Reference frames in harmonic coordinates: geometric and physical aspects

This work is focused on the geometrical and physical characteristics of the class of reference frames associated to harmonic coordinates. Precisely, we express in relative form the harmonicity conditions and consider the so called ??spatially harmonicity?? of a reference frame in spherical symmetry. The initial data problem is then analyzed in polar coordinates and the obtained results are applied to special cases of exact solutions.     

Synthesis and antimicrobial evaluation of new 1‐{[4‐(4‐Halogenophenyl)‐4H‐1,2,4‐ triazol‐3‐yl]sulfanyl}acetyl‐4‐substituted thiosemicarbazides and products of their cyclization

By the reaction of hydrazides of 4‐(4‐halogenophenyl)‐4H‐1,2,4‐triazol‐3‐yl‐sulfanyl acetic acid with isothiocyanate, 1‐acyl‐4‐substituted thiosemicarbazide derivatives ( 7–19 ) were obtained. The cyclization of compounds ( 7–19 ) in the presence of 2% NaOH led to the formation of compounds ( 20–26 ) containing two 1,2,4‐triazole rings connected by a methylenesulfanyl group. The new compounds were tested for their in vitro antimicrobial activity. Some of the tested compounds ( 9, 12, 18, 21, 22 ) showed activity against the reference strains of Gram‐positive bacteria with the MIC (minimal inhibitory concentration) = 125 to >1000 μg/mL. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Heteroatom Chem 23:117–121, 2012; View this article online at wileyonlinelibrary.com . DOI 10.1002/hc.20758     

On some congruences of power algebras

In a natural way we can “lift” any operation defined on a set A to an operation on the set of all non-empty subsets of A and obtain from any algebra (A, Ω) its power algebra of subsets. In this paper we investigate extended power algebras (power algebras of non-empty subsets with one additional semilattice operation) of modes (entropic and idempotent algebras). We describe some congruence relations on these algebras such that their quotients are idempotent. Such congruences determine some class of non-trivial subvarieties of the variety of all semilattice ordered modes (modals).     

Fe-N-C catalysts for oxygen electroreduction under external magnetic fields:Reduction of magnetic O2 to nonmagnetic H2O

An extensive analysis of iron-nitrogen-carbon(Fe-N-C)electrocatalysts synthesis and activity is presented concerning synthesis conditions such as initial Fe content,pyrolysis temperature and atmosphere(inert N₂,reducing NH₃,oxidizing Cl₂ and their sequential combinations)and the influence of an external magnetic field on their performance in oxygen reduction reaction(ORR).Thermosetting porous polymers doped with FeCl₃ were utilized as the Fe-N-C catalysts precursors.The pyrolysis temperature was varied within a 700-900℃range.The temperature and atmosphere of pyrolysis strongly affect the porosity and compositi on of the resultant Fe-N-C catalysts,while the in itial amount of Fe precursor shows much weaker impact.Pyrolysis under NH₃ yields materials similar to those pyrolyzed under an inert atmosphere(N₂).In contrast,pyrolysis under Cl₂ yields carbon of peculiar character with highly disordered structure and extensive microporosity.The application of a static external magnetic field strongly enhances the ORR process(herein studied in an alkaline environment)and the enhancement correlates with the Fe content in the Fe-N-C catalysts.The Fe-N-C materials containing ferromagnetic iron phase embedded in N-doped microporous carbon constitute attractive catalysts for magnetic field-aided anion exchange membrane fuel cell technology.     

Influence of Water Treatment and Wastewater Treatment on the Changes in Residues of Important Elements in Drinking Water

Drinking water is the essential medium for food production, and is also needed for direct consumption; while it must be free of harmful substances, it also must have a composition that is beneficial to health. The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of water and wastewater treatment on reducing the concentrations of zinc (Zn), nickel (Ni), iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), copper (Cu), lead (Pb), and arsenic (As) in the Western Pomerania Voivodeship in Poland. The research was carried out in 2017–2019. The analysis was performed with inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrophotometry (ICP-AES). The concentrations of trace elements in drinking water were below maximum acceptable concentrations (MACs). Reductions in the most dangerous elements during water treatment fluctuated from 48.5% (As) to 97% (Pb). Wastewater treatment reduced the concentrations of analyzed elements by a range of 28.6 to 60.8%, and the most toxic elements (Pb and As) by over 50%. Trace element concentrations in treated wastewater were below MAC values, and ranged from 1.15% (Pb) to 6.23% (As) of MACs for toxic elements. The concentrations of both essential elements (Zn, Ni, Fe, Mn, Cu) and toxic elements (Pb, As) in drinking water were below the MACs. Water treatment had a significant (p < 0.05) effect on decreasing trace element concentrations.     

