Lower Bounds for Simplicial Covers and Triangulations of Cubes

We show that the size of a minimal simplicial cover of a polytope P is a lower bound for the size of a minimal triangulation of P, including ones with extra vertices. We then use this fact to study minimal triangulations of cubes, and we improve lower bounds for covers and triangulations in dimensions 4 through at least 12 (and possibly more dimensions as well). Important ingredients are an analysis of the number of exterior faces that a simplex in the cube can have of a specified dimension and volume, and a characterization of corner simplices in terms of their exterior faces.     

Portal, freight and vehicle monitor performance using scintillating glass fiber detectors for the detection of plutonium in the Illicit Trafficking Radiation Assessment Program

Neutron-sensitive scintillating glass fiber sensors provide several advantages over neutron-sensitive gas-tubes for plutonium detection and surveillance. Large area detectors and higher effective neutron capture density provide significant improvements in sensitivity versus cost. The glass sensors offer a wide dynamic counting range, fast response time, no transport hazard, greater operator safety and lower micro-phonic susceptibility relative to conventional ³He and ¹⁰BF₃ sensors. We report on the testing methods used in Illicit Trafficking Radiation Assessment Program and our experience in evaluating the performance of the portal, freight and vehicle monitors for customs applications employing these new sensors. Results of false and real alarm tests and distribution tests are presented and compared to previous Monte Carlo and first principle calculations. These earlier calculations determined the detection limits for neutron glass panels used for continuous monitoring of special nuclear materials. Assumptions used in the model assumed a nominal background count rate for neutrons of 0.010 n·cm^-2·s^-1, an intrinsic neutron efficiency of 20% and an alarm set point of 5.2 sigma representing one false alarm per month. Measured neutron data taken with ²⁵²Cf and several gamma ray sources confirm the calculated data. Calculations assume an unshielded source and are conservative because they do not include environmental improvements in neutron economy. The results demonstrate that these systems are capable of reliably detecting special nuclearmaterials (SNM) and other radionuclides within a few seconds.     

Rapid fabrication of a microfluidic device with integrated optical waveguides for DNA fragment analysis

The fabrication and performance of a microfluidic device with integrated liquid-core optical waveguides for laser induced fluorescence DNA fragment analysis is presented. The device was fabricated through poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) soft lithography and waveguides are formed in dedicated channels through the addition of a liquid PDMS pre-polymer of higher refractive index. Once a master has been fabricated, microfluidic chips can be produced in less than 3 h without the requirement for a cleanroom, yet this method provides an optical system that has higher performance than a conventional confocal optical assembly. Optical coupling was achieved through the insertion of optical fibers into fiber-to-waveguide couplers at the edge of the chip and the liquid-fiber interface results in low reflection and scattering losses. Waveguide propagation losses are measured to be 1.8 dB cm(-1) (532 nm) and 1.0 dB cm(-1) (633 nm). The chip displays an average total coupling loss of 7.6 dB due to losses at the optical fiber interfaces. In the electrophoretic separation and detection of a BK virus PCR product, the waveguide system achieves an average signal-to-noise ratio of 570 +/- 30 whereas a commercial confocal benchtop electrophoresis system achieves an average SNR of 330 +/- 30. To our knowledge, this is the first time that a waveguide-based system has been demonstrated to have a SNR comparable to a commercially available confocal-based system for microchip capillary electrophoresis.     

Direct experimental evidence for current-transfer mode operation of nested tungsten wire arrays at 16-19 MA

Nested tungsten wire arrays (20-mm on 12-mm diam.) are shown for the first time to operate in a current-transfer mode at 16-19 MA, even for azimuthal interwire gaps of 0.2 mm that are the smallest typically used for any array experiment. After current transfer, the inner wire array shows discrete wire ablation and implosion characteristics identical to that of a single array, such as axially nonuniform ablation, delayed acceleration, and trailing mass and current. The presence of trailing mass from the outer and the inner arrays may play a role in determining nested array performance.     

Demonstration of radiation pulse shaping with nested-tungsten-wire-array pinches for high-yield inertial confinement fusion

Nested wire-array pinches are shown to generate soft x-ray radiation pulse shapes required for three-shock isentropic compression and hot-spot ignition of high-yield inertial confinement fusion capsules. We demonstrate a reproducible and tunable foot pulse (first shock) produced by interaction of the outer and inner arrays. A first-step pulse (second shock) is produced by inner array collision with a central CH2 foam target. Stagnation of the inner array at the axis produces the third shock. Capsules optimized for several of these shapes produce 290-900 MJ fusion yields in 1D simulations.     

