Constant Values Research Articles

Scalarized hybrid neutron stars in scalar tensor gravity

Hybrid neutron stars, the compact objects consisting hadronic matter and strange quark matter, can be considered as the probes for the scalar tensor gravity. In this work, we explore the scalarization of hybrid neutron stars in the scalar tensor gravity. For the hadronic phase, we apply a piecewise polytropic equation of state constrained by the observational data of GW170817 and the data of six low-mass X-ray binaries with thermonuclear burst or the symmetry energy of the nuclear interaction. In addition, to describe the strange quark matter inside the hybrid neutron star, different MIT bag models are employed. We study the effects of the value of bag constant, the mass of s quark, the perturbative quantum chromodynamics correction parameter, and the density jump at the surface of quark-hadronic phase transition on the scalarization of hybrid neutron stars. Our results confirm that the scalarization is more sensitive to the value of bag constant, the mass of s quark, and the density jump compared to the perturbative quantum chromodynamics correction parameter.

Biophysical studies of human serum albumin with cocaine and cocaethylene: Understanding the drug-protein interaction in simulated physiological conditions

In this study, HSA was used as a transport protein model to simulate the transport dynamics and availability of cocaine (COC) and its pharmacologically active metabolite, cocaethylene (CE). In the interaction studies between the alkaloids and HSA, the binding constant (Kb) values were higher for CE (2.92 to 8.33 × 104 M−1) than COC (1.15 to 3.77 × 104 M−1) at different temperatures. Thermodynamic parameter calculations indicate that COC preferentially interacts through van der Waals forces and hydrogen bonds, while CE interacts hydrophobically. Competition studies using the ANS probe confirmed the more hydrophobic characteristics of CE. Synchronized fluorescence indicated that both compounds preferentially interact in the microregion of the Trp214 residue. Based on 3D fluorescence, UV–vis, and circular dichroic results, changes in the secondary structure of the protein were confirmed. Studies to assess the HSA binding site were carried out using warfarin (site I), diazepam (site II), and digitoxin (subdomain IIIB) as markers, and it was verified that both compounds interact preferentially at the site I. Finally, based on the 1H NMR and theoretical studies, it was possible to propose the alkaloid epitope in the interaction with HSA. In conclusion, when compared to COC, CE presented greater HSA protein affinity, justifying its longer plasma lifetime and increasing the drug’s effects on the body.

Cellulose acetate sheet supported gold nanoparticles for the catalytic reduction of toxic organic pollutants

Abstract Water contamination by toxic organic dyes represents a significant global challenge necessitating effective remediation strategies. Due to their high catalytic activity, considerable attention has been gained to metal-based nanocatalysts. Cellulose acetate sheets supported by gold nanoparticles through a reduction method were synthesized. The composite synthesized material presents a compelling platform for catalytic reduction in the remediation of toxic organic pollutants, ensuring controlled particle size and stability. In this study, the prepared cellulose acetate sheet (CAsheet) was dipped in a 0.001 M aqueous chloroauric acid (HAuCl4) solution and reduced by immersion in a 0.1 M sodium borohydride (NaBH4) aqueous solution. After the successful preparation of virgin cellulose acetate sheet (CAsheet) and gold-supported cellulose acetate sheet (Au-CAsheet) samples were assessed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray crystallography (XRD), energy dispersive X-rays spectroscopy (EDX), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis. The catalytic reduction reaction of toxic compounds i.e. reduction of 4-nitroaniline (4-NA), Congo red (CR), and reactive yellow (RY-42) by using NaBH4. The catalytic activity of the Au-CAsheet was exhibited by the reaction rate constant (k app) values 0.3189, 0.1596, and 0.1593 min−1 for CR, 4-NA, and RY-42 respectively. This kind of procedure for Au-CAsheet synthesis may be valid for different applications in catalysis, sensing, and environmental application.

