Neutron scattering as a probe of particle-like excitations in superfluid4He: A model calculation

In the microscopic theory of Bose-condensed liquids, the condensate wave function leads to a coupling of the density fluctuations and the single-particle excitations. A simple parametrized model of this based on coupling weakly damped zero-sound modes with strongly damped free-particle-like excitations Q ²/2m* explains why the phonon-roton resonance inS(Q, ) for superfluid⁴He exists above and belowT but only plays the role of an elementary excitation belowT . It is pointed out that this model also predicts thatS(Q, ) should exhibit a weak, low-frequency peak centered atQ ²/2m*, with weight roughly proportional to the condensate fractionn ₀. As a stimulus to further experimental searches for this branch, some model calculations are given forS(Q, ) forQ1 Å^–1.     

Surface mass transport of alumina

The kinetics of thermal grooving at the intersection of rhombohedral twin boundaries with the \((10\bar 10)\) plane in aluminium oxide were measured from 1773 to 2273 K. Analysis of the data using the model of Mullins showed that surface diffusion was the dominant mechanism for mass transport. The results were compared with other similar published work on alumina, and the following equation for surface diffusion was determined: $$D_s (cm^2 sec^{ - 1} ) = 4.05 x 10^5 exp - (452kJ mol^{ - 1} /RT).$$      

Antennal olfactory responsiveness of three sympatricIps species [Ips avulsus (Eichhoff),Ips calligraphus (Germar),Ips grandicollis (Eichhoff)], to intra- and interspecific behavioral chemicals

Electroantennograms (EAGs) from male and femaleIps avulsus, I. calligraphus, andI. grandicollis to their pheromones and selected host odorants or kairomones verified the presence of antennal olfactory receptors in both sexes of each species capable of detecting ipsdienol, ipsenol,cis- andtrans-verbenol,endo-brevicomin -pinene, frontalin, and verbenone. Each species possesses receptors with lower thresholds and in greater abundance for the compounds they produce and to which they are behaviorally most responsive. Detection of bothIps andDendroctonus pheromones by the three cohabiting species provides a sensory basis for olfactory interactions among the species. Differences in both threshold and saturation levels for EAGs for the various behavioral chemicals could denote differences in specific behavioral roles for each compound.Texas Agricultural Experiment Station Paper Number TA-22463. This research was supported in part by McIntire-Stennis Project 1525, USDA-CR grants 85-CRCR-1-1856 and 86-CRCR-2019 and NATO Collaborative Research Grant 86-0710. The findings, opinions, and recommendations expressed herein are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. All programs and information of the Texas Agricultural Experiment Station are available without regard to race, ethnic origin, religion, sex, or age.Mention of a trademark, proprietary product, or vendor does not constitute a guarantee or warranty of the product by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and does not imply its approval to the exclusion of other products or vendors that may also be suitable.     

Switching to Directional Antennas with Constant Increase in Radius and Hop Distance

For any angle α<2π, we show that any connected communication graph that is induced by a set P of n transceivers using omni-directional antennas of radius 1, can be replaced by a strongly connected communication graph, in which each transceiver in P is equipped with a directional antenna of angle α and radius r _dir, for some constant r _dir=r _dir(α). Moreover, the new communication graph is a c-spanner of the original graph, for some constant c=c(α), with respect to number of hops.     

Mechanisms of antioxidant action: The role of nitroxyl radicals in the stabilization of PVC

Hindered amines and their derived oxidation products, the hindered nitroxyls and hydroxylamines are processing stabilizers and photoantioxidants for poly(vinyl chloride). The evidence suggests that oxidation of the amines occurs very rapidly and completely during mechanooxidation and that the resulting redox couple operates by a catalytic mechanism as described previously for hydrocarbon polymers.     

