Total axle load effects on soil compaction

Theoretical and applied research has shown that the pressure at a point in the subsurface soil is a function of both the surface unit pressure and the extent of the area over which it is applied (total load). Thirty years ago, most of the soil compaction from vehicle traffic was in the plow layer and was removed by normal cultural practices. As equipment has increased in size and mass, machine designers have increased tire sizes to keep the soil surface unit pressure relatively constant. However, the increase in total axle loads is believed to have caused an increase in compaction at any given depth in the soil profile, resulting in significant compaction in the subsoil.Two tires of different sizes, a standard agricultural tire and a flotation tire were used to support equal loads. Soil pressures were measured at three depths in the soil profile directly beneath each of the tires. Two soils were used and each was prepared first in a uniform density profile, and then they were prepared with a simulated traffic pan (layer of higher density) at a depth of approximately 30 cm.Results showed that the presence of a traffic pan in the soil profile caused higher soil pressures above the pan and lower pressures below it than was the case for a uniform soil profile. The soil contact surface of the flotation tire was approximately 22% greater than the agricultural tire. The greater contact surface did reduce soil pressures at the soil surface, of course, but the total axle load was still the dominant factor in the 18–50 cm-depth range used in this study.     

Open access atmospheric pressure chemical ionization Mass spectrometry for routine sample analysis

We report the introduction and use of an atmospheric pressure chemical ionization liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry instrument that has been designed specifically for use by the synthetic chemist on an open access, walk-in basis. This instrument has been configured with an easy-to-use sample log-in terminal that requires the user to provide only a sample identification number and a user name. Sample analysis takes approximately 4 min and provides the synthetic and medicinal chemist with rapid and reliable mass spectrometry analysis. Since installation of the system, it has analyzed an average of about 80 samples per day and has the capacity to run over 100 samples per day without the intervention of a specialist operator. This capability has eliminated the need for an operator to analyze routine samples and allows the mass spectroscopist more time to deal with problem solving.     

Optimization of Biocompatibility for a Hydrophilic Biological Molecule Encapsulation System

Despite considerable advances in recent years, challenges in delivery and storage of biological drugs persist and may delay or prohibit their clinical application. Though nanoparticle-based approaches for small molecule drug encapsulation are mature, encapsulation of proteins remains problematic due to destabilization of the protein. Reverse micelles composed of decylmonoacyl glycerol (10MAG) and lauryldimethylamino-N-oxide (LDAO) in low-viscosity alkanes have been shown to preserve the structure and stability of a wide range of biological macromolecules. Here, we present a first step on developing this system as a future platform for storage and delivery of biological drugs by replacing the non-biocompatible alkane solvent with solvents currently used in small molecule delivery systems. Using a novel screening approach, we performed a comprehensive evaluation of the 10MAG/LDAO system using two preparation methods across seven biocompatible solvents with analysis of toxicity and encapsulation efficiency for each solvent. By using an inexpensive hydrophilic small molecule to test a wide range of conditions, we identify optimal solvent properties for further development. We validate the predictions from this screen with preliminary protein encapsulation tests. The insight provided lays the foundation for further development of this system toward long-term room-temperature storage of biologics or toward water-in-oil-in-water biologic delivery systems.     

Hydration,entropy, and energy relationships for periodate oxidations

Periodate oxidations of ethanediol and pinacol each occur in two phases; these are (1) formation and (2) decomposition of the intermediate complex. In phase (1), an increase in acidity gives . The rate of oxidation of ethanediol decreases with increasing acidity, whereas the rate of oxidation of pinacol maximizes with H₅IO₆. For both glycols, the activation energy increases and ΔS_act decreases with increasing acidity. In phase (2), the energy of activation is essentially constant with pH, whereas the rate decreases, and the entropy of activation decreases modestly as pH decreases. The latter correlates with the nonhomogeniuty of product formation. Rates for 3‐chloro‐1,2‐propanediol are also listed. Pentaerythritol forms an inactive complex with or H₅IO₆ indicating the importance of chelation in the formation of the intermediate complex. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Picosecond pulses from a cryogenically cooled, composite amplifier using Yb:YAG and Yb:GSAG

A cryogenic Yb amplifier using two laser materials, Gd3Sc2Al3O12 and Y3Al5O12 (YAG), has been used to obtain 70 W average power at 5 kHz pulse repetition frequency; the output was compressed to 1.6 ps, compared with an input compressible to 1.4 ps. The gain broadening obtained by combining two media enables shorter pulses than using Yb:YAG alone but retains the power-scaling advantages of cryogenic Yb:YAG.     

Impurities and the static central peak in lead germanate

The static central peak in the Raman spectrum of lead germanate (Pb₅Ge₃O₁₁) has been studied as a function of barium-doping and oxygen concentration. It is found that the substitution of barium for lead dramatically increases the intensity and temperature spread of the central peak while also shifting it and the Curie point to much lower temperatures. On the other hand, variations in the observed central peak intensity in nominally pure samples cannot be correlated with variation in oxygen content and must be attributed to some as yet unidentified impurities or defects.     

Scattering length and perturbations of −Δ by positive potentials

This paper extends a result of Fujita [On the blowing up of solutions to the Cauchy problem for u_t = Δu + u^{1 + a}, J. Faculty Science, U. of Tokyo 13 (1966), 109–124] to show that solutions u = u(t, x) for t > 0 and x?R² to the equation u_t = Δu + u² with u(0, x) = a(x) must grow at a rate faster than exp(∥x∥²) at some finite time t, as long as a(x) is nonnegative and not almost everywhere zero.     

Second-harmonic generation frequency-resolved optical gating analysis of low-intensity shaped femtosecond pulses at 1.55 mum

We illustrate observation and characterization of medium- and low-intensity shaped ultrashort pulses at lambda=1.55mum through single-shot geometry (multishot-average) second-harmonic generation-frequency-resolved optical gating. The pulses are shaped by amplitude filters in the Fourier plane of a compact folded shaper. Sensitivity to pulses with energies of less than 20 pJ and high dynamic range is reported for this configuration. Application of this method to the propagation of ~170-fs pulses through a 50-m fiber link is also illustrated.