An efficient heuristic algorithm for the capacitated p-\! median problem

The capacitated $p$ -median problem (CPMP) is one of the well-known facility-location problems. The objective of the problem is to minimize total cost of locating a set of capacitated service points and allocating a set of demand points to the located service points, while the total allocated demand for each service point is not be greater than its capacity limit. This paper presents an efficient heuristic algorithm based on the local branching and relaxation induced neighborhood search methods for the CPMP. The proposed algorithm is a heuristic technique that utilizes a general mixed integer programming solver to explore neighborhoods. The parameters of the proposed algorithm are tuned by design of experiments. The proposed method is tested on a large set of benchmark instances. The results show that the method outperforms the best method found in the literature.     

Modeling ductile to brittle transition temperature of functionally graded steels by ANFIS

In the present paper, a model based on adaptive network-based fuzzy inference systems (ANFIS) for predicting ductile to brittle transition temperature of functionally graded steels in both crack divider and crack arrester configurations has been presented. Functionally graded steels containing graded ferritic and austenitic regions together with bainite and martensite intermediate layers were produced by electroslag remelting. To build the model, training and testing using experimental results from 140 specimens were conducted. The used data as inputs in ANFIS models are arranged in a format of six parameters that cover the FGS type, the crack tip configuration, the thickness of graded ferritic region, the thickness of graded austenitic region, the distance of the notch from bainite or martensite intermediate layer and temperature. According to these input parameters, in the ANFIS models, the ductile to brittle transition temperature of each FGS specimen was predicted. The training and testing results in the ANFIS models have shown a strong potential for predicting the ductile to brittle transition temperature of each FGS specimen.     

A competitive polarographic study of complexation of ammonium,anilinium, hydrazinium and pyridinium ions with some macrocyclic ligands in binary ethanol-water mixtures using a Pb(II)/Pb(Hg) couple as an electrochemical probe

The formation of ammonium, anilinium, hydrazinium and pyridinium ion complexes with the crown ethers 18-crown-6 (18C6) and 1,10-diaza-18-crown-6 (C22) and the cryptand C222 in different binary ethanol-water mixtures has been studied by a competitive polarographic method using a Pb²⁺/Pb(Hg) couple as a sensitive electro-chemical probe. Lead ion was found to form very stable complexes with the ligands used, in all solvent mixtures studied; Pb²⁺–C222 cryptate revealed a pronounced cryptate effect compared to the corresponding complexes with the monocyclic crown ethers used. In all solvent mixtures studied, the stability of the resulting 11 complexes between the protonated amines and macrocyclic ligands used vary in the order C22>C222>18C6. The observed selectivity order of each macrocyclic ligand used for different protonated amines is discussed based on the chemical and structural features of the host-guest partners in solution. In all cases studied there is an inverse linear relationship between the complex formation constants and the mole fraction of water in the mixed solvent.     

Polymer-supported N-heterocyclic carbene-palladium complex for heterogeneous Suzuki cross-coupling reaction

Poly(1-methylimidazoliummethyl styrene)-surface grafted-poly(styrene) resin was prepared for the first time as a polymer-supported N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) precursor for palladium complex by suspension polymerization. To prepare this polymer-supported NHC precursor, 1-methyl-3-(4-vinylbenzyl)imidazolium hexafluorophosphate, [MVBIM][PF6-], was synthesized as a monomer and copolymerized with styrene and DVB in water. This polymer-supported NHC precursor with imidazolium as a ligand, which exists solely on the surface of the resin, was well characterized by FE-SEM, CLSM, and IR spectroscopy. The precursor containing imidazolium readily formed a stable complex with Pd(OAc)2, and this polymer-supported N-heterocyclic carbene-palladium complex exhibited excellent catalytic activity for Suzuki cross-coupling reaction in an aqueous medium. The catalyst was recovered quantitatively from the reaction mixture by simple filtration and was able to be reused for a number of recycles with consistent activity in all of the coupling reactions.     

Synthesis of novel imidazolidinones

Summary The preparation of a number of new imidazolidinones by a simple method based on the reaction of -aminocarboxamides with carbonyl compounds is described.

