Magic in the machine: a computational magician's assistant

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Howard eWilliams

2014-11-01

Full Text Available A human magician blends science, psychology and performance to create a magical effect. In this paper we explore what can be achieved when that human intelligence is replaced or assisted by machine intelligence. Magical effects are all in some form based on hidden mathematical, scientific or psychological principles; often the parameters controlling these underpinning techniques are hard for a magician to blend to maximise the magical effect required. The complexity is often caused by interacting and often conflicting physical and psychological constraints that need to be optimally balanced. Normally this tuning is done by trial and error, combined with human intuitions. Here we focus on applying Artificial Intelligence methods to the creation and optimisation of magic tricks exploiting mathematical principles. We use experimentally derived data about particular perceptual and cognitive features, combined with a model of the underlying mathematical process to provide a psychologically valid metric to allow optimisation of magical impact. In the paper we introduce our optimisation methodology and describe how it can be flexibly applied to a range of different types of mathematics based tricks. We also provide two case studies as exemplars of the methodology at work: a magical jigsaw, and a mind reading card trick effect. We evaluate each trick created through testing in laboratory and public performances, and further demonstrate the real world efficacy of our approach for professional performers through sales of the tricks in a reputable magic shop in London.

Magic in the machine: a computational magician's assistant.

Science.gov (United States)

Williams, Howard; McOwan, Peter W

2014-01-01

A human magician blends science, psychology, and performance to create a magical effect. In this paper we explore what can be achieved when that human intelligence is replaced or assisted by machine intelligence. Magical effects are all in some form based on hidden mathematical, scientific, or psychological principles; often the parameters controlling these underpinning techniques are hard for a magician to blend to maximize the magical effect required. The complexity is often caused by interacting and often conflicting physical and psychological constraints that need to be optimally balanced. Normally this tuning is done by trial and error, combined with human intuitions. Here we focus on applying Artificial Intelligence methods to the creation and optimization of magic tricks exploiting mathematical principles. We use experimentally derived data about particular perceptual and cognitive features, combined with a model of the underlying mathematical process to provide a psychologically valid metric to allow optimization of magical impact. In the paper we introduce our optimization methodology and describe how it can be flexibly applied to a range of different types of mathematics based tricks. We also provide two case studies as exemplars of the methodology at work: a magical jigsaw, and a mind reading card trick effect. We evaluate each trick created through testing in laboratory and public performances, and further demonstrate the real world efficacy of our approach for professional performers through sales of the tricks in a reputable magic shop in London.

Magic and the aesthetic illusion.

Science.gov (United States)

Balter, Leon

2002-01-01

The aesthetic illusion is the subjective experience that the content of a work of art is reality. It has an intrinsic relation to magic, an intrapsychic maneuver oriented toward modification and control of the extraspyschic world, principally through ego functioning. Magic is ontogenetically and culturally archaic, expresses the omnipotence inherent in primary narcissism, and operates according to the logic of the primary process. Magic is a constituent of all ego functioning, usually latent in later development. It may persist as an archaic feature or may be evoked regressively in global or circumscribed ways. It causes a general disinhibition of instincts and impulses attended by a sense of confidence, exhiliration, and exuberance. The aesthetic illusion is a combination of illusions: (1) that the daydream embodied by the work of art is the beholder's own, the artist being ignored, and (2) that the artistically described protagonist is a real person with a real "world." The first illusion arises through the beholder's emotional-instinctual gratification from his or her own fantasy-memory constellations; the second comes about because the beholder, by taking the protagonist as proxy, mobilizes the subjective experience of the imaginary protagonist's "reality." The first illusion is necessary for the second to take place; the second establishes the aesthetic illusion proper. Both illusions are instances of magic. Accordingly, the aesthetic illusion is accompanied by a heady experience of excitement and euphoria. The relation among the aesthetic illusion, magic, and enthusiasm is illustrated by an analytic case, J. D. Salinger's "The Laughing Man," Woody Allen's Play It Again, Sam, Don Quixote, and the medieval Cult of the Saints.

Magical thinking and memory: distinctiveness effect for tv commercials with magical content.

Science.gov (United States)

Subbotsky, Eugene; Mathews, Jayne

2011-10-01

The aim of this study was to examine whether memorizing advertised products of television advertisements with magical effects (i.e., talking animals, inanimate objects which turn into humans, objects that appear from thin air or instantly turn into other objects) is easier than memorizing products of advertisements without such effects, by testing immediate and delayed retention. Adolescents and adults viewed two films containing television advertisements and were asked to recall and recognize the films' characters, events, and advertised products. Film 1 included magical effects, but Film 2 did not. On a free-recall test, no differences in the number of items recalled were noted for the two films. On the immediate recognition test, adolescents, but not adults, showed significantly better recognition for the magical than the nonmagical film. When this test was repeated two weeks later, results were reversed: adults, but not adolescents, recognized a significantly larger number of items from the magical film than the nonmagical one. These results are interpreted to accentuate the role of magical thinking in cognitive processes.

A new approach to magic

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Čvorović Jelena

2006-01-01

Full Text Available This paper uses the example of traditional practices of magic to suggest ways to incorporate cultural behaviors within the evolutionary paradigm. The first suggestion is to restrict hypotheses to only identifiable variables. This means avoiding the temptation of following the nonevolutionary social sciences in the practice of basing explanations on unverifiable guesses about what beliefs (or memes in evolutionary jargon may or may not inhabit people's brains. In contrast with previous explanations that magical practices result from beliefs and memes whose primarily purpose is to reduce anxiety, we propose that magic is a form of communication that promotes cooperation and often avoids anti-social behavior. This effect of increased cooperation could explain why traditional forms of magic have probably existed and had significant positive consequences for the participants. To be effective as a means of communication, magical rituals must specify both the content of the message and the receiver of the message. Although the content of the communicative message differs with different types of magic, all magical acts serve a purpose to influence the behavior of the party involved and that is the most significant identifiable effect of such behavior. An advantage of this approach over many previous explanations of magic is that because it focuses on identifiable phenomena, the definitions and explanations used in this approach can be falsified.

GO, an exec for running the programs: CELL, COLLIDER, MAGIC, PATRICIA, PETROS, TRANSPORT and TURTLE

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shoaee, H.

1982-05-01

An exec has been written and placed on the PEP group's public disk (PUBRL 192) to facilitate the use of several PEP related computer programs available on VM. The exec's program list currently includes: CELL, COLLIDER, MAGIC, PATRICIA, PETROS, TRANSPORT, and TURTLE. In addition, provisions have been made to allow addition of new programs to this list as they become available. The GO exec is directly callable from inside the Wylbur editor (in fact, currently this is the only way to use the GO exec.) It provides the option of running any of the above programs in either interactive or batch mode. In the batch mode, the GO exec sends the data in the Wylbur active file along with the information required to run the job to the batch monitor (BMON, a virtual machine that schedules and controls execution of batch jobs). This enables the user to proceed with other VM activities at his/her terminal while the job executes, thus making it of particular interest to the users with jobs requiring much CPU time to execute and/or those wishing to run multiple jobs independently. In the interactive mode, useful for small jobs requiring less CPU time, the job is executed by the user's own Virtual Machine using the data in the active file as input. At the termination of an interactive job, the GO exec facilitates examination of the output by placing it in the Wylbur active file

GO, an exec for running the programs: CELL, COLLIDER, MAGIC, PATRICIA, PETROS, TRANSPORT, and TURTLE

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shoaee, H.

1982-05-01

An exec has been written and placed on the PEP group's public disk to facilitate the use of several PEP related computer programs available on VM. The exec's program list currently includes: CELL, COLLIDER, MAGIC, PATRICIA, PETROS, TRANSPORT, and TURTLE. In addition, provisions have been made to allow addition of new programs to this list as they become available. The GO exec is directly callable from inside the Wylbur editor (in fact, currently this is the only way to use the GO exec.). It provides the option of running any of the above programs in either interactive or batch mode. In the batch mode, the GO exec sends the data in the Wylbur active file along with the information required to run the job to the batch monitor (BMON, a virtual machine that schedules and controls execution of batch jobs). This enables the user to proceed with other VM activities at his/her terminal while the job executes, thus making it of particular interest to the users with jobs requiring much CPU time to execute and/or those wishing to run multiple jobs independently. In the interactive mode, useful for small jobs requiring less CPU time, the job is executed by the user's own Virtual Machine using the data in the active file as input. At the termination of an interactive job, the GO exec facilitates examination of the output by placing it in the Wylbur active file

The influence of flip angle on the magic angle effect

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zurlo, J.V.; Blacksin, M.F.; Karimi, S.

2000-01-01

Objective. To assess the impact of flip angle with gradient sequences on the ''magic angle effect''. We characterized the magic angle effect in various gradient echo sequences and compared the signal- to-noise ratios present on these sequences with the signal-to-noise ratios of spin echo sequences.Design. Ten normal healthy volunteers were positioned such that the flexor hallucis longus tendon remained at approximately at 55 to the main magnetic field (the magic angle). The tendon was imaged by a conventional spin echo T1- and T2-weighted techniques and by a series of gradient techniques. Gradient sequences were altered by both TE and flip angle. Signal-to-noise measurements were obtained at segments of the flexor hallucis longus tendon demonstrating the magic angle effect to quantify the artifact. Signal-to-noise measurements were compared and statistical analysis performed. Similar measurements were taken of the anterior tibialis tendon as an internal control.Results and conclusions. We demonstrated the magic angle effect on all the gradient sequences. The intensity of the artifact was affected by both the TE and flip angle. Low TE values and a high flip angle demonstrated the greatest magic angle effect. At TE values less than 30 ms, a high flip angle will markedly increase the magic angle effect. (orig.)

Computer simulation of structures and distributions of particles in MAGIC fluid

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhu Yongsheng; Umehara, Noritsugu; Ido, Yasushi; Sato, Atsushi

2006-01-01

MAGIC (MAG-netic Intelligent Compound) is a solidified magnetic ferrofluid (MF) containing both magnetic particles (MPs) and abrasive particles (APs, nonmagnetic) of micron size. The distribution of APs in MAGIC can be controlled by applying a magnetic field during cooling process of MAGIC fluid. In this paper, the influences of magnetic field, size and concentration of particles on the final structures of MPs and the distributions of APs in MAGIC fluid are preliminarily investigated using Stokesian dynamic (SD) simulation method. Simulation results show that MPs prefer to form strip-like structures in MAGIC fluid, the reason for this phenomenon is mainly attributed to the strong dipolar interactions between them. It is also found that MPs prefer to form big agglomerations in weak magnetic field while chains and strip-like structures in strong magnetic field; no long chains or strip-like structures of MPs are observed in low-concentration MAGIC fluid; and for big-size MPs, pure wall-like structures are formed. Evaluation on the distribution of APs with uniformity coefficient shows that strong magnetic field, high concentration and small-size particles can induce more uniform distribution of APs in MAGIC fluid, the uniformity of APs in MAGIC is about 10% higher than that in normal grinding tools

Magic and Magical Worlds

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Børch, Marianne

2013-01-01

The article argues that where as Harry POtter lacks the " sense of the numinous" found in Tolkien and Pratchett, it has a special magic that plays upon the fantastic potential of language. Everyday language is full of metaphors, personifications, and strata of archaic beliefs; it has diversified...

Feminine Magic

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kelly, Lynne

2014-12-01

Full Text Available Having been introduced to magic by my father, I have adapted the classic methods to work in my role as a mature female teacher. Using performance and mysterious narrative, intriguing props and playing on my femininity, the classic magician routines have served me well when performing for teenagers. Reworking the classic routines in this way ensures that a school magic club for teenagers serves the various needs of both male and female students.

Magical Realism and its European Essence

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maryam Ebadi Asayesh

2017-04-01

Full Text Available Magical realism is known with its oxymoronic characteristic, magic plus realism. It became known with the boom of the magical realist novel in the 1960s in Latin America and became globally recognized from 1980 onwards. However, it is mostly forgotten that it had started its journey from Europe. The term “magic realism” first appeared in German philosophy in 1798 in Novalis’ notebook. Then, it entered art criticism in 1925 through Roh’s essay and developed in Italy through by Bontempelli. Later, after transformation and formation, magical realism appeared in the novels as a popular mode first in Latin America and then worldwide. The present study charts the path and discusses the development of magical realism from its commencement in Europe. In addition to presenting the views of Novalis, Roh and Bontempelli on initiating the term, it compares their views to show what characteristic in their views inspires today’s magic realism.

Destroy The Castle: A 3D Magic Carpet-like Game

OpenAIRE

Ondrčková, Simona

2017-01-01

Title: Destroy the Castle: A 3D Magic Carpet-like Game Author: Simona Ondrčková Department: Department of Distributed and Dependable Systems Supervisor: Mgr. Pavel Ježek, Ph.D., Department of Distributed and Dependable Systems Abstract: The goal of the thesis is to create a computer game based on a game called Magic Carpet. The game has two main interesting aspects from the programming point of view: artificial intelligence and an editor. The artificial intelligence uses different approaches ...

Magic vs. Science in the Historiography of Science: The Social-Historical Construction of Rationality

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Carlos Alvarez Maia

2017-12-01

Full Text Available The historiography of scientific studies has suffered from a great impact, that is rarely referred to, from anthropological analyses of magic in so-called primitive societies. The emphasis brought by criticism during the 1950/1960’s of Evans-Pritchard’s 1937 classic, Witchcraft, Oracles and Magic among the Azande, brought a fresh look at certainties already consolidated in Western thought, especially those relating to rational human characteristics and science. For the history, these criticisms were interesting because they were presented science as a historically situated activity, in the same way as magic. It favours, therefore, the proximity of historians tout court with the history of the sciences that resists its absences even today. This renewal helped to create a scenario that would enable David Bloor to develop the strong program of Sociology of Knowledge in the 1970s. Such a program indicates the analogous process that involves both the social production of beliefs and that of scientific truths. The comparison between magic and science usually presents them in a hierarchy. As if there were an evolutionary process in which magical thinking necessarily preceded scientific thought. The one, more precarious, would belong to the prehistory of the scientific thought, which would be the climax of modern rational action. In this paper I evaluate the proximity of magic-science from the point of view of contemporary studies about scientific activity, questioning the concepts of rationality and logic as if they were exclusive qualities of scientific activity. A kind of metaphysical gift that would show the superiority of individuals over others, as much as of science over magic. I give special emphasis to the exposition of how rationality and logic are socio-historical characteristics acquired throughout history by human subjects in their experiential practices, and which are present both in magic and technical activities; these, an embryo of

The Versatile Magic Square.

Science.gov (United States)

Watson, Gale A.

2003-01-01

Demonstrates the transformations that are possible to construct a variety of magic squares, including modifications to challenge students from elementary grades through algebra. Presents an example of using magic squares with students who have special needs. (YDS)

Science meets magic: photonic metamaterials

Science.gov (United States)

Ozbay, Ekmel

2012-05-01

The word "magic" is usually associated with movies, fiction, children stories, etc. but seldom with the natural sciences. Recent advances in metamaterials have changed this notion, in which we can now speak of "almost magical" properties that scientists could only dream about only a decade ago. In this article, we review some of the recent "almost magical" progress in the field of meta-materials.

Controlling the magic and normal sizes of white CdSe quantum dots

Science.gov (United States)

Su, Yu-Sheng; Chung, Shu-Ru

2017-08-01

In this study, we have demonstrated a facile chemical route to prepare CdSe QDs with white light emission, and the performance of white CdSe-based white light emitting diode (WLED) is also exploded. An organic oleic acid (OA) is used to form Cd-OA complex first and hexadecylamine (HDA) and 1-octadecene (ODE) is used as surfactants. Meanwhile, by varying the reaction time from 1 s to 60 min, CdSe QDs with white light can be obtained. The result shows that the luminescence spectra compose two obvious emission peaks and entire visible light from 400 to 700 nm, when the reaction time less than 10 min. The wide emission wavelength combine two particle sizes of CdSe, magic and normal, and the magic-CdSe has band-edge and surface-state emission, while normal size only possess band-edge emission. The TEM characterization shows that the two different sizes with diameter of 1.5 nm and 2.7 nm for magic and normal size CdSe QDs can be obtained when the reaction time is 4 min. We can find that the magic size of CdSe is produced when the reaction time is less than 3 min. In the time ranges from 3 to 10 min, two sizes of CdSe QDs are formed, and with QY from 20 to 60 %. Prolong the reaction time to 60 min, only normal size of CdSe QD can be observed due to the Ostwald repining, and its QYs is 8 %. Based on the results we can conclude that the two emission peaks are generated from the coexistence of magic size and normal size CdSe to form the white light QDs, and the QY and emission wavelength of CdSe QDs can be increased with prolonging reaction time. The sample reacts for 2 (QY 30 %), 4 (QY 32 %) and 60 min (QY 8 %) are choosing to mixes with transparent acrylic-based UV curable resin for WLED fabrication. The Commission International d'Eclairage (CIE) chromaticity, color rendering index (CRI), and luminous efficacy for magic, mix, and normal size CdSe are (0.49, 0.44), 81, 1.5 lm/W, (0.35, 0.30), 86, 1.9 lm/W, and (0.39, 0.25), 40, 0.3 lm/W, respectively.

Overview of MAGIC results

Science.gov (United States)

Rico, Javier; MAGIC Collaboration

2016-04-01

MAGIC is a system of two 17-m diameter Cherenkov telescopes, located at the Observatorio del Roque de los Muchachos, in the Canary island La Palma (Spain). MAGIC performs astronomical observations of gamma-ray sources in the energy range between 50 GeV and 10 TeV. The first MAGIC telescope has been operating since 2004, and in 2009 the system was completed with the second one. During 2011 and 2012 the electronics for the readout system were fully upgraded, and the camera of the first telescope replaced. After that, no major hardware interventions are foreseen in the next years, and the experiment has undertaken a final period of steady astronomical observations. MAGIC studies particle acceleration in the most violent cosmic environments, such as active galactic nuclei, gamma-ray bursts, pulsars, supernova remnants or binary systems. In addition, it addresses some fundamental questions of Physics, such as the origin of Galactic cosmic rays and the nature of dark matter. Moreover, by observing the gamma-ray emission from sources at cosmological distances, we measure the intensity and evolution of the extragalactic background radiation, and perform tests of Lorentz Invariance. In this paper I present the status and some of the latest results of the MAGIC gamma-ray telescopes.

Theory of magic nuclei

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nosov, V.G.; Kamchatnov, A.M.

A consistent theory of the shell and magic oscillations of the masses of spherical nuclei is developed on the basis of the Fermi liquid concept of the energy spectrum of nuclear matter. A ''magic'' relationship between the system's dimensions and the limiting momentum of the quasi-particle distribution is derived; an integer number of the de Broglie half-waves falls on the nuclear diameter. An expression for the discontinuity in the nucleon binding energy in the vicinity of a magic nucleus is obtained. The role of the residual interaction is analyzed. It is shown that the width of the Fermi-surface diffuseness due to the residual interaction is proportional to the squared vector of the quasi-particle orbital angular momentum. The values of the corresponding proportionality factors (the coupling constant for quasi particles) are determined from the experimental data for 52 magic nuclei. The rapid drop of the residual interaction with increasing nuclear size is demonstrated. (7 figures, 3 tables) (U.S.)

When "Holiday Magic" Hurts.

Science.gov (United States)

Goldstein, Karen

2001-01-01

Claims that religious messages in public school are not acceptable and are hurtful to kids who do not subscribe to the beliefs expressed in those messages. Describes the author's personal experience in helping a teacher transform the script for "Christmas Magic" into the more inclusive "Holiday Magic." (RS)

It's magic: a unique practice management strategy.

Science.gov (United States)

Schwartz, Steven

2003-11-15

For thousands of years prior to the advent of modern dentistry, magic has been used to entertain, impress, and motivate individuals. Today's dental professionals are using the concept of The Magic of a Healthy Smile through their use of modern clinical techniques and as a means for practice marketing, patient education, and the reduction of patient stress and fear. This article describes how dentists/magicians have incorporated magic into their practices and the benefits of this useful patient management strategy. A script of the "Happy Tooth Magic Show" and resources for dentists to create their own dental magic show are provided.

Western aeronautical test range real-time graphics software package MAGIC

Science.gov (United States)

Malone, Jacqueline C.; Moore, Archie L.

1988-01-01

The master graphics interactive console (MAGIC) software package used on the Western Aeronautical Test Range (WATR) of the NASA Ames Research Center is described. MAGIC is a resident real-time research tool available to flight researchers-scientists in the NASA mission control centers of the WATR at the Dryden Flight Research Facility at Edwards, California. The hardware configuration and capabilities of the real-time software package are also discussed.

MAGIC: THE GATHERING APUSOVELLUS ANDROIDILLE

OpenAIRE

Isopahkala, Ville

2017-01-01

Opinnäytetyönä oli omavalintainen android-sovellus Magic: The Gathering –korttipelille. Tavoitteena oli toteuttaa akkuystävällinen apusovellus kyseistä peliä pelaaville käyttäen android studiota. Työssä tutustutaan javaan, androidiin sekä android studioon, niiden historiaan sekä ominaisuuksiin. Magic: The Gathering:iin tutustutaan perustasolla. Opinnäytetyö keskittyy sovellukseen, sen luomiseen, koodauskieleen sekä alustaan. Tarkoituksena ei ole opettaa pelaamaan Magic: The Gatheringiä. Th...

How Has the Emergence of Digital Culture Affected Professional Magic?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Olli Rissanen

2017-10-01

Full Text Available We examined how the emerging digital culture has affected magicians’ careers, the development of their expertise and the general practices of their professions. We used social network analysis (n=120 to identify Finland’s most highly regarded magicians (n=16 representing different generations. The participants were theme interviewed and also collected self-report questionnaire data. The results revealed that digital transformations have strongly affected the magical profession in terms of changing their career paths and entry into the profession. Magic used to be a secretive culture, where access to advanced knowledge was controlled by highly regarded gatekeepers who shared their knowledge with a selected group of committed newcomers as a function of their extended efforts. Openly sharing magical knowledge on the Internet has diminished the traditionally strong role of these gatekeepers. Although online tutorials have made magical know-how more accessible to newcomers, professional communities and networks play a crucial role in the cultivation of advanced professional competences.

A Note on Magic Squares

Science.gov (United States)

Williams, Horace E.

1974-01-01

A method for generating 3x3 magic squares is developed. A series of questions relating to these magic squares is posed. An invesitgation using matrix methods is suggested with some questions for consideration. (LS)

Penggunaan magic dalam politik lokal di Banten

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ayatullah Humaeni

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Village-head elections frequently become unhealthy competitions among the candidate. They employ various ways to win the election, including using magical means. This article aims to explain social phenomena occur in local politics in the use of magic village-head elections in rural Banten; particularly in two sub-districts, Ciomas and Padarincang. It tries to answer several main research questions: (1 why do the candidates make use of magic during the village election process?; (2 what kinds of magic used by the candidates; (3 How does magic influence the winning chance of village head elections? (4 and how is the process of the magic usage during the village election process?. This article is the result of a field research using ethnographical method based on anthropological perspective. To analyze the data, the researcher uses structural-functional approach. Library research, participant-observation, and depth-interview are methods used to collect the data. Based on the result of field research, it can be concluded that almost all of the candidates in these two sub-districts made use of magic in order to win the village head elections. They visit several magicians and made use of their super natural powers for their own purposes. They believed that magical power possessed by these magicians could influence their winning chance in the village-head elections. Various fundamental reasons also become an important consideration why the candidates need to use magic in local politics process.

Effect of science magic applied in interactive lecture demonstrations on conceptual understanding

Science.gov (United States)

Taufiq, Muhammad; Suhandi, Andi; Liliawati, Winny

2017-08-01

Research about the application of science magic-assisting Interactive Lecture Demonstrations (ILD) has been conducted. This research is aimed at providing description about the comparison of the improvement of the conceptual understanding of lesson on pressure between students who receive physics lesson through science magic-assisting ILD and students who receive physics lesson through ILD without science magic. This research used a quasi-experiment methods with Control Group Pretest-Posttest Design. The subject of the research is all students of class VIII in one of MTs (Islamic junior high school) in Pekalongan. Research samples were selected using random sampling technique. Data about students' conceptual understanding was collected using test instrument of conceptual understanding in the form of multiple choices. N-gain average calculation was performed in order to determine the improvement of students' conceptual understanding. The result of the research shows that conceptual understanding of students on lesson about pressure who received lesson with ILD using science magic is higher than students who received lesson with ILD without science magic . Therefore, the conclusion is that the application of science magic ILD is more effective to improve the conceptual understanding of lesson on pressure.

Business, Anthropology, and Magical Systems

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Moeran, Brian

2014-01-01

—encompassing related concepts of alchemy, animism, and enchantmen—is reflected in other business practices, which have developed their own parallel and interlocking systems of magic. Certain forms of capitalism, the—fashion, for example, or finance—may be analysed as a field of magical systems....

PmagPy: Software Package for Paleomagnetic Data Analysis and Gateway to the Magnetics Information Consortium (MagIC) Database

Science.gov (United States)

Jonestrask, L.; Tauxe, L.; Shaar, R.; Jarboe, N.; Minnett, R.; Koppers, A. A. P.

2014-12-01

There are many data types and methods of analysis in rock and paleomagnetic investigations. The MagIC database (http://earthref.org/MAGIC) was designed to accommodate the vast majority of data used in such investigations. Yet getting data from the laboratory into the database, and visualizing and re-analyzing data downloaded from the database, makes special demands on data formatting. There are several recently published programming packages that deal with single types of data: demagnetization experiments (e.g., Lurcock et al., 2012), paleointensity experiments (e.g., Leonhardt et al., 2004), and FORC diagrams (e.g., Harrison et al., 2008). However, there is a need for a unified set of open source, cross-platform software that deals with the great variety of data types in a consistent way and facilitates importing data into the MagIC format, analyzing them and uploading them into the MagIC database. The PmagPy software package (http://earthref.org/PmagPy/cookbook/) comprises a such a comprehensive set of tools. It facilitates conversion of many laboratory formats into the common MagIC format and allows interpretation of demagnetization and Thellier-type experimental data. With some 175 programs and over 250 functions, it can be used to create a wide variety of plots and allows manipulation of downloaded data sets as well as preparation of new contributions for uploading to the MagIC database.

Advances/applications of MAGIC and SOS

Science.gov (United States)

Warren, Gary; Ludeking, Larry; Nguyen, Khanh; Smithe, David; Goplen, Bruce

1993-12-01

MAGIC and SOS have been applied to investigate a variety of accelerator-related devices. Examples include high brightness electron guns, beam-RF interactions in klystrons, cold-test modes in an RFQ and in RF sources, and a high-quality, flexible, electron gun with operating modes appropriate for gyrotrons, peniotrons, and other RF sources. Algorithmic improvements for PIC have been developed and added to MAGIC and SOS to facilitate these modeling efforts. Two new field algorithms allow improved control of computational numerical noise and selective control of harmonic modes in RF cavities. An axial filter in SOS accelerates simulations in cylindrical coordinates. The recent addition of an export/import feature now allows long devices to be modeled in sections. Interfaces have been added to receive electromagnetic field information from the Poisson group of codes and from EGUN and to send beam information to PARMELA for subsequent tracing of bunches through beam optics. Post-processors compute and display beam properties including geometric, normalized, and slice emittances, and phase-space parameters, and video. VMS, UNIX, and DOS versions are supported, with migration underway toward windows environments.

Pulsar observations with the MAGIC telescopes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Garcia, Jezabel R.; Dazzi, F.; Idec, W.; Moretti, E.; Schweizer, T. [Max-Planck-Institut fuer Physik, Munich (Germany); Bonnefoy, S.; Carreto-Fidalgo, D.; Lopez, M. [Universitad Compultense, Madrid (Spain); Galindo, D.; Zanin, R. [Universitat de Barcelona, ICC/IEEC-UB, Barcelona (Spain); Ona Wilhelmi, E. de [Institute for Space Sciences (CSIC/IEEC), Barcelona (Spain); Reichardt, I. [Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare (INFN), Padova (Italy); Saito, T. [Kyoto University, Hakubi Center (Japan); Collaboration: MAGIC-Collaboration

2016-07-01

MAGIC is a stereoscopic system of two IACTs, located at the ORM (Spain). Since 2008, MAGIC has played a big role in Pulsar physics due to the discovery of the first VHE gamma-ray emission from the Crab pulsar. Such a discovery was possible thanks to a revolutionary trigger technique used in the initial MAGIC mono system, the Sum-Trigger, that provided a 25 GeV energy threshold. The study of the Crab keeps providing numerous important results for the understanding of pulsar physics. The most recent ones are the bridge emission at VHE and the detection of the Crab pulsations at TeV energies. MAGIC has been also searching for new pulsars, providing recently interesting results about the Geminga pulsar and nebula. This talk reviews the essential MAGIC results about VHE pulsars and their implications for pulsar physics.Also we discuss the development of a new stereo trigger system, the Sum-Trigger-II, and the importance of the observation windows that this system opens for the study of VHE pulsars.

Magical Realities in Interaction Design

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rasmussen, Majken

2013-01-01

The field of interaction design is littered with examples of artefacts, which seemingly do not adhere to well-known physical causalities and our innate expectations of how artefacts should behave in the world, thereby creating the impression of a magic reality; where things can float in mid-air, ...... to reflect upon the magical realities constructed by technological artefacts......The field of interaction design is littered with examples of artefacts, which seemingly do not adhere to well-known physical causalities and our innate expectations of how artefacts should behave in the world, thereby creating the impression of a magic reality; where things can float in mid...

MAGIC user's group software

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Warren, G.; Ludeking, L.; McDonald, J.; Nguyen, K.; Goplen, B.

1990-01-01

The MAGIC User's Group has been established to facilitate the use of electromagnetic particle-in-cell software by universities, government agencies, and industrial firms. The software consists of a series of independent executables that are capable of inter-communication. MAGIC, SOS, μ SOS are used to perform electromagnetic simulations while POSTER is used to provide post-processing capabilities. Each is described in the paper. Use of the codes for Klystrode simulation is discussed

Nuclear physics: Unexpected doubly-magic nucleus

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Janssens, R.V.F.

2009-01-01

Nuclei with a 'magic' number of both protons and neutrons, dubbed doubly magic, are particularly stable. The oxygen isotope 24 O has been found to be one such nucleus - yet it lies just at the limit of stability

Garden Gnomes: Magical or Tacky?

Science.gov (United States)

Flynt, Deborah

2012-01-01

Garden gnomes: magical or tacky? Well, art is in the eye of the beholder, and for the author's advanced seventh-grade art class, garden gnomes are magical. Gnomes have a very long history, dating back to medieval times. A fairytale describes them as brownie-like creatures that are nocturnal helpers. In this article, the author describes how her…

Enhancing Pseudo-Telepathy in the Magic Square Game

Science.gov (United States)

Pawela, Łukasz; Gawron, Piotr; Puchała, Zbigniew; Sładkowski, Jan

2013-01-01

We study the possibility of reversing an action of a quantum channel. Our principal objective is to find a specific channel that reverses as accurately as possible an action of a given quantum channel. To achieve this goal we use semidefinite programming. We show the benefits of our method using the quantum pseudo-telepathy Magic Square game with noise. Our strategy is to move the pseudo-telepathy region to higher noise values. We show that it is possible to reverse the action of a noise channel using semidefinite programming. PMID:23762246

Qutrit magic state distillation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anwar, Hussain; Browne, Dan E; Campbell, Earl T

2012-01-01

Magic state distillation (MSD) is a purification protocol that plays an important role in fault-tolerant quantum computation. Repeated iteration of the steps of an MSD protocol generates pure single non-stabilizer states, or magic states, from multiple copies of a mixed resource state using stabilizer operations only. Thus mixed resource states promote the stabilizer operations to full universality. MSD was introduced for qubit-based quantum computation, but little has been known concerning MSD in higher-dimensional qudit-based computation. Here, we describe a general approach for studying MSD in higher dimensions. We use it to investigate the features of a qutrit MSD protocol based on the five-qutrit stabilizer code. We show that this protocol distils non-stabilizer magic states, and identify two types of states that are attractors of this iteration map. Finally, we show how these states may be converted, via stabilizer circuits alone, into a state suitable for state-injected implementation of a non-Clifford phase gate, enabling non-Clifford unitary computation. (paper)

Watching films with magical content facilitates creativity in children.

Science.gov (United States)

Subbotsky, Eugene; Hysted, Claire; Jones, Nicola

2010-08-01

Two experiments examined the possible link between magical thinking and creativity in preschool children. In Exp. 1, 4- and 6-yr.-old children were shown a film with either a magical or nonmagical theme. Results indicated that the mean scores of children shown the magical film was significantly higher than that of children watching the nonmagical film on the majority of subsequent creativity tests for both age groups. This trend was also found for 6-yr.-olds' drawings of impossible items. In Exp. 2, Exp. 1 was replicated successfully with 6- and 8-yr.-old children. Exposing children to a film with a magical theme did not affect their beliefs about magic. The results were interpreted to accentuate the role of magical thinking in children's cognitive development. Classroom implications of the results were also discussed.

A Magic-Real Gap in Architecture

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Dayer, Carolina

2016-01-01

In 1925, German art critic Franz Roh formalized the notion of Magic Realism (magischer Realismus) as a celebration of everyday life. In Italian literature, the same notion was explored in the works of Massimo Bontempelli. But it was the architect Friedrich Kiesler who imported the notion...... into architecture, stating that ‘Magic Architecture ... holds the balance between the two extremes of man’, his ‘desire for the machine’ and technology on the one hand, his ‘denial of science’ on the other. This paper follows the development of the notion of Magic Realism throughout the twentieth century...

Magic Ring: A Finger-Worn Device for Multiple Appliances Control Using Static Finger Gestures

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tongjun Huang

2012-05-01

Full Text Available An ultimate goal for Ubiquitous Computing is to enable people to interact with the surrounding electrical devices using their habitual body gestures as they communicate with each other. The feasibility of such an idea is demonstrated through a wearable gestural device named Magic Ring (MR, which is an original compact wireless sensing mote in a ring shape that can recognize various finger gestures. A scenario of wireless multiple appliances control is selected as a case study to evaluate the usability of such a gestural interface. Experiments comparing the MR and a Remote Controller (RC were performed to evaluate the usability. From the results, only with 10 minutes practice, the proposed paradigm of gestural-based control can achieve a performance of completing about six tasks per minute, which is in the same level of the RC-based method.

Prospects of studying magical realism in Nigerian literature ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

This paper exposes some of the reasons why magical realism is an interesting topic in literary studies today. It is a brief review of some notable magic realist writers and their popular works. It draws attention to the possibility of studying magical realism in Nigerian literature using the novels of some Nigerian authors who ...

Babad Banyumas Wirjaatmadjan: Magical-Religious Values in Banyumas Society

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ali Ma'ruf

2018-04-01

Full Text Available This research explains the describing of magical-religious values in Banyumas society that contain in Babad Banyumas Wirjaatmajan. Banyumas society as one part of Javanese has trust to something that magical. A Belief system or religion in Javanese has a connection that related to the ancestors. Trust to Magical power in the Banyumas society that grows until now. Words or ancestral discourse are claimed important by Java and Banyumas society that still uphold the traditional values.  Traditional values in Java and Banyumas society always identified with something magical. This research tries to give the knowledge about custom, habit, and the mindset of Banyumas and Javanese society to the magical-religious values that grow in the society through Babad Banyumas Wirjaatmadjan. Magical-Religious values in the research are taken from an ancestral discourse of Banyumas are Raden Baribin, Adipati Wargautama I, and Joko Kaiman that written in Babad Banyumas Wirjaatmadjan. Magical-Religious in Banyumas society, they are pepali of Sabtu Pahing, pepali of eat white cucumber, pepali persecute partridge that all of that is the command of Banyumas society ancestors.

Magic Pointing for Eyewear Computers

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jalaliniya, Shahram; Mardanbegi, Diako; Pederson, Thomas

2015-01-01

In this paper, we propose a combination of head and eye movements for touchlessly controlling the "mouse pointer" on eyewear devices, exploiting the speed of eye pointing and accuracy of head pointing. The method is a wearable computer-targeted variation of the original MAGIC pointing approach...... which combined gaze tracking with a classical mouse device. The result of our experiment shows that the combination of eye and head movements is faster than head pointing for far targets and more accurate than eye pointing....

Development and Performances of the Magic Telescope

Science.gov (United States)

Bastieri, D.; Bigongiari, C.; Dazzi, F.; Mariotti, M.; Moralejo, A.; Peruzzo, L.; Saggion, A.; Tonello, N.

2002-11-01

The MAGIC Collaboration is building an imaging Čerenkov telescope at La Palma site (2200 m a.s.l.), in the Canary Islands, to observe gamma rays in the hundred-GeV region. The MAGIC telescope, with its reflecting parabolic dish, 17 m in diameter, and a two-level pattern trigger designed to cope with severe trigger rates, is the Čerenkov telescope with the lowest envisaged energy threshold. Due to its lightweight alto-azimuthal mounting, MAGIC can be repositioned in less than 30 seconds, becoming the only detector, with an adequate effective area, capable to observe GRB phenomena above 30 GeV. MAGIC telescope is characterised by a 30 GeV energy threshold and a sensitivity of 6×l0-11 cm-2s-1 for a 5σ-detection in 50-hours of observation. In this report, some future scientific goals for MAGIC will be highlighted and the technical development for the main elements of the telescope will be detailed. Special emphasis will be given to the construction of the individual metallic mirrors which form the reflecting surface and the development of the fast pattern-recognition trigger.

Algebra Magic Tricks: Algecadabra! Volume 1.

Science.gov (United States)

Edwards, Ronald

This resource book contains 20 magic tricks based on the properties of whole numbers that are intended to spark the interest and imagination of students. Following each activity, students are asked to write about their discoveries and to create their own magic tricks. A matrix of skills for all the activities and lists of the materials required…

Algebra Magic Tricks: Algecadabra! Volume 2.

