Terminal Length Research Articles

Synthesis, mesomorphic and geometrical approaches of new non-symmetrical system based on central naphthalene moiety

ABSTRACT New non-symmetrical homologues series based on central naphthalene moiety, (E)-4-(4-(hexyloxy phenyl diazenylnaphthalene-1-yl-4ʹ-alkoxybenzoate (I 6/n), were synthesised and their mesomorphic properties was investigated. The prepared group constitutes four homologues bearing two terminal alkoxy chains of different proportionation. Elemental analyses, FT-IR and NMR spectroscopy were carried out to elucidate their molecular structures. Examination of their mesomorphic properties, were conducted via differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and polarised optical microscopy (POM). DSC and POM investigations indicated that all the synthesised homologues are monomorphic possessing the enantiotropic nematic (N) phase. A comparative study was conducted between the present investigated central naphthalene series (I 6/n) and their corresponding central benzene analogues (II 6/n). The results indicated that, the mesophase type and stability as well as the mesophase temperature are affected by the protrusion of the naphthalene group. Theoretical calculations are in accordance with the experimental values of the investigated series. Moreover, the location of naphthalene group in the centre of the molecular geometry, increases the rigidity of the molecule, thus affects their thermal and physical parameters. The experimentally determined nematic stability was correlated with the calculated parameters and the study reveals that there are many factors sharing together to different extents in the enhancement of the behaviour of the observed nematic phase, depending on the different proportionation of the terminal lengths.

Assessment of morpho-variability between bruchid tolerant AND SUSCEPTIBLE cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L. Walp.) accessions

Cowpea bruchid is a major constraint to cowpea production. Easy identification of resistant/tolerant accessions to bruchid infestation has been a major challenge in bruchid resistant breeding programmes. Hence, the study was aimed to evaluate variations in some morphological characters between some bruchid resistant/tolerant and susceptible cowpea accessions, correlating them with their bruchid tolerance status in the hope of identifying a pointer character(s) that can facilitate easy identification of bruchid tolerant among cowpea germplasm. Sixty accessions were collected and evaluated for bruchid tolerance. Accessions were then grouped into bruchid susceptible and bruchid tolerant. These accessions were planted in Randomized Complete Block Design with ten replicates. Morphological differences between groups were evaluated accordingly. Of the sixty accessions evaluated, fifty-two were susceptible while eight were bruchid tolerant. No qualitative differences were observed between bruchid susceptible and tolerant groups, however significant differences were observed in quantitative characters which include terminal leaflet length, terminal leaflet/width ratio, leaf petiole length, terminal leaflet petiole length (TLPL), leaf petiole length, pod length (PDL), pod width, total number of pods per plant, seed length (SDL), seed width (SDW), seed thickness (SDTK) and 100 seed weight (100SDW). Bruchid tolerance was significantly positively correlated with seed characters which include, SDL (r = 0.798, p < 0.01); SDW (r = 0.798, p < 0.01); SDTK (r = 0.758, p < 0.01);100SDW (0.830, p < 0.01) and significantly negatively correlated with TLPL and PDL (p < 0.05). These characters can provide easy identification of bruchid tolerant among cowpea germplasm, hence requires further investigations.
 Keywords: Cowpea, Vigna unguiculata, Bruchid, Callosobruchus maculatus, Morphology

Liquid Crystals Based on the N-Phenylpyridinium Cation-Mesomorphism and the Effect of the Anion.

Families of symmetric, ionic, tetracatenar mesogens are described based on a rigid, N-phenylpyridinium core, prepared as their triflimide, octyl sulfate and dodecyl sulfate salts for a range of terminal chain lengths. The mesomorphism of the individual series is described before a comparison is drawn between the different families and then more broadly with (i) neutral tetracatenar materials and (ii) related bis(3,4-dialkoxystilbazole)silver(I) salts. For the octyl and dodecyl sulfates and the related triflates reported earlier, a SmA phase is seen at shorter chain lengths, giving way to a Colh phase as the terminal chain lengthens. For the alkyl sulfate salts, an intermediate cubic phase is also seen and the terminal chain length required to cause the change from lamellar to columnar mesophase depends on the anion. Furthermore, there is an unexpected and sometime very large mesophase stabilisation seen on entering the columnar phase. All of the triflimide salts show a rectangular columnar (ribbon) phase.

