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Electric vehicles (EVs) are gaining widespread adoption, which requires expanding the charging infrastructure. This infrastructure is part of a complex ecosystem that consists of multiple entities interacting with each other and exchanging (often personal) user data. Such a heterogeneous system with multiple participants exchanging personal data poses severe privacy risks to users. State-of-the-art literature insufficiently covers privacy aspects of charging ecosystem use cases. In this paper, a profound analysis of this ecosystem with respect to privacy is provided: First, the EV charging ecosystem and its entities are defined. Second, high-level use cases for EV charging identified in literature are analyzed and used for defining data flows within the charging ecosystem. Third, the identified use cases are compared in terms of privacy guarantees and adherence to standards. Fourth, representative implementations of these use cases are evaluated, i.e., all actors and (unintended) data flows are described and potential privacy threats are identified and visualized. It is found that privacy is not sufficiently covered by standards and implementations of EV charging use cases from literature. Furthermore, recommendations and future directions for protecting user privacy in the EV charging ecosystem are derived. In summary, stricter adherence to standards and privacy by design are suggested. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Many open source software (OSS) quality assessment models are proposed and available in the literature. However, there is little or no adoption of these models in practice. In order to guide the formulation of newer models so they can be acceptable by practitioners, there is need for clear discrimination of the existing models based on their specific properties. Based on this, the aim of this study is to perform a systematic literature review to investigate the properties of the existing OSS quality assessment models by classifying them with respect to their quality characteristics, the methodology they use for assessment, and their domain of application so as to guide the formulation and development of newer models. Searches in IEEE Xplore, ACM, Science Direct, Springer and Google Search is performed so as to retrieve all relevant primary studies in this regard. Journal and conference papers between the year 2003 and 2015 were considered since the first known OSS quality model emerged in 2003. Results: A total of 19 OSS quality assessment model papers were selected. To select these models we have developed assessment criteria to evaluate the quality of the existing studies. Quality assessment models are classified into five categories based on the quality characteristics they possess namely: single-attribute, rounded category, community-only attribute, non-community attribute as well as the non-quality in use models. Our study reflects that software selection based on hierarchical structures is found to be the most popular selection method in the existing OSS quality assessment models. Furthermore, we found that majority (47%) of the existing models do not specify any domain of application. Conclusions: In conclusion, our study will be a valuable contribution to the community and helps the quality assessment model developers in formulating newer models and also to the practitioners (software evaluators) in selecting suitable OSS in the midst of alternatives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

IoT and Embedded devices grow at an exponential rate, however, without adequate security mechanisms in place. One of the key challenges in the cyber world is the security of these devices. One of the main reasons that these devices are active targets for large-scale cyber-attacks is a lack of security standards and thorough testing by manufacturers. Manufacturer-specific operating systems or firmware of various architectures and characteristics are typically included with these devices. However, due to a lack of security testing and/or late patching, the underlying firmware or operating systems are vulnerable to numerous types of vulnerabilities. Reverse engineering and in-depth research of the firmware is required to detect the vulnerabilities. In this paper, we've delved into various aspects of IoT and embedded devices. This includes a comprehensive survey on the architecture of firmware, techniques for firmware extraction, and state-of-the-art vulnerability analysis frameworks for the detection of vulnerabilities using various approaches like static, dynamic, and hybrid approaches. Furthermore, we've scrutinized the challenges of existing vulnerability analysis frameworks and proposed a novel framework to address these issues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There are several possibilities for rehabilitating quarries after mineral resource excavation. In Estonia, creating forest, water body, meadow, arable land or recreational area are main reuse alternatives to rehabilitate sand, gravel, clay, limestone, dolomite and oil shale quarries. Rehabilitation decisions are currently being made inconsistently based on different limited arguments and without the involvement of stakeholders. To choose the optimal alternative for each site, legislative, environmental and socio-economic criteria should be considered in a systematic way. The main aim of the paper is to create a decision model containing decision tree with restrictive criteria and decision-matrix with comparison criteria, and test it to choose the optimal reuse alternatives for three quarries in Estonia. This increases the transparency of such decisions and creates a tool for choosing optimal reuse alternative for mineral resource quarries. Decision tree was created in cooperation with experts based on environmental and legislative criteria. To find out the comparison criteria and their weights, 93 stakeholders such as landowner, local communities, experts from governmental agencies, environmental NGOs, universities, environmental management and excavation companies were engaged via survey. The decision model succeeded to find optimal reuse alternative for three tested quarries, and application of this decision model supports the sustainable land-use and development. With some country-specific or legislation-based modifications, the model can be applied also in other countries. The model is easily usable and will fasten making sustainable decisions of the reuse of quarry areas and give clear arguments in the communication with the stakeholders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the number of Arabic corpora is constantly increasing, there is an obvious and growing need for concordancing software for corpus search and analysis that supports as many features as possible of the Arabic language, and provides users with a greater number of functions. This paper evaluates six existing corpus search and analysis tools based on eight criteria which seem to be the most essential for searching and analysing Arabic corpora, such as displaying Arabic text in its right-to-left direction, normalising diacritics and Hamza, and providing an Arabic user interface. The results of the evaluation revealed that three tools: Khawas, Sketch Engine, and aConCorde, have met most of the evaluation criteria and achieved the highest benchmark scores. The paper concluded that developers' conscious consideration of the linguistic features of Arabic when designing these three tools was the most significant factor behind their superiority. