DEPOSITIONAL AND DIAGENETIC HISTORY OF THE KERENDAN CARBONATE PLATFORM, OLIGOCENE, CENTRAL KALIMANTAN, INDONESIA

The Kerendan carbonate platform (Oligocene Berai Limestone) covers a subsurface area measuring approximately 11 by 16 km in the westernmost Kutei Basin, Central Kalimantan. Aggradation of the Kerendan platform occurred during a major Oligocene transgression, and is contemporaneous with aggradation and backstepping of the Barito shelf margin which was located approximately 30 km to the south. The Kerendan platform is approximately 1,000 m thick, and comprises three aggrading seismic sequences identified by the downlap of basinal strata at the platform margin and downlap of transgressive strata within the platform. Carbonate deposition started in the Late Eocene, and ended when the upper limestone sequence drowned and was covered with shale in the Late Oligocene (approximately 28.6 Ma). Three depositional areas can be distinguished in seismic sections: (1) a platform interior (lagoon); (2) a slightly raised platform rim (1–2 km wide); and (3) a basinward‐dipping platform margin and slope. The margin of the platform is identified by inflections on the seismic profiles where the relatively flat platform top begins to slope basinward. Depositional models from outcrops combined with core from three Kerendan wells were used to extrapolate depositional facies onto the seismically‐defined platform. Platform‐interior (lagoon) facies consist largely of fossiliferous wackestones and packstones, and porosities are generally lower than 5%. The platform rim is characterized by interbedded bioclastic wackestones, packstones, grainstones and boundstones, with grainstones increasing toward the platform margin. Porosity preferentially occurs in packstones, grainstones and boundstones. The platform‐rim deposits have greater porosity (5–13%) than the platform interior because the platform run is more grainstone‐rich, and because acidic waters compacting out of basinal shales concentrated dissolution near the platform margin. Pore types include vuggy porosity, microporosity within grains, and intercrystalline porosity in dolomite in the upper part of the platform rim. Different pore types have resulted in variable but locally very high permeabilities (greater than 100 mD). Permeabilities decrease with depth as vuggy pores decrease, and microporosity becomes dominant.     

Sorption,diffusion, and swelling characteristics of sodium alginate and its blend membranes with poly(vinyl alcohol) in water–acetic acid mixtures

Sorption, diffusion, and swelling characteristics of sodium alginate and its blend membranes with poly(vinyl alcohol) were investigated for water–acetic acid mixtures by using a gravimetric method at 30, 40, and 50°C. The membranes were characterized by X‐ray diffraction and Fourier transform infrared techniques. Concentration‐independent diffusion coefficients were obtained by applying Fick's relationship before completion of equilibrium sorption. Permeation coefficients were calculated from sorption and diffusion coefficients. Concentration profiles of liquids were computed considering the sheet geometry for the membrane by solving Fick's equation under suitable boundary conditions. Arrhenius activation parameters were computed for the transport processes. Experimental results and calculated quantities were discussed to understand membrane–solvent interactions. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 94: 1139–1150, 2004     

A Randomized Linear-Work EREW PRAM Algorithm to Find a Minimum Spanning Forest

We present a randomized EREW PRAM algorithm to find a minimum spanning forest in a weighted undirected graph. On an n -vertex graph the algorithm runs in o(( log n) ^{1+ ɛ} ) expected time for any ɛ >0 and performs linear expected work. This is the first linear-work, polylog-time algorithm on the EREW PRAM for this problem. This also gives parallel algorithms that perform expected linear work on two general-purpose models of parallel computation—the QSM and the BSP.     

Mapping of groundwater potential zones in the Musi basin using remote sensing data and GIS

The objective of this study is to explore the groundwater availability for agriculture in the Musi basin. Remote sensing data and geographic information system were used to locate potential zones for groundwater in the Musi basin. Various maps (i.e., base, hydrogeomorphological, geological, structural, drainage, slope, land use/land cover and groundwater prospect zones) were prepared using the remote sensing data along with the existing maps. The groundwater availability of the basin is qualitatively classified into different classes (i.e., very good, good, moderate, poor and nil) based on its hydrogeomorphological conditions. The land use/land cover map was prepared for the Kharif season using a digital classification technique with the limited ground truth for mapping irrigated areas in the Musi basin. The alluvial plain in filled valley, flood plain and deeply buried pediplain were successfully delineated and shown as the prospective zones of groundwater.     

A bayesian approach to deformed pattern matching of iris images

We describe a general probabilistic framework for matching patterns that experience in-plane nonlinear deformations, such as iris patterns. Given a pair of images, we derive a maximum a posteriori probability (MAP) estimate of the parameters of the relative deformation between them. Our estimation process accomplishes two things simultaneously: it normalizes for pattern warping and it returns a distortion-tolerant similarity metric which can be used for matching two nonlinearly deformed image patterns. The prior probability of the deformation parameters is specific to the pattern-type and, therefore, should result in more accurate matching than an arbitrary general distribution. We show that the proposed method is very well suited for handling iris biometrics, applying it to two databases of iris images which contain real instances of warped patterns. We demonstrate a significant improvement in matching accuracy using the proposed deformed Bayesian matching methodology. We also show that the additional computation required to estimate the deformation is relatively inexpensive, making it suitable for real-time applications     

