The reaction Yb+O2 → YbO + O in a crossed molecular beam experiment

Dissociation energy (D_o = 4.29 ± 0.05 eV), threshold energy (E = 0.83 ± 0.05 eV) and forward scattering at a collision-al energy E_c = 1.1 cV have been found by crossing beam of Yb atoms with a supersonic seeded beam of He + O₂ at collisional energies up to E_c = 1.4 eV.     

Determination of the unsaturated losses and of the saturation intensity in the KrCl excimer laser

The unsaturated losses , and the saturation intensityI _s, were measured in an uv-preionized KrCl laser for optimized He and Ne based laser gas mixtures. The measurements were made as a function of the specific power loading and of the total pressure of the laser mixtures. Higher values for andI _s were found for the Ne-based laser mixture than for the He-based mixture. At 45 kV charging voltage and at 355 kPa of total pressure we measured =0.053 cm^–1 andI _s =9.4MW/cm² for the Ne based mixture, and =0.035 cm^–1 andI _s =5.1MW/cm² for the He based mixture.     

Application of a phase conjugate Brillouin cavity for the generation of a train of short laser pulses

Summary An oscillator and a regenerative amplifier have been realized using a phase conjugate mirror in the amplifier laser cavity. The phase conjugate mirror, via stimulated Brillouin scattering, acts as a modulator owing to its time-depending reflectivity. A pulse-forming network applied to the amplifier increases the discharging time which contributes to get an output beam formed by a train having four short pulses. The shortest pulse was 2 ns FWHM long.     

Plume separation effect in pulsed laser ablation deposition

The results of a new geometrical configuration of pulsed laser ablation deposition technique that uses a hemi-cylindrical transparent plastic substrate are presented and discussed. With the new arrangement, two distinct components with different material compositions have been clearly observed. While the first component comprises atoms, ions and molecules and constitutes visible or the so-called luminous plume, the second component is formed of fragments, clusters and liquid droplets and is invisible to the naked eye. The latter component constitutes a major part of the ablated material. The luminous plume symmetry axis does not coincide with the mass distribution symmetry axis. In the case of Si ablation and 45° incident beam angle, the maximum deflection angle of the luminous plume reaches 30° with respect to the normal to the target surface, while the deflection angle of the second component is higher than 40°. The change in the target morphology and the dependence of the composition of the ablated material on local fluence, along with the hydrodynamic effects, is sought to explain this previously unexpected and unreported phenomenon. PACS 61.80.Ba; 47.35.+i; 52.38.Mf; 81.15.Fg     

A Diffusive Strategic Dynamics for Social Systems

We propose a model for the dynamics of a social system, which includes diffusive effects and a biased rule for spin-flips, reproducing the effect of strategic choices. This model is able to mimic some phenomena taking place during marketing or political campaigns. Using a cost function based on the Ising model defined on the typical quenched interaction environments for social systems (Erdös-Renyi graph, small-world and scale-free networks), we find, by numerical simulations, that a stable stationary state is reached, and we compare the final state to the one obtained with standard dynamics, by means of total magnetization and magnetic susceptibility. Our results show that the diffusive strategic dynamics features a critical interaction parameter strictly lower than the standard one. We discuss the relevance of our findings in social systems.     

Experimental study on the retention of silica particles in gravitational field-flow fractionation effects of the mobile phase composition

Effects of mobile phase composition can play an effective role in modulating the retention of particles in gravitational field-flow fractionation (GFFF), the simplest and cheapest among field-flow fractionation (FFF) techniques. In the framework of an optimized procedure for the GFFF characterization of particulate systems, an experimental approach to the effects of the mobile phase composition on the retention of silica particles retention is presented. The role of the ionic strength and the presence of surfactant are emphasized, with special regards to the shape of the particles. Moreover, the first experimental evidence of potential-barrier GFFF is reported.     

