On the spectrum of the Laplacian

In this article we prove a generalization of Weyl’s criterion for the essential spectrum of a self-adjoint operator on a Hilbert space. We then apply this criterion to the Laplacian on functions over open manifolds and get new results for its essential spectrum.     

Hybrid artificial neural networks for efficient valuation of real options and financial derivatives

A hybrid valuation methodology is proposed and tested for improving the efficiency of contingent claims pricing by combining Artificial Neural Networks (ANN) and conventional parametric option pricing techniques. With one application on financial derivatives and one on real options the methods superiority is demonstrated. The resulting efficiency is instrumental for real time applications.MSC code: 90-08 Acknowledgements: Both authors are thankful for partial financial support to the HERMES European Center of Excellence on Computational Finance and Economics of the University of Cyprus and a University of Cyprus grant for research in ANNs and Derivatives, and to the anonymous referees for their helpful comments and discussions.     

Dissymetry of critical exponants in YBCO

We report on measurements of the specific heat of μg-size YBCO single crystals very close to the superconducting transition in zero field. Detailed data points are obtained down to reduced temperatures of 10^?5. Analysis of the derivative of the specific heat yields the critical exponents in an unambiguous way. α+ is positive ～0.5; α- is negative ～ ?0.3. The value of α+ is consistent with gaussian fluctuations above Tc, however the value of α- is inconsistent with either gaussian fluctuations or the 3DXY model.     

In search for mixed transition metal/lanthanide single-molecule magnets: Synthetic routes to NiII/TbIII and NiII/DyIII clusters featuring a 2-pyridyl oximate ligand

Employing the mononuclear complex [Ni{(py)C(Me)NO}₂{(py)C(Me)NOH}] (1) as ‘ligand’ [(py)C(Me)NOH = methyl 2-pyridyl ketone oxime], the use of the ‘metal complexes as ligands’ approach has led to the synthesis of the mixed Ni^II/Ln^III complexes [NiTb{(py)C(Me)NO}₂(NO₃)₃{(py)C(Me)NOH}] (2), [Ni₂Ln₂{(py)C(Me)NO}₆(NO₃)₄] (Ln = Dy, 3; Ln = Tb, 4) and [Ni₂Tb{(py)C(Me)NO}₆](NO₃) (5). The structures of 2, 3, and 5, and the magnetic properties of 2 and 5 are briefly discussed.     

UV-A induced oxidative stress is more prominent in naturally pigmented aged human RPE cells compared to non-pigmented human RPE cells independent of zinc treatment

To investigate the effects of zinc supplementation on human amelanotic (ARPE-19) and native pigmented retinal pigment epithelial cells (hRPE) under normal light conditions and after ultraviolet A light exposure. hRPE cells, containing both melanin and lipofuscin granules, were prepared from human donor eyes of 60-70 year old patients. Cells of the amelanotic ARPE-19 cell line and pigmented hRPE cells were treated with zinc chloride and subjected to oxidative stress by UV-A irradiation. Intracellular H(2)O(2) formation was measured using a fluorescence oxidation assay. Additionally, apoptosis and viability assays were performed. Control cells were treated identically except for irradiation and zinc supplementation. Under normal light conditions, zinc treated hRPE cells produced less H(2)O(2) than unsupplemented hRPE cells. Viability and apoptosis events did not change. After UV-A irradiation, ARPE and hRPE cells were greatly impaired in all tests performed compared to the non-irradiated controls. No differences were found after zinc supplementation. hRPE cells showed a higher apoptosis and mortality rate than non-pigmented cells when stressed by UV-A light. ARPE cells never showed any zinc related effects. In contrast, without irradiation, zinc supplementation reduced H(2)O(2) production in pigmented hRPE cells slightly. We did not find any zinc effect in irradiated hRPE cells. After UV light exposure, pigmented cells showed a higher apoptosis and mortality than cells lacking any pigmentation. We conclude that cells with pigmentation consisting of melanin and lipofuscin granules have more prooxidative than antioxidative capacity when stressed by UV light exposure compared to cells lacking any pigmentation.     

On conditions for optimality in least pth approximation withp → ∞

This paper presents a theoretical discussion of the necessary and sufficient conditions for optimality in generalized nonlinear leastpth approximation problems forp . In the limit, the conditions for a minimax approximation are derived, as is to be expected. Numerical examples involving the modeling of a linear time-invariant fourth-order system by a second-order model and the design of quarter-wave transmission-line transformers illustrate the results.This work was supported by the National Research Council of Canada under Grant No. A7239 and by a Frederick Gardner Cottrell Grant from the Research Corporation. This paper was presented at the 9th Annual Allerton Conference on Circuit and System Theory, Urbana, Illinois, October 6–8, 1971. The authors thank Mrs. J. R. Popovi for helping to correct Example 4.1.     

Strong Nearness Frames Having Enough Cauchy Filters

We prove results establishing sufficient conditions for the sum of two nearness frames to have enough Cauchy filters. From these results and the fact that, in the category of strong nearness frames having enough Cauchy filters and uniform frame maps, complete spatial frames form a coreflective subcategory, follow a variety of results where the open-sets contravariant functor from topological spaces to frames transforms products into sums and inverse limits into direct limits.     

Possible link of a structurally driven spin flip transition and the insulator-metal transition in the perovskite La(1-x)Ba(x)CoO3

The nature of the magnetic ground state near the insulator-metal transition (IMT) in La(1-x)Ba(x)CoO3 was investigated via neutron scattering. Below the critical concentration, x(c)～0.22, a commensurate antiferromagnetic (AFM) phase appears initially. Upon approaching x(c), the AFM component weakens and a ferromagnetic (FM) ordered phase sets in while in the rhombohedral lattice. At x(c), a spin flip to a new FM structure occurs at the same time as the crystal symmetry transforms to orthorhombic (Pnma). The Pnma phase may be the driving force for the IMT.     

Condenser for Koehler-like illumination in transmission x-ray microscopes at undulator sources

We report on a novel condenser for full-field transmission x-ray microscopes that use synchrotron radiation from an undulator source. The condenser produces a Koehler-like homogeneous intensity distribution in the sample plane and eliminates object illumination problems connected with the high degree of spatial coherence in an undulator beam. The optic consists of a large number of small linear diffraction gratings and is therefore relatively easy to manufacture. First imaging experiments with a prototype condenser were successfully performed with the Twinmic x-ray microscope at the Elettra synchrotron facility in Italy.