On <Emphasis Type="Italic">α</Emphasis>-stability criteria of linear systems with multiple time delays

This paper deals with the α-stability for a class of linear systems with multiple delays. New sufficient conditions for exponential stability with a convergence rate are established based on Lyapunov functionals and the linear matrix inequality technique. Two numerical examples are provided to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed results. Translated from Sovremennaya Matematika i Ee Prilozheniya (Contemporary Mathematics and Its Applications), Vol. 61, Optimal Control, 2008.     

Generalized Littlewood–Richardson rule and sum of coadjoint orbits of compact Lie groups

Let G be a compact connected semisimple Lie group. We extend to all irreducible finite-dimensional representations of G a result of Heckman which provides a relation between the generalized Littlewood–Richardson rule and the sum of G-coadjoint orbits. As an application of our result, we describe the eigenvalues of a sum of two real skew-symmetric matrices.     

One-step Synthesis of PCL-Urethane Networks using a Crosslinking/de-crosslinking Agent

Thermally reversible cross-linked polycaprolactone-urethane (PCL-U) was prepared in one-step procedure. The PCL-U networks were synthesized from a di-isocyanate (4,4′-methylene bis(cyclohexylisocyanate) (HMDI) and hydroxyl bearing macromers and monomers: hydroxy-terminated PCL, glycerol and a di-alcohol Diels-Alder (DA) adduct. This adduct was used to introduce both diene and dienophile functions in the structure and also to protect the maleimide functions from polymerization. The thermoresponsive behavior of the material was characterized by commonly used methods such as solubility tests at different temperatures and differential scanning calorimetry analyses to highlight rDA reactions and also by rheological analysis. The effects of the cooling rate, the molar mass of polycaprolactone as well as the molar ratio [di-Isocyanate]/[PCL-diol] on the cross-linking/de-cross-linking temperatures were also analyzed. The reversible networks obtained have a self-healing behavior.     

Vesicular release dynamics are altered by the interaction between the chemical cargo and vesicle membrane lipids

The release of the cargo from soft vesicles, an essential process for chemical delivery, is mediated by multiple factors. Among them, the regulation by the interaction between the chemical cargo species and the vesicular membrane, widely existing in all vesicles, has not been investigated to date. Yet, these interactions hold the potential to complicate the release process. We used liposomes loaded with different monoamines, dopamine (DA) and serotonin (5-HT), to simulate vesicular release and to monitor the dynamics of chemical release from isolated vesicles during vesicle impact electrochemical cytometry (VIEC). The release of DA from liposomes presents a longer release time compared to 5-HT. Modelling the release time showed that DA filled vesicles had a higher percentage of events where the time for the peak fall was better fit to a double exponential (DblExp) decay function, suggesting multiple kinetic steps in the release. By fitting to a desorption–release model, where the transmitters adsorbed to the vesicle membrane, the dissociation rates of DA and 5-HT from the liposome membrane were estimated. DA has a lower desorption rate constant, which leads to slower DA release than that observed for 5-HT, whereas there is little difference in pore size. The alteration of vesicular release dynamics due to the interaction between the chemical cargo and vesicle membrane lipids provides an important mechanism to regulate vesicular release in chemical and physiological processes. It is highly possible that this introduces a fundamental chemical regulation difference between transmitters during exocytosis.

The release of the cargo from soft vesicles, an essential process for chemical delivery, is mediated by multiple factors.     

A theoretical quest for graphene nanoribbons: effects of nitrogen substitution on the ground state alteration

Abstract  

The effects of nitrogen substitution on the multiplicity of two sets of [X,Y] graphene nanoribbons, including peri region as well as peri-bay region substituted species, are calculated at B3LYP/6-31G* density functional theory (DFT) level. Such substitution on peri regions of [3,3] and [3,5] nanoribbons increases their viability by altering their ground states from singlet open shell (S_OS) to singlet closed shell (S_CS). This effect lessens for the [3,7] case, where the ground state is changed from S_OS to triplet (T) state. Generally, increase of X and/or Y in the peri nitrogen substituted graphenes leads to a decrease in the stability of S_CS with a concurrent decrease in ∆E _LUMO–HOMO. However, peri-bay nitrogen substitution has no tangible effect on altering the ground states of nanoribbons.     

