Pentaquark Masses and Magnetic Moments in a Quark Cluster Approach

We study the stability of the different quark substructures in a quark cluster approach to pentaquark states considering the color-magnetic spin-spin interactions between quarks. The most likely configuration is found to be a triquark-diquark one where the two clusters are in a relative p-wave, the two quarks of the diquark are coupled to spin zero and anti-triplet representations of flavor and color, and the triquark has spin ? and belongs to the triplet representation of color and to the anti-sextet of flavor. Using this configuration we estimate the masses and magnetic moments of pentaquarks. Finally the calculation of the masses has been extended to some charmed pentaquarks.     

Multivariate analysis in provenance studies: Cerrillos obsidians case, Peru

We present the preliminary results of a provenance study of obsidians samples from Cerrillos (ca. 800–100 b.c.) using Mössbauer Spectroscopy. The Cerrillos archaeological site, located in the Upper Ica Valley, Peru, is the only Paracas ceremonial center excavated so far. The archaeological data collected suggest the existence of a complex social and economic organization on the south coast of Peru. Provenance research of obsidian provides valuable information about the selection of lithic resources by our ancestors and eventually about the existence of communication routes and exchange networks. We characterized 18 obsidian artifacts samples by Mössbauer spectroscopy from Cerrillos. The spectra, recorded at room temperature using different velocities, are mainly composed of broad asymmetric doublets due to the superposition of at least two quadrupole doublets corresponding to Fe²⁺ in two different sites (species A and B), one weak Fe³⁺ doublet (specie C) and magnetic components associated to the presence of small particles of magnetite. Multivariate statistical analysis of the Mössbauer data (hyperfine parameters) allows to defined two main groups of obsidians, reflecting different geographical origins.     

Characterizing turbulence in globally coupled maps with stochastic finite automata

We describe a method to discriminate between ordered and turbulent behavior in a general class of collective systems known as Globally Coupled Maps (GCM). Our method is able to discover an unknown small ordered region inside the turbulent phase of GCM parameter space. The computational nature of the method is the main novelty of our approach; it is another example of how measures based on computational notions of structure may provide new information in the study of dynamical systems.     

Noise estimation in single- and multiple-coil magnetic resonance data based on statistical models

Noise estimation is a challenging task in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), with applications in quality assessment, filtering or diffusion tensor estimation. Main noise estimators based on the Rician model are revisited and classified in this article, and new useful methods are proposed. Additionally, all the surveyed estimators are extended to the noncentral chi model, which applies to multiple-coil MRI and some important parallel imaging algorithms for accelerated acquisitions. The proposed new noise estimation procedures, based on the distribution of local moments, show better performance in terms of smaller variance and unbiased estimation over a wide range of experiments, with the additional advantage of not needing to explicitly segment the background of the image.     

Data analysis method to achieve sub‐10 pm spatial resolution using extended X‐ray absorption fine‐structure spectroscopy

Obtaining sub‐10 pm spatial resolution by extended X‐ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) spectroscopy is required in many important fields of research, such as lattice distortion studies in colossal magnetic resistance materials, high‐temperature superconductivity materials etc. However, based on the existing EXAFS data analysis methods, EXAFS has a spatial resolution limit of π/2Δk which is larger than 0.1 Å. In this paper a new data analysis method which can easily achieve sub‐10 pm resolution is introduced. Theoretically, the resolution limit of the method is three times better than that normally available. The method is examined by numerical simulation and experimental data. As a demonstration, the LaFe_1–xCr_xO₃ system (x = 0, 1/3, 2/3) is studied and the structural information of FeO₆ octahedral distortion as a function of Cr doping is resolved directly from EXAFS, where a resolution better than 0.074 Å is achieved.     

Polyamido amine dendrimers functionalized with poly(phenylenevinylene) dendrons at their periphery

A series of polyamido amine (PAMAM) dendrimers (Generations 2, 3, 4, and 6) fully functionalized at their periphery with first‐ and second‐generation poly (phenylenevinylene) (PPV) dendrons have been efficiently prepared. MALDI‐TOF mass spectrometry proved to be particularly useful for the characterization of the new hybrid dendrimers as well as for the estimation of the average number of PPV dendrons attached to the surface. The optical absorption and emission properties of these systems were studied. The materials display extremely high molar extinction coefficients and emit blue light with only slightly lower fluorescence quantum yields than the corresponding free dendrons. Self‐quenching interactions between PPV units were not observed in THF. However, the luminescence properties underwent a dramatic change when toluene was used as the solvent. The lower polarity of toluene caused shrinkage of the PAMAM structure and brought the PPV chromophores closer together, leading to self‐quenching interactions and excimer formation. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 47: 6409–6419, 2009     

Synthesis of new chiral imidazolium salts derived from amino acids: their evaluation in chiral molecular recognition

A family of new imidazolium salts derived from natural amino acids has been synthesized and tested for NMR enantiodiscrimination, as chiral shift reagents, of carboxylic acids. These imidazolium receptors contain different structural modifications and the splitting of the signals of the acids, after addition of the corresponding CSRs, depends on these structural variables. Compound 8b exhibited the strongest chiral solvating properties for racemic Mosher acid and was recognized as a suitable CSR for the determination of its enantiomeric composition.