The asymptotic performance ratio of an on-line algorithm for uniform parallel machine scheduling with release dates

Jobs arriving over time must be non-preemptively processed on one of m parallel machines, each running at its own speed, so as to minimize a weighted sum of the job completion times. In this on-line environment, the processing requirement and weight of a job are not known before the job arrives. The Weighted Shortest Processing Requirement (WSPR) heuristic is a simple extension of the well known WSPT heuristic, which is optimal for the single machine problem without release dates. According to WSPR, whenever a machine completes a job, the next job assigned to it is the one with the least ratio of processing requirement to weight among all jobs available for processing at this point in time. We analyze the performance of this heuristic and prove that its asymptotic competitive ratio is one for all instances with bounded job processing requirements and weights. This implies that the WSPR algorithm generates a solution whose relative error approaches zero as the number of jobs increases. Our proof does not require any probabilistic assumption on the job parameters and relies extensively on properties of optimal solutions to a single machine relaxation of the problem. Research supported in part by ONR Contracts N00014-90-J-1649 and N00014-95-1-0232, NSF Contracts DDM-9322828, DMI-9732795, DMI-0085683 and DMI-0245352, NUS Academic Research Grant R314-000-046-112, and a research grant from the Natural Sciences and Research Council of Canada (NSERC).     

Diaqua­bis[4‐(4H‐1,2,4‐triazol‐4‐yl)­benzoato‐κ2O,O′]cobalt(II), and the cadmium(II) and copper(II) analogues: new self‐complementary hydrogen‐bond donor/acceptor modules for designing hydrogen‐bonded frameworks

In the isostructural title complexes, [M(C₉H₆N₃O₂)₂(H₂O)₂] [M = Co^II, (I), Cd^II, (II), and Cu^II, (III); the metal centres reside on a twofold axis in the space group C2/c for (I) and (II)], the metal centres are surrounded by four O atoms from two O,O′‐bidentate carboxyl­ate groups and by two trans‐coordinated aqua ligands, forming a distorted octa­hedral environment. The mol­ecules possess four hydrogen‐bond donor (two aqua ligands) and four hydrogen‐bond acceptor sites (two triazole groups), and aggregate by self‐association, forming two‐dimensional hydrogen‐bonded frameworks [via O—H⋯N inter­actions; O⋯N = 2.749 (3)–2.872 (3) Å]. The layers are parallel and are tightly packed with short inter­layer distances of 4.93, 4.95 and 5.01 Å for (I), (II) and (III), respectively.     

Immersion enthalpy and the constants of Langmuir model in the 3-chloro phenol adsorption on activated carbon

The adsorption process of 3-chloro phenol from aqueous solution on a activated carbon prepared from African palm stone and which presents a specific surface area of 685 m² g⁻¹, a greater quantity of total acid groups and a pH_PZC of 6.8 is studied. The adsorption isotherms are determined at pH values of 3, 5, 7, 9 and 11. The adsorption isotherms are fitted to the Langmuir model and the values of the maximum quantity adsorbed that are between 96.2 and 46.4 mg g⁻¹ are obtained along with the constant K_L with values between 0.422 and 0.965 L mg⁻¹. The maximum quantity adsorbed diminishes with the pH and the maximum value for this is a pH of 5. The immersion enthalpies of the activated carbon in a 3-chloro phenol solution of constant concentration, of 100 mg L⁻¹, are determined for the different pH levels, with results between 37.6 and 21.2 J g⁻¹. Immersion enthalpies of the activated carbon in function of 3-chloro phenol solution concentration are determined to pH 5, of maximum adsorption, with values between 28.3 and 38.4 J g⁻¹, and by means of linearization, the maximum immersion enthalpy is calculated, with a value of 41.67 J g⁻¹. With the results of the immersion enthalpy, maximum quantity adsorbed and the constant K_L, establish relations that describe the adsorption process of 3-chloro phenol from aqueous solution on activated carbon.     

