A relational contract for water demand management

For necessary goods like water, under supply constraints, fairness considerations lead to negative externalities. The objective of this paper is to design an infinite horizon contract or relational contract (a type of long-term contract) that ensures self-enforcing (instead of court-enforced) behaviour by the agents to mitigate the externality due to fairness issues. In this contract, the consumer is induced to consume at firm-supply level using the threat of higher fair price for future time periods. The pricing mechanism, computed in this paper, internalizes the externality and is shown to be economically efficient and provides revenue sufficiency.

Cost-effective wear and oxidation resistant electrodeposited Ni-pumice coating

In the search for newer distributed phases that can be used in Ni-composite coatings, inexpensive and naturally available pumice has been identified as a potential candidate material. The composition of the pumice mineral as determined by Rietveld analysis shows the presence of corundum, quartz, mulllite, moganite and coesite phases. Pumice stone is crushed, ball-milled, dried and dispersed in a nickel sulfamate bath and Ni-pumice coatings are electrodeposited at different current densities and magnetic agitation speeds. Pumice particles are uniformly incorporated in the nickel matrix and Ni-pumice composite coatings with microhardness as high as 540 HK are obtained at the lowest applied current density. In the electrodeposited Ni-pumice coatings, the grain size of Ni increases with the applied current density. The overall intensity of texture development is slightly stronger for the Ni-pumice composite coating compared to plain Ni coating and the texture evolution is possibly not the strongest deciding factor for the enhanced properties of Ni-pumice coatings. The wear and oxidation resistances of Ni-pumice coating are commensurate with that of Ni-SiC coating electrodeposited under similar conditions. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Evaluating FuncSION: A software for automated synthesis of design solutions for stimulating ideation during mechanical conceptual design

The goal of the work reported in this paper is to use automated, combinatorial synthesis to generate alternative solutions to be used as stimuli by designers for ideation. FuncSION, a computational synthesis tool that can automatically synthesize solution concepts for mechanical devices by combining building blocks from a library, is used for this purpose. The objectives of FuncSION are to help generate a variety of functional requirements for a given problem and a variety of concepts to fulfill these functions. A distinctive feature of FuncSION is its focus on automated generation of spatial configurations, an aspect rarely addressed by other computational synthesis programs. This paper provides an overview of FuncSION in terms of representation of design problems, representation of building blocks, and rules with which building blocks are combined to generate concepts at three levels of abstraction: topological, spatial, and physical. The paper then provides a detailed account of evaluating FuncSION for its effectiveness in providing stimuli for enhanced ideation.

On the curvature ODE associated to the Ricci flow

In the vector space of algebraic curvature operators we study the reaction ODE which is associated to the evolution equation of the Riemann curvature operator along the Ricci flow. More precisely, we give a partial classification of the zeros of this ODE up to suitable normalization and analyze the stability of a special class of zeros of the same. In particular, we show that the ODE is unstable near the curvature operators of the Riemannian product spaces where is an Einstein (locally) symmetric space of compact type and not a spherical space form when .

BLOC-2 targets recycling endosomal tubules to melanosomes for cargo delivery

Hermansky-Pudlak syndrome (HPS) is a group of disorders characterized by the malformation of lysosome-related organelles, such as pigment cell melanosomes. Three of nine characterized HPS subtypes result from mutations in subunits of BLOC-2, a protein complex with no known molecular function. In this paper, we exploit melanocytes from mouse HPS models to place BLOC-2 within a cargo transport pathway from recycling endosomal domains to maturing melanosomes. In BLOC-2-deficient melanocytes, the melanosomal protein TYRP1 was largely depleted from pigment granules and underwent accelerated recycling from endosomes to the plasma membrane and to the Golgi. By live-cell imaging, recycling endosomal tubules of wild-type melanocytes made frequent and prolonged contacts with maturing melanosomes; in contrast, tubules from BLOC-2-deficient cells were shorter in length and made fewer, more transient contacts with melanosomes. These results support a model in which BLOC-2 functions to direct recycling endosomal tubular transport intermediates to maturing melanosomes and thereby promote cargo delivery and optimal pigmentation.

