Axial non-mechanical scan in laser doppler velocimeter using single diffraction grating

An axial non-mechanical scan in the laser Doppler velocimeter (LDV) using a single diffraction grating is demonstrated. The measurement position in this LDV is axially scanned using a wavelength change and a dispersion function of the grating. The experimental result using a sensor probe setup indicates that a scanning function is successfully obtained with a simpler arrangement than that of the LDV previously reported, and the ratio of the scanning range to the working distance can be enhanced by virtue of using larger angular dispersion.     

Sonochemical effectiveness factor (eUS) in the reactors for wastewater treatment by sono-Fenton oxidation: Novel considerations

A comprehensive algorithm was recently proposed for calculation of the sonochemical effectiveness factor and wastewater treatment modeling. The presented approach implies that ultrasound is an auxiliary source of free radicals in Fenton type reactions; introduction of ultrasound represents an enhancement of pollutant degradation rates. The sonochemical effectiveness factor was introduced in kinetic models as the e_US factor (Gr?i? et al., 2012 [1]). As a substantial follow-up, this study presents novel considerations. The e_US factor was modeled as a function of employed frequency, actual cavitation-related power intensity of ultrasound and a portion of the cavitationally active zone, i.e. dimensionless active volume. The effect of temperature was disregarded in the present model considerations. Cavitationally active zone in reactors was determined based on the erosion of aluminum foil, resulting in cone-shaped space arising from transducer.In the present study, sonochemical treatment of industrial wastewater containing HCOONa as organic pollutant was performed using different equipment: ultrasonic baths (UB1, UB2 and UB3), cylindrical reactor with homogenizer (HCR) and three-frequency hexagonal cell, i.e. ultrasonic pilot reactor prototype (PP). Explored frequency range was from 20 to 120 kHz. Homogeneous and heterogeneous Fenton-type sonochemical processes, US/Fe(II)(FeSO₄,aq.)/H₂O₂ and US/Fe(II)(steel-plate)/H₂O₂, respectively, applied to industrial wastewater were investigated in terms of mineralization kinetics. Newly modeled e_US factor was introduced in corresponding kinetic models and the overall model was validated. Kinetic parameters of Fenton process were treated as independent of ultrasound, since e_US factor consists of cavitation-related phenomena responsible for the mineralization rate enhancement. In average, a 21% increase of mineralization efficiency was achieved using a single frequency, while more than 70% increase can be achieved by combining 20, 68 and 120 kHz in PP.     

Synthesis,characterization and cytotoxic activity of organoruthenium(II)-halido complexes with 5-chloro-1H-benzimidazole-2-carboxylic acid

Three new ruthenium(II)-arene halido complexes, [(η⁶-p-cymene) RuX(L)] (1–3), were synthesized in a reaction of [(η⁶-p-cymene)RuX₂]₂ with 5-chloro-1H-benzimidazole-2-carboxylic acid (HL) in ethanol (X^– = Cl^– (1), Br^– (2), I^– (3)). The complexes were characterized by elemental analysis, mass spectrometry, IR, ¹H and ¹³C NMR spectroscopy. The cytotoxic activity of the ligand precursor and its ruthenium complexes was tested by MTT assay in human cancer cell lines: lung adenocarcinoma (A549), myelogenous leukemia (K562) as well as in one normal human fetal lung fibroblast cell line (MRC-5). The results show that ruthenium(II)-arene complexes possess enhanced cytotoxicity when compared to HL in the range of concentrations up to 300 µM. In terms of halido ligand substitution, cytotoxic activity toward A549 and K562 cell lines in 1–3 serie significantly increased (e.g., IC₅₀ values for K562: 1: 205.76 µM; 2: 174.77 µM; 3: 83.97 µM). All studied compounds were found to be ineffective toward MRC-5. Hydrolysis of 1–3 was followed by UV-vis spectroscopy at 25?°C, revealing ligand-substitution reactions at the Ru(II) center. Compounds 2 and 3 underwent rapid hydrolysis ranging from a few minutes for the aquation to ca. 20?min, confirming typical Ru-arene behavior in aqueous solutions.     

