Identification of the radiative and nonradiative parts of a wave field

We present a method for decomposing a wave field, described by a second-order ordinary differential equation, into a radiative component and a nonradiative one, using a biorthonormal system related to the problem under consideration. We show that it is possible to select a special system such that the wave field is purely radiating. We discuss the differences and analogies with approaches which, unlike our approach, start from the corresponding sources of the field.     

Multiple fundamental strings and waves to non-linear order in the background fields

The Chern–Simons actions of the multiple fundamental string and the multiple gravitational wave are established to full order in the background fields. Gauge invariance is checked. Special attention is drawn to the non-Abelian gauge transformations of the world-volume fields.     

Raman spectroscopic study of bacterial endospores

Endospores and endospore-forming bacteria were studied by Raman spectroscopy. Raman spectra were recorded from Bacillus licheniformis LMG 7634 at different steps during growth and spore formation, and from spore suspensions obtained from diverse Bacillus and Paenibacillus strains cultured in different conditions (growth media, temperature, peroxide treatment). Raman bands of calcium dipicolinate and amino acids such as phenylalanine and tyrosine are more intense in the spectra of sporulating bacteria compared with those of bacteria from earlier phases of growth. Raman spectroscopy can thus be used to detect sporulation of cells by a characteristic band at 1,018 cm^–1 from calcium dipicolinate. The increase in amino acids could possibly be explained by the formation of small acid-soluble proteins that saturate the endospore DNA. Large variations in Raman spectra of endospore suspensions of different strains or different culturing conditions were observed. Next to calcium dipicolinate, tyrosine and phenylalanine, band differences at 527 and 638 cm^–1 were observed in the spectra of some of the B. sporothermodurans spore suspensions. These bands were assigned to the incorporation of cysteine residues in spore coat proteins. In conclusion, Raman spectroscopy is a fast technique to provide useful information about several spore components. Figure A difference spectrum between Raman spectra of B. licheniformis LMG 7634 cultured for 6 days and 1 day, together with the reference Raman spectrum of calcium dipicolinate     

Preparation and characterization of structured hydrogel microparticles based on cross-linked hyperbranched polyglycerol

The aim of this work was to obtain well-defined HyPG-MA (methacrylated hyperbranched polyglycerol) microparticles with uniform sizes. Therefore, three different preparation methods were evaluated. First, we assessed a micromolding technique using rigid SU-8 (a photoresist based on epoxies) grids. Independent of the surface treatment of the SU-8 grid or the type of polymer used, approximately 50% of the microgels remained attached to the SU-8 grid or broke into smaller particles during the release process in which drying of the gels was followed by a sonication process. Although 90% methacrylate conversion could be obtained, this method has some additional drawbacks as the obtained dried microgels did not rehydrate completely after the drying step. Second, a soft micromolding technique was evaluated using elastomeric PDMS (poly(dimethyl siloxane)) grids. The use of these flexible grids resulted in a high yield (80-90% yield; >90% methacrylate conversion) of microgels with a well-defined size and shape (squares 100 microm x 100 microm x 50 microm or hexagons with ? 30 microm and a thickness of 20 microm) without the occurrence of water evaporation. However, a number of particles showed a less-defined shape as not all grids could be filled well. The microgels showed restricted swelling, implying that these gels are dimensionally stable. Third, an alternative method referred to as photolithography was evaluated. This method was suitable to tailor accurately the size and shape of HyPG-MA microgels and additionally gained 100% yield. Well-defined HyPG-MA microgels in the size range of 200-1400 microm (thickness of 6, 20, or 50 microm), with a methacrylate conversion of >90%, could easily be prepared by adding an inhibitor (e.g., 1% (w/v) of vitamin C) to the polymer solution to inhibit dark polymerization. Microgels in the size range of 30-100 microm (>90% conversion) could only be obtained when applying the photomask in direct contact with the polymer solution and using a higher (i.e., 2% (w/v)) concentration of vitamin C. Additionally, the microgels showed limited swelling, indicating that rather dimensionally stable particles were obtained. In conclusion, this paper shows that photolithography and soft micromolding, as compared to rigid micromolding, are the most appropriate techniques to fabricate structured HyPG-MA microgels with a tailorable and well-defined size and shape. These microgels have great potential in tissue engineering and drug delivery applications.     

Phase behavior of PCBM blends with different conjugated polymers

In this work the phase behavior of [6,6]-phenyl C(61)-butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM) blends with different poly(phenylene vinylene) (PPV) samples is investigated by means of standard and modulated temperature differential scanning calorimetry (DSC and MTDSC) and rapid heat-cool calorimetry (RHC). The PPV conjugated polymers include poly(2-methoxy-5-(3',7'-dimethyloctyloxy)-1,4-phenylene vinylene) (MDMO-PPV), High T(g)-PPV which is a copolymer, and poly((2-methoxy-5-phenethoxy)-1,4-phenylene vinylene) (MPE-PPV). Comparisons of these PPV:PCBM blends with regioregular poly(3-hexyl thiophene) (P3HT):PCBM blends are made to see the different component miscibilities among different blends. The occurrence of liquid-liquid phase separation in the molten state of MDMO-PPV:PCBM and High T(g)-PPV:PCBM blends is indicated by the coexistence of double glass transitions for blends with a PCBM weight fraction of around 80 wt%. This is in contrast to the P3HT:PCBM blends where no phase separation is observed. Due to its high cooling rate (about 2000 K min(-1)), RHC proves to be a useful tool to investigate the phase separation in PPV:PCBM blends through the glass transition of these crystallizable blends. P3HT is found to have much higher thermal stability than the PPV samples.     

