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Wide-line 1 H NMR measurements were extended and all results were interpreted in a thermodynamics-based new approach on aqueous solutions of thymosin-β4 (Tβ4 ), stabilin cytoplasmic domain (CTD), and their 1 : 1 complex. Energy distributions of potential barriers controlling the motion of protein-bound water molecules were determined. Heterogeneous and homogeneous regions were found in the protein-water interface. The measure of heterogeneity of this interface gives quantitative value for the portion of disordered parts in the protein. Ordered structural elements were found extending up to ∼20 % of the individual whole proteins. About 40 % of the binding sites of free Tβ4 get involved in bonds holding the complex together. The complex has the most heterogeneous solvent accessible surface (SAS) in terms of protein-water interactions. The complex is more disordered than Tβ4 or stabilin CTD. The greater SAS area of the complex is interpreted as a clear sign of its open structure.

Wide-line (1) H NMR measurements were extended and all results were reinterpreted in a new thermodynamics-based approach to study aqueous solutions of thymosin-beta4 (Tbeta4 ), stabilin C-terminal domain (CTD) and their 1:1 complex. The energy distributions of the potential barriers, which control motion of protein-bound water molecules, were determined. Heterogeneous and homogeneous regions were found at the protein-water interface. The measure of heterogeneity gives a quantitative value for the portion of disordered parts in the protein. Ordered structural elements were found extending up to 20 % of the whole proteins. About 40 % of the binding sites of free Tbeta4 become involved in bonds holding the complex together. The complex has the most heterogeneous solvent accessible surface (SAS) in terms of protein-water interactions. The complex is more disordered than Tbeta4 or stabilin CTD. The greater SAS area of the complex is interpreted as a clear sign of its open structure.

The potential barriers governing the motions of &alpha, synuclein (&alpha, S) variants&rsquo, hydration water, especially energetics of them, is in the focus of the work. The thermodynamical approach yielded essential information about distributions and heights of the potential barriers. The proteins&rsquo, structural disorder was measured by ratios of heterogeneous water-binding interfaces. They showed the &alpha, S monomers, oligomers and amyloids to possess secondary structural elements, although monomers are intrinsically disordered. Despite their disordered nature, monomers have 33% secondary structure, and therefore they are more compact than a random coil. At the lowest potential barriers with mobile hydration water, monomers are already functional, a monolayer of mobile hydration water is surrounding them. Monomers realize all possible hydrogen bonds with the solvent water. &alpha, S oligomers and amyloids have half of the mobile hydration water amount than monomers because aggregation involves less mobile hydration. The solvent-accessible surface of the oligomers is ordered or homogenous in its interactions with water to 66%. As a contrast, &alpha, S amyloids are disordered or heterogeneous to 75% of their solvent accessible surface and both wild type and A53T amyloids show identical, low-level hydration. Mobile water molecules in the first hydration shell of amyloids are the weakest bound compared to other forms.

Hydration properties of folded and unfolded/disordered miniproteins were monitored in frozen solutions by wide-line 1H-NMR. The amount of mobile water as function of T (−80 °C T 1H-NMR and molecular dynamics simulations we found that both the amount of mobile water surrounding proteins in ice, as well as their thaw profiles differs significantly as function of the compactness and conformational heterogeneity of their structure. We found that (i) at around −50 °C ~50 H2Os/protein melt (ii) if the protein is well-folded then this amount of mobile water remains quasi-constant up to −20 °C, (iii) if disordered then the quantity of the lubricating mobile water increases with T in a constant manner up to ~200 H2Os/protein by reaching −20 °C. Especially in the −55 °C ↔ −15 °C temperature range, wide-line 1H-NMR detects the heterogeneity of protein fold, providing the size of the hydration shell surrounding the accessible conformers at a given temperature. Results indicate that freezing of protein solutions proceeds by the gradual selection of the enthalpically most favored states that also minimize the number of bridging waters.

Wide-line (1) H NMR measurements were extended and all results were reinterpreted in a new thermodynamics-based approach to study aqueous solutions of thymosin-beta4 (Tbeta4 ), stabilin C-terminal domain (CTD) and their 1:1 complex. The energy distributions of the potential barriers, which control motion of protein-bound water molecules, were determined. Heterogeneous and homogeneous regions were found at the protein-water interface. The measure of heterogeneity gives a quantitative value for the portion of disordered parts in the protein. Ordered structural elements were found extending up to 20 % of the whole proteins. About 40 % of the binding sites of free Tbeta4 become involved in bonds holding the complex together. The complex has the most heterogeneous solvent accessible surface (SAS) in terms of protein-water interactions. The complex is more disordered than Tbeta4 or stabilin CTD. The greater SAS area of the complex is interpreted as a clear sign of its open structure.

