How much do we “pay” for using default parameters?

This paper explores the potential benefit of using tuned parameter settings for integer programming instances. Three metrics are considered for selecting parameters: Time-to-Optimality, Proven-Gap and Best-Integer-Solution. Good parameter settings for each metric are found using the open-source software tool Selection Tool for Optimization Parameters. Computational tests are presented using CPLEX solver (version 9.0) on MIPLIB test instances, showing substantial improvements over the default parameter setting. Although the benefit of a tuned parameter setting on an individual instance is outweighed by the cost of identifying the tuned setting, these results indicate that substantial benefit may be achieved in cases where the cost of tuning parameter settings is justified.     

Manganese(III) Acetate Catalyzed Oxidative Radical Additions of α‐Dicarbonyl Compounds to 1‐ and 2‐Phenylcyclohepta‐1,3,5‐triene

Manganese(III) acetate catalyzed oxidative radical‐addition reactions of α‐dicarbonyl compounds such as methyl acetoacetate ( 6 ), acetylacetone ( 7 ), and dimedone ( 8 ) to the mixture of 1‐ and 2‐phenylcyclohepta‐1,3,5‐triene ( 4 and 5 ) were investigated (Scheme 1). The 1‐phenylcyclohepta‐1,3,5‐triene ( 4 ) formed mainly [2+3] and [4+3] dihydrofuran addition products derived from cycloheptatriene and [2+3] dihydrofuran addition products derived from the norcaradiene structure. The 2‐phenylcyclohepta‐1,3,5‐triene ( 5 ) formed mainly [6+3] dihydrofuran addition products derived from cycloheptatriene and [4+3] dihydrofuran addition products derived from the norcaradiene structure. The structures of isolated products were established by their spectroscopic data (IR, ¹H‐ and ¹³C‐NMR, MS, and elemental analysis) and comparison with literature data. The formation mechanism of the products is discussed.     

Laser induced fluorescence spectroscopy of tetracene with large Ar, Ne, and H2 clusters in superfluid He nanodroplets

Clusters of tetracene molecules with different numbers of attached (Ar)(N), (Ne)(N) and (H(2))(N) particles (N = 1-2000) are assembled inside superfluid He nanodroplets and studied via laser-induced fluorescence. The frequency shift of the fluorescence spectrum of the tetracene molecules is studied as a function of cluster size and pickup order of tetracene and cluster species. For (Ar)(N) and (Ne)(N) clusters, our results indicate that the tetracene molecules reside inside the clusters when tetracene is captured by the He nanodroplet before the cluster species; conversely, the tetracene molecules stay on the surface of the clusters when tetracene is captured after the cluster species. In the case of (H(2))(N) clusters, however, tetracene molecules reside inside the (H(2))(N) clusters irrespective of the pickup order. We conclude that (Ar)(N) and (Ne)(N) clusters are rigid at T = 0.38 K, while (H(2))(N) clusters of up to N = 2000 remain fluxional at the same temperature. The results may also indicate the occurrence of heterogeneous nucleation of the (H(2))(N) clusters, which is induced by the interaction with tetracene chromophore molecules.     

Acetic acid-confined synthesis of uniform three-dimensional (3D) bismuth telluride nanocrystals consisting of few-quintuple-layer nanoplatelets

High-selectivity, uniform three-dimensional (3D) flower-like bismuth telluride (Bi(2)Te(3)) nanocrystals consisting of few-quintuple-layer nanoplatelets with a thickness down to 4.5 nm were synthesized for the first time by a facile, one-pot polyol method with acetic acid as the structure-director. Micrometre-sized 2D films and honeycomb-like spheres can be obtained using the uniform 3D Bi(2)Te(3) nanocrystals as building blocks.     

Vibrational spectroscopic study on some Hofmann type clathrates: M(2-(1-cyclohexenyl)ethylamine)2Ni(CN)4·2benzene (M=Ni and Cd)

New Hofmann type benzene clathrates in the form of M(CyHEA)2Ni(CN)4·2benzene (where CyHEA=2-(1-cyclohexenyl)ethylamine and M=Ni or Cd) have been prepared in powder form and FT-IR and Raman spectra have been reported. The results suggest that title compounds are similar in structure to Hofmann type clathrates and their structures consist of polymeric layers of |M-Ni(CN)4|∞ with the CyHEA molecule bounded to the metal atoms (M).     

