Comparison of Solutions of the Problems of Elasticity Theory for Different Near-Boundary Elements

We consider three types of near-boundary elements: curvilinear quadrangles and families of arcs and points, and their application to a two-dimensional problem of the static theory of elasticity with boundary conditions in displacements. The comparison of the theoretical and numerical aspects of the obtained solutions is performed. It is shown that the accuracy of evaluation of the components of the vector of displacements increases in the following cases: in the case of complete quantization of the near-boundary region (but not in the case of its partial quantization or quantization with overlapping), in the case where the numbers of arcs and points increase, and in the case of simultaneous application of different types of near-boundary elements (specifically, quadrangles and families of arcs).     

Top-Seeded Melt-Growth of YBa2Cus3Ox Crystals for Neutron Diffraction Studies

We have grown cubic centimeter-size crystals of YBa₂Cu₃O _x suitable for neutron studies, by a top-seeded melt-growth technique. Growth conditions were optimized with an eye toward maximizing phase purity. It was found that the addition of 2% Y₂BaCuO₅ and 0.5% Pt (by mass) were required to prevent melt loss and to obtain the highest crystallinity. A neutron diffraction study on a mosaic of six such crystals found that the final Y₂BaCuO₅ concentration was 5%, while other impurity phases comprised less than 1% by volume. The oxygen content was set to x = 6.5, the crystals were detwinned, and then carefully annealed to give the well-ordered ortho-II phase. The neutron study determined that 70% of the mosaic's volume was in the majority orthorhomic domain. The neutron (006) and (110) rocking curve widths were ～1° per crystal and ～2.2° for the mosaic, and the oxygen chain correlation lengths were >100 Å in the a- and b-directions and ～50 Å in the c-direction.     

Synthesis and Structure of Complexes of Np(V) Perchlorate and Np(V) Chloride with Urea

The crystal structure of [NpO₂{OC(NH₂)₂}₅]ClO₄·H₂O and [NpO₂Cl{OC(NH₂)₂}₄] was studied by X-ray diffraction. The electronic absorption spectra of these complexes were recorded. The coordination polyhedron of Np in both complexes is a distorted pentagonal bipyramid. There is no cation-cation interaction of neptunyl cations in these complexes.     

The first accurate measurement of systolic and diastolic bloodpressure

Poiseuille, known for his law of fluid flow, which is the analog of Ohm's law, introduced the units (mmHg) by which we measure blood pressure by using the mercury manometer, which he described in his medical school thesis in 1828. For 50 years, mean blood pressure was all that could be measured because of the long response time of the mercury manometer. It is true that the height of the mercury column displayed pulsatile oscillations, but their amplitude was much less than that of pulse pressure. It is interesting to note that the slowly responding mercury manometer was made to display first systolic then diastolic pressure by means of an ingenious device that contained two oppositely directed check valves. It took from 1828 to 1903 for high-fidelity graphic recordings of blood pressure to appear in which systolic and diastolic pressures were believable. However, systolic and diastolic pressures were measurable since 1878 when Golz and Gaule created their ingenious valved device that permitted use of the slowly responding mercury manometer to display these pressures accurately     

Incremental transmission loss allocation under pool dispatch

Incremental transmission loss analysis has been used for decades, but recent interest in its application to loss allocation calls for new in-depth results. This paper demonstrates that, for incremental methods to be applied correctly in loss allocation, it is first necessary to specify the load distribution and loss supply strategies. Incremental loss allocation among bus power injections is shown to be arbitrary and, therefore, open to challenge as discriminatory. Loss allocation is possible among incremental loads and/or generators, but the proportion of the total losses assigned to either one is arbitrary. Unique, nonarbitrary incremental loss allocations are however possible among the "equivalent" incremental bilateral exchanges between generators and loads. From these basic components it is possible then to calculate the allocation among generators or loads in any specified proportion. The main results, although developed initially for small increments, are extended to large variations. Finally, a general incremental loss allocation algorithm is developed and tested     

Volatile Compounds of Raw Beef from 5 Local Spanish Cattle Breeds Stored Under Modified Atmosphere

Volatile compounds of raw beef from Asturiana de los Valles, Morucha, Parda Alpina, Pirenaica, and Retinta cattle breeds were studied. Steaks were packaged under 60% O₂, 30% CO₂, and 10% N₂, and 53 volatile compounds were tentatively identified by purge‐and‐trap extraction and gas chromatography with mass spectrometry after 0, 5, 10, and 15 d of chill storage. The degradation of beef quality with increasing storage time was evidenced by the increase in 2,3,3‐trimethylpentane, 2,2,5‐trimethylhexane, 3‐octene, 3‐methyl‐2‐heptene, 2‐octene, and 2‐propanone and by the decrease in dimethyl sulfide. Consequently, some of the volatile compounds, which are believed to be formed by thermal degradation of meat, might be formed during chill storage, and the rate of formation of some was dependent on the specific compound.     

Iterative multiuser joint decoding: unified framework andasymptotic analysis

We present a framework for iterative multiuser joint decoding of code-division multiple-access (CDMA) signals, based on the factor-graph representation and on the sum-product algorithm. In this framework, known parallel and serial, hard and soft interference cancellation algorithms are derived in a unified way. The asymptotic performance of these algorithms in the limit of large code block length can be rigorously analyzed by using density evolution. We show that, for random spreading in the large-system limit, density evolution is considerably simplified. Moreover, by making a Gaussian approximation of the decoder soft output, we show that the behavior of iterative multiuser joint decoding is approximately characterized by the stable fixed points of a simple one-dimensional nonlinear dynamical system     

Monoacylglycerols derived from butter oil by Penicillium roquefortii in suspension cultures

Structural isomers of monoacylglycerols (monoglycerides, MAGs) were identified and compared after degradation of butter oil by two strains of Penicillium roquefortii and a commercial lipase from P roquefortii (EC 3.1.1.3) at pH 7.0 and 10 °C. The conditions were selected as they were comparable with those used in the manufacture of blue mould‐ripened cheese. The commercial lipase was selected to compare with the fungal strains in terms of acyl migration. Results showed that the main isomers formed by lipolysis with the commercial lipase were sn‐2 MAGs (64 mol%), whilst spores and emerging mycelia of P roquefortii produced mainly sn‐1(3) MAGs (83–90 mol%). The work reported here may lead to further assessment of different MAG structural isomers as natural preservatives in foods and dairy products. © 2002 Society of Chemical Industry     

Stability analysis of continuous-time periodic systems via theharmonic analysis

Asymptotic stability of finite-dimensional linear continuous-time periodic (FDLCP) systems is studied by harmonic analysis. It is first shown that stability can be examined with what we call the harmonic Lyapunov equation. Another necessary and sufficient stability criterion is developed via this generalized Lyapunov equation, which reduces the stability test into that of an approximate FDLCP model whose transition matrix can be determined explicitly. By extending the Gerschgorin theorem to linear operators on the linear space l₂, yet another disc-group criterion is derived, which is only sufficient. Stability of the lossy Mathieu equation is analyzed as a numerical example to illustrate the results