条件下叶底珠叶片光合作用的CO2响应特征。结果表明,叶底珠叶片净光合速率(Pn)和光合作用特征参数对土壤水分(SRWC)变化具有阈值效应。维持叶底珠叶片较高光合生产力的SRWC为50.3%—83.2%,CO2浓度为700—1100μmol/mol,其中最适宜的SRWC为70.5%,最大值出现在CO2浓度为900μmol/mol,而正常CO2浓度和倍增CO2浓度下维持叶底珠叶片较高光合生产力水平的SRWC范围分别为45.5%—90.0%和47.0%—92.6%。叶底珠叶片表观最大净光合速率(Pmax,c)和羧化效率(CE)随着SRWC的增加而呈抛物线变化。CO2补偿点(Г)呈现与Pmax,c和CE相反的变化规律,在SRWC为70.5%时,Г达到最低值(51.3μmol/mol)。光呼吸速率(Rp)在SRWC为50.3%时达到最小值(2.62μmol·m-2·s-1),随着SRWC的增加,Rp增加缓慢。说明黄河三角洲贝壳砂生境条件下,叶底珠叶片光合作用对CO2浓度和土壤水分具有宽泛的适应范围,对贝壳砂生境经常出现的干湿交替逆境表现出一定适应能力,在黄河三角洲贝壳堤岛可引种栽培。     

The identification and metabolism of GA9 and its metabolites in seed coats and shoots of pea,line G2

[³H]gibberellin A₉ was applied to shoots or seed parts of G2 pea to produce radiolabeled metabolites. These were used as markers during purification for the recovery of endogenous GA₉ and its naturally occurring metabolites. GA₉ and its metabolites were purified by HPLC, derivatized and examined by GC-MS. Endogenous GA₉, GA₂₀, GA₂₉ and GA₅₁ were identified in pea shoots and seed coats. GA₅₁-catabolite and GA₂₉-catabolite were also detected in seed coats. GA₇₀ was detected in seed coats following the application of 1 g of GA₉. Applied [³H]GA₉ was metabolized through both the 13-hydroxylation and 2-hydroxylation pathways. Labeled metabolites were tentatively identified on the basis of co-chromatography on HPLC with endogenous compounds identified by GC-MS. In shoots [³H]GA₅₁ and [³H]GA₅₁-catabolite were the predominant metabolites after 6 hrs, but by 24 hrs there was little of these metabolites remaining, while [³H]GA₂₉-catabolite and an unidentified metabolite predominated. In seed coats [³H]GA₅₁ was the initial product, later followed by [³H]GA₅₁-catabolite and an unidentified metabolite (different from that in shoots), with lesser amounts of [³H]GA₂₀, [³H]GA₂₉ and [³H]GA₂₉-catabolite. [³H]GA₇₀ was a very minor product in both cases. [³H]GA₉ was not metabolized by pea cotyledons.Edited by T.J. Gianfagna.Author for correspondence     

Comparison of effects of salt and alkali stresses on the growth and photosynthesis of wheat

The seedlings of wheat were treated by salt-stress (SS, molar ratio of NaCl: Na₂SO₄ = 1: 1) and alkali-stress (AS, molar ratio of NaHCO₃: Na₂CO₃ = 1: 1). Relative growth rate (RGR), leaf area, and water content decreased with increasing salinity, and the extents of the reduction under AS were greater than those under SS. The contents of photosynthetic pigments did not decrease under SS, but increased at low salinity. On the contrary, the contents of photosynthetic pigments decreased sharply under AS with increasing salinity. Under SS, the changes of net photosynthetic rate (P _N), stomatal conductance (g _s), and transpiration rate (E) were similar and all varied in a single-peak curve with increasing salinity, and they were lower than those of control only at salinity over 150 mM. Under AS, P _N, g _s, and E decreased sharply with rising salinity. The decrease of g _s might cause the obvious decreases of E and intercellular CO₂ concentration, and the increase of water use efficiency under both stresses. The Na⁺ content and Na⁺/K⁺ ratio in shoot increased and the K⁺ content in shoot decreased under both stresses, and the changing extents under AS were greater than those under SS. Thus SS and AS are two distinctive stresses with different characters; the destructive effects of AS on the growth and photosynthesis of wheat are more severe than those under SS. High pH is the key feature of the AS that is different from SS. The buffer capacity is essentially the measure of high pH action on plant. The deposition of mineral elements and the intracellular unbalance of Na⁺ and K⁺ caused by the high pH at AS might be the reason of the decrease of P _N and g _s and of the destruction of photosynthetic pigments.     

