Quadratic Padé approximants and the intruder state problem of multireference perturbation methods

Simple and quadratic Padé resummation methods are applied to high‐order series from multireference many‐body perturbation theory (MR‐MBPT) calculations using various partitioning schemes (Møller–Plesset, Epstein–Nesbet, and forced degeneracy) to determine their efficacy in resumming slowly convergent or divergent series. The calculations are performed for the ground and low‐lying excited states of (i) CH₂, (ii) BeH₂ at three geometries, and (iii) Be, for which full configuration interaction (CI) calculations are available for comparison. The 49 perturbation series that are analyzed include those with oscillatory and monotonic divergence and convergence, including divergences that arise from either frontdoor or backdoor intruder states. Both the simple and quadratic Padé approximations are found to speed the convergence of slowly convergent or divergent series. However, the quadratic Padé method generally outperforms the simple Padé resummation. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2005     

Comparison of low-order multireference many-body perturbation theories

Tests have been made to benchmark and assess the relative accuracies of low-order multireference perturbation theories as compared to coupled cluster (CC) and full configuration interaction (FCI) methods. Test calculations include the ground and some excited states of the Be, H(2), BeH(2), CH(2), and SiH(2) systems. Comparisons with FCI and CC calculations show that in most cases the effective valence shell Hamiltonian (H(v)) method is more accurate than other low-order multireference perturbation theories, although none of the perturbative methods is as accurate as the CC approximations. We also briefly discuss some of the basic differences among the multireference perturbation theories considered in this work.     

Identification of Druggable Targets for Acinetobacter baumannii Via Subtractive Genomics and Plausible Inhibitors for MurA and MurB

Emergence of the multidrug-resistant pathogens has rendered the current therapies ineffective thereby, resulting in the need for new drugs and drug targets. The accumulating protein sequence data has initiated a drift from classical drug discovery protocols to structure-based drug designing. In the present study, in silico subtractive genomics approach was implemented to find a set of potential drug targets present in an opportunist bacterial pathogen, Acinetobacter baumannii (A. baumannii). Out of the 43 targets identified, further studies for protein model building and lead-inhibitor identification were carried out on two cell-essential targets, MurA and MurB enzymes (of A. baumannii designated as MurA_Ab and MurB_Ab) involved in the peptidoglycan biosynthesis pathway of bacteria. The homology model built for each of them was further refined and validated using various available programs like PROCHECK, Errat, ProSA energy plots, etc. Compounds showing activity against MurA and MurB enzymes of other organisms were collected from the literature and were docked into the active site of MurA_Ab and MurB_Ab enzymes. Three inhibitors namely, T6361, carbidopa, and aesculin, showed maximum Glide score, hydrogen bonding interactions with the key amino acid residues of both the enzymes and acceptable ADME properties. Furthermore, molecular dynamics simulation studies on MurA_Ab–T6361 and MurB_Ab–T6361 complexes suggested that the ligand has a high binding affinity with both the enzymes and the hydrogen bonding with the key residues were stable in the dynamic condition also. Therefore, these ligands have been propsed as dual inhibitors and promising lead compounds for the drug design against MurA_Ab and MurB_Ab enzymes.     

Addenda to the Preceding Paper

This work contains largely afterthoughts, relating to the paper immediately preceding it. We correlate and interpret our contributions in that paper, relative to those of an earlier publication by Aspley, He and McCuan. We propose specific laboratory experiments, suggested by formal predictions of those two papers.     

Ru(II)‐based antineoplastic: A “wingtip” N‐heterocyclic carbene facilitates access to a new class of organometallics that are cytotoxic to common cancer cell lines

The syntheses, structures, and chemotherapeutic activities of Ag(I)‐, Au(I)‐, and Ru(II)‐complexes ligated to a novel N‐heterocyclic carbene ligand, 2‐(4‐nitrophenyl)imidazo[1,5‐a]pyridin‐2‐ylidene ( 1 ), are described. The corresponding complexes, [Ag( 1 )₂][PF₆], [Au( 1 )₂][PF₆] ( 3 ), and [Ru( 1 )(p‐cymene)Cl][PF₆] ( 4 ), were prepared using convenient transmetallation chemistry and characterized using a range of spectroscopic and analytical techniques. X‐ray crystallography revealed that complexes 2 and 3 adopted linear structures whereas 4 exhibited a prototypical “piano‐stool”‐like geometry; the structural assignments were further supported by DFT calculations. A series of in vitro studies revealed that while the aforementioned Ag(I), Au(I) and Ru(II) complexes exhibited significant cytotoxicities against the human colon adenocarcinoma (HCT 116), lung cancer (A549), and breast cancer (MCF7) cell lines, the Ru derivative was most prominent.     

