Online weighted flow time and deadline scheduling

In this paper we study some aspects of weighted flow time. We first show that the online algorithm Highest Density First is an O(1)-speed O(1)-approximation algorithm for P|r_i,pmtn|∑w_iF_i. We then consider a related Deadline Scheduling Problem that involves minimizing the weight of the jobs unfinished by some unknown deadline D on a uniprocessor. We show that any c-competitive online algorithm for weighted flow time must also be c-competitive for deadline scheduling. We then give an O(1)-competitive algorithm for deadline scheduling.     

A highly active fungal β-glucosidase

A highly active thermostable β-glucosidase was purified to homogeneity from a strain ofTrichoderma sp. The enzyme was an extracellular glycoprotein and showed hydrolytic activity toward several β-glucosides. Cellobiose was found to be the substrate of choice for this enzyme. This finding could suggest future technological applications of the purified protein.     

Photochromic reverse mode polymer dispersed liquid crystals

Control of light intensity and colour are two of the major features required in the realization of smart windows. We designed a bi-functional polymer dispersed liquid crystal (PDLC) film in order to satisfy such requirements, i.e. it is able both to modulate the optical transmission, if an external electric field is applied, and to change colour if exposed to sunlight. A monomer/liquid crystal mixture was doped with a small amount of photochromic material and homeotropically aligned by means of rough surfaces. A transparent and pale pink coloured film was achieved after photopolymerization. Such a film changes colour upon exposure for some seconds to sunlight or ultraviolet radiation in a persistent but reversible manner. In addition, the film appears transparent without the application of an electric field (OFF state) and becomes opaque on application of a driving voltage of about 75 V (ON state), and thus the film operates in reverse mode with respect to conventional PDLCs.     

Transparent boundary conditions for a class of boundary value problems in some ramified domains with a fractal boundary

We consider some boundary value problems in self-similar ramified domains, with Laplace and Helmholtz equations. We discuss transparent boundary conditions. These conditions permit computing the restriction of the solutions to domains obtained by stopping the geometric construction after a finite number of steps. To cite this article: Y. Achdou et al., C. R. Acad. Sci. Paris, Ser. I 342 (2006).     

NdFeO3 as a new electrocatalytic material for the electrochemical monitoring of dopamine

A new electrochemical sensor, based on NdFeO₃ nanoparticles as electrocatalytic material, was proposed here for the detection of dopamine (DA). NdFeO₃ nanoparticles were first synthesized by a simple thermal treatment method and subsequent annealing at high temperature (700 °C). The prepared electrocatalytic material has been characterized in detail by SEM-EDX, XRD, and Raman techniques. Characterization results display its sheet-like morphology, constituted by a porous network of very small orthorhombic NdFeO₃ nanoparticles. NdFeO₃ electrocatalytic material was then used to modify the working electrode of screen-printed carbon electrodes (SPCEs). Electrochemical tests demonstrated that NdFeO₃– modified screen-printed carbon electrode (NdFeO₃/SPCE) exhibited a remarkable enhancement of the dopamine electrooxidation, compared to the bare SPCE one. The analytical performance of the developed sensor has been evaluated for the detection of this analyte by means of the square-wave voltammetry (SWV) technique. The modified electrode showed two linear concentration ranges, from 0.5 to 100 μM and 150 to 400 μM, respectively, a limit of detection (LOD) of 0.27 μM (at S/N = 3), and good reproducibility, stability, and selectivity. Additionally, we also report an attempt made to propose the modified sensor for the simultaneous detection of dopamine and uric acid (UA). The procedure was also applied for the determination of dopamine in spiked real samples. So, this paper reports for the first time the use of a modified NdFeO₃ screen-printed electrode for developing an electrochemical sensor for the quantification of important biomolecules.

Graphical abstract

     

Carbocyclic analogs of nucleosides. Part 2.. Synthesis of 2′,3′-dideoxy-5′-homonucleoside analogs

A set of derivatives of cyclopentaneacetic acid cis-substituted at position 3 by nucleoside bases (both purines and pyrimidines) were prepared and characterized (see 11, 14 , and 23a, b; Schemes 2–4). These molecules are carbocyclic analogs of 2′,3′-dideoxy-5′-homonucleosides. In this synthesis, the skeleton was constructed from norbornanone and a novel method based on Mitsunobu chemistry used for the introduction of nucleoside-base substituents. The scope of this method was further explored via the preparation of a cyclobutyl analog of dideoxyguanosine (see 17 , Scheme 3).     

Mercury extraction by ionic liquids: temperature and alkyl chain length effect

The preliminary results described here show the complete transfer of Hg(II) ions, in the absence of a chelating agent in 1-alkyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate ionic liquids; the lag time required to gain the quantitative metal ion partition turned out to be strongly dependent both on alkyl chain length on the imidazolium ring and on the working temperature.     

Genetic aspects of variation of protein amounts in maize and pea

Using high-resolution two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis we studied the polymorphism of protein amounts in some genotypes of maize and pea. This type of variability seems to be rather common and insensitive to environmental conditions, as attested by the comparison of the patterns of two maize lines harvested in two different years. A large-scale experiment involving 5 lines, 7 of their hybrids, and 6 organs (or physiological stages) of maize allowed us to examine numerous polypeptides regarding their genetic variability, their amount differences between organs and the inheritance of their abundance. Genetic and organ variations are not independent: polypeptides whose amount varies from one organ to another are, for the most part, genetically variable (59%), while the stable polypeptides are not often genetically variable (18%). We found a striking organ specificity for (i) the extent of quantitative variability (from 2.3-15.4% of the polypeptides), (ii) the occurrence and the type of variation for a given polypeptide (an intensity difference seen in an organ can disappear or even be reversed in another one), (iii) the kind of inheritance (additive/non-additive): combining the 6 organs and the 7 hybrids we found 101 cases of non-additivity (4% of the total) which concern as many as 72 different spots, that is to say that in most cases a polypeptide displaying nonadditivity in an organ seems to display additivity in the other ones. Moreover, for most of the polypeptides with nonadditive inheritance the hybrid spot presents an intensity similar to that of the most intense parental spot.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Ferrocene incorporating host-guest dyads with electrochemically controlled three-pole hydrogen bonding properties

We describe the electrochemically controlled hydrogen bonding interactions between the isobutyl flavin/2,6-diferrocenylamidopyridine (2·5) and 9,10-phenanthrenequinone/1-ferrocenyl-3-hexylurea (4·6) dyads. Cyclic and square wave voltammetry studies have shown that the binding efficiencies between these moieties can be electrochemically actuated in non-polar (CH₂Cl₂ for 2·5) or polar (DMF for 4·6) organic solvents between three distinct states.     

ON PHOTOREACTIONS OF ANTHRACENE IN SOLID MATRIX—I. PHOTODIMERIZATION

Abstract— The influence of a surrounding transparent matrix on the photochemical behavior of an absorbing solute has been investigated on the particular case of anthracene in KBr , KCl and in HBO₂ and B₂O₃ glasses. In KBr compressed powders, dianthracene formation occurs with a high yield, whereas it is forbidden or negligible for pure crystalline anthracene.
Experiments show that the anthracene molecules are associated in microcrystals and suggest that the dimerization reaction occurs at the interface between KBr and anthracene crystals.
Such an influence of the heterogeneity of the irradiated medium may have implications in photobiology where heterogeneous structures are the general rule.