A Six-Pulse PASS MAS-NMR Technique Solved by a Phasor Method

The PASS MAS-NMR technique is capable of recovering full intensities of the central resonances of a spectrum by phase adjusting the spinning sidebands. This variant of the original PASS sequence by Dixon uses six π pulses instead of four. The addition of two π pulses provides more flexibility in choosing the spacing between pulses and therefore eliminates pulse overlap and receiver dead-time problems. The nonlinear, underdetermined PASS equations were solved using a graphical phasor method. All PASS sequences were successfully tested. A table of the six pulse delay times for different pitches is presented.     

Analysis of a statistical multiplexer with generalized periodic sources

We provide solution techniques for the analysis of multiplexers with periodic arrival streams, which accurately account for the effects of active and idle periods and of gradual arrival. In the models considered in this paper, it is assumed that each source alternates (periodically) between active and idle periods of fixed durations. Incoming packets are transmitted on the network link and excess information is stored in the multiplexing buffer when the aggregate input rate exceeds the capacity of the link. We are interested in the probability distribution of the buffer content for a given network link speed as a function of the number of sources and their characteristics, i.e., rate and duration of idle and active periods. We derive this distribution from two models: discrete time and continuous time systems. Discrete time systems operate in a slotted fashion, with a slot defining the base unit for data generation and transmission. In particular, in each slot the link is capable of transmitting one data unit and conversely an active source generates one data unit in that time. The continuous time model of the paper falls in the category of fluid models. Compared to previous works we allow a more general model for the periodic packet arrival process of each source. In discrete time, this means that the active period of a source can now extend over several consecutive slots instead of a single slot as in previous models. In continuous time, packet arrivals are not required to be instantaneous, but rather the data generation process can now take place over the entire duration of the active period. In both cases, these generalizations allow us to account for the progressive arrival of source data as a function of both the source speed and the amount of data it generates in an active period.This work was done while at the IBM T.J. Watson Research Center.This work was done while at the IBM T.J. Watson Research Center.Part of the work was done while visiting the IBM T.J. Watson Research Center.     

Locked by Design: A Conformationally Constrained Transglutaminase Tag Enables Efficient Site‐Specific Conjugation

Based on the crystal structure of a natural protein substrate for microbial transglutaminase, an enzyme that catalyzes protein crosslinking, a recognition motif for site‐specific conjugation was rationally designed. Conformationally locked by an intramolecular disulfide bond, this structural mimic of a native conjugation site ensured efficient conjugation of a reporter cargo to the therapeutic monoclonal antibody cetuximab without erosion of its binding properties.     

Dynamics of Fluorescent Dyes Attached to G‐Quadruplex DNA and their Effect on FRET Experiments

FRET spectroscopy is a promising approach for investigating the dynamics of G‐quadruplex DNA folds and improving the targeting of G‐quadruplexes by potential anticancer compounds. To better interpret such experiments, classical and replica‐exchange molecular dynamics simulations and fluorescence‐lifetime measurements are used to understand the behavior of a range of Cy3‐based dyes attached to the 3′ end of G‐quadruplex DNA. The simulations revealed that the dyes interact extensively with the G‐quadruplex. Identification of preferred dye positions relative to the G‐quadruplex in the simulations allows the impact of dye–DNA interactions on FRET results to be determined. All the dyes show significant deviations from the common approximation of being freely rotating and not interacting with the host, but one of the Cy3 dye analogues is slightly closer to this case.     

Total Synthesis of (+)‐Rubriflordilactone A

Two enantioselective total syntheses of the nortriterpenoid natural product rubriflordilactone A are described, which use palladium‐ or cobalt‐catalyzed cyclizations to form the CDE rings, and converge on a late‐stage synthetic intermediate. These key processes are set up through the convergent coupling of a common diyne component with appropriate AB‐ring aldehydes, a strategy that sets the stage for the synthetic exploration of other members of this family of natural products.     

