A class of implicit variational inequalities and applications to frictional contact

This paper deals with the mathematical and numerical analysis of a class of abstract implicit evolution variational inequalities. The results obtained here can be applied to a large variety of quasistatic contact problems in linear elasticity, including unilateral contact or normal compliance conditions with friction. In particular, a quasistatic unilateral contact problem with nonlocal friction is considered. An algorithm is derived and some numerical examples are presented. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Novel antibiotics: macrocyclic peptides designed to trap Holliday junctions

[reaction: see text] Described are the syntheses of eight macrocyclic peptides designed to trap Holliday junctions in bacteria, thereby inhibiting bacterial growth. These macrocycles were designed from linear dimerized hexapeptides that bind to the C-2 symmetrical Holliday junction. They were synthesized from three monomers using a combinatorial-like strategy that permits elucidation of the monomer role in accumulation of Holliday junctions and antibiotic activity. These macrocycles are an important step in designing and synthesizing a new class of antibiotics.     

Syntheses and chemistry of hypervalent cyclo-R4Sb4, cyclo-(RSbE)n[R = 2-(Me2NCH2)C6H4, E = O, S] and precursors

The cyclostibane R(4)Sb(4)(1)(R = 2-(Me(2)NCH(2))C(6)H(4)) was synthesized by reduction of RSbCl(2) with Mg in THF or with Na in liquid NH(3). The reaction of 1 with [W(CO)(5)(THF)] gives the stibinidene complex RSb[W(CO)(5)](2)(2). RSbCl(2) and (RSbCl)(2)E [E = O (6), E = S (8)] react with KOH or Na(2)S in toluene/water to give the heterocycles (RSbE)(n)[E = O, n= 3 (3); E = S, n= 2 (4)]. The chalcogeno-bridged compounds of the type (RSbCl)(2)E [E = O (6), E = S (8)] were synthesized by reaction of RSbCl(2) with KOH or Na(2)S in toluene/water, but also by reaction of RSbCl(2) with the heterocycles (RSbE)(n). The compounds (RSbI)(2)O (7) and (RSbBr)(2)S (9) were prepared via halogen-exchange reactions between (RSbCl)(2)E and NaI (E = O) or KBr (E = S) or by reactions between RSbI(2) and KOH or RSbBr(2) and Na(2)S. The reaction of cyclo-(RSbS)(2) with W(CO)(5)(THF) in THF results in trapping of the cis isomer in cyclo-(RSbS)(2)[W(CO)(5)](5). The solution behaviour of the compounds was investigated by (1)H and (13)C NMR spectroscopy. The molecular structures of compounds 1-7 and 9 were determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction.     

SERS assessment of the cancer-specific methylation pattern of genomic DNA: towards the detection of acute myeloid leukemia in patients undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation

In this label-free surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) study of genomic DNA, we demonstrate that the cancer-specific DNA methylation pattern translates into specific spectral differences. Thus, DNA extracted from an acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cell line presented a decreased intensity of the 1005 cm⁻¹ band of 5-methylcytosine compared to normal DNA, in line with the well-described hypomethylation of cancer DNA. The unique methylation pattern of cancer DNA also influences the DNA adsorption geometry, resulting in higher adenine SERS intensities for cancer DNA. The possibility of detecting cancer DNA based on its SERS spectrum was validated on peripheral blood genomic DNA samples from n = 17 AML patients and n = 17 control samples, yielding an overall classification of 82% based on the 1005 cm⁻¹ band of 5-methylcytosine. By demonstrating the potential of SERS in assessing the methylation status in the case of real-life DNA samples, the study paves the way for novel methods of diagnosing cancer.

Graphical abstract

     

Simultaneous Determination of Vitamins D3 (Calcitriol,Cholecalciferol) and K2 (Menaquinone-4 and Menaquinone-7) in Dietary Supplements by UHPLC

The content and composition of dietary supplements is of great interest due to their increasing consumption and variety of available brand offered in the market. Accurate determination of vitamins is important for the improvement of dietary supplement quality and nutrition assessments. In this regard, the simultaneous determination of vitamin D3 (calcitriol—CT and cholecalciferol—CHL) and K2 (menaquinone-4—MK-4 and menaquinone-7—MK-7) in dietary supplements was developed by using ultra-high-pressure liquid chromatography (UHPLC). The overall runtime per sample was above 35 min, with the retention times of 2.40, 6.59, 7.06, and 32.6 min for vitamin D3 (CT and CHL) and vitamin K2 (MK-4 and MK-7), respectively. The limits of detection and limits of quantification for the target nutritional compounds ranged between 0.04–0.05 µg/mL, respectively. The validation results indicated that the method had reasonable linearity (R² ≥ 0.9990), good recovery (>82%), satisfactory intra-day precision (≤1.9%) and inter-day precision (≤3.5%), and high selectivity and specificity. The validated UHPLC method was demonstrated to be precise, accurate, and robust for the simultaneous determination of vitamins D3 (CT and CHL) and K2 (MK-4 and MK-7) in dietary supplements.     

