Penalized maximum likelihood estimation for a function of the intensity of a Poisson point process

Let be an unknown 2 times differentiable function and consider M to be an α- homogeneous Poisson process on Graf(f). The goal is to estimate f having a sample of the inhomogeneous Poisson process N constructed by dislocating each point of M perpendicularly to Graf(f) by a normal random variable with zero mean and constant variance σ². The exact formulas for the mean measure and the intensity function of N are obtained. Then, the function f is estimated directly using a hybrid spline approach to penalized maximum likelihood. Simulation results indicate the procedure to be consistent as and .      

Wettability and photodegradation activity of sol–gel dip-coated zinc oxide films

The hydrophilic characteristics of zinc oxide combined with the electronic properties of this width band gap semi-conductor were used to produce transparent, anti fog and photocatalytic porous films by using a simple sol?Cgel dip-coating process. The observed values of contact angles (near to 10°) and calculated spreading coefficients (close to zero) indicate that sol?Cgel dip-coated ZnO porous films show excellent wettability. The photocatalytic behavior of these films measured from methylene blue degradation is dependent on the film thickness in agreement with wettability results; as the film thickness increases from 0.1?±?0.05 to 0.5?±?0.05 the photocatalytic reaction rate constant increases from 0.9?×?10^?3 to 5.5?×?10^?3 min^?1.     

Synthesis and characterization of CeO<Subscript>2</Subscript>–graphene composite

The synthesis and characterization of graphite oxide (GO), graphene (GS), and the composites: GS–CeO₂ and GO–CeO₂ are reported. This synthesis was carried out by mixing aqueous solutions of CeCl₃·7H₂O and GO, which yields the oxidized composite GO–CeO₂. GO–CeO₂ was hydrothermally reduced with ethylene glycol, at 120 °C, yielding the reduced composite GS–CeO₂. GO, GS ,and the composites with CeO₂ were characterized by CHN, TG/DTG, BET, XRD, SEM microscopy, FTIR, and Raman spectroscopy. The estimation of crystallite size of CeO₂ anchored on GO and on GS by Raman, XRD, and SEM agreed very well showing diameters about 5 nm. The role of particles of CeO₂ coating carbon sheets of GO and GS was discussed.     

Palynological origin, phenolic content, and antioxidant properties of honeybee-collected pollen from Bahia, Brazil

The aim of this study was to determine the palynological origin, phenolic and flavonoid content, and antioxidant properties of twenty-five samples of bee pollen harvested during a nine-month period (February-November) from the Canavieiras municipality (northeastern Brazil). Of the 25 samples analyzed, only two (February 01 and 02) were heterofloral. The predominant pollens in the samples analyzed during that month were: Cecropia, Eucalyptus, Elaeis, Mimosa pudica, Eupatorium, and Scoparia. Ethyl acetate fractions were analyzed by HPLC-DAD. The flavonoids isoquercetin, myricetin, tricetin, quercetin, luteolin, selagin, kaempferol, and isorhamnetin were detected. The flavonoid present in all 22 samples was isolated and identified as isorhamnetin 3-O-b-neohesperidoside. The total phenolic contents determined using the Folin-Ciocalteu reagent ranged from 41.5 to 213.2 mg GAE/g. Antioxidant activities based on the 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl hydrazyl (DPPH), 2,2-azinobis 3-ethylbenzothiozoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS), and Fe2+ ion chelating activity assays were observed for all extracts, and correlated with the total phenolic content.     

Thermodynamic characterization of the prevailing molecular interactions in mixed floating monolayers of phospholipids and usnic acid

The investigation of the characteristics of mixed floating monolayers of phospholipids and usnic acid (UA), an active metabolite from lichens, can provide valuable information on how to prepare stable liposomes that could serve as carriers of UA for therapeutic proposes. The present paper is concerned with the thermodynamic analysis of the behavior of Langmuir monolayers formed by mixing different phospholipids (dibehenoylphosphatidylcholine, DBPC, dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine, DPPC, and dioleoylphosphatidylcholine, DOPC) and UA at varied molar fractions. Relevant thermodynamic parameters such as excess areas, excess free energies and free energy of mixing were derived from the surface pressure data obtained from compression measurements performed in a Langmuir trough. For the largest lateral pressure examined (25 mN/m), negative values of the excess free energy were found only for the DOPC/UA monolayer, which should be the most stable of them. Based on the calculated values of the free energy of mixing, we note that the DBPC/UA and DPPC/UA systems present the best mixed character at low pressures and when the molar fraction of the UA is 0.5; at that relative concentration and at low values of the external pressure, the UA molecules can better mix and interact with the phospholipid molecules. The compression isotherms for mixed monolayers show no visible transitions, exhibiting a more organized phase that corresponds to a negative free energy of mixing. We have established that the most stable monolayers were those corresponding to DOPC/UA mixtures with a UA molar fraction of 0.75.     

Formic acid oxidation on Pd/RuO2: does the RuO2 support enhance the electrocatalytic activity of Pd nanoparticles?

Journal of Solid State Electrochemistry - The aim of this work was to study the effect of a RuO2 support on the activity of Pd nanoparticles for formic acid oxidation, comparing the results with...