Steady-State and Time-Resolved Spectroscopic Characteristics of Mesoionic Oxazolones Solutions

Three new mesoionic oxazolo[3,2-b]pyridazin-2-one derivatives, in different solutions have been investigated by UV-Vis absorption, steady-state and time-resolved fluorescence methods. The effect of substituents on the extension of conjugation of the pi-electrons from mesoionic oxazolone has been evidenced by bathochromic shifts of the absorption and fluorescence maxima positions. The fluorescence decay data could be fitted to single-exponential or double-exponential function. The lifetime values are much higher in aprotic polar solvents and in the case of the derivatives that present an extension of the conjugation of pi-electrons. The properties of the compounds present a solvent dependence, being tested in micellar solutions as potential molecular probe "sensitive" to the environment polarity.     

Dynamics of photoluminescence in GaInNAs saturable absorber mirrors

Femtosecond time-resolved photoluminescence experiments have been used to study the nonlinear dynamics of novel monolithic GaInNAs/GaAs semiconductor saturable absorber mirrors at 1.08 and 1.55 m. The mirror structures were grown using molecular-beam epitaxy followed by Ni-ion implantation and thermal annealing. We present photoluminescence measurements showing the critical role of post-growth processing on the response time of GaInNAs/GaAs absorber mirrors. PACS 42.65.Re; 42.50.Nn; 42.70.Nq     

Multifunctional gold nanoparticle-peptide complexes for nuclear targeting

The ability of peptide-modified gold nanoparticles to target the nucleus of HepG2 cells was explored. Five peptide/nanoparticle complexes were investigated, particles modified with (1) the nuclear localization signal (NLS) from the SV 40 virus; (2) the adenovirus NLS; (3) the adenovirus receptor-mediated endocytosis (RME) peptide; (4) one long peptide containing the adenovirus RME and NLS; and (5) the adenovirus RME and NLS peptides attached to the nanoparticle as separate pieces. Gold nanoparticles were used because they are easy to identify using video-enhanced color differential interference contrast microscopy, and they are excellent scaffolds from which to build multifunctional nuclear targeting vectors. For example, particles modified solely with NLS peptides were not able to target the nucleus of HepG2 cells from outside the plasma membrane, because they either could not enter the cell or were trapped in endosomes. The combination of NLS/RME particles (4) and (5) did reach the nucleus; however, nuclear targeting was more efficient when the two signals were attached to nanoparticles as separate short pieces versus one long peptide. These studies highlight the challenges associated with nuclear targeting and the potential advantages of designing multifunctional nanostructured materials as tools for intracellular diagnostics and therapeutic delivery.     

The NUCLEON experiment: The current status

The main purpose of the NUCLEON experiment is direct measurements of the energy spectra of cosmic rays in the range 10¹¹–10¹⁵ eV with the use of the lightweight facility during a prolonged orbital flight. The energy is determined using a technique based on the measurement of the spatial density of secondary particles produced in the initial event of inelastic interaction. The schematic diagram of the NUCLEON facility, the current status of the project, the results of testing the prototype, and plans are presented.     

Homo- and copoly(arylene ether ketones) with side hydroxyl groups

The polycondensation of 2-β-oxyethyl-3,3-bis(4-oxyphenyl)phthalimidine with 4,4′-difluorobenzophenone proceeding via the nucleophilic substitution of the activated halogen atom in aryl halide has been studied. Conditions ensuring formation of noncrosslinked high-molecular-mass homo- and copoly(arylene ether ketones) containing side alcoholic hydroxyl groups (4,4′-difluorobenzophenone: a mixture of bisphenols: K₂CO₃: Na₂CO₃ = 1: 1: 1: 0.05) have been established. The polymers have M _w = (20–88.7) × 10³ and show good solubility in organic solvents; their onset temperatures of softening are in the range 195–250°C. Polymer films cast from solution are characterized by a breaking strength of 78–109 MPa.     

Contact electroelasticity problem for a nonplane elliptical die

The stress-strain state of an elastic piezoceramic halfspace under the action of a rigid elliptical die with a convex base is considered, in the case where the symmetry axis of the body is in the direction of the preliminary-polarization field. The contact area is within the isotropy plane. Attention is confined to the case of die translation. Expressions are obtained for the semimajor axis and eccentricity of the contact area and the translational points of the die base under different electric boundary conditions. S. P. Timoshenko Institute of Mechanics, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Kiev, Ukraine. Translated from Prikladnaya Mekhanika, Vol. 35, No. 6, pp. 17–26, June, 1999.     

Numerical modeling of gravity currents in inclined channels

The mixing and wave formation processes in gravity currents induced by the rupture of a vertical dam initially separating a heavy and a light liquid are studied for different channel inclination angles. The calculations are performed using the LES and RANS models. It is shown that when the heavy liquid moves down the channel slope, the longitudinal and transverse internal waves break and form turbulent mixing zones. When the heavy liquid ascends the slope, the wavy motion mode predominates.     

Metal-polymer PVDF/nickel composites and evaluation of their dielectric and thermal properties

Dielectric properties, thermal stability and sub-molecular structure of metal-polymer composites on the basis of polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) modified by sub-micro sized nickel powder were studied in this work by different methods such as dielectric spectroscopy, resistivity measurement, breakdown strength measurement, differential scanning calorimetry and optical microscopy. It was found that modification of PVDF by nickel particles results in the increase of both the volume resistivity by a factor of 1.24…15 and the melting and decomposition temperature by 5 °C and 48 °C for composite with an optimal nickel content compared with non-modified PVDF.