Drainage and separation factors for static foams containing agglomerates of microbial cells

The presence of cell agglomerates has been found to influence significantly the rates of liquid drainage from static foams. The process of drainage has been modelled by considering the foam to be made of pentagonal dodecahedral bubbles yielding films, nearly horizontal and nearly vertical Plateau borders. The films are assumed to drain into both kinds of Plateau borders equally. The horizontal Plateau borders are assumed to receive liquid from the films and drain into the vertical Plateau borders, which, in turn, form the main flow paths for gravity drainage. The drainage process is assumed to be similar to that for pure liquid until a stage is reached where the size of the cell agglomerates become equivalent to those of films and Plateau borders. Thereafter, a squeezing flow mechanism has been formulated where the aggromerates deform and flow. The model based on the above assumptions has been verified against experimental results and has been found to predict not only drainage data but also the separation of cell agglomerates from broths.

Performability of automated manufacturing systems with centralized material handling

We present a framework for performance evaluation of manufacturing systems subject to failure and repair. In particular, we determine the mean and variance of accumulated production over a specified time frame and show the usefulness of these results in system design and in evaluating operational policies for manufacturing systems. We extend this analysis for lead time as well. A detailed performability study is carried out for the generic model of a manufacturing system with centralized material handling. Several numerical results are presented, and the relevance of performability analysis in resolving system design issues is highlighted. Specific problems addressed include computing the distribution of total production over a shift period, determining the shift length necessary to deliver a given production target with a desired probability, and obtaining the distribution of Manufacturing Lead Time, all in the face of potential subsystem failures.

An ab-initio study of the role of lone pairs in the structure and insulator-metal transition in SnO and PbO

We have performed density functional calculations on tetragonal SnO and PbO (litharge) in the space group P4/nmm with the specific intention of examining the role played by Sn 5s and Pb 6s lone pairs in stabilizing the structure, and in giving rise to semi-metallic behavior (of SnO at ambient pressure and of PbO in the gamma phase). Use of the electron localization function has permitted real-space visualization of the lone pair in these structures. We also discuss the electronic structure of the orthorhombic PbO (massicot, space group Pbma) which again has localized lone pairs, contrary to some earlier expectation. (C) 2002 Editions scientifiques et medicales Elsevier SAS. All rights reserved.

Greenhouse gas inventory estimates for India

This article reports the greenhouse gas emissions of anthropogenic origin by sources and removals by sinks of India for 2007 prepared under the aegis of the Indian Network for Climate Change Assessment (INCCA) (note 1). The emission profile includes carbon dioxide (CO(2)), methane and nitrous oxide. It also includes the estimates of hydrofluorocarbons, perfluorocarbons and sulphur hexafluoride at the national level from various sectors, viz, energy, industrial process and product use, agriculture, land-use, land-use change and forestry (LULUCF), and waste. In 2007, emissions were of the order of 2008.67 Tg (note 2) of CO(2) equivalents without emissions from the LULUCF sector. Whereas with LULUCF the emissions were about 1831.65 Tg CO(2) equivalents. The energy sector accounted for 69% of the total emissions, the agriculture sector contributed 19% of the emissions, 9% of the emissions was from the industrial processes and product use, and only 3% of the emissions was attributable to the waste sector. The LULUCF sector on the whole was net sink category for CO(2). The study tracks the improvements made in inventory estimates at the national level through the years, in terms of the expanding coverage of sources, reducing uncertainties and inclusion of new methodologies, including some elements of future areas of work.

