Immobilized TiO<Subscript>2</Subscript> nanoparticles produced by flame spray for photocatalytic water remediation

Anatase/rutile mixed-phase titanium dioxide (TiO₂) photocatalysts in the form of nanostructured powders with different primary particle size, specific surface area, and rutile content were produced from the gas-phase by flame spray pyrolysis (FSP) starting from an organic solution containing titanium (IV) isopropoxide as Ti precursor. Flame spray-produced TiO₂ powders were characterized by means of X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, and BET measurements. As-prepared powders were mainly composed of anatase crystallites with size ranging from 7 to 15 nm according to the synthesis conditions. TiO₂ powders were embedded in a multilayered fluoropolymeric matrix to immobilize the nanoparticles into freestanding photocatalytic membranes. The photocatalytic activity of the TiO₂-embedded membranes toward the abatement of hydrosoluble organic pollutants was evaluated employing the photodegradation of rhodamine B in aqueous solution as test reaction. The photoabatement rate of best performing membranes significantly overcomes that of membranes produced by the same method and incorporating commercial P25-TiO₂.     

Detecting positive feedback in multivariate time series: The case of metal prices and US inflation

The objective of this paper is to examine causality and feedback relationships between primary commodity prices and US inflation. To this end, the bivariate noisy Mackey–Glass process recently developed by Kyrtsou and Labys [Evidence for chaotic dependence between US inflation and commodity prices, J. Macroecon. 28(1) (2006) 256–266] has been applied to assess this relationship. Results obtained support evidence in favour of causality, which can help to identify the influences of speculative price behaviour on inflation.     

Phase-shifted Bragg microstructured optical fiber gratings utilizing infiltrated ferrofluids

Results are presented on the efficient spectral manipulation of uniform and chirped Bragg reflectors inscribed in microstructured optical fibers utilizing short lengths of ferrofluids infiltrated in their capillaries. The infiltrated ferrofluidic defects can generate either parasitic reflection notch features in uniform Bragg reflectors of up to 80% visibility and ~0.1 nm spectral shift or tunability of the bandwidth and strength reflection up to 100% when introduced into chirped gratings. Spectra are presented for different spatial positions and optical characteristics of the ferrofluidic section.     

Simplified expressions of the T-matrix integrals for electromagnetic scattering

The extended boundary condition method, also called the null-field method, provides a semianalytic solution to the problem of electromagnetic scattering by a particle by constructing a transition matrix (T-matrix) that links the scattered field to the incident field. This approach requires the computation of specific integrals over the particle surface, which are typically evaluated numerically. We introduce here a new set of simplified expressions for these integrals in the commonly studied case of axisymmetric particles. Simplifications are obtained using the differentiation properties of the radial functions (spherical Bessel) and angular functions (associated Legendre functions) and integrations by parts. The resulting simplified expressions not only lead to faster computations, but also reduce the risks of loss of precision and provide a simpler framework for further analytical work.     

Wave propagation in stereo-lithographical (STL) bone replicas at oblique incidence

Comparisons between predictions of a Biot-Allard model allowing for angle-dependent elasticity and angle-and-porosity dependent tortuosity and transmission data obtained at normal incidence on water-saturated replica bones are extended to oblique incidence. The model includes two parameters which are adjusted for best fit at normal incidence. Using the same parameter values, it is found that predictions of the variation of transmitted waveforms with angle through two types of bone replica are in reasonable agreement with data despite the fact that scattering is not included in the theory.     

Short-Term Therapeutic Trial of Proton Pump Inhibitors in Suspected Extraesophageal Reflux

Pharyngoesophageal gastric acid reflux is thought to initiate chronic posterior laryngitis. The gold standard for measuring gastric reflux is dual-channel 24-hour pH monitoring. This is a time-consuming, inconvenient, expensive method that is not available in all areas. New therapeutic regimes that make use of proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) have proven to be therapeutically efficient for control of acid reflux. Twenty-four consecutive patients with chronic voice disorders and signs of posterior laryngitis were selected for therapy. Twenty-four hour pH monitoring was performed independently before the therapy. The trial therapy consisted of all patients receiving pantoprazole, 40 mg once daily for 6 weeks. Immediately following the therapy a statistically significant (p < 0.05) improvement was observed in all patients. This improvement was analyzed retrospectively by comparison with the results of 24-hour pH monitoring. In 71% of the patients the 24-hour pH-monitoring gave a positive result showing a high number of patients with extraesophageal reflux in our study group. Patients with positive results of pH-monitoring responded in a statistically significant manner (p < 0.05) to the pantoprazole therapy, whereas those patients without detected reflux did not. A 3-month follow-up of the patients with a positive result of the pH-monitoring confirmed the improvement. No patients reported adverse effects. A 6-week treatment with pantoprazole can be clinically justified. It helps to save time and reduce costs, allows for selection of reflux-negative patients for alternative therapy, and may prevent inadequate treatment of patients with false-negative pH monitoring. Twenty-four hour pH monitoring is still recommended for patients unresponsive to this trial therapy.     

Out of Equilibrium Correlations in the XY Chain

We study the transversal spin–spin correlations in the non-equilibrium steady state of the XY chain constructed by coupling a finite cutout of the chain to the two infinite parts to its left and right acting as thermal reservoirs at different temperatures. We prove that the spatial decay of these correlations is at least exponentially fast.     

Universal reconnection of non-Abelian cosmic strings

We show that local and semilocal strings in Abelian and non-Abelian gauge theories with critical couplings always reconnect classically in collision, by using moduli space approximation. The moduli matrix formalism explicitly identifies a well-defined set of the vortex moduli parameters. Our analysis of generic geodesic motion in terms of those shows right-angle scattering in head-on collision of two vortices, which is known to give the reconnection of the strings.