The validation of Kayzero-assisted NAA in Budapest, Řež, and Ljubljana via the analysis of three BCR certified reference materials

After installation and calibration of k₀-assisted NAA in three Central European research institutes (AEKI-Budapest, NPI-?e?, and IJS, Ljubljana), its validation was established via the analysis of three BCR certified reference materials. The matrices of choice were: CRM 277 estuarine sediment, CRM 038 coal fly ash from pulverized coal, and CRM 101 spruce needles. For some elements, e.g. Zn, Cd, and Hg, the analyses were not only performed instrumentally (INAA), but also in the radiochemical mode (RNAA). The work was performed in the framework of a European Copernicus Project.     

Numerical simulation of airfoil vibrations induced by turbulent flow

The subject of this paper is the numerical simulation of the interaction between two-dimensional incompressible viscous flow and a vibrating airfoil. A solid elastically supported airfoil with two degrees of freedom, which can rotate around the elastic axis and oscillate in the vertical direction, is considered. The numerical simulation consists of the stabilized finite element solution of the Reynolds averaged Navier–Stokes equations with algebraic models of turbulence, coupled with the system of ordinary differential equations describing the airfoil motion. Since the computational domain is time dependent and the grid is moving, the Arbitrary Lagrangian–Eulerian (ALE) method is used. The developed method was applied to the simulation of flow-induced airfoil vibrations.     

Linearly unrelated sequences and problem of Erdös

The main result of this paper is a criterion for linearly unrelated sequences which do not tend to infinity very fast. This criterion depends on divisibility. Applications and several examples are included. A problem of Erdös concerning the irrational sequences is partially solved.     

Causality in Reversed Time Series: Reversed or Conserved?

The inference of causal relations between observable phenomena is paramount across scientific disciplines; however, the means for such enterprise without experimental manipulation are limited. A commonly applied principle is that of the cause preceding and predicting the effect, taking into account other circumstances. Intuitively, when the temporal order of events is reverted, one would expect the cause and effect to apparently switch roles. This was previously demonstrated in bivariate linear systems and used in design of improved causal inference scores, while such behaviour in linear systems has been put in contrast with nonlinear chaotic systems where the inferred causal direction appears unchanged under time reversal. The presented work explores the conditions under which the causal reversal happens—either perfectly, approximately, or not at all—using theoretical analysis, low-dimensional examples, and network simulations, focusing on the simplified yet illustrative linear vector autoregressive process of order one. We start with a theoretical analysis that demonstrates that a perfect coupling reversal under time reversal occurs only under very specific conditions, followed up by constructing low-dimensional examples where indeed the dominant causal direction is even conserved rather than reversed. Finally, simulations of random as well as realistically motivated network coupling patterns from brain and climate show that level of coupling reversal and conservation can be well predicted by asymmetry and anormality indices introduced based on the theoretical analysis of the problem. The consequences for causal inference are discussed.     

Influence of surface treatment on microstructure of stainless steels studied by Mössbauer spectrometry

Examination of surface microstructure of stainless steels is presented. Transmission Mössbauer spectrometry and Conversion Electron Mössbauer Spectrometry which provide information from the bulk and surface regions, respectively, were used. We concentrate on structural modifications that were caused by surface treatments including grinding, polishing, and electrolytic etching. Scanning Electron Microscopy with Energy Dispersive Spectrometry was adopted for visualization of surface differences. Formation of magnetic phases was revealed in the surface regions of X6CrNiTi1810 steel while no substantial effect of surface treatment was found in the ATABOR steel. Bulk regions in both steels are not affected by surface treatment.

