The Simplex Tree: An Efficient Data Structure for General Simplicial Complexes

This paper introduces a new data structure, called simplex tree, to represent abstract simplicial complexes of any dimension. All faces of the simplicial complex are explicitly stored in a trie whose nodes are in bijection with the faces of the complex. This data structure allows to efficiently implement a large range of basic operations on simplicial complexes. We provide theoretical complexity analysis as well as detailed experimental results. We more specifically study Rips and witness complexes.     

New carbon composite adsorbents for the removal of textile dyes from aqueous solutions: Kinetic,equilibrium, and thermodynamic studies

New carbon composite materials were prepared by pyrolysis of mixture of coffee wastes and red mud at 700 °C with the inorganic: organic ratios of 1.9 (CC-1.9) and 2.2 (CC-2.2). These adsorbents were used to remove reactive orange 16 (RO-16) and reactive red 120 (RR-120) textile dyes from aqueous solution. The CC-1.9 and CC-2.2 materials were characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, Nitrogen adsorption/desorption curves, scanning electron Microscopy and X-ray diffraction. The kinetic of adsorption data was fitted by general order kinetic model. A three-parameter isotherm model, Liu isotherm model, gave the best fit of the equilibrium data (298 to 323 K). The maximum amounts of dyes removed at 323 K were 144.8 (CC-1.9) and 139.5 mg g^?1 (CC-2.2) for RO-16 dye and 95.76 (CC-1.9) and 93.80 mg g^?1 (CC-2.2) for RR-120 dye. Two simulated dyehouse effluents were used to investigate the application of the adsorbents for effluent treatment.     

Multiple factor design for reactive mixture selection for use in reactive walls in mine drainage treatment.

Sulfate-reducing reactive walls installed in situ in the path of acid mine drainage contaminated groundwater, present a promising passive treatment technology. However, a rigorous and methodical selection of the most appropriate reactive mixture composition still needs to be investigated. The aim of this study was the selection of the most reactive medium using a multiple factor design and the modeling of the sulfate-reduction rate. Reactivity of 17 mixtures was assessed in batch reactors (in duplicates) using a synthetic AMD. Results indicate that within 41 days, sulfate concentrations decreased from initial concentrations of 2,000-3,200 mg/l to final concentrations of <90 mg/l. Metal removal efficiencies ranged between 51-84% for Ni and 73-93% for Zn. Generated sulfate-reduction rate predictive models which had very satisfactory parameters (R2 = 0.86, F = 62.38 (p-level < 10(-13)) and R2 = 0.90. F = 62.30 (p-level < 10(-13))) identified poultry manure and two other carbon sources as the critical variables for sulfate-reduction rate.     

Fatigue-loading effect on RC beams strengthened with externally bonded FRP

External bonding of fiber-reinforced polymers (FRP) on concrete beams is particularly attractive for the strengthening of civil engineering structures in order to increase their strength and stiffness. Principles for design of such strengthening methods are now established and many guidelines exist. However, fatigue design procedure is still an ongoing research topic.This paper focuses on the damage behavior of FRP-strengthened reinforced concrete (RC) structures subjected to fatigue loading.In order to design bonded reinforcements, an iterative computational method based on section equilibrium and material properties (concrete, steel, adhesive and composite) has been previously developed by authors [1], [2], [3]. In the present study, this method is extended to describe the fatigue behavior of RC beams.A specific modeling coupled with an experimental investigation on large-scale beams made it possible to compare the theoretical and experimental fatigue behaviors of RC beams with and without composite reinforcements. The model is developed and calibrated using data of the literature or recorded during experiments specifically carried out for this study. Results showed that the beam deflection and the strain in each material could be calculated with a sufficient accuracy, so that the fatigue behavior of the FRP-strengthened beams was correctly estimated by the model.     

