Modeling stock index returns by means of partial least‐squares methods: An out‐of‐sample analysis for three stock markets

We analyze the underlying economic forces of the stock markets in Germany, the U.K. and the U.S. Identifying a number of variables evincing return predictability, we follow a partial least‐squares (PLS) approach to combine these observables into a few latent factors. Conditional on European markets, our findings indicate (i) superior prediction performance of PLS‐based schemes in comparison with both, a random walk and a first‐order autoregressive benchmark model, (ii) consistent profitable trading on the German and British market, (iii) profitable linear forecast combinations, (iv) the U.S. stock market is diagnosed as informationally efficient. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Investigation of metal activation of a partially purified polyphenol oxidase enzyme electrode

Biosensors can be developed using different biological materials and immobilization technologies. Enzymes are generally used in biosensor construction, and some enzymes need metal ions or small organic molecules as a cofactor for their activation. Polyphenol oxidases can be activated by several metal ions such as Cu²⁺, Mg²⁺, Zn²⁺, Mn²⁺, and Ni²⁺. In this study, a new measurement method has been developed that is based on the metal ion activation of the polyphenol oxidase enzyme used in the biosensor preparation, especially to determine the concentration of Mg²⁺ ions. Polyphenol oxidase (PPO) (EC 1.10.3.1) was partially purified from potato (Solanum tuberosum) by using (NH₄)₂SO₄ precipitation, dialysis, and lyophylization processes. As a result of this processes, approximately 30-fold purification was achieved for PPO. For construction of the biosensor, the enzyme was immobilized on the dissolved oxygen probe membrane using gelatin and glutaraldehyde (2.5%). Using the biosensor, we obtained responses for catechol in the absence and presence of Mg²⁺ ions. Differences between the biosensor responses were related to the concentration of Mg²⁺ ions. The biosensor response depends linearly on concentration of Mg²⁺ ions between 0.05 and 7.5?mM. In the optimization studies, phosphate buffer (pH 7.0, 50?mM) and 35°C were determined to be the optimum conditions. This project will be a novel biosensor study and it might bring a new term, ‘activation based biosensor’ into the biosensor area.     

Physical Properties and Erosion Behavior of Poly(trimethylene carbonate‐co‐ε‐caprolactone) Networks

Form‐stable resorbable networks are prepared by gamma irradiating trimethylene carbonate (TMC)‐ and ε‐caprolactone (CL)‐based (co)polymer films. To evaluate their suitability for biomedical applications, their physical properties and erosion behavior are investigated. Homopolymer and copolymer networks that are amorphous at room temperature are flexible and rubbery with elastic moduli ranging from 1.8 ± 0.3 to 5.2 ± 0.4 MPa and permanent set values as low as 0.9% strain. The elastic moduli of the semicrystalline networks are higher and range from 61 ± 3 to 484 ± 34 MPa. The erosion behavior of (co)polymer networks is investigated in vitro using macrophage cultures, and in vivo by subcutaneous implantation in rats. In macrophage cultures, as well as upon implantation, a surface erosion process is observed for the amorphous (co)polymer networks, while an abrupt decrease in the rate and a change in the nature of the erosion process are observed with increasing crystallinity. These resorbable and form‐stable networks with tuneable properties may find application in a broad range of biomedical applications.

     

Synthesis and Characterization of New Chelating Resin: Adsorption Study of Copper(II) and Chromium (III) Ions

Acrylamide based monomer, 5-methyl-2-thiozyl methacrylamide (MTMAAm) was synthesized by the reaction of 2-Amino-5-methyl thiazole with methacryloyl chloride in the presence of triethylamine(NR₃) at 0–5°C. The monomer MTMAAm was characterized by FT-IR and ¹H-and ¹³C-NMR spectral studies. A new chelating resin, poly(5-methyl-2-thiozyl methacrylamide-co-2-acrylamido-2-methyl-1-propanesulfonic acid-co-divinylbenzene) [MTMAAm/AMPS/DVB] was synthesized. This resin was characterized by FT-IR. In order to determine the adsorption behavior of chelating resin, the adsorption isotherm of Cr(III) and Cu(II) were studied. It was found that the adsorption isotherm of the ions fitted with Langmuir-type isotherms. From the Langmuir equation, the adsorption capacity of chelating resin for Cr(III) and Cu(II) was found to be 7.77 mg g^{? 1} and 4.27 mg g^{? 1}, respectively. Binding equilibrium constant was calculated to be 0.155 L mg^{? 1} and 0.106 L mg^{? 1} for Cu(II) and Cr(III), respectively.     

