Band structure and density of States effects in co-based magnetic tunnel junctions

Utilizing Co/Al(2)O(3)/Co magnetic tunnel junctions with Co electrodes of different crystalline phases, a clear relationship between electrode crystal structure and junction transport properties is presented. For junctions with one fcc(111) textured and one polycrystalline (polyphase and polydirectional) Co electrode, a strong asymmetry is observed in the magnetotransport properties, while when both electrodes are polycrystalline the magnetotransport is essentially symmetric. These observations are successfully explained within a model based on ballistic tunneling between the calculated band structures (density of states) of fcc-Co and hcp-Co.     

Die Bestimmung von Kupferspuren in W?ssern

Zusammenfassung Die Kupferspuren in Wässern einschließlich der Erzwässer können schnell und verläßlich photometrisch bestimmt werden, wenn man eine Lösung von Bleidiäthyldithiocarbaminat in Chloroform als Reagens verwendet. Die Bestimmung wird durch die in Wässern gewöhnlich vorkommenden Elemente nicht gestört. 0,02 g Kupfer in 1 ml Wasser können noch sicher erfaßt werden.     

Microwave-assisted synthesis of borneol esters and their antimicrobial activity

Seventeen borneol esters (1–17) were synthesised by conventional and microwave-assisted methodology using DIC/DMAP, and seven are described for the first time (8, 9, 10, 12, 13, 16 and 17). The microwave-assisted methodology was carried out without use of solvents, displayed short reaction times, and showed equal or higher yields for all the long-chain esters and three aromatic compounds (11, 12 and 14) when compared to the conventional approach. All the borneol esters were evaluated against the bacteria Streptococcus sanguinis, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and the fungus Candida albicans. Compounds 12, 13 and 14 displayed promising antibacterial activity with a MIC equal to ampicilin (62.5 mg mL^?1) for some microorganisms. In fact, bornyl 3′,4′-dimethoxybenzoate (13) was active against all tested bacteria and fungus.     

HN2(2A') electronic manifold. II. Ab initio based double-sheeted DMBE potential energy surface via a global diabatization angle

A double-sheeted double many-body expansion potential energy surface is reported for the coupled 12A'/22A' states of HN2 by fitting about 6000 ab initio energies. All crossing seams are described to their full extent on the basis of converged results. The lowest adiabatic sheet is fitted with a rmsd of 0.8 kcal mol-1 with respect to the calculated energies up to 100 kcal mol-1 above the absolute minimum, and the topology of the first excited-state investigated with the aid of the upper adiabatic sheet. A new scheme that overcomes obstacles in previous diabatization methods for modeling global double-sheeted potential energy surfaces is also reported. The novel approach uses a global diabatization angle which allows the diabats to mimic both the crossing seams and atom-diatom dissociation limits.     

Detailed 1H and 13C NMR structural assignments of four sesquiterpene lactones isolated from Eremanthus elaeagnus (Asteraceae)

A complete ¹H and ¹³C NMR analysis for a group of four sesquiterpene lactones isolated from Eremanthus elaeagnus (Asteraceae) is described in this work. ¹H NMR, ¹³C {¹H} NMR, gCOSY, gHMQC, and gHMBC experiments were performed to provide sufficient structural information to allow an unequivocal assignment. All hydrogen coupling constants were measured, clarifying all hydrogen signal multiplicities.     

Semiparametric generalized exponential frailty model for clustered survival data

Annals of the Institute of Statistical Mathematics - In this paper, we propose a novel and mathematically tractable frailty model for clustered survival data by assuming a generalized exponential...     

Application of thermal analysis to the study of antituberculosis drugs–excipient compatibility

First-line drugs (rifampicin, RIF; isoniazid, INH; ethambutol, ETA; and pyrazinamide, PZA) recommended in conventional treatment of tuberculosis were analyzed in 1:1 w/w binary mixtures with microcrystalline cellulose MC 101 (CEL) and lactose supertab^® (LAC) by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermogravimetry (TG), differential thermal analysis (DTA), and Fourier transformed infrared analysis (FTIR) as part of development of fixed dose combination (FDC) tablets. Evidence of interaction between drug and pharmaceutical excipients was supposed when peaks disappearance or shifting were observed on DTA and DSC curves, as well as decreasing of decomposition temperature onset and TG profiles, comparing to pure species data submitted to the same conditions. LAC was showed to interact with RIF (absence of drug fusion and recrystallization events on DSC/DTA curves); INH (thermal events of the mixtures different from those observed for drug and excipient pure in DSC/DTA curves); PZA (decrease on drug fusion peak in DSC/DTA curves), and ETA (shift on drug onset fusion and absence of pure LAC events on DSC/DTA curves). In all cases, an important decrease on the temperature of drug decomposition was verified for the mixtures (TG analysis). However, FTIR analysis showed good correlation between theoretical and experimental drug-LAC spectra except for INH–LAC mixture, evidencing high incompatibility between these two species and suggesting that those interactions with PZA and RIF were thermally induced. No evidence of incompatibilities in CEL mixtures was observed to any of the four-studied drugs.     

Synthesis and antimicrobial activity of sulphamethoxazole-based ureas and imidazolidine-2,4,5-triones

Progression of drug resistance among bacterial and fungal pathogens justifies the development of novel antimicrobial agents. Thus, a series of novel sulphamethoxazole-based ureas and imidazolidine-2,4,5-triones have been designed and synthesised. The urea derivatives were obtained by the reaction of sulphamethoxazole and isocyanates, and their cyclisation to imidazolidine-2,4,5-triones was performed via oxalyl chloride. All synthesised derivatives were evaluated in vitro to determine their activity against gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria, fungi, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, and atypical mycobacteria and their cytotoxicity. The growth of mycobacteria was inhibited within the range of 4–1000 µM and M. tuberculosis was the least-susceptible strain. 4-(3-Heptylureido)-N-(5-methylisoxazol-3-yl)benzenesulphonamide was identified as the most promising compound because it exhibited the highest activity against atypical mycobacteria at minimum inhibitory concentrations, from 4 µM, and with acceptable toxicity (selectivity indices for M. avium and M. kansasii higher than 16 and 62.5, respectively). Gram-positive bacteria, including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, were inhibited at concentrations starting from 125 µM, whereas the investigated derivatives exhibited almost no antifungal potency and activity against gram-negative species.     

Development of electrochemical genosensor for MYCN oncogene detection using rhodamine B as electroactive label

A novel electrochemical genosensor based on a graphite electrode modified with poly(4-aminophenol) has been constructed for prognostic of neuroblastoma, a malignant tumor originating from embryonic precursor cells of the sympathetic nervous system and associated with the amplification of the MYCN oncogene. The genosensor exhibited distinct electrical and morphological properties using rhodamine B as indicator of DNA hybridization. The detection limit was evaluated to be 0.47 μmol L^?1 (n = 3), and the electrochemical genosensor was selective for the complementary DNA, using serum sample. This DNA sensing platform was successfully applied to detect MYCN, an important biomarker for neuroblastoma.