A method for selection and use of numerical integration points for molecules with cylindrical symmetry

Boys and Handy [1] have discussed the solution of the bivariational equations with restricted numerical integration. One of the weaknesses of the method was that in the numerical summations over points, some points arose with r _ij= 0 and non-zero weights. This makes the method quite impractical for the Schrodinger Hamiltonian (because of the singularity at r _ij= 0), and it cannot be advantageous for the transcorrelated Hamiltonian C^–1HC because there will be some discontinuous higher derivatives at r _ij=0. Here it is shown how the symmetry of cylindrically symmetric molecules can be used to eliminate such points, without losing any of the advantages of the overall method, such as the convergence of the eigensolutions. It is also shown how the primary numerical integration points (z _i, r_i) may be chosen in any calculation such that each is associated with an equal amount of one-electron density. The choice of the angular coordinates are governed by the removal of the r _ij=0 points and maintaining the natural orthogonality between orbitals of different symmetry types. The method has been programmed and found to be practical, although no new molecular calculations have yet been performed. It is to be hoped that these points will give a basis for new transcorrelated calculations on diatomic molecules.This paper was presented during the session on numerical integration methods for molecules of the 1970 Quantum Theory Conference in Nottingham. It has been revised in the light of the interesting discussion which followed.     

Chemical interaction of flue gas components with the growth ofcyanidium caldarium

Applied Biochemistry and Biotechnology - Normal photosynthesis byCyanidium results in O2 evolution, suggesting that the uptake and subsequent reduction of CO2 also occur. This process, therefore,...     

Formation of a Tc(III)-adenosine diphosphate complex

A⁹⁹Tc-ADP complex was prepared when KTcO₄ was reduced in aquous medium by SnCl₂, Na₂S₂O₄, NaBH₄ or Zn in the presence of ADP in excess. The resulting solution was studied by chromatography and spectrophotometry. Electrochemical reduction and substitution on [Tc^III(tu)₆]³⁺ were investigated as alternative synthetic routes. The anionic Tc-ADP complex was isolated as a solid. Cerimetric titrations confirmed the oxidation state +3 for the central atom. IR and¹H-NMR data showed that the purine base is bonded to the Tc central atom but not the ribose moiety. No oxo groups seemed to be directly bonded to the Tc atom. The complex is rather stable in neutral solutions. However, it decomposes to pertechnetate and TcO₂ at extreme pH values.     

Patents and literature

Protein engineering and site-directed mutagenesis is becoming immensely important in both fundamental studies and commercial applications involving proteins and enzymes in biocatalysis. Protein engineering has become a powerful tool to help biochemists and molecular enzymologists elucidate structure-function relationships in enzymic active sites, to understand the intricacies of protein folding and denaturation, and to alter the selectivity of enzymatic catalysis. Commercial applications of engineered enzymes are being developed to increase protein stability, widen or narrow substrate specificity, and to develop novel approaches for use of enzymes in organic synthesis, drug design, and clinical applications. In addition to protein engineering, novel expression systems have been designed to prepare large quantities of genetically engineered proteins. Recent US patents and scientific literature on protein engineering, site-directed mutagenesis, and protein expression systems related to protein engineering are surveyed. Patent abstracts are summarized individually and a list of literature references are given.     

Hydrogen bonded clusters of alcohol molecules in inert solvents: a chain statistics approach

A theory is proposed for modeling the autoassociation of alcohol molecules either in the neat liquid or in inert (non-complexing) solvents. This autoassociation by hydrogen bonds takes the form of clusters which can be predominantly open or cyclized chains, depending on the concentration. Chain conformation statistics are used for calculating the dipole moment of each type of chain. Cyclization equilibrium theory is employed for obtaining formulae for the fraction of all types of clusters. The total Kirkwood angular correlation factorg is calculated in function of the concentration. For this only two parameters are used; the first one is a common equilibrium constant for H bond dissociation; the second one is closely linked to the stiffness of the chains. A numerical illustration is presented for the case of normal hexanol in various aliphatic solvents, for which several dielectric data exist in the literature.     

Application of a mercuric iodide detector for the exploration and exploitation of niobium deposits in remote areas

The comparison of an ambient temperature mercuric iodide spectrometer (HgI₂) with a conventional cooled Si(Li) spectrometer is presented for the determination of niobium in Venezuelan laterites in the laboratory. The energy resolution of the HgI₂ spectrometer was only about 590 eV (FWHM) at 5.9 keV compared to about 150 eV for the conventional Si(Li) spectrometer. The efficiency was about 5 times lower in the region of the Nb_K peak as compared to the Si(Li) detector. Even though its energy resolution and efficiency is much poorer than the conventional Si(Li), the results it produced for the determination of niobium were acceptable for use in the exploration and exploitation of a niobium-rich deposit such as Cerro Impacto, Estado Bolívar, Venezuela.