Electrodynamics of Magnetoelectric Media and Magnetoelectric Fields

The relationship between magnetoelectricity and electromagnetism is a subject of a strong interest and numerous discussions in microwave and optical wave physics and material sciences. The definition of the energy and momentum of the electromagnetic (EM) field in a magnetoelectric (ME) medium is not a trivial problem. The question of whether electromagnetism and magnetoelectricity can coexist without an extension of Maxwell's theory arises when the effects of EM energy propagation are studied and the group velocity of the waves in an ME medium is considered. The energy balance equation reveals unusual topological structure of fields in ME materials. Together with certain constraints on the constitutive parameters of a medium, definite constraints on the local field structure should be imposed. Analyzing the EM phenomena inside an ME material, the question “what kind of the near fields arising from a sample of such a material can be measured?” should be answered. The visualization of the ME states requires an experimental technique that is based on an effective coupling to the violation of spatial as well as temporal inversion symmetry. To observe the ME energy in a subwavelength region, it is necessary to assume the existence of first-principle near fields—the ME fields. These are non-Maxwellian near fields with specific properties of violation of spatial and temporal inversion symmetry. A particular interest to the ME fields arises in studies of metamaterials with “artificial-atoms” ME elements.     

Measurement of Residual Dipolar Couplings of Organic Molecules in Multiple Solvent Systems Using a Liquid-Crystalline-Based Medium

Residual dipolar coupling (RDC), a robust anisotropic NMR parameter for structural elucidation of organic molecules, is only accessible in an anisotropic environment. Herein, we introduce a novel alignment medium based on the molecular self-assembly of oligopeptide amphiphile (OPA). This medium is compatible with different intermediate and polar solvent systems, such as CD₃OD, [D₆]DMSO, and D₂O. The preparation of the OPA-based medium is simple and rapid, while only very weak background signals were observed from OPAs. Furthermore, we show that the purity of OPA has only a minor influence on the quality of the RDC data. These advantages allow RDC measurements of organic molecules with different polarities and solubilities with high efficiency and accuracy.     

平面波输入下海水-海床-结构动力相互作用分析

海洋工程结构的地震反应分析是保证海洋工程结构地震安全的重要环节.由于其所处的复杂环境, 该问题涉及到流固耦合和土-结相互作用.本文基于海水、饱和海床、基岩流固耦合统一计算框架,采用Davidenkov模型和修正的Masing准则考虑饱和海床的非线性,在脉冲SV波垂直入射下, 进行了海域场地和海洋工程结构的动力响应分析. 首先,对比分析了线性自由场和非线性自由场输入情形的海域场地非线性反应,结果表明线性自由场输入时反应不合理,自由场分析和场地分析应该采用相一致的本构模型. 然后,对比分析了海床分别为线性和非线性情形时,海域场地以及海水-海床-结构体系的反应特征. 与线性海床情形相比,非线性对海床反应的影响主要由如下两方面因素控制: 一方面,非线性导致饱和海床模量减小, 饱和海床与基岩间的波阻抗比减小,由基岩到饱和海床间的反射系数和透射系数增加, 导致反应增大; 另一方面,非线性导致阻尼加大, 使海床反应减小. 对于本文算例而言,阻尼对非线性海床结果的影响占主导作用.      

Resonances in bounded media: Nonlinear and boundary effects

We study the response of nonlinear wave systems in bounded domains at or near resonance. There are typically two qualitatively distinct types of response which may be observed relating to whether or not higher harmonics are themselves resonant. We introduce a variety of nonlinear model problems at or near resonance and study the subsequent response. We explain how the features of this problem such as the form of nonlinearity, boundary conditions, and the nature of spectrum play a fundamental role in the qualitative nature of the response. Numerical simulations are carried out to provide further explanation and comparison with analytic approximations. The results of this study provide a better understanding of the impact and interplay between nonlinear and boundary effects and thus in turn will contribute to providing new insights into various physically motivated problems in acoustics and other settings.     

