Meeting Report: Australia's First Users Workshop

The Australian Synchrotron Research Program (ASRP) and the Australian Synchrotron (AS) held their first joint Users Workshop over three days in December 2005. The ASRP has been providing access for Australian users to the APS, NSRRC and the Photon Factory since 1996; the AS is under construction in Melbourne and at press time was scheduled to open in early 2007. The joint user workshop is one of an increasing number of collaborative projects between the two programs as they move forward towards an eventual combined Australian user program.     

Chemical composition and antimicrobial activity of cumin oil (Cuminum cyminum, Apiaceae)

Cumin oil samples (Cuminum cyminum L.) from four different geographical origins were analyzed using GC-MS and GC-FID for their qualitative and quantitative composition. The major compounds in all cumin oils were the monoterpenes beta-pinene, p-cymene and gamma-terpinene and the terpenoid aldehydes cuminic aldehyde and the isomeric menthadien carboxaldehydes. All essential oils, and cuminic aldehyde, were tested, using agar diffusion and serial dilution methods, against different Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria isolated from different sources of food (pork fillet, minced meat and sausages) and clinical isolates, as well as three different Candida albicans isolates. All cumin oils and cuminic aldehyde exhibited a considerable inhibitory effect against all the organisms tested, except Pseudomonas spp.     

Chemical composition, olfactory evaluation and antimicrobial activity of selected essential oils and absolutes from Morocco

The chemical compositions of selected essential oils from North Africa, especially Morocco, of geranium, wild Moroccan chamomile and rosemary as well as absolutes of rose and geranium were determined using GC/FID and GC/MS. These oils and absolutes were tested concerning their antimicrobial activity against some food spoilage strains obtained from fresh milk and minced meat products, like sausages and pork fillet, in accordance with ISO testing procedures. Gram-positive (Bacillus cereus and Staphylococcus aureus) and Gram-negative (Escherichia coli, Salmonella abony and Pseudomonas aeruginosa) strains were used, as well as the yeast Candida albicans. Using a serial broth dilution method, all samples demonstrated weak antimicrobial activity against the Gram-negative bacteria and the yeast, compared with the activity towards the Gram-positive bacteria.     

Solvothermal Synthesis of New Luminescent Zinc(II) Coordination Polymers with One‐Dimensional Homochiral Structures

By using a dual‐ligand approach, two new homochiral zinc(II) coordination polymers, Zn₂(phen)₂(H₂O)₂(cam)₂ · ethanol ( 1 ) and Zn(bipy)(cam) ( 2 ) [phen = 1,10‐phenanthroline, bipy = 2,2′‐bipyridine, H₂cam = (1R,3S)‐(+)‐camphoric acid] have been synthesized under solvothermal conditions. Compound 1 has a zigzag chain‐like structure and compound 2 has a linear chain‐like structure. The two compounds exhibit intense photoluminescence upon photoexcitation at 280 and 290 nm, respectively.     

Constrained optimal discrimination designs for Fourier regression models

In this article, the problem of constructing efficient discrimination designs in a Fourier regression model is considered. We propose designs which maximize the power of the F-test, which discriminates between the two highest order models, subject to the constraints that the tests that discriminate between lower order models have at least some given relative power. A complete solution is presented in terms of the canonical moments of the optimal designs, and for the special case of equal constraints even more specific formulae are available.     

Cover Picture: Synthesis and Reactivity of Functionalized Binary and Ternary Thiometallate Complexes [(RT)4S6], [(RSn)3S4]2−, [(RT)2(CuPPh3)6S6], and [(RSn)6(OMe)6Cu2S6]4− (R=C2H4COOH,CMe2CH2COMe; T=Ge,Sn) (Chem. Eur. J. 27/2009)

Proof‐of‐principle is reported for a directed functionalization and derivatization of chalcogenidometallate cages with respect to the formation of hybrid compounds containing (M)/T/E semi‐conductor nodes (M=Cu; T=Ge, Sn; E=S). In their Full Paper on page 6595 ff. , S. Dehnen et al. show how it is possible to generate functionalized ternary CuSnS or CuGeS clusters and to transfer COMe ligands into CR(N–NH₂) or CR(N–NHPh) terminal groups by reaction of a series of novel, functionalized thiometallate cages [(RT)_nS_m] (n/m=4/6, 3/4), the R ligands of which are terminated by COO(H) or COMe.

     

Synthesis and Crystal Structure of a Bixbyite‐Type Solid Solution Zr0.43Er0.57O1.07N0.43

A powder of the composition 40 mol‐% Er₂O₃ and 60 mol‐% ZrO₂ has been prepared. The anion deficient fluorite related compound Zr₃Er₄O₁₂ [R\bar{3} : a = 971.79(7) pm and c = 907.976(0) pm] was produced. This precursor was treated with gaseous ammonia at temperatures between 25 and 1200 °C. The reaction was followed in situ by X‐ray diffraction in a high temperature reaction chamber under a constant flow of ammonia. The nitridation of Zr₃Er₄O₁₂ led to a nitride oxide of the solid‐solution‐type with an apparent composition Zr_0.43Er_0.57O_1.07N_0.43 The compound crystallizes isostructural to bixbyite due to vacancy ordering [Ia\bar{3} : a = 1036.37(4) pm]. The reoxidation of the nitride oxide was monitored in DTA/TG experiments exhibiting an almost complete reoxidation to the starting composition except for some inclusions of dinitrogen.     

Verification of an optical metrology system (ARAMIS) by comparing experimental data with FE calculations and continuum approaches

Optical 3D field measuring systems, based on DIC (Digital Image Correlation) deliver kinematic quantities. They are appropriate devices helping to understand the material behavior especially at high strains. One problem of these systems is the missing information about material points located behind the observed surface of the specimen, which is needed to assign the full deformation gradient. Different ways of dealing with raw point coordinate data that is confidently given by the metrology system lead to different kinematic results. To ensure the correctness of strain-like results determined by the system, they are compared to analytical and finite element calculations. (© 2011 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)