Adiabatic parameter dynamics of perturbed solitary waves

The soliton perturbation theory is used to study the solitons that are governed by the generalized Korteweg–de Vries equation in the presence of perturbation terms. The adiabatic parameter dynamics of the solitons in the presence of the perturbation terms are obtained.     

Research about transmission of the mechanical vibration done by machine-tools on the group of bones shoulder-neck-head

Different researches have shown that long–term exposure to whole–body vibration can induce different injuries like back pain, injuries of the different part of the body, disturbing the physical and intellectual activities. The resulted diseases could be occasional or could be for ever. Bearing in mind that vibration is applied on the hand or feet, the health rick can be assessed if the forces transmitted in the shoulder during vibration are known. To estimate the forces a biomechanical model has been developed in which the shoulder, neck and head are represented by rigid bodies. The bodies are connected by visco–elastic joint elements. The applied forces are resulted from experimental measurements. To assess the health risk the forces must be divised in two components, an ascendant one and a descendent one. (© 2008 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

The Mechanical Stability for the Hand-Arm System

The present paper contains a study regarding importance stability in the mechanical systems, mechanical systems are emerging under mechanical vibrations action, it referring especially to the human hand–arm system. Mechanical systems stability is directly influenced of the dumper and the elasticity factors. (© 2008 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

DNA-assisted decoration of single-walled carbon nanotubes with gold nanoparticles for applications in surface-enhanced Raman scattering imaging of cells

Single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) are 1D nanostructures with distinct physical and chemical properties that have shown great promise for applications in many fields, including biomedicine. Since for biomedical application the water solubility is crucial and SWNTs have low solubility, various methods (including polymer and biopolymer wrapping, chemical modifications) have been developed to solubilize and disperse them in water. Due to their unique optical properties such as photoluminescence in the NIR and strong resonant Raman signatures, they can be used as nanoprobes in biomedical imaging and phototherapies. Furthermore, decoration of SWNTs with noble metal nanoparticles will induce an excellent surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) effect of the nanoparticles-SWNTs composites, with applications in cell imaging. Herein, we present a new and facile strategy for the DNA-assisted decoration of SWNTs with gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) and their application in SERS imaging. By ultrasonication at room temperature of SWNTs with AuNPs functionalized with synthetic DNA, SWNT-AuNPs nanocomposites with enhanced Raman signal were obtained. Among the important advantages of the proposed method are the presence of the free DNA overhangs around the SWNT-AuNPs suitable for post-synthetic modification of nanocomposite through hybridization of complementary DNA strands containing molecules of interest attached by well-developed bio-conjugation chemistry.

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Structure of compact stars in <Emphasis Type="Italic">R</Emphasis>-squared Palatini gravity

We analyse configurations of neutron stars in the so-called R-squared gravity in the Palatini formalism. Using a realistic equation of state we show that the mass–radius configurations are lighter than their counterparts in General Relativity. We also obtain the internal profiles, which run in strong correlation with the derivatives of the equation of state, leading to regions where the mass parameter decreases with the radial coordinate in a counter-intuitive way. In order to analyse such correlation, we introduce a parametrisation of the equation of state given by multiple polytropes, which allows us to explicitly control its derivatives. We show that, even in a limiting case where hard phase transitions in matter are allowed, the internal profile of the mass parameter still presents strange features and the calculated \(\mathrm{mass}-\mathrm{radius}\) configurations also yield neutron stars lighter than those obtained in General Relativity.     

Silver–titanium dioxide nanocomposites as effective antimicrobial and antibiofilm agents

