Review of particle properties

This review of the properties of leptons, mesons, and baryons is an updating of Review of Particle Properties, Particle Data Group [Rev. Mod. Phys. 45, No. 2, Part II, Supplement (1973)]. Data are evaluated, listed, averaged, and summarized in tables.     

Blocking Sets of Certain Line Sets Related to a Conic

In this paper we classify point sets of minimum size of two types (1) point sets meeting all secants to an irreducible conic of the desarguesian projective plane PG(2,q), q odd; (2) point sets meeting all external lines and tangents to a given irreducible conic of the desarguesian projective plane PG(2,q), q even.     

On the Existence and the Profile of Nodal solutions of Elliptic Equations Involving Critical Growth

We study the existence of sign changing solutions to the slightly subcritical problem

Automatic determination of the number of targets present when using the time reversal operator

Acoustical time reversal mirrors have been shown to provide a highly accurate means of studying and focusing on acoustical sources. The DORT method is a derivation of the time reversal process, which allows for focusing on multiple targets. An important step in this process is the determination of the number of targets or sources present. This is achieved by examining the eigenvalues of the time reversal operator (TRO). The number of significant eigenvalues is then chosen as the number of sources present. However, as mentioned in [N. Mordant, C. Prada, and M. Fink, J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 105, 2634-2642 (1999) and C. Prada, M. Tanter, and M. Fink, in Proceedings of the IEEE Symposium, 1997, pp. 679-683], factors such as low signal to noise ratio (SNR), small data sample, array configuration and the target location may result in the eigenvalues corresponding to the targets no longer being distinguishable from the background noise eigenvalues. This paper proposes a robust method of automatically determining the number of targets even in the presence of a small number of snapshots. For white Gaussian noise, the profile of the ordered eigenvalues is seen to fit an exponential law. The observed eigenvalues are then compared to this model and a mismatch is detected between the observed profile and the noise-only model. The index of the mismatch gives the number of scatterers present.     

Synthesis, crystal structure and properties of the semiconducting salts (TTF)2[Ni(dtcr)2] and (ET)2[Ni(dtcr)2] based on [Ni(dtcr)2] dianions (dtcr = dithiocroconate)

The first examples of CT salts based on [Ni(dtcr)2] dianions (1) (dtcr = dithiocroconate = 4,5-disulfanylcyclopent-4-ene-1,2,3-trionate), (TTF)2[Ni(dtcr)2] (TTF = tetrathiafulvalene) (2) and (ET)2[Ni(dtcr)2] [ET = bis(ethylenedithio)tetrathiafulvalene] (3) are reported. The redox-active dianion 1, containing oxo-groups in the periphery of the molecule, has been selected to investigate the role of the oxo-groups in promoting intermolecular interactions and hopefully their conducting properties. The salts 2 and 3 have been prepared by electrocrystallisation methods and 3 shows a semi-metallic behaviour: sigma = 1 x 10(-3) omega(-1) cm(-1) at room temperature, with a low activation energy 60 meV, while crystals of 2 were unsuitable for conductivity measurements. The X-ray structural characterisation shows an alternate dianion-(cation)2 stacking and the capability of the oxo-groups to promote interstack contacts. In 2, the TTF donors are present as face-to-face dimers of monocations (D2)2+. The stacking arrangement is different in 3, where ET monocations stack along two directions ([110] and [110]) in the same manner, with the repeating sequence (ET)-(ET)-[Ni(dtcr)2]-(ET)-(ET) and are almost parallel to each other, with interplanar distances of 3.575 angstroms. Both structures are built on a dianion and two donor molecules, each one with a charge of +1. Diffuse reflectance combined with vibrational spectra complement structural results well. Crystal data: both 2 and 3 crystallise in the monoclinic space group P2(1)/c with a = 8.6340(8) angstroms, b = 21.586(2) angstroms, c = 7.5960(8) angstroms, beta = 95.625(11) degrees and V = 1408.9(2) angstroms3 for 2 and with a = 9.3700(7), b = 7.4410(6), c = 28.278(2) angstroms, beta = 99.039(6) degrees, V = 1947.1(3) angstroms3 for 3.     

Nanosecond relaxation dynamics of protein GB1 identified by the time-dependent red shift in the fluorescence of tryptophan and 5-fluorotryptophan

The B1 domain of Streptococcal protein G (GB1) is a small, thermostable protein containing a single tryptophan residue. We recorded time-resolved fluorescence of the wild-type GB1 and its 5-fluorotryptophan (5FTrp) variant at more than 30 emission wavelengths between 300 and 470 nm. The time-resolved emission spectra reveal no signs of heterogeneity, but show a time-dependent red shift characteristic of microscopic dielectric relaxation. This is true for both 5FTrp and unmodified Trp in GB1. The time-dependent red shifts in the fluorescence of 5FTrp and unmodified Trp are essentially identical, confirming that the shift is caused by the relaxation of the protein matrix rather than by the fluorophore itself. The total amplitude (but not the rate) of the time-dependent red shift depends on the fluorophore, specifically, on the magnitude of the vector difference between its excited state and ground state electric dipole moments; for 5FTrp this is estimated to be about 88% of that for the unmodified Trp. The decay of the excited state fluorophore population is not monoexponential for either fluorophore; however, the deviation from the monoexponential decay law is larger in the case of unmodified Trp. The relaxation dynamics of GB1 was found to be considerably faster than that of other proteins studied previously, consistent with the small size, tightly packed core, and high thermodynamic stability of GB1.     

Phthalocyanine-modulated isomerization behaviour of an azo-based photoswitch

A photoswitchable azobenzene-phthalocyanine-azobenzene triad has been synthesized and its electrochemical properties determined. Energy transfer among the subunits allows for modification of the E-Z ratio by selective excitation of the phthalocyanine moiety.     

EDXRF and multivariate statistical analysis of fragments from Marajoara ceramics

In this work, 102 fragments of Marajoara ceramics, belonging to the National Museum collection (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil), were analyzed using energy dispersive X‐ray fluorescence (EDXRF) and principal component analysis (PCA) in order to identify possible groups of samples that present similar behaviors or different characteristics. This information will give an important aid to a more accurate classification of these artifacts. The EDXRF measurements were carried out with a portable system developed in the Nuclear Instrumentation Laboratory consisting of an Oxford TF3005 X‐ray tube, with W anode, and an Si‐PIN XR‐100CR detector from Amptek, working at 25 kV and 100 µA, acquisition time of 600 s and a beam collimation of 2 mm. PCA applied to the X‐ray fluorescence results revealed a clear cluster separation to the samples. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.