On mechano-chemical Calcium waves

The influence of mechano-chemical coupling on calcium concentration waves is considered. The propagation of calcium waves is described by a reaction–diffusion equation with the reaction term dependent on the mechanical stress responsible for the release of calcium. Similarly the balance of mechanical forces is influenced by the calcium concentration through the so-called traction force.     

Sticking probability for oxygen adsorption and readsorption on thin iron films

Sticking probability for oxygen adsorption on thin iron films and readsorption on surface sites liberated due to incorporation of the adsorbate adatoms below the surface during thermal treatment has been studied by means of the Wagener flow method. Sticking probability for oxygen adsorption on oxidized thin iron films has also been measured for comparison.

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Enzymatic flow-injection determination of urea in blood serum using potentiometric gas sensor with internal nonactin based ISE

Ion-selective electrode with cellulose triacetate membrane containing nonactin is employed for the potentiometric detection of ammonia produced in biocatalytic reaction in flow-injection system with enzyme reactor. The elimination of interferences occurring in the presence of alkali metal ions was achieved by covering a nonactin membrane with outer hydrophobic gas permeable membrane. The obtained flow-injection response to ammonia indicates a possibility of ammonia determination down to 10 microM ammonia. In the flow-injection system for urea determination 200 microl of 10-fold diluted blood serum sample was injected into carrier stream of distilled water merged with TRIS buffer, passed through the urease flow-through reactor and then after merging with NaOH stream delivered to the detector. It was found in several series of natural blood serum samples, that the correction for endogenous ammonia in such a determination is not indispensable.     

Electrooxidation of phenol at exfoliated graphite electrode in alkaline solution

The present paper reports on exfoliated graphite (EG) used for the cyclic electrochemical process of phenol oxidation in alkaline solution. It is shown that the electrochemical activity of anode-produced EG decreases considerably in the second cycle due to the deposition of an oligomer film, composed of the products of phenol oxidation, on the EG surface. Thermal treatment of the inactive graphite anode in air at 500 °C provided a regenerated material of activity three times higher for the first cycle and 2.6 times higher for three cycles as compared to the original anode. The reason for such a behavior is assigned to a carbon film formed on the EG surface during the carbonization/oxidation processes involving the products of phenol oxidation. Comparative studies showed that electroactivity of the original EG can also be enhanced if before the process of phenol oxidation the original EG is activated by heat treatment. Unfortunately, the electrochemical activity of the product of such a treatment is higher only for the first cycle of phenol oxidation and drops dramatically in the following cycles.Contribution to the 3rd Baltic Conference on Electrochemistry, Gdask-Sobieszewo, 23–26 April 2003. Dedicated to the memory of Harry B. Mark, Jr. (28 February 1934–3 March 2003)     

Rulers and slaves in a random social group

LetD(n, d) be a digraph chosen at random from a family of alld-out-regular digraphs onn points. LetK(n, p) be a simple graph onn points in which each edge appears independently with probabilityp. A relationship between the properties of extreme in-degrees ofD(n,d) and extreme degrees ofK(n, p) in the case whend = (n – 1)p = o(n) is presented. A sociological interpretation is also provided.     

Intramolecular hydrogen bonds and hydrogen-bonded systems in di-Schiff bases of 4-methyl-isophthalaldehyde with 4-substituted anilines

Three di-Schiff bases of 2-hydroxy-5-methyl-isophthalaldehyde with 4-R-anilines (R=H, CH₃, OCH₃) and their 1:1 complexes with HClO₄ were studied by FT-IR, ¹H, and ¹³C NMR spectroscopy in acetonitrile and [²H₃]acetonitrile solutions, respectively. In di-Schiff bases intramolecular OH…N hydrogen bonds have been detected; however, they show no proton polarizability. Hydrogen-bonded systems with fast proton fluctuation and large proton polarizability have been found in the 1:1 complexes of di-Schiff bases with HClO₄.     

Influence of Water Vapor on CCl4 and CHCl3 Conversion in Gliding Discharge

The effect of initial concentration of tetrachloromethane and trichloromethane on their conversion in gliding discharge was determined. The conversion of CCl₄ and CHCl₃ was carried out in air containing 20 or 8000 ppm of water vapor. The flow rate of the air containing 1.2, 2.5, or 6.0 vol% of CCl₄ or CHCl₃ was 200 Nl/h. The amount of tetrachloromethane and trichloromethane reacted was determined for a constant value of specific energy which was varied with 2.0 and 4.0 VAh/Nl. The amounts of CCl₄ and CHCl₃ reacted were a linear function of the initial concentration of these compounds in the inlet gas. The results obtained have shown that water vapor present in the air has a favorable effect on the conversion of tetrachloromethane and trichloromethane in gliding discharge.     

Electron-stimulated desorption from ionic crystal surfaces

Inelastic interactions of electrons with surfaces of ionic crystals result in emission of various particles such as ions, atoms and molecules. We will review such electron-stimulated desorption processes for the particular class of ionic crystals, namely for alkali halides. In this case, a dominant fraction of the emission is in the form of halogen and alkali atoms characterized by a thermal (Maxwellian) spectrum of translational energies. For several alkali halides (potassium and rubidium chlorides, bromides, and iodides), however, a significant part of the halogen atoms is ejected with nonthermal energies, i.e. energies of the order of 0.1 eV. The results of recent systematic studies of angular-resolved kinetic energy distributions of the emitted particles will be reported and current views on the electronic mechanisms of desorption will be described. In particular, it will be shown that the ESD mechanism can be understood in terms of the model involving a surface localisation of the so called “hot-holes” created by electron bombardment of alkali halides. A role of hot holes in ESD processes will further be discussed in relation to very recent experimental results obtained for the KBr crystals doped with In impurities which act as efficient hole traps.     

Bemerkungen zur colorimetrischen Bestimmung von Vanadium mit Phosphorwolframs?ure

Zusammenfassung Die colorimetrische Bestimmungsmethode von Vanadium mit Phosphorwolframsäure wurde in bezug auf den Einfluß der Reagenskonzentrationen untersucht. Außerdem wurde die Bestimmungsmöglichkeit in Gegenwart von Eisen geprüft. Es zeigte sich, daß die Konzentrationen an Phosphorsäure und Wolframat in weiten Grenzen geändert werden können, ohne die Bestimmungsgenauigkeit zu beeinflussen. Zu große Mengen Salpetersäure bewirken negative Fehler, indem die Extinktionen mit zunehmender HNO₃-Konzentration linear abnehmen. Nach der angegebenen Vorschrift kann Vanadium in Gegenwart von bis zu 150 mg Eisen(III)-ionen in einem Volumen von 25 ml bestimmt werden.