CP violations in predictive neutrino mass structures

We study the CP-violation effects from two types of neutrino mass matrices with (i) \((M_\nu )_{ee}=0\), and (ii) \((M_\nu )_{ee}=(M_\nu )_{e\mu }=0\), which can be realized by the high-dimensional lepton number violating operators \(\bar{\ell }_R^c\gamma ^\mu L_L (D_\mu \Phi )\Phi ^2\) and \(\bar{\ell }_R^c l_R (D_\mu {\Phi })^2\Phi ^2\), respectively. In (i), the neutrino mass spectrum is in the normal ordering with the lightest neutrino mass within the range \(0.002\,\mathrm{eV}\lesssim m_0\lesssim 0.007\,\mathrm{eV}\). Furthermore, for a given value of \(m_0\), there are two solutions for the two Majorana phases \(\alpha _{21}\) and \(\alpha _{31}\), whereas the Dirac phase \(\delta \) is arbitrary. For (ii), the parameters of \(m_0\), \(\delta \), \(\alpha _{21}\), and \(\alpha _{31}\) can be completely determined. We calculate the CP-violating asymmetries in neutrino–antineutrino oscillations for both mass textures of (i) and (ii), which are closely related to the CP-violating Majorana phases.     

Quantum mechanical ab initio calculations of the structural,electronic and optical properties of bulk gold nitrides

In the present work, the atomic and the electronic structures of Au₃N, AuN and AuN₂ are investigated using first-principles density-functional theory (DFT). We studied cohesive energy vs. volume data for a wide range of possible structures of these nitrides. Obtained data were fitted to a Birch-Murnaghan third-order equation of state (EOS) so as to identify the most likely candidates for the true crystal structure in this subset of the infinite parameter space, and to determine their equilibrium structural parameters. The analysis of the electronic properties was achieved by the calculations of the band structure and the total and partial density of states (DOS). Some possible pressure-induced structural phase transitions have been pointed out. Further, we carried out GW₀ calculations within the random-phase approximation (RPA) to the dielectric tensor to investigate the optical spectra of the experimentally suggested modification: Au₃N(D0₉). Obtained results are compared with experiment and with some available previous calculations.     

Bacterial Spores Survive Electrospray Charging and Desolvation

The survivability of Bacillus subtilis spores and vegetative Escherichia coli cells after electrospray from aqueous suspension was tested using mobility experiments at atmospheric pressure. E. coli did not survive electrospray charging and desolvation, but B. subtilis did. Experimental conditions ensured that any surviving bacteria were de-agglomerated, desolvated, and electrically charged. Based on mobility measurements, B. subtilis spores survived even with 2,000–20,000 positive charges. B. subtilis was also found to survive introduction into vacuum after either positive or negative electrospray. Attempts to measure the charge distribution of viable B. subtilis spores using electrostatic deflection in vacuum were inconclusive; however, viable spores with low charge states (less than 42 positive or less than 26 negative charges) were observed.

Analysis of the Lipidome of Xenografts Using MALDI-IMS and UHPLC-ESI-QTOF

Human tumor xenografts in immunodeficient mice are a very popular model to study the development of cancer and to test new drug candidates. Among the parameters analyzed are the variations in the lipid composition, as they are good indicators of changes in the cellular metabolism. Here, we present a study on the distribution of lipids in xenografts of NCI-H1975 human lung cancer cells, using MALDI imaging mass spectrometry and UHPLC-ESI-QTOF. The identification of lipids directly from the tissue by MALDI was aided by the comparison with identification using ESI ionization in lipid extracts from the same xenografts. Lipids belonging to PCs, PIs, SMs, DAG, TAG, PS, PA, and PG classes were identified and their distribution over the xenograft was determined. Three areas were identified in the xenograft, corresponding to cells in different metabolic stages and to a layer of adipose tissue that covers the xenograft.

