Dual-PISA: An index for aggregation operations on time series data

Aggregation operations play an essential role in time series database management. As the number of data increases, it is difficult for current solutions, such as summary table and MapReduce-based methods to respond to such queries with low latency. Other approaches, such as segment tree-based methods, have a poor insertion performance when the data size exceeds the available memory. This paper proposes a Persistent Index for Segmented Aggregations (PISA), which has fast insertion performance and low latency for aggregation queries. PISA uses a forest to overcome the performance disadvantage of insertion in traditional segment trees. By defining two kinds of tags, namely code number and serial number, we propose an algorithm to accelerate queries by avoiding unnecessary reading data on disk. Additionally, we extend it to Dual-PISA to tolerate a range of unordered data, which is very important in the real world. Dual-PISA is stored on disk and is hugely memory-efficient — only takes a few hundred bytes of memory for billions of data points. Dual-PISA can be easily implemented on both traditional databases and NoSQL systems. It handles aggregation queries within milliseconds on a commodity server, for a time range that contains tens of billions of data points.     

Effects of malondialdehyde-induced protein oxidation on the structural characteristics of rice protein

Malondialdehyde (MDA) was selected to represent a secondary by-product of lipid peroxidation during rice ageing. This study aimed to investigate the effects of MDA modification on the structural characteristics of rice protein. The results showed that as MDA concentration increased, rice protein carbonyl and disulphide groups increased, but sulphydryl content decreased. The blue shift of maximum fluorescence peak, the decrease of rice protein intrinsic fluorescence intensity and the reduction of surface hydrophobicity indicated the formation of protein aggregates caused by MDA oxidative modification. The results of molecular weight distribution and particle size distribution showed that MDA modification resulted in the formation of soluble protein aggregates, and the decrease of rice protein solubility indicated that insoluble protein aggregates were formed. Results of protein electrophoresis showed that MDA modification contributed to rice protein aggregation via non-disulphide covalent bonds. The results showed that rice protein gradually aggregated with increasing MDA concentration.     

Distance and height of attraction by walking and flying beetles to traps with simultaneous use of the aggregation pheromones from Tribolium castaneum (Herbst) (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) and Rhyzopertha dominica (F.) (Coleoptera: Bostrychidae)

Adults of Tribolium castaneum (Herbst) and Rhyzopertha dominica (F.) biosynthesize aggregation pheromones 4,8-dimethyldecanal and dominicalure-1/dominicalure-2, respectively. These pheromones are commonly used independently, and their simultaneous use has not been adequately studied. Furthermore, information on trapping flying R. dominica in pheromone traps is minimum. Therefore, the objectives were to evaluate distance of attraction of T. castaneum and R. dominica adults to traps having both pheromones, and height of R. dominica adult attraction to traps with its pheromone lure alone. In first experiment, both pheromones were deployed simultaneously inside a commercial pitfall trap. One-month-old 20 T. castaneum and R. dominica adults were released every 30 cm from the pheromone trap. The adults trapped were recorded at 4 and 24 h following their release. Adults of both species released were captured in higher percentages at 24 h than 4 h. At 30 cm distance, these values were 45.5% for T. castaneum and 10–12% for R. dominica for 24 h whereas they were 40.5% for T. castaneum and 5–7.5% for R. dominica following 4 h exposure. The maximum trap capture was at 30 cm for T. castaneum and 30–60 cm for R. dominica. In second experiment, a trap with two rubber septa containing dominicalure-1 and dominicalure-2 was placed at different heights inside cage, and R. dominica adults were released at the bottom. In each experiment, four replicates were tested. After 24 h, flying R. dominica adults were captured in progressively lower percentages as trap height increased up to 40 cm above the bottom of cage. Trap heights above 10 cm exhibited decreased trap capture of R. dominica compared to those at 3 cm. We conclude that simultaneous use of both aggregation pheromones better facilitates trapping of walking T. castaneum and R. dominica. Traps above 10 cm show decreased captures of flying R. dominica.     

Identification of hydrogen permeability parameters of membrane materials in an aggregated experiment

The study of the hydrogen permeability of materials for membrane-based separation/purification technologies employs a variety of experimental methods with their own specific features, advantages and shortfalls. The method of penetration with vacuum pumping allows determining the diffusion coefficient from so-called lag time. The accuracy of the estimation depends on the degree of proximity to the DLR (diffusion limited regime) mode. The method of “communicating vessels” is more sensitive to surface processes. The thermal desorption (TDS) technique permits “scanning” the material dynamically across a wide range of temperatures. “Separate” application of these methods leads to a situation where the materials studied are in fact somewhat different (for example, due to different impacts on the surface), and significant differences in parameter estimates ensue. This paper suggests and implements a technique for a combined three-stage ‹‹penetration (with and without vacuum pumping)+TDS›› experiment and the corresponding mathematical toolkit. The informative capacity of the experiments and the accuracy of the estimation of hydrogen permeability parameters (adsorption, dissolution, diffusion and desorption) of the membrane materials under study are thus enhanced.     

Aggregation of experiments for estimation of hydrogen permeability parameters

The study of the hydrogen permeability of materials employs a variety of methods with their own specific features, advantages and drawbacks. The penetration method allows determining the diffusion coefficient from so-called lag time. The accuracy of the estimation depends on the degree of proximity to the DLR (diffusion limited regime) mode. The method of ‘communicating vessels’ is more sensitive to surface processes. ‘Separate’ application of these methods leads to a situation where the materials studied are in fact somewhat different (for example, due to different impacts on the surface), and significant differences in parameter estimates ensue. This paper suggests and implements a cascade experiment technique and the corresponding mathematical toolkit. The informative capacity of experimental studies and the accuracy of the estimation of hydrogen permeability parameters (diffusion, absorption, desorption) are thus enhanced.     

