High temperature monoclinic-to-tetragonal phase transition in magnesium doped lanthanum ortho-niobate

Magnesium doped lanthanum ortho-niobate (La_0.98Mg_0.02NbO₄) was prepared by the molten salt synthesis method. X-ray diffraction and dilatometry methods were used to study high temperature behavior of the ceramic material. Special attention was paid to the phase transition between the monoclinic and tetragonal phases. The values of spontaneous strain on the basis of unit cell parameter, obtained by Rietveld refinement, have been calculated as well as Landau order parameter. The thermal expansion coefficient (TEC) of La_0.98Mg_0.02NbO₄ was determined to be 12×10^?6 1/K and 8×10^?6 1/K below and above 500 °C, respectively.     

Toward a multi-culture adaptive virtual tour guide agent with a modular approach

Embodied conversational agents (ECAs) are computer-generated, human-like characters that interact with human users in face-to-face conversations. ECA is a powerful tool for representing cultural differences and is suitable for interactive training or edutainment systems. This article presents preliminary results from the development of a culture-adaptive virtual tour guide agent for serving Japanese, Croatian, and general Western users by displaying appropriate verbal and non-verbal behaviors. It is being implemented in Generic ECA Framework, a modular framework for developing ECAs. Dividing the ECA functions into reusable and loosely coupled modules minimizes the effort required to implement additional behavior and facilitates incremental scale up of the system.     

Suitability of some selected maize hybrids from Serbia for the production of bioethanol and dried distillers' grains with solubles

BACKGROUND: Bioethanol is mostly produced from starchy parts of the corn grain kernel leaving significant amounts of valuable by‐products such as dried distillers' grains with solubles (DDGS) which can be used as a substitute for traditional feedstuff. The suitability of six maize hybrids from Serbia was investigated for bioethanol and DDGS production. The correlation between physical and chemical characteristics of the grain, bioethanol yield and quality of the corresponding DDGS was assessed. RESULTS: All hybrids had very different chemical composition and physical characteristics which could allow various applications. The highest bioethanol yield (94.5% of theoretical) and volumetric productivity (2.01 g l^?1 h^?1) were obtained with hybrid ZP 434 and the lowest with ZP 611k. Regarding chemical composition, all DDGS samples manifested good properties as feed components. Their protein content was higher compared to the kernel. In addition, the samples showed high digestibility and high mineral content, especially of calcium and phosphorus. CONCLUSION: A hybrid ZP 434 was selected as the most promising bioethanol producer. This property is attributed to the highest level of soft endosperm which is more susceptible to starch‐hydrolysing enzymes. A high yield potential per hectare makes it the best candidate for commercial bioethanol production. © 2012 Society of Chemical Industry     

Assessment of bottom-up sectoral and regional mitigation potentials

The greenhouse gas mitigation potential of different economic sectors in three world regions are estimated using a bottom-up approach. These estimates provide updates of the numbers reported in the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC AR4). This study is part of a larger project aimed at comparing greenhouse gas mitigation potentials from bottom-up and top-down approaches. The sectors included in the analysis are energy supply, transport, industry and the residential and service sector. The mitigation potentials range from 11 to 15 GtCO₂eq. This is 26–38% of the baseline in 2030 and 47–68% relative to the year 2000. Potential savings are estimated for different cost levels. The total potential at negative costs is estimated at 5–8% relative to the baseline, with the largest share in the residential and service sector and the highest reduction percentage for the transport and industry sectors. These (negative) costs include investment, operation and maintenance and fuel costs and revenues at moderate discount rates of 3–10%. At costs below 100 US$/tCO₂, the largest potential reductions in absolute terms are estimated in the energy supply sector, while the transport sector has the lowest reduction potential.     

How many protein‐coding genes are there in the Saccharomyces cerevisiae genome?

We have compared the results of estimations of the total number of protein-coding genes in the Saccharomyces cerevisiae genome, which have been obtained by many laboratories since the yeast genome sequence was published in 1996. We propose that there are 5300-5400 genes in the genome. This makes the first estimation of the number of intronless ORFs longer than 100 codons, based on the features of the set of genes with phenotypes known in 1997 to be correct. This estimation assumed that the set of the first 2300 genes with known phenotypes was representative for the whole set of protein-coding genes in the genome. The same method used in this paper for the approximation of the total number of protein-coding sequences among more than 40 000 ORFs longer than 20 codons gives a result that is only slightly higher. This suggests that there are still some non-coding ORFs in the databases and a few dozen small ORFs, not yet annotated, which probably code for proteins.     

