Shortest expected delay routing for Erlang servers

The queueing problem with Poisson arrivals and two identical parallel Erlang servers is analyzed for the case of shortest expected delay routing. This problem may be represented as a random walk on the integer grid in the first quadrant of the plane. An important aspect of the random walk is that it is possible to make large jumps in the direction of the boundaries. This feature gives rise to complicated boundary behavior. Generating function approaches to analyze this type of random walk seem to be extremely complicated and have not been successful yet. The approach presented in this paper directly solves the equilibrium equations. It is shown that the equilibrium distribution of the random walk can be written as an infinite linear combination of products. This linear combination is constructed in a compensation procedure. The starting solutions for this procedure are found by solving the shortest expected delay problem with instantaneous jockeying. The results can be used for an efficient computation of performance criteria, such as the waiting time distribution and the moments of the waiting time and the queue lengths.     

New antitumour active platinum compounds containing carboxylate ligands in trans geometry: synthesis, crystal structure and biological activity

New asymmetric trans-platinum(II) complexes, composed of an isopropylamine, an azole and two carboxylate leaving groups, are presented. The crystal and molecular structures of one of the complexes has been determined and the cytotoxicity and reactivity with 5'-guanosine monophosphate is reported. The complexes show a reduced reactivity, but no decrease in cytotoxic activity compared to their chloro-counterparts. Furthermore the complexes largely overcome cisplatin resistance, they therefore present an interesting class of antitumour active trans-platinum complexes.     

Possibilities for human skin characterization based on strongly reduced Raman spectroscopic information

Loss‐of‐function mutations in the gene coding for filaggrin are the single most important risk factor for development of atopic dermatitis and associated allergic rhinitis and asthma. Filaggrin is enzymatically degraded to natural moisturizing factor (NMF) in the stratum corneum (SC). In vivo Raman spectra of human skin can be used to quantify the NMF concentration in SC and thereby identify carriers of a loss‐of‐function mutation in the gene coding for filaggrin, which results in decreased NMF content. Here, we demonstrate that strongly reduced Raman spectral information is sufficient to make this differentiation. This is an important step towards development of a dedicated diagnostic device of reduced complexity, size and cost as compared to current state‐of‐the‐art Raman equipment. A genetic algorithm was used to select the spectral regions needed to classify skin based on normal or reduced NMF content in SC. Using the NMF content based on full spectral information as gold standard, only four Raman regions were required to create a linear discriminant analysis model that can differentiate between skin with low NMF and skin with normal NMF with a prediction accuracy of 93 %. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Simple Synthesis of Functionalized 2‐Phosphanaphthalenes

A simple synthesis of sodium 2‐phosphanaphthalene‐3‐olate ( 1 ) based on the extrusion of N₂ from phthalazine using Na[OCP] is reported. This heterocycle can be readily functionalized at the negatively charged oxygen center using a variety of electrophilic substrates. The coordination chemistry of both 1 and its neutral derivatives was explored, revealing their facile use as P‐donor ligands for late‐transition‐metal complexes.     

A new monoclinic crystal phase of [Bu4N][Ni(dmit)2]

The crystal structure of the title compound, tetrabutylammonium bis(2-thioxo-1,3-dithiole-4,5-dithiolato)nickelate(III), [N(C₄H₉)₄][Ni(C₃S₅)₂], is the fourth known phase of this polymorphous compound. It is monoclinic space group P2₁/c, with a = 20.040(2) Å, b = 13.1151(17) Å, c = 12.1093(15) Å, = 105.456(15)°, and V = 3067.5(6) ų with Z = 4, for D _calc = 1.503 g cm^–3. The [Ni(dmit)₂] anion packing arrangement consists of arrays of side-on touching anions and these arrays are connected via head-to-tail close S S contacts.     

Synthesis, spectroscopy, magnetism, and X-ray structures of hexakis(1-(2-chloroethyl)-tetrazole-N4)copper(II) salts

The compounds hexakis(1-(2-chloroethyl)-tetrazole-N4)copper(II) tetrafluoroborate mono(1-(2-chloroethyl)-tetrazole) (1) and hexakis(1-(2-chloroethyl)-tetrazole-N4) copper(II) perchlorate mono(1-(2-chloroethyl)-tetrazole) (2) were obtained from the crystallization of 1-(2-chloroethyl)-tetrazole (teec) with the respective copper salt. The X-ray structures are reported. Both compounds crystallize in the monoclinic space group C2/c for 1: a = 25.754(3) Å, b = 18.162(3) Å, c = 10.298(2) Å = 104.294(7)° and Z = 4 and for 2: a = 25.745(3) Å, b = 18.197(3) Å, c = 10.29355(3) Å = 104.512(10)° and Z = 4. The Cu^II ions are octahedrally surrounded by six teec ligands. One free teec ligand is present in the structures. The Cu–N distances in the centrosymmetrical units are 2.01, 2.04, and 2.39 Å in both compounds, consistent with a Jahn–Teller elongated octahedron. The ligand field spectra of both compounds show a signal in the visible range at about 15.200 cm^–1 and by an EPR spectrum the following values are found: g _| = 2.29 and g = 2.03. The compounds are both paramagnetic and the T value of 0.37 cm^–1 K mol^–1, which is associated with S = 1/2, is what would be expected for a mononuclear Cu^II complex.     

Hybrid ceramic nanosieves: stabilizing nanopores with organic links

Unprecedented hydrothermal stability in functional membranes has been obtained with hybrid organic-inorganic nanoporous materials, enabling long-term application in energy-efficient molecular separation, including dehydration up to at least 150 degrees C.