Search

Nitroxide spin probes and spin labels are broadly utilized in EPR oximetry studies ranging from in vivo investigation to profiling heterogeneous environment of lipid bilayer membranes and proteins by site-specific oxygen-accessibility experiments. In such experiments, effective collision distances of the spin exchange interaction between the nitroxide and molecular oxygen are typically assumed to be the same even though localization of spin density over the nitroxide moiety is known to be affected by local polarity. Furthermore, some biophysical studies, such as those involving lipid bilayers, are often carried out with structurally different nitroxides but the results are analyzed under an assumption that proportionality between changes in the nitroxide electronic relaxation times and the product of the local oxygen concentration and translational diffusion coefficients remain the same. Here, we present an experimental verification of such a prevailing but not yet verified assumption by measuring effects of molecular oxygen in air and pure oxygen at atmospheric pressure on continuous wave EPR spectra of six structurally different nitroxides including those capable of reversible protonation. The data were analyzed using a convolution fitting model, which, by comparing EPR spectra measured at two different oxygen concentrations, allows one to extract the peak-to-peak width $${\Delta }B_{{{\text{p}} - {\text{p}}}}$$ of a Lorentzian function that characterizes the effect of oxygen broadening. While the data on oxygen broadening measured by comparing EPR spectra of nitroxide solutions equilibrated with nitrogen and pure oxygen show clear trends that are rationalized by differences in the nitroxide structure, the overall variations in $${\Delta }B_{{{\text{p}} - {\text{p}}}}$$ for various nitroxides fall within ca. ± 5%. Such variations are comparable to the effect of “salting-out” of molecular oxygen in aqueous solutions when electrolytes are present in physiological concentrations. Overall, the data further establish nitroxides as robust EPR molecular probes to measure the product of local oxygen concentration and its translational diffusion coefficient under a wide range of conditions such as pH and electrolyte concentrations.

We record stimulated Raman scattering spectra in chemically-pure glycerol with the formation of two Stokes satellites with equidistant Raman frequencies ν = 2889 cm−1. To excite the scattered radiation, we employ short pulses of the second optical harmonic of a YAG:Nd3+ laser with a wavelength of 532 nm. Using the fundamental harmonic of the YAG:Nd3+ laser λ = 1064 nm, we convert the infrared Stokes component of stimulated Raman scattering into the visible range of the spectrum with the help of a nonlinear crystal of barium titanate. The large Raman shift of the Stokes components of stimulated Raman scattering makes it possible to use glycerol to convert laser radiation into different spectral ranges.

Electron-based dissociation (ExD) produces uncluttered mass spectra of intact proteins while preserving labile post-translational modifications. However, technical challenges have limited this option to only a few high-end mass spectrometers. We have developed an efficient ExD cell that can be retrofitted in less than an hour into current LC/Q-TOF instruments. Supporting software has been developed to acquire, process, and annotate peptide and protein ExD fragmentation spectra. In addition to producing complementary fragmentation, ExD spectra enable many isobaric leucine/isoleucine and isoaspartate/aspartate pairs to be distinguished by side-chain fragmentation. The ExD cell preserves phosphorylation and glycosylation modifications. It also fragments longer peptides more efficiently to reveal signaling cross-talk between multiple post-translational modifications on the same protein chain and cleaves disulfide bonds in cystine knotted proteins and intact antibodies. The ability of the ExD cell to combine collisional activation with electron fragmentation enables more complete sequence coverage by disrupting intramolecular electrostatic interactions that can hold fragments of large peptides and proteins together. These enhanced capabilities made possible by the ExD cell expand the size of peptides and proteins that can be analyzed as well as the analytical certainty of characterizing their post-translational modifications.

Sonication of gallium or gallium-based liquid metals in an aqueous solution of vinyl monomers leads to rapid free radical polymerization (FRP), without the need for conventional molecular initiators. Under ambient conditions, a passivating native oxide separates these metals from solution and renders the metal effectively inert. However, sonication generates liquid metal nanoparticles (LMNPs) of ∼100 nm diameter and thereby increases the surface area of the metal. The exposed metal initiates polymerization, which proceeds via a FRP mechanism and yields high molecular weight polymers that can form physical gels. Spin trapping EPR reveals the generation of free radicals. Time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry measurements confirm direct polymer bonding to gallium, verifying the formation of surface-anchored polymer grafts. The grafted polymers can modify the interfacial properties, that is, the preference of the metal particles to disperse in aqueous versus organic phases. The polymer can also be degrafted and isolated from the particles using strong acid or base. The concept of physically disrupting passivated metal surfaces offers new routes for surface-initiated polymerization and has implications for surface modification, reduction reactions, and fabrication of mechanically responsive materials.

