Synthesis of tetrazole from α, β—Unsaturated carbonyl fatty acid

Methyl 4-oxo-trans-2-octadecenoate (II), when treated with excess hydrazoic acid in the presence of BF₃-etherate, produced 66% methyl 5-aza-nonadec-trans-2-enoate (4,5-d)-tetrazole (III), 10% methyl 5-aza-nonadec-4-oxo-trans-2-enoate (IV) and 7% pentadecamide (V). Individual products were characterized by spectral and elemental methods.     

Electrohydrostatics of capillary switches

A capillary switch is a system of two liquid drops, one sessile and the other pendant, obtained by overfilling a hole of radius R in a plate. When surface tension dominates gravity, the equilibrium shapes of the drops are spherical sections of equal radii. If the combined volume of the top V_T and bottom V_B drops exceeds , the system has three equilibrium states of which two are stable. This bistability is exploited in applications by toggling the system between its two stable states. Here, we examine the effectiveness of using an electric field for toggling. Bifurcation diagrams are obtained that depict how the system's response varies with applied field strength E, and show loss of stability at turning points and the possibility of hysteresis. A phase diagram in space is presented to readily infer when an electric field is an effective means for toggling. © 2014 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 60: 1451–1459, 2014     

Role of primary and secondary protein structure in neurotransmitter receptor activation mechanisms

A proton transfer triggered by a ligand interacting with thereceptor had been suggested as the initial step in the activationof a receptor for the neurotransmitter serotonin (5-hydroxy-tryptamine;5-HT). To evaluate the role of the receptor macromolecule inmodulating the primary molecular event in ligand-mediated activation,the process of proton transfer was analysed in the environmentof a protein model for the 5-HT receptor. In the absence ofa detailed receptor structure, the enzyme actinidin was chosenas the model for the receptor based on criteria obtained fromstructure-activity considerations on the ligands. The firstsimulation of a mechanism for receptor activation was performedon this model using methods of theoretical chemistry to studythe effect of specific structural elements. The premise is thatthe role of the elements of secondary structure of soluble proteins(e.g. actinidin) in determining structure-function relationsin these macromolecules is maintained when these elements arepart of membrane-bound receptor proteins. Results from the calculationsof the effects of the six alpha helices of actinidin on theproton transfer process from the imidazolium side chain of His162 to the thiol side chain of Cys 25 in the protein show thatthe helices contribute in different ways to modulate the energyof proton transfer. The largest helix, Al, opposes the protontransfer through the effect of the helix dipole. The chargedresidues (primary structure) in helix A3 favor the proton transfer,and mask the effect of its helix dipole (secondary structure)which opposes the transfer. The direction of the proton transfersimulated for the activation mechanism is opposite to that assumedin the catalytic process of the thiol protease, and the entireprotein environment opposes the transfer. This supports thespecific role of the ligand in triggering the proton transferas a response to its binding.     

Short-term preoperative radiotherapy results in down-staging of rectal cancer: a study of 1316 patients

OBJECTIVE: The incidence of back pain in children in our country is unknown. Several causes can produce this symptom, but it is necessary to rule out pathologies that require specific treatments. The goal of this work was to study the incidence and the etiology of back pain in children in our country. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We present a prospective study done in our Orthopedic Department during a period of 7 months. Twenty-two patients were referred with back pain of at least two months duration. The incidence was 2.9% compared to the total number of patients. The average age ranged from 7 to 17 years. RESULTS: A careful history and a radiological examination diagnosed 50% (11 cases) of the causes of backache in the present study. An idiopathic etiology was the most frequent cause and represented 9 patients (41%). In the remaining 12 cases (59%) pathological causes that required special treatment were identified including 2 cases of Scheuermann disease, 4 cases of painful scoliosis, 3 spondylolysis with spondylolisthesis, 2 cases of discitis, 1 benign neoplasm and 1 psychogenic cause. CONCLUSIONS: We recommend conservative management with the use of medication for relief of pain and physical therapy in the idiopathic cases. In the remaining cases, the specific treatment of the disease can improve the back pain.     

