On simultaneous confidence intervals for all contrasts in the means of the intraclass correlation model with missing data

In this paper, we consider simultaneous confidence intervals for all contrasts in the means when the observations are missing at random in the intraclass correlation model. An exact test statistic for the equality of the means and Scheffé, Bonferroni and Tukey types of simultaneous confidence intervals are given by an extension of Bhargava and Srivastava [On Tukey's confidence intervals for the contrasts in the means of the intraclass correlation model, J. Royal Statist. Soc. B35 (1973) 147-152] when the missing observations are of the monotone type. Finally, numerical results of simultaneous confidence intervals are presented.     

Chemical interaction between Paeonia lactiflora and Glycyrrhiza uralensis,the components of Jakyakgamcho‐tang,using a validated high‐performance liquid chromatography method: Herbal combination and chemical interaction in a decoction

The herbal combination is the basic unit of a herbal formula that affects the chemical characteristics of individual herbs. In the present study, a method of simultaneous determination of the 11 marker compounds in Jakyakgamcho‐tang was developed using high‐performance liquid chromatography with photodiode array detection. The validated analytical method was successfully applied to approach the chemical interaction between Paeonia lactiflora and Glycyrrhiza uralensis in co‐decoction. In P. lactiflora, the contents of gallic acid, oxypaeoniflorin, (+)‐catechin, paeoniflorin, and benzoylpaeoniflorin were decreased, while those of albiflorin and benzoic acid were increased; in G. uralensis, the contents of liquiritin, isoliquiritin, ononin, and glycyrrhizin were decreased, when decocting two herbs together. Moreover, as the ratio between P. lactiflora and G. uralensis was increased, the contents of chemical contents from each herb were proportionally increased. However, each content of marker compound per the gram of herbal medicine was decreased as the ratio of combinative herbs increased. The results showed that P. lactiflora and G. uralensis affect the extraction efficiency of chemical compounds in a Jakyakgamcho‐tang decoction. Overall, the method established in this study was simple, rapid, and accurate, and would be useful for the determination of marker compounds and for the investigation of the chemical interaction between herbal medicines.     

Studies on epoxy resins cured by cationic latent thermal catalysts: The effect of the catalysts on the thermal,rheological, and mechanical properties

To investigate the effect of catalysts on the thermal, rheological, and mechanical properties of an epoxy system, a resin based on diglycidyl ether of bisphenol‐A (DGEBA) was cured by two cationic latent thermal catalysts, N‐benzylpyrazinium hexafluoroantimonate (BPH) and N‐benzylquinoxalinium hexafluoroantimonate (BQH). Differential scanning calorimetry was used for the thermal characterization of the epoxy systems. Near‐infrared spectroscopy was employed to examine the cure reaction between the DGEBA and the latent thermal catalysts used. The rheological properties of the blend systems were investigated under an isothermal condition with a rheometer. To characterize the mechanical properties of the systems, flexure, fracture toughness (K_IC), and impact tests were performed. The phase morphology was studied with scanning electron microscopy of the fractured surfaces of mechanical test samples. The conversion and cure activation energy of the DGEBA/BQH system were higher than those of the DGEBA/BPH system. The crosslinking activation energy showed a result similar to that obtained from the cure kinetics of the blend systems. The flexure strength, K_IC, and impact properties of the DGEBA/BQH system were also superior to those of the DGEBA/BPH system. This was a result of the substituted benzene group of the BQH catalyst, which increased the crosslink density and structural stability of the epoxy system studied. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 39: 187–195, 2001     

The thermal stabilities of luminescence and microstructures of Eu2+-doped KBaPO4 and NaSrPO4 with β-K2SO4 type structure

Eu(2+)-doped monophosphates NaSrPO(4) and KBaPO(4) with the β-K(2)SO(4) structure were synthesized using the conventional high temperature solid state reaction. The X-ray powder diffraction, photoluminescence excitation, and emission spectra and decay curves were measured. The phosphors can be efficiently excited by UV-visible light from 220 to 430 nm to realize emission in the visible range. The natures of the Eu(2+) emission, e.g., the chromaticity coordinates, the Stokes shifts, and the luminescence absolute quantum efficiencies, were reported. The luminescence quenching temperatures and the thermal activation energies for NaSrPO(4):Eu(2+) and KBaPO(4):Eu(2+) were obtained from the temperature dependent (10-435 K) luminescence intensities and decay curves. KBaPO(4):Eu(2+) presents only one emission center; however, Eu(2+) ions have a "disordered environment" in NaSrPO(4) lattices. The relationship between the luminescence thermal stabilities and the crystal structures was discussed. The crystallographic occupations of rare earth ions doped in these hosts were analyzed by the site-selective emission spectra and the excitation spectra of Eu(3+) ions in the (7)F(0)→(5)D(0) transitions using a pulsed, tunable, and narrow-band dye laser. In KBaPO(4), the Eu(3+) ions could be distributed in the host with a high "ordered state" in only one site in the lattices. However, the multiple site structure of Eu(3+) ions with highly disordered distributions in NaSrPO(4) lattices was suggested.     

