Weyl's geometry and massive vector fields

Dirac's revitalization of Weyl's gauge invariant geometry is examined. Weyl's geometry is characterized by the breaking of the symmetries of charge conjugation (C) and time reversal (T), but not CT. When an attempt is made to introduce a very simple form of symmetry breaking material into the theory, it is found that the geometric role formerly played by the electromagnetic field is suddenly taken over by a very short range massive vector field.Research supported in part by the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission and the Research, Publications and Consulting Committee of West Virginia Institute of Technology.     

Structure of TAR RNA complexed with a Tat-TAR interaction nanomolar inhibitor that was identified by computational screening

HIV-1 TAR RNA functions critically in viral replication by binding the transactivating regulatory protein Tat. We recently identified several compounds that experimentally inhibit the Tat-TAR interaction completely at a 100 nM concentration. We used computational screening of the 181,000-compound Available Chemicals Directory against the three-dimensional structure of TAR [1]. Here we report the NMR-derived structure of TAR complexed with acetylpromazine. This structure represents a new class of compounds with good bioavailability and low toxicity that bind with high affinity to TAR. NMR data unambiguously show that acetylpromazine binds only to the unique 5' bulge site to which the Tat protein binds. Specificity and affinity of binding are conferred primarily by a network of base stacking and hydrophobic interactions. Acetylpromazine alters the structure of free TAR less than Tat peptides and neomycin do.     

From human mobility to renewable energies

We address and discuss recent trends in the analysis of big data sets, with the emphasis on studying multiscale phenomena. Applications of big data analysis in different scientific fields are described and two particular examples of multiscale phenomena are explored in more detail. The first one deals with wind power production at the scale of single wind turbines, the scale of entire wind farms and also at the scale of a whole country. Using open source data we show that the wind power production has an intermittent character at all those three scales, with implications for defining adequate strategies for stable energy production. The second example concerns the dynamics underlying human mobility, which presents different features at different scales. For that end, we analyze 12-month data of the Eduroam database within Portuguese universities, and find that, at the smallest scales, typically within a set of a few adjacent buildings, the characteristic exponents of average displacements are different from the ones found at the scale of one country or one continent.     

Evidence for vesicle formation during the synthesis of catanionic templated mesoscopically ordered silica as studied by Cryo-TEM

The formation of vesicles during the synthesis of mesostructured surfactant-silicate materials has been evidenced for the first time by applying in situ Cryo-TEM. A mixture of anionic and cationic surfactants was used to fine-tune the packing parameter of the supramolecular surfactant assembly. It is shown that the vesicles are formed during the course of the reaction and suggested to be a consequence of silicate condensation reactions. Furthermore, the study confirms earlier suggestions that the silicate-surfactant micelles are capable of solubilizing hydrophobic additives during the early stages of the reaction.     

A study of the (3He,n) reaction on isotopes of tin

The (³He, n) reaction has been studied on^{112,116,118,120,124}Sn at 25.4 MeV. Angular distributions were measured over the range 0°–25° and the results compared with predictions of zero-range DWBA calculations. In addition to the around-state transitions, L = 0 transitions were also observed to low-lying states in every case. Simple two component wave functions, as well as those obtained from a more sophisticated pairing model, are compared with the data in order to explain the appearance of the anomalously low-lying excited 0⁺ states observed. L = 2 transitions were observed to low-lying 2⁺ states, but the strength of these transitions was much less than expected from the systematics of (t, p) results for N = 50 nuclei.     

Atomic absorption spectrometric determination of manganese, silver and zinc in dental material by atomization directly from the solid state

The direct-atomization. technique of atomic absorption spectrometry was applied to the determination of manganese, silver and zinc in 14 whole erupted or unerupted human teeth. Pulverized sample-graphite mixtures of 5–10 mg, to which known volumes of metal standard solution had been added, were dried, ashed and atomized in a graphite furnace, as in the standard addition technique. The technique was also used for determining silver and zinc in an international reference sample of calcined animal bone.     

