Passive least-squares-type estimation algorithm for direct adaptive control

The standard least squares (LS) estimation algorithm is modified in such a way that it becomes passive. Therefore the scope of application of the LS algorithm is extended to those adaptive schemes whose convergence proof is based on passivity. The passive version of LS is presented in both continuous and discrete time.     

New substrates of papain, based on the conserved sequence of natural inhibitors of the cystatin family

A discontinuous borate/formate buffer system is presented for horizontal polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of DNA fragments. The resolution potential of the system could be altered by changing the total monomer concentration (5-9%T), the concentration of the crosslinker piperazine diacrylamide (2-5%CPDA), as well as the concentration of formate in the gel (40-120 mM), the leading ion of the buffer system. The separation of DNA fragments would be improved by increasing the migration distance from 22 to 28 cm. This discontinuous polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis system proved highly reproducible.     

Determination of carbon black fillers in vulcanizates of natural rubber by metathesis degradation

A method for the determination of carbon black fillers in peroxide vulcanizates or sulfur vulcanizates of natural rubber (NR, cis-1,4-polyisoprene) by metathesis degradation with 1-octene was developed using the catalyst WCl₆? (C₂H₅)₃Al₂Cl₃. The carbon black was separated from the reaction mixture by centrifuging and determined by weighing. In this connection, investigations were also performed with the catalyst WCl₆? C₂H₅Al₂Cl₃ which was less suitable for filler determination. The rate of degradation of crosslinked NR with (E)-4-octene was measured. Metathesis reactions of 2-methyl-2-pentene (low-molecular-weight model compound of NR) with 7-tetradecene showed the importance of double bond shift for the degradation of NR.     

Visual insights into high-resolution earthquake Simulations.

This study focuses on the visualization of a series of large earthquake simulations collectively called TeraShake. The simulation series aims to assess the impact of San Andreas Fault earthquake scenarios in Southern California. We discuss the role of visualization in gaining scientific insight and aiding unexpected discoveries.     

Feedstock aids microPIM parts production: Tiny cogs test the imagination of powder professionals as small parts demand ever-finer materials…

With commercially available PIM feedstock reportedly unable to fulfill the requirements for the microPIM components under investigation, researchers at the Institute for Materials Research III (IMR) in Karlsruhe, Germany, have developed new binder systems for feedstock based on both nanoceramic and ultrafine metallic powders. In the case of ceramics (zirconia) the powders can be as fine as 300 nm, and for metals in the 3μm-5μm particle size range. The powders are used to develop PIM gearwheels (Figure 1) and other components for a demonstrator micro annular gear pump design (Figure 2); however, the technology is also said to be applicable to micro gears used in watches.     

Some techniques for geometric searching with implicit set representations

Summary There are many efficient ways of searching a set when all its elements can be represented in memory. Often, however, the domain of the search is too large to have each element stored separately, and some implicit representation must be used. Whether it is still possible to search efficiently in these conditions is the underlying theme of this paper. We look at several occurrences of this problem in computational geometry and we propose various lines of attack. In the course of doing so, we improve the solutions of several specific problems; for example, computing order statistics, performing polygonal range searching, testing algebraic predicates, etc.     

"Comment on 'Articulation of values'": Response to Cochran (1988).

We respond to Cochran's critique of our 1986 study, which was in part a replication of Cochran's original grid methodology for the study of career values. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Une architecture massivement parallèle intégrée

This paper presents a new massively parallel MIMD architecture, halfway between the Connection Machine and hypercubes based on 32-bit processors. It is built from specific 8-bit processors arranged in a 2-D grid and communicating by message transfers. We discuss the communication problems, the instruction set of the basic processing unit, the programmation of the whole array and the use of a high level data-flow language.