Fabrication and Determination of Refractive Index Profile of the Planar Waveguides by Wedge Technique

Several planar waveguides have been fabricated. The waveguides have been polished for determination of their refractiveindex profiles (RIP) by wedge method. The RIP determined by inserting the sample in a Mach-Zehnder interferometer andapplying fringe analysis methods.     

Thin layer chromatography of 57 metal ions on an inorganic ion-exchanger in mixed solvent systems

Summary Thin layers of stannic arsenate have been used to study the chromatographic behaviour of 57 metal ions in different mixed solvents. Au³⁺, Hg²⁺, UO ₂ ²⁺ , Be²⁺ and Al³⁺ and others can be easily separated from numerous metal ions. Fast quaternary, ternary and binary separations have been also achieved. Important separations are discussed. The effect of pH, duration of heating of ionexchanger plates and layer thickness on the R_f values has been studied and discussed. It is shown that Lederer's equation is also obeyed by thin layers of stannic arsenate, if instead of concentration of Na⁺ ion its activity is taken into consideration.     

LMI-Based Delayed Output Feedback Controller Design for a Class of Fractional-Order Neutral-Type Delay Systems Using Guaranteed Cost Control Approach

In this research work, we deal with the stabilization of uncertain fractional-order neutral systems with delayed input. To tackle this problem, the guaranteed cost control method is considered. The purpose is to design a proportional–differential output feedback controller to obtain a satisfactory performance. The stability of the overall system is described in terms of matrix inequalities, and the corresponding analysis is performed in the perspective of Lyapunov’s theory. Two application examples verify the analytic findings.     

Electrical Stimulation of Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells on Conductive Substrates Promotes Neural Priming

Electrical stimulation (ES) within a conductive scaffold is potentially beneficial in encouraging the differentiation of stem cells toward a neuronal phenotype. To improve stem cell-based regenerative therapies, it is essential to use electroconductive scaffolds with appropriate stiffnesses to regulate the amount and location of ES delivery. Herein, biodegradable electroconductive substrates with different stiffnesses are fabricated from chitosan-grafted-polyaniline (CS-g-PANI) copolymers. Human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) cultured on soft conductive scaffolds show a morphological change with significant filopodial elongation after electrically stimulated culture along with upregulation of neuronal markers and downregulation of glial markers. Compared to stiff conductive scaffolds and non-conductive CS scaffolds, soft conductive CS-g-PANI scaffolds promote increased expression of microtubule-associated protein 2 (MAP2) and neurofilament heavy chain (NF-H) after application of ES. At the same time, there is a decrease in the expression of the glial markers glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and vimentin after ES. Furthermore, the elevation of intracellular calcium [Ca²⁺] during spontaneous, cell-generated Ca²⁺ transients further suggests that electric field stimulation of hMSCs cultured on conductive substrates can promote a neural-like phenotype. The findings suggest that the combination of the soft conductive CS-g-PANI substrate and ES is a promising new tool for enhancing neuronal tissue engineering outcomes.     

Solvent-controlled dehydration and diastereoselective formation of indenone-fused thiazolo[3,2-a]pyridines via a one-pot four-component reaction

A solvent-controlled four-component reaction has been described for the preparation of either hydroxy-tetrahydro-thiaza-cyclopenta[c]fluoren-6-one or dihydro-thiaza-cyclopenta[c]fluoren-6-one from nitroketene dithioacetals, cysteamine hydrochloride, 1,3-indandione and aromatic aldehydes starting materials by changing solvent systems. These reactions proceed under catalyst-free conditions affording a range of two types of skeletally distinct thiazolo[3,2-a]pyridines-based heterocycles. Hydroxy-tetrahydro-thiaza-cyclopenta[c]fluoren-6-one was obtained in H₂O/EtOH (3:1, v/v) in high yield and diastereoselectivity but in contrast dihydro-thiaza-cyclopenta[c]fluoren-6-one was synthesised in EtOH in moderate to good yields and in the longer reaction time. The structural diversities have been confirmed spectroscopically, by IR ¹H and ¹³C NMR, and EI-MS spectra, which agree with the proposed structures.     

Convenient Synthesis of 14‐Aryl‐14‐H‐dibenzo[a,j]xanthenes Catalyzed by Acyclic Brønsted Acidic Ionic Liquid [H—NMP]+[HSO4]− under Microwave Irradiation

Efficient method for direct preparation of 14‐aryl‐14‐H‐dibenzo[a,j]xanthenes through condensation of β‐naphthol with various aromatic aldehydes in the presence of the catalytic amount of [H—NMP]⁺[HSO₄]^? under microwave irradiation was described. This method has the advantages such as; very easy reaction workup, absolute separation of catalyst from the reaction mixture and smooth recyclability of catalyst. In this reaction 14‐aryl‐14‐H‐dibenzo[a,j]xanthenes were obtained as desired products in excellent yields and short reaction times via green and one‐pot procedure.     

