Theory, Simulation and Nanotechnological Applications of Adsorption on a Surface with Defects

Theory of adsorption on a surface with nanolocal defects is proposed. Two efficacy parameters of surface modification for nanotechnological purposes are introduced, where the modification is a creation of nanolocal artificial defects. The first parameter corresponds to applications where it is necessary to increase the concentration of certain particles on the modified surface. And the second one corresponds to the pattern transfer with the help of particle self-organization on the modified surface. The analytical expressions for both parameters are derived with the help of the thermodynamic and the kinetic approaches for two cases: jump diffusion and free motion of adsorbed particles over the surface. The possibility of selective adsorption of molecules is shown with the help of simulation of the adsorption of acetylene and benzene molecules in the pits on the graphite surface. The process of particle adsorption from the surface into the pit is theoretically studied by molecular dynamic technique. Some possible nanotechnological applications of adsorption on the surface with artificial defects are considered: fabrication of sensors for trace molecule detection, separation of isomers, and pattern transfer.Comment: 12 pages, 2 Postscript figures. Submitted to Surface Science (1998

ACTIMYCIN A STIMULATION OF RATE-LIMITING STEPS OF PHOTOSYNTHESIS IN ISOLATED SPINACH CHLOROPLASTS

Changes in levels of metabolites in isolated spinach (Spinacia oleracea) chloroplasts seen upon addition of antimycin A suggest that the activities of enzymes mediating several regulated reactions are affected. Apparently, the presence of added antimycin A does not increase the level of CO(2) in the chloroplasts, nor does it stimulate CO(2) fixation by increasing the level of the carboxylation substrate, ribulose-1,5-diphosphate. Rather, it appears that antimycin A increases CO(2) fixation rate by indirectly stimulating the enzyme, ribulose-1,5-diphosphate carboxylase (E.C. 4.1.1.39), which mediates the carboxylation of ribulose-1,5-diphosphate to give 3-phosphoglycerate. Another rate-limiting enzyme of the reductive pentose phosphate cycle, hexose diphosphatase (E.C. 3.1.3.11), seems also to be stimulated. The synthesis of polysaccharides (mostly starch) seems also to be stimulated. These results are interpreted as indicating that antimycin A addition enhances the general activation of those enzymes which already are activated during photosynthesis but are inactive in the dark. The ratio of adenosine triphosphate-adenosine diphosphate under conditions of photosynthesis was only moderately decreased in the presence of antimycin A, perhaps accounting in part for an observed increase in accumulation of 3-phosphoglycerate as compared with dihydroxyacetone phosphate. No significant effect on movement of metabolites from the chloroplast to the medium was seen