Curse of La Corona: unravelling the scientific and psychological conundrums of the 21st century pandemic

Molecular Diversity - Microbes possess a tremendous potential to interact with their surroundings and have continued to shape the future of all life forms existing on earth. Of all the groups of...     

Identifying structural–functional analogue of GRL0617, the only well-established inhibitor for papain-like protease (PLpro) of SARS-CoV2 from the pool of fungal metabolites using docking and molecular dynamics simulation

Molecular Diversity - The non-structural protein (nsp)-3 of SARS-CoV2 coronavirus is sought to be an essential target protein which is also named as papain-like protease (PLpro). This protease...     

On WDM RoF–EPON link using OSSB transmission with and without DCF + FBG

A system is presented which uses optical SSB transmission on WDM RoF–EPON link to compensate dispersion and FWM with DCF and FBG. Performance of the system is improved by 8.91% with the use of DCF and FBG for equal spacing between the channels and it is further increased by 9.51% by keeping unequal spacing between the channels. Results are compared for equal and unequal spacing with and without DCF and FBG. BER, Q factor and eye diagrams have been analyzed for evaluating the performance of the system.     

An alternative approach to determine the spot-size of a multi-mode laser beam and its application to diode laser beams

An alternative approach is suggested to determine the spot-size of a multi-mode laser beam. It has been shown by simulations that the suggested approach can give the beam quality factor and characteristic radius with less than 5% error. Unlike the power content method, the proposed method is applicable to the beams even with diameter one tenth of the CCD size. The new approach has been applied to a multi-mode diode laser output and it is shown that the ABCD matrix analysis can be used for beam propagation, with the measured parameters of the laser.     

Optimal production and rationing policies of a make-to-stock production system with batch demand and backordering

In this paper, we consider the stock rationing problem of a single-item make-to-stock production/inventory system with multiple demand classes. Demand arrives as a Poisson process with a randomly distributed batch size. It is assumed that the batch demand can be partially satisfied. The facility can produce a batch up to a certain capacity at the same time. Production time follows an exponential distribution. We show that the optimal policy is characterized by multiple rationing levels.     

Perfect matchings in balanced hypergraphs

We generalize Hall's condition for the existence of a perfect matching in a bipartite graph, to balanced hypergraphs.This work was partially supported in part by NSF grants DMI-9424348, DMS-9509581 and ONR grant N00014-89-J-1063. Ajai Kapoor was also supported by a grant from Gruppo Nazionale Delle Riccerche-CNR. Finally, we acknowledge the support of Laboratiore ARTEMIS, Université Joseph Fourier, Grenoble.     

Self-assembly of biphenylene-bridged hybrid mesoporous solid with molecular-scale periodicity in the pore walls

A synthesis of ordered biphenylene-bridged mesoporous material with a crystal-like periodic pore wall structure is reported.     

Cine MR voiding cystourethrogram in adult normal males

Cine voiding cystourethrogram was performed in 15 normal subjects using T₁-weighted Turbo FLASH sequence. It showed the sequence of emptying of bladder, detrusor muscle contraction, opening of the sphincters, and various parts of urethra. It was found to be a good noninvasive test to study the dynamics of lower urinary tract with out disturbing the state of the physiology.     

Crystal and molecular structure of pentamidine diisethionate: an anti-protozoal drug used in AIDS related pneumonia

Aromatic diaminidines such as pentamidine, stilbamidine, and propamides are anti-protozoal agents. Pentamidine diisethionate is used in the treatment of African sleeping sickness and Indian kala-azar caused by the protozoa Trypanosoma rhodesiense, T. gambiense and Leishmania donovani. Crystals of pentamidine diisethionate dihydrate obtained from an aqueous ethanol–propanol mixture, are triclinic, space group P¯1 with cell dimensions a = 8.794(1), b = 13.979(2), c = 14.821(1)Å, = 61.89(1), = 79.30(1), = 90.00(1)°, V = 1571.1(6)ų, D_m = 1.33 Mg/m³, D_x = 1.333 Mg/m³, and Z = 2. The central pentanediol chain is planar and the dihedral angle between this group and the two benzoyl groups are ± 5.8(5)° and ± 6.0(5)°, respectively. The dihedral angle between the imidamido group and the benzoyl groups are ±28.3(4) and ±151.7(4)°, respectively. The crystal structure is stabilized by a number of hydrogen bonds involving the pentamidine, the two isethionate anions and the water molecules. The conformation of this dihydrate form is slightly different than the trihydrate form studied by Lowe and coworkers but the overall conformational features are similar.