On the genericity of chaos

Let M be a compact manifold with dimM?2. We prove that some iteration of the generic homeomorphism on M is semiconjugated to the shift map and has infinite topological entropy (Theorem 1.1).     

Estimates of covering numbers of convex sets with slowly decaying orthogonal subsets

Covering numbers of precompact symmetric convex subsets of Hilbert spaces are investigated. Lower bounds are derived for sets containing orthogonal subsets with norms of their elements converging to zero sufficiently slowly. When these sets are convex hulls of sets with power-type covering numbers, the bounds are tight. The arguments exploit properties of generalized Hadamard matrices. The results are illustrated by examples from machine learning, neurocomputing, and nonlinear approximation.     

Nonvanishing cohomology and classes of Gorenstein rings

We give counterexamples to the following conjecture of Auslander: given a finitely generated module M over an Artin algebra Λ, there exists a positive integer n_M such that for all finitely generated Λ-modules N, if Ext_Λⁱ(M,N)=0 for all i?0, then Ext_Λⁱ(M,N)=0 for all i?n_M. Some of our examples moreover yield homologically defined classes of commutative local rings strictly between the class of local complete intersections and the class of local Gorenstein rings.     

Determination of ultra-trace gold in natural water by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrophotometry after in situ enrichment with thiol cotton fiber

A simple method of determining ultra-trace Au in natural water was presented by using graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrophotometry (GFAAS) after in situ enrichment with thiol cotton fiber (TCF). The sample solution was adjusted to pH 1.5-2.0 with HCl, then the water sample was passed through a column packed with 0.10-0.20 g TCF and the flow rate was controlled at 20-40 ml min⁻¹. The effects of interferences, such as complexing and oxidizing agents and other elements adsorbed on TCF were overcome by chemical treatments prior to the desorption of Au. The adsorbed Au was adsorbed with 2.0 ml hot acid, then it was extracted with 1.00 ml methyl isobutylketone (MIBK). For a 5 l water sample, the detection limit of Au is 0.02 ng l⁻¹. The relative standard deviation (R.S.D.) for the determination of 1.44 ng l⁻¹ Au was 9.4%.The method was applied to determine ultra-trace Au both in suspended phase and soluble phase in natural water, the concentrations of total Au in natural water samples range from 0.51 to 67.82 ng l⁻¹. The recovery of added 0.50-6.00 ng l⁻¹ Au was 80-95%. The method is useful in prospecting for Au deposits by means of hydrogeochemical methods. The enrichment is carried out in the field, and then the determination of Au is completed later in the laboratory.     

Random Walks And The Colored Jones Function

It can be conjectured that the colored Jones function of a knot can be computed in terms of counting paths on the graph of a planar projection of a knot. On the combinatorial level, the colored Jones function can be replaced by its weight system. We give two curious formulas for the weight system of a colored Jones function: one in terms of the permanent of a matrix associated to a chord diagram, and another in terms of counting paths of intersecting chords. Electronic supplementary material to this article is available at and is accessible to authorized users. * S. G. was partially supported by an NSF and by an Israel-US BSF grant. † M. L. was partly supported by GAUK 158 grant and by the Project LN00A056 of the Czech Ministry of Education.     

Shape Optimization for Semi-Linear Elliptic Equations Based on an Embedding Domain Method

We study a class of shape optimization problems for semi-linear elliptic equations with Dirichlet boundary conditions in smooth domains in ℝ². A part of the boundary of the domain is variable as the graph of a smooth function. The problem is equivalently reformulated on a fixed domain. Continuity of the solution to the state equation with respect to domain variations is shown. This is used to obtain differentiability in the general case, and moreover a useful formula for the gradient of the cost functional in the case where the principal part of the differential operator is the Laplacian. Online publication 23 January 2004.     

Spectral enhancement of Polish vowels to improve their identification by hearing impaired listeners

Abnormalities in the cochlear function usually cause broadening of the auditory filters which reduces the speech intelligibility. An attempt to apply a spectral enhancement algorithm has been undertaken to improve the identification of Polish vowels by subjects with cochlear-based hearing-impairment. The identification scores of natural (unprocessed) vowels and spectrally enhanced (processed) vowels has been measured for hearing-impaired subjects. It has been found that spectral enhancement improves vowel scores by about 10% for those subjects, however, a wide variation in individual performance among subjects has been observed. The overall vowels identification scores obtained were 85% for natural vowels and 96% for spectrally enhanced vowels.     

Synthesis and Photochemistry of Novel 3,5-Diacetyl-1,4-dihydropyridines. II [1]

In continuation of previous work some novel 3,5-diacetyl-1,4-dihydropyridine derivatives were synthesized and their photochemical behavior was studied under oxygen and argon atmosphere. Oxidation of the dihydropyridine ring and formation of pyridine derivatives was the result of the reaction. The presence of oxygen affects not only on the rate of oxidation, but also the formation of some unidentified by-products was observed on irradiation under this atmosphere.     

厚高阶光学非线性介质Z扫描的变分法分析

利用变分法对具有五阶光学非线性介质的Z扫描特性进行了研究。通过比较，发现当介质在具有较大的五阶非线性系数或较大光强的情况下，五阶非线性项的作用是不可忽略的。这对光限制器的设计和Z扫描实验都具有一定的指导意义。