Recent studies have revealed the existence of liver cancer stem cells (CSCs). Therefore, there is an urgent need for new and effective treatment strategies specific to liver CSCs. In this work, the poly(d,l-lactide-coglycolide) nanoparticles containing paclitaxel were prepared by emulsification-solvent evaporation method. The nanoparticles decorated with anti-CD133 antibody, termed targeted nanoparticles, were prepared by carbodiimide chemistry for liver CSCs. The physicochemical characteristics of the nanoparticles (i.e., encapsulation efficiency, particle size distribution, morphology, and in vitro release) were investigated. Cellular uptake and accumulation in tumor tissue of nanoparticles were observed. To assess anti-tumor activity of nanoparticles in vitro and in vivo, cell survival assay and tumor regression study were carried out using liver cancer cell lines (Huh7 and HepG2) and their xenografts. Particle size of targeted nanoparticles was 429.26 ± 41.53 nm with zeta potential of ?11.2 mV. Targeted nanoparticles possessed spherical morphology and high encapsulation efficiency (87.53 ± 5.9 %). The accumulation of targeted nanoparticles depends on dual effects of passive and active targeting. Drug-loaded nanoparticles showed cytotoxicity on the tumor cells in vitro and in vivo. Targeted nanoparticles resulted in significant improvement in therapeutic response through selectively eliminating CD133 positive subpopulation. These results suggested that the novel nanoparticles could be a promising candidate with excellent therapeutic efficacy for targeting liver CSCs.     

The intramolecular vibrational energy redistribution threshold in S(1) deuterated p-difluorobenzene

The intramolecular vibrational energy redistribution (IVR) in S(1) deuterated p-difluorobenzene (pDFB-d(4) or -d(4)) has been studied to determine the IVR threshold. For this, the S(1) <-- S(0) fluorescence excitation (FE) spectrum of jet-cooled d(4) was investigated in the 2000-3250 cm(-1) vibronic energy range of the S(1) electronic state, and single vibronic level fluorescence (SVLF) spectra have been acquired by exciting selected levels lying between 750 and 2850 cm(-1) in vibrational energy in the S(1) excited state. Congestion of the dispersed fluorescence in this molecule first appears as the vibrational level energy climbs above 2000 cm(-1). By comparing the SVLF spectra of pDFB-d(4) with those of p-difluorobenzene (pDFB or -h(4)), it is obvious that IVR threshold in -d(4) is localized with a few hundreds cm(-1) lower than that in pDFB. This decrease is entirely due to the increase in vibrational state density due to deuteration.     

Fluorescent Flavin/PVP-Coated Silver Nanoparticles: Design and Biological Performance

A red-emitting fluorescent Riboflavin (RF)/Polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP)-coated silver nanoparticles system, λ_em?=?527 nm, Φ?=?0.242, with a diameter of the metallic core of 27.33 nm and a zeta potential of ? 25.05 mV was prepared and investigated regarding its biological activity. We found that PVP has a key role in RF adsorption around the SNPs surface leading to an enhancement of antioxidant properties (～70%), low cytotoxicity (> 90% cell viability, at 50 µL/mL, after 48 h of incubation) as well as to an efficient process of its cellular uptake (～ 60%, after 24 h of incubation) in L929 cells. The results are relevant concerning the involvement of RF and its coenzymes forms in SNPs - based systems, in cellular respiration as well as for future studies as antioxidant marker system on tumoral cells for viewing and monitoring them, by cellular imaging.

     

What drives the precipitation of long-chain calcium carboxylates (soaps) in aqueous solution?

The interaction of sodium octanoate, decanoate or dodecanoate with calcium(ii) in aqueous solutions has been studied using turbidity, conductivity and potentiometric measurements. These show a marked alkyl chain length dependence on the behaviour. At the calcium concentration used (1.0 mM), there is little interaction with the octanoate, the decanoate shows initially formation of a 1:1 complex, followed by precipitation, while the dodecanoate precipitates at low surfactant concentrations. The solid calcium carboxylates were prepared, and show lamellar, bilayer structures with planes of calcium(II) ions coordinated to carboxylate groups through bidentate chelate linkages. Thermogravimetry and elemental analyses indicate the presence of coordinated water with the calcium decanoate but not with longer chain carboxylates. The results of both the solution and solid state studies suggest that precipitation of long-chain carboxylates depends on a balance between hydration effects and hydrophobic (largely van der Waals') interactions. Electrostatic effects make little energetic contribution but play the important structural role of ordering the carboxylate anions before precipitation. Differences are observed in the interactions between calcium(II) and long chain alkylcarboxylates and alkylsulfates, and are interpreted in terms of stronger binding to the metal of the carboxylate group. A general mechanism is proposed for calcium carboxylate precipitation from aqueous solution based on this and previous studies.