Fluorescence Study of Intermolecular Interactions in Diluted Aqueous Solutions of Some Cationic Amphiphilic Polysaccharides

The intermolecular hydrophobic association in diluted aqueous solutions of some cationic amphiphilic polysaccharides was investigated using fluorescence techniques. Dextran and dextran carrying N-alkyl-N,N-dimethyl-N(2-hydroxypropylene) ammonium chloride groups as side chains were single labeled with pyrene or naphthalene. The intensity of the pyrene excimer peak and the ratio I₃/I₁ determined from the fluorescence emission spectra of pyrene-labeled amphiphilic polymer increased with increasing polymer concentration and were higher than in the solution containing pyrene-labeled dextran. Emission spectra of diluted solution (0.008–0.2 g/dl) containing mixtures of pyrene and naphthalene single-labeled amphiphilic polymers proved the occurrence of a nonradiative energy transfer between labels at very a low polymer concentration (<10^?2 g/dl). The energy transfer was not observed in mixtures of single-labeled unmodified dextran. All these results suggest that the intermolecular hydrophobic association of alkyl substituents takes place at a very low concentration of amphiphilic polymers.     

The properties of functional inclusions and Hyers–Ulam stability

We prove that a set-valued function satisfying some functional inclusions admits, in appropriate conditions, a unique selection satisfying the corresponding functional equation. As a consequence we obtain the result on the Hyers–Ulam stability of that functional equation.     

Early error detection: an action-research experience teaching vector calculus

This paper describes an action-research experience carried out with second year students at the School of Engineering of the National University of Entre Ríos, Argentina. Vector calculus students played an active role in their own learning process. They were required to present weekly reports, in both oral and written forms, on the topics studied, instead of merely sitting and watching as the teacher solved problems on the blackboard. The students were also asked to perform computer assignments, and their learning process was continuously monitored. Among many benefits, this methodology has allowed students and teachers to identify errors and misconceptions that might have gone unnoticed under a more passive approach.     

Classification of rotational special Weingarten surfaces of minimal type in {\mathbb{S}^2 \times \mathbb{R}} and {\mathbb{H}^2 \times \mathbb{R}}

In this paper we classify the complete rotational special Weingarten surfaces in ${\mathbb{S}^2 \times \mathbb{R}}$ and ${\mathbb{H}^2 \times \mathbb{R}}$ ; i.e. rotational surfaces in ${\mathbb{S}^2 \times \mathbb{R}}$ and ${\mathbb{H}^2 \times \mathbb{R}}$ whose mean curvature H and extrinsic curvature K _e satisfy H = f(H ² ? K _e ), for some function ${f \in \mathcal{C}^1([0,+\infty))}$ such that f(0) = 0 and 4x(f′(x))² < 1 for any x ≥ 0. Furthermore we show the existence of non-complete examples of such surfaces.     

A meshless procedure for transient heat conduction in functionally graded materials

A meshless numerical procedure is developed for analyzing the transient heat conduction problem in non-homogeneous functionally graded materials. In the proposed method the time derivative of temperature is approximate by the finite difference. At each time step the original nonlinear boundary value problem is transform into a hierarchy of non-homogeneous linear problem by used the homotopy analysis method. In this method a sought solution is presented by using a finite expansion in Taylor series, which consecutive elements are solutions of series linear value problems defining differential deformations. Each of linear boundary value problems with the corresponding boundary conditions is solved by using the method of fundamental solutions and radial basis functions which are used for interpolation of the inhomogeneous term. The accuracy of the obtained approximate solution is controlled by the number of components of the Taylor series, while the convergence of the process is monitored by an additional parameter of the method. Numerical experiments demonstrate the efficiency and accuracy of the present scheme in the solution of the heat conduction problem in nonlinear functionally graded materials. (© 2013 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Estimation of free copper ion concentrations in blood serum using T(1) relaxation rates

The water proton relaxation rate constant R(1)=1/T(1) (at 60 MHz) of blood serum is substantially increased by the presence of free Cu2+ ions at concentrations above normal physiological levels. Addition of chelating agents to serum containing paramagnetic Cu2+ nulls this effect. This was demonstrated by looking at the effect of adding a chelating agent-D-penicillamine (D-PEN) to CuSO4 and CuCl2 aqueous solutions as well as to rabbit blood serum. We propose that the measurement of water proton spin-lattice relaxation rate constants before and after chelation may be used as an alternative approach for monitoring the presence of free copper ions in blood serum. This method may be used in the diagnosis of some diseases (leukaemia, liver diseases and particularly Wilson's disease) because, in contrast to conventional methods like spectrophotometry which records the total number of both bound and free ions, the proton relaxation technique is sensitive solely to free paramagnetic ions dissolved in blood serum. The change in R(1) upon chelation was found to be less than 0.06 s(-1) for serum from healthy subjects but greater than 0.06 s(-1) for serum from untreated Wilson's patients.     

