The exterior magnetic field for the multilayer ellipsoidal model of the brain

The magnetic induction field in the exterior of an ellipsoidallyinhomogeneous, four-conducting-layer model of the human headis obtained analytically up to its quadrupole approximation.The interior ellipsoidal core represents the homogeneous brainwhile each one of the shells represents the cerebrospinal fluid,the skull and the scalp, all characterized by different conductivities.The inhomogeneities of these four domains, together with theanisotropy imposed by the use of the ellipsoidal geometry, providethe most realistic physical and geometrical model of the brainfor which an analytic solution of the biomagnetic forward problemis possible. It is shown that in contrast to the spherical model,where shells of different conductivity are magnetically invisible,the magnetic induction field in ellipsoidal geometry is stronglydependent on the conductivity supports. The fact that sphericalshells of different conductivity are invisible has enhancedthe common belief that the biomagnetic forward solution doesnot depend on the conductivity profiles. As we demonstrate inthe present work, this is not true. Hence, the proposed multilayeredellipsoidal model provides a qualitative improvement of therealistic interpretation of magnetoencephalography (MEG) measurements.We show that the presence of the shells of different conductivitycan be incorporated in the form of the dipole vector for thehomogeneous model. Numerical investigations show that the effectsof shell inhomogeneities are almost as sound as the level ofMEG measurements themselves. The degenerate cases, where eitherthe differences of the conductivities within the shells disappear,or the ellipsoidal geometry is reduced to the spherical one,are also considered.     

Natural convection from a buried elliptic heat source

Numerical solutions are presented for the natural convection heat transfer from an elliptic heat source buried beneath a semi-infinite, saturated, porous medium. The surface of the medium is assumed to be permeable. The governing equations for Darcy flow are solved using finite differences. The complicated geometry is handled through the use of a body-fitted curvilinear coordinate system. Results are presented for Ra values ranging from 10 to 200 and ellipse aspect ratio values from 1.0 (circular cylinder) to 0.167. Two body orientations have been considered. The slender orientation yields much higher hear transfer rates (especially at low ellipse aspect ratio values) than the blunt orientation. The numerical simulations indicate that the boundary-layer approximations cannot be employed for low ellipse aspect ratios. In addition, the heat loss does not depend on the burial depth.     

Some remarks on Newton–Sabatier methods

It is shown how Newton–Sabatier methods (arising in inverse scattering at fixed energy) can be related to spectral measures and typically when they correspond to regular potentials. A number of spectral formulae for various transmutation kernels are also given in terms of general Kontorovi?–Lebedev theory and connections to generating functions, generalized orthogonal polynomials, etc. are indicated.     

Approximation algorithms for scheduling problems with a modified total weighted tardiness objective

We study the approximability of minimum total weighted tardiness with a modified objective which includes an additive constant. This ensures the existence of a positive lower bound for the minimum value. Moreover the new objective has a natural interpretation in just-in-time production systems.     

An optimization approach for planning daily drayage operations

Daily drayage operations involve moving loaded or empty equipment between customer locations and rail ramps. Our goal is to minimize the cost of daily drayage operations in a region on a given day. Drayage orders are generally pickup and delivery requests with time windows. The repositioning of empty equipment may also be required in order to facilitate loaded movements. The drayage orders are satisfied by a heterogeneous fleet of drivers. Driver routes must satisfy various operational constraints. We present an optimization methodology for finding cost-effective schedules for regional daily drayage operations. The core of the formulation is a set partitioning model whose columns represent routes. Routes are added to the formulation by column generation. We present numerical results for real-world data which demonstrate that our methodology produces low cost solutions in a reasonably short time.     

Uniqueness of the group topology of some homeomorphism groups

In this paper, we generalize a theorem of Kallman [2, Theorem 1.1] and we resolve the unsettled case there.     

Preservice Elementary Teachers' Use of Mathematics in a Project‐Based Science Approach

The use of a project‐based science (PBS) approach to teaching encourages students to integrate mathematics and science in meaningful ways as they create projects. As a beginning study of how students use mathematics in such an approach, an analysis of 23 projects developed by preservice elementary teachers enrolled in an elementary science course was conducted. Findings showed that students made a number of different types of mathematical errors and underutilized data representation and summary forms. Implications included the importance of developing methods for supporting the use of mathematical tools in utilizing a project‐based approach and considering ways that such tools mediate scientific thinking.     

Enhancement of mass spectrometric detection of LTC4, LTD4, and LTE4 by derivatization

Several acylating reagents are synthesized and used to introduce quatemary phosphonium or ammonium or ternary sulfonium functions into a simple model of a peptido leukotriene (PLT). One of these reagents was selected for further study with LTE₄, LTD₄, and LTC₄. We demonstrate that acylation of the free amine function of PLTs to produce the 5-triphenylphosphoniumvaleryl-amide (TPPV) derivatives enhances chemical stabilities and significantly increases responses in fast-atom bombardment and continuous-flow liquid secondary ion mass spectrometry (CF-LSIMS) relative to the native PLTs. With high-performance liquid chromatography inlet to CF-LSIMS, we demonstrate the facile detection in selected ion monitoring of the TPPV derivative of 3 pg of LTD₄.