Three-dimensional mapping of cholinergic molecules by confocal laser scanning microscopy in sea urchin larvae.

Confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) was used to examine molecules related to the cholinergic neurotransmission system and detected at all the larval stages of Paracentrotus lividus, by histochemical and immunohistochemical methods. CLSM, providing spatial resolution of the cells located both at the larval surface and at depth, allows a complete mapping in a three-dimensional volumetric frame. At early larval stages acetylcholinesterase- as well as choline acetyltransferase-like molecules were found mainly in the gut wall cells, and along the ciliary bands of the arms, together with muscarinic acetylcholine receptors. At perimetamorphic stages, cholinergic molecules were present in the ciliate strands along the arms, in the larval body and in the rudiment. At metamorphosis, positivity to cholinergic molecules translocated to the juvenile, where a high frequency of mAChR- and ChAT-like positive cells was found.     

Photochromic reverse mode polymer dispersed liquid crystals

Control of light intensity and colour are two of the major features required in the realization of smart windows. We designed a bi-functional polymer dispersed liquid crystal (PDLC) film in order to satisfy such requirements, i.e. it is able both to modulate the optical transmission, if an external electric field is applied, and to change colour if exposed to sunlight. A monomer/liquid crystal mixture was doped with a small amount of photochromic material and homeotropically aligned by means of rough surfaces. A transparent and pale pink coloured film was achieved after photopolymerization. Such a film changes colour upon exposure for some seconds to sunlight or ultraviolet radiation in a persistent but reversible manner. In addition, the film appears transparent without the application of an electric field (OFF state) and becomes opaque on application of a driving voltage of about 75 V (ON state), and thus the film operates in reverse mode with respect to conventional PDLCs.     

Absorbance spectra of polycrystalline samples and twinned crystals of oligothiophenes

We propose optical absorption technique at oblique incidence as one of the spectroscopic tools that allow experimentally recognizing the macroscopic order and structural features of molecular solids of conjugated molecules, from single crystals to polycrystalline or twinned samples. We apply this spectroscopy to quaterthiophene as representative of a wide class of materials that usually possess optical transitions of Frenkel exciton origin with strong directional dispersion. The comparison between experimental and simulated data gives evidence of the high sensitivity of this technique for determining quantitatively the polycrystallinity of the measured samples, whose domains may show mirror-like orientation of the unit cell with respect to one of its faces.Frenkel exciton; Oligothiophene, Optical properties     

Mercury extraction by ionic liquids: temperature and alkyl chain length effect

The preliminary results described here show the complete transfer of Hg(II) ions, in the absence of a chelating agent in 1-alkyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate ionic liquids; the lag time required to gain the quantitative metal ion partition turned out to be strongly dependent both on alkyl chain length on the imidazolium ring and on the working temperature.     

Influence of multiwall carbon nanotubes on morphological and structural changes during UV irradiation of syndiotactic polypropylene films

The effect of UV irradiation on the morphology and structure of syndiotactic polypropylene (sPP) is investigated both for pure films and those filled with multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs). UV treatment causes a structural reorganization of pure sPP films. It seems that the incorporation of MWCNTs has a strong stabilizing effect, with nanotubes acting as a limiter of the UV‐induced chain breakage, especially when a good dispersion of carbon nanotubes in the polymer is achieved. The incorporation of MWCNTs introduces a high concentration of defects in the crystal structure of sPP, which limits the UV‐induced growth of crystallites, and prevents the development and propagation of cracks caused by UV irradiation. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys, 2012     

Surface anchoring,polarization fields and memory states in polymer dispersed liquid crystals

We have investigated the formation and development of memory states in polymer dispersed liquid crystals induced by the application of a strong electric field. Both the optical transmittance and polarization field have been followed as functions of time. We have been able to distinguish between the contributions to the memory states arising from the surface anchoring of the liquid crystal at the droplet interface and from the electrical reorientation of the mesogenic molecules. The dependence of both residual transmittance and polarization field on temperature is reported and a simple model is proposed.     

Storage impulsive processes in the merging phase space

The storage impulsive processes given by a sum of random variables on a superposition of two renewal processes are considered on increasing time intervals. The averaging, diffusion approximation, and large deviation problem are studied in the series scheme with a small parameter series under suitable scaling.     

Morphology and electro-optical properties of reverse mode polymer dispersed liquid crystals

We have investigated the morphology and electro-optical properties of reverse mode polymer dispersed liquid crystals as a function of liquid crystal loading. Reverse mode shutters have been obtained by a polymerization-induced phase separation of mixtures, consisting of a liquid crystalline monomer and a non-reactive nematic liquid crystal, placed between rough conductive surfaces. Such surfaces are able to keep the photopolymerizable mixtures homeotropically aligned without the use of any aligning polymer substrate. OFF state transmittances are always larger than 80% and the switching fields decrease if the non-reactive liquid crystal percentage is increased. Both rise and decay times are always lower than 10 ms. The electro-optical properties have been related to the sample morphology and a simple mode is proposed.     

Photochromic reverse mode polymer dispersed liquid crystals

Control of light intensity and colour are two of the major features required in the realization of smart windows. We designed a bi‐functional polymer dispersed liquid crystal (PDLC) film in order to satisfy such requirements, i.e. it is able both to modulate the optical transmission, if an external electric field is applied, and to change colour if exposed to sunlight. A monomer/liquid crystal mixture was doped with a small amount of photochromic material and homeotropically aligned by means of rough surfaces. A transparent and pale pink coloured film was achieved after photopolymerization. Such a film changes colour upon exposure for some seconds to sunlight or ultraviolet radiation in a persistent but reversible manner. In addition, the film appears transparent without the application of an electric field (OFF state) and becomes opaque on application of a driving voltage of about 75?V (ON state), and thus the film operates in reverse mode with respect to conventional PDLCs.     

Liquid crystal orientation in elliptic droplets in nematic emulsions

Elliptic droplets of nematic liquid crystal dispersed in a fluid organic monomer were obtained by phase separation from an isotropic mixture consisting of an organic monomer and a nematic liquid crystal contained in a poly(ethylene terephthalate) cell with inner surfaces treated with rubbed polyimide. The elliptic shape is a consequence of the constraint upon droplet growth along the direction perpendicular to the cell surfaces owing to the small thickness. Then, the resulting droplets will have a contact area with the inner surfaces of the cell treated with polyimide, which will impart a planar orientation on the liquid crystal in the droplet. By means of an optical microscope, using a simple pin hole of 5 μ m, we have selected single droplets for a series of samples having different contact areas. By polarized infrared spectroscopy we have also studied the liquid crystal orientation in selected areas of the droplets. We then report the dependence of the order parameter of the liquid crystal on different contact areas with the alignment surface of the cell. The good degree of planar alignment of the liquid crystal in the elliptic droplets allows the use of such a technique for realizing electro-optical films operating in the reverse mode. We report the electro-optical transmission of reverse mode films with different sizes of elliptic droplet.