Here we present a novel method for the characterization of the hydration of protein solutions based on measuring and evaluating two-component wide-line 1H NMR signals. We also provide a description of key elements of the procedure conceived for the thermodynamic interpretation of such results. These interdependent experimental and theoretical treatments provide direct experimental insight into the potential energy surface of proteins. The utility of our approach is demonstrated through the examples of two proteins of distinct structural classes: the globular, structured ubiquitin, and the intrinsically disordered ERD10 (early response to dehydration 10). We provide a detailed analysis and interpretation of data recorded earlier by cooling and slowly warming the protein solutions through thermal equilibrium states. We introduce and use order parameters that can be thus derived to characterize the distribution of potential energy barriers inhibiting the movement of water molecules bound to the surface of the protein. Our results enable a quantitative description of the ratio of ordered and disordered parts of proteins, and of the energy relations of protein–water bonds in aqueous solutions of the proteins.

Wide-line 1H NMR intensity and differential scanning calorimetry measurements were carried out on the intrinsically disordered 73-residue full transactivation domain (TAD) of the p53 tumor suppressor protein and two peptides: one a wild type p53 TAD peptide with a helix pre-structuring property, and a mutant peptide with a disabled helix-forming propensity. Measurements were carried out in order to characterize their water and ion binding characteristics. By quantifying the number of hydrate water molecules, we provide a microscopic description for the interactions of water with a wild-type p53 TAD and two p53 TAD peptides. The results provide direct evidence that intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs) and a less structured peptide not only have a higher hydration capacity than globular proteins, but are also able to bind a larger amount of charged solute ions. [BMB Reports 2016; 49(9): 497-501].

The experimental characterization of hindered-rotation barriers and mapping the energetic heterogeneity of water molecules bound to the molecular “surface” of proteins is critical for understanding the functional interaction of proteins with their environment. Here, we show how to achieve this goal by an original wide-line NMR procedure, which is based on the spectral motional narrowing phenomenon following the melting (thawing) process of interfacial ice. The procedure highlights the differences between globular and intrinsically disordered proteins and it enables to delineate the effect of solvent on protein structure, making a distinction between point mutants, monomeric and oligomeric states, and characterizing the molecular interactions taking part in different cellular processes. We put this unique experimental approach introducing novel physical quantities and quantifying the heterogeneous distribution of motional activation energy of water in the interfacial landscape into a historical perspective, demonstrating its utility through a variety of globular and disordered proteins.

In this work the groundwork is laid for characterizing the mobility of hydrogen-hydrogen pairs (proton-proton radial vectors) in proteins in the solid state that contain only residual water. In this novel approach, we introduce new ways of analyzing and interpreting data: 1) by representing hydrogen mobility (HM) and melting diagram (MD) data recorded by wide-line 1 H NMR spectroscopic analysis as a function of fundamental temperature (thermal excitation energy); 2) by suggesting a novel mode of interpretation of these parameters that sheds light on details of protein-water interactions, such as the exact amount of water molecules and the distribution of barrier potentials pertaining to their rotational and surface translational mobility; 3) by relying on directly determined physical observables. We illustrate the power of this approach by studying the behavior of two proteins, the structured enzyme lysozyme and the intrinsically disordered ERD14.

Human nucleolar phosphoprotein p140 (hNopp 140) is a highly phosphorylated protein inhibitor of casein kinase 2 (CK2). As in the case of many kinase-inhibitor systems, the inhibitor has been described to belong to the family of intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs), which often utilize transient structural elements to bind their cognate enzyme. Here we investigated the structural status of this protein both to provide distinct lines of evidence for its disorder and to point out its transient structure potentially involved in interactions and also its tendency to aggregate. Structural disorder of hNopp140 is apparent by its anomalous electrophoretic mobility, protease sensitivity, heat stability, hydrodynamic behavior on size-exclusion chromatography, (1)H NMR spectrum and differential scanning calorimetry scan. hNopp140 has a significant tendency to aggregate and the change of its circular dichroism spectrum in the presence of 0-80% TFE suggests a tendency to form local helical structures. Wide-line NMR measurements suggest the overall disordered character of the protein. In all, our data suggest that this protein falls into the pre-molten globule state of IDPs, with a significant tendency to become ordered in the presence of its partner as demonstrated in the presence of transcription factor IIB (TFIIB).

The propensity of α-synuclein to form amyloid plays an important role in Parkinson's disease. Three familial mutations, A30P, E46K, and A53T, correlate with Parkinson's disease. Therefore, unraveling the structural effects of these mutations has basic implications in understanding the molecular basis of the disease. Here, we address this issue through comparing details of the hydration of wild-type α-synuclein and its A53T mutant by a combination of wide-line NMR, differential scanning calorimetry, and molecular dynamics simulations. All three approaches suggest a hydrate shell compatible with a largely disordered state of both proteins. Its fine details, however, are different, with the mutant displaying a somewhat higher level of hydration, suggesting a bias to more open structures, favorable for protein-protein interactions leading to amyloid formation. These differences disappear in the amyloid state, suggesting basically the same surface topology, irrespective of the initial monomeric state.

