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The structural and electronic properties of selected compositions of Sn x Ti 1−x O 2 solid solutions (x = 0, 1/24, 1/16, 1/12, 1/8, 1/6, 1/4, 1/2, 3/4, 5/6, 7/8, 11/12, 15/16, 23/24 and 1) were investigated by means of periodic density functional theory (DFT) calculations at B3LYP level. The calculations show that the corresponding lattice parameters vary non-linearly with composition, supporting positive deviations from Vegard's law in the Sn x Ti 1−x O 2 system. Our results also account for the fact that chemical decomposition in Sn x Ti 1−x O 2 system is dominated by composition fluctuations along [0 0 1] direction. A nearly continuous evolution of the direct band gap and the Fermi level with the growing value of x is predicted. Ti 3d states dominate the lower portion of the conduction band of Sn x Ti 1−x O 2 solid solutions. Sn substitution for Ti in TiO 2 increases the oxidation-reduction potential of the oxide as well as it renders the lowest energy transition to be indirect. These two effects can be the key factors controlling the rate for the photogenerated electron-hole recombination. These theoretical results are capable to explain the enhancement of photoactivity in Sn x Ti 1−x O 2 solid solutions.

The direct method (HA (soln) ⇌ A (soln) – + H (soln) + ) for calculating p K a of monoprotic acids is as efficient as thermodynamic cycles. A selective adjustment of proton free energy in solution was used with experimental p K a data. The procedure was analyzed at different levels of theory. The solvent was described by the solvation model density (SMD) model, including or not explicit water molecules, and three training sets were tested. The best performance under any condition was obtained by the G4CEP method with a mean absolute error close to 0.5 units of p K a and an uncertainty around ±1 unit of p K a for any training set including or excluding explicit solvent molecules. PM6 and AM1 performed very well with average absolute errors below 0.75 units of p K a but with uncertainties up to ±2 units of p K a , using only the SMD solvent model. Density functional theory (DFT) results were highly dependent on the basis functions and explicit water molecules. The best performance was observed for the local spin density approximation (LSDA) functional in almost all calculations and under certain conditions, as high as those obtained by G4CEP. Basis set complexity and explicit solvent molecules were important factors to control DFT calculations. The training set molecules should consider the diversity of compounds.

SummaryObjective Studies on the influence of genetic factors on the ontogeny of cortisol circadian rhythm in infants are lacking. This study evaluated the influence of twinning and the heritability on the age of emergence of salivary cortisol rhythm. Design and subjects A longitudinal study was performed using salivary samples obtained during morning and night, at 2,4,8,12,16,20 and 24 weeks of postnatal life in 34 infants, 10 monozygotic (MZ) and 7 dizygotic (DZ) twin pairs. Salivary cortisol was determined by radioimmunoassay (RIA). Zigosity was verified by DNA analysis of at least 13 short tandem repeat polymorphisms. Difference of the emergence of cortisol circadian rhythm, within each twin pair, the intraclass correlation coefficient and the heritability index ( h 2 ) were calculated. Results The mean ( ± SEM) age of emergence of salivary cortisol circadian rhythm was similar in MZ and DZ (7·8 ± 1·0 vs 7·4 ± 1·3 weeks). Seven pairs showed coincidence of the emergence of cortisol rhythm. Ten pairs were not coincident; among them the within-pair difference of emergence of salivary circadian rhythm was similar in both MZ and DZ groups. The intraclass correlation coefficients were rMZ = 0·60, P = 0·02; and rDZ = 0·65, P = 0·03, respectively. The heritability index ( h 2 ) was 0·21 (ns). Conclusions Salivary circadian rhythm appeared at the same postnatal age in MZ and DZ twin infants. Although several physiological aspects might be involved, the heritability index, obtained in the present study, suggests less genetic than environmental impact on the age of the onset of the cortisol circadian rhythm. Our data also indicated that each twin-pair show synchrony because they probably shared prenatal and postnatal environmental synchronizers.