bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The treatment of zinc-cyanide electroplating rinse water using an electrocoagulation process
Authors: Senturk Elif
Published: November 2013

This paper investigates the treatment of zinc-cyanide electroplating rinse water using an electrocoagulation process (ECP). The effects of operating parameters such as electrode material, current density (2.5–40 A/m2), operating time (0–60 min), initial pH (5–12) and electrode connection mode (monopolar parallel (MP-P), monopolar series and bipolar series) on the ECP were evaluated to find the optimum operating conditions. At 20 A/m2, 60 min, the highest removal efficiencies were obtained with 85 and 99% for Fe and 64 and 33% for Al electrodes, for cyanide and zinc, respectively. The optimum operating conditions were found to be 30 A/m2 and 40 min, for the Fe electrode at the original pH (9.5) of the rinse water. Considering efficiency and economy, the MP-P connection mode was determined as the optimum connection mode.
Material selection for a constructed wetroof receiving pre-treated high strength domestic wastewater
Authors: Zapater-Pereyra M. , van Dien F. , van Bruggen J. J. A. , Lens P. N. L.
Published: November 2013

A constructed wetroof (CWR) is defined in this study as the combination of a green roof and a constructed wetland: a shallow wastewater treatment system placed on the roof of a building. The foremost challenge of such CWRs, and the main aim of this investigation, is the selection of an appropriate matrix capable of assuring the required hydraulic retention time, the long-term stability and the roof load-bearing capacity. Six substrata were subjected to water dynamics and destructive tests in two testing-tables. Among all the materials tested, the substratum configuration composed of sand, light expanded clay aggregates, biodegradable polylactic acid beads together with stabilization plates and a turf mat is capable of retaining the water for approximately 3.8 days and of providing stability (stabilization plates) and an immediate protection (turf mat) to the system. Based on those results, a full-scale CWR was built, which did not show any physical deterioration after 1 year of operation. Preliminary wastewater treatment results on the full-scale CWR suggest that it can highly remove main wastewater pollutants (e.g. chemical oxygen demand, PO43−-P and NH4+-N). The results of these tests and practical design considerations of the CWR are discussed in this paper.
Effect of primary particle size on colloidal stability of multiwall carbon nanotubes
Authors: Zhang Liwen , Pan Zhengwei , Huang Qingguo
Published: November 2013

Multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) are one type of nanoparticles that have various special properties and potential applications. Due to their increasing production and potential toxicological effects, the environmental behavior and transport of MWCNTs have become important research topics. Particle size is one of the important properties of nanoparticles, yet its effects on MWCNT environmental behaviors have not been fully investigated. In this study, we tested how the length of MWCNTs influenced their settling in the presence of Na+ and/or natural organic matter (NOM), and postulated the governing mechanisms. The results showed that when adding Na+ the shorter MWCNTs exhibited preferential aggregation and settling. One possible reason could be that shorter MWCNTs possess larger specific surface area and consequently stronger attraction forces. However, NOM strongly mitigated such aggregation, and helps to disperse MWCNTs regardless of their length and aqueous conditions.
On Constructor Rewrite Systems and the Lambda Calculus
Authors: Lago Ugo Dal , Martini Simone
Published: November 2013

We prove that orthogonal constructor term rewrite systems and lambda-calculus
with weak (i.e., no reduction is allowed under the scope of a
lambda-abstraction) call-by-value reduction can simulate each other with a
linear overhead. In particular, weak call-by- value beta-reduction can be
simulated by an orthogonal constructor term rewrite system in the same number
of reduction steps. Conversely, each reduction in a term rewrite system can be
simulated by a constant number of beta-reduction steps. This is relevant to
implicit computational complexity, because the number of beta steps to normal
form is polynomially related to the actual cost (that is, as performed on a
Turing machine) of normalization, under weak call-by-value reduction.
Orthogonal constructor term rewrite systems and lambda-calculus are thus both
polynomially related to Turing machines, taking as notion of cost their natural
parameters.
Point-Separable Classes of Simple Computable Planar Curves
Authors: Zheng Xizhong , Rettinger Robert
Published: November 2013

In mathematics curves are typically defined as the images of continuous real
functions (parametrizations) defined on a closed interval. They can also be
defined as connected one-dimensional compact subsets of points. For simple
curves of finite lengths, parametrizations can be further required to be
injective or even length-normalized. All of these four approaches to curves are
classically equivalent. In this paper we investigate four different versions of
computable curves based on these four approaches. It turns out that they are
all different, and hence, we get four different classes of computable curves.
More interestingly, these four classes are even point-separable in the sense
that the sets of points covered by computable curves of different versions are
also different. However, if we consider only computable curves of computable
lengths, then all four versions of computable curves become equivalent. This
shows that the definition of computable curves is robust, at least for those of
computable lengths. In addition, we show that the class of computable curves of
computable lengths is point-separable from the other four classes of computable
curves.
Canonized Rewriting and Ground AC Completion Modulo Shostak Theories : Design and Implementation
Authors: Conchon Sylvain , Contejean Evelyne , Iguernelala Mohamed
Published: November 2013

