Towards a unified dynamical theory of the Brownian particle in an ideal gas

We consider the trajectoryQ ^M(t) of a Brownian particle of massM in an ideal gas of identical particles of mass 1 and of density 1 in equilibrium at inverse temperature 1 (the dynamics is uniform motion plus elastic collisions with the Brownian particle). Our theory, in dimension one, describes a variety of limiting processes — containing the Wiener process and the Ornstein-Uhlenbeck process — forA ^–1/2 Q ^M(A)(At) depending on the asymptotic behaviour ofM(A). Part of the theory is hypothetical while another part relies upon known results. We also prove that, ifA ^1/2+M(A)A, thenA ^–1/2 Q ^M(A) (At) converges to a Wiener process whose variance is known from papers of Sinai-Soloveichik and of the present authors.     

On conformal Killing 2-form of the electromagnetic field

Let D:C^∞Λ^pM→C^∞(T^*MΛ^pM) be the first order linear differential operator on an n-dimensional (1≤p≤n−1) pseudo-Riemannian manifold (M,g). We have by the representation theory of orthogonal group, that the tangent bundle of this operation decomposes into the orthogonal and irreducible sum of forms of degree p+1 (which gives the exterior differential d), the forms of degree p−1 (defining the codifferential d^*) and the trace-free part of the partial symmetrization (the corresponding first order operator is denoted by D). The general forms in the kernel of D are closely related to conformal Killing vector fields, called conformal Killing p-forms, while those in kernel of d are called closed conformal Killing p-forms or, according to another terminology, planar p-forms. In particular an arbitrary planar 1-form ω is dual (by g) to the special concircular vector field ξ. We consider some local properties for the closed conformal Killing p-forms. As an application we present examples of decomposition into irreducible components for the electromagnetic field 2-form ω and its covariant derivative in four-dimensional space–time. In particular, we prove that the energy–momentum tensor T of the electromagnetic field is a symmetric conformal Killing tensor if the electromagnetic field 2-form ω is a conformal Killing form.     

Reaction of the muonium substituted cyclohexadienyl radical with 2,3-dimethyl-1,3,-butadiene

The rate constant for the title reaction is represented by log (k _M/M^–1s^–1)=6.9(4)–700(350)K/T between 279 and 343K, whereas the H analogous radical, C₆H₇, reacts at room temperature withk _H 12 M^–1s^–1 with dimethylbutadiene. The title reaction is proposed to be transfer of the light hydrogen isotope, Mu, and the large kinetic isotope effect is discussed.Support by the Swiss National Foundation for Scientific Research and by the Swiss Institute for Nuclear Research (SIN) are gratefully acknowledged.     

Segal's chronometric theory as a completion of the special theory of relativity

The main ideas and conclusions of the chronometric theory of I. Segal are surveyed. This theory differs from the special theory of relativity in that it replaces Minkowski space by a modelM=R ¹ ×S ³, but without specifying in the latter a Lorentz metric. In modelM a 15-dimensional conformal group acts globally. Some successful applications of the chronometric theory to cosmology are mentioned, and a number of examples are cited to show the prospects for its use in the physics of elementary particles. The chronometric theory is briefly compared with the twistor program of Penrose.Translated from Izvestiya Vysshikh Uchebnykh Zavedenii, Fizika, No. 8, pp. 84–89, August, 1993.     

