bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Multimedia Aeroengine Design Course With Industry Support
Authors: Hourmouziadis Jean , Schroeder Norbert , Biegi Klaus , Schmidt Klaus-Juergen , Servaty Stephan , Gärtner Wolfgang
Published: August 2014

The Jet Propulsion Laboratory at the Berlin University of Technology has recently introduced a multimedia aeroengine design project under the working title “Project Jet Propulsion”. The seminar, in which the German aeroengine industry is actively involved, is directed at students who have successfully finished their basic engineering training course.

The objective of the course is to provide experience of all stages of the complete design process of an engine component in a genuine industrial working environment. The component is selected to ensure that a wide range of design requirements, including customer requirements, aero-thermodynamic and mechanical design, costing and certification, have to be taken into consideration. An experiment supporting the design completes the course.

The course is attended by a fixed number of students and lasts for one year. It involves fortnightly working sessions, which are organized the same way as they would be in the industry, with minutes being kept and action lists checked. The students are encouraged to work on their own initiative, identify the necessary tasks and set up a schedule to accomplish the work within the given time limit of the course duration.

Industry participates in a variety of ways. At the end of each working session experts from the companies involved join in a telephone conference, giving their comments on the work of the group and answering questions. A video conference supported by one of the industrial partners is also on the agenda. During the course, both companies involved are visited and progress is reviewed in an intermediate and a final design review respectively.

No scripts are handed out during the course. Communication is done by e-mail and progress reports, memoranda and minutes of the meetings are made available on the internet.
Undergraduate Gas Turbine Engine Design Using Spreadsheets and Commercial Software
Authors: Van Treuren Kenneth W. , Haven Brenda A.
Published: August 2014

A unique, three-part undergraduate gas turbine engine design project was developed to acquaint students, working in teams of two or three, with the process of engine cycle selection. The design application is a low-flying, Close Air Support (CAS) aircraft using a separate exhaust turbofan engine. Both spreadsheets and commercial software are used. The commercial software is included with the course textbook, “Elements of Gas Turbine Propulsion” by Dr Jack D. Mattingly. Using commercial software, reinforced by classroom lectures, allows the students to focus on the design decisions. The first part of the project is Mission Analysis which introduces the student teams to the design problem. A spreadsheet template is given to each student team that includes aircraft and mission profile specifications. The students must complete the spreadsheet and develop the relationships for lift, drag, thrust required, and fuel burn to calculate a useable fuel remaining at the end to the mission. The spreadsheet allows the students to obtain an average specific fuel consumption that results in 1500 lbm of fuel remaining at the end of the mission. This target value is used in the second part of the design process, on-design Parametric Cycle Analysis (PCA), as a basis for engine cycle selection. Parametric Cycle Analysis is accomplished using the program PARA.EXE. PARA.EXE generates a carpet plot of possible engine design choices by varying the compressor pressure ratio, bypass ratio, and fan pressure ratio. From these carpet plots the students must identify three possible engine cycles that meet the target value for specific fuel consumption found during the mission analysis. Tradeoffs between thrust and fuel consumption are discussed and the students are required to justify their choices for the engine cycle. The last part of the project is the off-design Engine Performance Analysis (EPA) using the program PERF.EXE. The chosen engines must fly the mission and meet the required performance and mission constraint. Based on the overall mission performance, the students narrow the field of three possible engine cycles to one. Each student team then does a sensitivity study to determine if there is an additional benefit for slight changes in the design choices. The result of this sensitivity study is the students’ final engine cycle. With this cycle, an additive drag calculation is made using the program DADD.EXE to account for losses (off-design) and these losses are then factored back into the performance spreadsheet to check the engine’s capabilities for completing the mission. The iterative nature of the design process is emphasized throughout but only one pass through the process is accomplished. Units are given in English Engineering, as that is what is required for the project. Both SI and English Engineering units are taught in the course.
Kalaeloa — Combined Cycle Power Station Burning LSFO in its Ninth Successful Year
Authors: Khalaf Ziad R. , Basler Benno
Published: August 2014

This paper presents the O&M experience at the Kalaeloa Cogeneration Plant. Performance issues and other problems related to firing heavy oil in a combustion turbine are presented together with their long-term solutions leading to the current successful operation of the IPP power station in Hawaii, USA.
Injecting Humidified and Heated Air to Meet Peak Power Demands
Authors: Nakhamkin Michael , Wolk Ronald , Potashnik Boris , Butler Thomas , Hall Ronald
Published: August 2014

The method for combustion turbine (CT) power augmentation denoted as CTHAI, (HAI is an acronym for Humidified Air Injection) allows production of additional megawatt-hours (MWH) at low cost during peak demand periods by injecting externally compressed, humidified, and heated air into a CT upstream of the combustors. Energy Storage and Power Consultants (ESPC) and Parsons Infrastructure Group (Parsons) conducted a study for Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) on the power augmentation of the new PG7121EA combustion turbine by implementing the CTHAI concept. Results of the study demonstrated significant power augmentation and heat rate reduction over the whole range of ambient temperatures, and it was shown to be the most effective at high ambient temperature conditions when reduction in normal unit output is severe (References 1 and 2). Following these developments, TVA, after exhaustive evaluations and analyses of the CTHAI power augmentation technology and other competitive power augmentation options, decided to demonstrate this concept on one of their operating PG7661 gas turbines at the Colbert Power Plant.
LGTP: A Predictive and Diagnostic Gas Turbine Performance Program
Authors: Pistor Robert J. , Krampf Francoise M.
Published: August 2014

