Chalcogenide based all-solid-state thin electroplated ion-selective membrane for Hg(II) flow-injection determinations

The response to Hg(II) of a thin all-solid-state Te-doped silver chalcogenide membrane, described by the general formula Ag₂ + δSe_{1 − x}Te_x, which has been electrochemically prepared following a previously proposed approach, has been investigated. The kinetics of formation of the membrane's secondary dynamic response to Hg(II) has been successfully combined with the precise timing and transient signal, typical for flow-injection (FI) measurements, in developing a sensitive and reliable mercury FI detector. Under optimized stream conditions it exhibits a linear Nernstian response, with a double slope of the calibration graph of 59 mV dec⁻¹, over the mercury(II) concentration range 10⁻⁶ − 10⁻³ M, the typical sample throughput amounting to about 70 samples per hour. The observed chemical amplification of the signal is due to the specificity of the processes dominating the initial step in formation of the steady-state signal of the membrane to mercury. The analytical performance of the Hg(II) FI detector, as regards sensitivity, reproducibility, selectivity and long-term stability has been thoroughly investigated. The exact procedure for membrane electrodeposition is given and the potential of the proposed approach as a cost-effective way for preparing chalcogenides of unique structure and properties has been outlined in the above context.     

A Study of Protein and Glycoprotein Syntheses in Pre-implantation Mouse Embryos Using Mini-2D-Electrophoresis, Video Densitometer Scanning and Computer-Image Analysis

In the present study, proteins and glycoproteins of mouse embryos at 2-cell,morula and blastocyst stages were analyzed.The techniques of ~(35)S-Met incorporation,ConA antiserum-precipitating ConA-binding proteins, mini-2D-electrophoresis, fluorography,video densitometer scanning and the computer-lmage system were used for analyses.Results of the investigations indicated that proteins and glycoproteins were synthesized by the embryos in a gradual increase manner from 2-cell to blastocyst. A relatively large amount of glycoproteins was synthesized during the morula and blastocyst stages.Two specific small glycoproteins respectively with molecular weights about 6500 and 9000 and PIs at 5.0 and 6.5 were apparently synthesized in the blastocyst but not in the 2-cell or the morula.     

Design and performance analysis of beam steering birefringent mercurous chloride acousto-optic device

I.IntroductionThepcrformanccsofAcousto-optic(AO)dcviccareoftenlimitcdbythepropertiesofAOmcdiawhenitisusedinAOsigna1processingsystems.Thespectrumanalyzersandcorre1ationreceivers,forinstancc,areexpcctcdtoimprovcthereso1utionanddynamicrangcwhilereducingtheproccssorvolume.Rccent1y,ancwclassofmateria1s,themercurousha1ides,promiscstocontributeimportantsolutionstosuchnccdsandisrefincdtopractica1uti1izations.Themecurousha1ideweconsidcrinthispapcrismecurouschloride(Hg,C1,).Thesing1ecrystalofHg,Cl…     

Exact boundary observability for 1‐D quasilinear wave equations

By means of a direct and constructive method based on the theory of semi‐global C² solution, the local exact boundary observability and an implicit duality between the exact boundary controllability and the exact boundary observability are shown for 1‐D quasilinear wave equations with various boundary conditions. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Investigation on Ochratoxin A stability using different extraction techniques

The stability of Ochratoxin A during its extraction using different extraction techniques has been evaluated. Microwave-assisted extraction and pressurised liquid extraction, in addition to two other reference methods of extraction, i.e. ultrasound-assisted and magnetic stirring-assisted extraction, were evaluated. The effect of extraction temperature using the cited techniques was checked.The results show that Ochratoxin A can be extracted using microwave-assisted extraction at temperatures up to 150 °C without degradation. Pressurised liquid extraction can be used at temperatures up to 100 °C, for extraction times of less than 30 min. Further, both ultrasound-assisted extraction and magnetic stirring extraction can be applied at temperatures up to 65 °C.High-performance liquid chromatography combined with fluorescence detection using a Chromolith RP-18e column at a flow rate of 5 mL min⁻¹ was used to quantify the Ochratoxin A. The retention time for the Ochratoxin A was 1.3 min. The limits of detection (LOD) and of quantification (LOQ) were 0.03 and 0.10 μg L⁻¹, respectively.     

Quantization of complex Lagrangian submanifolds

Let Λ be a smooth Lagrangian submanifold of a complex symplectic manifold X. We construct twisted simple holonomic modules along Λ in the stack of deformation-quantization modules on X.     

Lévy processes and their subordination in matrix Lie groups

Lévy processes in matrix Lie groups are studied. Subordination (random time change) is used to show that quasi-invariance of the Brownian motion in a Lie group induces absolute continuity of the laws of the corresponding pure jump processes. These results are applied to several examples which are discussed in detail.     

QN-spaces, wQN-spaces and covering properties

The main results of the paper are as follows: covering characterizations of wQN-spaces, covering characterizations of QN-spaces and a theorem saying that Cp(X) has the Arkhangel'ski?ˇ property (α₁) provided that X is a QN-space. The latter statement solves a problem posed by M. Scheepers [M. Scheepers, Cp(X) and Arhangel'ski?ˇ's αi-spaces, Topology Appl. 89 (1998) 265-275] and for Tychonoff spaces was independently proved by M. Sakai [M. Sakai, The sequence selection properties of Cp(X), Preprint, April 25, 2006]. As the most interesting result we consider the equivalence that a normal topological space X is a wQN-space if and only if X has the property S₁(Γshr,Γ). Moreover we show that X is a QN-space if and only if Cp(X) has the property (α₀), and for perfectly normal spaces, if and only if X has the covering property (β₃).     

Shape transition from InAs quantum dash to quantum dot on InP(3 1 1)A

We report on the shape transition from InAs quantum dashes to quantum dots (QDs) on lattice-matched GaInAsP on InP(3 1 1)A substrates. InAs quantum dashes develop during chemical-beam epitaxy of 3.2 monolayers InAs, which transform into round InAs QDs by introducing a growth interruption without arsenic flux after InAs deposition. The shape transition is solely attributed to surface properties, i.e., increase of the surface energy and symmetry under arsenic deficient conditions. The round QD shape is maintained during subsequent GaInAsP overgrowth because the reversed shape transition from dot to dash is kinetically hindered by the decreased ad-atom diffusion under arsenic flux.     

Microstructural evolution of decagonal quasicrystal in the undercooled Al72Ni12Co16 alloy melts

The microstructure evolution of decagonal quasicrystals in Al₇₂Ni₁₂Co₁₆ alloy was investigated by the electromagnetic melting and cyclic superheating method. Single-phase decagonal quasicrystals have been obtained when the undercoolings were larger than 60 K. The decagonal quasicrystals formed at various undercoolings show different microstructural morphologies. Furthermore, grain refinement was found near the undercooling of 120 K. Based on current thermodynamic and dendrite growth theories, a dimensionless superheating parameter was adopted to explain the effect of processing conditions on the microstructure of Al₇₂Ni₁₂Co₁₆ alloy. The result indicate that the fine equiaxied microstructure of decagonal quasicrystal (D-phase) formed near on undercooling of 120 K originates from the break-up of dendrites.