Characterization of Trimmed NURBS Surface Boundaries Using Topological Criteria

This paper presents an approach based on topology for the determination of characteristics and properties of curves used in the trimming of NURBS surfaces. Through discrete subdivision and topological criteria, a method is presented to determine characteristics of the boundary; such as whether the set of trimming curves forms a set of closed loops, whether trimming curves contain singularities or self intersections, and whether the boundary is simply connected. A surface mesh partitionning the parameter space is used, formed of isoparametric lines in both parametric directions. Topological properties of the cells of this mesh and their intersections with the trimming curves allow to localize the boundary. Topological treatment of this localization allows to define the interior and exterior of the face, and to refine the boundary localization. Singularities and self intersections of the boundary as well as voids in the face are investigated through the study of topological properties of neighbors. As an application, an algorithm for point localization is presented that very rapidly allows to determine whether a given point in parameter space lies inside, on the boundary or outside of the trimmed surface.     

LAXS investigation of finger phantoms

Osteoporosis is a bone condition that is caused mainly by the degradation of trabecular and cortical bone resulting in the decrease of bone strength and eventually leads to bone fracture. A low angle X-ray scattering (LAXS) system that uses mainly the coherent scattering process for the characterisation of materials was constructed to study such bone conditions. Several finger phantoms were fabricated to simulate bone of varying densities. The LAXS method was able to identify the changes in bone density quite well by comparing energy dispersive X-ray diffraction patterns as well as the angular patterns. Quantitative information can be extracted from such patterns that relate to bone loss. Signature patterns at low exposure times were produced in order to reduce the dose received with reasonable identification power but at slightly higher statistical errors compared with long exposure patterns. Use of other parameters to increase the sensitivity was attempted.     

Approximation diophantienne sur les courbes elliptiques à multiplication complexe

Let $\text{E}$ be an elliptic curve with complex multiplication, defined over $\text{Q}$. We consider linear forms on $\text{Lie}\text{(}\text{E}{}^{\mathrm{n}}\text{)}$ with coefficients in the CM field of $\text{E}$. Within this framework, we present a new measure of linear independence for elliptic logarithms in (logb)(loga)ⁿ. Like recent advances in this domain (works by Ably, David, Hirata-Kohno), our result is best possible in terms of the height of the linear forms (logb) while providing a better estimate in the height of algebraic points considered (loga), removing a term in logloga. To cite this article: M. Ably, É. Gaudron, C. R. Acad. Sci. Paris, Ser. I 337 (2003).     

Rheological properties of polyacrylates used as synthetic road binders

Most adhesives and binders, including bitumen for asphalt mixture production, are presently produced from petrochemicals after the refining of crude oil. The fact that crude oil reserves are a finite resource means that in the future, it may become necessary to produce these materials from alternative and probably renewable sources. Suitable resources of this kind may include polysaccharides, plant oils and proteins. This paper deals with the synthesis of polymer binders from monomers that could, in future, be derived from renewable resources. These binders consist of polyethyl acrylate (PEA) of different molecular weight, polymethyl acrylate (PMA) and polybutyl acrylate (PBA), which were synthesised from ethyl acrylate, methyl acrylate and butyl acrylate, respectively, by atom transfer radical polymerisation. The rheological properties of these binders were determined by means of oscillatory testing using a dynamic shear rheometer and combinations of stress/strain, temperature and frequency sweeps. The results indicate that PEA can be produced to have rheological properties similar to that of ‘soft’ 100/150 penetration grade bitumen, PMA with similar rheological properties to that of ‘hard’ 10/20 penetration grade bitumen, while PBA, due to its highly viscous nature and low dynamic moduli, cannot be used on its own as a binder. The synthetic polymers were found to be thermo-rheologically simple, and the shift factors, used to produce the dynamic moduli master curves, were found to fit an Arrhenius function.     

Oxidation of Aromatic Amines to Quinones by Iodic Acid under Microwave Irradiation in the Presence of Montmorillonite K10 and Silica Gel

A variety of aromatic amines are oxidized to their corresponding quinones in excellent yields by supported iodic acid under microwave irradiation and solvent free conditions.     

Osmium(VIII)-catalyzed oxidation of pentamethylene sulfide

Although pentamethylene sulfide (tetrahydrothiopyran) lacks acidic hydrogen, Os^VIII has been found to catalyze its oxidation by alkaline K₃Fe(CN)₆ to produce 3-hydroxypentamethylene sulfide as the only product. The kinetics reveal first-order dependence on ferricyanide and Os^VIII, and zero order on pentamethylene sulfide and OH^–. The effects of introduced electrolytes, K₄Fe(CN)₆, relative permittivity and temperature have also been studied. On the basis of kinetic evidence, a mechanism that involves anation of the osmium catalyst (sulfide/water interchange) followed by intramolecular proton abstraction, followed by an electron transfer step has been proposed and discussed.     

An existence result for a quadrature surface free boundary problem

The aim of this paper is to present two different approachs in order to obtain an existence result to the so-called quadrature surface free boundary problem. The first one requires the shape derivative calculus while the second one depends strongly on the compatibility condition of the Neumann problem. A necessary and sufficient condition of existences is given in the radial case.     

Theoretical estimates for proton-NMR spin–lattice relaxation rates of heterometallic spin rings

Heterometallic molecular chromium wheels are fascinating new magnetic materials. We reexamine the available experimental susceptibility data on MCr₇ wheels in terms of a simple isotropic Heisenberg Hamiltonian for M=Fe, Ni, Cu, and Zn and find in that FeCr₇ needs to be described with an iron–chromium exchange that is different from all other cases. In a second step we model the behavior of the proton spin lattice relaxation rate as a function of applied magnetic field for low temperatures as it is measured in nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) experiments. It appears that CuCr₇ and NiCr₇ show an unexpectedly reduced relaxation rate at certain level crossings.