Market power in the European electricity market—The impacts of dry weather and additional transmission capacity

This paper uses a static computational game theoretic model of a fully opened European electricity market and can take strategic interaction among electricity-producing firms into account. The model is run for a number of scenarios: first, in the baseline under perfect competition, the prices differ due to the presence of various generation technologies and a limited ability to exchange electricity among countries. In addition, when large firms exercise market power, the model runs indicate that prices are the highest in countries where the number of firms is low. Second, dry weather would increase the prices in the hydro-rich Nordic countries followed by the Alpine countries. The price response would be about 20% higher with market power. Third, more transmission capacity would lower the prices in countries with high prices and it also reduces the impact of market power. Hence, more transmission capacity can improve market competitiveness.     

Spatial Tapping Interferes With the Processing of Linguistic Spatial Relations.

Simple spatial relations may be represented either in a prepositional format that is dependent on verbal rehearsal or in a picture-like format that is maintained by visual-spatial rehearsal. In sentence-picture and picture-picture verification tasks, we examined the effect of an articulatory suppression and a spatial tapping dual task on the encoding of simple spatial relations (e.g., triangle left of circle). Articulatory suppression did not interfere, while spatial tapping lowered performance in both tasks. Apparently, both linguistic and perceptual inputs of simple spatial relations engaged the visual-spatial working memory. In the sentence-picture verification experiments, spatial tapping only hampered performance of participants who were classified on the basis of their RT patterns as having used a visual-spatial strategy, while it had no effect for those who were classified as having applied a verbal strategy. Therefore, this study provides converging evidence, using a dual-task methodology, that both separate verbal and visual-spatial strategies exist for the processing of simple spatial sentences. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A general model for multiple substrate biodegradation. Application to co-metabolism of structurally non-analogous compounds

The availability of multiple carbon/energy sources, as is common in wastewater treatment plants, often enhances the biodegradation of recalcitrant compounds. In this paper, we classify and model different modes of multiple substrate utilization in a systematic way, using the concept of synthesizing unit. According to this concept, substrates can be substitutable or complementary; their uptake (or processing) can be sequential or parallel. We show how the different modes of multiple substrate interaction can be described by a single general model. From the general model, we derive simple expressions for co-metabolism of substrates that are not structurally analogous. Both the general and the specific co-metabolism model have the advantage that they can be used in combination with any microbial growth model. To test the co-metabolism model's realism, we confront it with experimental data. The results attained with the co-metabolism model support that the general model constitutes a useful framework for modeling aspects of multiple substrate utilization.     

1mm内径HPLC整体柱用于蛋白质的高效分离

介绍了1mm内径的聚苯乙烯-二乙烯基苯整体柱用于液相色谱反相梯度高效分离完整的蛋白质。文中详细研究了柱温、流速和梯度时间等对峰宽和峰容量的影响。在最优色谱条件下该柱高效地反相分离了核糖核酸酶A、肌红蛋白和碳酸酐酶的蛋白质混合物以及大肠杆菌提取蛋白。     

Capillary ion chromatography at high pressure and temperature

The application of high pressure and temperature in ion chromatography (IC) can significantly improve the efficiency and reduce the analysis time. In this work, the kinetic-performance limits of capillary IC columns with inner diameters of 400 μm packed with 4 and 7 μm macroporous anion-exchange particles were investigated employing a capillary ion-exchange instrument allowing column pressures up to 34 MPa and column temperatures up to 80 °C. Plate heights below 10 μm could be realized using capillary columns packed with 4 μm particles. Compared to conventional IC using 7 μm particles and pressures up to 21 MPa, a 40% improvement in plate number could be achieved when working at the kinetic performance limits at 34 MPa and using columns packed with 4 μm particles. Using coupled columns with a total length of 400 mm, a mixture of seven anions was separated within 7.5 min while yielding 20?000 plates. Increasing the temperature improved the performance limits when operating in the C-term region (for fast IC separation using columns <75 cm). Temperature also affected the retention properties and hence the selectivity. At higher temperature, retention for monovalent ions was mainly governed by ion diameter. An increase in retention with temperature was observed for small ions, and there was a decrease for ions having a larger diameter. The retention factor for divalent and trivalent anions increased with temperature.     

Improving mine recognition through processing and Dempster-Shafer fusion of ground-penetrating radar data

A method for modeling and combination of measures extracted from a ground-penetrating radar (GPR) in terms of belief functions within the Dempster-Shafer framework is presented and illustrated on a real GPR data set. A starting point in the analysis is a preprocessed C-scan of a sand-lane containing some mines and false alarms. In order to improve the selection of regions of interest on such a preprocessed C-scan, a method for detecting suspected areas is developed, based on region analysis around the local maxima. Once the regions are selected, a detailed analysis of the chosen measures is performed for each of them. Two sets of measures are extracted and modeled in terms of belief functions. Finally, for every suspected region, masses assigned by each of the measures are combined, leading to a first guess on whether there is a mine or a non-dangerous object in the region. The region selection method improves detection, while the combination method results in significant improvements, especially in eliminating most of the false alarms.     

Synthesis,thermal, and mechanical characterization of liquid-crystalline polyhydroxyethers

High molecular weight liquid-crystalline polyhydroxyethers, containing functional hydroxy groups, were synthesized from an aromatic diol and the diglycidylether of an aromatic diol. The polymers showed a liquid-crystalline melt when about 70% or more of the aromatic units in the chain were biphenyl units. Tensile modulus values varied from 3 GPa for as-cast films to 6 GPa for drawn films. These polymers are potentially suitable candidates to reinforce common thermoplastics by reactive blending. For this purpose polyhydroxyethers have been prepared, having a liquid-crystalline melt in the processing range of PET, viz. 260–290°C. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 66: 1971–1978, 1997