An individual-based modeling framework for infectious disease spreading in clustered complex networks

We introduce an individual-based model with dynamical equations for susceptible-infected-susceptible (SIS) epidemics on clustered networks. Linking the mean-field and quenched mean-field models, a general method for deriving a cluster approximation for three-node loops in complex networks is proposed. The underlying epidemic threshold condition is derived by using the quasi-static approximation. Our method thus extends the pair quenched mean-field (pQMF) approach for SIS disease spreading in unclustered networks to the scenario of epidemic outbreaks in clustered systems with abundant transitive relationships.We found that clustering can significantly alter the epidemic threshold, depending nontrivially on topological details of the underlying population structure. The validity of our method is verified through the existence of bounded solutions to the clustered pQMF model equations, and is further attested via stochastic simulations on homogeneous small-world artificial networks and growing scale-free synthetic networks with tunable clustering, as well as on real-world complex networked systems. Our method has vital implications for the future policy development and implementation of intervention measures in highly clustered networks, especially in the early stages of an epidemic in which clustering can decisively alter the growth of a contagious outbreak.     

Closure concept for 2-factors in claw-free graphs

We introduce a closure concept for 2-factors in claw-free graphs that generalizes the closure introduced by the first author. The 2-factor closure of a graph is uniquely determined and the closure operation turns a claw-free graph into the line graph of a graph containing no cycles of length at most 5 and no cycles of length 6 satisfying a certain condition. A graph has a 2-factor if and only if its closure has a 2-factor; however, the closure operation preserves neither the minimum number of components of a 2-factor nor the hamiltonicity or nonhamiltonicity of a graph.     

Environment-Induced Entanglement for a Tripartite System in Non-Markovian Dissipation

We show that entanglement between three two-level atoms can be generated if the three atoms interact with a common structured reservoir, but do not interact directly with each other. Comparing with the results in Markovian case, we find that much higher values of bipartite and tripartite entanglement can be obtained for an initially factorized state of the tripartite system. The maximal value of entanglement depends on the detuning and the strength of relative coupling between the atoms and the reservoir.     

Efficient Fluorescent Recognition of Carboxylates in Aqueous Media Using Facilely Electrosynthesized Poly(9-Aminofluorene)

A variety of carboxylates were recognized using poly(9-aminofluorene) (P9AF) in the HEPES buffer (pH 7.4), and a proposed possible mechanism was proposed as following. The intermolecular hydrogen bonding interactions resulted in electron transfer between P9AF and carboxylates. P9AF was facilely electrosynthesized in boron trifluoride diethyl etherate and could be used as an efficient fluorescent sensing material for the detection of AcO^?. On binding to AcO^?, fluorescence quenching of P9AF was demonstrated by a maximum 80 % reduction in the fluorescence intensity, while no obvious fluorescence change could be observed in the presence of some other common anions. Some different carboxylates could be recognized at different levels by P9AF. Substituent groups in carboxylates could affect the intermolecular interaction between carboxylates and P9AF. These could be explained by a possible mechanism that hydrogen bonding was the main way of intermolecular interactions between P9AF and carboxylates, which was further confirmed by absorption spectra monitoring and density functional calculations. The significant advantage of this strategy is that it does not require a prequenching procedure and the polymer can be used directly for analyte detection.     

An extension of the mean free path approach to X-ray absorption spectroscopy

In the partial electron yield (PEY) acquisition mode commonly used in X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) both elastically and inelastically scattered electrons are acquired, the latter contribution dominating the detector signal. Hence, the majority of the inelastic scattering events will not result in signal attenuation as happens in the case of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). To determine the respective changes in the effective mean free paths (MFP) we have performed XPS and near edge X-ray absorption fine structure (NEXAFS) spectroscopy measurements for a series of self-assembled monolayers of alkanethiols on gold substrates. The length of the alkyl chain and, therefore, the film thickness was varied. In agreement with expectations, the obtained MFPs for the Au 4f photoelectrons and C_KLL Auger electrons in the PEY acquisition mode (with the respective inelastic contributions) exceed the corresponding values for the Au 4f and C_KLL electrons of the same kinetic energies in the constant final state acquisition mode. Furthermore, the effective PEY-MFP for the C_KLL Auger electrons increased with decreasing retarding voltage of the PEY detector, which correlates with the enhanced contribution of the inelastically scattered electrons in the acquired signal. The results obtained are of importance for the analysis of XAS spectra of thin organic films and polymers.     

