A Modified Quasi-Newton Method for Structured Optimization with Partial Information on the Hessian

This paper develops a modified quasi-Newton method for structured unconstrained optimization with partial information on the Hessian, based on a better approximation to the Hessian in current search direction. The new approximation is decided by both function values and gradients at the last two iterations unlike the original one which only uses the gradients at the last two iterations. The modified method owns local and superlinear convergence. Numerical experiments show that the proposed method is encouraging comparing with the methods proposed in [4] for structured unconstrained optimization Presented at the 6th International Conference on Optimization: Techniques and Applications, Ballarat, Australia, December 9–11, 2004     

On Dirichlet Characters of Polynomials

The main purpose of this paper is to use the properties of Gaussiansums and the analytic method to study the problem of calculatingone kind of character sums modulo q, and to give an interestingidentity. 2000 Mathematics Subject Classification 11L10, 11L40.     

Polytetrafluoroethylene and metal structure convective-flow CO laser

A convective flow CO laser composed of polytetrafluoroethylene discharge tubes, nickel–chromium steel components, a cupric heat exchanger and other components is described. Operating in liquid nitrogen condition, output power of 60 W has been obtained from a non-selective cavity.     

A study on the electrical conductivity of multi-walled carbon nanotube aqueous solution

The electrical conductivity was investigated for multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) dissolved in chloroform and toluene, respectively. The electrical conductivity remarkably increased with increase in the content of MWNTs, which is in accordance with Archie's equation . Furthermore, a hypothesis of the electronic transport process was proposed to explain the difference between the solution and the solid compound. In addition, the temperature dependence of the electrical conductivity shows that log σ vs. 1/T exist in a good linear relationship. The activation energy of the electrical conductivity decreased with increase in concentration and an inflexion was observed at 60 °C in MWNT/toluene solution.     

Patterns—a fundamental idea of mathematical thinking and learning

Taking advantage of patterns is typical of our everyday experience as well as our mathematical thinking and learning. For example a working day or a morning at school displays a certain structure, which can be described in terms of patterns. On the one hand regular structures give us the feeling of permanence and enable us to make predictions. On the other hand they also provide a chance to be creative and to vary common procedures. School students usually encounter patterns in math classes either as number patterns or geometric patterns. There are also patterns that teachers can find in analyzing the errors students make during their calculations (error patterns) as well as patterns that are inherent to mathematical problems. One could even go so far as to say that identifying and describing patterns is elementary for mathematics (cf. Devlin 2003). Practising good interacting with patterns supports not only the active learning of mathematics but also a deeper understanding of the world in general. Patterns can be explored, identified, extended, reproduced, compared, varied, represented, described and created. This paper provides some examples of pattern utilization and detailed analyses thereof. These ideas serve as “hooks” to encourage the good use of patterns to facilitate active learning processes in mathematics.     

Crystallographic report: Bis{[diacetyl‐bis(2,6‐isopropylphenylimine)]nickel(I)(µ‐chloro)}

The first α‐diimine nickel(I) complex having a chloro bridge is reported. The centrosymmetric dinuclear structure of {[ArN?C(Me)C(Me)?NAr]NiCl}₂[Ar?2,6?C₆H₃(i‐Pr)₂] features two chelating α‐diimine ligands and two bridged chlorine atoms, so that a distorted tetrahedral N₂Cl₂ coordination geometry for nickel results. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.