Immunity in the ABM-DSGE Framework for Preventing and Controlling Epidemics—Validation of Results

The COVID-19 pandemic has raised many questions on how to manage an epidemiological and economic crisis around the world. Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, scientists and policy makers have been asking how effective lockdowns are in preventing and controlling the spread of the virus. In the absence of vaccines, the regulators lacked any plausible alternatives. Nevertheless, after the introduction of vaccinations, to what extent the conclusions of these analyses are still valid should be considered. In this paper, we present a study on the effect of vaccinations within the dynamic stochastic general equilibrium model with an agent-based epidemic component. Thus, we validated the results regarding the need to use lockdowns as an efficient tool for preventing and controlling epidemics that were obtained in November 2020.     

An In Vitro Anticancer,Antioxidant, and Phytochemical Study on Water Extract of Kalanchoe daigremontiana Raym.-Hamet and H. Perrier

Kalanchoe species are succulents with anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and analgesic properties, as well as cytotoxic activity. One of the most popular species cultivated in Europe is Kalanchoe daigremontiana Raym.-Hamet and H. Perrier. In our study, we analyzed the phytochemical composition of K. daigremontiana water extract using UHPLC-QTOF-MS and estimated the cytotoxic activity of the extract on human ovarian cancer SKOV-3 cells by MTT (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) assay, flow cytometry, luminometric, and fluorescent microscopy techniques. The expression levels of 92 genes associated with cell death were estimated via real-time PCR. The antioxidant activity was assessed via flow cytometry on human keratinocyte HaCaT cell line. The DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) radical and FRAP (ferric-reducing antioxidant power) assays were also applied. We identified twenty bufadienolide compounds in the water extract and quantified eleven. Bersaldegenin-1,3,5-orthoacetate and bryophyllin A were present in the highest amounts (757.4 ± 18.7 and 573.5 ± 27.2 ng/mg dry weight, respectively). The extract showed significant antiproliferative and cytotoxic activity, induced depolarization of the mitochondrial membrane, and significantly arrested cell cycle in the S and G2/M phases of SKOV-3 cells. Caspases-3, 7, 8, and 9 were not activated during the treatment, which indicated non-apoptotic cell death triggered by the extract. Additionally, the extract increased the level of oxidative stress in the cancer cell line. In keratinocytes treated with menadione, the extract moderately reduced the level of oxidative stress. This antioxidant activity was confirmed by the DPPH and FRAP assays, where the obtained IC₅₀ values were 1750 ± 140 and 1271.82 ± 53.25 μg/mL, respectively. The real-time PCR analysis revealed that the extract may induce cell death via TNF receptor (tumor necrosis factor receptor) superfamily members 6 and 10.     

Passive sampling and/or extraction techniques in environmental analysis: a review

The current state-of-the-art of passive sampling and/or extraction methods for long-term monitoring of pollutants in different environmental compartments is discussed in this review. Passive dosimeters that have been successfully used to monitor organic and inorganic contaminants in air, water, sediments, and soil are presented. The application of new approaches to the determination of pollutants at the sampling stage is discussed. The main milestones in the development of passive techniques for sampling and/or extraction of analytes, and in biomonitors used in environmental analysis, are summarized in this review. Passive samplers and biomonitors are compared.     

Shaping a Porphyrinoid Frame by Heteroatoms Extrusion: Formation of an Expanded [22]Triphyrin(6.6.0)

An aromatic expanded triphyrin, [22]triphyrin(6.6.0) 2 , containing a pyrrole unit, a bipyrrole moiety, and annulene links, was obtained from a tellurium-containing precursor meso-tetraaryl-26,28-ditellurasapphyrin 1 . The reaction path proceeds through an acid-promoted tellurium extrusion from 1 yielding directly 2 , characterized in a dicationic form by X-ray crystallography. In solution the neutral macrocycle 2 reveals flexibility typical for annulenes and it exists as a mixture of conformers that differ by the configuration of the annulene fragments, as proven by ¹H NMR studies and analyzed by DFT methods. The conformation is controlled by protonation state, the nature of an interacting anion, solvent identity, and by interaction with water.