Improving chaos-based pseudo-random generators in finite-precision arithmetic

Nonlinear Dynamics - One of the widely-used ways in chaos-based cryptography to generate pseudo-random sequences is to use the least significant bits or digits of finite-precision numbers defined...     

Examining the possibilities of applying high pressure to preserve yoghurt supplemented with probiotic bacteria

Natural yoghurt was subject to pressures of 200 and 250 MPa/4 and 18°C/15 min, after which milk-activated inocula of Lactobacillus acidophilus and Bifidobacterium sp. were added. The yoghurts were stored for 4 weeks at refrigeration temperature. After preparation and each week of storage, the count of bacteria, acidity, antibacterial property and an organoleptic assessment was determined. The highest survival rate was demonstrated by the bacteria of Lactobacillus delbrueckii ssp. bulgaricus, Streptococcus thermophilus and Bifidobacterium sp. in the yoghurt pressurised 200 MPa/15min at 4°C. Acidity increases in the control yoghurts were higher than in the pressurised ones. Pressurised yoghurts demonstrated weaker antibacterial effect in comparison to control yoghurts. Slight changes in the smell and taste were observed after pressurisation. Yoghurts pressurised at 18°C were characterised by more favourable organoleptic properties. Better conciseness of the curd and lower whey seep out were observed in pressurised yoghurt.     

Acid-catalyzed Hydrolysis of the cis-[Cr(1,10-phenanthroline)2(O2CO)]+ Ion Studied by the u.v.–vis Stopped Flow Method

The cis-[Cr(phen)₂(O₂CO)]⁺ ion was prepared through the displacement of two molecules of water from the cis-[Cr(phen)₂(OH₂)₂]³⁺ by the bidentate carbonate anion. It underwent two-phase hydrolysis reactions under acidic conditions (0.1 < [H⁺] < 2.7 m) at 5, 10, 15, 20 and 25 °C. Via slow carbonato chelate ring opening (first step k₁^slow) and a second fast decarboxylation(k₂^fast value). The first step was preceded by protonation of the coordinate bidentate carbonate ligand. The second step exhibited no pH dependence, while k₁^slow values increased with acid concentration that suggested the presence of both protonated and deprotonated reactant species. Based on these observations we have proposed a hydrolysis mechanism featuring H₂O-induced ring-opening of the coordinate CO₃²⁻ group in the first step k₁^slow followed by loss of CO₃²⁻ from two intermediates, [Cr(phen)₂(O₂COH)]²⁺ (k₁^slow) and [Cr(phen)₂(OH₂)(O₂COH)]²⁺ (k₂^fast).     

Modulational instability in one-dimensional saturable waveguide arrays: Comparison with Kerr nonlinearity

Discrete modulational instability within the first band of uniform one-dimensional waveguide arrays possessing a saturable self-defocusing nonlinearity is investigated in detail within the coupled mode approach. Explicit analytical results for both the threshold and the maximal gain of instability are compared with the corresponding data from waveguide arrays exhibiting Kerr nonlinearity. We find that saturation bounds the interval of existence of discrete modulational instability, stabilizes the frequency region of perturbations around ±π/2 and decreases both gain and critical spatial frequency of perturbations.     

Diastereoselective Michael additions to α,β-unsaturated α-sulfinyl phosphonates in the thiolane series

A chiral racemic 2-phosphono-2,3-didehydrothiolane sulfoxide was used as a Michael acceptor in the reactions with several nucleophiles, in particular thiols. In most cases the reactions were fully diastereoselective. The relative configuration of the resulting adducts was determined.     

Electroreductive intramolecular coupling of aromatic δ- and ε-keto esters

Electroreduction of aromatic δ- and ε-keto esters in the presence of chlorotrimethylsilane and triethylamine gave five- and six-membered cyclized products. The products were transformed to the corresponding α-hydroxy ketones.     

Exopeptidase degradation for the analysis of phosphorylation site in a mono-phosphorylated peptide with matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry.

The utility of matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOFMS) coupled with a peptide ladder sequencing method employing exopeptidase degradation for the analysis of phosphorylation site in a mono-phosphorylated peptide is investigated. MALDI-TOFMS analysis of time-dependent exopeptidase digestion using carboxypeptidase W and aminopeptidase M of the mono-phosphorylated 33-48 fragment isolated from a beta-casein tryptic digestion mixture allowed for the sequencing analysis from both the C-terminus and N-terminus. Negative ion detection MALDI-TOFMS made it possible to clearly measure the peptide ladder of mono-phosphorylated peptide by the strong negative charge localized at the phosphoric acid group. Since exopeptidase activity was suppressed by the existence of a phosphorylated amino acid residue, the termination exopeptidase degradation therefore suggested the existence of a phosphorylated amino acid residue at that site. This peptide ladder sequencing method using exopeptidases was effective for the identification of the site of a phosphorylated amino acid residue by a simple MALDI-TOFMS analysis in the negative ion detection mode.     

Zur homogenen Maschine mit Zusatzdrehmassen

Zusammenfassung Unter gewissen Bedingungen liefern die für die Berechnung der Eigenwerte einer homogenen Maschine mit Zusatzdrehmassen maßgebenden transzendenten Gleichungen bei alleiniger Berücksichtigung der reellen Lösungen zu wenig Eigenfrequenzen. Die fehlenden Frequenzen — es handelt sich hierbei stets um die höchsten — erhält man aus den komplexen Lösungen. Es werden, unter Beschränkung auf eine oder zwei Zusatzmassen, die Bedingungen untersucht, bei denen komplexe Eigenwerte auftreten, und die in diesen Fällen geltenden Gleichungen für die Eigenfrequenzen, Momente und Drehwinkel abgeleitet. Neben dem Verhältnis der Trägheitsmomente ist auch dasjenige der Federkonstanten für das Auftreten komplexer Lösungen von Bedeutung, so daß solche, wie man aus den zuständigen Bedingungsgleichungen ersieht, auch bei sehr großen Zusatzmassen vorkommen können. Man kann übrigens zeigen, daß beim Vorhandensein von z Zusatzmassen maximal z komplexe Eigenwerte möglich sind.Es sei hier noch vermerkt, daß sich die gewonnenen Ergebnisse analog auf homogene Schwingungsketten mit Zusatzmassen an den Enden übertragen lassen.     

Thermal decomposition of basic aluminium potassium sulfate. Part II. Kinetics of the reaction

The kinetics of individual stages of thermal dissociation of basic aluminium potassium sulfate (BAPS) were studied thermogravimetrically under isobaric and isothermal conditions at a reduced pressure of the order of 10^?3 hPa and in the atmosphere of gaseous products of the reaction (H₂O, SO₂).The kinetic parameters of all the reaction stages have been identified and the nature of the stages and the effect of changes of the reaction of conditions on the course of the processes have been determined.