Anomalous electric-field effect and glassy behaviour in granular aluminium thin films: electron glass?

We present a study of non-equilibrium phenomena observed in the electrical conductance of insulating granular aluminium thin films. An anomalous field effect and its slow relaxation are studied in some detail. The phenomenology is very similar to the one already observed in indium oxide. The origin of the phenomena is discussed. In granular systems, the present experiments can naturally be interpreted along two different lines. One relies on a slow polarisation in the dielectric surrounding the metallic islands. The other one relies on a purely electronic mechanism: the formation of an electron Coulomb glass in the granular metal. More selective experiments and/or quantitative predictions about the Coulomb glass properties are still needed to definitely distinguish between the two scenarios.     

Using dileptons to probe the color glass condensate

The rapidity and transverse momentum dependence of the nuclear modification ratio for dilepton production at RHIC and LHC is presented, calculated in the color glass condensate (CGC) framework. The transverse momentum ratio is compared for two distinct dilepton mass values and a suppression of the Cronin peak is verified even for large mass. The nuclear modification ratio suppression in the dilepton rapidity spectra, as obtained experimentally for hadrons at RHIC, is verified for LHC energies at large transverse momentum, although not present at RHIC energies. The ratio between LHC and RHIC nuclear modification ratios is evaluated in the CGC, showing the large saturation effects at LHC compared with the RHIC results. These results consolidate the dilepton as a most suitable observable to investigate the QCD high density approaches.     

Crystallization of Arthrobacter sp. strain 1C N-(1-D-carboxyethyl)-L-norvaline dehydrogenase and its complex with NAD+

The novel NAD+-linked opine dehydrogenase from a soil isolate Arthrobacter sp. strain 1C belongs to an enzyme superfamily whose members exhibit quite diverse substrate specificites. Crystals of this opine dehydrogenase, obtained in the presence or absence of co-factor and substrates, have been shown to diffract to beyond 1.8 ? resolution. X-ray precession photographs have established that the crystals belong to space group P21212, with cell parameters a = 104.9, b = 80.0, c = 45.5 ? and a single subunit in the asymmetric unit. The elucidation of the three-dimensional structure of this enzyme will provide a structural framework for this novel class of dehydrogenases to enable a comparison to be made with other enzyme families and also as the basis for mutagenesis experiments directed towards the production of natural and synthetic opine-type compounds containing two chiral centres.     

Determination of 8[(3S)-3-amino-1-pyrrolidinyl]-1-cyclopropyl-7-fluoro-9-methyl-4-oxo-4H-quinolizine-3-carboxylic acid hydrochloride and related substances by high performance liquid chromatography

Summary The purity of the investigational antibacterial Abbott-086719.1 (I) which is 8[(3S)-3-amino-1-pyrrolidinyl]-1-cyclopropyl-7-fluoro-9-methyl-4-oxo-4H-quinolizine-3-carboxylic acid hydrochloride is determined using gradient elution HPLC. The chromatographic separation was optimized and the chromatographic parameters critical to separation are discussed in detail. Most acceptable separations were achieved using an Alltima C18 column (5 m) measuring 4.6 mm I.D.×15 cm with 0.01M–0.03M citrate eluents which were modified with acetonitrile or with mixtures of acetonitrile and methanol. Related substances in I were determinable to 0.05%. Repeatability (RSD values) for determining related substances at levels of 0.50 to 0.06% ranged from ±1.9 to ±10%. Determinations of I in 5% dextrose in water and in hydroxypropyl methylcellulose were made using the same column and a simple isocratic system. The determination of I was stability indicating with precision (RSD values) of ±0.5% to ±2.0% and good agreement with theory for formulations containing I at 1.0 to 95 mg/mL concentrations. Recoveries of I from the vehicles were quantitative and linearity of the detector response of I was demonstrated to at least 0.10 mg/mL.