Perspectives on Titanium Science and Technology

The basic framework and - conceptual understanding of the metallurgy of Ti alloys is strong and this has enabled the use of titanium and its alloys in safety-critical structures such as those in aircraft and aircraft engines. Nevertheless, a focus on cost-effectiveness and the compression of product development time by effectively integrating design with manufacturing in these applications, as well as those emerging in bioengineering, has driven research in recent decades towards a greater predictive capability through the use of computational materials engineering tools. Therefore this paper focuses on the complexity and variety of fundamental phenomena in this material system with a focus on phase transformations and mechanical behaviour in order to delineate the challenges that lie ahead in achieving these goals. (C) 2012 Acta Materialia Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Poincare invariant quantum field theories with twisted internal symmetries

Following up the work of 1] on deformed algebras, we present a class of Poincare invariant quantum field theories with particles having deformed internal symmetries. The twisted quantum fields discussed in this work satisfy commutation relations different from the usual bosonic/fermionic commutation relations. Such twisted fields by construction are nonlocal in nature. Despite this nonlocality we show that it is possible to construct interaction Hamiltonians which satisfy cluster decomposition principle and are Lorentz invariant. We further illustrate these ideas by considering global SU(N) symmetries. Specifically we show that twisted internal symmetries can provide a natural-framework for the discussion of the marginal deformations (beta-deformations) of the N = 4 SUSY theories.

Structured Dispersion Matrices From Division Algebra Codes for Space-Time Shift Keying

We propose a novel method of constructing Dispersion Matrices (DM) for Coherent Space-Time Shift Keying (CSTSK) relying on arbitrary PSK signal sets by exploiting codes from division algebras. We show that classic codes from Cyclic Division Algebras (CDA) may be interpreted as DMs conceived for PSK signal sets. Hence various benefits of CDA codes such as their ability to achieve full diversity are inherited by CSTSK. We demonstrate that the proposed CDA based DMs are capable of achieving a lower symbol error ratio than the existing DMs generated using the capacity as their optimization objective function for both perfect and imperfect channel estimation.

Generalized distributive law for ML decoding of space-time block codes

The problem of designing good space-time block codes (STBCs) with low maximum-likelihood (ML) decoding complexity has gathered much attention in the literature. All the known low ML decoding complexity techniques utilize the same approach of exploiting either the multigroup decodable or the fast-decodable (conditionally multigroup decodable) structure of a code. We refer to this well-known technique of decoding STBCs as conditional ML (CML) decoding. In this paper, we introduce a new framework to construct ML decoders for STBCs based on the generalized distributive law (GDL) and the factor-graph-based sum-product algorithm. We say that an STBC is fast GDL decodable if the order of GDL decoding complexity of the code, with respect to the constellation size, is strictly less than M-lambda, where lambda is the number of independent symbols in the STBC. We give sufficient conditions for an STBC to admit fast GDL decoding, and show that both multigroup and conditionally multigroup decodable codes are fast GDL decodable. For any STBC, whether fast GDL decodable or not, we show that the GDL decoding complexity is strictly less than the CML decoding complexity. For instance, for any STBC obtained from cyclic division algebras which is not multigroup or conditionally multigroup decodable, the GDL decoder provides about 12 times reduction in complexity compared to the CML decoder. Similarly, for the Golden code, which is conditionally multigroup decodable, the GDL decoder is only half as complex as the CML decoder.

Distinctive contributions of the ribosomal P-site elements m(2)G966, m(5)C967 and the C-terminal tail of the S9 protein in the fidelity of initiation of translation in Escherichia coli

The accuracy of pairing of the anticodon of the initiator tRNA (tRNA(fMet)) and the initiation codon of an mRNA, in the ribosomal P-site, is crucial for determining the translational reading frame. However, a direct role of any ribosomal element(s) in scrutinizing this pairing is unknown. The P-site elements, m(2)G966 (methylated by RsmD), m(5)C967 (methylated by RsmB) and the C-terminal tail of the protein S9 lie in the vicinity of tRNA(fMet). We investigated the role of these elements in initiation from various codons, namely, AUG, GUG, UUG, CUG, AUA, AUU, AUC and ACG with tRNA(CAU)(fmet) (tRNA(fMet) with CAU anticodon); CAC and CAU with tRNA(GUG)(fme); UAG with tRNA(GAU)(fMet) using in vivo and computational methods. Although RsmB deficiency did not impact initiation from most codons, RsmD deficiency increased initiation from AUA, CAC and CAU (2- to 3.6-fold). Deletion of the S9 C-terminal tail resulted in poorer initiation from UUG, GUG and CUG, but in increased initiation from CAC, CAU and UAC codons (up to 4-fold). Also, the S9 tail suppressed initiation with tRNA(CAU)(fMet)lacking the 3GC base pairs in the anticodon stem. These observations suggest distinctive roles of 966/967 methylations and the S9 tail in initiation.

