Synthesis and Metal Complex Formation of Nitrogen-Oxygen Donor Macrocyclic Ligands

Reduction of 2,3:9,10-dibenzo-5,12-diaza-1,8-dioxacylotetradecane-5,11-diene( 1 ) with sodium borohydride in ethanol generates 2,3:9,10-dibenzo-5,12-diaza-1,8-dioxacyclotetradecane( 2 ) in high yield. The macrocyclic ligand 2,3:9,10-dibenzo-5,12-diaza-1,8-dioxacyclotetradecane-N,N′-diacetic acid ( 3 ) has been synthesized and characterized. In addition, reaction of ( 2 ) with an excess of acrylonitrile gives 2,3:9,10-dibenzo-5,12-diaza-1,8-dioxacyclotetradecane-N,N′-di(2-cyanoethyl) ( 4 ). Several new complexes of these ligands with nickel(II), copper(II) and cobalt(II) have been prepared and identified. The structures of these complexes are proposed on the basis of elemental analysis, ¹H, ¹³C-NMR, IR, UV-VIS spectra, magnetic susceptibility and conductivity data.     

The removal of methylene blue as a remedy of dye-based marine pollution: a photocatalytic perspective

Research on Chemical Intermediates - The effluents containing the discarded water from the textile industry are graded as one of the foremost pollutants in all industrial sectors. The wide...     

Evaluating the performance of Brazilian university hospitals

In order to demonstrate how DEA modeling can be helpful to aid decision making relative to the Brazilian Teaching Hospital Policy by means of hospital performance assessment, we develop a case study with 30 general hospitals linked to Brazilian Federal Universities. We consider data on medical care (Medical Model—MM), teaching and research (Teaching-Research Model—TRM) and use the software IDEAL (Interactive Data Envelopment Analysis Laboratory) as a tool for the units’ efficiency evaluation. IDEAL, developed in Brazil, is unique in providing a 3-D frontiers visualization, assisting in exploratory analysis and allowing a better understanding of the DEA modeling (envelopment and multiplier). Both models are input-oriented and each hospital is categorized according to its relative efficiency in the MM and TRM. In this phase, it is very important to discuss with the decision-makers the results and patterns of the DEA models. Finally, the modelling indicates the necessary changes for the inefficient units and generates recommendations for teaching ratios and public financing.     

Financing reform and productivity change in Brazilian teaching hospitals: Malmquist approach

This study evaluates the performance and productivity changes for the Brazilian Federal University Hospitals, considering the years of 2003 and 2006, that is, before and after a 2004 financing reform. The analysis is based on the Malmquist index approach. Results indicate that the financing reform provided improvement in the technical efficiency, although the technological frontier has not presented a positive shift. This suggests that increased budgets were a good stimulus for efficiency but the intended enhancement of the technology through the financing reform has not yet taken place.     

Assessing efficiency of public health and medical care provision in OECD countries after a decade of reform

Central European Journal of Operations Research - The objective of this study was to examine the change in efficiency of health care systems of 34 OECD countries between 2000 and 2012, a period...     

Oscillatory Behaviour of a Higher Order Nonlinear Neutral Delay Type Functional Differential Equation with Oscillating Coefficients

In this paper we are concerned with the oscillation of solutions of a certain more general higher order nonlinear neutral type functional differential equation with oscillating coefficients. We obtain two sufficient criteria for oscillatory behaviour of its solutions.     

Effect of a combined treatment using both direct and alternating electric currents on hide bacteria in hide-soak liquor

Inactivation effect of an electric current treatment combining both 188 μA/m² DC and 251 μA/m² AC on Gram negative, Gram positive bacteria and their mixed culture, which were isolated from hides, was separately analyzed. This electric treatment, applied for 16 min was found to be fairly effective in reducing the bacterial cell count (7.10–7.48 log₁₀ colony forming units/mL) to a relatively low level (4.52–4.90 log₁₀ colony forming units/mL). At this level bacterial damage to the hides is reduced in soak liquors. Cheap and efficient electric current may be applied to rapidly reduce the destructive bacterial populations in main hide-soak liquors.     

Assessment of hospital efficiency under health transformation program in Turkey

The purpose of this research is to explore the operational performance of the Ministry of Health’s general public hospitals following the implementation of the Health Transformation Program in Turkey. This study adopts the Malmquist index to analyze the operational performance of the 352 Ministry of Health’s general hospitals during the period 2005–2008. The result show that the operational performance of these hospitals regardless of the attributes present a common tendency that the performance of 2005–2007 progressed as compared to the previous year, while that of 2008 has regressed as compared to 2007.     

Reactions of alkylidenepyrrolidines with α-chlorooximes and α-chlorohydrazones

The reactions of alkylidenepyrrolidines with α-chlorooximes give isoxazoles via an acylation reaction followed by ring isomerisation. In contrast, and in line with a previous report, the corresponding α-chlorohydrazones give the simple acylation products, although in one instance a cycloadduct was also obtained.     

A multiple exp-function method for the three model equations of shallow water waves

Nonlinear Dynamics - In this study, we consider three model equations of shallow water waves. Shallow water equations model the propagation of strongly nonlinear waves up to breaking and run-up in...