Collection and maintenance of biodiversity data is in need for automation. We present first results of an automated and model-free approach to the species identification from herbarium specimens kept in herbaria worldwide. Methodologically, our approach relies on standard methods for the detection and description of so-called interest points and their classification into species-characteristic categories using standard supervised learning tools. To keep the approach model-free on the one hand but also offer opportunities for species identification even in very challenging cases on the other hand, we allow to induce specific knowledge about important visual cues by using concepts of active learning on demand. First encouraging results on selected fern species show recognition accuracies between 94 % and 100 %.

Adaptive optics workbenches are fully functional optical systems that can be used to illustrate and teach a variety of concepts and cognitive processes. Four systems have been funded, designed and constructed by various institutions and people as part of education programs associated with the Center for Adaptive Optics, the Professional Development Program and the Institute for Science and Engineer Educators. Activities can range from first-year undergraduate explorations to professional level training. These workbenches have been used in many venues including the Center for Adaptive Optics AO Summer School, the Maui Community College hosted Akamai Maui Short Course, classrooms, training of new staff in laboratories and other venues. The activity content has focused on various elements of systems thinking, characterization, feedback and system control, basic optics and optical alignment as well as advanced topics such as phase conjugation, wave-front sensing and correction concepts and system design. The workbenches have slightly different designs and performance capabilities. We describe here outlines for several activities utilizing these different designs and some examples of common student learner outcomes and experiences.

This paper uses monthly data from eleven local governments to model residential water demand in Queensland, Australia from 1994 to 2004. In the sample, residential consumption is charged using a variety of structures including fixed charges without allowance, fixed charges with allowance and excess rates, two-part tariffs comprising an access charge and a flat consumption rate, and multi-part tariffs with an access charge and two or more limits with increasing consumption rates. Water demand is specified as average monthly household water consumption and the demand characteristics include the marginal and average price of water and daily average maximum temperatures and rainfall. The findings confirm residential water as price inelastic, more responsive to average than marginal prices, and more responsive to changes in temperature than rainfall. The results also suggest that cross-sectional variation in demand is related to local government-specific factors.

This paper describes a new out-of-core multi-resolution data structure for real-time visualization, interactive editing and externally efficient processing of large point clouds. We describe an editing system that makes use of the novel data structure to provide interactive editing and preprocessing tools for large scanner data sets. Using the new data structure, we provide a complete tool chain for 3D scanner data processing, from data preprocessing and filtering to manual touch-up and real-time visualization. In particular, we describe an out-of-core outlier removal and bilateral geometry filtering algorithm, a toolset for interactive selection, painting, transformation, and filtering of huge out-of-core point-cloud data sets and a real-time rendering algorithm, which all use the same data structure as storage backend. The interactive tools work in real-time for small model modifications. For large scale editing operations, we employ a two-resolution approach where editing is planned in real-time and executed in an externally efficient offline computation afterwards. We evaluate our implementation on example data sets of sizes up to 63GB, demonstrating that the proposed technique can be used effectively in real-world applications.

The dynamics of two-axle railway freight wagons with the UIC standard suspension is investigated theoretically and the dynamic behaviour is explained. Fully nonlinear models are considered. The hysteresis from dry friction and the effect of impacts between elements of the suspension are included. Different wheel–rail geometries are investigated and the results commented. Bifurcation diagrams are used to describe the eigen-dynamics of the wagons.

The standardized design of European two-axle freight wagons has been used since the 1890s. The basic construction is a carbody suspended on leaf springs by a system of links working as pendulums. The internationally approved suspension system for these vehicles is the UIC standard suspension. The design is advantageous because it is simple, cheap, and robust. Despite the simple design, its influence on the dynamic performance of the vehicle is highly intricate due to dry friction damping and motion delimiters causing impacts. This paper deals with the dynamic behavior of European two-axle freight wagons analyzed through the use of a multibody model developed specifically for this purpose. The modeling of the vehicle and the integration of the dynamic equations of motion are far from trivial due to the complicated nature of the interacting forces. The model exhibits interesting bifurcation patterns emphasizing the complexity of the dynamic behavior of these wagons.