Multilevel octadecagonal space vector generation for induction motor drives by cascading asymmetric three level inverters

Multilevel inverters with hexagonal and dodecagonal voltage space vector structures have improved harmonic profile compared to two level inverters. Further improvement in the quality of the waveform is possible using multilevel octadecagonal (18 sided polygon) voltage space vectors. This paper proposes an inverter circuit topology capable of generating multilevel octadecagonal voltage space vectors, by cascading two asymmetric three level inverters. By proper selection of DC link voltages and the resultant switching states for the inverters, voltage space vectors, whose tips lie on three concentric octadecagons, are obtained. The advantages of octadecagonal voltage space vector based PWM techniques are the complete elimination of fifth, seventh, eleventh and thirteenth harmonics in phase voltages and the extension of linear modulation range. In this paper, a simple PWM timing calculation method is also proposed. Matlab simulation results and experimental results have been presented in this paper to validate the proposed concept.

Multiple molecular alterations in phosphodegrons 1-3 within AAV2 capsid demonstrates higher hepatic gene transfer efficiency

The success of AAV2 mediated hepatic gene transfer in human trials for diseases such as hemophilia has been hampered by a combination of low transduction efficiency and a robust immune response directed against these vectors. We have previously shown that AAV2 is targeted for destruction in the cytoplasm by the host-cellular kinase/ubiquitination/proteasomal degradation machinery and modification of the serine(S)/threonine(T) kinase and lysine(K) targets on AAV capsid is beneficial. Thus targeted single mutations of S/T>A(S489A, S498A, T251A) and K>R (K532R) improved the efficiency of gene transfer in vivo as compared to wild type (WT)-AAV2 vectors (∼6-14 fold). In the present study, we evaluated if combined alteration of the phosphodegrons (PD), which are the phosphorylation sites recognized as degradation signals by ubiquitin ligases, improves further the gene transfer efficiency. Thus, we generated four multiple mutant vectors (PD: 1+3, S489A+K532R, PD: 1+3, S489A+K532R together with T251 residue which did not lie in any of the phosphodegrons but had shown increased transduction efficiency compared to the WT-AAV2 vector (∼6 fold) and was also conserved in 9 out of 10 AAV serotypes (AAV 1 to 10), PD: 1+3, S489A+K532R+S498A and a fourth combination of PD: 3, K532R+T251. We then evaluated them in vitro and in vivo and compared their gene transfer efficiency with either the WT-AAV2 or the best single mutant S489A-AAV2 vector. The novel multiple mutations on the AAV2 capsid did not affect the overall vector packaging efficiency. All the multiple AAV2 mutants showed superior transduction efficiency in HeLa cells in vitro when compared to either the WT (62-72% Vs 21%) or the single mutant S489A (62-72% Vs 50%) AAV2 vectors as demonstrated by FACS analysis (Fig. 1A). On hepatic gene transfer with 5x10^10 vgs per animal in C57BL/6 mice, all the multiple mutants showed increased transgene expression compared to either the WT-AAV2 (∼15-23 fold) or the S489A single mutant vector (∼2-3 fold) (Fig.1B and C). These novel multiple mutant AAV2 vectors also showed higher vector copy number in murine hepatocytes 4 weeks post transduction, as compared to the WT-AAV2 (∼5-6 Vs 1.4 vector copies/diploid genome) and further higher when compared to the single mutant S489A(∼5-6 fold Vs 3.8 fold) (Fig.1D). Further ongoing studies will demonstrate the therapeutic benefit of one or more of the multiple mutants vectors in preclinical models of hemophilia.

