Application of significant structures theory to amorphous polyethylene

The thermodynamic properties of amorphous polyethylene are calculated from a model based on the method of significant structures. The motion of a molecule as a whole is described by the motion of segments, each segment moving independently of all others. It is assumed that on melting, holes appear in the solid lattice and the segments can move into these vacancies, obtaining some gaslike degrees of freedom. The complete frequency distribution for polyethylene is used for the solidlike degrees of freedom, while a corrected classical partition function is used for the gaslike degrees of freedom. The calculated thermodynamic properties are in reasonable agreement with experimentally determined values, assuming each gaslike segment to consist of 20 CH₂ groups.     

Structure and electronic structure of polyacene

It is shown that infinite long polyacene chains may have three energetically close but structurally distinct isomers (a symmetrical, sym, form and two lower symmetry forms: one with double bonds in a trans and another isomer with double bonds in a cis pattern). The energetics is based on solid state MNDO theory. We discuss that the symmetrical form has a substantial energy gap E_g in the Hartree–Fock approach owing to exact exchange terms, which are nonlocal. Broken symmetry Hartree–Fock (HF ) solutions for polyacene are also described. An angularly distorted structure suggested earlier on Jahn–Teller grounds is found to be energetically not favorable.     

Optimization of parameters for semiempirical methods. III Extension of PM3 to Be,Mg, Zn,Ga, Ge,As, Se,Cd, In,Sn, Sb,Te, Hg,Tl, Pb,and Bi

Using a recently developed procedure for optimizing parameters for semiempirical methods,¹ PM3 has been extended to a total of 28 elements. Average ΔH_f errors for the newly parameterized elements are Be: 8.6, Mg: 8.4, Zn: 5.8, Ga: 14.9, Ge: 11.4, As: 8.5, Se: 11.1, Cd: 2.6, In: 11.3, Sn: 9.0, Sb: 13.7, Te: 11.3, Hg: 6.8, Tl: 6.5, Pb: 7.4, and Bi: 10.9 kcal/mol. For some elements the paucity of data has resulted in a method, which, while highly accurate, is likely to be only poorly predictive.     

A versatile synthesis of functionalised 2-aminoquinolines by mercury controlled cyclisation of 2-vinylphenylthioureas

4-(4-Hydroxyphenyl)-2-phenylamino-1,8-naphthyridine was prepared via cyclisation of N-phenyl-N′-3-(4-hydroxyphenethen-1-yl)pyridin-2-ylthiourea in the presence of mercuric oxide. Derivatives of 4-methyl-2-aminoquinolines were prepared in a similar manner from 2-vinylphenylthioureas.     

Determination of capsaicinoids in salsa by liquid chromatography and enzyme immunoassay

Two simple and rapid methods were developed to monitor pungency of salsa in production. Capsaicin (C) and dihydrocapsaicin (DHC) were quantitated in 17 commercially available tomato-based salsas by enzyme immunoassay (EIA) and liquid chromatography (LC) with fluorescent detection. Samples were extracted with methanol and the extracts were subjected to solid-phase extraction (SPE) using polystyrene-divinylbenzene columns. Analysis of SPE eluates showed good correlation (r2 = 0.953) between LC and EIA, with a slightly high bias for EIA. Salsa fortified with C and DHC from 0.118 to 103.2 microg/g resulted in recoveries of 90-112% (C) and 76-97% (DHC). Limits of detection by LC were 0.1 microg/g for each capsaicinoid and 0.1 microg/g by EIA for total capsaicinoids. The LC on-column response was linear from 0.2 to 100 ng for both C and DHC, whereas the working range for EIA was 0.1-2.0 ppm. Pungency varied between different salsa brands labeled mild, medium, and hot.     

Photodetection with 5-Aminolevulinic acid-induced protoporphyrin IX in the rat abdominal cavity: drug-dose-dependent fluorescence kinetics

In 75% of cases, ovarian carcinoma has already metastasized in the abdominal cavity at the time of diagnosis. For determination of the necessity for a supplementary therapy, in addition to surgical resection, it is important to localize and stage microscopical intraperitoneal metastases of the tumor. Intraperitoneal photodetection of tumor metastases is based on preferential tumor distribution of a fluorescent tumor marker. The time-dependent differences in drug concentration between tumor and normal (T/N) tissues can be used to visualize small tumors. We performed fluorescence measurements on abdominal organs and tumor in the peritoneal cavity of rats. 5-Aminolevulinic acid (ALA)-induced protoporphyrin IX (PpIX) was used as the fluorescent marker. Three different drug doses (100, 25 and 5 mg/kg) were used and PpIX fluorescence profiles were followed up to 24 h after intravenous administration. Maximum T/N ratios were found 2-3 h after administration of ALA with all drug doses. A significant T/N tissue contrast was obtained for all abdominal organs tested after administration of 5 mg/kg.     

Imaging the cardiovascular system: seeing is believing.

From the basic light microscope through high-end imaging systems such as multiphoton confocal microscopy and electron microscopes, microscopy has been and will continue to be an essential tool in developing an understanding of cardiovascular development, function, and disease. In this review we briefly touch on a number of studies that illustrate the importance of these forms of microscopy in studying cardiovascular biology. We also briefly review a number of imaging modalities such as computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), ultrasound, and positron emission tomography (PET) that, although they do not fall under the realm of microscopy, are imaging modalities that greatly complement microscopy. Finally we examine the role of proper imaging system calibration and the potential importance of calibration in understanding biological tissues, such as the cardiovascular system, that continually undergo deformation in response to strain.     

Some new acridinium trifluoromethanesulfonates as spectrophotometric derivatization reagents for aromatic and aliphatic primary amines

Some new 9-substituted 10-methylacridinium trifluoromethanesuifonate (triflate) salts have been synthesized and shown to react in methanol with the model aromatic and aliphatic amines, aniline and n-butylamine, to form derivatives which absorb strongly at 445 and 439 nm, respectively. The color development is affected by heat and heating time and by the quantity of acridinium triflate used. A 10-50-fold molar excess of the triflate should be used and the solution heated at 60 degrees for 30 min. The linearity and reproducibility of the assay are improved by the presence of pyridine (for aniline) and triethylamine (for n-butylamine) in the reaction mixture. Beer's law is obeyed over the range 0-1860 ng/ml for aniline and 0-1440 ng/ml for n-butylamine, with each of the new reagents. The relative error and the precision of determination depends on the acridinium triflate used.     

Determination of uranium and radium concentrations in the waters of the Grand Canyon by alpha spectrometry

In order to establish baseline information for current and future mining operations, water samples from the Colorado River and its tributaries have been analyzed for Ra-226 and uranium isotopes. Ra-226 was separated by coprecipitation on BaSO₄ followed by alpha spectrometry. Ba-133 was used as a tracer for yield determination. Uranium was separated by a combination of BaSO₄ precipitation and solvent extraction followed by coprecipitation on CeF₃ for alpha spectrometry.Results indicate that radium and uranium levels in the Colorado River and its tributaries, except the Little Colorado River, are below the EPA specifications [1] for drinking water of 185 mBq/liter (5 pCi/1) for Ra-226 and 433 mBq/liter (11.7 pCi/1) for U-238. However, the specific sources for elevated uranium and Ra-226 concentrations in the Little Colorado River should be identified, and the potential impacts from leaching of the naturally exposed mineralization inside the Grand Canyon should be investigated.