Gas turbine performance calculations are either predictive or diagnostic. Predictive calculations tell what the gas turbine can do and diagnostic calculations tell how the engine is doing. Both types of calculations are inter-related in that the diagnostic calculation requires a predictive calculation to compare with so that a diagnosis can be made. Engine designers are primarily concerned with predictive calculations and users are concerned with the diagnostic calculations. This paper will show the development of a predictive calculation and how a diagnostic calculation can be coupled with the predictive calculation so that both the designer and user can take advantage of gas turbine performance code. The development of Dresser-Rand’s predictive code LGTP and Liburdi Engineering Limited’s LGTP-Health diagnostic code will be discussed as demonstration examples.
Design and Development of a Haynes 242® Nozzle Case for the Solar Mercury 50 Gas Turbine
Authors: McGregor Heather , Martin Devin , Browning Paul , Fitzpatrick Michael , Srivastava Krishna , Ishwar Venkat , Beden Isan , Tutton Nigel
Published: August 2014

In a joint effort between Solar Turbines Incorporated, Haynes International, and Doncasters Blaenavon, concurrent component design and manufacturing process development were undertaken to produce a Haynes 242 turbine nozzle case for Solar Turbines’ Mercury 50 engine. The Mercury 50 is a high efficiency, 4.2 MW generator set, developed through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Department of Energy within the Advanced Turbine Systems (ATS) Program. Significant effort was applied to development of a reduced lead time, reliable, low cost process for producing a component with properties meeting design requirements. The resulting process involves the forging of (508-mm) 20-inch diameter ingots to (308-mm) 12-inch diameter billets, and ring rolling each billet to the final pre-machined shape. Further refinement in both billet manufacture and ring rolling are being conducted. The resulting component benefits from the desirable elevated temperature properties and uncoated oxidation resistance of Haynes 242, a next-generation, low thermal expansion alloy.

In this paper, critical aspects of the turbine nozzle case design, and alloy process development will be presented. Microstructural evaluation of various billet forging processing routes will be related to mechanical properties, which in turn will be evaluated relative to design requirements.
Ceramic Matrix Composite Combustor Liner Rig Test
Authors: Brewer David , Ojard Greg , Gibler Martin
Published: August 2014

The NASA High Speed Research (HSR)/Enabling Propulsion Materials (EPM) program was charged with the responsibility for developing the materials and technologies necessary to meet the High Speed Civil Transport (HSCT) engine requirements. The combustor liner was identified as a critical component for meeting the efficiency and environmental acceptability goals of the HSCT engine. The EPM Ceramic Matrix Composite (CMC) Combustor liner program was tasked with developing and demonstrating a material system and design concept that meets the HSCT environmental, thermal, structural, economic, and durability requirements. Melt Infiltration (MI) SiC/SiC composites were ultimately selected for the combustor liner application. The culmination of this development effort was the delivery and testing of a CMC combustor liner. Testing was performed at NASA Glenn Research Center in the Sector Rig under HSCT operating conditions. The initial results of the rig testing are presented.
The simulation of 3D mass models in 2D digital mammography and breast tomosynthesis
Authors: Shaheen Eman , De Keyzer Frederik , Bosmans Hilde , Dance David R. , Young Kenneth C. , Ongeval Chantal Van
Published: August 2014

Purpose:

This work proposes a new method of building 3D breast mass models with different morphological shapes and describes the validation of the realism of their appearance after simulation into 2D digital mammograms and breast tomosynthesis images.

Methods:

Twenty‐five contrast enhanced MRI breast lesions were collected and each mass was manually segmented in the three orthogonal views: sagittal, coronal, and transversal. The segmented models were combined, resampled to have isotropic voxel sizes, triangularly meshed, and scaled to different sizes. These masses were referred to as nonspiculated masses and were then used as nuclei onto which spicules were grown with an iterative branching algorithm forming a total of 30 spiculated masses. These 55 mass models were projected into 2D projection images to obtain mammograms after image processing and into tomographic sequences of projection images, which were then reconstructed to form 3D tomosynthesis datasets. The realism of the appearance of these mass models was assessed by five radiologists via receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis when compared to 54 real masses. All lesions were also given a breast imaging reporting and data system (BIRADS) score. The data sets of 2D mammography and tomosynthesis were read separately. The Kendall's coefficient of concordance was used for the interrater observer agreement assessment for the BIRADS scores per modality. Further paired analysis, using the Wilcoxon signed rank test, of the BIRADS assessment between 2D and tomosynthesis was separately performed for the real masses and for the simulated masses.

