Visualising things. Perspectives on how to make things public through visualisation

In this paper, we will be discussing how visualisations can facilitate participatory processes by way of conveying issues of public concern as ‘things’. In the line of Latour’s plea to ‘make things public’, visualisations can be purposefully designed to trigger and encourage public debates concerning a wide range of issues. For this, we explore how a visualisation can be both transparent (i.e. visualising the complex entanglement of backstories of an issue) and readable. Specifically, we clarify the aspect of designing a readable visualisation of ‘things’. First, drawing from different fields of literature (i.e. Information Visualisation, Science and Technology Studies and Human-Computer-Interaction) we will articulate three main aspects of readability: engaging people to interact with a visualisation of complex issues, supporting sense making and encouraging reflection. Then, based on three empirical case studies, we indicate different design considerations in terms of engaging people to interact with a visualisation: contextualising a visualisation (via its location or medium), staging interaction and allowing people to provide their own perspective on the issue displayed. As a conclusion we propose a scenario that allows the visualisation to gradually become more transparent in support of its readability.     

ACAR: Adaptive Connectivity Aware Routing for Vehicular Ad Hoc Networks in City Scenarios

Multi-hop vehicle-to-vehicle communication is useful for supporting many vehicular applications that provide drivers with safety and convenience. Developing multi-hop communication in vehicular ad hoc networks (VANET) is a challenging problem due to the rapidly changing topology and frequent network disconnections, which cause failure or inefficiency in traditional ad hoc routing protocols. We propose an adaptive connectivity aware routing (ACAR) protocol that addresses these problems by adaptively selecting an optimal route with the best network transmission quality based on statistical and real-time density data that are gathered through an on-the-fly density collection process. The protocol consists of two parts: 1) select an optimal route, consisting of road segments, with the best estimated transmission quality, and 2) in each road segment of the chosen route, select the most efficient multi-hop path that will improve the delivery ratio and throughput. The optimal route is selected using our transmission quality model that takes into account vehicle densities and traffic light periods to estimate the probability of network connectivity and data delivery ratio for transmitting packets. Our simulation results show that the proposed ACAR protocol outperforms existing VANET routing protocols in terms of data delivery ratio, throughput and data packet delay. Since the proposed model is not constrained by network densities, the ACAR protocol is suitable for both daytime and nighttime city VANET scenarios.     

The effects of the azimuthal position of the measurement plane on the flow parameters determined by PIV within a stirred vessel

Two-dimensional particle image velocimetry (PIV) is usually used to determine the complex flow field in mechanically agitated vessels on the basis of measurements taken in a single vertical plane, thus, assuming axial symmetry. In this paper, we use 2D PIV to investigate the effects of the azimuthal position of the measurement plane in a fully baffled vessel agitated by a pitched blade turbine. Seventeen planes located at 5 degree intervals between two adjacent baffles are analysed. To maintain a high spatial resolution of ～1 mm when examining each plane, a two-block approach is employed combining data from two fields of view to reconstruct the whole flow field. Time-averaged velocity and turbulent kinetic energy fields are obtained under fully turbulent conditions as a function of the azimuthal position of the laser plane. It is shown that the assumption of axial symmetry for such Eulerian fields is not fully justified within a fully baffled vessel, as there are considerable differences between planes. The results also show for the type and size of impeller used here, the importance of including both the axial and radial discharge contributions for an accurate evaluation of the flow number, otherwise it can be underestimated by up to 60%. The three-dimensional nature of the PIV measurements has also enabled the mass continuity to be accurately verified throughout the vessel.     

Shannon entropy for local and global description of mixing by Lagrangian particle tracking

If 100 dice cannot be cast simultaneously, one single die can be cast 100 times. On the basis of this simple principle, the experimental technique of positron emission particle tracking has been used to develop and implement a new methodology for quantifying the local and global mixing characteristics within a mechanically agitated fluid batch system. This Lagrangian technique uses a single positron-emitting particle as flow follower. Using a high data acquisition rate, such a tracer is continuously tracked in 3D space and time to accurately determine its trajectory over a considerable period of time. By partitioning its long trajectory, the single particle tracer can be regarded as thousands of simultaneously tracked particles which are instantaneously, locally and non-invasively injected in the mixing system at varying feed positions. A large amount of PEPT data were collected for impeller rotational speeds ranging from 100 to 500 rpm which allowed new statistical tools derived from information theory, such as Shannon entropy and uncertainty, to be implemented in the data analysis. Thus, measurements of entropy mixing indices were obtained as a function of position, time and impeller speed. The method also allowed the determination of characteristic time parameters including the macroscale mixing time which agreed very well with correlations of the dimensionless mixing time available in the mixing literature. Detailed local information is provided on minimum mixing time positions for feed and withdrawal of material, which can be used to optimise the design or operation of stirred batch mixing systems.     

