On Quasi-thin Association Schemes with Odd Number of Points

Let (X, R) be an association scheme in the sense of P.-H. Zieschang (1996, “An Algebraic Approach to Association Schemes,” Lecture Notes in Mathematics, Vol. 1628, Springer, New York/Berlin), where X is a finite set and R is a partition of X × X. We say that (X, R) is quasi-thin if each element of R has a valency of at most two. In this paper we focus on quasi-thin association schemes with an odd number of points and obtain that (X, R) has a regular automorphism group when n_O^θ(R) is square-free.     

Synthesis of cyclo‐olefin copolymer latexes and their carbon nanotube composite nanoparticles

An efficient and environmentally benign synthetic method for the production of the stabilized cyclo‐olefin copolymer latexes and their carbon nanotube composite nanoparticles has been developed using an emulsion ring opening metathesis copolymerization catalyzed by the 2nd generation Grubbs catalyst in aqueous solution. Homopolymerizations of norbornene (NB) and dicyclopentadiene (DCPD) in aqueous solution yield unstable polymer latexes in combination with a large amount of their flocculation fractions. Copolymerizations of NB or DCPD with a selected liquid cyclo‐olefin comonomer dramatically improve not only the colloidal stability of the copolymer latexes but also the thermal stability of the copolymer nanoparticles. The liquid cyclo‐olefin comonomer plays a double role as a liquefied agent for the solid NB and DCPD monomers before the emulsification treatment, and a reactive comonomer itself to control entirely the copolymerization system. The as‐prepared cyclo‐olefin copolymer latexes exhibit an exceptionally high compatibility with a well‐dispersed carbon nanotube (CNT) in aqueous solution due to strong π–π interactions between the graphitic surfaces of the CNT with the C‐C double bonds located on the cyclo‐olefin copolymer main chains. Accordingly, a binary blending of these two well‐dispersed colloidal systems in aqueous solution led to the fabrication, for the first time, of the highly electrical conductive cyclo‐olefin copolymer/CNT composite nanoparticles. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2013 , 51, 4584–4591     

Quantum phase transitions of spin chiral nanotubes

Recently many interesting magnetic nanostructures have been fabricated and much attention is arising on the rich magnetic properties that originate in the quantum effects eminent in the nanoscale world. One of the peculiar aspects of the quantum effects is the spin excitation gap. In the spin-1/2 low-dimensional systems, the spin gap often appears when the lattice dimerization or the frustration in the spin–spin interaction are introduced. In the present study, we investigate the ground-state property of the spin-1/2 antiferromagnetic spin chiral nanotubes with the spatial modulation in the spin–spin interaction. The ground-state phase diagrams of them are determined by observing the behavior of the expectation value of the Lieb–Schultz–Mattis slow-twist operator calculated by the quantum Monte Carlo method with the continuous-time loop algorithm. We discuss the relation between the characteristic of the topology of the phase diagram and the chiral vector of the nanotubes.     

Orbital ordering in e(g) orbital systems: ground states and thermodynamics of the 120° model

Orbital degrees of freedom shape many of the properties of a wide class of Mott insulating, transition metal oxides with partially filled 3d shells. Here we study orbital ordering transitions in systems where a single electron occupies the e(g) orbital doublet and the spatially highly anisotropic orbital interactions can be captured by an orbital-only model, often called the 120° model. Our analysis of both the classical and quantum limits of this model in an extended parameter space shows that the 120° model is in close proximity to several T=0 phase transitions and various competing ordered phases. We characterize the orbital order of these nearby phases and their associated thermal phase transitions by extensive numerical simulations and perturbative arguments.     

Opto-Electronic Block-Cipher Based on Iteration of the 2-D Toggle Cellular Automata: Algorithm

Parallel architectures and algorithms may offer a solution to the system bottleneck arising from the need to encrypt a very large amount of data without compromising security. In this respect the use of cellular automata with their parallel, simple, regular and modular structure is very promising. We extend the blockcipher algorithm, based on the iterations of so called “toggle” cellular automata rules to two dimensions.The advantages are higher complexity of the crypt-analytical attacks and substantial increase in the speed of the algorithm. Due to its massive parallelism and interconnectivity, the algorithm is very suitable for opto-electronic implementation.     