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the increasing complexity of software systems, there is a growing need for automated and scalable software synthesis and analysis. In the last decade, active research in the formal methods community brought interesting results and valuable tools. However, there are still challenges to face and hard problems that need to be solved. We briefly outline some recent trends, and review some of the latest achievements, introducing six papers selected from the 20th International Conference on Tools and Algorithms for the Construction and Analysis of Systems (TACAS 2014). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Roller clinching is a variation of conventional clinching by using rotational tool movement. The joining quality of roller clinching is significantly affected by tooling geometries and motions. Considering the formation difference of joints at different locations, this paper investigated the deformation features of roller clinching of square joints and utilized multiple linear regression analysis to optimize the processing parameters. It was found that roller geometry has significant impact on the formation of interlocks of the front/rear sides of joints, while the impact on the formation of lateral sides is less. With the increase of roller diameters, the clearance variation of front/rear sides decreases; meanwhile, the separation clearance s at the front side after forming decreases. In the study, when the roller diameter is raised from 35 to 150 mm, the connection strength increases by 44%. If the diameter difference w of rollers increases, the squeezing degree of the front side decreases, and the joining quality increases; however, if the squeezing degree of the rear side increases, then the joining quality of the rear side and s decrease. In the sample, an increase in w by 3 mm enhanced the connection strength by 9%. When the clearance difference t between the rollers increases, the capability to contain metal increases in the rear side. When t increases by 0.6 mm, the connection strength augments by 12%. The separation clearance s of the front side is greatly affected by friction μ, roller diameter, w, and draft angle γ of the lower roller, while the effect of draft angle β of the upper roller on s is small. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As part of the fourth industrial revolution, the movement to apply various enabling technologies under the name of Industry 4.0 is being promoted worldwide. Because of the wide range of applications and the capacity of manufacturing workpieces flexibly, machine tools are regarded as essential industrial elements. Hence, much research has been concerned with applying various enabling technologies such as cyber-physical systems to machine tools. To realize a machine tool suitable for Industry 4.0, development should be done in a systematic manner rather than the ad-hoc application of enabling technologies. In this paper, we propose a functional architecture for the Industry 4.0 version of machine tools, namely smart machine tool system. To reflect the voices of various stakeholders, stakeholder requirements are identified and transformed into design considerations. The design considerations are incorporated into the conceptual model and functional modeling, both of which are used to derive the functional architecture. The implementation procedure and an illustrative case study are presented for the application of the functional architecture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper a new structure for a fast locking charge pump phase locked loop (CPPLL) is introduced which overcomes the trade-off between the settling time and overshoot of the system. This fast locking PLL uses an auxiliary bang-bang frequency comparator (BBFC) as a lock-aid. An additional charge pump current controlled by the output of the BBFC is injected into the main loop filter capacitor to accelerate the locking process. An analytical approach to extract the differential equation governing on the system's dynamics is used to evaluate the performance of this fast locking PLL. A heuristic method that results in an approximate solution for the extracted differential equation is also proposed. The correctness of the presented differential equation and its closed-form solutions are verified by comparing the obtained closed-form solutions and simulation results. Using the obtained closed-form solutions, we predict the behavior of the system and design a fast BBFC-CPPLL which meets the system's requirements. Correctness of the differential equation and its closed-form solutions are verified by comparing the obtained closed-form solutions and simulation results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dengue is one of the vector borne diseases that threatened human race. It is imperative to understand the transmission dynamics of dengue, so that proficient and useful control can be developed. In this paper, we formulated dynamic transmission of two strains super-infection dengue. We used next generation matrix to obtain the basic reproduction numbers R 1 , R 2 , R 12 . The obtained basic reproduction numbers are then used to test for stabilities whenever R 1 < 1 , R 2 < 1 , R 12 < 1 , disease free-equilibrium is globally asymptotically stable or otherwise unstable. We also carried out numerical simulation with the aid of python software. Our results reveal that decreasing the value of tansmission probability α , slows down the spread of the disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper takes the passing of Peter McHugh as an occasion to examine the intellectual development of his work. The paper is mainly focused on the product of his collaboration with his colleague and friend, Alan Blum. As such, it addresses the tradition of social inquiry, Analysis, which they cofounded. It traces the influence of Harold Garfinkel's Ethnomethodology on McHugh and on the beginning of Analysis. The collaboration with Blum is examined through a variety of coauthored works but most especially in the two books On the Beginning of Social Inquiry () and Self Reflection in the Arts and Sciences (). It also examines the relation of his independent writing before 1974, and since 1984 to the expression of the tradition of inquiry as exemplified in those two texts. The paper builds on some interview material with Peter McHugh and reflects on the influence of Peter the teacher as well as the theorist McHugh. Most especially, through its engagement with this material, it seeks to exemplify the dialectic and living nature of the program called Analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As an important engineering material, aluminum alloy profile is widely used in each department of national economy. With polyurethane mandrel in the hollow of the profiles, equal channel angular pressing (ECAP) can be used to refine