A complexity approach to sustainability – Stafford Beer revisited

There is wide acceptance of the need for a more holistic approach to sustainability. However, practical solutions remain elusive and tend to exhibit underlying conflicts between different paradigms and their associated methodologies. This paper argues the need to wield analytical tools that themselves embody the principles of systemic, ecological thinking. We present here a theoretical framework based on complexity science – focused on organisational and second order cybernetics – that highlights our understanding of the concept of sustainability. The paper goes on to reflect upon how current practice would benefit from such an approach.     

On-line nuclear orientation and relaxation studies of Cs isotopes

The hyperfine field of CsFe has been measured to be (+)40.8(0.7)T, using the technique of on-line low temperature nuclear orientation. The time dependent relaxation of¹²¹Cs^m Fe has also been investigated using a new technique, giving a Korringa constant C_k of 0.059 (15) sK. From this, an effective relaxation time of 3.0 (0.8)s can be deduced for the short lived¹¹⁸Cs^m(T_1/2=17s). This value has then been used to extract the magnetic moment of¹¹⁸Cs^m to be |μ|=5.4 (1.1) nm.     

Untersuchung von Schokolade

Ohne Zusammenfassung     

Seifen, Waschmittel

Ohne Zusammenfassung     

A parallel acquisition charged particle energy analyser using a magnetic field

A new form of charged particle energy analyser is proposed. It is broadly based on the 180° magnetic spectrograph, but is intended to detect charged particles moving out of the dispersion plane with a helical motion. The analyser has the capability to acquire charged particle energy spectra over a large energy range, similar to those acquired in Auger electron spectroscopy, ca. 2500 eV and large angular range, up to 90°, in parallel. These conditions are more favourable for surface analysis by electron spectroscopy at high vacuum, where for example an electron energy resolution of 0.2% to 0.5% is typical. Expressions showing how the landing positions of the charged particles on the detector vary as a function of energy and polar take off angle are determined as well as the conditions for optimum energy resolution at a range of polar take off angles. The equations reveal that in general, the device obtains the highest resolution at angles of revolution greater than 180°. The design is simple and could be easily put into practice using available material and technologies and be used to analyse the energies of electrons emitted from a sample placed in a scanning electron microscope. It can be made to function with a primary electron beam of any desired energy and could fit in to the small space between the sample and the end of an electron column. However, the device is difficult to retrofit into existing SEMs and ideally an SEM column needs to be designed to work in association with the analyser. The direction of the magnetic field of the analyser is coincident with the axis of the electron gun so that the primary beam is little influenced by the magnetic field and symmetry can be maintained in the primary beam electron column. Because the device is intended to acquire electron spectra in parallel, any movement of the primary beam on the sample because of a ramping field in the analyser is avoided. The field of view and the effect of the analyser upon the operation of the SEM are discussed. Spectra including elastic and Auger peaks reveal an energy resolution of ~4 eV at 900‐eV electron energy. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

4-氨基-7-硝基苯并-2-氧杂-1,3-二唑类衍生物的合成及其对汞离子的识别研究

以4-氯-7-硝基苯并-2-氧杂-1,3-二唑、乙二胺和溴乙酸乙酯等为原料,合成4-氨基-7-硝基苯并-2-氧杂-1,3-二唑类衍生物(NBD-OEt),通过IR、NMR和MS对其进行结构表征。研究NBD-OEt的吸收光谱和荧光光谱性质,探讨其在H2O/EtOH(60/40, V/V) pH 7.40的HEPES缓冲体系中对Hg₂ 的响应,以及NBD-OEt与Hg₂ 的结合模式。结果表明, 随Hg₂ 的不断加入可诱使NBD-OEt在476nm的吸收峰红移至514nm,并有两个等吸收点(347nm、482nm);其荧光发射峰由536nm红移至559nm,且在525nm出现等发射点;通过Job plot法测定NBD-OEt与Hg₂ 以1:1的计量比结合。     

Comprehensive comparison of liquid chromatography selectivity as provided by two types of liquid chromatography detectors (high resolution mass spectrometry and tandem mass spectrometry): “Where is the crossover point?”

The selectivity of mass traces obtained by monitoring liquid chromatography coupled to high resolution mass spectrometry (LC-HRMS) and liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) was compared. A number of blank extracts (fish, pork kidney, pork liver and honey) were separated by ultra performance liquid chromatography (UPLC). Detected were some 100 dummy transitions respectively dummy exact masses (traces). These dummy masses were the product of a random generator. The range of the permitted masses corresponded to those which are typical for analytes (e.g. veterinary drugs). The large number of monitored dummy traces ensured that endogenous compounds present in the matrix extract, produced a significant number of detectable chromatographic peaks. All obtained chromatographic peaks were integrated and standardized. Standardisation was done by dividing these absolute peak areas by the average response of a set of 7 different veterinary drugs. This permitted a direct comparison between the LC-HRMS and LC-MS/MS data. The data indicated that the selectivity of LC-HRMS exceeds LC-MS/MS, if high resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) data is recorded with a resolution of 50,000 full width at half maximum (FWHM) and a corresponding mass window. This conclusion was further supported by experimental data (MS/MS based trace analysis), where a false positive finding was observed. An endogenous matrix compound present in honey matrix behaved like a banned nitroimidazole drug. This included identical retention time and two MRM traces, producing an MRM ratio between them, which perfectly matched the ratio observed in the external standard. HRMS measurement clearly resolved the interfering matrix compound and unmasked the false positive MS/MS finding.     

Simulation of loss mechanisms in organic solar cells: A description of the mesoscopic Monte Carlo technique and an evaluation of the first reaction method

In this letter we evaluate the accuracy of the first reaction method (FRM) as commonly used to reduce the computational complexity of mesoscale Monte Carlo simulations of geminate recombination and the performance of organic photovoltaic devices. A wide range of carrier mobilities, degrees of energetic disorder, and applied electric field are considered. For the ranges of energetic disorder relevant for most polyfluorene, polythiophene, and alkoxy poly(phenylene vinylene) materials used in organic photovoltaics, the geminate separation efficiency predicted by the FRM agrees with the exact model to better than 2%. We additionally comment on the effects of equilibration on low-field geminate separation efficiency, and in doing so emphasize the importance of the energy at which geminate carriers are created upon their subsequent behavior.