Corrosion inhibition of carbon steel in hydrochloric acid by cationic arylthiophenes as new eco-friendly inhibitors: Experimental and quantum chemical study

This study describes the adsorption behavior of three arylthiophene derivatives namely: 2-(4-amidino-3-fluorophenyl)-5-[4-methoxy phenyl] thiophene dihydrochloride salt (MA-1217), 2-(4-amidinophenyl)-5-[4-chlorophenyl] thiophene dihydrochloride salt (MA-1316) and 2-(4-amidino-3-fluorophenyl)-5-[4-chlorophenyl]thiophene dihydrochloride salt (MA-1312) at C-steel in 1.0 mol·L^-1 HCl interface using experimental and theoretical studies. Electrochemical and mass loss measurements showed that the inhibition efficiency (IE) of the arylthiophene derivatives increases with increasing concentrations and exhibited maximum efficiency 89% at 21×10^-6 mol·L^-1 (MA-1217) by mass loss method. The investigated arylthiophene derivatives obey the Langmuir adsorption isotherm. From polarization studies the arylthiophene derivatives act as mixed-type inhibitors. Surface analysis were carried out and discussed. The mode of orientation and adsorption of inhibitor molecules on C-steel surface was studied using molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. Quantum chemical parameters as well as the radial distribution function indices and binding energies confirm the experimental results.     

Potential of Silver Nanoparticles in Overcoming the Intrinsic Resistance of Pseudomonas aeruginosa to Secondary Metabolites from Carnivorous Plants

Carnivorous plants are exemplary natural sources of secondary metabolites with biological activity. However, the therapeutic antimicrobial potential of these compounds is limited due to intrinsic resistance of selected bacterial pathogens, among which Pseudomonas aeruginosa represents an extreme example. The objective of the study was to overcome the intrinsic resistance of P. aeruginosa by combining silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) with secondary metabolites from selected carnivorous plant species. We employed the broth microdilution method, the checkerboard titration technique and comprehensive phytochemical analyses to define interactions between nanoparticles and active compounds from carnivorous plants. It has been confirmed that P. aeruginosa is resistant to a broad range of secondary metabolites from carnivorous plants, i.e., naphthoquinones, flavonoids, phenolic acids (MBC = 512 µg mL⁻¹) and only weakly sensitive to their mixtures, i.e., extracts and extracts’ fractions. However, it was shown that the antimicrobial activity of extracts and fractions with a significant level of naphthoquinone (plumbagin) was significantly enhanced by AgNPs. Our studies clearly demonstrated a crucial role of naphthoquinones in AgNPs and extract interaction, as well as depicted the potential of AgNPs to restore the bactericidal activity of naphthoquinones towards P. aeruginosa. Our findings indicate the significant potential of nanoparticles to modulate the activity of selected secondary metabolites and revisit their antimicrobial potential towards human pathogenic bacteria.     

Antisense Oligonucleotide-Based Rescue of Aberrant Splicing Defects Caused by 15 Pathogenic Variants in ABCA4

The discovery of novel intronic variants in the ABCA4 locus has contributed significantly to solving the missing heritability in Stargardt disease (STGD1). The increasing number of variants affecting pre-mRNA splicing makes ABCA4 a suitable candidate for antisense oligonucleotide (AON)-based splicing modulation therapies. In this study, AON-based splicing modulation was assessed for 15 recently described intronic variants (three near-exon and 12 deep-intronic variants). In total, 26 AONs were designed and tested in vitro using a midigene-based splice system. Overall, partial or complete splicing correction was observed for two variants causing exon elongation and all variants causing pseudoexon inclusion. Together, our results confirm the high potential of AONs for the development of future RNA therapies to correct splicing defects causing STGD1.     

一种MMC子模块电容电压波动最小化容值优化方法

模块化多电平变换器MMC(modular multilevel converter)广泛应用于直流配电系统。MMC由多个子模块组成,减小子模块电容可以降低子模块成本,提高变换器功率密度。分析了共模电压、环流和调制比对电容电压波动的影响,利用电容电压波动的解析表达式,通过注入合适幅值和相位的三次共模电压和二、四次环流,选取最优调制比,使目标函数电容电压纹波达到最小化,从而在一定电容电压波动率下使其电容取值达到最小化。采用所提方法可以使子模块电容容值的需求降低至常规方法的22%,变换器功率损耗降低至常规方法的87%,而开关管电流应力与现有方法相比只增加0.5%。RT-LAB实时仿真结果验证了所提理论的正确性和可行性。     

