Single-camera Doppler global velocimetry based on frequency modulation techniques

The main advantage of the described Doppler global velocimeter (DGV) systems based on frequency modulation (FM) or frequency shift keying (FSK) is that no reference detector is required. The frequency variation of the laser light during one modulation period additionally allows an on-line calibration of the complete DGV system. Thus, the new method has the potential to reduce the uncertainty of conventional DGV velocity measurements since time resolved velocity field measurements on a spinning disc have shown standard deviations down to 0.02 m/s. On investigating flow fields, velocity components notably less than 0.5 m/s were resolved.     

Molecular orientation of thiol-derivatized tetraphenylporphyrin on gold studied by XPS and NEXAFS

Tetraphenylporphyrins bearing four linkers consisting of thioacetyl-functionalized carbon chains were immobilized on a gold surface via thiolate-gold bonds using two different preparation routes. The structure of these molecular layers was characterized in detail with synchrotron radiation based core-level spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and near-edge X-ray absorption fine structure (NEXAFS) spectroscopy. The results show that the geometry of the molecular layers and the number of linkers that bind to the gold surface depends on the preparation schemes. The deprotection of the linkers through removal of the terminal acetyl group before the molecular adsorption (deprotected systems) resulted in porphyrins bound to the gold surface with on the average three linkers, their normal axis being tilted ∼38° with respect to the surface normal. On the other hand, porphyrin layers prepared directly with the acetyl group still in place on the linkers (protected systems) are made of molecules bound to the gold surface via two linkers on the average. The resulting orientation is more upright, with the normal axis of the porphyrin plane tilted ∼50° with respect to the surface normal. Moreover, NEXAFS measurements revealed that the acetyl deprotected porphyrin layers have a higher degree of ordering than the protected systems.     

On the classification of all self-dual additive codes over GF(4) of length up to 12

We consider additive codes over GF(4) that are self-dual with respect to the Hermitian trace inner product. Such codes have a well-known interpretation as quantum codes and correspond to isotropic systems. It has also been shown that these codes can be represented as graphs, and that two codes are equivalent if and only if the corresponding graphs are equivalent with respect to local complementation and graph isomorphism. We use these facts to classify all codes of length up to 12, where previously only all codes of length up to 9 were known. We also classify all extremal Type II codes of length 14. Finally, we find that the smallest Type I and Type II codes with trivial automorphism group have length 9 and 12, respectively.     

An unconventional method for measuring the Tc L3‐edge of technetium compounds

Tc L₃‐edge XANES spectra have been collected on powder samples of SrTcO₃ (octahedral Tc⁴⁺) and NH₄TcO₄ (tetrahedral Tc⁷⁺) immobilized in an epoxy resin. Features in the Tc L₃‐edge XANES spectra are compared with the pre‐edge feature of the Tc K‐edge as well as other 4d transition metal L₃‐edges. Evidence of crystal field splitting is obvious in the Tc L₃‐edge, which is sensitive to the coordination number and oxidation state of the Tc cation. The Tc L₃ absorption edge energy difference between SrTcO₃ (Tc⁴⁺) and NH₄TcO₄ (Tc⁷⁺) shows that the energy shift at the Tc L₃‐edge is an effective tool for studying changes in the oxidation states of technetium compounds. The Tc L₃‐edge spectra are compared with those obtained from Mo and Ru oxide standards with various oxidation states and coordination environments. Most importantly, fitting the Tc L₃‐edge to component peaks can provide direct evidence of crystal field splitting that cannot be obtained from the Tc K‐edge.     

