Non-linear characteristics and long-range correlations in Asian stock markets

We test several non-linear characteristics of Asian stock markets, which indicates the failure of efficient market hypothesis and shows the essence of fractal of the financial markets. In addition, by using the method of detrended fluctuation analysis (DFA) to investigate the long range correlation of the volatility in the stock markets, we find that the crossover phenomena exist in the results of DFA. Further, in the region of small volatility, the scaling behavior is more complicated; in the region of large volatility, the scaling exponent is close to 0.5, which suggests the market is more efficient. All these results may indicate the possibility of characteristic multifractal scaling behaviors of the financial markets.     

Comparison between a white-light interferometer and a tactile formtester for the measurement of long inner cylindrical surfaces

Shape measurements of engineering surfaces are an interesting and important application for white-light interferometry (WLI). Due to some factors such as: (a) the high-processing speed, (b) the ability to measure a huge quantity of points of the evaluated surface, and (c) the non-contacting nature; WLI has become a valuable tool for practical applications. This paper shows the achieved comparison between a modified white-light interferometer and an established measurement system, namely a formtester with a tactile spherical stylus sensor, which is the most commonly used instrument in the industry. Furthermore, this paper shows that the combination between the modified white-light interferometer and an adequate measurement and processing strategy has enabled to obtain a good agreement between optical and tactile measurements of long inner cylindrical surfaces. A cloud of points (COP) measured with the modified white-light interferometer has presented a standard deviation of about 0.3 μm when it was compared with formtester measurement of the same parts.     

A degree sum condition for long cycles passing through a linear forest

Let G be a (k+m)-connected graph and F be a linear forest in G such that |E(F)|=m and F has at most k-2 components of order 1, where k?2 and m?0. In this paper, we prove that if every independent set S of G with |S|=k+1 contains two vertices whose degree sum is at least d, then G has a cycle C of length at least min{d-m,|V(G)|} which contains all the vertices and edges of F.     

Long range correlation of hydrophilicity and flexibility along the calcium binding protein chains

Long range correlation concerning hydrophilicity and flexibility along a number of 80 calcium binding protein sequences is confirmed by using spectral analysis and detrended fluctuations analysis methods, as well as by Hurst exponent calculations. There are no significant differences between the correlation properties concerning these properties for the two structural subfamilies, extended and compact, of the calcium binding proteins and they are also similar with the correlation properties revealed by other investigated proteins. This result sustains the hypothesis that the long range correlation of hydrophilicity and flexibility along the chain is a common feature of proteins.     

Highly monodisperse crosslinked polymethylmethacrylate microparticles by dispersion polymerization

Highly monodisperse polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) microparticles crosslinked with carboxylic group-containing urethane acrylates (CUA) were produced by simple dispersion polymerization in methanol solution. In contrast to conventional crosslinkers, the CUA employed as a crosslinker was excellent for maintaining the monodispersity of PMMA microparticles even at moderate crosslinker concentrations (to about 5 wt%). It was believed that the CUA helped form the monomer-swellable surface of primary particles, because of the structurally long tetramethylene oxide groups in the molecule. Carboxylic groups in the molecular backbone resulted in larger primary particles by increasing the solubility of the monomer mixture in the medium. Owing to these larger primary particles, the crosslinked PMMA particles showed lower polymerization rates than the linear ones during particle growth. However, at high CUA concentrations (about 10 wt%), bimodal distributions were observed. This was attributed to the high crosslinking density of the primary particle surfaces. Therefore, monomer diffusion toward the polymer phase was restricted, resulting in more favorable secondary nucleation in the medium. Received: 12 May 1998 Accepted: 19 August 1998     

The acute toxicity of tri-n-butyltin taurocholate

The acute toxicity for tri-n-butyltin taurocholate (TBT-TA), a newly synthesized organotin steroid, was determined using Long Evans rats. The organotin compound was suspended in corn oil and administered by gavage using standard techniques. The TBT-TA exhibited a taurocholic acid toxicity at 24 h and a tributyltin toxicity at three days. The LD₅₀ values were 611 and 384 mg kg^?1 respectively. The dead rats exhibited distended stomachs, enlarged cecums, and lesions in the gastrointestinal tract. The toxicity is similar to that observed with other trialkyltin compounds.     

A novel water-soluble AIE-based fluorescence probe with red emission for the sensitive detection of heparin in aqueous solution and human serum samples

Heparin is widely used to anticoagulation treatment in clinic, while the overdoses of heparin can cause potentially catastrophic complications. Thus, the selective and sensitive detection of heparin is of great importance. Herein, a novel water-soluble AIE-based fluorescent probe (TIBI) with red emission (650 nm) has been rationally developed to detect heparin by the electrostatic-interaction and ion replacing strategy. TIBI exhibited excellent selectivity and low detection limit (0.08 μM) for detection of heparin. Moreover, TIBI was successfully applied to detect heparin in complicated serum samples with satisfactory results. This study holds great promise for real time monitoring heparin in clinical application.     

An environmentally friendly flow system for high-sensitivity spectrophotometric determination of free chlorine in natural waters

A green and highly sensitive analytical procedure was developed for the determination of free chlorine in natural waters, based on the reaction with N,N-diethyl-p-phenylenediamine (DPD). The flow system was designed with solenoid micro-pumps in order to improve mixing conditions by pulsed flows and to minimize reagent consumption as well as waste generation. A 100-cm optical path flow cell based on a liquid core waveguide was employed to increase sensitivity. A linear response was observed within the range 10.0 to 100.0 µg L^− 1, with the detection limit, coefficient of variation and sampling rate estimated as 6.8 µg L^− 1 (99.7% confidence level), 0.9% (n = 20) and 60 determinations per hour, respectively. The consumption of the most toxic reagent (DPD) was reduced 20,000-fold and 30-fold in comparison to the batch method and flow injection with continuous reagent addition, respectively. The results for natural and tap water samples agreed with those obtained by the reference batch spectrophotometric procedure at the 95% confidence level.     

Detection and analysis of paraffin oil adulteration in coconut oil using fiber optic long period grating sensor

A fiber optic sensing system for the detection of adulteration of coconut oil by paraffin oil is experimentally demonstrated. The sensing mechanism is based on the sensitive dependence of the resonance peaks of a long period grating (LPG) on the changes of the refractive index of the environmental medium surrounding the cladding surface of the grating. The wavelength shift of the attenuation bands of the LPG was measured with the sensor immersed in a mixture of paraffin oil and pure coconut oil in different proportions. Detection limit of adulteration was found to be 3% for coconut oil-paraffin oil binary mixture.     

Controlling of symmetric and asymmetric mode coupling in long-period fiber gratings singe-side induced by long-pulse CO2 laser

We report a simple fabricating approach to control the mode couplings in long-period fiber gratings (LPFGs) through side exposing fiber to long-pulse-10.6-μm laser from a cheap, internally modulated CO₂ tube. By tuning focused-spot size on fibers, not only circularly symmetric mode coupling but also asymmetric mode couplings can be effectively achieved. Simulation of mode profiles in grating cross-section with Finite Element Method (FEM), and LPFG-cladding etching experiment with hydrofluoric acid (HF), support our explanation that asymmetric mode coupling in LPFGs depends on local refractive-index (RI) change within an azimuthally thin cladding layer, resulted from large-spot method induced deep melt flow on fiber surface during CO₂ laser irradiation.