Practical Anisotropic Geodesy

The computation of intrinsic, geodesic distances and geodesic paths on surfaces is a fundamental low‐level building block in countless Computer Graphics and Geometry Processing applications. This demand led to the development of numerous algorithms – some for the exact, others for the approximative computation, some focussing on speed, others providing strict guarantees. Most of these methods are designed for computing distances according to the standard Riemannian metric induced by the surface's embedding in Euclidean space. Generalization to other, especially anisotropic, metrics – which more recently gained interest in several application areas – is not rarely hampered by fundamental problems. We explore and discuss possibilities for the generalization and extension of well‐known methods to the anisotropic case, evaluate their relative performance in terms of accuracy and speed, and propose a novel algorithm, the Short‐Term Vector Dijkstra. This algorithm is strikingly simple to implement and proves to provide practical accuracy at a higher speed than generalized previous methods.     

A cognitive-behavioral model of problematic online gaming in adolescents aged 12–22 years

The aim of this study was to apply the cognitive behavioral model of problematic Internet use to the context of online game use to obtain a better understanding of problematic use of online games and its negative consequences. In total, 597 online game playing adolescents aged 12–22 years participated in this study. Results showed that the cognitive behavioral model of problematic Internet use can also be used in the context of online game use. More specifically, preference for online social interaction, mood regulation and deficient self-regulation appeared to play an important role in predicting negative outcomes from problematic online game use. Together, these cognitions and behaviors explained 79% of the variance of negative outcomes scores. These findings can be used to develop strategies that aim at reducing problematic online game behavior and its negative consequences.     

Fault recoverability analysis of switched systems

This article provides an approach to evaluate the fault recoverability of switched systems (SS) under given energetic constraints. Such evaluation reveals the capability of the SS to tolerate the worst faults over a prescribed set under possible energy constraints. The evaluation is achieved by using the smallest eigenvalue of a proposed ‘switched-system controllability Gramian’. Simulation results about a longitudinal flight control process example are presented to show the effectiveness of the proposed method.     

Investigating the ESBWR stability with experimental and numerical tools: A comparative study

In this work, the stability of the Economic Simplified Boiling Water Reactor (ESBWR) has been studied by using a Freon-134a based experimental facility (GENESIS) and two system codes, being ATHLET 2.0a and (to a lesser extent) TRACG. During setting up the GENESIS facility and the numerical calculations, a great effort has been made to approximate the ESBWR system as accurate as possible.In general, it was found that a sufficient margin to instability exists regarding the ESBWRs nominal point. In addition, a comparison was made between the numerical and experimental results for both the thermal-hydraulic system and the reactor system. Deviations were found between the numerical and experimental results, in spite of the close similarity between the GENESIS facility and the definition of the ESBWR system in the system code. This result shows that predictions regarding real nuclear reactors, based on modeled systems, should be taken with care.     

Resilient, overcontrolled, and undercontroleed personality prototypes in childhood: Replicability, predictive power, and the trait-type issue.

In a longitudinal study, Q-sort patterns of German preschool children were analyzed for personality prototypes and related to developmental outcomes up to age 12. Q-factor analyses confirmed 3 prototypic patterns that showed a high continuity and cross-judge consistency; were similar to those found for North American, Dutch, and Icelandic children; and can be interpreted as resilient, overcontrolled, and undercontrolled. Relations reported by R. W. Robins, O. P. John, A. Caspi, T. E. Moffitt, & M. Stouthamer-Loeber (1996) between these 3 patterns and the Big Five were fully replicated. Growth curve analyses showed that the 3 patterns predicted important developmental outcomes in both the social and the cognitive domains. Evidence was found for both traits and types: A continuous dimension of resiliency bifurcates in its lower part into two relatively discrete personality types, overcontrollers and undercontrollers. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Innovative Methoden zum Geschiebemonitoring am Beispiel der Donau

