One-step synthesis of metallic and metal oxide nanoparticles using amino-PEG oligomers as multi-purpose ligands: size and shape control, and quasi-universal solvent dispersibility

A one-step and room temperature synthesis toward metallic and metal oxide nanoparticles soluble both in water and organic solvent is reported. This was achieved using amino-PEG oligomers that make it possible to control the size and shape of the nanoparticles.     

Stochastic Arithmetic in Multiprecision

Floating-point arithmetic precision is limited in length the IEEE single (respectively double) precision format is 32-bit (respectively 64-bit) long. Extended precision formats can be up to 128-bit long. However some problems require a longer floating-point format, because of round-off errors. Such problems are usually solved in arbitrary precision, but round-off errors still occur and must be controlled. Interval arithmetic has been implemented in arbitrary precision, for instance in the MPFI library. Interval arithmetic provides guaranteed results, but it is not well suited for the validation of huge applications. The CADNA library estimates round-off error propagation using stochastic arithmetic. CADNA has enabled the numerical validation of real-life applications, but it can be used in single precision or in double precision only. In this paper, we present a library called SAM (Stochastic Arithmetic in Multiprecision). It is a multiprecision extension of the classic CADNA library. In SAM (as in CADNA), the arithmetic and relational operators are overloaded in order to be able to deal with stochastic numbers. As a consequence, the use of SAM in a scientific code needs only few modifications. This new library SAM makes it possible to dynamically control the numerical methods used and more particularly to determine the optimal number of iterations in an iterative process. We present some applications of SAM in the numerical validation of chaotic systems modeled by the logistic map.     

Diversity through semisynthesis: the chemistry and biological activity of semisynthetic epothilone derivatives

Epothilones are myxobacterial natural products that inhibit human cancer cell growth through the stabilization of cellular microtubules (i.e., a “taxol-like” mechanism of action). They have proven to be highly productive lead structures for anticancer drug discovery, with at least seven epothilone-type agents having entered clinical trials in humans over the last several years. SAR studies on epothilones have included a large number of fully synthetic analogs and semisynthetic derivatives. Previous reviews on the chemistry and biology of epothilones have mostly focused on analogs that were obtained by de novo chemical synthesis. In contrast, the current review provides a comprehensive overview on the chemical transformations that have been investigated for the major epothilones A and B as starting materials, and it discusses the biological activity of the resulting products. Many semisynthetic epothilone derivatives have been found to exhibit potent effects on human cancer cell growth and several of these have been advanced to the stage of clinical development. This includes the epothilone B lactam ixabepilone (Ixempra^®, which has been approved by the FDA for the treatment of advanced and metastatic breast cancer.     

Sobolev-Hermite versus Sobolev nonparametric density estimation on $${\mathbb {R}}$$

In this paper, our aim is to revisit the nonparametric estimation of a square integrable density f on \({\mathbb {R}}\), by using projection estimators on a Hermite basis. These estimators are studied from the point of view of their mean integrated squared error on \({\mathbb {R}}\). A model selection method is described and proved to perform an automatic bias variance compromise. Then, we present another collection of estimators, of deconvolution type, for which we define another model selection strategy. Although the minimax asymptotic rates of these two types of estimators are mainly equivalent, the complexity of the Hermite estimators is usually much lower than the complexity of their deconvolution (or kernel) counterparts. These results are illustrated through a small simulation study.

     

Two-dimensional ordering in 1-propanol-graphite-oxide intercalates: isotopic effects

ABSTRACT

Intercalation of fully deuterated 1-propyl alcohol into graphite oxide is studied by means of the unique capabilities offered by the NIMROD neutron diffractometer. We develop methods to estimate the amount of intercalant present within the neutron irradiated volume using for the purpose of the set of constraints implicit in the outputs of the Gudrun diffraction data treatment software. The results are compared to those from our previous study on of fully hydrogenated 1-propanol intercalation [C. Cabrillo, F. Barroso-Bujans, R. Fernandez-Perea, F. Fernandez-Alonso, D. Bowron and F.J. Bermejo, Carbon 100, 546 (2016)] where a two-dimensional ordering transition under slow heating from 100?K was discovered. The rearrangement of the 1-propanol molecular pillars did allow for the formation of bilayer intercalation. In contrast, sample deuteration leads to remarkable differences in both the intercalation kinetics and intercalate thermal response, avoiding the two-dimensional transition which would lead to bilayer formation. Finally, neutron diffraction results have enabled us to disentangle the highly anomalous behaviour exhibited by hitherto unpublished broad band dielectric spectroscopy studies which are now understood on the basis of the two-dimensional transition just referred to.     

The nucleation of faulted dipoles at intersection jogs in γ-TiAl

Single crystal samples of n-(Ti-54.7 at.% Al) deformed to a permanent strain of 2% at room temperature under multiple-slip conditions contain faulted dipoles (FDs) whose density exhibits some dependence on load orientation. Although FDs are hard to observe after compression along [210], they are profuse and congregated in places in the [1 1 8.6] load orientation. They exhibit most of the topological characteristics of FDs formed under single slip as reported by Grégori and Veyssière such as elongation in the screw direction of the primary d011] slip direction and a noticeable shape asymmetry. It is shown further that, in the [1 1 8.6] samples, bundles of FDs originate at jogs that result from intersection with forest dislocations of appropriate Burgers vectors. A mechanism for FD nucleation is proposed on the basis of asymmetrical dissociation of the parent d011] dislocation and specific impingements between the various partials on two adjacent octahedral planes. Implications of the FD nucleation at jogs on the load orientation dependence of the FD density are discussed.     

No effect of running and laboratory housing on adult hippocampal neurogenesis in wild caught long-tailed wood mouse

Background  

Studies of adult hippocampal neurogenesis (AHN) in laboratory rodents have raised hopes for therapeutic interventions in neurodegenerative diseases and mood disorders, as AHN can be modulated by physical exercise, stress and environmental changes in these animals. Since it is not known whether cell proliferation and neurogenesis in wild living mice can be experimentally changed, this study investigates the responsiveness of AHN to voluntary running and to environmental change in wild caught long-tailed wood mice (Apodemus sylvaticus).     

A Simple Protocol to Stabilize Gold Nanoparticles using Amphiphilic Block Copolymers: Stability Studies and Viable Cellular Uptake

Di‐ and triblock non‐ionic copolymers based on poly(ethylene oxide) and poly(propylene oxide) were studied for the stabilization of nanoparticles in water at high ionic strength. The effect of the molecular architecture (di‐ vs. triblock) of these amphiphilic copolymers was investigated by using gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) as probes for colloidal stability. The results demonstrate that both di‐ and triblock copolymers can provide long term stability, and that in both cases AuNPs are individually embedded within globules of polymers. However, in the case of diblock copolymers, the colloidal stability was related to the formation of micelles, in contrast with the case of triblock copolymers, which were previously shown to provide good stability even at concentrations at which micelles do not form. Quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) experiments showed that the presence of the hydrophobic block in the structure of the polymer is important to ensure quantitative adsorption upon a gold surface and to limit desorption. We demonstrate that with an appropriate choice of polymer, the polymer/AuNP hybrids can also undergo filtration and freeze‐drying without noticeable aggregation, which can be very convenient for further applications. Finally, preliminary studies of the cytotoxicity effect on fibroblast cells show that the polymer/AuNP hybrids were not cytotoxic. TEM micrographs on ultrathin sections of cells after incubation with the colloidal solutions show that the nanoparticles were internalized into the cells, conserving their initial size and shape.