Gaming the Regulator: A Survey

Many regulators use benchmarking as part of the incentive-based regulation of natural monopolies so as to reduce the possibilities for gaming. However, the use of benchmarking can lead firms to pursue virtual rather than true performance improvements by gaming the regulator’s benchmarking in a number of ways that are contrary to the intentions of the scheme.     

Fast and Compact 16 by 16 Cellular Neural Network Implementation

The paper presents a Cellular Neural Network implementation based on a high gain sigmoid operation. The required simplifications to the original theory are described that allow the use of high gain. With this design black and white images can be processed. The basic building blocks in a cell are described. A 16×16 cells network has been designed and processed with 1.2 micron CMOS technology. Measurement results which show the operation of the network are presented.     

Potential of microbial growth control in water hydraulic systems by UV‐irradiation and filtration

Water hydraulic systems use water as a pressure medium and, thus, do not pose such adverse environmental impacts as oil hydraulics. Microbial deterioration of the pressure medium and biofouling of the surfaces restrict the applicability of the water‐based technology. The potential of microbial growth control by UV‐irradiation and filtration was studied in a pilot‐scale water hydraulic system. The UV‐irradiation (25 m Ws cm^?2) of the pressure medium reduced the total viable counts of bacteria by 1–2 log₁₀ cfu cm^?3, whereas the total microbial cell numbers and the numbers of surface‐attached microorganisms remained unaffected. Prefiltration (1.2 µm, absolute) of the pressure medium decreased the total microbial cell number in the water phase and retarded the attachment of bacteria. The filtration during the operation (2 µm, absolute) decreased the total numbers of microbial cells and the total viable counts in the pressure medium, and microbial attachment on the surfaces. Microbial attachment was not prevented by filtration. The microbial water quality obtained by pre‐ and on‐line filtration of the pressure medium was sufficient to ensure the long‐term operation of the water hydraulic system assuming that clean work practices are complied with in assembly and during the operation. © 2002 Society of Chemical Industry     

Simultaneous hydrolysis and fermentation of pulp mill primary clarifier sludge

Bioconversion of sludge from the primary clarifier of a sulphite pulping operation to ethanol offers a number of advantages over conventional disposal options. The amount of material which must be disposed of is reduced while, at the same time, salable and environmentally friendly fuel-ethanol is produced. In this study, primary clarifier sludge (PCS) was shown to be hydrolysed to produce fermentable sugars at a rate proportional to enzyme loading. Initial (1 hour) hydrolysis rates as high as 12.6 g reducing sugar/L · h were observed at an initial enzyme loading of 10 filter paper units (FPU)/g. Hydrolysis was inhibited by spent sulphite liquor (SSL), an inhibition which could be completely overcome by fermenting the SSL to remove sugars. Surfactants were found to only marginally improve the production of sugars. To reduce the deleterious effects of end product inhibition, single stage simultaneous hydrolysis and fermentation (SHF) was carried out using cellulase enzymes and Saccharomyces cerevisiae.     

Effects of personal,psychosocial and occupational factors on low back pain severity in workers

Low back pain (LBP) remains the most common work-related musculoskeletal disorder (WMSD). While most of the LBP research has focused on occupational risk factors, other underlying causal mechanisms may exist since not all workers performing the same task develop an injury. Previous research has identified three primary risk factor categories for LBP (occupational, personal and psychosocial factors); however, few studies have investigated the impact of cross categorical risk factor interactions on LBP. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of occupational, personal and psychosocial factors, and their interactions, on LBP severity in a population of workers currently suffering from LBP. Sixty LBP patients recruited for the study through local physicians and local announcements, completed questionnaires relating to identified occupational, personal and psychosocial risk factors, and completed an Oswestry Disability Index (ODI). Multiple regression models for predicting LBP severity were developed for each risk factor category and for a combined risk factor model (which included factors from all three risk factor categories) that included two-way interactions. Results showed that the final model consisted of both main effects and interaction terms between risk factor categories and had an adjusted R² value of 0.85, a significant improvement over models developed for the individual categories. These findings illustrate the need to consider all three broad categories of risk factors simultaneously in predicting injury status and in developing effective potential intervention efforts.     

