Rapidly Infrared-Assisted Cooperatively Self-Assembled Highly Ordered Multiscale Porous Materials

In this paper, cooperative self-assembly (CSA) of colloidal spheres with different sizes was studied. It was found that a complicated jamming effect makes it difficult to achieve an optimal self-assembling condition for construction of a well-ordered stacking of colloidal spheres in a relatively short growth time by CSA. Through the use of a characteristic infrared (IR) technique to significantly accelerate local evaporation on the growing interface without changing the bulk growing environment, a concise three-parameter (temperature, pressure, and IR intensity) CSA method to effectively overcome the jamming effect has been developed. Mono- and multiscale inverse opals in a large range of lattice scales can be prepared within a growth time (15-30 min) that is remarkably shorter than the growth times of several hours for previous methods. Scanning electron microscopy images and transmittance spectra demonstrated the superior crystalline and optical qualities of the resulting materials. More importantly, the new method enables optimal conditions for CSA without limitations on sizes and materials of multiple colloids. This strategy not only makes a meaningful advance in the applicability and universality of colloidal crystals and ordered porous materials but also can be an inspiration to the self-assembly systems widely used in many other fields, such as nanotechnology and molecular bioengineering.

Forward Smoothing Using Sequential Monte Carlo

Sequential Monte Carlo (SMC) methods are a widely used set of computational tools for inference in non-linear non-Gaussian state-space models. We propose a new SMC algorithm to compute the expectation of additive functionals recursively. Essentially, it is an on-line or "forward only" implementation of a forward filtering backward smoothing SMC algorithm proposed by Doucet, Godsill and Andrieu (2000). Compared to the standard \emph{path space} SMC estimator whose asymptotic variance increases quadratically with time even under favorable mixing assumptions, the non asymptotic variance of the proposed SMC estimator only increases linearly with time. We show how this allows us to perform recursive parameter estimation using an SMC implementation of an on-line version of the Expectation-Maximization algorithm which does not suffer from the particle path degeneracy problem.

A backward particle interpretation of Feynman-Kac formulae

We design a particle interpretation of Feynman-Kac measures on path spaces based on a backward Markovian representation combined with a traditional mean field particle interpretation of the flow of their final time marginals. In contrast to traditional genealogical tree based models, these new particle algorithms can be used to compute normalized additive functionals "on-the-fly" as well as their limiting occupation measures with a given precision degree that does not depend on the final time horizon. We provide uniform convergence results with respect to the time horizon parameter as well as functional central limit theorems and exponential concentration estimates. Our results have important consequences for online parameter estimation for non-linear non-Gaussian state-space models. We show how the forward filtering backward smoothing estimates of additive functionals can be computed using a forward only recursion.

Space experiments of thermocapillary convection in two-liquid layers

In 1999, the space experiments on the Marangoni convection and thermocapillary convection in a system of two immiscible liquid layers in microgravity environment were conducted on board the Chinese scientific satellite SJ-5. A new system of two-layer liquids such as FC-70 liquid and paraffin was used successfully, with the paraffin melted in the space. Two different test-cells are subjected to a temperature gradient perpendicular or parallel to the interface to study the Marangoni convection and thermocapillary convection, respectively. The experimental data obtained in the first Chinese space experiment of fluid are presented. Two-dimensional numerical simulations of thermocapillary convections are carried out using SIMPLEC method A reasonable agreement between the experimental investigation and the numerical results is obtained.

A generalized model for the effective thermal conductivity of porous media based on self-similarity

A generalized model for the effective thermal conductivity of porous media is derived based on the fact that statistical self-similarity exists in porous media. The proposed model assumes that porous media consist of two portions: randomly distributed non-touching particles and self-similarly distributed particles contacting each other with resistance. The latter are simulated by Sierpinski carpets with side length L = 13 and cutout size C = 3, 5, 7 and 9, respectively, depending upon the porosity concerned. Recursive formulae are presented and expressed as a function of porosity, ratio of areas, ratio of component thermal conductivities and contact resistance, and there is no empirical constant and every parameter has a clear physical meaning. The model predictions are compared with the existing experimental data, and good agreement is found in a wide range of porosity of 0.14-0.80, and this verifies the validity of the proposed model.

Fractal geometry model for effective thermal conductivity of three-phase porous media

An approximate model, a fractal geometry model, for the effective thermal conductivity of three-phase/unsaturated porous media is proposed based on the thermal-electrical analogy technique and on statistical self-similarity of porous media. The proposed thermal conductivity model is expressed as a function of porosity (related to stage n of Sierpinski carpet), ratio of areas, ratio of component thermal conductivities, and saturation. The recursive algorithm for the thermal conductivity by the proposed model is presented and found to be quite simple. The model predictions are compared with the existing measurements. Good agreement is found between the present model predictions and the existing experimental data. This verifies the validity of the proposed model. (C) 2004 American Institute of Physics.

