Smart technologies to enhance social connectedness in older people who live at home

To examine the effectiveness of smart technologies in improving or maintaining the social connectedness of older people living at home.

A biocompatible ionic liquid as an antiwear additive for biodegradable lubricants

A biocompatible ionic liquid, tributyl(methyl)phosphonium diphenylphosphate, P1444DPP (IL1) was investigated as an antiwear additive and compared against Amine Phosphate (AP), one of the commonly used conventional antiwear additives in biodegradable lubricants. IL1 showed excellent antiwear performance, using a pin-on-disc tribometer, when blended in biodegradable base stocks. The steel balls after the test were analyzed using SEM-EDS techniques which confirmed the presence of phosphorous. The tribological properties under reciprocating conditions were also carried out using Optimol SRV oscillating friction and wear tester and the steel discs were observed under Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM), to show the buildup of tribofilm formed by IL1. The thickness of the lubricant film was confirmed by Elastohydrodynamic (EHD) Ultra Thin Film Measurement System. It was observed that IL1 has a better film forming ability than AP. © 2014 Elsevier Ltd.

Modelling grouped survival times in toxicological studies using generalized additive models

A method for combining a proportional-hazards survival time model with a bioassay model where the log-hazard function is modelled as a linear or smoothing spline function of log-concentration combined with a smoothing spline function of time is described. The combined model is fitted to mortality numbers, resulting from survival times that are grouped due to a common set of observation times, using Generalized Additive Models (GAMs). The GAM fits mortalities as conditional binomials using an approximation to the log of the integral of the hazard function and is implemented using freely-available, general software for fitting GAMs. Extensions of the GAM are described to allow random effects to be fitted and to allow for time-varying concentrations by replacing time with a calibrated cumulative exposure variable with calibration parameter estimated using profile likelihood. The models are demonstrated using data from a studies of a marine and a, previously published, freshwater taxa. The marine study involved two replicate bioassays of the effect of zinc exposure on survival of an Antarctic amphipod, Orchomenella pinguides. The other example modelled survival of the daphnid, Daphnia magna, exposed to potassium dichromate and was fitted by both the GAM and the process-based DEBtox model. The GAM fitted with a cubic regression spline in time gave a 61 % improvement in fit to the daphnid data compared to DEBtox due to a non-monotonic hazard function. A simulation study using each of these hazard functions as operating models demonstrated that the GAM is overall more accurate in recovering lethal concentration values across the range of forms of the underlying hazard function compared to DEBtox and standard multiple endpoint probit analyses.

Distilled technical cashew nut shell liquid (DT-CNSL) as an effective biofuel and additive to stabilize triglyceride biofuels in diesel

We report distilled technical cashew nut shell liquid (DT-CNSL) as a non-transesterified biofuel and also as an additive to convert triglycerides to biofuel, without the need for the formation of methyl esters. DT-CNSL blends of diesel obey physico-chemical parameters of diesel. DT-CNSL offers stability to blends of straight vegetable oil (SVO) and tallow oil in diesel. Fluorescence studies using charge transfer probes show that the blend of DT-CNSL, triglycerides and diesel is a uniform solution, and fluorescence behavior is similar to that of diesel. The economics for the cultivation of cashew (Anacardium occidentale), its industrial use and rich carbon sink properties indicate that DT-CNSL could complement or replace traditional biodiesel crops like Jatropha and improve income for farmers. © 2014 Elsevier Ltd.

Medical diagnosis by fuzzy standard additive model with wavelets

This paper proposes a combination of fuzzy standard additive model (SAM) with wavelet features for medical diagnosis. Wavelet transformation is used to reduce the dimension of high-dimensional datasets. This helps to improve the convergence speed of supervised learning process of the fuzzy SAM, which has a heavy computational burden in high-dimensional data. Fuzzy SAM becomes highly capable when deployed with wavelet features. This combination remarkably reduces its computational training burden. The performance of the proposed methodology is examined for two frequently used medical datasets: the lump breast cancer and heart disease. Experiments are deployed with a five-fold cross validation. Results demonstrate the superiority of the proposed method compared to other machine learning methods including probabilistic neural network, support vector machine, fuzzy ARTMAP, and adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system. Faster convergence but higher accuracy shows a win-win solution of the proposed approach.

Study and exploration on inorganic nanomaterials as additive in lubricant application.

 In this thesis, the application of planetary ball milling for the efficient production of nanomaterials is systematically studied. Three inorganic materials: calcium carbonate (CaCO3), molybdenum disulphide (MoS2) and hexagonal-boron nitride (h-BN) are chosen as model systems.

Coal - the black gold of economic growth in China: empirical evidence and the role of cleaner coal technologies in recent time

Coal comprises 70 per cent of China’s primary energy source and 80 per cent of China's electricity generation. This study investigates the long-run relationship between coal consumption-economic growth nexus considering both supply and demand side models in a multivariate framework over the period of 1978 and 2010. Our innovation in this paper is to include a coal-to-electricity efficiency indicator into the economic growth model ; and trade exposure in coal demand. Using Autoregressive Distributed Lag bounds testing approach, we find improvement in coal-to-efficiency indicator causes almost 35 per cent increase in real GDP in the long-run. The Toda-Yamamoto approach of causality test indicates unidirectional causality from coal consumption to economic growth; feedback effect both for coal-to-electricity efficiency indicator to economic growth and openness to coal consumption. For robustness check, using the generalised forecast error variance decomposition method we forecast the validity of causal relationships beyond the sample horizon. The paper suggests the role of advanced coal technologies will play a significant role along with other environmental and energy policies in maintaining sustainable economic growth in China .

