P-systems in regular semigroups

In this paper, firstly it is shown that a regular semigroup S becomes a regular *-semigroup (in the sense of [1]) if and only if S has a certain subset called a p-system. Secondly, all the normal *-bands are completely described in terms of rectangular *-bands (square bands) and transitive systems of homomorphisms of rectangular *-bands. Further, it is shown that an orthodox semigroup S becomes a regular *-semigroup if there is a p-system F of the band E_S of idempotents of S such that F∋e, E_S∋t, e≥t imply t∈F. By using this result, it is also shown that F is a p-system of a generalized inverse semigroup S if and only if F is a p-system of F_S. Dedicated to Professor L. M. Gluskin on his 60th birthday     

Observation of shocked and unshocked BaZnGeO4 by means of electron microscopy

Electron microscopic observations were performed on shocked and unshocked BaZnGeO₄ (BZG). Particular attention was given to the superlattice relation. A specimen shocked to the pressure range of 19–27 GPa, showed a small distortion from the original hexagonal lattice, to an orthorhombic symmetry. Along with this distortion, weak superlattice reflections along the $\text{c1}$ direction in the unshocked BZG were found to disappear completely, while the repetition mode of superlattice reflections along the $\text{b1}$ direction ([110]1 direction in the hexagonal structure) as found to change from three to six, and then to four, with increasing shock pressure. A single crystal—single crystal transition, on a submicrometer scale, was shown to occur due to a small displacement of atoms during shock process.     

Pulmonary toxicity of indium arsenide and arsenic selenide following repeated intratracheal instillations to the lungs of hamsters

Chronic toxicity of indium arsenide (InAs) and arsenic selenide (As₂Se₃) was studied in male Syrian golden hamsters which received InAs or As₂Se₃ particles, each containing a total dose of 7.5 mg of arsenic, by intratracheal instillations once a week for 15 weeks. As a control, hamsters were treated with the vehicle, phosphate buffer solution. During their total lifespan, the cumulative body weight gain of the hamsters in the InAs group was suppressed significantly compared with that in the control group, but not in the As₂Se₃ group when compared with that in the control group. However, the survival rate for the InAs group was significantly higher compared with the control group, but not for the As₂Se₃ group when compared with the control group. During the animals' total lifespan, one lung adenoma was seen in the 27 hamsters in the InAs group and one lung adenoma in the 23 hamsters in the control group. No tumors of the lung were observed in the As₂Se₃ group. Malignant tumors outside the lung appeared in four hamsters in the InAs group and in two in the As₂Se₃ group. No non-lung malignant tumours were seen in the control group. Total tumor incidence rates were 25.9% (7/27) in the InAs group, 10.3% (3/29) in the As₂Se₃ group and 8.7% (2/23) in the control group. There were therefore no significant differences in tumor incidence between the InAs or the As₂Se₃ group, and the control group. Regarding histopathological findings in the lung, incidence rates of proteinosis-like lesions, pneumonia, metaplastic ossification and emphysema were seen only in the InAs group, and alveolar or bronchiolar cell hyperplasia observed in both the InAs and the As₂Se₃ groups were at significantly higher rates than those in the control group. From these results, it was concluded that InAs and As₂Se₃ particles could induce pulmonary toxicity when instilled intratracheally into hamsters. A great deal of attention should be paid to the toxicity of both InAs and As₂Se₃, even though in this study the adverse health effects of As₂Se₃ appeared to be less than those of InAs.     

Enantioselective total synthesis of (+)-sarcodictyenone

The first enantioselective total synthesis of (+)-sarcodictyenone is described [4.3% overall yield from (5R,6R)-6-methyl-5-trimethylsily-2-cyclohexenone]. This work establishes the absolute stereochemistry of the natural product.