bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Design and construction of Busan–Geoje fixed link, S. Korea
Authors: Yeoward Andrew , Koo Im Sig , Fraser Don 
Published: July 2010

This paper describes the construction of two major cable-stayed bridges on the 8·2 km long US$2·5 billion fixed link connecting Busan to Geoje Island on Korea's south coast. The 1·65 km two-pylon and the 1·87 km three-pylon cable-stayed bridges cross water depths of up to 30 m with main spans of 475 m and 2 × 230 m, respectively. The alignment takes an island-hopping route that is exposed to severe open sea conditions from the Pacific Ocean. To minimise off-shore working, large precast concrete units were used extensively for the sub-structures. This included placing 9600 t caissons, 1800 t pier shafts and 2080 t pier cross beams by floating crane. The prefabricated approach bridge superstructure spans up to 90 m long and 2427 t were also placed by floating crane. The pylons for the bridges are up to 158 m high and have a distinctive curved elevation. From the caisson, the two legs splay outwards until they reach the cross beam at deck level, where they lean back towards each other while both forming a large-radius curve. This imposes additional complexity on the construction but is considered to give enhanced appearance. Unusually, the deck has no vertical bearings at the pylon locations, instead being supported entirely by the cable stays. During superstructure construction, five sets of balanced cantilevers will be in simultaneous use and temporary typhoon stabilising measures will be the major risk management challenge. Completion is due in December 2010.
Forth Road Bridge main cables: replacement/augmentation study
Authors: Colford Barry R , Clark Colin A 
Published: July 2010

The 1800 m long suspended structure of the Forth Road Bridge spans the Firth of Forth in Scotland. It forms an integral part of the roads network, carrying in excess of 24 million vehicles each year. Since its opening in 1964, the bridge has received a high level of continuous maintenance and, when required, retrofitting to enhance the capacity of the structure. In 2004, as part of this maintenance and inspection regime, the Forth Estuary Transport Authority (FETA) undertook the first internal inspection of a main cable of a suspension bridge in the UK. This inspection revealed significant corrosion in the wires forming the cable, and a subsequent inspection in 2008 confirmed these findings. To combat progression of the corrosion, the authority retrofitted dehumidification systems on the main cables, and acoustic monitoring has been fitted to monitor wire breaks within the cables. As a precautionary measure, FETA also commissioned a study into the feasibility of augmenting or replacing the bridge's main cables. This paper outlines the processes undertaken in this study, the options for undertaking the works and the conclusions reached to date.
A unified approach to stability analysis of switched linear descriptor systems under arbitrary switching
Authors: Zhai Guisheng , Xu Xuping 
Published: July 2010

A unified approach to stability analysis of switched linear descriptor systems under arbitrary switchingWe establish a unified approach to stability analysis for switched linear descriptor systems under arbitrary switching in both continuous-time and discrete-time domains. The approach is based on common quadratic Lyapunov functions incorporated with linear matrix inequalities (LMIs). We show that if there is a common quadratic Lyapunov function for the stability of all subsystems, then the switched system is stable under arbitrary switching. The analysis results are natural extensions of the existing results for switched linear state space systems.
A vehicle-track-soil dynamic interaction problem in sequential and parallel formulation
Authors: Kogut Janusz , Ciurej Henryk 
Published: July 2010

A vehicle-track-soil dynamic interaction problem in sequential and parallel formulationSome problems regarding numerical modeling of predicted vibrations excited by railway traffic are discussed. Model formulation in the field of structural mechanics comprises a vehicle, a track (often in a tunnel) and soil. Time consuming computations are needed to update large matrices at every discrete step. At first, a sequential Matlab code is generated. Later on, the formulation is modified to use grid computing, thereby a significant reduction in computational time is expected.
K3M: A universal algorithm for image skeletonization and a review of thinning techniques
Authors: Saeed Khalid , Tabędzki Marek , Rybnik Mariusz , Adamski Marcin 
Published: July 2010

