Measurement of the branching fractions of exclusive _B-->D(*)(pi)l-_nu l decays in events with a fully reconstructed B meson

We report a measurement of the branching fractions for _B-->D(*)(pi)l- _nu(l) decays based on 341.1 fb(-1) of data collected at the Upsilon(4S) resonance with the BABAR detector at the SLAC PEP-II e+ e- storage rings. Events are tagged by fully reconstructing one of the B mesons in a hadronic decay mode. We obtain B(B- -->D(0)l-_nu(l)=(2.33+/-0.09(stat)+/-0.09(syst)%, B(B- -->D(*0)l-_nu(l)=(5.83+/-0.15(stat) +/-0.30(syst) %, B(_B(0)-->D+l-_nu(l)=(2.21+/-0.11(stat) +/-0.12(syst)%, B(_B(0)-->D(*)l-_nu(l)=(5.49+/-0.16(stat)+/-0.25(syst)%, B(B- -->D+pi-l-_nu(l)=(0.42+/-0.06(stat)+/-0.03(syst)%, B(B- -->D(*)+pi-l-_nu(l)=(0.59+/-0.05(stat)+/-0.04(syst)%, B(_B(0)-->D(0)pi+l-_nu(l)=(0.43+/-0.08(stat)+/-0.03(syst)%, and B(_B(0)-->D(*0)pi+l-_nu(l)=(0.48+/-0.08(stat)+/-0.04(syst)%.     

Electronic texture of the thermoelectric oxide Na0.75CoO2

From 59Co and 23Na NMR, we demonstrate the impact of the Na+ vacancy ordering on the cobalt electronic states in Na0.75CoO2: at long time scales, there is neither a disproportionation into 75% Co3+ and 25% Co4+ states, nor a mixed-valence metal with a uniform Co3.25+ state. Instead, the system adopts an intermediate configuration in which 30% of the lattice sites form an ordered pattern of localized Co3+ states. Above 180 K, an anomalous mobility of specific Na+ sites is found to coexist with this electronic texture, suggesting that the formation of the latter may contribute to stabilizing the Na+ ordering. Control of the ion doping in these materials thus appears to be crucial for fine-tuning of their thermoelectric properties.     

Assignments and predictions of far-infrared laser lines in methyl alcohol

In this work, the results of detailed spectroscopic analyses of the high-resolution Fourier transform infrared (IR) C-O stretch and far-infrared (FIR) torsion-rotation bands of methyl alcohol are applied to assign and predict FIR laser lines optically pumped by a CO₂ laser in the dense Q-branch region of the C-O stretch band. The assignments are supported by means of closed combination loops of accurately measured transition frequencies. For the predicted FIR lines, the frequencies are deduced with an accuracy of ±0.001 cm⁻¹, which is at least an order of magnitude better than can be obtained from direct wavelength measurements. The IR and FIR spectroscopic data relevant to the assignments are included.     

The degradation process in Tl2Ba2Ca1Cu2O10+x

Degradation processes in 2212 thallium-based superconductors have been investigated using X-ray diffraction and electron microscopy techniques. It has been shown that the formation of amorphous or microcrystalline material by decomposition of the superconducting phase is followed by the crystallization of BaCo₃ and other oxide compounds. The influence of preexisting BaCO₃ on the rate of this degradation process has also been studied, and the results indicate that the removal of this stable precursor compound is an important step in improving the long term stability of the 2212 phase.     

Improved tau polarisation measurement

Using 22 pb⁻¹ of data collected at LEP in 1992 on the peak of the Z resonance, the ALEPH collaboration has measured the polarisation of the tau leptons decaying into ,πν, ρν and a₁ ν from their individual decay product distributions. The measurement of the tau polarisation as a function of the production polar angle yields the two parametersN _τ andN _e, where, in terms of the axial and vector couplingsg _Al andg _Vl,N _l=2g _Vl g_Al/(g _Vl ² +g _Al ² ). This analysis follows to a large extent the methods devised for the 1990 and 1991 data but with improvements which bring a better understanding of the systematic uncertainties. Combining the 1992 measurements with our previously published results yieldsN _τ=0.136±0.012±0.009 andN _e=0.129±0.016±0.005. Assuminge−τ universality, the measurements imply an effective weak mixing angle of sin ² θ _W ^eff =0.2332±0.0014. Deceased     

