The hype cycle model: A review and future directions

The hype cycle model traces the evolution of technological innovations as they pass through successive stages pronounced by the peak, disappointment, and recovery of expectations. Since its introduction by Gartner nearly two decades ago, the model has received growing interest from practitioners, and more recently from scholars. Given the model's proclaimed capacity to forecast technological development, an important consideration for organizations in formulating marketing strategies, this paper provides a critical review of the hype cycle model by seeking evidence from Gartner's own technology databases for the manifestation of hype cycles. The results of our empirical work show incongruences connected with the reports of Gartner, which motivates us to consider possible future directions, whereby the notion of hype or hyped dynamics (though not necessarily the hype cycle model itself) can be captured in existing life cycle models through the identification of peak, disappointment, and recovery patterns.

Ferrolysis induced soil transformation by natural drainage in Vertisols of sub-humid South India

In sub-humid South India, recent studies have shown that black soil areas (Vertisols and vertic Intergrades), located on flat valley bottoms, have been rejuvenated through the incision of streambeds, inducing changes in the pedoclimate and soil transformation. Joint pedological, geochemical and geophysical investigations were performed in order to better understand the ongoing processes and their contribution to the chemistry of local rivers. The seasonal rainfall causes cycles of oxidation and reduction in a perched watertable at the base of the black soil, while the reduced solutions are exported through a loamy sand network. This framework favours a ferrolysis process, which causes low base saturation and protonation of clay, leading to the weathering of 2:1 then 1:1 clay minerals. Maximum weathering conditions occur at the very end of the wet season, just before disappearance of the perched watertable. Therefore, the by-products of soil transformation are partially drained off and calcareous nodules, then further downslope, amorphous silica precipitate upon soil dehydration. The ferrolysed area is fringing the drainage system indicating that its development has been induced by the streambed incision. The distribution of C-14 ages of CaCO3 nodules suggests that the ferrolysis process started during the late Holocene, only about 2 kyr B.P. at the studied site and about 5 kyr B.P. at the watershed outlet. The results of this study are applied to an assessment of the physical erosion rate (4.8x10(-3) m/kyr) since the recent reactivation of the erosion process. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effect of vibration on heat transfer from a horizontal cylinder to a normal air stream

The effect of vibration on heat transfer from a horizontal copper cylinder, 0.344 in. in diameter and 6 in. long, was investigated. The cylinder was placed normal to an air stream and was sinusoidally vibrated in a direction perpendicular to the direction of the air stream. The flow velocity varied from 19 ft/s to 92 ft/s; the double amplitude of vibration from 0.75 cm to 3.2 cm, and the frequency of vibration from 200 to 2800 cycles/min. A transient technique was used to determine the heat transfer coefficients. The experimental data in the absence of vibration is expressed by NNu = 0.226 NRe0.6 in the range 2500 < NRe < 15 000. By imposing vibrational velocities as high as 20 per cent of the flow velocity, no appreciable change in the heat transfer coefficient was observed. An analysis using the resultant of the vibration and the flow velocity explains the observed phenomenon.

A Durable PEFC with Carbon-Supported Pt-TiO2 Cathode: A Cause and Effect Study

Durability is central to the commercialization of polymer electrolyte fuel cells (PEFCs). The incorporation of TiO2 with platinum (Pt) ameliorates both the stability and catalytic activity of cathodes in relation to pristine Pt cathodes currently being used in PEFCs. PEFC cathodes comprising carbon-supported Pt-TiO2 (Pt-TiO2/C) exhibit higher durability in relation to Pt/C cathodes as evidenced by cell polarization, impedance, and cyclic voltammetry data. The degradation in performance of the Pt-TiO2/C cathodes is 10% after 5000 test cycles as against 28% for Pt/C cathodes. These data are in conformity with the electrochemical surface area and impedance values. Pt-TiO2/C cathodes can withstand even 10,000 test cycles with nominal effect on their performance. X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscope, and cross-sectional field-emission-scanning electron microscope studies on the catalytic electrodes reflect that incorporating TiO2 with Pt helps in mitigating the aggregation of Pt particles and protects the Nafion membrane against peroxide radicals formed during the cathodic reduction of oxygen. (C) 2010 The Electrochemical Society. [DOI: 10.1149/1.3421970] All rights reserved.

