Utilizing Experiment and Theory to Evaluate Rhodamine B ethylenediamine as a Fluorescent Sensor for G-type Nerve Agents

Nerve gas mimic binding with Rhodamine B ethylenediamine (1) was studied in organic media. Binding of the nerve gas mimic, diethyl chlorophosphate (DCP), with the probe generated a non-fluorescent intermediate and a fluorescent product. Fluorescent and non-fluorescent products generated were identified using mass spectrometry and X-ray crystallography. Time-dependent density functional theory calculations were also used to investigate the electronic structure of the fluorescent probe in the ground and lowest lying π?→?π* singlet excited state. Though good agreement between theory and experiment can be obtained for the intense peak in the experimental spectrum using non-hybrid functionals, care must be taken when modelling these complexes due to the appearance of an n?→?π* transition that is too low in energy and appears to fall in the shoulders of the π?→?π* transitions.

     

Freeze-out conditions in ultrarelativistic heavy-ion collisions

We present recent results on single particle transverse momentum distributions of pions, kaons and protons, measured in CERN Experiment NA44, of 200 AGeV/c S+S and 158 AGeV/c Pb+Pb central collisions. By comparing these data with thermal and transport models, freeze-out parameters like the temperatureT _fo and the chemical potentials (μ _q ,μ _s ) are extracted and discussed.     

Spiral wave generation in heterogeneous excitable media

As the coupling in a heterogeneous excitable medium is reduced, three different types of behavior are encountered: plane waves propagate without breaking up, plane waves break up into spiral waves, and plane waves block. We illustrate these phenomena in monolayers of chick embryonic heart cells using calcium sensitive fluorescent dyes. Following the addition of heptanol, an agent that reduces the electrical coupling between cells, we observe breakup of spiral waves. These results are modeled in a heterogeneous cellular automaton model in which the neighborhood of interaction is modified.     

Introduction: Mapping and control of complex cardiac arrhythmias

This paper serves as an introduction to the Focus Issue on mapping and control of complex cardiac arrhythmias. We first introduce basic concepts of cardiac electrophysiology and describe the main clinical methods being used to treat arrhythmia. We then provide a brief summary of the main themes contained in the articles in this Focus Issue. In recent years there have been important advances in the ability to map the spread of excitation in intact hearts and in laboratory settings. This work has been combined with simulations that use increasingly realistic geometry and physiology. Waves of excitation and contraction in the heart do not always propagate with constant velocity but are often subject to instabilities that may lead to fluctuations in velocity and cycle time. Such instabilities are often treated best in the context of simple one- or two-dimensional geometries. An understanding of the mechanisms of propagation and wave stability is leading to the implementation of different stimulation protocols in an effort to modify or eliminate abnormal rhythms. (c) 2002 American Institute of Physics.     

The absence of dipolar ferromagnetism in a simple cubic array

By using the Bogoliubov inequality à la Mermin and Wagner, it is shown that dipolar ferromagnetism cannot exist for a large, simple cubic array.     

Highly stereoselective reductions of α-alkoxy-β-keto esters. Aspects of the mechanism of sodium borohydride reduction of ketones in 2-propanol

Reduction of α-alkoxy-β-keto esters with sodium borohydride in 2-propanol proceeds with high stereoselectivity via a five-membered ring chelated sodium ion.     

Pressures inside a room subjected to simulated sonic booms

The pressure variations inside a room of plaster-wood construction subjected to sonic boom loadings were investigated both analytically and experimentally to study the problems of dynamic structural response. The N-wave pressure signatures were generated in the UTIAS (University of Toronto Institute for Aerospace Studies) Travelling Wave Horn-Type Sonic Boom Simulator. The room overpressures in some cases were found to be twice as great as that in the incident sonic boom. The analysis and experimental data can be useful in assessing structural damage caused by supersonic aircraft overfligths.     

Naphthalene-based calixarenes: unusual regiochemistry of a Friedel-Crafts alkylation

[reaction: see text] In the pursuit of naphthalene-based calixarenes, a Friedel-Crafts alkylation with unusual regiochemistry was observed. Treatment of carbinol 14 with catalytic triflic acid was expected to produce calixarenes of the class represented by 16. Instead, the major product was cyclic trimer 15, in which alkylation of each naphthalene ring occurred at the electronically deactivated position. The structure of compound 15 was assigned by 2-D NMR studies.