Mesoscopic phase statistics of diffuse ultrasound in dynamic matter

Temporal fluctuations in the phase of waves transmitted through a dynamic, strongly scattering, mesoscopic sample are investigated using ultrasonic waves, and compared with theoretical predictions based on circular Gaussian statistics. The fundamental role of phase in diffusing acoustic wave spectroscopy is revealed, and phase statistics are also shown to provide a sensitive and accurate way to probe scatterer motions at both short and long time scales.     

Selective cytotoxicity of organotin(IV) compounds with 2,3-dihydroxybenzyldithiocarbazate Schiff bases

Research on Chemical Intermediates - A series of tridentate ONS Schiff bases were synthesised via condensation by reacting 2,3-dihydroxybenzaldehyde with S-2-methylbenzyldithiocarbazate (S2MBDTC)...     

Hydrolysis of a sulfonamide by a novel elimination mechanism generated by carbanion formation in the leaving group

The alkaline hydrolysis of N-alpha-methoxycarbonyl benzyl-beta-sultam occurs 10(3) times faster than the corresponding carboxylate and with rapid D-exchange at the alpha-carbon: the pH rate profile indicates pre-equilibirum CH ionisation and together with formation of benzoyl formate as a product this suggests a novel mechanism for hydrolysis.     

In-beam spectroscopy of 253, 254No

In-beam conversion electron spectroscopy experiments have been performed on the transfermium nuclei ^{253, 254}No using the conversion electron spectrometer SACRED in nearly collinear geometry in conjunction with the gas-filled separator RITU at the University of Jyv?skyl?. The experimental setup is discussed and the spectra are compared to Monte Carlo simulations. The implications for the ground-state configuration of ²⁵³No are discussed. Received: 21 March 2002 / Accepted: 16 May 2002 / Published online: 31 October 2002 RID="a" ID="a"e-mail: rdh@ns.ph.liv.ac.uk RID="b" ID="b"Present address: GANIL, F-14021 Caen, France. RID="c" ID="c"Permanent address: IReS Strasbourg, IN2P3-CNRS, F-67037-Strasbourg, France. RID="d" ID="d"Present address: CEA/DIF DCRE/SDE/LDN F-91680 Bruyeres-le-Chatel. RID="e" ID="e"Present address: Daresbury Laboratory, Daresbury WA4 4AD, UK. RID="f" ID="f"Permanent address: IPN Lyon, IN2P3-CNRS, F-69037 Lyon, France.     

Polyethylene glycol matrix reduces the rates of photochemical and thermal release of nitric oxide from S-nitroso-N-acetylcysteine

S -nitrosothiols have many biological activities and may act as nitric oxide (NO) carriers and donors, prolonging NO half-life in vivo. In spite of their great potential as therapeutic agents, most S -nitrosothiols are too unstable to isolate. We have shown that the S -nitroso adduct of N -acetylcysteine (SNAC) can be synthesized directly in aqueous and polyethylene glycol (PEG) 400 matrix by using a reactive gaseous (NO/O₂) mixture. Spectral monitoring of the S–N bond cleavage showed that SNAC, synthesized by this method, is relatively stable in nonbuf-fered aqueous solution at 25°C in the dark and that its stability is greatly increased in PEG matrix, resulting in a 28-fold decrease in its initial rate of thermal decomposition. Irradiation with UV light (λ= 333 nm) accelerated the rate of decomposition of SNAC to NO in both matrices, indicating that SNAC may find use for the photogeneration of NO. The quantum yield for SNAC decomposition decreased from 0.65 ± 0.15 in aqueous solution to 0.047 ± 0.005 in PEG 400 matrix. This increased stability in PEG matrix was assigned to a cage effect promoted by the PEG microenvironment that increases the rate of geminated radical pair recombination in the homolytic S–N bond cleavage process. This effect allowed for the storage of SNAC in PEG at −20°C in the dark for more than 10 weeks with negligible decomposition. Such stabilization may represent a viable option for the synthesis, storage and handling of S -nitrosothiol solutions for biomedical applications.     

Room-temperature laser action at 4.34.4 mum in CaGa(2)S(4):Dy(3+)

We report room-temperature mid-IR laser operation in a new low-phonon-frequency nonhygroscopic host crystal, calcium thiogallate (CaGa(2)S(4)) . Laser action at 4.314.38 mum on the Dy(3+)H(11/2)(6)?H(13/2)(6) transition occurred with a maximum slope efficiency of 1.6%.     

A compact rotating gravitational instanton

A compact rotating gravitational instanton (a positive-definite metric solution of the Einstein equations with Λ term) is presented. The manifold is the nontrivial S² fibre bundle over S² and has χ = 4, τ = 0, but no spinor structure. The metric can be obtained from a special limit of the positive-definite analytic extension of the Kerr-de Sitter metric or alternatively from the Taub-NUT metric with Λ term. The action is about $\text{4}\text{1}\text{2}\text{\%}$ less negative than that of the Einstein metric on the trivial bundle S² × S².     

The Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen physical reality is completely described by quantum mechanics

Quantum mechanics can completely describe what may actually be predicted about any system, contrary to the argument of Einstein, Podolsky, and Rosen. One does not however need to restric predictions to specified experimental arrangements as Bohr did.     

Thermodynamics of black holes in anti-de Sitter space

The Einstein equations with a negative cosmological constant admit black hole solutions which are asymptotic to anti-de Sitter space. Like black holes in asymptotically flat space, these solutions have thermodynamic properties including a characteristic temperature and an intrinsic entropy equal to one quarter of the area of the event horizon in Planck units. There are however some important differences from the asymptotically flat case. A black hole in anti-de Sitter space has a minimum temperature which occurs when its size is of the order of the characteristic radius of the anti-de Sitter space. For larger black holes the red-shifted temperature measured at infinity is greater. This means that such black holes have positive specific heat and can be in stable equilibrium with thermal radiation at a fixed temperature. It also implies that the canonical ensemble exists for asymptotically anti-de Sitter space, unlike the case for asymptotically flat space. One can also consider the microcanonical ensemble. One can avoid the problem that arises in asymptotically flat space of having to put the system in a box with unphysical perfectly reflecting walls because the gravitational potential of anti-de Sitter space acts as a box of finite volume.     

Asymmetric epoxidation of cis-alkenes mediated by iminium salts: highly enantioselective synthesis of levcromakalim

[reaction: see text] A range of cis-substituted olefins has been epoxidized with a new dihydroisoquinolinium salt catalyst, using tetraphenylphosphonium monoperoxysulfate as the stoichiometric oxidant, giving ee's of up to 97%. The reaction has been used as the key step in an enantioselective synthesis of the antihypertensive agent levcromakalim.