Can nonlinear elasticity explain contact-line roughness at depinning?

We examine whether cubic nonlinearities, allowed by symmetry in the elastic energy of a contact line, may result in a different universality class at depinning. Standard linear elasticity predicts a roughness exponent zeta = 1/3 (one loop), zeta = 0.388 +/- 0.002 (numerics) while experiments give zeta approximately = 0.5. Within functional renormalization group methods we find that a nonlocal Kardar-Parisi-Zhang-type term is generated at depinning and grows under coarse graining. A fixed point with zeta approximately = 0.45 (one loop) is identified, showing that large enough cubic terms increase the roughness. This fixed point is unstable, revealing a rough strong-coupling phase. Experimental study of contact angles theta near pi/2, where cubic terms in the energy vanish, is suggested.     

Influences of anionic and cationic dopants on the morphology and optical properties of PbS nanostructures

Selenium and zinc are used as anionic and cationic dopant elements to dope PbS nanostructures. The undoped and doped PbS nanostructures are grown using a thermal evaporation method. Scanning electron microscopy （SEM） results show similar morphologies for the undoped and doped PbS nanostructures. X-ray diffraction （XRD） patterns of three sets of the nanostructures indicate that these nanostructures each have a PbS structure with a cubic phase. Evidence of dopant incorporation is demonstrated by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy （XPS）. Raman spectra of the synthesized samples con- firm the XRD results and indicate five Raman active modes, which relate to the PbS cubic phase for all the nanostructures. Room temperature photoluminescence （PL） and UV-Vis spectrometers are used to study optical properties of the undoped and doped PbS nanostructures. Optical characterization shows that emission and absorption peaks are in the infrared （IR） region of the electromagnetic spectrum for all PbS nanostructures. In addition, the optical studies of the doped PbS nanos- tructures reveal that the band gap of the Se-doped PbS is smaller, and the band gap of the Zn-doped PbS is bigger than the band gap of the undoped PbS nanostructures.     

Noncontact racK and pinion powered by the lateral Casimir force

The lateral Casimir force is employed to propose a design for a potentially wear-proof rack and pinion with no contact, which can be miniaturized to the nanoscale. The robustness of the design is studied by exploring the relation between the pinion velocity and the rack velocity in the different domains of the parameter space. The effects of friction and added external load are also examined. It is shown that the device can hold up extremely high velocities, unlike what the general perception of the Casimir force as a weak interaction might suggest.     

A New Algorithm for Digital Image Encryption Based on Chaos Theory

In recent decades, image encryption, as one of the significant information security fields, has attracted many researchers and scientists. However, several studies have been performed with different methods, and novel and useful algorithms have been suggested to improve secure image encryption schemes. Nowadays, chaotic methods have been found in diverse fields, such as the design of cryptosystems and image encryption. Chaotic methods-based digital image encryptions are a novel image encryption method. This technique uses random chaos sequences for encrypting images, and it is a highly-secured and fast method for image encryption. Limited accuracy is one of the disadvantages of this technique. This paper researches the chaos sequence and wavelet transform value to find gaps. Thus, a novel technique was proposed for digital image encryption and improved previous algorithms. The technique is run in MATLAB, and a comparison is made in terms of various performance metrics such as the Number of Pixels Change Rate (NPCR), Peak Signal to Noise Ratio (PSNR), Correlation coefficient, and Unified Average Changing Intensity (UACI). The simulation and theoretical analysis indicate the proposed scheme’s effectiveness and show that this technique is a suitable choice for actual image encryption.     

Characterization and field emission properties of ZnMgO nanowires fabricated by thermal evaporation process

In this paper, we investigate the roles of gold catalyst using modified thermal evaporation set-up in the growth process of ZnMgO nanowires. ZnMgO nanowires are fabricated on silicon substrates using different thickness of gold catalyst. A simple horizontal double-tube system along with chemical vapor diffusion of the precursors, based on Fick’s first law, is used to grow the ZnMgO nanowires. Field emission scanning electron microscopy images show that the ZnMgO nanowires are tapered. The optical properties of the ZnMgO nanowires are characterized by room temperature photoluminescence (PL) measurements. The PL studies demonstrate that the ZnMgO nanowires grown using this method have good crystallinity with excellent optical properties and have a larger band-gap in comparison to the pure ZnO nanowires. Field emission characterization shows that the turn-on field for the nanowires grown on the thinner gold film is lower than those grown on the thicker gold film.     

Application of irradiance transport equation in aspheric surface testing

A method for aspheric surface testing (AST) is presented in this paper. The method fundamentally draws on solving the irradiance transport equation (ITE). It is shown by simulation that the accuracy of ITE solution depends on proper selection of defocus distance and also demonstrate that the best defocus distance depends on peak to valley and spatial extend of phase distribution.     

Ablation efficiency of α-Al2O3 in liquid phase and ambient air by nanosecond laser irradiation

Ablation efficiency and influences of laser parameters on a material removal rate by a nanosecond laser irradiation of α-Al₂O₃ are studied in gas and liquid phases. The laser ablation in the air yields maximum material removal rate of 12 ng/pulse using a 4.6-mJ pulse energy at 4-kHz repetition rate, compared to 88 ng/pulse in the water flow. Using a specific interpulse distance and a laser repetition rate further increase material removal rate by factor of 3 and 65, respectively, owing to an optimized lattice temperature and laser pulse interactions with the generated cavitation bubble. For the ablation in the air, these parameters do not significantly affect the ablation efficiency.     

Hedging of defaultable claims in a structural model using a locally risk-minimizing approach

In the context of a locally risk-minimizing approach, the problem of hedging defaultable claims and their Föllmer–Schweizer decompositions are discussed in a structural model. This is done when the underlying process is a finite variation Lévy process and the claims pay a predetermined payout at maturity, contingent on no prior default. More precisely, in this particular framework, the locally risk-minimizing approach is carried out when the underlying process has jumps, the derivative is linked to a default event, and the probability measure is not necessarily risk-neutral.     

Synthese Rapide du 2-Desoxy-2-C-Methyl-D-Glucose a Partir du Levoglucosane

Abstract

2-Deoxy-2-C-methyl-D-glucose (11) was prepared from levoglucosan (4) as an analogue of 2-deoxy-D-glucose (1) in study of the metabolism of glucose in brain.     

Synthesis,Characterization, and Antimicrobial Evaluation of Sulfonamides Containing N-Acyl Moieties Catalyzed by Bismuth(III) Salts Under Both Solvent and Solvent-Free Conditions

Efficient N-acylation of sulfonamides with both readily available carboxylic acid chlorides and anhydrides has been carried out with catalysis by bismuth(III) salts including BiCl₃ and Bi (OTf)₃. The reactions proceed rapidly in both heterogeneous and solvent-free conditions and afforded the corresponding N-acylsulfonamides in good to excellent yields. The mild reaction conditions and low toxicity of bismuth salts make this procedure attractive and in close agreement with the goals of green chemistry. Some of the synthesized compounds were evaluated in vitro as antimicrobial agents against representative strains of Gram-positive (Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25922, clinical strains of Staphylococcus aureus VISA and Enterococcus spp.) and Gram-negative bacteria (Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 27853, clinical strains of Klebsiella pneumonia and Escherichia coli) and as antifungal agents against Candida albicans (clinically isolated) by both disc diffusion and minimal inhibition concentration (MIC) methods. All these bacteria and fungi studied were screened against some antibiotics to compare with our chemicals' zone diameters.