A normoxic acrylic acid polymer gel for dosimetery in radiation therapy

Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry - A novel low toxic normoxic polymer gel dosimeter containing acrylic acid monomer is prepared and characterized for dosimetry in radiotherapy. Gel...     

Measurement of temperature of a dusty plasma from its configuration

A new concept called “configurational temperature” is introduced in the context of dusty plasma, where the temperature of the dust particles submerged in the plasma can be measured directly from the positional information of the individual dust particles and the interaction potential between the dust grains. This method does not require the velocity information of individual particles, which is a key parameter to measure the dust temperature in the conventional method. The technique is initially tested using two-dimensional (2D) OpenMP parallel molecular dynamics and Monte Carlo simulation and then compared with the temperature evaluated from experimental data. The experiment have been carried out in the Dusty Plasma Experimental (DPEx) device, where a 2D stationary plasma crystal of melamine formaldehyde particles is formed in the cathode sheath of a DC glow discharge argon plasma. The kinetic temperature of the dust is calculated using the standard particle image velocimetry technique at different pressures. An extended simulation result for the three-dimensional case is also presented, which can be employed for the temperature measurement of a three-dimensional dust crystal in laboratory devices.     

Complex impedance spectroscopy studies of (La0.70−xNdx)Sr0.30Mn0.70Cr0.30O3 (x≤0.30) perovskite compounds

The transport properties of Nd-doped perovskite materials (La_0.7−xNd_x)Sr_0.3Mn_0.7Cr_0.3O₃ (x≤0.30) were investigated using impedance spectroscopy techniques over a wide range of temperatures and frequencies. AC conductance analyses indicate that the conduction mechanism is strongly dependent on temperature and frequency. The DC conductance plots can be described using the small polaron hopping (SPH) model, with an apparent reduction of the polaron activation energy below the Curie temperature T_C. Complex impedance plots exhibit semicircular arcs described by an electrical equivalent circuit. Off-centered semicircular impedance plots show that the Nd-doped compounds obey to a non-Debye relaxation process. The conductivity of grains and grain-boundaries has been estimated. The activation energies calculated from the conductance and from time relaxation analyses are comparable. This indicates that the same type of charge carriers is responsible for both the electrical conduction and relaxation phenomena.     

On fuzzy random multiobjective quadratic programming

In this paper, a multiobjective quadratic programming problem having fuzzy random coefficients matrix in the objective and constraints and the decision vector are fuzzy pseudorandom variables is considered. First, we show that the efficient solutions of fuzzy quadratic multiobjective programming problems are resolved into series-optimal-solutions of relative scalar fuzzy quadratic programming. Some theorems are proved to find an optimal solution of the relative scalar quadratic multiobjective programming with fuzzy coefficients, having decision vectors as fuzzy variables. At the end, numerical examples are illustrated in the support of the obtained results.     

Chemical Composition,Antifungal and Anti-Biofilm Activities of Volatile Fractions of Convolvulus althaeoides L. Roots from Tunisia

The antifungal drugs currently available and mostly used for the treatment of candidiasis exhibit the phenomena of toxicity and increasing resistance. In this context, plant materials might represent promising sources of antifungal agents. The aim of this study is to evaluate for the first time the chemical content of the volatile fractions (VFs) along with the antifungal and anti-biofilm of Convolvulus althaeoides L. roots. The chemical composition was determined by gas chromatography coupled to a flame ionization detector and mass spectrometry. In total, 73 and 86 chemical compounds were detected in the n-hexane (VF1) and chloroform (VF2) fractions, respectively. Analysis revealed the presence of four main compounds: n-hexadecenoic acid (29.77%), 4-vinyl guaiacol (12.2%), bis(2-ethylhexyl)-adipate (9.69%) and eicosane (3.98%) in the VF extracted by hexane (VF1). n-hexadecenoic acid (34.04%), benzyl alcohol (7.86%) and linoleic acid (7.30%) were the main compounds found in the VF extracted with chloroform (VF2). The antifungal minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of the obtained fractions against Candida albicans, Candida glabrata and Candida tropicalis were determined by the micro-dilution technique and values against Candida spp. ranged from 0.87 to 3.5 mg/mL. The biofilm inhibitory concentrations (IBF) and sustained inhibition (BSI) assays on C. albicans, C. glabrata and C. tropicalis were also investigated. The VFs inhibited biofilm formation up to 0.87 mg/mL for C. albicans, up to 1.75 mg/mL against C. glabrata and up to 0.87 mg/mL against C. tropicalis. The obtained results highlighted the synergistic mechanism of the detected molecules in the prevention of candidosic biofilm formation.