An LP-based successive overrelaxation method for linear complementarity problems

A sparsity preserving LP-based SOR method for solving classes of linear complementarity problems including the case where the given matrix is positive-semidefinite is proposed. The LP subproblems need be solved only approximately by a SOR method. Heuristic enhancement is discussed. Numerical results for a special class of problems are presented, which show that the heuristic enhancement is very effective and the resulting program can solve problems of more than 100 variables in a few seconds even on a personal computer.This research was sponsored by the Air Force Office of Scientific Research, Grant No. AFOSR-86-0124. Part of this material is based on work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. MCS-82-00632.The author is grateful to Dr. R. De Leone for his helpful and constructive comments on this paper.     

A comparative study on branched polymers formed by T‐shaped junctions and by H‐shaped junctions

In this paper, a statistical model is developed to determine the number‐average and weight‐average molecular weights of a branched polymer system formed through random branching of polymer chains. The average properties of the branched structures formed by T‐shaped junctions and by H‐shaped junctions through random branching of polymer chains are compared in detail. The model indicates that the H‐shaped chain connections can form a gel molecule while the T‐shaped chain connections alone can not cause gelation. Because only the randomly branched polymers for an equilibrium system are considered (under Flory's simplifying assumptions), the present results would not be a rigorous proof that the H‐shaped junctions are required to form a gel molecule in any type of reaction system. However, the present paper shows that the Macosko‐Miller model can be applied to this type of problem in a straightforward manner. The gel point for the branched structures formed by H‐shaped junctions can also be determined by the model.     

Comprehensive profiles and diagnostic value of menopausal-specific gut microbiota in premenopausal breast cancer

In Western countries, breast cancer tends to occur in older postmenopausal women. However, in Asian countries, the proportion of younger premenopausal breast cancer patients is increasing. Increasing evidence suggests that the gut microbiota plays a critical role in breast cancer. However, studies on the gut microbiota in the context of breast cancer have mainly focused on postmenopausal breast cancer. Little is known about the gut microbiota in the context of premenopausal breast cancer. This study aimed to comprehensively explore the gut microbial profiles, diagnostic value, and functional pathways in premenopausal breast cancer patients. Here, we analyzed 267 breast cancer patients with different menopausal statuses and age-matched female controls. The α-diversity was significantly reduced in premenopausal breast cancer patients, and the β-diversity differed significantly between breast cancer patients and controls. By performing multiple analyses and classification, 14 microbial markers were identified in the different menopausal statuses of breast cancer. Bacteroides fragilis was specifically found in young women of premenopausal statuses and Klebsiella pneumoniae in older women of postmenopausal statuses. In addition, menopausal-specific microbial markers could exhibit excellent discriminatory ability in distinguishing breast cancer patients from controls. Finally, the functional pathways differed between breast cancer patients and controls. Our findings provide the first evidence that the gut microbiota in premenopausal breast cancer patients differs from that in postmenopausal breast cancer patients and shed light on menopausal-specific microbial markers for diagnosis and investigation, ultimately providing a noninvasive approach for breast cancer detection and a novel strategy for preventing premenopausal breast cancer.Subject terms: Bacterial genetics, Breast cancer     

The Average Properties of Block Copolymers Formed via the One‐Prepolymer Method and the Two‐Prepolymer Method

In this paper, a model is developed for determining the average properties of block copolymers formed via the one‐prepolymer and the two‐prepolymer methods. A knowledge of the average properties of reacting prepolymers, instead of their whole molecular weight distribution (MWD), is sufficient to calculate the desired average molecular weights of the resultant block copolymers. M_n, M_w and polydispersity index (PI) of the block copolymers formed via the one‐prepolymer and two‐prepolymer are studied in detail for comparison. The simulation results indicate that M_n,1p < M_n,2p and M_w,1p < M_w,2p in the range 0 ≤ α < 1, while M_n,1p = M_n,2p and M_w,1p = M_w,2p when α = 1. In addition, the conversion (α) does not significantly influence PI_2p, while PI_1p decreases linearly with increasing α. The results also show that PI_1p > PI_2p in the range 0 ≤ α < 1. Finally, PI_1p and PI_2p approach the same value at α = 1. This indicates that the polydispersity of the block copolymers formed via the two‐prepolymer method is usually narrower than that of the block copolymers formed via the one‐prepolymer method.     

