Homoclinic orbits to parabolic points

We give a proof of the Poincaré-Melnikov method in the case of non-Hamiltonian perturbations of one and a half degrees of freedom Hamiltonians, having orbits homoclinic to degenerate periodic orbits of parabolic type. Received November 20, 1995     

Positive and negative‐mode laser desorption/ionization‐mass spectrometry (LDI‐MS) for the detection of indigoids in archaeological purple

Laser‐based ionization techniques have demonstrated to be a valuable analytical tool to study organic pigments by mass spectrometric analyses. Though laser‐based ionization techniques have identified several natural and synthetic organic dyes and pigments, they have never been used in the characterization of purple. In this work, positive and negative‐mode laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (LDI‐MS) was used for the first time to detect indigoids in shellfish purple. The method was used to study organic residues collected from archaeological ceramic fragments that were known to contain purple, as determined by a classical high‐performance liquid chromatography‐based procedure. LDI‐MS provides a mass spectral fingerprint of shellfish purple, and it was found to be a rapid and successful tool for the identification of purple. In addition, a comparison between positive and negative mode ionization highlighted the complementarity of the two ionization modes. On the one hand, the negative‐ion mode LDI‐MS showed a better selectivity and sensitivity to brominated molecules, such as 6,6'‐dibromoindigo, 6‐monobromoindigo, 6,6'‐dibromoindirubin, 6‐ and 6’‐monobromoindirubin, thanks to their electronegativity, and produced simpler mass spectra. On the other hand, negative‐ion mode LDI‐MS was found to have a lower sensitivity to non‐brominated compounds, such as indigo and indirubin, whose presence can be established in any case by collecting the complementary positive‐ion LDI mass spectrum. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Effect of jasmonic acid on major terpenes and density of glandular trichomes in Lippia graveolens kunth (Verbenaceae)

Abstract

The effect of exogenous application of jasmonic acid (JA) on the concentration of main terpenes and density of glandular trichomes was investigated in the Mexican oregano, propagated from seeds from 3 localities. JA 1?mM was applied locally and to the whole plant. JA locally applied increased the number of trichomes, with a mean of 20 trichomes more with respect to the controls in plants from Tecomavaca and Zapotitlán Salinas, and significantly increased the thymol concentration by 185% systemically and 255% locally, compared to the control. JA applied to the whole plant decreased the number of trichomes and increased the concentration of caryophyllene from 0.79 to 1.7?mg g^?1, and α-caryophyllene from 0.3 to 0.8?mg g^?1 in plants from San Rafael with reference to water control. The results suggest a plasticity of morphologic and phytochemical responses, and a potential use of JA to improve phenolic monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes production.     

Access to unusual polycyclic spiro-enones from 2,2'-bis(allyloxy)-1,1'-binaphthyls using Grubbs' catalysts: an unprecedented one-pot RCM/Claisen sequence

Treatment of 2,2'-bis(allyloxy)-1,1'-binaphthyls with the first-generation Grubbs' carbene under MW-irradiation results in the formation of new polycyclic spiro-enones through an unprecedented RCM/Claisen sequence.     

Expeditious entry to novel 2-methylene-2,3-dihydrofuro[3,2-c] chromen-2-ones from 6-chloro-4-hydroxychromen-2-one and propargylic alcohols

A catalytic system consisting of the ruthenium(II) complex [Ru(η3-2-C3H4Me)(CO)(dppf)][SbF6] (dppf=1,1'-bis(diphenylphosphino)ferrocene) and trifluoroacetic acid has been used to promote the coupling of secondary propargylic alcohols with 6-chloro-4-hydroxychromen-2-one. The reactions afforded unusual 2-methylene-2,3-dihydrofuro[3,2-c]chromen-2-ones in good yields.     

Electrostatic charging and charge transport by hydrated amorphous silica under a high voltage direct current electrical field

This work was initially based on the casual observation of an electrostatic phenomenon, in which particles of amorphous silica were attracted by a dc electrical field. The first observations were recently shown in a communication in this journal. To explain the electrical charge transport process observed in this work, all forces acting on silica particles were estimated and the significant ones were used to formulate a model made up of three elementary steps. Analyzing the experimental observations using this model, it was possible to suggest that electrons can be introduced into and removed from electronic bands of water.     

