Phase behavior of four homologous compounds of 4-n-alkyl-4′-isothiocyanatobiphenyl (nBT) under pressure

The phase behavior of four homologous compounds of 4-n-nonyl-, 4-n-decyl-, 4-n-undecyl-, and 4-n-dodecyl-4′-isothiocyanatobiphenyl (9BT, 10BT, 11BT, and 12BT) was reinvestigated to characterize their high-pressure mesophases under pressures up to 150 MPa using a polarizing optical microscope equipped with a high-pressure optical cell and a wide-angle X-ray diffractometer equipped with a high-pressure sample vessel. The pressure-induced mesophases of 9BT and 10BT appearing under pressures above about 60 and 100 MPa, respectively, were identified as nematic (N) and smectic A (SmA) phases, which indicate the reversible Cr–CrE–N–I and Cr–CrE–SmA–I phase transitions under elevated pressure. Both the 11BT and 12BT exhibited the reversible transition of Cr–CrE–SmA–I in the low-pressure regions below about 5 and 23 MPa, respectively. Both the stable CrE phases changed into the monotropic (and metastable) one under higher pressures, which the Cr–SmA–I and I–SmA–CrE–Cr phase transitions on heating and cooling processes were recognized, respectively.     

Phase synchronization between collective rhythms of globally coupled oscillator groups: noisy identical case

We theoretically investigate the collective phase synchronization between interacting groups of globally coupled noisy identical phase oscillators exhibiting macroscopic rhythms. Using the phase reduction method, we derive coupled collective phase equations describing the macroscopic rhythms of the groups from microscopic Langevin phase equations of the individual oscillators via nonlinear Fokker-Planck equations. For sinusoidal microscopic coupling, we determine the type of the collective phase coupling function, i.e., whether the groups exhibit in-phase or antiphase synchronization. We show that the macroscopic rhythms can exhibit effective antiphase synchronization even if the microscopic phase coupling between the groups is in-phase, and vice versa. Moreover, near the onset of collective oscillations, we analytically obtain the collective phase coupling function using center-manifold and phase reductions of the nonlinear Fokker-Planck equations.     

Relations of electronic energies and magnetic moments of tetra-3d metal (Mn, Fe, Co and Ni) nitrides calculated using a plane-wave basis method

Geometrical optimization of tetra-3d metal nitrides (Mn₄N, Fe₄N, Co₄N, and Ni₄N) has been performed and the relations of their energies (E) and their total magnetic moments (M) are obtained by plane-wave-basis density-functional calculations without any assumption of specific spin arrangement. The E vs. M relations obtained for Fe₄N and Mn₄N have a bimodal character. The ground state of Fe₄N is a high-spin state, which would correspond to the ferromagnetic character, while that of Mn₄N is a low-spin state, which would correspond to the observed ferrimagnetic character. Lattice constants and total magnetic moments of these tetra-3d metal nitrides are almost accurately predicted. From the spin-polarized densities of states curves, Co₄N would have the largest spin polarization ratio of 0.88, which suggests Co₄N can be a candidate material for ferromagnetic electrodes for spin-injection.     

Electrical conduction of bis(1,2-diondioximato)metals(II) and their partially oxidized complexes at high pressures

The resistivity of one-dimensional d⁸-metal complexes with various kinds of 1,2-diondioxime(dimethylglyoxime, nioxime, and diphenylglyoxime) ligands has been measured at high pressures. The resistivity of M(dmg)₂ and M(niox)₂ decreased with increasing pressure. The resistivity of M(dmg)₂ is much lower than that of M(niox)₂ at high pressure, though M-M distances and optical energy gaps in both salts are almost the same at atmospheric pressure. An anomalous low resistivity has been observed in Pt(dmg)₂ at about 40 kbar. The electrical resistivity of M(niox)₂ and M(dmg)₂, oxidized by oxidizing agents, decreased with increasing pressure. The resistivity of partially oxidized Pt complexes is significantly higher than that of the parent compounds at high pressure. On the contrary, partially oxidized Ni and Pd complexes are more conductive than unoxidized compounds at high pressures. The electrocal resistivity of unoxidized and partially oxidized Pt complexes increased with increasing pressure at higher pressures. The resistivity minimum at high pressure has been observed only in Pt complexes. The infrared spectra of the d⁸-metal complexes and their partially oxidized complexes have been investigated. The frequency of the CN stretching vibration in M(dmg)₂ and M(niox)₂ salts increases in the order Ni > Pd > Pt; on the other hand, the frequency of M(niox)₂X_n increases in the order Ni < Pd < Pt. The frequency of the CN stretching vibration is closely related to the effect of metal-ligand π1 back bonding in d⁸-metal complexes. Some anomalies in the resistance-pressure curve have been found in Ni(dpg)₂, Ni(dpg)₂I, Ni(dpg)₂I_0.5, and Ni(dpg)₂I_0.14. The anomalies are explained by new pressure-induced phase transitions.     

