Trace amounts determination of lead,zinc and copper by adsorptive stripping voltammetry in the presence of dopamine

A selective and sensitive method for simultaneous determination of lead, zinc and copper by adsorptive differential pulse cathodic stripping voltammetry is presented. The method is based on adsorptive accumulation of the complexes of Pb(II), Zn(II), and Cu(II) ions with dopamine onto hanging mercury drop electrode (HMDE), followed by reduction of adsorbed species by differential pulse cathodic stripping voltammetry. The effect of experimental parameters such as pH, dopamine concentration, accumulation time and potential and scan rate were examined. Under the optimized conditions, linear calibration curves were established for the concentration of Pb, Zn, and Cu in the ranges of 5–150, 5–250, and 1–150 ng/mL, respectively. Detection limits of 0.06, 0.25, and 0.04 ng/mL for Pb, Zn, and Cu were obtained. An application of the proposed method is reported for the determination of these elements in some real samples such as natural waters and alloys.     

Preparation and utilization of a molecularly imprinted polymer for solid phase extraction of tramadol

In this paper, a highly selective molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) for tramadol hydrochloride, a drug used to treat moderate to severe pain, was prepared and its use as solid-phase extraction (SPE) sorbent was demonstrated. The molecularly imprinted solid-phase extraction procedure followed by high performance liquid chromatography with ultraviolet detector (MISPE-HPLC) was developed for selective extraction and determination of tramadol in human plasma and urine. The optimal conditions for molecularly imprinted solid-phase extraction (MISPE) consisted of conditioning with 1 mL methanol and 1 mL of deionized water at neutral pH, loading of tramadol sample (50 μg L⁻¹) at pH 7.5, washing using 1 mL acetone and elution with 3 × 1 mL of 10% (v/v) acetic acid in methanol. The MIP selectivity was evaluated by checking several substances with similar molecular structures to that of tramadol. Results from the HPLC analyses showed that the calibration curve of tramadol (using MIP from human plasma and urine) is linear in the ranges of 6–100 and 3–120 μg L⁻¹ with good precisions (1.9% and 2.9% for 5.0 μg L⁻¹), respectively. The recoveries for plasma and urine samples were higher than 81%.      

Preparation and biological evaluation of radiogallium labeled glucagon for SPECT imaging

In this work, recently prepared ⁶⁷Ga-labeled glucagon (⁶⁷Ga-DTPA-GCG) for imaging studies (radiochemical purity >94%; HPLC, S.A. 296–370 GBq/mM) was used in biological studies. The wild-type rat biodistribution results, 2 h post injection, demonstrated high tissue:muscle ratios for target tissues (liver, kidney, heart, spleen, fat intestine stomach and pancreas), 234, 18.45, 7.12, 1.75, 128.7, 4.9, 6.3 and 1.11, respectively. The tracer binding capacity using freshly prepared rat brain homogenate demonstrated significant specific binding of the tracer to neuronal GCG receptors (⁶⁷Ga-DTPA-GCG/⁶⁷Ga:3 and ⁶⁷Ga-DTPA-GCG/⁶⁷GaDTPA:2.2 at 90 min). SPECT images also demonstrated target specific binding of the tracer at 4 h. The data suggests the tracer is accumulated in GCGR rich tissues 2–4 h post injection, suggesting potentials of the tracer for future imaging studies in glocagonoma models.     

Synthesis and morphology of nanosized zeolite L

AFM is a powerful tool for imaging nanoscale surface features; it provides two and three dimensional crystal structure images and other information about actual surface of zeolite crystallites. In this paper, nanosized zeolite L is synthesized in different crystallization times and a study of crystal growth of zeolite L is reported using atomic force microscopy (AFM). X‐ray diffraction (XRD), X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) techniques are used for characterization of the as synthesized samples. TEM and two‐dimensional AFM images indicate that the zeolite particles are in a nano‐range and they have hexagonal structure. (© 2010 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

MnSb/GaSb(001)界面半金属特性的第一性原理研究

利用密度泛函理论计算六角NiAs型和立方闪锌矿型MnSb的电子和电磁特性,研究闪锌矿MnSb与GaSb(001)界面,并采用广义渐变近似计算了交换-相关项．闪锌矿结构的MnSb具有半金属铁磁特性,单分子磁矩4μB,MnSb/GaSb(001)界面同样具有半金属特性．界面中Mn原子的磁矩减小,界面中Sb原子磁矩等于两个相应界面磁矩的平均值．另外计算了能带排列在异质结中价带偏移大约1.25 eV.     

