Microsized graphite sensors for potentiometric determination of cyclobenzaprine hydrochloride in pure powder, tablets, and plasma

Two cyclobenzaprine hydrochloride (CZ) microsized graphite selective sensors were investigated with dibutylsebacate as a plasticizer in a polymeric matrix of carboxylated polyvinyl chloride (PVC-COOH) in the case of sensor 1, based on the interaction between the drug and the dissociated COOH groups in the PVC-COOH. Sensor 2 was based on the interaction between the drug and ammonium reineckate, which acted as anionic electroactive material in the presence of polyvinyl chloride matrix. The two sensors were constructed by using 2-hydroxy propyl beta-cyclodextrin as an ionophore, which has a significant influence on increasing the membrane sensitivity and selectivity of both sensors. Fast and stable Nernstian responses of 1 x 10(-5) - 1 x 10(-2) and 1 x 10(-4) - 1 x 10(-2) M for the two sensors, respectively, with slopes of 58.6 and 55.5 mV/decade, respectively, over the pH range 2-4 were obtained. The proposed method displayed useful analytical characteristics for determination of CZ in its pure powder form with average recoveries 99.95 +/- 0.23 and 99.61 +/- 0.34% for sensors 1 and 2, respectively, and in plasma with good recoveries. The sensors were also used to determine the intact drug in the presence of its degradate and, thus, could be used as stability-indicating methods. The obtained results by the proposed methods were statistically analyzed and compared with those obtained by the U.S. Pharmacopeia method; no significant difference for either accuracy or precision was observed. Results obtained with the two electrodes revealed their performance characteristics, which were evaluated according to International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry recommendations.     

Kinetic and mechanistic investigations of multielectron transfer reactions induced by stored electrons in TiO2 nanoparticles: a stopped flow study

The kinetics and the mechanism of various multielectron transfer reactions initiated by stored electrons in TiO(2) nanoparticles have been investigated employing the stopped flow technique. Moreover, the optical properties of the stored electrons in the TiO(2) nanoparticles have been studied in detail following the UV (A) photolysis of deaerated aqueous suspensions of TiO(2) nanoparticles in the presence of methanol. The reduction of common electron acceptors that are often present in photocatalytic systems such as O(2), H(2)O(2), and NO(3)(-) has been investigated. The experimental results clearly show that the stored electrons reduce O(2) and H(2)O(2) to water by multielectron transfer processes. Moreover, NO(3)(-) is reduced via the transfer of eight electrons evincing the formation of ammonia. On the other hand, the reduction of toxic metal ions, such as Cu(II), has been studied mixing their respective anoxic aqueous solutions with those containing the electrons stored in the TiO(2) particles. A two-electron transfer is found to occur, indicating the reduction of the copper metal ion into its non toxic metallic form. Other metal ions, such as Zn(II) and Mn(II), could not be reduced by TiO(2) electrons, which is readily explained on the bases of their respective redox potentials. The underlying reaction mechanisms are discussed in detail.     

Isotype 1D polymers of cobalt(II) or zinc(II) constructed with square-planar tetraaqua-metal(2+) units and the bis-zwitterionic form of the μ2-O,O′-trans-1,4-dihydrogen-cyclohexanediaminotetraacetate(2−) ligand

An uncompleted reaction between equimolar amounts of Co₂CO₃(OH)₂·2H₂O and trans-1,4-H₄cyclohexanediaminotetraacetic acid in water affords the ‘acid’ complex {[Co^II(trans-1,4-H₂CDTA)(H₂O)₄]·6H₂O}_n (1). Its IR spectrum does not show the expected ν(CO) band of carboxylic groups. Reactions in aqueous solution between Na(trans-1,4-H₃CDTA) and Zn(AcO)₂·2H₂O or Na₂(trans-1,4-H₂CDTA) and Zn(NO₃)₂·6H₂O yield {[Zn(trans-1,4-H₂CDTA)(H₂O)₄]·6H₂O}_n (2) and {[Zn₂(trans-1,4-CDTA)(H₂O)₂]·H₂O}_n (3) respectively. Crystal structures of compounds 1-3 and that of the trans-1,4-H₄CDTA·2H₂O acid are reported. For steric reasons, in the four reported structures the 1,4-CDTA ligand has the two iminodiacetate moieties as equatorial groups in the 1,4-cyclohexanedi-yl chair. Compounds 1 and 2 are isotype 1D polymers constructed by square planar M^II(H₂O)₄²⁺ knots (M^II = Co^II or Zn^II) linked to bis-zwitterionic trans-1,4-H₂CDTA²⁻ ligands that play a typical μ₂-O,O′-dicarboxylate bridging role. These 1D polymeric structures seem to be favoured by the H-bonded intra-stabilization of the bis-zwitterionic trans-1,4-H₂CDTA²⁻ ligand. In the neutral complex (3), the trans-1,4-CDTA acts as a bridging bis-chelating ligand as well as a syn-anti carboxylate building a polymer where the zinc(II) centres exhibit a rough bipyramidal trigonal coordination.     