Science.gov (United States)

Edwards, Ronald

This resource book contains 15 magic tricks based on the properties of whole numbers that are intended to spark the interest and imagination of students. Following each activity, students are asked to write about their discoveries and to create their own magic tricks. A matrix of skills for all the activities and lists of the materials required…

Finding All Solutions to the Magic Hexagram

Science.gov (United States)

Holland, Jason; Karabegov, Alexander

2008-01-01

In this article, a systematic approach is given for solving a magic star puzzle that usually is accomplished by trial and error or "brute force." A connection is made to the symmetries of a cube, thus the name Magic Hexahedron.

Mummies & Magic.

Science.gov (United States)

Casey, Jeanne E.

1989-01-01

Covers the cultural and aesthetic significance of Egyptian mummies, as explained in an exhibition at Boston's Museum of Fine Arts. The display, "Mummies & Magic: The Funerary Arts of Ancient Egypt," allowed for restoration work which did much to advance modern knowledge of Egyptian culture and funerary art. (LS)

Status of the MAGIC telescopes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Colin, Pierre; Carmona, Emiliano; Schweizer, Thomas; Sitarek, Julian [Max-Planck-Institut fuer Physik, Werner-Heisenberg Institut, Muenchen (Germany)

2010-07-01

MAGIC is a system of two 17-m Cherenkov telescopes located on La Palma (Canary islands),sensitive to gamma-rays above 30 GeV. It has been recently upgraded by a second telescope which strongly improves the sensitivity, particularly at low energy. Here we present the status of the MAGIC telescopes and an overview of the recent results obtained in single or stereoscopic mode. We also discuss the real performance of the new stereoscopic system based on Crab Nebula observations.

Magic cards: a new augmented-reality approach.

Science.gov (United States)

Demuynck, Olivier; Menendez, José Manuel

2013-01-01

Augmented reality (AR) commonly uses markers for detection and tracking. Such multimedia applications associate each marker with a virtual 3D model stored in the memory of the camera-equipped device running the application. Application users are limited in their interactions, which require knowing how to design and program 3D objects. This generally prevents them from developing their own entertainment AR applications. The Magic Cards application solves this problem by offering an easy way to create and manage an unlimited number of virtual objects that are encoded on special markers.

Magical mathematics the mathematical ideas that animate great magic tricks

CERN Document Server

Diaconis, Persi

2012-01-01

Magical Mathematics reveals the secrets of amazing, fun-to-perform card tricks--and the profound mathematical ideas behind them--that will astound even the most accomplished magician. Persi Diaconis and Ron Graham provide easy, step-by-step instructions for each trick, explaining how to set up the effect and offering tips on what to say and do while performing it. Each card trick introduces a new mathematical idea, and varying the tricks in turn takes readers to the very threshold of today's mathematical knowledge. For example, the Gilbreath Principle--a fantastic effect where the cards remain in control despite being shuffled--is found to share an intimate connection with the Mandelbrot set. Other card tricks link to the mathematical secrets of combinatorics, graph theory, number theory, topology, the Riemann hypothesis, and even Fermat's last theorem.

Z3 -vertex magic total labeling and Z3 -edge magic total labelingfor the extended duplicate graph of quadrilateral snake

Science.gov (United States)

Indira, P.; Selvam, B.; Thirusangu, K.

2018-04-01

Based on the works of Kotzig, Rosa and MacDougall et.al., we present algorithms and prove the existence of Z3-vertex magic total labeling and Z3-edge magic total labeling for the extended duplicate graph of quadrilateral snake.

Hydrogen and deuterium NMR of solids by magic-angle spinning

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Eckman, R.R.

1982-10-01

The nuclear magnetic resonance of solids has long been characterized by very large specral broadening which arises from internuclear dipole-dipole coupling or the nuclear electric quadrupole interaction. These couplings can obscure the smaller chemical shift interaction and make that information unavailable. Two important and difficult cases are that of hydrogen and deuterium. The development of cross polarization, heteronuclear radiofrequency decoupling, and coherent averaging of nuclear spin interactions has provided measurement of chemical shift tensors in solids. Recently, double quantum NMR and double quantum decoupling have led to measurement of deuterium and proton chemical shift tensors, respectively. A general problem of these experiments is the overlapping of the tensor powder pattern spectra of magnetically distinct sites which cannot be resolved. In this work, high resolution NMR of hydrogen and deuterium in solids is demonstrated. For both nuclei, the resonances are narrowed to obtain liquid-like isotropic spectra by high frequency rotation of the sample about an axis inclined at the magic angle, β/sub m/ = Arccos (3/sup -1/2/), with respect to the direction of the external magnetic field. For deuterium, the powder spectra were narrowed by over three orders of magnitude by magic angle rotation with precise control of β. A second approach was the observation of deuterium double quantum transitions under magic angle rotation. For hydrogen, magic angle rotation alone could be applied to obtain the isotropic spectrum when H/sub D/ was small. This often occurs naturally when the nuclei are semi-dilute or involved in internal motion. In the general case of large H/sub D/, isotropic spectra were obtained by dilution of 1 H with 2 H combined with magic angle rotation. The resolution obtained represents the practical limit for proton NMR of solids

Managing Rock and Paleomagnetic Data Flow with the MagIC Database: from Measurement and Analysis to Comprehensive Archive and Visualization

Science.gov (United States)

Koppers, A. A.; Minnett, R. C.; Tauxe, L.; Constable, C.; Donadini, F.

2008-12-01

The Magnetics Information Consortium (MagIC) is commissioned to implement and maintain an online portal to a relational database populated by rock and paleomagnetic data. The goal of MagIC is to archive all measurements and derived properties for studies of paleomagnetic directions (inclination, declination) and intensities, and for rock magnetic experiments (hysteresis, remanence, susceptibility, anisotropy). Organizing data for presentation in peer-reviewed publications or for ingestion into databases is a time-consuming task, and to facilitate these activities, three tightly integrated tools have been developed: MagIC-PY, the MagIC Console Software, and the MagIC Online Database. A suite of Python scripts is available to help users port their data into the MagIC data format. They allow the user to add important metadata, perform basic interpretations, and average results at the specimen, sample and site levels. These scripts have been validated for use as Open Source software under the UNIX, Linux, PC and Macintosh© operating systems. We have also developed the MagIC Console Software program to assist in collating rock and paleomagnetic data for upload to the MagIC database. The program runs in Microsoft Excel© on both Macintosh© computers and PCs. It performs routine consistency checks on data entries, and assists users in preparing data for uploading into the online MagIC database. The MagIC website is hosted under EarthRef.org at http://earthref.org/MAGIC/ and has two search nodes, one for paleomagnetism and one for rock magnetism. Both nodes provide query building based on location, reference, methods applied, material type and geological age, as well as a visual FlashMap interface to browse and select locations. Users can also browse the database by data type (inclination, intensity, VGP, hysteresis, susceptibility) or by data compilation to view all contributions associated with previous databases, such as PINT, GMPDB or TAFI or other user

MAGIC Database and Interfaces: An Integrated Package for Gene Discovery and Expression

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lee H. Pratt

2006-03-01

Full Text Available The rapidly increasing rate at which biological data is being produced requires a corresponding growth in relational databases and associated tools that can help laboratories contend with that data. With this need in mind, we describe here a Modular Approach to a Genomic, Integrated and Comprehensive (MAGIC Database. This Oracle 9i database derives from an initial focus in our laboratory on gene discovery via production and analysis of expressed sequence tags (ESTs, and subsequently on gene expression as assessed by both EST clustering and microarrays. The MAGIC Gene Discovery portion of the database focuses on information derived from DNA sequences and on its biological relevance. In addition to MAGIC SEQ-LIMS, which is designed to support activities in the laboratory, it contains several additional subschemas. The latter include MAGIC Admin for database administration, MAGIC Sequence for sequence processing as well as sequence and clone attributes, MAGIC Cluster for the results of EST clustering, MAGIC Polymorphism in support of microsatellite and single-nucleotide-polymorphism discovery, and MAGIC Annotation for electronic annotation by BLAST and BLAT. The MAGIC Microarray portion is a MIAME-compliant database with two components at present. These are MAGIC Array-LIMS, which makes possible remote entry of all information into the database, and MAGIC Array Analysis, which provides data mining and visualization. Because all aspects of interaction with the MAGIC Database are via a web browser, it is ideally suited not only for individual research laboratories but also for core facilities that serve clients at any distance.

Mathematical Construction of Magic Squares Utilizing Base-N Arithmetic

Science.gov (United States)

O'Brien, Thomas D.

2006-01-01

Magic squares have been of interest as a source of recreation for over 4,500 years. A magic square consists of a square array of n[squared] positive and distinct integers arranged so that the sum of any column, row, or main diagonal is the same. In particular, an array of consecutive integers from 1 to n[squared] forming an nxn magic square is…

User's guide for MAGIC-Meteorologic and hydrologic genscn (generate scenarios) input converter

Science.gov (United States)

Ortel, Terry W.; Martin, Angel

2010-01-01

Meteorologic and hydrologic data used in watershed modeling studies are collected by various agencies and organizations, and stored in various formats. Data may be in a raw, un-processed format with little or no quality control, or may be checked for validity before being made available. Flood-simulation systems require data in near real-time so that adequate flood warnings can be made. Additionally, forecasted data are needed to operate flood-control structures to potentially mitigate flood damages. Because real-time data are of a provisional nature, missing data may need to be estimated for use in floodsimulation systems. The Meteorologic and Hydrologic GenScn (Generate Scenarios) Input Converter (MAGIC) can be used to convert data from selected formats into the Hydrologic Simulation System-Fortran hourly-observations format for input to a Watershed Data Management database, for use in hydrologic modeling studies. MAGIC also can reformat the data to the Full Equations model time-series format, for use in hydraulic modeling studies. Examples of the application of MAGIC for use in the flood-simulation system for Salt Creek in northeastern Illinois are presented in this report.

Developing games with Magic Playground: a gesture-based game engine

OpenAIRE

Dehanov, Juana; Dias, José Miguel Salles; Bastos, Rafael; Cabral, Carolina

2005-01-01

ACE 134 This paper presents Magic Playground, a game engine that enables the development of entertainment applications with realtime gesture-based Human-Computer Interaction (HCI). We describe the main architectural elements of our system and provide a guideline on how to program the engine in order to create games. Finally, we present usability evaluation results of a game, which emulates the known Tetris game1.

The presence of magical thinking in obsessive compulsive disorder.

Science.gov (United States)

Einstein, Danielle A; Menzies, Ross G

2004-05-01

Two research groups have raised the possibility that magical ideation may be a fundamental feature of obsessive-compulsive disorder. It has been proposed to underlie thought action fusion and superstitious beliefs. In this study, the Magical Ideation scale, the Lucky Behaviours and Lucky Beliefs scales, the Thought Action Fusion-Revised scale, the Padua Inventory, and the Obsessive Compulsive Inventory-Short Version were completed by 60 obsessive compulsive patients at a hospital clinic. Of all the measures, the Magical Ideation (MI) scale was found to be the most strongly related to obsessive compulsive symptoms. Large and significant relationships between MI scores and the measures of OCD were obtained even when alternative constructs (Lucky Behaviours, Lucky Beliefs, Thought Action Fusion-Revised scales) were held constant. No other variable remained significantly related to the Obsessive Compulsive Inventory-Short Version when magical ideation scores were held constant. The findings suggest that a general magical thinking tendency may underpin previous observed links between superstitiousness, thought action fusion and OCD severity.

Experimental magic state distillation for fault-tolerant quantum computing.

Science.gov (United States)

Souza, Alexandre M; Zhang, Jingfu; Ryan, Colm A; Laflamme, Raymond

2011-01-25

Any physical quantum device for quantum information processing (QIP) is subject to errors in implementation. In order to be reliable and efficient, quantum computers will need error-correcting or error-avoiding methods. Fault-tolerance achieved through quantum error correction will be an integral part of quantum computers. Of the many methods that have been discovered to implement it, a highly successful approach has been to use transversal gates and specific initial states. A critical element for its implementation is the availability of high-fidelity initial states, such as |0〉 and the 'magic state'. Here, we report an experiment, performed in a nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) quantum processor, showing sufficient quantum control to improve the fidelity of imperfect initial magic states by distilling five of them into one with higher fidelity.

Maximum nonlocality and minimum uncertainty using magic states

Science.gov (United States)

Howard, Mark

2015-04-01

We prove that magic states from the Clifford hierarchy give optimal solutions for tasks involving nonlocality and entropic uncertainty with respect to Pauli measurements. For both the nonlocality and uncertainty tasks, stabilizer states are the worst possible pure states, so our solutions have an operational interpretation as being highly nonstabilizer. The optimal strategy for a qudit version of the Clauser-Horne-Shimony-Holt game in prime dimensions is achieved by measuring maximally entangled states that are isomorphic to single-qudit magic states. These magic states have an appealingly simple form, and our proof shows that they are "balanced" with respect to all but one of the mutually unbiased stabilizer bases. Of all equatorial qudit states, magic states minimize the average entropic uncertainties for collision entropy and also, for small prime dimensions, min-entropy, a fact that may have implications for cryptography.

Atmospheric monitoring in MAGIC and data corrections

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fruck Christian

2015-01-01

Full Text Available A method for analyzing returns of a custom-made “micro”-LIDAR system, operated alongside the two MAGIC telescopes is presented. This method allows for calculating the transmission through the atmospheric boundary layer as well as thin cloud layers. This is achieved by applying exponential fits to regions of the back-scattering signal that are dominated by Rayleigh scattering. Making this real-time transmission information available for the MAGIC data stream allows to apply atmospheric corrections later on in the analysis. Such corrections allow for extending the effective observation time of MAGIC by including data taken under adverse atmospheric conditions. In the future they will help reducing the systematic uncertainties of energy and flux.

Framing Performance Magic: The Role of Contract, Discourse and Effect

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Landman, Todd

2013-10-01

Full Text Available A wide continuum of genres in performance magic has developed since the Victorian period, including stage magic, street magic, close-up magic, comedy magic, mentalism, bizarre and mystery entertainment. Each of these genres frames its performance on a different contract between the performer and the audience, the discourse used during performance and the effect on the audience both in terms of its perception of what has transpired and the personal meaning attached to the effect. This article examines this interplay between contract, discourse and effect in theory and practice. The article constructs a typology of performance magic which is then explored through an examination of audience perception and feedback from a drama workshop and focus group conducted at the University of Huddersfield in October 2012. The group experienced three performances framed around the idea of the magician, the mentalist, and the mystic, and the ensuing discussion revealed a wide range of insights into these different framings of performance. The reactions and ensuing discussions involved different understandings of trust, plausibility, explanation, authority, and dynamic interaction.

Progressive Propaganda Critics and the Magic Bullet Myth.

Science.gov (United States)

Sproule, J. Michael

1989-01-01

Examines the development and historical inaccuracies of the "magic bullet" interpretation of American propaganda studies, which asserts that propaganda critics between the world wars treated messages as "magic bullets" directly and powerfully infused into passive receivers. Considers why this misconception of the progressive…

Magic gamma rays, extra-atmospheric source

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bolufer, P.

2010-01-01

Without the atmospheric layer, the cosmos radiation would kill every living, our planet would be like the moon. The cosmic gamma ray to collide with gases in land cover, as it is disintegrated. They are harmless, they form a cone of light that points to the cosmic source comes from. On April 25, 2009 was born on the island of Palma Magic II and Magic I the best observer of atmospheric gamma rays of low intensity. (Author)

RMF+BCS description of some traditional neutron magic isotones

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Saxena, G.; Singh, D.; Kaushik, M.

2014-01-01

The traditional neutron magic nuclei with N = 8, 20, 28, 50, 82 and 126, and those with neutron sub-magic number N = 40 are investigated within the relativistic mean-field plus BCS (RMF+BCS) approach. The results indicate appearance of new proton magic numbers as well as the disappearance of conventional magic numbers for nuclei with extreme isospin values. The calculated energies and densities do not indicate any tendency for the proton halo formations in any of the proton rich isotones due to Coulomb interaction and different single particle spectra. However, the potential barrier provided by the Coulomb interaction and that due to the centrifugal force may cause a long delay in the actual decay of proton rich nucleus resulting in the extended drip line. (authors)

Performing Fabulous Monsters: Re-inventing the Gothic Personae in Bizarre Magic

OpenAIRE

Taylor, Nik; Nolan, Stuart

2015-01-01

Bizarre magick is a form of performance magic that favours theatrical character, storytelling, overt allegory, symbolism and metaphor, and themes of the supernatural, fantastic, amazing and weird. While the form has its roots in Victorian stage magic, it realised itself as a movement in the 1970s through a counter-cultural reaction against the big boxes and card flourishes of a disenchanted, contemporary, mainstream stage magic. Bizarre magicians sought to re-enchant performance magic with th...

Status, first results and prospects for MAGIC

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rico, Javier

2006-01-01

MAGIC is the world-largest Imaging Air Cherenkov Telescope (IACT) for Very High Energy (VHE) γ-ray astronomy and operates in the range from ∼50 GeV to ∼10 TeV. In this paper we will briefly summarize the status of the project, including the construction of a second (MAGIC-II) telescope, and review the results obtained from the first observations

A framework for using magic to study the mind.

Science.gov (United States)

Rensink, Ronald A; Kuhn, Gustav

2014-01-01

Over the centuries, magicians have developed extensive knowledge about the manipulation of the human mind-knowledge that has been largely ignored by psychology. It has recently been argued that this knowledge could help improve our understanding of human cognition and consciousness. But how might this be done? And how much could it ultimately contribute to the exploration of the human mind? We propose here a framework outlining how knowledge about magic can be used to help us understand the human mind. Various approaches-both old and new-are surveyed, in terms of four different levels. The first focuses on the methods in magic, using these to suggest new approaches to existing issues in psychology. The second focuses on the effects that magic can produce, such as the sense of wonder induced by seeing an apparently impossible event. Third is the consideration of magic tricks-methods and effects together-as phenomena of scientific interest in their own right. Finally, there is the organization of knowledge about magic into an informative whole, including the possibility of a science centered around the experience of wonder.

Runes, magic and religion : a sourcebook.

OpenAIRE

McKinnell, J.; Simek, R.; Düwel, K.

2004-01-01

The present source book offers a survey of all types of runic inscriptions with religious or magical connotations from the earliest periods to the late Middle Ages, from Rune on weapons and jewellery to runic gravestones and Christian runic amulets. It is intended as a scholarly answer against the common misconception of the supposedly dominant use of runes in magic. The present volume is structured in 15 units which enable its use as an aid to teaching without being excessively comprehensive.

Do you believe in magic? Computer games in everyday life

OpenAIRE

Pargman, Daniel; Jakobsson, Peter

2008-01-01

Abstract Huizinga's concept of a 'magic circle' has been used to depict computer games and gaming activities as something separate from ordinary life. In this view, games are special (magical) and they only come to life within temporal and spatial borders that are enacted and performed by the participants. This article discusses the concept of a 'magic circle' and finds that it lacks specificity. Attempts t...

Application of a Resource Theory for Magic States to Fault-Tolerant Quantum Computing.

Science.gov (United States)

Howard, Mark; Campbell, Earl

2017-03-03

Motivated by their necessity for most fault-tolerant quantum computation schemes, we formulate a resource theory for magic states. First, we show that robustness of magic is a well-behaved magic monotone that operationally quantifies the classical simulation overhead for a Gottesman-Knill-type scheme using ancillary magic states. Our framework subsequently finds immediate application in the task of synthesizing non-Clifford gates using magic states. When magic states are interspersed with Clifford gates, Pauli measurements, and stabilizer ancillas-the most general synthesis scenario-then the class of synthesizable unitaries is hard to characterize. Our techniques can place nontrivial lower bounds on the number of magic states required for implementing a given target unitary. Guided by these results, we have found new and optimal examples of such synthesis.

Extragalactic observations with the MAGIC telescopes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shore, S.N.

2014-01-01

The MAGIC imaging atmospheric Cherenkov telescopes, both as a single detector and now used in stereo mode, have been observing a variety of active galaxies and galactic clusters for almost a decade. This review provides a brief summary of some of the most recent results for blazars observed in the energy range > 50 GeV to tens of TeV. The very high energy emission observed with MAGIC is essential for disentangling the various contributions and timescales to the observed spectra and variability. (author)

MAGIC: A Tool for Combining, Interpolating, and Processing Magnetograms

Science.gov (United States)

Allred, Joel

2012-01-01

Transients in the solar coronal magnetic field are ultimately the source of space weather. Models which seek to track the evolution of the coronal field require magnetogram images to be used as boundary conditions. These magnetograms are obtained by numerous instruments with different cadences and resolutions. A tool is required which allows modelers to fmd all available data and use them to craft accurate and physically consistent boundary conditions for their models. We have developed a software tool, MAGIC (MAGnetogram Interpolation and Composition), to perform exactly this function. MAGIC can manage the acquisition of magneto gram data, cast it into a source-independent format, and then perform the necessary spatial and temporal interpolation to provide magnetic field values as requested onto model-defined grids. MAGIC has the ability to patch magneto grams from different sources together providing a more complete picture of the Sun's field than is possible from single magneto grams. In doing this, care must be taken so as not to introduce nonphysical current densities along the seam between magnetograms. We have designed a method which minimizes these spurious current densities. MAGIC also includes a number of post-processing tools which can provide additional information to models. For example, MAGIC includes an interface to the DA VE4VM tool which derives surface flow velocities from the time evolution of surface magnetic field. MAGIC has been developed as an application of the KAMELEON data formatting toolkit which has been developed by the CCMC.

Self-censorship in Massimo Bontempelli’s Magical Realism

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wissia Fiorucci

2015-05-01

Full Text Available This article aims to investigate the interplay between censorship, self-censorship and the narrative strategies of magical realism in Il figlio di due madri by Italian author Massimo Bontempelli (1878–1960. Having been head of the National Fascist Writers Union from the mid- to late-1920s, critics have noted that Bontempelli’s detachment from the Fascist credo emerges in his work from the mid- to late-1930s. I intend to problematise this perspective, by recognising the significance of Il figlio di due madri (1929 in the development of Bontempelli’s anti-Fascist sentiment. This work preceded (by several years Bontempelli’s official break with Fascism in 1936, when he published an article against the political control of the arts and caesarianism in La gazzetta del popolo. An anti-Fascist sentiment had, however, in my view already been expressed in Bontempelli’s works of magical realism Il figlio di due madri (1929 and Vita e morte di Adria e dei suoi figli (1930. These two novels deal with controversial topics that, I would claim, refute some of Fascism’s foremost principles, an appraisal that was disguised through deliberate acts of self-censorship. More precisely, it is through his deconstruction of mimetic writing that Bontempelli’s critique of the regime comes into existence, as the narrative strategies I deem instrumental to his self-censorship (e.g. authorial reticence, metaphor, mythopoiesis reflect the poetics of magical realism in «its inherent transgressive and subversive qualities» (Bowers 2004: 63. By conveying a rejection of the systematised understanding of literature that Bontempelli associates with literary realisms, at the same time he conveys his ideological refusal of dogmatic views of reality. Thus, in his mystifying realism, magic acts as both a tool for concealing his ideology—a tool for self-censorship, that is—and as the very means by which this ideology can be generated.

Magical Realism in Neil Gaiman’s Coraline

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hosseinpour Saeede

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Magical realism, as a narrative mode or genre in adults’ literature, has been in vogue since its revivifying with the publication of Gabriel Garcia Marquez’s One Hundred Years of Solitude (1967. However, the depiction of the genre in children’s and juvenile literature is a new trend; the presence of its elements have been traced and proved feasibly applicable in the interpretation of recent children’s fiction such as David Almond’s Skelling (1998. In this regard, the main concern of the present article is to sift the characteristic features of magical realism within Neil Gaiman’s Coraline (2002 through the application of Wendy B. Faris’s theoretical framework of the genre therewith Tzvetan Todorov’s definition of the fantastic in order to introduce the novel as an exemplar of magical realism in the domain of children’s literature.

Magical beliefs and discriminating science from pseudoscience in undergraduate professional students.

Science.gov (United States)

Garrett, Bernard M; Cutting, Roger L

2017-11-01

Paranormal beliefs and magical thinking exist in the public, and amongst university students. Researchers have found that media can influence such beliefs. A 2012 study suggested pseudoscientific rationales can influence acceptance of reported paranormal phenomena. Using a paranormal belief survey and controlled experiment this work explores the paranormal beliefs and test the effects of three versions of a supernatural news story on undergraduate professional students. One version of the story presented a simple news article, another the same with a pseudoscientific rationale, and another gave a discrediting scientific critique. Results confirmed that many students do hold magical beliefs but discriminated between scientific and pseudoscientific narratives. However, pre-existing paranormal beliefs were associated with an increased likelihood of students finding paranormal reports scientific, believable and credible.

The magic of universal quantum computing with permutations

OpenAIRE

Planat, Michel; Rukhsan-Ul-Haq

2017-01-01

The role of permutation gates for universal quantum computing is investigated. The \\lq magic' of computation is clarified in the permutation gates, their eigenstates, the Wootters discrete Wigner function and state-dependent contextuality (following many contributions on this subject). A first classification of main types of resulting magic states in low dimensions $d \\le 9$ is performed.

Magical thinking decreases across adulthood.

Science.gov (United States)

Brashier, Nadia M; Multhaup, Kristi S

2017-12-01

Magical thinking, or illogical causal reasoning such as superstitions, decreases across childhood, but almost no data speak to whether this developmental trajectory continues across the life span. In four experiments, magical thinking decreased across adulthood. This pattern replicated across two judgment domains and could not be explained by age-related differences in tolerance of ambiguity, domain-specific knowledge, or search for meaning. These data complement and extend findings that experience, accumulated over decades, guides older adults' judgments so that they match, or even exceed, young adults' performance. They also counter participants' expectations, and cultural sayings (e.g., "old wives' tales"), that suggest that older adults are especially superstitious. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

The LocaL Tradition of Magical Practices in Banten society

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Ayatullah Humaeni

2012-12-01

Full Text Available This article aims to discuss the cultural phenomenon of magical practices in the Muslim society of Banten which still exists up to the present. It is a part of my MA thesis research that has been combined with my recent field research using ethnography method based on the anthropological approach. Magical practices becomes cultural identity for Bantenese society.  Several sources on Banten mention that Banten as a central spot for magical sciences, besides it is also well- known as a religious area. The magical practices are still regarded important for Bantenese people, especially who live in the villages to solve their practical problems in their social life. Magic is a socio-religious phenomenon which has long, well-established roots in Banten society. It  is  traceable from many literatures that describes the uniqueness of Bantenese’s culture. Besides other magical practices debus is the most noticeable appearance of the magical tradition in Banten since the sultanate period until nowadays. The existence of debus Banten and other kinds of magical practices in Banten has strengthened the reputation of Banten as if ‘a haven of magical sciences’.   Tulisan ini mencoba mendiskusikan tentang fenomena kultural mengenai praktek magis pada masyarakat Muslim Banten yang masih ada hingga saat ini. Artikel ini merupakan bagian dari tesis Master saya yang sudah dikombinasikan dengan penelitian lapangan baru-baru ini dengan menggunakan metode etnografi berdasarkan pendekatan antropologis. Praktek magis sudah menjadi identitas kultural bagi masyarakat Banten. Beberapa sumber menyebut Banten sebagai pusat ilmu-ilmu gaib, di samping dikenal sebagai daerah yang religius. Praktek magis masih dianggap penting bagi masyarakat Banten, khususnya yang tinggal di pedesaan untuk menyelesaikan masalah-masalah praktis dalam kehidupan sosial mereka. Magis adalah sebuah fenomena sosio-kultural yang memiliki akar yang cukup lama dan sudah berakar kuat dalam

Hybrid magic state distillation for universal fault-tolerant quantum computation

OpenAIRE

Zheng, Wenqiang; Yu, Yafei; Pan, Jian; Zhang, Jingfu; Li, Jun; Li, Zhaokai; Suter, Dieter; Zhou, Xianyi; Peng, Xinhua; Du, Jiangfeng

2014-01-01

A set of stabilizer operations augmented by some special initial states known as 'magic states', gives the possibility of universal fault-tolerant quantum computation. However, magic state preparation inevitably involves nonideal operations that introduce noise. The most common method to eliminate the noise is magic state distillation (MSD) by stabilizer operations. Here we propose a hybrid MSD protocol by connecting a four-qubit H-type MSD with a five-qubit T-type MSD, in order to overcome s...

Magical Music in Old Norse Literature

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Britt-Mari Näsström

1996-01-01

Full Text Available No society ever existed without performing music, and most cultures display many variants of music. Music also played and still plays an important part in different religious rites. From the days of yore, music has been intimately connected with the cult, whether it is performed as epic or lyric expressions. The Old Norse society was no exception to this statement and early finds from as far back as the Bronze Age reveal that different instrument were used in daily life. The most conspicuous specimens from this time are the bronze lures, which probably are depicted on the rock-carvings. All these examples emphasise the character of music in Old Norse literature as connected with the magic aspect of religion, and particularly with divination. This does not mean that all music in the Viking Age was performed with a magic purpose, but what has survived in the sources is the conspicuous role of music as something that affected the human mind to the extent that it was experienced as a magic feeling, even able to reveal the future.

Does magical thinking produce neutralising behaviour? An experimental investigation.

Science.gov (United States)

Bocci, Laura; Gordon, P Kenneth

2007-08-01

Magical thinking is of relevance to obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), and has been most widely investigated in relation to the cognitive bias known as thought-action fusion (TAF). This is seen as playing a role in the formation of fears about responsibility for harm. We suggest that magical thinking may also characterise some types of neutralising behaviour, which arise in response to those fears, and are a hallmark of the disorder. In an experimental study of 51 undergraduate students, we assessed whether the use of neutralising behaviours in response to an induction of fears of increasing likelihood for harm is related to a propensity for magical thinking. The 75.5% of participants demonstrated at least one form of neutralising behaviour in response to a TAF-induction task. Neutralising was associated with stronger and more persistent responses to the task, and with questionnaire measures of magical ideation. Those who neutralised did not report higher levels of OCD symptoms. It appears that neutralising is a common response in circumstances that provoke a sense of responsibility for harm. Its occurrence may be linked to magical thinking, however, the results from this experimental investigation suggested that this process may not be specific to OCD.

Magic and reality in the literature of the Cuban revolution

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

María Jesús Martín Sastre

2013-12-01

Full Text Available There is no innocent literature. Literature is made by love, by hate, by a woman, by an idea, by an injustice, by a hope, to praise or to criticize, but I think literature has never been isolated, pure, detached. [...] Literature cannot escape life and history (Manuel Cofiño Lopez, 1985: 9697. Cofiño Lopezs own literature is no exception. The clear contrast that he presents in The Last Woman and the upcoming battle between magic and reality, ignorance and culture, past and present has a purpose. The author raises the need to end with the old beliefs in order to progress.This inextricable link between magic and reality of the Revolution is present in several novels of the Cuban Revolution. It shows how the two interact, as well as how past and present intermingle. Moreover, we find that magic is present throughout, and is fully compatible with the Revolution. This does not make it erroneous to believe in the stories of Magic Realism. It is a mistake on the part of the revolution and those who write about it for attempting to deny people the magic of their superstitions and beliefs, since magic is not the enemy of progress. They are part of their lives and their culture, and are something that should be respected.

Magic informationally complete POVMs with permutations

Science.gov (United States)

Planat, Michel; Gedik, Zafer

2017-09-01

Eigenstates of permutation gates are either stabilizer states (for gates in the Pauli group) or magic states, thus allowing universal quantum computation (Planat, Rukhsan-Ul-Haq 2017 Adv. Math. Phys. 2017, 5287862 (doi:10.1155/2017/5287862)). We show in this paper that a subset of such magic states, when acting on the generalized Pauli group, define (asymmetric) informationally complete POVMs. Such informationally complete POVMs, investigated in dimensions 2-12, exhibit simple finite geometries in their projector products and, for dimensions 4 and 8 and 9, relate to two-qubit, three-qubit and two-qutrit contextuality.

Observations of VHE γ-Ray Sources with the MAGIC Telescope

Science.gov (United States)

Bartko, H.

2008-10-01

The MAGIC telescope with its 17m diameter mirror is today the largest operating single-dish Imaging Air Cherenkov Telescope (IACT). It is located on the Canary Island La Palma, at an altitude of 2200m above sea level, as part of the Roque de los Muchachos European Northern Observatory. The MAGIC telescope detects celestial very high energy γ-radiation in the energy band between about 50 GeV and 10 TeV. Since Autumn of 2004 MAGIC has been taking data routinely, observing various objects like supernova remnants (SNRs), γ-ray binaries, Pulsars, Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN) and Gamma-ray Bursts (GRB). We briefly describe the observational strategy, the procedure implemented for the data analysis, and discuss the results for individual sources. An outlook to the construction of the second MAGIC telescope is given.

Magic moment? Maternal marriage for children born out of wedlock.

Science.gov (United States)

Gibson-Davis, Christina

2014-08-01

To test the existence of the "magic moment" for parental marriage immediately post-birth and to inform policies that preferentially encourage biological over step parent marriage, this study estimates the incidence and stability of maternal marriage for children born out of wedlock. Data came from the National Survey of Family Growth on 5,255 children born non maritally. By age 15, 29 % of children born non maritally experienced a biological-father marriage, and 36 % experienced a stepfather marriage. Stepfather marriages occurred much later in a child's life-one-half occurred after the child turned age 7-and had one-third higher odds of dissolution. Children born to black mothers had qualitatively different maternal marriage experiences than children born to white or Hispanic mothers, with less biological-parent marriage and higher incidences of divorce. Findings support the existence of the magic moment and demonstrate that biological marriages were more enduring than stepfather marriages. Yet relatively few children born out of wedlock experienced stable, biological-parent marriages as envisioned by marriage promotion programs.

Status, performance and scientific highlights from the MAGIC telescope system

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Doert, Marlene [Technische Universitaet Dortmund (Germany); Ruhr-Universitaet Bochum (Germany); Collaboration: MAGIC-Collaboration

2015-07-01

The MAGIC telescopes are a system of two 17 m Imaging Air Cherenkov Telescopes, which are located at 2200 m above sea level at the Roque de Los Muchachos Observatory on the Canary Island of La Palma. In this presentation, we report on recent scientific highlights gained from MAGIC observations in the galactic and the extragalactic regime. We also present the current status and performance of the MAGIC system after major hardware upgrades in the years 2011 to 2014 and give an overview of future plans.

The magic circle and the puzzle piece

OpenAIRE

Juul, Jesper

2008-01-01

In a common description, to play a game is to step inside a concrete or metaphorical magic circle where special rules apply. In video game studies, this description has received an inordinate amount of criticism which the paper argues has two primary sources: 1. a misreading of the basic concept of the magic circle and 2. a somewhat rushed application of traditional theoretical concerns onto games. The paper argues that games studies must move beyond conventional criticisms of binary distinct...

Magical beliefs and discriminating science from pseudoscience in undergraduate professional students

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bernard M. Garrett

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Paranormal beliefs and magical thinking exist in the public, and amongst university students. Researchers have found that media can influence such beliefs. A 2012 study suggested pseudoscientific rationales can influence acceptance of reported paranormal phenomena. Using a paranormal belief survey and controlled experiment this work explores the paranormal beliefs and test the effects of three versions of a supernatural news story on undergraduate professional students. One version of the story presented a simple news article, another the same with a pseudoscientific rationale, and another gave a discrediting scientific critique. Results confirmed that many students do hold magical beliefs but discriminated between scientific and pseudoscientific narratives. However, pre-existing paranormal beliefs were associated with an increased likelihood of students finding paranormal reports scientific, believable and credible. Keywords: Education, Psychology

Magic state parity-checker with pre-distilled components

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Earl T. Campbell

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Magic states are eigenstates of non-Pauli operators. One way of suppressing errors present in magic states is to perform parity measurements in their non-Pauli eigenbasis and postselect on even parity. Here we develop new protocols based on non-Pauli parity checking, where the measurements are implemented with the aid of pre-distilled multiqubit resource states. This leads to a two step process: pre-distillation of multiqubit resource states, followed by implementation of the parity check. These protocols can prepare single-qubit magic states that enable direct injection of single-qubit axial rotations without subsequent gate-synthesis and its associated overhead. We show our protocols are more efficient than all previous comparable protocols with quadratic error reduction, including the protocols of Bravyi and Haah.

MAGIC: conoscere i mari italiani e individuarne i geo-rischi

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Alessandro Bosman

2010-03-01

Full Text Available MAGIC project: Marine Geohazard along the Italian Coasts MAGIC Project is funded by the Italian Civil Protection  Department (DPC to produce a bathymetric database as reference for compiling maps (1:50.000 of marine geo-hazard. During its 5-year life span (2007-2012, MAGIC will allow the acquisition of high-resolution multibeam bathymetry along the Italian continental margins and will involve the entire Italian scientific community currently active in the field of Marine Geology. More than 73.000 nautical miles of multibeam data will be analyzed, allowing comparison of geological features produced by sedimentary and tectonic processes (i.e. volcanic events, submarine landslide, active faulting. The main objective of MAGIC is to furnish the DPC  accurate depiction of superficial geology and relatedgeo-hazard on the most sensitive and hazard-prone areas.

Magic Finger Teaching Method in Learning Multiplication Facts among Deaf Students

Science.gov (United States)

Thai, Liong; Yasin, Mohd. Hanafi Mohd

2016-01-01

Deaf students face problems in mastering multiplication facts. This study aims to identify the effectiveness of Magic Finger Teaching Method (MFTM) and students' perception towards MFTM. The research employs a quasi experimental with non-equivalent pre-test and post-test control group design. Pre-test, post-test and questionnaires were used. As…

Magic neutrino mass matrix and the Bjorken-Harrison-Scott parameterization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lam, C.S.