Ambient temperature, zinc ion-conducting, binary molten electrolyte based on acetamide and zinc perchlorate: Application in rechargeable zinc batteries

Binary room temperature molten electrolytes based on acetamide and zinc perchlorate have been prepared and characterized. The electrolytes are found to be highly zinc ion-conducting with very favorable physicochemical and electrochemical characteristics. Raman and infrared spectroscopic studies reveal the presence of large free-ion concentration in the molten liquid. This is corroborated by the high conductivity observed under ambient conditions. Rechargeable zinc batteries assembled using gamma-MnO2 as the cathode and Zn as the anode with the molten electrolyte show high discharge capacities over several cycles, indicating excellent reversibility. This unique class of acetamide-based, room temperature molten liquids may become viable and green alternative electrolytes for rechargeable zinc-based secondary batteries. (C) 2009 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The Ecologic Foundations of Stylistics in Music and in Language

This contribution suggests that it is possible to describe the transformations of musical style in an analogous way to the transformations of style in language, and also that it can be explained how the ‘musics in contact’ behave in an analogous way to the ‘languages in contact’. According to this idea, the ‘evolution’ of styles in music and in language can be identified and studied as dynamic exchanges in ecological niches. It is suggested, also, that the idiolectic-ecolectic, and acrolectic-basilectic relationships in music and language are functions of cycles in several ‘layers’ and ‘rhythms’. The presence of stylistic varieties and influences in music and in language may imply that they are part of major sign systems within a more complex ecological relationship.

Solution-Combustion Synthesized Nanocrystalline Li4Ti5O12 As High-Rate Performance Li-Ion Battery Anode

Nanocrystalline Li4Ti5O12 (LTO) crystallizing in cubic spinel-phase has been synthesized by single-step-solution-combustion method in less than one minute. LTO particles thus synthesized are flaky and highly porous in nature with a surface area of 12 m(2)/g. Transmission electron micrographs indicate the primary particles to be agglomerated crystallites of varying size between 20 and 50 nm with a 3-dimensional interconnected porous network. During their galvanostatic charge-discharge at varying rates, LTO electrodes yield a capacity value close to the theoretical value of 175 mA h/g at C/2 rate. The electrodes also exhibit promising capacity retention with little capacity loss over 100 cycles at varying discharge rates together with attractive discharge-rate capabilities yielding capacity values of 140 mA h/g and 70 mA h/g at 10 and 100 C discharge rates, respectively. The ameliorated electrode-performance is ascribed to nano and highly porous morphology of the electrodes that provide short diffusion-paths for Li in conjunction with electrolyte percolation through the electrode pores ensuring a high flux of Li.

High performance VLSI architecture design for H.264 CAVLC decoder

H.264 video standard achieves high quality video along with high data compression when compared to other existing video standards. H.264 uses context-based adaptive variable length coding (CAVLC) to code residual data in Baseline profile. In this paper we describe a novel architecture for CAVLC decoder including coeff-token decoder, level decoder total-zeros decoder and run-before decoder UMC library in 0.13 mu CMOS technology is used to synthesize the proposed design. The proposed design reduces chip area and improves critical path performance of CAVLC decoder in comparison with [1]. Macroblock level (including luma and chroma) pipeline processing for CAVLC is implemented with an average of 141 cycles (including pipeline buffering) per macroblock at 250MHz clock frequency. To compare our results with [1] clock frequency is constrained to 125MHz. The area required for the proposed architecture is 17586 gates, which is 22.1% improvement in comparison to [1]. We obtain a throughput of 1.73 * 10(6) macroblocks/second, which is 28% higher than that reported in [1]. The proposed design meets the processing requirement of 1080HD [5] video at 30frames/seconds.

Expression of cyclin E in endomitotic silk-gland cells from mulberry silkworm

The silk glands of mulberry silkworm Bombyx mori are endoreplicating tissues in which the genomic DNA undergoes multiple rounds of replication without mitosis and nuclear division. In the absence of normal mitotic division, the cell cycle essentially alternates between the G1 and S phases. Cyclin E is crucial for the G1/S transition in both mitotic and endoreplicating cycles. We have cloned and characterized cyclin E (cyclin box) from B. mori, which is nearly identical to the Drosophila cyclin E box except for an insertion of 21 amino acids. Two distinct cyclin E transcripts (1.7 and 2.1 kb) were detected in the silk-gland cells of B. mori and in the B. mori-derived embryonic cell line, BmN. Using anti Cyclin E antibodies two protein bands of 52 and 44 kDa were detected in silk glands and BmN cells at Comparable levels. Both BmN- and the silk-gland cells showed the presence of the interacting kinase Cdk2. Transcripts of the mitotic cyclin, cyclin B, were barely detectable in the endoreplicating silk-gland cells and amounted to only 4-7% of that seen in the mitotically dividing BmN cells. The near absence of cyclin B transcripts and the abundant expression of cyclin E in the silk glands correlate well with the alternation of only G1 and S phases without the intervening mitosis in these cells. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

Incommensurate-commensurate phase transition in ferroelastic CsIO4

Raman scattering experiments have been performed on ferroelastic CsIO4 over the temperature range 323K to 200K during cooling and heating cycles. The spectra display marked changes at 256K and 244K during the cooling cycle and at 287K and 291K during the heating cycle. The transition at 256K is suggested to be from normal to incommensurate phase which changes over to a commensurate structure at 244K.

