Probabilistic analysis of three-player symmetric quantum games played using the Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen-Bohm setting

This Letter extends our probabilistic framework for two-player quantum games to the multiplayer case, while giving a unified perspective for both classical and quantum games. Considering joint probabilities in the Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen-Bohm (EPR-Bohm) setting for three observers, we use this setting in order to play general three-player noncooperative symmetric games. We analyze how the peculiar non-factorizable joint probabilities provided by the EPR-Bohm setting can change the outcome of a game, while requiring that the quantum game attains a classical interpretation for factorizable joint probabilities. In this framework, our analysis of the three-player generalized Prisoner's Dilemma (PD) shows that the players can indeed escape from the classical outcome of the game, because of non-factorizable joint probabilities that the EPR setting can provide. This surprising result for three-player PD contrasts strikingly with our earlier result for two-player PD, played in the same framework, in which even non-factorizable joint probabilities do not result in escaping from the classical consequence of the game.     

Uncovering the Anticancer Potential of Polydatin: A Mechanistic Insight

Polydatin or 3-O-β-d-resveratrol-glucopyranoside (PD), a stilbenoid component of Polygonum cuspicadum (Polygonaceae), has a variety of biological roles. In traditional Chinese medicine, P. cuspicadum extracts are used for the treatment of infections, inflammation, and cardiovascular disorders. Polydatin possesses a broad range of biological activities including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, and hepatoprotective, neuroprotective, and immunostimulatory effects. Currently, a major proportion of the population is victimized with cervical lung cancer, ovarian cancer and breast cancer. PD has been recognized as a potent anticancer agent. PD could effectively inhibit the migration and proliferation of ovarian cancer cells, as well as the expression of the PI3K protein. The malignancy of lung cancer cells was reduced after PD treatments via targeting caspase 3, arresting cancer cells at the S phase and inhibiting NLRP3 inflammasome by downregulation of the NF-κB pathway. This ceases cell cycle, inhibits VEGF, and counteracts ROS in breast cancer. It also prevents cervical cancer by regulating epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), apoptosis, and the C-Myc gene. The objective of this review is thus to unveil the polydatin anticancer potential for the treatment of various tumors, as well as to examine the mechanisms of action of this compound.     

Efficient aerial oxidation of different types of alcohols using ZnO nanoparticle–MnCO3-graphene oxide composites

Graphene–metal nanocomposites have been found to remarkably enhance the catalytic performance of metal nanoparticle-based catalysts. In continuation of our previous report, in which highly reduced graphene oxide (HRG)-based nanocomposites were synthesized and evaluated, we present nanocomposites of graphene oxide (GRO) and ZnO nanoparticle-doped MnCO₃ ([ZnO–MnCO₃/(1%)GRO]) synthesized via a facile, straightforward co-precipitation technique. Interestingly, it was noticed that the incorporation of GRO in the catalytic system could noticeably improve the catalytic efficiency compared to a catalyst (ZnO–MnCO₃) without GRO, for aerial oxidation of benzyl alcohol (BzOH) employing O₂ as a nature-friendly oxidant under base-free conditions. The impacts of various reaction factors were thoroughly explored to optimize reaction conditions using oxidation of BzOH to benzaldehyde (BzH) as a model substrate. The catalysts were characterized using X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, field-emission scanning electron microscopy, Energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET), and Raman spectroscopy. The (1%)ZnO–MnCO₃/(1%)GRO exhibited significant specific activity (67 mmol.g⁻¹.hr⁻¹) with full convversion of BzOH and >99% BzH selectivity within just 6 min. The catalytic efficiency of the (1%)ZnO–MnCO₃/(1%)GRO nanocomposite was significantly better than the (1%)ZnO–MnCO₃/(1%)HRG and (1%)ZnO–MnCO₃ catalysts, presumably due to the existence of oxygen-possessing groups on the GRO surface and as well as a very high surface area that could have been instrumental in uniformly dispersing the active sites of the catalyst, i.e., ZnO–MnCO₃. Under optimum circumstances, various kinds of alcohols were selectively transformed to respective carbonyls with full convertibility over the (1%)ZnO–MnCO₃/(1%)GRO catalyst. Furthermore, the highly effective (1%)ZnO–MnCO₃/(1%)GRO catalyst could be successfully reused and recycled over five consecutive runs with a marginal reduction in its performance and selectivity.     

Effect of some trace elements on the nucleic acid metabolising enzymes level of germinating wheat seeds

Wheat seeds were grown in the presence and absence of some trace elements like Co, Cu, Fe, Mn, Mo and Zn in non-toxic limits. The level of enzyme activities involved in nucleic acid metabolism were measured by spectrophotometric methods. The level of certain RNA metabolising enzymes increased manyfold in trace element-treated seeds, while the level of AMP-deaminase was increased manyfold in Co-treated seeds.     

Ion and solvent transfer of polyaniline films electrodeposited from deep eutectic solvents via EQCM

Journal of Solid State Electrochemistry - We report herein the electrochemical polymerisation of aniline from a choline chloride (ChCl)-based deep eutectic solvent (DES) at room temperature in both...     

