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Selected AbstractsEnhanced Treatment of Trace Pollutants by a Novel Electrolytic Cell,ENGINEERING IN LIFE SCIENCES (ELECTRONIC), Issue 6 2006Y. Sakakibara Abstract Continuous experiments were conducted to evaluate the electrolytic performance of a novel 3-dimensional electrolytic cell consisting of granular Pt/Ti electrodes. The electric current efficiency to decompose indigotrisulfonate was approx. 96,%, while energy consumption was one to two orders of magnitude smaller than that for O3 treatment. Furthermore, the cell was successfully applied to treat trace endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) and chlorinated compounds. Energy consumption was in the range of 2 to 10 Wh/m3. From these results, it was concluded that the present electrolytic cell would be a feasible alternative to conventional oxidation processes in water treatment. [source] Paradigm shifts in marine fisheries genetics: ugly hypotheses slain by beautiful factsFISH AND FISHERIES, Issue 4 2008Lorenz Hauser Abstract By providing new approaches to the investigation of demographic and evolutionary dynamics of wild populations, molecular genetics has led to fundamental changes in our understanding of marine ecology. In particular, genetic approaches have revolutionized our understanding in three areas: (i) most importantly, they have contributed to the discovery of extensive genetic population structure in many marine species, overturning the notion of large, essentially homogenous marine populations limiting local adaptation and speciation. (ii) Concomitant differences in ecologically important traits now indicate extensive adaptive differentiation and biocomplexity, potentially increasing the resilience to exploitation and disturbance. Evidence for rapid adaptive change in many populations underlies recent concerns about fisheries-induced evolution affecting life-history traits. (iii) A compilation of recent published research shows estimated effective population sizes that are 2,6 orders of magnitude smaller than census sizes, suggesting more complex recruitment dynamics in marine species than previously assumed. Studies on Atlantic cod are used to illustrate these paradigm shifts. In our synthesis, we emphasize the implications of these discoveries for marine ecology and evolution as well as the management and conservation of exploited marine fish populations. An important implication of genetic structuring and the potential for adaptive divergence is that locally adapted populations are unlikely to be replaced through immigration, with potentially detrimental consequences for the resilience to environmental change , a key consideration for sustainable fisheries management. [source] Paramagnetic and ferromagnetic anisotropy of magnetic susceptibility in migmatites: measurements in high and low fields and kinematic implicationsGEOPHYSICAL JOURNAL INTERNATIONAL, Issue 3 2004Eric C. Ferré SUMMARY The separation of paramagnetic and ferromagnetic anisotropy of magnetic susceptibility (AMS) is achieved in this study by using a vibrating sample magnetometer and a torque magnetometer performing directional anisotropy measurements in sufficiently high fields to saturate the ferromagnetic phases. The studied material, a migmatite from Minnesota, has a magnetic mineralogy characterized by ferrimagnetic multidomain titanomagnetite, paramagnetic biotite and a diamagnetic quartzo-feldspathic matrix. The low-field AMS represents the sum of ferromagnetic and paramagnetic contributions because the quartz contribution can be neglected, its magnetic susceptibility being two orders of magnitude smaller than that of biotite. In contrast, measurements in a high field isolate the paramagnetic component of the magnetic fabric. The high-field AMS is consistent between specimens and correlates well with measurements done using the torque magnetometer. The magnetic fabrics of the ferromagnetic and of the paramagnetic minerals are not co-axial, i.e. the subfabrics of the biotite and the magnetite are distinct. We propose that this non-coaxiality is due to a vorticity component during regional deformation and that it reflects the general conditions of deep crustal orogenic deformation. [source] Sensing of Damage Mechanisms in Fiber-Reinforced Composites under Cyclic Loading using Carbon NanotubesADVANCED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS, Issue 1 2009Limin Gao Abstract The expanded use of advanced fiber-reinforced composites in structural applications has brought attention to the need to monitor the health of these structures. It has been established that adding carbon nanotubes to fiber-reinforced composites is a promising way to detect the formation of microscale damage. Because carbon nanotubes are