Non-tame automorphisms of extensions of periodic groups

LetF be a free group andR≤F a characteristic subgroup. Automorphisms ofF/R which are induced by automorphisms ofF are called tame. In this paper we use theN-torsion invariant discovered by the first author and M. Lustig [LM] to show the existence of non-tame automorphisms of free central extensions and free nilpotent extensions of Burnside groups. Partially supported by the German Israel Foundation for Research and Development (G. I. F.). Supported by a grant from the Israel Planning and Budgeting Committee.     

Properties of ionic liquids on Au surfaces: non-conventional anion exchange reactions with carbonate

A simple anion metathesis in diluted aqueous carbonate at room temperature affords 1-(12-mercaptododecyl)-3-methyl-imidazolium carbonate (MDMI-HCO(3)) from MDMI salts self-assembled on gold films and nanoparticles. The properties of MDMI-SAM differ from MDMI in solution, for which the anion exchange reaction does not proceed.     

Potential interaction between the volatile and non-volatile fractions on the in vitro antimicrobial activity of three South African Pelargonium (Geraniaceae) species

Previous studies have reported promising antimicrobial efficacy for the essential oils and solvent extracts of several indigenous Pelargonium species. This study aimed to determine if any pharmacological interaction (e.g. synergism or antagonism) exists between the volatile and non-volatile components when the different fractions were investigated. The antimicrobial activity of the following fractions were tested; the essential oil prepared by hydrodistillation (EO), non-volatile fraction (NV), prepared by extraction of plant material remaining in the distilling apparatus (having no or negligible volatile constituents) and solvent extracts prepared from fresh (FC) and dried (DC) plant material containing both volatile and non-volatile constituents. Pelargonium quercifolium oil was dominated by p-cymene (42.1%) and viridiflorol (16.9%), while P. graveolens and P. tomentosum oil had high levels of isomenthone (84.0 and 58.8%, respectively). Menthone was noted as a major constituent in the P. tomentosum EO sample. It was evident from the results that the presence of volatile constituents in the three species; P. graveolens, P. quercifolium and P. tomentosum is generally not a pre-requisite for antimicrobial activity. The most significant variations of antimicrobial activity were noted for P. tomentosum where poorer activity was noted for the FC and EO fractions against Bacillus cereus and Candida albicans. Studies on Staphylococcus aureus, however, showed the converse, where best activity was noted for the FC fraction (3.0 mg/mL). For P. quercifolium, the DC fraction indicated a notable increase in anti-staphylococcal activity (2.0 mg/mL) when compared with the FC (8.0 mg/mL) and EO (16.0 mg/mL) fractions. For P. tomentosum, the FC fraction indicated much lower antimicrobial activity (against both B. cereus and C. albicans) when compared with all other fractions, suggesting that the essential oils may impact negatively on the antimicrobial activity when tested against these two pathogens.     

Process analytical technology for chromatography

A major United States Food and Drug Administration effort is devoted to process analytical technology (PAT), which is emerging as the likely "surprise" of the second half of the decade. PAT is an approach to monitoring, manufacturing, and other processes on a continuous rather than discrete basis. It carries the future promise of new methods of production. Building PAT into a chromatography system provides a significant cost and quality advantage to high volume multitest laboratories and provides a significant marketing advantage to the first suppliers able to implement such an approach.     

How a liquid becomes a glass both on cooling and on heating

The onset of structural arrest and glass formation in a concentrated suspension of silica nanoparticles in a water-lutidine binary mixture near its consolute point is studied by exploiting the near-critical fluid degrees of freedom to control the strength of an attraction between particles and multispeckle x-ray photon correlation spectroscopy to determine the particles' collective dynamics. This model system undergoes a glass transition both on cooling and on heating, and the intermediate liquid realizes unusual logarithmic relaxations. How vitrification occurs for the two different glass transitions is characterized in detail and comparisons are drawn to recent theoretical predictions for glass formation in systems with attractive interactions.     