Context matters: The structure of task goals affects accuracy in multiple-target visual search

Career visual searchers such as radiologists and airport security screeners strive to conduct accurate visual searches, but despite extensive training, errors still occur. A key difference between searches in radiology and airport security is the structure of the search task: Radiologists typically scan a certain number of medical images (fixed objective), and airport security screeners typically search X-rays for a specified time period (fixed duration). Might these structural differences affect accuracy? We compared performance on a search task administered either under constraints that approximated radiology or airport security. Some displays contained more than one target because the presence of multiple targets is an established source of errors for career searchers, and accuracy for additional targets tends to be especially sensitive to contextual conditions. Results indicate that participants searching within the fixed objective framework produced more multiple-target search errors; thus, adopting a fixed duration framework could improve accuracy for career searchers.     

Multilayer background modeling under occlusions

A multilayer background modeling technique is presented for video surveillance. Rather than simply classifying all features in a scene as either dynamically moving foreground or long-lasting, stationary background, a temporal model is used to place each scene object in time relative to each other. Foreground objects that become stationary are registered as layers on top of the background layer. In this process of layer formation, the algorithm deals with ”fake objects” created by moved background, and noise created by dynamic background and moving foreground objects. Objects that leave the scene are removed based on the occlusion reasoning among layers. The technique allows us to understand and visualize a scene with multiple objects entering, leaving, and occluding each other at different points in time. This scene understanding leads to a richer representation of temporal scene events than traditional foreground/background segmentation. The technique builds on a low-cost background modeling technique that makes it suitable for embedded, real-time platforms.     

Hydrolytic degradation of ionically cross-linked polyphosphazene microspheres

The hydrolytic degradation of gel microspheres based on calcium cross-linked phosphazene polyelectrolytes, poly[di(carboxylatophenoxy)phosphazene] (PCPP) and poly[(carboxylatophenoxy) (glycinato)phosphazene] (PCGPP), was investigated. These microspheres are of importance as carriers in protein and cell encapsulation. Both PCPP and PCGPP ionotropic polyphosphazene hydrogels are degradable in an aqueous environment (pH 7.4, 37°C). The degradation rates can be increased by incorporation of hydrolysis sensitive glycinato groups as the pendant structures in the polymer (PCGPP). Hydrolysis of these polymer hydrogels led to low molecular weight (<1,000 Da) products. The erosion and molecular weight profiles varied also according to the molecular weight of the polyphosphazene constituting the gel beads. Another approach to affect the degradation rates consists of coating microspheres with poly-L -lysine. Ionotropic polyphosphazene hydrogels have potential as biodegradable devices for controlled drug delivery systems. © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Comparative reactivities of coal asphaltenes during hydropyrolysis

Comparisons have been drawn in the relative reactivities of three coal asphaltenes during hydropyrolysis. All were derived from hydrogen donor-solvent extracts of bituminous coal, but had different hydrotreatment histories and different carbon contents (87.1, 91.9 and 90.8 wt% for asphaltenes 1, 2 and 3, respectively). The hydropyrolyses were carried out in the presence of CoO–MoO₃ catalyst and gaseous hydrogen at 8.7 MPa. For two of the asphaltenes (1 and 2) systematic comparisons were made for different reaction times at 425°C; for all three asphaltenes comparisons were made for l h of hydropyrolysis at 425°C. The general pattern of asphaltenes conversion indicated that more pentane-soluble product was produced from asphaltene isolated from straight coal extract (asphaltene 1). For the asphaltenes isolated from hydrotreated extracts, the extent of conversion to liquids was limited when the carbon content was high (asphaltene 2) although the pattern of conversion was similar in the other hydrotreated asphaltene (asphaltene 3). The aliphatic content of the liquid products formed was low, and the distribution of hydrogenated species in the highly aromatic liquid products indicated that complete hydrogenation of the polyaromatics produced in pyrolysis is difficult. Altogether the aliphatics made up ≈ 10 wt% of the asphaltene 1 hydropyrolysate. Aromatic hydrocarbons made up 90% of the liquid product. Phenanthrene, pyrene and anthracene were prominent, and the largest component in the mixture was phenanthrene which, together with other polyaromatics such as fluoroanthene, dominated the liquid product.