Preface

Preface

Preface     

Asymptotic Results for Random Multidimensional Assignment Problems

The multidimensional assignment problem (MAP) is an NP-hard combinatorial optimization problem occurring in applications such as data association and target tracking. In this paper, we investigate characteristics of the mean optimal solution values for random MAPs with axial constraints. Throughout the study, we consider cost coefficients taken from three different random distributions: uniform, exponential and standard normal. In the cases of uniform and exponential costs, experimental data indicates that the mean optimal value converges to zero when the problem size increases. We give a short proof of this result for the case of exponentially distributed costs when the number of elements in each dimension is restricted to two. In the case of standard normal costs, experimental data indicates the mean optimal value goes to negative infinity with increasing problem size. Using curve fitting techniques, we develop numerical estimates of the mean optimal value for various sized problems. The experiments indicate that numerical estimates are quite accurate in predicting the optimal solution value of a random instance of the MAP.     

Enhanced ferrite nanoparticles as MRI contrast agents

Enhanced ferrite nanoparticles are a new class of contrast agents for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The enhanced ferrites are synthesized by reverse micelles technique to form iron core and oxide or ferrite shell preventing further oxidation of the nanoparticles. The nanoparticles are further functionalized using dopamine and PEG-600 to increase the solubility of the high magnetic moment nanoparticles. ¹H relaxation measurements of aqueous solutions of the nanoparticles were conducted at 2.4 T. The relaxivities r₁ and r₂, representing the slopes of these curves, are 7.19 and 9.96 s⁻¹ mM⁻¹, respectively. These values should be compared with relaxivities of 4–5 s⁻¹ mM⁻¹ corresponding to commonly used commercial contrast agents in human MR examinations.     

Atomic layer deposition of metal-oxide thin films on cellulose fibers

Abstract

Atomic layer deposition (ALD) is a vapor-phase technique capable of producing inorganic thin films with precise control over the thickness of the film. The ALD method offers high precision in the design of advanced 3D nanostructures. In this article, silica and alumina thin films have been grown over fibers of cellulose by the ALD process. The morphology and the chemical composition of the fabricated thin films are characterized, as well as their thermal durability through elevated temperatures. Moreover, XPS is used to confirm the phases of the alumina nanofilms and to further understand the deposition process on the cellulose microfibers.     

Quadratic programming with one negative eigenvalue is NP-hard

We show that the problem of minimizing a concave quadratic function with one concave direction is NP-hard. This result can be interpreted as an attempt to understand exactly what makes nonconvex quadratic programming problems hard. Sahni in 1974 [8] showed that quadratic programming with a negative definite quadratic term (n negative eigenvalues) is NP-hard, whereas Kozlov, Tarasov and Haijan [2] showed in 1979 that the ellipsoid algorithm solves the convex quadratic problem (no negative eigenvalues) in polynomial time. This report shows that even one negative eigenvalue makes the problem NP-hard.This author's work supported by the Applied Mathematical Sciences Program (KC-04-02) of the Office of Energy Research of the U.S. Department of Energy under grant DE-FG02-86ER25013. A000 and in part by the National Science Foundation, the Air Force Office of Scientific Research, and the Office of Naval Research, through NSF grant DMS 8920550.     

Information entropy, information distances, and complexity in atoms

Shannon information entropies in position and momentum spaces and their sum are calculated as functions of Z(2 < or = Z < or = 54) in atoms. Roothaan-Hartree-Fock electron wave functions are used. The universal property S = a + b ln Z is verified. In addition, we calculate the Kullback-Leibler relative entropy, the Jensen-Shannon divergence, Onicescu's information energy, and a complexity measure recently proposed. Shell effects at closed-shell atoms are observed. The complexity measure shows local minima at the closed-shell atoms indicating that for the above atoms complexity decreases with respect to neighboring atoms. It is seen that complexity fluctuates around an average value, indicating that the atom cannot grow in complexity as Z increases. Onicescu's information energy is correlated with the ionization potential. Kullback distance and Jensen-Shannon distance are employed to compare Roothaan-Hartree-Fock density distributions with other densities of previous works.     

Synthesis of 5-styryl derivatives of uracil nucleosides and nucleotides.

Uracil nucleosides and nucleotides undergo a palladium catalyzed coupling reaction with styrenes to yield the respective 5-substituted derivatives.     

Ultra-fast HPLC separation of common anions using a monolithic stationary phase

In this work, a monolithic column was used to perform ultrafast separations of common inorganic anions in as little as 15 seconds. Separations were performed using ion-interaction chromatography with tetrabutylammonium-phthalate as the ion-interaction reagent and were monitored using either direct conductivity or indirect absorbance detection. Detection limits for direct conductivity were in the low ppm range, whereas those for indirect absorbance detection were up to an order of magnitude higher. The reproducibility was 0.4% and 2% RSD for retention time and peak area, respectively, for a one minute separation, and 2.8% and 3-15%, respectively, for the 15 second separation. The proposed method was validated versus standard ion chromatography with suppressed conductivity detection for the analysis of an industrial water sample.     

AGGREGATION OF 2,3-DIHYDROXY-ETIOCHLORIN I. AN AMPHIPHILIC MODEL COMPOUND FOR PHOTODYNAMIC THERAPY AND GREEN HEME d

The crystal structure of 2,3-dihydroxy-etiochlorin I has been determined to obtain information on its aggregation behavior. Cis -dihydroxychlorins serve as model compounds for green heme d and show promising photonecrotic activity in photodynamic therapy. The compound shows strong aggregation in the solid state facilitated by intramolecular hydrogen bonding between one hydroxy group and pyrrole nitrogens of neighboring molecules. This novel type of aggregation leads to chain-type aggregates in the crystal. The title compound 4 crystallized in the monoclinic space group Ia (Z = 4) with unit cell dimensions a = 9.902(4) Å, b = 26.430(9) Å, c = 10.823(5), β= 104.47(3) Å, V = 2743(2) ų. The structure was refined to an R -value of 0.097 on the basis of 1150 reflections with F > 4.0σ (F) (130 K).     

Environmental corporate responsibility for investments evaluation: an alternative multi-objective programming model

The manufacturer who is a supplier of trade credit may face non-payment risk from customers and a capital shortage problem simultaneously. Trade credit insurance, as one of the most important risk management tools, has been widely used in companies’ daily operation. In this study, the manufacturer who allows customers to delay payment for goods already delivered purchases trade credit insurance to transfer and reduce non-payment risk and borrows money from a bank to accommodate the capital constraint problem. The Stackelberg game and loss-averse theory are used to establish a newsboy model including trade credit insurance, and the optimal insurance coverage and total sales of the manufacturer are thereby investigated. Subsequently, the interest rate decision of the bank under different risk-averse situations is also characterized. We find that the interest rate set by a loss-averse bank is equal to or greater than that given by a risk-neutral bank. The use of trade credit insurance can help the manufacturer expand sales and dramatically reduce its default risk. Both the bank and the manufacturer are better off due to the use of trade credit insurance, but contrary to what one might expect, the bank prefers giving a higher interest rate to the manufacturer when the premium rate is in a reasonable region, which indicates that the manufacturer cannot use the insurance to negotiate better financing terms.