Crystal growth,crystal structure and pyroelectric properties of the polar hexagonal antimony tartrates MII[Sb2(C4H2O6)2]·2H2O (MII = Ca,Sr, Pb)

Single crystal growth of lead antimony tartrate dihydrate, Pb[Sb₂((+)C₄H₂O₆)₂]·2H₂O, was successfully performed. The determined polar hexagonal crystal structure is isomorphous to the corresponding calcium and strontium antimony tartrates dihydrates. New results of crystal growth and the redetermination of the crystal structures of the nonlinear optical crystal Sr[Sb₂((+)C₄H₂O₆)₂]·2H₂O and its calcium analogue are reported, together with investigations of the thermal stability and the pyroelectric properties of these polar crystals.

     

Gas chromatography with ballistic heating and ultrafast cooling of column

An overview of the existing methods for minimization of the analysis time in gas chromatography (GC) is presented and a new system for fast temperature programming and very fast cooling down is evaluated. In this study, a system of coaxial tubes, a heating/cooling module (HC-M), was developed and studied with a capillary column placed inside the HC-M. The module itself was heated by a GC oven and cooled down by an external cooling medium. The HC-M was heated at rates of up to 330 °C min⁻¹ and cooled at the rate of 6000 °C min⁻¹. The GC system was prepared for the next run within a few seconds. The HC-M permits good separation reproducibility, comparable with that of a conventional GC, expressed in terms of relative retention times and peak areas of analytes reproducibilities. The HC-M can be used within any commercial gas chromatograph.     

Hamiltonian threshold for strong products of graphs

We prove that the strong product of any at least non‐trivial connected graphs of maximum degree at most Δ is pancyclic. The obtained result is asymptotically best possible since the strong product of ?(ln 2)D? stars K_1,D is not even hamiltonian. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Graph Theory 58: 314–328, 2008     

Structural characterisation of thiol-modified hyaluronans

Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy and non-isothermal methods—chemiluminometry, differential scanning calorimetry, and differential thermogravimetry—were used to characterize potential structural changes of thiol-modified hyaluronans. Degradative conditions tested via rotational viscometry were first initiated applying oxidative Weissberger’s system in a reaction system under aerobic conditions. Several low-molecular-weight thiol compounds—cysteamine, l-cysteine, and N-acetyl-l-cysteine—were subsequently tested for their potential antioxidative effects against hyaluronan degradation. It was shown that different final values of dynamic viscosity of hyaluronan solutions were dependent on the thiol structure and its initial concentration. An idea has been put forward that together with the reduction of the hyaluronan molecular weight, which is a consequence of fragmentation, the degradation products might contain associated or even cross-linked structures. In the case of N-acetyl-l-cysteine application, the carbonaceous residue evidenced by differential thermogravimetry was increased when compared to that of intact hyaluronan.     

Diophantine approximation generalized

In this paper we study the set of x ∈ [0, 1] for which the inequality |x − x _n | < z _n holds for infinitely many n = 1, 2, .... Here x _n ∈ [0, 1) and z _n s> 0, z _n → 0, are sequences. In the first part of the paper we summarize known results. In the second part, using the theory of distribution functions of sequences, we find the asymptotic density of n for which |x − x _n | < z _n , where x is a discontinuity point of some distribution function of x _n . Generally, we also prove, for an arbitrary sequence x _n , that there exists z _n such that the density of n = 1, 2, ..., x _n → x, is the same as the density of n = 1, 2, ..., |x − x _n | < z _n , for x ∈ [0, 1]. Finally we prove, using the longest gap d _n in the finite sequence x ₁, x ₂, ..., x _n , that if d _n ≤ z _n for all n, z _n → 0, and z _n is non-increasing, then |x − x _n | < z _n holds for infinitely many n and for almost all x ∈ [0, 1].     