Crystallographic and magnetic characterisation of the brownmillerite Sr2Co2O5

Sr₂Co₂O₅ with the perovskite-related brownmillerite structure has been synthesised via quenching, with the orthorhombic unit cell parameters a=5.4639(3) Å, b=15.6486(8) Å and c=5.5667(3) Å based on refinement of neutron powder diffraction data collected at 4 K. Electron microscopy revealed L-R-L-R-intralayer ordering of chain orientations, which require a doubling of the unit cell along the c-parameter, consistent with the assignment of the space group Pcmb. However, on the length scale pertinent to NPD, no long-range order is observed and the disordered space group Imma appears more appropriate. The magnetic structure corresponds to G-type order with a moment of 3.00(4) μ_B directed along [1 0 0].     

Artificial construction of the layered Ruddlesden-Popper manganite La2Sr2Mn3O10 by reflection high energy electron diffraction monitored pulsed laser deposition

Pulsed laser deposition has been used to artificially construct the n = 3 Ruddlesden-Popper structure La(2)Sr(2)Mn(3)O(10) in epitaxial thin film form by sequentially layering La(1-x)Sr(x)MnO(3) and SrO unit cells aided by in situ reflection high energy electron diffraction monitoring. The interval deposition technique was used to promote two-dimensional SrO growth. X-ray diffraction and cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy indicated that the trilayer structure had been formed. A site ordering was found to differ from that expected thermodynamically, with the smaller Sr(2+) predominantly on the R site due to kinetic trapping of the deposited cation sequence. A dependence of the out-of-plane lattice parameter on growth pressure was interpreted as changing the oxygen content of the films. Magnetic and transport measurements on fully oxygenated films indicated a frustrated magnetic ground state characterized as a spin glass-like magnetic phase with the glass temperature T(g) ≈ 34 K. The magnetic frustration has a clear in-plane (ab) magnetic anisotropy, which is maintained up to temperatures of 150 K. Density functional theory calculations suggest competing antiferromagnetic and ferromagnetic long-range orders, which are proposed as the origin of the low-temperature glassy state.     

Structural chemistry and metamagnetism of an homologous series of layered manganese oxysulfides

An homologous series of layered oxysulfides Sr2MnO2Cu(2m-delta)S(m+1) with metamagnetic properties is described. Sr2MnO2Cu(2-delta)S2 (m = 1), Sr2MnO2Cu(4-delta)S3 (m = 2) and Sr2MnO2Cu(6-delta)S4 (m = 3), consist of MnO2 sheets separated from antifluorite-type copper sulfide layers of variable thickness by Sr(2+) ions. All three compounds show substantial and similar copper deficiencies (delta approximately equal to 0.5) in the copper sulfide layers, and single-crystal X-ray and powder neutron diffraction measurements show that the copper ions in the m = 2 and m = 3 compounds are crystallographically disordered, consistent with the possibility of high two-dimensional copper ion mobility. Magnetic susceptibility measurements show high-temperature Curie-Weiss behavior with magnetic moments consistent with high spin manganese ions which have been oxidized to the (2+delta)+ state in order to maintain a full Cu-3d/S-3p valence band, and the compounds are correspondingly p-type semiconductors with resistivities around 25 Omega cm at 295 K. Positive Weiss temperatures indicate net ferromagnetic interactions between moments. Accordingly, magnetic susceptibility measurements and low-temperature powder neutron diffraction measurements show that the moments within a MnO(2) sheet couple ferromagnetically and that weaker antiferromagnetic coupling between sheets leads to A-type antiferromagnets in zero applied magnetic field. Sr2MnO2Cu(5.5)S4 and Sr2MnO2Cu(3.5)S3 are metamagnets which may be driven into the fully ordered ferromagnetic state below 25 K by the application of fields of 0.06 and 1.3 T respectively. The relationships between the compositions, structures, and physical properties of these compounds, and the prospects for chemical control of the properties, are discussed.     

Orthogonal and auto-tandem catalysis: synthesis of dipyrido[1,2-a:2',3'-d]imidazole and its benzo and aza analogues via inter- and intramolecular C-N bond formation

[reaction: see text] The synthesis of dipyrido[1,2-a:2',3'-d]imidazole and hitherto unknown benzo and aza analogues is described. These relatively complex polycyclic heterocycles could be smoothly prepared in one step from commercially available building blocks. Mechanistically, the developed procedure involves orthogonal (Pd and Cu catalyst) or auto-tandem (Pd catalyst) catalysis via regioselective inter- and intramolecular C-N bond formation.