     

Particle‐in‐cell/Monte Carlo simulation of electron and ion currents to cylindrical Langmuir probe

Electron and ion currents to a cylindrical Langmuir (electrostatic) probe were calculated using the particle‐in‐cell/Monte Carlo (PIC/MC) self‐consistent simulation for a neutral gas in the pressure range 2–3,000 Pa. The simulation enables us to calculate the probe currents even at high neutral gas pressures when the collisions of collected charged particles with neutral gas particles near the probe are important. The main aim of this paper is the calculation of probe currents at such high gas pressures and the comparison of the results with experimentally measured probe currents. Simulations were performed for two cases: (a) probes with varying radii in a non‐thermal plasma with high electron temperature at low neutral gas pressure of 2 Pa (in order to verify the correctness of our simulations), and (b) probe with the radius of 10 μm in the afterglow plasma with low electron temperature and a higher neutral gas pressure (up to 3,000 Pa). The electron probe currents obtained in case (a) show good agreement with those predicted by the orbital motion limited current (OMLC) theory for probes with radii up to 100 μm for the given plasma conditions. At larger probe radii and/or at higher probe voltages, the OMLC theory incorrectly predicts too high an electron probe current for the plasma parameters studied. Additionally, a formula describing the spatial dependence of the electron density in the presheath in the collisionless case is derived. The simulation at higher neutral gas pressures, i.e. case (b), shows a decrease of the electron probe current with increasing gas pressure and the creation of a large presheath around the probe. The simulated electron probe currents are compared with those of measurements by other authors, and the differences are discussed.     

Prevention of biofilm re‐development on Ti‐6Al‐4V alloy by cometary discharge with a metallic grid

The influence of a non‐thermal plasma (NTP) on the gram‐negative bacteria Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, the gram‐positive bacterium Staphylococcus epidermidis, and the yeast Candida albicans grown on agar or in the biofilm form was compared. NTP was produced by a DC cometary discharge. The biofilms were grown on the surface of Ti‐6Al‐4V alloy often used in the manufacture of prosthetic implants. The exposure by NTP not only inhibited the surface growth of microorganisms in agar cultures but also significantly suppressed the viability of bacteria and yeast in biofilms and prevented its re‐developed from persistent cells remaining in the lower layers of the biofilm. An almost complete prevention of biofilm re‐development was achieved in the case of S. epidermidis; other microorganisms displayed substantial lowering of biofilm biomass and its metabolic activity.     

L,L‐Lactide and ε‐Caprolactone Block Copolymers by a ‘Poly(L,L‐lactide) Block First’ Route

L,L ‐lactide (LA) and ε‐caprolactone (CL) block copolymers have been prepared by initiating the poly(ε‐caprolactone) (PCL) block growth with living poly(L,L ‐lactide) (PLA*). In the previous attempts to prepare block copolymers this way only random copolyesters were obtained because the PLA* + CL cross‐propagation rate was lower than that of the PLA–CL* + PLA transesterification. The present paper shows that application of Al‐alkoxide active centers that bear bulky diphenolate ligands results in efficient suppression of the transesterification. Thus, the corresponding well‐defined di‐ and triblock copolymers could be prepared.

     

Anionic Copolymerization of ε-Caprolactam with ω-Laurolactam

Polyamide 6/12 copolymers were prepared by employing two different initiation systems containing activator N-benzoyl-ε-caprolactam (BzCL) and initiator either sodium salt of ε-caprolactam (CLNa) or ε-caprolactam magnesium bromide (CLMgBr). Materials prepared by initiation with CLNa show one melting endotherm and are random copolymers. Materials prepared by initiation with CLMgBr show two melting endotherms and are probably composed from random copolymer and block copolymer containing blocks of random copolymer and blocks of copolymer with ε-caprolactam rich segments. The character of copolymers and fractionalized materials was evaluated by means of DSC and NMR.     

Synthesis of (meth)acrylate Block Copolymers by Ligated Anionic Polymerization

Synthetic potential of the ligated anionic polymerization (LAP) of acrylic and metacrylic esters initiated with methyl 2-lithioisobutyrate (MIB-Li) in the presence of an excess of alkali metal tert-alkoxides (prevailingly Li tert-butoxide) is presented. tert-Alkoxides form with ester-enolates, like MIB-Li, cross-aggregates of various composition, which tailor the environment of growing chain-ends, lower their nucleophilicity and restrict in this way the extent of side reactions, in particular self-termination of growing macroanions by back-biting reaction. Thus, stability of polymethacrylate living chains is sufficiently high for methacrylate and acrylate block copolymers to be synthesized. In the case of acrylate polymerization, reaction conditions must be optimized due to their high tendency to self-termination.