Electrolyte—formamide interactions studied by raman spectroscopy

The effects of dissolved electrolytes on the structure of liquid formamide have been investigated by Raman spectroscopy. The spectral features are dependent on the concentration and nature of the dissolved electrolyte and are discussed in terms of direct electrolyte formamide interactions. Two vN—H bands, arising from ion—formamide species, have been observed superimposed on the spectrum of residual liquid formamide. The results lend further support to the interaction model for electrolytes in liquid formamide previously proposed by us on the basis of nuclear magnetic resonance and infrared spectral data.     

Highly sensitive luminescent metal-complex receptors for anions through charge-assisted amide hydrogen bonding

Two structurally simple and easily synthesized luminescent anion receptors featured with an amide-type anion binding site and rhenium(I) tricarbonyl pyridine signaling units have been developed, and they display outstanding sensitivity and selectivity toward a variety of anionic species. These complexes are highly emissive in solution. Upon anion binding, the emission intensity was significantly quenched. The sensitivities of these complexes are so high that the emission intensity can be effectively quenched by as much as 10% even in the presence of only 10(-8) M cyanide or fluoride anions. The ability of formation of intramolecular hydrogen bonding between the amide protons and central pyridine is believed to be responsible for the observed high selectivity.     

Transition metal based supramolecular systems: synthesis, photophysics, photochemistry and their potential applications as luminescent anion chemosensors

This review describes our recent research results on several transition-metal based supramolecular systems. A number of self-assembly metallocyclophanes and cages have been prepared. We have found that the photophysical properties of these systems are highly dependent on the nature of the bridging ligands and that many of these metallocyclophanes and cages are capable of binding different guest molecules such as inorganic anions and a variety of aromatic compounds. Moreover, trinuclear (diimine) rhenium(I) tricarbonyl complexes linked by a stilbene-like ligand exhibit most interesting photoswitching features, where the luminescence from the complexes can be switched on and off by photoinduced ligand isomerization. In addition, a structurally simple and easily synthesized luminescent anion receptor has been recently developed and it displays outstanding sensitivity and selectivity toward anionic species. We also review the synthesis of two shape-persistent hexagonal phenylacetylenes and their use as ligands to synthesize dinuclear transition-metal complexes. The photophysical properties of both phenylacetylenic ligands and their corresponding metal complexes are summarized.     

Balancing conformational and oxidative kinetic traps during the folding of bovine pancreatic trypsin inhibitor (BPTI) with glutathione and glutathione disulfide

The oxidative folding of bovine pancreatic trypsin inhibitor (BPTI) has served as a paradigm for the folding of disulfide-containing proteins from their reduced form, as well as for protein folding in general. Many extracellular proteins and most pharmaceutically important proteins contain disulfide bonds. Under traditional conditions, 0.125 mM glutathione disulfide (GSSG) and no glutathione (GSH), the folding pathway of BPTI proceeds through a nonproductive route via N* (a two disulfide intermediate), or a productive route via N' (and other two disulfide intermediates which are in rapid equilibrium with N'). Both routes have the rearrangement of disulfide bonds as their rate-determining steps. However, the effects of the composition of the redox buffer, GSSG and GSH, on folding has not been extensively investigated. Interestingly, BPTI folds more efficiently in the presence of 5 mM GSSG and 5 mM GSH than it does under traditional conditions. These conditions, which are similar to those found in vivo, result in a doubly mixed disulfide between N' and glutathione, which acts as an oxidative kinetic trap as it has no free thiols. However, with 5 mM GSSG and 5 mM GSH the formation of the double mixed disulfide is compensated for by N* being less kinetically stable and the more rapid conversion of the singly mixed disulfides between N' and glutathione to native protein (N). Thus a major rate-determining step becomes the direct conversion of a singly mixed disulfide to N, a growth-type pathway. Balancing the formation of N* and its stability versus the formation of the doubly mixed disulfide and its stability results in more efficient folding. Such balancing acts may prove to be general for other disulfide-containing proteins.