An Integer Goal Programming Model to Allocate Offices to Staff in an Academic Institution

This paper investigates the problem of allocating office space to members of staff in an academic institution. We identify several conflicting objectives and formulate an integer pre-emptive goal programming model to address them. Using data from a pilot site of the University of Westminster, UK, we then experiment with alternative rankings of the objectives. Finally, given the plans to consolidate the activities of this university into fewer sites and the resulting need to relocate some staff members, we discuss how this model can be used to ensure that this process is carried out with the least possible inconvenience.     

ECTDL study of N 2 - and O 2 -pressure broadening of a series of ammonia lines in the 1.5 μm (ν 1 +ν 3 ) combination band

Nitrogen and oxygen pressure broadening parameters for seven ^r P(J”,0) transitions of the ν₁+ν₃ overtone band of the main isotope of ammonia with J” varied from 2 to 9 have been measured at room temperature using an external cavity tunable diode laser spectrometer. Air-broadening parameters have also been calculated from the N₂ and O₂ measurements. The results are compared to previous measurements in the ν₁, ν₂, ν₃, ν₄ and ν₁+ν₃ bands and to the parameters for the ν₃ band that are reported in the HITRAN database. PACS 33.70.Jg; 33.70.-W; 33.20.Ea; 42.62.Fi; 42.68.Ca     

A study of Bose-Einstein correlations ine+e? annihilation at 91 GeV

This paper describes a study of Bose-Einstein correlations made using the ALEPH detector at LEP. The correlations are found to enhance the two particle differential cross section for pairs of identical pions by a factor which can be roughly parametrized byR(Q)=1+ exp(-Q²²), whereQ is the difference in the 3-momenta of the two pions in their centre of mass frame, =0.51±0.04±0.11 and =3.3±0.2±0.8 GeV^–1, which corresponds to a source size of 0.65±0.04±0.16 fm. The large systematic errors on these results reflect their strong dependence on the choice of the reference sample used in the analysis. This problem is believed to occur primarily because of uncertainties in the rates of resonance production and a lack of knowledge about the pion-pion strong interaction. No significant correlations are seen amongst like-charged pion-kaon pairs.Supported by CAICYT, Spain     

Folding disulfide-containing proteins faster with an aromatic thiol

The traditional method for in vitro folding of disulfide-containing proteins is slow and involves a redox buffer of glutathione and glutathione disulfide. To increase the folding rate and to gain insight into the folding process, we replaced glutathione, an aliphatic thiol, with a commercially available aromatic thiol, 4-mercaptobenzeneacetate (1). Aromatic thiol 1 was selected due to its enhanced nucleophilicity and its enhanced leaving-group ability relative to glutathione at pH 7.7. To demonstrate the advantages of 1, the folding of reduced and scrambled RNase A at pH 7.0 and 7.7 in the presence of 1 and glutathione was investigated. For each set of folding conditions, the optimum concentration of each thiol was initially determined and then the folding rates in the presence of each thiol were measured concurrently. In all cases examined, the folding rate enhancement with the aromatic thiol was 5- 6-fold. Furthermore, under similar conditions folding rates were almost identical with either reduced or scrambled RNase A. In addition the 5-6-fold folding rate enhancement varied only slightly with pH, 7.0 vs 7.7.     

The initiation of polymerization by organometallic compounds—V. The termination mechanism in the polymerization of acrylonitrile initiated by tetrakis(dimethylamido)titanium(IV)

A simple method is described for the preparation of pure, dry alcohols, tritiated in the hydroxyl group. The polymerization of acrylonitrile initiated by tetrakis(dimethylamido)titanium(IV) has been terminated by quenching with tritiated isopropanol at varying reaction times, and the radioactivity of the polymer has been determined, in order to measure the concentration of metal-polymer bonds present in the reaction. The results indicate that about 97 per cent of the polymer present has been terminated by a reaction leading to detachment of the polymer chain from the metal centre. A very small fraction of the total polymer is terminated by a reaction which does not lead to detachment of the polymer. Possible reaction mechanisms are discussed.     

