Earth-based gravitational wave detection from pulsars

The main features of continuous gravitational radiation bathing the Earth has been evaluated for a set of 558 pulsars. In particular, the maximum gravitational wave background and the maximum gravitational wave emission have been evaluated for each source and compared with the projected sensitivities of the planned Earth based very long baseline interferometric antennas for gravitational wave detection, like VIRGO and LIGO. This study shows that such detectors have a good chance of detecting gravitational waves emitted from this class of astrophysical sources.     

Photocatalytic degradation of actual textile industrial wastewater in aqueous suspensions of polycrystalline TiO2

Heterogeneous photocatalytic oxidation of contaminants present in wastewater produced by a textile industry was carried out. The samples were withdrawn from the plant before and after a traditional biological treatment. The effluents were named A and A' (before the biological treatment), B and B' (after the biological treatment). Polycrystalline TiO2 (Degussa P25) was used as the catalyst in a batch photoreactor with immersed lamp. An almost complete decolorization was observed after about 0.5 divided by 1 hours for both kinds of effluents, but the decrease of the total organic carbon (TOC) concentration occurred more slowly. The influence of some chemical oxidants, i.e. ozone, hydrogen peroxide and peroxydisulfate on the photo-oxidation rate was also investigated. After addition of H2O2 or S2O8(2-) TOC decreased more quickly only for B and B'. The runs performed by using O3 as bubbling gas showed a mineralization rate higher than that observed in the presence of O2.     

Rhenium(IV)-copper(II) heterobimetallic complexes with a bridge malonato ligand. Synthesis, crystal structure, and magnetic properties

The Re(IV) complex [ReCl4(mal)]2-, in the form of two slightly different salts, (AsPh4)1.5(HNEt3)0.5[ReCl4(mal)] (1a) and (AsPh4)(HNEt3)[ReCl4(mal)] (1b), and the Re(IV)-Cu(II) bimetallic complexes [ReCl4(mu-mal)Cu(phen)2].CH3CN (2), [ReCl4(mu-mal)Cu(bpy)2] (3), and [ReCl4(mu-mal)Cu(terpy)] (4) (mal=malonate dianion, AsPh4=tetraphenylarsonium cation, HNEt3=triethylammonium cation, phen=1,10-phenanthroline, bpy=2,2'-bipyridine and terpy=2,2':6',2' '-terpyridine) have been synthesized and the structures of 1a, 1b, 2, and 3 determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. The structures of 1a and 1b are made up of discrete [ReCl4(mal)]2- anions and AsPh4+ and HNEt3+ cations, held together by electrostatic forces and hydrogen bonds. The Re(IV) atom is surrounded by four chloride anions and a bidentate malonate group, in a distorted octahedral environment. The structure of 2 consist of neutral dinuclear units [ReCl4(mu-mal)Cu(phen)2], with the metal ions united through a bridge carboxilato. The environment of Re(IV) is nearly identical to that in the mononuclear complex, and Cu(II) is five coordinate, being surrounded by four nitrogen atoms of two bidentate phen ligands and one oxygen atom of the malonato ligand. In 3, there are also dinuclear units, [ReCl4(mu-mal)Cu(bpy)2], but the Cu(II) ions complete a distorted octahedral coordination by binding with the free malonato oxygen atom of a neighbor unit, resulting in an infinite chain. The magnetic properties of 1-4 were also investigated in the temperature range 2.0-300 K. The magnetic behavior of 1a and 1b is as expected for a Re(IV) complex with a large value of the zero-field splitting (2D ca. 110 cm(-1)). For the bimetallic complexes, the magnetic coupling between Re(IV) and Cu(II) is antiferromagnetic in 2 (J=-0.39 cm(-1)), ferromagnetic in 4 (J=+1.51 cm(-1)), and nearly negligible in 3 (J=-0.09 cm(-1)).     

Simultaneous determination of acetaminophen and tyrosine using a glassy carbon electrode modified with a tetraruthenated cobalt(II) porphyrin intercalated into a smectite clay

A new hybrid material has been prepared by intercalating the supramolecular cationic complex [μ-meso-tetra(4-pyridyl)porphyrinatecobalt(II) tetrakis[bis(bipyridine)(chlorido)ruthenium(II)], referred to as [CoTPyP{Ru(bipy)₂Cl}₄]⁴⁺ into a Cameroonian smectite clay (from Bagba hill, denoted Ba). The intercalated material (named CoTPyPRu(bipy)₂–Ba) was used to modify glassy carbon electrodes (GCE), which were successfully applied to the simultaneous determination of acetaminophen (AC) and tyrosine (Tyr). The CoTPyPRu(bipy)₂–Ba material was characterized by UV/Vis absorption spectroscopy, X-ray diffractometry and FT-IR spectroscopy. The intercalation of [CoTPyP{Ru(bipy)₂Cl}₄]⁴⁺ into the Ba interlayer endowed large surface area to the material. Electrodes modified with CoTPyPRu(bipy)₂–Ba display good compatibility and stability, high selectivity and sensitivity, even with real samples. Working at pH?7.0, AC was oxidized at +0.42 V and Tyr at 0.72 V (vs Ag/AgCl). Linear calibration plots for AC and Tyr were obtained in the 1 to 50 μM and 1 to 24 μM range, with detection limits of 0.1 μM and 0.5 μM, respectively. The modified electrode was successfully applied to the determination of tyrosine in urine, and of acetaminophen in a pharmaceutical product.

