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In this article, we deal with the nonlocal elliptic problems of the Kirchhoff type involving the Hardy potential and critical nonlinearity on a bounded domain in R 3 . Under an appropriate condition on the nonhomogeneous term and using variational methods, we obtain two distinct solutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In spectral diffuse solar irradiance measurements, when diffusing devices used are neither perfectly Lambertian nor have an ideal cosine response, significant errors may spoil the collected data. An optical method permits the determination of a spectral correction factor (SCF) which fully compensates for the diffusers' imperfection when the sky radiance is isotropic. A study of the errors introduced when using such a isotropic SCF in anisotropic radiance conditions is presented for two common flat-plate diffusers fitted with a shadow-ring or a tracking disk. The wavelength band explored is 0.29 - 0.90 [[micro]meter] and the clear sky radiance model used is Kittler's. The relevance of several diffuse irradiance spectra measured on clear sky days with isotropic SCF is analysed by comparison with Brine-Iqbal model spectra and total diffuse measurements. A remarkable coherence is found for small solar zenith angles when using a tracking disk and a diffuser with an isotropic SCF smaller than 1.2.

In this paper, we study a berth allocation problem (BAP) in the automotive transshipment (also called Ro-Ro) terminal of Le Havre seaport. Despite the vast literature on the BAP, very few work deals with automotive transshipment terminals. The main objective of the problem we consider is to define incoming ships berthing positions in the Ro-Ro terminal, for minimising the total handling time while considering several operational constraints. In particular, we introduce the BAP with car flow crossings. We discuss mathematical models for car flow crossings and present integer programming formulations of the problem with and without car flow crossings. Then, we solve the problem using CPLEX 12.5 and discuss some computational issues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To investigate food and nutrient intakes in 9-month-old infants. Design: Cross-sectional survey, including 24-hour dietary recalls of infants food and nutrient intakes, as reported by parents. Material and methods: 378 infants (9 months old completed, singleton, born at term in the district of Tlemcen, birth weight a 2,500 grams) were randomly recruited at the time of vaccination against measles, from the 9 immunization's centers in the district of Tlemcen, between 29/11/2007 and 14/10/2008, after parents signed consent. Diet was assessed using a structured 24-hour food recall. Data collection and statistical analyses were performed using Nutri-survey 2007 and SPSS statistics 17.0. In the absence of national guidelines, nutrient intakes were compared with dietary recommended nutritional intakes (RNI) or the Dietary Refe-rence Intakes (DRIs). Results: Globally, all mean macronutrient nutrient intakes, met dietary recommended nutritional intakes. However, daily intakes of some micronutrients (folie acid, vitamin A, vitamin C, zinc and especially iron) were below recommendations. Thus, consi-dering a 10% bioavailability level, 38.1 % of the subjeets had iron intakes less than the recommended nutrient intake and 80% lessthan RNI X 0.77. Conclusions: Daily intakes of micronutrients, especially iron, must be improved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present the results of 13C NMR experiments in an organic superconductor with localized Fe spins β′′-(BEDT-TTF)4[(H3O)Fe(C2O4)3]·C6H5Br. We reveal the antiferromagnetic coupling between Fe d spins and π spins, which creates an exchange field antiparallel to the external field direction at the π electrons. In addition to the static effects of Fe spins, we show from the nuclear spin-lattice relaxation rate measurement that the magnetic fluctuations generated by Fe spins are suppressed at low temperatures and high magnetic fields. These conditions are suitable to stabilize the field-induced superconductivity by the field compensation mechanism. After the suppression of Fe-spin dynamics by a magnetic field of 19 T, we observed the underlying π-electron contribution. We discuss a possible anomaly in the π-electron system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multinuclear (di/tri) copper(II) complexes bridged through hydroxyl groups are very interesting coordination complexes owing to their potential applications in various fields. In this work, three novel dinuclear (μ-hydroxo)-bridged copper(II) complexes in the crystal form, namely, [Cu 2 (3,5-DIFLB) 2 (H 2 tea ) 2 ](H 2 O) (1), [Cu 2 (4-ClB) 2 (H 2 tea ) 2 ](H 2 O) (2), and [Cu 2 (4-ETHB) 2 (H 2 tea ) 2 ](H 2 O) 2 (3) (where DIFLB = difluorobenzoate, CLB = chlorobenzoate, ETHB = ethoxybenzoate, and H 3 tea = triethanolamine), were isolated at room temperature using methanol and water in a 4 : 1 v/v ratio as a solvent. Furthermore, all three complexes (1-3) were characterised using spectroscopic (UV-vis, DRS, and FT-IR), electrochemical (CV) and single-crystal X-ray diffraction techniques. Structural insights gained by packing analysis revealed the role of steric constraints of substituents and various non-covalent interactions in lattice stabilization, which were indeed supported by theoretical and molecular electrostatic potential illustrations. Hirshfeld surface analysis provided quantitative verification about various non-covalent interactions (interatomic contacts) involved in the packing of molecules. Interestingly, as a potential application, complexes 1-3 all exhibited remarkable visible light-mediated photo-Fenton degradation of approximately 98% for 50 ppm concentration of organic dyes (fuchsin basic (FB) and methyl orange (MO)) in 90 minutes with the optimized conditions of 1 mg mL -1 of dye solution. In all the cases, dye degradation by these materials was ascribed to the symbiotic relations among the molecular structures of complexes 1-3, which were endowed with various electron-withdrawing and electron-releasing substituents and ionic strength, with respect to the structure, shape and interacting patterns of dye molecules. The adsorption mechanism indicates that various weak interactions between the donor and acceptor groups of complexes and dyes, such as electrostatic, hydrogen bonding, and direct coordination to metal sites, play a crucial role, which is confirmed by molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. Theoretical studies by DFT-based descriptors, molecular electrostatic potentials, and band gaps provided deep insights into various electronic and reactivity parameters. For subsequent processes of dye degradation, complexes 1-3 were stable and recoverable. The successful integration of experimental and theoretical approaches sheds light on copper-based dinuclear stable coordination complexes, showcasing a significant step towards the development of novel heterogeneous photo-Fenton catalysts.