AC-completion efficiently handles equality modulo associative and commutative
function symbols. When the input is ground, the procedure terminates and
provides a decision algorithm for the word problem. In this paper, we present a
modular extension of ground AC-completion for deciding formulas in the
combination of the theory of equality with user-defined AC symbols,
uninterpreted symbols and an arbitrary signature disjoint Shostak theory X. Our
algorithm, called AC(X), is obtained by augmenting in a modular way ground
AC-completion with the canonizer and solver present for the theory X. This
integration rests on canonized rewriting, a new relation reminiscent to
normalized rewriting, which integrates canonizers in rewriting steps. AC(X) is
proved sound, complete and terminating, and is implemented to extend the core
of the Alt-Ergo theorem prover.
Model-Checking of Ordered Multi-Pushdown Automata
Authors: Atig Mohamed Faouzi
Published: November 2013

We address the verification problem of ordered multi-pushdown automata: A
multi-stack extension of pushdown automata that comes with a constraint on
stack transitions such that a pop can only be performed on the first non-empty
stack. First, we show that the emptiness problem for ordered multi-pushdown
automata is in 2ETIME. Then, we prove that, for an ordered multi-pushdown
automata, the set of all predecessors of a regular set of configurations is an
effectively constructible regular set. We exploit this result to solve the
global model-checking which consists in computing the set of all configurations
of an ordered multi-pushdown automaton that satisfy a given w-regular property
(expressible in linear-time temporal logics or the linear-time \mu-calculus).
As an immediate consequence, we obtain an 2ETIME upper bound for the
model-checking problem of w-regular properties for ordered multi-pushdown
automata (matching its lower-bound).
Model Checking the Quantitative mu-Calculus on Linear Hybrid Systems
Authors: Fischer Diana , Kaiser Lukasz
Published: November 2013

We study the model-checking problem for a quantitative extension of the modal
mu-calculus on a class of hybrid systems. Qualitative model checking has been
proved decidable and implemented for several classes of systems, but this is
not the case for quantitative questions that arise naturally in this context.
Recently, quantitative formalisms that subsume classical temporal logics and
allow the measurement of interesting quantitative phenomena were introduced. We
show how a powerful quantitative logic, the quantitative mu-calculus, can be
model checked with arbitrary precision on initialised linear hybrid systems. To
this end, we develop new techniques for the discretisation of continuous state
spaces based on a special class of strategies in model-checking games and
present a reduction to a class of counter parity games.
Degrees of Lookahead in Regular Infinite Games
Authors: Holtmann Michael , Kaiser Lukasz , Thomas Wolfgang
Published: November 2013

We study variants of regular infinite games where the strict alternation of
moves between the two players is subject to modifications. The second player
may postpone a move for a finite number of steps, or, in other words, exploit
in his strategy some lookahead on the moves of the opponent. This captures
situations in distributed systems, e.g. when buffers are present in
communication or when signal transmission between components is deferred. We
distinguish strategies with different degrees of lookahead, among them being
the continuous and the bounded lookahead strategies. In the first case the
lookahead is of finite possibly unbounded size, whereas in the second case it
is of bounded size. We show that for regular infinite games the solvability by
continuous strategies is decidable, and that a continuous strategy can always
be reduced to one of bounded lookahead. Moreover, this lookahead is at most
doubly exponential in the size of a given parity automaton recognizing the
winning condition. We also show that the result fails for non-regular
gamesxwhere the winning condition is given by a context-free omega-language.
Complete Axiomatizations of Fragments of Monadic Second-Order Logic on Finite Trees
Authors: Gheerbrant Amélie , Cate Balder ten
Published: November 2013

We consider a specific class of tree structures that can represent basic
structures in linguistics and computer science such as XML documents, parse
trees, and treebanks, namely, finite node-labeled sibling-ordered trees. We
present axiomatizations of the monadic second-order logic (MSO), monadic
transitive closure logic (FO(TC1)) and monadic least fixed-point logic
(FO(LFP1)) theories of this class of structures. These logics can express
important properties such as reachability. Using model-theoretic techniques, we
show by a uniform argument that these axiomatizations are complete, i.e., each
formula that is valid on all finite trees is provable using our axioms. As a
backdrop to our positive results, on arbitrary structures, the logics that we
study are known to be non-recursively axiomatizable.
Adaptable processes
Authors: Bravetti Mario , Di Giusto Cinzia , Perez Jorge A , Zavattaro Gianluigi
Published: November 2013

We propose the concept of adaptable processes as a way of overcoming the
limitations that process calculi have for describing patterns of dynamic
process evolution. Such patterns rely on direct ways of controlling the
behavior and location of running processes, and so they are at the heart of the
adaptation capabilities present in many modern concurrent systems. Adaptable
processes have a location and are sensible to actions of dynamic update at
runtime; this allows to express a wide range of evolvability patterns for
concurrent processes. We introduce a core calculus of adaptable processes and
propose two verification problems for them: bounded and eventual adaptation.
While the former ensures that the number of consecutive erroneous states that
can be traversed during a computation is bound by some given number k, the
latter ensures that if the system enters into a state with errors then a state
without errors will be eventually reached. We study the (un)decidability of
these two problems in several variants of the calculus, which result from
considering dynamic and static topologies of adaptable processes as well as
different evolvability patterns. Rather than a specification language, our
calculus intends to be a basis for investigating the fundamental properties of
evolvable processes and for developing richer languages with evolvability
capabilities.
Continuous Markovian Logics - Axiomatization and Quantified Metatheory
Authors: Mardare Radu , Cardelli Luca , Larsen Kim G.
Published: November 2013