three orders of magnitude smaller than traditional advanced fibers, it is possible for nanotubes to form an electrically conductive network in the polymer matrix surrounding the fibers. In this work, multi-walled carbon nanotubes are dispersed into epoxy and infused into a glass-fiber preform to form a network of in situ sensors. The resistance of the cross-ply composite is measured in real-time during incremental cyclic tensile loading tests to evaluate the damage evolution and failure mechanisms in the composite. Edge replication is conducted to evaluate the crack density after each cycle, and optical microscopy is utilized to study the crack mode and growth. The evolution of damage can be clearly identified through the damaged resistance parameter. Through analyzing the damaged resistance response curves with measurements of transverse crack density and strain, the transition between different failure modes can be identified. It is demonstrated that the integration of an electrically conducting network of carbon nanotubes in a glass fiber composite adds unique damage-sensing functionality that can be utilized to track the nature and extent of microstructural damage in fiber composites. [source] Exponential finite elements for diffusion,advection problemsINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR NUMERICAL METHODS IN ENGINEERING, Issue 15 2005Abbas El-Zein Abstract A new finite element method for the solution of the diffusion,advection equation is proposed. The method uses non-isoparametric exponentially-varying interpolation functions, based on exact, one- and two-dimensional solutions of the Laplace-transformed differential equation. Two eight-noded elements are developed and tested for convergence, stability, Peclet number limit, anisotropy, material heterogeneity, Dirichlet and Neumann boundary conditions and tolerance for mesh distortions. Their performance is compared to that of conventional, eight- and 12-noded polynomial elements. The exponential element based on two-dimensional analytical solutions fails basic tests of convergence. The one based on one-dimensional solutions performs particularly well. It reduces by about 75% the number of elements and degrees of freedom required for convergence, yielding an error that is one order of magnitude smaller than that of the eight-noded polynomial element. The exponential element is stable and robust under relatively high degrees of heterogeneity, anisotropy and mesh distortions. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Fatigue life prediction using 2-scale temporal asymptotic homogenizationINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR NUMERICAL METHODS IN ENGINEERING, Issue 3 2004Caglar Oskay Abstract In this manuscript, fatigue of structures is modelled as a multiscale phenomenon in time domain. Multiple temporal scales are introduced due to the fact that the load period is orders of magnitude smaller than the useful life span of a structural component. The problem of fatigue life prediction is studied within the framework of mathematical homogenization with two temporal co-ordinates. By this approach the original initial boundary value problem is decomposed into coupled micro-chronological (fast time-scale) and macro-chronological (slow time-scale) problems. The life prediction methodology has been implemented in ABAQUS and validated against direct cycle-by-cycle simulations. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Prioritized e-mail servicing to reduce non-spam delay and loss: A performance analysisINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF NETWORK MANAGEMENT, Issue 4 2008Muhammad N. Marsono This paper proposes a prioritized e-mail servicing on e-mail servers to reduce the delay and loss of non-spam e-mails due to queuing. Using a prioritized two-queue scheme, non-spam e-mails are queued in a fast queue and given higher service priority than spam e-mails that are queued in a slow queue. Four prioritized e-mail service strategies for the two-queue scheme are proposed and analyzed. We modeled these four strategies using discrete-time Markov chain analysis under different e-mail traffic loads and service capacities. Non-spam e-mails can be delivered within a small delay, even under heavy e-mail loadings and high spam-to-non-spam a priori. Results from our analysis of the two-queue scheme show that it gives non-spam delay and loss probability two orders of magnitude smaller than the typical single-queue approach during heavy spam traffic. Moreover, prioritized e-mail servicing protects e-mail servers from spam attacks. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] ESR Imaging of Conduction Electrons in Organic ConductorsISRAEL JOURNAL OF CHEMISTRY, Issue 1 2008Elmar Dormann In organic conductors built from stacks of planar aromatic hydrocarbons the mobility of the conduction electrons perpendicular to the radical cation stacks is more than four orders of magnitude smaller than the respective along-the-stack value. Thus the macroscopic properties of real single crystals of such radical cation salts are strongly influenced by the distribution of inevitable defects. Therefore, spatial resolution is required for a meaningful interpretation of the ESR data. Various schemes for 2D and 3D ESR imaging have been realized in the radio frequency and microwave frequency range with a resolution down to 10 m,m. Spatial distribution of spin density, T1, T2, and spin diffusion coefficient D were recorded, often as a function of temperature. The conducting-chain length distribution was observed. Our first attempts for the imaging of the integral and the spatially distributed carrier motion caused by an applied electric current were successful. [source] Enhanced Infrared Absorption of C60 on Thin Evaporated Pd Island FilmsISRAEL JOURNAL OF CHEMISTRY, Issue 3 2006Toshimasa Wadayama Infrared transmission spectra of C60 multilayers on thin Pd films deposited onto surface-oxidized Si(100) and hydrogen-terminated Si(111) substrates are reported. In both cases, the spectra in the 1500,1100 cm,1 region exhibited bands at 1444, 1429, and 1182 cm,1 due, respectively, to the Ag (2), T1u (4), and T1u (3) modes. The appearance of the Ag (2) mode, which is originally infrared inactive (Raman active), reveals electron transfer from the metal to chemisorbed C60. Indeed, increasing the thickness of C60, the Ag (2) mode intensity saturated more rapidly than the T1u (4) and T1u (3) modes. The originally infrared active T1u (4) and T1u (3) modes were enhanced in intensity depending upon the Pd thickness. Actually, while both substrates gave nearly the same magnitude of enhancement, the optimum Pd thickness was smaller on the hydrogen-terminated surface than on the surface-oxidized surface. On the other hand, the Ag (2) mode was less intense on the hydrogen-terminated surface than on the oxidized surface, suggestive of a shortage of chemisorbed C60 and thus pointing out the importance of the metal film morphology. Indeed, Pd films deposited on the two substrates gave rise to quite different AFM images. We also show that, regardless of the substrate, the Ag (2) mode is an order of magnitude smaller than for Ag deposition, though no remarkable intensity differences were observed with respect to the T1u (4) and T1u (3) modes. [source] Mode-selective stereomutation tunneling as compared to parity violation in hydrogen diselenide isotopomers 1,2,3H280Se2ISRAEL JOURNAL OF CHEMISTRY, Issue 3-4 2003Michael Gottselig We present quantitative calculations of the mode-selective stereomutation tunneling in the chiral hydrogen diselenide isotopomers X2Se2 with X = H, D, and T. The torsional tunneling stereomutation dynamics were investigated with a quasi-adiabatic channel quasi-harmonic reaction path Hamiltonian approach, which treats the torsional motion anharmonically in detail and all remaining coordinates as harmonic (but anharmonically coupled to the reaction coordinate). We also investigated the influence of the excitation of fundamental modes on the stereomutation dynamics and predict which modes should be promoting or inhibiting. Our stereomutation dynamics results and the influence of parity violation on these are discussed in relation to our recent investigations for the analogous molecules H2O2, HSOH, H2S2, and Cl2S2. The electronic potential energy barrier heights for the torsional motion of hydrogen diselenide are similar to those of HSOH, whereas the torsional tunneling splittings are similar to the corresponding values of HSSH. The ground-state torsional tunneling splittings calculated here for D2Se2 are of the same order as the parity-violating energy difference reported by Laerdahl and Schwerdtfeger (Phys. Rev. A 1999, 60, 4439), whereas for T2Se2 the corresponding tunneling splitting is about three orders of magnitude smaller. [source] Vision-aided inertial navigation for pin-point landing using observations of mapped landmarksJOURNAL OF FIELD ROBOTICS (FORMERLY JOURNAL OF ROBOTIC SYSTEMS), Issue 5 2007Nikolas Trawny In this paper we describe an extended Kalman filter algorithm for estimating the pose and velocity of a spacecraft during entry, descent, and landing. The proposed estimator combines measurements of rotational velocity and acceleration from an inertial measurement unit (IMU) with observations of a priori mapped landmarks, such as craters or other visual features, that exist on the surface of a planet. The tight coupling of inertial sensory information with visual cues results in accurate, robust state estimates available at a high bandwidth. The dimensions of the landing uncertainty ellipses achieved by the proposed algorithm are three orders of magnitude smaller than those possible when relying exclusively on IMU integration. Extensive experimental and simulation results are presented, which demonstrate the applicability of the algorithm on real-world data and analyze the dependence of its accuracy on several system design parameters. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [source] Reactions of BBrn+ (n = 0,2) at fluorinated and hydrocarbon self-assembled monolayer surfaces: observations of chemical selectivity in ion,surface scatteringJOURNAL OF MASS SPECTROMETRY (INCORP BIOLOGICAL MASS SPECTROMETRY), Issue 7 2001Nathan Wade Abstract Ion,surface reactions involving BBrn+ (n = 0,2) with a fluorinated self-assembled monolayer (F-SAM) surface were investigated using a multi-sector scattering mass spectrometer. Collisions of the B+ ion yield BF2+ at threshold energy with the simpler product ion BF+· appearing at higher collision energies and remaining of lower abundance than BF2+ at all energies examined. In addition, the reactively sputtered ion CF+ accompanies the formation of BF2+ at low collision energies. These results stand in contrast with previous data on the ion,surface reactions of atomic ions with the F-SAM surface in that the threshold and most abundant reaction products in those cases involved the abstraction of a single fluorine atom. Gas-phase enthalpy data are consistent with BF2+ being the thermodynamically favored product. The fact that the abundance of BF2+ is relatively low and relatively insensitive to changes in collision energy suggests that this reaction proceeds through an entropically demanding intermediate at the vacuum,surface interface, one which involves interaction of the B+ ion simultaneously with two fluorine atoms. By contrast with the reaction of B+, the odd-electron species BBr+· reacts with the F-SAM surface to yield an abundant single-fluorine abstraction product, BBrF+. Corresponding gas-phase ion,molecule experiments involving B+ and BBr+· with C6F14 also yield the products BF+· and BF2+, but only in extremely low abundances and with no preference for double fluorine abstraction. Ion,surface reactions were also investigated for BBrn+ (n = 0,2) with a hydrocarbon self-assembled monolayer (H-SAM) surface. Reaction of the B+ ion and dissociative reactions of BBr+· result in the formation of BH2+, while the thermodynamically less favorable product BH+· is not observed. Collisions of BBr2+ with the H-SAM surface yield the dissociative ion,surface reaction products, BBrH+ and BBrCH3+. Substitution of bromine atoms on the projectile by hydrogen or alkyl radicals suggests that Br atoms may be transferred to the surface in a Br-for-H or Br-for-CH3 transfer reaction in an analogous fashion to known transhalogenation reactions at the F-SAM surface. The results for the H-SAM surface stand in contrast to those for the F-SAM surface in that enhanced neutralization of the primary ions gives secondary ion signals one to two orders of magnitude smaller than those obtained when using the F-SAM surface, consistent with the relative ionization energies of the two materials. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Analysis of flavor and perfume using an internally cooled coated fiber deviceJOURNAL OF SEPARATION SCIENCE, JSS, Issue 7 2007Yong Chen Abstract A miniaturized internally cooled coated fiber device was applied for the analysis of flavors and fragrances from various matrices. Its integration with a CTC CombiPAL autosampler enabled high throughput for the analysis of analytes in complex matrices that required simultaneous heating of the matrices and cooling of the fiber coating to achieve high extraction efficiency. It was found that up to ten times increase of extraction efficiencies was observed when the device was used to extract flavor compounds in water, even when limited sample temperatures were used to preserve the integrity of target compounds. The extraction of the flavor compounds in water with the device was reproducible, with RSD not larger than 15%. The lower limits of the linear ranges were in the low ppb range, which was about one order of magnitude smaller than those obtained with the commercialized 100 ,m PDMS fibers. Exhaustive extraction of some perfume ingredients from a complex matrix (shampoo) was realized. All achieved recoveries were not less than 80%. The repeatability of the extraction of the perfume compounds from shampoo was better than 10%. The linear ranges were about 1,3000 ,g/g, and the LOD was about 0.2,1 ,g/g. The automated internally cooled coated fiber device was demonstrated to be a powerful sample preparation tool in flavor and fragrance analysis. [source] On the Nitroxide Quasi-Equilibrium