Novel copolymers of styrene. 5. Alkyl and alkoxy ring-disubstituted propyl 2-cyano-3-phenyl-2-propenoates

Novel trisubstituted ethylenes, alkyl and alkoxy ring-disubstituted propyl 2-cyano-3-phenyl-2-propenoates, RPhCH?C(CN)CO₂C₃H₇ (where R is 2,3-dimethyl, 2,5-dimethyl, 2,6-dimethyl, 3,4-dimethyl, 2,3-dimethoxy, 2,4-dimethoxy, 2,5-dimethoxy, 2,6-dimethoxy 3,4-dimethoxy, 3,5-dimethoxy) were prepared and copolymerized with styrene. The monomers were synthesized by the piperidine catalyzed Knoevenagel condensation of ring-substituted benzaldehydes and propyl cyanoacetate and characterized by CHN elemental analysis, IR, ¹H- and ¹³C-NMR. All the ethylenes were copolymerized with styrene (M₁) in solution with radical initiation (ABCN) at 70°C. The composition of the copolymers was calculated from nitrogen analysis, and the structures were analyzed by IR, ¹H and ¹³C-NMR, GPC, DSC, and TGA. Decomposition of the copolymers in nitrogen occurred in two steps, first in the 200–500°C range with residue (0.6–5.0% wt.), which then decomposed in the 500–800°C range.     

Laminar Graphene Oxide Membranes Towards Selective Ionic and Molecular Separations: Challenges and Progress

Resolution of resources and environmental crises requires an efficient separation technologies, consequently, scientists and engineers are working vigorously for ideal separation materials. Laminar graphene oxide (GO) is a two‐dimensional (2D) material offers considerable interest in this field due to its single atomic layer thickness, good stability, chemical inertness, and variety of functional groups. Recently, GO have emerged as a novel membrane material for molecular and ionic separation of gases, solvent, water, and desalination applications. This tutorial review aims to discuss the various approaches used to control the stacking of GO‐based membrane with emphasis of advantages and drawbacks associated with each approach. Further, attention will also be given to describe the recent progress in GO based membranes for ionic and molecular separations. Meanwhile, challenges and opportunities will also be discussed in detail. We hope this review expected to provide a compact source of information that will be of great interest to chemists, material scientists, physicists, and engineers working or planning to work in GO based membranes for separation applications.     

A facile tandem double-dehydrative-double-Heck olefination strategy for pot-economic synthesis of (E)-distyrylbenzenes as multi-target-directed ligands against Alzheimer's disease employing C. elegans model

A concise, one pot and regioselective access to (E)-distyrylbenzenes (DSBs) from arylhalide and secondary phenylenediethanol, a stable precursor for in situ generation of divinylbenzene (DVB) to avoid its polymerization, is described for construction of double CC bond formation via tandem double-dehydrative-double-Heck (D-D-D-H) reaction using Palladium and ionic liquid [hmim]Br as a cooperative catalyst. It is noteworthy that this pot-economy approach also provides direct synthesis of hydroxylated distyrylbenzenes without requirement of protection-deprotection strategy. Importantly, the synthesized DSBs are tested for their protective activity against β amyloid reduction, acetylcholine esterase inhibition, lipid lowering and reactive oxygen species (ROS) reduction properties in transgenic Caenorhabditis elegans model wherein 1,3-bis((E)-4-(trifluoromethyl)styryl)benzene (5c) is found to be active across all above factors thus presenting lead molecule within multi-target-directed ligands (MTDLs) approach. Molecular docking studies were also performed to understand the interactions of potent DSBs with receptors.     

Simpson and Newton type inequalities for convex functions via newly defined quantum integrals

We first establish two new identities, based on the kernel functions with either two section or three sections, involving quantum integrals by using new definition of quantum derivative. Then, some new inequalities related to Simpson's 1/3 formula for convex mappings are provided. In addition, Newton type inequalities, for functions whose quantum derivatives in modulus or their powers are convex, are deduced. We also mention that the results in this work generalize inequalities given in earlier study.     

Monolayer,Bilayer, and Bulk BSi as Potential Anode Materials of Li-Ion Batteries

Monolayer, bilayer, and bulk BSi are studied to explore their application potential as anode materials of Li-ion batteries. Structural stability and metallicity are obtained in each case. The Li storage capacities of monolayer and bilayer BSi are 1378 and 689 mAh g⁻¹, respectively, with average open circuit voltages of 1.30 and 0.47 V as well as Li diffusion barriers of 0.48 and 0.27 eV. Bulk BSi realizes a layered structure in the presence of a small amount of Li and its Li diffusion barrier of 0.48 eV is identical to that of graphite and lower than that of bulk Si (0.58 eV). The Li storage capacity of bulk BSi is found to be 689 mAh g⁻¹, i. e., much higher than that of graphite (372 mAh g⁻¹). The volume expansion turns out to be 33 % and the chemical bonds remain intact at full lithiation, outperforming the 72 % volume expansion of bulk Si at the same capacity and thus pointing to excellent cyclability.     

Enhanced Entanglement and Controlling Quantum Steering in a Laguerre–Gaussian Cavity Optomechanical System with Two Rotating Mirrors

Gaussian quantum steering is a type of quantum correlation in which two entangled states exhibit asymmetry. An efficient theoretical proposal is presented for the control of quantum steering and enhancement of entanglement in a Laguerre–Gaussian (LG) cavity optomechanical system. The system contains two rotating mirrors and a coherently driven optical parametric amplifier (OPA). The numerical results show significantly improved mirror-mirror and mirror-cavity entanglements by controlling the system parameters such as parametric gain, parametric phase, and the frequency of the two rotating mirrors. In addition to bipartite entanglement, our system also exhibits mirror-cavity-mirror tripartite entanglement as well. Another intriguing finding is the control of quantum steering, for which several results were obtained by investigating it for various system parameters. It is shown that the steering directivity is primarily determined by the frequency of two rotating mirrors. Furthermore, for two rotating mirrors, quantum steering is found to be asymmetric both one-way and two-way. Therefore, it can be asserted that the current proposal may help in the understanding of non-local correlations and entanglement verification tasks.     

Diagnostic Application of Fluorescence Spectroscopy in Oncology Field: Hopes and Challenges

Abstract

Cancer is one of the big killers of world population. The majority of cancers are diagnosed at a late stage, making a cure almost impossible. Fluorescence spectroscopy is an emerging diagnostic tool for various medical diseases including premalignant and malignant lesions. Fluorescence spectroscopy is a noninvasive technique and has been applied successfully for the diagnosis of multisystem cancers with high sensitivity and specificity. Fluorescence spectroscopy minimizes the need for repetitive biopsy, which is routine practice for cancer patient follow-up. But there are many aspects of this new diagnostic technique that should be discussed in future research to overcome limitations and challenges faced by this technique for diagnosis of cancers.     

Existence of a Hartmann layer in the peristalsis of Sisko fluid

Analytical solutions for the peristaltic flow of a magneto hydrodynamic(MHD) Sisko fluid in a channel, under the effects of strong and weak magnetic fields, are presented. The governing nonlinear problem, for the strong magnetic field,is solved using the matched asymptotic expansion. The solution for the weak magnetic field is obtained using a regular perturbation method. The main observation is the existence of a Hartman boundary layer for the strong magnetic field at the location of the two plates of the channel. The thickness of the Hartmann boundary layer is determined analytically. The effects of a strong magnetic field and the shear thinning parameter of the Sisko fluid on the velocity profile are presented graphically.