Predicting the cell-wall compositions of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Pinus radiata</Emphasis> (radiata pine) wood using ATR and transmission FTIR spectroscopies

Because plant cell walls vary in their polysaccharide compositions and lignin contents, their monosaccharide compositions and lignin contents are often determined, but these analyses are time consuming and laborious. We therefore investigated Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy coupled with partial least squares (PLS) regression analysis as a way of rapidly predicting the monosaccharide compositions and lignin contents of the cell walls of compression wood (CW) and opposite wood (OW) of the gymnosperm Pinus radiata. The effects were investigated of sample moisture content (ambient or dry) and sample particle size (large particles, < 0.422 mm or small particles, < 0.178 mm) of milled wood on attenuated total reflectance (ATR) and transmission FTIR spectra, as well as the PLS-1 models and subsequent predictions. PLS-1 models were built using mixtures of CW and OW as the training set, to provide a linear range of monosaccharide compositions and lignin contents. Models were externally validated by predicting another set of wood mixtures before predicting CW and OW of a separate test set. Most of the monosaccharide amounts in the separate test set were best predicted by ATR spectroscopy of ambient large particles, achieving the lowest standard error values for the monosaccharides arabinose (0.36%), xylose (1.05%), galactose (1.79%), glucose (6.32%), and 4-O-methylglucuronic acid (0.20%). The results show the feasibility of using ATR spectroscopy of ambient large particles for the rapid prediction of monosaccharide compositions and lignin contents of plant cell walls.     

On the nonlinear interfacial instability of rotating core-annual flow

The interfacial stability of rotating core-annular flows is investigated. The linear and nonlinear effects are considered for the case when the annular region is very thin. Both asymptotic and numerical methods are used to solve the flow in the core and film regions which are coupled by a difference in viscosity and density. The long-time behavior of the fluid-fluid interface is determined by deriving its nonlinear evolution in the form of a modified Kuramoto-Sivashinsky equation. We obtain a generalization of this equation to three dimensions. The flows considered are applicable to a wide array of physical problems where liquid films are used to lubricate higher- or lower-viscosity core fluids, for which a concentric arrangement is desired. Linearized solutions show that the effects of density and viscosity stratification are crucial to the stability of the interface. Rotation generally destabilizes nonaxisymmetric disturbances to the interface, whereas the centripetal forces tend to stabilize flows in which the film contains the heavier fluid. Nonlinear effects allow finite-amplitude helically traveling waves to exist when the fluids have different viscosities.This research was partially supported by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration under NASA Contract No. NAS1-18605 while the second author was in residence at the Institute for Computer Applications in Science and Engineering (ICASE), NASA Langley Research Center, Hampton, VA 23665. This work was also supported by the Science and Engineering Research Council.     

A note on integration of the Emden-Fowler equation

Using a simple change of variables, the Emden-Fowler equation, (x^{v + α}y′)′ + ax^vyⁿ = 0 is shown to be integrable provided that either of the constraints (v + α ? 1)n = 3 ? α + v or (v + α ? 1)n = 3 ? 2α ? v is satisfied. Every integrable case generates a one parameter family of integrable Emden-Fowler equations.     

D-c electric-potential method applied to thermal/mechanical fatigue crack growth

The paper describes a d-c electric potential system for measuring crack length under thermal/mechanical fatigue-crack-growth (TMFCG) test conditions. A programmable d-c current supply and precision multimeter produce reliable electric-potential readings. H.H. Johnson's formula is used to calculate crack length from electric potential for the center-crack-tensionM(T) geometry. Calibration constants for the formula are determined from an initial optical crack-length measurement. The resolution of the system is 1.0 microvolt which corresponds to a crack extension of approximately 0.002 mm for the center-crack-tension geometry using a current of 10.00 amps. Good crack-length accuracy and low data scatter are achieved by taking special precautions to minimize or eliminate errors in potential measurement due to thermal effects. Material resistivity changes are identified as the cause of short and long term changes in the measured electric potential for uncracked specimens. Crack-length accuracy is discussed in terms of short-term scatter and longterm drift.     

A note on Hamiltonian for long water waves in varying depth

The Hamiltonian for two-dimensional long waves over a slowly varying depth is derived. The vertical variation of the velocity field is obtained by using a perturbation method in terms of velocity potential. Employing the canonical theorem, the conventional Boussinesq equations are recovered. The Hamiltonian becomes negative when the wavelength becomes short. A modified Hamiltonian is constructed so that it remains positive and finite for short waves. The corresponding Boussinesq-type equations are then given.     

冰膜覆盖的球体在水中比金属球降落更快

冰覆盖膜能减少物体在水中运动时尾部湍流,使得运动的阻力降低一半。当冰的温度不是太低时,其表面覆盖一薄层水,因此,物体(如冰刀等)能轻易地在冰面上滑动。目前,一个研究小组发现,冰表面也能帮助冰覆盖物体在水中的运动。他们将球体投入盛水容器中,测量阻力的变化。当与同样尺寸、相同密度的金属或陶瓷球体对照时,覆盖冰的球体所受到的阻力下降。他们发现,冰在表面上的融化现象能够减小球体后部的湍流尾波。这个结果对于理解冰山的移动和船只在冰水中的运动具有重要意义。