Parallel processing of remotely sensed data: Application to the ATSR-2 instrument

Massively parallel computational paradigms can mitigate many issues associated with the analysis of large and complex remotely sensed data sets. Recently, the Beowulf cluster has emerged as the most attractive, massively parallel architecture due to its low cost and high performance. Whereas most Beowulf designs have emphasized numerical modeling applications, the Parallel Image Processing Environment (PIPE) specifically addresses the unique requirements of remote sensing applications. Automated, parallelization of user-defined analyses is fully supported. A neural network application, applied to Along Track Scanning Radiometer-2 (ATSR-2) data shows the advantages and performance characteristics of PIPE.     

An efficient preparation of vinamidinium hexafluorophosphate salts

Substituted acetic acids or acetyl chlorides react with phosphorus oxychloride in DMF to yield the vinamidinium salts 3a-j in moderate to excellent recrystallized yields (28-90%). The cations are conveniently isolated as their hexafluorophosphate salts, which are easily handled nonhygroscopic solids. The nitro compound 3l is prepared in 91% yield by nitration of the parent vinamidinium 3k. The X-ray crystal structure is reported for the 2-phenyl isomer 3e and displays minimal overlap of the two pi-systems.     

Reactions of Diethyl [(3-Bromomethyl-2-Thienyl)-Methylene]Propanedioate with Hydrazines: Syntheses of Dihydropyridazines,Pyridazines and O-Dimethylaminomethylarenecarbonitriles

Facile syntheses of dihydropyridazines, pyridazines, and o-dimethylaminomethylarenecarbonitriles have been achieved by the retro-malonate addition reaction. Bromoalkylidenemalonates 1,7, and 10 were treated with hydrazine to give dihydropyridazines 4, 8, and 11 in quantitative yields. DDQ or air oxidation of 4, 8, and 11 gave pyridazines 5, 9, and 12, Alternatively, treatment of 1, 7, and 10 with 1,1-dimethylhydrazine afforded o-dimethylaminomethylarenecarbonitriles 6,13, and 14 in good yields.     

Remarks on the exoticU-meson

In expectation of imminent result from the new hyperon beam experiment at CERN concerning the exoticU-meson at 3.1 GeV, we propose a detailed program of experimental tests to check the suggestion thatU is a \(qq\bar q\bar q\) “M-diquonium” state. Apart from some very characteristic decay modes, theU is expected to occur together with several analogous states with various quantum numbers to which it is intimately related.     

Synthesis of Deoxyoligonucleotides on an Isotactic Polymer Support

Abstract

An insoluble and noncross-linked polymer of isotactic polystyrene having a p-methoxytrityl group as part of its structure was chosen as a solid polymer support for deoxyribonucleotide synthesis. The p-methoxytrityl functional group was introduced into the isotactic polymer by benzoylation and Grignard reaction. Judging by the NMR spectra, the isotacticity of the polymer remains unaffected after the modifications. Deoxy-nucleosides were linked to the polymer via 5′ ether group. Condensation of the polymer-nucleoside derivative with 3′ protected nucleotides in the presence of mesitylene sulfonyl chloride resulted in 36-63% coupling to the bound nucleoside. Subsequent condensation gave the trinucleoside diphosphate in 25-57% conversion, based on polymer-bound dinucleoside phosphate. The limitation of the polymer support still lies in the low yield of the coupling step, but the value of an isotactic polymer backbone as a “dendritic” center for chain lengthening remains attractive.     

Random phase-coded multiplexing of hologram volumes using ground glass

We apply an encoding method, random phase-coded multiplexing, to volume hologram multiplexing and demonstrate the recording of 100 holograms in LiNbO₃: 0.01% Fe. A theory is developed to interpret the noise generated by this method, and a computer simulation is provided for direct comparison.     

Isolation, chemical and biological characterization of margaratensin, a neurotensin-related peptide from the skin of Rana margaratae

A new neurotensin (NT)-related peptide, margaratensin, was obtained by Sep-Pak C18 and RP-HPLC from methanol extracts of the skin of Chinese frog Rana margaratae. The structure of the peptide has been determined to be Asp-Lys-Arg-Pro-Tyr-Ile-Leu-His-Glu, which is found to be homologous to the COOH-terminal sequence of NT, but has an extra His-Glu at the COOH-terminus. The synthetic preparation was shown to be indistinguishable from the native peptide during HPLC, amino acid analysis and bioassay. Margaratensin exhibited a hypotensive effect in the rat but the response was weaker than NT. The peptide could induce a potent and reproducible contractile activity on GPI which was different from xenopsin, another NT-related peptide from amphibian skin.     

Scratching behavior of elastomeric poly(dimethylsiloxane) coatings

Scratch testing has been performed on elastomeric poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) coatings on stainless steel with a spherical indenter. The friction coefficient (horizontal‐to‐normal force ratio) during scratching decreases with increasing normal load. This result can be explained by assuming that during scratching the contact area is determined by elastic deformation and the horizontal force is proportional to the contact area. With increasing driving speed, the friction coefficient increases, but the rate of increase decreases; this suggests that the scratching of the PDMS coating is a rate process and that the viscoelastic property of the coating influences its frictional behavior. Below a critical normal load, which increases with the coating thickness, the PDMS coating recovers elastically after being scratched so that there are no scratch marks left behind. Above the critical normal load, the coating is damaged by a combination of delamination at the coating/substrate interface and through‐thickness cracking. When the coating is damaged, there is an increase in the friction coefficient, and the friction force displays significant fluctuations. Furthermore, the critical normal load increases with the driving speed; this implies that time is needed to nucleate damage. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 40: 1530–1537, 2002     

Parallel synthesis of natural product-like polyhydroxylated pyrrolidine and piperidine alkaloids

The preparation of natural product-like polyhydroxylated pyrrolidine and piperidine alkaloids using a combination of solid– and solution-phase organic synthesis is described. The key intermediates, enantiopure five- or six-membered tri-O-benzyl cyclic nitrones, were efficiently prepared on solid support from accessible chiral furanosides and pyranosides, respectively. The substituent diversity was achieved by a diastereoselective addition of a variety of Grignard reagents to the cyclic nitrones in solution-phase synthesis. All reaction steps and work-up procedures were modified to allow the use of automated equipment. A 36-membered demonstration library with three diversity elements (core, configuration, and substituent) was prepared in good yield and purity.     

Fabrication of three-dimensional crystalline microstructures by selective ion implantation and chemical etching

We present a new fabrication technique to produce three-dimensional (3D) microstructures on crystalline substrate using selective ion implantation and chemical etching. Localized lattice-damage layers at the specified depth beneath the substrate surface are formed by selective ion implantation. After etching out the partial surface regions and the buried lattice-damage layers by chemical etching, the 3D crystalline microstructures are produced. This technique is demonstrated on LiNbO₃ crystal to produce undercutting and free-standing microstructures, including microwire, microring, and microdisk. The measurement results of micro-Raman spectra show that the used fabrication process does not affect the original crystalline structure. The features of this technique include smooth structure surface, large undercutting range, and auto-etching stop. By using multiple implantations or repeating the proposed process several times, versatile 3D crystalline microstructures can be produced.