High-Order Compact Schemes with Filters on Multi-block Domains

This paper presents the results of using high-order compact schemes with a high-order filter on multi-block domains. The Linearized Euler Equations (LEE) are solved on a uniform mesh for benchmark problems in one and two dimensions. Also a two dimensional mixing layer is solved by using Large-Eddy Simulation (LES). Three different boundary schemes are compared. The results compare well with the exact solutions and single-block domain results. The effect of the number of points of overlap among the subdomains is investigated. Having four points of overlap is chosen as a compromise between accuracy and efficiency.     

Conjugated Polymer Nanoparticle–Graphene Oxide Charge‐Transfer Complexes

The game‐changing role of graphene oxide (GO) in tuning the excitonic behavior of conjugated polymer nanoparticles is described for the first time. This is demonstrated by using poly(3‐hexylthiophene) (P3HT) as a benchmark conjugated polymer and employing an in situ reprecipitation approach resulting in P3HT nanoparticles (P3HT_NPs) with sizes of 50–100 nm in intimate contact with GO. During the self‐assembly process, GO changes the crystalline packing of P3HT chains in the forming P3HT_NPs from H to H/J aggregates exhibiting exciton coupling constants as low as 2 meV, indicating favorable charge separation along the P3HT chains. Concomitantly, π–π interface interactions between the P3HT_NPs and GO sheets are established resulting in the creation of P3HT_NPs–GO charge‐transfer complexes whose energy bandgaps are lowered by up to 0.5 eV. Moreover, their optoelectronic properties, preestablished in the liquid phase, are retained when processed into thin films from the stable aqueous dispersions, thus eliminating the critical dependency on external processing parameters. These results can be transferred to other types of conjugated polymers. Combined with the possibility of employing water based “green” processing technologies, charge‐transfer complexes of conjugated polymer nanoparticles and GO open new pathways for the fabrication of improved optoelectronic thin film devices.     

Simulating weld-fusion boundary microstructures in aluminum alloys

A fundamental study of weld-fusion boundary microstructure evolution in aluminum alloys was conducted in an effort to understand equiaxed grain zone formation and fusion boundary nucleation and growth phenomena. In addition to commercial aluminum alloys, experimental Mg-bearing alloys with Zr and Sc additions were studied along with the widely used Cu- and Licontaining alloy 2195-T8. This article describes work conducted to clarify the interrelation among composition, base metal substrate, and temperature as they relate to nucleation and growth phenomena at the fusion boundary. Anastasios D. Kostrivas, a Ph.D. candidate at Ohio State University when this research was conducted, is currently senior project leader in the Materials, Corrosion, Arcs and Surfacing Department, TWI Ltd, Granta Park, UK.     

Exploiting tf-idf in deep Convolutional Neural Networks for Content Based Image Retrieval

Multimedia Tools and Applications - In this paper, a novel term frequency-inverse document frequency (tf-idf) based method that utilizes deep Convolutional Neural Networks (CNN) for Content Based...     

Challenges and opportunities in renovating public sector information by enabling linked data and analytics

Linked Data has become the current W3C recommended approach for publishing data on the World Wide Web as it is sharable, extensible, and easily re-usable. An ecosystem of linked data hubs in the Public Sector has the potential to offer significant benefits to its consumers (other public offices and ministries, as well as researchers, citizens and SMEs), such as increased accessibility and re-use value of their data through the use of web-scale identifiers and easy interlinking with datasets of other public data providers. The power and flexibility of the schema-defying Linked Data, however, is counterbalanced by inborn factors that diminish the potential for cost-effective and efficient adoption by the Public Sector. The paper analyzes these challenges in view of the current state-of-the-art in linked data technologies and proposes a technical framework that aims to hide the underlying complexity of linked data while maintaining and promoting the interlinking capabilities enabled by the Linked Data Paradigm. The paper presents the innovations behind our proposed solutions as well as their advantages, especially for the non-expert users.     

