Compartmentalized multistage liquid crystal alignment

A novel method for compartmentalized multistable liquid crystal alignment is presented (see figure). The compartmentalization allows planar-aligned liqid crystal domains to be switched independently under vertical electric fields. This work opens new routes for the design and fabrication of multistage liquid crystal devices, switchable viewing-angle displays and tunable structures of guest materials within liquid crystal host

Patterns of peroxidative ethane emission from submerged rice seedlings indicate that damage from reactive oxygen species takes place during submergence and is not necessarily a post-anoxic phenomenon

Contains fulltext : 36303pub.pdf (publisher's version ) (Closed access)Using ethane as a marker for peroxidative damage to membranes by reactive oxygen species (ROS) we examined the injury of rice seedlings during submergence in the dark. It is often expressed that membrane injury from ROS is a post-submergence phenomenon occurring when oxygen is re-introduced after submergence-induced anoxia. We found that ethane production, from rice seedlings submerged for 24-72 h, was stimulated to 4-37 nl gFW(-1), indicating underwater membrane peroxidation. When examined a week later the seedlings were damaged or had died. On de-submergence in air, ethane production rates rose sharply, but fell back to less than 0.1 nl gFW(-1) h(-1) after 2 h. We compared submergence-susceptible and submergence-tolerant cultivars, submergence starting in the morning (more damage) and in the afternoon (less damage) and investigated different submergence durations. The seedlings showed extensive fatality whenever total ethane emission exceeded about 15 nl gFW(-1). Smaller amounts of ethane emission were linked to less extensive injury to leaves. Partial oxygen shortage (O-2 levels < 1%) imposed for 2 h in gas phase mixtures also stimulated ethane production. In contrast, seedlings under anaerobic gas phase conditions produced no ethane until re-aerated: then a small peak was observed followed by a low, steady ethane production. We conclude that damage during submergence is not associated with extensive anoxia. Instead, injury is linked to membrane peroxidation in seedlings that are partially oxygen deficient while submerged. On return to air, further peroxidation is suppressed within about 2 h indicating effective control of ROS production not evident during submergence itself

Organ-specific analysis of the anaerobic primary metabolism in rice and wheat seedlins I: Dark ethanol production

Contains fulltext : 35550pub.pdf (publisher's version ) (Closed access