Results:

The area under the ROC curves, averaged over all observers, was 0.54 (95% confidence interval [0.50, 0.66]) for the 2D study, and 0.67 (95% confidence interval [0.55, 0.79]) for the tomosynthesis study. According to the BIRADS scores, the nonspiculated and the spiculated masses varied in their degrees of malignancy from normal (BIRADS 1) to highly suggestive for malignancy (BIRADS 5) indicating the required variety of shapes and margins of these models. The assessment of the BIRADS scores for all observers indicated good agreement based on Kendall's coefficient for both the 2D and the tomosynthesis evaluations. The paired analysis of the BIRADS scores between 2D and tomosynthesis for each observer revealed consistent behavior for the real and simulated masses.

Conclusions:

A database of 3D mass models, with variety of shapes and margins, was validated for the realism of their appearance for 2D digital mammography and for breast tomosynthesis. This database is suitable for use in future observer performance studies whether in virtual clinical trials or in patient images with simulated lesions.
Interactive lung segmentation in abnormal human and animal chest CT scans
Authors: Kockelkorn Thessa T. J. P. , Schaefer‐Prokop Cornelia M. , Bozovic Gracijela , Muñoz‐Barrutia Arrate , van Rikxoort Eva M. , Brown Matthew S. , de Jong Pim A. , Viergever Max A. , van Ginneken Bram
Published: August 2014

Purpose:

Many medical image analysis systems require segmentation of the structures of interest as a first step. For scans with gross pathology, automatic segmentation methods may fail. The authors’ aim is to develop a versatile, fast, and reliable interactive system to segment anatomical structures. In this study, this system was used for segmenting lungs in challenging thoracic computed tomography (CT) scans.

Methods:

In volumetric thoracic CT scans, the chest is segmented and divided into 3D volumes of interest (VOIs), containing voxels with similar densities. These VOIs are automatically labeled as either lung tissue or nonlung tissue. The automatic labeling results can be corrected using an interactive or a supervised interactive approach. When using the supervised interactive system, the user is shown the classification results per slice, whereupon he/she can adjust incorrect labels. The system is retrained continuously, taking the corrections and approvals of the user into account. In this way, the system learns to make a better distinction between lung tissue and nonlung tissue. When using the interactive framework without supervised learning, the user corrects all incorrectly labeled VOIs manually. Both interactive segmentation tools were tested on 32 volumetric CT scans of pigs, mice and humans, containing pulmonary abnormalities.

Results:

On average, supervised interactive lung segmentation took under 9 min of user interaction. Algorithm computing time was 2 min on average, but can easily be reduced. On average, 2.0% of all VOIs in a scan had to be relabeled. Lung segmentation using the interactive segmentation method took on average 13 min and involved relabeling 3.0% of all VOIs on average. The resulting segmentations correspond well to manual delineations of eight axial slices per scan, with an average Dice similarity coefficient of 0.933.

Conclusions:

The authors have developed two fast and reliable methods for interactive lung segmentation in challenging chest CT images. Both systems do not require prior knowledge of the scans under consideration and work on a variety of scans.
Development of a novel depth of interaction PET detector using highly multiplexed G‐APD cross‐strip encoding
Authors: Kolb A. , Parl C. , Mantlik F. , Liu C. C. , Lorenz E. , Renker D. , Pichler B. J.
Published: August 2014

Purpose:

The aim of this study was to develop a prototype PET detector module for a combined small animal positron emission tomography and magnetic resonance imaging (PET/MRI) system. The most important factor for small animal imaging applications is the detection sensitivity of the PET camera, which can be optimized by utilizing longer scintillation crystals. At the same time, small animal PET systems must yield a high spatial resolution. The measured object is very close to the PET detector because the bore diameter of a high field animal MR scanner is limited. When used in combination with long scintillation crystals, these small‐bore PET systems generate parallax errors that ultimately lead to a decreased spatial resolution. Thus, we developed a depth of interaction (DoI) encoding PET detector module that has a uniform spatial resolution across the whole field of view (FOV), high detection sensitivity, compactness, and insensitivity to magnetic fields.

Methods:

The approach was based on Geiger mode avalanche photodiode (G‐APD) detectors with cross‐strip encoding. The number of readout channels was reduced by a factor of 36 for the chosen block elements. Two 12 × 2 G‐APD strip arrays (25μm cells) were placed perpendicular on each face of a 12 × 12 lutetium oxyorthosilicate crystal block with a crystal size of 1.55 × 1.55 × 20 mm. The strip arrays were multiplexed into two channels and used to calculate the x, y coordinates for each array and the deposited energy. The DoI was measured in step sizes of 1.8 mm by a collimated 18F source. The coincident resolved time (CRT) was analyzed at all DoI positions by acquiring the waveform for each event and applying a digital leading edge discriminator.

Results:

All 144 crystals were well resolved in the crystal flood map. The average full width half maximum (FWHM) energy resolution of the detector was 12.8% ± 1.5% with a FWHM CRT of 1.14 ± 0.02 ns. The average FWHM DoI resolution over 12 crystals was 2.90 ± 0.15 mm.