Layered xLiMO2·(1−x)Li2M′O3 electrodes for lithium batteries: a study of 0.95LiMn0.5Ni0.5O2·0.05Li2TiO3

The electrochemical properties of 0.95LiMn_0.5Ni_0.5O₂·0.05Li₂TiO₃ have been investigated as part of a study of xLiMO₂·(1−x)Li₂M^′O₃ electrode systems for lithium batteries in which M=Co, Ni, Mn and M^′=Ti, Zr, Mn. The data indicate that the electrochemically inactive Li₂TiO₃ component contributes to the stabilization of LiMn_0.5Ni_0.5O₂ electrodes, which improves the coulombic efficiency of Li/xLiMn_0.5Ni_0.5O₂·(1−x)Li₂TiO₃ cells for x<1. The 0.95LiMn_0.5Ni_0.5O₂·0.05Li₂TiO₃ electrodes provide a rechargeable capacity of approximately 175 mAh/g at 50 °C when cycled between 4.6 and 2.5 V; there is no indication of spinel formation during electrochemical cycling.     

Novel multi-responsive fluorescence switch for Hg2+ and UV/vis lights based on diarylethene-rhodamine derivative

A new multi-responsive fluorescent switch DTE-Pip-Rho 1O has been designed and synthesized in this study. For this molecule, the reactive site of spirolactam ring is far away from the diarylethene unit through the intramolecular piperazine. It exhibited high selectivity and sensitivity to Hg²⁺ in addition to obvious color change (colorless-pink) and fluorescence “off-on” (dark-orange) during this process. It is believed that the color change is due to Hg²⁺-assisted hydrolysis of rhodamine hydrazide. Therefore, the new molecule can be used as colorimentric and fluorescent chemosensor for Hg²⁺ with high selectivity. The detection limits of absorbance and fluorescence for Hg²⁺ were calculated to be 1.15?μM and 1.16?μM, respectively. The resulting DTE-Pip-Rho 1O-Hg²⁺ could also function as a reversible fluorescence photo-switch in response to UV/vis light owing to FRET mechanism. Moreover, it has been demonstrated that the photo-switchable system displayed excellent fatigue resistance and remarkable anti-photobleaching capability.     

Molecular design for a write-by-light/erase-by-heat recording system using photochromic diarylethenes with thermal cycloreversion

We designed and synthesized photochromic diarylethenes for a write-by-light/erase-by-heat recording system. The introduction of polar substituents at both sides of the diarylethene maintained the photocyclization and photocycloreversion reactivities, but significantly affected the thermal cycloreversion reactivity. The introduction of electron-withdrawing substituents accelerated the thermal reaction and the introduction of electron-donating substituents suppressed the thermal reaction. The rate constants of the thermal reaction were well correlated with Brown-Okamoto's substituent constant σ⁺ that is a modified value of Hammett's substituent constant σ. The large rate constants are ascribed to the lower activation energy for the thermal reaction. These results provide new knowledge for the molecular design of diarylethenes for a write-by-light/erase-by-heat recording system.     

Acid-promoted metal-free synthesis of 3-ketoquinolines from amines,enaminones and DMSO

A metal-free p-toluenesulfonic acid (TsOH·H₂O) mediated synthesis of 3-ketoquinolines from anilines, enaminones and DMSO has been developed. In this transformation, DMSO was activated by TsOH·H₂O and provided the one-carbon unit of the 3-ketoquinolines. A plausible mechanism involving an electrophilic sulfenium ion intermediate was proposed.     

Existence of almost periodic solutions for SICNNs with time-varying delays

In this Letter, the shunting inhibitory cellular neural networks with time-varying delays are considered. We establish some new results about the existence and stability of almost periodic solutions for SICNNs without the global Lipschitz conditions on the activity functions. An example is given to illustrate the effectiveness of our results.