Approximation properties for King's type modified q‐Bernstein–Kantorovich operators

In the present research article, we introduce the King's type modification of q‐Bernstein–Kantorovich operators and investigate some approximation properties. We show comparisons and present some illustrative graphics for the convergence of these operators to some function. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Compound A Increases Cell Infiltration in Target Organs of Acute Graft-versus-Host Disease (aGVHD) in a Mouse Model

Systemic steroids are used to treat acute graft-versus-host disease (aGVHD) caused by allogenic bone marrow transplantation (allo-BMT); however, their prolonged use results in complications. Hence, new agents for treating aGVHD are required. Recently, a new compound A (CpdA), with anti-inflammatory activity and reduced side effects compared to steroids, has been identified. Here, we aimed to determine whether CpdA can improve the outcome of aGVHD when administered after transplantation in a mouse model (C57BL/6 in B6D2F1). After conditioning with 9Gy total body irradiation, mice were infused with bone marrow (BM) cells and splenocytes from either syngeneic (B6D2F1) or allogeneic (C57BL/6) donors. The animals were subsequently treated (3 days/week) with 7.5 mg/kg CpdA from day +15 to day +28; the controls received 0.9% NaCl. Thereafter, the incidence and severity of aGVHD in aGVHD target organs were analyzed. Survival and clinical scores did not differ significantly; however, CpdA-treated animals showed high cell infiltration in the target organs. In bulk mixed lymphocyte reactions, CpdA treatment reduced the cell proliferation and expression of inflammatory cytokines and chemokines compared to controls, whereas levels of TNF, IL-23, chemokines, and chemokine receptors increased. CpdA significantly reduced proliferation in vitro but increased T cell infiltration in target organs.     

Amperometric proton selective sensors utilizing ion transfer reactions across a microhole liquid/gel interface

A new cost-effective amperometric proton selective sensor utilizing a single microhole interface between two immiscible electrolyte solutions (ITIES) is developed. The sensing methodology is based on measuring currents associated with proton transfer across the interface assisted by a proton selective ionophore. The ellipse shaped micro-interface was first fabricated by simple mechanical punching with a sharp needle on a thin PVC film (12 μm thick) commercially available as a food wrapping material. The microhole was then filled up with a gellified polyvinylchloride (PVC)-2-nitrophenyloctylether (NPOE) to create a single microhole liquid/liquid interface. Direct ion transfer reactions across the polarized interface serving as ion sensing platforms were studied using cyclic voltammetry. In order to enhance the selectivity of proton sensing, a proton selective ionophore, octadecyl isonicotinate (ETH1778), was incorporated into the organic gel layer and their electrochemical sensing characteristics were investigated using cyclic voltammetry and differential pulse stripping voltammetry. As an example, we employed the proton selective sensor for the determination of glucose concentrations. The detection scheme involves two steps: (i) protons are first generated by the oxidation of glucose with glucose oxidase in the aqueous phase; and (ii) the current associated with the proton transfer across the interface is then measured for correlating the concentration of glucose.     

Comment on “Deterministic six states protocol for quantum communication” [Phys. Lett. A 358 (2006) 85]

In [J.S. Shaari, M. Lucamarini, M.R.B. Wahiddin, Phys. Lett. A 358 (2006) 85] the deterministic six states protocol (6DP) for quantum communication has been developed. This protocol is based on three mutually unbiased bases and four encoding operators. Information is transmitted between the users via two qubits from different bases. Three attacks have been studied; namely intercept-resend attack (IRA), double-CNOT attack (2CNOTA) and quantum man-in-the-middle attack. In this Letter, we show that the IRA and 2CNOTA are not properly addressed. For instance, we show that the probability of detecting Eve in the control mode of the IRA is 70% instead of 50% in the previous study. Moreover, in the 2CNOTA, Eve can only obtain 50% of the data not all of it as argued earlier.     

