Stability and optimality of decay rate for a weakly dissipative Bresse system

This paper is concerned with asymptotic stability of a Bresse system with two frictional dissipations. Under mathematical condition of equal speed of wave propagation, we prove that the system is exponentially stable. Otherwise, we show that Bresse system is not exponentially stable. Then, in the latter case, by using a recent result in linear operator theory, we prove the solution decays polynomially to zero with optimal decay rate. Better rates of polynomial decay depending on the regularity of initial data are also achieved. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Gibbs–Markov–Young structures with (stretched) exponential tail for partially hyperbolic attractors

In this work we extend the results obtained by Gouëzel in [12] to partially hyperbolic attractors. We study a forward invariant set K on a Riemannian manifold M   whose tangent space splits as dominated decomposition _TKM=E^cu⊕E^s$T_{K}M=E^{cu}\oplus E^s$, for which the center-unstable direction E^cu$E^{cu}$ is non-uniformly expanding on some local unstable disk. We prove that the (stretched) exponential decay of recurrence times for an induced scheme can be deduced under the assumption of (stretched) exponential decay of the time that typical points need to achieve some uniform expanding in the center-unstable direction. As an application of our results we obtain exponential decay of correlations and exponential large deviations for a class of partially hyperbolic diffeomorphisms considered in [1].     

Characterizing the relative role of low-frequency and turbulent processes in the nocturnal boundary layer through the analysis of two-point correlations of the wind components

The study presents an analysis of two-point correlations between time series of nocturnal atmospheric wind, obtained from two micrometeorological towers, 45 m horizontally apart, each equipped with two sonic anemometers, 2.5 m vertically apart. It focuses on the scale dependence of the two-point correlations obtained from sensors vertically and horizontally separated. In particular, the role of low-frequency non-turbulent processes in the correlations is assessed, and compared to that of the turbulent scales of motion. The vertical correlations of the streamwise and vertical wind components show little dependence on the turbulence intensity, but those of the spanwise component decrease appreciably as it gets more turbulent. Multiresolution decomposition shows that the two-point correlations become increasingly dominated by low-frequency scales as it gets less turbulent, and that such large-scale processes are largely reduced in fully turbulent conditions. It is also shown that the vertical correlations of the spanwise wind component is negative for very small time scales. Horizontal two-point correlations obtained at the 45 m separation distance between the towers are almost entirely dominated by low-frequency motions, regardless of the turbulence intensity, but the magnitude of such correlations decreases with increasing turbulence intensity for any wind components. A comparison between the horizontal two-point correlations and autocorrelations taken with a time lag given by the ratio of the horizontal separation to the mean wind component in the direction that connects the two towers leads to the conclusion that the statistical properties of turbulence are often preserved over the horizontal distance, despite the lack of turbulence correlations for that separation.     

Diethylcarbamazine induces loss of microfilarial sheath of Wuchereria bancrofti

Light microscopy analyses of microfilariae of Wuchereria bancrofti treated with DEC revealed a striking loss of the microfilarial sheath. However, no effect was observed on microfilariae of Litomosoides chagasfilhoi treated with DEC. For quantitative analyses microfilariae of W. bancrofti were processed for SEM. Controls, which have not received DEC, had 29.8% of exsheathed microfilariae. Conversely, the number of exsheathed microfilariae increased as increased DEC concentrations: 5 μg/ml (75.9%), 10 μg/ml (80.1%), and 50 μg/ml (87.7%). After DEC treatment some of sheathed microfilariae showed a wrinkled surface, and in some microfilariae, sheaths were observed being liberated almost intact from the larvae surface. But, frequently residues of the lost sheath over the surface were also observed. No damage was observed in the microfilariae cuticle. The present work shows quantitative data on the loss of the microfilarial sheath of W. bancrofti after treatment with DEC. Since no loss of microfilarial sheath was observed in microfilariae of L. chagasfilhoi submitted to the same conditions, DEC may present different mechanisms of action for distinct filarial species.     

Density Functional Theory studies on interactions of phosphoryl ligands with the Ca cation: Affinity and associated parameters

DFT (B3LYP/6-31G(d)) and semi-empirical (PM6) calculations of Ca²⁺ affinities on a set of substituted phosphoryl ligands were performed with complete geometry optimization. Two types of ligands were calculated: a set of trivalent [OP(R)] and a set of pentavalent [OP(R)₃] ones (R = H, F, Cl, Br, OH, OCH₃, CH₃, CN, NH₂ and NO₂), with R either directly bound to the phosphorus atom or to the para position of a phenyl ring. The affinity of the Ca²⁺ cation for the ligands was quantified in terms of interaction energy. Additionally, geometric and electronic parameters were correlated with the intensity of that interaction. Our results show that the electronic nature of the substituent mainly affects the interaction energy. Donor groups are associated with more negative interaction energies, while acceptor groups are associated with less negative interaction energies.     