A Novel Algebraic Structure of (α,β)-Complex Fuzzy Subgroups

A complex fuzzy set is a vigorous framework to characterize novel machine learning algorithms. This set is more suitable and flexible compared to fuzzy sets, intuitionistic fuzzy sets, and bipolar fuzzy sets. On the aspects of complex fuzzy sets, we initiate the abstraction of (α,β)-complex fuzzy sets and then define -complex fuzzy subgroups. Furthermore, we prove that every complex fuzzy subgroup is an (α,β)-complex fuzzy subgroup and define (α,β)-complex fuzzy normal subgroups of given group. We extend this ideology to define (α,β)-complex fuzzy cosets and analyze some of their algebraic characteristics. Furthermore, we prove that (α,β)-complex fuzzy normal subgroup is constant in the conjugate classes of group. We present an alternative conceptualization of (α,β)-complex fuzzy normal subgroup in the sense of the commutator of groups. We establish the (α,β)-complex fuzzy subgroup of the classical quotient group and show that the set of all (α,β)-complex fuzzy cosets of this specific complex fuzzy normal subgroup form a group. Additionally, we expound the index of -complex fuzzy subgroups and investigate the (α,β)-complex fuzzification of Lagrange’s theorem analog to Lagrange’ theorem of classical group theory.     

On the synthesis of RuSe oxygen reduction nano-catalysts for direct methanol fuel cells

Journal of Solid State Electrochemistry - Oxygen reduction reaction has a crucial role in energy conversion systems such as fuel cells. State-of-the-art Pt-based cathode catalysts suffer from low...     

A lexicographic minimax algorithm for multiperiod resource allocation

Resource allocation problems are typically formulated as mathematical programs with some special structure that facilitates the development of efficient algorithms. We consider a multiperiod problem in which excess resources in one period can be used in subsequent periods. The objective minimizes lexicographically the nonincreasingly sorted vector of weighted deviations of cumulative activity levels from cumulative demands. To this end, we first develop a new minimax algorithm that minimizes the largest weighted deviation among all cumulative activity levels. The minimax algorithm handles resource constraints, ordering constraints, and lower and upper bounds. At each iteration, it fixes certain variables at their lower bounds, and sets groups of other variables equal to each other as long as no lower bounds are violated. The algorithm takes advantage of the problem's special structure; e.g., each term in the objective is a linear decreasing function of only one variable. This algorithm solves large problems very fast, orders of magnitude faster than well known linear programming packages. (The latter are, of course, not designed to solve such minimax problems efficiently.) The lexicographic procedure repeatedly employs the minimax algorithm described above to solve problems, each of the same format but with smaller dimension.     

A Model for Advanced Reservations for Intercity Visual Conferencing Services

In this paper we describe a model for systems in which the customers usually reserve the required facilities in advance. The model has been developed for a communication network which provides visual conferencing services. We concentrate upon a network with a single pair of cities. Each customer calls the reservation office and specifies the desired day, starting time and holding time for his conference. A scheduler either satisfies the customer's request or offers him up to two alternatives which he may or may not accept. Various performance indices of the system, such as the proportion of lost customers, the proportion of rescheduled customers and the facilities' occupancy rate, are derived. Numerical examples and applications are discussed.     

Relaxation-based algorithms for minimax optimization problems with resource allocation applications

We consider minimax optimization problems where each term in the objective function is a continuous, strictly decreasing function of a single variable and the constraints are linear. We develop relaxation-based algorithms to solve such problems. At each iteration, a relaxed minimax problem is solved, providing either an optimal solution or a better lower bound. We develop a general methodology for such relaxation schemes for the minimax optimization problem. The feasibility tests and formulation of subsequent relaxed problems can be done by using Phase I of the Simplex method and the Farkas multipliers provided by the final Simplex tableau when the corresponding problem is infeasible. Such relaxation-based algorithms are particularly attractive when the minimax optimization problem exhibits additional structure. We explore special structures for which the relaxed problem is formulated as a minimax problem with knapsack type constraints; efficient algorithms exist to solve such problems. The relaxation schemes are also adapted to solve certain resource allocation problems with substitutable resources. There, instead of Phase I of the Simplex method, a max-flow algorithm is used to test feasibility and formulate new relaxed problems.Corresponding author.Work was partially done while visiting AT&T Bell Laboratories.     

Complexes of palladium,platinum and rhodium with 2,2′-biquinoline and 2-(2′-pyridyl)quinoline

Summary The reactions of 2,2-biquinoline(biq) with M(PhCN)₂X₂ (M=Pd; X=Cl or Br; M=Pt, X=Cl, Br or I), K₂PtCl₄ and RhCl₃·3H₂O and of 2-(2-pyridyl)quinoline (pq) with K₂PtCl₄ and RhCl₃·3H₂O have been investigated. The isolated complexescis-[Pd(biq)X₂] (X=Cl or Br),cis-[Pt(biq)Cl₂],cis-[Pt(biq)Cl₂]·H₂O,trans-[Pt(biq)₂Br₂]·5H₂O, [Pt₃(biq)₂I₆],mer-[Rh(biq)Cl₃-(H₂O)] andmer-[Rh(pq)Cl₃(H₂O)] have been characterized by elemental analyses, conductivity measurements, i.r., electronic, and¹H n.m.r. spectra. The reaction of pq with K₂PtCl₄ in 1M H₂SO₄ gave the salt 2-(2-pyridyl) quinolinium tetrachloroplatinate(II) pentahydrate, (pqH)₂[PtCl₄]·5H₂O; when the reaction was carried out in aqueous acetone,cis-[Pt(pq)Cl₂] was obtained. A new method for the synthesis ofcis-[Rh(biq)₂X₂]X (X=Cl or Br) is described; both compounds have been further characterized by¹H n.m.r.