The radiation crosslinking and scission of ethylene-propylene copolymers studied by solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance

Methyl groups from chain scission and H-crosslinks have been identified by solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance in amorphous ethylene-propylene copolymers containing 23 and 36 mole % propylene after γ-irradiation to 10 MGy at 30°C. G (scission) and G (crosslink) values determined from the n.m.r. spectra and by extraction are in agreement, which suggests that the crosslinks are not clustered. This may differ from the situation in polyethylene where there is a substantial crystalline content. G(S). G(X) and the ratio G(S)/G(X) increase with increasing propylene content of the copolymers.     

Implementing Information Systems: Some Practical Advice and a Richer Model

Recent research suggests that implementing information systems presents considerable difficulties and that many implementations are total or partial failures. This paper argues that what both practitioners and students require are richer and more acceptable models of information systems implementation. Accordingly, case study data concerning the introduction of manufacturing resource planning (MRP II) are used to illustrate five patterns of behaviour (rites) which capture important social actions; and four components of changing psychological orientation. It is argued that appreciation of the rites and psychological developments identified here will support effective change programmes. Guidelines based on our model are provided for practitioners.     

Effects of viscosity on the bitterness and astringency of grape seed tannin

To examine the separate effects of viscosity and sweetness on astringency, aqueous solutions of grape seed tannin (GST) were thickened with carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) from 2 to 45 cP (experiment 1) or sweetened with 0 to 1.8 g/L aspartame (experiment 2). Trained subjects continuously rated astringency and bitterness in duplicate. Subjects were categorized by the salivary flow induced by citric acid and ability to taste n-propyl thiouracil (PROP). In experiment 1, maximum intensity and total duration of astringency were significantly decreased as viscosity rose, although time to maximum intensity of astringency was not affected. Maximum intensity and total duration of bitterness were not significantly affected by increasing viscosity; however, the onset of bitterness was significantly delayed. In experiment 2, increasing sweetness had no affect on any astringency parameter, although maximum intensity of bitterness was significantly decreased. Neither PROP nor salivary flow-status had any effect on perception of bitterness or astringency in either experiment.     

ECONOMIC ANALYSIS OF ALTERNATIVES TO MANUAL SORTING USING SELECTED ELECTRONIC GRADERS IN ASPARAGUS FRESH PACKING

Supplying quality fresh asparagus to the consumer begins with rapid handling at the fresh packing shed, which in turn requires a significant amount of labor. This study analyzed the effects of reducing the required labor by using selected electronic graders in the grading and sorting process of fresh asparagus packing firms. Four alternative electronic graders were considered by using two throughput scenarios of 680 and 880 kg/h with 25 people. The electronic graders generated labor savings in all cases. In the first scenario, substituting technology for labor produced modified internal rates of return (MIRR) of between 30 and 39%. All four graders in the second scenario had positive returns, with an MIRR range of 8 to 21%. The electronic graders have the potential to increase the profitability of fresh asparagus packing firms.     

In situ observation of methoxide hydrogenation on the Ni(111) surface

The surface chemistry of methoxide (CH₃O-) on the Ni(111) surface has been studied in the presence of hydrogen pressures up to 2 Torr. During heating in vacuum methoxide decomposes to H₂ and CO, which desorb at 380 and 445 K, respectively. The CH₃O-decomposition process is rate limited by CH bond breaking and exhibits a strong deuterium kinetic isotope effect in CD₃O-. In the presence of ambient hydrogen pressures of 0.02–2.0 Torr both CH₃O- and CD₃O-are hydrogenated directly to methanol at 310 K. Methoxide is hydrogenated by adsorbed hydrogen, which nearly saturates the surface at these pressures and temperatures.     

Size-separable tile self-assembly: a tight bound for temperature-1 mismatch-free systems

We introduce a new property of tile self-assembly systems that we call size-separability. A system is size-separable if every terminal assembly is a constant factor larger than any intermediate assembly. Size-separability is motivated by the practical problem of filtering completed assemblies from a variety of incomplete “garbage” assemblies using gel electrophoresis or other mass-based filtering techniques. Here we prove that any system without cooperative bonding assembling a unique mismatch-free terminal assembly can be used to construct a size-separable system uniquely assembling the same shape. The proof achieves optimal scale factor, temperature, and tile types (within a factor of 2) for the size-separable system.     

牛奶加工过程中的压力监测

雀巢公司位于瑞士柯诺芬根的研发中心开发奶制品。并设计制造工艺。而监测换热器的压力,对于这家研发中心来说具有特殊的挑战性。     

在华美企感叹帅才难求

随着消费意识在中国——这个世界上人口最多的国度逐渐形成,许多专业投资者正将关注的目光从中国的出口制造商转向以国内为重点的商品和服务提供商。     

Loop headers in λ-calculus or CPS

The introduction of a loop header block facilitates the hoisting of loop-invariant code from a loop. In a -calculus intermediate representation, which has a notion of scope, this transformation is particularly useful. Loop headers with scope also solve a problem with in-line expansion of recursive functions or loops: if done naively, only the first iteration is inlined. A loop header can encapsulate the loop or recursion for better in-line expansion. This optimization improves performance by about 5% in Standard ML of New Jersey.