pinecone/core-2020-05-10-deduplication huggingface dataset:
Importance of Increased Knowledge on Reliability of District Heating Pipes

AbstractDistrict heating (DH) is a service that satisfies customers’ demands in the areas of heating, hot water preparation and the supply of heat to ventilation systems. Three generations of DH distribution technology are already in operation; the next generation of low temperature district heating (LTDH) will soon be upon us. However, without a reliable distribution system, it is quite difficult to utilize the concept of LTDH and remain competitive in the energy market. For that reason, this paper provides a comprehensive review of pipe reliability issues associated with DH systems. In this regard, discussions have been concentrated on factors leading to pipe degradation processes. Three groups of factors, namely physical, environmental and operational, were identified and examined. Allowable heat losses in the DH network and the creation of a pipe failure database were also discussed. The information collected in this paper leads to a better understanding of pipe degradation mechanisms and can be used as a tool for pipe failure prevention
Random Hydrolysis Controls the Dynamic Instability of Microtubules

AbstractUncovering mechanisms that control the dynamics of microtubules is fundamental for our understanding of multiple cellular processes such as chromosome separation and cell motility. Building on previous theoretical work on the dynamic instability of microtubules, we propose here a stochastic model that includes all relevant biochemical processes that affect the dynamics of microtubule plus-end, namely, the binding of GTP-bound monomers, unbinding of GTP- and GDP-bound monomers, and hydrolysis of GTP monomers. The inclusion of dissociation processes, present in our approach but absent from many previous studies, is essential to guarantee the thermodynamic consistency of the model. Our theoretical method allows us to compute all dynamic properties of microtubules explicitly. Using experimentally determined rates, it is found that the cap size is ∼3.6 layers, an estimate that is compatible with several experimental observations. In the end, our model provides a comprehensive description of the dynamic instability of microtubules that includes not only the statistics of catastrophes but also the statistics of rescues
An aminostratigraphy for the British Quaternary based on Bithynia opercula

AbstractAminostratigraphies of Quaternary non-marine deposits in Europe have been previously based on the racemization of a single amino acid in aragonitic shells from land and freshwater molluscs. The value of analysing multiple amino acids from the opercula of the freshwater gastropod Bithynia, which are composed of calcite, has been demonstrated. The protocol used for the isolation of intra-crystalline proteins from shells has been applied to these calcitic opercula, which have been shown to more closely approximate a closed system for indigenous protein residues. Original amino acids are even preserved in bithyniid opercula from the Eocene, showing persistence of indigenous organics for over 30 million years. Geochronological data from opercula are superior to those from shells in two respects: first, in showing less natural variability, and second, in the far better preservation of the intra-crystalline proteins, possibly resulting from the greater stability of calcite. These features allow greater temporal resolution and an extension of the dating range beyond the early Middle Pleistocene. Here we provide full details of the analyses for 480 samples from 100 horizons (75 sites), ranging from Late Pliocene to modern. These show that the dating technique is applicable to the entire Quaternary. Data are provided from all the stratotypes from British stages to have yielded opercula, which are shown to be clearly separable using this revised method. Further checks on the data are provided by reference to other type-sites for different stages (including some not formally defined). Additional tests are provided by sites with independent geochronology, or which can be associated with a terrace stratigraphy or biostratigraphy. This new aminostratigraphy for the non-marine Quaternary deposits of southern Britain provides a framework for understanding the regional geological and archaeological record. Comparison with reference to sites yielding independent geochronology, in combination with other lines of evidence, allows tentative correlation with the marine oxygen isotope record
Server Power Modeling for Run-time Energy Optimization of Cloud Computing Facilities

