Large quartic groups on translation planes,II—Even order: Characterization of the Ott‐Schaeffer planes

A general theory of collineation groups generated by quartic groups of even order is considered. Applications are given to collineation groups generated by ‘large’ quartic groups. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Combin Designs 13: 195–210, 2005.     

Oscillation of coupled nonlinear discrete systems

The problem of oscillation of a second order nonlinear difference system is considered and conditions for oscillation are derived by means of a complete analysis of nonoscillatory solutions. The case of systems with deviating arguments is also analyzed, and the results are shown to significantly generalize some existing ones.     

Generalized Hermite–Gaussian functions and pulse propagation in optical fiber systems

Chirped Hermite–Gaussian functions shows outstanding potentialities in mathematical models for linear and non linear pulse propagation in optical fibers. We propose three generalized subclasses of Hermite–Gaussian functions as natural extension to the complex domain. We exemplify the properties of these subclasses by analyzing some relevant cases of pulse oscillatory dynamics governed by nonlinear Schrödinger equation with constant or periodic coefficfients.     

Numerical Modeling of PMD

A procedure for evaluating system performance considering all orders of polarization mode dispersion (PMD) is presented. The method provides engineering rules for computing system penalty introduced by PMD. Computer simulation of PMD induced penalty indicates that for generating a realistic system budget, effect of higher order PMD in presence of chromatic dispersion is essential. Considering all of these penalties, in order to obtain a system-reach of 3200 km at 40 Gb/s, a fiber PMD of less than 0.04 ps/km^1/2 is required when at the signal wavelength chromatic dispersion is 0. In presence of 18 ps/nm chromatic dispersion for the same system reach this PMD value reduces to about 0.02 ps/km^1/2.     

O– centers in LuAG:Ce,Mg ceramics

Electron traps are known to a have great influence on the carriers transport process in Ce based scintillators. On the other hand, the role of hole traps in the scintillation process has been less considered. By means of electron spin resonance (ESR), we detected hole traps in highly Ce‐doped LuAG:Ce,Mg ceramics in the form of σ‐type O^– centers. The g ‐tensor components turn out to be g_⊥ = 2.0103, and g_|| = 2.0023, revealing the axial symmetry of these defects. Mg‐perturbed variants of O^– centers are proposed to exist in LuAG:Ce,Mg. Their occurrence is related to an elongated Mg–O bond as evidenced by DFT calculations. Finally, the multiple role of O^– centers in the scintillation process is discussed.

     

Co-doped ZnO nanoparticles synthesized by an adapted sol–gel method: effects on the structural,optical, photocatalytic and antibacterial properties

Pure and Co-doped ZnO nanoparticles were synthesized with different cobalt levels (1–10 mol%) via adapted sol–gel method using water as solvent and characterized by X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, Raman spectroscopy and photoacoustic absorption spectroscopy. The results showed that all the samples have hexagonal wurtzite structure, with no evidence of any secondary phases until 10 mol% of the dopant. The average crystallite size of the samples was in the range of 25–50 nm, do not showing significant differences with the increase of the dopant level. However, the band gap energy of the nanoparticles decreases from 2.98 eV (pure ZnO) to 1.95 eV (10 mol% of Co). The photocatalytic activity of the samples was evaluated on the removal of methylene blue under visible light irradiation, which revealed an efficiency reduction by Co-doping ZnO. The antibacterial property was carried out indicating activity of the prepared samples against gram-positive bacteria.     

Design of a H2 PSA for cogeneration of ultrapure hydrogen and power at an advanced integrated gasification combined cycle with pre-combustion capture

A novel hydrogen pressure swing adsorption system has been studied that is applied to an advanced integrated gasification combined cycle plant for cogenerating power and ultrapure hydrogen (99.99+ mol%) with CO₂ capture. In designing the H₂ PSA, it is essential to increase the recovery of ultrapure hydrogen product to its maximum since the power consumption for compressing the H₂ PSA tail gas up to the gas turbine operating pressure should be minimised to save the total auxiliary power consumption of the advanced IGCC plant. In this study, it is sought to increase the H₂ recovery by increasing the complexity of the PSA step configuration that enables a PSA cycle to have a lower feed flow to one column for adsorption and more pressure equalisation steps. As a result the H₂ recovery reaches a maximum around 93 % with a Polybed H₂ PSA system having twelve columns and the step configuration contains simultaneous adsorption at three columns and four-stage pressure equalisation.     

High Relaxivity Mn2+‐Based MRI Contrast Agents

Stable Mn²⁺ mono‐ and binuclear complexes containing pentadentate 6,6′‐((methylazanediyl)bis(methylene))dipicolinic acid coordinating units give remarkably high relaxivities due to the presence of two inner‐sphere water molecules. The mononuclear derivative binds human serum albumin (HSA) with an association constant of 3372 M ^?1, which results in the replacement of the coordinated water molecules by donor atoms of protein residues. The dinuclear analogue also binds HSA while leaving one of the Mn²⁺ centres exposed to the solvent with two coordinated water molecules. Thus, this complex shows remarkably high relaxivities upon protein binding (39.0 mM ^?1 s^?1 per Mn, at 20 MHz and 37 °C).     

Synthesis,characterization, and thermal behavior of palladium(II) complexes containing 4-iodopyrazole

The mononuclear pyrazolyl complexes [PdCl₂(HIPz)₂] (1), [PdBr₂(HIPz)₂] (2), [PdI₂(HIPz)₂] (3), [Pd(SCN)₂(HIPz)₂] (4), and [Pd(NHCOIPz)₂] (5) have been prepared. Compound 1 was obtained from the displacement of acetonitrile from [PdCl₂(CH₃CN)₂] precursor by the 4-iodopyrazole (HIPz) ligand, whereas 2–5 were synthesized by substitution of the chlorido in 1 by the respective anionic group. The compounds were characterized by elemental analysis, infrared spectroscopy, and ¹H NMR spectroscopy. The thermal behavior of 1–5 has been studied by TG and DTA. The thermal stability of [PdX₂(HIPz)₂] compounds varies according to the trends X = Cl^? < I^? ? SCN^?< Br^?. No stable intermediates were isolated during the thermal decompositions due to the overlap of the degradation processes. The final products of the thermal decompositions were characterized as metallic palladium by X-ray powder diffraction.