Potentiometric determination of the Gibbs free energy of formation of cadmium and magnesium chromites

The standard Gibbs free energy of formation of magnesium and cadmiumchromites have been determined by potentiometric measurements on reversiblesolid-state electrochemical cells [dformula (Au-5%Cd, , Au-5%Cd; Pt, + , CaO-ZrO[sub 2], + ,Pt; CdO, , CdCr[sub 2]O[sub 4] + Cr[sub 2]O[sub 3])] in the temperature range 500°–730°C, and [dformula Pt, Cr + Cr[sub 2]O[sub 3]/Y[sub 2]O[sub 3]-ThO[sub 2]/Cr + MgCr[sub 2]O[sub 4] + MgO, Pt] in the temperature range 800°–1200°C. The temperature dependence of the freeenergies of formation of the ternary compounds can be represented by theequations [dformula CdO(r.s.) + Cr[sub 2]O[sub 3](cor) --> CdCr[sub 2]O[sub 4](sp)] [dformula Delta G[sup 0] = - 42,260 + 7.53T ([plus-minus]400) J] and [dformula MgO(r.s.) + Cr[sub 2]O[sub 3](cor) --> MgCr[sub 2]O[sub 4](sp)] [dformula Delta G[sup 0] = - 45,200 + 5.36T ([plus-minus]400) J] The entropies of formation of these spinels are discussed in terms of cationdisorder and extent of reduction of Cr3+ ions to Cr2+ ions. Thermodynamicdata on the chromates of cadmium and magnesium are derived by combiningthe results obtained in this study with information available in the literatureon high temperature, high pressure phase equilibria in the systems CdO-Cr2O3-O2 and MgO-Cr2O3-O2.

Effect of carrier concentration of InN on the transport behavior of InN/GaN heterostructure based Schottky junctions

We present the study involving the dependence of carrier concentration of InN films, grown on GaN templates using the plasma assisted molecular beam epitaxy system, on growth temperature. The influence of InN carrier concentration on the electrical transport behavior of InN/GaN heterostructure based Schottky junctions is also discussed. The optical absorption edge of InN film was found to be strongly dependent on carrier concentration, and was described by Kane's k.p model, with non-parabolic dispersion relation for carrier in the conduction band. The position of the Fermi-level in InN films was modulated by the carrier concentration in the InN films. The barrier height of the heterojunctions as estimated from I-V characteristic was also found to be dependent on the carrier concentration of InN. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Large improvements in application throughput of long-running multi-component applications using batch grids

Computational grids with multiple batch systems (batch grids) can be powerful infrastructures for executing long-running multi-component parallel applications. In this paper, we evaluate the potential improvements in throughput of long-running multi-component applications when the different components of the applications are executed on multiple batch systems of batch grids. We compare the multiple batch executions with executions of the components on a single batch system without increasing the number of processors used for executions. We perform our analysis with a foremost long-running multi-component application for climate modeling, the Community Climate System Model (CCSM). We have built a robust simulator that models the characteristics of both the multi-component application and the batch systems. By conducting large number of simulations with different workload characteristics and queuing policies of the systems, processor allocations to components of the application, distributions of the components to the batch systems and inter-cluster bandwidths, we show that multiple batch executions lead to 55% average increase in throughput over single batch executions for long-running CCSM. We also conducted real experiments with a practical middleware infrastructure and showed that multi-site executions lead to effective utilization of batch systems for executions of CCSM and give higher simulation throughput than single-site executions. Copyright (c) 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Accurate performance analysis of single and opportunistic AF relay cooperation with imperfect cascaded channel estimates

Given the significant gains that relay-based cooperation promises, the practical problems of acquisition of channel state information (CSI) and the characterization and optimization of performance with imperfect CSI are receiving increasing attention. We develop novel and accurate expressions for the symbol error probability (SEP) for fixed-gain amplify-and-forward relaying when the destination acquires CSI using the time-efficient cascaded channel estimation (CCE) protocol. The CCE protocol saves time by making the destination directly estimate the product of the source-relay and relay-destination channel gains. For a single relay system, we first develop a novel SEP expression and a tight SEP upper bound. We then similarly analyze an opportunistic multi-relay system, in which both selection and coherent demodulation use imperfect estimates. A distinctive aspect of our approach is the use of as few simplifying approximations as possible, which results in new results that are accurate at signal-to-noise-ratios as low as 1 dB for single and multi-relay systems. Using insights gleaned from an asymptotic analysis, we also present a simple, closed-form, nearly-optimal solution for allocation of energy between pilot and data symbols at the source and relay(s).