in the Alkoxyamine-Mediated Radical Polymerization of StyreneMACROMOLECULAR THEORY AND SIMULATIONS, Issue 2 2006Enrique Saldívar-Guerra Abstract Summary: The range of validity of two popular versions of the nitroxide quasi-equilibrium (NQE) approximation used in the theory of kinetics of alkoxyamine mediated styrene polymerization, are systematically tested by simulation comparing the approximate and exact solutions of the equations describing the system. The validity of the different versions of the NQE approximation is analyzed in terms of the relative magnitude of (dN/dt)/(dP/dt). The approximation with a rigorous NQE, kc[P][N],=,kd[PN], where P, N and PN are living, nitroxide radicals and dormant species respectively, with kinetic constants kc and kd, is found valid only for small values of the equilibrium constant K (10,11,10,12 mol,·,L,1) and its validity is found to depend strongly of the value of K. On the other hand, the relaxed NQE approximation of Fischer and Fukuda, kc[P][N],=,kd[PN]0 was found to be remarkably good up to values of K around 10,8 mol,·,L,1. This upper bound is numerically found to be 2,3 orders of magnitude smaller than the theoretical one given by Fischer. The relaxed NQE is a better one due to the fact that it never completely neglects dN/dt. It is found that the difference between these approximations lies essentially in the number of significant figures taken for the approximation; still this subtle difference results in dramatic changes in the predicted course of the reaction. Some results confirm previous findings, but a deeper understanding of the physico-chemical phenomena and their mathematical representation and another viewpoint of the theory is offered. Additionally, experiments and simulations indicate that polymerization rate data alone are not reliable to estimate the value of K, as recently suggested. Validity of the rigorous nitroxide quasi-equilibrium assumption as a function of the nitroxide equilibrium constant. [source] Entry dynamics and acoustics/infrasonic/seismic analysis for the Neuschwanstein meteorite fallMETEORITICS & PLANETARY SCIENCE, Issue 10 2004D. O. REVELLE This includes ground-based photographic and radiometer data as well as infrasound and seismic data from this very significant bolide event (Spurný et al. 2002, 2003). We have also used these data to model the entry of Neuschwanstein, including the expected dynamics, energetics, panchromatic luminosity, and associated fragmentation effects. In addition, we have calculated the differential efficiency of acoustical waves for Neuschwanstein and used these values to compare against the efficiency calculated using available ground-based infrasound data. This new numerical technique has allowed the source height to be determined independent of ray tracing solutions. We have also carried out theoretical ray tracing for a moving point source (not strictly a cylindrical line emission) and for an infinite speed line source. In addition, we have determined the ray turning heights as a function of the source height for both initially upward and downward propagating rays, independent of the explicit ray tracing (detailed propagation path) programs. These results all agree on the origins of the acoustic emission and explicit source heights for Neuschwanstein for the strongest infrasonic signals. Calculated source energies using more than four different independent approaches agree that Neuschwanstein was certainly <500 kg in initial mass, given the initial velocity of 20.95 km/s, resulting in an initial source energy ,0.0157-0.0276 kt TNT equivalent (4.185 times 1012 J). Local source energies at the calculated infrasonic/seismic source altitudes are up to two orders of magnitude smaller than this initial source energy. [source] Quantifying oxygen diffusion in paraffin oil used in oocyte and embryo cultureMOLECULAR REPRODUCTION & DEVELOPMENT, Issue 12 2009Yvonne M. StokesArticle first published online: 11 AUG 200 Oxygen diffusion through oil is important in the culture of oocytes and embryos. A diffusion coefficient two orders of magnitude smaller than that of oxygen in water has been thought possible, and this has led to concerns of anoxia in cultures. Using an assay for determining the oxygen consumption rate of embryos and oocytes, along with a mathematical model, it is here shown that the oxygen diffusion rate in paraffin oil at 37°C is about two-thirds of that in water at the same temperature. Although not previously recognised for the assay in question, the geometry is such that anoxia does occur for a period of time in excess of 1,hr and, by the completion of the assay, 30,40% of the medium is anoxic. Hence the quantity of oxygen consumed is less than would be consumed in conditions of plentiful oxygen supply. Nevertheless, using a model with a concentration dependent oxygen consumption rate, the oxygen consumption rate can be estimated. Mol. Reprod. Dev. 76: 1178,1187, 2009. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Limits on radio emission from pulsar wind nebulaeMONTHLY NOTICES OF THE ROYAL ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY, Issue 1 2000B. M. Gaensler We report on a sensitive survey for radio pulsar wind nebulae (PWN) towards 27 energetic and/or high-velocity pulsars. Observations were carried out at 1.4 GHz using the Very Large Array and the Australia Telescope Compact Array and utilized pulsar-gating to search for off-pulse emission. These observing parameters resulted in a considerably more sensitive search than previous surveys and could detect PWN over a much wider range of spatial scales (and hence ambient densities and pulsar velocities). However, no emission clearly corresponding to a PWN was discovered. Based on these non-detections we argue that the young and energetic pulsars in our sample have winds which are typical of young pulsars, but produce unobservable PWN because they reside in low-density (n,0.003 cm,3) regions of the interstellar medium. However, non-detection of PWN around older and less energetic pulsars can only be explained if the radio luminosity of their winds is less than 10,5 of their spin-down luminosity, implying an efficiency at least an order of magnitude smaller than that seen for young pulsars. [source] Comment on "Transport Properties of Tl5Te3 Single Crystals" [phys. stat. sol. (a) Vol.PHYSICA STATUS SOLIDI (A) APPLICATIONS AND MATERIALS SCIENCE, Issue 3 2007329 (2002)], No. Abstract Recently, Gamal et al. [phys. stat. sol. (a) 191, 322 (2002)] reported the results of electrical conductivity, Hall effect and thermoelectric power (TEP) measurements on Tl5Te3 single crystals. The samples used in the study were p-type semiconductors. From the experimental data for the temperature dependence of TEP, Gamal et al. determined the values of 1.6 × 10,41 kg and 1.5 × 10,40 kg, respectively, for the effective masses of electrons and holes in p-type Tl5Te3, which are about ten orders of magnitude smaller than the free electron mass, 9.11 × 10,31 kg. We argue that the anomalously small values obtained for the effective mass of charge carriers in Tl5Te3 have no physical significance. (© 2007 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim) [source] Optical super-resolution using higher harmonics and different acquisition modes in an aperture tapping SNOMPHYSICA STATUS SOLIDI (B) BASIC SOLID STATE PHYSICS, Issue 8 2010Giovanni Longo Abstract Scanning near field optical microscopy (SNOM) is a well-established technique to obtain a sub-wavelength resolution optical characterization, together with nanometer-scale topography images, on any kind of biological or non-biological sample. Recently we have modified a classical SNOM unit to work in the tapping modality, ensuring stability, versatility and good optical resolution and signal to noise ratio. Exploiting the vertical tip movement, in particular, we were able to access two different optical detection modes: light modulation, which can be obtained by a mechanical chopper or by electronically switching the laser on and off; gap modulation in which the tip's vertical oscillation is used to produce, itself, a modulation of the collected light. Several biological and non-biological samples have been investigated and the data reveal that, despite the signal collected in gap-modulation is at least one order of magnitude smaller than in laser-modulation, resolution, and signal-to-noise ratio in the gap-modulated images is preferable. On the other hand, the higher intensity of the laser-modulation signal allows to deconvolve the optical information at higher harmonics of the tip oscillation frequency. This is a well-known procedure used in the apertureless-SNOM setup to enhance the near-field contribution of the scattered light and reduce the noise content. The interesting results obtained in this Aperture setup are described and commented. [source] Error propagation in multiscale approaches to the elasticity of polycrystalsPHYSICA STATUS SOLIDI (B) BASIC SOLID STATE PHYSICS, Issue 12 2008Martin Friák Abstract The error propagation properties of the Voigt, Reuss, Voigt,Reuss,Hill,Gilvarry, and Hershey schemes for the determination of the integral elastic response of texture free polycrystalline aggregates with cubic structure were studied. The sensitivity of the homogenized polycrystalline shear modulus was tested (i) analytically on the partial derivatives of the shear modulus with respect to the individual elastic constants within extremal Voigt and Reuss schemes, and (ii) numerically for all four methods. The sensitivity of the Hershey shear