In the present work, four, well-studied, model peptides (e.g., substance P, bradykinin, angiotensin I and AT-Hook 3) were used to correlate structural information provided by ion mobility and ECD/CID fragmentation in a TIMS-q-EMS-ToF MS/MS platform, incorporporating an electromagnetostatic cell (EMS). The structural heterogeneity of the model peptides was observed by i) multi-component ion mobility profiles (high ion mobility resolving power, R ~ 115–145), and ii) fast online characteristic ECD fragmentation patterns per ion mobility band (~ 0.2 min). Particularly, it was demonstrated that all investigated species were probably conformers, involving cis/trans-isomerizations at X-Pro peptide bond, following the same protonation schemes, in good agreement with previous ion mobility and single point mutation experiments. The comparison between ion mobility selected ECD spectra and traditional FT-ICR ECD MS/MS spectra showed comparable ECD fragmentation efficiencies but differences in the ratio of radical (•)/prime (ʹ) fragment species (H• transfer), which were associated with the differences in detection time after the electron capture event. The analysis of model peptides using online TIMS-q-EMS-ToF MS/MS provided complementary structural information on the intramolecular interactions that stabilize the different gas-phase conformations to those obtained by ion mobility or ECD alone.

Underground water is one of the main sources of radon for households. This article focuses on the estimation and removal of radon from underground water using the technology and inorganic sorbents developed by EKSORB Ltd., Russia for liquid radioactive waste treatment in the nuclear power industry. The article presents the results of tests of a system for the removal of radon and radon daughters from water patented by EKSORB. This is achieved by filtering water through RATZIR sorbent, followed by periodic load regeneration. Over a period of three years, the plant is successful in removing radon from the water that had an initial radon content of approximately 1500 Bq/L to less than 60 Bq/L, without releasing radon to indoor/outdoor air.

The results of a study of the characteristics of aramid prepregs obtained from melt binders and organoplastics based on these prepregs are shown. The use of melt binders instead of solvent ones ensures the environmental safety of the production of aramid prepregs, increases the resistance of organoplastics to moisture and other environmental factors, the tightness of thin-sheet casing, as well as the possibility of combining aramid prepregs with modern carbon fiber prepregs to create hybrid designs.

Electron-based fragmentation methods have revolutionized biomolecular mass spectrometry, in particular native and top-down protein analysis. Here, we report the use of a new electromagnetostatic cell to perform electron capture dissociation (ECD) within a quadrupole/ion mobility/time-of-flight mass spectrometer. This cell was installed between the ion mobility and time-of-flight regions of the instrument, and fragmentation was fast enough to be compatible with mobility separation. The instrument was already fitted with electron transfer dissociation (ETD) between the quadrupole and mobility regions prior to modification. We show excellent fragmentation efficiency for denatured peptides and proteins without the need to trap ions in the gas phase. Additionally, we demonstrate native top-down backbone fragmentation of noncovalent protein complexes, leading to comparable sequence coverage to what was achieved using the instrument’s existing ETD capabilities. Limited collisional ion activation of the hemoglobin tetramer before ECD was reflected in the observed fragmentation pattern, and complementary ion mobility measurements prior to ECD provided orthogonal evidence of monomer unfolding within this complex. The approach demonstrated here provides a powerful platform for both top-down proteomics and mass spectrometry-based structural biology studies.

One challenge associated with the discovery and development of monoclonal antibody (mAb) therapeutics is the determination of heavy chain and light chain pairing. Advances in MS instrumentation and MS/MS methods have greatly enhanced capabilities for the analysis of large intact proteins yielding much more detailed and accurate proteoform characterization. Consequently, direct interrogation of intact antibodies or F(ab′)2 and Fab fragments has the potential to significantly streamline therapeutic mAb discovery processes. Here, we demonstrate for the first time the ability to efficiently cleave disulfide bonds linking heavy and light chains of mAbs using electron capture dissociation (ECD) and 157 nm ultraviolet photodissociation (UVPD). The combination of intact mAb, Fab, or F(ab′)2 mass, intact LC and Fd masses, and CDR3 sequence coverage enabled determination of heavy chain and light chain pairing from a single experiment and experimental condition. These results demonstrate the potential of top-down and middle-down proteomics to significantly streamline therapeutic antibody discovery.

