Distinguishing and quantification of the human visual pathways using high-spatial-resolution diffusion tensor tractography

Quantification of the living human visual system using MRI methods has been challenging, but several applications demand a reliable and time-efficient data acquisition protocol. In this study, we demonstrate the utility of high-spatial-resolution diffusion tensor fiber tractography (DTT) in reconstructing and quantifying the human visual pathways. Five healthy males, age range 24–37 years, were studied after approval of the institutional review board (IRB) at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston. We acquired diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) data with 1-mm slice thickness on a 3.0-Tesla clinical MRI scanner and analyzed the data using DTT with the fiber assignment by continuous tractography (FACT) algorithm. By utilizing the high-spatial-resolution DTI protocol with FACT algorithm, we were able to reconstruct and quantify bilateral optic pathways including the optic chiasm, optic tract, optic radiations free of contamination from neighboring white matter tracts.     

Corrections to the Hawking Tunneling Radiation from MDR

We investigate some aspects of black hole (BH) thermodynamics in the framework of a modified dispersion relation. We calculate a minimal length and a maximal momentum to find a relation between spacetime dimensions and the presence of logarithmic prefactor in the black hole entropy relation. We show that the logarithmic prefactor appears not only in an even number of dimensions but also in an odd number of dimensions. In addition, the sign of the logarithmic factor is different for positive values of α in all dimensions. Using the corrected entropy, the black hole radiation probability is calculated in the tunneling formalism, which is corrected up to the same order of the Planck length and shows a more probable quantum tunneling.     

Nitrosylation of Nitric‐Oxide‐Sensing Regulatory Proteins Containing [4Fe‐4S] Clusters Gives Rise to Multiple Iron–Nitrosyl Complexes

The reaction of protein‐bound iron–sulfur (Fe‐S) clusters with nitric oxide (NO) plays key roles in NO‐mediated toxicity and signaling. Elucidation of the mechanism of the reaction of NO with DNA regulatory proteins that contain Fe‐S clusters has been hampered by a lack of information about the nature of the iron‐nitrosyl products formed. Herein, we report nuclear resonance vibrational spectroscopy (NRVS) and density functional theory (DFT) calculations that identify NO reaction products in WhiD and NsrR, regulatory proteins that use a [4Fe‐4S] cluster to sense NO. This work reveals that nitrosylation yields multiple products structurally related to Roussin's Red Ester (RRE, [Fe₂(NO)₄(Cys)₂]) and Roussin's Black Salt (RBS, [Fe₄(NO)₇S₃]. In the latter case, the absence of ³²S/³⁴S shifts in the Fe?S region of the NRVS spectra suggest that a new species, Roussin's Black Ester (RBE), may be formed, in which one or more of the sulfide ligands is replaced by Cys thiolates.     

Filamentation “remote” sensing of chemical and biological agents/pollutants using only one femtosecond laser source

All matters in the path of filaments induced by an intense femtosecond laser pulse propagating in air could be fragmented and result in the emission of characteristic fluorescence spectra from the excited fragments. The fluorescence spectra exhibit specific signatures (fingerprints) that can be used for the identification of various substances including chemical and biological species. In this paper, we present an overview of the recent progress in our laboratory concerning the “remote” sensing of chemical and biological agents/pollutants in air using filamentation-induced nonlinear fluorescence techniques.     

A simple method to significantly increase filaments’ length and?ionization density

A simple method to produce longer filaments with higher ionization density in air by controlling the diameter of an aperture in the laser beam path is studied via an analysis of the backscattered N₂ fluorescence collected by LIDAR. Significant increase in the fluorescence signal (approximately by a factor of five depending on the conditions) and an increased filament length was observed at an optimum diameter. 3D + time stochastic numerical simulations have shown that the optimum aperture size corresponds to the case of multiple filament ‘squeezing’ around the propagation axis forming the regularized elongated structure with higher overall amount of plasma. The optimum range of aperture sizes is the same for the initial transverse perturbation scale variation at least within a factor of three.     

