Linearization of column responses by correlation chromatography. Separation improvement and reduction of undesired adsorption effects

Summary Experiments and simulations prove that correlation chromatography can greatly reduce the disadvantage of a non-linear response of the chromatographic column. A factor that has been accepted as being an important source of error in correlation or multiplex chromatography, has been shown not to be. Separations affected, improve dramatically when correlation chromatography is used, and a substantial amount of correlation noise only arises when there is a large difference in separation between a conventional chromatogram and a correlogram.A model has been developed for simulating these nonlinearities. It is shown that, especially for correlation chromatography, the simulation results match the practical measurements very well.     

Using activity focus networks to pressure terrorist organizations

The predominant idea for using network concepts to fight terrorists centers on disabling key parts of their communication networks. Although this counternetwork strategy is clearly a sound approach, it is vulnerable to missing, incomplete, or erroneous information about the network. This paper describes a different and complementary application of network concepts to terrorist organizations. It is based on activity focus networks (AFNs), which represent the complex activity system of an organization. An activity focus is a conceptual or physical entity around which joint activity is organized. Any organization has a number of these, which are in some cases compatible and in some cases incompatible. The set of foci and their relations of compatibility and incompatibility define the AFN. A hypothetical AFN for a terrorist organization is specified and tested in a simulation called AQAS. It shows that certain activity foci, and in particular one combination, have high potential as pressure points for the activity system. The AFN approach complements the counternetwork approach by reducing the downside risk of incomplete information about the communication network, and enhancing the effectiveness of counternetwork approaches over time. Steven R. Corman is Professor in the Hugh Downs School of Human Communication at Arizona State University and Chair of the Organizational Communication Division of the International Communication Association. His research interests include communication networks and activity systems, high-resolution text and discourse analysis, and modeling and simulation of human communication systems.     

Standardization of BSE rapid test performances and experiences gathered during the implementation of large-scale testing

The accumulation of pathological prion protein is used as a diagnostic marker for transmissible spongiform encephalopathies. According to European Union (EU) regulations cattle older than 30 months of age (Germany, France, Italy, and Spain by national law >24 months) and slaughtered for human consumption must be tested by using rapid tests for bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE). Likewise fallen stock and clinically affected animals must be tested. This article gives a short overview of the incidence of BSE in Europe. The diagnostic hierarchy, i.e., the officially approved methodology for the confirmation of suspect rapid test cases, and the organization of the numerous laboratories involved in this large-scale testing for BSE are described. Special emphasis is given to necessary quality control measures currently in place for BSE rapid testing laboratories and to measures intended to assure a consistent performance of the commercially available rapid test kits.Presented at BERM-9—Ninth International Symposium on Biological and Environmental Reference Materials, 15–19 June 2003, Berlin, Germany.     

Quality assurance for the analytical data of micro elements in food

The micro element content of food is an important quality index due to the action of these elements on human health. In this article, we discuss how to ensure the reliability of analytical data on micro elements in order to truly represent the condition of food. Sampling, treatment of the analytical sample, selection of the analytical method, standard solution, and certified reference material, blank test, calibration of the instrument and equipment, application of the quality control chart, assessment of the final analytical result, and quality assurance system are briefly described. Received: 5 July 2001 Accepted: 19 November 2001     

An optimal design of collateralized mortgage obligation with PAC-companion structure using dynamic cash reserve

This paper presents a model for optimally designing a collateralized mortgage obligation (CMO) with a planned amortization class (PAC)-companion structure using dynamic cash reserve. In this structure, the mortgage pool’s cash flow is allocated by rule to the two bond classes such that PAC bondholders receive substantial prepayment protection, that protection being provided by the companion bondholders. The structure we propose provides greater protection to the PAC bondholders than current structures during periods of rising interest rates when this class of bondholders faces greater extension risk. We do so by allowing a portion of the cash flow from the collateral to be reserved to meet the PAC’s scheduled cash flow in subsequent periods. The greater protection is provided by the companion bondholders exposure to interest loss. To tackle this problem, we transform the problem of designing the optimal PAC-companion structure into a standard stochastic linear programming problem which can be solved efficiently. Moreover, we present an extended model by considering the quality of the companion bond and by relaxing the PAC bondholder shortfall constraint. Based on numerical experiments through Monte Carlo simulation, we show the utility of the proposed model.     

Anisotropic elastodynamics in a half space: An analytic method for polynomial data

An initial boundary value problem for the dynamic system of anisotropic elasticity in a half space is studied in the paper. A novel method of finding an exact solution of this problem for a special polynomial form of initial data and inhomogeneous term of the system is described. On the base of this method the simulation of elastic waves in different homogeneous anisotropic half spaces is implemented.     

Heat of adsorption and density distribution in slit pores with defective walls: GCMC simulation studies and comparison with experimental data

The adsorption behavior (capacity, density distribution and packing density) and the isosteric heat versus loading in a slit pore whose walls contain defective graphene layers are investigated in this paper. The defective wall is characterized by the extent and size of the defect. Simulation results obtained with the Grand Canonical Monte Carlo method reveal complex patterns of isosteric heat, and this complex behavior is a result of the interplay between three factors: (i) the surface heterogeneity (solid-fluid interaction, sites with varying degree of affinity), (ii) fluid-fluid interaction and (iii) the overlapping of potentials exerted by the two defective walls. We illustrate this with argon adsorption in pores of various sizes, and results obtained from the simulation agree qualitatively with the experimental data at 77 K on Saran microporous S600H and micro-mesoporous S84 charcoals of Beebe et al. [R.A. Beebe, B. Millard, J. Cynarski, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 75 (1953) 839]. The S600H was found to contain pores predominantly in the neighborhood of 7 Å with 30% of defect and a defective size of 2.84 Å. This is consistent with the argument made by Beebe et al. that this sample is a microporous solid and most pores can accommodate only one layer. The other sample, S84, has larger pores than S600H, and it is found that it has a wider pore size distribution and the pore width is centered at about 12 Å.