• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.53 no.2
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• pp.399-413
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• 2021

The solution of the time-dependent neutron diffusion equation can be approximated using quasi-static methods that factorise the neutronic flux as the product of a time dependent function times a shape function that depends both on space and time. A generalization of this technique is the updated modal method. This strategy assumes that the neutron flux can be decomposed into a sum of amplitudes multiplied by some shape functions. These functions, known as modes, come from the solution of the eigenvalue problems associated with the static neutron diffusion equation that are being updated along the transient. In previous works, the time step used to update the modes is set to a fixed value and this implies the need of using small time-steps to obtain accurate results and, consequently, a high computational cost. In this work, we propose the use of an adaptive control time-step that reduces automatically the time-step when the algorithm detects large errors and increases this value when it is not necessary to use small steps. Several strategies to compute the modes updating time step are proposed and their performance is tested for different transients in benchmark reactors with rectangular and hexagonal geometry.

• Journal of Electrochemical Science and Technology
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.268-275
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• 2024

The study examined the electrogeneration of hypochlorite ions (ClO^-) via electrolysis of aqueous NaCl solutions using a dimensionally stable anode-type (DSA-type) electrode based on platinum and palladium oxides supported on titanium mesh (Ti/PtPd(10%)O_x). The electrogenerated ClO^- was quantified on the basis of the absorption band at 292 nm (A_λ = 292) of the UV-Vis spectrum. The effect of initial pH, concentration of NaCl, cell potential difference and electrolysis time were investigated in this study. The results showed that the electrolysis of aqueous NaCl solutions increases the solution pH up to high values (≥ 8.0) that favor the formation of ClO^- over chlorine or hypochlorous acid. The hypochlorite concentration increases significantly at pH values > 7.0 and shows a linear trend with increasing NaCl concentration and with increasing cell potential difference. When the cell potential and NaCl concentration are held constant, the maximum hypochlorite value during electrolysis depends on both the cell potential and NaCl concentration. The Ti/PtPd(10%)O_x anode favors the production of hypochlorite ions, making this anode a promising material for use in electrochemical oxidation of wastewater via an indirect mechanism.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.40 no.2
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• pp.139-150
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• 2024

Huanglongbing (HLB) is a disease caused by the phloem-limited Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus (CLas) that affects the citrus industry worldwide. To date, only indirect strategies have been implemented to eradicate HLB. Included among these is the population control of the psyllid vector (Diaphorina citri), which usually provides inconsistent results. Even though strategies for direct CLas suppression seem a priori more promising, only a handful of reports have been focused on a confrontation of the pathogen. Recent developments in polymer chemistry have allowed the design of polycationic self-assembled block copolymers with outstanding antibacterial capabilities. Here, we report the use of polymeric nano-sized bactericide particles (PNB) to control CLas directly in the phloem vasculature. The field experiments were performed in Rioverde, San Luis Potosí, and is one of the most important citrusproducing regions in Mexico. An average 52% reduction in the bacterial population was produced when PNB was injected directly into the trunk of 20 infected trees, although, in some cases, reduction levels reached 97%. These results position PNB as a novel and promising nanotechnological tool for citrus crop protection against CLas and other related pathogens.

• Transactions on Control, Automation and Systems Engineering
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.109-113
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• 2002

Van de Vusse reactor is known as a highly nonlinear chemical process and has been considered by a number of researchers as a benchmark problem for nonlinear chemical process. Various identification methods for nonlinear system are also verified by applying these methods to Van de Vusse reactor. From the point of view of identification, only the Volterra kernel of second order has been obtained until now. In this paper, the authors show that Volterra kernels of nonlinear Van de Vusse reactor of up to 3rd order are obtained by use of M-sequence correlation method. A pseudo-random M-sequence is applied to Van de Vusse reactor as an input and its output is measured. Taking the crosscorrelation function between the input and the output, we obtain up to 3rd order Volterra kernels, which is the highest order Volterra kernel obtained until now for Van de Vusse reactor. Computer simulations show that when Van de Vusse chemical process is identified by use of up to 3rd order Volterra kernels, a good agreement is observed between the calculated output and the actual output.

