Low-temperature synthesis of large-area CNx nanotube arrays

Well-aligned nitrogen-doped multiwall carbon nanotube arrays have been successfully grown over large areas on quartz and silicon wafers by floating-catalyst chemical vapor deposition at low temperatures (600 degrees C). These nitrogen-including nanotubes, derived from pyridine-ferrocene mixtures, have smaller outer diameters but larger inner diameters compared with carbon nanotubes grown from a xylene-ferrocene mixture under similar conditions. The N-doped nanotubes exhibit bamboo-like structures in the core. Elemental analysis and electron energy loss spectroscopy analysis show that the as-prepared nanotubes contain as much as 2.62 wt.% N, with most of the N concentrated in the inner few shells of the nanotube. Such large-scale arrays of well-aligned N-doped nanotubes on silicon wafers have a current density as high as 23.8 mA/cm2 at an applied electric field of 17 V/micron, which can be further improved by patterning the tubes and coating the silicon substrate with a conductive thin metal film for the fabrication of flat panel displays.     

Simultaneous Measurement of the Density and Viscosity of Compressed Liquid Toluene

A vibrating-wire densimeter described previously has been used to perform simultaneous measurements of the density and viscosity of toluene at temperatures from 222 to 348 K and pressures up to 80 MPa. The density measurements are essentially based on the hydrostatic weighing principle, using a vibrating-wire device operated in forced mode of oscillation, as a sensor of the apparent weight of a cylindrical sinker immersed in the test fluid. The resonance characteristics for the transverse oscillations of the wire, which is also immersed in the fluid, are described by a rigorous theoretical model, which includes both the buoyancy and the hydrodynamic effects, owing to the presence of the fluid, on the wire motion. It is thus possible, from the working equations, to determine simultaneously, both the density and the viscosity of the fluid from the analysis of the resonance curve of the wire oscillation, the density being related essentially to the position of the maximum and the viscosity to its width. New results of measurements of the density and viscosity of toluene in the compressed liquid region are presented, and compared with literature data. The density results extend over a temperature range 222 KT348 K, and pressures up to 80 MPa. The viscosity results cover a temperature range of 248 KT348 K and pressures up to 80 MPa. The uncertainty of the present density data is estimated to be within ±0.1% at temperatures 298 KT350 K, and ±0.15% at 222 KT273 K. The corresponding overall uncertainty of the viscosity measurements is estimated to be ±2% for temperatures 298 KT350 K, and ±3% for 248 KT273 K.     

Numerical wave optical analysis of microlens array telescopes and comparison with experimental results

We present a numerical wave optical model to describe the complex behavior of coaxial and decentered microlens-array-based telescopes illuminated by an incoherent angular spectrum of plane waves. With the use of this model we have been able to observe major performance differences between Galilean and Keplerian setups, which to our knowledge were not described before. The results of the simulations are compared with experimental results; the images of multimode fiber end faces are characterized with respect to transfer efficiency and intensity distribution. The results are also explained by use of modified existing analytical models.     

The effect of γ-interferon to inhibit macrophage-high density lipoprotein interactions is reversed by Δ12,14-prostaglandin J2J2

Macrophage activation has been recognized as playing a central role in chronic inflammatory diseases in general and more specifically, in the vascular wall during the progression of atherosclerotic lesions. Macrophage-activating factors present within the atherosclerotic lesion include the colony-stimulating factors and gamma interferon (IFN_γ). In the present study, the effects of IFN_γ on macrophage binding and uptake of fluorochrome-labeled high density lipoprotein (HDL) were investigated by flow cytometry and by measuring the amount of the type B scavenger receptors CD36 and scavenger receptor type B (SR-BI) by Northern blot analysis. IFN_γ-, but not granulocyte macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF)-treated murine peritoneal macrophages displayed a two- to threefold decrease in Dil-labeled HDI uptake. This effect was observed in the absence of a comparable decrease in SR-BI meassage and protein or CD36 message. This decrease in both HDL binding and uptake was reversed by the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPAR_γ) agonist, Δ^12,14-prostaglandin J₂ (15d-PGJ₂), which also inhibited the IFN_γ inductin of the β2 integrin CD1 1a. Furthermore, 15d-PGJ₂ increased the expression of SR-BI and CD36 message and SR-BI protein which was reflected in an increase in HDL binding and uptake. These results suggest a role for PPAR_γ agonists in modulating the IFN_γ-mediated macrophage effector functions relevant to atherosclerotic disease progression.     

