The modified bordering method to evaluate eigenvalues and eigenvectors of normal matrices

A bordering procedure is here proposed to evaluate the eigensystem of hermitian matrices, and more in general of normal matrices, when the spectral decomposition is known of then–1×n–1 principal minor. The procedure is also applicable to special real and nonsymmetric matrices here named quasi-symmetric. The computational cost to write the characteristic polynomial isO(n ²), using a new set of recursive formulas. A modified Brent algorithm is used to find the roots of the polynomial. The eigenvectors are evaluated in a direct way with a computational cost ofO(n ²) for each one. Some numerical considerations indicate where numerical difficulties may occur. Numerical results are given comparing this method with the Givens-Householder one.     

Increased sensitivity of lateral flow immunoassay for ochratoxin A through silver enhancement

Silver nucleation on gold has been exploited for signal amplification and has found application in several qualitative and quantitative bio-sensing techniques, thanks to the simplicity of the method and the high sensitivity achieved. Very recently, this technique has been tentatively applied to improve the performance of gold-based immunoassays. In this work, the exploitation of the signal amplification due to silver deposition on gold nanoparticles has been first applied to a competitive lateral flow immunoassay (LFIA). The signal enhancement due to silver allowed us to strongly reduce the amount of the competitor and of specific antibodies employed to build an LF device for measuring ochratoxin A (OTA), thus permitting the attainment of a highly sensitive assessment of OTA contamination, with a sensitivity gain of more than 10-fold compared to the gold-based LFIA that used the same immunoreagents and to all previously reported LFIA for measuring OTA. In addition, a less sensitive “quantitative” LFIA could be established, by suitably tuning competitor and antibody amounts, which was characterized by reproducible and accurate OTA determinations (RSD% 6–12 %, recovery% 82–117 %). The quantitative system allowed a reliable OTA quantification in wines and grape musts at the microgram per liter level requested by the European legislation, as demonstrated by a highly results obtained through the quantitative silver-enhanced LFIA and a reference HPLC-FLD on 30 samples.

Chemometric Tools to Point Out Benchmarks and Chromophores in Pigments through Spectroscopic Data Analyses

Spectral preprocessing data and chemometric tools are analytical methods widely applied in several scientific contexts i.e., in archaeometric applications. A systematic classification of natural powdered pigments of organic and inorganic nature through Principal Component Analysis with a multi-instruments spectroscopic study is presented here. The methodology allows the access to elementary and molecular unique benchmarks to guide and speed up the identification of an unknown pigment and its recipe. This study is conducted on a set of 48 powdered pigments and tested on a real-case sample from the wall painting in S. Maria Delle Palate di Tusa (Messina, Italy). Four spectroscopic techniques (X-ray Fluorescence, Raman, Attenuated Total Reflectance and Total Reflectance Infrared Spectroscopies) and six different spectrometers are tested to evaluate the impact of different setups. The novelty of the work is to use a systematic approach on this initial dataset using the entire spectroscopic energy range without any windows selection to solve problems linked with the manipulation of large analytes/materials to find an indistinct property of one or more spectral bands opening new frontiers in the dataset spectroscopic analyses.     

Measurement of the spin structure function <Emphasis Type="Italic">g</Emphasis><Subscript>1</Subscript> at HERMES

New, preliminary results are presented for the deuteron structure function g ₁ ^d , where the kinematic range has been extended to 0.0021<x<0.85 and Q ²>0.1 GeV², to include 7 new data points at low x with respect to previously released results. Within the present statistics, the structure function ratio g ₁ ^d /F ₁ ^d is found to be independent of Q ².     

First track-structure measurements of 20 MeV protons with the STARTRACK apparatus

The STARTRACK experimental set-up, mounted on the +50° beam line of the Tandem-Alpi particle accelerator of Legnaro National Laboratories, has been conceived to give an experimental basis to nanodosimetric calculations. STARTRACK is based on a detection system able to measure ionization cluster distributions in a 20 nm propane site with a resolution of one ionization. The experimental layout has been designed to minimize pile-up distortions. The background noise is filtered by off-line dedicated software. Electron cluster distribution of 20 MeV protons has been measured. Monte Carlo data and experimental data are pretty well consistent.     

A new family of time-space harmonic polynomials with respect to Lévy processes

By means of a symbolic method, a new family of time-space harmonic polynomials with respect to Lévy processes is given. The coefficients of these polynomials involve a formal expression of Lévy processes by which many identities are stated. We show that this family includes classical families of polynomials such as Hermite polynomials. Poisson–Charlier polynomials result to be a linear combinations of these new polynomials, when they have the property to be time-space harmonic with respect to the compensated Poisson process. The more general class of Lévy–Sheffer polynomials is recovered as a linear combination of these new polynomials, when they are time-space harmonic with respect to Lévy processes of very general form. We show the role played by cumulants of Lévy processes, so that connections with boolean and free cumulants are also stated.     

Studies on Curcumin and Curcuminoids. XLVI. Photophysical Properties of Dimethoxycurcumin and Bis-dehydroxycurcumin

The steady-state absorption and fluorescence, as well as the time-resolved fluorescence properties of dimethoxycurcumin and bis-dehydroxycurcumin dissolved in several solvents differing in polarity and H-bonding capability are presented. The singlet oxygen generation efficiency of the two compounds relative to curcumin is estimated. The photodegradation quantum yield of the former compound in acetonitrile and methanol is determined. The dimethoxycurcumin and bis-dehydroxycurcumin decay mechanisms from the S ₁ state are discussed and compared with those of curcumin, dicinnamoylmethane and bis-demethoxycurcumin.