Reflection of femtosecond optical pulses from multiple-layer dielectric mirrors--Analysis

We present an analytical treatment of the reflection of femtosecond pulses from broad-band multiple-layer dielectric mirrors. In particular, closed-form expressions are given for the reflected pulse amplitude which includes the dispersive effect of the cubic phase term. It is shown that this term is still insufficient to accurately describe certain experimental results obtained with 20-fs optical pulses. We introduce an alternative technique which describes the phase branches analytically and yields accurate closed-form expressions for the reflected pulse amplitude in terms of complementary error functions having real or complex arguments.     

环境性建筑：主要的议题与近来的设计

本篇文章讨论了在环境性建筑发展过程中3个非常重要的议题,即知识,环境性能和都市环境,环境性建筑这里是指很少或不借助不可更新的能源,而能满足住户对视觉和热舒适度要求的建筑。本文将和最近教学中所做的一些设计方案阐释这几项议题。     

New variable-step algorithms for computing eigenvalues of the one-dimensional Schrödinger equation

Two variable-step algorithms have been developed for computing eigenvalues of the radial Schrödinger equation. The eigenvalues are computed directly as roots of a function known in transmission line theory as the impedance. The novel numerical algorithms are based also on the piecewise perturbation analysis. The first new variable-step method is based on two methods, one with zeroth order solution and the other with first order perturbative corrections. The second variable-step method called “block method” is based on three methods, one with zeroth order solution, another with first order perturbative corrections and another with second order perturbative corrections. The eigenvalue problems are very common in many engineering problems contexts involving vibrations, elasticity and other oscillating systems.     

Event-related potentials in a two-choice task involving within-form comparisons of pictures and words

Behavioral as well as electrophysiological evidence suggests that words are processed differently than pictures in a variety of tasks. In this study fifteen adult subjects were tested on a speeded "same-different" judgment task between printed names and drawings of common objects. In one condition, subjects decided on the identity between their internal image of the object that was named by S1 (word) and a subsequently presented drawing of an object (Word-Picture condition). In a second condition, comparisons were made on the basis of the name of the depicted object (Picture-Word trials). Event-related potentials (ERPs) were recorded from 12 scalp locations in response to the second item in each pair. No-match waveforms were characterized by larger N350 and P500 deflections compared to Match ERPs. The two responses could be distinguished on the basis of their lateral and anterior-posterior scalp distribution. Within-form comparisons involving pictures produced increased positivity between 150 and 600 ms poststimulus onset at posterior recording sites, whereas the opposite effect was noted at anterior sites during the early portion of the ERP. Decisions on word stimuli were associated with prolonged reaction time and longer N350 peak latency compared to decisions on pictures. These results demonstrate the existence of independent sources of ERP variability, each possibly reflecting a different aspect of cognitive comparisons. Latency and reaction time data provided valuable information regarding differences in the course of the comparison process when linguistic, as opposed to pictorial, stimuli/representations were involved.     

A new phase-fitted eight-step symmetric embedded predictor–corrector method (EPCM) for orbital problems and related IVPs with oscillating solutions

Our new phase-fitted embedded predictor–corrector method (EPCM) presented here is based on the multistep symmetric method of Quinlan–Tremaine (1990), with eight steps and eighth algebraic order and constructed to solve numerically the two-dimensional Kepler problem. It can also be used to integrate other orbital problems and related IVPs with oscillatory solutions. First we present a EPCM (Panopoulos et al. (2011) and Panopoulos et al. (2013)) pair form. From this form we construct a new eight-step method. The new scheme has algebraic order ten and infinite order of phase-lag. We tested the efficiency of our newly developed scheme against to some recently constructed optimized methods and other well known methods from the literature. We measure the efficiency of the methods and conclude that the new scheme is noticeably more efficient of all the compared methods and for all the problems solved, including the radial Schrödinger equation.     

A fourth order modified trigonometrically fitted symplectic Runge–Kutta–Nyström method

In this work we construct a modified trigonometrically fitted symplectic Runge Kutta Nyström method based on the fourth order five stages method of Calvo and Sanz-Serna (1994). We apply the new method on the numerical integration of the two-dimensional harmonic oscillator, the two-body problem, a perturbed two-body problem and two two-dimensional nonlinear oscillatory Hamiltonian systems.     

The application of Taguchi method to determine the optimum blend of unifloral honeys to most closely match thyme honey quality

This study was conducted to investigate the effect of four blossom honey types (orange, chestnut, heather and cotton) on a group of quality characteristics of thyme-type based mixture preparations. Mixture ratios were prepared at 0%, 50% and 100% per blossom honey-type and then were blended with thyme honey in parts 1:1. The melissopalynological, sensory and physicochemical quality characteristics for each blend were monitored. A three-level, four-factor orthogonal array according to the Taguchi method was utilised to plan the experiments maintaining the thyme component as a 'slack-variable' to contain the number of performed trials. Subsequent anova treatment revealed that only a pure orange-type blend favours the simultaneous maximisation of aroma ( P  < 0.05) and the minimisation of electrical conductivity ( P  < 0.05). Finally, there was a significant effect of chestnut-type blend content on microscopical and physicochemical characteristics ( P  < 0.05), nevertheless, their corresponding signal-to-noise ratios are maximised only at a concentration of zero value.     

Monitoring changes in the error distribution of autoregressive models based on Fourier methods

We develop a procedure for monitoring changes in the error distribution of autoregressive time series while controlling the overall size of the sequential test. The proposed procedure, unlike standard procedures which are also referred to, utilizes the empirical characteristic function of properly estimated residuals. The limit behavior of the test statistic is investigated under the null hypothesis as well as under alternatives. Since the asymptotic null distribution contains unknown parameters, a?bootstrap procedure is proposed in order to actually perform the test and corresponding results on the finite?Csample performance of the new method are presented. As it turns out the procedure is not only able to detect distributional changes but also changes in the regression coefficient.     

Thanks to the Referees

Abstract

Test procedures for detection of a change in the distribution of a sequence of independent observations based on empirical characteristic functions of ranks are proposed and their properties are studied. The resulting test procedures are distribution free under the null hypothesis (no change in distribution). Theoretical results are accompanied by a simulation study.     

A novel in vivo assay reveals inhibition of ribosomal nuclear export in ran-cycle and nucleoporin mutants

To identify components involved in the nuclear export of ribosomes in yeast, we developed an in vivo assay exploiting a green fluorescent protein (GFP)-tagged version of ribosomal protein L25. After its import into the nucleolus, L25-GFP assembles with 60S ribosomal subunits that are subsequently exported into the cytoplasm. In wild-type cells, GFP-labeled ribosomes are only detected by fluorescence in the cytoplasm. However, thermosensitive rna1-1 (Ran-GAP), prp20-1 (Ran-GEF), and nucleoporin nup49 and nsp1 mutants are impaired in ribosomal export as revealed by nuclear accumulation of L25-GFP. Furthermore, overexpression of dominant-negative RanGTP (Gsp1-G21V) and the tRNA exportin Los1p inhibits ribosomal export. The pattern of subnuclear accumulation of L25-GFP observed in different mutants is not identical, suggesting that transport can be blocked at different steps. Thus, nuclear export of ribosomes requires the nuclear/cytoplasmic Ran-cycle and distinct nucleoporins. This assay can be used to identify soluble transport factors required for nuclear exit of ribosomes.