Inferring mixed-culture growth from total biomass data in a wavelet approach

It is shown that the presence of mixed-culture growth in batch fermentation processes can be very accurately inferred from total biomass data by means of the wavelet analysis for singularity detection. This is accomplished by considering simple phenomenological models for the mixed growth and the more complicated case of mixed growth on a mixture of substrates. The main quantity provided by the wavelet analysis is the Hölder exponent of the singularity that we determine for our illustrative examples. The numerical results point to the possibility that Hölder exponents can be used to characterize the nature of the mixed-culture growth in batch fermentation processes with potential industrial applications. Moreover, the analysis of the same data affected by the common additive Gaussian noise still lead to the wavelet detection of the singularities although the Hölder exponent is no longer a useful parameter.     

Extraction of strontium using an irradiated extraction agent of crown structure

The partition coefficient of strontium upon its extraction from the aqueous solutions of picric acid into chloroform containing DC-18-crown-6, B-15-crown-5 after their exposition to gamma radiation has been studied. A significant decrease of the partition coefficient in the studied range of doses 10–70 kGy was observed. This effect can be attributed to the radiolytic products of chloroform. The radiation destruction as well as dehydrogenation of crown ethers were not observed.     

On Genuine Bernstein–Durrmeyer Operators

We continue the studies on the so–called genuine Bernstein–Durrmeyer operators U _n by establishing a recurrence formula for the moments and by investigating the semigroup T(t) approximated by U _n . Moreover, for sufficiently smooth functions the degree of this convergence is estimated. We also determine the eigenstructure of U _n , compute the moments of T(t) and establish asymptotic formulas. Received: January 26, 2007.     

Mössbauer studies of the re-entrant spin-glass behaviour of Fe–Al alloys

Fe–Al alloys around the concentration of 30 at. % Al present re-entrant spin-glass behaviour at low temperatures. This behaviour is not completely understood and Mössbauer spectroscopy, combined with other experimental techniques, is useful to describe and explain this behaviour. Results show that the Mössbauer spectra coincide with the magnetic behaviour showed in literature and they can be explained as a magnetic cluster system whose magnetic clusters are getting smaller when the temperature is decreasing. When the temperature is reaching to the spin-glass transition at 92 K the spins in the paramagnetic matrix are moving slower and below this transition the spins are completely frozen.     

A real time method for surface cleanliness measurement

The measurement of surface cleanliness is a significant problem in many industrial and technological processes. Existing methods are based on laboratory procedures, that are not performed in real time, can not be automated, and usually are restricted to a small portion of the sample. In this study we describe a new method for real time measurement of the amount of surface dirt or contamination deposited on a surface. It relies on the ablation of the surface dirt film by means of a short laser pulse, and the subsequent measurement of the emitted sound. The intensity of the sound is proportional to the amount of surface dirt and provides a direct measurement of the cleanliness of the surface. We also developed a reference sample for calibration, based on a uniform distribution of dots printed on white paper. The density and the dot size can be easily modified providing a homogeneous, uniform and reproducible standard for the measurement. Based on this method, we designed, developed and patented the first industrial instrument for on-line determination of the degree of cleanliness of manufactured cold rolled steel plate bobbins. PACS 79.20.D; 81.70.C; 42.62.     

Advances in constant-velocity Mössbauer instrumentation

A prototype of a programmable constant-velocity scaler is presented. This instrument allows the acquisition of partial Mössbauer spectra in selected energy regions using standard drivers and transducers. It can be fully operated by a remote application, thus data acquisition can be automated. The instrument consists of a programmable counter and a constant-velocity reference. The reference waveform generator is amplitude modulated with 13-bit resolution, and is programmable in a wide range of frequencies and waveforms in order to optimize the performance of the transducer. The counter is compatible with most standard SCA, and is configured as a rate-meter that provides counts per selectable time slice at the programmed velocity. As a demonstration of the instrument applications, a partial Mössbauer spectrum of a natural iron foil was taken. Only positive energies were studied in 512 channels, accumulating 20 s per channel. A line width of 0.20 mm/s was achieved, performing with an efficiency of 80%.     

Representation of Cubic Lattices by Symmetric Implication Algebras

In this paper a cubic lattice L(S) is endowed with a symmetric implication structure and it is proved that L(S) \ {0} is a power of the three-element simple symmetric implication algebra. The Metropolis–Rota’s symmetries are obtained as partial terms in the language of symmetric implication algebras.     

Fractional Hamiltonian Monodromy

We introduce fractional monodromy in order to characterize certain non-isolated critical values of the energy–momentum map of integrable Hamiltonian dynamical systems represented by nonlinear resonant two-dimensional oscillators. We give the formal mathematical definition of fractional monodromy, which is a generalization of the definition of monodromy used by other authors before. We prove that the 1:( − 2) resonant oscillator system has monodromy matrix with half-integer coefficients and discuss manifestations of this monodromy in quantum systems. Communicated by Eduard Zehnder Submitted: February 25, 2005; Accepted: November 17, 2005     

Study to improve the quality of a Mexican straight run gasoil over NiMo/γ-Al2O3 catalysts

Four NiMo catalyst supported on Al₂O₃ with different textural properties have been studied in the hydrodesulfurization (HDS), hydrodenitrogenation (HDN) and hydrodearomatization (HDA) of a Mexican straight run gasoil (SRGO). All reactions were carried out at three different temperatures 613, 633, and 653 K. Alumina supports were analysed by pyridine FTIR-TPD and nitrogen physisorption in order to determine their surface acidity and textural properties, respectively. TPR studies of the NiMo catalysts were analysed to correlate their hydrogenating properties. Metallic particles were characterized (after sulfidation) using transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Catalytic activities are discussed in relation to the physicochemical properties of NiMo catalysts. The importance of textural properties on coke deposition has been emphasized. The results of catalytic activity of these materials varied depending on dispersed MoS particles and pore distribution in final catalysts. The optimum pore diameter was found around 80 Å for HDS and HDN.     

Study of the spectrum of cherenkov light

It is pessible to study experimentally Cherenkov light spectra in a liquid scintillation spectrometer with colour filters. Cherenkov light spectra of⁶⁰Co,¹⁹⁸Au,¹¹⁵Cd,¹⁴³Ce,¹⁴⁰La,³²P,⁸⁶Rb,⁷⁶As,⁴²K and an external standard were studied in a Packard 3375 type liquid scintillation spectrometer, using 11 various Kodak Wratten filters. The absorption maxima of the filters ware in the 410–796 nm interval.