Strategic arrivals to queues offering priority service

Queueing Systems - We consider strategic arrivals to a FCFS service system that starts service at a fixed time and has to serve a fixed number of customers, for example, an airplane boarding...     

Efficient monooleoyl glycerol synthesis employing hybrid ultrasonic-infrared-wave promoted reactor: Concurrent catalytic and noncatalytic esterification kinetics

For the first time, intensification of monooleoyl glycerol (MOG) synthesis has been investigated in an ultrasonic-infrared-wave (USIRW) promoted batch reactor. Esterification of octadecanoic acid (ODA) with glycerol (Gl) has been conducted [using Amberlyst 36 wet catalyst] in three different reactors, namely traditional batch reactor (TBR), infrared wave promoted batch reactor (IRWPBR), and USIRW-promoted batch reactor (USIRWPBR) to assess the relative efficacy. The energy-efficient USIRWPBR remarkably intensifies the ODA-Gl esterification as manifested through superior ODA conversion (92.5 ± 1.25%) compared to that achieved in IRWPBR (79.8 ± 1.2%) and TBR (36.39 ± 1.25%). The most favorable reaction condition for optimum ODA conversion and maximum MOG yield was identified through statistical optimization over a selected parametric range, namely 3-5 Gl/ODA mole ratio, 0.004-0.006 g/mL Amberlyst 36 catalyst concentration, 300-700 rpm impeller speed, and 333-353 K reaction temperature. The present study also reports the formulation and validation of an innovative reaction kinetics, that is, concurrent noncatalytic and heterogeneously catalyzed (CNCHC) reaction mechanism in addition to the conventional heterogeneous kinetic models (LH and Eley-Rideal mechanisms). Under combined USIRW, the CNCHC esterification mechanism could best describe ODA-Gl esterification (R² = 0.98) compared to LH (R² = 0.97) and Eley-Rideal (R² = 0.88) mechanisms. The optimal product (MOG) was characterized by differential scanning calorimetry and thermogravimetric analysis to assess its crystallization property and thermal stability for possible application as plasticizer/fuel additives.     

AWG and EDFA based optical packet switch using feedback shared loop buffer memory

Optical packet switching provides high speed, data rate/format transparency, efficient use of bandwidth and flexibility. The major problem in the implementation of “all-optical” switching is contention which occurs when two or more packets arrive at the same time for the same destination. To resolve the contention, we have proposed an optical packet switch architecture based on WDM loop buffer memory in the feedback configuration. In that architecture, the contending packets are stored in a loop buffer module, and routed in the free time slots. The buffering duration in the recirculating loop is limited by a circulation limit. The analysis was been done to obtain the maximum number of allowed circulations. This paper proposes improved version of that optical packet switch architecture, to increase the number of maximum allowed circulations. The modification is done either by adding an extra erbium doped fiber amplifier (EDFA) in the original switch or by replacing the core space switch with arrayed waveguide grating (AWG). The performance analysis has been done by the simulations.     

Enzyme-mediated biodegradation of heat treated commercial polyethylene by Staphylococcal species

Extruded low-density polyethylene (LDPE) films commonly available in the market as 20-micron thick carrier bags were autoclaved, overlaid on nutrient agar plates and inoculated with BP/SU1 strain of Staphylococcus epidermis. The nutrient agar plate showed growth of the organism within two to three days. The polymer film supporting the growth of the organism showed pore formation as recorded by SEM analysis. The growth of BP/SU1 is supported by the presence of shredded LDPE as its only carbon source in inorganic salt minimal nutrient medium. The organism survives even after three months of inoculation and this is accompanied by gradual breakdown of the size of the shredded plastic as seen by light scattering. The cell-free supernatant of the organism, grown with the help of shredded plastic shows the presence of the over expressed proteins with approximate molecular weight of about 55 kDa and 35 kDa, through SDS-PAGE analysis.