Alkali Phosphonate Metal–Organic Frameworks

A new family of porous metal–organic frameworks (MOFs), namely alkali phosphonate MOFs, is reported. [Na₂Cu(H₄TPPA)] ⋅ (NH₂(CH₃)₂)₂ ( GTUB-1 ) was synthesized using the tetratopic 5,10,15,20-tetrakis[p-phenylphosphonic acid] porphyrin ( H₈-TPPA ) linker with planar X-shaped geometrical core. GTUB-1 is composed of rectangular void channels with BET surface area of 697 m² g⁻¹. GTUB-1 exhibits exceptional thermal stability. The toxicity analysis of the ( H₈-TPPA ) linker indicates that it is well tolerated by an intestinal cell line, suggesting its suitability for creating phosphonate MOFs for biological applications.     

The determination of β-agonist residues in bovine tissues using liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry

We aimed to develop a rapid, simple and reproducible method based on LC–tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS) to analyze β-agonist residues (clenbuterol, zilpaterol, ractopamine and isoxsuprine) in bovine tissues. The method was validated in accordance with the European Council Decision 2002/657/EC. The samples were homogenized, and then 10 mL of an acetate buffer was added to a 5-g sample. The sample was then centrifuged at 12,000 rpm and filtered. Sodium hydroxide (2 m ) was added to adjust pH of the sample that was centrifuged again. The extract was filtered through a solid-phase extraction column. The residue was re-dissolved in 250 μL acetonitrile and then subjected to LC–MS/MS. The separation was done on a C₁₈ column. The mobile phase consisted of 0.1% formic acid in deionized water and 0.1% formic acid in methanol. The mean recoveries of β-agonists were in the range of 84.3%–119.1% with relative standard deviations (%RSDs) of 0.683%–4.05%. Decision limits and detection capabilities of the analytes ranged from 0.0960 to 4.9349 μg/kg and from 0.0983 to 5.0715, respectively. This method was used to detect four β-agonists in 100 bovine muscle, 100 liver and 100 kidney tissues from a slaughterhouse. No residue was found above the maximum residue limit level.     

SOME CLASSES OF DIFFERENCE SEQUENCES OF FUZZY NUMBERS DEFINED BY A SEQUENCE OF MODULI

In this article, we introduce and examine some properties of new difference sequence spaces of fuzzy numbers defined using a sequence of modulus functions.     

Linear and nonlinear optical absorption coefficients and binding energy of a spherical quantum dot

The binding energy and wavefunctions of the 1s, 1p, 1d and 1f energy states of a spherical quantum dot (QD) with parabolic potential were calculated by using a method which is a combination of the quantum genetic algorithm (QGA) and the Hartree–Fock–Roothaan (HFR) approach. In addition, the linear and the third-order nonlinear optical absorption coefficients based on optical transitions in QDs with and without impurity were calculated. The results show that the parabolic potential has a great effect not only on the binding energies and but also on the optical absorption coefficients. Moreover, the calculated results also reveal that the linear and nonlinear optical absorption coefficients are strongly affected by the existence of impurity and the incident optical intensity.     

Green’s function,temperature in a convectively cooled sphere with arbitrarily located spherical heat sources

Steady state heat conduction in a convectively cooled sphere having arbitrarily located spherical heat sources inside is treated with the method of Green’s function accompanied by a coordinate transform. Green’s function of the heat diffusion operator for a finite sphere with Robin boundary condition is obtained by spherical harmonics expansion. Verification of the analytical solution is exemplified in some generic cases related to the pebbles of South-African PBMR as of year 2000 with 268 MW thermal power. Analytical results for different sectors of the sphere (pebble) are compared with the results of computational fluid dynamics code FLUENT^™. This work is motivated through a modest effort to assess the stochastic effects of distribution and volumetric effects of fuel kernels within the pebbles of future-promising pebble bed reactors.     

Tandem queues with subexponential service times and finite buffers

We focus on tandem queues with subexponential service time distributions. We assume that number of customers in front of the first station is infinite and there is infinite room for finished customers after the last station but the size of the buffer between two consecutive stations is finite. Using (max, +) linear recursions, we investigate the tail asymptotics of transient response times and waiting times under both communication blocking and manufacturing blocking schemes. We also discuss under which conditions these results can be generalized to the tail asymptotics of stationary response times and waiting times.     

Studies on the synthesis of some dihydropyridine derivatives possessing calcium antagonistic activity

In this study, it is aimed to investigate the synthesis and the calcium antagonistic activity of some flavone derivatives which contain the 1,4-dihydropyridine ring system at the A ring of the flavone nucleus. For this purpose we first synthesized 6-formylflavone and then twelve 1,4-dihydropyridine derivatives were synthesized by the reaction of 6-formylflavone with alkylacetoacetates, acetoacetanilide and methyl or ethyl aminocrotonate. Conformational analysis was performed for compound 3a . The calcium antagonistic activity of compound 2a was examined using nifedipine as the reference compound.     

Diterpenoids from Salvia ceratophylla

Salvia ceratophylla L. has yielded four known and two new diterpenoids together with two triterpenic acids, a steroid and a flavone. The structures of the compounds were established by spectroscopic analyses. One of the known compounds candidissiol exhibited a high antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus epidermidis and Proteus mirabilis.     

Dynamic Scheduling of a Multiclass Fluid Model with Transient Overload

We study the optimal dynamic scheduling of different requests of service in a multiclass stochastic fluid model that is motivated by recent and emerging computing paradigms for Internet services and applications. In particular, our focus is on environments with specific performance guarantees for each class under a profit model in which revenues are gained when performance guarantees are satisfied and penalties are incurred otherwise. Within the context of the corresponding fluid model, we investigate the dynamic scheduling of different classes of service under conditions where the workload of certain classes may be overloaded for a transient period of time. Specifically, we consider the case with two fluid classes and a single server whose capacity can be shared arbitrarily among the two classes. We assume that the class 1 arrival rate varies with time and the class 1 fluid can more efficiently reduce the holding cost. Under these assumptions, we characterize the optimal server allocation policy that minimizes the holding cost in the fluid model when the arrival rate function for class 1 is known. Using the insights gained from this deterministic case, we study the stochastic fluid system when the arrival rate function for class 1 is random and develop various policies that are optimal or near optimal under various conditions. In particular, we consider two different types of heavy traffic regimes and prove that our proposed policies are strongly asymptotically optimal. Numerical examples are also provided to demonstrate further that these policies yield good results in terms of minimizing the expected holding cost.     

Some comments on domain structures in block copolymers

Although samples of amorphous polymers cast from solution are usually assumed to be isotropic, they may, in fact, have some anisotropy due to the Bénard effect, in which the convection currents produced by evaporation are organized into a regular arrangement of cells. A pattern of hexagonal convection cell is easily visible during casting of SBS triblock copolymers. The anisotropy is demonstrated by comparing the small-angle x-ray diffraction diagrams taken through the face and edge of the films. The domain structures in two SBS copolymers are characterized by diffraction measurements. The smallangle diagram of a triblock polymer containing 50% styrene indicated a lamellar structure, while that from a 28% styrene copolymer is interpreted as arising from a hexagonal array of polystyrene cylinders dispersed in a continuous polybutadiene phase. Published diffraction data for block copolymers and other amphiphiles are surveyed in an attempt to place some limitations on the composition ranges over which the various types of domain structure exist. The factors which determine the dimensions of the two domains in lamellar phases formed from diblock copolymers are examined theoretically, and the predicted dimensions are compared with experimental results.