2006-01-01

Observed neutrino mixing can be described by a tribimaximal MNS matrix. The resulting neutrino mass matrix in the basis of a diagonal charged lepton mass matrix is both 2-3 symmetric and magic. By a magic matrix, I mean one whose row sums and column sums are all identical. I study what happens if 2-3 symmetry is broken but the magic symmetry is kept intact. In that case, the mixing matrix is parameterized by a single complex parameter U e3 , in a form discussed recently by Bjorken, Harrison, and Scott

The magic metal uranium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1985-01-01

''Magic Metal'' was the first in a range of programmes for the younger secondary student. It is a very simple explanation of how a nuclear reactor works, of the basics of fission and compares nuclear with other fuels. The concepts employed were developed using classroom trials. (author)

Early Childhood Corner: Take the Magic Out of Your Classroom!

Science.gov (United States)

Andrews, Angela Giglio

1995-01-01

Students are often as mystified by mathematical procedures as they are by magic tricks. This article suggests ways of making the estimation of how many jelly beans in a jar and the 20-questions game less magical and more understandable. (MKR)

MAGIC NUCLEI: Tin-100 turns up

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1994-01-01

In the same way as the Periodic Table of chemical elements reflects the successive filling of orbital electron shells, in nuclear physics the socalled 'magic' numbers correspond to closed shells of 2, 8, 20, 28, 50, 82, 126,... neutrons and/or protons. More tightly bound than other nuclei, these are the nuclear analogues of the inert gases. 'Doubly magic' nuclei have closed shells of both neutrons and protons. Examples in nature are helium-4 (2 protons and 2 neutrons), oxygen-16 (8 and 8), calcium-40 (20 and 20) and calcium-48 (20 and 28). Radioactive tin-132 (50+82) has been widely studied

Magical Realism in Ahmad Sa'dawiy's Frankenstein fi Bagdad

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Mahmudah Mahmudah

2016-11-01

Full Text Available This article discusses the use of magic realism as a literary device in the Iraqi novel Frankenstein fī Bagdād written by Aḥmad Sa‘dāwiy. The novel is set in the period of inter-ethnic conflict which arose after the American invasion of 2003. Hādī, the main character of the novel, ‘creates a monster’ namely Syismah from the corpses of the many bomb victims in Baghdad. The writer combines setting of the novel with belief of the Iraq people, horoscope practice, and magic, in mystical and illogical atmosphere. Given its magic realist qualities, the analysis draws on the approach of Wendy B. Faris. The article identifies five key elements from magic realism present in the novel, and discusses the relationship between these elements in order to better understand the social, ideological, and political context of the novel. The analysis shows that there are relationships between two worlds: death and life, human and ghost, physical and metaphysical, natural and supernatural.

Recent results on galactic sources with MAGIC telescope

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

De los Reyes, R.

2009-01-01

Located at the Canary island of La Palma, the single-dish MAGIC telescope currently has the lowest energy threshold achieved by any Cherenkov telescope, which can be as low as 25 GeV. In the last two years, the MAGIC telescope has detected a significant amount of galactic sources that emit at very high energies (up to several TeV). Here we present the most recent results that have yielded important scientific highlights in astrophysics, which include the first detection of gamma-ray emission from a pulsar, an X-ray binary system and a stellar-mass black hole. We also make a review of the latest results of the MAGIC observations on galactic sources, which will include also γ-ray unidentified sources (TeV J2032+4130), the Galactic Centre, X-ray binaries (LSI +61 303), pulsars (Crab pulsar) and SNRs (IC443).

Marine Ice Nuclei Collections – MAGIC (MAGIC-IN) Final Campaign Summary

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

DeMott, Paul J. [Colorado State Univ., Fort Collins, CO (United States); Hill, Thomas C. J. [Colorado State Univ., Fort Collins, CO (United States)

2016-02-01

This campaign augmented measurements obtained via deployment of the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Climate Research Facility’s ARM Mobile Facility (AMF) in the Marine ARM GPCI1 Investigation of Clouds (MAGIC) field campaign. The measurements, comprised of shipboard aerosol collections obtained during the five legs of the summer 2013 cruises, were sent for offline processing to measure ice nucleating particle (INP) number concentrations. The forty-three sample periods each represented, nominally, 24-hour segments during outbound and inbound transits of the Horizon Spirit. The samples were collected at locations between Los Angeles and Hawaii. Eight samples have been analyzed for immersion freezing temperature spectra thus far, using funding from other grants. Remaining samples are being frozen until support for further processing is obtained. Future analyses will investigate the inorganic/organic proportions of ice nuclei, in addition to determining the genetic composition of the overall biological community associated with INPs. Resulting correlations will be compared with other archived aerosol quantities, meteorological and ocean data (e.g., temperature, wind speed, sea surface temperature, etc…) and satellite ocean color products. These findings will ultimately aid in parameterizing oceanic (e.g., sea spray) INP emissions in regional and global scale models, when illustrating aerosol connections to cloud phases and properties. Independent future analyses of frozen filter samples, as proposed by collaborating investigators at the time of this report, will include single particle analyses of marine boundary layer aerosol compositions and morphology. The MAGIC-IN data are considered representative of the oligotrophic, low Chlorophyll-a (with the exception of near-shore) ocean regions, which exist along the MAGIC transect. Current analyses suggest that INP numbers in the marine boundary layer over this region are typically low, compared to existing

Magical Formulae for Market Futures

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Garsten, Christina; Sörbom, Adrienne

2016-01-01

Markets are often portrayed as being organized by way of rationalized knowledge, objective reasoning, and the fluctuations of demand and supply. In parallel, and often mixed with this modality of knowledge, magical beliefs and practices are prevalent. Business leaders, management consultants......, and financial advisors are often savvy in the art of creatively blending the ‘objective facts’ of markets with magical formulae, rites, and imaginaries of the future. This article looks at the World Economic Forum's yearly Davos meeting as a large-scale ritual that engages senior executives of global...... corporations, top-level politicians, and civil society leaders to contribute to the overall aim of ‘improving the world’. The Davos gathering has become a vital part of the business calendar, just as much for the intensity of its networking as for the declarations of action from the speakers’ podiums...

The magic of numbers

CERN Document Server

Bell, Eric Temple

1991-01-01

From one of the foremost interpreters for lay readers of the history and meaning of mathematics: a stimulating account of the origins of mathematical thought and the development of numerical theory. It probes the work of Pythagoras, Galileo, Berkeley, Einstein, and others, exploring how ""number magic"" has influenced religion, philosophy, science, and mathematics

Using magic to improve Physics classes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anderson Coser Gaudio

2015-03-01

Full Text Available The videos posted on YouTube can be very helpful to teach any subject in the classroom. In Physics, there is a wealth of material just waiting for the teachers to know what to do with them. In this study, we present a report on how we used videos of magic performances as a teaching aid to supplement Physics classes. Since the goal of magic is to challenge a principle or a natural law, it is interesting to use it in order to try to unravel its secret in a scientific way. To illustrate the application of this strategy, we used a performance of the magician Dynamo, held in London, where he quietly walks on the water of the River Thames. Having overcome the surprise of illusion, students are led by the teacher to try to get a physically plausible explanation for the secret of the magic. To carry out this task, we followed the paths of so-called scientific method in their traditionally defined form in schoolbooks. The results are very positive as and clearly point out the engagement of students in the search for the correct explanation. This strategy is recommended for use in high school Physics classes and in the initial semesters in College courses.

γ astrophysics above 10-30 GeV with the MAGIC telescope

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mirzoyan, Razmick

1999-01-01

The project on the 17 m oe telescope, dubbed MAGIC (Major Atmospheric Gamma Imaging Cherenkov Telescope), is dedicated for γ astrophysics in the energy range from 10-30 GeV till 50-100 TeV. MAGIC will for the first time allow to explore with very high sensitivity the energy range 10-300 GeV and to bridge the existing energy gap between satellite and ground-based air Cherenkov measurements. We believe MAGIC will serve as a prototype for future multi-telescope γ ray observatories

Performance of the MAGIC telescopes under moonlight

Science.gov (United States)

Ahnen, M. L.; Ansoldi, S.; Antonelli, L. A.; Arcaro, C.; Babić, A.; Banerjee, B.; Bangale, P.; Barres de Almeida, U.; Barrio, J. A.; Becerra González, J.; Bednarek, W.; Bernardini, E.; Berti, A.; Bhattacharyya, W.; Biasuzzi, B.; Biland, A.; Blanch, O.; Bonnefoy, S.; Bonnoli, G.; Carosi, R.; Carosi, A.; Chatterjee, A.; Colin, P.; Colombo, E.; Contreras, J. L.; Cortina, J.; Covino, S.; Cumani, P.; Da Vela, P.; Dazzi, F.; De Angelis, A.; De Lotto, B.; de Oña Wilhelmi, E.; Di Pierro, F.; Doert, M.; Domínguez, A.; Dominis Prester, D.; Dorner, D.; Doro, M.; Einecke, S.; Eisenacher Glawion, D.; Elsaesser, D.; Engelkemeier, M.; Fallah Ramazani, V.; Fernández-Barral, A.; Fidalgo, D.; Fonseca, M. V.; Font, L.; Fruck, C.; Galindo, D.; García López, R. J.; Garczarczyk, M.; Gaug, M.; Giammaria, P.; Godinović, N.; Gora, D.; Griffiths, S.; Guberman, D.; Hadasch, D.; Hahn, A.; Hassan, T.; Hayashida, M.; Herrera, J.; Hose, J.; Hrupec, D.; Hughes, G.; Ishio, K.; Konno, Y.; Kubo, H.; Kushida, J.; Kuveždić, D.; Lelas, D.; Lindfors, E.; Lombardi, S.; Longo, F.; López, M.; Maggio, C.; Majumdar, P.; Makariev, M.; Maneva, G.; Manganaro, M.; Mannheim, K.; Maraschi, L.; Mariotti, M.; Martínez, M.; Mazin, D.; Menzel, U.; Minev, M.; Mirzoyan, R.; Moralejo, A.; Moreno, V.; Moretti, E.; Neustroev, V.; Niedzwiecki, A.; Nievas Rosillo, M.; Nilsson, K.; Ninci, D.; Nishijima, K.; Noda, K.; Nogués, L.; Paiano, S.; Palacio, J.; Paneque, D.; Paoletti, R.; Paredes, J. M.; Paredes-Fortuny, X.; Pedaletti, G.; Peresano, M.; Perri, L.; Persic, M.; Prada Moroni, P. G.; Prandini, E.; Puljak, I.; Garcia, J. R.; Reichardt, I.; Rhode, W.; Ribó, M.; Rico, J.; Rugliancich, A.; Saito, T.; Satalecka, K.; Schroeder, S.; Schweizer, T.; Sillanpää, A.; Sitarek, J.; Šnidarić, I.; Sobczynska, D.; Stamerra, A.; Strzys, M.; Surić, T.; Takalo, L.; Tavecchio, F.; Temnikov, P.; Terzić, T.; Tescaro, D.; Teshima, M.; Torres, D. F.; Torres-Albà, N.; Treves, A.; Vanzo, G.; Vazquez Acosta, M.; Vovk, I.; Ward, J. E.; Will, M.; Zarić, D.

2017-09-01

MAGIC, a system of two imaging atmospheric Cherenkov telescopes, achieves its best performance under dark conditions, i.e. in absence of moonlight or twilight. Since operating the telescopes only during dark time would severely limit the duty cycle, observations are also performed when the Moon is present in the sky. Here we develop a dedicated Moon-adapted analysis to characterize the performance of MAGIC under moonlight. We evaluate energy threshold, angular resolution and sensitivity of MAGIC under different background light levels, based on Crab Nebula observations and tuned Monte Carlo simulations. This study includes observations taken under non-standard hardware configurations, such as reducing the camera photomultiplier tubes gain by a factor ∼1.7 (reduced HV settings) with respect to standard settings (nominal HV) or using UV-pass filters to strongly reduce the amount of moonlight reaching the cameras of the telescopes. The Crab Nebula spectrum is correctly reconstructed in all the studied illumination levels, that reach up to 30 times brighter than under dark conditions. The main effect of moonlight is an increase in the analysis energy threshold and in the systematic uncertainties on the flux normalization. The sensitivity degradation is constrained to be below 10%, within 15-30% and between 60 and 80% for nominal HV, reduced HV and UV-pass filter observations, respectively. No worsening of the angular resolution was found. Thanks to observations during moonlight, the maximal duty cycle of MAGIC can be increased from ∼18%, under dark nights only, to up to ∼40% in total with only moderate performance degradation.

[Incorporation of an organic MAGIC (Model of Acidification of Groundwater in Catchments) and testing of the revised model using independent data sources]. [MAGIC Model

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sullivan, T.J.

1992-09-01

A project was initiated in March, 1992 to (1) incorporate a rigorous organic acid representation, based on empirical data and geochemical considerations, into the MAGIC model of acidification response, and (2) test the revised model using three sets of independent data. After six months of performance, the project is on schedule and the majority of the tasks outlined for Year 1 have been successfully completed. Major accomplishments to data include development of the organic acid modeling approach, using data from the Adirondack Lakes Survey Corporation (ALSC), and coupling the organic acid model with MAGIC for chemical hindcast comparisons. The incorporation of an organic acid representation into MAGIC can account for much of the discrepancy earlier observed between MAGIC hindcasts and paleolimnological reconstructions of preindustrial pH and alkalinity for 33 statistically-selected Adirondack lakes. Additional work is on-going for model calibration and testing with data from two whole-catchment artificial acidification projects. Results obtained thus far are being prepared as manuscripts for submission to the peer-reviewed scientific literature.

Magic While They are Young

Science.gov (United States)

Cox, Anne Mae

1974-01-01

Magic squares are used both as a vehicle for arithmetic drill and the development of mathematical concepts for second-grade students. By searching for patterns within the squares, additional number concepts are developed along with the concept of symmetry. (JP)

The relationship between magical thinking, inferential confusion and obsessive-compulsive symptoms.

Science.gov (United States)

Goods, N A R; Rees, C S; Egan, S J; Kane, R T

2014-01-01

Inferential confusion is an under-researched faulty reasoning process in obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Based on an overreliance on imagined possibilities, it shares similarities with the extensively researched construct of thought-action fusion (TAF). While TAF has been proposed as a specific subset of the broader construct of magical thinking, the relationship between inferential confusion and magical thinking is unexplored. The present study investigated this relationship, and hypothesised that magical thinking would partially mediate the relationship between inferential confusion and obsessive-compulsive symptoms. A non-clinical sample of 201 participants (M = 34.94, SD = 15.88) were recruited via convenience sampling. Regression analyses found the hypothesised mediating relationship was supported, as magical thinking did partially mediate the relationship between inferential confusion and OC symptoms. Interestingly, inferential confusion had the stronger relationship with OC symptoms in comparison to the other predictor variables. Results suggest that inferential confusion can both directly and indirectly (via magical thinking) impact on OC symptoms. Future studies with clinical samples should further investigate these constructs to determine whether similar patterns emerge, as this may eventually inform which cognitive errors to target in treatment of OCD.

Formation and magic number characteristics of clusters formed during solidification processes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu Rangsu; Dong Kejun; Tian Zean; Liu Hairong; Peng Ping; Yu Aibing

2007-01-01

A molecular dynamics simulation study has been performed for a large-sized system consisting of 10 6 liquid metal Al atoms to investigate the formation and magic number characteristics of various clusters formed during solidification processes. The cluster-type index method (CTIM) is adopted to describe various types of cluster by basic clusters. It is demonstrated that the icosahedral cluster (12 0 12 0) is the most important basic cluster, and that it plays a critical role in the microstructure transition. A new statistical method has been proposed to classify the clusters as some group levels according to the numbers of basic clusters contained in each cluster. The magic numbers can be determined by the respective peak value positions of different group levels of clusters, and the magic number sequence in the system is 13, 19, 25(27), 31(33), 38(40), 42(45), 48(51), 55(59), 61(65), 67,... the numbers in the brackets are the second magic number of the corresponding group levels of clusters. This magic number sequence is in good agreement with the experimental results obtained by Schriver and Harris et al, and the experimental results can be reasonably well explained

Magic, Morals and Health

Science.gov (United States)

Johnson, Warren R.

2010-01-01

Magic has to do with the supernatural and the unnatural. It is indifferent to natural law and science and is aloof from scientific inquiry. Its existence depends upon unquestioning faith. Granted such faith, it is extraordinarily potent. If it does not move mountains, it convinces the faithful that it can. It can damage health and perhaps, restore…

78 FR 70076 - Large Scale Networking (LSN)-Middleware and Grid Interagency Coordination (MAGIC) Team

Science.gov (United States)

2013-11-22

... projects. The MAGIC Team reports to the Large Scale Networking (LSN) Coordinating Group (CG). Public... Coordination (MAGIC) Team AGENCY: The Networking and Information Technology Research and Development (NITRD... MAGIC Team meetings are held on the first Wednesday of each month, 2:00-4:00 p.m., at the National...

The Rhetorical Goddess: A Feminist Perspective on Women in Magic

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bruns, Laura C.

2014-12-01

Full Text Available Although female magicians have existed since the rise of entertainment magic, women have faced difficulty in entering the “fraternity” of the magic community. As an art form largely based around persuasion, it is useful to study the performance of magic as a text. It is additionally useful to study female magicians within this context of rhetoric. Not only will examining the rhetoric of female magicians provide insights on the rhetoric of women in this unique arena, but also of women in a historically gendered and underrepresented field. Research into this area may disclose other details regarding the communicative differences between women and men and how communication is adapted within a gendered communication paradigm.

Science by night – it's magic!

CERN Document Server

CERN Bulletin

2010-01-01

The control rooms of the LHC and its experiments threw open their doors to 150 youngsters on European Researchers Night and the place was buzzing with excitement all evening!    It's just possible that a few scientists' vocations were born last Friday night, as the sixth European Researchers Night took place across Europe. CERN was taking part for the first time and invited young people aged from 12 to 19 into the control rooms of the LHC machine and five experiments. From 5.00 in the afternoon until 1.00 in the morning, 150 youngsters and physics teachers got the opportunity to sit with scientists at the controls of the accelerator and experiments. This meeting of minds went down very well for all concerned, the scientists being only too happy to wax lyrical about their passion. The youngsters were thrilled with their visit and amazed at being allowed so close to the controls of these mighty machines. The night-time setting added an extra touch of magic to the whole event. Some just could...

Discrete magic angle turning system, apparatus, and process for in situ magnetic resonance spectroscopy and imaging

Science.gov (United States)

Hu, Jian Zhi [Richland, WA; Sears, Jr., Jesse A.; Hoyt, David W [Richland, WA; Wind, Robert A [Kennewick, WA

2009-05-19

Described are a "Discrete Magic Angle Turning" (DMAT) system, devices, and processes that combine advantages of both magic angle turning (MAT) and magic angle hopping (MAH) suitable, e.g., for in situ magnetic resonance spectroscopy and/or imaging. In an exemplary system, device, and process, samples are rotated in a clockwise direction followed by an anticlockwise direction of exactly the same amount. Rotation proceeds through an angle that is typically greater than about 240 degrees but less than or equal to about 360 degrees at constant speed for a time applicable to the evolution dimension. Back and forth rotation can be synchronized and repeated with a special radio frequency (RF) pulse sequence to produce an isotropic-anisotropic shift 2D correlation spectrum. The design permits tubes to be inserted into the sample container without introducing plumbing interferences, further allowing control over such conditions as temperature, pressure, flow conditions, and feed compositions, thus permitting true in-situ investigations to be carried out.

77 FR 58416 - Large Scale Networking (LSN); Middleware and Grid Interagency Coordination (MAGIC) Team

Science.gov (United States)

2012-09-20

..., Grid, and cloud projects. The MAGIC Team reports to the Large Scale Networking (LSN) Coordinating Group... Coordination (MAGIC) Team AGENCY: The Networking and Information Technology Research and Development (NITRD.... Dates/Location: The MAGIC Team meetings are held on the first Wednesday of each month, 2:00-4:00pm, at...

"You Will": Technology, Magic, and the Cultural Contexts of Technical Communication.

Science.gov (United States)

Kitalong, Karla Saari

2000-01-01

Provides some background on the use of magical language in technical contexts, gives examples of magical discourse in technology advertisements and newsmagazine articles, and proposes a technical communication pedagogy of media analysis. Notes that the proposed pedagogy involves students conducting diagnostic critiques of media texts and affords…

Multicultourism in Mexico’s Magical Village Cuetzalan

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jacobsen, Casper

multiplied.To take the temperature of this political space, this thesis examines one expression of the surge of political multiculturalism; the tourism program Magical Villages (Pueblos Mágicos) launched in 2001 by Mexico's federal government. Through a focus on the participant town and mestizo municipal...... and social life in Cuetzalan by means of a translocal frame governmentality that introduces institutional conventions into the social field and urban setting. The thesis thereby highlights contradictive and counterintuitive views of political multiculturalism in contemporary Mexico (2001 to 2014).While...... between majority society and indigenous minorities. Accordingly, the thesis shows that in the wake of the multiculturalist surge in Mexico, what has taken place by and large is a reconstitution of thepolitical field, rather than a political and societal reorganization.One significant mode of redirection...

Multimodal Virtual Environments: MAGIC Toolkit and Visual-Haptic Interaction Paradigms

Science.gov (United States)

1998-01-01

devices are exoskeletal in nature. They could be flexible, such as a glove or a suit worn by the user, or they could be rigid, such as jointed linkages...effectiveness of using force control need to be investigated. The MAGIC Toolkit can be used to develop sensory tasks for rehabilitative medicine...display. Proceedings of IEEE Conference on Robotics and Automation, San Diego, CA, May 1994. [4] J. E. Colgate, P. E. Grafing, and M. C. Stanley

The Cultural Work of Magical Realism in Three Young Adult Novels

Science.gov (United States)

Latham, Don

2007-01-01

Magical realism as a literary mode is often subversive and transgressive, questioning the values and assumptions of the dominant society that it depicts. Young adult literature, by contrast, is typically thought to serve a socializing function, helping to integrate young readers into adult society. What then is the cultural work of magical realism…

Gesture Recognition for Educational Games: Magic Touch Math

Science.gov (United States)

Kye, Neo Wen; Mustapha, Aida; Azah Samsudin, Noor

2017-08-01

Children nowadays are having problem learning and understanding basic mathematical operations because they are not interested in studying or learning mathematics. This project proposes an educational game called Magic Touch Math that focuses on basic mathematical operations targeted to children between the age of three to five years old using gesture recognition to interact with the game. Magic Touch Math was developed in accordance to the Game Development Life Cycle (GDLC) methodology. The prototype developed has helped children to learn basic mathematical operations via intuitive gestures. It is hoped that the application is able to get the children motivated and interested in mathematics.

What's Magic about Magic Numbers? Chunking and Data Compression in Short-Term Memory

Science.gov (United States)

Mathy, Fabien; Feldman, Jacob

2012-01-01

Short term memory is famously limited in capacity to Miller's (1956) magic number 7 plus or minus 2--or, in many more recent studies, about 4 plus or minus 1 "chunks" of information. But the definition of "chunk" in this context has never been clear, referring only to a set of items that are treated collectively as a single unit. We propose a new…

A game magically circling

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ejsing-Duun, Stine

2011-01-01

This chapter analyses the relationship between players, the game world, and the ordinary world in alternative reality games (ARGs) and location-based games (LBGs). These games use technology to create a game world in the everyday scene. The topic of this chapter is the concept of the 'magic circle......', which defines the relationship between play and the ordinary world, and how this concept relates to a new kind of game....

The Illusory Beliefs Inventory: a new measure of magical thinking and its relationship with obsessive compulsive disorder.

Science.gov (United States)

Kingdon, Bianca L; Egan, Sarah J; Rees, Clare S

2012-01-01

Magical thinking has been proposed to have an aetiological role in obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). To address the limitations of existing measures of magical thinking we developed and validated a new 24-item measure of magical thinking, the Illusory Beliefs Inventory (IBI). The validation sample comprised a total of 1194 individuals across two samples recruited via an Internet based survey. Factor analysis identified three subscales representing domains relevant to the construct of magical thinking: Magical Beliefs, Spirituality, and Internal State and Thought Action Fusion. The scale had excellent internal consistency and evidence of convergent and discriminant validity. Evidence of criterion-related concurrent validity confirmed that magical thinking is a cognitive domain associated with OCD and is largely relevant to neutralizing, obsessing and hoarding symptoms. It is important for future studies to extend the evidence of the psychometric properties of the IBI in new populations and to conduct longitudinal studies to examine the aetiological role of magical thinking.

Towards a more accurate extraction of the SPICE netlist from MAGIC based layouts

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Geronimo, G.D.

1998-08-01

The extraction of the SPICE netlist form MAGIC based layouts is investigated. It is assumed that the layout is fully coherent with the corresponding mask representation. The process of the extraction can be made in three steps: (1) extraction of .EXT file from layout, through MAGIC command extract; (2) extraction of the netlist from .EXT file through ext2spice extractor; and (3) correction of the netlist through ext2spice.corr program. Each of these steps introduces some approximations, most of which can be optimized, and some errors, most of which can be corrected. Aim of this work is the description of each step, of the approximations and errors on each step, and of the corresponding optimizations and corrections to be made in order to improve the accuracy of the extraction. The HP AMOS14TB 0.5 {micro}m process with linear capacitor and silicide block options and the corresponding SCN3MLC{_}SUBM.30.tech27 technology file will be used in the following examples.

Sexual selection and magic traits in speciation with gene flow

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maria R. SERVEDIO, Michael KOPP

2012-06-01

Full Text Available The extent to which sexual selection is involved in speciation with gene flow remains an open question and the subject of much research. Here, we propose that some insight can be gained from considering the concept of magic traits (i.e., traits involved in both reproductive isolation and ecological divergence. Both magic traits and other, “non-magic”, traits can contribute to speciation via a number of specific mechanisms. We argue that many of these mechanisms are likely to differ widely in the extent to which they involve sexual selection. Furthermore, in some cases where sexual selection is present, it may be prone to inhibit rather than drive speciation. Finally, there are a priori reasons to believe that certain categories of traits are much more effective than others in driving speciation. The combination of these points suggests a classification of traits that may shed light on the broader role of sexual selection in speciation with gene flow. In particular, we suggest that sexual selection can act as a driver of speciation in some scenarios, but may play a negligible role in potentially common categories of magic traits, and may be likely to inhibit speciation in common categories of non-magic traits [Current Zoology 58 (3: 507–513, 2012].

Magical Realism in the Holocaust Literature of the Postwar Generations

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ortner, Jessica

2014-01-01

This article investigates the use of magical realism in two Holocaust novels written by the contemporary Austrian writers Doron Rabinovici and Robert Schindel, who both are descendants of Holocaust survivors. I will argue that Rabinovici and Schindel not only use the narrative technique of magic...... Schindel’s novel Born-Where (Gebürtig, 1994) visualize the situation of being torn between two contradictory perceptions of the world: on the one hand, the “normal” perception of the world, based on the present norms of society, and on the other hand, a perception of the traumatic world bestowed by family...... history, which clearly subverts those present norms. Whereas the magical element in The Search for M. is inherent in the contradictions of the story line, it is shown in a bewildering narrative structure in Born-Where (Genette, 1980)....

Need for cognition moderates paranormal beliefs and magical ideation in inconsistent-handers.

Science.gov (United States)

Prichard, Eric C; Christman, Stephen D

2016-01-01

A growing literature suggests that degree of handedness predicts gullibility and magical ideation. Inconsistent-handers (people who use their non-dominant hand for at least one common manual activity) report more magical ideation and are more gullible. The current study tested whether this effect is moderated by need for cognition. One hundred eighteen university students completed questionnaires assessing handedness, self-reported paranormal beliefs, and self-reported need for cognition. Handedness (Inconsistent vs. Consistent Right) and Need for Cognition (High vs. Low) were treated as categorical predictors. Both paranormal beliefs and magical ideation served as dependent variable's in separate analyses. Neither set of tests yielded main effects for handedness or need for cognition. However, there were a significant handedness by need for cognition interactions. Post-hoc comparisons revealed that low, but not high, need for cognition inconsistent-handers reported relatively elevated levels of paranormal belief and magical ideation. A secondary set of tests treating the predictor variables as continuous instead of categorical obtained the same overall pattern.

Magical arts: the poetics of play.

Science.gov (United States)

Jacobus, Mary

2005-01-01

The paper argues that links between play and magic in British Object Relations point to the persistence of aesthetic concerns within psychoanalysis. Magical thinking is present in British Object Relations psychoanalysis from its beginnings in Klein's play technique and early aesthetic writings, surfacing elsewhere in Susan Isaac's educational experiments and her theories of metaphor. Marion Milner's clinical account of the overlapping areas of illusion and symbol-formation in a boy's war-games link the primitive rituals of Frazer's "The Golden Bough" with her patient's creativity. In Winnicott's concept of the transitional object, the theory of play achieves its apotheosis as a diffusive theory of culture or "private madness," and as a paradigm for psychoanalysis itself. Tracing the non-positivistic, mystical, and poetical elements in British Object Relations underlines the extent to which aesthetics is not just entangled with psychoanalysis, but constitutive of it in its mid-twentieth century manifestations.

The curious influence of timing on the magical experience evoked by conjuring tricks involving false transfer: decay of amodal object permanence?

Science.gov (United States)

Beth, Tessa; Ekroll, Vebjørn

2015-07-01

In magic tricks involving false transfer, the conjurer typically creates the illusion of transferring a coin from one hand into the other, which is then closed into a fist, while in reality the coin is kept hidden in the first hand. The magical experience occurs when the closed fist of the second hand is opened and shown to be empty. According to professional magicians, the magical experience evoked by this kind of tricks becomes noticeably weaker when the time interval between the false transfer and the opening of the fist increases. This observation is surprising, given that neither the length of this interval nor any obvious factors associated with it can be expected to change the spectators' intellectual conviction regarding the true location of the coin. We performed a controlled psychological experiment and obtained results corroborating these informal observations. Increasing the temporal interval from 1 to 32 s led to an average reduction of the strength of the magical experience of 38%. We discuss potential explanations of this curious phenomenon in terms of object persistence, object files and temporal amodal completion.

Overview of galactic results obtained by MAGIC

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zanin, Roberta

2013-06-15

MAGIC is a system of two atmospheric Cherenkov telescopes which explores the very-high-energy sky, from some tens of GeV up to tens of TeV. Located in the Canary island of La Palma, MAGIC has the lowest energy threshold among the instruments of its kind, well suited to study the still poorly explored energy band below 100 GeV. Although the space-borne gamma-ray telescope Fermi/LAT is sensitive up to 300 GeV, gamma-ray rates drop fast with increasing energy, so γ-ray collection areas larger than 10{sup 4}m{sup 2}, as those provided by grounds-based instruments, are crucial above a few GeV. The combination of MAGIC and Fermi/LAT observations have provided the first astrophysical spectra sampled in the inverse Compton peak region, resulting in a complete coverage from MeV up to TeV energies, as well as the discovery of a pulsed emission in the very-high-energy band. This paper focuses on the latest results on Galactic sources obtained by MAGIC which are highlighted by the detection of the pulsed gamma-ray emission from the Crab pulsar up to 400 GeV. In addition, we will present the morphological study on the W51 complex which allowed to pinpoint the location of the majority of the emission around the interaction point between the supernova remnant W51C and the star forming region W51B, but also to find a possible contribution from the associated pulsar wind nebula. Other important scientific achievements involve the Crab Nebula with an unprecedented spectrum covering three decades in energy starting from 50 GeV and a morphological study of the unidentified source HESS J1857+026 which supports the pulsar wind nebula scenario. Finally we will report on the searches of very-high-energy signals from gamma-ray binaries, mainly LS I 303+ and HESS J0632+057.

It’s a kind of magic – what self-reports can reveal about the phenomenology of insight problem solving

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Amory H. Danek

2014-12-01

Full Text Available Magic tricks usually remain a mystery to the observer. For the sake of science, we offered participants the opportunity to discover the magician’s secret method by repeatedly presenting the same trick and asking them to find out how the trick worked. In the context of insightful problem solving, the present work investigated the emotions that participants experience upon solving a magic trick. We assumed that these emotions form the typical Aha! experience that accompanies insightful solutions to difficult problems. We aimed to show that Aha! experiences can be triggered by magic tricks and to systematically explore the phenomenology of the Aha! experience by breaking it down into five previously postulated dimensions. 34 video clips of different magic tricks were presented up to three times to 50 participants who had to find out how the trick was accomplished, and to indicate whether they had experienced an Aha! during the solving process. Participants then performed a comprehensive quantitative and qualitative assessment of their Aha! experiences which was repeated after 14 days to control for its reliability. 41% of all suggested solutions were accompanied by an Aha! experience. The quantitative assessment remained stable across time in all five dimensions. Happiness was rated as the most important dimension. This primacy of positive emotions was also reflected in participants’ qualitative self-reports which contained more emotional than cognitive aspects. Implementing magic tricks as problem solving task, we could show that strong Aha! experiences can be triggered if a trick is solved. We could at least partially capture the phenomenology of Aha! by identifying one prevailing aspect (positive emotions, a new aspect (release of tension upon gaining insight into a magic trick and one less important aspect (impasse.

Template analysis for the MAGIC telescopes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Menzel, Uta [Max-Planck-Institut fuer Physik, Muenchen (Germany); Collaboration: MAGIC-Collaboration

2016-07-01

The MAGIC telescopes are two 17-m-diameter Imaging Air Cherenkov Telescopes located on the Canary island of La Palma. They record the Cherenkov light from air showers induced by very high energy photons. The current data analysis uses a parametrization of the two shower images (including Hillas parameters) to determine the characteristics of the primary particle. I am implementing an advanced analysis method that compares shower images on a pixel basis with template images based on Monte Carlo simulations. To reduce the simulation effort the templates contain only pure shower images that are convolved with the telescope response later in the analysis. The primary particle parameters are reconstructed by maximizing the likelihood of the template. By using all the information available in the shower images, the performance of MAGIC is expected to improve. In this presentation I will explain the general idea of a template-based analysis and show the first results of the implementation.

Disappearance of neutron magic numbers and deformation coexistence

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kimura, Masaaki

2014-01-01

The disappearance of N=8, 20 and 28 magic numbers in the neutron excess nuclei is a representative example of the special features of the unstable nuclei. In this lecture of summer school, the problems of the magic number disappearance are presented. And the appearance of the deformation coexistence and the anomalous cluster structure come into the problem with them. At the begging the Antisymmetrized Molecular Dynamic (AMD) framework is explained with finite range two body central force and Gorgny DIS force composed of the zero range spin-orbit force and saturability. Island of inversion is explained in the nuclear chart shown in the figure and energy curves of the nuclei near 32 Mg and the excitation level schemes of 32 Mg are shown in the serial figures. As one of the extreme example of the nuclear structure the deformation of 19 F is picked up. The level schemes and structures of 21 F are shown as well. The molecule-like structure in the island of inversion is clear. The rotational band energy of fluorine isotopes are shown up to 29 F. As a new deformation area, disappearance of N=28 magic number is in the spotlight recently. In this case it is characteristic properties that the parities of the orbits to form the gap must be the same but the angular momenta should be different by 2. According to the AMD research, it is shown that deformations of prolate, three-axis asymmetric and oblate characters coexist in the very low excitation energy region accompanying the disappearance of N=28 gap. The concept of magic numbers has been very fundamental in nuclear physics since the success of shell model. At present its disappearance in the unstable nuclei is one of the most challenging problems in the understanding of the nuclear many body problems. (S. Funahashi)

Marine ARM GPCI Investigation of Clouds (MAGIC) Field Campaign Report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lewis, Ernie R. [Brookhaven National Lab. (BNL), Upton, NY (United States)

2016-12-01

The Marine ARM GPCI Investigation of Clouds (MAGIC) field campaign, which deployed the second ARM Mobile Facility (AMF2) aboard the Horizon Lines cargo container ship Spirit as it ran its regular route between Los Angeles, California and Honolulu, Hawaii, measured properties of clouds and precipitation, aerosols, radiation, and atmospheric, meteorological, and oceanic conditions with the goal of obtaining statistics of these properties to achieve better understanding of the transition between stratocumulus and cumulus cloud regimes that occur in that region. This Sc-Cu transition is poorly represented in models, and a major reason for this is the lack of high-quality and comprehensive data that can be used to constrain, validate, and improve model representation of the transition. MAGIC consisted of 20 round trips between Los Angeles and Honolulu, and thus over three dozen transects through the transition, totaling nearly 200 days at sea between September, 2012 and October, 2013. During this time MAGIC collected a unique and unprecedented data set, including more than 550 successful radiosonde launches. An Intensive Observational Period (IOP) occurred in July, 2013 during which more detailed measurements of the atmospheric structure were made. MAGIC was very successful in its operations and overcame numerous logistical and technological challenges, clearly demonstrating the feasibility of a marine AMF2 deployment and the ability to make accurate measurements of clouds and precipitation, aerosols, and radiation while at sea.

People Interview: The science behind the 'magic'

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

INTERVIEW The science behind the 'magic' Grand Illusions is a website dedicated to science-based phenomena, fun and games, and optical illusions. David Smith speaks to two of its key members—Hendrik Ball and Tim Rowett.

On spectroscopic factors of magic and semimagic nuclei

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Saperstein, E. E.; Gnezdilov, N. V.; Tolokonnikov, S. V.

2014-01-01

Single-particle spectroscopic factors (SF) of magic and semimagic nuclei are analyzed within the self-consistent theory of finite Fermi systems. The the in-volume energy dependence of the mass operator Σ is taken into account in addition to the energy dependence induced by the surface-phonon coupling effects which is commonly considered. It appears due to the effect of high-lying collective and non-collective particle-hole excitations and persists in nuclear matter. The self-consistent basis of the energy density functional method by Fayans et al. is used. Both the surface and in-volume contributions to the SFs turned out to be of comparable magnitude. Results for magic 208 Pb nucleus and semimagic lead isotopes are presented

Magic turtle dans le canton du Jura: concept marketing

OpenAIRE

Hauser, Magali; Perruchoud-Massy, Marie-Françoise

2012-01-01

Depuis juin 2009, Saint-Ursanne/Clos du Doubs est une région pilote du Projet Enjoy Switzerland/ASM ayant pour but d’intervenir sur le développement et la sensibilisation du tourisme dans la région. En parallèle, la Maison du Tourisme, entreprise proposant principalement des offres touristiques dans la région, a ouvert ses portes l’année dernière. Ces deux entités ont travaillé ensemble afin de développer une nouvelle offre touristique intitulée « Magic turtle ». Le Magic turtle, pensé par de...

