Classical Versus Quantum Equivalence Between Sine-Gordon,Liouville and Other Solitons

In this work we present a mapping between the classical solutions of the sine-Gordon, Liouville, ⁴ and other kinks in 1+1 dimensions. This is done by using an invariant quantity which relates the models. It is easily shown that this procedure is equivalent to that used to get the so called deformed solitons, as proposed recently by Bazeia et al. [Phys. Rev. D. 66 (2002) 101701(R)]. The classical equivalence is explored in order to relate the solutions of the corresponding models and, as a consequence, try to get new information about them. We discuss also the difficulties and consequences which appear when one tries to extend the deformation in order to take into account the quantum version of the models.     

Quartz Crystal Microbalance monitoring the real-time binding of lectin with carbohydrate with high and low molecular mass

A Quartz Crystal Microbalance (QCM) was used to monitor the mass changes on a quartz crystal surface containing immobilized lectins that interacted with carbohydrates. The strategy for lectin immobilization was developed on the basis of a multilayer system composed of Au–cystamine–glutaraldehyde–lectin. Each step of the immobilization procedure was confirmed by FTIR analysis. The system was used to study the interactions of Concanavalin A (ConA) with maltose and Jacalin with Fetuin. The real-time binding of different concentrations of carbohydrate to the immobilized lectin was monitored by means of QCM measurements and the data obtained allowed for the construction of Langmuir isotherm curves. The association constants determined for the specific interactions analyzed here were (6.4 ± 0.2) × 10⁴ M^− 1 for Jacalin–Fetuin and (4.5 ± 0.1) × 10² M^− 1 for ConA–maltose. These results indicate that the QCM constitutes a suitable method for the analysis of lectin–carbohydrate interactions, even when assaying low molecular mass ligands such as disaccharides.     

Long-term behaviour of GFRP pipes: Reducing the prediction test duration

The certification of glass-fibre reinforced plastic (GFRP) piping systems is regulated by normative standards in which test series of 10,000 h are required to estimate the residual properties at the end of the expected life (normally, 50 years). In this paper, the possibility to reduce the test duration, whilst maintaining an equivalent prediction of long-term properties, is discussed. Experimental results from standard test procedures conducted on GFRP pipes of four different types and respective data analysis support this possibility. The estimation error when using only data from shorter tests is consistently less than 10% if compared to the standard methods.     

Day-ahead market bidding for a Nordic hydropower producer: taking the Elbas market into account

In many power markets around the world the energy generation decisions result from two-sided auctions in which producing and consuming agents submit their price-quantity bids. The determination of optimal bids in power markets is a complicated task that has to be undertaken every day. In the present work, we propose an optimization model for a price-taker hydropower producer in Nord Pool that takes into account the uncertainty in market prices and both production and physical trading aspects. The day-ahead bidding takes place a day before the actual operation and energy delivery. After this round of bidding, but before actual operation, some adjustments in the dispatched power (accepted bids) have to be done, due to uncertainty in prices, inflow and load. Such adjustments can be done in the Elbas market, which allows for trading physical electricity up to one hour before the operation hour. This paper uses stochastic programming to determine the optimal bidding strategy and the impact of the possibility to participate in the Elbas. ARMAX and GARCH techniques are used to generate realistic market price scenarios taking into account both day-ahead price and Elbas price uncertainty. The results show that considering Elbas when bidding in the day-ahead market does not significantly impact neither the profit nor the recommended bids of a typical hydro producer.     

Study of TL properties of LaAlO3:Ce,Dy crystals for UV dosimetry

Thermoluminescence properties of lanthanum aluminum oxide (LaAlO₃) crystals doped with optically active rare earth ions have been investigated for ultraviolet dosimetry purposes. Single crystals co-doped with 5.0 at.% of Ce³⁺ and 1.0 at.% of Dy³⁺ ions have two thermoluminescent (TL) peaks at 151 °C and 213 °C which can be sensitized after 1 h of UV exposure. The material shows very high TL output and linear response for UV spectral irradiance ranging from 0.04 to 1.20 mJ cm⁻², that corresponds to 10 times the TL response of the Al₂O₃:C oxides. From 0.62 to 148.0 mJ cm⁻² the dependence is linear with the logarithm of the spectral irradiance. The investigation demonstrates that LaAlO₃:Ce,Dy crystals are very attractive to be investigated as UV dosimeters.     

