Polymeric nanocomposites containing polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxanes prepared via frontal polymerization

Frontal polymerization (FP) has been successfully applied, for the first time, to obtain polymeric nanocomposites containing polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxanes (POSS) in an amine‐cured epoxy matrix. Variations of maximum temperature (T_max) and front velocity (V_f) have been studied. A comparison of these products with the corresponding materials, obtained by the classical batch polymerization technique, demonstrated that FP allows a higher degree of conversion than batch polymerization. The products have been characterized in terms of their thermal behavior with DSC analysis. SEM and X‐ray analyses revealed the morphology and the structures of the nanocomposites. The nanocomposites obtained by FP have the same characteristics of those synthesized, in much longer times, by batch polymerization. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 45: 4514–4521, 2007     

Structural and magnetic properties of the Y1−xThxFe3 and Lu1−xThxFe3 systems

The structural and magnetic properties of the pseudobinary Y_1?xTh_xFe₃ and Lu_1?xTh_xFe₃ systems, having the PuNi₃ structure, have been investigated. For x≤0·3, the magnetization vs temperature behavior for both systems is consistent with a simple ferromagnetic iron sublattice. For x>0·3, both systems show anomalies in M vs T and M vs H data. Lattice constants for both systems show a monotonic increase with increasing thorium content. The anomalous magnetic behavior has been explained by a Friedel-oscillation mechanism.     

Quantitative determination of beta-asarone in calamus by high-performance thin-layer chromatography

A quantitative high-performance thin-layer chromatographic method for determination of beta-asarone in Calamus rhizome was developed and validated. The method is suitable for proper identification of Acorus calamus. Through the use of caffeine-modified silica gel as the stationary phase and toluene-ethyl acetate (93 + 7, v/v) as the mobile phase, beta-asarone is baseline separated from its isomer alpha-asarone. Scanning densitometry with absorption measurement at 313 nm allows specific, accurate, and precise quantification of beta-asarone. The working range of 40 to 200 ng absolute of the target substance is sufficient to establish whether a given sample passes the limit test of 0.5% maximum as required by the Swiss Pharmacopoeia.     

Relating Categorical Semantics for Intuitionistic Linear Logic

There are several kinds of linear typed calculus in the literature, some with their associated notion of categorical model. Our aim in this paper is to systematise the relationship between three of these linear typed calculi and their models. We point out that mere soundness and completeness of a linear typed calculus with respect to a class of categorical models are not sufficient to identify the most appropriate class uniquely. We recommend instead to use the notion of internal language when relating a typed calculus to a class of models. After clarifying the internal languages of the categories of models in the literature we relate these models via reflections and coreflections. Mathematics Subject Classifications (2000) 03G30, 03B15, 18C50, 03B20.     

A versatile synthesis of retinoids via condensation of the side-chain to cyclic ketones

A simple synthesis of ethyl 3,7-dimethyl-2,4,6-nonatriene-8-ynoates and their corresponding alcohols is presented; codensation with various cyclic ketones can lead to retinoids having modified ring structures.     

Materials for peripheral nerve regeneration

Recent efforts in scientific research in the field of peripheral nerve regeneration have been directed towards the development of artificial nerve guides. We have studied various materials with the aim of obtaining a biocompatible and biodegradable two layer guide for nerve repair. The candidate materials for use as an external layer for the nerve guides were poly(caprolactone) (PCL), a biosynthetic blend between PCL and chitosan (CS) and a synthesised poly(ester-urethane) (PU). Blending PCL, which is a biocompatible synthetic polymer, with a natural polymer enhanced the system biocompatibility and biomimetics, fastened the degradation rates and reduced the production costs. Various novel block poly(ester-urethane)s are being synthesised by our group with tailored properties for specific tissue engineering applications. One of these poly(ester-urethane)s, based on a low molecular weight poly(caprolactone) as the macrodiol, cycloesandimethanol as the chain extender and hexamethylene diisocyanate as the chain linker, was investigated for the production of melt extruded nerve guides. We studied natural polymers such as gelatin (G), poly(L-lysine) (PL) and blends between chitosan and gelatin (CS/G) as internal coatings for nerve guides. In vitro and in vivo tests were performed on PCL guides internally coated either with G or PL to determine the differences in the quality of nerve regeneration associated with the type of adhesion protein. CS/G natural blends combined the good cell adhesion properties of the protein phase with the ability to promote nerve regeneration of the polysaccharide phase. Natural blends were crosslinked both by physical and chemical crosslinking methods. In vitro neuroblast adhesion tests were performed on CS/G film samples, PCL/CS and PU guides internally coated with G to evaluate the ability of such materials towards nerve repair.     

Raman spectroscopic characterization of a thiophene‐based active material for resistive organic nonvolatile memories

A combined theoretical and experimental Raman study is presented on a diphenyl bithiophene molecule known as a good candidate for the development of organic nonvolatile memory devices. Spectroscopic markers suitable to distinguish the different stable conformers of the molecule have been predicted and detected. The combined analysis of theoretical and experimental Raman spectra recorded in solution indicates that at room temperature a dynamical equilibrium, characterized by interconversion between the two more stable conformers (namely trans and cis), takes place and that the more populated species is the cis form. Referring to the solid phase instead, Raman spectra of single‐crystal samples show the presence of the only trans conformer, as confirmed by X‐ray measurements. Finally, Raman spectra of thin films, as those used for the memory device, were collected; samples just deposited from solution and after few hours from the deposition were analyzed. Following the evolution of selective spectroscopic Raman markers, an isomerization process from the abundant cis (as‐deposited) to the totally trans (after few hours) conformer in the solid phase was detected. These results open the way to the identification of the molecular isomers present in the thin film of the memory cell and finally of the active molecular species involved in the switching mechanism of the operating device. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Introduction to the special issue for SIMAI 2016

This paper discusses the computation of real \(\mathtt {Z}\)-eigenvalues and \(\mathtt {H}\)-eigenvalues of nonsymmetric tensors. A generic nonsymmetric tensor has finitely many Z-eigenvalues, while there may be infinitely many ones for special tensors. The number of \(\mathtt {H}\)-eigenvalues is finite for all tensors. We propose Lasserre type semidefinite relaxation methods for computing such eigenvalues. For every tensor that has finitely many real \(\mathtt {Z}\)-eigenvalues, we can compute all of them; each of them can be computed by solving a finite sequence of semidefinite relaxations. For every tensor, we can compute all its real \(\mathtt {H}\)-eigenvalues; each of them can be computed by solving a finite sequence of semidefinite relaxations.     

Synthesis and characterization of graphene-based nanocomposites with potential use for biomedical applications

In this paper, GaN nanoparticles were synthesized from the complex Ga(H₂NCONH₂)₆Cl₃ in the flow of NH₃ at a mild temperature (350 °C). Further purification was performed by the ethanol-thermal method. The ethanol-thermal method also prompted the GaN nanoparticles to grow into an anisotropic morphology. XRD patterns reveal that GaN nanoparticles have crystallized in a hexagonal wurtzite structure. TEM observation shows that the average size of the as-prepared nanoparticles is about 5–10 nm. The photoluminescence spectrum exhibits a broad green emission band with a peak at 510 nm. It can be known from the first-principle theoretic simulation by the TDDFT method that this fluorescence emission band is attributed to the hydride defects of V _N-H on the surface of GaN nanoparticles.