Point approximation of a space-homogeneous transport equation

Summary We present an approximation method of a space-homogeneous transport equation which we prove is convergent. The method is very promising for numerical computation. Comparison of a numerical computation with an exact solution is given for the Master equation.     

Mayberry-Murasugi's formula for links in homology 3-spheres

We prove the Mayberry-Murasugi formula for links in homology 3-spheres, which was proved before only for links in the 3-sphere. Our proof uses Franz-Reidemeister torsions.

     

Synthesis and thermal crosslinking of oxazolidine‐functionalized polyurethanes

A new oxazolidine derivative was obtained from phenol, 2‐amino‐2‐methylpropane‐1,3‐diol and paraformaldehyde. The reaction of this novel oxazolidine diol with phenylisocyanate lead to a urethane model compound which can be polymerized thermally by oxazolidine ring opening to give a Mannich bridge structure. Linear segmented polyurethanes were prepared by reaction of different ratios of oxazolidine diol and commercial polyethylenglycol (M_w ～ 400) with 4,4′‐methylenbis (cyclohexylisocyanate) (HMDI, 90% isomers mixture). The polyurethanes were thermally characterized and crosslinked by oxazolidine ring opening to obtain materials which showed improved thermal stability. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 45: 4965–4973, 2007     

Rheological and diffusion properties of a dextran-con A polymer in the presence of Insulin and Magnesium

Previous work carried out in our laboratories has focused on the formation and investigation of a dextran and concanavalin A (con A) based gel, which has the ability to alter its conformational structure in the presence and absence of free and terminal glucoses such that a gel–sol phase transition occurs. Here we report the diffusion and rheological investigations in to the effects of the addition of insulin and varyingconcentrations of magnesium chloride hexahydrate (Mg₂Cl₂6H₂O) at 20 and 37 °C. Rheological examination of glucose-sensitive (dextran-con A) gels were conducted using a cone and plate viscometer used in continual rotation and oscillatory modes. The results are interpreted in terms of the structure of the gel network and suggest rheological assessment provides an effective method of assessing the properties of gel systems. The subsequent testing of such formulations in in-vitro diffusion experiments revealed a reduction in the rate of diffusivity in the insulin marker, poly R-478 dye. The performance of this self-regulating drug delivery system has been examined and the addition of insulin and magnesium chloride may alter the way in which the gel operates as a drug delivery device and in the delivery of insulin. This may have implications for other ligands.     

On accurate boundary conditions for a shape sensitivity equation method

This paper studies the application of the continuous sensitivity equation method (CSEM) for the Navier–Stokes equations in the particular case of shape parameters. Boundary conditions for shape parameters involve flow derivatives at the boundary. Thus, accurate flow gradients are critical to the success of the CSEM. A new approach is presented to extract accurate flow derivatives at the boundary. High order Taylor series expansions are used on layered patches in conjunction with a constrained least‐squares procedure to evaluate accurate first and second derivatives of the flow variables at the boundary, required for Dirichlet and Neumann sensitivity boundary conditions. The flow and sensitivity fields are solved using an adaptive finite‐element method. The proposed methodology is first verified on a problem with a closed form solution obtained by the Method of Manufactured Solutions. The ability of the proposed method to provide accurate sensitivity fields for realistic problems is then demonstrated. The flow and sensitivity fields for a NACA 0012 airfoil are used for fast evaluation of the nearby flow over an airfoil of different thickness (NACA 0015). Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Crystal and molecular structure of crenatine carbonate

The crystal and molecular structure of 1-ethyl-4-methoxy-9H-pyrido[3,4b]indole (crenatine) carbonate C₁₄H₁₄N₂O·H₂CO₃, (MS, m/z 226)M _R 288.3, a-carboline alkaloid, has been determined from X-ray diffraction data. The compound crystallizes in the space group Pbca with cell parameters:a=11.616(4),b=18.450(8),c=12.992(5)Å,V=2784(2)ų,Z=8,D _calc=1.375 g cm^–3, (MoK)=0.71069Å,(Mo K)=0.94 cm^–1,F(000)=1216,R/R _w =8.2/10.3% for 1099 reflections. The ring system of the-carboline nucleus is planar. The title compound shows a two center hydrogen bond between the indole N-H group and the oxygen atom of a carbonate group. The structure does not display hydrogen bonding between-carboline groups but rather a bonding network involving the carbonate group.     

On the permanence of the null character of Maxwell fields

A critical review of known results about the permanence conditions for the null character of the solutions to the (vacuum) Maxwell equations, is presented. Concomitants of the electromagnetic field and the metric tensor are constructed, which give the principal directions of the field in covariant form. The known permanence conditions are generalized in order to includeall the (local) null fields; the above concomitants allow these conditions to be explicitly formulated in terms of the electromagnetic field.Supported in part by Conselleria de Cultura, Educació i Ciència de la Generalitat Valenciana.     

Vapor-particle partitioning of hydrocarbons in Western Mediterranean urban and marine atmospheres

An analytical procedure is described for a comprehensive determination of the composition of hydrocarbons in the atmosphere, based on: (a) aerosol filtration and subsequent adsorption of the vapor phase onto active charcoal and polyurethane foam; (b) GPC and HPLC fractionation of the extracts, and (c) analysis of the fractions by GC-MS under EI and NICI modes. Special emphasis is placed onn-alkanes, PAHs and their oxygenated derivatives.The characterization of samples collected in a coastal urban area (Barcelona city), and far away over the Western Mediterranean, at sea level and at 1100 m of altitude, revealed significant changes in the aerosol composition, mainly attributed to initial vapor-particle partitioning processes, influenced by ambient temperature variations, and to others taking place during long-range atmospheric transport, related with the different compound photoreactivities and with an unexplained source-decoupling phenomenon.