On a new class of inversive pseudorandom numbers for parallelized simulation methods

Inversive methods are attractive alternatives to the linear method for pseudorandom number generation. A particularly attractive method is the digital explicit inversive method recently introduced by the authors. We establish some new results on the statistical properties of parallel streams of pseudorandom numbers generated by this method. In particular, we extend the results of the first author on the statistical properties of pseudorandom numbers generated by the explicit inversive congruential method introduced by Eichenauer-Herrmann. These results demonstrate that the new method is eminently suitable for the generation of parallel streams of pseudorandom numbers with desirable properties.     

Predictability in deterministic theories

A mathematical model for the general notion of a deterministic physical theory is introduced, and incompleteness results analogous to the halting theorem for Turing machines are demonstrated for this model. The discussion is not limited to algorithmic systems.     

ERYTHROPOIETIC PROTOPORPHYRIA: PHOTODYNAMIC TRANSFER OF PROTOPORPHYRIN FROM INTACT ERYTHROCYTES TO OTHER CELLS

Erythrocytes in patients with erythropoietic protoporphyria (EPP) contain large amounts of protoporphyrin and are regarded as the main source of protoporphyrin in this disease. Cells in the skin of EPP patients accumulate protoporphyrin released from the erythrocytes and upon sun exposure endothelial cells are photodamaged. In the present study a light-induced transfer of protoporphyrin directly from EPP erythrocytes to cultured cells is demonstrated. Erythrocytes were layered upon cultured cells and irradiated. The nearness of erythrocyte and cultured cell membranes potentiated the transfer of protoporphyrin between these cells. This transfer was rapid and preceded the release of protoporphyrin to proteins in the medium. Further irradiation of the protoporphyrin-enriched cultured cells, after removal of the erythrocytes, caused severe photodamage to the cells and survival was dependent on both the amount of protoporphyrin transferred and on the light fluence. Clinical observations and the results of this study indicate that light energy may be involved in two steps in the pathophysiology of EPP: (A) light-induced release of protoporphyrin from erythrocytes to endothelial cells and (B) photodynamic damage to protoporphyrin-enriched endothelial cells.     

Fast deposition of amorphous hydrogenated carbon films using a supersonically expanding arc plasma

Experiments concerning the growth rate and quality of an amorphous hydrogenated carbon film deposited in a reactor based on the supersonic expansion of an arc plasma are reported. In order to be able to calculate the deposition rate, an existing flow model has been completed with chernical reaction rate equations. The methane gas that is injected in the arc appears to be dissociated and ionized completely. The calculated deposition rates agree well with the experimental values obtained within-situ ellipsometry. The growth rates are an order of magnitude larger than those reported in the literature. Still, the film quality, expressed in terms of refractive index, optical bandgap, and hardness, is similar to those obtained by other authors.     

Some Notes on the Linear Complexity of Sidel’nikov-Lempel-Cohn-Eastman Sequences

We continue the study of the linear complexity of binary sequences, independently introduced by Sidel’nikov and Lempel, Cohn, and Eastman. These investigations were originated by Helleseth and Yang and extended by Kyureghyan and Pott. We determine the exact linear complexity of several families of these sequences using well-known results on cyclotomic numbers. Moreover, we prove a general lower bound on the linear complexity profile for all of these sequences.     

Quantum chemical investigation of the adsorption of methanol on a cluster model of faujasite

The adsorption of methanol in zeolites of the faujasite type with sodium and calcium counter ions is studied with quantum chemical methods. The zeolite is represented with a cluster model allowing calculations at the Møller-Plesset as well as the DFT level of theory. An adsorption energy of −62.4 kJ/mol is calculated at the MP2/TZVP//BP86/TZVP level of theory for one methanol molecule at one site II sodium cation. Insight into the adsorption process is obtained with a three-body decomposition which reveals a strong destabilisation of the adsorption strength by large, positive three-body terms, which is important for force field development.     

Asymmetric Synthesis of Fully Substituted Cyclopentane‐Oxindoles through an Organocatalytic Triple Michael Domino Reaction

An efficient, highly stereoselective asymmetric synthesis of fully functionalized cyclopentanes bearing an oxindole moiety and several other functional groups in one pot has been developed. Key step is an organocatalytic triple Michael domino reaction forming three C?C bonds and six stereocenters, including a quaternary one. Starting from equimolar amounts of simple substrates, a high molecular complexity can be reached after a Wittig olefination in one pot. The new protocol can easily be scaled up to gram amounts.     

Productivity development of Norwegian institutions of higher education 2004–2013

Productivity growth of institutions of higher education is of interest for two main reasons: education is an important factor for productivity growth of the economy, and in countries where higher education is funded by the public sector, accountability of resource use is of key interest. Educational services consist of teaching, research and the “third mission” of dissemination of knowledge to the society at large. A bootstrapped Malmquist productivity change index is used to calculate productivity development for Norwegian institutions of higher education over the 10-year period 2004–2013. The confidence intervals from bootstrapping allow part of the uncertainty of point estimates stemming from sample variation to be revealed. The main result is that the majority of institutions have had a positive productivity growth over the total period. However, when comparing with growth in labour input, the impact on productivity varies a lot.