Proton-proton scattering and the pomeron

We describe various attempts to fit the data on pp and $\text{p}\text{p}$ elastic scattering and total cross sections, including the recent ISR data, with a variety of Regge pole and cut models. Only two types of model are able to explain the data over the whole energy range satisfactorily. The simplest of these has no cuts, but a pomeron pole with trajectory αp(0) = 1.06 + 0.25 t, and a non-shrinking “core” term at large |t|. The other has a flat trajectory, αp(t) = 1.06 for all t, and strong eikonal-model cuts which explain both the shrinkage at low |t|, and the lack of it at larger |t|. We also briefly review various speculations which relate the fact that αp(0) > 1 to the small triple-pomeron coupling.     

An effective compactness theorem for Coxeter groups

Through highly non-constructive methods, works by Bestvina, Culler, Feighn, Morgan, Rips, Shalen, and Thurston show that if a finitely presented group does not split over a virtually solvable subgroup, then the space of its discrete and faithful actions on \mathbbHⁿ{\mathbb{H}^n} , modulo conjugation, is compact for all dimensions. Although this implies that the space of hyperbolic structures of such groups has finite diameter, the known methods do not give an explicit bound. We establish such a bound for Coxeter groups. We find that either the group splits over a virtually solvable subgroup or there is a constant C and a point in \mathbbHⁿ{\mathbb{H}^n} that is moved no more than C by any generator. The constant C depends only on the number of generators of the group, and is independent of the relators.     

Nearest neighbour diagnostic statistics on the accuracy of APT solute cluster characterisation

Diagnostic statistics and information theory techniques have been developed to investigate the accuracy to which solute clusters characterised in atom probe tomography (APT) data can reflect the true nature of the physical clusters in the original specimen. Simulated atom-probe datasets representing a range of atomic solute clustering within a pseudo-binary alloy upon an fcc aluminium lattice were generated for the study. The effectiveness of partitioning the APT-like simulated data based upon a binary classification defined by a distance threshold d _max upon the kth nearest neighbour distance distribution was investigated. Information theory was also used to optimise the selection of the threshold d _max. Analysis of variation was performed upon a factorial design of data simulations with low and high levels of: solute concentration; short-range order; and background to the mass-to-charge-state-ratio spectrum. This meta-analysis showed that the background levels have a significant compromising effect upon the binary classification in low solute systems with relatively low or random levels of clustering. Although the random clustering of higher solute concentrations is better analysed, significantly non-random clustering in both low and high solute concentrations is analysed well despite the presence of high levels of background. A meta-analysis of the binary classification upon a simulated dispersion of coherent precipitates within a similar matrix was also undertaken. Optimal k and d _max parameters are likely a dependent upon the physical dimensions of precipitate size as well as the precipitate/matrix solute concentrations.     

Robust spatially resolved pressure measurements using MRI with novel buoyant advection-free preparations of stable microbubbles in polysaccharide gels

MRI of fluids containing lipid coated microbubbles has been shown to be an effective tool for measuring the local fluid pressure. However, the intrinsically buoyant nature of these microbubbles precludes lengthy measurements due to their vertical migration under gravity and pressure-induced coalescence. A novel preparation is presented which is shown to minimize both these effects for at least 25 min. By using a 2% polysaccharide gel base with a small concentration of glycerol and 1,2-distearoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine coated gas microbubbles, MR measurements are made for pressures between 0.95 and 1.44 bar. The signal drifts due to migration and amalgamation are shown to be minimized for such an experiment whilst yielding very high NMR sensitivities up to 38% signal change per bar.     

XPS and resistive studies on thin films of a copper(II)‐based coordination polymer deposited on functionalized interdigital electrodes

A symmetrical 2‐thiopyrimidine based molecule with an expanded π‐electron system is synthesized and used to form a self‐assembled monolayer (SAM) on gold surfaces. Utilizing chemical vapor deposition a monolayer of (3‐mercaptopropyl)triethoxysilane is formed on silicon dioxide substrates. Both of these SAM coated substrates are characterized by X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy and the growth of a coordination polymer built up from 5,5′‐(ethyne‐1,2‐diyl)bis(2‐hydroxyacetophenone) and copper(II) on dual SAM coated transducers is studied. After the deposition procedure on interdigital electrodes the electrical properties of the polymer are investigated performing resistive measurements. A significant change of the resistance, which depends on the surrounding atmosphere, proves the sensing behavior of the synthesized coordination polymer. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part B: Polym. Phys. 2015 , 53, 335–344     

Alternative organic solvents for HILIC separation of cisplatin species with on-line ICP-MS detection

Several low volatile organic solvents were evaluated as organic modifiers in eluents for HILIC separations of cisplatin species to optimize the on-line coupling of HILIC to inductively coupled plasma MS (ICP-MS). The aim was to identify a solvent giving low solvent vapor loading of the ICP, to maximize analyte sensitivity and minimize carbon depositions on instrumental parts, while retaining chromatographic performance. The best overall performance of the HILIC-ICP-MS system for the analysis of cisplatin was achieved using 1,4-dioxane as eluent, yielding high retention and an HILIC type retention mechanism, at the expense of a 50% drop in column efficiency due to the higher viscosity of 1,4-dioxane compared to the more commonly used HILIC solvent ACN. Using 1,4-dioxane as solvent in HILIC provides the best compromise between carbon deposition and separation efficiency among a series of high-boiling water-miscible solvents tested.     

Dehydroalkylation of toluene with ethane in a packed-bed membrane reactor with a bifunctional catalyst and a hydrogen-selective membrane

The dehydroalkylation of toluene with ethane to form isomeric ethyltoluenes has been carried out in a packed-bed membrane reactor under mild conditions of 350 degrees C, where it is shown that ethyltoluene yields significantly increase with increasing sweep gas flow rate and pressure.