Energy Dependence of String Fragmentation Function and φ Meson Production

The φ meson productions in Au+Au and/or Pb+Pb collisions at AGS, SPS, RHIC, and LHC energies have been studied systematically with a hadron and string cascade model LUCIAE. After considering the energy dependence of the model parameter α in string fragmentation function and adjusting it to the experimental data of charged multiplicity to a certain extent, the model predictions for φ meson yield, rapidity, and transverse mass distributions are compatible with the experimental data at AGS, SPS and RHIC energies. A calculation for Pb+Pb collisions at LHC energy is given as well. The obtained fractional variable in string fragmentation function shows a saturation in energy dependence. It is discussed that the saturation of fractional variable in string fragmentation function might be a qualitative representation of the energy dependence of nuclear transparency.     

Investigation of the electronic structure and the structural stability of selected penicillins by density functional calculations of 14N nuclear quadrupole resonance parameters

A computational study was carried out by density functional theory (DFT) to investigate the relative stability and reactivity in three selected penicillins: penicillin-G, penicillin-V and carbenicillin. The geometry of the investigated molecules was optimized at the B3LYP/6-31G(d) level of theory. Then, the nuclear quadrupole resonance (NQR) parameters of ¹⁴N and ²H nuclei and natural bond orbital (NBO) analysis in these molecules were calculated on the geometrically optimized models at the B3LYP level using 6-311++G(d,p) basis sets in the gas phase. The NBO analysis shows that the occupancy of the LP(N) decreases with increasing p character of the lone pair of nitrogen. A comparison between the results obtained for these penicillins and related 6-APA structures of them indicates that the presence of a bulky side group in the acyl side chain can lead to more stability of the β-lactam ring. On the other hand, NBO analysis was applied to rationalize the ¹⁴N NQR parameters in the charge distribution around nitrogen atoms. Inspection of the present results illustrates that the largest component of EFG tensor (q _zz ), the nuclear quadrupole coupling constant, C _Q, and the NQR frequency values of nitrogens decrease with decreasing occupancy values of LP(N). We suggest that the reason for this trend can be found in increasing contribution of delocalized electrons of nitrogen in the intramolecular interactions and hence stability of these structures increases in the order: PG < PV < CA. Finally, a good relationship is found between most of the calculated ²H NQR parameters and the related intramolecular hydrogen bonds.     

Effect of temperature on the intrinsic viscosity of poly(ethylene glycol)/poly(vinyl pyrrolidone) blends in aqueous solutions

In this work the intrinsic viscosity of poly(ethylene glycol)/poly(vinyl pyrrolidone) blends in aqueous solutions were measured at 283.1–313.1 K. The expansion factor of polymer chain was calculated by use of the intrinsic viscosities data. The thermodynamic parameters of polymer solution (the entropy of dilution parameter, the heat of dilution parameter, theta temperature, polymer–solvent interaction parameter and second osmotic virial coefficient) were evaluated by temperature dependence of polymer chain expansion factor. The obtained thermodynamic parameters indicate that quality of water was decreased for solutions of poly(ethylene oxide), poly(vinyl pyrrolidone) and poly(ethylene oxide)/poly(vinyl pyrrolidone) blends by increasing temperature. Compatibility of poly(ethylene oxide)/poly(vinyl pyrrolidone) blends were explained in terms of difference between experimental and ideal intrinsic viscosity and solvent–polymer interaction parameter. The results indicate that the poly(ethylene glycol)/poly(vinyl pyrrolidone) blends were incompatible.     

Preclinical Studies with 5,10,15-Tris(4-Methylpyridinium)-20-Phenyl-[21H,23H]-Porphine Trichloride for the Photodynamic Treatment of Superficial Mycoses Caused by Trichophyton rubrum

