Tin–DNA complexes investigated by nuclear inelastic scattering of synchrotron radiation

Nuclear inelastic scattering (NIS) of synchrotron radiation has been used to investigate the dynamics of tin ions chelated by DNA. Theoretical NIS spectra have been simulated with the help of density functional theory (DFT) calculations using 12 models for different binding sites of the tin ion in (CH₃)Sn(DNA_Phosphate)₂. The simulated spectra are compared with the measured spectrum of the tin–DNA complex.     

Unconventional antiferromagnetic correlations of the doped Haldane gapsystem Y 2 BaNi 1 - x Zn x O 5

We make a new proposal to describe the very low temperature susceptibility of the doped Haldane gap compound Y₂BaNi_1-xZn_xO₅. We propose a new mean field model relevant for this compound. The ground state of this mean field model is unconventional because antiferromagnetism coexists with random dimers. We present new susceptibility experiments at very low temperature. We obtain a Curie-Weiss susceptibility χ( T ) ∼ C /(Θ + T ) as expected for antiferromagnetic correlations but we do not obtain a direct signature of antiferromagnetic long range order. We explain how to obtain the “impurity” susceptibility ( T ) by subtracting the Haldane gap contribution to the total susceptibility. In the temperature range [1 K, 300 K] the experimental data are well fitted by T ( T ) = C _imp 1 + T _imp / T . In the temperature range [100 mK, 1 K] the experimental data are well fitted by T ( T ) = A ln( T / T _c ), where T _c increases with x. This fit suggests the existence of a finite Néel temperature which is however too small to be probed directly in our experiments. We also obtain a maximum in the temperature dependence of the ac-susceptibility ( T ) which suggests the existence of antiferromagnetic correlations at very low temperature. Received 17 July 2001     

Absorption and scattering imaging of tissue with steady-state second-differential spectral-analysis tomography

A novel approach to reconstructing both the absorption and the scattering properties of a turbid medium simultaneously from steady-state broadband spectral measurements is presented that utilizes second-differential fitting to the water spectrum to estimate the optical path length in tissue. Theoretical and experimental evidence is provided to demonstrate the robust accuracy of the spectroscopy approach and reconstructed absorption images. The steady-state broadband CCD system has the potential to provide accurate chromophore imaging without the technological complexity of time- or frequency-domain systems.     

Ordering and excitations in the field-induced magnetic phase of Cs3Cr2Br9

Field-induced magnetic order has been investigated in detail in the interacting spin 3/2 dimer system Cs3Cr2Br9. Elastic and inelastic neutron scattering measurements were performed up to H=6 T, well above the critical field H(c1) approximately 1.5 T. The ordering displays incommensurabilities and a large hysteresis before a commensurate structure is reached. This structure is fully determined. Surprisingly, the lowest excitation branch never closes. Above H(c1), the gap increases slowly with the field. An analysis in terms of projected pseudospins is given.     

Synthesis and characterization of new selective Zn fluorescent probes for functionalization: in vitro Cell imaging applications

Herein the synthesis and characterization of new, lipophilic highly Zn²⁺-selective fluorescent probes are reported. High affinity for zinc (K_d 1.1–8.0 nM) over other biologically relevant metals and mixtures of metals was observed. Excitation at 360 nm afforded an emission spectrum with maximum at 530 nm for the zinc bound complex. The linear relationship between fluorescence intensity and zinc concentration indicates that FZnA-probes can be used for quantification. The probes have been synthesized in 28–45% overall yield and the feasibility for further functionalization with biologically relevant side chains has been demonstrated. In vitro studies using PC12 cells and 10 μM of one of the novel probes (FZnA-Ada) visualized endogenous labile Zn²⁺ after 45 min incubation time.     

The genome sequence of Bacillus anthracis Ames and comparison to closely related bacteria

Bacillus anthracis is an endospore-forming bacterium that causes inhalational anthrax. Key virulence genes are found on plasmids (extra-chromosomal, circular, double-stranded DNA molecules) pXO1 (ref. 2) and pXO2 (ref. 3). To identify additional genes that might contribute to virulence, we analysed the complete sequence of the chromosome of B. anthracis Ames (about 5.23 megabases). We found several chromosomally encoded proteins that may contribute to pathogenicity--including haemolysins, phospholipases and iron acquisition functions--and identified numerous surface proteins that might be important targets for vaccines and drugs. Almost all these putative chromosomal virulence and surface proteins have homologues in Bacillus cereus, highlighting the similarity of B. anthracis to near-neighbours that are not associated with anthrax. By performing a comparative genome hybridization of 19 B. cereus and Bacillus thuringiensis strains against a B. anthracis DNA microarray, we confirmed the general similarity of chromosomal genes among this group of close relatives. However, we found that the gene sequences of pXO1 and pXO2 were more variable between strains, suggesting plasmid mobility in the group. The complete sequence of B. anthracis is a step towards a better understanding of anthrax pathogenesis.     

The determination of lead in blood using isotope dilution inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry

Isotope dilution inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ID-ICP-MS) was applied to the certification of Pb in four levels of NIST blood SRM, 955a. This standard reference material (SRM) represents a significant improvement over the previous blood reference material and will greatly aid method development. The lowest level, 47.76 ng/g Pb was determined with analysis uncertainty (95% CI, ID-ICP-MS uncertainties) of less than 1% and the highest level, 517.9 ng/g Pb to 0.3%. Uncertainty in the lowest level was due to sample inhomogeneity and variability in the analytical blank as the RSD on ratio measurements was typically better than 0.2%. Properly applied isotope dilution coupled with careful isotope ratio measurements on the ICP-MS offers precision and accuracy for blood Pb analyses beyond what is currently obtainable with routine methods.     

A classification theorem for essentially binormal operators

An essentially binormal operator on Hilbert space is an operator which is unitarily equivalent to a 2 × 2 matrix of essentially commuting, essentially normal operators. A natural invariant of essentially binormal operators up to unitary equivalence in the Calkin Algebra is the reducing essential 2 × 2 matricial spectrum. A nonempty compact subset X of the set of 2 × 2 matrices is called hypoconvex, if it is the reducing essential 2 × 2 matricial spectrum of an operator on Hilbert space. The set EN₂(X) is then defined to be the set of all equivalence classes (up to unitary equivalence in the Calkin algebra) of essentially binormal operators whose reducing essential 2 × 2 matricial spectrum coincides with X. The aim of this paper is to prove a result that enables one to compute EN₂(X) in terms of the topological structure of the space $\text{X}\text{?}$ of unitary orbits of X. Indeed, it is shown that for every hypoconvex subset X of the set of 2 × 2 matrices, there exists a natural homomorphism from $\text{Ext}\text{(}\text{X}\text{?}\text{)}$ onto EN₂(X). Also, a six term cyclic exact sequence is obtained, which produces a characterization of the kernel of the above-mentioned homomorphism.