Feature Selection for Recognition of Online Handwritten Bangla Characters

Feature selection through optimization techniques provides an interesting approach to minimize computational time with enhanced prediction capability, and     

Exoglucanase‐encoding genes from three Wickerhamomyces anomalus killer strains isolated from olive brine

Wickerhamomyces anomalus killer strains are important for fighting pathogenic yeasts and for controlling harmful yeasts and bacteria in the food industry. Targeted disruption of key genes in β‐glucan synthesis of a sensitive Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain conferred resistance to the toxins of W. anomalus strains BS91, BCA15 and BCU24 isolated from olive brine. Competitive inhibition of the killing activities by laminarin and pustulan refer to β‐1,3‐ and β‐1,6‐glucans as the main primary toxin targets. The extracellular exoglucanase‐encoding genes WaEXG1 and WaEXG2 from the three strains were sequenced and were found to display noticeable similarities to those from known potent W. anomalus killer strains. Accession Nos for WaEXG1 genes for the strains in brackets are JQ734563 (BS91), JQ734564 (BCA15) and JQ734565 (BCU24); for WaEXG2 genes JQ734566 (BS91), JQ734567 (BCA15) and JQ734568 (BCU24), respectively. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Review essay

Berlin — myth and model: on the production of German planning ideology in Berlin. Mythos Berlin. (Exhibition catalogue)¹ Berlin, 1987. ISBN 3 88245 147 5.

Mythos Berlin. (Concepte)² Berlin, 1986. ISBN 3 88245 139 4.

Die Zukunft der Metropolen: Paris ? London ? New York ? Berlin. (Exhibition catalogue) (3 Volumes) Berlin, 1984. ISBN 3 496 00805 9.

Weltstadt Berlin. Ilse Balg (Ed.), Galerie Wannsee Verlag, Berlin, 1986.

Platz frei für das Neue Berlin! Geschichte der Stadterneuerung in der ‘größten Mietskasernenstadt der Welt’ seit 1871. Harald Bodenschatz, Transit‐Verlag, Berlin, 1987. 288 pp, DM48, ISBN 3 887 47038 9.     

High Dietary Fat Exacerbates Weight Gain and Obesity in Female Liver Fatty Acid Binding Protein Gene-Ablated Mice

Since liver fatty acid binding protein (L-FABP) facilitates uptake/oxidation of long-chain fatty acids in cultured transfected cells and primary hepatocytes, loss of L-FABP was expected to exacerbate weight gain and/or obesity in response to high dietary fat. Male and female wild-type (WT) and L-FABP gene-ablated mice, pair-fed a defined isocaloric control or high fat diet for 12 weeks, consumed equal amounts of food by weight and kcal. Male WT mice gained weight faster than their female WT counterparts regardless of diet. L-FABP gene ablation enhanced weight gain more in female than male mice—an effect exacerbated by high fat diet. Dual emission X-ray absorptiometry revealed high-fat fed male and female WT mice gained mostly fat tissue mass (FTM). L-FABP gene ablation increased FTM in female, but not male, mice—an effect also exacerbated by high fat diet. Concomitantly, L-FABP gene ablation decreased serum β-hydroxybutyrate in male and female mice fed the control diet and, even more so, on the high-fat diet. Thus, L-FABP gene ablation decreased fat oxidation and sensitized all mice to weight gain as whole body FTM and LTM—with the most gain observed in FTM of control vs high-fat fed female L-FABP null mice. Taken together, these results indicate loss of L-FABP exacerbates weight gain and/or obesity in response to high dietary fat.     

Calculation of cosmic ray limited maximum DC blocking voltages of high voltage silicon PIN diodes

A power law approach as used by Fulop for the treatment of impact ionization and breakdown in abrupt silicon P–N junctions [Fulop W. Calculation of avalanche breakdown voltages of silicon P–N junctions. Solid-State Electron. 1967;10:39–43] is developed in this paper to provide simple-to-use equations for the quantitative evaluation of cosmic ray related phenomena in high voltage power devices. Being empirical in nature, such approaches have no physical background and only serve the purpose of generating a simple and compact mathematical framework. The resulting compact model allows for a quick and straightforward computation of DC blocking voltages as a function of FIT rate, n-base doping and temperature. The determination of model parameters is based on the theory and data given in [Zeller HR. Cosmic ray induced failures in high power semiconductor devices. Solid-State Electron. 1995;38(12):2041–6]. With the new approach, calculating first-hand maximum DC blocking voltages for high voltage power semiconductor devices becomes as effortless as the calculation of the breakdown voltage.     

Optimization of the Liquid Distributor in a Falling Film Evaporator by Means of Air‐Water Experiments

Air‐water experiments (cold‐flow experiments) were performed for the liquid distributor of an industrial falling film evaporator (FFE). The feed to the FFE is superheated and a flash evaporation occurs in the head of the FFE. The aim of the experiments was to investigate the vapor‐liquid flow in the head and the resulting liquid distribution to the evaporator tubes. Several different designs of the distributor were investigated and explanations for the performance losses of the real evaporator over time were found. Several measures were finally concluded and also implemented for the real FFE.     

Zur Torsionsbemessung von Stahlbeton‐ und Spannbetonbalken nach DIN 1045‐1

Torsion Design of reinforced and prestressed concrete Beams according to DIN 1045‐1 The DIN 1045‐1 provisions specify two different methods for torsion design regarding the concrete strut angle. The analysis of a database containing about 300 tests on reinforced and prestressed concrete beams under pure torsion or combined loading shows that under certain loading conditions the methods should not be used alternatively. In addition, the database also shows that the strength of the concrete strut according to DIN 1045‐1 overestimates the torsional capacity in general. On the basis of these results a suggestion for the definition of the concrete strut angle for torsion design in relation to DIN 1045‐1 is derived. Furthermore a design concept for the definition of the thickness of the shear flow zone is presented. Finally the database is analysed according to Eurocode 2 in its edition of April 2002.     

Pentachlorophenylcellulose preparation and investigation on its applicability as a controlled release fungicide

Pentachlorophenylethers (PCP-ethers) of cellulose are prepared using cellulosetosylates as intermediates. The products release no measurable quantities of PCP into buffered solutions (pH 4, 7, and 9, resp.). However, the modified cellulose shows no fungicidal effect in agar plate tests with the usually cellulose-metabolizing fungus, Trichoderma viride. The lack of biological activity is attributed to the stability of the cellulose pentachlorophenyl ether bond.