Characterization of different poly(2‐oxazoline) block copolymers by MALDI‐TOF MS/MS and ESI‐Q‐TOF MS/MS

A complete library of poly(2‐oxazoline) block copolymers was synthesized via cationic ring opening polymerization for the characterization by two different soft ionization techniques, namely matrix‐assisted laser desorption/ionization time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry (MALDI‐TOF MS) and electrospray ionization quadrupole time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry (ESI‐Q‐TOF MS). In addition, a detailed characterization was performed by tandem MS to gain more structural information about the block copolymer composition and its fragmentation behavior. The fragmentation of the poly(2‐oxazoline) block copolymers revealed the desired polymer structure and possible side reactions, which could be explained by different mechanisms, like 1,4‐ethylene or hydrogen elimination and the McLafferty +1 rearrangement. Polymers with aryl side groups showed less fragmentation due to their higher stability compared to polymers with alkyl side groups. These insights represent a further step toward the construction of a library with fragments and their fragmentation pathways for synthetic polymers, following the successful examples in proteomics. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2010     

A Simulated Annealing Approach to Bicriteria Scheduling Problems on a Single Machine

In this paper, we apply a simulated annealing approach to two bicriteria scheduling problems on a single machine. The first problem is the strongly NP-hard problem of minimizing total flowtime and maximum earliness. The second one is the NP-hard problem of minimizing total flowtime and number of tardy jobs. We experiment on different neighbourhood structures as well as other parameters of the simulated annealing approach to improve its performance. Our computational experiments show that the developed approach yields solutions that are very close to lower bounds and hence very close to the optimal solutions of their corresponding problems for the minimization of total flowtime and maximum earliness. For the minimization of total flowtime and number tardy, our experiments show that the simulated annealing approach yields results that are superior to randomly generated schedules.     

Decision support for hospital evacuation and emergency response

Evacuation planning is an important part of a hospital’s emergency management plan. In an evacuation the safety and health of patients is the fundamental success parameter. Thus, in this paper we introduce an evacuation model, appropriate for planning and operations, that has the objective of minimizing expected risk, both the threat risk that is forcing the evacuation, and the risk inherent in transporting patients, some in critical condition. Specifically, we study the allocation of patients, categorized by criticality and care requirements, to a limited fleet of vehicles of various capacities and medical capabilities, to be transported to appropriate receiving hospitals considering the current available space in each hospital for each category of patient. The model is an integer program, where the non-linear expected risks are calculated a-priori. This model has a structure that has excellent solution characteristics that permit us to solve large problems in a reasonable time, enabling the model to potentially be used for both planning and operations. To illustrate the solvability of this model and demonstrate its characteristics, we apply it to a realistic case study based on the evacuation of a large regional hospital.     

Synthesis and characterization of new cyclotriphosphazene compounds

In the present study, spiro (1a), dispiro (1b, 2, 3), per-substituted spermine-bridged (6–9) and dispiroansa spermine (10) derivatives of cyclotriphosphazene have been synthesized. The structures of the novel compounds (1b, 6–10) have been characterized by elemental analysis, FTIR, mass spectrometry, ¹H and ³¹P NMR spectroscopy. The molecular structures of 1b, 2, 8, and 10 were determined by single crystal X-ray crystallography. In order to investigate the anti-tumour properties of the newly synthesized cyclotriphosphazene derivatives, in vitro cytotoxic activity test (MTT assay) has been performed using HT-29 (human colon adenocarcinoma) and Hep2 (human epidermoid larynx carcinoma) cell lines. The result of the MTT assay showed that while compound 1a has cytotoxic effect on both Hep2 and HT-29 cell lines, compound 3 has only cytotoxic effect towards the Hep 2 cells.     

