Pattern transition and regulation in a subthalamopallidal network under electromagnetic effect

Although the significant roles of magnetic induction and electromagnetic radiation in the neural system have been widely studied, their influence on Parkinson's disease (PD) has yet to be well explored. By virtue of the magnetic flux variable, this paper studies the transition of firing patterns induced by magnetic induction and the regulation effect of external magnetic radiation on the firing activities of the subthalamopallidal network in basal ganglia. We find: (i) The network reproduces five typical waveforms corresponding to the severity of symptoms: weak cluster, episodic, continuous cluster, episodic, and continuous wave. (ii) Magnetic induction is a double-edged sword for the treatment of PD. Although the increase of magnetic coefficient may lead the physiological firing activity to transfer to pathological firing activity, it also can regulate the pathological intensity firing activity with excessive β-band power transferring to the physiological firing pattern with weak β-band power. (iii) External magnetic radiation could inhibit continuous tremulous firing and β-band power of subthalamic nucleus (STN), which means the severity of symptoms weakened. Especially, the bi-parameter plane of the regulation region shows that a short pulse period of magnetic radiation and a medium level of pulse percentage can well regulate pathological oscillation. This work helps to understand the firing activity of the subthalamopallidal network under electromagnetic effect. It may also provide insights into the mechanisms behind the electromagnetic therapy of PD-related firing activity.     

A posteriori error analysis of a quadratic finite volume method for nonlinear elliptic problems

In this article, we construct and analyze a residual-based a posteriori error estimator for a quadratic finite volume method (FVM) for solving nonlinear elliptic partial differential equations with homogeneous Dirichlet boundary conditions. We shall prove that the a posteriori error estimator yields the global upper and local lower bounds for the norm error of the FVM. So that the a posteriori error estimator is equivalent to the true error in a certain sense. Numerical experiments are performed to illustrate the theoretical results.     

Mass distribution and skewness for passive scalar transport in pipes with polygonal and smooth cross sections

We extend our previous results characterizing the loading properties of a diffusing passive scalar advected by a laminar shear flow in ducts and channels to more general cross‐sectional shapes, including regular polygons and smoothed corner ducts originating from deformations of ellipses. For the case of the triangle and localized, cross‐wise uniform initial distributions, short‐time skewness is calculated exactly to be positive, while long‐time asymptotics shows it to be negative. Monte Carlo simulations confirm these predictions, and document the timescale for sign change. The equilateral triangle appears to be the only regular polygon with this property—all others possess positive skewness at all times. Alternatively, closed‐form flow solutions can be constructed for smooth deformations of ellipses, and illustrate how both nonzero short‐time skewness and the possibility of multiple sign switching in time is unrelated to domain corners. Exact conditions relating the median and the skewness to the mean are developed which guarantee when the sign for the skewness implies front (more mass to the right of the mean) or back (more mass to the left of the mean) “loading” properties of the evolving tracer distribution along the pipe. Short‐ and long‐time asymptotics confirm this condition, and Monte Carlo simulations verify this at all times. The simulations are also used to examine the role of corners and boundaries on the distribution for short‐time evolution of point source , as opposed to cross‐wise uniform, initial data.     

Fluid‐structure coupling of linear elastic model with compressible flow models

Cavitation erosion is caused in solids exposed to strong pressure waves developing in an adjacent fluid field. The knowledge of the transient distribution of stresses in the solid is important to understand the cause of damaging by comparisons with breaking points of the material. The modeling of this problem requires the coupling of the models for the fluid and the solid. For this purpose, we use a strategy based on the solution of coupled Riemann problems that has been originally developed for the coupling of 2 fluids. This concept is exemplified for the coupling of a linear elastic structure with an ideal gas. The coupling procedure relies on the solution of a nonlinear equation. Existence and uniqueness of the solution is proven. The coupling conditions are validated by means of quasi‐1D problems for which an explicit solution can be determined. For a more realistic scenario, a 2D application is considered where in a compressible single fluid, a hot gas bubble at low pressure collapses in a cold gas at high pressure near an adjacent structure.     

Modular Synthetic Approach to Carboranyl‒Biomolecules Conjugates

The development of novel, tumor-selective and boron-rich compounds as potential agents for use in boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) represents a very important field in cancer treatment by radiation therapy. Here, we report the design and synthesis of two promising compounds that combine meta-carborane, a water-soluble monosaccharide and a linking unit, namely glycine or ethylenediamine, for facile coupling with various tumor-selective biomolecules bearing a free amino or carboxylic acid group. In this work, coupling experiments with two selected biomolecules, a coumarin derivative and folic acid, were included. The task of every component in this approach was carefully chosen: the carborane moiety supplies ten boron atoms, which is a tenfold increase in boron content compared to the l-boronophenylalanine (l-BPA) presently used in BNCT; the sugar moiety compensates for the hydrophobic character of the carborane; the linking unit, depending on the chosen biomolecule, acts as the connection between the tumor-selective component and the boron-rich moiety; and the respective tumor-selective biomolecule provides the necessary selectivity. This approach makes it possible to develop a modular and feasible strategy for the synthesis of readily obtainable boron-rich agents with optimized properties for potential applications in BNCT.     

A Photoluminescent Ag10Cu6 Cluster Stablized by a PNNP Ligand and Phenylacetylides Selectively and Reversibly Senses Ammonia in Air and Water

A photoluminescent bimetallic cluster [Ag₁₀Cu₆(bdppthi)₂(C≡CPh)₁₂(MeOH)₂(H₂O)](ClO₄)₄ ( 1 , bdppthi=N,N’-bis(diphenylphosphanylmethyl)-tetrahydroimidazole} was synthesized from the PNNP type ligand bdppthi generated in-situ. Upon excitation at 365 nm, 1 exhibited strong phosphorescent emission at 630 nm, which was selectively quenched by NH₃ in air or water. The sensing of NH₃ was rapid and recoverable, with detection limits of 53 ppm (v/v) in N₂ and 21 μmol/L (0.36 ppm, w/w) for NH₃ ⋅ H₂O in water. Cluster 1 could potentially serve as a bifunctional chemical sensor for the efficient detection of ammonia in waste-gas and waste-water.     

介绍一个与材料相关的研究型综合化学实验——壳聚糖的制备与表征

在中国科学技术大学夏季学期的研究型实验课程"化学科研基础训练"中开设"壳聚糖的制备与表征"综合实验,以龙虾壳为原料,通过除蛋白、脱盐、脱色、脱乙酰等一系列反应,制备得到目标产物壳聚糖。运用红外光谱、核磁共振仪、黏度法、滴定等对产品的结构及性能进行表征。     

Modification of Polylactide Nonwovens with Carbon Nanotubes and Ladder Poly(silsesquioxane)

Electrospun nonwovens of poly(L-lactide) (PLLA) modified with multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) and linear ladder-like poly(silsesquioxane) with methoxycarbonyl side groups (LPSQ-COOMe) were obtained. MWCNT and LPSQ-COOMe were added to the polymer solution before the electrospinning. In addition, nonwovens of PLLA grafted to modified MWCNT were electrospun. All modified nonwovens exhibited higher tensile strength than the neat PLA nonwoven. The addition of 10 wt.% of LPSQ-COOMe and 0.1 wt.% of MWCNT to PLLA increased the tensile strength of the nonwovens 2.4 times, improving also the elongation at the maximum stress.