The coordination chemistry of "[BP3]NiX" platforms: targeting low-valent nickel sources as promising candidates to L3Ni=E and L3Ni(triple bond)E linkages

A series of divalent, monovalent, and zerovalent nickel complexes supported by the electron-releasing, monoanionic tris(phosphino)borate ligands [PhBP3] and [PhBPiPr3] ([PhBP3] = [PhB(CH2PPh2)3]-, [PhBPiPr3] = [PhB(CH2PiPr2)3]-) have been synthesized to explore fundamental aspects of their coordination chemistry. The pseudotetrahedral, divalent halide complexes [PhBP3]NiCl (1), [PhBP3]NiI (2), and [PhBPiPr3]NiCl (3) were prepared by the metalation of [PhBP3]Tl or [PhBPiPr3]Tl with (Ph3P)2NiCl2, NiI2, and (DME)NiCl2 (DME = 1,2-dimethoxyethane), respectively. Complex 1 is a versatile precursor to a series of complexes accessible via substitution reactions including [PhBP3]Ni(N3) (4), [PhBP3]Ni(OSiPh3) (5), [PhBP3]Ni(O-p-tBu-Ph) (6), and [PhBP3]Ni(S-p-tBu-Ph) (7). Complexes 2-5 and 7 have been characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and are pseudotetrahedral monomers in the solid state. Complex 1 reacts readily with oxygen to form the four-electron-oxidation product, [[PhB(CH2POPh2)2(CH2PPh2)]NiCl] (8A or 8B), which features a solid-state structure that is dependent on its method of crystallization. Chemical reduction of 1 using Na/Hg or other potential 1-electron reductants generates a product that arises from partial ligand degradation, [PhBP3]Ni(eta2-CH2PPh2) (9). The more sterically hindered chloride 3 reacts with Li(dbabh) (Hdbabh = 2,3:5,6-dibenzo-7-azabicyclo[2.2.1]hepta-2,5-diene) to provide the three-coordinate complex [kappa2-PhBPiPr3]Ni(dbabh) (11), also characterized by XRD. Chemical reduction of complex 1 in the presence of L-type donors produces the tetrahedral Ni(I) complexes [PhBP3]Ni(PPh3) (12) and [PhBP3]Ni(CNtBu) (13). Reduction of 3 following the addition of PMe3 or tert-butyl isocyanide affords the Ni(I) complexes [PhBPiPr3]Ni(PMe3) (14) and [PhBPiPr3]Ni(CNtBu) (15), respectively. The reactivity of these [PhBP3]NiIL and [PhBPiPr3]NiIL complexes with respect to oxidative group transfer reactions from organic azides and diazoalkanes is discussed. The zerovalent nitrosyl complex [PhBP3]Ni(NO) (16) is prepared by the reaction of 1 with excess NO or by treating 12 with stoichiometric NO. The anionic Ni(0) complexes [[kappa2-PhBP3]Ni(CO)2][nBu4N] (17) and [[kappa2-PhBPiPr3]Ni(CO)2][ASN] (18) (ASN = 5-azoniaspiro[4.4]nonane) have been prepared by reacting [PhBP3]Tl or [PhBPiPr3]Tl with (Ph3P)2Ni(CO)2 in the presence of R4NBr. The photolysis of 17 appears to generate a new species consistent with a zerovalent monocarbonyl complex which we tentatively assign as [[PhBP3]Ni(CO)][nBu4N], although complete characterization of this complex has been difficult. Finally, theoretical DFT calculations are presented for the hypothetical low spin complexes [PhBP3]Ni(NtBu), [PhBPiPr3]Ni(NtBu), [PhBPiPr3]Ni(NMe), and [PhBPiPr3]Ni(N) to consider what role electronic structure factors might play with respect to the relative stability of these species.     

Ethanolic fermentation of pentoses in lignocellulose hydrolysates

Applied Biochemistry and Biotechnology - In the fermentation of lignocellulose hydrolysates to ethanol, two major problems are encountered: the fermentation of the pentose sugar xylose, and the...     

Quality control of analyses of mercury in hair

Summary Flow injection analysis (FIA) has been combined with a dialysis unit in order to study the effect of interferences in the determination of free cyanide in waste water. Two kinds of interferences, metals and inorganic anions, were studied. In all the cases, solutions of constant cyanide concentration containing interferences were introduced in the FIA system and free cyanide was determined after hydrogen cyanide passes the dialysis membrane.Results reveal the advantages of this methodology for Zn(II), Cu(I), Cd(II), Nr ₄ ⁺ and inorganic anions. Fe(III), Co(II), Ni(II) and carbonate show different behaviour under these conditions.

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Entfernung von Störungen bei der spektralphotometrischen Cyanidbestimmung unter Verwendung von Dialyse und Fließinjektion

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Presented at Euroanalysis VI, Paris, September 8–11, 1987