Measurement of RLT and ATL in the 4He(e, e’p)3H reaction at pmiss of 130-300 MeV/ c

We have measured the ⁴He(e, ep)³H reaction at missing momenta of 130-300 MeV/c using the three-spectrometer facility at the Mainz microtron MAMI. Data were taken in perpendicular kinematics to allow us to determine the response function R_LT and the asymmetry term A_TL. The data are compared to both relativistic and non-relativistic calculations.     

AC susceptibility of thin Pb films in intermediate and mixed state

Thin films of type I superconductors of a thickness comparable or less than a flux penetration length behave like type II superconductors in a mixed state. With decreasing film thickness normal domains carrying a magnetic flux get smaller with smaller number of flux quanta per domain and finally transform into single quantum flux lines, i.e. quantum vortices similar to those found in type II superconductors. We give an evidence of this behavior from the measurements of the nonlinear response of a total magnetic moment to an applied AC magnetic field, directly from the temperature dependence of an AC susceptibility.     

Effect of magnetic field on self-assembling of colloidal Co magnetic nanoparticles

In this paper the formation of 3-D structures composed of Co nanoparticles (NPs) is reported. Structures were obtained by drying a droplet of a colloidal solution of NPs in a magnetic field perpendicular to the substrate. The Co nanoparticles were prepared by thermolysis of Co₂(CO)₈. The 3-D NP structures were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic and magnetic force microscopy (AFM/MFM). It has been found that at the border of the droplet, NPs assemble into hexagonally ordered 3-D columns or they form a labyrinthine structure. The formation of the 3-D structures can be explained by the outflow of NPs to the border of the droplet during the drying process. Within this model the pattern formation is dependent on the concentration of the NPs and the degree of alignment of the magnetic moments of NPs in the 3-D columns.     

Fatty acid binding site of mitochondrial uncoupling protein UCP2 as probed by EPR spectroscopy of spin-labeled fatty acids

Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy of spin-labeled fatty acids was used to investigate their interaction withEscherichia coli-expressed human mitochondrial uncoupling protein UCP2 refolded from inclusion bodies in nonaethylene glycol monododecyl ether (C₁₂E₉) micelles. 5-DOXYL-stearic acid and 4-PROXYL-palmitic acid bound to UCP2 exhibited additional clearly separated h_+1I, h_?1I “immobile” peaks in the low- and high-field region, respectively, separated by 42 and 44 Gauss, and extensively reduced h_+1M, h_?1M “mobile” peaks, separated by about 30 G, whereas with 7-DOXYL-stearic acid the I and M peaks were smoothed together into one wide peak. Competition of 4-PROXYL-palmitic acid with added palmitic acid, arachidonic acid, and all-cis-8,11,14-eicosatrienoic acid and of 7-DOXYL-stearic acid with arachidonic acid was indicated by the disappearance of the h_+1I, h_?1I “immobile” peaks, whereas redistribution in micelles without protein was indicated by the rising of the h_+1M, h_?1M “mobile” peaks. In conclusion, a competition of palmitic, arachidonic, and eicosatrienoic acid within a putative fatty acid binding site was observed for mitochondrial uncoupling protein UCP2. This finding together with the observation of EPR spectra of highly immobilized probes exclusively in the presence of the recombinant UCP2 suggest the existence of a fatty acid binding site on UCP2 which is a prerequisite of the fatty acid cycling mechanism as previously postulated for UCP1.     

Multiple-scattering-theory analysis of XANES spectra of SO2 adsorbed on Cu(100)

The sulphur K-edge x-ray absorption spectra of SO₂ multilayer and of SO₂ submonolayer adsorbed on Cu(100) are analysed. It is found that the dominant spectral features are of a molecular origin. The results support earlier findings that the SO₂ molecule stands perpendicular to the surface. Use of non-selfconsistent potentials does not lead to a good quantitative agreement between theory and experiment.     