modulus on the input parameters, the single crystalline elastic constants B, C ,, C44, is shown to be within the limiting values found for the Voigt and Reuss schemes. This conclusion is illustrated numerically on a set of five cubic materials with very different physical properties. The influence of the bulk modulus was found to be approximately two orders of magnitude smaller than that of C , and C44. The Hershey modulus was also found to be non-linear, asymmetric, and strongly dependent on the level of the elastic anisotropy of the studied system. (© 2008 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim) [source] Probability distribution functions for the Sun's magnetic fieldASTRONOMISCHE NACHRICHTEN, Issue 6 2010J.O. Stenflo Abstract Magnetoconvection structures the Sun's magnetic field cover a vast range of scales, down to the magnetic diffusion scale that is orders of magnitude smaller than the resolution of current telescopes. The statistical properties of this structuring are governed by probability density functions (PDFs) for the flux densities and by the angular distribution functions for the orientations of the field vectors. The magnetic structuring on sub-pixel scales greatly affects the field properties averaged over the resolution element due to the non-linear relation between polarization and magnetic field. Here we use a Hinode SOT/SP data set for the quiet Sun disk center to explore the complex behavior of the 6301,6302 Ĺ Stokes line profile system and identify the observables that allow us to determine the distribution functions in the most robust and least model dependent way. The angular distribution is found to be strongly peaked around the vertical direction for large flux densities but widens with decreasing flux density to become isotropic in the limit of zero flux density. The noise-corrected PDFs for the vertical, horizontal, and total flux densities all have a narrowly peaked maximum at zero flux density that can be fitted with a stretched exponential, while the extended wings decline quadratically (© 2010 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim) [source] High-resolution neutron protein crystallography with radically small crystal volumes: application of perdeuteration to human aldose reductaseACTA CRYSTALLOGRAPHICA SECTION D, Issue 10 2005I. Hazemann Neutron diffraction data have been collected to 2.2,Ĺ resolution from a small (0.15,mm3) crystal of perdeuterated human aldose reductase (h-AR; MW = 36,kDa) in order to help to determine the protonation state of the enzyme. h-AR belongs to the aldo,keto reductase family and is implicated in diabetic complications. Its ternary complexes (h-AR,coenzyme NADPH,selected inhibitor) provide a good model to study both the enzymatic mechanism and inhibition. Here, the successful production of fully deuterated human aldose reductase [h-AR(D)], subsequent crystallization of the ternary complex h-AR(D),NADPH,IDD594 and neutron Laue data collection at the LADI instrument at ILL using a crystal volume of just 0.15,mm3 are reported. Neutron data were recorded to 2,Ĺ resolution, with subsequent data analysis using data to 2.2,Ĺ. This is the first fully deuterated enzyme of this size (36,kDa) to be solved by neutron diffraction and represents a milestone in the field, as the crystal volume is at least one order of magnitude smaller than those usually required for other high-resolution neutron structures determined to date. This illustrates the significant increase in the signal-to-noise ratio of data collected from perdeuterated crystals and demonstrates that good-quality neutron data can now be collected from more typical protein crystal volumes. Indeed, the signal-to-noise ratio is then dominated by other sources of instrument background, the nature of which is under investigation. This is important for the design of future instruments, which should take maximum advantage of the reduction in the intrinsic diffraction pattern background from fully deuterated samples. [source] Rapid Expansion from Supercritical to Aqueous Solution to Produce Submicron Suspensions of Water-Insoluble DrugsBIOTECHNOLOGY PROGRESS, Issue 3 2000Timothy J. Young Stable suspensions of submicron particles of cyclosporine, a water-insoluble drug, have been produced by rapid expansion from supercritical to aqueous solution (RESAS). To minimize growth of the cyclosporine particles, which would otherwise occur in the free jet expansion, the solution was sprayed into an aqueous Tween-80 (Polysorbate-80) solution. Steric stabilization by the surfactant impedes particle growth and agglomeration. The particles were an order of magnitude smaller than those produced by RESS into air without the surfactant solution. Concentrations as high as 38 mg/mL for 400,700 nm particles were