Hydrogen-bonded interpolymer complexes. Formation, structure and applications

Noncovalent interactions play key roles in many natural processes leading to the self-assembly of molecules with the formation of supramolecular structures. One of the most important forces responsible for self-assembly is hydrogen bonding, which also plays an important role in the self-assembly of synthetic polymers in aqueous solutions. Proton-accepting polymers can associate with proton-donating polymers via hydrogen bonding in aqueous solutions and form polymer-polymer or interpolymer complexes. There has been an increased interest among researchers in hydrogen-bonded interpolymer complexes since the first pioneering papers were published in the early 1960s. Several hundred research papers have been published on various aspects of complex formation reactions in solutions and interfaces, properties of interpolymer complexes and their potential applications. This book focuses on the latest developments in the area of interpolymer complexation via hydrogen bonding. It represents a collection of original and review articles written by recognized experts from Germany, Greece, Kazakhstan, Poland, Romania, Russia, UK, Ukraine, and the USA. It highlights many important applications of interpolymer complexes, including the stabilization of colloidal systems, pharmaceuticals, and nanomaterials.

Assessing the process of knowledge transfer – An empirical study

This paper investigates and evaluates the process of knowledge transfer in construction projects. Due to the highly competitive nature of business environments, knowledge transfer between organisations has become increasingly popular in recent years. However, although organisations can realise remarkable benefits by transferring knowledge from one unit to another, successful knowledge transfer can be difficult to achieve. The discussions presented in the paper are mainly based on findings of two case studies. The two cases were selected from Private Finance Initiative (PFI) projects in the UK. According to the case study findings, different stages of a knowledge transfer process can be overlapped, omitted, repeated as well as intermitted and then restarted. One of the significant findings of the case studies was the role of the "knowledge mediator". In selected case studies, there were external consultants and expert staff in the form of knowledge mediators. The importance of their roles was frequently highlighted by the interview participants. They were not only facilitating the close liaison between the knowledge source and the receiver, but also their role was strongly associated with practices of translation and interpretation. This combined role of mediator/translator, therefore, appears to be particularly significant for inter-organisational knowledge transfer in PFI projects.

A refined LEED analysis of water on Ru{0001}: an experimental test of the partial dissociation model

Despite a number of earlier studies which seemed to confirm molecular adsorption of water on close-packed surfaces of late transition metals, new controversy has arisen over a recent theoretical work by Feibelman, according to which partial dissociation occurs on the Ru{0001} surface leading to a mixed (H2O + OH + H) superstructure. Here, we present a refined LEED-IV analysis of the (root3 x root3)R30degrees-D2O-Ru{0001} structure, testing explicitly this new model by Feibelman. Our results favour the model proposed earlier by Held and Menzel assuming intact water molecules with almost coplanar oxygen atoms and out-of-plane hydrogen atoms atop the slightly higher oxygen atoms. The partially dissociated model with an almost identical arrangement of oxygen atoms can, however, not unambiguously be excluded, especially when the single hydrogen atoms are not present in the surface unit cell. In contrast to the earlier LEED-IV analysis, we can, however, clearly exclude a buckled geometry of oxygen atoms.

Prediction of Parkinson’s Disease tremor onset using a radial basis function neural network based on particle swarm optimization

Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) has been successfully used throughout the world for the treatment of Parkinson's disease symptoms. To control abnormal spontaneous electrical activity in target brain areas DBS utilizes a continuous stimulation signal. This continuous power draw means that its implanted battery power source needs to be replaced every 18–24 months. To prolong the life span of the battery, a technique to accurately recognize and predict the onset of the Parkinson's disease tremors in human subjects and thus implement an on-demand stimulator is discussed here. The approach is to use a radial basis function neural network (RBFNN) based on particle swarm optimization (PSO) and principal component analysis (PCA) with Local Field Potential (LFP) data recorded via the stimulation electrodes to predict activity related to tremor onset. To test this approach, LFPs from the subthalamic nucleus (STN) obtained through deep brain electrodes implanted in a Parkinson patient are used to train the network. To validate the network's performance, electromyographic (EMG) signals from the patient's forearm are recorded in parallel with the LFPs to accurately determine occurrences of tremor, and these are compared to the performance of the network. It has been found that detection accuracies of up to 89% are possible. Performance comparisons have also been made between a conventional RBFNN and an RBFNN based on PSO which show a marginal decrease in performance but with notable reduction in computational overhead.

Perspectives on an integrated construction project model

This paper reviews the growing interest in an integrated construction project model, and examines the fundamental concept of an integrated project model by discussing the various definitions that have evolved as well as the various approaches to its development. The nature of collaborative communications that the integrated project model needs to support is also discussed, as are the enabling information and communications technologies that may have a role in the realization of the model. The paper concludes with some thoughts on the future development of the integrated construction project model.

A note on an integration by parts formula for the generators of uniform translations on configuration space

An integration by parts formula is derived for the first order differential operator corresponding to the action of translations on the space of locally finite simple configurations of infinitely many points on Rd. As reference measures, tempered grand canonical Gibbs measures are considered corresponding to a non-constant non-smooth intensity (one-body potential) and translation invariant potentials fulfilling the usual conditions. It is proven that such Gibbs measures fulfill the intuitive integration by parts formula if and only if the action of the translation is not broken for this particular measure. The latter is automatically fulfilled in the high temperature and low intensity regime.

Pulsating equilibria: stability through migration

This paper is to present a model of spatial equilibrium using a nonlinear generalization of Markov-chain type model, and to show the dynamic stability of a unique equilibrium. Even at an equilibrium, people continue to migrate among regions as well as among agent-types, and yet their overall distribution remain unchanged. The model is also adapted to suggest a theory of traffic distribution in a city.

Commodity price dynamics and derivatives valuation: a review

This paper reviews extant research on commodity price dynamics and commodity derivatives pricing models. In the first half, we provide an overview of stylized facts of commodity price behavior that have been explored and documented in the theoretical and empirical literature. In the second half, we review existing derivatives pricing models and discuss how the peculiarities of commodity markets have been integrated in these models. We conclude the paper with a brief outlook on important research questions that need to be addressed in the future.