Viscometric Analysis of Miscibility and Interactions for Binary,Ternary Polycarbonate/Brominated Polystyrene + Chloroform Systems at Different Temperatures

Viscosities of ternary systems consist of polycarbonate (PC)/brominated polystyrene (PBrS) in chloroform and their corresponding binary systems were measured at different temperatures (20, 25, and 30°C). All the measurements were carried out at the concentration ranges of 0.1–0.6 g·dL^?1. The mass ratio of PC to PBrS was selected as 75:25, 50:50, and 25:75 in the ternary solutions. Two empirical expressions of Huggins and Kraemer equations with three-parameters were used for reproducing of the experimental viscosity data. The fitting parameters were obtained for the corresponding temperatures. The miscibility criteria on the basis of the sign of Δ[η]_m based on the difference between experimental and ideal values of [η]_m, was calculated by applying the Garcia et al., theoretical equation. The effect of temperature on the viscosity data was also studied. The results from this method were correlated with the miscibility data obtained for the same system by differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) findings.     

On unitary analogs of GCD reciprocal LCM matrices

A divisor d ∈ ?₊ of n ∈ ?₊ is said to be a unitary divisor of n if (d, n/d) = 1. In this article we examine the greatest common unitary divisor (GCUD) reciprocal least common unitary multiple (LCUM) matrices. At first we concentrate on the difficulty of the non-existence of the LCUM and we present three different ways to overcome this difficulty. After that we calculate the determinant of the three GCUD reciprocal LCUM matrices with respect to certain types of functions arising from the LCUM problematics. We also analyse these classes of functions, which may be referred to as unitary analogs of the class of semimultiplicative functions, and find their connections to rational arithmetical functions. Our study shows that it does make a difference how to extend the concept of LCUM.     

Diffusion-weighted imaging features of brain in obesity

PURPOSE: Obesity is characterized by an altered distribution of body fluid. However, distribution of fluid (extracellular/intracellular) in brain tissues has not been studied in obese subjects yet. The purpose of this study was to detect possible brain diffusion changes especially in satiety and hunger related centers in obese subjects by diffusion weighted imaging (DWI). METHODS: Conventional MRI and DWI of the brain was obtained from 81 obese patients (obese=68, morbid obese=13) and 29 age-matched, nonobese. The apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values were calculated in hypothalamus; amygdala; hippocampal gyrus; thalamus; insula; cingulate gyrus; orbitofrontal, dorsomedial and dorsolateral frontal, middle temporal and occipital cortex; cerebellum; midbrain and corpus striatum. RESULTS: The ADC values of hypothalamus, hippocampal gyrus, amygdala, insula, cerebellum and midbrain were significantly increased in patients (n:81) when compared to nonobese subjects. The ADC values of thalamus, hippocampal gyrus, amygdala, orbitofrontal, occipital, dorsolateral and middle temporal cortex, insula and midbrain were significantly increased in morbid obese when compared to nonobese subjects. The ADC values of orbitofrontal and occipital cortex were significantly higher in morbid obese than the values in the obese. The body mass index positively correlated with ADC values of amygdala, insula, orbitofrontal and middle temporal cortex. CONCLUSION: We observed increased ADC values of distinct locations related to satiety and hunger that suggest altered fluid distribution and/or vasogenic edema in obese subjects. Awareness of this abnormalities in brain tissue composition/function in obesity may contribute to better understanding of the underlying mechanisms.     