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Synthese neuer Imidazolidinone

Zusammenfassung Die Darstellung einer Reihe neuer Imidazolidinone durch Reaktion von -Aminocarboxamiden mit Carbonylverbindungen wird beschrieben.

     

A rapid HPLC assay for the simultaneous determination of propafenone and its major metabolites in human serum.

A rapid and specific HPLC method has been developed and validated for the simultaneous determination of propafenone, an antiarrhythmic agent, and its major metabolites in human serum. The sample preparation was a simple deproteinization with a mixture of ZnSO4 and methanol, yielding almost 100% recoveries of three compounds. Separation was developed on a reverse-phase tracer excel C18 column (25 x 0.46 cm i.d., 5 microm), using an acetonitrile-phosphate buffer gradient at a flow rate of 1.7 ml min(-1), and UV detection of 210 nm. The calibration curves were linear (r2 > 0.999) in the concentration range of 10 - 750 ng ml(-1). The lower limit of quantification was 10 ng ml(-1) for all of the compounds studied. The within and between day precisions in the measurement of QC samples at four tested concentrations were in the range of 1.4 - 8.1% and 4.2 - 11.5% RSD, respectively. The developed procedure was applied to assess the pharmacokinetics of propafenone and its major metabolites following administration of a single 300 mg oral dose of propafenone hydrochloride to three healthy male volunteers.     

Studies on the chemistry of pharmacologically active heterocycles. Part I. Acid hydrolysis of hydrazino-1,2,4-triazine derivatives

The acid hydrolysis of 3-hydrazino-5,6-disubstituted-1,2,4-triazine, 3,5-dihydrazino-6-substituted-1,2,4-triazine, and 2-hydrazinopyrimidine derivatives was studied. It was found that the reaction proceeded through the formation of 3-keto and 3,5-diketo derivatives of the related 2,3-dihydro, 2,3,4,5-tetrahydro-1,2,4-triazines, and 2-keto derivatives of 1,2-dihydropyrimidines. It was concluded from these reactions that in 1,2,4-triazine derivatives the C-5 carbon is more reactive than the C-3 carbon toward nucleophiles. The reaction mechanism is discussed.     

Self-magnetism and Persistent Photoconductivity

Persistent photoconductivity has been investigated by various models, among which the Macroscopic Barrier model, Large-Lattice-Relaxation model, and Random Local Potential Fluctuations model are mostly well known. Although the three well-known models have played important roles in describing the persistent photoconductivity, they are not the principal cause of persistent photoconductivity. In this paper a classical model originated from ＂selfmagnetism of electron gas＂ is proposed to illustrate the persistent photoconductivity phenomenon. This classical model is based on electron gas pulsation, which depends on the charge density. Different concentrations of current carriers create different frequencies in the system, and thus the system is sensitive to different wave lengths of incident light. Then the construction of different detectors can be possible for different wave lengths of incident light.     

Sonodisruption of re-assembled casein micelles at different pH values

Casein solutions with different pH values were sonicated at a frequency of 35 kHz and increasing acoustic powers. As the sonication power increased, turbidity of solutions and particle diameter decreased at any given pH value, suggesting particles disruption due to the ultrasonic treatment. The magnitude of decrease in re-assembled micelles diameter was greater at a higher pH, indicating an interaction between pH and sonication power in sonodissociation. This interaction is attributed to a looser structure of micelles at higher pH values which increases the efficiency of ultrasonic disruption and not directly to the increased cavitation efficiency. We argue that increased cavitation efficiency with increasing sonication power, which enhances shear forces is the most likely reason for sonodisruption of re-assembled casein micelles.     

Ultra-long carbon nanotube growth on catalyst

Ultra-long carbon nanotube growth with Fe particles sitting at tip end as a function of reaction time, reaction temperature, diameter of the carbon nanotube, damping factor of the system, and the type of catalyst in chemical vapor deposition is investigated by using a theoretical analysis on the phonon vibration of the system. Simulations demonstrate that metal cluster makes and keeps the carbon atoms at tip end reactive. So carbon nanotube grows more than 4 cm. In addition, results show carbon nanotubes with larger diameter grow lesser owing to higher damping factors. In addition, effect of temperature on growth is discussed and it is shown that there is an optimum temperature for growth process. Lastly, dependence of type of catalyst on growth process is investigated.