Supramolecular Nanofibers from Collagen-Mimetic Peptides Bearing Various Aromatic Groups at N-Termini via Hierarchical Self-Assembly.

Self-assembly of artificial peptides has been widely studied for constructing nanostructured materials, with numerous potential applications in the nanobiotechnology field. Herein, we report the synthesis and hierarchical self-assembly of collagen-mimetic peptides (CMPs) bearing various aromatic groups at the N-termini, including 2-naphthyl, 1-naphtyl, anthracenyl, and pyrenyl groups, into nanofibers. The CMPs (R-(GPO)n: n > 4) formed a triple helix structure in water at 4 °C, as confirmed via CD analyses, and their conformations were more stable with increasing hydrophobicity of the terminal aromatic group and peptide chain length. The resulting pre-organized triple helical CMPs showed diverse self-assembly into highly ordered nanofibers, reflecting their slight differences in hydrophobic/hydrophilic balance and configuration of aromatic templates. TEM analysis demonstrated that 2Np-CMPn (n = 6 and 7) and Py-CMP6 provided well-developed natural collagen-like nanofibers and An-CMPn (n = 5–7) self-assembled into rod-like micelle fibers. On the other hand, 2Np-CMP5 and 1Np-CMP6 were unable to form nanofibers under the same conditions. Furthermore, the Py-CMP6 nanofiber was found to encapsulate a guest hydrophobic molecule, Nile red, and exhibited unique emission behavior based on the specific nanostructure. In addition to the ability of CMPs to bind small molecules, their controlled self-assembly enables their versatile utilization in drug delivery and wavelength-conversion nanomaterials.

Paired-end small RNA sequencing reveals a possible overestimation in the isomiR sequence repertoire previously reported from conventional single read data analysis

BackgroundNext generation sequencing has allowed the discovery of miRNA isoforms, termed isomiRs. Some isomiRs are derived from imprecise processing of pre-miRNA precursors, leading to length variants. Additional variability is introduced by non-templated addition of bases at the ends or editing of internal bases, resulting in base differences relative to the template DNA sequence. We hypothesized that some component of the isomiR variation reported so far could be due to systematic technical noise and not real.ResultsWe have developed the XICRA pipeline to analyze small RNA sequencing data at the isomiR level. We exploited its ability to use single or merged reads to compare isomiR results derived from paired-end (PE) reads with those from single reads (SR) to address whether detectable sequence differences relative to canonical miRNAs found in isomiRs are true biological variations or the result of errors in sequencing. We have detected non-negligible systematic differences between SR and PE data which primarily affect putative internally edited isomiRs, and at a much smaller frequency terminal length changing isomiRs. This is relevant for the identification of true isomiRs in small RNA sequencing datasets.ConclusionsWe conclude that potential artifacts derived from sequencing errors and/or data processing could result in an overestimation of abundance and diversity of miRNA isoforms. Efforts in annotating the isomiRnome should take this into account.

First report of Heterodera filipjevi on winter wheat from Hebei Province in North China.

First report of Heterodera filipjevi on winter wheat from Hebei Province in North China.

HIV Care Prioritization Using Phylogenetic Branch Length.