Structural properties of a series of photochromic fluorinated indolylfulgides

Fluorinated indolyl­fulgides are a class of photochromic organic compounds that meet many of the requirements for use as optical memory media and optical switches. The X‐ray crystal structures of a series of five photochromic fluorinated indolyl­fulgides have been determined, namely (3Z)‐3‐[1‐(1,2‐di­methyl‐1H‐indol‐3‐yl)‐2,2,2‐tri­fluoro­ethyl­idene]‐4‐(1‐methyl­ethyl­idene)­dihydrofuran‐2,5‐dione (tri­fluoro­methyl­iso­propyl­idene­indolyl­fulgide), C₁₉H₁₆F₃NO₃, (I), (3Z)‐3‐[1‐(1,2‐dimethyl‐1H‐indol‐3‐yl)‐2,2,3,3,3‐penta­fluoro­propyl­idene]‐4‐(1‐methyl­ethyl­idene)­dihydrofuran‐2,5‐dione (penta­fluoro­ethyl­iso­propyl­idene­indolyl­fulgide), C₂₀H₁₆F₅NO₃, (II), (3Z)‐3‐[1‐(1,2‐di­methyl‐1H‐indol‐3‐yl)‐2,2,3,3,4,4,4‐hepta­fluoro­butyl­idene]‐4‐(1‐methyl­ethyl­idene)­dihydrofuran‐2,5‐dione (hepta­fluoro­propyl­iso­propyl­idene­indolyl­fulgide), C₂₁H₁₆F₇NO₃, (III), (3Z)‐3‐[1‐(1,2‐di­methyl‐1H‐indol‐3‐yl)‐2,2,2‐tri­fluoro­ethyl­idene]‐4‐(tri­cyclo­[3.3.1.1^3,7]­decyl­idene­)dihydrofuran‐2,5‐dione (tri­fluoro­methyl­adamantyl­idene­indolyl­fulgide), C₂₆H₂₄F₃NO₃, (IV), and (3Z)‐3‐[1‐(1,2‐di­methyl‐1H‐indol‐3‐yl)‐2,2,3,3,4,4,4‐hepta­fluoro­butyl­idene]‐4‐(tri­cyclo­[3.3.1.1^3,7]­decyl­idene­)dihydrofuran‐2,5‐dione (hepta­fluoro­propyl­adamantylidenein­dolyl­fulgide), C₂₈H₂₄F₇NO₃, (V). The photochromic property of fulgides is based on the photochemically allowed electrocyclic ring closure of a hexatriene system to form a cyclo­hexa­diene. For each fulgide examined, the bond lengths within the hexatriene system alternate between short and long, as expected. Comparing the structures of the five fulgides with each other demonstrates no significant difference in bond lengths, bond angles or dihedral angles within the hexatriene systems. The distance between the bond‐forming C atoms at each end of the hexatriene system does vary. Correlations of structural properties with optical properties are addressed.     

Electrocatalysts Derived from Copper Complexes Transform CO into C2+ Products Effectively in a Flow Cell

Electrochemical reactors that electrolytically convert CO₂ into higher-value chemicals and fuels often pass a concentrated hydroxide electrolyte across the cathode. This strongly alkaline medium converts the majority of CO₂ into unreactive HCO₃⁻ and CO₃²⁻ byproducts rather than into CO₂ reduction reaction (CO2RR) products. The electrolysis of CO (instead of CO₂) does not suffer from this undesirable reaction chemistry because CO does not react with OH⁻. Moreover, CO can be more readily reduced into products containing two or more carbon atoms (i. e., C₂₊ products) compared to CO₂. We demonstrate here that an electrocatalyst layer derived from copper phthalocyanine ( CuPc ) mediates this conversion effectively in a flow cell. This catalyst achieved a 25 % higher selectivity for acetate formation at 200 mA/cm² than a known state-of-art oxide-derived Cu catalyst tested in the same flow cell. A gas diffusion electrode coated with CuPc electrolyzed CO into C₂₊ products at high rates of product formation (i. e., current densities ≥200 mA/cm²), and at high faradaic efficiencies for C₂₊ production (FE_C2+; >70 % at 200 mA/cm²). While operando Raman spectroscopy did not reveal evidence of structural changes to the copper molecular complex, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy suggests that the catalyst undergoes conversion to a metallic copper species during catalysis. Notwithstanding, the ligand environment about the metal still impacts catalysis, which we demonstrated through the study of a homologous CuPc bearing ethoxy substituents. These findings reveal new strategies for using metal complexes for the formation of carbon-neutral chemicals and fuels at industrially relevant conditions.