Seeded Polymerization of an Amide-Functionalized Diketopyrrolopyrrole Dye in Aqueous Media

The self-assembly of an amide-functionalized dithienyldiketopyrrolopyrrole (DPP) dye in aqueous media was achieved through seed-initiated supramolecular polymerization. Temperature- and time-dependent studies showed that the spontaneous polymerization of the DPP derivative was temporally delayed upon cooling the monomer solution in a methanol/water mixture. Theoretical calculations revealed that an amide-functionalized DPP derivative adopts an energetically favorable folded conformation in the presence of water molecules due to hydration. This conformational change is most likely responsible for the trapping of monomers in the initial stage of the cooperative supramolecular polymerization in aqueous media. However, the monomeric species can selectively interact with externally added fragmented aggregates as seeds through concerted π-stacking and hydrogen-bonding interactions. Consequently, the time course of the supramolecular polymerization and the morphology of the aggregated state can be controlled, and one-dimensional fibers that exhibit a J-aggregate-like bathochromically shifted absorption band can be obtained.     

Media pressures on Welsh language preservation

Despite compulsory school instruction in the Welsh language and strong cultural incentives to acquire the language, the most recent UK Census showed a downward trend in the number of speakers. The asymmetry in explicit language acquisition incentives is here considered to be offset by the media dominance of the English language. This dominance is modeled by the introduction of time-dependent connectivity and infectivity among English speakers into an adapted epidemiological model. Extrapolations up to 2050 are made, this being the announced date of a Welsh Assembly language-planning target of one million Welsh speakers.     

Palladium‐catalysed room‐temperature Suzuki–Miyaura coupling in water extract of pomegranate ash,a bio‐derived sustainable and renewable medium

An agro waste‐derived, ‘water extract of pomegranate ash’ (WEPA), has been utilized for the first time as a renewable medium for Pd(OAc)₂‐catalysed Suzuki–Miyaura cross‐coupling at room temperature. This method offers a simple and sustainable synthesis of biaryls from aryl halides and arylboronic acids under ligand‐ and external base‐free aerobic and ambient conditions. This method has been found effective for both activated and unactivated aryl halides in the production of biaryls with moderate to nearly quantitative yields. The protocol shows high chemoselectivity over identical/similar reactive sites in aryl halides (i.e. selectivity over identical halogens or different halogens of aryl halides). This method exhibits high regioselectivity, i.e. the selective reactivity of a halogen over other identical halogens at different positions on the aromatic nucleus. Therefore, we disclose here a clean, benign, substantial chemo‐ and regioselective and highly economic alternative method for the palladium‐assisted synthesis of biaryls using an agro waste‐derived medium.     

Empirical Likelihood Estimation for the Two-Sample Mean under Density Ratio Models Using Auxiliary Information

Auxiliary population information is often available in finite population inference problems, and the empirical likelihood (EL) approach has been demonstrated to be flexible and useful for such problems. The present paper concerns EL when interest centers on inference for the mean of the baseline distribution under two-sample density ratio models. Although dual EL is a convenient technical tool since it has the same maximum point and maximum likelihood as DRM-based EL, it can not combine such auxiliary information into the likelihood conveniently and may have loss of efficiency. By contrast, the classical EL approach of Qin and Lawless\ucite{21} does not have this problem and incorporate seamlessly auxiliary information. Based on the EL using auxiliary information and the dual EL methods, we construct both point and interval estimations and make a careful comparison. Though the point estimation efficiency gain obtained by the former is not noticeable, we find that they may have different performances in interval estimation. In terms of coverage accuracy, the two intervals are comparable for not or moderate skewed populations, and the EL interval using auxiliary information can be much superior for severely skewed populations.     

Cu (II)‐β‐cyclodextrin complex stabilized on magnetic nanoparticles: A retrievable hybrid promoter for green synthesis of spiropyrans

The magnetic core of manganese ferrite (MnFe₂O₄) nanoparticles has a significant stability in comparison with ferrite (Fe₃O₄) nanoparticles. The unique supramolecular properties of β‐cyclodextrin (β‐CD), such as hydrophobic cavity, hydrophilic exterior and ‐OH functional groups, make it a good candidate for functionalization and catalytic application. So, a surface‐modified magnetic solid support with the Cu (II)‐β‐CD complex was prepared. The structure of nanoparticles was characterized by Fourier transform‐infrared spectroscopy, X‐ray powder diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis, vibrating‐sample magnetometry, inductively coupled plasma‐optical emission spectrometry and scanning electron microscope analyses. The catalytic activity of these nanoparticles was investigated in the synthesis of spiropyrans and high yields of desired products obtained under green media. Some advantages of this novel catalyst for this reaction are high yields, short reaction times, green solvent and conditions, easy workup procedure, negligible copper leaching, reusability without a significant diminish in catalytic efficiency, and simple separation of nanocatalyst by using an external magnet alongside the environmental compatibility and sustainability.