Les dépôts morainiques holocènes de la zone axiale pyrénéenne: approche déterministe de leur instabilitéà Verdun sur Ariège, (Pyrénées centrales, France)

This paper reports a study of the historic instability of the till deposits in an area of the central Pyrenees between France and Spain upslope of the town of Verdun. The object of the work was to create a model based on the geomorphological and geological mapping of landslides and a geotechnical survey of the instability of the whole of the mountainous slopes of the Domanial Verdun area. The detailed mapping allows the historic landslides to be distinguished from the more recent/active movements which involve volumes of 100,000 to 400,000?m³ of material. In addition, it was possible to assess the areal percentage of the actively slipping zones (5%) compared to the historic slide zones (12%) and the stable areas (78%). Following the European classification, two types of slides were identified in the Verdun study area: (1) historic rotational slides and (2) active translational slides located in the Verdun area at between 1000 and 1250?m altitude. The stability was calculated using the classic "method of slices", subdividing the slipped zone into vertical slices along a suitable cross section. The so-called factor of safety (F) was determined by dividing the moments of resisting forces (M_R) by the moments of driving forces (M_D). The state of limiting equilibrium has a "factor of safety" of 1. The physical parameters of the till deposits of Verdun were established as: unit weight γ=24.9?kN/m³ (calculated using the percentage of gneissic blocks contained in the tills) and porosity n=0.24. The results of 15 triaxial tests in a gravelly sand matrix were plotted in a Lambe diagram following a linear regression model [x=(σ₁+σ₃)/2 and y=(σ₁–σ₃)/2 with sin?φ′ =tan?θ]. From this the friction angle φ′=33°±3 and c′=45±5?kPa were established. The factor of safety calculated for the moraine deposits in the historic slides was 1.44 without water (Hw=0). With a height of water of 7?m, representing 85% of the till thickness, this was reduced to F=1. To achieve a factor of safety of 1.3, the maximum water level within the till should not exceed 2.5?m, representing 65% of the till thickness. Similarly, the factor of safety was calculated for the active slides of another area (shown as section 4 in Fig.?3 in the paper). Using slice number 9 from the middle of the slide, the factor of safety was 1.08 when the height of the water was taken as 90% of the till thickness. This high calculated factor of safety for the height of water is consistent with the slow movement of the actual slides. However, a lower internal cohesion of the till deposits or the presence of a weathered zone would decrease the factor of safety from 1 to 0.8. It is also possible that other parameters, such as the regional seismic activity, could have been sufficient to initiate movement (F<1) during the last 50?years. It is of note that the map of seismic activity shows that more than a 100 earthquakes with magnitudes greater than 3 have occurred in the central Pyrenees since 1660. The paper emphasises the importance of high-quality mapping which identifies and classifies areas of historic and recent instability. From this, a single geotechnical model to calculate the stability can be established. The level of the water is shown to be the critical parameter and of more significance than the variations in the effective friction angle, which itself is more important than variations in the effective cohesion. With this information it is possible to determine those areas where some form of stabilisation and/or drainage of the till deposits is necessary.     

The catalytic domain of human immunodeficiency virus integrase: ordered active site in the F185H mutant

We solved the structure and traced the complete active site of the catalytic domain of the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 integrase (HIV-1 IN) with the F185H mutation. The only previously available crystal structure, the F185K mutant of this domain, lacks one of the catalytically important residues, E152, located in a stretch of 12 disordered residues [Dyda et al. (1994) Science 266, 1981-1986]. It is clear, however, that the active site of HIV-1 IN observed in either structure cannot correspond to that of the functional enzyme, since the cluster of three conserved carboxylic acids does not create a proper metal-binding site. The conformation of the loop was compared with two different conformations found in the catalytic domain of the related avian sarcoma virus integrase [Bujacz et al. (1995) J. Mol. Biol. 253, 333-346]. Flexibility of the active site region of integrases may be required in order for the enzyme to assume a functional conformation in the presence of substrate and/or cofactors.     

A mouse mutant strain highly resistant to methyl beta-carboline-3-carboxylate-induced seizures

It is believed that DOPA-negative melanocytes in the outer root sheath of the human hair follicle are activated, become identifiable by DOPA staining, and migrate into the epidermis during the repigmenting phase of vitiligo. These cells are difficult to identify, however, and otherwise have not been characterized. These cells are readily identified by immunofluorescence, immunohistochemistry, and immunoelectronmicroscopy using the antibodies NKI/beteb and A4F11, which recognize premelanosome-related antigens. The majority of the outer root sheath melanocytes were found in the mid to the upper portion of the hair follicle. Double staining revealed that these cells were distinct from HLA-DR-bearing dendritic cells. Further immunohistochemical investigation using alpha-PEP-7, alpha-PEP-1, or TMH-1 and alpha-PEP-8 antibodies revealed that outer root sheath melanocytes cannot be identified by antibodies to tyrosinase, TRP-1, or TRP-2, respectively. These cells also did not react with HMB45 antibody, which recognizes a melanosome-associated cytoplasmic antigen. We believe that the inactive outer root sheath melanocytes contain some of the early structural proteins but not any of the enzymatic proteins necessary for melanogenesis. Therefore, activation is the process whereby outer root sheath melanocytes acquire all of the structural and enzymatic proteins necessary for melanogenesis.     

