THE VECTORIAL PHOTO-EXCITATION IN SOLAR-TRACKING LEAVES OF Lavatera cretica (MALVACEAE)*,†

Abstract— The diaphototropic responses of the solar-tracking leaves of Lavatera cretica were studied under constant levels of vectorial photo-excitation (negligible variations in angle of incidence and fluence rates). The results showed the following:
(a) The photoreceptors, that are associated with the (major) veins, can equally perceive vectorial excitation (by an oblique light-beam in the plane of symmetry of the vein), directed either towards its tip (tip-oriented: TO), or towards its base (base-oriented: BO).
(b) The mechanism of photo-perception is apparently qualitatively the same for TO and BO excitation.
(c) The response to TO and BO vectorial excitation, which takes place in a circular sheath of motor-cell tissue in the pulvinus (a2–3 mm long segment at the top of the petiole), is also highly directional and results in bending in the vertical plane of the oblique beam. Each sector of the motor tissue can expand longitudinally in response to TO excitation, presumably by influx of solutes, and contract longitudinally in response to BO excitation of the same vein, presumably by efflux of solutes.
(d) The angular velocity of the vectorial response to a constant level of vectorial excitation remains constant over large angular displacements and long periods, and was similar for TO and BO over a wide range of fluence rates (30-400 μmol m⁻²s⁻¹) of white light (400-700 nm).
(e) Reversal of the direction of vectorial excitation (TO to BO, and vice versa) results in reversal of the direction of the vectorial response (laminar reorientation). The change in the direction of laminar reorientation involved a larger overshoot in the original direction when the change was from BO to TO, than in the reverse case.     

Reverse pulse voltammetry in ec2 reactions: Electrochemistry of 1-alkyl-4-t-butylpyridinium ions

The applications of the reverse pulse method are extended in order to distinguish between different paths of electrodimerization. The method for determination of rate constants of the chemical reaction coupled with charge transfer (ec₂) is further developed. Measurements of K′_d vs. t_p provide valuable information for the determination of rate constants.The reverse pulse method is applied in the study of the electrodimerization of 1-alkyl-4-t-butylpyridinium ions (1-alkyl=?CH₃; ?CH₂CH₃; ?CH(CH ₃)₂) in acetonitrile. It is found that the electrodimerization mechanism is consistent with the sequence: Py⁺ + e = Py ? $\text{1}\text{2}$ Py₂. The formal potential E^o′ is measured directly for 1-CH(CH₃)₂, and indirectly for the other pyridium ions. All values are identical within experimental error (E^o′ = ?1.835 V vs. Ag/Ag⁺).The values of k_d and k_m are measured. With an increase in the size of the l-alkyl group, k_d decreases and k_m increases. This is consistent with the expected “stabilization” of the radicals due to the increase of the l-alkyl group size which hinders the dimerization site (2- and 6-positions).     

Partial Fairness in Secure Two-Party Computation

A protocol for secure computation is fair if either both parties learn the output or else neither party does. A seminal result of Cleve (STOC ’86) is that, in general, complete fairness is impossible to achieve in two-party computation. In light of this, various techniques for obtaining partial fairness have been suggested in the literature. We propose a definition of partial fairness within the standard real-/ideal-world paradigm. We also show broad feasibility results with respect to our definition: partial fairness is possible for any (randomized) functionality f:X×Y→Z ¹×Z ² at least one of whose domains or ranges is polynomial in size. Our protocols are always private, and when one of the domains has polynomial size our protocols also achieve the usual notion of security with abort. We work in the standard communication model (in particular, we do not assume simultaneous channels) and, in contrast to some prior work, rely only on standard cryptographic assumptions (e.g., enhanced trapdoor permutations).     

Algebras of Measurements: The Logical Structure of Quantum Mechanics

In quantum physics, a measurement is represented by a projection on some closed subspace of a Hilbert space. We study algebras of operators that abstract from the algebra of projections on closed subspaces of a Hilbert space. The properties of such operators are justified on epistemological grounds. Commutation of measurements is a central topic of interest. Classical logical systems may be viewed as measurement algebras in which all measurements commute. PACS: 02.10.-V.     

Macroscopic and microscopic examination of the relationship between crack velocity and path and Rayleigh surface wave speed in single crystal silicon

The speed of Rayleigh surface waves, denoted C_R, is the accepted upper limit for Mode I crack velocity in monolithic solids. In the current contribution, we discuss several critical issues associated with the velocity of Rayleigh surface waves and crack velocity in single crystal (SC) brittle solids, and the global and local influence of C_R on crack path selection in particular.Recent cleavage experiments in SC silicon showed that crack velocity at certain cleavage planes and crystallographic orientations cannot exceed a small fraction of C_R, and thereafter the crack deflects to other cleavage planes. Indeed, C_R defined by the continuum mechanics ignores atomistic phenomena occurring during rapid crack propagation, and therefore is limited in predicting the crack velocity. Examination of these anomalies shows that this limitation lies in microstructural lattice arrangement and in anisotropic phonon radiation during rapid crack propagation. Globally, C_R has no influence on the crack deflection phenomenon. However, the misfit in C_R between the original plane of propagation and the deflected plane generates local instabilities along the deflection zone.     

On decidable,finitely axiomatizable,modal and tense logics without the finite model property Part II

This paper is a continuation of Part I. A decidable extension of model K4 that lacks the finite model property is described. It is not known whether there are extensions of B that are decidable and lack the finite model property.