In vitro and in vivo characterization of designed immunogens derived from the CD-helix of the stem of influenza hemagglutinin

The conserved stem domain of influenza virus hemagglutinin (HA) is a target for broadly neutralizing antibodies and a potential vaccine antigen for induction of hetero-subtypic protection. The epitope of 12D1, a previously reported bnAb neutralizing several H3 subtype influenza strains, was putatively mapped to residues 76-106 of the CD-helix, also referred to as long alpha helix (LAH) of the HA stem. A peptide derivative consisting of wt-LAH residues 76-130 conjugated to keyhole limpet hemocyanin was previously shown to confer robust protection in mice against challenge with influenza strains of subtypes H3, H1, and H5 which motivated the present study. We report the design of multiple peptide derivatives of LAH with or without heterologous trimerization sequences and show that several of these are better folded than wt-LAH. However, in contrast to the previous study immunization of mice with wt-LAH resulted in negligible protection against a lethal homologous virus challenge, while some of the newly designed immunogens could confer weak protection. Combined with structural analysis of HA, our data suggest that in addition to LAH, other regions of HA are likely to significantly contribute to the epitope for 12D1 and will be required to elicit robust protection. In addition, a dynamic, flexible conformation of isolated LAH peptide may be required for eliciting a functional anti-viral response. Proteins 2013; 81:1759-1775. (c) 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Unraveling the Intricate Organization of Mammalian Mitochondrial Presequence Translocases: Existence of Multiple Translocases for Maintenance of Mitochondrial Function

Mitochondria are indispensable organelles implicated in multiple aspects of cellular processes, including tumorigenesis. Heat shock proteins play a critical regulatory role in accurately delivering the nucleus-encoded proteins through membrane-bound presequence translocase (Tim23 complex) machinery. Although altered expression of mammalian presequence translocase components had been previously associated with malignant phenotypes, the overall organization of Tim23 complexes is still unsolved. In this report, we show the existence of three distinct Tim23 complexes, namely, B1, B2, and A, involved in the maintenance of normal mitochondrial function. Our data highlight the importance of Magmas as a regulator of translocase function and in dynamically recruiting the J-proteins DnaJC19 and DnaJC15 to individual translocases. The basic housekeeping function involves translocases B1 and B2 composed of Tim17b isoforms along with DnaJC19, whereas translocase A is nonessential and has a central role in oncogenesis. Translocase B, having a normal import rate, is essential for constitutive mitochondrial functions such as maintenance of electron transport chain complex activity, organellar morphology, iron-sulfur cluster protein biogenesis, and mitochondrial DNA. In contrast, translocase A, though dispensable for housekeeping functions with a comparatively lower import rate, plays a specific role in translocating oncoproteins lacking presequence, leading to reprogrammed mitochondrial functions and hence establishing a possible link between the TIM23 complex and tumorigenicity.

Evaluación de veinte accesiones criollas de frijol común (Phaseolus vulgaris) bajo condiciones naturales en "La Compañía" Carazo

El trabajo se realizó en Periodo de postrera entre Octubre y Diciembre de 1992, en el Centro experimental la Compañía, localizado en San Marcos. Carazo. Se evaluaron 20 accesiones de frijol común (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) con el objetivo de comparar los resultados de las accesiones v el testigo Revolución 84 en cuanto a crecimiento, desarrollo y rendimiento, determinar le precocidad y la severidad de la mancha anular (lsariopsis griseola sacc). En la evaluación se encontraron diferencias significativas en la longitud, diámetro y en el número de nudos de tall, las accesiones Bayo (2939). Negro (1775) e Higuera (2972), florecieron a los 31 días después de la siembra. En cuanto a precocidad 17 de las accesiones alcanzaron la madurez fisiológica entre loe 56 a 65 días, siendo la más precoz la accesión Claro (2719). 11 vainas por planta fue el mayor promedio alcanzado en esta variable correspondiendo a la accesión 519. La accesión (2944) presentó el mayor número de semillas Por vaina, el mayor peso de 1000 granos fue de 232.39 gramos alcanzado por la accesión (29721 Que además obtuvo el mayor rendimiento, 14 de las accesiones presentaron mayor rendimiento Que el testigo Revolución 84 la mayor severidad a mancha angular la presentó la accesión (422) y cuarentena (2984) fue la menos afectada.

