Chiral-symmetry restoration in the linear sigma model at nonzero temperature and baryon density

We study the chiral phase transition in the linear sigma model with 2 quark flavors and N _c colors. One-loop calculations predict a first-order phase transition at both μ = 0 and μ ≠ 0. We also discuss the phase diagram and make a comparison with a thermal parametrization of existing heavy-ion experimental data.     

Electron spin resonance investigations of human retinal pigment epithelium melanosomes from young and old donors

Electron spin resonance (ESR) examinations of human retinal pigment epithelium melanosomes isolated from eyes of young and old donors were carried out. The examined ESR signal was a single line, which is characteristic for free radicals of eumelanin o-semiquinones. The content of free radicals related to melanosomes dry weight for samples from older donors (ages over 45 years) were higher than for sample from younger donors (between 14 and 22 years). Simultaneously, the content of free radicals calculated for one melanosome is constant and does not depend on age. The homogeneous broadening of the recorded ESR lines shows that there are no isolated spin packets in all investigated melanin samples. Slow spin-lattice (T1 approximately 10(-5) s) and fast spin-spin (T2 approximately 10(-8) s) relaxation processes occur in these samples. Saturation of the ESR lines at low microwave power was measured. High concentration of free radicals in melanosome samples was responsible for the fast spin-spin relaxation process.     

Glycerol as a Substrate and Inactivator of Coenzyme B12-Dependent Diol Dehydratase

Diol dehydratase, dependent on coenzyme B₁₂ (B₁₂-dDDH), displays a peculiar feature of being inactivated by its native substrate glycerol (GOL). Surprisingly, the isofunctional enzyme, B₁₂-independent glycerol dehydratase (B₁₂-iGDH), does not undergo suicide inactivation by GOL. Herein we present a series of QM/MM and MD calculations aimed at understanding the mechanisms of substrate-induced suicide inactivation in B₁₂-dDDH and that of resistance of B₁₂-iGDH to inactivation. We show that the first step in the enzymatic transformation of GOL, hydrogen abstraction, can occur from both ends of the substrate (either C1 or C3 of GOL). Whereas C1 abstraction in both enzymes leads to product formation, C3 abstraction in B₁₂-dDDH results in the formation of a low energy radical intermediate, which is effectively trapped within a deep well on the potential energy surface. The long lifetime of this radical intermediate likely enables its side reactions, leading to inactivation. In B₁₂-iGDH, by comparison, C3 abstraction is an endothermic step; consequently, the resultant radical intermediate is not of low energy, and the reverse process of reforming the reactant is possible.     

Gravitational phase transition of fermionic matter in a general-relativistic framework

The Thomas–Fermi model at finite temperature is extended to describe a system of self-gravitating weakly interacting massive fermions in a general-relativistic framework. The existence and properties of the gravitational phase transition in this model are investigated numerically. It is shown that when a nondegenerate gas of weakly interacting massive fermions is cooled below some critical temperature, a condensed phase emerges, consisting of quasidegenerate fermion stars. For fermion masses of 10 to 25 keV, these fermion stars may very well provide an alternative explanation for the supermassive compact dark objects that are observed at galactic centers. Received: 23 April 1999 / Revised version: 24 June 1999 / Published online: 28 September 1999     

On the structure of human hair melanins from an infrared spectroscopy analysis of their interactions with Cu2+ ions.

Melanins were isolated from dark and red human hair and complexed with copper ions at various pH values in a complexing medium. IR spectra of melanins and their Cu2+-complexes for pellets with KBr were obtained. The IR spectra indicate that Cu2+ ions bound to melanins are fixed by different carboxyl and hydroxyl (phenolic and/or alcoholic) groups in the macromolecule. From these results it is concluded that, generally, melanin carboxyl groups are responsible for interactions of metal ions with the melanin molecule. Complexes of melanins isolated from dark and red human hair show structural differences when analysed by IR spectroscopy. Conclusions from these investigations assist in the differentiation of structures of analysed hair melanins. IR spectral analysis of melanin samples and their complexes suggest that melanin samples obtained from red hair may contain eumelanin.     

What determines the sticking probability of water molecules on ice?

We present both experimental and theoretical studies of the sticking of water molecules on ice. The sticking probability is unity over a wide range in energy (0.5 eV-1.5 eV) when the molecules are incident along the surface normal, but drops as the angle increases at high incident energy. This is explained in terms of the strong orientational dependence of the interaction of the molecule with the surface and the time required for the reorientation of the molecule. The sticking probability is found to scale with the component of the incident velocity in the plane of the surface, unlike the commonly assumed normal or total energy scaling.     

Gas chromatographic investigations of the adsorption of n-octane on the surface of sulfur

Summary From the adsorption isotherms of n-octane on the surface of sulfur at 29.8°C and 40.6°C some thermodynamic functions were determined. On the basis of these data the structure of the adsorbed layer of n-octane is postulated. The molecular interactions and adsorption mechanism are also discussed. It is stated that both quasi-liquid and quasi-sold layers may be formed on the surface of sulfur depending on the surface coverage with n-octane.     

Interaction of hydrogen with InN thin films elaborated on InP(1 0 0)

III-V semiconductor compound structures are widely applied in technology of advanced microelectronics, optoelectronics, and gas sensors. In this paper, we report on the use of XPS to characterize in situ the interaction of thermally activated hydrogen atoms and hydrogen molecules with InP(1 0 0) surfaces covered by thin InN overlayers. XPS spectra were taken with an ESCALAB-210 spectrometer after repeated hydrogenation cycles at temperatures up to 350 °C. The evolution of the In 3d, In 4d, P 2p, N 1s, O 1s and C 1s photoelectron spectra was carefully monitored. The XPS spectra of the hydrogen exposed surface revealed significant differences compared to those from the non-hydrogenated surface. InN films were found to be weakly reactive to hydrogen under experimental conditions explored. The behavior of P atoms at the hydrogenated surface was dependent on the parameters characterizing each hydrogenation (exposure, hydrogen species used, annealing temperature). Moreover, the heavily hydrogenated surface exhibited a phosphorus enrichment.     

A partial proton transfer in hydrogen bond O-H···O in crystals of anhydrous potassium and rubidium complex chloranilates

Hydrogen bonding and proton transfer in the solid state are studied on the crystals of isostructural anhydrous potassium and rubidium complex chloranilates by variable-temperature single crystal X-ray diffraction, solid state (1)H NMR and IR spectroscopies, and periodic DFT calculations of equilibrium geometries, proton potentials, and NMR chemical shifts. Their crystal structures reveal neutral molecules of chloranilic acid and its dianions connected into a chain by O-H···O hydrogen bond. A strong hydrogen bond with a large-amplitude movement of the proton with NMR shift of 13-17 ppm and a broad continuum in IR spectra between 1000 and 500 cm(-1) were observed. Periodic DFT calculations suggest that proton transfer is energetically more favorable if it occurs within a single pair of chloranilate dianion and chloranilic acid molecule but not continuously along the chains of long periodicity. The calculated chemical shifts confirm the assumption that the weak resonance signals observed at lower magnetic fields pertain to the case when the proton migrates to the acceptor side of the hydrogen bond. The detected situation can be described by a partial proton transfer.     

Infrared optical constants, molar absorption coefficients, dielectric constants, molar polarisabilities, transition moments and dipole moment derivatives of liquid N,N-dimethylacetamide-carbon tetrachloride mixtures

Mid-infrared spectra of the DMA-carbon tetrachloride system by transmission and single- and multiple-reflection ATR technique in the whole composition range (0相似文献