Raman spectra of tryptophan and tyrosine polycrystals have been analyzed in a wide spectral range by fiber-optic spectroscopy. The Raman spectra have been recorded with a BWS465-785H spectrometer in the spectral range of 0–2700 cm–1 using a 785-nm cw laser as an excitation source. Parameters of the Raman spectra are compared for three crystalline phase modifications of aromatic amino acids: left-handed, right-handed, and racemic phase. The presence of strong Raman satellites, the characteristics of which change depending on the type of the chiral phase state of amino acid, is found in the low-frequency Raman spectra of tryptophan and tyrosine amino acid lattices. The results obtained can be used for monitoring the chiral purity of bioactive preparations containing amino acids.

A novel Dynamic Nuclear Polarization (DNP) NMR polarizing agent ToSMTSL-PTE representing a phospholipid with a biradical TOTAPOL tethered to the polar head group has been synthesized, characterized, and employed to enhance solid-state Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (SSNMR) signal of a lipid-reconstituted integral membrane protein proteorhodopsin (PR). A matrix-free PR formulation for DNP improved the absolute sensitivity of NMR signal by a factor of ca. 4 compared to a conventional preparation with TOTAPOL dispersed in a glassy glycerol/water matrix. DNP enhancements measured at 400 MHz/263 GHz and 600 MHz/395 GHz showed a strong field dependence but remained moderate at both fields, and comparable to those obtained for PR covalently modified with ToSMTSL. Additional continuous wave (CW) X-band electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) experiments with ToSMTSL-PTE in solutions and in lipid bilayers revealed that an unfavorable conformational change of the linker connecting mononitroxides could be one of the reasons for moderate DNP enhancements. Further, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and CW EPR experiments indicated an inhomogeneous distribution and/or a possibility of a partial aggregation of ToSMTSL-PTE in DMPC:DMPA bilayers when the concentration of the polarizing agent was increased to 20 mol% to maximize the DNP enhancement. Thus, conformational changes and an inhomogeneous distribution of the lipid-based biradicals in lipid bilayers emerged as important factors to consider for further development of this matrix-free approach for DNP of membrane proteins.

The spectra of multifrequency parametric stimulated Raman scattering in a barium nitrate single crystal is investigated. When this single crystal is excited by ultrashort (80 ps) YAG : Nd3+ laser pulses with a wavelength of 1064 nm, a frequency comb of eight anti-Stokes components is observed in the visible spectral range. The Raman satellites are due to the totally symmetric vibrational modes of barium nitrate single crystal. The frequencies of the corresponding Raman Stokes components in the IR range (from 1193 to 9662 nm) are calculated. The results of the study open the way to form an array of laser frequencies from the IR to green spectral range with a period of 1047 cm–1.

Stability against a high-speed impact of textile laminates reinforced with aramid fabrics and layered metal-textile laminates composed of alternating metallic sheets and layers of an aramid textile laminate. Dependences of the stability of composites against a high-speed impact on the type of a reinforcing filler, binder, and structure of the material are presented. It is shown that aramid textile laminates based on VK-3 phenol-caoutchouc binder are advantageous and use of magnesium alloys as components for metal-textile laminates is promising.