Synthesis,Photophysics and Redox Properties of Aza-BODIPY Dyes with Electron-Donating Groups

A series of novel aza-BODIPY dyes substituted with p-(dimethylamino)phenyl groups were synthesized and their spectral and electrochemical properties were compared. In particular, the impact of p-(Me₂N)Ph- groups on these characteristics was of consideration. For two aza-BODIPYs studied, a near-IR absorption band was observed at circa λ_abs=796 nm. Due to the pronounced intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) exerted by the presence of strongly electron-donating p-(Me₂N)Ph- substituents, the compounds studied were weakly emissive with the singlet lifetimes (τ_S) in the picosecond range. Nanosecond laser photolysis experiments of the brominated aza-BODIPYs revealed T₁→T_n absorption spanning from ca. 350 nm to ca. 550 nm with the triplet lifetimes (τ_T) ranged between 6.0 μs and 8.5 μs. The optical properties of the aza-BODIPYs studied were pH-sensitive. Upon protonation of the dimethylamino groups with trifluoroacetic acid in toluene, a stepwise disappearance of the NIR absorption band at λ_abs=790 nm was observed with the concomitant appearance of a blue-shifted absorption band at λ_abs=652 nm, which was accompanied by a prominent emission band at λ_fl=680 nm. The transformation from a non-emissive to an emissive compound is associated with the inhibition of the ICT. As estimated by CV/DPV measurements, all aza-BODIPYs studied exhibited two irreversible oxidation and two quasi-reversible reduction processes. All compounds studied exhibit extremely high photostability and thermal stability.     

Thin-disk Yb:KLu(WO(4))(2) laser with single-pass pumping

Single-pass pumping of a thin disk consisting of an only 50 microm thick epitaxial layer of 32 at.% Yb-doped KLu(WO(4))(2) grown on a 0.35 mm thick undoped KLu(WO(4))(2) substrate is demonstrated. The thin-disk laser delivered 9 W of continuous wave output power near 1030 nm with a slope efficiency of 77%.     

Physicochemical and Quality Properties of Dried Courgette Slices: Impact of Vacuum Impregnation and Drying Methods

The aim of this study was to determine the effects that the type of impregnating solution and drying method (freeze drying (FD) and vacuum drying (VD) at 45 °C and convective drying (CD) at 50, 60, and 70 °C) had on the physicochemical and quality properties of courgettes. Courgette slices were vacuum-impregnated (6 kPa) in freshly squeezed onion, kale, and onion and kale (50:50) juices with 3% NaCl solution (N). The application of vacuum impregnation (VI) with impregnating solutions from freshly squeezed onions and kale had a beneficial effect on the bioactive values of courgette. The highest contents of quercetin (41.84 μg/g d.m.) and carotenoids (276.04 μg/g d.m.) were found in courgette impregnated with onion juice after freeze drying. The highest values of lutein and zeaxanthin (216.42 μg/g d.m.) were recorded for courgette impregnated with kale juice and convective dried. By analysing the kinetics of convective drying, the best matching of the logistic model was found. Increasing the drying process temperature from 50 to 70 °C reduced the drying time from 15% to 36%, depending on the type of impregnating solution used. Water activity < 0.6 was recorded for courgette dried by freezing, vacuum, and convection at 60 and 70 °C. Conclusions: The vacuum impregnation process and the impregnation solutions from freshly squeezed vegetables can be used to develop new snacks with high levels of bioactive compounds. The FD method is the most appropriate considering both the bioactive compounds content and the obtained colour and water activity.     

Nanorattles or Yolk–Shell Nanoparticles—What Are They,How Are They Made,and What Are They Good For?

The development of nanotechnology has led to the design of cutting‐edge nanomaterials with increasing levels of complexity. Although “traditional” solid, uniform nanoparticles are still the most frequently reported structures, new generations of nanoparticles have been constantly emerging over the last several decades. The outcome of this nano‐art extends beyond nanomaterials with alternative compositions and/or morphologies. The current state‐of‐the‐art allows for the design of nanostructures composed of different building blocks that exhibit diverse properties. Furthermore, those properties can be a reflection of either individual features, which are characteristic of a particular building block alone, and/or synergistic effects resulting from interactions between building blocks. Therefore, the unique structures as well as the outstanding properties of nanorattles have attracted increasing attention for possible biomedical and industrial applications. Although these nanoparticles resemble core–shell particles, they have a distinctive feature, which is a presence of a void that provides a homogenous environment for the encapsulated core. In this Review, we give a comprehensive insight into the fabrication of nanorattles. A special emphasis is put on the choice of building blocks as well as the choice of preparation method, because those two aspects further influence properties and thus possible future applications, which will also be discussed.