Subdifferential analysis of differential inclusions via discretization

The framework of differential inclusions encompasses modern optimal control and the calculus of variations. Necessary optimality conditions in the literature identify potentially optimal paths, but do not show how to perturb paths to optimality. We first look at the corresponding discretized inclusions, estimating the subdifferential dependence of the optimal value in terms of the endpoints of the feasible paths. Our approach is to first estimate the coderivative of the reachable map. The discretized (nonsmooth) Euler–Lagrange and Transversality Conditions follow as a corollary. We obtain corresponding results for differential inclusions by passing discretized inclusions to the limit.     

Enhanced Catalytic Activity in Liquid‐Exfoliated FeOCl Nanosheets as a Fenton‐Like Catalyst

A facile liquid‐phase exfoliation method to prepare few‐layer FeOCl nanosheets in acetonitrile by ultrasonication is reported. The detailed exfoliation mechanism and generated products were investigated by combining first‐principle calculations and experimental approaches. The similar cleavage energies of FeOCl (340 mJ m^?2) and graphite (320 mJ m^?2) confirm the experimental exfoliation feasibility. As a Fenton reagent, FeOCl nanosheets showed outstanding properties in the catalytic degradation of phenol in water at room temperature, under neutral pH conditions, and with sunlight irradiation. Apart from the increased surface area of the nanosheets, the surface state change of the nanosheets also plays a key role in improving the catalytic performance. The changes of charge density, density of states (DOS), and valence state of Fe atoms in the exfoliated FeOCl nanosheets versus plates illustrated that surface atomistic relationships made the few‐layer nanosheets higher activity, indicating the exfoliation process of the FeOCl nanosheets also brought about surface state changes.     

Quantification of complanatoside A in rat plasma using LC‐MS/MS and its application to a pharmacokinetic study

Complanatoside A is a flavonol glycoside isolated from Astragalus complanatus, and currently it is used as a quality control index for A. complanatus in the 2010 edition of the Chinese Pharmacopoeia. For the first time, a simple and sensitive LC‐MS/MS method was developed for the determination of complanatoside A in rat plasma over the range of 2.3–575 ng/mL. Complanatoside A was extracted from plasma by a protein precipitation procedure, separated by LC and detected by MS/MS in positive electrospray ionization mode. The method was validated for selectivity, carryover, sensitivity, linearity, extraction recovery, matrix effect, accuracy, precision and stability studies. The lower limit of quantification was established at 2.3 ng/mL. Intra‐ and inter‐day precisions (LLOQ, low‐QC, med‐QC and high‐QC) were <7.9%, and accuracies were between 94.0 and 105.1%. Matrix effect was acceptable (97.9–103.0%) and extraction recovery was reproducible (88.5–94.4%). Complanatoside A was stable in the investigated conditions. The method was applied to the pharmacokinetics of complanatoside A in rats. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Biosorption studies of uranium (VI) on cross-linked chitosan: isotherm,kinetic and thermodynamic aspects

The cross-linked chitosan (CS) gels synthesized by using glutaraldehyde (GLA), epichlorohydrin (EC), and ethylene glycol diglycidyl ether (EGDE) as cross-linkers respectively were used to investigate the adsorption of U(VI) ions in an aqueous solution. The pure chitosan (PCS) and the cross-linked chitosan gels were characterized by FTIR and SEM analysis. The kinetic, thermodynamic adsorption and adsorption isotherms of U(VI) ions onto unmodified and modified cross-linked chitosan were studied in a batch adsorption experiments. The effect of pH, contact time and temperature on the adsorption capacity were also carried out. At the optimum pH, the maximum adsorbed amount of PCS, GLACS, ECCS and EGDECS were 483.05, 147.05, 344.83 and 67.56 mg/g, respectively. The uranium (VI) adsorption process of PCS and ECCS followed better with pseudo-second-order kinetic model, while GLACS and EGDECS followed pseudo-first-order kinetic model well. The results obtained from the equilibrium isotherms adsorption studied of U(VI) ions were analyzed in two adsorption models, namely, Langmuir and Freundlich isothms models, the results showed that the Langmuir isotherm had better conformity to the equilibrium data. The thermodynamic parameters such as enthalpy (ΔHo), entropy (ΔSo), and Gibbs free energy (ΔGo) showed that the adsorption process was both spontaneous and endothermic.     

