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Essentially, the difficulty in dehydration technology of lignite depends on the energy state of water in lignite. The fundamental understanding of the water occurrence and energy state in lignite as well as its physical-chemical interaction with coal structure is helpful to the upgrading of lignite. In this paper, the water occurrence in lignite and the changes of oxygen-containing functional groups, pore structure, and water holding capacities at different drying temperatures were researched by DSC, NMR, FTIR and BET, respectively. The binding energies (calculated by DFT using model compounds) of different forms of water in lignite were also summarized. The relationships between energy state and occurrence mode of water in lignite as well as dehydration difficulty and structural changes during dewatering were clarified. The Results show that the energy state of water in lignite divided into three levels. The water in free and pore is in the lowest energy level. Its binding force with coal is pretty weak. So this type of water is easily vaporized and re-adsorbed. It is the main in removed moisture. Generally, the temperature removed free water mainly focused on below 100 °C, and the dehydration temperature of pore water mainly focused on 100–200 °C. The water bonded in hydrogen-bond and capillary confinement is in the middle energy level. The dehydration temperature mainly focused on 200–400 °C. The oxygen-containing functional groups of samples change a little and the re-adsorbed property improves a little after dehydrated. The water mainly produced by chemical reaction above 400 °C is in the highest energy level. Though this type of water does not belong to the natural occurrence of water in lignite, the re-adsorbed property improves much, and it plays the key role in stabilizing the dehydrated lignite interface.

In this paper we present a parametric method for the identification of a horizontal positioning system for a billets unloading machine. The input-output models are obtained on the experimental models and on the priori information of the process. The obtained models are represented as second-order underdamped systems. The assessment of the models is made via simulation and a best fit model follows. In order to improve the current process performances, new automatic control structures for the positioning process can be derived using the determined model

Machining of highly abrasive carbon fibre reinforced polymer (CFRP) in the aerospace industry requires processes with excellent machining quality, sufficient tool lifetime and short cycle times. To reach these goals a detailed understanding of the physics of cutting and chip formation based on the tool geometry is necessary. This paper presents a fundamental study in milling of unidirectional CFRP focussing on variable process parameters, tool geometries and fibre orientations. A single-edged tool with cemented carbide inserts of variable macro geometry is utilised. The experiments are evaluated by 3D microscopy of the milled edges, detailed tool wear analyses and interpretation of cutting forces. The key conclusions from the experimental results are drawn to reach a better machining quality and increased tool lifetime. The delamination of top layer fibres from the ply below up to a certain distance from the milled edge, which depends on the forces at fibre cutting angle ϕ = 90°, has been identified as main quality issue. Force and tool wear models based on the measurement data are presented.

From the point of view of a data warehouse system, collecting and receiving information from source systems is crucial for all subsequent business intelligence applications. Incoming information can generally be classified into two types: (1) the state-oriented data and (2) event-oriented data or transactional data, which contains information about the change performed by processes on the instances of information objects. On the way towards achieving the goal of a full-fledged active data warehouse it becomes more and more important to provide data with minimal latency. In this paper we focus on dimensional data which is provided by general data warehouse applications. The information transfer is performed via messages containing the change of information on the dimension instances. The proposed approach is able to validate the event-messages, reconstruct the complete history of the dimension and provide a well applicable ''comprehensive slowly changing dimension'' (cSCD) interface for queries on the historical and current state of the dimension. A description of the prototype implementation for this kind of an ''active integration'' in a data warehouse and a case study at T-Mobile conclude the paper.

We examine the equity premium puzzle with the perspective of the theory of Rational Beliefs Equilibrium (RBE) and show that from the perspective of this theory there is no puzzle. In an RBE agents need to be compensated for the endogenously propagated price uncertainty which is not permitted under rational expectations. It is then argued that endogenous uncertainty is the predominant uncertainty of asset returns and its presence provides a natural explanation of the observed premium. Utilizing data on the asset allocation of 63 U.S. mutual funds, we test some empirical implications of the theory of rational beliefs as well as estimate the parameters of risk aversion of mutual fund managers. Our tests show that the predictions of the theory are consistent with the empirical evidence. We then construct a simple two agent model of the U.S. economy in which the agents hold rational beliefs and calibrate it to the empirical experience in accord with the parameters of the Mehra and Prescott (1985) paper. The results of our calculations show that for a large set of parameter values the model predictions fit closely the historical record.

The combination of Java applications as graphical user interfaces and the Matlab-Simulink environment as the simulation engine seems to be a good solution for taking a particular control lab to distant students. In this paper, it is presented a new kind of simulation environment for qualitative teaching on concepts of Control Engineering by means of a suitable configuration of experiments by the tutor or teacher.