K3M: A universal algorithm for image skeletonization and a review of thinning techniquesThis paper aims at three aspects closely related to each other: first, it presents the state of the art in the area of thinning methodologies, by giving descriptions of general ideas of the most significant algorithms with a comparison between them. Secondly, it proposes a new thinning algorithm that presents interesting properties in terms of processing quality and algorithm clarity, enriched with examples. Thirdly, the work considers parallelization issues for intrinsically sequential algorithms of thinning. The main advantage of the suggested algorithm is its universality, which makes it useful and versatile for a variety of applications.
A hierarchical decomposition of decision process Petri nets for modeling complex systems
Authors: Clempner Julio 
Published: July 2010

A hierarchical decomposition of decision process Petri nets for modeling complex systemsWe provide a framework for hierarchical specification called Hierarchical Decision Process Petri Nets (HDPPNs). It is an extension of Decision Process Petri Nets (DPPNs) including a hierarchical decomposition process that generates less complex nets with equivalent behavior. As a result, the complexity of the analysis for a sophisticated system is drastically reduced. In the HDPPN, we represent the mark-dynamic and trajectory-dynamic properties of a DPPN. Within the framework of the mark-dynamic properties, we show that the HDPPN theoretic notions of (local and global) equilibrium and stability are those of the DPPN. As a result in the trajectory-dynamic properties framework, we obtain equivalent characterizations of that of the DPPN for final decision points and stability. We show that the HDPPN mark-dynamic and trajectory-dynamic properties of equilibrium, stability and final decision points coincide under some restrictions. We propose an algorithm for optimum hierarchical trajectory planning. The hierarchical decomposition process is presented under a formal treatment and is illustrated with application examples.
Decomposition-based logic synthesis for PAL-based CPLDs
Authors: Opara Adam , Kania Dariusz 
Published: July 2010

Decomposition-based logic synthesis for PAL-based CPLDsThe paper presents one concept of decomposition methods dedicated to PAL-based CPLDs. The proposed approach is an alternative to the classical one, which is based on two-level minimization of separate single-output functions. The key idea of the algorithm is to search for free blocks that could be implemented in PAL-based logic blocks containing a limited number of product terms. In order to better exploit the number of product terms, two-stage decomposition and BDD-based decomposition are to be used. In BDD-based decomposition methods, functions are represented by Reduced Ordered Binary Decision Diagrams (ROBDDs). The results of experiments prove that the proposed solution is more effective, in terms of the usage of programmable device resources, compared with the classical ones.
Internet shopping optimization problem
Authors: B£A ZÿEWICZ JACEK , Kovalyov Mikhail , Musiał Jędrzej , Urbanski Andrzej , Wojciechowski Adam 
Published: July 2010

Internet shopping optimization problemA high number of Internet shops makes it difficult for a customer to review manually all the available offers and select optimal outlets for shopping. A partial solution to the problem is brought by price comparators which produce price rankings from collected offers. However, their possibilities are limited to a comparison of offers for a single product requested by the customer. The issue we investigate in this paper is a multiple-item multiple-shop optimization problem, in which total expenses of a customer to buy a given set of items should be minimized over all available offers. In this paper, the Internet Shopping Optimization Problem (ISOP) is defined in a formal way and a proof of its strong NP-hardness is provided. We also describe polynomial time algorithms for special cases of the problem.
Minimization of the total completion time for asynchronous transmission in a packet data-transmission system
Authors: Piórkowski Adam , Werewka Jan 
Published: July 2010

Minimization of the total completion time for asynchronous transmission in a packet data-transmission systemThe minimization of the total completion time for asynchronous transmission in distributed systems is discussed. Attention is focused on the problem of message scheduling on part of the sender. Messages to be sent form a queue, and the order in which they are to be sent has to be first established. The methods of scheduling messages, which minimize the factor of the total completion time, are presented herein. The message-scheduling problem becomes considerably complicated when the stream of data transmitted between the sender and the receiver is organized into packets. A scheduling rule, according to which the shortest messages (SPT—Shortest Processing Time) are selected as the first to be sent, has been proven to be appropriate for the proposed model. A heuristic algorithm for scheduling messages with real-time constraints is proposed. The performance of the scheduling algorithm is experimentally evaluated. The results of the study show the possibility of improving the total completion time from a few to ten percent, depending on the characteristics of the sender. Thus, the practicability of the method has been proved.
TLR2 Is One of the Endothelial Receptors for β2-Glycoprotein I
Authors: Alard Jean-Eric , Gaillard Fanny , Daridon Capucine , Shoenfeld Yehuda , Jamin Christophe , Youinou Pierre 
Published: July 2010

