Effect of maltodextrins on the surface activity of small-molecule surfactants

We report on the effect of commercially important polysaccharides (maltodextrins with variable dextrose equivalent (Paselli SA-2, MD-6 and MD-10) on the surface activity at the air–water interface of small-molecule surfactants (sms), possessing different hydrophobic–lipophilic balance ((SSL (Na⁺), the main component is a sodium salt of stearol–lactoyl lactic acid, and PGE (080), polyglycerol ester of C18 fatty acid), and widely used in food products. A marked change of the surface activity of sms was found in the presence of maltodextrins by tensiometry. The combined data of laser multiangle light scattering and mixing calorimetry have suggested that this result is governed by specific complex formation between maltodextrins and sms in aqueous medium. Measurements have been made of the molar mass, the second virial coefficient and the enthalpy of intermolecular interactions in aqueous solutions. The implication of a degree of polymerization of maltodextrins in this phenomenon was shown. The interrelation between the molecular parameters of the formed complexes and their surface activity at the air–water interface has been revealed and discussed.     

Review of chiral perturbation theory

A review of chiral perturbation theory and recent developments on the comparison of its predictions with experiment is presented. Some interesting topics with scope for further elaboration are touched upon.     

Justification of Averaging Method for Multifrequency Impulsive Systems

We prove new theorems on the justification of the averaging method for multifrequency oscillation systems with pulse influence at fixed times.     

Some remarks on the chain segment dynamics in confined polymers

The European Physical Journal E - Recently, the chain dynamics of molten polymers in confined geometries has been investigated, using NMR. Some of these experiments have been performed on...     

Integral Newton-Type Polynomials with Continual Nodes

We construct an integral Newton-type interpolation polynomial with a continual set of nodes. This interpolant is unique and preserves an operator polynomial of the corresponding degree.     

Mechanism of the D’yakonov-Perel’ spin relaxation in frequent electron-electron collisions in a quantum well with a finite width

A precession mechanism of spin relaxation of conduction electrons in a square quantum well is analyzed. The dependence of the spin relaxation time on the width of a quantum well and the height of its barriers is calculated under the assumption that the electron-electron collisions dominate over other processes of carrier scattering.     

Relaxor type perovskites: Primary candidates of nano-polar regions

Relaxor properties of 0.7Pb(Mg_1/3Nb_2/3)O₃-0.3PbTiO₃ (PMN-PT) and non-lead perovskite thin films have been analysed in terms of large frequency dispersion of dielectric response at low temperatures. A wide spectrum of dielectric relaxation was observed in the frequency-dependent response of the imaginary part of the dielectric permittivity. Transformation from normal ferroelectric to relaxor behaviour has been observed in the case of the Ca substituting the BaTiO₃ thin films. A number of techniques were exploited to investigate the wide spectrum of relaxation times in pulsed laser ablated thin films.ac anddc electric field induced complex dielectric properties of 0.7Pb(Mg_1/3Nb_2/3)O₃-0.3PbTiO₃ (PMN-PT) thin films were studied as function of frequencies at different temperatures. Nonlinear behaviour of dielectric susceptibility with respect to the amplitude of theac drive was observed at lower temperatures. The frequency dependence of transition temperatureT _m (temperature of the maximum of dielectric constant) was studied using the Vogel-Fulcher relation. Dedicated to Professor C N R Rao on his 70th birthday     

A study of the atmospheric lead pollution in Seville, Spain. Influence of meteorology and traffic, and relationship with other traffic-generated pollutants

A study of the atmospheric pollution by suspended particulate lead in the city of Seville, Spain, was carried out during the period between March 1983 and February 1984. The results obtained from seven sampling stations allowed us to study the site to site variations; there are two locations with average annual concentrations higher than 2 micrograms X m-3. In one station, the meteorological and traffic effects and relationship with other traffic-related pollutants, were investigated. The regression analyses performed on the average monthly data have shown an inverse correlation with wind speed and temperature and a direct correlation with carbon monoxide and smoke concentrations, but no significant correlation was found with the lead deposition levels.     

A microspectroscopic study of the electronic homogeneity of ordered and disordered Sr2FeMoO6

Disordered Sr₂FeMoO₆ shows a drastic reduction in saturation magnetization compared to highly ordered samples, moreover magnetization as a function of the temperature for different disordered samples shows qualitatively different behaviours. We investigate the origin of such diversity by performing spatially resolved photoemission spectroscopy on various disordered samples. Our results establish that e_xtensive electronic inhomogeneity, arising most probably from an underlying chemical inhomogeneity in disordered samples, is responsible for the observed magnetic inhomogeneity. It is further pointed out that these inhomogeneities are connected with composition fluctuations of the type Sr₂Fe_1+x Mo_1-x O₆ with Fe-rich (x > 0) and Mo-rich (x < 0) regions. Dedicated to Prof J Gopalakrishnan on his 62nd birthday.