Hydrogenation of canola oil in the presence of nickel and the methyl benzoate-chrome carbonyl complex

Canola oil was hydrogenated using a mixture of homogeneous methyl benzoate-Cr(CO)₃ and heterogeneous nickel catalysts. The effect of the methyl benzoate-Cr(CO)₃_to-nickel ratio on the activity, specific isomerization index, linoleate and linolenate selectivities, and fatty acid composition was evaluated, and the results compared with those obtained with commercial nickel catalyst and methyl benzoate-Cr(CO)₃ used individually. At higher chromium-to-nickel ratios the activity of nickel was inhibited and the system behaved essentially like the pure chrome complex, while at low chromium-to-nickel ratios the characteristics of the nickel predominated. In a short transition zone relatively high reaction rates were obtained with significantly reducedtrans-isomer levels in the product. In a broader sense, it may be possible to combine a homogeneous and heterogeneous catalyst while retaining the advantages of both. We may thus be able to design catalyst systems for specific applications.     

Effect of specimen size and loading conditions on spalling of concrete

Different qualities of concrete have been fire tested using different geometries of the specimens as well as different load levels and load configurations. The main objective with the study was to examine a test methodology consisting of a full‐scale test and different small scale‐tests for determining the probability of spalling and the amount of spalling of fire exposed concrete structures. A reference specimen was defined as a one‐sided fire exposed slab with the dimensions 1800 × 1200 mm² giving an exposed area of 1500 × 1200 mm². A number of concrete qualities with different probabilities for spalling, were tested using the reference specimen. These tests showed that the reference specimens worked well giving the expected test results. Small specimens were manufactured in different shapes with the same concrete as the one used in the reference tests. These small specimens were tested either at the same time as the reference specimens in the large furnace or afterwards on a small‐scale furnace where the fire exposed surface was 450 × 360 mm². The test results clearly show the increased probability and the increased amount of spalling by using external compressive loading. The results also show that by using pre‐stress through bars or wires the load can be lost due to heating of the bars/wires which results in a decreased amount of spalling. The boundary of the specimen also affects the amount of spalling. The spalling around the edges was in all tests less than the spalling on the central parts of the exposed area. It could also be noted that the spalling did not pass completely through any of the specimens. The reason for this is probably that the water/vapour could migrate out from the unexposed surface of the specimen. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Some spatial equilibria in facility investment under uncertain demand

This paper describes the spatial distribution of customer demand, supply of customer services and facility investment, as the outcome of a three-level game-like interaction between customers (e.g., shoppers), suppliers (e.g., retailers) and developers (e.g., landlords). Treating both the suppliers and developers at each centre as competitors, oligopolistic equilibria of the Nash-Stackelberg type are developed, and conditions for their existence and uniqueness established. Uncertain customer demand is specified in probabilistic terms, representing the suppliers' perception of expected customer behaviour.     

Pro Online-Durchsuchung

Zusammenfassung Die rasante Entwicklung des Internets bewirkt neben einer sich verst?rkenden Internationalisierung von Terrorismus und Organisierter Kriminalit?t einen Strukturwandel weltweiter Kommunikation und Datenspeicherung.     

1D selection of 2D objects in head-worn displays

In current desktop user interfaces, selection is usually accomplished easily with a mouse or a similar two-dimensional locator. In wearable computing, however, controlling two dimensions simultaneously gets significantly harder: a change in one dimension results easily in an undesired change in the other dimension as well when the user is occupied with a parallel task – such as walking. We present a way to overcome this problem by applying one-dimensional selection for graphical user interfaces in head-worn displays. Our new interaction technique allows a wearable computer user to perform object selection tasks easily and accurately. The technique is based on a visible circle on the screen. The user controls the circle, altering its radius with a one-dimensional valuator. The midpoint of the circle is in the middle of the screen. The object currently on the perimeter of the circle is highlighted and can be selected. Our preliminary usability evaluation, applying our custom evaluation method designed especially for walking users, indicates that the proposed technique is usable also when walking.     

Electronic Transport in Ultrathin Gold Films on Si(111)

The morphology and electronic transport of ultrathin Au films with thicknesses d = 1 ? 5 monolayers (ML) deposited on Si(111)7 × 7 surfaces is investigated by in situ scanning tunneling microscopy and electrical resistance measurements for temperatures T = 2 ? 300 K. With decreasing film thickness, i.e. decreasing sheet conductance G_s, a transition from a weakly conducting regime described by a logarithmic temperature dependence to an insulating regime occurs. In the insulating regime, the temperature dependence is described by G_s ∝ exp[?(T ₀ /T) ⁿ] with an exponent n which gradually changes from 0.69 to 1 with decreasing film thickness. In contrast, for the Si(111)6 × 6-Au reconstruction obtained after annealing, an exponent n = 1/2 is found suggesting the formation of a soft Coulomb gap due to electron-electron interaction. PACS numbers: 68.37.-d, 68.55.-a, 73.50.-h, 73.25.+i, 81.15.-z