Three-dimensional spatial diffusion in optical molasses

We have studied the expansion of a small cloud of⁸⁵Rb atoms in three-dimensional optical molasses (lin lin and ⁺ – ^– configurations) and observed diffusive motion. We determined the spatial-diffusion coefficients for various laser intensities and detunings, and compared them (in the case of lin lin molasses) to values calculated from friction and momentum-diffusion coefficients of a one-dimensional (1D) theory of laser cooling. The predicted variations of the spatial-diffusion coefficient with laser intensity and detuning are in good qualitative agreement with the experimental data. We found that the minimal value observed experimentally, 6 × 10^–4 cm²/s, lies within a factor of 3 of the 1D theoretical minimum, , 26/M, whereM is the atomic mass.Dedicated to H. Walther on the occassion of his 60th birthday     

Electrical properties of doped 3-tetradecylpolypyrrole/metal devices

The electrical properties of devices made of doped 3-tetradecylpolypyrrole (PPy-C₁₄) thin films sandwiched between indium-tin-oxyde (ITO) and gold metal electrodes are reported. The current density–voltage (J–V) curves are asymmetric and nonlinear implying a non Ohmic rectifying contact. Using standard thermionic emission theory (Schottky) J–V characteristics were satisfactorily fitted with a saturation current of J₀=1.5×10^-5 A cm^-2, a barrier height of ϕ_b=0.7 eV, and an ideality factor of n=5.3. Characteristics from the plot of J–V versus 1/T show that the activation energy of the thermionic emission process is higher below the glass transition temperature of PPy-C₁₄ (T_g=45 °C) than above, which seems to indicate that the hopping conduction process is enhanced at T>T_g. The carrier concentration has been calculated from capacitance–voltage (C-V) measurements (N=1.9×10¹⁷ cm^-3) allowing estimation of the carrier mobility μ=2.6×10^-2 cm² V^-1 s^-1. PACS 73.61.Ph; 73.40.Sx; 73.30.+y     

Measurement of the gravitational acceleration of an atom with a light-pulse atom interferometer

Velocity sensitive stimulated Raman transitions have been used to measure the gravitational acceleration, g, of laser cooled sodium atoms in an atomic fountain geometry. By using an improved scheme to drive the Raman transitions, we have demonstrated a resolution of 3×10^–8 g after 2×10³ seconds of integration time. In addition to presenting recent experimental results, we review the theory of stimulated Raman transitions as it applies to atom interferometers and discuss the prospects of an atom interferometer-based gravimeter with better than 10^–10 g absolute accuracy.     

On higher derivative corrections of tachyon action

We have examined the momentum expansion of the disk level S-matrix element of two tachyons and two gauge fields to find, up to on-shell ambiguity, the couplings of these fields in the world volume theory of N coincident non-BPS D-branes to all order of α^′. Using the proposal that the action of D-brane–anti-D-brane is given by the projection of the action of two non-BPS D-branes with (−1)^F_L, we find the corresponding couplings in the world volume theory of the brane–anti-brane system. Using these infinite tower of couplings, we then calculate the massless pole of the scattering amplitude of one RR field, two tachyons and one gauge field in the brane–anti-brane theory. We find that the massless pole of the field theory amplitude is exactly equal to the massless pole of the disk level S-matrix element of one RR, two tachyons and one gauge field to all order of α^′. We have also found the couplings of four tachyons to all order of α^′ by examining the S-matrix element of four tachyons.     

Pitfalls in the Use of Common Luminescent Probes for Oxidative and Nitrosative Stress

Lucigenin (LC²⁺, bis-N-methylacridinium) and 2,7-dichlorofluorescin (DCFH₂) are widely used as chemiluminescent or fluorescent probes for cellular oxidative stress, to reflect levels of superoxide (O₂ ^·–) and hydrogen peroxide, respectively. We report mechanistic studies that add to the growing evidence for the unsuitability of either probe except in very well-defined circumstances. The ability for lucigenin to generate superoxide via reduction of LC²⁺ to LC^·+ and redox cycling with oxygen depends on the reduction potential of the LC²⁺/LC^·+ couple. Redox equilibrium between LC^·+ and the redox indicator benzyl viologen is established in microseconds after generation of the radicals by pulse radiolysis and indicated E(LC²⁺/LC^·+) –0.28 V vs. NHE. Reaction of LC^·+ with O₂ to generate O₂ ^·– was also observed directly similarly, occurring in milliseconds, with a rate constant k 3 × 10⁶ M ^–1 s^–1. Quinones act as redox mediators in LC^·+/O₂ redox cycling. Oxidation of DCFH₂ to fluorescent DCF is not achieved by O₂ ^·– or H₂O₂, but NO₂ ^·) reacts rapidly: k 1 × 10⁷ M ^–1 s^–1. Oxidation by H₂O₂ requires a catalyst: cytochrome c (released into the cytosol in apoptosis) is very effective (even 10 nM). Fluorescence reflects catalyst level as much as O₂ ^·–) production.     

