Computation of limit periodic continued fractions. A survey

Over the last 20 years a large number of algorithms has been published to improve the speed and domain of convergence of continued fractions. In this survey we show that these algorithms are strongly related. Actually, they essentially boil down to two main principles.We also prove some results on asymptotic expansions of tail values of limit periodic continued fractions.Dedicated to Luigi Gatteschi on his seventieth birthdayThis research was partially supported by The Norwegian Research Council and by the HMC project ROLLS, under contract CHRX-CT93-0416.     

Application of hydrophilic ionic liquids as co-solvents in chloroperoxidase catalyzed oxidations

The effect of hydrophilic ionic liquids (ILs) on the activity of chloroperoxidase (CPO) was checked through kinetic and stereochemical studies. The possibility to employ this enzyme in synthesis has been demonstrated investigating the chemo- and stereoselectivity of oxidation of phenyl methylsulfide in several citrate buffer-IL mixtures.     

Pediatric Laryngotracheal Stenosis and Airway Reconstruction: A Review of Voice Outcomes, Assessment, and Treatment Issues

Laryngotracheal stenosis is defined as a congenital or acquired narrowing of the airway. Congenital causes may include subglottic membranous or cartilaginous narrowing. Acquired causes may include trauma due to prolonged endotracheal or tracheal intubation or laryngotracheal injury. Although advances have been made over the past 30 years in reconstructive surgeries to improve airway patency in these patients, long-term laryngeal function for voice production is not well defined in this population. This review examines causes, symptoms and signs, and methods for diagnosing laryngotracheal stenosis. Surgical management procedures are briefly summarized. The current literature on voice outcomes is summarized. The predominant voice characteristics in the population are presented, although results are challenged by the heterogeneity of voice presentation and paucity of data from instrumental measures. Considerations for subjective and instrumental assessment, measures of quality of life, instrumental methods, and treatment options specific to the needs of this population are discussed. Research strategies to identify long-term outcomes of surgical and behavioral treatments in this population are posed.     

Multicenter ligand transformations of thioureas on ruthenium clusters

The reaction of trirutheniumdodecacarbonyl with various thioureas was found to give, depending upon the substituents and the reaction conditions, a large variety of tri-, tetra-, penta-, and hexanuclear ruthenium clusters. The ligand systems observed in the products are derived from the thioureas employed; the fragmentation of the thiourea molecules involve N-H, C-S, C-H, and C-N activation processes.     

Exciton-exciton interaction in coupled quantum wells

The exciton-exciton interaction is investigated for spatially indirect excitons in coupled quantum wells. The Hartree-Fock and Heitler-London approaches are improved by a full two-exciton calculation including the van der Waals effect. Using these potentials for the singlet and triplet channel, the two-body scattering matrix is calculated and employed to derive a modified relation between exciton density and blue shift. Such a relation is of central importance for gauging exciton densities on the way toward Bose condensation.     

Realisation and metrological characterisation of thickness standards below 100 nm

High-accuracy film thickness measurements in the range below 100 nm can be made by various complex methods like spectral ellipsometry (SE), scanning force microscopy (SFM), grazing incidence X-ray reflectometry (GIXR), or X-ray fluorescence analysis (XRF). The measurement results achieved with these methods are based on different interactions between the film and the probe. A key question in nanotechnology is how to achieve consistent results on a level of uncertainty below one nanometre with different techniques.Two different types of thickness standards are realised. Metal film standards for X-ray techniques in the thickness range 10 to 50 nm are calibrated by GIXR with monochromatised synchrotron radiation of 8048 eV. The results obtained at four different facilities show excellent agreement. SiO₂ on Si standards for SE and SFM in the thickness range 6 to 1000 nm are calibrated by GIXR with monochromatised synchrotron radiation of 1841 eV and with a metrological SFM. Consistent results within the combined uncertainties are obtained with the two methods. Surfaces and interfaces of both types of standards are additionally investigated by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). PACS 61.10.Kw; 68.55.Jk; 06.20.Fn; 06.60.Mr; 07.79.Lh     

Implementation of some higher-order convection schemes on non-uniform grids

A generalized formulation is applied to implement the quadratic upstream interpolation (QUICK) scheme, the second-order upwind (SOU) scheme and the second-order hybrid scheme (SHYBRID) on non-uniform grids. The implementation method is simple. The accuracy and efficiency of these higher-order schemes on non-uniform grids are assessed. Three well-known bench mark convection-diffusion problems and a fluid flow problem are revisited using non-uniform grids. These are: (1) transport of a scalar tracer by a uniform velocity field; (2) heat transport in a recirculating flow; (3) two-dimensional non-linear Burgers equations; and (4) a two-dimensional incompressible Navier-Stokes flow which is similar to the classical lid-driven cavity flow. The known exact solutions of the last three problems make it possible to thoroughly evaluate accuracies of various uniform and non-uniform grids. Higher accuracy is obtained for fewer grid points on non-uniform grids. The order of accuracy of the examined schemes is maintained for some tested problems if the distribution of non-uniform grid points is properly chosen.     

Self-organized ZnAl2O4 nanostructures grown on -sapphire

Self-organized ZnAl₂O₄ nanostructures with the appearance (in SEM) of high aspect ratio horizontal nanowires are grown on uncatalysed c-sapphire by vapour phase transport. The nanostructures grow as three equivalent crystallographic variants on c-sapphire. Raman and cathodoluminescence spectroscopy confirm that the nanostructures are not ZnO and TEM shows that they are the cubic spinel, zinc aluminate, ZnAl₂O₄, formed by the reaction of Zn and O with the sapphire substrate.     

Optimal Algorithms for Probabilistic Solitude Detection on Anonymous Rings

Probabilistic algorithms are developed for a basic problem in distributed computation, assuming anonymous, asynchronous, unidirectional rings of processors. The problem, known as Solitude Detection, requires that a nonempty subset of the processors, calledcontenders, determine whether or not there is exactly one contender. Monte Carlo algorithms are developed that err with probability bounded by a specified parameter and exhibit either message or processor termination. The algorithms transmit an optimal expected number of bits, to within a constant factor. Their bit complexities display a surprisingly rich dependence on the kind of termination exhibited and on the processors' knowledge of the size of the ring. Two probabilistic tools are isolated and then combined in various ways to achieve all our algorithms.