Coagulation of Natural Rubber and Polyvinyl Chloride Latices

Russian Journal of Applied Chemistry - Coagulation of natural rubber and polyvinyl chloride latices with poly(diallyldimethylammonium chloride) was studied. The influence exerted on coagulation of...     

Correlation between crystallinity and resistive switching behavior of sputtered WO3 thin films

The as-deposited WO₃ thin films were post-annealed at different temperatures (300 °C and 600 °C) in air to investigate a correlation between crystallinity and switching behavior of WO₃ thin films. Associating the results of XRD, FTIR, XPS and FESEM measurements, the annealing-caused crystallinity change contributes to the variation of the switching behaviors of the WO₃ thin films. The as-deposited WO₃ films with low crystalline structure are preferred for random Ag conducting path, resulting in large switching ratio but fluctuating I–V hysteresis, whereas the annealed WO₃ films with crystallized compact structure limits Ag conducting path, favoring the stable I–V hysteresis but small switching ratio. It is therefore concluded that electrochemical redox reaction-controlled resistance switching depends not only on electrode materials (inert and reactive electrodes) but also on crystallinity of host oxide.     

Straightforward access to new vinca-alkaloids via selective reduction of a nitrile containing anhydrovinblastine derivative

A procedure to exclusively obtain 3′S-cyanoanhydrovinblastine 12 from two naturally occurring vinca-alkaloids (catharanthine and vindoline) in one step with good yield is described. Stereoselective reductions of 12, providing straightforward access to three new vinca-alkaloids, including two diastereomers 3′S-cyano-(4′R,5′-dihydro)-anhydrovinblastine and 3′S-cyano-(4′S,5′-dihydro)-anhydrovinblastine as well as (3′S-aminomethyl)-(4′S,5′-dihydro)-anhydrovinblastine in good yields is also reported.     

A preventive maintenance policy for a continuously monitored system with correlated wear indicators

A continuously monitored system is considered, that gradually and stochastically deteriorates according to a bivariate non-decreasing Lévy process. The system is considered as failed as soon as its bivariate deterioration level enters a failure zone, assumed to be an upper set. A preventive maintenance policy is proposed, which involves a delayed replacement, triggered by the reaching of some preventive zone for the system deterioration level. The preventive maintenance policy is assessed through a cost function on an infinite horizon time. The cost function is provided in full form, and tools are provided for its numerical computation. The influence of different parameters on the cost function is studied, both from a theoretical and/or numerical point of view.     

A New Extragradient Method for Strongly Pseudomonotone Variational Inequalities

This article proposes a new extragradient solution method for strongly pseudomonotone variational inequalities. A detailed analysis of the iterative sequences’ convergence and of the range of applicability of the method is provided. Moreover, an interesting class of strongly pseudomonotone infinite dimensional variational inequality problems is considered.     

Electronic structures, vibrational and thermochemical properties of neutral and charged niobium clusters Nb(n), n = 7-12

Geometric and electronic structures, vibrational properties, and relative stabilities of niobium clusters Nb(n), n = 7-12, are studied using both DFT (BPW91 and M06 functionals) and CCSD(T) calculations with the cc-pVnZ-PP basis set. In each cluster, various lower-lying states are very close in energy in such a way that the ground state cannot be unambiguously established by DFT computations. Nb clusters tend to prefer the lowest possible spin state as the ground state, except for Nb(12) ((3)A(g)). The optimal structure of the cluster at a certain size does not simply grow from that of the smaller one by adding an atom randomly. Instead, the Nb clusters prefer a close-packed growth behavior. Nb(10) has a spherically aromatic character, high chemical hardness and large HOMO-LUMO gap. Electron affinities, ionization energies, binding energy per atom, and the stepwise dissociation energies are evaluated. Energetic properties exhibit odd-even oscillations. Comparison with experimental values shows that both BPW91 and M06 functionals are reliable in predicting the EA and IE values, but the BPW91 is deficient in predicting the binding and dissociation energies. We re-examine in particular the experimental far IR spectra previously recorded using the IR-MPD and free electron laser spectrometric techniques and propose novel assignments for Nb(7) and Nb(9) systems. The IR spectra of the anions are also predicted.     

A Bis(p-tert-butyloctahomotetraoxacalix[8]arene) Capsule with [(UO2)2(OH)2] Links and a Disordered [Rb4(H2O)4] Inner Core

p-tert-Butyloctahomotetraoxacalix[8]arene (LH⁸) reacts with uranyl nitrate hexahydrate in the presence of rubidium hydroxide to give a mixed complex that can be viewed as a tetrauranate dimer [(UO²)⁴(LH⁴)²(OH)⁴] containing four disordered rubidium ions and water molecules. Two uranyl ions are complexed in an “external” fashion by each macrocycle, each of them bound to two phenoxide groups and one ether group, as well as to two bridging hydroxide ions. The latter ensure the formation of a dimeric capsule that contains the disordered set of alkali metal ions. Apart from water molecules, the Rb⁺ ions are bound to the uranyl oxo groups directed towards the inner cavity, and to phenol and ether oxygen atoms from the macrocycle. The resulting octanuclear complex presents an unprecedented geometry evidencing the assembling potential of uranyl ions.

p-tert-Butyloctahomotetraoxacalix[8]arene (LH₈) reacts with uranyl nitrate hexahydrate in the presence of rubidium hydroxide to give a mixed complex that can be viewed as a tetrauranate dimer [(UO₂)₄(LH₄)₂(OH)₄] containing four disordered rubidium ions and water molecules. Two uranyl ions are complexed in an “external” fashion by each macrocycle, each of them bound to two phenoxide groups and one ether group, as well as to two bridging hydroxide ions. The latter ensure the formation of a dimeric capsule that contains the disordered set of alkali metal ions. Apart from water molecules, the Rb^+| ions are bound to the uranyl oxo groups directed towards the inner cavity, and to phenol and ether oxygen atoms from the macrocycle. The resulting octanuclear complex presents an unprecedented geometry evidencing the assembling potential of uranyl ions.     

Improvement of Regio-Specific Production of Myricetin-3-O-α-l-Rhamnoside in Engineered Escherichia coli

Myricetin is an important flavonol whose medically important properties include activities as an antioxidant, anticarcinogen, and antimutagen. The solubility, stability, and other biological properties of the compounds can be enhanced by conjugating aglycon with sugar moieties. The type of sugar moiety also plays a significant role in the biological and physical properties of the natural product glycosides. Reconstructed Escherichia coli containing thymidine diphosphate-α-l-rhamnose sugar gene cassette and Arabidopsis-derived glycosyltransferase were used for rhamnosylation of myricetin. Myricetin (100 μM) was exogenously supplemented to induced cultures of engineered E. coli. The formation of target product—myricetin-3-O-α-l-rhamnoside—was confirmed by chromatographic and NMR analyses. The yield of product was improved by using various mutants and methylated cyclodextrin as a molecular carrier for myricetin in combination with E. coli M3G3. The maximal yield of product is 55.6 μM (3.31-fold higher than the control E. coli MG3) and shows 55.6 % bioconversion of substrate under optimized conditions.