Eigenvalues of Hermite and Laguerre ensembles: large beta asymptotics

In this paper we examine the zero and first order eigenvalue fluctuations for the β-Hermite and β-Laguerre ensembles, using tridiagonal matrix models, in the limit as β→∞. We prove that the fluctuations are described by multivariate Gaussians of covariance O(1/β), centered at the roots of a corresponding Hermite (Laguerre) polynomial. The covariance matrix itself is expressed as combinations of Hermite or Laguerre polynomials respectively.We show that the approximations are of real value even for small β; we can use them to approximate the true functions even for the traditional β=1,2,4 values.     

Selection of thermotolerant yeasts for simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (SSF) of cellulose to ethanol

A total of 27 yeast strains belonging to the groupsCandida, Saccharomyces, andKluyveromyces were screened for their ability to grow and ferment glucose at temperatures ranging 32-45°C. K. marxianus andK. fragilis were found to be the best ethanol producing organisms at the higher temperature tested and, so, were selected for subsequent simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (SSF) studies.     

Ethanol production from steam-explosion pretreated wheat straw

Bioconversion of cereal straw to bioethanol is becoming an attractive alternative to conventional fuel ethanol production from grains. In this work, the best operational conditions for steam-explosion pretreatment of wheat straw for ethanol production by a simultaneous saccharification and fermentation process were studied, using diluted acid [H₂SO₄ 0.9% (w/w)] and water as preimpregnation agents. Acid-or water-impregnated biomass was steam-exploded at different temperatures (160–200°C) and residence times (5, 10, and 20 min). Composition of solid and filtrate obtained after pretreatment, enzymatic digestibility and ethanol production of pretreated wheat straw at different experimental conditions was analyzed. The best pretreatment conditions to obtain high conversion yield to ethanol (approx 80% of theoretical) of cellulose-rich residue after steam-explosion were 190°C and 10 min or 200°C and 5 min, in acid-impregnated straw. However, 180°C for 10 min in acid-impregnated biomass provided the highest ethanol yield referred to raw material (140 L/t wheat straw), and sugars recovery yield in the filtrate (300 g/kg wheat straw).     

Topological excitations vs intergranular phase — coherence in a HTSC Y0.5Sm0.5Ba2Cu3O7 ceramics

This paper reports a detailed study of the electrical transport properties of good quality superconducting Y_0.5Sm_0.5Ba₂Cu₃O₇ ceramic samples. Analyses of the dependence of resistance on temperature, the relations current-voltage and the magnetoresistance allows to identify:a) the mean field critical temperature (T _CO =93.73±0.01 K);b) a power law behaviorVI atT _CO . The exponent jumps abruptly from 1 to 3, at a certain temperatureT _C =93.276±0.005 K;c) an exponential inverse root-square temperature dependence of the resistivity in theT _{C–T CO} temperature range. These features, typically observed when topological excitations sets in two dimensional systems, can also be interpreted as a signature of a percolation process and a transition towards intergranular phase coherence. We analyze and discuss the relevance of both models to account for the experimental data.     

Analysis of conformational equilibria in aplidine using selective excitation 2D NMR spectroscopy and molecular mechanics/dynamics calculations

