Naphthyl azomesogens with lateral chloro groups

A homologous series of azomesogens, 2″-[4-(4′-n-alkoxybenzoyloxy)-2-chlorophenylazo] naphthalenes, with lateral chloro groups was synthesised. All the homologues synthesized exhibit enantiotropic nematic mesophase. The mesomorphic properties of the present series are compared with other structurally related series to evaluate the effect of lateral chloro group and its position on mesomorphism This paper was presented at the 10th National Conference on Liquid Crystals held at Bangalore, India during 9–11 October 2003.     

Photorefractive Four-Wave Mixing Switches Utilizing Pockels Effect -Longitudinal and Lateral Switches-

We carried out detailed calculations for photorefractive wave-mixing switches based on one of three crystals with high electro-optic coefficients, namely, BaTiO₃, Strontium Barium Niobate (SBN (0.75)), and Potasium Sodium Strontium Barium Niobate (KNSBN). A comparison of results for the three crystals shows that a 0_-cut BaTiO³ crystal is suitable for a longitudinal switch and requires a voltage of about 80 for a 2-mm-thick crystal to induce sufficient phase mismatch. The electrodes must be transparent for the incident and diffracted beams. A 45_-cut SBN (0.75) crystal, however, is suitable for a lateral switch and requires a voltage of about 150 for a 1-mm-wide crystal. The electrodes do not need to be transparent.     

透镜初级球差的横向剪切干涉条纹研究

利用玻璃平行平板构成简单的横向剪切干涉仪可以观察到单薄透镜形成的准直光束的剪切干涉条纹,由干涉条纹分布求出对应的几何像差和离焦量.用焦距为190 mm的单薄透镜做实验,实验结果与计算机模拟结果符合,说明可以从剪切干涉条纹的分布求出透镜的轴向调整误差和初级球差.     

横向放大率法测定光具组的基点

介绍了用横向放大率法确定两薄透镜组成的光具组基点的原理和方法,该方法采用线阵光电耦合器件(CCD)测量物经光学系统成像的横向放大率,进一步提高了测量精度.     

SYNTHESIS AND PROPERTIES OF POLYSTYRENE／LAPONITE NANOCOMPOSITES

Exfoliated polystyrene (PS)/laponite nanocomposites were prepared successfully. The characteristic doo1 diffraction peak of organo-laponite disappeared in the XRD patterns of nanocomposites, indicating that the laponite layers were exfoliated and the ordered crystal structure of laponite was destroyed because of the styrene polymerization. TEM observations showed that the exfoliated laponite primary particles were dispersed randomly in the PS matrix with lateral dimensions from 1 nm to 10 rim. SEM results showed that the PS/laponite nanocomposite particles were almost monodispersed spheres with the size of about 120 rim. Because of the interaction between PS and laponite nanolayers, the nanocomposites exhibited higher thermal stability and glass transition temperature when compared to pure PS.     

Kinetics and equilibrium of multicomponent adsorption on chiraly templated surfaces

In this contribution we propose a simple model of adsorption of a binary (racemic) mixture on a chiraly templated surface. As an example, the adsorption of a liquid mixture of enantiomers on a chiral stationary phase (CSP) is considered. In particular, we study the effect of the lateral interactions in the adsorbed phase on the kinetic and equilibrium isotherms of the enantiomers. Additionally, we investigate the influence of the composition of the surface on the performance of the CSP in the presence of the lateral interactions. To that end, the adsorption of the mixture is modeled by using Monte Carlo simulations as well as by applying an analytical approach involving rate equations coupled with the Mean Field Approximation (MFA). The predictions of the theory are found to be in good agreement with the results of the simulations.     

