Sophisticated automated methodologies

The split-and-pool synthesis not only simplifies the complexity of the combinatorial synthetic process, but also offers additional important benefits. To undertake a full range of solid-phase chemical reactions, elaborate reaction conditions are needed for some chemical transformations. These include, but are not limited to, low temperature and inert atmosphere conditions. Parallel synthesis of a thousand compounds requires handling of a thousand reaction vessels. The timely addition of sensitive reagents (e.g., butyl lithium) at low temperature (—78°) under inert atmosphere during parallel synthesis is not a trivial task. It can be done if sophisticated automated synthesizer equipment is designed to handle and tolerate such reaction conditions. Such a synthesis can alternatively be performed easily in a manual fashion using a split-and-pool method that requires only a limited number of reaction vessels. Examples from Nicolaou s17 and Schrei-ber s18,19 laboratories have shown that the split-and-pool method is the methodology of choice for the synthesis of complex and diversity-oriented combinatorial libraries. 

Some recent advances in methodology have been made by Goulden, one of the originators of the automated analytical technique for the determination of total mercury in water (16), using an automatic analysis manifold similar to that already used in the standard technique. The method, which enables speciation, is a more sophisticated automated modification of the selective reduction method devised by Magos (10,26). A detection limit of 1 ng/liter can be obtained readily, using this method. 

The Defense Priority Model (DPM) is designed to provide an estimate of the relative potential risk to human health and the environment from sites containing hazardous materials. The DPM evolved from a model called the Hazard Assessment Risk Model (HARM) developed by Oak Ridge National Laboratory from 1984-1986 for the Air Force. The automation of DPM was done first in KES(r) and then in Arity Prolog(r) for use on an IBM-PC/AT class machine. The computerized model has already become more sophisticated than the paper model and as development continues, it is possible to take advantage of additional expert system features. This paper is designed as a case study of DPM development and presents the reasons for the choice of expert system environment and its evolution, the current scope of the model, and planned additions that will increase the functionality of model in the future. The methodology used to evaluate this expert system is also described. 

Workstations operate best when there are one to three functions being automated more operations or less defined analytical steps require the sophistication of robotic arm systems, which are more flexible and work best early on in research, when the methodology is not well defined. 

With regard to IT security issues, UMLsec (Jiirjens 2004) is most prominent in literature. Methodology and tool use a sophisticated UML notation, semantic and formalism to characterise IT security demands as well as to analyse the diagrams byan automated first-order logic theorem proven ... 

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