A low-cost lead-acid battery with high specific-energy

Lightweight grids for lead-acid battery grids have been prepared from acrylonitrile. butadiene styrene (ABS) copolymer followed by coating with lead. Subsequently, the grids have been electrochemically coated with a conductive and corrosion-resistant layer of polyaniline. These grids are about 75% lighter than those employed in conventional lead-acid batteries. Commercial-grade 6V/3.5 Ah (C-20-rate) lead-acid batteries have been assembled and characterized employing positive and negative plates constituting these grids. The specific energy of such a lead-acid battery is about 50 Wh/kg. The batteries can withstand fast charge-discharge duty cycles.

Talouskäsitysten vaikutus hallituksen suosioon Puolassa 2006–2007

Tutkimuksessa tarkastellaan äänestäjien talouskäsitysten vaikutusta hallituksen suosioon Puolassa vuosina 2006 ja 2007. Tutkimusasetelma juontaa juurensa poliittisten suhdannevaihteluiden teoriaan, jonka mukaan poliitikot pyrkivät manipuloimaan taloutta vaalien alla tullakseen uudelleen valituiksi. Vastuullisuushypoteesin mukaan äänestäjät palkitsevat poliitikot hyvästä taloustilanteesta. Näin ollen mikäli äänestäjät ovat tyytyväisiä talouteen he äänestävät hallitusta. Mikäli eivät, he äänestävät oppositiota. Miten äänestäjät sitten tekevät arvionsa taloudesta? Tutkielmassa selvitetään vaikuttiko äänestäjien mielipiteisiin käsitys nykyisestä vai tulevaisuuden taloustilanteesta. Käsitys nykyisestä taloustilanteesta perustuu havaintoihin jo toteutuneesta talouspolitiikasta. Tätä käsitystä kutsutaan retrospektiiviseksi näkemykseksi. Prospektiiviset talousnäkemykset koostuvat näkemyksestä ja odotuksista talouden tulevasta tilasta ja uskosta hallituksen kykyyn tarjota paras vaihtoehto suotuisalle talouskehitykselle. Aikaulottuvuuden lisäksi tutkielmassa testataan, vaikuttaako äänestäjiin enemmän heidän oma taloustilanteensa vai näkemys yleisestä talouden tilanteesta. Mikäli hallituksen suosio perustuu näkemyksiin henkilökohtaisen talouden tilasta, ovat äänestäjät egotrooppisia. Mikäli kannatuspäätös perustuu näkemykseen kansantalouden tilasta, ovat äänestäjät puolestaan sosiotrooppisia. Aineistona tutkielmassa käytetään uusinta saatavilla olevaa Puolan mielipidetiedustelun (Centrum Badania Opinii Publicznej) keräämää kyselyaineistoa vuosilta 2006 ja 2007. Tutkielmassa on yhdistetty kyselyaineistot 22:n kuukauden ajalta. Aineistoa on analysoitu logistisen regressioanalyysin menetelmin. Tutkielman perusteella talousnäkemyksistä suurin vaikutus hallituksen suosioon on äänestäjien näkemyksillä kansantalouden tulevaisuuden tilasta. Henkilökohtaisen talouden osalta positiiviset tulevaisuudennäkymät vaikuttavat positiivisesti myös hallituksen kannatukseen. Retrospektiivinen arvio henkilökohtaisesta taloudesta toimii kuitenkin teorian vastaisesti; oman taloudellisen tilanteen hyväksi arvioineiden todennäköisyys kannatta hallitusta oli pienempää kuin niillä, jotka arvioivat oman taloustilanteensa huonoksi. Kontrollimuuttujiksi valittiin joukko aiemmassa tutkimuksessa äänestyskäyttäytymiseen Puolassa vaikuttaneita tekijöitä. Näitä olivat ikä, sukupuoli, koulutus, asuinpaikka, näkemys työllisyystilanteesta, ideologinen sijoittuminen oikeisto–vasemmisto-akselilla sekä uskonnollisuus. Kontrollimuuttujista merkitseviksi osoittautuivat uskonnollisuus, oikeisto–vasemmisto-ideologia, koulutus, asuinpaikka sekä ikä. Kun edellä mainitut taustamuuttujat on kontrolloitu, taloustekijät selittävät noin viidesosan hallituksen kannatuksen todennäköisyyden vaihtelusta.

