An elementary proof of Sylvester’s double sums for subresultants

In 1853 Sylvester stated and proved an elegant formula that expresses the polynomial subresultants in terms of the roots of the input polynomials. Sylvester’s formula was also recently proved by Lascoux and Pragacz using multi-Schur functions and divided differences. In this paper, we provide an elementary proof that uses only basic properties of matrix multiplication and Vandermonde determinants.     

Validation of a Method for Analysis of Aroma Compounds in Red Wine using Liquid–Liquid Extraction and GC–MS

An analytical method for determination of volatile composition of wines using sample preparation by liquid–liquid extraction and gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry for separation and detection has been developed and validated. Extraction of volatile compounds was performed in dichloromethane, and 1-octanol was added as an internal standard. Kékfrankos red wine produced in Villány wine region in Hungary was used as a model wine for testing and validation of the method. The developed method allowed satisfactory determination of 33 volatile compounds in the wines. Compounds analyzed include alcohols, esters, lactones, fatty acids, furans, and nitrogen compounds. The calibration curves of the four reference compounds used (2-phenyl ethanol, ethyl nonanoate, butyrolactone, and tyrosol) were linear in all cases with correlation coefficients (R ²) ranging from 0.9951 to 0.9992. The accuracy of the method was checked with a standard addition method (recovery 92.2–103 %), showing good repeatability and reproducibility (RSD?<?10 %).     

全尺度林地景观的创造性管理——基于 瑞典农业科学大学阿尔纳普风景实验室项目 研究

20世纪80年代,瑞典农业科学大学风景园林系教授罗朗·古斯塔文森在阿尔纳普校区创建风景实验室,融汇三脉斯堪的纳维亚风景园林的历史源流,即农林、早期自然保护与城市公园,系统性、全尺度地探索一片幼林地风景的创造性管理。风景实验室将林地规划为多林分组合,作为营林、风景园林设计与教学,以及公共游览的同一场所,因循植物景观的自然形态与活态结构,善用林室氛围景观,实践一种协同营林、生态保育和风景审美效用的管理式设计,为发展多用途城市林地提供创新实验场所。在风景实验室教研组发表的项目论文与报告书等文献资料的基础上,说明主要实验原则与方法,解析创造性管理的风景园林设计主线,简述由风景实验室延伸出的设计概念与项目。     

Dynamic compression characteristics of flexible foams. II. Density variation

In Part I, a simple mathematical model was proposed, based on dimensional similarity parameters, to describe the characteristics of flexible plastic foams under impact conditions. The model assumes that the foam is a rate-dependent material. In the present part we extended the similarity model, by including the density of the foam parameter (for the same material and technological process). The density parameter is significant for systems cushioning with regard to weight and cost constraints. The behavior of flexible foams was studied with density as the variable parameter in a range of 100–240 kg/m³, with constant geometrical dimensions, for a wide range of drop heights and masses. We used the similarity parameters approach to predict the characteristics of the foams for various foam densities. The results show that for particular tested cases, the maximum deformation, the maximum deceleration, and the time pulse-period decrease as the foam density increases.     

On the construction of certain Dulac functions

Using methods for the construction of Lyapunov functions, some Dulac functions are obtained that assure the nonexistence of closed paths for second-order dynamical systems     

Application and validation of a clean-up tandem assay column for screening ochratoxin A in cocoa powder.

A rapid antibody-based assay for the detection of ochratoxin A in cocoa powder is described, involving sequential clean-up and visual detection of the toxin ("clean-up tandem assay column"). The screening test was developed to have a cut-off level of 2 microg kg(-1) and was shown to have false positive and false negative rates of 10 and 2%, respectively. Analysis of six samples can be carried out in the field in approximately 30 min by untrained workers. Using the proposed rapid screening test, 10 retail cocoa powders were found to contain no detectable levels of ochratoxin A (<2 microg kg(-1)). These samples were also found to be negative (<2 microg kg(-1)) when analysed using an LC-MS/MS method.     

Impairment in risk-sensitive decision-making in older suicide attempters with depression.

Suicidal behavior is a potentially lethal complication of late-life depression. In younger adults, suicide has been linked to abnormal decision-making ability. Given that there are substantial age-related decreases in decision-making ability, and that older adults experience environmental stressors that require effective decision-making, we reasoned that impaired decision-making may be particularly relevant to suicidal behavior in the elderly. We thus compared performance on a probabilistic decision-making task that does not involve working memory (“Cambridge Gamble Task”) in four groups of older adults: (1) individuals with major depression and a history of suicide attempt (n = 25), (2) individuals with major depression with active suicidal ideation but no suicide attempt (n = 13), (3) individuals with major depression without suicidality (n = 35), and (4) nondepressed control subjects (n = 22). There was a significant effect of group on quality of decision-making, whereby the suicide attempters exhibited poorer ability to choose the likely outcome, compared with the nonsuicidal depressed and nondepressed comparison subjects. There were no group differences in betting behavior. The suicide attempters differed in several aspects of social problem-solving on a self-report scale. Quality of decision-making was negatively correlated with the score on the impulsive/careless problem-solving subscale. These data suggest that older suicide attempters have a deficit in risk-sensitive decision-making, extending observations in younger adults. More specifically, older suicide attempters seem to neglect outcome probability and make poor choices. These impairments may precipitate and perpetuate suicidal crisis in depressed elders. Identification of decision-making impairment in suicidal elders may help with designing effective interventions. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

A safe method of analysis for mechanical damage in spherical radioactive sources used in remote afterloading brachytherapy devices

The examination of brachytherapy sources in a quality assurance program can result in significant exposure to staff. Even though exposure may be within prescribed limits attempts should be made to reduce such exposure to as low as reasonably achievable (ALARA concept). In this report, a system that can be used to examine small spherical radiation sources while minimizing exposure to staff is described.