Characterization of low molecular weight hydrocarbon oligomers by laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry using a solvent-free sample preparation method.

A new solvent-free sample preparation method using silver trifluoroacetate (AgTFA) was developed for the analysis of low molecular weight paraffins and microcrystalline waxes by laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (LDI-TOFMS). Experiments show that spectral quality can be enhanced by dispersing AgTFA directly in liquid paraffins without the use of additional solvents. This preparation mixture is applied directly to the MALDI probe. Solid waxes could be examined by melting prior to analysis. The method also provides sufficiently reproducible spectra that peak area ratios between mono- and bicyclic alkane peaks indicated variations in the cycloalkane content of paraffin samples. Dehydrogenation of hydrocarbons observed during the desorption/ionization process was studied by analysis of alkane standards.     

Well-Posedness by Perturbations of Variational Problems

In this paper, we consider the extension of the notion of well-posedness by perturbations, introduced by Zolezzi for optimization problems, to other related variational problems like inclusion problems and fixed-point problems. Then, we study the conditions under which there is equivalence of the well-posedness in the above sense between different problems. Relations with the so-called diagonal well-posedness are also given. Finally, an application to staircase iteration methods is presented.     

Mass Power Spectrum in a Universe Dominated by the Chaplygin Gas

The mass power spectrum for a Universe dominated by the Chaplygin gas is evaluated numerically from scales of the order of the Hubble horizon to 100 Mpc. The results are compared with a pure baryonic Universe and a cosmological constant model. In all three cases, the spectrum increases with k, the wavenumber of the perturbations. The slope of the spectrum is higher for the baryonic model and smaller for the cosmological constant model, the Chaplygin gas interpolating these two models. The results are analyzed in terms of the sound velocity of the Chaplygin gas and the moment the Universe begins to accelerate.     

The polar ionosphere at Zhongshan station on May 11, 1999, the day the solar wind almost disappeared

The solar wind almost disappeared on May 11, 1999: the solar wind plasma density and dynamic pressure were less than 1cm⁻³ and 0.1 nPa respectively, while the interplanetary magnetic field was northward. The polar ionospheric data observed by the multi-instruments at Zhongshan Station in Antarctica on such special event day was compared with those of the control day (May 14). It was shown that geomagnetic activity was very quiet on May 11 at Zhongshan. The magnetic pulsation, which usually occurred at about magnetic noon, did not appear. The ionosphere was steady and stratified, and the F₂ layer spread very little. The critical frequency of day-side F₂ layer, f₀F₂, was larger than that of control day, and the peak of f₀F₂ appeared 2 hours earlier. The ionospheric drift velocity was less than usual. There were intensive auroral E_s appearing at magnetic noon. All this indicates that the polar ionosphere was extremely quiet and geomagnetic field was much more dipolar on May 11. There were some signatures of auroral substorm before midnight, such as the negative deviation of the geomagnetic H component, accompanied with auroral E_s and weak Pc3 pulsation.

     

The universality of equivariant complex bordism

We show that if A is an abelian compact Lie group, all A-equivariant complex vector bundles are orientable over a complex orientable equivariant cohomology theory. In the process, we calculate the complex orientable homology and cohomology of all complex Grassmannians. Received: 14 February 2000; in final form: 4 August 2000 / Published online: 19 October 2001     

