Teaching Operational Research Technique

Good technique, i.e. competence in carrying out operational research, is as vital for the practitioner to acquire as competence in the traditional ‘techniques’. It is suggested that universities should teach students how to conduct simple projects prior to alerting them to more sophisticated methodological issues.As an aid to this task, the traditional five or six parts of an operational research project are broken down and extended into 39 steps, and regrouped into three phases. Also, five skills are identified as being conceptually essential to "good" operational research, which students can develop through tackling suitable case studies.     

The cluster expansion for potentials with exponential fall-off

Continuing the work of a previous paper, the Glimm-Jaffe-Spencer cluster expansion from constructive quantum field theory is adapted to treat quantum statistical mechanical systems of particles interacting by potentials that fall off exponentially at large distance. The HamiltonianH ₀+V need be stable in the extended sense thatH ₀+4V+BN0 for someB. In this situation, with a mild technical condition on the potentials, the cluster expansion converges and the infinite volume limit of the correlation functions exists, at low enough density. These infinite volume correlation functions cluster exponentially. A natural system included in the present treatment is that of matter with ther ^–1 potential replaced bye ^–ar/r. The Hamiltonian is stable, but the system would collapse in the absence of the exclusion principle—the potential is unstable. Therefore this system cannot be handled by the classic work of Ginibre, which requires stable potentials.This work was supported in part by NSF Grant MPS 75-10751Michigan Junior Fellow     

Diphosphine-phosphenium coordination complexes representing monocations with pendant donors and ligand tethered dications

Homoatomic P-P coordinate bonding is exploited to prepare the first examples of triphosphorus monocations and tetraphosphorus dications using dimethylphosphenium or diphenylphosphenium Lewis acceptors with diphosphinomethane, diphosphinoethane, diphosphinohexane, or diphosphinobenzene ligands. Solid-state structures and spectroscopic characterization data for complexes involving bis(diphenylphosphino)methane ligands show coordination of only one donor site of the diphosphine ligand in the monocations, and chelate complexation is not observed. Tetraphosphorus dications are observed with longer diphosphines, in which the ligand tethers two phosphenium acceptors. The structural preferences between monocations with pendant phosphines and tethered dications are dependent on intramolecular steric interactions and the flexibility of the tether.     

A laser desorption fourier transform mass spectrometric study of dimethyl 8-acetyl-3,7,12,17-tetramethylporphyrin-2,18-dipropanoate

Laser desorption Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance positive- and negative-ion mass spectra are presented for dimethyl 8-acetyl-3,7,12,17-tetramethylporphyrin-2,18-dipropanoate. The 248-nm laser ionization thresholds for both positive and negative ions are observed to be about 2.5 MW cm^?2. The M⁺˙ molecular ion is assigned to the base peak in the low-power spectra whereas it is the M^?˙ ion for the corresponding anion spectra. Increased intensities of [M + H]⁺ and [M ? H]^? are observed with increased laser fluences of up to 38 MW cm^?2. At high laser powers the negative-ion results reveal that a series of carbon-nitrogen cumulene and polyacetylene cluster ions are formed. Laser evaporation/multiphoton ionization/ and thermal evaporation/electron impact ionization/collision-induced dissociation experiments carried out on the porphyrin M⁺˙ and [M + H]⁺ ions over a range of translational kinetic energies and delay times after acceleration are compared and used to obtain mechanistic and structural information. In contrast to the electron impact experiments, which show only side-chain cleavage, the laser-based collision-induced dissociation experiments reveal that, in addition to side-chain cleavage, it is possible to cleave the porphyrin ring to various extents depending on the ion translational energy selected.     