AbstractDuring the antiphospholipid syndrome, β2-gpI interacts with phospholipids on endothelial cell (EC) surface to allow the binding of autoantibodies. However, induced-pathogenic intracellular signals suggest that β2-gpI associates also with a receptor that is still not clearly identified. TLR2 and TLR4 have long been suspected, yet interactions between TLRs and β2-gpI have never been unequivocally proven. The aim of the study was to identify the TLR directly involved in the binding of β2-gpI on EC surface. β2-gpI was not synthesized and secreted by ECs in vitro, but rather taken up from FCS. This uptake occurred through association with TLR2 and TLR4 which partitioned together in the lipid rafts of ECs. After coimmunoprecipitation, mass-spectrometry identification of peptides demonstrated that TLR2, but not TLR4, was implicated in the β2-gpI retention. These results were further confirmed by plasmon resonance-based studies. Finally, siRNA were used to obtain TLR2-deficient ECs that lost their ability to bind biotinylated β2-gpI and to trigger downstream phosphorylation of kinases and activation of NFκB. TLR4 may upregulate TLR2 expression, thereby contributing to β2-gpI uptake. However, our data demonstrate that direct binding of β2-gpI on EC surface occurs through direct interaction with TLR2. Furthermore, signaling for anti–β2-gpI may be envisioned as a multiprotein complex concentrated in lipid rafts on the EC membrane.
Correlation of rheumatology subspecialty choice and identifiable strong motivations, including intellectual interest
Authors: Rahbar L. , Moxley G. , Carleton D. , Barrett C. , Brannen J. , Thacker L. , Waterhouse E. J. , Roberts W. N. 
Published: July 2010

AbstractObjectiveTo describe motivations correlating with subspecialty choices, particularly rheumatology.MethodsA total of 179 respondents answered queries about various aspects affecting specialty and subspecialty choice with ordinal ratings of importance. Likert scale response data were analyzed to determine independent predictors of being a rheumatology fellow. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to develop models predicting rheumatology fellowship. Factor analysis methods to condense the individual responses into fewer underlying variables or factors were employed.ResultsWhile every group ranked intellectual interest as more important than all other responses, its score in the rheumatology fellow group was significantly higher than that in the medical student group. A model using 4 composite variables based on prior literature did not fit well. Exploratory factor analysis identified 5 underlying motivations, which were designated as time, money, external constraints, practice content, and academics. All motivations except money were statistically significant, with the rheumatology fellow group attributing greater importance than medical students to time, practice content, and academics, and lesser importance than medical students to external constraints.ConclusionValues and motivations leading toward rheumatology subspecialty choice can be traced to identifiable factors. Intellectual interest appears to be split between 2 distinct significant variables: practice content and academics. Time or controllable lifestyle, external constraints, practice content, and academic issues appear to be important influences on the choice of rheumatology fellowship. Such variables appear to reflect underlying values and motivations.
High Tg Cyclic Olefin Copolymer Gate Dielectrics for N,N′‐Ditridecyl Perylene Diimide Based Field‐Effect Transistors: Improving Performance and Stability with Thermal Treatment
Authors: Jang Jaeyoung , Nam Sooji , Chung Dae Sung , Kim Se Hyun , Yun Won Min , Park Chan Eon 
Published: July 2010

