Cobalt(II)-selective membrane electrode based on a recently synthesized benzo-substituted macrocyclic diamide.

A PVC-membrane electrode based on a recently synthesized 18-membered macrocyclic diamide is presented. The electrode reveals a Nernstian potentiometric response for Co2+ over a wide concentration range (2.0 x 10(-6)-1.0 x 10(-2) M). The electrode has a response time of about 10 s and can be used for at least 2 months without any divergence. The proposed sensor revealed very good selectivities for Co2+ over a wide variety of other metal ions, and could be used over a wide pH range (3.0-8.0). The detection limit of the sensor is 6.0 x 10(-7) M. It was successfully applied to the direct determination and potentiometric titration of cobalt ion.     

Central ADER schemes for hyperbolic conservation laws

In this paper we first briefly review the very high order ADER methods for solving hyperbolic conservation laws. ADER methods use high order polynomial reconstruction of the solution and upwind fluxes as the building block. They use a first order upwind Godunov and the upwind second order weighted average (WAF) fluxes. As well known the upwind methods are more accurate than central schemes. However, the superior accuracy of the ADER upwind schemes comes at a cost, one must solve exactly or approximately the Riemann problems (RP). Conventional Riemann solvers are usually complex and are not available for many hyperbolic problems of practical interest. In this paper we propose to use two central fluxes, instead of upwind fluxes, as the building block in ADER scheme. These are the monotone first order Lax-Friedrich (LXF) and the third order TVD flux. The resulting schemes are called central ADER schemes. Accuracy of the new schemes is established. Numerical implementations of the new schemes are carried out on the scalar conservation laws with a linear flux, nonlinear convex flux and non-convex flux. The results demonstrate that the proposed scheme, with LXF flux, is comparable to those using first and second order upwind fluxes while the scheme, with third order TVD flux, is superior to those using upwind fluxes. When compared with the state of art ADER schemes, our central ADER schemes are faster, more accurate, Riemann solver free, very simple to implement and need less computer memory. A way to extend these schemes to general systems of nonlinear hyperbolic conservation laws in one and two dimensions is presented.     

Silica-Supported LiHSO4 as a Highly Efficient,Mild, Heterogeneous,and Reusable Catalytic System for the Solvent-Free Synthesis of Bis(indolyl)methanes

Silica-supported LiHSO₄ (LiHSO₄/SiO₂) is used as a green, cheap, and efficient catalytic system for the synthesis of bis(indolyl)methanes via the condensation of indoles with carbonyl compounds under solvent-free conditions. The reactions proceed rapidly at room temperature, and the title compounds are obtained in high to excellent yields.     

Environmental and radio-ecological studies on shallow marine sediments from harbour areas along the Red Sea coast of Egypt for identification of anthropogenic impacts

Analysis of marine sediments of the studied localities provides investigators with data to characterise the composition of these sediments allowing for the identification of particular pollution sources. A study of texture, geochemistry, X-ray diffraction and natural radionuclide content of shallow marine sediments from Quseir harbour, Safaga harbour and El-Esh area in the Red Sea coast of Egypt was conducted for the purpose of assessing the possible influence of human activities on the composition of the sediments. The activity concentrations of the naturally occurring radionuclides ²²⁶Ra, ²³²Th and ⁴⁰K were measured by using γ-ray spectrometry. The mean activity concentrations of ²²⁶Ra, ²³²Th and ⁴⁰K in all areas studied were found to be 71±6, 66±5 and 92±7 Bq kg^?1 for ²²⁶Ra, 83±5, 71±7 and 162±23 Bq kg^?1 for ²³²Th and 513±10, 493±20 and 681±28 Bq kg^?1 for ⁴⁰K, respectively. The results of the study presented were compared with corresponding results obtained in other coastal and aquatic environments in the Red Sea.     

