Critical configurations of planar robot arms

It is known that a closed polygon P is a critical point of the oriented area function if and only if P is a cyclic polygon, that is, P can be inscribed in a circle. Moreover, there is a short formula for the Morse index. Going further in this direction, we extend these results to the case of open polygonal chains, or robot arms. We introduce the notion of the oriented area for an open polygonal chain, prove that critical points are exactly the cyclic configurations with antipodal endpoints and derive a formula for the Morse index of a critical configuration.     

On bounded nonoscillatory solutions of third-order nonlinear differential equations

This paper is concerned with the asymptotic behavior of solutions of nonlinear differential equations of the third-order with quasiderivatives. We give the necessary and sufficient conditions guaranteeing the existence of bounded nonoscillatory solutions. Sufficient conditions are proved via a topological approach based on the Banach fixed point theorem.     

Microanalysis of DNA by stripping transfer voltammetry

A cathodic stripping transfer voltammetric procedure for trace determination of DNA and its components is described. The method is based on the DNA acid hydrolysis with subsequent electrochemical determination of released purine bases. In the first step, DNA is hydrolyzed for 30 min in 0.5 M perchloric acid at 75 degrees C. The electrochemical step involves generation of Cu(I)-purine base complex on a mercury electrode surface, transfer of electrode with accumulated complex into supporting electrolyte where voltammetric measurement is performed. Analysis is carried out in 14-microl drop volume (two-electrode connection) or in 30-microl drop (three-electrode connection) on a platinum plate, which is used as a counter electrode. Blank electrolyte contains 0.05 M borate buffer, pH 9.2 with 6.3 microM Cu(II). We could observe voltammetric signal at hydrolyzed nucleosides, nucleotides, ODN, and DNA containing purine bases. We are able to accumulate under the controlled potential and determine subnanomolar concentration of DNA corresponding to the amount of 200 pg of DNA.     

Spectral and thermodynamic studies of the interaction of binding site probes with poly(vinylpyrrolidone)

The binding of two ionic azo dyes (4-phenylazo-1-naphthol mono-and disulfonate) and a fluorescent probe (2-p-toluidinonaphthalene-6-sulfonic acid, TNS) to poly(vinylpyrrolidone) (PVP) was studied to obtain information on the nature of the interaction, binding isotherm, and binding site. Sorption of the dyes followed a Langmuir isotherm only at low polymer saturation. Apparent cooperativity in binding was seen at higher saturation. The polymer had a higher intrinsic binding constant but lower binding capacity for the doubly charged dye than for the structurally similar singly charged dye. Both dyes consisted of tautomeric mixtures of hydrazone and azonaphthol forms in equilibrium in the bound and unbound state. The preferential binding of the azonaphthol tautomer of the disulfonate was highly exothermic and accompanied by an entropy decrease. The binding of the hydrazone form was less favored by 1.8 kcal/mol, was weakly exothermic, and accompained by an entropy increase. Increased preference for the azonaphthol tautomer accompanied chain extension from charging the polymer. Chain extension had no effect on the emission frequency of bound TNS. Large differences in binding capacities for similarly charged dyes indicated the existence of specific dye-site interactions. Arguments are presented against nonspecific hydrophobic interactions as predominant forces responsible for binding.     

Thermodynamic and kinetic models for the extraction of essential oil from savory and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons from soil with hot (subcritical) water and supercritical CO2

Mechanisms that control the extraction rates of essential oil from savory (Satureja hortensis) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) from historically-contaminated soil with hot water and supercritical carbon dioxide were studied. The extraction curves at different solvent flow-rates were used to determine whether the extractions were limited primarily by the near equilibrium partitioning of the analyte between the matrix and solvent (i.e. partitioning thermodynamics, or the "elution" step) or by the rate of analyte desorption from the matrix (i.e. kinetics, or the "initial desorption" step). Two simple models were applied to describe the extraction profiles obtained with hot water and with supercritical CO2: (1) a model based solely on the thermodynamic distribution coefficient KD, which assumes that analyte desorption from the matrix is rapid compared to elution. and (2) a two-site kinetic model which assumes that the extraction rate is limited by the analyte desorption rate from the matrix, and is not limited by the thermodynamic (KD) partitioning that occurs during elution. For hot water extraction, the thermodynamic elution of analytes from the matrix was the prevailing mechanism as evidenced by the fact that extraction rates increased proportionally with the hot water flow-rate. This was also confirmed by the fact that simple removal calculations based on a single KD (for each essential oil compound) gave good fits to experimental data for flow-rates from 0.25 to 4 ml/min. In contrast, supercritical CO2 extraction showed only minimal dependence on flow-rate, and the simple KD model could only describe the initial 20-50% of the extraction. However, a simple two-site kinetic model gave a good fit for all CO2 flow-rates tested. The results of these investigations demonstrated that very simple models can be used to determine and describe extractions which are limited primarily by partitioning thermodynamics, or primarily by desorption kinetics. Furthermore, these results show that the time required for the recovery of essential oil from savory with hot water can be minimized by increasing flow-rate, with little change in the total volume of water required. In contrast, raising the flow-rate of supercritical CO2 has little effect on the mass of essential oils recovered per unit of time, indicating that optimal recovery of these compounds with supercritical CO2 (amount recovered for the lowest amount of CO2) requires longer extraction times rather than faster flow-rates.     