Dermatophytes are fungi that cause infections of keratinized tissues. We have recently demonstrated the susceptibility of the dermatophyte Trichophyton rubrum to photodynamic treatment (PDT) with 5,10,15-Tris(4-methylpyridinium)-20-phenyl-[21 H ,23 H ]-porphine trichloride (Sylsens B) in 5 m m citric acid/sodium citrate buffer (pH 5.2, formulation I). In this work, we examined the penetration of Sylsens B in healthy and with T. rubrum infected skin and we investigated the susceptibility of T. rubrum to PDT using formulation I and UVA-1 radiation (340–550 nm). Skin penetration studies were performed with formulations I and II (Sylsens B in PBS, pH 7.4) applied on dermatomed skin, human stratum corneum (SC), disrupted SC by T. rubrum growth and SC pretreated with a detergent. No penetration was observed in healthy skin. Disruption of SC by preceding fungal growth caused Sylsens B penetration at pH 7.4, but not at pH 5.2. However, chemically damaged SC allowed Sylsens B to penetrate also at pH 5.2. UVA-1 PDT was applied ex vivo during two fungal growth stages of two T. rubrum strains (CBS 304.60 and a clinical isolate). Both strains could be killed by UVA-1 alone (40 J/cm²). Combined with formulation I (1 and 10 μ m Sylsens B for, respectively, CBS 304.60 and the clinical isolate), only 18 J/cm² UVA-1 was required for fungal kill. Therefore, PDT with 10 μ m Sylsens B (formulation I) and 18 J/cm² UVA-1 could be considered as effective and safe. This offers the possibility to perform clinical studies in future.     

Classifying Cubic Semisymmetric Graphs of Order 18 p n

A graph X is said to be G-semisymmetric if it is regular and there exists a subgroup G of A := Aut (X) acting transitively on its edge set but not on its vertex set. In the case of G = A, we call X a semisymmetric graph. Let p be a prime. It was shown by Folkman (J Comb Theory 3:215–232, 1967) that a regular edge-transitive graph of order 2p or 2p ² is necessarily vertex-transitive. The smallest semisymmetric graph is the Folkman graph. In this study, we classify all connected cubic semisymmetric graphs of order 18p ⁿ , where p is a prime and \({n \geq 1}\) .     

A Global Method for Relaxation in W1,p and in SBVp

 An integral representation formula for a class of functionals defined on and in (the space of special functions of bounded variation) is obtained without requiring the regularity conditions usually imposed in the literature. The approach is based on the general results of [10] and on a Poincaré-Wirtinger type inequality introduced by DE GIORGI, CARRIERO & LEACI [25]. Applications to relaxation problems and dimension-reduction problems in brittle thin films are presented. (Accepted May 8, 2002) Published online October 18, 2002 Communicated by L. Ambrosio     

An adaptive-dynamic sliding mode controller for non-minimum phase systems

This paper presents a new algorithm for designing dynamic sliding-mode controllers. The proposed controller is based on dynamic sliding manifolds to circumvent the difficulties associated with the conventional sliding mode controllers in the face of non-minimum phase systems. Unlike previous works, a proper and easy to implement algorithm is presented for designing the dynamic sliding manifold which facilitates the design of the controller. The output tracking problem in nonlinear non-minimum phase systems with matched and unmatched disturbances and matched nonlinearities is addressed. Then, the performance of the dynamic sliding mode controller is significantly improved by combining the given dynamic sliding manifold with online parameter adaptation. Simulations results are presented to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed sliding mode controller in terms of performance, robustness and stability.     

Preparation, structural analysis and dielectric properties of Bi x La1−x FeO3 perovskite

Rare earth element substituted bismuth ferrites (BiFeO₃) are of enormous importance as magnetoelectric materials. The polycrystalline samples of Bi _x La_1−x FeO₃ (x=0, 0.2, 0.4, 0.6, 0.8) were prepared by solid-state reaction using standard ceramic method. The single-phase formation of these compounds was confirmed by X-ray diffraction (XRD) studies. The samples with x=0, 0.2, 0.4, 0.6 are found to be orthorhombic while the sample with x=0.8 is triclinic. The dielectric constant (ε′) and dissipation factor (tan δ) were measured in the frequency range 100 Hz to 1 MHz at room temperature and as a function of temperature at certain fixed frequencies (1 kHz, 10 kHz, 100 kHz, 1 MHz). All the samples showed dielectric dispersion. The dielectric constant with temperature shows a broad peak; the peak temperature shifts with frequency which reflects the relaxor-type behavior. The peak above 600 K in the measured temperature range corresponds to antiferromagnetic ordering temperature (Néel temperature). The broadness of the peak changes with composition. The ac conductivity as well as ε′ are found to be maximum for the sample x=0.2 at room temperature.