SMARTINT: using mined attribute dependencies to integrate fragmented web databases

Many web databases can be seen as providing partial and overlapping information about entities in the world. To answer queries effectively, we need to integrate the information about the individual entities that are fragmented over multiple sources. At first blush this is just the inverse of traditional database normalization problem—rather than go from a universal relation to normalized tables, we want to reconstruct the universal relation given the tables (sources). The standard way of reconstructing the entities will involve joining the tables. Unfortunately, because of the autonomous and decentralized way in which the sources are populated, they often do not have Primary Key–Foreign Key relations. While tables may share attributes, naive joins over these shared attributes can result in reconstruction of many spurious entities thus seriously compromising precision. Our system, SmartInt is aimed at addressing the problem of data integration in such scenarios. Given a query, our system uses the Approximate Functional Dependencies (AFDs) to piece together a tree of relevant tables to answer it. The result tuples produced by our system are able to strike a favorable balance between precision and recall.     

Direct three dimensional tomography of flames using maximization of entropy technique

Presently, there are numerous applications for non-destructive techniques like emission tomography, laser based methods and particle image velocimetry that are used to study flame characteristics. Reconstruction of the flame intensity field using emission tomography has the advantage over other technologies that it gives accurate results but at the same time requires relatively inexpensive equipment, and therefore, has numerous industrial applications. In the present paper, a new algorithm performing Direct-3D reconstruction using the maximization of entropy (MENT) methodology has been introduced. Through detailed studies using a mathematical object, it has been shown that the Direct-3D algorithm shows significantly reduced errors as compared to 2D slice-by-slice reconstruction algorithms. Secondly, the major features of the proposed algorithm, for e.g., effect of orientation, effect of number of views, and robustness have been discussed. Finally, a few qualitative results from actual flames have been presented using a candle and a gas fired burner, and the results match well with the actual flame geometry and intensity distribution.     

Inhibition of Bruton Tyrosine Kinase Reduces Neuroimmune Cascade and Promotes Recovery after Spinal Cord Injury

Microglia/astrocyte and B cell neuroimmune responses are major contributors to the neurological deficits after traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI). Bruton tyrosine kinase (BTK) activation mechanistically links these neuroimmune mechanisms. Our objective is to use Ibrutinib, an FDA-approved BTK inhibitor, to inhibit the neuroimmune cascade thereby improving locomotor recovery after SCI. Rat models of contusive SCI, Western blot, immunofluorescence staining imaging, flow cytometry analysis, histological staining, and behavioral assessment were used to evaluate BTK activity, neuroimmune cascades, and functional outcomes. Both BTK expression and phosphorylation were increased at the lesion site at 2, 7, 14, and 28 days after SCI. Ibrutinib treatment (6 mg/kg/day, IP, starting 3 h post-injury for 7 or 14 days) reduced BTK activation and total BTK levels, attenuated the injury-induced elevations in Iba1, GFAP, CD138, and IgG at 7 or 14 days post-injury without reduction in CD45RA B cells, improved locomotor function (BBB scores), and resulted in a significant reduction in lesion volume and significant improvement in tissue-sparing 11 weeks post-injury. These results indicate that Ibrutinib exhibits neuroprotective effects by blocking excessive neuroimmune responses through BTK-mediated microglia/astroglial activation and B cell/antibody response in rat models of SCI. These data identify BTK as a potential therapeutic target for SCI.     

Studies on kinetics and preparation of C36 dimer acid esters

C₃₆ Dimer acids were esterified with various short-chain alcohols, namely 2-propanol, n-butanol, n-hexanol, n-octanol, 2-octanol and 2-ethyl-1-hexanol by using sulfuric acid as catalyst and benzene as an azeotropic solvent. Various reaction parameters were standardized. In case of isopropyl esters, acid-to-alcohol mole ratio of 1:5 and sulfuric acid concentration of 2% based on the weight of dimer acids were found to be optimum. In case of straight-chain primary alcohols, namely n-butanol, n-hexanol and n-octanol, 1:2.5 mole ratio of acid to alcohol and 1% by weight of sulfuric acid were found satisfactory. Esterification reaction rates were determined from the fall in acid value of the product. The reaction followed pseudo first order kinetics. The reaction rates increased with the increase in chainlength of straight-chain primary alcohols from n-butanol to n-octanol. The rate of reaction decreased from n-octanol to 2-ethyl-1-hexanol to 2-octanol due to the branching of the chain in 2-ethyl-1-hexanol and secondary nature of the −OH group in 2-octanol.     

Monohydroxylation of unsaturated oils: III. Use of halogen intermediates

Hydroxylation of safflower and linseed oils by routes involving halogen compounds is described. A product containing 20.5% Br was obtained by treatment of safflower oil in CCl₄ solution with N-bromosuccinimide (NBS) in presence of benzoyl peroxide and UV illumination. Bromine was totally removed using Ag₂O in 50% dioxan; the resulting hydroxyl value (HV) was only 100, against an expected HV of 180, perhaps because of dehydration and ether formation. Using other silver salts, bromine replacement with hydroxyl was always incomplete. Such residual bromine was totally replaced by hydrogen, without altering other characteristics, by treatment of the product with zinc amalgam in acetic acid. Linseed oil by similar NBS bromination (Br 22.2%) and Ag₂O treatment gave a product with Br 2.9%, HV 74, conj. diene 15% and conj. triene 4%. Halogenreplacement difficulties also attended the hydrobromination of these oils at the double bonds, followed by hydroxylation. Addition of hypochlorous or hypobromous acid to safflower oil, followed by total replacement of halogen with hydrogen using zinc amalgam, yielded products of HV 75 and 83 respectively. The degree of hydroxylation was only half of that expected from the loss of unsaturation.     