A constitutive theory for ferrofluids

A constitutive theory for paramagnetic ferrofluids based on a rational thermodynamic theory with Lagrange multipliers is developed. It is shown that the 44 scalar coefficients of a general constitutive theory are reduced to 20 scalar coefficients through the exploitation of the entropy principle. By imposing: i) that the thermomechanical quantities are decoupled from the magnetic quantities; and ii) that the magnetization contributes only to the antisymmetrical part of the stress tensor, the 20 scalar coefficients are reduced to five e. g. the coefficients of thermal conductivity, shear and bulk viscosity and two relaxation times related to magnetic relaxation effects of the ferrofluid. Received May 1, 1999     

Solution of Müller's paradox of frame dependence in mixtures of polymeric liquid crystals

Recently, there appeared in this journal a short review article by Müller ((2002), 14: 227–229), in which it was argued that the internal energy of a reacting mixture of liquid crystals should not be an objective quantity (i.e., a quantity independent of the referential frame). Such a paradoxical conclusion has revealed the urging necessity for a better comprehension of the interactions taking place in structured mixtures, specially when referred to non-inertial observers. This work shows that Müller's paradox is avoided when all inertial effects are carefully accounted for. Further, it predicts interesting phenomena without analogue in reacting mixtures of structureless fluids: internal inertial effects, produced by a combination of mass exchanges (e.g. by chemical reactions or phase changes) with the extra degrees of freedom posed by the microstructure. Such effects clarify the reasons why inertial forces and couples acting on a mixture do not always coincide with the sum of the inertial forces and couples exerted upon its individual constituents. The present conclusions establish a reinterpretation of some fundamental concepts of continuum mechanics and thermodynamics, including a deeper understanding of the manner in which total energy and momenta are conserved in complex media. Received: July 25, 2002 / Published online: February 17, 2003 Communicated by Kolumban Hutter, Darmstadt e-mail: faria@mechanik.tu-darmstadt.de     

New approach for natural products screening by real-time monitoring of hemoglobin hydrolysis using quartz crystal microbalance

The hemoglobin (Hb) released from erythrocytes is a primary nutritive component for many blood-feeding parasites. The aspartic protease cathepsin D is a hemoglobinase that is involved in the Hb degradation process and is considered an interesting target for chemotherapy intervention. However, traditional enzymatic assays for studying Hb degradation utilize spectrophotometric techniques, which do not allow real-time monitoring and can present serious interference problems. Herein, we describe a biosensor using simple approach for the real-time monitoring of Hb hydrolysis as well as an efficient screening method for natural products as enzymatic inhibitors using a quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) technique. Hemoglobin was anchored on the quartz crystal surface using mixed self-assembled monolayers. The addition of the enzyme caused a mass change (frequency shift) due to Hb hydrolysis, which was monitored in real time. From the frequency change patterns of the Hb-functionalized QCM, we evaluated the enzymatic reaction by determining the kinetic parameters of product formation (k_cat). The QCM enzymatic assay using immobilized human Hb was shown to be an excellent approach for screening possible inhibitors in complex mixtures, opening up a new avenue for the discovery of novel inhibitors.     

Polyethyleneimine Immobilized on Silica Endcapped with Octadecyl Groups as a Stationary Phase for RP-LC

A new reversed stationary phase was prepared, based on thermal immobilization of trimethoxysilylpropyl modified polyethyleneimine onto silica particles endcapped with octadecyl molecules. The physicochemical and morphological properties of the stationary phase were characterized by solid state cross-polarization and magic angle spinning ²⁹Si nuclear magnetic resonance, infrared spectroscopy, porosimetry, and elemental analysis. For the studies on reversed phase high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) retention, separation of the established Tanaka and Engelhardt test mixtures was performed. The stationary phase showed a typical partition mechanism for the reversed phase; however, the low hydrophobicity required a low organic content solvent in the mobile phase for chromatographic separation of more hydrophobic compounds. The stationary phase also showed low residual silanol activity for the elution of basic compounds due to the protection offered by octadecyl endcapped molecules and the competition provided by the imine groups of the polymeric layer. The proposed stationary phase possesses interesting selectivity and is convenient for applications requiring the separation of more retentive compounds in conventional HPLC columns using more aqueous mobile phases.