Gold nanoparticle shape effects on human serum albumin corona interface: a molecular dynamic study

Three-dimensional (3D) hierarchical rutile TiO₂ microspheres composed of nanorods with diameter of several-tens of nanometers, with different morphologies and with average size ranging from 1.3 to 1.8 μm, were successfully synthesized through a surfactant-free solvothermal route. The effects of the solvents n-hexane, chloroform, and cyclohexane on the microstructures of 3D hierarchical TiO₂ nanostructures were investigated. Results of scanning electron microscopy showed that 3D sea-urchin like hierarchical TiO₂ composed of nanorods with a diameter of ~10 nm can only be prepared in the cyclohexane-water system. The growth mechanism of 3D sea-urchin like hierarchical TiO₂ composed of numerous nanorods was further examined and found to differ from the well-known “growth → assembly” mode. The effects of surface tension and polarity of solvents on the morphology and crystal strength of 3D hierarchical TiO₂ nanostructure were also investigated. In addition, the prepared 3D sea-urchin like hierarchical TiO₂ showed highest photocatalytic activity compared with other 3D hierarchical TiO₂ nanostructures in this study and Degussa P25 for the degradation of Rhodamine B solution under UV light irradiation, which could be attributed to its special hierarchical superstructure, the increase of surface catalytic sites and its special composition units.     

A population biological model with a singular nonlinearity

We consider the existence of positive solutions of the singular nonlinear semipositone problem of the form $\left\{ \begin{gathered} - div(|x|^{ - \alpha p} |\nabla u|^{p - 2} \nabla u) = |x|^{ - (\alpha + 1)p + \beta } \left( {au^{p - 1} - f(u) - \frac{c} {{u^\gamma }}} \right),x \in \Omega , \hfill \\ u = 0,x \in \partial \Omega , \hfill \\ \end{gathered} \right. $ where Ω is a bounded smooth domain of ? ^N with 0 ∈ Ω, 1 < p < N, 0 ? α < (N ? p)/p, γ ∈ (0, 1), and a, β, c and λ are positive parameters. Here f: [0,∞) → ? is a continuous function. This model arises in the studies of population biology of one species with u representing the concentration of the species. We discuss the existence of a positive solution when f satisfies certain additional conditions. We use the method of sub-supersolutions to establish our results.     

Chromatographic Application on Calixarene Bonded Stationary Phases: A Stability Indicating LC-Method for Determination of Celecoxib in Tablet Formulation

A method is described for extraction and quantification of celecoxib in tablets. The extraction was achieved through centrifugation of the fine powder of the tablets in Acetonitrile (ACN). The extract was examined by LC. The chromatographic separation was carried out on a Caltrex AIII column, a relatively new packing material consisting of silica-bonded calix[8]arene, using isocratic binary mobile phase of ACN and H₂O (55%:45%, v/v). A diode array detector was used at 254 nm for detection. The method was validated for system suitability, linearity, precision, limits of detection and quantitation, specificity, stability and robustness. The limits of detection and quantitation were 0.122 and 0.488 μg mL^?1, respectively. The recovery value of this method was 101.88% and the reproducibility was within 2.08.     

Chromatographic Application on Calixarene Bonded Stationary Phases: A Stability Indicating Method for Simultaneous Determination of Paracetamol, Caffeine and Acetylsalicylic Acid in Excedrin Tablets

A simple, rapid and accurate, routine-LC method is described for simultaneous determination of paracetamol, caffeine and acetylsalicylic acid in a tablet formulation. This study represents a new application for the calixarene stationary phases. The chromatographic separation of the three pharmaceuticals was achieved on a Caltrex BIIE column (250 × 4 mm, 5 μm) using a binary mobile phase of 14% ACN and 86% 50 mM NaH₂PO₄ pH 3.0 at 1 mL min^?1 flow rate. Detection was at 214 nm. Separation was achieved in less than 15 min. The method was validated for system efficiency, linearity, accuracy, precision, limit of detection and quantification, specificity, stability and robustness. The limits of detection were 4.88, 9.77 and 78.13 ng per 10 μL of their injected volumes, respectively. The recovery values of this method were between 94.63 and 101.85 and the reproducibility was within 3.88. The method could also be used for separation and determination of salicylic acid which is considered the most important degradation product of acetylsalicylic acid.