Liquid crystal side chain polysiloxanes containing various proportions of non-mesogenic units

Recent studies have established that side chain polymeric liquid crystals composed of mesogenic and non-mesogenic side groups keep their liquid-crystalline properties even for a low proportion of mesogens. We show that the detailed structures of three kinds of new diluted liquid crystal polysiloxanes depend on the nature of the co-substituent as well as on the proportion of the silicon sites occupied by the mesogenic groups. Mixtures of these systems with low molar mass liquid crystals were also investigated in terms of compatibility and/or stabilization of smectic A phases.     

Temperature dependence of the rate constants for reactions of the carbonate radical with organic and inorganic reductants

Rate constants have been measured by pulse radiolysis for the reactions of the carbonate radical, CO₃^·?, with a number of organic and inorganic reactants as a function of temperature, generally over the range 5 to 80°C. The reactants include the substitution-inert cyano complexes of Fe^II, Mo^IV, and W^IV, the simple inorganic anions SO₃^2?, ClO₂^?, NO₂^?, I^?, and SCN^?, several phenolates, ascorbate, tryptophan, cysteine, cystine, methionine, triethylamine, and allyl alcohol. The measured rate constants ranged from less than 10⁵ to 3 × 10⁹ M^?1 s^?1, the activation energies ranged from ?11.4 to 18.8 kJ mol^?1, and the pre-exponential factors ranged from log A = 6.4 to 10.7. The activation energies for the metal complexes and inorganic anions generally decrease with increasing driving force for the reaction, as expected for an outer sphere electron transfer. For highly exothermic reactions, however, the activation energy appears to increase, probably reflecting the temperature dependence of diffusion. For many of the organic reactants, the activation energies were low and independent of driving force, suggesting that the oxidation is via an inner sphere mechanism.     

Evaluation of peroxyoxalate chemiluminescence postcolumn detection of fluphenazine in urine and blood plasma using high performance liquid chromatography

Peroxyoxalate chemiluminescence may be used for sensitive postcolumn detection of phenothiazine analytes separated by high performance liquid chromatography with appropriate optimization of measurement conditions such as solvent, pH and oxalate ester. Detectability of fluorescent analytes by chemical excitation varies greatly, but analytes with low oxidation potentials are generally more readily detected at low levels, as demonstrated for phenothiazines, an important class of fluorescent drugs. Some improvement in detection limits is observed for fluphenazine when chemiluminescence detection is compared to conventional fluorescence detection. Because of the specificity of chemical excitation, fewer interferences from fluorescent impurities in a urine matrix are observed.     

Subchronic oral toxicity (six months) of carboxyethylgermanium sesquioxide [(HOOCCH2CH2Ge)2O3]n in rats

After briefly renewing toxicological data on germanium compounds, the authors report on the subchronic oral toxicity of carboxyethylgermanium sesquioxide in rats. During six months, male and female animals received 1 g kg^?1. day^?1. No particular toxic symptoms, and no behaviour problems except a small decrease of body weight in male rats, at the end of the six-month experimentation period, were observed. A significant decrease of erythropoiesis and some significant changes in leucocyte ratios were demonstrated. The main marked effect was a moderate renal dysfunction characterized by a tubular disease with the presence of cylinders, swelling of tubulus cells and flocculus deposits. Germanium urinary excretion was constant and linked to the received dose. Six months later, no preferential accumulation in organs was evident.     

Study on reproductive endocrinology of human placenta (III)--Hormonal regulation of progesterone production by trophoblast tissue of first trimester.

The effect of hormones on progesterone secretion by 6-8 week human trophoblast tissue cultured in serum-free medium has been investigated. GnRH at low concentration (10(-10)-10(-8) mol/L) stimulated progesterone secretion, while high dose (10(-6)-10(-5) mol/L) produced inhibitory effect. The progesterone secretion could be significantly decreased by addition of anti-hCG antiserum or monoclonal anti-hCG IgG in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Various concentrations of TRH, PGE2, PGF2 alpha, testosterone and estradiol were found to be ineffective. These data indicate clearly that progesterone production by human trophoblast tissue at early gestation stage is under the modulation of GnRH and hCG.     

Total surface areas of Group IVA organometallic compounds: Predictors of toxicity to algae and bacteria

There is a high correlation between molecular surface area (TSA) of triorganotin and triorganolead compounds and their toxicity towards a bacterium (Escherichia coli) and an alga (Selenastrum capricornutum). Parallel attempts to correlate other Group IVA organometals incorporating silicon or germanium were unsuccessful. It was further demonstrated, however, that a high correlation was obtainable between certain series of compounds with the same organic substituent but different metal centers involving all Group IVA elements. In both instances, the inability to obtain a quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) for all systems studied appears to be a function of the solubility of the compounds. While organotin TSA values have been found to correlate well with their toxicities toward various organisms, this study clearly suggests that this type of QSAR can be readily extended to include other organometal systems, provided that there is no solubility problem and the toxicity is a function of the hydrophobicity of the organometal compounds.     

Interface analysis of the system Si/YBa2Cu3O7?x

Summary The influence of different preparation conditions and substrate surface orientations on the superconducting properties of thin YBa₂Cu₃O_7–x (YBCO) films on silicon was studied. Comparative electrical and surface spectroscopic measurements were performed. SAM and SIMS depth profile analysis show an enrichment of barium at the interface between the superconductor and silicon for samples with T_c<76 K. Comparison with XPS data obtained for thin silicon films on YBCO indicates the formation of barium and yttrium silicates at the interface under these conditions.