Normative Systems and their Revision: An Algebraic Approach

The paper discusses normative systems and their revision within an algebraic framework. If a system is logically well-formed, certain norms, called connecting norms, determine the system as a whole. It is maintained that, if the system is well-formed, a relation “at least as low as” determines a lattice or quasi-lattice of its connecting norms. The ideas are presented mainly in the form of comments on a legal example concerning acquisition of movable property by extinction of another person's previous rights.     

Postintegration methods for numerical integration of non-linear dynamic equations of motion

The paper presents a family of methods with postintegration, for numerical integration of non-linear dynamic equations of motion of discrete systems. Both explicit and implicit algorithms of these methods are conditionally stable, but can give solutions of accuracy of a few orders higher than the known methods with preintegration, corresponding to them. A general analysis of stability and accuracy of single-step methods is carried out. The postintegration methods have been tested on a single-degree-of-freedom non-linear system.     

Rank order filters and priority queues

Summary A derivation of a parallel algorithm for rank order filtering is presented. Both derivation and result differ from earlier designs: the derivations are less complicated and the result allows a number of different implementations. The same derivation is used to design a collection of priority queues. Both filters and priority queues are highly efficient: they have constant response time and small latency. Anne Kaldewaij received an M.Sc. degree in Mathematics from the University of Utrecht (The Netherlands) and a Ph.D. degree in Computing Science from the Eindhoven University of Technology. Currently, he is associate professor in Computing Science at Eindhoven University. His research includes parallel programming and the design of algorithms and data structures. He enjoys teaching and he has written a number of textbooks on mathematics and programming. Jan Tijmen Udding received an M.Sc. degree in Mathematics in 1980 and a Ph.D. degree in Computing Science in 1984 from Eindhoven University of Technology. Currently, he is associate professor at Groningen University. His main research interests are mathematical aspects of VLSI, program derivation and correctness, and functional programming.     

New CAMAC based data acquisition and beam control system for Lund nuclear microprobe

A new CAMAC based data acquisition system has been installed at the Lund Nuclear Microprobe facility. This paper reports on the development and present status of the data acquisition system. The system is a true multiparameter CAMAC based system with fast Fera bus readout and in crate memory buffer. The user interface is based on Sparrow Kmax software for a Power Macintosh platform. The system read out and tag the event data with position on-line, which make fast on-line monitoring of spectra or element maps possible.Simultaneously, all data can be saved event by event for off-line analysis. The beam scanning part is software controlled through a timed D/A converter, this allows fast scanning of the beam. With a CCD-camera and video card the area to be analysed could be defined directly from the image, and the sample position can be moved. Any kind of irregular scan patterns could be defined.     

Structure-activity studies of human tumour necrosis factors

The mechanism by which tumour necrosis factors (TNF and lymphotoxin,also called TNFß and TNFß respectively) exerttheir cytotoxic activity on many malignant cells, remains largelyunknown. Furthermore, the broad array of differentiation (geneinduction) and mitogenic activities towards many primary cellsis still a subject of intensive investigation. TNF is an importantmediator in inflammation, immune responses and infection-relatedphenomena and these activities contribute to the severe toxidtyseen when TNF is used as an anticancer agent. The first stepin the mechanism of action is the specific binding of the ligandto its receptors and dissection of the molecular mechanism involvedin this interaction is the subject of this review. The reasonsfor the interest in this aspect are obvious: first, the developmentof strong antagonistic TNF analogues can be useful in dampeningthe potentially lethal or debilitating effects of an overproductionof the cytokine (as in septic shock or rheumatoid arthritis).Secondly, since two distinct TNF receptors exist, constructionof TNF muteins that distinguish between both types may leadto derivatives of this plekrtropic agent with a more restrictedbiological activity pattern. Ideally, one would like to developa TNF mutant that has retained its cytotoxic action on tumourcells without inducing the deleterious systemic toxteity. Suchan optimized TNF molecule could become a potent anticancer agent     

热等静压技术的发展及应用

在介绍热等静压技术和设备发展的基础上，对其在提高铸件质量以及拓展高速钢、双炼钢和超级双炼钢、高性能陶瓷等新型材料应用领域方面的作用，进行了较全面的阐述。并预计，因热等静压技术所具有的优势，在今后几年其应用增长可达到每年递增15％-20％的水平，且随着其在铝加工工艺中应用的拓展，年增长率可望达到25％。     

Investigation of bounds on particle packing in pebble-bed high temperature reactors

Models and methods are presented for determining practical limits of the packing density of TRISO particles in fuel pebbles for a pebble-bed reactor (PBR). These models are devised for designing and interpreting fuel testing experiments. Two processes for particle failure are accounted for: failure of touching particles at the pressing stage in the pebble manufacturing process and failure due to inner pressure buildup during irradiation. The second process gains importance with increasing fuel temperature, which limits the particle packing density and the corresponding fuel enrichment. Suggestions for improvements to the models are presented.     

Solubilisation and Degradation of Wheat Gluten Proteins by Barley Malt Proteolytic Enzymes

Solubilisation and degradation of wheat gluten proteins by barley malt proteolytic enzymes (BMPE) was investigated with a model buffer system at pH 4.0 and pH 5.6, representing optimal pH for proteolysis and a pH value typical for beer brewing conditions respectively. Under the experimental conditions, incubation of commercial wheat gluten with BMPE solubilised 70% and 20% of the gluten proteins at pH 4.0 and pH 5.6 respectively. Gel permeation chromatography profiles and SDS‐PAGE showed that wheat gluten proteins were more degraded by BMPE at pH 4.0 than at pH 5.6. In a laboratory scale barley malt brewing experiment, proteins of worts, prepared with and without wheat gluten, were characterised. Results comparable to those in the model buffer system at pH 5.6 were obtained, which indicated that BMPE indeed solubilise wheat gluten during mashing, but that further degradation is rather limited under these conditions.     

High-speed, polyimide-based semi-insulating planar buried heterostructures

We describe planar buried heterostructure lasers which have low capacitance (lpF), large bandwidth (19GHz), high power (>20mW/facet) and high temperature operation (100°C). These lasers are very suitable for long-distance, highspeed digital and analogue signal transmission.