Phase behaviour of the thermotropic cubic mesogen 1,2-bis-(4- n -octyloxybenzoyl)hydrazine under pressure

The phase transition behaviour of an optically isotropic, thermotropic cubic mesogen 1,2-bis-(4- n -octyloxybenzoyl)hydrazine, BABH(8), was investigated under pressures up to 200 MPa using a high pressure differential thermal analyser, wide-angle X-ray diffraction and a polarizing optical microscope equipped with a high pressure optical cell. The phase transition sequence, low temperature crystal (Cr 2 )-high temperature crystal (Cr 1 ) - cubic (Cub)-smectic C (SmC)-isotropic liquid (I) observed at atmospheric pressure, is seen in the low pressure region below about 30 MPa. The cubic phase disappears at high pressures above 30-40 MPa, in conjunction with the disappearance of the Cr 1 phase. The transition sequence changes to Cr 2 -SmC-I in the high pressure region. Since only the Cub-SmC transition line among all the phase boundaries has a negative slope (d T /d P ) in the temperature-pressure phase diagram, the temperature range for the cubic phase decreases rapidly with increasing pressure. As a result, a triple point was estimated approximately as 31.6 ±2.0 MPa, 147.0 ±1.0°C for the SmC, Cub and Cr 1 phases, indicating the upper limit of pressure for the observation of the cubic phase. Reversible changes in structure and optical texture between the Cub and SmC phases were observed from a spot-like X-ray pattern and dark field for the cubic phase to the Debye-Sherrer pattern and sand-like texture for the SmC phase both in isobaric and isothermal experiments.     

Evaluation of gallbladder emptying in patients with chronic liver disease by 99mTc-EHIDA hepatobiliary scintigraphy

Gallbladder emptying after intramuscular injection of cerulein was investigated by 99mTc-EHIDA hepatobiliary scintigraphy in 23 patients with biliary disease, 55 patients with chronic liver disease, and 21 normal controls. The mean gallbladder ejection fraction in patients with gallstones and liver cirrhosis was significantly reduced compared with normal controls. (gallstones: 56.3 +/- 21.3%, LC with gallstones: 50.8 +/- 29.6%, LC without gallstones: 55.9 +/- 26.7%, vs. normal controls: 74.4 +/- 12.9%, p less than 0.01). The mechanism for sluggish gallbladder emptying in liver cirrhosis is unknown, however impaired emptying with bile stasis provides a potential pathophysiologic basis for the high frequency of pigment stones.     

Mössbauer study of high concentration Fe−Ag alloys produced by vapour quenching

Mössbauer spectra have been observed for Fe?Ag alloys sputter-deposited on liquid nitrogen cooled substrates and water cooled substrates under several Ar gas pressures, P_Ar. The magnetic hyperfine field does not depend on the substrate temperature. However, in paramagnetic spectra, a single line component corresponding to isolated Fe atoms in the Ag matrix is more pronounced for the alloys deposited on liquid nitrogen cooled substrates. The alloys deposited under high P_Ar reveal very weak intensity ratios of the second and fifth lines of the ferromagnetic sextet, indicating a tendency of perpendicular magnetic anisotropy.     

Flexible Enantiodivergent Synthesis and Biological Activity of Mannostatin Analogues, New Cyclitol Glycosidase Inhibitors

Mannostatin A (1) is a new cyclitol inhibitor of glycoprotein processing. 2-Epimannostatin A (12) and its enantiomer (13) as well as their positional isomers (14, 15) were designed for probing structure-activity relationships in this class of glycosidase inhibitors. The analogues have been synthesized from (S)-4-((tert-butyldimethylsilyl)oxy)-2-cyclopentenone by an enantiodivergent strategy in a totally stereospecific fashion. Compound 13 showed inhibition against almond beta-glucosidase and is shown to be a topographical analogue of beta-D-glucopyranoside.