Self-assembly and energy transfer in artificial light-harvesting complexes of bacteriochlorophyll c with astaxanthin

Chlorosomes, the light-harvesting antennae of green photosynthetic bacteria, are based on large aggregates of bacteriochlorophyll molecules. Aggregates with similar properties to those in chlorosomes can also be prepared in vitro. Several agents were shown to induce aggregation of bacteriochlorophyll c in aqueous environments, including certain lipids, carotenes, and quinones. A key distinguishing feature of bacteriochlorophyll c aggregates, both in vitro and in chlorosomes, is a large (>60 nm) red shift of their Qy absorption band compared with that of the monomers. In this study, we investigate the self-assembly of bacteriochlorophyll c with the xanthophyll astaxanthin, which leads to the formation of a new type of complexes. Our results indicate that, due to its specific structure, astaxanthin molecules competes with bacteriochlorophylls for the bonds involved in the aggregation, thus preventing the formation of any significant red shift compared with pure bacteriochlorophyll c in aqueous buffer. A strong interaction between both the types of pigments in the developed assemblies, is manifested by a rather efficient (~40%) excitation energy transfer from astaxanthin to bacteriochlorophyll c, as revealed by fluorescence excitation spectroscopy. Results of transient absorption spectroscopy show that the energy transfer is very fast (<500 fs) and proceeds through the S2 state of astaxanthin.This study was supported by the Czech Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports (projects MSM0021620835, MSM6007665808, AV0Z50510513), Czech Science Foundation (projects 206/09/0375, 202/09/H041, 202/09/1330), and Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (AVCR-CSIC joint project 2008CZ0004).Peer reviewe

Application for sharing interesting places and routes

This bachelor thesis describes the design and implementation of a web application designed for creating and sharing tourist routes and places. Creating such application is the main goal of this bachelor thesis. The application also implements a functionality that allows users to browse created routes and display relevant content depending on their location. The application is therefore primarily intended for use on mobile devices. The web application was created using Laravel framework, which uses PHP language. The application also uses JavaScript and jQuery JavaScript library. Google Map communication interface is used in the application to draw routes and points on the map base. To achieve the goal of the bachelor's thesis, it was first necessary to conduct a survey of existing applications, then specific groups of target users were defined, and the appropriate functionality of the application was designed, as well as suitable technologies for its development were selected. Subsequently, the implementation itself was realized, after which the author performed user testing of the application. The result of the bachelor's thesis is a functional web application that can be interesting both for tourists and, for example, for associations or organizers of various events, thanks to its ability to create interactive routes. However, information centers or private companies can also use the application to add places of tourist interest. The bachelor thesis can also be beneficial for developers who are interested in development using Laravel framework, as well as for developers who would like to develop a web application with a similar focus.Tato bakalářská práce popisuje návrh a implementaci webové aplikace sloužící pro tvorbu a sdílení turisticky zajímavých tras a míst. Tvorba takové aplikace je hlavním cílem této bakalářské práce. V aplikaci je také implementována funkcionalita umožňující uživatelům vytvořené trasy procházet a zobrazovat příslušný obsah v závislosti na jejich poloze. Aplikace je proto určena především pro použití v mobilních zařízeních. Webová aplikace byla vytvořena pomocí jazyku PHP, a to za využití frameworku Laravel. Dále také aplikace využívá JavaScript a JavaScriptovou knihovnu jQuery. Pro vykreslení tras a bodů na mapovém podkladu je v aplikaci využito komunikačního rozhraní Google Map. Pro dosažení cíle práce bylo nutné nejprve provést průzkum existujících aplikací, následně byly definovány konkrétní skupiny cílových uživatelů a byla navržena vhodná funkcionalita aplikace, stejně jako byly vybrány vhodné technologie pro její vývoj. Následně byla realizována samotná implementace, po které autor provedl uživatelské testování aplikace. Výsledkem bakalářské práce je funkční webová aplikace, která může být zajímavá jak pro turisty, tak například pro spolky či pořadatele různých akcí, a to díky své možnosti tvorby interaktivních tras. Pro přidávání turisticky zajímavých míst však aplikaci mohou využít například i informační centra či soukromé společnosti. Bakalářská práce může být také přínosnou pro vývojáře, kteří se zajímají o vývoj pomocí frameworku Laravel, stejně jako pro vývojáře, kteří by chtěli vyvinout webovou aplikaci podobného zaměření

