Synthesis of β -Cyperone via Fungal Hydroxylation of thujone-derived tricyclic cyclopropanes

Synthesis of optically active sesquiterpenes with a eudesmane C-skeleton from the chiral starting material thujone involves transformation of a tricyclic intermediate (1R,2R,4S)-1,7-dimethyl-4-(1-methylethyl)tricyclo[4.4.0.0^2,4]dec-6-en-8-one ( 2 ) into the bicyclic compound β -cyperone ( 5 ). Hydroxylation of 2 at C(5) or C(11) permits subsequent opening of the cyclopropane ring and rearrangement to β -cyperone. In this publication, studies involving hydroxylation of 2 by fungal cultures are presented. The resultant products are useful intermediates in efficient synthesis of eudesmane sesquiterpenes. Of five fungi tested, Rhizopus oryzae ATCC 11145 proved most versatile. It hydroxylates at the exocyclic C(11) position in high yield (70%) and, to a lesser extent, at C(5) (5%). Enzymatic activity appears at the end of growth phase and at least 2.2 g of 2 per liter can be metabolized without significant loss of product yield. A second fungus, Cunninghamella echinulata ATCC 9244, proved most useful for hydroxylation of derivatives of 2 for the preparation of derivatives of β -cyperone, although product yields were low (2–20%), some derivatives were nonreactive, and hydroxylation at C(9) occurred. The relationship between precursor structure and enzyme affinity is discussed.     

Forecasting call frequency at a financial services call centre

A forecasting model is developed for the number of daily applications for loans at a financial services telephone call centre. The purpose of the forecasts and the associated prediction intervals is to provide effective staffing policies within the call centre. The model building process is constrained by the availability of only 2 years and 7 months of data. The distinctive feature of the data is that demand is driven in the main by advertising. The analysis given focuses on applications stimulated by press advertising. Unlike previous analyses of broadly similar data, where ARIMA models were used, a model with a dynamic level, multiplicative calendar effects and a multiplicative advertising response is developed and shown to be effective.     

杂多酸催化合成乙酸乙酯

回流吸附法制备的负载型12-钨磷酸(HPW/C)是合成乙酸乙酯的高效催化剂。最佳反应条件下乙醇转化率达96％,酯化选择性100％。催化剂的高活性是由于HPW在活性炭上高度分散,使活性位增多,有效酸量增大。HPW/C还具有热稳定性高和不易流失等优点。     

Issues in Managing Information Technology

This paper describes three case studies which investigated issues relating to the implementation and management of advanced information technology. The benefits derived from information technology were found to vary from one organization to another. These studies provide further evidence to support earlier research findings that senior management has an important role to play in the effective exploitation of information technology, and that the investment approach taken by an organization has a significant effect on the development of computer-based information systems. The effectiveness of a system depends not only on applying the appropriate technology, but also on how successfully technical and behavioural issues are resolved.     

C72,La2@C72几何结构和电子性质的计算研究

采用密度泛涵理论(density functional theory,DFT)中的广义梯度近似(generally gradient approximation,GGA)对富勒烯C72和内掺金属La富勒烯La2@C72三种同分异构体的几何结构和电子结构进行研究.发现在C72的三种同分异构体中,满足独立五边形规则(isolated-pentagon-rule,IPR)的C72(D6d)结构最为稳定;在La2@C72三种同分异构体中,有着两对两两相邻五元环(twofused-pentagon)的La2@C72(#10611)结构最为稳定,而满足IPR的La2@C72(D6d)的结构变成了最不稳定结构.从能级图和态密度图分析得知,笼子稳定性的变化与La原子的原子轨道与C72原子轨道之间的杂化有关.Mulliken电荷分析得知,La2@C72(#10611)的两个La原子共转移了约3个电子给C72,并且,它们几乎分布在整个C笼上,形成的电子结构为La23+@C3-72.净自旋分析得知,La2@C72(#10611)中La原子磁性完全淬灭.     