Characterization and magnetic response of multiwall carbon nanotubes filled with iron nanoparticles of different aspect ratios

Three samples of multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) TF200, TF150 and TF100, where T and F stand for toluene and ferrocene respectively, and numeral denotes the amount (mg) of ferrocene] filled with iron-nanoparticles (Fe-NPs) of different aspect ratios are grown by chemical vapor deposition of toluene-ferrocene mixture. Energy dispersive X-ray analysis shows a systematic variation in the intensities of peak corresponding to Fe, indicating that Fe is present in different amounts in the three MWCNT samples. The lengths of Fe-NPs lie in the range of 200-250; 80-120; and 30-40 nm for TF200, TF150 and TF100, respectively, as estimated statistically from transmission electron microscopy micrographs. However, the diameter of the encapsulated Fe-NPs does not vary significantly for different samples and is 20-30 nm for all samples. Hysteresis loop measurements on these MWCNT samples were done at 10, 150 and 300 K up to an applied field of 1.5 T. At 10 K, values of coercivity are 2584, 2315, and 2251 Oe for TF200, TF150 and TF100 respectively. This is attributed to the strong shape anisotropy of the Fe-NPs and significant dipolar interactions between them. Further, M-H loops reveal that saturation magnetization of TF200 is almost four times that of TF100 at all temperatures.

Data Fusion of Dual Foot-Mounted INS to Reduce the Systematic Heading Drift

In this report, we investigate the problem of applying a range constraint in order to reduce the systematic heading drift in a foot-mounted inertial navigation system (INS) (motion-tracking). We make use of two foot-mounted INS, one on each foot, which are aided with zero-velocity detectors. A novel algorithm is proposed in order to reduce the systematic heading drift. The proposed algorithm is based on the idea that the separation between the two feet at any given instance must always lie within a sphere of radius equal to the maximum possible spatial separation between the two feet. A Kalman filter, getting one measurement update and two observation updates is used in this algorithm.

Black holes in higher spin supergravity

We study black hole solutions in Chern-Simons higher spin supergravity based on the superalgebra sl(3 vertical bar 2). These black hole solutions have a U(1) gauge field and a spin 2 hair in addition to the spin 3 hair. These additional fields correspond to the R-symmetry charges of the supergroup sl(3 vertical bar 2). Using the relation between the bulk field equations and the Ward identities of a CFT with N = 2 super-W-3 symmetry, we identify the bulk charges and chemical potentials with those of the boundary CFT. From these identifications we see that a suitable set of variables to study this black hole is in terms of the charges present in three decoupled bosonic sub-algebras of the N = 2 super-W-3 algebra. The entropy and the partition function of these R-charged black holes are then evaluated in terms of the charges of the bulk theory as well as in terms of its chemical potentials. We then compute the partition function in the dual CFT and find exact agreement with the bulk partition function.

Vorticity moments in four numerical simulations of the 3D Navier-Stokes equations

The issue of intermittency in numerical solutions of the 3D Navier-Stokes equations on a periodic box 0, L](3) is addressed through four sets of numerical simulations that calculate a new set of variables defined by D-m(t) = (pi(-1)(0) Omega(m))(alpha m) for 1 <= m <= infinity where alpha(m) = 2m/(4m - 3) and Omega(m)(t)](2m) = L-3 integral(v) vertical bar omega vertical bar(2m) dV with pi(0) = vL(-2). All four simulations unexpectedly show that the D-m are ordered for m = 1,..., 9 such that Dm+1 < D-m. Moreover, the D-m squeeze together such that Dm+1/D-m NE arrow 1 as m increases. The values of D-1 lie far above the values of the rest of the D-m, giving rise to a suggestion that a depletion of nonlinearity is occurring which could be the cause of Navier-Stokes regularity. The first simulation is of very anisotropic decaying turbulence; the second and third are of decaying isotropic turbulence from random initial conditions and forced isotropic turbulence at fixed Grashof number respectively; the fourth is of very-high-Reynolds-number forced, stationary, isotropic turbulence at up to resolutions of 4096(3).