NUMERICAL MODELLING OF THE SOUND FIELDS IN URBAN STREETS WITH DIFFUSELY REFLECTING BOUNDARIES

A radiosity-based theoretical/computer model has been developed to study the fundamental characteristics of the sound fields in urban streets resulting from diffusely reflecting boundaries, and to investigate the effectiveness of architectural changes and urban design options on noise reduction. Comparison between the theoretical prediction and the measurement in a scale model of an urban street shows very good agreement. Computations using the model in hypothetical rectangular streets demonstrate that though the boundaries are diffusely reflective, the sound attenuation along the length is significant, typically at 20-30 dB/100 m. The sound distribution in a cross-section is generally even unless the cross-section is very close to the source. In terms of the effectiveness of architectural changes and urban design options, it has been shown that over 2-4 dB extra attenuation can be obtained either by increasing boundary absorption evenly or by adding absorbent patches on the façades or the ground. Reducing building height has a similar effect. A gap between buildings can provide about 2-3 dB extra sound attenuation, especially in the vicinity of the gap. The effectiveness of air absorption on increasing sound attenuation along the length could be 3-9 dB at high frequencies. If a treatment is effective with a single source, it is also effective with multiple sources. In addition, it has been demonstrated that if the façades in a street are diffusely reflective, the sound field of the street does not change significantly whether the ground is diffusely or geometrically reflective.     

Ermakov Approach for Minisuperspace Oscillators

The Wheeler–DeWitt equation of arbitrary Hartle–Hawking factor ordering for several minisuperspace universe models, such as the pure gravity Friedmann–Robertson–Walker and Taub ones, is mapped onto the dynamics of corresponding classical oscillators. The latter ones are studied by the classical Ermakov invariant method, which is a natural approach in this context. For the more realistic case of a minimally coupled massive scalar field, one can study, within the same type of approach, the corresponding squeezing features as a possible means of describing cosmological evolution. Finally, we comment on the analogy with the accelerator physics.     

Studies on amine hydrothiocyanates. IV. Thermal decomposition studies using TG

The thermal decomposition of piperidine hydrothiocyanate, piperazine hydrothiocyanate, and the dihydrothiocyanates of ethylenediamine and 1,3-diaminopropane has been studied using TG. Piperidine hydrothiocyanate decomposes in a single step while the dihydrothiocyanates follow more complicated decomposition patterns yielding H₂S and half of the organic moiety first. The second step involves the loss of H₂S and the remainder of the organic moiety. In each case, complex polymeric materials result. Piperazine hydrothiocyanate also decomposes in two steps, the first involving the loss of half of the piperazine and the second involving the loss of piperazine and H₂S. Kinetic parameters have been determined for all these reactions.     

Mode of complement activation by acidic heteroglycans from the leaves of Artemisia princeps PAMP.

The mode of action of the anti-complementary acidic heteroglycans, AAF-IIb-2 and IIb-3 which consisted of rhamnogalacturonan core and arabinogalactan moieties, purified from the leaves of Artemisia princeps PAMP (Japanese name = Gaiyo) were investigated. The anti-complementary activities of AAF-IIb-2 and IIb-3 were reduced partially in the absence of Ca2+ ions. A marked consumption of C4 was observed to have occurred when serum was incubated with both polysaccharides in the presence of Ca2+ ions. AAF-IIb-2 showed more potent C4 consumption than IIb-3. After the incubation of the serum with AAF-IIb-2 in the absence of Ca2+ ions, a cleavage of C3 in the serum was detected by immunoelectrophoresis. AAF-IIb-2 showed more significant consumption of the complement than IIb-3 when rabbit erythrocytes were used in the assay system in the absence of Ca2+ ions. These results indicate that AAF-IIb-2 activates the complement via both the alternative and classical pathways, whereas IIb-3 mainly activates the complement via the classical pathway. The absorption of serum with Protein A-Sepharose results in a decrease of the activity of AAF-IIb-2 and IIb-3. However, the decrease of the activity was restored by the replacement of the immunoglobulin G (IgG) fraction after its recovery from the Protein A-Sepharose. These results suggest that IgG dependent mechanisms are both involved in the anti-complementary activity of AAF-IIb-2 and IIb-3.     

Hilbert重级数定理的一个改进

The object of this note is to prove the followingTheorem Let{a_n}and{b_n}be sequences of real numbers such that0<∑∑a_n~2<+∞and0<∑b_n~2<+∞.Then we have the inequalitysum from m=1 to∞sum from n=1 to∞a_mb_n/m+n<{sum from n=1 to∞(π-θ/n~(1/2)a_n~2}~1/2{sum from n=1 to∞(π-θ/n~(1/2)b_n~2}~1/2 (1)whereθ=3/2~(1/2)-1=1.121320343.