Increasing hydrodynamic efficiency by reducing cross-beam energy transfer in direct-drive-implosion experiments

A series of experiments to determine the optimum laser-beam radius by balancing the reduction of cross-beam energy transfer (CBET) with increased illumination nonuniformities shows that the hydrodynamic efficiency is increased by ～35%, which leads to a factor of 2.6 increase in the neutron yield when the laser-spot size is reduced by 20%. Over this range, the absorption is measured to increase by 15%, resulting in a 17% increase in the implosion velocity and a 10% earlier bang time. When reducing the ratio of laser-spot size to a target radius below 0.8, the rms amplitudes of the nonuniformities imposed by the smaller laser spots are measured at a convergence ratio of 2.5 to exceed 8 μm and the neutron yield saturates despite increasing absorbed energy, implosion velocity, and decreasing bang time. The results agree well with hydrodynamic simulations that include both nonlocal and CBET models.     

Direct asymmetric Mannich reaction of phthalides: facile access to chiral substituted isoquinolines and isoquinolinones

The first Mannich reaction employing phthalides using a quinidine-based multifunctional catalyst has been developed. The reported method led to the synthesis of 3,3-disubstituted phthalide derivatives in excellent yields, with good diastereo- and enantioselectivities. Convenient synthesis of chiral isoquinolinones and isoquinolines has also been demonstrated.     

Influence of excitation and solvation on the shift of tautomeric equilibrium. A quantum-mechanical study

Two quantum-mechanical models are proposed to described a shift of tautomeric equilibrium as a result of electronic excitation and change of environment. According to the first n PD MEP model which is used to estimate the relative solvation effect on the stability of tautomers in an excited state, the calculation of the interaction energy between a solvent (simulated by a set of n point dipoles, n PD) and an excited solute molecule is based on the molecular electrostatic potential (MEP) of the corresponding excited state. In the second n PDQ model, a solvent represented by a set of n point dipoles and quadrupoles (n PDQ) modifies the solute's hamiltonian via an electrostatic interaction contribution. Comparing the results of the calculation for isolated and solvated tautomers, the n PDQ model is used to estimate the influence of electronic excitation on the change of relative stability of tautomers existing in a solution. An application of both models to 2- and 4-oxopyridine predicts a shift of the tautomeric equilibria in their excited states in accordance with experimental evidence.     

General behavior of the In/GaAs couple under prolonged sintering

The effects of interaction between a thick In layer and heat-treated GaAs at 570°C are studied with Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (SIMS), Rutherford Backscattering Spectrometry (RBS), X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) and Nomarski microscopy. It is shown that, besides the well-known InGaAs crystallites which epitaxially grow upon dissolution of the substrate, an array of In-rich dendrites is observed whose density correlates with the density of the crystal dislocations. The driving force for In to protrude along the dislocations to eventually form In(Ga)As spikes is apparently excess arsenic reported to be present in the vicinity of the individual dislocations. It is postulated that the existing data concerning the coefficient of classical diffusion of In in GaAs may be overestimated by a factor of 10⁶.     

A simple electrostatic model of solvation for large molecules within the SCF MO theory

A very simple electrostatic model of solvation in which the solvent molecules are represented by point dipoles has been applied to simulate the hydration effect on molecular systems within the CNDO/2 method. The limitations of the model compared to the previous approaches as well as its feasible application to the study of tautomeric equilibria of cytosine and adenine in aqueous solution are discussed.     

Permanently oriented antibody immobilization for digoxin determination with a flow-through fluoroimmunosensor

This paper reports a new flow-through fluoroimmunosensor, the function of which is based on antibodies immobilized on an inmunoreactor of controlled-pore glass (CPG), for determination of digoxin, used in the treatment of congestive heart failure and artery disease. The immunosensor has a detection limit of 1.20 microg L(-1) and provides high reproducibility (RSD=4.5% for a concentration of 0.0025 mg L(-1), and RSD=6.7% for 0.01 mg L(-1)). The optimum working concentration range was found to be 1.2 x 10(-3)-4.0 x 10(-2) mg L(-1). The lifetime of the immunosensor was about 50 immunoassays; if stored unused its lifetime can be extended to three months. A sample speed of about 10-12 samples per hour can be attained. Possible interference from substances with structures similar to digoxin (morphine, heroin, tebaine, codeine, pentazocine and narcotine) was investigated. No cross-reactivity was seen at the highest digoxin: interferent ratio studied (1:100). The proposed fluoroimmunosensor was successfully used to determine digoxin concentrations in human serum samples.     

Coordination of Schiff bases derived from pyrrole-2-carboxaldehyde and triamines to copper(II) and nickel(II) ions. Crystal structures of [Cu(C15H20N5)]NO3 and [Ni(C15H20N5)]ClO4

The Schiffbases 1,9-bis(2-pyrrolyl)-2,5,8-triazanona-1,8-diene (H₂L¹), 1,10-bis(2-pyrrolyl)-2,5,9-triazaundeca-l,9-diene (H₂L²), and 1,11-bis(2-pyrrolyl)-6-methyl-2,6,10-triazaundeca-l,10-diene (H₂L⁴) react with copper(II) nitrate or nickel(II) perchlorate in the presence of triethylamine to give new complexes [Cu(HL^1,2,4)]NO₃ and [Ni(HL^1,2,4)]ClO₄. The crystal structures of [Cu(HL²)]NO₃ and [Ni(HL²)]CIO₄ have been determined from single crystal diffractometer data and refined to finalR factors of 5.09 and 5.3%, respectively. Crystallographic data: [Cu(HL²)]NO₃: monoclinic,P2₁/c,a=10.036(2),b=14.500(2),c=13.317(2) Å,=108.14(1)°,Z=4, andd _c =11.427 Mg m^–3; [Ni(HL²)]ClO₄: monoclinic,P2₁/n,a=10.578(3),b=13.953(3),c=12.394(4) Å,=93.78(2)°,Z=4, andd _c =1.549 Mg m^–3. In both the structures the potentially pentadentate ligand (HL²)^– acts as a tetradentate one leaving one pyrrole group uncoordinated. Interesting is the metal dependent sequence of the three chelate rings. While the Ni (II) ion coordinates the (HL²)^– ligand to form a 5-5-6-membered ring system, the ring arrangement in the copper complex is of the 5-6-5 type.