A high statistics measurement of the Lambda(+)(c) lifetime

A high statistics measurement of the Lambda(+)(c) lifetime from the Fermilab fixed-target FOCUS photoproduction experiment is presented. We describe the analysis technique with particular attention to the determination of the systematic uncertainty. The measured value of 204.6 +/- 3.4 (stat) +/- 2.5 (syst) fs from 8034 +/- 122 Lambda(+)(c)-->pK(-)pi(+) decays represents a significant improvement over the present world average.     

Efficient sampling of protein structures by model hopping

We introduce a novel simulation method, model hopping, that enhances sampling of low-energy configurations in complex systems. The approach is illustrated for a protein-folding problem. Thermodynamic quantities of proteins with up to 46 residues are evaluated from all-atom simulations with this method.     

A Classification of Regular Embeddings of Graphs of Order a Product of Two Primes

In this paper, we classify the regular embeddings of arc-transitive simple graphs of order pq for any two primes p and q (not necessarily distinct) into orientable surfaces. Our classification is obtained by direct analysis of the structure of arc-regular subgroups (with cyclic vertex-stabilizers) of the automorphism groups of such graphs. This work is independent of the classification of primitive permutation groups of degree p or degree pq for p q and it is also independent of the classification of the arc-transitive graphs of order pq for p q.     

Proteomic analysis of human cerebral cortex in epileptic patients

Epilepsy affects more than 0.5% of the world population and is known to be associated with a large genetic component eliciting an electrical hyperexcitability in the central nervous system. However, its pathogenic mechanisms remain poorly understood. In order to gain greater molecular incite in the pathogenesis in epilepsy, we analyzed proteomes of human cerebral cortices. Quantitative proteome analysis was used to compare signals corresponding to individual proteins between epileptic cerebral cortices from patients with temporal lobe epilepsy and age-matched non-epileptic subjects. To minimize individual variations, gender and age of the patients were matched. Changes of several spots were consistent among 6 pairs of epileptic patients and nonepileptic subjects. One of the spots was identified as the mitochondrial type Mn-superoxide dismutase (Mn-SOD) confirmed by Western blot analysis with Mn-SOD antibody and enzyme activity assay. Such results were agreeable with chemical and physical parameters given by the 2-dimensional electrophoresis (2-DE) gel. Mn-SOD was consistently down-regulated in epileptic cerebral cortices compared with those of nonepileptic subjects. Our results demonstrate a clear link between pathogenesis of epilepsy and SOD. Additionally, we identified four proteins that were consistently over-expressed in all epileptic temporal neocortices specimens and the other four proteins that were found to be expressed less than non-epileptic control subjects. These proteomic data provide cellular markers in the understanding mechanism of the epilepsy pathogenesis.     

Enhancing sensitivity of quadrupolar nuclei in solid-state NMR with multiple rotor assisted population transfers

Rotor-assisted population transfer (RAPT) was developed as a method for enhancing MAS NMR sensitivity of quadrupolar nuclei by transferring polarization associated with satellite transitions to the central m=12-->-12 transition. After a single RAPT transfer, there still remains polarization in the satellite transitions that can be transferred to the central transition. This polarization is available without having to wait for the spin system to return to thermal equilibrium. We describe a new RAPT scheme that uses the remaining polarization of the satellites to obtain a further enhancement of the central transition by performing RAPT-enhanced experiments multiple times before waiting for re-equilibration of the spin system. For 27Al (I=5/2) in albite we obtain a multiple RAPT enhancement of 3.02, a 48% increase over single RAPT. For 93Nb (I=9/2) in NaNbO(3) we obtain a multiple RAPT enhancement of 5.76, an 89% increase over single RAPT. We also describe a data processing procedure for obtaining the maximum possible signal-to-noise ratio.     

Lasonolide A: structural revision and total synthesis

The proposed structure of lasonolide A was synthesized employing radical cyclization reactions of beta-alkoxyacrylates for preparation of the tetrahydropyranyl units A and B, but the spectroscopic data did not match those of the natural product. Both enantiomers of a revised structure featuring 17E,25Z double bonds were synthesized, and the (-)-isomer was found to be the biologically active enantiomer.     

Double-quantum filtered STMAS

Double-quantum and double-quantum-filtered satellite-transition magic-angle spinning (STMAS) experiments are proposed. The experiments efficiently convert satellite-transition coherence from single- to double-quantum with a central-transition selective pi-pulse. The conversion allows the selection of double-quantum coherence transfer pathways with phase cycling that completely filters out unwanted diagonal and outer satellite-transition peaks. Both experiments are demonstrated with RbNO3 and AlPO4-berlinite as model compounds for obtaining clean STMAS spectra of spins 3/2 and 5/2, respectively.     

Mixed finite volume methods on nonstaggered quadrilateral grids for elliptic problems

We construct and analyze a mixed finite volume method on quadrilateral grids for elliptic problems written as a system of two first order PDEs in the state variable (e.g., pressure) and its flux (e.g., Darcy velocity). An important point is that no staggered grids or covolumes are used to stabilize the system. Only a single primary grid system is adopted, and the degrees of freedom are imposed on the interfaces. The approximate flux is sought in the lowest-order Raviart-Thomas space and the pressure field in the rotated- nonconforming space. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the present finite volume method can be interpreted as a rotated- nonconforming finite element method for the pressure with a simple local recovery of flux. Numerical results are presented for a variety of problems which confirm the usefulness and effectiveness of the method.

     

First observation of the sigma(*+)(c) baryon and a new measurement of the sigma(*+)(c) mass

Using data recorded with the CLEO II and CLEO II.V detector configurations at the Cornell Electron Storage Rings, we report the first observation and mass measurement of the Sigma(*+)(c) charmed baryon, and an updated measurement of the mass of the Sigma(+)(c) baryon. We find M(Sigma(*+)(c))-M(Lambda(+)(c)) = (231.0+/-1.1+/-2.0) MeV, and M(Sigma(+)(c))-M(Lambda(+)(c)) = (166.4+/-0.2+/-0.3) MeV, where the errors are statistical and systematic, respectively.     

Heat capacity measurements in carboxylic polyelectrolyte solutions

Apparent molal heat capacities as a function of the degree of neutralization have been determined for dilute aqueous solutions of poly(acrylic acid) (PAA), poly(methacrylic acid) (PMA), copoly(maleic acid-ethylene) (MAEt), and copoly(maleic acid-styrene) (MASt) using direct flow microcalorimetry. Apparent molal volumes were measured as well. Both molal heat capacity and molal volume decrease with increasing ionization of the polymer. The effect of the hydrophobic interactions of the methyl group or phenyl group was obtained from the difference in the molal quantities of PMA and PAA, or MASt and MAEt. No evidence of hydrophobic effects, as determined from the heat capacity, was found for the conformational transition of PMA, but the hydration of the phenyl groups in MASt was found to be changed significantly at a degree of neutralization of 0.4.