Classification of auxin plant hormones by interaction property similarity indices

Although auxins were the first type of plant hormone to be identified, little is known about the molecular mechanism of this important class of plant hormones. We present a classification of a set of about 50 compounds with measured auxin activities, according to their interaction properties. Four classes of compounds were defined: strongly active, weakly active with weak antiauxin behaviour, inactive and inhibitory. All compounds were modeled in two low-energy conformations, P and T, so as to obtain the best match to the planar and tilted conformations, respectively, of indole 3-acetic acid. Each set of conformers was superimposed separately using several different alignment schemes. Molecular interaction energy fields were computed for each molecule with five different chemical probes and then compared by computing similarity indices. Similarity analysis showed that the classes are on average distinguishable, with better differentiation achieved for the T conformers than the P conformers. This indicates that the T conformation might be the active one. Further, a screening was developed which could distinguish compounds with auxin activity from inactive compounds and most antiauxins using the T conformers. The classifications rationalize ambiguities in activity data found in the literature and should be of value in predicting the activities of new plant growth substances and herbicides.     

Particulate matter analysis at elementary schools in Curitiba,Brazil

The particulate matter indoors and outdoors of the classrooms at two schools in Curitiba, Brazil, was characterised in order to assess the indoor air quality. Information concerning the bulk composition was provided by energy-dispersive x-ray fluorescence (EDXRF). From the calculated indoor/outdoor ratios and the enrichment factors it was observed that S-, Cl- and Zn-rich particles are of concern in the indoor environment. In the present research, the chemical compositions of individual particles were quantitatively elucidated, including low-Z components like C, N and O, as well as higher-Z elements, using automated electron probe microanalysis low Z EPMA. Samples were further analysed for chemical and morphological aspects, determining the particle size distribution and classifying them according to elemental composition associations. Five classes were identified based on major elemental concentrations: aluminosilicate, soot, organic, calcium carbonate and iron-rich particles. The majority of the respirable particulate matter found inside of the classroom was composed of soot, biogenic and aluminosilicate particles. In view of the chemical composition and size distribution of the aerosol particles, local deposition efficiencies in the human respiratory system were calculated revealing the deposition of soot at alveolar level. The results showed that on average 42% of coarse particles are deposited at the extrathoracic level, whereas 24% are deposited at the pulmonary region. The fine fraction showed a deposition rate of approximately 18% for both deposition levels.     

Population study of sizes and components of self-reproducing giant multilamellar vesicles

Population analysis of a system of self-reproducing giant multilamellar vesicles (GMVs) was carried out by means of flow cytometry. The multidimensional distribution of forward light scattering (FS), side light scattering (SS), and fluorescence (FL) intensities originating from each GMV provided information about changes in a population composed of 104 vesicles. FS-FL dot plots indicated that, after the addition of the membrane precursor, the size distribution of the newly generated vesicles was nearly the same as that of the original, but the catalyst content was reduced. This result can be interpreted as evidence for the occurrence of the self-reproduction of GMVs. Moreover, the new GMVs recovered the amount of catalyst to the initial value, keeping their size distribution constant, when a solution of the catalyst was added to the new GMVs. These results are the first experimental evidence for a novel phenomenon on GMV size distribution during their self-reproducing cycle.     

