Can induced theta vacua be created in heavy-Ion collisions?

We discuss a phenomenon important to the development of the early Universe which may be experimentally testable in heavy-ion collisions. An arbitrary induced straight theta vacuum state should be created in heavy-ion collisions, similar to the creation of the disoriented chiral condensate. It should be a large domain with a wrong straight theta(ind) not equal0 orientation which will mimic the physics of the early Universe when it is believed that the fundamental parameter straight theta(fund) not equal0. We test this idea numerically in a simple model where we study the evolution of the phases of the chiral condensates in QCD with two quark flavors with nonzero straight theta(ind) parameter. We see the formation of a nonzero straight theta(ind) vacuum on a time scale of 10(-23) s.     

Thermal Decomposition of Ternary Sodium Graphite Intercalation Compounds

Graphite intercalation compounds (GICs) are often used to produce exfoliated or functionalised graphene related materials (GRMs) in a specific solvent. This study explores the formation of the Na-tetrahydrofuran (THF)-GIC and a new ternary system based on dimethylacetamide (DMAc). Detailed comparisons of in situ temperature dependent XRD with TGA-MS and Raman measurements reveal a series of dynamic transformations during heating. Surprisingly, the bulk of the intercalation compound is stable under ambient conditions, trapped between the graphene sheets. The heating process drives a reorganisation of the solvent and Na molecules, then an evaporation of the solvent; however, the solvent loss is arrested by restacking of the graphene layers, leading to trapped solvent bubbles. Eventually, the bubbles rupture, releasing the remaining solvent and creating expanded graphite. These trapped dopants may provide useful property enhancements, but also potentially confound measurements of grafting efficiency in liquid-phase covalent functionalization experiments on 2D materials.     

A jump model for fads in asset prices under asymmetric information

This paper addresses how asymmetric information, fads and Lévy jumps in the price of an asset affect the optimal portfolio strategies and maximum expected utilities of two distinct classes of rational investors in a financial market. We obtain the investors’ optimal portfolios and maximum expected logarithmic utilities and show that the optimal portfolio of each investor is more or less than its Merton optimal. Our approximation results suggest that jumps reduce the excess asymptotic utility of the informed investor relative to that of uninformed investor, and hence jump risk could be helpful for market efficiency as an indirect reducer of information asymmetry. Our study also suggests that investors should pay more attention to the overall variance of the asset pricing process when jumps exist in fads models. Moreover, if there are very little or too much fads, then the informed investor has no utility advantage in the long run.     

Synthetic approaches to the daucane sesquiterpene derivatives employing the intramolecular Buchner cyclisation of α-diazoketones

The use of the intramolecular Buchner cyclisation of an α-diazoketone as an approach to the synthesis of daucane sesquiterpenes is described; in particular the synthesis of the cis-fused analogue of dihydro CAF-603. The key step in the synthesis is the intramolecular Buchner cyclisation, which provides the bicyclo[5.3.0]decane framework with the required stereochemistry at the quaternary centre generated in the cyclisation. A synthetic route enabling access to an asymmetric synthesis is also outlined.     

KOH catalysed preparation of activated carbon aerogels for dye adsorption

Surfactants prevent the irreversible aggregation of partially refolded proteins, and they are also known to assist in protein refolding. A novel approach to protein refolding that utilizes a pair of low molecular weight folding assistants, a detergent and cyclodextrin, was proposed by Rozema and Gellman (D. Rozema, S.H. Gellman, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 117 (1995) 2373). We report the refolding of bovine serum albumin (BSA) assisted by these artificial chaperones, utilizing gemini surfactants for the first time. A combination of cationic gemini surfactants, bis(cetyldimethylammonium)pentane dibromide (C(16)H(33)(CH(3))(2)N(+)-(CH(2))(5)-N(+)(CH(3))(2)C(16)H(33)·2Br(-) designated as G5 and bis(cetyldimethylammonium)hexane dibromide (C(16)H(33)(CH(3))(2)N(+)-(CH(2))(6)-N(+)(CH(3))(2)C(16)H(33)·2Br(-) designated as G6 and cyclodextrins, was used to refold guanidinium chloride (GdCl) denatured BSA in the artificial chaperone assisted two step method. The single chain cationic surfactant cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) was used for comparative studies. The studies were carried out in an aqueous medium at pH 7.0 using circular dichroism, dynamic light scattering and ANS binding studies. The denatured BSA was found to get refolded by very small concentrations of gemini surfactant at which the single chain counterpart was found to be ineffective. Different from the single chain surfactant, the gemini surfactants exhibit much stronger electrostatic and hydrophobic interactions with the protein and are thus effective at much lower concentrations. Based on the present study it is expected that gemini surfactants may prove useful in the protein refolding operations and may thus be effectively employed to circumvent the problem of misfolding and aggregation.