Some aspects of the role of coal thermoplasticity and coke structure in coal gasification. 2. The effects of pressure and heating rate on dilatometric parameters and optical anisotropy development

An examination of the influence of pressure and heating rate on the thermoplastic properties of a weakly coking coal and of coal with various pitch-like additives was carried out using a high pressure dilatometer. Pressure up to 4 MPa markedly increased the swelling properties and increased the plastic range by decreasing the softening temperature, but the effects of pressure were strongly influenced by rate of heating with high heating rates enhancing the effects. Additions of tar or pitch also enhanced swelling at low pressure. The solid carbonization residues from the dilatometer were examined by polarized light microscopy to determine the content and composition of optically anisotropic species. The anisotropic content was increased by increases in pressure and heating rate and pitch additives enhanced the anisotropic content, especially at low pressure, without affecting the composition of the anisotropy. No direct correlations exist between the dilatometric parameters and the optical anisotropy but their dependence on the conditions emphasizes that when considering high pressure gasification of coal, it is necessary to obtain data under appropriate conditions.     

Elastic Properties and Microcracking Behavior of Particulate Titanium Diboride–Silicon Carbide Composites

The spontaneous microcracking of particulate TiB₂–SiC composites is studied as a function of TiB₂ volume fraction. The degree of microcracking was examined by measuring elastic properties from room temperature to 1300°C. The results showed that only one composition contains microcracks. All other compositions did not microcrack regardless of TiB₂ volume fraction. This was attributed to the difference in the sintering aids. In particular, the Al₂O₃ sintering aid needed in these compositions had reacted with SiO₂ to form an amorphous grain boundary phase that allowed residual stresses to relax by viscous flow at moderate to high temperatures. The existence of this amorphous grain boundary phase was directly observed by transmission electron microscopy.     

Detection of beeswax adulterations using concentration guide‐values

The concentrations of 102 chemical compounds (saturated and unsaturated hydrocarbons, palmitates, total and free acids, total hydroxyacids, total and free alcohols, acidic monoesters and monoesterified 1,2,3‐propanetriols) have been determined by GC/FID on white and yellow comb beeswax of Apis mellifera from different regions of Spain. Guide‐value ranges are proposed for its characterization and to discriminate adulterated foundation beeswax sheets. The concentrations of many compounds resulted to be statistically different for white and yellow beeswaxes, while the observation of concentrations out of normal in some marketed foundation beeswax sheets suggested their adulteration. However, the measurement of anomalous concentrations in foundation beeswax sheets did not imply necessarily their rejection by the bees.     

Peer-to-peer bichromatic reverse nearest neighbours in mobile ad-hoc networks

The increasing use of mobile communications has raised many issues of decision support and resource allocation. A crucial problem is how to solve queries of Reverse Nearest Neighbour (RNN). An RNN query returns all objects that consider the query object as their nearest neighbour. Existing methods mostly rely on a centralised base station. However, mobile P2P systems offer many benefits, including self-organisation, fault-tolerance and load-balancing. In this study, we propose and evaluate 3 distinct P2P algorithms focusing on bichromatic RNN queries, in which mobile query peers and static objects of interest are of two different categories, based on a time-out mechanism and a boundary polygon around the mobile query peers. The Brute-Force Search Algorithm provides a naive approach to exploit shared information among peers whereas two other Boundary Search Algorithms filter a number of peers involved in query processing. The algorithms are evaluated in the MiXiM simulation framework with both real and synthetic datasets. The results show the practical feasibility of the P2P approach for solving bichromatic RNN queries for mobile networks.     

Comparing the revised NIOSH lifting equation to the psychophysical,biomechanical and physiological criteria used in its development

The purpose of this study was to perform a systematic and comprehensive comparison between the recommended weights of lift (RWL) from the revised NIOSH lifting equation, and the specific biomechanical, psychophysical and physiological criteria that were stated to be used in the equation's development. A composite acceptable load (CAL) table was developed for the 216 conditions presented in the female lifting table of Snook and Ciriello (1991). Each CAL value was calculated to correspond to the most conservative load of the three design criteria. The RWLs caused lumbar compression forces close to the biomechanical limit of 3400 N for lifts below knuckle height, but resulted in compression forces that are much lower at higher lifting heights. At moderate lifting frequencies, the average RWL would be acceptable to more than 95% of female workers according to the psychophysical criterion. At the highest frequencies, the RWL was found to be an average of 63% of the CAL values based on the integration of the psychophysical and physiological criteria. It is recommended that ergonomists acknowledge the very conservative nature of the revised NIOSH lifting equation when using it to evaluate occupational lifting tasks.     

Test-data generation for control coverage by proof

Many tools can check if a test set provides control coverage; they are, however, of little or no help when coverage is not achieved and the test set needs to be completed. In this paper, we describe how a formal characterisation of a coverage criterion can be used to generate test data; we present a procedure based on traditional programming techniques like normalisation, and weakest precondition calculation. It is a basis for automation using an algebraic theorem prover. In the worst situation, if automation fails to produce a specific test, we are left with a specification of the compliant test sets. Many approaches to model-based testing rely on formal models of a system under test. Our work, on the other hand, is not concerned with the use of abstract models for testing, but with coverage based on the text of programs.     