• Coupled systems mechanics
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• v.5 no.3
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• pp.235-254
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• 2016

A numerical model for fluid-structure interactions (abbr. FSI) is presented in the context of sloshing effects in movable, partially filled tanks to improve understanding of interactions between the fluid and the dynamics of a tank flexibly attached to a vehicle. The purpose of this model is to counteract the penalizing impact of the added mass effect on classical partitioned FSI coupling scheme: the proposed investigation is based on an added mass corrected version of the classical strongly coupled partitioned scheme presented in (Song et al. 2013). Results show that this corrected version systematically allows convergence to the coupled solution. In the rare cases where convergence is already obtained, the corrected version significantly reduces the number of iterations required. Finally, it is shown that the convergence limit imposed by added mass effect for the non-corrected coupling scheme, is directly dependent on the aspect ratio of the fluid domain and highly related to the precision order of the temporal discretization scheme.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.197-203
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• 2011

Lactobacilli are normal constituents of the intestinal microbiota, and some strains show the capacity to bind to extracellular matrix proteins and components of the mucosal layer, which represents an adaptation to persist in this niche. A shotgun phage-display library of Lactobacillus casei BL23 was constructed and screened for peptides able to bind to fibronectin and collagen. Clones showing binding to these proteins were isolated, which encoded overlapping fragments of a putative transcriptional regulator (LCABL_29260), a hypothetical protein exclusively found in the L. casei/rhamnosus group (LCABL_01820), and a putative phage-related endolysin (LCABL_13470). The construction of different glutathione S-transferase (GST) fusions confirmed the binding activity and demonstrated that the three identified proteins could interact with fibronectin, fibrinogen, and collagen. The results illustrate the utility of phage display for the isolation of putative adhesins in lactobacilli. However, it remains to be determined whether the primary function of these proteins actually is adhesion to mucosal surfaces.

• Bulletin of the Korean Mathematical Society
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• v.46 no.6
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• pp.1099-1133
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• 2009

We study the hyperbolic cosine and sine laws in the extended hyperbolic space which contains hyperbolic space as a subset and is an analytic continuation of the hyperbolic space. And we also study the spherical cosine and sine laws in the extended de Sitter space which contains de Sitter space S$^n_1$ as a subset and is also an analytic continuation of de Sitter space. In fact, the extended hyperbolic space and extended de Sitter space are the same space only differ by -1 multiple in the metric. Hence these two extended spaces clearly show and apparently explain that why many corresponding formulas in hyperbolic and spherical space are very similar each other. From these extended trigonometry laws, we can give a coherent and geometrically simple explanation for the various relations between the lengths and angles of hyperbolic polygons, and relations on de Sitter polygons which lie on S$^2_1$, and tangent laws for various polyhedra.

• Journal of the Korean Mathematical Society
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• v.46 no.3
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• pp.589-607
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• 2009

In this paper we study arithmetically Cohen-Macaulay (ACM for short) vector bundles $\varepsilon$ of rank k $\geq$ 3 on hypersurfaces $X_r\;{\subset}\;{\mathbb{P}}^4$ of degree r $\geq$ 1. We consider here mainly the case of degree r = 4, which is the first unknown case in literature. Under some natural conditions for the bundle $\varepsilon$ we derive a list of possible Chern classes ($c_1$, $c_2$, $c_3$) which may arise in the cases of rank k = 3 and k = 4, when r = 4 and we give several examples.

• ALGAE
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.31-36
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• 2005

Scinaia latifrons Howe occurs in rhodolith beds between 9 to 27 m depths at San Lorenzo channel, Gulf of California, Mexico. As very little was known about the morphometrics of this normally temperate species in a subtropical area, we investigated the phenological changes from December 1998 to December 1999. The gametophytic phase of the species was present from late February to late May, which represented a shorter time period to other known species in the genus. Our results suggested that two gametophytic cohorts develop over winter and early spring based on the size class structure of the frond height. Thalli became reproductively mature at a small size (1-2 cm in height) and all the plants were monoecious. Scinaia latifrons at the study location underwent allometric growth, indicated by the lack of correlation between size, width of the plants, or branching patterns.

• Journal of Information Technology Services
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.53-64
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• 2004

For many reasons, SI(Systems Integration) projects can fail. Sometimes, they can result in considerable financial losses to the organizations that undertake them. These projects are abandoned or redirected. However, the cost of project abandonment or redirection can represent a tremendous waste of organizational resources. By managing failure factors carefully, project managers can prevent projects from failing. Types of project failure can be categorized into escalation and de-escalation. Project escalation is that, as projects progress, the project scopes keep increasing. Project de-escalation is that, as projects progress, the project scopes keep decreasing. This study examine relative importance of risk factors that cause project escalation and de-escalation.