Prescriptive analytics for FIFA World Cup lodging capacity planning

The FIFA World Cup, comprising sixty-four matches spanning an entire month, has, in recent years, been attended by about three million spectators of which over half a million are visitors requiring lodging. Planning lodging capacity for an event of this magnitude is necessary for host nations where pre-existing infrastructures are either inadequate or lacking. This paper develops an optimization analytics framework that sequentially employs two integer programming models for foreign spectator analysis and the consequent lodging requirements. The framework is applied to assess the preparedness of lodging infrastructure in Qatar for FIFA 2022.     

Enhanced process development using automated continuous reactors by self-optimisation algorithms and statistical empirical modelling

Reaction optimisation and understanding is fundamental for process development and is achieved using a variety of techniques. This paper explores the use of self-optimisation and experimental design as a tandem approach to reaction optimisation. A Claisen-Schmidt condensation was optimised using a branch and fit minimising algorithm, with the resulting data being used to fit a response surface model. The model was then applied to find new responses for different metrics, highlighting the most important for process development purposes.     

Synthesis of New Pyrazolo[1.5.4-de]quinoxalines

New pyrazolo[1.5.4-de]quinoxaline derivatives were prepared by the action of 7-aminoindazole 1 on diethyl and dimethyl acetylene dicarboxylates. The structures of the obtained compounds and the direction of cyclization were investigated through a crystallographic study of compound 2. Further alkylation, hydrogenation, and bromination were also explored. The action of potassium thiocyanate on the obtained halo product led to a tetracyclic compound of 1.3-thiazolo[3.4-a]pyrazolo[1.5.4-de]quinoxaline series.     

Synthesis of high-performance superabsorbent glycerol acrylate-cross-linked poly (acrylic acid)

Glycerol acrylate (GA) is synthesised by an acryloylation reaction with acryloyl chloride. An ester was used as a cross-linking agent at varying proportions in the synthesis of poly acrylic acid (PAA). The amount of cross-linking density in the product (GA-PAA) and degree of neutralisation determine the absorbency of the polymer samples. A sample of GA-PAA containing 0.8 % GA was discovered to absorb 395 and 66 g/g of water and saline solution, respectively. Different solvent uptakes were tested with the sample showing varying capacity for different solvents. The temperature of the reaction was maintained at 60 °C and a reaction time of 2½ h. FTIR, TGA, SEM and XRD analyses were used to characterise the products.     

Colorimetric and Spectrofluorimetric Methods for the Determination of Melatonin in Tablets and Serum

Abstract

Two sensitive and accurate colorimetric and spectrofluonmetric methods, are presented for the determination of melatonin in tablets and serum. The first method utilizes the reactions of p-dimethylaminobenzaldehyde in hydrochloric acid (van Urk reagent)-ferric chloride in sulphuric acid (Salkowski reagent) mixture. The blue color of the resulting reaction product is measured at 630 nm. The second method is based on the reaction of melatonin with o-phthalaldehyde in acid medium which yields highly fluorescent condensation product that is measured at 465 nm as emission wavelength, using excitation wavelength at 355 nm. No interference was observed from tableting additives, and the applicability of the methods was examined by analysing tablets containing melatonin (single and combined with pyridoxine). Mean percentage recoveries from tablets were found to be 99.9+0.31 for single and 100.5+0.15 for combined tablets using colorimetric method, while by applying spectrofluorimetric method the recoveries were found to be 100.610.41 for single and 100.2+0.39 for combined tablets. Furthermore, the proposed methods were extended to the in-vitro determination of melatonin in serum. The detection limits are 0.27 ug ml^?1 for colorimetric method and 0.00035 ug ml^?1 for spectrofluorimetric method.     

A generalized orthogonality relation via norm derivatives in real normed linear spaces

Aequationes mathematicae - We introduce a generalized orthogonality relation in real normed linear spaces via norm derivatives. The relation between this concept and other types of orthogonalities...     

Experimental and numerical study of shock wave propagation in water generated by pulsed arc electrohydraulic discharges

The objective of this study is to simulate the propagation of the shock wave in water due to an explosion. The study is part of a global research program on the development of an alternative stimulation technique to conventional hydraulic fracturing in tight gas reservoirs aimed at inducing a distributed state of microcracking of rocks instead of localized fracture. We consider the possibility of increasing the permeability of rocks with dynamic blasts. The blast is a shock wave generated in water by pulsed arc electrohydraulic discharges. The amplitude of these shock waves is prescribed by the electrohydraulic discharges which generate high pressures of several kilobars within microseconds. A simplified method has been used to simulate the injected electrical energy as augmentation of enthalpy in water locally. The finite element code EUROPLEXUS is used to perform fluid fast dynamic computation. The predicted pressure is consistent with the experimental results. In addition, shock wave propagation characteristics predicted with simulation can be valuable reference for design of underwater structural elements and engineering of underwater explosion.     

Living ring-opening metathesis polymerization of norbornenes bay-functionalized perylene diimides

Ring-opening metathesis polymerization (ROMP)-derived poly(oxanorbornene imide)s bearing bay-linked mono - alkoxy -M1 and 1,7-di-alkoxy M2 functionalized perylene diimides (PDIs) were synthesized using Grubb's third ( G3 ) and Hoveyda-Grubbs second generation ( HG2 ) ruthenium-alkylidene metathesis initiators. The mono-alkoxy-derived PDI-based non-ladderphane polymer poly M1 displayed 67% to 77% of the trans olefin content in the polymer chain depending on the initiator used for the polymerization. When using the symmetrical 1,7-di-alkoxy-derived PDI-based polymer poly M2 having the ladderphane type-structure, this displayed a significant amount of cis and trans olefin contents in the polymer chains, irrespective of the type of initiators used for the polymerization. ROMP of both monomers M1 and M2 proceeded in a well-controlled manner with a linear dependence of molecular weight on the monomer/initiator ratio using G3 as initiator. Optical properties of the ladderphane-based poly M2 and non-ladderphane-based poly M1 were characterized in both solution and the film state. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis for all the polymers showed significant π-stacking in the thin film state with ordered molecular packing and closer values of d-spacing for both poly M1 and poly M2 . Film morphology examined by AFM elucidated homogenous smooth polymer surface for both polymers in general, but with some irregularities observed for poly M1 . In addition, CV analysis revealed both polymers could be good candidates as electron-accepting materials, with excellent film-forming ability, and thermal stability.