Magic number 7+/-2 in networks of threshold dynamics

Information processing by random feed-forward networks consisting of units with a sigmoidal input-output response is studied by focusing on the dependence of its outputs on the number of parallel paths M. It is found that the system leads to a combination of on-off outputs when M less or similar to 7, while for M greater or similar to 7, chaotic dynamics arises, resulting in a continuous distribution of outputs. This universality of the critical number M approximately 7 is explained by a combinatorial explosion, i.e., the dominance of factorial over exponential increase. The relevance of the result to biological problems is briefly discussed.     

Structural analysis of sonochemically prepared Au/Pd nanoparticles dispersed in porous silica matrix

Bimetallic Au/Pd nanoparticles supported on a silica matrix were prepared by an ultrasonic technique. The samples heat-treated at 100, 200, 300 and 400 degrees C were examined with techniques of XRD (X-ray diffraction), TEM and XAS (X-ray absorption spectrometry) for studying correlation between their structure and the catalytic activity of hydrogenation of cyclohexene. Even after the heat treatment at 400 degrees C, the particles were smaller than 20 nm and well dispersed in the matrix without agglomeration nor sintering. Results of the XRD, TEM and XAS indicated that the as-prepared particles have a core/shell structure of Au/Pd and transform into a random alloy at 300 degrees C. The catalysis seemed to be deactivated by alloying.     

The SAAP force field. A simple approach to a new all-atom protein force field by using single amino acid potential (SAAP) functions in various solvents

A simple strategy to compose a new all-atom protein force field (named as the SAAP force field), which utilizes the single amino acid potential (SAAP) functions obtained in various solvents by ab initio molecular orbital calculation applying the isodensity polarizable continuum model (IPCM), is presented. We considered that the total energy function of a protein force field (E(TOTAL)) is divided into three components; a single amino acid potential term (E(SAAP)), an interamino acid nonbonded interaction term (E(INTER)), and a miscellaneous term (E(OTHERS)), which is ignored (or considered to be constant) at the current version of the force field. The E(INTER) term consists of electrostatic interactions (E(ES')) and van der Waals interactions (E(LJ')). Despite simplicity, the SAAP force field implicitly involves the correlation among individual terms of the Lifson's potential function within a single amino acid unit and can treat solvent effects unambiguously by choosing the SAAP function in an appropriate solvent and the dielectric constant (D) of medium. Application of the SAAP force field to the Monte Carlo simulation of For-Ala(2)-NH(2) in vacuo reasonably reproduced the results of the extensive conformational search by ab initio molecular orbital calculation. In addition, the preliminary Monte Carlo simulations for For-Gly(10)-NH(2) and For-Ala(10)-NH(2) showed reversible transitions from the extended to the pseudosecondary structures in water (D = 78.39) as well as in ether (D = 4.335). The result suggested that the new approach is efficient for fast modeling of protein structures in various environments. Decomposition analysis of the total energy function (E(TOTAL)) by using the SAAP force field suggested that conformational propensities of single amino acids (i.e., the E(SAAP) term) may play definitive roles on the topologies of protein secondary structures.     

Interpolation inequalities in Besov spaces

In this paper we present an interpolation inequality in the homogeneous Besov spaces on , which reduces to a number of well-known inequalities in special cases.

     

Dynamic mechanical properties of a gel of cellulose nitrate in diethyl phthalate: Reduced variable analysis in terms of amorphous and crystalline phases

A phenomenological theory is presented to extend the method of reduced variables for the effects of both temperature and changing degree of crystallinity on the linear viscoelastic properties of solutions of crystalline polymers. The vertical and the horizontal shift factors, which are both obtainable in the course of analysis of the experimental data, are correlated with the concentration of the solution and the volume fraction of the crystalline phase, and the fractional free volume of the system, respectively. Dynamic mechanical properties of a gel of cellulose nitrate (nitrogen content, 12.6%) in diethyl phthalate with a nominal concentration of 18% by weight were obtained in the transition region from glasslike to rubberlike consistency and also in the rubbery plateau region by employing the Fitzgerald apparatus and a freely oscillating torsion pendulum over the temperature range from ?49 to 65°C. Application of the new reduction method to the experimental data was found to be quite successful, and it was shown that in general the degree of crystallinity in the system (and hence also the concentration of polymer in the amorphous phase) can depend on both temperature and thermal history. The dynamic mechanical data of a gel of different nominal concentration (23% by weight) previously obtained by Plazek were reanalyzed in terms of the method herein given.     

Doppler-limited dye laser excitation spectroscopy of the DSO radical

The $\text{A}\text{?}{}^2\text{A′(003) ←}\text{X}\text{?}{}^2\text{A″(000)}$ vibronic transition (16 370 to 16 425 cm^?1) of the DSO radical in studied by Doppler-limited dye laser excitation spectroscopy. DSO is produced in a flow system by reacting the products of a microwave discharge in O₂ with D₂S. About 637 observed lines are assigned to 987 transitions of the 19 subbands: K′_a ← K″_a = 6 ← 5, 5 ← 4, 4 ← 3, 3 ← 2, 2 ← 1, 1 ← 0, 0 ← 1, 1 ← 2, 2 ← 3, 3 ← 4, 0 ← 0, 1 ← 1, 2 ← 2, 3 ← 3, 4 ← 4, 3 ← 1, 2 ← 0, 0 ← 2, and 1 ← 3. They are analyzed to determine rotational constants, centrifugal distortion constants, and spin-rotation constants for both the ground and the excited electronic states. The band origin obtained is 16 413.874 (2.5σ = 0.002) cm^?1. The rotational constants determined are combined with the previous result on HSO (M. Kakimoto et al., J. Mol. Spectrosc.80, 334–350 (1980)) to calculate the structural parameters for this radical in both the states: $\text{r(}\text{SO}\text{) = 1.494(5)}\text{A}\text{?}$, $\text{r(}\text{SH}\text{) = 1.389(5)}\text{A}\text{?}$, and ∠HSO = 106.6(5)° for the $\text{X}\text{?}{}^2\text{A″}$ state, and $\text{r(}\text{SO}\text{) = 1.661(10)}\text{A}\text{?}$, $\text{r(}\text{SH}\text{) = 1.342(8)}\text{A}\text{?}$, and ∠HSO = 95.7(21)° for the $\text{A}\text{?}{}^2\text{A′(003)}$ state, where values in parentheses denote 2.5σ.     

1.3-μm GaInAsP/InP Multi-Quantum-Well Surface-Emitting Lasers

A multi-quantum-well (MQW) active layer has been introduced to 1.3-μm GaInAsP/InP surface-emitting (SE) lasers. Room temperature pulsed operation of a 1.3-μm MQW SE laser was obtained for the first time and its threshold current was 15 mA. CW (continuous wave) operation up to 7°C (threshold current 1_th=7.6 mA at 7°C) was achieved.     

Pest control may make the pest population explode

We present an example of a predator-prey-like system with a prey-only state as a global attractor, and with the additional property that an attempt to control the prey by harvesting or poisoning both species produces solutions in which both populations blow up in finite time.