AbstractAs advanced Cloud services are becoming mainstream, the contribution of data centers in the overall power consumption of modern cities is growing dramatically. The average consumption of a single data center is equivalent to the energy consumption of 25.000 households. Modeling the power consumption for these infrastructures is crucial to anticipate the effects of aggressive optimization policies, but accurate and fast power modeling is a complex challenge for high-end servers not yet satisfied by analytical approaches. This work proposes an automatic method, based on Multi-Objective Particle Swarm Optimization, for the identification of power models of enterprise servers in Cloud data centers. Our approach, as opposed to previous procedures, does not only consider the workload consolidation for deriving the power model, but also incorporates other non traditional factors like the static power consumption and its dependence with temperature. Our experimental results shows that we reach slightly better models than classical approaches, but simul- taneously simplifying the power model structure and thus the numbers of sensors needed, which is very promising for a short-term energy prediction. This work, validated with real Cloud applications, broadens the possibilities to derive efficient energy saving techniques for Cloud facilities
Consequences of voluntary job changes in Germany: A multilevel analysis for 1985–2013

AbstractAnalyzing the development of the consequences of voluntary job changes in Germany between 1985 and 2013, the study focuses on income gains and job satisfaction increases. Drawing on arguments of the job-search literature on the one hand and the proliferation of choices on the other we investigate whether the returns of job changes have increased or decreased. Results show that income gains have decreased over time while the job satisfaction surplus has remained stable. We further conclude that in determining the outcomes of job changes over time, structural factors seem to be more important than individual ones
Access of energetic particles to Titan׳s exobase: A study of Cassini׳s T9 flyby

AbstractWe study how the local electromagnetic disturbances introduced by Titan affect the ionization rates of the atmosphere. For this, we model the precipitation of energetic particles, specifically hydrogen and oxygen ions with energies between 1keV and 1MeV, into Titan׳s exobase for the specific magnetospheric configuration of the T9 flyby. For the study, a particle tracing software package is used which consists of an integration of the single particle Lorentz force equation using a 4th order Runge–Kutta numerical method. For the electromagnetic disturbances, the output of the A.I.K.E.F. hybrid code (kinetic ions, fluid electrons) is used, allowing the possibility of analyzing the disturbances and asymmetries in the access of energetic particles originated by their large gyroradii. By combining these methods, 2D maps showing the access of each set of particles were produced. We show that the access of different particles is largely dominated by their gyroradii, with the complexity of the maps increasing with decreasing gyroradius, due to the larger effect that local disturbances introduced by the presence of the moon have in the trajectory of the particles with lower energies. We also show that for particles with gyroradii much larger than the moon׳s radius, simpler descriptions of the electromagnetic environment can reproduce similar results to those obtained when using the full hybrid simulation description, with simple north–south fields being sufficient to reproduce the hybrid code results for O+ ions with energies larger than 10keV but not enough to reproduce those for H+ ions at any of the energies covered in the present study. Finally, by combining the maps created with upstream plasma flow measurements by the MIMI/CHEMS instrument, we are able to estimate normalized fluxes arriving at different selected positions of the moon׳s exobase. We then use these fluxes to calculate energy deposition and non-dissociative N2 ionization rates for precipitating O+ and H+ ions and find differences in the ion production rates of up to almost 80% at the selected positions. All these results combined show that the electromagnetic field disturbances present in the vicinity of Titan significantly affect the contribution of energetic ions to local ionization profiles
Search for single b⁎-quark production with the ATLAS detector at s=7 TeV

AbstractThe results of a search for an excited bottom-quark b⁎ in pp collisions at s=7 TeV, using 4.7  fb−1 of data collected by the ATLAS detector at the LHC are presented. In the model studied, a single b⁎-quark is produced through a chromomagnetic interaction and subsequently decays to a W boson and a top quark. The search is performed in the dilepton and lepton+jets final states, which are combined to set limits on b⁎-quark couplings for a range of b⁎-quark masses. For a benchmark with unit size chromomagnetic and Standard Model-like electroweak b⁎ couplings, b⁎ quarks with masses less than 870 GeV are excluded at the 95% credibility level
Large rivers and orogens: The evolution of the Yarlung Tsangpo–Irrawaddy system and the eastern Himalayan syntaxis

