On the greedy walk problem

This note introduces a greedy walk on Poisson and Binomial processes, which is a close relative to the well-known greedy server model. Some open problems are presented.     

Fluid limits for an ALOHA-type model with impatient customers

Random multiple-access protocols of type ALOHA are used to regulate networks with a star configuration where client nodes talk to the hub node at the same frequency (finding a wide range of applications among telecommunication systems, including mobile telephone networks and WiFi networks). Such protocols control who talks at what time sharing the common idea “try to send your data and, if your message collides with another transmission, try resending later”. In the present paper we consider a time-slotted ALOHA model where users are allowed to renege before transmission completion. We focus on the scenario that leads to overload in the absence of impatience. Under mild assumptions, we show that the fluid (or law-of-large-numbers) limit of the system workload coincides a.s. with the unique solution to a?certain integral equation. We also demonstrate that the fluid limits for distinct initial conditions converge to the same value as time tends to infinity.     

Thermally Accelerated Oxidative Degradation of Quercetin Using Continuous Flow Kinetic Electrospray-Ion Trap-Time of Flight Mass Spectrometry

Thermally accelerated oxidative degradation of aqueous quercetin at pH 5.9 and 7.4 was kinetically measured using an in-house built online continuous flow device made of concentric capillary tubes, modified to fit to the inlet of an electrospray ionization-ion trap-time-of-flight-mass spectrometer (ESI-IT-TOF-MS). Time-resolved mass spectral measurements ranging from 2 to 21 min were performed in the negative mode to track intermediate degradation products and to evaluate the degradation rate of the deprotonated quercetin ion, [Q-H]^–. Upon heating solutions in the presence of dissolved oxygen, degradation of [Q-H]^– was observed and was accelerated by an increase in pH and temperature. Regardless of the condition, the same degradation pathways were observed. Degradation mechanisms and structures were determined using higher order tandem mass spectrometry (up to MS³) and high mass accuracy. The observed degradation mechanisms included oxidation, hydroxylation, and ring-cleavage by nucleophilic attack. A chalcan-trione structure formed by C-ring opening after hydroxylation at C2 was believed to be a precursor for other degradation products, formed by hydroxylation at the C2, C3, and C4 carbons from attack by nucleophilic species. This resulted in A-type and B-type ions after cross-ring cleavage of the C-ring. Based on time of appearance and signal intensity, nucleophilic attack at C3 was the preferred degradation pathway, which generated 2,4,6-trihydroxymandelate and 2,4,6-trihydroxyphenylglyoxylate ions. Overall, 23 quercetin-related ions were observed.

Pharmacogenetics: yeast lead the way

In this issue of Chemistry & Biology, Perlstein et al. use genetically diverse strains of yeast to study the genetic basis of differences in cellular responses to small molecules. Their results suggest that drug responses are regulated by a limited number of loci, and that this system can identify clusters of functionally similar molecules.