Automatic Yellow-Pages pagination and layout

The compact and harmonious layout of ads and text is a fundamental and costly step in the production of commercial telephone directories (Yellow Pages). We formulate a canonical version of Yellow-Pages pagination and layout (YPPL) as an optimization problem in which the task is to position ads and text-stream segments on sequential pages so as to minimize total page length and maximize certain layout aesthetics, subject to constraints derived from page-format requirements and positional relations between ads and text. We present a heuristic-search approach to the YPPL problem. Our algorithm has been applied to a sample of real telephone-directory data, and produces solutions that are significantly shorter and better than the published ones.     

Ultrasound-Triggered Delivery of Iproplatin from Microbubble-Conjugated Liposomes

The Pt^IV prodrug iproplatin has been actively loaded into liposomes using a calcium acetate gradient, achieving a 3-fold enhancement in drug concentration compared to passive loading strategies. A strain-promoted cycloaddition reaction (azide- dibenzocyclooctyne) was used to attach iproplatin-loaded liposomes L(Pt) to gas-filled microbubbles (M), forming an ultrasound-responsive drug delivery vehicle [M−L(Pt)]. Ultrasound-triggered release of iproplatin from the microbubble-liposome construct was evaluated in cellulo. Breast cancer (MCF-7) cells treated with both free iproplatin and iproplatin-loaded liposome−microbubbles [M−L(Pt)] demonstrated an increase in platinum concentration when exposed to ultrasound. No appreciable platinum uptake was observed in MCF-7 cells following treatment with L(Pt) only or L(Pt)+ultrasound, suggesting that microbubble-mediated ultrasonic release of platinum-based drugs from liposomal carriers enables greater control over drug delivery.     

Thermogravimetry of deposited caustic soda used as a flame-retardant for cotton fabric

We have investigated the effect of caustic soda as a nondurable finish on the flammability of 100% cotton fabric (plain 180 g m^?2). On the contrary to the mercerization, during the impregnation process, no tension was applied. In order to attain the alkali cellulose onto the fabric, the subsequent neutralization was not followed. Each bunches of fabrics were dipped into individual aqueous solutions of sodium hydroxide, followed by means of squeeze rolls and drying at 110°C. After conditioning nightlong, by using our ‘vertical flame test’ the optimum add-on values to impart flame-retardancy into cotton fabric was determined as 1.3 g sodium hydroxide per 100 g fabric. Thermogravimetry and derivative thermogravimetry (TG/DTG) of pure cotton, treated cotton with sodium hydroxide at its optimum efficiency to impart flame-retardancy into the fabric was fulfilled and the obtained curves were compared and commented. The effectiveness of this hydroxide is attributed to the heat dissipation by the remaining material in the consumed ash. The results obtained are in favour of ‘dust or wall effect theory’ and also gas dilution theory.     

Synergizing Electron and Heat Flows in Photocatalyst for Direct Conversion of Captured CO2

We report a ternary hybrid photocatalyst architecture with tailored interfaces that boost the utilization of solar energy for photochemical CO₂ reduction by synergizing electron and heat flows in the photocatalyst. The photocatalyst comprises cobalt phthalocyanine (CoPc) molecules assembled on multiwalled carbon nanotubes (CNTs) that are decorated with nearly monodispersed cadmium sulfide quantum dots (CdS QDs). The CdS QDs absorb visible light and generate electron-hole pairs. The CNTs rapidly transfer the photogenerated electrons from CdS to CoPc. The CoPc molecules then selectively reduce CO₂ to CO. The interfacial dynamics and catalytic behavior are clearly revealed by time-resolved and in situ vibrational spectroscopies. In addition to serving as electron highways, the black body property of the CNT component can create local photothermal heating to activate amine-captured CO₂, namely carbamates, for direct photochemical conversion without additional energy input.     

