From monomeric to polymeric ferroelectric liquid crystals A comparative study of ferroelectric properties

Two new ferroelectric oligosiloxanes, a cyclic tetramer and a twin, have been synthesized. By a comparative study with their corresponding monomer and side chain polysiloxanes, the influence of oligo- and polymerization on the liquid crystalline and ferroelectric properties have been investigated. Polymerization leads to a stabilization of LC phases through increase of the clearing temperatures and suppression of crystallization. Oligomerization also leads to mesophase broadening, but, due to the low degree of polymerization, the effect is inferior to the linear polysiloxanes. The low viscosity of the oligosiloxanes ensures response times in the microsecond region, thus being comparable with their monomer and conventional LMWFLCs. It is found that polymerization increases the spontaneous polarization P_s. This is attributed to the density increase after polymerization, enhancing the inter-mesogenic interactions. The collective and local dynamics of the OFLCs are influenced differently with respect to their molecular structures. Each oligomer is already a good model for its corresponding polymer concerning the soft mode dynamics. For the local β-relaxation a similar temperature dependence of the relaxation times τ for the cyclic tetramer and for the side chain polysiloxanes is observed. The long axial rotation of the twin, having a very efficient decoupling, is significantly faster, thus resembling the monomer.     

Untersuchungen über Enzymaktivitäten der Leberzelle bei Vitamin-E-Mangel

The enzymatic elongation of acyl-CoA esters by malonyl-CoA, respectively de novo synthesis of fatty acids from malonyl-CoA by liver microsomes and non particulate fraction of α-tocopherol deficient rats is diminished versus controls. However, liver microsomes of vitamin E deficient rats synthesize more eicosatetraenic acid from γ-linolenic acid and more γ-linolenic acid from linolic acid than do those of tocopherol supplemented animals. It has often been shown that the liver phosphatides of tocopherol deficient rats contain more arachidonic acid than those of controls, a fact which can be explained now by increased activity of the enzymes involved in the biosynthesis of arachidonic acid. Certain polyenic fatty acids are more rapidly synthesized in the absence of naturally occuring antioxidants. Some enzymes of the respiratory chain have also been examined. No vitamin E deficiency effect has been found on enzymes such as gluconate-6-P-dehydrogenase, isocitrate-dehydrogenase, malate-dehydrogenase and lactate dehydrogenase contained in the non particulate fraction. Sonicated mitochondria of tocopherol deficient rats show a greater activity towards cytochrome, oxydase and β-hydroxy-acetyl-CoA-dehydrogenase than controls, possibly due to ultrastractural alteration of this particle.     

Sampling and sample preparation

Summary Problems, techniques and means of water sampling are reviewed. Applicability and performance are discussed with regard to individual and composite samples, and also to automatic sampling. Storage and preservation of samples are dealt with.

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Probenahme und Behandlung von ProbenWasser

Zusammenfassung Probleme, Verfahren und Hilfsmittel bei der Probenahme von Wasser werden behandelt. Ausführung und Anwendbarkeit von Einzel und Mischproben sowie der automatischen Probenahme werden diskutiert, ebenso die Aufbewahrung und Konservierung von Proben.

Start of discussion held at the 6th Annual Symposium on Recent Advances in the Analytical Chemistry of Pollutants, April 21–23, 1976; Vienna, Austria.     

Composite alternatives in group decision support

Decision theory models of group decision processes usually assume a given set of alternatives, from which the group has to choose. In realistic group decision situations, however, alternatives are often not specified a priori, but are created during the group process from different components introduced by the group members. This paper develops methods for systematically creating such composite alternatives, also taking into account the necessity to keep both the computational effort and the cognitive load to group members within reasonable limits.Paper presented at the International Conference on Support Systems for Decision and Negotiation Processes DNS-92, Warsaw, 1992.