Continuous Markovian Logic (CML) is a multimodal logic that expresses
quantitative and qualitative properties of continuous-time labelled Markov
processes with arbitrary (analytic) state-spaces, henceforth called continuous
Markov processes (CMPs). The modalities of CML evaluate the rates of the
exponentially distributed random variables that characterize the duration of
the labeled transitions of a CMP. In this paper we present weak and strong
complete axiomatizations for CML and prove a series of metaproperties,
including the finite model property and the construction of canonical models.
CML characterizes stochastic bisimilarity and it supports the definition of a
quantified extension of the satisfiability relation that measures the
"compatibility" between a model and a property. In this context, the
metaproperties allows us to prove two robustness theorems for the logic stating
that one can perturb formulas and maintain "approximate satisfaction".
Linear-use CPS translations in the Enriched Effect Calculus
Authors: Egger Jeff , Møgelberg Rasmus Ejlers , Simpson Alex
Published: November 2013

The enriched effect calculus (EEC) is an extension of Moggi's computational
metalanguage with a selection of primitives from linear logic. This paper
explores the enriched effect calculus as a target language for
continuation-passing-style (CPS) translations in which the typing of the
translations enforces the linear usage of continuations. We first observe that
established call-by-value and call-by name linear-use CPS translations of
simply-typed lambda-calculus into intuitionistic linear logic (ILL) land in the
fragment of ILL given by EEC. These two translations are uniformly generalised
by a single generic translation of the enriched effect calculus into itself. As
our main theorem, we prove that the generic self-translation of EEC is
involutive up to isomorphism. As corollaries, we obtain full completeness
results, both for the generic translation, and for the original call-by-value
and call-by-name translations.
Petri Net Reachability Graphs: Decidability Status of First Order Properties
Authors: Darondeau Philippe , Demri Stephane , Meyer Roland , Morvan Christophe
Published: November 2013

We investigate the decidability and complexity status of model-checking
problems on unlabelled reachability graphs of Petri nets by considering
first-order and modal languages without labels on transitions or atomic
propositions on markings. We consider several parameters to separate decidable
problems from undecidable ones. Not only are we able to provide precise borders
and a systematic analysis, but we also demonstrate the robustness of our proof
techniques.
Call-by-Value and Call-by-Name Dual Calculi with Inductive and Coinductive Types
Authors: Kimura Daisuke , Tatsuta Makoto
Published: November 2013

This paper extends the dual calculus with inductive types and coinductive
types. The paper first introduces a non-deterministic dual calculus with
inductive and coinductive types. Besides the same duality of the original dual
calculus, it has the duality of inductive and coinductive types, that is, the
duality of terms and coterms for inductive and coinductive types, and the
duality of their reduction rules. Its strong normalization is also proved,
which is shown by translating it into a second-order dual calculus. The strong
normalization of the second-order dual calculus is proved by translating it
into the second-order symmetric lambda calculus. This paper then introduces a
call-by-value system and a call-by-name system of the dual calculus with
inductive and coinductive types, and shows the duality of call-by-value and
call-by-name, their Church-Rosser properties, and their strong normalization.
Their strong normalization is proved by translating them into the
non-deterministic dual calculus with inductive and coinductive types.
Markov two-components processes
Authors: Abbes Samy
Published: November 2013

We propose Markov two-components processes (M2CP) as a probabilistic model of
asynchronous systems based on the trace semantics for concurrency. Considering
an asynchronous system distributed over two sites, we introduce concepts and
tools to manipulate random trajectories in an asynchronous framework: stopping
times, an Asynchronous Strong Markov property, recurrent and transient states
and irreducible components of asynchronous probabilistic processes. The
asynchrony assumption implies that there is no global totally ordered clock
ruling the system. Instead, time appears as partially ordered and random. We
construct and characterize M2CP through a finite family of transition matrices.
M2CP have a local independence property that guarantees that local components
are independent in the probabilistic sense, conditionally to their
synchronization constraints. A synchronization product of two Markov chains is
introduced, as a natural example of M2CP.
Time and Parallelizability Results for Parity Games with Bounded Tree and DAG Width
Authors: Fearnley John , Schewe Sven
Published: November 2013