Amplified Electrochemical DNA Sensor Based on Polyaniline Film and Gold Nanoparticles

In this work, an electrochemical DNA biosensor, based on a dual signal amplified strategy by employing a polyaniline film and gold nanoparticles as a sensor platform and enzyme‐linked as a label, for sensitive detection is presented. Firstly, polyaniline film and gold nanoparticles were progressively grown on graphite screen‐printed electrode surface via electropolymerization and electrochemical deposition, respectively. The sensor was characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), cyclic voltammetry and impedance measurements. The polyaniline‐gold nanocomposite modified electrodes were firstly modified with a mixed monolayer of a 17‐mer thiol‐tethered DNA probe and a spacer thiol, 6‐mercapto‐1‐hexanol (MCH). An enzyme‐amplified detection scheme, based on the coupling of a streptavidin‐alkaline phosphatase conjugate and biotinylated target sequences was then applied. The enzyme catalyzed the hydrolysis of the electroinactive α‐naphthyl phosphate to α‐naphthol; this product is electroactive and has been detected by means of differential pulse voltammetry. In this way, the sensor coupled the unique electrical properties of polyaniline and gold nanoparticles (high surface area, fast heterogeneous electron transfer, chemical stability, and ease of miniaturisation) and enzymatic amplification. A linear response was obtained over a concentration range (0.2–10 nM). A detection limit of 0.1 nM was achieved.     

Complexation study of dibenzo-18-crown-6 with UO2 2+ cation in binary mixed non-aqueous solutions

The complexation reaction of macrocyclic ligand, dibenzo-18-crown-6 (DB18C6) with UO₂ ²⁺ cation was studied in ethylacetate-1,2-dichloroethane (EtOAc/DCE), acetonitrile-1,2-dichloroethane (AN/DCE), methanol-1,2-dichloroethane (MeOH/DCE) and ethanol-1,2-dichloroethane (EtOH/DCE) binary solutions at different temperatures using the conductometric method. The conductance data show that the stoichiometry of the complex formed between DB18C6 and UO₂ ²⁺ cation is affected by the nature of the solvent systems. A non-linear behaviour was observed for changes of log K _f of (DB18C6.UO₂)⁺² complex versus the composition of the binary mixed solvents. The values of thermodynamic quantities (?S°_c, ?H°_c) for formation of (DB18C6.UO₂)⁺² complex were obtained from temperature dependence of the stability constant using the van’t Hoff plots. The results show that in most cases, the complex is enthalpy stabilized and in all cases entropy stabilized and both parameters are affected by the nature and composition of the mixed solvents. In addition, the complex formation between dicyclohexyl-18-crown-6 (DCH18C6) and UO₂ ²⁺ cation was studied in pure AN and the results were compared with those of the (DB18C6.UO₂)⁺² complex.     

Electrocatalytic Determination of Hydroxylamine in the Presence of Thiosulfate in Water and Wastewater Samples Using a Nanostructure Modified Carbon Paste Electrode

In this research, we report the preparation of a high sensitive voltammetric sensor for electrocatalytic determination of hydroxylamine (HX) in the presence of thiosulfate (TS). We describe the synthesis and characterization of CdO nanoparticles (CdO/NPs) with transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and X‐ray diffraction (XRD) methods. At an optimum condition, the two peaks are separated ca. 0.58 and 0.92 V for HX and TS at the surface of the proposed sensor. Square wave voltammetry (SWV) of HX exhibited two linear dynamic ranges with a detection limit (3σ) of 0.06 µmol L^?1. The propose sensor was used for determination of HX in water samples.     

Pd(0) nanoparticles immobilized on multinitrogen functionalized halloysite for promoting Sonogashira reaction: studying the role of the number of surface nitrogens in catalytic performance

Halloysite nanoclay, Hal, was amine-functionalized and subsequently reacted with 2,4,6-trichloro-1,3,5-triazine, TCT, and ethylenediamine, EDA, to provide multinitrogen containing functionality on the surface of Hal. The resulting surface-modified Hal, Hal-2N-TCT-EDA, was then used for immobilization of Pd nanoparticles and affording a heterogeneous catalyst, Pd@Hal-2N-TCT-EDA, with utility for copper and ligand-free Sonogashira coupling of alkynes and aryl halides. The results established the efficiency of this protocol in terms of product yield, ecofriendly nature, and reaction time. Study of the reusability of the catalyst confirmed that the catalyst could be recovered and recycled up to seven times with slight loss of catalytic activity and Pd leaching, indicating the efficiency of Hal-2N-TCT-EDA for embedding Pd nanoparticles. To elucidate the role of the number of surface nitrogens on the catalytic performance, the catalytic activity, and recyclability of the catalyst was compared with those of Hal-2N and Hal-2N-TCT. It was found that more surface nitrogen atoms gave higher loading of Pd and lower Pd leaching. This result confirms the contribution of surface nitrogens to anchor the Pd species and suppress leaching.