Role of magical thinking in obsessive-compulsive symptoms in an undergraduate sample.

Science.gov (United States)

Einstein, Danielle A; Menzies, Ross G

2004-01-01

Thought action fusion (TAF) is an important presenting feature of many individuals with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). "Magical thinking" is a similar construct (developed within the literature on schizotypy) that may provide a more accurate depiction of difficulties encountered by individuals with OCD. This study seeks to examine relationships between components of magical thinking, TAF, and superstitiousness; establish the extent to which these constructs are independently related to OCD proneness; and establish the extent to which these biased reasoning styles are related to each of the major OCD symptom clusters (e.g., washing, checking). The Padua Inventory (PI), the Maudsley Obsessional-Compulsive Inventory (MOCI), the Magical Ideation Scale (MI), the Lucky Behaviours (Lbeh) and Lucky Beliefs (Lbel) Scales, and the Thought Action Fusion-Revised scale (TAF-R) were given to a cohort of 86 undergraduate students. Of all the measures, the MI scale was found to be the most strongly related to obsessive-compulsive symptoms. Large and significant relationships between MI scores and the two measures of OCD (i.e., MOCI and PI) were obtained even when alternative mediators (i.e., Lbeh, Lbel, TAF-R) were held constant. No other variable remained significantly related to the MOCI or PI when magical ideation scores were held constant. The findings suggest that a general magical thinking tendency may underpin previous observed links between superstitiousness, thought action fusion, and OCD severity. Copyright 2004 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Ground-state properties of neutron magic nuclei

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Saxena, G., E-mail: gauravphy@gmail.com [Govt. Women Engineering College, Department of Physics (India); Kaushik, M. [Shankara Institute of Technology, Department of Physics (India)

2017-03-15

A systematic study of the ground-state properties of the entire chains of even–even neutron magic nuclei represented by isotones of traditional neutron magic numbers N = 8, 20, 40, 50, 82, and 126 has been carried out using relativistic mean-field plus Bardeen–Cooper–Schrieffer approach. Our present investigation includes deformation, binding energy, two-proton separation energy, single-particle energy, rms radii along with proton and neutron density profiles, etc. Several of these results are compared with the results calculated using nonrelativistic approach (Skyrme–Hartree–Fock method) along with available experimental data and indeed they are found with excellent agreement. In addition, the possible locations of the proton and neutron drip-lines, the (Z, N) values for the new shell closures, disappearance of traditional shell closures as suggested by the detailed analyzes of results are also discussed in detail.

Status of the new Sum-Trigger system for the MAGIC telescopes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rodriguez Garcia, Jezabel; Schweizer, Thomas; Nakajima, Daisuke [Max Planck Institute for Physics, Muenchen (Germany); Dazzi, Francesco [Dipartimento di Fisica dell' Universita di Udine (Italy); INFN, sez. di Trieste (Italy)

2013-07-01

MAGIC is a stereoscopic system of two 17 meters Imaging Air Cherenkov Telescopes for gamma-ray astronomy operating in stereo mode. The telescopes are located at about 2.200 metres above sea level in the Observatorio del Roque de los Muchachos (ORM), in the Canary island of La Palma. Lowering the energy threshold of Cherenkov Telescopes is crucial for the observation of Pulsars, High redshift AGNs and GRBs. The Sum-Trigger, based on the analogue sum of a patch of pixels has a lower threshold compared to conventional digital triggers. The Sum-Trigger principle has been proven experimentally in 2007 by decreasing the energy threshold of the first Magic telescope (Back then operating in mono mode) from 55 GeV down to 25 GeV. The first VHE detection for the Crab Pulsar was achieved due to this low threshold. After the upgrade of the MAGIC I and MAGIC II cameras and readout systems, we are planning to install a new Sum-Trigger system in both telescopes in Summer 2013. This trigger system will be operated for the first time in stereo mode. At the conference we report about the status and the performance of the new Sum-Trigger-II system.

Use of Magic polymer gels for dosimetry of unsealed source of yttrium 90

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Meynard, K.; Bordage, M.C.; Cassol, E.; Courbon, F.; Ravel, P.

2007-01-01

Polymer gels are relative chemical dosimeters. They allow to access to three-dimensional dose distribution. The aim of this study has been to investigate the preparation and the use of a polymer gel with a tissue equivalent density known as MAGIC gel from magnetic resonance imaging and x-ray computed tomography for non-sealed source dosimetry. This kind of gel is 'normoxic' because it can be manufactured and used in normal room atmosphere. In the first part of this study, its accuracy and sensibility were studied using external beam irradiation by photons. Spin-spin relaxation rate (R 2 ) and Computed Tomography (CT) number had been used to record gel responses. Using the same manufacture process. radiolabelled gels composed of 95% MAGIC gel and 5% of 90 Y termed 90 Y-MAGIC 95 with varying activity ranged from 0 to 30 MBq were made. In case of photon external beam irradiation, a linear response is observed whatever the calibration method and the imaging system used (the correlation coefficient r 2 > 0.98 in all cases). 90 Y-MAGIC 95 radiolabelled gel responses were recorded after 28. 76 and 124 h. The R 2 /dose curves are not linear: three phases can be described. the first being linear with a slow slope (0.14 s -1 Gy -1 instead of 0.41 s -1 Gy -1 for external beam irradiation of the same gel batch). This study shows safety of radiolabelled MAGIC gels manufacturing process and their large dosimetric feasibility. 90 Y-MAGIC 95 gel response appears to be reproducible and related to the absorbed dose, thus this gel is a promising tool for non-sealed source dosimetry. (authors)

Mayer–Jensen Shell Model and Magic Numbers

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Home; Journals; Resonance – Journal of Science Education; Volume 12; Issue 12. Mayer-Jensen Shell Model and Magic Numbers - An Independent Nucleon Model with Spin-Orbit Coupling. R Velusamy. General Article Volume 12 Issue 12 December 2007 pp 12-24 ...

Promoting Reasoning through the Magic V Task

Science.gov (United States)

Bragg, Leicha A.; Widjaja, Wanty; Loong, Esther Yook-Kin; Vale, Colleen; Herbert, Sandra

2015-01-01

Reasoning in mathematics plays a critical role in developing mathematical understandings. In this article, Bragg, Loong, Widjaja, Vale & Herbert explore an adaptation of the Magic V Task and how it was used in several classrooms to promote and develop reasoning skills.

Elemental magic, v.2 the technique of special effects animation

CERN Document Server

Gilland, Joseph

2012-01-01

Design beautiful, professional-level animated effects with these detailed step-by-step tutorials from former Disney animator and animated effects expert Joseph Gilland. Filled with beautiful, full-color artwork, Elemental Magic, Volume II, breaks down the animated effect process from beginning to end-including booming explosions, gusting winds, magical incantations, and raging fires. He also breaks down the process of effects ""clean-up,"" as well as timing and frame rates. The companion website includes real-time footage of the author lecturing as he animates the drawings from the

Magic-factor 1, a partial agonist of Met, induces muscle hypertrophy by protecting myogenic progenitors from apoptosis.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marco Cassano

2008-09-01

Full Text Available Hepatocyte Growth Factor (HGF is a pleiotropic cytokine of mesenchymal origin that mediates a characteristic array of biological activities including cell proliferation, survival, motility and morphogenesis. Its high affinity receptor, the tyrosine kinase Met, is expressed by a wide range of tissues and can be activated by either paracrine or autocrine stimulation. Adult myogenic precursor cells, the so called satellite cells, express both HGF and Met. Following muscle injury, autocrine HGF-Met stimulation plays a key role in promoting activation and early division of satellite cells, but is shut off in a second phase to allow myogenic differentiation. In culture, HGF stimulation promotes proliferation of muscle precursors thereby inhibiting their differentiation.Magic-Factor 1 (Met-Activating Genetically Improved Chimeric Factor-1 or Magic-F1 is an HGF-derived, engineered protein that contains two Met-binding domains repeated in tandem. It has a reduced affinity for Met and, in contrast to HGF it elicits activation of the AKT but not the ERK signaling pathway. As a result, Magic-F1 is not mitogenic but conserves the ability to promote cell survival. Here we show that Magic-F1 protects myogenic precursors against apoptosis, thus increasing their fusion ability and enhancing muscular differentiation. Electrotransfer of Magic-F1 gene into adult mice promoted muscular hypertrophy and decreased myocyte apoptosis. Magic-F1 transgenic mice displayed constitutive muscular hypertrophy, improved running performance and accelerated muscle regeneration following injury. Crossing of Magic-F1 transgenic mice with alpha-sarcoglycan knock-out mice -a mouse model of muscular dystrophy- or adenovirus-mediated Magic-F1 gene delivery resulted in amelioration of the dystrophic phenotype as measured by both anatomical/histological analysis and functional tests.Because of these features Magic-F1 represents a novel molecular tool to counteract muscle wasting in major

The paddle move commonly used in magic tricks as a means for analysing the perceptual limits of combined motion trajectories.

Science.gov (United States)

Hergovich, Andreas; Gröbl, Kristian; Carbon, Claus-Christian

2011-01-01

Following Gustav Kuhn's inspiring technique of using magicians' acts as a source of insight into cognitive sciences, we used the 'paddle move' for testing the psychophysics of combined movement trajectories. The paddle move is a standard technique in magic consisting of a combined rotating and tilting movement. Careful control of the mutual speed parameters of the two movements makes it possible to inhibit the perception of the rotation, letting the 'magic' effect emerge--a sudden change of the tilted object. By using 3-D animated computer graphics we analysed the interaction of different angular speeds and the object shape/size parameters in evoking this motion disappearance effect. An angular speed of 540 degrees s(-1) (1.5 rev. s(-1)) sufficed to inhibit the perception of the rotary movement with the smallest object showing the strongest effect. 90.7% of the 172 participants were not able to perceive the rotary movement at an angular speed of 1125 degrees s(-1) (3.125 rev. s(-1)). Further analysis by multiple linear regression revealed major influences on the effectiveness of the magic trick of object height and object area, demonstrating the applicability of analysing key factors of magic tricks to reveal limits of the perceptual system.

The magic lens box: Simplifying the development of mixed reality games

OpenAIRE

Wetzel, R.; Lindt, I.; Waern, A.; Johnson, S.

2008-01-01

Mixed Reality games are becoming more and more popular these days and offer unique experiences to the players. However, development of such games typically still requires expert knowledge and access to Mixed Reality toolkits or frameworks. In this paper, we present the so-called Magic Lens Box that follows a different approach. Based on standard hardware The Magic Lens Box enables game designers with little technological background to create their own Mixed Reality games in a simple yet power...

The MAGIC of CINEMA: first in-flight science results from a miniaturised anisotropic magnetoresistive magnetometer

Science.gov (United States)

Archer, M. O.; Horbury, T. S.; Brown, P.; Eastwood, J. P.; Oddy, T. M.; Whiteside, B. J.; Sample, J. G.

2015-06-01

We present the first in-flight results from a novel miniaturised anisotropic magnetoresistive space magnetometer, MAGIC (MAGnetometer from Imperial College), aboard the first CINEMA (CubeSat for Ions, Neutrals, Electrons and MAgnetic fields) spacecraft in low Earth orbit. An attitude-independent calibration technique is detailed using the International Geomagnetic Reference Field (IGRF), which is temperature dependent in the case of the outboard sensor. We show that the sensors accurately measure the expected absolute field to within 2% in attitude mode and 1% in science mode. Using a simple method we are able to estimate the spacecraft's attitude using the magnetometer only, thus characterising CINEMA's spin, precession and nutation. Finally, we show that the outboard sensor is capable of detecting transient physical signals with amplitudes of ~ 20-60 nT. These include field-aligned currents at the auroral oval, qualitatively similar to previous observations, which agree in location with measurements from the DMSP (Defense Meteorological Satellite Program) and POES (Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental Satellites) spacecraft. Thus, we demonstrate and discuss the potential science capabilities of the MAGIC instrument onboard a CubeSat platform.

Molecules, magic and forgetful fruit flies: the supernatural science of medical gas research.

Science.gov (United States)

Mychaskiw, George

2011-09-06

Medical gas research often involves the study of molecules under extraphysiologic conditions, that is, conditions that do not exist in nature. This "supernatural" nature of medical gas research sometimes produces results that appear to be almost "magic" to those schooled in traditional physiology"Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic".-Arthur C. Clarke.

Molecules, magic and forgetful fruit flies: the supernatural science of medical gas research

OpenAIRE

Mychaskiw George

2011-01-01

Abstract Medical gas research often involves the study of molecules under extraphysiologic conditions, that is, conditions that do not exist in nature. This "supernatural" nature of medical gas research sometimes produces results that appear to be almost "magic" to those schooled in traditional physiology "Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic". -Arthur C. Clarke

Distance Magic-Type and Distance Antimagic-Type Labelings of Graphs

Science.gov (United States)

Freyberg, Bryan J.

Generally speaking, a distance magic-type labeling of a graph G of order n is a bijection l from the vertex set of the graph to the first n natural numbers or to the elements of a group of order n, with the property that the weight of each vertex is the same. The weight of a vertex x is defined as the sum (or appropriate group operation) of all the labels of vertices adjacent to x. If instead we require that all weights differ, then we refer to the labeling as a distance antimagic-type labeling. This idea can be generalized for directed graphs; the weight will take into consideration the direction of the arcs. In this manuscript, we provide new results for d-handicap labeling, a distance antimagic-type labeling, and introduce a new distance magic-type labeling called orientable Gamma-distance magic labeling. A d-handicap distance antimagic labeling (or just d-handicap labeling for short) of a graph G = ( V,E) of order n is a bijection l from V to the set {1,2,...,n} with induced weight function [special characters omitted]. such that l(xi) = i and the sequence of weights w(x 1),w(x2),...,w (xn) forms an arithmetic sequence with constant difference d at least 1. If a graph G admits a d-handicap labeling, we say G is a d-handicap graph. A d-handicap incomplete tournament, H(n,k,d ) is an incomplete tournament of n teams ranked with the first n natural numbers such that each team plays exactly k games and the strength of schedule of the ith ranked team is d more than the i + 1st ranked team. That is, strength of schedule increases arithmetically with strength of team. Constructing an H(n,k,d) is equivalent to finding a d-handicap labeling of a k-regular graph of order n.. In Chapter 2 we provide general constructions for every d for large classes of both n and k, providing breadfth and depth to the catalog of known H(n,k,d)'s. In Chapters 3 - 6, we introduce a new type of labeling called orientable Gamma-distance magic labeling. Let Gamma be an abelian group of order

Evidences for magicity in superdeformed shapes

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

inertia (0) and nuclear softness parameter (σ) for the SD bands in all the mass regions ... to a good understanding of the observed SD bands and fission isomers. .... to the positions of least level density, we expect the. SD bands near magic nucleon numbers to be more close to exact rigid rotor. The usual. 30 40. 50. 60. 70.

Use of COTS in the Multimission Advanced Ground Intelligent Control (MAGIC) program

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Crowley, N.L.

1997-11-01

This tutorial will discuss the experiences of the Space System Technologies Division of the USAF Phillips Laboratory (PL/VTS) in developing a COTS-based satellite control system. The system`s primary use is a testbed for new technologies that are intended for future integration into the operational satellite control system. As such, the control system architecture must be extremely open and flexible so we can integrate new components and functions easily and also provide our system to contractors for their component work. The system is based on commercial hardware, is based on Windows NT, and makes the maximum use of COTS components and industry standards.

Realistic nuclear shell theory and the doubly-magic 132Sn region

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vary, J.P.

1978-01-01

After an introduction discussing the motivation and interest in results obtained with isotope separators, the fundamental problem in realistic nuclear shell theory is posed in the context of renormalization theory. Then some of the important developments that have occurred over the last fifteen years in the derivation of the effective Hamiltonian and application of realistic nuclear shell theory are briefly reviewed. Doubly magic regions of the periodic table and the unique advantages of the 132 Sn region are described. Then results are shown for the ground-state properties of 132 Sn as calculated from the density-dependent Hartree-Fock approach with the Skyrme Hamiltonian. A single theoretical Hamiltonian for all nuclei from doubly magic 132 Sn to doubly magic 208 Pb is presented; single-particle energies are graphed. Finally, predictions of shell-model level-density distributions obtained with spectral distribution methods are discussed; calculated level densities are shown for 136 Xe. 10 figures

The permanence of mental objects: testing magical thinking on perceived and imaginary realities.

Science.gov (United States)

Subbotsky, Eugene

2005-03-01

This study tested participants' preparedness to acknowledge that an object could change as a result of magical intervention. Six- and 9-year-old children and adults treated perceived and imagined objects as being equally permanent. Adults treated a fantastic object as significantly less permanent than either perceived or imagined objects. Results were similar when a different type of mental-physical causality--a participant's own wish--was examined. Adults were also tested on the permanence of personally significant imagined objects (participants' images of their future lives). Although almost all participants claimed that they did not believe in magic, in test trials they were not prepared to rule out the possibility that their future lives could be affected by a magical curse. Copyright 2005 APA, all rights reserved.

Penentuan Nilai Motorik Halus Anak Dengan Game Magic Maze Menggunakan Metode Mamdani

OpenAIRE

Fadly, Muhammad

2015-01-01

Motor development is a very important factor in the development of the whole child. fine motor skills are very important because it affects the other terms of learning in early childhood. Therefore, it made the game Magic Maze to assess motor skills early childhood. Game Magic Maze in this study using Mamdani method in determining the values to a child's fine motor skills. Maze game will be made on the PC. 081402045

Upgrade of the MAGIC telescopes single wavelength micro power LIDAR system

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mueller, Dominik [Max-Planck-Institut fuer Physik, Muenchen (Germany); Collaboration: MAGIC-Collaboration

2016-07-01

Since 2011 a single wavelength LIDAR system is operated alongside the observations of the MAGIC telescopes. It is used for real-time monitoring of the atmospheric transmission and for detecting cloud layers within the field of view of MAGIC. The system uses a pulsed Nd:YAG laser with 532 nm wavelength and a pulse energy of 5 μJ as transmitter. The receiver is mounted to a 60 cm spherical single mirror telescope with a F/D ratio of 2.5. To compensate for the low light intensities a sensitive detector with the capability of single photon detection as well as charge integration is needed. For this purpose, a hybrid photo diode with a peak quantum efficiency of 55% an a pulse width of 2.5ns is used in a custom designed detector. The analog signal is recorded by a computer mounted 8-bit FADC with 200 MS/s. A signal analysis algorithm converts the LIDAR return signal into a number of single photoelectron counts per range bin. The atmospheric transmission is calculated by fitting a Rayleigh back-scattering model with a sliding window. The resulting transmission profile is used to correct the MAGIC gamma ray data for adverse weather conditions. After five years of data taking the MAGIC LIDAR system is upgraded with a stronger laser and a new detector unit in order to extend the measurement range and to optimize the operation.

[Medical practice, magic and religion - conjunction and development before and after Reformation].

Science.gov (United States)

Thorvardardottir, Olina Kjerulf

2017-12-01

The conjunction between medical practice, religion and magic becomes rather visible when one peers into old scripts and ancient literature. Before the foundation and diffusion of universities of the continent, the european convents and cloisters were the centers of medical knowl-edge and -practice for centuries. Alongside the scholarly development of medical science, driven from the roots of the eldest scholarly medicial practice, the practice of folk-medicin flourished and thrived all over Europe, not least the herbal-medicine which is the original form and foundation for modern pharmacy. This article deals with the conjunction of religion, magic and medical practice in ancient Icelandic sources such as the Old-Norse literature, medical-scripts from the 12th - 15th century Iceland, and not least the Icelandic magical-scripts (galdrakver) of the 17th century. The last mentioned documents were used as evidence in several witch-trials that led convicted witches to suffer executions at the stake once the wave of European witch-persecutions had rushed ashore in 17th century Iceland. These sources indicate a decline of medical knowledge and science in the 16th and 17th century Iceland, the medical practice being rather undeveloped at the time - in Iceland as in other parts of Europe - there-fore a rather unclear margin between "the learned and the laymen". While common people and folk-healers were convicted as witches to suffer at the stake for possession of magical scripts and healing-books, some scholars of the state of Danmark were practicing healing-methods that deserve to be compared to the activities of the former ones. That comparison raises an inevitable question of where to draw the line between the learned medical man and the magician of 17th century Iceland, that is between Magic and Science.

Trauma and Memory in Magical Realism: Eden Robinson’s Monkey Beach as Trauma Narrative

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anja Mrak

2013-06-01

Full Text Available The fundamental characteristic of magical realism is its duality, which enables alternative representations of society and history. Its specific narrative devices make magical realism a viable form for rendering traumatic experience and memories. Monkey Beach (2000 by Eden Robinson, a member of the Haisla and Heiltsuk First Nations in Canada, is a repository of memories, triggered and fuelled by trauma. Fragmented temporality, mixing of discourses, shifts in focalization, wordplays, repetition, and the magical are some of the devices the novel uses to address the complex landscape of trauma and memory. By unveiling personal memories, Monkey Beach gives way to the unconscious to enter the narrative structure, gradually revealing a much larger issue of the mistreatment of the Haisla people in Canada—and the resulting collective trauma. As trauma cannot be integrated into the narrative, it can only be uncovered indirectly and through a double distancing: firstly through the techniques of magical realism, and secondly, through the seemingly detached point of view of the narrator, who ultimately realises that her life is also encumbered with the dark stain of colonialism.

Comparison of the effectiveness of polymer gel dosimeters (Magic ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

demonstrate that the gel dosimeters are best suited for nuclear medicine. Keywords: Magic ... International Pharmaceutical Abstract, Chemical Abstracts, Embase, Index Copernicus, EBSCO, African. Index Medicus .... Reaction rate. 2.15E-6.

MAGIC highlights

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

López-Coto Rubén

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The present generation of Imaging Air Cherenkov Telescopes (IACTs has greatly improved our knowledge on the Very High Energy (VHE side of our Universe. The MAGIC IACTs operate since 2004 with one telescope and since 2009 as a two telescope stereoscopic system. I will outline a few of our latest and most relevant results: the discovery of pulsed emission from the Crab pulsar at VHE, recently found to extend up to 400 GeV and along the “bridge” of the light curve, the measurement of the Crab nebula spectrum over three decades of energy, the discovery of VHE γ-ray emission from the PWN 3C 58, the very rapid emission of IC 310, in addition to dark matter studies. The results that will be described here and the planned deep observations in the next years will pave the path for the future generation of IACTs.

Uploading, Searching and Visualizing of Paleomagnetic and Rock Magnetic Data in the Online MagIC Database

Science.gov (United States)

Minnett, R.; Koppers, A.; Tauxe, L.; Constable, C.; Donadini, F.

2007-12-01

The Magnetics Information Consortium (MagIC) is commissioned to implement and maintain an online portal to a relational database populated by both rock and paleomagnetic data. The goal of MagIC is to archive all available measurements and derived properties from paleomagnetic studies of directions and intensities, and for rock magnetic experiments (hysteresis, remanence, susceptibility, anisotropy). MagIC is hosted under EarthRef.org at http://earthref.org/MAGIC/ and will soon implement two search nodes, one for paleomagnetism and one for rock magnetism. Currently the PMAG node is operational. Both nodes provide query building based on location, reference, methods applied, material type and geological age, as well as a visual map interface to browse and select locations. Users can also browse the database by data type or by data compilation to view all contributions associated with well known earlier collections like PINT, GMPDB or PSVRL. The query result set is displayed in a digestible tabular format allowing the user to descend from locations to sites, samples, specimens and measurements. At each stage, the result set can be saved and, where appropriate, can be visualized by plotting global location maps, equal area, XY, age, and depth plots, or typical Zijderveld, hysteresis, magnetization and remanence diagrams. User contributions to the MagIC database are critical to achieving a useful research tool. We have developed a standard data and metadata template (version 2.3) that can be used to format and upload all data at the time of publication in Earth Science journals. Software tools are provided to facilitate population of these templates within Microsoft Excel. These tools allow for the import/export of text files and provide advanced functionality to manage and edit the data, and to perform various internal checks to maintain data integrity and prepare for uploading. The MagIC Contribution Wizard at http://earthref.org/MAGIC/upload.htm executes the upload

Elucidation of impact of tensor force on the β decay of magic and semi-magic nuclei

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Minato, Futoshi

2016-01-01

The authors theoretically examined the β decay of neutron-rich nuclei with a magic number and semi-magic number, using a proton-neutron random phase approximation method. The tensor force previously believed to have a significant impact on the development of the structure of unstable nuclei was found to potentially have an impact on β decay, too. This paper introduces how β decay half-life is reproduced by the tensor force, with a focus on its microscopic mechanism. It was found that the tensor force plays an important role in the β decay of 34 Si, 68,78 Ni, and 132 Sn. Although the calculation of Gamow-Teller transition (GT transition) leaves room for theoretical confirmation, it is clear that the tensor force has a large impact on the 1+ excited state of GT transition. Therefore, for the reliable prediction of the β decay half-life of unknown nuclei, it is necessary to take into account the impact of tensor force. β decay, along with the mass, radius, and excited state, is one of the characteristics possessed by unstable nuclei, and it is important to increase the knowledge of nuclear structure theory so as to be able to systematically predict the probability of β decay. (A.O.)

Magic Coset Decompositions

CERN Document Server

Cacciatori, Sergio L; Marrani, Alessio

2013-01-01

By exploiting a "mixed" non-symmetric Freudenthal-Rozenfeld-Tits magic square, two types of coset decompositions are analyzed for the non-compact special K\\"ahler symmetric rank-3 coset E7(-25)/[(E6(-78) x U(1))/Z_3], occurring in supergravity as the vector multiplets' scalar manifold in N=2, D=4 exceptional Maxwell-Einstein theory. The first decomposition exhibits maximal manifest covariance, whereas the second (triality-symmetric) one is of Iwasawa type, with maximal SO(8) covariance. Generalizations to conformal non-compact, real forms of non-degenerate, simple groups "of type E7" are presented for both classes of coset parametrizations, and relations to rank-3 simple Euclidean Jordan algebras and normed trialities over division algebras are also discussed.

The MAGIC of CINEMA: first in-flight science results from a miniaturised anisotropic magnetoresistive magnetometer

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. O. Archer

2015-06-01

Full Text Available We present the first in-flight results from a novel miniaturised anisotropic magnetoresistive space magnetometer, MAGIC (MAGnetometer from Imperial College, aboard the first CINEMA (CubeSat for Ions, Neutrals, Electrons and MAgnetic fields spacecraft in low Earth orbit. An attitude-independent calibration technique is detailed using the International Geomagnetic Reference Field (IGRF, which is temperature dependent in the case of the outboard sensor. We show that the sensors accurately measure the expected absolute field to within 2% in attitude mode and 1% in science mode. Using a simple method we are able to estimate the spacecraft's attitude using the magnetometer only, thus characterising CINEMA's spin, precession and nutation. Finally, we show that the outboard sensor is capable of detecting transient physical signals with amplitudes of ~ 20–60 nT. These include field-aligned currents at the auroral oval, qualitatively similar to previous observations, which agree in location with measurements from the DMSP (Defense Meteorological Satellite Program and POES (Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental Satellites spacecraft. Thus, we demonstrate and discuss the potential science capabilities of the MAGIC instrument onboard a CubeSat platform.

The enrichment of magical thinking through practices among Reiki self-healers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Outi Pohjanheimo

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Reiki is an example of a spiritually based healing context, which offers an entry into the magical thinking through the ritual initiation. There are several practices like Reiki in the field of new spirituality. Their backgrounds are situated in a variety of religious traditions, although many religious ideas in the field are based on assimilation of ideas and practices familiar in Eastern religious traditions. Why is Reiki so particularly famous in the field? It would seem that Reiki is very flexible and easily integrated to other practices. One factor which explains the popularity of Reiki has to do with healing. Healing, as well as illness and sickness, involving pain and relief from pain, are universal experiences felt by everyone. Complementary and alternative ways of healing are as popular among ordinary folk now as they have been throughout the history of medicine. Even medical nursing staff participate in Reiki courses in their leisure time. One reason for the popularity might also be that Reiki courses are open to everybody. Everybody can learn to heal. After initiation, participants are promised, and believed, to be rewarded for the ability to heal themselves and those near to them with the help of cosmic energy.The focus of this article is the enrichment of magical thinking among Reiki self-healers.The term ‘enrichment’ refers to an observable thickness (or density of spontaneous reasoning going along lines of magical trains of thought. This includes, for example, assumptions of agency and magical contagion.

Microfabricated inserts for magic angle coil spinning (MACS wireless NMR spectroscopy.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vlad Badilita

Full Text Available This article describes the development and testing of the first automatically microfabricated probes to be used in conjunction with the magic angle coil spinning (MACS NMR technique. NMR spectroscopy is a versatile technique for a large range of applications, but its intrinsically low sensitivity poses significant difficulties in analyzing mass- and volume-limited samples. The combination of microfabrication technology and MACS addresses several well-known NMR issues in a concerted manner for the first time: (i reproducible wafer-scale fabrication of the first-in-kind on-chip LC microresonator for inductive coupling of the NMR signal and reliable exploitation of MACS capabilities; (ii improving the sensitivity and the spectral resolution by simultaneous spinning the detection microcoil together with the sample at the "magic angle" of 54.74° with respect to the direction of the magnetic field (magic angle spinning - MAS, accompanied by the wireless signal transmission between the microcoil and the primary circuit of the NMR spectrometer; (iii given the high spinning rates (tens of kHz involved in the MAS methodology, the microfabricated inserts exhibit a clear kinematic advantage over their previously demonstrated counterparts due to the inherent capability to produce small radius cylindrical geometries, thus tremendously reducing the mechanical stress and tearing forces on the sample. In order to demonstrate the versatility of the microfabrication technology, we have designed MACS probes for various Larmor frequencies (194, 500 and 700 MHz testing several samples such as water, Drosophila pupae, adamantane solid and LiCl at different magic angle spinning speeds.

Evidence for prevalent Z = 6 magic number in neutron-rich carbon isotopes.

Science.gov (United States)

Tran, D T; Ong, H J; Hagen, G; Morris, T D; Aoi, N; Suzuki, T; Kanada-En'yo, Y; Geng, L S; Terashima, S; Tanihata, I; Nguyen, T T; Ayyad, Y; Chan, P Y; Fukuda, M; Geissel, H; Harakeh, M N; Hashimoto, T; Hoang, T H; Ideguchi, E; Inoue, A; Jansen, G R; Kanungo, R; Kawabata, T; Khiem, L H; Lin, W P; Matsuta, K; Mihara, M; Momota, S; Nagae, D; Nguyen, N D; Nishimura, D; Otsuka, T; Ozawa, A; Ren, P P; Sakaguchi, H; Scheidenberger, C; Tanaka, J; Takechi, M; Wada, R; Yamamoto, T

2018-04-23

The nuclear shell structure, which originates in the nearly independent motion of nucleons in an average potential, provides an important guide for our understanding of nuclear structure and the underlying nuclear forces. Its most remarkable fingerprint is the existence of the so-called magic numbers of protons and neutrons associated with extra stability. Although the introduction of a phenomenological spin-orbit (SO) coupling force in 1949 helped in explaining the magic numbers, its origins are still open questions. Here, we present experimental evidence for the smallest SO-originated magic number (subshell closure) at the proton number six in 13-20 C obtained from systematic analysis of point-proton distribution radii, electromagnetic transition rates and atomic masses of light nuclei. Performing ab initio calculations on 14,15 C, we show that the observed proton distribution radii and subshell closure can be explained by the state-of-the-art nuclear theory with chiral nucleon-nucleon and three-nucleon forces, which are rooted in the quantum chromodynamics.

Gabriel García Márquez’s One Hundred Years of Solitude as a Grotesque Magical Realist Text

OpenAIRE

DILER, Hatice Elif

2015-01-01

Since the 1960s magical realism has been a significant narrative mode used by postmodernist and postcolonial authors all over the world. Disregarding the conventional classical realism and its techniques, magical realist authors have used postmodernist techniques to achieve their postcolonial aims. Their attempts to find innovative techniques have resulted in embracing the Rabelaisian aesthetics and Bakthinian concerns in their works. Grotesque realism is considered a type of magical realism....

Observation of Galactic Sources of Very High Energy γ-RAYS with the Magic Telescope

Science.gov (United States)

Bartko, H.

The MAGIC telescope with its 17m diameter mirror is today the largest operating single-dish Imaging Air Cherenkov Telescope (IACT). It is located on the Canary Island La Palma, at an altitude of 2200 m above sea level, as part of the Roque de los Muchachos European Northern Observatory. The MAGIC telescope detects celestial very high energy γ-radiation in the energy band between about 50 GeV and 10 TeV. Since the autumn of 2004 MAGIC has been taking data routinely, observing various objects, like supernova remnants (SNRs), γ-ray binaries, Pulsars, Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN) and Gamma-ray Bursts (GRB). We briefly describe the observational strategy, the procedure implemented for the data analysis, and discuss the results of observations of Galactic Sources.

Magic Breakfast: Evaluation Report and Executive Summary

Science.gov (United States)

Crawford, Claire; Edwards, Amy; Farquharson, Christine; Greaves, Ellen; Trevelyan, Grace; Wallace, Emma; White, Clarissa

2016-01-01

The Magic Breakfast project provided 106 schools with support and resources to offer a free, universal, before-school breakfast club, including to all Year 2 and Year 6 pupils. The aim of the project was to improve attainment outcomes by increasing the number of children who ate a healthy breakfast. The schools in the project were schools in…

The central pixel of the MAGIC telescope for optical observations

Science.gov (United States)

Lucarelli, F.; Barrio, J. A.; Antoranz, P.; Asensio, M.; Camara, M.; Contreras, J. L.; Fonseca, M. V.; Lopez, M.; Miranda, J. M.; Oya, I.; Reyes, R. De Los; Firpo, R.; Sidro, N.; Goebel, F.; Lorenz, E.; Otte, N.

2008-05-01

The MAGIC telescope has been designed for the observation of Cherenkov light generated in Extensive Air Showers initiated by cosmic particles. However, its 17 m diameter mirror and optical design makes the telescope suitable for direct optical observations as well. In this paper, we report about the development of a system based on the use of a dedicated photo-multiplier (PMT) for optical observations. This PMT is installed in the centre of the MAGIC camera (the so-called central pixel). An electro-to-optical system has been developed in order to transmit the PMT output signal by an optical fibre to the counting room, where it is digitized and stored for off-line analysis. The performance of the system using the optical pulsation of the Crab nebula as calibration source is presented. The time required for a 5σ detection of the Crab pulsar in the optical band is less than 20 s. The central pixel will be mainly used to perform simultaneous observations of the Crab pulsar both in the optical and γ-ray regimes. It will also allow for periodic testing of the precision of the MAGIC timing system using the Crab rotational optical pulses as a very precise timing reference.

"Head versus heart": Effect of monetary frames on expression of sympathetic magical concerns

OpenAIRE

Paul Rozin; Heidi Grant; Stephanie Weinberg; Scott Parker

2007-01-01

Most American respondents give ``irrational,'' magical responses in a variety of situations that exemplify the sympathetic magical laws of similarity and contagion. In most of these cases, respondents are aware that their responses (usually rejections, as of fudge crafted to look like dog feces, or a food touched by a sterilized, dead cockroach) are not ``scientifically'' justified, but they are willing to avow them. We interpret this, in some sense, as ``heart over head.'' We report in this ...

Harm potential of magic mushroom use: A review

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Amsterdam, Jan; Opperhuizen, Antoon; van den Brink, Wim

2011-01-01

In 2007, the Minister of Health of the Netherlands requested the CAM (Coordination point Assessment and Monitoring new drugs) to assess the overall risk of magic mushrooms. The present paper is an updated redraft of the review, written to support the assessment by CAM experts. It summarizes the

Magical properties of a 2540 km baseline superbeam experiment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Raut, Sushant K.; Singh, Ravi Shanker; Uma Sankar, S.

2011-01-01

Lack of any information on the CP violating phase δ CP weakens our ability to determine neutrino mass hierarchy. Magic baseline of 7500 km was proposed to overcome this problem. However, to obtain large enough fluxes, at this very long baseline, one needs new techniques of generating high intensity neutrino beams. In this Letter, we highlight the magical properties of a 2540 km baseline. At such a baseline, using a narrow band neutrino superbeam whose no oscillation event rate peaks around the energy 3.5 GeV, we can determine neutrino mass hierarchy independently of the CP phase. For sin 2 2θ 13 ≥0.05, a very modest exposure of 10 Kiloton-years is sufficient to determine the hierarchy. For 0.02≤sin 2 2θ 13 ≤0.05, an exposure of about 100 Kiloton-years is needed.

General Magic, Marc Porat y los agentes

OpenAIRE

Baiget, Tomàs

1994-01-01

General Magic, Inc., Sunnyvale, CA, was a company founded in 1990 as a spinoff of Apple Computer. It was established to create a platform for personal communications products and services and license the technology to a wide variety of manufacturers and service providers. It ceased operations in 2002 after an unsuccessful attempt to raise capital or achieve a strategic merger or acquisition.

Design and Optimization of a Millimetre Wave Compact Folded Magic-T

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Guang Hua

2012-01-01

Full Text Available A millimetre wave-folded magic-T junction compensated with metal cone is designed using a particle swarm optimization (PSO algorithm. An off-centred metallic frustum was used to enhance the bandwidth and a metallic post is used to compensate the mismatched E-arm. The geometrical parameters of the frustum and the post are optimized by PSO. The optimized magic-T for W-band application is designed and tested. The design features are simple in structure and easy to fabricate. The 2% bandwidth with centre frequency of 94 GHz and return loss less than −20 dB is achieved.