Discrete Dynamical Systems with W(A (1) m−1 × A (1) n−1) Symmetry

We give a birational realization of affine Weyl group of type A ⁽¹⁾ _m–1 × A ⁽¹⁾ _n–1. We apply this representation to construct some discrete integrable systems and discrete Painlevé equations. Our construction has a combinatorial counterpart through the ultra-discretization procedure.     

Detection and Characterization of Boric Acid and Borate Ion Binding to Cytochrome c Using Multiple Quantum Filtered NMR

The application of multiple quantum filtered (MQF) NMR to the identification and characterization of the binding of ligands containing quadrupolar nuclei to proteins is demonstrated. Using relaxation times measured by MQF NMR multiple binding of boric acid and borate ion to ferri and ferrocytochrome c was detected. Borate ion was found to have two different binding sites. One of them was in slow exchange, k_diss = 20 ± 3 s⁻¹ at 5°C and D₂O solution, in agreement with previous findings by ¹H NMR (G. Taler et al., 1998, Inorg. Chim. Acta 273, 388–392). The triple quantum relaxation of the borate in this site was found to be governed by dipolar interaction corresponding to an average B–H distance of 2.06 ± 0.07 Å. Other, fast exchanging sites for borate and boric acid could be detected only by MQF NMR. The binding equilibrium constants at these sites at pH 9.7 were found to be 1800 ± 200 M⁻¹ and 2.6 ± 1.5 M⁻¹ for the borate ion and boric acid, respectively. Thus, detection of binding by MQF NMR proved to be sensitive to fast exchanging ligands as well as to very weak binding that could not be detected using conventional methods.     

Investigations of the excitation energy transport mechanism in donor-acceptor systems

Measurements of fluorescence quantum yield _D/_oD of Na-fluorescein (donor; D) versus concentration of rhodamine B (acceptor; A) in viscous solutions have been carried out. The donor concentration in these solutions was as follows:C _D=2·10^–2 M (system I), 1.5·10^–2 M (II), 10^–2 M (III), 3·10^–3 M (IV), and 5·10^–5 M (V). The experimental results have been compared with current theories of nonradiative electronic energy transfer (NEET). In the case of very strong migration (systems I, II, and III), a significant influence of correlations (between configurations of D and A molecules in the surroundings of successively excited donors) on quantum yield _D/_oD has been determined. Experimental values have been found to be clearly higher in comparison with those predicted theoretically. The influence of possible factors on the decrease in the effectiveness of excitation energy transport to traps-acceptors in systems of very strong migration has been discussed.Dedicated to Professor A. Kawski on the occasion of his 65th birthday.     

Higher-dimensional cosmological solutions with action of scalar and metric fields

An investigation is made of higher-dimensional (D5) cosmological solutions with action of scalar and metric fields for which a matter term is added. We restrict our attention to the most symmetric solutions with the structureM ^D–2×S ². We present the variant cosmological solutions for the symmetry breaking patternGSU(2)×U(1) (type IA, IIA) and patternGSO(3) (type IB, IIB). InD=6 case type IA is interesting for cosmology, which corresponds to a conformally invariant theory.     

