Torsion Effects on Neutrino Emission from Dense Collapsing Cores

We consider the effects of torsion on the emission of neutrinos in a hot dense neutron medium and we explore the consequences for the case of SN1987A neutrinos.     

Polycarbonate synthesis by the melt phase carbonate-ester interchange reaction of bisphenol-A diacetate with dimethyl carbonate

The molecular weight of polycarbonate formed by the carbonate-ester interchange reaction of bisphenol-A diacetate (BPAC₂) and dimethyl carbonate (DMC) was found to depend on the composition of the oligomer formed in its first stage. At a [DMC] : [BPAC₂] ratio of 2, an oligomer with relatively higher acetate end group concentration was formed. This upon further polycondensation yielded a polycarbonate of inherent viscosity, 0.2-0.25 dL/g. Upon addition of DMC at a later stage in the oligomer-forming reaction, an oligomer containing relatively higher carbonate end groups could be obtained. These oligomers gave polycarbonates higher inherent viscosity, 0.4-0.5 dL/g. It is therefore proposed that oligomers having carbonate end groups are more reactive in self-polycondensation than those containing acetate end groups. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Base catalyzed rearrangement of oxy-cope systems

The synthesis and rearrangement of the optically active etynyl and vinyl carbinols 3 and 4 are reported. The rearrangements are found to be concerted when carried out with KH-THF and non-concerted with KOH-methanol.     

Influenza neuraminidase inhibitors possessing a novel hydrophobic interaction in the enzyme active site: design, synthesis, and structural analysis of carbocyclic sialic acid analogues with potent anti-influenza activity

The design, synthesis, and in vitro evaluation of the novel carbocycles as transition-state-based inhibitors of influenza neuraminidase (NA) are described. The double bond position in the carbocyclic analogues plays an important role in NA inhibition as demonstrated by the antiviral activity of 8 (IC50 = 6.3 microM) vs 9 (IC50 > 200 microM). Structure-activity studies of a series of carbocyclic analogues 6a-i identified the 3-pentyloxy moiety as an apparent optimal group at the C3 position with an IC50 value of 1 nM for NA inhibition. The X-ray crystallographic structure of 6h bound to NA revealed the presence of a large hydrophobic pocket in the region corresponding to the glycerol subsite of sialic acid. The high antiviral potency observed for 6h appears to be attributed to a highly favorable hydrophobic interaction in this pocket. The practical synthesis of 6 starting from (-)-quinic acid is also described.     

Heavy metal removal by biosorption using Phanerochaete chrysosporium

Biosorption using microbial cells as adsorbents is being seen as a cost-effective method for the removal of heavy metals from wastewaters. Biosorption studies with Phanerochaete chrysosporium were performed for copper (II), lead (II), and cadmium (II) to evaluate the effectiveness and to optimize the operational parameters using response surface methodology. The operational parameters chosen were initial metal ion concentration, pH, and biosorbent dosage. Using this method, the metal removal could be correlated to the operational parameters, and their values were optimized. The results showed fairly high adsorptive capacities for all the metals within the settings of the operational parameters. The removal efficiencies followed the order Pb>Cu>Cd. As a general trend, metal removal efficiency decreased as the initial metal ion concentration increased, and the results fitted the Langmuir and Freundlich isotherms well.     

Numerical study of transient evolution of lifted jet flames: partially premixed flame propagation and influence of physical dimensions

Three-dimensional (3D) unsteady Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes simulations of a spark-ignited turbulent methane/air jet flame evolving from ignition to stabilisation are conducted for different jet velocities. A partially premixed combustion model is used involving a correlated joint probability density function and both premixed and non-premixed combustion mode contributions. The 3D simulation results for the temporal evolution of the flame's leading edge are compared with previous two-dimensional (2D) results and experimental data. The comparison shows that the final stabilised flame lift-off height is well predicted by both 2D and 3D computations. However, the transient evolution of the flame's leading edge computed from 3D simulation agrees reasonably well with experiment, whereas evident discrepancies were found in the previous 2D study. This difference suggests that the third physical dimension plays an important role during the flame transient evolution process. The flame brush's leading edge displacement speed resulting from reaction, normal and tangential diffusion processes are studied at different typical stages after ignition in order to understand the effect of the third physical dimension further. Substantial differences are found for the reaction and normal diffusion components between 2D and 3D simulations especially in the initial propagation stage. The evolution of reaction progress variable scalar gradients and its interaction with the flow and mixing field in the 3D physical space have an important effect on the flame's leading edge propagation.     

