Isotropic and anisotropic dark energy models

In this review we discuss the evolution of the universe filled with dark energy with or without perfect fluid. In doing so we consider a number of cosmological models, namely Bianchi type I, III, V, VI₀, VI and FRW ones. For the anisotropic cosmological models we have used proportionality condition as an additional constrain. The exact solutions to the field equations in quadrature are found in case of a BVI model. It was found that the proportionality condition used here imposed severe restriction on the energy-momentum tensor, namely it leads to isotropic distribution of matter. Anisotropic BVI₀, BV, BIII and BIDE models with variable EoS parameter ω have been investigated by using a law of variation for the Hubble parameter. In this case the matter distribution remains anisotropic, though depending on the concrete model there appear different restrictions on the components of energy-momentum tensor. That is why we need an extra assumption such as variational a law for the Hubble parameter. It is observed that, at the early stage, the EoS parameter v is positive i.e. the universe was matter dominated at the early stage but at later time, the universe is evolving with negative values, i.e., the present epoch. DE model presents the dynamics of EoS parameter ω whose range is in good agreement with the acceptable range by the recent observations. A spatially homogeneous and anisotropic locally rotationally symmetric Bianchi-I space time filled with perfect fluid and anisotropic DE possessing dynamical energy density is studied. In the derived model, the EoS parameter of DE (ω^(de)) is obtained as time varying and it is evolving with negative sign which may be attributed to the current accelerated expansion of Universe. The distance modulus curve of derived model is in good agreement with SNLS type Ia supernovae for high redshift value which in turn implies that the derived model is physically realistic. A system of two fluids within the scope of a spatially flat and isotropic FRW model is studied. The role of the two fluids, either minimally or directly coupled in the evolution of the dark energy parameter, has been investigated. In doing so we have used three different ansatzs regarding the scale factor that gives rise to a variable decelerating parameter. It is observed that, in the non-interacting case, both the open and flat universes can cross the phantom region whereas in the interacting case only the open universe can cross the phantom region. The stability and acceptability of the obtained solution are also investigated.     

Dynamics of Cubic Siegel Polynomials

We study the one-dimensional parameter space of cubic polynomials in the complex plane which have a fixed Siegel disk of rotation number θ, where θ is a given irrational number of Brjuno type. The main result of this work is that when θ is of bounded type, the boundary of the Siegel disk is a quasicircle which contains one or both critical points of the cubic polynomial. We also show that these boundaries vary continuously as one moves in the parameter space. This is most nontrivial near the set of cubics with both critical points on the boundary of their Siegel disk. We prove that this locus is a Jordan curve in the parameter space. Most of the techniques and results can be generalized to polynomials of higher degrees. Received: 29 August 1998 / Accepted: 19 March 1999     

Synthesis,characterization and reactivity of electrophilic mono- and binuclear nitrosyls of osmium(II)ketoximates

The reaction of [OsX₂(HL)(L)] (1) {X = Cl or Br; HL = PhC(O)C(=NOH)Ph (HL¹) or PhC(O)C(=NOH)Me (HL2)] with n-BuONO yields mononuclear [OsX(NO)(L¹)₂] (2) or binuclear [OsX₂(NO)(L²)]₂2 (3) nitrosyls depending on L. The complexes are also obtained by reacting (1) with NaNO₂ plus HCl. Molecular weight determinations are in agreement with mono- and binuclear formulations. The diamagnetic orange-red nitrosyls exhibit (NO) at ca. 1890 cm^–1 indicating NO⁺ character of the bound nitrogen monoxide. In ¹H-n.m.r. a single sharp L² methyl signal is in line with the centrosymmetric geometry (4) of the binuclear nitrosyls. The complexes display both spin-allowed and -forbidden charge transfer transitions in the 1000–200 nm range. Both (2) and (3) are electroactive and reductions characteristic of mono- and binuclear compositions are observable on the negative side of s.c.e. They react smoothly with acetylacetone (acacH) in the presence of K2CO3 yielding K[Os(acamo)(L1)2] (5) and K[Os(acac)(acamo)(L2)] (6) [acamo = deprotonated MeC(O)C(=NOH)C(O)Me] respectively.     

Characterization of Acid-Induced Partially Folded Conformation Resembling a Molten Globule State of Polygalacturonase from a Filamentous Fungus <Emphasis Type="Italic">Tetracoccosporium</Emphasis> sp.

Acid-induced unfolding of a Tetracoccosporium sp. polygalacturonase enzyme (PG) was studied by a comprehensive series of biophysical and biochemical techniques. At pH 1.0, PG acquires partially folded state, which reveals characteristics of molten globule (MG) state, i.e., reduction of defined tertiary structure with minimal changes in the secondary structure. In this study PG unfolds exposing its hydrophobic surface to a greater extent than the native form at acidic pH with more tryptophan residues exposed to the solvent. Collectively, our data imply the presence of MG state of PG at low pH, suggesting the phenomenon of hydrophobic collapse model for folding and integration into cell membrane.     

