First-passage time distribution and non-Markovian diffusion dynamics of protein folding

We study the kinetics of protein folding via statistical energy landscape theory. We concentrate on the local-connectivity case, where the configurational changes can only occur among neighboring states, with the folding progress described in terms of an order parameter given by the fraction of native conformations. The non-Markovian diffusion dynamics is analyzed in detail and an expression for the mean first-passage time (MFPT) from non-native unfolded states to native folded state is obtained. It was found that the MFPT has a V-shaped dependence on the temperature. We also find that the MFPT is shortened as one increases the gap between the energy of the native and average non-native folded states relative to the fluctuations of the energy landscape. The second- and higher-order moments are studied to infer the first-passage time distribution. At high temperature, the distribution becomes close to a Poisson distribution, while at low temperatures the distribution becomes a Levy-type distribution with power-law tails, indicating a nonself-averaging intermittent behavior of folding dynamics. We note the likely relevance of this result to single-molecule dynamics experiments, where a power law (Levy) distribution of the relaxation time of the underlined protein energy landscape is observed.

Phase-separation behavior of the system PES/phenoxy: An application of the Sanchez-Lacombe lattice fluid theory

Cloud-point curves reported for the system polyethersulfone (PES)/phenoxy were calculated by means of the Sanchez-Lacombe (SL) lattice fluid theory. The one adjustable parameter epsilon(12)*/k (quantifying the interaction energy between mers of the different components) can be evaluated by comparison of the theoretical and experimental phase diagrams. The Flory-Huggins (FH) interaction parameters are computed based on the evaluated epsilon(12)*/k and are approximately a linear function of volume fraction and of inverse temperature. The calculated enthalpies of mixing of PES/phenoxy blends for different compositions are consistent with the experimental values obtained previously by Singh and Walsh [1].

Thermodynamics of blends of poly(ethylene oxide) with poly(methyl methacrylate) and poly(vinyl acetate): prediction of miscibility based on Flory solution theory modified by Hamada

Flory solution theory modified by Hamada et al. (Macromolecules, 1980, 13, 729) was used to predict the miscibility of blends of poly(ethylene oxide) with poly(methyl methacrylate) (PEO-aPMMA) and with poly(vinyl acetate) (PEO-PVAc). Interaction parameters of a PEO-aPMMA blend with the weight ratio of PEO/aPMMA = 50/50 at the temperature range of 393-433 K and PEO-PVAc blends with different compositions and temperatures were calculated from the determined equation-of-state parameters based on Flory solution theory modified by Hamada ed al. Results show that interaction parameters of the PEO-aPMMA blend are negative and can be comparable with values obtained from neutron-scattering measurements by Ito et al. (Macromolecules, 1987, 20, 2213). Also, interaction parameters and excess volumes of PEO-PVAc blends are negative and increase with enhancing the content of PEO and the temperature. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.

Comparison of non-linear optical susceptibilities of KNbO3 and LiNbO3

From the chemical bond viewpoint, second-order non-linear optical (NLO) tenser coefficients of KNbO3 and LiNbO3 crystals have been calculated. By using the bond-valence theory of complex crystals and the modified bond-charge model, we were able to determine contributions of each type of constituent chemical bond to the total second-order NLO susceptibility. The tenser values thus calculated are in good agreement with experimental data. From the comparison of NLO tenser coefficients of these two crystals, we found that the major NLO contributors are KO12 groups and LiO6 octahedra not the distorted NbO6 octahedra. The difference between their NLO properties arises from their different structural characters, and the high coordination number of constituent elements in KNbO3 makes its valence electrons become more delocalised compared with those of LiNbO3. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.

SMALL-ANGLE X-RAY-SCATTERING STUDY ON THE INTERFACE IN BLOCK-COPOLYMERS WITH FRACTAL PROPERTIES

The interface thickness in two triblock copolymers were determined using small-angle x-ray scattering in the context of the theory proposed by Ruland. The thickness was found to be nonexistent for the samples at three different temperatures. By viewing th

Application of effective medium approximation theory to ocean remote sensing under wave breaking

Based on the effective medium approximation theory of composites, the empirical model proposed by Pandey and Kakar is remedied to investigate the microwave emissivity of sea surface under wave breaking driven by strong wind. In the improved model, the effects of seawater bubbles, droplets and difference in temperature of air and sea interface (DTAS) on the emissivity of sea surface covered by whitecaps are discussed. The model results indicate that the effective emissivity of sea surface increases with DTAS increasing, and the impacts of bubble structures and thickness of whitecaps layer on the emissivity are included in the model by introducing the effective dielectric constant of whitecaps layer. Moreover, a good agreement is obtained by comparing the model results with the Rose's experimental data.

