Measurement of storage time, estimation of ion number and study of absorption line profile in a Paul trap

Europium (Eu⁺) ions were confined in a Paul trap and detected by non-destructive method. Storage time of Eu⁺ ions achieved in vacuum was improved by orders of magnitude employing buffer gas cooling. The experimentally detected signal was fitted to the ion response signal and the total number of ions trapped was estimated. It is found that the peak signal amplitude as well as the product of FWHM and the peak signal amplitude is proportional to the total number of trapped ions. The trapped ion secular frequency was swept at different rates and its effect on the absorption line profile was studied both experimentally and theoretically.     

Correction: Dermatan sulfate in tunicate phylogeny: Order-specific sulfation pattern and the effect of [→4IdoA(2-Sulfate)β-1→3GalNAc(4-Sulfate)β-1→] motifs in dermatan sulfate on heparin cofactor II activity

After the publication of the work entitled "Dermatan sulfate in tunicate phylogeny: Order-specific sulfation pattern and the effect of [→4IdoA(2-Sulfate)β-1→3GalNAc(4-Sulfate)β-1→] motifs in dermatan sulfate on heparin cofactor II activity", by Kozlowski et al., BMC Biochemistry 2011, 12:29, we found that the legends to Figures 2 to 5 contain serious mistakes that compromise the comprehension of the work. This correction article contains the correct text of the legends to Figures 2 to 5.     

Formation and photoinduced electron ejection of amminedicyanocuprate(I) and cyano-bridged trinuclear copper(I) complexes in aqueous ammonia solution

UV absorption spectral evidence confirms that a mixed-ligand complex, Cu(CN)(2)(NH(3))(-), is formed in an aqueous solution of KCu(CN)(2) and ammonia. The stepwise stability constant for the reaction, Cu(CN)(2)(-) + NH(3) = Cu(CN)(2)(NH(3))(-), is 2.80 +/- 0.40 in 1 M ionic strength, NaClO(4) medium at 25 degrees C. This amminedicyanocuprate(I) ion readily combines in aqueous solution in a 1:2 and 2:1 molar ratios with Cu(NH(3))(2)(+) to form two trinuclear ionic species, presumably with cyano bridges, with the suggested formulas of Cu(3)(CN)(2)(NH(3))(5)(+) and Cu(3)(CN)(4)(NH(3))(3)(-). The resolved UV absorption spectra of the monomer and two trimers have been determined and exhibit strong bands, presumably metal-ligand charge transfer in nature, in the 200-250-nm region. When solutions of all three complexes absorb a pulse of 266-nm laser light, they photoeject hydrated electrons monophotonically, with quantum yields of 0.41 +/- 0.02, 0.53 +/- 0.02, and 0.50 +/- 0.01 for the monomer, cationic trimer, and anionic trimer, respectively, suggesting that absorption in the charge-transfer-to-solvent bands of these complexes results in an efficient electron ejection process that is enhanced by the existence of a polynuclear structure with cyano bridges. No room-temperature luminescence is observed for these complexes.     

Spheromak formation by steady inductive helicity injection

A spheromak is formed for the first time using a new steady state inductive helicity injection method. Using two inductive injectors with odd symmetry and oscillating at 5.8 kHz, a steady state spheromak with even symmetry is formed and sustained through nonlinear relaxation. A spheromak with about 13 kA of toroidal current is formed and sustained using about 3 MW of power. This is a much lower power threshold for spheromak production than required for electrode-based helicity injection. Internal magnetic probe data, including oscillations driven by the injectors, agree with the plasma being in the Taylor state. The agreement is remarkable considering the only fitting parameter is the amplitude of the spheromak component of the state.     

Are excimers formed along with hydrated electrons in the UV excitation of cyanocuprate(I) ions in aqueous solution?

The three cyanocuprate(I) complexes, Cu(CN)₂⁻, Cu(CN)₃²⁻, and Cu(CN)₄³⁻, photoeject electrons with high efficiency when excited in aqueous solution by 266 nm laser pulses of 7 ns duration with quantum yields of 0.37±0.06, 0.224±0.021, and 0.240±0.005, for Cu(CN)₂⁻ (at 2 M ionic strength), Cu(CN)₃²⁻, and Cu(CN)₄³⁻ (both measured at 1 M ionic strength). Along with hydrated electrons, two transient intermediates, absorbing at 460 and 340 nm, respectively, form consecutively after excitation through bimolecular reactions with ground-state Cu(I) in solutions of Cu(CN)₂⁻, and Cu(CN)₃²⁻, but not in Cu(CN)₄³⁻. All photoprocesses are essentially monophotonic. A mechanism is proposed that suggests the formation of a dinuclear excited-state complex such as an excimer.