Comprehensive quality control programme for serology and nucleic acid testing using an Internet-based application

The National Serology Reference Laboratory, Australia (NRL) has quality assured the serology for high risk blood-borne infections since 1985, commencing with anti-Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) enzyme immunoassays and later extending the programmes to other blood-borne virus testing and to nucleic acid testing. A quality control (QC) programme was considered the most appropriate manner in which to achieve real-time monitoring. An Internet-based application, EDCNet, facilitates the entry of results of QC sample testing and returns the analysed results instantaneously. Results can be displayed in a variety of tables and charts, so that QC results from blood service and diagnostic laboratories can be monitored. Comparison of results between laboratories using the same system offers monitoring of accuracy, while within-laboratory comparisons offer monitoring of the assay precision. More than 200,000 data points were submitted to EDCNet in 2002 from blood service laboratories as well as from diagnostic laboratories. Analysis of reagent batch variability was determined, e.g. the coefficient of variation between batches of seven assays used to detect anti-hepatitis C virus (HCV) antibodies ranged from 4.9% to 21.6%. Using EDCNet, laboratories can monitor both precision and accuracy of results by comparison with the results of other laboratories. The system may be a highly cost-effective method for maintaining quality.

Weak properties of weighted convolution algebras

Suppose that is a weighted convolution algebra on with the weight normalized so that the corresponding space of measures is the dual space of the space of continuous functions. Suppose that is a continuous nonzero homomorphism, where is also a convolution algebra. If is norm dense in , we show that is (relatively) weak dense in , and we identify the norm closure of with the convergence set for a particular semigroup. When is weak continuous it is enough for to be weak dense in . We also give sufficient conditions and characterizations of weak continuity of . In addition, we show that, for all nonzero in , the sequence converges weak to 0. When is regulated, converges to 0 in norm.

     

Molecular Mixed‐Metal Manganese Oxido Cubanes as Precursors to Heterogeneous Oxygen Evolution Catalysts

Well‐defined mixed‐metal [CoMn₃O₄] and [NiMn₃O₄] cubane complexes were synthesized and used as precursors for heterogeneous oxygen evolution reaction (OER) electrocatalysts. The discrete clusters were dropcasted onto glassy carbon (GC) and indium tin oxide (ITO) electrodes, and the OER activities of the resulting films were evaluated. The catalytic surfaces were analyzed by various techniques to gain insight into the structure‐function relationships of the electrocatalysts’ heterometallic composition. Depending on preparation conditions, the Co‐Mn oxide was found to change metal composition during catalysis, while the Ni–Mn oxides maintained the NiMn₃ ratio. XAS studies provided structural insights indicating that the electrocatalysts are different from the molecular precursors, but that the original NiMn₃O₄ cubane‐like geometry was maintained in the absence of thermal treatment ( 2‐Ni ). In contrast, the thermally generated 3‐Ni develops an oxide‐like extended structure. Both 2‐Ni and 3‐Ni undergo structural changes upon electrolysis, but they do not convert into the same material. The observed structural motifs in these heterogeneous electrocatalysts are reminiscent of the biological oxygen‐evolving complex in Photosystem II, including the MMn₃O₄ cubane moiety. The reported studies demonstrate the use of discrete heterometallic oxide clusters as precursors for heterogeneous water oxidation catalysts of novel composition and the distinct behavior of two sets of mixed metal oxides.     

Palladium-catalysed cross-coupling as a key step in the synthesis of pyridyl-benzamides, -benzylamines and -sulfonamides

Novel N-, O- and S-substituted pyridyl-benzamides, -benzylamines and -sulfonamides were prepared by means of palladium-catalysed cross-coupling reactions. The synthetic approach, using Pd₂(dba)₃ as palladium source and rac-BINAP as supporting ligand, proved to be successful for CN, CO and CS cross-coupling reactions. One of the substrates underwent an unexpected nucleophilic aromatic substitution of fluorine, rather than the expected CN cross-coupling reaction.