Modeling the motion of a bright spot in jets from black holes M87* and SgrA*

General Relativity and Gravitation - In previous work, we established theoretical results concerning the effect of matter shells surrounding a gravitational wave (GW) source, and we now apply these...     

The Cytotoxic Effect of α-Synuclein Aggregates

Parkinson's disease is a neurodegenerative disorder involving a functional protein, α-synuclein, whose primary function is related to vesicle trafficking. However, α-synuclein is prone to form aggregates, and these inclusions, known as Lewy bodies, are the hallmark of Parkinson's disease. α-synuclein can alter its conformation and acquire aggregating capacity, forming aggregates containing β-sheets. This protein's pathogenic importance is based on its ability to form oligomers that impair synaptic transmission and neuronal function by increasing membrane permeability and altering homeostasis, generating a deleterious effect over cells. First, we establish that oligomers interfere with the mechanical properties of 1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DOPC) membrane, as demonstrated by nanoindentation curves. In contrast, nanoindentation revealed that the α-synuclein monomer's presence leads to a much more resistant lipid bilayer. Moreover, the oligomers’ interaction with cell membranes can promote lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release, suggesting the activation of cytotoxic events.     

Condensation of all-cis-tetraphenylcyclotetrasiloxanetetraol in ammonia: new method for preparation of ladder-like polyphenylsilsesquioxanes

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Thermally induced solid-state transformation of cimetidine. A multi-spectroscopic/chemometrics determination of the kinetics of the process and structural elucidation of one of the products as a stable N3-enamino tautomer

Exposure of cimetidine (CIM) to dry heat (160–180 °C) afforded, upon cooling, a glassy solid containing new and hitherto unknown products. The kinetics of this process was studied by a second order chemometrics-assisted multi-spectroscopic approach. Proton and carbon-13 nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), as well as ultraviolet and infrared spectroscopic data were jointly used, whereas multivariate curve resolution with alternating least squares (MCR-ALS) was employed as the chemometrics method to extract process information. It was established that drug degradation follows a first order kinetics.     

Multicriteria decision making under uncertainty

Formalization for problems of multicriteria decision making under uncertainty is constructed in terms of guaranteed and weak estimates. A relevant definition of the vector maximinimax value is given. Parameterization and approximation of maximum, minimax, and maximinimax values based on the inverse logical convolution are suggested. An application for multicommodity networks is considered. Received: December 13, 2000 / Accepted: August 21, 2001?Published online May 8, 2002     

The preparation of 2-iodoamides from glucals and their further transformations into oxazolines

2-Deoxy-2-iodo-glycosylamides have been prepared from a variety of protected d-glucals by their reaction with N-iodosuccinimide and amides. Benzyl protected 2-iodoamides, when treated with sodium hydride and 15-crown-5, gave stable C1 N-linked 2-glycooxazolines as the major products. Silyl protected 2-iodoamides afforded the C1 O-linked 2-glycooxazolines; presumably by the rearrangement of unstable N-acylaziridine intermediates.     

Synthesis, X-ray diffraction study, and ionic conductivity of new AB2O6 pyrochlores

The oxides A(Ti_0.5Te_1.5)O₆ (A = K, Rb, Cs, Tl), A(Ti_0.5W_1.5)O₆ (A = Rb, Cs, Tl), and Cs(B_0.5W_1.5)O₆ (B = Zr, Hf) have been obtained as polycrystalline powders giving X-ray diffraction patterns characteristic of defect cubic pyrochlores, space group (No. 227), Z = 8. The best discrepancy R factors, from 0.0265 for Rb(Ti_0.5Te_1.5)O₆ to 0.0554 for Cs(Zr_0.5W_1.5)O₆, were obtained for the B cations randomly distributed at 16(d), A ions at one quarter of 32(e), and oxygen atoms at 48(f) positions. A linear relationship is observed between the a unit cell parameters and the ionic radii of the A cations, as well as the average ionic radii of the B atoms. The results of electrical resistivity measurements for A(Ti_0.5Te_1.5)O₆ (A = K, Rb, Cs, Tl) are given.     

Hollow latex particles as submicrometer reactors for polymerization in confined geometries

A method was developed for free‐radical polymerization in the confines of a hollow latex particle. Hollow particles were prepared via the dynamic swelling method from polystyrene seed and divinylbenzene and had hollows of 500–1000 nm. So that these hollow poly(divinylbenzene) particles could function as submicrometer reactors, the particles were filled with a monomer (N‐isopropylacrylamide) via the dispersion of the dried particles in the molten monomer. The monomer that was not contained in the hollows was removed by washing and gentle abrasion. Free‐radical polymerization was then initiated by γ radiolysis in the solid state. Transmission electron microscopy showed that poly(N‐isopropylacrylamide) formed in the hollow interior of the particles, which functioned as submicrometer reactors. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 42: 5706–5713, 2004