Sound velocities and elasticity of aluminous MgSiO_3 perovskite: Implications for aluminum heterogeneity in Earth's lower mantle

Aluminum has been reported to have a remarkably strong effect on the thermoelastic properties of MgSiO_3 perovskite. However, the sound velocities of aluminous MgSiO_3 perovskite have not been previously measured, even though this phase likely dominates most of the chemistry in Earth's lower mantle. Here we report the first sound velocity measurements on aluminous MgSiO_3 perovskite using Brillouin spectroscopy and obtain the following values for the room-pressure room-temperature adiabatic bulk and shear moduli: K_S = 252 ± 5 GPa and μ = 165 ± 2 GPa, respectively. The presence of 5.1 ± 0.2 wt.% Al_(2)O_3 in MgSiO_3 perovskite decreases the shear modulus by 5.6%. However, within experimental uncertainties, there is no discernable effect of aluminum on the bulk modulus. We find that variations in the aluminum content of MgSiO_3 perovskite may provide an explanation for some observed lateral heterogeneity in Earth's lower mantle

Study on the extraction of dioscin by the ultrasonicassisted ethanol

With Dioscorea zingiberensis as row materials, and with the yield of diosgenin as assessment criteria, the effect on extraction yield of dioscin of frequency of ultrasonic, the period of ultrasonic and solidliquid ratio (D. zingiberensis : alcohol) was studied via orthogonal test. A new and unique method to accomplish this was by utilizing the technology of ultrasonic assisted ethanol extraction. The optimal processing parameters of this method were confirmed. The method was compared with solvent extraction process for the effect on extraction yield of dioscin. It was shown that the technology of ultrasonic assisted ethanol extraction which can significantly increase the extraction yield and extraction efficiency of dioscin. The ultrasonic did not destroy D. zingiberensis cell structure, but decreased the boundary layer thickness between D. zingiberensis (solid phase) and alcohol (medium), and accelerated cells inside and outside the material exchange. International rectifier (IR) further demonstrated that ultrasonic merely increased extraction yield of dioscin instead of destroying the cell structure.Keywords: D. zingiberensis, ultrasonic waves, extraction, diosgenin

Polyelectrolyte complex coacervation: Effects of concentration asymmetry

Using a simple liquid-state theory, we study the phase behaviors of concentration-asymmetric mixtures of polycation and polyanion solutions. We construct a three-dimensional (3D) phase diagram in terms of the concentrations of the three independent charged components: polycation, polyanion, and small cation (p_(P^+) − p_(P^−) − p_+), for a given Bjerrum length. This phase diagram yields rich and complex phase-separation scenarios. To illustrate, we sequentially examine the following three systems that are directly relevant to experiments: a symmetric mixture, an asymmetric mixture with one type of small ions, and an asymmetric mixture with both types of small ions. We re-express the information in the 3D phase diagram using three experimentally more easily controllable parameters—the asymmetry factor r, the initial extra-salt concentration p_(s,0), and the initial polyelectrolyte (PE) concentration p_(P,0) of both solutions prior to mixing. We construct three reduced phase diagrams in the p_(P,0) − r, r − p_(s,0), and p_(s,0) − p_(P,0) planes, respectively, and examine the evolution of the volume fraction of the coexisting phases, concentration of the PE and small-ion species in each phase, and the Galvani potential Ψ_G, as functions of these experimental controlling parameters. We rationalize our findings in terms of the key thermodynamic factors, namely, the translational entropy of the small ions, the electrostatic correlation energy, and the requirement for charge neutrality

The design of an atmospheric pressure ionization/time‐of‐flight mass spectrometer using a beam deflection method

A novel time‐of‐flight (TOF) mass spectrometer configuration has been designed which can be interfaced to a continuous ion beam source produced by atmospheric pressure ionization. The TOF device uses a beam deflection method to sweep the ion beam past a slit placed near the ionization source in order to generate a start pulse for TOF detection. The beam sweep technique is modeled by computer simulation and optimized for the various experimental parameters. Nonvolatile samples are injected into the TOF device using liquid injection into a glow discharge atmospheric pressure ionization source in helium. A resolution of at least 519 at m/z 311 is obtained, which is limited by the experimental parameters available in our experiment. The mass resolution is computer modeled and it is shown that as the mass increases, the experimental constraints become less important, and the resolution will increase. It is predicted that using the correct experimental conditions and with the addition of an ion reflector that resolution of well over 1000 should be obtained.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/70760/2/RSINAK-63-1-139-1.pd

Modelling Response Properties Across the Orientation Map in Visual Cortex

Stimulus orientation in the primary visual cortex of primates and carnivores is mapped as iso-orientation domains radiating from pinwheel centers, where orientation preferences of neighboring cells change circularly. Whether this orientation map has a function is debated, because many mammals, such as rodents, do not have such maps. Here we model our physiological results that two fundamental properties of visual cortical responses, contrast saturation and cross-orientation suppression, are stronger within iso-orientation domains than at pinwheel centers. Our model expands on a standard thalamic model of cross orientation suppression, and explains differences between orientation domains by intra-cortical excitation (not normalization) from neighboring oriented neurons, balanced by inhibition from un-oriented neurons. The functions of the pinwheel mosaic can be inferred from the model’s outputs: Narrower tuning, greater cross-orientation suppression and higher contrast gain of iso-orientation cells, lead to extraction of extended object contours from images. In contrast, broader tuning, greater linearity and less suppression of pinwheel cells generate selectivity for surface patterns and textures

The Euler-Lagrange Cohomology and General Volume-Preserving Systems

We briefly introduce the conception on Euler-Lagrange cohomology groups on a symplectic manifold $(\mathcal{M}^{2n}, \omega)$ and systematically present the general form of volume-preserving equations on the manifold from the cohomological point of view. It is shown that for every volume-preserving flow generated by these equations there is an important 2-form that plays the analog role with the Hamiltonian in the Hamilton mechanics. In addition, the ordinary canonical equations with Hamiltonian $H$ are included as a special case with the 2-form $\frac{1}{n-1} H \omega$. It is studied the other volume preserving systems on $({\cal M}^{2n}, \omega)$. It is also explored the relations between our approach and Feng-Shang's volume-preserving systems as well as the Nambu mechanics.Comment: Plain LaTeX, use packages amssymb and amscd, 15 pages, no figure