A modern approach to the solution and analysis of the Simha-Somcynsky model for the description of pressure-volume-temperature properties of polymer fluids

We revisit the Simha-Somcynsky model of polymer fluids with the purpose of developing novel theoretical and computational approaches to simplify and speed up its solution as well as the fitting of experimental data, and decrease its level of mathematical complexity. We report a novel method that allows us to solve one of the two equations of the model exactly, thus putting the level of mathematical difficulty on a par with the one of other models for polymer fluids. Moreover, we describe a computational algorithm capable of fitting all five parameters of the model in an unbiased way. The results obtained reproduce literature results and fit experimental pressure-volume-temperature and solubility parameter data for three polymers very accurately. Moreover, the new techniques allow for the investigation of the model at very low temperatures. Unexpectedly, the model predicts behaviors that could be interpreted as a glass transition, as routinely observed in dilatometry and differential scanning calorimetry, and a glass phase. We compared the predicted and experimental T g’s for cis poly(1,4-butadiene) and found an excellent quantitative agreement.     

Atmospheric oxidation chemistry of 1–methoxy 2–propyl acetate initiated by OH radicals: kinetics and mechanisms

Kinetics and mechanism of the gas-phase reaction of CH₃C(O)OCH(CH₃)CH₂OCH₃ (MPA) with OH radicals in the presence of O₂ and NO have been investigated theoretically by performing a high and reliable level of theory, viz., CCSD(T)/6-311?+?G(d,p)//BH&HLYP/6-311++G(d,p)?+?0.9335×ZPE. The calculations predict that the H-abstraction from the ?CH₂?O? position of MPA is the most facile channel, which leads to the formation of the corresponding alkoxy radicals CH₃C(O)OCH(CH₃)C(O ?)HOCH₃ under atmospheric conditions. This activated radicals CH₃C(O)OCH(CH₃)C(O ?)HOCH₃ will undergo further rearrangement, fragmentation and oxidative reactions and predominantly leads to the formation of various products (methyl formate HC(O)OCH₃ and acetic anhydride CH₃C(O)OC(O)CH₃). In the presence of water, acetic anhydride can convert into acetic acid CH₃C(O)OH via the hydrolysis reaction. The calculated total rate constants over the temperature range 263–372?K are used to derive a negative activation energy (E_a= ?5.88 kJ/mol) and an pre-exponential factor (A?=?1.78×10^?12 cm³ molecule^?1 s^?1). The obtained Arrhenius parameters presented here are in strong agreement with the experimental values. Moreover, the temperature dependence of the total rate constant over a temperature range of 263?1000?K can be described by k?=?5.60 × 10^?14×(T/298?K)^3.4×exp(1725.7?K/T) cm³ molecule^?1 s^?1.     

Development and validation of a reversed‐phase HPLC method for CYP1A2 phenotyping by use of a caffeine metabolite ratio in saliva

CYP1A2 is important for metabolizing various clinically used drugs. Phenotyping of CYP1A2 may prove helpful for drug individualization therapy. Several HPLC methods have been developed for quantification of caffeine metabolites in plasma and urine. Aim of the present study was to develop a valid and simple HPLC method for evaluating CYP1A2 activity during exposure in xenobiotics by the use of human saliva. Caffeine and paraxanthine were isolated from saliva by liquid‐liquid extraction (chlorophorm/isopropanol 85/15v/v). Extracts were analyzed by reversed‐phase HPLC on a C₁₈ column with mobile phase 0.1% acetic acid/methanol/acetonitrile (80/20/2 v/v) and detected at 273nm. Caffeine and paraxanthine elution times were <13min with no interferences from impurities or caffeine metabolites. Detector response was linear (0.10–8.00µg/ml, R²>0.99), recovery was >93% and bias <4.47%. Intra‐ and inter‐day precision was <5.14% (n=6). The limit of quantitation was 0.10µg/ml and the limit of detection was 0.018±0.002µg/mL for paraxanthine and 0.032±0.002µg/ml for caffeine. Paraxanthine/caffeine ratio of 34 healthy volunteers was significantly higher in smokers (p<0.001). Saliva paraxanthine/caffeine ratios and urine metabolite ratios were highly correlated (r=0.85, p<0.001). The method can be used for the monitoring of CYP1A2 activity in clinical practice and in studies relevant to exposure to environmental and pharmacological xenobiotics. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

一种新的岩石非线性黏弹塑性蠕变模型研究

为了克服传统元件组合模型不能描述岩石蠕变过程中非线性特征的缺陷，首先根据加速蠕变阶段的应变和应变率随蠕变时间急剧增大的特点，建立黏塑性应变与蠕变时间的指数函数关系并提出非线性黏塑性体．将该非线性黏塑性体与广义Burgers蠕变模型串联，建立可以描述岩石全蠕变过程的非线性黏弹塑性蠕变模型，根据叠加原理得到一维应力状态下的轴向蠕变方程．然后基于塑性力学理论指出岩石三维蠕变本构方程建立过程中的不足之处，并给出非线性黏弹塑性蠕变模型合理的三维蠕变方程．最后采用不同应力水平下砂岩轴向蠕变试验对模型合理性进行验证，结果表明：拟合曲线与试验曲线吻合度较高，所建蠕变模型能够很好地描述砂岩在不同应力水平下的蠕变变形规律，尤其对加速蠕变阶段的非线性特征描述效果很好，验证了模型的合理性．     

