Structure of 2-Methyl-5,6,7-triphenyl-6,7-dihydropyrazolo[2,3-\u3cem\u3ea\u3c/em\u3e]pyrimidine

C25H21N3, Mr = 363.46, monoclinic, P21/n, a = 9.245 (2), b = 23.502 (5), c = 9.340 (2) Å, β= 103.50(3)°, V=1973.3(2) Å3, Z=4, Dx= 1.220 (2) g cm-3, λ (Mo Kα )= 0.71069 Å, μ = 0.068 cm-1, F(000) = 768, T= 292 K, R = 0.091 for 1442 unique observed reflections. The dihydropyrimidine ring adopts a distorted sofa conformation. The aryl substituents on the saturated C atoms have an axial orientation

A simple beam combination for stellar interferometry

In stellar interferometry, image quality improves significantly with the inclusion of more telescopes and the use of phase closure. We demonstrate, using first coherent and then partially coherent white light, a compact and efficient pair-wise combination of twelve or more beams. The input beams are lined up and spread through a cylindrical lens into a comb of parallel ellipses, which interferes with a perpendicular copy of itself to form a matrix of interferograms between all pairs. The diagonal elements show interference of each beam with itself, for in-tensity calibration. The measured white-light visibilities were high and stable

Comparison of α-glucosyl hesperidin of citrus fruits and epigallocatechin gallate of green tea on the Loss of Rotavirus Infectivity in Cell Culture

A number of secondary plant metabolites (e.g., flavonoids) possess antiviral/antimicrobial activity. Most flavonoids, however, are difficult to study, as they are immiscible in water-based systems. The relatively new semisynthetic α-glucosyl hesperitin (GH), and the natural plant product epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) are unique among most flavonoids, as these flavonoids are highly soluble. The antiviral activity of these plant metabolites were investigated using the rotavirus as a model enteric virus system. Direct loss of virus structural integrity in cell-free suspension and titration of amplified RTV in host cell cultures was measured by a quantitative enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (qEIA). After 30 min. 100 × 103 μg/ml GH reduced RTV antigen levels by ca. 90%. The same compound reduced infectivity (replication in cell culture) by a similar order of magnitude 3 to 4 days post inoculation. After 3 days in culture, EGCG concentrations of 80, 160, and 320 μg/ml reduced RTV infectivity titer levels to ca. 50, 20, and 15% of the control, respectively. Loss of RTV infectivity titers occurred following viral treatment by parallel testing of both GH and EGCG, with the latter, markedly more effective. Cytotoxicity testing showed no adverse effects by the phenolic concentrations used in this study. The unique chemical structure of each flavonoid rather than each phenolic’s inherent solubility may be ascribed to those marked differences between each molecule’s antiviral (anti-RTV) effects. The solubility of EGCG and GH obviated our need to use potentially confounding or obfuscating carrier molecules (e.g., methanol, ethanol, DMSO) denoting our use of a pure system environ. Our work further denotes the need to address the unique chemical nature of secondary plant metabolites before any broad generalizations in flavonoid (antiviral) activity may be proposed

Observation of Macroscopic Structural Fluctuations in bcc Solid 4He

We report neutron diffraction studies of low density bcc and hcp solid 4He. In the bcc phase, we observed a continuous dynamical behaviour involving macroscopic structural changes of the solid. The dynamical behaviour takes place in a cell full of solid, and therefore represents a solidsolid transformation. The structural changes are consistent with a gradual rotation of macroscopic grains separated by low angle grain boundaries. We suggest that these changes are triggered by random momentary vibrations of the experimental system. An analysis of Laue diffraction patterns indicates that in some cases these structural changes, once initiated by a momentary impulse, seem to proceed at a constant rate over times approaching an hour. The energy associated with these macroscopic changes appears to be on the order of kT. Under similar conditions (temperature and pressure), these effects were absent in the hcp phase.Comment: 14 pages, 6 figure, accepted for PR

Exciton- and Light-induced Current in Molecular Nanojunctions

We consider exciton- and light-induced current in molecular nanojunctions. Using a model comprising a two two-level sites bridge connecting free electron reservoirs we show that the exciton coupling between the sites of the molecular bridge can markedly effect the source-drain current through a molecular junction. In some cases when excited and unexcited states of the sites are coupled differently to the leads, the contribution from electron-hole excitations can exceed the Landauer elastic current and dominate the observed conduction. We have proposed an optical control method using chirped pulses for enhancing charge transfer in unbiased junctions where the bridging molecule is characterized by a strong charge-transfer transition.Comment: 8 pages, 2 figures,submitted to the Canadian J. Phy

Once-Daily Triple Therapy in Patients with COPD: Patient-Reported Symptoms and Quality of Life.