A simplified time domain approach to calculate lightning electric fields considering the grounded tower-line-tower (TLT) structure

This study describes a method for calculating electric fields radiated by lightning in the presence of a tower-line-tower (TLT) structure, extending a previous method developed by Rachidi et al. (2002). The method involves using a lattice diagram to analyze current distribution and deriving expressions related to the current distribution along the lightning channel and the TLT structure. Expressions associated with the current distribution along the lightning channel and the TLT structure are derived. The impedances of the towers, the connected overhead grounded wire, and lightning channel were treated as constant values. The subsequent return stroke was analyzed in the paper. The lightning radiated electric fields at an intermediate distance of 15 km considering lightning striking to ground, one single object, and the TLT structure were presented and compared. The directly strike of lightning on a tower plays an important role in the increase of the electric field magnitude, while the neighbored tower and the associated grounded wire contributes to periodical superimpositions on the middle-and-late response of the electric fields. Detail discussion on the influences of the different parameters of the proposed method on the electric fields at 15 km and comparison to the measured data were also presented.

Hadron-quark phase transition in the neutron star with vector MIT bag model and Korea-IBS-Daegu-SKKU functional

Employing the Korea-IBS-Daegu-SKKU (KIDS) density functional for the hadron phase and the MIT bag model with vector (vBag) model for the quark phase, we obtain hadron-quark phase transition in neutron stars considering Maxwell construction. The structural properties of the resultant hybrid stars are computed for three different values of bag constant (B) in the range B1/4=145−160 MeV). We study the effects of symmetry energy (J) on the hybrid star properties with the different KIDS model and found that J has important influence not only on the transition properties like the transition mass, transition radius and jump in density due to phase transition, but also on the stability of the hybrid stars. The vector repulsion of the quark phase via the parameter GV has profound influence in obtaining reasonable hybrid star configurations, consistent with the recent astrophysical constraints on the structural properties of compact stars. Within the aforesaid range of B, the value of GV is constrained to be 0.3 ≲GV≲ 0.4 in order to obtain reasonable hybrid star configurations.

A new perspective on Kaluza–Klein theories

Assuming that the geometry of spacetime is uniquely determined by the energy momentum tensor of matter alone, i.e. without any interactions, enables us to construct the Lagrangian from which the metric of higher dimensional spacetime follows. From the geodesic equations that follow, it becomes clear that the incorrect mass of elementary particles predicted by Kaluza–Klein theories arises from the assumption that in the absence of gravity the solution to the Einstein field equations reduces to the Minkowski metric. From construction of a consistent theory of 4D electromagnetism, we find that this assumption does not only result in the incorrect mass of elementary particles, but also the incorrect value of the cosmological constant. This suggests that these incorrect predictions, which are often regarded as major flaws of Kaluza–Klein theories, just reflect the inconsistency of the assumption that the solution to Einstein field equations reduces to Minkowski metric in the absence of gravity and Weyl invariance which is the symmetry of gauge theories in 4D spacetime. Abandoning this assumption results in modification of general relativity. We show that the unified description of fundamental interactions naturally incorporates the Higgs mechanism. For non-Abelian gauge fields, we find that the manifold comprising the extra dimensions has to be a group manifold and show that the standard model is realised in 16D spacetime. We show that charge and spin are the same concept, but what makes them different is that the former follows from symmetry of 4D spacetime while the latter follows from symmetry of the internal space.

Hyper-Raman scattering from the LO modes of perovskite ferroelectric relaxors

Hyper-Raman scattering is used to study the temperature dependence of the longitudinal optic (LO) modes of three prototypical ferroelectric relaxors in a broad temperature range from 20 to 800 K. The three LO bands observed in all spectra of the three materials are linked to the three transverse optic (TO) modes in cubic relaxors where LOi is linked to TOi, with i = 1 to 3. The Last, Slater, and Axe eigenvector pictures of the TO modes are consistent with our observations on LO1, LO2, and LO3, respectively. Within this framework, the splitting of LO2 would mostly be linked to a structural disorder on the site while the strength of an anomaly of LO1 near the freezing temperature Tf relies on the ability of the material to develop a long-range ordering. Moreover, the more pronounced the splitting, the more important the structural disorder and the lower the value of the dielectric constant. Published by the American Physical Society 2024