Comprehensive characterization of post-translationally modified histone proteoforms is challenging due to their high isobaric and isomeric content. Trapped ion mobility spectrometry (TIMS), implemented on a quadrupole/time-of-flight (Q-ToF) mass spectrometer, has shown great promise in discriminating isomeric complete histone tails. The absence of electron activated dissociation (ExD) in the current platform prevents the comprehensive characterization of unknown histone proteoforms. In the present work, we report for the first time the use of an electromagnetostatic (EMS) cell devised for nonergodic dissociation based on electron capture dissociation (ECD), implemented within a nESI-TIMS-Q-ToF mass spectrometer for the characterization of acetylated (AcK18 and AcK27) and trimethylated (TriMetK4, TriMetK9 and TriMetK27) complete histone tails. The integration of the EMS cell in a TIMS-q-TOF MS permitted fast mobility-selected top-down ECD fragmentation with near 10% efficiency overall. The potential of this coupling was illustrated using isobaric (AcK18/TriMetK4) and isomeric (AcK18/AcK27 and TriMetK4/TriMetK9) binary H3 histone tail mixtures, and the H3.1 TriMetK27 histone tail structural diversity (e.g., three IMS bands atz= 7+). The binary isobaric and isomeric mixtures can be separated in the mobility domain withR IMS> 100 and the nonergodic ECD fragmentation permitted the PTM localization (sequence coverage of ∼86%). Differences in the ECD patterns per mobility band of thez= 7+ H3 TriMetK27 molecular ions suggested that the charge location is responsible for the structural differences observed in the mobility domain. This coupling further enhances the structural toolbox with fast, high resolution mobility separations in tandem with nonergodic fragmentation for effective proteoform differentiation.

Results of tensile strength test of layered metal-polymer composite material on the basis of aluminum alloy sheets and layers of carbon fiber reinforced plastics were analyzed. The efficiency of complex anticorrosive protection from the influence of external factors was studied.

Compared to traditional collision induced dissociation methods, electron capture dissociation (ECD) provides more comprehensive characterization of large peptides and proteins as well as preserves labile post-translational modifications. However, ECD experiments are generally restricted to the high magnetic fields of FTICR-MS that enable the reaction of large polycations and electrons. Here, we demonstrate the use of an electromagnetostatic ECD cell to perform ECD and hybrid ECD methods utilizing 193 nm photons (ECuvPD) or collisional activation (EChcD) in a benchtop quadrupole–Orbitrap mass spectrometer. The electromagnetostatic ECD cell was designed to replace the transfer octapole between the quadrupole and C-trap. This implementation enabled facile installation of the ECD cell, and ions could be independently subjected to ECD, UVPD, HCD, or any combination. Initial benchmarking and characterization of fragmentation propensities for ECD, ECuvPD, and EChcD were performed using ubiquitin (8.6 kDa). ECD yielded extensive sequence coverage for low charge states of ubiquitin as well as for the larger protein carbonic anhydrase II (29 kDa), indicating pseudo-activated ion conditions. Additionally, relatively high numbers of d- and w-ions enable differentiation of isobaric isoleucine and leucine residues and suggest a distribution of electron energies yield hot-ECD type fragmentation. We report the most comprehensive characterization to date for model proteins up to 29 kDa and a monoclonal antibody at the subunit level. ECD, ECuvPD, and EChcD yielded 93, 95, and 91% sequence coverage, respectively, for carbonic anhydrase II (29 kDa), and targeted online analyses of monoclonal antibody subunits yielded 86% overall antibody sequence coverage.

We have measured photoluminescence spectra of an aqueous uranyl chloride solution under excitation by various light sources: semiconductor light-emitting diodes and cw laser. The excitation wavelength lay within a resonance absorption band of uranyl chloride, which ensured photoluminescence detection at exposure times of 10–3 s using an extremely small volume of the substance (10–9 cm3). The photoluminescence spectra were measured using a small minispectrometer, which allowed us to analyze the spectra in the range 200–1000 nm.

The results of studying the process of distillation in a column with 21 vortex contact stages have been reported. The partial condensation of an ascending ethanol–water mixture vapor at the contact stages has been shown to intensify the mixture distillation process by threefold compared to adiabatic distillation. The process parameters that intensify heat and mass transfer in thermal distillation have been established. Some relationships for estimating the efficiency of a vortex contact stage have been derived.

A technique of probe photoluminescence and Raman spectroscopy has been developed. This technique makes it possible to detect small (10−6 to 10−8 g) amounts of uranyl compounds at short exposure times (1−10 s). The photoluminescence spectra of Na[UO2CH3(COO)3] polycrystals recorded upon excitation by short-wavelength radiation of LEDs and lasers are found to contain equidistant bands with a shift of 854 cm−1, which corresponds to the frequency of totally symmetric uranyl vibration also manifesting itself in Raman spectra.

