Computing surfaces invariant under subdivision

In this paper, we propose a general subdivision algorithm for generating surfaces. The algorithm has as motivation our earlier work on the design of free form curves where similar ideas were investigated. Here we describe some properties of uniform refinement algorithms for surface generation. A detail analysis of their properties will be given later by one of us.     

Apparatus for steady-state kinetic measurements of the catalytic reduction of nitric oxide by ammonia on iron oxide

The reduction of nitric oxide with ammonia on an unsupported iron oxide catalyst has been studied in a continuous-flow recycle reactor using simulated flue gas. The responses of the employed reactor system to step and pulse inputs of tracer indicate that the system could be regarded as a continuous stirred tank reactor (CSTR). Preliminary tests were carried out to determine the effect of temperature and particle size on the measured reaction rates. Additional experiments were performed in order to study the influence of oxygen and water concentration on these rates. A gas chromatographic system has been developed to analyze the gas components NO, N₂O, NO₂, NH₃, H₂O, O₂, CO₂ and N₂. In addition, the concentrations of NO and NO₂ were measured with a nondisperse infrared (NDUV/NDIR) analyzer.     

Solubilization of fish muscle proteins with buffers containing sodium dodecyl sulfate

Summary The extraction of fish muscle protein using SDS containing solubilization buffers was studied varying the time and the temperature of solubilization, as well as pH and SDS concentration of the buffer. At pH < 6 the myofbrillar proteins were incompletely solubilized; temperatures of 80-100 °C resulted in protein degradation observable in the SDS-PAGE.Samples of fish muscle containing high amounts of formaldehyde (50 mmoles FA/kg wet weight) could only be solubilised at 100 °C; on the other hand it was possible to solubilize cooked and/or canned products under mild conditions (2% SDS, 1% 2-ME, pH 8.9, shaking for 2 h at 60 °C).

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Solubilisierung von Fischmuskelproteinen durch Natriumdodecylsulfathaltige Puffer

Zusammenfassung Der Einfluß von Solubilisierungszeit und -temperatur, des pH-Wertes und der SDS-Konzentration des Solubilisierungspuffers auf die Extraktion von Fischmuskelproteinen wurde überprüft. Bei pH-Werten < 6 wurden die myofbrillären Proteine nur unvollständig gelöst; Solubilisierungstemperaturen von 80 bis 100 °C führten zu einem in der SDS-PAGE sichtbaren Proteinabbau. Fischmuskelproben mit hohem Formaldehydgehalt (50 mmole FA/kg Feuchtgewicht) ließen sich nur bei 100 °C vollständig solubilisieren; demgegenüber gelang die weitgehende Solubilisierung gegarter und/oder sterilisierter Produkte unter milden Bedingungen (2% SDS, 1% 2-ME, pH 8,9; 2stündiges Schütteln bei 60 °C).

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Abbreviations FA formaldehyde - IEF isoelectric focusing - 2-ME 2-mercaptoethanol - PA polyacrylamide - PAGE polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis - pI isoelectric point - SDS sodium dodecyl sulfate - TMAO trimethylamine oxide - Tris Tris (hydroxymethyl)methylamine     

Selbstgesteuertes Identitätsmanagement

Von eBay bis Xbox Live — wer im Internet unterwegs ist, nutzt viele (Teil-) Identit?ten. Um Waren zu verkaufen oder Dienste anzubieten, tritt man anders auf, als wenn man einfach nur online spielen m?chte. Pseudonyme helfen die Privatsph?re zu wahren. Doch nicht immer ist die Modifikation von Identit?tsmerkmalen zul?ssig.     

Energieinformatik

Due to the increasing importance of producing and consuming energy more sustainably, Energy Informatics (EI) has evolved into a thriving research area within the CS/IS community. The article attempts to characterize this young and highly dynamic field of research by describing current EI research topics and methods and provides an outlook of how the field might evolve in the future. It is shown that two general research questions have received the most attention so far and are likely to dominate the EI research agenda in the coming years: How to leverage information and communication technology (ICT) to (1) improve energy efficiency, and (2) to integrate decentralized renewable energy sources into the power grid. Selected EI streams are reviewed, highlighting how the respective research questions are broken down into specific research projects and how EI researchers have made contributions based on their individual academic background.     

Adaptive training interfaces for less-experienced,elderly users of electronic devices

A great number of complex electronic devices are now part of our everyday lives. While many of us learn to handle these products by trial and error; others, especially older users with little experience in using electronic devices, need support. In order to allow the user maximum flexibility in terms of learning time and location, a training programme is presented which is implemented as part of the software embedded in the product itself. Particular focus is placed on the effect of adaptive training on learning. In this study, the training versions differed in their ability to adjust their complexity to the user's experience (adaptive user interface complexity) and their capability to support the learner by prompting them during the learning process (adaptive training advice). The results show that the adjustment of complexity had a positive effect on users’ experience: elderly users who trained with an adaptive interface were more successful in learning to use a mobile phone. Adaptive training advice, however, was found to have no significant effects on learners’ success and reduced their self-efficacy. This work offers guidelines on how to design integrated training applications for electronic devices that successfully help elderly users with little prior experience.     

Reasoning with graph constraints

Graph constraints were introduced in the area of graph transformation, in connection with the notion of (negative) application conditions, as a form to limit the applicability of transformation rules. However, we believe that graph constraints may also play a significant role in the area of visual software modelling or in the specification and verification of semi-structured documents or websites (i.e. HTML or XML sets of documents). In this sense, after some discussion on these application areas, we concentrate on the problem of how to prove the consistency of specifications based on this kind of constraints. In particular, we present proof rules for two classes of graph constraints and show that our proof rules are sound and (refutationally) complete for each class. In addition, we study clause subsumption in this context as a form to speed up refutation.