Kinetic studies of the oxidative coupling of methane over the Mn/Na2WO4/SiO2 catalyst

Oxidative coupling of methane is a direct way to obtain C2 hydrocarbon,and Mn-Na-W/SiO2 catalyst is the most promising among all the catalysts.The 2%Mn/5%Na2WO4/SiO2 catalyst was prepared by the incipient wetness impregnation method.A 7-step heterogeneous reaction model of the oxidative coupling of methane to C2 hydrocarbons was conducted by co-feeding methane and oxygen at a total pressure of 1 bar over the catalyst.The kinetic measurements were carried out in a micro-catalytic fixed bed reactor.The kinetic data were obtained at the appropriate range of reaction conditions (4 kPa＜Po2 ＜20 kPa,20 kPa＜PCZH4 ＜80 kPa,800℃＜T＜900℃).The proposed reaction kinetic scheme consists of three primary and four consecutive reaction steps.The conversions of hydrocarbons and carbon oxides were evaluated by applying Langrnuir-Hinshelwood type rate equations.Power-law rate equation was applied only for the water-gas shift reaction.In addition,the effects of operating conditions on the reaction rate were studied.The proposed kinetic model can predict the conversion of methane and oxygen as well as the yield of C2 hydrocarbons and carbon oxides with an average accuracy of ±15%.     

A simple and efficient synthesis and dynamic NMR studies of some new podands of dithiocarbamates formed from bis(naphthyl) derivatives

The reaction of dithiocarbamate salts ( IV _{a − c} ) with bis(naphthalene chloroacetates) ( II _a,b ) and bis(naphthalene ethoxybromide) ( II _c ) in dimethylformamide (DMF) furnished corresponding podands as V _{a − i} in high to excellent yields. Three reacting ligands, ( II _a,b ) and ( II _c ), were obtained in the reaction of bis(naphthalene) ( I _a,b ) with chloroacetylchloride and 1,2‐dibromoethane. Dynamic NMR spectroscopic data of three series of podands ( V _{a − c} , V _d−f , and V _{g − i} ) are discussed, and their free energy of activation (Δ G_C^≠) at coalescence temperatures are figured out. The Δ G_C^≠ s of these podands were attributed to conformational isomerization in the range of 14.5–18.3 kcal mol⁻¹ due to rotation and resonance effects about thioamide C N bond. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Heteroatom Chem 22:659–668, 2011; View this article online at wileyonlinelibrary.com . DOI 10.1002/hc.20730     

An output-feedback adaptive actuator failure compensation controller for systems with unknown state delays

This paper presents an output-feedback adaptive controller for a class of linear systems with unknown time-varying state delay and in the presence of actuator failures. We consider a common type of actuator failure in which some unknown system inputs may be stuck at some unknown fixed values and at unknown time instants. The adaptive controller is designed based on SPR–Lyapunov approach for relative degree one and two cases. Closed-loop system stability and asymptotic output tracking are proved using suitable Lyapunov–Krasovskii functional for each case. Simulation results are provided to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed results.     

Synthesis of New Aza Macrocyclic Diamides 2,2′‐Diaminodiphenyl Sulfide Using Crab‐Like Method

Six new aza crown ethers (4–9) were synthesized based on the conventional route crab‐like method with the reaction of corresponding bis‐α‐chloroacetamidediphenylsulfide (BCADPS) (3) and aliphathic diamines (a–e) in refluxing acetonitrile in good yields. BCADPS (3) was synthesized with the reaction of 2,2′‐diaminodiphenyl sulfide (2) and chloroacetyl chloride. Interestingly, only the macrocyclization of BCADPS (3) with diamine (e) was led to the cryptand (9) in which methylene hydrogens were found as diastereotopic nucleis which is attributed to the rigidity of the cryptand ( 9 ). The formation of this cryptand ( 9 ) may be related the template effect of potassium ion. The structures of all compounds were confirmed using IR, ¹H‐NMR, ¹³C‐NMR, mass spectroscopies, and elemental analysis.