Circulant type matrices with heavy tailed entries

We study the limiting spectral distribution for a class of circulant type random matrices with heavy tailed input sequence. Unlike the light tailed case where the limit is nonrandom, here the limit is a random probability distribution. We provide an explicit representation of the limit.     

Development of a methodology to quantify tamoxifen and endoxifen in breast cancer patients by micellar liquid chromatography and validation according to the ICH guidelines

A simple micellar liquid chromatographic procedure is described to determine tamoxifen and endoxifen in plasma. For the analysis, tamoxifen and endoxifen solutions were diluted in water and UV-irradiated for 20 min to form the photocycled derivative with a phenanthrene core which shows intense fluorescence. Samples were then directly injected, thus avoiding long extraction and experimental procedures. The resolution from the matrix was performed using a mobile phase containing 0.15 mol L⁻¹ SDS-7% n-butanol at pH 3, running at 1.5 mL min⁻¹ through a C18 column at 40 °C. Detection was carried out by fluorescence, and the excitation and emission wavelengths were 260 and 380 nm, respectively. The chromatographic analysis time was 20 min. The analytical methodology was validated following the International Conference on Harmonisation of Technical Requirements for Registration of Pharmaceuticals for Human Use (ICH) guidelines. The response of the drugs in plasma was linear in the 0.5-15 μg mL⁻¹ range, with r² > 0.99. Accuracy and precision were <14% in both cases. Limits of detection and quantification (ng mL⁻¹) in plasma were 75 and 250 for endoxifen, and 50 and 150 in tamoxifen. The method developed herein does not show interferences by endogenous compounds. Finally the analytical method was used to determine the amount of tamoxifen and endoxifen in several plasma samples of breast cancer patients from a local hospital.     

Determination of disulfiram by micellar liquid chromatography in illicit preparations

Presently, disulfiram is used in aversion therapy for recovering alcoholics. It acts by inhibiting aldehyde dehydrogenase, leading to high blood levels of acetaldehyde. A simple direct injection micellar liquid chromatographic procedure was developed to determine disulfiram in illicit preparations (ayurvedic, herbal, divine ash, and traditional medicine), as well as in pharmaceuticals and biological samples (urine). After application of a predictive optimization strategy, the proposed method was developed using a 0.1 M sodium dodecyl sulfate-butanol 4% (v/v) buffered to pH 7 as the mobile phase at a flow rate of 1 mL/min, an octyl silyl (C8) 150 mm column, and diode array detection at 248 nm. Under the above conditions, the analysis time was below 8 min. Validation studies were based on U.S. Food and Drug Administration guidelines. The LOD (3 x SD criterion) was 15 ng/mL and LOQ (10 x SD criterion) was 70 ng/mL for disulfiram. The intraday and interday precisions were below 3.5%, recoveries were in the range of 97-102%, and robustness was below 3%. The optimized and validated micellar liquid chromatographic method was successfully applied to the determination of disulfiram in ayurvedic, herbal, divine ash, and other samples. The procedure developed could also be used in the fields of QC, routine analysis, and pharmacokinetic studies.     

Vesicular assembly and thermo-responsive vesicle-to-micelle transition from an amphiphilic random copolymer

Vesicular assembly from a thermo-responsive amphiphilic random copolymer is reported. Vesicle-to-micelle transition above a critical morphology transition temperature (CMTT) resulted in selective triggered release of encapsulated hydrophilic guests over hydrophobic ones. The aggregation pattern of a control polymer indicated a defined role of the methacrylamide groups in the polymer backbone for such unprecedented self-assembly from a simple polymer.     

Spectral Norm of Circulant-Type Matrices

We first discuss the convergence in probability and in distribution of the spectral norm of scaled Toeplitz, circulant, reverse circulant, symmetric circulant, and a class of k-circulant matrices when the input sequence is independent and identically distributed with finite moments of suitable order and the dimension of the matrix tends to ∞.     