Coupling Infusion and Gyration for the Nanoscale Assembly of Functional Polymer Nanofibers Integrated with Genetically Engineered Proteins

Nanofibers featuring functional nanoassemblies show great promise as enabling constituents for a diverse range of applications in areas such as tissue engineering, sensing, optoelectronics, and nanophotonics due to their controlled organization and architecture. An infusion gyration method is reported that enables the production of nanofibers with inherent biological functions by simply adjusting the flow rate of a polymer solution. Sufficient polymer chain entanglement is obtained at Berry number > 1.6 to make bead‐free fibers integrated with gold nanoparticles and proteins, in the diameter range of 117–216 nm. Integration of gold nanoparticles into the nanofiber assembly is followed using a gold‐binding peptide tag genetically conjugated to red fluorescence protein (DsRed). Fluorescence microscopy analysis corroborated with Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) data confirms the integration of the engineered red fluorescence protein with the nanofibers. The gold nanoparticle decorated nanofibers having red fluorescence protein as an integral part keep their biological functionality including copper‐induced fluorescence quenching of the DsRed protein due to its selective Cu⁺² binding. Thus, coupling the infusion gyration method in this way offers a simple nanoscale assembly approach to integrate a diverse repertoire of protein functionalities into nanofibers to generate biohybrid materials for imaging, sensing, and biomaterial applications.

     

Feasibility of tetracycline,a common antibiotic,as chelating agent for spectrophotometric determination of UO2 2+ after cloud point extraction

A cloud point extraction (CPE) procedure was presented for the preconcentration of UO₂ ²⁺ ion in different water samples. Tetracycline (TC) is the second most widely used antibiotics in the world and is used as chelating agent. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first work that an antibiotic is used as a chelating agent for CPE of UO₂ ²⁺. Besides, the use of TC as complexing agent provides excellent chelating features. TC molecule has large numbers of functional groups (adjacent hydroxyl oxygen atoms and cyclohexanone oxygen atoms, amide groups) which can form stable complex with UO₂ ²⁺. After complexation with TC, UO₂ ²⁺ ions were quantitatively recovered in Triton X-100 after cooling in the ice bath. 3.0 mL of acetate buffer was added to the surfactant-rich phase prior to its analysis by UV–Vis spectrophotometer. The influence of analytical parameters including pH, buffer volume, TC, Triton X-100 concentrations, bath temperature, incubation time were optimized. The effect of the matrix ions on the recovery of UO₂ ²⁺ ions was investigated. The limit of detection was 0.0746 μg mL^?1 along with enrichment factor of 14.3 with a R.S.D. of 3.6 %. The proposed procedure was applied to the analysis of various environmental water samples. On the other hand, the electronic distribution of TC molecule is investigated with their frontier molecular orbital density distributions.     

One‐Step Microfluidic Coating of Phospholipid Microbubbles with Natural Alginate Polymer as a Delivery System for Human Epithelial Lung Adenocarcinoma

In this study, the neoplastic drug frequently used in the treatment of lung cancer, carboplatin is loaded to microbubbles via a microfluidic platform. In order to increase the drug loading capacity of microbubbles, carboplatin is encapsulated into alginate polymer layer. The phospholipid microbubbles (MBs) are synthesized by MicroSphere Creator, which is connected with T‐junction and micromixer for the treatment with CaCl₂ solution to provide gelation of the alginate coated phospholipid microbubbles (AMBs). The carboplatin loaded alginate coated phospholipid microbubbles (CAMBs) result in 12.2 ± 0.21 µm mean size, obtained by mixing with 0.05% CaCl₂ using T‐junction. The cytotoxic activities of the synthesized MBs, AMBs, and CAMBs are also investigated with the 3‐(4,5‐Dimethyl‐2‐thiazolyl)‐2,5‐diphenyl‐2H‐tetrazolium bromide) (MTT) and live/dead fluorescent dying assays in the A549 and BEAS‐2B cell lines. The one‐step microfluidic coating of lipid microbubbles with natural alginate polymer appears to be a promising strategy for enhanced drug reservoir properties.     

An Oxidative Rearrangement of 6‐Phenylbicyclo[3.2.0]heptan‐6‐ol to 1,1′‐Biphenyl‐Carbaldehydes: A Mechanistic Study

Acid‐catalyzed rearrangement of 6‐phenylbicyclo[3.2.0]heptan‐6‐ol gave 1,1′‐biphenyl and 1,1′‐biphenyl‐carbaldehydes in small amounts as well as the expected rearrangement products. A detailed study of the reaction mechanism revealed that the conversion occurs via an oxidative process through the consecutive formation of cycloheptadienes, cycloheptatrienes, and 1,1′‐biphenyls. The acid‐catalyzed rearrangement of 6‐phenylbicyclo[3.2.0]hept‐2‐en‐6‐ols gave 1‐ and 2‐phenylcycloheptatrienes directly, from which 1,1′‐biphenyl and 1,1′‐biphenyl‐carbaldehydes were obtained by oxidation.