Optimisation and significance of ATP analysis for measuring active biomass in granular activated carbon filters used in water treatment

A method for determining the concentration of active microbial biomass in granular activated carbon (GAC) filters used in water treatment was developed to facilitate studies on the interactions between adsorption processes and biological activity in such filters. High-energy sonication at a power input of 40 W was applied to GAC samples for the detachment of biomass which was measured as adenosine triphosphate (ATP). Modelling of biomass removal indicated that a series of six to eight sonication treatments of 2 min each yielded more than 90% of the attached active biomass. The ATP concentrations in 30 different GAC filters at nine treatment plants in The Netherlands ranged from 25 to 5000 ng ATP cm(-3) GAC, with the highest concentrations at long filter run times and pretreatment with ozone. A similar concentration range was observed in nine rapid sand (RS) filters. ATP concentrations correlated significantly (p<0.05) with total direct bacterial cell counts in each of these filter types, but the median value of the ATP content per cell in GAC filters (2.1 x 10(-8) ng ATP/cell) was much lower than in the RS filters (3.6 x 10(-7) ng ATP/cell). Average biofilm concentrations ranging from 500 to 10(5) pg ATP cm(-2) were calculated assuming spherical shapes for the GAC particles but values were about 20 times lower when the surface of pores >1 microm diameter is included in these calculations. The quantitative biomass analysis with ATP enables direct comparisons with biofilm concentrations reported for spiral wound membranes used in water treatment, for distribution system pipes and other aquatic environments.     

A versatile wavelet domain noise filtration technique for medical imaging

In this paper, we propose a robust wavelet domain method for noise filtering in medical images. The proposed method adapts itself to various types of image noise as well as to the preference of the medical expert; a single parameter can be used to balance the preservation of (expert-dependent) relevant details against the degree of noise reduction. The algorithm exploits generally valid knowledge about the correlation of significant image features across the resolution scales to perform a preliminary coefficient classification. This preliminary coefficient classification is used to empirically estimate the statistical distributions of the coefficients that represent useful image features on the one hand and mainly noise on the other. The adaptation to the spatial context in the image is achieved by using a wavelet domain indicator of the local spatial activity. The proposed method is of low complexity, both in its implementation and execution time. The results demonstrate its usefulness for noise suppression in medical ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging. In these applications, the proposed method clearly outperforms single-resolution spatially adaptive algorithms, in terms of quantitative performance measures as well as in terms of visual quality of the images.     

A logistic regression framework for information technology outsourcing lifecycle management

We present a methodology for managing outsourcing projects from the vendor's perspective, designed to maximize the value to both the vendor and its clients. The methodology is applicable across the outsourcing lifecycle, providing the capability to select and target new clients, manage the existing client portfolio and quantify the realized benefits to the client resulting from the outsourcing agreement. Specifically, we develop a statistical analysis framework to model client behavior at each stage of the outsourcing lifecycle, including: (1) a predictive model and tool for white space client targeting and selection—opportunity identification (2) a model and tool for client risk assessment and project portfolio management—client tracking, and (3) a systematic analysis of outsourcing results, impact analysis, to gain insights into potential benefits of IT outsourcing as a part of a successful management strategy. Our analysis is formulated in a logistic regression framework, modified to allow for non-linear input–output relationships, auxiliary variables, and small sample sizes. We provide examples to illustrate how the methodology has been successfully implemented for targeting, tracking, and assessing outsourcing clients within IBM global services division.Scope and purposeThe predominant literature on IT outsourcing often examines various aspects of vendor–client relationship, strategies for successful outsourcing from the client perspective, and key sources of risk to the client, generally ignoring the risk to the vendor. However, in the rapidly changing market, a significant share of risks and responsibilities falls on vendor, as outsourcing contracts are often renegotiated, providers replaced, or services brought back in house. With the transformation of outsourcing engagements, the risk on the vendor's side has increased substantially, driving the vendor's financial and business performance and eventually impacting the value delivery to the client. As a result, only well-ran vendor firms with robust processes and tools that allow identification and active management of risk at all stages of the outsourcing lifecycle are able to deliver value to the client. This paper presents a framework and methodology for managing a portfolio of outsourcing projects from the vendor's perspective, throughout the entire outsourcing lifecycle. We address three key stages of the outsourcing process: (1) opportunity identification and qualification (i.e. selection of the most likely new clients), (2) client portfolio risk management during engagement and delivery, and (3) quantification of benefits to the client throughout the life of the deal.