Investigation of radiocesium biokinetics in Manila clam (Ruditapes philippinarum)

This study was carried out to better understand the biokinetics of radiocesium in clams living in sediment. The accumulation and depuration kinetics of ¹³⁴Cs were investigated in the Manila clam (Ruditapes philippinarum) under controlled laboratory conditions. The concentration factor was found to be 3.0 for ¹³⁴Cs in the whole body; however, the concentration factor in the soft part of the clams (12) was significantly higher than those in the whole body and shell (0.80). The depuration kinetics of the radionuclide were described by a two-component exponential model for the whole body. The biological half-lives in the fast and slow components were found to be 0.63 and 22.1 days, respectively. The depuration kinetics for ¹³⁴Cs in the soft parts were described by a single-component exponential model with a resultant the biological half-life of 18.0 days.     

Reversible Immobilization of Urease by Using Bacterial Cellulose Nanofibers

In this work, bacterial cellulose nanofibers were produced by using the Gluconacetobacter hansenii HE1 strain. These nanofibers were derivatized with dye affinity ligand Reactive Green 5, and these newly synthesized dye-attached nanofibers were used for affinity adsorption of urease. Reactive Green 5-attached nanofibers were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, SEM, and energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy analysis. Some adsorption conditions which significantly affect the adsorption efficiency were investigated. The maximum urease adsorption capacity was found to be 240 mg/g nanofiber in pH 6.0 and at room temperature. Dye-free plain nanofibers also used for studying nonspecific urease adsorption onto plain nanofibers and nonspecific adsorption were found to be negligible (3.5 mg/g nanofiber). Prepared dye-attached nanofibers can be used in five successive adsorption/desorption steps without any decrease in their urease adsorption capacity. The desorption rate of the adsorbed urease was found to be 98.9 %. The activity of the urease was also investigated, and it was found that free and desorbed urease from the dye-attached nanofibers showed similar specific activity.     

Novel anhydrous proton conducting copolymers of 1‐vinyl‐1,2,4‐triazole and diisopropyl‐p‐vinylbenzyl phosphonate

Phosphonic acid functional polymers are currently of interest because of their high proton conductivity in humidified and anhydrous systems. In addition, heterocyclic compounds are used in anhydrous proton conducting polymer membranes. In that study, a new copolymer based on 1‐vinyl‐1,2,4‐triazole (VTri) and diisopropyl‐p‐vinylbenzyl phosphonate (VBP) was synthesized, and their thermal, chemical, and proton conducting properties were investigated. The copolymers were synthesized by free radical copolymerization of the corresponding monomers at several monomer feed ratios to obtain P(VTri‐co‐VBP) copolymers. The copolymer samples were then hydrolyzed to produce poly(vinyl triazole‐co‐vinyl phosphonic acid) copolymers. The composition of the copolymers was determined by elemental analysis. The copolymerization and hydrolysis reactions were verified by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and ion exchange capacity measurements. Thermogravimetry analysis indicates that the copolymers are thermally stable up to 300°C. In order to increase the proton conductivity, the copolymers were doped with H₃PO₄ at several stoichometric ratios. The proton conductivity increases with triazole and phosphoric acid content. In the absence of humidity, the copolymer electrolyte, P(VTri‐co‐VBPA)1:0.5 X = 2, showed a proton conductivity of 0.005 S/cm at 150°C. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Spectroscopy and X-ray studies of {{6,6′-dimethoxy-2,2′-[ethane-1,2-diyl-bis-(nitrilomethylidyne)]diphenolato}(aqua)-dioxouranium(VI)} dehydrate

The C₁₈H₂₀N₂O₇U · 2H₂O (I) complex has been prepared and characterized by single crystal X-ray diffraction properties (CIF file CCDC no. 913243). The title compound crystallizes in the orthorhombic system, space group Pbca with a = 19.542(5), b = 9.916(5), c = 21.940(5) Å, V = 4252(3) ų and Z = 8. In complex I, the U atom has a distorted pentagonal-bipyramidal geometry with a tetradentate Schiff base ligand and water molecule in the equatorial plane and oxo atoms in the axial positions. The crystal packing occurs intra-inter molecular hydrogen bonds.     

