Stereoselectivity in the synthesis of polyprenylphosphoryl β-d-ribofuranoses

Decaprenylphosphoryl β-d-arabinofuranose (DPA) is a key arabinose donor in mycobacteria. The ribo analog of DPA (DPR) has also been found in mycobacteria. It has recently been confirmed that DPA is formed via a two-step epimerization of DPR. The stereoselective synthesis of DPR as well as two shorter analogs of DPR is described.     

Comparison of sound fields generated by different coded excitations--experimental results

This work reports the results of measurements of spatial distributions of ultrasound fields obtained from five energizing schemes. Three different codes, namely, chirp signal and two sinusoidal sequences were investigated. The sequences were phase modulated with 13 bits Barker code and 16 bits Golay complementary codes. Moreover, two reference signals generated as two and sixteen cycle sine tone bursts were examined. Planar, 50% (fractional) bandwidth, 15 mm diameter source transducer operating at 2 MHz center frequency was used in all measurements. The experimental data were collected using computerized scanning system and recorded using wideband, PVDF membrane hydrophone (Sonora 804). The measured echoes were compressed, so the complete pressure field in the investigated location before and after compression could be compared. In addition to a priori anticipated increase in the signal to noise ratio (SNR) for the decoded pressure fields, the results indicated differences in the pressure amplitude levels, directivity patterns, and the axial distance at which the maximum pressure amplitude was recorded. It was found that the directivity patterns of non-compressed fields exhibited shapes similar to the patterns characteristic for sinusoidal excitation having relatively long time duration. In contrast, the patterns corresponding to compressed fields resembled those produced by brief, wideband pulses. This was particularly visible in the case of binary sequences. The location of the maximum pressure amplitude measured in the 2 MHz field shifted towards the source by 15 mm and 25 mm for Barker code and Golay code, respectively. The results of this work may be applicable in the development of new coded excitation schemes. They could also be helpful in optimizing the design of imaging transducers employed in ultrasound systems designed for coded excitation. Finally, they could shed additional light on the relationship between the spatial field distribution and achievable image quality and in this way facilitate optimization of the images obtained using coded systems.     

Existence of Hartree–Fock excited states for atoms and molecules

For neutral and positively charged atoms and molecules, we prove the existence of infinitely many Hartree–Fock critical points below the first energy threshold (that is, the lowest energy of the same system with one electron removed). This is the equivalent, in Hartree–Fock theory, of the famous Zhislin–Sigalov theorem which states the existence of infinitely many eigenvalues below the bottom of the essential spectrum of the N-particle linear Schrödinger operator. Our result improves a theorem of Lions in 1987 who already constructed infinitely many Hartree–Fock critical points, but with much higher energy. Our main contribution is the proof that the Hartree–Fock functional satisfies the Palais–Smale property below the first energy threshold. We then use minimax methods in the N-particle space, instead of working in the one-particle space.     

A Family of Monotone Quantum Relative Entropies

We study here the elementary properties of the relative entropy ${\mathcal{H}_\varphi(A, B) = {\rm Tr}[\varphi(A) - \varphi(B) - \varphi'(B)(A - B)]}$ for φ a convex function and A, B bounded self-adjoint operators. In particular, we prove that this relative entropy is monotone if and only if φ′ is operator monotone. We use this to appropriately define ${\mathcal{H}_\varphi(A, B)}$ in infinite dimension.     

Scale-invariant correlations in dynamic bacterial clusters

In Bacillus subtilis colonies, motile bacteria move collectively, spontaneously forming dynamic clusters. These bacterial clusters share similarities with other systems exhibiting polarized collective motion, such as bird flocks or fish schools. Here we study experimentally how velocity and orientation fluctuations within clusters are spatially correlated. For a range of cell density and cluster size, the correlation length is shown to be 30% of the spatial size of clusters, and the correlation functions collapse onto a master curve after rescaling the separation with correlation length. Our results demonstrate that correlations of velocity and orientation fluctuations are scale invariant in dynamic bacterial clusters.     

Black Holes Are One-Dimensional

The holographic principle has revealed that phyical systems in 3-D space, black holes included, are basically two-dimensional as far as their information content is concerned. This conclusion is complemented by one sketched here: as far as entropy or information flow is concerned, a black hole behaves as a one-dimensional channel. We define a channel in flat spacetime in thermodynamic terms, and contrast it with common entropy emitting systems. A black hole is more like the former: its entropy output is related to the emitted power as it would be for a one-dimensional channel, and disposal of an information stream down a black hole is limited by the power invested in the same way as for a one-dimensional channel.     

Inclusive γ and π0 production inK − p interactions at 32 GeV/c

The inclusive production of γ's and π^p0's inK ^? p-interactions at 32 GeV/c is studied. About 30.000 γ's coming from a Mirabelle bubble chamber experiment with a sensitivity of 6.5 ev/μb have been used for the analysis. Inclusive and topological cross sections of γ's are measured. The γ invariant differential distributions and their scaling properties are investigated. The inclusive cross section of π^p0-production is determined and the π^p0 invariant differential distributions are evaluated and compared to those of π^p±.