Conclusions:

The novel DoI PET detector, which is based on strip G‐APD arrays, yielded a DoI resolution of 2.9 mm and excellent timing and energy resolution. Its high multiplexing factor reduces the number of electronic channels. Thus, this cross‐strip approach enables low‐cost, high‐performance PET detectors for dedicated small animal PET and PET/MRI and potentially clinical PET/MRI systems.
Effect of Submaximal Repetitive Exercise on Knee Coactivation in Young and Middle-Aged Women
Authors: Hodder Joanne N. , Plashkes Tova E. , Franklin Regan A. , Hickey Heather K. , Maly Monica R.
Published: August 2014

Coactivation of the knee extensors and flexors increases knee joint contact forces, which may lead to degradation of the articular surfaces. This study investigated the effect of neuromuscular fatigue induced by submaximal, repetitive, dynamic contractions on coactivation of knee musculature in young and middle-aged women. Data from 10 young women (24.6 ± 1.8 years) and 8 middle-aged women (55.4 ± 4.2 years) were analyzed. Measures included peak knee extension and flexion torques and the average amplitude of surface electromyography of rectus femoris and biceps femoris. Coactivation ratios were calculated from these activations. To induce fatigue, participants completed up to ten sets of 50 concentric knee extension and flexion contractions at 60°/s. A two-factor analysis of variance was used to determine the effect of age and fatigue. The young group showed higher peak torque compared with the middle-aged group (P < .001). During flexion, biceps femoris activity increased after fatigue when both groups were considered together (P = .018). During extension, biceps femoris activity was higher in the middle-aged than young group (P = .043). Middle-aged women exhibited a trend for greater coactivation during knee extension compared with young women (P = .066). This coactivation likely contributed to extension torque decrements in middle-aged women.
Mechanomyographic and Electromyographic Responses During Fatiguing Eccentric Muscle Actions of the Leg Extensors
Authors: Camic Clayton L. , Housh Terry J. , Zuniga Jorge M. , Bergstrom Haley C. , Schmidt Richard J. , Johnson Glen O.
Published: August 2014

The purpose of the current study was to examine the patterns of responses for torque, mechanomyographic (MMG) amplitude, MMG frequency, electromyographic (EMG) amplitude, and EMG frequency across 30 repeated maximal eccentric muscle actions of the leg extensors. Eleven moderately trained females performed an eccentric fatigue protocol at 30°/s with MMG and EMG signals recorded from the vastus lateralis. The results indicated there were significant (P < .05) decreases in MMG frequency (linear, r2 = .395), EMG frequency (linear, r2 = .177), and torque (linear, r2 = .570; % decline = 9.8 ± 13.3%); increases in MMG amplitude (linear, r2 = .783); and no change in EMG amplitude (r2 = .003). These findings suggested that the neural strategies used to modulate torque during fatiguing eccentric muscle actions involved de-recruitment of motor units, reduced firing rates, and synchronization. In addition, the decreases in eccentric torque were more closely associated with changes in MMG frequency than EMG frequency. Thus, these findings indicated that MMG frequency, compared with EMG frequency, more accurately tracks fatigue during repeated maximal eccentric muscle actions.
Influence of Dorsiflexion Shoes on Jump Performance
Authors: Salinero Juan J. , González-Millán Cristina , Abián-Vicén Javier , Garrigós Juan Del Coso
Published: August 2014

The goal of dorsiflexion sports shoes is to increase jumping capacity by means of a lower position of the heel in relation to the forefoot which results in additional stretching of the ankle plantar flexors. The aim of this study was to compare a dorsiflexion sports shoe model with two conventional sports shoe models in a countermovement jump test. The sample consisted of 35 participants who performed a countermovement jump test on a force platform wearing the three models of shoes. There were significant differences in the way force was manifested (P < 0.05) in the countermovement jump test, with a decrease in the velocity of the center of gravity and an increase in force at peak power and mean force in the concentric phase. Moreover, peak power was reached earlier with the dorsiflexion sports shoe model. The drop of the center of gravity was increased in CS1 in contrast to the dorsiflexion sports shoe model (P < .05). However, the dorsiflexion sports shoes were not effective for improving either peak power or jump height (P > .05). Although force manifestation and jump kinetics differ between dorsiflexion shoes and conventional sports shoes, jump performance was similar.
Children’s Catching Performance When the Demands on the Postural System Is Altered
Authors: Angelakopoulos Georgios T. , Tsorbatzoudis Haralambos , Grouios George
Published: August 2014