The influence of electron-withdrawing substituents on the geometries and barriers to inversion of vinyl anions

Whereas $\text{ab}$$\text{initio}$ calculations predict that the vinyl anion is bent and has a high barrier to inversion, substitution of cyano, methoxycarbonyl, and formyl substituents at C-1 lower this barrier. Nevertheless, the first two substituents produce significantly bent anions, while the bent and linear 1-formylvinyl anions are essentially isoenergetic.     

Reactions of 1,4-diaza-3-methylbutadien-2-ylpalladium(II) derivatives with chloro-bridged rhodium(I) complexes

The reactions of the organometallic 1,4-diazabutadienes, RN=C(R′)C(Me)=NR″ [R = R″ = p-C₆H₄OMe, R′ = trans-PdCl(PPh₃)₂ (DAB); R = p-C₆H₄OMe, R″ = Me, R′ = trans-PdCl(PPh₃)₂ (DAB^I; R = R″ = p-C₆H₄OMe, R′ = Pd(dmtc)-(PPh₃), dmtc = dimethyldithiocarbamate (DAB^II); R = R″ = p-C₆H₄OMe, R′ = PdCl(diphos), diphos = 1,2-bis(diphenylphosphino)ethane (DAB^III)] with [RhCl(COD)]₂ (COD = 1,5-cyclooctadiene, Pd/Rh ratio = $\text{1}\text{2}$) depend on the nature of the ancillary ligands at the Pd atom in group R′. In the reactions with DAB and DAB^I transfer of one PPh₃ ligand from Pd to Rh occurs yielding [RhCl(COD)(PPh₃)] and the new binuclear complexes [Rh(COD) {RN=C(R?)-C(Me)=NR″}], in which the diazabutadiene moiety acts as a chelating bidentate ligand. Exchange of ligands between the two different metallic centers also occurs in the reaction with DAB^II. In this case, the migration of the bidentate dmtc anion yields [Rh(COD)Pdmtc] and [Rh(COD) {RN=C(R?)C(Me)=NR″}]. In contrast, the reaction with DAB^III leads to the ionic product [Rh(COD)- (DAB^III)][RhCl₂(COD)], with no transfer of ligands. The cationic complex [Rh(COD)(DAB^III)]⁺ can be isolated as the perchlorate salt from the same reaction (Pd/Rh ratio = 1/1) in the presence of an excess of NaClO₄. In all the binuclear complexes the coordinated 1,5-cyclooctadiene can be readily displaced by carbon monoxide to give the corresponding dicarbonyl derivatives. The reaction of [RhCl(CO)₂]₂ with DAB and/or DAB^I yields trinuclear complexes of the type [RhCl(CO)₂]₂(DAB), in which the diazabutadiene group acts as a bridging bidentate ligand. Some reactions of the organic diazabutadiene RN=C(Me)C(Me)=NR (R = p-C₆H₄OMe) are also reported for comparison.     

Field-flow fractionation in bioanalysis: A review of recent trends

Field-flow fractionation (FFF) is a mature technique in bioanalysis, and the number of applications to proteins and protein complexes, viruses, derivatized nano- and micronsized beads, sub-cellular units, and whole cell separation is constantly increasing. This can be ascribed to the non-invasivity of FFF when directly applied to biosamples. FFF is carried out in an open-channel structure by a flow stream of a mobile phase of any composition, and it is solely based on the interaction of the analytes with a perpendicularly applied field. For these reasons, fractionation is developed without surface interaction of the analyte with packing or gel media and without using degrading mobile phases. The fractionation device can be also easily sterilized, and analytes can be maintained under a bio-friendly environment. This allows to maintain native conditions of the sample in solution.In this review, FFF principles are briefly described, and some pioneering developments and applications in the bioanalytical field are tabled before detailed report of most recent FFF applications obtained also with the hyphenation of FFF with highly specific, sensitive characterization methods. Special focus is finally given to the emerging use of FFF as a pre-analytical step for mass-based identification and characterization of proteins and protein complexes in proteomics.