Astrophysical S-factors from asymptotic normalization coefficients

S-factors for direct capture reactions can be found at astrophysical energies from asymptotic normalization coefficients which provide the normalization of the tail of the overlap function. For example the overlap for ⁸B → ⁷Be+p defines the S-factor for ⁷Be (p, γ)⁸B. Peripheral transfer reactions offer a technique to determine these asymptotic normalization coefficients. As a test of the technique, the ¹⁶O(³He, d)¹⁷F reaction has been used to determine asymptotic normalization coefficients for transitions to the ground and first excited states of ¹⁷F. The S-factors for ¹⁶O(p, γ)¹⁷F calculated from these ¹⁷F → ¹⁶O+p asymptotic normalization coefficients are found to be in very good agreement with recent measurements. Following the same technique, the ¹⁰B(⁷Be, ⁸B)⁹Be and ¹⁴N(⁷Be, ⁸B)¹³C reactions have been used to measure the asymptotic normalization coefficient for ⁷Be(p, γ)⁸B. This result provides an indirect determination of S ₁₇(0).     

Gas-phase deprotonation of arylalkylamines. A collision-induced dissociation study

The collision-induced dissociation (CID) of deprotonated arylalkylamines of general formula R(1)C(6)H(4)CHR(2)CH(2)NR(3)(2) (where R(1) = H, OH, F or NO(2); R(2) = H or OH; R(3) = H or CH(3)) generated by negative chemical ionization with H(2)O and D(2)O as ionizing reagents, is discussed. The negative chemical ionization mass spectra show that, in the absence of a hydroxy group in the aromatic ring, deprotonation takes place at the benzylic position whereas the proton is lost from the OH group when present. The nitro compound forms only M(-.) ions. The CID spectra of the deprotonated molecules show that fragmentations are strongly dependent on the structural features of the molecules, namely the presence or absence of substituents in the aromatic ring or aliphatic chain. Copyright 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Isolation of NO(3)(-)-N as 1-phenylazo-2-naphthol (Sudan-1) for measurement of delta(15)N

The conversion of nitrate (NO(3)(-)) to 1-phenylazo-2-naphthol (Sudan-1) has been examined as a method for natural abundance measurement of delta(15)N of NO(3)(-). The reaction results in dilution of NO(3)(-)-N with only one reagent-derived N and the product is readily concentrated from dilute samples by reverse phase chromatography. There is systematic isotopic fractionation during the reaction, but this can be allowed for by analysing known NO(3)(-) standards along with each sample set. Sudan-1 prepared from surface water samples containing approximately 50 &mgr;g NO(3)(-)-N can be analysed by automated continuous flow isotope ratio mass spectrometry with a precision of 0.2 per thousand (one standard deviation) and the accuracy is not affected by interference from other nitrogenous species in the sample or reagents. Copyright 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Hydration water dynamics in biopolymers from NMR relaxation in the rotating frame

Assuming dipole-dipole interaction as the dominant relaxation mechanism of protons of water molecules adsorbed onto macromolecule (biopolymer) surfaces we have been able to model the dependences of relaxation rates on temperature and frequency. For adsorbed water molecules the correlation times are of the order of 10(-5)s, for which the dispersion region of spin-lattice relaxation rates in the rotating frame R(1)(ρ)=1/T(1)(ρ) appears over a range of easily accessible B(1) values. Measurements of T(1)(ρ) at constant temperature and different B(1) values then give the "dispersion profiles" for biopolymers. Fitting a theoretical relaxation model to these profiles allows for the estimation of correlation times. This way of obtaining the correlation time is easier and faster than approaches involving measurements of the temperature dependence of R(1)=1/T(1). The T(1)(ρ) dispersion approach, as a tool for molecular dynamics study, has been demonstrated for several hydrated biopolymer systems including crystalline cellulose, starch of different origins (potato, corn, oat, wheat), paper (modern, old) and lyophilized proteins (albumin, lysozyme).     

Thieno[3,2-b]pyrrolo donor fused with benzothiadiazolo, benzoselenadiazolo and quinoxalino acceptors: synthesis, characterization, and molecular properties

Nitrogen-bridged donor-acceptor multifused dithienopyrrolobenzothiadiazole (DTPBT) and dibenzothiadiazolopyrrolothiophene (DBTPT) were successfully synthesized by intramolecular Cadogan annulation. The electron-deficient benzothiadiazole unit in DTPBT can be converted to benzoselenadiazole and quinoxaline moieties through reduction/cyclization to generate dithienopyrrolobenzoselenadiazole (DTPBSe) and dithienopyrroloquinoxaline (DTPQX), respectively. The nitrogen atoms function as the bridges for covalent planarization to induce intermolecular interaction and intramolecular charge transfer.     