Effect of Operating Conditions in Production of Diagnostic Salmonella Enteritidis O-Antigen-Specific Monoclonal Antibody in Different Bioreactor Systems

In this study, different cultivation systems such as roller bottles (RB), 5-L stirred-tank bioreactor (STR), and disposable bioreactors were used to cultivate hybridoma for lab-scale production of Salmonella Enteritidis O-antigen-specific monoclonal antibody (MAb). Hybridoma cell line was cultivated in either serum-containing or serum-free medium (SFM) culture conditions. In STR, MAb production scaled up to 4 L, and production capabilities of the cells were also evaluated in different featured production systems. Moreover, the growth parameters of the cells in all production systems such as glucose consumption, lactate and ammonia production, and also MAb productivities were determined. Collected supernatants from the reactors were concentrated by a cross-flow filtration system. In conclusion, cells were not adapted to SFM in RB and STR. Therefore, less MAb titer in both STR and RB systems with SFM was observed compared to the cultures containing fetal bovine serum-supplemented medium. A higher MAb titer was gained in the membrane-aerated system compared to those in STR and RB. Although the highest MAb titer was obtained in the static membrane bioreactor system, the highest productivity was obtained in STR operated in semicontinuous mode with overlay aeration.     

An Electrochemical Sensor Fabricated by Sonochemical Approach for Determination of the Antipsychotic Drug Haloperidol

A nanocomposite (Ho₂O₃NPs/BNT) was synthesized by decorating holmium(III)oxide nanoparticles (H₂O₃NPs) on bentonite (BNT) through a realizable sonochemical approach for the electrochemical detection of haloperidol (Hlp). A glassy carbon electrode was modified with this nanocomposite. The Ho₂O₃NPs/BNT modified electrode outperformed bare and other modified electrodes in terms of electrochemical performance for Hlp detection in a pH 8.0 phosphate buffer. The proposed electrochemical platform showed a wide linear range (0.01 μM–24 μM), low detection limit (2.4 nM), and high sensitivity by square wave voltammetry. In addition, the proposed electrochemical sensor met the clinical criteria in terms of stability, selectivity, and repeatability.     

Synthesis and evaluation of caged Garcinia xanthones

Inspired by the combination of unique structure and potent bioactivities exhibited by several family members of the caged Garcinia xanthones, we developed a synthesis of simplified analogues that maintain the overall caged motif. The caged structure of these compounds was constructed via a site-selective Claisen/Diels-Alder reaction cascade. We found that the fully substituted caged structure, in which are included the C18 and C23 geminal methyl groups, is necessary to maintain bioactivity. Analogue had comparable activity to the natural products of this family, such as gambogic acid. These compounds exhibit cytotoxicity in a variety of tumor cell lines at low micromolar concentrations and were found to induce apoptosis in HUVE cells. In addition, studies with HL-60 and HL-60/ADR cells indicate that these compounds are not affected by the mechanisms of multidrug resistance, conferred by P glycoprotein expression, typical of relapsed cancers and thus represent a new and potent pharmacophore.     

On generalized Fibonacci and Lucas polynomials

Let h(x) be a polynomial with real coefficients. We introduce h(x)-Fibonacci polynomials that generalize both Catalan’s Fibonacci polynomials and Byrd’s Fibonacci polynomials and also the k-Fibonacci numbers, and we provide properties for these h(x)-Fibonacci polynomials. We also introduce h(x)-Lucas polynomials that generalize the Lucas polynomials and present properties of these polynomials. In the last section we introduce the matrix Q_h(x) that generalizes the Q-matrix whose powers generate the Fibonacci numbers.     

A parametric study for thick plates resting on elastic foundation with variable soil depth

The soil depth is generally considered to be constant for the analysis of plates resting on elastic foundation in the literature. However, it is most reasonable to have a variable subsoil depth as the plate dimensions get larger. In present study, linearly varying subsoil depth is considered as well as constant, linear and quadratic variation of modulus of elasticity with subsoil depth. Also, a parametric study is performed to demonstrate the behavior of thick plates on elastic foundations with variable soil depth. Modified Vlasov Model is used for the analysis of the plate foundation system, and 8-noded Mindlin plate element incorporating shear strain throughout plate thickness is used for the finite element model. Numerical examples are obtained from the literature to compare results and to show the influence of variable soil stratum depth on the behavior of plates. Displacements, bending moments, and shear forces are presented in tabular and graphical formats. As far as results are compared, it can be concluded that variable soil depth significantly affects the variation of the displacements and therefore the internal forces of the plate while keeping it constant ends up with unrealistic results.