The structure of the HIV transmission networks can be dictated by just a few individuals. Public health intervention, such as ensuring people living with HIV adhere to antiretroviral therapy and remain virally suppressed, can help control the spread of the virus. However, such intervention requires using limited public health resource allocations. Determining which individuals are most at risk of transmitting HIV could allow public health officials to focus their limited resources on these individuals. Molecular epidemiology can help prioritize people living with HIV by patterns of transmission inferred from their sampled viral sequences. Such prioritization has been previously suggested and performed by monitoring cluster growth. In this article, we introduce Prioritization using AnCesTral edge lengths (ProACT), a phylogenetic approach for prioritizing individuals living with HIV. ProACT starts from a phylogeny inferred from sequence data and orders individuals according to their terminal branch length, breaking ties using ancestral branch lengths. We evaluated ProACT on a real data set of 926 HIV-1 subtype B pol data obtained in San Diego between 2005 and 2014 and a simulation data set modeling the same epidemic. Prioritization methods are compared by their ability to predict individuals who transmit most after the prioritization. Across all simulation conditions and most real data sampling conditions, ProACT outperformed monitoring cluster growth for multiple metrics of prioritization efficacy. The simple strategy used by ProACT improves the effectiveness of prioritization compared with state-of-the-art methods that rely on monitoring the growth of transmission clusters defined based on genetic distance.

Genetic relationships between terminal shoot length, number of flushes and height in a 4-year-old progeny test of Pinus brutia Ten.

In this study, genetic variation in polycyclic growth was investigated in a young Pinus brutia Ten. study in Turkey. The number of flushes was partially under additive genetic control and was moderately correlated with the tree height at age 4. Pinus brutia is the most economically important tree species in Turkey. Previous limited studies suggested that its cyclic shoot elongation pattern can be useful for selecting seed sources for breeding and conservation of genetic resources. Understand the degree of genetic control of terminal shoot growth, number of flushes, and total tree height at early ages and assess the genetic relationships between the traits to guide decisions for breeding and gene conservation. Open-pollinated progenies of 188 trees from eight different seed sources were tested in three locations in the Aegean region of Turkey. Variance components, heritability and additive genetic correlations were estimated for tree height, terminal shoot length, and number of flushes. Traits were moderately under genetic control at the family. Terminal shoot length explained 76% of the variation in tree height. A strong genetic correlation (0.96) was found between tree height and terminal shoot length, while the number of flushes had a moderate genetic correlation with height (0.59). Northern seed sources tended to display less height growth, partially due to fewer flushes and lower shoot length. Shoot elongation in the species is partially under additive genetic control and could be useful to select for early height in breeding programs.

Impact of Lysinibacillus macroides, a potential plant growth promoting rhizobacteria on growth, yield and nutritional value of tomato Plant (Solanum lycopersicum L. f1 hybrid Sachriya)

Plant growth promoting bacteria enhance the growth in plants by solubilizing insoluble minerals, producing phytohormones and by secreting enzymes that resist pathogen attack. The present study was aimed at identifying the potential of Lysinibacillus macroides isolated from pea plant possessing rich microbial rhizobiome diversity in promoting the growth of tomato plant (Solanum lycopersicum L). Potential of L. macroides in the promotion of S. lycopersicum L. growth by increased shoot length, terminal leaf length and breadth was assessed. Anatomical sectioning of stem and root revealed no varied cellular pattern indicating that the supplemented bioculture is not toxic to S. lycopersicum. Plantlets treated with L. macroides along with organic compost showed an increased total phenol content (17.58±0.4 mg/g) compared to control samples (12.44±0.41 mg/g). Carbohydrate content was noticed to be around 1.3 folds higher in the L. macroides plus compost mixture supplemented slots compared to control sample. Significant increase in shoot length was evident in the L. macroides plus compost supplied slots (23.4±2.7 cm). Plant growth promoting properties might be due to the nitrogen fixing activity of the bacteria which enrich the soil composition along with the nutrients supplied by the organic compost. Rich microbial rhizobiome diversity in pea plant and the usage of L. macroides from a non-conventional source improves the diversity of the available PGPR for agricultural practices. Further research is needed to detect the mechanism of growth promotion and to explore the plant microbe interaction pathway.

