Analyses of intrinsic inhomogeneity and metal segregation in samples of Ag–Ge–Se glasses

Ge_ySe_(1−y) glasses are semiconductors but when Ag is added above certain threshold concentration, Ag_x[Ge_ySe_(1−y)]_(100−x) glasses behave as fast ionic conductors [Ureña et al., Solid State Ionics 176 (2005) 505]. This peculiar behavior may be attributed to the intrinsically inhomogeneous nature of these glasses where zones rich in metals coexist with zones of the host material. The conductivity transformation may be ascribed to the percolation of the Ag rich phase [Pradel et al., J. Phys.: Condens. Matter 15 (2003) S1561].Ag_x[Ge_0.25Se_0.75]_(100−x) glasses either massive or as films were obtained by melt quenching and pulsed laser deposition (PLD), respectively, in compositions belonging to the Se rich corner of the ternary phase diagram. Their amorphous nature and intermediate range order was checked employing X-ray diffractometry (XRD), the short range order was characterized by extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) (Ge and Se K absorption edge) and their microstructure was characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS).     

Novel and elegant modes of SbF3 coordination in the complexes with azacrown ethers

Synthesis and single-crystal X-ray structures are recorded for three adducts of SbF₃ with different azacrown ethers. [SbF₃·H₂O·L₁], 1, (L₁ = 12,13-benz-1,10-di(azamethyl)-4,7-dioxacyclotetradecane-1,14-dione), triclinic, , a = 11.234(2), b = 11.691(2), c = 8.869(2) Å, = 94.66(3), = 113.12(3), = 67.82(3)°, Z = 2. [SbF₃Cl·H₂O·(HL₂)], 2, (L₂ = monoaza-18-crown-6), orthorhombic, P2₁2₁2₁, a = 8.763(2), b = 13.003(3), a = 16.836(3) Å, Z = 4. [(SbF₃)₂Cl₂·(H₂L₃)], 3, (L₃ = 1,10-diaza-18-crown-6), triclinic, , a = 8.284(2), b = 9.016(2), c = 9.134(2) Å, = 82.92(3), = 65.24(3), = 63.38(3)°, Z = 1. All three structures include SbF₃ neutral molecules in the pyramidal mode and the antimony second coordination sphere is completed up to six in different fashions. In 1 the dimeric (SbF₃)₂ adducts are made up due to the involvement of the symmetry-related fluorine atom in coordination. The distorted octahedron is then completed by water molecule and carbonyl oxygen of L₁. The neutral molecules are joined by coordination and hydrogen bonds in the infinite ribbons. 2 and 3 are both comprised of neutral and charged species also bounded via coordination and hydrogen bonds. L₂ and L₃ in the complexes adopt the form of single and double-charged cations, respectively. The inorganic backbone unites the neutral SbF₃ molecules and chloride anions in the alternative mode. The sixth coordination site in the antimony polyhedron is completed by the water molecule in 2 and the ethereal oxygen atom in 3. Alignment of the inorganic entities within the structures of 2 and 3 is strikingly similar. Hydrogen bonding patterns are discussed.     

Vibrational properties of superionic glasses (AgI)x(Ag2O nB2O3)1-x

In this letter we refer on the Raman-scattering measurements in superionic glasses (AgI)_x(Ag₂O nB₂O₃)_1-x where 0 ? x ? 0.5. The behaviour of the low-frequency Raman spectra, Δν < 250 cm^?1, has been interpreted as due to a vibrational density of states mainly due to the silver halide. Nonlinear increase of the Raman efficiency with the increase of AgI concentration has been found: a phenomenological explanation is presented.     

Una proprietà gruppale delle involuzioni planari che mutano in sé un'ovale di un piano proiettivo finito

Summary The purpose of the present paper is to prove the following theorem: Let Ω be an oval in the projective plane P of odd order n. If P admits a collineation group G wich maps Ω onto itself and is doubly transitive on Ω, then P is desarguesian, Ω is a conic and G contains all collineations in the little projective group PSL(2, n) of P wich leaves Ω invariant.

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Entrata in Redazione il 5 april 1977.     

