Uncoupling Proteins and Regulated Proton Leak in Mitochondria

Higher concentration of protons in the mitochondrial intermembrane space compared to the matrix results in an electrochemical potential causing the back flux of protons to the matrix. This proton transport can take place through ATP synthase complex (leading to formation of ATP) or can occur via proton transporters of the mitochondrial carrier superfamily and/or membrane lipids. Some mitochondrial proton transporters, such as uncoupling proteins (UCPs), transport protons as their general regulating function; while others are symporters or antiporters, which use the proton gradient as a driving force to co-transport other substrates across the mitochondrial inner membrane (such as phosphate carrier, a symporter; or aspartate/glutamate transporter, an antiporter). Passage (or leakage) of protons across the inner membrane to matrix from any route other than ATP synthase negatively impacts ATP synthesis. The focus of this review is on regulated proton transport by UCPs. Recent findings on the structure and function of UCPs, and the related research methodologies, are also critically reviewed. Due to structural similarity of members of the mitochondrial carrier superfamily, several of the known structural features are potentially expandable to all members. Overall, this report provides a brief, yet comprehensive, overview of the current knowledge in the field.     

Antidiarrheal Effect of Food Fermented by Various Strains of Lactobacillus

Various Lactobacillus species possess antidiarrheal properties due to their probiotic effects and could be utilized in the form of fermented foods for the treatment of diarrheal disease. Diarrhea is the condition of having 3 or more loose or watery bowel movements per day. This disease is a global problem causing several million deaths each year, and the major victims are children. So its prevention and control is crucial. For the treatment of diarrheal disease, antibiotics and oral rehydration solutions are used, but these therapies are not always effective to reduce the duration and frequency of diarrhea and of increase consistency. Recent studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of the natural mode (fermented food) of disease management because of its easy availability, low cost, and efficacy against diarrhea.     

Design of nanoscale molecular wire based on diphenylacetylene: Role of linkage

Theoretical investigation has been performed on electron transport properties of diphenylacetylene-based molecules sandwiched between two gold surfaces. Different linkers such as sulfur, nitrogen, oxygen, CS, CO, CN, NS, NO and NN have been considered to study the role of linkage in the conduction properties of the molecular wire. The charge transfer across the metal–molecule and bonding nature at the interfacial contact are illustrated by natural bond orbital analysis. It is found that Au can covalently bond to diphenylacetylene through nitrogen or sulfur linkages while its weak interaction through oxygen linkage has non-covalent character in nature. The dependence of the molecular electronic structure of the gold–molecule complexes on the external electric field has been also studied. The electronic conduction has been analyzed from the change in the shape of molecular orbitals and the evolution of the HOMO–LUMO gap of the molecule-gold complexes under the influence of the electric filed.     

Transition probabilities,lifetimes, and branching ratios in hydrogen-like atoms in the linear stark effect

Transition probabilities, lifetimes, and branching ratios in hydrogen-like atoms corresponding to the linear Stark effect are tabulated in terms of the principal quantum number n, and the electric quantum number k, based on the model that states are populated in proportion to their degeneracy quantum numbers. For given initial state n′k′, and final state nk, it is shown that the polarization of radiation depends on the relative parity of n′ ? n and k′ ? k. The number of spectral lines for transitions between arbitrary n′ and n is given. The intensities of the spectral lines are calculated for n′ = 10 to n = 9 and n = 2 transitions. It is shown that for n′ = 10 to n = 9 transitions the line intensities are maximum when the absolute value of the energy shift which is proportional to Δν = n′k′ ? nk is zero or minimum, and it decreases exponentially as |Δν| increases. For n′ = 10 to n = 2 transitions the line intensities are randomly distributed.Transition probabilities are tabulated for the transitions n′k′ → n, where 2 ? n′ ? 10, 0 ? k′ ? n′ ? 1, and 1 ? n < n′. Averages with respect to k′ and sums with respect to n are given. Lifetimes for the initial states 2 ? n′ ? 10 and 0 ? k′ ? n′ ? 1 have been tabulated. Also tabulated are the transitions n′k′ → nk, where 2 ? n′ ? 11, ?(n′ ? 1) ? k′ ? n′ ? 1, and where 1 ? n ? 5 and 0 ? k ? n ? 1.Branching ratios are tabulated for the transitions n′k′ → n, where 3 ? n′ ? 10, 0 ? k′ ? n′ ?1, and 2 ? n < n′. Similary, the branching ratios for the transitions n′k′ → nk are tabulated, where 3 ? n′ ? 11, ?(n′ ? 1) ? k′ ? n′ ? 1, and where 2 ? n ? 5 and 0 ? k ? n ? 1.     

PALAEO‐EXPOSURE SURFACES IN THE APTIAN DARIYAN FORMATION,OFFSHORE SW IRAN: GEOCHEMISTRY AND RESERVOIR IMPLICATIONS

Palaeo‐exposure surfaces within and at the top of the carbonate‐dominated Aptian Dariyan Formation have been poorly studied in the Iranian sector of the Persian Gulf. This paper presents an integrated sedimentological and geochemical study of the Dariyan Formation at four oil and gas fields located in the western, central and eastern parts of the Gulf. Facies stacking patterns in general indicate shallowing‐upwards trends toward the exposure surfaces, which are interpreted to correspond to unconformities. The Dariyan Formation in the study area is divided into upper and lower carbonate units by a deep‐water, high‐gamma shale‐marl interval. At fields in the western and central Gulf, significant diagenetic changes were recorded in the top of the upper carbonate unit, including meteoric dissolution and cementation, brecciation and paleosol formation. An exposure surface is also present at the top of the lower carbonate unit in all the fields in the study area, and is associated with meteoric dissolution and cementation of grain‐dominated facies. Age calibration of studied intervals was carried out using microfossil assemblages including benthic and planktonic foraminifera. Negative excursions of both δ¹⁸O (?10‰ VPDB) and δ¹³C (?0.66‰ VPDB) were recorded in weathered intervals located below the unconformity surfaces. A sequence stratigraphic framework for the Dariyan Formation was established by integrating sedimentological, palaeontological and geochemical data. The δ¹³C curve for the formation in the Iranian sector of the Persian Gulf can be correlated with the reference curve for the northern Neotethys and used as a basis for regional stratigraphic correlation. Where the top‐Aptian unconformity is present, it has resulted in an enhancement of the reservoir characteristics of the underlying carbonate succession. Accordingly, the best reservoir zones in the Dariyan Formation occur in the upper parts of the lower and upper carbonate units which are bounded above by significant palaeo‐exposure surfaces.     

Morphological engineering of carbon-based materials: in the quest of efficient catalysts for overall water splitting

This work attempts to optimize the catalytic activity of the carbon-based materials by engineering their morphological structure. Several flake-like quantum dots with different shapes such as triangulene, elliptical, rhomboid, and square, as well as hydrocarbons having sunflower, kekulene, and snow-like structures, are considered and their electrocatalytic activities toward the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) and hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) are theoretically evaluated. The activity analysis indicates that the OER overpotentials for the examined carbon materials vary in the range between 0.56 and 1.22 V. Benefiting from the improved electronic properties due to the proper morphology, remarkable catalytic activity was achieved for the snow-like morphology affording overpotentials of 0.56 V for OER and ?0.05 V for HER. In addition to snow-like, other morphologies such as triangulene and square can effectively promote acidic hydrogen evolution via Volmer-Heyrovsky mechanism. On contrary, the high values of free energies for H₂O dissociation step reveal that, under the alkaline condition, the examined carbon materials cannot be considered as efficient HER catalysts.