The synthesis and characterization of a lipidlike electrostatic spin probe, (S)-2,3-bis(palmitoyloxy)propyl 2-((4-(4-(dimethylamino)-2-ethyl-1-oxyl-5,5-dimethyl-2,5-dihydro-1H-imidazol-2-yl)benzyl)disulfanyl)ethyl phosphate (IKMTSL-PTE), are being reported. The intrinsic pKa0 of IKMTSL-PTE was determined by X-band (9.5 GHz) electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) titration of a water-soluble model compound, 4-(dimethylamino)-2-ethyl-2-(4-(((2-hydroxyethyl)disulfanyl)methyl)phenyl)-5,5-dimethyl-2,5-dihydro-1H-imidazol-1-oxyl (IKMTSL-ME), an adduct of methanethiosulfonate spin label IKMTSL and 2-mercaptoethanol. The pKa0 of IKMTSL-ME in bulk aqueous solutions was found to be significantly higher than that of 4-(((2-hydroxyethyl)disulfanyl)methyl)-2,2,3,5,5-pentamethylimidazolidin-1-oxyl (IMTSL-ME), an adduct of the corresponding methanethiosulfonate spin label IMTSL and 2-mercaptoethanol (17 °C, pKa0 = 6.16 ± 0.03 vs 20 °C, pKa0 = 3.33 ± 0.03, respectively). A series of EPR titration experiments with IKMTSL-ME in aqueous solutions containing 0-60% v/v isopropanol have been carried out at 17 and 48 °C to determine the effects of temperature and bulk dielectric permittivity constant, e, on the probe pKa. A linear relationship between the probe pKa and e has been established and found to be essentially the same at 17 and 48 °C. The polarity term contributing to the pKa of IKMTSL-PTE at an uncharged lipidlike interface was determined by incorporating the probe into electrically neutral micelles formed from nonionic detergent Triton X-100, and it was found, similar to IMTSL-PTE, to be negative. In negatively charged DMPG lipid bilayers, IKMTSL-PTE exhibits ionization transitions with significantly higher pKa values than those previously reported for IMTSL-PTE (e.g., at 17 °C, pKai = 7.80 ± 0.03 vs pKa0 = 5.70 ± 0.05). The surface electrostatic potentials of DMPG lipid bilayers calculated using IKMTSL-PTE titration data were found to be somewhat lower than those calculated using IMTSL-PTE. The lower values measured by IKMTSL-PTE are the likely consequences of the structure of the linker that positions the reporter nitroxide further away from the bilayer plane into aqueous phase. Overall, the ionization transitions of IKMTSL-PTE with pKa values close to the neutral pH range make this lipidlike molecule a valuable spectroscopic EPR probe for studying the electrostatic phenomena at biological interfaces, including lipid bilayer/membrane protein systems, that could be unstable in the acidic pH range accessible by the previously available probes.

The thermal rectification method, which comprises the condensing of vapors on steps and subsequent exposure of the heat flow on condensate before it is introduced into the falling reflux, has been studied. The results of the study of strengthening ethanol–water mixture upon the condensation of vapors on the heat-transfer surface have been presented. The basic parameters of the process have been revealed, which ensure the strengthening of the mixture on the stage upon condensate evaporation, and the empirical relationship for determining the effectiveness has been obtained. The studies of the thermal rectification of the ethanol–water mixture have been performed in a column with 24 contact stages made of horizontal plates, and conditions have been established that provide the greatest efficiency. The evaluation of thermal rectification contribution to the overall efficiency of the stage is performed that allows one to intensify the process by up to four times.

