Analysis of relative isotopologue abundances for quantitative profiling of complex protein mixtures labelled with the acrylamide/D3-acrylamide alkylation tag system

The new method of analysis of relative isotopologue abundances (ARIA) applied here is based on the evaluation of total isotope patterns of tryptic protein fragments measured by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionisation time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOFMS) to calculate the mixing ratios of composites consisting of stable isotope labelled and isotopically natural (unlabelled) proteins, as described in an accompanying paper in this issue. Recently, Sechi (Rapid Commun. Mass Spectrom. 2002; 16: 1416-1424) and Gehanne et al. (Rapid Commun. Mass Spectrom. 2002; 16: 1692-1698) introduced the use of differential quantitative mass analysis by MALDI-TOFMS using mixtures of standard proteins alkylated prior to two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (2D-PAGE) with either acrylamide (AA) or deuterium-labelled [2,3,3'-D(3)]-acrylamide (D3AA). In the present study we validate the AA/D3AA system, firstly by measuring the yield of proteins alkylated with AA, and secondly by using differential radioactive labels ((125)I and (131)I) to quantitatively establish that non-comigration in 2D-PAGE is negligible. ARIA is then applied to quantitatively estimate the relative proportions of peptides labelled with AA or D3AA in the validated system, using typical silver-stained 2D-PAGE protein spots from 2D gels loaded with 150 microg of total liver protein. The precision and limitations of ARIA quantification of peptides differentially alkylated with isotopomeric reagents are discussed.     

Superconductivity in dense MgB2 wires

MgB2 becomes superconducting just below 40 K. Whereas porous polycrystalline samples of MgB2 can be synthesized from boron powders, in this Letter we demonstrate that dense wires of MgB2 can be prepared by exposing boron filaments to Mg vapor. The resulting wires have a diameter of 160 microm, are better than 80% dense, and manifest the full chi = -1/4pi shielding in the superconducting state. Temperature-dependent resistivity measurements indicate that MgB2 is a highly conducting metal in the normal state with rho(40 K) = 0.38 microOmega cm. By using this value, an electronic mean-free path, l approximately 600 A can be estimated, indicating that MgB2 wires are well within the clean limit. Tc, Hc2(T), and Jc data indicate that MgB2 manifests comparable or better superconducting properties in dense wire form than it manifests as a sintered pellet.     

Pressure-induced superconductivity in quasi-2D CeRhIn5

CeRhIn5 is a new heavy-electron material that crystallizes in a quasi-2D structure that can be viewed as alternating layers of CeIn3 and RhIn2 stacked sequentially along the tetragonal c axis. Application of hydrostatic pressure induces a first-order-like transition from an unconventional antiferromagnetic state to a superconducting state with T(c) = 2.1 K.     

A Selective Conversion of Benzylic Alcohols to the Corresponding Carbonyl Compounds by Means of an Ag(III) Complex

 Carbonyl compounds of the type XPhCOR (R = H, Me, Ph; X = H, Me, Cl, Br) are prepared in high yields by reaction of the corresponding benzylic alcohols XPhCHOHR with KNa₄ [Ag(HIO₆)₂]×12H₂O in alkaline solution. This method allows the selective oxidation of benzylic alcohols in compounds containing other types of alcoholic functional groups.     

Guided modes in left-handed waveguides

We investigate basic properties of linear guided modes in a waveguide slab with the core of a material with simultaneously negative effective permittivity and permeability surrounded by a normal dielectric cladding. The existence and dispersion of all possible types of guided modes have been studied in detail. We demonstrate that the two orthogonally polarized, TE and TM slow guided modes, with the same frequency and the same wave number can exist simultaneously. Their group velocities, however, can be parallel or anti-parallel.     

Coordinated control of distribution supply chains in the presence of fuzzy customer demand

This paper considers a single product inventory control in a Distribution Supply Chain (DSC). The DSC operates in the presence of uncertainty in customer demands. The demands are described by imprecise linguistic expressions that are modelled by discrete fuzzy sets. Inventories at each facility within the DSC are replenished by applying periodic review policies with optimal order up-to-quantities. Fuzzy customer demands imply fuzziness in inventory positions at the end of review intervals and in incurred relevant costs per unit time interval. The determination of the minimum of defuzzified total cost of the DSC is a complex problem which is solved by applying decomposition; the original problem is decomposed into a number of simpler independent optimisation subproblems, where each retailer and the warehouse determine their optimum periodic reviews and order up-to-quantities. An iterative coordination mechanism is proposed for changing the review periods and order up-to-quantities for each retailer and the warehouse in such a way that all parties within the DSC are satisfied with respect to total incurred costs per unit time interval. Coordination is performed by introducing fuzzy constraints on review periods and fuzzy tolerances on retailers and warehouse costs in local optimisation subproblems.     

The chaotic response of a fluttering panel: The influence of maneuvering

The influence of maneuvering on the chaotic response of a fluttering buckled plate on an aircraft has been studied. The governing equations, derived using Lagrangian mechanics, include geometric non-linearities associated with the occurrence of tensile stresses, as well as coupling between the angular velocity of the maneuver and the elastic degrees of freedom. Numerical simulation for periodic and chaotic responses are conducted in order to analyze the influence of the pull-up maneuver on the dynamic behavior of the panel. Long-time histories phase-plane plots, and power spectra of the responses are presented. As the maneuver (load factor) increases, the system exhibits complicated dynamic behavior including a direct and inverse cascade of subharmonic bifurcations, intermittency, and chaos. Beside these classical routes of transition from a periodic state to chaos, our calculations suggest amplitude modulation as a possible new mode of transition to chaos. Consequently this research contributes to the understanding of the mechanisms through which the transition between periodic and strange attractors occurs in, dissipative mechanical systems. In the case of a prescribed time dependent maneuver, a remarkable transition between the different types of limit cycles is presented.Nomenclature a plate length - a _r u _r /h - D plate bending stiffness - E modulus of elasticity - g acceleration due to gravity - h plate thickness - j₁,j₂,j₃ base vectors of the body frame of reference - K spring constant - M Mach number - n 1 + ₀/g - N ₁ applied in-plane force - p–p aerodynamic pressure - P pa ⁴/Dh - q ₀/2 - Q _r generalized Lagrangian forces - R rotation matrix - R ₄ N, a ²/D - t time - kinetic energy - u plate deflection - u displacement of the structure - u _r modal amplitude - v₀ velocity - x coordinates in the inertial frame of reference - z coordinates in the body frame of reference - Ka/(Ka+Eh) - - elastic energy - 2qa ³/D - a/_mh - Poisson's ratio - material coordinates - air density - _m plate density - - _r prescribed functions - _r sin(r z/a) - angular velocity - a/v₀ - skew-symmetric matrix form of the angular velocity