A higher-order hybrid spline difference method on adaptive mesh for solving singularly perturbed parabolic reaction–diffusion problems with robin-boundary conditions

We propose a hybrid numerical scheme to discretize a class of singularly perturbed parabolic reaction–diffusion problems with robin-boundary conditions on an equidistributed grid. The hybrid difference scheme is developed by using a modified backward difference scheme in time, a combination of the cubic spline and exponential spline difference scheme in space. The proposed scheme uses a cubic spline difference scheme for the discretization of robin-boundary conditions. For the time discretization of the problem, we use the standard uniform mesh while a layer adapted equidistributed grid is generated for the spatial discretization. By equidistributing a curvature-based monitor function, the spatial adaptive grid is able to capture the presence of parabolic boundary layers without using any prior information about the solution. Parameter uniform error estimates are derived to illustrate an optimal convergence of first-order in time and second-order in space for the proposed discretization. The accuracy of the proposed scheme is confirmed by the numerical experiments that underpin the theoretical analysis.     

Kinetics of phase transformations in the peridynamic formulation of continuum mechanics

We study the kinetics of phase transformations in solids using the peridynamic formulation of continuum mechanics. The peridynamic theory is a nonlocal formulation that does not involve spatial derivatives, and is a powerful tool to study defects such as cracks and interfaces.We apply the peridynamic formulation to the motion of phase boundaries in one dimension. We show that unlike the classical continuum theory, the peridynamic formulation does not require any extraneous constitutive laws such as the kinetic relation (the relation between the velocity of the interface and the thermodynamic driving force acting across it) or the nucleation criterion (the criterion that determines whether a new phase arises from a single phase). Instead this information is obtained from inside the theory simply by specifying the inter-particle interaction. We derive a nucleation criterion by examining nucleation as a dynamic instability. We find the induced kinetic relation by analyzing the solutions of impact and release problems, and also directly by viewing phase boundaries as traveling waves.We also study the interaction of a phase boundary with an elastic non-transforming inclusion in two dimensions. We find that phase boundaries remain essentially planar with little bowing. Further, we find a new mechanism whereby acoustic waves ahead of the phase boundary nucleate new phase boundaries at the edges of the inclusion while the original phase boundary slows down or stops. Transformation proceeds as the freshly nucleated phase boundaries propagate leaving behind some untransformed martensite around the inclusion.     

Review of heat transport properties of solar heat transfer fluids

The present article reviews the test techniques for some of the important heat transport properties of oils such as viscosity, density, specific heat capacity and thermal conductivity mainly used for characterization of heat transfer fluids. It can be seen that while density of oils can be tested at higher temperatures, the other heat transport properties of oils like viscosity, specific heat capacity and thermal conductivity have a limitation of being tested at low temperatures below 100–150 °C. While quite a few number of researchers have reported evaluation of heat transfer properties like specific heat capacity and thermal conductivity of oils by different methods, there remains a huge scope of debate and discussions on the repeatability and reproducibility of such tests, especially in case of oils used in high-temperature applications. A lot of insight has been gathered with respect to testing of thermal conductivity of oils, and several common test methods have been compared with each other. Lastly, two mathematical models, reported in the literature in open domain, have been reviewed and compared with each other. If the oils are to be used at elevated temperatures, like heat transfer fluids used in concentrated solar power generation where temperatures go as high as 400 °C and beyond, there is an urgent need to standardize a laboratory test method for performance evaluation of heat transport properties, which can help in formulating new generation oils based on novel chemistries and technologies like nanofluids, synthetic oils of novel chemistries, molten salts and molten metals.     

Redefining the transparency order

In this paper, we consider the multi-bit Differential Power Analysis (DPA) in the Hamming weight model. In this regard, we revisit the definition of Transparency Order (\(\mathsf {TO}\)) from the work of Prouff (FSE 2005) and find that the definition has certain limitations. Although this work has been quite well referred in the literature, surprisingly, these limitations remained unexplored for almost a decade. We analyse the definition from scratch, modify it and finally provide a definition with better insight that can theoretically capture DPA in Hamming weight model for hardware implementation with precharge logic. At the end, we confront the notion of (revised) transparency order with attack simulations in order to study to what extent the low transparency order of an s-box impacts the efficiency of a side channel attack against its processing. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time that such a critical analysis is conducted (even considering the original notion of Prouff). It practically confirms that the transparency order is indeed related to the resistance of the s-box against side-channel attacks, but it also shows that it is not sufficient alone to directly achieve a satisfying level of security. Regarding this point, our conclusion is that the (revised) transparency order is a valuable criterion to consider when designing a cryptographic algorithm, and even if it does not preclude to also use classical countermeasures like masking or shuffling, it enables to improve their effectiveness.     

