Nematics with quenched disorder: violation of self-averaging

We consider the isotropic-to-nematic transition in liquid crystals confined to aerogel hosts, and assume that the aerogel acts as a random field. We generally find that self-averaging is violated. For a bulk transition that is weakly first order, the violation of self-averaging is so severe that even the correlation length becomes non-self-averaging: no phase transition remains in this case. For a bulk transition that is more strongly first order, the violation of self-averaging is milder, and a phase transition is observed.     

Growth and characterization of GaP and GaAs1−xPx

The minority carrier lifetime at low and high excitation densities was determined in VPE layers of GaP and GaAs_?0.2 P_?0.8. The lifetime at high excitation densities, having a value up to ∽350 ns, is one to two orders of magnitude larger than the lifetime at low excitation densities. It is shown that impurities are involved in some saturable killer centres dominating at low excitation densities. In the case of the largest values of the minority carrier lifetime and at a dislocation density of > 10⁵ cm^?2, the non-radiative recombination at high excitation densities is shown to occur at dislocations; at lower values of the minority carrier lifetime the killer action may be due to microprecipitates. These findings also hold for LPE layers of GaP. It is shown that by measuring the minority carrier lifetime as a function of temperature a discrimination is possible between killer action due to diffusion of minorities towards sinks like dislocations or microprecipitates and due to capture by a normal point-defect type recombination centre.     

Influence of Phage Proteins on Formation of Specific UV DMA Photoproducts in Phage T7

Phage T7 can be used as a biological UV dosimeter. Its reading is proportional to the inactivation rate expressed in HT7 units. To understand the influence of phage proteins on the formation of DNA UV photoproducts, cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers (CPD) and (6-4)photoproducts ((6-4)PD) were determined in T7 DNA exposed to UV radiation under different conditions: intraphage T7 DNA, isolated T7 DNA and heated phage. To investigate the effects of various wavelengths, seven different UV sources have been used. The CPD and (6-4)PD were determined by lesion-specific antibodies in an immunodot-blot assay. Both photoproducts were HT7 dose-dependently produced in all three objects by every irradiation source in the biologically relevant UV dose range (1-10 HT7). The CPD to (6-4)PD ratios increased with the increasing effective wavelength of the irradiation source and were similar in intraphage T7 DNA, isolated DNA and heated phage with all irradiation sources. However, a significant decrease in the yield of both photoproducts was detected in isolated T7 DNA and in heated phage compared to intraphage DNA, the decrease was dependent on the irradiation source. Both photoproducts were affected the same way in isolated T7 DNA and heated phage, respectively. The yield of CPD and (6-4)PD was similar in B, C-like and A conformational states of isolated T7 DNA, indicating that the conformational switch in the DNA is not the decisive factor in photoproduct formation. The most likely explanation for modulation of photoproduct frequency in intraphage T7 DNA is that the presence of bound phage proteins induces an alteration in DNA structure that can result in an increased rate of dimerization and (6-4)PD production of adjacent based in intraphage T7 DNA.     

Cross-linked biopolymer bundles: cross-link reversibility leads to cooperative binding/unbinding phenomena

We consider a biopolymer bundle consisting of filaments that are cross-linked together. The cross-links are reversible: they can dynamically bind and unbind adjacent filament pairs as controlled by a binding enthalpy. The bundle is subjected to a bending deformation and the corresponding distribution of cross-links is measured. For a bundle consisting of two filaments, upon increasing the bending amplitude, a first-order transition is observed. The transition is from a state where the filaments are tightly coupled by many bound cross-links, to a state of nearly independent filaments with only a few bound cross-links. For a bundle consisting of more than two filaments, a series of first-order transitions is observed. The transitions are connected with the formation of an interface between regions of low and high cross-link densities. Combining umbrella sampling Monte Carlo simulations with analytical calculations, we present a detailed picture of how the competition between cross-link shearing and filament stretching drives the transitions. We also find that, when the cross-links become soft, collective behavior is not observed: the cross-links then unbind one after the other leading to a smooth decrease of the average cross-link density.     

