Doubly hydrophilic multiarm hyperbranched polymers with acylhydrazone linkages as acid-sensitive drug carriers

A novel type of drug carrier capable of controlled drug release is proposed. It consists of an acid-sensitive doubly hydrophilic multiarm hyperbranched copolymer with a hyperbranched polyamidoamine core and many linear poly(ethylene glycol) arms. Using pH-sensitive acylhydrazone linkages, the polymer forms unimolecular micelles that can encapsulate hydrophobic drugs. Due to their amphiphilicity, the drug-loaded unimolecular micelles can self-assemble into multimolecular micelles that show acid-triggered intracellular delivery of the hydrophobic drugs.     

Positive stationary solutions for a diffusive variable-territory prey-predator model

In this paper, we present results on the existence of positive stationary solutions for a diffusive variable-territory prey-predator model in heterogeneous environment, which improve and extend those of Wang and Pang (2009). In addition, the asymptotic behavior of solutions is also analyzed.     

L-fuzzy Q-convergence structures

In this paper, we construct a topological category of pretopological L-fuzzy Q-convergence spaces, which contains the category of topological L-fuzzy Q-convergence spaces as a bireflective full subcategory. Considering the connections with L-fuzzy topology, it is proved that the category of topological L-fuzzy Q-convergence spaces is isomorphic to the category of topological L-fuzzy quasi-coincident neighborhood spaces, and the latter is isomorphic to the category of L-fuzzy topological spaces. Moreover, we find that our pretopological L-fuzzy Q-convergence spaces can be characterized as a kind of L-fuzzy quasi-coincident neighborhood spaces, which is called strong L-fuzzy quasi-coincident neighborhood space.     

Network capacity management under competition

We consider capacity management games between airlines who transport passengers over a joint airline network. Passengers are likely to purchase alternative tickets of the same class from competing airlines if they do not get tickets from their preferred airlines. We propose a Nash and a generalized Nash game model to address the competitive network revenue management problem. These two models are based on well-known deterministic linear programming and probabilistic nonlinear programming approximations for the non-competitive network capacity management problem. We prove the existence of a Nash equilibrium for both games and investigate the uniqueness of a Nash equilibrium for the Nash game. We provide some further uniqueness and comparative statics analysis when the network is reduced to a single-leg flight structure with two products. The comparative statics analysis reveals some useful insights on how Nash equilibrium booking limits change monotonically in the prices of products. Our numerical results indicate that airlines can generate higher and more stable revenues from a booking scheme that is based on the combination of the partitioned booking-limit policy and the generalized Nash game model. The results also show that this booking scheme is robust irrespective of which booking scheme the competitor takes.     

Two New Steroidal Saponins from the Fresh Leaves of Agave sisalana

A new furostanol saponin, sisalasaponin C ( 1 ), and a new spirostanol saponin, sisalasaponin D ( 2 ), were isolated from the fresh leaves of Agave sisalana, along with three other known steroidal saponins and two stilbenes. Their structures were identified as (3β,5α,6α,22α,25R)‐3,26‐bis[(β‐D ‐glucopyrano‐ syl)oxy]‐22‐hydroxyfurostan‐6‐yl β‐D ‐glucopyranoside ( 1 ), (3β,5α,25R)‐12‐oxospirostan‐3‐yl 6‐deoxy‐α‐L ‐mannopyranosyl‐(1→4)‐β‐D ‐glucopyranosyl‐(1→3)‐[β‐D ‐xylopyranosyl‐(1→3)‐β‐D ‐glucopyranosyl‐(1→2)]‐β‐D ‐glucopyranosyl‐(1→4)‐β‐D ‐galactopyranoside ( 2 ), (3β,5α,6α,22α,25R)‐22‐methoxyfurostane‐3,6,26‐triyl tris‐β‐D ‐glucopyranoside, cantalasaponin‐1, polianthoside D, (E)‐ and (Z)‐2,3,4′,5‐tetrahydroxystilbene 2‐O‐β‐D ‐glucopyranosides. The last three known compounds were isolated from the fresh leaves of Agavaceae for the first time. The structures of the new compounds were elucidated by detailed spectroscopic analysis, including 1D‐ and 2D‐NMR experiments, and chemical techniques.     

Rare-earth-doped bifunctional alkaline-earth metal fluoride nanocrystals via a facile microwave-assisted process

Rare-earth-doped magnetic-optic bifunctional alkaline-earth metal fluoride nanocrystals have been successfully synthesized via a facile microwave-assisted process. The as-prepared nanocrystals were monodisperse and could form stable colloidal solutions in polar solvents, such as water and ethanol. They show bright-green fluorescence emisson. Furthermore, Gd(3+)-doped ones exhibit paramagnetic behavior at room temperature and superparamagnetic behavior at 2 K.     

Facile synthesis of superparamagnetic Fe3O4@Au nanoparticles for photothermal destruction of cancer cells

Superparamagnetic Fe(3)O(4) nanoparticles with positive surface ξ-potential were synthesized via a solvothermal route. After Fe(3)O(4) was mixed with HAuCl(4) and NaBH(4), the reduced Au nanoparticles could be directly adsorbed onto the surface of Fe(3)O(4) nanoparticles. The as-synthesized nanocomposites were successfully applied to photothermal destruction of cancer cells.     

Significant reduction of harmful compounds in tobacco smoke by the use of titanate nanosheets and nanotubes

Titanate nanosheets and nanotubes have first been introduced into cigarette filter, a great range of harmful compounds including tar, nicotine, ammonia, hydrogen cyanide, selected carbonyls and phenolic compounds can be reduced efficiently.     

Shift‐invert Lanczos method for the symmetric positive semidefinite Toeplitz matrix exponential

The Lanczos method with shift‐invert technique is exploited to approximate the symmetric positive semidefinite Toeplitz matrix exponential. The complexity is lowered by the Gohberg–Semencul formula and the fast Fourier transform. Application to the numerical solution of an integral equation is studied. Numerical experiments are carried out to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

$${\cal U}{\cal V}$$ U V -theory of a Class of Semidefinite Programming and Its Applications

Acta Mathematicae Applicatae Sinica, English Series - In this paper we study optimization problems involving convex nonlinear semidefinite programming (CSDP). Here we convert CSDP into eigenvalue...