细粒尾矿堆坝加筋加固模型试验研究

采用龙都尾矿库内的细粒尾矿作为试验材料,以该尾矿库的设计尾矿坝为原形堆积尾矿坝体模型,进行细粒尾矿堆坝加筋加固模型试验.通过模型试验,检验了细粒尾矿堆积的尾矿堆坝加筋加固的作用效果,获得了加筋尾矿坝体与不加筋尾矿坝体的不同破坏模式,在细粒尾矿堆坝的稳定性研究以及将加筋材料应用于尾矿坝的加固方面作了一些新的探索.

高超声速湍流分离激波运动特性

给出半圆柱前缘舵诱导的高超声速湍流分离激波运动特性。实验气流M数为7.8单位长度Re数为3.5×10~7/m。结果表明，随着M数的增加，分离激波两边压力比的平均值加大，但对其用前缘直径无量纲的激波运动区长度和用自由流速度无量纲的激波向上（下）游运动速度的平均值影响不大。

Evaluación de pesticidas y NIM contra la pudrición de la vaina de la pitahaya (Hylocereus undatus, Britt et Rose) causada por Dothiorela sp. bajo dos condiciones ambientales en vivero

Dos trabajos de investigación se desarrollaron simultáneamente en el vivero de la Universidad Nacional Agraria (UNA) y en el vivero Centro Experimental Campos Azules (CECA), la siembra de los esquejes se efectúo el 17 de junio de 1995 y el otro ensayos el 14 de junio de 1995 respectivamente. Realizándose la última toma de datos en la UNA a los 53 dds y en el vivero CECA a los 56 dds. Los objetivos que nos llevaron a realizar el presente estudio fueron contribuir a obtener plantas de buena calidad fitosanitario producida bajo, condiciones de vivero y evaluar la efectividad de productos fungicidas y bactericida en el combate de la pudrición de la vaina de Pitahaya causada por Dotihorela Sp. en condiciones de vivero. Se utilizaron diez tratamientos Tt= Nim, Tz= Benomyl + dithane, T3 = caldo bórdeles, T4 = Clorotalonil, T5= Formalina, T6= Streptomicina, T7 = Pasta dithane, Ts= Benomyl + Clorotalonil, T9= Dithane , Tto= Testigo, los que se distribuyeron en un diseño completamente al azar. Se analizó estadísticamente las variables plantas afectadas, se aplicó la técnica de análisis de varianza y la prueba de SNK con margen de error del 5%. Los tratamientos estudiados se destacaron los siguientes: Ta= Benomyl +Ciorotalonil, Tt= Nim T6= Streptomicina, para el porcentaje de plantas brotadas en la Universidad Nacional Agraria (UNA) con similar comportamiento pero con cierto retraso en el CECA, Tt= Nim, T6= Streptomicina, Ts= Benomyl Clorotalonil,T7= pasta dithane, para el número de brotes/esquejes en la UNA,Tz= Benomyl + dithané, Ts= Benomyl + clorotaloni, T4= Clorotalonil, Tto= Testigo para número de brotes/esquejes en el vivero CECA, para la variable longitud de brotes Tz= Benomyl + dithane en las dos localidades y Ts= Benomyl + Clorotalonil, T4= Clorotalonil, T5= formalina para porcentaje de plantas afectadas en la UNA y Ts= Benomyl + Clorotalonil, T9= Dithane, Tto= Testigo para el Porcentaje de plantas afectadas en el CECA