Searching for information about a specific person is a frequent online activity. In most cases, users are aided in the search process by queries containing a name in Web search engines. Typically, Web search engines provide just a few accurate results associated with a name-containing query. Most existing solutions for suggesting synonyms in online search are based on pattern matching and phonetic encoding, however very often, the performance of such solutions is less than optimal. In this paper, we propose SpokenName2Vec, a novel and generic algorithm which addresses the synonym suggestion problem by utilizing automated speech generation, and deep learning to produce novel spoken name embeddings. These embeddings capture the way people pronounce names in a particular language and accent. Utilizing a name’s pronunciation can help detect names that sound alike, but are written differently. We demonstrated the proposed approach on a large-scale dataset with more than 250,000 forenames and surnames and evaluated it on two ground truth datasets containing 7400 forenames and 25,000 surnames (including their verified synonyms). The performance of SpokenName2Vec was found superior to the 10 other algorithms evaluated, including phonetic encoding, string similarity, and machine learning algorithms. The results obtained emphasize the potential of spoken name embeddings for improved synonym suggestion.

Organizations have gone through many changes. They have reinvented themselves to meet the changing needs of their customers, the external influences and the cost pressures over which they have limited control. With the changes required, as a result of the housing transfer, there is an opportunity to refresh and invigorate what they are about as an organization. To work towards aspiration goals that will make us proud of what we achieve. This effort sets out an approach on how organization can continue improvement journey in ‘Shaping up for Excellence’. It can be argued that the fine words in this paper, by themselves, do not improve anything. The key to change is in the culture of the organization; how they deliver the services to their customers and the improvements that will come through ensuring the skills, experience, motivation and the tools to deliver an excellent service are developed and available. The purpose of this document is to set a corporate framework and improvement plan for how we can ‘shape up’ collectively and achieve our goal of excellence in all aspects of our approach and delivery.

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Introduction Common peroneal nerve injury is the most frequent nerve deficit affecting the lower limbs. This leads to foot drop and a so-called steppage gait. Primary surgical nerve repair has an unfavorable outcome in some series. One alternative is posterior tibialis tendon transfer, a procedure designed to achieve active dorsiflexion. The aim of this paper is to report the results we have obtained with this surgery. Methods Between January 2008 and June 2016, a total of 38 patients underwent posterior tibialis tendon transfer, but only those 29 who had a minimum 12-months follow-up were included in analysis. A subcutaneous approach was used for the transfer, with tendon-to-tendon suturing employed, using the tibialis anterior, extensor hallucis longus, extensor digitorum longus and peroneal tendons as targets. The Stanmore Scale was used to rate outcomes. Results Final results were excellent in 15 patients (52%), good in seven (24%), fair in three (10%) and poor in four (14%). Conclusions This tendon transfer procedure has a high success rate, both in our series and in the literature. Considering the poor results observed in primary nerve repair in some patients, we believe that posterior tibialis tendon transfer should be considered for the treatment of foot drop in selected patients.

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Climate change is a large-scale and emerging environmental risk. It challenges environmental health and the sustainability of global development. Wastewater irrigation can make a sterling contribution to reducing water demand, recycling nutrients, improving soil health and cutting the amount of pollutants discharged into the waterways. However, the resource must be carefully managed to protect the environment and public health. Actions promoting wastewater reuse are every where, yet the frameworks for the protection of human health and the environment are lacking in most developing countries. Global change drivers including climate change, population growth, urbanization, income growth, improvements in living standard, industrialization, and energy intensive lifestyle will all heighten water management challenges. Slowing productivity growth, falling investment in irrigation, loss of biodiversity, risks to public health, environmental health issues such as soil salinity, land degradation, land cover change and water quality issues add an additional layer of complexity. Against this backdrop, the potential for wastewater irrigation and its benefits and risks are examined. These include crop productivity, aquaculture, soil health, groundwater quality, environmental health, public health, infrastructure constraints, social concerns and risks, property values, social equity, and poverty reduction. It is argued that, wastewater reuse and nutrient capture can contribute towards climate change adaptation and mitigation. Benefits such as avoided freshwater pumping and energy savings, fertilizer savings, phosphorous capture and prevention of mineral fertilizer extraction from mines can reduce carbon footprint and earn carbon credits. Wastewater reuse in agriculture reduces the water footprint of food production on the environment; it also entails activities such as higher crop yields and changes in cropping patterns, which also reduce carbon footprint. However, there is a need to better integrate water reuse into core water governance frameworks in order to effectively address the challenges and harness the potential of this vital resource for environmental health protection. The paper also presents a blueprint for future water governance and public policies for the protection of environmental health.

