The dynamics of excitons and trions in resonant tunneling diodes

The aim of this work is to study the dynamic formation and dissociation of trions and excitons in double barrier resonant tunneling diodes. We propose a system of rate equations that takes into account the formation, dissociation and annihilation of these complexes inside the quantum well. From the solutions of the coupled equations, we are able to study the modulation of excitons and trions formation in the device as a function of the applied bias. The results of our model agree qualitatively with the experiments showing the viability of these rate equations system to study the dynamics of complex systems.     

Observation of ionic thermocurrents in zirconia-based solid electrolytes

In ionic conductors, long range-migrating charges are a main cause of polarization processes. This has complicated, up to date, the study of ionic thermocurrents (ITC) in solid electrolytes. However, the method is appealing, as it probes directly charge-formation phenomena that are important both from a scientific point of view and for applications. This work reports on the observation of ITC in solid electrolytes. Under appropriate experimental conditions, the ITC response of a zirconia sample electroded with platinum is a reproducible one, thus opening the way to a new characterization method that may complement other well established methods, such as Impedance Spectroscopy and a number of electrochemical techniques. The general trends of the response, which is composed of two well resolved ITC peaks, is discussed. One of them, taking place at higher temperatures, conforms to the standard shape of a first order kinetics depolarization process. Paper presented at the 2nd Euroconference on Solid State Ionics, Funchal, Madeira, Portugal, Sept. 10–16, 1995     

Olefin terpolymerizations. II. 4-vinylcyclohexene and cyclooctadiene

4-Vinylcyclohexene (VCH) and cyclooctadiene (COD) were investigated as termonomers in EPDM (ethylene/propylene/diene) synthesis by using rac-ethylenebis (1-η⁵-indenyl) zir-conium dichloride ( 1 ) as a catalyst precursor. Homopolymerizations of VCH, vinylcycloh-exane and cyclohexene were compared. The parameter K_πκ_p, which is the apparent rate constant for Ziegler-Natta polymerization, is about the same for VCH and vinylcyclohexanebut is 10 times smaller for cyclohexene. Therefore, the linear olefinic double bond is more active than the cyclic internal double bond. VCH reduces ethylene polymerization rate but not propylene polymerization rate in copolymerizations. In terpolymerizations, VCH tends to suppress ethylene incorporation especially at elevated polymerization temperature and Lowers the polymer MW by about two-fold. COD has very low activity as a termonomer. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Bis(amino acid) derivatives of 1,4-diamino-2-butyne that adopt a C2-symmetric turn conformation

1,4-Diamino-2-butyne was prepared from 1,4-dichloro-2-butyne via 1,4-diazido-2-butyne. Bis(amino acid) derivatives of 1,4-diamino-2-butyne having the general structure (Boc-Xxx-NHCH2C[triple bond])2 (Xxx = Ala, Phe and Met) were prepared and examined by 1H NMR spectroscopy. Using chemical shift, coupling constant and DMSO titration data it is found that these compounds adopt a C2-symmetric turn conformation featuring two intramolecular hydrogen bonds.     

Compositional Profiles in Silica-Based Sol-Gel Films Doped with Erbium and Silver, by RBS and ERDA

Photosensitive organic-titania hybrid materials have been prepared from metal alkoxides and various organic ester compounds with double bonds. The refractive index of the film increases with the decrease of the concentration of the organic ester compound, and the highest refractive index of 1.62 is obtained when 2-hydroxymethyl acrylate (HOA) is used as the organic ester and the molar ratio of HOA to Ti is 0.5. The material with the highest refractive index is exposed to femtosecond pulse using the multi-beam laser interference technique. After laser irradiation, the irradiated parts of the material are photopolymerized and periodic structures can be obtained by development of the unirradiated parts. In the case of laser irradiation of 120 J total energy for 5 min, the periodic structure obtained corresponds to 2D photonic crystal structure which is composed of two parts; the material with the highest refractive index and the air.     

