Homology computation for a class of contact structures on T^3

We consider a family of tight contact forms on the three-dimensional torus and we compute the relative Contact Homology by using the variational theory of critical points at infinity. We will also show local stability.     

Edge linking and image segmentation by combining optical and digital methods

We present a hybrid method for segmentation of intensity images, which combines an optical contouring technique and digital algorithms for linking edge points or image segmentation. In a first stage, the digital image to be processed is displayed in a twisted-nematic liquid-crystal display (LCD), which is placed between a polarizer–analyzer pair at 45 deg (instead of 90 deg as occurs in standard LCDs). It is not difficult to demonstrate that the proposed setup produces a resultant image with very pronounced dark contours at middle intensity. After the optical preprocessing, two different digital algorithms are applied: an edge linking algorithm (modified chain code) and a simple thresholding technique for image segmentation. The proposed procedure works well with monochromatic and color images. The method could be useful as a robust technique for segmentation of large images in real-time, which presents potential applications in medical and biological imaging.     

Enhancement of temozolomide stability by loading in chitosan-carboxylated polylactide-based nanoparticles

In the presented work, amphiphilic nanoparticles based on chitosan and carboxy-enriched polylactic acid have been prepared to improve the stability of the pro-drug temozolomide in physiological media by encapsulation. The carrier, with a diameter in the range of 150–180 nm, was able to accommodate up to 800 μg of temozolomide per mg of polymer. The obtained formulation showed good stability in physiological condition and preparation media up to 1 month. Temozolomide loaded inside the carrier exhibited greater stability than the free drug, in particular in simulated physiological solution at pH 7.4 where the hydrolysis in the inactive metabolite was clearly delayed. CS-SPLA nanoparticles demonstrated a pH-dependent TMZ release kinetics with the opportunity to increase or decrease the rate. Mass spectroscopy, UV-Vis analysis, and in vitro cell tests confirmed the improvement in temozolomide stability and effectiveness when loaded into the polymeric carrier, in comparison with the free drug.     

Chemical promenades: Exploring potential-energy surfaces with immersive virtual reality

The virtual-reality framework AVATAR (Advanced Virtual Approach to Topological Analysis of Reactivity) for the immersive exploration of potential-energy landscapes is presented. AVATAR is based on modern consumer-grade virtual-reality technology and builds on two key concepts: (a) the reduction of the dimensionality of the potential-energy surface to two process-tailored, physically meaningful generalized coordinates, and (b) the analogy between the evolution of a chemical process and a pathway through valleys (potential wells) and mountain passes (saddle points) of the associated potential energy landscape. Examples including the discovery of competitive reaction paths in simple A + BC collisional systems and the interconversion between conformers in ring-puckering motions of flexible rings highlight the innovation potential that augmented and virtual reality convey for teaching, training, and supporting research in chemistry.     

Zinc oxide nanostructured layers for gas sensing applications

Various kinds of zinc oxide (ZnO) nanostructures, such as columns, pencils, hexagonal pyramids, hexagonal hierarchical structures, as well as smooth and rough films, were grown by pulsed laser deposition using KrF and ArF excimer lasers, without use of any catalyst. ZnO films were deposited at substrate temperatures from 500 to 700°C and oxygen background pressures of 1, 5, 50, and 100 Pa. Quite different morphologies of the deposited films were observed using scanning electron microscopy when different laser wavelengths (248 or 193 nm) were used to ablate the bulk ZnO target. Photoluminescence studies were performed at different temperatures (down to 7 K). The gas sensing properties of the different nanostructures were tested against low concentrations of NO₂. The variation in the photoluminescence emission of the films when exposed to NO₂ was used as transduction mechanism to reveal the presence of the gas. The nanostructured films with higher surface-to-volume ratio and higher total surface available for gas adsorption presented higher responses, detecting NO₂ concentrations down to 3 ppm at room temperature.