Synthesis and characterization of a new semi-interpenetrating polymer network hydrogel obtained by gamma radiations

A new polyacrylic acid/polyhydroxybutyrate semi-interpenetrating polymer network hydrogel, the s-IPN/PAA-PHB, was prepared by a gamma radiation-induced polymerization. Thermal behavior was studied by thermogravimetric analysis (TG) and Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), while the s-IPNs composition, FTIR spectra, and swelling kinetics were also determined. It was found that the DSC curve showed a melting point which is attributed to polyhydroxybutyrate. The TG curves showed various stages of degradation which are in correspondence of the presence of crosslinked polyacrylic acid and confirmed the higher thermal stability of the polymer network. The s-IPN/PAA-PHB composition was 10% of PHB and 90% of PAA. Moreover, the network reached approximately 600% of swelling in water, so it behaves like a superabsorbent hydrogel.     

Synthesis of Symmetrical Multichromophoric Bodipy Dyes and Their Facile Transformation into Energy Transfer Cassettes

Multichromophoric boron‐dipyrromethene (Bodipy) dyes synthesized on phenylene‐ethynylene platforms have been be converted to energy transfer cassettes in a one‐step chemical transformation. Excitation energy transfer processes in these highly symmetrical derivatives were studied in detail, including time‐resolved fluorescence spectroscopy techniques. Excitation spectra and the emission lifetimes suggest efficient energy transfer between the donor and acceptor chromophore. These novel energy transfer cassettes, while highlighting a short‐cut approach to similar energy transfer systems, could be useful as large pseudo‐Stokes shift multichromophoric dyes with potential applications in diverse applications.     

Water Miscible Mono Alcohols’ Effect on the Proteolytic Performance of Bacillus clausii Serine Alkaline Protease

In this study, our investigations showed that the increasing concentrations of all examined mono alcohols caused a decrease in the V _m, k _cat and k _cat/K _m values of Bacillus clausii GMBE 42 serine alkaline protease for casein hydrolysis. However, the K _m value of the enzyme remained almost the same, which was an indicator of non-competitive inhibition. Whereas inhibition by methanol was partial non-competitive, inhibition by the rest of the alcohols tested was simple non-competitive. The inhibition constants (K _I) were in the range of 1.32–3.10 M, and the order of the inhibitory effect was 1-propanol>2-propanol>methanol>ethanol. The ΔG ^≠ and ΔG ^≠ _E???T values of the enzyme increased at increasing concentrations of all alcohols examined, but the ΔG ^≠ _ES value of the enzyme remained almost the same. The constant K _m and ΔG ^≠ _ES values in the presence and absence of mono alcohols indicated the existence of different binding sites for mono alcohols and casein on enzyme the molecule. The k _cat of the enzyme decreased linearly by increasing log P and decreasing dielectric constant (D) values, but the ΔG ^≠ and ΔG ^≠ _E???T values of the enzyme increased by increasing log P and decreasing D values of the reaction medium containing mono alcohols.     

Pd(II) complexes of novel phosphine ligands: Synthesis,characterization, and catalytic activities on Heck reaction

Novel phosphine oxides, (((3-methylpyridin-2-yl)amino)methyl)diphenylphosphine oxide (1) and diphenyl((pyrazin-2-ylamino)methyl)phosphine oxide (2), were synthesized and characterized. Phosphines ligands (3 and 4) were obtained by the reduction of 1 and 2 with AlH₃, monitored by ³¹P NMR spectroscopy. Pd(II) complexes of 3 and 4 were synthesized and characterized (5 and 6). The catalytic activity of 5 and 6 was tested on the reaction of styrene with both activated and deactivated aryl bromides in air. The results of the catalytic experiments were discussed through DFT calculations.     

Approximate solution for two stage open networks with Markov-modulated queues minimizing the state space explosion problem

Analytical solutions for two-dimensional Markov processes suffer from the state space explosion problem. Two stage tandem networks are effectively used for analytical modelling of various communication and computer systems which have tandem system behaviour. Performance evaluation of tandem systems with feedbacks can be handled with these models. However, because of the numerical difficulties caused by large state spaces, considering server failures and repairs at the second stage employing multiple servers has not been possible. The solution proposed in this paper is approximate with a high degree of accuracy. Using this approach, two stage open networks with multiple servers, break downs, and repairs at the second stage as well as feedback can be modelled as three-dimensional Markov processes and solved for performability measures. Results show that, unlike other approaches such as spectral expansion, the steady state solution is possible regardless of the number of servers employed.     

