Magnetism in geometrically frustrated YMnO3 under hydrostatic pressure studied with muon spin relaxation

The ferroelectromagnet YMnO3 consists of weakly coupled triangular layers of S=2 spins. Below T(N) approximately equal to 70 K muon-spin relaxation data show two oscillatory relaxing signals due to magnetic order, with no purely relaxing signals resolvable (which would require different coexisting spin distributions). The transition temperature T(N) increases with applied hydrostatic pressure, even though the ordered moment decreases. These results suggest that pressure increases both the exchange coupling between the layers and the frustration within the layers.     

Bacterial Spores Survive Electrospray Charging and Desolvation

The survivability of Bacillus subtilis spores and vegetative Escherichia coli cells after electrospray from aqueous suspension was tested using mobility experiments at atmospheric pressure. E. coli did not survive electrospray charging and desolvation, but B. subtilis did. Experimental conditions ensured that any surviving bacteria were de-agglomerated, desolvated, and electrically charged. Based on mobility measurements, B. subtilis spores survived even with 2,000–20,000 positive charges. B. subtilis was also found to survive introduction into vacuum after either positive or negative electrospray. Attempts to measure the charge distribution of viable B. subtilis spores using electrostatic deflection in vacuum were inconclusive; however, viable spores with low charge states (less than 42 positive or less than 26 negative charges) were observed.

A Scalable Biomimetic Synthesis of Resveratrol Dimers and Systematic Evaluation of their Antioxidant Activities

An efficient synthetic route to the resveratrol oligomers quadrangularin A and pallidol is reported. It features a scalable biomimetic oxidative dimerization that proceeds in excellent yield and with complete regioselectivity. A systematic evaluation of the natural products and their synthetic precursors as radical‐trapping antioxidants has revealed that, contrary to popular belief, this mode of action is unlikely to account for their observed biological activity.     

Ab initio analysis of pentadienyllithium, pentadienylsodium, and the pentadienyl ions

Ab initio calculations were used to determine the equilibrium geometries and rotational barriers of the pentadienyl cation, anion, and metalated pentadienes. Pentadienyllithium and pentadienylsodium are most stable in a U-shaped structure. This geometry is a higher energy local minimum for the pentadienyl anion and is not a stationary point for the pentadienyl cation. The atomic and group charges were analyzed by natural population analysis and were determined for each of the conformations studied.     

Thermodynamics of polyether solutions

Measurements are reported of the vapor pressures and the heats and volumes of mixing of solutions of poly(ethylene glycol dimethyl ether) in chloroform and in carbon tetrachloride. The measurements have been used to calculate the thermodynamic mixing functions for mixing with zero volume change. These values have been compared with the predictions of the lattice theory of mixtures at three different levels of approximation, viz., the generalized “first approximation” theory of Barker, the “zeroth approximation” theory, and the Flory theory. In the hydrogen-bonding chloroform solutions the Barker theory is more successful than the other forms of the lattice theory. The results have also been used, in conjunction with those for solutions of poly(propylene glycol dimethyl ether) in the same two solvents, to test the ability of the Barker theory to correlate the properties of related systems. Good correlation is found between the two carbon tetrachloride solutions but not between the chloroform solutions. It is probable that the side-chain methyl groups in the propylene oxide repeating unit cause the hydrogen-bonding interaction to be weaker in this polymer than it is in the polymer with the ethylene oxide repeating unit.     

Organosilicon compounds : XIV. The cleavage of 2-(trimethylsilyl)- and 2-(trimethylstannyl)-1-methylpyrrole and -thiophene with some carbonyl-containing reagents

Cleavage of the metal-carbon bond of 2-(trimethylsilyl)- and 2-(trimethylstannyl)-1-methylpyrrole and -thiophene with several carbonyl-containing reagents has been effected and substantiates our previous tenet for the importance of bond polarity on reactivity     

Mode conversion and round-trip gain of ultrasonic flux in n-GaAs

Round-trip acoustoelectric gain has been observed in n-GaAs filaments oriented along the [110] axis. The special conditions required for this effect are obtained through partial conversion upon reflection of active transverse to non-active longitudinal waves. Experiments in which the relative contributions of the two reflected modes to round-trip gain is varied are described.