Experimental study of the reaction vp → μ−pπ+: Gargamelle neutrino propane experiment

A sample of 357 events fitting the reaction ν + p → μ^? + p + π⁺ on free proton is obtained from the Gargamelle neutrino propane experiment at the CERN-PS. The average value of the cross section above 1 GeV is found to be (0.60 ± 0.07) 10^?38 cm². The reaction is dominated by the production of the Δ⁺⁺(1232) resonance. Results on the Δ⁺⁺ spin density matrix are given.     

Production properties of low-mass systems in pp collisions at 102 GeV/c

We examine in detail the properties of low-mass systems produced in the inclusive reaction p + p → p + anything at 102 GeV/c. We find that the internal characteristics of these low-mass nucleon-multipion systems (the “anything”), at fixed values of mass (M), are similar to those found for produced hadrons in high-energy collisions at fixed incident hadron energies $\text{(}\text{s}\text{)}$. The resemblance between the properties of the M² system and the characteristics of πp collisions at s = M² is particularly striking.     

Synthesis and properties of a functionalized heterobimetallic Re(I)–Gd(III) complex as a potential dual-contrast agent for molecular imaging

In the design of dual-imaging probes, the first functionalized and neutral heterobimetallic Re(I)–Gd(III) complex, highly soluble in aqueous solutions, has been prepared. This system exhibits interesting photophysical properties (λ_em = 578 nm, ? = 1.4%) for optical imaging and substantial higher relaxivity (r₁ = 6.6 mM⁻¹ s⁻¹ at 0.47 T and 37 °C) than the clinically used MRI contrast agents. Moreover, this system incorporates an aromatic ester functionality suitable for bioconjugation.     

Blocked-micropores,surface functionalized,bio-compatible and silica-coated iron oxide nanocomposites as advanced MRI contrast agent

Quasi-critical fluctuations occur close to critical points or close to continuous phase transitions. In three-dimensional systems, precision tuning is required to access the fluctuation regime. Lowering the dimensionality enhances the parameter space for quasi-critical fluctuations considerably. This enables one to make use of novel properties emerging in fluctuating systems, such as giant susceptibilities, Casimir forces or novel quasi-particle interactions. Examples are discussed ranging from simple metal–adsorbate systems to unconventional superconductivity in iron-based superconductors.     

The GEISA spectroscopic database: Current and future archive for Earth and planetary atmosphere studies

The development of Gestion et Etude des Informations Spectroscopiques Atmosphériques (GEISA: Management and Study of Spectroscopic Information) was started over three decades at Laboratoire de Météorologie Dynamique (LMD) in France. GEISA is a computer accessible spectroscopic database, designed to facilitate accurate forward radiative transfer calculations using a line-by-line and layer-by-layer approach. More than 350 users have been registered for on-line use of the GEISA facilities. The current 2003 edition of GEISA (GEISA-03) is a system comprising three independent sub-databases devoted respectively to: line transition parameters, infrared and ultraviolet/visible absorption cross-sections, microphysical and optical properties of atmospheric aerosols.Currently, GEISA is involved in activities related to the assessment of the capabilities of IASI (Infrared Atmospheric Sounding Interferometer on board of the METOP European satellite) through the GEISA/IASI database derived from GEISA.The GEISA-03 content is presented, placing emphasis on molecular species of interest for Earth and planetary atmosphere studies, with details on the updated 2008 archive underway. A critical assessment on the needs, in terms of molecular parameters archive, related with recent satellite astrophysical missions is made. Detailed information on free on-line GEISA and GEISA/IASI access is given at http://ara.lmd.polytechnique.fr and http://ether.ipsl.jussieu.fr.     