Parity games are a much researched class of games in NP intersect CoNP that
are not known to be in P. Consequently, researchers have considered specialised
algorithms for the case where certain graph parameters are small. In this
paper, we study parity games on graphs with bounded treewidth, and graphs with
bounded DAG width. We show that parity games with bounded DAG width can be
solved in O(n^(k+3) k^(k + 2) (d + 1)^(3k + 2)) time, where n, k, and d are the
size, treewidth, and number of priorities in the parity game. This is an
improvement over the previous best algorithm, given by Berwanger et al., which
runs in n^O(k^2) time. We also show that, if a tree decomposition is provided,
then parity games with bounded treewidth can be solved in O(n k^(k + 5) (d +
1)^(3k + 5)) time. This improves over previous best algorithm, given by
Obdrzalek, which runs in O(n d^(2(k+1)^2)) time. Our techniques can also be
adapted to show that the problem of solving parity games with bounded treewidth
lies in the complexity class NC^2, which is the class of problems that can be
efficiently parallelized. This is in stark contrast to the general parity game
problem, which is known to be P-hard, and thus unlikely to be contained in NC.
Coalgebraic Characterizations of Context-Free Languages
Authors: Winter Joost , Rutten Jan J. M. , Bonsangue Marcello M.
Published: November 2013

In this article, we provide three coalgebraic characterizations of the class
of context-free languages, each based on the idea of adding coalgebraic
structure to an existing algebraic structure by specifying output-derivative
pairs. Final coalgebra semantics then gives an interpretation function into the
final coalgebra of all languages with the usual output and derivative
operations. The first characterization is based on systems, where each
derivative is given as a finite language over the set of nonterminals; the
second characterization on systems where derivatives are given as elements of a
term-algebra; and the third characterization is based on adding coalgebraic
structure to a class of closed (unique) fixed point expressions. We prove
equivalences between these characterizations, discuss the generalization from
languages to formal power series, as well as the relationship to the
generalized powerset construction.
A Polynomial Translation of pi-calculus FCPs to Safe Petri Nets
Authors: Khomenko Victor , Meyer Roland , Hüchting Reiner
Published: November 2013

We develop a polynomial translation from finite control pi-calculus processes
to safe low-level Petri nets. To our knowledge, this is the first such
translation. It is natural in that there is a close correspondence between the
control flows, enjoys a bisimulation result, and is suitable for practical
model checking.
Well-Pointed Coalgebras
Authors: Adámek Jiří , Milius Stefan , Moss Lawrence S , Sousa Lurdes
Published: November 2013

For endofunctors of varieties preserving intersections, a new description of
the final coalgebra and the initial algebra is presented: the former consists
of all well-pointed coalgebras. These are the pointed coalgebras having no
proper subobject and no proper quotient. The initial algebra consists of all
well-pointed coalgebras that are well-founded in the sense of Osius and Taylor.
And initial algebras are precisely the final well-founded coalgebras. Finally,
the initial iterative algebra consists of all finite well-pointed coalgebras.
Numerous examples are discussed e.g. automata, graphs, and labeled transition
systems.
Modal Interface Automata
Authors: Lüttgen Gerald , Vogler Walter
Published: November 2013

De Alfaro and Henzinger's Interface Automata (IA) and Nyman et al.'s recent
combination IOMTS of IA and Larsen's Modal Transition Systems (MTS) are
established frameworks for specifying interfaces of system components. However,
neither IA nor IOMTS consider conjunction that is needed in practice when a
component shall satisfy multiple interfaces, while Larsen's MTS-conjunction is
not closed and Bene\v{s} et al.'s conjunction on disjunctive MTS does not treat
internal transitions. In addition, IOMTS-parallel composition exhibits a
compositionality defect. This article defines conjunction (and also
disjunction) on IA and disjunctive MTS and proves the operators to be
'correct', i.e., the greatest lower bounds (least upper bounds) wrt. IA- and
resp. MTS-refinement. As its main contribution, a novel interface theory called
Modal Interface Automata (MIA) is introduced: MIA is a rich subset of IOMTS
featuring explicit output-must-transitions while input-transitions are always
allowed implicitly, is equipped with compositional parallel, conjunction and
disjunction operators, and allows a simpler embedding of IA than Nyman's. Thus,
it fixes the shortcomings of related work, without restricting designers to
deterministic interfaces as Raclet et al.'s modal interface theory does.
Celecoxib and Diclofenac Plus Omeprazole are Similarly Effective in the Treatment of Arthritis in Patients at High GI Risk in the CONDOR Trial§
Authors: Kellner Herbert L. , Li Chunming , Essex Margaret N.
Published: November 2013

Objective:

Compare effectiveness of celecoxib versus diclofenac plus omeprazole in improving arthritis signs and symptoms in patients at high gastrointestinal (GI) risk who were enrolled in the CONDOR (Celecoxib vs Omeprazole and Diclofenac in Patients With Osteoarthritis and Rheumatoid Arthritis) trial.

Methods:

CONDOR was a 6-month, prospective, double-blind, triple-dummy, parallel-group, randomized, multicenter trial comparing celecoxib 200 mg twice daily versus diclofenac slow release (SR) 75 mg twice daily plus omeprazole 20 mg daily. Patients were Helicobacter pylori negative, had osteoarthritis (OA) or rheumatoid arthritis (RA), were aged ≥60 years, were with or without a history of gastroduodenal ulceration, or were ≥18 years with previous gastroduodenal ulceration. Patients’ Global Assessment of Arthritis was determined at each study visit.