Wide-line (1)H NMR signal intensity, spin-lattice and spin-spin relaxation rates and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) measurements were done on avian (chicken and turkey) crystalline lenses between -70 degrees C and +45 degrees C to provide quantitative measures of protein hydration characteristic of the protein-water interfacial region. These measures are of paramount importance in understanding both the physiology of crystalline lens and its transitions to the cataractous pathological state characterized by the formation of opaque protein aggregates. Water mobility shows a characteristic transition at about -60 degrees C, which is identified as the melting of the interfacial/hydrate water. The amount of water in the low-temperature mobile fraction is about h = 0.4 g water/g protein, which equals the hydration required for protein activity. The amount of mobile water is temperature-independent up to about -10 degrees C, with a significant increase at higher temperatures below 0 degrees C. Above 0 degrees C, the relaxation processes can be described by a single (for spin-lattice) and by a triple (for spin-spin relaxation) exponential function. The spin-spin relaxation rate component of R(2) = 10-20 s(-1) and its dynamical parameters characterize the interfacial water at ambient or physiological temperatures. When considered an independent phase, the specific heat of the hydrate water obtained by a combination of DSC and NMR data in the temperature range -43 degrees C to -28 degrees C is higher than that of pure/bulk water. This discrepancy can only be resolved by assuming that the hydrate water is in strong thermodynamic coupling with the protein matrix. The specific heat for the system composed of the protein molecule and its hydration water is 4.6 +/- 0.3 J g(-1) K(-1). Thus, in a thermodynamic sense, crystalline protein and its hydrate layer behave as a highly-interconnected single phase.

Protein disorder is predicted to be widespread in eukaryotic proteomes, although direct experimental evidence is rather limited so far. To fill this gap and to unveil the identity of novel intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs), proteomic methods that combine 2D electrophoresis with mass spectrometry have been developed. Here, we applied the method developed in our laboratory [ Csizmok et al., Mol. Cell. Proteomics 2006, 5, 265- 273 ] to the proteome of Drosophila melanogaster. Protein Df31, earlier described as a histone chaperone involved in chromatin decondensation and stabilization, was among the IDPs identified. Despite some hints at the unusual structural behavior of Df31, this protein has not yet been structurally characterized. Here, we provide evidence by a variety of techniques such as CD, NMR, gel-filtration, limited proteolyzsis and bioinformatics that Df31 is intrinsically disordered along its entire length. Further, by chemical cross-linking, we provide evidence that it is a monomeric protein, and suggest that its function(s) may benefit from having an extended and highly flexible structural state. The potential functional advantages and the generality of protein disorder among chromatin organizing proteins are discussed in detail. Finally, we also would like to point out the utility of our 2DE/MS technique for discoveringor, as a matter of fact, rediscoveringIDPs even from the complicated proteome of an advanced eukaryote.

The paper presents the experimental results of rigid-lattice proton magnetic resonance spectra and second moments in Pd–H, Pd 0.90 Ag 0.10 –H, Pd 0.80 Ag 0.20 –H, Pd 0.75 Ag 0.25 –H, and Pd 0.65 Ag 0.35 –H alloys at T = 2.4 K in a wide hydrogen concentration range. Free induction decay (FID), solid and inhomogeneous echoes were detected and interpreted. The interpretation based on dipole–dipole interaction of homogeneously distributed proton spin system is satisfactory at high hydrogen concentration, but an inhomogeneous field of paramagnetic origin (most probably coming from Fe impurities) plays the dominant role at small hydrogen content. An unexpected correlation was found between the macroscopic magnetic susceptibility and the second moment coming from the inhomogeneous internal field.

The fraction of mobile (unfrozen) water during phase transitions of NaCl–H2O solution and tris(hydroxymethyl)aminomethane (Tris) buffer solution has been determined by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Measurements were carried out in the temperature range between −50 and +30 ◦ C with a heating rate of 2 K min −1 . The fraction of mobile water was estimated from the enthalpy of melting of the different frozen phases present in aqueous solution samples. Results are supplemented by proton NMR intensity measurements in the same temperature range. A small endothermic peak was detected in the DSC curves at the same temperature where the change in the NMR intensity occurs. We assume that activation/deactivation of rotational molecular motion of hydration water molecules occurs at the steps of the NMR intensity at higher and lower temperatures during heating and cooling, respectively. The rotational motion is probably the initial stage of the eutectic phase separation. Tris additive to NaCl solution causes thermal shifts of the small endothermic peak and in the related NMR intensity. These qualitative differences indicate interactions of Na + and Cl − ions with the small organic molecule constituents.

