Effects of tributyltin(IV) chloride on the gametes and fertilization of Ascidia malaca (Ascidiacea: Tunicata)

Ascidia malaca gametes before fertilization incubated in 10^?5 or 10^?7 M solutions of tributyltin(IV) chloride, TBTCl, for 3 h appear highly damaged under transmission electron microscopy observation. Also, the fertilization process is affected by the compound: the damaged spermatozoa are present in the vitelline coat and the egg does not cleave. An increase of microbodies, structurally similar to peroxisomes, have been detected in the egg peripheral cytoplasm, probably in relation to their role in alleviating damage to some cellular components. The results have shown that the reproduction of ascidians under unfavourable environmental conditions is prevented. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Dynamic mechanical thermal analysis transitions of partially and fully substituted cellulose fatty esters

The main transitions of cellulose fatty esters with different degrees of substitution (DSs) were investigated with dynamic mechanical thermal analysis. Two distinct main relaxations were observed in partially substituted cellulose esters (PSCEs). They were attributed to the glass‐transition temperature and to the chain local motion of the aliphatic substituents. The temperatures of both transitions decreased when DS or the number of carbon atoms (n) of the acyl substituent increased. Conversely, all the transitions of fully substituted cellulose esters occurred within a narrow temperature range, and they did not vary significantly with n. This phenomenon was explained by the formation of a crystalline phase of the fatty substituents. The presence of few residual OH groups in PSCEs was responsible for a large increase in the storage bending modulus, and it eliminated the effect of n on damping. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 41: 281–288, 2003     

Random matrix theory and non-parametric model of random uncertainties in vibration analysis

Recently, a new approach, called a non-parametric model of random uncertainties, has been introduced for modelling random uncertainties in linear and non-linear elastodynamics in the low-frequency range. This non-parametric approach differs from the parametric methods for random uncertainties modelling and has been developed in introducing a new ensemble of random matrices constituted of symmetric positive-definite real random matrices. This ensemble differs from the Gaussian orthogonal ensemble (GOE) and from the other known ensembles of the random matrix theory. The present paper has three main objectives. The first one is to study the statistics of the random eigenvalues of random matrices belonging to this new ensemble and to compare with the GOE. The second one is to compare this new ensemble of random matrices with the GOE in the context of the non-parametric approach of random uncertainties in structural dynamics for the low-frequency range. The last objective is to give a new validation for the non-parametric model of random uncertainties in structural dynamics in comparing, in the low-frequency range, the dynamical response of a simple system having random uncertainties modelled by the parametric and the non-parametric methods. These three objectives will allow us to conclude about the validity of the different theories.     

Lubin–Tate Formal Groups over the Ring of Integers of a Multidimensional Local Field

Some isomorphism criteria for Lubin–Tate formal groups over the ring of integers of a multidimensional local field are given. Bibliography: 4 titles.     

Embedding of Nonprimary Subgroups in the Symmetric Group S 9

The nonprimary subgroups of the symmetric group S ₉ are investigated. Embedding properties of these subgroups are listed in a table. Properties such as abnormality, pronormality, paranormality, weak normality, etc. were checked with the help of a computer. Algorithms and codes of the first author were used for this purpose. The research leans upon the technique of Burnside marks, as well as upon pertinent information on the table of marks of S ₉ from the computer algebra package GAP. The subgroups were investigated up to conjugacy; the total number of conjugacy classes of nonprimary subgroups of S ₉ is 432. Some subgroups were additionally checked by other programs based on the double coset method. Bibliography: 24 titles.     

Thermal expansion and thermal conductivity of CuGa<Subscript>1−<Emphasis Type="Italic">x</Emphasis></Subscript>In<Subscript>x</Subscript>Te<Subscript>2</Subscript> solid solutions

The thermal expansion coefficients and the thermal conductivity of Bridgman-grown crystals of CuGa_1−x In_xTe₂ solid solutions are investigated. It is found that the thermal expansion coefficient varies with x linearly, while the thermal conductivity is minimal when x=0.5. The Debye temperature and the rms dynamic atomic displacements are calculated from experimental data. It is shown that the Debye temperature decreases and the rms displacements in the crystal lattice sharply increase as the In content in the solid solutions grows.     

Recording dynamic holograms in a semiconductor crystal CdF<Subscript>2</Subscript>:In

The kinetics of decay of a phase hologram in a semiconductor CdF₂ crystal with bistable In centers is studied. Kinetic constants of the hologram decay are found, and the potential relief of the bistable center is plotted. The resolving power of the crystal is evaluated and recording of a transparency is demonstrated.     

Approximation Properties AP s and p-Nuclear Operators (the Case 0 < s ≤ 1)

We investigate Banach spaces possessing (or not possessing) the approximation properties AP _s, 0 < s ≤ 1, in connection with the following known question in the geometric theory of operators: under which conditions on Banach spaces X and Y and on positive numbers r and p does the p-nuclearity of the second adjoint of a continuous operator T from X to Y imply the p-nuclearity of T? Actually, we give necessary and sufficient conditions under which this question is answered affirmatively. In addition, the corresponding counterexamples are obtained in the maximally strong form. For instance, it is shown (and this statement is a significant strengthening of the previous results of that sort) that there exists a pair of separable Banach spaces Z and W such that the spaces Z ^** and W have Schauder bases, while for every p, 1 ≤ p < 2, there is a non-p-nuclear operator from W to Z with a p-nuclear second adjoint. Earlier, in similar examples, the corresponding spaces did not possess even the Grothendieck approximation property. The technique developed in this paper does not allow us to treat the case p > 2. That case will be studied in a forthcoming paper of the author. Bibliography: 11 titles.