Efficient Flexible M-Tree Bulk Loading Using FastMap and Space-Filling Curves

Many database applications currently deal with objects in a metric space. Examples of such objects include unstructured multimedia objects and points of interest (POIs) in a road network. The M-tree is a dynamic index structure that facilitates an efficient search for objects in a metric space. Studies have been conducted on the bulk loading of large datasets in an M-tree. However, because previous algorithms involve excessive distance computations and disk accesses, they perform poorly in terms of their index construction and search capability. This study proposes two efficient M-tree bulk loading algorithms. Our algorithms minimize the number of distance computations and disk accesses using FastMap and a space-filling curve, thereby significantly improving the index construction and search performance. Our second algorithm is an extension of the first, and it incorporates a partitioning clustering technique and flexible node architecture to further improve the search performance. Through the use of various synthetic and real-world datasets, the experimental results demonstrated that our algorithms improved the index construction performance by up to three orders of magnitude and the search performance by up to 20.3 times over the previous algorithm.     

New exact solutions of the Tzitzéica-type equations in non-linear optics using the expa function method

One specific class of non-linear evolution equations, known as the Tzitzéica-type equations, has received great attention from a group of researchers involved in non-linear science. In this article, new exact solutions of the Tzitzéica-type equations arising in non-linear optics, including the Tzitzéica, Dodd–Bullough–Mikhailov and Tzitzéica–Dodd–Bullough equations, are obtained using the exp_a function method. The integration technique actually suggests a useful and reliable method to extract new exact solutions of a wide range of non-linear evolution equations.     

基于材料力学性能的最低设计金属温度曲线分析

铁素体钢在低温条件下存在明显的韧脆转变现象。为防止脆断事故的发生,需要确定铁素体钢制压力容器的最低使用温度。针对ASME中的A^D四条冲击豁免曲线,对应地选取了4种材料,基于材料实际的屈服强度和参考温度,按照ASME中豁免曲线的计算方法,计算得到4种材料的最低设计金属温度曲线,并与对应的A^D曲线对比,定量地分析ASME中豁免曲线的保守性。结果表明,ASME中的豁免曲线相对于材料自身的最低设计金属温度曲线保守性较大;韧性相近的材料被划分到不同的豁免曲线,使得韧性富裕量差异较大,对于某些材料,其断裂韧性被低估。     

Numerical study of entropy generation in Darcy-Forchheimer (D-F) Bödewadt flow of CNTs

Three-dimensional Bödewadt flow (fluid rotates at a large enough distance from the stationary plate) of carbon nanomaterial is examined. Single walled and multi walled CNTs are dissolved in water and gasoline oil baseliquids. Darcy-Forchheimer porous medium is considered. Stationary disk is further stretched linearly in radial direction. Heat transfer effect is examined in presence of radiation and convection. Effect of viscous dissipation is accounted. Entropy generation rate is studied. By using adequate transformation (von Kármán relations), the flow field equations (PDEs) are transmitted into ODEs. Solutions to these ODEs are constructed via implementation of shooting method (bvp4c). In addition to Entropy generation rate, Bejan number, heat transfer rate (Nusselt number), skin friction and temperature of fluid are examined through involved physical parameters. Axial component of velocity intensifies with increment in nanoparticles volume fraction and ratio of stretching rate to angular velocity parameter while it decays with higher porosity parameter. Higher nanoparticles volume fraction and porosity parameter lead to decay in radial as well as tangential component of velocity. However it enhances with higher ratio of stretching rate to angular velocity parameter. Temperature of fluid directly varies with higher ratio of stretching rate to angular velocity parameter, radiation parameter, Eckert number, Biot number and nanoparticles volume fraction. Rate of Entropy generation is reduced with higher estimations of porosity parameter, nanoparticles volume fraction and radiation parameter. Skin friction coefficient decays with higher porosity parameter and ratio of stretching rate to angular velocity parameter. Intensification in porosity parameter, nanoparticles volume fraction and Biot number leads to higher Nusselt number. Prominent impact is shown by multiple-walled CNTs with gasoline oil basefluid than single-walled CNTs with water basefluid.     

Exactly satisfying initial conditions neural network models for numerical treatment of first Painlevé equation

In this paper, novel computing approach using three different models of feed-forward artificial neural networks (ANNs) are presented for the solution of initial value problem (IVP) based on first Painlevé equation. These mathematical models of ANNs are developed in an unsupervised manner with capability to satisfy the initial conditions exactly using log-sigmoid, radial basis and tan-sigmoid transfer functions in hidden layers to approximate the solution of the problem. The training of design parameters in each model is performed with sequential quadratic programming technique. The accuracy, convergence and effectiveness of the proposed schemes are evaluated on the basis of the results of statistical analyses through sufficient large number of independent runs with different number of neurons in each model as well. The comparisons of these results of proposed schemes with standard numerical and analytical solutions validate the correctness of the design models.     

