Inversion of the phase sequence between the cubic and smectic C phases under pressure

The phase behaviour of a thermotropic cubic mesogen of 1,2-bis(4′-n-tetradecyloxybenzoyl)hydrazine BABH-14 was studied under hydrostatic pressure using a polarising optical microscope equipped with a high-pressure optical cell, and the P–T phase diagram was constructed. BABH-14 shows the Cr–Cub–I transition sequence under atmospheric and lower pressures, but the Cub phase is replaced completely by the high-pressure SmC, SmC(hp), phase under higher pressures. There is a narrow intermediate-pressure region between the low- and high-pressure regions, in which the Cr–SmC(hp)–Cub–I phase sequence is recognised. The SmC(hp)–Cub transition line has a positive slope with pressure and there are two triple points: one is for the Cr, Cub and SmC(hp) phases and the other is for the I, Cub and SmC(hp) phases. Comparing the phase sequence of BABH-14 with those for BABH-8 and -10, the pressure-induced inversion of the phase sequence between the cubic and SmC phases occurs in the BABH-n homologous compounds. Another new phenomenon is the formation of the monotropic cubic phase on cooling in the intermediate- and high-pressure regions, and an intriguing phenomenon of the cubic phase appearing twice, i.e. I–Cub–SmC(hp)– Cub–Cr phase transition, occurs in the intermediate-pressure region.     

Electrophilic cyclization of N-alkenylamides using a chloramine-T/I2 system

A new protocol for the cyclization of N-alkenylamides using chloramine-T and iodine is described. When N-alkenylsulfonamides are treated with chloramine-T and iodine, three- to six-membered N-heterocycles are obtained with complete stereoselectivity. The method is compatible with the cyclization of the allylbenzamide or allylbenzthioamide to afford an oxazoline or thiazoline derivative, respectively. Mechanistic studies indicate that the chloramine-T/I₂ system functions as an effective iodonium species.     

Relations of electronic energies and magnetic moments of tetra-3d metal (Mn, Fe, Co and Ni) nitrides calculated using a plane-wave basis method

Geometrical optimization of tetra-3d metal nitrides (Mn₄N, Fe₄N, Co₄N, and Ni₄N) has been performed and the relations of their energies (E) and their total magnetic moments (M) are obtained by plane-wave-basis density-functional calculations without any assumption of specific spin arrangement. The E vs. M relations obtained for Fe₄N and Mn₄N have a bimodal character. The ground state of Fe₄N is a high-spin state, which would correspond to the ferromagnetic character, while that of Mn₄N is a low-spin state, which would correspond to the observed ferrimagnetic character. Lattice constants and total magnetic moments of these tetra-3d metal nitrides are almost accurately predicted. From the spin-polarized densities of states curves, Co₄N would have the largest spin polarization ratio of 0.88, which suggests Co₄N can be a candidate material for ferromagnetic electrodes for spin-injection.     

Effects of oxygen vacancy on adhesion of incoherent metal/oxide interface by first-principles calculations

We investigate effects of oxygen vacancies on adhesion behavior of incoherent Ni/MgO(0 0 1) interface with large misfit, based on the density functional theory. We demonstrate that oxygen vacancies at any local atomic configuration of the incoherent geometry enhance the image-chargelike interaction between the ions in MgO and the ion-induced images in Ni, and stabilize adhesion of the Ni/MgO(0 0 1) interface. The adhesion energy of the defective interface is remarkably larger than that of the perfect interface. We also show that force constants of the adhesive interactions near the oxygen vacancies are comparable to the Ni-Mg bond at the perfect interface. The vacancy-induced enhancement of the image electron accumulation hardly contributes to the interfacial stiffness, while it is reduced by losing the covalent Ni-O interaction due to an ontop oxygen vacancy.     

Optimization of capillary array electrophoresis single-strand conformation polymorphism analysis for routine molecular diagnostics

Mutation screening is widely used for molecular diagnostics of inherited disorders. Furthermore, it is anticipated that the present and future identification of genetic risk factors for complex disorders will increase the need for high-throughput mutation screening technologies. Capillary array electrophoresis (CAE) SSCP analysis is a low-cost, automated method with a high throughput and high reproducibility. Thus, the method fulfills many of the demands to be met for application in routine molecular diagnostics. However, the need for performing the electrophoresis at three temperatures between 18 degrees C and 35 degrees C for achievement of high sensitivity is a disadvantage of the method. Using a panel of 185 mutant samples, we have analyzed the effect of sample purification, sample medium and separation matrix on the sensitivity of CAE-SSCP analysis to optimize the method for molecular diagnostic use. We observed different effects from sample purification and sample medium at different electrophoresis temperatures, probably reflecting the complex interplay between sequence composition, electrophoresis conditions and sensitivity in SSCP analysis. The effect on assay sensitivity from three different polymers was tested using a single electrophoresis temperature of 27 degrees C. The data suggest that a sensitivity of 98-99% can be obtained using a 10% long chain poly-N,N-dimethylacrylamide polymer.     

Determination of antihyperglycemic biguanides in serum and urine using an ion-pair solid-phase extraction technique followed by HPLC-UV on a pentafluorophenylpropyl column and on an octadecyl column

An HPLC-UV method was established for the determination of metformin and buformin in biological fluids. Metformin was not retained on particles packed in conventional solid-phase extraction cartridges; in contrast, buformin was retained too firmly and not eluted with a solvent for recovery. However, both drugs were retained on particles that had been treated with an ion-pair reagent of heptanesulfonate or dodecylsulfate and recovered almost completely. The recovered fraction was subjected to HPLC on a pentafluorophenylpropyl column which was suitable for the determination of both biguanides in serum and in urine. Limits of quantitation were low enough for clinical use, and reproducibility was high with an RSD of 0.9-2.3%. HPLC on a conventional octadecyl column was suitable only for the determination of buformin in serum since interfering peaks appeared on the chromatograms of urine samples. The method was applied to analysis of some clinical specimens.     

Derivations and invariant forms of Jordan and alternative tori

Jordan and alternative tori are the coordinate algebras of extended affine Lie algebras of types and . In this paper we show that the derivation algebra of a Jordan torus is a semidirect product of the ideal of inner derivations and the subalgebra of central derivations. In the course of proving this result, we investigate derivations of the more general class of division graded Jordan and alternative algebras. We also describe invariant forms of these algebras.

     

Solution structures of 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate ionic liquid saturated with CO2: Experimental evidence of specific anion-CO2 interaction

X-ray diffraction measurements for 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate ionic liquid ([BMIM][PF6])-CO2 systems were carried out at high pressures with a newly developed polymer cell. The intermolecular distribution functions (g(inter)(r)) were obtained at 25 degrees C for neat [BMIM][PF6] and its solutions saturated with CO2 at 4 and 15 MPa, where the mole fractions (x) of CO2 correspond to 0.5 and 0.7, respectively. In g(inter)(r) for x = 0.5, two peaks appeared at around 2.8 and 3.2 A. These two peaks in g(inter)(r) appreciably increased for x = 0.7; moreover, there was another peak observed at approximately 3.8 A. Only assuming the correlations between CO2 and [PF6]-, it is reasonably determined that the nearest-neighbor P([PF6]-). . .C(CO2) distances are 3.57 and 3.59 A with the coordination numbers being 1.8 and 4.0 for x = 0.5 and 0.7, respectively. It is concluded that CO2 molecules are preferentially solvated to the [PF6]- anion.