Recent Advances in Birefringence Studies at THz Frequencies

In the last few years, various studies on terahertz (THz) birefringence have been presented, based on polarization-sensitive THz time-domain spectroscopy. The field of THz birefringence is a wide one covering several aspects, such as different materials exhibiting THz birefringence, polarization-sensitive THz technology, as well as numerous methods for extracting the birefringence properties of a sample from the THz data. Therefore, this paper aims at reviewing recent results on THz birefringence measurements presented in literature, addressing the above aspects and giving an overview of the topic. Moreover, it will focus on the investigation of birefringent fibrous samples, where specific results will be discussed in detail. Altogether, this paper should give a comprehensive view on the recent achievements in the measurements of THz birefringence.     

Representation type of Hecke algebras of type

In this paper we provide a complete classification of the representation type for the blocks for the Hecke algebra of type , stated in terms of combinatorical data. The computation of the complexity of Young modules is a key component in the proof of this classification result.     

Ruthenium alkylidenes: modulation of a new class of catalysts for controlled radical polymerization of vinyl monomers

Air-stable and readily available ruthenium benzylidene complexes of the general type [RuCl2(=CHPh)(L)(L')] (L, L' = PCy3 and/or N-heterocyclic carbene) constitute a new class of catalyst precursors for atom-transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) of methyl methacrylate and styrene, and provide an unprecedented example for the involvement of ruthenium alkylidenes in radical reactions. They promote the polymerization of various monomers with good to excellent yields, and in a controlled way with methyl methacrylate and styrene. Variations of their basic structural motif provide insights into the essential parameters responsible for catalytic activity. The ligands L (PCy3 and/or N-heterocyclic carbene) turned out to play a particularly important role in determining the rate of the polymerizations. A similarly pronounced influence is exerted by the substituents on the N-heterocyclic carbene. Our results indicate that the catalysts decompose quickly under ATRP conditions, and polymerizations are mediated by both [RuCl2(=CHPh)(L)(L')] complexes and ruthenium species bereft of the benzylidene moiety, through a pathway in which both tricyclohexylphosphane and/or N-heterocyclic carbene ligands remain bound to the metal center. Polymerization of n-butyl acrylate and vinyl acetate is not controlled and most probably takes place through a redox-initiated free-radical process.     

Electrophoretic behavior of individual nuclear species as determined by capillary electrophoresis with laser-induced fluorescence detection

We determined the feasibility of using capillary electrophoresis with postcolumn laser-induced fluorescence (CE-LIF) detection to characterize electrophoretic properties of isolated cell nuclei and impurities present in nuclear fractions. These fractions were isolated from NS-1 mouse hybridoma cells, stained with hexidium iodide, a DNA intercalating dye, and analyzed by CE-LIF detection. The corresponding electropherograms display two features: (i) broad peaks (6-90 s wide) caused by the cell culturing media and by free-DNA intercalated with hexidium iodide, and (ii) a large number of narrow peaks (180 ms wide), resulting from DNA associated with individual intact or disrupted nuclei. We confirmed that the narrow peaks were not caused by contaminating mitochondria. The overall electrophoretic mobility range of disrupted nuclei is 0 to -5 x 10(-4)cm(2)/Vs, while intact nuclei seem to have mobilities in the -1.5 to -3.5 x 10(-4)cm(2)/Vs range. Furthermore, the highly sensitive CE-LIF method reveals a high abundance of disrupted nuclei that cannot be directly observed by confocal microscopy.     

First structural characterization of core modified 10,15-meso aryl azuliporphyrins: observation of C-H...pi interaction between pyrrole beta-CH and mesityl ring

First successful syntheses and structural characterization of new core modified meso aryl azuliporphyrins by a simple [3 + 1] methodology are reported.     

Enzymatic synthesis of chiral organophosphothioates from prochiral precursors

The phosphotriesterase from Pseudomonas diminuta has been shown to selectively cleave the pro-R p-nitrophenolate substituent from bis-p-nitrophenyl alkyl phosphothioate esters. When the alkyl substituent is methyl, ethyl, or isopropyl the enantiomeric excess of the product is >/=99%. Manipulation of the active site through mutagenesis has enabled the preparation of protein variants that preferentially hydrolyze the pro-S substituent of the target substrates. This methodology thus permits the preparation of chiral products from prochiral precursors.     

Additional Isoquinoline Alkaloids from Lltsea Cubeba

By combination of centrifugal partition chromatography (CPC) and common separation methods, seven additional known bases were isolated and characterized from the reinvestigation of L. cubeba besides three previously isolated bases- isocorydine (10), N-methyllaurotetanine (9), and boldine (2). They are laurolitsine (1), laurotetanine (3), isoboldine (4), norisocorydine (5), N-methyllindcarpine (7), isodomesticine (8), and glaziovine (6). Among these, compound 9 is the most abundant (7.5 × 10^?4) and will be modified for pharmacological tests. This work will be of value for chemotaxonomy.