Concentration effects on the dynamics of liquid crystalline self-assembly: time-resolved X-ray scattering studies

A manifold of ordering transitions relevant to chemical and biological systems occur at interfaces from liquids to self-assembled soft solids like membranes or liquid crystals. In the present case, we were interested in understanding the phase transition from the microemulsion phase to the liquid crystal phase in terms of their driving forces, i.e., activation energy and entropy. The purpose of this work was to clarify the influence of concentration effects of the amphiphilic molecules on the nature of these self-assembly processes. By photosensitization of the model system (polyalkylglycolether (C(10)E(4)), water, decane, and cyclohexane) with laser dyes, we could effectively induce and control the phase transition through the absorption of optical photons. The photo transformation conditions were chosen in such a way that the system was in thermal equilibrium. By application of time-resolved photo small-angle X-ray scattering we could monitor the conversion process and demonstrate that the surfactant concentration has a direct impact on the activation energy, which is observable through the length of the induction time.     

Bicyclic amido compounds with antiprotozoal activity

Abstract  

Aroyl derivatives of 2-aminobicyclo-octanes and 2-azabicyclo-nonanes have been synthesized and tested for their activities against the causative organisms of East African trypanosomiasis and malaria tropica. The acylation induced in general loss of antiprotozoal activity, but a single compound showed good antiplasmodial activity against a multiresistant strain of Plasmodium falciparum.     

SARs of the antiprotozoal action of 6,7-diaryl-bicyclo[2.2.2]octan-2-ols

Abstract  

Several 4-amino-6,7-diarylbicyclo[2.2.2]octan-2-ols bearing varying substituents on the aromatic rings were synthesized following a manual method for applying the Hansch approach. All new compounds were tested for their activity against the causative organisms of East African sleeping sickness and malaria tropica. Structure activity relationships are discussed.     

From Two-Point Closures of Isotropic Turbulence to LES of Shear Flows

We first recall the EDQNM two-point closure approach of three-dimensional isotropic turbulence. It allows in particular prediction of the infrared kinetic-energy dynamics (with ak ₄ backscatter) and the associated time-decay law of kinetic-energy, useful in particular for one-point closure modelling. Afterwards, we show how the spectral eddy viscosity concept may be used for large-eddy simulations: we introduce the plateau-peak model and the spectral-dynamic models. They are applied to decaying isotropic turbulence, and allow recovery of the EDQNM infrared energy dynamics. Anew infrared k ₂ law for the pressure spectrum, predicted by the closure, is also well verified. Assuming that subgrid scales are not too far from isotropy, the spectral-dynamic model is applied to the channel flow at h ₊= 390, with statistics in very good agreement with DNS, while reducing considerably the computational time. We study with the aid of DNS and LES the case of the channel rotating about an axis of spanwise direction. The calculations allow to recover the universal linear behaviour of the mean velocity profile, with a local Rossby number equal to −1. We present also LES (using the Grenoble Filtered Structure-Function Model), of a turbulent boundary layer passing over a cavity. Finally, we make some remarks on the future of LES for industrial applications. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Nouvelle approche pour la discrétisation de flux diffusifs en volumes finis à forte obliquité

We propose a new approach for the discretization of diffusive flux on a non orthogonal mesh based on the Deferred correction introduced by Peric. This new method is applied successfully to the solution of a Poisson problem in quadrangular domains meshed with very distorted control volumes. The interest of this approach lies in the fact that the precision of the used schemes is conserved despite meshes distortion level. The comparative study of the value of the spectral radius of iteration matrix enables us to explain why our Deferred correction approach is better than that of Peric, which diverges on highly skewed meshes. To cite this article: Y.M. Ahipo, Ph. Traore, C. R. Mecanique 334 (2006).     

Biotinylated chitosan-based SPIONs with potential in blood-contacting applications

Haemocompatible biotinylated superparamagnetic nanoparticles (size range 300–700 nm) have been obtained by coating magnetite through ionic gelation with a mixture of chitosan and sodium tripolyphosphate, followed by subsequent functionalisation with biotin. The evaluations of their magnetic properties together with haemocompatibility tests have shown that these nanoparticles exhibit the prerequisite behaviour for use in magnetic field–assisted separations within biological systems.     

Hypernuclear physics at overline{mbox{P}} anda

Samples obtained as a result of the valleriite synthesis process under different conditions (temperature and proportion Cu:Fe:Mg in the initial mixture) were investigated by ⁵⁷Fe M?ssbauer spectroscopy with attraction data of X-ray diffraction. Parameters of hyperfine interactions for valleriite were determined and crystal chemical identification of ⁵⁷Fe subspectra was carried out. It was found that valleriite was formed in samples synthesized at 150°C and 180°C and not formed in samples synthesized at 250°C.     

Correlation measure to detect time series distances, whence economy globalization

An instantaneous time series distance is defined through the equal time correlation coefficient. The idea is applied to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) yearly increments of 21 rich countries between 1950 and 2005 in order to test the process of economic globalisation. Some data discussion is first presented to decide what (EKS, GK, or derived) GDP series should be studied. Distances are then calculated from the correlation coefficient values between pairs of series. The role of time averaging of the distances over finite size windows is discussed. Three network structures are next constructed based on the hierarchy of distances. It is shown that the mean distance between the most developed countries on several networks actually decreases in time, —which we consider as a proof of globalization. An empirical law is found for the evolution after 1990, similar to that found in flux creep. The optimal observation time window size is found ?15 years.     

Direct Minimization of the least-squares spectral element functional – Part I: Direct solver

This paper describes an equivalent but improved least-squares formulation for the numerical approximation of the solution of partial differential equations. Instead of using variational analysis to impose the conditions for minimizing the residual, the residuals are minimized directly, thus leading to a method we will denote by Direct Minimization (DM). DM circumvents setting up the normal equations which consists of matrix–matrix multiplications. Matrix–matrix multiplications are expensive, may lead to loss of accuracy and destroy the sparsity pattern present in the original system. The condition number of the DM formulation is the square root of the condition number which would be obtained if variational analysis was employed. An element-by-element procedure will be presented which allows for parallelization of DM. A computational comparison between DM and the conventional least-squares formulation based on variational analysis will be presented.