mechanical properties of these hollow materials with good shape control effects. However, based on existing researches, the hollow profiles are only limited to circular ones. In this paper, a mechanical analysis of a square tube in ECAP with polyurethane mandrel is provided. Through the slab method in different deformation planes, the mechanical mechanism of shape control effects is found. The thicknesses can be maintained as its initial ones after ECAP. Both simulations and experiments are used to verify the calculated results by the analysis. After calculating, most errors between the final and initial thicknesses in both simulations and experiments are less than 10%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper we analyze the combination of speech and FIR filter design aspect to achieve good results in speech quality. A new approach in the time domain based on the least Pth norm is presented to extract maximum information that represents speech. The aim of this paper is to improve the perceived quality of speech through the introduction of least Pth norm algorithm that attenuates speech contaminated with noise. This approach relates to a filter bank structure and a method for filtering and separating an information signal into different bands, particularly for filtering and separation of speech signals. Then the desired signal is reconstructed from the independent components representing every band. This approach differs from the traditional approaches since no priori knowledge of the noise statistics is required, instead the noise signals are only assumed to have finite energy. Since the estimation criterion for the filter design is to minimize the worst possible amplification of the estimation error signal in terms of modeling errors and additive noise, this approach is highly robust and appropriate in practical speech analysis and synthesis. This paper presents a least Pth approach to the optimal design of FIR digital filter banks in the minimax sense for speech analysis and synthesis. The signal to noise ratio (SNR) of around 50–60 dB is achieved with various speech samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a new multi-residue method for the quantification of more than 142 anthropogenic compounds of emerging concern (CECs) in various environmental matrices. These CECs are from a wide range of major classes including pharmaceuticals, household, industrial and agricultural. This method utilises ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) for analysis of five matrices (three liquid and two solid) from wastewater treatment processes and the surrounding environment. Relative recoveries were predominantly between 80 and 120%; however, due to the complexity of the matrices used in this work, not all compounds were recovered in all matrices, from 138/142 analytes in surface water to 96/142 analytes in digested solids. Method quantification limits (MQLs) ranged from 0.004 ng L−1 (bisoprolol in surface water) to 3118 ng L−1 (creatinine in wastewater treatment work (WwTW) influent). The overall method accuracy was 107.0%, and precision was 13.4%. To test its performance, the method was applied to the range of environmental matrices at WwTWs in South West England. Overall, this method was found to be suitable for application in catchment-based exposure-driven studies, as, of the total number of analytes quantifiable in each matrix, 61% on average was found to be above their corresponding MQL. The results confirm the need for analysing both the liquid and solid compartments within a WwTW to prevent under-reporting of concentrations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Data analysis applications typically aggregate data across manydimensions looking for anomalies or unusual patterns. The SQL aggregatefunctions and the GROUP BY operator produce zero-dimensional orone-dimensional aggregates. Applications need the N-dimensionalgeneralization of these operators. This paper defines that operator, calledthe data cube or simply cube. The cube operator generalizes the histogram,cross-tabulation, roll-up,drill-down, and sub-total constructs found in most report writers.The novelty is that cubes are relations. Consequently, the cubeoperator can be imbedded in more complex non-procedural dataanalysis programs. The cube operator treats each of the Naggregation attributes as a dimension of N-space. The aggregate ofa particular set of attribute values is a point in this space. Theset of points forms an N-dimensional cube. Super-aggregates arecomputed by aggregating the N-cube to lower dimensional spaces.This paper (1) explains the cube and roll-up operators, (2) showshow they fit in SQL, (3) explains how users can define new aggregatefunctions for cubes, and (4) discusses efficient techniques tocompute the cube. Many of these features are being added to the SQLStandard. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fractional circuits have attracted an extensive attention of scholars and researchers for their superior performance and potential applications. The passive realization of the fractional-order immittance function plays an important role in fractional circuits theory, which is useful in fractional circuits design and modeling. This paper deals with the analysis and passive synthesis of fractional two-element-kind network. Firstly, the time-domain response of fractional two-element-kind network is analyzed based on its immittance function expressions, and the response shows oscillation only in fractional L β C α circuits. Then, necessary and sufficient conditions to realize the fractional-order immittance functions by a passive network with only two kinds of elements are obtained in view of impedance scaling. A procedure is also proposed to realize such immittance functions using two-element-kind network. Finally, three examples are given to illustrate the proposed method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper focuses on the automatic recognition of map projection, its inverse and re-projection. Our analysis leads to the unconstrained optimization solved by the hybrid BFGS nonlinear least squares technique. The objective function is represented by the squared sum of the residuals. For the map re-projection the partial differential equations of the inverse transformation are derived. They can be applied to any map projection. Illustrative examples of the stereographic and globular Nicolosi projections frequently used in early maps are involved and their inverse formulas are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The foundational-cum-descriptive study aims to document Rangri vowel realizations acoustically. The Rangri is a member of the Indo-Aryan language family. Ranghar Muhajir of Pakistani Punjab and some parts of Sindh speak Rangri-a zero-resource dialect of Haryanvi. Analyzing native Rangri speakers' vowels phonetically is the purpose of the current investigation. Native speakers of Rangri recorded their voice samples. Information about the acoustic realizations of Rangri vowels produced by native Rangri speakers is the primary goal of the study. A few words in IPA transcription—[sɪr, mi:, hʊɳ, ʤeɳ, bʰɜːɽ, ʧɔːl, kæy, kʌdʰ, ɡuːɳ, and roʤ]—have ten vowel sounds incorporated in