Siloxane‐Crown Ether Polyamide Based Electrode for Electrochemical Determination of Lead(II) in Aqueous Solution

A siloxane‐crown ether polyamide copolymer (PDMS‐PA‐DB18C6) was electrochemically investigated for fabrication of lead‐sensitive electrodes for trace analysis in aqueous solutions. The PDMS‐PA‐DB18C6 electrodes were successfully evaluated for anodic stripping voltammetric determination of lead(II) as a promising alternative for the detection of lead at ppb levels. By a judicious choice of the deposition time, electrolyte concentration and pulse amplitude, good analytical performance of the developed sensor could be achieved, with a linear response in the range of 20–700 ppb, when LOD of 3.5 ppb could be attained. This method showed a good degree of selectivity and sensitivity for lead, suitable for the determination of Pb²⁺ in wastewater sample.     

Relationship between polypyrrole morphology and electrochemical activity towards oxygen reduction reaction

The relationship between the morphology of polypyrrole and their electrocatalytic performances towards the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in alkaline media is described; annealed polypyrrole with granular- and tubules-like morphology exhibited different catalytic efficiencies.     

Application of sulphur isotopes for stratigraphic correlation

The sulphur isotopic composition of dissolved sulphate in seawater has varied considerably through time. Certain time intervals are characterised by distinct variations and a relatively high rate of change. These relatively rapid fluctuations allow for correlation of sediment sections using sulphur isotopes. Sulphur isotope reconstructions based on the analysis of carbonate associated sulphate or marine barite result in sulphur isotope records with an age resolution of 1-5 million years (Ma), and for some age intervals the resolution is<0.25?Ma. At these specific time intervals, where higher resolution records exist and excursions in the record are identified, the trends could be used for stratigraphic correlations. Such records are particularly useful in sections from deep marine sites that lack biostratigraphic controls or where biozones do not provide sufficient resolution.     

Assembly of a novel supramolecular synthon of calix[4]arene presenting four carboxylic acids

An extremely complex solid state structure described by two virtual channels and a 2-D square grid of hydrogen bonds is generated by four carboxylic acids groups of calix[4]arene tetrabutyroxycarboxylic acid.     

Water‐Soluble Triarylborane Chromophores for One‐ and Two‐Photon Excited Fluorescence Imaging of Mitochondria in Cells

Three water‐soluble tetracationic quadrupolar chromophores comprising two three‐coordinate boron π‐acceptor groups bridged by thiophene‐containing moieties were synthesised for biological imaging applications. Compound 3 containing the bulkier 5‐(3,5‐Me₂C₆H₂)‐2,2′‐(C₄H₂S)₂‐5′‐(3,5‐Me₂C₆H₂) bridge is stable over a long period of time, exhibits a high fluorescence quantum yield and strong one‐ and two‐photon absorption (TPA), and has a TPA cross section of 268 GM at 800 nm in water. Confocal laser scanning fluorescence microscopy studies in live cells indicated localisation of the chromophore at the mitochondria; moreover, cytotoxicity measurements proved biocompatibility. Thus, chromophore 3 has excellent potential for one‐ and two‐photon‐excited fluorescence imaging of mitochondrial function in cells.     

Exponential Stability for Discrete Time Linear Equations Defined by Positive Operators

In this paper the problem of exponential stability of the zero state equilibrium of a discrete-time time-varying linear equation described by a sequence of linear positive operators acting on an ordered finite dimensional Hilbert space is investigated. The class of linear equations considered in this paper contains as particular cases linear equations described by Lyapunov operators or symmetric Stein operators as well as nonsymmetric Stein operators. Such equations occur in connection with the problem of mean square exponential stability for a class of difference stochastic equations affected by independent random perturbations and Markovian jumping as well us in connection with some iterative procedures which allow us to compute global solutions of discrete time generalized symmetric or nonsymmetric Riccati equations. The exponential stability is characterized in terms of the existence of some globally defined and bounded solutions of some suitable backward affine equations (inequalities) or forward affine equations (inequalities).     

Kinetic analysis of isothermal decomposition of 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine using differential scanning calorimetry

Differential scanning calorimetry was used to study the thermal decomposition of 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine (DNPH) in isothermal regime. The DSC curves were carried out at several constant temperatures lower than the melting temperature. The standard isoconversional analysis of the obtained curves suggests an autocatalytic decomposition mechanism. This mechanism is also supported by the temperature dependence of the observed induction periods.     

Input-output admissibility and exponential trichotomy of difference equations

We propose a new method for the study of the asymptotic behavior of difference equations in infinite-dimensional spaces, providing characterizations for the property of uniform exponential trichotomy. We deduce the structure of the stable, unstable and bounded subspace and prove the uniqueness of the projection families. We introduce a new admissibility concept with respect to a discrete input-output system and prove that this is a necessary and sufficient condition for the existence of uniform exponential trichotomy. Throughout the paper, there is no assumption on the coefficients and the obtained results are applicable to any class of difference equations.