Simulation of transitions between "pasta" phases in dense matter

Calculations of equilibrium properties of dense matter predict that at subnuclear densities nuclei can be rodlike or slablike. To investigate whether transitions between phases with nonspherical nuclei can occur during the collapse of a star, we perform quantum molecular dynamic simulations of the compression of dense matter. We have succeeded in simulating the transitions between rodlike and slablike nuclei and between slablike nuclei and cylindrical bubbles. Our results strongly suggest that nonspherical nuclei can be formed in the inner cores of collapsing stars.     

Enhancement of the T140-based pharmacophores leads to the development of more potent and bio-stable CXCR4 antagonists

A CXCR4 antagonistic peptide, T140, and its bio-stable analogs, such as Ac-TE14011, were previously developed. These peptides inhibit the entry of T cell line-tropic strains of HIV-1 (X4-HIV-1) into T cells. Herein, a series of TE14011 analogs having modifications in the N-terminal region were synthesized to develop effective compounds with increased biostability. Among these analogs, 4F-benzoyl-TE14011 (TF14013) showed the strongest anti-HIV activity derived from CXCR4-antagonism, suggesting that a 4-fluorobenzoyl moiety at the N-terminus of T140 analogs constitutes a novel T140-based pharmacophore for CXCR4 antagonists. Structure-activity relationship (SAR) studies on TE14011 analogs with N(alpha)-acylation by several benzoic acid derivatives have disclosed a significant relationship between the anti-HIV activity and the Hammett constant (sigma) of substituted benzoic acids. TF14013 was found to be stable in mouse serum, but not completely stable in rat liver homogenate due to deletion of the C-terminal Arg14-NH2 from the parent peptide. This biodegradation was completely suppressed by N-alkyl-amidation at the C-terminus. Taken together, the enhancement of the T140-based pharmacophores led to development of a novel CXCR4 antagonist, 4F-benzoyl-TE14011-Me (TF14013-Me), which has very high anti-HIV activity and increased biostability.     

Light intensification towards the Schwinger limit

A method to generate ultrahigh intense electromagnetic fields is suggested, based on the laser pulse compression, carrier frequency upshift, and focusing by a counterpropagating breaking plasma wave, relativistic flying parabolic mirror. This method allows us to achieve the quantum electrodynamics critical field (Schwinger limit) with present-day laser systems.     

Determination of methamphetamine and amphetamine in abusers' plasma and hair samples with HPLC-FL

This paper describes highly sensitive HPLC methods for the determination of amphetamine (AP) and methamphetamine (MP) in abusers' plasma and hair samples. AP and MP were derivatized with the fluorescent reagent, DIB-Cl, to yield a highly fluorescent DIB-derivatives of AP and MP, which were then analyzed by HPLC with fluorescence detection at excitation and emission wavelengths of 325 and 430 nm, respectively. The separation was achieved on an ODS column with isocratic mobile phases composed of acetoniltrile and citrate buffer (55:45, v/v) for plasma samples and of acetonitrile-methanol-citrate buffer (45:20:37.5, v/v/v) for hair samples. The limits of detection were less than 0.87 ng/mL and 0.12 ng/mg in plasma and hair samples, respectively, for both AP and MP. The methods were then applied to the determination of MP and its metabolite AP in plasma obtained from two cases of illegally ingested MP and in one of the cases' hair received later. Case I was treated with dialysis; samples before and after dialysis were analyzed by the described method. After dialysis for 5 h, the total plasma levels of AP and MP decreased from 720 to 190 ng/mL. For case II, MP and AP levels were monitored for 3 days after digestion. Total plasma levels decreased from 57 ng/mL in the day of digestion to 11 ng/mL after 3 days. In hair samples, AP and MP could also be detected in very low concentrations.     

Bounded and periodic solutions of infinite delay evolution equations

For A(t) and f(t,x,y) T-periodic in t, we consider the following evolution equation with infinite delay in a general Banach space X:

(0.1)     

Some Methods for Estimation in a Negative-Binomial Model

To clarify the advantage of using the quasilikelihood method, lack of robustness of the maximum likelihood method was demonstrated for the negative-binomial model. Efficiency calculations of the method of moments and the pseudolikelihood method in the estimation of extra-Poisson parameters in a negative-binomial model were carried out. Especially when the overdispersion parameter is small, both methods are relatively highly efficient and the pseudolikelihood estimate is more efficient than the method of moments estimate. Two examples of the quasilikelihood analyses of count data with overdispersion are given. The bootstrap method also is applied to the data to illustrate the advantage of the method of moments or pseudolikelihood method in the estimation of the standard errors of the mean parameter estimates under the negative-binomial model.     

Time-resolved fluorescence studies on the formation and decomposition of the aromatic hydrocarbon-aliphatic amine exciplex in solution

Fluorescence rise and decay processes were measured and rate parameters were determined for the pyrene-tri-n-butylamine and pyrene-N,N-diethylaniline exciplex system in various solvents. An additional activation energy over that for the diffusional motion appears necessary for both exciplex formation and the deactivating quenching processes in the case of the pyrene-tri-n-butylamine system. The rate-determining step for these processes is electron transfer in the encounter collision leading to the nonrelaxed electron transfer state.