Photodegradation of aramids. II. Irradiation in air

A series of isomeric fully aromatic polyamides (aramids) were photodegraded in the presence of oxygen. Films and fibers of these aramids gave carboxylic acids as the major products when measured by infrared spectroscopy and potentiometric titration. These acids probably resulted from the oxygen interception of the radicals generated by photocleavage of the amide bonds. In contrast to results found upon irradiation in the absence of oxygen, carboxylic acid formation was accompanied by a rapid loss in molecular weight, and a decrease in useful mechanical properties. Quantum yields for carboxylic acid formation were ≤5.5 × 10^?5 mole/einstein and decreased along the aramid series roughly in agreement with increases in T_g. The photo-Fries rearrangement product was observed in aramid fibers irradiated in air, whereas no rearrangement product was seen in films irradiated in air.     

Optical and magnetooptical properties of FePt-SiO<Subscript>2</Subscript> magnetic nanocomposites

The magnetic, optical, and magnetooptical properties of granular (FePt)_1?x(SiO₂)_x nanocomposites in the disordered state and after heat treatment were studied. The magnetooptical response of samples in which the concentration of the metallic component approached the percolation threshold was observed to become considerably enhanced. Modeling transverse Kerr effect (TKE) spectra in a straightforward effective medium approximation provided a qualitative fit to the experimental data over a broad concentration range. The dependences of the Kerr effect on the SiO₂ concentration in the nanocomposite are not monotonic and exhibit a sharp break near the percolation threshold. An analysis of the field dependences of the TKE and magnetization curves revealed that structural changes associated with ordering in annealed FePt films occur only in nanocomposites with fairly large grains.     

Performance analysis of very-small-aperture lasers

The fabrication of very-small-aperture lasers is demonstrated, and their performance is analyzed. Because of strong optical feedback caused by a gold film on the front facet of the laser, its behavior changes: The threshold current decreases, the density of light inside the laser diode and the redshift effect of the spectra are enhanced, and the laser diode's lifetime is shorter than that of common laser diodes with large driving current.     

Knot signature functions are independent

A Seifert matrix is a square integral matrix satisfying

To such a matrix and unit complex number there corresponds a signature,

Let denote the set of unit complex numbers with positive imaginary part. We show that is linearly independent, viewed as a set of functions on the set of all Seifert matrices.

If is metabolic, then unless is a root of the Alexander polynomial, . Let denote the set of all unit roots of all Alexander polynomials with positive imaginary part. We show that is linearly independent when viewed as a set of functions on the set of all metabolic Seifert matrices.

To each knot one can associate a Seifert matrix , and induces a knot invariant. Topological applications of our results include a proof that the set of functions is linearly independent on the set of all knots and that the set of two-sided averaged signature functions, , forms a linearly independent set of homomorphisms on the knot concordance group. Also, if is the root of some Alexander polynomial, then there is a slice knot whose signature function is nontrivial only at and . We demonstrate that the results extend to the higher-dimensional setting.

     

Angiotensin II receptor blocker attenuates overexpression of vascular endothelial growth factor in diabetic podocytes

VEGF expressed in glomerular podocytes, is known to increase vascular permeability to macromolecules. Angiotensin II can stimulate the release of VEGF, and the protective effects of angiotensin II antagonist against diabetic glomerular injury suggest that the angiotensin II-induced VEGF is an important pathogenetic mechanism in the development of proteinuria during diabetic nephropathy although this mechanism is not fully understood. In this study, the changes of VEGF expression was examined in the experimental diabetic nephropathy to determine whether these changes were modified by renoprotective intervention by blockers of angiotensin II receptors. The streptozotocin- induced diabetic rats were treated with L-158,809, a blocker of angiotensin II receptors, for 12 weeks. Age-matched rats with L-158,809 served as controls. RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry were used to assess and quantify gene and protein expression of VEGF. A progressive increase in urinary protein excretion was observed in diabetic rats. Glomerular VEGF expression was significantly higher in diabetic rats than in the control groups, with a significant reduction in glomerular VEGF expression and proteinuria in L-158,809- treated diabetic rats. VEGF mRNA was also significantly higher in diabetic kidneys than in the control groups, with a significant reduction in VEGF mRNA in L-158,809-treated diabetic kidneys. These results demonstrates that VEGF expression is significantly increased in diabetic podocytes, and angiotensin II receptor antagonist attenuated these changes in VEGF expression and prevented the development of proteinuria in vivo. Attenuation of increased VEGF expression in podocytes could contribute to the renoprotective effects of angiotensin II receptor antagonists in diabetic nephropathy.     

Double-quantum filtered STMAS

Double-quantum and double-quantum-filtered satellite-transition magic-angle spinning (STMAS) experiments are proposed. The experiments efficiently convert satellite-transition coherence from single- to double-quantum with a central-transition selective pi-pulse. The conversion allows the selection of double-quantum coherence transfer pathways with phase cycling that completely filters out unwanted diagonal and outer satellite-transition peaks. Both experiments are demonstrated with RbNO3 and AlPO4-berlinite as model compounds for obtaining clean STMAS spectra of spins 3/2 and 5/2, respectively.     

Experimental investigation of the two-photon widths of the chi(c0) and the chi(c2) mesons

Using 12.7 fb(-1) of data collected with the CLEO detector at CESR, we observed two-photon production of the cc states chi(c0) and chi(c2) in their decay to pi(+)pi(-)pi(+)pi(-). We measured gamma(gammagamma)(chi(c))xB(chi(c)-->pi(+)pi(-)pi(+)pi(-)) to be 75+/-13(stat)+/-8(syst) eV for the chi(c0) and 6.4+/-1.8(stat)+/-0.8(syst) eV for the chi(c2), implying gamma(gammagamma)(chi(c0)) = 3.76+/-0.65(stat)+/-0.41(syst)+/-1.69(br) keV and gamma(gammagamma)(chi(c2)) = 0.53+/-0.15(stat)+/-0.06(syst)+/-0.22(br) keV. Also, cancellation of dominant experimental and theoretical uncertainties permits a precise comparison of gamma(gammagamma)(chi(c0))/gamma(gammagamma)(chi(c2)), evaluated to be 7.4+/-2.4(stat)+/-0.5(syst)+/-0.9(br), with QCD-based predictions.     

High-field high-speed MAS resolution enhancement in 1H NMR spectroscopy of solids

Resolution in ¹H NMR spectra of solids can be significantly enhanced with fast magic-angle spinning and high magnetic fields. A variable field and spinning speed study up to 25 T and 40 kHz shows that the homogeneous line broadening is inversely proportional to the product of magnetic field strength and spinning speed. The combination of high field and fast speed yields a ¹H linewidth approaching the intrinsic limit determined by anisotropy of magnetic susceptibility. An analysis of the anisotropic magnetic susceptibility line broadening is presented.