Structure of thin block copolymer films studied by X-ray reflectivity

Summary X-ray reflectivity may be used to determine the internal structure of thin polymer films. An electron density difference of 10% for polystyrene and polyisoprene is sufficient to distinguish between a random distribution of lamellae, complete orientation parallel to the substrate surface and a surface induced formation of lamellae. The disappearance of the lamellar Bragg-peaks, with heating of the film, shows the transition into the disordered state.     

Comparisons of pharynx, source, formant, and pressure characteristics in operatic and musical theatre singing

Belting, a vocal technique typically cultivated in musical theatre singing, differs timbrally from operatic singing in many interesting respects. The underlying phonatory differences have not been previously investigated in detail. Yet, belting is frequently associated with disturbances of voice function. Articulatory and phonatory characteristics are investigated in a female subject who is a professional singer (co-author JL) trained in both the operatic and belting styles and in an intermediate vocal technique (“mixed”). This article presents data obtained from this subject by video-fiberoptic observation of the pharynx, inverse filtering of airflow, and measurement of subglottal pressure. The results reveal that belting was characterized by very high subglottal pressures and sound levels, and apparently also by a comparatively high degree of glottal adduction. Comparisons with other investigations of related aspects of belting and operatic singing support the assumption that the data obtained from our subject are representative for these vocal techniques.     

Multimedia Signal Processors: An Architectural Platform with Algorithmic Compilation

Novel algorithmic features of multimedia applications and advances in VLSI technologies are driving forces behind the new multimedia signal processors. We propose an architecture platform which could provide high performance and flexibility, and would require less external I/O and memory access. It is comprised of array processors to be used as the hardware accelerator and RISC cores to be used as the basis of the programmable processor. It is a hierarchical and scalable architecture style which facilitates the hardware-software codesign of multimedia signal processing circuits and systems. While some control-intensive functions can be implemented using programmable CPUs, other computation-intensive functions can rely on hardware accelerators.To compile multimedia algorithms, we also present an operation placement and scheduling scheme suitable for the proposed architectural platform. Our scheme addresses data reusability and exploits local communication in order to avoid the memory/communication bandwidth bottleneck, which leads to faster program execution. Our method shows a promising performance: a linear speed-up of 16 times can be achieved for the block-matching motion estimation algorithm and the true motion tracking algorithm, which have formed many multimedia applications (e.g., MPEG-2 and MPEG-4).     

Molecular electric field mapping of some anions and cations of 2- aminopurine and 6- thioguanine

Electric fields of the anions, cations and neutral forms of 2-aminopurine and 6-thioguanine have been mapped. Certain important features of the maps are similar to those found earlier in the neutral and ionic forms of adenine and guanine. The computed electric field patterns satisfactorily explain reactive sites and biological activity of the molecules.     

Combined-modality treatment of adductor spasmodic dysphonia with botulinum toxin and voice therapy

A combined-modality treatment program consisting of botulinum toxin injection (Botox) and voice therapy was used to treat 17 subjects diagnosed with adductor spasmodic dysphonia (ADD SD). Ten subjects with ADD SD served as the control and were given Botox only. Voice therapy after Botox injection was directed toward reducing the hyperfunctional vocal behaviors, primarily glottal overpressure at voice onset and anterior-posterior squeezing. The results indicated that subjects who underwent combined-modality treatment maintained significantly higher mean airflow rates for significantly longer periods. Moreover, there was a carryover effect in these patients when they received Botox only. Adductor spasmodic dysphonia is treated most effectively when intrinsic laryngeal muscle spasms are reduced or eliminated by Botox injection and extrinsic hyperfunctional vocal behaviors are treated with voice therapy     

An easy and fast way to determine the enantiomeric purity of substituted cyclanones

The determination of the enantiomeric purity of 2 or 3-substituted cyclanones, particularly cyclohexanones, is conveniently achieved by derivatisation into cyclic aminals with commercially available (R, R)-1,2-diphenylethylenediamine. The derivatisation procedure is directly done into the NMR tube, instantaneously, and ¹³C NMR allows an accurate measure of the ee.     

超稳Y沸石制备技术对沸石铝分布的影响 Ⅱ.均匀铝分布的超稳Y沸石的制备

对水热处理后得到的USY沸石作进一步的酸处理以及采用改进的氟硅酸盐溶液骨架富硅工艺,分别得到了经XPS剖面分析证实为铝分布均匀的超稳Y沸石HAY-Ⅰ和HAY-Ⅱ。IR分析表明,在酸处理过程中从USY沸石中去掉的那部分非骨架铝类与3690cm~(-1)处羟基有关,仍残留在HAY-Ⅰ沸石中的那部分非骨架铝类与3670cm~(-1)和3600cm~(-1)处羟基有关。XRD和化学分析表明HAY-Ⅰ沸石仍含有约50％的非骨架铝类,而HAY-Ⅱ沸石则基本上不含非骨架铝类,HAY-Ⅱ沸石还显示更高的结晶保留度。DTA分析表明,HAY-Ⅰ和HAY-Ⅱ两种沸石的热稳定性均高于USY沸石。     

Complexes in polymers IV. FTIR microscopic characterization of thin organic polymer films containing embedded transition-metal carbonyl complexes

Thin films of polystyrene (PS), poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) and polystyrene-polyacrylonitrile copolymer (PS-AN), containing various embedded transition-metal complexes, have been studied by FTIR microscopy. The spatial distributions of the transition-metal carbonyl complexes throughout the thin organic polymer films have been determined by a two-dimensional IR mapping procedure. The spectral variations observed in the distribution of the metal carbonyls throughout the different polymer films are discussed. The IR data show that the technique used to prepare the organometallic-embedded thin films (viz. freeze-drying of solutions followed by hot mechanical pressing of the residues) does in general lead to homogeneous films which may eventually find industrial application, e.g. as membrane sensors for small molecules.     

Novel optical techniques for the analysis of polymer surfaces and thin films

Summary We report on novel optical techniques, based on evanescent waves, for the characterization of polymer surfaces and thin films. We first describe photo-ablation studies with polysilane films investigated by surface plasmon microscopy, a technique which is particularly well-suited for ultrathin samples. Thicker films that are homogeneous enough to carry optical waveguide modes can be characterized with high lateral resolution by the recently developed waveguide microscopy. We demonstrate this for a thin film of a solid polyelectrolyte. Finally, we report on surface plasmon field-enhanced Raman-spectroscopic and -imaging investigations of ultrathin Langmuir-Blodgett-Kuhn-layers of cadmium arachidate.W. Hickel is now with HOECHST AG, Angewandte Physik, W-6230 Frankfurt 80