Sensitivity analysis in lightning protection risk management

The total risk R can be expressed by the following equation: R = NPL, where N is the number of dangerous events, P is the probability of damage and L measures the amount of loss. These parameters can be regarded as macroparameters in the sense that they can be given as a function of additional parameters (microparameters).Methods of calculation, check and refinement of parameter values have always been general themes of the standardization. The comparison of standards IEC 62305-2:2006 Ed. 1 and IEC 62305-2:2010 Ed. 2 is a good example of these efforts, as changes underwent in the determination of the collection area of service and the value of some parameters, moreover new parameters were introduced in order to break existent parameters into more components.Though the international standard contains the value of parameters, it does not give any information about the procedure how these values were determined, nor about the theoretical considerations behind. Therefore it is proper to ask whether the changes of a given parameter value or introduction of a new parameter make radical changes in resulting risk value or not.In this study sensitivity analysis was used to investigate how the individual macro- and micro parameters influence the risk. Moreover it was determined whether or not new parameters and calculations have an effect on the importance of the respective components of the resulting risk.The sensitivity analysis was done for two case studies in the standard, a country house and an office building respectively, with both editions of the standard.     

Assignment of Vibrational Circular Dichroism Cross-Referenced Electronic Circular Dichroism Spectra of Flexible Foldamer Building Blocks: Towards Assigning Pure Chiroptical Properties of Foldamers

Assignment of the most established electronic circular dichroism (ECD) spectra of polypeptides and foldamers is either “evidence based” or relies on the 3D structures of longer oligomers of limited internal dynamics, which are derived from NMR spectroscopy (or X-ray) data. Critics warn that the use of NMR spectroscopy and ECD side by side has severe limitations for flexible molecules because explicit knowledge of conformational ensembles is a challenge. Herein, an old–new method of comparing ab initio computed and measured vibrational circular dichroism (VCD) data is presented to validate both the structures (conf(i)) and their relative weights (c(i)) that make up the conformational ensemble. Based on the array of {conf(i), c(i)}, the pure ECD spectra, g(i)^conf(i), can be ab initio calculated. The reconstructed spectrum Σc(i)g(i)^conf(i) can thus help to assign any experimental ECD counterparts. Herein, such a protocol is successfully applied to flexible foldamer building blocks of sugar β-amino acid diamides. The epimeric pair of the model system was selected because these molecules were conformationally tunable by simple chemical modification, and thus, the robustness of the current approach could be probed. The initial hydrogen bond (NH⋅⋅⋅O) eliminated by N-methylation reorients the amide plain, which influences the chiroptical properties of the foldamer building block; this structural change is successfully monitored by changes to the VCD and ECD transitions, which are now assigned to pure conformers. The current method seems to be general and effective without requiring extensive CPU and spectroscopic resources.     

Interaction of HNCO with Au(111) surfaces

The surface chemistry of isocyanic acid, HNCO, and its dissociation product, NCO, was studied on clean, O-dosed and Ar ion bombarded Au(111) surfaces. The techniques used are high resolution energy loss spectroscopy (HREELS) and temperature-programmed desorption (TPD). The structure of Ar ion etched surface is explored by scanning tunneling microscopy (STM). HNCO adsorbs molecularly on Au(111) surface at 100 K yielding strong losses at 1390, 2270 and 3230 cm^? 1. The weakly adsorbed HNCO desorbs in two peaks characterized by T_p = 130 and 145 K. The dissociation of the chemisorbed HNCO occurs at 150 K to give NCO species characterized by a vibration at 2185 cm^? 1. The dissociation process is facilitated by the presence of preadsorbed O and by defect sites on Au(111) produced by Ar ion bombardment. In the latter case the loss feature of NCO appeared at 2130 cm^? 1. Isocyanate on Au(111) surface was found to be more stable than on the single crystal surfaces of Pt-group metals. Results are compared with those obtained on supported Au catalysts.     

