Multicriterion analysis of a vegetation management problem using ELECTRE II

A brief review of the ELECTRE II technique based on a strong and a weak ordinal outranking relationship is given. This technique, which is applied to alternative vegetation management schemes, leads to a complete ranking of the alternatives by means of three thresholds for concordance conditions and two thresholds for discordance conditions. Specifically, six alternative schemes are evaluated with respect to seven criteria, leading to the determination of a preferred system. A sensitivity analysis indicates that the ELECTRE II ranking is fairly robust with respect to parameter changes for the conditions of the case study.     

A table of good lattice points in three dimensions

A table of three-dimensional lattice points with moduli ranging from 2120 to 6066, sufficient for high-precision numerical computation of triple integrals is presented; the data are shown to confirm some conjectures concerning good lattice points.     

Signatures of strong momentum localization via entanglement of translational and internal states

We show that atoms or molecules subject to fields that couple their internal and translational (momentum) states may undergo a crossover from randomization (diffusion) to strong localization (sharpening) of their momentum distribution. The predicted crossover should be manifest by a drastic change of the interference pattern as a function of the coupling fields.     

Study of decay mechanisms in B--->Lambdac+ppi- decays and observation of low-mass structure in the Lambdac+p system

Using a sample of 152 x 10(6) BB pairs accumulated with the Belle detector at the KEKB e+e- collider, we study the decay mechanism of three-body charmed decay B- --> Lambdac+ ppi-. The intermediate two-body decay B--->Sigmac (2455)0 p is observed for the first time with a branching fraction of (3.7 +/- 0.7 +/- 0.4 +/- 1.0) x 10(-5) and a statistical significance of 8.4sigma. We also observe a low-mass enhancement in the (Lambdac+p) system, which can be parametrized as a Breit-Wigner function with a mass of (3.35(-0.02)(+0.01) +/-0.02) GeV/c2 and a width of (0.07(-0.03)(+0.04) +/-0.04) GeV/c2. We measure its branching fraction to be (3.9(-0.7)(+0.8) +/- 0.4 +/- 1.0) x 10(-5) with a statistical significance of 6.2sigma. The errors are statistical, systematic, and that of the Lambdac+-->pK- pi+ decay branching fraction.     

A simple and inexpensive "solvent in silicone tube extraction" approach and its evaluation in the gas chromatographic analysis of pesticides in fruits and vegetables

A novel, simple, and inexpensive approach to sorptive extraction, which we call solvent in silicone tube extraction (SiSTEx), was applied to pesticide residue analysis and its effectiveness and efficiency were evaluated. In SiSTEx, which is a form of open tubular sorptive extraction, a piece of silicone tubing (4 cm long, 1.47 mm ID, 1.96 mm OD in this study) is attached to the cap of a 20 mL glass vial that contains the aqueous sample. The tubing is plugged at the end dangling in the sample solution, and MeCN (e.g., 40 microL) added by syringe to the inner tube volume through a septum in the cap. A stir-bar is used to mix the sample for a certain time (e.g., 60 min), which allows chemicals to partition into the tubing where they diffuse across the silicone and partition into the MeCN. The final MeCN extract is then analyzed for the concentrated analytes. In this study, the SiSTEx approach was evaluated for the analysis of organophosphorus (OP) and organochlorine (OC) pesticides in fruits and vegetables using GC/pulsed flame photometric (PFPD) and halogen specific (XSD) detectors for analysis. The produced samples were initially extracted by a rapid MeCN procedure, and 5 mL of the initial extract was diluted four-fold with water to undergo sorptive extraction for 60 min. The final extract was analyzed by GC/PFPD + XSD for 14 OP and 22 OC pesticides. This simple approach was able to detect 26 of the 36 pesticides at 10 ng/g or less original equivalent sample concentration with average reproducibility of 11% RSD. For those 26 pesticides, a 44-fold lower detection limit on average was achieved in matrix extracts using SiSTEx despite the four-fold dilution with water.     

