A broader view on the limitations of information processing and communication by nature

Several new and broader views on computation in Nature and by Nature, and on its limitations and barriers are presented and analysed briefly. Quantum information precessing, global network information processing and cosmology-based information processing theories are seen as three extreme, but well-founded approaches to computation by Nature. It is also emphasized that a search for barriers and limitations in information processing as well as attempts to overcome their barriers or to shift limitations, can have deep impacts on science, especially if they are accompanied by a search for limitations and barriers also in communication and security. It is demonstrated that a search for barriers in communications brings a lot of interesting and deep outcomes. Computational and communication complexity is shown to play an important role in evaluating various approaches to get through barriers that current physical theories impose. It is also argued that a search for barriers and limitations concerning feasibility in information processing and physical worlds are of equal or maybe even of larger importance than those to overcome the Church-Turing barrier and some communication barriers. It is also emphasized that relations between information processing in the real and virtual worlds, or between physical and information worlds, are likely very deep and more complex than realized. All that has even broader sense than usually realized because we are witnessing a radical shift in the main characterization of the current science in general. A shift from so called Galilean science dominated by mathematics, to the Informatics (based) science - an informatics methodology based science and technology. This is an extended version of a paper (Thies et al. 2006) that appeared in the 12th International Meeting on DNA Computing, June, 2006.     

A Method for Thermal Diffusivity Determination of Thermal Insulators

A so-called “three-point” (3P) method has been developed for thermal diffusivity measurements of thermal insulating materials. One side of a cylindrical specimen, sandwiched between two thin metal plates, is subjected to intense light from an incandescent lamp to generate a thermal perturbance. The temperature response is measured in three locations along the test specimen. Thermocouples are located at the front and rear faces of the specimen, and the third is placed inside the specimen at a known location. The two outside temperatures are used as boundary conditions, and the unknown thermal diffusivity is calculated from the third temperature versus time curve. The method combines the advantages of rapid transient non-contact heating methods with the well-defined boundary conditions of steady-state methods. The results of the 3P method are compared with those from steady-state methods for a micro-porous insulation material and for a honeycomb structure.     

Optimization control of bionics shell roofs subjected to snow skidding

Dynamic identification and optimization of bionics shell roofs subjected to the snow skidding is dealt with in present paper. The optimization control of structural geometry in order to induce the aimed snow skidding with reduction of dead weight snow loads is aimed. Theoretical, numerical and experimental in situ assessments based on wave approaches of the problem are presented. Structural application in situ on attractive shell roof made of laminated wood with optimization control suggested is presented. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Basic theorem as representation of heterogeneous concept lattices

We propose a method for representing heterogeneous concept lattices as classical concept lattices. Particularly, we describe a transformation of heterogeneous formal context into a binary one, such that corresponding concept lattices will be isomorphic. We prove the correctness of this transformation by the basic theorem for heterogeneous as well as classical concept lattices.     

The influence of the die and floating plug geometry on the drawing process of tubing

Nowadays, the development of tube drawing process with a floating plug technique has moved our limit up to the production of thick-walled tubes; production of which still belongs to marginal techniques which are different from drawing of standard tubes. The submitted paper is basically a survey of research in fundamental characteristics of tube drawing with a floating plug with the aim to summarize some important results from the theory, which have not yet been published in any English publication. The purpose of this survey is to fill the gap in English literature to promote transfer and exploitation of knowledge. Research in fundamental characteristics was further developed and conditions under which it is possible to draw thick-walled tubes are defined. Confirmed possibility of thick-walled tubes drawing with support provided by a floating plug having negative overlap is the result of theoretical study and practical verification, which enables further moving of drawing process limit.     

Multiple stacked SB-based heterostructures

The subject invention comprises a plurality of serially connected small volume photovoltaic devices. A single device includes a first layer of n+ doped InSb, a second layer of doped IDAs1-xSbx and a third layer of p+ doped InSb. From 2-50 of these devices are grown by either a low-pressure MOCVD or MBE process to a maximum thickness of about 10 mum. Alternatively, the first layer may be n+ doped InyGal-y, Sb the second layer p+ doped InAsl-xSbx and the third layer InyGal-ySb, repeated to a maximum thickness of 10 m.     

