Experiments in Solving Mixed Integer Programming Problems on a Small Array of Transputers

The time-consuming process of solving large-scale Mixed Integer Programming problems using the branch-and-bound technique can be speeded up by introducing a degree of parallelism into the basic algorithm. This paper describes the development and implementation of a parallel branch-and-bound algorithm created by adapting a commercial MIP solver. Inherent in the design of this software are certain ad hoc methods, the use of which are necessary in the effective solution of real problems. The extent to which these ad hoc methods can successfully be transferred to a parallel environment, in this case an array of at most nine transputers, is discussed. Computational results on a variety of real integer programming problems are reported.     

Iodine photodissociation laser system Perun II

A construction and exploitation of a medium size iodine photodissociation laser system Perun II is reported. This laser produced pulses of infrared light (=1.315m) up to 50 J in energy and 300 ps in duration. The diameter of the beam is 82 mm. The beam divergence is about 4×10^–4 rad. The laser beam can be focused in a focal spot of a power density exceeding 10¹⁴ W/cm². The resuls of measurements of basic plasma parameters on an Al foil target are also presented. A recent improvement of the system includes a conversion to the second harmonic by a DKDP crystal.Presented at bilateral international seminar of High Temperature Laser Plasma and High Gain Iodine Lasers held on 4 July 1991 in the Inst. of Physics, Czechosl. Acad. Sci., in Prague (organized by Division of Optics of the Inst. of Physics, Czechosl. Acad. Sci., and Physical Section (Plasma Division) of the Union of Czech Mathematicians and Physicists.     

Elastic constants of the alloys Cd1−x Zn x (x<0.3%) and their temperature dependence

The temperature dependence of elastic constants of Cd_1–x Zn _x alloys, havingx=0.021, 0·042 and 0·233 at.%, has been measured in the temperature range from 4·2 to 300 K by the pulse-echo-overlap ultrasonic method. The adiabatic compressibilities and the Debye temperatures have been calculated. All elastic constants with the exception ofc ₄₄ increase slightly with the growing concentration of Zn.The summary of this paper was presented on the 7^th Conference on Ultrasonic Methods in ilina, September 11^th–13^th, 1980.     

Effect of film thickness on the electro-reduction of molecular oxygen on electropolymerized cobalt tetra-aminophthalocyanine films

We studied the electrocatalytic activity of cobalt tetra-aminophthalocyanine (CoTAPc) for the reduction of molecular oxygen (O₂) on adsorbed monomeric and on electropolymerized films of different thicknesses on glassy carbon (GC) electrode. The polymeric films, denoted poly-CoTAPc, were first characterized by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and it appears that the types of phenomena revealed to be occurring depend less on the film thickness in basic than in acid media. For O₂ reduction, the results showed that poly-CoTAPc is more active than the monomeric CoTAPc adsorbed on GC. Indeed, rotating ring-disk electrode data showed that polymeric CoTAPc promotes the four-electron reduction of O₂ to water in parallel to a two-electron reduction to give peroxide. On monomeric and thin films of poly-CoTAPc, a two-electron reduction mechanism predominates. In basic media the activity increases very slightly with thickness, whereas in acid media this increase is more pronounced. This parallels the observed behavior revealed by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy.     

Sorption of uranium by non-living water hyacinth roots

Summary Many studies have shown that water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) roots can be used to accumulate high concentrations of organic as well as inorganic pollutants. They are currently used to remediate aquatic environments and aqueous solutions. In the present study, sorption of uranium from aqueous solutions by using dried roots of water hyacinth has been investigated. The sorption of uranium was examined as a function of initial concentration, pH, weight of roots and contact time. Five different concentrations 20, 40, 60, 80, and 100 μg ^. ml^-1 were used. Sorption proves to be very rapid and depend on pH, weight of roots and concentration of uranium. Maximum sorption capacity of water hyacinth roots was 64,000 U⁶⁺ μg/g. The sorption of uranium by water hyacinth roots follows a Langmuir isotherm.     

pH-dependent electrochemical behaviour of hydrophilic ampholytic membranes

Ampholytic membranes were synthesized by copolymerizing (2-hydroxyethyl)methacrylate as the hydrophilic component, methacrylic acid and (N,N-diethylaminoethyl)methacrylate as ionogenic components (both ionogenic monomers in amounts 2.5 mol% or 10 mol%), and ethylenedimethacrylate as the crosslinking agent (3,5 or 10 mol%). The effects of pH on the swelling and membrane potentials of the membranes were investigated. The dependence of the membrane potentials on pH is characterized by the position of the isoelectric point and by the slope of the straight part of the dependence. This slope reflects the attained degree of ideality of the membrane. By varying the degree of cross linking and the content of ionogenic components, it is possible to vary the pH-dependent response of the membranes.     

Stabilization of γ‘ phase in Bi<Subscript>4</Subscript>V<Subscript>2-x</Subscript>Fe<Subscript>x</Subscript><Superscript>II</Superscript>O<Subscript>11-1.5x</Subscript> series

Summary This work reports the room-temperature stabilization of the Bi₄V_2-xFe_x^IIO_11-1.5x γ ‘ phase, a promising ionic conductive material that finds application in solid oxide fuel cell and oxygen sensor devices. The Fe(II) cation proved to be a better stabilizer than Fe(III), which was previously used, since a lower substitution degree of V⁵⁺ is needed for the former. Powder X-ray diffraction, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy and differential scanning calorimetry were used in these experiments.     

Trennung,Identifizierung und Bestimmung von Bactericiden auf der Basis von halogenierten Aromaten mittels Gas-Chromatographie

The separation of a mixture of 22 bactericides has been achieved by gas chromatography on columns with silicone rubber W-982 as stationary phase with temperatures between 100° and 300°C. The unchanged compounds as well as their silylation products have been used. The latter are more conveniently used especially for the quantitative determination. To be able to calculate the retention indices after Kovats gas chromatography has been performed isothermally at 180°C for the more volatile compounds and at 250°C for all other bactericides.The retention indices obtained under these conditions are tabulated together with the limits of detection.     

Disposable multichannel immunosensors for 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid using acetylcholinesterase as an enzyme label

An improved version of the disposable multichannel immunochemical biosensor for the herbicide 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) based on a screen-printed amperometric transducer and monoclonal antibodies (MAb) against 2,4-D is reported. Entrapment within a thin Nafion film was used for the direct immobilization of MAb at the electrode surface. The amount of the tracer (2,4-D conjugated to acetylcholinesterase) bound in a competitive immunochemical reaction was determined amperometrically using acetylthiocholine iodide as substrate. The measuring procedure (times of incubation with tracer and substrate, pH, tracer concentration) was optimized. The sensor was able to detect less than 0.01 μg/L of free 2,4-D in water. One analysis (8 samples) was completed in 30 min (20 min for immunochemical reaction, 5 min incubation with substrate, 5 min measurement). The performance of the immunosensor (two configurations) was evaluated on real samples (tap water) with added 2,4-D. The determined amounts (mean values 0.097 to 0.105 and 0.89 to 1.13) corresponded well with the added contents of 2,4-D (0.100 and 1.00 μg/L, respectively).