Synthetic Studies Towards the O-Specific Polysaccharide of Shigella Sonnei

ABSTRACT

Synthetic routes are described to zwitter-ionic disaccharides that are diastereoisomerically related to frame-shifted repeating units of the title polysaccharide that contains 2-acetamido-4-amino-2,4,6-trideoxy-D-galactose and 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-L-altruronic acid. The intermediates corresponding to the trideoxygalactose residue feature acylamino functions at C-2 and an azido group at C-4. Best results were obtained with N-phthaloyl- and N-trichloroacetyl-protected derivatives. The intermediates corresponding to the uronic acid residue were either a D-altruronic acid-derived acceptor or a D-altrose-derived donor in which C-6 was oxidized after disaccharide formation.     

Radical-Mediated Halogenations of Anomerically N-Substituted Glucopyranosyl Derivatives

Abstract

Reactions of acetylated N-aryl-D-glucosylamines with N-bromosuccinimide-benzoyl peroxide or with sulfuryl chloride-azoisobutyronitrile gave aromatic halo derivatives. The corresponding N-acetylated compounds were mostly inert towards halogenation. Bromination of acetylated cellobiosylpiperidine resulted in the formation of acetobromocellobiose, while the acetylated 2,6,8-trichloro-9-(β-D-glucopyranosyl)-purine was transformed into its 5′-bromo derivative. In contrast, peracetylated glucopyranosyl isothiocyanate or azides, when treated by N-bromosuccinimide under free-radical conditions, essentially undergo an initial homolysis of the anomeric C-H bond which is faster for β-anomers. This initiates a new, simple and efficient free-radical transformation of such sugar azides into an unprecedented brornimino lactone (92% isolated yield).     

Validated HPLC Method for Simultaneous Quantitation of Bergenin,Arbutin, and Gallic Acid in Leaves of Different Bergenia Species

Bergenia species (Saxifragaceae) are important sources of herbal medicines in Asia, mainly in Russia. Various plant parts are valued for their antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant sand adaptogenic effect, and used for the dissolution of kidney and bladder stones. In this study a rapid reversed phase liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) method has been developed for rapid screening and identifying of the main active components in leaf samples of Bergenia accessions. The main goal of this study was to develop an efficient method for the simultaneous identification and detection of arbutin, bergenin and gallic acid from Bergenia leaf samples, which were extracted with a methanolic solvent mixture [methanol:water = 1:1 (v/v)]. Chromatographic separations were performed on a reversed phase Luna C18(2)-HST HPLC column. This chromatographic system provided increased speed and efficiency for separations, without the need for ultra-high pressures. Reversed phase HPLC coupled with diode array detector method was used for the analysis. The method was validated using ICH guidelines. The level of gallic acid was significantly higher in Bergenia crassifolia samples compared to Bergenia cordifolia. However, the samples of the two Bergenia species did not differ substantially regarding the concentrations of arbutin and bergenin. The novel method proved to be fast and allowed sufficient separation and quantification of arbutin, bergenin and gallic acid, the most important bioactive compounds of Bergenia leaves; thus facilitating rapid screening and quality assessment of Bergenia samples of various botanical and geographical origins.     

Applications of the 308-nm excimer laser in dermatology

Excimer lasers contain a mixture of a noble inert gas and a halogen, which form excited dimers only in the activated state. High-energy current is used to produce these dimers, which have a very short lifetime, and after their fast dissociation they release the excitation energy through ultraviolet photons. The application of these lasers proved to be successful in medicine, including the field of ophthalmology, cardiology, angiology, dentistry, orthopaedics, and, in recent years, dermatology. For medical purposes, the 193-nm argon fluoride, the 248-nm krypton fluoride, the 351-nm xenon fluoride, and the 308-nm xenon chloride lasers are used. Recently, the 308-nm xenon chloride laser has gained much attention as a very effective treatment modality in dermatological disorders. It was successfully utilized in psoriasis; later, it proved to be useful in handling other lightsensitive skin disorders and even in the treatment of allergic rhinitis. This review summarizes the possible applications of this promising tool in dermatology.     

Causal standard model

Field equations in the minimal Standard Model are equivalent to hyperbolic partial differential equations supplemented by constraints. It is shown that wave fronts of the solutions propagate causally. This statement is valid also for the effective chiral Lagrangian model in which electroweak interactions are treated without the Higgs potential.