Characterization of Co-blockers for Simple Perfect Matchings in a Convex Geometric Graph

Consider the complete convex geometric graph on $2m$ 2 m vertices, CGG $(2m)$ ( 2 m ) , i.e., the set of all boundary edges and diagonals of a planar convex $2m$ 2 m -gon P. In (Keller and Perles, Israel J Math 187:465–484, 2012), the smallest sets of edges that meet all the simple perfect matchings (SPMs) in CGG $(2m)$ ( 2 m ) (called “blockers”) are characterized, and it is shown that all these sets are caterpillar graphs with a special structure, and that their total number is $m \cdot 2^{m-1}$ m · 2 m ? 1 . In this paper we characterize the co-blockers for SPMs in CGG $(2m)$ ( 2 m ) , that is, the smallest sets of edges that meet all the blockers. We show that the co-blockers are exactly those perfect matchings M in CGG $(2m)$ ( 2 m ) where all edges are of odd order, and two edges of M that emanate from two adjacent vertices of P never cross. In particular, while the number of SPMs and the number of blockers grow exponentially with m, the number of co-blockers grows super-exponentially.     

Preparation of functionalized platinum nanoparticles: a comparison of different methods and reagents

Au–Pd core–shell nanocubes and triangular nanoparticles were systematically synthesized from a few Pd layers up to fully grown morphologies by a modified seed-mediated growth method. The shape evolution of Au–Pd core–shell nanoparticles from single crystal and singly twinned seed to final concave nanocube and triangular plates are presented at atomic level by Cs-corrected scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM). The growth mechanism of both morphologies was studied throughout different sizes. It was found that the concave nanocubes grew from octahedral Au seeds due to fast growth along 〈111〉 directions; while the triangular nanoparticles grew from singly twinned Au seeds, growing twice as fast in 〈110〉 directions along the twin boundary; compared to the 〈111〉 direction perpendicular to the twin boundary. Both the concave nanocubes and triangular nanoparticles presented high index facet (HIF) surfaces that will increase the catalytic activity of different reactions.     

Estimation of groundwater recharge via deuterium labelling in the semi-arid Cuvelai-Etosha Basin,Namibia

The stable water isotope deuterium (²H) was applied as an artificial tracer (²H₂O) in order to estimate groundwater recharge through the unsaturated zone and describe soil water movement in a semi-arid region of northern central Namibia. A particular focus of this study was to assess the spatiotemporal persistence of the tracer when applied in the field on a small scale under extreme climatic conditions and to propose a method to obtain estimates of recharge in data-scarce regions. At two natural sites that differ in vegetation cover, soil and geology, 500?ml of a 70?% ²H₂O solution was irrigated onto water saturated plots. The displacement of the ²H peak was analyzed 1 and 10 days after an artificial rain event of 20 mm as well as after the rainy season. Results show that it is possible to apply the peak displacement method for the estimation of groundwater recharge rates in semi-arid environments via deuterium labelling. Potential recharge for the rainy season 2013/2014 was calculated as 45 mm a^?1 at 5.6 m depth and 40 mm a^?1 at 0.9 m depth at the two studied sites, respectively. Under saturated conditions, the artificial rain events moved 2.1 and 0.5 m downwards, respectively. The tracer at the deep sand site (site 1) was found after the rainy season at 5.6 m depth, corresponding to a displacement of 3.2 m. This equals in an average travel velocity of 2.8 cm d^?1 during the rainy season at the first site. At the second location, the tracer peak was discovered at 0.9 m depth; displacement was found to be only 0.4 m equalling an average movement of 0.2 cm d^?1 through the unsaturated zone due to an underlying calcrete formation. Tracer recovery after one rainy season was found to be as low as 3.6?% at site 1 and 1.9?% at site 2. With an in situ measuring technique, a three-dimensional distribution of ²H after the rainy season could be measured and visualized. This study comprises the first application of the peak displacement method using a deuterium labelling technique for the estimation of groundwater recharge in semi-arid regions. Deuterium proved to be a suitable tracer for studies within the soil–vegetation–atmosphere interface. The results of this study are relevant for the design of labelling experiments in the unsaturated zone of dry areas using ²H₂O as a tracer and obtaining estimations of groundwater recharge on a local scale. The presented methodology is particularly beneficial in data-scarce environments, where recharge pathways and mechanisms are poorly understood.