Pre-School Children's Encounters with "The Magic Flute"

Science.gov (United States)

Nyland, Berenice; Acker, Aleksandra; Ferris, Jill; Deans, Jan

2011-01-01

This article describes a music programme in an Australian early learning centre. Through a repertoire of songs, games and instruments, the children were introduced to music forms, including opera. Mozart's Magic Flute was presented to these children by watching the Metropolitan Opera's latest film performance. Because this opera seized the…

Magic Realism, Neurodiversity, and Carnivalesque in James McBride’s Song Yet Sung

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yuan-Chin Chang

2016-04-01

Full Text Available This paper considers James McBride’s novel Song Yet Sung through multiple lenses – Bakhtin’s Carnivalesque, magic realism and performativity as it relates to race and gender identities. It is considered how the character of the “Dreamer” can be read clinically as suffering the sequelae of a traumatic brain injury. Her symptoms, which include future hallucinations or prophecies, can be read as neurological symptoms of her multiple head injuries documented in the novel. Connected to this reading, the influence of magic realism is considered, particularly as it relates to the natural imagery and symbolism in the novel. The importance of birds, in particular, is considered. Carnivalesque as conceptualized by Bakhtin is also considered in the context of “magical” thinking and reading, and its connections to social subversion; this is considered in relation to the era of slavery, its legacy, and associated issues of gender and race. Keywords: Carnivalesque, Magic Realism, Prophecy, Gender Performance, Racial Performativity, Identity Performance

Migration to Current Open Source Technologies by MagIC Enables a More Responsive Website, Quicker Development Times, and Increased Community Engagement

Science.gov (United States)

Jarboe, N.; Minnett, R.; Koppers, A.; Constable, C.; Tauxe, L.; Jonestrask, L.

2017-12-01

The Magnetics Information Consortium (MagIC) supports an online database for the paleo, geo, and rock magnetic communities ( https://earthref.org/MagIC ). Researchers can upload data into the archive and download data as selected with a sophisticated search system. MagIC has completed the transition from an Oracle backed, Perl based, server oriented website to an ElasticSearch backed, Meteor based thick client website technology stack. Using JavaScript on both the sever and the client enables increased code reuse and allows easy offloading many computational operations to the client for faster response. On-the-fly data validation, column header suggestion, and spreadsheet online editing are some new features available with the new system. The 3.0 data model, method codes, and vocabulary lists can be browsed via the MagIC website and more easily updated. Source code for MagIC is publicly available on GitHub ( https://github.com/earthref/MagIC ). The MagIC file format is natively compatible with the PmagPy ( https://github.com/PmagPy/PmagPy) paleomagnetic analysis software. MagIC files can now be downloaded from the database and viewed and interpreted in the PmagPy GUI based tool, pmag_gui. Changes or interpretations of the data can then be saved by pmag_gui in the MagIC 3.0 data format and easily uploaded to the MagIC database. The rate of new contributions to the database has been increasing with many labs contributing measurement level data for the first time in the last year. Over a dozen file format conversion scripts are available for translating non-MagIC measurement data files into the MagIC format for easy uploading. We will continue to work with more labs until the whole community has a manageable workflow for contributing their measurement level data. MagIC will continue to provide a global repository for archiving and retrieving paleomagnetic and rock magnetic data and, with the new system in place, be able to more quickly respond to the community

Mating Design and Genetic Structure of a Multi-Parent Advanced Generation Intercross (MAGIC Population of Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L. Moench

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Patrick O. Ongom

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Multi-parent advanced generation intercross (MAGIC populations are powerful next-generation mapping resources. We describe here the mating design and structure of the first MAGIC population in sorghum, and test its utility for mapping. The population was developed by intercrossing 19 diverse founder lines through a series of paired crosses with a genetic male sterile (MS source, followed by 10 generations of random mating. At the final stage of random mating, 1000 random fertile plants in the population were identified and subjected to six generations of selfing to produce 1000 immortal MAGIC inbred lines. The development of this sorghum MAGIC population took over 15 yr. Genotyping-by-sequencing (GBS of a subset of 200 MAGIC lines identified 79,728 SNPs, spanning high gene-rich regions. Proportion of SNPs per chromosome ranged from 6 to 15%. Structure analyses produced no evidence of population stratification, portraying the desirability of this population for genome-wide association studies (GWAS. The 19 founders formed three clusters, each with considerable genetic diversity. Further analysis showed that 73% of founder alleles segregated in the MAGIC population. Linkage disequilibrium (LD patterns depicted the MAGIC population to be highly recombined, with LD decaying to r2 ≤ 0.2 at 40 kb and down to r2 ≤ 0.1 at 220 kb. GWAS detected two known plant height genes, DWARF1 (chromosome 9 and DWARF3 (chromosome 7, and a potentially new plant height quantitative trait locus (QTL (QTL-6 on chromosome 6. The MAGIC population was found to be rich in allelic content with high fragmentation of its genome, making it fit for both gene mapping and effective marker-assisted breeding.

Magic numbers and isotopic effect of ion clusters

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Guanghou

1989-04-01

The magic numbers and isotopic effect as well as stable configurations in relation to the charge state of the clusters are discussed. Ionic (atomic) clusters are small atomic aggregates, a physical state between gas and solid states, and have many interesting properties, some of them are more or less similar to those in nuclei

Religiosity, magical ideation, and paranormal beliefs in anxiety disorders and obsessive-compulsive disorder: a cross-sectional study.

Science.gov (United States)

Agorastos, Agorastos; Metscher, Tanja; Huber, Christian G; Jelinek, Lena; Vitzthum, Francesca; Muhtz, Christoph; Kellner, Michael; Moritz, Steffen

2012-10-01

The relation between religiosity/spirituality (R/S), personal beliefs, and mental health has been extensively studied. However, concerning anxiety disorders (ADs), empirical evidence is scarce. This study investigated the differences in R/S and magical/paranormal ideation among obsessive-compulsive disorder patients (OCD; n = 49), patients with other ADs (n = 36), and healthy controls (HCs; n = 35). Our results suggest negative religious coping as being the only parameter showing significantly higher scores in OCD and AD participants in comparison with HCs. Negative religious coping reflects negative functional expressions of R/S in stressful situations. Logistic regression also suggested negative religious coping as the strongest predictor of group affiliation to the nonhealthy group. Further results show no significant differences between other R/S, magical, and paranormal ideation traits among groups. This study underlines an important role of negative religious coping in ADs yet does not clearly indicate a specific causality. Religious-sensitive treatment targeting cognitive aspects of negative religious coping are discussed.

Measurement control program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1981-01-01

A measurement control program for the model plant is described. The discussion includes the technical basis for such a program, the application of measurement control principles to each measurement, and the use of special experiments to estimate measurement error parameters for difficult-to-measure materials. The discussion also describes the statistical aspects of the program, and the documentation procedures used to record, maintain, and process the basic data. The purpose of the session is to enable participants to: (1) understand the criteria for this type of a measurement control program; (2) understand the kinds of physical standards required for the various measurement processes, e.g., weighing, analytical, NDA; (3) understand the need for and importance of a measurement control program; (4) understand the need for special experiments to provide an improved basis for the measurement of difficult-to-measure materials; (5) understand the general scope of the program's statistical aspects; and (6) understand the basis and scope of the documentation procedures

Intuition in Coaching: It's Not Magic

Science.gov (United States)

St. Pierre, Peter; Smith, Mark

2014-01-01

Many coaches have been called instinctive for decisions they have made, whether in game situations, recruiting, or other aspects of their job. Coaches often report having "gut feelings" before making important decisions. The purpose of this article is to dispel the notion of intuition as a magical ability, and begin to look at it as an…

Development of a composite large-size SiPM (assembled matrix) based modular detector cluster for MAGIC

Science.gov (United States)

Hahn, A.; Mazin, D.; Bangale, P.; Dettlaff, A.; Fink, D.; Grundner, F.; Haberer, W.; Maier, R.; Mirzoyan, R.; Podkladkin, S.; Teshima, M.; Wetteskind, H.

2017-02-01

The MAGIC collaboration operates two 17 m diameter Imaging Atmospheric Cherenkov Telescopes (IACTs) on the Canary Island of La Palma. Each of the two telescopes is currently equipped with a photomultiplier tube (PMT) based imaging camera. Due to the advances in the development of Silicon Photomultipliers (SiPMs), they are becoming a widely used alternative to PMTs in many research fields including gamma-ray astronomy. Within the Otto-Hahn group at the Max Planck Institute for Physics, Munich, we are developing a SiPM based detector module for a possible upgrade of the MAGIC cameras and also for future experiments as, e.g., the Large Size Telescopes (LST) of the Cherenkov Telescope Array (CTA). Because of the small size of individual SiPM sensors (6 mm×6 mm) with respect to the 1-inch diameter PMTs currently used in MAGIC, we use a custom-made matrix of SiPMs to cover the same detection area. We developed an electronic circuit to actively sum up and amplify the SiPM signals. Existing non-imaging hexagonal light concentrators (Winston cones) used in MAGIC have been modified for the angular acceptance of the SiPMs by using C++ based ray tracing simulations. The first prototype based detector module includes seven channels and was installed into the MAGIC camera in May 2015. We present the results of the first prototype and its performance as well as the status of the project and discuss its challenges.

Oligo-branched peptides for tumor targeting: from magic bullets to magic forks.

Science.gov (United States)

Falciani, Chiara; Pini, Alessandro; Bracci, Luisa

2009-02-01

Selective targeting of tumor cells is the final goal of research and drug discovery for cancer diagnosis, imaging and therapy. After the invention of hybridoma technology, the concept of magic bullet was introduced into the field of oncology, referring to selective killing of tumor cells, by specific antibodies. More recently, small molecules and peptides have also been proposed as selective targeting agents. We analyze the state of the art of tumor-selective agents that are presently available and tested in clinical settings. A novel approach based on 'armed' oligo-branched peptides as tumor targeting agents, is discussed and compared with existing tumor-selective therapies mediated by antibodies, small molecules or monomeric peptides. Oligo-branched peptides could be novel drugs that combine the advantages of antibodies and small molecules.

Poster: Brush, Lasso, or Magic Wand? Picking the Right Tool for Large-Scale Multiple Object Selection Tasks

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Stenholt, Rasmus; Madsen, Claus B.

2012-01-01

are presented with a range of different geometric layouts of selection targets, to investigate the pros and cons of each of the MOS techniques. The evaluation shows that the magic wand is significantly faster to use than the other techniques, however the quality of the magic wand's selections is highly...

Modelling soil nitrogen: The MAGIC model with nitrogen retention linked to carbon turnover using decomposer dynamics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oulehle, F.; Cosby, B.J.; Wright, R.F.; Hruška, J.; Kopáček, J.; Krám, P.; Evans, C.D.; Moldan, F.

2012-01-01

We present a new formulation of the acidification model MAGIC that uses decomposer dynamics to link nitrogen (N) cycling to carbon (C) turnover in soils. The new model is evaluated by application to 15–30 years of water chemistry data at three coniferous-forested sites in the Czech Republic where deposition of sulphur (S) and N have decreased by >80% and 40%, respectively. Sulphate concentrations in waters have declined commensurately with S deposition, but nitrate concentrations have shown much larger decreases relative to N deposition. This behaviour is inconsistent with most conceptual models of N saturation, and with earlier versions of MAGIC which assume N retention to be a first-order function of N deposition and/or controlled by the soil C/N ratio. In comparison with earlier versions, the new formulation more correctly simulates observed short-term changes in nitrate leaching, as well as long-term retention of N in soils. The model suggests that, despite recent deposition reductions and recovery, progressive N saturation will lead to increased future nitrate leaching, ecosystem eutrophication and re-acidification. - Highlights: ► New version of the biogeochemical model MAGIC developed to simulate C/N dynamics. ► New formulation of N retention based directly on the decomposer processes. ► The new formulation simulates observed changes in nitrate leaching and in soil C/N. ► The model suggests progressive N saturation at sites examined. ► The model performance meets a growing need for realistic process-based simulations. - Process-based modelling of nitrogen dynamics and acidification in forest ecosystems.

Interplay between collective and single particle excitations around neutron-rich doubly-magic nuclei

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Leoni S.

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The excitation spectra of nuclei with one or two particles outside a doubly-magic core are expected to be dominated, at low energy, by the couplings between phonon excitations of the core and valence particles. A survey of the experimental situation is given for some nuclei lying in close proximity of neutron-rich doubly-magic systems, such as 47,49Ca, 133Sb and 210Bi. Data are obtained with various types of reactions (multinucleon transfer with heavy ions, cold neutron capture and neutron induced fission of 235U and 241Pu targets, with the employment of complex detection systems based on HPGe arrays. A comparison with theoretical calculations is also presented, in terms of large shell model calculations and of a phenomenological particle-phonon model. In the case of 133Sb, a new microscopic “hybrid” model is introduced: it is based on the coupling between core excitations (both collective and non-collective of the doubly-magic core and the valence nucleon, using the Skyrme effective interaction in a consistent way.

Interplay between collective and single particle excitations around neutron-rich doubly-magic nuclei

Science.gov (United States)

Leoni, S.

2016-05-01

The excitation spectra of nuclei with one or two particles outside a doubly-magic core are expected to be dominated, at low energy, by the couplings between phonon excitations of the core and valence particles. A survey of the experimental situation is given for some nuclei lying in close proximity of neutron-rich doubly-magic systems, such as 47,49Ca, 133Sb and 210Bi. Data are obtained with various types of reactions (multinucleon transfer with heavy ions, cold neutron capture and neutron induced fission of 235U and 241Pu targets), with the employment of complex detection systems based on HPGe arrays. A comparison with theoretical calculations is also presented, in terms of large shell model calculations and of a phenomenological particle-phonon model. In the case of 133Sb, a new microscopic "hybrid" model is introduced: it is based on the coupling between core excitations (both collective and non-collective) of the doubly-magic core and the valence nucleon, using the Skyrme effective interaction in a consistent way.

Lighting up: magical realism and resistance to dictatorships in Latin America

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gretha Leite Maia

2017-01-01

Full Text Available This is a study that articulates the literary genre magical realism and the movement of resistance to military dictatorships in Latin America during the twentieth century. For that, the definition of the fantastic literary genre from T. Todorov is examined. The reasons for using fantastic fiction after the development of a realistic literature are investigated below. Finally, two works representative of Latin American fantastic realism are analyzed: Incident in Antares, by the Brazilian writer Erico Verissimo, and The House of the Spirits, by the Chilean writer Isabel Allende. This path allowed us to conclude that magical realism collaborated with the resistance to the military dictatorships in Latin America and fulfills the function of constructing and preserving the collective memory of this historical period.

The MAGIC telescope for gamma-ray astronomy above 30 GeV

Science.gov (United States)

Moralejo, A.; MAGIC Collaboration

The MAGIC telescope is presently at its commissioning phase at the Roque de los Muchachos Observatory (ORM) on the island of La Palma. MAGIC will become the largest ground-based gamma ray telescope in the world, being sensitive to photons of energies as low as 30 GeV. The spectral range between 10 and 300 GeV remains to date mostly unexplored. Observations in this region of the spectrum are expected to provide key data for the understanding of a wide variety of astrophysical phenomena belonging to the so-called ``non thermal Universe'', like the processes in the nuclei of active galaxies, the radiation mechanisms of pulsars and supernova remnants, and the enigmatic gamma-ray bursts. And overview of the telescope and its Physics goals is presented.

The Magnetics Information Consortium (MagIC) Online Database: Uploading, Searching and Visualizing Paleomagnetic and Rock Magnetic Data

Science.gov (United States)

Minnett, R.; Koppers, A.; Tauxe, L.; Constable, C.; Pisarevsky, S. A.; Jackson, M.; Solheid, P.; Banerjee, S.; Johnson, C.

2006-12-01

The Magnetics Information Consortium (MagIC) is commissioned to implement and maintain an online portal to a relational database populated by both rock and paleomagnetic data. The goal of MagIC is to archive all measurements and the derived properties for studies of paleomagnetic directions (inclination, declination) and intensities, and for rock magnetic experiments (hysteresis, remanence, susceptibility, anisotropy). MagIC is hosted under EarthRef.org at http://earthref.org/MAGIC/ and has two search nodes, one for paleomagnetism and one for rock magnetism. Both nodes provide query building based on location, reference, methods applied, material type and geological age, as well as a visual map interface to browse and select locations. The query result set is displayed in a digestible tabular format allowing the user to descend through hierarchical levels such as from locations to sites, samples, specimens, and measurements. At each stage, the result set can be saved and, if supported by the data, can be visualized by plotting global location maps, equal area plots, or typical Zijderveld, hysteresis, and various magnetization and remanence diagrams. User contributions to the MagIC database are critical to achieving a useful research tool. We have developed a standard data and metadata template (Version 2.1) that can be used to format and upload all data at the time of publication in Earth Science journals. Software tools are provided to facilitate population of these templates within Microsoft Excel. These tools allow for the import/export of text files and provide advanced functionality to manage and edit the data, and to perform various internal checks to maintain data integrity and prepare for uploading. The MagIC Contribution Wizard at http://earthref.org/MAGIC/upload.htm executes the upload and takes only a few minutes to process several thousand data records. The standardized MagIC template files are stored in the digital archives of EarthRef.org where they

First observation of the doubly magic nucleus 78Ni50

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bernas, M.; Armbruster, P.; Engelmann, Ch.; Geissel, H.; Heinz, A.; Czajkowski, S.

1995-01-01

The doubly magic nucleus of 78 Ni has been identified for the first time and the associated production yield was measured in the projectile-fission reaction of 238 U on Pb and Be targets at relativistic energies. (K.A.)

Magic with moulds: Meiotic and mitotic crossing over in Neurospora ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

2006-02-16

Feb 16, 2006 ... Home; Journals; Journal of Biosciences; Volume 31; Issue 1. Commentary: Magic with moulds: Meiotic and mitotic crossing over in Neurospora inversions and duplications. Durgadas P Kasbekar. Volume 31 Issue 1 March 2006 pp 3-4 ...

Word Processors: A Look at Four Popular Programs.

Science.gov (United States)

Press, Larry

1980-01-01

Described are types of programs used for processing text (editors, print formatters, and word processors), followed by the comparison of four word-processing packages: Auto Scribe, Electric Pencil, Magic Want and Word Star. With the exception of Auto Scribe, all programs reviewed are CP/M versions. (KC)

Protecting Against Child-Killing Demons: Uterus Amulets in the Late Antique and Byzantine Magical World

OpenAIRE

Björklund, Heta

2017-01-01

This doctoral dissertation examines medicinal-magical amulets pertaining to the uterus and the protection of women and children, the accompanying tradition of magical texts, and the mythology and folktales of demons believed to kill children and parturient women. The amulets and the folktales of the demons they were believed to protect against are intertwined. The amulets cannot be studied merely as archaeological or art historical objects, but must be taken together with folktales and narrat...

The Magic of Universal Quantum Computing with Permutations

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Michel Planat

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The role of permutation gates for universal quantum computing is investigated. The “magic” of computation is clarified in the permutation gates, their eigenstates, the Wootters discrete Wigner function, and state-dependent contextuality (following many contributions on this subject. A first classification of a few types of resulting magic states in low dimensions d≤9 is performed.

A Dual Band Frequency Reconfigurable Origami Magic Cube Antenna for Wireless Sensor Network Applications

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Syed Imran Hussain Shah

2017-11-01

Full Text Available In this paper, a novel dual band frequency reconfigurable antenna using an origami magic cube is proposed for wireless sensor network (WSN applications. The proposed origami antenna consists of a meandered monopole folded onto three sides of the magic cube. A microstrip open-ended stub is loaded on the meandered monopole. The proposed origami magic cube can be mechanically folded and unfolded. The proposed antenna operates at 1.57 GHZ and 2.4 GHz in the folded state. In the unfolded state, the proposed antenna operates at 900 MHz and 2.3 GHz. The resonant frequency of the second band can be tunable by varying the length and position of the open stub. The origami magic cube is built on paper. Its performance is numerically and experimentally demonstrated from S-parameters and radiation patterns. The measured 10 dB impedance bandwidth of the proposed origami antenna is 18% (900–1120 MHz and 15% (2.1–2.45 GHz for the unfolded state and 20% (1.3–1.6 GHz and 14% (2.3–2.5 GHz for the folded state. The measured peak gain at 900 MHz and 2.3 GHz are 1.1 dBi and 2.32 dBi, respectively, in the unfolded state. The measured peak gain at 1.5 GHz and 2.4 GHz are 3.28 dBi and 1.98 dBi, respectively, in the folded state.

A Dual Band Frequency Reconfigurable Origami Magic Cube Antenna for Wireless Sensor Network Applications.

Science.gov (United States)

Shah, Syed Imran Hussain; Lim, Sungjoon

2017-11-20

In this paper, a novel dual band frequency reconfigurable antenna using an origami magic cube is proposed for wireless sensor network (WSN) applications. The proposed origami antenna consists of a meandered monopole folded onto three sides of the magic cube. A microstrip open-ended stub is loaded on the meandered monopole. The proposed origami magic cube can be mechanically folded and unfolded. The proposed antenna operates at 1.57 GHZ and 2.4 GHz in the folded state. In the unfolded state, the proposed antenna operates at 900 MHz and 2.3 GHz. The resonant frequency of the second band can be tunable by varying the length and position of the open stub. The origami magic cube is built on paper. Its performance is numerically and experimentally demonstrated from S-parameters and radiation patterns. The measured 10 dB impedance bandwidth of the proposed origami antenna is 18% (900-1120 MHz) and 15% (2.1-2.45 GHz) for the unfolded state and 20% (1.3-1.6 GHz) and 14% (2.3-2.5 GHz) for the folded state. The measured peak gain at 900 MHz and 2.3 GHz are 1.1 dBi and 2.32 dBi, respectively, in the unfolded state. The measured peak gain at 1.5 GHz and 2.4 GHz are 3.28 dBi and 1.98 dBi, respectively, in the folded state.

Some contributions of MAGIC to the physics ofcosmic rays

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gozzini S.R.

2013-06-01

Full Text Available Cosmic ray interactions can be investigated indirectly in γ ray astronomy, with the observation of spectral and morphological features of certain classes of sources. MAGIC is a stereoscopic system of two γ ray telescopes, located at La Palma (Canaries, with access to the energy window between 50 GeV and 30 TeV. Sources of high relevance for the study of very high energy hadronic interactions are active galactic nuclei, as blazars and radio galaxies. MAGIC has detectedabout fifty such extragalactic objects; we will present some where theemission is explained with accelerated hadrons in interaction with ambient photons. We will also mention cosmic ray acceleration in galaxy clusters. Other than that, hadron-hadron interactions are supposed to take place in some supernova remnants in interaction with surrounding molecular clouds; we will show some results, in connection with cosmic rays of galactic origin. Finally, about other possible components, wewill mention the measurement of the diffuse electron and positron spectrum. Trustingly, the close connection between particle physics and astrophysics will contribute in future years to many new interesting observations.

Verification of the application of NMR spectroscopy in the reading of the MAGIC-f gel dosimeter; Verificação da aplicação da espectroscopia de RMN na leitura do dosímetro gel MAGIC-f

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Murakami, N.S.; Filipov, D.; Soboll, D.S., E-mail: nayarasaty@hotmail.com [Universidade Tecnologica Federal do Parana (UTFPR), Curitiba, PR (Brazil). Programa de Pós-Graduação em Engenharia Biomédica; Barison, A.; Alib, S. [Universidade Tecnologica Federal do Parana (UTFPR), Curitiba, PR (Brazil). Centro de RMN; Petchevistc, P.C.D. [ONCOVILLE Atendimento Oncológico Integral, Curitiba, PR (Brazil)

2017-07-01

This work aims to perform the processing of the MAGIC-f polymeric gel, irradiate it and verify the application of NMR spectroscopy to characterize it. Thus, this would be another method of reading the dosimeter. As an initial study, it was found that NMR spectroscopy can be a very effective method for reading the MAGIC-f gel, showing different signal intensities for each absorbed dose.

MAGIC biomarkers predict long term outcomes for steroid-resistant acute GVHD.

Science.gov (United States)

Major-Monfried, Hannah; Renteria, Anne S; Pawarode, Attaphol; Reddy, Pavan; Ayuk, Francis; Holler, Ernst; Efebera, Yvonne A; Hogan, William J; Wölfl, Matthias; Qayed, Muna; Hexner, Elizabeth O; Wudhikarn, Kitsada; Ordemann, Rainer; Young, Rachel; Shah, Jay; Hartwell, Matthew J; Chaudhry, Mohammed; Aziz, Mina; Etra, Aaron; Yanik, Gregory A; Kröger, Nicolaus; Weber, Daniela; Chen, Yi-Bin; Nakamura, Ryotaro; Rösler, Wolf; Kitko, Carrie L; Harris, Andrew C; Pulsipher, Michael; Reshef, Ran; Kowalyk, Steven; Morales, George; Torres, Ivan; Özbek, Umut; Ferrara, James L M; Levine, John E

2018-03-15

Acute graft versus host disease (GVHD) is treated with systemic corticosteroid immunosuppression. Clinical response after one week of therapy often guides further treatment decisions, but long term outcomes vary widely between centers and more accurate predictive tests are urgently needed. We analyzed clinical data and blood samples taken after one week of systemic treatment for GVHD from 507 patients from 17 centers of the Mount Sinai Acute GVHD International Consortium (MAGIC), dividing them into test (n=236) and two validation cohorts separated in time (n = 142 and 129, respectively). Initial response to systemic steroids correlated with response at four weeks, one-year non-relapse mortality (NRM) and overall survival (OS). A previously validated algorithm of two MAGIC biomarkers (ST2 and REG3α) consistently separated steroid resistant patients into two groups with dramatically different NRM and OS (p<0.001 for all three cohorts). High biomarker probability, resistance to steroids and GVHD severity (Minnesota risk) were all significant predictors of NRM in multivariate analysis. A direct comparison of receiver operating curves showed the area under the curve for biomarker probability (0.82) was significantly greater than that for steroid response (0.68, p=0.004) and for Minnesota risk (0.72, p=0.005). In conclusion, MAGIC biomarker probabilities generated after one week of systemic treatment for GVHD predict long term outcomes in steroid resistant GVHD better than clinical criteria and should prove useful in developing better treatment strategies. Copyright © 2018 American Society of Hematology.

A Dialectics of Reason and Instinct: Thomas Mann’s Magic Mountain

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ciro Schmidt Andrade

Full Text Available The whole Thomas Mann’s work is a reflection of the permanent tension between instinct and reason, the irruption of the repressed and life order. This is particularly manifested in his work The Magic Mountain.

Method for high resolution magnetic resonance analysis using magic angle technique

Science.gov (United States)

Wind, Robert A.; Hu, Jian Zhi

2003-12-30

A method of performing a magnetic resonance analysis of a biological object that includes placing the object in a main magnetic field (that has a static field direction) and in a radio frequency field; rotating the object at a frequency of less than about 100 Hz around an axis positioned at an angle of about 54.degree.44' relative to the main magnetic static field direction; pulsing the radio frequency to provide a sequence that includes a phase-corrected magic angle turning pulse segment; and collecting data generated by the pulsed radio frequency. The object may be reoriented about the magic angle axis between three predetermined positions that are related to each other by 120.degree.. The main magnetic field may be rotated mechanically or electronically. Methods for magnetic resonance imaging of the object are also described.

M-A-G-I-C viis marsruuti, viis pilku meie Euroopale

Index Scriptorium Estoniae

2006-01-01

10. juunil Eesti Rahvusraamatukogus etendunud teatrivõrgustiku Magic Net (organisatsioon, mis ühendab 14 Euroopa teatrit) ühislavastusest "Peidetud lood" (Projekti juht Dirk Neldner). Arvustavad teatrikriitikud Rait Avestik, Madis Kolk, Ivar Põllu, Andres Keil ja üliõpilane Uku Uusberg

What is so Magical About a Theory of Intrinsic Intensionality? | Smith ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

theoretic argument against semantic realism is any response from would-be proponents of what Putnam would call magical theories of reference. Such silence is surprising in light of the fact that such theories have occupied a significant position in ...

Development of a composite large-size SiPM (assembled matrix) based modular detector cluster for MAGIC

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hahn, A., E-mail: ahahn@mpp.mpg.de [Max Planck Institute for Physics (Werner-Heisenberg-Institut), Föhringer Ring 6, 80805 München (Germany); Mazin, D., E-mail: mazin@mpp.mpg.de [Max Planck Institute for Physics (Werner-Heisenberg-Institut), Föhringer Ring 6, 80805 München (Germany); Institute for Cosmic Ray Research, The University of Tokyo, 5-1-5 Kashiwa-no-Ha, Kashiwa City, Chiba 277–8582 (Japan); Bangale, P., E-mail: priya@mpp.mpg.de [Max Planck Institute for Physics (Werner-Heisenberg-Institut), Föhringer Ring 6, 80805 München (Germany); Dettlaff, A., E-mail: todettl@mpp.mpg.de [Max Planck Institute for Physics (Werner-Heisenberg-Institut), Föhringer Ring 6, 80805 München (Germany); Fink, D., E-mail: fink@mpp.mpg.de [Max Planck Institute for Physics (Werner-Heisenberg-Institut), Föhringer Ring 6, 80805 München (Germany); Grundner, F., E-mail: grundner@mpp.mpg.de [Max Planck Institute for Physics (Werner-Heisenberg-Institut), Föhringer Ring 6, 80805 München (Germany); Haberer, W., E-mail: haberer@mpp.mpg.de [Max Planck Institute for Physics (Werner-Heisenberg-Institut), Föhringer Ring 6, 80805 München (Germany); Maier, R., E-mail: rma@mpp.mpg.de [Max Planck Institute for Physics (Werner-Heisenberg-Institut), Föhringer Ring 6, 80805 München (Germany); and others

2017-02-11

The MAGIC collaboration operates two 17 m diameter Imaging Atmospheric Cherenkov Telescopes (IACTs) on the Canary Island of La Palma. Each of the two telescopes is currently equipped with a photomultiplier tube (PMT) based imaging camera. Due to the advances in the development of Silicon Photomultipliers (SiPMs), they are becoming a widely used alternative to PMTs in many research fields including gamma-ray astronomy. Within the Otto-Hahn group at the Max Planck Institute for Physics, Munich, we are developing a SiPM based detector module for a possible upgrade of the MAGIC cameras and also for future experiments as, e.g., the Large Size Telescopes (LST) of the Cherenkov Telescope Array (CTA). Because of the small size of individual SiPM sensors (6 mm×6 mm) with respect to the 1-inch diameter PMTs currently used in MAGIC, we use a custom-made matrix of SiPMs to cover the same detection area. We developed an electronic circuit to actively sum up and amplify the SiPM signals. Existing non-imaging hexagonal light concentrators (Winston cones) used in MAGIC have been modified for the angular acceptance of the SiPMs by using C++ based ray tracing simulations. The first prototype based detector module includes seven channels and was installed into the MAGIC camera in May 2015. We present the results of the first prototype and its performance as well as the status of the project and discuss its challenges. - Highlights: • The design of the first SiPM large-size IACT pixel is described. • The simulation of the light concentrators is presented. • The temperature stability of the detector module is demonstrated. • The calibration procedure of SiPM device in the field is described.

Perspective on BVDV control programs.

Science.gov (United States)

Givens, M Daniel; Newcomer, Benjamin W

2015-06-01

Programs for control and eradication of bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) are often considered prudent when the expense of a control program within a specified time frame effectively prevents loss due to disease and the expense of control does not exceed the costs associated with infection. In some geographic areas, concerns about animal welfare or desires to reduce antibiotic usage may motivate BVDV control even when control programs are associated with a lack of financial return on investment. In other geographic areas, concerns about financial return on investment may be the key motivating factor in considering implementation of BVDV control programs. Past experiences indicate that systematic, well-coordinated control programs have a clear potential for success, while voluntary control programs in cultures of distributed decision-making often result in notable initial progress that ultimately ends in dissolution of efforts. Segmentation of the cattle industry into cow-calf producers, stocker/backgrounders, and feedlot operators amplifies the distribution of decision-making regarding control programs and may result in control measures for one industry segment that are associated with significant costs and limited rewards. Though the host range of BVDV extends well beyond cattle, multiple eradication programs that focus only on testing and removal of persistently infected (PI) cattle have proven to be effective in various countries. While some individuals consider education of producers to be sufficient to stimulate eradication of BVDV, research surrounding the adoption of innovative health care procedures suggests that the process of adopting BVDV control programs has a social element. Collegial interactions and discussions may be crucial in facilitating the systematic implementation necessary to optimize the long-term success of control programs. Compulsory control programs may be considered efficient and effective in some regions; however, in a nation where

Of Herbs, Animals and other Poisons: Magical Renewal in «El peregrino indiano» by Antonio Saavedra Guzmán

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Raúl Marrero-Fente

2017-11-01

Full Text Available El peregrino indiano by Antonio de Saavedra Guzmán incorporates new substances into the magic spell. In addition to La Araucana, there are ingredients that come from other discursive traditions: the Renaissance treatises of natural history, the Bible, bestiaries, emblematic literature, magic and grimoires.

Pb nanoprecipitates in Al: Magic-shape effects due to elastic strain

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hamilton, J.C.; Leoard, F.; Johnson, Erik

2007-01-01

We present a theory for size-dependent shapes of Pb nanoprecipitates in Al, introducing the concept of "magic shapes," i.e., shapes having near-zero homogeneous elastic strains. Our quantitative atomistic calculations of edge energies show their effect on precipitate shape to be negligible, thus...

Process control program development

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dameron, H.J.

1985-01-01

This paper details the development and implementation of a ''Process Control Program'' at Duke Power's three nuclear stations - Oconee, McGuire, and Catawba. Each station is required by Technical Specification to have a ''Process Control Program'' (PCP) to control all dewatering and/or solidification activities for radioactive wastes

Few-valence-particle excitations around doubly magic 132Sn

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Daly, P.J.; Zhang, C.T.; Bhattacharyya, P.

1996-01-01

Prompt γ-ray cascades in neutron-rich nuclei around doubly-magic 132 Sn have been studied using a 248 Cm fission source. Yrast states located in the N = 82 isotones 134 Te and 135 I are interpreted as valence proton and neutron particle-hole core excitations with the help of shell model calculations employing empirical nucleon-nucleon interactions from both 132 Sn and 208 Pb regions

Seeking the purported magic number N= 32 with high-precision mass spectrometry

CERN Multimedia

Schweikhard, L C; Herfurth, F; Boehm, C; Manea, V; Blaum, K; Beck, D; Kowalska, M; Kreim, K D; Stanja, J; Audi, G; Rosenbusch, M; Wienholtz, F; Litvinov, Y

Accounting for the appearance of new magic numbers represents an exacting test for nuclear models. Binding energies offer a clear signature for the presence (or disappearance) of shell closures. To determine the strength of the purported N = 32 shell closure, we propose using the Penning-trap spectrometer ISOLTRAP for mass measurements of N = 34 isotones $^{58}$Cr (Z = 24), $^{55}$Sc (Z = 21) and $^{54}$Ca (Z = 20), as well as the N = 32 isotones $^{53}$Sc and $^{52}$Ca. We also propose measuring the mass of $^{60}$Cr to test the shell model prediction of a new magic number at N = 34. In addition to the Penning-trap system at ISOLTRAP, we intend to use the newly commissioned multi-reflection time-of-flight mass separator, which enables direct mass measurements on nuclei with half-lives below 50 ms.

Seeking the purported magic number N= 32 with high-precision mass spectrometry

CERN Document Server

Kreim, S; Blaum, K; Bohm, Ch; Borgmann, Ch; Breitenfeldt, M; Cakirli, R B; Herfurth, F; Kowalska, M; Litvinov, Y; Lunney, D; Manea, V; Naimi, S; Neidherr, D; Rosenbusch, M; Schweikhard, L; Stanja, J; Stora, Th; Wienholtz, F; Wolf, R N; Zuber, K

2011-01-01

Accounting for the appearance of new magic numbers represents an exacting test for nuclear models. Binding energies o er a clear signature for the presence (or dis- appearance) of shell closures. To determine the strength of the purported N = 32 shell closure, we propose using the Penning-trap spectrometer ISOLTRAP for mass measure- ments of N = 34 isotones 58 Cr ( Z = 24), 55 Sc ( Z = 21) and 54 Ca ( Z = 20), as well as the N = 32 isotones 53 Sc and 52 Ca. We also propose measuring the mass of 60 Cr to test the shell model prediction of a new magic number at N = 34. In addition to the Penning-trap system at ISOLTRAP, we intend to use the newly commissioned multi-re ection time-of- ight mass separator, which enables direct mass measurements on nuclei with half-lives below 50 ms.

A note on 'Oriental magic mirrors and the Laplacian image'

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Riesz, Ferenc

2006-01-01

Berry has shown (2006 Eur. J. Phys. 27 109-18) that the image of an oriental magic mirror (an essentially flat mirror with small surface relief) is the Laplacian of the surface relief for low-curvature features. In this note, an alternative derivation is presented and the physical meaning of the used approximations is explained. (note)

Toy Control Program evaluation.

Science.gov (United States)

Stewart, H A; Ormond, C; Seeger, B R

1991-08-01

The Toy Control Program for the Apple IIe microcomputer is a software and hardware package developed for the training of single-switch scanning skills. The specially designed scanning programs provide on screen visual feedback and activate a battery-powered toy to reinforce performance. This study examined whether the training of preschool subjects in single-switch scanning skills with the Toy Control Program would result in increased task completion scores and increased levels of attention to task, as compared with conditions of toy activation only and microcomputer programs with screen reinforcement only. The results showed that the subjects paid significantly more attention to the toys as reinforcers (p less than .01). No significant difference was found for the performance results of the three conditions. These findings support the use of a program like the Toy Control Program, which integrates the instructional capabilities of a computer with the reinforcement potential of a toy and the creativity of a therapist.

Characterization of zeolites by magic-angle-spinning NMR

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brunner, E.; Ernst, H.; Freude, D.; Hunger, M.; Pfeifer, H.