Photobiomodulation Therapy on the Guided Bone Regeneration Process in Defects Filled by Biphasic Calcium Phosphate Associated with Fibrin Biopolymer

The aim is to evaluate the effects of photobiomodulation therapy (PBMT) on the guided bone regeneration process (GBR) in defects in the calvaria of rats filled with biphasic calcium phosphate associated with fibrin biopolymer. Thirty male Wistar rats were randomly separated: BMG (n = 10), defects filled with biomaterial and covered by membrane; BFMG (n = 10), biomaterial and fibrin biopolymer covered by membrane; and BFMLG (n = 10), biomaterial and fibrin biopolymer covered by membrane and biostimulated with PBMT. The animals were euthanized at 14 and 42 days postoperatively. Microtomographically, in 42 days, there was more evident bone growth in the BFMLG, limited to the margins of the defect with permanence of the particles. Histomorphologically, an inflammatory infiltrate was observed, which regressed with the formation of mineralized bone tissue. In the quantification of bone tissue, all groups had a progressive increase in new bone tissue with a significant difference in which the BFMLG showed greater bone formation in both periods (10.12 ± 0.67 and 13.85 ± 0.54), followed by BFMG (7.35 ± 0.66 and 9.41 ± 0.84) and BMG (4.51 ± 0.44 and 7.11 ± 0.44). Picrosirius-red staining showed greater birefringence of collagen fibers in yellow-green color in the BFMLG, showing more advanced bone maturation. PBMT showed positive effects capable of improving and accelerating the guided bone regeneration process when associated with biphasic calcium phosphate and fibrin biopolymer.     

Control of pH- and temperature-responsive behavior of mPEG-b-PDMAEMA copolymers through polymer composition

A series of poly(ethylene glycol) monomethyl ether-block-poly(2-(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate) (mPEG-b-PDMAEMA) diblock copolymers were synthesized using atom transfer radical polymerization to achieve controlled polymer molecular weight and narrow molecular weight distribution. The thermoresponsive properties of the mPEG-b-PDMAEMA diblock copolymers in aqueous buffered solutions were determined using UV-Visible spectroscopy and dynamic light scattering. The cloud point, a soluble-to-insoluble transition, was observed for all mPEG-b-PDMAEMA diblock copolymer solutions. Increasing either the mPEG or PDMAEMA molecular weight resulted in a decrease in observed cloud points as a function of pH and polymer concentration. Changing the mPEG molecular weight determined whether a second, higher temperature, thermal transition was observed as a function of pH and polymer concentration. Controlling the thermoresponsive properties of mPEG-b-PDMAEMA diblock copolymers through polymer composition, concentration, and pH enables the tailoring of these copolymers for applications ranging from non-viral gene delivery to use as a strengthening agent in paper.     

Sensitization of Niobium Pentoxide Thin Films by cis-Dithiocyanate (2,2-bipyridyl-4,4′dicarboxylic acid) Ruthenium(II) Complex

The sensitization caused by the adsorption of a ruthenium complex in a niobium thin film (d < 300 nm) was analysed by photoelectrochemical measurements. The films were coated on a indium-tin-oxide (ITO) conductor glass by a dip-coating technique. The non-sensitized film had only photoelectrochemical current in the UV region (i 40 nA). The sensitization of the film by cis-dithiocyanate (2,2-bipyridyl-4,4dicarboxylic acid) ruthenium(II) complex altered the shape of the non-normalized action spectrum with the presence of photoelectrochemical current in the visible range ( 400 nm). This photoelectrochemical current (i 70 nA) was associated with electron injection into the niobium pentoxide conduction band due to metal-to-ligand charge-transfer (MLCT) of the ruthenium complex. The shape of the action spectrum in the UV range ( 400 nm) changed with the application of an electric potential to the film surface and the photoelectrochemical current associated with the ligand-to-metal charge transfer of niobia film decreased for higher ruthenium concentration.     

Evaluation of Amino Acid O-Phosphoserine as Ligand for the Capture of Immunoglubulin G from Human Serum

The amino acid ortho-phosphoserine (OPS) immobilized on agarose gel was evaluated as a ligand for adsorption of polyclonal human immunoglobulin G (IgG) from human serum in the presence of low ionic strength buffers. Screening of buffer systems showed sodium phosphate as the buffer that exhibited higher IgG purity values. Through breakthrough curve analysis for agarose-OPS (feeding of 31.93?mg of total protein per mL of gel), a purification factor of 5.4 with an IgG purity of 89?% was obtained (based on IgG, IgM, IgA, HSA, and Trf nephelometric analysis). IgG adsorption equilibrium studies showed that these data followed the Langmuir-Freundlich model, with cooperativity parameter (n) equal to 1.74, indicating the presence of positive cooperativity, probably due to multipoint interactions. The maximum IgG binding capacity was 24.2?mg?mL^?1, near the value for the bioaffinity ligand protein A. The agarose-OPS adsorbent provides an attractive alternative for capturing of IgG from human serum.