Initial high beta operation of the HBT-EP Tokamak

HBT-EP is a new research tokamak designed and built to investigate passive and active feedback techniques to control MHD instabilities. In particular, HBT-EP will be able to test techniques to control fast MHD instabilities occurring at high Troyon-normalized beta, _N Ba/I_p [Tm/MA], since it is equipped with a thick, close-fitting, and adjustable conducting shell. The major goals of the initial operation of HBT-EP have been the achievement of high beta operation (_N 3) using only ohmic heating and the observation of MHD instabilities. By using a unique fast startup technique, we have successfully achieved these goals. A variety of MHD phenomena were observed during the high beta operation of HBT-EP. At modest beta (_N 2), discharges have been maintained for more than 10 msec, and these discharges exhibit saturated resistive instabilities. When _N approaches 3, major disruptions occur preceded by oscillating, growing precursors. During start-up, one or more minor disruptions are usually observed. A 1-D transport code has been used to simulate the evolution of the current profile, and these early minor instabilities are predicted to be double tearing modes. The simulation also reproduces the observed high beta operation when saturated neo-Alcator energy confinement scaling is assumed.     

Unstructured Grid-Based Discontinuous Galerkin Method for Broadband Electromagnetic Simulations

A parallel, unstructured, high-order discontinuous Galerkin method is developed for the time-dependent Maxwell's equations, using simple monomial polynomials for spatial discretization and a fourth-order Runge–Kutta scheme for time marching. Scattering results for a number of validation cases are computed employing polynomials of up to third order. Accurate solutions are obtained on coarse meshes and grid convergence is achieved, demonstrating the capabilities of the scheme for time-domain electromagnetic wave scattering simulations.     

Hispolon Cyclodextrin Complexes and Their Inclusion in Liposomes for Enhanced Delivery in Melanoma Cell Lines

Hispolon, a phenolic pigment isolated from the mushroom species Phellinus linteus, has been investigated for anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anticancer properties; however, low solubility and poor bioavailability have limited its potential clinical translation. In this study, the inclusion complex of hispolon with Sulfobutylether-β-cyclodextrin (SBEβCD) was characterized, and the Hispolon-SBEβCD Complex (HSC) was included within the sterically stabilized liposomes (SL) to further investigate its anticancer activity against melanoma cell lines. The HSC-trapped-Liposome (HSC-SL) formulation was investigated for its sustained drug delivery and enhanced cytotoxicity. The inclusion complex in the solid=state was confirmed by a Job’s plot analysis, molecular modeling, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Proton nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The HSC-SL showed no appreciable deviation in size (<150 nm) and polydispersity index (<0.2) and improved drug encapsulation efficiency (>90%) as compared to control hispolon liposomes. Individually incorporated hispolon and SBEβCD in the liposomes (H-CD-SL) was not significant in loading the drug in the liposomes, compared to HSC-SL, as a substantial amount of free drug was separated during dialysis. The HSC-SL formulation showed a sustained release compared to hispolon liposomes (H-SLs) and Hispolon-SBEβCD liposomes (H-CD-SLs). The anticancer activity on melanoma cell lines (B16BL6) of HSC and HSC-SL was higher than in H-CD-SL and hispolon solution. These findings suggest that HSC inclusion in the HSC-SL liposomes stands out as a potential formulation approach for enhancing drug loading, encapsulation, and chemotherapeutic efficiency of hispolon and similar water insoluble drug molecules.     

Influence of Tool Rotational Speed and Post-Weld Heat Treatments on Friction Stir Welded Reduced Activation Ferritic-Martensitic Steel

The effects of tool rotational speed (200 and 700 rpm) on evolving microstructure during friction stir welding (FSW) of a reduced activation ferritic-martensitic steel (RAFMS) in the stir zone (SZ), thermo-mechanically affected zone (TMAZ), and heat-affected zone (HAZ) have been explored in detail. The influence of post-weld direct tempering (PWDT: 1033 K (760 °C)/ 90 minutes + air cooling) and post-weld normalizing and tempering (PWNT: 1253 K (980 °C)/30 minutes + air cooling + tempering 1033 K (760 °C)/90 minutes + air cooling) treatments on microstructure and mechanical properties has also been assessed. The base metal (BM) microstructure was tempered martensite comprising Cr-rich M₂₃C₆ on prior austenite grain and lath boundaries with intra-lath precipitation of V- and Ta-rich MC precipitates. The tool rotational speed exerted profound influence on evolving microstructure in SZ, TMAZ, and HAZ in the as-welded and post-weld heat-treated states. Very high proportion of prior austenitic grains and martensite lath boundaries in SZ and TMAZ in the as-welded state showed lack of strengthening precipitates, though very high hardness was recorded in SZ irrespective of the tool speed. Very fine-needle-like Fe₃C precipitates were found at both the rotational speeds in SZ. The Fe₃C was dissolved and fresh precipitation of strengthening precipitates occurred on both prior austenite grain and sub-grain boundaries in SZ during PWNT and PWDT. The post-weld direct tempering caused coarsening and coalescence of strengthening precipitates, in both matrix and grain boundary regions of TMAZ and HAZ, which led to inhomogeneous distribution of hardness across the weld joint. The PWNT heat treatment has shown fresh precipitation of M₂₃C₆ on lath and grain boundaries and very fine V-rich MC precipitates in the intragranular regions, which is very much similar to that prevailed in BM prior to FSW. Both the PWDT and PWNT treatments caused considerable reduction in the hardness of SZ. In the as-welded state, the 200 rpm joints have shown room temperature impact toughness close to that of BM, whereas 700 rpm joints exhibited very poor impact toughness. The best combination of microstructure and mechanical properties could be obtained by employing low rotational speed of 200 rpm followed by PWNT cycle. The type and size of various precipitates, grain size, and evolving dislocation substructure have been presented and comprehensively discussed.