AbstractThe eastern Himalayan syntaxis has experienced some of the highest rates of deformation and erosion in the orogen during the Late Cenozoic, and the Yarlung Tsangpo, Brahmaputra, Irrawaddy, Salween, and Mekong rivers are the key erosional systems in that region. The Yarlung Tsangpo drains southern Tibet and the deep Siang River gorge through the eastern Himalayan syntaxis before joining the Brahmaputra in northeastern India. It has been proposed that the Yarlung Tsangpo drained into other large rivers of southern Asia, such as the Irrawaddy, Salween and Red River. We have used uranium/lead dating and hafnium measurements of detrital zircons from Cenozoic sedimentary deposits in Central Myanmar to demonstrate that the Yarlung Tsangpo formerly drained into the Irrawaddy River in Myanmar through the eastern syntaxis, and that this ancient river system was established by (at least) the Middle–Late Eocene. The Yarlung Tsangpo–Irrawaddy river disconnected in the Early Miocene driven by increased deformation in the eastern syntaxis and headward erosion by tributaries of the Brahmaputra. Our results highlight the significance of the sedimentary record of large orogen-parallel rivers and provide key chronological constraints on landscape evolution during the Early Miocene phase of the Himalayan orogeny
Searches for supersymmetry with the ATLAS detector using final states with two leptons and missing transverse momentum in s=7 TeV proton–proton collisions

AbstractResults of three searches are presented for the production of supersymmetric particles decaying into final states with missing transverse momentum and exactly two isolated leptons, e or μ. The analysis uses a data sample collected during the first half of 2011 that corresponds to a total integrated luminosity of 1 fb−1 of s=7 TeV proton–proton collisions recorded with the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider. Opposite-sign and same-sign dilepton events are separately studied, with no deviations from the Standard Model expectation observed. Additionally, in opposite-sign events, a search is made for an excess of same-flavour over different-flavour lepton pairs. Effective production cross sections in excess of 9.9 fb for opposite-sign events containing supersymmetric particles with missing transverse momentum greater than 250 GeV are excluded at 95% CL. For same-sign events containing supersymmetric particles with missing transverse momentum greater than 100 GeV, effective production cross sections in excess of 14.8 fb are excluded at 95% CL. The latter limit is interpreted in a simplified electroweak gaugino production model excluding chargino masses up to 200 GeV, under the assumption that slepton decay is dominant
Thin loop algebras of Albert–Zassenhaus algebras

AbstractThin Lie algebras are Lie algebras over a field, graded over the positive integers and satisfying a certain narrowness condition. In particular, all homogeneous components have dimension one or two, and are called diamonds in the latter case. The first diamond is the component of degree one, and the second diamond can only occur in degrees 3, 5, q or 2q−1, where q is a power of the characteristic of the underlying field. Here we consider several classes of thin Lie algebras with second diamond in degree q. In particular, we identify the Lie algebras in one of these classes with suitable loop algebras of certain Albert–Zassenhaus Lie algebras. We also apply a deformation technique to recover other thin Lie algebras previously produced as loop algebras of certain graded Hamiltonian Lie algebras
Ultra-thin oxide films for band engineering: design principles and numerical experiments

AbstractThe alignment of band energies between conductive oxides and semiconductors is crucial for the further development of oxide contacting layers in electronic devices. The growth of ultra thin films on the surface of an oxide material can be used to introduce a dipole moment at that surface due to charge differences. The dipole, in turn, alters the electrostatic potential — and hence the band energies — in the substrate oxide. We demonstrate the fundamental limits for the application of thin-films in this context, applying analytical and numerical simulations, that bridge continuum and atomistic. The simulations highlight the different parameters that can affect the band energy shifting potential of a given thin-film layer, taking the examples of MgO and SnO2. In particular we assess the effect of formal charge, layer orientation, layer thickness and surface coverage, with respect to their effect on the electrostatic potential. The results establish some design principles, important for further development and application of thin-films for band energy engineering in transparent conductive oxide materials
A Quantitative Study of Texture Features across Different Window Sizes in Prostate T2-weighted MRI

