Politics,public servants,and profits: Institutional complexity and temporary hybridization in a public infrastructure alliance project

Public infrastructure projects must comply with the divergent and even conflicting demands of multiple institutional logics causing institutional complexity. Despite the increasing interest in different forms of complexities in projects, we lack empirical illustrations and rigorous theorizing of mechanisms for responding to institutional complexity. This paper demonstrates how public buyers of a tunnel construction project formed a hybrid organization of a multi-party project alliance to respond to institutional complexity. We delineate a process of temporary hybridization through which the competing logics of a bureaucratic state, corporate market, and multiple professions were combined within the temporary project alliance organization. Such temporary hybridization not only focused on selective coupling with external demands but also mitigated internal tensions. Our findings emphasize a blended organizational structure, jointly formed governance and incentive systems, and the facilitation of social interaction to build a temporary yet sustainable hybrid organization capable of combining conflicting institutional logics.     

Controlled Creating of Cracks in Concrete for Non-destructive Testing

The non-destructive assessment of cracks in concrete is a common task for which non-destructive evaluation solutions have been published. Primarily, these tests have been carried out on artificial cracks that have been created by using notches instead of natural cracks. This study evaluates a procedure designed to create reproducible and controlled cracks in concrete. The procedure is based on using expanding mortar in a series of blind holes. This is done in combination with carefully aligned reinforcement to guide the direction of the crack development. The depth of the crack is also controlled by reinforcement. Crack depth varies statistically in the range of the maximum aggregate size (16 mm) used for concrete.     

Model-based prognostics of gear health using stochastic dynamical models

In this paper we present a statistical approach to estimating the time in which an operating gear will reach a critical stage. The approach relies on measured vibration signals. From these signals features are first extracted and then their evolution over time is predicted. This is done based on a dynamic model that relates hidden degradation phenomena to measured outputs. The Expectation-Maximization algorithm is used to estimate the parameters of the underlying state-space model on line. The time to reach the safety alarm threshold is determined by estimating the distribution of the remaining useful life using the estimated linear model. The results obtained on a pilot test bed are presented.     

Spray-dried nanoparticle-loaded pectin microspheres for dexamethasone nasal delivery

Abstract

In this study, we present the development of an innovative dry powder dexamethasone (Dex) nasal delivery system comprising Dex-loaded lipid/alginate nanoparticles incorporated within pectin microspheres (Dex/NPs-loaded pectin microspheres; DNM). DNM microspheres were characterized by the mean diameter of 2.76?±?0.10?µm, zeta-potential of –36.2?±?1.1?mV, and drug loading of 3.3?±?0.3%. The morphology study revealed irregular microsphere surface forming external voids. In contact with simulated nasal fluid, DNM microspheres demonstrated desirable property of moderate swelling and ensured stronger mucoadhesion compared with conventional Dex-loaded pectin microspheres. The strategy of Dex incorporation within the lipid/alginate NPs resulted in prolonged Dex release in relation to Dex being directly entrapped within the conventional pectin microspheres. DNM microspheres showed excellent biocompatibility and rendered Dex permeation across the selected epithelial cell model similar to that of Dex solution. In conclusion, balanced biopharmaceutical properties of the proposed nasal Dex delivery system provides the potential for prolonged contact time with nasal mucosa, prolonged therapeutic effect, and improved patient compliance.     

A method for closed-loop identification of Nyquist curve in three quadrants

This paper proposes a generalization of Ziegler–Nichols' (ZN) experiment that allows the closed-loop identification of Nyquist curve of a linear plant in three quadrants. As in the standard ZN method, no extra equipment is needed. Moreover, sustained undamped oscillations in the plant are not required, since the identification may be accomplished with damped oscillations only. The plant may even be unstable, assuming the used controller is able to stabilize the plant.     

A new fixed‐point algorithm for hardening plasticity based on non‐linear mixed variational inequalities

Moving from the seminal papers of Han and Reddy, we propose a fixed‐point algorithm for the solution of hardening plasticity two‐dimensional problems. The continuous problem may be classified as a mixed non‐linear non‐differentiable variational inequality of the second type and is discretized by means of a truly mixed finite‐element scheme. One of the main peculiarities of our approach is the use of the composite triangular element of Johnson and Mercier for the approximation of the stress field. The non‐differentiability is coped with via regularization whereas the non‐linearity is approached with a fixed‐point iterative strategy. Numerical results are proposed that investigate the sensitivity of the approach with respect to the mesh size and the regularization parameter ε. The simplicity of the proposed fixed‐point scheme with respect to more classical return mapping approaches seems to represent one of the key features of our algorithm. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Single-step preparation of rutile-type CrNbO4 and CrTaO4 oxides from oxalate precursors–characterization and properties

Chromium niobate and tantalate (CrNbO₄ and CrTaO₄) were synthesized by pyrolysis of the oxalate-based heterometallic complexes [Cr₂(bpy)₄(μ-O)₄Nb₂(C₂O₄)₄]·3H₂O (Cr-Nb) and [Cr(bpy)₂(H₂O)(μ-O)Ta(C₂O₄)₃]₂·3.5H₂O (Cr-Ta) (bpy = 2,2'-bipyridine). Compared to conventional solid-state synthesis, herein studied oxides are prepared at lower temperatures, in one step without repeating grinding procedures. The structure, morphology, and optical properties of the as-synthesized oxides were characterized using powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (SEM), the thermogravimetric and differential thermal analysis (TG/DTA) and UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (UV-vis DRS). The determined band gap energies of CrNbO₄ and CrTaO₄ are 2.39 and 2.82 eV, respectively, which prompted us to investigate photocatalytic activity of these oxides in degradation of dyes. Microscopy studies show that the particles of both oxides began to aggregate into bigger particles, leading to an increase in grain size. Additionally, magnetization measurements on both oxides revealed spin-glass behavior at low temperatures.