Transient simulations of the electrophoretic motion of a cylindrical particle through a 90° corner

The trajectory of a cylindrical particle driven by electrophoresis was transiently simulated as the particle moves through a 90° corner. A variety of system parameters were tested to determine their impact on the particle motion. The zeta potential, channel width, and particle aspect ratio were shown to have a minimal effect on the particle motion. Conversely, the initial vertical position of the particle and initial angle with respect to the horizontal had a significant impact on the particle motion. The presence of the 90° corner acts to reduce the initial distribution of angles to the vertical of 90° to less than 30°, demonstrating the possibility of using a corner as a passive control element as part of a larger microfluidic system. However, the reduction in angle is limited to the area near the corner posing a limitation on this means of control.     

Measurement of scattering coefficient σ° of trees

Abstract

This paper describes (1) an indoor measurement method to sludy backscattering characteristics of trees and (2) the result of the measurements made on two kinds of conifers, Sugi (Japanese cedar) and Sawara (Japanese cypress), at C- and X-bands for polarization combinations of HH, VV, HV and VH. The discussions on the backscattering and penetration characteristics of the trees using the measured ground truth data indicate the usefulness of this method to study microwave signatures of trees.     

Extending the field of view: a human-centred design perspective on 360° TV

Omnidirectional video (ODV) is a type of video that presents viewers with a new type of interactivity. It enables people to look around in a 360° view of the recorded dynamic scene as if they are controlling the camera themselves. ODV presents opportunities for new interactive television formats. The development of such new formats, however, is accompanied by challenges in terms of user experience and technical and creative development. In this article, we discuss issues and opportunities tied to televising ODV from a user perspective. These findings are the result of a human-centred design study. In this study, we introduced 20 potential users to ODV, as this was new to them. We gathered their feedback on the demonstration, and then encouraged them to envision suitable ODV-based enhancements of television genres. This article offers a discussion of both the methodology (including a form of laddering) applied in the study and the user research findings. We found that people see an added value in ODV under certain conditions (e.g. enabling exploration), but that there are also a number of bottlenecks such as the concern to miss key parts of a television programme while looking around.     

Phase equilibria of the Mg–Sn-Nd ternary system at 400 °C

The phase equilibria of the Mg–Sn-Nd ternary at 400 °C were investigated by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope equipped with an energy dispersive spectrometer (SEM-EDS). Seven stable ternary compounds and one eutectoid decomposed structure (A₁) were observed in the section. The crystal structure for the phases: τ₁ (MgSnNd, I4/mmm, tI12) and τ₂ (MgSn₂Nd, I42 m, tI32) were confirmed. τ₃ (Mg₇₅Sn_3.5Nd_21.5) is the iso-structure of Mg₂₃SnLa₆ (Zn₂₃SiZr₆ prototype, cF120 Pearson's code) and τ₄ (Mg₄₀₊₃Sn_26.7-3Nd_33.3) has the same structure and homogeneity range of Mg_4-xSn_2+xLa₃(0.12 < x ≤ 0.4) (Cu₄Si₂Zr₃ prototype, hP9 Pearson's code). The crystal structure of τ₅ (Mg₄₄Sn₃₄Nd₂₂), τ₆ (Mg₄₀Sn₃₆Nd₂₄) and τ₇ (Mg₁₆₊₃Sn₄₅Nd_39-3) are not determined. Two binary compounds Nd₃Sn and Nd₂Sn₃, which were not included in the Nd–Sn binary phase diagram, were detected in this work. All detected Nd–Sn binary compounds show different amounts of Mg solubility, among which NdSn₃ and Nd₅Sn₄ dissolve up to 10 and 6.8 at.% Mg and the rest Nd–Sn binary phases contain 1–3 at.% Mg. The MgNd phase dissolves up to 6.0 at. % Sn.     

Automatic collection of user behavior in 360° multimedia

The arrival of 360° video to the everyday life creates the necessity of assessing both the audiovisual production and the playback environment offered to the final user. Leveraging the standard Experience API (xAPI), that considers collecting micro-interactions with e-learning content, we propose a platform to automatically collect the users’ interaction with applications based on interactive 360° multimedia. To validate the platform, we introduce an example of educational activities based on interactive 360° videos and the tools used to first, annotate these videos and convert them into interactive activities; second, to perform said activity and collect the users’ behavior via xAPI statements; and finally, to convert these statements to meaningful information in the form of user metrics and charts, both at individual level and also aggregated by activity, creating the possibility of finding singular and group behavior. This work concludes that the presented platform helps to analyze how users behave with omnidirectional interactive productions, with the aim of validating and improving its usability, ending with the discussion of future work ideas.     