Short-term prediction of traffic flow using a binary neural network

This paper introduces a binary neural network-based prediction algorithm incorporating both spatial and temporal characteristics into the prediction process. The algorithm is used to predict short-term traffic flow by combining information from multiple traffic sensors (spatial lag) and time series prediction (temporal lag). It extends previously developed Advanced Uncertain Reasoning Architecture (AURA) k-nearest neighbour (k-NN) techniques. Our task was to produce a fast and accurate traffic flow predictor. The AURA k-NN predictor is comparable to other machine learning techniques with respect to recall accuracy but is able to train and predict rapidly. We incorporated consistency evaluations to determine whether the AURA k-NN has an ideal algorithmic configuration or an ideal data configuration or whether the settings needed to be varied for each data set. The results agree with previous research in that settings must be bespoke for each data set. This configuration process requires rapid and scalable learning to allow the predictor to be set-up for new data. The fast processing abilities of the AURA k-NN ensure this combinatorial optimisation will be computationally feasible for real-world applications. We intend to use the predictor to proactively manage traffic by predicting traffic volumes to anticipate traffic network problems.     

Chlorophyll and plankton of the Gulf coastal waters of Saudi Arabia bordering a desalination plant

As on land, plants are the real producers in the sea, and on them depend all marine living resources and the basic sustainability of ecosystems. Primary production is performed by chlorophyll-bearing plants ranging from the tiny phytoplankton to the giant kelps through the process ofphotosynthesis. Zooplankton play an important role as secondary producers, and together with phytoplankton they support the vast assemblages of marine food chain with all their diversity and complexity. Data on chlorophyll pigments, phytoplankton and zooplankton are regarded as a sound basis for environmental appraisal of ecosystems. This paper presents a set of data collected from the Saudi Arabian coastal waters near the desalination plants in AI-Jubail. Materials were collected from six different sites covering the intake and discharge zones during cruises carried out in 1997-1998. Analyses of chlorophyll pigments were made using the spectrophotometric method. Plankton samples were collected using a Nansen plankton net with a mesh size of 75 μ and analyzed following standard procedures. Chlorophyll a, b, c and phaeophytin are the most commonly occurring pigments in seawater. Their concentrations showed wide fluctuation. The phytoplankton community was composed of 35 genera representing the Diatoms, Dinoflagellates and blue- green algae. Zooplankton were composed ofProtozoa, Coelenterata, Ctenophora, Aschelminthes, Annelida, Mollusca, Arthropoda, Echinodermata and Chordata. Arthropoda, represented by Cladocera, Copepoda and Crustacean larvae, formed the largest group followed by Chordata. The distribution of phyto- and zooplankton was examined and discussed on a seasonal, annual and inter-annual basis. In terms of species, overall species composition was not affected by plant discharge. The study brings out a greater understanding of the changes experienced by biotic communities as a result of impingement, entrainment and entrapment consequent to water passage through the plant structures. The study reflects the ecological relationships that the phytoplankton and the zooplankton of the region possess with respect to intake and discharge. Further, the study has brought to light a very redeeming feature of the ecosystem to sustain its productivity and planktonic abundance. It was observed that seawater temperature, conductivity and total suspended solids did not act as limiting factors. Besides throwing much light on the little known biological aspects of desalination sites, the data provided constitute a significant addition to the knowledge base of marine living resources in an industrial zone of Gulf coastal waters.     

Complementarity determining region residues aspartic acid at H55, serine at H95 and tyrosines at H97 and L96 play important roles in the B72.3 antibody-TAG72 antigen interaction

Structural analysis derived from the crystallographic studyof the chimeric B72.3 antibody illustrated some major atomicinteractions between complementarity determining region (CDR)residues. For example, hydrogen bonds are formed between H35/H95,L50/H97, H53/H55 and H96/L96 respectively. These CDR residuesmay play important roles in the B72.3–TAG72 (antibody-antigen)interaction either by direct interaction with the TAG72 antigenor by maintaining a CDR loop conformation through atomic interactionsbetween CDR residues. In order to confirm these assumptions,we altered these CDR residues by site-directed mutagenesis anddetermined binding affinities of these mutant chimeric antibodiesfor the TAG72 antigen in a solid-phase radioimmunoassay. Wefound that H55, H95, H97 and L96 are important CDR residuesfor the B72.3–TAG72 interaction. Single amino acid substitutionsof aspartic acid and serine by alanine at H55 of CDR2 and atH95 of CDR3 respectively and of tyrosine by phenylalanine atH97 and L96 of CDR3, significantly reduced the binding affinityfor the TAG72 antigen by 20-, 8-, 16- and 45-fold respectively.Therefore, this study reveals some of the requirements for maintainingthe integrity of the B72.3 antibody combining sites.     

Cottonseed preparation

Conventional methods of cottonseed preparation are reviewed and described, including seed cleaning, saw delinting, dehulling, conditioning, and flaking. The use of screw presses for prepress conditioning ahead of solvent extraction is discussed as compared to conditioning for direct solvent extraction. Newer methods and proposed alternate methods of cottonseed preparation are discussed including: abrasive delinting, acid delinting by gas and liquid acid, and the decorticating of undelinted seed. The effect of cracking rolls, moisture addition, moist cooking and flaking on gossypol gland rupture, the binding of gossypol to protein, and the effect of these processing or preparation variables on the residual oil in the extracted meal and on the oil quality are discussed.