Andreev-type states induced by quantum confinement

The properties of a clean superconductor with nanoscale dimensions are governed by quantum confinement of the electrons. This results in a spatially inhomogeneous superconducting condensate and in the formation of new Andreev-type quasiparticle states. These states are mainly located beyond regions where the superconducting condensate is enhanced. A numerical self-consistent solution of the Bogoliubov-de Gennes equations for a cylindrical metallic nanowire shows that these new Andreev-type states decrease the ratio of the energy gap to the critical temperature. The text was submitted by the authors in English.     

Mica surfaces stabilize pentavalent uranium

High-resolution X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy was used to demonstrate that reduction of aqueous U6+ at ferrous mica surfaces at 25 degrees C preserves U5+ as the dominant sorbed species over a broad range of solution compositions. Polymerization of sorbed U5+ with sorbed U6+ and U4+ is identified as a possible mechanism for how mineral surfaces circumvent the rapid disproportionation of aqueous U5+. The general nature of this mechanism suggests that U5+ could play an important, but previously unidentified, role in the low-temperature chemistry of uranium in reducing, heterogeneous aqueous systems.     

Cobalt-containing silicotungstate sandwich dimer [{Co3(B-beta-SiW9O33(OH))(B-beta-SiW8O29(OH)2)}2]22-

The 6-cobalt-substituted [{Co3(B-beta-SiW9O33(OH))(B-beta-SiW8O29(OH)2)}2]22- has been characterized by IR and UV-vis spectroscopy, elemental analysis, magnetic studies, electrochemistry, and gel filtration chromatography. A single-crystal X-ray analysis was carried out on K10Na12[{Co3(B-beta-SiW9O33(OH))(B-beta-SiW8O29(OH)2)}2].49H2O (KNa-1), which crystallizes in the monoclinic system, space group P2(1)/n, with a=19.9466(8) A, b=24.6607(10) A, c=34.0978(13) A, beta=102.175(1) degrees, and Z=2. Polyanion 1 represents a novel class of asymmetric sandwich-type polyanions. It contains three cobalt ions, which are encapsulated between an unprecedented (B-beta-SiW9O34) fragment and a (B-beta-SiW8O31) unit. Polyanion 1 is composed of two sandwich species via two Co-O-W bridges in the solid state and almost certainly in solution as well based on gel filtration chromatography. UV-visible spectroscopy and cyclic voltammetry also confirmed its stability. Two well-separated groups of waves appeared in the voltammetric pattern: the wave observed in the negative potential range versus a saturated calomel electrode features the redox processes of WVI centers; the two reversible redox couples observed in the positive potential domain are attributed to the redox processes of Co2+ centers and indicated that the two types of Co2+ centers in the structure are oxidized in separate waves. Such reversibility of Co2+ centers within multi-Co-substituted polyoxometalates is uncommon. The magnetic properties of KNa-1 are also discussed. The ferromagnetic ground state has been studied by magnetic susceptibility and magnetization measurements and fitted according to an anisotropic exchange model.     

Thermal behavior of some aromatic copolyethers containing a propylenic spacer

The main objective of this paper is to study the thermal stability of some aromatic copolyethers containing a propylenic spacer. Some of the investigated copolyethers displayed a liquid crystalline (LC) behavior, with the presence of the mesogenic groups in the main chain, inducing high values of the thermal transition temperatures. As a consequence, a thermal stability study was necessary to establish the maximum temperature value for the LC behavior characterization. A thermal degradation mechanism is proposed, taking into consideration the azobenzenic unit as the weakest link in the polymer chain and thus, the starting point of the thermal degradation process. The degradation mechanisms were correlated with the chemical structure and the polarity and conformation of the chains. Conformational analysis was performed using molecular simulations. Freeman-Caroll and Coats-Redfern methods were used to calculate some kinetic characteristics.     

On approximate algorithms for combinatorial linear maximization problems

The worst-case performance of a large class of approximate algorithms for a combinatorial linear maximization problem is examined. As an application the efficacy of heuristics combining enumeration and the greedy algorithm is presented.

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Zusammenfassung Für ein sehr allgemeines kombinatorisches Optimierungsproblem wird eine größere axiomatisch definierte Klasse von approximativen Algorithmen untersucht, deren Güte einheitlich analysiert werden kann. Damit erhält man einerseits einheitliche Güte-Beweise für verschiedene aus der Literatur bekannte Varianten des Greedy-Algorithmus und zum anderen Güte-Beweise für einige neue approximative Algorithmen.