Exact field-driven interface dynamics in the two-dimensional stochastic Ising model with helicoidal boundary conditions

We investigate the interface dynamics of the two-dimensional stochastic Ising model in an external field under helicoidal boundary conditions. At sufficiently low temperatures and fields, the dynamics of the interface is described by an exactly solvable high-spin asymmetric quantum Hamiltonian that is the infinitesimal generator of the zero range process. Generally, the critical dynamics of the interface fluctuations is in the Kardar–Parisi–Zhang universality class of critical behavior. We remark that a whole family of RSOS interface models similar to the Ising interface model investigated here can be described by exactly solvable restricted high-spin quantum XXZ$XXZ$-type Hamiltonians.     

High-Velocity Estimates for the Scattering Operator and Aharonov-Bohm Effect in Three Dimensions

We obtain high-velocity estimates with error bounds for the scattering operator of the Schrödinger equation in three dimensions with electromagnetic potentials in the exterior of bounded obstacles that are handlebodies. A particular case is a finite number of tori. We prove our results with time-dependent methods. We consider high-velocity estimates where the direction of the velocity of the incoming electrons is kept fixed as its absolute value goes to infinity. In the case of one torus our results give a rigorous proof that quantum mechanics predicts the interference patterns observed in the fundamental experiments of Tonomura et al. that gave conclusive evidence of the existence of the Aharonov-Bohm effect using a toroidal magnet. We give a method for the reconstruction of the flux of the magnetic field over a cross-section of the torus modulo 2π. Equivalently, we determine modulo 2π the difference in phase for two electrons that travel to infinity, when one goes inside the hole and the other outside it. For this purpose we only need the high-velocity limit of the scattering operator for one direction of the velocity of the incoming electrons. When there are several tori-or more generally handlebodies-the information that we obtain in the fluxes, and on the difference of phases, depends on the relative position of the tori and on the direction of the velocities when we take the high-velocity limit of the incoming electrons. For some locations of the tori we can determine all the fluxes modulo 2π by taking the high-velocity limit in only one direction. We also give a method for the unique reconstruction of the electric potential and the magnetic field outside the handlebodies from the high-velocity limit of the scattering operator.     

Uniqueness of H-surfaces in {\mathbb{H}}^2 \times \mathbb{R},{{\vert H\vert \leq 1/2}} , with boundary one or two parallel horizontal circles

We prove that a H-surface M in ${\mathbb{H}}^2 \times {\mathbb{R}} ,\vert H\vert \leq 1/2$ , inherits the symmetries of its boundary $\partial M,$ when $\partial M$ is either a horizontal curve with curvature greater than one or two parallel horizontal curves with curvature greater than one, whose distance is greater or equal to π. Furthermore we prove that the asymptotic boundary of a surface with mean curvature bounded away from zero consists of parts of straight lines, provided it is sufficiently regular.     

Use of hydrogen peroxide to achieve interference-free stripping voltammetric determination of copper at the bismuth-film electrode

In this work, a new approach is presented to allow interference-free determination of Cu (II) by stripping voltammetry using the bismuth-film electrode. The addition of hydrogen peroxide to the electroanalytical cell has promoted complete resolution between re-dissolution peaks of Bi (III) and Cu (II). The absence of interference could be evaluated by the correlation coefficient (r > 0.99) between Cu (II) concentration and its shifted current peak (at +212 mV) while achieving a slightly fluctuation of the bismuth current peak at −180 mV. Studies were performed aiming towards the optimum conditions for trace determination of Cu (II) using hydrogen peroxide. The methodology was applied to a real sample (sugarcane spirits) and the results were compared to those from graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry. The analytical parameters of merit and the results of the analysis indicated that the analytical methodology could be readily used for trace determination of Cu (II).     

Experimental and molecular dynamics simulation study of the sublimation energetics of cyclopentadienyltricarbonylmanganese (Cymantrene)

The standard molar enthalpy of sublimation of monoclinic cyclopentadienyltricarbonylmanganese, Mn(eta (5)-C 5H 5)(CO) 3, at 298.15 K, was determined as Delta sub H m (o)[Mn(eta (5)-C 5H 5)(CO) 3] = 75.97 +/- 0.37 kJ x mol (-1) from Knudsen effusion and Calvet-drop microcalorimetry measurements, thus considerably improving the very large inaccuracy (>10 kJ x mol (-1)) of the published data. The obtained value was used to assess the extension of the OPLS-based all-atom force field we previously developed for iron metallocenes to manganese organometallic compounds. The modified force field was able to reproduce the volumetric properties (density and unit-cell volume) of crystalline Mn(eta (5)-C 5H 5)(CO) 3 with a deviation of 0.6% and the experimentally determined enthalpy of sublimation with an accuracy of 1 kJ x mol (-1). The interaction (epsilon) and atomic-diameter (sigma) parameters of the Lennard-Jones (12-6) potential function used to calculate dispersion contributions within the framework of the force field were found to be transferable from iron to manganese.     