A warehouse-based design model for reverse logistics

In this paper, an MILP formulation is proposed for the design of a reverse logistics network based on a warehouse location–allocation model, which optimizes, simultaneously, the forward and reverse networks. A single product model with unlimited capacity is first defined. Subsequently, the model is extended to a multi-product capacitated recovery network model, where capacity limitations and a multi-product system can be considered. The proposed model is compared to published work in the field, where different model assumptions have been proposed. Two cases are described so as to gain a better insight into the model and allow a comparative analysis.     

Electroactive conducting polymers for corrosion control

There is an intensive effort underway to develop new corrosion control coatings for structural metals. In part, this effort has been motivated by the desire to replace chromium(VI)-containing coatings currently used for corrosion control of iron and aluminum alloys. Cr(VI) has been shown to be hazardous to the environmental and to human health, and its use in many countries will be sharply curtailed in the coming years. Electroactive conducting polymers (ECPs) represent a class of interesting materials currently being explored for use in corrosion control coating systems, possibly as a replacement for Cr(VI)-based coatings. The electroactivity and the electronic conductivity (or semiconductivity) of ECPs set them apart from traditional organic coatings. As with chromate, interesting and potentially beneficial interactions of ECPs with active metal alloys such as steel and aluminum are anticipated, with concomitant alteration of their corrosion behavior. A review of this active research area will be presented in two parts. Here in Part 1, a general introduction to the topic of corrosion control by ECPs will be presented, including an overview of corrosion and its control by traditional methods, an introduction to ECPs and their properties, and a discussion of the processing issues surrounding the use of ECPs as coatings. Part 1 also includes a review of the literature on the use of ECPs as coatings (or components of coatings) on non-ferrous active metals, principally aluminum and aluminum alloys, although some work on zinc, copper, silver, titanium and silicon will also be described. In Part 2 of this review (to be published in the next issue of this journal), the rather extensive literature on the use of ECPs for the corrosion control of ferrous alloys (steels) will be reviewed. Electronic Publication     

Quadratic data envelopment analysis

Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) offers a piece-wise linear approximation of the production frontier. The approximation tends to be poor if the true frontier is not concave, eg in case of economies of scale or of specialisation. To improve the flexibility of the DEA frontier and to gain in empirical fit, we propose to extend DEA towards a more general piece-wise quadratic approximation, called Quadratic Data Envelopment Analysis (QDEA). We show that QDEA gives statistically consistent estimates for all production frontiers with bounded Hessian eigenvalues. Our Monte-Carlo simulations suggest that QDEA can substantially improve efficiency estimation in finite samples relative to standard DEA models.     

Effective dimensionality approach to the RKKY interaction in multilayer systems

We consider RKKY interaction in a quasi 2D system with nonparabolic dispersion. In our paper we calculate the RKKY range function assuming the in-layer confinement via effective dimensionality approach. We show, that indirect magnetic exchange in our system can be modelled by the effective spectral dimension which equals one.     

〈111〉晶向冲击加载下单晶铜中纳米孔洞增长的早期动力学行为

利用分子动力学方法模拟计算了单晶铜中纳米孔洞在沿〈111〉晶向冲击加载下增长的早期过程.测量发现不同加载强度下等效孔洞半径随时间近似成线性变化.观测到单孔洞增长的两种位错生长机理：加载强度较低时，只在沿着冲击加载方向的孔洞顶点附近区域有位错的成核和运动；而随着加载强度超过一定阈值，在沿冲击加载和其垂直方向的孔洞顶点区域都观察到位错的成核和运动.在前一种机理作用下，孔洞只沿加载方向增长；在后一种机理作用下，孔洞同时沿加载和垂直于加载方向增长.分析孔洞表面原子的位移历史，发现沿加载及与其垂直方向的孔洞顶点沿径向的速度基本恒定，由此提出了一个孔洞生长模型，可以解释孔洞增长的线性生长规律. 关键词： 纳米孔洞 分子动力学 冲击加载 位错