Volume expansion and loss of sample due to initial self-heating in capillary electroseparation (CES) systems

Summary The application of a high voltage, V, in capillary electroseparations following sample injection, can cause loss of analyte if the rate of thermal expansion of the liquid in the capillary (due to ohmic heating) is more rapid than the rate of electro-migration of the slowest moving analyte into the column. We show that the limiting condition for avoidance of this undesirable effect requires that the ramp-up rate for the applied voltage is below a critical value. This critical (maximum) value is given to a good approximation by a simple formula (Eq. (30)). Limiting values of dV/dt are in the region of 1000 V s^–1 when the power loss in the capillary is around 3 W m^–1 (e.g. with a field of 30,000 V m^–1 and a current of 100 A). A detailed mathematical analysis which takes full account of the thermal dependence of key variables, indicates that thermal explosion will occur at fields above a critical value (Eq. (21)). We recommend that commercial CES instrumentation incorporates manual or software led ramp-up voltage control.     

Numerical evaluation of second and third virial coefficients of some inert gases via classical cluster expansion

In this project we evaluate second virial coefficient of some inert gases via classical cluster expansion, assuming each atomic pair interaction is of Lennard-Jones type. We also try to numerically evaluate the third virial coefficient of Argon gas based on bipolar-coordinate integration (Mas et?al. in J Chem Phys 10:6694, 1999), assuming the same Lennard-Jones potential as before. The second virial coefficient (Vega et?al. in Phys Chem Chem Phys 4:3000–3007, 2002) calculated from our model are compatible to the experimental data [19] The temperature at which B ₂(T) → 0 is called the Boyle’s temperature T _B (Vega et?al. in Phys Chem Chem Phys 4:3000–3007, 2002) for the Lennard-Jines (12-6) potential. For the second virial coefficient of He, we obtain the Boyle’s temperature as follow: T _B ?=?34.9312438964844 (K) B ₂(T) = 9.82958 × 10^?6 (cm³/mol).     

Quantum correspondence to classical chaos

A simple analysis of the competition between the alternative channels of atom and excitation transfer in collisions of metastable rare-gas atoms with halogens is presented. The intervention of potential surfaces correlating with highly excited Rydberg states lying just below the limit of the molecular cation as well as those which correlate with the anion provides a qualitative rationale for much current experimental data.     

Fractal to classical crossover of chemical reactions

Computer simulations on binary reactions of random walkers (A + A → A) on two- and three-dimensional percolation clusters bear out the recent superuniversality conjecture (integrated reaction rate α t²¹³). Moreover, the fractal-to-euclidean crossover (t²¹³ to t dependence) parallels that of the single walker.     

Platinum nanoparticles reduce ovariectomy-induced bone loss by decreasing osteoclastogenesis

Platinum nanoparticles (PtNP) exhibit remarkable antioxidant activity. There is growing evidence concerning a positive relationship between oxidative stress and bone loss, suggesting that PtNP could protect against bone loss by modulating oxidative stress. Intragastric administration of PtNP reduced ovariectomy (OVX)- induced bone loss with a decreased level of activity and number of osteoclast (OC) in vivo. PtNP inhibited OC formation by impairing the receptor activator of nuclear factor-κB ligand (RANKL) signaling. This impairment was due to a decreased activation of nuclear factor-κB and a reduced level of nuclear factor in activated T-cells, cytoplasmic 1 (NFAT2). PtNP lowered RANKL-induced long lasting reactive oxygen species as well as intracellular concentrations of Ca(2+) oscillation. Our data clearly highlight the potential of PtNP for the amelioration of bone loss after estrogen deficiency by attenuated OC formation.     

Thermodynamic integration from classical to quantum mechanics

We present a new method for calculating quantum mechanical corrections to classical free energies, based on thermodynamic integration from classical to quantum mechanics. In contrast to previous methods, our method is numerically stable even in the presence of strong quantum delocalization. We first illustrate the method and its relationship to a well-established method with an analysis of a one-dimensional harmonic oscillator. We then show that our method can be used to calculate the quantum mechanical contributions to the free energies of ice and water for a flexible water model, a problem for which the established method is unstable.     

Ring expansion of ketones to 1,2-keto-thioketals

Treatment of cyclic ketones with (MeS)₃C-Li, then CuClO₄·4CH₃CN, gives the corresponding ring expanded 1,2-keto-thioketals.     

Simple correction to the classical theory of homogeneous nucleation

Formation of the new disperse phase via homogeneous nucleation plays a fundamental role wherever the first-order phase transitions occur. Inconsistent temperature dependence of the nucleation rates and poor agreement of theoretical critical supersaturations with experimental data for a number of substances are fundamental problems of the classical nucleation theory (CNT). Here we show that these problems can be solved with a simple empirical correction to CNT. Despite its simplicity, the corrected CNT (CCNT) accurately predicts temperature dependences and absolute values of the critical supersaturations for both organic and inorganic substances with widely varying properties at different ambient conditions and it works surprisingly well in a wide size range down to few molecules. The difference in predictions of CCNT and other versions of the classical nucleation theory commonly used in analyzing experimental data is discussed. It has been found that CCNT consistently gives better agreement with experimental data than other versions of classical nucleation theory.     

Protein's electronic polarization contributes significantly to its catalytic function

Ab initio quantum mechanical/molecular mechanical method is combined with the polarized protein-specific charge to study the chemical reactions catalyzed by protein enzymes. Significant improvement in the accuracy and efficiency of free-energy simulation is demonstrated by calculating the free-energy profile of the primary proton transfer reaction in triosephosphate isomerase. Quantitative agreement with experimental results is achieved. Our simulation results indicate that electronic polarization makes important contribution to enzyme catalysis by lowering the energy barrier by as much as 3 kcal/mol.     

