Supercritical parametric wave phase conjugation as an instrument for narrowband analysis in ultrasonic harmonic imaging

Supercritical parametric wave phase conjugation (SWPC) is used for selection and phase conjugation of harmonic components of a nonlinear incident wave. The amplitude of the phase conjugate wave in a supercritical mode is high enough for acoustic nonlinearity of the propagation medium to appear. As a result, in particular, doubled and quadrupled frequencies of the incident wave become available for image formation at the same order of the medium nonlinearity. The improvement of the imaging system resolution because of harmonic analysis of the received acoustic signal and compensation of phase distortions caused by wave phase conjugation were observed simultaneously when the propagation medium was inhomogeneous.     

Parameterized complexity of firefighting

The Firefighter problem is to place firefighters on the vertices of a graph to prevent a fire with known starting point from lighting up the entire graph. In each time step, a firefighter may be placed on an unburned vertex, permanently protecting it, and the fire spreads to all neighboring unprotected vertices of burning vertices. The goal is to let as few vertices burn as possible. In this paper, we consider a generalization of this problem, where at each time step b?1$b?1$ firefighters can be deployed. Our results answer several open questions raised by Cai et al. [8]. We show that this problem is W[1]-hard when parameterized by the number of saved vertices, protected vertices, and burned vertices. We also investigate several combined parameterizations for which the problem is fixed-parameter tractable. Some of our algorithms improve on previously known algorithms. We also establish lower bounds to polynomial kernelization.     

On the Minimum Feedback Vertex Set Problem: Exact and Enumeration Algorithms

We present a time algorithm finding a minimum feedback vertex set in an undirected graph on n vertices. We also prove that a graph on n vertices can contain at most 1.8638 ⁿ minimal feedback vertex sets and that there exist graphs having 105 ^n/10≈1.5926 ⁿ minimal feedback vertex sets. Preliminary extended abstracts of this paper appeared in the proceedings of SWAT’06 [29] and IWPEC’06 [18]. Additional support of F.V. Fomin, S. Gaspers and A.V. Pyatkin by the Research Council of Norway. The work of A.V. Pyatkin was partially supported by grants of the Russian Foundation for Basic Research (project code 05-01-00395), INTAS (project code 04–77–7173). I. Razgon is supported by Science Foundation Ireland (Grant Number 05/IN/I886).     

Synthesis and Properties of Quaternary Ammonium Surfactants Based on Alkylamine,Propylene Oxide,and 2‐Chloroethanol

New quaternary ammonium salts are synthesized by octylamine, nonylamine, dodecylamine, and hexadecylamine reacting with propylene oxide at a mole ratio of 1:2, followed by reaction with 2‐chloroethanol. By tensiometric measurements of aqueous solutions, their surface activity has been determined. Using the results of these measurements and electroconductometric studies, important parameters such as critical micelle concentration (CMC), efficiency of surfactant adsorption, surface pressure at the CMC, changes of Gibbs free energies for micelle formation, and adsorption were estimated. By application of the Gibbs adsorption isotherm, indices such as maximum surface excess concentration and minimum surface area/molecule at the air–water interface were also calculated. Petroleum‐collecting properties of these surfactants were investigated. Among these quaternary ammonium surfactants, the surfactant based on dodecylamine, propylene oxide, and 2‐chloroethanol exhibits the highest petroleum‐collecting capacity.     

Green Lithography for Delicate Materials

A variety of unconventional materials, including biological nanostructures, organic and hybrid semiconductors, as well as monolayer, and other low-dimensional systems, are actively explored. They are usually incompatible with standard lithographic techniques that use harsh organic solvents and other detrimental processing. Here, a new class of green and gentle lithographic resists, compatible with delicate materials and capable of both top-down and bottom-up fabrication routines is developed. To demonstrate the excellence of this approach, devices with sub-micron features are fabricated on organic semiconductor crystals and individual animal's brain microtubules. Such structures are created for the first time, thanks to the genuinely water-based lithography, which opens an avenue for the thorough research of unconventional delicate materials at the nanoscale.     

Novel integrated helium extraction and natural gas liquefaction process configurations using absorption refrigeration and waste heat

Conceptual design and modeling of novel-integrated process configurations for helium extraction and natural gas liquefaction is investigated. Mixed fluid cascade (MFC) refrigeration system is considered for providing the needed refrigeration in the natural liquefaction section. Using an absorption refrigeration system as the precooling cycle is investigated in one of the introduced processes. Integrated flash and distillation method is used for helium extraction. Purity of the extracted crude helium is 50% (mole). Process streams operational condition and specifications of the devices are presented and explained. Composite curves of the heat exchangers demonstrate that thermal design has been done properly. Ratio of the power consumption to the produced liquefied natural gas (LNG) of the MFC process is 0.265 kWh per kg LNG and applying absorption refrigeration system instead of the pre-cooling cycle decreases it to 0.1849 kWh per kg LNG. For the modified process with absorption refrigeration system helium extraction rate and power consumption ratio are 0.951 and 132.9 (kWh/[kgmole Helium]) respectively. Exergy method is applied on the under consideration processes. The results show that the compressors have the highest rate of exergy destruction among the other process equipment. An extensive economic analysis is done on the proposed processes. The results show that prime cost of the product (US$/kg LNG) for MFC and modified MFC processes are 0.1939 and 0.2069, respectively. Finally, a sensitivity analysis is done based on the economic factors such as electrical energy price and prime cost of the product.