Generalized quasilinearization method for reaction-diffusion equations under nonlinear and nonlocal flux conditions

In this paper we consider an initial boundary value problem for a reaction-diffusion equation under nonlinear and nonlocal Robin type boundary condition. Assuming the existence of an ordered pair of upper and lower solutions we establish a generalized quasilinearization method for the problem under consideration whose characteristic feature consists in the construction of monotone sequences converging to the unique solution within the interval of upper and lower solutions, and whose convergence rate is quadratic. Thus this method provides an efficient iteration technique that produces not only improved approximations due to the monotonicity of its iterates, but yields also a measure of the convergence rate.     

Ueber die Möglichkeit,einen Linienzug ohne Wiederholung und ohne Unterbrechung zu umfahren

Ohne ZusammenfassungDie folgende Untersuchung trug der leider so früh dem Dienste der Wissenschaft durch den Tod entrissene Privatdocent Dr. Hierholzer dahier (gest. 13. Sept. 1871) einem Kreise befreundeter Mathematiker vor. Um sie vor Vergessenheit zu bewahren, musste sie bei dem Mangel jeder schriftlichen Aufzeichnung aus dem Gedächtniss wieder hergestellt werden, was ich unter Beihilfe meines verehrten Collegen Lüroth durch das Folgende möglichst getreu auszuführen suchte.     

Enclosure results for quasilinear systems of variational inequalities

In this paper we consider systems of quasilinear elliptic variational inequalities, and prove the existence of minimal and maximal (in the set theoretical sense) solutions within some ordered interval of an appropriately defined pair of sub- and supersolutions. We show that the notion of sub- and supersolutions of variational inequalities introduced here is consistent with the usual notion of sub-supersolutions for (variational) equations. For weakly coupled quasimonotone systems of variational inequalities the existence of smallest and greatest solutions is proved.     

Extension of the chain‐end,free‐volume theory for predicting glass temperature as a function of conversion in hyperbranched polymers obtained through one‐pot approaches

Compared with linear polymers, more factors may affect the glass‐transition temperature (T_g) of a hyperbranched structure, for instance, the contents of end groups, the chemical properties of end groups, branching junctions, and the compactness of a hyperbranched structure. T_g's decrease with increasing content of end‐group free volumes, whereas they increase with increasing polarity of end groups, junction density, or compactness of a hyperbranched structure. However, end‐group free volumes are often a prevailing factor according to the literature. In this work, chain‐end, free‐volume theory was extended for predicting the relations of T_g to conversion (X) and molecular weight (M) in hyperbranched polymers obtained through one‐pot approaches of either polycondensation or self‐condensing vinyl polymerization. The theoretical relations of polymerization degrees to monomer conversions in developing processes of hyperbranched structures reported in the literature were applied in the extended model, and some interesting results were obtained. T_g's of hyperbranched polymers showed a nonlinear relation to reciprocal molecular weight, which differed from the linear relation observed in linear polymers. T_g values decreased with increasing molecular weight in the low‐molecular‐weight range; however, they increased with increasing molecular weight in the high‐molecular‐weight range. T_g values decreased with increasing log M and then turned to a constant value in the high‐molecular‐weight range. The plot of T_g versus 1/M or log M for hyperbranched polymers may exhibit intersecting straight‐line behaviors. The intersection or transition does not result from entanglements that account for such intersections in linear polymers but from a nonlinear feature in hyperbranched polymers according to chain‐end, free‐volume theory. However, the conclusions obtained in this work cannot be extended to dendrimers because after the third generation, the end‐group extents of a dendrimer decrease with molecular weight. Thus, it is very possible for a dendrimer that T_g increases with 1/M before the third generation; however, it decreases with 1/M after the third generation. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 42: 1235–1242, 2004     

A nucleophilic substitution reaction in microemulsions based on either an alcohol ethoxylate or a sugar surfactant

A nucleophilic substitution reaction between 4-tert-butylbenzyl bromide and a series of iodide salts has been performed in oil-in-water microemulsions based on either a fatty alcohol ethoxylate or a sugar surfactant. The reaction kinetics was compared with the kinetics of the same reaction performed in a microhomogeneous reaction medium, d-MeOH. Previous results showing a particularly high reactivity in the microemulsion based on the fatty alcohol ethoxylate was confirmed. It was shown that in both microemulsions the reaction rate was almost independent of the choice of counterion to iodide. This indicates that complexation of the cation with the surfactant headgroup, which, in particular, could have taken place with surfactants containing oligooxyethylene chains (a “crown ether effect”), seems not to be of importance.

¹²⁷I NMR studies, as well as quadrupole splitting experiments performed by ²H NMR, indicate that there is a certain accumulation of iodide at the oil–water interface of the microemulsions. It is difficult to draw any quantitative conclusions in this respect, however.

The results obtained in this study, combined with results from previous investigations of the same reaction, indicate that the unexpectedly high reactivity obtained in the microemulsion based on a surfactant containing an oligooxyethylene headgroup is most probably due to the nucleophile being poorly solvated when present in the headgroup layer of such a microemulsion. Poorly solvated anions are known to be highly reactive nucleophiles.     

Sprouting side chain conformations in X-PLOR simulations of peptides

A scheme for sprouting peptide side chains using X-PLOR is introduced using an example from the collagen system to show how reasonable starting structures for minimization studies may be created. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Degradative chain transfer in vinyl acetate polymerizations using toluene as solvent

In this work, we propose that retardation in vinyl acetate polymerization rate in the presence of toluene is due to degradative chain transfer. The transfer constant to toluene (C_trs) determined using the Mayo method is equal to 3.8 × 10^?3, which is remarkably similar to the value calculated from the rate data, assuming degradative chain transfer (2.7 × 10^?3). Simulations, including chain‐length‐dependent termination, were carried out to compare our degradative chain transfer model with experimental results. The conversion–time profiles showed excellent agreement between experiment and simulation. Good agreement was found for the M_n data as a function of conversion. The experimental and simulation data strongly support the postulate that degradative chain transfer is the dominant kinetic mechanism. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 45: 3620–3625, 2007     

Zeros of functions with finite Dirichlet integral

In this paper, we refine a result of Nagel, Rudin, and Shapiro (1982) concerning the zeros of holomorphic functions on the unit disk with finite Dirichlet integral.

     

PT Symmetry in Quantum Field Theory

The Hamiltonian H specifies the energy levels and the time evolution of a quantum theory. It is an axiom of quantum mechanics that H be Hermitian. The Hermiticity of H guarantees that the energy spectrum is real and that the time evolution is unitary (probability preserving). In this talk we investigate an alternative formulation of quantum mechanics in which the mathematical requirement of Hermiticity is replaced by the more physically transparent condition of space-time reflection (PT) symmetry. We show that if the PT symmetry of a Hamiltonian H is not broken, then the spectrum of H is real. Examples of PT-symmetric non-Hermitian Hamiltonians are H=p ²+ix ³ and H=p ²-x ⁴. The crucial question is whether PT-symmetric Hamiltonians specify physically acceptable quantum theories in which the norms of states are positive and the time evolution is unitary. The answer is that a Hamiltonian that has an unbroken PT symmetry also possesses a physical symmetry that we call C. Using C, we show how to construct an inner product whose associated norm is positive definite. The result is a new class of fully consistent complex quantum theories. Observables exhibit CPT symmetry, probabilities are positive, and the dynamics is governed by unitary time evolution.