Relevance of Reflection in Static and Dynamic Light Scattering Experiments

Using a monodisperse PMMA dispersion, it was shown that light reflection at the sample cuvette walls may greatly influence the results of both static (SLS) and dynamic (DLS) light scattering experiments. Considering SLS, this reflection phenomenon mostly causes an overestimation of the scattered intensity at high scattering angles, which may give rise to the emergence of an additional, artificial peak in the lower region of the particle size distribution. On the other hand, the influcence of reflection on DLS measurements was shown to be particularly important in the upper region of the particle size distribution. The experimentally observed phenomena were explained from the basic principles of both particle sizing methods. Finally, it was shown that the disturbing effect of reflection could be avoided by modifying either the hardware or the software of the static and dynamic light scattering technique.     

The core of discontinuous games

The traditional design of cooperative games implicitly assumes that preferences are continuous. However, if agents implement tie breaking procedures, preferences are effectively lexicographic and thus discontinuous. This rouses concern over whether classic core nonemptiness theorems apply in such settings. We show that balanced NTU games may have empty cores when agents have discontinuous preferences. Moreover, exchange economies may lack coalitionally rational trades when consumers implement tie breaking rules, even if these rules are themselves continuous and convex as are all first order preferences. Results are more positive when “utility” is transferable. We prove that balancedness is necessary and sufficient to ensure a nonempty core in lexicographic TU games.     

Molecule-to-metal bonds: electrografting polymers on conducting surfaces.

Electrografting is a powerful and versatile technique for modifying and decorating conducting surfaces with organic matter. Mainly based on the electro-induced polymerization of dissolved electro-active monomers on metallic or semiconducting surfaces, it finds applications in various fields including biocompatibility, protection against corrosion, lubrication, soldering, functionalization, adhesion, and template chemistry. Starting from experimental observations, this Review highlights the mechanism of the formation of covalent metal-carbon bonds by electro-induced processes, together with major applications such as derivatization of conducting surfaces with biomolecules that can be used in biosensing, lubrication of low-level electrical contacts, reversible trapping of ionic waste on reactive electrografted surfaces as an alternative to ion-exchange resins, and localized modification of conducting surfaces, a one-step process providing submicrometer grafted areas and which is used in microelectronics.     

High-performance liquid chromatographic determination of morphine and its 3- and 6-glucuronide metabolites: improvements to the method and application to stability studies

Improvements to previously reported methods for the determination of morphine, morphine-3-glucuronide (M3G) and morphine-6-glucuronide (M6G) in human plasma are described. The improved methods involve the use of a solid-phase extraction cartridge and a chromatographic system which uses paired-ion reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography with a radially compressed column. Only one cartridge is used to prepare each sample for chromatography and each cartridge may be used for at least fourteen 1-ml plasma samples. The recovery is greater than 85%. The improvements to the method of sample pretreatment and in the chromatographic conditions have allowed determination of morphine, M3G and M6G in human plasma down to 13.3 nmol/l (coefficient of variation = 9.3%), 108 nmol/l (6.6%) and 41 nmol/l (6.7%), respectively, using ultraviolet detection alone. It was shown that all three compounds were stable in plasma for up to 101 weeks when stored at -20 degrees C.     

Orthogonal polynomials on the unit circle and their derivatives

We characterize the sequences of orthogonal polynomials on the unit circle whose derivatives are also orthogonal polynomials on the unit circle. Some relations for the sequences of derivatives of orthogonal polynomials are provided. Finally, we pose some problems about orthogonality-preserving maps and differential equations for orthogonal polynomials on the unit circle.     

KINETICS OF LUMINESCENCE QUENCHING IN MICELLAR ASSEMBLIES INCLUDING EXCHANGE OF PROBE and QUENCHER*

The luminescence decay of excited probes in micelles in the presence of a Poisson distribution of quenchers is considered under conditions where both probe and quencher within the lifetime of the excited probe may exchange between the micelles. Analytical and numerical results show that the luminescence decay can be expressed by a generalized self convolution product of a multiexponential decay function.     

Electromagnetic properties of strange baryons in a relativistic quark model

We present some of our results for the electromagnetic properties of excited Σ hyperons, computed within the framework of the Bonn constituent-quark model, which is based on the Bethe-Salpeter approach. The seven parameters entering the model are fitted against the best-known baryon masses. Accordingly, the results for the form factors and helicity amplitudes are genuine predictions. We compare with the scarce experimental data available and discuss the processes in which Σ ^*'s may play an important role.