Absorption of phi mesons in near-threshold proton-nucleus reactions

In the framework of the nuclear spectral function approach for incoherent primary proton--nucleon and secondary pion--nucleon production processes we study the inclusive $\phi$ meson production in the interaction of 2.83 GeV protons with nuclei. In particular, the A-dependences of the absolute and relative $\phi$ meson yields are investigated within the different scenarios for its in-medium width as well as for the cross section ratio $\sigma_{pn \to pn{\phi}}/{\sigma_{pp \to pp{\phi}}}$. Our model calculations take into account the acceptance window of the ANKE facility used in a recent experiment performed at COSY. They show that the pion--nucleon production channel contributes distinctly to the $\phi$ creation in heavy nuclei in the chosen kinematics and, hence, has to be taken into consideration on close examination of the dependences of the phi meson yields on the target mass number with the aim to get information on its width in the medium. They also demonstrate that the experimentally unknown ratio $\sigma_{pn \to pn{\phi}}/{\sigma_{pp \to pp{\phi}}}$ has a weak effect on the A-dependence of the relative $\phi$ meson production cross section at incident energy of present interest, whereas it is found to be appreciably sensitive to the phi in-medium width, which means that this relative observable can indeed be useful to help determine the above width from the direct comparison the results of our calculations with the future data from the respective ANKE-at-COSY experiment.Comment: 16 pages, 9 figure

Original Russian Text © A

384 Copper(II) chloride complexes are used as precursors of catalysts for transformations of chlorinated hydrocarbons. Earlier it was shown The stability of a number of {Cu II R} complexes, such as [ Cu II RCl 3 ] 2-, where R = CH 3 or i -C 3 H 7 , was confirmed by quantum-chemical calculations with the unrestricted DFT method (exchange-correlation functional PBE

Neutron-antineutron Oscillations in the Trapping Box

We have reexamined the problem of $n-\bar n$ oscillations for ultra-cold neutrons (UCN) confined within a trap. We have shown that the growth of the $\bar n$ component with time is to a decent accuracy given by $P(\bar n)= \epsilon^2_{n\bar n} t_Lt,$ where $\epsilon_{n\bar n}$ is the mixing parameter, $t_L\sim 1$ sec in the neutron propagation time between subsequent collisions with the trap walls. Possible corrections to this law and open questions are discussed.Comment: 11 pages, LaTeX2

The TolC Protein of Legionella pneumophila Plays a Major Role in Multi-Drug Resistance and the Early Steps of Host Invasion

Pneumonia associated with Iegionnaires's disease is initiated in humans after inhalation of contaminated aerosols. In the environment, Legionella pneumophila is thought to survive and multiply as an intracellular parasite within free-living amoeba. In the genome of L. pneumophila Lens, we identified a unique gene, tolC, encoding a protein that is highly homologous to the outer membrane protein TolC of Escherichia coli. Deletion of tolC by allelic exchange in L. pneumophila caused increased sensitivity to various drugs. The complementation of the tolC mutation in trans restored drug resistance, indicating that TolC is involved in multi-drug efflux machinery. In addition, deletion of tolC caused a significant attenuation of virulence towards both amoebae and macrophages. Thus, the TolC protein appears to play a crucial role in virulence which could be mediated by its involvement in efflux pump mechanisms. These findings will be helpful in unraveling the pathogenic mechanisms of L. pneumophila as well as in developing new therapeutic agents affecting the efflux of toxic compounds

Nitric Oxide Antagonizes the Acid Tolerance Response that Protects Salmonella against Innate Gastric Defenses

Reactive nitrogen species (RNS) derived from dietary and salivary inorganic nitrogen oxides foment innate host defenses associated with the acidity of the stomach. The mechanisms by which these reactive species exert antimicrobial activity in the gastric lumen are, however, poorly understood.The genetically tractable acid tolerance response (ATR) that enables enteropathogens to survive harsh acidity was screened for signaling pathways responsive to RNS. The nitric oxide (NO) donor spermine NONOate derepressed the Fur regulon that controls secondary lines of resistance against organic acids. Despite inducing a Fur-mediated adaptive response, acidified RNS largely repressed oral virulence as demonstrated by the fact that Salmonella bacteria exposed to NO donors during mildly acidic conditions were shed in low amounts in feces and exhibited ameliorated oral virulence. NO prevented Salmonella from mounting a de novo ATR, but was unable to suppress an already functional protective response, suggesting that RNS target regulatory cascades but not their effectors. Transcriptional and translational analyses revealed that the PhoPQ signaling cascade is a critical ATR target of NO in rapidly growing Salmonella. Inhibition of PhoPQ signaling appears to contribute to most of the NO-mediated abrogation of the ATR in log phase bacteria, because the augmented acid sensitivity of phoQ-deficient Salmonella was not further enhanced after RNS treatment.Since PhoPQ-regulated acid resistance is widespread in enteric pathogens, the RNS-mediated inhibition of the Salmonella ATR described herein may represent a common component of innate host defenses

Inhomogeneities in PNIPAM Aqueous Solutions: The Inside View by Spin Probe EPR Spectroscopy

Coil to globule transition in poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) aqueous solutions was studied using spin probe continuous-wave electronic paramagnetic resonance (CW EPR) spectroscopy with an amphiphilic TEMPO radical as a guest molecule. Using Cu(II) ions as the “quencher” for fast-moving radicals in the liquid phase allowed obtaining the individual spectra of TEMPO radicals in polymer globule and observing inhomogeneities in solutions before globule collapsing. EPR spectra simulations confirm the formation of molten globules at the first step with further collapsing and water molecules coming out of the globule, making it denser

Structure and Dynamics of Inhomogeneities in Aqueous Solutions of Graft Copolymers of N-Isopropylacrylamide with Lactide (P(NIPAM-<i>graft</i>-PLA)) by Spin Probe EPR Spectroscopy

Coil-to-globule transition and dynamics of inhomogeneities in aqueous solutions of graft copolymers of NIPAM with different content of oligolactide groups were studied using spin probe continuous wave EPR spectroscopy. The technique of the suppressing of TEMPO as spin probe by spin exchange with Cu2+ ions was applied. This approach allowed us to detect individual EPR spectra of the probe in collapsed globules and estimate its magnetic and dynamic parameters reliably. The formation of inhomogeneities at temperatures lower than the volume phase transition temperature measured via transmission, and differential scanning calorimetry was fixed. An increase in oligolactide content in copolymers leads to the formation of looser globules, allowing for the exchange of the probe molecules between the globules and the external solution

New Insight into the Mechanism of Drug Release from Poly(d,l-lactide) Film by Electron Paramagnetic Resonance

A novel approach based on convolution of the electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectra was used for quantitative study of the release kinetics of paramagnetic dopants from poly(d,l-lactide) films. A non-monotonic dependence of the release rate on time was reliably recorded. The release regularities were compared with the dynamics of polymer structure changes determined by EPR, SEM, and optic microscopy. The data obtained allow for the conclusion that the main factor governing dopant release is the formation of pores connected with the surface. In contrast, the contribution of the dopant diffusion through the polymer matrix is negligible. The dopant release can be divided into two phases: release through surface pores, which are partially closed with time, and release through pores initially formed inside the polymer matrix due to autocatalytic hydrolysis of the polymer and gradually connected to the surface of the sample. For some time, these processes co-occur. The mathematical model of the release kinetics based on pore formation is presented, describing the kinetics of release of various dopants from the polymer films of different thicknesses