Results:

A total of 4484 patients were randomized to treatment (2238 celecoxib, 2246 diclofenac SR) and included in the intention-to-treat analyses. Least squares mean (LSM) (standard error [SE]) for Patients’ Global Assessment of Arthritis was 3.219 (0.017) and 3.221 (0.017) at baseline for celecoxib and diclofenac SR (p=0.90). Improvement in both groups was similar in months 2, 4, and 6; at month 1 the LSM (SE) was 2.647 (0.017) and 2.586 (0.017) for celecoxib and diclofenac (p=0.0025). LSM difference (SE) from baseline to final visit demonstrated an improvement of 0.75 (0.02) in celecoxib-treated patients and 0.77 (0.02) in diclofenac SR-treated patients (p=0.42).

Conclusions:

Celecoxib and diclofenac plus omeprazole were shown to have similar efficacy in patients with OA and/or RA at increased GI risk who were enrolled in the CONDOR trial.

Trial Registry:

Trial was registered under ClinicalTrials.gov identifier NCT00141102.
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
Is Pomegranate Juice Readily Available and Useful for the Management of
Hypertension and the Improvement of Cardiovascular Health?
Authors: Barkas Fotios , Liberopoulos Evangelos
Published: November 2013

DEAR EDITOR,

We read with interest the recent editorial by Tziomalos et
al. on the potential benefit of pomegranate juice (PJ) in the
management of hypertension and cardiovascular risk [1].
The authors conclude that PJ may be useful in the treatment
of hypertensives, especially those with a high burden of oxidative
stress.

Although data on PJ seem promising no solid evidence
exists to support its routine use by these patients. Certain
issues that should be taken into account include:

1) Price and availability. PJ is rather expensive and may not
be available worldwide.

2) Quantity and calorie intake. The suggested volume of
intake varies among studies (150-240 mL) [2,3]. Calorie
intake has to be considered in this regard. Recently it was
shown that fruit juice compared with whole fruit consumption
might be related with higher risk of type 2 diabetes
[4].

3) The studies showing a beneficial effect of PJ on cardiovascular
risk factors included a small number of participants,
were mostly not double blinded and evaluated only
surrogate end-points.

4) The effect of PJ on blood pressure is rather small.

5) The long term effects of PJ are unknown. The use of antioxidants,
such as alpha-tocopherol and beta-carotene,
was associated with unpredictable off-target effects, such
as increased lung and pancreas cancer in male smokers
[5].

6) Antioxidant vitamin supplementation has not reduced
rates of cardiovascular events in any study [6].

As the authors acknowledge future studies will provide valuable data to establish public health recommendations
on the use of polyphenols and PJ. For now other well established lifestyle interventions should be endorsed. These
include a Mediterranean type diet [7], body weight control,
smoking cessation and increased physical activity [8].
miR-29a and miR-30c negatively regulate DNMT 3a in cardiac ischemic tissues: implications for cardiac remodelling
Authors: Gambacciani Carolina , Kusmic Claudia , Chiavacci Elena , Meghini Francesco , Rizzo Milena , Mariani Laura , Pitto Letizia
Published: November 2013

Recent evidences indicate that epigenetic changes play an important role in the transcriptional reprogramming of gene expression that characterizes cardiac hypertrophy and failure and may dictate response to therapy. Several data demonstrate that microRNAs (miRNAs) play critical roles both in normal cardiac function and under pathological conditions. Here we assessed, in in vivo rat models of myocardial infarction (MI) and ischemia-reperfusion (IR), the relationship between two miRNAs (miR-29a and miR-30c) and de novo methyltransferase (DNMT3a) which, altering the chromatin accessibility for transcription factors, deeply impacts gene expression. We showed that the levels of members of miR-29 and miR- 30 families were down regulated in ischemic tissues whilst the protein levels of DNMT3a were increased, such a relation was not present in healthy tissues. Furthermore, by an in vitro assay, we demonstrated that both miRNAs are able to down regulate DNMT3a by directly interacting with DNMT3a 3’UTR and that miR-29a or miR-30c overexpression in the cardiac HL1 cell line causes decrease of DNMT3a enzyme both at the mRNA and protein levels. Our data, besides confirming the down regulation of the miR-29a and miR-30c in infarcted tissues, envisage a cross-talk between microRNAs and chromatin modifying enzymes suggesting a new mechanism that might generate the alterations of DNA methylation often observed in myocardial pathophysiology.
Stacked configuration of rectangular and hexagonal patches with shorting pin for circularly polarized wideband performance
Authors: Rawat Sanyog , Sharma K.
Published: November 2013

The radiation characteristics of a stacked microstrip antenna geometry proficient of providing circular polarization along with wide impedance bandwidth is simulated by using IE3D software and later on this antenna was fabricated on FR-4 substrate with an air gap and testing is done in free space. The feed location, location of applied shorting pin and width of air gap introduced between driver element and parasitically coupled element were optimized to obtain best results. The measured impedance bandwidth better than 31.72% and axial ratio bandwidth close to 1.68% were achieved with the proposed geometry. The simulated and measured results obtained are in good match with each other.
Synthesis of carnallite crystal from KCl – MgCl2 solutions and its characterization
Authors: Podder J. , Gao S. , Evitts R. W. , Besant R. W. , Matthews D.
Published: November 2013