Self-assembly and energy transfer in artificial light-harvesting complexes of bacteriochlorophyll c with astaxanthin

Chlorosomes, the light-harvesting antennae of green photosynthetic bacteria, are based on large aggregates of bacteriochlorophyll molecules. Aggregates with similar properties to those in chlorosomes can also be prepared in vitro. Several agents were shown to induce aggregation of bacteriochlorophyll c in aqueous environments, including certain lipids, carotenes, and quinones. A key distinguishing feature of bacteriochlorophyll c aggregates, both in vitro and in chlorosomes, is a large (>60 nm) red shift of their Qy absorption band compared with that of the monomers. In this study, we investigate the self-assembly of bacteriochlorophyll c with the xanthophyll astaxanthin, which leads to the formation of a new type of complexes. Our results indicate that, due to its specific structure, astaxanthin molecules competes with bacteriochlorophylls for the bonds involved in the aggregation, thus preventing the formation of any significant red shift compared with pure bacteriochlorophyll c in aqueous buffer. A strong interaction between both the types of pigments in the developed assemblies, is manifested by a rather efficient (~40%) excitation energy transfer from astaxanthin to bacteriochlorophyll c, as revealed by fluorescence excitation spectroscopy. Results of transient absorption spectroscopy show that the energy transfer is very fast (<500 fs) and proceeds through the S2 state of astaxanthin.This study was supported by the Czech Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports (projects MSM0021620835, MSM6007665808, AV0Z50510513), Czech Science Foundation (projects 206/09/0375, 202/09/H041, 202/09/1330), and Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (AVCR-CSIC joint project 2008CZ0004).Peer reviewe

CFD Investigation of the test facility for forced blade flutter research

With the increasing share of renewable power resources turbomachines need to be operated under a wider range of operating conditions including highly off-design regimes. Under such regimes an undesirable phenomenon of blade flutter might occur and possibly destroy the machine. To prevent this, intensive research is conducted by research teams worldwide. Blade flutter research program at the Institute of Thermomechanics of the Czech academy of sciences (IT CAS) mainly aims to advance experimental techniques for investigation of sonic and transonic blade flutter. For this purpose, the new sophisticated test facility was designed and manufactured. As part of the design process, the CFD computations were conducted in order to investigate the flow field in the test facility. This paper presents results of these computations with detailed analysis of flow structures occurring during the air flow through the stationary blade cascade

Clearance gap flow: extended pneumatic measurements and simulations by discontinuous Galerkin finite element method

In the present paper, new results of measurements of the compressible viscous fluid flow in narrow channels with parallel walls under the conditions of aerodynamic choking are presented. Investigation was carried out using the improved test section with enhanced capability to accurately set the parallelism of the channel walls. The measurements were performed for the channels of the dimensions: length 100 mm, width 100 mm and for various heights in the range from 0.5 mm to 4 mm. The results in the form of distribution of the static pressure along the channel axis including the detailed study of the influence of the deviation from parallelism of the channel walls are compared with previous measurements and with numerical simulations performed using an in-house code based on Favre averaged system of Navier-Stokes equations completed with turbulence model of Spalart and Allmaras and a modification of production term according to Langtry and Sjolander. The spatial discretization of the governing equations is performed using the discontinuous Galerkin finite element method which ensures high order spatial accuracy of the numerical solution

Numerical simulation of fluid flow through simplified blade cascade with prescribed harmonic motion using discontinuous Galerkin method

