Magnetically Controllable Silver Nanocomposite with Multifunctional Phosphotriazine Matrix and High Antimicrobial Activity

A recently developed multi‐functional phosphotriazine‐based polymer is used as a matrix for embedding γ‐Fe₂O₃ nanoparticles as well as a suitable chemical template for surface modification with silver nanoparticles. For the primary magnetic modification, maghemite nanoparticles are surface modified with oleic acid in order to render them organophilic and to prevent the aggregation of the nanoparticles. This aggregation could occur as the polymer synthesis, based on reaction of phosphonitrilic chlorine and 1,4‐phenylenediamine, takes place in toluene. The surface active amine units of the polymer structure enable the reduction of silver cations to silver nanoparticles, which are well attached and finely dispersed on its surface. The developed nanocomposite represents one of the few magnetically controllable antibacterial agents based on silver nanoparticles. Magnetic measurements reveal the completely suppressed interactions among maghemite nanoparticles because of their perfect surface coating with an organic surfactant and fine dispersion inside the polymer matrix. This magnetic nanocomposite exhibits a high antibacterial and antifungal activity as proven by tests with nine bacterial strains and four candida (yeast genus) species. For the majority of the tested species, the minimum‐inhibition concentrations are below 100 mg L^?1, which is comparable to their equivalent minimum‐inhibition concentrations in colloidal silver systems.     

An adsorptive transfer technique coupled with brdicka reaction to reveal the importance of metallothionein in chemotherapy with platinum based cytostatics

The drugs based on platinum metals represent one of the oldest, but also one of the most effective groups of chemotherapeutic agents. Thanks to many clinical studies it is known that resistance of tumor cells to drugs is a frequent cause of chemotherapy failure. With regard to platinum based drugs, multidrug resistance can also be connected with increased expression of low-molecular weight protein metallothionein (MT). This study aimed at investigating the interactions of MT with cisplatin or carboplatin, using the adsorptive transfer technique coupled with differential pulse voltammetry Brdicka reaction (AdTS DPV Brdicka reaction), and a comparison of in vitro results with results obtained in vivo. The results obtained from the in vitro study show a strong affinity between platinum based drugs and MT. Further, we analyzed extracts of neuroblastoma cell lines treated with cisplatin or carboplatin. It is clear that neuroblastoma UKF-NB-4 cisplatin-resistant and cisplatin-sensitive cell lines unlikely respond to the presence of the platinum-based cytostatics cisplatin and carboplatin. Finally, we determined the level of MT in samples from rabbits treated with carboplatin and patients with retinoblastoma treated with the same drug.     

MODDE分析软件用于桉木硫酸盐法蒸煮的研究

使用MODDE实验设计与分析软件对桉木硫酸盐法蒸煮的主要影响因素进行了研究,蒸煮条件为:有效碱用量17%～23%,硫化度25%～45%,最高温度150～160℃,保温时间45～135min。实验结果显示:有效碱用量、硫化度、温度和时间对成浆性质都有明显影响;蒸煮所得浆料的各项性能很难同时达到最佳。使用MODDE对实验结果进行优化,当目标卡伯值范围在15～25时,最适宜的蒸煮条件为:有效碱用量20%,硫化度45%,最高温度151℃,保温时间99min;MODDE显示该条件下所得浆料的卡伯值、细浆得率、白度和黏度分别为16、48.5%、46.4%和1498mL/g。     

Linear Regression and Adaptive Appearance Models for Fast Simultaneous Modelling and Tracking

This work proposes an approach to tracking by regression that uses no hard-coded models and no offline learning stage. The Linear Predictor (LP) tracker has been shown to be highly computationally efficient, resulting in fast tracking. Regression tracking techniques tend to require offline learning to learn suitable regression functions. This work removes the need for offline learning and therefore increases the applicability of the technique. The online-LP tracker can simply be seeded with an initial target location, akin to the ubiquitous Lucas-Kanade algorithm that tracks by registering an image template via minimisation.     

