A system for defining reference materials applicable to all food matrices

Recently the subcommittee on Food Definition of the AOAC INTERNATIONAL Task Force on Methods for Nutrition Labeling proposed a Food Matrix Organizational System [4] to systematically judge the applicability of collaboratively studied methods over a range of food matrices. This system describes a food matrix by its location in one of nine sectors in a triangle, with each point of the triangle defined as representing 100% and the opposite side representing 0% of the normalized contents of each of three major components of FAT, PROTEIN and CARBOHYDRATE. Foods falling within the same sector would be chemically similar and thus should behave in a similar analytical manner. This same scheme can be used to select one or two food matrices representing each sector, for development of a series of reference materials representing all foods. The list of 5250 foods contained in the USDA Nutrient Data Base for Standard Reference has been sorted and matched to this schematic to determine the scope of the selection process. In addition the list of foods in the USDA Data Base for Food Consumption Surveys has been examined. Results and progress of this selection process are reported.     

Scanning Kelvin Microscope: a new method for surface investigations

Based on the well known Kelvin probe for work function measurements a new microstructure analysis system - the Scanning Kelvin Microscope - has been developed. It allows to measure simultaneously with high lateral resolution the distribution of the contact potential difference (CPD) between a conductive sample and a reference probe together with the topographical structure of the sample surface. The measurement is contact free and non-destructive and can be carried out in natural environments. At present the lateral resolution of the measurement approaches 5 microm. The results can be displayed on a computer in three dimensional colour pictures.     

AFM and XRD investigation of crystalline vapor-deposited C60 films

The morphological and structural properties of C₆₀ films deposited on quartz substrates by sublimation at 320–500° C under high vacuum have been investigated using atomic force microscopy (AFM) and reflection X-ray diffraction (RXRD). The thickness of the films varied between 0.2 m and 10 m. AFM showed that the films consist predominantly of cubic crystals of a few micrometer in size with well-developed (111) and (100) faces. The crystallographic investigation revealed a strongly preferred [111] growth direction which is very sensitive to the deposition rate and substrate temperature. The influence of the experimental parameters on the morphology of the crystals and on the preferred orientation of the films is discussed in view of the AFM and RXRD results.     

Structural optimization with parameter-transfer finite element

A mathematical method to solve structural problems, using parameter-transfer finite elements (P-TFE) was recently proposed by the authors [1] [2] [3]. The proposed transfer finite element approach is able to create a mathematical model of a structure, taking into account directly the whole behaviour of the structure under dynamic, aerodynamic, and thermal actions, and not by assembling, in a separate fashion, the stiffness and the mass matrix on one side and the external load vector as performed by the classical finite element procedure.The purpose of this paper is to apply the above methodology to optimization problems, in particular to obtain the minimum structural weight for a beam, under primary constraints on buckling load or natural frequencies.The use of P-TFE in the field of structural optimization overcomes most difficulties of the usual techniques of solution and the element is particularly useful in the evaluation of the sensitivity matrix.The formulation of the optimization problem based on P-TFE is presented and some applications are studied. The numerical results obtained are compared with other existing methodologies and briefly discussed.

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Sommario Gli autori hanno già proposto un metodo per studiare problemi strutturali [1] [2] [3], introducendo una nuova metodologia di discretizzazione, basata sull'impiego di elementi finiti di trasferimento, funzioni esplicite di un parametro, indicati come P-TFE. Tali elementi sono in grado di rappresentare, in similitudine alla funzione di trasferimento, il comportamento completo dell'elemento strutturale in esame, soggetto ad azioni dinamiche, aerodinamiche e termiche; sono parimenti in grado di produrre, in similitudine al metodo degli elementi finiti, un modello matematico discreto di un continuo.Scopo del presente lavoro è di applicare detta metodologia a problemi di ottimizzazione, in particolare alla ricerca del minimo peso per una trave che mantenga inalterate le sue caratteristiche di carico critico o le frequenze naturali di vibrazione.Vengono quindi presentati alcuni risultati numerici dei casi esaminati e confrontati con quelli ottenuti da altri autori con l'impiego di altre metodologie.