This paper deals with a numerical simulation of compressible viscous fluid flow around three flat plates with prescribed harmonic motion. This arrangement presents a simplified blade cascade with forward wave motion. The aim of this simulation is to determine the aerodynamic forces acting on the flat plates. The mathematical model describing this problem is formed by Favre-averaged system of Navier-Stokes equations in arbitrary Lagrangian-Eulerian (ALE) formulation completed by one-equation Spalart-Allmaras turbulence model. The simulation was performed using the developed in-house CFD software based on discontinuous Galerkin method, which offers high order of accuracy

Clearance gap flow: extended pneumatic measurements and simulations by discontinuous Galerkin finite element method

In the present paper, new results of measurements of the compressible viscous fluid flow in narrow channels with parallel walls under the conditions of aerodynamic choking are presented. Investigation was carried out using the improved test section with enhanced capability to accurately set the parallelism of the channel walls. The measurements were performed for the channels of the dimensions: length 100 mm, width 100 mm and for various heights in the range from 0.5 mm to 4 mm. The results in the form of distribution of the static pressure along the channel axis including the detailed study of the influence of the deviation from parallelism of the channel walls are compared with previous measurements and with numerical simulations performed using an in-house code based on Favre averaged system of Navier-Stokes equations completed with turbulence model of Spalart and Allmaras and a modification of production term according to Langtry and Sjolander. The spatial discretization of the governing equations is performed using the discontinuous Galerkin finite element method which ensures high order spatial accuracy of the numerical solution

Clearance gap flow: simulations by discontinuous Galerkin method and experiments

Compressible viscous fluid flow in a narrow gap formed by two parallel plates in distance of 2 mm is investigated numerically and experimentally. Pneumatic and optical methods were used to obtain distribution of static to stagnation pressure ratio along the channel axis and interferograms including the free outflow behind the channel. Modern developing discontinuous Galerkin finite element method is implemented for numerical simulation of the fluid flow. The goal to make progress in knowledge of compressible viscous fluid flow characteristic phenomena in minichannels is satisfied by finding a suitable approach to this problem. Laminar, turbulent and transitional flow regime is examined and a good agreement of experimental and numerical results is achieved using γ − Reθt transition model

Parallel fluorescence and phosphorescence monitoring of singlet oxygen photosensitization in rats

The time- and spectral-resolved set-up for measurements of weak infrared luminescence of photosensitizers (PSs) and singlet oxygen using optical lightguides was used on skin of laboratory animals in vivo. Wistar rats with abdominal incisions treated by methylis aminolevulinitis (MAL) were used as a model. A control group of animals with abdominal incisions was also tested. Spectrally resolved fluorescence of the PS was acquired during the treatment from the same spot. The intensity and spectral profile of the fluorescence signal from the skin can be used to guide the detection setup to the investigated spots in the lesion. The rate of bleaching of Protoporphyrin IX band and appearance of a band of its photoproducts during the treatment can be characterized by the exposition ED, under which the latter becomes dominant feature in fluorescence spectrum. ED value differs statistically significantly between the normal skin and the lesion treated by MAL. No direct proportionality was found between the fluorescence signal and singlet oxygen production. Nevertheless, the strong fluorescence signal is necessary but not a sufficient condition for higher singlet oxygen production in vivo. ED value correlates rather well with production of singlet oxygen, but differently in lesion and normal skin. Lifetimes of singlet oxygen differ between spots outside and in the lesion. PS triplet state lifetimes exhibit weak difference between spots treated and untreated by MAL

Numerical simulation of fluid flow through simplified blade cascade with prescribed harmonic motion using discontinuous Galerkin method

This paper deals with a numerical simulation of compressible viscous fluid flow around three flat plates with prescribed harmonic motion. This arrangement presents a simplified blade cascade with forward wave motion. The aim of this simulation is to determine the aerodynamic forces acting on the flat plates. The mathematical model describing this problem is formed by Favre-averaged system of Navier-Stokes equations in arbitrary Lagrangian-Eulerian (ALE) formulation completed by one-equation Spalart-Allmaras turbulence model. The simulation was performed using the developed in-house CFD software based on discontinuous Galerkin method, which offers high order of accuracy