Some Semiconductor Properties of Carboxymethyl Cellulose-Copper Complexes

Metal chelates of three grades of carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) (LI-L3) with Cu(II) ions, either originating from CuCl₂ or CuSO₄, were prepared and characterized by elemental analysis, infrared spectra, and electrical conductivity studies. The results showed that the degree of substitution of CMCs and the origin of the Cu(II) ion have a profound effect on the amount of metal included in the polymer complexes and the structure and the electrical conductivity of the prepared complexes. CMC acts as a uninegatively charged bidentate ligand when it is chelated with Cu(II) of CuCl₂ via the carboxymethyl group and exhibits the formula Cu(L)₂, whereas it acts as a binegatively charged bitentate ligand when it is chelated with CuSO₄ via the carboxymethyl and secondary hydroxyl groups and exhibits the formula CuL.2H₂O. The investigation revealed that the electrical conductivity depends on the temperature and has two maximum peaks. The values of the activation energy for the conductivity of CMC and their complexes indicated that the samples changed from a low-semiconductor to a high-semiconductor property with heating. It is found that CMC-Cu(II) complexes formed from CuSO₄ exhibit a high-semiconductor property compared to complexes derived from CuCl₂.     

Assessing urban stormwater toxicity: methodology evolution from point observations to longitudinal profiling.

The quality of aquatic habitat in a stormwater management facility located in Toronto, Ontario, was assessed by examining ecotoxicological responses of benthic invertebrates exposed to sediment and water from this system. Besides residential stormwater, the facility receives highway runoff contaminated with trace metals, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and road salt. The combined flow passes through two extended detention ponds (in series) and a vegetated outlet channel. Toxicity of surficial sediment collected from 14 longitudinally arrayed locations was assessed based on 10 acute and chronic endpoints from laboratory tests with four benthic organisms. Greatest overall toxicity was observed in sediment from sites in the upstream pond, where mortality to amphipods and mayflies reached up to 100%. Downstream pond sediment was less toxic on average than the upstream pond sediment, but not the outlet channel sediment where untreated stormwater discharges provided additional sources of contamination. Macroinvertebrate communities in sediment cores were depauperate and dominated by oligochaetes and chironomids, with minimum densities and diversity at the deeper central pond sites. While sediment toxicity was associated with high concentrations of trace metals and high-molecular weight PAHs, benthic community impoverishment appeared related to high water column salinity.     

Scintillation properties of Pr3+-doped lutetium and yttrium aluminum garnets: Comparison with Ce3+-doped ones

Scintillation properties of Pr³⁺-doped LuAG and YAG crystals were investigated and compared with those of Ce³⁺-doped ones. The highest L.Y.’s were observed with the longest shaping time 10 μs. They can reach up to ～16,000 ph/MeV or ～23,500 ph/MeV for LuAG:Pr and LuAG:Ce, respectively. Energy resolutions (FWHM) are a bit better with LuAG:Pr than those of LuAG:Ce, e.g. at 662 keV FWHM are around 6% and between 8–12%, respectively. There were observed no large changes in proportionality of Pr³⁺- or Ce³⁺-doped LuAG or YAG crystals but the best proportionality has YAP:Ce crystal. Pr³⁺- or Ce³⁺-doped LuAG crystals exhibit slow decay components in the time range 1.5–3.5 μs while those of YAG ones have shorter decay components between 0.3–1.7 μs.     

The Oxidation Stability of Lubricating Oil

Abstract

Lubricating oil is generated throughout the year and collected in central locations in many communities. The studied lube oil has a boiling range of 280°C–400°C, and its physical properties were determined according to standard test methods in ASTM and International Petroleum. Solvent extraction by furfural was carried out using different feed ratios. The best ratio was 1:4 (sample:furfural). The oil was separated into its components using liquid column chromatography. It was found that the aromatic contents decreased. The structure group analysis was determined by infrared spectroscopy and refractive index-density-molecular weight methods. The oxidation stability was carried out according to ASTM method D-48 using an inhibitor. The inhibitor used was a nonionic surfactant, alkanolamide. The results showed that the oxidation stability improved using the inhibitor.     

A cold model analysis of solid waste incineration

A cold physical model to a scale of 1:33 of a solid waste incinerator was designed and constructed of transparent material. Experimentation aimed at optimizing gas flow patterns in the furnace for low-pollutant combustion. Flames were simulated by acid-base neutralization. Secondary air flow distribution and direction were identified as the controlling parameters of the flow pattern. The best possible air distribution for a desired flame shape and gas mixing was determined. Streamline plots for verification of the mathematical models were obtained.     

Application of random-search algorithm for regression analysis of catalytic hydrogenations

A short review of the works concerning parameter estimation in kinetic experiments was performed. An adaptive random search algorithm was applied to evaluate the parameters and parameter confidence intervals of Langmuir-Hinshelwood models. The kinetic parameters were determined using the Box - Draper criterion. The parameter confidence regions were found by using the likelihood ratio. Three heterogeneously catalyzed hydrogenations were studied.