Two New Steroidal Saponins from the Fresh Leaves of Agave sisalana

A new furostanol saponin, sisalasaponin C ( 1 ), and a new spirostanol saponin, sisalasaponin D ( 2 ), were isolated from the fresh leaves of Agave sisalana, along with three other known steroidal saponins and two stilbenes. Their structures were identified as (3β,5α,6α,22α,25R)‐3,26‐bis[(β‐D ‐glucopyrano‐ syl)oxy]‐22‐hydroxyfurostan‐6‐yl β‐D ‐glucopyranoside ( 1 ), (3β,5α,25R)‐12‐oxospirostan‐3‐yl 6‐deoxy‐α‐L ‐mannopyranosyl‐(1→4)‐β‐D ‐glucopyranosyl‐(1→3)‐[β‐D ‐xylopyranosyl‐(1→3)‐β‐D ‐glucopyranosyl‐(1→2)]‐β‐D ‐glucopyranosyl‐(1→4)‐β‐D ‐galactopyranoside ( 2 ), (3β,5α,6α,22α,25R)‐22‐methoxyfurostane‐3,6,26‐triyl tris‐β‐D ‐glucopyranoside, cantalasaponin‐1, polianthoside D, (E)‐ and (Z)‐2,3,4′,5‐tetrahydroxystilbene 2‐O‐β‐D ‐glucopyranosides. The last three known compounds were isolated from the fresh leaves of Agavaceae for the first time. The structures of the new compounds were elucidated by detailed spectroscopic analysis, including 1D‐ and 2D‐NMR experiments, and chemical techniques.     

Raman spectroscopy measurement of levofloxacin lactate in blood using an optical fiber nano‐probe

Liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry were time‐consuming and expensive as the main methods for the drug analysis at present, and the samples must be pretreated. The Raman spectroscopy measurement methods were fast and simple, so the Raman spectroscopy methods for the drug analysis were explored in this paper. An optical fiber nano‐probe coated with gold nanoparticles was fabricated and used with surface‐enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) to measure levofloxacin lactate. The resulting SERS spectra of levofloxacin lactate in mouse blood that was detected by the optical fiber nano‐probe clearly showed the characteristic wave numbers of levofloxacin lactate, indicating that optical fiber nano‐probes can be used with spectral techniques to analyze drugs in vitro or potentially even in vivo. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Synthesis of block polyethers with various structures and their application in dispersing single-walled carbon nanotubes

The block polyethers with different structure and composition were synthesized by anionic polymerization and used to disperse single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs). The block polyethers with the structure of branch or benzene ring had better dispersion ability than the commercial Pluronic block polyethers (L64 and F127). In order to compare the parameters, dispersion limit and efficiency of polyethers for SWNTs were defined. UV?Cvis?Cnear infrared absorbance spectra showed that eight-branch polyether AE82 had much larger dispersion limit and efficiency than five-branch AE52. BPE containing benzene rings in the molecule had a slightly lower dispersion limit but larger dispersion efficiency than AE82. The defect density of SWNTs dispersed in polyether aqueous solutions was investigated by Raman spectroscopy. The polyethers AE83 and BEP with the structure of poly(ethylene oxide)?Cpoly(propylene oxide) dispersed less defective SWNTs than AE82 and BPE, indicating that the variation of polyether structure and composition could influence the defect density of SWNTs besides dispersion limit and efficiency.     

Synthesis,Characterization and Photochromic Properties of Novel Naphthopyrans with Hydrazone Unit Residue

A series of naphthopyrans with hydrazone unit ( 8a – 8m ), were synthesized and characterized by ¹H NMR, ¹³C NMR, IR and HRMS. The photochromic properties were investigated under continuous irradiation, in particular regard to the fatigue resistance and the lifetime of the colored open form in solution and polymers. The results showed that these compounds had both good photochromic properties and high fatigue resistance. Detailed studies showed that representative compound 8d (3,3‐di‐4‐methoxybenzoic acid methylenehydrazino‐[3H]‐naphtho [2,1‐b]pyran) had good photochromic properties in THF solution, in solid state, and in polymers, and exhibited a significant bathochromic shift in the spectra of the open forms compared to known naphthopyrans 9 (3,3‐diphenyl‐[3H]‐naphtho[2,1‐b]pyran). On the other hand, the higher melting points of target compounds are promising for the polymer film preparation through hot‐melt method.     

DFT study on the selective oxidation of vinyl chloride on different metal surfaces

Selective epoxidation of vinyl chloride on Ag(111), Pt(111) and Rh(111) with pre-adsorbed atomic oxygen has been studied by density functional theory (DFT) calculation with the periodic slab model. The reaction energies and activation energies of the epoxidation reaction are determined. Because of the asymmetry of vinyl chloride, three competitive reaction pathways are investigated. The results indicate that the most possible reaction pathway is pathway III. Compared the activation energies of the epoxidation reaction on Ag(111), Pt(111) and Rh(111), it is obvious that the reaction via OMMC(3) on Ag(111) is the most possible process. However, the selectivity to the target product over Ag(111) is the lowest among the three metals. The results also indicate that the formation of chloroacetaldehyde is more favorable than that of chloroepoxide.