Experimental (FTIR and FT-Raman) and ab initio and DFT study of vibrational frequencies of 5-amino-2-nitrobenzoic acid

The FTIR and FT-Raman spectra of 5-amino-2-nitrobenzoic acid (ANB) have been recorded in the region 400-4000cm(-1). The observed frequencies were assigned to different modes of vibrations on the basis of fundamental, combination and overtones. The geometry has been optimized with complete relaxation on the potential energy surface at HF, MP2 and B3LYP level of theories using 6-311++G(d,p) basis set and compared with the crystal data. The possible hydrogen bond interaction has been estimated taking a model compound. Further harmonic vibrational frequency calculations have been carried out at HF and B3LYP levels and the scaled values were in good agreement with majority of the experimental observations. The theoretically constructed spectra coincide satisfactorily with those of experimental spectra.     

Harmonic analysis of vibrations of morpholine-4-ylmethylthiourea: a DFT, midinfrared and Raman spectral study

The FTIR and FT-Raman spectra of morpholine-4-ylmethylthiourea (MMTU) were recorded in the region of mid-IR (400-4,000 cm(-1)). Initial geometry generated from the standard geometrical parameters was relaxed without any constraint on the potential energy surface at MP2 and DFT levels adopting the standard 6-31++G and 6-311+G basis set. With the help of two specific scaling procedures the computed harmonic frequencies have been compared with the observed vibrational wave numbers of FTIR and FT-Raman spectra and assigned to different normal modes of the molecule. Most of the vibrational modes have wave numbers in the expected range. The appropriate theoretical spectrograms of the IR spectra of MMTU have been also constructed.     

Inventory and sales effort management under unobservable lost sales

A retailer needs to make decisions regarding how much to order and how much sales effort to exert in an environment with uncertain demand. One intrinsic complexity in a typical retail environment is caused by the fact that the retailer can obtain information about demand only based on sales, as demand itself is unobservable. Taking a Bayesian approach, Lariviere and Porteus (1999) show that in such a setting a retailer should stock more to increase the probability of an exact demand observation. In this article, we extend their work by allowing the retailer to control both the stocking quantity and sales effort, which can be used to affect demand. We show that their insights with respect to information stalking carry over to this setting. In addition, our model allows gaining a better understanding of optimal sales effort strategies. We find that demand management has a dual role in supporting information gathering: while at the beginning of a product life cycle it is optimal to support learning effects by sharply reducing sales effort, at later stages of the product life cycle an aggressive strategy of increased promotional activities can be used to harvest the information gathered in earlier periods.     

Synthesis and structural and DNA binding studies of mono‐ and dinuclear copper(II) complexes constructed with ─O and ─N donor ligands: Potential anti‐skin cancer drugs

Mononuclear and dinuclear copper(II) complexes with thiophenecarboxylic acid, [Cu(3‐TCA)₂(2,2′‐bpy)] ( 1 ), [Cu(3‐Me‐2‐TCA)₂(H₂O)(2,2′‐bpy)] ( 2 ), [Cu(5‐Me‐2‐TCA)₂(H₂O)(2,2′‐bpy)] ( 3 ) and [Cu₂(2,5‐TDCA)(DMF)₂(H₂O)₂(2,2′‐bpy)₂](ClO₄)₂ ( 4 ) (where 3‐TCA = 3‐thiophenecarboxylic acid; 3‐Me‐2‐TCA = 3‐methyl‐2‐thiophenecarboxylic acid; 5‐Me‐2‐TCA = 5‐methyl‐2‐thiophenecarboxylic acid; 2,5‐TDCA = thiophene‐2,5‐dicarboxylic acid; 2,2′‐bpy = 2,2′‐bipyridyl; DMF = N,N‐dimethylformamide), were synthesized. Compounds 1 – 4 were extensively characterized using both analytical and spectroscopic methods. Additionally, the solid‐state structures of 1 and 4 were unambiguously established from single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction studies. The hexacoordinated Cu(II) centre in 1 (CuO₄N₂) is a distorted octahedral geometry whereas the pentacoodinated 4 (CuO₃N₂) has distorted square pyramidal geometry. Compounds 1 and 4 exhibit intermolecular hydrogen bonding which leads to the formation of two‐ and three‐dimensional supramolecular architectures, respectively. Spectrophotometric and computational investigations suggest that these compounds bind with DNA in minor groove binding such that K_b = 4.9 × 10⁵ M^?1 and K_sv = 3.4 × 10⁵ M^?1, and binding score of ?5.26 kcal mol^?1. The binding affinity of these complexes to calf thymus DNA is in the order 2 > 3 > 4 > 1 . Methyl‐substituted thiophene ring increases the DNA binding affinity whereas unsubstituted thiophene ring DNA binding rate is reduced. The methyl group on the thiophene ring would sterically hinder π–π stacking of the ring with DNA base pairs, and subsequently they are involved in hydrophobic interaction with the DNA surface rather than partial intercalative interaction. Compounds 1 – 4 show pronounced activity against B16 mouse melanoma skin cancer cell lines as measured by MTT assay yielding IC₅₀ values in the micromolar concentration range. The compounds could prove to be efficient anti‐cancer agents, since at a concentration as low as 2.1 μg ml^?1 they exerted a significant cytotoxic effect in cancer cells whereas cell viability was not affected in normal cells.