Immersion enthalpy of carbonaceous samples in aqueous solutions of monohydroxilated phenols

The immersion enthalpies of modified activated carbons were determined, with commercial Carbochem^TM–PS230 (CAG) as the initial activated carbon, which was modified by: chemical treatment with HNO₃ 7 mol L⁻¹ (CAO) and thermal treatment under flow of H₂ (CAR) in function of the adsorbed quantity of monohydroxilated phenols, catechol, resorcinol and hydroquinone at a pH of 7 in aqueous dissolutions in order to characterize the solid–solution interaction and evaluate the influence of the chemical characteristics of the activated carbon in the phenol adsorption. The results show a variation in the immersion enthalpy in function of the adsorbed quantity of phenol and the initial dissolution concentration; which shows that the intensity of the interaction changes in function of the composition of the liquid phase. The immersion enthalpies present the following arrangement: catechol > resorcinol > hydroquinone, with a −ΔH_inm of 35.7; 30.8 and 24.6 Jg⁻¹, respectively, at a pH of 7 for a 100 mg L⁻¹ phenol monohydroxilated solution.     

A weighted eigenvalue problem for the p-Laplacian plus a potential

Let Δ _p denote the p-Laplacian operator and Ω be a bounded domain in . We consider the eigenvalue problem

Oil-loaded monolinolein-based particles with confined inverse discontinuous cubic structure (Fd3m)

In our recent work, we reported on the effect of varying temperature and solubilizing tetradecane (TC) on the structural transitions observed in dispersed particles based on the monolinolein (MLO)-water-TC system. At a given temperature, the addition of TC induces a transition of the internal structure from the bicontinuous cubic phase, Pn3m, to the reversed hexagonal, H2, and to the isotropic liquid phase (water-in-oil (W/O) microemulsions). Our present study focuses on the discovery of a Fd3m phase (reversed discontinuous micellar cubic), which is formed in the MLO-water-TC system at a specific TC/MLO weight ratio. It is situated between the H2 and the isotropic liquid phase (W/O microemulsion). Remarkably, it is not found in the absence of TC by increasing the temperature. The Fd3m structure was investigated in detail by means of small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), and cryogenic transmission electron microscopy (cryo-TEM). The present work proves that the structural transformation in the dispersed particles from H2 (hexosomes) to the W/O microemulsion system (emulsified microemulsion (EME)) is indirect and it occurs gradually via an emulsified intermediate phase. Specifically, in addition to the nanostructured aqueous dispersions described above, we present new TC-loaded aqueous dispersions with a confined intermediate phase, which is a discontinuous micellar cubic phase of the symmetry Fd3m. We denoted this type of emulsified particles as "micellar cubosomes".     

Chemical properties of pyrimidoquinoxaline 6‐oxides

The reactivity of some representative 5‐arylpyrimidoquinoxaline 6‐oxides 1 was investigated. Reduction with sodium borohydride afforded the corresponding N‐deoxy compounds 2. Reaction with methyl iodide in excess led selectively to N‐methyl derivatives 3 . The preference for N vs. O‐alkylation is analyzed considering electronic effects. Alkaline hydrolysis of compounds 1 involved initial nucleophilic attack to the amidine carbon (C4a), and subsequent regioselective ring opening leading to 4‐(3‐aminopropyl)‐2‐aryl‐quinoxaline‐3‐one 1‐oxides 4. The regioselectivity observed in alkaline hydrolysis is also discussed.     

Extraction and analysis of ochratoxin A in bread using pressurised liquid extraction and liquid chromatography

A pressurised liquid extraction (PLE) method for the analysis of ochratoxin A (OTA) in bread samples is given. Parameters such as solvent, temperature, pressure and time were investigated thoroughly. The optimized PLE conditions were: methanol as extraction solvent, 80 degrees C, 2000 psi and a 5-min cycle. OTA was determined by liquid chromatography coupled with fluorescence detection and confirmed by methyl ester derivatization. Under these conditions OTA recovery is 92.3% with a RSD of 5%. Limits of detection and quantification were 0.02 and 0.06 microg/kg, respectively. The proposed method was applied to 20 bread samples, finding two positive samples with OTA levels below the maximum permitted levels by the European Union.     

Permeability of a seemingly nonporous crystal formed by a discrete metallocyclic complex

We describe the structure and permeability of a crystalline material that appears to be nonporous in a conventional sense. The material is initially formed as a solvate, and removal of the solvent molecules under relatively mild conditions proceeds via a single-crystal to single-crystal transformation, leaving the host structure intact. Although discrete unoccupied voids of 108 A3 are present in the structure, it is not possible to map open channels that represent an intuitive pathway for guest diffusion. Despite the apparent absence of pores, the material is permeable to a variety of gases including H2, O2, N2, CO, CH4, CO2, and I2. These findings show that porosity in crystalline systems cannot always be rationalized by considering the static structures and that as-yet unknown dynamic and cooperative mechanisms prevail by which porosity can be induced.