Structure formation of integral-asymmetric membranes of polystyrene-block-Poly(ethylene oxide)

For the first time the combination of solution casting and solvent–nonsolvent exchange (phase inversion) has been applied to generate asymmetric membranes with highly ordered hexagonally packed cylinders with perpendicular orientation composed of polystyrene-block-poly(ethylene oxide). The influence of parameters like solvent composition and evaporation time on the membrane formation is presented. The development is based on a study of the solution behavior by dynamic light scattering and the precipitation behavior of the cylinder forming diblock copolymer by turbidity measurements from different solvent and nonsolvent systems. The water flux properties, as an important membrane characteristic, show a time dependent behavior, due to swelling of the polyethylene oxide blocks. The morphologies of the membranes are imaged by scanning electron microscopy. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys, 2013     

Processing impact on tocopherols and triglycerides composition of soybean oil and its deodorizer distillate evaluated by high-performance liquid chromatography

In the present study, high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was used for the separation of tocopherols and triglycerides of processed soybean oil and deodorizer distillate (DD). The results of normal and reversed-phase modes of HPLC revealed that concentrations of tocopherols and triglycerides content were decreased during the neutralization, bleaching, and deodorization processes. The loss of individual tocopherols ranged between 55.16% and 63.25%. During processing, triglycerides containing stearic-oleic-linoleic (SOL) moieties and palmitic-palmitic-linoleic (PPL) fragments showed greater reduction up to 38.14% and 37.69%, respectively. Among tocopherols and triglycerides; γ-tocopherol and oleic-oleic-oleic (OOO) were found to be in greater concentrations 5.53% and 19.78%, respectively in DD as compared to their counterparts. A maximum reduction of tocopherols was observed in the deodorization step. DD was found to be a rich source of bioactive components; therefore, it could be used for many industrial applications including pharmaceutical formulations, cosmetics, and food industries.     

Synthesis and Structural Characterization of Pyrrole Heterocyclic Systems Bearing Amino Acid Units: Novel Pyrrol‐3‐ones,Pyrrolo[1,2‐a][3,1]benzoxazines,and Pyrrolo[2,1‐b][1,3]oxazoles

Furan‐3‐one derivatives 1 were converted into 2‐hydroxy‐pyrrole‐3‐ones 4 by reacting with various α‐ and β‐amino acids. In contrast, the reaction of furan‐3‐ones and 1‐aminocyclobutanecarboxylic acid afforded spiro‐pyrrolo[2,1‐b][1,3]oxazoles 5 via the pyrrole‐3‐one intermediate under the same reaction conditions. Some of 2‐hydroxy‐pyrrole‐3‐ones 3 derived from anthranilic acids were transformed to pyrrolo[1,2‐a][3,1]benzoxazines via intramolecular esterification.     

Interpolating functions

Let X,Y be sets with quasiproximities X_? and Y_? (where A?B is interpreted as “B is a neighborhood of A”). Let f,g:X→Y be a pair of functions such that whenever CY_?D, then f−1[C]X_?g−1[D]. We show that there is then a function h:X→Y such that whenever CY_?D, then f−1[C]X_?h−1[D], h−1[C]X_?h−1[D] and h−1[C]X_?g−1[D]. Since any function h that satisfies h−1[C]X_?h−1[D] whenever CY_?D, is continuous, many classical “sandwich” or “insertion” theorems are corollaries of this result. The paper is written to emphasize the strong similarities between several concepts

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the posets with auxiliary relations studied in domain theory;

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quasiproximities and their simplification, Urysohn relations; and

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the axioms assumed by Katětov and by Lane to originally show some of these results.

Interpolation results are obtained for continuous posets and Scott domains. We also show that (bi-)topological notions such as normality are captured by these order theoretical ideas.     

