KCD: A prediction web server of knowledge-based circular dichroism.

We present a web server that predicts the far-UV circular dichroism (CD) spectra of proteins by utilizing their three-dimensional (3D) structures from the Protein Data Bank (PDB). The main algorithm is based on the classical theory of optical activity together with a set of atomic complex polarizabilities, which are obtained from the analysis of a series of synchrotron radiation CD spectra and their related 3D structures from the PDB. The results of our knowledge-based CD method (KCD) are in good agreement with measured spectra that could include the effect of D-amino acids.

Hepatoprotective Effect Assessment of C-Phycocyanin on Hepatocellular Carcinoma Rat Model by Using Photoacoustic Spectroscopy.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common primary neoplasia of the liver with elevated mortality. Experimental treatment with antioxidants has a beneficial effect on the experimental models of HCC. (spirulina) and its phycocyanin have antitumoral action on different tumoral cells.

Brownian-particle motion used to characterize mechanical properties of lipid vesicles.

We present a method that takes advantage of the Brownian motion of a colloidal particle to experimentally determine the area stretch modulus of giant liposomes in solution, in regard to the continuum mechanics theory of elasticity. The characteristic parameters of the corresponding model are measured by using the three-dimensional version of digital video microscopy. Such an approach makes use of the diffraction pattern generated by fluorescent spheres found below the focal plane of the microscope objective, allowing the spatial location of the sphere and, thus, the reconstruction of its trajectory.

Time-resolved study of optical properties and microscopic dynamics during the drying of TiO films by spectral diffusing wave spectroscopy.

We present a combined experimental, theoretical, and numerical study of photon transport and microscopic dynamics in rigid and drying turbid thin films. Our setup is based in multispeckle diffusing wave spectroscopy and is adapted for frequency sweep of the illuminating source. We apply our approach to simultaneously monitor the changes in optical properties and microscopic dynamics of turbid thin films of rutile TiO powder dispersed in ethanol during the full drying process.

Experimental Determination of High-Order Bending Elastic Constants of Lipid Bilayers.

We present a method to describe the formation of small lipid vesicles in terms of three bending elastic constants that can be experimentally measured. Our method combines a general expression of the elastic free energy of the bilayer and the thermodynamic description of molecular aggregation. The resulting model requires the size distribution of liposomes, which is determined from the X-ray scattered intensity spectra of vesicular dispersions.