On Descartes’ rule for polynomials with two variations of signs

Lithuanian Mathematical Journal - For sequences of d + 1 signs + and ? beginning with a + and having exactly two variations of sign, we give some sufficient conditions for the (non)existence...     

Stemmosides C and D, two novel unusual pregnane glycosides from Solenostemma argel: structural elucidation and configurational study by a combined NMR-quantum mechanical strategy

Stemmosides C and D, two novel pregnane glycosides characterized by an unusual C-17 side chain were isolated from the pericarps of Solenostemma argel. In addition, stemmoside D displays an uncommon 14β proton configuration, apparently being the first pregnane isolated from plants known to have a 15 keto, cis CD ring junction. Their structures have been established by ESIMS and NMR experiments. The relative configuration of the molecules was determined using a strategy based on the simulation of ¹H, ¹³C, and J coupling NMR parameters. DFT calculations of ¹H and ¹³C chemical shifts, and of the ¹H homonuclear spin–spin coupling constants were performed with the mPW1PW91 functional using the 6-31G(d,p) basis set on the fully optimized geometries of all the possible stereoisomers.     

Separation of fluoride ion by extraction with triphenyltin chloride. Application for NAA of fluorine by means of 14-MeV neutrons

The separation of fluoride by extraction with toluene solution of triphenyltin chloride has been studied. Quantitative isolation of fluoride from solutions with a wide acidity range (pH 4.0–11.5) has been established. It is suggested that interferences by Ca, Mg, Fe, and Al can be avoided by masking these elements using sulfate and hydroxyde ions. Interference by phosphate ions can be overcome in a similar fashion. The halogenated species can be masked by mercury nitrate. Detection limit for fluorine determination is about 3 g for a neutron generator flux of 2·11¹¹ n·cm^–1·s^–1. A method for fluorine assay in water using a neutron generator with a detection limit of 1 ppm has been developed.     

New antiproliferative 14,15-secopregnane glycosides from Solenostemma argel

Eight new 14,15-secopregnane glycosides, namely argelosides C-J, possessing two ketal functions involved in three five-membered rings, have been isolated from the hairy seeds of Solenostemma argel. Their structures have been established by MS and NMR experiments, combined with quantum mechanical calculations of the ¹³C chemical shifts for the interpretation of the experimental data. On the basis of the obtained results, the structures of argelosides A and B have been revised. Additionally, the effect of these compounds on the VEGF-induced in Kaposi's sarcoma cell proliferation was evaluated. Results indicated that all the compounds reduced the cell proliferation in a dose-dependent manner.     

Efficient and green syntheses of novel γ-aminophosphonate and phosphine oxide derivatives

Two synthetic protocols leading to novel γ-aminophosphonate and phosphine oxide derivatives, by reductive amination of γ-phosphonylketones, are reported. The first method involved a two-step procedure. Imine intermediates were first isolated from the p-toluenesulfonic acid-catalyzed reaction of primary amines with γ-ketophosphonates and phosphine oxides, then reduced with NaBH₄ in refluxing ethanol. The second method consists of a one-pot procedure which includes the condensation of γ-ketophosphonates and phosphine oxides with primary amines, in the presence of molecular sieves, followed by reduction with NaBH₄. These methods offer significant advantages over prior reports, such as efficiency, generality, and good yields. Furthermore, they are green protocols avoiding hazardous hydrides and solvents.     

Log-Polynomial Period Functions for Hecke Groups

In this article we shall determine the automorphic integrals of positive and negative integral weight associated with the full modular group and some Hecke groups. This will be done by using the Hecke Correspondence. We will also give a characterization of multiplier systems of real weight for Hecke groups.     

Indecomposable decomposition of tensor products of modules over Drinfeld doubles of Taft algebras

In this paper, we study the tensor product structure of the category of finite dimensional modules over Drinfeld doubles of Taft Hopf algebras. Tensor product decomposition rules for all finite dimensional indecomposable modules are explicitly given.     

Purification and characterization of a new Bacillus thuringiensis bacteriocin active against Listeria monocytogenes, Bacillus cereus and Agrobacterium tumefaciens

This study reports on the identification, characterization and purification of a new bacteriocin, named Bacthuricin F103, from a Bacillus thuringiensis strain BUPM103. Bacthuricin F103 production began in the early exponential phase and reached a maximum in the middle of the same phase. Two chromatographic methods based on high performance liquid chromatography and fast protein liquid chromatography systems were used to purify Bacthuricin F103. Sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis revealed that this bacteriocin had a molecular weight of approximately 11 kDa. It also showed a wide range of thermostability of up to 80 °C for 60 min and a broad spectrum of antimicrobial activity over a pH range of 3.0–10.0. This bacteriocin was noted, and for the first time, to exhibit potent antimicrobial activity against Agrobacterium subsp. strains, the major causal agents of crown gall disease in tomato and vineyard crops, and against several challenging organisms in food, such as Listeria monocytogenes and Bacillus cereus. Complete killing with immediate impact on cells was observed within a short period of time. The sequence obtained for Bacthuricin F103 by direct N-terminal sequencing shared considerable homology with hemolysin. Bacthuricin F103 was noted to act through the depletion of intracellular ions, which suggest that the cell membrane was a possible target to Bacthuricin F103.     

Convergence of Global and Bounded Solutions of Some Nonautonomous Second Order Evolution Equations with Nonlinear Dissipation

In this paper we study the asymptotic behavior of solutions of the following nonautonomous wave equation with nonlinear dissipation.

$\left\{\begin{array}{ll} u_{tt}+\vert u_{t}\vert^{\alpha}u_{t}-\Delta u +f(u)=g(t,x),\quad{\rm in}\,\mathbb{R}_{+}\times\Omega,\\ \qquad\qquad u(t,x)=0,\quad\, {\rm on}\,\mathbb{R}_{+}\times\partial\Omega,\end{array}\right.$

where f is an analytic function, α is a small positive real and g(t, ·) tends to 0 sufficiently fast in L ²(Ω) as t tends to ∞.

We also obtain a general convergence result and the rate of decay of solutions for a class of second order ODE containing as a special case

$\left\{\begin{array}{ll} \ddot{U}(t)+\Vert\dot{U}(t)\Vert^{\alpha}\dot{U}(t)+\nabla F(U(t))=g(t),\quad t \in \mathbb{R}_+,\\ \qquad U(0)=U_{0}\,\in \mathbb{R}^{N},\quad\dot{U}(0)=U_{1}\in \mathbb{R}^{N}. \end{array}\right.$