achieved in a 5.0% (w/w) Tween-80 solution. [source] Charge Transport in Redox Polyelectrolyte Multilayer Films: The Dramatic Effects of Outmost Layer and Solution Ionic StrengthCHEMPHYSCHEM, Issue 13 2010Dr. Mario Tagliazucchi Abstract The redox switching kinetics, that is, charge transfer and transport in layer-by-layer-deposited electroactive polyelectrolyte multilayers is systematically studied with variable-scan-rate cyclic voltammetry. The experiments are performed with films finished in the redox polycation (an osmium pyridine,bipyridine derivatized polyallylamine, PAH-Os) and the polyanion (polyvinyl sulfonate, PVS), in solutions of different electrolyte concentrations. A modified diffusion model is developed to account for the experimentally observed dependence of the average peak potential with the scan rate. This model is able to describe both the redox peak potential and the current, providing information on the electron-transfer rate constants and the diffusion coefficient for the electron-hopping mechanism. While the former does not vary with the ionic strength or the nature of the outmost layer, polyanion-capped films present an electron-hopping diffusion coefficient at low ionic strength that is three orders of magnitude smaller than that for PAH-Os-capped films. The effect is offset at high ionic strength. We discuss the possible causes of the effect and the important consequences for electrochemical devices built by layer-by-layer self-assembly, such as amperometric biosensors or electrochromic devices. [source] Anomalously Low Probabilities for Rotational Excitation in HD,Surface Scattering,CHEMPHYSCHEM, Issue 5 2006Antonio, iber Dr. The H2,Cs surface interaction potential is directly investigated by scattering a rotationally cold beam of HD molecules from a Cs surface (see angular distribution diagram). The probability of rotational excitation is two orders of magnitude smaller than for Cu and other metal surfaces. Coupled channel calculations interpret the results, and the anomalous behaviour is linked to the peculiarities of the closed-shell alkali surface interactions. [source] Radiolysis of Confined Water: Hydrogen Production at a High Dose RateCHEMPHYSCHEM, Issue 12 2005Sophie Le Caër Dr. Abstract The production of molecular hydrogen in the radiolysis of dried or hydrated nanoporous controlled-pore glasses (CPG) has been carefully studied using 10 MeV electron irraditation at high dose rate. In all cases, the H2 yield increases when the pore size decreases. Moreover, the yields measured in dried materials are two orders of magnitude smaller than those obtained in hydrated glasses. This proves that the part of the H2 coming from the surface of the material is negligible in the hydrated case. Thus, the measured yields correspond to those of nanoconfined water. Moreover, these yields are not modified by the presence of potassium bromide, which is a hydroxyl radical scavenger. This experimental observation shows that the back reaction between H2 and HO. does not take place in such confined environments. These porous materials have been characterized before and after irradiation by means of Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) techniques, which helps to understand the elementary processes taking place in this type of environment, especially the protective effect of water on the surface in the case of hydrated glasses. [source] Comparison of analytical and numerical methods for homogenization of nanotube-reinforced polymersPROCEEDINGS IN APPLIED MATHEMATICS & MECHANICS, Issue 1 2009Ina Schmidt Carbon nanotubes are increasingly getting impact as reinforcing material for polymer based nanocomposites. Hence, new modeling strategies are necessary to calculate the behavior of these materials. In the last years some attempts have been made using and developing classical micromechanical models. On the other hand numerical homogenization methods are available to tackle this problem. Examples for both types of modeling strategies are presented with focus on the nanotube geometry. The nanotubes are modeled as hollow tubes as well as as isotropic and transversely isotropic cylinders. As expected the results of numerical and analytical methods are identical for isotropic cylinder inclusions. Small deviations occur for transversely isotropic cylinders in transverse direction. In the case of hollow tube inclusions, the analytical models lead to lower stiffness values in transverse direction and for shear. The largest deviations occur for longitudinal shear with magnitudes smaller than 10%. In contrast the effort to get numerical results is enormous, so that the analytical models are still useful. (© 2009 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. 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