O(N) vector model with twisted boundary conditions

Prompted by a recent article of Chakravarty, we reexamine theO(N) vector model with twisted boundary conditions ind dimensions in the various frameworks of the =d–2 expansion, the =4–d expansion, and the large-N expansion. These continuum models describe the physics below the critical temperatureT _c and nearT _c of a latticeO(N) spin model. We determine the effect of the twisting on finite-size scaling functions, for various geometries.On leave from G. Nadjakov Institute of Solid State Physics, 1784 Sofia, Bulgaria.     

Titania-supported mixed HPMoV polyoxometallates as precursors of hydrodesulfurization catalysts

HDS catalysts were prepared by loading H₃PMo₁₂O₄₀ or H₄PMo₁₁V₁O₄₀ polyoxometallates on TiO₂ (0.5 and 1.0 mmol (Mo+V)). Activity of the catalysts was tested in the HDS of thiophene. The activity of catalysts of low concentration was 2–3 times higher than the activity of those of high concentration. Temperature programmed reduction (TPR) and IR spectroscopy were used to determine the properties of the catalyst. TPR measurements proved that vanadium promotes and stabilizes HDS activity due to an increase in the Mo⁵⁺/Mo⁴⁺ ratio.     

Practical Syntheses of Functionalized 1-Oxo-L,2,3,4-Tetrahydro-β-carboline-3-carboxylic Acid Esters

Three methods have been proposed for the preparation of functionalized 1-oxo-1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-β-carboline-3 carboxylates (3) from which the “acylazide formation-Curtius rearrangement-acid catalyzed ring closure” sequence starling from hemi-ester hemi-acids (8) seemed to be quite general.     

Unprecedented Electron‐Poor Octahedral Ta6 Clusters in a Solid‐State Compound: Synthesis,Characterisations and Theoretical Investigations of Cs2BaTa6Br15O3

The crystal structure of Cs₂BaTa₆Br₁₅O₃ has been elucidated by using synchrotron X‐ray powder diffraction and absorption experiments. It is built from edge‐bridged octahedral [(Ta₆${{\rm Br}{{{\rm i}\hfill \atop 9\hfill}}}$ ${{\rm O}{{{\rm i}\hfill \atop 3\hfill}}}$ )${{\rm Br}{{{\rm a}\hfill \atop 6\hfill}}}$ ]^4? cluster units with a singular poor metallic electron (ME) count equal to thirteen. This leads to a paramagnetic behaviour related to one unpaired electron. The arrangement of the Ta₆ clusters is similar to that of Cs₂LaTa₆Br₁₅O₃ exhibiting 14‐MEs per [(Ta₆${{\rm Br}{{{\rm i}\hfill \atop 9\hfill}}}$ ${{\rm O}{{{\rm i}\hfill \atop 3\hfill}}}$ )${{\rm Br}{{{\rm a}\hfill \atop 6\hfill}}}$ ]^5? motif. The poorer electron‐count cluster presents longer metal–metal distances as foreseen according to the electronic structure of edge‐bridged hexanuclear cluster. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations on molecular models were used to rationalise the structural properties of 13‐ and 14‐ME clusters. Periodic DFT calculations demonstrate that the electronic structure of these solid‐state compounds is related to those of the discrete octahedral units. Oxygen–barium interactions seem to prevent the geometry of the octahedral cluster to strongly distort, allowing stabilisation of this unprecedented electron‐poor Ta₆ cluster in the solid state.     

Conditions for the emergence of spatially asymmetric retrieval states in an attractor neural network

In this paper we show that during the retrieval process in a binary symmetric Hebb neural network, spatially localized states can be observed when the connectivity of the network is distance-dependent and a constraint on the activity of the network is imposed, which forces different levels of activity in the retrieval and learning states. This asymmetry in the activity during retrieval and learning is found to be a sufficient condition to observe spatially localized retrieval states. The result is confirmed analytically and by simulation.     

Membrane-bound alpha-synuclein forms an extended helix: long-distance pulsed ESR measurements using vesicles, bicelles, and rodlike micelles

We apply pulsed dipolar ESR spectroscopy (Ku-band DEER) to elucidate the global conformation of the Parkinson's disease-associated protein, alpha-synuclein (alphaS) bound to small unilamellar phospholipid vesicles, rodlike SDS micelles, or lipid bicelles. By measuring distances as long as approximately 7 nm between introduced pairs of nitroxide spin labels, we show that distances are close to the expectations for a single continuous helix in all cases studied. In particular, we find distances of 7.5 nm between sites 24 and 72; 5.5 nm between sites 24 and 61; and 2 nm between sites 35 and 50. We conclude that alphaS does not retain a "hairpin" structure with two antiparallel helices, as is known to occur with spheroidal micelles, in agreement with our earlier finding that the protein's geometry is determined by the surface topology rather than being constrained by the interhelix linker. While the possibility of local helix discontinuities in the structure of membrane-bound alphaS remains, our data are more consistent with one intact helix. Importantly, we demonstrate that bicelles produce very similar results to liposomes, while offering a major improvement in experimentally accessible distance range and resolution, and thus are an excellent lipid membrane mimetic for the purpose of pulse dipolar ESR spectroscopy.     