Cultivation of Pleurotus spp. on a combination of anaerobically digested plant material and various agro-residues

Two species of Pleurotus, Pleurotus florida and Pleurotus flabellatus were cultivated on two agro-residues (paddy straw; PS and coir pith; CP) singly as well as in combination with biogas digester residue (BDR, main feed leaf biomass). The biological efficiency, nutritional value, composition and nutrient balance (C, N and P) achieved with these substrates were studied. The most suitable substrate that produced higher yields and biological efficiency was PS mixed with BDR followed by coir pith with BDR. Addition of BDR with agro-residues could increase mushroom yield by 20-30%. The biological efficiency achieved was high for PS + BDR (231.93% for P. florida and 209.92% for P. flabellatus) and for CP + BDR (14831% for P. florida and 188.46% for P. flabellatus). The OC (organic carbon), TKN (nitrogen) and TP (phosphate) removal of the Pleurotus spp. under investigation suggests that PS with BDR is the best substrate for growing mushroom. (C) 2015 Published by Elsevier Inc. on behalf of International Energy Initiative.

Single-step, size-controlled synthesis of colloidal silver nanoparticles stabilized by octadecylamine

A single step process for the synthesis of size-controlled silver nanoparticles has been developed using a bifunctional molecule, octadecylamine (ODA). Octadecylamine complexes to Ag+ ions electrostatically, reduce them, and subsequently stabilizes the nanoparticles thus formed. Hence, octadecylamine simultaneously functions as both a reducing and a stabilizing agent. The amine-capped nanoparticles can be obtained in the form of dry powder, which is readily redispersible in aqueous and organic solvents. The particle size, and the nucleation and growth kinetics of silver nanoparticles could be tuned by varying the molar ratio of ODA to AgNO3. The UV-vis spectra of nanoparticles prepared with different concentrations of ODA displayed the well-defined plasmon band with maximum absorption around 425 nm. The formation of silver metallic nanoparticles was confirmed by their XRD pattern. The binding of ODA molecule on the surface of silver has been studied by FT-IR and NMR spectroscopy. The formation of well-dispersed spherical Ag nanoparticles has been confirmed by TEM analysis. The particle size and distribution are found to be dependent on the molar concentration of the amine molecule. Open aperture z-scans have been performed to measure the nonlinearity of Ag nanoparticles. (C) 2015 Published by Elsevier B.V.

Electrically conducting palladium selenide (Pd4Se, Pd17Se15, Pd7Se4) phases: synthesis and activity towards hydrogen evolution reaction

Electrically conducting, continuous films of different phases of palladium selenides are synthesized by the thermolysis of single source molecular precursors. The films are found to be adherent on flat substrates such as glass, indium tin oxide and glassy carbon and are stable under electrochemical conditions. They are electrocatalytically active and in particular, for hydrogen evolution reaction. Catalytic activities with low Tafel slopes of 50-60 mV per decade are observed.

Dual Drug Conjugate Loaded Nanoparticles for the Treatment of Cancer

Two antineoplastic agents, Imatinib (IM) and 5-Fluorouracil (FU) were conjugated by hydrolysable linkers through an amide bond and entrapped in polymeric Human Serum Albumin (HSA) nanoparticles. The presence of dual drugs in a common carrier has the advantage of reaching the site of action simultaneously and acting at different phases of the cell cycle to arrest the growth of cancer cells before they develop chemoresistance. The study has demonstrated an enhanced anticancer activity of the conjugate, and conjugate loaded stealth HSA nanoparticles (NPs) in comparison to the free drug in A-549 human lung carcinoma cell line and Zebra fish embryos (Danio rerio). Hydrolysability of the conjugate has also been demonstrated with complete hydrolysis being observed after 12 h. In vivo pharmacodynamics study in terms of tumor volume and pharmacokinetics in mice for conjugate (IM-SC-FU) and conjugate loaded nanoparticles showed significant anti-cancer activity. The other parameters evaluated were particle size (86nm), Poly Dispersive Index (PDI) (0.209), zeta potential (-49mV), drug entrapment efficiency (96.73%) and drug loading efficiency (89%). Being in stealth mode gives the potential for the NPs to evade Reticulo-Endothelial system (RES), achieve passive targeting by Enhanced Permeation Retention (EPR) effect with controlled release of the therapeutic agent. As the conjugate cleaves into individual drugs in the tumor environment, this promises better suppression of cancer chemoresistance by delivering dual drugs with different modes of action at the same site, thereby synergistically inhibiting the growth of cancerous tissue.