Spin probe and spin labeling Electron Paramagnetic Resonance methods are indispensable research tools for solving a wide range of bioanalytical problems—from measuring microviscosity and polarity of phase-separated liquids to oxygen concentrations in tissues. One of the emerging uses of spin probes are the studies of proton transfer-related and surface electrostatic phenomena. The latter Electron Paramagnetic Resonance methods rely on molecular probes containing an additional functionality capable of reversible ionization (protonation, in particular) in the immediate proximity to an Electron Paramagnetic Resonance-active reporter group, such as (N–O•) for nitroxides. The consequent formation of protonated and nonprotonated nitroxide species with different magnetic parameters (A iso, g iso) could be readily distinguished by Electron Paramagnetic Resonance. Bioanalytical Electron Paramagnetic Resonance studies employing pH-sensitive paramagnetic probes typically involve determination of the equilibrium constant (pK a) between the protonated and nonprotonated forms of the nitroxide. However, any chemical equilibrium involving charged species, such as ionization of acids and bases, and so the reversible protonation of the nitroxide, is known to be affected by an ionic strength of the solution. Currently, only scarce data for the effect of the solution ionic strength on the experimental pK a’s of the ionizable nitroxides can be found in the literature. Here we have carried out a series of Electron Paramagnetic Resonance titration experiments for aqueous solutions of 2,2,3,4,5,5-hexamethylimidazolidin-1-oxyl (HMI) nitroxide known for one of the largest differences in the isotropic nitrogen hyperfine coupling constant A iso between the protonated and nonprotonated forms. Electrolyte concentration was varied over an exceptionally large range (i.e., from 0.05 to 5.0 M) to elucidate the effect of ionic strength on the ionization constant of this pH-sensitive Electron Paramagnetic Resonance probe and the data were compared to the Debye–Huckel limiting law. Effects of the ionic strength on the magnetic parameters of the ionizable nitroxides are also discussed.

It is established that simple color centers of the F+ and F type (anion vacancies with one or two electrons, respectively) in anion-deficient corundum (α-Al2O3–δ) crystals can be transformed into complex centers (including divacancy centers of the F2 type) using a special thermo-optical treatment. A fine structure of the photoluminescence bands of complex centers of both the known and unknown natures was recorded in these crystals at helium temperatures in the near-IR range. A comparison with the photoluminescence bands in neutron-irradiated α-Al2O3 samples with the initial stoichiometric composition reveals their complete similarity, which indicates the possibility of nonradiative formation of complex centers in α-Al2O3.

A new short-lived neutron-deficient isotope Np-220 was synthesized in the fusion-evaporation reaction Re-185(Ar-40, 5n)Np-220 at the gas-filled recoil separator SHANS. Based on the measurement of the correlated alpha-decay chains, the decay properties of Np-220 with E-alpha = 10040(18) keV and T-1/2 = 25(-7)(+14 )mu s were determined, which are in good agreement with theoretical predictions. From the new experimental results coupled with the recently reported alpha-decay data of Np-219,Np-223, the alpha-decay systematics for Np isotopes around N = 126 was established, which allows us for the first time to test the robustness of the N = 126 shell closure in Z = 93 Np isotopes. The results also indicate that, in the region of nuclei with Z >= 83, the proton drip line has been reached for all odd-Z isotopes up to Np.

A survey of experiments at the Dubna gas-filled recoil separator (Laboratory of Nuclear Reactions, JINR, Dubna) aimed at the detection and study of the “island of stability” of superheavy nuclei produced in complete fusion reactions of 48Са ions and 238U–249Cf target nuclei is given. The problems of synthesis of superheavy nuclei, methods for their identification, and investigation of their decay properties, including the results of recent experiments at other separators (SHIP, BGS, TASCA) and chemical setups, are discussed. The studied properties of the new nuclei, the isotopes of elements 112–118, as well as the properties of their decay products, indicate substantial growth of stability of the heaviest nuclei with increasing number of neutrons in the nucleus as the magic number of neutrons N = 184 is approached.

The photoluminescence spectra of sodium uranyl acetate polycrystals are recorded under excitation by different sources (semiconductor light-emitting diodes, cw lasers, and repetitively pulsed lasers). The excitation wavelengths fall into the absorption band of this solid, which makes it possible to record photoluminescence beginning from an extremely small volume of the material (10–10 cm3) at exposures of ~10–3 s.

The technique for recording Raman spectra in uranium compounds using a probe minispectrometer with a multielement radiation detector has been developed. A selective filter, which reflects exciting laser radiation and transmits Raman signals, has been used to suppress the exciting radiation. It is shown that the technique developed makes it possible to record Raman spectra from a small amount (~10–5 g) of sodium uranyl-acetate polycrystals in a wide spectral range for several seconds.

