Hollow latex particles as submicrometer reactors for polymerization in confined geometries

A method was developed for free‐radical polymerization in the confines of a hollow latex particle. Hollow particles were prepared via the dynamic swelling method from polystyrene seed and divinylbenzene and had hollows of 500–1000 nm. So that these hollow poly(divinylbenzene) particles could function as submicrometer reactors, the particles were filled with a monomer (N‐isopropylacrylamide) via the dispersion of the dried particles in the molten monomer. The monomer that was not contained in the hollows was removed by washing and gentle abrasion. Free‐radical polymerization was then initiated by γ radiolysis in the solid state. Transmission electron microscopy showed that poly(N‐isopropylacrylamide) formed in the hollow interior of the particles, which functioned as submicrometer reactors. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 42: 5706–5713, 2004     

Global expression analysis of CESA and CSL genes in Arabidopsis

We have used Affymetrix gene chips to measure the expression of 10 CESA and 29 CSL genes of Arabidopsis in different developmental stages or organs. These measurements reveal that many of the genes exhibit different levels of expression in the various organs. While several CESA genes are highly expressed in all the tissues examined, very few CSL genes approach such high levels of expression. This suggests that the CSL genes either encode enzymes for the synthesis of minor components of cell walls or are expressed only in specific cell types. The expression data also highlights the potential importance of the CESA genes for primary and secondary cell wall formation during different developmental stages and in the different organs examined.     

The representation dimension of domestic weakly symmetric algebras

Auslander’s representation dimension measures how far a finite dimensional algebra is away from being of finite representation type. In [1], M. Auslander proved that a finite dimensional algebra A is of finite representation type if and only if the representation dimension of A is at most 2. Recently, R. Rouquier proved that there are finite dimensional algebras of an arbitrarily large finite representation dimension. One of the exciting open problems is to show that all finite dimensional algebras of tame representation type have representation dimension at most 3. We prove that this is true for all domestic weakly symmetric algebras over algebraically closed fields having simply connected Galois coverings.     

Synthese und Kristallstruktur von Blei(II)‐oxidhalogenid‐Alkoholaten mit unterschiedlichen Verknüpfungsvarianten von Pb4O4‐Heterokubaneinheiten

Synthesis and Crystal Structure Determination of Lead(II) Oxide Halide Alcoholates with Different Connectivity of Pb₄O₄ Heterocubane‐like Subunits The reaction of red lead(II) oxide (Litharge) and lead(II) halide (Cl^? and Br^?) with diethylene glycole at a temperature of 180 °C leads to the isotypic compounds [Pb₆(C₄H₈O₃)O₂Cl₆] (1) and [Pb₆(C₄H₈O₃)O₂Br₆] (2) . In a similar synthesis with PbI₂ as educt at temperature of 160 °C the two modifications β‐[Pb₆(C₄H₈O₃)O₂I₆] (3) and α‐[Pb₆(C₄H₈O₃)O₂I₆] (4) were found, whereas at a reaction temperature of 180 °C [Pb₉(C₂H₄O₂)(C₄H₈O₃)O₃I₈] (5) was surprisingly obtained as product. The X‐ray diffraction data show that at a temperature of 180 °C a splitting of the ether took place. The cited compounds show cubane like subunits built by lead and oxygen atoms. These fragments are connected by alkoholate molecules. In 5 additionally an I₆ octahedra centered by lead is observed.