Pentopyranosyl Oligonucleotide Systems. 9th Communication

Pyranosyl‐RNA (‘p‐RNA’ ) is an oligonucleotide system isomeric to natural RNA and composed of the very same building blocks as RNA. Its generational, chemical, and informational properties are deemed to be those of an alternative nucleic acid system that could have been a candidate in Nature's evolutionary choice of the molecular basis of genetic function. We consider the study of the chemistry of p‐RNA as etiologically relevant in the sense that knowledge of its structural, chemical, and informational properties on the chemical level offers both a perspective and reference points for the recognition of specific structural assets of the RNA structure that made it the (supposedly) superior system among possible alternatives and, therefore, the system that became part of biology as we know it today. The paper describes the chemical synthesis of β‐d‐ (and L )‐ribopyranosyl‐(4′→2′)‐oligonucleotide sequences, presents a resume of their structural and chemical properties, and cautiously discusses what we may and may not have learned from the pyranosyl isomer of RNA with respect to the conundrum of RNA's origin.     

The change of the superstructure of semicrystalline polymers during deformation: results from small-angle scattering with synchrotron radiation

The change of the superstructure of different polyethylenes during uniaxial deformation is investigated. The method used is small-angle scattering with synchrotron radiation. For branched polyethylene (Lupolen 1840D) the whole deformation range is analyzed. Beginning with superstructure of the lamellar cluster type, the superstructure partly disappears on a time scale of a few minutes and the fibrillar structure is built up. The degree of destruction and rebuilding depends on the drawing temperature. For very high molecular weight polyethylene (GUR) a reversible change of the superstructure at higher deformation ratios and at different temperatures is observed. The superstructure of (ethylene—hexene) copolymers (TIPELIN) at high draw ratios depends on the drawing temperature and is almost independent of the side group content. Interfibrillar microcracks parallel to the draw direction are produced in samples with a low side group content for draw ratios λ ≥ 1.5.     

HREM studies of the structure and the oxidation process of copper clusters created by inert gas aggregation

Structure and reactivity with oxigen of Cu clusters in the size range of 4.5±2.5 nm created by the inert gas aggregation technique were studied by HREM. The pure Cu clusters investigated under clean conditions show the structures of MTP's with a small lattice dilatation of the (111) plane of 1.25%. For icosahedral and decahedral particles this dilatation corresponds to a splitting of the nearest neighbour distance showing two different values, i.e. dilatation of 2.2% and contraction of 2.8% for the two edges of the deformed tetrahedral subunits, respectively. Oxidation at room temperature and air pressure of 1 bar only begins after a few minutes of exposure to air, after having undergone creation of probably non-stoichiometric intermediate states in the cuprite Cu₂O structure with the bulk values of the bond lengths.     

The many facets of linear programming

We examine the history of linear programming from computational, geometric, and complexity points of view, looking at simplex, ellipsoid, interior-point, and other methods. Received: June 22, 2000 / Accepted: April 4, 2001?Published online October 2, 2001     

Phase dynamics of a detuned single-mode laser

We report measurements on the phase dynamics of a detuned single mode laser which has in the past shown correspondence to the complex Lorenz equation. The corresponding ranges of periodic pulsing, of detuned chaos and of windows within the chaotic domain are investigated.Invited paper