The effect of magnetic nanoparticles upon the smectic-A to smectic-C* phase transition

We report on wide-angle X-ray scattering measurements along the smectic-A to chiral ferroelectric smectic-C* phase transition of the liquid crystal SCE9 and its mixture with maghemite magnetic nanoparticles of typical dimension 20 nm. The temperature profiles of the tilt angle are fitted by an extended mean-field model. Neither pre-transitional order effects nor variations in the SmA layer thickness are observed, indicating a rather negligible influence of these nanoparticles upon the molecular orientation at the smectic-A to smectic-C* phase transition of SCE9. These results are very different from what was observed for smaller CdSe nanoparticles (3.5 nm) where both a dilation of the smectic layers in the SmA phase and a crossover behaviour for the smectic-A to smectic-C* transition away from tricriticality have been observed for analogous concentrations.     

The unitary closure property of the prime varieties of associative algebras

We prove that every prime variety of associative algebras over an infinite field of characteristic p>0 is generated by either a unital algebra or a nilalgebra of bounded index. We show that the Engel verbally prime T-ideals remain verbally prime as we impose the identity $ x^{p^N } = 0 $ x^{p^N } = 0 for sufficiently large N. We then describe all prime varieties in an interesting class of varieties of associative algebras.     

Rotation Planar Extraction and Medium-Pressure Solid—Liquid Extraction of Onion (Allium cepa)

JPC – Journal of Planar Chromatography – Modern TLC - Extraction of onion (Allium cepa L.) with 80:20 (v/v) methanol—water in water by rotation planar extraction (RPE) and medium-...     

Transformation of Amino Acids into Nonracemic 1‐(Heteroaryl)ethanamines by the Enamino Ketone Methodology

N‐Protected L ‐phenylalanines 1a,b were transformed, via the corresponding Weinreb amides 2 and ethynyl ketones 3 , into chiral enamino ketones 4 (Scheme 1). Similarly, L ‐threonine 6 was transformed in four steps into the enamino ketone 10 . Cyclocondensations of 4 and 10 with pyrazolamines 11 , benzenecarboximidamide ( 12 ), and hydrazine derivatives 18 afforded N‐protected 1‐heteroaryl‐2‐phenylethanamines 15a – e, 16, 17 , and 21a – k and 1‐heteroaryl‐1‐aminopropan‐2‐ols 23a,b in good yields (Schemes 2 and 3). Finally, deprotection by catalytic hydrogenation furnished free amines 22a – g and 24a,b (Scheme 3).     

Parallel transport and defects on nematic shells

Nematic shells are thin films of nematic liquid crystal deposited on the boundary of colloidal particles, where liquid crystal molecules may freely glide, while remaining tangent to the surface substrate. The surface nematic order is described here by an appropriate tensor field Q, which vanishes wherever a defect occurs in the molecular order. We show how the classical concept of parallel transport on a manifold introduced by Levi-Civita can be adapted to this setting to define the topological charge m of a defect. We arrive at a simple formula to compute m from a generic representation of Q. In a number of separate appendices, we revisit in a unified language several, apparently disparate applications of Levi-Civita’s parallel transport.     

Forward-masked spatial tuning curves in cochlear implant users

Forward-masked psychophysical spatial tuning curves (fmSTCs) were measured in twelve cochlear-implant subjects, six using bipolar stimulation (Nucleus devices) and six using monopolar stimulation (Clarion devices). fmSTCs were measured at several probe levels on a middle electrode using a fixed-level probe stimulus and variable-level maskers. The average fmSTC slopes obtained in subjects using bipolar stimulation (3.7 dBmm) were approximately three times steeper than average slopes obtained in subjects using monopolar stimulation (1.2 dBmm). Average spatial bandwidths were about half as wide for subjects with bipolar stimulation (2.6 mm) than for subjects with monopolar stimulation (4.6 mm). None of the tuning curve characteristics changed significantly with probe level. fmSTCs replotted in terms of acoustic frequency, using Greenwood's [J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 33, 1344-1356 (1961)] frequency-to-place equation, were compared with forward-masked psychophysical tuning curves obtained previously from normal-hearing and hearing-impaired acoustic listeners. The average tuning characteristics of fmSTCs in electric hearing were similar to the broad tuning observed in normal-hearing and hearing-impaired acoustic listeners at high stimulus levels. This suggests that spatial tuning is not the primary factor limiting speech perception in many cochlear implant users.     

Red Blood Cell Templated Polyelectrolyte Capsules: A Novel Vehicle for the Stable Encapsulation of DNA and Proteins

Summary: A novel method for the encapsulation of biomacromolecules, such as nucleic acids and proteins, into polyelectrolyte microcapsules is described. Fluorescence‐labelled double‐stranded DNA and human serum albumin (HSA) are used as model substances for encapsulation in hollow microcapsules templated on human erythrocytes. The encapsulation procedure involves an intermediate drying step. The accumulation of DNA and HSA in the capsules is observed by confocal laser scanning microscopy, UV spectroscopy, and fluorimetry. The mechanism of encapsulation is discussed.

Confocal fluorescence microscopy images of encapsulated TRITC‐HSA (left) and dsDNA (right). Inserts demonstrate fluorescence profiles for both compounds.