Experimental study on the heat transfer and flow characteristics of nanorefrigerants inside a corrugated tube

The heat transfer and flow characteristics of MWCNT-R141b nanorefrigerant with different mass fractions have been studied through experiments. Experimental results were compared with existing correlations. A two-step method was used to prepare the nanorefrigerants. Span-80 was used as surfactant with an average particle diameter of 20 nm. Transmittance method was used to evaluate the stability of nanorefrigerants. Results showed that the stability of MWCNT-R141b nanorefrigerant, which is the added dispersant, was good during the experiments. The 0.3 wt% MWCNT-R141b nanorefrigerants had optimal heat transfer enhancement effects compared with pure refrigerants. The maximum Nusselt number increased by 40%. The specific pressure drop of nanorefrigerant increased as the Reynolds number (Re) increased, and the specific pressure drop of the pure refrigerant was minimum, which is similar to R141b.     

Elitist clonal selection algorithm for optimal choice of free knots in B-spline data fitting

Data fitting with B-splines is a challenging problem in reverse engineering for CAD/CAM, virtual reality, data visualization, and many other fields. It is well-known that the fitting improves greatly if knots are considered as free variables. This leads, however, to a very difficult multimodal and multivariate continuous nonlinear optimization problem, the so-called knot adjustment problem. In this context, the present paper introduces an adapted elitist clonal selection algorithm for automatic knot adjustment of B-spline curves. Given a set of noisy data points, our method determines the number and location of knots automatically in order to obtain an extremely accurate fitting of data. In addition, our method minimizes the number of parameters required for this task. Our approach performs very well and in a fully automatic way even for the cases of underlying functions requiring identical multiple knots, such as functions with discontinuities and cusps. To evaluate its performance, it has been applied to three challenging test functions, and results have been compared with those from other alternative methods based on AIS and genetic algorithms. Our experimental results show that our proposal outperforms previous approaches in terms of accuracy and flexibility. Some other issues such as the parameter tuning, the complexity of the algorithm, and the CPU runtime are also discussed.     

减少手术创伤始终是妇科肿瘤手术快速康复的决定性因素

减少手术创伤始终是快速康复的决定性因素,这一点在目前的加速康复外科研究尤其是复杂手术,如妇科肿瘤手术中尚未得到充分重视。尊重学习曲线、全面规划手术方案、总结失利经验、开展前瞻性研究是解决此问题的主要方案。本文着重讨论妇科肿瘤手术创伤对术后加速康复的影响及可能的改进措施。     

Development and validation of a micro-fin tubes evaporator model using R134a and R1234yf as working fluids

This paper presents a model of shell and tube evaporator with micro-fin tubes using R1234yf and R134a. The model developed for this evaporator uses the ε-NTU method to predict the evaporating pressure, the refrigerant outlet enthalpy and the outlet temperature of the secondary fluid. The model accuracy is evaluated using different two-phase flow boiling correlations for micro-fin tubes and comparing predicted and experimental data. The experimental tests were carried out for a wide range of operating conditions using R134a and R1234yf as working fluids. The predicted parameter with maximum deviations, between the predicted and experimental data, is the evaporating pressure. The correlation of Akhavan– Behabadi et al. was used to predict flow boiling heat transfer, with an error on cooling capacity prediction below 5%. Simulations, carried out with this validated model, show that the overall heat transfer coefficient of R1234yf has a maximum decrease of 10% compared with R134a.     

Theoretical study of a thermoelectric-assisted vapor compression cycle for air-source heat pump applications

This paper proposes a thermoelectric-assisted vapor compression cycle (TVCC) for applications in air-source heat pump systems which could enhance the heating capacity of the system. Performances of TVCC are calculated and then compared with that of basic vapor compression cycle (BVCC). The simulation results show that when coefficients of performance (COPs) of the two cycles are almost equal, the TVCC under maximum COP condition of the thermoelectric modules still performs better than BVCC by 13.0% in heating capacity through selecting the appropriate intermediate temperature. In addition, the TVCC can also achieve an improvement of 16.4%–21.7% in both the heating COP and capacity when compared with the BVCC with an assistant electric heater that is provided with the equivalent power input of thermoelectric heat exchanger. Thus, the TVCC could be beneficial to the applications in small heat pumps if there is always need for auxiliary electric heat.