The homology representations of the -equal partition lattice

We determine the character of the action of the symmetric group on the homology of the induced subposet of the lattice of partitions of the set obtained by restricting block sizes to the set . A plethystic formula for the generating function of the Frobenius characteristic of the representation is given. We combine techniques from the theory of nonpure shellability, recently developed by Björner and Wachs, with symmetric function techniques, developed by Sundaram, for determining representations on the homology of subposets of the partition lattice.

     

Ab initio molecular-dynamics study of supercritical carbon dioxide

Car-Parrinello molecular-dynamics simulations of supercritical carbon dioxide (scCO(2)) have been performed at the temperature of 318.15 K and at the density of 0.703 g/cc in order to understand its microscopic structure and dynamics. Atomic pair correlation functions and structure factors have been obtained and good agreement has been found with experiments. In the supercritical state the CO(2) molecule is marginally nonlinear, and thus possesses a dipole moment. Analyses of angle distributions between near neighbor molecules reveal the existence of configurations with pairs of molecules in the distorted T-shaped geometry. The reorientational dynamics of carbon dioxide molecules, investigated through first- and second-order time correlation functions, exhibit time constants of 620 and 268 fs, respectively, in good agreement with nuclear magnetic resonance experiments. The intramolecular vibrations of CO(2) have been examined through an analysis of the velocity autocorrelation function of the atoms. These reveal a red shift in the frequency spectrum relative to that of an isolated molecule, consistent with experiments on scCO(2). The results have also been compared to classical molecular-dynamics calculations employing an empirical potential.     

Anomalous dielectric relaxation of water molecules at the surface of an aqueous micelle

Dielectric relaxation of aqueous solutions of micelles, proteins, and many complex systems shows an anomalous dispersion at frequencies intermediate between those corresponding to the rotational motion of bulk water and that of the organized assembly or macromolecule. The precise origin of this anomalous dispersion is not well-understood. In this work we employ large scale atomistic molecular dynamics simulations to investigate the dielectric relaxation (DR) of water molecules in an aqueous micellar solution of cesium pentadecafluorooctanoate. The simulations clearly show the presence of a slow component in the moment-moment time correlation function [PhiMW(t)] of water molecules, with a time constant of about 40 ps, in contrast to only 9 ps for bulk water. Interestingly, the orientational time correlation function [Cmu(t)] of individual water molecules at the surface exhibits a component with a time constant of about 19 ps. We show that these two time constants can be related by the well-known micro-macrorelations of statistical mechanics. In addition, the reorientation of surface water molecules exhibits a very slow component that decays with a time constant of about 500 ps. An analysis of hydrogen bond lifetime and of the rotational relaxation in the coordinate frame fixed on the micellar body seems to suggest that the 500 ps component owes its origin to the existence of an extended hydrogen bond network of water molecules at the surface. However, this ultraslow component is not found in the total moment-moment time correlation function of water molecules in the solution. The slow DR of hydration water is found to be well correlated with the slow solvation dynamics of cesium ions at the water-micelle interface.     

Enthalpies of mixing of isopropyl ether with cyclohexane,benzene, toluene,ethylbenzene, p-xylene and mesitylene at 27°C

Enthalpies of mixing of isopropyl ether with cyclohexane, benzene, mesitylene, ethylbenzene, toluene and p-xylene were determined at 27°C and were found to decrease in the same order as the second components listed. The results are compared with Flory's state theory.     

On the polarity of the amide group and its impact on dipeptide conformation

Giving explicit consideration to the lone pairs of the carbonyl oxygen of the amide group it is found that the polarity of the amide group resides essentially in the lone pair. As a confirmation, the lone pairs of the ester group are also found to account for most of its polarity. This localization of amide dipole affects the dipeptide conformation map only in the unallowed regions of the map, but has significant impact on the dipole moment of the dipeptide in different conformations. The experimentally observed dipole moments of dipeptides in solution are in conformity with our assignment of polarity of the amide group.     

Binding of naproxen to bovine serum albumin and tryptophan-modified bovine serum albumin

Two classes of binding sites, a single high-affinity site with an association constant of 4·8×10⁶ M⁻¹ and two low-affinity sites with association constant of about 0·05×10⁶ M⁻¹ have been observed in the interaction of Naproxen with bovine serum albumin (BSA). Chemical modification of two tryptophan residues in BSA with 2-hydroxy-5-nitrobenzyl bromide has led to a reduction in the association constant of the high-affinity site by 89% and its number of binding sites by 66% suggesting the involvement of tryptophan residues in the high-affinity site. In contrast, the two low-affinity sites were not affected by the modification. Binding of Naproxen to the low-affinity sites of BSA induces microdisorganisation of the albumin structure leading to conformational changes as evident from fluorescence measurements with 1-anilino-8-naphthalenesulphonic acid as the probe.     

FBG Sensor technology to interfacial strain measurement in cfrp-strengthened concrete beam

Experimental Techniques - Fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) composite materials are very attractive for use in strengthening of civil engineering structures because of their high strength to weight...     

Simultaneous voltammetric determination of vanillin and guaiacol in food products on defect free graphene nanoflakes modified glassy carbon electrode

Microchimica Acta - Simple and robustic mediator free graphene nanoflake modified glassy carbon electrode (GNF/GCE) was used for the simultaneous determination of vanillin (VAN) and...