An interview with Sam C. Saunders

Sam C. Saunders, the son of Elizabeth Cundiff and Winston E. Saunders, was born in Richland, OR, on February 24, 1931. The family moved to La Grande, OR, in 1944, where Sam completed high school and two years at Eastern Oregon College. He then received the BSc degree in Mathematics from the University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, in 1952, and he attended the University of Washington, Seattle, WA, receiving a PhD degree under Z. W. Birnbaum. After graduating, he accepted employment at the Boeing Company in its Mathematical Services Unit and, in 1972, a position as a Full Professor at Washington State University, Pullman, WA, from which he retired in 1996.     

Synergistic Effects of Pseudocolor Imaging,Differentiation, and Square and Logarithmic Conversion on Accuracy of Quantification of Chemical Characteristics Using Test Strips and Similar Products

Test strips and similar products are highly feasible tools for the rapid and approximate determination of chemical characteristics. Although the application of both the quantitative observation of coloration and regression modeling has recently enabled these products to become quantitative tools, their precision and accuracy may be further improved. In this study, the pseudocolor imaging of the coloration image, derivative spectrophotometry-like differentiation of the coloration values, and logarithmic conversion of the raw and derivative values were compared in terms of the precision and accuracy of the quantitative determination of corrosiveness, glucose, nitrate, and pH using the products. The best regression models for the determination were provided by the combination of pseudocolor imaging and differentiation (nitrate and pH); pseudocolor imaging, differentiation, and square-conversion (corrosiveness); or all of the techniques (glucose). When compared to the use of the original 10 raw coloration variables of red-green-blue, cyan-magenta-yellow-key black, and L*a*b* color models only, the above combinations improved the normalized mean absolute error from 14.8% to 3.09% (corrosiveness), 6.33% to 3.15% (glucose), 7.46% to 4.56% (nitrate), and 3.22% to 0.94% (pH). These achievements were largely attributed to the combination of multiple variables that have non-linear and nonmonotonic relationships with the chemical characteristics.     

Statistics of reaction progress variable and mixture fraction gradients of a pulverised coal jet flame using Direct Numerical Simulation data

The statistical behaviour of the variances, covariance and gradients of the reaction progress variable (c), and the mixture fraction (ξ) have been analysed in a pulverised coal jet flame using a three-dimensional carrier phase direct numerical simulation (DNS) dataset. It has been observed that the Favre-probability density functions (PDFs) of c and ξ can be parametrised by the standard β function. Furthermore, the log-normal distribution has been found to accurately represent |?c| and |?ξ|. It is also found that ?c and ?ξ remain aligned throughout the flame brush. Finally the joint PDF of |?c| and |?ξ| has been compared with the product of the PDF of |?c| and PDF of |?ξ| extracted from carrier phase DNS, and it has been found that |?c| and |?ξ| are not statistically independent in the case investigated.The bivariate log-normal distributions with and without correlation have also been considered, and the former is found to be in better agreement with the carrier phase DNS data.     

The Role of Information in Managing Interactions from a Multifractal Perspective

In the framework of the multifractal hydrodynamic model, the correlations informational entropy–cross-entropy manages attractive and repulsive interactions through a multifractal specific potential. The classical dynamics associated with them imply Hubble-type effects, Galilei-type effects, and dependences of interaction constants with multifractal degrees at various scale resolutions, while the insertion of the relativistic amendments in the same dynamics imply multifractal transformations of a generalized Lorentz-type, multifractal metrics invariant to these transformations, and an estimation of the dimension of the multifractal Universe. In such a context, some correspondences with standard cosmologies are analyzed. Since the same types of interactions can also be obtained as harmonics mapping between the usual space and the hyperbolic plane, two measures with uniform and non-uniform temporal flows become functional, temporal measures analogous with Milne’s temporal measures in a more general manner. This work furthers the analysis published recently by our group in “Towards Interactions through Information in a Multifractal Paradigm”.     

Tutorial review on validation of liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry methods: Part II

This is the part II of a tutorial review intending to give an overview of the state of the art of method validation in liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (LC–MS) and discuss specific issues that arise with MS (and MS–MS) detection in LC (as opposed to the “conventional” detectors). The Part II starts with briefly introducing the main quantitation methods and then addresses the performance related to quantification: linearity of signal, sensitivity, precision, trueness, accuracy, stability and measurement uncertainty. The last section is devoted to practical considerations in validation. With every performance characteristic its essence and terminology are addressed, the current status of treating it is reviewed and recommendations are given, how to handle it, specifically in the case of LC–MS methods.     

Self-affinity and nonextensivity of sunspots

In this paper we study the time series of sunspots by using two different approaches, analyzing its self-affine behavior and studying its distribution. The long-range correlation exponent α has been calculated via Detrended Fluctuation Analysis and the power law vanishes to values greater than 11 years. On the other hand, the distribution of the sunspots obeys a q-exponential decay that suggests a non-extensive behavior. This observed characteristic seems to take an alternative interpretation of the sunspots dynamics. The present findings suggest us to propose a dynamic model of sunspots formation based on a nonlinear Fokker–Planck equation. Therefore its dynamic process follows the generalized thermostatistical formalism.     

A new Monte Carlo model for predicting the mechanical properties of fiber yarns

Understanding the complicated failure mechanisms of hierarchical composites such as fiber yarns is essential for advanced materials design. In this study, we developed a new Monte Carlo model for predicting the mechanical properties of fiber yarns that includes statistical variation in fiber strength. Furthermore, a statistical shear load transfer law based on the shear lag analysis was derived and implemented to simulate the interactions between adjacent fibers and provide a more accurate tensile stress distribution along the overlap distance. Simulations on two types of yarns, made from different raw materials and based on distinct processing approaches, predict yarn strength values that compare favorably with experimental measurements. Furthermore, the model identified very distinct dominant failure mechanisms for the two materials, providing important insights into design features that can improve yarn strength.     

关于高等代数题解的五种方法

介绍处理高等代数习题的标准形式化方法、公理化方法、模型转换方法、形式统一性方法和形态联想方法,并给出实例加以说明.     

Differentiation between Shallow and Deep Charge Trap States on Single Poly(3‐hexylthiophene) Chains through Fluorescence Photon Statistics

Blinking of the photoluminescence (PL) emitted from individual conjugated polymer chains is one of the central observations made by single‐molecule spectroscopy (SMS). Important information, for example regarding excitation energy transfer, can be extracted by evaluating dynamic quenching. However, the nature of trap states, which are responsible for PL quenching, often remains obscured. We present a detailed investigation of the photon statistics of single poly(3‐hexylthiophene) (P3HT) chains obtained by SMS. The photon statistics provide a measure of the number and brightness of independently emitting areas on a single chain. These observables can be followed during blinking. A decrease in PL intensity is shown to be correlated with either 1) a decrease in the average brightness of the emitting sites; or 2) a decrease in the number of emitting regions. We attribute these phenomena to the formation of 1) shallow charge traps, which can weakly affect all emitting areas of a single chain at once; and 2) deep traps, which have a strong effect on small regions within the single chains.