Electronic structure and absorption spectrum of biexciton obtained by using exciton basis

We approach the biexciton Schrödinger equation not through the free-carrier basis as usually done, but through the free-exciton basis, exciton–exciton interactions being treated according to the recently developed composite boson many-body formalism which allows an exact handling of carrier exchange between excitons, as induced by the Pauli exclusion principle. We numerically solve the resulting biexciton Schrödinger equation with the exciton levels restricted to the ground state and we derive the biexciton ground state as well as the bound and unbound excited states as a function of hole-to-electron mass ratio. The biexciton ground-state energy we find, agrees reasonably well with variational results. Next, we use the obtained biexciton wave functions to calculate optical absorption in the presence of a dilute exciton gas in quantum well. We find an asymmetric peak with a characteristic low-energy tail, identified with the biexciton ground state, and a set of Lorentzian-like peaks associated with biexciton unbound states, i.e., exciton–exciton scattering states. Last, we propose a pump–probe experiment to probe the momentum distribution of the exciton condensate.     

Detecting characteristics of information masked by a laser-triggered microwave system via Hilbert-Huang transform

A two-wave-mixing microwave system under a delayed feedback control is proposed for chaotic communications in this study. Under the consideration of simple chaotic masking, Hilbert-Huang transform is proved to be an efficient way to detect characteristics of information signals via the spectrum of intrinsic mode functions. Based upon detrended fluctuation as well as multiscale entropy analyses on masking efficiency in the present system, we may suggest that Hilbert-Huang transform would be an alternative method to analyze complex dressed signals from nonlinear optoelectronic systems.     

Dispersion Stability and Transport of Nanohybrids through Porous Media

Single-walled carbon nanotube-silica nanohybrid particles are a very promising material that could be used for enhanced oil recovery because of their interfacial activity. To demonstrate the basic principle, aqueous nanohybrid particle dispersions were evaluated by looking at the effect of pH, surfactant, and polymer. The results showed that pH did not have significant effect on the dispersion stability of nanohybrid particles. Although surfactant could improve the dispersion stability, it reduced the interfacial activity of the nanohybrid particles, causing them to stay in the aqueous phase. The best nanohybrid particle dispersion stability was found upon polymer addition, where the dispersions were stable for more than a week even at low polymer concentration (50?ppm). One-dimensional sand-pack studies were performed to evaluate the flow of the nanohybrid particles through porous media. The results showed that most of the nanohybrid particles (>99%) could pass through a column packed with glass beads while a measurable fraction of the particles was retained in the column packed with crushed Berea. When the columns contained a residual saturation of decane, additional nanohybrid particles were retained at the oil/water interface in both glass beads and crushed Berea sand media. The sand pack studies showed that not only can the nanohybrid particles flow through porous media but also about half of the particles injected will go the O/W interface when the porous medium contains a residual saturation of hydrocarbon, where they could be used to support a catalytic conversion of components of the oil in reservoirs.     

Multi-sweep asynchronous parallel successive overrelaxation for the nonsymmetric linear complementarity problem

Convergence is established for themulti-sweep asynchronous parallel successive overrelaxation (SOR) algorithm for thenonsymmetric linear complementarity problem. The algorithm was originally introduced in [4] for the symmetric linear complementarity problem. Computational tests show the superiority of the multi-sweep asynchronous SOR algorithm over its single-sweep counterpart on both symmetric and nonsymmetric linear complementarity problems.This material is based on research supported by National Science Foundation Grants CCR-8723091 and DCR-8521228, and Air Force Office of Scientific Research Grants AFOSR-86-0172 and AFOSR-86-0124.