Crystalline Pd 1-x Ag x -H y (x = 0-0.35) alloys were studied as model systems representing a chemically disordered system for hydrogen-storage materials. Extensive 1 H relaxation rate (R 1 , R 1p and R 2 ) measurements were carried out in a wide temperature range of 2.4-400 K. Palladium-silver alloys of silver concentration as high as 35 at.% were studied by NMR spectroscopy for the first time. The relaxation mechanisms magnetic dipolar relaxation (hydrogen diffusion), Korringa relaxation, relaxation by paramagnetic impurity ions and cross-relaxation to quadrupolar metal nuclei were identified and characterized. The presence of cross-relaxation between 1 H and quadrupolar 105 Pd nuclear spins was assumed and demonstrated for the first time in Pd-H and Pd 1-x Ag x -H systems. More than one jump processes of diffusing hydrogen were found to be present in the studied palladium-silver alloys. Only lower estimated limit values of Korringa constants could be obtained since no frequency independent R 1 versus T region was found. These values are significantly higher than the ones reported by others.

Intrinsically unstructured/disordered proteins (IUPs) exist in a disordered and largely solvent-exposed, still functional, structural state under physiological conditions. As their function is often directly linked with structural disorder, understanding their structure-function relationship in detail is a great challenge to structural biology. In particular, their hydration and residual structure, both closely linked with their mechanism of action, require close attention. Here we demonstrate that the hydration of IUPs can be adequately approached by a technique so far unexplored with respect to IUPs, solid-state NMR relaxation measurements. This technique provides quantitative information on various features of hydrate water bound to these proteins. By freezing nonhydrate (bulk) water out, we have been able to measure free induction decays pertaining to protons of bound water from which the amount of hydrate water, its activation energy, and correlation times could be calculated. Thus, for three IUPs, the first inhibitory domain of calpastatin, microtubule-associated protein 2c, and plant dehydrin early responsive to dehydration 10, we demonstrate that they bind a significantly larger amount of water than globular proteins, whereas their suboptimal hydration and relaxation parameters are correlated with their differing modes of function. The theoretical treatment and experimental approach presented in this article may have general utility in characterizing proteins that belong to this novel structural class.

In this work, the electrochemical hydrogen doping and withdrawal process of Pd metal was examined with respect to the applicability of Faraday’s law. It was found that after a suitable electrolytic pre-treatment, the normalized resistivity ( R / R 0 ) versus hydrogen concentration ( c F = H/M) curves where c F was determined from Faraday’s law by assuming that the 100% current efficiency is independent of the value of the applied charging current density in a wide range. In the α-Pd(H) phase (up to c (α max ) = 0.015H/M), a good quantitative agreement was found with previous resistivity studies by both electrolytic and gas-phase charging. However, for c > c (α max ) our R / R 0 versus c F data did not agree with the R / R 0 versus c H curve from previously reported electrochemical charging experiments of Pd metal where the doped amount of hydrogen, c H , was determined by direct methods. The two sets of resistivity data can be brought into good agreement by assuming that the current efficiency for the absorption process is η a = 1.55. Similarly, for the electrolytic desorption process, an agreement with the previously reported R / R 0 versus c H curve could be achieved by taking η d = 1.9. These current efficiency values higher than unity would imply that each hydrogen absorbed/desorbed by electrolytic charge/discharge processes is accompanied by the absorption/desorption of some excess H atoms by processes not requiring electric charge transfer (i.e., only neutral H atoms are involved). At present, we do not have a physical/chemical picture about the nature of such processes.

The partition of hydrogen into diffusible and residual parts was realized by pulse NMR spectroscopy, by gas chromatography and by prompt gamma activation analysis (PGAA). The total hydrogen content was determined by the two non-NMR methods and the diffusible (mobile) component by CPMG NMR pulse sequence. Results on amorphous Ni(Cu)–Zr–H systems of different compositions are shown. Partially crystallized samples were also studied as an extension. A method proposed by us directly gives the fractional population of hydrogen atoms in the free (mobile) state on the spin–spin relaxation time scale. On the other hand the least values of the residual hydrogen content correlate surprisingly well with the numbers of filled four Zr-type H-sites calculated by Batalla et al. [NATO ASI Ser. 136 (1985) 203] for 0.21-nm exclusion distance.

A systematic NMR study was performed on several alkyl–tetrazole complexes of iron(II) and zinc(II) in the 10–300 K temperature range. The experiments were designed to separate the electronic and reorientational phase transitions caused by the spin crossover of the iron compounds from those independent of unpaired electrons. The 19F spectral data on the propyl-tetrazole compounds show that the electronic spin-transition has a strong effect on the spectra, and their behavior can be explained as a combined response to molecular reorientations and the spin transition. For these complexes, second-moment calculations revealed the strength of the interaction between resonant and nonresonant nuclei. Both of the applied NMR methods show irregularities at the temperature region between 70 and 120 K, suggesting the presence of a phase transition. The data also suggest two kinds of reorientational behavior for the BF4 − counter ions. In the iron–ethyl–tetrazole compound, unlike in the propyl–tetrazole complex, a significant amount of unpaired electrons remains in their original high-temperature HS state. Above their effect, the behavior of the nuclear spins of the iron compound is basically governed by the same structural factors as in its zinc analog. The two-exponential behavior of the 1H-T 1 in case of the zinc–methyl–tetrazole compound can be explained on the basis of cross relaxation with the 19F nuclei due to the low 1H/19F ratio. The presence of the two types of methyl reorientation is assumed to be the sign of the two different lattice sites known to be present in the FeII compound. The single-exponential T 1 above T c in the case of [Fe(mtz)6](BF4)2 is consistently the sign of the strength of the paramagnetic relaxation observed in the ethyl and propyl compounds.