Sky high, skin deep: dark technologies of mediation

Media has become responsive architecture. Intelligent media artefacts are now embedded into the very fabric of our existence; they have become the structure of society itself. Ubiquitous computing creates informational environments in which material structures of communication become alive with agency. McLuhan's light bulb is now everyware: [1] technology that mediates by its mere presence. Pervasive mediation, a combination of mobile networks and systems of material translation such as 3D printers and programmable matter--is our current regime of mediation.

Synchronization of singular Markovian jumping complex networks with additive time-varying delays via pinning control

Abstract
This study examines the problem of synchronization for singular complex dynamical networks with Markovian jumping parameters and two additive time-varying delay components. The complex networks consist of m modes which switch from one mode to another according to a Markovian chain with known transition probability. Pinning control strategies are designed to make the singular complex networks synchronized. Based on the appropriate Lyapunov-Krasovskii functional, introducing some free weighting matrices and using convexity of matrix functions, a novel synchronization criterion is derived. The proposed sufficient conditions are established in the form of linear matrix inequalities. Finally, a numerical example is presented to illustrate the effectiveness of the obtained results.

Microstructure and mechanical properties of wrought and additive manufactured Ti-6Al-4V cylindrical bars

Titanium alloys are widely used in various engineering design application due to its superior material properties. The traditional manufacturing of titanium products is always difficult, time consuming, high material wastage and manufacturing costs. Selective laser melting (SLM), an additive manufacturing technology has widely gained attention due to its capability to produce near net shape components with less production time. In this technical paper,microstructure,chemical composition,tensile properties and hardness are studied for the wrought and additive manufactured SLM cylindrical bar. Microstructure,mechanical properties and hardness were studied in both the longitudinal and transverse directions of the bar to study the effect of orientation. It was found that additive manufactured bar have higher yield strength, ultimate tensile strength and hardness than the wrought bar. For both conventional and SLM test samples, the yield strength, ultimate tensile strength and hardness was found to be high in the transverse direction. The difference in the properties can be attributed to the difference in microstructure as a result of processing conditions. The tensile fracture area was quantified by careful examination of the fracture surfaces in the scanning electron microscope.

Examining customer evaluations across different self-service technologies

Purpose – This study aims to examine the influence of different self-service technologies (SSTs) on customer satisfaction with and continued usage of SSTs. Specifically, it compares an interactive voice response (IVR) SST and an online SST from the same provider to assess how to manage these parallel SSTs.

Design/methodology/approach – A tracking study was used, beginning with a survey of n = 957 SST users to test a model pertaining to SST satisfaction across IVR and online SSTs. These SST users were then tracked over 12 months. The association between customer satisfaction with and continued usage of the SSTs was examined using behavioural data from the service provider.

Findings – While the overall model was found to be valid across both types of SSTs, perceptions of factors including ease of use, perceived control and reliability differed for IVR and online SSTs. Satisfaction with SSTs is linked with users’ continued use of SSTs, but is not a barrier to users’ adoption of newer SST forms.

Research limitations/implications – Highlighting the rapid developments in this field, a new SST was introduced by the provider to respondents during the 12-month tracking period, thus complicating the results. Further studies could include the customer purpose for using SSTs as a variable.

Practical implications – The findings offer support for organisations offering a suite of SSTs, even if they serve the same purpose. Customers evaluate SST types differently, and even satisfied SST users switch to different SSTs when they become available. Allowing customers to choose the SST that best suits them appears to be good practice.

Originality/value – This study develops a comprehensive model of customer SST satisfaction that is used to undertake a comparison of two different types of SSTs, which has been missing from prior research.

Simplifying medical additive manufacturing: making the surgeon the designer

Additive Manufacturing, a technology which has been in existence since three decades, is now successfully being transitioned from a research setting to finding technologically and financially viable end-user applications. A key sector in which Additive Manufacturing is being used is the medical devices and healthcare sector. Drivers in this sector include the ability to create customized, patient specific devices and implants with quick turnaround time in a cost-effective manner. Doctors and surgeons are important change agents and innovators in the creation of new healthcare devices as well as surgical methods. Often times, they may find it necessary at first to build devices and plan surgeries which are not even being thought of or acted upon by the major healthcare companies. In this sense, they perform the roles of designers, creating new ideas and improving on them until they can be implemented and adopted by others. However, the scope for performing this creative activity is often limited in their workplaces, with resource, time and financial impediments often being present. Additive Manufacturing can be helpful to speed up the iterative process of designing such medical devices or planning surgeries as well as help convince people outside of the surgery room of the feasibility and business case for such innovations. This paper proposes to introduce a framework of design, processes and tools which will enable non-engineers (specifically surgeons) to create custom-built products. It is hoped that this paper will motivate more surgeons and non-engineers to get involved in the process of designing for additive manufacturing.

Big data related technologies, challenges and future prospects

Big data is the large or complex data that exceed the processing capacity of conventional data processing systems. This book provides a big picture in this broad research area, covering all the phases of its value chains. The authors have attempted to survey most of the relevant technologies in each phrase of big data. The book is recommended for readers interested in advanced research in big data, also for industry practitioners who are interested in building big data applications. If the reader is not with necessary technical background, complementary readings may be needed.

Bullied by Budgets, Pushed by Patrons, Driven by Demand: Libraries and Tantalizing Technologies

Libraries are caught in the middle—between static or shrinking budgets on one hand and ever-expanding user needs on the other. How did we get here, and where do we go from here? This paper will offer two perspectives: Part I will present survey results about changing Library purchasing habits in light of changing formats, access, business models and user demands. Data from a previous survey on this topic will be compared and updated. Pricing trends and possible futures will be discussed. Part II will briefly trace the history of libraries’ roles in scholarly communication and connecting learners with knowledge. From there, we show an example of phasing in a patron-driven / demand-driven and short-term loan e-book program, complete with incorporating these tools in library instruction, research, and portable device loadability for field work.