INTRODUCTION: Directly recorded patient experience of symptoms and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) can complement lung function and exacerbation rate data in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) clinical studies. The FULFIL study recorded daily symptoms and activity limitation together with additional patient-reported outcomes of dyspnea and HRQoL, as part of the prespecified analyses. FULFIL co-primary endpoint data have been previously reported. METHODS: FULFIL was a phase III, 24-week, randomized, double-blind, double-dummy, multicenter study comparing once-daily single inhaler triple therapy [fluticasone furoate/umeclidinium/vilanterol (FF/UMEC/VI)] 100 µg/62.5 µg/25 µg with twice-daily inhaled corticosteroid/long-acting β2-agonist therapy [budesonide/formoterol (BUD/FOR)] 400 µg/12 µg in patients with symptomatic COPD at risk of exacerbations. A subset participated for 52 weeks. Patient-reported assessments were: Evaluating Respiratory Symptoms in COPD™ (E-RS: COPD), St George's Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ) for COPD, COPD Assessment Test (CAT), baseline and transitional dyspnea indices (TDI) and daily and global anchor questions for activity limitation. RESULTS: FF/UMEC/VI showed greater reductions from baseline in 4-weekly mean E-RS: COPD total and all subscale scores compared with BUD/FOR; differences were statistically significant (P < 0.05) at each time period. FF/UMEC/VI also demonstrated greater improvements from baseline at weeks 4 and 24 in SGRQ domain scores and TDI focal score compared with BUD/FOR. At weeks 4 and 24, improvements greater than the minimal clinically important difference from baseline were observed in CAT score with FF/UMEC/VI, but not BUD/FOR; differences were statistically significant (P ≤ 0.003). CONCLUSION: These findings demonstrate sustained daily symptom and HRQoL benefits of FF/UMEC/VI versus BUD/FOR. The inclusion of the CAT may provide data that are readily generalizable to everyday clinical practice. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov number: NCT02345161. FUNDING: GSK

Eliminating Anchor Loss In Optomechanical Resonators Using Elastic Wave Interference

Optomechanical resonators suffer from the dissipation of mechanical energy through the necessary anchors enabling the suspension of the structure. Here, we show that such structural loss in an optomechanical oscillator can be almost completely eliminated through the destructive interference of elastic waves using dual-disk structures. We also present both analytical and numerical models that predict the observed interference of elastic waves. Our experimental data reveal unstressed silicon nitride (Si3N4) devices with mechanical Q-factors up to 104 at mechanical frequencies of f=102 MHz (fQ=1012) at room temperature. © 2014 AIP Publishing LLC.1055DARPA; Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency; NSF; Defense Advanced Research Projects AgencyGavartin, E., Verlot, P., Kippenberg, T.J., (2012) Nat. Nanotechnol., 7, p. 509. , 10.1038/nnano.2012.97Chan, J., Alegre, T.P.M., Safavi-Naeini, A.H., Hill, J.T., Krause, A., Groeblacher, S., Aspelmeyer, M., Painter, O.J., (2011) Nature, 478, p. 89. , 10.1038/nature10461Verhagen, E., Deleglise, S., Weis, S., Schliesser, A., Kippenberg, T.J., (2012) Nature, 482, p. 63. , 10.1038/nature10787Marquardt, F., Harris, J., Girvin, S., (2006) Phys. Rev. Lett., 96, p. 103901. , 10.1103/PhysRevLett.96.103901Poot, M., Fong, K.Y., Bagheri, M., Pernice, W., Tang, H.X., (2012) Phys. Rev. A, 86, p. 053826. , 10.1103/PhysRevA.86.053826Zhang, M., Wiederhecker, G., Manipatruni, S., Barnard, A., McEuen, P., Lipson, M., (2012) Phys. Rev. Lett., 109, p. 233906. , 10.1103/PhysRevLett.109.233906Tallur, S., Bhave, S.A., (2013) Nano Lett., 13, p. 2760. , 10.1021/nl400980uEkinci, K.L., Roukes, M.L., Nanoelectromechanical systems (2005) Review of Scientific Instruments, 76 (6), pp. 1-12. , DOI 10.1063/1.1927327, 061101Vahala, K.J., (2008) Phys. Rev. A, 78, p. 023832. , 10.1103/PhysRevA.78.023832Photiadis, D.M., Judge, J.A., (2004) Appl. Phys. Lett., 85, p. 482. , 10.1063/1.1773928Lifshitz, R., Phonon-mediated dissipation in micro- and nano-mechanical systems (2002) Physica B: Condensed Matter, 316-317, pp. 397-399. , DOI 10.1016/S0921-4526(02)00524-0, PII S0921452602005240Cole, G.D., Wilson-Rae, I., Werbach, K., Vanner, M.R., Aspelmeyer, M., (2011) Nat. Commun., 2, p. 231. , 10.1038/ncomms1212Lifshitz, R., Roukes, M., (2000) Phys. Rev. B, 61, p. 5600. , 10.1103/PhysRevB.61.5600Arcizet, O., Rivière, R., Schliesser, A., Anetsberger, G., Kippenberg, T.J., (2009) Phys. Rev. A, 80, p. 021803. , 10.1103/PhysRevA.80.021803Anetsberger, G., Rivière, R., Schliesser, A., Arcizet, O., Kippenberg, T.J., (2008) Nat. Photonics, 2, p. 627. , 10.1038/nphoton.2008.199Hsu, F.-C., Hsu, J.-C., Huang, T.-C., Wang, C.-H., Chang, P., (2011) J. Phys. D: Appl. Phys., 44, p. 375101. , 10.1088/0022-3727/44/37/375101Eichenfield, M., Chan, J., Camacho, R.M., Vahala, K.J., Painter, O.J., (2009) Nature, 462, p. 78. , 10.1038/nature08524Verbridge, S.S., Parpia, J.M., Reichenbach, R.B., Bellan, L.M., Craighead, H.G., High quality factor resonance at room temperature with nanostrings under high tensile stress (2006) Journal of Applied Physics, 99 (12), p. 124304. , DOI 10.1063/1.2204829Wiederhecker, G.S., Chen, L., Gondarenko, A., Lipson, M., (2009) Nature, 462, p. 633. , 10.1038/nature08584Rosenberg, J., Lin, Q., Painter, O.J., (2009) Nat. Photonics, 3, p. 478. , 10.1038/nphoton.2009.137Kippenberg, T.J., Vahala, K.J., (2008) Science, 321, p. 1172. , 10.1126/science.1156032Sun, Y., Tohmyoh, H., (2009) J. Sound Vib., 319, p. 392. , 10.1016/j.jsv.2008.06.017Sun, Y., Saka, M., (2010) J. Sound Vib., 329, p. 328. , 10.1016/j.jsv.2009.09.014Yasumura, K.Y., Stowe, T.D., Chow, E.M., Pfafman, T., Kenny, T.W., Stipe, B.C., Rugar, D., Quality factors in micron- and submicron-thick cantilevers (2000) Journal of Microelectromechanical Systems, 9 (1), pp. 117-125. , DOI 10.1109/84.82578