Bi(Pb)–Sr–Ca–Cu–O layers prepared by a new method of laser ablation in air

Bi(Pb)–Sr–Ca–Cu–O layers were prepared by laser ablation in air, that is without using a vacuum chamber. At this method a much higher density of pulse energy of laser beam is required (10–30 J cm^–2) in comparison with the standard method (1–3 J cm^–2). The mentioned condition has specific effects on the nature of the transport of material from the target. As follows from the electron microprobe analysis of the layers, the starting composition of the transported material is identical with that of the superconducting phase sintered in the target; one exception represents Pb, the content of which in the transported material is lower. The image of the process is complemented by UV/VIS spectroscopy scans of the plasma plume.     

Tl-based superconducting films prepared by aerosol spray deposition and thallinated in an open system

Superconducting Tl-based films were prepared on a LaAlO₃ single crystal substrate. Spray pyrolysis of Ba, Ca and Cu nitrate solutions was used for deposition of the precursor films. They were subsequently ex-situ thallinated in flowing oxygen (open system). While the superconducting Tl-2212 phase formed at an annealing temperature of 880°C, thallination at 900°C led to the formation of a Tl-2223 /Tl-2212 mixture. The amount of Tl-2223 increased with prolonged thallination, whereas the Tl-2212 phase progressively disappeared. Films prepared in such a manner were c-oriented and contained only low amounts of non-superconducting impurities. The resulting samples were characterized by XRD and SEM and their T _C values were determined by resistive four-point measurements. They showed critical temperatures in the range of T _ON = 125–135 K, T _C0 = 91–93 K. Differences between the composition and properties of the obtained films and those thallinated in closed systems under 50 kPa of oxygen are discussed in this paper. Results show that the Tl-2212 → Tl-2223 transformation proceeds at a slower rate under flowing oxygen than in a closed system. Presented at 5-th International Conference Solid State Surfaces and Interfaces, November 19–24, 2006, Smolenice Castle, Slovakia.     

Mechanistic studies of reactions catalysed by diamine oxidase using isotope effects

Diamine oxidase (DAO), the enzyme that is responsible for amine biodegradation in animals, plants and humans, catalyses the biotransformation of amines such as histamine (HA), putrescine, 1-phenylethylamine, tyrosine, tryptamine, serotonine and spermine. The kinetic and solvent isotope effects (SIEs) were applied to study the mechanism of the biotransformation using HA and its methylderivatives. The SIE for the biotransformation of HA, N^τ-methylhistamine and N^π-methylhistamine was found to be 3.58, 2.22 and 5.70 on V_max, and 1.58, 1.06 and 1.14 on V_max/K_M, respectively. On the other hand, the kinetic isotope effect for oxidation of stereospecifically deuterium-labelled [(α R)-²H]-N^τ-methylhistamine and [(α R)-²H]-N^π-methylhistamine was 0.69 and 0.62 on V_max, and 15.06 and 7.50 on V_max/K_M, respectively. These results demonstrate that DAO catalyses amine biotransformation by stereospecifically cleaving the αC\bond H bond in the pro-S position. Moreover, the oxidation of amine to aldehyde involves several transition states, including hybridisation change from sp³ (Schiff base) to sp² (imine), then back again to sp³ to give a final product with hybridisation sp² (aldehyde).     

Overview of DWDM/ODC Project

Abstract

This article introduces the main achievements resulting from the DWDM/ODC project. The five areas of research activity within the DWDM/ODC project cover some of the main issues of design and development of dense wavelength division multiplexing systems for transparent optical networks. These issues are: performance assessment with arbitrary optical filtering; performance of signaling formats; dispersion compensation strategies for directly and externally modulated systems in presence of nonlinear transmission-induced degradation; and the impact of noise and crosstalk in the extent of transparent optical networks. All five areas of research activity have contributed significantly to a better understanding of the limitations present in dense wavelength division multiplexing systems.