Deformations of arithmetically Cohen-Macaulay subvarieties of pn

We show that every arithmetically Cohen-Macaulay two-codimensional subscheme ofP ⁿ can be deformed to a reduced union of two-codimensional linear subvarieties. This problem (classical for curves with the name of Zeuthen problem) was solved for curves by F.Gaeta.     

Computation of the Maslov index and the spectral flow via partial signatures

Given a smooth Lagrangian path, both in the finite and in the infinite dimensional (Fredholm) case, we introduce the notion of partial signatures at each isolated intersection of the path with the Maslov cycle. For real-analytic paths, we give a formula for the computation of the Maslov index using the partial signatures; a similar formula holds for the spectral flow of real-analytic paths of Fredholm self-adjoint operators on real separable Hilbert spaces. As applications of the theory, we obtain a semi-Riemannian version of the Morse index theorem for geodesics with possibly conjugate endpoints, and we prove a bifurcation result at conjugate points along semi-Riemannian geodesics. To cite this article: R. Giambò et al., C. R. Acad. Sci. Paris, Ser. I 338 (2004).     

Multilayered Cu–Ti deposition on silicon substrates for chemiresistor applications

Abstract

On the perspective to develop CuO–TiO₂ MOS, multilayered Cu and Ti thin layers were alternatively deposited on silicon wafers using 25?keV Ar?+?ion beam sputtering and, subsequently, oxidized by thermal annealing in air at 400?°C for 24?h. The deposited films have variable ratios of the Cu and Ti % at. One of the main goal is to obtain such multilayers avoiding the presence of Cu–Ti–O compounds. The samples were characterized in terms of composition (by RBS and SIMS analyses) and morphology (by AFM and SEM investigations). In particular, SIMS maps allows to observe the spatial distribution and thickness of each phase of the Cu/Ti multilayers, and further to observe Cu diffusion and mixing with Ti, as well as phase separation of CuO and TiO₂ in the samples. The reasons of this effect represent an open issue that has to investigated, in order to improve the MOS fabrication.     

Aldol condensations over reconstructed Mg-Al hydrotalcites: structure-activity relationships related to the rehydration method

Two different rehydration procedures in the liquid or gas phase have been applied to reconstruct mixed oxides derived from calcined hydrotalcite-like materials to be used as catalysts for aldol condensation reactions. The as-synthesized hydrotalcite, its decomposition product, as well as the reconstructed solids upon rehydration were characterized by XRD, N(2) adsorption, He pycnometry, FTIR, SEM, TEM, (27)Al MAS-NMR and CO(2)-TPD (TPD=temperature-programmed desorption). Compared to the Mg-Al mixed oxide rehydrated in the gas phase (HT-rg), that rehydrated in the liquid phase (HT-rl) exhibits a superior catalytic performance with respect to the aldol condensation of citral with ketones to yield pseudoionones and in the self-aldolization of acetone. The textural properties of HT-rl and HT-rg differ strongly and determine the catalytic behavior. A memory effect led to a higher degree of reconstruction of the lamellar structure when the mixed oxide was rehydrated in the gas phase rather than in the liquid phase, although liquid-phase rehydration under fast stirring produced a surface area that was 26 times greater. This contrasts to typical statements in the literature claiming a higher degree of reconstruction in the presence of large amounts of water in the medium. CO(2)-TPD shows that the number of OH(-) groups and their nature are very similar in HT-rg and HT-rl, and cannot explain the markedly different catalytic behavior. Accordingly, only a small fraction of the available basic sites in the rehydrated samples is active in liquid-phase aldol condensations. Our results support the model in which only basic sites near the edges of the hydrotalcite platelets are partaking in aldol reactions. Based on this, reconstructed materials with small crystallites (produced by exfoliation during mechanical stirring), that is, possessing a high external surface area, are beneficial in the reactions compared to larger crystals with a high degree of intraplatelet porosity.     

Enantiomeric resolution of anti-HIV agents on a cellulose derivative chiral stationary phase

Summary Anti-HIV enantiomeric 1H, 3H-thiazolo[3, 4-a] benzimidazoles have been stereospecifically analyzed by elution on a column of cellulose tris-(4-methyl-phenylbenzoate)ester adsorbed on macroporous silica (Chiralcel^R OJ).The enantiomeric resolution of the compounds examined is linked to a complex and competitive contribution of different factors.     

