Principles for constructing notation in unit systems and their application to the SI

The SI is the world’s premier scientific instrument and, like all instruments, must be updated as science and technology advance. The CIPM is planning to redefine four SI base units in terms of invariants of nature and has already dubbed this revision the ‘New SI’. This title will confuse most SI users, who are impacted only by the structure and notation of the SI, and neither of these has changed. A truly ‘New SI’, to be practical in the information age, would have at minimum an unambiguous, and preferably a machine- and user-friendly, notation. These and other principles for constructing a notation are proposed, and the SI historical and current notations are examined against these. Several levels of remediation are suggested.     

Challenges and techniques to effectively characterize the efficiency of broad-energy germanium detectors at energies less than 45 keV

With the now common availability of large-volume thin-window germanium detectors, it is possible to routinely measure very low energy (<45 keV) gamma and X-rays while maintaining good sensitivity for high-energy gamma rays. The effective calibration of such detectors down to these low energies is often problematic or not possible because of the lack of calibrated sources or knowledge of the source geometry. New methods have been recently developed that extend Canberra’s ISOCS/LabSOCS mathematical efficiency computation methods down to energies as low as 10 keV. Key to these developments is the capability to characterize the efficiency versus spatial location of a detector at the factory and thus eliminate the requirement to have “in the field” low-energy source standards. In this paper, the challenges for performing reliable efficiency characterizations below 45 keV and techniques developed to overcome these challenges are discussed. Response characterization results are presented for various types of low-energy and broad-energy detectors manufactured by Canberra.     

Thermal and dynamic mechanical analysis of cross-linked poly(esterurethanes)

New cross-linked poly(esterurethanes) (PEU) based on unsaturated olygo(alkyleneester)diol (OAE), 4,4’-diphenylmethane diisocyanate (MDI) and styrene or methyl methacrylate as curing monomers were prepared. The synthesis of PEU was performed in two steps. In the first step OAE was obtained from adipic acid, maleic anhydride and ethylene glycol. In the second step a prepolymer was obtained in a reaction of OAE with different amounts of 4,4’-diphenylmethane diisocyanate followed by crosslinking using previously mentioned curing monomers. The influence of structure of the poly(esterurethanes) on thermal and dynamic mechanical properties is studied. Thermogravimetric analysis shows that cross-linked poly(esterurethanes) demonstrate high thermal stability. Moreover the dynamic mechanical thermal analysis shows that the presence of styrene cross-linking chains in polymers lead to the phase separation in cross-linked poly(esterurethanes).     

New Routes for Thermal Analysis and Calorimetry As Applied to Polymeric Systems

Over the last few decades there has been a strong decrease in the number of Thermal Analysis and Calorimetry (TA and C) ‘practitioners’ - scientists who know the in sand outs of TA and C and its (im)possibilities and are capable of initiating new developments. By contrast, an increasing number of TA and C ‘users’ are scarcely able to acquire in-depth knowledge of TA and C. It is therefore of great importance that national TA and C societies create the infrastructure for dedicated education. In addition, the feasibility of setting up one or more expertise centers per country, where ‘practitioners’ can do research,carry out contract research and give advice to users, needs to be investigated. Equally important, the TA and C community needs to address a number of challenges in the coming decade with the aim of controlling the ‘knowledge cycle’ in the field of polymers: to translate non-optimal properties into improved processing conditions or even a more suitable macromolecular architecture, in order to reduce the lead times for the development and optimization of materials. Although Thermal Analysis and Calorimetry can generally be considered to be ‘mature’, in specific subareas a large number of new developments take place. A few examples of these developments and of state-of-the-art TA and C are given:quantitative heat capacity measurements by means of DSC; (very) high pressure DSC;real-time morphological analysis and temperature-modulated X-ray analysis. In addition, anew form of TA and C is discussed: High Performance DSC (HPer DSC), which is also a high rate DSC and a high throughput DSC. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Study on the quantitative structureactivity relation-ship of C-10 substituted artemisinin (QHS)’s derivatives using rough set theory

