Beyond mean field approach to the beta decay of medium mass nuclei relevant for nuclear astrophysics

The Gamow-Teller strength distributions for the β decay of the ground state as well as the lowest excited states of the rp-process waiting point nuclei ⁶⁸Se and ⁷²Kr are obtained within the complex Excited Vampir variational approach using realistic effective interactions and a rather large model space. The shape mixing is consistently described for both the states in the even-even parent and the states in the odd-odd daugther nucleus. The influence of the shape mixing accounted by the different effective interactions used and comparison with the available data are presented. The possible influence of the decay of the lowest excited states of the parent nuclei in the astrophysical environment of X-ray bursts is discussed.Gamow-Teller strength distributions, β-decay half-lives, and β-delayed neutron emission probabilities for neutron-rich Zr nuclei are investigated for the first time within the complex Excited Vampir approach using a large model space. Comparison with available data and predictions relevant for the astrophysical r process are presented.     

Anodic Oxidation of α‐Lipoic Acid at a Glassy Carbon Electrode and Its Determination in Dietary Supplements

Abstract

Direct electrochemistry of alpha‐lipoic acid (ALA) was performed at a glassy carbon electrode using cyclic, differential pulse and square wave voltammetry over a wide range of pH. The oxidation of ALA is an irreversible process, pH independent, and involves the charge transfer of one electron. The diffusion coefficient of ALA was calculated from the results obtained at pH 6.9 in 0.1 M phosphate buffer and was shown to be D ₀=1.1×10^?5 cm² s^?1. The limits of detection (LOD) and quantification (LOQ) calculated from the results obtained at this pH are 1.8 and 6.1 µM, respectively.

The lipoic acid content in two dietary supplements samples, a syrup containing ALA and capsules of ALA, has been determined directly at the glassy carbon electrode by differential pulse voltammetry using the standard addition method.     

Zeolite-Modified Carbon-Paste Electrode as a Selective Voltammetric Sensor for Detection of Tryptophan in Pharmaceutical Preparations

Abstract

Several synthetic zeolites such as mazzite, mordenite, zeolite L, zeolite beta, and MCM-41 were tested as electrode modifiers in voltammetric determination of tryptophan. It was found that addition of zeolite beta to the carbon paste would generate the peak current of Trp because of its catalytic effect. The anodic peak currents were proportional to Trp concentrations in the range of 5.0 × 10^?7 to 5.0 × 10^?3 M. The detection limit was 1.0 × 10^?7 M. The influence of several species, especially other amino acids, were tested. The proposed method was applied successfully to the determination of tryptophan in pharmaceutical formulations.     

Computational study on hydrolysis of cefotaxime in gas phase and in aqueous solution

We are presenting a theoretical study of the hydrolysis of a β‐lactam antibiotic in gas phase and in aqueous solution by means of hybrid quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics potentials. After exploring the potential energy surfaces at semiempirical and density functional theory (DFT) level, potentials of mean force have been computed for the reaction in solution with hybrid PM3/TIP3P calculations and corrections with the B3LYP and M06‐2X functionals. Inclusion of the full molecule of the antibiotic, Cefotaxime, in the gas phase molecular model has been demonstrated to be crucial since its carboxylate group can activate a nucleophilic water molecule. Moreover, the flexibility of the substrate implies the existence of a huge number of possible conformers, some of them implying formation of intramolecular hydrogen bond interaction that can determine the energetics of the conformers defining the different states along the reaction profile. The results show PM3 provides results that are in qualitative agreement with DFT calculations. The free energy profiles show a step‐wise mechanism that is kinetically determined by the nucleophilic attack of a water molecule activated by the proton transfer to the carboxylate group of the substrate (the first step). However, since the main role of the β‐lactamase would be reducing the free energy barrier of the first step, and keeping in mind the barrier obtained from second intermediate to products, population of this second intermediate could be significant and consequently experimentally detected in β‐lactamases, as shown in the literature. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Artificial egg stalks made of a recombinantly produced lacewing silk protein

Rigid threads: Lacewings protect their eggs from predators by laying them on small stalks (see picture). The stalks have good mechanical properties and, unlike most other silks, a cross β structure. An artificial egg stalk was produced using a designed recombinant variant of a sequenced lacewing egg stalk protein, and it attained 90?% of the tensile strength of a natural egg stalk.     

