Facile functionalization of a fully fluorescent perfluorophenyl BODIPY: photostable thiol and amine conjugates

Selective nucleophilic substitution on a perfluorophenyl unit comprising a BODIPY fluorophore using an alkanethiol or a primary amine offers a quantitative fluorophore labelling strategy, while retaining high photostability and emission quantum yields approaching unity.     

A Pt-cluster-based heterogeneous catalyst for homogeneous catalytic reactions: X-ray absorption spectroscopy and reaction kinetic studies of their activity and stability against leaching

The design and development of metal-cluster-based heterogeneous catalysts with high activity, selectivity, and stability under solution-phase reaction conditions will enable their applications as recyclable catalysts in large-scale fine chemicals production. To achieve these required catalytic properties, a heterogeneous catalyst must contain specific catalytically active species in high concentration, and the active species must be stabilized on a solid catalyst support under solution-phase reaction conditions. These requirements pose a great challenge for catalysis research to design metal-cluster-based catalysts for solution-phase catalytic processes. Here, we focus on a silica-supported, polymer-encapsulated Pt catalyst for an electrophilic hydroalkoxylation reaction in toluene, which exhibits superior selectivity and stability against leaching under mild reaction conditions. We unveil the key factors leading to the observed superior catalytic performance by combining X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) and reaction kinetic studies. On the basis of the mechanistic understandings obtained in this work, we also provide useful guidelines for designing metal-cluster-based catalyst for a broader range of reactions in the solution phase.     

Comparison of flow structures in the downstream region of a cylinder and sphere

An experimental investigation of flow structures downstream of a circular cylinder and sphere immersed in a free-stream flow is performed for Re = 5000 and 10,000 using qualitative and quantitative flow visualization techniques. The obtained results are presented in terms of time-averaged velocity vectors, patterns of streamlines, vorticity, Reynolds stress correlations and turbulent kinetic energy distributions. Flow data reveal that the size of wake flow region, the location of singular and double points, the peak values of turbulence quantities, such as Reynolds stress correlations, vorticity fluctuations and turbulent kinetic energy vary as a function of models’ geometry and Reynolds Numbers. The concentration of small scale vortices is more dominant in the wake of the sphere than that of the cylinder. The maximum value of turbulent kinetic energy (TKE) occurs close to the saddle point for the cylinder case while two maximum values of TKE occur along shear layers for the sphere one because of the 3-D flow behavior.     

Radiative transfer configuration factor catalog: A listing of relations for common geometries

An on-line compilation of radiation configuration factors for over 300 common geometries is provided as a supplementary material from the JQSRT web site at doi:10.1016/j.jqsrt.2010.10.002. The factors are gathered from references across the radiative transfer and illumination engineering literature, as well as from applications in such diverse fields from combustion systems to human factors engineering. These factors are useful in standard surface-surface radiation exchange calculations, and are based on the assumptions that the surfaces exchanging radiation are diffuse, and that the radiosity from each surface is uniform across that surface. The catalog is updated annually, and can be downloaded from JQSRT in .PDF format.     

Chance-constrained economic dispatch with renewable energy and storage

Increasing penetration levels of renewables have transformed how power systems are operated. High levels of uncertainty in production make it increasingly difficulty to guarantee operational feasibility; instead, constraints may only be satisfied with high probability. We present a chance-constrained economic dispatch model that efficiently integrates energy storage and high renewable penetration to satisfy renewable portfolio requirements. Specifically, we require that wind energy contribute at least a prespecified proportion of the total demand and that the scheduled wind energy is deliverable with high probability. We develop an approximate partial sample average approximation (PSAA) framework to enable efficient solution of large-scale chance-constrained economic dispatch problems. Computational experiments on the IEEE-24 bus system show that the proposed PSAA approach is more accurate, closer to the prescribed satisfaction tolerance, and approximately 100 times faster than standard sample average approximation. Finally, the improved efficiency of our PSAA approach enables solution of a larger WECC-240 test system in minutes.     

Quadratic trigonometric b-spline galerkin methods for the regularized long wave equation

In this study, a numerical solution of the Regularized Long Wave (RLW) equation is obtained using Galerkin finite element method, based on two and three steps Adams Moulton method for the time integration and quadratic trigonometric B-spline functions for the space integration. After two different linearization techniques are applied, the proposed algorithms are tested on the problems of propagation of a solitary wave and interaction of two solitary waves. For the first test problem, the rate of convergence and the running time of the proposed algorithms are computed and the error norm $L_{\infty }$ is used to measure the differences between exact and numerical solutions. The three conservation quantities of the motion are calculated to determine the conservation properties of the proposed algorithms for both of the test problems.     

On solutions of the fifth-order dispersive equations with porous medium type non-linearity

In this work, we focus on obtaining the exact solutions of the fifth-order semi-linear and non-linear dispersive partial differential equations, which have the second-order diffusion-like (porous-type) non-linearity. The proposed equations were not studied in the literature in the sense of the exact solutions. We reveal solutions of the proposed equations using the classical Riccati equations method. The obtained exact solutions, which can play a key role to simulate non-linear waves in the medium with dispersion and diffusion, are illustrated and discussed in details.     

What determines the banking sector performance in globalized financial markets? The case of Turkey

This study attempts to give an insight into the trend in the performance of the Turkish banking sector by conducting a panel data fixed effects regression analysis. The results reveal that efficiency change is negatively related to the number of branches. We find a positive relationship between the loan ratio and the performance indices efficiency and efficiency change. Furthermore, bank capitalization is positively related to efficiency change. Interestingly however, return on equity is not statistically significant in explaining any of the efficiency measures. There is also no robust relationship between foreign ownership and efficiency. Finally, restructuring attempts in post-crises epoch robustly account for the improvement in efficiency scores in recent years.     

Tubotaiwin-N-oxid aus der Wurzelrinde von Conopharyngia johnstoni Stapf. 148. Mitteilung über Alkaloide

From the root bark of Conopharyngia johnstonii Stapf (Apocynaceae) the hitherto unknown tubotaiwine-N-oxide ( 2 ) together with tubotaiwine ( 1 ) were isolated and characterized.