Composition of the water-soluble products from the thermocatalytic activation of aspen wood

The compositions of the water-soluble substances formed on the thermocatalytic activation of aspen wood under the conditions of explosive autohydrolysis at temperatures of 187, 220, and 240C and, correspondingly, saturated steam pressures of 1.2, 2.4, and 3.4 MPa have been studied. The water-soluble compounds are formed as the result of hydrolysis reactions of the components of the wood catalyzed by organic acids produced in the decomposition of hemicelluloses. It has been established that the main water-soluble compounds are true sugars, low-molecular-mass lignin, acetic acid, furfural, and sugar degradation products. Methanol, isopropanol, propionic acid, and hydroxymethylfurfural are present in minor amounts. Raising the temperature of the autohydrolysis of wood intensifies the degradation of sugars and increases the degree of their depolymerization to form water-soluble low-molecular-mass fragments.Institute of the Chemistry of Natural Organic Raw Material, Siberian KuzmaneDivision of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Krasnoyarsk, fax (3912) 43 93 42. Translated from Khimiya Prirodnykh Soedinenii, No. 6, pp. 887–895, November-December, 1995. Original article submitted May 15, 1995.     

Gas-chromatographic determination of methylester end groups in polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and ester-interchange products

Summary A method for the determination of methylester end groups in polyester and ester-interchange product is described. The sample is decomposed by boiling with hydrazine hydrate. The methanol liberated is determined by gas chromatography using Tenax GC as column packing and ethanol as internal standard. The gas chromatographic determination has passed through a number of development stages, viz. backflush and run methods.

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Gas-chromatographische Bestimmung von Methylesterendgruppen in Polyäthylenterephthalat und Umesterungsprodukten

Zusammenfassung Eine Methode für die Bestimmung von Methylesterendgruppen in Polyäthylenterephthalat und Umesterungsprodukten wird beschrieben. Die Probe wird mit Hydrazinhydrat unter Rückfluß zersetzt. Das freigesetzte Methanol wird gas-chromatographisch bestimmt. Als Trennphase wird Tenax GC und als innerer Standard Äthanol verwendet. Die gas-chromatographische Bestimmung wurde über die run method und backflush method entwickelt.

Lecture presented at Euroanalysis I Conference, 28. 8.–1. 9. 1972 in Heidelberg, Germany.     

Isotropic-nematic interfacial tension of hard and soft rods: application of advanced grand canonical biased-sampling techniques

Coexistence between the isotropic and the nematic phase in suspensions of rods is studied using grand canonical Monte Carlo simulations with a bias on the nematic order parameter. The biasing scheme makes it possible to estimate the interfacial tension gamma(IN) in systems of hard and soft rods. For hard rods with LD=15, we obtain gammaIN approximately 1.4kBT/L2, with L the rod length, D the rod diameter, T the temperature, and kB the Boltzmann constant. This estimate is in good agreement with theoretical predictions, and the order of magnitude is consistent with experiments.     

A Binary Bivalent Supramolecular Assembly Platform Based on Cucurbit[8]uril and Dimeric Adapter Protein 14-3-3

Interactions between proteins frequently involve recognition sequences based on multivalent binding events. Dimeric 14-3-3 adapter proteins are a prominent example and typically bind partner proteins in a phosphorylation-dependent mono- or bivalent manner. Herein we describe the development of a cucurbit[8]uril (Q8)-based supramolecular system, which in conjunction with the 14-3-3 protein dimer acts as a binary and bivalent protein assembly platform. We fused the phenylalanine–glycine–glycine (FGG) tripeptide motif to the N-terminus of the 14-3-3-binding epitope of the estrogen receptor α (ERα) for selective binding to Q8. Q8-induced dimerization of the ERα epitope augmented its affinity towards 14-3-3 through a binary bivalent binding mode. The crystal structure of the Q8-induced ternary complex revealed molecular insight into the multiple supramolecular interactions between the protein, the peptide, and Q8.     

Critical behavior of the Widom-Rowlinson mixture: coexistence diameter and order parameter

The critical behavior of the Widom-Rowlinson [J. Chem. Phys. 52, 1670 (1970)] is studied in d = 3 dimensions by means of grand canonical Monte Carlo simulations. The finite-size scaling approach of Kim et al. [Phys. Rev. Lett. 91, 065701 (2003)] is used to extract the order parameter and the coexistence diameter. It is demonstrated that the critical behavior of the diameter is dominated by a singular term proportional to t(1-alpha), with t the relative distance from the critical point, and alpha the critical exponent of the specific heat. No sign of a term proportional to t(2beta) could be detected, with beta the critical exponent of the order parameter, indicating that pressure mixing in this model is small. The critical density is measured to be rhosigma3 = 0.7486 +/- 0.0002, with sigma the particle diameter. The critical exponents alpha and beta, as well as the correlation length exponent nu, are also measured and shown to comply with d = 3 Ising criticality.