Regioselective Photocyclizations of Di(quinolinyl)arylamines and Tri(quinolinyl)amine with Emission Color Changes and Photoreaction‐Induced Self‐Assemblies

Bis[2,4‐di(trifluoromethyl)quinoline‐7‐yl]amine ( 1 ), bis[2,4‐di(trifluoromethyl)quinoline‐7‐yl]methylamine ( 2 ), bis[2,4‐di(trifluoromethyl)quinoline‐7‐yl]phenylamine derivatives, Q₂NPhX; X=NO₂ ( 3 a ), I ( 3 b ), H ( 3 c ), OMe ( 3 d ), and NH₂ ( 3 e ), tris[2,4‐di(trifluoromethyl)quinoline‐7‐yl]amine ( 4 ), and bis[2,4‐di(pentafluoroethyl)quinoline‐7‐yl]‐4‐nitrophenylamine ( 5 ) were prepared as functional fluorophores. On irradiating the solution samples, 1 showed no noticeable alteration, whereas 2 , 3 a – d , and 4 showed emission color changes from yellowish green to blue, indicating that a photoreaction took place. Analyses of the photoproduct based on absorption and emission spectra, ¹H NMR spectra, and X‐ray crystallography indicated that photocyclization reactions occurred regioselectively and quantitatively to form bent–bent dipyridocarbazoles. In 3 a – d , the reaction rates depended on the solvent polarity and the substituent on the benzene ring. The photoreactions were accelerated with decreasing solvent polarity and with increasing electron‐withdrawing character of the substituents. The photocyclization of triquinolineamine 4 was faster than that of 3 a in all solvents. The results of semiempirical quantum‐chemical PM6 calculations suggested that the observed regioselective photocyclization could be explained by stabilization of the excited triplet transition state for the bent–bent form because of the molecular geometry with the CH?NQ hydrogen bonds. The solution of 5 in MeOH displayed photoreaction‐induced self‐assembly behavior to form twisted tape‐like fibers of width 200 nm, as determined by TEM imaging.     

ENHANCED SENSITIVITY TO THE LETHAL AND MUTAGENIC EFFECTS OF PHOTOSENSITIZING ACTION OF CHLORPROMAZINE IN ETHYLENEDIAMINETETRAACETATE-TREATED ESCHERICHIA COLI

Abstract— Ethylenediaminetetraacetate (EDTA) treatment of Escherichia coli H/r30 (Arg_-) enhanced cell sensitivity to the lethal and mutagenic effects of the photosensitizing action of chlorpromazine (CPZ). The most obvious effect of EDTA on the fluence-survival curve was an elimination of the shoulder. In the absence of EDTA, CPZ plus near-UV radiation did not induce the reversion from arginine-auxo-troph to autotroph of E. coli H/r30. However, when EDTA (5 mM)-treated cells were subjected to CPZ plus near-UV radiation, the induced reversion frequency increased with time of irradiation. It is concluded that the enhanced penetration of CPZ into E. coli cells by EDTA facilitates the drug binding to DNA within the cells upon near-UV irradiation and that this is the cause for the enhanced photosensitized lethal and mutagenic effects of CPZ.     

Electrocatalytic reduction of carbon monoxide with a photocell

It has been shown that CO can be reduced with an electrochemical photocell to methanol in the presence of ethanol and pentachlorochromate(III), bis(oxalato)chromate(III) or iron(III)-tiron complex. The photocell was composed of n-CdS and Everitt's salt-modified platinum electrodes, operating as the photoanode and the cathode, respectively. The current efficiency was 1.0–5.2%, i.e. very low compared with the value (about 100%) obtained in the catalytic system containing methanol instead of ethanol, which was attributed to lower efficiency of the CO uptake by the metal complex-ethanol catalytic system.