Antiferromagnetic Potts Models on the Square Lattice: A High-Precision Monte Carlo Study

We study the antiferromagnetic q-state Potts model on the square lattice for q=3 and q=4, using the Wang–Swendsen–Kotecký (WSK) Monte Carlo algorithm and a powerful finite-size-scaling extrapolation method. For q=3 we obtain good control up to correlation length 5000; the data are consistent with ()=Ae ^{2 p} (1+a ₁ e ^– + ...) as , with p1. The staggered susceptibility behaves as _stagg ^5/3. For q=4 the model is disordered (2) even at zero temperature. In appendices we prove a correlation inequality for Potts antiferromagnets on a bipartite lattice, and we prove ergodicity of the WSK algorithm at zero temperature for Potts antiferromagnets on a bipartite lattice.     

New fused pyrroles with rA1/A2A antagonistic activity as potential therapeutics for neurodegenerative disorders

Molecular Diversity - In a pilot study, eleven pyrrolopyridine and pyrrolopyrimidine derivatives (specifically, 7-azaindole and 7-deazapurine derivatives) were synthesised by Suzuki cross-coupling...     

Yttrium aluminate crystals for slabs

The methods of growing YAG:Nd crystals with a flat interface and YAP:Nd crystals with a sharp conical interface are described. The form of the interface was controlled by the He and H₂O content in the reducing atmosphere composed mainly of Ar and H₂ as well as by axial temperature gradient above the melt level. The crystals of 120–180 mm in length were machined to the high-quality slabs.     

Electronics with and on paper

Today there is a strong interest in the scientific and industrial community concerning the use of biopolymers for electronic applications, driven mainly by low‐cost and disposable applications. Adding to this interest, we must recognise the importance of the dream of wireless auto‐sustained and low‐energy‐consumption electronics. This dream can be fulfilled by cellulose paper, the lightest and the cheapest known substrate material, as well as the Earth's major biopolymer and of tremendous global economic importance. Most of the paper used up to now is optimised in terms of the required mechanical and physical properties to be used as the support of inks of different origins. In the future, specific electronic heterogeneous paper sheets should be fabricated aiming to get paper fibers with required bulk and surface functionalities, proper water/vapour barrier, size and diameter/thickness of the fibrils and full paper thickness. This will be the function of components/devices to be incorporated/integrated such as thin‐film transistors, complementary metal oxide semiconductor devices, passive electronic components (resistances, inductors and capacitors), memory transistors, electrochromics and thin‐film paper batteries. (© 2011 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Soliton–like pulse dynamics in add–drop optical filters based on nonlinear fiber grating couplers

The dynamics characteristics of picosecond soliton-like pulses propagating through add–drop optical filters, based on lossless uniform and Gaussian nonlinear fiber grating couplers, are numerically investigated under different power levels. To obtain the temporal profiles, the nonlinear coupled-mode equations, that model these devices, are solved numerically. These devices can perform the extraction (drop) of an optical signal, since there is the reflection of a pulse previously switched between adjacent waveguides. The extraction efficiency, recurrently better at low power levels, is subordinated to the matching between the associated spectra of the input pulses and the hybrid devices analyzed. The switching effects, as well the gratings responsiveness, impact on the outputs profiles, since diverse temporal shapes can be obtained. The results reinforce the importance and the potential of properly engineered structures for all-optical processing requirements.     

EPR spectroscopy of protein microcrystals oriented in a liquid crystalline polymer medium

Correlation of the g-tensor of a paramagnetic active center of a protein with its structure provides a unique experimental information on the electronic structure of the metal site. To address this problem, we made solid films containing metalloprotein (Desulfovibrio gigas cytochrome c(3)) microcrystals. The microcrystals in a liquid crystalline polymer medium (water/hydroxypropylcellulose) were partially aligned by a shear flow. A strong orientation effect of the metalloprotein was observed by EPR spectroscopy and polarizing optical microscopy. The EPR spectra of partially oriented samples were simulated, allowing for molecular orientation distribution function determination. The observed effect results in enhanced sensitivity and resolution of the EPR spectra and provides a new approach towards the correlation of spectroscopic data, obtained by EPR or some other technique, with the three-dimensional structure of a protein or a model compound.     

Optimized pathway selection in intraresidual triple-resonance experiments

An optimized intraresidual pulse sequence element with better sensitivity and suppression of sequential cross peaks is presented. Concatenation of three magnetization transfer delays allows their independent setting, in accordance with the relaxation properties of the individual spins, without concomitantly prolonging the pulse sequence. Additionally, implementations of the scheme to HNCA, HNCACB, and the TROSY based triple-resonance experiments are proposed. The feasibility of the new element was verified by recording HNCA and HNCACB on the small 8.6 kDa protein ubiquitin. The corresponding HNCA-TROSY experiment was tested on a larger protein, the 30.4 kDa Cel6A from the thermophilic soil bacterium Thermobifida fusca at 800 (1)H MHz.     

Robust dangerous border-collision bifurcations in piecewise smooth systems

Physical and computer experiments involving systems describable by piecewise smooth continuous maps that are nondifferentiable on some surface in phase space exhibit novel types of bifurcations in which an attracting fixed point exists before and after the bifurcation. The striking feature of these bifurcations is that they typically lead to "unbounded behavior" of orbits as a system parameter is slowly varied through its bifurcation value. This new type of border-collision bifurcation is fundamental and robust. A method that prevents such "dangerous border-collision bifurcations" is given. These bifurcations may be found in a variety of experiments including circuits.