Stimulation of Microvascular Networks on Sulfonated Polyrotaxane Surfaces with Immobilized Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor

Modulation of material properties and growth factor application are critical in constructing suitable cell culture environments to induce desired cellular functions. Sulfonated polyrotaxane (PRX) surfaces with immobilized vascular endothelial growth factors (VEGFs) are prepared to improve network formation in vascular endothelial cells. Sulfonated PRXs, whereby sulfonated α‐cyclodextrins (α‐CDs) are threaded onto a linear poly(ethylene glycol) chain capped with bulky groups at both terminals, are coated onto surfaces. The molecular mobility of sulfonated PRX surfaces is modulated by tuning the number of threading α‐CDs. VEGF is immobilized onto surfaces with varying mobility. Low mobility and VEGF‐immobilization reinforce cell proliferation, yes‐associated protein activity, and rhoA, pdgf, ang‐1, and pecam‐1 gene expression. Highly mobile surfaces and soluble VEGF weakly affect these cell responses. Network formation is strongly stimulated in vascular endothelial cells only on low‐mobility VEGF‐immobilized surfaces, suggesting that molecular mobility and VEGF immobilization synergistically control cell function.     

An Introduction to Influence Theory: Kinematics and Dynamics

Influence theory is a foundational theory of physics that is not based on traditional empirically defined concepts, such as positions in space and time, mass, energy, or momentum. Instead, the aim is to derive these concepts, and their empirically determined relationships, from a more primitive model. It is postulated that there exist things, which are call particles, that influence one another in a discrete and directed fashion resulting in a partially ordered set of influence events. The problem of consistent quantification of the influence events is considered. Observers are modeled as particle chains (observer chains) as if an observer were able to track a particle and quantify the influence events that the particle experiences. From these quantified influence events, consistent quantification of the universe of events based on the observer chains is studied. Herein, the kinematics and dynamics of particles from the perspective of influence theory are both reviewed and further developed.     

Multifold factorizations of cyclic groups into subsets

Let $(G,+)$ be an abelian group. A finite multiset A over G is said to give a λ-fold factorization of G if there exists a multiset B over G such that each element of G occurs λ times in the multiset $A+B:=\{a+b:a\in A,b\in B\}$. In this article, restricting G to a cyclic group, we will provide sufficient conditions on a given multiset A under which the exact value or an upper bound of the minimum multiplicity λ of a factorization of G can be given by introducing a concept of ‘lcm-closure’. Furthermore, a couple of properties on a given factor A will be shown when A has a prime or prime power order (cardinality). A relation to multifold factorizations of the set of integers will be also glanced at a general perspective.     

Correlation between Boron Isotope of Coral Acropora and pH Value of Seawater Surface

A water circulation system with the almost same element composition and socket type was adopted in coral Acropora culture under different seawater pH value conditions and the data of the relationship between boron isotopic compositions of coral and seawater pH value by thermoelectric ionization mass spectrometer were obtained. According to the correlations between α_carb-3 of coral and the pH value of cultured seawater, α_carb-3 was not a constant but related to pH value, indicating that B(OH)₃ also incorporated carbonate. Therefore, the theoretical formula could not be used to calculate the seawater pH value from the δ¹¹B_carb value of the measured marine biological carbonate. The empirical equations obtained experimentally would be an alternative method to calculate the seawater pH value. In addition, the mixed precipitation of CaCO₃ and Mg(OH)₂ was found in aquaculture tanks with high pH value, and the δ¹¹B of the solid was significantly higher than that of cultured seawater. The result indicated that the presence of Mg(OH)₂ had a significant effect on the boron isotope fractionation, which deserved our attention.     

Extremal generalized centralizers in matrix algebras

We describe matrices with extremal generalized centralizers over algebraically closed fields.     

Tolerance factor and phase stability of the garnet structure. Corrigendum

An error in an equation in the paper by Song et al. [ Acta Cryst. (2019), C 75 , 1353–1358 ] is corrected.     