Liquid marbles,formation and locomotion using external fields and forces

Liquid marbles may be traditionally formed by rolling a droplet on a bed of non-wetting particles resulting in encapsulation and stabilisation. Particles used in this process may range from nanometre to millimetre if handled with sufficient care. This method, however, runs the risk of droplet coalescence and is limited to non-wetting particles. Currently there exist some alternative methods of formulation including using electrostatics to either deliver a particle bed to the droplet or pull the droplet to the particles. The former has shown some promise in potential batch processes but is hindered by interparticle forces. Additional production methods include a form of blender, but this has shown to be unable to produce marbles of a narrow size distribution. Once formed, liquid marbles have demonstrated value as potential blood typing devices, as micro-reaction vessels due to the inherent barrier between the internal phase and the substrate whilst maintaining gas permeability, and as contaminant sensors. Liquid marbles also demonstrate a remarkable level of elasticity under compressive force and reduced evaporation rates when compared to bare water droplets, a function of the size and composition of the stabilising particles. In addition to this, liquid marbles have been proposed as actuators. Locomotion may easily be induced in these structures, using electrostatics, sound, magnetism or light depending on the particle/liquid combinations used in formation, and the environment of deployment. This review seeks to present and summarise recent advances in the field of liquid marble manufacture and methods for actuation. We also aim to highlight potential future avenues of further study within this arena.     

Assessing the aggregation behaviour of iron oxide nanoparticles under relevant environmental conditions using a multi-method approach

Iron nanoparticles are becoming increasingly popular for the treatment of contaminated soil and groundwater; however, their mobility and reactivity in subsurface environments are significantly affected by their tendency to aggregate. Assessing their stability under environmental conditions is crucial for determining their environmental fate. A multi-method approach (including different size-measurement techniques and the DLVO theory) was used to thoroughly characterise the behaviour of iron oxide nanoparticles (Fe₂O₃NPs) under environmentally relevant conditions. Although recent studies have demonstrated the importance of using a multi-method approach when characterising nanoparticles, the majority of current studies continue to use a single-method approach.Under some soil conditions (i.e. pH 7, 10 mM NaCl and 2 mM CaCl₂) and increasing particle concentration, Fe₂O₃NPs underwent extensive aggregation to form large aggregates (>1 μm). Coating the nanoparticles with dissolved organic matter (DOM) was investigated as an alternative “green” solution to overcoming the aggregation issue instead of using the more commonly proposed polyelectrolytes. At high concentrations, DOM effectively covered the surface of the Fe₂O₃NPs, thereby conferring negative surface charge on the particles across a wide range of pH values. This provided electrostatic stabilisation and considerably reduced the particle aggregation effect. DOM-coated Fe₂O₃NPs also proved to be more stable under high ionic strength conditions. The presence of CaCl₂, however, even at low concentrations, induced the aggregation of DOM-coated Fe₂O₃NPs, mainly via charge neutralisation and bridging. This has significant implications in regards to the reactivity and fate of these materials in the environment.     

分形Packing算法与建筑设计

Packing是一定数量的单元体以叠 合规则聚集在一起的一种算法。Packing算法 与分形迭代结合不仅在空间优化中具有重要 作用,在建筑设计中也具有一定的运用潜力。 本文分析了箱型Packing、圆形Packing等不同 种类的分形Packing算法的特性,并结合设计 案例探讨了分形Packing算法在建筑设计中的 运用方式。     

Insights into the cross-amyloid aggregation of Aβ40 and its N-terminal truncated peptide Aβ11-40 affected by epigallocatechin gallate

Inhibition of protein misfolding and aggregation is a great challenge in the field of biochemical and biopharmaceutical engineering. Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a protein-misfolding disease, and the interactions between 40-amino-acid-residue β-amyloid peptide (Aβ₄₀) and its N-terminal truncated peptide Aβ_11-40 demonstrate that Aβ_11-40 may play an important role in the pathological process of AD. However, the effect of inhibitors on Aβ_11-40 aggregation and on the cross-amyloid aggregation (co-assembly) between Aβ₄₀ and Aβ_11-40 has never been studied. Herein, coaggregation and seeding interactions between Aβ₄₀ and Aβ_11-40 as well as the effect of epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), a small molecule inhibitor, on the cross-amyloid aggregation have been investigated by extensive analyses. It is found that Aβ_11-40 participates in the aggregation of Aβ₄₀ and leads to the formation of coaggregates that contain less β-sheet structures than pure Aβ₄₀ aggregates. The aggregation kinetics along with morphologies and secondary structures of the coaggregates are also significantly affected by the Aβ₄₀/Aβ_11-40 ratio. EGCG accelerates the nucleation of Aβ₄₀ but retards that of Aβ_11-40 by affecting their elongation and secondary nucleation processes in solution and on solid surfaces. Meanwhile, EGCG makes the conformations of the seeding-induced Aβ aggregates more compact, especially for the homologous seedings. Isothermal titration calorimetry measurement indicates that hydrophobic interactions mainly contribute to the inhibition of the two Aβ isoforms by EGCG. The findings of this research have provided new insights into Aβ aggregation and the effect of an important inhibitor and the results would benefit in the development of potent inhibitors against co-assembly of different amyloid proteins.