Duality transformations in electrodynamics

Electrodynamics admitting a duality transformation group is considered. For such an electrodynamics an extension of the classical Rainich-Misner-Wheeler theory is presented.On leave of absence from the University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland.     

Ergodicity of eigenfunctions for ergodic billiards

We give a simple proof of ergodicity of eigenfunctions of the Laplacian with Dirichlet boundary conditions on compact Riemannian manifolds with piecewise smooth boundaries and ergodic billiards. Examples include the Bunimovich stadium, the Sinai billiard and the generic polygonal billiard tables of Kerckhoff, Masur and Smillie.     

Distance distributions and dynamics of a zinc finger peptide from fluorescence resonance energy transfer measurements

Time-resolved fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) measurements were used to measure distance distributions and intramolecular dynamics (site-to-site diffusion) of a 28-residue single-domain zinc finger peptide in the absence and presence of zinc ion. Energy transfer was measured between TRP₁₄ and a N-terminal DNS group. As expected, the TRP-to-DNS distance distribution for zinc-bound peptide is shorter and narrower (R _av=11.2 Å,hw=2.8 Å) than the metal-free peptide (R _av=20.1 Å,hw=14.5 Å). The degree of mutual donor-to-acceptor diffusion (D) was also determined for these distributions. For zinc-bound peptide there is no detectible diffusion (D0.2 Ų/ns), whereas for metal-free peptide a considerable amount of motion is occurring between the donor and the acceptor (D=12 Ų/ns). These results indicate that the zinc-bound peptide folds into a unique, well-defined conformation, whereas the metal-free conformation is flexible and rapidly changing. The absence of detectible mutual site-to-site diffusion between the donor and the acceptor in the metal-bound zinc finger peptide indicates that intramolecular motion is essentially frozen out, on the FRET time scale, as a consequence of zinc coordination.Dedicated to the memory of Barbara D. Wells.     

Distance-dependent fluorescence quenching ofN-acetyl-l-tryptophanamide by acrylamide

We examined the time-dependent intensity decays ofN-acetyl-l-tryptophanamide (NATA) when collisionally quenched by acrylamide in propylene glycol over a range of temperatures. The intensity decays of NATA became increasingly heterogeneous in the presence of acrylamide. The NATA intensity decays were not consistent with the Collins-Kimball radiation boundary condition (RBC) model for quenching. The steady-state Stern-Volmer plots show significant upward curvature, and quenching of NATA by acrylamide was observed even in vitrified propylene glycol, where translational diffusion cannot occur during the lifetime of the excited state. These frequencydomain and steady-state data indicate a through-space quenching interaction between NATA and acrylamide, and the results are consistent with a rate constant for quenching that depends exponentially on the fluorophore-quencher separation distance. The exponential distance-dependent rate of quenching also explains the upward curvature of the Stern-Volmer plot, and the steady-state data aid in determining the interaction distance between NATA and acrylamide. These results suggest that the distance-dependent quenching rates need to be considered in the interpretation of acrylamide quenching of proteins.     

Extraction of americium,lanthanides and some fission product elements by bidentate phosphonates

The extraction of Am, Eu, Ce(III), Zr(IV), and Sr from aqueous nitric acid— nitrate media by dibutyl N,N-diethylcarbamylphosphonate and dibutyl N,N-diethylcar-bamylmethylenephosphonate dissolved in carbon tetrachloride was studied. The trivalent actinide and lanthanide elements may be separated in certain aqueous phase acidity regions from Fe(III), Zr(IV), and Sr, whereas the separation of actinide elements from the lanthanide elements is poor. The extractant to metal ratio in the extracted complexes of Am, Eu, and Ce(III) is 3. The interferences in the extraction due to acidic impurities in the extracting agent are discussed.     

Interaction of water with the regenerated cellulose membrane studied by DSC

One to three endothermal peaks atributted to melting of bulk and interfacial water were observed by DSC in the regenerated cellulose — water system. The profiles of thermal effects depend on water content, time of conditioning, film pretreatment and the conditions applied during the preceding freezing-thawing cycles. The occurrence might be deduced of melting-crystallisation processes. A large amount of non-freezable strongly bounded water was also detected. Although cellulose absorbs water quickly after immersion, the structural changes consisting on ordering of polymer fraction occur during further conditioning due to increase in strength of water binding. Using the membranes in the separation module at 90°C causes weakening of these bonds. Differences between interaction of particular cellulose films with water can be detected during the first, the second and the third heating. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Alkoxy/siloxy group exchange in the system vinyltrialkoxysilane-iridium(I) siloxide complex

A study of reactions of dimeric siloxide iridium complex, [[(cod)Ir(mu-OSiMe3)]2] (1) with vinyltriethoxysilane and vinyltrimethoxysilane has revealed a new type of the reation--alkoxy group transfer from silicon to iridium with a simultaneous transfer of a siloxy group from iridium to silicon--as a result of which vinyldialkoxytrimethyldisiloxane and dimeric alkoxide iridium complex [[(cod)Ir(mu-OR)]2] (3) are formed. The structure of [[(cod)Ir(mu-OEt)]2] (3a) has been solved by X-ray diffraction.     

On distributions of antibaryons in\bar p-Nucleus inelastic collisions

In the framework of the dual parton model we calculate the spectra of secondary antibaryons in \(\bar p\) -nucleus non-annihilation inelastic interactions. We find that the number of antibaryons in the backward hemisphere in the \(\bar p\) -nucleon centre-of-mass frame can grow with the atomic number of the nucleus.