Long-term monitoring of natural hydrogen superficial emissions in a brazilian cratonic environment. Sporadic large pulses versus daily periodic emissions

In many basins, hydrogen-emitting structures are now observed, but the estimation of the H₂ flow leading to their formation remains poorly constrained since all data show that the H₂ emissions are variable in space and time. We present here the data of a long-term monitoring campaign with a high density of permanent hydrogen detectors installed in 2 structures in the Minas Gerais State (Brazil). Results show that two kinds of signals are recorded, large sporadic pulses that affect the H₂ content of the soil for one or two days and smaller ones, with a daily periodicity, that last 6 h and during which the near surface soil concentration usually does not exceed 200 ppm. This last signal is very regular in frequency, less in amount, and the daily maximum happens around noon or in the early afternoon. We interpret the large pulses as evidences of a deep hydrogen flux, leaking either from a reservoir located in the subsurface, from an aquifer which is degassing or, although it seems unlikely, directly from the H₂ generation area.The time correlation between the pulse and the increase of the daily signal suggests that this last one corresponds to the slow release of the gas that has been captured by the soil during its transport towards the surface. This daily signal is most likely influenced by external factors such as atmospheric pressure and sub-surface bacterial activity. In map view, the lack of correlation between the highest hydrogen concentrations over time suggests that the soil is very heterogeneous and that preferential pathways exist. The results confirm that long-term monitoring, over a few months, is mandatory to catch a certain number of high pulses and so to have a better estimation of the real flow. Data also suggests that sensors with a large concentration range should be used (from 10 to several 10⁴ ppm). Even if quantification of leakage doesn't help to quantify the subsurface reserves, these new data allow a more precise evaluation of the quantity of H₂ released in surface by these structures, few hundred of kilo per day, and confirm the high H₂ prospectivity of this basin.     

Towards All-Solid-State Polymer Batteries: Going Beyond PEO with Hybrid Concepts

To go beyond polyethylene oxide in lithium metal batteries, a hybrid polymer/oligomer cell design is presented, where an ester oligomer provides high ionic conductivity of 0.2 mS cm⁻¹ at 40 °C within thicker composite cathodes with active mass loadings of up to 11 mg cm⁻² (LiNbO₃-coated) LiNi_0.6Mn_0.2Co_0.2 (NMC622), while a 30 µm thin scaffold-supported polymer electrolyte affords mechanical stability. Corresponding discharge capacities of the hybrid cells exceed 170 mAh g⁻¹ (11 mg cm⁻²) or 160 mAh g⁻¹ (6 mg cm⁻²) at rates of either 0.1 or 0.25 C. Multilayer pouch cells are projected to enable energy densities of 235 Wh L⁻¹ (6 mg cm⁻²) and even up to 356 Wh L⁻¹ (11 mg cm⁻²), clearly superior to other reported polymer-based cell designs. Polyester electrolytes are environmentally benign and safer compared to common liquid electrolytes, while the straightforward synthesis and affordability of precursors render hybrid polyester electrolytes suitable candidates for future application in solid-state lithium metal batteries.     

Visually Abstracting Event Sequences as Double Trees Enriched with Category-Based Comparison

Event sequence visualization aids analysts in many domains to better understand and infer new insights from event data. Analysing behaviour before or after a certain event of interest is a common task in many scenarios. In this paper, we introduce, formally define, and position double trees as a domain-agnostic tree visualization approach for this task. The visualization shows the sequences that led to the event of interest as a tree on the left, and those that followed on the right. Moreover, our approach enables users to create selections based on event attributes to interactively compare the events and sequences along colour-coded categories. We integrate the double tree and category-based comparison into a user interface for event sequence analysis. In three application examples, we show a diverse set of scenarios, covering short and long time spans, non-spatial and spatial events, human and artificial actors, to demonstrate the general applicability of the approach.     

Einfluss von Schmierstoffsystemen auf die Ermüdungsbeanspruchbarkeit von Schraubenverbindungen

The fatigue behavior of bolted joints is critical to failure for many applications due to the high notch effect. Among other parameters, the life-time is based on the influence of the surface system, consisting of coating and lubricant. Intended to consider the surface system in the design and dimensioning process of bolted joints systematic experimental investigations are carried out for an exemplary selected basecoat and various lubricant systems. The basis is given by fatigue tests supported by selected methods of material analysis for the fractographic evaluation. A reproducible method to determine the crack initiation as well as the crack propagation has been developed for the evaluation of lubricant systems.     

MoDMaCAO: a model-driven framework for the design,validation and configuration management of cloud applications based on OCCI

Software and Systems Modeling - To tackle the cloud-provider lock-in, the open grid forum is developing the open cloud computing interface (OCCI), a standardized interface for managing any kind of...     