Crack propagation in structures subjected to periodic excitation

In the present paper, a simple mechanical model is developed to predict the dynamic response of a cracked structure subjected to periodic excitation, which has been used to identify the physical mechanisms in leading the growth or arrest of cracking. The structure under consideration consists of a beam with a crack along the axis, and thus, the crack may open in Mode I and in the axial direction propagate when the beam vibrates. In this paper, the system is modeled as a cantilever beam lying on a partial elastic foundation, where the portion of the beam on the foundation represents the intact portion of the beam. Modal analysis is employed to obtain a closed form solution for the structural response. Crack propagation is studied by allowing the elastic foundation to shorten (mimicking crack growth) if a displacement criterion, based on the material toughness, is met. As the crack propagates, the structural model is updated using the new foundation length and the response continues. From this work, two mechanisms for crack arrest are identified. It is also shown that the crack propagation is strongly influenced by the transient response of the structure.

Azadirachta indica (A. Juss) en Nicaragua: resultados: biomasa como fuente de leña en dos plantaciones diferentes

A través de este estudio se presentan los resultados obtenidos en la cuantificación de la biomasa y evolución del crecimiento y el rendimiento del A. indica en dos sitios de Nicaragua. La metodología empleada fue tomada en las normas para la investigación de silvicultural de especie de leña del CATIE. Los resultados obtenidos del estudio, en cuanto al crecimiento medio anual, el diámetro oscilo entre 17.5 mm y 19.1 mm, para el diámetro basal entre 21.3 mm y 35.4 mm, el diámetro de copa entre 3.4 dm y 9.1 dm, y la altura varía entre 13.4 dm y 19.0 dm. En cuanto al rendimiento por árbol, el incremento medio anual para peso de fuste, varía entre 6.4 kg. Y 7.0 kg. El peso de rama entre 1.0 k g. Y 2.0kg: el peso de follaje entre 0.94 kg y 1.9 kg; el peso de leña entre 7.4 kg. Y 9.0 kg; y el peso total en verde oscila entre 8.0 kg. Y 10.9 kg. El crecimiento medio anual del volumen estéreo varía entre 34.5 m3/ha. Y 35.4m3/ ha; y el volumen solido total con corteza esta entre 9.3 m 3/ ha. Y 15.8m3/ ha en verde. El componente de la biomasa aérea verde varía entre 64% y 76% para fuste; entre 13% y 19% para ramas: entre 11% y 17% para follaje; y entre 82% y 92% para leña. El seco el porcentaje para fuste varía entre 64% y 79% para rama entre 13% y 20% para follaje varía entre 7% y 13% ; y para leña entre 93% y 97%. Se presentaron ocho ecuaciones que predicen el rendimiento en kg, para las variables del árbol como; fuste, rama, follaje y total. El A. INDICA mostro una buena adaptación a las condiciones edafoclimaticas de Nicaragua. Se atribuye el clima más húmedo el mayor incremento volumétrico en santa Isabel y la fertilidad de las arcillas, del vertisol el incremento el peso de Guanacaste. Por tanto, es recomendable ejecutar plantaciones de neem con fines energético en las áreas vertisoles.

Análisis descriptivo de la degradación ruminal in situ de piscidium de Moringa oleífera en la Finca Santa Rosa, Managua, Nicaragua

Se realizó un estudio en la finca Santa Rosa propiedad de la Universidad Nacional Agraria ubicada en Managua-Nicaragua. El objetivo de este estudio fue realizar un análisis descriptivo de la composición química de la harina de piscidium de Moringa oleifera [Materia seca (MS), Proteína Bruta (PB), Fibra Cruda (FC), Extracto etéreo (EE) y Ceniza (CE)] así como la degradación ruminal in situ de la MS (DMS), PB (DPB) y FC (DFC) de la misma. Se utilizó la técnica de degradación in situ para evaluar la cinética de la degradabilidad de piscidium de Moringa en el rumen. Los tiempos de incubación evaluados fueron 3, 6, 9, 12, 24, 48, 72h. Los resultados obtenidos mostraron que la composición química de piscidium de Moringa presentó valores de 97.16% MS, 5.27% PB, 59.7% FC, 1.08% EE y CE de 8.18%. La DMS fue de 36.12% a las 72 h de incubación. La DPB tuvo una rápida degradabilidad en las primeras 6 h (29.75%) con un máximo de degradación potencial a las 72 h de 45.71%, sin embargo la DFC fue lenta durante las primeras 12 h, (6.77%), posterior a las mismas se incrementó la degradabilidad de la FC alcanzando un máximo potencial de degradabilidad de 19.38% a las 72 h de incubación. Los resultados indican que la harina de piscidium de Moringa es un alimento de mayor valor nutritivo que muchos alimentos toscos o lignificados, sin embargo para mejorar su aprovechamiento en la alimentación animal debe ser acompañado con una fuente nitrogenada o ser incluido como material de relleno en alimentos concentrados, bloques multinutricionales o amonificado.