Synthesis of new enantiomerically pure N-methyl-N-arylsulfonyl-α-aminonitriles from amino acids

New enantiomerically pure N-methyl-N-arylsulfonyl-α-aminonitriles were prepared starting from the corresponding α-amino acids by way of N-methyl-N-arylsulfonyl-α-amino amides. The key step of this sequence consists of the dehydration of amides by thionyl chloride which proceeded without a significant racemization. Enantiomeric purity of nitriles was determined by HPLC analysis.     

Nano iron oxide with the neural-network morphology

To improve network-functioning, an arc discharge method was developed for the synthesis of nano iron oxide with “neuralnetwork” morphology. Iron wires with diameters of 0.01–0.05 cm were subjected to currents of 50–200 A, until explosions occured in the open air. The XRD and RAMAN spectra of the as-prepared-products indicate formation of nano-Fe₂O₃ (tetragonal and monoclinic) crystals. Their SEM images show fabrication of nano iron oxide with three different morphologies: spheres, chains, and a “neural-network” biological form. While the latter is unprecedented, our fabrications of nano iron oxide with both sphere and chain morphologies are reproductions of previously reported results. The sphere shaped nanoparticles show a uniform distribution with sizes in the range of 50–250 nm. The specifications of the chain nano products appear consistent with those reported.     

Antioxidant compounds from Algerian Convolvulus tricolor (Convolvulaceae) seed husks

Seed husk extracts of Convolvulus tricolor L. (Convolvulaceae) afforded six compounds, identified for the first time from this plant: isorhamnetin 3-O-beta-D-galactopyranoside (1), isorhamnetin 3-O-beta-D-(6"-acetyl)-galactopyranoside (2), isorhamnetin 3-O-robinobioside (3), 3,4-di-O-caffeoylquinic acid (4), gentisic acid 5-O-glucoside (5), and scopoletin (6). Separation of compounds was carried out by CC and CPC. Structural elucidations were performed by HPLC-UV-DAD, HPLC-ESI/MS (negative mode) and NMR.     

Vacuum ultraviolet photoionization of C3

Photoionization efficiency (PIE) curves for C(3) molecules produced by laser ablation are measured from 11.0 to 13.5 eV with tunable vacuum ultraviolet undulator radiation. A step in the PIE curve versus photon energy, obtained with N(2) as the carrier gas, supports the conclusion of very effective cooling of C(3) to its linear (1)Sigma(g)(+) ground state. The second step observed in the PIE curve versus photon energy could be the first experimental evidence of the C(3)(+)((2)Sigma(g)(+)) excited state. The experimental results, complemented by ab initio calculations, suggest a state-to-state vertical ionization energy of 11.70 +/- 0.05 eV between the C(3)(X(1)Sigma(g)(+)) and the C(3)(+)(X(2)Sigma(u)(+)) states. An ionization energy of 11.61 +/- 0.07 eV between the neutral and ionic ground states of C(3) is deduced using the data together with our calculations. Accurate ab initio calculations are performed for both linear and bent geometries on the lowest doublet electronic states of C(3)(+) using Configuration Interaction (CI) approaches and large basis sets. These calculations confirm that C(3)(+) is bent in its electronic ground state, which is separated by a small potential barrier from the (2)Sigma(u)(+) minimum. The gradual increase at the onset of the PIE curve suggests a geometry change between the ground neutral and cationic states. The energies between several doublet states of the ion are theoretically determined to be 0.81, 1.49, and 1.98 eV between the (2)Sigma(u)(+) and the (2)Sigma(g)(+),( 2)Pi(u), (2)Pi(g) excited states of C(3)(+), respectively.     

Explicitly correlated treatment of the Ar-NO+ cation

We present an application of the recently developed explicitly correlated coupled cluster method to the generation of the three-dimensional potential energy surface (PES) of the Ar-NO(+) cationic complex. A good overall agreement is found with the standard coupled clusters techniques employing correlation consistent atomic basis sets (aug-cc-pVnZ, n= D, T, Q) of Wright et al. This PES is then used in quantum close-coupling scattering and variational calculations to treat the nuclear motions. The bound states energies of the Ar-NO(+) complex obtained by both approaches are in good agreement with the available experimental results. The analysis of the vibrational wavefunctions shows strong anharmonic resonances between the low frequency modes (intermonomer bending and stretching modes) and the wavefunctions exhibit large amplitude motions.