The structure-activity relationship study of C-10 substituted artemisinin (QHS) derivatives that are used as antimalarial was performed with the RS (rough sets) method. An RS process is a concise nonlinear process, and it has broad application foreground in the data mining of nonlinear life courses. In this work, initially the parameters of C-10 substituted QHS’s derivatives were computed with the quantum chemistry method, and the information table was constructed from the parameters (condition attributes) and biological activity (decision attributes). Based on the analysis of rough set theory, the core and reduction of attributes sets were obtained. Then the decision rules were extracted and the struc-ture-activity relationship was analyzed. As a nonlinear system, RS theory can extract the special rela-tion in the database. It has the advantage of being nonlinear over multiple linear regression (MLR), principal component analysis (PCA), partial least square (PLS), etc., and the advantage of obtaining results with unambiguous physical meanings over artificial neuron networks (ANNs), etc. The result obtained in this study is instructive to the study of pharmacodynamics, resistance mechanism of QHS and development of QHS’s derivatives.     

Application of the Doehlert experimental design to molecularly imprinted polymers: surface response optimization of specific template recognition as a function of the type and degree of cross-linking

We propose the use of Doehlert’s experimental design, a second-order uniform shell design, for the optimization of molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs). We have chosen a simple model system where the influence of kind and degree of cross-linking on template recognition was studied using S-propranolol as the template. We found that Doehlert’s design allows—with very few experiments—one to screen the evolution of the binding capacity of a MIP as a function the different parameters, and thus appears to be a powerful means to screen for the best composition and synthesis method for MIPs. We believe that this chemometric tool can significantly accelerate the development of new MIPs as synthetic recognition elements, particularly in the context of a given application, and will be a versatile complement or alternative to first-order designs to fit complex processes. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

Characterization of collagen fibers in Bruch’s membrane using chemical force microscopy

Bruch’s membrane is a layer composed of collagen fibers located just beneath the retina. This study validates a strategy used to map the morphological and adhesion characteristics of collagen fibers in Bruch’s membrane. Atomic force microscopy tips were functionalized with different chemical groups and used to map the hydrophilic and hydrophobic regions on the surface of the eye tissue. The largest adhesion forces were observed when tips functionalized with NH₂ groups were used. The trend in the adhesion forces was rationalized based on the distribution of different functional groups in the triple-helical structure of the collagen fibers. The results of this study can be used to design more effective strategies to treat eye diseases such as age-related macular degeneration.     

Importance of the choice of assumptions and models in the estimation of analytical quality specifications

The validity of any model depends on its ability to imagine the situation or problem to which it is applied. Further, the assumptions made in relation to the model are determining for the actual outcome. Within the field of clinical biochemistry a lot of models for analytical quality specifications, based on a variety of concepts and ’clinical settings’, have been proposed. A hierarchical structure for application of these approaches and models has been agreed on at several occasions in 1999. In this hierarchy, the highest rank is given to evaluation of analytical quality specifications based on ’clinical settings’/’clinical outcome’ models, followed by specifications based on biological variation and on ’clinicians opinions’. This contribution, deals with the problems of combining random and systematic errors and the implications of application of different models to a variety of clinical settings. Received: 1 June, 2002 Accepted: 17 July 2002 Presented at the European Conference on Quality in the Spotlight in Medical Laboratories, 7–9 October 2001, Antwerp, Belgium     

Influence of shearing on impact polypropylene copolymer: Phase morphology,thermal and rheological behavior

The influences of shearing conducted by a Brabender rheometer on phase morphology,thermal and rheological behavior of a commercial impact polypropylene copolymer(IPC) were studied.The crystallization and melting traces show that short-time annealing at 210°C is unable to completely erase the influence of shearing on the samples.When the samples which were treated at a rotation speed of 80 r/min crystallize at a cooling rate of 10 K/min,their 7_cs and corresponding T_ms obviously rise with the increase of shearing time.Furthermore,the POM results reveal that the shearing can lead to the formation of shish-kebab and the shish-kebab amount is proportional to shearing time.The rheological measurement results show that the treated samples exhibit different G’~ωdependences.The ’second plateau’ appears when the sample is treated at a rotation speed of 60 r/min or 80 r/min for 10 min,and linear G’~ωdependence is observed at other rotation speeds.In addition,it is found that the appearance of the ’second plateau’ depends on the shearing time when the rotation speed is fixed. According to SEM observations,it is proposed that the ’second plateau’ of IPC samples should be ascribed to the aggregation of dispersion particles.     

