Finite planar spaces with a spread of short lines

In this paper a class of finite planar spaces with a spread of short lines is characterized.     

Structures and electronic absorption spectra of a recently synthesised class of photodynamic therapy agents

A theoretical study was performed on a novel class of boron-containing molecules (various substituted tetraarylazadipyrromethenes), which show in vitro activity for application in photodynamic therapy. Geometric optimisation of the structures for the singlet and triplet electronic states was carried out on compounds in vacuo at the density functional level of theory, by employing the PBE0 hybrid functional and the split-valence plus polarisation basis set. The absorbance properties in the UV-visible region were examined by means of time-dependent density functional response theory, using the same functional as mentioned above. To evaluate the influence of the solvent on the excitation energies, the continuum polarisable model was applied. Calculated electronic excitations, such as those regarding the Q-like band, were found to be in good agreement (within 0.01-0.1 eV) with experimental values and experimental trends on changing both the substituents and solvent.     

Synthesis and antimicrobial activity of 2‐(acyl or carboxyalkyl)‐3‐(H or alkyl or aryl)‐5 (or ‐6 or ‐8)‐monochloro, 7‐fluoro‐substituted‐4H‐1,4‐benzothiazines

A series of 2‐(acyl or carboxyalkyl)‐3‐(H or alkyl or aryl)‐5 (or ‐6 or ‐8)‐monochloro, 7‐fluoro‐substituted‐4H‐1,4‐benzothiazines 3a‐x were prepared to investigate their potential biological activity. In this work the 3a‐w structures are supported with physical and analytical data and the results of their in vitro antimicrobial activity against some strains Gram positive, Gram negative, and Fungi are reported. It was found that compounds 3a, 3d displayed interesting antibacterial activity, whereas compound 3f displayed interesting antifungal activity.     

On the rearrangement in dioxane/water of (Z)-arylhydrazones of 5-amino-3-benzoyl-1,2,4-oxadiazole into (2-aryl-5-phenyl-2H-1,2,3-triazol-4-yl)ureas: substituent effects on the different reaction pathways

We have recently evidenced an interesting differential behavior in the reactivity in dioxane/water between the (Z)-2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazone (1a) and the (Z)-phenylhydrazone (1b) of 5-amino-3-benzoyl-1,2,4-oxadiazole. The former rearranges into the relevant triazole 2a only at pS+ > 4.5 while undergoing hydrolysis at high proton concentration (pS+ < 3.5); on the contrary, the latter rearranges into 2b in the whole pS+ range examined (0.1 < or = pS+ < or = 14.9). Thus, for a deeper understanding of these differences we have now collected kinetic data on the rearrangement in dioxane/water of a series of 3- or 4-substituted (Z)-phenylhydrazones (1c-l) of 5-amino-3-benzoyl-1,2,4-oxadiazole in a wide range of proton concentrations (pS+ 0.1-12.3) with the aim of gaining information about the effect of the substituent on the course of the reaction. All of the (Z)-arylhydrazones studied rearrange via three different reaction routes (specific-acid-catalyzed, uncatalyzed, and general-base-catalyzed), and the relevant results have been examined by means of free energy relationships.     

Remarks on the total variation of the Jacobian

The total variation TV(u) of the Jacobian determinant of nonsmooth vector fields u has recently been studied in [2] [3]. We focus on the subclass u(x) = φ(x/|x|) of homogeneous extensions of smooth functions In the case n = 2, we explicitely compute TV(u) for some relevant examples exhibiting a gap with respect to the total variation |Det Du| of the distributional determinant. We then provide examples of functions with |DetDu| = 0 and TV(u) = + ∞. We finally show that this gap phenomenon doesn’t occur if n ≥ 3.     

Environment-mediated control of a quantum system

Recently, a new approach for the controllability of a two-dimensional quantum system S has been proposed, based on its interaction with an initially uncorrelated two-dimensional probe P whose initial state can be arbitrarily modified. Following this scheme and considering a particular model for the environment, we show that, in some specific cases, the environment-induced entanglement is rich enough to completely control the dynamics of S. Under suitable conditions on the interaction of S, P, and the environment, we prove that the state of S can be driven to an arbitrary target state by varying the initial state of P.     

NMR spectroscopy and MALDI-TOF MS characterisation of end-functionalised PVP oligomers prepared with different esters as chain transfer agents

Ester-functionalised poly(1-vinylpyrrolidin-2-one) (PVP) oligomers obtained by radical polymerisation in methyl propionate, diethyl malonate and diethyl 2-methylmalonate were characterised by NMR spectroscopy, and MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry. The chain-transfer constants were determined as 5.54 x 10(-4), 1.22 x 10(-3) and 1.70 x 10(-2), respectively, by measuring the variation of the number-average molecular weight on conversion. These values were compared with those of methyl isobutyrate (1.65 x 10(-3)) and ethyl lactate (1.03 x 10(-2)), which had been previously determined. A clear dependence was found on the reactivity of the mobile hydrogen atoms alpha with the ester group. All of the macromolecules carried a single ester function. Therefore, the re-initiation step by the CTA-derived radicals overwhelmingly prevailed over initiation by the primary radicals.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">CPT</Emphasis> Symmetry and Quantum Mechanics Tests in the Neutral Kaon System at KLOE

The neutral kaon system offers a unique possibility to perform fundamental tests of CPT invariance, as well as of the basic principles of quantum mechanics. The most recent limits obtained by the KLOE experiment at the DAΦNE e ⁺ e ⁻ collider on several kinds of possible CPT violation and decoherence mechanisms, which in some cases might be justified in a quantum gravity framework, are reviewed. No deviation from the expectations of quantum mechanics and CPT symmetry is observed, while the precision of the measurements, in some cases, reaches the interesting Planck scale region. Finally, prospects for this kind of experimental studies at KLOE-2 are presented.     

Measuring financial risk and portfolio optimization with a non-Gaussian multivariate model

In this paper, we propose a multivariate market model with returns assumed to follow a multivariate normal tempered stable distribution. This distribution, defined by a mixture of the multivariate normal distribution and the tempered stable subordinator, is consistent with two stylized facts that have been observed for asset distributions: fat-tails and an asymmetric dependence structure. Assuming infinitely divisible distributions, we derive closed-form solutions for two important measures used by portfolio managers in portfolio construction: the marginal VaR and the marginal AVaR. We illustrate the proposed model using stocks comprising the Dow Jones Industrial Average, first statistically validating the model based on goodness-of-fit tests and then demonstrating how the marginal VaR and marginal AVaR can be used for portfolio optimization using the model. Based on the empirical evidence presented in this paper, our framework offers more realistic portfolio risk measures and a more tractable method for portfolio optimization.