Computing the arc length of parametric curves

Specifying constraints on motion is simpler if the curve is parameterized by arc length, but many parametric curves of practical interest cannot be parameterized by arc length. An approximate numerical reparameterization technique that improves on a previous algorithm by using a different numerical integration procedure that recursively subdivides the curve and creates a table of the subdivision points is presented. The use of the table greatly reduces the computation required for subsequent arc length calculations. After table construction, the algorithm takes nearly constant time for each arc length calculation. A linear increase in the number of control points can result in a more than linear increase in computation. Examples of this type of behavior are shown     

4He very nearT λ heated from above

We discuss the feasibility and likely results of measurements of the thermal conductivity (Q,t) of⁴He very nearT T (Q = 0) as a function of the heat currentQ and the reduced temperature t [T —T]/T by heating a sample from above and cooling it from below. Although the expansion coefficient is negative, the experiment should be possible without inducing convection in the HeI layer provided the sample length does not significantly exceed one cm. Fort 10^–7(Q 0.2 erg/s cm²), a state of self-organized criticality can be attained. For these conditions, the thermal gradient cancels the gradient inT induced by gravity, thus permitting measurements extremely close to the transition even in an Earthbound laboratory. However, the data will be only for a unique path in the Q—t plane. For 0.2 Q 0.5 erg/s cm² (10^–7t 10^–8) they will be in the range of linear response and give (0,t); for Q between about 0.5 and 10 erg/s cm² and over a temperature range of about 20 nK, the experimental path samples the regime where the conductivity is expected to be influenced by nonlinear finite-current effects. The small currents and narrow temperature range of the experiment imply that ultra-high resolution thermometry as well as very careful control of stray heat currents will be required. ForQ 10 erg/s cm² and up to very largeQ, the method can be used to determine the onset temperatureT _c (Q) of thermal resistance.     

Comparison of nitrogen elimination rates of different constructed wetland designs

In this paper the nitrogen elimination rates of different constructed wetland (CW) designs reported in literature are compared with those obtained for outdoor and indoor 2-stage vertical flow (VF) systems. The outdoor system is located about 150 km west of Vienna. Both stages are planted with Phragmites australis and the system has been operated for 4 years continuously. During this period the average value of the nitrogen elimination rate was 3.30 g N m(-2) d(-1). The indoor system comprises three parallel operated 2-stage VF systems and is located in the technical lab hall at BOKU University. The design of the indoor system resembles the outdoor system. However, there are a few differences: (1) the indoor systems are not planted, and (2) different filter media have been used for the main layer of the first stages. With the indoor system the highest nitrogen elimination rate achieved was 2.24 g N m(-2) d(-1) for the system with zeolite and impounded drainage layer. Similar results have been found in France for treating raw wastewater with VF and horizontal flow (HF) beds in series with nitrogen elimination rates of 1.89 and 2.82 g N m(-2) d(-1) for differently designed HF beds. The highest nitrogen elimination rates of 15.9 g N m(-2) d(-1) reported were for pilot-scale VF CWs treating high-strength synthetic wastewater (total nitrogen of 305 mg L(-1) in the influent) in Thailand. It has been shown that the outdoor two-stage VF CW system has one of the highest nitrogen elimination rates of CWs treating domestic wastewater.     

Distributed Automatic Configuration of Complex IPsec-Infrastructures

The Internet Protocol Security Architecture IPsec is hard to deploy in large, nested, or dynamic scenarios. The major reason for this is the need for manual configuration of the cryptographic tunnels, which grows quadratically with the total amount of IPsec gateways. This way of configuration is error-prone, cost-intensive and rather static. When private addresses are used in the protected subnetworks, the problem becomes even worse as the routing cannot rely on public infrastructures. In this article, we present a fully automated approach for the distributed configuration of IPsec domains. Utilizing peer-to-peer technology, our approach scales well with respect to the number of managed IPsec gateways, reacts robust to network failures, and supports the configuration of nested networks with private address spaces. We analyze the security requirements and further desirable properties of IPsec policy negotiation, and show that the distribution of security policy configuration does not impair security of transmitted user data in the resulting virtual private network (VPN). Results of a prototype implementation and simulation study reveal that the approach offers good characteristics for example with respect to quick reconfiguration of all gateways after a central power failure (robustness), or after insertion of new gateways (scalability and agility).     