Nature of the short wavelength excitations in vitreous silica: An X-Ray brillouin scattering study

Spontaneous emission in photonic crystals with anisotropic three-dimensional dispersion relation is studied. If the upper level is below a characteristic frequency omega(1), or above omega(2), or between omega(1) and omega(2), the radiation is a localized field with a frequency in the band gap, or a propagating field with a frquency in the band, or a diffusion field, respectively. An analytical expression for the Lamb shift is obtained. The Lamb shift for the current case is small compared to that in an ordinary vacuum or in one- or two-dimensional photonic crystals due to lower density of states.     

Chemiluminescence as a PDT light source for microbial control

The photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a combination of using a photosensitizer agent, light and oxygen that can cause oxidative cellular damage. This technique is applied in several cases, including for microbial control. The most extensively studied light sources for this purpose are lasers and LED-based systems. Few studies treat alternative light sources based PDT. Sources which present flexibility, portability and economic advantages are of great interest. In this study, we evaluated the in vitro feasibility for the use of chemiluminescence as a PDT light source to induce Staphylococcus aureus reduction. The Photogem? concentration varied from 0 to 75 μg/ml and the illumination time varied from 60 min to 240 min.The long exposure time was necessary due to the low irradiance achieved with chemiluminescence reaction at μW/cm2 level. The results demonstrated an effective microbial reduction of around 98% for the highest photosensitizer concentration and light dose. These data suggest the potential use of chemiluminescence as a light source for PDT microbial control, with advantages in terms of flexibility, when compared with conventional sources.     

Electrolytic Oxidation of Thiocyanate and Selenocyanate Salts and the Photoelectrochemical Effect.

New photosensitive materials can be obtained by electrochemical oxidation of thiocyanate and selenocyanate salts. Using (K,Na)SCN eutectic melt, the formation of an electrodic deposit, with photoelectrochemical properties, has already been reported by us. To improve the photoelectrochemical characteristics of the deposit, futher investigations were carried out in the following sistems: selenocyanate ammoniate, KSCH-Acetamide eutectic mixture and KSCN ethylene carbonate solution:. Attempts to obtain a massive deposit in the ammoniate solution were unsuccessful due to ammonia oxidation. Measurements performed on the other KSCN systems show that temperature is a parameter of remarkable importance. In fact, lowering the temperature one obtains a decrease on formation of parathiocyanogen on behalf of the polytrithiocyanogen, the species that gives rise to the photoeffect.     

Synthesis and Antiproliferative Effect of Halogenated Coumarin Derivatives

A series of 6- and 6,8-halocoumarin derivatives have been investigated as potential antiproliferative compounds against a panel of tumor and normal cell lines. Cytotoxic effects were determined by the MTT method. To investigate the potential molecular mechanism involved in the cytotoxic effect, apoptosis assay, cell cycle analysis, reactive oxygen species (ROS), and reduced glutathione analysis were performed. Among the screened compounds, coumarins 6,8-dibromo-2-oxo-2H-chromene-3-carbonitrile 2h and 6,8-diiodo-2-oxo-2H-chromene-3-carbonitrile 2k exhibited the most antiproliferative effect in thyroid cancer-derived cells TPC-1. The apoptosis assay showed that both 2h and 2k induced apoptosis in TPC-1 thyroid cancer cells. According to these experiments, both coumarins induced a slight increase in TPC-1 cells in the G2/M phase and a decrease in the S phase. A significant increase in ROS levels was observed in TPC-1 treated with diiodocoumarin 2k, while the dibromocoumarin 2h induced a decrease in ROS in a dose and time-dependent manner.     

Antiferroelectric and ferroelectric phase transitions of the displacive and order-disorder type in PbZrO3 and PbZr1-xTi x O3 single crystals

For PbZrO₃ and PbZr_0.99Ti_0.01O₃ single crystals the first order Raman light scattering spectra in the paraelectric phase have been analysed. In lead zirconate two kinds of crystals, with and without a transient phase, were investigated. It was found that temperature dependence of the defect-induced soft mode frequency in the paraelectric phase has a negligible contribution to the low-frequency dielectric response. From the point of view of strong dielectric relaxation in the range of 10⁶–10⁹ Hz, which originates in a disorder of the lead sites, crossover of the order-disorder and displacive type of antiferroelectric phase transition in lead zirconate is considered: the phase transition mechanism is neither purely displacive nor order-disorder. Contribution of physical phenomena responsible for the ε(ω,T) dielectric response at low frequencies of an external electric field are described.