In many dynamic interceptive actions performers need to integrate activity of manual and postural subsystems for successful performance. Groups of different skill level (poor and good catchers), (mean age = 9.1 and 9.4 respectively) were required to perform one-handed catches under different postural constraints: standing; standing in contact with a postural support aid by their side (PSAS) or to the left of their trunk (PSAF); Tandem; and sitting (control). Results revealed that, for poor catchers, the number of successful catches increased and grasp errors decreased significantly when sitting and with both postural aids in comparison with standing alone and Tandem conditions. Kinematic analyses showed that the postural aid devices reduced head sway in the anterior-posterior direction, while the PSAF reduced lateral head sway. The poor catchers’ performance benefited from an enlarged support surface, and reduction of lateral sway. Good catchers performed successfully under all task constraints, signifying the existence of a functional relationship between postural and grasping subsystems during performance. The results are discussed in the frame of Bernstein’s (1967) and Newell’s (1986) theory.
Draft Genome Sequence of the Obligately Alkaliphilic Sulfate-Reducing Bacterium Desulfonatronum thiodismutans Strain MLF1
Authors: Trubitsyn Denis , Geurink Corey , Pikuta Elena , Lefèvre Christopher T. , McShan W. Michael , Gillaspy Allison F. , Bazylinski Dennis A.
Published: August 2014

Desulfonatronum thiodismutans
strain MLF1, an alkaliphilic bacterium capable of sulfate reduction, was isolated from Mono Lake, California. Here we report the 3.92-Mb draft genome sequence comprising 34 contigs and some results of its automated annotation. These data will improve our knowledge of mechanisms by which bacteria withstand extreme environments.
Treatment of geographic tongue with topical tacrolimus
Authors: Purani Jigar M , Purani Hiral J
Published: August 2014

Geographic tongue is an inflammatory condition of the dorsal surface and lateral border of the tongue, which may be asymptomatic. This article presents a case of geographic tongue in a 6-year-old child. Successful management was achieved with topical application of 0.1% tacrolimus.
Quality and safety in the transitional care of the elderly (phase 2): the study protocol of a quasi-experimental intervention study for a cross-level educational programme
Authors: Storm Marianne , Groene Oliver , Testad Ingelin , Dyrstad Dagrunn N , Heskestad Randi N , Aase Karina
Published: August 2014

Introduction

Transitional care and patient handover are important areas to ensure quality and safety in elderly healthcare services. Previous studies showed that healthcare professionals have little knowledge of the setting they are transferring patients to and a limited understanding of roles and functions; these constitute barriers to effective communication and shared care responsibilities across levels of care.

Aim

The main objective is to implement a cross-level education-based intervention programme with healthcare professionals aimed at (1) increasing professionals’ awareness and competencies about quality and safety in the transitional care of the elderly; (2) creating a discussion platform for knowledge exchange and learning across levels and units of care and (3) improving patient safety culture, in particular, in transitional care.

Methods and analysis

A quasi-experimental control group study design with an intervention group and a control group; this includes a pretest, post-test and 1-year follow-up test assessment of patient safety culture. Qualitative data will be collected during the intervention programme and between the measurements. The study design will be beneficial for addressing the effects of the cross-level educational intervention programme on reports of patient safety culture and for addressing the feasibility of the intervention measures.

Ethics and dissemination

The study has been approved by the Regional Committees for Medical and Health Research Ethics in Norway, Ref. No. 2011/1978. The study is based on informed written consent; informants can withdraw from the study at any point in time. The results will be disseminated at research conferences, in peer review journals and through public presentations outside the scientific community.
Kα transition probabilities of C-like to F-like Al ions
Authors: Sang Cuicui , Chen Feng , Chen Chao , Gou Bingcong
Published: August 2014

Kα radiative transitions of C-like to F-like Al ions are studied using the multiconfiguration Dirac–Fock (MCDF) method. The fully relativistic MCDF approach was specifically designed to calculate atomic structures and radiative transition rates, and hence it ensures a reasonable description of the emission effects and spectral intensities. The energies and wavefunctions, corresponding mixing coefficients, the influence of electron correlation effects on energy levels, and radiative transition rates for C-like to F-like Al ions are investigated in detail. Good agreement is found between the calculated Kα emission spectra in this work and the spectra from experimental measurements.
Thermal conductivity in the ferromagnetic metallic phase of monovalent Ag doped manganites
Authors: Varshney Dinesh , Khan E. , Choudhary Dinesh
Published: August 2014

The thermal conductivity (κ) behavior in La 0.75 Ag 0.25 MnO 3 manganites is investigated by probing the phonon, carrier and magnon scattering sources. The acoustic phonon contribution to the thermal conductivity (κph) is investigated within the Debye-type relaxation rate approximation. The scattering of phonon from defects, grain boundaries, charge carriers, and phonon are the major sources. La 0.75 Ag 0.25 MnO 3 witnesses the dominant κph and is artifact of strong phonon–impurity and phonon–phonon scattering mechanism in the ferromagnetic metallic state. The carrier contribution to the thermal conductivity (κe) is estimated following the Wiedemann–Franz law. In the metallic phase spin waves (κm) also shows the importance. It is noticed that κm increases with a T2 dependence on the temperature. The behavior of thermal conductivity (κ) in La 0.75 Ag 0.25 MnO 3 is determined by competition among the several operating scattering mechanisms for the heat carriers and a balance between electron, magnon, and phonon contributions.
Human Perception of Visual Realism for Photo and Computer-Generated Face Images
Authors: Fan Shaojing , Wang Rangding , Ng Tian-Tsong , Tan Cheston Y.-C. , Herberg Jonathan S. , Koenig Bryan L.
Published: August 2014