Safety Evaluation for Campus Parking Garage Performance Using Fuzzy Logic

Crime has been plaguing parking garages in the United States. At The Ohio State University, (OSU) crime on campus, in general, has decreased in recent years; however, crime in OSU parking garages has remained stable in spite of campus-wide efforts to reduce crime. When assessing and evaluating parking garages, occupants employ experience-based judgment that is subjective and imprecise, yet extremely useful. When designers employ the principles of crime prevention through environmental design, they also use subjective variables. An approach that captures the imprecise information in noncrisp expressions reflecting subjective and experience-based variables is the fuzzy logic concept. This concept allows the use of mathematical operations to manipulate and operate on imprecise information or knowledge. Variables such as garage illumination and wall height were collected, fuzzified, and treated as the knowledge base of a model presented in this paper. In addition, numerous experience-based implication rules were developed and employed to evaluate subjective variables. A computer program was developed to illustrate implementation of the model.     

Generation of high-performance code based on a domain-specific language for algorithmic skeletons

The Journal of Supercomputing - Parallel programming can be difficult and error prone, in particular if low-level optimizations are required in order to reach high performance in complex...     

Making Epothilones Fluoresce: Design,Synthesis, and Biological Characterization of a Fluorescent N12‐Aza‐Epothilone (Azathilone)

A green fluorescent 12‐aza‐epothilone (azathilone) derivative has been prepared through the attachment of the 4‐nitro‐2,1,3‐benzoxadiazole (NBD) fluorophore to the 12‐nitrogen atom of the azamacrolide core structure. While less potent than natural epothilones or different N12‐acylated azathilone derivatives, NBD‐azathilone ( 3 ) promotes tubulin assembly, inhibits cancer cell proliferation in vitro and arrests the cell cycle at the G2/M transition. Most significantly, the binding of 3 to cellular microtubules (MTs) could be directly visualized by confocal fluorescence microscopy. Based on competition binding experiments with laulimalide‐stabilized MTs in vitro, the N12‐Boc substituted azathilone 1 , Epo A, and NBD‐azathilone ( 3 ) all interact with the same tubulin‐binding site. Computational studies provided a structural model of the complexes between β‐tubulin and 1 or 3 , respectively, in which the NBD moiety of 3 or the BOC moiety of 1 directly and specifically contribute to MT binding. Collectively, these data demonstrate that the cellular effects of 3 and, by inference, also of other azathilones are the result of their interactions with the cellular MT network.     

Prognostic value of blood lactate, base deficit, and oxygen-derived variables in an LD50 model of penetrating trauma

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether blood lactate, base deficit, or oxygen-derived hemodynamic variables correlate with morbidity and mortality rates in a clinically-relevant LD50 model of penetrating trauma. DESIGN: Prospective, controlled study. SETTING: University research laboratory. SUBJECTS: Anesthetized, mechanically-ventilated mongrel pigs (30+/-2 kg, n = 29). INTERVENTIONS: A captive bolt gun delivered a penetrating injury to the thigh, followed immediately by a 40% to 60% hemorrhage. After 1 hr, shed blood and supplemental crystalloid were administered for resuscitation. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: After penetrating injury, 50.7+/-0.3% hemorrhage (range 50% to 52.5%), and a 1-hr shock period, seven of 14 animals died, compared with six of six animals after 55% to 60% hemorrhage, and 0 of nine animals after < or =47.5% hemorrhage. Only two of 13 deaths occurred during fluid resuscitation. At the LD50 hemorrhage, peak lactate concentration and base deficit were 11.2+/-0.8 mM and 9.3+/-1.5 mmol/L, respectively, and minimum mixed venous oxygen saturation, systemic oxygen delivery, and systemic oxygen consumption were 33+/-5%, 380+/-83 mL/min/kg, and 177+/-35 mL/min/kg, respectively. For comparison, baseline preinjury values were 1.6+/-0.1 mM, -6.7+/-0.6 mmol/L, 71+/-3%, 2189+/-198 mL/min/kg, and 628+/-102 mL/min/kg, respectively. Of all the variables, only lactate was significantly related to blood loss before and after fluid resuscitation in the 16 survivors. However, r2 values were relatively low (.20 to .50), which indicates that only a small fraction of the hyperiactacidemia was directly related to tissue hypoperfusion. In the whole population of survivors and nonsurvivors, both lactate and base deficit (but none of the oxygen-derived variables) correlated with blood loss. CONCLUSIONS: Arterial lactate is a stronger index of blood loss after penetrating trauma than base deficit or oxygen-derived hemodynamic variables. The reliability of arterial lactate depends on several factors, such as the time after injury, the proportion of survivors and nonsurvivors in the study population, and on factors other than tissue hypoxia.