The Weighted Bootstrap Mean for Heavy-Tailed Distributions

We study the performance of the weighted bootstrap of the mean of i.i.d. random variables, X ₁, X ₂,..., in the domain of attraction of an -stable law, 1<<2. In agreement with the results, in the Efron's bootstrap setup, by Athreya,⁽⁴⁾ Arcones and Giné⁽²⁾ and Deheuvels et al.,⁽¹¹⁾ we prove that for a low resampling intensity the weighted bootstrap works in probability. Our proof resorts to the 0–1 law methodology introduced in Arenal and Matrán⁽³⁾. This alternative to the methodology initiated in Mason and Newton⁽²⁵⁾ presents the advantage that it does not use Hájek's Central Limit Theorem for linear rank statistics which actually only provides normal limit laws. We include as an appendix a sketched proof, based on the Komlos–Major–Tusnady construction, of the asymptotic behaviour of the Wasserstein distance between the empirical and the parent distribution of a sample, which is also a main tool in our development.     

Search for the rare decay K(L)-->pi(0)e(+)e(-)

The KTeV/E799 experiment at Fermilab has searched for the rare kaon decay K(L)-->pi(0)e(+)e(-). This mode is expected to have a significant CP violating component. The measurement of its branching ratio could support the standard model or could indicate the existence of new physics. This Letter reports new results from the 1999-2000 data set. One event is observed with an expected background at 0.99+/-0.35 events. We set a limit on the branching ratio of 3.5x10(-10) at the 90% confidence level. Combining with the previous result based on the data set taken in 1997 yields the final KTeV result: BR(K(L)-->pi(0)e(+)e(-))<2.8x10(-10) at 90% C.L.     

Numerical distribution functions for seasonal unit root tests with OLS and GLS detrending

This paper implements the approach introduced by MacKinnon (J Bus Econ Stat 12:167–176, 1994, J Appl Econom 11:601–618, 1996) to estimate the response surface of the test statistics of seasonal unit root tests with OLS and GLS detrending for quarterly and monthly time series. The Gauss code that is available in the supplementary material of the paper produces p values for five test statistics depending on the sample size, deterministic terms and frequency of the data. A comparison with previous studies is undertaken, and an empirical example using airport passenger arrivals to a tourist destination is carried out. Quantile function coefficients are reported for simple computation of critical values for tests at 1, 5 and 10 % significance levels.     

Glucose oxidase immobilized on magnetic nanoparticles: Nanobiosensors for fluorescent glucose monitoring

The authors describe enzyme based nanobiosensors for continuous monitoring of glucose, with the long term goal of using them as smart diagnostic tattoos. The method is founded on two main features: (1) The fluorescence intensity and decay times of glucose oxidase (GOx) and of GOx labeled with fluorescein (FS) or a ruthenium chelate (Ru) reversibly change during interaction with glucose; (2) The (labeled) enzyme is linked to magnetite magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) which permits the MNPs to be physically manipulated. It is found that a stable link between MNPs and GOx is only accomplished if the number of amino groups on the GOX is artificially enlarged (to form GOx_sam). Fluorescence decay data are best acquired with 8-nm MNPs where scattering is marginal; The activity of GOx is found not to be affected by immobilization on the MNPs. The various immobilized enzymes (GOx_sam, GOx_sam-FS and GOx_sam-Ru; all on MNPs) differ only slightly in terms of linear response to glucose which ranged from 0.5 mM to at least 3.5 mM. The RSDs are about 5% (for n = 5), the detection limits are at ～50 μM, and the sensor lifetimes are >1 week.

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Graphical abstract Nanobiosensors consisting of Fe₃O₄ magnetic nanoparticles linked to glucose oxidase, previously enriched with amino groups (GOx_sam) and containing fluorescein (FS) or a ruthenium derivative (Ru), are presented as a new kind of smart tattoos for glucose monitoring.

