Crystal structure and magnetic ordering of RNi Si compounds

The element distributions and the magnetic ordering behaviour of compounds RNi₁₀Si₂ (R = Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm) have been studied by neutron powder diffraction down to temperatures of 1.6 K. The compounds crystallize in an ordered variant of the ThMn₁₂ structure type in the tetragonal space group P4/nmm. An ordered 1:1 distribution of Ni and Si on sites 4d and 4e, respectively, corresponds to a modulation vector [0, 0, 1] with respect to the space group I4/mmm of the ThMn₁₂ structure. TbNi₁₀Si₂ orders antiferromagnetically below T _N = 4.5 K with a magnetic propagation vector of [0, 0, 1/2]. The magnetic Tb moments, 8.97(2) /Tb atom at 1.6 K, are aligned along the c-axis. The Ni sites in TbNi₁₀Si₂ do not carry any ordered magnetic moments. The compounds with R = Dy, Ho, Er, and Tm are paramagnetic down to 1.6 K and 3.0 K, respectively. Received 10 July 2002 / Received in final form 12 September 2002 Published online 29 October 2002     

Analysis of far-infrared laser magnetic resonance spectra of CH2Br at 447.3 and 671.1μm

A simple model has been developed to describe the Zeeman patterns of far-infrared laser magnetic resonance spectra of the monobromomethyl radical CH₂Br observed at 447.3 and 671.1μm. A satisfactory agreement between the experimental spectra of the radical and their simulation with this simple model has been achieved. This approach can be used to gain further information about the structure and the spectrum of this interesting radical.     

Near-barrier fusion reactions induced by α on197Au,193Ir,191Ir,185Re,181Ta,121Sb and69Ga nuclei

Fusion-evaporation cross-sections for the α-induced reactions upon¹⁹⁷Au,¹⁹³Ir,¹⁹¹Ir,¹⁸⁵Re,¹⁸¹Ta,¹²¹Sb and⁶⁹Ga nuclei at bombarding energies near the Coulomb barrier have been measured by off-line observation of the γ-rays emitted in the radioactive decay of the residual nuclei using stacked foil technique. The total fusion cross-section for the systems have been compared with simple statistical model calculations using the code ALICE/91 as well as with the coupled channel calculations that include the β₂ and ν₄ slatic deformations and dynamic couplings of the vibrational/rotational states of the target and the projet tile using the code CCDEF.     

Outflow refreshment angiography: A bright blood, bright static tissue technique

A new “bright blood” strategy, outflow refreshment imaging, is introduced in which a number of overlapping slices are excited in rapid succession. Flowing spins that refresh each overlapped slice portion contribute a bright signal. Additionally, static tissue in each non-overlapped slice portion also yields a bright signal. However, the flow/static contrast is comparable to that produced in inflow refreshment images, and angiograms can be generated by conventional maximum intensity projection processing. The dual ability to visualize angiograms and static tissue images is a major benefit of the strategy. Computer simulations of flow sensitivities and in vivo results are presented which compare the outflow and inflow refreshment imaging strategies.     

Chalcogenide based all-solid-state thin electroplated ion-selective membrane for Hg(II) flow-injection determinations

The response to Hg(II) of a thin all-solid-state Te-doped silver chalcogenide membrane, described by the general formula Ag₂ + δSe_{1 − x}Te_x, which has been electrochemically prepared following a previously proposed approach, has been investigated. The kinetics of formation of the membrane's secondary dynamic response to Hg(II) has been successfully combined with the precise timing and transient signal, typical for flow-injection (FI) measurements, in developing a sensitive and reliable mercury FI detector. Under optimized stream conditions it exhibits a linear Nernstian response, with a double slope of the calibration graph of 59 mV dec⁻¹, over the mercury(II) concentration range 10⁻⁶ − 10⁻³ M, the typical sample throughput amounting to about 70 samples per hour. The observed chemical amplification of the signal is due to the specificity of the processes dominating the initial step in formation of the steady-state signal of the membrane to mercury. The analytical performance of the Hg(II) FI detector, as regards sensitivity, reproducibility, selectivity and long-term stability has been thoroughly investigated. The exact procedure for membrane electrodeposition is given and the potential of the proposed approach as a cost-effective way for preparing chalcogenides of unique structure and properties has been outlined in the above context.     

Stationary Distribution Function Estimation for Ergodic Diffusion Process

The problem of nonparametric stationary distribution function estimation by the observations of an ergodic diffusion process is considered. The local asymptotic minimax lower bound on the risk of all the estimators is found and it is proved that the empirical distribution function is asymptotically efficient in the sense of this bound.     

Miscible blends of modified poly(aryl ether ketones) with aromatic polyimides

The phase behavior of binary blends of poly(ether ether ketone) (PEEK), sulfonated PEEK, and sulfamidated PEEK with aromatic polyimides is reported. PEEK was determined to be immiscible with a poly(amide imide) (TORLON 4000T). Blends of sulfonated and sulfamidated PEEK with this poly(amide imide), however, are reported here to be miscible in all proportions. Blends of sulfonated PEEK and a poly(ether imide) (ULTEM 1000) are also reported to be miscible. Spectroscopic investigations of the intermolecular interactions suggest that formation of electron donoracceptor complexes between the sulfonated/sulfamidated phenylene rings of the PEEKs and the n-phenylene units of the polyimides are responsible for this miscibility. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Phase transfer of highly monodisperse iron oxide nanocrystals with Pluronic F127 for biomedical applications

Iron oxide nanoparticles made from the thermal decomposition method are highly uniform in all respects (size, shape, composition and crystallography), making them ideal candidates for many bioapplications. The surfactant coating on the as-synthesized nanoparticles renders the nanoparticles insoluble in aqueous solutions. For biological applications nanoparticles must be water soluble. Here we demonstrate the phase transfer of our nanoparticles with the biocompatible copolymer Pluronic F127. Transmission electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and dynamic light scattering indicate that the nanoparticles are coated discretely. Magnetic measurements show that the nanoparticles remain superparamagnetic with saturation magnetization ∼96% of the maximum theoretical value.     

Multinomial permutations on a circle

Multinomial permutations on a circle are considered in the framework of combinatorics. Different cases are presented and shown to agree with previously derived formula for the number of cyclic necklaces. Two applied examples are discussed with a view to illustrate the implications of derived formulas. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A MICROFOUNDATION OF PREDATOR‐PREY DYNAMICS

ABSTRACT. Predator‐prey relationships account for an important part of all interactions betweenspecies. In this paper we provide a microfoundation for such predator‐prey relations in afood chain. Basic entities of our analysis are representative organisms of species modeled similar to economic households. With prices as indicators of scarcity, organisms are assumed to behave as if they maximize their net biomass subject to constraints which express the organisms' risk of being preyed upon during predation. Like consumers, organisms face a ‘budget constraint’ requiring their expenditure on prey biomass not to exceed their revenue from supplying own biomass. Short‐run ecosystem equilibria are defined and derived. The net biomass acquired by the representative organism in the short term determines the positive or negative population growth. Moving short‐run equilibria constitute the dynamics of the predator‐prey relations that are characterized in numerical analysis. The population dynamics derived here turn out to differ significantly from those assumed in the standard Lotka‐Volterra model.