Integrated continuous flow polymerase chain reaction and micro-capillary electrophoresis system with bioaffinity preconcentration

An integrated and modular DNA analysis system is reported that consists of two modules: (i) A continuous flow polymerase chain reaction (CFPCR) module fabricated in a high T(g) (150°C) polycarbonate substrate in which selected gene fragments were amplified using biotin and fluorescently labeled primers accomplished by continuously shuttling small packets of PCR reagents and template through isothermal zones as opposed to heating and cooling large thermal masses typically performed in batch-type thermal reactors. (ii) μCE (micro-capillary electrophoresis) module fabricated in poly(methylmethacrylate) (PMMA), which utilized a bioaffinity selection and purification bed (2.9 μL) to preconcentrate and purify the PCR products generated from the CFPCR module prior to electrophoretic sorting. Biotin-labeled CFPCR products were hydrostatically pumped through the streptavidin-modified bed, where they were extracted onto the surface of micropillars. The affinity bed was also fabricated in PMMA and was populated with an array of microposts (50 μm width; 100 μm height) yielding a total surface area of ～117 mm(2). This solid-phase extraction (SPE) process demonstrated high selectivity for biotinylated amplicons and utilized the strong streptavidin/biotin interaction (K(d) = 10(-15) M) to generate high recoveries. The SPE selected CFPCR products were thermally denatured and single-stranded DNA released for injection into a 7-cm-long μCE channel for size-based separations and fluorescence detection. The utility of the system was demonstrated using Alu DNA typing for gender and ethnicity determinations as a model. Compared with the traditional cross-T injection procedure typically used for μCE, the affinity pre-concentration and injection procedure generated signal enhancements of 17- to 40-fold, critical for CFPCR thermal cyclers due to Taylor dispersion associated with their operation.     

Mechanism for Base Hydrolysis of Poly(N‐vinylformamide)

The industrial production of poly(N‐vinylformamide), PNVF, was started a few years ago, making the desired polyvinylamine, PVAm, accessible on a large scale via hydrolysis of PNVF. According to the literature, the key to achieving a 100% conversion of PNVF into PVAm is to employ basic hydrolysis conditions. However, results disclosed in the present note contradict such statements. A radically obtained PNVF polymer, assigned further on as PNVF‐000 with M¯_w=2.63×10⁵ g/mol, was submitted to a stepwise hydrolysis in aq. NaOH solution with periods lasting 0, 5 20, 40, 90, 175, and 240 min. Aliquots ware taken, neutralized, precipitated and purified. For each polymer thus obtained the ¹³C NMR spectra was recorded, providing evidence for transient formation of amidine rings. These rings while decomposing leave not only primary amine functions attached to the backbone, but also OH groups. Elementary analysis of PNVF‐240, the polymer fully deprived of formaldehyde groups, confirm these findings. From the C/N=3.17 ratio the share of vinyl‐alcohol units present in the chains is estimated to be 42 mol%. Considering all the experimental results, the mechanism of basic hydrolysis was established.     

Relative isomer abundance of fullerenes and carbon nanotubes correlates with kinetic stability

A methodology to evaluate the kinetic stability of carbon nanostructures is presented based on the assumption of the independent and random nature of thermal vibrations. The kinetic stability is directly correlated to the cleavage probability for the weakest bond of a given nanostructure. The application of the presented method to fullerenes and carbon nanotubes yields clear correlation to their experimentally observed relative isomer abundances. The general and simple formulation of the method ensures its applicability to other nanostructures for which formation is controlled by kinetic factors.     

DNA vaccine containing the mycobacterial hsp65 gene prevented insulitis in MLD-STZ diabetes

Background  

Our group previously demonstrated that a DNA plasmid encoding the mycobacterial 65-kDa heat shock protein (DNA-HSP65) displayed prophylactic and therapeutic effect in a mice model for tuberculosis. This protection was attributed to induction of a strong cellular immunity against HSP65. As specific immunity to HSP60 family has been detected in arthritis, multiple sclerosis and diabetes, the vaccination procedure with DNA-HSP65 could induce a cross-reactive immune response that could trigger or worsen these autoimmune diseases.