1988-01-01

Magic-angle-spinning nuclear magnetic resonance (MAS NMR) has been used to study structure defects in TPA/ZSM-5, the dealumination process caused by hydrothermal treatment and acid leaching of zeolites, the influence of Lewis sites upon water as a probe molecule, the boron incorporation into the ZSM-5 framework, and the acid sites and structure defects in SAPO-5. The nuclei under study are 1 H, 11 B, 27 Al, 29 Si, and 31 P. 24 refs.; 7 figs.; 1 table

Devices and process for high-pressure magic angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hoyt, David W.; Sears, Jesse A.; Turcu, Romulus V. F.; Rosso, Kevin M.; Hu, Jian Zhi

2017-12-05

A high-pressure magic angle spinning (MAS) rotor is detailed that includes a high-pressure sample cell that maintains high pressures exceeding 150 bar. The sample cell design minimizes pressure losses due to penetration over an extended period of time.

Devices and process for high-pressure magic angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance

Science.gov (United States)

Hoyt, David W; Sears, Jr., Jesse A; Turcu, Romulus V.F.; Rosso, Kevin M; Hu, Jian Zhi

2014-04-08

A high-pressure magic angle spinning (MAS) rotor is detailed that includes a high-pressure sample cell that maintains high pressures exceeding 150 bar. The sample cell design minimizes pressure losses due to penetration over an extended period of time.

The image camera of the 17 m diameter air Cherenkov telescope MAGIC

CERN Document Server

Ostankov, A P

2001-01-01

The image camera of the 17 m diameter MAGIC telescope, an air Cherenkov telescope currently under construction to be installed at the Canary island La Palma, is described. The main goal of the experiment is to cover the unexplored energy window from approx 10 to approx 300 GeV in gamma-ray astrophysics. In its first phase with a classical PMT camera the MAGIC telescope is expected to reach an energy threshold of approx 30 GeV. The operational conditions, the special characteristics of the developed PMTs and their use with light concentrators, the fast signal transfer scheme using analog optical links, the trigger and DAQ organization as well as image reconstruction strategy are described. The different paths being explored towards future camera improvements, in particular the constraints in using silicon avalanche photodiodes and GaAsP hybrid photodetectors in air Cherenkov telescopes are discussed.

Correlates of the multidimensional construct of hypnotizability: paranormal belief, fantasy proneness, magical ideation, and dissociation.

Science.gov (United States)

Dasse, Michelle N; Elkins, Gary R; Weaver, Charles A

2015-01-01

Hypnotizability is a multifaceted construct that may relate to multiple aspects of personality and beliefs. This study sought to address 4 known correlates of hypnotizability to aid in its understanding. Eighty undergraduates completed the Magical Ideation Scale (MIS), the Creative Experiences Questionnaire (CEQ), the Australian Sheep-Goat Scale (ASGS), and the Dissociative Experiences Scale (DES) and then were administered the Creative Imagination Scale (CIS). All 5 scales were significantly correlated. Participants higher in hypnotizability scored higher on the CEQ and the MIS. The findings demonstrate the influence of fantasy proneness and magical thinking on hypnotizability and support the theory that hypnotizability is a complex interaction of multiple traits.

A totally magic cordial labeling of one-point union of n copies of a graph

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

P. Jeyanthi

2014-01-01

Full Text Available A graph \\(G\\ is said to have a totally magic cordial (TMC labeling with constant \\(C\\ if there exists a mapping \\(f: V(G\\cup E(G\\rightarrow \\left\\{0,1\\right\\}\\ such that \\(f(a + f(b + f(ab \\equiv C(\\mbox{mod 2}\\ for all \\(ab\\in E(G\\ and \\(\\left|n_f(0-n_f(1\\right|\\leq1\\, where \\(n_f(i\\ \\((i = 0, 1\\ is the sum of the number of vertices and edges with label \\(i\\. In this paper, we establish the totally magic cordial labeling of one-point union of \\(n\\-copies of cycles, complete graphs and wheels.

Curse Of The Desert? Magic Realism And The Pitfalls Of Setting In Bessie Head’s Maru And Ben Okri’s Starbook

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wazha Lopang

2014-07-01

Full Text Available This paper argues that magic realism cannot evolve in a setting where there is no bush environment because this is where oral literature flourishes. The oral literature provides the conditions necessary for magic realism to explore the relationship between the surreal and the mundane. If the magic realism is set outside this bush environment then the experience becomes muted. Texts that have a clear dichotomy between the world of human habitation (such as villages, towns and that of the spirits (such as the bush or forest enable magic realism to evolve into a more profound experience, that of the dream setting. My argument is that the dream setting needs this dichotomy for it to exist. In essence, texts that do not use the bush environment as part of their setting fall short in their creative aspect because the space and time within which characters function are constrained. The use of the oral tradition with its interplay of the human, animal and spirit worlds creates a platform for the dream setting, something which cannot happen where the setting limits itself to the world of human habitation. I will compare Bessie Head’s Maru with Ben Okri’s Starbook to show how the oral tradition in the latter text makes it achieve a level of magic realism that cannot be possible in Head’s Maru.

Determine the Dose Distribution Using Ultrasound Parameters in MAGIC-f Polymer Gels

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hossein Masoumi

2016-02-01

Full Text Available In this study, using methacrylic and ascorbic acid in gelatin initiated by copper (MAGIC-f polymer gel after megavoltage energy exposure, the sensitivity of the ultrasound velocity and attenuation coefficient dose-dependent parameters was evaluated. The MAGIC-f polymer gel was irradiated under 1.25 MeV cobalt-60, ranging from 0 to 60 Gy in 2-Gy steps, and received dose uniformity and accuracy of ±2%. After calibration of the ultrasonic systems with a frequency of 500 kHz, the parameters of ultrasound velocity and attenuation coefficient of the irradiated gel samples were measured. According to the dose–response curve, the ability of ultrasonic parameters was evaluated in dose rate readings. Based on a 4-order polynomial curve, fitted on the dose–response parameters of ultrasound velocity and attenuation coefficient and observed at 24 hours after irradiation, ultrasonic parameters had more sensitivity. The sensitivity of the dose–velocity and dose-attenuation coefficient curves was observed as 50 m/s/Gy and 0.06 dB/MHz/Gy over the linear range of 4 to 44 Gy, respectively. The ultrasonic parameters at 5°C, 15°C, and 25°C on the gel dosimeter after 0 to 60 Gy irradiation showed that readings at 25°C have higher sensitivity compared to 15°C and 5°C. Maximum sensitivity time and temperature readings of the MAGIC-f ultrasonic parameters were concluded 24 hours after irradiation and at a temperature of 25°C.

'Magic coins' and 'magic squares': the discovery of astrological sigils in the Oldenburg Letters.

Science.gov (United States)

Roos, Anna Marie

2008-09-20

Enclosed in a 1673 letter to Henry Oldenburg were two drawings of a series of astrological sigils, coins and amulets from the collection of Strasbourg mathematician Julius Reichelt (1637-1719). As portrayals of particular medieval and early modern sigils are relatively rare, this paper will analyse the role of these medals in medieval and early modern medicine, the logic behind their perceived efficacy, and their significance in early modern astrological and cabalistic practice. I shall also demonstrate their change in status in the late seventeenth century from potent magical healing amulets tied to the mysteries of the heavens to objects kept in a cabinet for curiosos. The evolving perception of the purpose of sigils mirrored changing early modem beliefs in the occult influences of the heavens upon the body and the natural world, as well as the growing interests among virtuosi in collecting, numismatics and antiquities.

The MAGIC gamma-ray telescope: status and first results

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fernandez, Enrique

2006-01-01

MAGIC, a 17 m diameter Cherenkov telescope for gamma ray astronomy, has recently been commissioned at the Roque de los Muchachos site in the Island of La Palma, of the Canary Islands. The telescope was proposed in 1998 with the goal of lowering the threshold of observation of gamma rays by ground detectors to 20-30 GeV energies. This paper describes its main design features, its physics objectives and its first operations

Learning Activities That Combine Science Magic Activities with the 5E Instructional Model to Influence Secondary-School Students' Attitudes to Science

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, Jang-Long; Cheng, Meng-Fei; Chang, Ying-Chi; Li, Hsiao-Wen; Chang, Jih-Yuan; Lin, Deng-Min

2014-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate how learning materials based on Science Magic activities affect student attitudes to science. A quasi-experimental design was conducted to explore the combination of Science Magic with the 5E Instructional Model to develop learning materials for teaching a science unit about friction. The participants…

Magical fetish about prosperity Os fetiches mágicos da prosperidade

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

José de Arimathéia Cordeiro Custódio

2010-08-01

Full Text Available This study turns its attention to an arranged set of arbitrated signs – a code – quite specific: the typically neopentecostal stage objects used on Igreja Universal do Reino de Deus´ TV programs. Such objects are divided in two categories – sacred and profane – and analyzed according its outcome meaning. Firstly, in order to give the aspect of sanctity and spirituality, even with magical powers. Profane´ signs symbolize the prosperity of the ones whom embraced the church. Nine programs broadcasted at night were analyzed in different channels, besides the consultation of IURD´s sites in the search for complementary information. Este estudo volta sua atenção para um conjunto sistematizado de signos arbitrados – um código – bastante específicos: os objetos de cena de programas de TV da Igreja Universal do Reino de Deus, tipicamente neopentecostal. São objetos aqui divididos em duas categorias – sagrados e profanos – e analisados conforme o sentido gerado. No primeiro caso, para revestir os programas com uma aura de sacralidade e espiritualidade, e até poderes mágicos. Os signos profanos simbolizam a prosperidade de quem aderiu à igreja. Foram observados nove programas transmitidos na madrugada, em canais diferentes, além de consultados sites da IURD, para informações complementares.

Comparison of MAGIC and Diatom paleolimnological model hindcasts of lakewater acidification in the Adirondack region of New York

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sullivan, T.J.; Bernert, J.A.; Eliers, J.M. (E and S Environmental Chemistry, Corvallis, OR (USA)); Jenne, E.A. (Pacific Northwest Lab., Richland, WA (USA)); Cosby, B.J. (Duke Univ., Durham, NC (USA). School of Forestry and Environmental Studies); Charles, D.F.; Selle, A.R. (Environmental Protection Agency, Corvallis, OR (USA). Environmental Research Lab.)

1991-03-01

Thirty-three lakes that had been statistically selected as part of the US Environmental Protection Agency's Eastern Lake Survey and Direct Delayed Response Project (DDRP) were used to compare the MAGIC (watershed) and Diatom (paleolimnological) models. The study lakes represented a well-defined group of Adirondack lakes, each larger than 4 ha in area and having acid-neutralizing capacity (ANC) <400 {mu}eq L{sup {minus}1}. The study first compared current and pre-industrial (before 1850) pH and ANC estimates from Diatom and MAGIC as they were calibrated in the preceding Paleocological Investigation of Recent Lake Acidification (PIRLA) and DDRP studies, respectively. Initially, the comparison of hindcasts of pre-industrial chemistry was confounded by seasonal and methodological differences in lake chemistry data used in calibration of the model. Although certain differences proved to be of little significance for comparison, MAGIC did predict significantly higher pre-industrial ANC and pH values than did Diatom, using calibrations in the preceding studies. Both models suggest acidification of low ANC Adirondack region lakes since preindustrial times, but differ primarily in that MAGIC inferred greater acidification and that acidification has occurred in all lakes in the comparison, whereas Diatom inferred that acidification has been restricted to low ANC lakes (

The Magic and Science of Grimm: A Television Fairy Tale for Modern Americans

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Julianna Lindsay

2016-05-01

Full Text Available The National Broadcasting Company’s (NBC Grimm uses fairy tales and an altered history to explore modern issues in American society such as environmental concerns, individuality, and social and cultural change through magic and magic-tinged science. Worldwide chaos and strife are easily explained as part of the Grimm universe (Grimmverse through Wesen (humanoid creatures who share characteristics with animals such as appearance and behavior, leading to a more united view of humanity and equality of human experience. Evil is often more scientifically explained, and what may appear random within our reality becomes part of a pattern in Grimm. Grimm gives its American audience a form of societal unity through historic folklore and a fictional explanation for the struggles Americans perceive to be happening within their own society as well as in other parts of the world.

Rigidity of the magic pentagram game

Science.gov (United States)

Kalev, Amir; Miller, Carl A.

2018-01-01

A game is rigid if a near-optimal score guarantees, under the sole assumption of the validity of quantum mechanics, that the players are using an approximately unique quantum strategy. Rigidity has a vital role in quantum cryptography as it permits a strictly classical user to trust behavior in the quantum realm. This property can be traced back as far as 1998 (Mayers and Yao) and has been proved for multiple classes of games. In this paper we prove ridigity for the magic pentagram game, a simple binary constraint satisfaction game involving two players, five clauses and ten variables. We show that all near-optimal strategies for the pentagram game are approximately equivalent to a unique strategy involving real Pauli measurements on three maximally-entangled qubit pairs.

Rigidity of the magic pentagram game.

Science.gov (United States)

Kalev, Amir; Miller, Carl A

2018-01-01

A game is rigid if a near-optimal score guarantees, under the sole assumption of the validity of quantum mechanics, that the players are using an approximately unique quantum strategy. Rigidity has a vital role in quantum cryptography as it permits a strictly classical user to trust behavior in the quantum realm. This property can be traced back as far as 1998 (Mayers and Yao) and has been proved for multiple classes of games. In this paper we prove ridigity for the magic pentagram game, a simple binary constraint satisfaction game involving two players, five clauses and ten variables. We show that all near-optimal strategies for the pentagram game are approximately equivalent to a unique strategy involving real Pauli measurements on three maximally-entangled qubit pairs.

On three forms of thinking: magical thinking, dream thinking, and transformative thinking.

Science.gov (United States)

Ogden, Thomas H

2010-04-01

The author believes that contemporary psychoanalysis has shifted its emphasis from the understanding of the symbolic meaning of dreams, play, and associations to the exploration of the processes of thinking, dreaming, and playing. In this paper, he discusses his understanding of three forms of thinking-magical thinking, dream thinking, and transformative thinking-and provides clinical illustrations in which each of these forms of thinking figures prominently. The author views magical thinking as a form of thinking that subverts genuine thinking and psychological growth by substituting invented psychic reality for disturbing external reality. By contrast, dream thinking--our most profound form of thinking-involves viewing an emotional experience from multiple perspectives simultaneously: for example, the perspectives of primary process and secondary process thinking. In transformative thinking, one creates a new way of ordering experience that allows one to generate types of feeling, forms of object relatedness, and qualities of aliveness that had previously been unimaginable.

The Falcon and Female Cat in Egyptian Magic and The Petese Stories

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ryholt, Kim

2016-01-01

A recently published spell concerning the prevention of miscarriages, where a falcon and a female cat are invoked against Seth/Apophis, provides a clue to the understanding of an episode in The Petese Stories, where the same two animals are summoned through magic and directed against an enemy who...

Rx for Consumer Health Information: The Magic is in the Right Source

OpenAIRE

Blue, Ana Rosa; Curry, Jane

2010-01-01

Health information is one of the most popular topics requested, in libraries, by the public. These handouts supported the session titled: "Rx for Consumer Health Information: The Magic is in the Right Source" presented at the 2010 BC Library Conference (theme: Seriously Entertaining: Learning through Fun and Games).

Hamilton's Marbles or Jevon's Beans: A Demonstration of Miller's Magical Number Seven.

Science.gov (United States)

Shaffer, Leigh S.

1982-01-01

Describes a demonstration for college-level cognitive psychology classes of Miller's "Magical Number Seven" concept of the limitation of sensory capacity for processing information. Students report on the number of pennies they observed in a box after viewing the coins for two seconds. Demonstration results consistently support Miller's…

Playing with Game Time: Auto-Saves and Undoing Despite the ‘Magic Circle’

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chuk Moran

2010-07-01

Full Text Available Typically the time of games played on computer systems is considered as linear and progressive. Those studying games talk this way and often linear time is the idiom by which players make sense of their experiences at play. This article focuses on some recent games that explicitly engage players with time, a practice that I argue highlights the complicated relationship between the player, game time, and clock time. It is common to treat videogames as exception from the world, bounded in a kind of “magic circle” (Huizinga, 1938/1955. This can be seen in the most ready explanation of time; the basically uninterrupted arrow of player progress through the space of the game, made canonical by Jesper Juul (2005. However, there are many other kinds of time in games, and how players use these times says something significant about a game. There is something more to the magic circle than a condition of pure interiority. The magic circle is play that situates a game and it hosts a special intensity opening to larger forces. This is often ignored in the contemporary use of the term in scholarly discussions of computer-based games. The overly respectful attitude that games are distinct from regular life results in the construction of a “pure” zone strictly internal to games, and time in this zone appears as a line. This article argues that such a vision is incomplete. Time in videogames need not be understood as a single line, or any diagram of lines at all. The complex and overlapping rhythms that crosscut everyday life do not stop at a magical barrier that contains and protects the game; these varied rhythms both influence how games are played, and describe the variety of times that games contain. By attending to other times than a line, we can recognize other patterns in gaming. I suggest that the act of undoing highlights this particular temporal intensity of videogames. In this paper, I argue that undoing is not simply the restoration of a

Blinded By Magic: Eye-Movements Reveal the Misdirection of Attention

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anthony S. Barnhart

2014-12-01

Full Text Available Recent studies (e.g., Kuhn & Tatler, 2005 have suggested that magic tricks can provide a powerful and compelling domain for the study of attention and perception. In particular, many stage illusions involve attentional misdirection, guiding the observer’s gaze to a salient object or event, while another critical action, such as sleight of hand, is taking place. Even if the critical action takes place in full view, people typically fail to see it due to inattentional blindness. In an eye-tracking experiment, participants watched videos of a new magic trick, wherein a coin placed beneath a napkin disappears, reappearing under a different napkin. Appropriately deployed attention would allow participants to detect the secret event that underlies the illusion (a moving coin, as it happens in full view and is visible for approximately 550 ms. Nevertheless, we observed high rates of inattentional blindness. Unlike prior research, eye-movements during the critical event showed different patterns for participants, depending upon whether they saw the moving coin. The results also showed that when participants watched several practice videos without any moving coin, they became far more likely to detect the coin in the critical trial. Taken together, the findings are consistent with perceptual load theory (Lavie & Tsal, 1994.

Tomotherapy dose distribution verification using MAGIC-f polymer gel dosimetry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pavoni, J. F.; Pike, T. L.; Snow, J.; DeWerd, L.; Baffa, O.

2012-01-01

Purpose: This paper presents the application of MAGIC-f gel in a three-dimensional dose distribution measurement and its ability to accurately measure the dose distribution from a tomotherapy unit. Methods: A prostate intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) irradiation was simulated in the gel phantom and the treatment was delivered by a TomoTherapy equipment. Dose distribution was evaluated by the R2 distribution measured in magnetic resonance imaging. Results: A high similarity was found by overlapping of isodoses of the dose distribution measured with the gel and expected by the treatment planning system (TPS). Another analysis was done by comparing the relative absorbed dose profiles in the measured and in the expected dose distributions extracted along indicated lines of the volume and the results were also in agreement. The gamma index analysis was also applied to the data and a high pass rate was achieved (88.4% for analysis using 3%/3 mm and of 96.5% using 4%/4 mm). The real three-dimensional analysis compared the dose-volume histograms measured for the planning volumes and expected by the treatment planning, being the results also in good agreement by the overlapping of the curves. Conclusions: These results show that MAGIC-f gel is a promise for tridimensional dose distribution measurements.

Tomotherapy dose distribution verification using MAGIC-f polymer gel dosimetry

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pavoni, J. F.; Pike, T. L.; Snow, J.; DeWerd, L.; Baffa, O. [Departamento de Fisica, Faculdade de Filosofia Ciencias e Letras de Ribeirao Preto-Universidade de Sao Paulo, Av. Bandeirantes, 3900 - CEP 14040-901 - Bairro Monte Alegre - Ribeirao Preto, SP (Brazil); Medical Radiation Research Center, Department of Medical Physics, University of Wisconsin, 1111 Highland Avenue, B1002 WIMR, Madison, Wisconsin 53705-2275 (United States); Departamento de Fisica, Faculdade de Filosofia Ciencias e Letras de Ribeirao Preto-Universidade de Sao Paulo, Av. Bandeirantes, 3900 - CEP 14040-901 - Bairro Monte Alegre - Ribeirao Preto, SP (Brazil)

2012-05-15

Purpose: This paper presents the application of MAGIC-f gel in a three-dimensional dose distribution measurement and its ability to accurately measure the dose distribution from a tomotherapy unit. Methods: A prostate intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) irradiation was simulated in the gel phantom and the treatment was delivered by a TomoTherapy equipment. Dose distribution was evaluated by the R2 distribution measured in magnetic resonance imaging. Results: A high similarity was found by overlapping of isodoses of the dose distribution measured with the gel and expected by the treatment planning system (TPS). Another analysis was done by comparing the relative absorbed dose profiles in the measured and in the expected dose distributions extracted along indicated lines of the volume and the results were also in agreement. The gamma index analysis was also applied to the data and a high pass rate was achieved (88.4% for analysis using 3%/3 mm and of 96.5% using 4%/4 mm). The real three-dimensional analysis compared the dose-volume histograms measured for the planning volumes and expected by the treatment planning, being the results also in good agreement by the overlapping of the curves. Conclusions: These results show that MAGIC-f gel is a promise for tridimensional dose distribution measurements.

Angra nuclear plant - environmental control program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kircher, E.; Cruz, E.S. da

1989-01-01

The pre-operational studies, that were elaborated before the beginning of Angra I Power Plant operation, are described in particular the environmental radiological safety area till the fuel loading in the core reactor. Several aspects are included, as socio-economic survey, seismological analysis, Meteorological Program, marine biology, water cooling system, exposure measures of natural radiation, marine sediments characterization in the effluent dispersion area and Environmental Radiological Monitoring Program. The main environmental programs developed for the operational phase of the Angra I Plant are also presented, citing some considerations about the Meteorological Program, Marine Biology Control Program, Temperature and Chlorine Control in Piraquara de Fora Bay, Radiological Environmental Monitoring Program, Sanitary Effluent Control Program and Radiological Emergency Program. (C.G.C.). 2 refs

Association Mapping of Ferrous, Zinc, and Aluminum Tolerance at the Seedling Stage in Indica Rice using MAGIC Populations

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lijun Meng

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Excessive amounts of metal are toxic and severely affect plant growth and development. Understanding the genetic control of metal tolerance is crucial to improve rice resistance to Fe, Zn, and Al toxicity. The multi-parent advanced generation inter-cross (MAGIC populations were genotyped using a 55 K rice SNP array and screened at the seedling stage for Fe, Zn, and Al toxicity using a hydroponics system. Association analysis was conducted by implementing a mixed linear model (MLM for each of the five MAGIC populations double cross DC1 (founders were SAGC-08, HHZ5-SAL9-Y3-Y1, BP1976B-2-3-7-TB-1-1, PR33282-B-8-1-1-1-1-1, double cross DC2 (founders of double cross were FFZ1, CT 16658-5-2-2SR-2-3-6MP, IR 68, IR 02A127, eight parents population 8way (founders were SAGC-08, HHZ5-SAL9-Y3-Y1, BP1976B-2-3-7-TB-1-1, PR33282-B-8-1-1-1-1-1, FFZ1, CT 16658-5-2-2SR-2-3-6MP, IR 68, IR 02A127, DC12 (DC1+DC2 and rice multi-parent recombinant inbred line population RMPRIL (DC1+DC2+8way. A total of 21, 30, and 21 QTL were identified for Fe, Zn, and Al toxicity tolerance, respectively. For multi tolerance (MT as Fe, Zn, and Al tolerance-related traits, three genomic regions, MT1.1 (chr.1: 35.4–36.3 Mb, MT1.2 (chr.1: 35.4–36.3 Mb, and MT3.2 (chr.3: 35.4-36.2 Mb harbored QTL. The chromosomal regions MT2.1 (chr.2: 2.4–2.8 Mb, MT2.2 (chr.2: 24.5–25.8 Mb, MT4 (chr.4: 1.2 Mb Mb, MT8.1 (chr.8: 0.7–0.9 Mb, and MT8.2 (chr.8: 2.2–2.4 Mb harbored QTL for Fe and Zn tolerance, while MT2.3 (chr.2: 30.5–31.6 Mb, MT3.1 (chr.3: 12.5–12.8 Mb, and MT6 (chr.6: 2.0–3.0 Mb possessed QTL for Al and Zn tolerance. The chromosomal region MT9.1 (chr.9: 14.2–14.7 Mb possessed QTL for Fe and Al tolerance. A total of 11 QTL were detected across different MAGIC populations and 12 clustered regions were detected under different metal conditions, suggesting that these genomic regions might constitute valuable regions for further marker-assisted selection (MAS in breeding

The influence of naturally-occurring organic acids on model estimates of lakewater acidification using the model of acidification of groundwater in catchments (MAGIC)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sullivan, T.J.; Eilers, J.M.; Cosby, B.J.; Driscoll, C.T.; Hemond, H.F.; Charles, D.F.; Norton, S.A.

1993-01-01

A project for the US Department of Energy, entitled ''Incorporation of an organic acid representation into MAGIC (Model of Acidification of Groundwater in Catchments) and Testing of the Revised Model UsingIndependent Data Sources'' was initiated by E ampersand S Environmental Chemistry, Inc. in March, 1992. Major components of the project include: improving the MAGIC model by incorporating a rigorous organic acid representation, based on empirical data and geochemical considerations, and testing the revised model using data from paleolimnological hindcasts of preindustrial chemistry for 33 Adirondack Mountain lakes, and the results of whole-catchment artificial acidification projects in Maine and Norway. The ongoing research in this project involves development of an organic acid representation to be incorporated into the MAGIC modeland testing of the improved model using three independent data sources. The research during Year 1 has included conducting two workshops to agree on an approach for the organic acid modeling, developing the organic subroutine and incorporating it into MAGIC (Task 1), conducing MAGIC hindcasts for Adirondack lakes and comparing the results with paleolimnological reconstructions (Task 2), and conducting site visits to the manipulation project sites in Maine and Norway. The purpose of this report is to provide a summary of the work that has been conducted on this project during Year 1. Tasks 1 and 2 have now been completed

The influence of naturally-occurring organic acids on model estimates of lakewater acidification using the model of acidification of groundwater in catchments (MAGIC)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sullivan, T.J.; Eilers, J.M. (E and S Environmental Chemistry, Inc., Corvallis, OR (United States)); Cosby, B.J. (Virginia Univ., Charlottesville, VA (United States). Dept. of Environmental Sciences); Driscoll, C.T. (Syracuse Univ., NY (United States). Dept. of Civil Engineering); Hemond, H.F. (Massachusetts Inst. of Tech., Cambridge, MA (United States). Dept. of Civil Engineering); Charles, D.F.

1993-03-05

A project for the US Department of Energy, entitled Incorporation of an organic acid representation into MAGIC (Model of Acidification of Groundwater in Catchments) and Testing of the Revised Model UsingIndependent Data Sources'' was initiated by E S Environmental Chemistry, Inc. in March, 1992. Major components of the project include: improving the MAGIC model by incorporating a rigorous organic acid representation, based on empirical data and geochemical considerations, and testing the revised model using data from paleolimnological hindcasts of preindustrial chemistry for 33 Adirondack Mountain lakes, and the results of whole-catchment artificial acidification projects in Maine and Norway. The ongoing research in this project involves development of an organic acid representation to be incorporated into the MAGIC modeland testing of the improved model using three independent data sources. The research during Year 1 has included conducting two workshops to agree on an approach for the organic acid modeling, developing the organic subroutine and incorporating it into MAGIC (Task 1), conducing MAGIC hindcasts for Adirondack lakes and comparing the results with paleolimnological reconstructions (Task 2), and conducting site visits to the manipulation project sites in Maine and Norway. The purpose of this report is to provide a summary of the work that has been conducted on this project during Year 1. Tasks 1 and 2 have now been completed.

Status and recent results of the MAGIC telescope system

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fruck, Christian [Max-Planck-Institut fuer Physik, Muenchen (Germany); Collaboration: MAGIC-Collaboration

2016-07-01

MAGIC is an instrument for pointed ground-based observations of the gamma-ray sky in the 50 GeV to 80 TeV regime. The two 17 m diameter Imaging Air Cherenkov Telescopes are located on 2200 m a.s.l. at the Roque de los Muchachos Observatory on the Canary island La Palma. We will report the status and recent technical developments of the instrument, highlight the most important scientific results obtained with observations of Galactic and extragalactic objects, and will summarize future plans.

Sleep Does Not Promote Solving Classical Insight Problems and Magic Tricks

Science.gov (United States)

Schönauer, Monika; Brodt, Svenja; Pöhlchen, Dorothee; Breßmer, Anja; Danek, Amory H.; Gais, Steffen

2018-01-01

During creative problem solving, initial solution attempts often fail because of self-imposed constraints that prevent us from thinking out of the box. In order to solve a problem successfully, the problem representation has to be restructured by combining elements of available knowledge in novel and creative ways. It has been suggested that sleep supports the reorganization of memory representations, ultimately aiding problem solving. In this study, we systematically tested the effect of sleep and time on problem solving, using classical insight tasks and magic tricks. Solving these tasks explicitly requires a restructuring of the problem representation and may be accompanied by a subjective feeling of insight. In two sessions, 77 participants had to solve classical insight problems and magic tricks. The two sessions either occurred consecutively or were spaced 3 h apart, with the time in between spent either sleeping or awake. We found that sleep affected neither general solution rates nor the number of solutions accompanied by sudden subjective insight. Our study thus adds to accumulating evidence that sleep does not provide an environment that facilitates the qualitative restructuring of memory representations and enables problem solving. PMID:29535620

Beyond the magic circle : A network perspective on role-play in online games

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Copier, M.

2007-01-01

Currently, game research is characterized by the (re)construction of contested boundaries such as the “magic circle” of the game experience. These boundaries create dichotomies, for instance, between the real and the imaginary that hide the complexity of actual play, design and research. In this

Which colors would extraterrestrial civilizations use to transmit signals?: The ;magic wavelengths; for optical SETI

Science.gov (United States)

Narusawa, Shin-ya; Aota, Tatusya; Kishimoto, Ryo

2018-04-01

In the case of radio SETI, there are predicted frequencies which extraterrestrial beings select to send messages to other civilizations. Those are called ;magic frequencies. Considering the optical region, terrestrial technologies can not transmit arbitrary wavelengths of high-power optical lasers, easily. In this article, we discuss communications among civilizations with the same level of technology as us to enhance the persuasive power. It might be possible to make a reasonable assumption about the laser wavelengths transmitted by extraterrestrial intelligences to benefit optical SETI (OSETI) methods. Therefore, we propose some ;magic wavelengths; for spectroscopic OSETI observations in this article. From the senders point of view, we argue that the most favorable wavelength used for interstellar communication would be the one of YAG lasers, at 1.064 μm or its Second Harmonic Generation (532.1 nm). On the contrary, there are basic absorption lines in the optical spectra, which are frequently observed by astrophysicists on Earth. It is possible that the extraterrestrials used lasers, which wavelengths are tuned to such absorption lines for sending messages. In that case, there is a possibility that SHG and/or Sum Frequency Generation of YAG and YLF lasers are used. We propose three lines at, 393.8 nm (near the Ca K line), 656.5 nm (near the Hα line) and 589.1 nm (Na D2 line) as the magic wavelengths.

The Power of the Word and the Mastery of Nature: Renaissance Magic and Francis Bacon

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Špelda, Daniel

19/43/, - (2005), s. 7-36. ISBN 80-7007-236-9. ISSN 0231-5955 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z90090514 Keywords : magic * renaissance philosophy * Francis Bacon Subject RIV: AA - Philosophy ; Religion

Jeu et fiction dans un jeu de cartes à collectionner : le cas de Magic : l’Assemblée

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pierre Cuvelier

2011-06-01

Full Text Available Le genre du jeu de cartes à collectionner apparaît en 1993 avec Magic : l’Assemblée de Richard Garfield. Si la plupart des émules de Magic sont des jeux dérivés d’univers de licence comme Pokémon, Magic se fondait sur un univers de fantasy inédit, enrichi par des extensions successives, et dont les cartes restent le principal vecteur. Je me propose ici de réfléchir sur les rapports qui se nouent entre le jeu et la fiction dans Magic, et d’examiner les contraintes, le fonctionnement et les principaux procédés fictionnels propres à ce support singulier. Magic fait partie des jeux à composante fictionnelle forte, dont les règles comportent un caractère mimétique certain, bien que limité. Les différents éléments d’une même carte et les cartes entre elles fonctionnent comme des fragments qui se combinent pour pointer vers une réalité fictive qui, bien que conçue par l’éditeur sur le modèle des univers de licence à forte cohérence (notamment les récentes fictions transmédiatiques, laisse à rêver aux joueurs par les blancs et les ambiguïtés inhérentes à cette articulation entre jeu et fiction. Les tâtonnements de l’éditeur au fil des extensions sont riches d’enseignements sur les possibilités et les limites d’un tel support, où la fiction narrative linéaire doit laisser place, à petite échelle, à une fiction plus structurelle, prenant la forme d’environnements mis en tension plutôt que de narrations linéaires.

Effective forces in near-magic nuclei

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Artamonov, S.A.; Isakov, V.I.; Ogloblin, S.G.

1984-01-01

Characteristics of 146 Gd, 206 Hg, sup(206, 208)Tl, sup(206, 208, 210)Pb, sup(208, 210)Bi, 210 Po nuclei are calculated on the base of representations on universal effective interaction of finite range. Discrepancy with the experiment for 210 Bi nucleus disappears if the method of ''penalty'' functions is used for search of optimum parameters. New parameters of effective interaction common for all the considered two-quasi-particle nuclei are determined. Parameters of tensor forces undergo most noticeable danges as compared with other calculations. Descriptions of lowest levels not only 210 Bi but also 206 Tl as well as collective states of 208 Pb and a new magic nucleus 146 Gd are improved. The calculated probabilities of electric transitions between ground and one-phonon states in core nuclei also agree with the experiment

Discovering magic of mobile technology in business: strategic marketing perspective

OpenAIRE

Bolat, Elvira

2016-01-01

Mobile technology penetrated all aspects of social and business existence. Studies around mobile technology mostly address the use and adoption process of mobile marketing or mobile commerce from a consumer perspective rather than from a business perspective. Another concern of majority of studies on the use of mobile technology is a focus on technical nature of mobile devices despite the fact that true magic of technology resides in its mobilisation and usage – the deployment of mobile techn...

Against Better Knowledge: The Magical Force of Amodal Volume Completion

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vebjørn Ekroll

2013-12-01

Full Text Available In a popular magic routine known as “multiplying billiard balls”, magicians fool their audience by using an empty shell that the audience believes to be a complete ball. Here, we present some observations suggesting that the spectators do not merely entertain the intellectual belief that the balls are all solid, but rather automatically and immediately perceive them as such. Our observations demonstrate the surprising potency and genuinely perceptual origin of amodal volume completion.

Environmental Restoration Program Control Management System

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Duke, R.T.

1992-01-01

Environmental Restoration managers need to demonstrate that their programs are under control. Unlike most industrial programs, the public is heavily involved in Environmental Restoration activities. The public is demanding that the country prove that real progress is being made towards cleaning up the environment. A Program Control Management System can fill this need. It provides a structure for planning, work authorization, data accumulation, data analysis and change control. But it takes time to implement a control system and the public is losing its patience. This paper describes critical items essential to the quick development and implementation of a successful control system

The Permanence of Mental Objects: Testing Magical Thinking on Perceived and Imaginary Realities

Science.gov (United States)

Subbotsky, Eugene

2005-01-01

This study tested participants' preparedness to acknowledge that an object could change as a result of magical intervention. Six- and 9-year-old children and adults treated perceived and imagined objects as being equally permanent. Adults treated a fantastic object as significantly less permanent than either perceived or imagined objects. Results…

Note on sideband intensities in one-dimensional magic angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Well, van H.F.J.M.; Vankan, J.M.J.; Janssen, A.J.E.M.

1991-01-01

It is well known that in the NMR spectra of solid samples spinning at the magic angle centrebands and sidebands occur. The centrebands are found at the isotropic value of the chemical shift and the sidebands are found at integral multiples of the spinning frequency as long as the spinning frequency

Getting to Know the Dutch: Magic Lantern Slides as Traces of Intermedial Performance Practices

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Dellmann, S.

