Patterning multiple aligned self-assembled monolayers using light

This work describes a method for patterning a gold substrate with multiple, aligned self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) using light at different wavelengths. It describes the synthesis and characterization of an alkanethiolate SAM that is photosensitive to light at both 220 and 365 nm. A photomask acts as an area-selective filter for light at 220 and 365 nm, and a single set of exposures at these two wavelengths through one photomask, without steps of alignment between the exposures, can produce three aligned SAMs on one gold substrate. We demonstrate the versatility of this method of photopatterning by modifying individual aligned SAMs chemically to produce surfaces having different properties. We characterize the modified SAMs using immunolabeling, matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectroscopy, and surface plasmon resonance spectroscopy. We also describe the patterning of two aligned SAMs that resist the adsorption of proteins and a third region that does not resist the adsorption of proteins. The ability to produce multiple, aligned patterns of SAMs in a single step, without alignment of photomasks in separate steps, increases the versatility of SAMs for studying a range of physical phenomena.     

Total synthesis of haterumalides NA and NC via a chromium-mediated macrocyclization

The syntheses of haterumalides NA and NC were accomplished via the macrocyclization of a chlorovinylidene chromium carbenoid onto a pendant aldehyde to generate the C8-C9 bond with the desired stereoisomer as the major product. Utilizing the latter chemistry enables access to both C9 hydroxylated (haterumalides NC and ND) and C9 deoxygenated forms (haterumalides NA, NB, and NE; via deoxygenation of the C9-hydroxyl).     

Cyclically Presented Modules Over Rings of Finite Type

A ring is of finite type if it has only finitely many maximal right ideals, all two-sided. In this article, we give a complete set of invariants for finite direct sums of cyclically presented modules over a ring R of finite type. More generally, our results apply to finite direct sums of direct summands of cyclically presented right R-modules (DCP modules). Using a duality, we obtain as an application a similar set of invariants for kernels of morphisms between finite direct sums of pair-wise non-isomorphic indecomposable injective modules over an arbitrary ring. This application motivates the study of DCP modules.     

How is the capacity of ad hoc networks improved with directional antennas?

The capacity of wireless ad hoc networks is constrained by the interference caused by the neighboring nodes. Gupta and Kumar have shown that the throughput for such networks is only Θ bits per second per node in a unit area domain when omnidirectional antennas are used [1]. In this paper we investigate the capacity of ad hoc wireless networks using directional antennas. Using directional antennas reduces the interference area caused by each node, thus increases the capacity of the network. We will give an expression for the capacity gain and we argue that in the limit, when the beam-width goes to zero the wireless network behaves like the wired network. In our analysis we consider both arbitrary networks and random networks where nodes are assumed to be static. We have also analyzed hybrid beamform patterns that are a mix of omnidirectional/directional and a better model of real directional antennas. Simulations are conducted for validation of our analytical results. Su Yi received the B.S. and M.S degrees in automation from Tsinghua University, China, in 1998 and 2001, respectively. She received her Ph.D. degree in electrical engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, in December 2005. Her research interests include various topics in wireless ad hoc networks, including capacity of wireless networks, error control coding, and multimedia communications over wireless. Yong Pei is currently a tenure-track assistant professor in the Computer Science and Engineering Department, Wright State University, Dayton, OH. Previously he was a visiting assistant professor in the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL. He received his B.S. degree in electrical power engineering from Tsinghua University, Beijing, in 1996, and M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in electrical engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY, in 1999 and 2002, respectively. His research interests include information theory, wireless communication systems and networks, and image/video compression and communications. He is a member of IEEE and ACM. Shivkumar Kalyanaraman is an Associate Professor at the Department of Electrical, Computer and Systems Engineering at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, NY. He received a B.Tech degree from the Indian institute of Technology, Madras, India in July 1993, followed by M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in computer and Information Sciences at the Ohio State University in 1994 and 1997 respectively. His research interests are in network traffic management topics such as congestion control, reliability, connectionless traffic engineering, quality of service (QoS), last-mile community wireless networks, low-cost free-space-optical networks, automated network management using online simulation, multicast, multimedia networking, and performance analysis. His special interest lies in developing the interdisciplinary connections between network architecture and fields like control theory, economics, scalable simulation technologies, video compression and optoelectronics. He is a member of ACM and IEEE. Babak Azimi-Sadjadi received his B.Sc. from Sharif University of Technology in 1989, his M.Sc. from Tehran University in 1992, and his Ph.D. from the University of Maryland at College Park in 2001 all in Electrical Engineering. He is currently with Intelligent Automation Inc. where he is a Senior Research Scientist He also has a joint appointment with the department of Electrical, Systems, and Computer Engineering of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute where he is a research assistant professor. His research interests include, nonlinear filtering, networked control systems, and wireless networks.     

Method of calculating local dispersion in arbitrary photonic crystal waveguides

We introduce a novel method to calculate the local dispersion relation in photonic crystal waveguides, based on the finite-difference time-domain simulation and filter diagonalization method (FDM). In comparison with the spatial Fourier transform method (SFT), the highly local dispersion calculations based on FDM are considerably superior and pronounced. For the first time to our knowledge, the presented numerical technique allows comparing the dispersion in straight and bent waveguides.     

Forecasting of water thermal conductivity enhancement by adding nano-sized alumina particles

Operating fluids play an important role in heat transfer equipment. Water is inexpensive popular operating fluid with extensive applications, but its thermophysical properties are not good enough, especially for high temperature processes. Therefore, modification of its inherent characteristics by adding nano-sized solid particles found high popularities. Thermal conductivity is one of the most important thermophysical properties of an operating fluid in relatively all energy-based processes. Variation of thermal conductivity of nanofluids with different operating conditions is required to be understood in such processes. Therefore, the focus of this study is concentrated on modeling of thermal conductivity of water-alumina nanofluids using four different smart paradigms. Multilayer perceptron, radial basis function, cascade feedforward, and generalized regression neural networks are employed for the considered task. The best structure of these paradigms is determined, and then, their accuracies are compared using different statistical indices. Accuracy analyses confirmed that the generalized regression neural network outperforms other considered smart methodologies. It predicted more than 280 experimental datasets with excellent absolute average relative deviation?=?0.71%, mean square error?=?0.0006, root mean square error?=?0.023 and regression coefficient (R²)?=?0.9675. In the final stage, the proposed paradigm is used for investigation of the effect of influential parameters on the thermal conductivity of water-alumina nanofluids. This type of accurate and straightforward paradigm can broaden our insight about thermal behavior of homogeneous suspension of nano-size alumina particles in water.

     

Diastereomerically and enantiomerically pure 2,3-disubstituted pyrrolidines from 2,3-aziridin-1-ols using a sulfoxonium ylide: a one-carbon homologative relay ring expansion

An ylide-based aza-Payne rearrangement of 2,3-aziridin-1-ols leads to an efficient process for the preparation of pyrrolidines. The aza-Payne rearrangement under basic reaction conditions favors the formation of epoxy amines. Subsequent nucleophilic attack of the epoxide by the ylide yields a bis-anion, which upon a 5-exo-tet ring-closure yields the desired pyrrolidine, thus completing the relay of the three-membered to the five-membered nitrogen-containing ring system. This process takes place with complete transfer of stereochemical fidelity and can be applied to sterically hindered aziridinols.     

Nano-size amorphous calcium-manganese oxide as an efficient and biomimetic water oxidizing catalyst for artificial photosynthesis: back to manganese

A nano-size amorphous calcium-manganese oxide shows efficient water oxidation activity in the presence of cerium(IV) ammonium nitrate.