Aqueous Photoelectrochemical CO2 Reduction to CO and Methanol over a Silicon Photocathode Functionalized with a Cobalt Phthalocyanine Molecular Catalyst

We report a precious-metal-free molecular catalyst-based photocathode that is active for aqueous CO₂ reduction to CO and methanol. The photoelectrode is composed of cobalt phthalocyanine molecules anchored on graphene oxide which is integrated via a (3-aminopropyl)triethoxysilane linker to p-type silicon protected by a thin film of titanium dioxide. The photocathode reduces CO₂ to CO with high selectivity at potentials as mild as 0 V versus the reversible hydrogen electrode (vs RHE). Methanol production is observed at an onset potential of −0.36 V vs RHE, and reaches a peak turnover frequency of 0.18 s⁻¹. To date, this is the only molecular catalyst-based photoelectrode that is active for the six-electron reduction of CO₂ to methanol. This work puts forth a strategy for interfacing molecular catalysts to p-type semiconductors and demonstrates state-of-the-art performance for photoelectrochemical CO₂ reduction to CO and methanol.     

Synthesis and Characterization of Three Multi‐Shell Metalloid Gold Clusters Au32(R3P)12Cl8

Three multi‐shell metalloid gold clusters of the composition Au₃₂(R₃P)₁₂Cl₈ (R=Et, ⁿPr, ⁿBu) were synthesized in a straightforward fashion by reducing R₃PAuCl with NaBH₄ in ethanol. The Au₃₂ core comprises two shells, with the inner one constituting a tilted icosahedron and the outer one showing a distorted dodecahedral arrangement. The outer shell is completed by eight chloride atoms and twelve R₃P groups. The inner icosahedron shows bond lengths typical for elemental gold while the distances of the gold atoms in the dodecahedral arrangement are in the region of aurophilic interactions. Quantum‐chemical calculations illustrate that the Jahn–Teller effect observed within the cluster core can be attributed to the electronic shell filling. The easily reproducible synthesis, good solubility, and high yields of these clusters render them perfect starting points for further research.     

Metal-enhanced fluorescence of graphene oxide by palladium nanoparticles in the blue-green part of the spectrum

Graphene oxide(GO) has a wide fluorescence bandwidth,which makes it a prospective candidate for numerous applications.For many of these applications,the fluorescence yield of GO should be further increased.The sp~2-hybridized carbons in GO confine the π-electrons.Radiative recombination of electron-hole pairs in such sp~2 clusters is the source of fluorescence in this material.Palladium nanoparticles are good catalysts for sp~2 bond formations.We report on the preparation of GO,palladium nanoparticles and their nanocomposites in two different solvents.It is shown that palladium nanoparticles can considerably enhance the intrinsic fluorescence of GO in the blue-green part of the visible light spectrum.Fluorescence enhancement has been attributed to the catalytic role of palladium nanoparticles in increasing the number of sp2 bonds of GO with the molecules of the surrounding media.It is shown that palladium nanoparticles could be the nanoparticle of choice for fluorescence enhancement of GO because of their catalytic role in sp2 bond formation.     

A convenient route toward one‐pot multicomponent synthesis of spirochromenes and pyranopyrazoles accelerated via quinolinic acid

In the present work, the catalytic activity of quinolinic acid (QUIN) was studied for the synthesis of spirochromene and pyranopyrazole derivatives from readily available materials. The salient features of these one‐pot multicomponent protocols are the clean reaction profile, easy isolation of products, no chromatographic separation techniques, high efficiency, short reaction time, and high yield of products plus using QUIN as a new, inexpensive, commercially available, and efficient organocatalyst.     

Molecular junction of n-thiophenes sandwiched between two Au (111) electrodes

In this work, the electron-transport properties of the molecular junction of oligothiophenes sandwiched between two Au (111) electrodes are studied based on the combination of the density functional theory and non-equilibrium Green’s function (NEGF) approach. From the calculation of electron properties, it is revealed that by increasing the number of thiophenes rings the (highest occupied molecular orbital-lowest unlocked molecular orbital) gap and the total energy decreases. Also, the transmission coefficient at zero voltage and the current–voltage curve for the thiophene molecules is calculated. The results indicate that the electrical conductivity and the value of band gap decrease exponentially with increasing the length of the molecules. Moreover, by simulating this molecular wire, we were able to obtain a current in the range of micro-amperes, which is a good current in the electronic application. However, it is known that the linear-response conductance is overestimated about an order of magnitude or more by the NEGF?+?DFT approach when semi-local approximate functional like PBE is used.