Using XPS to determine solute solubility in room temperature ionic liquids

X-Ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) was used to quantify the amount of bromide ions present in two samples of [C(4)mpyrr]Br dissolved in the room temperature ionic liquid (RTIL) [C(4)mpyrr][N(Tf)(2)]. One sample was of a known concentration (0.436 Br atom%); the other was a saturated solution. The results obtained from quantitative XPS analysis indicated that the saturated sample had a concentration, or solubility, of 0.90 Br atom% (746 mM) at 298 K, which was then independently confirmed by potential-step chronoamperometry of the same solution.

The impact of newly identified loci on coronary heart disease, stroke and total mortality in the MORGAM prospective cohorts

Recently, genome wide association studies (GWAS) have identified a number of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) as being associated with coronary heart disease (CHD). We estimated the effect of these SNPs on incident CHD, stroke and total mortality in the prospective cohorts of the MORGAM Project. We studied cohorts from Finland, Sweden, France and Northern Ireland (total N=33,282, including 1,436 incident CHD events and 571 incident stroke events). The lead SNPs at seven loci identified thus far and additional SNPs (in total 42) were genotyped using a case-cohort design.We estimated the effect of the SNPs on disease history at baseline, disease events during follow-up and classic risk factors. Multiple testing was taken into account using false discovery rate (FDR) analysis. SNP rs1333049 on chromosome 9p21.3 was associated with both CHD and stroke (HR5=.20, 95% CI 1.08-1.34 for incident CHD events and 1.15, 0.99-1.34 for incident stroke). SNP rs11670734 (19q12) was associated with total mortality and stroke. SNP rs2146807 (10q11.21) showed some association with the fatality of acute coronary event. SNP rs2943634 (2q36.3) was associated with high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol and SNPs rs599839, rs4970834 (1p13.3) and rs17228212 (15q22.23) were associated with non-HDL cholesterol. SNPs rs2943634 (2q36.3) and rs12525353 (6q25.1) were associated with blood pressure. These findings underline the need for replication studies in prospective settings and confirm the candidacy of several SNPs that may play a role in the etiology of cardiovascular disease.

The use of microbeams to investigate radiation damage in living cells.

The micro-irradiation technique continues to be highly relevant to a number of radiobiological studies in vitro. In particular, studies of the bystander effect show that direct damage to cells is not the only trigger for radiation-induced effects, but that unirradiated cells can also respond to signals from irradiated neighbours. Furthermore, the bystander response can be initiated even when no energy is deposited in the genomic DNA of the irradiated cell (i.e. by targeting just the cytoplasm).

[Ag(NH3)(2)]ClO4: Crystal structures, phase transition, and vibrational spectra

[Ag(NH3)(2)](ClO4) is obtained from a solution of AgClO4 in cone. ammonia as colourless single crystals (orthorhombic, Pnmn, Z = 4, a = 795.2(1) pm, b 617.7(1) pm, c = 1298.2(2) pm, R-all = 0.0494). The structure consists of linearly coordinated cations, [Ag(NH3)(2)](+), stacked in a staggered conformation and of tetrahedral (ClO4)(-) anions. A first order phase transition was observed between 210 and 200 K and the crystal structure of the low-temperature modification (monoclinic. P2/m, Z = 4, a = 789.9(5) pm, b = 604.1(5) pm, c = 1290.4(5) pm, beta = 97.436(5)degrees, at 170 K, R-all = 0.0636) has also been solved. Spectroscopic investigations (IR/Raman) have been carried out and the assignment of the spectra is discussed.

Spectroscopy of the type Ia supernova SN 2002er: Days-11 to+215

We present an extensive set of optical spectroscopy of the nearby type Ia supernova, SN 2002er, with 24 epochs spanning -11 to +34 days. Its spectral evolution is fairly typical of a type Ia supernova although it suffers high extinction. Nevertheless, there are differences in the spectral evolution when compared to coeval spectra of other normal type Ia supernova with comparable decline-rate parameters. Modelling of the photospheric phase spectra using a homogeneous abundance distribution in the atmosphere provides a fair match to the observations, but only by pushing the adopted distance and risetime close to the observational limits. Future improvements here will require models with a more realistic stratified abundance distribution. From simple modelling of a nebular spectrum obtained at +215 d, we infer a Ni-56 mass of 0.69 M-circle dot, consistent with that derived from the light curve.