Reductive hydrogenation was applied to two types of single-walled carbon nanotubes with different diameter range. Alkali metal intercalation, followed by reaction with methanol, led to hydrogenated products. Both yield and selectivity of this reaction showed strong dependence on diameter, contrary to expectation based on simple curvature effects. The observed yield, as detected by thermogravimetry-mass spectroscopy and 1H-NMR, is drastically reduced in small-diameter tubes where the alkali dopant does not reach the inside of the bundles. Wide range optical transmission measurements were employed to determine the selectivity and indicate that besides higher yield, lower diameter selectivity occurs above a critical diameter., 14 pages, 4 figures

Simultaneous realisation of hydrogen charging or discharging process and in situ measurements of different NMR characteristic quantities give outstanding chances for the investigation and understanding of local physical properties of and hydrogen diffusion in dis- ordered metal-hydrogen systems, including both equilibrium and non-equilibrium states. A few selected preliminary experimental results are presented in this letter for Pd0.9Ag0.1-H al- loy on in situ hydrogen concentration, proton NMR line-shift and magnetic susceptibility, 1 H NMR spectrum, spin-spin relaxation time and hydrogen diffusion activation energy and cor- relation time measurements. The motional averaged spectrum is asymmetric and the possible decompositions relate to the non-single-site residence of hydrogen in this alloy. Introduction. - Feenstra et al. (1) recently proposed to consider hydrogen embedded in a metallic lattice as a "local probe" for the investigation of local properties of hydrogen containing disordered alloys. In this concept Solomons and co-workers (2) used thermodynamic data of hydrogen absorption for Pd-Ag-H alloys and a multi-site lattice-gas model for the determination of site energies of hydrogen located in the centre of Pd1−xAgx octahedron, and the terminology of "hydrogen spectroscopy" was introduced by them. The Pd-Ag alloys are probably the simplest and consequently the best representatives of the chemically disordered alloys, they were subjects of widespread experimental and the- oretical investigations (see, e.g., (3-5) and references therein). The atomic size of the two alloying elements are nearly the same in this system, and Pd and Ag form homogenous solid solution of face-centred-cubic (fcc) structure in the whole concentration range. The hydrogen solubilities for the pure metals differ by many orders of magnitude, so the local distribution of constituents (probably binomial) could strongly affect the microscopic physical properties, too. The magnetic susceptibility of pure Pd is reduced by both silver and hydrogen addition demonstrating the change of the electron structure. The other properties, which are impor- tant in this context, i.e. hydrogen solubility, hydrogen diffusivity, nuclear magnetic relaxation rates, also depend on the composition. NMR —as is well known— is one of the most widely applied local methods, and hydrogen nuclei serve a priori as local probes for the investigation of different microscopic properties

The paper presents the results of an experimental investigation of rigid-lattice proton magnetic resonance (PMR) spectra and second moments in Ni 0.67 Zr 0.33 –H, Ni 0.50 Zr 0.50 –H, Ni 0.33 Zr 0.67 –H binary glassy alloy–hydrogen systems in the range of hydrogen-per-metal ( H / M ) ratio of 0.14≤ H / M ≤1.9. The line shape can be described by the empirical Harper-Barnes function with exponent values ranging from 1.45 to 2.95 in the whole hydrogen concentration range. The generally assumed Gaussian form is valid in a narrow H / M interval only. The second moment as a function of H / M can be fitted by a power function of an exponent 3/4. The exponent is independent of the composition of the alloy. We found that a simple lattice gas model based on a homogeneous hydrogen distribution contradicts the experimental results. Instead, a short-range order model has been proposed in which the hydrogen atoms are located in the centres of distorted tetrahedra of metal atoms, that is in the basic building blocks of the amorphous alloys. The Switendick criterion was also taken into consideration. We have shown that few proton first neighbours (0–2) and a small number of second neighbours (1–8), that is, a cluster of hydrogen is sufficient to account for the measured value of the second moment. Ternary Zr 0.5 Ni 0.5− x Cu x –H alloys have been investigated, too. The addition of Cu nuclei did not lead to the second moment enhancement expected for a homogeneous distribution of components.

Results of electrical resistance measurements are given on Pd80 Ag20 alloy during hydrogen uptake from gaseous H2 atmosphere and from liquid electrolyte by cathodic charging. For both cases in the course of a monotonous increase of the hydrogen concentration in the alloy, the electrical resistivity shows anomalous behavior. These kinetic curves reflect the effect of phase changes in the non-equilibrium state. The ‘non-equilibrium’ expression is used in this entire work in the sense that no care was taken in waiting for the stable value of resistivity after any partial filling, but the resistivity was frequently measured while the sample was continuously charged with hydrogen. A model has been proposed for the interpretation of the experimental findings.

