Novel liquid crystals based on [1]benzothieno[3,2- b ][1]benzothiophene

Four series of new [1]benzothieno[3,2- b ][1]benzothiophene derivatives have been synthesized. In the non-chiral series a SmA phase occurs, while the chiral series exhibits a rather wide antiferroelectric SmC * A phase just below the SmA phase. The SmA-SmC * A phase transition has been studied using DSC and dielectric spectroscopy. In the SmC * A phase the spontaneous quantities have been measured. The tilt angle shows a typical temperature dependence and the values of spontaneous polarization are rather moderate. The length of the helical pitch increases on increasing the length of the non-chiral alkyl chain.     

On the structure of stationary sets

We isolate several classes of stationary sets of [k]ωand investigate implications among them. Under a large cardinal assumption, we prove a structure theorem for stationary sets.     

Cyclic trihydroxamic acid derivatives

In the crystal structures of two cyclic trihydroxamic acid derivatives containing the same substructure unit, viz. 1,3,5‐trihydroxy‐1,3,5‐triazinane‐2,4,6‐trione dihydrate, C₃H₃N₃O₆·2H₂O, (I), and 1,3,5‐benz­yloxy‐1,3,5‐triazinane‐2,4,6‐trione, C₂₄H₂₁N₃O₆, (II), there is no significant difference in the geometric parameters. In (I), there are 11 hydrogen bonds of the O—H⋯O type inter­connecting the mol­ecules in a three‐dimensional network, while in (II) there are only two weak C—H⋯O hydrogen bonds. The results of IR spectroscopic analysis are in good agreement with the crystallographic study.     

Determination of heavy metal concentrations in plants exposed to different degrees of pollution using ICP-AES

Plant samples (Plantago lanceolata - narrow leaf plantain and Cichorium endiviae - endive) were collected in the surroundings of heavy metal emission sources and in other less contaminated areas. After digestion in a closed microwave system using HNO(3), the concentrations of Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Mo, Ni, Pb, and Zn were determined using ICP-AES. Detection limits for all the elements of interest are given. Differences in heavy metal uptake rate between both plant species were observed. The uptake is more intensive for endive than for narrow leaf plantain. High concentrations of some heavy metals were determined in the unwashed plant samples as a result of exposure to aerosols. Tukey's statistical test was used to confirm the discrepancy of Cr concentration in plant samples from various areas. Washing the leaves with water was found to remove a large amount of water-soluble aerosols.     

Determination of aristolochic acid by capillary zone electrophoresis

A simple and rapid capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE) method for the determination of aristolochic acid (AA) in dietary supplements and selected herbs is described. A clear separation of AA from other sample constituents was achieved within 5 minutes without any sample clean up. A mixture of 20 mM-morpholinethanesulphonic acid+10 mM-BisTrisPropane+0.2% hydroxyethylcelullose in 10% methanol serves as a background electrolyte. The linearity, accuracy, intra-assay and detection limit of the developed method are 200–6000 ng/mL, 95–103%, 3.5%, and 50 ng/ml, respectively. Ease of use, sufficient sensitivity and low running cost are the most important attributes of the CZE method. The proposed CZE method was compared with HPLC.     

