The No Response Test for the reconstruction of polyhedral objects in electromagnetics

We develop a No Response Test for the reconstruction of a polyhedral obstacle from two or few time-harmonic electromagnetic incident waves in electromagnetics. The basic idea of the test is to probe some region in space with waves which are small on some test domain and, thus, do not generate a response when the scatterer is inside of this test domain. We will prove that the No Response Test checks analytic continuability of a time-harmonic field from the far field pattern into the domain for a non-vibrating test domain B.We show that two incident waves, defined by one incident direction and two appropriately chosen directions of polarization, are enough to recover the convex hull of polyhedrals. Based on this uniqueness result, we build up the No Response Test and we prove convergence in the sense that it fully reconstructs a convex polyhedral scatterer D or the convex hull of an arbitrary polyhedral scatterer.Further, we will describe the algorithmic realization of the No Response Test and show the feasibility of the method by reconstruction of convex polyhedral objects in three dimensions. This is the first formulation of the No Response Test for electromagnetics.     

Dyskinesia and brain-derived neurotrophic factor levels after long-term levodopa and nicotinic receptor agonist treatments in female mice with near-total unilateral dopaminergic denervation

Background

The treatment of Parkinson’s disease is often complicated by levodopa-induced dyskinesia (LID). Nicotinic acetylcholine receptor agonists can alleviate LID in animal models but may be less effective in conditions of severe dopaminergic denervation. While the mechanisms of LID remain incompletely understood, elevated corticostriatal levels of the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) have been suggested to play a role. Here, female mice with near-total unilateral 6-hydroxydopamine-induced nigrostriatal lesions were chronically treated with levodopa, and the effects of the α7 nicotinic receptor partial agonist AZD0328 and nicotine on LID were assessed. At the end of the experiment, BDNF protein levels in the prefrontal cortex and striatum were measured.

Results

Five-day treatments with three escalating doses of AZD0328 and a 10-week treatment with nicotine failed to alleviate LID. BDNF levels in the lesioned striatum correlated positively with LID severity, but no evidence was found for a levodopa-induced elevation of corticostriatal BDNF in the lesioned hemisphere. The nicotine treatment decreased BDNF levels in the prefrontal cortex but had no effect on striatal BDNF.

Conclusions

The findings suggest that treatment of LID with nicotinic agonists may lose its effectiveness as the disease progresses, represent further evidence for a role for BDNF in LID, and expand previous knowledge on the effects of long-term nicotine treatment on BDNF.

     

Heteropentanuclear Oxalato‐Bridged nd–4f (n=4, 5) Metal Complexes with NO Ligand: Synthesis,Crystal Structures,Aqueous Stability and Antiproliferative Activity

A series of heteropentanuclear oxalate‐bridged Ru(NO)‐Ln (4d–4f) metal complexes of the general formula (nBu₄N)₅[Ln{RuCl₃(μ‐ox)(NO)}₄], where Ln=Y ( 2 ), Gd ( 3 ), Tb ( 4 ), Dy ( 5 ) and ox=oxalate anion, were obtained by treatment of (nBu₄N)₂[RuCl₃(ox)(NO)] ( 1 ) with the respective lanthanide salt in 4:1 molar ratio. The compounds were characterized by elemental analysis, IR spectroscopy, electrospray ionization (ESI) mass spectrometry, while 1 , 2 , and 5 were in addition analyzed by X‐ray crystallography, 1 by Ru K‐edge XAS and 1 and 2 by ¹³C NMR spectroscopy. X‐ray diffraction showed that in 2 and 5 four complex anions [RuCl₃(ox)(NO)]^2? are coordinated to Y^III and Dy^III, respectively, with formation of [Ln{RuCl₃(μ‐ox)(NO)}₄]^5? (Ln=Y, Dy). While Y^III is eight‐coordinate in 2 , Dy^III is nine‐coordinate in 5 , with an additional coordination of an EtOH molecule. The negative charge is counterbalanced by five nBu₄N⁺ ions present in the crystal structure. The stability of complexes 2 and 5 in aqueous medium was monitored by UV/Vis spectroscopy. The antiproliferative activity of ruthenium‐lanthanide complexes 2 – 5 were assayed in two human cancer cell lines (HeLa and A549) and in a noncancerous cell line (MRC‐5) and compared with those obtained for the previously reported Os(NO)‐Ln (5d–4f) analogues (nBu₄N)₅[Ln{OsCl₃(ox)(NO)}₄] (Ln=Y ( 6 ), Gd ( 7 ), Tb ( 8 ), Dy ( 9 )). Complexes 2 – 5 were found to be slightly more active than 1 in inhibiting the proliferation of HeLa and A549 cells, and significantly more cytotoxic than 5d–4f metal complexes 6 – 9 in terms of IC₅₀ values. The highest antiproliferative activity with IC₅₀ values of 20.0 and 22.4 μM was found for 4 in HeLa and A549 cell lines, respectively. These cytotoxicity results are in accord with the presented ICP‐MS data, indicating five‐ to eightfold greater accumulation of ruthenium versus osmium in human A549 cancer cells.     

