Error Estimates for the Velocity Tracking Problem for Navier–Stokes Flows Based on the Artificial Compressibility Formulation

ABSTRACT

The velocity tracking problem for Navier–Stokes flows is studied based on the artificial compressibility formulation. Several results concerning the analysis and convergence as ? → 0 are presented. Symmetric error estimates for semidiscrete finite element approximations for the artificially compressible optimality system are derived.     

A new burst assembly scheme based on the average packet delay and its performance for TCP traffic

We propose and evaluate a new burst assembly algorithm based on the average delay of the packets comprising a burst. This method fixes the average delay of the packets belonging to an assembled burst to a desired value $T_{\mathrm{AVE}}$ that may be different for each forwarding equivalence class (FEC). We show that the proposed method significantly improves the delay jitter experienced by the packets during the burst assembly process, when compared to that of timer-based and burst length-based assembly policies. Minimizing packet delay jitter is important in a number of applications, such as real-audio and streaming-video applications. We also find that the improvement in the packet delay jitter yields a corresponding significant improvement in the performance of TCP, whose operation depends critically on the ability to obtain accurate estimates of the round-trip times (RTT).     

Effect of spatial alignment transformations in PCA and ICA of functional neuroimages

It has been previously observed that independent component analysis (ICA), if applied to data pooled in a particular way, may lessen the need for spatial alignment of scans in a functional neuroimaging study. In this paper, we seek to determine analytically the conditions under which this observation is true, not only for spatial ICA, but also for temporal ICA and for principal component analysis (PCA). In each case, we find conditions that the spatial alignment operator must satisfy to ensure invariance of the results. We illustrate our findings using functional magnetic-resonance imaging (fMRI) data. Our analysis is applicable to both intersubject and intrasubject spatial normalization.     

Subcarrier modulation in all-optical chaotic communication systems

The enhancement of the encryption properties of chaotic signals generated by a semiconductor laser subject to optical feedback is numerically demonstrated by applying subcarrier modulation. The numerical analysis shows that the message can be very efficiently encrypted when the radio frequency carrier is within the frequency range where the chaos power density is maximized. Decoding performance is also numerically assessed considering both open- and closed-loop schemes at the receiver side. The impact of subcarrier modulation on system's performance under the influence of parameter mismatch is highlighted.     

High-field 285 GHz electron paramagnetic resonance study of indigenous radicals of humic acids

Humic substances, the largest source of carbon on Earth, contain indigenous stable free radicals that are involved in important biogeochemical environmental processes occurring in soil and water systems. Here, we present the first high-magnetic-field 285GHz electron paramagnetic resonance spectra for humic acids from various geographical origins. All humic acids irrespective of their origin contain two limiting types of indigenous stable radicals, types I and II, with distinct electronic structure. Type I, which prevails at acidic pH 5, is characterized by a g tensor with principal values gIx = 2.0032, gIy = 2.0032, and gIz = 2.0023. Type II, which prevails at alkaline pH 12, is characterized by gIIx = 2.0057, gIIy = 2.0055, and gIIz = 2.0023. The two limiting types are correlated in a unified reversible manner with pH, irrespective of the geographic origin of the HA. Both types of radical centers are consistent with pi-type radicals. They persist not only in liquid solutions but also in humic acid powders.     

The rapid characterisation of poly(ethylene glycol) oligomers using desorption electrospray ionisation tandem mass spectrometry combined with novel product ion peak assignment software

A rapid method for the characterisation of polyglycol esters and ethers is described which uses accurate mass desorption electrospray ionisation (DESI) quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (Q-ToFMS). The results are combined with newly developed software which aids the interpretation of product ions produced using collision-induced dissociation (CID) of selected precursor ions. The poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) samples analysed were PEG dibenzoate, PEG monooleate, PEG butyl ether, PEG bis(2-ethyl hexanoate) and PEG diacrylate. Lithium metal was used for cationisation of the PEG oligomers since it yielded the most useful structural information compared with other group I metals. The full scan mass spectra and product ion mass spectra were all obtained in <5 s. Interpretation of the MS/MS product ion spectra, using the product ion interpretation software which incorporates previously developed fragmentation rules, was carried out in <1 s.     