PATTERNS OF NUCLEIC ACID AND PROTEIN SYNTHESIS DURING MODIFICATION OF LETHAL ULTRAVIOLET LESION

Abstract— We have shown previously that the viability of E. coli B.U.^- and E. coli B. try^-could be restored after u.v.-irradiation if post-irradiation incubation took place in the presence of chloramphenicol or in the absence of an essential metabolite. By way of contrast, the viability of the u.v.-irradiated E. coli K.₁₂ meth^- decreased rapidly during post-irradiation incubation in the presence of chloramphenicol or in the absence of methionine. During the study of the biosynthesis of nucleic acids and protein in the above strains we made the following observations.
Protein synthesis was permanently inhibited in both amino acid requiring strains during post-irradiation incubation in the absence of the respective essential metabolite. In E. coli B.U.^- a slow synthesis of protein could be observed even if post-irradiation incubation took place in the absence of uracil.
DNA synthesis was completely and permanently inhibited in both E. coli B. try^- and E. coli K.₁₂ meth^- during post-irradiation incubation in the absence of the respective essential amino acid. In E. coli B.U.^-, however, DNA synthesis resumed after a prolonged lag even if the bacteria were incubated after u.v.-irradiation in the absence of uracil.
RNA synthesis was completely and permanently inhibited in both E. coli B. mutants, the uracil requiring and the tryptophan requiring, if they were incubated after irradiation in the absence of uracil and tryptophan respectively. In E. coli K.₁₂ meth^- a small amount of RNA is synthesized during post-irradiation incubation in the absence of the essential amino acid.     

Biodegradable and pH-sensitive hydrogels: Synthesis by crosslinking of N,N-dimethylacrylamide copolymer precursors

Novel pH-sensitive hydrogels containing azoaromatic crosslinks were synthesized by the crosslinking of polymeric precursors. First, a reactive polymeric precursor was synthesized by copolymerization of N,N-dimethylacrylamide, N-tert-butylacrylamide, acrylic acid, and N-methacryloylglycylglycine p-nitrophenyl ester. The hydrogel was prepared in the second step by the reaction of the polymeric precursor with N,N′-(ω-aminocaproyl)-4,4′-diaminoazobenzene. The hydrogels were characterized by the network structure, (that is, content of crosslinks, unreacted pendent groups, and cycles), the equilibrium swelling ratio as a function of pH, modulus of elasticity in compression, and the degradability in vitro. The results obtained indicated that the hydrogel network structure strongly depends on the reaction conditions such as polymer concentration, and the ratio of the reactive groups during the crosslinking reaction. The swelling and mechanical properties of hydrogels can be controlled by the modification of polymer backbone structure and/or the crosslinking density. The rates of hydrogel degradation depended on their degree of swelling. The higher the degree of swelling, the higher the degradability. The properties of the hydrogels suggest that they have a potential as carriers for colon-specific drug delivery. © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Radical additions to fluoro-olefins. photochemical mono-fluoroalkylation and sequential bis-fluoroalkylation of oxolane

Oxolane was fluoroalkylated by its photoadditions under atmospheric pressure. Monofluoro-alkylations were carried out with hexafluoropropene (1) and perfluorovinyl ethers C₃F₇O-[CF(CF₃)CF₂O]_n-CF = CF₂ (24, n = 0–2) by direct photoexcitation of the olefins to give high yields of addition products 9–12 (81–94%). The reactions were completely regioselecti ve at the oxolane molecule and almost completely regioselective (93–99%) at the double bond of fluoro-olefins; no bis-fluoroalkylated oxolanes were detected. The completely selective introduction of a second fluoroalkyl into position 5 of the oxolane molecule was accomplished by acetone-sensitised photoaddition of 2fluoroalkylated oxolanes 9,10 to fluoro-olefins 1 and 2. Byproducts from reactions of the dimethylketyl radical which is formed in the initiation step were isolated and have given some evidence about the reaction mechanism that is discussed.     

The use of the DPE radical polymerization method for the synthesis of chromophore-labelled polymers and block copolymers

Two analogues of diphenylethene carrying phenanthrene (1-(9-phenanthryl)-1-phenylethene (PPE)) and anthracene (1-(2-anthryl)-1-phenylethene (APE)) units were used in radical polymerization of styrene (St) and methyl methacrylate (MMA) at 80 °C using AIBN as initiator. Because of the nature of the polymerization, the resulting polymers possess the corresponding chromophoric groups. Using the methodology of a DPE system, these labelled polymers were further used for the synthesis of block copolymers. In this way poly(methyl methacrylate)-b-poly(styrene) and poly(methyl methacrylate)-b-poly(acrylonitrile) with molar masses of 60,000-90,000 g/mol were synthesized. Incorporation of the chromophoric groups into both homo- and block copolymers was confirmed by spectral measurements.