In this article, new and innovative methods for bedload transport monitoring and their application in the context of a restoration project on the Danube River are described. Using an adapted basket sampler, a first comprehensive monitoring campaign for measuring bedload transport on the Danube was conducted and the temporal and spatial variability was shown. The development of a methodology for tracing artificial pebbles made it possible to track 40 pebble tracers of three different sizes on the Danube over the course of an entire year. Combining the two methods it could be determined that bedload already moves at low flow conditions and that bedload transport only increases slightly or even remains constant after reaching bank-full discharge. The tracer study identified size-selective transport ?C larger sizes were moving less often and over shorter distances than smaller sizes ?C with a mean transport distance of 3?km per year for the current bed material at Bad Deutsch-Altenburg. Detailed bathymetry and the analysis of the layer succession of the riverbed using the Freeze Core methodology complemented the other insights into the processes of sediment transport on the Danube River. These methods successfully characterized gravel sheets and allowed us to make predictive statements about bed armoring. We were also able to confirm a mean bed degradation of 2?cm per year using a combination of methods.     

Innovationen in der Modellierung von Sedimenttransport und Morphodynamik basierend auf dem Simulationsmodell iSed

This work presents recent developments in the simulation of sediment transport and morphodynamics on the basis of the simulation model iSed, which was developed at the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna. The computer model is coupled with external hydrodynamic models to obtain the flow field as the basis for the simulation of sediment transport processes. The paper first defines the physical processes that must be captured by a model as well as their underlying equations. Thereafter the general model validation based on data from a laboratory flume with a 180° bend under unsteady flow conditions is shown, a model that has also been applied to study a section of the Danube River east of Vienna. The calculated bedload transport rates as well as their spatio-temporal variability showed a very good agreement with measurement data. Moreover the model allowed for the first time a successful simulation of the bed forms present in the Danube as well as their downstream movement. In order to achieve this, non-uniform calculations including grain sorting, as well as detailed field measurement data for the model setup and calibration, constitute essential prerequisites.     

Study on rubber blends: Influence of epoxidation on phase morphology and interphase

A discussion about phase morphology and interphase is presented taking into account the influence of the epoxidation on NR/SBR blends. Unfilled blends were examined in a broad composition range to investigate the morphology by TEM (transmission electron microscopy) and to estimate the volume fraction of the interphase by means of DMA (dynamic mechanical analysis). It was observed that the domain sizes and the volume fraction of the interphase depend on the difference in polarity of rubbers caused by the presence of the epoxidized phase and the polarizability caused by the difference on the vinyl content. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 104: 2377–2384, 2007     

Surface acidity of novel mesostructured silicas with framework aluminum obtained by SBA-16 related synthesis

A novel SBA-16-related synthesis of mesostructured silica containing framework aluminum is reported here. This material was successfully synthesized using aluminum sulphate and the pH-adjusting method. The structural and porosity properties of this novel material were studied by X-ray diffraction and N₂ adsorption at 77 K. The Al insertion was determined by ²⁷Al-MAS-NMR and the acidity was monitored by infrared spectroscopy of CO adsorption at 100 K.     

Synthesis and nuclear magnetic resonance properties of all geometrical isomers of conjugated linoleic acids

Pure geometric isomers of conjugated linoleic acid were prepared from castor oil as the primary starting material. Methyl octadeca-9Z, 11E-dienoate (2) and methyl octadeca-9Z, 11Z-dienoate (4) were obtained by zinc reduction of methyl santalbate (1, methyl octadec-11E-en-9-ynoate) and methyl octadec-11 Z-en-9-ynoate (3), respectively, as the key intermediates. Methyl octadeca-9E, 11E-dienoate (8) and methyl octadeca-9E, 11Z-dienoate (9) were prepared by demesylation of the mesyloxy derivative of methyl ricinelaidate (6, methyl 12-hydroxy-octadec-9 E-enoate). A study of the nuclear magnetic resonance spectral properties was carried out and the shifts of the olefinic carbon atoms of 18:2(9Z, 11E) (2) and 18:2(9E, 11Z) (9) were readily identified by a combination of incredible natural abundance double quantum transfer experiment, heteronuclear multiple bond correlation, and ¹H−¹³C correlation spectroscopy correlation techniques. Doubts remain in the absolute identification of the individual olefinic carbon atoms of the 18:2(9Z, 11Z) (4) and 18:2(9E, 11E) (8), except the fact that the shifts of the “inner” (C-10 and C-11) and “outer” (C-9 and C-12) positioned olefinic carbon atoms of the conjugated diene system are distinguishable.