Physicochemical Characterization of Hydrated 4-Sulphonato-Calix[n]arenes: Thermal,Structural, and Sorption Properties

In this study, the thermal behavior of three hydrated water-soluble 4-sulphonato calix[n]arenes was investigated. The melting points, heats of fusion, and heats of solution of the calix[4]arene, calix[6]arene and calix[8]arene were 277, 262, and 270°C; 192, 242 and 351 kJ/mol; and 30, 58 and 63 kJ/mol, respectively. Lower heat of fusion, smaller increase in entropy and smaller heat of solution of the calix[4]arene compared to the calix[6]arene and calix[8]arene showed that less heat was required to break up the crystal lattice of the smaller macromolecule. This apparent anomaly is rationalized in terms of smaller cooperativity of interaction between the molecules of calix[4]arene in the crystal lattice, although the strength of the individual interactions is stronger as evidenced by the higher melting point. TGA analysis indicated that about 17–20% of water was associated with the calix[n]arenes. Both TGA and hot stage microscopy results indicated that upon heating these molecules underwent stepwise water loss. TGA kinetics showed that the 4-sulphonato-calix[8]arene lost water easier than the other two calixarenes. The moisture adsorption behavior of all calixarenes followed type II isotherms. For the same amount of material, the calix[6]arene adsorbed more moisture than the calix[4]arene and the calix[8]arene. Moreover, dehydrated less crystalline 4-sulphonic-calix[n]arenes powders are hydroscopic.

     

Dissociative attachment of low-energy electrons to vibrationally excited molecules using a photoelectron source

The process of dissociative attachment (DA) of low-energy electrons ) to vibrationally excited sodium dimer molecules is studied with high electron energy resolution () in a supersonic molecular beam. A novel photoelectron source, based on two-step photoionization of the sodium atoms in the beam, may deliver a current of up to 1 nA and has been used with a current of typically 0.2 nA in this experiment. The energy dependence of the rate of sodium anion formation is determined by ion detection based on a time-of-flight analysis. The molecules are selectively excited to levels using the technique of coherent population transfer by delayed pulses (STIRAP). The comparison of the experimental data with recent resonance model calculations based on improved potential curves reveals generally good agreement for levels v ”>12. For some distinct differences between theoretical and experimental results persist. Received: 21 November 1998 / Received in final form: 7 April 1999     

Visual spatial memory is enhanced in female rats (but inhibited in males) by dietary soy phytoestrogens

Background  

In learning and memory tasks, requiring visual spatial memory (VSM), males exhibit superior performance to females (a difference attributed to the hormonal influence of estrogen). This study examined the influence of phytoestrogens (estrogen-like plant compounds) on VSM, utilizing radial arm-maze methods to examine varying aspects of memory. Additionally, brain phytoestrogen, calbindin (CALB), and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) levels were determined.     

Fixed-bed drying simulation of agricultural products using a new backward finite difference scheme

This work is concerned with the numerical simulation of fixed-bed corn drying using MSU (Michigan State University) drying model. The classical numerical procedure for MSU model relies on an explicit method of finite differences which requires certain stability conditions between the step sizes of the time and space variables. The objective of the present paper is to establish a stable implicit method based on backward finite differences, in both time and space variables, which takes into account some specific empirical aspects of the problem. Computational results illustrate the efficiency and the flexibility of method.     

Homogenization of Elastic Properties of Short Fiber Reinforced Composites Based on Discrete Microstructure Data

Since the microstructure of short fiber reinforced composites is inhomogeneous, the application of micromechanical models is useful, that take into account their characteristics like the fiber orientation and the aspect ratio of fibers. Two different methods are considered in this work: A two-step approach is utilized to get approximately the upper and lower bounds of the elastic properties. Furthermore, an approximation for the elastic properties is calculated by the self-consistence method. Both methods use discretely microstructural information including the length, the diameter and the orientation of each single fiber. (© 2013 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Characterization of the pH-dependent resonance Raman transitions of archaeal and bacterial Rieske [2Fe-2S] proteins

The pH-dependent resonance Raman (RR) spectral changes of the cytochrome bc1-associated, high-potential Rieske proteins have frequently been invoked to explain the redox-linked ionization behavior. We report herein RR spectral data of archaeal and bacterial Rieske proteins that directly demonstrate the pH-dependent changes near and above pKa,ox2, but not around pKa,ox1, of the visible circular dichroism (CD) transitions. The RR spectral changes are attributed to modification of the immediate [2Fe-2S] cluster environment due to deprotonation of some exchangeable amide groups in the polypeptide backbone, rather than previously assumed simple changes of the Fe-Nimid stretching vibrations.     

The application of homotopy analysis method to solve nonlinear differential equation governing Jeffery–Hamel flow

In this paper Jeffery–Hamel flow has been studied and its nonlinear ordinary differential equation has been solved through homotopy analysis method (HAM). The obtained solution in comparison with the numerical ones represents a remarkable accuracy. The results also indicate that HAM can provide us with a convenient way to control and adjust the convergence region.     

Neuromodulation by soy diets or equol: Anti-depressive &; anti-obesity-like influences,age- &; hormone-dependent effects

Background  

Soy-derived isoflavones potentially protect against obesity and depression. In five different studies we examined the influence of soy-containing diets or equol injections on depression, serotonin levels, body weight gain (BW) and white adipose tissue (WAT) deposition in female Long-Evans rats at various stages of life [rats were intact, ovariectomized or experienced natural ovarian failure (NOF)].