Nuclear stopping from 0.09A to 1.93A GeV and its correlation to flow

We present a complete systematics (excitation functions and system-size dependences) of global stopping and side flow for heavy ion reactions in the energy range between 0.09A and 1.93A GeV. For the heaviest system, Au+Au, we observe a plateau of maximal stopping extending from about 0.2A to 0.8A GeV with a fast drop on both sides. The degree of stopping, which is shown to remain significantly below the expectations of a full stopping scenario, is found to be highly correlated to the amount of side flow.     

Extreme outages caused by polarization mode dispersion

We study the dependence on fiber birefringence of the bit-error rate (BER) caused by amplifier noise in a linear optical fiber telecommunication system. We show that the probability-distribution function of the BER obtained by averaging over many realizations of birefringent disorder has an extended tail that corresponds to anomalously large values of BER. We specifically discuss the dependence of the tail on such details of pulse detection at the fiber output as setting the clock and filtering procedures.     

Universal torsion-induced interaction from large extra dimensions

We consider the Kaluza-Klein (KK) scenario in which only gravity exists in the bulk. Without the assumption of symmetric connection, the presence of brane fermions induces torsion. The result is a universal axial contact interaction that dominates those induced by KK gravitons. This enhancement arises from a large spin density on the brane. Using a global fit to Z-pole observables, we find the 3sigma bound on the scale of quantum gravity to be 28 TeV for n = 2. If Dirac or light sterile neutrinos are present, the data from SN1987A increase the bound to sqrt[n] M(S)>/=210 TeV.     

Spectroscopy of homogeneous deuterated hydrocarbon films redeposited from a T-10 tokamak plasma discharge

Homogeneous deuterated hydrocarbon films redeposited from a deuterium plasma discharge inside the T-10 tokamak vacuum chamber are studied using photoluminescence methods; EXAFS, EPR, and IR spectroscopies; and temperature measurements. The photoluminescence excitation spectra of sp ³-sp ² nanostructures of tokamak films are compared with those of sp ² nanostructures of C60 fullerite films. The effect of defect states on photoluminescence and its temperature quenching is discussed. It is concluded that the model of temperature luminescence quenching for homogeneous deuterated tokamak films is similar to that for amorphous a-C:H films.     

Dynamic versions of EMF method in studies of phase formation and thermodynamic properties of metal alloys

Using dynamic versions of emf method, potential study of phase formation and thermodynamic properties was shown in all the equilibrium diagram of the studied systems, phase formation parameters and thermodynamic characteristics of oversaturated liquid and solid metal solutions were found for the first time.     

N-terminal tagging strategy for De Novo sequencing of short peptides by ESI-MS/MS and MALDI-MS/MS

The major portion of skin secretory peptidome of the European Tree frog Hyla arborea consists of short peptides from tryptophyllin family. It is known that b-ions of these peptides undergo head-to-tail cyclization, forming a ring that can open, resulting in several linear forms. As a result, the spectrum contains multiple ion series, thus complicating de novo sequencing. This was observed in the Q-TOF spectrum of one of the tryptophyllins isolated from Hyla arborea; the sequence FLPFFP-NH₂ was established by Edman degradation and counter-synthesis. Though no rearrangements were observed in FTICR-MS and MALDI-TOF/TOF spectra, both of them were not suitable for mass-spectrometry sequencing due to the low sequence coverage. To obtain full amino acid sequence by mass spectrometry, three chemical modifications to N-terminal amino moiety were applied. They include acetylation and sulfobenzoylation of N-amino group and its transformation to 2,4,6-trimethylpyridinium by interaction with 2,4,6-trimethylpyrillium tetrafluoroborate. All three reagents block scrambling and provide spectra better than the intact peptide. Unfortunately, all of them also readily react with lysine side chain. Hence, all investigated procedures can be used to improve sequencing of short peptides, while acetylation is the recommended one. It shows excellent results, and it is plain and simple to perform. This is the procedure of choice for MS-sequencing of short peptides by manual or automatic algorithms.     

Metal-polymer PVDF/nickel composites and evaluation of their dielectric and thermal properties

Dielectric properties, thermal stability and sub-molecular structure of metal-polymer composites on the basis of polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) modified by sub-micro sized nickel powder were studied in this work by different methods such as dielectric spectroscopy, resistivity measurement, breakdown strength measurement, differential scanning calorimetry and optical microscopy. It was found that modification of PVDF by nickel particles results in the increase of both the volume resistivity by a factor of 1.24…15 and the melting and decomposition temperature by 5 °C and 48 °C for composite with an optimal nickel content compared with non-modified PVDF.