A Novel Anti-Inflammatory d-Peptide Inhibits Disease Phenotype Progression in an ALS Mouse Model

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease characterised by selective neuronal death in the brain stem and spinal cord. The cause is unknown, but an increasing amount of evidence has firmly certified that neuroinflammation plays a key role in ALS pathogenesis. Neuroinflammation is a pathological hallmark of several neurodegenerative disorders and has been implicated as driver of disease progression. Here, we describe a treatment study demonstrating the therapeutic potential of a tandem version of the well-known all-d-peptide RD2 (RD2RD2) in a transgenic mouse model of ALS (SOD1*G93A). Mice were treated intraperitoneally for four weeks with RD2RD2 vs. placebo. SOD1*G93A mice were tested longitudinally during treatment in various behavioural and motor coordination tests. Brain and spinal cord samples were investigated immunohistochemically for gliosis and neurodegeneration. RD2RD2 treatment in SOD1*G93A mice resulted not only in a reduction of activated astrocytes and microglia in both the brain stem and lumbar spinal cord, but also in a rescue of neurons in the motor cortex. RD2RD2 treatment was able to slow progression of the disease phenotype, especially the motor deficits, to an extent that during the four weeks treatment duration, no significant progression was observed in any of the motor experiments. Based on the presented results, we conclude that RD2RD2 is a potential therapeutic candidate against ALS.     

General analysis of the measurements of the lateral crystal lattice moduli of semicrystalline polymers by x-ray diffraction and the application to nylon 6

A mathematical representation based on a linear elastic theory is proposed by which one may investigate the dependences of molecular orientation and crystallinity on the crystal lattice moduli and linear thermal expansion coefficients in the direction perpendicular to the chain axis as commonly measured by x-ray diffraction. In the theoretical calculation, a previously introduced model was employed in which oriented crystalline phase is surrounded by oriented amorphous phase and the strains of the two phases at the boundary are identical. The mathematical analysis indicated that the lateral crystal lattice moduli and linear thermal coefficients as measured by x-ray diffraction may be different from the intrinsic crystal moduli and linear thermal coefficients of a crystal unit cell, depending on the structure of the polymer solid. The numerical calculation was applied to nylon 6. As a result, it may be confirmed that the lateral crystal lattice moduli measured by x-ray diffraction are sensitive to the morphology of the bulk speciments and close to the intrinsic crystal moduli if the morphology of the test specimen can be represented by a parallel model with respect to the original stretching longitudinal direction.     

In situ friction study of Ag Underpotential deposition (UPD) on Au(111) in aqueous electrolyte

The electrodeposition of silver on Au(111) was investigated using lateral force microscopy (LFM) in Ag⁺ containing sulfuric acid. Friction force images show that adsorbed sulfate forms structure ( on Au(111) prior to Ag underpotential deposition (UPD) and structure ( ) on a complete monolayer or bilayer of Ag. Variation of friction with normal load shows a non-monotonous dependence, which is caused by increasing penetration of the tip into the sulfate adlayer. In addition, the friction force is influenced by the varying coverage and mobility of Ag atoms on the surface. Before Ag coverage reaches the critical value, the deposited silver atoms may be mobile enough to be dragged by the movement of AFM tip. Possible penetration of the tip into the UPD layer at very high loads is discussed as a model for self-healing wear. However, when the coverage of Ag is close to 1, the deposited Ag atoms are tight enough to resist the influence of the AFM tip and the tip penetrates only into the sulfate adlayer.     

Efficiently Synthesizing Lacto-Ganglio-Series Gangliosides by Using a Glucosyl Ceramide Cassette Approach: The Total Synthesis of Ganglioside X2

The first total synthesis of the hybrid ganglioside X2, which consisted of a highly branched octasaccharide and ceramide moieties, was accomplished by using a glucosyl ceramide cassette approach. With a disaccharyl donor, the heptasaccharide could not be constructed by glycosylation of the C4 hydroxy group of galactose at the reducing end of the pentasaccharide. In contrast, through an alternative approach with two branched glycan units, a GM2-core trisaccharide, and a lacto-ganglio tetrasaccharide, the heptasaccharyl donor could be prepared and subsequently joined with a glucosyl ceramide cassette to afford the protected ganglioside, X2. Finally, global deprotection completed the synthesis, thus affording the pure ganglioside X2.