Integral Geometry on Discrete Grassmannians in Z n

We study the Radon transform R on the discrete Grassmannian of rank-d affine sublattices of Z ⁿ for 0 <  d <  n, extending and building on previous work of the first- and third-named authors in codimension 1. By analogy with the integral geometry on Grassmannians in R ⁿ , various natural questions are treated, such as definition and properties of R and its dual transform R ^*, function space setting, support theorems and inversion formulas.     

Thin Film Counterelectrodes with High Li Charge Capacity for Electrochromic Windows

Summary.  Ce-V mixed oxide films have been deposited by RF sputtering with the aim of increasing the Li charge capacity of counter electrodes in smart windows. Such mixed oxides have shown high transmittance and optical passivity in the visible region. After electrode pre-conditioning by cyclic voltammetry, a good electrochemical reversibility in LiClO₄– propylene carbonate electrolyte was observed, and large Li-charge capacity under galvanostatic charging (up to 50 mCċcm⁻²) has been measured. The electrode charge capacity decreased after prolonged insertion-deinsertion cycles, whereas the photoptic transmittance remained about constant. After 800 cycles the Li-charge capacity decreased to 40 mCċcm⁻². The Li diffusion coefficient inside the films measured by electrochemical impedance and by galvanostatic titration ranged from 10⁻¹¹ cm²ċs⁻¹ to 10⁻¹³cm²ċs⁻¹. We observed that the Li charge capacity of the film electrodes is a function of the film deposition conditions, because it increased with the vanadium oxide concentration in the target and with the oxygen content in the sputtering atmosphere. Received June 23, 2000. Accepted (revised) August 7, 2000     

The Coordination and Transformation of Arene Rings by Transition Metal Carbonyl Cluster Complexes

A survey of the synthetic pathways and of the reactivity and catalytic activity of transition metal carbonyl clusters substituted with benzyne (and, for comparison, benzene and diene) ligands is given. Cluster-surface analogies are helpful in gaining an understanding of the homogeneous and heterogeneous catalytic behaviour of the clusters.     

The proteolytic activity of insulin‐degrading enzyme: a mass spectrometry study

The prominent role that insulin‐degrading enzyme (IDE) has on amyloidogenic peptides degradation has recently boosted a lot of attention toward this enzyme. Although many substrates are known to be degraded by IDE, little is known about the changes in the proteolytic activity of the enzyme upon modification of environmental factors. In a previous work we have already shown the great potentiality of atmospheric pressure/laser desorption ionization‐mass spectrometry (AP/MALDI‐MS) for studying the interaction between IDE and insulin. Here, the activity of IDE was investigated regarding cleavage sites' preferentiality upon modification of environmental factors by AP/MALDI‐MS. The roles that IDE/insulin concentration ratio, reaction time, adenosine 5′‐triphosphate (ATP) and metal ions (Zn and Cu) have on the insulin cleavage pattern produced by IDE are investigated and a plausible interpretation involving the proteolytic action of the different IDE oligomeric forms is proposed. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.