Synthesis and applications of XAD-4-DAN chelate resin for the separation and determination of Se(IV)

Solid-phase extraction for cationic elements is a promising approach for water treatment or for analysis applications. However, supports that allow the selective extraction and/or preconcentration of metalloid species are still not widespread. A new chelating sorbent has been prepared by grafting 2,3-diaminonaphtalene (DAN) on Amberlite^® XAD-4 resin beads via a diazo bridge. The synthesis was first carried out at a molecular level to optimise experimental conditions and to facilitate characterisation of solid sorbent by FTIR. TGA, Py-GC/MS experiments and back titration of amine functions showed that the sorbent was grafted. Se(IV) was retained by grafted Amberlite^® XAD-4 with a rate of 88% at pH 2 and 80 °C. This paper presents a convenient way of grafting DAN on polystyrene-like resins and the first applications of these supports in solid-phase extraction of Se(IV).     

满足对背板连接器在信号速率和密度方面的更高要求

对电信和数据通信系统的设计者来说，高达12Gb／s的数据速率已经成为满足当前与未来市场要求的最新基准。但是，只要还使用背板连接，速度就不是唯一一个需要解决的问题。芯片设计师、参考设计单位、系统设计师们认为更高的信号密度具有同等重要性。     

EEG-based synchronized brain-computer interfaces: a model for optimizing the number of mental tasks.

The information-transfer rate (ITR) is commonly used to assess the performance of brain-computer interfaces (BCIs). Various studies have shown that the optimal number of mental tasks to be used is fairly low, around 3 or 4. We propose an experimental validation as well as a formal approach to demonstrate and confirm that this optimum is user and BCI design dependent. Even if increasing the number of mental tasks to the optimum indeed leads to an increase of the ITR, the gain remains small. This might not justify the added complexity in terms of protocol design.     

Effect of cations on corrosion of zinc and carbon steel covered with chloride deposits under atmospheric conditions

The effect of sodium, calcium, and magnesium chlorides deposited on zinc and carbon steel surfaces was studied under atmospheric conditions. The cations strongly affected the corrosion rate of zinc, whereas they had a significantly lower impact on the corrosion of carbon steel. The corrosivity of cations of chloride salts for zinc increased in order of Mg²⁺ < Ca²⁺ < Na⁺. The higher corrosion resistance of zinc treated with calcium and magnesium chlorides was connected to prevention of formation of hydrozincite during zinc exposure in wet air. It was observed that zinc weight loss and the carbonate to simonkolleite ratio in corrosion products were correlating. The principal protective effect of bivalent cations can be seen in the decrease of pH of the surface electrolyte, which was caused by hydrolysis of such cations and subsequent formation of simonkolleite that blocked the cathodic sites.     

In situ studies of the corrosion during drying of confined zinc surfaces

The corrosion process during the drying out of zinc surfaces confined in crevices was studied using real time photograpy and in situ FTIR microspectroscopy. A pH‐indicator was used to visualise differences in the pH during the drying process. The distribution and the composition of the corrosion products after several wetting and drying cycles were studied with FTIR microspectroscopy and SEM‐EDS. An area with high pH formed during the drying process at the border of the electrolyte, with a zone of white corrosion products that contained zinc hydroxycarbonate in the electrolyte inside this area. A differential aeration cell is present at the border of the electrolyte, and the cathodic oxygen reduction reaction takes place close to the border of the electrolyte during the drying process. The corrosion attack and the distribution and composition of the corrosion products on the surface depend strongly on the drying process of the surface. The corrosion attack of confined surfaces was localised, with a significantly higher corrosion attack in some areas. Outside the drying front a thin layer of electrolyte formed as a result of surface tension driven flow of electrolyte from the electrolyte border. This effect was attributed to the alkaline pH of the electrolyte due to the oxygen reduction reaction at the border. A galvanic element was formed between the local cathodes in the area outside the drying front and the anode in the area with bulk electrolyte. The main corrosion products detected after several wet dry cycles were ZnO, Zn₅(OH)₆(CO₃)₂ and Zn₅(OH)₈Cl₂ · H₂O, but Na₂CO₃ · 10H₂O was also detected. The corrosion products were non‐homogeneously distributed on the surface and the distribution was related to the anodic and cathodic processes that took place in different regions on the surface during the corrosion process.     

