Creation, Dissipation and Recycling of Resources in Non-Equilibrium Systems

In this article, we define stochastic dynamics for a system coupled to reservoirs. The rules for forward and backward transitions are related by a generalized detailed balance identity involving the system and its reservoirs. We compare the variation of information and of entropy. We define the Carnot dissipation and prove that it can be expressed in terms of cyclic transformations. Lower bounds for partial dissipations are also studied, as well as the effect of switching off certain reservoirs. We also study the near degeneracy of the stochastic matrix, relate it to phase transitions and we show that the reduced dynamics on the set of phases is a permutation. Finally, we relate these concepts to heat, work and more generally to the dissipation and creation of resources, in general systems.     

Ergodicity for the Dissipative Boussinesq Equations with Random Forcing

We study the stationary measure for the two-dimensional Boussinesq equation with random forcing. We prove the ergodicity for the two-dimensional stochastically forced Boussinesq equation. We also study the Galerkin truncations of the three-dimensional Boussinesq equations under degenerate stochastic forcing. We follow closely the previous results on the stochastically forced Navier–Stokes equations.     

混合效应模型中的D-最优设计

本研究的是混合效应-Ⅱ模型，首先，给出二阶模型存在D-最优回归设计点的必要条件。其次，组合D-最优回归设计和D-最优区组设计BIBD构造D-最优设计并给出寻找新的D-最优设计点的方法。以两种有代表性的组合误差分布为例，阐明新的D-最优设计点的获得过程，并给出了数值结果。     

Duffing-van der Pol振子随机分岔的全局分析

应用广义胞映射方法研究了参激和外激共同作用的Duffing-van der Pol振子的随机分岔.以 系统参数通过某一临界值时，如果系统的随机吸引子或随机鞍的形态发生突然变化，则认为 系统发生随机分岔为定义，分析了参激强度和外激强度的变化对于随机分岔的影响.揭示了 随机分岔的发生主要是由于系统的随机吸引子与系统的随机鞍碰撞产生的.分析表明，广义 胞映射方法是分析随机分岔的有力工具，这种全局分析方法可以清晰地给出随机分岔的发生 和发展. 关键词： 随机分岔 全局分析 广义胞映射方法 随机吸引子 随机鞍     

Effect of genesis on the properties and hydrogen reducibility of NiO-ZnO mixed oxides

The physico-chemical properties and reactivity tested by hydrogen reduction have been studied for two series of NiO-ZnO mixed oxides of various composition. The solid nickel oxide or zinc oxide in interaction with the solution of nitrate of the second component were used as the precursors in each series. The differences in some physico-chemical parameters of the samples in both series were correlated with their reduction behaviour, followed both in iso- and non-isothermal regime. Moreower, the influence of various factors modifying the reactivity of mixed oxides was also investigated and the results were compared with those obtained from earlier studied analogous systems of quite different origin.This revised version was published online in November 2005 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

New Branch-and-Cut Algorithm for Bilevel Linear Programming

Linear mixed 0–1 integer programming problems may be reformulated as equivalent continuous bilevel linear programming (BLP) problems. We exploit these equivalences to transpose the concept of mixed 0–1 Gomory cuts to BLP. The first phase of our new algorithm generates Gomory-like cuts. The second phase consists of a branch-and-bound procedure to ensure finite termination with a global optimal solution. Different features of the algorithm, in particular, the cut selection and branching criteria are studied in details. We propose also a set of algorithmic tests and procedures to improve the method. Finally, we illustrate the performance through numerical experiments. Our algorithm outperforms pure branch-and-bound when tested on a series of randomly generated problems. Work of the authors was partially supported by FCAR, MITACS and NSERC grants.     

FORWARD-BACKWARD STOCHASTIC DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS WITH STOPPING TIME

The existence and uniqueness results of fully coupled forward-backward stochastic differential equations with stopping time (unbounded) is obtained. One kind of comparison theorem for this kind of equations is also proved.     

Physicochemical studies on hydrophobic PEO‐PPO‐PEO triblock copolymer micelles in SDS micellar environment

The shape, size, aggregation, hydration, and correlation times of water insoluble PEO‐PPO‐PEO triblock copolymer micelles with sodium dodecylsulfate (SDS) micelles were investigated using transport studies and dynamic light scattering technique. From the conductance of micellar solutions of the polymer in 25 mM SDS and 5 mM NaCl, the hydration of polymer micelles were determined using the principle of obstruction of electrolyte migration by the polymer. The asymmetry of the micellar particles of polymer and polymer‐SDS mixed micellar systems in 5 mM NaCl and their average axial ratios were calculated using intrinsic viscosity and hydration data obeying Simha–Einstein equation. Hydration number and micellar sizes were variable with temperature. The shape of the polymer micelles has been ellipsoidal rather than spherical. The micellar volume, hydrodynamic radius, radius of gyration, diffusional coefficients as well as translational, rotational and effective correlation times have been calculated from the absolute values of the axes. The partial molal volume of polymer micelles has also been determined and its comparison with the molar volume of pure polymer suggested a volume contraction due to immobilization of the water phase by the hydrophilic head groups of the polymer. The thermodynamic activation parameters for viscous flow favor a more ordered water structure around polymer micelles at higher temperatures. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 45: 2410–2420, 2007     

Theory of Valuations on Manifolds: A Survey

This is a non-technical survey of a recent theory of valuations on manifolds constructed in [A10], [A11], [AF] and [A12], and actually a guide to this series of articles. We also review some recent related results obtained by a number of people. Received: February 2006, Revision: June 2006, Accepted: June 2006