Transplant outcomes using kidneys from high KDPI acute kidney injury donors.

Kidney transplant (KT) outcomes from high kidney donor profile index (KDPI ≥85%) donors with acute kidney injury (AKI) remain underreported. KT from 172 high KDPI Acute Kidney Injury Network (AKIN) stage 0-1 donors and 76 high KDPI AKIN stage 2-3 donors from a single center were retrospectively assessed. The AKIN 2-3 cohort had more delayed graft function (71% vs. 37%, p<.001). At one year, there were no differences in the estimated glomerular filtration rate (44±17 vs. 46±18, p=.42) or fibrosis on protocol biopsy (ci, p=.85). Donor terminal creatinine (p=.59) and length of delayed graft function (p=.39) did not impact one-year eGFR. There were more primary nonfunction (PNF) events in the high KDPI AKIN 2-3 group (5.3% vs. 0.6%, p=.02). With a median follow-up of 3.8years, one-year death-censored graft failure was 3.5% for AKIN 0-1 and 14.5% for AKIN 2-3 (HR 2.40, 95% CI 1.24-4.63, p=.01). Although AKIN stage 2-3 high KDPI kidneys had comparable one-year eGFR to AKIN stage 0-1 high KDPI kidneys, there were more PNF occurrences and one-year death-censored graft survival was reduced. Given these findings, additional precautions should be undertaken when assessing and utilizing kidneys from severe AKI high KDPI donors.

Vascularization of the lateral and medial antebrachial cutaneous nerves by cutaneous perforator arteries: An anatomical study

The forearm is an interesting donor site for non-vascularized nerve grafts, especially hand surgeons. Very few studies have described the use of the lateral and medial antebrachial cutaneous nerves (LABCN and MABCN, respectively) as vascularized nerve grafts (VNGs). The aim of this anatomical study was to analyze the characteristics and vascularization of these nerves to describe new potential donor sites for VNGs. Twelve forearms were dissected from fresh cadavers injected with red latex. The number of terminal branches, lengths, and proximal and distal diameters of both the LABCN and MABCN were studied. An anatomical description of the cutaneous perforator arteries from the radial and ulnar arteries that vascularized the nerve was also recorded: number of perforators, length, type of perforator (septo- or musculocutaneous), and location within the forearm (proximal, middle, and distal third). In over 80% of the specimens, the cutaneous perforator arteries from the radial and ulnar artery vascularized the LABCN and the MABCN, respectively. These arteries, found mostly in the proximal third of the forearm, had diameters >0.5mm. Most of them came from the radial and ulnar arteries (for LABCN and MABCN vascularization, respectively). In over 75% of the specimens, the nutrient arteries of both nerves also vascularized the superficial veins and the skin. We found that these nerves are vascularized by perforators arteries, which also participate in vein and skin vascularization. Altogether, this anatomical study shows that reconstructive surgeons could use new VNGs based on the perforator artery of the forearm.

Comparison of real and simulated lava flows in the Holocene volcanism of Gran Canaria (Canary Islands, Spain) with Q-LavHA: contribution to volcanic hazard management

Lava flow simulations are valuable tools for forecasting and assessing the areas potentially affected by new eruptions, interpreting past volcanic events and understanding the lava flow behaviour's controls. Q-LavHA (v 2.0) plug-in of Mossoux et al. (Mossoux et al., Comput Geosci 97:98–109, 2016) combines and improves existing deterministic (FLOWGO) and probabilistic ("Maximum Length" and "Decreasing Probability") codes which allow calculating the probability of lava flow spatial propagation and terminal length. We investigate the Q-LavHA algorithm's effectiveness in twenty Holocene ʻaʻā lava flows of Gran Canaria (Canary Islands). Pre-eruptive and updated digital elevation models (DEMs) (25 m of resolution) and associated topographic and morphometric parameters have been used as essential input data to simulate the lava flows. Besides, thermo-rheological properties of the studied Holocene lavas have also been provided in the deterministic approach. The probabilistic lava flow maps produced by Q-LavHA and the fitness indexes calculated for assessing the simulated lava flow' accuracy indicate that the probabilistic "Maximum Length" constraint provides the best simulations. By using this method, many of the simulations in Gran Canaria almost overlap the real lava flow entirely even if overestimated areas are, in some cases, relatively high. By contrast, underestimated areas are generally low. The best results are those in which the highest inundation probability is observed within the main channel where the actual lava flow is emplaced, and even if overestimated areas are high, they are associated with low pixel inundation.