Simulation and parameterization of nonlinear elastic behavior of cables

AbstractThis work contributes to the simulation, modeling, and characterization of nonlinear elastic bending behavior within the framework of geometrically nonlinear rod models. These models often assume a linear constitutive bending behavior, which is not sufficient for some complex flexible slender structures. In general, nonlinear elastic behavior often coexists with inelastic behavior. In this work, we incorporate the inelastic deformation into the rod model using reference curvatures. We present an algorithmic approach for simulating the nonlinear elastic bending behavior, which is based on the theory of Cosserat rods, where the static equilibrium is calculated by minimizing the linear elastic energy. For this algorithmic approach, in each iteration the static equilibrium is obtained by minimizing the potential energy with locally constant algorithmic bending stiffness values. These constants are updated according to the given nonlinear elastic constitutive law until the state of the rod converges. To determine the nonlinear elastic constitutive bending behavior of the flexible slender structures (such as cables) from the measured values, we formulate an inverse problem. By solving it we aim to determine a curvature-dependent bending stiffness characteristic and the reference curvatures using the given measured values. We first provide examples using virtual bending measurements, followed by the application of bending measurements on real cables. Solving the inverse problem yields physically plausible results.

Resource utilization of chemical excess sludge to produce metal–organic framework with outstanding Fenton-like performance for sulfamethoxazole removal

The safe disposal of excess sludge has emerged as a pressing concern due to its high toxicity, stemming from a diverse array of components such as viruses, heavy metals, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Herein, this study explored the feasibility of using extracted Fe from the excess sludge to produce metal–organic frameworks (MOFs). Specifically, MIL-100 and MIL-88A were successfully synthesized by coordinating 1,3,5-benzene tricarboxylic acid and fumaric acid with excess sludge-retained iron under wide reaction conditions. The purity of the resulting MOFs was ascertained through elemental analysis. Moreover, the synthesized MOFs demonstrated outstanding electrocatalytic performance in the degradation of sulfamethoxazole (SMX). Compared to the control group without catalysts, the addition of MIL-100-170-6 (30 mg) led to a remarkable enhancement in SMX removal efficiency, increasing it to 99.9 % from 58.3 %. This enhancement was accompanied by a substantial increase in the corresponding kinetic constant (kobs) values, reaching 0.1137 min−1, representing an 8.1-fold improvement over the blank group. The catalytic mechanism was further evaluated via quenching experiments and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy, suggesting that the •OH and O2•− radicals were responsible for SMX degradation. Economic analysis of MOF materials preparation revealed that the use of excess sludge-retained Fe can significantly reduce the cost of MOFs. Thus, it is believed that our work provides a low-cost and sustainable approach for converting excess sludge into functional MOFs, which not merely facilitates the recycling of excess sludge-retained Fe, but also provides functional materials with outstanding performance for the degradation of SMX.

Structural analysis of peptide identified from the 2KRR domain of the nucleolin protein with a c-Myc G4 structure using biophysical and biochemical methods.

For the first time, the c-Myc G4 structure is reported to be stabilized by binding of the peptide (derived from the 2KRR domain of the nucleolin protein called the Nu peptide) in the loop region of the G-quadruplex structure by stacking interactions. CD results showed the formation of parallel G4 structure in the presence of 100 mM Na+ or 100 mM K+ with the appearance of two isodichroic points at 229 nm, 254 nm and 252 nm in the presence of 100 mM Na+ or 100 mM K+, respectively. In addition, in UV thermal and CD melting studies, we observed drastic changes with an increase in the hyperchromicity at a DNA : peptide ratio of 1 : 50. On titrating the Nu peptide with c-Myc G4, we calculated the value of binding constant (K a) by plotting fluorescence intensity and DNA concentration as 0.1369 ± 0.008 μM and 0.1277 ± 0.073 μM in Na+ and K+, respectively, which confirms the strong association of Nu peptide with c-Myc G4. The Nu peptide showed preferential cytotoxicity against MDA-MB-231 cells with IC50 values of 5.020 μM and 5.501 μM after 72 and 96 hours. This approach suggests a novel strategy to target G4 structure using natural key peptide segments derived from G4 stabilizing protein.