This paper describes a new out-of-core multi-resolution data structure for real-time visualization and interactive editing of large point clouds. In addition, an editing system is discussed that makes use of the novel data structure to provide interactive editing tools for large scanner data sets. The new data structure provides efficient rendering and allows for handling very large data sets using out-of-core storage. Unlike related previous approaches, it also provides dynamic operations for online insertion, deletion and modification of points with time mostly independent of scene complexity. This permits local editing of huge models in real time while maintaining a full multi-resolution representation for visualization. The data structure is used to implement a prototypical editing system for large point clouds. It provides real-time local editing tools for huge data sets as well as a two-resolution scripting mode for planning large, non-local changes which are subsequently performed in an externally efficient offline computation. We evaluate our implementation on several synthetic and real-world examples of sizes up to 63GB.

This paper uses suburb-level quarterly data to model residential water demand in Brisbane, Australia, from 1998 to 2003. In this system, residential consumption is charged using a fixed annual service fee with no water entitlement followed by a fixed volumetric charge per kilolitre. Water demand is specified as average quarterly household water consumption and the demand characteristics include the marginal price of water, household income and size, and the number of rainy and warm days. The findings not only confirm residential water as price and income inelastic, but also that the price and income elasticity of demand in owner-occupied households is higher than in rented households. The results also show that weather, particularly summer months and the number of rainy days, exerts a strong influence on residential water consumption.

The dynamics of two different two-axle railway freight wagons is investigated theoretically and compared. Fully nonlinear models are considered. The hysteresis from dry friction and the effect of impacts between elements of the suspension are included. Bifurcation diagrams are shown in order to describe the eigen-dynamics of the wagons. Finally, the dynamics in a given curve is calculated for three different speeds.

The driving force and mode mixity for cracks near interfaces was examined via experimental measurements of the crack tip displacement field with moire interferometry, verified using boundary element modeling, and further explored with finite element modeling. The stress intensity factor was obtained by a collocation method in which the Westergaard crack tip expansions are used for displacements [1]. The method of fundamental solutions was employed so that displacements across the material interface could be used [2]. Boundary element simulations provide verification of the method and allow a comparison with experiment. Systematic finite element simulations enable a study of how residual stresses may affect crack trajectories and driving forces.

In the paper we present the three most common European standard freight wagon suspensions. It is characteristic for the European suspensions that they are all primary suspensions without a bolster. The design and the function of their single elements are described. New results on the nature of dry friction and its influence on the damping characteristics are presented. Finally a few theoretical investigations of the dynamics of European freight wagons are surveyed with emphasis on the calculations of the critical speed. The results are compared with corresponding results for American wagons.

We give an explicit computation of the Banach envelope for the Paley-Wiener type spaces E-p, 0 < p < 1. This answers a question by Joel Shapiro.

Cracks situated parallel to, and very near, the interface in layered, ductile-brittle composite specimens were investigated with finite element analysis. Elastic, plastic and thermal properties of Cu-W composites previously obtained from experiments were utilized in the model. A finiteelement model for simulating mixed-mode crack propagation in linear elastic materials was modified to incorporate yielding. A routine for automatic crack extension and remeshing enabled simulation of incremental crack propagation. Particular issues, including calculation of fracture parameters, crack propagation direction under mixed-mode loading and retention of plastic strain history, are addressed. The geometry and an example mesh close-up are shown in Fig. 1. Crack propagation was simulated in homogeneous and layered Cu-W composites, employing thermal and mechanical properties previously obtained from experiments. Two effects of plasticity on crack-tip stresses are predicted: (i) compliance mismatch leads to stress intensity factor amplification or ‘anti-shielding’, and (ii) accumulation of plastic strains leads to increases in effective toughness. Competition between these determines the structural reliability of the interface region.

We investigate market reactions after Public to Private (P2P) announcements in the European market, using a data set from 1996-2002. Furthermore, we analyze different sources of value creation for pre-P2P shareholders. The results of our cross-sectional regression support the agency cost theory as companies with a high pre-P2P free float and thus conceivably weak monitoring by shareholders tend to show high abnormal P2P returns. We find that companies whose stock performed badly before the buyout as well as companies which are undervalued with respect to their industry peer group tend to have higher abnormal returns.