Advances in the chemical synthesis of brassinosteroids

This review generalizes the latest advances in the chemical synthesis of the plant growth regulators brassinosteroids in 1990–1994.Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Belarus Academy of Sciences, 220141, Minsk, ul. Zhodinskaya, 5/2. Translated from Khimiya Prirodnykh Soedinenii, No. 4, pp. 507–544, July–August, 1997.     

Polymer creep in a static magnetic field

By noting changes in the color of samples in a polarization microscope with varying degree of birefringence, the effect of a weak static magnetic fields (2 and 4 kOe) on molecules of glassy polymers has been observed. Variations in the nonmonotonicity of the rate of discontinuous creep at +18° were studied interferometrically. It is shown that the abruptness of the deformation jumps varies in a magnetic field, where this abruptness is assumed to be due to the existence of strong physical junctions between the kinetic units of deformation. The reactivity of the polymers to the magnetic field stands in satisfactory correspondence with their magnetic susceptibilities. Results show that such nonmagnetic materials as glassy polymers can noticeably alter their deformational properties in response to the action of magnetic fields. Fiz. Tverd. Tela (St. Petersburg) 39, 1690–1692 (September 1997)     

Intravascular and Intracellular Hepatic Relaxivities of Superparamagnetic Particles: An Isolated and Perfused Organ Pharmacokinetics Study

The relative contributions of intravascular and intracellular compartments to the proton transverse relaxation of the isolated and excised rat liver were determined during the phagocytosis of superparamagnetic particles. The evolution of the proton transverse magnetization of the organ perfused with increasing doses of starch-coated magnetic microspheres was followed up using a Carr–Purcell–Meiboom–Gill sequence with various echo times. From the multiexponential fit of the echo train, the amplitudes and the relaxation ratesR₂of the liver tissue were obtained. The results clearly indicate that shortly after contrast medium administration, an internalization takes place which can be followed by the rapid and biphasic evolution of the transverse relaxation rate of the water protons. A very fast decaying component looking like an initial loss of the magnetization is observed together with an increase of the relaxation rate of the remaining water tissue. This regime is strongly dependent on both the echo time and the iron concentration, a behavior characteristic of the agglomeration of magnetic particles. The examination of the liver tissues by electron microscopy shows that this clustering arises in cytoplasmic vacuoles.     

Distribution of melamine in polyester–melamine surface coatings cured under nonisothermal conditions

The influence of experimental cure parameters on the diffusion of reactive species in polyester–melamine thermoset coatings during curing has been investigated with X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy and attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared. The diffusion of melamine plays a vital role in the curing process and, therefore, in the ultimate properties of coatings. At a low (<20%) hexamethoxymethylmelamine (HMMM) crosslinker concentration, the matrix composition is uniform, but at high HMMM concentrations, excess HMMM rapidly segregates to the air–coating interface. The rate of migration is governed by the difference in the surface free energies of polyester and HMMM and the concentration gradient of HMMM between the bulk and the surface. An increased rate of energy absorption also increases the rate of migration of HMMM to the surface. A physical model has been proposed to explain this surface segregation phenomenon in terms of cocondensation and self‐condensation reactions. It suggests that an appropriate amount of melamine can be segregated on the surface and allowed to self‐condense to form a desired thickness of a melamine topcoat through the control of the binder composition and cure conditions. This technique can be implemented to apply a melamine topcoat during cure. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 42: 83–91, 2004     

Mineral and chemical compositions and structure-sorption properties of bottom sediments as the basic components of enterosorbents and application materials

The mineral and chemical compositions, as well as some structure-sorption characteristics were determined for clay minerals selected for examination. The integrated coefficients of contamination of bottom sediments with each of the toxicant metals (Fe, Ni, Co, Cu, Zn, Pb, Mn) were calculated. The minerals examined presumably can be used in medicine as efficient application materials, cosmetic agents, and sorbents (enterosorbents).     

123 Phases in CeLa2Cu2MgO8 samples

A tetragonal 123 phase with the composition close to CeLa₂ { Cu ₂ ²⁺ } [Mg²⁺]O₈ (the braces indicate the Cu(2) positions; the brackets indicate the Cu(1) positions) with the parameters a = b = 0.3909(3) nm, c = 1.6591(8) nm was prepared at 860°C under an oxygen atmosphere with an elevated oxygen pressure. When the lanthanum-for-barium substitution was incomplete, the resulting 123 phase had the composition close to CeLa_1.7Ba_0.3{ Cu _1.7 ²⁺ } [Mg]O₈ with the unit cell parameters a = b = 0.3868(3) nm, c = 1.6578(8) nm that contains Cu³⁺ in the Cu(2) positions. The partial substitution of barium for lanthanum (the melting point of barium oxide is almost 500°C lower that of the lanthanum oxide) appreciably facilitated the synthesis: the 123 phase in this sample was more than 90%. The existence of Cu³⁺ in the Cu(2) positions enhanced the electrical conductivity of the sample.     

Approximate method of calculating stresses in a rectangular plate locally loaded by a harmonic force

From double trigonometric series for bending moments the slowly converging components are picked out. When the loading facets are small compared with the width of the plate, they are approximately summed by the analytical method. This simplifies substantially the calculation of bending moments and stresses in the zone of small loading facets compared with the usual expansion with respect to the natural vibration forms.Translated from Teoreticheskaya i Prikladnaya Mekhanika, No. 20, pp. 84–88, 1989.