Generic tropical initial ideals of Cohen-Macaulay algebras

We study the generic tropical initial ideals of a positively graded Cohen-Macaulay algebra R over an algebraically closed field k. Building on work of Römer and Schmitz, we give a formula for each initial ideal, and we express the associated quasivaluations in terms of certain I-adic filtrations. As a corollary, we show that in the case that R is a domain, every initial ideal coming from the codimension 1 skeleton of the tropical variety is prime, so “generic presentations of Cohen-Macaulay domains are well-poised in codimension 1.”     

The versatile,functional polyether,polyepichlorohydrin: History,synthesis, and applications

Polyepichlorohydrin (PECH) is a functional polyether first synthesized in the 1950's by the catalytic ring opening polymerization of epichlorohydrin (ECH), its inexpensive epoxide pre-cursor. PECH elastomers are used in diverse commercial applications due to their unique combination of properties including low temperature flexibility and heat and oil resistance. PECH holds an interesting place in polymer history as its synthesis led to the discovery of highly effective aluminum-based catalysts for epoxide polymerizations and a new class of high molecular weight polyether elastomers by an exceptional polymer chemist, Edwin J. Vandenberg. ECH is an ideal feedstock for polymer materials as it is functional, inexpensive, and produced through environmentally friendly means. However, due to the alkyl chloride pendant, polymerizations involving ECH are difficult and limited synthetic advancement has occurred until very recently. This focused review will discuss modern polymerization methods involving ECH while giving a historical perspective on the evolution of these techniques. We will also review applications of ECH-based polymers and discuss the future development of these materials. We hope to convince the reader to explore ECH-based materials in their own work.     

Contribution of size exclusion chromatography and thermal analysis methods in the study of the radiochemical behavior of plastic materials

Sterilization by irradiation techniques is considered to be an improved method to treat polluted products of human consumption. Secondary effects, that may be generated in the components of packaging materials, could induce organoleptic damage and some physico-chemical modifications, observed especially in plastic materials. In order to demonstrate any such secondary changes, we have investigated the effects of beta-irradiation (a treatment which could induce either a reticulation or a cleavage in a polymeric sequence) on three polymers; namely, low density polyethylene, polystyrene and polyvinyl chloride. The techniques used to identify irradiation-induced modifications of these polymers were size exclusion chromatography and thermal analysis. Thermal analysis showed a decrease in the percentage of crystallinity of polyethylene after its radiosterilization. Exclusion chromatography highlighted a reticulation for irradiated polyvinyl chloride and polystyrene.     

Transferability of Crystal-Field Parameters for Rare-Earth Ions in Y2SiO5 Tested by Zeeman Spectroscopy

Physics of the Solid State - Zeeman spectroscopy is used to demonstrate that phenomenological crystal-field parameters determined for the two C1 point-group symmetry sites in Er3+:Y2SiO5 may be...     

Backscattering in the picosecond range: An optical triggered switching effect

In a new picosecond phase conjugation experiment, an optical triggered switching effect has been observed in backscattering. Comparison with an almost similar configuration used in a nanosecond experiment shows significant differences, which can be explained by the small duration of the pulse.     

Multivalent binding of small guest molecules and proteins to molecular printboards inside microchannels

Beta-Cyclodextrin (beta-CD) monolayers have been immobilized in microchannels. The host-guest interactions on the beta-CD monolayers inside the channels were comparable to the interactions on beta-CD monolayers on planar surfaces, and a divalent fluorescent guest attached with a comparable binding strength. Proteins were attached to these monolayers inside microchannels in a selective manner by employing a strategy that uses streptavidin and orthogonal linker molecules. The design of the chip, which involved a large channel that splits into four smaller channels, allowed the channels to be addressed separately and led to the selective immobilization of antibodies. Experiments with labeled antibodies showed the selective immobilization of these antibodies in the separate channels.     

Aerial Vehicle Search-Path Optimization: A Novel Method for Emergency Operations

This paper presents a novel search-path optimization method for moving target search by an aerial vehicle, applicable to realistically sized search areas. For such missions, long endurance vehicles are needed, which are usually fixed-winged. The proposed method accounts for flight kinematics of fixed-wing and rotary-wing aerial vehicles. It additionally accounts for movements of the target, considerably increasing complexity of search-path optimization, compared to a static target. The objective is to maximize the probability to detect a conditionally deterministic moving target within a given time period. We propose a first K-step-lookahead planning method that takes flight kinematic constraints into account and in which the target and platform state space are heterogeneous. It consists of a binary integer linear program that yields a physically feasible search-path, while maximizing the probability of detection. It is based on the Max-K-Coverage problem, as it selects K waypoints while maximizing the probability that a target is within the field of view of a platform at one of these waypoints. This K-step-lookahead planning method is embedded in an iterative framework, where the probability of overlooking a target is fed back to the controller after observations are made. Simulations show the applicability and effectiveness of this method.     

First Long-Distance SRN1 on a propargylic chloride

We report here the first example of a Long-Distance S_RN1 (LD-S_RN1) reaction on a propargylic chloride. The reaction of 1-(3-chloroprop-1-ynyl)-4-nitrobenzene (1) with nitronate anions led to both the formation of the C-alkylation product through an LD-S_RN1 mechanism and the ethylenic compound resulting from nitrous acid elimination on the C-alkylation product 2. In contrast with previous work on LD-S_RN1 reactivity, no O-alkylation product was observed. Only one original product 4 was isolated under phase transfer conditions, resulting from a nucleophilic attack by 2-nitropropane anion on the electrophilic alkyne. This LD-S_RN1 reactivity did not extend to sulfinate anions; the reaction of 1 with sulfinate anions yielded original ethylenic disulfone compounds which were formed via an ionic process.     

An Interacting Particle Model and a Pieri-Type Formula for the Orthogonal Group

We introduce a new interacting particle model with blocking and pushing interactions. Particles evolve on ?₊ jumping on their own volition rightwards or leftwards according to geometric jumps with parameter q∈(0,1). We show that the model involves a Pieri-type formula for the orthogonal group. We prove that the two extreme cases—q=0 and q=1—lead, respectively, to the random tiling model studied in Borodin and Kuan (Commun. Pure Appl. Math. 67:831–894, 2010) and the random matrix model considered in forthcoming paper of Defosseux (Electr. Commun. Probab., 2012).     

Temporal predictions based on a gradual change in tempo

Previous studies investigating sensitivity to step changes in tempo and prediction of tone onset time have generally utilized isochronous sequences. This study investigates subjects' ability to detect deviations from a gradual change in the tempo of a tone sequence (experiment 1) and their judgment of the perceptually optimal timing of this tone (experiment 2). In experiment 1, inter-onset-intervals within pairs of eight-tone sequences followed a geometric progression to create a gradual tempo change. In one sequence, the final tone was presented either earlier or later than specified by the progression. Subjects performed well at detecting deviations that exaggerated the tempo progression but poorly when it was counteracted. Experiment 2 used similar pairs except that the final tone was always presented earlier in one sequence than the other. Final interval length was adaptively adjusted to subjects' judgments; it was adjudged in best agreement with the progression when its length was roughly half way between the mathematically correct value and the length of the penultimate interval. The data support "multiple-look" and entrainment models of tempo sensitivity and suggest that temporal prediction is based less on the tempo contour of a whole sequence than on the duration of the preceding interval.