Combining ``chimie douce'' and green principles for the developing world: Improving industrial viability of photocatalytic water remediation

We highlight the need for a comprehensive, multi-disciplinary approach for the development of cost-effective water remediation methods. Combining ``chimie douce'' and green chemical principles seems essential for making these technologies economically viable and socially relevant (especially in the developing world). A comprehensive approach to water remediation will take into account issues such as nanotoxicity, chemical yield, cost, and ease of deployment in reactors. By considering technological challenges that lie ahead, we will attempt to identify directions that are likely to make photocatalytic water remediation a more global technology than it currently is. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

Horizontal pullout resistance of a group of two vertical anchors in sand

The horizontal pullout capacity of a group of two vertical strip anchors placed along the same vertical plane in sand has been determined by using the upper bound finite elements limit analysis. The variation of the efficiency factor (xi (gamma) ) with changes in clear spacing (S) between the anchors has been established to evaluate the total group failure load for different values of (i) embedment ratio (H/B), (ii) soil internal friction angle (phi), and (iii) anchor-soil interface friction angle (delta). The total group failure load, for a given H/B, becomes always maximum corresponding to a certain optimal spacing (S-opt). The value of S-opt/B was found to lie in a range of 0.5-1.4. The maximum magnitude of xi (gamma) increases generally with increases in H/B, phi and delta.

Generalized distributive law for ML decoding of STBCs: further results

The problem of designing good Space-Time Block Codes (STBCs) with low maximum-likelihood (ML) decoding complexity has gathered much attention in the literature. All the known low ML decoding complexity techniques utilize the same approach of exploiting either the multigroup decodable or the fast-decodable (conditionally multigroup decodable) structure of a code. We refer to this well known technique of decoding STBCs as Conditional ML (CML) decoding. In [1], we introduced a framework to construct ML decoders for STBCs based on the Generalized Distributive Law (GDL) and the Factor-graph based Sum-Product Algorithm, and showed that for two specific families of STBCs, the Toepltiz codes and the Overlapped Alamouti Codes (OACs), the GDL based ML decoders have strictly less complexity than the CML decoders. In this paper, we introduce a `traceback' step to the GDL decoding algorithm of STBCs, which enables roughly 4 times reduction in the complexity of the GDL decoders proposed in [1]. Utilizing this complexity reduction from `traceback', we then show that for any STBC (not just the Toeplitz and Overlapped Alamouti Codes), the GDL decoding complexity is strictly less than the CML decoding complexity. For instance, for any STBC obtained from Cyclic Division Algebras that is not multigroup or conditionally multigroup decodable, the GDL decoder provides approximately 12 times reduction in complexity compared to the CML decoder. Similarly, for the Golden code, which is conditionally multigroup decodable, the GDL decoder is only about half as complex as the CML decoder.

Environments of extended radio sources in the Australia Telescope Low-Brightness Survey

We present a study of the environments of extended radio sources in the Australia Telescope Low-Brightness Survey (ATLBS). The radio sources were selected from the ATLBS Extended Source Sample, which is a well defined sample containing the most extended of radio sources in the ATLBS sky survey regions. The environments were analysed using 4-m Cerro-Tololo Inter-American Observatory Blanco telescope observations carried out for ATLBS fields in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey r(') band. We have estimated the properties of the environments using smoothed density maps derived from galaxy catalogues constructed using these optical imaging data. The angular distribution of galaxy density relative to the axes of the radio sources has been quantified by defining anisotropy parameters that are estimated using a new method presented here. Examining the anisotropy parameters for a subsample of extended double radio sources that includes all sources with pronounced asymmetry in lobe extents, we find good evidence for environmental anisotropy being the dominant cause for lobe asymmetry in that higher galaxy density occurs almost always on the side of the shorter lobe, and this validates the usefulness of the method proposed and adopted here. The environmental anisotropy parameters have been used to examine and compare the environments of Fanaroff-Riley Class I (FRI) and Fanaroff-Riley Class II (FRII) radio sources in two redshift regimes (z < 0.5 and z > 0.5). Wide-angle tail sources and head-tail sources lie in the most overdense environments. The head-tail source environments (for the HT sources in our sample) display dipolar anisotropy in that higher galaxy density appears to lie in the direction of the tails. Excluding the head-tail and wide-angle tail sources, subsamples of FRI and FRII sources from the ATLBS appear to lie in similar moderately overdense environments, with no evidence for redshift evolution in the regimes studied herein.