Elastic Energy Minimization and the Recoverable Strains of Polycrystalline Shape‐Memory Materials

Shape‐memory behavior is the ability of certain materials to recover, on heating, apparently plastic deformation sustained below a critical temperature. Some materials have good shape‐memory behavior as single crystals but little or none as polycrystals, while others have good shape‐memory behavior even as polycrystals. We propose a method for explaining the difference. Our approach is based on elastic energy minimization. It leads to a special class of nonlinear homogenization problems, involving integrands that are degenerate near the origin. We explore the behavior of these problems through various examples and bounds. The elementary “Taylor bound” and the newer “translation method” are central to our analysis. Accepted October 26, 1995     

Efficient trans-acetoacylation mediated by ytterbium(III) triflate as a catalyst under solvent-free condition

A simple and efficient trans-acetoacylation method for the synthesis of β-keto ester derivatives has been described using ytterbium(III) triflate as a new catalyst under solvent-free condition. This method was found to be efficient and convenient for the synthesis of a wide variety of β-keto ester derivatives.     

A naked-eye selective detection of cyanide ion: studies on the effect of chromophores and spacers on ditopic receptors

A series of novel thiourea based receptors (1-12) with different signaling units and spacers have been synthesized for the detection of cyanide ion. Among these receptors, 4,4'-bis-[3-(4-cyanophenyl)thiourea]diphenyl sulfide 6 and 4,4'-bis-[3-(3-cyanophenyl)thiourea]diphenyl sulfide 9 exhibited selective detection of cyanide by the naked-eye as well as by UV-Vis spectroscopy. Furthermore, the chemosensor is insensitive to the presence of other environmentally relevant anions. The chromogenic transformation permits the detection of cyanide (TBA(+) and K(+) salts) in the natural environment.     

Quantum mechanical generalized phase-shift approach to atom-surface scattering: a Feshbach projection approach to dealing with closed channel effects

We have developed a new method for solving quantum dynamical scattering problems, using the time-independent Schr?dinger equation (TISE), based on a novel method to generalize a "one-way" quantum mechanical wave equation, impose correct boundary conditions, and eliminate exponentially growing closed channel solutions. The approach is readily parallelized to achieve approximate N(2) scaling, where N is the number of coupled equations. The full two-way nature of the TISE is included while propagating the wave function in the scattering variable and the full S-matrix is obtained. The new algorithm is based on a "Modified Cayley" operator splitting approach, generalizing earlier work where the method was applied to the time-dependent Schr?dinger equation. All scattering variable propagation approaches to solving the TISE involve solving a Helmholtz-type equation, and for more than one degree of freedom, these are notoriously ill-behaved, due to the unavoidable presence of exponentially growing contributions to the numerical solution. Traditionally, the method used to eliminate exponential growth has posed a major obstacle to the full parallelization of such propagation algorithms. We stabilize by using the Feshbach projection operator technique to remove all the nonphysical exponentially growing closed channels, while retaining all of the propagating open channel components, as well as exponentially decaying closed channel components.     

Horse radish peroxidase immobilized polyaniline for hydrogen peroxide sensor

Horse radish peroxidase (HRP) has been electrochemically entrapped into perchlorate (ClO) doped polyaniline (PANI) film deposited onto indium‐tin‐oxide (ITO) coated glass plate. This HRP‐PANI‐ClO/ITO bioelectrode characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), UV‐Visible spectroscopy, cyclic voltammetry (CV), and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) techniques has been utilized for estimation of hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂). This H₂O₂ sensor exhibits response time of 5 s, linearity from 3 to 136 mM, sensitivity as 0.5638 µA mM^?1 cm^?2 with linear regression of 0.985. The value of the Michaelis–Menten constant (K_m) has been obtained as 1.984 mM. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Multiresidue analysis of multiclass plant growth regulators in grapes by liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry

A selective and rapid multiresidue analysis method is presented for simultaneous estimation of 12 plant growth regulators (PGRs), namely, auxins (indol-3-acetic acid, indol-3-butyric acid, and naphthyl acetic acid), cytokinins (kinetin, zeatin, and 6-benzyladenine), gibberellic acid (GA3), abscisic acid, and synthetic compounds, namely, forchlorfenuron, paclobutrazole, isoprothiolane, and 2,4-dichlorophenoxy acetic acid (2,4-D) in bud sprouts and grape berries at the development stages of 2-3 and 6-8 mm diameters, which are the critical phases when exogenous application of PGRs may be necessary to achieve desired grape quality and yield. The sample preparation method involved extraction of plant material with acidified methanol (50%) by homogenization for 2 min at 15000 rpm. The pH of the extract was enhanced up to 6 by adding ammonium acetate, followed by homogenization and centrifugation. The supernatant extract was cleaned by SPE on an Oasis HLB cartridge (200 mg, 6 cc). The final extract was measured directly by LC/MS/MS with electrospray ionization in positive mode, except for 2,4-D, GA3, and abscisic acid extracts, which required analysis in negative mode. Quantification by multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) was supported with full-scan mass spectrometric confirmation using "information-dependent acquisition" triggered with MRM to "enhanced product ionization" mode of the hybrid quadrupole-ion trap mass analyzer. The LOQ of the test analytes varied between 1 and 10 ng/g with associated recoveries of 80-120% and precision RSD <25% (n = 8). Significant matrix-induced signal suppression was recorded when the responses for pre- and postextraction spikes of analytes were compared; this could be resolved by using matrix-matched calibration standards. The method could successfully be applied in analyzing incurred residue samples and would, therefore, be useful in precisely deciding the necessity and dose of exogenous applications of PGRs on the basis of measured endogenous levels.