基于广义Lippmann-Schwinger方程的地震波场模拟算法与应用

In the last several decades, due to the fast development of computer, numerical simulation has been an indispensable tool in scientific research. Numerical simulation methods which based on partial difference operators such as Finite Difference Method (FDM) and Finite Element Method (FEM) have been widely used. However, in the realm of seismology and seismic prospecting, one usually meets with geological models which have piece-wise heterogeneous structures as well as volume heterogeneities between layers, the continuity of displacement and stress across the irregular layers and seismic wave scattering induced by the perturbation of the volume usually bring in error when using conventional methods based on difference operators. The method discussed in this paper is based on elastic theory and integral theory. Seismic wave equation in the frequency domain is transformed into a generalized Lippmann-Schwinger equation, in which the seismic wavefield contributed by the background is expressed by the boundary integral equation and the scattering by the volume heterogeneities is considered. Boundary element-volume integral method based on this equation has advantages of Boundary Element Method (BEM), such as reducing one dimension of the model, explicit use the displacement and stress continuity across irregular interfaces, high precision, satisfying the boundary at infinite, etc. Also, this method could accurately simulate the seismic scattering by the volume heterogeneities. In this paper, the concrete Lippmann-Schwinger equation is specifically given according to the real geological models. Also, the complete coefficients of the non-smooth point for the integral equation are introduced. Because Boundary Element-Volume integral equation method uses fundamental solutions which are singular when the source point and the field are very close，both in the two dimensional and the three dimensional case, the treatment of the singular kernel affects the precision of this method. The method based on integral transform and integration by parts could treat the points on the boundary and inside the domain. It could transform the singular integral into an analytical one both in two dimensional and in three dimensional cases and thus it could eliminate the singularity. In order to analyze the elastic seismic wave scattering due to regional irregular topographies, the analytical solution for problems of this type is discussed and the analytical solution of P waves by multiple canyons is given. For the boundary reflection, the method used here is infinite boundary element absorbing boundary developed by a pervious researcher. The comparison between the analytical solutions and concrete numerical examples validate the efficiency of this method. We thoroughly discussed the sampling frequency in elastic wave simulation and find that, for a general case, three elements per wavelength is sufficient, however, when the problem is too complex, more elements per wavelength are necessary. Also, the seismic response in the frequency domain of the canyons with different types of random heterogeneities is illustrated. We analyzed the model of the random media, the horizontal and vertical correlation length, the standard deviation, and the dimensionless frequency how to affect the seismic wave amplification on the ground, and thus provide a basis for the choice of the parameter of random media during numerical simulation.

粘弹性介质中的地震波传播与波形反演研究

The real earth is far away from an ideal elastic ball. The movement of structures or fluid and scattering of thin-layer would inevitably affect seismic wave propagation, which is demonstrated mainly as energy nongeometrical attenuation. Today, most of theoretical researches and applications take the assumption that all media studied are fully elastic. Ignoring the viscoelastic property would, in some circumstances, lead to amplitude and phase distortion, which will indirectly affect extraction of traveltime and waveform we use in imaging and inversion. In order to investigate the response of seismic wave propagation and improve the imaging and inversion quality in complex media, we need not only consider into attenuation of the real media but also implement it by means of efficient numerical methods and imaging techniques. As for numerical modeling, most widely used methods, such as finite difference, finite element and pseudospectral algorithms, have difficulty in dealing with problem of simultaneously improving accuracy and efficiency in computation. To partially overcome this difficulty, this paper devises a matrix differentiator method and an optimal convolutional differentiator method based on staggered-grid Fourier pseudospectral differentiation, and a staggered-grid optimal Shannon singular kernel convolutional differentiator by function distribution theory, which then are used to study seismic wave propagation in viscoelastic media. Results through comparisons and accuracy analysis demonstrate that optimal convolutional differentiator methods can solve well the incompatibility between accuracy and efficiency, and are almost twice more accurate than the same-length finite difference. They can efficiently reduce dispersion and provide high-precision waveform data. On the basis of frequency-domain wavefield modeling, we discuss how to directly solve linear equations and point out that when compared to the time-domain methods, frequency-domain methods would be more convenient to handle the multi-source problem and be much easier to incorporate medium attenuation. We also prove the equivalence of the time- and frequency-domain methods by using numerical tests when assumptions with non-relaxation modulus and quality factor are made, and analyze the reason that causes waveform difference. In frequency-domain waveform inversion, experiments have been conducted with transmission, crosshole and reflection data. By using the relation between media scales and characteristic frequencies, we analyze the capacity of the frequency-domain sequential inversion method in anti-noising and dealing with non-uniqueness of nonlinear optimization. In crosshole experiments, we find the main sources of inversion error and figure out how incorrect quality factor would affect inverted results. When dealing with surface reflection data, several frequencies have been chosen with optimal frequency selection strategy, with which we use to carry out sequential and simultaneous inversions to verify how important low frequency data are to the inverted results and the functionality of simultaneous inversion in anti-noising. Finally, I come with some conclusions about the whole work I have done in this dissertation and discuss detailly the existing and would-be problems in it. I also point out the possible directions and theories we should go and deepen, which, to some extent, would provide a helpful reference to researchers who are interested in seismic wave propagation and imaging in complex media.