Refinement of the thermodynamic modeling of the Nb–Ni system

The Nb–Ni system is reassessed on the basis of a critical literature review involving recent experimental data. These newly published experimental data include the phase relation associated with the NbNi₈ phase, phase transition temperatures resulting from selected alloys, all invariant reaction temperatures, and enthalpies of mixing of liquid, as well as the crystallographic data on the μ$\mu$ (Nb₇Ni₆) phase. A consistent thermodynamic data set for the Nb–Ni system is obtained by optimization of the selected experimental values. The calculated phase diagram, crystallographic properties and thermodynamic properties agree reasonably with the experimental data. Noticeable improvements have been made, compared with the previous thermodynamic optimizations.     

estimates the effect of

ce and technology books to science and technology communication. The analyses show that the breeds and printing numbers of science and technology books are in good situation. They are of great variety, their printing numbers increase steadily; the contents of the books become rich and diversified.     

Numerical Treatment of the Loss of Hyperbolicity of?the?Two-Layer Shallow-Water System

This article is devoted to the numerical solution of the inviscid two-layer shallow water system. This system may lose the hyperbolic character when the shear between the layer is big enough. This loss of hyperbolicity is related to the appearance of shear instabilities that leads, in real flows, to intense mixing of the two layers that the model is not able to simulate. The strategy here is to add some extra friction terms, which are supposed to parameterize the loss of mechanical energy due to mixing, to get rid of this difficulty. The main goal is to introduce a technique allowing one to add locally and automatically an ??optimal?? amount of shear stress to make the flow to remain in the hyperbolicity region. To do this, first an easy criterium to check the hyperbolicity of the system for a given state is proposed and checked. Next, we introduce a predictor/corrector strategy. In the predictor stage, a numerical scheme is applied to the system without extra friction. In the second stage, a discrete semi-implicit linear friction law is applied at any cell in which the predicted states are not in the hyperbolicity region. The coefficient of this law is calculated so that the predicted states are driven to the boundary of the hyperbolicity region according to the proposed criterium. The numerical scheme to be used at the first stage has to be able to advance in time in presence of complex eigenvalues: we propose here a family of path-conservative numerical scheme having this property. Finally, some numerical tests have been performed to assess the efficiency of the proposed strategy.     

The mediating role of the dimensions of the perceived risk in the effect of customers’ awareness on the adoption of Internet banking in Iran

One of the major issues banks are faced with in providing Internet Banking (IB) services is the adoption of these services by the customers. This study seeks answer to the question that whether bank customers’ awareness of the services and advantages of IB is effective in reducing the negative effect of customers’ perceived risk on their intention of IB adoption. To this end, the two constructs of the dimensions of the perceived risk and IB awareness are simultaneously considered. Besides, in the research model, the effect of IB awareness on each dimension of the perceived risk and the effect of these dimensions on intention of IB adoption by the customers are investigated. The results indicate that IB awareness acts as a factor reducing all dimensions of the perceived risk (including time, financial, performance, social, security, and privacy). In addition, it was found out that except for social risk, other dimensions of the perceived risk have significantly negative effect on the intention of IB adoption. Finally, proving the direct and positive effect of IB awareness on adoption intention, it was concluded that the dimensions of customers’ perceived risk plays a mediating role in the positive effect of IB awareness on IB adoption intention. In this respect, management approaches centered on the concept of IB awareness are offered for reducing the dimensions of customers’ perceived risk.     

Concerning the knowledge domain of anticipation – awareness of early contributions in the context of defining the field

The knowledge domain of anticipation is still in the process of being defined, and is therefore subject to controversies. Science was never an endeavour of consensus but rather of debate. This additional argument to the debate integrates awareness of the early Soviet/Russian contributions to a science of anticipation. From this awareness derives the understanding of why anticipation faces opposition from established viewpoints. This article ascertains that anticipation advances a fundamental view of the living. Within this view, anticipation is always expressed in action. Short of this definitory condition, anticipation fades into the grey mass of speculative predictive methods.     

Solution of the Problem of H∞-control in the Presence of Regular Nonlinearities

For the problem with H-criterion and uncertain nonlinear block with a regular part of the perturbation vector, equations of a class of controllers were obtained. These controllers can exert a sufficiently small influence of the regular component on the given output process.     

