Observation of pi(+)pi(-)pi(+)pi(-) photoproduction in ultraperipheral heavy-ion collisions at root s(NN)=200 GeV at the STAR detector

We present a measurement of pi(+)pi(-)pi(+)pi(-) photonuclear production in ultraperipheral Au-Au collisions at root s(NN) = 200 GeV from the STAR experiment. The pi(+)pi(-)pi(+)pi(-) final states are observed at low transverse momentum and are accompanied by mutual nuclear excitation of the beam particles. The strong enhancement of the production cross section at low transverse momentum is consistent with coherent photoproduction. The pi(+)pi(-)pi(+)pi(-) invariant mass spectrum of the coherent events exhibits a broad peak around 1540 +/- 40 MeV/c(2) with a width of 570 +/- 60 MeV/c(2), in agreement with the photoproduction data for the rho(0)(1700). We do not observe a corresponding peak in the pi(+)pi(-) final state and measure an upper limit for the ratio of the branching fractions of the rho(0)(1700) to pi(+)pi(-) and pi(+)pi(-)pi(+)pi(-) of 2.5% at 90% confidence level. The ratio of rho(0)(1700) and rho(0)(770) coherent production cross sections is measured to be 13.4 +/- 0.8(stat.) +/- 4.4(syst.)%.

Dissociative recombination of the acetaldehyde cation, CH3CHO+

The dissociative recombination of the acetaldehyde cation, CH3CHO+, has been investigated at the heavy ion storage ring CRYRING at the Manne Siegbahn Laboratory in Stockholm, Sweden. The dependence of the absolute cross section of the reaction on the relative kinetic energy has been determined and a thermal rate coefficient of k(T) = (1.5 +/- 0.2) x 10(-6) (T/300)(-0.70 +/- 0.02) cm(3) s(-1) has been deduced, which is valid for electron temperatures between similar to 10 and 1000 K. The branching fractions of the reaction were studied at similar to 0 eV relative kinetic energy and we found that breaking one of the bonds between two of the heavy atoms occurs in 72 +/- 2% of the reactions. In the remaining events the three heavy atoms stay in the same product fragment. While the branching fractions are fairly similar to the results from an earlier investigation into the dissociative recombination of the fully deuterated acetaldehyde cation, CD3CDO+, the thermal rate coefficient is somewhat larger for CH3CHO+. Astrochemical implications of the results are discussed.

DISSOCIATIVE RECOMBINATION OF PROTONATED PROPIONITRILE, CH3CH2CNH+: IMPLICATIONS FOR TITAN'S UPPER ATMOSPHERE

The dissociative recombination of protonated propionitrile, CH3CH2CNH+, has been investigated at the heavy ion storage ring, CRYRING, at the Manne Siegbahn Laboratory, Stockholm University, Sweden. The thermal rate coefficient has been deduced to follow k(T) = (1.5 +/- 0.2) x 10(-6) (T/300)(-0.76) (+/-) (0.02) cm(3) s(-1) for electron temperatures ranging from similar to 10 to similar to 1000 K. Measurements of the branching fractions were performed at similar to 0 eV relative kinetic energy. It has been found that in 43% +/- 2% of the reactions the four heavy atoms remain in the same product fragment. An equal portion of the reactions leads to products where one of the heavy atoms is split off from the other three and 14% +/- 1% result in a breakup into two heavy fragments containing two heavy atoms each. We discuss the significance of the data to Titan's upper atmosphere.

Experimental studies of the dissociative recombination of CD3CDOD+ and CH3CH2OH2+

