A Convenient access to thienyl‐substituted phthalazines

A synthesis of 1‐alkoxy‐ and 1‐amino‐ substituted 4‐(2‐thienyl)‐phthalazines is described from halo‐derivatives of 4‐(2‐thienyl)‐l‐(2H)‐phthalazinone 3.     

Supramolecular assembled nanogel made of mannan

The supramolecular assembly of amphiphilic mannan, synthesized by the Michael addition of hydrophobic 1-hexadecanethiol to vinyl methacrylated mannan, originates in aqueous medium the formation of a nanogel, stabilized by hydrophobic interactions among alkyl chains. The critical aggregation concentration, calculated by fluorescence spectroscopy ranged between 0.002 and 0.01 mg/mL, depending on the polymer degree of substitution. The cryo-field emission scanning electron microscopy showed spherical macromolecular micelles with diameters between 100 and 500 nm. The dynamic light scattering analysis revealed a polydisperse colloidal system, with mean hydrodynamic diameter between 50 and 140 nm, depending on the polymer degree of substitution. The nanogel is negatively charged, stable over a 6 months storage period, and stable at pH 3-8, salt or urea solutions. Bovine serum albumin and curcumin were spontaneously incorporated in the nanogel, being stabilized by the hydrophobic domains, opening the possibility for future applications as potential delivery systems for therapeutic molecules. In vitro assays were carried out to characterize the biocompatibility of the nanogel. A toxic effect of mannan-C(16) was observed, specific to mouse macrophage-like cell line J774, not affecting mouse embryo fibroblast cell line 3T3 viability.     

Regularization independent analysis of the origin of two loop contributions to N=1 Super Yang–Mills beta function

We present both an ultraviolet and an infrared regularization independent analysis in a symmetry preserving framework for the N=1 Super Yang–Mills beta function to two loop order. We show explicitly that off-shell infrared divergences as well as the overall two loop ultraviolet divergence cancel out, whilst the beta function receives contributions of infrared modes.     

Temperature Dependence of the Electrical Properties of Na2Ti3O7/Na2Ti6O13/POMA Composites

The temperature dependence of the electrical properties of composites formed by biphasic sodium titanate and poly(o-methoxyaniline) (Na₂Ti₃O₇/Na₂Ti₆O₁₃/POMA) with different concentrations of POMA (0%, 1%, 10%, 15%, 35% and 50%) in the ceramic matrix was determined from measurements of complex impedance. The structural details were studied by means of X-ray diffraction, confirming the formation of the Na₂Ti₃O₇/Na₂Ti₆O₁₃/POMA composites. The displacement of the (200) reflection from 2θ = 10.45° to 11.15° in the composites with 10 and 15% of POMA suggested the partial replacement of H⁺ for Na⁺ in the Na₂Ti₃O₇ structure. The thermal properties were investigated by Thermogravimetry and Differential Thermal Analysis. The Thermogravimetry curves of the composites with POMA content of 1, 10 and 15% presented profiles similar to that of pure sodium titanate sample. The composites with 35 and 50% of POMA showed a process at temperatures around 60–70 °C, which was associated with water absorbed by the polymer. The analysis of the complex impedance spectroscopy measurements revealed that the electrical resistivity of the composites in the range from 0 to 35% increased by two orders of magnitude, with different values for each concentration. This positive temperature coefficient of resistivity was less noticeable in the composite with highest POMA mass content (50%). The rapid increase in resistivity caused an increase in the relaxation time calculated from the time domain. The electrical response of the 50% of POMA compound changes in relation to what was observed in the other compounds, which suggests that there is a saturation limit in the increase in resistivity with POMA content.     

Free vibrations of an uncertain energy pumping system

The aim of this paper is to study the energy pumping (the irreversible energy transfer from one structure, linear, to another structure, nonlinear) robustness considering the uncertainties of the parameters of a two DOF mass-spring-damper, composed of two subsystems, coupled by a linear spring: one linear subsystem, the primary structure, and one nonlinear subsystem, the so-called NES (nonlinear energy sink). Three parameters of the system will be considered as uncertain: the nonlinear stiffness and the two dampers. Random variables are associated to the uncertain parameters and probability density functions are constructed for the random variables applying the Maximum Entropy Principle. A sensitivity analysis is then performed, considering different levels of dispersion, and conclusions are obtained about the influence of the uncertain parameters in the robustness of the system.     

15N natural abundance of non-fixing woody species in the Brazilian dry forest (caatinga)

Foliar δ¹⁵N values are useful to calculate N₂ fixation and N losses from ecosystems. However, a definite pattern among vegetation types is not recognised and few data are available for semi-arid areas. We sampled four sites in the Brazilian caatinga, along a water availability gradient. Sites with lower annual rainfall (700 mm) but more uniform distribution (six months) had δ¹⁵N values of 9.4 and 10.1 ‰, among the highest already reported, and significantly greater than those (6.5 and 6.3 ‰) of sites with higher rainfall (800 mm) but less uniform distribution (three months). There were no significant differences at each site among species or between non-fixing legume and non-legume species, in spite of the higher N content of the first group. Therefore, they constitute ideal reference plants in estimations of legume N₂ fixation. The higher values could result from higher losses of ¹⁵N depleted gases or lower losses of enriched ¹⁵N material.     

On the Bose symmetry and the left- and right-chiral anomalies

It is generally assumed that in order to preserve Bose symmetry in the left- (or right-chiral) current it is necessary to equally distribute the chiral anomaly between the vectorial and the axial Ward identities, requiring the use of counterterms to restore consistency. In this work, we show how to calculate the quantum breaking of the left- and right-chiral currents in a way that allows to preserve Bose symmetry independently of the chiral anomaly, using the implicit regularization method.     

Debye analysis applied to multiple reflections and attenuation of electromagnetic plane waves in a stratified sea substratum

Investigation of the wave problem related to multiple reflections and attenuation in marine controlled source electromagnetic is important for geophysical sounding of the sea substratum. An approach towards this goal is to study the scattering of obliquely incident plane waves by a four-layered earth: sea, sea bottom sedimentary rock, hydrocarbon reservoir, and lower sedimentary rock. The approach employs Debye theory in the frequency domain and assumes that each layer is a planar lossy medium. Explicit expressions show that the secondary waves related to the sea substratum layers multireflections carry useful information about their features.