Lattice instabilities in Cs2MFe(CN)6 (M = Mg2+, Ca2+, and Sr2+): The crystal structure of Cs2BaFe(CN)6·2H2O

The room temperature Raman spectra of Cs₂MFe(CN)₆ (M = Mg²⁺, Ca²⁺, and Sr²⁺) suggest that these salts undergo phase transformations similar to those found in Cs₂LiCr(CN)₆ where the distortion from the high-symmetry phase proceeds primarily along two modes of vibration. The distortion involves an antiferroelectric rotation of the hexacyanide moiety and a cesium translation. On the basis of the spectra a correlation has been made between the size of M and the apparent transition temperature. In going down the alkaline earths, the apparent transition temperature increases. The structure of the barium salt determined at room temperature shows the crystal latitce contains two waters of hydration. Many similarities have been found between Cs₂BaFe(CN)₆·2H₂O and the low-symmetry phase structure of Cs₂LiCr(CN)₆.     

Satellite phenomena in the X-ray photoelectron spectra of lanthanide trihydroxides

Using the direct CI method perturbation corrections to the Koopmans ionization energies have been obtained up to order 10 for the molecules CN^? and H₂O. The results are compared with those from the fully converged CI and B_k-type calculations. The convergence of the perturbation series is found to be quite slow although substantial improvement is possible using a variation-perturbation method.     

Observation of muon neutrino disappearance with the MINOS detectors in the NuMI neutrino beam

This Letter reports results from the MINOS experiment based on its initial exposure to neutrinos from the Fermilab NuMI beam. The rates and energy spectra of charged current nu(mu) interactions are compared in two detectors located along the beam axis at distances of 1 and 735 km. With 1.27 x 10(20) 120 GeV protons incident on the NuMI target, 215 events with energies below 30 GeV are observed at the Far Detector, compared to an expectation of 336+/-14 events. The data are consistent with nu(mu) disappearance via oscillations with |Delta(m)2/32|=2.74 +0.44/-0.26 x10(-3)eV(2) and sin(2)(2theta(23))>0.87 (68% C.L.).     

High spatial and angular resolution diffusion-weighted imaging reveals forniceal damage related to memory impairment

Introduction

Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) measures in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), particularly those measures associated with a specific white matter pathway, have consistently shown correlations with function. This study sought to investigate correlations between DTI measures in the fornix and common cognitive deficits in MS patients, including episodic memory, working memory and attention.

Materials and Methods

Patients with MS and group age- and sex-matched controls underwent high-resolution diffusion scanning (1-mm isotropic voxels) and cognitive testing. Manually drawn forniceal regions of interest were applied to individual maps of tensor-derived measures, and mean values of transverse diffusivity (TD), mean diffusivity (MD), longitudinal diffusivity (LD) and fractional anisotropy (FA) were calculated.

Results

In 40 patients with MS [mean age±S.D.= 42.55±9.1 years; Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS)=2.0±1.2; Multiple Sclerosis Functional Composite (MSFC) score=0.38±0.46] and 20 healthy controls (mean age±S.D.= 41.35±9.7 years; EDSS=0.0±0; MSFC score=0.74±0.24), we found that FA, MD and TD values in the fornix were significantly different between groups (P< .03), and patient performance on the Brief Visuospatial Memory Test-Revised (BVMT-R) was correlated with DTI measures (P< .03).

Discussion

These results are consistent with findings of axonal degeneration in MS and support the use of DTI as an indicator of disease progression.     

Benzimidazole- and benzothiazole-quinones: excellent substrates for NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase 1

A series of benzimidazole- and benzothiazole-quinones has been synthesized. The ability of these heterocyclic quinones to act as substrates for recombinant human NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase (NQO1), a two-electron reductase upregulated in tumour cells, was determined. Overall, the quinones were excellent substrates for NQO1.     

Semiempirical molecular orbital techniques applied to silicon dioxide: MINDO/3

We present a discussion of MINDO/3, a semiempirical molecular orbital program, which we have applied to clusters of atoms used to represent silicon dioxide. We have obtained MINDO/3 parameters for the Si-O interaction and have calculated a variety of observables for both molecules and solid-state clusters, for both open- and closed-shell systems. With some exceptions, we find very good agreement with other calculations and with experiment. In particular, our results for both E′₁ and E′₄ defects support existing models which feature asymmetric atomic relaxations.     

Observation of surface and bulk plasmons in semiconductor superlattices

We report far infrared measurements of oblique incidence power reflectivity and attenuated total reflection (ATR) on multiply Si δ-doped GaAs samples. The reflectivity spectrum in s-polarisation probes the in-plane component of the superlattice dielectric function, and is sensitive to the overall 3D electron density. The p-polarisation spectrum, however, also probes the out-of-plane component, resulting in an extra mode which is sensitive to the distribution of free electrons between wells and barriers. The p-polarisation ATR spectrum shows surface modes which are also sensitive to this distribution. The results are compared with a bulk slab model of the dielectric function.