A configuration deactivation algorithm for boosting probabilistic roadmap planning of robots

We present a method to improve the execution time used to build the roadmap in probabilistic roadmap planners. Our method intelligently deactivates some of the configurations during the learning phase and allows the planner to concentrate on those configurations that are most likely going to be useful when building the roadmap. The method can be used with many of the existing sampling algorithms. We ran tests with four simulated robot problems typical in robotics literature. The sampling methods applied were purely random, using Halton numbers, Gaussian distribution, and bridge test technique. In our tests, the deactivation method clearly improved the execution times. Compared with pure random selections, the deactivation method also significantly decreased the size of the roadmap, which is a useful property to simplify roadmap planning tasks.     

Enzymatic hydrolysis of oat and soya lecithin: Effects on functional properties

Enzymatic hydrolysis of oat and soy lecithins and its effects on the functional properties of lecithins were investigated. The phospholipase used was most efficient at low enzyme and substrate concentrations. More fatty acids were released from soy lecithin than from oat lecithin. The maximum degree of hydrolysis was 760 μmol free fatty acids per gram soy lecithin and 170 μmol free fatty acids per gram oat lecithin. On the basis of the total carbohydrate and phosphorus contents in the polar fractions of the lecithins, oat lecithin contained more glycolipids and less phospholipids than soy lecithin. With regard to functional properties, the stability of oil-in-water emulsions was enhanced by hydrolyzed soy lecithin and by crude and hydrolyzed oat lecithins, but only hydrolyzed soy lecithin prevented the recrystallization of barley starch. The dissociation enthalpy of amylose-lipid-complex (AML-complex) was significantly higher when hydrolyzed soy lecithin was present. Hydrolyzed oat lecithin slightly affected the dissociation enthalpy of AML-complex. The other lecithins had no effect on recrystallization or dissociation enthalpies in the barley-starch matrix.     

The effect of mental workload on the visual field size and shape.

Mental workload is known to reduce the area of one's visual field, but little is known about its effects on the shape of the visual field. Considering this, the visual fields of 13 subjects were measured concurrently under three levels of mental workload using a Goldmann visual perimeter. Tone counting tasks were employed to induce mental workload, avoiding interference with visual performance. Various methods of shape measurement and analysis were used to investigate the variation of the shape of the visual field as a function of mental load. As expected, the mean area of visual fields reduced to 92.2% in the medium workload condition and to 86.41% under heavy workload, compared to light load condition. This tunnelling effect was not uniform, but resulted in statistically significant shape distortion as well, as measured by the majority of the 12 shape indices used here. These results have visual performance implications in many tasks that are susceptible to changes in visual fields and peripheral vision. Knowledge of the dynamics of the visual field as a function of mental workload can offer significant advantages also in mathematical modelling of visual search.     

Hydrolysis of Brewers' Spent Grain by Carbohydrate Degrading Enzymes

In this work four commercial cellulase‐hemicellulase mixtures with different activity profiles were used for solubilization of carbohydrates from brewers' spent grain (BSG). After the enzyme treatment, both the solubilised fraction and the unhydrolysed residue were characterized. Treatment with 5,000 nkat/g xylanase for 5 h at 50°C resulted in the solubilisation of 13–14% of the BSG dry weight as monosaccharides. This corresponded to the solubilisation of 26–28% of the original carbohydrates and 30–34% of original arabinoxylans, depending on the enzyme cocktail used. The relatively low hydrolysis level indicates that the majority of the BSG biomass is rather recalcitrant towards the cellulose‐hemicellulase enzyme mixtures applied in this study. The enzyme activity profile had a crucial impact on the chemistry of the oligosaccharides produced through the solubilisation of BSG. The presence of feruloyl esterase (FAE) activity in the enzyme cocktail resulted in the production of free ferulic acid, arabinoxylo‐oligosaccharides and their corresponding monomers. However, when the enzyme mixture was devoid of FAE activity, ferulic acid was still bound to the oligosaccharides. The unhydrolysed fraction was still found to contain over 40% of carbohydrates after enzymatic treatment despite the extensive enzyme dosages used. The protein fraction remained largely unaffected (i.e. insoluble) by the carbohydrate‐disrupting enzyme treatments. In addition to the recalcitrant carbohydrates, the residue was enriched with lignin and lipid type structures.     