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List of Symbols {B} _m vector of the generalized state variables - {C} _m vector of integration constants - [I] unit matrix - EI bending stiffness - A cross-sectional area - u adimensional thickness - l beam length - M,M bending moment - [N] _m shape function ofm-th order - [N*] shape function atx ₀ - P axial load - [R] _i transfer matrix of thei-th element - T,T shear force - w transverse displacement - x adimensional independent variable - x ₀ value ofx at the left of the element - {Y} vector of state variables - {Y*} imposed condition atx ₀ - _0m Kronecker delta with the first pedix always set equal to zero - normalized eigenfrequency - normalized buckling load - mass density     

Determination of the atmospheric neutrino spectra with the Fréjus detector

The combined analysis of the final event set of data on neutrino interactions inside the detector, upward going stopping muons and horizontal muons recorded in the Fréjus experiment is presented. The absolute atmospheric neutrino spectra in the energy range for electron neutrinos and for muon neutrinos are determined. Based on the parameterization of Volkova for thev ^µ a spectral index of =2.66±0.05 is obtained from the ratio of horizontal muons over upward going stopping muons and from the measurement of the energy loss of horizontal muons inside the detector. The neutrino spectra are compared with various flux calculations. They do not show any evidence for neutrino oscillations in agreement with earlier analyses of the Fréjus data.Now atUniversity of Michigan, Ann Arbor, USA     

Pseudo goldstones at future colliders from the extended BESS model

Decays and branching ratios of light neutralino production in $Z_R^0 \to \tilde \chi _i^0 \tilde \chi _j^0 $ in the left-right super-symmetric model are considered. We study in detail the signatures of one and two sided events in $Z_R^0 \to \tilde \chi _1^0 \tilde \chi _2^0 $ and $Z_R^0 \to \tilde \chi _2^0 \tilde \chi _2^0 $ respectively, and their dependence on the parameters of the light neutralino mixing matrix.     

Weak decays of heavy mesons in the instantaneous Bethe Salpeter approach

In the framework of the instantaneous Bethe Salpeter equation we investigate weak decays ofB andD mesons. Mesons are described asq $\bar q$ states interacting via a mixture of a scalar and a vector confining kernel and a one gluon exchange. The model parameters are fixed by a fit to the meson mass spectrum including also the light mesons. We calculate form factors and compare our results to the pole dominance hypothesis. From a fit to ARGUS and CLEO data onB→D ^*?v semileptonic decay we extract the Cabbibo Kobayashi Maskawa matrix element to beV _cb =(0.032 ± 0.003)(1.49ps/τ _b )^1/2 The Isgur Wise function is calculated utilizing the heavy quark mass limit. Finally, we give some results on nonleptonic decays.     

On the interpretation of positron-annihilation data in powders and fine-grained materials

Monte-Carlo simulations of positron diffusion are carried out for powders consisting of spherical and ellipsoidal particles with and without defects. Following Bergersen et al. [1], elastic positron-phonon interaction is considered to be dominant for scattering processes in positron diffusion. The central question is which fraction of the positrons would be able to reach the particle boundaries. Hence, we calculate the Fraction of Positrons reaching particle Surface (FPS). The presence of defects in the particles can drastically reduce FPS depending on the defect concentration and capture rate. We demonstrate that for small-grained materials the grain surface can influence the lifetime signal significantly.Paper presented at the 132nd WE-Heraeus-Seminar on Positron Studies of Semiconductor Defects, Halle, Germany, 29 August to 2 September 1994     

Luminescence centers in porous silicon

Photoluminescence studies on porous silicon show that there are luminescence centers present in the surface states. By taking photoluminescence spectra of porous silicon with respect to temperature, a distinct peak can be observed in the temperature range 100–150 K. Both linear and nonlinear relationships were observed between excitation laser power and the photoluminescence intensity within this temperature range. In addition, there was a tendency for the photoluminescence peak to red shift at low temperature as well as at low excitation power. This is interpreted as indicating that the lower energy transition becomes dominant at low temperature and excitation power. The presence of these luminescence centers can be explained in terms of porous silicon as a mixture of silicon clusters and wires in which quantum confinement along with surface passivation would cause a mixing of andX band structure between the surface states and the bulk. This mixing would allow the formation of luminescence centers.