On-line Method for Montelukast Determination in Bile Salt Medium with Multivariate Optimization and Fluorescent Detection

Journal of Analytical Chemistry - The present development involved a flow injection strategy using a mini-column of multiwalled carbon nanotubes and fluorescent detection (λex of 283 nm,...     

New Palladium – ZrO2 Nano-Architectures from Thermal Transformation of UiO-66-NH2 for Carbonylative Suzuki and Hydrogenation Reactions

The new nanocomposites, Pd/C/ZrO₂, PdO/ZrO_2, and Pd/PdO/ZrO₂, were prepared by thermal conversion of Pd@UiO-66-Zr−NH₂ (MOF) in nitrogen or air atmosphere. The presence of Pd nanoparticles, uniformly distributed on the ZrO₂ or C/ZrO₂ matrix, was evidenced by transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Raman and X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) methods. All pyrolysed composites retained the shape of the MOF template. They catalyze carbonylative Suzuki coupling under 1 atm CO with an efficiency significantly higher than the original Pd@UiO-66-Zr−NH₂. The most active PdO/ZrO₂ composite, formed benzophenone with TOF up to 1600 h⁻¹, while by using Pd@UiO-66-Zr−NH₂, much lower TOF values, 51–95 h⁻¹, were achieved. After the reaction, PdO/ZrO₂ was recovered with the same composition and catalytic activity. Very good results were also obtained in the transfer hydrogenation of benzophenones to alcohols with Pd/C/ZrO₂ and PdO/ZrO₂ catalysts under microwave irradiation.     

A methodology to select suppliers to increase sustainability within supply chains

Central European Journal of Operations Research - Sustainability practice within supply chains remains in an early development phase. Enterprises still need tools that support the integration of...     

Comparison of human blood serum DSC profiles in aqueous and PBS buffer solutions

Journal of Thermal Analysis and Calorimetry - The results of studies of physiological fluids by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) for the purpose of diagnosis and monitoring of diseases are...     

Proteins and peptides voltammetry: Trends,potential, and limitations

Numerous biological processes are connected with the efficient electron transfer reactions in proteins and peptides. In this review, we discuss briefly the relevance and current challenges associated with the voltammetric analysis of peptides and proteins with and without a metal redox center. Special attention is paid to the integration of electrochemical methods with new nanomaterials which offers amplification of multiplexing capabilities for simultaneous and very sensitive examination of various proteins. After critically discussing the most interesting approaches in the proteins/peptides voltammetric analysis reported so far, for the single or multiplexed examination of such biomolecules with demonstrated applicability in the real-sample analysis, existing challenges still need to be addressed and future directions in this field will be pointed out.     

A Dual Threat: Redox-Activity and Electronic Structures of Well-Defined Donor–Acceptor Fulleretic Covalent-Organic Materials

The effect of donor (D)–acceptor (A) alignment on the materials electronic structure was probed for the first time using novel purely organic porous crystalline materials with covalently bound two- and three-dimensional acceptors. The first studies towards estimation of charge transfer rates as a function of acceptor stacking are in line with the experimentally observed drastic, eight-fold conductivity enhancement. The first evaluation of redox behavior of buckyball- or tetracyanoquinodimethane-integrated crystalline was conducted. In parallel with tailoring the D-A alignment responsible for “static” changes in materials properties, an external stimulus was applied for “dynamic” control of the electronic profiles. Overall, the presented D–A strategic design, with stimuli-controlled electronic behavior, redox activity, and modularity could be used as a blueprint for the development of electroactive and conductive multidimensional and multifunctional crystalline porous materials.     

Analytical formulas for complex permittivity of periodic composites. Estimation of gain and loss enhancement in active and passive composites

ABSTRACT

The asymptotic homogenization method is applied to complex dielectric periodic composites. An equivalence to coupled dielectric problems with real coefficients is shown. This is similar to a piezoelectric problem: an out-plane mechanical displacement and an in-plane electric potential establishing a correspondence principle. Closed-form formulas for the complex dielectric effective tensor in the case of a square array of circular inclusions embedded in a matrix are given. These formulas are written in terms of a real and symmetric matrix which facilitates the implementation of the computational scheme. We also get similar formulas for multilayered complex dielectric composites. The real closed-form formulas are advantageous for estimating gain and loss enhancement properties of active and passive composites in certain volume fraction intervals. Numerical computations are performed and the results are compared with other approaches showing the usefulness of the obtained formulas. This may be of interest in the context of metamaterials.     

Characterisation of ancient Roman wall-painting fragments using non-destructive IBA and MA-XRF techniques

Scientific investigation is very important in studies addressing issues of archaeological and historical objects. Ion beam analysis (IBA) and macro X-ray fluorescence (MA-XRF) spectroscopy are remarkable tools to obtain information about elemental composition and imaging of historical artefacts with a non-invasive character. These investigation techniques were employed in the framework of a project aimed at supporting the characterization of materials and techniques related with the Roman wall painting. The archaeological excavations at Villa della Piscina in Rome have revealed a luxury building with a large pool (about 50 m long) and thermal baths and numerous fragments of plaster, coming from intentional demolitions referable to two distinct architectural contexts of the Villa during the imperial age, have been found. This work deals with studying the interesting wall pictorial apparatus of great cultural value of the heritage inherited from the Roman age in the area of the ancient city of Rome. The colour palette of the pigments investigated, in particular, by MA-XRF and particle-induced X-ray emission (PIXE) and has revealed Fe, Cu, Pb, Si and Hg as main elements. Traces of other constituents uncover the choice of the different colours chosen by the artists who had embellished the rooms of the Villa.