Corrector-predictor methods for sufficient linear complementarity problems

We present a new corrector-predictor method for solving sufficient linear complementarity problems for which a sufficiently centered feasible starting point is available. In contrast with its predictor-corrector counterpart proposed by Miao, the method does not depend on the handicap κ of the problem. The method has \(O((1+\kappa)\sqrt{n}L)\)-iteration complexity, the same as Miao’s method, but our error estimates are sightly better. The algorithm is quadratically convergent for problems having a strictly complementary solution. We also present a family of infeasible higher order corrector-predictor methods that are superlinearly convergent even in the absence of strict complementarity. The algorithms of this class are globally convergent for general positive starting points. They have \(O((1+\kappa)\sqrt{n}L)\)-iteration complexity for feasible, or “almost feasible”, starting points and O((1+κ)² nL)-iteration complexity for “sufficiently large” infeasible starting points.     

Analytic solutions of the (2 + 1)-dimensional nonlinear evolution equations using the sine-cosine method

In this paper, we establish exact solutions for (2 + 1)-dimensional nonlinear evolution equations. The sine-cosine method is used to construct exact periodic and soliton solutions of (2 + 1)-dimensional nonlinear evolution equations. Many new families of exact traveling wave solutions of the (2 + 1)-dimensional Boussinesq, breaking soliton and BKP equations are successfully obtained. These solutions may be important of significance for the explanation of some practical physical problems. It is shown that the sine-cosine method provides a powerful mathematical tool for solving a great many nonlinear partial differential equations in mathematical physics.     

Fine structure of the dipole excitations of the even-even 160Gd nucleus in the spectroscopic region

In this study, the result of calculations using rotational, translational and Galilean invariant quasiparticle random-phase approximation is presented for the low-lying dipole excitations in the even-even ¹⁶⁰Gd nucleus. Calculations are carried out for both ΔK=1 and ΔK=0 branches. The analysis shows that the main part of spin-1 states, observed at energy 2.4–4 MeV in ¹⁶⁰Gd, have M1 character and are interpreted as main fragments of the scissors mode. The calculations indicate the presence of a few prominent negativeparity dipole ΔK=1 states in the investigated energy region, in agreement with experiment.      

Nucleic Acid Integrated Technologies for Electrochemical Point-of-Care Diagnostics: A Comprehensive Review

The need for routine and immediate healthcare monitoring has inspired “near-patient testing” or in other words “point-of-care testing (POCT)”. Therefore, POCT can be defined as laboratory tests that are performed at the patient's bedside or in the immediate vicinity of the incident. Among many POCTs, nucleic acid-based testing has attracted enormous attention for the diagnosis of important genetic, inherited and infectious diseases such as cancer and coronavirus. In this review, we outline the integration of nucleic acids into the remarkable electrochemical point-of-care diagnostics including microfluidic, paper and smartphone-based approaches, CRISPR/Cas and liquid biopsy related systems and DNA damage monitoring.     

Synthesis of chalcone‐containing methacrylate‐based hydrogen bonded side chain liquid crystalline polymer and its dielectric properties

In this work, a new methacrylate‐based hydrogen bonded side chain liquid crystalline polymer having chalcone moieties (HBCP) was prepared from poly(4‐(3‐(pyridin‐4‐yl)acryloyl) phenyl methacrylate) and 11‐(4‐cyanobiphenyl‐4(‐oxy) undekan‐1‐ol (LC11)) by molecular self‐assembly processes via hydrogen bond formation between nitrogen of the HBCP and hydroxyl group of the LC11. The formation of H bond was confirmed by using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. The phase transition temperatures and liquid crystalline phases of the HBCP were examined by DSC and POM measurements. The dielectric properties of HBCP have been determined by impedance analyzer within the frequency interval of 100 Hz–15 MHz. According to Cole–Cole plot, the equivalent circuit of the LC system has been found as a capacitor in parallel with a resistor. The resonance frequency, f_r, of the R–C circuit has also been calculated as 1.59 MHz by phase angle versus frequency curve. The dielectric relaxation type of HBCP has been determined as nearly‐Debye type because the absorption coefficient, α, equals to 0.01655. From the conductivity point of view, HBCP displays dc conductivity at the low and high frequency regions that correspond to 100 Hz–12 kHz and 3.3 MHz–15 MHz, respectively. On the other hand, it has been revealed that the ac conductivity of the LC system investigated obeys Super Linear Power Law (SLPL) at the intermediate frequency domain. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.