A novel model of microelongation thermomechanical photoacoustic waves in excited semiconductor materials

In this study, we discussed the photothermal effect on a microelongated thermoelastic plate under the influence of acoustic pressure. This study is very important in many fields and has a wide application in industries. The problem is studied in the two-dimensional plane to obtain the thermoacoustic and mechanical waves behavior. Normal mode analysis is used to get the exact solution of the problem. Many comparisons between the physical quantities are made according to the different values of physical constants of many semiconductor materials. Graphical illustrations depict the numerical outcomes for the examined fields both with and without microelongation parameters.

Investigation of physicochemical characteristics of Dy3+ modified ZnO nanoparticles

In this report, pristine and Dy3+ modified ZnO nanoparticles [Zn(1-x)DyxO NPs, where x = 0, 0.05, and 0.10] were synthesized using the sol–gel route, and their physicochemical characteristics were investigated. x-ray diffractograms of all the compositions possess P63mc space group depicting hexagonal crystallinity with wurtzite-type crystal structure with no signature of impurities as confirmed using the Rietveld refinement technique. The granular microstructure displayed grain growth with Dy3+ incorporation in the ZnO crystal framework and an increment in average grain size was found to be 22.83 nm for x = 0 to 36.34 nm. The optical energy band gap also increased from 3.35 eV to 3.88 eV with Dy3+ doping in the host ZnO. Dy3+ substitution inhibits the conduction in ZnO and improves the resistivity (36 Ωcm–79 Ωcm) as carrier concentration diminishes from 7.36 × 1016 cm−3 to 4.23 × 1016 cm−3. Similarly, the mean free path length for ZnO and Dy3+ doped ZnO NPs declines from 0.0301 nm to 0.0198 nm. Dielectric properties of all the compositions were investigated using an LCR impedance analyzer and it was observed that Dy3+ substitution enhances the value of the dielectric constant from 32 to 91 with a low tangent loss at 50 Hz.

Synthesis, biochemistry, and in silico investigations of isatin-based hydrazone derivatives as monoamine oxidase inhibitors

Ten isatin-based hydrazone derivatives were synthesized using two subseries, IA (isatin + acetophenone) and IB (isatin + benzaldehyde), and evaluated for their monoamine oxidases (MAOs) inhibitory activity. All the compounds showed stronger MAO-A inhibition than MAO-B, and the IB series showed more effective MAO-A inhibitory activity than IA series. Compound IB4 most potently inhibited MAO-A (half maximal inhibitory concentration IC50 = 0.015 µM), followed by IB3 (IC50 = 0.019 µM). On the contrary, compound IB3 showed the highest MAO-B inhibition (IC50 = 0.068 µM), followed by IB4 (IC50 = 1.87 µM). Compound IB3 and IB4 had low selectivity indices of 3.68 and 8.50, respectively. Structurally, the methyl group of IA series decreased the inhibition of both MAO-A and MAO-B. Among them, IB3 and IB4 (4-Cl and 4-Br in B-ring, respectively) showed higher MAO-A and MAO-B inhibition than the other substitutions. Inhibition constant Ki values of IB3 and IB4 for MAO-A were 0.0088 and 0.0063 µM, respectively, and those for MAO-B were 0.048 and 0.060 µM, respectively. IB3 and IB4 were competitive, reversible inhibitors of MAO-A and MAO-B. Molecular docking analysis predicted that IB3 and IB4 formed stable hydrogen bonds between Asn181 and the NH atom of isatin in the ligand-protein complex. Dynamic analysis revealed that IB3 and IB4 are stable with both MAO isoforms. These observations suggest IB3 and IB4 are potent and reversible MAO-A and MAO-B inhibitors and both compounds can be used as therapeutic agents for neurological disorders.

Radiation exposure and screening yield by digital breast tomosynthesis compared to mammography: results of the TOSYMA Trialbreast density related.