Template based growth of nanoscaled films: a brief review

Growth of ultrathin films of metals and inorganic materials using various templates — both solid and liquid has been reviewed. Such nanoscaled films have been found to be effective in fabrication of devices and sensors. Use of crystal nanochannels of some inorganic compounds has been found to induce novel properties to the films grown within them. It is expected the latter approach will lead to the synthesis of materials with hitherto unknown properties.     

Precise measurement of the top quark mass in the dilepton channel at D0

We measure the top quark mass (m(t)) in p ?p collisions at a center of mass energy √s = 1.96 TeV using dilepton t ?t→W(+)bW(-) ?b→?(+)ν(?)b?(-) ?ν(?) ?b events, where ? denotes an electron, a muon, or a tau that decays leptonically. The data correspond to an integrated luminosity of 5.4 fb(-1) collected with the D0 detector at the Fermilab Tevatron Collider. We obtain m(t)=174.0±1.8(stat)±2.4(syst) GeV, which is in agreement with the current world average m(t)=173.3±1.1 GeV. This is currently the most precise measurement of m(t) in the dilepton channel.     

Limits on neutrino emission from gamma-ray bursts with the 40 string IceCube detector

IceCube has become the first neutrino telescope with a sensitivity below the TeV neutrino flux predicted from gamma-ray bursts if gamma-ray bursts are responsible for the observed cosmic-ray flux above 10(18) eV. Two separate analyses using the half-complete IceCube detector, one a dedicated search for neutrinos from pγ interactions in the prompt phase of the gamma-ray burst fireball and the other a generic search for any neutrino emission from these sources over a wide range of energies and emission times, produced no evidence for neutrino emission, excluding prevailing models at 90% confidence.     

Decolorization of Distillery Effluent Using Poly(Vinyl Chloride) and Cellulose Acetate Phthalate as Adsorbents

Decolorization of distillery effluents, using low cost polymer adsorbents, is one of the challenging areas for environmental technologists. Untreated distillery effluents are harmful to the environment, causing foul smell, spoiling fresh water sources and killing aquatic life. The color of distillery effluents have been decolorized by using polymer based adsorbents, such as poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) and cellulose acetate phthalate (CAP), which are water insoluble, easily available, and cheap. In the present article, special emphasis is given to studies such as the effect of contact time, dosage amount, dilution, and the variation in the amount of sample on the degree of decolorization of the effluent. The decolorization of a distillery effluent was monitored by using UV/Visible spectroscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). From these studies, it was noticed that moderate to fair results were obtained and it was also found that CAP was a better adsorbent, compared to PVC, for decolorization of distillery effluents.     

Optimization of metformin HCl 500 mg sustained release matrix tablets using Artificial Neural Network (ANN) based on Multilayer Perceptrons (MLP) model

The aim of the present study was to apply the simultaneous optimization method incorporating Artificial Neural Network (ANN) using Multi-layer Perceptron (MLP) model to the development of a metformin HCl 500 mg sustained release matrix tablets with an optimized in vitro release profile. The amounts of HPMC K15M and PVP K30 at three levels (-1, 0, +1) for each were selected as casual factors. In vitro dissolution time profiles at four different sampling times (1 h, 2 h, 4 h and 8 h) were chosen as output variables. 13 kinds of metformin matrix tablets were prepared according to a 2(3) factorial design (central composite) with five extra center points, and their dissolution tests were performed. Commercially available STATISTICA Neural Network software (Stat Soft, Inc., Tulsa, OK, U.S.A.) was used throughout the study. The training process of MLP was completed until a satisfactory value of root square mean (RSM) for the test data was obtained using feed forward back propagation method. The root mean square value for the trained network was 0.000097, which indicated that the optimal MLP model was reached. The optimal tablet formulation based on some predetermined release criteria predicted by MLP was 336 mg of HPMC K15M and 130 mg of PVP K30. Calculated difference (f(1) 2.19) and similarity (f(2) 89.79) factors indicated that there was no difference between predicted and experimentally observed drug release profiles for the optimal formulation. This work illustrates the potential for an artificial neural network with MLP, to assist in development of sustained release dosage forms.