Robust cross-validation of linear regression QSAR models

A quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) model is typically developed to predict the biochemical activity of untested compounds from the compounds' molecular structures. "The gold standard" of model validation is the blindfold prediction when the model's predictive power is assessed from how well the model predicts the activity values of compounds that were not considered in any way during the model development/calibration. However, during the development of a QSAR model, it is necessary to obtain some indication of the model's predictive power. This is often done by some form of cross-validation (CV). In this study, the concepts of the predictive power and fitting ability of a multiple linear regression (MLR) QSAR model were examined in the CV context allowing for the presence of outliers. Commonly used predictive power and fitting ability statistics were assessed via Monte Carlo cross-validation when applied to percent human intestinal absorption, blood-brain partition coefficient, and toxicity values of saxitoxin QSAR data sets, as well as three known benchmark data sets with known outlier contamination. It was found that (1) a robust version of MLR should always be preferred over the ordinary-least-squares MLR, regardless of the degree of outlier contamination and that (2) the model's predictive power should only be assessed via robust statistics. The Matlab and java source code used in this study is freely available from the QSAR-BENCH section of www.dmitrykonovalov.org for academic use. The Web site also contains the java-based QSAR-BENCH program, which could be run online via java's Web Start technology (supporting Windows, Mac OSX, Linux/Unix) to reproduce most of the reported results or apply the reported procedures to other data sets.     

Supersaturated designs: set-ups,data interpretation,and analytical applications

For screening purposes, two-level screening designs, such as fractional factorial (FF) and Plackett–Burman (PB) designs, are usually applied. These designs enable examination of, at most, N−1 factors in N experiments. However, when many factors need to be examined, the number of experiments still becomes unfeasibly large. Occasionally, in order to reduce time and costs, a given number of factors can be examined in fewer experiments than with the above screening designs, by using supersaturated designs. These designs examine more than N _SS−1 factors in N _SS experiments. In this review, different set-ups to construct supersaturated designs are explained and discussed, followed by several possible data interpretations of supersaturated design results. Finally, some analytical applications of supersaturated designs are given.     

Validation of a fluorimetric assay for 4-aminophenol in paracetamol formulations

4-aminophenol (4-AP) is the primary degradation product of paracetamol (PARA). According to the European Pharmacopoeia, 50 ppm 4-AP/PARA is the specification limit of 4-aminophenol in paracetamol drug substance. For drug products, often higher specification limits, such as 1000 ppm 4-AP/PARA are applied. This paper describes a fluorimetric method to quantify the low amount of this degradant (50 ppm) in a pharmaceutical preparation, i.e. in paracetamol tablets. The fluorimetric method was validated and the linearity, precision, trueness, range, limit of detection and limit of quantification were determined. They were found acceptable to assay the low amounts of 4-aminophenol in paracetamol tablets.     

Paramagnetic liposomes: inner versus outer membrane relaxivity of DPPC liposomes incorporating lipophilic gadolinium complexes

Proton relaxometric properties of unilamellar DPPC liposomes embedding an amphiphilic paramagnetic chelate (Gd-DTPA-BC(14)A) in both layers of the phospholipid membrane or only in the external one are compared. The results show that the membrane's water permeability is able to quench the effect of the paramagnetic complexes located in the internal layer of DPPC liposomes, leading thus to an apparent lower global relaxivity.     

Absolute line intensities for formic acid and dissociation constant of the dimer

Absolute line intensities in the nu(6) and nu(8) interacting bands of trans-HCOOH, observed near 1105.4 and 1033.5 cm(-1), respectively, and the dissociation constant of the formic acid dimer (HCOOH)(2) have been measured using Fourier transform spectroscopy at a resolution of 0.002 cm(-1). Eleven spectra of formic acid, at 296.0(5) K and pressures ranging from 14.28(25) to 314.0(24) Pa, have been recorded between 600 and 1900 cm(-1) with an absorption path length of 19.7(2) cm. 437 integrated absorption coefficients have been measured for 72 lines in the nu(6) band. Analysis of the pressure dependence yielded the dissociation constant of the formic acid dimer, K(p)=361(45) Pa, and the absolute intensity of the 72 lines of HCOOH. The accuracy of these results was carefully estimated. The absolute intensities of four lines of the weak nu(8) band were also measured. Using an appropriate theory, the integrated intensity of the nu(6) and nu(8) bands was determined to be 3.47 x 10(-17) and 4.68 x 10(-19) cm(-1)(molecule cm(-2)) respectively, at 296 K. Both the dissociation constant and integrated intensities were compared to earlier measurements.