The randomized TOmosynthesis plus SYnthesized MAmmography (TOSYMA) screening trial has shown that digital breast tomosynthesis plus synthesized mammography (DBT + SM) is superior to digital mammography (DM) in invasive breast cancer detection varying with breast density. On the other hand, the overall average glandular dose (AGD) of DBT is higher than that of DM. Comparing the DBT + SM and DM trial arm, we analyzed here the mean AGD and their determinants per breast density category and related them to the respective invasive cancer detection rates (iCDR). TOSYMA screened 99,689 women aged 50 to 69 years. Compression force, resulting breast thickness, the calculated AGD obtained from each mammography device, and previously published iCDR were used for comparisons across breast density categories in the two trial arms. There were 196,622 exposures of 49,227 women (DBT + SM) and 197,037 exposures of 49,132 women (DM) available for analyses. Mean breast thicknesses declined from breast density category A (fatty) to D (extremely dense) in both trial arms. However, while the mean AGD in the DBT + SM arm declined concomitantly from category A (2.41 mGy) to D (1.89 mGy), it remained almost unchanged in the DM arm (1.46 and 1.51 mGy, respectively). In relative terms, the AGD elevation in the DBT + SM arm (64.4% (A), by 44.5% (B), 27.8% (C), and 26.0% (D)) was lowest in dense breasts where, however, the highest iCDR were observed. Women with dense breasts may specifically benefit from DBT + SM screening as high cancer detection is achieved with only moderate AGD elevations. TOSYMA suggests a favorable constellation for screening with digital breast tomosynthesis plus synthesized mammography (DBT + SM) in dense breasts when weighing average glandular dose elevation against raised invasive breast cancer detection rates. There is potential for density-, i.e., risk-adapted population-wide breast cancer screening with DBT + SM. Breast thickness declines with visually increasing density in digital mammography (DM) and digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT). Average glandular doses of DBT decrease with increasing density; digital mammography shows lower andmore constant values. With the smallest average glandular dose differencein dense breasts, DBT plus SM had thehighest difference in invasive breast cancer detection rates.

Synthesis and characterization of flexible CaCoAlFe2O4 based microwave substrate for triband polarization-insensitive metamaterial absorber

This study investigated CaxCo(0.90-x)Al.01Fe2O4 nanoparticle synthesized using the sol–gel synthesis method to achieve a flexible substrate with a high dielectric constant value. The XRD, FESEM, and dielectric characteristic is analyzed to explore the performance of the suggested Ox Wheels-shaped (OWS) metamaterial absorber unit cell. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis found significant peaks at 30° (318), 33° (176), 35° (794), 43° (232), 53° (116), 57° (256), 62° (304), and 74° (126) planes. The dielectric constant values of the prepared nanomaterial materials are 4.52 (X = 90 %), 4.73 (X = 60 %), and 5.07 (X = 30 %) due to the deviations in raw material compositions. The prepared, flexible substrate is used in the anticipated OWS metamaterial absorber unit cell, and analysis has been widely considered and continuously concerned due to their excellent ultra-thin thickness, lightweight, and high absorbance resonance features. The predicted structure reached S21 response at 3.47 GHz, 7.05 GHz, and 10.76 GHz with the magnitude of −24.11 dB, −17.07 dB, and −19.19 dB, respectively, using CST simulation software. The absorber prototype is measured for further investigation within the frequency range of 2.25–2.76, 5.84–6.15 GHz, and 9.63–9.76 GHz, where maximum magnitude is achieved at 2.50 GHz, 6.02 GHz, and 9.70 GHz, respectively. This specific resonance frequency reached the highest 99.61 %, 98.03 %, and 98.79 % absorption, which covers the S, C, and X band frequency spectrum. Various electrical, magnetic, mechanical, and multi-parameter responses are examined to achieve almost perfect absorption (PA). The enormous range of possible uses of metamaterial, such as absorber wave modification, infrared imaging, radiative cooling, energy harvesting, and chemical detection, makes it appreciated. The CaCoAlFe2O4 ferrite-based flexible metamaterial absorber structure has ultra-thin, flexible, and non-corrosive advantages.