AbstractThis study aims to investigate the effects of window size on the performance of prostate cancer CAD and to identify discriminant texture descriptors in prostate T2-W MRI. For this purpose we extracted 215 texture features from 418 T2-W MRI images and extracted them using 9 different window sizes (3 × 3 to 19 × 19). The Bayesian Network and Random Forest classifiers were employed to perform the classification. Experimental results suggest that using window size of 9 × 9 and 11 × 11 produced Az > 89%. Also, this study suggests a set of best texture features based on our experimental results
Space–time quantum solves three experimental paradoxes

AbstractI show that a Planck-scale deformation of the relativistic dispersion relation, which has been independently considered in the quantum-gravity literature, can explain the surprising results of three classes of experiments: (1) observations of cosmic rays above the expected GZK limit, (2) observations of multi-TeV photons from the BL Lac object Markarian 501, (3) studies of the longitudinal development of the air showers produced by ultra-high-energy hadronic particles. Experiments now in preparation, such as the ones planned for the GLAST space telescope, will provide an independent test of this solution of the three experimental paradoxes
Thermodynamics of warped AdS3 black hole in the brick wall method

AbstractThe statistical entropy of a scalar field on the warped AdS3 black hole in the cosmological topologically massive gravity is calculated based on the brick-wall method, which is different from the Wald's entropy formula giving the modified area law due to the higher-derivative corrections in that the entropy still satisfies the area law. It means that the entropy for scalar excitations on this background is independent of higher-order derivative terms or the conventional brick wall method has some limitations to take into account the higher-derivative terms
Structure of Superoxide Reductase Bound to Ferrocyanide and Active Site Expansion upon X-Ray-Induced Photo-Reduction

AbstractSome sulfate-reducing and microaerophilic bacteria rely on the enzyme superoxide reductase (SOR) to eliminate the toxic superoxide anion radical (O2·−). SOR catalyses the one-electron reduction of O2·− to hydrogen peroxide at a nonheme ferrous iron center. The structures of Desulfoarculus baarsii SOR (mutant E47A) alone and in complex with ferrocyanide were solved to 1.15 and 1.7 Å resolution, respectively. The latter structure, the first ever reported of a complex between ferrocyanide and a protein, reveals that this organo-metallic compound entirely plugs the SOR active site, coordinating the active iron through a bent cyano bridge. The subtle structural differences between the mixed-valence and the fully reduced SOR-ferrocyanide adducts were investigated by taking advantage of the photoelectrons induced by X-rays. The results reveal that photo-reduction from Fe(III) to Fe(II) of the iron center, a very rapid process under a powerful synchrotron beam, induces an expansion of the SOR active site
Comparison of paired quartz OSL and feldspar post-IR IRSL dose distributions in poorly bleached fluvial sediments from South Africa

AbstractA comparative study using quartz optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) and feldspar post-infrared infrared stimulated luminescence (post-IR IRSL) was undertaken on Quaternary fluvial sediments from an unnamed tributary of the Moopetsi River in South Africa. The aim is to assess whether the post-IR IRSL signal can be used to date incompletely bleached sediments. Several post-IR IRSL signals using varying stimulation and preheat temperatures were investigated; of these the post-IR IRSL225 signal was deemed most appropriate for dating because it bleached most rapidly. The feldspar post-IR IRSL225 equivalent dose (De) values from this site are consistently larger than those from quartz OSL, probably due to differences in the bleaching characteristics of the two signals. Additionally, the post-IR IRSL225 De values within a sample showed less variation in precision than the quartz De data, possibly due to greater averaging between grains in the feldspar small aliquots. The agreement between ages based on the OSL and post-IR IRSL225 signals was better for younger samples (<20 ka) than for older ones (>50 ka); the cause of this variation is unclear
Computing role assignments of chordal graphs

