The observation of predissociations in the oxygen molecular ion by low-energy electron impact

The kinetic energy distribution of the O⁺ ions formed by dissociative ionization of O₂ has been carefully examined in the range of 0.0 to 1.3 eV. In the peak at 600 meV fine structure is observed and interpreted by predissociation. The high energy side of the peak has been ascribed to the predissociation of the ²Δ_g, B²Σ^?_g and the C⁴Σ^?_u states of O⁺₂. The low energy side of the peak is presumably due to the predissociation of the b⁴Σ^?_g state or the ²Φ_u state of O⁺₂ or to autoionizing predissociation.     

Interfacial electrical properties of DNA-modified diamond thin films: intrinsic response and hybridization-induced field effects

We have investigated the frequency-dependent interfacial electrical properties of nanocrystalline diamond films that were covalently linked to DNA oligonucleotides and how these properties are changed upon exposure to complementary and noncomplementary DNA oligonucleotides. Frequency-dependent electrical measurements at the open-circuit potential show significant changes in impedance at frequencies of >10(4) Hz when DNA-modified diamond films are exposed to complementary DNA, with only minimal changes when exposed to noncomplementary DNA molecules. Measurements as a function of potential show that at 10(5) Hz, the impedance is dominated by the space-charge region of the diamond film. DNA molecules hybridizing at the interface induce a field effect in the diamond space-charge layer, altering the impedance of the diamond film. By identifying a range of impedances where the impedance is dominated by the diamond space-charge layer, we show that it possible to directly observe DNA hybridization, in real time and without additional labels, via simple measurement of the interfacial impedance.     

Kinetic modelling of the thermal oxidation of polyisoprene elastomers. Part 1: Unvulcanized unstabilized polyisoprene

The thermal oxidation of an unvulcanized, unstabilized polyisoprene rubber (IR) has been studied in the 40-140 °C temperature range. Ageing was monitored by FTIR determination of double bonds and carbonyl groups, mass uptake measurement, and weight average molar mass determination. A mechanistic scheme based on the standard scheme for radical chain oxidation, but taking into account the diversity of initiation processes and the existence of inter- and intramolecular radical additions to double bonds, was built. The kinetic model derived from this scheme is composed of seven differential equations to be solved in discrete thickness layers to take into account the kinetic control by oxygen diffusion. This system was numerically solved using a Matlab program dedicated to stiff systems of differential equations. The elementary rate constants and other kinetic parameters were then determined from experimental data, using an inverse approach. A set of physically reasonable parameter values was obtained, thus allowing us to envisage lifetime predictions at low temperature (long term). The results led to observations difficult to make from classical analytical studies, for instance the predominance of bimolecular hydroperoxide decomposition among other initiation modes or the competition between intermolecular hydrogen abstraction and intramolecular addition of peroxy radicals to double bonds.     

In vivo total body chlorine measurements using prompt-gamma neutron activation analysis

Total body chlorine (TBC1) provides an estimate of extracellular water. We have examined the feasibility of measuring TBC1 using the 5.6, 6.1, and 8.6 MeV C1 peaks produced during in vivo prompt-gamma neutron activation (dose<0.3 mSv). In subjects, background interference permitted the use of only the 8.6 MeV peak in C1 analysis. Preliminary analyses of the prompt-gamma spectra for 33 healthy females (ages: 24–40 yr) provided a mean estimate of 0.85 g C1 per kg body weight. It is therefore feasible to measure TBC1 concurrently with body nitrogen using relatively low-dose prompt-gamma neutron activation analysis.     

The effect of the source pressure on the abundance of ions of noncovalent protein assemblies in an electrospray ionization orthogonal time-of-flight instrument

The effect of elevating the pressure in the interface region of an electrospray ionization orthogonal time-of-flight mass spectrometer on the ion intensity of different noncovalent protein assemblies has been investigated. Elevating the pressure in the interface region generally led to an enhanced detection of high m/z ions. The optimum pressure was found to be dependent on the m/z value of the ions. This pressure effect should be carefully addressed when relating ion abundance in the mass spectra to solution phase abundance of noncovalent protein assemblies.     

A ten-residue fragment of an antibody (mini-antibody) directed against lysozyme as ligand in immunoaffinity chromatography

The interaction between an antibody molecule and a protein antigen is an example of "natural" protein modelling. Amino acids of the antigen-binding site consisting of three hypervariable segments (L1, L2, L3) of the light (L) and three (H1, H2, H3) of the heavy (H) chain of an antibody molecule interact with amino acids present in an epitope of a protein. A ten-residue peptide was synthesized with an amino acid sequence analogous to the hypervariable L3 segment of a monoclonal antibody directed against lysozyme. The peptide was immobilized on CH-Sepharose 4B and the affinity adsorbent was used to purify lysozyme added to a detergent extract of insect cells infected with a recombinant baculovirus. This methodology may also be applicable to other antigen-antibody combinations, in immunoaffinity chromatography for selective purification of a protein or in an immunosensor for detection of a protein.     

Utilisation d'un “blanc interferences” dans la determination des nitrates par potentiometrie selective

(Use of an interference blank in the determination of nitrate by ion-selective potentiometry.) During selective potentiometry of nitrate in meat product additives, a new interference originating from polyphosphate ions was encountered. The selectivity coefficients measured were 5 × 10^?2 for tripolyphosphate, 10^?2 for chloride, 8 × 10^?4 for pentapolyphosphate and 6 × 10^?4 for pyrophosphate. An “interference blank” techniques is proposed; nitrate is destroyed in the medium to be studied, so that calibration is possible in the presence of interfering substances regardless of their identity or concentration. The method is successfully applied to monitoring of meat product additives.     

1-Alkoxy-2-azaallenyl-komplexe von chrom und wolfram

The successive reaction of (CO)₆M with Na[NCR₂¹] and [Et₃O]BF₄ yields (CO)₅M[C(NCR₂¹)OEt] (II: M = Cr; III: M = W; CR₂¹ = C(C₆H₄Br-p)₂ (a), CPh₂ (b), C(C₆H₄OMe-p)₂ (c), C(C₆H₄)₂O (d), CBu₂^tt (e)). Hexacarbonyltungsten, (CO)₆W, reacts with Na[NCPh₂] and MeOSO₂F to give (CO)₅W[C(NCPh₂) OMe] (IV). X-Ray analysis of IIe shows that: (1) the CNC fragment is almost linear (171.7°); (2) the two NC bond lengths are equal within experimental error; and (3) the O,C,Cr,N plane is perpendicular to the C(Me₃),C,N,C(Me₃) plane (90.0°). Therefore compounds II–IV are best described as 1-alkoxy-2-azaallenyl complexes.     

THE NON-RADIATIVE DISSIPATION OF EXCITATION ENERGY IN SOLID CINNAMIC ACID BY DIMER FORMATION

Abstract— The quantum efficiency for the photodimerization of trans -cinnamic acid in the solid state is independent of intensity and is found to have a value approaching two. Thus, the reaction involves one excited and one un-excited molecule.
During the exposure, a dimer film developing on the surface of the cinnamic acid layer attenuates the intensity of the radiation incident on the unreacted cinnamic acid. This gives the appearance of a decrease in the quantum yield with increasing number of photons incident.