A systematic study on nuclear spin–spin relaxation of water protons in human, fish and bird eye lenses/lens nuclei is reported. The purpose of this study is to clarify the real nature of the relaxation processes not describable as a single exponential decay. The characterization of the spin–spin relaxation by a single exponential is commonly used both in literature and in MRI diagnostics. However, in our opinion, this single exponential decay hypothesis is an oversimplification that can lead to the loss of essential information. Our measurements were performed by Carr–Purcell–Meiboom–Gill (CPMG) pulse sequences on human, carp, chicken and turkey eye lenses/lens nuclei. Several hundreds of CPMG echo amplitude were detected and the time-dependence of their decay was determined by careful fitting procedures. Our results clearly rule out the single exponential decay hypothesis for eye lenses: at least two or three decaying components are observed. These phenomena need further investigations: it should be decided which of the relaxation parameters, T 2I -s and A i -s gives the most characteristic physiological or pathological information. It is claimed that the amplitude ratio of the bound and the free water fraction carries the most characteristic information. During the cataract formation the weight of free water is raised by more than 25%.

1H NMR spectra of the spin-crossover compound [Fe(ptz)6](BF4)2 and its zinc(II) analogue were recorded on polycrystalline samples as the function of decreasing temperature in order to study the connection of the change in the electronic state and the molecular motions present in both crystals. The temperature range for the zinc compound was 295–30 K, with a cooling rate of ∼1 K min−1, while in the case of the iron(II) compound this temperature range was 298–10 K with the same cooling rate as in the case of [Zn(ptz)6](BF4)2. The analysis of the temperature dependence of the line shape parameters and calculations of 1H second moments showed the following. The temperature of the spin transition in the iron(II) compound is 132 K on cooling. On the basis of the similarity of the temperatures at which the different molecular motions appear, the same motions are present in both compounds in the whole temperature range. The [Zn(ptz)6](BF4)2 probably goes through a structural transition between 90 and 60 K, this transition manifests in the virtual increase of the average proton–proton distance, and the sign of a similar transition is also observed in [Fe(ptz)6](BF4)2.

19 F and 11 B spin-lattice relaxation times were measured in [ Zn ( ptz ) 6 ] ( BF 4 ) 2 and in the spin-crossover compound [ Fe ( ptz ) 6 ] ( BF 4 ) 2 . For both compounds BF 4 - anion reorientation is active above 50 K. For [ Zn ( ptz ) 6 ] ( BF 4 ) 2 , the anion-reorientation dynamics is different in the temperature regions of 50-90 K, 90-120 K, and above 150 K; between 120 and 150 K it changes rapidly reflecting a structural change. In [ Fe ( ptz ) 6 ] ( BF 4 ) 2 the mechanism for the paramagnetic relaxation involving the 19 F nuclei is found to be of the diffusion-limited type according to the theory of Lowe and Tse. The present results prove that the spin-crossover takes place in a dynamic surrounding and not in a static crystal lattice.

We have investigated the rotor-stator molecular crystal fullerene-cubane (C 60 .C 8 H 8 ) by 1 H'NMR spectroscopy in the temperature range of 130 to 380 K. The 1 H line is broad and exhibits fine structure characteristic of a multispin spectrum, indicating the absence of angular reorientations of the cubane molecule. The temperature and field dependence of the spin-lattice relaxation rate of cubane protons is well explained in terms of field fluctuations arising from reorientations of the C 60 molecules. Despite the closely packed structure, the activation energy of these reorientations, 650 K, is close to that observed in the high-temperature phase of pure C 60 indicating that the static cubane molecules act as efficient bearing for the rotating fullerene molecules.

Our work proves that positron annihilation spectroscopy is an excellent tool to follow the structural changes in chemical species. We present four examples to support the above statement. The sizes of defects in electrodeposited chromium layers were studied and estimated on the basis of positron lifetime spectra decomposed into two components. Vacancies, di-vacancies and vacancy-clusters could be identified in the electrodeposites. The changes of the size distribution of the free volume units in poly(methylmetacrylate) on the dependence of molecular weight and dispersity were described by the correlation between the lifetime ofortho-Ps and the free volume units in polymers. It was found that the free volume is affected by both the molecular weight and dispersity. The effect of dispersity was explained by the sample preparation technique, namely by the application of high pressure. The ortho-para conversion ofortho-Ps was used to follow the partial spin-crossover in [Fe(1-ethyl-1H-tetrazole)6](BF4)2. The spin-crossover temperature was identified to be 105 K. A conformal structural transformation was found in [Zn(1-propyl-1H-tetrazole)6](BF4)2 between 170 and 90 K by positronium lifetime measurement and the role of (BF4)2− anion, in this transformation, was proved by19F NMR spectroscopy.

