The lowest 2A' excited state of the water-hydroxyl complex

Vertical and adiabatic excitation energies of the lowest (2)A(') excited state in the water-hydroxyl complex have been determined using coupled cluster, multireference configuration interaction, multireference perturbation theory, and density-functional methods. A significant redshift of about 0.4 eV in the vertical excitation energy of the complex compared to that of the hydroxyl radical monomer is found with the coupled cluster calculations validating previous results. Electronic excitation leads to a structure with near-equal sharing of the hydroxyl hydrogen by both oxygen atoms and a concomitantly large redshift of the adiabatic excitation energy of approximately 1 eV relative to the vertical excitation energy. The combination of redshifts ensures that the electronic transition in the complex lies well outside the equivalent excitation in the hydroxyl radical monomer. The complex is approximately five times more strongly bound in the excited state than in the ground state.     

Validation of a sensitive LC/MS/MS method for the determination of zidovudine and lamivudine in human plasma

A sensitive LC/MS/MS assay for determining zidovudine (ZDV) and lamivudine (3TC) in human plasma was validated to support antiretroviral pharmacology research programs. After addition of stable labeled isotopic zidovudine (ZDV‐IS) and lamivudine (3TC‐IS) as internal standard, a solid‐phase extraction was performed with an Oasis HLB 1 cm³ cartridge, with recoveries of 92.3% for ZDV and 93.9% for 3TC. A Phenomonex Synergi Hydro‐RP (2.0 × 150 mm) reversed‐phase analytical column was utilized for chromatographic separation. The mobile phase consisted of an aqueous solution of 15% acetonitrile and 0.1% acetic acid. Detection was accomplished by ESI/MS/MS in the positive ion mode, monitoring 268/127, 271/130, 230/112 and 233/115 transitions, for ZDV, ZDV‐IS, 3TC and 3TC‐IS, respectively. The method was linear from 1 to 3000 ng/mL with a minimum quantifiable limit of 1 ng/mL when 100 μL of plasma was analyzed. Validation results demonstrated high accuracy (≤8.3% deviation) and high precision (≤10% CV) for the quality control samples. The method was also shown to be specific and reproducible. The value of the high sensitivity was demonstrated by quantitation of approximately 100 existing samples that had ZDV below the limit of quantitation using a previously validated, less sensitive HPLC‐UV method utilized in the laboratory. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Ramsey numbers and adiabatic quantum computing

The graph-theoretic Ramsey numbers are notoriously difficult to calculate. In fact, for the two-color Ramsey numbers R(m,n) with m, n≥3, only nine are currently known. We present a quantum algorithm for the computation of the Ramsey numbers R(m,n). We show how the computation of R(m,n) can be mapped to a combinatorial optimization problem whose solution can be found using adiabatic quantum evolution. We numerically simulate this adiabatic quantum algorithm and show that it correctly determines the Ramsey numbers R(3,3) and R(2,s) for 5≤s≤7. We then discuss the algorithm's experimental implementation, and close by showing that Ramsey number computation belongs to the quantum complexity class quantum Merlin Arthur.     

Determination of a Gas-Phase Bimolecular Rate Coefficient Using a Discharge Flow Tube

A laboratory experiment for senior undergraduate students, the determination of the rate coefficient for the reaction of oxygen atoms with hexafluoropropene, is presented. This reaction has the advantage of not having any important secondary reactions. This laboratory experiment introduces the undergraduate physical chemistry student to advanced kinetic techniques and provides a test of the fundamental principles of chemical kinetics.     

Contrary Statements About Mathematics

The preceding paper ‘Strong statements of analysis’by A. R. D. Mathias defends a so-called full-blooded set theorywithout full detail [3]. He again objects to a weak set theorywhich he calls ‘Mac’, in which the usual Zermelo–Fraenkelseparation scheme is required only for formulas with suitably‘restricted’ quantifiers. I had proposed that suchseparation is adequate for all standard uses of set theory inmathematics. But Mathias has not produced any counter examplesof actual mathematics which requires the use of a stronger separation.     

Improvements in lipid suppression for 1H NMR-based metabolomics: Applications to solution-state and HR-MAS NMR in natural and in vivo samples

Proton nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectra of intact biological samples often show strong contributions from lipids, which overlap with signals of interest from small metabolites. Pioneering work by Diserens et al. demonstrated that the relative differences in diffusivity and relaxation of lipids versus small metabolites could be exploited to suppress lipid signals, in high-resolution magic angle spinning (HR-MAS) NMR spectroscopy. In solution-state NMR, suspended samples can exhibit very broad water signals, which are challenging to suppress. Here, improved water suppression is incorporated into the sequence, and the Carr-Purcell-Meiboom-Gill sequence (CPMG) train is replaced with a low-power adiabatic spinlock that reduces heating and spectral artefacts seen with longer CPMG filters. The result is a robust sequence that works well in both HR-MAS as well as static solution-state samples. Applications are also extended to include in vivo organisms. For solution-state NMR, samples containing significant amount of fats such as milk and hemp hearts seeds are used to demonstrate the technique. For HR-MAS, living earthworms (Eisenia fetida) and freshwater shrimp (Hyalella azteca) are used for in vivo applications. Lipid suppression techniques are essential for non-invasive NMR-based analysis of biological samples with a high-lipid content and adds to the suite of experiments advantageous for in vivo environmental metabolomics.     

Analysis of ν2 of H233S and H234S

We have extended our analysis of the (010) vibrational state of H₂S, this time using Watson's A-reduced Hamiltonian (through P⁸ terms) in the I′ rotational representation. We have determined separate sets of (010) upper state constants for each isotopomer (H₂³²S, H₂³³S, and H₂³⁴S) by fitting the ν₂ spectral lines, keeping the ground state constants fixed to the values determined by Flaud, Camy-Peyret, and Johns. Determinable coefficients for H₂³²S and a slightly revised set of ν₂ line assignments for H₂³³S and H₂³⁴S are also reported.