Aims. We determine branching fractions, cross sections and thermal rate constants for the dissociative recombination of CD3CDOD+ and CH3CH2OH2+ at the low relative kinetic energies encountered in the interstellar medium. Methods. The experiments were carried out by merging an ion and electron beam at the heavy ion storage ring CRYRING, Stockholm, Sweden. Results. Break-up of the CCO structure into three heavy fragments is not found for either of the ions. Instead the CCO structure is retained in 23 +/- 3% of the DR reactions of CD3CDOD+ and 7 +/- 3% in the DR of CH3CH2OH2+, whereas rupture into two heavy fragments occurs in 77 +/- 3% and 93 +/- 3% of the DR events of the respective ions. The measured cross sections were fitted between 1-200 meV yielding the following thermal rate constants and cross-section dependencies on the relative kinetic energy: sigma(E-cm[eV]) = 1.7 +/- 0.3 x 10(-15)(Ecm[eV])(-1.23 +/- 0.02) cm(2) and k(T) = 1.9 +/- 0.4 x 10(-6)(T/300)-0.73 +/- 0.02 cm(3) s(-1) for CH3CH2OH2+ as well as k(T) = 1.1 +/- 0.4 x 10(-6)(T/300)(-0.74 +/- 0.05) cm(3) s(-1) and s(Ecm[eV]) = 9.2 +/- 4 x 10(-16)(Ecm[eV])-1.24 +/- 0.05 cm(2) for CD3CDOD+

Photo-induced reactions in the ion-molecule complex Mg+-OCNC2H5

Ion - molecule complexes of magnesium cation with ethyl isocyanate were produced in a laser- ablation supersonic expansion nozzle source. Photo- induced reactions in the 1: 1 complexes have been studied in the spectral range of 230 - 410 nm. Photodissociation mass spectrometry revealed the persistent product Mg+ from nonreactive quenching throughout the entire wavelength range. As for the reactive channels, the photoproducts, Mg+OCN and C2H5+, were produced only in the blue absorption band of the complex with low yields. The action spectrum of Mg+(OCNC2H5) consists of two pronounced peaks on the red and blue sides of the Mg+ 3(2)P <-- 3(2)S atomic transition. The ground state geometry of Mg+ - OCNC2H5 was fully optimized at B3LYP/6- 31 - G** level by using GAUSSIAN 98 package. The calculated absorption spectrum of the complex using the optimized structure of its ground state agrees well with the observed action spectrum. Photofragment branching fractions of the products are almost independent of the photolysis photon energy for the 3P(x,y,z) excitations. The very low branching ratio of reactive products to nonreactive fragment suggests that evaporation is the main relaxation pathway in the photo- induced reactions of Mg+ (OCNC2H5). (C) 2003 American Institute of Physics.

Genome-wide computational identification of microRNAs and their targets in the deep-branching eukaryote Giardia lamblia

Using a combined computational program. we identified 50 potential microRNAs (miRNAs) in Giardia lamblia. one of the most primitive unicellular eukaryotes. These miRNAs are unique to G. lamblia and no homologues have been found in other organisms; miRNAs.

Phosphorus fractions and alkaline phosphatase activity in sediments of a large eutrophic Chinese lake (Lake Taihu)

Spatial, vertical, and seasonal variations in phosphorus fractions and in alkaline phosphatase activity (APA) were investigated in sediments in a large-shallow eutrophic Chinese lake (Lake Taihu) in 2003-2004. The phosphorus content was highest in the most seriously polluted lake area. Iron-bound phosphorus (Fe(OOH)-P) dominated (47% on average) among the phosphorus fractions determined according to Golterman (Hydrobiologia 335:87-95, 1996). Notably, organically-bound P comprised a further significant additional portion (acid-soluble + hot NaOH-extractable organic P = 25%), which was highest at the most polluted sites. The Fe(OOH)-P content was the lowest in spring (April, 2004), suggesting that degradation of organic matter led to the release of iron-bound phosphates. Sediment APA showed a significant positive relationship with both organically-bound P and Fe(OOH)-P. Consequently, organically-bound P is an important portion of the sediment phosphorus in Lake Taihu. It is mainly derived from freshly-settled autochthonous particles and from external discharges. Organically-bound P induces APA and may lead to the release of bioavailable phosphates from the organic sediments, thereby accelerating lake eutrophication.

