Geometry-dependent lighting

In this paper, we introduce geometry-dependent lighting that allows lighting parameters to be defined independently and possibly discrepantly over an object or scene based on the local geometry. We present and discuss light collages, a lighting design system with geometry-dependent lights for effective feature-enhanced visualization. Our algorithm segments the objects into local surface patches and places lights that are locally consistent but globally discrepant to enhance the perception of shape. We use spherical harmonics for efficiently storing and computing light placement and assignment. We also outline a method to find the minimal number of light sources sufficient to illuminate an object well with our globally discrepant lighting approach.     

The Forgiving Graph: a distributed data structure for low stretch under adversarial attack

We consider the problem of self-healing in peer-to-peer networks that are under repeated attack by an omniscient adversary. We assume that, over a sequence of rounds, an adversary either inserts a node with arbitrary connections or deletes an arbitrary node from the network. The network responds to each such change by quick “repairs,” which consist of adding or deleting a small number of edges. These repairs essentially preserve closeness of nodes after adversarial deletions, without increasing node degrees by too much, in the following sense. At any point in the algorithm, nodes v and w whose distance would have been ? in the graph formed by considering only the adversarial insertions (not the adversarial deletions), will be at distance at most ? log n in the actual graph, where n is the total number of vertices seen so far. Similarly, at any point, a node v whose degree would have been d in the graph with adversarial insertions only, will have degree at most 3d in the actual graph. Our distributed data structure, which we call the Forgiving Graph, has low latency and bandwidth requirements. The Forgiving Graph improves on the Forgiving Tree distributed data structure from Hayes et?al. (2008) in the following ways: 1) it ensures low stretch over all pairs of nodes, while the Forgiving Tree only ensures low diameter increase; 2) it handles both node insertions and deletions, while the Forgiving Tree only handles deletions; 3) it requires only a very simple and minimal initialization phase, while the Forgiving Tree initially requires construction of a spanning tree of the network.     

Fuzzy parametric programming model for multi-objective integrated solid waste management under uncertainty

Solid waste management is increasingly becoming a challenging task for the municipal authorities due to increasing waste quantities, changing waste composition, decreasing land availability for waste disposal sites and increasing awareness about the environmental risk associated with the waste management facilities. The present study focuses on the optimum selection of the treatment and disposal facilities, their capacity planning and waste allocation under uncertainty associated with the long-term planning for solid waste management. The fuzzy parametric programming model is based on a multi-objective, multi-period system for integrated planning for solid waste management. The model dynamically locates the facilities and allocates the waste considering fuzzy waste quantity and capacity of waste management facility. The model addresses uncertainty in waste quantity as well as uncertainties in the operating capacities of waste management facilities simultaneously. It was observed that uncertainty in waste quantity is likely to affect the planning for waste treatment/disposal facilities more as compared with the uncertainty in the capacities of the waste management facilities. The relationship between increase in waste quantity and increase in the total cost/risk involved in waste management is found to be nonlinear. Therefore, it is possible that a marginal change in waste quantity could increase the total cost/risk substantially. The information obtained from the analysis of modeling results can be effectively used for understanding the effect of changing the priorities and objectives of planning decisions on facility selections and waste diversions.     

Photosynthesis in a test tube- dye sensitized solar cells as a teaching tool

Dye sensitized solar cells employing natural plant dyes as phosensitizers can be effectively used to train students in the science and technology of solar cells. This is especially relevant to developing countries where facilities for silicon cell fabrication are non-existent. The cross-disciplinary nature of this device makes it very attractive for student projects. The present work describes such a project where anthocyanin dye from hibiscus flowers has been used as the electron harvester.     

Synthesis and characterization of zirconia-based catalyst for the isomerization of n-hexane

Sulfated zirconia is a very strong solid acid catalyst which can be utilized for various reactions. The present study focuses on synthesis of zirconia-based catalyst with high acidity and high surface area, particularly for isomerization reaction. Sulfated zirconia has been obtained by sulfation of zirconia prepared by hydrothermal route. The catalyst was developed by impregnating tungstophosphoric acid on sulfated zirconia by wet incipient method. The catalyst was characterized through Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) surface area, temperature-programmed desorption of ammonia, temperature program reduction of hydrogen, Fourier transmission infrared spectroscopy, and thermogravimetric analysis. The results revealed that the catalyst is crystalline in nature with surface area 190–225?m² g^?1 and acidity 0.135–0.558?mmol?g^?1. Twenty-five percent conversion was obtained (as confirmed by gas chromatography) at 225°C using n-hexane as model hydrocarbon in fixed-bed microreactor.     

Analysis of supercritical carbon dioxide extracts from cones and leaves of a Humulus lupulus L cultivar

Extracts obtained by supercritical carbon dioxide extraction of cones and leaves of hop (Humulus lupulus L) at different combinations of temperature and pressure were analysed for their α- and β-acids and volatiles, using HPLC and GC respectively. The yield and composition of the mixtures of bitter compounds from the cones were largely influenced by the temperature and pressure applied during the extraction. Bitter compounds could not be detected in the extracts from the leaves. The most important volatile components identified were β-myrcene, β-caryophyllene and α-humulene. The extraction parameters also influenced the composition of the mixture of volatiles from the cones and leaves, 40°C and 20.0 MPa being optimum for the extraction of both bitter compounds and volatiles, which are thought to be important for the aroma of beer.     

