Vapor-liquid equilibria in binary mixtures formed from hexamethyldisiloxane,toluene and ethanol

Vapor-liquid equilibria have been measured in the binary systems hexamethyldisiloxane-toluene, hexamethyldisiloxane-ethanol and toluene-ethanol between 333.15 and 358.15 K and the results have been correlated using the Wilson equation. All three binary systems exhibit azeotropic behavior in the temperature range studied.     

In-out semi-classical gravity and 1N quantum gravity

Classical gravity with higher derivatives, when coupled to the in-out matrix element of T_μν: (a) appears to be free from instabilities of the in-in theory; (b) may be considered as the “underlying classical theory” to Tomboulis' $\text{1}\text{N}\text{-}\text{resummed}$ quantum gravity. I explain how these two facts may be adduced as evidence for the viability both of the former semi-classical approximation and of the latter approach to full quantum gravity.     

Quantum information and triangular optical lattices

The regular structures obtained by optical lattice technology and their behavior are analyzed from the quantum information perspective. Initially, we demonstrate that a triangular optical lattice of two atomic species, bosonic or fermionic, can be employed to generate a variety of novel spin-1/2 models that include effective three-spin interactions. Such interactions can be employed to simulate specific one-or two-dimensional physical systems that are of particular interest for their condensed matter and entanglement properties. In particular, connections between the scaling behavior of entanglement and the entanglement properties of closely spaced spins are drawn. Moreover, three-spin interactions are well suited to support quantum computing without the need to manipulate individual qubits. By employing Raman transitions or the interaction of the atomic electric dipole moment with magnetic field gradients, one can generate Hamiltonians that can be used for the physical implementation of geometric or topological objects. This work serves as a review article that also includes many new results.     

Shock-wave velocity of a femtosecond-laser-produced plasma

Fluorescence measurements have been used to characterize the velocity of atoms in a femtosecond-laser-produced plasma. Nanogram amounts of a copper sample were ablated by the focused radiation (λ=775 nm) of an all-solid-state laser. The laser was operated at a pulse rate of 10 Hz with an energy of 200μJ per pulse. The microplasma expanded into a defined argon atmosphere of pressures between 0.02 and 850 mbar. Atomic fluorescence was excited in the laser plume by a dye-laser pulse with the wavelength set to the line Cu I 282.4 nm. The narrowed beam of the dye-laser was directed into the plasma at different heights above the sample surface. The fluorescence radiation was measured with an échelle-spectrometer, equipped with an intensified-charge-coupled device as the detector. The velocity depends strongly on the pressure of the ambient atmosphere and the distance from the sample surface. The highest velocity found at an argon pressure of 0.02 mbar was 1.0×10⁶ cm s⁻¹.     

Microcionamides A and B, bioactive peptides from the philippine sponge Clathria (Thalysias) abietina

Microcionamides A (1) and B (2) have been isolated from the Philippine marine sponge Clathria (Thalysias) abietina. These new linear peptides are cyclized via a cystine moiety and have their C-terminus blocked by a 2-phenylethylenamine group. Their total structures, including absolute stereochemistry, were determined by a combination of spectral and chemical methods. Compound 1 was shown to slowly isomerize about the C-36/C-37 double bond when stored in DMSO. Microcionamides A (1) and B (2) exhibited significant cytotoxicity against the human breast tumor cells lines MCF-7 and SKBR-3 and displayed inhibitory activity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis H(37)Ra.     

1H multiple-quantum nuclear magnetic resonance investigations of molecular order in polymer networks. II. Intensity decay and restricted slow dynamics

We present an approach towards the analysis of the intensity decay in proton multiple-quantum experiments on polymeric networks in terms of slow fluctuations of the residual dipole-dipole coupling tensor. Solutions for individual spin pairs as well as the three-spin system of methyl groups are derived, and the influence of the cycle time of the multiple-quantum pulse sequence is evaluated. The multiple-quantum strategy discussed herein features the advantage that the magnitude of the fluctuating part of the residual dipole-dipole coupling constant and the correlation time of the slow process can be determined independently of the integral residual coupling constant as well as its distribution. The theory is applied to experiments on end-linked poly(dimethylsiloxane) model networks with mono- and bimodal chain length distributions, where it is found that, for all samples, correlation times of the slow processes average to about 1 ms, and that the magnitude of the fluctuating part of the dipole-dipole coupling is significantly smaller than the average dipole-dipole coupling constant. This observation is interpreted in terms of considerably restricted reorientations of topological constraints.     

Tracking regression and progression of atherosclerosis in human carotid arteries using high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can accurately and reproducibly measure the volume of atherosclerotic plaque in human carotid arteries. Atherosclerotic plaques may either progress or regress over time, depending on individual risk factors and treatment regimens. This study was designed to determine if regression or progression of human carotid atherosclerosis in patients receiving statin therapy over 24 months can be detected by high-resolution MRI. METHODS: In 11 subjects who had undergone unilateral carotid endarterectomy and were on statin therapy, volumes for total carotid artery, concentric wall (normal wall), eccentric wall (plaque), and lumen were quantified at 0, 16 and 24 months using a 1.5-T human imager equipped with 6-cm phased array coils. RESULTS: The interobserver mean coefficient of variation (CV) was lowest for the lumen volume (3.1%) and highest for the plaque volume (9.8%). The interscan mean CV was lowest for the total artery volume (3.2%) and highest for the plaque volume (9.9%). As much as 26% regression and 35% progression were observed in individual subject's carotid artery eccentric wall (plaque) volumes over time. Mean eccentric wall volume increased 5% by 16 months and 8% by 24 months. Mean total wall volume increased slightly at both 16 and 24 months (+1.2% and +1.8%). CONCLUSIONS: High-resolution MRI provides a noninvasive reproducible method of tracking changes in carotid atherosclerosis. This pilot study detected changes in individual subjects at both 16 and 24 months. MRI tracking of changes in atherosclerotic plaques should prove useful in assessing vascular disease risk and monitoring the efficacy of interventions designed to induce regression or retard progression.     

Bioacoustic spatial perception by humans: a controlled laboratory measurement of spatial resolution without distal cues

The angular spatial resolution of a wide-angle air sonar using a continuous transmission frequency-modulated radiation, with the output coupled binaurally to the auditory system of a user, was measured under restrained controlled conditions. This was done to determine the effect of adding a narrow central field of view of 9 deg to a wide-angle sonar. The target objects were three equidistant vertical rods initially spaced apart by 10 deg. This was varied down to a spacing of 4 deg. Ten nonvisual subjects achieved an angular resolution of 6 deg. Four of these ten subjects continued learning to achieve an unexpected spatial resolution of 4 deg within the 9 deg central field. A mean error of approximately 1 deg in direction accuracy was achieved. It is inferred that the unique variations in the octave band ultrasonic echoes within the narrow field, and the invariance of the on-axis echo as one's head is turned, enables this angular resolution and accuracy to be achieved within the wide binaural field of view of 50 deg. This ability to resolve specula objects within a narrow angular resolution element of 9 deg is linked to the bat's ability to seemingly resolve object glints within a distal resolution element of less than 2 wavelengths.