2014-01-01

Understanding Magic Lantern Slides as relics of a performance situation changes the perspective towards this archival material: It is then no longer a distinct object but one element in a complex relation. “Intermediality” and “performativity” proved to be suitable conceptual tools to investigate

Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy Applications: Proton NMR In Biological Objects Subjected To Magic Angle Spinning

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wind, Robert A.; Hu, Jian Zhi

2005-01-01

Proton NMR in Biological Objects Submitted to Magic Angle Spinning, In Encyclopedia of Analytical Science, Second Edition (Paul J. Worsfold, Alan Townshend and Colin F. Poole, eds.), Elsevier, Oxford 6:333-342. Published January 1, 2005. Proposal Number 10896

Program Baseline Change Control Board charter

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1993-02-01

The purpose of this Charter is to establish the Program Baseline Change Control Board (PBCCB) for the Office of Civilian Radioactive Waste Management (OCRWM) Program, and to describe its organization, responsibilities, and basic methods of operation. Guidance for implementing this Charter is provided by the OCRWM Baseline Management Plan (BMP) and OCRWM Program Baseline Change Control Procedure

Intriguing structures and magic sizes of heavy noble metal nanoclusters around size 55 governed by relativistic effect and covalent bonding

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhao, X. J.; Xue, X. L.; Jia, Yu [International Laboratory for Quantum Functional Materials of Henan and School of Physics and Engineering, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001 (China); Guo, Z. X. [International Laboratory for Quantum Functional Materials of Henan and School of Physics and Engineering, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001 (China); Department of Chemistry and London Centre for Nanotechnology, University College London, London WC1H (United Kingdom); Li, S. F., E-mail: sflizzu@zzu.edu.cn [International Laboratory for Quantum Functional Materials of Henan and School of Physics and Engineering, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001 (China); ICQD, Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230026 (China); Zhang, Zhenyu, E-mail: zhangzy@ustc.edu.cn [ICQD, Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230026 (China); Synergetic Innovation Center of Quantum Information and Quantum Physics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230026 (China); Gao, Y. F., E-mail: ygao7@utk.edu [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee 37996 (United States); Materials Science and Technology Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831 (United States)

2015-11-07

Nanoclusters usually display exotic physical and chemical properties due to their intriguing geometric structures in contrast to their bulk counterparts. By means of first-principles calculations within density functional theory, we find that heavy noble metal Pt{sub N} nanoclusters around the size N = 55 begin to prefer an open configuration, rather than previously reported close-packed icosahedron or core-shell structures. Particularly, for Pt{sub N}, the widely supposed icosahedronal magic cluster is changed to a three-atomic-layered structure with D{sub 6h} symmetry, which can be well addressed by our recently established generalized Wulff construction principle (GWCP). However, the magic number of Pt{sub N} clusters around 55 is shifted to a new odd number of 57. The high symmetric three-layered Pt{sub 57} motif is mainly stabilized by the enhanced covalent bonding contributed by both spin-orbital coupling effect and the open d orbital (5d{sup 9}6s{sup 1}) of Pt, which result in a delicate balance between the enhanced Pt–Pt covalent bonding of the interlayers and negligible d dangling bonds on the cluster edges. These findings about Pt{sub N} clusters are also applicable to Ir{sub N} clusters, but qualitatively different from their earlier neighboring element Os and their later neighboring element Au. The magic numbers for Os and Au are even, being 56 and 58, respectively. The findings of the new odd magic number 57 are the important supplementary of the recently established GWCP.

The Tlonic World of Harry Potter: An Idealistic Version of Magical World

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bahee Hadaegh

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Considered as literary pieces of fantasy and secondarily a possible version of magic realism, J.K. Rowling’s seven Harry Potter (1997-2007 novels have been involving the readers of different age groups and succeeded in unleashing the target imagination. Taking into account the different probable associations, it is of novelty to draw comparisons between the magical world of Harry Potter (1997-2007 and that of Tlon in Jorge Luis Borges’ short story “Tlon, Uqbar, Orbis, Tertius" (1941. In both worlds there exist images and implied notions that serve to naturalize the supernatural and to blur the line between the real and the imaginary. Making use of Berkeleyan theory of idealism, the power of mind is emphasized upon due to its capability of bringing into existence any object, concept or incident that seems materially and logically impossible. Meanwhile, an abstract force that is Love is highlighted in the novels that could be assumed as functioning like the omniscient God of Berkeley holding the universe together with its mere presence. Therefore, a new perspective in discovering a truth of life would be dragged into view as a result of the products of one’s mind.

15 CFR 752.11 - Internal Control Programs.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 15 Commerce and Foreign Trade 2 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Internal Control Programs. 752.11... COMPREHENSIVE LICENSE § 752.11 Internal Control Programs. (a) Scope—(1) Introduction. It is through Internal Control Programs (ICPs) that the SCL holder and the consignee assure that exports and reexports are not...

'Magic' Configurations of Three-Qubit Observables and Geometric Hyperplanes of the Smallest Split Cayley Hexagon

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Saniga, M.; Planat, M.; Pracna, Petr; Levay, P.

2012-01-01

Roč. 8, č. 2012 (2012), 083 ISSN 1815-0659 Institutional support: RVO:61388955 Keywords : 'magic' configurations of observables * three-qubit Pauli group * split Cayley hexagon of order two Subject RIV: CF - Physical ; Theoretical Chemistry Impact factor: 1.243, year: 2012

Graceful, harmonious and magic type labelings relations and techniques

CERN Document Server

López, Susana C

2017-01-01

Aimed toward upper undergraduate and graduate students in mathematics, this book examines the foremost forms of graph labelings including magic, harmonious, and graceful labelings. An overview of basic graph theory concepts and notation is provided along with the origins of graph labeling. Common methods and techniques are presented introducing readers to links between graph labels. A variety of useful techniques are presented to analyze and understand properties of graph labelings. The classical results integrated with new techniques, complete proofs, numerous exercises, and a variety of open problems, will provide readers with a solid understanding of graph labelings.

Cluster growing process and a sequence of magic numbers

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Solov'yov, Ilia; Solov'yov, Andrey V.; Greiner, Walter

2003-01-01

demonstrate that in this way all known global minimum structures of the Lennard-Jones (LJ) clusters can be found. Our method provides an efficient tool for the calculation and analysis of atomic cluster structure. With its use we justify the magic number sequence for the clusters of noble gas atoms......We present a new theoretical framework for modeling the cluster growing process. Starting from the initial tetrahedral cluster configuration, adding new atoms to the system, and absorbing its energy at each step, we find cluster growing paths up to the cluster sizes of more than 100 atoms. We...

Epirubicin, oxaliplatin, and capectabine is just as "MAGIC"al as epirubicin, cisplatin, and fluorouracil perioperative chemotherapy for resectable locally advanced gastro-oesophageal cancer

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bhawna Sirohi

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Background: The perioperative use of epirubicin, cisplatin, and fluorouracil (ECF significantly improves outcomes in patients with gastric and gastro-oesophageal (GO cancers but is cumbersome to administer. Given the equivalence of epirubicin, oxaliplatin, and capectabine (EOX with ECF in advanced setting, we analyzed the compliance, efficacy, and toxicity of perioperative EOX in resectable but locally advanced cancers. Methods: This is a retrospective analysis of prospectively maintained database of patients treated between January 2012 and September 2013 at Tata Memorial Centre. Patients were planned to receive 3# of neoadjuvant (NA and 3# of adjuvant EOX (intravenous epirubicin 50 mg/m 2 D1, oxaliplatin 130 mg/m 2 , on D1, capecitabiine 1250 mg/m 2 D1-21 every 21 days. On completion of NA therapy, patients were planned to undergo gastrectomy and D2 lymphadenectomy. Results: A total of 99 patients (76% males, median age 51 years were treated with perioperative EOX. Preoperatively, 93% patients completed EOX. Post-NA chemotherapy, 4 patients progressed, 1 patient died and 94 were taken up for surgery. Of these, 9 were inoperable and 85 patients underwent radical surgery. Of these, 71% (60/85 were able to complete three cycles of adjuvant EOX. The compliance to complete all 6 cycles of perioperative chemotherapy was 64%. Grade 3 and 4 toxicities were comparable to the MAGIC dataset apart from higher number of diarrhea in our patients. Conclusions: In patients with resectable GO adenocarcinoma, it is possible to deliver the MAGIC-type perioperative chemotherapy with EOX with better compliance, toxicity, and efficacy rates.

MAGIC: Marine ARM GPCI Investigation of Clouds

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lewis, ER; Wiscombe, WJ; Albrecht, BA; Bland, GL; Flagg, CN; Klein, SA; Kollias, P; Mace, G; Reynolds, RM; Schwartz, SE; Siebesma, AP; Teixeira, J; Wood, R; Zhang, M

2012-10-03

The second Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Mobile Facility (AMF2) will be deployed aboard the Horizon Lines cargo container ship merchant vessel (M/V) Spirit for MAGIC, the Marine ARM GPCI1 Investigation of Clouds. The Spirit will traverse the route between Los Angeles, California, and Honolulu, Hawaii, from October 2012 through September 2013 (except for a few months in the middle of this time period when the ship will be in dry dock). During this field campaign, AMF2 will observe and characterize the properties of clouds and precipitation, aerosols, and atmospheric radiation; standard meteorological and oceanographic variables; and atmospheric structure. There will also be two intensive observational periods (IOPs), one in January 2013 and one in July 2013, during which more detailed measurements of the atmospheric structure will be made.

WE-E-18A-07: MAGIC: Multi-Acquisition Gain Image Correction for Mobile X-Ray Systems with Intrinsic Localization Crosshairs

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Park, Y; Sharp, G [Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA (United States)

2014-06-15

Purpose: Gain calibration for X-ray imaging systems with movable flat panel detectors (FPD) and intrinsic crosshairs is a challenge due to the geometry dependence of the heel effect and crosshair artifact. This study aims to develop a gain correction method for such systems by implementing the multi-acquisition gain image correction (MAGIC) technique. Methods: Raw flat-field images containing crosshair shadows and heel effect were acquired in 4 different FPD positions with fixed exposure parameters. The crosshair region was automatically detected and substituted with interpolated values from nearby exposed regions, generating a conventional single-image gain-map for each FPD position. Large kernel-based correction was applied to these images to correct the heel effect. A mask filter was used to invalidate the original cross-hair regions previously filled with the interpolated values. A final, seamless gain-map was created from the processed images by either the sequential filling (SF) or selective averaging (SA) techniques developed in this study. Quantitative evaluation was performed based on detective quantum efficiency improvement factor (DQEIF) for gain-corrected images using the conventional and proposed techniques. Results: Qualitatively, the MAGIC technique was found to be more effective in eliminating crosshair artifacts compared to the conventional single-image method. The mean DQEIF over the range of frequencies from 0.5 to 3.5 mm-1 were 1.09±0.06, 2.46±0.32, and 3.34±0.36 in the crosshair-artifact region and 2.35±0.31, 2.33±0.31, and 3.09±0.34 in the normal region, for the conventional, MAGIC-SF, and MAGIC-SA techniques, respectively. Conclusion: The introduced MAGIC technique is appropriate for gain calibration of an imaging system associated with a moving FPD and an intrinsic crosshair. The technique showed advantages over a conventional single image-based technique by successfully reducing residual crosshair artifacts, and higher image quality

The Inca healer: empirical medical knowledge and magic in pre-Columbian Peru

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Elferink, Jan G. R.

2015-08-01

Full Text Available The role of medical practitioners among the Incas is addressed, based on archeological findings and especially the writings of the Spanish chroniclers. In Inca medicine a large role was reserved for religion and magic but at the same time an extensive knowledge of medicinal plants was available. As a consequence there were several types of healers who cured with a mixture of medicinal plants and religious-magic ceremonies. The hampicamayoc or ‘official in charge of medicines’ was the one who resembled somewhat the European physician of that time and was the most important type of healer. He relied largely but certainly not exclusively on the use of medicinal plants. There were also healers who cured mainly with religious-magic procedures. Surgery must have been important for the Inca healer but this is hardly reflected in the work of the Spanish chroniclers.La posición social de los profesionales de la medicina en la Cultura Inca se conoce gracias a los hallazgos arqueológicos y, sobre todo, gracias a los escritos de los cronistas españoles. En la medicina Inca, la religión y la magia ocupaban un papel destacado, aunque también era importante el conocimiento de las plantas medicinales. En consecuencia, existieron distintos tipos de curanderos que curaban con una mezcla más o menos mayor de plantas medicinales y ceremonias religiosas y mágicas. El hampicamayoc o «funcionario encargado de los medicamentos» sobresalía entre los curanderos y tenía cierto parecido con el médico europeo de la época. Su actuación se basaba sobre todo, aunque no exclusivamente, en el uso de plantas medicinales. Otros, en cambio, curaban básicamente con procedimientos mágicoreligiosos. La cirugía debió ser importante para el sanador Inca pero este hecho apenas se refleja en la obra de los cronistas españoles.

Reconnaissance and Autonomy for Small Robots (RASR) team: MAGIC 2010 challenge

Science.gov (United States)

Lacaze, Alberto; Murphy, Karl; Del Giorno, Mark; Corley, Katrina

2012-06-01

The Reconnaissance and Autonomy for Small Robots (RASR) team developed a system for the coordination of groups of unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs) that can execute a variety of military relevant missions in dynamic urban environments. Historically, UGV operations have been primarily performed via tele-operation, requiring at least one dedicated operator per robot, and requiring substantial real-time bandwidth to accomplish those missions. Our team goal was to develop a system that can provide long-term value to the war-fighter, utilizing MAGIC-2010 as a stepping stone. To that end, we self-imposed a set of constraints that would force us to develop technology that could readily be used by the military in the near term: • Use a relevant (deployed) platform • Use low-cost, reliable sensors • Develop an expandable and modular control system with innovative software algorithms to minimize the computing footprint required • Minimize required communications bandwidth and handle communication losses • Minimize additional power requirements to maximize battery life and mission duration

Choosing in Freedom or Forced to Choose? Introspective Blindness to Psychological Forcing in Stage-Magic

Science.gov (United States)

Shalom, Diego E.; de Sousa Serro, Maximiliano G.; Giaconia, Maximiliano; Martinez, Luis M.; Rieznik, Andres; Sigman, Mariano

2013-01-01

We investigated an individual ability to identify whether choices were made freely or forced by external parameters. We capitalized on magical setups where the notion of psychological forcing constitutes a well trodden path. In live stage magic, a magician guessed cards from spectators while inquiring how freely they thought they had made the choice. Our data showed a marked blindness in the introspection of free choice. Spectators assigned comparable ratings when choosing the card that the magician deliberately forced them compared to any other card, even in classical forcing, where the magician literally handles a card to the participant This observation was paralleled by a laboratory experiment where we observed modest changes in subjective reports by factors with drastic effect in choice. Pupil dilatation, which is known to tag slow cognitive events related to memory and attention, constitutes an efficient fingerprint to index subjective and objective aspects of choice. PMID:23516455

Computer program CDCID: an automated quality control program using CDC update

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Singer, G.L.; Aguilar, F.

1984-04-01

A computer program, CDCID, has been developed in coordination with a quality control program to provide a highly automated method of documenting changes to computer codes at EG and G Idaho, Inc. The method uses the standard CDC UPDATE program in such a manner that updates and their associated documentation are easily made and retrieved in various formats. The method allows each card image of a source program to point to the document which describes it, who created the card, and when it was created. The method described is applicable to the quality control of computer programs in general. The computer program described is executable only on CDC computing systems, but the program could be modified and applied to any computing system with an adequate updating program

Measurement control program at model facility

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schneider, R.A.

1984-01-01

A measurement control program for the model plant is described. The discussion includes the technical basis for such a program, the application of measurement control principles to each measurement, and the use of special experiments to estimate measurement error parameters for difficult-to-measure materials. The discussion also describes the statistical aspects of the program, and the documentation procedures used to record, maintain, and process the basic data

Auditing measurement control programs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Roberts, F.P.; Brouns, R.J.

1979-10-01

Requirements and a general procedure for auditing measurement control programs used in special nuclear material accounting are discussed. The areas of measurement control that need to be examined are discussed and a suggested checklist is included to assist in the preparation and performance of the audit

["The multiple science instructional curious artist". Alchemy, folk magic and folk medicine in baroque home reference books].

Science.gov (United States)

Priesner, Claus

2011-01-01

Germany's Hausväterliteratur, the "literature of the fathers of the houses," was once a popular genre but today is seldom studied. Roughly, this literature, as its name suggests, comprises books on the proper keeping of noble households and mansions. Interestingly, besides the content which one might expect in such books, the organization of personnel, the arrangement of festivities, discussions of the various branches of technical skills, economic advice and the whole field of agriculture, fishing and hunting, these books also contain remarkably large amounts of information directly connected with magic and an associated popular medicine (Volksmedizin). This medicine involved treatment administered mostly by laywomen instead of regular physicians and was based not just upon traditional medical knowledge per se but also upon magical practices. Also found in such texts are alchemical ideas and recipes. This means that despite the fact that such books were written and published in the 17th and early 18th century, the Age of Enlightenment, conceptions found in them are still deeply rooted in older intellectual currents, in Medieval and Renaissance thinking. The present study examines examples of alchemical, magical and popular medical ideas in three such works and seeks to explain how pre-enlightenment ideas and thought could maintain such an influential place in the intellectual world of a later time dominated by other philosophies.

Phosphorus-doped thin silica films characterized by magic-angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jacobsen, H.J.; Skibsted, J.; Kristensen, Martin

2001-01-01

Magic-angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance spectra of 31P and 29Si have been achieved for a thin silica film doped with only 1.8% 31P and deposited by plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition on a pure silicon wafer. The observation of a symmetric 31P chemical shift tensor is consistent...

Atmospheric Monitoring at the Site of the MAGIC Telescopes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Will Martin

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The MAGIC telescopes in La Palma, Canary Islands, measure the Cherenkov light emitted by gamma ray-induced extended air showers in the atmosphere. The good knowledge of the atmospheric parameters is important, both for the correct and safe operations of the telescopes, but also for subsequent data analysis. A weather station measures the state variables of the atmosphere, temperature, humidity and wind, an elastic Lidar system and an infrared pyrometer determine the optical transmission of the atmosphere. Using an AllSky camera, the cloud cover can be estimated. The measured values are completed by data from global atmospheric models based on numeric weather forecasts.

Level density of radioactive doubly-magic nucleus 56Ni

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Santhosh Kumar, S.; Rengaiyan, R.; Victor Babu, A.; Preetha, P.

2012-01-01

In this work the single particle energies are obtained by diagonalising the Nilsson Hamiltonian in the cylindrical basis and are generated up to N =11 shells for the isotopes of Ni from A = 48-70, emphasizing the three magic nuclei viz, 48 Ni, 56 Ni and 68 Ni. The statistical quantities like excitation energy, level density parameter and nuclear level density which play the important roles in the nuclear structure and nuclear reactions can be calculated theoretically by means of the Statistical or Partition function method. Hence the statistical model approach is followed to probe the dynamical properties of the nucleus in the microscopic level

The Dance of the Dead Rhino: William Kentridge’s Magic Flute

OpenAIRE

Guarracino, Serena

2010-01-01

The article offers a reading of the staging of The Magic Flute by visual artist William Kentridge, focusing on his introduction of the rhino in the visual landscape of the opera as symbol for the silenced subject of violence. Operatic tradition has always been concerned with the staging of death, in particular with the death of its female protagonists, and recent scholarship has highlighted the complicity of the genre with the ideology of Western patriarchy and colonial violence. In this ligh...

Choosing in freedom or forced to choose? Introspective blindness to psychological forcing in stage-magic.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Diego E Shalom

Full Text Available We investigated an individual ability to identify whether choices were made freely or forced by external parameters. We capitalized on magical setups where the notion of psychological forcing constitutes a well trodden path. In live stage magic, a magician guessed cards from spectators while inquiring how freely they thought they had made the choice. Our data showed a marked blindness in the introspection of free choice. Spectators assigned comparable ratings when choosing the card that the magician deliberately forced them compared to any other card, even in classical forcing, where the magician literally handles a card to the participant This observation was paralleled by a laboratory experiment where we observed modest changes in subjective reports by factors with drastic effect in choice. Pupil dilatation, which is known to tag slow cognitive events related to memory and attention, constitutes an efficient fingerprint to index subjective and objective aspects of choice.

Vortex 'puddles' and magic vortex numbers in mesoscopic superconducting disks

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Connolly, M R; Milosevic, M V; Bending, S J [Department of Physics, University of Bath - Claverton Down, Bath, BA2 7AY (United Kingdom); Clem, J R [Ames Laboratory Department of Physics and Astronomy - Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011-3160 (United States); Tamegai, T, E-mail: mrc61@cam.ac.u [Department of Applied Physics, University of Tokyo - Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8627 (Japan)

2009-03-01

The magnetic properties of a superconducting disk change dramatically when its dimensions become mesoscopic. Unlike large disks, where the screening currents induced by an applied magnetic field are strong enough to force vortices to accumulate in a 'puddle' at the centre, in a mesoscopic disk the interaction between one of these vortices and the edge currents can be comparable to the intervortex repulsion, resulting in a destruction of the ordered triangular vortex lattice structure at the centre. Vortices instead form clusters which adopt polygonal and shell-like structures which exhibit magic number states similar to those of charged particles in a confining potential, and electrons in artificial atoms. We have fabricated mesoscopic high temperature superconducting Bi{sub 2}Sr{sub 2}CaCu{sub 2}O{sub 8+delta} disks and investigated their magnetic properties using magneto-optical imaging (MOI) and high resolution scanning Hall probe microscopy (SHPM). The temperature dependence of the vortex penetration field measured using MOI is in excellent agreement with models of the thermal excitation of pancake vortices over edge barriers. The growth of the central vortex puddle has been directly imaged using SHPM and magic vortex numbers showing higher stability have been correlated with abrupt jumps in the measured local magnetisation curves.

Environmental Restoration Program Management Control Plan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1991-09-01

This Management Control Plan has been prepared to define the Energy Systems approach to managing its participation in the US DOE's Environmental Restoration (ER) Program in a manner consistent with DOE/ORO 931: Management Plan for the DOE Field Office, Oak Ridge, Decontamination and Decommissioning Program; and the Energy Systems Environmental Restoration Contract Management Plan (CMP). This plan discusses the systems, procedures, methodology, and controls to be used by the program management team to attain these objectives

Approaches to juxta-pleural nodule detection in CT images within the MAGIC-5 Collaboration

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

De Nunzio, G., E-mail: giorgio.denunzio@unisalento.it [University of Salento, Materials Science Department and Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare (INFN), Lecce (Italy); Massafra, A. [University of Salento, Physics Department and Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare (INFN), Lecce (Italy); Cataldo, R. [University of Salento, Materials Science Department and Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare (INFN), Lecce (Italy); De Mitri, I.; Peccarisi, M. [University of Salento, Physics Department and Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare (INFN), Lecce (Italy); Fantacci, M.E. [University of Pisa, Physics Department and Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare (INFN), Pisa (Italy); Gargano, G. [University of Bari, Physics Department and Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare (INFN), Bari (Italy); Lopez Torres, E. [CEADEN, Havana (Cuba)

2011-08-21

This work is a part of the MAGIC-5 (Medical Applications on a Grid Infrastructure Connection) experiment of the Italian INFN (Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare). A simple CAD (Computer-Assisted Detection) system for juxta-pleural lung nodules in CT images is presented, with the purpose of comparing different 2D concavity-patching techniques and assessing the respective efficiency in locating nodules. After a short introduction on the motivation, and a review of some CAD systems for lung nodules already published by the MAGIC-5 Collaboration, the paper describes the main lines of this particular approach, giving preliminary results and comments. In our procedure, candidate nodules are identified by patching lung border concavities in a hierarchical multiscale framework. Once located, they are fed to an artificial neural network for false positive reduction. The system has a modular structure that easily allows the insertion of arbitrary border-smoothing functions for concavity detection and nodule searching. In this paper the {alpha}-hull and morphological closing are compared, proving the higher sensitivity of the former, which also appears computationally less heavy.

An ALARA-conscious hot particle control program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Doolittle, W.W.; Bredvad, R.S.; Bevelacqua, J.J.

1992-01-01

In 1989 approximately twenty-five percent of the radiation dose received by the Point Beach Nuclear Plant (PBNP) Health Physics group was due to its hot particle control program. The Health Physics group initiated a review of the program with the objective of decreasing the dose expenditure for hot particle control while maintaining a high standard for hot particle detection and control. In this paper the methods and results of this evaluation are described. The components of the hot particle control program, rules of thumb, and radionuclide composition at PBNP are presented

Magic-Mirror-Spiral: Looking into the role of 'design ideal' in interaction design research projects

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bagalkot, Naveen L.; Nazzi, Elena; Sokoler, Tomas

2011-01-01

the dialectic during a research practice are missing. In order to embrace this dialectic, in this paper we suggest the formulation of a Design Ideal as the interface between theoretical concept and situation. We support our suggestion by a retrospection of our ongoing exploration of MagicMirrorSpiral...

18 CFR 12.40 - Quality control programs.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 18 Conservation of Power and Water Resources 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Quality control... PROJECT WORKS Other Responsibilities of Applicant or Licensee § 12.40 Quality control programs. (a... meeting any requirements or standards set by the Regional Engineer. If a quality control program is...

Mathematical card magic fifty-two new effects

CERN Document Server

Mulcahy, Colm

2013-01-01

Mathematical card effects offer both beginning and experienced magicians an opportunity to entertain with a minimum of props. Featuring mostly original creations, Mathematical Card Magic: Fifty-Two New Effects presents an entertaining look at new mathematically based card tricks. Each chapter contains four card effects, generally starting with simple applications of a particular mathematical principle and ending with more complex ones. Practice a handful of the introductory effects and, in no time, you'll establish your reputation as a "mathemagician." Delve a little deeper into each chapter and the mathematics gets more interesting. The author explains the mathematics as needed in an easy-to-follow way. He also provides additional details, background, and suggestions for further explorations.Suitable for recreational math buffs and amateur card lovers or as a text in a first-year seminar, this color book offers a diverse collection of new mathemagic principles and effects.

AEC controlled area safety program

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hendricks, D W [Nevada Operations Office, Atomic Energy Commission, Las Vegas, NV (United States)

1969-07-01

The detonation of underground nuclear explosives and the subsequent data recovery efforts require a comprehensive pre- and post-detonation safety program for workers within the controlled area. The general personnel monitoring and environmental surveillance program at the Nevada Test Site are presented. Some of the more unusual health-physics aspects involved in the operation of this program are also discussed. The application of experience gained at the Nevada Test Site is illustrated by description of the on-site operational and safety programs established for Project Gasbuggy. (author)

AEC controlled area safety program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hendricks, D.W.

1969-01-01

The detonation of underground nuclear explosives and the subsequent data recovery efforts require a comprehensive pre- and post-detonation safety program for workers within the controlled area. The general personnel monitoring and environmental surveillance program at the Nevada Test Site are presented. Some of the more unusual health-physics aspects involved in the operation of this program are also discussed. The application of experience gained at the Nevada Test Site is illustrated by description of the on-site operational and safety programs established for Project Gasbuggy. (author)

Magic Realism in Gabriel Garcia Marquez’s One Hundred Years of Solitude

OpenAIRE

B.J Geetha

2010-01-01

In his One Hundred Years of Solitude Gabriel Garcia Marquez through the arsenal of magicrealism, deals with war, suffering, and death in the mid-1960 of Colombia which hadwitnessed two hundred thousand politically motivated deaths. The purpose behind portrayingthe politics of the region is to comment on how the nature of Latin American politics is towardsabsurdity, denial, and never-ending repetitions of tragedy. His magical flair is to mergefantastic with reality by introducing to the reader...

Business and magic: Émile Zola, Au Bonheur des Dames and modern consumption

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Everardo Rocha

2014-12-01

Full Text Available This work examines the emergence of grand magazines and how this new commerce was crucial in establishing the phenomenon of consumption in modernity. In particular, it has been investigated through Émile Zola’s novel, Au Bonheur des Dames, how the social values and sales models of grand magazines appear as “cathedrals of modern consumption”, creating, at once, a world of business and magic.

Sensitivity and Resolution Enhanced Solid-State NMR for Paramagnetic Systems and Biomolecules under Very Fast Magic Angle Spinning

KAUST Repository

Parthasarathy, Sudhakar; Nishiyama, Yusuke; Ishii, Yoshitaka

2013-01-01

Recent research in fast magic angle spinning (MAS) methods has drastically improved the resolution and sensitivity of NMR spectroscopy of biomolecules and materials in solids. In this Account, we summarize recent and ongoing developments

A simple magic cup to inject excitement and curiosity in physics

Science.gov (United States)

Amir, Nazir

2018-05-01

This article highlights a simple demonstration kit that can be easily fabricated in Design & Technology (D&T) workshops to inject excitement and curiosity into students’ learning of physics concepts such as density and optics. Using an ice cream cup from a fast food restaurant and a transparent circular acrylic piece, students can be guided to make a ‘magic’ cup, while at the same time get inquisitive about the physics behind the magic. The project highlights a way of linking physics to D&T in a feasible manner which can motivate and engage students.

The Dream About the Magic Silver Bullet – the Complexity of Designing for Tablet-Mediated Learning

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jahnke, Isa; Svendsen, Niels Vandel; Johansen, Simon Kristoffer

2014-01-01

learning. We report the gaps and interrelations between the dreams and the practice of the teachers. They dream about an interconnected praxis – the magic silver bullet – and establish their visions of inter- connectivity because of their breakdown experiences of media tablets aiding complexity instead...

Radiological control technician: Training program management manual

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1992-10-01

This manual defines and describes the DOE Radiological Control Technician Core Training Program qualification and training process, material development requirements, standards and policies, and administration. The manual applies to Radiological Control Technician Training Programs at all DOE contractor sites

Automatic control of commercial computer programs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rezvov, B.A.; Artem'ev, A.N.; Maevskij, A.G.; Demkiv, A.A.; Kirillov, B.F.; Belyaev, A.D.; Artem'ev, N.A.

2010-01-01

The way of automatic control of commercial computer programs is presented. The developed connection of the EXAFS spectrometer automatic system (which is managed by PC for DOS) is taken with the commercial program for the CCD detector control (which is managed by PC for Windows). The described complex system is used for the automation of intermediate amplitude spectra processing in EXAFS spectrum measurements at Kurchatov SR source

A quality control program for radiation sources

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Almeida, C.E. de; Sibata, C.H.; Cecatti, E.R.; Kawakami, N.S.; Alexandre, A.C.; Chiavegatti Junior, M.

1982-01-01

An extensive quality control program was established covering the following areas: physical parameters of the therapeutical machines, dosimetric standards, preventive maintenance of radiation sources and measuring instruments. A critical evaluation of this program was done after two years (1977-1979) of routine application and the results will be presented. The fluctuation on physical parameters strongly supports the efforts and cost of a quality control program. This program has certainly improved the accuracy required on the delivery of the prescribed dose for radiotherapy treatment. (Author) [pt

Sealed magic angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance probe and process for spectroscopy of hazardous samples

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cho, Herman M.; Washton, Nancy M.; Mueller, Karl T.; Sears, Jr., Jesse A.; Townsend, Mark R.; Ewing, James R.

2016-06-14

A magic-angle-spinning (MAS) nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) probe is described that includes double containment enclosures configured to seal and contain hazardous samples for analysis. The probe is of a modular design that ensures containment of hazardous samples during sample analysis while preserving spin speeds for superior NMR performance and convenience of operation.

Entropy and the Magic Flute

Science.gov (United States)

Morowitz, Harold J.

1996-10-01

Harold Morowitz has long been highly regarded both as an eminent scientist and as an accomplished science writer. The essays in The Wine of Life , his first collection, were hailed by C.P. Snow as "some of the wisest, wittiest and best informed I have ever read," and Carl Sagan called them "a delight to read." In later volumes he established a reputation for a wide-ranging intellect, an ability to see unexpected connections and draw striking parallels, and a talent for communicating scientific ideas with optimism and wit. With Entropy and the Magic Flute , Morowitz once again offers an appealing mix of brief reflections on everything from litmus paper to the hippopotamus to the sociology of Palo Alto coffee shops. Many of these pieces are appreciations of scientists that Morowitz holds in high regard, while others focus on health issues, such as America's obsession with cheese toppings. There is also a fascinating piece on the American Type Culture Collection, a zoo or warehouse for microbes that houses some 11,800 strains of bacteria, and over 3,000 specimens of protozoa, algae, plasmids, and oncogenes. Here then are over forty light, graceful essays in which one of our wisest experimental biologists comments on issues of science, technology, society, philosophy, and the arts.

Schizotypy and mindfulness: Magical thinking without suspiciousness characterizes mindfulness meditators

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Elena Antonova

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Despite growing evidence for demonstrated efficacy of mindfulness in various disorders, there is a continuous concern about the relationship between mindfulness practice and psychosis. As schizotypy is part of the psychosis spectrum, we examined the relationship between long-term mindfulness practice and schizotypy in two independent studies. Study 1 included 24 experienced mindfulness practitioners (19 males from the Buddhist tradition (meditators and 24 meditation-naïve individuals (all males. Study 2 consisted of 28 meditators and 28 meditation-naïve individuals (all males. All participants completed the Schizotypal Personality Questionnaire (Raine, 1991, a self-report scale containing 9 subscales (ideas of reference, excessive social anxiety, magical thinking, unusual perceptual experiences, odd/eccentric behavior, no close friends, odd speech, constricted affect, suspiciousness. Participants of study 2 also completed the Five-Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire which assesses observing (Observe, describing (Describe, acting with awareness (Awareness, non-judging of (Non-judgment and non-reactivity to inner experience (Non-reactivity facets of trait mindfulness. In both studies, meditators scored significantly lower on suspiciousness and higher on magical thinking compared to meditation-naïve individuals and showed a trend towards lower scores on excessive social anxiety. Excessive social anxiety correlated negatively with Awareness and Non-judgment; and suspiciousness with Awareness, Non-judgment and Non-reactivity facets across both groups. The two groups did not differ in their total schizotypy score. We conclude that mindfulness practice is not associated with an overall increase in schizotypal traits. Instead, the pattern suggests that mindfulness meditation, particularly with an emphasis on the Awareness, Non-judgment and Non-reactivity aspects, may help to reduce suspiciousness and excessive social anxiety.

Magic hat economics: counter-cultural ideals and practices of the Nordic Ting community

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Janne Juhana Rantala

2009-01-01

Full Text Available The author's anthropological study concerns one of today’s communities with no shared belief system, but with a clear spiritualist orientation. The Nordic Ting Community does not have any defined or committing roles, specialized distribution of tasks, entrance fee to their two annual gatherings, membership or any formal hierarchy. This exiguity of structural differentiation could well be understood to represent ‘subjective spirituality’. This thesis refers to the decline of institutional forms of religion with, instead, an increase in subjective experience in spirituality. This presentation shows that at least in the author's field of study, there hardly exists any increase in emphasis on individualism in spirituality. Instead the material indicates a relatively long continuum of a self-organized type of communality which could be understood as neither individualistic nor collectivistic. The type of agency observed in the social action of the studied network-like field is intersubjective. This article focuses on the use of the magic hat and the combination of ideals and practices characteristic to the Ting Community, which the author calls the magic hat economics. It is argued that by looking at these kinds of intermediating objects, the problem of individualization can be seen much more clearly

Historical perspective of the relation between IBA and VMI at the magic limit: two opposing views

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Scharff-Goldhaber, G.

1984-01-01

The two-parameter rotational VMI equations ascribe the observed abrupt change in yrast bands at the magic limit to a first order phase transition. In contrast, two three-parameter anharmonic vibrator models recently suggested yield two limits of validity, neither of which is supported by data. 15 references

Historical perspective of the relation between IBA and VMI at the magic limit: two opposing views

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Scharff-Goldhaber, G.

1984-01-01

The two-parameter rotational VMI equations ascribe the observed abrupt change in yrast bands at the magic limit to a first order phase transition. In contrast, two three-parameter anharmonic vibrator models recently suggested yield two limits of validity, neither of which is supported by data. 15 references.

Egyptian imprints on Geto-Dacian magical medicine.

Science.gov (United States)

Baran, Dana

2010-12-01

Several characteristics of Egyptian culture and civilization could be identified in prehistoric and ancient historic Geto-Dacian territories, belonging to modern Romania (Fig. 1). From early times, magic, religion and philosophy have been part of pre-scientific medicine. Therefore these aspects are to be tackled when speaking of medicine in mythological or legendary ages. Progress of ancient Geto-Dacian medicine was principally ascribed to the interface of local civilizations with ancient Egypt, Greece and Rome. Such connections were well documented and understood in historic times and were mainly based on texts of renowned Greek and Roman historians. Egyptian impact upon Dacia, -the ancient name of today's Romania-, was often explained in terms of indirect Greek- or Roman-mediated influences.The Greek and then the Roman colonies on the Black sea shore, together with later Roman colonies in Dacia Felix, founded in the heart of Transylvania, enabled access for Romania to Mediterranean cultures, including that of Egypt.

Possible GRB Observation with the MAGIC Telescope

Science.gov (United States)

Bastieri, D.; Bigongiari, C.; Mariotti, M.; Peruzzo, L.; Saggion, A.

2001-08-01

The MAGIC Telescope, with its reflecting parabolic dish of 17 m of diameter and its careful design of a robust, lightweight, alto-azimuthal mount, is an ideal detector for GRB phenomena. The telescope is an air Cherenkov telescope that, even in the first phase, equipped with standard PMTs, can reach an energy threshold below 30 GeV. The threshold is going to drop well below 10 GeV in the envisaged second phase, when chamber PMTs will be substituted by high quantum efficiency APDs. The telescope can promptly respond to GRB alerts coming, for instance, from GCN, and can reposition itself in less than 30 seconds, 20 seconds being the time to turn half a round for the azimuth bearing. In this report, the effective area of the detector as a function of energy and zenith angle is taken into account, in order to evaluate the expected yearly occurrence and the response to different kinds of GRBs.

Understanding the Magic of the Bicycle; Basic scientific explanations to the two-wheeler's mysterious and fascinating behavior

Science.gov (United States)

Connolly, Joseph W.

The bicycle is a common, yet unique mechanical contraption in our world. In spite of this, the bike's physical and mechanical principles are understood by a select few. You do not have to be a genius to join this small group of people who understand the physics of cycling. This is your guide to fundamental principles (such as Newton's laws) and the book provides intuitive, basic explanations for the bicycle's behaviour. Each concept is introduced and illustrated with simple, everyday examples. Although cycling is viewed by most as a fun activity, and almost everyone acquires the basic skills at a young age, few understand the laws of nature that give magic to the ride. This is a closer look at some of these fun, exhilarating, and magical aspects of cycling. In the reading, you will also understand other physical principles such as motion, force, energy, power, heat, and temperature.

DOE Radiological Control Manual Core Training Program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Scott, H.L.; Maisler, J.

