Unconstrained Direct Optimization of Spacecraft Trajectories Using Many Embedded Lambert Problems

Journal of Optimization Theory and Applications - Direct optimization of many-revolution spacecraft trajectories is performed using an unconstrained formulation with many short-arc, embedded...     

Automorphism subgroups for designs with $$\lambda =1$$ λ = 1

Designs, Codes and Cryptography - Given an integer $$k\ge 3$$ and a group G of odd order,  if there exists a 2-(v, k, 1)-design and if v is sufficiently large then there...     

A Photoluminescent Ag10Cu6 Cluster Stablized by a PNNP Ligand and Phenylacetylides Selectively and Reversibly Senses Ammonia in Air and Water

A photoluminescent bimetallic cluster [Ag₁₀Cu₆(bdppthi)₂(C≡CPh)₁₂(MeOH)₂(H₂O)](ClO₄)₄ ( 1 , bdppthi=N,N’-bis(diphenylphosphanylmethyl)-tetrahydroimidazole} was synthesized from the PNNP type ligand bdppthi generated in-situ. Upon excitation at 365 nm, 1 exhibited strong phosphorescent emission at 630 nm, which was selectively quenched by NH₃ in air or water. The sensing of NH₃ was rapid and recoverable, with detection limits of 53 ppm (v/v) in N₂ and 21 μmol/L (0.36 ppm, w/w) for NH₃ ⋅ H₂O in water. Cluster 1 could potentially serve as a bifunctional chemical sensor for the efficient detection of ammonia in waste-gas and waste-water.     

Buffering effects on the solution behavior and hydrolytic degradation of poly(β-amino ester)s

With a vast, synthetically accessible compositional space and highly tunable hydrolysis rates, poly(β-amino ester)s (PBAEs) are an attractive degradable polymer platform. Leveraging PBAEs in a wide range of applications hinges on the ability to program degradation, which, thus far, has been frustrated by multiple confounding phenomena contributing to the degradation of these charged polyesters. Basic conditions accelerate hydrolysis, yet reduce solubility, limiting water access to amines and esters. Further, the high buffering capacity of PBAEs can render buffers ineffective at controlling solution pH. To unify understanding of PBAE degradation and solution properties, this study examines PBAE hydrolysis as a function of pH and buffer concentration as well as polymer hydrophobicity. At low buffer concentrations, the PBAE amines and the acid produced during hydrolysis control solution pH. Meanwhile, at high buffer concentrations that afford relatively constant pH, hydrolysis rate increases with pH, despite the reduced PBAE solubility. Increasing the hydrophobic content of PBAEs eventually hinders the capacity of the polymer to accept protons from solution, limiting the pH increase and slowing hydrolysis. These studies showcase the role of buffering on the pH-dependent degradation and solution properties of PBAEs, providing guidance for programming degradation in applications ranging from drug delivery to thermosets.     

Computational and dynamic NMR investigation of 2,2-dimesityl-1,1,1,3,3,3-hexamethyltrisilane

The structure and rotational barrier for the mesityl-silicon bond of 2,2-dimesityl-1,1,1,3,3,3-hexamethyltrisilane have been investigated by ¹H- and ¹³C-variable temperature nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) as well as by density functional theory structural calculations. The calculations show that the lowest energy structure has C₂ symmetry with nonequivalent ortho methyl groups, consistent with the crystal structure and solution NMR. The nonequivalent ortho methyl groups exchange through a C_s transition state with a calculated relative free energy of 11.0 kcal mol⁻¹. The barrier for this rotation found by dynamic NMR is 13.4 ± 0.2 kcal mol⁻¹ at 298 K.     

The behavior of differential forms under purely inseparable extensions

Let F be a field of characteristic 2. In this paper we give a complete computation of the kernel of the homomorphism $H_2^{m+1}(F)?H_2^{m+1}(L)$ induced by scalar extension, where $L/F$ is a purely inseparable extension (of any degree), $H_2^{m+1}(F)$ is the cokernel of the Artin–Schreier operator $?:{\mathrm{\Omega }}_F^m?{\mathrm{\Omega }}_F^m/\mathrm{d}{\mathrm{\Omega }}_F^{m?1}$ given by: $x\frac{\mathrm{d}{x}_1}{x_1}\wedge ?\wedge \frac{\mathrm{d}{x}_m}{x_m}?(x^2?x)\frac{\mathrm{d}{x}_1}{x_1}\wedge ?\wedge \frac{\mathrm{d}{x}_m}{x_m}+\mathrm{d}{\mathrm{\Omega }}_F^{m?1}$, where ${\mathrm{\Omega }}_F^m$ is the space of absolute m-differential forms over F and d is the differential operator. Other related results are included.