Production of slow muonic hydrogen isotopes in vacuum

Muonic hydrogen isotopes (μ⁻ p, μ⁻ d, and μ⁻t) are simple quantum mechanical systems ideally suited for studies of numerous fundamental phenomena in electroweak and strong interactions as well as in applied areas such as muon chemistry or muon catalyzed fusion. Emission of muonic hydrogen isotopes into vacuum helps to overcome the limitations which are normally imposed on conventional investigations with gaseous and liquid targets. A proof of principle experiment for this new technique was performed at TRIUMF last year. Negative muons with 30 MeV/c momentum were stopped in a thin film of solid hydrogen and produced very low energy μ⁻d in vacuum. The distribution center of the normal velocity components of emitted μ⁻d atoms was measured to be ∼1 cm/μs. The yield of μ⁻d in vacuum is an increasing function of H₂ film thickness δ up to a value of δ≥1 mm.     

Observation and analysis ofE mesons in\bar p p annihilation at rest in H2 gas

Antiproton-proton annihilation at rest in a gaseous H₂ target at NTP into the final state π⁺ π^? K ^± π^? (K ⁰) with an undetectedK ⁰ or \(\bar K^0 \) has been investigated. We observe theE(1420) resonance in the invariant mass spectrum (K ⁰)_miss K ^± π^? with massM _E =1413±8 MeV/c² and widthГ ^E =62 ± 16MeV/c² and find evidence for the production of thef ₁(1285). The absolute branching ratio of \(\bar p\) p → π⁺ π^? E ⁰,E ⁰ →K ₀ ^L K ^± π ^? at (61±6)%P wave annihilation is (3.0±0.9)·10^?4 of all annihilations. The observed suppression of theE production fromP wave with respect to theS wave together with some simple selection rules suggest that the quantum numbers of theE(1420) areJ ^pc=0^?+ and not I⁺⁺.     

REASSESSMENT OF THE DIFFERENTIAL EFFECTS OF ULTRAVIOLET AND IONIZING RADIATION ON HIV PROMOTER: THE USE OF CELL SURVIVAL AS THE BASIS FOR COMPARISONS

Abstract: Effects of different radiation treatments on the human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV) promoter were reassessed for exposures comparable to those encountered in clinical or cosmetic practice, using survival of the host cell as a basis for comparisons. The exposures were performed with two ultraviolet radiation sources commonly used as medical or cosmetic devices (UVASUN 2000 and FS20 lamps), a germicidal (G15T8) lamp and an X-ray machine. The UVC component of the FS20 lamp was filtered out. The emission spectra of the lamps were determined. The characteristics of these sources allowed us to discriminate among effects of UVA1 (340–400 nm), UVB + UVA2 (280–340 nm) and UVC (254 nm) radiations. Effects of irradiation were ascertained using cultures of HeLa cells stably transfected with the HIV promoter linked to a reporter—chloramphenicol acetyl transferase—gene. The exposures used caused at least two logs of cell killing. In this cytotoxicity range, UVA1 or X radiations had no effect on the HIV promoter, whereas UVB + UVA2 or UVC radiations activated the HIV promoter in a fluence-dependent manner. Survivals following exposure to UVB + UVA2 or UVC radiation were (1) at the lowest measurable HIV promoter activation, 30 and 20%, respectively, (2) at one-half maximal activation, 6 and 3%, respectively and (3) at the maximal activation, 0.5 and 0.2%, respectively. The results suggest that, among the radiations studied, UVB is the most important modality from the viewpoint of its potential effects on HIV-infected individuals, since (1) UVA1 or X radiations have no effects on the HIV promoter, (2) human exposure to UVC radiation is infrequent and (3) human UVB exposure is very common.     

Minimal number of chromatographic test parameters for the characterisation of reversed-phase liquid chromatographic stationary phases

This paper focuses on the classification or differentiation of RP-HPLC columns based on measured chromatographic properties. A chemometric study has been conducted on a published data set consisting of 85 RP-HPLC columns and on a data set consisting of 47 self-tested columns. Principal component analysis enables determination of the number of parameters necessary for a rational differentiation. The results show that reducing the number of parameters for such differentiation still allows classification of the columns just as a higher number did. It is shown that three test parameters produce a classification similar to that obtained with five parameters.     

51V magic angle spinning NMR spectroscopy of Keggin anions [PVnW12-nO40](3+n)-: effect of countercation and vanadium substitution on fine structure constants

Vanadium environments in Keggin oxopolytungstates were characterized by (51)V solid-state MAS NMR spectroscopy. (C(4)H(9))(4)N(+)-, K(+)-, Cs(+)-, as well as mixed Na(+)/Cs(+)- salts of the mono-, di-, and trivanadium substituted oxotungstates, [VW(11)O(40)](4-), [V(2)W(10)O(40)](5-), and [V(3)W(9)O(40)](6-), have been prepared as microcrystalline and crystalline solids. Solid-state NMR spectra report on the local environment of the vanadium site in these Keggin ions via their anisotropic quadrupolar and chemical-shielding interactions. These (51)V fine structure constants in the solid state are determined by the number of vanadium atoms present in the oxoanion core. Surprisingly, the quadrupolar anisotropy tensors do not depend to any significant extent on the nature of the countercations. On the other hand, the chemical-shielding anisotropy tensors, as well as the isotropic chemical shifts, display large variations as a function of the cationic environment. This information can be used as a probe of the local cationic environment in the vanadium-substituted Keggin solids.     

