Practical aspects associated with location planning for maternal and perinatal assistance in Brazil

A study has been carried out aimed at reducing perinatal mortality in the municipality of Rio de Janeiro through a better distribution of health care facilities. The algorithmic aspects are detailed elsewhere and here the emphasis is on practical issues and difficulties encountered. A 3-level hierarchical model was developed. Both uncapacitated and capacitated versions are briefly described together with some results based on actual data. The project brought to light many contradictions between OR theory and practice in developing countries and, unfortunately, the models developed were not implemented by the municipality health authorities. Possible reasons for this outcome are analysed.     

The thermolysis of dicarbonylcyclopentadienyliron dimer: The formation of biferrocene

The thermolysis of dicarbonylcyclopentadienyliron dimer in a sealed tube at 300°C has been reported to produce ferrocene, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, cyclopentadiene and elemental iron. We observe in addition to these products the production of biferrocene and elemental carbon. Thermolysis of carbonylcyclopentadienyliron tetramer (produced from the dimer by thermolysis in refluxing xylene) produces ferrocene, iron and carbon monoxidre; no biferrocene, carbon dioxide or elemental carbon are produced. A scheme is proposed to account for these products.     

Azine bridged silver coordination polymers: Powder X-ray diffraction route to crystal structure determination of silver benzotriazole

In continuation of our interest in solid-state structures of silver complexes of photographic importance, the structure for silver benzotriazole (AgBZT), has now been obtained. The preferred method for solving crystal structures is via single-crystal X-ray diffraction (XRD). However, for some materials, growing single crystals of appropriate size and quality is often difficult or even impossible. AgBZT is an example of such a silver complex with poor solubility. The usual routes to preparing single crystals using recrystallization from a cooperating solvent resulted in polycrystalline powder samples. We propose a crystal structure for AgBZT, solved from synchrotron X-ray powder diffraction data, using a direct-space Monte Carlo simulated annealing approach. AgBZT crystals are monoclinic, (P2₁/c), with unit cell dimensions, a=14.8052(3) Å, b=3.7498(4) Å, c=12.3495(12) Å, and β=114.200(6)°. The AgBZT complex is constructed from all three of the Benzotriazole (BZT) nitrogens bonding to a separate silver atom. As a consequence of this bonding mode, the structure is a highly cross-linked, coordination polymer.     

Succinic acid adsorption from fermentation broth and regeneration

More than 25 sorbents were tested for uptake of succinic acid from aqueous solutions. The best resins were then tested for successive loading and regeneration using hotwater. The key desired properties for an ideal sorbent are high capacity, complete stable regenerability, and specificity for the product. The best resins have a stable capacity of about 0.06 g of succinic acid/g of resin at moderate concentrations (1–5 g/L) of succinic acid. Several sorbents were tested more exhaustively for uptake of succinic acid and for successive loading and regeneration using hot water. One resin, XUS 40285, has a good stable isotherm capacity, prefers succinate over glucose, and has good capacities at both acidic and neutral pH. Succinic acid was removed from simulated media containing salts, succinic acid, acetic acid, and sugar using a packed column of sorbent resin, XUS 40285. The fermentation byproduct, acetate, was completely separated from succinate. A simple hot water regeneration successfully concentrated succinate from 10 g/L (inlet) to 40–110 g/L in the effluent. If successful, this would lower separation costs by reducing the need for chemicals for the initial purification step. Despie promising initial results of good capacity (0.06 g of succinic/g of sorbent), 70% recovery using hot water, and a recovered concentration of >100 g/L, this regeneration was not stable over 10 cycles in the column. Alternative regeneration schemes using acid and base were examined. Two (XUS 40285 and XFS-40422) showed both good stable capacities for succinic acid over 10 cycles and >95% recovery in a batch operation using a modified extraction procedure combining acid and hot water washes. These resins showed comparable results with actual broth.     

Effect of nanotube functionalization on the properties of single‐walled carbon nanotube/polyurethane composites

A commercially available aliphatic thermoplastic polyurethane formulated with a methylene bis(cyclohexyl) diisocyanate hard segment and a poly(tetramethylene oxide) soft segment and chain‐extended with 1,4‐butanediol was dissolved in dimethylformamide and mixed with dispersed single‐walled carbon nanotubes. The properties of composites made with unfunctionalized nanotubes were compared with the properties of composites made with nanotubes functionalized to contain hydroxyl groups. Functionalization almost eliminated the conductivity of the tubes according to the conductivity of the composites above the percolation threshold. In most cases, functionalized and unfunctionalized tubes yielded composites with statistically identical mechanical properties. However, composites made with functionalized tubes did have a slightly higher modulus in the rubbery plateau region at higher nanotube fractions. Small‐angle X‐ray scattering patterns indicated that the dispersion reached a plateau in the unfunctionalized composites that was consistent with the plateau in the rubbery plateau region. The room‐temperature modulus and tensile strength increase was proportionally higher than almost all increases seen previously in thermoplastic polyurethanes; however, the increase was still an order of magnitude below what has been reported for the best nanotube–polymer systems. Nanotube addition increased the hard‐segment glass transition temperature slightly, whereas the soft‐segment glass transition was so diffuse that no conclusions could be drawn. Unfunctionalized tubes suppressed the crystallization of the hard segment; whereas functionalized tubes had no effect. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 45: 490–501, 2007     

Novel antibiotics: second generation macrocyclic peptides designed to trap Holliday junctions

Described are the syntheses of 15 macrocyclic peptides designed to trap Holliday junctions (HJs) in bacteria during site-specific and homologous recombination. This leads to inhibiting bacterial growth. These second generation macrocycles were based on the C-2 symmetrical HJ. They were synthesized using a strategy that permits elucidation of the amino acid role in binding HJs. The syntheses of these macrocycles are an important step in the development of a new class of antibiotics.