Non-Clairvoyant Scheduling for Minimizing Mean Slowdown

We consider the problem of scheduling dynamically arriving jobs in a non-clairvoyant setting, that is, when the size of a job in remains unknown until the job finishes execution. Our focus is on minimizing the mean slowdown, where the slowdown (also known as stretch) of a job is defined as the ratio of the flow time to the size of the job. We use resource augmentation in terms of allowing a faster processor to the online algorithm to make up for its lack of knowledge of job sizes. Our main result is that the Shortest Elapsed Time First (SETF) algorithm, a close variant of which is used in the Windows NT and Unix operating system scheduling policies, is a $(1+\epsilon)$-speed, $O((1/\epsilon)^5 \log^2 B)$-competitive algorithm for minimizing mean slowdown non-clairvoyantly, when $B$ is the ratio between the largest and smallest job sizes. In a sense, this provides a theoretical justification of the effectiveness of an algorithm widely used in practice. On the other hand, we also show that any $O(1)$-speed algorithm, deterministic or randomized, is $\Omega(\min(n,\log B))$-competitive. The motivation for resource augmentation is supported by an $\Omega(\min(n,B))$ lower bound on the competitive ratio without any speedup. For the static case, i.e., when all jobs arrive at time 0, we show that SETF is $O(\log{B})$ competitive without any resource augmentation and also give a matching $\Omega(\log{B})$ lower bound on the competitiveness.     

Engineering Catalytically Active Sites by Sculpting Artificial Edges on MoS2 Basal Plane for Dinitrogen Reduction at a Low Overpotential

Engineering catalytically active sites have been a challenge so far and often relies on optimization of synthesis routes, which can at most provide quantitative enhancement of active facets, however, cannot provide control over choosing orientation, geometry and spatial distribution of the active sites. Artificially sculpting catalytically active sites via laser-etching technique can provide a new prospect in this field and offer a new species of nanocatalyst for achieving superior selectivity and attaining maximum yield via absolute control over defining their location and geometry of every active site at a nanoscale precision. In this work, a controlled protocol of artificial surface engineering is shown by focused laser irradiation on pristine MoS₂ flakes, which are confirmed as catalytic sites by electrodeposition of AuNPs. The preferential Au deposited catalytic sites are found to be electrochemically active for nitrogen adsorption and its subsequent reduction due to the S-vacancies rather than Mo-vacancy, as advocated by DFT analysis. The catalytic performance of Au-NR/MoS₂ shows a high yield rate of ammonia (11.43 × 10⁻⁸ mol s⁻¹ cm⁻²) at a potential as low as −0.1 V versus RHE and a notable Faradaic efficiency of 13.79% during the electrochemical nitrogen reduction in 0.1 m HCl.     

Localization of gonadotrophin-releasing hormone I, bradykinin and their receptors in the ovaries of non-mammalian vertebrates

GnRH I and its receptors have been demonstrated in the ovaries of various vertebrates, but their physiological significance in reproductive cascade is fragmentary. Bradykinin is a potent GnRH stimulator in the hypothalamus. In the present study, the presence of GnRH I and its receptor, and bradykinin and its receptor in the ovaries of non-mammalian vertebrates were investigated to understand their physiological significance. GnRH I immunoreactivity in the ovaries of fish, frog, reptile and bird were mainly found in the oocyte of early growing follicles and granulosa cells and theca cells of previtellogenic follicles. Vitellogenic follicles showed mild GnRH immunoreactivity. GnRH I-receptor and bradykinin were localized in the same cell types of the ovaries of these vertebrates. The presence of GnRH I, GnRH I-receptor and bradykinin in the ovaries of these vertebrates was confirmed by immunoblotting. The presence of GnRH I mRNA was demonstrated in the ovary of vertebrates using RT-PCR. The ovaries of reptiles and birds showed significantly higher intensity of immunoreactivity for GnRH I-receptor as compared with the fish and amphibian. This may have a correlation with the higher yolk content in the ovary of reptile and bird. These results suggest the possibility of GnRH I and bradykinin as important regulators of follicular development and vitellogenesis in the vertebrate ovary.     

Quality of service challenges for wireless mobile ad hoc networks

Wireless mobile ad hoc networks consist of mobile nodes interconnected by wireless multi‐hop communication paths. Unlike conventional wireless networks, ad hoc networks have no fixed network infrastructure or administrative support. The topology of such networks changes dynamically as mobile nodes join or depart the network or radio links between nodes become unusable. Supporting appropriate quality of service for mobile ad hoc networks is a complex and difficult issue because of the dynamic nature of the network topology and generally imprecise network state information, and has become an intensely active area of research in the last few years. This paper

1 This article, except for some minor changes, is essentially the same as one that appears in 103 . The latter is a revised and updated version of 51

presents the basic concepts of quality of service support in ad hoc networks for unicast communication, reviews the major areas of current research and results, and addresses some new issues. The principal focus is on routing and security issues associated with quality of service support. The paper concludes with some observations on the open areas for further investigation. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.