Simultaneous determination of eight biologically active thiol compounds using gradient elution-liquid chromatography with Coul-Array detection

The most active form of sulfur in biomolecules is the thiol group, present in a number of biologically active compounds. Here we present a comprehensive study of thiol analysis using flow injection analysis/HPLC with electrochemical detection. The effect of different potentials of working electrodes, of organic solvent contents in the mobile phase, and of isocratic and gradient elution on simultaneous determination of thiol compounds (cysteine, cystine, N-acetylcysteine, homocysteine, reduced and oxidised glutathione, desglycinephytochelatin, and phytochelatins) are described and discussed. These thiol compounds were well separated and detected under optimised HPLC-electrochemical detection conditions (mobile phase: 80 mM trifluoroacetic acid and methanol with a gradient profile starting at 97:3 (TFA:methanol), kept constant for the first 8 min, then decreasing to 85:15 during one minute, kept constant for 8 min, and finally increasing linearly up to 97:3 from 17 to 18 min; the flow rate was 0.8 mL/min, column and detector temperature 25 degrees C, and the electrode potential 900 mV). We were able to determine tens of femtomoles (3 S/N) of the thiols per injection (5 microL), except for phytochelatin5 whose detection limit was 2.1 pmole. This technique was consequently used for simultaneous determination of compounds of interest in biological samples (maize tissue and human blood serum).     

The hamiltonian chromatic number of a connected graph without large hamiltonian-connected subgraphs

If G is a connected graph of order n ⩾ 1, then by a hamiltonian coloring of G we mean a mapping c of V (G) into the set of all positive integers such that |c(x) − c(y)| ⩾ n − 1 − D _G (x, y) (where D _G (x, y) denotes the length of a longest x − y path in G) for all distinct x, y ∈ V (G). Let G be a connected graph. By the hamiltonian chromatic number of G we mean

Tribological behaviour of nanostructured Ti-C:H coatings for biomedical applications

The development of a mechanically stable, functionally graded Ti-doped a-C:H interface layer in combination with a functional a-C:H coating requires a reduction of the brittle phases which induce generally problems in the transitions from Ti to TiC/a-C:H. The core objective of this study was to develop an optimum interlayer between the substrate and the functional top layer for biomedical applications, namely for tooth implants. Since the interlayer may be exposed to the sliding process, in the case of local failure of the top layer it has to fulfil the same criteria: biocompatibility, high wear resistance and low friction.The functional Ti-C:H layers with thickness in the range 2.5–3.5 μm were deposited by a magnetron sputtering/PECVD hybrid process by sputtering a Ti-target in a C₂H₂ + Ar atmosphere in dc discharge regime. The sets of coating samples were prepared by varying the C and H concentrations controlled by the C₂H₂ flow during the deposition process. The tribological properties were evaluated on a pin-on-disc tribometer at room temperature (RT) and at 100 °C using 440C balls with a diameter of 6 mm. The tests at 100 °C were performed to investigate the effect of the sterilization temperature on the tribological properties and the coating lifetime as well. The tribological performance was examined with respect to the friction coefficient, the wear rates of the coating and the counter-parts and the analysis of the wear debris. The Ti/C ratio decreased almost linearly from 4.5 to 0.1 with increasing C₂H₂ flow; the hydrogen content showed a minimum of 5 at.% at C₂H₂ flow of 30 sccm, while for lower flows it was about 10 at.%. The coatings could be divided into three groups based on the C₂H₂ flow: (i) 10–15 sccm, exhibiting severe abrasive damage during the sliding tests, (ii) 20–45 sccm, showing the highest hardness and friction values, and (iii) 52–60 sccm, with moderate hardness and minimal values of the friction coefficient and the wear rate.     

Carbon Nanotube Electrodes for Hot‐Wire Electrochemistry

Hot‐wired electrodes : Thin metallic wires (d=25 μm) are covered with a 3 μm layer of single‐walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs; see image) by electrophoresis from a suspension containing excess ionic surfactant. A pure SWCNT surface is achieved by heating the electrode in air. Strong differences between covered and bare metallic electrodes occur with in situ heating during electrochemical experiments.

     

The Odd-Distance Plane Graph

The vertices of the odd-distance graph are the points of the plane ℝ². Two points are connected by an edge if their Euclidean distance is an odd integer. We prove that the chromatic number of this graph is at least five. We also prove that the odd-distance graph in ℝ² is countably choosable, while such a graph in ℝ³ is not. The research of J. Maňuch was supported in part by MITACS (Mathematics of Information Technology and Complex Systems). The research of M. Rosenfeld was supported in part by the Chancellor Research Grant and the Institute of Technology, UWT. The research of S. Shelah was supported by the United States-Israel Binational Science Foundation (Grant no. 2002323), and by NSF grant No. NSF-DMS 0600940. No. 923 on Shelah’s publication list. The research of L. Stacho was supported in part by NSERC (Natural Science and Engineering Research Council of Canada) grant.