Water-soluble copolymers: 22. Copolymers of acrylamide with 2-acrylamido-2-methylpropanedimethylammonium chloride: Aqueous solution properties of a polycation

The viscometric, turbidimetric and potentiometric properties of copolymers of acrylamide (AM) with 2-acrylamido-2-methylpropanedimethylammonium chloride (AMPDAC) were studied in aqueous solutions. The AMPDAC polymers exhibit poor salt tolerance and large, negative viscosity/temperature coefficients. Furthermore, the polymers were found to be sensitive to changes in pH. The AMPDAC polymers undergo phase separation in the presence of dianions as a function of temperature and AMPDAC composition.     

8-Gbit/s transmission experiment over 68 km of optical fiber using a Ti:LiNbO3external modulator

We describe the performance of an experimental 1.5-μm lightwave transmission system operating at 8 Gbit/s over 68.3 km of single-mode fiber. The dispersion penalty is limited to 1 dB through the use of external modulation and is attributable to the intrinsic information bandwidth.     

Caring for dying children: nurses' experiences

Interviews with 25 nurses in this grounded theory study show that when nurses recognized that a child's death was inevitable, they struggled with both grief distress and moral distress. Their distress occurred within the context of the nurse-patient relationship. Nurses employed a range of strategies to manage their distress. Several conditions facilitated or constrained nurses' strategies, and resulted in far-reaching implications both professionally and personally.     

Some aspects of the analysis of coal by X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy

Bituminous coal samples from 84 distinct sources were analysed by conventional British Standards (BS) methods for phosphorus, sulphur, chlorine, ash and the ash-forming elements (calcium, silicon, aluminium, iron, sodium, magnesium, potassium, titanium and manganese). In most cases four determinations were made per element per source. Samples were crushed to ?212 μm (72 BS mesh) and pressed into aluminium cups at 20 t in^?2 (309 MPa) without binder or backing. Two pellets from each sample were analysed by wave-length dispersive X-ray fluorescence techniques, using a spectrometer equipped with a rhodium rube; the X-ray count took 60 s. The X-ray results were calibrated against the conventional results using multiple regression. The accuracy obtained was comparable with routine ‘wet chemical’ techniques. The X-ray technique is suitable for the routine determination of large numbers of samples.     

ESTIMATION FOR NONNEGATIVE AUTOREGRESSIVE PROCESSES WITH AN UNKNOWN LOCATION PARAMETER

Abstract. Consider an AR(1) process given by X ^t=γ+ø X _t+ Z _t≥ 1. where 0 ≤γ, 0 ≤ø 1 are unknown parameters and the innovations Z _t, ≥ 1, are independently and identically distributed positive random variables. We propose estimates of (γø) which are obtained as the solution to a linear programming problem and establish their strong consistency. When the Z _ts have the exponential distribution. our estimate becomes the conditional maximum likelihood estimate given X ₀. Under the assumption of regular variation of the innovation distribution at its left and right endpoints (assumed to be 0 and ∝ respectively), we establish asymptotic limit laws for the estimates. Consistent estimators for a class of moving-average processes with heavy-tailed innovation distribution are also presented.     

Development of porous zirconia spheres by polymerization-induced colloid aggregation — effect of polymerization rate

Polymerization-induced colloid aggregation is used to synthesize spheres of narrow size distribution which are porous aggregates of ZrO₂ colloids. Variation of the reaction pH has been investigated to determine the optimum rate of polymerization of the urea-formaldehyde resin. At the optimum rate, a colloid packing structure is formed where a balance of high porosity and high strength of the aggregates is achieved. This optimum coincides with the maximum yield of the 5 m sintered (polymer-free) particles. Particles synthesized at pH values below the optimum are mechanically weak; some are hollow spheres. Variation of the pore structure, and thus colloid packing structure, is elucidated by nitrogen adsorption and apparent density measurements. Differences on either side of the optimum pH are related to the efficiency of polymer-bridge formation between colloids.     

High-bandwidth laser-pulse generator using continuous-wave lasers

A laser-pulse generator for the transfer of continous-wave (cw) absolute radiometric calibrations to high-speed pulse photodetectors is described. The cw input lasers are modulated by a spinning polygon mirror in a ring cavity to produce high-speed, constant-amplitude, constant-shape laser pulses. Constantamplitude outputs range temporally from cw to 15-ns full-width at half-maximum (FWHM) Gaussian pulses. An all-reflective optical design permits operation of the device from the visible to the far-infrared spectral regions. Design and performance estimates for the pulse generator as well as experimental verification are presented.     

Numerical simulations of scattering in a two-photon optical data storage system

Scattering effects in a two-photon optical data storage system are numerically studied. Surface scattering analysis with a scalar, beam propagation model is performed. We analyze the problem by modeling scattering from randomly varying surfaces and also by Fourier surface decomposition. Scattering induced by propagation through multiple pages of randomly recorded data marks is also studied with a hybrid finite-difference-time-domain/angular-spectrum model. Both surface and bulk scattering are shown to influence the spatial properties of the optical beam. Results and some possible implications are presented.     

Impact of personality and intelligence on job satisfaction of assembly line and bench work - an industrial study

A study of the impact of machine-paced (M/P) and self-paced (S/P) work on job satisfaction of 28 female industrial assembly workers was evaluated in which M/P work was confounded with simplified work and the S/P job was confounded with enriched tasks. Results indicated the following:

1. 1. Over three-quarters of workers were more satisfied in S/P jobs, while only less than one-quarter were more satisfied in M/P jobs.

2. 2. The 16PF personality test effectively predicts (0·88 multiple correlation) the satisfaction ratios of M/P to S/P jobs.

Lidar sensing of aerosols and clouds in the troposphere and stratosphere

Advances in the development and application of lidar as a tool for the remote sensing of atmospheric aerosols and clouds are reviewed. The lidar sensing technique is described, and various approaches for solving the lidar equation to retrieve aerosol properties are summarized. Examples are presented of lidar applications of aerosol and cloud sensing in both the troposphere and stratosphere. These include environmental monitoring, atmospheric boundary layer studies, retrieval of aerosol optical and physical properties, sensing of clouds, and investigation of volcanic effects in the stratosphere. Comments are offered regarding the future outlook for aerosol and cloud sensing by both ground-based and spaceborne lidar.<>