Aplidine (dehydrodidemnin B), a natural product with potent antitumor activity currently in multicenter phase II clinical trials, exists in DMSO as a mixture of four slowly interconverting conformations in a ratio of 47:33:13:7. NMR spectroscopy shows that these arise as a consequence of cis/trans isomerization about the NMe-Leu(7)-Pro(8) and Pro(8)-Pyr amide bonds of the molecule's side chain. Two major conformations account for 47% and 33% of the total population, a ratio of 60:40 between the two. They correspond to the cis- and trans-isomers, respectively, about the Pro(8)-Pyr amide bond. Two minor conformers arise as a consequence of similar isomerism about the Pro(8)-Pyr amide bond, but in structures in which the NMe-Leu(7)-Pro(8) amide bond is cis rather than trans. These account for approximately 13% and 7% of the total population, corresponding to a ratio of 65:35 cis/trans, respectively. Molecular dynamics simulations show that the three-dimensional structures of all four conformational isomers are similar in the macrocycle and that all are essentially unchanged with respect to the macrocycle of didemnin B. Significant differences in the conformation of the molecule's side chain are, however, observed between major and minor pairs. Analysis of hydrogen-bonding patterns shows that each major conformer exhibits a beta-turn like structure and is stabilized by hydrogen bonding between a different carbonyl group of the pyruvyl unit of the molecule's side chain and the NH of the Thr(6) residue. The minor isomers have a cis-amide bond between the NMe-Leu(7) and Pro(8) residues that obliges the side chain to adopt an extended disposition where hydrogen bonding to the macrocycle is absent. These results suggest that the ability of the molecule's side chain to adopt a beta-turn-like conformation may not be a prerequisite for biological activity in the didemnins and that conformations having an extended side-chain may play a role in the biological activity of aplidine.     

Perturbational approach to the electron correlation cusp applied to helium‐like atoms

A recently proposed perturbational approach to the electron correlation cusp problem 1 is tested in the context of three spherically symmetrical two‐electron systems: helium atom, hydride anion, and a solvable model system. The interelectronic interaction is partitioned into long‐ and short‐range components. The long‐range interaction, lacking the singularities responsible for the electron correlation cusp, is included in the reference Hamiltonian. Accelerated convergence of orbital‐based methods for this smooth reference Hamiltonian is shown by a detailed partial wave analysis. Contracted orbital basis sets constructed from atomic natural orbitals are shown to be significantly better for the new Hamiltonian than standard basis sets of the same size. The short‐range component becomes the perturbation. The low‐order perturbation equations are solved variationally using basis sets of correlated Gaussian geminals. Variational energies and low‐order perturbation wave functions for the model system are shown to be in excellent agreement with highly accurate numerical solutions for that system. Approximations of the reference wave functions, described by fewer basis functions, are tested for use in the perturbation equations and shown to provide significant computational advantages with tolerable loss of accuracy. Lower bounds for the radius of convergence of the resulting perturbation expansions are estimated. The proposed method is capable of achieving sub‐μHartree accuracy for all systems considered here. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2003     

Chemoenzymatic synthesis of highly enantiomerically enriched secondary alcohols with a thiazolic core

Stereoselective preparative enzymatic acylation and hydrolysis/methanolysis of various C-substituted rac-thiazol-2-yl-methanols were achieved for the preparation of enantiopure or enantiomerically enriched, naturally occurring 2-hydroxymethylthiazoles. The absolute configurations of the resulting secondary alcohols were determined by a detailed ¹H NMR study of Mosher’s derivatives.     

Gold internal standard correction for elemental imaging of soft tissue sections by LA-ICP-MS: element distribution in eye microstructures

Laser ablation coupled to inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry has been developed for the elemental imaging of Mg, Fe and Cu distribution in histological tissue sections of fixed eyes, embedded in paraffin, from human donors (cadavers). This work presents the development of a novel internal standard correction methodology based on the deposition of a homogeneous thin gold film on the tissue surface and the use of the ¹⁹⁷Au⁺ signal as internal standard. Sample preparation (tissue section thickness) and laser conditions were carefully optimized, and internal normalisation using ¹⁹⁷Au⁺ was compared with ¹³C⁺ correction for imaging applications. ²⁴Mg⁺, ⁵⁶Fe⁺ and ⁶³Cu⁺ distributions were investigated in histological sections of the anterior segment of the eye (including the iris, ciliary body, cornea and trabecular meshwork) and were shown to be heterogeneously distributed along those tissue structures. Reproducibility was assessed by imaging different human eye sections from the same donor and from ten different eyes from adult normal donors, which showed that similar spatial maps were obtained and therefore demonstrate the analytical potential of using ¹⁹⁷Au⁺ as internal standard. The proposed analytical approach could offer a robust tool with great practical interest for clinical studies, e.g. to investigate trace element distribution of metals and their alterations in ocular diseases.