Structure of hydroxycinnamic acid derivatives established by high-performance liquid chromatography with photodiode-array detection

Summary The present paper describes the development of a method for the differentiation of hydroxycinnamic acid derivatives by HPLC with photodiode-array detection. Furthermore spectral data of the compounds under investigation are given. Whereas p-coumaric acid derivatives are distinguishable from caffeic and ferulic acid derivatives by the positions of their spectrum maxima and their convexity interval value, it is not possible to distinguish between caffeic and ferulic acid derivatives because of overlapping spectrum maxima and convexity interval values.     

Fourier transforms method for measuring thermal lens induced in diluted liquid samples

Drawing on interferometry and Fourier analysis, this paper describes the use of a two-beam thermal lens technique for measuring thermo-optical properties in optical materials. The procedure consists of yield interference patterns deformed by a localized photothermal effect. The photothermal phase shift is locally induced by the pump beam focused on a tested sample located on an on-axis probe beam, which is the first arm of a Mach-Zehnder interferometer. The plane where the effect is localized is imaged onto a CCD camera. Then two interferograms are recorded: one without effect and the other one with the induced photothermal phase. Fourier analysis performed on these interferograms allow us to plot the thermal lens map and, therefore, to estimate thermo-optic constant of Malachite Green in water solution. The method is applied to measure low linear absorptions of a diluted sample of Rhodamine B in water solution at 633 nm, showing that the proposed technique allows to measure photothermal phase shift as low as 3.1 mrad at 8 mW of input power in diluted materials.     

Spectrally-resolved white-light interferometry as a profilometry tool

Phase-shifting interferometry and white-light interferometry are reliable techniques for surface analysis in which the optical path difference has to be changed by some transducer to evaluate the phase. We present here a different procedure in which optical path modulation is completely avoided. This technique is based on the spectral analysis of white-light interferograms. By means of a spectroscopic device, a non-visible interferogram is split into its monochromatic components and absolute, unambiguous values of the phase are obtained along the spectral axis. Only one interferogram is required to obtain the profile of one-dimensional surfaces with nanometric resolution.     

Alternating chaotic and periodic dynamics in Chern-Simons-Higgs theory with scalar magnetic interaction

The dynamical behavior of a Chern-Simons-Higgs system is studied for the spatially homogeneous case. The model, described by interacting gauge and scalar fields includes two parity and time violating terms: the Chern-Simons and the scalar magnetic interaction. For the pure Chern-Simons part of the theory the equations of motion are integrable. In general, however, the model system exhibits an interesting pattern of chaos to order transitions as the scalar magnetic moment is varied. The system dynamics are analyzed using a combination of standard techniques, such as phase space portraits, Lyapunov exponents, and Fourier spectra. (c) 2000 American Institute of Physics.     

Unveiling the Local Structure of Palladium Loaded into Imine‐Linked Layered Covalent Organic Frameworks for Cross‐Coupling Catalysis

Layered covalent organic frameworks (2D‐COFs), composed of reversible imine linkages and accessible pores, offer versatility for chemical modifications towards the development of catalytic materials. Nitrogen‐enriched COFs are good candidates for binding Pd species. Understanding the local structure of reacting Pd sites bonded to the COF pores is key to rationalize interactions between active sites and porous surfaces. By combining advanced synchrotron characterization methods with periodic computational DFT modeling, the precise atomic structure of catalytic Pd sites attached to local defects is resolved within an archetypical imine‐linked 2D‐COF. This material was synthesized using an in situ method as a gel, under which imine hydrolysis and metalation reactions are coupled. Local defects formed in situ within imine‐linked 2D‐COF materials are highly reactive towards Pd metalation, resulting in active materials for Suzuki–Miyaura cross‐coupling reactions.     

Analysis of abamectin residues in avocados by high-performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection

In this work an analytical method for the determination of abamectin residues in avocados is developed using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with fluorescence (FL) detection. A pre-column derivatization with trifluoroacetic anhydride (TFAA) and N-methylimidazole (NMIM) was carried out. The mobile phase consisted of water, methanol and acetonitrile (5:47.5:47.5 v/v/v) and was pumped at a rate of 1 mL/min (isocratic elution). The fluorescence detector was set at an excitation wavelength of 365 nm and an emission wavelength of 470 nm. Homogenized avocado samples were extracted twice with acetonitrile:water 8:2 (v/v) and cleaned using C(18) solid-phase extraction (SPE) cartridges. Recovery values were in the range 87-98% with RSD values lower than 13%. The limits of detection (LODs) and quantification (LOQs) of the whole method were 0.001 and 0.003 mg/kg, respectively. These values are lower than the maximum residue limit (MRL) established by the European Union (EU) and the Spanish legislation in avocado samples.     

Dynamic monitoring and control of software project effort based on an effort buffer

The improvement to the monitoring and control efficiency of software project effort is a challenge for project management research. We propose to overcome this challenge through the use of a model for the buffer determination and monitoring of software project effort. This software project effort buffer was originally determined on the basis of a risk management factor analysis with total consideration for project managers’ risk preference. The effort buffer was next allocated to different stages according to the buffer allocation cardinal. An effort deviation monitoring and control model was then established based on the grey prediction model, including the establishment of a deviation monitoring and control model, a simulation test of the accuracy and the deviation prediction algorithm flow chart. The method system was eventually applied to an actual project and compared with the actual project data. The results show that the relative error test accuracy of the proposed model is qualified according to the test standard of the grey model, signifying that it could be used for the prediction of effort deviation and decision-making. The proposed model could use the dynamic control system to monitor and control software project effort in an effective manner.