Theoretical prediction of perovskite ARH3 (A = K, Li, Rb; R[dbnd]Ca, Sr) hydride materials for hydrogen storage applications: A DFT investigation

Hydrogen (H2) storage has attracted the greatest attention in the contemporary day because of the shortage of fuel. The water splitting is considered less cost-effective and lead-free energy production by the photocatalytic process to produce hydrogen as a fuel for vehicles, petroleum refining, Pharmaceuticals, and glass purification. Perovskite materials play a vital role in H2 storage and production applications. The density functional theory (DFT) using the CASTEP code is used to study the various structural, electrical, optical, mechanical, and hydrogen (H2) capacity properties of ARH3 (A = K, Li, Rb; RSr, Ca) compounds. The compounds under investigations are optimized in the cubic structure; for ARH3 (A = K, Li, Rb; RSr, Ca), the optimized lattice constants are 3.924, 4.302, 4.559, 4.817, 4.647, and 4.884 Å, respectively. Since these hydrides are thermally stable, their formation energy is exhibited negative values. ARH3 may find usage in H2 storage applications due to its high gravimetric H2 storage densities (6.042 and 3.678 wt% for LiCaH3 and KCaH3, respectively). Furthermore, band gaps of 2.71, 2.38, 3.27, 2.73, 1.85, and 2.83 eV for ARH3 (A = K, Li, Rb; RCa, Sr) respectively, confirm the semiconductor behavior. These substances satisfy born stability criteria due to its mechanical parameters which derived from elastic constant values such as Pugh's ratio and modulus. Additionally, Pugh's ratio and Cauchy pressure demonstrate that, in contrast to other compounds, the KCaH3 compound has a ductile character (0.29). According to our analyses, studied compounds are observed a potential candidate for hydrogen storage devices.

In Vitro Ciclopirox Glucuronidation in Liver Microsomes from Humans and Various Experimental Animals.

Ciclopirox is a widely used antifungal drug, redisposition of which has drawn increasing attentions due to multiple promising activities. The drug undergoes extensive glucuronidation, which acts as a major obstacle in the ongoing novel application and still remains poorly understood. The current study aims to phenotype ciclopirox glucuronidation pathway and as well to decipher the related species differences. Ciclopirox glucuronidation was investigated in liver microsomes from humans (HLM) and various experimental animals. Assays with recombinant uridine diphosphate glucuronosyltransferases (UGTs), enzyme kinetic analyses and selective inhibitors were used to determine the role of individual UGTs in ciclopirox glucuronidation. HLM is highly active in ciclopirox glucuronidation withMichaelis-Menten constant (Km),maximum velocity (Vmax), and intrinsic clearance (CLint)values of 139 μM, 7.89 nmol/min/mg, and 56 μL/min/mg, respectively. UGT1A9 displays by far the highest activity, whereas several other isoforms (UGT1A6, UGT1A7, and UGT1A8) catalyze formation of traced glucuronides. Further kinetic analysis demonstrates that UGT1A9 has a closed Km value (167 μM) to HLM. UGT1A9 selective inhibitor (magnolol) can potently inhibit ciclopirox glucuronidation in HLM with the IC50 value of 0.12 μM. The reaction displays remarkable differences across liver microsomes from mice, rats, cynomolgus monkey, minipig, and beagle dog, with the CLint values in the range of 26-369 μL/min/mg. In addition, ciclopirox glucuronidation activities of experimental animals' liver microsomes were less sensitive to magnolol than that of HLM. Ciclopirox glucuronidation displays remarkable species differences with UGT1A9 as a dominant contributor in humans. It is suggested that the pharmacological or toxicological effects ofciclopirox may be UGT1A9 and species dependent.

