A modern approach to the solution and analysis of the Simha-Somcynsky model for the description of pressure-volume-temperature properties of polymer fluids

We revisit the Simha-Somcynsky model of polymer fluids with the purpose of developing novel theoretical and computational approaches to simplify and speed up its solution as well as the fitting of experimental data, and decrease its level of mathematical complexity. We report a novel method that allows us to solve one of the two equations of the model exactly, thus putting the level of mathematical difficulty on a par with the one of other models for polymer fluids. Moreover, we describe a computational algorithm capable of fitting all five parameters of the model in an unbiased way. The results obtained reproduce literature results and fit experimental pressure-volume-temperature and solubility parameter data for three polymers very accurately. Moreover, the new techniques allow for the investigation of the model at very low temperatures. Unexpectedly, the model predicts behaviors that could be interpreted as a glass transition, as routinely observed in dilatometry and differential scanning calorimetry, and a glass phase. We compared the predicted and experimental T g’s for cis poly(1,4-butadiene) and found an excellent quantitative agreement.     

Enhancing both network and user performance for networks supporting best effort traffic

With a view on improving user-perceived performance on networks supporting best effort flows, e.g., multimedia/data file transfers, we propose a family of bandwidth allocation criteria that depends on the residual work of on-going transfers. Analysis and simulations show that allocating bandwidth in this fashion can significantly improve the user-perceived delay, bit transmission delay, and throughput over traditional approaches, e.g., by 58% on an 80% loaded linear network. A simple implementation based on TCP Reno, exemplifies how one might approach practically realizing such gains. We discuss several other advantages of incorporating such differentiation at the transport level. In particular we make the case that favoring small transfers combined with user impatience or peak rate constraints, both of which are natural mechanisms for users to express the utility of completing transfers, offers a lightweight approach to achieving good overall network goodput and/or utility for best effort networks.     

Grouped Approach for the Design of H.264/AVC Motion Estimation Architectures

This letter presents a novel approach for organizing computational resources into groups within H.264/AVC motion estimation architectures, leading to reductions of up to 75% in the equivalent gate count with respect to state‐of‐the‐art designs.     

Embedded eigenvalues of Sturm Liouville operators

In this work we study the behavior of embedded eigenvalues of Sturm-Liouville problems in the half axis under local perturbations. When the derivative of the spectral function is strictly positive, we prove that the embedded eigenvalues either disappear or remain fixed. In this case we show that local perturbations cannot add eigenvalues in the continuous spectrum. If the condition on the spectral function is removed then a local perturbation can add infinitely many eigenvalues.     

Linearized Stability of Charged Thin-Shell Wormholes

The linearized stability of charged thin shell wormholes under spherically symmetric perturbations is analyzed. It is shown that the presence of a large value of charge provides stabilization to the system, in the sense that the constraints onto the equation of state are less severe than for non-charged wormholes.     

Kinetics of the thermal decomposition of bis(trifluoromethyl) peroxydicarbonate,CF3OC(O)OOC(O)OCF3

Thermal decomposition of bis(trifluoromethyl) peroxydicarbonate has been studied. The mechanism of decomposition is a simple bond fission, homogeneous first‐order process when the reaction is carried out in the presence of inert gases such as N₂ or CO. An activation energy of 28.5 kcal mol^?1 was determined for the temperature range of 50–90°C. Decomposition is accelerated by nitric oxide because of a chemical attack on the peroxide forming substances different from those formed with N₂ or CO. An interpretation on the influence of the substituents in different peroxides on the O? O bond is given. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Chem Kinet 35: 15–19, 2003     

Phenol biosensor based on electrochemically controlled integration of tyrosinase in a redox polymer

An amperometric biosensor for the detection of phenolic compounds was developed based on the immobilization of tyrosinase within an Os-complex functionalized electrodeposition polymer. Integration of tyrosinase within the redox polymer assures efficient catechol recycling between the enzyme and the polymer bound redox sites. The non-manual immobilization procedure improves the reproducibility of fabrication process, greatly reduces the desorption of the enzyme from the immobilization layer, and, most importantly prevents fast inactivation of the enzyme by its substrate due to fast redox cycling. A two-layer sensor architecture was developed involving ascorbic acid oxidase entrapped within an electrodeposition polymer in a second layer on top of the redox polymer/tyrosinase layer. Using this sensor architecture it was possible to eliminate the current interference arising from direct ascorbate oxidation up to a concentration of 630 μM ascorbic acid. The effects of the polymer thickness, the enzyme/polymer ratio, and the applied potential were evaluated with respect to optimal sensor properties. The sensitivity of the optimized sensors for catechol was 6.1 nA μM⁻¹ with a detection limit of 10 nM, and for phenol 0.15 nA μM⁻¹ with a detection limit of 100 nM.     

Effect of nanotube functionalization on the properties of single‐walled carbon nanotube/polyurethane composites

A commercially available aliphatic thermoplastic polyurethane formulated with a methylene bis(cyclohexyl) diisocyanate hard segment and a poly(tetramethylene oxide) soft segment and chain‐extended with 1,4‐butanediol was dissolved in dimethylformamide and mixed with dispersed single‐walled carbon nanotubes. The properties of composites made with unfunctionalized nanotubes were compared with the properties of composites made with nanotubes functionalized to contain hydroxyl groups. Functionalization almost eliminated the conductivity of the tubes according to the conductivity of the composites above the percolation threshold. In most cases, functionalized and unfunctionalized tubes yielded composites with statistically identical mechanical properties. However, composites made with functionalized tubes did have a slightly higher modulus in the rubbery plateau region at higher nanotube fractions. Small‐angle X‐ray scattering patterns indicated that the dispersion reached a plateau in the unfunctionalized composites that was consistent with the plateau in the rubbery plateau region. The room‐temperature modulus and tensile strength increase was proportionally higher than almost all increases seen previously in thermoplastic polyurethanes; however, the increase was still an order of magnitude below what has been reported for the best nanotube–polymer systems. Nanotube addition increased the hard‐segment glass transition temperature slightly, whereas the soft‐segment glass transition was so diffuse that no conclusions could be drawn. Unfunctionalized tubes suppressed the crystallization of the hard segment; whereas functionalized tubes had no effect. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 45: 490–501, 2007     

A spring-embedding approach for the facility layout problem

The facility layout problem is concerned with finding the most efficient arrangement of a given number of departments with unequal area requirements within a facility. The facility layout problem is a hard problem, and therefore, exact solution methods are only feasible for small or greatly restricted problems. In this paper, we propose a spring-embedding approach that unlike previous approaches results in a model that is convex. Numerical results demonstrating the potential of our model and the efficiency of our solution procedure are presented.