Studies of polysaccharides from three edible species of Nostoc (cyanobacteria) with different colony morphologies: Structural characterization and effect on the complement system of polysaccharides from Nostoc commune

The cyanobacterium Nostoc commune Vaucher produces quite complex extracellular polysaccharides. The cyanobacterium is nitrogen fixing, and on growing the cyanobacterium in media with and without nitrogen, different types of extracellular polysaccharides were obtained. These were also different from the polysaccharides present in N. commune collected in the field. High pH anion exchange chromatography (HPAEC) of weak acid hydrolysates of the culture-grown material demonstrated that, in this case, HPAEC was useful for comparison of the different polymers. The main differences between the polymers from the field group and the culture-grown samples were the presence of substantial amounts of arabinose, 2-O-methylglucose, and glucuronic acid in the latter. Methylation studies also revealed a difference in the branching points on the glucose units between the field and cultured samples, being 1,4,6 for the first and 1,3,6 for the latter. The field acidic fraction gave, on weak acid hydrolysis and separation on BioGel P2 and HPAEC, 12 oligosaccharide fractions that were isolated and studied by different mass spectroscopy techniques. The structures of the oligosaccharides were determined, and two different series that can originate from two repeating pentamers were identified: GlcAl-4/6GlcM1-4Ga11-4Glc1-4Xyl and GlcAl-4/6Glc1-4Ga11-4Glc1-4Xyl. The difference between these oligosaccharides lies in the methyl substituent on carbon 2 of the glucose unit next to the nonreducing glucuronic acid unit. The polysaccharides from field material were shown to have a strong effect on the complement system.

X-Ray diffraction determination of the fractions of hexagonal and twinned phases in cubic GaN layers grown on (001)GaAs substrate

Being an established qualitative method for investigating presence of additional phases in single crystal materials, X-ray diffraction has been used widely to characterize their structural qualities and to improve the preparation techniques. Here quantitative X-ray diffraction analysis is described which takes into account diffraction geometry and multiplicity factors. Using double-crystal X-ray four-circle diffractometer, pole figures of cubic (002), {111} and hexagonal {10 (1) over bar0} and reciprocal space mapping were measured to investigate the structural characters of mixed phases and to obtain their diffraction geometry and multiplicity factors. The fractions of cubic twins and hexagonal inclusions were calculated by the integrated intensities of rocking curves of cubic (002), cubic twin {111}, hexagonal {10 (1) over bar0} and hexagonal {10 (1) over bar1}. Without multiplicity factors, the calculated results are portions of mixed phases in only one {111} plane of cubic GaN. Diffraction geometry factor can eliminate the effects of omega and X angles on the irradiated surface areas for different scattered planes. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

Investigation on Fe, Mn, Zn, Cu, Pb and Cd fractions in the natural surface coatings sampled and surficial sediments collected in the Songhua River, China

Natural surface coatings sampled (NSCSs) from the surface of shingles and surficial sediments (SSs) in the Songhua River, China were employed to investigate the similarities and difference in fractions of heavy metals (Fe, Mn, Zn, Cu, Pb, and Cd) between NSCSs and SSs using the modified sequential extraction procedure (MSEP). The results show that the differences between NSCSs and SSs in Fe fractions were insignificant and Fe was dominantly present as residual phase (76.22% for NSCSs and 80.88% for SSs) and Fe-oxides phase (20.33% for NSCSs and 16.15% for SSs). Significant variation of Mn distribution patterns between NSCSs and SSs was observed with Mn in NSCSs mainly present in Mn-oxides phase (48.27%) and that in SSs present as residual phase (45.44%). Zn, Cu, Pb and Cd were found dominantly in residual fractions (>48%), and next in solid oxides/hydroxides for Zn, Pb and Cd and in easily oxidizable solids/compounds form for Cu, respectively. The heavy metal distribution pattern implied that Fe/Mn oxides both in NSCSs and SSs were more important sinks for binding and adsorption of Zn, Pb and Cd than organic matter (OM), and inversely, higher affinity of Cu to OM than Fe/Mn oxides in NSCSs and SSs was obtained. Meanwhile, it was found that the distributions of heavy metals in NSCSs and SSs were similar to each other and the pseudo-total concentrations of Zn, Cu, Pb and Cd in NSCSs were greater than those in SSs, highlighting the more importance for NSCSs than SSs in controlling behaviours of heavy metals in aquatic environments.