A fragmentary model of vitreous As<Subscript>2</Subscript>S<Subscript>3</Subscript>

The X-ray scattering intensity curves for vitreous As₂S₃ are experimentally measured using soft (copper) and hard (molybdenum) X rays. The inclusion of all the specific features revealed in the experimental scattering intensity curves makes it possible to obtain the experimental atomic radial distribution function (ARDF) in the ordering range up to ～1 nm. The experimental ARDF is interpreted in the framework of the fragmentary model. A comparison of the experimental ARDF with the model ARDF calculated from the crystal structure data obtained for orpiment demonstrates that the corrugated layers inherent in crystalline As₂S₃ are retained in the glass structure but the characteristic interlayer interatomic distances are absent. The layers are joined together through the As₄S₅ molecular clusters. Microcrystals consisting of several unit cells are absent in the glass structure, which involves only the structural fragments of both crystalline analogs. One of the possible variants of their joining is proposed.     

Reproducibility of plastic measurements: The need to modify State Standard GOST 1186-87

A very important characteristic of coking coal is its clinkering ability, i.e., its ability to form a nonvolatile solid residue, consisting of disparate grains, on heating in specific conditions. The clinkering ability of the coal is determined by the properties of its plastic mass. Various methods may be used to evaluate the plastic-ductile properties of the coal. However, since the 1930s, the main method used to evaluate the clinkering properties of coal, within the nations of the former Soviet Union, has been the Sapozhnikov-Bazilevich plastometric method, because it provides more information than competing approaches. For the same reason, the thickness of the plastic layer, which is one of the parameters determined by this method, is used for coal classification in State Standard GOST 25543-88 (Lignite, Coal, and Anthracite: Genetic and TEchnological Classification) and its Ukrainian counterpart DSTU 3472-96 (Lignite, Coal, and Anthracite: Classification). This explains the strict requirements on the accuracy and reliability of the plastometric characteristics.     

Studies on the microstructure of the black-glazed bowl sherds excavated from the Jian kiln site of ancient China

The Jian kiln, located in present-day Jianyang county of Fujian province, mainly produced black-glazed tea bowls. Jian tea bowl was used as a utensil for tea tasting and was greatly appreciated by emperor Huizong of the Northern Song dynasty. The black glaze of Jian bowl was sometimes marked with streaks or spots, usually called “hare's fur” or “oil spot”, which are the crystalline markings of iron oxide precipitated during firing in the dragon kiln. In this study, black-glazed Jian bowl sherds excavated from the late Northern Song strata of Luhuaping and Daluhoumen Jian kiln sites were adopted as test samples. Based on the physico-chemical foundation for the formation of glaze microstructure, the correlation among composition, microstructure, and visual appearance has been investigated by means of energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence, X-ray diffraction, and field emission electron microscopy. For the first time, the study provides realizing proofs for two kinds of microstructural forming mechanics.     

Swift and Selective Reduction of Nitroaromatics to Aromatic Amines with Ni–Boride–Silica Catalysts System at Low Temperature

Various nitroaromatics are successfully reduced to amines with 100% conversion and selectivity in methanol at low temperature (≈5 °C), by using versatile system of 5% Ni–SiO₂ catalyst and NaBH₄ and in situ generation of Ni boride. The catalytic efficiency of Ni loading (5%, 10% and 15%) with silica or titania as support materials is investigated for reduction of nitrobenzene. The Ni–titania/NaBH₄ system recorded lower conversion and selectivity. The IR studies indicate that silica support does not have free –OH group on its surface. Thus the nickel boride is anchored to the silica to facilitate the catalytic process.     

Robustness of classification rules that incorporate additional information

The discrimination problem for two normal populations with the same covariance matrix when additional information on the population is available is considered. A study of the robustness properties against training sample contamination of classification rules that incorporate this additional information is performed. These rules have received recently attention where their total misclassification probability (TMP) is proved to be lower than Fisher's linear discriminant rule. The results of a simulation study on the TMP which compares the behaviour of the new rules against Fisher's rule and some of its robustified versions under different types of contamination are presented. These results show that the rules that incorporate the additional information not only have lower TMP, but they also prevent against some types of contamination. In order to achieve prevention from all types of contamination a robustifed version of these rules is recommended.     

富氧燃烧技术在梭式窑中的应用

研究了富氧燃烧技术对梭式窑烧成的影响.研究结果表明,随着氧浓度从21%-30%的逐渐增加,CO总浓度和NO总浓度都先明显下降,后缓慢上升;节能效果在初始段较为明显,而后效果不明显;而实际烟气量与氧浓度成反比,与过剩空气系数成正比.     

Protoplast from <Emphasis Type="Italic">β</Emphasis>-carotene-producing fungus <Emphasis Type="Italic">Blakeslea trispora</Emphasis>: Preparation,regeneration and validation

The effects of key parameters on the preparation and regeneration of protoplast from the β-carotene-producing fungus Blakeslea trispora were discussed in this paper, including the combination of various enzymes, mycelial age, digesting time and temperature, pH value, osmotic stabilizers, pretreatment, culture medium and culture method. Under the condition of mixed enzymes in osmotic stabilizer (0.6 M NaCl) combined with 2% lysozyme, 3% cellulase and 3% snailase, the highest protoplast yield, as high as 7.48×106 protoplasts/mL, was obtained when mycelial age was 60 h at pH 5.0–6.0 with digesting for 14–16 h at 28 °C. After purification of the obtained protoplasts, they were regenerated in PDA regenerative medium using bilayer plate culture method. To validate the usability of the protoplasts, a novel plasmid with green fluorescent protein (GFP) was used in transformation for easy visual observation. The results showed that the protoplasts prepared by the optimized method were active and applicable in further gene manipulation experiments. This work was presented at 13 ^th YABEC symposium held at Seoul, Korea, October 20–22, 2007.     

Laminar-turbulent transition in an electromagnetically levitated droplet

During experiments on the MSL-1 (first microgravity science laboratory) mission of the space shuttle (STS-83 and STS-94, April and July 1997), a droplet of palladium-silicon alloy was electromagnetically levitated for viscosity measurements. For the nondeforming droplet, the resultant magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) flow inside the drop can be inferred from motion of impurity particulates on the surface. In the experiments, subsequent to melting, Joule heating produces a continuous reduction of viscosity of the fluid resulting in an acceleration of the flow with time. These observations indicate formation of a pair of co-rotating toroidal flow structures inside the spheroidal drop that undergo flow instabilities. As the fluid temperature rises, the amplitude of the secondary flow increases, and beyond a point, the tracers exhibit noncoherent chaotic motion signifying emergence of turbulence inside the drop. Assuming that the observed laminar-turbulent transition is shear-layer type, the internal structure of the toroidal loops is used to develop a semiempirical correlation for the onset of turbulence. Our calculations indicate that the suggested correlation is in modest agreement with the experimental data, with the transition occurring at a Reynolds number of 600.