Application of matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization to on-line aerosol time-of-flight mass spectrometry

Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) mass spectra were obtained from single biological aerosol particles using an aerosol time-of-flight mass spectrometer (ATOFMS). The inlet to the ATOFMS was coupled with an evaporation/condensation flow cell that allowed the aerosol to be coated with matrix material as the sampled stream entered the spectrometer. Mass spectra were generated from aerosol composed either of gramicidin-S or erythromycin, two small biological molecules, or from aerosolised spores of Bacillus subtilis var niger. Three different matrices were used: 3-nitrobenzyl alcohol, picolinic acid and sinapinic acid. A spectrum of gramicidin-S was generated from approximately 250 attomoles of material using a molar ratio of 3-nitrobenzyl alcohol to analyte of approximately 20:1. A single peak, located at 1224 Da, was obtained from the bacterial spores. The washing liquid and extract solution from the spores were analyzed using electrospray mass spectrometry and subsequent MS/MS product ion experiments. This independent analysis suggests that the measured species represents part of the B. subtilis peptidoglycan. The on-line addition of matrix allows quasi-real-time chemical analysis of individual, aerodynamically sized particles, with an overall system residence time of less than 5 seconds. These results suggest that a MALDI-ATOFMS can provide nearly real-time identification of biological aerosols. Copyright 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A new concept for a current switch based on a high-temperature superconductor

A new concept for a device for protecting an alternating-current network is offered. It is based on a combination of a superconducting limiter of a short-circuit current and a circuit breaker. A high-temperature superconductor in the form of a pile of plane rings is used as the active element of the limiter. The test results of a model of such a limiter are obtained in the steady-state short-circuit regime. The characteristics of composite silverless materials used for design of the breaker are given.     

Spin-dependent electron-proton scattering in the Delta-excitation region

We report on measurements of the cross section and provide first data on spin correlation parameters A(TT') and A(TL') in inclusive scattering of longitudinally polarized electrons from nuclear-polarized hydrogen. Polarized electrons were injected into an electron storage ring operated at a beam energy of 720 MeV. Polarized hydrogen was produced by an atomic beam source and injected into an open-ended cylindrical cell, located in the electron storage ring. The four-momentum transfer squared ranged from Q2 = 0.2 GeV(2)/c(2) at the elastic scattering peak to Q2 = 0.11 GeV(2)/c(2) at the Delta(1232) resonance. The data provide a stringent test of pion electroproduction models.     

Radiation-Induced Conductivity of Plasticized Flexible-Chain Polymers

The radiation-induced conductivity of cured and transformer-oil extended polybutadiene and polyisoprene rubbers was studied. It was shown that the extender ratio and degree of cure of a polymer system have a much greater effect on the radiation conductivity than the addition of donor–acceptor dopants trapping mobile charge carriers. It was concluded that the molecular mobility is the major factor determining the electron transport properties of the systems of interest.     

Application of the Floquet theory to multiple quantum NMR of dipolar-coupled multi-spin systems under magic angle spinning

A new analytical Liouville-space representation of the time-propagator under magic angle spinning (MAS) is introduced using the formalized quantum Floquet theory. This approach has the advantage that it is applicable to the analysis of any type of NMR experiment where MAS is combined with multiple-pulse excitation. General relationships describing the spectral parameters in multiple-quantum (MQ) MAS spectra are derived in this representation. Their use is illustrated with an application to double-quantum (DQ) NMR spectra of dipolar-coupled multi-spin systems. Corresponding to the separation of the MAS time-propagator into a rotor modulated and a dephasing component, two distinct mechanisms for DQ excitation are identified. One of them exploits the rotor-modulated component to excite DQ coherences through dipolar-recoupling techniques, which are familiar for spin pairs. Analytical expressions of the integral intensities and linewidths in the resulting DQ sideband pattern are derived in the form of power series expansions of the inverse rotor frequency, of which coefficients depend on structural parameters. In a multi-spin system they can most reliably be extracted in the fast spinning regime. The other mechanism exploits the dephasing component, which is characteristic to multi-spin systems only. This is shown to give rise to DQ coherences by free evolution at full rotor periods. The possibility to exploit it for selective excitation of higher order MQ coherences is discussed. In either case, the dephasing component also leads to residual broadening. The main results of the theoretical developments are demonstrated experimentally on adamantane.     

A mathematical model of aging-related and cortisol induced hippocampal dysfunction

Background  

The hippocampus is essential for declarative memory synthesis and is a core pathological substrate for Alzheimer's disease (AD), the most common aging-related dementing disease. Acute increases in plasma cortisol are associated with transient hippocampal inhibition and retrograde amnesia, while chronic cortisol elevation is associated with hippocampal atrophy. Thus, cortisol levels could be monitored and managed in older people, to decrease their risk of AD type hippocampal dysfunction. We generated an in silicomodel of the chronic effects of elevated plasma cortisol on hippocampal activity and atrophy, using the systems biology mark-up language (SBML). We further challenged the model with biologically based interventions to ascertain if cortisol associated hippocampal dysfunction could be abrogated.     

Long-pulse operation at constant output power and single-frequency mode of a high-power electrostatic free-electron maser with depressed collector

The Fusion Free-Electron Maser (FFF) is the prototype of a high-power, tunable source of mm-wave radiation, for use on fusion plasma devices. In previous experiments a net output power of 730 kW at 206 GHz was generated in short pulses. The present experiment has been equipped with a system to recover the charge and energy of the spent electron beam. We present experimental results which show output of mm-wave radiation at constant power level during the full pulse length, as well as single-frequency operation; even though the cavity is highly overmoded; the latter is reached by effective suppression of spurious modes by the feedback system.     

Spin-momentum correlations in quasielastic electron scattering from deuterium

The spin-momentum correlation parameter A(V)(ed) was measured for the 2H-->(e-->,e'p)n reaction for missing momenta up to 350 MeV/c at Q2 = 0.21 (GeV/c)(2) for quasielastic scattering of polarized electrons from vector-polarized deuterium. The data give detailed information about the deuteron spin structure and are in good agreement with the results of microscopic calculations based on realistic nucleon-nucleon potentials and including various spin-dependent reaction mechanism effects. The experiment reveals in a most direct manner the effects of the D state in the deuteron ground-state wave function and shows the importance of isobar configurations for this reaction.     

Experiments with longitudinally polarized electrons in a storage ring using a siberian snake

We report on first measurements with polarized electrons stored in a medium-energy ring and with a polarized internal target. Polarized electrons were injected at 442 MeV (653 MeV), and a partial (full) Siberian snake was employed to preserve the polarization. Longitudinal polarization at the interaction point and polarization lifetime of the stored electrons were determined with laser backscattering. Spin observables were measured for electrodisintegration of polarized 3He, with simultaneous detection of scattered electrons, protons, neutrons, deuterons, and 3He nuclei, over a large phase space.