Phase-equilibria investigation of the Dy-Mo-Si ternary system at 1173 K (900 °C)

The phase equilibria of the Dy-Mo-Si ternary system at 1173 K (900 °C) was experimentally determined in the entire concentration range by using x-ray powder diffraction (XRPD), scanning electron microscope equipped with energy dispersive spectrometer (SEM-EDS), and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The results show that there are 13 single-phase regions, 24 two-phase regions, and 12 three-phase regions in the studied isothermal section. Nine binary compounds, i.e., α-MoSi₂, Mo₅Si₃, Mo₃Si, α-DySi₂, β-DySi_1.67, Dy₃Si₄, DySi, Dy₅Si₄, and Dy₅Si₃ and one ternary compound Dy₂Mo₃Si₄ were confirmed to exist at this temperature. The highest solubilities of Dy in Mo₃Si and Mo in β-DySi_1.67 are both determined to be less than 1 at.%. While the solubilities of Dy in (Mo), Mo₅Si₃, and α-MoSi₂ and Mo in (α-Dy), α-DySi₂, Dy₃Si₄, DySi, Dy₅Si₄, and Dy₅Si₃ and Si in (α-Dy) and (Mo) are about 1–6.8 at.%. Combining both DSC analysis and XRPD results, it is concluded that the polymorphic transformation of α-DySi₂↔β-DySi₂ does not occur in the range of 573 K (300 °C) to 1323 K (1050 °C). DySi₂ phase exists as α-DySi₂ within the temperature range. β-DySi₂ is a metastable phase that exists in higher temperatures.     

On the Formalization of the Modal μ-Calculus in the Calculus of Inductive Constructions

We present a natural deduction proof system for the propositional modal μ-calculus and its formalization in the calculus of inductive constructions. We address several problematic issues, such as the use of higher-order abstract syntax in inductive sets in the presence of recursive constructors, and the formalization of modal (sequent-style) rules and of context sensitive grammars. The formalization can be used in the system Coq, providing an experimental computer-aided proof environment for the interactive development of error-free proofs in the modal μ-calculus. The techniques we adopt can be readily ported to other languages and proof systems featuring similar problematic issues.     

Scan of the Issue

In recent years, there have been rapid advances in sensor, sensor-on-a-chip, MEMS and wireless communication technologies. Now. massively distributed sensor networks are capable of linking people and the physical world together, providing platforms for information to be collected, shared, and processed in unprecedented ways. It is commonly recognized that sensor network research will lead to smart sentient spaces for our home and environment, work and leisure. It can help us to fight against disasters, protect us from hazards, and strengthen our defense. For the past few years, sensor networks research     

Understanding the success of strategic IT benchmarking—Exploring the role of the individual level

IT organizations use strategic IT benchmarking (SITBM) to improve business-IT alignment or for developing IT strategies. However, SITBM often does not result in the desired outcomes. Because the extant literature does not contribute to improving SITBM success, we conduct a deductive-inductive study to understand which factors distinguish successful and unsuccessful SITBM. We find that traditional project-level factors do not explain SITBM success; they are necessary but not sufficient. Rather, we show that the individual level is instrumental for explaining SITBM success, especially by ensuring the buy-in of relevant project team members – a perspective not yet discussed by pertinent literature.     

On the Uniqueness of the Solutions of some Equations of Optimal Control Theory†

The uniqueness of the solution of the differential equations derived from Pontryagin's Maximum Principle is considered for a general control problem with a freo right end of the trajectory and fixed terminal time. Under several restrictive conditions on the controlled system and performance criterion, it is proved that those equations have a unique solution. This is done by embedding the problem into a class of similar problems by means of the introduction of a positive parameter ? multiplying the performance criterion, and then making use of the uniqueness properties of an associated autonomous system together with the continuity of the solutions of the differential equations with respect to the parameter ? 

An example that illustrates the range of applicability of the theorems proved is also presented.     

Method of predicting the position of the energy center of the image of a laser beam using a parallel–hierarchical network

This paper presents a prediction method using a parallel–hierarchical (PH) network and hyperbolic smoothing of empirical data. The average prediction error is 0.55% for the developed method and 1.62% for neural networks; therefore, this method is more efficient as applied to real-time systems than traditional neural networks due to the use of the PH network and hyperbolic smoothing in implementing the operation of predicting the positions of energy centers of laser beam spot images for optical communication systems.     

On the Estimation of the Functional Size of Software from Requirements Specifications

This paper introduces a measurement procedure, called RmFFP, which describes a set of operations for modelling and estimating the size of object-oriented software systems from high-level specifications using the OO-Method Requirement Model. OO-Method is an automatic software production method. The contribution of this work is to systematically define a set of rules that allows estimating the functional size at an early stage of the software production process, in accordance with COSMIC-FFP. To do this, we describe the design, the application, and the analysis of the proposed measurement procedure following the steps of a process model for software measurement. We also report initial results on the evaluation of RmFFP in terms of its reproducibility.     

Construction of the Model of the Lambda Calculus System with Algebraic Operators

A lambda system with algebraic operators,Lambda-plus system,is introduced.After giving the definitions of the system,we present a sufficient condition for formulating a model of the system.Finally,a model of such system is constructed.