Magnetoresistance anisotropy in a hexagonal lattice of Co antidots obtained by thermal evaporation

Patterned soft magnetic materials are eligible for use in magnetic random access memories. A hexagonal-lattice pattern of circular antidots was produced by optical lithography in a Co film. In order to test the effect of geometry on the local magnetisation configuration of such a structure, we performed room-temperature angle-resolved magnetisation measurements aimed to check the pinning of domain walls by the pattern's lattice. Magnetoresistance (MR) room-temperature measurements were performed at various angles between the magnetic field direction and the macroscopic electrical current vector, to clarify whether and how the local current density configuration affects the MR response. We found that the magnetoresistance is of anisotropic type (AMR) and has a local origin. Furthermore, the largely unsaturating behaviour of MR at high fields may be explained only by considering that tiny portions of the pattern constitute highly frustrated regions and align their magnetisation at rather high fields. A simplified model based on a local anisotropy term is shown to account for the experimental results for both M and MR.     

The Calogero–Moser partition and Rouquier families for complex reflection groups

Let W be a complex reflection group. We formulate a conjecture relating blocks of the corresponding restricted rational Cherednik algebras and Rouquier families for cyclotomic Hecke algebras. We verify part of the conjecture in the case that W is a wreath product of a symmetric group with a cyclic group of order l.     

Chemical composition and phytotoxic effects of essential oils from four Teucrium species

The essential oils of four Teucrium species were studied and 131 components, in all, were identified. All oils were rich in sesquiterpenes (50.0-61.9%). Caryophyllene and caryophyllene oxide were the main components of Teucrium arduini; germacrene D, delta-cadinene and gamma-cadinene predominated in Teucrium maghrebinum. Carvacrol and caryophyllene predominated in Teucrium polium ssp. capitatum, while carvacrol, caryophyllene oxide and caryophyllene were the most abundant components in Teucrium montbretii ssp. heliotropiifolium. The germination of radish and garden cress was less sensitive to the four essential oils. The radicle elongation, above all, of radish was significantly inhibited by all oils, in particular by the essential oil of T. arduini, at the highest doses tested. Among the main components of the oils, monoterpenes resulted the more active compounds.     

The bovine basic pancreatic trypsin inhibitor (Kunitz inhibitor): a milestone protein

The pancreatic Kunitz inhibitor, also known as aprotinin, bovine basic pancreatic trypsin inhibitor (BPTI), and trypsin-kallikrein inhibitor, is one of the most extensively studied globular proteins. It has proved to be a particularly attractive and powerful tool for studying protein conformation as well as molecular bases of protein/protein interaction(s) and (macro)molecular recognition. BPTI has a relatively broad specificity, inhibiting trypsin- as well as chymotrypsin- and elastase-like serine (pro)enzymes endowed with very different primary specificity. BPTI reacts rapidly with serine proteases to form stable complexes, but the enzyme: inhibitor complex formation may involve several intermediates corresponding to discrete reaction steps. Moreover, BPTI inhibits the nitric oxide synthase type-I and -II action and impairs K+ transport by Ca2+-activated K+ channels. Clinically, the use of BPTI in selected surgical interventions, such as cardiopulmonary surgery and orthotopic liver transplantation, is advised, as it significantly reduces hemorrhagic complications and thus blood-transfusion requirements. Here, the structural, inhibition, and bio-medical aspects of BPTI are reported.     

Surface nitridation by multipulse excimer laser irradiation

A review is presented of the results obtained on the formation of nitride surface layers on semiconductor (Si) and metal (Ti) samples by multipulse (up to 2500) XeCl excimer laser (λ=308 nm) irradiation in N₂ and NH₃ atmosphere through a collaboration of Italian, Czechoslovak and Romanian laboratories. Different diagnostic techniques (optical and electron microscopy, Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy, nuclear reaction analysis, Auger and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy) were used to positively identify the formed compounds. Silicon nitride formation was obtained only when laser irradiation was performed in ammonia atmosphere. In contrast, when titanium samples were irradiated the nitridation process resulted very efficient in both atmospheres. The characteristics of laser synthesized nitride layers are illustrated and discussed as a function of the kind of irradiated materials, the number of subsequent laser pulses and the nature of the ambient gas.     

Ozonolytic determination of double-bond positions in olefins by gas chromatography

Summary Olefinic compounds are reacted with ozone in CCl₄/CH₃OH solution, yielding specific cleavage products, from which the original position of the double bond can be deduced. By reduction with dimethylsulfide the resulting methoxyhydroperoxides are converted into aldehydes and ketones, which are determined by temperature-programmed gas chromatography on silicone columns. The lower compounds (C₁-C₁₀) are analyzed as dinitrophenylhydrazones, the less volatile higher ones as such. 100% yields were obtained for monoolefins of different structures and chain lengths (up to C₃₀).

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Ozonolytische Bestimmung von Doppelbindungen in Olefinen durch Gas-Chromatographie

Zusammenfassung Die Olefine werden in CCl₄/CH₃OH-Lösung mit Ozon behandelt, wodurch spezifische Spaltprodukte entstehen, aus denen man die ursprüngliche Lage der Doppelbindung ableiten kann. Die entstandenen Methoxyhydroperoxide werden durch Reduktion mit Dimethylsulfid zu Aldehyden und Ketonen umgesetzt, die durch temperaturprogrammierte Gas-Chromatographie an Siliconsäulen analysiert werden. Die niedrigeren (C₁-C₁₀) Verbindungen werden als Dinitrophenylhydrazone bestimmt, die weniger flüchtigen höheren als solche. Für aliphatische Monoolefine verschiedener Struktur und Kettenlänge (bis C₃₀) wurden 100%ige Ausbeuten erhalten.

Lecture presented at Euroanalysis I Conference, 28. 8.–1. 9. 1972 in Heidelberg, Germany.     

Diagnostics of mixed van der Waals clusters

We present two complementary techniques that provide detailed diagnostics of supersonic beams involving several species. First, surface scattering, together with quadrupole mass spectrometer detection, yields the monomer percentage for each species within the beam. Second, analyses of beam profiles for different masses after scattering by a buffer gas permit determination of mixed cluster presence and, if any, of cluster sizes and compositions. The two techniques are applied to supersonic expansions of an argon-nitrogen mixture. We discuss the results that provide new insight in binary nucleation processes. Received: 6 October 1997 / Revised: 4 November 1997 / Accepted: 13 November 1997