Structural and functional analysis of the coupling subunit F in solution and topological arrangement of the stalk domains of the methanogenic A1AO ATP synthase

The first low-resolution shape of subunit F of the A₁A_O ATP synthase from the archaeon Methanosarcina mazei Gö1 in solution was determined by small angle X-ray scattering. Independent to the concentration used, the protein is monomeric and has an elongated shape, divided in a main globular part with a length of about 4.5 nm, and a hook-like domain of about 3.0 nm in length. The subunit-subunit interaction of subunit F inside the A₁A_O ATP synthase in the presence of 1-ethyl-3-(dimethylaminopropyl)-carbodiimide EDC was studied as a function of nucleotide binding, demonstrating movements of subunits F relative to the nucleotide-binding subunit B. Furthermore, in the intact A₁A_O complex, crosslinking of subunits D-E, A-H and A-B-D was obtained and the peptides, involved, were analyzed by MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry. Based on these data the surface of contact of B-F could be mapped in the high-resolution structure of subunit B of the A₁A_O ATP synthase.     

Overexpression, Purification, and Characterization of Human and Bovine Mitochondrial ATPase Inhibitors: Comparison of the Properties of Mammalian and Yeast ATPase Inhibitors

Mitochondrial ATP synthase (F₁F₀-ATPase) is regulated by an intrinsic ATPase inhibitor protein. In this study, we overexpressed and purified human and bovine ATPase inhibitors and their properties were compared with those of a yeast inhibitor. The human and bovine inhibitors inhibited bovine ATPase in a similar way. The yeast inhibitor also inhibited bovine F₁F₀-ATPase, although the activity was about three times lower than the mammalian inhibitors. All three inhibitors inhibited yeast F₁F₀-ATPase in a similar way. The activities of all inhibitors decreased at higher pH, but the magnitude of the decrease was different for each combination of inhibitor and ATPase. The results obtained in this study show that the inhibitory mechanism of the inhibitors was basically shared in yeast and mammals, but that mammalian inhibitors require unique residues, which are lacking in the yeast inhibitor, for their maximum inhibitory activity. Common inhibitory sites of mammalian and yeast inhibitors are suggested.     

Assessing the Impact of Advected African Dust on Air Quality and Health in the Eastern United States

Large quantities of African dust are carried into the southeastern United States each summer with concentrations typically in the range of 10 to 100?µg m^?3. Because approximately one-third to one-half of the dust mass is in the size range under 2.5?µm diameter, the advection of African dust has implications for the EPA's newly implemented standard for PM_2.5 particulate matter and for the assessment of human health effects. It will be difficult to assess the impact of African dust events on air quality because they occur during the summer (maximum in July) when photochemical pollution events are frequent and intense in the eastern United States. Indeed, the presence of dust could affect the evolution of photochemical dust events. In order to assess the role of African dust in air quality in the United States, it will be necessary to develop a set of diagnostic indicators; it appears that dust mineralogy and elemental composition might be useful for this purpose. Various satellite products can be used to characterize the spatial coverage of dust events and, when coupled with meteorological tools, to predict impact regions.     