Validated comprehensive analytical method for quantification of coenzyme A activated compounds in biological tissues by online solid-phase extraction LC/MS/MS

We report a robust, reliable, and comprehensive analytical method for the identification and quantification of the entire class of coenzyme A (CoA) activated substances, particularly short-, medium-, and long-chain acyl-CoAs derived from various biological tissues. This online SPE-LC/MS/MS-based method is characterized by a simple three-step sample preparation: (1) addition of buffer, organic solvents, and internal standards; (2) homogenization; and (3) centrifugation. The supernatant is injected directly into the SPE-LC/MS/MS system. Identification of CoA activated compounds is performed by accurate mass determination within the HPLC run. Method validation for short-, medium-, and long-chain acyl-CoA fatty acids revealed excellent quality. Accuracy was found to be between 87 and 107% and precision was between 0.1 and 12.8% in mouse skeletal muscle. The lower limit of quantification for all investigated compounds was well below 3.1% of estimated physiological levels in 200 mg of mouse tissue. Comparable results were obtained for mouse liver, mouse brown white adipose tissue and rat liver. For all investigated tissues, no matrix effect was observed.     

Temperature-stable double SAW resonators

The temperature stability of SAW resonators on quartz can be enhanced by means of double resonators. The turnover temperatures of the double resonators' components, called single resonators, are positioned above and below room temperature. As a consequence, the temperature coefficients of frequency of the 1st order (TCF1) have opposite signs at room temperature, leading to the vanishing TCF1 of the double resonators. Frequently, different turnover temperatures are adjusted by different propagation directions on an ST cut of quartz. An overview of known and new methods for compensating the temperature coefficient of frequency of the 2nd order (TCF2) of two-port and one-port SAW double resonators is given. A concept by means of which temperature-stable circuits of single resonators are found is described. Two types of temperature-stable double resonators found by applying that concept are treated in detail: 1) a two-port resonator composed of two cascaded two-port resonators and a coupling inductance, and 2) a one-port resonator comprising a series connection of one-port resonators with an inductance in parallel with each single resonator. The substrates are 35.5 degrees rotY cuts of quartz. In both cases, the shift of resonance frequency within the temperature range from -30 degrees C to 70 degrees C is smaller than 20 ppm.     

秋收季节稻草燃烧粒子大气脱水醣类成分与粒径分布研究

以台湾中南部水稻作物区域为目标,探讨秋收稻草燃烧烟尘大气脱水醣类粒径分布成分特征;以改良离子层析仪解析3种大气悬浮粒子(PM2.5、PM10、总悬浮颗粒(TSP))大气脱水醣类成分浓度(左旋葡萄糖、甘露聚糖)与粒径分布,并探讨稻草燃烧对大气粒子的贡献率。结果显示,稻草燃烧期间大气(乡村/市郊)两种粒子(PM2.5与TSP)左旋葡萄糖浓度均大幅上升,两种粒子收成燃烧期间较非收成季节升高约5.5倍(较收成季节背景PM2.5与总悬浮颗粒分别高1.21倍与1.40倍)严重影响区域空气质量。市郊含左旋葡萄糖粒子分布以PM2.5细微粒为主(占TSP81%以上);乡村左旋葡萄糖粒径分布较广,PM2.5粒子占TSP56%左右,粗大粒子(PM>10)占总悬浮颗粒的35%。此外,结果显示稻草生物质燃烧对区域PM2.5粒子平均贡献率为12%,市郊稍高于乡村(乡村、市郊平均贡献率分别为10.5%、13.0%),显现稻草生物质燃烧对台湾中南部空气质量有严重影响。