基于H4结构逆变器在不同调制方式下的性能比较

针对传统双极性调制和单极性调制方式在效率、总谐波失真THD(total harmonic distortion)以及电磁干扰等方面的问题,提出上慢下快调制方式和半周期工频半周期高频调制方式2种新控制策略。上慢下快调制方式在较高电压和电流上升率的工况下,对于驱动电路以及主电路中的杂散电感、电容的电磁干扰影响,能够有效抑制。半周期工频半周期高频调制方式在调制波(正弦波)过零点处无SPWM突变,有效改善输出电压过零点振荡的问题。在Matlab/Simulink仿真平台验证了4种调制方式的可行性。最后通过实验研究,结合效率、THD这2个参数进行对比分析,比较4种调制方式的性能,通过实验数据得出所提控制策略较传统调制方式在效率、总谐波含量以及电磁干扰等方面均有改善,证明了所提控制策略的可行性与有效性。     

与低计算复杂度解映射相结合的16APSK星座优化

提出一种在新的简化的解映射方法下,以星座图上所有信号点距离解映射门限的最小距离的最大化为目标函数的星座图优化方法。仿真比较了在优化设计的星座映射下,传统的解映射算法和所提出的解映射的误码性能。仿真结果表明,所提出的星座图优化设计方法在简化的解映射方法下具有良好的性能;简化的解映射算法在大大降低计算复杂度的情况下,在误比特率为10-4时,SNR损失了约1 d B。     

高灵敏度弱磁传感器研究

磁传感器在生物医学、资源探测和航空航天等领域有巨大的应用价值,基于原子自旋的弱磁传感器拥有目前最高的磁场测量灵敏度。但通常的方案采用射频场调制或远离共振的激光检测,前者增加了磁力仪的线宽,而后者对激光频率的锁定带来了困难。为了解决以上问题,提出了一种基于激光强度调制和圆二向色性检测的原子弱磁传感器方案,详细描述了其工作原理和系统构成,并对原子弱磁传感器的性能进行了测试。实验结果表明:原子弱磁传感器的磁共振线宽为22 Hz,在对恒定磁场进行30 min连续测量时,峰峰值抖动小于9 pT,灵敏度达到了0.12 pT/Hz1/2。     

表面等离子体共振传感检测方法研究

为了找到表面等离子体共振(SPR)检测物体的最佳方法,基于SPR,通过Matlab进行了一系列仿真。对检测物质的可行性进行了讨论,得出SPR能在一定范围内检测物质。对影响SPR现象的因素进行了仿真,得出达到最佳共振效果的参数值。分别对角度调制和波长调制方法进行仿真比较,分析了二者检测不同折射率样品的可行性和特点,选择出了较佳的检测方法。结果得出:达到最佳共振效果的参数值是金膜厚度为45 nm,入射光波长为632.8 nm,棱镜折射率根据实验条件和样品综合选定。角度和波长调制均能较好地检测不同折射率的样品,角度调制检测分辨率低于波长调制。     

偏振调制微波光子信号处理

微波光子信号处理具有带宽大、调谐性好、对电磁干扰不敏感、易于实现并行系统等优点,在过去数十年中受到了学术界的重视。相比于传统的电光相位调制和电光强度调制,偏振调制将待调制信息转换到光的一个二维参量（偏振）上,从而在实现信号处理时可提供更多的自由度和灵活性。在偏振调制器后连接一个检偏器,通过调节检偏器的检偏角去掉偏振调制的一个维度,即可实现相位调制和强度调制,因而任何基于相位调制和强度调制的微波光子信号处理都能基于偏振调制实现。同时,将偏振调制器的输出分成多路,每一个支路上都插入一个检偏器,则基于一个偏振调制器就可同时实现多个调制方式,从而进一步实现并行信号处理或多功能一体信号处理。此外基于单边带偏振调制,可利用非常简单的装置实现幅相无耦合的微波移相器,进而实现相位编码、复抽头系数滤波器、光控相控阵等信号产生或处理功能。本文建立了偏振调制的基本数学模型,并对基于偏振调制的多种微波光子信号处理功能进行了原理分析。     

Surface characterization of cross-linked elastomers by shear modulation force microscopy

Brominated poly(isobutylene-co-4-methylstyrene) (BIMS) is a synthetic terpolymer which can be stoichiometrically cross-linked by N,N′-dicinnamylidene-1,6-hexanediamine (DIAK). The degree of cross-links on bulk samples was determined by measuring the low frequency shear modulus with parallel plate method. The surface modulus of the same samples was measured using a new method, shear modulation force microscopy (SMFM). The moduli of the bulk sample and the surface were found to have the same scaling with the cross-link density, and good agreement with rubber elasticity theory was obtained in both cases. The SMFM was then used to monitor the cross-linking process, as a function of DIAK concentration and curing time, in thin films where standard rheological methods cannot be applied. The results show that in all cases the cross-linking reaction at the surface reaches saturation in less than 10 min as compared to at least 1 h in the bulk samples.