Improved experimental tracking techniques for validating discrete element method simulations of tumbling mills

We report on further developments in the three-dimensional tracking of a particle deep within the tumbling ball charge of an experimental mill. The experimental X-ray program employing the use of bi-planar X-ray angiography now includes the tracking of a typical 6 mm bulk charge particle in three dimensions with a spatial resolution that is accurate to within 0.15 mm. The improved experimental tracking techniques presented were developed for the purpose of generating accurate three-dimensional particle trajectory data against which to validate a numerical method for the simulation of discrete media, namely the discrete element method (DEM). These improvements are complimented with techniques for comparing charge profiles between numerical DEM simulations and three-dimensional experimental trajectory data.     

THE ENERGY ASPECT OF THE RECIPROCAL INTERACTIONS OF PAIRS OF TWO DIFFERENT VIBRATION MODES OF A CLAMPED ANNULAR PLATE

The standardized mutual active and reactive sound power of a clamped plate, representing the energy aspect of the reciprocal interactions of two different in vacuo modes, has been computed. It was assumed that the vibrations are axisymmetric, elastic and time harmonic, the plate's transverse deflection is small as compared with the plate's size, and that the vibration velocity is small as compared with the acoustic wavenumber generated. The Kirchhoff-Love theory of a perfectly elastic plate was used. The integral formulae for the mutual sound power were transformed into their Hankel representations which made possible their subsequent computation. A closed path integral was used to express the integral in its Hankel representation to compute the mutual active sound power. The asymptotic stationary phase method was used to compute the two magnitudes, i.e., the mutual active and reactive sound power. The results obtained are the asymptotic formulae valid for the acoustically fast waves. The oscillating as well as the non-oscillating terms have been identified in the formulae to make possible their further separate analysis. The availability of the asymptotic formulae makes possible some fast numerical computations of the mutual sound power. Moreover, the formulae presented herein, together with those for the individual modes known from the literature, make a complete basis for further computations of the total sound power of the plate's damped and forced vibrations in fluid.     

Targeting cell surface receptors with ligand-conjugated nanocrystals

To explore the potential for use of ligand-conjugated nanocrystals to target cell surface receptors, ion channels, and transporters, we explored the ability of serotonin-labeled CdSe nanocrystals (SNACs) to interact with antidepressant-sensitive, human and Drosophila serotonin transporters (hSERT, dSERT) expressed in HeLa and HEK-293 cells. Unlike unconjugated nanocrystals, SNACs were found to dose-dependently inhibit transport of radiolabeled serotonin by hSERT and dSERT, with an estimated half-maximal activity (EC(50)) of 33 (dSERT) and 99 microM (hSERT). When serotonin was conjugated to the nanocrystal through a linker arm (LSNACs), the EC(50) for hSERT was determined to be 115 microM. Electrophysiology measurements indicated that LSNACs did not elicit currents from the serotonin-3 (5HT(3)) receptor but did produce currents when exposed to the transporter, which are similar to those elicited by antagonists. Moreover, fluorescent LSNACs were found to label SERT-transfected cells but did not label either nontransfected cells or transfected cells coincubated with the high-affinity SERT antagonist paroxetine. These findings support further consideration of ligand-conjugated nanocrystals as versatile probes of membrane proteins in living cells.     

The hexaphenylethane riddle

The correct quinoid structure for the dimer of triphenylmethyl radicals was proposed in 1904. By 1906 there existed three independent lines of evidence which support this structure: acid-catalyzed aromatization, para-halogen lability, and radical chain autoxidation. Despite this evidence, and the skill and insight of the numerous chemists who studied the system, the incorrect hexaphenylethane structure was assigned to the dimer until 1968. This paper attempts to explain how this could have happened by tracing the evolution of triphenylmethyl theory and of attitudes toward the evidence from 1900 until 1968.     

The preparation and characterization of a platinum ether complex

The reaction of [Pt((F₃C)CCH(CF₃))(P(C₂H₅)₃)₂CH₃OH]PF₆ with allene in methanol affords a novel metallocyclic ethereal complex [$\text{Pt((F}{}_3\text{C)CHC(CF}{}_3\text{)C(CH}{}_3\text{)CH}{}_2\text{O}$CH₃)(P(C₂H₅)₃)₂]PF₆, which has been characterized by ¹H, ²H, ¹⁹F and ³¹P NMR spectroscopy. Its structure has also been determined by a single crystal X-ray analysis. The crystal are monoclinic, space group P2₁/n, with cell dimensions a 20.012(5), b 17.222(5), c 8.902(3) Å and β 91.54(5)°. The structure was refined by full matrix least-squares methods on F, using 3097 unique observations collected by automated four circle diffractometer. Refinement converged at R  0.066. The Pt atom has a distorted square-planar coordination geometry, with cis P atoms, and PtP distances of 2.219(4) Å (trans to O) and 2.324(4) Å (trans to C). These results show the ethereal group is a weak ligand to platinum(II) but because of the chelating effect, its displacement by other ligands is thermodynamically not favorable. The mechanism of formation of the ethereal complex is also discussed.