Capacitated Clustering Problems by Hybrid Simulated Annealing and Tabu Search

The capacitated clustering problem (CCP) is the problem in which a given set of weighted objects is to be partitioned into clusters so that the total weight of objects in each cluster is less than a given value (cluster ‘capacity’). The objective is to minimize the total scatter of objects from the ‘centre’ of the cluster to which they have been allocated. A simple constructive heuristic, a R-interchange generation mechanism, a hybrid simulated annealing (SA) and tabu search (TS) algorithm which has computationally desirable features using a new non-monotonic cooling schedule, are developed. A classification of the existing SA cooling schedules is presented. The effects on the final solution quality of the initial solutions, the cooling schedule parameters and the neighbourhood search strategies are investigated. Computational results on randomly generated problems with size ranging from 50 to 100 customers indicate that the hybrid SA/TS algorithm out-performs previous simulated annealing algorithms, a simple tabu search and local descent algorithms.     

基于词缀库的非监督维吾尔语词切分方法

在维吾尔语中,词缀的数量有限且构词具有一定的规律性。为了提高维吾尔语词切分算法的性能,在一个词缀库的基础上,通过分析维吾尔语的基本构词规则,提出了一种改进的非监督维吾尔语词切分方法。该方法对词进行规则切分,采用MAP切分评价模型对规则切分打分,选取得分最高的规则切分作为该词的最终切分形式。在一个5000词的测试语料上进行了实验,实验结果表明,使用该方法进行维吾尔语词切分具有更高的准确率。     

Automatic recognition of vigilance state by using a wavelet-based artificial neural network

In this study, 5-s long sequences of full-spectrum electroencephalogram (EEG) recordings were used for classifying alert versus drowsy states in an arbitrary subject. EEG signals were obtained from 30 healthy subjects and the results were classified using a wavelet-based neural network. The wavelet-based neural network model, employing the multilayer perceptron (MLP), was used for the classification of EEG signals. A multilayer perceptron neural network (MLPNN) trained with the Levenberg–Marquardt algorithm was used to discriminate the alertness level of the subject. In order to determine the MLPNN inputs, spectral analysis of EEG signals was performed using the discrete wavelet transform (DWT) technique. The MLPNN was trained, cross-validated, and tested with training, cross-validation, and testing sets, respectively. The correct classification rate was 93.3% alert, 96.6% drowsy, and 90% sleep. The classification results showed that the MLPNN trained with the Levenberg–Marquardt algorithm was effective for discriminating the vigilance state of the subject.     

A STOCHASTIC CHARACTERIZATION OF THE MACHINE TOOL WORKPIECE SYSTEM IN BTA OEEP HOLE MACHINING Part I: Mathematical Modelling and Analysis

A three dimensional model of the BTA deep-hole machining system is presented by modelling each of the components separately and later combining to represent the total system. A model for the interaction between the workpiece and the cutting tool is also included. Such a model can determine the response of any component of the machine tool as well as the individual influence on the system performance. Based on this, physical models representing the three working methods in the BTA process can be studied, from which stochastic differential equations are derived to represent the resultant force system on the machine tool

A physical model for the stationary workpiece and rotating cutting tool working method is developed. The assumed modes method along with the Lagrange' equation is used to obtain the stochastic differential equation to represent the influence of axial force and torque, in order to obtain the response of the system under the action of the axial force and torque to predict the stability behaviour.     

Chitosan-based electrolyte for secondary lithium cells

The system chitosan : ethylene carbonate : LiCF₃SO₃ was prepared by the solution cast technique. To verify that the conductivity of the material is due to the salt, the electrical conductivity at room temperature of the chitosan acetate film and that of the chitosan acetate films containing different amounts of ethylene carbonate added to it were measured. The order of magnitude of the electrical conductivity was 10^–10 S cm^–1. Films containing fixed content of chitosan and plasticizer but different amounts of salt were then prepared in the same manner and the highest electrical conductivity obtained was 1.3 × 10^–5 S cm^–1 at room temperature. These results indicate that the conductivity is due to the salt. Conductivity-temperature studies show that the ln T versus 10³/T graphs obey Arrhenius rule implying that the conductivity occurs by way of some thermally assisted mechanism. Polarization current measurement shows that the lithium ion transference number is 0.09. A LiMn₂O₄/chitosan-LiCF₃SO₃/C cell was fabricated which cycled between 1.5 to 2.5 V with fading capacity. This could be the result of LiF formation due to interaction between the salt and the fluorine in the binding agent.