More Zariski pairs and finite fundamental groups of curve complements

We give a recipe for finding new examples of plane curves with a finite non-abelian fundamental group of the complement and new examples of Zariski pairs of plane curves. Received: 18 December 2000 / Revised version: 27 April 2001     

Design,Synthesis, and Biological Evaluation of Pyridazinones Containing the (2-Fluorophenyl) Piperazine Moiety as Selective MAO-B Inhibitors

Twelve pyridazinones (T1–T12) containing the (2-fluorophenyl) piperazine moiety were designed, synthesized, and evaluated for monoamine oxidase (MAO) -A and -B inhibitory activities. T6 was found to be the most potent MAO-B inhibitor with an IC₅₀ value of 0.013 µM, followed by T3 (IC₅₀ = 0.039 µM). Inhibitory potency for MAO-B was more enhanced by meta bromo substitution (T6) than by para bromo substitution (T7). For para substitution, inhibitory potencies for MAO-B were as follows: -Cl (T3) > -N(CH₃)₂ (T12) > -OCH₃ (T9) > Br (T7) > F (T5) > -CH₃ (T11) > -H (T1). T6 and T3 efficiently inhibited MAO-A with IC₅₀ values of 1.57 and 4.19 µM and had the highest selectivity indices (SIs) for MAO-B (120.8 and 107.4, respectively). T3 and T6 were found to be reversible and competitive inhibitors of MAO-B with K_i values of 0.014 and 0.0071, respectively. Moreover, T6 was less toxic to healthy fibroblast cells (L929) than T3. Molecular docking simulations with MAO binding sites returned higher docking scores for T6 and T3 with MAO-B than with MAO-A. These results suggest that T3 and T6 are selective, reversible, and competitive inhibitors of MAO-B and should be considered lead candidates for the treatment of neurodegenerative disorders like Alzheimer’s disease.     

Performance of Ni/10Sc1CeSZ anode synthesized by glycine nitrate process assisted by microwave heating in a solid oxide fuel cell fueled with hydrogen or methane

Journal of Solid State Electrochemistry - Nickel/scandia-ceria-stabilized-zirconia (Ni/10Sc1CeSZ) cermet is a potential anode for solid oxide fuel cells. The anode powder is prepared through a...     

A Robust,Precious‐Metal‐Free Dye‐Sensitized Photoanode for Water Oxidation: A Nanosecond‐Long Excited‐State Lifetime through a Prussian Blue Analogue

Herein, we establish a simple synthetic strategy affording a heterogeneous, precious metal‐free, dye‐sensitized photoelectrode for water oxidation, which incorporates a Prussian blue (PB) structure for the sensitization of TiO₂ and water oxidation catalysis. Our approach involves the use of a Fe(CN)₅ bridging group not only as a cyanide precursor for the formation of a PB‐type structure but also as an electron shuttle between an organic chromophore and the catalytic center. The resulting hetero‐functional PB‐modified TiO₂ electrode demonstrates a low‐cost and easy‐to‐construct photoanode, which exhibits favorable electron transfers with a remarkable excited state lifetime on the order of nanoseconds and an extended light absorption capacity of up to 500 nm. Our approach paves the way for a new family of precious metal‐free robust dye‐sensitized photoelectrodes for water oxidation, in which a variety of common organic chromophores can be employed in conjunction with CoFe PB structures.     

New version of Bäcklund transformations in Euclidean 3‐space

In this paper, we study the Bäcklund transformations for the adjoint curve in the Euclidean 3‐space. Firstly, it is obtained some essential equations of the Bäcklund transformation. After this, we give a new theorem, the Bäcklund transformations for the adjoint curve in Euclidean 3‐space.     

Preparation of Porous Titania Film by Modified Sol-Gel Method and its Application to Photocatalyst

Sol-Gel derived mesoporous titania films with controlled pore sizes were prepared by surfactant templating. The coating sol was obtained by hydrolysis of Ti(OC₄H₉)₄ in ethanol/HCl solution. The gel films, prepared by spin coating on glass substrate, were dried after immersion in surfactant solutions under an atmospheric pressure. The porous films of anatase with columnar and rectangular structure were obtained after annealing at 500°C. The annealed films are transparent and 80–140 nm in thickness. Refractive indices of the films with surfactant immersion were 10–20% lower than those of the films without immersion. The spacing between the columns or rectangular grains and the grain shape were found to depend on the surfactant species. The pohoto-catalytic activity of the films for the oxidation of NO _x was improved by the surfactant modification.