Synthesis and characterization of organo-soluble poly(amide-imide)s based on 1,2-bis[4-(trimellitimido)phenoxy]ethane and aromatic diamines

<正>New organo-soluble poly(amide-imide)s(PAIs) 8a-8f were prepared from newly synthesized 1,2-bis[4,4'-(trimellitimido) phenoxy]ethane 6 via direct polycondensation with various aromatic diamines.The diacid 6 was synthesized by the condensation reaction of 12-bis[4-atninophenoxy]ethane 4 with trimellitic anhydride 5 in acetic acid.All polymers were obtained in quantitative high yields with inherent viscosities of 0.48-0.61 dL/g.All of these polymers were highly soluble in organic solvents such as,N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone(NMP),dimethylformamide(DMF),N,N'-dimethylacetamide (DMAc) and dimethylsulfoxide(DMSO) at room temperature and were fully characterized by means of NMR spectroscopy, FTIR spectroscopy,elemental analyses,inherent viscosity,solubility test,specific rotation,differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermogravimetric analysis(TGA).     

Accreditation to ISO 17025:2005 for the Radioactivity Metrology Group of the UK’s National Physical Laboratory

In the mid 1990s, the National Physical Laboratory (NPL) took the decision to seek external accreditation to the then UK national accreditation standard (M10, M10 supplement and M11) through the NPL’s National Measurement Accreditation Service (NAMAS). This paper details the reasoning behind that initial decision and, in particular, how this impinged on the day-to-day activities of the NPL’s Radioactivity Metrology Group (RMG). In the intervening decade, the accreditation standard has changed considerably; accreditation is now to the international standards ISO 9001:2000 (Quality Management Systems: Requirements) and ISO 17025:2005 (General Requirements for the Competence of Testing and Calibration Laboratories); accreditation is now carried out by a wholly separate successor organization to NAMAS, the United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS). To meet the new accreditation requirements the RMG: realigned it’s scope of work; streamlined and consolidated written procedures, references and appendices; centralized the collection of written procedures, and clarified the document identification system. Future developments will include efforts for RMG accreditation for conducting proficiency tests and providing reference materials.     

Effect of Phosphorus Content on Thermal Behaviour of Diglycidyl Ether of Bisphenol-A/phosphorus Containing Amines

Curing of diglycidyl ether of bisphenol-A (DGEBA) with phosphorus containing amide amines i.e. bis[3(3’-aminobenzamido phenyl)]methyl phosphine oxide (MB),bis[3(4’-aminobenzamido phenyl)]methyl phosphine oxide (PB), tris[3(3’-aminobenzamidophenyl)] phosphine oxide (MT) and tris[3(4’-aminobenzamido phenyl)] phosphine oxide (PT)and conventionally used curing agent 4,4’-diaminodiphenyl sulfone (D) was studied by DSC. The amines MB, PB, MT and PT were synthesised in the laboratory and were characterized by determining elemental composition, melting point, and amine equivalent. Structural characterization was done by ¹H-NMR and FTIR. The onset temperature of curing depended on the nucleophilicity of the amines and was in the orderMT≈MB<PT<PB<D. The exothermic peak temperatures were in the orderD>PB>PT>MT≈MB. The char residue of cured epoxy resin was significantly higher when phosphorus was incorporated in the cured network. Using mixed amine formulations based on amine D and P-containing amines and the molar ratio of these amines could easily control the curing characteristics. A linear relationship between char yield and P-content was observed in such formulations. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Overview of the recent literature on flame retardancy and smoke suppression in PVC

This paper presents an overview of the recent literature on flame retardancy of poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC). A short overview of mechanisms of thermal decomposition of PVC, especially those which lead to char formation, is also presented because this gives insight into the mechanisms of flame retardant action. New developments in the area are mostly focused on combinations of various flame retardants and smoke suppressants in the search for synergistic effects. Because different additives show different mechanisms of action, synergistic combinations are very probable. New developments in phosphate ester plasticizers are reported in the literature. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The chemical ‘Knight’s Move’ relationship: what is its significance?

Similarities in properties among pairs of metallic elements and their compounds in the lower-right quadrant of the Periodic Table have been named the ‘Knight’s Move’ relationship. Here, we have undertaken a systematic study of the only two ‘double-pairs’ of ‘Knight’s Move’ elements within this region: copper-indium/indium-bismuth and zinc-tin/tin-polonium, focussing on: metal melting points; formulas and properties of compounds; and melting points of halides and chalcogenides. On the basis of these comparisons, we conclude that the systematic evidence for ‘Knight’s Move’ relationships derives from similarities in formulas and properties of matching pairs of compounds in the same oxidation state. Physical properties, such as melting points, do not provide consistent patterns and trends and hence should not be considered as a common characteristic of this relationship.     