Macro-segregation, dynamics of interface and stresses in high pressure LEC grown crystals

High dislocation density and strong dopant inhomogeneities have been found in high pressure liquid-encapsulated Czochralski (HPLEC) grown crystals. The origin and underlying mechanisms of these defects are attributed to the complex nature of transport phenomena in the HPLEC system. Our integrated computer model (MASTRAPP) can simulate this process by calculating the flow and heat transfer in both the melt and the gas, and thermal-elastic stress in the crystal. In this work, this model has been further extended to investigate the development of thermal stress in the growing crystal and the redistribution of dopant in the melt. The results for InP growth show complex gas flow and heat transfer pattern in the system. Two large stress spots are predicted by the model, one at the edge of the crystal just above the encapsulant layer and the other in the top corner of the crystal. Although the stress always remains largest at the first location, its value decreases as the crystal grows, due to the enhanced cooling of the crystal. A curved crystal/melt interface is also found to introduce high thermal stresses in its vicinity, which may be dangerous because of a high temperature at the interface and thus a low strength of the crystal. The model also predicts both radial and longitudinal dopant segregation in the growing crystal, and shows that the dopant redistribution in the melt is caused by the complex flow pattern in the melt. This is the first time, that a strong radial dopant segregation has been predicted based on a comprehensive flow model for a HPLEC growth.     

Activity coefficients for ternary systems: VI. The system HCl + MgCl2 + H2O at different temperatures; application of Pitzer's equations

Electromotive-force measurements have been made on HCl–MgCl₂–H₂O mixtures at 5, 15, 25, 35 and 45°C at eleven different ionic strengths from 0.1–5.0 mol-kg ^–1 . The results are interpreted in terms of the simple Harned's equations, as well as the more complicated Pitzer ion-component treatment of multicomponent electrolyte mixtures. Activity coefficients for HCl in the salt mixtures obey Harned's rule up to and including I=5.0. For the salt in the acid mixtures, Harned's rule holds true up to and including I=0.5. The contribution of higher-order electrostatic terms (E and E') in the Pitzer equations is important for accurate evaluations of unlike cation-cation interactions (_H,Mg), and cation-anion-cation interactions (_H,Mg,Cl). The values of^S_H,Mg and _H,Mg,Cl (determined with E and E'), _H,Mg and _H,Mg,Cl (determined without E and E'), as well as the trace activity coefficients of HCl, _tr ^A , in solutions of MgCl₂ (where ionic strength fraction of the salt,y _B = 1) at all the experimental temperatures and ionic strengths, are reported. Results of this study are compared with those for similar systems. At I=0.1 and 25°C, the results of the Brönsted-Guggenheim specific interaction theory are discussed briefly.     

Singlet Oxygen Quenching by Resveratrol Derivatives†

We investigated the singlet oxygen quenching ability of several derivatives of trans-resveratrol which have been reported to have significant antioxidant ability, including photoprotective activity. We measured the total rate constants of singlet oxygen removal (k_T) by the methylated resveratrol derivative 1,3-dimethoxy-5-[(E)-2-(4-methoxyphenyl)ethenyl]benzene, and the partially methylated resveratrol derivatives 4-((E)-2-(3,5-dimethoxyphenyl)ethenyl)phenol (pterostilbene), 5-[(E)-2-(4-methoxyphenyl)ethenyl]benzene-1,3-diol and (2R,3R)-3,5,7-trihydroxy-2-(3,4,5-trihydroxyphenyl)-2,3-dihydrochromen-4-one (dihydromyricetin). A protic solvent system results in higher k_T values, except for the completely methylated derivative. We also investigated the ability of trans-resveratrol to directly act as a photosensitizer (rather than via secondary photoproducts resulting from other primary photochemical reactions) for the production of singlet oxygen but found that neither resveratrol nor any of its derivatives are able to do so. We then studied the chemical reactions of the methylated derivative with singlet oxygen. The main pathway consists of a [4 + 2] cycloaddition reaction involving the trans-double bond and the para-substituted benzene ring similar to what has been observed for trans-resveratrol. Unlike trans-resveratrol, the primary singlet oxygen product undergoes a second [4 + 2] cycloaddition with singlet oxygen leading to the formation of diendoperoxides. A second reactivity pathway for both trans-resveratrol and the methylated derivative leads to the formation of aldehydes via cleavage of a transient dioxetane.