Solubility of gases in a hydroformylation solvent

The solubility of reactants used in homogeneously catalyzed hydroformylation of alkene was studied in a pressurized, semi-batch autoclave. The solubilities of alkene, carbon monoxide and hydrogen in the 2,2,4-trimethyl-1,3-pentanediol mono(2-methylpropanoate) solvent (NX 795) were determined by precise pressure and weight measurements. The measured solubilities were tested against empirical and theoretical models. Logarithmic empirical models gave a very good fit to experimental solubility data. To obtain nonempirical equations for the gas solubility, thermodynamic models based on activity coefficients and equations of state were used. The activity coefficient models based on regular solution theory (RST) predicted the solubilities well, but the selection of the model is the critical issue. For 1-butene, the best prediction was provided by the Yen and McKetta modification of the RST, whereas for carbon monoxide and hydrogen it was necessary to include a mixing entropy term in the RST. The Soave-Redlich-Kwong equation of state gave a fairly good prediction of the solubilities, but not as good as the RST-based models.     

Furfural Oxidation with Hydrogen Peroxide Over ZSM-5 Based Micro-Mesoporous Aluminosilicates

Micro-mesoporous aluminosilicates based on ZSM-5 zeolite, obtained by a dual template method, as well as in the presence of a dual-functional template (i.e. a Gemini-type surfactant), were tested in the oxidation of furfural with hydrogen peroxide. Even substantial changes in acidity and porosity of the catalysts result in minor variations of selectivity towards the desired products. Application of the synthesized zeolite-based materials in the oxidation of furfural with hydrogen peroxide leads to formation of 2(5H)-furanone (yield up to 28.5%) and succinic acid (up to 19.5%) as the main C4 reaction products. The kinetic model developed previously to treat the results for oxidation of furfural over sulfated zirconia was able to describe the data also for micro-mesoporous aluminosilicates.

Graphical Abstract

     

Tetranorsesquiterpenoids as Attractants of Yucca Moths to Yucca Flowers

Journal of Chemical Ecology - The obligate pollination mutualism between Yucca and yucca moths is a classical example of coevolution. Oviposition and active pollination by female yucca moths occur...     

Usability study of ME2.0

Mobile context-aware applications execute in the background of hosts mobile devices. The applications source process and aggregate hosts’ contextual and personal information. This information is disclosed to ubiquitously pervasive services that adapt their offerings to individual preferences. Unfortunately, many developers continue to ignore the user perspective in context-aware application designs as they complicate their overall task and generate exponential requirements. The additional incorporation of privacy mechanisms in context-aware applications to safeguard context and personal information disclosures also complicates users’ tasks resulting to misconfigured or completely abandoned applications. Misconfigured applications give end-users a false assurance of privacy exposing them to comprising services. We present a usability study on Mobile Electronic Personality Version 2 a privacy enhanced context-aware mobile application for personalising ubiquitous services and adapting pervasive smart-spaces. We draw conclusions on key issues related to user needs, based on user interviews, surveys, prototypes and field evaluations. Users’ needs are evaluated against five themes, learn-ability, efficiency, memorability, errors, satisfaction and privacy contention. In addition, design layout preferences, privacy manageability and consensus design comprehension are also evaluated. Clarity of priorities in context-aware mobile applications shaped by usability studies effectively increases the acceptance of levels of potential users.     

Electromyographic evaluation of a bed assistive device for abdominal surgery patients in postoperative care

OBJECTIVE: Muscle activity with and without the use of commercially available patient assistive devices during bed rising and lowering was quantified. BACKGROUND: Limited research is available in understanding or evaluating the physical benefits of assistive devices for patient use following major abdominal surgery. METHODS: Twenty healthy participants (9 men, 11 women) took part in a laboratory study to test the effects of device configuration (five levels) and bed elevation angle (0 degree and 30 degrees) on mean and peak upper and lower rectus abdominis and external oblique concentric and eccentric muscle activity. RESULTS: Reduced muscle activity was associated with the use of an assistive device, as compared with manual bed rising (unassisted). Positioning the devices at a higher anchor height and/or increasing the bed elevation angle further reduced muscle activity. Objective and subjective differences between the two assistive devices evaluated in the study were found. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that self-assistive devices may speed recovery because of reduced loads on damaged tissues. APPLICATION: Potential applications of this research include the assessment of other commercially available lift aids or comparisons of self-assistive lift aids with hospital-housed lift aids used to speed recovery rates.