On the stereochemistry of photoaddition between α,β-unsaturated ketones and olefins—II

Some years ago an empirical rule, which allows the prediction of product stereochemistry in cis-photocycloaddition reactions of α,β-unsaturated ketones and olefins was tentatively proposed. Several additional examples, both selected from the literature and synthesized in our laboratory, seem to strengthen the validity of the rule.     

Compactifications,realcompletions and spectral structures

Summary We give an intrinsic (set theoretical) method to obtain all realcompletions of a Tychonoff space X. It is based on the concept of a spectral structure. Every realcompletion of the space can be obtained as a space of terminal clusters relative to an appropriate spectral structure on X. Various applications of this concept are then given. For example we may characterize those spectral structures which yield the realcompletions between X and X, or which yield spaces that are realcomplete (that is, realcompact), or compact or pseudocompact or Lindelöf. We also determine the class K of compactifications K of X for which X will be real closed in K for every K K.Here we continue the use of the word realcompletion (see [2]) in place of real-compactification. As many investigations have shown and as the present article reinforces, the former is more appropriate than the latter.     

Optimization of a clean-up procedure for the determination of heterocyclic aromatic amines in urine by field-amplified sample injection-capillary electrophoresis-mass spectrometry

Heterocyclic amines (HAs), generated when proteinaceous food is cooked, are of special interest since they can be carcinogenic for humans. In this paper, the optimization of a clean-up procedure for the isolation and preconcentration of 15 heterocyclic amines in urine samples is described. The method proposed combines liquid extraction on a solid support of diatomaceous earth with solid-phase extraction in cartridges. Tests were performed on several cartridges containing graphitic carbon or mixed phases, i.e., combining reversed-phase and cation-exchange mechanism, and the best results were obtained with Oasis MCX. The optimized purification method was applied to the quantification of heterocyclic amines in hydrolyzed spiked human urine. The method was carried out by capillary electrophoresis (CE) coupled to mass spectrometry (MS) and applying field-amplified sample injection (FASI) as in-line preconcentration procedure. We obtained detection limits down to 0.3 ng/ml of urine and errors lower than 17%.     

Multimodal open-tubular capillary electrochromatographic analysis of amines and peptides

This study describes a comparison of different modes of open-tubular electrochromatography (OTCEC) in bare and etched capillaries. To carry out the investigation, the separation of impurities of two synthetic peptides and the separation of a mixture of five heterocyclic aromatic amines were studied. Three different types of stationary phase were evaluated: (i) fluorosurfactants (anionic and zwitterionic) adsorbed in the inner wall of the capillary (electrochromatography with dynamically modified stationary phases (DMS)CEC); (ii) physically adsorbed polymers (DMA-SO(3-) and DMA-N(+)(CH(3))(3)) and (iii) chemically modified capillaries (C(18), cholesteryl 10-undecanoate and diol). The results confirm that electrochromatography can be a viable alternative to capillary electrophoresis (CE) and liquid chromatography, more established separation techniques. It is possible to differentiate some minor species for the synthetic peptides that cannot be resolved by CE or high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Moreover the separation of the amine mixture depends strongly on the stationary phase used.     

Experimental evaluation of epithermal neutron self-shielding for 96Zr and 98Mo

In a previous work we experimentally tested some neutron self-shielding calculations methods for thermal absorbers, from which the semi-empirical “sigmoid method” gave the most accurate results. In this work we aim at evaluating the accuracy of this method on the epithermal self-shielding phenomena as compared to the analytical “MatSSF method”. Metallic foils of Zr and Mo were compactly stacked together into small cylinders (or disks) of different thickness, allowing for up to 20 % epithermal self-shielding when irradiated on two channels of the BR1 reactor. A 2 % relative difference between calculated and experimental self-shielding factors was obtained from the MatSSF method when a perpendicular source-sample axial configuration was assumed, while the isotropic or the co-axial configuration alternatives gave up to 10 % relative differences. On the other hand, the sigmoid method gave relative differences of up to 6 % that can be reduced to just 2 % by applying the “effective” epithermal absorption cross-sections for ⁹⁸Mo and ⁹⁶Zr proposed in this work.