Far-Infrared Reflection Spectra of Dielectric Ceramics for Microwave Applications

Far-infrared reflection spectra of dielectric ceramics, BaSm₂Ti₅O₁₄, BaTi₄O₉, and some pcrovskites such as Ba(Zn_1/3Nb_2/3)O₃, have been measured at room temperature using a Fourier transform infrared spectrometer in order to investigate the effect of the crystal structure on the dielectric properties. As for perovskites, Sr(Zn_1/3Nb_2/3)O₃ and Sr(Mg_1/3Nb_2/3)O₃, in which B site ions are ordered, were also measured. Reflectance data were analyzed by means of a factorized form of dielectric functions instead of the classical dispersion theory, and all of the spectra were well fitted. The values of dielectric constants and tan δ calculated from the reflectance data were in good agreement with resonant cavity measurements at 5 GHz. Furthermore, results of this study have shown that the main contribution to the microwave dielectric properties is caused by low-frequency optically active modes located at 50 to about 300 cm⁻¹, and for perovskite structures it is suggested that the ordering of B site ions is significant in obtaining low dielectric losses.     

Solid-state high-resolution 13C-NMR studies of regenerated cellulose samples with different crystallinities

Summary CP/DD/MASS ¹³C-NMR spectra have been obtained for regenerated cellulose samples with different crystallinities as well as for cotton, -D-glucose, -D-cellobiose, and cellopentaose. The spectra of the regenerated cellulose samples exhibit broad multiplicities of the C-4 and C-6 resonance lines in a similar manner as those of native cellulose samples such as cotton and ramie, and, in addition, another broad tailing of the C-1 resonance. Since these multiplicities change linearly with crystallinity, it is concluded that they are ascribed to the contributions from the crystalline and noncrystalline components. Effects of hydrogen bonds and conformations of the -1,4-glycosidic linkage on the chemical shifts are also discussed.     

Multiple robust H∞ controller design using the nonsmooth optimization method

This paper proposes a systematic technique to design multiple robust H_∞ controllers. The proposed technique achieves a desired robust performance objective, which is impossible to achieve with a single robust controller, by dividing the uncertainty set into several subsets and by designing a robust controller to each subset. To achieve this goal with a small number of divisions of the uncertainty set, an optimization problem is formulated. Since the cost function of this optimization problem is not a smooth function, a numerical nonsmooth optimization algorithm is proposed to solve this problem. This method avoids the use of Lyapunov variables, and therefore it leads to a moderate size optimization problem. A numerical example shows that the proposed multiple robust control method can improve the closed‐loop performance when a single robust controller cannot achieve satisfactory performance. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Seismic proof test of a reinforced concrete containment vessel (RCCV): Part 2: Results of shaking table tests

A 1/8-scale model was constructed of a reinforced concrete containment vessel (RCCV) used in the latest advanced boiling water reactors (ABWR). Shaking table tests were conducted on it with input motions corresponding to or exceeding a design earthquake assumed for a real Nuclear Power Plant.The objectives of the tests were to verify the structural integrity and the leak-proof functional soundness of the RCCV subjected to design earthquakes, and to determine the ultimate strength and seismic margin by an excitation that led to the model's collapse. The model, the test sequence and the pressure and leak test results were addressed in Part 1. The shaking table test method, the input motions and the test results, including the transition of the model's stiffness, natural frequencies and damping factors and the effects of vertical input motions and internal pressure on the model's characteristics and behavior, the load–deformation, the ultimate strength, the failure mode of the reinforced concrete portion and the liner plate are described here. The seismic safety margin that was evaluated by the energy input during the failure test to a design basis earthquake will be described in Part 3. The analytical results of simulation using the multi-lumped mass model will be described in Part 4.     

A robust solver using a continuation method for Nevanlinna-Pick interpolation with degree constraint

This note modifies a previous algorithm for solving a certain convex optimization problem, introduced by Byrnes, Georgiou, and Lindquist, to determine any Nevanlinna-Pick interpolant satisfying degree constraint. The modified algorithm is based on a continuation method with predictor-corrector steps and it turns out to be quite efficient and numerically robust.     

Matrix-valued Nevanlinna-Pick interpolation with complexity constraint: an optimization approach

Over the last several years, a new theory of Nevanlinna-Pick interpolation with complexity constraint has been developed for scalar interpolants. In this paper we generalize this theory to the matrix-valued case, also allowing for multiple interpolation points. We parameterize a class of interpolants consisting of "most interpolants" of no higher degree than the central solution in terms of spectral zeros. This is a complete parameterization, and for each choice of interpolant we provide a convex optimization problem for determining it. This is derived in the context of duality theory of mathematical programming. To solve the convex optimization problem, we employ a homotopy continuation technique previously developed for the scalar case. These results can be applied to many classes of engineering problems, and, to illustrate this, we provide some examples. In particular, we apply our method to a benchmark problem in multivariate robust control. By constructing a controller satisfying all design specifications but having only half the McMillan degree of conventional H/sup /spl infin// controllers, we demonstrate the advantage of the proposed method.     

Development of a homogeneous competitive immunoassay for phosphorylated protein antigen based on the enhanced fluorescence resonance energy transfer technology

We describe a homogeneous competitive immunoassay for a phosphorylated protein antigen. The assay takes advantage of the enhanced fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) technology, which has a unique characteristic that the FRET signal is increased by the specific interaction of two fluorolabeled leucine zippers. We chose extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) as a model antigen and constructed two molecular probes in which either anti-phosphorylation site antibody or the antigen peptide was chemically conjugated to the enhanced FRET probes. While these molecular probes indicated sufficient FRET signal without antigen, they displayed a significant change in the fluorescent spectrum by mixing with phosphorylated antigens. With this competitive enhanced FRET immunoassay, a phosphorylated ERK concentration within the range from 15 nM to 250 nM could be determined. Because the assay is very simple, it would be applied to not only in vitro assay but also in vivo detection of protein phosphorylation.     

CFD analysis of pollutant dispersion around buildings: Effect of cell geometry

The choice of the best mesh in terms of cost, time and accuracy of computational solutions in the CFD industry is a challenging topic and a subject of some controversy. Generating meshes based on hexahedral elements requires significant time and effort, however, these meshes are claimed to produce high quality solutions. Meshes that employ tetrahedral elements can be constructed much faster in complex geometries, but may increase the levels of numerical diffusion. The objective of this study is to better establish quantitative assessment of the influence of cell geometry in the computational mesh on the CFD results of pollutant dispersion around buildings in order to help modelers to choose the most effective mesh type for their applications. In order to achieve this objective, two widely used mesh styles, i.e., hexahedral-based and tetrahedral-based meshes, are considered in the simulation of this flow problem. Quantitative grid convergence was calculated based on a grid convergence index (GCI). The mesh style was found to have an observable effect on the calculated pollutant concentrations. For instance, the hexahedral-based mesh was observed to have GCI values that were in an order of magnitude below the tetrahedral-based mesh values for all resolutions considered, even in the very fine tetrahedral-based mesh. Furthermore, the GCI value, and hence the truncation error, remains high compared to conventional hexahedral cases. The study recommends taking special care when employing an unstructured tetrahedral-based mesh to ensure that the mesh is fine enough and any numerical errors should be documented for selected variables reported analogous to experimental uncertainty in order to assess the quality of the numerical solution.