Anti-correlation as a criterion to select appropriate counter-measures in an intrusion detection framework

Since current computer infrastructures are increasingly vulnerable to malicious activities, intrusion detection is necessary but unfortunately not sufficient. We need to design effective response techniques to circumvent intrusions when they are detected. Our approach is based on a library that implements different types of counter-measures. The idea is to design a decision support tool to help the administrator to choose, in this library, the appropriate counter-measure when a given intrusion occurs. For this purpose, we formally define the notion of anti-correlation which is used to determine the counter-measures that are effective to stop the intrusion. Finally, we present a platform of intrusion detection that implements the response mechanisms presented in this paper.     

Thermal Expansion Studies of Selected High-Temperature Thermoelectric Materials

Radioisotope thermoelectric generators (RTGs) generate electrical power by converting the heat released from the nuclear decay of radioactive isotopes (typically plutonium-238) into electricity using a thermoelectric converter. RTGs have been successfully used to power a number of space missions and have demonstrated their reliability over an extended period of time (tens of years) and are compact, rugged, radiation resistant, scalable, and produce no noise, vibration or torque during operation. System conversion efficiency for state-of-practice RTGs is about 6% and specific power ≤5.1 W/kg. A higher specific power would result in more onboard power for the same RTG mass, or less RTG mass for the same onboard power. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory has been leading, under the advanced thermoelectric converter (ATEC) project, the development of new high-temperature thermoelectric materials and components for integration into advanced, more efficient RTGs. Thermoelectric materials investigated to date include skutterudites, the Yb₁₄MnSb₁₁ compound, and SiGe alloys. The development of long-lived thermoelectric couples based on some of these materials has been initiated and is assisted by a thermomechanical stress analysis to ensure that all stresses under both fabrication and operation conditions will be within yield limits for those materials. Several physical parameters are needed as input to this analysis. Among those parameters, the coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) is critically important. Thermal expansion coefficient measurements of several thermoelectric materials under consideration for ATEC are described in this paper. The stress response at the interfaces in material stacks subjected to changes in temperature is discussed, drawing on work from the literature and project-specific tools developed here. The degree of CTE mismatch and the associated effect on the formation of stress is highlighted.     

Token transfers among great apes (Gorilla gorilla, Pongo pygmaeus, Pan paniscus, and Pan troglodytes): Species differences, gestural requests, and reciprocal exchange.

Great apes appear to be the nonhuman primates most capable of recognizing trading opportunities and engaging in transfers of commodities with conspecifics. Spontaneous exchange of goods between them has not yet been reported. We tested gorillas (Gorilla gorilla), orangutans (Pongo pygmaeus), bonobos (Pan paniscus), and chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) in a token-exchange task involving two conspecifics and a human experimenter. Tested in pairs, subjects had to exchange tokens with a partner to obtain food from the experimenter. We observed 4, 5, 264, and 328 transfers of tokens in gorillas, chimpanzees, orangutans, and bonobos, respectively. Most gifts were indirect in gorillas, chimpanzees, and bonobos, whereas most were direct in orangutans. The analysis showed no evidence of calculated reciprocity in interactions. A main finding of the study was the high rate of repeated gifts and begging gestures recorded in orangutans. This raises the question of the meaning of pointing in great apes and their ability to understand the communicative intent of others. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Induced anisotropic permeability due to drying of concrete

Structural strength, porous space, and permeability of concrete are strongly affected by mechanical, hydrous, and thermal loading. These various loadings may lead to drying shrinkage, one of the main characteristics of this type of material, which has to be involved in the behaviour modelling and experimental investigations being the subjects of this paper. Experimental devices and principal parameters studied are first presented. Drying shrinkage and loss of mass in time were measured on prismatic samples while uniaxial compression tests were performed on cylindrical samples. Gas permeability tests, carried out on a concrete cylinder 30 mm in diameter, form the second part of this study. The samples used for these measurements were cored from each prismatic sample at the end of 10 months or 2 years of drying, either from the transverse direction of sample (privileged direction of drying) or from the longitudinal direction. Gas permeability procedure, using micropulse test technique, is described as well as the experimental process. Experimental results are finally commented on and discussed with a view on induced anisotropy due to desiccation. Such an anisotropy is clearly observable in permeability, which is also increasing with drying time.