Antiplasmodial Drugs in the Gas Phase: A CID and DFT Study of Quinolon-4(1H)-Imine Derivatives

The gas-phase behavior of 12 quinolon-4(1H)-imine derivatives with antiplasmodial activity was investigated using electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry together with collision induced dissociation and density functional theory (DFT) calculations. The most probable protonation site was predicted by calculating the proton affinity (PA) values for each possible protonation site and it was found to be the imine nitrogen for all compounds under study. Fragmentation pathways of the protonated molecules were proposed and the assignment of product ion structures was performed taking into account theoretical calculations. The nature of the quinoline substituent was found to influence the gas-phase behavior of the compounds under study. The data acquired allowed to bracket the proton affinity of the quinolin-4-imine scaffold, which can be a useful starting point to choose appropriate references for determining PA values of this scaffold. Figure

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Effects of Cations on Protein and Peptide Charging in Electrospray Ionization from Aqueous Solutions

The effects of eight different cations with ionic radii between 69 and 337 pm on the charging of peptides and proteins with electrospray ionization from aqueous acetate salt solutions are reported. Significant adduction occurs for all cations except NH₄ ⁺, and the average protein charge is lower when formed from solutions containing salts compared with solutions without salts added. Circular dichroism and ion mobility results show the protein conformations are different in pure water compared with salt solutions, which likely affects the extent of charging. The average charge of protein and peptide ions formed from solutions with Li⁺ and Cs⁺, which have Gibbs solvation free energies (GSFEs) that differ by 225 kJ/mol, is similar. Lower charge states are typically formed from solutions with tetramethylammonium and tetraethylammonium that have lower GSFE values. Loss of the larger cations that have the lowest GSFEs is facile when adducted protein ions are collisionally activated, resulting in the formation of lower analyte charge states. This reaction pathway provides a route to produce abundant singly protonated protein ions under native mass spectrometry conditions. The average protein and peptide charge with NH₄ ⁺ is nearly the same as that with Rb⁺ and K⁺, cations with similar GSFE and ionic radii. This indicates that proton transfer from NH₄ ⁺ to proteins plays an insignificant role in the extent of protein charging in native mass spectrometry.

Study of thermal behaviour of some edible mushrooms

This paper is aimed to analyse the thermal behaviour in air of edible mushrooms through nonisothermal (TG, DTG, DTA) and calorimetric (Berthelot calorimeter) methods. The studied mushrooms were Pleurotus ostreatus spontaneously grown and from culture and Agaricus bisporus from culture, currently used in alimentation but insufficiently investigated from this point of view. The analysis of TG–DTG–DTA curves has indicated that the degradation mechanism is complex and characteristic to every species and major differences between the cap and the stipe of investigated mushrooms have not been recorded. These species are thermally stable in the range of 30–160 °C. The thermal stability in terms of initial degradation temperature (T _i °C) and the temperature corresponding to the conversion grade (T _α=0.03 °C) indicate that the stipe has a thermal stability close to the cap one and that the cultivated mushrooms are more thermally stable than those spontaneously grown. The obtained results concerning the combustion of the sample using Berthelot calorimeter are in accordance with the TG–DTG–DTA analysis. The residue obtained is a measure of the mineral content and is quantitatively close.     

Electrospinning synthesis and photocatalytic property of CaFe2O4/MgFe2O4 heterostructure for degradation of tetracycline

CaFe₂O₄/MgFe₂O₄ nanowires with heterostructure had been successfully synthesized by electrospinning method. The obtained samples were systematically characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X‐Ray diffraction (XRD), UV–Vis diffuse reflectance spectra (UV‐Vis DR) and Environment scanning electron microscopy (ESEM). The novel CaFe₂O₄/MgFe₂O₄ nanowires exhibit an enhanced photocatalytic activity for degrading of tetracycline (TC) under visible light. Compared with bare CaFe₂O₄ or MgFe₂O₄ samples, the prepared CaFe₂O₄/MgFe₂O₄ (Ca:Mg:Fe = 3:2:10) composited nanowires show the best photocatalytic performance with a degradation efficiency of 40% after 150 min reaction time. This enhancement is attributed to the heterostructure of CaFe₂O₄/MgFe₂O₄ nanowires, which effectively repress the recombination of photo‐generated electrons and holes. Based on heterostructure and energy band positions, the enhancement of mechanism under visible‐light enhances the photocatalytic activity.