Efecto de diferentes densidades de siembra y distancias entre hileras sobre el crecimiento, desarrollo y rendimiento en el cultivo de sorgo (Sorghum bicolor L. Moench)

El presente estudio se desarrollo en los terrenos de la finca el plantel, ubicada en el Km. 42 de la carretera Tipitapa- Masaya, durante la época de postrera, en el periodo comprendido entre los meses de agosto a diciembre de 1998, con el objetivo de determinar el efecto de tres densidades de siembra y tres distancias entre hileras sobre el crecimiento, desarrollo y rendimiento del cultivo de sorgo granífero (Sorghun bicolor L. Moench). El diseño empleado fue un bifactorial con arreglo de bloques completamente al azar (B.C.A.) con cuatro repeticiones, realizando un análisis de varianza (ANDEVA) y separación de medias por tukey al 95 por ciento de confianza. La mayoría de las variables evaluadas no presentaron diferencias estadísticas significativas entre los tratamientos, entre ellas se mencionan altura de plantas, floración, longitud de panoja, diámetro de panoja, peso de panoja, longitud de excerción de panoja y peso de mil granos. Las variables diámetro del tallo, número de plantas y panojas cosechadas, producción de materia seca y rendimiento de grano sí presentaron diferencias estadísticas significativas entre los tratamientos en estudio. Los resultados del análisis económico demuestran que la mayor rentabilidad fue de 209 por ciento y se obtuvo con el tratamiento 240000 plantas/ha a 30 pulgadas entre hileras.

Evaluación de dosis de fertilizante mineral NPK y densidades de siembra para incrementar la producción de semilla en el cultivo del tomate (Lycopersicum esculentum Mill) cv. TY-13 bajo condiciones de riego en el valle de Sébaco, Matagalpa 2003-2004

Se evaluaron cinco dosis de fertilizantes y tres densidades de siembra para producir semilla de tomate, en vista de suprimir mayor volumen de alimento y obtener semilla de calidad. El ensayo se estableció en el Valle de Sébaco, periodo comprendido de noviembre 2003 a marzo 2004, el Valle se situa en una planicie con precipitaciones anuales de 800 mm y temperaturas entre 22°C y 35°C, los suelos son arcillosos, drenados con un contenido alto de M.O. el diseño utilizado fue un (B.C.A) evaluando variables de crecimiento, rendimiento agronómico y de la semilla calidad I, la germinación de la semilla producida y se realizo un análisis económico para determinar la rentabilidad de los tratamientos. Los resultados evidencian que la dosis 517.2 kg ha-1 de NPK obtiene las mayores alturas con 69.91 cm y con un diámetro de 14.40 mm. La mejor densidad fue 33,333 plantas ha-1 con 67.58 cm de altura de planta. En el número de frutos la mejor combinación fue 387.9 kgha-1 * 33,333 plantas ha-1 con 350,209 frutos ha-1. En el peso kg ha-1 la dosis 387.9 kg ha-1 obtiene 36,948 kg ha-1 y la mejor densidad 33,333 plantas ha-1 con 37,809 kg ha1. El rendimiento de la semilla la mejor combinación fue 387.9 kg ha-1 * 33,333 plantas ha-1 con 151.9 kg ha -1 y el mejor porcentaje de germinación se obtuvo con 258.6 kg ha-1 con 88.6% y con densidad de 33,333 plantas ha-1 con 88.1%. La mayor relación valor costo lo obtiene la combinación 387.9 kg ha-1 * 33,333 plantas ha-1 con $ 75.23 por cada dólar invertido.