A relativistic quark-diquark model for the nucleon

We developed a constituent quark-diquark model for the nucleon and its resonances using a harmonic oscillator potential for the interaction. The effects due to relativistic kinetic energy correction are studied. Finally, charge form factor of the model is calculated and compared with experimental data.      

Determination of the acid dissociation constant of bromocresol green and cresol red in water/AOT/isooctane reverse micelles by multiple linear regression and extended principal component analysis

The pKa of 3',3",5',5"tetrabromo-m-cresolsulfonephtalein (Bromocresol Green) and o-cresolsulphonephtalein (Cresol Red) was spectrophotometrically measured in a water/AOT/isooctane microemulsion in the presence of a series of buffers carrying different charges at different water/surfactant ratios. Extended Principal Component Analysis was used for a precise determination of the apparent pKa and of the spectra of the acid and base forms of the dye. The apparent pKa of dyes in water-in-oil microemulsions depends on the charge of the acid and base forms of the buffers present in the water pool. Combination with multiple linear regression increases the precision. Results are discussed taking into account the profile of the electrostatic potential in the water pool and the possible partition of the indicator between the aqueous core and the surfactant. The pKa corrected for these effects are independent of w0 and are close to the value of the pKa in bulk water. On the basis of a tentative hypothesis it is possible to calculate the true pKa of the buffer in the pool.     

The use of nonendcapped C18 columns in the cleanup of clenbuterol and a new adrenergic agonist from bovine liver by gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry analysis

More specific official methodology is needed to survey the illegal use of clenbuterol in animal production plus the synthesis of new compounds that currently elude routine analytical methods. The identification of a new adrenergic agonist, N1-(2-(4-amino-3,5-dichlorophenyl)-2-hydroxyethyl)-N1-isopropyl-propanamide (known as compound A) in animal feed has prompted studies to verify if the existing cleanup procedures developed for clenbuterol are really effective. This study considers the ion-exchange mechanism on cyanopropyl (CN), sulfonic cation exchange (SCX), mixed phase (MPH) (C8 + SCX), and nonendcapped C18 (C18NE) solid-phase extraction (SPE) columns. Results indicate that compound A (by contrast with clenbuterol) is not efficiently retained on the CN, SCX, and MPH SPE columns (recovery <10%). This finding thus leads to the development of a gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry procedure based on C18NE SPE that is able to purify both agonists from bovine livers spiked at 0.5, 1.0, and 2.0 ppb with a mean recovery of 93% for clenbuterol and 92% for compound A.     

Amino acid functionalisation of water soluble carbon nanotubes

High solubility of SWNTs and MWNTs in water is obtained by organic functionalisation; derivatisation with N-protected glycine is also easily achieved.     

Sidewall functionalization of single-walled carbon nanotubes through electrophilic addition

Electrophilic addition of chloroform to SWNTs followed by hydrolysis resulted in the addition of hydroxy groups to the surface of the nanotubes; further esterification with propionyl chloride led to the corresponding ester derivatives, which allowed us to identify their structure, also providing better solubility in organic solvents.     

Poly(ethylene glycol)-supported tetrahydroxyphenyl porphyrin: a convenient,recyclable catalyst for photooxidation reactions

[reaction: see text] A new poly(ethylene glycol)-supported porphyrin has been prepared and its ability as a promoter in photooxidation reactions has been studied. The PEG-supported catalyst exhibits high activity, comparable to that of a nonanchored sensitizer, and it is easily removable by filtration from the reaction mixture. The polymer-bound porphyrin has been recycled up to six times with no loss of chemical and stereochemical efficiency.     

Principio di massimo generalizzato e valutazione del primo autovalore per problemi ellittici del secondo ordine di tipo variazionale

Summary I prove a generalized maximum principle and an evaluation of the first eingenvalue for linear second order elliptic partial differential equations in divergence form with discontinuous coefficients.

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Lavoro eseguito nell'ambito del Centro di ricerca di matematica e fisica teorica del Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche presso l'Università di Genova.

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Entrata in Redazione il 14 luglio 1970.     

First-principles studies of vanadia-titania catalysts: beyond the monolayer

Periodic density functional calculations have been used to investigate the structure and stability of epitaxial vanadium oxide films grown on the TiO(2)(001) anatase surface. The formation energy of films of V(2)O(5) stoichiometry, initially low, is found to rapidly increase with the film thickness, at variance to what is obtained for reduced pseudomorphic VO(2) films. This is in tune with results of oxygen-assisted molecular beam epitaxy. The oxidation of thick, viz. >2 monolayers (ML), VO(2) films yields a c(2 x 2) reconstructed surface, in agreement with low energy electron diffraction. These films are composed by partially reduced inner V atoms in a distorted-octahedral environment, and by isolated surface dioxovanadium centers exhibiting a distorted trigonal-bipyramidal coordination. Single scattering simulations of X-ray photoelectron diffraction patterns have also been performed, taking both 2- and 3-ML surface surface-oxidized films as models. Results are in fair agreement with experiments referring to films grown in oxidizing conditions, which suggests that coherent vanadia ultrathin films could be formed in vanadia-titania catalysts. The electronic structure of the films has been finally studied, finding that the terminal oxygens carried by the surface dioxovanadium species have a strong nucleophilic character, which makes them potential active centers for selective oxidation catalysis.