A comparison of electrospray-ionization and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry with nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy for the characterization of synthetic copolymers

Electrospray ionization (ESI-MS) and matrix assisted laser desorption-ionization (MALDI-MS) were used to determine the composition (monomer ratios) and structure (end group analysis) relative to 1H NMR spectroscopy and theoretical predictions for three different copolymers: poly(butyl acrylate/vinyl acetate) (PBA/PVAc), poly(methyl methacrylate/vinyl acetate) (PMMA/PVAc) and poly(butyl acrylate/methyl methacrylate) (PBA/PMMA). We found that the ESI results were in excellent agreement with 1H NMR spectroscopy for PBA/PVAc and PBA/PMMA copolymers whereas there was more divergence in the case of PMMA/PVAc. In the case of PBA/PMMA copolymers similar distributions of products were observe by ESI-MS and MALDI-MS with the two major products classes differing by their end-groups. One class has hydrogen and dodecylthio end groups while in the other the dodecylthio has been replaced by alpha-cyanoisopropyl from the initiator. The relative abundance of these distributions as a function of copolymer conversion for a series of reaction conditions was investigated by both ESI and MALDI. MALDI results consistently underestimated (relative to ESI) the butylacrylate monomer ratio in PBA/PMMA and the abundance of co-polymer oligomers terminated by a dodecylthio group from the chain transfer agent.     

A new class of efficient one-step contractivity preserving high-order time discretization methods of order 5 to 14

A family of one-step, explicit, contractivity preserving, multi-stage, multi-derivative, Hermite–Birkhoff–Taylor methods of order p =?5,6,…,14, that we denote by CPHBT_RK4(d,s,p), with nonnegative coefficients are constructed by casting s-stage Runge–Kutta methods of order 4 with Taylor methods of order d. The constructed CPHBT_RK4 methods are implemented using efficient variable step control and are compared to other well-known methods on a variety of initial value problems. A selected method: CP 6-stages 9-derivative HBT method of order 12, denoted by CPHBTRK412, has larger region of absolute stability than Dormand–Prince DP(8,7)13M and Taylor method T(12) of order 12. It is superior to DP(8,7)13M and T(12) methods on the basis the number of steps, CPU time, and maximum global error on several problems often used to test higher-order ODE solvers. Also, we show that the contractivity preserving property of CPHBTRK412is very efficient in suppressing the effect of the propagation of discretization errors and the new method compares positively with explicit 17 stages Runge-Kutta-Nyström pair of order 12 by Sharp et al. on a long-term integration of a standard N-body problem. The selected CPHBTRK412is listed in the Appendix.     

A New LC Method for Determination of Some Aminoglycoside Antibiotics in Dosage Forms and Human Plasma Using 7-Fluoro-4-nitrobenz-2-oxa-1,3-diazole as a Fluorogenic Pre-Column Label

A validated, selective and sensitive pre-column derivatization chromatographic method for determination of some aminoglycoside antibiotics, namely, amikacin (AMK), gentamicin and neomycin sulphates, has been developed. Determination was obtained by pre-column reaction of the samples with 7-fluoro-4-nitrobenz-2-oxa-1,3-diazole and separating the corresponding derivatives on a reversed phase LC column (ultrasphere C₁₈, 250 × 4.6 mm) and fluorescence detection (λ _ex 465 nm, λ _em 531 nm). Linear quantitative response curve was generated over a concentration range of 0.05–10 μg mL⁻¹ with a correlation coefficient of more than 0.999 with all studied compounds. The accuracy and precisions were satisfactory for determination of all drugs in dosage forms within- and between-run assay. Furthermore, the method was extended to the determination of AMK in spiked human plasma. The method is specific for the intact drugs, and can be adopted in the presence of co-formulated drugs.

     

Flow injection ion-exchange preconcentration for the determination of iron(II) with chemiluminescence detection

Summary Flow injection analysis with on-line ion-exchange preconcentration using a mini-column loaded with 8-quinolinol immobilized on controlled-pore glass, is described for the determination of iron(II)-enhanced chemiluminescent oxidation of luminol in alkaline hydrogen peroxide. The detection limit for iron(II) is 10^–13 mol/l (in 3 ml of sample). The operating conditions are optimized, and the effect of interferents is studied. The analysis time was 5 min for each sample, including 2 min for sample loading.