Publications by authors named "Joanna A Borek"

Using 3D infrared (IR) exchange spectroscopy, the ultrafast hydrogen-bond forming and breaking (i.e., complexation) kinetics of phenol to benzene in a benzene/CCl4 mixture is investigated.

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Using three-dimensional infrared (3D-IR) spectroscopy, we investigate the vibrational dynamics of isotope-diluted ice Ih. By probing the OD stretch mode of HOD in H2O, we observe an extremely rapid decay (≈200 fs) of the population from the second vibrational excited state. Quantum simulations based on a two-dimensional Lippincott-Schroeder potential agree nearly quantitatively with the experimental 3D-IR lineshapes and dynamics.

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We describe a novel surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) sensing approach utilizing modified gold nanoshells and demonstrate its application to analysis of critical redox-potential dependent changes in antigen structure that are implicated in the initiation of a human autoimmune disease. In Goodpasture's disease, an autoimmune reaction is thought to arise from incomplete proteolysis of the autoantigen, α3(IV)NC1(67-85) by proteases including Cathepsin D. We have used SERS to study conformational changes in the antigen that correlate with its oxidation state and to show that the antigen must be in the reduced state in order to undergo proteolysis.

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