On Landis’ Conjecture in the Plane

In this paper we prove a quantitative form of Landis’ conjecture in the plane. Precisely, let W(z) be a measurable real vector-valued function and V(z) ≥0 be a real measurable scalar function, satisfying ‖W‖ _{L ^∞(R ²)} ≤ 1 and ‖V‖ _{L ^∞(R ²)} ≤ 1. Let u be a real solution of Δu ? ?(Wu) ? Vu = 0 in R ². Assume that u(0) = 1 and |u(z)| ≤exp (C ₀|z|). Then u satisfies inf _{|z 0| =R}  sup _{|z?z 0| <1}|u(z)| ≥exp (?CRlog R), where C depends on C ₀. In addition to the case of the whole plane, we also establish a quantitative form of Landis’ conjecture defined in an exterior domain.     

Influence of the automotive Start/Stop system on noise emission: Experimental study

One of the most common environmental impacts of road transportation is the traffic noise. Linked to this, Start/Stop is a technology which has demonstrated to save fuel by powering off the engine when the vehicle is stopped, such as in front of a traffic light, and restarting the engine instantly when the driver pushes back the pedal brake to proceed. The technology helps also to reduce the CO₂ emission, playing a key role in a way to accomplish stringent emission norms for vehicle manufacturer. However, we are not sure whether it reduces the noise emission and how much? Thus, the main aim of this work is to assess the engine noise emissions of a vehicle incorporating a Start/Stop system in urban traffic, and compare it with those radiated by the mean traffic stream. Experimental results demonstrate that there are no contributions of the Start/Stop system to reduce meaningfully the engine noise in urban traffic.     

Synthesis of Some C‐3,4,5‐Substituted 2,6‐Dimethyl‐1,4‐dihydropyridines (4‐DHPs)

A series of C‐3,4,5‐substituted 2,6‐dimethyl‐1,4‐dihydropyridines (1,4‐DHPs) with pharmacological properties were prepared by a variation from the classical Hantzsch synthesis. The procedure involves treatment of the respective aldehyde with either ethyl‐3‐aminocrotonate or 3‐aminocrotonitrile in anhydrous acetic acid at temperatures not exceeding 60°C, thus minimizing by‐product formation. The structures of title compounds were elucidated by ¹H NMR, ¹³C NMR, FTIR, and elemental analysis.     

Achiral diacrylate with an anticlinic smectic phase

We present an achiral diacrylate that shows a phase transition from the synclinic smectic C phase (SmC) to the anticlinic smectic C (SmCalt). This last phase has been previously reported only for swallow-tailed or dimeric compounds. Our studies using differential scanning calorimetry, X-ray diffraction, polarizing optical microscopy and broad band dielectric spectroscopy suggest the existence of this mesophase in this bifunctional smectogen.     

Ideological Complex Systems: Mathematical Theory

The goal of this article is to build an abstract mathematical theory rather than a computational one of the process of transmission of ideology. The basis of much of the argument is Patten's Environment Theory that characterizes a system with its double environment (input or stimulus and output or response) and the existing interactions among them. Ideological processes are semiotic processes, and if in Patten's theory, the two environments are physical, in this theory ideological processes are physical and semiotic, as are stimulus and response. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Complexity 21: 47–65, 2015     

Substituent effects on acidity of aryl‐substituted fluoroalkanes: a computational study

The gas‐phase acidities (GA) of various aryl‐substituted fluoroalkanes, XC₆H₄CH(R¹)R², were calculated at the B3LYP/6‐311 + G(d,p)//B3LYP/6‐311 + G(d,p). The acidity values of alkanes having a common substituent X varied significantly with the change of R¹ and R². Their changes in acidity of 1 and 2 having two strong electron‐withdrawing groups (CF₃ or C₂F₅) at the deprotonation site and 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 having no fluorine atom at β‐position were linearly correlated with the corrected number of fluorine atoms contained in the fluorinated alkyl group (R² > 0.999). On the other hand, the GA values of β‐fluorine substituted alkanes ( 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 ) deviated in a stronger acid direction from the line. The enhanced acidity was attributed to the additional stabilization of the conjugate anion caused by the β‐fluorine negative hyperconjugation. The magnitude of β‐fluorine negative hyperconjugation of the fluorinated alkyl group (ΔG^o_β‐F) given by the deviations from the line decreased with increasing electron‐withdrawing ability of substituent X on the benzene ring, indicating that β‐fluorine negative hyperconjugation competes with the electronic effect of the substituent X. The GA_el values obtained by subtraction ΔG^o_β‐F from the apparent GA value were successfully correlated in terms of the Yukawa–Tsuno equation. The obtained ρ_el and r^?_el values were linearly related to the GA_el value of the respective phenyl‐substituted fluoroalkanes, supporting our previous conclusion that the ρ and r^? values for the substituent effect caused by the electronic effects of the substituent on the acidity are determined by the thermodynamic stability of the parent ion (ring substituent = H). Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Multivariate analysis in provenance studies: Cerrillos obsidians case, Peru

We present the preliminary results of a provenance study of obsidians samples from Cerrillos (ca. 800–100 b.c.) using Mössbauer Spectroscopy. The Cerrillos archaeological site, located in the Upper Ica Valley, Peru, is the only Paracas ceremonial center excavated so far. The archaeological data collected suggest the existence of a complex social and economic organization on the south coast of Peru. Provenance research of obsidian provides valuable information about the selection of lithic resources by our ancestors and eventually about the existence of communication routes and exchange networks. We characterized 18 obsidian artifacts samples by Mössbauer spectroscopy from Cerrillos. The spectra, recorded at room temperature using different velocities, are mainly composed of broad asymmetric doublets due to the superposition of at least two quadrupole doublets corresponding to Fe²⁺ in two different sites (species A and B), one weak Fe³⁺ doublet (specie C) and magnetic components associated to the presence of small particles of magnetite. Multivariate statistical analysis of the Mössbauer data (hyperfine parameters) allows to defined two main groups of obsidians, reflecting different geographical origins.     

Drug-dendrimer supramolecular complexation studied from molecular dynamics simulations and NMR spectroscopy

Fully atomistic molecular dynamics (MD) simulations and NMR spectroscopy were employed to get insights about the molecular details of drug-dendrimer supramolecular association phenomena, using piroxicam (PRX) and the third generation poly(amido amine) (PAMAM-G3) dendrimer as model systems. Theoretical results concerning the complex stoichiometry suggest that PRX forms drug-dendrimer complexes of the type 24:1 at pH 7.0. This result was validated with the experimental quantities obtained from aqueous solubility profiles, which led to an empiric stoichiometry of 23:1 for the PRX:PAMAM-G3 system. The predicted binding mode between PRX and PAMAM-G3 accounts for the preferred encapsulation of the drug inside dendrimer cavities, which is mainly driven by van der Waals and hydrogen bonding interactions, and to a lesser extent, for the external association of the guest through electrostatic contacts with the positively charged amino groups of PAMAM periphery. The binding mode obtained from MD simulations was confirmed with 2D-NOESY experiments, which evidence the preferred internal complexation of PRX with PAMAM-G3. The predominance of internal encapsulation over external contacts in the PRX:PAMAM-G3 system differs from the general behaviour expected for acidic anionic guests, for which external electrostatic interactions with the positively charged PAMAM surface have been postulated as the most relevant factor for drug association.