Heterotrimeric liquid crystalline thiadiazole derivatives

Various trimeric co-oligomers combining 2-phenyl-1,3,4-thiadiazole mesogenic moieties with a biphenyl mesogenic moiety were synthesized and their mesomorphic behaviour investigated by polarizing microscopy, calorimetry and X-ray scattering. Such co-oligomeric structures provide an opportunity to combine different mesogenic units. Thus readily accessible homochiral biphenyl mesogenic units were connected with thiadiazole mesogenic units leading to an oligomeric liquid crystal material with ferroelectric properties.     

Studies in the decay of103Ru

The decay of¹⁰³Ru to¹⁰³Rh has been studied using a double-focussing spectrometer for the electron and negaton spectra and a Ge(Li) detector for gamma-ray measurements. TheL-conversion groups of the 40, 53, and 497 keV transitions were resolved at high resolution and unambigous multipolarity assignments were obtained for these transitions. The level scheme proposed resembles in principle that suggested by previous investigators. One essential difference is the doublet character of the state around 0.65 MeV. Tentative spin-parity values have been assigned to all levels from the deduced multipolarities and logft values.     

Adsorption of polar solutes in reversed-phase liquid-liquid chromatography

Summary The properties of chloroform as a liquid stationary phase in reversed-phase liquid chromatography have been investigated. Stable systems and complete pore filling of the support were obtained. Uncharged acids were slightly adsorbed by the support. Amines in the cationic form showed tailing, which can be attributed to adsorption on the support material. The influence of several reversed-phase supports on retention and peak symmetry has been studied. Little difference was found for uncharged acids, but retention and peak shape of the cations was dependent on the specific support. Also on the poly(styrene-divinylbenzene) copolymer PRP-1 cations gave tailing peaks. The results indicate that the surface of reversed-phase supports is heterogeneous. From this and other studies it can be concluded that only certain reversed-phase silicas, such as -Bondapak, are suitable supports for cationic solutes. In liquid-liquid chromatography polar solutes only obey a liquid-liquid distribution model if the liquid stationary phase molecules contains a hydrophobic group, as well as a polar function.Presented in part at the 7th and 9th International Symposiums on Column Liquid Chromatography, Baden-Baden, FRG, May 1983, and Edinburgh, UK, July 1985, respectively.     

An internal conversion study of the decay of193Au

The internal conversion spectrum following the decay of¹⁹³Au has been studied in the electron energy region 0.8 to 700 keV, with the use of high-resolution magnetic beta-ray spectrometers. Several not previously reported transitions have been estabblished. Multipolarities and mixing ratios have been deduced fromK/L and subshell intensity ratios, and the majority of the transitions were found to be ofM1 and/orE2 characters. A revised level scheme for¹⁹³Pt, which consistently accomodates most transitions, has been constructed. Tentative spin-parity values have been assigned to all levels.     

Numerical Approximation for a White Noise Driven SPDE with Locally Bounded Drift

A numerical scheme for a stochastic partial differential equation of heat equation type is considered where the drift is locally bounded and the dispersion may be state dependent. Uniform convergence in probability is obtained. Roger Pettersson: Partially supported by the EU grant ref. ERBF MRX CT96 0057A.     

Detection of laser induced dielectric breakdown in water using a laser doppler vibrometer

This study is focused on exploring the feasibility of an all-optic surface scanning method in determining the size and position of a submerged, laser generated, optoacoustic (OA) source. The optoacoustic effect in this case was generated when the absorption of a short electromagnetic pulse in matter caused a dielectric breakdown, a plasma emission flash and a subsequent acoustic wave. In the experiment, a laser pulse with λ = 1064 nm and 12 ns pulse length was aimed at a volume of deionized water. When the laser beam was focused by a f = 16 mm lens, a single dielectric breakdown spot occurred. When a f = 40 mm was used several breakdowns in a row were induced. The breakdowns were photographed using a double shutter camera. The acoustic wave generated by the dielectric breakdowns were detected at a point on the water surface using a laser Doppler vibrometer (LDV). First, the LDV signal was used to calculate the speed of sound with an accuracy of 10 m/s. Secondly, the location and length of the dielectric breakdown was calculated with an accuracy of 1 mm. The calculated position matched the breakdown location recorded by a camera. The results show that it is possible to use LDV surface measurements from a single spot to determine both the position and length of the OA source as well as the speed of sound in the medium. Furthermore, the LDV measurements also show a secondary peak that originates from the OA source. To unravel the origin and properties of this interesting feature, further investigations are necessary     

Antiviral activity of Engystol<Superscript>®</Superscript> and Gripp-Heel<Superscript>®</Superscript>: an in-vitro assessment

Background  

Infections with respiratory viruses can activate the innate immune response - an important host defence mechanism in the early stage of viral infection. Interferon (IFN) release, triggered by virus infection, is an important factor in establishing an antiviral state, where IFN activation occurs prior to the onset of the adaptive immune response.     

Fluorescence emission of excited hydrogen atoms after core excitation of water vapor

The Balmer emission from atomic hydrogen has been recorded across the resonances at the oxygen K edge of the water molecule using synchrotron radiation excitation. The emission is observed to be strongest at excitations to Rydberg resonances. The observations are interpreted using a qualitative model for the dynamics of the core-to-Rydberg excited molecule. The model links the quantum state of the core-excited water molecule via resonant Auger decay and subsequent dissociation to the state of the fluorescing hydrogen atom.