Broadband enhancement of thermal radiation

CAPES - COORDENAÇÃO DE APERFEIÇOAMENTO DE PESSOAL E NÍVEL SUPERIORFAPESP - FUNDAÇÃO DE AMPARO À PESQUISA DO ESTADO DE SÃO PAULOBroadband thermal radiation sources are critical for various applications including spectroscopy and electricity generation. However, due to the difficulty in simultaneously achieving high absorptivity and low thermal mass these sources are inefficient. We show a platform that enables one to obtain enhanced emission by coupling a thermal emitter to an optical cavity. We experimentally demonstrate broadband enhancement of thermal emission between lambda similar to 2 - 4.2 mu m using an inherently poor thermal emitter consisting of tens of nanometers thick SiC film with 10% emissivity (epsilon(S)(iC) similar to 0.1). We measure over twofold enhancement of total emission power over the entire spectral band and threefold enhancement of thermal emission over 3 to 3.4 mu m. Our platform has the potential to enable development of ideal blackbody sources operating at substantially lower heating powers.2712A818A828CAPES - COORDENAÇÃO DE APERFEIÇOAMENTO DE PESSOAL E NÍVEL SUPERIORFAPESP - FUNDAÇÃO DE AMPARO À PESQUISA DO ESTADO DE SÃO PAULOCAPES - COORDENAÇÃO DE APERFEIÇOAMENTO DE PESSOAL E NÍVEL SUPERIORFAPESP - FUNDAÇÃO DE AMPARO À PESQUISA DO ESTADO DE SÃO PAULOSem informaçãoSem informaçãoARPA-E IDEAS program (# DE-AR0000731), support from Brazilian agencies CAPES and FAPESP. Device fabrication & thin-film characterization at Cornell Nano-Scale Facility (NSF, # NNCI-1542081) and Cornell Center for Materials Research (NSF MRSEC, # DMR-1719875)

Perfect imaging: they don't do it with mirrors

Imaging with a spherical mirror in empty space is compared with the case when the mirror is filled with the medium of Maxwell's fish eye. Exact time-dependent solutions of Maxwell's equations show that perfect imaging is not achievable with an electrical ideal mirror on its own, but with Maxwell's fish eye in the regime when it implements a curved geometry for full electromagnetic waves