Granulation time in fluidized bed granulators

Size enlargement of particles in fluidized bed granulation involves mixing of particles with a binder liquid to form larger wet granules and drying them to form dry granules. Identification of the time for completion of granulation process is critical as further fluidization of dry granules is providing extra energy for their attrition. Monitoring the bed pressure drop and bed temperature of a batch fluidized bed granulator with time can provide information on the time for completion of the granulation process. Experimental observations on granulation time and size of granules in a lab-scale batch fluidized bed granulator are presented. Model based equations are developed for the estimation of granulation time and size of granules.     

In-Place Stabilization of Pond Ash Deposits by Hydrated Lime Columns

Abandoned coal ash ponds cover up vast stretches of precious land and cause environmental problems. Application of suitable in situ stabilization methods may bring about improvement in the geotechnical properties of the ash deposit as a whole, converting it to a usable site. In this study, a technique of in-place stabilization by hydrated lime columns was applied to large-scale laboratory models of ash ponds. Samples collected from different radial distances and different depths of the ash deposit were tested to study the improvements in the water content, dry density, particle size distribution, unconfined compressive strength, pH, hydraulic conductivity, and leachate characteristics over a period of one year. The in-place stabilization by lime column technique has been found effective in increasing the unconfined compressive strength and reducing hydraulic conductivity of pond ash deposits in addition to modifying other geotechnical parameters. The method has also proved to be useful in reducing the contamination potential of the ash leachates, thus mitigating the adverse environmental effects of ash deposits.     

Strength Characteristics of Class F Fly Ash Modified with Lime and Gypsum

This paper presents the shear strength characteristics of a low lime class F fly ash modified with lime alone or in combination with gypsum. Unconfined compression tests were conducted for both unsoaked and soaked specimens cured up to 90 days. Addition of a small percentage of gypsum (0.5 and 1.0%) along with lime (4–10%) enhanced the shear strength of modified fly ash within short curing periods (7 and 28 days). The gain in unsoaked unconfined compressive strength (qu) of the fly ash was 2,853 and 3,567% at 28 and 90 days curing, respectively, for addition of 10% lime along with 1% gypsum to the fly ash. The effect of 24?h soaking showed reduction of qu varying from 30 to 2% depending on mix proportions and curing period. Unconsolidated undrained triaxial tests with pore-pressure measurements were conducted for 7 and 28 days cured specimens. The cohesion of the Class F fly ash increased up to 3,150% with addition of 10% lime along with 1% gypsum to the fly ash and cured for 28 days. The modified fly ash shows the values of Skempton’s pore-pressure parameter, Af similar to that of over consolidated soils. The effects of lime content, gypsum content, and curing period on the shear strength parameters of the fly ash are highlighted herein. Empirical relationships are proposed to estimate the design parameters like deviatoric stress at failure, and cohesion of the modified fly ash. Thus, this modified fly ash with considerable shear strength may find potential use in civil engineering construction fields.     

GIS Approach of Delineation and Risk Assessment of Areas Affected by Arsenic Pollution in Drinking Water

The objective of this study is to analyze health effects of arsenic pollution of drinking water using a geographical information system (GIS). The paper reports the regional impact of arsenic contamination in six administrative blocks of the central part of the Murshidabad district, West Bengal, India. In this area about 1,248,580 people are exposed to arsenic pollution out of whom 388,316 people are exposed to arsenic concentrations above 0.05?mg/L, the WHO maximum permissible level of arsenic in drinking water. The study estimates that 65% of the total area of the six blocks has arsenic concentrations below 0.05?mg/L, 26.12% of the area has arsenic concentrations above 0.05?mg/L, and for the rest of the area no arsenic distribution data available. The total number of expected death cases has been estimated considering the percent of risk involved in a concentration range and corresponding total population using such water for drinking purpose. The analysis forecasts that 11,890 people may risk death due to arsenic pollution in the whole life span. The maximum number of death cases is expected in Domkal and Beldanga 1 blocks and the minimum number of death cases is expected in Block Bhagabangola 2. This study also reports a comparison between the theoretical expectation of death cases and actual reported arsenicosis cases for the Domkal block. The areas of theoretical expectation and the areas of actually reported cases match fairly well except in a few cases. The present study helps planning and implementing of priority-based arsenic mitigation options.     

Synthesis and properties of manganese-doped barium titanate

An oxalate route for the production of BaTiO₃ has been modified to incorporate Mn (upto 2%) as a dopant and the reaction sequence has been studied. The resulting Mn-doped BaTiO₃ exhibits a dielectric constant with an increasing insensitivity to temperature and applied a.c. field as the Mn content is increased. These samples possess a high electrical resistivity even after treatment in hydrogen at 1100°C and are therefore suitable as dielectric for multilayer capacitors with base metal electrodes.