The simulation of dendrite growth and partial discharges in epoxy resin

A self-consistent model of the development of dendrites and partial discharges in a dielectric solid under a variable voltage is suggested. Dendrites originate at sites with the enhanced local field strength and also where the dielectric is broken down under the action of partial discharges. The numerical simulation is used to quantitatively describe the space-time dynamics of the dendrites and partial discharges in epoxy resin for the tip-plane electrode configuration. The simulated data are compared with electrical measurements of partial discharges and with optical images of dendrite growth under the same conditions.     

The influence of photodissociated N2O in pulsed-laser deposition of Y-Ba-Cu-O films

Pulsed-laser deposition of YBa₂Cu₃O₇ in N₂O permits lowering of the substrate temperature with respect to deposition in O₂ atmosphere. Additional photodissociation of N₂O near the substrate surface deteriorates the superconducting properties of deposited films.On leave from: Institute of Applied Physics of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR, SU-603600 Nishni Nowgorod, USSR     

Architectural issues related to the optical implementation of an EGS network based on embedded control

Free-space optical implementations of switching networks have been proposed to circumvent many of the system-level problems that may be encountered in systems that require many high-density, high-bandwidth connections. The details of a new class of switching network (the EGS network), that is well-suited to free-space implementations, is described. The common control injection problem that plagues most free-space photonic networks, i.e. how can control information from an electronic source be injected into the network for applications that require relatively high network reconfiguration rates, is examined. A new technique for control injection, called embedded control, which permits network operation even with relatively high network reconfiguration rates is also proposed.     

Selection of windows, attractors and self-similar patterns in a coupled map lattice

It is shown that a lattice of diffusively coupled logistic maps displays self-similar period-doubling cascades to chaos with all the known stages of pattern formation. The location of the self-similar patterns is determined. The basins of attraction yielding window structures, so far believed to be negligibly small, are shown to cover virtually all initial conditions given a certain maximum amplitude to the random initial conditions. As a consequence a means for selecting attractors in a CML is obtained. A new pattern selection regime at high nonlinearity is reported and the basins of attraction of some attractors of small lattices are investigated.     

Low-energy fission investigated in reactions of 750 AMeV 238U-ions on 208Pb. II: Isotopic distributions

Projectile fission of 750 AMeV ²³⁸U-ions interacting with a Pb target was studied by means of the spectrometer FRS, GSI-Darmstadt. One of the two fission fragments was detected with a transmission of few percent and identified in mass and charge. Low-energy fission (E^* < 25 MeV) events were selected by their magnetic rigidity. Whereas the production of asymmetric fission events is dominated by the GDR excitation, very asymmetric fission and symmetric fission take place after a GQR or DGDR excitation or after a nuclear interaction. Cross sections of more than 250 isotopes were measured. Isotopic distributions of low-energy fission were reconstructed for elements from Se to Te. The fission modes SI, SII and SL were clearly shown in these distributions and in the mass and TKE distributions. Charge polarization and mass dispersion were deduced for each fission mode. Finally, the characteristics of the low-energy fission process explain the production rates of neutron-rich species. Received: 14 July 1997 / Revised version: 6 October 1997     

Torsors and Stacks

It is shown that the groupoid of G-torsors, suitably defined, can be used to construct a model for the stack associated to G, for arbitrary sheaves of groupoids G. This research was supported by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada.     

High-performance liquid chromatography and thin-layer chromatography assays for Devil's Club (Oplopanax horridus)

Devil's root, Oplopanax horridus, is a widely used folk medicine in Alaska and British Columbia. The inner bark of the root and stem has been used to treat colds, cough, fever, and diabetes. The present study involves the development of high-pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) and thin-layer chromatography (TLC) methods to detect the presence of trans-nerolidol and sterols in the root bark. The HPLC and TLC analytical methods presented are suitable for the characterization and identification of Oplopanax horridus.     

Chemistry of biureas—I: Cyclisation of ethoxycarbonyl derivatives of thiobiureas and bithioureas

The interaction of ethoxycarbonyl isothiocyanate with semicarbazides or thiosemicarbazides produces 1-ethoxycarbonyl-2-thiobiureas or bithioureas, respectively. The former are cyclisable to 2-ethoxycarbonamido-5-hydroxy-l,3,4-thiadiazole in acid, or to 2(H)-carbamoyl-3-hydroxy-5-alkylthio-1,2,4-triazoles, and thence to 3-hydroxy-5-mercapto-1,2,4-triazole in alkaline media. The ring-closure of the 1-ethoxycarbonylbithioureas proceeds similarly affording, under the influence of acids, 5-amino (or mercapto)-2-ethoxycarbonamido-1,3,4-thiadiazoles. The action of alkali produces compounds derived from 3-hydroxy-5-mercapto-1,2,4-triazole; the isolation, in a selected example, of the 2(H)-phenylthiocarbamoyl-derivative, elucidates the course of this reaction. Hydrazinolysis of 1-ethoxycarbonylbithiourea yields 4-amino-3-hydrazino-5-mercapto-1,2,4-triazole.     

THE VISUAL PIGMENT CYANIDE EFFECT

The visual pigment of the Tokay gecko (Gekko gekko) with its in situ absorption maximum at 521 nm has its spectral position at 500 to 505 nm when chloride-deficient digitonin is used for the extraction. In this case the addition of chloride or bromide to the extract restores the maximum to 521 nm. This property, characteristic of gecko pigments in general, does not occur with any of the rhodopsins that have been tested. Simple salts of cyanide, a pseudohalogenoid with an ionic radius close to those of chloride and bromide and/or its hydrolysis product attacks both this gecko pigment and rhodopsins in the dark. This is seen as a slow thermal loss of photopigment if (sodium) cyanide is present at concentrations above 40 mM for the gecko pigment and 150 mM for the rhodopsins of the midshipman (Porichthys notatus) and of the frog (Rana pipiens). In all cases the loss of the photopigment is accompanied by the appearance of a spectral product with maximum absorption at about 340 nm. Cyanide addition has no effect on the photosensitivity of the native pigments and neither does it alter, as do chloride, bromide and other anions, the spectral absorbance curve. The spectral product at 340 nm also appears when the visual pigments are photolyzed in the presence of cyanide salts below the threshold concentrations given above. Incubation of digitonin-solubilized all-trans-retinal with (sodium) cyanide leads to a reaction product with absorption spectrum similar to that obtained with visual pigments under comparable conditions.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Synthesis and polymerisation of α,ω-bis(3-pyrrolyl)alkanes

The synthesis, characterisation and polymerisation studies of a homologous series of α,ω-bis(pyrrolyl)alkanes are described. These α,ω-bis(pyrrolyl)alkanes were produced using Friedel-Crafts acylation followed by reduction of the carbonyl group using Red-Al^®. Chemical polymerisation of the resultant dimers using FeCl₃ produced poly(α,ω-bis(pyrrolyl)alkane) films, which were characterised by SEM, FTIR and tested for conductivity.