A State-Dependent Approximation Method for Estimating Truck Queue Length at Marine Terminals

As international trade and freight volumes increase, there is a growing port congestion problem, leading to the long truck queues at US marine terminal gates. To address this problem, some countermeasures have been proposed and implemented for reducing truck queue length at marine terminals. To assess the effectiveness of these countermeasures, a method for accurately estimating terminal gate truck queue length is needed. This study developed a new method, named the state-dependent approximation method, for estimating the truck queue length at marine terminals. Based on the simulation of the truck queuing system, it was found that it takes several hours for the truck queue length to reach its steady state, and neglecting the queue formation (queue dispersion) processes will cause overestimation (underestimation) of truck queue length. The developed model can take into account the queue formation and dispersion processes, and it can be used to estimate the truck queue length caused by short-term oversaturation at marine terminals. For model evaluation, a simulation-based case study was conducted to evaluate the prediction accuracy of the developed model by comparing its results with the simulated queue lengths and the results of other four existing methods, including the fluid flow model, the M/M/S queuing model, and a simulation-based regression model developed a previous study. The evaluation results indicate that the developed model outperformed the other four modeling methods for different states of queue formation and dispersion processes. In addition, this new method can accurately estimate the truck queue length caused by the short-term system oversaturation during peak hours. Therefore, it will be useful for assessing the effectiveness of the countermeasures that are targeted at reducing the peak-hour congestion at marine terminals.

Experimental Investigation into Driver Behavior along Curved and Parallel Diverging Terminals of Exit Interchange Ramps

Current design manuals provide guidance on how to design exit ramps to facilitate driving operations and minimize the incidence of crashes. They also suggest that interchanges should be built along straight roadway sections. These criteria may prove ineffective in situations where there is no alternative to terminals being located along curved motorway segments. The paper investigates driving behavior along parallel deceleration curved terminals, with attention paid to the difference in impact between terminals having a curvature which is the same sign as the motorway segment (i.e., continue design), and those having an opposite curvature (i.e., reverse design). A driving simulation study was set up to collect longitudinal and transversal driver behavioral data in response to experimental factor variations. Forty-eight drivers were stratified on the basis of age and gender, and asked to drive along three randomly assigned circuits with off-ramps obtained by combining experimental factors such as motorway mainline curve radius (2 values), terminal length (3), curve direction (2), and traffic conditions (2). The motorway radius was found to be significant for drivers’ preferred speed when approaching the terminal. Terminal length and traffic volume do not have a significant impact on either longitudinal or transversal driver outputs. However, the effect of curve direction was found to be significant, notably for reverse terminals which do not compel drivers to select appropriate speeds and lane change positions. This terminal type can give rise to critical driving situations that should be considered at the design stage to facilitate the adoption of appropriate safety countermeasures.

Effect of integrated nutrient management on growth and yield of Yardlong bean (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp. Ssp. Sesquipedalis Verdc.)