Carnallite crystals have been synthesized from KCl – MgCl2 brine solutions at room temperature (23 °C) using a solvent evaporation technique. The effects of the concentration of potassium chloride (KCl) and magnesium chloride (MgCl2) on growth, structural and mechanical properties of the carnallite crystal is investigated and discussed. Transparent and pseudo-hexagonal shaped carnallite crystals with dimensions of 4 × 5 × 2 mm to 16 × 13 × 3 mm are shown. The carnallite crystals were characterized using powder X-ray diffraction and the lattice parameters were found to be a = 9.575 Å, b = 16.155 Å and c = 22.526 Å, space group: Pnna, Z: 12, α = β = γ = 90° with a unit cell volume, V = 3 485.04 Å3. The lattice parameters are found to be in good agreement with standard values and the structure of the crystal is orthorhombic. Vickers micro-hardness testing was carried out to determine the hardness and work hardening coefficient of the carnallite crystals.
Effects of Chevron Alignment Signs on Driver Eye Movements, Driving Performance, and Stress
Authors: Wu Yiping , Zhao Xiaohua , Rong Jian , Ma Jianming
Published: November 2013

In China, the chevron alignment sign (a vertical rectangle with a white arrow and border on a blue background) has been widely used on roadway curves to provide advance warning and positive guidance through curves. Chevron alignment signs are retroreflective guidance devices installed near roadway edges indicating roadway alignment. But the effects of the China chevron alignment signs on drivers’ eye movements, driving performance, and stress have rarely been studied. Few guidelines have been established for the size and application of chevron signs in China. This paper reports on a driving simulator experiment that measured the data on drivers’ eye movements, inputs, and electrocardiograms through an urban expressway ramp with and without chevron alignment signs. A comparative analysis was conducted to examine the changes in drivers’ eye movements, driving performance, and heart rates. Results show that drivers pay more attention to the roadside near chevrons; they are also more relaxed and tend to drop their speed more when chevrons are present. This finding indicates that chevron alignment signs do provide advance warnings and positive guidance and make drivers tend to drop speed more through curves, which improves safety and uniformity in curve delineation on urban expressway ramps.
Naturalistic Driving Observations of Manual and Visual–Manual Interactions with Navigation Systems and Mobile Phones While Driving
Authors: Christoph Michiel , van Nes Nicole , Knapper Allert
Published: November 2013

This paper discusses a naturalistic driving study on the use of mobile phones and navigation systems while driving. Manual interactions with these devices while driving can cause distraction from the driving task and reduce traffic safety. In this study 21 subjects were observed for 5 weeks. Their behavior was logged by four cameras, a Global Positioning System sensor, and a number of additional sensors. Results are presented on the durations and frequencies of manual interactions with the mobile phone and navigation system. Different manual subtasks with different levels of visual interaction are discussed, as well as how these interactions relate to driving speed. Results show that participants spent on average 1% of their driving time interacting with the navigation system and 4% of their driving time interacting with the mobile phone, excluding mobile phone conversations. For the mobile phone, 48% of the interactions took longer than 15 s; for the navigation system it was 40%. The average duration of a visual–manual subtask for the navigation system and the mobile phone was not significantly different when the task was performed while driving or while the vehicle was standing still. Exploratory analysis of vehicle speed suggests that drivers do not seem to adjust their speed while performing a visual–manual task. The results are discussed in relation to traffic safety and recommendations for future research.
Quality and Durability of Warm Rubberized Asphalt Cement in Ontario, Canada
Authors: Xu Hattie , McIntyre Andrew , Adhikari Tham , Hesp Simon A. M. , Marks Pamela , Tabib Seyed
Published: November 2013

This paper documents and discusses an investigation of performance-based testing of asphalt cement (AC), AC modified with warm-mix technology additives (warm AC), rubberized asphalt cement (RAC), and warm RAC. A number of control, warm, and RAC binders from Ontario, Canada, construction contracts were investigated for their compliance with conventional Superpave® as well as additional specification criteria. It was found that all samples passed the Superpave requirements but only one satisfied the additional Ontario criteria. One warm AC and two field-blended RAC samples showed high levels of physical hardening, which can lead to early cracking. The warm AC lost 8°C when stored isothermally for 3 days at low temperatures according to Ontario's extended bending beam rheometer protocol (LS-308). The two RAC samples lost 10°C and 12°C following the same conditioning. Many of the investigated samples showed deficient strain tolerance as measured in Ontario's double-edge-notched tension test (LS-299). In an effort to formulate warm RAC with improved properties, a number of compositions were prepared with soft Cold Lake AC and a small quantity of naphthenic oil. These binders showed little chemical and physical hardening and reasonable critical crack tip opening displacements. Strain tolerance was much improved by coblending with a high vinyl-type styrene–butadiene–styrene polymer and a small amount of sulfur. The Ministry of Transportation of Ontario is interested in using the developed formulations in future pavement trials with expected improvements in pavement performance.
Effectiveness of Antistrip Agents in Asphalt Mixtures
Authors: Watson Donald , Moore Jason R. , Taylor Adam J. , Wu Peter
Published: November 2013