Two N‐substituted 3,5‐diphenyl‐2‐pyrazoline‐1‐thiocarboxamides

The structures of N‐ethyl‐3‐(4‐fluoro­phen­yl)‐5‐(4‐methoxy­phen­yl)‐2‐pyrazoline‐1‐thio­carboxamide, C₁₉H₂₀FN₃OS, (I), and 3‐(4‐fluoro­phen­yl)‐N‐methyl‐5‐(4‐methyl­phen­yl)‐2‐pyrazoline‐1‐thio­carboxamide, C₁₈H₁₈FN₃S, (II), have similar geometric parameters. The meth­oxy/methyl‐substituted phenyl groups are almost perpendicular to the pyrazoline (pyraz) ring [inter­planar angles of 89.29 (8) and 80.39 (10)° for (I) and (II), respectively], which is coplanar with the fluoro­phenyl ring [inter­planar angles of 5.72 (9) and 10.48 (10)°]. The pyrazoline ring approximates an envelope conformation in both structures, with the two‐coordinate N atom involved in an intra­molecular N—H⋯N_pyraz inter­action. In (I), N—H⋯O and C—H⋯S inter­molecular hydrogen bonds are the primary inter­actions, whereas in (II), there are no intermolecular hydrogen bonds.     

Dendronized polymers via Diels–Alder “click” reaction

A modular approach toward the synthesis of polymers containing dendron groups as side chains is developed using the Diels–Alder “click” reaction. For this purpose, a styrene‐based polymer appended with anthracene groups as reactive side chains was synthesized. First through third‐generation polyester dendrons containing furan‐protected maleimide groups at their focal point were synthesized. Facile, reagent‐free, thermal Diels–Alder cycloaddition between the anthracene‐containing polymer and latent‐reactive dendrons leads to quantitative functionalization of the polymer chains to afford dendronized polymers. The efficiency of this functionalization step was monitored using ¹H and ¹³C NMR spectroscopy and FTIR and UV–vis spectrometry. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 48: 410–416, 2010     

Thermal entanglement in two-qutrit spin-1 anisotropic Heisenberg model with inhomogeneous magnetic field

The thermal entanglement of a two-qutrit spin-1 anisotropic Heisenberg XXZ chain in an inhomogeneous magnetic field is studied in detail. The effects of the external magnetic field (B), a parameter b which controls the inhomogeneity of B, and the bilinear interaction parameters J_{x=Jy≠Jz on the thermal variation of the negativity are studied in detail. It is found that negativity N decreases when the values of magnetic field, inhomogeneity b and temperature are increasing. In addition, N remains at higher temperatures for higher values of Jz and lower values of B and b.}     

Chemical Analysis of Hydroxyapatite Artificial Bone Powders by Energy Dispersive X-Ray Fluorescence Spectrometry(EDXRF)

Stoichiometric hydroxyapatite (HA) nanoparticles were synthesized by a wet chemical method. Calcium nitrate tetra hydrate used as calcium source and dibasic ammonium phosphate used as phosphorous source. Calcium nitrate tetra hydrate and dibasic ammonium phosphate solutions were prepared by dissolving the salts in distilled water. Stoichiometric hydroxyapatite nanoparticles used by artificial bone powders and synthesized by a wet chemical method were analyzed using EDXRF method.The concentrations of K, Ca, Ti, V, Cr, Fe, Ni, Cu, Sr and Pb for artificial bone powders have been determined. Besides, Calcium contents were evaluated according to the agitation time and temperature in the production process.