The present investigation was carried out during Rabi season of 2018-19 to evaluate the effect of various sources of nutrients including organic, inorganic and biofertilizers on growth and yield of Yardlong bean (Vigna unguiculata ssp. sesquipedalis) cv. Arka Mangala. As regards the Gowth parameters the maximum vine length (2.61m), number of primary branches (7.60), terminal leaf length (16.57 cm), number of nodes per plant (19.37), were reported by application of 75% RDN through inorganic + biofertilizers (Rhizobium + PSB). In respect of yield per hectare and over all yield contributing factors, such as number of cluster per plant (48.30), pods per cluster (3.93), pod length (62.08 cm), pod girth (24.87 cm), pod yield (14.26t/ha) and seeds per pod (15.06) recorded significantly higher in the treatment of 75% RDN through inorganic+25% RDN through vermicompost + biofertilizers (Rhizobium + PSB). Thus growth and yield may be improved by integrated use of organic and inorganic sources of nutrients.

Morphological Characterization of small, dumpy, and long Phenotypes in Caenorhabditis elegans.

The determinant factors of an organism’s size during animal development have been explored from various angles but remain partially understood. In Caenorhabditis elegans, many genes affecting cuticle structure, cell growth, and proliferation have been identified to regulate the worm’s overall morphology, including body size. While various mutations in those genes directly result in changes in the morphological phenotypes, there is still a need for established, clear, and distinct standards to determine the apparent abnormality in a worm’s size and shape. In this study, we measured the body length, body width, terminal bulb length, and head size of mutant worms with reported Dumpy (Dpy), Small (Sma) or Long (Lon) phenotypes by plotting and comparing their respective ratios of various parameters. These results show that the Sma phenotypes are proportionally smaller overall with mild stoutness, and Dpy phenotypes are significantly stouter and have disproportionally small head size. This study provides a standard platform for determining morphological phenotypes designating and annotating mutants that exhibit body shape variations, defining the morphological phenotype of previously unexamined mutants.

Co-ordination between xylem anatomy, plant architecture and leaf functional traits in response to abiotic and biotic drivers in a nurse cushion plant.

Plants in dry Mediterranean mountains experience a double climatic stress: at low elevations, high temperatures coincide with water shortage during summer, while at high elevations temperature decreases and water availability increases. Cushion plants often act as nurses by improving the microclimate underneath their canopies, hosting beneficiary species that may reciprocally modify their benefactors' microenvironment. We assess how the nurse cushion plant Arenaria tetraquetra subsp. amabilis adjusts its hydraulic system to face these complex abiotic and biotic constraints. We evaluated intra-specific variation and co-ordination of stem xylem anatomy, leaf functional traits and plant architecture in response to elevation, aspect and the presence of beneficiary species in four A. tetraquetra subsp. amabilis populations in the Sierra Nevada mountains, southern Spain. Xylem anatomical and plant architectural traits were the most responsive to environmental conditions, showing the highest mutual co-ordination. Cushions were more compact and had smaller, more isolated conductive vessels in the southern than in the northern aspect, which allow minimization of the negative impacts of more intense drought. Only vessel size, leaf mass per area and terminal branch length varied with elevation. Nurse cushions co-ordinated plant architecture and xylem traits, having higher canopy compactness, fewer leaves per branch and fewer, more isolated vessels than non-nurse cushions, which reflects the negative effects of beneficiary plants on nurse water status. In non-nurse cushions, plant architecture co-ordinated with leaf traits instead. The interacting effects of aspect and elevation on xylem traits showed that stress due to frost at high elevation constrained xylem anatomy in the north, whereas stress due to drought had a parallel effect in the south. Trait co-ordination was weaker under more demanding environmental conditions, which agrees with the hypothesis that trait independence allows plants to better optimize different functions, probably entailing higher adjustment potential against future environmental changes.