Computer-generated (CG) face images are common in video games, advertisements, and other media. CG faces vary in their degree of realism, a factor that impacts viewer reactions. Therefore, efficient control of visual realism of face images is important. Efficient control is enabled by a deep understanding of visual realism perception: the extent to which viewers judge an image as a real photograph rather than a CG image. Across two experiments, we explored the processes involved in visual realism perception of face images. In Experiment 1, participants made visual realism judgments on original face images, inverted face images, and images of faces that had the top and bottom halves misaligned. In Experiment 2, participants made visual realism judgments on original face images, scrambled faces, and images that showed different parts of faces. Our findings indicate that both holistic and piecemeal processing are involved in visual realism perception of faces, with holistic processing becoming more dominant when resolution is lower. Our results also suggest that shading information is more important than color for holistic processing, and that inversion makes visual realism judgments harder for realistic images but not for unrealistic images. Furthermore, we found that eyes are the most influential face part for visual realism, and face context is critical for evaluating realism of face parts. To the best of our knowledge, this work is a first realism-centric study attempting to bridge the human perception of visual realism on face images with general face perception tasks.
PADUA
Authors: Molinaro Cristian , Moscato Vincenzo , Picariello Antonio , Pugliese Andrea , Rullo Antonino , Subrahmanian V. S.
Published: August 2014

There are numerous applications (e.g., video surveillance, fraud detection, cybersecurity) in which we wish to identify unexplained sets of events. Most related past work has been domain-dependent (e.g., video surveillance, cybersecurity) and has focused on the valuable class of
statistical anomalies
in which statistically unusual events are considered. In contrast, suppose there is a set
A
of known activity models (both harmless and harmful) and a log
L
of time-stamped observations. We define a part
L
'⊆
L
of the log to represent an
unexplained situation
when none of the known activity models can explain
L
' with a score exceeding a user-specified threshold. We represent activities via
probabilistic penalty graphs
(PPGs) and show how a set of PPGs can be combined into one Super-PPG for which we define an index structure. Given a compute cluster of (
K
+ 1) nodes (one of which is a master node), we show how to split a Super-PPG into
K
subgraphs, each of which can be independently processed by a compute node. We provide algorithms for the individual compute nodes to ensure seamless handoffs that maximally leverage parallelism. PADUA is domain-independent and can be applied to many domains (perhaps with some specialization). We conducted detailed experiments with PADUA on two real-world datasets—the ITEA CANDELA video surveillance dataset and a network traffic dataset appropriate for cybersecurity applications. PADUA scales extremely well with the number of processors and significantly outperforms past work both in accuracy and time. Thus, PADUA represents the first parallel architecture and algorithm for identifying unexplained situations in observation data, offering both scalability and accuracy.
Decentralized Fault-Tolerant Event Correlation
Authors: Wilkin Gregory Aaron , Eugster Patrick , Jayaram K. R.
Published: August 2014

Despite the prognosed use of event correlation techniques for monitoring critical complex infrastructures or dealing with disasters in the physical world, little work exists on making event correlation systems themselves tolerant to failure. Existing systems either provide no guarantees on event deliveries, do not support multicast and thus provide no guarantees across individual processes, or then rely on centralized components or strong assumptions on the infrastructure.

The FAIDECS system attempts to reconcile strong guarantees with practical performance in the presence of process crash failures. To that end, the FAIDECS system uses an overlay network with specific guarantees aligned with its proposed correlation language and guarantees. However, the language proposed lacks expressivity, and the system itself supports only very specific rigid semantics, incapable of supporting even fundamental features like sliding windows.

After providing a comprehensive overview of the FAIDECS model and system, this article bridges the gap between strong guarantees and more established correlation languages and systems in several steps. First, we propose alternative semantics for several modules of the FAIDECS matching engine and revisit guarantees. Second, we pinpoint which guarantees are contradicted by which combinations of semantic options. Third, we investigate four correlation languages—StreamSQL, EQL, CEL, and TESLA—showing which semantic options their respective features correspond to in our model, and thus, ultimately, which guarantees of FAIDECS are maintained by which language features.
Automated Fine-Grained CPU Provisioning for Virtual Machines
Authors: Bartolini Davide B. , Sironi Filippo , Sciuto Donatella , Santambrogio Marco D.
Published: August 2014

Ideally, the pay-as-you-go model of Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) clouds should enable users to rent just enough resources (e.g., CPU or memory bandwidth) to fulfill their service level objectives (SLOs). Achieving this goal is hard on current IaaS offers, which require users to explicitly specify the amount of resources to reserve; this requirement is nontrivial for users, because estimating the amount of resources needed to attain application-level SLOs is often complex, especially when resources are virtualized and the service provider colocates virtual machines (VMs) on host nodes. For this reason, users who deploy VMs subject to SLOs are usually prone to overprovisioning resources, thus resulting in inflated business costs.