Ferrite supports for isolation of DNA from complex samples and polymerase chain reaction amplification

The influence of cobalt ferrite particles, with non-modified or modified surface, on the course of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was investigated. DNA isolated from bacterial cells of Bifidobacterium bifidum was used in PCR evaluation of magnetic microspheres. The presence of cobalt ferrite particles inhibits PCR amplification. The effect is not dependent on the functional groups of the modifying reagents used (none, amino, carboxyl). Amplification was improved after the magnetic separation of magnetic particles. Proposed indirect method enabled verification of the suitability of designed particles for their application in PCR assays. Magnetic particles coated with alginic acid under high PEG and sodium chloride concentration were used for the isolation of PCR-ready bacterial DNA from various dairy products. DNA was isolated from crude bacterial cell lysates without phenol extraction of samples. Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus DNAs were identified in dairy products using PCR.     

Determination of chromium(VI) and total chromium in water by in-electrode coulometric titration in a porous glassy carbon electrode

Chromium(VI) is determined through its direct electrochemical reduction in the bulk of a porous glassy carbon electrode. An electrode filled with the acidified sample and Cr(VI) is reduced by means of a constant current whereas the potential of the electrode is monitored. The limits of detection and quantification were found to be 1.9 and 6.0 μg · L⁻¹, resp. The linear range, repeatability and reproducibility were found to be 5–500 μg · L⁻¹, 1.2, and 1.8%, resp. The influence of Fe(III), Ca(II), Mg(II), sulphates, nitrates, humic acids and surfactants was investigated. Total chromium was measured after chemical oxidation of Cr(III) to chromate by permanganate. The method was applied to analyses of water samples.     

Preparation of μ-(η5:η5-Fulvalene)-di-μ-hydrido-bis(η5-cyclopentadienyltitanium) by the reduction of Cp2TiCl2 with LiAlH4 in aromatic solvents

Summary -(⁵:⁵-Fulvalene)-di--hydrido-bis(⁵-cyclopentadienyltitanium) (1) can be prepared by the reduction of Cp₂TiCl₂ with LiAlH₄ in methylbenzenes and in tetralin at their boiling temperatures in yields greater than 90%. The reduction proceedsvia the bis(⁵-cyclopentadienyl)titanium(III) chloride dimer which is further transformed into the unstable [Cp₂TiH] species. Thermal decomposition of the latter accompanied by hydrogen evolution gives rise to (1). -(⁵:⁵-Fulvalene)--hydrido--chloro-bis(⁵-cyclopentadienyltitanium), the first fulvalene containing compound observed in the system is formed by hydrido-chloro exchange of (1) with (Cp₂TiCl)₂ and aluminium chlorohydrides.     

Environmentally induced amplitude death and firing provocation in large-scale networks of neuronal systems

We study the dynamics of multielement neuronal systems taking into account both the direct interaction between the cells via linear coupling and nondiffusive cell-to-cell communication via common environment. For the cells exhibiting individual bursting behavior, we have revealed the dependence of the network activity on its scale. Particularly, we show that small-scale networks demonstrate the inability to maintain complicated oscillations: for a small number of elements in an ensemble, the phenomenon of amplitude death is observed. The existence of threshold network scales and mechanisms causing firing in artificial and real multielement neural networks, as well as their significance for biological applications, are discussed.     

Fabrication of Silicon Carbide Nanocrystals by Electrical Discharge and Laser-Induced Processes in Solution

Plasma Chemistry and Plasma Processing - The capabilities of the liquid assisted electrical discharge technique with additional laser irradiation of colloids for the synthesis of SiC nanocrystals...