Advances in ion chromatography: speciation of μ 1−1 levels of metallo-cyanides using ion-interaction chromatography

Fe(CN)^4?₆, Cu(CN)^3?₄, Co(CN)^3?₆, Fe(CN)^3?₆, Ni(CN)^2?₄ and Cr(CN)^3?₆ are determined by ion-interaction chromatography using a C₁₈ column and methanol-tetrahydrofuran-10 mM phosphate buffer (pH 7.9) (25 + 1 + 74, v/v/v) containing 5 mM tetrabutylammonium hydroxide as mobile phase, with spectrophotometric detection at 214 nm. Detection limits are in the range 0.01–0.5 mg 1^?1. In an alternative approach, an automated on-line sample preconcentration technique is used wherein a 2-ml volume of sample containing metallo-cyanides is loaded onto a C₁₈ precolumn which has been equilibrated with the above mobile phase. The bound solutes are then eluted from the precolumn to a C₁₈ analytical column where they are separated using the same mobile phase as employed to equilibrate the precolumn. Detection limits are in the rate 0.08–1.58 μg 1^?1 and calibration graphs are linear up to 200 μg 1^?1. The preconcentration step is shown to give quantitative recoveries for all species except Fe(CN)^4?₆ and (CN)^3?₄. The iron(II) complex does not bind quantitatively to the precolumn, and extensive studies with the copper complex suggested that low recoveries were due to dissociation and ligand-exchange reactions occurring during the chromatographic separation process. Negative interference effects were observed for Cl^? and SO^2?₄ when present at a level of 250 mg 1^1?, and UV-absorbing anions such as Br^?, SCN^?, NO^?₂ and NO^?₃ caused positive interference when present at concentrations as low as 1 mg 1^?1. The negative interferences could be reduced by diluting the sample and the positive interferences could be eliminated by incorporating an additional step in the preconcentration process, in which UV-absorbing anions bound to the precolumn after sample loading were eluted selectively using an eluent consisting of 10 mM NaCl in phosphate buffer (pH 6.7).     

Complexing processes in M(II)-dithiomalonamide-diacetyl triple systems (M= Ni,Cu) in ethanol solution and in a metal(II)hexacyanoferrate(II) gelatin-immobilized matrix materials

The complexing processes in the M ^II -dithiomalonamide-diacetyl triple system (M=Ni, Cu) occuring in the nickel(II)- and copper(II)hexacyanoferrate(II) gelatin-immobilized matrix in contact with aqueous alkaline solutions (pH~12) containing dithiomalonamide and diacetyl at room temperature, and between MCl₂, dithiomalonamide and diacetyl in EtOH solutions upon heating to$80°C, have been studied. In the Ni ^II -dithiomalonamide-diacetyl system, template synthesis occurs in EtOH solution but does not occur in the gelatin-immobilized matrix, whereas in the Cu ^II -dithiomalonamide-diacetyl system, template synthesis occurs in the gelatin-immobilized matrix but not in EtOH solution. Dithiomalonamide and diacetyl are the ligand synthons in the processes indicated.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">In vitro</Emphasis> inhibitory effect of polyoxometalates on human tumor cells

H₇[NiV₁₃O₃₈] was synthesized from K₇[NiV₁₃O₃₈] using an ion exchange method. Then Pr₂H[NiV₁₃O₃₈] was obtained by double decomposition of H₇[NiV₁₃O₃₈] with Pr₂(CO₃)₃. The actual amount of praseodymium measured by elemental analysis coincides with the designed amount of praseodymium in Pr₂H[NiV₁₃O₃₈]. The i.r. spectra suggested that the [NiV₁₃O₃₈]^7– anion did not collapse after the ion exchange and double decomposition. The ⁵¹V n.m.r. spectrum of Pr₂H[NiV₁₃O₃₈] showed four peaks and their ratio of the relative intensity was 4:4:4:1. This result agrees with the chemical environment of V atoms in the [NiV₁₃O₃₈]^7– anion. In vitro antitumor activities of polyoxometalates on several human tumor cells have been investigated using the MTT method. Pr₂H[NiV₁₃O₃₈] is the most effective polyoxometalate tested in this study for inhibiting KB cell. Pr₂H[NiV₁₃O₃₈] also showed remarkable inhibitory effect on some other tumor cells: HCT, Bel, B₁₆, BCAP and ESCL cells. These results indicate that Pr₂H[NiV₁₃O₃₈] is a potent broad spectrum antitumor agent. The structure type of polyoxometalates greatly influences their antitumor activity: the order of structure type for inhibiting KB cell is: [NiV₁₃O₃₈]^7–>[Mo₇O₂₄]^6–>Anderson structure Keggin structure Dawson structure. Moreover, the nature of the polyatom in the polyoxometalates also greatly influences their antitumor activity: the polyatom order for inhibiting KB cell is: V>Mo W. On the other hand, the nature of the counter cation and the heteroatom in the polyoxometalates exerted a relatively small influence on the inhibitory effect against the KB cell, although the praseodymium salt of [NiV₁₃O₃₈]^7– showed a higher antitumor activity than its potassium salt.     

