Every diassociative A-loop is Moufang

An A-loop is a loop in which every inner mapping is an automorphism. A problem which had been open since 1956 is settled by showing that every diassociative A-loop is Moufang.

     

Electron spin lifetimes in Hg0.78Cd0.22 Te and InSb

We have made direct pump–probe measurements of spin lifetimes in long wavelength narrow-gap semiconductors at wavelengths between 4 and 10 μm and from 4 to 300 K. In particular, we measure remarkably long spin lifetimes, τ_s300 ps, even at 300 K for epilayers of degenerate n-type InSb. In this material the mobility is approximately constant between 77 and 300 K, and we find that τ_s is approximately constant in this temperature range. In order to determine the dominant spin relaxation mechanism we have investigated the temperature dependence of τ_s in non-degenerate lightly n-type Hg_0.78Cd_0.22Te of approximately the same band gap as InSb, and find that τ_s varies from 356 ps at 150 K to 24 ps at 300 K. Our results, both in magnitude and temperature dependence of τ_s, imply that the Elliott–Yafet model dominates in these materials.     

Photopolymerization of 1,6‐hexanedioldiacrylate initiated by three‐component systems based on N‐arylphthalimides

Three‐component photoinitiators comprised of an N‐arylphthalimide, a diarylketone, and a tertiary amine were investigated for their initiation efficiency of acrylate polymerization. The use of an electron‐deficient N‐arylphthalimide resulted in a greater acrylate polymerization rate than an electron‐rich N‐arylphthalimide. Triplet energies of each N‐arylphthalimide, determined from their phosphorescence spectra, and the respective rate constants for triplet quenching by the N‐arylphthalimide derivatives (acquired via laser flash photolysis) indicated that an electron–proton transfer from an intermediate radical species to the N‐arylphthalimide (not energy transfer from triplet sensitization) is responsible for generating the initiating radicals under the conditions and species concentrations used for polymerization. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 42: 4009–4015, 2004     

Solvent‐ and interface‐induced surface segregation in blends of isotactic polypropylene with poly(ethylene‐co‐propylene) rubber

The surface compositions and morphologies of melt‐quenched blends of isotactic polypropylene (iPP) with aspecific poly(ethylene‐co‐propylene) rubber (aEPR) were characterized by atomic force microscopy, optical microscopy, and X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The surface morphologies and compositions formed in the melt are frozen‐in by crystallization of the iPP component and, depending on the processing conditions, are enriched in iPP or aEPR or contain a phase‐separated mix of iPP and aEPR. Enrichment of iPP is observed for blends melted in open air, in agreement with earlier work showing the high surface activity of atactic polypropylene at open interfaces. Surface segregation of iPP is suppressed at confined interfaces. Blends melt‐pressed between hydrophilic and hydrophobic substrates have phase‐separated iPP and aEPR domains present at the surface, which grow in size as the melt time increases. Surface enrichment of aEPR is observed after exposing melt‐pressed blends to n‐hexane vapor, which preferentially solvates aEPR and draws it to the surface. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 42: 421–432, 2004     

A Pilot Survey of Vocal Health in Young Singers

The objective of this study was to determine the incidence of vocal problems in young choir singers and to correlate vocal problems with demographic and behavioral information. A questionnaire addressing vocal habits and hygiene was offered to 571 young choir singers, up to 25 years of age, who sing at least weekly; 129 (22.6%) responded. More than one-half of the respondents had experienced vocal difficulty, particularly older adolescents. Detrimental behaviors and circumstances surveyed were not reflective of the incidence of vocal difficulty, except for morning hoarseness, chronic fatigue, insomnia, and female gender after puberty. Voice care professionals should be aware that self-reported voice difficulties are common among young choral singers, especially postpubescent girls, and children with symptoms consistent with reflux (morning hoarseness) and emotional stress (insomnia). Laryngologists should communicate with choral conductors and singing teachers to enhance early identification and treatment of children with voice complaints, and to develop choral educational strategies that help decrease their incidence.     

Direct laser ablation of sub-100 nm line structures into polyimide

Periodic line structures with a period of 167 nm and linewidths varying from 30 to 100 nm have been produced in polyimide by direct ablation with a KrF laser using an interferometric technique. The characteristics of this interferometer as it applies to the ablation of these line structures, including linewidth and alignment sensitivity, are analyzed. The ability to control the linewidth by varying the average incident fluence is described theoretically and demonstrated experimentally. This externally generated period of 167 nm also prevents the spontaneous growth of laser induced periodic surface structures (LIPSS).     

An algorithm for detecting abelian monopoles inSU 2-valued lattice gauge-Higgs systems

We present an algorithm which calculates the monopole number of anSU ₂-valued lattice gauge field, together with a lattice Higgs field, on a simplicial lattice of dimension ≧3. The calculation is gauge invariant. The expected value of the monopole density (for a fixed Higgs field) does not depend on the Higgs field. Partially supported by NSF grants DMS 8607168 and DMS 8907753 Partially supported by PSC-CUNY and by NSF grant DMS 8805485