Study of the peak effect phenomenon in single crystals of 2H-NbSe2

The weakly pinned single crystals of the hexagonal 2H-NbSe₂ compound have emerged as prototypes for determining and characterizing the phase boundaries of the possible order-disorder transformations in the vortex matter. We present here a status report based on the ac and dc magnetization measurements of the peak effect phenomenon in three crystals of 2H-NbSe₂, in which the critical current densities vary over two orders of magnitude. We sketch the generic vortex phase diagram of a weakly pinned superconductor, which also utilizes theoretical proposals. We also establish the connection between the metastability effects and pinning.     

Shaping Solid-State Supramolecular Cavities: Chemically Induced Accordionlike Movement of gamma-Zirconium Phosphate Containing Polyethylenoxide Pillars

The hydrophilic oxygen atoms of polyethylenoxide chains inserted as pillars in gamma-zirconium phosphate form hydrogen bonds with the acid groups of the host. As a result the pillars are almost perpendicular to the gamma layers. Upon changing the pH level of the supernatant solution the hydrogen bonds are broken and the pillars become almost perpendicular to the layers (shown schematically). Thus there is a reversible enlargement-shortening of the interlayer space.     

A highly chemoselective oxidation of alcohols to carbonyl products with iodosobenzene diacetate mediated by chromium(III)(salen) complexes: synthetic and mechanistic aspects

[reaction: see text] The catalytic oxidation of the allylic alcohols 1d-n with iodosobenzene diacetate, mediated by the [Cr(III)(salen)]X complex, affords the respective enones in excellent chemoselectivity for Cl(-) as counterion [complex A(Cl)], while for the counterions TfO(-) [complex A(TfO)] and PF(6)(-) [complex A(PF(6)())] nearly equal amounts of enone and epoxide are observed. This counterion-dependent oxidation of allylic alcohols by Cr(III)(salen) complexes is rationalized in terms of Lewis acid catalysis by the complex A(Cl) and redox catalysis for A(TfO) and A(PF(6)()).     

Acetogenic isoquinoline alkaloids: CXII. Separation and identification of dimeric naphthylisoquinoline alkaloids by liquid chromatography coupled to electrospray ionization mass spectrometry

The atropodiastereomeric dimeric naphthylisoquinoline alkaloids, michellamines A (1a), B (1b) and C (1c), together with their monomers, korupensamines A (2a) and B (2b), were investigated using electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry coupled to liquid chromatography (LC–ESI-MS–MS). From the spectra obtained, characteristic product ions were chosen to monitor the chromatographic separation achieved on an RP-18 column. Under acidic conditions required for chromatographic analysis, the monomeric alkaloids 2a and 2b yielded protonated molecules [M+H]⁺, while the dimers, the michellamines, exhibited doubly protonated [M+2H]²⁺ molecules. In addition, the coeluting alkaloids 1b and 2b were identified unambiguously by means of tandem mass spectrometry. Thus, together with the retention times of the alkaloids, the product ion spectra allowed us the identification of michellamines in the presence of their presumed biogenetic monomeric precursors. Application of the HPLC–MS–MS method successfully proved the enzymatic formation of michellamine C (1c) by in vitro dimerization of korupensamine B (2b).     

Determination of heterocyclic aromatic amines (HAA) in commercially available meat products and fish by high performance liquid chromatography—Electrospray tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-ESI-MS-MS)

Summary Ten heterocyclic aromatic amines (HAA) (1)–(10) were analyzed in commercially available meat products and fish. After sample preparation by Extrelut treatment and subsequent solid phase extraction applying propylsulphonic and C₁₈ silica cartridges, HPLC-ESI-MS-MS using selected reaction monitoring (SRM) and d₃-PhIP and d₃-MeIQx as internal and external standards, respectively, revealed the widely distributed presence of PhIP (8) and MeIQx (4), ranging from 0.1 to 5.3 ng g⁻¹ and 0.1 to 5.2 ng g⁻¹, respectively. Lower amounts were found for 4,8-DiMeIQx (5) and 7,8-DiMeIQx (6), ranging from 0.2 to 2.0 ng g⁻¹ and 0.1 to 0.2 ng g⁻¹, respectively. The other HAA under study, i.e. IQ, MeIQ, 4,7,8-TriMeIQx, Glu-P-1, and Glu-P-2 were not determinable under the experimental conditions used (determination limit 0.1 ng g⁻¹).     

A dynamic study of earthworm feeding ecology -using stable isotopes

Changes in the specific diet of earthworms with time in relation to landuse changes and two different climates were studied by analysing (13)C and (15)N natural abundance in soils and animals. Soil samples from three depths (0-10, 10-20 and 20-30 cm) and earthworms were collected from two sites: Santiago (Northwest Spain) and North Wyke (Southwest England) both consisting of replicated long-term grasslands and recently converted to maize plots. Earthworms were hand-sorted in the field at the peak of the maize growth and after harvesting at both sites. In the Spanish plots, nine and eight earthworm species, all belonging to the three ecological categories (epigeic, anecic and endogeic), were found under maize and permanent pasture, whereas at the English site five and seven different species were, respectively, identified. At both sites (13)C isotopic values of the earthworm tissues reflected changes in diet from C(3) to C(4) with epigeic and epi/anecic worms in the maize plots showing one delta unit difference in relation to the ones found in the grassland plots. Anecic worms seemed to be less responsive to landuse changes. The higher (13)C values of the Spanish soils were also reflected in the earthworm tissues when compared with the English samples. (15)N values showed no clear relationship with the cropping treatments but were clearly related to the ecological grouping, with endogeic worms reaching the highest values whereas for the epigeic and epi/anecic species the lowest values were obtained. This finding was also previously recorded by other authors1 and suggests that, in the future, stable isotope techniques could also be a useful tool in taxonomic studies. Copyright 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Secondary ion yields produced by keV atomic and polyatomic ion impacts on a self-assembled monolayer surface

A suite of keV polyatomic or 'cluster' projectiles was used to bombard unoxidized and oxidized self-assembled monolayer surfaces. Negative secondary ion yields, collected at the limit of single ion impacts, were measured and compared for both molecular and fragment ions. In contrast to targets that are orders of magnitude thicker than the penetration range of the primary ions, secondary ion yields from polyatomic projectile impacts on self-assembled monolayers show little to no enhancement when compared with monatomic projectiles at the same velocity. This unusual trend is most likely due to the structural arrangement and bonding characteristics of the monolayer molecules with the Au(111). Copyright 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.