We have prepared and characterized three coordination polymers formulated as [Dy 2 (C 6 O 4 Cl 2 ) 3 (fma) 6 ] ⋅ 4.5fma (1) and [Dy 2 (C 6 O 4 X 2 ) 3 (fma) 6 ] ⋅ 4fma ⋅ 2H 2 O with X=Br (2) and Cl (3), where fma=formamide and C 6 O 4 X 2 2- =3,6-disubstituted-2,5-dihydroxy-1,4-benzoquinone dianion with X=Cl (chloranilato) and Br (bromanilato). Compounds 1 and 3 are solvates obtained with slow and fast precipitation methods, respectively. Compounds 2 and 3 are isostructural and only differ in the X group of the anilato ligand. The three compounds present (6,3)-gon two-dimensional hexagonal honey-comb structures. Magnetic measurements indicate that the three compounds show slow relaxation of the magnetization at low temperatures when a continuous magnetic field is applied, although with different relaxation times and energy barriers depending on X and the crystallisation molecules. Compounds 1-3 represent the first examples of anilato-based lattices with formamide and field-induced slow relaxation of the magnetization., (© 2024 The Authors. Chemistry - A European Journal published by Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are neurodevelopmental conditions characterised by deficits in social communication and interaction and repetitive behaviours. Maternal immune activation (MIA) during the mid-pregnancy is a known risk factor for ASD. Although reported in 15% of affected individuals, little is known about the specificity of their clinical profiles. Adaptive skills represent a holistic approach to a person's competencies and reflect specifically in ASD, their strengths and difficulties. In this study, we hypothesised that ASD individual with a history of MIA (MIA + ) could be more severely socio-adaptively impaired than those without MIA during pregnancy (MIA - ). To answer this question, we considered two independent cohorts of individuals with ASD (PARIS study and FACE ASD) screened for pregnancy history, and used supervised and unsupervised machine learning algorithms. We included 295 mother-child dyads with 14% of them with MIA + . We found that ASD-MIA + individuals displayed more severe maladaptive behaviors, specifically in their socialization abilities. MIA + directly influenced individual's socio-adaptive skills, independent of other covariates, including ASD severity. Interestingly, MIA + affect persistently the socio-adaptive behavioral trajectories of individuals with ASD. The current study has a retrospective design with possible recall bias regarding the MIA event and, even if pooled from two cohorts, has a relatively small population. In addition, we were limited by the number of covariables available potentially impacted socio-adaptive behaviors. Larger prospective study with additional dimensions related to ASD is needed to confirm our results. Specific pathophysiological pathways may explain these clinical peculiarities of ASD- MIA + individuals, and may open the way to new perspectives in deciphering the phenotypic complexity of ASD and for the development of specific immunomodulatory strategies., (© 2023. Springer Nature Limited.)