Crystal Structure and Magnetic Properties of a Hexanuclear Copper(II) Carboxylate

The synthesis and characterisation of the hexanuclear copper(II) carboxylate complex [Cu(O₂CCHPhOC₂H₄OC₂H₄OCH₃)₂]₆ ( 1 ) is described. Single‐crystal X‐ray structure analysis reveals that the copper(II) ions are arranged in a six‐membered ring which adopts a chair‐like conformation. The copper(II) ions are bridged by μ₂‐ and μ₃‐coordinating carboxylates. The magnetic behavior of 1 was measured between 2 and 300 K, revealing at low temperature a weak antiferromagnetic interaction. The χ_M(T) dependency was fitted mathematically with one coupling constant J₁ and a paramagnetic impurity α.     

Fluid dynamics of self-propelled microorganisms,from individuals to concentrated populations

Nearly close-packed populations of the swimming bacterium Bacillus subtilis form a collective phase, the “Zooming BioNematic” (ZBN). This state exhibits large-scale orientational coherence, analogous to the molecular alignment of nematic liquid crystals, coupled with remarkable spatial and temporal correlations of velocity and vorticity, as measured by both novel and standard applications of particle imaging velocimetry. The appearance of turbulent dynamics in a system which is nominally in the regime of Stokes flow can be understood by accounting for the local energy input by the swimmers, with a new dimensionless ratio analogous to the Reynolds number. The interaction between organisms and boundaries, and with one another, is modeled by application of the methods of regularized Stokeslets.     

A continuum analysis of charge induced ferroelectric domain wall motions

A continuum model is presented for the motion of a domain wall in a plane 90°-domain configuration subjected to an isolated extrinsic charge near the surface of a ferroelectric single crystal. Local pinning is postulated for the kinetic law. Before the appearance of the extrinsic charge, all polarization surface charges are taken to be neutralized by environmental charges. The domain wall motion after the appearance of the extrinsic charge is assumed to proceed sufficiently fast without any significant conductive currents on the surface or in the interior of the crystal such that new surface and interface polarization charges remain unscreened and contribute to the ferroelectric anisotropy energy. A non-admissible divergence of the electric field and consequently of the local thermodynamic driving force and of the domain wall velocity appears in the model if the domain wall charged by interface polarization charges intersects the crystal surface charged by surface polarization charges under an arbitrary angle. The physically possible domain wall angle is identified using the condition of a non-divergent driving force. The ferroelectric anisotropy energy and an intrinsic surface energy of the domain wall, however, do not provide stability of the domain wall trajectory against an unlimited increase of its curvature at the surface. The problem has been solved conceptually by proper account of the domain wall bending energy. Numerical and dimensional analysis explain also why domain walls driven by extrinsic charges remain almost straight in soft ferroelectrics.     

Desch‐Schappacher perturbation of one‐parameter semigroups on locally convex spaces

We prove a Desch‐Schappacher type perturbation theorem for strongly continuous and locally equicontinuous one‐parameter semigroups which are defined on a sequentially complete locally convex space.     

Remobilization of pentavalent antimony and vanadium from a granular iron hydroxide material--a comparative study of different leaching systems

The remobilization of antimony and vanadium from previously loaded commercial granular ferric-hydroxide GEH material (intended for water treatment) was examined by using a sequential extraction procedure and three different leaching systems to evaluate their physicochemical mobility and potential availability under different simulated environmental conditions. A classical batch extraction, an extraction cell (EC) and rotating-coiled columns (RCC) were used as extraction systems.For each system it could be shown that the content of ion-exchangeable antimony and vanadium in previously loaded material is negligible (<1.5%). The oxyanions were sorbed strongly and could be predominantly remobilized through reducing agents, which means through dissolution of the iron (hydr)oxide matrix.The major advantages of dynamic systems in comparison to batchwise fractionation technique are the drastically reduced extraction time and the possibility of generating information to the leaching kinetics. It is shown that the efficiency of the three leaching systems is quite different employing Wenzel's sequential fractionation protocol. Only by working with RCC, the iron (hydr)oxide matrix was completely dissolved within four steps resulting in the total mobilization of antimony and vanadium. EC seems to be less suitable for leaching studies of Sb and V sorbed on iron(hydr)oxide. The remobilizable proportion of the several fractions was lower in comparison to batch and RCC and seems to be a result of an agglomeration of the GEH in the EC device.