This article tackles this issue with
AutoPro
: a runtime system that enhances IaaS clouds with automated and fine-grained resource provisioning based on performance SLOs. Our main contribution with
AutoPro
is filling the gap between application-level performance SLOs and allocation of a contended resource, without requiring explicit reservations from users. In this article, we focus on CPU bandwidth allocation to throughput-driven, compute-intensive multithreaded applications colocated on a multicore processor; we show that a theoretically sound, yet simple, control strategy can enable automated fine-grained allocation of this contended resource, without the need for offline profiling. Additionally,
AutoPro
helps service providers optimize infrastructure utilization by provisioning idle resources to best-effort workloads, so as to maximize node-level utilization.

Our extensive experimental evaluation confirms that
AutoPro
is able to automatically determine and enforce allocations to meet performance SLOs while maximizing node-level utilization by supporting batch workloads on a best-effort basis.
Rapid and scalable isp service delivery through a programmable middlebox
Authors: Khan Kamran Riaz , Ahmed Zaafar , Ahmed Shabbir , Syed Affan , Khayam Syed Ali
Published: August 2014

With only access billing no longer ensuring profits, an ISP's growth now relies on rolling out new and differentiated services. However, ISPs currently do not have a well-defined architecture for rapid, cost-effective, and scalable dissemination of new services. We present iSDF, a new SDN-enabled framework that can meet an ISP's service delivery constraints concerning cost, scalability, deployment flexibility, and operational ease. We show that meeting these constraints necessitates an SDN philosophy for a centralized management plane, a decoupled (from data) control plane, and a programmable data plane at customer premises. We present an ISP service delivery framework (iSDF) that provides ISPs a domain-specific API for network function virtualization by leveraging a programmable middlebox built from commodity home-routers. It also includes an application server to disseminate, configure, and update ISP services. We develop and report results for three diverse ISP applications that demonstrate the practicality and flexibility of iSDF, namely distributed VPN (control plane decisions), pay-per-site (rapid deployment), and BitTorrent blocking (data plane processing).
Introducing ProtoRINA
Authors: Wang Yuefeng , Matta Ibrahim , Esposito Flavio , Day John
Published: August 2014

ProtoRINA is a user-space prototype of the Recursive InterNetwork Architecture. RINA is a new architecture that builds on the fundamental principle that "networking is inter-process communication". As a consequence, RINA overcomes inherent weaknesses of the current Internet, e.g., security, mobility support, and manageability. ProtoRINA serves not only as a prototype that demonstrates the advantages of RINA, but also as a network experimental tool that enables users to program different policies using its built-in mechanisms. In this note, we introduce ProtoRINA as a vehicle for making RINA concepts concrete and for encouraging researchers to use and benefit from the prototype.
Are running speeds maximized with simple-spring stance mechanics?
Authors: Clark Kenneth P. , Weyand Peter G.
Published: August 2014

Are the fastest running speeds achieved using the simple-spring stance mechanics predicted by the classic spring-mass model? We hypothesized that a passive, linear-spring model would not account for the running mechanics that maximize ground force application and speed. We tested this hypothesis by comparing patterns of ground force application across athletic specialization (competitive sprinters vs. athlete nonsprinters, n = 7 each) and running speed (top speeds vs. slower ones). Vertical ground reaction forces at 5.0 and 7.0 m/s, and individual top speeds ( n = 797 total footfalls) were acquired while subjects ran on a custom, high-speed force treadmill. The goodness of fit between measured vertical force vs. time waveform patterns and the patterns predicted by the spring-mass model were assessed using the R2statistic (where an R2of 1.00 = perfect fit). As hypothesized, the force application patterns of the competitive sprinters deviated significantly more from the simple-spring pattern than those of the athlete, nonsprinters across the three test speeds ( R2<0.85 vs. R2≥ 0.91, respectively), and deviated most at top speed ( R2= 0.78 ± 0.02). Sprinters attained faster top speeds than nonsprinters (10.4 ± 0.3 vs. 8.7 ± 0.3 m/s) by applying greater vertical forces during the first half (2.65 ± 0.05 vs. 2.21 ± 0.05 body wt), but not the second half (1.71 ± 0.04 vs. 1.73 ± 0.04 body wt) of the stance phase. We conclude that a passive, simple-spring model has limited application to sprint running performance because the swiftest runners use an asymmetrical pattern of force application to maximize ground reaction forces and attain faster speeds.
Some Purported Problems for the Movement Theory of Control
Authors: Drummond Alex , Hornstein Norbert
Published: August 2014

Ndayiragije (2012) and Wood (2012) present arguments against the movement theory of control (MTC) based on data from Kirundi and Icelandic, respectively. We show that these data are easily accounted for by current formulations of the MTC.
Judah’s Covenant with Assyria in Isaiah 28
Authors: Mastnjak Nathan
Published: August 2014