Ring expansion of functionalized octahydroindoles to enantiopure cis-decahydroquinolines

A new synthetic entry to enantiopure cis-decahydroquinolines is reported. Endo and exo derivatives of cis-1-benzyl-2-(hydroxymethyl)octahydroindol-6-one ethylene acetal undergo ring enlargement upon treatment with TFAA and then Et3N (thermodynamic conditions) to give enantiopure 1-benzyl-3-hydroxydecahydroquinolin-7-one derivatives in 77 and 82% yield, respectively. For 2-(1-hydroxyethyl) analogues, the best synthetic result is obtained from the (2S,1'R) endo isomer, which under kinetic reaction conditions (MsCl, THF, -20 degrees C, then AgOAc at rt ) gives the expanded product in 54% yield.     

An approach to automated partial structure expansion

An algorithm (ASSEMBLE) to construct all structures consistent with the structural implications of the chemical and spectroscopic properties of an unknown molecule is described. The design of ASSEMBLE takes cognizance of the need to supply some nonoverlapping substructure information in addition to the molecular formula, and the use of structural constraints that cannot be directly expressed as non-overlapping fragments. ASSEMBLE employs several heuristics (rules) intended to avoid the assembly of identical (isomorphic) graphs. To provide a non-redundant list of structures, duplicate structures are recognized and removed by a naming algorithm. ASSEMBLE also perceives different π-resonance forms as identical structures even when they are topologically non-equivalent.     

Second-order quantized Hamilton dynamics coupled to classical heat bath

Starting with a quantum Langevin equation describing in the Heisenberg representation a quantum system coupled to a quantum bath, the Markov approximation and, further, the closure approximation are applied to derive a semiclassical Langevin equation for the second-order quantized Hamilton dynamics (QHD) coupled to a classical bath. The expectation values of the system operators are decomposed into products of the first and second moments of the position and momentum operators that incorporate zero-point energy and moderate tunneling effects. The random force and friction as well as the system-bath coupling are decomposed to the lowest classical level. The resulting Langevin equation describing QHD-2 coupled to classical bath is analyzed and applied to free particle, harmonic oscillator, and the Morse potential representing the OH stretch of the SPC-flexible water model.     

Improving classical substructure-based virtual screening to handle extrapolation challenges

Target-oriented substructure-based virtual screening (sSBVS) of molecules is a promising approach in drug discovery. Yet, there are doubts whether sSBVS is suitable also for extrapolation, that is, for detecting molecules that are very different from those used for training. Herein, we evaluate the predictive power of classic virtual screening methods, namely, similarity searching using Tanimoto coefficient (MTC) and Naive Bayes (NB). As could be expected, these classic methods perform better in interpolation than in extrapolation tasks. Consequently, to enhance the predictive ability for extrapolation tasks, we introduce the Shadow approach, in which inclusion relations between substructures are considered, as opposed to the classic sSBVS methods that assume independence between substructures. Specifically, we discard contributions from substructures included in ("shaded" by) others which are, in turn, included in the molecule of interest. Indeed, the Shadow classifier significantly outperforms both MTC (pValue = 3.1 × 10(-16)) and NB (pValue = 3.5 × 10(-9)) in detecting hits sharing low similarity with the training active molecules.     

Quasi‐classical fluctuation–dissipation description of dielectric loss in oxides with implications for quantum information processing

One of the most important problems in developing devices for quantum computation is the coupling and dissipation of states by thermal noise. We present a study of a two‐state electric dipole in a crystal coupling to noise from a reservoir. As a realization of such an energy‐dissipating dipole, we report and analyze dielectric loss measurements in single crystal and polycrystalline Al₂O₃ over the temperature range 70–300 K. We are able to model the dielectric loss in terms of a quasi‐classical model that uses the fluctuation–dissipation theorem. Two key parameters in this model are the crystal oscillator energy and reservoir–lattice coupling constant. In polycrystalline samples, it is assumed that the main effect of structural disorder is a modification of the spectrum of the thermal phonons, so that acoustical vibrations acquire some optical mode character. The temperature dependence of the linewidth of the high dielectric strength infrared (IR) mode at 438 cm^?1 and the quasi‐degenerate Raman mode of the k = 0 (418 cm^?1) transition are also investigated and are shown to be related simply to the dielectric loss. The model reproduces the unusual temperature dependence of the dielectric loss observed experimentally. The implications for the coupling of quantum mechanical objects to noise and quantum information processing are discussed. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2006     

Introduction to Formal Graphs, a new approach to the classical formalism

The creation of a purely graphic language called Formal Graphs for modelling many physical and physico-chemical systems is described. It represents an improvement over traditional equivalent circuits used for modelling systems made of individual components and over bond graphs used mainly in physico-chemistry. In contradistinction with these graphs, which represent graphically only mounting equations and maintain algebraic equations for describing components behaviour, a formal graph is an oriented graph incorporating all the information contained in a usual algebraic model. Combination of paths considerably extends use to domains that were not accessible to quantitative graphs, such as relaxation processes, chemical reactivity or mass-transfer. Moreover, inclusion of space derivation allows representing graphically every physical law describing a process involving energy conservation or dissipation, such as particle diffusion. Physical meaning can be deduced from paths in a graph that can be followed by processes, as illustrated by the exponent of fractional derivation, which appears as bearing the information on the proportion of conserved versus dissipated energy. The numerous examples given in this introduction address several domains, electrodynamics, mechanics, thermodynamics, and physico-chemistry. They show common graph structures that reveal a striking unity of our classical formalism, bringing transversal insight and opening a new route towards unification. Differences also appear that are subjects of interrogation.