Clustering analysis of different hop varieties according to their essential oil composition measured by GC/MS

This study describes the analysis of total hops essential oils from 18 cultivated varieties of hops, five of which were bred in Lithuania, and 7 wild hop forms using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The study sought to organise the samples of hops into clusters, according to 72 semi-volatile compounds, by applying a well-known method, k-means clustering analysis and to identify the origin of the Lithuanian hop varieties. The bouquet of the hops essential oil was composed of various esters, terpenes, hydrocarbons and ketones. Monoterpenes (mainly β-myrcene), sesquiterpenes (dominated by β-caryophyllene and α-humulene) and oxygenated sesquiterpenes (mainly caryophyllene oxide and humulene epoxide II) were the main compound groups detected in the samples tested. The above compounds, together with a-muurolene, were the only compounds found in all the samples. Qualitative and quantitative differences were observed in the composition of the essential oils of the hop varieties analysed. For successful and statistically significant clustering of the data obtained, expertise and skills in employing chemometric analysis methods are necessary. The result is also highly dependent on the set of samples (representativeness) used for segmentation into groups, the technique for pre-processing the data, the method selected for partitioning the samples according to the similarity measures chosen, etc. To achieve a large and representative data set for clustering analysis from a small number of measurements, numerical simulation was applied using the Monte Carlo method with normal and uniform distributions and several relative standard deviation values. The grouping was performed using the k-means clustering method, employing several optimal number of clusters evaluation techniques (Davies-Bouldin index, distortion function, etc.) and different data pre-processing approaches. The hop samples analysed were separated into 3 and 5 clusters according to the data filtering scenario used. However, the targeted Lithuanian hop varieties were clustered identically in both cases and fell into the same group together with other cultivated hop varieties from Ukraine and Poland.     

Barzilai–Borwein method with variable sample size for stochastic linear complementarity problems

A smoothing method for solving stochastic linear complementarity problems is proposed. The expected residual minimization reformulation of the problem is considered, and it is approximated by the sample average approximation (SAA). The proposed method is based on sequential solving of a sequence of smoothing problems where each of the smoothing problems is defined with its own sample average approximation. A nonmonotone line search with a variant of the Barzilai–Borwein (BB) gradient direction is used for solving each of the smoothing problems. The BB search direction is efficient and low cost, particularly suitable for nonmonotone line search procedure. The variable sample size scheme allows the sample size to vary across the iterations and the method tends to use smaller sample size far away from the solution. The key point of this strategy is a good balance between the variable sample size strategy, the smoothing sequence and nonmonotonicity. Eventually, the maximal sample size is used and the SAA problem is solved. Presented numerical results indicate that the proposed strategy reduces the overall computational cost.     

Thermal dileptons in high-energy nuclear collisions

Clear signs of excess dileptons above the known sources have been found at the SPS for a long time. However, a real clarification of these observations was only recently achieved by NA60, measuring dimuons with unprecedented precision in 158A GeV In-In collisions. The excess mass spectrum in the region is consistent with a dominant contribution from π⁺π⁻→ρ→μ⁺μ⁻ annihilation. The associated ρ spectral function shows a strong broadening, but essentially no shift in mass. In the region , the excess is found to be prompt, not due to enhanced charm production. The inverse slope parameter associated with the transverse momentum spectra rises with mass up to the ρ, followed by a sudden decline above. While the initial rise, coupled to a hierarchy in hadron freeze-out, points to radial flow of a hadronic decay source, the decline above signals a transition to a low-flow source, presumably of partonic origin. The mass spectra show a steep rise towards low masses characteristic of Planck-like radiation. The polarization of the excess referred to the Collins Soper frame is found to be isotropic. All observations are consistent with a global interpretation of the excess as thermal radiation. We conclude with a short discussion of a possible link to direct photons.     

Interconnection networks for parallel molecular dynamics simulation based on hamiltonian cubic symmetric topology

A class of interconnection networks for efficient parallel MD simulations based on hamiltonian cubic symmetric graphs is presented. The cubic symmetric graphs have many desirable properties as interconnection networks since they have a low degree and are vertex- and edge-transitive. We present a method for scheduling collective communication routines that are used in parallel MD and are based on the property that the graphs in question have a Hamilton cycle, that is, a cycle going through all vertices of the graph. Analyzing these communication routines shows that hamiltonian cubic symmetric graphs of small diameter are good candidates for a topology that gives rise to an interconnection network with excellent properties, allowing faster communication and thus speeding up parallel MD simulation.