Temperature dependent deuterium quadrupole coupling constants of short hydrogen bonds

Very short hydrogen bonds universally show large positive dependences of the deuterium NMR quadrupolar coupling constant with temperature. We present temperature dependent NMR data for eight such systems, with OO distances of between 238 and 250 pm, and show we can model the temperature dependences by density functional methods, as long as proper attention is paid to intermolecular effects and intermode couplings.     

Oxide‐Supported IrNiOx Core–Shell Particles as Efficient,Cost‐Effective,and Stable Catalysts for Electrochemical Water Splitting

Active and highly stable oxide‐supported IrNiO_x core–shell catalysts for electrochemical water splitting are presented. IrNi_x@IrO_x nanoparticles supported on high‐surface‐area mesoporous antimony‐doped tin oxide (IrNiO_x /Meso‐ATO) were synthesized from bimetallic IrNi_x precursor alloys (PA‐IrNi_x /Meso‐ATO) using electrochemical Ni leaching and concomitant Ir oxidation. Special emphasis was placed on Ni/NiO surface segregation under thermal treatment of the PA‐IrNi_x /Meso‐ATO as well as on the surface chemical state of the particle/oxide support interface. Combining a wide array of characterization methods, we uncovered the detrimental effect of segregated NiO phases on the water splitting activity of core–shell particles. The core–shell IrNiO_x /Meso‐ATO catalyst displayed high water‐splitting activity and unprecedented stability in acidic electrolyte providing substantial progress in the development of PEM electrolyzer anode catalysts with drastically reduced Ir loading and significantly enhanced durability.     

A Bifurcation of Solutions of Nonlinear Fredholm Inclusions Involving CJ-Multimaps with Applications to Feedback Control Systems

In this paper, by applying the oriented coincidence index for a pair consisting of a nonlinear Fredholm operator and a CJ-multimap, we prove a global bifurcation theorem for solutions of families of inclusions with such maps. The method of guiding functions is used to calculate the oriented coincidence index for a class of feedback control systems. This characteristic allows to obtain the existence result for periodic trajectories of such systems. From the other side, it opens the possibility to apply the abstract bifurcation result to the study of qualitative behavior of branches of periodic trajectories.     

Assessment of amplitude modulation in environmental noise measurements

This paper introduces a method to assess the parameters of amplitude modulation as applicable to environmental noise monitoring tasks. It is based on the analysis of time histories of sound pressure levels correlated with a reference cosine signal. The method brings accurate results in situations where the time history does not exhibit a clear modulation pattern or the signal-to-noise ratio is poor. These features make the suggested technique attractive for practical implementation.     

Photochromism of side-chain liquid crystal polymers containing spironaphthoxazines

Side-chain liquid crystal polyacrylates and polysiloxanes containing different photochromic spironaphthoxazine side groups were synthesized. Thermodynamic, spectral and kinetic properties of the polymers were investigated. The structure of the mesophase is discussed.     

An Os(II)--bisbipyridine--4-picolinic acid complex mediates the biocatalytic growth of au nanoparticles: optical detection of glucose and acetylcholine esterase inhibition

The complex Os(II)-bisbipyridine-4-picolinic acid, [Os(bpy)(2)PyCO(2)H](2+) (1), mediates the biocatalyzed growth of Au nanoparticles, Au NPs, and enables the spectroscopic assay of biocatalyzed transformations and enzyme inhibition by following the Au NP plasmon absorbance. In one system, [Os(bpy)(2)PyCO(2)H](2+) mediates the biocatalyzed oxidation of glucose and the growth of Au NPs in the presence of glucose oxidase, GOx, AuCl(4) (-), citrate and Au NP seeds. The mechanism of the Au NPs growth involves the oxidation of the [Os(bpy)(2)PyCO(2)H](2+) complex by AuCl(4) (-) to form [Os(bpy)(2)PyCO(2)H](3+) and Au(I). The [Os(bpy)(2)PyCO(2)H](3+) complex mediates the GOx biocatalyzed oxidation of glucose and the regeneration of the mediator 1. Citrate reduces Au(I) and enlarges the Au seeds by the catalytic deposition of gold on the Au NP seeds. In the second system, the enzyme acetylcholine esterase, AChE, is assayed by the catalytic growth of the Au NPs. The hydrolysis of acetylcholine (2) by AChE to choline is followed by the [Os(bpy)(2)PyCO(2)H](3+) mediated oxidation of choline to betaine and the concomitant growth of the Au NPs. The mediated growth of the Au NPs is inhibited by 1,5-bis(4-allyldimethylammonium-phenyl)pentane-3-one dibromide (3). A competitive inhibition process was demonstrated (K(M)=0.13 mM, K(I)=2.6 microM) by following the growth of the Au NPs.