Predictive control of periodic-review production inventory systems with deteriorating items

In this paper a predictive control strategy is applied to a periodic-review dynamic inventory system with deteriorating items. Given the current inventory level, we determine the optimal production rates to be implemented at the beginning of each of the following periods over the control horizon. The effectiveness of this approach is the use of future information of the inventory target level and the desired production rate, which are available, along the fixed horizon. The deterioration coefficient may be known or unknown and both cases are considered. In the case where it is unknown, the self-tuning predictive control is applied. The proposed control algorithms are illustrated by simulations.     

Steady state analysis of an M/G/1 queue with two phase service and Bernoulli vacation schedule under multiple vacation policy

This paper examines the steady state behaviour of a batch arrival queue with two phases of heterogeneous service along and Bernoulli schedule vacation under multiple vacation policy, where after two successive phases service or first vacation the server may go for further vacations until it finds a new batch of customer in the system. We carry out an extensive stationary analysis of the system, including existence of stationary regime, queue size distribution of idle period process, embedded Markov chain steady state distribution of stationary queue size, busy period distribution along with some system characteristics.     

Copper(II) trimethylacetate complexes with 3,5-dimethylpyrazole

Specific features of the chemical behavior and structure of copper(II) trimethylacetate complexes with 3,5-dimethylpyrazole have been considered based on X-ray crystallographic data.     

Synthetic modeling of the active site of native metalloenzymes by trimethylacetatozinc complexes

Synthetic approaches are discussed to a preparation of binuclear trimethylacetatozinc complexes containing an M₂(μ-OOCR)₂L₄ binuclear fragment, which is found in the active site of native metalloenzymes.     

Cyphostemmins A-B, two new antifungal oligostilbenes from Cyphostemma crotalarioides (Vitaceae)

Two new antifungal resveratrol dimers, cyphostemmins A-B (1–2), have isolated from the roots of Cyphostemma crotalarioides planch (Vitaceae) together with resveratrol 3 and previously known reseveratrol dimers (4–7). Structures of these new compounds have been established on the basis of their MS and ¹H and ¹³C NMR spectroscopic data.     

Analysis of chlorinated, sulfochlorinated and sulfonamide derivatives of n-tetradecane by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry

The photosulfochlorination of n-tetradecane by sulfuryl chloride leads to a reaction mixture containing unreacted n-tetradecane, chloro n-tetradecanes and n-tetradecanesulfonyl chlorides. Direct and simultaneous GC analysis of the mixture of the sulfochlorinated and chlorinated isomers is followed by mass spectrometry identification of all the components either by electron impact (EI-MS) and by negative and positive chemical ionisation (NCI-MS and PCI-MS). With the goal of performing an accurate quantitative GC analysis, and as n-tetradecanesulfonyl chlorides prone to degrade partially into the corresponding chlorides, the former are converted to N,N-diethylsufonamides, more stable thermally, and then analysed by GC/EI-MS and GC/PCI-MS. The chloro n-tetradecanes, sulfonylchlorides and sulfonamides spectra present strong similarities. However, some differences between terminal and internal isomers are noticed and the peculiar behaviour of sulfonamides is emphasized.     

Synthesis and characterization of active ester-functionalized polypyrrole-silica nanoparticles: application to the covalent attachment of proteins

Novel ester-functionalized polypyrrole-silica nanocomposite particles were prepared by oxidative copolymerization of pyrrole and N-succinimidyl ester pyrrole (50/50% initial concentrations), using FeCl3 in the presence of ultrafine silica nanoparticles (20 nm diameter). The N-succinimidyl ester pyrrole monomer was prepared in aqueous solution using 1-(2-carboxyethylpyrrole) and N-hydroxysuccinimide in the presence of 1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl) carbodiimide. The resulting nanocomposites (N-succinimidyl ester polypyrrole-silica) are raspberry-shaped agglomerates of silica sol particles "glued" together by the insoluble poly(pyrrole-co-N-succinimidyl pyrrole). The N-succinimidyl ester polypyrrole-silica particles were characterized in terms of their size, density, copolymer content, and polydispersity. Scanning electron microscopy and disk centrifuge sedimentometry confirmed that the nanocomposite particles had narrow size distributions. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis indicated a silica-rich surface and a high surface concentration of N-succinimidyl ester groups. These nanoparticles exhibited good long-term dispersion stability. The chemical stability of the ester functions in aqueous media after several weeks of storage was monitored by FTIR spectroscopy. The functionalized nanocomposites were tested as bioadsorbents of human serum albumin (HSA). The very high amount of immobilized HSA determined by UV-visible spectroscopy is believed to be due to covalent binding. Incubation of the HSA-grafted nanocomposite with anti-HSA resulted in immediate flocculation, an indication that they are alternative candidates for visual diagnostic assays.     

Electrospray ionization mass spectrometry studies of noncovalent myosin VI complexes reveal a new specific calmodulin binding site

Among the myosin superfamily, myosin VI differs from all others by a reverse directionality and a particular motility. Little structural information is available for myosin VI. It is known that it binds one calmodulin (CaM) by means of a single "IQ motif" and that myosin VI contains a specific insert located at the junction between the motor domain (MD) and the lever arm, likely to play a critical role for the unusual motility previously observed. Electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (MS) was used to determine the CaM and Ca2+ stoichiometries in several myosin VI constructs. In particular, the experimental conditions required for the observation of multiprotein/Ca2+ noncovalent assemblies are detailed for two truncated MD constructs (less than 20 kDa) and for three full MD constructs (more than 90 KDa). The specificity of the detected stoichiometries is discussed for each construct and the resolving power of Time of Flight mass spectrometry is stressed, in particular for the detection of metal ions binding to high molecular weight complexes. MS reveals a new CaM binding site for myosin VI and highlights a different behavior for the five myosin VI constructs versus Ca2+ binding. In addition to these stoichiometry based experiments, gas-phase dissociation analyses on intact complexes are described. They reveal that Ca2+ transfer between protein partners occurs during the dissociation process for one construct with a full MD. Charge-transfer and dissociation behavior has allowed to draw structural assumptions for the interaction of the MD with the CaM N-terminal lobe.     

Adhesion of protective coatings with modified filler

The effect of physical (ultrasonic) and chemical (exposure in 3% solution of acetic acid) activation of filler on the adhesion strength of the protective coatings based on styrene–acrylic dispersions to different substrates is studied. It is shown that modification of kaolins allows one to increase the adhesion strength by 40–50% in the case of the physical activation and by 1.1–1.2 times in the case of chemical activation. The best results are achieved with the use of E-21 dispersion as the polymer matrix.