Ion beam mixing and sputtering of Kr-irradiated TiN films measured with RBS,RNRA, and PIXE

Thin titanium nitride films of 10–300 nm thickness were irradiated with ⁸⁴Kr ions of 80–700 keV energy and fluences ranging from 10¹⁶ cm² to 2×10¹⁷ cm². Sputter yields (Y=0.4–1.0) and mixing rates (k=0.05–0.5 nm⁴) were determined using the depth profiling methods RBS, RNRA, and PIXE. While the sputter yields agree well with the modified Sigmund theory, the energy dependence of the mixing rates cannot be explained by standard models.     

Collisional excitation X-ray laser experiments in plasmas produced by 0.53-μm and 0.35-μm laser light

Recent Ne- and Ni-like X-ray laser experiments carried out at the Centre d'Etudes de Limeil-Valenton (CEL-V) are reviewed. A variety of experiments in Ne-like X-ray lasers were performed; here we discuss measurements of soft X-ray amplification in Ge (Z=32) and Sr (Z=38) plasmas. In Ge plasmas produced by 0.53-m laser light at an irradiance of 6.0×10¹³ W/cm², gains between 2.2–2.5 cm^–1 on the 232.2 and 236.2 Å J=2–1 lines and a gain of 1.0 cm^–1 on the 196.1 Å J=0–1 line were measured. In addition, gains of 4.4 cm^–1 and 4.0 cm^–1 have been demonstrated on the J=2–1 transitions at 164.1 and 166.5 Å in Nelike Sr at laser intensities of 1.3×10¹⁴ W/cm². The effects of pumping the Ne-like Se X-ray laser with 0.35-m laser light have also been investigated; the Se lasing spectra is similar to that obtained with 0.53-m light. Experiments have also been carried out to optimize the gain of the 50.3 Å Ni-like Yb (Z=70) J=0–1 line. For Yb, no significant increase in gain over that previously reported was seen, but the time history of the Ni-like Yb X-ray laser was measured for the first time. Finally, attempts to extrapolate the Ni-like results to shorter wavelength were made using Ta (Z=73), W (Z=74), and Re (Z=75). No definitive observation of the Ni-like J=0–1 lasing lines was made in these experiments.     

Pressure dependence of the electric field gradient in Sb and Sb1−x M x (M=ln,Zn, Ge,Pb, Cd,Sn) at the site of111Cd

Using the¹¹¹Cd-TDPAC (time differential perturbated angular correlation) method, the pressure dependence of the electric field gradient (EFG) in Sb and Sb_1–x M _x (M=ln, Zn, Ge, Pb, Cd, Sn) was investigated. The application of a phenomenological ansatz for the parametrisation of the pressure and temperature dependence of the EFG made it possible to combine temperature data gained in former studies [1], [2] with the pressure dependent data presented in this paper. The resulting pressure dependence of –2±0.2 MHz/kbar is shown to be independent of concentration and element of admixture. Results for the volume and explicit temperature dependence agree with existing information on the mixed system Sb_1–x M _x (M=ln, Zn, Ge, Pb, Cd, Sn); the investigation of the EFG in Sb_1–x–y M _x Pb _y showed that the resulting EFG may be interpreted as the weighted sum of the individual contributions of the two metals.This paper is dedicated to Prof. Dr. W. Kreische on the occasion of his 60th aniversary on 02.02.1995     

Equilibrium concentration of point defects in crystalline4He at O K

We calculate the concentrations of vacancies and intersitials in the ground state of a Bose solid which models⁴He. Because ground-state boson wave functions are nodeless, their probability densities correspond to classical Boltzmann factors, and properties of Bose solids, such as the concentration of vacancies and interstitials, can be calculated using classical statistical mechanics. We model the ground-state wave function of⁴He with the product (Jastrow) form that corresponds to a classical 1/r ^b pair potential, and use a quasiharmonic approximation to calculate the concentrations of vacancies and interstitials in an fcc lattice with this potential. We find that the fractional concentration of vacancies at the melting point is 1.60×10^–5 for 1/r ⁹ and 6.36×10^–6 for 1/r ⁶, while the interstitial fractional concentrations are 1.32×10^–3 and 1.08×10^–5, respectively; the defect concentrations decrease by 7–16 orders of magnitude when the crystal density increases by 50%. At the same density, and with the same 1/r ⁹ potential, the concentration of vacancies in an hcp lattice is essentially the same as in an fcc lattice, but the interstitial concentration is much lower, apparently because the fcc lattice contains a more favorable split-interstitial site than does hcp. Therefore, our fcc vacancy results should be directly relevant for (hcp)⁴He, providing what we think is a lower bound on the vacancy concentration, while the interstitial concentration in⁴He is probably much lower than our results.     