In the recent years OCT-A emerged as a new trend in the development of the OCT technology, giving us the opportunity to judge not only of the morphology of the retina, but also of the retinal blood flow and vessels. Aim: The aim of our survey was to show the diagnostic abilities of OCT-A in patients with wet AMD, and to evaluate the characteristic features of the neovascular membranes. Material and methods: In our survey 11 patients with wet AMD were enrolled. They all were ophthalmologically tested for VA, fluorescein angiography, OCT-A (Angiophlex, Zeiss). The ОСТ-А scans were examined in details and the characteristic features of the subretinal membranes were estimated. Results: In 5 patients with wet AMD type 1 of neovascular membranes has been detected. The new vessels emerged form the choroid, penetrated Bruhs membrane and were localized beneath the RPE. Type 2 of neovascular membranes was found in 4 patients. In that case the lesion originated again from the choroid but it passed trough the Bruch’s membrane and RPE and developed between RPE and neurosensory retina. In 2 patients type 3 – RAP lesions were found. In these cases the lesions originated from the deep retinal plexus. In 20% of the patients with quick progression of the disease well outlined neovascular membranes – lace or sea fan type, with branching new capillaries and anastomoses has been found. Discussion: ОСТ-А gives us the possibility to see clearly the structure of the subretinal membranes. Our results show that in all patients with branching, tiny, young capillaries, rapid progression of the disease is observed which requires immediate action and adequate therapy.

The search for new decay chains of oganesson isotopes is presented. The experiment utilized the Dubna Gas Filled Recoil Separator and a highly segmented recoil-decay detection system. The signals from all detectors were analyzed in parallel by digital and analog data acquisition systems. For the first time, a target of mixed californium (51% Cf249, 13% Cf250, and 36% Cf251) recovered from decayed Cf252 sources was produced and irradiated with an intense Ca48 beam. The observation of a new decay chain of Og294 is reported. The prospects for reaching new isotopes Og295,296 are discussed.

This paper reports on the results of experimental investigations of the generation of the second optical harmonic localized in a thin subsurface layer of ferroelectric photonic crystals and photon traps. To excite the second optical harmonic, a KGW: Yb solid-state pulsed-periodic laser generating the radiation with a wavelength of 1026 nm in a form of pulses ∼10−13 s long with a repetition frequency of 200 kHz at the average power of 0.1–3.5 W and power density of ∼109−1012 W/cm2 in a spot less than 100 μm in diameter focused near the surface was used. Ferroelectrics, notably, barium titanate or sodium nitrite, were introduced into the pores between SiO2 nanoglobules. It is established that the maximal conversion efficiency of the exciting radiation into the second optical harmonic was several percents. The generation characteristics of the second optical harmonic near the surface of photonic crystals filled with ferroelectrics are compared with the generation of the second optical harmonic in ferroelectric photon traps of barium titanate ceramics and sodium nitrite microcrystals.

The results from a study of heat transfer during condensation of steam and air-steam mixture in a film-type tubular apparatus with heat transfer enhancement by streamlined bodies are presented. Dependencies for calculating the heat transfer coefficient are proposed.

In this paper, the features of the Raman spectra in diamond microcrystals were investigated. The Raman spectra in microdiamonds were characterized by high intensity due to the effects of trapped radiation and total internal reflection. A characteristic line with a frequency of 1332 cm–1 and additional bands located in the overtone region of fundamental modes was registered in the observed spectra. Raman spectra in diamond-substances composites (diamond: K2Cr2O7, NaBrO3, NaNO2, HgI2, K2CrO4, PbO, KIO3, sulfur, iodine, stilbene, triglyceride sulfate, and POPOP) were detected.

We present the results of an experimental study of the spontaneous and stimulated Raman scattering (SRS) spectra and luminescence spectra of light and heavy waters. Also we investigate various samples of light water. We show the possibility of using spectral methods to detect impurities in water and determine the degree of its structuredness, which can serve as an additional criterion of the water quality. We find a fine structure in the SRS spectrum of heavy water in the low-frequency region.

The structure and optical properties of quantum-dot photonic crystals (quantytes) were studied. Such crystals have the so-called band gaps, which leads to a strong reflection of electromagnetic waves from the crystal surface. It was shown that in certain spectral regions the refractive index has a negative sign, and the group velocity of electromagnetic waves essentially decreases. The applications of quantytes as optical information recording and rewriting devices, negative refractive optical elements, selective mirrors, narrowband filters, and others were discussed.

In this paper, we present the results of the study of supernatant liquid of washed erythrocytes by the photoluminescence upon ultraviolet excitation. The spectra of intrinsic photoluminescence of an aqueous solution of “Sodium adenosine triphosphate-Vial” (Na2ATP) were compared with the spectra of supernatant liquid of erythrocytes with added Na2ATP, glucose, and without additional substances. The results of the comparison suggest that ATP emerging from washed erythrocytes into environment can be recorded in supernatant liquid.

