Evaluation of some derivatives of 4-quinazolones as antioxidants and antirads in rubber

Derivatives of 4-quinazolones were compounded with rubber. The relation between their efficiencies as antioxidants and antirads was studied. It was found that their efficiencies as antioxidants and antirads fall in the same order but differ in degree.     

Hall-effect and metal-nonmetal transition in copper-argon and lead-argon systems

Summary Hall-effect measurements have been made to find out the type of transition from metal to nonmetal in copper-argon and lead-argon films prepared at helium temperature. The Hall measurements indicate that the transition from metal to nonmetal is a new-type transition. Such a metal-nonmetal transition in metal-argon systems may be attributed to the combined effect of electron correlation intermediated by phase transition. To speed up publication, the authors of this paper have agreed to not receive the proofs for correction.     

Blood flow evaluation in high-frequency, 40 MHz imaging: A comparative study of four vector velocity estimation methods

Ultrasonic imaging is often used to estimate blood flow velocity. Currently, estimates are carried out using Doppler-based techniques. However, there are a number of shortcomings such as the limited spatial resolution and the inability to estimate longitudinal flows. Thus, alternative methods have been proposed to overcome them. Difficulties are notably encountered with high-frequency imaging systems that use swept-scan techniques. In this article, we propose to compare four vector velocity estimation methods that are complementary to Doppler, focusing on 40 MHz, high-frequency imaging. The goal of this study is to evaluate which method could circumvent the limitations of Doppler methods for evaluation of microcirculation, in the vessels having diameter on the order of 1 mm. We used two region-based approaches, one decorrelation-based approach and one spatiotemporal approach. Each method has been applied to seven flow sequences with various orientations and mean velocities. Four sequences were simulated with a system approach based on a 3D set of moving scatterers. Three experimental sequences were carried out by injecting blood-mimicking fluid within a gelatin phantom and then acquiring images with Visualsonics, Vevo 660 system. From velocity estimates, several performance criteria such as the normalized mean error or the normalized mean standard deviation were defined to compare the performance of the four estimators. The results show that region-based methods are the most accurate exhibiting mean errors less than 10% and mean standard deviation less than 13%. However, region-based approaches are those that require the highest calculative cost compared to the decorrelation-based method, which is the fastest. Finally, the spatiotemporal approach appeared to be a trade-off in terms of computational complexity and accuracy of estimates. It provides estimates with errors less than 10% for mean velocity and the CPU time is approximately 17 s for a ROI of size 40 * 80 pixels.     

The design of robust value-creating supply chain networks: A critical review

This paper discusses Supply Chain Network (SCN) design problem under uncertainty, and presents a critical review of the optimization models proposed in the literature. Some drawbacks and missing aspects in the literature are pointed out, thus motivating the development of a comprehensive SCN design methodology. Through an analysis of supply chains uncertainty sources and risk exposures, the paper reviews key random environmental factors and discusses the nature of major disruptive events threatening SCN. It also discusses relevant strategic SCN design evaluation criteria, and it reviews their use in existing models. We argue for the assessment of SCN robustness as a necessary condition to ensure sustainable value creation. Several definitions of robustness, responsiveness and resilience are reviewed, and the importance of these concepts for SCN design is discussed. This paper contributes to framing the foundations for a robust SCN design methodology.     

Some properties of Hermite-based Sheffer polynomials

In this paper, the concepts and the formalism associated with monomiality principle and Sheffer sequences are used to introduce family of Hermite-based Sheffer polynomials. Some properties of Hermite-Sheffer polynomials are considered. Further, an operational formalism providing a correspondence between Sheffer and Hermite-Sheffer polynomials is developed. Furthermore, this correspondence is used to derive several new identities and results for members of Hermite-Sheffer family.     

Comparison of Some Purities,Flatnesses and Injectivities

In this article, we compare (n, m)-purities for different pairs of positive integers (n, m). When R is a commutative ring, these purities are not equivalent if R does not satisfy the following property: there exists a positive integer p such that, for each maximal ideal P, every finitely generated ideal of R _P is p-generated. When this property holds, then the (n, m)-purity and the (n, m′)-purity are equivalent if m and m′ are integers ≥np. These results are obtained by a generalization of Warfield's methods. There are also some interesting results when R is a semiperfect strongly π-regular ring. We also compare (n, m)-flatnesses and (n, m)-injectivities for different pairs of positive integers (n, m). In particular, if R is right perfect and right self (?₀, 1)-injective, then each (1, 1)-flat right R-module is projective. In several cases, for each positive integer p, all (n, p)-flatnesses are equivalent. But there are some examples where the (1, p)-flatness is not equivalent to the (1, p + 1)-flatness.     

Turnpike Property in Optimal Microbial Metabolite Production

Journal of Optimization Theory and Applications - We consider the problem of maximization of metabolite production in bacterial cells formulated as a dynamical optimal control problem (DOCP)....     

HFIP-Functionalized Co3O4 Micro-Nano-Octahedra/rGO as a Double-Layer Sensing Material for Chemical Warfare Agents

Semiconductor metal oxides (SMO)-based gas-sensing materials suffer from insufficient detection of a specific target gas. Reliable selectivity, high sensitivity, and rapid response–recovery times under various working conditions are the main requirements for optimal gas sensors. Chemical warfare agents (CWA) such as sarin are fatal inhibitors of acetylcholinesterase in the nerve system. So, sensing materials with high sensitivity and selectivity toward CWA are urgently needed. Herein, micro-nano octahedral Co₃O₄ functionalized with hexafluoroisopropanol (HFIP) were deposited on a layer of reduced graphene oxide (rGO) as a double-layer sensing materials. The Co₃O₄ micro-nano octahedra were synthesized by direct growth from electrospun fiber templates calcined in ambient air. The double-layer rGO/Co₃O₄-HFIP sensing materials presented high selectivity toward DMMP (sarin agent simulant, dimethyl methyl phosphonate) versus rGO/Co₃O₄ and Co₃O₄ sensors after the exposure to various gases owing to hydrogen bonding between the DMMP molecules and Co₃O₄-HFIP. The rGO/Co₃O₄-HFIP sensors showed high stability with a response signal around 11.8 toward 0.5 ppm DMMP at 125 °C, and more than 75 % of the initial response was maintained under a saturated humid environment (85 % relative humidity). These results prove that these double-layer inorganic–organic composite sensing materials are excellent candidates to serve as optimal gas-sensing materials.     

Electrospun Nanofibers from a Tricyanofuran‐Based Molecular Switch for Colorimetric Recognition of Ammonia Gas

A chromophore based on tricyanofuran (TCF) with a hydrazone (H) recognition moiety was developed. Its molecular‐switching performance is reversible and has differential sensitivity towards aqueous ammonia at comparable concentrations. Nanofibers were fabricated from the TCF–H chromophore by electrospinning. The film fabricated from these nanofibers functions as a solid‐state optical chemosensor for probing ammonia vapor. Recognition of ammonia vapor occurs by proton transfer from the hydrazone fragment of the chromophore to the ammonia nitrogen atom and is facilitated by the strongly electron withdrawing TCF fragment. The TCF–H chromophore was added to a solution of poly(acrylic acid), which was electrospun to obtain a nanofibrous sensor device. The morphology of the nanofibrous sensor was determined by SEM, which showed that nanofibers with a diameter range of 200–450 nm formed a nonwoven mat. The resultant nanofibrous sensor showed very good sensitivity in ammonia‐vapor detection. Furthermore, very good reversibility and short response time were also observed.