Vibrational spectroscopic study on some Hofmann-Td type clathrates: Ni(4-phenylpyridine)2M(CN)4·2G (M=Cd or Hg, G=1,4-dioxane)

New Hofmann-T(d) type clathrates in the form of Ni(4-Phpy)(2)M(CN)(4)·2G (where 4-Phpy=4-phenylpyridine, M=Cd or Hg and G=1,4-dioxane) have been prepared in powder form and their FT-IR and Raman spectra have been reported. The results suggest that these compounds are similar in structure to the Hofmann-T(d) type clathrates.     

Antimicrobial prospect of newly synthesized 1,3-thiazole derivatives

A new series of 1,3-thiazole and benzo[d]thiazole derivatives 10-15 has been developed, characterized, and evaluated for in vitro antimicrobial activity at concentrations of 25-200 μg/mL against Gram+ve organisms such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), Gram-ve organisms such as Escherichia coli (E. coli), and the fungal strain Aspergillus niger (A. niger) by the cup plate method. Ofloxacin and ketoconazole (10 μg/mL) were used as reference standards for antibacterial and antifungal activity, respectively. Compounds 11 and 12 showed notable antibacterial and antifungal activities at higher concentrations (125-200 μg/mL), whereas benzo[d]thiazole derivatives 13 and 14 were found to display significant antibacterial or antifungal activity (50-75 μg/mL) against the Gram+ve, Gram-ve bacteria, or fungal cells used in the present study. In addition, a correlation between calculated and determined partition coefficient (log P) was established which allows future development of compounds within this series to be carried out based on calculated log P values. Moreover, compounds 13 and 14 show that the optimum logarithm of partition coefficient (log P) should be around 4.     

Ensemble and Single Molecule Studies on the Use of Metallic Nanostructures to Enhance the Intrinsic Emission of Enzyme Cofactors

We present a strategy for enhancing the intrinsic emission of the enzyme cofactors flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD), flavin mononucleotide (FMN) and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH). Ensemble studies show that silver island films (SIFs) are the optimal metal enhanced fluorescence (MEF) substrates for flavins and gave emission enhancements of over 10-fold for both FAD and FMN. A reduction in the lifetime of FAD and FMN on SIFs was also observed. Thermally evaporated aluminum films on quartz slides were found to be the optimal MEF substrate for NADH and gave a 5-fold increase in the emission intensity of NADH. We present finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) calculations that compute the enhancement in the radiated power emitting from an excited state dipole emitting in the wavelength range of NADH in close proximity to an aluminum nanoparticle, and a dipole emitting in the emission wavelength of flavins next to a silver nanoparticle. These calculations confirm that aluminum serves as the optimal MEF substrate for NADH and silver was the optimal MEF substrate for flavins. This is because the plasmon resonance properties of aluminum lie in the UV-blue regime and that of silver lie in the visible region. We also present the results of single molecule studies on FMN which show SIFs can both significantly enhance the intrinsic emission from single FMN molecules, significantly reduce their lifetimes and also significantly reduce FMN blinking. This is the first report of the observation of MEF from cofactors both at the ensemble and single molecule level. We hope this study will serve as a platform to encourage the future use of metallic nanostructures to study cofactors using their intrinsic fluorescence to directly monitor enzyme binding reactions without the need of extrinsic labeling of the molecules.     

Variability of essential oils of Betonica officinalis (Lamiaceae) from different wild populations in Kosovo

The aerial parts and roots of Betonica officinalis were collected from three localities characterized by different ecological conditions to study the natural variability of the chemical composition of the essential oils in this plant. The leaves and inflorescences were collected during the flowering time, whereas the roots were collected at the end of the vegetative period. The plant material was dried at room temperature. The essential oils were obtained by micro-steam hydrodistillation and analyzed using gas chromatography (GC) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Overall, 69 constituents were identified in all localities and plant parts. The main compositions of the leaves in all localities were alpha-pinene, 1-octen-3-ol, beta-bourbonene, (E)-caryophyllene and germacrene D. The essential oil of the inflorescences was characterized by these main constituents: alpha-pinene, (E)-caryophyllene and trans-beta-farnesene. In all localities, the percentages of alpha-pinene and (E)-caryophyllene were higher in the inflorescences than in the leaves, whereas nonane was the main constituent in the roots.     

Time-dependent three-dimensional flow and mass transfer of elastico-viscous fluid over unsteady stretching sheet

This article studies the three-dimensional boundary layer flow of an elasticoviscous fluid over a stretching surface. Velocity of the stretching sheet is assumed to be time-dependent. Effect of mass transfer with higher order chemical reaction is further considered. Computations are made by the homptopy analysis method (HAM). Convergence of the obtained series solutions is explicitly analyzed. Variations of embedding parameters on the velocity and concentration are graphically discussed. Numerical computations of surface mass transfer are reported. Comparison of the present results with the numerical solutions is also given.