The Challenge of the Market

Identifying markets for new or improved products for minor crops threatened with extinction is one critical component of any strategy intended to enhance prospects for sustainable production and use. Typically, however, activities linked to the sustainability of these commodities avoid addressing questions associated with assessing their commercial potential. After a brief review of this avoidance syndrome, this article presents a sample of practical, low-cost procedures to help evaluate the market prospects and procedures for crops like quinoa, while citing references to other methodological materials covering similar topics.     

Comments, with reply, on `Passive equalization of semiconductordiode laser frequency modulation' by S.B. Alexander et al

Some flaws in a recent article by S.B. Alexander et al. (ibid., vol.7, no.1, p.11-23, Jan. 1989) on the theory of equalization of FM response of a laser diode using passive filters are noted. An error has occurred as a result of assuming a constant C as a positive instead of negative. When C is negative and large, the equalization network cannot be realized with passive networks. Also the simulated time waveform shown in the article for the optical frequency of an equalized laser does not show some spikes which are expected theoretically. The spikes occur as a result of an imperfect equalization provided by the proposed passive filters that were realized assuming C as positive. In replying the original author feels that the comments and observations result simply from attempting to extend the simple FM transfer-function model far beyond its limits while trying to introduce unnecessary theoretical rigor     

Structure determination of CaMgGeO4

The crystal structure of CaMgGeO₄ is described. CaMgGeO₄, M_r = 200.9, orthorhombic, Pnam, A = 11.285(5) Å, B = 5.016(2) Å, C = 6.435(2) Å, V = 364.36 ų, Dx = 3.664 Mg/m³.λ(MoK_a = 0.71069 Å, F(000) = 384, room temperature, final R = 0.045 for 1752 observed reflections. The structure is isomorphous with CaMgSiO₄ (monticellite).     

Long-wavelength infrared photoinduced switching of a resonanttunneling diode using the intersubband transition

Voltage switching induced by long-wavelength infrared light from a CO₂ laser was observed using a double-barrier resonant tunneling diode (RTD) biased in the bistable region and the intersubband transition (IT) between the quantum confined states. Possible optoelectronic and all-optical switching applications involving hysteresis are proposed and discussed     

Rotative quadrature phase-shift keying

A rotative quadrature phase-shift keying (RQPSK) modulation scheme is proposed. By rotating the QPSK signal constellation by pi /2 either clockwise or anticlockwise during a symbol duration, the conventional QPSK scheme can be modified to transmit 3 bits per symbol to achieve both power and bandwidth efficiency.<>     

离子束混合工艺对材料抗蚀性能的影响

本文介绍了离子束混合工艺方法。与直接注入相比较,离子束混合所使用的设备造价低1/4—1/2,而生产效率可提高1—2个数量级,因而使生产成本大幅度降低,这无疑对离子束工艺的实际应用将产生巨大的促进作用。 通过对轴承材料(GCr15和Cr4Mo4V)经Cr、N、Ta不同元素的混合处理后,在0.5M H_2SO_4和0.1M NaCl的缓冲溶液中的阳极极化曲线表明经混合处理后的两种材料试样,其抗蚀能力和抗点蚀能力均大大提高,这与直接注入的试样效果是一致的。 通过俄歇谱仪和透射电镜的分析结果表明混合是成功的,且在一定的条件下,形成非晶组织。 本文的结论是,无论是离子的直接注入还是离子束混合,对提高轴承材料的抗腐蚀性能都是有效的方法,特别是离子束混合技术具有更大的应用前景。     

The integrated academic information management system at Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center.

Over the past seven years, Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center has been planning and implementing an integrated academic information management system. Accomplishments to date include establishing an institutional information architecture, installing a campus-wide network of workstations, recruiting the staff needed to develop and implement the system, and developing various applications. This paper presents the rationale and steps involved in these accomplishments, as well as data on use of the system so far.     

Ultrasonic welding using tie-layer materials. part II: Factors affecting the lap-shear strength of ultrasonic welds

The influence of tie-layer Melt Flow Index on the lap-shear strength of ultrasonic welds in oriented polypropylene (OPP) has been evaluated. The tie-layer Melt Flow Index was varied from 0.03 dg/min to 2600 dg/min; the highest lap-shear strength properties were obtained using tie-layers that had melt flow index values between 30 and 100 dg/min. When using low Melt Flow Index tie-layers, hot spot formation and concomitant changes in fusion zone and heat-affected-zone dimensions produced stress concentrations that promoted failure in oriented polypropylene material away from the bondline region. When very high Melt Flow Index (2600 dg/min) tie-layers were used, the mode of failure during lap-shear testing was a mix of cohesive, in oriented polypropylene, and adhesive failure. The molecular weight of material at the bondline was not markedly affected by the thermal cycle produced during ultrasonic welding. Only the flash ejected when using low Melt Flow Index tie-layers exhibited any evidence of degradation; it is suggested that the ejected flash may have been degraded because of a combination of thermal, cavitation, and thermo-oxidative processes.     

PMMA tacticity and alumina powder dispersion stability

Summary Sedimentation experiments and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS or ESCA) analyses have been used to study the effect of poly(methylmethacrylate) (PMMA) tacticity on aluminum oxide powder dispersion stability in a common solvent medium. The relative trends from sedimentation densities, and from surface analyses after solvent washing show that (PMMA) adsorption is greatest with isotactic polymer, where isotactic>atactic>syndiotactic adsorption. These results suggest that surface adsorption and hence dispersion stability can be influenced by polymer chain configuration as well as by chain conformation.