     

Tandem nucleophilic addition-intramolecular aza-Michael reaction: facile synthesis of chiral fluorinated isoindolines

A highly stereoselective synthesis of fluorinated 1,3-disubstituted isoindolines is described. To this end, a tandem reaction consisting of a diastereoselective addition of fluorinated nucleophiles to Ellman's N-(tert-butanesulfinyl)imines followed by an intramolecular aza-Michael reaction has been developed. This strategy allows for the construction of isoindolines bearing several degrees of fluorination (mono-, di-, or trifluoromethyl as well as heavier fluorinated groups). In the majority of all cases, the products are formed as single isomers.     

Supramolecular polymeric hydrogels

The supramolecular crosslinking of polymer chains in water by specific, directional and dynamic non-covalent interactions has led to the development of novel supramolecular polymeric hydrogels. These aqueous polymeric networks constitute an interesting class of soft materials exhibiting attractive properties such as stimuli-responsiveness and self-healing arising from their dynamic behaviour and that are crucial for a wide variety of emerging applications. We present here a critical review summarising the formation of dynamic polymeric networks through specific non-covalent interactions, with a particular emphasis on those systems based on host-guest complex formation, as well as the characterisation of their physical characteristics. Aqueous supramolecular chemistry has unlocked a versatile toolbox for the design and fine-tuning of the material properties of these hydrogels (264 references).     

A density functional theory study of the dissociation of H2 on gold clusters: importance of fluxionality and ensemble effects

Density functional theory was employed to calculate the adsorption/dissociation of H2 on gold surfaces, Au(111) and Au(100), and on gold particles from 0.7 (Au14) to 1.2 nm (Au29). Flat surfaces of the bulk metal were not active towards H2, but a different effect was observed in gold nanoclusters, where the hydrogen was adsorbed through a dissociative pathway. Several parameters such as the coordination of the Au atoms, ensemble effects and fluxionality of the particle were analyzed to explain the observed activity. The effect of the employed functional was also studied. The flexibility of the structure, i.e., its adaptability towards the adsorbate, plays a key role in the bonding and dissociation of H2. The interaction with hydrogen leads to drastic changes in the structure of the Au nanoparticles. Furthermore, it appears that not only low coordinated Au atoms are needed because H2 adsorption/dissociation was only observed when a cooperation between several (4) active Au atoms was allowed.     

Two-component system CCl4 + (CH3)3CBr: extrema in equilibria involving orientationally disordered phases

Phase equilibria involving orientationally disordered (OD) and liquid phases of the two-component system between carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) and 2-methyl-2-bromomethane ((CH3)3CBr) have been determined by means of X-ray powder diffraction and thermal analysis techniques from 210 K up to the liquid state. The isomorphism relation between the OD stable face-centered cubic (FCC) phase of (CH3)3CBr and the metastable FCC phase of CCl4 has been demonstrated throughout the continuous evolution of the lattice parameters and the existence of the two-phase equilibrium [FCC + L] for the whole range of composition, despite the monotropy of the FCC phase for the CCl4 component with respect to its OD rhombohedral (R) stable phase. A continuous series of OD R mixed crystals is found, which confirms the R lattice symmetry of the OD phase II of (CH3)3CBr, for which the crystallographic results have been long-time misinterpreted. X-ray patterns of such a phase were indexed according to the recent single-crystal results obtained by Rudman (Rudman, R. J. Mol. Struct. 2001, 569, 157). In addition, some experimental evidences are given to confirm the number of molecules per unit cell (Z = 21). The thermodynamic assessment reproduces coherently the phase diagram for the stable [R + L] and [R + FCC] two-phase equilibria as well as for the partially metastable [FCC + L] two-phase equilibrium and provides a set of data for the thermodynamic properties of nonexperimentally available phase transitions of pure components. Surprisingly, the phase equilibrium involving R and FCC OD phases appears as one of the very few showing a solid-solid equilibrium with two extremes.