Since the late 1970s there has been much research performed to understand better the stripping phenomenon in asphalt mixtures. As a result, there have been changes in both materials and technology over the past 30 years to improve the resistance to moisture damage and the ability to test for performance under adverse moisture conditions. Because of the changes in materials and technologies related to the development and improvement of antistrip agents, this research study was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of current antistrip agents used in hot-mix asphalt pavements. The objectives of this project were to construct a field test section that used three different antistrip agents in a conventional Superpave® surface mixture and conduct a series of laboratory performance test comparisons using different aging periods to make long-term comparisons of the effectiveness of hydrated lime, liquid additive, and warm-mix asphalt antistrip additives. Multiple freeze–thaw cycles of zero, one, five, and 10 cycles were used for a portion of the research study. The results showed that hydrated lime had the highest tensile strength and highest tensile strength ratio (TSR) values and was the only additive treatment to meet the minimum of 80% TSR for all freeze–thaw cycle combinations. Both five and 10 freeze–thaw cycles were significantly more discriminating for moisture susceptibility than one freeze–thaw cycle alone. Warm-mix asphalt treated mixtures produced low initial tensile strengths, but the strength of these mixtures improved with time.
"The Dangerous Book Four Boys"
Authors: Holtzman Dinah
Published: November 2013

In 2010, James Franco debuted his exhibition “The Dangerous Book Four Boys” at the Clocktower Gallery. He appropriated his title from the Igguldens’ guidebook The Dangerous Book for Boys (2006). This paper explores Franco’s representation of boyhood, focusing on his anxiety over traditional gender roles. Dangerous depicts boyhood as a homosocial and homoerotic realm in which women are both envied and elided. Franco’s vision of boyhood is premised upon a longing for both domestic structures and practices. The exhibit is organized around several small rough-hewn wooden structures resembling small houses. Inside the constructions, the films Destroy House and Castle depict young men destroying identical domiciles with axes, shotguns and blowtorches. Ironically, these violent depictions are safely contained within intact replicas of the very structures being destroyed in the films. These constructions are emblematic of Franco’s fraught relationship to masculinity, stereotypical gender roles and domesticity.
Negative Repetition
Authors: Penny Oliver
Published: November 2013

This article reads Hollinghurst’s The Folding Star through a synthesis of Freud’s theories of transference and the death drive and Jean Laplanche’s theory of infantile masochism. My reading traces the role of masochism in the formation of the gay male subject and in this way contributes towards an understanding of the repressed masochism which is central to psychic life, and more specifically to an understanding of its role within masculinity and gay masculinities. Through this reading I attempt to shed light on the problems of such an identity both for the subject and for a relationality at work within Hollinghurst’s novel which is consistently dependent upon a melancholic preservation of heterosexual masculinity.
Puerilities/Masculinities
Authors: Janssen Diederik F.
Published: November 2013

Pioneering cultural historian Johan Huizinga’s short chapter on puerilism, featured in his interwar essay In the Shadow of Tomorrow, famously highlighted what he considered the mutual “contamination of play and seriousness in modern life.” “Puerilism we shall call the attitude of a community whose behaviour is more immature than the state of its intellectual and critical faculties would warrant, which instead of making the boy into the man adapts its conduct to that of the adolescent age” (Huizinga, 1935 [1936, p. 170]). The puerilist condition degrades the serious to the superficial, true and ritual play to boundless childishness. It is a dangerous and decadent symptom, a “bastardization of culture,” a semi-seriousness and appetite for the sensational and the trivial appealing to obedient masses and small minds. Modern man becomes a slave to his comforts. “In his world full of wonders man is like a child in a fairy tale. He can travel through the air, speak to another hemisphere, have a continent delivered in his home by radio. He presses a button and life comes to him. Will such a life give him maturity?”
Introduction
Authors: Kümmerling-Meibauer Bettina
Published: November 2013

The study of children’s films is a complex and demanding issue, involving a range of critical, educational, psychological, cultural, institutional, and textual aspects. “Children’s films” can be a broad and ambiguous term; there are films aimed at children, films about childhood, and films children watch regardless of whether they are children’s films or films targeted toward adults. The rise of an expanding children’s film industry (including the accompanying merchandizing products) in the United States and many European countries presents a further challenge to the study of children’s films. In some countries, children’s films are included in the general school curriculum; this indicates that children’s films are a key part of children’s culture that requires educational attention. Another fact to which the inclusion of children’s films in school curricula points is the crucial role of these films in the development of media literacy, due to the fact that children come to recognize and understand the typical features of films by means of a gradual process which takes a substantial amount of time. The acquisition of a “film language” presupposes the ability to comprehend the symbolic meanings of images, the close relationship, upon which films depend, between a moving image, sound, and speech, and prototypical properties of films, such as shots, zooms, cuts, camera perspective, and voice-over.
Editorial
Authors: Mom Gijs , Kim Nanny
Published: November 2013

