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Feng Deng

Publications and source records attributed to Feng Deng.

29 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Unambiguously distinguishing Si[3Si,1Al] and Si[3Si,1OH] stuctural units in zeolite by 1H/29Si/27Al triple resonance solid state NMR spectroscopy.

We present an experimentally feasible triple-resonance NMR method that establishes the correlation among three different nuclei, avoiding the difficulty to directly explore the weak coupling between two NMR nuclei, such as (29)Si and (27)Al. Using this method, we are able to give an unambiguous assignment to the various peaks in (29)Si CP NMR spectrum of MCM-22 zeolite and discriminate (29)Si signals from SiOHAl and SiOH groups. In addition, in combination with (1)H/(27)Al double-resonance technique, the (1)H/(27)Al/(29)Si triple-resonance experiment suggests the presence of two different kinds of Brönsted acid sites in H-MCM-22 zeolite.

Journal Article↗

Effect of pH and copper(II) on the conformation transitions of silk fibroin based on EPR, NMR, and Raman spectroscopy.

Much attention has been paid to the natural mechanism of silkworm spinning due to the impressive mechanical properties of the natural fibers. Our results in the present work show that the fractional changes of the conformational components in regenerated silk fibroin (SF) extracted from Bombyx mori fibers is remarkably pH- and Cu(II)-dependent as demonstrated by Cu(II) EPR, (13)C NMR, and Raman spectroscopy. Cu(II) coordination atoms in SF are changed from four nitrogens to two nitrogens and two oxygens as well as to one nitrogen and three oxygens when the pH is lowered from 8.0 to 4.0. The addition of a given amount of Cu(II) into a SF solution could induce efficiently the SF conformational fractional change from silk I, a soluble helical conformation, to silk II, an insoluble beta-sheet conformation. This behavior is strikingly similar to that seen in prion protein and amyloid beta-peptide. On the basis of the similarity in the relevant sequence in SF to the octapeptide PHGGGWGQ in PrP, we suggest that at basic and neutral pH polypeptide AHGGYSGY in SF may form a 1:1 complex with Cu(II) by coordination of imidazole N(pi) of His together with two deprotonated main-chain nitrogens from two glycine residues and one nitrogen or oxygen from serine. Such a type of coordination may make the interaction between two adjacent beta-form polypeptide chains more difficult, thereby leading to an amorphous structure. Under weakly acidic conditions, however, Cu(II)-amide linkages may be broken and Cu(II) may switch to bind two N(tau) from two histidines in adjacent peptide chains, forming an intermolecular His(N(tau))-Cu(II)-His(N(tau)) bridge. This type of coordination may induce beta-sheet formation and aggregation, leading to a crystalline structure.

Animals↗

Effects of pH and calcium ions on the conformational transitions in silk fibroin using 2D Raman correlation spectroscopy and 13C solid-state NMR.

Silk fibroin exists in a number of different states, such as silk I and silk II, with different properties largely defined by differences in secondary structure composition. Numerous attempts have been made to control the transitions from silk I to silk II in vitro to produce high-performance materials. Of all the factors influencing the structural compositions, pH and some metal ions play important roles. This paper focuses on the influence of pH and Ca(2+) ions on the conformational transition from silk I to silk II in regenerated (redissolved) Bombyx mori fibroin. One- and two-dimensional correlation Raman spectroscopy was used to describe qualitatively the transitions in secondary structure in silk I, silk II, and their intermediates as pH and Ca(2+) ion concentration were changed, while (13)C cross polarization magic angle spinning (CP/MAS) solid-state NMR was used to quantify these changes. We showed that conditions (low pH, pH 5.2; a defined range of Ca(2+) ion concentrations; gradual water removal) that mimic natural silk spinning promote the formations of beta-sheet and distorted beta-sheet characteristic of silk II or silk II-related intermediate. In contrast, higher pH (pH 6.9-8.0) and higher Ca(2+) ion concentrations maintain "random coil" conformations typical of silk I or silk I-related intermediate. These results help to explain why the natural silk spinning process is attended by a reduction in pH from 6.9 to 4.8 and a change in the Ca(2+) ion concentration in the gland lumen as fibroin passes from the posterior division through the secretory pathway to the anterior division.

Animals↗

Effects of pulse strength, width, and sample spinning speed on the spectral spin diffusion of multiquantum coherences of spin-3/2 quadrupolar nuclei.

