Local Definitizability of {{T^{[\ast]}T}} and {{TT^{{[\ast]}}}}

The spectral properties of two products AB and BA of possibly unbounded operators A and B in a Banach space are considered. The results are applied in the comparison of local spectral properties of the operators ${T^{[\ast]} T}$ and ${TT^{[\ast]}}$ in a Krein space. It is shown that under the assumption that both operators ${T^{[\ast]} T}$ and ${TT^{[\ast]}}$ have non-empty resolvent sets, the operator ${T^{[\ast]} T}$ is locally definitizable if and only if ${TT^{[\ast]}}$ is. In this context the critical points of both operators are compared.     

The Modulus of Smoothness in Metric Spaces and Related Problems

We define a general variant of the modulus of smoothness in metric spaces and show that under mild condition it is equivalent to the K-functional of a couple of Besov type spaces which in special cases coincide with spaces defined by Korevaar and Schoen. We prove various symmetrization inequalities which involve the modulus, the K-functional and the isoperimetric estimators. We also characterize the Hajłasz-type Sobolev spaces defined not necessarily on doubling measure spaces by means of generalized Poincaré inequalities. This require to study of some variants of the Fefferman–Stein sharp functions as well as the Hardy–Littlewood maximal operators.     

Chemiluminescence determination of fluoroquinolones using Fenton system in the presence of terbium(iii) ions

A simple new chemiluminescent, CL, method is described for the determination of fluoroquinolones such as: ciprofloxacin (CF), norfloxacin (NF), and ofloxacin (OF). This method is based on the measurement of terbium(iii) emission. This emission follows an energy transfer to the uncomplexed terbium(iii) ions from the excited products of fluoroquinolone oxidations. Under optimum conditions, calibration graphs were obtained for 2 × 10(-8)-2 × 10(-6) mol L(-1) of NF; 3 × 10(-8)-2 × 10(-6) mol L(-1) of CF and 4 × 10(-7)-5 × 10(-5) mol L(-1) of OF. The detection limits are 7 × 10(-9) mol L(-1) norfloxacin, 1 × 10(-8) mol L(-1) ciprofloxacin and 1.5 × 10(-7) mol L(-1) ofloxacin. The method was successfully applied to the determination of these drugs in pharmaceutical formulations.     

Application of micro-thin-layer chromatography as a simple fractionation tool for fast screening of raw extracts derived from complex biological, pharmaceutical and environmental samples

The main goal of present paper is to demonstrate the separation and detection capability of micro-TLC technique involving simple one step liquid extraction protocols of complex materials without multi-steps sample pre-purification. In the present studies target components (cyanobacteria pigments, lipids and fullerenes) were isolated from heavy loading complex matrices including spirulina dried cells, birds’ feathers and fatty oils as well as soot samples derived from biomass fuel and fossils-fired home heating systems. In each case isocratic separation protocol involving less that 1 mL of one component or binary mixture mobile phases can be completed within time of 5–8 min. Sensitive detection of components of interest was performed via fluorescence or staining techniques using iodine or phosphomolybdic acid. Described methodology can be applied for fast fractionation or screening of whole range of target substances as well as chemo-taxonomic studies and fingerprinting of complex mixtures, which are present in raw biological or environmental samples.     

Durable antibacterial Ag/polyacrylonitrile (Ag/PAN) hybrid nanofibers prepared by atmospheric plasma treatment and electrospinning

Durable antibacterial Ag/polyacrylonitrile (Ag/PAN) hybrid nanofibers were prepared by atmospheric plasma treatment and electrospinning. Atmospheric helium plasma treatment was first used to reduce the AgNO₃ precursor in pre-electrospinning solutions into metallic silver nanoparticles, followed by electrospinning into continuous and smooth nanofibers with Ag nanoparticles embedded in the matrix. SEM, TEM, and EDX spectra were used to study the structure and surface elemental composition of the nanofibers. Silver nanoparticles, with diameters ranging between 3 and 6 nm, were found to be uniformly dispersed in the nanofiber matrix. The Ag/PAN nanofibers exhibited slow and long-lasting silver ion release, which provided robust antibacterial activity against both Gram-positive Bacillus cereus and Gram-negative Escherichia coli microorganisms.     

Heavy metals adsorption by novel EDTA-modified chitosan-silica hybrid materials

Ionic liquid based microemulsions were characterized by absorption solvatochromic shifts, (1)H NMR and kinetic measurements in order to investigate the properties of the ionic liquid within the restricted geometry provided by microemulsions and the interactions of the ionic liquid with the interface. Experimental results show a significant difference between the interfaces of normal water and the new ionic liquid microemulsions. Absorption solvatochromic shift experiments and kinetic studies on the aminolysis of 4-nitrophenyl laurate by n-decylamine show that the polarity at the interface of the ionic liquid in oil microemulsions (IL/O) is higher than at the interface of water in oil microemulsions (W/O) despite the fact that the polarity of [bmim][BF(4)(-)] is lower than the polarity of water. (1)H NMR experiments showed that an increase in the ionic liquid content of the microemulsion led to an increase in the interaction between [bmim][BF(4)(-)] and TX-100. The reason for the higher polarity of the microemulsions with the ionic liquid can be explained in terms of the incorporation of higher levels of the ionic liquid at the interface of the microemulsions, as compared to water in the traditional systems.     

Properties of β-sitostanol/DPPC monolayers studied with Grazing Incidence X-ray Diffraction (GIXD) and Brewster Angle Microscopy

Although the influence of structurally modified sterols on artificial membranes has been intensively investigated, studies on the properties of stanols, which are saturated analogs of sterols, are very rare. Therefore, we have performed Grazing Incidence X-ray Diffraction (GIXD) experiments aimed at studying in-plane organization of a plant stanol-β-sitostanol monolayer and its mixtures with 1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine - DPPC at the air/water interface. The collected GIXD data, resulting in-plane parameters and BAM images provide information on molecular organization and in-plane ordering of the investigated films. It was found that the lateral organization of β-sitostanol/DPPC monolayers depends on their composition. The oblique structure of the in-plane lattice of tilted hydrophobic region of molecules, found for DPPC film, is maintained at 10 mol% of stanol in the system. However, at 30 and 90 mol% of stanol in the mixture, the arrangement of molecules is hexagonal and they are oriented perpendicularly to the interface. With the addition of stanol the extend of the in-plane order of the monolayers decreases. Moreover, in mixtures the ordered domains consist of both monolayer's components. Additionally, β-sitostanol film is of similar in-plane organization as the corresponding sterol monolayer (β-sitosterol) and stanol induces condensing effect on DPPC.