Performance Evaluation of Fractional Proportional–Integral–Derivative Controllers Tuned by Heuristic Algorithms for Nonlinear Interconnected Tanks

This article presents an in-depth analysis of three advanced strategies to tune fractional PID (FOPID) controllers for a nonlinear system of interconnected tanks, simulated using MATLAB. The study focuses on evaluating the performance characteristics of system responses controlled by FOPID controllers tuned through three heuristic algorithms: Ant Colony Optimization (ACO), Grey Wolf Optimizer (GWO), and Flower Pollination Algorithm (FPA). Each algorithm aims to minimize its respective cost function using various performance metrics. The nonlinear model was linearized around an equilibrium point using Taylor Series expansion and Laplace transforms to facilitate control. The FPA algorithm performed better with the lowest Integral Square Error (ISE) criterion value (297.83) and faster convergence in constant values and fractional orders. This comprehensive evaluation underscores the importance of selecting the appropriate tuning strategy and performance index, demonstrating that the FPA provides the most efficient and robust tuning for FOPID controllers in nonlinear systems. The results highlight the efficacy of meta-heuristic algorithms in optimizing complex control systems, providing valuable insights for future research and practical applications, thereby contributing to the advancement of control systems engineering.

Experimental and artificial intelligence optimization of paint wastewater (PWW) coagulation using novel Phaseolus vulgaris seed extract (PVSE)

This study investigated the application of artificial intelligence algorithms (AIA) in the coagulation treatment of paint wastewater anchored by novel Phaseolus vulgaris seed extract (PVSE). Untreated wastewater discharge harms the ecosystem, and therefore harmful industrial effluent, such as paint wastewater, must be brought to safe discharge levels before being released into the environment. In addition to AIA, comprehensive characterization tests, coagulation kinetics, and process optimization were also executed. Characterization results revealed that total solid in the PWW was above allowable standard, justifying the need for effective particle decontamination. The XRD and FTIR characterization indicated that PVSE structure is amorphous with abundant amine groups. Results of analysis of variance (ANOVA) obtained from process modeling indicated that the coagulation-flocculation process was a nonlinear quadratic system (F-value = 45.51) which was mostly influenced by PVSE coagulant dosage (F-value = 222.48; standardized effect = 14.85). Artificial intelligence indicated that neural network training effectively captured the nonlinear nature of the system in ANN (RMSE = 0.00040194; R = 0.98497), and ANFIS (RMSE = 0.003961) algorithms. Regression coefficient obtained from process modeling highlighted the suitability of RSM (0.9662), ANN (0.9739), and ANFIS (0.9718) in forecasting the coagulation-flocculation process, while comparative statistical appraisal authenticated the superiority of ANN model over RSM and ANFIS models. The coagulation kinetics experiment, which used a coagulation kinetic model, revealed a constant flocculation constant (Kf-value) for all jar test batches and a strong association between the Menkonu coagulation-flocculation constant (Km) and Kf values. Best removal efficiency of 97.01 % was obtained using ANN coupled genetic algorithm optimization (ANN-GA) at PVSE dosage of 4 g/L, coagulation time of 29 min and temperature of 25.1oC.

Chemosensitive Properties of Electrochemically Synthesized Poly-3-Thienylboronic Acid: Conductometric Detection of Glucose and Other Diol-Containing Compounds under Electrical Affinity Control.

Due to the presence of the boronic acid moieties, poly-3-thienylboronic acid has an affinity for saccharides and other diol-containing compounds. Thin films of this novel chemosensitive polymer were synthesized electrochemically on the gold surface. The adhesion of the polymer was enhanced by the deposition of a monomolecular layer of thiophenol. The technology was used to fabricate conductometric sensors for glucose and other diol-containing compounds. Simultaneous two- and four-electrode conductivity measurements were performed. The chemical sensitivity to sorbitol, fructose, glucose, and ethylene glycol was studied at different pH and electrode potentials, and the corresponding binding constants were obtained. Depending on the electrode potential, the reciprocal values of the binding constants of glucose to poly-3-thienylboronic acid at neutral pH are in the range of 0.2 mM-1.0 mM. The affinity for glucose has been studied in buffer solutions and in solutions containing the major components of human blood. It was shown that the presence of human serum albumin increases the affinity of poly-3-thienylboronic acid for diol-containing compounds.