Impact of PLGA molecular behavior in the feed solution on the drug release kinetics of spray dried microparticles

The purpose of this study was to understand the impact of the poly (lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) molecular behavior in the feed solution on the drug release kinetics of PLGA microparticles prepared via spray drying. The PLGA molecular behavior in the feed solutions were characterized by using tube viscometry, which provides information about the polymer coil radius (R_coil), the Martin constant (K_m), and the overlap concentration (c*). The particle size and the drug surface enrichment were investigated by using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), respectively. The drug release profiles were characterized by using the USP paddle method and analyzed by using the Crank's diffusion model to calculate the kinetic parameters. Multivariate data analysis using principal component analysis (PCA) was employed to display the relationship between the PLGA molecular behavior, particle properties and the drug release kinetics from the spray dried PLGA microparticles. Rheological studies suggested that an increased molar ratio of a poor solvent (methanol) in the solvent system resulted in a decreased R_coil, the increase in K_m and c*. The higher effective diffusion coefficient of drug calculated by using the Crank's diffusion model was observed in the polymer matrix prepared at an acetone-to-methanol molar ratio of 69:31. The PCA models indicated that the drug surface enrichment and the K_m were directly proportional to the drug burst release, while the entanglement index was inversely correlated. Further, the particle size had a less significant impact on the drug burst release. This study implies that the polymer molecular behavior would influence the microscopic connectivity and diffusivity of polymer matrix, which eventually affects the drug release kinetics.     

Characterization of melt‐compounded and masterbatch‐diluted polypropylene composites filled with several fillers

The effect of various fillers on the mechanical, barrier, and flammability properties of polypropylene (PP) was studied. PP was filled with 4 wt% of nano‐sized calcium carbonate, titanium dioxide, organoclay, and multiwalled carbon nanotube (MWCNT). For comparison, micron‐sized calcium carbonate was also studied. Two‐step masterbatch dilution approach of the composites suggested no or only minor improvements in Young's modulus and tensile yield strength, whereas their ductility decreased compared to coupling agent‐modified PP matrix. The water vapor transmission results of filled films showed increased permeability compared to their coupling agent‐modified counterpart. Oxygen permeability, however, decreased for the composites. The MWCNT‐filled matrix showed the highest barrier and fire performance, attributed mainly to its higher filler volume content, but also other reasons such as the effect of filler dispersion, composite's thermal stability, and polymer crystallinity were discussed.POLYM. COMPOS., 2013. © 2013 Society of Plastics Engineers     

Stream water hydrochemistry as an indicator of carbon flow paths in Finnish peatland catchments during a spring snowmelt event

Extreme hydrological events are known to contribute significantly to total annual carbon export, the largest of which in Arctic and boreal catchments is spring snowmelt. Whilst previous work has quantified the export of carbon during snowmelt, the source of the carbon remains unclear. Here we use cation hydrochemistry to trace the primary flowpaths which govern the export of carbon during the snowmelt period; specifically we aim to examine the importance of snowpack meltwater to catchment carbon export. The study was carried out in two forested peatland (drained and undrained) catchments in Eastern Finland. Both catchments were characterised by base-poor stream water chemistry, with cation concentrations generally decreasing in response to increasing discharge. Streamflow during the snowmelt period was best described as a mixture of three sources: pre-event water, snowpack meltwater and a third dilute component we attribute to the upper snow layer which was chemically similar to recent precipitation. Over the study period, pre-event water contributed 32% and 43% of the total stream runoff in Välipuro (undrained) and Suopuro (drained), respectively. The results also suggest a greater near-surface throughflow component in Suopuro, the drained catchment, prior to snowmelt. CO₂ and DOC concentrations correlated positively with cation concentrations in both catchments indicating a common, peat/groundwater flowpath. CH₄ concentrations were significantly higher in the drained catchment and appeared to be transported in near-surface throughflow. Meltwater from the snowpack represented an important source of stream water CO₂ in both catchments, contributing up to 49% of total downstream CO₂ export during the study period. We conclude that the snowpack represents a potentially important, and often overlooked, transient carbon store in boreal snow-covered catchments.     

Enhancement of hydrogen production by the filamentous non-heterocystous cyanobacterium Arthrospira sp. PCC 8005

The efficiency of hydrogen production by different cyanobacterial species depends on several external factors. We report here the factors enhancing hydrogen production by filamentous non-heterocystous cyanobacterium Arthrospira sp. PCC 8005. Cells adapted to dark-anaerobic conditions produced hydrogen consistent with increased hydrogenase activity when supplemented with Fe²⁺. Stimulation of hydrogen production could be achieved by addition of reductants, either dithiothreitol or β-mercaptoethanol with higher production observed with the latter. Additionally, Fe²⁺ and β-mercaptoethanol added to nitrogen- and sulphur-deprived cells significantly stimulated H₂ production with maximal value of 5.91 ± 0.14 μmol H₂ mg Chla⁻¹ h⁻¹. Glucose and a small increase of osmolality imposed by either NaCl or sorbitol enhanced hydrogen production. High rates of hydrogen production were obtained in cells adapted in nitrogen-deprived medium with neutral and alkaline external pH, significant decrease of hydrogen production occurred under acidic external pH.     

High-Pressure Gelatinization of Barley Starch at Low Moisture Levels and Elevated Temperature

High-pressure gelatinization of barley starch at low water contents and at elevated temperature was performed in a differential scanning calorimeter equipped with a pressure chamber. Microscopic examination of the samples showed complete loss of birefringence and rupture of granular structure in most samples. The results indicated that enthalpy levels much higher than those in high-moisture gelatinization are needed to attain proper gelatinization and plastification of starch at low water contents.