Large Eddy Simulation of the Flow Over a Three-Dimensional Hill

This paper investigates the use of LES for a flow around a three-dimensional axisymmetric hill. Two aspects of this simulation in particular are discussed here, the resolution and the inlet boundary conditions. In contrast to the LES of flows with sharp edge separations which do not require the near-wall dynamics to be fully resolved, the hill flow LES relies on the resolution of the upstream boundary layer in order to provoke the separation at a correct position. Although around 15 ×10⁶ computational cells were used, the resolution of streaky structures in the near-wall region that are important for a LES is not achieved. Two different inlet boundary conditions were used: the steady experimental profile and the time-dependent boundary conditions produced from DNS results of low Reynolds number channel flow. No significant improvement in the results was obtained with the unsteady inlet condition. This indicates that, although the unsteady inlet boundary conditions may be necessary for a successful LES of this flow, they must be followed with the resolution of the boundary layer for a successful LES.     

Grain boundary response of aluminum bicrystal under micro scale laser shock peening

Micro scale laser shock peening (μLSP) is a process in which compressive residual stresses are induced in a material surface to improve fatigue life and wear resistance under cyclic loading. Since the diameter of the laser spot used during the process is the same order of magnitude as grain size, the effects of anisotropy and heterogeneity have to be explicitly taken into account in any model of the process. In this study experimental and numerical studies have been performed in order to investigate the response of an aluminum bicrystal under laser shock peening. The grain boundary is shocked to investigate heterogeneity, and single crystals are shocked to study the effect of anisotropy in the absence of heterogeneity. The orientations of the crystals in the bicrystal as well as the reference single crystals have been chosen such that an approximate plane strain condition is achieved. A finite element model which accounts for the anisotropy, heterogeneity and inertia has also been developed based on single crystal micromechanics. Simulation results are compared with experimental findings. The potential benefit of μLSP as a surface treatment for improvement of fatigue life is also discussed.     

Characterization of the active sites in MgNiAl mixed oxides by microcalorimetry and test reaction

In this study, MgNiAl mixed oxides derived from layered double hydroxide precursors were prepared by pH-controlled co-precipitation. Three samples were prepared with a (Mg²⁺ + Ni²⁺)/Al³⁺ ratio of 2 and a Ni²⁺/Mg²⁺ with ratios of 0.22, 0.47, and 4.05. The structural, textural and redox features of the oxides were investigated by a variety of techniques, including X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, N₂ physisorption, and temperature-programmed reduction. The acid and base properties were assessed by NH₃ and CO₂ adsorption microcalorimetry, respectively. The acid–base features were also investigated by testing the catalytic behaviors of the oxides for the conversion of 4-methylpentan-2-ol under both mild and stressed conditions. The reactant alcohol can undergo dehydration into 4-methylpent-1-ene, 4-methylpent-2-ene, and skeletal isomers of C₆-alkenes, as well as dehydrogenation to 4-methylpentan-2-one and higher ketones, the product selectivity being governed by the concentration and strength of the acid and base sites. Comparison between the calorimetric and test reaction results is discussed.     