The effects of radio-frequency pulse strength, width, and sample spinning speed on the spin-diffusion spectrum of half-integer quadrupolar spins in solids have been studied by theoretical, numerical, and experimental investigations. It is revealed that the line shape of the cross peaks changes nonmonotonically with respect to the change of pulse strength, pulse width, or sample spinning speed. It is also found that the sample spinning speed has much more pronounced influence on the spin diffusion spectral line shape. In many cases of practical importance, the effect of sample spinning must be included in spectral analysis, in contrast to the practice of previous studies. Moreover, this effect can be exploited to further improve the precision in the determination of relative orientation of the electric-field gradient tensors of the exchange partners.

Journal Article↗

One- and two-dimensional solid-state magic angle spinning NMR studies on the hydration process of layered sodium disilicate SKS-6.

Three different kinds of silanols, which include isolated silanol, silanol I (with the hydroxyl proton bonded to an oxygen atom in the adjacent layer) and silanol II (with the hydroxyl proton bonded to the non-bridging oxygen at the same silicon atom), are generated during the hydration process of SKS-6 (delta-Na2Si2O5). 1H-1H nuclear Overhauser enhancement spectroscopy reveals that the proton of silanol I has an effective chemical exchange or spin diffusion with the proton of hydrogen-bonded water, while the proton of silanol II is likely far away from the other proton-containing species. 29Si magic angle spinning, 1H-->29Si CP/MAS NMR and 1H-29Si phase-modulated Lee-Goldburg decoupled correlation experiments demonstrate that the local environments of the silicon sites in the final hydrated sample are mainly composed of Q2 [(SiO)2Si(OH)O(-)Na+], Q3 [(SiO)3Si(OH) and (SiO)3SiO(-)Na+] and Q4 [Si(OSi)4] groups.

Journal Article↗

[Mandibular condensability and length contraction: an animal experimental study].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the condensability of mandibular length. METHODS: In six goats were used in the study. Corticotomy at right mandibular angles was performed via extral-oral accession. Special devices were applied to shorten the mandible by 0.5 mm per three days respectively. RESULTS: 1. Mandibular angles of the six goats were shorten by 0.8 cm to 1.3 cm respectively in 48 days to 78 days; 2. In spite of the lower ascending ramus moving forward and angles being blunt, the occlusion scarcely varied because of contralateral bite-lock; 3. X-ray demonstrated that, at first, bone density in contracted areas declined, and then increased gradually to almost normal density; 4. Under microscope there were three tissues layers from central to lateral within the bone gap: fiber layer, cartilage layer and bone layer, and fiber layer gradually transform into cartilage layer with the fixed time. At the end of fixation they all transform into bone tissue. CONCLUSION: Contraction osteogenesis is actually a process of compression, absorption and rebuilding. It is feasible that using contraction osteogenesis to shorten the mandible via cortcotomy.

Animals↗

Structure of colloidal bismuth subcitrate (CBS) in dilute HCl: unique assembly of bismuth citrate dinuclear units ([Bi(cit)(2)Bi](2-)).

Colloidal bismuth subcitrate (CBS, De-Nol) has been used for several decades for the treatment of gastric and duodenal ulcers, and Helicobacter pylori infection together with antibiotics. The solubility of CBS in water is found to be dramatically affected by pH, from >70 mg/mL at pH 7 to only about 1 mg/mL at pH 3. CBS was crystallized in dilute HCl at pH 3, and unique assembly of three basic bismuth citrate dimeric units ([Bi(cit)2Bi]2-) leads to the formation of two-dimensional sheets and 3D polymer.

Anti-Infective Agents↗

NMR and parity violation: low-temperature dependence in 1H CRAMPS and 13C CP/MAS ssNMR spectra of alanine enantiomer.

Life is based on L-amino acids and D-sugars rather than the enantiomeric D-amino acids and L-sugars. This broken symmetry is now believed to be a feature of fundamental physics-a result of symmetry-breaking induced by the weak force, which makes one enantiomer slightly more stable than the other. An amplification mechanism based on quantum mechanical tunneling could give rise to a second-order phase transition. In order to understand the transition mechanism, we measured the temperature dependence of 1H CRAMPS solid state NMR and 13C CP/MAS spectra of D- and L-alanine crystals from 295 K through to 220 K. Obvious difference of NMR behaviors between two enantiomers was observed in the phase transition which may be related to one suggested by Salam, caused biochirality among twenty amino acids.

Alanine↗