Configurational entropy and solute correlation in disordered alloys

A new approach in expressing the excess configurational entropy of a binary alloy phase is reported, which, through economy of formulation and ease of manipulation, offers a convenient and effective alternative to the widely-used regular solution approximation. The key to this development is the direct use of the diffuse intensity α_k (Fourier transform of the pair correlations) to specify the state of clustering or short-range order in an alloy. Detailed attention is given to the formulaS _XS = 1/2k _B〈lnα_k〉 which sets the excess entropy proportional to the mean value of the logarithm of the intensity. As an example of application, a concise analysis for pair correlations and thermodynamic properties at equilibrium is carried out. The result coincides with the spherical model for alloys, a variant of the Ising model resembling the Gaussian model of Clapp and Moss but far exceeding it in accuracy. In this manner the merit of the proposed entropy formulation is established.     

Configurational and nonconfigurational interactions between odorants in binary mixtures.

Studies on odor mixture perception suggest that although odor components can often be identified in mixtures, mixtures can also give rise to novel perceptual qualities that are not present in the components. Using an olfactory habituation task, the authors evaluated how the perceptual similarity between components in a mixture affects the perceptual quality of the mixture itself. Rats perceived binary mixtures composed of similar components as different from their 2 components, whereas binary mixtures composed of dissimilar components were perceived as very similar to their components. Results show that for both types of mixtures, pretraining to Component A reduces subsequent learning about Component B in rats trained in the presence of A. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Linear-programming method for obtaining effective cluster interactions in alloys from total-energy calculations: Application to the fcc Pd-V system

Vasa deferentia taken from mice treated with delta 9-tetrahydrocannabinol (20 mg/kg i.p., once daily for 2 days) showed tolerance to the inhibitory effect of the cannabinoid, R-(+)-arachidonyl-1'-hydroxy-2'-propylamide, on electrically evoked twitches. This treatment did not induce tolerance to the inhibitory effects on the twitch response of morphine or clonidine or of selective mu-, delta- or kappa-opioid receptor agonists. Nor did it affect the contractile potencies of noradrenaline or beta,gamma-methylene-L-ATP. We suggest that cannabinoid tolerance in the vas deferens is attributable neither to downregulation of opioid receptors or alpha 2-adrenoceptors nor to an increased sensitivity of this tissue to its main contractile transmitters noradrenaline and ATP. A concentration of delta 9-tetrahydrocannabinol that inhibits electrically evoked twitches of the vas deferens (100 nM) did not alter the ability of noradrenaline or beta,gamma-methylene-L-ATP to induce contractions suggesting that delta 9-tetrahydrocannabinol inhibits the twitch response by acting prejunctionally.     

Dendritic solidification in binary alloys

Alloys generally solidify dendritically, and associated with that is the microsegregation of impurities. Pure metals also solidify in dendritic form as “thermal” dendrites, which actually segregate the system’s enthalpy. In this investigation, small additions of solute to succinonitrile have been studied and dendritic growth observed in a supercooled melt. This free dendritic growth-mode is similar to that experienced by equiaxed dendrites found in alloy castings. Observations of these free dendrites include measurement of velocity and tip radius of the dendrites at different supercoolings and solute concentrations.