This paper argues that the “covenant with death” in Isa 28:15, 18 refers to Judah’s covenant with Assyria. While scholars usually take this to refer to Egypt at the end of the 8th c., a reference to Assyria makes better sense of the resonances of the metaphor of personified “death.” This oracle is contemporary with vv. 1-4 and functions together with those verses as a single prophetic discourse that predates the fall of the northern kingdom and prophesies destruction for both kingdoms at the hands of the Assyrians.
The Meaning of ברא in Genesis 1:1-2:3
Authors: Wardlaw Terrance Randall
Published: August 2014

In her 2009 monograph on cognitive linguistics for Biblical Studies Ellen Van Wolde argues that the verb ברא means “to separate” rather than the traditional understanding “to create.” This investigation considers her proposal, Becking and Korpel’s critique of it, cognate and parallel evidence, the semantic domain “creation,” the use of ברא outside of Genesis 1, the use of ברא within Genesis 1, as well its relation to the verb הבדיל. From this discussion, a contextual reading is then proposed which identifies the linguistic traces of the conceptualization of ברא within Gen 1:1-2:3, and it also takes into account script semantics in the association of larger episodes with key vocabulary.
Dynamical and Microphysical Evolution during Mixed-Phase Cloud Glaciation Simulated Using the Bulk Adaptive Habit Prediction Model
Authors: Sulia Kara J. , Morrison Hugh , Harrington Jerry Y.
Published: August 2014

A bulk microphysics scheme predicting ice particle habit evolution has been implemented in the Weather Research and Forecasting Model. Large-eddy simulations are analyzed to study the effects of ice habit and number concentration on the bulk ice and liquid masses, dynamics, and lifetime of Arctic mixed-phase boundary layer clouds. The microphysical and dynamical evolution simulated using the adaptive habit scheme is compared with that assuming spherical particles with a density of bulk ice or a reduced density and with mass–dimensional parameterizations. It is found that the adaptive habit method returns an increased (decreased) ice (liquid) mass as compared to spheres and provides a more accurate simulation as compared to dendrite mass–size relations.

Using the adaptive habit method, simulations are then completed to understand the microphysical and dynamical interactions within a single-layer mixed-phase stratocumulus cloud observed during flight 31 of the Indirect and Semi-Direct Aerosol Campaign. With cloud-top longwave radiative cooling as a function of liquid mass acting as the primary dynamic driver of turbulent eddies within these clouds, the consumption of liquid at the expense of ice growth and subsequent sedimentation holds a strong control on the cloud lifetime. Ice concentrations ≥ 4 L−1 collapse the liquid layer without any external maintaining sources. Layer maintenance is possible at 4 L−1 when a constant cloud-top cooling rate or the water mass lost due to sedimentation is supplied. Larger concentrations require a more substantial source of latent or sensible heat for mixed-phase persistence.
The Climate Impact of Past Changes in Halocarbons and CO2 in the Tropical UTLS Region
Authors: McLandress Charles , Shepherd Theodore G. , Reader M. Catherine , Plummer David A. , Shine Keith P.
Published: August 2014

A chemistry–climate model coupled to an ocean model is used to compare the climate impact of past (1960–2010) changes in concentrations of halocarbons with those of CO2 in the tropical upper troposphere and lower stratosphere (UTLS). The halocarbon contribution to both upper troposphere warming and the associated increase in lower stratospheric upwelling is about 40% as large as that due to CO2. Trends in cold-point temperature and lower stratosphere water vapor are positive for both halocarbons and CO2, and are of about the same magnitude. Trends in lower stratosphere ozone are negative, due to the increased upwelling. These increases in water vapor and decreases in lower stratosphere ozone feed back onto lower stratosphere temperature through radiative cooling. The radiative cooling from ozone is about a factor of 2 larger than that from water vapor in the vicinity of the cold-point tropopause, while water vapor dominates at heights above 50 hPa. For halocarbons this indirect radiative cooling more than offsets the direct radiative warming, and together with the adiabatic cooling accounts for the lack of a halocarbon-induced warming of the lower stratosphere. For CO2 the indirect cooling from increased water vapor and decreased ozone is of comparable magnitude to the direct warming from CO2 in the vicinity of the cold-point tropopause, and (together with the increased upwelling) lowers the height at which CO2 increases induce stratospheric cooling, thus explaining the relatively weak increase in cold-point temperature due to the CO2 increases.
Military Service and Alcohol Use in the United States
Authors: Teachman Jay , Anderson Carter , Tedrow Lucky M.
Published: August 2014

It is well known that enlistees and veterans in the United States are more likely to use alcohol than civilians. However, most of this research is potentially biased in that it often does not employ control variables (other than age) and is based on cross-sectional data. Much of this research also fails to consider the relationship between military service and alcohol use among women. Using longitudinal data taken from the 1997 National Longitudinal Study of Youth, we investigate the relationship between military service and alcohol consumption employing a fixed-effects approach. We find that military service appears to encourage young men to consume alcohol. It is also the case that the effect of military service is not limited to the time that men spend in the military given that male veterans are also more likely to consume alcohol than are comparable nonveterans. We find, however, that women who serve, both enlistees and veterans, are less likely to drink than their civilian counterparts.