The DNA electronic specific heat at low temperature: The role of aperiodicity

The electronic specific heat spectra at constant volume (_CV$C_V$) of a long-range correlated extended ladder model, mimicking a DNA molecule, is theoretically analyzed for a stacked array of a double-stranded structure made up from the nucleotides guanine G, adenine A, cytosine C and thymine T  . The role of the aperiodicity on _CV$C_V$ is discussed, considering two different nucleotide arrangements with increasing disorder, namely the Fibonacci and the Rudin–Shapiro quasiperiodic structures. Comparisons are made for different values of the band fillings, considering also a finite segment of natural DNA, as part of the human chromosome Ch22.     

A method for detection of abrupt changes in the financial market combining wavelet decomposition and correlation graphs

The objective of this work is to propose a new methodology to detect the imminence of abrupt changes in the stock market by combining a numerical indicator based on the wavelet decomposition technique with a measure of the interdependency of the markets using graph theory. While the indicator based on wavelet decomposition is based on a single time series, an approach based on network representation can provide information on the interdependency of the various markets. More specifically, the stock market indices are associated with nodes of a network and the correlation between pairs of nodes with links. Results from the theory of graphs can then be used to indicate numerically the connectivity of this network. Experimentations with a variety of financial time series shows that the connectivity varies as trends of the financial time series varies. Combining the indicator based on the wavelet decomposition with the proposed measure of the connectivity of the network, it was possible to refine the authors previous results in terms of detecting abrupt changes in the stock market. In order to illustrate the methodology a case study involving twelve stock market indices was presented.     

Dynamics of one electron in a nonlinear disordered chain

In this paper we report new numerical results on the disordered Schr?dinger equation with nonlinear hopping. By using a classical harmonic Hamiltonian and the Su-Schrieffer-Heeger approximation we write an effective Schr?dinger equation. This model with off-diagonal nonlinearity allows us to study the interaction of one electron and acoustical phonons. We solve the effective Schr?dinger equation with nonlinear hopping for an initially localized wavepacket by using a predictor-corrector Adams-Bashforth-Moulton method. Our results indicate that the nonlinear off-diagonal term can promote a long-time subdiffusive regime similar to that observed in models with diagonal nonlinearity.     

Interaction of small amounts of bovine serum albumin with phospholipid monolayers investigated by surface pressure and atomic force microscopy

The influence of small amounts of bovine serum albumin (BSA) (nM concentration) on the lateral organization of phospholipid monolayers at the air-water interface and transferred onto solid substrates as one-layer Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) films was investigated. The kinetics of adsorption of BSA onto the phospholipid monolayers was monitored with surface pressure isotherms in a Langmuir trough, for the zwitterionic dipalmitoylphosphatidyl ethanolamine (N,N-dimethyl-PE) and the anionic dimyristoylphosphatidic acid (DMPA). A monolayer of N,N-dimethyl-PE or DMPA incorporating BSA was transferred onto a solid substrate using the Langmuir-Blodgett technique. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) images of one-layer LB films displayed protein-phospholipid domains, whose morphology was characterized using dynamic scaling theories to calculate roughness exponents. For DMPA-BSA films the surface is characteristic of self-affine fractals, which may be described with the Kardar-Parisi-Zhang (KPZ) equation. On the other hand, for N,N-dimethyl-PE-BSA films, the results indicate a relatively flat surface within the globule. The height profile and the number and size of globules varied with the type of phospholipid. The overall results, from kinetics of adsorption on Langmuir monolayers and surface morphology in LB films, could be interpreted in terms of the higher affinity of BSA to the anionic DMPA than to the zwitterionic N,N-dimethyl-PE. Furthermore, the effects from such small amounts of BSA in the monolayer point to a cooperative response of DMPA and N,N-dimethyl-PE monolayers to the protein.     

The intramandibular gland of leaf-cutting ants (Atta sexdens rubropilosa Forel 1908)

The eusociality developed in Hymenoptera and Isoptera is driven by an efficient interaction between exocrine glands and jointed appendages, both in close interaction with the environment. In this context, the mandible of ants plays an important role, since, in addition to being the main jointed appendage, it possess glandular functions. As an example we might name the two glands associated with the mandible: the mandibular and the intramandibular glands. The intramandibular gland is found inside the mandible and consists of a hypertrophied secretory epithelium and secretory cells in the mandible's lumen. The secretion of the secretory epithelium is liberated through intracuticular ducts that open at the base of hairs at the mandible's surface. The secretion of the intramandibular gland (epithelium and secretory cells) reacted positively to tests for the detection of polysaccharides and proteins, thus suggesting that it consists of glycoproteins. The ultrastructure of the secretory epithelium presents variations related to the developmental stage of the individual, showing a large number of ribosomes and microvilli close to the cuticle in young individuals, while in the older specimens it was possible to note the formation of an intracellular reservoir. These variations of secretory epithelium, as also the interaction between the cellular groups inside the mandible, are important information about this gland in leaf-cutting ants.     

