Reflecting polarizing beam splitter

We propose and experimentally demonstrate the use of metal-covered lamellar relief gratings as a polarizing beam splitter operating at a single wavelength near Littrow incidence. We report the characteristics of a grating produced by holography and reactive ion etching that was calculated for operation as beam splitter at lambda = 633 nm (for a He-Ne laser).     

Optimal design of a beam subject to bending: a basic application

The minimisation of both the mass and deflection of a beam in bending is addressed in the paper. To solve the minimisation problem, a multi-objective approach is adopted by imposing the Fritz John conditions for Pareto-optimality. Constraints on the maximum stress and elastic stability (buckling) of the structure are taken into account. Additional constraints are set on the beam cross section dimensions. Three different cross sections of the beam are analysed and compared, namely the hollow square, the I-shaped and the hollow rectangular cross sections. The analytical expressions of the Pareto-optimal sets are derived. As expected, the I-shaped beam exhibits the best compromise in structural performance, which is related on the particular loading considered.     

Molecular Switching: A Fully Reversible,Optically Active Photochemical Switch Based on a Tetraethynylethene‐1,1′‐Binaphthalene Hybrid System

The synthesis, characterization, and physical properties of a novel, fully reversible, light‐driven molecular switch, (R,R)‐ 1 /(R,R)‐ 2 , based on a tetraethynylethene‐1,1′‐binaphthalene hybrid system are presented. trans‐Configured (R,R)‐ 1 was synthesized in 57% yield by Stille cross‐coupling between stannylated tetraethynylethene 3 and 3‐iodo‐1,1′‐binaphthalene derivative (R)‐ 4 (cf. Scheme 2). The cis‐isomer (R,R)‐ 2 was prepared from (R,R)‐ 1 by photoisomerization. X‐Ray crystal‐structure analyses were obtained for both cis‐ and trans‐forms of the photoswitch (Figs. 1 and 2). In the crystalline state, molecules of the cis‐isomer (R,R)‐ 2 exhibit intramolecular edge‐to‐face (C−H⋅⋅⋅π) interactions between naphthalene rings of the two 1,1‐binaphthalene moieties (Fig. 3). The switching properties were investigated by electronic absorption spectroscopy (Table and Fig. 4): irradiation at λ=398 nm converts trans‐isomer (R,R)‐ 1 into cis‐isomer (R,R)‐ 2 , whereas switching occurs in the opposite direction upon irradiation at λ=323 nm. No thermal interconversion between the two isomers was observed in CH₂Cl₂ at room temperature over a period of 2 – 3 months, and the system possesses good resistance against photofatigue (Fig. 5). Investigations of the circular dichroism of (R,R)‐ 1 and (R,R)‐ 2 in CH₂Cl₂ solution showed that the chiral binaphthalene moieties induce a weak Cotton effect in the achiral tetraethynylethene core (Fig. 6). System (R,R)‐ 1 /(R,R)‐ 2 represents one of the rare switches allowing two‐way photochemical interconversions, not perturbed by thermal‐isomerization pathways.     

Natural-like Chalcones with Antitumor Activity on Human MG63 Osteosarcoma Cells

Osteosarcoma (OS) is a malignant disease characterized by poor prognosis due to a high incidence of metastasis and chemoresistance. Recently, Licochalcone A (Lic-A) has been reported as a promising agent against OS. Starting from chalcones selected from a wide in-house library, a new series was designed and synthetized. The antitumor activity of the compounds was tested on the MG63 OS cell line through the innovative Quantitative Phase Imaging technique and MTT assay. To further investigate the biological profile of active derivatives, cell cycle progression and apoptosis induction were evaluated. An earlier and more consistent arrest in the G2-M phase with respect to Lic-A was observed. Moreover, apoptosis was assessed by Annexin V staining as well as by the detection of typical morphological features of apoptotic cells. Among the selected compounds, 1e, 1q, and 1r proved to be the most promising antitumor molecules. This study pointed out that an integrated methodological approach may constitute a valuable platform for the rapid screening of large series of compounds.     

A Novel Three‐Way Chromophoric Molecular Switch: pH and Light Controllable Switching Cycles

Programmed with an unusual number of functions , the tetraethynylethene derivative 1 exhibits three addressable switching subunits, which can undergo individual reversible switching cycles that are controllable by pH and light. Three “write/erase” processes and one “AND” logic gate process can be separately addressed, and in each case an efficient nondestructive readout is possible.     

Reconsidering Aromatase for Breast Cancer Treatment: New Roles for an Old Target

The current therapeutic approach for the treatment of hormone dependent breast cancer includes interference with estrogen receptors via either selective modulators or estrogens deprivation, by preventing their biosynthesis with aromatase inhibitors. Severe side effects and acquired resistance are drawbacks of both drug classes, and the efforts to overcome these issues still allow for research in this field to be animated. This review reports on recent findings that have opened new avenues for reconsidering the role of aromatase enzymes (and estrogen receptors) leading to the possibility of looking at well-known targets in a new perspective.     

Development of a rapid HPLC method for quantification of the copper tetramibi tetraflourborate in a kit for preparation of Technetium 99 m Sestamibi Injection

Radiopharmaceuticals are radioactive compounds that can be used for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. Technetium (99mTc) Sestamibi is the most commercialized radiopharmaceutical in the world. It includes a coordination complex consisting of the radioisotope 99 m technetium bound to six copper tetramibi tetrafluorborate ligands, and is mainly used to image the myocardium via scintigraphy. As radiopharmaceuticals are regarded as drugs, they are subject to the same regulations; therefore, the objective of this study was to develop a quantification method for the active pharmaceutical ingredient before their complexation with the radioisotope by employing high‐performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) methodology. A simple and efficient method (retention time = 2.5 min) was developed and validated for copper tetramibi tetrafluorborate in the final product using a buffer and organic solvent mixtures (ACN–methanol–ammonium sulfate buffer) and a C₁₈ column. The analytical protocol was fast, taking around 30 min until evaluation of results. The validation parameters were evaluated with satisfactory results: in terms of linearity r > 0.99 (160–240 μg/mL) and no deviation was observed. The RSD of precision was <5%, and an average recovery of 99% was observed for accuracy. The proposed method was thus considered adequate for routine analysis in the pharmaceutical industries.     

A study on the stress gradient reconstruction in finite elements problems with application of radial basis function networks

Meccanica - The recovery of the stress gradient in finite elements problems is a widely discussed topic with many applications in the design process. The stress gradient is related to the second...