Global versus local superintegrability of nonlinear oscillators

Liouville (super)integrability of a Hamiltonian system of differential equations is based on the existence of globally well-defined constants of the motion, while Lie point symmetries provide a local approach to conserved integrals. Therefore, it seems natural to investigate in which sense Lie point symmetries can be used to provide information concerning the superintegrability of a given Hamiltonian system. The two-dimensional oscillator and the central force problem are used as benchmark examples to show that the relationship between standard Lie point symmetries and superintegrability is neither straightforward nor universal. In general, it turns out that superintegrability is not related to either the size or the structure of the algebra of variational dynamical symmetries. Nevertheless, all of the first integrals for a given Hamiltonian system can be obtained through an extension of the standard point symmetry method, which is applied to a superintegrable nonlinear oscillator describing the motion of a particle on a space with non-constant curvature and spherical symmetry.     

Molecular motions in macromolecules under mechanic and electric force fields

General aspects of the dynamics of macromolecules are reviewed on the basis of a parallel analysis of the material response under mechanical and electric force fields.Long-range (normal and segmental dynamics) as well as short-range motions are studied on the basis of experimental data, correlation function, and memory equation techniques.Accordingly, several methods to describe the relaxational behavior of macromolecules and their pendant molecular groups are proposed.Presented as a keynote lecture at the 4th European Rheology Conference, September 4–9, 1994, Seville, Spain     

Cathodoluminescence and photoluminescence from SrO crystals

Photoluminescence (PL) and cathodoluminescence (CL) emission of SrO single crystals are compared. The main CL band at about 510 nm appears also in the PL spectrum obtained by exciting the crystals with 300 nm light. CL has been found to be far more effective than PL to observe bands at 410 nm and 460 nm, which are attributed to surface processes.     

A gas chromatographic flow method for preconcentration and determination of vitamins D2 and D3 in pharmaceutical preparations

Summary A continuous-flow method that combines on-line preconcentration and isolation with gas chromatography for the direct determination of vitamins D₂ and D₃ in oily solutions is reported. A silica gel column permits preconcentration and isolation of analytes from the vitamin D matrix, although some triglyceride (ca. 25%) is also retained. To overcome problems associated with the low volatility of triglycerides, their retained fraction is further transesterified with potassium methylate to fatty acid methyl esters after elution. The proposed method was applied to the determination of vitamin D in pharmaceutical preparations.     

Effect of inhibitors released during steam-explosion pretreatment of barley straw on enzymatic hydrolysis

The influence of the liquid fraction (prehydrolysate) generated during steam-explosion pretreatment (210°C, 15 min) of barley straw on the enzymatic hydrolysis was determined. Prehydrolysate was analyzed for degradation compounds and sugars' content and used as a medium for enzymatic hydrolysis tests after pH adjusting to 4.8. Our results show that the presence of the compounds contained in the prehydrolysate strongly affects the hydrolysis step (a 25% decrease in cellulose conversion compared with control). Sugars are shown to be more potent inhibitors of enzymatic hydrolysis than degradation products.     

The influence of solvent polarity and viscosity on fluorescence of quinolizinium salts

The effects of dielectric constant, viscosity and polarity of the solvents used on the relative fluorescent emission of 2,3-diphenylquinolizinium bromide and 2(p-dimethyl-amino)styryl-3-methylquinolizinium bromide are described. These salts were entirely dissolved in ten different solvents. The 2(p-dimethylamino)styryl derivative produced different ionic species, and was a fluorescent acid-base indicator. The fluorescence of these quinolizinium salts is shown to increase with greater viscosity of the medium.     

Influence of the support on the reaction course of tributyrin hydrolysis catalyzed by soluble and immobilized lipases

Lipases from different origins have been immobilized in supports chosen by its different aquaphilicity and used as biocatalysts for the hydrolysis of tributyrin. The changes of the concentration of tri-, di-, monobutyrin, glycerol, and butyric acid during the reactions catalyzed by soluble, as well as immobilized, lipases were evaluated by gas chromatography. The experimental data were fitted to a simple kinetic model for the sequential reaction of tributyrin hydrolysis. The calculated apparent rate constants were different for the biocatalysts used and were apparently related to diffusional effects and aquaphilicity of the supports. Maximal yields of dibutyrin were found with the soluble Candida lipase, whereas the highest yield of monobutyrin (90%) was obtained with the least aquaphylic derivative (Candida-Celite).     

New methodology for tosylation of hydroxylic supports as exemplified by the immobilization of micrococcal endonuclease on agarose

Improvement have been made in a simplified procedure we previously reported (J.Mol.Catal. (1986),38,227 for the activation of tosyl chloride of supports possessing primary hydroxyl groups. The method is simple, can be completed in less than 90 min, yields a broad range of activation degrees, and, since it involves no toxic reagents, may be used for preparing immobilized enzymes to be utilized in food manufacturing and processing. The immobilization ofStophylococcal Nuclease has been carried out by this method. The insolubilized derivatives are more active than the native enzyme in the hydrolysis of DNA. The thermal stability of nuclease derivatives is greater than that of the native enzyme. These derivatives remain active at 50°C, and the native enzyme, 39°C. The insolubilized nuclease is more stable against organic solvents such as, dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) or tetrahydroduran (THF) than the native enzyme.     

Deconvolution of the relaxations associated with local and segmental motions in poly(methacrylate)s containing dichlorinated benzyl moieties in the ester residue

The relaxation behavior of poly(2,3-dichlorobenzyl methacrylate) is studied by broadband dielectric spectroscopy in the frequency range of 10(-1)-10(9) Hz and temperature interval of 303-423 K. The isotherms representing the dielectric loss of the glassy polymer in the frequency domain present a single absorption, called beta process. At temperatures close to Tg, the dynamical alpha relaxation already overlaps with the beta process, the degree of overlapping increasing with temperature. The deconvolution of the alpha and beta relaxations is facilitated using the retardation spectra calculated from the isotherms utilizing linear programming regularization parameter techniques. The temperature dependence of the beta relaxation presents a crossover associated with a change in activation energy of the local processes. The distance between the alpha and beta peaks, expressed as log(fmax;beta/fmax;alpha) where fmax is the frequency at the peak maximum, follows Arrhenius behavior in the temperature range of 310-384 K. Above 384 K, the distance between the peaks remains nearly constant and, as a result, the a onset temperature exhibited for many polymers is not reached in this system. The fraction of relaxation carried out through the alpha process, without beta assistance, is larger than 60% in the temperature range of 310-384 K where the so-called Williams ansatz holds.