An analytical application of the electrocatalysis of the iodate reduction at tungsten oxide films

Films of non-stoichiometric tungsten oxides have been deposited onto glassy carbon surfaces by electrodeposition from acidic W(VI) solutions and the chemical stability of these oxides was investigated by using the electrochemical quartz crystal microbalance. At these modified surfaces, rotating disc electrode voltammetric experiments indicated that iodate is electrocatalytically reduced in a mass-transport controlled process. The influence of the film thickness on the response to iodate was investigated and the results indicated a linear relationship between catalytic current and film thickness for relatively thin oxide layers. The modified electrode was employed successfully as an amperometric sensor for iodate in a flow injection apparatus. The linear response of the developed method is extended from 5 μmol L⁻¹ to 5 mmol L⁻¹ iodate with a limit of detection (signal-to-noise = 3) of 1.2 μmol L⁻¹. The repeatability of the method for 41 injections of a 1 mmol L⁻¹ iodate solution was 0.8% and the throughput was determined as 123 h⁻¹. Interference from other oxidant anions such as nitrate and nitrite was not noticeable, whereas bromate and chlorate interfere at slight levels. The method was used in the determination of the iodate content in table salt samples.     

Oblique interaction of spatial dark-soliton stripes in nonlocal media

We report what we believe to be the first experimental observation of a large spatial lateral shift in the interaction of obliquely oriented spatial dark-soliton stripes. We demonstrate by numerical simulations that this new effect can be attributed to the specific features of optical media with a nonlocal nonlinear response.     

Microenvironment Effects on the Kinetics of the Alkaline Hydrolysis of Bispyridinium Conformers

The alkaline hydrolysis of a series of homologous reactants constituted by two reactive centers bridged by a methylene spacers chain, the 1,n‐bis(2‐azidepyridinium)alkanes (n = 3, 4, 5, 6, and 8), is investigated. The reaction under pseudo–first‐order condition was followed by ultraviolet–visible spectrophotometry. The presence of clear isosbestic point suggests the absence of stable intermediates. However, the intermediates 1‐(2‐azidepyridinium), n‐(2‐pyridone)alkanes (monocationic compounds), were isolated and characterized as well the reaction end products 1,n‐(2‐pyridone)alkanes (noncharged compounds). The kinetic analysis fitted to a two‐step consecutive reaction, where the k₁/k₂ values demonstrate the larger reactivity of the first step over the second one, especially for shorter bridged reactants. The OH^? reaction order is one for each step. Although Debye–Hückel law was obeyed, the experimental point at ionic strength zero is much higher than the extrapolated one. In addition, the k₁ values substantially decrease as KCl is added especially for shorter homologous whereas the effect on k₂ is almost negligible. Simple charge density effects as a function of the spacer's length do not explain the observations. On the other hand, from the pronounced anion selectivity inhibition effects on k₁ for the shorter derivatives, the existence of an equilibrium involving a conformer, a “sandwich‐type” complex with the OH^? between the two pyridinium rings, with an “open‐stretched” conformer is proposed. For short‐bridged reactants, the complex conformer prevails whereas for long‐bridged compounds the stretched structure prevails. The results in acetonitrile/water seem to reflect changes in the equilibrium. The reaction is controlled by the balance between enthalpy and entropy. The contribution of the activation entropy in a short‐bridged reactant is higher than the long‐bridged one, which suggests an activated complex with high structural organization in the first reactants.     

Heterologous expression, biosynthesis, and mutagenesis of type II lantibiotics from Bacillus licheniformis in Escherichia coli

Lichenicidin is a class II two-component lantibiotic produced by Bacillus licheniformis. It is composed of the two peptides Bliα and Bliβ, which act synergistically against various Gram-positive bacteria. The lichenicidin gene cluster was successfully expressed in Escherichia coli, thus constituting the first report to our knowledge of a full reconstitution of a lantibiotic biosynthetic pathway in?vivo by a Gram-negative host. This system was further exploited to characterize and assign the function of proteins encoded in the biosynthetic gene cluster in the maturation of lichenicidin peptides. Moreover, a trans complementation system was developed for expression of Bliα and Bliβ variants in?vivo. This contribution will spur future studies in the heterologous expression and engineering of lantibiotics.