Estimating measurement uncertainty in an afternoon. A case study in the practical application of measurement uncertainty

The ISO/IEC 17025:1999 standard requires chemical testing laboratories to have an estimate of the uncertainty of their measurements. This is a new requirement for many laboratories and there is confusion as to how to estimate uncertainty. Concerns have been raised about the time and effort required to obtain uncertainty estimates.Uncertainty budgets were prepared for the measurement of benzene, toluene, ethyl benzene and xylenes (BTEX) in water using purge and trap coupled with GC/MS. A time limit of one working afternoon (2 pm–5.30 pm) was imposed for preparing the uncertainty estimate. Details of the uncertainty estimate for toluene are described.The method in question had been in routine use for several years and the laboratory held third party (NATA) accreditation for the test. Consequently a considerable amount of performance data was readily available. Relevant information was extracted from the documented test method, validation data, instrument calibration and from routine quality control. This data was combined according to the principles of the ISO Guide to the Expression of Uncertainty, as promulgated in the Eurachem document "Quantifying Uncertainty in Analytical Measurement."The uncertainty estimates were compared to estimates obtained from generalised empirical models (the Horwitz and Lowthian equations), and from interlaboratory studies of this analysis.A traceability chain from routine measurements to the SI units of metre, kilogram and mole is described.Realistic and useful uncertainty estimates were obtained with a few hours work using data extant in the laboratory.     

A SIFT ion-molecule study of some reactions in Titan's atmosphere. reactions of N(+), N(2)(+), and HCN(+) with CH(4), C(2)H(2), and C(2)H(4)

The results of a study of the ion-molecule reactions of N(+), N(2)(+), and HCN(+) with methane, acetylene, and ethylene are reported. These studies were performed using the FA-SIFT at the University of Canterbury. The reactions studied here are important to understanding the ion chemistry in Titan's atmosphere. N(+) and N(2)(+) are the primary ions formed by photo-ionization and electron impact in Titan's ionosphere and drive Titan's ion chemistry. It is therefore very important to know how these ions react with the principal trace neutral species in Titan's atmosphere: Methane, acetylene, and ethylene. While these reactions have been studied before the product channels have been difficult to define as several potential isobaric products make a definitive answer difficult. Mass overlap causes difficulties in making unambiguous species assignments in these systems. Two discriminators have been used in this study to resolve the mass overlap problem. They are deuterium labeling and also the differences in reactivities of each isobar with various neutral reactants. Several differences have been found from the products in previous work. The HCN(+) ion is important in both Titan's atmosphere and in the laboratory.     

Investigation of the Electrochemical Reduction of Benzophenone in Aprotic Solvents Using the Method of Cyclic Voltammetry

The reduction of benzophenone (Bzph) in 3-pentanone (PEN), acetone (ACE), N,N-dimethylacetamide (DMA), N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF), tetrahydrofuran (THF), acetonitrile (ACN) and dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) with n-tetrabutylammonium hexafluorophosphate (TBAPF₆) as background electrolyte was studied using the technique of cyclic voltammetry at the temperature of 263.15 K. The half-wave potentials (E _1/2) were extracted. The reduction of Bzph occurs in two successive one-electron steps to produce first the free radical anion Bzph⁻ and then the dianion Bzph²⁻. The results indicated that the radical anion Bzph⁻ is reoxidized to Bzph in all investigated solvent media whereas the dianion Bzph²⁻ is reoxidized to Bzph⁻ only in THF. The heterogeneous electron-transfer rate constants (k _s ) were evaluated by employing the electrochemical rate equation proposed by Nicholson. The rate of electron transfer for the Bzph/Bzph⁻ couple was found to be relatively slow in all investigated solvent media. Consequently, the electron-transfer processes can be recognized as quasi-reversible. The diffusion coefficients (D) of Bzph in the investigated solvent media have been calculated using the modified Randles-Sevcik equation. The effect of the physical and chemical properties of the solvent medium on the electrochemical behavior of Bzph has been examined.