Experimental studies and phase field modeling of microstructure evolution during solidification with electromagnetic stirring

Thixocasting requires manufacturing of billets with non-dendritic microstructure. Aluminum alloy A356 billets were produced by rheocasting in a mould placed inside a linear electromagnetic stirrer. Subsequent heat treatment was used to produce a transition from rosette to globular microstructure. The current and the duration of stirring were explored as control parameters. Simultaneous induction heating of the billet during stirring was quantified using experimentally determined thermal profiles. The effect of processing parameters on the dendrite fragmentation was discussed. Corresponding computational modeling of the process was performed using phase-field modeling of alloy solidification in order to gain insight into the process of morphological changes of a solid during this process. A non-isothermal alloy solidification model was used for simulations. The morphological evolution under such imposed thermal cycles was simulated and compared with experimentally determined one. Suitable scaling using the thermosolutal diffusion distances was used to overcome computational difficulties in quantitative comparison at system scale. The results were interpreted in the light of existing theories of microstructure refinement and globularisation.

Induction reheating of A356.2 aluminum alloy and thixocasting as automobile component

The development work for producing an automobile component by thixocasting using A356.2 alloy was introduced. As the first step, the alloy was electromagnetically stirred and solidified to produce a billet with non-dendritic microstructure. The microstructure depended on several process parameters such as stirring intensity, stirring frequency, cooling rate, and melt initial superheat. Through a series of computational studies and controlled experiments, a set of process parameters were identified to produce the best microstructures. Reheating of a billet with non-dendritic microstructure to a semisolid temperature was the next step for thixo-casting of the components. The reheating process was characterized for various reheating cycles using a vertical-type reheating machine. The induction heating cycle was optimized to obtain a near-uniform temperature distribution in radial as well as axial direction of the billet, and the heating was continued until the liquid fraction reached about 50%. These parameters were determined with the help of a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model of die filling and solidification of the semisolid alloy. The heated billets were subsequently thixo-cast into automobile components using a real-time controlled die casting machine. The results show that the castings are near net shape, free from porosity, good surface finish and have superior mechanical properties compared to those produced by conventional die casting processes using the same alloy.

Differences in the climatic adaptation of silver birch (Betula pendula) and downy birch (B. pubescens) in Finland based on male flowering phenology.

Male flowering was studied at the canopy level in 10 silver birch (Betula pendula Roth) stands from 8 localities and in 14 downy birch (B. pubescens Ehrh.) stands from 10 localities in Finland from 1963 to 1973. Distributions of cumulative pollen catches were compared to the normal Gaussian distribution. The basis for the timing of flowering was the 50 per cent point of the anthesis-fitted normal distribution. To eliminate effects of background pollen, only the central, normally distributed part of the cumulative distribution was used. Development up to the median point of the distribution was measured and tested in calendar days, in degree days (> 5 °C) and in period units. The count of each parameter began on and included March 19. Male flowering in silver birch occurred from late April to late June depending on latitude, and flowering in downy birch took place from early May to early July. The heat sums needed for male flowering varied in downy birch stands latitudinally but there was practically no latitudinal variation in heat sums needed for silver birch flowering. The amount of male flowering in stands of both birch species were found to have a large annual variation but without any clear periodicity. The between years pollen catch variation in stands of either birch species did not show any significant latitudinal correlation in contrast to Norway spruce stands. The period unit heat sum gave the most accurate forecast of the timing of flowering for 60 per cent of the silver birch stands and for 78.6 per cent of the for downy birch stands. Calendar days, however, gave the best forecast for silver birch in 25 per cent of the cases, while degree days gave the best forecast for downy birch in 21.4 per cent of the cases. Silver birch seems to have a local inclination for a more fixed flowering date compared to downy birch, which could mean a considerable photoperiodic influence on flowering time of silver birch. Silver birch and downy birch had different geographical correlations. Frequent hybridization of birch species occurs more often in northern Finland in than in more southern latitudes. The different timing in flowering caused increasing scatter in flowering times in the north, especially in the case of downy birch. The chance of simultaneous flowering of silver birch and downy birch so increased northwards due to a more variable climate and also higher altitudinal variations. Compared with conifers, the reproduction cycles of both birch species were found to be well protected from damage by frost.