Porous multifunctional fluoropolymer composite foams prepared via humic acid modified Fe3O4 nanoparticles stabilized Pickering high internal phase emulsion using cationic fluorosurfactant as co-stabilizer

Fluoropolymers are very important owing to their excellent application performances, especially in extreme conditions. On the other hand, the preparation of porous fluoropolymers is a difficult task due to unavailability of suitable surfactants as well as tedious synthesis steps. Here we prepared multifunctional porous fluoropolymer composite foams with a simple process of “high internal phase emulsion (HIPE)” by using humic acid modified iron oxide nanoparticles (HA-Fe₃O₄ NPs) and cationic fluorosurfactant (CFS) (PDMAEMA-b-PHFBA) as co-stabilizer. The inclusion of HA-Fe₃O₄ NPs in the system made fluoro-HIPE more stable than the emulsion prepared using only CFS or other conventional stabilizers. Morphology of the prepared polyHIPE was easily controlled by altering the concentration of HA-Fe₃O₄ and/or CFS in the original formulation. Adjustment of the porous structure with open/close cells was performed and the average diameter of the pores tuned between 4.9 and 23 μm. With the increase in specific surface area by using nanoparticles (NPs) and CFS as co-surfactants, Pickering HIPE monoliths adsorbed double amount of oil compared to foams based solely on HIPE template. Multiple functional groups were bound onto Fe₃O₄ NPs through HA modification that made the fluoro-monolith capable of adsorbing dye, i.e. methylene blue, from water. A simple centrifugation enabled regeneration of the oil soaked foams and adsorption capacity was not decreased after 10 adsorption/regeneration cycles.     

Pavonin: a new five-membered lactone from Adenanthera pavonina Linn. (Mimoaceae)

A new five-membered lactone named pavonin with an exo-cyclic double bond has been isolated from the methanol soluble part of Adenanthera pavonina Linn. belonging to the family Mimoaceae. The structure of pavonin has been established with the aid of spectroscopic techniques including decoupling and HMBC experiments.     

The effect of cobalt addition on sintering and microstructural behaviour of silver–tungsten (Ag–W) composite

The present investigation has been revealed that homogeneous silver-tungsten (Ag–W) composite powders doped with cobalt as sinter aid can be produced by the two-stage reduction of co-precipitated tungstate. The sintering of the powders has been studied using dilatometry and the results showed that the critical level for activated sintering is of the order of 0.3 mass percent cobalt with respect to the tungsten content of the compact powder. This critical level is equivalent to approximately six to seven atomic layer coverage of the tungsten particles by cobalt. The levels of cobalt addition above the critical amount leads to the formation of cobalt tungsten (CoW₃) intermetallic compound precipitates, which become trapped within the silver phase in the sintered composite material. Microstructural evaluation of sintered specimens has been carried out using optical and electron microscopy. Transmission electron microscopy results revealed the neck formation between adjacent tungsten particles along with the presence of silver around the tungsten particles. Energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) analysis also confirmed that amounts of cobalt was 0.3 mass percent, in the region containing the silver at the tungsten particle interface which agreed with the level of activated sintering.     

Controlled synthesis of trifluoropropylmethylsiloxane–dimethylsiloxane gradient copolymers by anionic ROP of cyclotrisiloxanes

Kinetics of the anionic ring opening copolymerization of 2,4,6‐tris(3,3,3‐trifluoropropyl)‐2,4,6‐trimethylcyclotrisiloxane (F₃) with hexamethylcyclotrisiloxane (D₃) was studied in THF using BuLi as the initiator. The apparent reactivity ratios were estimated by computer simulation to r = 0.10 ± 0.02, r = 51.8 ± 5.5, which were used to predict the copolymer composition. As a result of so much different reactivities, simultaneous copolymerization leads to copolymers of blocky structure containing a narrow intermediate fragment with gradient distribution of siloxane units. Polymers having more uniform distribution of the trifluoropropyl groups along the chain were obtained by the semibatch process, adding F₃ to the polymerization of less reactive D₃. The resulted copolymers were characterized by SEC chromatography, ²⁹Si NMR, DSC, DMA, and SAXS. Thermal and mechanical properties of the copolymers obtained by simultaneous copolymerization were similar to those of block copolymers. Only the copolymers obtained by semibatch method showed properties typical for gradient copolymers. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 47: 1204–1216, 2009     

Spin-Dependent First-Principles Study on Optoelectronic Properties of Neodymium Zirconates Pyrochlores Nd2Zr2O7 in Fd-3m and Pmma Phases

Rare-earth zirconate pyrochlores (RE₂Zr₂O₇) are of much fundamental and technological interest as optoelectronic, scintillator and thermal barrier coating materials. For the first time, we report the detailed optoelectronic properties of rare-earth zirconates Nd₂Zr₂O₇ in both, i.e., for spin up and spin down states, via the use of first-principles density functional theory (DFT) procedure. To obtain the desired optoelectronic properties, we used a highly accurate method called full-potential linearized augmented plane wave (FPLAPW) within the generalized gradient approximation (GGA), parametrized with Hubbard potential U as an exchange-correlation function. The band gaps predicted for Nd₂Zr₂O₇ were of the order 2.4 eV and 2.5 eV in Fd-3m and Pmma symmetrical phases, respectively. For both the phases, our research involved a complete examination of the optical properties of Nd₂Zr₂O₇, including extinction coefficient, absorption coefficient, energy loss, function, reflectivity, refractive index, and real optical conductivity, analyzed in the spectral range from 0.0 eV to 14 eV. The calculated optical properties in both phases showed a considerable spin-dependent effect. The electronic bonding characteristics of different species in Nd₂Zr₂O₇ within the two crystal symmetries were explored via the density distribution mapping of charge.