Massively parallel tabu search for the quadratic assignment problem

A new heuristic algorithm to perform tabu search on the Quadratic Assignment Problem (QAP) is developed. A massively parallel implementation of the algorithm on the Connection Machine CM-2 is provided. The implementation usesn ² processors, wheren is the size of the problem. The elements of the algorithm, calledPar_tabu, include dynamically changing tabu list sizes, aspiration criterion and long term memory. A new intensification strategy based on intermediate term memory is proposed and shown to be promising especially while solving large QAPs. The combination of all these elements gives a very efficient heuristic for the QAP: the best known or improved solutions are obtained in a significantly smaller number of iterations than in other comparative studies. Combined with the implementation on CM-2, this approach provides suboptimal solutions to QAPs of bigger dimensions in reasonable time.     

Nitric oxide prodrugs: diazeniumdiolate anions of hindered secondary amines

Nitric oxide prodrugs derived from hindered secondary amines were prepared. The decomposition patterns of these prodrugs indicate that alpha-methyl groups around the nitrogen bearing the diazeniumdiolate group prolong their half-life in aqueous buffer.     

First Total Synthesis of Mappain with a Prenylated and Geranylated Stilbene

The first total synthesis of naturally occurring mappain has been achieved by a convergent sequence. The key strategy involved in the synthesis of mappain was a (E)‐stilbene formation by Horner–Wadsworth–Emmons reaction of the corresponding prenylated benzaldehyde with a geranylated benzyl phosphonate.     

Cyclization/hydrosilylation of functionalized 1,6-diynes catalyzed by cationic platinum complexes containing bidentate nitrogen ligands

A 1:1 mixture of the platinum dimethyl diimine complex [PhN[double bond]C(Me)C(Me)[double bond]NPh]PtMe(2) (4a) and B(C(6)F(5))(3) catalyzed the cyclization/hydrosilylation of dimethyl dipropargylmalonate (1) and HSiEt(3) to form 1,1-dicarbomethoxy-3-methylene-4-(triethylsilylmethylene)cyclopentane (3) in 82% isolated yield with 26:1 Z:E selectivity. Platinum-catalyzed diyne cyclization/hydrosilylation tolerated a range of functional groups including esters, sulfones, acetals, silyl ethers, amides, and hindered ketones. Diynes that possessed propargylic substitution underwent facile cyclization/hydrosilylation to form silylated 1,2-dialkylidene cyclopentanes as mixtures of regioisomers. Diynes that possessed an electron-deficient internal alkyne underwent cyclization/hydrosilylation in moderate yield to form products resulting from silyl transfer to the less substituted alkyne. The silylated 1,2-dialkylidenecyclopentanes formed via diyne cyclization/hydrosilylation underwent a range of transformations including protodesilylation, Z/E isomerization, and [4 + 2] cycloaddition with dieneophiles.     

Determination of iron and antimony by radiochemical displacement of60Co from cobalt-o-hydroxybenzaldehyde isonicotinoyl hydrazone

A radiochemical displacement method has been developed for the determination of 10 g amounts of iron and antimony. The effect of pH and various foreign ions on the displacement of tracer⁶⁰Co from labeled Co-o-Hydroxybenzaldehyde isonicotinoyl hydrazone (BIH) complex in isoamyl alcohol by iron and antimony was studied.     

Extraction of thorium(IV) as perchlorate and chloroacetate complexes with 1-phenyl-2,3-dimethyl-5-pyrazolone (antipyrine)

Summary Thorium was extracted quantitatively with the neutral ligand 1-phenyl-2,3-dimethyl-5-pyrazolone (Apy) in the presence of perchlorate (ClO₄^-) and di/trichloroacetates (DCA/TCA) at pH 2.5 into an organic solvent. Optimization of experimental parameters like pH, equilibration time, solvents, reactant concentrations, best suited conditions for back extraction, interference due to the presence of different anions and cations and effect of metal ion concentration were studied. The composition of the complexes has been established using log-log plots and are represented as [Th(Apy)₂(ClO₄)₄], [Th(Apy)₂(TCA)₄], [Th(Apy)(H₂O)(DCA)₄]. The respective conditional stability constants of the effectively extracted complexes have also been calculated as 9.4±0.03 and 10.4±0.04, respectively . The method has been extended for the separation of thorium from a number of cations in binary and multicomponent mixtures. The method is simple, rapid, selective and has a good reproducibility (±0.5%).     

Cell-permeable esters of diazeniumdiolate-based nitric oxide prodrugs

Although O(2)-(2,4-dinitrophenyl) derivatives of diazeniumdiolate-based nitric oxide (NO) prodrugs bearing a free carboxylic acid group were activated by glutathione to release NO, these compounds were poor sources of intracellular NO and showed diminished antiproliferative activity against human leukemia HL-60 cells. The carboxylic acid esters of these prodrugs, however, were found to be superior sources of intracellular NO and potent inhibitors of HL-60 cell proliferation.     

Electrochemical pinning of the Fermi level: mediation of photoluminescence from gallium nitride and zinc oxide

Charge transfer between diamond and an electrochemical redox couple in an adsorbed water film has recently been shown to pin the Fermi level in hydrogen-terminated diamond. Here we show that this effect is a more general phenomenon and influences the properties of other semiconductors when the band lineup between the ambient and electronic states in the semiconductor is appropriate. We find that the luminescent intensities from GaN and ZnO change in different, but predictable, ways when exposed to HCl and NH3 vapors in humid air. The effect is reversible and has been observed on single crystals, nanowires, flakes, and powders. These observations are explained by electron exchange between the oxygen electrochemical redox couple in an adsorbed water film and electronic states in the semiconductor. This effect can take place in parallel with other processes such as defect formation, chemisorption, and surface reconstruction and may play an important, but previously unrecognized, role when electronic and optical measurements are made in air.