A quantitative multivariate methodology for unsupervised class identification in pistachio (Pistacia vera L.) plant leaves size

Aim of study: Genetic diversity of pistachio, can be evaluated by using different descriptors, as adopted in international certification systems. Mainly the descriptors are morphological traits as leaf, which represents an important organ for its sensibility to growth conditions during the expansion phase. This study adopted a rapid and quantitative non-hierarchic clustering classification (k-means), to extract size classes basing on the contemporary combination of different morphological traits (i.e., leaf stalk length, terminal leaf length, terminal leaf width and terminal leaf ratio) of a varietal collection composed by 21 pistachio cultivars.Area of study: Worldwide.Material and methods: The unsupervised non-hierarchic clustering technique was adopted to the entire samples of pistachio leaves from k=2 to k=15 for both four morphological variables (i.e., leaf stalk length, terminal leaf length, terminal leaf width and terminal leaf ratio) and three morphological variables (i.e., terminal leaf length, terminal leaf width and terminal leaf ratio).Main results: A classification model only on the three morphological variables (for results of statistical analysis in which the groups resulted to be more separated and different for all the variables), with k= 5 (five groups), was constructed using a non-linear artificial neural network approach. The percentages of bad prediction in both training and testing resulted equal to 0%. The “terminal leaf length” returned the higher impact (44.89%).Research highlights: The contemporary combination of different morphological leaf traits, allowed to create an automatic classification of size classes of great importance for cultivar identification and comparison.

A population-based genomic epidemiological study of the source of tuberculosis infections in an emerging city: Shenzhen, China

BackgroundTuberculosis (TB) in emerging cities is often a disease of recent immigrants, and understanding this epidemiology is crucial for designing effective control and prevention strategies. MethodsWe conducted a retrospective population-based genomic epidemiological study of culture-positive pulmonary TB patients diagnosed between June 2014 and November 2017 in the Bao'an District of Shenzhen, a Chinese city with dramatic recent growth. After whole genome sequencing, transmission clusters were defined as strains differing by no more than 12 SNPs. FindingsOf 1696 culture-positive TB patients, 93•8% (1591/1696) were migrants, with 51•6% (821/1591) employed in housekeeping or unemployed. Of the 1460 migrants with known residence time, 47•7% (697/1460) developed TB within two years after arriving in Bao'an. Only 12•2% (207/1696) of Bao'an isolates were in genomic clusters, indicating that recent transmission was not the primary cause of TB in Bao'an. The isolates’ median terminal branch length was 56 SNPs, more than could have accumulated since the arrival of the migrants in Bao'an. The migrants’ isolates had genotypic distributions similar to those in their home provinces. One strain isolated in Bao'an belonged to a clade circulating in the patient's home province, providing further evidence that the strains were brought to Bao'an with the migrants. InterpretationTB in the Bao'an District is principally caused by reactivation of infections acquired by migrants in their home provinces. Nearly half developed TB within two years after arriving in Bao'an, suggesting a need for increased TB screening of migrants, especially housekeeping workers and the unemployed. FundingSanming Project of Medicine in Shenzhen; National Science and Technology Major Project of China; Natural Science Foundation of China.

Experimental and computational simulations of nematogenic liquid crystals based on cinnamic acid in pure and mixed state

ABSTRACT Homologous series of nematogenic azomethine liquid crystals bearing different terminal alkoxy-chain lengths, 4-(cinnamolyloxy)benzylidene-4ʹ-n-alkoxyanilines (In), were synthesised and investigated via practical and theoretical tools. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and polarised optical microscopy (POM) were used for mesomorphic and optical investigations. While the computational simulations and geometrical parameter estimations were carried out using a DFT approach at B3LYP/6-31 G(d,p) level of theory. The results revealed that all of the investigated compounds showed to exhibit the enantiotropic nematic mesophase. The temperature range of the nematic phase depends on the length of the terminally attached flexible alkoxy chain. Theoretical calculations were conducted and found to confirm the experimental data values of the mesophase stability and its temperature range. Furthermore, the length of the terminal alkoxy chains showed to exhibit remarkable effects on the stability of the mesophase as well as their thermal and physical properties. The mesomorphic and optical properties determined were correlated with the theoretically calculated parameters and the study revealed that many factors in different extents contribute together to manifest the behaviour of the observed nematic phase. The binary phase diagram of two corresponding homologues was constructed and their binary phase thermal properties were discussed in terms of the temperature range of the nematic phase.