Hierarchically structured transparent hybrid membranes by in situ growth of mesostructured organosilica in host polymer

The elaborate performances characterizing natural materials result from functional hierarchical constructions at scales ranging from nanometres to millimetres, each construction allowing the material to fit the physical or chemical demands occurring at these different levels. Hierarchically structured materials start to demonstrate a high input in numerous promising applied domains such as sensors, catalysis, optics, fuel cells, smart biologic and cosmetic vectors. In particular, hierarchical hybrid materials permit the accommodation of a maximum of elementary functions in a small volume, thereby optimizing complementary possibilities and properties between inorganic and organic components. The reported strategies combine sol-gel chemistry, self-assembly routes using templates that tune the material's architecture and texture with the use of larger inorganic, organic or biological templates such as latex, organogelator-derived fibres, nanolithographic techniques or controlled phase separation. We propose an approach to forming transparent hierarchical hybrid functionalized membranes using in situ generation of mesostructured hybrid phases inside a non-porogenic hydrophobic polymeric host matrix. We demonstrate that the control of the multiple affinities existing between organic and inorganic components allows us to design the length-scale partitioning of hybrid nanomaterials with tuned functionalities and desirable size organization from ?ngstr?m to centimetre. After functionalization of the mesoporous hybrid silica component, the resulting membranes have good ionic conductivity offering interesting perspectives for the design of solid electrolytes, fuel cells and other ion-transport microdevices.     

Discrete control of resonant wave energy devices

Aiming at amplifying the energy productive motion of wave energy converters (WECs) in response to irregular sea waves, the strategies of discrete control presented here feature some major advantages over continuous control, which is known to require, for optimal operation, a bidirectional power take-off able to re-inject energy into the WEC system during parts of the oscillation cycles. Three different discrete control strategies are described: latching control, declutching control and the combination of both, which we term latched-operating-declutched control. It is shown that any of these methods can be applied with great benefit, not only to mono-resonant WEC oscillators, but also to bi-resonant and multi-resonant systems. For some of these applications, it is shown how these three discrete control strategies can be optimally defined, either by analytical solution for regular waves, or numerically, by applying the optimal command theory in irregular waves. Applied to a model of a seven degree-of-freedom system (the SEAREV WEC) to estimate its annual production on several production sites, the most efficient of these discrete control strategies was shown to double the energy production, regardless of the resource level of the site, which may be considered as a real breakthrough, rather than a marginal improvement.     

Sensitivity analysis of some critical factors affecting simulated intrusion volumes during a low pressure transient event in a full-scale water distribution system

Intrusion events caused by transient low pressures may result in the contamination of a water distribution system (DS). This work aims at estimating the range of potential intrusion volumes that could result from a real downsurge event caused by a momentary pump shutdown. A model calibrated with transient low pressure recordings was used to simulate total intrusion volumes through leakage orifices and submerged air vacuum valves (AVVs). Four critical factors influencing intrusion volumes were varied: the external head of (untreated) water on leakage orifices, the external head of (untreated) water on submerged air vacuum valves, the leakage rate, and the diameter of AVVs' outlet orifice (represented by a multiplicative factor). Leakage orifices' head and AVVs' orifice head levels were assessed through fieldwork. Two sets of runs were generated as part of two statistically designed experiments. A first set of 81 runs was based on a complete factorial design in which each factor was varied over 3 levels. A second set of 40 runs was based on a latin hypercube design, better suited for experimental runs on a computer model. The simulations were conducted using commercially available transient analysis software. Responses, measured by total intrusion volumes, ranged from 10 to 366 L. A second degree polynomial was used to analyze the total intrusion volumes. Sensitivity analyses of both designs revealed that the relationship between the total intrusion volume and the four contributing factors is not monotonic, with the AVVs' orifice head being the most influential factor. When intrusion through both pathways occurs concurrently, interactions between the intrusion flows through leakage orifices and submerged AVVs influence intrusion volumes. When only intrusion through leakage orifices is considered, the total intrusion volume is more largely influenced by the leakage rate than by the leakage orifices' head. The latter mainly impacts the extent of the area affected by intrusion.