them, reflecting their production and perception in Rangri speech. The vowel sounds: /ɪ/, /i: /, /e/, /o/, /u: /, /ʊ/, /ɜː/, /ɔː/, /æ/, /ʌ/ were recognized as monophthongs. The current investigation identifies 180 voice samples total-10 vowels × 6 speakers × 3 repetitions. A high-quality Android smartphone was used for each recording, thus there was almost no background noise. The four parameters that were included for the analysis were F0, F1, F2, and duration. Pitch is measured with F0, tongue height with F1, vowel back-ness with F2, and vowel length with duration. The recorded voice samples were analyzed using Praat Speech Recognition software. With the exception of six native speakers, this study adds to our knowledge of the phonetic characteristics of Rangri and exposes the intricacies of this distinctive dialect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a probabilistic scheme is presented for directed data transmission without maintaining route tables. In the model, each message is required to reach the base station (BS) successfully with a certain probability. We analyze the relationship between the number of the intermediate nodes, link reliability and relay probability. We obtain the condition for relay probability which can guarantee the performance of the networks. This scheme is robust and adaptable to the change of topology of the sensor networks. Simulation with Ns-2 helps to illustrate the main results of the analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper focuses on the application of principal component analysis (PCA) to thoroughly analyse and interpret multidimensional data from a cold rolling process. The analysis includes the effects of variables on the final properties of strips in a cold rolling mill. Unscrambler software was used to analyse and identify hidden variables. Variable correlations were also used to derive correlations between the control parameters. The results of this research will be used to improve the selection of material in order to reduce the occurrence of defects in the cold rolling process and to improve the adjustment of the set points that are performed in every pass or section of the cold rolling process. The hot rolled strips that enter the cold rolling mill are made of different materials and are produced by different strip manufacturers. Some strips break during the thickness reduction process in the cold rolling mill. This paper focuses on two possible causes of breakage: non-uniform strip material properties and failures in the rolling mill process. Two types of rolled strips (those that break and those that do not break) were compared to identify causes of breakage. The results indicate that breakages are caused by material or process failures. PCA was applied to the dataset in order to identify and analyse the relationships between the variables in the process. This information was used to interpret and diagnose the process behaviour. Swarm analysis and relating observations to process behaviour were able to distinguish between different start-up conditions, and between desirable and undesirable process conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It has been much debated whether Tractarian objects are what Russell would have called particulars or whether they include also properties and relations. This paper claims that the debate is misguided: there is no logical category such that Wittgenstein intended the reader of the Tractatus to understand his objects either as providing examples of or as not providing examples of that category. This is not to say that Wittgenstein set himself against the very idea of a logical category: quite the contrary. However, where Russell presents his logical variety of particulars and the various types of universal, and Frege presents his of objects and the various types of function, Wittgenstein denies the propriety of such a priori expositions. Wittgenstein envisages a variety of logical types of entity but insists that the nature of these types is something to be discovered only through analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a new parallel computing model, called H-BSP, which adds a hierarchical concept to the BSP(Bulk Synchronous Parallel) computing model. An H-BSP program consists of a number of BSP groups which are dynamically created at run time and executed in a hierarchical fashion. H-BSP allows algorithm designers to develop more efficient algorithms by utilizing processor locality in the program. Based on the distributed memory model, H-BSP provides a group-based programming paradigm and supports Divide & Conquer algorithms efficiently. This paper describes the structure of the H-BSP model, complexity analysis and some examples of H-BSP algorithm. Also presented is the performance characteristics of H-BSP algorithms based on the simulation analysis. Simulation results show that H-BSP takes advantages of processor locality and performs well in low bandwidth networks or in a constant-valence architecture such as 2-dimensional mesh. It is also proved that H-BSP can predict algorithm performance better than BSP, due to its locality-preserving nature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to characterize, classify and evaluate the suitability of Medjerda River water for irrigation, a hydrochemical assessment was conducted. It accounts for 80 % of the total Tunisian surface water. In this paper, hydrographical methods and PHREEQC geochemical program were used to characterize water quality of Medjerda River, whereas its suitability for irrigation was determined in accordance with its electrical conductivity (EC), sodium adsorption ratio (SAR) and sodium concentrations. It was established that the water samples were undersaturated with calcite, dolomite, aragonite, anhydrite, gypsum and halite except in one water sample which is supersaturated with carbonate minerals. The quality assessment of Medjerda River for irrigation purposes showed that some points belonged to the excellent-to-good and good-to-permissible irrigation water categories, while the remaining ones were classified as doubtful to unsuitable for irrigation making the river water use limited to plants with high salt tolerance. Moreover, based on FAO guidelines, almost all water samples may cause immediate salinity to gradual increasing problem but no soil infiltration problems except for two sampling points. However, immediate development or possible increasing of severe toxicity problems may be caused by the continuous use of this water for irrigation due to troublesome concentrations of chloride and sodium. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Music is ubiquitous in our everyday lives, and lyrics play an integral role when we listen to music. The complex relationships between lyrical content, its temporal evolution over the last decades, and genre-specific variations, however, are yet to be fully understood. In this work, we investigate the dynamics of English lyrics of Western, popular music over five decades and five genres, using a wide set of lyrics descriptors, including lyrical complexity, structure, emotion, and popularity. We find that pop music lyrics have become simpler and easier to comprehend over time: not only does the lexical complexity of lyrics decrease (for instance, captured by vocabulary richness or readability of lyrics), but we also observe that the structural complexity (for instance, the repetitiveness of lyrics) has decreased. In addition, we confirm previous analyses showing that the emotion described by lyrics has become more negative and that lyrics have become more personal over the last five decades. Finally, a comparison of lyrics view counts and listening counts shows that when it comes to the listeners' interest in lyrics, for instance, rock fans mostly enjoy lyrics from older songs; country fans are more interested in new songs' lyrics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Formal analysis of functional properties of system requirements needs precise descriptions. However, the stakeholders sometimes describe the system with ambiguous, vague or fuzzy terms, hence formal frameworks for modeling and verifying such requirements are desirable. The Fuzzy If-Then rules have been used for imprecise requirements representation, but verifying their functional properties still needs new methods. In this paper, we propose a refinement-based modeling approach for specification and verification of such requirements. First, we introduce a representation of imprecise requirements in the set theory. Then we make use of Event-B refinement providing a set of translation rules from Fuzzy If-Then rules to Event-B notations. After that, we show how to verify both safety and eventuality properties with RODIN/Event-B. Finally, we illustrate the proposed method on the example of Crane Controller. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Isocyanates are a group of low molecular weight, highly reactive compounds with a functional isocyanate group. The main human exposure route is via inhalation of airborne isocyanates, although dermal exposure has also been reported. The inhalation of isocyanates is associated with severely adverse health effects such as asthma, inflammation in the respiratory tract and cancer. During thermal degradation of polyurethane materials, airborne isocyanates can be sampled in the fire effluent. This paper discusses the reactivity and commercial applications of isocyanates and the generation of airborne isocyanates during thermal degradation, the human health effects as well as the environmental fate of some of the most commercially important isocyanates. This is followed by a review of the generation of isocyanates from large-scale fire testing and bench-scale test methods as well as sampling techniques and derivatisation agents necessary to stabilise the isocyanates and analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the arrival of the nineteenth century, a process of change guided the treatment of three basic elements in the development of mathematics: rigour, the arithmetization and the clarification of the concept of function, categorised as the most important tool in the development of the mathematical analysis. In this paper we will show how several prominent mathematicians contributed greatly to the development of these basic elements that allowed the solid underpinning of mathematics and the consideration of mathematics as an axiomatic way of thinking in which anyone can deduce valid conclusions from certain types of premises. This nineteenth century stage shares, possibly with the Heroic Age of Ancient Greece, the most revolutionary period in all history of mathematics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Contamination concerns in the dairy industry are motivated by outbreaks of disease in humans and the inability of thermal processes to eliminate bacteria completely in processed products. HACCP principles are an important tool used in the food industry to identify and control potential food safety hazards in order to meet customer demands and regulatory requirements. Milk testing is of importance to the milk industry regarding quality assurance and monitoring of processed products by researchers, manufacturers and regulatory agencies. Due to the availability of numerous methods used for analysing the microbial quality of milk in literature and differences in priorities of stakeholders, it is sometimes confusing to choose an appropriate method for a particular analysis. The objective of this paper is to review the advantages and disadvantages of selected techniques that can be used in the analysis of bacteria in milk. SSC, HRMA, REP, and RAPD are the top four techniques which are quick and cost-effective and possess adequate discriminatory power for the detection and profiling of bacteria. The following conclusions were arrived at during this review: HRMA, REP and RFLP are the techniques with the most reproducible results, and the techniques with the most discriminatory power are AFLP, PFGE and Raman Spectroscopy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A hybrid power transmission system (HPTS) is a promising way to save energy in a hydraulic excavator and the electric machine is one of the key components of the system. In this paper, a design process for permanent-magnet synchronous machines (PMSMs) in a hybrid hydraulic excavator (HHE) is presented based on the analysis of the working conditions and requirements of an HHE. A parameterized design approach, which combines the analytical model and the 2D finite element method (FEM), is applied to the electric machine to improve the design efficiency and accuracy. The analytical model is employed to optimize the electric machine efficiency and obtain the stator dimension and flux density distribution. The rotor is designed with the FEM to satisfy the flux requirements obtained in stator design. The rotor configuration of the PMSM employs an interior magnet structure, thus resulting in some inverse saliency, which allows for much higher values in magnetic flux density. To reduce the rotor leakage, a disconnected type silicon steel block structure is adopted. To improve the air gap flux density distribution, the trapezoid permanent magnet (PM) and centrifugal rotor structure are applied to PMSM. Demagnetization and armature reactions are also taken into consideration and calculated by the FEM. A prototype of the newly designed electric machine has been fabricated and tested on the experimental platform. The analytical design results are validated by measurements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a broadband linearization technique for CMOS Gilbert-based mixer in zero IF receivers. In the proposed mixer the second order distortion is reduced by using feedback technique in the RF transconductance stage. Creating a negative feedback loop is better suited for achieving broadband IIP2 improvement compared to other technique. Moreover, the added circuit increases the conversion gain of the mixer. Simulation results, using 0.13 μm CMOS TSMC model, show that the proposed technique improves IIP2 of more than 20 dB in the 900 MHz-6 GHz RF input frequency rang for 100 MHz output bandwidth in comparison with the conventional mixer. So this technique is suitable for multi-band DCR application. The total power consumption is 3.3 mW and the excess power consumption due to additional circuits used to implement cancellation mechanism is less than 1 mW. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Scanning acoustic microscopy (SAM) or Acoustic Micro Imaging (AMI) is a powerful, non-destructive technique that can detect hidden defects in elastic and biological samples as well as non-transparent hard materials. By monitoring the internal features of a sample in three-dimensional integration, this technique can efficiently find physical defects such as cracks, voids, and delamination with high sensitivity. In recent years, advanced techniques such as ultrasound impedance microscopy, ultrasound speed microscopy, and scanning acoustic gigahertz microscopy have been developed for applications in industries and in the medical field to provide additional information on the internal stress, viscoelastic, and anisotropic, or nonlinear properties. X-ray, magnetic resonance, and infrared techniques are the other competitive and widely used methods. However, they have their own advantages and limitations owing to their inherent properties such as different light sources and sensors. This paper provides an overview of the principle of SAM and presents a few results to demonstrate the applications of modern acoustic imaging technology. A variety of inspection modes, such as vertical, horizontal, and diagonal cross-sections have been presented by employing the focus pathway and image reconstruction algorithm. Images have been reconstructed from the reflected echoes resulting from the change in the acoustic impedance at the interface of the material layers or defects. The results described in this paper indicate that the novel acoustic technology can expand the scope of SAM as a versatile diagnostic tool requiring less time and having a high efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the processing of large and ultra-large forgings, the heated billets need to be properly placed on the lower forging die as quickly as possible before the plastic forming, or else the cooling of billets incurs enormous risks to the operation. This paper presents a novel methodology for examining the positioning status of billets on a forging die based on multi-body dynamics simulation and design of experiment (DOE). Using this method, the position and posture of a billet can be theoretically predicted after falling into the cavity of lower die from a manipulator with varying initial states. The method can also clarify the initial geometrical position parameters of the billet that should be strictly controlled in the operation of the manipulator above the lower die. Furthermore, finite element method (FEM) simulation can be used to analyze plastic deformations of the billets on the lower die surface with varying states, to attain in-depth understanding of the influence of the geometric states of billets in forming processes. A case study of forging with Al 7050 indicates that the method can provide a valuable reference for the rapid positioning of billets on the lower die. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a panel generation framework for seakeeping analysis of multiple bodies and offshore structures. The configurations of multiple bodies and offshore structures are different from those of a single ship. In particular, the topological structure of the free surfaces becomes complicated due to the multiple floating bodies, resulting in multiple classifications for the free surfaces based on their genus. The multi-body configuration consists of two floating bodies placed in two configurations, i.e., side by side and tandem, which would generate two holes in the free surface. For the offshore structure case, multiple holes are generated in the free-surface domain due to the legs of the offshore structure. In this work, strategies for generating body and free-surface panels are provided, and the results are analyzed. A software prototype that implements the proposed methods is developed to provide efficient panel generation for multiple bodies and offshore structures. Examples demonstrate that the proposed framework can be successfully used for seakeeping analysis of multiple bodies and offshore structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Due to the increasing usage of plastic, microplastics or plastic particles with a length of 1 to 5 mm are omnipresent in the environment, including freshwater, agricultural soil and seas. The majority of plastic trash is made up of microplastic debris, which has lately started to threaten ecosystems. This calls for immediate management and analysis to ensure the traceability of microplastics in the environment. The polymeric variety, irregular shape and microscopic size of microplastics make it difficult to quantify their presence in the environment. In this review, the analytical techniques for evaluating microplastics are discussed. The techniques included Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, laser diffraction particle, thermal analysis, scanning electron microscope, pyrolysis gas chromatography, dynamic light scattering, and atmospheric solid analysis probe (ASAP) paired with quadrupole mass spectrometry (MS). Short conclusion: The purpose of the present review is to give a summary of the most efficient cutting-edge techniques for more accurate and precise microplastic examination in the environmental samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An extraction procedure based on the Quick Easy Cheap Effective Rugged and Safe (QuEChERS) approach has been developed and used for analysis of particle-bound nitrated and oxygenated PAH derivatives (NPAH and OPAH, respectively). Several analytical conditions, for example GC injection temperature and MS detection settings, were optimized. This analytical procedure enabled simultaneous GC-NICIMS quantification of 32 NPAH and 32 OPAH (or other oxygenated compounds), including typical components of secondary organic aerosol (SOA) formed by photooxidation of PAH (e.g. 2-formyl- trans-cinnamaldehyde and 6 H-dibenzo[ b, d]pyran-6-one). The QuEChERS-like approach was optimized, including the nature of the extraction solvent, the sorbent used for clean-up, and extraction time. The final extraction procedure was based on brief mechanical agitation (vortex mixing for 1.5 min), with 7 mL acetonitrile as solvent. Because dispersive solid-phase extraction (d-SPE) did not provide satisfactory results, SPE using SiO was selected for sample purification. Identical results were obtained when the QuEChERS-like and traditional pressurised solvent extraction (PLE) procedures were compared for analysis of fortified ambient air particle samples. The procedure was validated by analysis of two aerosol standard reference materials (NIST SRM 1649b (urban dust) and SRM 2787 (fine particulate matter, <10 μm)). For numerous NPAH and OPAH, this is the first report of their quantification in both SRMs. Compared with other extraction methods, including PLE, the QuEChERS-like procedure resulted in increased productivity and reduced extraction cost. This paper shows that QuEChERS-like extraction procedures can be suitably adapted for molecular chemical characterization of aerosol samples and could be extended to other categories of compound. [Figure not available: see fulltext.] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The theory of hybrid systems is well-established as a model for real-world systems consisting of continuous behaviour and discrete control. In practice, the behaviour of such systems is also subject to uncertainties, such as measurement errors, or is controlled by randomised algorithms. These aspects can be modelled and analysed using stochastic hybrid systems. In this paper, we present HModest, an extension to the Modest modelling language-which is originally designed for stochastic timed systems without complex continuous aspects-that adds differential equations and inclusions as an expressive way to describe the continuous system evolution. Modest is a high-level language inspired by classical process algebras, thus compositional modelling is an integral feature. We define the syntax and semantics of HModest and show that it is a conservative extension of Modest that retains the compositional modelling approach. To allow the analysis of HModest models, we report on the implementation of a connection to recently developed tools for the safety verification of stochastic hybrid systems, and illustrate the language and the tool support with a set of small, but instructive case studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper we introduce a framework to represent robot task plans based on Petri nets. Our approach enables modelling a robot task, analysing its qualitative and quantitative properties and using the Petri net representation for actual plan execution. The overall model is obtained from the composition of simple models, leading to a modular approach. Analysis is applied to a closed loop between the robot controller and the environment Petri net models. We focus here on the quantitative properties, captured by stochastic Petri net models. Furthermore, we introduce a method to identify the environment and action layer parameters of the stochastic Petri net models from real data, improving the significance of the model. The framework building blocks and a single-robot task model are detailed. Results of a case study with simulated soccer robots show the ability of the framework to provide a systematic modelling tool, and of determining, through well-known analysis methods for stochastic Petri nets, relevant properties of the task plan applied to a particular environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper outlines the concepts that underlie the methods widely used for the analysis and design of concrete structures and provides evidence that shows the large deviation between predicted and real behaviour. It is shown that this deviation reflects the incompatibility between the assumed and the experimentally established behaviour of concrete. Moreover, it demonstrates that through the use of valid experimental information, it is possible to develop a common theoretical basis for the development of analysis and design methods capable of producing realistic predictions for a wide range of structural-concrete configurations subject to short-term loading conditions ranging from static and impact. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dietary fibre is that part of plant material in the diet which is resistant to enzymatic digestion which includes cellulose, noncellulosic polysaccharides such as hemicellulose, pectic substances, gums, mucilages and a non-carbohydrate component lignin. The diets rich in fibre such as cereals, nuts, fruits and vegetables have a positive effect on health since their consumption has been related to decreased incidence of several diseases. Dietary fibre can be used in various functional foods like bakery, drinks, beverages and meat products. Influence of different processing treatments (like extrusion-cooking, canning, grinding, boiling, frying) alters the physico- chemical properties of dietary fibre and improves their functionality. Dietary fibre can be determined by different methods, mainly by: enzymic gravimetric and enzymic-chemical methods. This paper presents the recent developments in the extraction, applications and functions of dietary fibre in different food products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flexible manufacturing system (FMS) is one of the solutions that enables any manufacturing system to withstand changing requirements of the market. An FMS consists of different automated workstations, material handling devices, and storage systems, all of which work under computer control. In the present work, analysis and modeling of a real problem has been considered for performance improvement. Modeling is done for analyzing the performance of an existing model, to propose a new layout for the system. Effect of factors like part mix, layout type, and batching condition, on the system performance in terms of productivity, system utilization rate, and cycle time is analyzed. The work includes simulation study along with Taguchi's experimental design framework for studying how different factors with varying levels affect system performance. ProModel software is used for simulating existing and proposed models of the manufacturing firm. Further, analysis of variance (ANOVA) is employed for finding the most important factor that affects system performance. Proposed methodology helps in determining best factor-level combination for each performance parameter. The results show that the system performs well with the implementation of loop layout having many numbers of batches. Towards the end, the scope of further is highlighted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a method to select forest restoration priority areas consistently with the key principles of the Ecosystem Approach (EA) and the Forest Landscape Restoration (FLR) framework. The methodology is based on the principles shared by the two approaches: acting at ecosystem scale, involving stakeholders, and evaluating alternatives. It proposes the involvement of social actors which have a stake in forest management through multicriteria analysis sessions aimed at identifying the most suitable forest restoration intervention. The method was applied to a study area in the native forests of Northern Argentina (the Yungas). Stakeholders were asked to identify alternative restoration actions, i.e. potential areas implementing FLR. Ten alternative fincas-estates derived from the Spanish land tenure system-differing in relation to ownership, management, land use, land tenure, and size were evaluated. Twenty criteria were selected and classified into four groups: biophysical, social, economic and political. Finca Ledesma was the closest to the economic, social, environmental and political goals, according to the values and views of the actors involved in the decision. This study represented the first attempt to apply EA principles to forest restoration at landscape scale in the Yungas region. The benefits obtained by the application of the method were twofold: on one hand, researchers and local actors were forced to conceive the Yungas as a complex net of rights rather than as a sum of personal interests. On the other hand, the participatory multicriteria approach provided a structured process for collective decision-making in an area where it has never been