The hydrogen charging and discharging processes are investigated in Ni67−xCuxZr33 glassy alloys by in situ resistance measurements in order to clarify the surface and bulk contribution to the activation process. The process has been monitored by conventional DC method using a computer-controlled system, exposing the samples to hydrogen at pressure from 0.1–8.6 MPa at temperatures of 293 K and 393 K. The H-contents (H/M) were determined by weight and by pulse NMR measurements. The NMR data are obtained by the Carr–Purcell–Meiboom–Gill (CPMG) method. The charging is extremely long and the resulting H-distribution is inhomogenous during the first cycle, especially at 293 K. This fact shows the significance of the surface-activation during the H-uptake from the gas phase. The duration of the second saturation decreases significantly, and the resistance–time curves obtained: on two parallel samples are very similar. The saturation value for the normalized resistance (R/R0) remains almost the same during several cycles. Increasing the temperature of the charging (393 K), the equilibrium value of the resistance decreases. The resistance of the samples at the end of the discharging process is always higher than before charging. This indicates the partial irreversibility of the H-absorption at constant temperature. This observation is correlated with the NMR results.

1 H spin–spin relaxation time ( T 2 ) and complementary hydrogen content, PMR spectrum width and spin–lattice relaxation time ( T 1 ) have been measured in Zr y (Ni 1− x Cu x ) 1− y –H ternary amorphous alloys of different hydrogen content at 0≤ x ≤33 at.% Cu and y =33, 50 and 67 at.% Zr concentrations using Carr–Purcell–Meiboom–Gill (CPMG), solid-echo and saturation recovery pulse sequences, respectively. At high hydrogen contents the T 2 measured by the slope of the CPMG echo train depends on both the Zr and Cu content, but is independent of the hydrogen content. The differences in the spin–spin relaxation behaviours can be attributed to the substantial change of correlation time and not to the change of activation energy or local fields. The measurements were made in the “motional narrowing” state, consequently our E a and τ ∞ quantities are averaged to the diffusion motion of protons taking part in this process. At small hydrogen contents T 2 depends on hydrogen content and the T 2 vs. 1/ T curves cannot be fitted by single Arrhenius plots. The hydrogen content measured by echo train has turned out to be systematically smaller than that measured by weight increase, demonstrating that not all the hydrogen takes part in the diffusion process.

The mobility of the proton-proton radial vectors is introduced as a quantitative measure for the structural dynamics of organic materials, especially protein molecules. As defined for the entire molecule, the hydrogen mobility (HM) is proposed as an “order parameter,” which describes the effect of motional narrowing on inter-proton dipole-dipole interactions. HM satisfies all requirements of an order parameter in the Landau molecular field theory of phase transitions. The wide-line NMR second moments needed to obtain HM are exactly defined and measurable physical quantities, which are not produced by mathematical fitting and do not carry the limitations and restrictions of any model (theoretical formalism). We first demonstrate the usefulness of HM on small organic molecules with data taken form the literature. We outline its link with structural and functional characteristics on a range of proteins: HM provides a model-free parameter based on first principles that can clearly distinguish between globular and intrinsically disordered proteins, and can also provide insight into the behavior of disease-related mutants.

The complexes [Zn(1-propyltetraole)6](BF4)2 (Zn-ptz) and [Fe(methyltetrazole)6](BF4)2 (Fe-mtz) were investigated by positron annihilation and solid-state NMR spectroscopy. For Zn-ptz signs of structural rearrangements were found between 70 and 145 K. For the spin-crossover complex Fe-mtz a transition affecting the high-spin stat Fe2+ ions at lattice site B occurs below 15 K.

Proton spin–lattice relaxation times were measured between 2.2 K and room temperature in [Zn(ptz)6](BF4)2(ptz = 1-n-propyl-1H-tetrazole) and in the spin-crossover complex [Fe(ptz)6](BF4)2. Three different types of intramolecular motion of the propyl group are suggested in [Zn(ptz)6](BF4)2, namely tunneling and classical rotation of methyl groups and rotation of methylene groups. Correlation times and activation energies are calculated for tunneling rotation of the CH3group and for the classical (hindered) rotations of –CH3and –CH2–CH3as reorientations over a three-well asymmetrical potential. In [Fe(ptz)6](BF4)2the mechanism for the paramagnetic relaxation is found to be of the rapid-diffusion type according to the theory of Lowe and Tse, and the intramolecular motions are suggested to be the same as for the zinc complex.

A two-exponential spin-lattice ( T 1 ) relaxation process of hydrogen nuclear magnetization was found in a series of hydrogenated amorphous carbon samples prepared under different self-bias conditions from benzene. The temperature dependence of these relaxation times reveals the different dynamic background of the two sub-systems. Low activation energies (depending on self-bias voltages) were measured for the longer relaxation time components; temperature independence was detected for the shorter relaxation time components.