Antileishmanial Anthracene Endoperoxides: Efficacy In Vitro,Mechanisms and Structure-Activity Relationships

Leishmaniasis is a vector-borne disease caused by protozoal Leishmania parasites. Previous studies have shown that endoperoxides (EP) can selectively kill Leishmania in host cells. Therefore, we studied in this work a set of new anthracene-derived EP (AcEP) together with their non-endoperoxidic analogs in model systems of Leishmania tarentolae promastigotes (LtP) and J774 macrophages for their antileishmanial activity and selectivity. The mechanism of effective compounds was explored by studying their reaction with iron (II) in chemical systems and in Leishmania. The correlation of structural parameters with activity demonstrated that in this compound set, active compounds had a LogP_OW larger than 3.5 and a polar surface area smaller than 100 Ų. The most effective compounds (IC₅₀ in LtP < 2 µM) with the highest selectivity (SI > 30) were pyridyl-/tert-butyl-substituted AcEP. Interestingly, also their analogs demonstrated activity and selectivity. In mechanistic studies, it was shown that EP were activated by iron in chemical systems and in LtP due to their EP group. However, the molecular structure beyond the EP group significantly contributed to their differential mitochondrial inhibition in Leishmania. The identified compound pairs are a good starting point for subsequent experiments in pathogenic Leishmania in vitro and in animal models.     

Cationic polymerization of p-substituted α-methylstyrenes. III. Effect of polymerization conditions on tacticity and molecular weight for p-chloro-α-methylstyrene

The cationic polymerization of p-chloro-α-methylstyrene was investigated for the effect of initiator and solvent on polymer tacticity, molecular weight, and molecular weight distribution. The products were generally crystalline polymers of 80–90% syndiotactic content with fairly high molecular weights and broad molecular weight distributions. Tacticities and molecular weight distributions followed similar patterns suggesting that the effect of reaction conditions on ionpair end-group structures was the dominant factor.     

High Loading Efficiency and Controlled Release of Bioactive Immunotherapeutic Proteins Using Vaterite Nanoparticles

Nanoparticles may limit off-tumor/on-target ubiquitous activation of signaling by protein-based drugs. However, many challenges still exist in the design of a nanoparticle for protein delivery. In this study, conditions to establish vaterite nanoparticles as a pH-sensitive drug delivery system (DDS) for encapsulated protein drugs are comprehensively evaluated. Low coprecipitation pH of vaterite and protein prevents protein denaturation and yields high loading efficiency. Unprotected vaterite recrystallizes in aqueous solutions within 3 h to calcite and releases the loaded protein completely, but surface-modified particles with carboxyl groups containing polymers prove stable for more than 5 months. Notably, modification of vaterite with sulfonated polymers increases the loading of cationic proteins by a multiple. A system is developed for vaterite exposure to (pH) conditions under body-like-flow rates, with the dissolution of vaterite and simultaneous release of active proteins at tumor microenvironmental pH reaching up to 80% and only 20% at physiological pH within 2 h. Importantly, the immunomodulatory protein tumor necrosis factor preserves its native structure and fully retains functional activity in vitro after release from the particles. In conclusion, the studies described here provide a framework for the development of vaterite-based DDS as a carrier for bioactive protein-based therapeutics.     

Electrospray ionization ion-trap multiple-stage mass spectrometry of Quillaja saponins

Fifteen identified C-18 fatty acyl-containing saponin structures from Quillaja saponaria Molina have been investigated by electrospray ionization ion-trap multiple-stage mass spectrometry (ESI-IT-MS(n)) in positive ion mode. Their MS(1)-MS(3) spectra were analyzed and ions corresponding to useful fragments, important for the structural identification of Quillaja saponins, were recognized. A few key fragments could describe the structural variations in the C-3 and the C-28 oligosaccharides of the Quillaja saponins. A flowchart involving a stepwise procedure based on key fragments from the MS(1)-MS(3) spectra of these saponins, together with key fragments from these saponins and 13 previously investigated saponins, was constructed for the identification of structural elements in Quillaja saponins. Peak intensity ratios in MS(3) spectra were found to be correlated to structural features of the investigated saponins and is therefore of value for the identification of regioisomers.     

Random self-affine multifractal Sierpinski sponges in $${\mathbb{R}^d}$$

In this paper we study the Hausdorff and packing dimensions and the Rényi dimensions of random self-affine multifractal Sierpinski sponges in \({\mathbb{R}^{d}}\).