Spectroscopic characterization of core and shell regions in monolayer protected gold nanoparticles

We report studies on the structure of the metallic core and the alkyl cap layer in monolayer protected gold nanoparticles having sizes down to 1.6 nm. These particles are obtained by laser ablating gold targets in alkane-thiol solutions at different concentrations. The electronic structure of gold core and the vibrational properties of the capping hydrocarbon chains reveal effects connected with the nanosized nature of the particles.     

Classes de symétrie des solides piézoélectriquesSymmetry classes of piezoelectric solids

We apply here the harmonic and Cartan decomposition techniques to piezoelectric material symmetries classification. We show in particular that we shall reduce from 19 to 17 the number of symmetry classes corresponding to the piezoelectric phenomenon. To cite this article: G. Geymonat, T. Weller, C. R. Acad. Sci. Paris, Ser. I 335 (2002) 847–852.     

Sulla K-variazione Essenziale di Una Funzione reale

In this paper we consider a definition of essentialK-variation for real functions which gives information on the absolute integrability of its approximate derivate on a measurable set.     

A convenient strategy of dimerization by microwave heating and using 2,5-diketopiperazine as scaffold

A novel and convenient microwave-assisted dimerization of an active peptide compound using the DKPs as scaffold is described. The key reaction giving rise to the diketopiperazine scaffold is the intermolecular coupling. No epimerization was detected in the reactions used. Conventional and microwave heating of the reactions are compared. Synthesis by microwave irradiation gave the desired compounds in higher yields and in shorter reaction times than those obtained by conventional heating.     

Three terminals optoelectronics devices integrated into a silicon on silicon waveguide

In this paper we describe two different kind of optoelectronic devices both based on a three terminals active device and exploit the plasma dispersion effect to achieve the desired working. The first device exploits this effect in order to obtain an optical modulation. The second device is an optoelectronic router based on the mode-mixing principle together with the injection-induced optical phase shift. Both devices are integrated into a Silicon on Silicon optical channel waveguide which can be realized using a standard bipolar process. The possibility of using standard, well-known technology presents several advantages with respect to III–V Optoelectronics. The active three terminal device used is a Bipolar Mode Field Effect Transistor (BMFET). Numerical simulation results are presented on both devices.     

Stemmosides C and D, two novel unusual pregnane glycosides from Solenostemma argel: structural elucidation and configurational study by a combined NMR-quantum mechanical strategy

Stemmosides C and D, two novel pregnane glycosides characterized by an unusual C-17 side chain were isolated from the pericarps of Solenostemma argel. In addition, stemmoside D displays an uncommon 14β proton configuration, apparently being the first pregnane isolated from plants known to have a 15 keto, cis CD ring junction. Their structures have been established by ESIMS and NMR experiments. The relative configuration of the molecules was determined using a strategy based on the simulation of ¹H, ¹³C, and J coupling NMR parameters. DFT calculations of ¹H and ¹³C chemical shifts, and of the ¹H homonuclear spin–spin coupling constants were performed with the mPW1PW91 functional using the 6-31G(d,p) basis set on the fully optimized geometries of all the possible stereoisomers.     

Regularity of minima: An invitation to the dark side of the calculus of variations

I am presenting a survey of regularity results for both minima of variational integrals, and solutions to non-linear elliptic, and sometimes parabolic, systems of partial differential equations. I will try to take the reader to the Dark Side... This work has been partially supported by MIUR via the project “Calcolo delle Variazioni” (Cofin 2004), and by GNAMPA via the project “Studio delle singolarità in problemi geometrici e variazionali”.     

Lie-Poincaré transformations and a reduction criterion in Landau theory

In the Landau theory of phase transitions one considers an effective potential Φ whose symmetry group G and degree d depend on the system under consideration; generally speaking, Φ is the most general G-invariant polynomial of degree d. When such a Φ turns out to be too complicate for a direct analysis, it is essential to be able to drop unessential terms, i.e., to apply a simplifying criterion. Criteria based on singularity theory exist and have a rigorous foundation, but are often very difficult to apply in practice. Here we consider a simplifying criterion (as stated by Gufan) and rigorously justify it on the basis of classical Lie-Poincaré theory as far as one deals with fixed values of the control parameter(s) in the Landau potential; when one considers a range of values, in particular near a phase transition, the criterion has to be accordingly partially modified, as we discuss. We consider some specific cases of group G as examples, and study in detail the application to the Sergienko-Gufan-Urazhdin model for highly piezoelectric perovskites.