Spin-spin relaxation time ( T 2 ) and complementary hydrogen content (H/M), PMR spectrum width (FWHM) and spin lattice relaxation time ( T 1 ) have been measured in (Ni 1 − x Cu x ) 0.5 Zr 0.5 -H y ternary amorphous alloys at 0 ⩽ x ⩽ 29 at.% concentrations using Carr-Purcell-Meiboom-Gill (CPMG), solid-echo and saturation recovery pulse sequences respectively. The T 2 relaxation time measured by the slope of the CPMG echo train depends on both the hydrogen and Cu content. The dependence can be attributed to the change of correlation time and not to the change of activation energy or local field. The measurements were made in the ‘motional narrowing’ state; consequently our E a and τ ∞ quantities are averaged to the diffusional motion of protons taking part in this process. The extrapolated amplitude of the echo train measured on the alloy-hydrogen system and normalized to the same quantity in water, gives the value of proton magnetization in thermal equilibrium, that is the hydrogen content free from any perturbing effects. The hydrogen content measured by CPMG echo train has turned out to be systematically smaller than that measured by weight increase.

Equilibrium pressure and potential measurements at room temperature as a function of hydrogen concentration are reported for Ni 1− x Zr x amorphous alloys with 0.33 ⩽ x ⩽ 0.45. The full range of charge of the samples was achieved by taking into account the hydrogen gas evolved in the closed electrochemical cell. The change in slope of the equilibrium potential with the state of charge shows that different types of site are filled. On the basis of the pressure-composition (P-C) diagrams, the samples with x = 0.33, 0.36 and 0.39 were selected for further electrochemical investigations.

The aim of this paper is to reinvestigate the proton magnetic resonance spectra in Zr 0.5 Ni 0.5− y Cu y H x metallic glasses. Solid-echo pulse sequences were used to analyze the line shape. The measurements were made in the temperature range 2.2–300 K and at a frequency of 87.6 MHz. The reinvestigation of the line shape mostly at low temperatures was initiated after having realized that the splitting reported earlier on our samples was a consequence of the relatively long recovery time of our spectrometer. The present solid-echo measurements yielded simple spectra describable by a Harper-Barnes line shape close to gaussian.

The proton NMR line shift with respect to water, the bulk susceptibility and in a few cases the Korringa contribution to the spin lattice relaxation time were measured in Zr0.33Ni0.67 Hx amorphous alloys with hydrogen concentration 0.1 ⩽ x ⩽ 0.7and at 343 K. All the parameters, including the hydrogen content and the bulk susceptibility, were measured simultaneously in situ, and in the shift measurements a resolution of ±1 ppm was attained. The residual Knight shift depends on the hydrogen content and is positive relative to water. Preliminary low temperature spin lattice relaxation time measurements indicate that the positive shift is the consequence of the balance of s- and d-contributions.

In this chapter, the reader is introduced to the basics of wide-line NMR, with particular focus on the following: (1) basic theoretical and experimental NMR elements, necessary before switching the spectrometer and designing the experiment, (2) models/theories for the interpretation of measured data, (3) definition of wide-line NMR spectrometry, the description of the measurement and evaluation variants, useful hints for the novice, (4) advice on selecting the solvent, which is not a trivial task, (5) a note of warning that not all data are acceptable in spite of the statistical confidence. Finally, we wrap up the chapter with the results on two proteins (a globular and an intrinsically disordered).

Proton magnetic resonance spectra of Zr 0.5 Cu y Ni 0.5−y H 1 metallic glass samples with 0 ≤ y ≤ 0.3 were measured in the temperature range 77 K to 400 K and at 8, 28.5, 87.6 and 88.5 MHz frequencies. The data of the free-induction decay (FID) signal were compiled and Fourier transformed by a SMIS NMR spectrometer. The temperature dependence of the line shapes shows three distinctly different features: (i) in the temperature range 400 K to 270 K the spectrum is a motionally narrowed Lorentzian line; (ii) in the temperature range 270 K to 140 K the spectrum consists of a narrow Lorentzian component and a substantially wider Gaussian one; (iii) in the temperature range 140 K to 77 K, the spectrum is a “two-peaked” line. The distance between the two peaks (splitting) was found to be independent of the temperature and the frequency, that means that the low-temperature spectrum is probably the Pake doublet of hydrogen pairs. From the analysis of the splitting of the Pake doublet, a proton-proton distance of 0.167 nm was estimated. This distance corresponds to a transition metal mediated hydrogen pairing.

The splat-quenched Ni50Zr50 alloy has a rosette-shaped phase with tenfold symmetry. The structure of this phase has been interpreted (Yang, 1985) as “tenfold twins” of the orthorhombic NiZr phase. The formation and the feature of the phase with tenfold symmetry have been investigated in Ni50Zr50, Ni50−xCuxZr50 and Ni50−xCoxZr50 amorphous alloys. It was found that this phase forms first during the crystallization process. The structure comes nearer to the structure of a quasi-crystal through the influence of Cu and Co atoms.