Structural deformation monitored by vibrational properties and orbital modeling in (Pb,Sm)TiO3 systems

Pb_1−xSm_xTiO₃ (PST) powders with x varying from 0 to 0.1 were obtained by the polymeric precursor method, a soft chemical route. The vibrational properties relating tetragonal to pseudo-cubic phase transition were studied by Raman spectroscopy. The results obtained showed that the phase transition is extremely dependent upon the samarium content and presents a diffuse behavior. Monitoring of the oxygen 2p and titanium 3d orbitals was performed by the periodic mechanical quantum method, revealing the changes that occur with the distribution and contribution of the hybrid orbitals due to the samarium influence.     

Dynamics of entanglement transfer from radiation modes to localized qubits

We address the dynamics of entanglement transfer from two radiation modes to a pair of localized qubits implemented as atoms flying through or trapped in separated cavities. We first generalize previous results to include radiation in entangled mixed states and to describe the effect of cavity mirror transmittance. Then we investigate the transfer process by Monte Carlo Wave Function approach, which allows us to solve the whole system dynamics including cavity mode and atomic decays. We focus on flying modes prepared in coherently correlated states and we find realistic conditions for efficient entanglement transfer out of the weak and strong coupling regimes in the perspective of quantum memories realization.     

Continuous separation of lipid particles from erythrocytes by means of laminar flow and acoustic standing wave forces

Improved continuous acoustic particle separation (separation efficiency close to 100%) and separation of erythrocytes (red blood cells) from lipid microemboli in whole blood is reported.     

Microwave-assisted group-transfer cyclization of organotellurium compounds

Primary- and secondary-alkyl aryl tellurides, prepared by arenetellurolate ring-opening of epoxides/ O-allylation, were found to undergo rapid (3-10 min) group-transfer cyclization to afford tetrahydrofuran derivatives in 60-74% yield when heated in a microwave cavity at 250 degrees C in ethylene glycol or at 180 degrees C in water. To go to completion, similar transformations had previously required extended photolysis in refluxing benzene containing a substantial amount of hexabutylditin. The only drawback of the microwave-assisted process was the loss in diastereoselectivity which is a consequence of the higher reaction temperature. Substitution in the Te-aryl moiety of the secondary-alkyl aryl tellurides (4-OMe, 4-H, 4-CF(3)) did not affect the outcome of the group-transfer reaction in ethylene glycol. However, at lower temperature, using water as a solvent, the CF(3) derivative failed to react. The microwave-assisted group-transfer cyclization was extended to benzylic but not to primary- and secondary-alkyl phenyl selenides.     

Application of trilinear SLICING to analyse a single relaxation curve

Determining the time constants and amplitudes of exponential decays from relaxation data is a common task in LF-NMR. In this communication, we present an application of the SLICING algorithm to evaluate its possibilities for solving this problem. The method, originally introduced to compare different samples, is applied here to analyse a single relaxation curve, using the embedding technique. To test this procedure, we acquired data sets from samples of liquids properly separated, and characterized by different relaxation times. The results show a good estimation of parameters, comparable with those obtained applying Marquardt's algorithm, when the components have sufficiently different relaxation times.     

Forced folding and structural analysis of metastable proteins

A significant fraction of the proteins encoded by the human and other genomes appears to be significantly unfolded in vitro. This will undoubtedly hamper attempts to characterize their structure by classical crystallographic or solution NMR methods. Here we show that encapsulation of a metastable protein within the restricted volume a reverse micelle can be used to force fold the protein and allow its characterization by modern methods of NMR spectroscopy. This may have significant utility in the context of structural proteomics. In addition, variation of the inner volume of the reverse micelle can be used to probe the character of the manifold of unfolded states.     

Two-dimensional protein map of human vastus lateralis muscle

Protein samples of human vastus lateralis muscle were analyzed by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis, using immobilized pH gradients encompassing several pH regions in the first dimension and sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis in the second dimension. More than 500 protein spots on each gel were detected by silver staining, of which 150 were excised, digested in-gel with trypsin and characterized by matrix assisted laser desorptioin/ionization-mass spectrometry and tandem electrospray mass spectrometry. Using these techniques, 124 spots including contractile proteins and metabolic enzymes were identified. This database should provide a valuable resource for the definition of the functional properties of muscle fibres and for assessment of the influence of e.g., hypoxia, ischaemia and ageing on protein level.