Absence of magnetism in hcp iron-nickel at 11 K

Synchrotron M?ssbauer spectroscopy (SMS) was performed on an hcp-phase alloy of composition Fe92Ni8 at a pressure of 21 GPa and a temperature of 11 K. Density functional theoretical calculations predict antiferromagnetism in both hcp Fe and hcp Fe-Ni. For hcp Fe, these calculations predict no hyperfine magnetic field, consistent with previous experiments. For hcp Fe-Ni, however, substantial hyperfine magnetic fields are predicted, but these were not observed in the SMS spectra. Two possible explanations are suggested. First, small but significant errors in the generalized gradient approximation density functional may lead to an erroneous prediction of magnetic order or of erroneous hyperfine magnetic fields in antiferromagnetic hcp Fe-Ni. Alternately, quantum fluctuations with periods much shorter than the lifetime of the nuclear excited state would prohibit the detection of moments by SMS.     

Deviations from linearity in statistical evaluation of linearity in assay validation

Linearity and linear range are the key evaluations of the accuracy in assay validation. The average deviation from linearity (ADL) and the sum of squares of deviations from linearity (SSDL) have been proposed for assessment of the linearity. However, both ADL and SSDL do no consider the variability of the assay for evaluation of linearity. Therefore, we proposed the coefficient of variation of deviations from linearity (CVDL) as an alternative measure for the linearity assessment. For the inference of evaluation of linearity, we proposed testing procedures based on generalized pivotal quantities (GPQ) of ADL and CVDL for evaluation of linearity. The simulation studies were conducted to empirically investigate the size and power between the three methods. The simulation results show that all three methods adequately control size. However, the ADL method is uniformly more powerful than the other two methods. A numeric example illustrates the proposed methods. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Nonlinear pedagogy: a constraints-led framework for understanding emergence of game play and movement skills

Team sport competition can be characterized as a complex adaptive system in which concepts from nonlinear dynamics can provide a sound theoretical framework to understand emergent behavior such as movement coordination and decision making in game play. Nonlinear Pedagogy is presented as a methodology for games teaching, capturing how phenomena such as movement variability, self-organization, emergent decision making, and symmetry-breaking occur as a consequence of interactions between agent-agent and agent-environment constraints. Empirical data from studies of basketball free-throw shooting and dribbling are used as task vehicles to exemplify how nonlinear phenomena characterize game play in sport. In this paper we survey the implications of these data for Nonlinear Pedagogy, focusing particularly on the manipulation of constraints in team game settings. The data and theoretical modeling presented in this paper provide a rationale in nonlinear dynamics for the efficacy of a prominent model of game play teaching, Teaching Games for Understanding approach.     

Valence band x-ray emission spectra of compressed germanium

We report measurements of the valence band width in compressed Ge determined from x-ray emission spectra below the Ge K edge. The width of the valence band does not show any pressure dependence in the semiconducting diamond-type structure of Ge below 10 GPa. On the other hand, in the metallic beta-Sn phase above 10 GPa the valence band width increases under compression. Density-functional calculations show an increasing valence band width under compression both in the semiconducting phase (contrary to experiment) and in the metallic beta-Sn phase of Ge (in agreement with observed pressure-induced broadening). The pressure-independent valence band width in the semiconducting phase of Ge appears to require theoretical advances beyond the density-functional theory or the GW approximation.     

Nonexistence of Global Solutions to Nonlinear Stochastic Wave Equations in Mean L p -Norm

This article is concerned with explosive solutions of the initial-boundary problem for a class of nonlinear stochastic wave equations in a domain 𝒟 ? ? ^d . Under appropriate conditions on the initial data, the nonlinear term and the noise intensity, it is proved in Theorem 3.4 that there cannot exist a global solution and the local solution will blow up at a finite time in the mean L ^p  ? norm for p ≥ 1. An example is given to show the application of this theorem.     

Trace Analysis Using Position-Sensitive Detection in Magnetic Sector Mass Spectrometry

Abstract

A position-sensitive ion detection system for trace analysis with magnetic sector mass spectrometers is described in detail, with particular application to high temperature mass spectrometry. The detection system consists of two stacked microchannel plates (Chevron assembly) backed by a resistive anode encoder and associated electronics. The range of masses simultaneously detectable is m to 1.2m. For electron impact ionization of silver at an electron energy of 10.5 eV, the sensitivity is 1.6 × 10^?7 Pa, and the mass resolution is 260 at mass 80 (valley 10% of the peak height definition). Additional applications for the detection system are discussed.     

Biopolymer-assisted self-assembly of ZnO nanoarchitectures from nanorods

We have investigated three-dimensional (3-D) architectures–microspheres and radial structures–based on biopolymer-assisted self-assembly from one-dimensional ZnO nanorods. The developed method is simple, rapid and cost-effective and can be used for self-assembly of different complex superstructures. A possible model of 3-D architectures self-assembled with biopolymer assistance is presented using minimum energy considerations. Scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, micro–Raman spectroscopy and cathode luminescence investigations show that the novel 3-D architectures are built from high-purity ZnO nanorods with a wurtzite structure. The resulting radial structures show an intense ultraviolet (UV) cathode luminescence emission suggesting applications as UV light emitting diodes or lasers. Their structural characteristics endow them with a broad area of applications and offer a possibility to be used as fundamental low-dimensional building units. These building units open opportunities for the self-assembly of multifunctional nanostructured systems with applications in bioscience and nanomedicine, electronics and photonics.     

Reactivity of singlet oxygen toward strained substrates and a novel non-photochemical method for determination of quenching constants of singlet oxygen.

Rate constants for quenching of ¹O₂ by a number of strained molecules have been determined by the competitive rubrene photooxidation method; the rate constant for quenching by Q may be evaluated by adaption of a kinetic analysis already in the literature for the rubrene photooxidation method.     

NMR flow imaging of Newtonian liquids and a concentrated suspension through an axisymmetric sudden contraction

Using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) flow imaging to examine fluid motions at constant velocities or flows that change relatively slowly has been well-documented in the literature. Application of this technique to accelerative flows, on the other hand, has been limited. This study reports the use of an NMR flow imaging method, for which acceleration is not explicitly compensated in the NMR pulse sequence, to measure axial and radial fluid motions during flow through an axisymmetric sudden contraction. In this flow geometry, both velocity and acceleration are spatially dependent. The flow contraction ratio was 2:1. The method was first applied to examine Newtonian liquids at low and high Reynolds numbers under laminar flow conditions. The measured axial and radial velocity profiles, without accounting for acceleration effects in the data analysis, across the contraction are in excellent qualitative agreement with previous experimental data and theoretical calculations reported in the literature. Quantitative comparison of the axial and radial velocities with numerical results indicates that the maximum error from acceleration effects is about 10%. The method has also been used to examine the flow of a concentrated suspension (50% by volume of solid particles) through the contraction. The flow kinematics of the suspension at creeping flow conditions appear to mimic those of the Newtonian fluid with some slight differences. NMR images taken immediately following the cessation of flow suggest a slight degree of particle migration toward the center of the pipe downstream of the contraction.     

Synthesis of Insect Sex Pheromones and Their Homologues I. (Z,E)-9, 11-Alkadienyl Acetates

(Z, E)-9, 11-Tetradecadienyl-l-acetate (1), a major component of the sex pheromone of Spodoptera litura (F.), and (Z, E}-9, 11-pentadecadienyl-1-acetate (2) were synthesized by the Wittig reaction between (E)-2-alkenal (3) and the ylid derived from 9-hydroxynonyltriphenylphosphonium bromide (4).