Short-term group treatment for adult children of alcoholics.

Highly significant test score changes of adult children of alcoholics supported the effectiveness of individual therapy in short-term groups. 24 Ss were tested on measures of loneliness (UCLA Loneliness Scale); anxiety, hostility, and depression (Multiple Affect Adjective Check List—Revised [MAACL—R]); and interpersonal dependency (Interpersonal Dependency Inventory [IDI]). MAACL—R Anxiety and Depression scores declined. MAACL—R Hostility scores rose at the end of the treatment and then declined sharply 8 wks later. Increases toward test norms occurred on the IDI Lack of Social Confidence scale. Scores on the IDI Emotional Reliance on Another Person scale, the IDI Assertion of Autonomy scale, and the UCLA Loneliness Scale fell within scale norms and showed little change. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Convective diffusion of particles deposition under electrostatics from turbulently-mixed conditions

A theoretical model is presented to describe inertialess particle deposition onto smooth surfaces under the influence of electrostatic force. Both Boltzmann and combined diffusion and field charging mechanisms are investigated. A modified Fick's law equation accounting for Brownian and turbulent diffusion, spatially-independent external force, i.e. gravitational and Coulombic force, is presented based on the simplified three-layer model. The results show that the concentration boundary layer thickness is very thin and the previous three-layer model can be further simplified. The Coulombic force influences the particle deposition significantly and for considerably high charge and electric field, deposition is independent on turbulent intensity. The model predictions agree very well with the literature DNS results.     

Observations on Federal energy research and development—December 1974

Much of our country's present stance in energy R&D is an embodiment of the recommendations presented in the Dixy Lee Ray report, “The Nation's Energy Future” (NEF).^Pa Since that report appeared just one year ago, the Energy Research and Development Administration (ERDA)^∥ has been established, and the Project Independence Blueprint (PIB)¹¹     

Sputtered Cd1−xZnxTe films for top junctions in tandem solar cells

Cd_1−xZn_xTe alloy films with 1.6 and 1.7 eV band gaps were deposited by RF magnetron sputtering from targets made either of mixed powders or alloys of CdTe and ZnTe (25% and 40%). High-quality polycrystalline films with the (1 1 1) preferred orientation were obtained. The films were characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy, resistivity, optical absorption, Raman, and photoluminescence. The EDS, XRD, and optical absorption analysis indicated that the x-value of the as-grown films were typically 0.20 and 0.30 for films sputtered from 25% and 40% ZnTe containing targets, respectively. The as-deposited alloy films exhibit quite low photovoltaic performance when used to make cells with CdS as the hetero-junction partner. Therefore, we have studied various post-deposition treatments with vapors of chlorine-containing materials, CdCl₂ and ZnCl₂, in dry air or H₂/Ar ambient at 390 °C. The best performance of a Cd_1−xZn_xTe cell (, ) was found for treatment with vapors of the mixed CdCl₂+0.5%ZnCl₂ in an H₂/Ar ambient after pre-annealing at 520 °C in pure H₂/Ar.     

H2AX phosphorylation in response to DNA double-strand break formation during bystander signalling: effect of microRNA knockdown

Upon DNA double-strand break (DSB) formation, hundreds of H2AX molecules in the chromatin flanking the break site are phosphorylated on serine residue 139, termed gamma-H2AX, so that virtually every DSB site in a nucleus can be visualised within 10 min of its formation using an antibody to gamma-H2AX. One application of this sensitive assay is to examine the induction of DNA double-strand damage in subtle non-targeted cellular effects such as the bystander effect. Here whether microRNA (miRNA) serve as a primary signalling mechanism for bystander effect propagation by comparing matched human colon carcinoma cell lines with wild-type or depleted levels of mature miRNAs was investigated. No major differences were found in the levels of induced gamma-H2AX foci in the tested cell lines, indicating that though miRNAs play a role in bystander effect manifestation, they appear not to be the primary bystander signalling molecules in the formation of bystander effect-induced DSBs.