A method for predicting the probability of business network profitability

In the design phase of business collaboration, it is desirable to be able to predict the profitability of the business-to-be. Therefore, techniques to assess qualities such as costs, revenues, risks, and profitability have been previously proposed. However, they do not allow the modeler to properly manage uncertainty with respect to the design of the considered business collaboration. In many real collaboration projects today, uncertainty regarding the business’ present or future characteristics is so significant that ignoring it becomes problematic. In this paper, we propose an approach based on the predictive, probabilistic architecture modeling framework (P²AMF), capable of advanced and probabilistically sound reasoning about profitability risks. The P²AMF-based approach for profitability risk prediction is also based on the e³-value modeling language and on the object constraint language. The paper introduces the prediction and modeling approach, and a supporting software tool. The use of the approach is illustrated by means of a case study originated from the Stockholm Royal Seaport smart city project.     

Enhanced mortar approach to characterize the effect of reclaimed asphalt pavement on virgin binder true grade

The asphalt community seeks a solvent-free method to determine the properties of RAP binder and those of its blends with virgin binders. A promising approach is to test mortars composed of fine fractions of RAP and a virgin binder, and to calculate grade change rate (GCR) to predict blended binder true grade at any binder replacement rate (BRR). However, the existing mortar approach underestimates the effect of RAP on binder grade, particularly at high temperatures. This study identified the use of a shift factor in the existing method as the source of underestimations. An alternative data analysis method was developed, which eliminates the shift factor by using the relationship between binder and mortar properties. Dynamic shear rheometer tests were conducted on a total of 12 mortar combinations, including 4 virgin binders and 3 RAP sources at a BRR of 15%, and then, RAP GCR values were determined by following both the existing and the alternative methods. Satisfactory comparisons were only observed between grades predicted with the alternative method and measured values of manual RAP binder blends: the average difference was lower than 1 °C for BRR of 15 and 30%, and < 4 °C for BRR of 100%. This not only validated the alternative method but also substantiated that RAP GCR is constant, i.e., the grade of RAP blends linearly increased with BRR. Further evaluation of the enhanced mortar approach is recommended at intermediate and low temperatures as well as with blends including recycled asphalt shingles.     

Use of biofuel ashes for fertilisation of Betula pendula seedlings on nutrient-poor peat soil

Short-term effects of different doses (0.25; 0.5 and 1.0 kg m^?2) of wood ash (WA), peat ash (PA) and their mixture (MA) applied to peat substrate on the mineral composition and growth of seedlings of Betula pendula were investigated. The experiments were conducted with 1-year-old seedlings planted in vegetation pots. The pH of the substrate was increased by 0.4–0.9 units during the vegetation period compared to the control. The peat substrate was poor in nutrients, except N. The substrate treated with WA had higher concentrations of K, Mg, Mn, Fe, P, Zn, Cr and Pb, but a lower N concentration compared to the control. The substrate treated with PA had higher concentrations of Ca, Mg, N and P. The concentrations in the MA treatment were intermediate between WA and PA. The ashes increased K and lowered the concentration of Ca. A decrease in N in seedlings was found under the influence of WA and MA. An increase in K and P was found in all compartments of seedlings, while the concentrations of Ca, Mg, Cu, Zn, Cd and Cr in seedlings were affected irregularly depending on types and doses of ashes used. The uptake of Cd, Cr and Pb did not reach phytotoxic levels; however, increased concentrations of Cd and Pb were found in roots. A positive influence of ash application on growth was found. The heights and root collar diameters of all ash-fertilised treatments exceeded those of the control seedlings in most cases.     

Effect of metabolites of 7,12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene on the dynamics of its fluorescence in the skin of hairless mice

The influence of two metabolites of 7,12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene (DMBA)--7-hydromethyl-12-methylbenz(a)anthracene and 7,12-dihydroxymethylbenz(a)anthracene--on the dynamics of DMBA fluorescence was studied in the skin of mice. The first of the metabolites did not affect the dynamics of DMBA fluorescence, whereas the second one, when used in equimolar concentrations with DMBA, prolonged the duration of DMBA fluorescence in the skin. The same effect was observed in case of 7,8-benzoflavone, and inhibitor of DMBA metabolism.     

3‐Chlorooxindoles: Versatile Starting Materials for Asymmetric Organocatalytic Synthesis of Spirooxindoles

3‐Chlorooxoindoles have emerged as versatile precursors in the synthesis of spirocyclopropyl oxindoles. High enantio‐ and diastereoselectivity was attained under conditions of both iminium/enamine and H‐bonding catalysis.     

Bias dependent NO2 sensitivity of SnO2 thin films at room temperature

Amorphous granular SnO₂ thin films were investigated from a standpoint of an NO₂ gas sensor working at room temperature. The films were deposited using pulsed laser deposition method with substrate at room temperature and ～90 nm thick SnO₂ films with amorphous structure were obtained as a result. SnO₂ films deposited on Pt electrode substrates formed a sensor structure that showed response I_air/I_gas to 4 ppm NO₂ up to ～8000. I–V characteristics of the sensor structure were described by the power law dependence, whereas the power indexes were different for measurements in pure air and in the presence of NO₂. As a result, the sensor response was highly dependent on bias voltage between the sensor electrodes. It was demonstrated that the nonlinear electrical characteristics and bias dependent gas sensitivity were the inherent properties of thin films and the contacts were ohmic.     

Luminescence characterization of ultrathin MgO films of high crystallinity prepared by pulsed laser deposition

Thin MgO films with thicknesses ranging from 127 to 35 nm were prepared by pulsed laser deposition on Si substrates. The crystalline films were smooth (rms roughness 0.6–1.2 nm) with an average density of 3.5 g/cm³. Cathodoluminescence study revealed emissions peaked at 7.65 eV and ascribed to the edge emission of large radius exciton states as well as luminescence due to the F and F⁺ colour centres in the range of 2–4 eV. This luminescence is efficiently excited in the absorption band peaked at 6.2 eV and in the intrinsic absorption with the onset at 7.4 eV via energy transfer processes.     

High-performance secure multi-party computation for data mining applications

Secure multi-party computation (MPC) is a technique well suited for privacy-preserving data mining. Even with the recent progress in two-party computation techniques such as fully homomorphic encryption, general MPC remains relevant as it has shown promising performance metrics in real-world benchmarks. Sharemind is a secure multi-party computation framework designed with real-life efficiency in mind. It has been applied in several practical scenarios, and from these experiments, new requirements have been identified. Firstly, large datasets require more efficient protocols for standard operations such as multiplication and comparison. Secondly, the confidential processing of financial data requires the use of more complex primitives, including a secure division operation. This paper describes new protocols in the Sharemind model for secure multiplication, share conversion, equality, bit shift, bit extraction, and division. All the protocols are implemented and benchmarked, showing that the current approach provides remarkable speed improvements over the previous work. This is verified using real-world benchmarks for both operations and algorithms.     

Effects of drying on the gel strength and cation mobility of furcellaran

Thermal stability, by means of air drying a furcellaran powder, and its impact on gel strength and cation mobility were studied. Halogen heating in the temperature range 90–115°C for 15 min resulted in loss on drying (L_D, %). These results can be described by polynom L_D=−9.583+2.989τ−0.249τ²+0.00729τ³+0.1034t (R²=0.9976), indicating a gradual decomposition of carbohydrates. Air-drying induced a decrease in gel strength and the partial removal of potassium, calcium and sodium ions from the matrix. Air drying above 115°C yielded a remarkable destruction of polysaccharides with a total collapse in gelling power.