AbstractIn social network theory, a simple graph G is called k-role assignable if there is a surjective mapping that assigns a number from {1,…,k}, called a role, to each vertex of G such that any two vertices with the same role have the same sets of roles assigned to their neighbors. The decision problem whether such a mapping exists is called the k-Role Assignment problem. This problem is known to be NP-complete for any fixed k≥2. In this paper, we classify the computational complexity of the k-Role Assignment problem for the class of chordal graphs. We show that for this class the problem can be solved in linear time for k=2, but remains NP-complete for any k≥3. This generalizes earlier results by Sheng and answers her open problem
Exploring potential mortality reductions in 9 European countries by improving diet and lifestyle: A modelling approach

AbstractBackgroundCoronary heart disease (CHD) death rates have fallen across most of Europe in recent decades. However, substantial risk factor reductions have not been achieved across all Europe. Our aim was to quantify the potential impact of future policy scenarios on diet and lifestyle on CHD mortality in 9 European countries.MethodsWe updated the previously validated IMPACT CHD models in 9 European countries and extended them to 2010–11 (the baseline year) to predict reductions in CHD mortality to 2020(ages 25–74years). We compared three scenarios: conservative, intermediate and optimistic on smoking prevalence (absolute decreases of 5%, 10% and 15%); saturated fat intake (1%, 2% and 3% absolute decreases in % energy intake, replaced by unsaturated fats); salt (relative decreases of 10%, 20% and 30%), and physical inactivity (absolute decreases of 5%, 10% and 15%). Probabilistic sensitivity analyses were conducted.ResultsUnder the conservative, intermediate and optimistic scenarios, we estimated 10.8% (95% CI: 7.3–14.0), 20.7% (95% CI: 15.6–25.2) and 29.1% (95% CI: 22.6–35.0) fewer CHD deaths in 2020. For the optimistic scenario, 15% absolute reductions in smoking could decrease CHD deaths by 8.9%–11.6%, Salt intake relative reductions of 30% by approximately 5.9–8.9%; 3% reductions in saturated fat intake by 6.3–7.5%, and 15% absolute increases in physical activity by 3.7–5.3%.ConclusionsModest and feasible policy-based reductions in cardiovascular risk factors (already been achieved in some other countries) could translate into substantial reductions in future CHD deaths across Europe. However, this would require the European Union to more effectively implement powerful evidence-based prevention policies
Risk Assessment of Mycotoxins and Predictive Mycology in Sri Lankan Spices: Chilli and Pepper

AbstractThis research contributes to a better understanding of the mycotoxin problem associated with two important spices in world trade;, chilli and pepper by a multidisciplinary approach including analytical chemistry, risk assessment, food chemistry and predictive mycology. More specifically, this work provides important insights in mycotoxin contamination of these spices and associated risks in Sri Lanka. Firstly, a simple extraction method based on the QuEChERS approach was developed and successfully validated for the simultaneous determination of multiple mycotoxins using an advanced chromatographic technique, LC-MS/MS. The method was applied on complex spices for quantitative screening of seventeen mycotoxins. In addition to the classical aflatoxins and ochratoxin A, the spices were also found to be contaminated with several other toxicologically significant mycotoxins. Chilli samples (87%) were more frequently contaminated with mycotoxins than peppers (65%). Subsequently, the mycotoxins screening results and the collected consumption data were integrated in a quantitative risk assessment study. The results showed that AFB1 exposure via chilli consumption is of a public health concern in Sri Lanka, pepper is of lesser extent a risk due to the lower consumption. The toxigenic mould characterization in black peppers showed that Aspergillus flavus and/or Aspergillus parasiticus were the predominant moulds (73%) found, with considerable contamination (60%) of Penicillium spp. and A. niger. Furthermore, predictive mould growth models on peppercorns were developed at three temperatures and seven water activity levels for both A. flavus and A. parasiticus isolates. Based on the research, suitable storage conditions for black peppercorns were suggested and the way forward in managing the risk towards mycotoxins posed by the consumption of these two spices in Sri Lanka