Explaining operational modal analysis with data from an arch bridge

This tutorial paper aims to introduce the topic of operational modal analysis to non-specialists on the subject. First of all, it is stressed the relevance of this experimental technique particularly in the assessment of important civil infrastructure. Then, after a synthesis of required theoretical background, three of the most powerful algorithms for output-only modal identification are presented. The several steps of these identification procedures are illustrated with the processing of data collected on a concrete arch bridge with a span of 280 m. As the use of operational modal analysis in the context of structural health monitoring is a subject under active research, this theme is also introduced and briefly exemplified with data continuously recorded at the same bridge.     

Defeating Colluding Nodes in Desktop Grid Computing Platforms

Desktop Grid systems reached a preeminent place among the most powerful computing platforms in the planet. Unfortunately, they are extremely vulnerable to mischief, because computing projects exert no administrative or technical control on volunteers. These can very easily output bad results, due to software or hardware glitches (resulting from over-clocking for instance), to get unfair computational credit, or simply to ruin the project. To mitigate this problem, Desktop Grid servers replicate work units and apply majority voting, typically on 2 or 3 results. In this paper, we observe that simple majority voting is powerless against malicious volunteers that collude to attack the project. We argue that to identify this type of attack and to spot colluding nodes, each work unit needs at least 3 voters. In addition, we propose to post-process the voting pools in two steps. i) In the first step, we use a statistical approach to identify nodes that were not colluding, but submitted bad results; ii) then, we use a rather simple principle to go after malicious nodes which acted together: they might have won conflicting voting pools against nodes that were not identified in step i. We use simulation to show that our heuristic can be quite effective against colluding nodes, in scenarios where honest nodes form a majority.     

Spatial modelling of freshwater fish in semi‐arid river systems: a tool for conservation

This paper examines the feasibility of using multivariate statistics to model fish species distribution and habitat requirements for intermittent streams in semi‐arid regions, many of which are coming under increasing pressure from water resource development schemes. The assessment was based on the geographical distribution of six endemic fish species in the Guadiana river, a semi‐arid river system in southern Iberia. Their presence was related to 20 environmental variables linked to climate, geomorphology, riparian vegetation and location in the drainage basin. These variables were collected in the field or from topographical maps to evaluate habitat suitability and to predict the presence of the species according to season. Multivariate logistic regression in a geographic information system (GIS) environment was performed to identify regions with high probability of occurrence for each species. The variables that best explained the occurrence of the species were the sample location in the drainage basin, the geomorphology and the riparian vegetation. The models presented have a high predictive power and can be used in monitoring and predicting temporal changes caused by human activities. This modelling approach can be used to predict the areas that need to be conserved to protect or rehabilitate the endangered species. Armed with this information, managers can formulate conservation measures to prevent further degradation of the stocks and possibly enhance the populations. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Antioxidant effect of drugs used in cardiovascular therapy

With respect to clinical signs of the radiation syndromes, some remarkable species variations exist. For example the marked delayed reaction of the acute hematologic response in cows. An unusually high sensitivity of the central nervous system is found in burros, which is probably caused by acute vascular and/or metabolic changes in the brain. The species-specific number of intestinal crypt and hemopoietic stem cells may explain the early survival differences among species after high doses of irradiation. Mortality due to acute radiation syndromes is lowest in chickens. Regarding late effects, various neoplasms are typical in dogs, and cattle more commonly develop cataracts.     

Deformed reverse osmosis membrane and low pressure operation

The phenomena of hysteresis described elsewhere in cellulose acetate RO membranes are discussed, in order to show that the pressure normally required by the desalting process produces two effects: one deforming the membrane and the other maintaining the flux through the deformed membrane. This paper shows that the use of independently deformed membranes can permit a lower operating pressure while maintaining the rejection factor and flux in the effluent water.     

Optimization of link load balancing in multiple spanning tree routing networks

In telecommunication networks based on the current Ethernet technology, routing of traffic demands is based on multiple spanning trees: the network operator configures different routing spanning trees and assigns each demand to be routed in one of the selected spanning trees. A major optimization issue in this solution is the combined determination of (i) a?set of appropriate spanning trees, and (ii) assignment of demands to the trees, in order to achieve an optimal load balancing on the links of the network. In this paper we consider models and solving techniques for lexicographical optimization of two load balancing objective functions. The first objective is the min-max optimization of the n worst link loads (with n up to the total number of network links), and the second objective is the minimization of the average link load (when n is smaller than the total number of network links). Besides exact methods, a heuristic technique that can compute both feasible solutions and lower bounds for the addressed optimization problem is proposed. Finally, we discuss effectiveness of different solution using results of a numerical study of realistic case studies.     

Ru纳米颗粒包覆ITO纳米线热解纤维素性能研究

以阳极氧化铝(AAO)膜为模板,采用真空机械压注法制备铟锡(InSn)合金纳米线(NWs),然后采用“原位放电还原”方法在InSn NWs表面包覆Ru颗粒。随后,将复合材料在空气中进行热处理,合成RuO₂/ITO NWs。最后,在H₂气氛下还原RuO₂/ITO NWs获得Ru/ITO NWs。结果表明,InSn纳米线直径约为40 nm,2 ~ 5 nm的Ru纳米颗粒均匀地包覆在ITO NWs的表面。此外,检测了所得Ru/ITO NWs对纤维素的催化热解性能,所得产物为1,6-脱水吡喃葡萄糖、乙醇醛和羟基丙酮,对比无催化剂、ITO NWs,Ru/ITO NWs所得产物,可以发现Ru/ITO NWs催化剂减少了1,6-脱水吡喃葡萄糖的产生,表明Ru纳米颗粒加剧了热解过程中的氧桥的断裂,加速生成乙醇醛和羟基丙酮,提高纤维素热解效率。同时对存在醚键的壬基酚聚氧乙烯醚也进行了热解分析,结果表明Ru/ITO NWs对醚键的断裂起明显的催化作用。     

Adenosine deaminase in progressive systemic sclerosis

The aim of the present study was to confirm the increase of adenosine deaminase (ADA) activity in progressive systemic sclerosis (PSS), described by Sasaki & Nakajima, and to compare plasma ADA activity of patients in different stages of the disease. Enzyme activity was measured with a colorimetric assay. The 48 patients were subdivided into 3 groups: subgroup 1 (n = 10), disease still limited to the skin; subgroup 2 (n = 21), involvement of the skin and oesophagus; and subgroup 3 (n= 17), involvement of the skin and multiple internal organs. ADA levels were highest in subgroup 3. However, the difference with respect to subgroup 2 did not reach statistical significance. Subgroup 1 was different from controls and subgroups 2 and 3 (p<0.001). Our results confirm that ADA activity is increased in PSS, and that this finding is observed even in the early stages of the disease process. We speculate that the increase in ADA, a well-known marker of T-cell activation, might be an indicator of disease activity in PSS, in the beginning as well as during phases of exacerbation in later stages of the disease.     

Comparing the quality of life of cities that gained and lost population: An assessment with DEA and the Malmquist index

This study compares the quality of life (QoL) of cities that lost population with that of cities that gained population. A unique dataset composed of observations for 11 dimensions of QoL for all mainland Portuguese cities is used. By employing a non-parametric approach (data envelopment analysis), and by using a Malmquist-type index, this study identifies differences in QoL between the group of cities that lost population and the group of cities that gained population, as well as differences within each group. Despite the heterogeneity in cities that shrunk, this group presents, on average, higher QoL than cities that have grown.