From superhydrophobic‐ to superhydrophilic‐patterned poly(vinylidene fluoride‐co‐chlorotrifluoroethylene) architectures as a novel platform for biotechnological applications

The manufacture of three‐dimensional patterned electroactive poly(vinylidene fluoride‐co‐chlorotrifluoroethylene) microstructures with tailored architecture, morphology, and wettability is presented. The patterned microstructures are fabricated using a simple, effective, low cost, and reproducible technique based on microfluidic technology. These novel structures can represent innovative platforms for advanced strategies in a wide range of biotechnological applications, including tissue engineering, drug delivery, microfluidic, and sensors and actuators devices. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part B: Polym. Phys. 2016 , 54, 1802–1810     

Transition-metal nanoparticles in imidazolium ionic liquids: recyclable catalysts for biphasic hydrogenation reactions

1-n-Butyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate room-temperature ionic liquid is not only suitable as a medium for the preparation and stabilization of iridium nanoparticles but also ideal for the generation of recyclable biphasic catalytic systems for hydrogenation reactions. Thus, Ir(0) nanoparticles with a mean diameter of 2 nm have been prepared by reduction of Ir(I) dissolved in the ionic liquid with H2. This catalytic solution can be reused several times for the biphasic hydrogenation of olefins under mild reaction conditions.     

Electron binding energies of anionic magnesium clusters and the nonmetal-to-metal transition

The binding energies of the two most external electrons in Mg- n, n=2-22, clusters are computed using the gradient-corrected density functional theory and a new scheme for converting the Kohn-Sham eigenenergies into electron removal energies. The computations are performed for the anionic clusters considered in the most stable configurations of both Mg- n and Mg n. The results are compared with photoelectron spectroscopy data [O. C. Thomas, following Letter, Phys. Rev. Lett. 89, 213403 (2002)]], and their implications for the finite-size analog of the nonmetal-to-metal transition are analyzed.     

Synthesis of (±)-1-(2,6,6-trimethyl-4-hydroxycyclohexenyl)-1,3-butanedione (1), a marine natural product

A short synthesis of racemic natural product (1) from the known compound (7) is described. A model study, using cyclochexanone as starting material, is also reported.     

Mixing of non-Newtonian fluids in steadily forced systems

We investigate mixing in a viscoelastic and shear-thinning fluid-a very common combination in polymers and suspensions. We find that competition between elastic and viscous forces generates self-similar mixing, lobe transport, and other characteristics of chaos. The mechanism by which chaos is produced is evaluated both in experiments and in a simple model. We find that chaotic flow is generated by spontaneous oscillations, the magnitude and frequency of which govern the extent of chaos and mixing.     

Existence of Baryons,Baryon Spectrum and Mass Splitting in Strong Coupling Lattice QCD

We consider a functional integral formulation for one-flavor lattice Quantum Chromodynamics in d=2,3 space dimensions and imaginary time, and work in the regime of the small hopping parameter , and zero plaquette coupling. Following the standard construction, this model exhibits positivity which is used to obtain the underlying physical Hilbert space . Then, using a Feynman-Kac formalism, we write the correlation functions for the model as functional integrals over the space of Grassmannian (fermionic) fields for one quark specie and the SU(3) gauge fields. We determine the energy-momentum spectrum associated with gauge invariant local baryon (anti-baryon) fields which are composites of three quark (anti-quark) fields. With the associated correlation functions, we establish a Feynman-Kac formula, and a spectral representation for the Fourier transform of the two-point functions. This representation allows us to show that baryons and anti-baryons arise as tightly bound, bound states of three (anti-)quarks. Labelling the components of the baryon fields by s=3/2,1/2,-1/2,-3/2, we show that the baryon and anti-baryon mass spectrum only depends on |s|, and the associated masses are given by M_s= –3ln+r_s(), where r_s() is real analytic in , for each d=2,3. The mass splitting is M_3/2–M_1/2=18⁶, for d=2 and, if any, is at least of (⁷), for d=3. In the subspace _o generated by an odd number of fermions, the baryon and anti-baryon energy-momentum dispersion curves are isolated up to near the baryon-meson threshold –5ln (upper gap property), identical and are determined up to (⁵). The symmetries of coordinate reflections, spatial lattice rotations, parity and charge conjugation are established for the correlation functions, and are shown to be implemented on by unitary (anti-unitary, for time reversal) operators.     

Supermassive Black Holes May Be Limited by the Holographic Bound

Supermassive Black Holes are the most entropic objects found in the universe. The Holographic Bound (HB) to the entropy is used to constrain their formation time with initial masses 10^6–8 M , as inferred from observations. We find that the entropy considerations are more limiting than causality for this direct formation. Later we analyze the possibility of SMBHs growing from seed black holes. The growth of the initial mass is studied in the case of accretion of pure radiation and quintessence fields, and we find that there is a class of models that may allow this metamorphosis. Our analysis generalizes recent work for some models of quintessence capable of producing a substantial growth in a short time, while simultaneously obeying the causal and Holographic Bound limits.     

Low field intermolecular double-quantum coherence imaging via the Overhauser effect

Intermolecular double-quantum coherence (i-DQC) signals in liquids are usually associated with high magnetic fields. We demonstrate that, in a magnetic field of only 16mT, i-DQC imaging of water protons is feasible thanks to the nuclear magnetization enhancement produced by the Overhauser effect. i-DQC images of a phantom containing an aqueous solution of a trityl free radical, with phase encoding in the DQC evolution period or in the acquisition period, are presented. Possible applications of low field i-MQC images are proposed.     

Differential Simplicity in Polynomial Rings and Algebraic Independence of Power Series

Let k be a field of characteristic zero, f(X,Y), g(X,Y)k[X,Y],g(X,Y) (X,Y) and d:=g(X,Y)/X + f(X,Y)/Y. A connection is establishedbetween the d-simplicity of the local ring k[X,Y]_(X,Y) and thetranscendency of the solution in tk[[t]] of the algebraic differentialequation g(t,y(t))·(/t)y(t)+f(t,y(t)). This connectionis used to obtain some interesting results in the theory ofthe formal power series and to construct new examples of differentiallysimple rings.