Characterizing neuromorphologic alterations with additive shape functionals

The European Physical Journal B - The complexity of a neuronal cell shape is known to be related to its function. Specifically, among other indicators, a decreased complexity in the dendritic trees...     

Micellar effects on a ligand substitution reaction: Kinetics of the formation of [Fe(CN)5(μ‐pz)Ru(NH3)5]−, from [Fe(CN)5H2O]3− and [Ru(NH3)5pz]2+, in the presence of anionic micelles

The kinetics of substitution of H₂O by Ru(NH₃)₅pz²⁺ (pz = pyrazine) in Fe(CN)₅H₂O^3? have been studied in micellar aqueous solutions of sodium dodecylsulfate (SDS). Experimental results are discussed by using an approach based on the transition‐state theory. This approach is better than others based on the pseudophase model, which can also be used, because it is able to give a clear meaning to the parameters of the model. Trends in the observed reactivity are explained by a change in the degree of association of one of the reactants to the micelles (Ru(NH₃)₅pz²⁺ in the present work). This association is governed by an equilibrium constant that depends on the electrostatic potential at the surface of the micelles. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Chem Kinet 36: 627–633, 2004     

Electric quadrupole interaction measurements in YBa2Cu3O x and related compounds

In this work we present Electric Quadrupole Interaction (EQI) measurements, made by Time Differential Perturbed Angular Correlation (TDPAC), on¹¹¹Cd in YBa₂Cu₃O _x and some related compounds. These studies were intended to determine the relationship between the EQI and the actual probe site. The probes were introduced into the materials as a diluted¹¹¹In-complex or via In(¹¹¹In)₂O₃. Our observations indicated that there is no need to suppose the presence of many probe sites in YBa₂Cu₃O _x to explain the experimental results.     

Chemical reduction of hematite by sodium borohydride

Well-crystallized hematite was suspended in water and treated at room-temperature (RT) with sodium borohydride. The product of the reaction is a highly magnetic black powder, which is stable at RT. The NaBH₄ treatment converts about half of the hematite to an amorphous Fe–B alloy and to a small fraction of sub-micron sized, amorphous metallic-Fe nodules. Heating at 400°C of this composite has resulted in the crystallization and/or oxidation of more than half of the amorphous Fe–B phase to α-Fe and Fe₃O₄ and B₂O₃, respectively. After treatment at 800°C, the metallic Fe and the amorphous Fe–B have completely vanished, and the resulting product consists of hematite and FeBO₃ embedded in the matrix of α-Fe₂O₃.     

Mössbauer investigation of iron disulphide (marcasite)

Mössbauer absorption of Fe⁵⁷ in naturally occuring and synthetic crystals of FeS₂, marcasite, has been studied in the ideal absorber thickness in the transmission geometry from a Co⁵⁷/Rh and Co⁵⁷/LiNbO₃ source. The recoilles fraction at room temperature, 298 K, has been obtained to be 0.2 and the mean square displacement < r² > was found to be 13×10^-19 cm² at room temperature, 298 K. Because of the small size of marcasite crystals it has not been possible to record good spectra of the monocrystals as a function of the orientation of the incident gamma rays from Co⁵⁷/LiNbO₃ source.     

Search for an 80 ms spontaneous fission activity in bombardments of 249Bk with 15N

A rotating drum system was used to search for an 80 ms spontaneous fission (sf) activity in the reaction of ¹⁵N with ²⁴⁹Bk. No such activity was found beyond a cross section limit of 0.5 nb. A sf activity with a half-life of 23 ± 2 ms and a maximum formation cross section of 19 ± 4 nb at 82 MeV was observed. The identity of this activity has not been determined.     

Elastic scattering of low-energy electrons by NO

We report elastic integral, momentum transfer and differential cross sections for electron scattering by N₂O for energies up to 50 eV. These results were obtained at the static-exchange approximation with the Schwinger Multichannel Method with Pseudopotentials [M.H.F. Bettega, L.G. Ferreira and M.A.P. Lima, Phys. Rev. A 47, 1111 (1993)]. In general our results show good agreement with experimental data and with other theoretical results but some discrepancies are found. We have also found a shape resonance around 4 eV in agreement with previous calculations using the R-matrix Method of Sarpal et al. [J. Phys. B 29, 857 (1996)]. On the other hand, the existence of a resonance at about 13 eV, clearly seen by the Schwinger Variational Iterative Method [Michelin et al., J. Phys. B 29, 2115 (1996)], can not be confirmed by our calculations. At this energy, our cross sections show a broad bump with no clear resonant behavior given by the eigenphase sum. Received: 13 November 1997 / Revised: 13 March 1998 / Accepted: 9 April 1998     

Metal-insulator and magnetic phase transitions: A thermodynamic model

A thermodynamic model of magnetic insulator-to-metal transitions is presented. As the parameters are varied it shows with increasing temperatures; (a) antiferromagnetic insulator → paramagnetic insulator; or (b) antiferromagnetic insulator → metal → paramagnetic insulator; or (c) antiferromagnetic insulator → metal; or (d) metal at all temperatures. Behaviors (b) and (c) are separated by a classical critical point. The model reproduces well the behavior encounted in (V_1-xCr_x)₂O₃ and can be applied to magnetic semiconductors in general.     

Effect of radiofrequency on the sheath-plasma resonance in a low-density plasma

Summary Bohm's theory on plasma probes has been modified, by taking into account the effect of the applied RF voltage on the ion saturation current, for explaining the experimentally detected behaviour of the plasma sheath resonance frequency in a low-temperature and low-density plasma

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Riassunto La teoria di Bohm sulle sonde nei plasmi è stata modificata, tenendo conto dell'effetto dovuto alla tensione RF applicata sulla corrente ionica di saturazione. Si spiega cosi l'andamento della frequenza di risonanza plasma-guaina ionica, rilevato sperimentalmente, in un plasma a bassa temperatura e bassa densità.

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Резюме Предлагается модификация теории Бома для плазменных зондов, которая учитывает влияние приложенного радиочастотного напряжения на ионный ток насыщения. Предложенная модификация позволяет объяснить экспериментально обнаруженное поведение резонансной частоты плазменной оболочки при низкой температуре и при низкой плотности плазмы.

     

Ovatifolin,a sesquiterpene lactone

Ovatifolin, C₁₇H₂₂O₅, is a sesquiterpene lactone isolated from the aerial parts ofPodanthus mitiqui Lindl. (Compositae) collected near Pichidangui, Chile. Extracts of the plant exhibit cytotoxic activity against KB cell cultures. The pale yellow crystals belong to the orthorhombic space groupP2₁2₁2₁ with cell dimensionsa = 8.159(1),b = 6.640(1), andc = 29.314(4) Å. Data were collected on an automatic diffractometer and the structure was solved by direct methods. The model was refined anisotropically to anR value of 0.047 using all 1742 measured intensities. The 10-memberedtrans-trans-germacradiene ring adopts a chair-chair conformation with C(4) and C(10) methyl groups orientedsyn on the face of the molecule. The conformation leads to a crossed double-bond system in which transannular interactions shift the ultraviolet absorption to 210 nm. The five-membered lactone ring adopts a distorted chair conformation and istrans-fused to the 10-membered ring.FASTBIOS contribution number 36.