Structural change of 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate + water mixtures studied by infrared vibrational spectroscopy

Mixtures of ionic liquid (IL, 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate, [BMIM][BF4]) and water with varying concentrations were studied by attenuated total reflection infrared absorption and Raman spectroscopy. Changes in the peak intensities and peak positions of CHx (x = 1, 2, 3) vibration modes of the cation of the IL and OH vibration modes of the water molecules were investigated. Peaks from normal-mode stretch vibrations of CH bonds belonging to the imidazolium ring of the cation did not change their positions, while those from the terminal methyl group of the butyl chain blueshifted by approximately 10 cm-1 with the addition of water. On the other hand, change in the spectral shape in the OH stretch vibration region shows hydrogen-bonding network of water molecules breaking down rapidly as the IL is added. Trends in the change of the peak positions and the peak intensities suggested qualitative change of the intermolecular structure in the [BMIM][BF4] + H2O mixture at 32 +/- 2 and 45 +/- 2 mol/L of water concentration.     

Synthesis,properties, and crystal structures of mononuclear nickel(II) and copper(II) complexes with 2-oximino-3-thiosemicarbazone-2,3-butanedione

The tridentate ligand 2-Oximino-3-thiosemicarbazone-2,3-butanedione (Hotsb) reacts with MCl₂ (M = Ni²⁺ or Cu²⁺) to give rise to the mononuclear complexes [Ni(Hotsb)₂]Cl₂ · H₂O (1) and [Cu(Hotsb)Cl₂] · H₂O (2). These complexes have been characterized by X-ray crystallography, spectroscopy, and cyclic voltammetry. The nickel(II) ion in (1) is in a six-coordinate octahedral environment being bonded to the two protonated tridentate ligands which occupy mer positions. The copper(II) ion in (2) is in a five-coordinate square-pyramidal geometry, in which the basal plane is made up the two nitrogens, sulfur, and chloride atom, while the other chloride atom is coordinated at the axial position. The cyclic voltammogram of the complexes displays two one-electron waves corresponding to M^II/M^III and M^II/M^I processes. The electronic as well as infrared spectral properties of the title complexes are reported and discussed.     

Cu2O/CuO Electrocatalyst for Electrochemical Reduction of Carbon Dioxide to Methanol

Herein, we report the controlled and direct fabrication of Cu₂O/CuO thin film on the conductive nickel foam using electrodeposition route for the electrochemical reduction of carbon dioxide (CO₂) to methanol. The electrocatalytic reduction was performed in CO₂ saturated aqueous solution consisting of KHCO₃, pyridine and HCl at room temperature. CO₂ reduction was carried out at a constant potential of −1.3 V for 120 min to study the electrochemical performance of the prepared electrocatalysts. Cu₂O/CuO shows better electrocatalytic activity with highest current density of 46 mA/cm². The prepared catalyst can be an efficient and selective electrode for the production of methanol.     

Phase‐transition characteristics of amphiphilic poly(2‐ethyl‐2‐oxazoline)/poly(ε‐caprolactone) block copolymers in aqueous solutions

Amphiphilic diblock and triblock copolymers of various block compositions based on hydrophilic poly(2‐ethyl‐2‐oxazoline) (PEtOz) and hydrophobic poly(ε‐caprolactone) were synthesized. The micelle formation of these block copolymers in aqueous media was confirmed by a fluorescence technique and dynamic light scattering. The critical micelle concentrations ranged from 35.5 to 4.6 mg/L for diblock copolymers and 4.7 to 9.0 mg/L for triblock copolymers, depending on the block composition. The phase‐transition behaviors of the block copolymers in concentrated aqueous solutions were investigated. When the temperature was increased, aqueous solutions of diblock and triblock copolymers exhibited gel–sol transition and precipitation, both of which were thermally reversible. The gel–sol transition‐ and precipitation temperatures were manipulated by adjustment of the block composition. As the hydrophobic portion of block copolymers became higher, a larger gel region was generated. In the presence of sodium chloride, the phase transitions were shifted to a lower temperature level. Sodium thiocyanate displaced the gel region and precipitation temperatures to a higher temperature level. The low molecular weight saccharides, such as glucose and maltose, contributed to the shift of phase‐transition temperatures to a lower temperature level, where glucose was more effective than maltose in lowering the gel–sol transition temperatures. The malonic acid that formed hydrogen bonds with the PEtOz shell of micelles was effective in lowering phase‐transition temperatures to 1.0M, above which concentration the block copolymer solutions formed complex precipitates. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci B: Polym Phys 38: 2400–2408, 2000     

Biological Removal of Phosphate at Low Concentrations Using Recombinant Escherichia coli Expressing Phosphate-Binding Protein in Periplasmic Space

During wastewater treatment, phosphate removal is an important and challenging process; thus, diverse technologies, including those derived from biological means, have been devised for efficient phosphate removal. Although conventional biological methods are effective in decreasing wastewater phosphate levels to ~1 mg/L, long periods of microbial adaptation are required for effective phosphate removal, and the removal efficiency of these methods is relatively poor at lower phosphate concentrations. In the present work, we constructed a recombinant Escherichia coli with periplasmic-expressed phosphate-binding protein (PBP) and investigated its biological removal ability for low phosphate levels. We found that the PBP-expressing recombinant E. coli cells showed efficient (> 94 %) removal of phosphate at low concentrations (0.2–1.0 mg/L) in a treated cell mass-dependent manner. Collectively, we propose that our PBP-expressing recombinant whole-cell system could be successfully used during wastewater treatment for the biological removal of low concentrations of phosphate.