System-size dependence of strangeness production in nucleus-nucleus collisions at squareroot[sNN]=17.3 GeV

Emission of pi+/-, K+/-, phi, and Lambda was measured in near-central C+C and Si+Si collisions at 158 AGeV beam energy. Together with earlier data for p+p, S+S, and Pb+Pb, the system-size dependence of relative strangeness production in nucleus-nucleus collisions is obtained. Its fast rise and the saturation observed at about 60 participating nucleons can be understood as the onset of the formation of coherent systems of increasing size.     

Complexation of nitrostyrenes with soluble β-cyclodextrin polymer studied by reversed-phase thin-layer chromatography

Cyclodextrin complexation decreases the apparent lipophilicity of hydrophobic guest molecules. A higher complex stability results in a larger decrease of lipophilicity as determined by reversed-phase thin-layer chromatography. The method was applied to study the complex formation of 33 nitrostyrene derivatives with a water soluble cross linked -cyclodextrin polymer (weight average molecular weight: 4300). The substituents in thepara position of the benzene ring had a higher impact on the complex stability than those in themeta andortho positions. The substituents on the alkyl side chain influenced the complex stability to the same extent as those on the benzen ring.     

Event-by-event fluctuations of the Kaon-to-Pion ratio in central Pb+Pb collisions at 158 GeV per nucleon

We present the first measurement of fluctuations from event to event in the production of strange particles in collisions of heavy nuclei. The ratio of charged kaons to charged pions is determined for individual central Pb+Pb collisions. After accounting for the fluctuations due to detector resolution and finite number statistics we derive an upper limit on genuine nonstatistical fluctuations, which could be related to a first- or second-order QCD phase transition. Such fluctuations are shown to be very small.     

Interplay of the Kondo effect and spin-polarized transport in magnetic molecules, adatoms, and quantum dots

We study the interplay of the Kondo effect and spin-polarized tunneling in a class of systems exhibiting uniaxial magnetic anisotropy. Using the numerical renormalization group method we calculate the spectral functions and linear conductance in the Kondo regime. We show that the exchange coupling between conducting electrons and localized magnetic core generally leads to suppression of the Kondo effect. We also predict a nontrivial dependence of the tunnel magnetoresistance on the strength of exchange coupling and on the anisotropy constant.     

Evidence for pair correlation effects in heavy ion reactions

The study of the ¹²C(¹⁴N,¹⁴N)¹²C reaction was performed at 28 and 35 MeV beam energies. The results were analyzed in the frame of the EFR-DWBA (Exact-Finite-Range Distorted Wave Born Approximation) assuming the simultaneous and sequential transfer of a np pair. The angular distributions, fairly reproduced in the first case, confirm the validity of the generalized BCS (Bardeen–Cooper–Schrieffer) theory to explain this behaviour. Moreover, this process could be regarded as a possible Nuclear Josephson Effect.     

Electrical transport and magnetic ordering in R 2Ti3Ge4 (R=Dy, Ho and Er) compounds

New R ₂Ti₃Ge₄ (R=Dy, Ho and Er) intermetallic compounds have been synthesized and characterized by X-ray diffraction and low temperature ac magnetic susceptibility, electrical resistivity and thermoelectric power measurements were carried out. The compounds crystallize in the parent, Sm₅Ge₄-type orthorhombic structure (space group Pnma) and lanthanide contraction is observed as one moves along the rare-earth series. The changeover from paramagnetic to antiferromagnetic phase happens at low temperatures and the ordering temperature scales with the de Gennes factor. The electrical resistivity is metallic with a negative curvature above 100 K. Thermopower displays a weak maximum at temperatures less than 50 K signifying the possible phonon and magnon drag effects.     

Analytical and numerical computation of error propagation of model parameters

Linear and nonlinear regression analyses based on the least-squares method play a fundamental role in the evaluation of scientific data. A large number of valuable papers have dealt with various applications of the least-squares method in the chemical literature. They, however, usually contain tremendous formulas for computing the error estimates of the estimated parameters. This paper presents a simple numerical solution based on the well-known simplex method to this problem. Elaborate enzyme kinetic data published earlier have been chosen to test the simplex method extended with error estimation. The capability of the numerical method is demonstrated by the revision of the originally calculated error propagation. Our program might prove useful in handling either chemical or biological data.