Two distinguishable fluorescent modes of 1-anilino-8-naphthalenesulfonate bound to human albumin

We study the interaction of 1-anilino-8-naphthalenesulfonate (ANS) with human (HSA) and bovine serum albumin (BSA) by phase and modulation fluorescence spectroscopy. We determined that both HSA and BSA show one or two distinguishable fluorescent sites, depending of the ANS/serum albumin ratio. At above a 11 ANS/HSA molar ratio, the steady-state emission spectra for ANS can be resolved in two components: component 1, emitting with a lifetime (₁) of 16 ns and a _1max of 478 nm, with a quantum yield (_f1) of 0.67, and component 2, with a lifetime (₂) of 2–4 ns and a _2max of 483 nm, with an average quantum yield (_f2) of about 0.11. Considering these findings, the binding analysis is fitted with a model of two independent sites. Site 1 has an association constantK _as1=0.87×10⁶M^–1 and a capacity of 1.04 mol of ANS/mol of HSA, and site 2 aK _as2=0.079×10⁶M^–1 and a capacity of 2.34 mol of ANS/mol of HSA. Analysis of fluorescence lifetime distributions shows that the rigidity of the fluorophore environment at site 1 changes when site 2 is occupied. These findings suggest an interconnection between the two sites and that ligands can stabilize the protein's globular structure. To assess the identity of the ANS binding sites we used diazepam as a marker of the site located at the IIIA HSA subdomain and aspirin as a marker of sites located at the IIIA and IIA HSA subdomains. Both ligands displace ANS only from site 1, suggesting that it corresponds to the binding site located at the IIIA sub-domain of the protein. We determined that theK _as values for diazepam and aspirin are 0.113× 10⁶ and 0.021×10⁶ M ^–1 respectively.     

Hamilton Spaces of Order k ≥ 1

A suitable dual for the k-acceleration bundle(T ^k M, ^k ,M) is the fiberedbundle (T ^k–1 M× _M T*M). The mentioned bundle carries a canonicalpresymplectic structure and k canonical Poisson structures. By means of thisdual we define the notion of Hamilton spaces of orderk, whose total spaceconsists of points x of the configuration spaceM, accelerations of order 1,...,k – 1, y ⁽¹⁾,...,y ^(k–1), and momenta p. Some remarkable Hamiltonian systemsare pointed out. There exists a Legendre mapping from the Lagrange spaces oforder k to the Hamilton space of order k.     

The factor of nonparaxial Hermite–Gaussian beams and related problems

On the basis of the second-order moment of the power density and in the use of the series expansion, the expressions for the beam width, far-field divergence angle and M² factor of nonparaxial Hermite–Gaussian (H–G) beams are derived and expressed in a sum of the series of the Gamma function. The theoretical results are illustrated with numerical examples. The M² factor of nonparaxial H–G beams depends not only on the beam order m, but also on the waist-width to wavelength ratio w₀/λ. The far-field divergence angles of nonparaxial H–G beams with even and odd orders approach their upper limits θ_max=63.435 and 73.898, respectively, which results in M²<1 as w₀/λ→0. For the special case of m=0 our results reduce to those of nonparaxial Gaussian beams. Some problems related to the characterization of the nonparaxial beam quality are also discussed.