How topsy-turvy can the world of mobility become? Th e London cab has
recently been revived by a Chinese automotive group,1 General Motors had
to be rescued by the American taxpayer, and BMW is converting its cars to
electricity. In Delhi, after a rape and murder of a woman in a bus, rickshaw
pullers introduced “safe for women” rickshaws.2 In Brazil riots against corruption
and poverty started in a bus, out of outrage at increased ticket prices.3 In
Rio de Janeiro there are three bus accidents per day, in part caused by drivers
racing against each other.4 How can we understand the plethora of confusing
messages from a world of mobility that seems to spin out of control, more
so with every new decade? New Mobility Studies tries to make sense of this
turbulence and as editors of Transfers we seek fresh approaches that are not
afraid of transgressing boundaries. Th is issue, in which we present scholarship
beyond the immediate reach of Western mainstream mobility studies, is
an example of such boundary crossing.
The Firedrake
Authors: Xianyong Ding
Published: November 2013

The Hangzhou-Jiangshan railway across Zhejiang province was built in the early 1930s, connecting the mountainous interior to the coastal area. The construction in the context of military strategy enjoyed high government attention and was implemented with personnel and a workforce brought into the area. Drawing on literary writings, archival documents, and oral histories, this article traces the range of attitudes, reactions, and activities among the inhabitants of rural towns and villages in the area of Quzhou and Jinhua as well as migrants who had left for cities such as Shanghai and Hangzhou. The name “redrake” created by locals captures attitudes of mingled apprehension in the fact that a dragon, which is always associated with water, becomes a re-creature; curiosity and excitement in the association with dragon lantern processions; and practical usefulness in the closeness to the train that is literally a “re-vehicle” in Chinese.
Rickshaws in South Asia
Authors: Steele M. William
Published: November 2013

The rickshaw, invented in Japan in 1869, helped to produce a revolution in mobility for millions of people in Asia and Africa. By the 1930s, the everyday mobility offered by the hand-pulled rickshaw gave way to several of its off spring: the cycle-rickshaw, trishaw, pedicab, cyclo, becak, and the auto-rickshaw. The three articles in this special section describe how these “primitive” non-motorized vehicles continue in the twenty-first century to play a valuable and irreplaceable role in urban and rural transport in South Asian cities. The authors are traffic experts, geographers, and urban planners who live and work in contemporary rickshaw cultures. Despite the reality of urban hazards, the articles describe cultural, economic, and environmental reasons to keep rickshaws on the road, now and in the future.
Gendered Experiences of Mobility
Authors: Huq-Hussain Shahnaz , Habiba Umme
Published: November 2013

This article examines the travel behavior of middle-class women in Dhaka, the capital city of Bangladesh and one of the world's largest and most densely populated cities. In particular, we focus on women's use of non-motorized rickshaws to understand the constraints on mobility for women in Dhaka. Primary research, in the form of an empirical study that surveyed women in six neighborhoods of Dhaka, underpins our findings. Our quantitative and qualitative data presents a detailed picture of women's mobility through the city. We argue that although over 75 percent of women surveyed chose the rickshaw as their main vehicle for travel, they did so within a complex framework of limited transport options. Women's mobility patterns have been further complicated by government action to decrease congestion by banning rickshaws from major roads in the city. Our article highlights the constraints on mobility that middle-class women in Dhaka face including inadequate services, poorly maintained roads, adverse weather conditions, safety and security issues, and the difficulty of confronting traditional views of women in public arenas.
Rickshaw Pullers and the Cycle of Unsustainability in Dhaka City
Authors: Rahman M. Maksudur , Assadekjaman Md.
Published: November 2013

Rickshaw pullers are key to sustaining urban mobility in Dhaka city. Yet they are among the most marginalized members of society. Pullers live in precarious urban environments and struggle to rise out of a chronic poverty trap. In their work they face the daily challenges of restrictions on their activities, harassment from passengers and the traffic police, traffic jams and accidents. This article explores the factors which contribute to the unsustainable lifestyles of rickshaw pullers in Dhaka city. It suggests that rickshaw pullers might be supported better through licenses, economic incentives, and by prioritizing their contribution to improving Dhaka's traffic system.
A Journey with Cycle Rickshaws
Authors: Ravi Rajendra
Published: November 2013

I met a cycle rickshaw puller whom I had known for a few years and asked
my old question, “Why do you not look for a better job instead of pulling a
cycle rickshaw?” He asked me if I was free to have a chat with him in a nearby
park.1 After settling down he said, “You have been asking the same question
for many years, but you never asked us a question which mattered to us the
most. Th e questions that you raised refl ected a limited perspective and did
not provide us a scope to place our perspective. I would like to explain this to
you.”
Art on the Move
Authors: Samanta Gopa
Published: November 2013

Art in the form of decorating rickshaws, a very popular mode of mobility in Bangladesh, especially in Dhaka city, was developed in the 1950s to make the rickshaw more popular so that it could compete with the horse-drawn “tomtom.” Syed Ahmed Hossain, a rickshaw artist more commonly known in Dhaka as Ahmed, was a small boy then, living in a small house located on a narrow by-lane of old Dhaka city. He used to draw things on his school copy book with a small eroded pencil. Ahmed never had any formal training in painting because his father could not afford that. By the time Ahmed grew up, however, there was a growing demand for people who could decorate rickshaws and Ahmed found that job suitable to earn a livelihood for his family.
The Sahmat Collective
Authors: Elam J. Daniel
Published: November 2013

Smart Museum at the University of Chicago (Chicago, IL, U.S.),
February 14–June 9, 2013
The museum is free and open to the public.