Known since the ancient times, cotton continues to be one of the essential materials for the human civilization. Cotton fibers are almost pure cellulose and contain both crystalline and amorphous nanodomains with different physicochemical properties. While understanding of interactions between the individual cellulose chains within the crystalline phase is important from a perspective of mechanical properties, studies of the amorphous phase lead to characterization of the essential transport parameters, such as solvent diffusion, dyeing, drug release, and toxin absorption, as well as more complex processes of enzymatic degradation. Here, we describe the use of spin probe electron paramagnetic resonance methods to study local polarity and heterogeneous viscosity of two types of unprocessed cotton fibers, G. hirsutum and G. barbadense, harvested in the State of North Carolina, USA. These fibers were loaded with two small molecule nitroxide probes that differ in polarity—Tempo and its more hydrophilic derivative Tempol—using a series of polar and non-polar solvents. The electron paramagnetic resonance spectra of the nitroxide-loaded cotton fibers were analyzed both semi-empirically and by least-squares simulations using a rigorous stochastic theory of electron paramagnetic resonance spectra developed by Freed and coworkers. A software package and least-squares fitting protocols were developed to carry out automatic simulations of multi-component electron paramagnetic resonance spectra in both first-derivative and the absorption forms at multiple resonance frequencies such as X-band (9.5 GHz) and W-band (94.3 GHz). The results are compared with the preceding electron paramagnetic resonance spin probe studies of a commercial bleached cotton sheeting carried out by Batchelor and coworkers. One of the results of this study is a demonstration of a co-existence of cellulose nanodomains with different physicochemical properties such as polarity and microviscosity that are affected by solvents and temperature. Spin labeling studies also revealed a macroscopic heterogeneity in the domain distribution along the cotton fibers and a critical role the cuticular layer is playing as a barrier for spin probe penetration. Finally but not lastly, the simultaneous multi-component least-squares simulation method of electron paramagnetic resonance spectra acquired at different resonant frequencies and the display forms (e.g., absorption and first-derivative displays) and the strategy of spectral parameter sharing could be potentially applicable to other heterogeneous biological systems in addition to the cotton fibers studies here.

Condensation of a vapor-air mixture and boiling in a flowing down water film in an upright tubular evaporator was examined. We studied techniques to intensify heat exchange by installation of turbulators in a form of coil on a heat transfer surface of pipes and developed dependencies to estimate values of heat transfer coefficient in condensation and boiling.

The results of studying mass transfer in a gas-liquid layer on vortex contact stages with tangential swirlers are presented. Relationships for calculating the mass transfer coefficients and Murphree efficiency are derived.

Many biophysical processes such as insertion of proteins into membranes and membrane fusion are governed by bilayer electrostatic potential. At the time of this writing, the arsenal of biophysical methods for such measurements is limited to a few techniques. Here we describe a, to our knowledge, new spin-probe electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) approach for assessing the electrostatic surface potential of lipid bilayers that is based on a recently synthesized EPR probe (IMTSL-PTE) containing a reversibly ionizable nitroxide tag attached to the lipids' polar headgroup. EPR spectra of the probe directly report on its ionization state and, therefore, on electrostatic potential through changes in nitroxide magnetic parameters and the degree of rotational averaging. Further, the lipid nature of the probe provides its full integration into lipid bilayers. Tethering the nitroxide moiety directly to the lipid polar headgroup defines the location of the measured potential with respect to the lipid bilayer interface. Electrostatic surface potentials measured by EPR of IMTSL-PTE show a remarkable (within ±2%) agreement with the Gouy-Chapman theory for anionic DMPG bilayers in fluid (48°C) phase at low electrolyte concentration (50 mM) and in gel (17°C) phase at 150-mM electrolyte concentration. This agreement begins to diminish for DMPG vesicles in gel phase (17°C) upon varying electrolyte concentration and fluid phase bilayers formed from DMPG/DMPC and POPG/POPC mixtures. Possible reasons for such deviations, as well as the proper choice of an electrostatically neutral reference interface, have been discussed. Described EPR method is expected to be fully applicable to more-complex models of cellular membranes.