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This paper relates altogether to the practical construction and use of the voltaic battery. Guided by the principles developed in former series, the author concluded that in voltaic instruments in which the copper surrounded the zinc, there was no occasion for insulation of the contiguous coppers, provided they did not come into metallic contact; and therefore in the construction of some new instruments he interposed paper only between the coppers instead of the usual insulating plate of porcelain or glass. The battery thus constructed is essentially the same with Dr. Hare's; and the author recommends even his form of trough for the purpose of putting the acid on to, and moving it from the plates. By attending to certain points described, as many as 40 pairs of plates could be packed into a space not more than 15 inches in length, and thus a very portable, and, at the same time, powerful and convenient trough might be obtained. In comparing this form of trough with others, the author used acids of constant strength, took note of their quantity, allowed them to act in the troughs until the power of the apparatus had nearly ceased, estimated the quantity of effect by his volta-electrometer, and then estimated the quantity of zinc in the battery employed in producing the effect by the results of an analysis of a given portion of the exhausted charge. In this way it was easy to tell how much zinc was dissolved from any one plate, or from all the plates, and to compare it with the quantity of water decomposed in the volta-electrometer. Thus, with a perfect battery of 40 pairs of plates, an equivalent of water decomposed in the volta-electrometer would be the result of the solution of an equivalent of zinc from each zinc plate, or forty equivalents in the whole; but with a battery not so perfect, a greater proportion of zinc would be dissolved by the acid in the cells.

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Data Assimilation (DA) is an uncertainty quantification technique used to incorporate observed data into a prediction model in order to improve numerical forecasted results. Variational DA (VarDA) is based on the minimisation of a function which estimates the discrepancy between numerical results and observations. Operational forecasting requires real-time data assimilation. This mandates the choice of opportune methods to improve the efficiency of VarDA codes without loosing accuracy. Due to the scale of the forecasting area and the number of state variables used to describe the physical model, DA is a big data problem. In this paper, the Truncated Singular Value Decomposition (TSVD) is used to reduce the space dimension, alleviate the computational cost and reduce the errors. Nevertheless, a consequence is that important information is lost if the truncation parameter is not properly chosen. We provide an algorithm to compute the optimal truncation parameter and we prove that the optimal estimation reduces the ill-conditioning and removes the statistically less significant modes which could add noise to the estimate obtained from DA. In this paper, numerical issues faced in developing VarDA algorithm include the ill-conditioning of the background covariance matrix, the choice of a preconditioning and the choice of the regularisation parameter. We also show how the choice of the regularisation parameter impacts on the efficiency of the VarDA minimisation computed by the L-BFGS (Limited – Broyden Fletcher Goldfarb Shanno). Experimental results are provided for pollutant dispersion within an urban environment.

The author is confirmed in his views regarding the arrangement of the nervous filaments distributed to the uterus, as described in his papers printed in the Philosophical Transactions for 1841 and 1842, by his recent dissection of a gravid uterus at the full period, and which he considers as demonstrative of the accuracy of all the statements which are contained in those communications.

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In a former paper, published in the Philosophical Transactions for 1843, the author gave an account of the observations he had made on the phænomena of elliptic polarization by reflexion from certain metallic surfaces, but with reference only to one class of comparative results. He has since pursued the inquiry into other relations besides those at first contemplated, and the present paper is devoted to the details of these new observations, obtained by va­rying the inclination of the incident rays, and the position of the plane of analysation, and by employing different metals as the re­flecting surfaces. By the application of the undulatory theory of light to the circumstances of the experiments and the resulting phænomena, the law of metallic retardation is made the subject of ana­lytic investigation. A polariscope of peculiar construction, of which a description is given at the conclusion of the paper, was employed in the experiments: and tables are subjoined of the numerical re­sults of the observations.

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Despite years of rich academic production of research on information systems success, companies are still struggling to achieve expected return from their internal IS implementations. Billions of euros are spent in projects, which too often fail to deliver the expected returns on investments (Nelson 2005). In the meantime, researchers have noticed that the game industry is able to tap into human psyche to get players to engage voluntarily with some unparalleled intensity and duration (Przybylski, Rigby, and Ryan 2010). In this context there is growing interest on how organizations can learn from gaming to foster similar levels of interest, enjoyable experience and commitment in non-gaming Information Systems (Robson, Plangger, Kietzmann, McCarthy and Pitt 2015). Initially emerged in digital media industry before becoming an academic topic (Deterding, Dixon, Khaled, Nacke 2011), the concept and practice of Gamification consist in applying game elements to utilitarian applications. This paper examines how gamification of utilitarian information systems in B2B can contribute to achieve greater benefit from IS investment. More specifically, it aims to answer the following questions: how does Gamification impact utilitarian IS success? What roles do motivation levers play in that process? What are the design principles for effective gamification of utilitarian IS? In order to respond to those research questions, we use a 2 cycles Canonical Action Research design to introduce gamification features in a customer relationship management software CRM utilized by an European Sales organization at Hewlett Packard Enterprise. This effort resulted in conceptualization and adjustment of a research model inspired from the Information Success Model (DeLone and McLean 2003), and Self Determination Theory (Deci and Ryan 1985). The model highlights 4 main situated motivational affordances of gamification and clarify inter relations between concepts, resulting in description of 7 design principles.

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