Synthesis, biological activity and molecular modelling studies of tricyclic alkylimidazo-, pyrimido- and diazepinopurinediones

Syntheses and biological activities of imidazo-, pyrimido- and diazepino[2,1-f]purinediones containing N-alkyl substituents (with straight, branched or unsaturated chains) are described. Tricyclic derivatives were synthesized by the cyclization of 8-bromo-substituted 7-(2-bromoethyl)-, 7-(3-chloropropyl)- or 7-(4-bromobutyl)-theophylline with primary amines under various conditions. Compound 22 with an ethenyl substituent was synthesized by dehydrohalogenation of 9-(2-bromoethyl)-1,3-dimethyltetrahydropyrimido[2,1-f]purinedione. The obtained derivatives (5–35) were initially evaluated for their affinity at rat A₁ and A_2A adenosine receptors (AR), showing moderate affinity for both adenosine receptor subtypes. The best ligands were diazepinopurinedione 28 (K_i = 0.28 μM) with fivefold A_2A selectivity and the non-selective A₁/A_2A AR ligand pyrimidopurinedione 35 (K_i A₁ = 0.28 μM and K_i A_2A = 0.30 μM). The compounds were also evaluated for their affinity at human A₁, A_2A, A_2B and A₃ ARs. All of the obtained compounds were docked to the A_2A AR X-ray structure in complex with the xanthine-based, potent adenosine receptor antagonist—XAC. The likely interactions of imidazo-, pyrimido- and diazepino[2,1-f]purinediones with the residues forming the A_2A binding pocket were discussed. Furthermore, the new compounds were tested in vivo as anticonvulsants in maximal electroshock, subcutaneous pentylenetetrazole (ScMet) and TOX tests in mice (i.p.). Pyrimidopurinediones showed anticonvulsant activity mainly in the ScMet test. The best derivative was compound 11, showing 100 % protection at a dose of 100 mg/kg without symptoms of neurotoxicity. Compounds 6, 7, 8 and 14 with short substituents showed neurotoxicity and caused death. In rat tests (p.o.), 9 was characterized by a high protection index (>13.3). AR affinity did not apparently correlate with the antiepileptic potency of the compounds.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s11302-013-9358-3) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

Oriented solids as a colloid suspension in nematic liquid crystal – New tool for IR-spectroscopic and structural elucidation of inorganic compounds and glasses

Possibilities of the linear-polarized infrared (IR-LD) spectroscopy of oriented colloid suspensions in nematic liquid crystals, for structural and local structural elucidation for first time are demonstrated of inorganic compounds and glasses. The advantages of the method for tellurite and borate glasses are shown. The IR-band assignment of the typical local structural units in the glasses are proposed by a comparison with the IR-characteristics of appropriate crystalline analogues as α-TeO₂, V₂O₅, MoO₃ · H₂O and its high temperature form. The IR-spectroscopic characteristics of BO₃, BO₄ and boroxol ring are elucidated, using crystalline β-BaB₂O₄, SrB₄O₇, H₃BO₃ and B₂O₃ as model systems, where the structural moieties have been refined by single crystal X-ray diffraction.     

The behavior of R-ovalbumin and its individual components A1, A2, and A3 in urea solution: kinetics and equilibria

Procedures are described for the isolation of the individual components A₁, A₂, and A₃ of native R-ovalbumin from freshly laid domestic hen eggs. Because heavy metal ion contaminants result in spurious irreproducible kinetics, particularly at high pH, considerable care is taken to avoid their presence. Kinetics studies are made of the behavior of whole R-ovalbumin and its individual components in urea solution over the pH range 3.7–9.6 following the reaction by determining absorbance differences at 233, 287, and 293 nm and ORD and CD changes at 350 and 221 nm, respectively. Reaction is rapid at low pH, slowing with increasing pH. Except under limited conditions, the reaction is not simple first order. Equations are presented for describing the reactions, and the nature of the reaction products is considered. Unfolding equilibrium profiles were also determined by ORD at several wavelengths and were not stigmoidal in shape and the normalized curves were not superimposed.Deceased December 8, 2001