AbstractA novel application of ethylene‐norbornene cyclic olefin copolymers (COC) as gate dielectric layers in organic field‐effect transistors (OFETs) that require thermal annealing as a strategy for improving the OFET performance and stability is reported. The thermally‐treated N,N′‐ditridecyl perylene diimide (PTCDI‐C13)‐based n‐type FETs using a COC/SiO2 gate dielectric show remarkably enhanced atmospheric performance and stability. The COC gate dielectric layer displays a hydrophobic surface (water contact angle = 95° ± 1°) and high thermal stability (glass transition temperature = 181 °C) without producing crosslinking. After thermal annealing, the crystallinity improves and the grain size of PTCDI‐C13 domains grown on the COC/SiO2 gate dielectric increases significantly. The resulting n‐type FETs exhibit high atmospheric field‐effect mobilities, up to 0.90 cm2 V−1 s−1 in the 20 V saturation regime and long‐term stability with respect to H2O/O2 degradation, hysteresis, or sweep‐stress over 110 days. By integrating the n‐type FETs with p‐type pentacene‐based FETs in a single device, high performance organic complementary inverters that exhibit high gain (exceeding 45 in ambient air) are realized.
Triplet Formation in Fullerene Multi‐Adduct Blends for Organic Solar Cells and Its Influence on Device Performance
Authors: Dyer‐Smith Clare , Reynolds Luke X. , Bruno Annalisa , Bradley Donal D. C. , Haque Saif A. , Nelson Jenny 
Published: July 2010

AbstractIn organic solar cells, high open circuit voltages may be obtained by choosing materials with a high offset between the donor highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) and acceptor lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO). However, increasing this energy offset can also lead to photophysical processes that compete with charge separation. In this paper the formation of triplet states is addressed in blends of polyfluorene polymers with a series of PCBM multi‐adducts. Specifically, it is demonstrated that the formation of such triplets occurs when the offset energy between donor ionization potential and acceptor electron affinity is ∼1.6 eV or greater. Spectroscopic measurements support a mechanism of resonance energy transfer for triplet formation, influenced by the energy levels of the materials, but also demonstrate that the competition between processes at the donor–acceptor interface is strongly influenced by morphology.
Extraction of free fatty acids from soybean oil using ionic liquids or poly(ethyleneglycol)s
Authors: Manic Marina S. , Najdanovic‐Visak Vesna , da Ponte Manuel Nunes , Visak Zoran P. 
Published: July 2010

AbstractThe alternative solvents poly(ethyleneglycol)s (PEGs) with various molar masses and room temperature ionic liquids (RTILs) AMMOENG100 and 1‐butyl‐3‐methylimidazolium dicyanamide (bmimDCA) were studied for the purpose of extraction of linoleic acid from soybean oil. Liquid‐liquid phase equilibrium was measured for binary (PEG + soybean oil), (RTIL + soybean oil) as well as ternary (PEG + soybean oil + linoleic acid), (RTIL + soybean oil + linoleic acid) mixtures, as a function of temperature and composition. The influence on distribution coefficients and separation factor of temperature, initial acid content of the oil and solvent to oil ratio were studied. The effect of molar mass in the case of the PEGs was also examined. The experimental results were modeled using the Peng‐Robinson cubic equation of state coupled with the Mathias‐Klotz‐Prausnitz mixing rule, with good results. © 2010 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 2011
Robust processes through latent variable modeling and optimization
Authors: Yacoub Francois , MacGregor John F. 
Published: July 2010

AbstractA data‐based approach for developing robust processes is presented and illustrated with an application to an industrial membrane manufacturing process. Using historical process data, principal component analysis and partial least squares are used to extract models of the process and of the sensitivities of the process to various disturbances, including raw material variations, environmental conditions, and process equipment differences. Robustness measures are presented to quantify the robustness of the process to each of these disturbances. The process is then made robust (insensitive) to the disturbances over which one has some control (e.g., by modifying the equipment units to which the process is sensitive and imposing specification regions on sensitive raw materials). It is also made robust to disturbances over which one has little control (e.g., environmental variations) by optimizing the process operating conditions with respect to performance and robustness measures. The optimization is easily performed in the low‐dimensional space of the latent variables even though the number of process variables involved is very large. After applying the methodology to historical data from the membrane manufacturing process, results from several months of subsequent operation are used to demonstrate the large improvement achieved in the robustness of the process. © 2010 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 2011
The face of Noonan syndrome: Does phenotype predict genotype
Authors: Allanson Judith E. , Bohring Axel , Dörr Helmuth‐Guenther , Dufke Andreas , Gillessen‐Kaesbach Gabrielle , Horn Denise , König Rainer , Kratz Christian P. , Kutsche Kerstin , Pauli Silke , Raskin Salmo , Rauch Anita , Turner Anne , Wieczorek Dagmar , Zenker Martin 
Published: July 2010