We exploit the high versatility of the solvent ethylene glycol (eg = CH 2 OH-CH 2 OH) acting as a ligand with three different coordination modes: terminal (κ O ), chelate (κ 2 O,O' ), and bridge (1κ O ,2κ O' ) to prepare a novel family of six different coordination polymers with Dy III and three different anilato ligands (3,6-disubstituted-2,5-dihydroxy-1,4-benzoquinone dianion = C 6 O 4 X 2 2- , with X = H, Cl, and Br). With the X = H derivative (dhbq 2- ), we have prepared [Dy 2 (dhbq) 3 (eg) 2 (μ-eg)]·4eg·2H 2 O ( 1 ), a 3D diamond-like network with a chelate and bridging eg molecules. With the X = Cl derivative (chloranilato), we have prepared [Dy 2 (C 6 O 4 Cl 2 ) 3 (eg) 4 ]·2eg·H 2 O ( 2 ) and [Dy 2 (C 6 O 4 Cl 2 ) 3 (μ-eg)(H 2 O) 4 ]·2eg·7H 2 O ( 3 ). Compound 2 has a 2D (6,3)-gon brick-wall lattice and contains a chelate and a terminal eg molecule. Compound 3 has a 3D diamond-like topology as 1 , although now the chelate eg has been replaced by two water molecules. Finally, with the X = Br derivative (bromanilato), we have obtained [Dy 2 (C 6 O 4 Br 2 ) 3 (eg) 2 (CH 3 OH) 2 ]·2eg·4CH 3 OH ( 4 ), [Dy 2 (C 6 O 4 Br 2 ) 3 (eg) 4 ]·4eg ( 5 ), and [Dy 2 (C 6 O 4 Br 2 ) 3 (eg) 3 (H 2 O)]·2eg·H 2 O ( 6 ). Compound 4 has a 2D (6,3)-gon herringbone topology and contains a chelate eg and a MeOH molecule. Compounds 5 and 6 have a 2D (6,3)-gon brick-wall topology with a chelate and a terminal eg molecules (in 5 and in one of the two independent Dy centers of 6 ). The other Dy center in 6 has a chelate eg and a water molecule. All the compounds show slow relaxation of the magnetization at low temperatures (in compounds 1 , 2 , and 5 with no applied DC field). The magnetization of compounds 1 - 6 relaxes through Orbach and direct mechanisms when a DC field is applied and through an Orbach and/or quantum tunneling mechanism when no DC field is applied., Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing financial interest., (© 2023 American Chemical Society.)

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a very heterogeneous disorder. Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) comorbidity, frequent in ASD, could be useful to define a specific ASD subtype. Our objective was to explore if adults with ASD and comorbid OCD could present a specific clinical profile of ASD in 89 high functioning-adult ASD patients. We found that adults with ASD and comorbid OCD showed a lower verbal IQ and a more severe impairments in social cognition. ASD with comorbid OCD present a specific clinical profile which could constitute a possible subtype of ASD., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The synthesis, characterization, crystal structure and detailed magnetic properties of a pyrazine (pyz) and azido (N 3 ) bridged cobalt(II) compound of formula [Co(N 3 ) 2 (pyz)] (1) are reported. Compound 1 shows a layered structure formed by Co(II) chains with double μ-N 3 (κN 1 ,N 1 ) bridges that are further connected by μ-(pyrazine-κN 1 ,N 4 ) bridges. The layers present weak van der Waals interactions between azido terminal groups. The magnetic properties show the presence of a metamagnetic behaviour in 1 with two critical fields of 200 and 400 mT at low temperatures. AC magnetic measurements show the presence of a long-range 2D ferromagnetic order at T c ≈ 8.0-7.0 K for dc fields above 200 mT and a long-range 3D ferromagnetic order at T c ≈ 4.5 K for dc fields above 400 mT.

Background: Vitamin C (ascorbic acid, AscH2) has been shown to enhance immunity. Here, we studied its immunomodulatory effect on human endothelial cells (ECs) during S. aureus infection., Materials and Methods: The ex vivo effects of AscH2 were performed on primary human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) infected or not with S. aureus., Results: AscH2 treatment induced a marked downregulation of nitric oxide (NO) production and a moderate upregulation of arginase activity in S. aureus-infected HUVECs (respectively, p < 0.05 and p > 0.05). Although the upregulated release levels of soluble intercellular adhesion molecular 1 (sICAM-1/sCD54) and sE-selectin (sCD62E) molecules were not significantly different between treated and untreated S. aureus-infected HUVECs, AscH2 treatment induced reversing effect on sICAM-1 release when comparing to uninfected control HUVECs. Moreover, AscH2 treatment appears to have a significant effect on preventing HUVEC necrosis induced by S. aureus infection (p < 0.05). Furthermore, AscH2 treatment induced a significant upregulation of cell protective redox biomarker in S. aureus-infected, as shown by superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity (p < 0.05), but not by catalase activity (p > 0.05). Additionally, S. aureus infection markedly downregulated total bound calcium ions ( b Ca 2+ ) levels as compared to control HUVECs, whereas, AscH2 treatment induced a slight upregulation of b Ca 2+ levels in infected HUVECs as compared to infected and untreated HUVECs (p > 0.05). On the other hand, AscH2 treatment downregulated increased total cellular cholesterol content ( tcc CHOL) levels in HUVECs induced by S. aureus infection (p < 0.05). In addition, AscH2 treatment markedly reversed S. aureus effect on upregulation of intracellular glucose ( i GLU) levels within infected HUVECs (p < 0.05). Moreover, AscH2 treatment significantly downregulated S. aureus growth (p < 0.05), and significantly upregulated bacterial internalization and intracellular killing by HUVECs (p < 0.05), as well as their cell cycle activation (p < 0.01). Finally, AscH2 treatment has a slight effect on the production of interleukin 6 (IL-6), but induced a marked downregulation of that of IL-1β in S. aureus-infected HUVECs (respectively, p > 0.05, and p < 0.05)., Conclusions: Our outcomes demonstrated that, during S. aureus infection, AscH2 treatment promotes human ECs survival and function, as well as prevents inflammatory response exacerbation, while inducing bactericidal activity., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)