Strong ionic interactions in noncovalent complexes between poly(ethylene imine), a cationic electrolyte,and Cibacron Blue,a nucleotide mimic – implications for oligonucleotide vectors

Cationic polymers can bind DNA to form polyplexes, which are noncovalent complexes used for gene delivery into the targeted cells. For more insight on such biologically relevant systems, the noncovalent complexes between the cationic polymer poly(ethylene imine) (PEI) and the nucleotide mimicking dye Cibacron Blue F3G‐A (CB) were investigated using mass spectrometry methods. Two PEIs of low molecular weight were utilized (M_n ≈ 423 and 600 Da). The different types of CB anions produced by Na⁺/H⁺ exchanges on the three sulfonic acid groups of CB and their dehydrated counterparts were responsible for complex formation with PEI. The CB anions underwent noncovalent complex formation with protonated, but not with sodiated PEI. A higher proportion of cyclic oligomers were detected in PEI423 than PEI600, but both architectures formed association products with CB. Tandem mass spectrometry studies revealed a significantly stronger noncovalent interaction between PEI and dehydrated CB than between PEI and intact CB. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A new type of monodisperse porous, hydrophilic microspheres with reactive chloroalkyl functionality: synthesis and derivatization properties

A seeded polymerization method based on a new functional monomer, 3-chloro-2-hydroxypropyl methacrylate (HPMA-Cl), was proposed for the synthesis of a new type of monodisperse porous, hydrophilic microspheres with reactive character. By applying the method, poly(3-chloro-2-hydroxypropyl methacrylate-co-ethylene dimethacrylate) (poly(HPMA-Cl-co-EDMA)) microspheres in the range of 4–7 μm, with specific surface areas between 2 and 146 m²/g, were obtained. The microspheres are hydrophilic in nature due to the hydroxyl groups and are easily derivatizable due to the reactive chloropropyl moiety. Ligands in the form of small molecules carrying hydrophobic alkyl or hydrophilic ion exchanger groups were covalently attached onto the microspheres via simple and one-pot reactions via their chloropropyl functionality. Using the same functionality, click chemistry and surface-initiated atom transfer radical polymerization were also applied for the generation of triazole ring and zwitterionic molecular brushes on the microspheres, respectively. Poly(HPMA-Cl-co-EDMA) microspheres seem to be a promising hydrophilic reactive material particularly for the synthesis of ion exchanger resins and chromatographic stationary phases.     

Dynamic pricing and scheduling in a multi-class single-server queueing system

This paper investigates an optimal sequencing and dynamic pricing problem for a two-class queueing system. Using a Markov Decision Process based model, we obtain structural characterizations of optimal policies. In particular, it is shown that the optimal pricing policy depends on the entire queue length vector but some monotonicity results prevail as the composition of this vector changes. A numerical study finds that static pricing policies may have significant suboptimality but simple dynamic pricing policies perform well in most situations.     

On a generalization of semisimple modules

Let R be a ring with identity. A module \(M_R\) is called an r-semisimple module if for any right ideal I of R, MI is a direct summand of \(M_R\) which is a generalization of semisimple and second modules. We investigate when an r-semisimple ring is semisimple and prove that a ring R with the number of nonzero proper ideals \(\le \)4 and \(J(R)=0\) is r-semisimple. Moreover, we prove that R is an r-semisimple ring if and only if it is a direct sum of simple rings and we investigate the structure of module whenever R is an r-semisimple ring.     

Spectral,electron microscopic and chemical investigations of gamma-induced purple color zonings in amethyst crystals from the Dursunbey-Balıkesir region of Turkey

Amethyst crystals on matrix specimens from the Dursunbey-Bal?kesir region in Turkey have five representative purple color zonings: dark purple, light purple, lilac, orchid, and violet. The purple color zonings have been analyzed with optical absorption spectra in the visible wavelength region, chemical full trace element analyses (inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectroscopy and inductively coupled plasma-mass spectroscopy), and scanning electron microscopic images with high magnification. It can be proposed that the production of the purple color in amethyst crystals is due to three dominant absorption bands centered at 375, 530, and 675 nm, respectively. In addition, the purple color zonings are also due to four minor absorption bands centered at 435, 480, 620, and 760 nm. X-ray diffraction graphics of the investigated amethyst crystals indicate that these crystals are composed of a nearly pure alpha-quartz phase and do not include any moganite silica phase and/or other mineral implications. Trace element analyses of the amethyst crystals show five representative purple color zonings, suggesting that the absorption bands can be mainly attributed to extrinsic defects (chemical impurities). However, another important factor that influences all structural defects in amethyst is likely to be the gamma irradiation that exists during amethyst crystallization and its inclusion in host materials. This gamma irradiation originates from the large underlying intrusive granitoid body in the region of amethyst formation. Irradiation modifies the valence values of the impurity elements in the amethyst crystals. It is observed that the violet-colored amethyst crystals have the most stable and the least reversible coloration when exposed to strong light sources. This situation can be related to the higher impurity content of Fe (2.50 ppm), Co (3.1 ppm), Ni (38 ppm), Cu (17.9 ppm), Zn (10 ppm), Zr (3.9 ppm), and Mo (21.8 ppm).