Pyrophosphate Selective Recognition in Aqueous Solution Based on Fluorescence Enhancement of a New Aluminium Complex

A novel and simple fluorescence enhancement method for selective pyrophosphate(PPi) sensing was proposed based on a 1:1 metal complex formation between bis(8-hydroxy quinoline-5-solphonat) chloride aluminum(III) (Al(QS)₂Cl), (L) and PPi in aqueous solution. The linear response range covers a concentration range of 1.6 × 10⁻⁷ to 1.0 × 10⁻⁵ mol/L of PPi and the detection limit of 2.3 × 10⁻⁸ mol/L. The association constant of L-PPi complex was calculated 2.6 × 10⁵ L/mol. L was found to show selectively and sensitively fluorescence enhancement toward PPi over than I₃^-, NO₃^-, CN⁻, CO₃²⁻, Br⁻, Cl⁻, F⁻, H₂PO4⁻ and SO₄²⁻, which was attributed to higher stability of inorganic complex between pyrophosphate and L.     

Complex network analysis of water distribution systems

This paper explores a variety of strategies for understanding the formation, structure, efficiency, and vulnerability of water distribution networks. Water supply systems are studied as spatially organized networks for which the practical applications of abstract evaluation methods are critically evaluated. Empirical data from benchmark networks are used to study the interplay between network structure and operational efficiency, reliability, and robustness. Structural measurements are undertaken to quantify properties such as redundancy and optimal-connectivity, herein proposed as constraints in network design optimization problems. The role of the supply demand structure toward system efficiency is studied, and an assessment of the vulnerability to failures based on the disconnection of nodes from the source(s) is undertaken. The absence of conventional degree-based hubs (observed through uncorrelated nonheterogeneous sparse topologies) prompts an alternative approach to studying structural vulnerability based on the identification of network cut-sets and optimal-connectivity invariants. A discussion on the scope, limitations, and possible future directions of this research is provided.     

Modified grating-based external cavity diode laser for simultaneous dual-wavelengths operation

We have reported a modified V-shaped external cavity, which is constructed around a commercial diode laser operating at a center wavelength of λ=785 nm by adding a new coated glass plate with about 50% reflectivity to the cavity. This allows simultaneous dual-wavelengths operation in the vicinity of Δν_min=0.18 THz to Δν_max=0.22 THz, which can be used as laser source for terahertz generation either for semiconductor devices or nonlinear schemes.     

In vivo imaging of intrinsic optical signals in chicken retina with functional optical coherence tomography

Visually evoked intrinsic optical signals (IOSs) were measured in vivo for the first time to our knowledge from all retina layers of the chicken retina with a combined functional optical coherence tomography and electroretinography (ERG) system. IOS traces were recorded from a small volume in the retina with 3.5 μm axial resolution and 7 ms time resolution. Comparison of the IOS and ERG traces shows a correlation between the positive and negative IOS measured from different retinal layers and the timing of the a and b waves in the ERG recording.     

Finite element buckling analysis of multi-layered graphene sheets on elastic substrate based on nonlocal elasticity theory

Graphene-polymer nano-composites are one of the most applicable engineering nanostructures with superior mechanical properties. In the present study, a finite element (FE) approach based on the size dependent nonlocal elasticity theory is developed for buckling analysis of nano-scaled multi-layered graphene sheets (MLGSs) embedded in polymer matrix. The van der Waals (vdW) interactions between the graphene layers and graphene-polymer are simulated as a set of linear springs using the Lennard-Jones potential model. The governing stability equations for nonlocal classical orthotropic plates together with the weighted residual formulation are employed to explicitly obtain stiffness and buckling matrices for a multi-layered super element of MLGS. The accuracy of the current finite element analysis (FEA) is approved through a comparison with molecular dynamics (MD) and analytical solutions available in the literature. Effects of nonlocal parameter, dimensions, vdW interactions, elastic foundation, mode numbers and boundary conditions on critical in-plane loads are investigated for different types of MLGS. It is found that buckling loads of MLGS are generally of two types namely In-Phase (INPH) and Out-of-Phase (OPH) loads. The INPH loads are independent of interlayer vdW interactions while the OPH loads depend on vdW interactions. It is seen that the decreasing effect of nonlocal parameter on the OPH buckling loads dwindles as the interlayer vdW interactions become stronger. Also, it is found that the small scale and polymer substrate have noticeable effects on the buckling loads of embedded MLGS.