Spinodal decomposition and nucleation and growth as a means to bulk nanostructured thermoelectrics: enhanced performance in Pb(1-x)Sn(x)Te-PbS

The solid-state transformation phenomena of spinodal decomposition and nucleation and growth are presented as tools to create nanostructured thermoelectric materials with very low thermal conductivity and greatly enhanced figure of merit. The systems (PbTe)(1-x)(PbS)(x) and (Pb(0.95)Sn(0.05)Te)(1-x)(PbS)(x) are not solid solutions but phase separate into PbTe-rich and PbS-rich regions to produce coherent nanoscale heterogeneities that severely depress the lattice thermal conductivity. For x > approximately 0.03 the materials are ordered on three submicrometer length scales. Transmission electron microscopy reveals both spinodal decomposition and nucleation and growth phenomena the relative magnitude of which varies with x. We show that the (Pb(0.95)Sn(0.05)Te)(1-x)(PbS)(x) system, despite its nanostructured nature, maintains a high electron mobility (>100 cm(2)/V x s at 700 K). At x approximately 0.08 the material achieves a very low room-temperature lattice thermal conductivity of approximately 0.4 W/m x K. This value is only 28% of the PbTe lattice thermal conductivity at room temperature. The inhibition of heat flow in this system is caused by nanostructure-induced acoustic impedance mismatch between the PbTe-rich and PbS-rich regions. As a result the thermoelectric properties of (Pb(0.95)Sn(0.05)Te)(1-x)(PbS)(x) at x = 0.04, 0.08, and 0.16 were found to be superior to those of PbTe by almost a factor of 2. The relative importance of the two observed modes of nanostructuring, spinodal decomposition and nucleation and growth, in suppressing the thermal conductivity was assessed in this work, and we can conclude that the latter mode seems more effective in doing so. The promise of such a system for high efficiency is highlighted by a ZT approximately 1.50 at 642 K for x approximately 0.08.     

Synthesis of novel nitro-substituted triaryl pyrazole derivatives as potential estrogen receptor ligands

Novel tetrasubstituted pyrazole derivatives bearing a nitro substituent on their A-phenol ring were synthesized and their binding affinity towards the estrogen receptor (ER) subtypes ERalpha and ERbeta was determined. Among compounds tested, the 2-nitrophenol derivative 5c was found to bind satisfactorily to both estrogen receptor subtypes (RBAalpha=5.17 and RBAbeta=3.27). In general, the introduction of a nitro group into the A ring of these compounds was found to benefit their ERbeta binding abilities.     

Log-linear Poisson autoregression

We consider a log-linear model for time series of counts. This type of model provides a framework where both negative and positive association can be taken into account. In addition time dependent covariates are accommodated in a straightforward way. We study its probabilistic properties and maximum likelihood estimation. It is shown that a perturbed version of the process is geometrically ergodic, and, under some conditions, it approaches the non-perturbed version. In addition, it is proved that the maximum likelihood estimator of the vector of unknown parameters is asymptotically normal with a covariance matrix that can be consistently estimated. The results are based on minimal assumptions and can be extended to the case of log-linear regression with continuous exogenous variables. The theory is applied to aggregated financial transaction time series. In particular, we discover positive association between the number of transactions and the volatility process of a certain stock.     

Synthesis of [5,6]-fused pyridocoumarins through aza-Claisen rearrangement of 6-propargylaminocoumarins

[5,6]-Fused pyridocoumarins are prepared through aza-Claisen rearrangement and subsequent in situ cyclization of 6-propargylaminocoumarins under microwave irradiation in the presence of boron trifluoride diethyl etherate in N,N-dimethylformamide. During this process demethoxycarbonylation is observed in the corresponding 4-carbomethoxycoumarin derivatives.