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Graphical Abstract Flask 1: Porphyrin solution. (a) Respective spectrum. Flask 2: Same porphyrin solution, after clay addition. (b): Spectrum obtained with a suspension of clay-porphyrin. (c): Spectrum of flask 2 supernatant. A cationic tetra-ruthenated cobalt porphyrin was intercalated into natural Cameroon smectite clay. Further, a sensitive electrochemical sensor was developed by depositing the prepared nanohybrid clay porphyrin onto glassy carbon electrode as thin film. This new modified electrode presented a very favorable response for simultaneous determination of acetaminophen and tyrosine.

     

An Overview on Food Applications of the Instant Controlled Pressure-Drop Technology,an Innovative High Pressure-Short Time Process

Food processing systematically aims at meeting the needs of consumers who are looking for total high quality and perfect food safety. As the various thermal and non-thermal food preservation technologies often affect the natural properties in terms of sensation, flavor, texture, etc., instant controlled pressure drop (DIC) has been conceived as a relevant, innovative process in this field. DIC uses high saturated steam pressure and short duration to provide a new way to expand biological matrices, improve drying, decontaminate, and extract biologically active compounds, among other attributes. Therefore, this review focuses on describing the applications of DIC technology on a wide range of products such as foods and by-products that have been processed both in the laboratory and on an industrial scale. The application of DIC has shown the possibility of a significant leap in quality improvement and cost reduction in the food industry. DIC reduces the drying time of fruits and vegetables, and improves the extraction of essential oils, vegetable oils, and antioxidant components. It also provides strong decontamination, eliminates vegetative microorganisms and spores, and reduces non-nutritional and allergenic components. Over the past 33 years, this technology has continued to expand its food applications and improve its characteristics on an industrial scale. But there are still many food unit operations that can be taken to the next level with DIC.     

A simple method to compute economic order quantities: Some observations

Teng [2] presents an arithmetic–geometric mean method to be applied to determine the optimal lot size for the EOQ/EPQ models, taking into account backorders. Although the arithmetic–geometric mean method is correct, arguments as to when (not) to use the arithmetic–geometric mean inequality as optimization method are not complete. Moreover, this optimization method does not focus on the method for deriving the optimal backorders level. The main purpose of this work is to overcome these shortcomings, presents a discussion of when (not) to use the cost minimization method and derives the optimal backorders level.     

Residuated Semigroups and the Algebraic Foundations of Quantum Mechanics

Let Q be an idempotent and right-sided quantale. There is a one to one correspondence between quantifiers and non-commutative binary operations making Q an idempotent and right-sided quantale. If Q is an atomic and irreducible orthomodular lattice there are only two such operations. Namely, the discrete quantifier and the indiscrete quantifer. PACS: 0210.Ab, 0210.De This work is dedicated to Alberto Román.     

Characterization of gas phase aggregates of bis(2‐ethylhexyl)sulfosuccinate (AOT) and divalent metal ions. Elimination of radical species in the decomposition pathways of even‐electron [AOTMIICl2]– anions

Structure and properties of even‐electron anionic species formed by bis(2‐ethylhexyl)sulfosuccinate (AOT) and divalent metal ions (M^II) with stoichiometry [AOTM^IICl₂]^– have been investigated by using electrospray ionization and different mass spectrometry techniques, such as high resolution, accurate mass measurements, collision‐induced dissociation (CID) multiple‐stage mass spectrometry. Owing to CID, eliminations of neutrals, mainly consisting in hydrochloric acid, 2‐ethyl‐1‐hexene and 2‐ethylhexanol, and an unexpected loss of an alkyl radical have been observed. The radical anions [C₄HO₆SM^IICl]^–? so produced have been characterized by MS³ experiments. Density functional theory calculations have been carried out for investigating structure and stability of the ionic species formed in the decomposition pathways. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

catena‐Poly[[diaqua(1,10‐phenanthroline‐N,N′)cadmium(II)]‐μ‐(sulfato‐O:O′)] and catena‐poly[[diaqua(2,9‐dimethyl‐1,10‐phenanthroline‐N,N′)cadmium(II)]‐μ‐(sulfato‐O:O′)]

Both title compounds, [Cd(SO₄)(C₁₂H₈N₂)(H₂O)₂]_n and [Cd(SO₄)(C₁₄H₁₂N₂)(H₂O)₂]_n, respectively, are polymeric and present the Cd atoms in very similar octahedral environments, provided by the bidentate organic ligand (phenanthroline/di­methyl­phenanthroline), two aqua mol­ecules and two O atoms from two translationally related sulfate groups, which thus act as links in the resulting polymeric chains.