White and some colored marbles as alternative radiation shielding materials for applications

ABSTRACT

In this paper, the radiation shielding parameters such as linear attenuation coefficients (LAC, µ), mass attenuation coefficients (MAC, µ/ρ), effective atomic numbers (Z_eff), effective electron densities (N_eff), half value of layers (HVL), mean free paths (MFP) and buildup factors (exposure (EBF) and energy absorption (EABF)) were investigated for cream (M1), pink (M2), white (M3), maroon (M4) and green (M5) marbles. Attenuation coefficients were measured in the energy region 31.18–661.66 keV photon energies. The values of Z_eff and N_eff were then calculated using these coefficients with logarithmic interpolation method, and HVLs and MFPs were calculated using the values of LAC of marble samples at the same photon energies. The experimental results were compared with the theoretical values obtained from WinXCom program, and good agreements were observed between the experimental and theoretical results. HVLs and MFPs of all marble samples were compared with those of some concretes, glasses and commercial radiation shielding glasses (SCHOTT Co.). The studied marbles were better radiation shielding materials than standard shielding concretes due to lower HVL and MFP values lower than the ordinary concrete. Finally, EBFs and EABFs of the marbles were calculated in the energy region 0.015–1?MeV up to penetration depths of 40 mfps by Geometric Progression method (G-P), and the results were discussed in terms of photon energies and chemical compositions of the marbles.     

Study of semileptonic decay of ${\bar{B}}_{s}^{0} \rightarrow \phi {l}^{+}{l}^{-}$ in QCD sum rule

In this work we study the semileptonic decay of ${\bar{B}}_{s}^{0}\to \phi {l}^{+}{l}^{-}$ (l=e, μ, τ) with the QCD sum rule method. We calculate the ${\bar{B}}_{s}^{0}\to \phi $ translation form factors relevant to this semileptonic decay, then the branching ratios of ${\bar{B}}_{s}^{0}\to \phi {l}^{+}{l}^{-}$ (l=e, μ, τ) decays are calculated with the form factors obtained here. Our result for the branching ratio of ${\bar{B}}_{s}^{0}\to \phi {\mu }^{+}{\mu }^{-}$ agree very well with the recent experimental data. For the unmeasured decay modes such as ${\bar{B}}_{s}^{0}\to \phi {e}^{+}{e}^{-}$ and ${\bar{B}}_{s}^{0}\to \phi {\tau }^{+}{\tau }^{-}$, we give theoretical predictions.     

Theory of particle transport phenomena during fatigue and time-dependent fracture of materials based on mesoscale dynamics and their practical applications

In this work, the mesoscale mechanics of metals, which links their microscopic physics and macroscopic mechanics, was established. For practical applications, the laws for quantitatively predicting life of cycle and time-dependent fracture behavior such as fatigue, hydrogen embrittlement, and high-temperature creep were derived using particle transport phenomena theories such as dislocation group dynamics, hydrogen diffusion, and vacancy diffusion. Furthermore, these concepts were also applied for estimating the degree of viscoelastic deterioration of blood vessel walls, which is dominated by a time-dependent mechanism, and for the diagnosis of aneurysm accompanied by the viscoelastic deterioration of the blood vessel wall. In these theories, new mechanical indexes were derived as dominant factors for predicting the life of fatigue crack growth and the time-dependent fracture of notched specimens of materials such as hydrogen embrittlement and high-temperature creep. Furthermore, as an example of a practical application, these theories were applied to estimate the degree of viscoelastic deterioration and chaotic motions of blood vessel walls, which are closely related to blood vessel diseases such as atherosclerosis and aneurysm. Moreover, new indexes to diagnose them were also proposed for clinical applications.     

Foundational ways of thinking for understanding the idea of logarithm

This study explored two undergraduate precalculus students’ understandings of the idea of logarithm as they completed conceptually oriented exploratory lessons on exponential and logarithmic functions. The students participated in consecutive, individual teaching experiments that focused on Sparky – an animated mystical saguaro that doubled in height every week. The exponential lesson focused on developing students’ conceptions of growth factors and tupling (e.g., doubling) periods as a foundational understanding for conceptualizing logarithms and logarithmic properties meaningfully. This paper characterizes conceptions that are productive for students to acquire in introductory lessons on exponential and logarithmic growth, and discusses two understandings that were revealed to be foundational for students’ development of productive meanings for exponents, logarithms and logarithmic properties.