Physicochemical characterization of the endotoxins from Coxiella burnetii strain Priscilla in relation to their bioactivities

Background  

Coxiella burnetiiis the etiological agent of Q fever found worldwide. The microorganism has like other Gram-negative bacteria a lipopolysaccharide (LPS, endotoxin) in its outer membrane, which is important for the pathogenicity of the bacteria. In order to understand the biological activity of LPS, a detailed physico-chemical analysis of LPS is of utmost importace.     

A mechanism for cutting carbon nanotubes with a scanning tunneling microscope

We discuss the local cutting of single-walled carbon nanotubes by a voltage pulse to the tip of a scanning tunneling microscope. The tip voltage ( V) is the key physical quantity in the cutting process. After reviewing several possible physical mechanisms we conclude that the cutting process relies on the weakening of the carbon-carbon bonds through a combination of localized particle-hole excitations induced by inelastically tunneling electrons and elastic deformation due to the electric field between tip and sample. The carbon network releases part of the induced mechanical stress by forming topological defects that act as nucleation centers for the formation of dislocations that dynamically propagate towards bond-breaking. Received 6 April 2000     

Über einen zusammenhang zwischen gewissen linearen differential- und differenzengleichungen

Ohne Zusammenfassung     

Correlation of the Rates of Solvolysis of the Benzhydryldimethylsulfonium Ion. Application of the Aromatic Ring Parameter(1)

Values for the specific rates of solvolysis of the benzhydryldimethylsulfonium ion in 34 solvents have been analyzed using various forms of the extended Grunwald-Winstein equation. The specific rates are insensitive toward changes in solvent nucleophilicity (N(T)) values, and they correlate best against a combination of Y(+) values (based on the solvolyses of the 1-adamantyldimethylsulfonium ion) and aromatic ring parameter (I) values. Common-molecule return is observed, being especially powerful in solvents rich in fluoro alcohol; the logarithm of the associated mass law constant correlates inversely with the solvent N(T) values. The product selectivities in ethanol-water mixtures are also consistent with an S(N)1 mechanism for the solvolyses.