Numerical simulation of minimum B‐jumps at abrupt drops

A numerical simulation of minimum B‐jumps in horizontal rectangular channels having an abrupt drop is given. Gradually varied, steady, supercritical flow is assumed as the initial condition. An unsteady flow is created by increasing the downstream depth. One‐dimensional, unsteady Saint‐Venant equations are solved by using the MacCormack and the dissipative two–four explicit finite difference schemes. The steady flow solution is obtained by treating the time variable as an iteration parameter and letting the solution converge to the steady state. The abrupt drop is treated as an interior boundary and solved by the method of characteristics. The results are compared with experimental and analytical studies. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Coherence of acoustic modes propagating through shallow water internal waves

The 1995 Shallow Water Acoustics in a Random Medium (SWARM) experiment [Apel et al., IEEE J. Ocean. Eng. 22, 445-464 (1997)] was conducted off the New Jersey coast. The experiment featured two well-populated vertical receiving arrays, which permitted the measured acoustic field to be decomposed into its normal modes. The decomposition was repeated for successive transmissions allowing the amplitude of each mode to be tracked. The modal amplitudes were observed to decorrelate with time scales on the order of 100 s [Headrick et al., J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 107(1), 201-220 (2000)]. In the present work, a theoretical model is proposed to explain the observed decorrelation. Packets of intense internal waves are modeled as coherent structures moving along the acoustic propagation path without changing shape. The packets cause mode coupling and their motion results in a changing acoustic interference pattern. The model is consistent with the rapid decorrelation observed in SWARM. The model also predicts the observed partial recorrelation of the field at longer time scales. The model is first tested in simple continuous-wave simulations using canonical representations for the internal waves. More detailed time-domain simulations are presented mimicking the situation in SWARM. Modeling results are compared to experimental data.     

Solid-State Emission from Mono- and Bichromophoric Boron Dipyrromethene (BODIPY) Derivatives and Comparison with Fluid Solution

The syntheses and crystal structures of sterically crowded mono- and bichromophoric BODIPY-based dyes are reported. The “monomeric” compound is weakly fluorescent in the liquid phase due to fast internal conversion associated with rotation of aryl rings at the boron atom. The side-by-side “dimer” exhibits weak excitonic coupling between the dipyrrin units and is much more emissive in fluid solution. Solid samples of both molecular entities are strongly fluorescent under near-UV illumination. Thus, the mono-chromophore exhibits dual fluorescence from what appears to be a mixture of crystalline and possibly amorphous (or interfacial regions) distributions. The bi-chromophore packs in the crystal as pairs of chromophores with each unit being provided by a different molecule. This leads to excitonic splitting and the formation of a strong H-band in the absorption spectrum. Fluorescence occurs from the corresponding J-species and also from what appears to be an aggregated state associated with interfacial areas. Both bulk and interface-bound states show relatively long-lived fluorescence while the crystal structures indicate the likelihood for fast electronic energy migration between molecules.     

Semi-analytical study of free vibration characteristics of shear deformable filament wound anisotropic shells of revolution

Free vibration characteristics of filament wound anisotropic shells of revolution are investigated by using multisegment numerical integration technique in combination with a modified frequency trial method. The applicability of multisegment numerical integration technique is extended to the solution of free vibration problem of anisotropic composite shells of revolution through the use of finite exponential Fourier transform of the fundamental shell equations. The governing shell equations comprise the full anisotropic form of the constitutive relations, including first-order transverse shear deformation, and all components of translatory and rotary inertia. The variation of the stiffness coefficients along the axis of the shell is also incorporated into the solution method. Filaments are assumed to be placed along the geodesic fiber path on the shell of revolution resulting in the variation of the stiffness coefficients along the axis of the composite shell of revolution with general meridional curvature. Sample solutions have been performed on the effect of the variation of the stiffness coefficients on the free vibration behavior of filament wound truncated conical and spherical shells of revolution.     

Cross-like terahertz metamaterial absorber for sensing applications

Relativistic effects are employed to describe the weakly bound nuclei of \({}^{17}\)F and \({}^{11}\)Be. In order to calculate the energy levels of the ground state and the excited states of these nuclei, we solved the Dirac equation with pseudospin symmetry in the shell model by using the basic concept of supersymmetric shape invariance method. The results obtained from this approach are compared with a non-relativistic approach and experiment. It was then seen that the relativistic approach matches more with the experimental results.