Understanding the enhanced synchronization of delay-coupled networks with fluctuating topology

We study the dynamics of networks with coupling delay, from which the connectivity changes over time. The synchronization properties are shown to depend on the interplay of three time scales: the internal time scale of the dynamics, the coupling delay along the network links and time scale at which the topology changes. Concentrating on a linearized model, we develop an analytical theory for the stability of a synchronized solution. In two limit cases, the system can be reduced to an “effective” topology: in the fast switching approximation, when the network fluctuations are much faster than the internal time scale and the coupling delay, the effective network topology is the arithmetic mean over the different topologies. In the slow network limit, when the network fluctuation time scale is equal to the coupling delay, the effective adjacency matrix is the geometric mean over the adjacency matrices of the different topologies. In the intermediate regime, the system shows a sensitive dependence on the ratio of time scales, and on the specific topologies, reproduced as well by numerical simulations. Our results are shown to describe the synchronization properties of fluctuating networks of delay-coupled chaotic maps.     

Synthesis, characterization and activity of Co and Ni catalysts supported on AlMe (Me?=?Zn, Zr, Ti) mixed oxides

Binary Al?CTi, Al?CZr and Al?CZn oxides, prepared by the sol?Cgel method were used as supports of catalytic systems. The catalysts were prepared by impregnation of these supports with the low cost Co or Ni nitrate salts and subsequent calcination at 700?°C. Catalysts have been characterized by S_BET, XRD and TPR techniques. The catalysts were tested in ethanol partial oxidation using a fixed-bed quartz reactor at atmospheric pressure and temperature at 600?°C. In test reactions a constant feed composition was used with O₂/EtOH molar ratio of 0.75 in nitrogen balance. The catalytic performance of the systems depends on type of support and type of promoter. Hydrogen and CO are the predominant products beside some by-products in different quantities (CO₂, methane, ethylene, acetaldehyde, acetone, acetic acid). The Co and Ni catalysts supported on AlZn binary oxide showed the highest selectivity to hydrogen and to carbon monoxide with full ethanol conversion. Selectivity of hydrogen follows the order of Co(Ni)AlZn?>?Co(Ni)AlTi?>?Co(Ni)AlZr. The best performance was obtained by NiAlZn catalyst with 89?% hydrogen selectivity.     

Selective domino ring-closing metathesis-cross-metathesis reactions between enynes and electron-deficient alkenes

[reaction: see text] A selective domino ring-closing metathesis (RCM)-cross-metathesis (CM) process between enynes and electron-deficient alkenes is reported. The conditions have been optimized for enynes 3 and methyl acrylate with catalyst IV. The scope and limitations of this reaction are described, and a possible mechanism is discussed.     

Syntheses and structures of the MOF-type series of metal 1,4,5,8,-naphthalenetetracarboxylates M2(OH)2[C14O8H4] (Al,Ga, In) with infinite trans-connected M–OH–M chains (MIL-122)

Three new isostructural MOF-type compounds (named MIL-122) have been obtained from the hydrothermal reaction at 210 °C for 24 h of the 1,4,5,8-naphthalenetetracarboxylic acid with aluminum, gallium or indium source in water. The structures of the compounds M₂(OH)₂[C₁₄H₄O₈] (M = Al, Ga, In) have been solved ab initio from powder X-ray diffraction analysis using the synchrotron radiation (Soleil; station CRISTAL). The three-dimensional organic–inorganic framework exhibits infinite straight chains of metal-centered octahedra sharing trans corners linked to each other through the 1,4,5,8-naphthalenetetracarboxylate ligand. The cations Al, Ga or In, are coordinated by four oxygen atoms coming from the carboxyl groups and two bridging hydroxyl groups μ₂-OH, located in trans position in the octahedral surrounding. The compounds characterized by thermogravimetric and thermodiffraction analyses are thermally stable up to 440, 460 and 380 °C, for Al, Ga and In, respectively. Crystal data: monoclinic cell; P2₁/c (n°14); for MIL-122 (Al): a = 9.5174(2), b = 10.0706(1), c = 6.6465(2) Å, β = 91.2614(5)°, V = 636.878(2) Å³, Z = 2; for MIL-122 (Ga): a = 9.6501(1), b = 10.0585(1), c = 6.75069(9) Å, β = 92.4786(9)°, V = 654.65(1) Å³, Z = 2; for MIL-122 (In): a = 9.92359(5), b = 10.19765(7), c = 7.19357(4) Å, β = 727.034(8)°, V = 727.034(8)ų, Z = 2.