Effect of additive length and chemistry on the morphology of blends of conjugated thiophenes and fullerene derivative acceptor molecules

Small molecule additives have been shown to increase the device efficiency of conjugated polymer (donor) and fullerene derivative (acceptor) based organic solar cells by modifying the morphology of the device active layer. In this paper we conduct a systematic study of how additives affect the donor‐acceptor morphology using molecular dynamics simulations of blends of thiophene‐based oligomers, mimicking poly(3‐dodecylthiophene) (P3DDT) or poly(2,2′:5′,2”‐3,3”‐didocyl‐terthiophene) (PTTT), and fullerene derivatives with additives of varying length and chemical functionalization, mimicking experimentally used additives like methyl ester additives, diiodooctane, and alkanedithiols. We find that functionalization of additives with end groups that are attracted to acceptor molecules are necessary to induce increased donor‐acceptor macrophase separation. In blends where acceptors intercalate between oligomer alkyl side chains, functionalized additives decrease acceptor intercalation. Functionalized additives with shorter alkyl segments increase acceptor macrophase separation more than additives with same chemical functionalization but longer alkyl segments. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part B: Polym. Phys. 2015 , 53, 1046–1057     

The Cauchy problem for a spin-liquid model in three space dimensions

In this paper, we study the Cauchy problem for magnetic fluid of spin-liquid type with Mermin-Ho relation in the three-dimensional space and prove global existence and uniqueness of solutions. The proof is based on the equivalence relation between smooth solutions of the spin-liquid model and the systems of Schrödinger equations with Abelian gauge field. The Sobolev spaces with fractional derivatives are also used in our estimates.     

Measured and Predicted Solubility Phase Diagrams of Quaternary Systems LiBr-NaBr-MgBr2-H2O and LiBr-KBr-MgBr2-H2O at 298.15 K

The stable phase equilibria of quaternary systems LiBr-NaBr-MgBr₂-H₂O and LiBr-KBr-MgBr₂-H₂O at 298.15 K were studied by both experimental measurement(isothermal solution saturation method) and theoretical prediction(Pitzer model). The solubilities of the saturated solution have been determined experimentally and two stable phase diagrams and relevant water diagrams of the two quaternary systems were obtained. Results show that quaternary system LiBr-NaBr-MgBr₂-H₂O is hydrate II type as NaBr and NaBr·2H₂O coexistence. Its phase diagram consists of only one invariant point, four univariant curves, and five crystallization fields. The quaternary system LiBr-KBr-MgBr₂-H₂O is a complex type as the double salt KBr·MgBr₂·6H₂O formed. In addition to this double salt, the three single salts LiBr·2H₂O, KBr and MgBr₂·6H₂O also crystallize. In this paper, the solubilities of phase equilibria in above quaternary systems were also calculated by the Pitzer's electrolyte solution model. All the needed parameters can be obtained from the literature or be fitted by experimental data. On the Basis of the experimental and calculated results, the phase diagram of the quaternary system was plotted for comparison. It shows that the calculation results are consistent with the experimental ones.     

Convergence of solutions for the fractional Cahn–Hilliard system

This paper deals with the Cauchy–Dirichlet problem for the fractional Cahn–Hilliard equation. The main results consist of global (in time) existence of weak solutions, characterization of parabolic smoothing effects (implying under proper condition eventual boundedness of trajectories), and convergence of each solution to a (single) equilibrium. In particular, to prove the convergence result, a variant of the so-called ?ojasiewicz–Simon inequality is provided for the fractional Dirichlet Laplacian and (possibly) non-analytic (but $C^1$) nonlinearities.     

Gas-phase 21Ne NMR studies and the nuclear magnetic dipole moment of neon-21

Gas-phase ²¹Ne nuclear magnetic resonance spectra were measured at the natural abundance of ²¹Ne isotope for samples consisting of pressurized neon up to 60 bar at room temperature and applying the magnetic field of the strength B₀ = 11.7574 T. It showed that the nuclear magnetic resonance frequency is linearly dependent on the density of gaseous neon. The resonance frequency was extrapolated to the zero-density point, and it permitted the determination of the ²¹Ne nuclear magnetic moment, μ(²¹Ne) = 0.6617774(10) μ_N. The present value of μ(²¹Ne) is not influenced by the bulk magnetic susceptibility of neon and interactions between neon atoms; therefore, it is more precise and reliable than the previous result obtained for μ(²¹Ne).