地震波散射非线性反演问题不动点理论及方法的研究

How to create a new method to solve the problem or reduce the influence of that the result of the seismic waves scattering nonlinear inversion is not uniqueness is a main purpose of this research work in the paper. On the background of research into the seismic inversion, new progress of the nonlinear inversion is introduced at the first chapter in this paper. Especially, the development, basic theories and assumptions on some major theories of seismic inversion are analyzed, discussed and summarized in mathematics and physics. Also, the problems faced by the mathematical basis of investigations of the seismic inversion are discussed, and inverse questions of strongly seismic scattering due to strong heterogeneous media in the Earth interior are analyzed and viewed. What the kernel of paper is that gathers all our attention making a new nonlinear inversion method of seismic scattering. The paper provides a theory and method of how to introduce the fixed-point theory into the nonlinear seismic scattering inversion and how to obtain the solution, and gives the actually method to create a serials of contractive mappings of velocity parameter's in the mapping space of wave. Therefore, the results testify the existence of fixed point of velocity parameter and give the method the find it. Further, the paper proves the conclusion that the value obtained by taking the fixed point of velocity parameter into wave equation is the fixed point of the wave of the contractive mapping. Thence, the fixed point is the global minima since the stabilities quality of the fixed point. Based on the new theory, in the chapter three, many inverse results are obtained in the numerical value test. By analysis the results one could find a basic facts that all the results, which are inversed by the different initial model, are tended to the true value in theoretical true model. In other words, the new method mostly eliminates the non-uniqueness that which is existed in seismic waves scattering nonlinear inversion in degree. But, since the test results are quite finite now, more test is need here to positive our theory. As a new theoretical method, it must be existed many weaken in it. The chapter four points out all the questions which is bother us. We hope more people to join us to solve the problem together.

Surface-enhanced Raman scattering of xanthopterin adsorbed on colloidal silver

Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) of xanthopterin adsorbed on colloidal silver was measured and the Raman spectrum calculated by the density functional theory method was also obtained. Xanthopterin can be detected down to 5 X 10(-9) m and the enhancement of the scattering intensity is at least 10(5)-fold. Xanthopterin molecules are adsorbed flatly on the surface of the Ag particles. This study shows that SERS could be another prospective method for the detection of pterines. Copyright (C) 2001 John Wiley Sons, Ltd.

Theory and practice in strategic planning for health information systems

Bradshaw, K. & Urquhart, C. (2005). Theory and practice in strategic planning for health information systems. In: D. Wainwright (Ed.), UK Academy for Information Systems 10th conference 2005, 22-24 March 2005 (CD-ROM). Newcastle upon Tyne: Northumbria University.

Energy-dependent in-situ small-angle x-ray scattering study of nano-ceramics

R Winter, D Le Messurier, CM Martin; Cryst Rev 12 (2006) 3 Sponsorship: EPSRC, CCLRC, Pilkington

Cellular automata and non-static image processing for embodied robot systems on a massively parallel processor array

Huelse, M, Barr, D R W, Dudek, P: Cellular Automata and non-static image processing for embodied robot systems on a massively parallel processor array. In: Adamatzky, A et al. (eds) AUTOMATA 2008, Theory and Applications of Cellular Automata. Luniver Press, 2008, pp. 504-510. Sponsorship: EPSRC

Strategies that students use to trace code: an analysis based in grounded theory

Fitzgerald, S., Simon, B., and Thomas, L. 2005. Strategies that students use to trace code: an analysis based in grounded theory. In Proceedings of the First international Workshop on Computing Education Research (Seattle, WA, USA, October 01 - 02, 2005). ICER '05. ACM, New York, NY, 69-80

Scattering poles near the real axis for two strictly convex obstacles

Iantchenko, A., (2007) 'Scattering poles near the real axis for two strictly convex obstacles', Annales of the Institute Henri Poincar? 8 pp.513-568 RAE2008