The structure of the nematic-isotropic interface in polymer systems

The structure of the nematic-isotropic interfacial layer is studied theoretically for systems formed by rod-like and persistent macromolecules. It is shown that the width of interfacial layer is normally of the order of the straight part of a molecule. This allows us to use the approach which describes intermolecular interactions phenomenologically (i.e. it allows us to consider all interactions), at the same time this approach describes molecular flexibility microscopically (i.e. it allows us to study the effects of flexibility correctly). It was found, that non-monotonic gradient profiles in the surface layer of the order parameter or of the concentration of molecules as a function of the coordinate perpendicular to the interface are possible. For example, a thin layer with abnormal ordering of molecules along the surface may exist near the interface for some systems.     

Systematic Errors Associated with the CPMG Pulse Sequence and Their Effect on Motional Analysis of Biomolecules

A theoretical approach to calculate the time evolution of magnetization during a CPMG pulse sequence of arbitrary parameter settings is developed and verified by experiment. The analysis reveals that off-resonance effects can cause systematic reductions in measured peak amplitudes that commonly lie in the range 5–25%, reaching 50% in unfavorable circumstances. These errors, which are finely dependent upon frequency offset and CPMG parameter settings, are subsequently transferred into erroneousT₂values obtained by curve fitting, where they are reduced or amplified depending upon the magnitude of the relaxation time. Subsequent transfer to Lipari–Szabo model analysis can produce significant errors in derived motional parameters, with τ_einternal correlation times being affected somewhat more thanS²order parameters. A hazard of this off-resonance phenomenon is its oscillatory nature, so that strongly affected and unaffected signals can be found at various frequencies within a CPMG spectrum. Methods for the reduction of the systematic error are discussed. Relaxation studies on biomolecules, especially at high field strengths, should take account of potential off-resonance contributions.     

Spectroscopic imaging display and analysis.

A system for display of magnetic resonance (MR) spectroscopic imaging (SI) data is described which provides for efficient review and analysis of the multidimensional spectroscopic and spatial data format of this technique. Features include the rapid display of spectra from selected image voxels, formation of spectroscopic images, spectral and image data processing operations, methods for correlating spectroscopic image data with high resolution 1H MR images, and hardcopy facilities. Examples are shown for 31P and 1H spectroscopic imaging studies obtained in human and rat brain.     

Inertia-preserving secant updates

Corrections to the last two equations of Ref. 1 are given.     

New synthesis of 2',3'-didehydro-2',3'-dideoxynucleosides.

The 3'-iodonucleoside 4 and the 3'-O-methylsulfonylthymidine 9 have been synthesized by condensation of silylated uracils 2 with methyl 5-O-tert-butyldiphensilyl-2,3-dideoxy-3-iodo-D-threo-pentofuran oside (3) and methyl 5-O-tert-butyldiphenylsilyl-2-deoxy-3-methylsulfonyl-D-erythro- pentofuranoside (8), respectively. The nucleoside 4 and 9 produced the corresponding 2',3'-didehydro-2',3'-dideoxynucleosides 5 in an elimination reaction on treatment with sodium methoxide. The compounds 5b showed no antiviral activity against HIV-1.     

Stressed state of a rock mass around a working with a relief cavity

The stressed state of a rock mass in the vicinity of a preparatory working protected by a relief cavity is studied. A numerical study is made of the stress field and the relief zone, and the effect of length and slope of a slot on formation of the relief zone is clarified.Translated from Teoreticheskaya i Prikladnaya Mekhanika, No. 20, pp. 31–36, 1989.     

Analysis of appearance of moving ionospheric disturbances of the “sickle” type at middle latitudes

We present the results of analysis of the data of vertical ionospheric sounding at the Zimenki test site (Nizhny Novgorod). The January and July ionograms are used to plot the dependences of the number of “sickle” type disturbances on the time of the day for the period from 1996 to 1992. A comparison with the scattering in an ionospheric F-layer for the same period is performed. A trend in the time series of the phenomenon observed is recorded. Radiophysical Research Institute, Nizhny Novgorod, Russia. Translated from Izvestiya Vysshikh Uchebnykh Zavedenii, Radiofizika, Vol. 40, No. 12, pp. 1455–1462, December, 1997.     

Three-phase model of a chiral quark bag

A three-phase model of a hybrid chiral quark bag is proposed. In addition to the phases of asymptotically free current quarks and of totally colorless mesons, the model contains the intermediate phase of massive constituent quarks. A self-consistent solution with an account for the “Dirac sea” contribution is found in the (1+1)-dimensional case. The dependence of the bag parameters on the parameters of the theory is investigated analytically and numerically. Translated from Teoreticheskaya i Matematicheskaya Fizika, Vol. 117, No. 2, pp. 263–299, November, 1998.     

Muonium in silicon tetrachloride

Muonium in liquid SiCl has been observed for the first time at low temperature (−65°C) The observed polarization of muonium is as much as 25% of the total spin polarization and shows a fast relaxation rate.