Ligand-protein docking with water molecules

The presence of water molecules plays an important role in the accuracy of ligand-protein docking predictions. Comprehensive docking simulations have been performed on a large set of ligand-protein complexes whose crystal structures contain water molecules in their binding sites. Only those water molecules found in the immediate vicinity of both the ligand and the protein were considered. We have investigated whether prior optimization of the orientation of water molecules in either the presence or absence of the bound ligand has any effect on the accuracy of docking predictions. We have observed a statistically significant overall increase in accuracy when water molecules are included during docking simulations and have found this to be independent of the method of optimization of the orientation of water molecules. These results confirm the importance of including water molecules whenever possible in a ligand-protein docking simulation. Our findings also reveal that prior optimization of the orientation of water molecules, in the absence of any bound ligand, does not have a detrimental effect on the improved accuracy of ligand-protein docking. This is important, given the use of docking simulations to predict the binding modes of new ligands or drug molecules.     

Speciation of very low amounts of arsenic and antimony in waters using dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction and electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry

A new procedure for the determination of inorganic arsenic (III,V) and antimony (III,V) in water samples by dispersive liquid–liquid micro extraction separation and electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry (ETAAS) is presented. At pH 1, As(III) and Sb(III) are complexed with ammonium pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate and extracted into the fine droplets formed when mixing carbon tetrachloride (extraction solvent), methanol (disperser solvent) and the sample solution. After extraction, the phases are separated by centrifugation, and As(III) and Sb(III) are determined in the organic phase. As(V) and Sb(V) remain in the aqueous layer. Total inorganic As and Sb are determined after the reduction of the pentavalent forms with sodium thiosulphate. As(V) and Sb(V) are calculated by difference. The detection limits are 0.01 and 0.05 µg L^− 1 for As(III) and Sb(III), respectively, with an enrichment factor of 115. The relative standard deviation is in the 2.9–4.5% range. The procedure has been applied to the speciation of inorganic As and Sb in bottled, tap and sea water samples with satisfactory results.     

Density functional study on electronic structures and reactivity in methyl‐substituted chelates used in organic light‐emitting diodes

The electronic structure and reactivity trends of a set of tris‐(n‐methyl‐8‐quinolinolato) metal (III) (n = 0, 3, 4, 5; metal = Al⁺³, Ga⁺³) used as electron‐transport layer in organic light‐emitting diodes were studied and compared. All geometries were optimized at B3LYP/6‐31G(d,p) level of theory. The geometries of the ground state (S₀) of unsubstituted molecules AlQ3 and GaQ3 were found to be slightly affected by the methyl group, which is in agreement with previous works. Methyl‐derivatives conserve largely the electronic structures of AlQ3 and GaQ3. The energies of the frontier orbitals highest occupied and lowest unoccupied molecular orbital are raised by the electron‐releasing effect of methyl group. Molecular orbital contribution analysis reveals that the orbital population is essentially the same for both MQ3 and their derivatives. Analyses of the ionization potential and electron affinity showed that MQ3 tend to be better hole‐blockers than methylated analogues and 5Me‐MQ3 have higher hole‐injection capability than the other methyl‐substituted derivatives. The global reactivity analysis showed that the electrophilicity index can be an indicator of electron‐injection capability in these complexes. Local reactivity analysis showed that atomic sites that are prone to nucleophilic/electrophilic attack are atoms C‐4 in L3/C‐5 in L1. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2010     

Wavelength dependence of the suppressed ionization of molecules in strong laser fields

We study ionization of molecules by an intense laser field over a broad wavelength regime, ranging from 0.8 to 1.5 μm experimentally and from 0.6 to 10 μm theoretically. A reaction microscope is combined with an optical parametric amplifier to achieve ionization yields in the near-infrared wavelength regime. Calculations are done using the strong-field S-matrix theory and agreement is found between experiment and theory, showing that ionization of many molecules is suppressed compared to the ionization of atoms with identical ionization potentials at near-infrared wavelengths at around 0.8 μm, but not at longest wavelengths (10 μm). This is due to interference effects in the electron emission that are effective at low photoelectron energies but tend to average out at higher energies. We observe the transition between suppression and nonsuppression of molecular ionization in the near-infrared wavelength regime (1-5 μm).