Microstructure,Phase Occurrence,and Corrosion Behavior of As-Solidified and As-Annealed Al-Pd Alloys

In the present work, we studied the microstructure, phase constitution, and corrosion performance of Al₈₈Pd₁₂, Al₇₇Pd₂₃, Al₇₂Pd₂₈, and Al₆₇Pd₃₃ alloys (metal concentrations are given in at.%). The alloys were prepared by repeated arc melting of Al and Pd granules in argon atmosphere. The as-solidified samples were further annealed at 700 °C for 500 h. The microstructure and phase constitution of the as-solidified and as-annealed alloys were studied by scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy, and x-ray diffraction. The alloys were found to consist of (Al), ε _n (~ Al₃Pd), and δ (Al₃Pd₂) in various fractions. The corrosion testing of the alloys was performed in aqueous NaCl (0.6 M) using a standard 3-electrode cell monitored by potentiostat. The corrosion current densities and corrosion potentials were determined by Tafel extrapolation. The corrosion potentials of the alloys were found between ? 763 and ? 841 mV versus Ag/AgCl. An active alloy dissolution has been observed, and it has been found that (Al) was excavated, whereas Al in ε _n was de-alloyed. The effects of bulk chemical composition, phase occurrence and microstructure on the corrosion behavior are evaluated. The local nobilities of ε _n and δ are discussed. Finally, the conclusions about the alloy’s corrosion resistance in saline solutions are provided.     

Progress on large area n‐type silicon solar cells with front laser doping and a rear emitter

We report on the progress of imec's n‐type passivated emitter, rear totally diffused rear junction silicon solar cells. Selective laser doping has been introduced in the flow, allowing the implementation of a shallow diffused front surface field and a reduction of the recombination current in the contact area. Simplifications have been implemented towards a more industrial annealing sequence, by replacing expensive forming gas annealing steps with a belt furnace annealing. By applying these improvements, together with an advanced texturing process and emitter passivation by atomic layer deposition of Al₂O₃, 22.5% efficient cells (three busbars) have been realized on commercial 156 · 156 mm² Czochralski‐Si. This result has been independently confirmed by ISE CalLab. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Rate-distortion driven decoder-side bitplane mode decision for distributed video coding

Distributed video coding (DVC) features simple encoders but complex decoders, which lies in contrast to conventional video compression solutions such as H.264/AVC. This shift in complexity is realized by performing motion estimation at the decoder side instead of at the encoder, which brings a number of problems that need to be dealt with. One of these problems is that, while employing different coding modes yields significant coding gains in classical video compression systems, it is still difficult to fully exploit this in DVC without increasing the complexity at the encoder side. Therefore, in this paper, instead of using an encoder-side approach, techniques for decoder-side mode decision are proposed. A rate-distortion model is derived that takes into account the position of the side information in the quantization bin. This model is then used to perform mode decision at the coefficient level and bitplane level. Average rate gains of 13–28% over the state-of-the-art DISCOVER codec are reported, for a GOP of size four, for several test sequences.     

Effect of seed treatments on the chemical composition and properties of two amaranth species: starch and protein

The seeds of two Amaranth species were studied. The starch contents were 543 and 623 g kg^?1 while crude protein contents were 154 and 169 g kg^?1 for Amaranthus caudatus and Amaranthus cruentus seeds, respectively. The effect of several treatments, including cooking, popping and germination and flour air classification on the protein and starch properties were studied. Air classification decreased the starch content and increased the protein content, while heating increased the protein but did not affect the starch content. Germination decreased both starch and protein contents. Amylose content was increased by air classification and heating, but was not affected by germination. It was found that all treatments increased the starch swelling power and reduced the falling number. The resistant starch content was increased in the high protein flour (HPF) fraction and germinated flour compared with the raw flour, while its content decreased in the heat treated seed flours. These processes also affected the starch gelatinization temperature and peak viscosity. The thermal properties of the starch flour were not affected by air classification while gelatinization energy was decreased significantly (by 52.0 and 90.0% and by 70.0 and 95.0%) in cooked and popped A caudatus and A cruentus seed flours, respectively. The gelatinization energy was highest in germinated seeds dried at 90 °C with values of 2.67 and 3.87 J g^?1. Air classification reduced the level of all protein fractions. Thermal treatment decreased the water‐soluble fraction (albumins + globulins) and alcohol‐soluble fraction (prolamins) in both species. The levels of all fractions except the water‐soluble fraction (albumins + globulins) were reduced significantly in both species by germination, which mainly increased the amount of aspartic acid, serine and alanine, while the amounts of threonine, arginine and tyrosine decreased in both species. The polypeptide bands of the HPF in both species were unchanged compared with the raw seed flours, but more intensive coloured bands were observed. Thermal treatments eliminated major and minor bands above 35.0 KDa in both species. Copyright © 2004 Society of Chemical Industry