Multicriteria decision making under uncertainty

Formalization for problems of multicriteria decision making under uncertainty is constructed in terms of guaranteed and weak estimates. A relevant definition of the vector maximinimax value is given. Parameterization and approximation of maximum, minimax, and maximinimax values based on the inverse logical convolution are suggested. An application for multicommodity networks is considered. Received: December 13, 2000 / Accepted: August 21, 2001?Published online May 8, 2002     

Schrödinger operators on periodic discrete graphs

We consider Schrödinger operators with periodic potentials on periodic discrete graphs. The spectrum of the Schrödinger operator consists of an absolutely continuous part (a union of a finite number of non-degenerated bands) plus a finite number of flat bands, i.e., eigenvalues of infinite multiplicity. We obtain estimates of the Lebesgue measure of the spectrum in terms of geometric parameters of the graph and show that they become identities for some class of graphs. Moreover, we obtain stability estimates and show the existence and positions of large number of flat bands for specific graphs. The proof is based on the Floquet theory and the precise representation of fiber Schrödinger operators, constructed in the paper.     

Fluorescent core-shell polymer particles containing luminophore dyes: synthesis and optical response to acetone

Monodisperse dye-containing crosslinked particles are promising for application in novel optical chemical sensors due to their intrinsic sensitivity. However, preparation of these particles in aqueous media still remains a challenge, since luminophores inhibit radical processes or else cannot embed into polymer chains because of difference in monomer reactivity ratios. In this work, novel dye-containing monodisperse crosslinked particles were prepared and characterized. In order to obtain dye-containing monodisperse crosslinked particles, we studied seed copolymerization of styrene in the presence of divinylbenzene. The influence of nature and concentration of the used comonomers and co-solvents on shape, size distributions and surface characteristics of the particles formed was investigated. Shapes and diameters of the particles were analyzed by DLS, TEM and SEM. The data of SEM and optical spectroscopy studies demonstrated that the synthesized particles were able to self-assemble into thin-film three-dimensional ordered structures. Finally, the structures under study are promising for development of sensor devices with optical response to acetone.     

Phase behaviour,structural properties and intermolecular interactions of systems based on substituted thiacalix[4]arene and nonionic surfactants

Supramolecular organised materials were prepared from nonionic surfactants and the following macrocyclic ionic liquids: n-tert-butylthiacalix[4]arenes containing quaternary ammonium fragments with amino acid substituents. Tetraethylene glycol monododecyl ether and decadiethylene glycol monododecyl ether were used as nonionic surfactants. They form lamellar and hexagonal mesophases in aqueous media, respectively. Liquid crystal and structural properties of these systems were studied. Intermolecular interactions of system components leading to formation of lyomesophases were estimated. Molecular structure of thiacalixarene contributes to the formation of a hydrogen bonding with surfactants. This process, in turn, initiates formation of a denser packed hexagonal structure.     

Bifunctional activation of amine-boranes by the W/Pd bimetallic analogs of “frustrated Lewis pairs”

The reaction between basic [(PCP)Pd(H)] (PCP = 2,6-(CH₂P(t-C₄H₉)₂)₂C₆H₄) and acidic [LWH(CO)₃] (L = Cp (1a), Tp (1b); Cp = η⁵-cyclopentadienyl, Tp = κ³-hydridotris(pyrazolyl)borate) leads to the formation of bimolecular complexes [LW(CO)₂(μ-CO)⋯Pd(PCP)] (4a, 4b), which catalyze amine-borane (Me₂NHBH₃, ^tBuNH₂BH₃) dehydrogenation. The combination of variable-temperature (¹H, ³¹P{¹H}, ¹¹B NMR and IR) spectroscopies and computational (ωB97XD/def2-TZVP) studies reveal the formation of an η¹-borane complex [(PCP)Pd(Me₂NHBH₃)]⁺[LW(CO₃)]⁻ (5) in the first step, where a BH bond strongly binds palladium and an amine group is hydrogen-bonded to tungsten. The subsequent intracomplex proton transfer is the rate-determining step, followed by an almost barrierless hydride transfer. Bimetallic species 4 are easily regenerated through hydrogen evolution in the reaction between two hydrides.

Bimetallic complexes [LW(CO)₂(μ-CO)⋯Pd(PCP)] cooperatively activate amine-boranes for their dehydrogenation via N–H proton tunneling at RDS and H₂ evolution from two neutral hydrides.     

