Image synthesis in the electron microscope

A new method is described for transferring phase contrast in electron microscopy without artefacts due to oscillations of the phase contrast transfer function (PCTF). This is carried out by in situ image synthesis of two or three exposures transferred with complementary PCTF. The essence of the technique is to use optimized transfer attenuation functions to cut off the negative parts of PCTF.     

Special numbers,still proceedings,other novelties

Modifications of solid water and their transitions are described as they relate to cryo electron microscopy. In particular, the various amorphous states (amorphous polymorphs) as they exist below 100 K are extensively investigated. The “high-density” midification exhibits a lower viscosity than the “low-density” form. Differences are also observed in the mechanism of void formation due to electron irradiation: in the high-density form, voids are formed — not, however, in the low-density form. Together with the reaction to radiation damage, the physical properties of amorphous solid water are discussed with respect to embedding of organic specimens. Finally, the conditions and pitfalls associated with preparation of thin and entirely vitrified ice layers by shock-freezing are described.     

Three ways to implement interfacial techniques: application tomeasurements of chromatic dispersion, birefringence, and nonlinearsusceptibilities

Depending on the spectal width of the source illuminating an interferometer, measurement procedures can utilize either the whole interferogram, or only the fringe envelope, or only the fringe quick oscillations. With an ultraband spectrum source, a simplified adaptation of the methods of Fourier transform spectroscopy yields the variations of the test-fiber propagation constant over the whole wavelength-interval of the source. Chromatic dispersion can then be computed from a single interferogram. With narrower spectrum sources, only the fringe envelopes are utilized and yield measurements of mode delay, with application to chromatic and polarization mode dispersion. In this case, however, interferograms at several wavelengths are necessary. With even narrower spectrum sources, the fringe quick oscillations provide measurements of phase shifts, related to changes in the mode propagation constant, when outside perturbations are applied to the test fiber. A direct method for measuring the third-order nonlinear susceptibilities is discussed. In this case the outside perturbation is an intense pump laser field     

Guest Editorial

The UK-China Research Network on Intelligent Automation, Computing and Manufacturing has been established since September 2004 by grants from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) of the UK and the National Natural Science Foundation of China. The initiative of the network is motivated by the last visit of the UK Science Minister Lord Sainsbury to China to open the first UK-China Hi-Tech Forum and by the current EPSRC initiative to set up specific network programmes in collaboration with partners in China.     

Simulation of magnetic component models in electric circuitsincluding dynamic thermal effects

It is essential in the simulation of power electronics applications to model magnetic components accurately. In addition to modeling the nonlinear hysteresis behavior, eddy currents and winding losses must be included to provide a realistic model. In practice the losses in magnetic components give rise to significant temperature increases which can lead to major changes in the component behavior. In this paper a model of magnetic components is presented which integrates a nonlinear model of hysteresis, electro-magnetic windings and thermal behavior in a single model for use in circuit simulation of power electronics systems. Measurements and simulations are presented which demonstrate the accuracy of the approach for the electrical, magnetic and thermal domains across a variety of operating conditions, including static thermal conditions and dynamic self heating     

International statements and definitions of the precautionary principle

The precautionary principle (PP), according to one of its definitions, says that lack of certainty, given the current scientific and technological knowledge, shall not delay effective and proportionate actions to prevent hazards, taking into account cost-benefit considerations. Rather than being a single principle, a variety of statements of the PP are found in international treaties and other documents. Apart from any specific legal force of the documents, countries (e.g., France) have used these statements as a starting point for their own guidance documents and regulations for addressing specific environmental and health issues, for example regulation of genetically modified organisms. Thus, any discussion of the precautionary principle must address a complex legal and regulatory situation. We briefly review different statements of the PP and important commentary, largely from the European Union. We provide references to the original source documents (many of which are found in English on the World Wide Web).     

Crisis phenomena upon evaporation in grid capillary and porous coatings and arterial structures of heat pipes

The article presents the results of experimental investigations of critical (limit) heat fluxes upon evaporation on porous coatings, and it substantiates the physical model of the process.Translated from Inzhenerno-Fizicheskii Zhurnal, Vol. 49, No. 4, pp. 607–614, October, 1985.