A fast-neutron coincidence collar using liquid scintillators for fresh fuel verification

Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry - The IAEA has developed a liquid scintillator-based system for the non-destructive assay of 235U in fresh fuel assemblies. The fast neutron...     

Solid and acid electrolytes for Al-air batteries based on xanthan-HCl hydrogels

Journal of Solid State Electrochemistry - This paper presents first investigations on solid and strongly acid electrolytes for Al-air batteries. These electrolytes are prepared starting from a...     

Pseudo-orthogonality for graph 1-Laplacian eigenvectors and applications to higher Cheeger constants and data clustering

The data clustering problem consists in dividing a data set into prescribed groups of homogeneous data. This is an NP-hard problem that can be relaxed in the spectral graph theory, where the optimal cuts of a graph are related to the eigenvalues of graph 1-Laplacian. In this paper, we first give new notations to describe the paths, among critical eigenvectors of the graph 1-Laplacian, realizing sets with prescribed genus. We introduce the pseudo-orthogonality to characterize m₃(G), a special eigenvalue for the graph 1-Laplacian. Furthermore, we use it to give an upper bound for the third graph Cheeger constant h₃(G), that is, h₃(G) 6 m₃(G). This is a first step for proving that the k-th Cheeger constant is the minimum of the 1-Laplacian Raylegh quotient among vectors that are pseudo-orthogonal to the vectors realizing the previous k - 1 Cheeger constants. Eventually, we apply these results to give a method and a numerical algorithm to compute m₃(G), based on a generalized inverse power method.     

1,3‐Benzothiazoles as Antimicrobial Agents

Starting from 2‐amino‐1,3‐mercaptobenzothiazoles recently reported ( 1a , 1b , 1c , 1d , 1e , 1f , 1g , 1h ), a series of the corresponding 2‐mercapto‐1,3‐benzothiazole isosters ( 2a , 2b , 2c , 2d , 2e , 2f , 2g , 2h ) were screened for their in vitro antibacterial and antifungal activities. Results underline that the presence of the mercapto moiety at the 2‐position of the heterocyclic nucleus is crucial for activity against bacteria. The biological screening against Candida spp. identified commercial 2f as the most promising compound as antifungal against Candida albicans and tropicalis. Molecular modeling studies supported these results. Then, to enlarge structure‐activity relationship (SAR) studies on series 1 , newly synthesized compounds ( 1k , 1l , 1m , 1n , 1o , 1p ) were reported. All the compounds belonging to this series and bearing a bulky substituent at the 6‐position of the aryl moiety showed high antifungal activity.     

An Integral Representation Result for the Γ-Limit of Functionals with Non-standard Growth Conditions in the Case of Elasticity

An integral representation result on regular functions is proved for the o -limit of a sequence of integral functionals defined in the vectorial case and modelled on elasticity theory functional Z z f (( x , e ( u )) dx where convex lagrangians satisfy a non-standard estimate $$ -c_{0} + c_{1} | \xi|^{\alpha }\leq f ( (x,\xi ) \leq c_{0} + c_{2} | \xi|^{\beta },\quad 1 \lt \alpha \leq \beta \lt \frac {n\alpha }{n-\alpha },\enskip c_{0}\geq 0,\enskip c_{1},c_{2} \gt 0. $$ When the limit integrand does not show Lavrent'ev phenomenon the representation result is also true on the whole space W 1, f ( z ; R n ).     

Synthesis of beta‐proline like derivatives and their evaluation as sodium channel blockers

A simple and convenient procedure for the preparation of beta‐proline like derivatives in their racemic and optically active forms has been reported. The compounds have been screened for their potential activity as sodium channel blockers.     

Asymptotic partial decomposition for diffusion with sorption in thin structures

The method of partial asymptotic decomposition of a domain is applied to a model non-linear equation set in a rod structure. The estimates of error are provided. An asymptotic expansion of solution is constructed and justified.     

Synthesis of new phenylpyridyl scaffolds using the Garlanding approach

One-pot reaction for the synthesis of novel phenylpyridyl derivatives and mixed quater phenylpyridyl compounds is described by using the Garlanding approach. The reactions proceed with moderate to good yields in mild conditions and good reaction times. This work represents a second application of the simplicity and versatility of Garlanding concept for the construction of new phenylpyridyl scaffolds, which can be considered as non-peptidic foldamer α-helix mimetics.