Simultaneous determination of mitotane,its metabolite,and five steroid hormones in urine samples by capillary electrophoresis using β-CD2SDS1 complexes as hydrophobic compounds solubilizers

Mitotane is a cytotoxic drug used in the treatment of inoperable adrenocortical carcinoma, it inhibits steroidogenesis as well, and therefore monitoring the level of steroid hormones in patients treated with mitotane is a crucial point of therapy. Hence, we have developed a simple, fast, and efficient electrophoretic method combined with reverse polarity sweeping as online preconcentration technique and dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction for the simultaneous determination of mitotane, its main metabolite DDA, and five steroid hormones (progesterone, testosterone, epitestosterone, cortisol, and corticosterone) in urine samples. In addition, a new sample matrix consisting of β-CD₂SDS₁ complexes for a high hydrophobic compounds solubilization was developed. Approach based on the application of β-cyclodextrin and SDS complex of a ratio 2:1 allowed for hydrodynamic injection into the capillary of a solution containing both mitotane and other analytes. The detection limits of the analytes for the reverse polarity sweeping-dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction method were found to be in the range of 1.5–3 ng/mL, which were approximately 1000 times lower than in the conventional hydrodynamic injection (5 s, 0.5 psi) without any preconcentration procedure. All analytes were completely resolved in less than 13 min by uncoated silica capillary with an inner diameter of 75 μm (ID) × 60 cm. Electrophoretic separation was performed in reverse polarity with a voltage of –25 kV with a background electrolyte (BGE) consisting of 100 mM SDS, 25% ACN, 25 mM phosphate buffer (pH 2.5), and 7 mM β-cyclodextrin.     

The Bioluminescence Resonance Energy Transfer from Firefly Luciferase to a Synthetic Dye and its Application for the Rapid Homogeneous Immunoassay of Progesterone

The sensitive BRET system for the homogeneous immunoassay of a low‐molecular weight antigen was developed using progesterone as an example. Two thermostable mutants of the Luciola mingrelica firefly luciferase (Luc)—the “red” mutant with λ_max.em = 590 nm (RedLuc) and the “green” mutant with λ_max.em = 550 nm (GreenLuc)—were tested as the donors. The water‐soluble Alexa Fluor 610× (AF) dye was selected as the acceptor because its two absorption maxima, located at 550 and 610 nm, are close to the bioluminescence maxima of the GreenLuc and RedLuc, respectively. The methods for the synthesis of the luciferase–progesterone (Luc–Pg) conjugate and the conjugate of the dye and the polyclonal antiprogesterone antibody (AF–Ab) were developed. Both conjugates retained their functional properties, had high antigen–antibody binding activity, and demonstrated a high BRET signal. The homogeneous immunoassay system based on the BRET from the firefly luciferase to the synthetic dye was established to assay progesterone as a model antigen. Optimization of the assay conditions, the composition of the reaction mixture, and the concentrations of the donor and the acceptor made it possible to reach the minimum detectable progesterone concentration of 0.5 ng mL^?1.     

From the X-ray compact structure to the elongated form of the full-length MMP-2 enzyme in solution: a molecular dynamics study

Current understanding on the collagenolytic activity performed by the MMPs assumes some degree of relative motion between the catalytic and the hemopexin-like domains of the enzyme. However, all the crystal structures available for the full-length enzymes display a compact arrangement of the protein domains. Herein, we employ Molecular Dynamics simulations to investigate the structure of the full-length MMP-2 enzyme in aqueous solution. This simulation, together with previous experimental results that have been obtained very recently for the MMP-9 and MMP-12 enzymes, gives strong support to the hypothesis that the interdomain dynamics of the MMP enzymes in solution can result in a manifold of conformations including some structures with a large interdomain separation. The simulation of MMP-2 provides also a detailed molecular picture of the structures involved in the transition from the compact X-ray arrangement to the extended form in solution. Such information could be helpful in future studies of the regulation and/or the collagenolytic activity of these important enzymes.     

Copper (II) complexes of sterically hindered o-diphenol derivatives: synthesis, characterization and microbiological studies

Cu (II) complexes with the sterically hindered diphenol derivatives 3,5-di(tert-butyl)-1,2-benzenediol (I), 4,6-di(tert-butyl)-1,2,3-benzenetriol (II) and the sulfur-containing 4,6-di(tert-butyl)-3-(2-hydroxyethylsulfanyl)-1,2-benzenediol (III) and 2-[4,6-di(tert-butyl)-2,3-dihydroxyphenylsulfanyl]acetic acid (IV) have been synthesized and characterized by elemental analysis, TG/DTA, FT-IR, ESR, XPS, XPD and conductivity measurements. Compounds I–III can coordinate in their singly deprotonated forms and act as bidentate ligands. These compounds yield Cu (II) complexes of the stoichiometry Cu(L)₂, which have square planar geometry (g_| > g_⊥ > g_e). Unlike them, compound IV behaves as a terdentate ligand, and its complex Cu(L^IV)₂ has distorted octahedral geometry. According to ESR data, only the Cu(L^II)₂ complex contains a very small amount of phenoxyl radicals. Antimicrobial activities of these ligands and their respective Cu (II) complexes have been determined with respect to Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, as well as on yeasts. Their phytotoxic properties against Chlorella vulgaris 157 were also examined.     

Palladium-catalyzed reactions for the synthesis of chlorins and 5,10-porphodimethenes

The palladium-catalyzed reaction of RLi with various 5,10,15,20-tetrasubstituted porphyrins offers a convenient synthetic route to chlorins and porphodimethenes (calixphyrins). The reactions utilized various Pd catalysts and CuI and yielded either 2,3-substituted chlorins or 5,10-disubstituted porphodimethenes in yields ranging from 20-40%. The reaction of octaethylporphyrin with t-BuLi in the presence of a Pd-catalyst generated the corresponding 5,10-porphodimethene in 72% yield.