Synthesis and biological activity of new 2-[(3-aminopropyl)dimethyl-silyl]-5-trialkylgermylfurans

New highly cytotoxic 3-aminopropyl derivatives of 2-dimethylsilyl-5-trialkylgermylfuran (IC₅₀ 1−3 μg⋅ml⁻¹) have been prepared by hydrosilylation of heterocyclic N-allylamines with the corresponding hydrosilane in the presence of Speier’s catalyst. The influence of the amine structure and alkyl substituent at the germanium atom on the cytotoxicity has been investigated.     

Equilibrium and kinetics study of Gd(III) and U(VI) adsorption from aqueous solutions by modified Sorrel’s cement

Modified Sorrel’s cement was prepared by the addition of ferric chloride. The modified cement (MF5) was analyzed and characterized by different methods. Adsorption of Gd(III) and U(VI) ions in carbonate solution has been studied separately as a function of pH, contact time, adsorbent weight, carbonate concentration, concentration of Gd(III) and U(VI) and temperature. From equilibrium data obtained, the values of Δ H, Δ S and Δ G were found to equal −30.9 kJ ⋅ mol⁻¹, −85.4 J ⋅ mol⁻¹ ⋅,K⁻¹, and −5.4 KJ ⋅ mol⁻¹, respectively, for Gd(III) and 18.9 kJ ⋅ mol⁻¹, 67.8 J ⋅ mol⁻¹ K⁻¹ and −1.3 KJ ⋅ mol⁻¹, respectively, for U(VI). The equilibrium data obtained have been found to fit both Langmuir and Freundlich adsorption isotherms. The batch kinetic of Gd(III) and U(VI) on modified Sorrel’s cement (MF5) with the thermodynamic parameters from carbonate solution were studied to explain the mechanistic aspects of the adsorption process. Several kinetic models were used to test the experimental rate data and to examine the controlling mechanism of the adsorption process. Various parameters such as effective diffusion coefficient and activation energy of activation were evaluated. The adsorption of Gd(III) and U(VI) on the MF5 adsorbent follows first-order reversible kinetics. The forward and backward constants for adsorption, k ₁and k ₂ have been calculated at different temperatures between 10 and 60^∘C. Form kinetic study, the values of Δ H ^* and Δ S ^* were calculated for Gd(III) and U(VI) at 25^∘C. It is found that Δ H ^* equals −14.8 kJmol⁻¹ and 7.2 kJmol⁻¹ for Gd(III) and U(VI), respectively, while Δ S ^* were found equal −95.7 Jmol⁻¹K⁻¹ and −70.5 Jmol⁻¹K⁻¹ for Gd(III) and U(VI), respectively. The study showed that the pore diffusion is the rate limiting for Gd(III) and (VI).     

Kinetic features of the adsorption of water vapor by copper and nickel ammine complexes with polyoxometallate anions

The rate of adsorption of water vapor by compounds obtained from cationic copper(II) and nickel(II) ammine complexes and polyoxometallate anions may be described by the linear driving force mass transfer model as one or two parallel processes. The differences observed were attributed to differences in the crystal structure of the adsorbents. __________ Translated from Teoreticheskaya i éksperimental’naya Khimiya, Vol. 43, No. 2, pp. 112–117, March–April, 2007.     

Design Features of a High Resolution Microcalorimeter EDX System

 High resolution, superconducting detectors allow energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry (EDX) with energy resolution and energy threshold far beyond the levels obtained with semiconductor detectors. These cryogenic detectors are run at temperatures of less than 100 mK and combine the excellent energy resolution of wavelength dispersive X-ray spectrometry (WDX) with the fast, energy dispersive analysis of EDX. CSP cryogenic spectrometer’s microcalorimeter type EDX cryodetectors are equipped with a mechanical cooling system that runs vibration free and allows completely automated operations on scanning electron microscopes (SEMs), field emission guns (FEGs) and transmission electron microscopes (TEMs). This detector type offers new opportunities in material analysis, especially when low excitation energies are applied or light elements are to be determined.