In vitro cell irradiation systems based on 210Po alpha source: construction and characterisation

One way of studying the risk to human health of low-level radiation exposure is to make biological experiments on living cell cultures.

Two ²¹⁰Po -particle emitting devices, with 0.5 and 100 MBq activity, were designed and constructed to perform such experiments irradiating monolayers of cells. Estimates of dose rate at the cell surface were obtained from measurements by a PIPS -particle spectrometer and from calculations by the SRIM 2000, Monte Carlo charged particle transport code. Particle fluence area distributions were measured by solid state nuclear track detectors. The design and dosimetric characterisation of the devices are discussed.     

Classical and semirelativistic magnetohydrodynamics with anisotropic ion pressure

We study the magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) equations with anisotropic ion pressure and isotropic electron pressure under both the classical and semirelativistic approximations in order to develop a numerical model. The dispersion relation as well as the characteristic wave speeds are derived. In addition to the exact wave speed solutions, we also provide efficient approximate formulas for the semirelativistic magnetosonic speeds. The equations are discretized with the Rusanov and Harten-Lax-van Leer numerical schemes and implemented into the BATS-R-US MHD code. We perform a set of verification tests.     

Dynamics of a discrete population model for extinction and sustainability in ancient civilizations

We analyze a discrete version of a recently developed ratio dependent population-resource model. This model has been used to study the decline of the human and resource populations on Easter Island and the chaotic dynamics of moose and wolf populations in Canada. The dynamical system exhibits a rich behavior of fractal basins of attraction and a Neimark-Sacker bifurcation route to chaos. The model consists of a coupled pair of logistic equations, with the carrying capacity for the predators proportional to the number of prey.     

"Flexiball" toolkit: a modular approach to self-assembling capsules.

We report the synthesis and characterization of new, self-assembling molecular capsules. The modular strategy makes use of glycoluril building blocks available in multigram amounts combined with aromatic spacer elements. The lengthy syntheses encountered with earlier generations of capsules are avoided, and several capsules of nanometer dimensions are now accessible. Single bond attachments between spacers and glycoluril modules result in monomers as dimeric capsules that are less rigid than their earlier counterparts. The host-guest properties of the homo- and heterodimeric capsules were studied using a combination of NMR and ESI-mass spectrometry. They show a less pronounced selectivity for guests of different sizes, and their increased flexibility prevents self-assembly when no rigidifying elements are present on the central spacer unit. Some of the new capsules bear inwardly directed, secondary amide N-H protons. These can be further functionalized, as shown by their methylation to give tertiary analogues. The structures hold broader implications for the placement of functional groups on concave molecular surfaces.     

Ionen-Cyclotron-Resonanz-Messungen von Ion/Molekül-Reaktionen bei Chinonen

At a pressure of 10^?6 Torr the ion cyclotron resonance spectra of p-benzoquinone, methyl-p-benzoquinone, tetramethyl-p-benzoquinone and tetrafluoro-p-benzoquinone are identical to the normal mass spectra. Above 10^?5 Torr the spectra show a variety of signals for product ions. From double resonance measurements it was shown that all the product ions are formed by addition of the molecular ion or of a fragment ion to a neutral quinone molecule. In most cases the addition is accompanied by the elimination of carbon monoxide.     

Mass spectrometric diagnosis of the surface nitriding mechanism in a d.c. glow discharge

Reactive constituents have been investigated in a molecular beam generated in the cathode surface glow area and surface boundary layer. Mixtures of nitrogen and hydrogen form NH_x(x=0–4) compounds, which are of relevance in heterogeneous, plasma vs. metal nitriding reactions. Ammonia decomposition leads to NH_x(x=2–4). Strong cataphoretic enrichment of hydrogen has been observed in the cathode glow area. Heterogeneous reactions of NH_x with iron lead to the formation of iron nitrides via intermediates such as FeNH_2–3. In a pulsed d.c. glow discharge, increased sputtering and decreased hydrogen enrichment have been observed.     

Spanning trees without adjacent vertices of degree 2

Albertson, Berman, Hutchinson, and Thomassen showed in 1990 that there exist highly connected graphs in which every spanning tree contains vertices of degree 2. Using a result of Alon and Wormald, we show that there exists a natural number $d$ such that every graph of minimum degree at least $d$ contains a spanning tree without adjacent vertices of degree 2. Moreover, we prove that every graph with minimum degree at least 3 has a spanning tree without three consecutive vertices of degree 2.     

The Full Muntz Theorem in C[0, 1] and L1[0, 1]

The main result of this paper is the establishment of the ‘fullMüntz Theorem’ in C[0, l]. This characterizes thesequences of distinct, positive real numbers for which span{l, x^₁, x^₂, ...} is dense in C[0,1]. The novelty of this result is the treatment of the mostdifficult case when inf_ii = 0 while sup_ii = . The paper settlesthe L and L₁ cases of the following. THEOREM (Full Müntz Theorem in L_p[0,1]). Let p [l, ].Suppose that is a sequence of distinct real numbers greater than –1/p. Then span{x^₀,x^₁, ...} is dense in L_p[0, 1] if and only if