Design and optimization of on-chip capillary electrophoresis

We present a systematic, experimentally validated method of designing electrokinetic injections for on-chip capillary electrophoresis applications. This method can be used to predict point-wise and charge-coupled device (CCD)-imaged electropherograms using estimates of species mobilities, diffusivities and initial sample plug parameters. A simple Taylor dispersion model is used to characterize electrophoretic separations in terms of resolution and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). Detection convolutions using Gaussian and Boxcar detector response functions are used to relate optimal conditions for resolution and signal as a function of relevant system parameters including electroosmotic mobility, sample injection length, detector length scale, and the length-to-detector. Analytical solutions show a tradeoff between signal-to-noise ratio and resolution with respect to dimensionless injection width and length to the detector. In contrast, there is no tradeoff with respect to the Peclet number as increases in Peclet number favor both SNR and separation solution (R). We validate our model with quantitative epifluorescence visualizations of electrophoretic separation experiments in a simple cross channel microchip. For the pure advection regime of dispersion, we use numerical simulations of the transient convective diffusion processes associated with electrokinetics together with an optimization algorithm to design a voltage control scheme which produces an injection plug that has minimal advective dispersion. We also validate this optimal injection scheme using fluorescence visualizations. These validations show that optimized voltage scheme produces injections with a standard deviation less than one-fifth of the width of the microchannel.     

PCR-based Gene Synthesis,Molecular Cloning,High Level Expression,Purification, and Characterization of Novel Antimicrobial Peptide,Brevinin-2R,in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Escherichia Coli</Emphasis>

Brevinin-2R, a member of a new family of antimicrobial peptides isolated from the skin of Rana ridibunda, displays antimicrobial activity against bacteria and fungi. In this study, we have used an assembly PCR method for the fast and extremely accurate synthesis of the brevinin-2R gene. A total of six primers were assembled in a single step PCR, and the assembly was then amplified by PCR to produce the final gene. The synthetic gene was cloned into the pET32a (+) vector to allow the expression of brevinin-2R as a Trx fusion protein in Escherichia coli. The results indicated that the expression level of the fusion protein could reach up to 25% of the total cell proteins. The expression products could be easily purified by Ni-NTA chromatography and released from the fusion protein by factor Xa protease. The peptide displayed antimicrobial activity similar to that of the purified brevinin that was reported earlier. This method allows the fast synthesis of a gene that optimized the overexpression in the E. coli system and production of sufficiently large amounts of peptide for functional and structural characterizations.     

Chemistry of Diruthenium and Dirhodium Analogues of Pentaborane(9): Synthesis and Characterization of Metal N,S‐Heterocyclic Carbene and B‐Agostic Complexes

Building upon our earlier results on the synthesis of electron‐precise transition‐metal–boron complexes, we continue to investigate the reactivity of pentaborane(9) and tetraborane(10) analogues of ruthenium and rhodium towards thiazolyl and oxazolyl ligands. Thus, mild thermolysis of nido‐[(Cp*RuH)₂B₃H₇] ( 1 ) with 2‐mercaptobenzothiazole (2‐mbtz) and 2‐mercaptobenzoxazole (2‐mboz) led to the isolation of Cp*‐based (Cp*=η⁵‐C₅Me₅) borate complexes 5 a , b [Cp*RuBH₃L] ( 5 a : L=C₇H₄NS₂; 5 b : L=C₇H₄NOS)) and agostic complexes 7 a , b [Cp*RuBH₂(L)₂], ( 7 a : L=C₇H₄NS₂; 7 b : L=C₇H₄NOS). In a similar fashion, a rhodium analogue of pentaborane(9), nido‐[(Cp*Rh)₂B₃H₇] ( 2 ) yielded rhodaboratrane [Cp*RhBH(L)₂], 10 (L=C₇H₄NS₂). Interestingly, when the reaction was performed with an excess of 2‐mbtz, it led to the formation of the first structurally characterized N,S‐heterocyclic rhodium‐carbene complex [(Cp*Rh)(L₂)(1‐benzothiazol‐2‐ylidene)] ( 11 ) (L=C₇H₄NS₂). Furthermore, to evaluate the scope of this new route, we extended this chemistry towards the diruthenium analogue of tetraborane(10), arachno‐[(Cp*RuCO)₂B₂H₆] ( 3 ), in which the metal center possesses different ancillary ligands.     

Molecular dynamics simulation of NMR powder lineshapes of linear guests in structure I clathrate hydrates

We perform molecular dynamics simulations (up to 6 ns) for the structure I clathrate hydrates of linear molecules CS, CS(2), OCS, and C(2)H(2) in large cages at different temperatures in the stability range to determine the angular distribution and dynamics of the guests in the large cages. The long axes of linear guest molecules in the oblate large structure I clathrate hydrate cages are primarily confined near the equatorial plane of the cage rather than axial regions. This non-uniform spatial distribution leads to well-known anisotropic lineshapes in the solid-state NMR spectra of the guest species. We use the dynamic distribution of guest orientations in the cages during the MD simulations at different temperatures to predict the (13)C NMR powder lineshapes of the guests in the large cages. The length of the guests and intermolecular interactions of the guests in the water cages determine the angular distribution and the mobility of the guests in the sI large cages at different temperatures. At low temperatures the range of motion of the guests in the cages are limited and this is reflected in the skew of the predicted (13)C lineshapes. As the guest molecules reach the fast motion limit at higher temperatures, the lineshapes for CS, OCS, and C(2)H(2) are predicted to have the "standard" powder lineshapes of guest molecules.     

One‐pot Synthesis of Octahydroqinazolinones Derivatives Catalyzed by [C4(mim)2](FeCl4)2 under Solvent Free Conditions

In this investigation, a practical green chemistry procedure for synthesis of octahydroqinazolinones and thiones derivatives via condensation of aldehyde, 1,3‐cyclohexanedione/dimedone and urea or thiourea catalyzed by magnetic room temperature dicationic liquid under solvent free conditions is described. The catalyst was studied by UV spectroscopy, vibrating sample magnetometer, and thermogravimetric analysis. This methodology is of interest due to several advantages such as environmental benign, easy experimental procedure, good yield and reusable catalyst.