An immune algorithm for resolution of multicomponent overlapping chromatograms

A novel immune algorithm for resolution and quantitative determination of the components in overlapping chromatograms was proposed by imitating biological immune systems. The algorithm takes an overlapping chromatogram as its input and subtracts the chromatograms of standard samples from the input by iteration of a network. When the residual does not change, the network will converge and chromatographic information of the components in overlapping chromatogram will be obtained. Both simulated and experimental data sets were investigated by the method. Results showed that both resolved results and recoveries of quantitative determination are satisfactory. Comparing with conventional least-square method, the immune algorithm is fast in calculation.     

Simultaneous determination of neodymium, erbium and holmium in rare earth mixtures with 2-phenyltrifluoroacetone and octylphenol poly(ethyleneglycol) ether by third-derivative spectrophotometry

The complexes of the rare earth metals with 2-phenyltrifluoroacetone in the presence of TX-100 are reported. The characteristic absorbances of neodymium, holmium and erbium complexes can be increased by factors of 8.5, 31 and 15 respectively, compared to those of the cholrides. The third-derivative spectra have been used to eliminate the interference of cerium, and the sensitivities are increased again by factors of 7.4, 5.5 and 6.5. A method for the direct determination of neodymium, erbium and holmium in rare earth mixtures is proposed.     

Color Displays with Gel-Glass Dispersed Liquid Crystals

Liquid crystal microdroplets trapped into silica gel-glasses by sol-gel processes may be used for display applications. Gel-glass dispersed liquid crystals (GDLC) are switched between opaque and transparent states by applying external AC-voltage signals; no polarizers are required. The feasibility of applying these materials to colored displays has been explored. A comparative study of different dyes for GDLC color displays, which were either embedded in the sol-gel matrix or dissolved in the liquid crystal microdroplets is presented.     

Méthylène-indolines,indolénines et indoléniniums—XIII: L'hydroxy-16 déhydro-1 vincadifformine,intérmédiaire dans le réarrangement biomimétique de la vincadifformine en vincamine

The title compound is a crucial intermediate in the biomimetic conversion of vincadifformine 1 into vincamine 7. Its configuration at C-16 is established by a combination of chemical and spectroscopic evidence. Iodine oxidation converts 14 into the bridged lactam 18, thus proving a β configuration for the hydroxy group at C-16. The same reaction applied to vindoline 19 gives 21 identical with one of the compounds obtained by microbiological transformation of 19. The ¹³C NMR spectra of derivatives 3 and 8 (obtained by oxidation of vincadifformine) show that oxidation proceeds with introduction of the substituent at C-16, with a β-configuration. The alcohol 3 however, posesses a different conformation due to strong hydrogen bonding with N-4.     

PHOTOVOLTAIC ACTION SPECTRA AND EFFICIENCIES OF CHLOROPHYLL a SPECIES ABSORBING NEAR 700 nm

Abstract— Alcohol vapors affect the photovoltaic properties of anhydrous chlorophyll a (Chi a). At 23°C, a photovoltaic cell of the type Allanhydrous Chi a|Ag has been successively submitted to non saturating vapors of methanol, ethanol, 1-propanol, 2-propanol, cyclopropyl carbinol, cyclopentanol, methyl cyclopropyl carbinol, 1-butanol, 1-pentanol and chloroethanol. The action spectrum of anhydrous Chi a has a maximum in the red at 672 nm. This maximum is shifted towards 700 nm under the influence of alcohol vapors. The most important changes occur for ethanol, 1-propanol and 2-propanol. In the same way, the conversion efficiencies of light energy into electrical energy, measured at the maximum in the red are, for the same alcohols, higher than the initial value 1.7 times 10^-2% obtained on the average for anhydrous Chi a. A maximum value of 6.3 times 10^-2% has been obtained after rehydration of Chi a solvated with 2-propanol. The influence of alcohol vapors has been interpreted in terms of microcapillarity of anhydrous Chi a and a mean microcavity radius of 11 ± 6 Å has been deduced from the photocurrent variation with the amount of alcohol vapor present in the measuring area. Furthermore, the action spectrum shift towards 700 nm has been interpreted by the formation, at 23°C, of Chi a special aggregates whose action spectrum has been obtained by difference. Infrared spectroscopy demonstrated that anhydrous Chi a obtained from electrodeposition is an assembly of Chi a dimers and that alcohol vapors, producing the special aggregates formation at 23°C, induce a decrease of the free C=O ketone band and an increase of the associated C=O ketone. The C=O esters band is not affected by the Chi a reorganization.     

