Abstract:Monte Carlo and molecular dynamics simulations were performed to calculate solubility, S, and diffusion, D, coefficients of oxygen and water in polyethylene, and to obtain a molecular-level understanding of the diffusion mechanism. The permeation coefficient, P, was calculated from the product of S and D. The AMBER force field, which yields the correct polymer densities under the conditions studied, was used for the simulations, and it was observed that the results were not sensitive to the inclusion of atomic charges in the force field. The simulated S for oxygen and water are higher and lower than experimental data, respectively. The calculated diffusion coefficients are in good agreement with experimental data. Possible reasons for the discrepancy in the simulated and experimental solubilities, which results in discrepancies in the permeation coefficients, are discussed. The diffusion of both penetrants occurs mainly by large amplitude, infrequent jumps of the molecules through the polymer matrix.
Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations have been used to study the melting of α-and β-poly (vinylidene fluoride) (α-and β-PVDF). It is seen that melting at the ends of the polymer chains precedes melting of the bulk crystal structure. Melting of α-PVDF initially occurs via transitions between the two gauche dihedral angles (G ↔ G') followed by transitions between trans and gauche dihedral angles (T ↔ G/G'). Melting of β-PVDF initially occurs via T → G/G' transitions and via transitions of complete β-(TTTT) to α-(TGTG') quartet. The melting point of β-PVDF is higher than that of α-PVDF, and the simulated melting points of both phases depend on the length of the polymer chains used in the simulations. Since melting starts at the chain ends, it is important to include these in the simulations, and simulations of infinitely long chains yield melting points far larger than the experimental values (at least for periodic cells of the size used in this work), especially for β-PVDF. The simulated heats of fusion are in agreement with available experimental data.
In humans, uroporphyrinogen decarboxylase is intimately involved in the synthesis of heme, where the decarboxylation of the uroporphyrinogen-III occurs in a single catalytic site. Several variants of the mechanistic proposal exist; however, the exact mechanism is still debated. Thus, using an ONIOM quantum mechanical/molecular mechanical approach, the mechanism by which uroporphyrinogen decarboxylase decarboxylates ring D of uroporphyrinogen-III has been investigated. From the study performed, it was found that both Arg37 and Arg50 are essential in the decarboxylation of ring D, where experimentally both have been shown to be critical to the catalytic behavior of the enzyme. Overall, the reaction was found to have a barrier of 10.3 kcal mol(-1) at 298.15 K. The rate-limiting step was found to be the initial proton transfer from Arg37 to the substrate before the decarboxylation. In addition, it has been found that several key interactions exist between the substrate carboxylate groups and backbone amides of various active site residues as well as several other functional groups.
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