The study of the influence of uniaxial stress on impurity complexes in silicon

The influence of external uniaxial stress on the different indium-donor complexes in silicon has been studied using the perturbed γ –γ angular correlation (PAC) method. Such effect of an applied stress is detected by means of the probe atoms situated at different complexes in the sample. The current results showed that the responses of the probes in an extrinsic silicon samples are found to be dissimilar for the same value of stress. Such change in the local environments of the probe atoms could be associated with the various strain field created by the implantations of varied size of impurities. The phosphorous implantation in silicon has even lead to the complete absence of observable effect of the applied stress suggesting significant lose of the elasticity of the sample.     

Quantitative determination of the group of flavonoids and saponins from the extracts of the seeds of Glinus lotoides and tablet formulation thereof by high-performance liquid chromatography

The total flavonoids and saponins of the seeds of Glinus lotoides in the crude extracts and tablet formulation thereof were quantified by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatographic (RP-HPLC) methods with UV detection. The saponins were analyzed after acid hydrolysis in 3 M HCI at 100 degrees C for 1 h. Vicenin-2 and mollugogenol B were isolated and used as reference substances for the quantification of total flavonoids and saponins, respectively. The identity and purity (> 97%) of the standards were confirmed by spectroscopic (UV, MS, and NMR) and chromatographic (HPLC) methods. The flavonoids and saponins of the crude extract of the seeds and tablet formulation were separated by RP-HPLC (Nucleosil RP-18 column, 250 mm x 4.6 mm) using linear gradient elution systems of acetonitrile-water-0.1 M H3PO4 for flavonoids and methanol-water for saponins. Satisfactory separation of the compounds was obtained in less than 30 and 25 min, for the flavonoids and saponins, respectively. The methods were validated for linearity, repeatability, limits of detection (LOD) and limits of quantification (LOQ). Repeatability (inter- and intra-day, n = 6 and 9, respectively) showed less than 2% relative standard deviation (RSD). The LOD and LOQ were found to be 0.075 and 0.225 mg/mL, respectively, for vicenin-2 and 0.027 and 0.082 mg/100 mL, respectively, for mollugogenol B. The content of flavonoids and saponins of six single tablets was between 95 and 103% for flavonoids and 94-98% for saponins. The validated HPLC methods were employed to standardize a fingerprint of a laboratory produced purified extract, which could be used as a secondary standard for the routine quality control. Accordingly, the purified extract was found to contain 21.3% flavonoids (vicenin-2, 10%) and 25.4% saponins (glinuside G, 14.2%).     

Liquid Chromatographic Analysis of Various Formulations Containing Emtricitabine

A gradient liquid chromatographic (LC) method for control of emtricitabine (FTC) was validated for the analysis of FTC formulations (capsules and oral solution) and fixed-dose-combination tablets containing FTC [FTC combined with tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) and FTC combined with TDF and efavirenz (EFV)]. The method is based on the purity test recently prescribed in the International Pharmacopoeia and uses a Hypersil BDS C18 column (25 cm × 4.6 mm i.d.), 5 μm kept at a temperature of 35 °C. Other reversed-phase columns were also investigated. The mobile phases for gradient elution consist of acetonitrile, phosphate buffer and water. The flow rate is 1.0 mL min⁻¹ and UV detection is performed at 280 nm. The method is capable of separating the main components from one another, from the inactive ingredients and from the main degradation products. The method was validated with respect to accuracy, precision, sensitivity and linearity for each component and the solution media were optimized. Finally, commercial FTC capsules, FTC oral solution, FTC/TDF tablets and FTC/TDF/EFV tablets were examined.

     

A bis(rhodamine 6G)-based fluorescent sensor for Hg2+: microwave-assisted synthesis,photophysical properties,and computational studies

A fluorescent and colorimetric sensor based on rhodamine 6 g (RD6g) was designed, synthesized, and characterized using microwave irradiation. The sensing behavior of this compound was studied by UV–visible and fluorescence spectroscopy. Sensor RD6g exhibits a high selectivity and an excellent sensitivity and is a dual-responsive colorimetric and fluorescent Hg²⁺-specific sensor in aqueous buffer solution. Mercury ions give rise to the development of a very fluorescent ring-open amide spirolactam system. The detection limit for Hg²⁺ was found to be 1.2?×?10^?8 M. The binding ratio of RD6g-Hg²⁺ complex was determined to be 1:1 according to the Job’s plot. The reversibility of RD6g?Hg²⁺ complex has been achieved with CN^? anions. The test strip based on RD6g was developed, which could be used as a suitable and methodical Hg²⁺ test kit.

     

Simultaneous Determination of Gallic Acid and Folic Acid in Fruit Juice Samples Using Square Wave Voltammetry at Electrochemically Pretreated Carbon Paste Electrode

An efficient sensor was developed for the simultaneous determination of gallic and folic acid in juice samples using an electrochemically pretreated carbon paste electrode. The electrode was characterized by CV and EIS. The electrochemical behavior of GA and FA was evaluated by CV and SWV. The electrode exhibited high electrocatalytic activity towards GA and FA due to high surface area. Under the optimized condition, linear plots in the ranges of 0.08–13 μM and 0.1 to 15 μM were obtained for GA and FA, respectively. The proposed method was successful for the simultaneous determination of GA and FA in juice samples with satisfactory recovery.     

Robustness of Bayesian D-optimal design for the logistic mixed model against misspecification of autocorrelation

In medicine and health sciences mixed effects models are often used to study time-structured data. Optimal designs for such studies have been shown useful to improve the precision of the estimators of the parameters. However, optimal designs for such studies are often derived under the assumption of a zero autocorrelation between the errors, especially for binary data. Ignoring or misspecifying the autocorrelation in the design stage can result in loss of efficiency. This paper addresses robustness of Bayesian D-optimal designs for the logistic mixed effects model for longitudinal data with a linear or quadratic time effect against incorrect specification of the autocorrelation. To find the Bayesian D-optimal allocations of time points for different values of the autocorrelation, under different priors for the fixed effects and different covariance structures of the random effects, a scalar function of the approximate variance–covariance matrix of the fixed effects is optimized. Two approximations are compared; one based on a first order penalized quasi likelihood (PQL1) and one based on an extended version of the generalized estimating equations (GEE). The results show that Bayesian D-optimal allocations of time points are robust against misspecification of the autocorrelation and are approximately equally spaced. Moreover, PQL1 and extended GEE give essentially the same Bayesian D-optimal allocation of time points for a given subject-to-measurement cost ratio. Furthermore, Bayesian optimal designs are hardly affected either by the choice of a covariance structure or by the choice of a prior distribution.     

Convergence Theorems for Non-Self Mappings in CAT(0) Spaces

In this paper, we prove strong convergence of Mann iterative schemes to fixed points of multi-valued demicontractive non-self mappings in complete CAT(0) spaces under appropriate conditions. In addition, △? convergence or strong convergence of Mann iterative scheme to a fixed point of single-valued k-strictly pseudocontractive non-self mapping is obtained. Our theorems improve and unify most of the results in the literature.     

General rank-based estimation for regression single index models

This study considers rank estimation of the regression coefficients of the single index regression model. Conditions needed for the consistency and asymptotic normality of the proposed estimator are established. Monte Carlo simulation experiments demonstrate the robustness and efficiency of the proposed estimator compared to the semiparametric least squares estimator. A real-life example illustrates that the rank regression procedure effectively corrects model nonlinearity even in the presence of outliers in the response space.