AB initio calculations of the electronic properties of N4− in KN3

The energies of the ground state and low-lying excited states of the N₄^? defect in KN₃ have been calculated using ab initio techniques. A rectangular equilibrium geometry with dimensions X = 2.76 and Z = 2.47 a.u. and ground state symmetry of Γ₄⁺ was determined by calculating N₄^? as a free radical. For this ground state the unpaired electron is in a π orbital which is consistent with the experimental hyperfine tensor only if one edge of the N₄^? radical is parallel to the c axis in KN₃. These results were used to calculate the X²Γ₄⁺ state of N₄^? in the crystal field of KN₃, yielding an energy of ?217.899 Hartrees. The isotropic hyperfine constant was calculated to be a = 2.1 G and the components of the anisotropic hyperfine tensor as B_xx = ?3.4 G, B_yy = 7.0 G and B_zz = ?3.6 G, in good agreement with experimental and INDO results. Several excited states were calculated for the N₄^? defect in KN₃. When an estimate was made of the correlation energy, the transition energy of the X²Γ₄⁺→A²Γ₃^? transition agreed well with the peak energy of the 780 nm absorption band which has been attributed to N₄^?.     

Recoil tritium reactions on monogermane

The reactions of recoil tritium with germane have been studied. Excited GeH₃T molecules decompose mainly to HT. Both scavengers and moderator fail to affect the HT and GeH₃T yields. This has been attributed both to the low energy of GeH bonds and to the high reaction rate of H atoms with germane. Apparently there is no lack of continuity on the reactivity of T atoms with GeH₄ from hot to thermal energies.     

Regioselective synthesis of trisubstituted 2,3-dihydrofurans from donor-acceptor cyclopropanes or from reaction of the Corey ylide with alpha-sulfenyl-, alpha-sulfinyl-, or alpha-sulfonylenones

[reactions: see text] Regioselective synthesis of 2,4,5- or 3,4,5-trisubstituted 2,3-dihydrofurans has been realized by using donor-acceptor cyclopropanes or by a Corey ylide reaction with alpha-sulfenyl-, alpha-sulfinyl-, or alpha-sulfonylenones. The method allowed a straightforward synthesis of the natural product calyxolane B.     

Complete single-photon counting and timing module in a microchip

A complete module for single-photon counting and timing is demonstrated in a single chip. Features comparable with or better than commercially available macroscopic modules are obtained by integration of an active-quenching and active-reset circuit in complementary metal-oxide semiconductor technology together with a single-photon avalanche diode (SPAD). The integrated SPAD has a 12-microm-diameter sensitive area and operates with an overvoltage above breakdown adjustable up to 20 V. With a 5-V overvoltage the photon detection efficiency peaks above 40% around 500 nm, and the dark-counting rate is lower than 600 counts/s at room temperature. The overall counting dead time is 33 ns.     

Scaling exponents and probability distributions of DNA end-to-end distance

The scaling of the average gyration radius of polymers as a function of their length can be experimentally determined from ensemble measurements, such as light scattering, and agrees with analytical estimates. Ensemble techniques, yet, do not give access to the full probability distributions. Single molecule techniques, instead, can deliver information on both average quantities and distribution functions. Here we exploit the high resolution of atomic force microscopy over long DNA molecules adsorbed on a surface to measure the average end-to-end distance as a function of the DNA length, and its full distribution function. We find that all the scaling exponents are close to the predicted 3D values (upsilon=0.589+/-0.006 and delta=2.58+/-0.77). These results suggest that the adsorption process is akin to a geometric projection from 3D to 2D, known to preserve the scaling properties of fractal objects of dimension df<2.     

Water-enhanced catalysis of CO oxidation on free and supported gold nanoclusters

The enhancement by water molecules of the catalytic activity of gas-phase and supported gold nanoclusters toward CO oxidation is investigated with first-principles calculations. Coadsorption of H(2)O and O(2) leads to formation of a complex well bound to the gold cluster, even on a defect-free MgO(100) support. Formation of the complex involves partial proton sharing between the adsorbates, that in certain configurations results in proton transfer leading to the appearance of a hydroperoxyl-like complex. The O-O bond is activated, leading to a weakened peroxo or superoxolike state, and consequently the reaction with CO to form CO2 occurs with a small activation barrier of approximately 0.5 eV. A complete catalytic cycle of the water-enhanced CO oxidation is discussed.     

Does a Reinforced Kinetic Macrocyclic Effect Exist? The Demetallation in Strong Acid of Copper(II) Complexes with Open and Cyclic Tetramines Containing a Piperazine Fragment

The demetallation in acidic solution of the Cu(II) complexes with open-chain and cyclic tetramines containing a piperazine unit (2 and 3) has been investigated in terms of its kinetic aspects and compared with the behaviour of unsubstituted counterparts (tetramines 1 and 4). The presence of the piperazine fragment slows demetallation of the open-chain-ligand complex owing to the activation barrier associated with the conformational change from boat-to-half-boat; however, it does not affect the demetallation of the macrocyclic complex, which involves the spontaneous boat-to-twist conformational change. Thus, lateral reinforcement of a cyclam-like ligand does not add any further contribution to the typical inertness in demetallation of macrocyclic complexes.     

Determination of creatinine in human serum by short-end injection capillary zone electrophoresis

A new ultra-rapid free-solution capillary zone electrophoresis method to measure serum creatinine is presented. Procedural parameters such as injection mode, concentration and pH of phosphate running buffer and acidic deproteinization of serum samples were investigated. Short-end injection permits a decrease of the analysis time by injecting samples at the outlet end of a silica capillary closest to the detection window, so reducing the migration distance. Thus, when a capillary with an effective length of 10.2 cm and a 40 mmol/L sodium phosphate buffer pH 2.35 was used, the obtained migration time of the creatinine peak was the shortest never described before, about 1.1 min. These conditions give a good reproducibility of the migration times (coefficient of variation, CV% < 0.5) and the peak areas (CV% < 2.8). Intra- and interassay CV were 3.06 and 6.26%, respectively, and analytical recovery was 99.4%. We compared our proposed method to Jaffé colorimetric assay, by measuring serum creatinine in 128 normal subjects. The obtained data were analyzed by the Passing and Bablok regression and Bland-Altman test. Creatinine concentration in healthy subjects was also used to investigate on its relationships with plasma thiols levels.