Phase separation of p53 precedes aggregation and is affected by oncogenic mutations and ligands

Mutant p53 tends to form aggregates with amyloid properties, especially amyloid oligomers inside the nucleus, which are believed to cause oncogenic gain-of-function (GoF). The mechanism of the formation of the aggregates in the nucleus remains uncertain. The present study demonstrated that the DNA-binding domain of p53 (p53C) underwent phase separation (PS) on the pathway to aggregation under various conditions. p53C phase separated in the presence of the crowding agent polyethylene glycol (PEG). Similarly, mutant p53C (M237I and R249S) underwent PS; however, the process evolved to a solid-like phase transition faster than that in the case of wild-type p53C. The data obtained by microscopy of live cells indicated that transfection of mutant full-length p53 into the cells tended to result in PS and phase transition (PT) in the nuclear compartments, which are likely the cause of the GoF effects. Fluorescence recovery after photobleaching (FRAP) experiments revealed liquid characteristics of the condensates in the nucleus. Mutant p53 tended to undergo gel- and solid-like phase transitions in the nucleus and in nuclear bodies demonstrated by slow and incomplete recovery of fluorescence after photobleaching. Polyanions, such as heparin and RNA, were able to modulate PS and PT in vitro. Heparin apparently stabilized the condensates in a gel-like state, and RNA apparently induced a solid-like state of the protein even in the absence of PEG. Conditions that destabilize p53C into a molten globule conformation also produced liquid droplets in the absence of crowding. The disordered transactivation domain (TAD) modulated both phase separation and amyloid aggregation. In summary, our data provide mechanistic insight into the formation of p53 condensates and conditions that may result in the formation of aggregated structures, such as mutant amyloid oligomers, in cancer. The pathway of mutant p53 from liquid droplets to gel-like and solid-like (amyloid) species may be a suitable target for anticancer therapy.

Mutant p53 tends to form aggregates with amyloid properties, especially amyloid oligomers inside the nucleus, which are believed to cause oncogenic gain-of-function (GoF).     

Intermolecular multiple quantum coherences at high magnetic field: the nonlinear regime

Experiments have been carried at magnetic-field strengths of 9.4, 14.1, and 17.6 T to explore the evolution of intermolecular multiple quantum coherences in the nonlinear regime where the system evolves for times that are much greater than the characteristic time of action of the long-range dipolar field, tau(d). The results show the expected Bessel function form of the recorded signal as a function of time of evolution, with evident zeros and sign changes. As expected, the rate of signal evolution increases at higher-field strengths as a result of the increased equilibrium magnetization. A numerical method for calculating the evolution of magnetization under the action of the distant dipolar field, relaxation, and diffusion that is based on Fourier analysis of the magnetization distribution has been applied to the correlated two-dimensional spectroscopy revamped by asymmetric z-gradient echo detection sequence in the nonlinear regime and shown to produce results that are in good agreement with experimental data acquired at different magnetic fields and rates of spatial modulation. Experiments and simulations have also been used to explore the evolution of magnetization in a mixture of two interacting spin species in the nonlinear regime.     

Optimisation of Supercritical Carbon Dioxide Systems for Complexation of Naproxen : Beta-Cyclodextrin

Supercritical carbon dioxide (scCO₂)offers several attractive scenarios for thepharmaceutical processing as an alternativeto aqueous and organic solvents. In thiswork naproxen, a widely used non steroidalanti-inflammatory drug with analgesic andanti-inflammatory properties, was chosenas a model drug. Its complexation with cyclodextrinsimproves the rate and extent of dissolutionof the drug, increase its rate of absorption and mayreduce the unpleasant side-effects of the drug.The interest in using this supercritical technologyled us to develop an experimental unit for the useof supercritical CO₂ as a processing medium forthe complexation of naproxen with beta cyclodextrin (CD).