Spin dependence of inclusive reactions from proton-proton collisions at 7.9 GeV/c

The spin dependence of inclusive proton and pion production by 7.9 GeV/c protons has been measured using a polarized proton target, for nominal values of x = p_L^cm/p_max^cm = 0.7 in the transverse momentum range 0.4 GeV/c <pp_t < 1.2 GeV/c, and for p_t = 0.4 GeV/c in the range 0.1 < x < 0.96. The results indicate a positive asymmetry of +5% over this kinematic region, which corresponds to fragmentation of the unpolarized proton.     

Adsorption behaviour of a number of metals on weakly basic ion-exchangers in methanol-hydrochloric acid mixtures

Many metals are not strongly adsorbed on DEAE-cellulose from aqueous hydrochloric acid media. However, some metals can be adsorbed on DEAE-cellulose from methanol-hydrochloric acid media. Distribution coefficients of Zn, Cd, Hg(II) and Bi(III), which show pronounced adsorption, are presented as functions of the methanol and the acid concentrations. Differences in the distribution coefficient between the four metals and a considerable number of other metals are large enough to permit good separations on columns. Among the platinum group metals, Pd(II), Ir(IV) and Pt(IV) are adsorbed from the mixed solvents and may be separated from large quantities of base metals such as Fe(III), Co(II), Ni and Cu(II).     

Direct observation of ‘soliton-like’ spin density distribution in undoped cis-rich (CH)x by ENDOR at 4°K

Electron nuclear double resonance (ENDOR) measurements were performed on stretch oriented undoped cis-rich (CH)_x at 4°K. The presence of the spin density which is comparable with the prediction of the soliton theory was directly observed for the first time. The maximum value of the spin density ranged from 0.11 to 0.19 depending on the choice of McConnell's constant. The form of the spin density distribution was discussed through the analysis of observed anisotropic spectral line shape using a spectrum simulation method.     

Reverse Engineering Analysis of the High-Temperature Reversible Oligomerization and Amyloidogenicity of PSD95-PDZ3

PSD95-PDZ3, the third PDZ domain of the post-synaptic density-95 protein (MW 11 kDa), undergoes a peculiar three-state thermal denaturation (N ↔ I_n ↔ D) and is amyloidogenic. PSD95-PDZ3 in the intermediate state (I) is reversibly oligomerized (RO: Reversible oligomerization). We previously reported a point mutation (F340A) that inhibits both ROs and amyloidogenesis and constructed the PDZ3-F340A variant. Here, we “reverse engineered” PDZ3-F340A for inducing high-temperature RO and amyloidogenesis. We produced three variants (R309L, E310L, and N326L), where we individually mutated hydrophilic residues exposed at the surface of the monomeric PDZ3-F340A but buried in the tetrameric crystal structure to a hydrophobic leucine. Differential scanning calorimetry indicated that two of the designed variants (PDZ3-F340A/R309L and E310L) denatured according to the two-state model. On the other hand, PDZ3-F340A/N326L denatured according to a three-state model and produced high-temperature ROs. The secondary structures of PDZ3-F340A/N326L and PDZ3-wt in the RO state were unfolded according to circular dichroism and differential scanning calorimetry. Furthermore, PDZ3-F340A/N326L was amyloidogenic as assessed by Thioflavin T fluorescence. Altogether, these results demonstrate that a single amino acid mutation can trigger the formation of high-temperature RO and concurrent amyloidogenesis.     

Application of ToF-SIMS to the study on heartwood formation in Cryptomeria japonica trees

Influence of gold- and carbon-coating on ToF-SIMS analysis of Cryptomeria japonica (Sugi) wood has been investigated to apply the samples after observing water distribution by cryo-scanning electron microscopy (cryo-SEM) or analyzing distribution of metal elements by SEM with energy dispersive X-ray spectrometer (SEM/EDX) to ToF-SIMS analysis to study the mechanism of heartwood formation of woody plants. The intensities of peaks at the m/z 285 ion in positive mode and the m/z 283 ion in negative mode from gold- and carbon-coated samples were compared with from those of non-coated samples. Those peaks were apparently attributable to ferruginol, a typical heartwood compounds in Sugi tree. From both gold- and non-coated samples, positive m/z 285 ions were generated. On the other hand, in negative mode, the intensity of m/z 283 ion was decreased after coating with gold. From carbon-coated samples, intensities of both positive m/z 285 ion and negative m/z 283 ion were decreased. These results suggest that the samples coated with gold for cryo-SEM could be applied to ToF-SIMS analysis directly to investigate the relation between water distribution and distribution of heartwood substances in heartwood-forming Sugi trees. However, non-coated samples should be used for SEM/EDX before analyzing by ToF-SIMS.     

Effect of surface defects on vortex penetration in small superconducting squares

We report the dependence of the vortex penetration on the number and positions of surface defects in mesoscopic superconducting squares. The vortex penetration is detected by the change in the transport properties of small tunnel junctions attached to the sample (small-tunnel-junction method). We find that for vorticities L = 0 and 1, a defect at the center of a side facilitate the vortex penetration, while a defect at a corner does not affect the vortex penetration field. For higher vorticities, the influence of defects becomes complicated, indicating that not only the existence of surface defects but also the vortex arrangement influences the vortex penetration. Simple explanation for this mesoscopic vortex penetration effect is given.     

Color speckle measurement errors using system with <Emphasis Type="Italic">XYZ</Emphasis> filters

Measurement errors of color speckle are analyzed for a measurement system equipped with revolving XYZ filters and a 2D sensor. One of the errors is caused by the filter characteristics unfitted to the ideal color matching functions. The other is caused by uncorrelations among the optical paths via the XYZ filters. The unfitted color speckle errors of all the pixel data can be easily calibrated by conversion between the measured BGR chromaticity triangle and the true triangle obtained by the BGR wavelength measurements. For the uncorrelated errors, the measured BGR chromaticity values spread over around the true values. As a result, it would be more complicated to calibrate the uncorrelated errors, repeating the triangular conversion pixel by pixel. Color speckle and its errors greatly affect also chromaticity measurements and image quality of displays using coherent light sources.