Adsorption configuration and local ordering of silicotungstate anions on Ag(100) electrode surfaces

X-ray reflectivity, cyclic voltammetry, and scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) are used to examine the structure of alpha-SiW12O4(4-) or silicotungstic acid (STA) adsorbed on Ag(100) in acid solution. The voltammetry shows that STA passivates the Ag surface relative to electron transfer to a solution redox species. STM images reveal the formation of a series of lattice structures, one of which can be associated with a commensurate ( radical13x radical13)R33.69 degrees structural model. X-ray reflectivity measurements show uniquely that STA orients with its four-fold axis perpendicular to the Ag(100) surface and that the center of the STA molecule is 4.90 A above the top layer of the Ag substrate. Analysis of bond lengths leads to a footprint of STA on Ag(100), in which the four terminal O atoms are located near the hollow sites and have a Ag-O bond length of 2.06 A. This bond length is consistent with a strong covalent interaction between STA and the Ag surface.     

Synthesis and Characterization of Ag2S Nanocrystals in Hyperbranched Polyurethane at Room Temperature

Ag₂S nanoparticles in hyperbranched polyurethane matrix were prepared through the in situ reaction with thioacetamide as the sulfur source at room temperature. Transmission electron microscopic analysis revealed a uniform spherical shape for Ag₂S nanoparticles, with an average size of about 4-10 nm and a narrow size distribution. X-ray powder diffraction and UV-vis spectroscopy were also used to characterize the obtained nanoparticles     

Optical properties of ZnO and ZnO:In nanorods assembled by sol-gel method

Self-assembled zinc oxide (ZnO) and indium-doping zinc oxide (ZnO:In) nanorod thin films were synthesized on quartz substrates without catalyst in aqueous solution by sol-gel method. The samples were characterized by x-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM), Raman-scattering spectroscopy, room-temperature photoluminescence (PL) spectra, and temperature-dependent PL spectra measurements. XRD and Raman spectra illustrated that there were no single In2O3 phase in ZnO lattice after indium doping. The PL spectra of ZnO showed a strong UV emission band located at 394 nm and a very weak visible emission associated with deep-level defects. Indium incorporation induced the shift of optical band gap, quenching of the near-band-edge photoluminescence and enhanced LO mode multiphonon resonant Raman scattering in ZnO crystals at different temperatures. Abnormal temperature dependence of UV emission integrated intensity of ZnO and ZnO:In samples is observed. The local state emission peak of ZnO:In samples at 3.37 eV is observed in low-temperature PL spectra. The near-band-edge emission peak at room temperature was a mixture of excitons and impurity-related transitions for both of two samples.     

Multi-residue method for rapid screening and confirmation of pesticides in crude extracts of fruits and vegetables using isocratic liquid chromatography with electrospray tandem mass spectrometry

A LC-MS-MS method capable of the quantitative determination of a range of pesticide residues present in crude extracts from a variety of fruit and vegetables has been developed. Isocratic LC conditions have been used in conjunction with electrospray ionisation tandem mass spectrometry to detect and identify up to 38 pesticides presented as various mixtures in different matrices. The utility of the method is demonstrated by the analysis of crude extracts, with no sample clean up, from grape, kiwi fruit, strawberry, spinach, lemon, peach and nectarine. Mean recoveries ranging from 63 to 96% with relative standard deviations < 20% were obtained for 30 of the 38 pesticides following analysis of organic produce fortified at concentrations between 0.01 and 0.8 mg/kg. Detected residues were quantified from interpolation against calibration data generated using matrix-matched standards that covered analyte concentration ranges between 0.005 and 0.8 microg/ml. Conditions suitable for the qualitative and quantitative confirmation of residues detected in samples are specified.