Heat-resistant adhesive resins derived from bismaleimides and bisnadimides containing amide linkages

A novel class of bismaleimides and bisnadimides containing amide linkages in their backbones were synthesized and characterized. The synthesis of these polymer precursors was carried out by reacting a diamine containing amide linkages with maleic/nadic anhydride. They were alternatively prepared by reacting the monomaleamic/monoadiamic acid of an aromatic diamine (1 mol) with terephthaloyl chloride (0.5 mol) and subsequent cyclodehydration. The latter new preparation method circumvented the hydrogeneration necessary in the first method of synthesis. The monomers were characterized by infrared (IR) and proton nuclear magnetic resonance (¹H-NMR) spectroscopy. Differential thermal analysis (DTA) of monomers showed that bisnadimide and bismethylnadimide were polymerized at lower temperatures than the corresponding bismaleimide. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) in nitrogen and air atmosphere revealed that all polymers were stable up to 321–363°C. Their char yield at 800°C under anaerobic conditions was 49–67%.     

Growth of conformal single-walled carbon nanotube films from Mo/Fe/Al2O3 deposited by electron beam evaporation

We discuss growth of high-quality carbon nanotube (CNT) films on bare and microstructured silicon substrates by atmospheric pressure thermal chemical vapor deposition (CVD), from a Mo/Fe/Al₂O₃ catalyst film deposited by entirely electron beam evaporation. High-density films having a tangled morphology and a Raman G/D ratio of at least 20 are grown over a temperature range of 750-900 °C. H₂ is necessary for CNT growth from this catalyst in a CH₄ environment, and at 875 °C the highest yield is obtained from a mixture of 10%/90% H₂/CH₄. We demonstrate for the first time that physical deposition of the catalyst film enables growth of uniform and conformal CNT films on a variety of silicon microstructures, including vertical sidewalls fabricated by reactive ion etching and angled surfaces fabricated by anisotropic wet etching. Our results confirm that adding Mo to Fe promotes high-yield SWNT growth in H₂/CH₄; however, Mo/Fe/Al₂O₃ gives poor-quality multi-walled CNTs (MWNTs) in H₂/C₂H₄. An exceptional yield of vertically-aligned MWNTs grows from only Fe/Al₂O₃ in H₂/C₂H₄. These results emphasize the synergy between the catalyst and gas activity in determining the morphology, yield, and quality of CNTs grown by CVD, and enable direct growth of CNT films in micromachined systems for a variety of applications.     

Matrix Recipes for Hard Thresholding Methods

In this paper, we present and analyze a new set of low-rank recovery algorithms for linear inverse problems within the class of hard thresholding methods. We provide strategies on how to set up these algorithms via basic ingredients for different configurations to achieve complexity vs. accuracy tradeoffs. Moreover, we study acceleration schemes via memory-based techniques and randomized, ?-approximate matrix projections to decrease the computational costs in the recovery process. For most of the configurations, we present theoretical analysis that guarantees convergence under mild problem conditions. Simulation results demonstrate notable performance improvements as compared to state-of-the-art algorithms both in terms of reconstruction accuracy and computational complexity.     

Barriers to the Adoption of B2B e-Marketplaces by Large Enterprises: Lessons Learned From the Hellenic Aerospace Industry

This article investigates the main barriers to the adoption of B2B e-marketplaces by large enterprises and at the same time the expected benefits that push in the opposite direction towards the adoption, through a case study conducted at the Hellenic Aerospace Industry (HAI), one of the largest industrial enterprises of Greece. The evidence collected from this case has been analyzed using various frameworks from the literature and also the innovation diffusion theory of Rogers, and shed light on the specificity of the large enterprises concerning e-marketplaces adoption.     

How strong is Nisan?s pseudo-random generator?

We study the resilience of the classical pseudo-random generator (PRG) of Nisan (1992) [6] against space-bounded machines that make multiple passes over the input. Nisan?s PRG is known to fool log-space machines that read the input once. We ask what are the limits of this PRG regarding log-space machines that make multiple passes over the input. We show that for every constant k Nisan?s PRG fools log-space machines that make passes over the input, using a seed of length , for some k^′>k. We complement this result by showing that in general Nisan?s PRG cannot fool log-space machines that make nO(1) passes even for a seed of length . The observations made in this note outline a more general approach in understanding the difficulty of derandomizing BPNC¹.