Improved constraints on D0-D0 mixing in D0 --> K+ pi- decays from the Belle detector

We report the results of a search for D0-D0 mixing in D0 --> K+ pi- decays based on 400 fb(-1) of data accumulated by the Belle detector at KEKB. Both assuming CP conservation and allowing for CP violation, we fit the decay-time distribution for the mixing parameters x and y, as well as for the parameter R(D), the ratio of doubly Cabibbo-suppressed decays to Cabibbo-favored decays. The 95% confidence level region in the (x'2,y') plane is obtained using a frequentist method. Assuming CP conservation, we find x'2 < 0.72 x 10(-3) and -9.9 x 10(-3) < y' < 6.8 x 10(-3) at the 95% confidence level; these are the most stringent constraints on the mixing parameters to date. The no-mixing point (0,0) has a confidence level of 3.9%. Assuming no mixing, we measure R(D) = (0.377 +/- 0.008 +/- 0.005)%.     

Detection of non-Gaussian fluctuations in a quantum point contact

An experimental study of current fluctuations through a tunable transmission barrier, a quantum point contact, is reported. We measure the probability distribution function of transmitted charge with precision sufficient to extract the first three cumulants. To obtain the intrinsic quantities, corresponding to voltage-biased barrier, we employ a procedure that accounts for the response of the external circuit and the amplifier. The third cumulant, obtained with a high precision, is found to agree with the prediction for the statistics of transport in the non-Poissonian regime.     

Hydrocarbons and fuels analyses with the supersonic gas chromatography mass spectrometry--the novel concept of isomer abundance analysis

Hydrocarbon analysis with standard GC-MS is confronted by the limited range of volatile compounds amenable for analysis and by the similarity of electron ionization mass spectra for many compounds which show weak or no molecular ions for heavy hydrocarbons. The use of GC-MS with supersonic molecular beams (Supersonic GC-MS) significantly extends the range of heavy hydrocarbons that can be analyzed, and provides trustworthy enhanced molecular ion to all hydrocarbons. In addition, unique isomer mass spectral features are obtained in the ionization of vibrationally cold hydrocarbons. The availability of molecular ions for all hydrocarbons results in the ability to obtain unique chromatographic isomer distribution patterns that can serve as a new method for fuel characterization and identification. Examples of the applicability and use of this novel isomer abundance analysis (IAA) method to diesel fuel, kerosene and oil analyses are shown. It is suggested that in similarity to the "three ions method" for identification purposes, three isomer abundance patterns can serve for fuel characterization. The applications of the Supersonic GC-MS for engine motor oil analysis and transformer oil analysis are also demonstrated and discussed, including the capability to achieve fast 1-2s sampling without separation for oil and fuel fingerprinting. The relatively fast analysis of biodiesel is described, demonstrating the provision of molecular ions to heavy triglycerides. Isomer abundance analysis with the Supersonic GC-MS could find broad range of applications including petrochemicals and fuel analysis, arson analysis, environmental oil/fuel spill analysis, fuel adulteration analysis and motor oil analysis.     

Corrole-based applications

Despite of the many similarities between corroles and porphyrins, the chemistry of the former remained undeveloped for decades because of severe synthetic obstacles. The recent discoveries of facile methodologies for the synthesis of triarylcorroles and the corresponding metal complexes allowed for their utilization in various fields. This survey reveals many examples where corroles were used as the key components in catalysis, sensing of gaseous molecules and medicine-oriented research. The focus in all these cases was on the special features of corroles: stabilization of high valent transition metal ions, unique photophysical properties, large NH acidity, facile synthetic manipulation and distinct catalytic properties. The latter aspect includes several examples of reactions that are not catalyzed by any non-corrole metal complex, such as the iron-based aziridination by Chloramine-T, the clean disproportionation of peroxynitrite, and the very facile N-H activation of amines.