β‐Turn Analogues in Model αβ‐Hybrid Peptides: Structural Characterization of Peptides Containing β2,2Ac6c and β3,3Ac6c Residues

The effect of gem‐dialkyl substituents on the backbone conformations of β‐amino acid residues in peptides has been investigated by using four model peptides: Boc‐Xxx‐β^2,2Ac₆c(1‐aminomethylcyclohexanecarboxylic acid)‐NHMe (Xxx=Leu ( 1 ), Phe ( 2 ); Boc=tert‐butyloxycarbonyl) and Boc‐Xxx‐β^3,3Ac₆c(1‐aminocyclohexaneacetic acid)‐NHMe (Xxx=Leu ( 3 ), Phe ( 4 )). Tetrasubstituted carbon atoms restrict the ranges of stereochemically allowed conformations about flanking single bonds. The crystal structure of Boc‐Leu‐β^2,2Ac₆c‐NHMe ( 1 ) established a C₁₁ hydrogen‐bonded turn in the αβ‐hybrid sequence. The observed torsion angles (α(?≈?60°, ψ≈?30°), β(?≈?90°, θ≈60°, ψ≈?90°)) corresponded to a C₁₁ helical turn, which was a backbone‐expanded analogue of the type III β turn in αα sequences. The crystal structure of the peptide Boc‐Phe‐β^3,3Ac₆c‐NHMe ( 4 ) established a C₁₁ hydrogen‐bonded turn with distinctly different backbone torsion angles (α(?≈?60°, ψ≈120°), β(?≈60°, θ≈60°, ψ≈?60°)), which corresponded to a backbone‐expanded analogue of the type II β turn observed in αα sequences. In peptide 4 , the two molecules in the asymmetric unit adopted backbone torsion angles of opposite signs. In one of the molecules, the Phe residue adopted an unfavorable backbone conformation, with the energetic penalty being offset by a favorable aromatic interaction between proximal molecules in the crystal. NMR spectroscopy studies provided evidence for the maintenance of folded structures in solution in these αβ‐hybrid sequences.     

A novel non-enzymatic glucose sensor based on Cu nanoparticle modified graphene sheets electrode

A novel, stable and sensitive non-enzymatic glucose sensor was developed by potentiostatically electrodepositing metallic Cu nanoparticles on graphene sheets. The electrochemical performance of the Cu-graphene sheets electrode for detection of glucose was investigated by cyclic voltammetry and chronamperometry. The Cu-graphene sheets electrode displayed a synergistic effect of copper nanoparticles and graphene sheets towards the oxidation of glucose in alkaline solution, showing higher oxidation current and negative shift in peak potential. At detection potential of 500 mV, the Cu-graphene electrode sensor presented a wide linear range up to 4.5 mM glucose with a detection limit of 0.5 μM (signal/noise = 3). In addition, the sensor responds very quickly (<2 s) with addition of glucose. Furthermore, the Cu-graphene sheets electrode exhibits high stability and selectivity to glucose, and the poisoning by chloride ion as well as interference from the oxidation of common interfering species (ascorbic, dopamine, uric acid and carbohydrate) are effectively avoided. The Cu-graphene sheets electrode allows highly selective and sensitive, stable and fast amperometric sensing of glucose, which is promising for the development of non-enzymatic glucose sensor.     

Facile synthesis of graphene hybrid tube-like structure for simultaneous detection of ascorbic acid,dopamine, uric acid and tryptophan

In the present work, a tube-like structure of graphene hybrid as modifier to fabricate electrode for simultaneous detection of ascorbic acid (AA), dopamine (DA), uric acid (UA) and tryptophan (Trp) was reported. The hybrid was synthesized by a simple method based on graphene sheets (GS) and 3,4,9,10-perylenetetracarboxylic acid (PTCA) via π–π stacking interaction under ultrasonic condition. The combination of GS and PTCA could effectively improve the dispersion of GS, owing to PTCA with the carboxylic-functionalized interface. Comparing with pure GS or PTCA modified electrode, GS–PTCA displayed high catalytic activity and selectivity toward the oxidation of AA, DA, UA, and Trp. Moreover, cyclic voltammetry, different pulse voltammetry and scanning electron microscopy were employed to characterize the sensors. The experiment results showed that the linear response range for simultaneous detection of AA, DA, UA, and Trp were 20–420 μM, 0.40–374 μM, 4–544 μM and 0.40–138 μM, respectively, and the detection limits were 5.60 μM, 0.13 μM, 0.92 μM and 0.06 μM (S/N = 3). Importantly, the proposed method offers promise for simple, rapid, selective and cost-effective analysis of small biomolecules.     

A new class of polynomials associated with Bernstein and beta polynomials

The purpose of this paper is to define a new class polynomials. Special cases of these polynomials give many famous family of the Bernstein type polynomials and beta polynomials. We also construct generating functions for these polynomials. We investigate some fundamental properties of these functions and polynomials. Using functional equations and generating functions, we derive various identities related to theses polynomials. We also construct interpolation function that interpolates these polynomials at negative integers. Finally, we give a matrix representations of these polynomials. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

关于Hardy-Hilbert不等式的一个新的加强

本文利用改进了的Holder’s不等式对带参数的Hardy-Hilbert积分不等式作了改进,建立了一些新的不等式．