Valuing credit default swap in a non-homogeneous semi-Markovian rating based model

In this paper, we use a discrete time non-homogeneous semi-Markov model for the rating evolution of the credit quality of a firm C (see D’Amico, Janssen, and Manca Proceedings of the II international workshop in applied probablity, 2004a) and we determine the credit default swap spread for a contract between two parties, A and B that, respectively, sell and buy a protection about the failure of the firm C. We work both in the case of deterministic and stochastic recovery rate. We also highlight the link between credit risk and reliability theory.     

DW-RBAC: A formal security model of delegation and revocation in workflow systems

One reason workflow systems have been criticized as being inflexible is that they lack support for delegation. This paper shows how delegation can be introduced in a workflow system by extending the role-based access control (RBAC) model. The current RBAC model is a security mechanism to implement access control in organizations by allowing users to be assigned to roles and privileges to be associated with the roles. Thus, users can perform tasks based on the privileges possessed by their own role or roles they inherit by virtue of their organizational position. However, there is no easy way to handle delegations within this model. This paper tries to treat the issues surrounding delegation in workflow systems in a comprehensive way. We show how delegations can be incorporated into the RBAC model in a simple and straightforward manner. The new extended model is called RBAC with delegation in a workflow context (DW-RBAC). It allows for delegations to be specified from a user to another user, and later revoked when the delegation is no longer required. The implications of such specifications and their subsequent revocations are examined. Several formal definitions for assertion, acceptance, execution and revocation are provided, and proofs are given for the important properties of our delegation framework.     

Experimental investigation in the TOSQAN facility of heat and mass transfers in a spray for containment application

TOSQAN is an experimental program undertaken by the Institut de Radioprotection et de Sûreté Nucléaire (IRSN) in order to perform thermal hydraulic containment studies. The TOSQAN facility is a large enclosure devoted to simulate typical accidental thermal hydraulic flow conditions in nuclear-pressurized water reactor (PWR) containment. The TOSQAN facility which is highly instrumented with non-intrusive optical diagnostics is particularly adapted to nuclear safety CFD code validation. The present work is devoted to studying the interaction of a water spray injection used as a mitigation means in order to reduce the gas pressure and temperature in the containment, to produce gases mixing and washout of fission products. In order to have a better understanding of heat and mass transfers between spray droplets and the gas mixture, and to analyze mixing effects due to spray activation, we perform detailed characterization of the two-phase flow.     

Algorithms for anomaly detection of traces in logs of process aware information systems

This paper discusses four algorithms for detecting anomalies in logs of process aware systems. One of the algorithms only marks as potential anomalies traces that are infrequent in the log. The other three algorithms: threshold, iterative and sampling are based on mining a process model from the log, or a subset of it. The algorithms were evaluated on a set of 1500 artificial logs, with different profiles on the number of anomalous traces and the number of times each anomalous traces was present in the log. The sampling algorithm proved to be the most effective solution. We also applied the algorithm to a real log, and compared the resulting detected anomalous traces with the ones detected by a different procedure that relies on manual choices.     

Effect of vegetated-banks on local scour around a wing-wall abutment with circular edges

Failure of bridges due to local scour in the vicinity of bridge abutments is a common occurrence. In this study, experiments under two different channel conditions were conducted to assess the impacts of vegetation on channel banks on local scour around a wing-wall abutment with circular edges. Some experiments were conducted in channel with vegetation on channel banks, and other experiments in channel without vegetation on channel bank. The flow velocity and Reynolds stress distributions in scour holes around a wing-wall abutment with circular edges were compared under these 2 different channel conditions. Results reveal that the vegetated-banks can reduce the time for achieving the equilibrium condition from 17 h to 9 h. Also, vegetated-bank channels can result in a significant decrease in the maximum scour depth from 0.084 m（for bare channel bank） to 0.00032 m. Additionally, around the abutment, vegetated-banks play a significant role in diminishing the Reynolds stress（RS） near the bed and removing negative values in RS distribution by weakening unfavorable pressure gradient and down-flow in the upstream of abutment.