Forward-scattering degenerate four-wave mixing as a potential laser-based absorption detection method in liquid separation systems: Coupling to conventional-size liquid chromatography

An explorative study on the compatibility of liquid separation systems, such as (micro) liquid chromatography (LC) and capillary electrophoresis (CE), and forward-scattering degenerate four-wave mixing (F-D4WM) as a detection method is presented. F-D4WM is a laser-based technique showing some analogy with holographic spectroscopy: a signal on a theoretical dark background is observed as a result of light absorption by an analyte. Parameters considered are solvent composition focussing on acetonitrile, methanol and water; mobile phases in LC and CE), detector cell construction, and influences of laser beam powers. A specially designed detector cell has been developed to meet the Brewster condition, both at the air-quartz and the quartz-liquid boundaries. For practical reasons, the tested cell has an optical pathlength of 1 mm; reduction to 100 μm is required to apply the cell in microseparations. The F-D4WM technique has been involved for detection in a conventional-size, reversed-phase LC separation of 1- and 2-aminoanthraquinones. The detection limit obtained (for the 1 mm cell) is 2 × 10⁻⁵ absorbance units. The experiments indicate that further reduction of background deserves explicit attention.     

Cation recognition by new diester- and diamide-calix[4]arenediquinones and a diamide-benzo-15-crown-5-calix[4]arene

The synthesis, metal, ammonium and alkyl ammonium cation coordination chemistry and electrochemical recognition studies of new diester-and diamide-calix[4]arenediquinone receptors are described. In addition the synthesis and coordination properties of a novel diamide benzo-15-crown-5-calix[4]arene molecule is reported.This paper is dedicated to the commemorative issue on the 50th anniversary of calixarenes.     

On-line high-performance liquid chromatographic diode array spectrophotometric analysis of steroidal hormones in illegal preparations

An on-line high-performance liquid chromatographic diode array spectroscopic analytical method for the identification of more than 60 different steroidal compounds is described. For the chromatographic separation, a gradient elution that could distinguish the esterified and non-esterified steroids in the same run on a reversed-phase C18 column, using methanol as modifier, was developed. For both types of compound an internal standard was chosen to establish reproducible relative retention times that could be used as one element of the identification; the second element is the UV spectrum, which is recorded on-line during the separation. The combination of chromatographic and UV spectroscopic recordings selects only a few probable steroids, which could be the unknown. This approach has been applied to forensic analysis of illicit preparations used in cattle-breeding, some examples of which are shown. For those steroids that are very difficult to distinguish using this procedure, because of their chromatographic and spectroscopic similarity on this system, other solvent mixtures are used in place of methanol as modifier, namely acetonitrile or tetrahydrofuran, or both, with the same solvent strength, as proposed by Snyder. In this way totally different elution patterns and separations are obtained, providing complementary information for identification, as shown by the systematic analysis on two other isoeluotropic solvent systems.     

The preparation,isomerization, and characterization of some phosphagerma- and arsagermacarboranes

Treatment of the disodium salts of 7,8- and 7,9-B₉H₉CHE^2? with germanium diiodide in refluxing benzene results in the formation of 1,2,3- and 1,2,7-GeB₉H₉CHE (E = P or As), icosahedral boranes containing three different heteroatoms in the cage. Heating 1,2,7-GeB₉H₉CHP at 512° for 8 hours in an evacuated sealed tube yields a mixture of three new isomers one of which has been isolated and characterized.     

Transmembrane anion transport mediated by halogen bonding and hydrogen bonding triazole anionophores

Transmembrane ion transport by synthetic anionophores is typically achieved using polar hydrogen bonding anion receptors. Here we show that readily accessible halogen and hydrogen bonding 1,2,3-triazole derivatives can efficiently mediate anion transport across lipid bilayer membranes with unusual anti-Hofmeister selectivity. Importantly, the results demonstrate that the iodo-triazole systems exhibit the highest reported activity to date for halogen bonding anionophores, and enhanced transport efficiency relative to the hydrogen bonding analogues. In contrast, the analogous fluoro-triazole systems, which are unable to form intermolecular interactions with anions, are inactive. The halogen bonding anionophores also exhibit a remarkable intrinsic chloride over hydroxide selectivity, which is usually observed only in more complex anionophore designs, in contrast to the readily accessible acyclic systems reported here. This highlights the potential of iodo-triazoles as synthetically accessible and versatile motifs for developing more efficient anion transport systems. Computational studies provide further insight into the nature of the anion-triazole intermolecular interactions, examining the origins of the observed transport activity and selectivity of the systems, and revealing the role of enhanced charge delocalisation in the halogen bonding anion complexes.

Halogen and hydrogen bonding 1,2,3-triazole derivatives efficiently mediate anion transport across lipid bilayer membranes with unusual anion selectivity profiles.