THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN CAROTENOID PIGMENTS AND RESISTANCE TO RADIATION IN NON-PHOTOSYNTHETIC BACTERIA

Abstract— A radiation-resistant Micrococcus sp. and a colorless mutant subject to gamma radiation were found to have identical killing curves. Similar results were obtained with ultraviolet light. However when exposed to visible light in the presence of the photosensitizer, toluidine blue, the pigmented wild-type was unaffected whereas the colorless mutant was killed. Sarcina lutea and a colorless mutant were killed at similar rates following exposure to x-rays and U.V. light, whereas previous studies have demonstrated that the pigmented wild-type is protected against lethal photosensitizations by visible light. It is concluded that the effect of carotenoid pigments in radiation damage is limited to protecting cells against the lethal effects of visible light and is without effect at shorter wavelengths.     

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Gas chromatographic-mass spectrometric characterisation of amiton and the recovery of amiton from concrete,paint, rubber and soil matrices

Amiton [O,O-diethyl S-[2-(diethylamino)ethyl] phosphorothiolate], is an organophosphorus chemical included in Schedule 2 of the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC). Verification provisions under the CWC rely on the existence of a database of analytical information for scheduled chemicals and related compounds. Little analytical information is available for amiton. In this study, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) characterisation of amiton and its typical impurities (including by-products and degradation products), supported by selective GC detection and 31P NMR data, was undertaken. Twenty-one compounds, including a by-product unique to amiton from an industrial source, were identified. Involatile degradation products of amiton were derivatised to enable their identification by GC-MS. The recovery of amiton from matrices that may be expected in an inspection scenario (i.e. concrete, paint, rubber and soil) was also examined. Paint and concrete matrices were the most useful matrices for the detection of amiton, and its by-products and degradation products. Amiton was readily detected in these matrices after 28 days.     

Oxidative dehydrogenation of isobutane to isobutylene over supported transition metal oxide catalysts

Para-selectivity of ZSM-5 zeolites with similar bulk Si/Al ratio, but different particle size and surface Al concentration has been investigated in toluene disproportionation. Results showed that enhancedpara-selectivity is a consequence not only of the particle size but also of the external surface aluminium concentration in the particles.     

High-temperature behaviour of lithium borates:: Part I: Characterization and thermal stability

Nine compounds, namely Li₃BO₃, -Li₄B₂O₅, β-Li₄B₂O₅, Li₆B₄O₉, -LiBO₂, Li₂B₄O₇, Li₃B₇O₁₂, LiB₃O₅ and Li₂B₈O₁₃ in the Li₂O–B₂O₃ system have been synthesized and characterized. The unit-cell parameters, density and solubility in water at room temperature of all the compounds are reported. The densities of the compounds were found to be in the 1.90–2.50 g cm⁻³ range, while their solubility in water at room temperature was in the 0.91–8.64×10⁻² g cm⁻³ range. Determination of the thermal stability of the compounds by quenching and differential thermal analysis (DTA) showed that only -LiBO₂ and Li₂B₄O₇ retained their original symmetry up to their congruent melting at 1121 and 1188 K, respectively, in air.     

Cover-Incomparability Graphs of Posets

Cover-incomparability graphs (C-I graphs, for short) are introduced, whose edge-set is the union of edge-sets of the incomparability and the cover graph of a poset. Posets whose C-I graphs are chordal (resp. distance-hereditary, Ptolemaic) are characterized in terms of forbidden isometric subposets, and a general approach for studying C-I graphs is proposed. Several open problems are also stated.     

Extra dimension searches at hadron colliders to next-to-leading order-QCD

The quantitative impact of NLO-QCD corrections for searches of large and warped extra dimensions at hadron colliders are investigated for the Drell-Yan process. The K-factor for various observables at hadron colliders are presented. Factorisation, renormalisation scale dependence and uncertainties due to various parton distribution functions are studied. Uncertainties arising from the error on experimental data are estimated using the MRST parton distribution functions.      

Solution Chemistry of Europium(III) Aqua Ion at Micromolar Concentrations as Probed by Direct Excitation Luminescence Spectroscopy

Direct excitation europium(III) luminescence spectroscopy is used to study the speciation of aqueous europium(III) ions at micromolar concentrations and near neutral pH. The pH and concentration dependence of the europium(III) ⁷F₀→⁵D₀ excitation peak is consistent with the formation of both mononuclear and dinuclear europium(III) hydroxide complexes at pH 6.5. Luminescence intensity and lifetime quenching studies in the presence of Nd^III at pH 5.0 and 6.5 support the formation of a dinuclear complex at pH 6.5. Steady state excitation and time‐resolved luminescence spectroscopy are consistent with the formation of innersphere nitrate and fluoride complexes, but outersphere perchlorate and chloride complexes at pH 6.5 and 5.0.