Synthesis of novel tri‐benzoxazine and effect of phenolic nucleophiles on its ring‐opening polymerization

A trifunctional benzoxazine, 1,3,5‐tris(3‐phenyl‐3,4‐dihydro‐2H‐benzo[1,3]oxazin‐6‐yl)benzene (T‐Bz) was synthesized and in an effort to reduce its curing temperature (curing maxima at 238 °C), it was mixed with various phenolic nucleophiles such as phenol (PH), p‐methoxy phenol (MPH), 2‐methyl resorcinol (MR), hydroquinone (HQ), pyrogallol (PG), 2‐naphthol (NPH), 2,7‐dihydroxy naphthalene (DHN), and 1,1'‐bi‐2‐naphthol (BINOL). The influence of these phenolic nucleophiles on ring‐opening polymerization temperature of T‐Bz was examined by DSC and FTIR analysis. T‐Bz undergoes a complete ring‐opening addition reaction in the presence of bi‐ and trifunctional phenolic nucleophiles (MR/HQ/PG/DHN) at 140 °C (heated for 3 h) and forms a networked polybenzoxazine (NPBz). The NPBzs showed a high thermal stability with T_d20 of 350–465 °C and char yield of 67–78% at 500 °C; however, a diminutive weight loss (6.9–9.8%) was observed at 150–250 °C (T_d5: 215–235 °C) due to degradation of phenolic end groups. This article also gives an insight on how the traces of phenolic impurities can alter the thermal properties of pure benzoxazine monomer as well as its corresponding polymer. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2016 , 54, 2811–2819     

Common fixed point theorems for self-mappings in Menger PM-spaces with nonlinear contractive condition

The purpose of this paper is to prove some common fixed point theorems for a pair of self-mappings defined on Menger PM-spaces with nonlinear contractive condition in the sense of Fang (Fuzzy Set Syst 267:86–99, 2015). Following Pant and Pant (Filomat (31)(11):3495–3499, 2017), we define semi R-commutativity for a pair of self-mappings for Menger PM-spaces. Using this notion and the notion of orbital continuity introduced by ?iri? (Publ Inst Math (12)(26):19–26, 1971), we obtain the main results. These results generalize some known results. Some examples and comments according to the preceding results are given.     

Ruthenium(II) bipyridine complexes: from synthesis and crystal structures to electrochemical and cytotoxicity investigation

Complexes 1–4, [Ru(L)(bpy)₂]PF₆, where bpy = 2,2′-bipyridine; HL = 3-methylpyridine-2-carboxylic acid (HL1), 6-methylpyridine-2-carboxylic acid (HL2), 5-bromopyridine-2-carboxylic acid (HL3) and 6-bromopyridine-2-carboxylic acid (HL4), were synthesized and characterized. The electrochemical character of the complexes was investigated by cyclic voltammetry revealing two reversible reduction waves in the negative range of potentials, most likely due to a reduction of the bipyridine moiety. Cytotoxicity studies by MTT assay for 72 h of drug action revealed that 2–4 exhibited moderate activity in cervical human tumor cells (HeLa). Complex 2 exhibited low activity in colon cancer LS-174 cells (180 ± 10), while all complexes were devoid of activity in lung cancer A549 and non-tumor MRC-5 cells, up to 200 μM. Combinational studies of the most active complex 2, with pharmacological modulators of cell redox status, L-buthionine-sulfoximine (L-BSO) or N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC), showed that when L-BSO potentiated, 2 induced a sub-G1 peak of the cell cycle in the HeLa cell line. UV–vis and cyclic voltammetry were performed in order to investigate the binding mode of 2 to DNA and suggested intercalation for the complex–DNA interaction.     

Kinetics and optimisation of process parameters for electrochemical generation of uranous ions in nitric acid–hydrazine media

For the quantitative generation of uranous from uranyl ions in the presence of hydrazine in nitric acid medium, electrochemical reduction was carried out in divided and undivided cells. The influence of process conditions, viz. current density, concentration of nitric acid and hydrazine was studied for 50, 100 and 150 g/l of U(VI) solutions. The performance of the cathodes (titanium and platinum) was evaluated by calculating the conversion efficiencies in the reduction process using these electrodes for the reduction of 100 g/l U(VI) at 6 mA/cm² as the cathodic current density. Batch mode experiments using Ti cathode revealed the reduction reaction of U(VI) to follow zero order kinetics and the simultaneous reduction of nitric acid to follow first order kinetics. From the temperature dependence, the activation energy for the reduction of U(VI) was determined to be 4.05 kJ/mol. The chemical stability of U(IV) in nitric acid–hydrazine medium, under ambient conditions of temperature and pressure was established from the amount of U(VI) produced from U(IV) by aerial oxidation over a period of 16 weeks.