AbstractThe facial photographs of 81 individuals with Noonan syndrome, from infancy to adulthood, have been evaluated by two dysmorphologists (JA and MZ), each of whom has considerable experience with disorders of the Ras/MAPK pathway. Thirty‐two of this cohort have PTPN11 mutations, 21 SOS1 mutations, 11 RAF1 mutations, and 17 KRAS mutations. The facial appearance of each person was judged to be typical of Noonan syndrome or atypical. In each gene category both typical and unusual faces were found. We determined that some individuals with mutations in the most commonly affected gene, PTPN11, which is correlated with the cardinal physical features, may have a quite atypical face. Conversely, some individuals with KRAS mutations, which may be associated with a less characteristic intellectual phenotype and a resemblance to Costello and cardio‐facio‐cutaneous syndromes, can have a very typical face. Thus, the facial phenotype, alone, is insufficient to predict the genotype, but certain facial features may facilitate an educated guess in some cases. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Synthesis and properties of poly(butylene terephthalate)/multiwalled carbon nanotube nanocomposites prepared by in situ polymerization and in situ compatibilization
Authors: Wu Fangjuan , Yang Guisheng 
Published: July 2010

AbstractA novel cyclic initiator was synthesized from dibutyl tin(IV) oxide and hydroxyl‐functionalized multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) and was used to initiate the ring‐opening polymerization of cyclic butylene terephthalate oligomers to prepare poly(butylene terephthalate) (PBT)/MWNT nanocomposites. The results of Fourier transform infrared and NMR spectroscopy confirmed that a graft structure of PBT on the MWNTs was formed during the in situ polymerization; this structure acted as an in situ compatibilizer in the nanocomposites. The PBT covalently attached to the MWNT surface enhanced the interface adhesion between the MWNTs and PBT matrix and, thus, improved the compatibility. The morphologies of the nanocomposites were observed by field emission scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy, which showed that the nanotubes were homogeneously dispersed in the PBT matrix when the MWNT content was lower than 0.75 wt %. Differential scanning calorimetry and thermogravimetric analysis were used to investigate the thermal properties of the nanocomposites. The results indicate that the MWNTs acted as nucleation sites in the matrix, and the efficiency of nucleation was closely related to the dispersion of the MWNTs in the matrix. Additionally, the thermal stability of PBT was improved by the addition of the MWNTs. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2010
Semi‐IPN carrageenan‐based nanocomposite hydrogels: Synthesis and swelling behavior
Authors: Mahdavinia Gholam Reza , Marandi Gholam Bagheri , Pourjavadi Ali , Kiani Gholamreza 
Published: July 2010

AbstractInclusion of nano‐clays into hydrogels is an efficient approach to produce nanocomposite hydrogels. The introduction of nano‐clay into hydrogels causes an increase in water absorbency. In the present work, Nanocomposite hydrogels based on kappa‐carrageenan were synthesized using sodium montmorillonite as nano‐clay. Acrylamide and methylenebisacrylamide were used as monomer and crosslinker, respectively. The structure of nanocomposite hydrogels was investigated by XRD and SEM techniques. Swelling behavior of nanocomposite hydrogels was studied by varying clay and carrageenan contents as well as methylenebisacrylamide concentration. An optimum swelling capacity was achieved at 12% of sodium montmorilonite. The swollen nanocomposite hydrogels were used to study water retention capacity (WRC) under heating. The results revealed an increase in WRC due to inclusion of sodium montmorilonite clay. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2010