The oxidation of methyl radicals at room temperature

Using the technique of molecular modulation spectrometry, we have measured directly the rate constants of several reactions involved in the oxidation of methyl radicals at room temperature: k₁ is in the fall-off pressure regime at our experimental pressures (20–760 torr) where the order lies between second and third and we obtain an estimate for the second-orderlimit of (1.2 ± 0.6) × 10^?12 cm³/molec · sec, together with third-order rate constants of (3.1 ± 0.8) × 10^?31 cm⁶/molec² · sec with N₂ as third body and (1.5 ± 0.8) × 10^?30 with neopentane; we cannot differentiate between k_2a and k_2c and we conclude k_2a + (k_2c) = (3.05 ± 0.8) × 10^?13 cm³/molec · sec and k_2b = (1.6 ± 0.4) × 10^?13 cm³/molec · sec; k₃ = (6.0 ± 1.0) × 10^?11 cm³/molec · sec.     

Compressive and Rarefactive Waves in Dust Plasma with Non-thermal Ions

The governing equation of the dust fluid with non-thermal ions and variable dust charge on dust particles in hot dust plasmas is obtained. Both the compressive and rarefactive waves in this system are investigated. They can be determined by plasma parameters including the temperatures of dust fluid, ions and electrons, as well as the non-thermal parameter of ions, and the number densities of the dust particles, the ions and the electrons, etc.     

Microwave Thermal Analysis - A New Approach to the Study of the Thermal and Dielectric Properties of Materials

This paper describes a new instrument for performing thermal analysis using microwaves both as a form of heating and as a novel means of detecting thermally induced transformations in materials. Results are presented for a selection of processes including decompositions, dehydrations and phase changes. The capability of the instrument to be coupled with ancillary techniques such as EGA is also demonstrated. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Self-Assembled Anion-Binding Cryptand for the Selective Liquid–Liquid Extraction of Phosphate Anions

The ligands L¹ and L² form trinuclear self-assembled complexes with Cu²⁺ (i.e. [( L¹ )₂Cu₃]⁶⁺ or [( L² )₂Cu₃]⁶⁺) both of which act as a host to a variety of anions. Inclusion of long aliphatic chains on these ligands allows the assemblies to extract anions from aqueous media into organic solvents. Phosphate can be removed from water efficiently and highly selectively, even in the presence of other anions.     

Delayed feedback applied to breathing in humans

We studied the response of healthy volunteers to the delayed feedback generated from the breathing signals. Namely, in the freely-breathing volunteers the breathing signal was recorded, delayed by τ seconds and fed back to the same volunteer in real time in the form of a visual and auditory stimulus of low intensity, i.e. the stimulus was crucially non-intrusive. In each case volunteers were instructed to breathe in the way which was most comfortable for them, and no explanation about the kind of applied stimulus was provided to them. Each volunteer experienced 10 different delay times ranging between 10% and 100% of the average breathing period without external stimulus. It was observed that in a significant proportion of subjects (11 out of 24) breathing was slowed down in the presence of delayed feedback with moderate delay. Also, in 6 objects out of 24 the delayed feedback was able to induce transition from nearly periodic to irregular breathing. These observations are consistent with the phenomena observed in numerical simulation of the models of periodic and chaotic self-oscillations with delays, and also in experiments with simpler self-oscillating systems.     

The singular solutions of a nonlinear evolution equation taking continuous part of the spectral data into account in inverse scattering method

A procedure for finding the solutions of the Vakhnenko–Parkes equation by means of the inverse scattering method is described. Both the bound state spectrum and the continuous spectrum are considered in the associated eigenvalue problem. The suggested special form of the singularity function gives rise to periodic solutions. The interaction of a soliton with a one-mode periodic wave is studied.     

A new model for automated examination timetabling

Automated examination timetabling has been addressed by a wide variety of methodologies and techniques over the last ten years or so. Many of the methods in this broad range of approaches have been evaluated on a collection of benchmark instances provided at the University of Toronto in 1996. Whilst the existence of these datasets has provided an invaluable resource for research into examination timetabling, the instances have significant limitations in terms of their relevance to real-world examination timetabling in modern universities. This paper presents a detailed model which draws upon experiences of implementing examination timetabling systems in universities in Europe, Australasia and America.     

Application of SCTA methods for kinetic analysis of solid state reactions and synthesis of materials

Journal of Thermal Analysis and Calorimetry -     

A note on travelling-wave solutions to Lax’s seventh-order KdV equation

Ganji and Abdollahzadeh [D.D. Ganji, M. Abdollahzadeh, Appl. Math. Comput. 206 (2008) 438–444] derived three supposedly new travelling-wave solutions to Lax’s seventh-order KdV equation. Each solution was obtained by a different method. It is shown that any two of the solutions may be obtained trivially from the remaining solution. Furthermore it is noted that one of the solutions has been known for many years.