Continuation of travelling‐wave solutions of the Navier–Stokes equations

An efficient way of obtaining travelling waves in a periodic fluid system is described and tested. We search for steady states in a reference frame travelling at the wave phase velocity using a first‐order pseudospectral semi‐implicit time scheme adapted to carry out the Newton's iterations. The method is compared to a standard Newton–Raphson solver and is shown to be highly efficient in performing this task, even when high‐resolution grids are used. This method is well suited to three‐dimensional calculations in cylindrical or spherical geometries. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Neutral Community Theory: How Stochasticity and Dispersal-Limitation Can Explain Species Coexistence

Neutral community theory explains biodiversity, i.e. the coexistence of several species, as the result of a stochastic balance between immigration and extinction on a local level, and between speciation and extinction on a regional level. The most popular model, presented by Hubbell in 2001, has seen many analytical developments in recent years, which can be used in model analysis, model testing and model comparison. We review these developments here, and present alternative derivations and shine previously unnoticed lights on them.     

Zn-doping effect on the energy barrier to magnetization reversal in superparamagnetic nickel ferrite nanoparticles

Measurements of ac-susceptibility and dc-magnetization were carried out on samples of Ni_1-xZn_xFe₂O₄ nanoparticles (x=0, 0.25, 0.5, 0.75) with average diameters 〈D〉≈7 nm. Values of the superparamagnetic blocking temperature T̄_B were obtained from the characteristic temperature behavior of the imaginary susceptibility χ_imag. An Arrhenius-type law, which accurately describes the relationship between the observation time τ_obs and the blocking temperature, was used to determine the effective energy barrier to magnetization reversal U_eff. A Zn-content dependence of the energy barrier is observed, where U_eff changes little for 0≤x≤0.25, it peaks at x=0.5, and decreases back upon further Zn-doping. The large increase of U_eff at x=0.5 is attributed to an enhanced magnetic anisotropy induced by the crossover between two spatial arrangements of spins in the A and B sub-lattices of the ferrimagnetic inverse spinel. PACS 75.50.Bb; 75.50.Gg; 75.30.Et     

Integrable semiclassical deformations of general algebraic curves and associated conservation laws

Based on the Lenard relations, we completely classify integrable deformations of general algebraic curves. We construct the general solution of the Lenard relation from the invariance condition with respect to an element of the Galois group of the curve. We give some examples and also some associated conservation laws. __________ Translated from Teoreticheskaya i Matematicheskaya Fizika, Vol. 151, No. 3, pp. 458–469, June, 2007.     

Sandwich Techniques in flow injection analysis : Part 1. Continuous recalibration techniques for process control

Flow injection methodology based on sample insertion between two different standard solutions used as carrier streams is described. This approach provides a simple system for continuous recalibration in process control; spectrophotometric and ion-selective electrode procedures are outlined.     

Hyperfine characterization of Bi1.9Te0.1SrNb1.9Hf0.1O9

The Aurivillius type oxide Bi_1.9Te_0.1SrNb_1.9Hf_0.1O₉ has been studied by Perturbed Angular Correlations spectroscopy using ¹⁸¹Ta probes. The spin precession curves were measured from room temperature up to 873 K. Two sites are occupied by probes and the temperature dependence of both indicates a continuous phase transition at about 625 K. One site is ordered while the other is disordered. This situation is analyzed in terms of simple models already applied to perovskites. The transition temperature of the solid solution Bi_2−xTe_xSrNb_2−xHf_xO₉ (with 0≤x≤0.5) shows a strong dependence on composition.     

Area orthogonality in normed linear spaces

A new concept of orthogonality in real normed linear spaces is introduced. Typical properties of orthogonality (homogeneity, symmetry, additivity, ...) and relations between this orthogonality and other known orthogonalities (Birkhoff, Boussouis, Unitary-Boussouis and Diminnie) are studied. In particular, some characterizations of inner product spaces are obtained.     

Capillary zone electrophoresis for analysis of phytochelatins and other thiol peptides in complex biological samples derivatized with monobromobimane

A new method to improve the analysis of phytochelatins and their precursors (cysteine, gamma-Glu-Cys, and glutathione) derivatized with monobromobimane (mBrB) in complex biological samples by capillary zone electrophoresis is described. The effects of the background electrolyte pH, concentration, and different organic additives (acetonitrile, methanol, and trifluoroethanol) on the separation were studied to achieve optimum resolution and number of theoretical plates of the analyzed compounds in the electropherograms. Optimum separation of the thiol peptides was obtained with 150 mM phosphate buffer at pH 1.60. Separation efficiency was improved when 2.5% v/v methanol was added to the background electrolyte. The electrophoretic conditions were 13 kV and capillary dimensions with 30 cm length from the inlet to the detector (38 cm total length) and 50 microm inner diameter. The injection was by pressure at 50 mbar for 17 s. Under these conditions, the separation between desglycyl-peptides and phytochelatins was also achieved. We also describe the optimum conditions for the derivatization of biological samples with mBrB to increase electrophoretic sensitivity and number of theoretical plates. The improved method was shown to be simple, reproducible, selective, and accurate in measuring thiol peptides in complex biological samples, the detection limit being 2.5 microM glutathione at a wavelength of 390 nm.