implemented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The first step of a geometrical and dimensional tolerance analysis is to determine kinematic loops that affect the functional requirements and the tolerances that influence the relative positioning between two topological elements of a part. This process is called the interpretation of geometric and dimensional tolerances. The second step is a solution procedure to verify if the functional requirements will be met with the current tolerances. This paper presents the implementation of a C++ library for the interpretation of geometric and dimensional tolerances in order to accomplish the first step of the tolerance analysis process. First, the data structures that allow storing the tolerances, the toleranced part data model, and the assembly graph model are introduced. This is followed by the description of the algorithms for retrieving the relevant kinematic loops from the assembly graph and the tolerances that affect the relative positioning between any two topological elements. Finally, an example demonstrates how to use the interpretation data obtained from the library to calculate and verify the functional requirements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of antibiotics in food-producing animals has generated considerable interest because the widespread administration of these drugs may lead to the development of resistant human pathogens. A large increase in the demand for seafood products has occurred in the last century. This has led to a concomitant increase in high-intensity aquaculture methods, characterized by high stock density and volume, and the heavy use of formulated feeds containing antibiotics, among other substances. Therefore, accurate and sensitive determination of antibiotic residues is now a necessity. In order to protect human health, the European Union and other regulatory authorities worldwide have established maximum residue limits (MRL) for antibiotic residues in animal products entering the human food chain. This paper reviews the most recent methods for analysis of antibiotic residues in fish. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pollution prevention (P2) has played an integral role in the development and implementation of technologies designed to prevent the amount of waste generated at a facility. The idea of P2 was later expanded by determining minimum system material and energy requirements, thus reducing the amount of raw materials and economic investment needed. This principle, which considers environmental and economic elements, was termed profitable P2 (P3). This paper, which further expands on the principles of P2 and P3, focuses on utilizing the idea of collaborative P3 (CP3) to aid in decision-making toward sustainable development. CP3 includes a system modeling and analysis methodology, which provides industrial decision-makers with the ability to assess the industrial units’ state of sustainability, evaluate future production options, and aid in the selection of the production plan with the best possibility of working toward the sustainable development of not only a single unit, but also of the overall industrial zone. To demonstrate the efficacy of the methodology, a comprehensive study on sustainable development of an auto-manufacturing focused industrial zone is illustrated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The most recent contributions on solventless extraction techniques have been reviewed. This paper deals with those techniques that use solid phases, such as solid-phase microextraction, liquid phases, such as single-drop microextraction and hollow-fibre liquid-phase microextraction, and subcritical fluids, such as subcritical water extraction. In all cases, the most recent publications have been critically studied. Direct extraction and derivatization processes to facilitate the extraction of analytes in different areas have been included. Hyphenated approaches, if available, are also included in this review. Comparison of techniques organized by analytes and matrices also enhances this critical overview of solventless techniques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The analysis and modeling of business processes are the basis on which management methodologies, simulation models and information systems are developed. The goal of this paper is to point out the possibility of establishing relationships between processes in supply networks and functioning of the whole system. In this integrated system, all relevant factors for supply network management, both at the global level and at the single process level, could be observed. The idea is to form a process library of the supply network, which would contain process description, inputs, outputs, and the way the process is realized. Every record in the library presents the single instance of that process. The relationships of one process with another depend on process structure and the way of its realization. Every instance of a process represents its realization. The assembly of mutual compatible instances of all processes represents one realization of the supply network. The key problem, triggering the process realization, is solved by specific production expert system. Process realization is very similar to a real system, because the environment influence, uncertainty, and available resources are taken into consideration. As the output, the aggregate of relevant parameters for the evaluation of model functioning are derived. This concept presents the basis of virtual framework for supply network simulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the last few decades, increasing interest in biological surfactants led to an intensification of research for the cost-efficient production of biosurfactants compared with traditional petrochemical surface-active components. The quest for alternative production strains also is associated with new demands on biosurfactant analysis. The present paper gives an overview of existing analytical methods, based on the example of rhamnolipids. The methods reviewed range from simple colorimetric testing to sophisticated chromatographic separation coupled with detection systems like mass spectrometry, by means of which detailed structural information is obtained. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) coupled with mass spectrometry currently presents the most precise method for rhamnolipid identification and quantification. Suitable approaches to accelerate rhamnolipid quantification for better control of biosurfactant production are HPLC analysis directly from culture broth by adding an internal standard or Fourier transform infrared attenuated total reflectance spectroscopy measurements of culture broth as a possible quasi-online quantification method in the future. The search for alternative rhamnolipid-producing strains makes a structure analysis and constant adaptation of the existing quantification methods necessary. Therefore, simple colorimetric tests based on whole rhamnolipid content can be useful for strain and medium screening. Furthermore, rhamnolipid purification from a fermentation broth will be considered depending on the following application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]