1993-01-01

Over the past year, the Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Health (EH-40) has taken a leading role in the development of new standardized radiological control training programs for use throughout the DOE complex. The Department promulgated its Radiological Control (RadCon) Manual in June 1992. To ensure consistent application of the criteria presented in the RadCon Manual, standardized radiological control core training courses and training materials have been developed for implementation at all DOE facilities. In producing local training programs, standardized core courses are to be supplemented with site-specific lesson plans, viewgraphs, student handbooks, qualification standards, question banks, and wallet-sized training certificates. Training programs for General Employee Radiological Training, Radiological Worker I and II Training, and Radiological Control Technician Training have been disseminated. Also, training committees under the direction of the Office of Health (EH-40) have been established for the development of additional core training courses, development of examination banks, and the update of the existing core training courses. This paper discusses the current activities and future direction of the DOE radiological control core training program

''It's Magic!'' the Effects of Presentation Modality on Children's Event Memory, Suggestibility, and Confidence Judgments

Science.gov (United States)

Roebers, Claudia M.; Gelhaar, Tim; Schneider, Wolfgang

2004-01-01

The current study investigated the influence of presentation modality (live, video, and slide show) on children's memory, suggestibility, recognition, and metamemorial monitoring processes. A total of 270 children in three age groups (5- and 6-year-olds, 7- and 8-year-olds, and 9- and 10-year-olds) watched a magic show and were questioned about it…

Sensitivity Analysis of Linear Programming and Quadratic Programming Algorithms for Control Allocation

Science.gov (United States)

Frost, Susan A.; Bodson, Marc; Acosta, Diana M.

2009-01-01

The Next Generation (NextGen) transport aircraft configurations being investigated as part of the NASA Aeronautics Subsonic Fixed Wing Project have more control surfaces, or control effectors, than existing transport aircraft configurations. Conventional flight control is achieved through two symmetric elevators, two antisymmetric ailerons, and a rudder. The five effectors, reduced to three command variables, produce moments along the three main axes of the aircraft and enable the pilot to control the attitude and flight path of the aircraft. The NextGen aircraft will have additional redundant control effectors to control the three moments, creating a situation where the aircraft is over-actuated and where a simple relationship does not exist anymore between the required effector deflections and the desired moments. NextGen flight controllers will incorporate control allocation algorithms to determine the optimal effector commands and attain the desired moments, taking into account the effector limits. Approaches to solving the problem using linear programming and quadratic programming algorithms have been proposed and tested. It is of great interest to understand their relative advantages and disadvantages and how design parameters may affect their properties. In this paper, we investigate the sensitivity of the effector commands with respect to the desired moments and show on some examples that the solutions provided using the l2 norm of quadratic programming are less sensitive than those using the l1 norm of linear programming.

Priming psychic and conjuring abilities of a magic demonstration influences event interpretation and random number generation biases

Science.gov (United States)

Mohr, Christine; Koutrakis, Nikolaos; Kuhn, Gustav

2015-01-01

Magical ideation and belief in the paranormal is considered to represent a trait-like character; people either believe in it or not. Yet, anecdotes indicate that exposure to an anomalous event can turn skeptics into believers. This transformation is likely to be accompanied by altered cognitive functioning such as impaired judgments of event likelihood. Here, we investigated whether the exposure to an anomalous event changes individuals’ explicit traditional (religious) and non-traditional (e.g., paranormal) beliefs as well as cognitive biases that have previously been associated with non-traditional beliefs, e.g., repetition avoidance when producing random numbers in a mental dice task. In a classroom, 91 students saw a magic demonstration after their psychology lecture. Before the demonstration, half of the students were told that the performance was done respectively by a conjuror (magician group) or a psychic (psychic group). The instruction influenced participants’ explanations of the anomalous event. Participants in the magician, as compared to the psychic group, were more likely to explain the event through conjuring abilities while the reverse was true for psychic abilities. Moreover, these explanations correlated positively with their prior traditional and non-traditional beliefs. Finally, we observed that the psychic group showed more repetition avoidance than the magician group, and this effect remained the same regardless of whether assessed before or after the magic demonstration. We conclude that pre-existing beliefs and contextual suggestions both influence people’s interpretations of anomalous events and associated cognitive biases. Beliefs and associated cognitive biases are likely flexible well into adulthood and change with actual life events. PMID:25653626

Priming psychic and conjuring abilities of a magic demonstration influences event interpretation and random number generation biases

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Christine eMohr

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Magical ideation and belief in the paranormal is considered to represent a trait-like character; people either believe in it or not. Yet, anecdotes indicate that exposure to an anomalous event can turn sceptics into believers. This transformation is likely to be accompanied by altered cognitive functioning such as impaired judgements of event likelihood. Here, we investigated whether the exposure to an anomalous event changes individuals’ explicit traditional (religious and non-traditional (e.g. paranormal beliefs as well as cognitive biases that have previously been associated with non-traditional beliefs, e.g. repetition avoidance when producing random numbers in a mental dice task. In a classroom, 91 students saw a magic demonstration after their psychology lecture. Before the demonstration, half of the students were told that the performance was done respectively by a conjuror (magician group or a psychic (psychic group. The instruction influenced participants’ explanations of the anomalous event. Participants in the magician, as compared to the psychic group, were more likely to explain the event through conjuring abilities while the reverse was true for psychic abilities. Moreover, these explanations correlated positively with their prior traditional and non-traditional beliefs. Finally, we observed that the psychic group showed more repetition avoidance than the magician group, and this effect remained the same regardless of whether assessed before or after the magic demonstration. We conclude that pre-existing beliefs and contextual suggestions both influence people’s interpretations of anomalous events and associated cognitive biases. Beliefs and associated cognitive biases are likely flexible well into adulthood and change with actual life events.

The "magic" of tutorial centres in Hong Kong: An analysis of media marketing and pedagogy in a tutorial centre

Science.gov (United States)

Koh, Aaron

2014-12-01

Why do more than three-quarters of Hong Kong's senior secondary students flock to tutorial centres like moths to light? What is the "magic" that is driving the popularity of the tutorial centre enterprise? Indeed, looking at the ongoing boom of tutorial centres in Hong Kong (there are almost 1,000 of them), it is difficult not to ask these questions. This paper examines the phenomenon of tutorial centres in Hong Kong and seeks to understand what draws students to these centres. Combining theories of marketing semiotics and emotion studies, the author investigates the pivotal role of media marketing in generating the "magic" of tutorial centres, whose advertising strategy includes, for example, a display of billboard posters featuring stylishly-dressed "celebrity teachers". The author reviews some of the literature available on the subject of tutorial centres. In a case study approach, he then maps out the pedagogy he observed in an English tutorial class, seeking heuristic insights into the kind of teaching students in the study were looking for. He argues that part of the "magical" attraction of what are essentially "cram schools" is their formulaic pedagogy of teaching and reinforcing exam skills. Finally, the paper considers the social implications of the tutorial centre industry in terms of media marketing of education and unequal access to tutorial services.

Implementation and performance evaluation open-source controller for precision control of gripper

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Seung-Yong; Ham, Un-Hyeong; Park, Young-Woo; Jung, Hak-Sang; Jung, Il-Kyun; Lim, Sun

2017-12-01

This paper proposes integrating gripper embedded operating system, which consist of external interface structure for sophisticated gripper control. This system has multiple functions that control the gripping module and measure the pose of the gripper body with respect to contact environment. A controller based on open source only for the gripper is developed and an external communication interface between robot controller and gripper controller is designed. An experimental environment for the fixed-cycle test consists of integrating magic gripper software system and hardware on commercial business. As a result, a deviation is measured approximately 2% and the system were verified for gripper control.

3D dosimetry in HDR brachytherapy resonance imaging nuclear magnetic (b= 0.2 t) using a base acrylic gel (MAGIC)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Batista Hernandez, Guillermo; Velez, Graciela R.; Schurrer, Clemar

2009-01-01

Dosimetry gels using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has been extended in recent literature. Our study presents the preparation, calibration IRM of acrylic gel (MAGIC) and its application in measuring dose in a 3D distribution HDR Brachytherapy with 192Ir source. The first gels used were the type Fricke gels based on the relationship of dose and time T1 relaxation. In 2001, Fong presented a new normoxic gel known as MAGIC whose main components are Methacrylic Acid (polymerizing), and Hydroquinone (inhibitor of self-curing) based on the relationship of dose and T2 relaxation time. Subsequent studies make changes in the concentrations component of the MAGIC (Methacrylic Acid and Hydroquinone in particular) to observe the behavior of the sensitivity of the gel with respect to its components and beam magnetic resonance equipment using magnetic fields higher to 0.5 T. This is done with equipment available to the staff of a Radiotherapy clinic setting. MAGIC gel is prepared according to composition by Crescenti (6% methacrylic acid), is calibrated with a 60Co unit TERADI INVAP 8002c (Argentina). Was raised shooting in a Siemens MRI scanner of 0.2 T Magnetom Concerto irradiated with a team of Brachytherapy High Dose Rate (HDR) Micro selectron Nucletron's V2 HDR for comparison with dose distributions provided by the planning system from Nucletron PLATO Sunrise. Was obtained a calibration curve for doses ranging from 0 to 8.0 Gy and a field strength 0.2 T magnetic We compared the sensitivity obtained in our calibration (Slope of the calibration curve) with those presented in the literature. Two phantoms were prepared for measurement in brachytherapy: a PMMA and a PVC. It was noted that MAGIC gel reacts chemically with PMMA and cured prior to irradiation. The phantom of PVC (no reactions) were irradiated with Micro selectron equipment and measured the dose distribution in 3D MRI. Were measured doses at the points specified by the Planning System and PLATO Sunrise compared

MAGIC: First Observational Results and Perspectives for Future Developments

Science.gov (United States)

Hengstebeck, T.; Kalekin, O.; Merck, M.; Mirzoyan, R.; Pavel, N.; Schweizer, T.; Shayduk, M.; MAGIC Collaboration

The MAGIC (Major Atmospheric Gamma Imaging Cherenkov) telescope was designed to close the energy gap (~ 10-250 GeV) between ground based and satellite gamma detectors. It is situated on the Roque de los Muchachos, La Palma, Canary Islands at altitude of 2200 m. The main subjects of the investigations with the telescope are: Gamma Ray Bursts, Supernova Remnants, Plerions, Pulsars, Active Galactic Nuclei (AGNs), unidentied EGRET sources, Dark matter and Quantum gravity. More details about physics with a low threshold gamma ray telescope one can nd in [2]. The telescope hardware installation was nished in October 2003. Since that time the observations of the dierent classes of objects have been carried out but the experiment is still in the commission phase.

The magical activation of left amygdala when reading Harry Potter: an fMRI study on how descriptions of supra-natural events entertain and enchant.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chun-Ting Hsu

Full Text Available Literature containing supra-natural, or magical events has enchanted generations of readers. When reading narratives describing such events, readers mentally simulate a text world different from the real one. The corresponding violation of world-knowledge during this simulation likely increases cognitive processing demands for ongoing discourse integration, catches readers' attention, and might thus contribute to the pleasure and deep emotional experience associated with ludic immersive reading. In the present study, we presented participants in an MR scanner with passages selected from the Harry Potter book series, half of which described magical events, while the other half served as control condition. Passages in both conditions were closely matched for relevant psycholinguistic variables including, e.g., emotional valence and arousal, passage-wise mean word imageability and frequency, and syntactic complexity. Post-hoc ratings showed that readers considered supra-natural contents more surprising and more strongly associated with reading pleasure than control passages. In the fMRI data, we found stronger neural activation for the supra-natural than the control condition in bilateral inferior frontal gyri, bilateral inferior parietal lobules, left fusiform gyrus, and left amygdala. The increased activation in the amygdala (part of the salience and emotion processing network appears to be associated with feelings of surprise and the reading pleasure, which supra-natural events, full of novelty and unexpectedness, brought about. The involvement of bilateral inferior frontal gyri likely reflects higher cognitive processing demand due to world knowledge violations, whereas increased attention to supra-natural events is reflected in inferior frontal gyri and inferior parietal lobules that are part of the fronto-parietal attention network.

The magical activation of left amygdala when reading Harry Potter: an fMRI study on how descriptions of supra-natural events entertain and enchant.

Science.gov (United States)

Hsu, Chun-Ting; Jacobs, Arthur M; Altmann, Ulrike; Conrad, Markus

2015-01-01

Literature containing supra-natural, or magical events has enchanted generations of readers. When reading narratives describing such events, readers mentally simulate a text world different from the real one. The corresponding violation of world-knowledge during this simulation likely increases cognitive processing demands for ongoing discourse integration, catches readers' attention, and might thus contribute to the pleasure and deep emotional experience associated with ludic immersive reading. In the present study, we presented participants in an MR scanner with passages selected from the Harry Potter book series, half of which described magical events, while the other half served as control condition. Passages in both conditions were closely matched for relevant psycholinguistic variables including, e.g., emotional valence and arousal, passage-wise mean word imageability and frequency, and syntactic complexity. Post-hoc ratings showed that readers considered supra-natural contents more surprising and more strongly associated with reading pleasure than control passages. In the fMRI data, we found stronger neural activation for the supra-natural than the control condition in bilateral inferior frontal gyri, bilateral inferior parietal lobules, left fusiform gyrus, and left amygdala. The increased activation in the amygdala (part of the salience and emotion processing network) appears to be associated with feelings of surprise and the reading pleasure, which supra-natural events, full of novelty and unexpectedness, brought about. The involvement of bilateral inferior frontal gyri likely reflects higher cognitive processing demand due to world knowledge violations, whereas increased attention to supra-natural events is reflected in inferior frontal gyri and inferior parietal lobules that are part of the fronto-parietal attention network.

Program Baseline Change Control Procedure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1993-02-01

This procedure establishes the responsibilities and process for approving initial issues of and changes to the technical, cost, and schedule baselines, and selected management documents developed by the Office of Civilian Radioactive Waste Management (OCRWM) for the Civilian Radioactive Waste Management System. This procedure implements the OCRWM Baseline Management Plan and DOE Order 4700.1, Chg 1. It streamlines the change control process to enhance integration, accountability, and traceability of Level 0 and Level I decisions through standardized Baseline Change Proposal (BCP) forms to be used by the Level 0, 1, 2, and 3 Baseline Change Control Boards (BCCBs) and to be tracked in the OCRWM-wide Configuration Information System (CIS) Database.This procedure applies to all technical, cost, and schedule baselines controlled by the Energy System Acquisition Advisory Board (ESAAB) BCCB (Level 0) and, OCRWM Program Baseline Control Board (PBCCB) (Level 1). All baseline BCPs initiated by Level 2 or lower BCCBs, which require approval from ESAAB or PBCCB, shall be processed in accordance with this procedure. This procedure also applies to all Program-level management documents controlled by the OCRWM PBCCB

The influence of naturally-occurring organic acids on model estimates of lakewater acidification using the model of acidification of groundwater in catchments (MAGIC). Summary of research conducted during year 1

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sullivan, T.J.; Eilers, J.M. [E and S Environmental Chemistry, Inc., Corvallis, OR (United States); Cosby, B.J. [Virginia Univ., Charlottesville, VA (United States). Dept. of Environmental Sciences; Driscoll, C.T. [Syracuse Univ., NY (United States). Dept. of Civil Engineering; Hemond, H.F. [Massachusetts Inst. of Tech., Cambridge, MA (United States). Dept. of Civil Engineering; Charles, D.F. [Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, PA (United States). Patrick Center for Environmental Research; Norton, S.A. [Maine Univ., Orono, ME (United States). Dept. of Geological Sciences

1993-03-05

A project for the US Department of Energy, entitled ``Incorporation of an organic acid representation into MAGIC (Model of Acidification of Groundwater in Catchments) and Testing of the Revised Model UsingIndependent Data Sources`` was initiated by E&S Environmental Chemistry, Inc. in March, 1992. Major components of the project include: improving the MAGIC model by incorporating a rigorous organic acid representation, based on empirical data and geochemical considerations, and testing the revised model using data from paleolimnological hindcasts of preindustrial chemistry for 33 Adirondack Mountain lakes, and the results of whole-catchment artificial acidification projects in Maine and Norway. The ongoing research in this project involves development of an organic acid representation to be incorporated into the MAGIC modeland testing of the improved model using three independent data sources. The research during Year 1 has included conducting two workshops to agree on an approach for the organic acid modeling, developing the organic subroutine and incorporating it into MAGIC (Task 1), conducing MAGIC hindcasts for Adirondack lakes and comparing the results with paleolimnological reconstructions (Task 2), and conducting site visits to the manipulation project sites in Maine and Norway. The purpose of this report is to provide a summary of the work that has been conducted on this project during Year 1. Tasks 1 and 2 have now been completed.

Guided Synthesis of Control Programs Using UPPAAL

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hune, T.; Larsen, Kim Guldstrand; Pettersson, P.

2000-01-01

the transitions with extra guards. Applying this technique have made synthesis of control programs feasible for a plant producing as many as 60 batches. In comparison, we could only handle plants producing two batches without using guides. The synthesized control programs have been executed in a physical plant...

Magic truffles or Philosopher's stones: a legal way to sell psilocybin?

Science.gov (United States)

Pellegrini, Manuela; Rotolo, Maria Concetta; Marchei, Emilia; Pacifici, Roberta; Saggio, Francesco; Pichini, Simona

2013-03-01

"Magic mushrooms" is the most common name given to hallucinogenic fungi containing the psychoactive alkaloids psilocybin and psilocin. In recent years, fungis' sclerotia, commonly called "magic truffles" have become a form of supply of psychoactive Psilocybe alkaloids since Psilocybe sclerotia are not specifically included in the laws banning the sale, the purchase and the use of such substances and mushrooms containing them. A liquid chromatography -tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method was developed for the rapid determination of psilocybin and psilocin in Psilocybe sclerotia. Following a simple step extraction with methanol, the alkaloids were separated on a reversed-phase column using a gradient of 0.1% formic acid - acetonitrile s a mobile phase at a flow rate of 0.2 mL/min.. Separated analytes were detected by electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry in the positive ion mode using multiple reaction monitoring. The developed method was linear over the calibration range for all two substances under investigation, with a r(2)  > 0.99. The detection and quantification limits were 0.3 µg and 1 µg per 100 mg truffles, for both psilocin and psilocybin and the intra- and inter-day coefficients of variation were always better than 15%. Using this method, the presence of only psilocybin was demonstrated in examined Psilocybe sclerotia. The content of psilocybin was found to vary over a concentration range of 59.3 to 167.8 µg per 100 mg of fresh sclerotia. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

7 CFR 58.141 - Alternate quality control program.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 3 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Alternate quality control program. 58.141 Section 58... Service 1 Quality Specifications for Raw Milk § 58.141 Alternate quality control program. When a plant has in operation an acceptable quality program, at the producer level, which is approved by the...

First detection of very-high-energy gamma-ray emission from the extreme blazar PGC 2402248 with the MAGIC telescopes

Science.gov (United States)

Mirzoyan, Razmik

2018-04-01

The MAGIC collaboration reports the first detection of very-high-energy (VHE; E > 100 GeV) gamma-ray emission from PGC 2402248, also known as 2WHSP J073326.7+515354 (Chang et al. 2016, A & A, 598, A17) with coordinates R.A.: 07:33:26.7 h, Dec: +51:53:54.99 deg. The source is classified as an extreme high-energy peaked BL Lacertae object of unknown redshift, included in the 2WHSP catalog with a synchrotron peak located at 10^17.9 Hz. PGC 2402248 was observed with the MAGIC telescopes from 2018/01/23 to 2018/04/18 (MJD 58141-58226) for about 23 h. The preliminary analysis of these data resulted in the detection of PGC 2402248 with a statistical significance of more than 6 standard deviations.

Graphical programming: On-line robot simulation for telerobotic control

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McDonald, M.J.; Palmquist, R.D.

1993-01-01

Sandia has developed an advanced operational control system approach, caged Graphical Programming, to design and operate robotic waste cleanup and other hazardous duty robotic systems. The Graphical Programming approach produces robot systems that are faster to develop and use, safer in operation, and cheaper overall than altemative teleoperation or autonomous robot control systems. The Graphical Programming approach uses 3-D visualization and simulation software with intuitive operator interfaces for the programming and control of complex robotic systems. Graphical Programming Supervisor software modules allow an operator to command and simulate complex tasks in a graphic preview mode and, when acceptable, command the actual robots and monitor their motions with the graphic system. Graphical Progranuning Supervisors maintain registration with the real world and allow the robot to perform tasks that cannot be accurately represented with models alone by using a combination of model and sensor-based control. This paper describes the Graphical Programming approach, several example control systems that use Graphical Programming, and key features necessary for implementing successful Graphical Programming systems

Angra nuclear plant - environmental control program; Usina Nuclear de Angra: programa de controle ambiental

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kircher, E; Cruz, E.S. da [FURNAS, Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil)

1990-12-31

The pre-operational studies, that were elaborated before the beginning of Angra I Power Plant operation, are described in particular the environmental radiological safety area till the fuel loading in the core reactor. Several aspects are included, as socio-economic survey, seismological analysis, Meteorological Program, marine biology, water cooling system, exposure measures of natural radiation, marine sediments characterization in the effluent dispersion area and Environmental Radiological Monitoring Program. The main environmental programs developed for the operational phase of the Angra I Plant are also presented, citing some considerations about the Meteorological Program, Marine Biology Control Program, Temperature and Chlorine Control in Piraquara de Fora Bay, Radiological Environmental Monitoring Program, Sanitary Effluent Control Program and Radiological Emergency Program. (C.G.C.). 2 refs.

Measurement control program for nuclear material accounting

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brouns, R.J.; Roberts, F.P.; Merrill, J.A.; Brown, W.B.

1980-06-01

A measurement control program for nuclear material accounting monitors and controls the quality of the measurments of special nuclear material that are involved in material balances. The quality is monitored by collecting data from which the current precision and accuracy of measurements can be evaluated. The quality is controlled by evaluations, reviews, and other administrative measures for control of selection or design of facilities, equipment and measurement methods and the training and qualification of personnel who perform SNM measurements. This report describes the most important elements of a program by which management can monitor and control measurement quality

The evaluation of a 2D diode array in "magic phantom" for use in high dose rate brachytherapy pretreatment quality assurance.

Science.gov (United States)

Espinoza, A; Petasecca, M; Fuduli, I; Howie, A; Bucci, J; Corde, S; Jackson, M; Lerch, M L F; Rosenfeld, A B

2015-02-01

High dose rate (HDR) brachytherapy is a treatment method that is used increasingly worldwide. The development of a sound quality assurance program for the verification of treatment deliveries can be challenging due to the high source activity utilized and the need for precise measurements of dwell positions and times. This paper describes the application of a novel phantom, based on a 2D 11 × 11 diode array detection system, named "magic phantom" (MPh), to accurately measure plan dwell positions and times, compare them directly to the treatment plan, determine errors in treatment delivery, and calculate absorbed dose. The magic phantom system was CT scanned and a 20 catheter plan was generated to simulate a nonspecific treatment scenario. This plan was delivered to the MPh and, using a custom developed software suite, the dwell positions and times were measured and compared to the plan. The original plan was also modified, with changes not disclosed to the primary authors, and measured again using the device and software to determine the modifications. A new metric, the "position-time gamma index," was developed to quantify the quality of a treatment delivery when compared to the treatment plan. The MPh was evaluated to determine the minimum measurable dwell time and step size. The incorporation of the TG-43U1 formalism directly into the software allows for dose calculations to be made based on the measured plan. The estimated dose distributions calculated by the software were compared to the treatment plan and to calibrated EBT3 film, using the 2D gamma analysis method. For the original plan, the magic phantom system was capable of measuring all dwell points and dwell times and the majority were found to be within 0.93 mm and 0.25 s, respectively, from the plan. By measuring the altered plan and comparing it to the unmodified treatment plan, the use of the position-time gamma index showed that all modifications made could be readily detected. The MPh was able to

A message from magic to science: seeing how the brain can be tricked may strengthen our thinking

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Henrik Österblom

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Scientific discoveries rely on creative thinking, and several authors have explored similarities in and differences between creativity in the sciences and that in the arts. Here we explore possible ways in which science can learn from the arts, focusing specifically on experiences derived from the art of magic and on the limitations of human cognition. Generations of stage magicians or "illusionists" have made sophisticated use of the weaknesses in human systems of perception and interpretation. We highlight three important principles of magic tricks, including: (1 the audience see what it expects, (2 it is blind to all but the focus of attention, and (3 ideas spring predictably from a primed mind. These principles highlight a number of important tendencies, which we argue are shortcomings in the ability of scientists to perceive the world, and which scientists need to be aware of. Consciously addressing these shortcomings may help scientists improve their creativity, and will strengthen their capacity to address complex and global challenges.

The advanced controls program at Oak Ridge National Laboratory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Knee, H.E.; White, J.D.

1990-01-01

The Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), under sponsorship of the US Department of Energy (DOE), is conducting research that will lead to advanced, automated control of new liquid-metal-reactor (LMR) nuclear power plants. Although this program of research (entitled the ''Advanced Controls Program'') is focused on LMR technology, it will be capable of providing control design, test, and qualification capability for other advanced reactor designs (e.g., the advanced light water reactor [ALWR] and high temperature gas-cooled reactor [HTGR] designs), while also benefiting existing nuclear plants. The Program will also have applicability to complex, non-nuclear process control environments (e.g., petrochemical, aerospace, etc.). The Advanced Controls Program will support capabilities throughout the entire plant design life cycle, i.e., from the initial interactive first-principle dynamic model development for the process, systems, components, and instruments through advanced control room qualification. The current program involves five principal areas of research activities: (1) demonstrations of advanced control system designs, (2) development of an advanced controls design environment, (3) development of advanced control strategies, (4) research and development (R ampersand D) in human-system integration for advanced control system designs, and (5) testing and validation of advanced control system designs. Discussion of the research in these five areas forms the basis of this paper. Also included is a description of the research directions of the program. 8 refs

Comment on 'Magic strains in face-centered and body-centered cubic lattices'

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Waal, B.W. van de (Technische Hogeschool Twente, Enschede (Netherlands). Dept. of Physics)

1990-03-01

The six symmetry-related so-called magic strain tensors that transform a f.c.c. lattice (or a b.c.c. lattice) into itself, which have been reported recently by Boyer are not unique: An infinite number of displacement tensors can be constructed that transform one lattice into another, or into itself. There is no connection with fivefold symmetry, other than that in any f.c.c. crystal. (orig.).

[Incorporation of an organic MAGIC (Model of Acidification of Groundwater in Catchments) and testing of the revised model using independent data sources]. Progress report, March 16, 1992--September 15, 1992

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sullivan, T.J.

1992-09-01

A project was initiated in March, 1992 to (1) incorporate a rigorous organic acid representation, based on empirical data and geochemical considerations, into the MAGIC model of acidification response, and (2) test the revised model using three sets of independent data. After six months of performance, the project is on schedule and the majority of the tasks outlined for Year 1 have been successfully completed. Major accomplishments to data include development of the organic acid modeling approach, using data from the Adirondack Lakes Survey Corporation (ALSC), and coupling the organic acid model with MAGIC for chemical hindcast comparisons. The incorporation of an organic acid representation into MAGIC can account for much of the discrepancy earlier observed between MAGIC hindcasts and paleolimnological reconstructions of preindustrial pH and alkalinity for 33 statistically-selected Adirondack lakes. Additional work is on-going for model calibration and testing with data from two whole-catchment artificial acidification projects. Results obtained thus far are being prepared as manuscripts for submission to the peer-reviewed scientific literature.

Modification of AMD wave functions and application to the breaking of the N=20 magic number

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kimura, Masaaki; Horiuchi, Hisashi

2001-01-01

By using the deformed Gaussian instead of the spherical one, we have modified the AMD (Antisymmetrized Molecular Dynamics) wave functions. The calculation results with this modified AMD shows the drastic improvement of the deformation properties of Mg isotopes. This improvement means that this new version of AMD can treat the deformation of mean field properly than before and the deformation of mean field is important in Mg isotopes. With this new version of AMD, we have also calculated 32Mg in which the breaking of magic number N=20 is experimentally known. In this nucleus, β-energy surface is also drastically changed by the modification AMD wave function. Our results show that this nucleus is indeed deformed and neutron's 2p2h state is dominant in its ground state. This ground state reproduces the experimental data and shows the breaking of the magic number N=20 clearly. Additionally, near the ground state, there is also very interesting state which has neutron's 4p4h structure and shows parity violating density distribution and cluster-like nature. (author)

Modification of AMD wave functions and application to the breaking of the N=20 magic number

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kimura, Masaaki; Horiuchi, Hisashi [Kyoto Univ. (Japan). Dept. of Physics

2001-09-01

By using the deformed Gaussian instead of the spherical one, we have modified the AMD (Antisymmetrized Molecular Dynamics) wave functions. The calculation results with this modified AMD shows the drastic improvement of the deformation properties of Mg isotopes. This improvement means that this new version of AMD can treat the deformation of mean field properly than before and the deformation of mean field is important in Mg isotopes. With this new version of AMD, we have also calculated 32Mg in which the breaking of magic number N=20 is experimentally known. In this nucleus, {beta}-energy surface is also drastically changed by the modification AMD wave function. Our results show that this nucleus is indeed deformed and neutron's 2p2h state is dominant in its ground state. This ground state reproduces the experimental data and shows the breaking of the magic number N=20 clearly. Additionally, near the ground state, there is also very interesting state which has neutron's 4p4h structure and shows parity violating density distribution and cluster-like nature. (author)

Measurement control program for new special recovery

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hsue, S.T.; Campbell, K.; Barlich, G.

1987-04-01

This report summarizes the design of the measurement control (MC) program for the New Special Recovery facility. The MC program is divided into two levels. Level 1 MC checks are performed at the individual instrument computer and will always be functional even when the instrument-control computer is down. The level 1 MCs are divided into statistical checks for both bias and precision, and diagnostic checks. All the instruments are connected on line to an instrument-control computer to which the measurement results can be communicated. Level 2 MC analyses are performed at this computer. The analyses consist of control charts for bias and precision and statistical tests used as analytic supplements to the control charts. They provide the desired detection sensitivity and yet can be interpreted quickly and easily. Recommendations are also made in terms of the frequency of the tests, the standard used, and other operational aspects of the MC program. 16 refs., 11 figs., 10 tabs

Magic, science and masculinity: marketing toy chemistry sets.

Science.gov (United States)

Al-Gailani, Salim

2009-12-01

At least since the late nineteenth century, toy chemistry sets have featured in standard scripts of the achievement of eminence in science, and they remain important in constructions of scientific identity. Using a selection of these toys manufactured in Britain and the United States, and with particular reference to the two dominant American brands, Gilbert and Chemcraft, this paper suggests that early twentieth-century chemistry sets were rooted in overlapping Victorian traditions of entertainment magic and scientific recreations. As chemistry set marketing copy gradually reoriented towards emphasising scientific modernity, citizenship, discipline and educational value, pre-twentieth-century traditions were subsumed within domestic-and specifically masculine-tropes. These developments in branding strategies point to transformations in both users' engagement with their chemistry sets and the role of scientific toys in domestic play. The chemistry set serves here as a useful tool for measuring cultural change and lay engagement with chemistry.

Magic and artifice in the collection of Athanasius Kircher.

Science.gov (United States)

Waddell, Mark A

2010-03-01

Situated at the center of intellectual life in baroque Rome, the museum administered by the Jesuit naturalist Athanasius Kircher (1602-1680) simultaneously instructed and bemused its audiences with an exuberant mix of exotic animals, classical art and technological marvels. Kircher's playful use of spectacle and his irrepressible fondness for "magic" were derided by contemporaries as frivolous wonder-mongering, but the lavish machines at the heart of his museum were more than mere showpieces. Instead, they presented audiences with a compelling vision of the natural world in which the hidden foundations of the universe could be captured and displayed by artifice. Kircher's collection was in itself a vast instrument of revelation, conceived on a grander scale than the telescope of Galileo but rooted all the same in contemporary scientific culture. 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Permanent magnet assembly producing a strong tilted homogeneous magnetic field: towards magic angle field spinning NMR and MRI.

Science.gov (United States)

Sakellariou, Dimitris; Hugon, Cédric; Guiga, Angelo; Aubert, Guy; Cazaux, Sandrine; Hardy, Philippe

2010-12-01

We introduce a cylindrical permanent magnet design that generates a homogeneous and strong magnetic field having an arbitrary inclination with respect to the axis of the cylinder. The analytical theory of 3 D magnetostatics has been applied to this problem, and a hybrid magnet structure has been designed. This structure contains two magnets producing a longitudinal and transverse component for the magnetic field, whose amplitudes and homogeneities can be fully controlled by design. A simple prototype has been constructed using inexpensive small cube magnets, and its magnetic field has been mapped using Hall and NMR probe sensors. This magnet can, in principle, be used for magic angle field spinning NMR and MRI experiments allowing for metabolic chemical shift profiling in small living animals. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Neutron interaction with doubly-magic 40Ca

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Smith, A.B.

1993-11-01

Differential neutron elastic and inelastic-scattering cross sections of elemental calcium (96.94% doubly-magic 40 Ca) are measured from ∼ 1.5 to 10 MeV with sufficient detail to determine their energy-averaged behavior in the highly fluctuating environment. These results, combined with values previously reported in the literature, are assessed in the contexts of optical-statistical, dispersive optical, and coupled-channels models, applicable to the energy domain 0 → 30+ MeV, with particular emphasis on the lower energies where the interpretations are sensitive to the dispersion relationship and the effective mass. The interpretations define the energy dependencies of the potential parameters (resolving prior ambiguities), suggest that previous estimates of the prominent low-energy (n,p) and (n,a) reactions are too large, reasonably describe observables to at least 30 MeV, and provide a vehicle for extrapolation into the bound-state regime that gives a good description of hole- and particle-state binding energies. The resulting real-potential parameters (in contrast to many 40 Ca parameters reported in the literature) are shown consistent with global trends

Contextuality supplies the 'magic' for quantum computation.

Science.gov (United States)

Howard, Mark; Wallman, Joel; Veitch, Victor; Emerson, Joseph

2014-06-19

Quantum computers promise dramatic advantages over their classical counterparts, but the source of the power in quantum computing has remained elusive. Here we prove a remarkable equivalence between the onset of contextuality and the possibility of universal quantum computation via 'magic state' distillation, which is the leading model for experimentally realizing a fault-tolerant quantum computer. This is a conceptually satisfying link, because contextuality, which precludes a simple 'hidden variable' model of quantum mechanics, provides one of the fundamental characterizations of uniquely quantum phenomena. Furthermore, this connection suggests a unifying paradigm for the resources of quantum information: the non-locality of quantum theory is a particular kind of contextuality, and non-locality is already known to be a critical resource for achieving advantages with quantum communication. In addition to clarifying these fundamental issues, this work advances the resource framework for quantum computation, which has a number of practical applications, such as characterizing the efficiency and trade-offs between distinct theoretical and experimental schemes for achieving robust quantum computation, and putting bounds on the overhead cost for the classical simulation of quantum algorithms.

Divison of Environmental Control Technology program, 1978

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1979-06-01

This report covers Division of Environmental Control Technology projects in progress during FY 1978, within the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Environment, Department of Energy. It is the second in a planned series of annual reports. The Division of Environmental Control Technology (ECT) continues to support the Assistant Secretary for Environment (EV) in discharging two primary responsibilities: (1) under the Environmental Engineering (EE) Program, the independent overview and assessment of environmental control aspects of both the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) research, development, and demonstration (RD and D) programs and the Nation's energy policies, and (2) under the Decontamination and Decommissioning Program, the reduction of potential environmental hazards at the radioactively contaminated sites that are presently owned or were formerly used by the Government. This report presents a short summary of objectives, approach, progress and results, future plans, and a reference bibliography for each research, development, or assessment project within the program areas described above

Divison of Environmental Control Technology program, 1978

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mott, William E.

1979-06-01

This report covers Division of Environmental Control Technology projects in progress during FY 1978, within the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Environment, Department of Energy. It is the second in a planned series of annual reports. The Division of Environmental Control Technology (ECT) continues to support the Assistant Secretary for Environment (EV) in discharging two primary responsibilities: (1) under the Environmental Engineering (EE) Program, the independent overview and assessment of environmental control aspects of both the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) research, development, and demonstration (RD and D) programs and the Nation's energy policies, and (2) under the Decontamination and Decommissioning Program, the reduction of potential environmental hazards at the radioactively contaminated sites that are presently owned or were formerly used by the Government. This report presents a short summary of objectives, approach, progress and results, future plans, and a reference bibliography for each research, development, or assessment project within the program areas described above.

The MAGIC-5 CAD for nodule detection in low dose and thin slice lung CTs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cerello, Piergiorgio

2010-01-01

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related mortality in developed countries. Only 10-15% of all men and women diagnosed with lung cancer live 5 years after the diagnosis. However, the 5-year survival rate for patients diagnosed in the early asymptomatic stage of the disease can reach 70%. Early-stage lung cancers can be diagnosed by detecting non-calcified small pulmonary nodules with computed tomography (CT). Computer-aided detection (CAD) could support radiologists in the analysis of the large amount of noisy images generated in screening programs, where low-dose and thin-slice settings are used. The MAGIC-5 project, funded by the Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare (INFN, Italy) and Ministero dell'Universita e della Ricerca (MUR, Italy), developed a multi-method approach based on three CAD algorithms to be used in parallel with a merging of their results: the Channeler Ant Model (CAM), based on Virtual Ant Colonies, the Dot-Enhancement/Pleura Surface Normals/VBNA (DE-PSN-VBNA), and the Region Growing Volume Plateau (RGVP). Preliminary results show quite good performances, to be improved with the refining of the single algorithm and the added value of the results merging.

The evaluation of a 2D diode array in “magic phantom” for use in high dose rate brachytherapy pretreatment quality assurance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Espinoza, A.; Petasecca, M.; Fuduli, I.; Lerch, M. L. F.; Rosenfeld, A. B.; Howie, A.; Bucci, J.; Corde, S.; Jackson, M.

2015-01-01

Purpose: High dose rate (HDR) brachytherapy is a treatment method that is used increasingly worldwide. The development of a sound quality assurance program for the verification of treatment deliveries can be challenging due to the high source activity utilized and the need for precise measurements of dwell positions and times. This paper describes the application of a novel phantom, based on a 2D 11 × 11 diode array detection system, named “magic phantom” (MPh), to accurately measure plan dwell positions and times, compare them directly to the treatment plan, determine errors in treatment delivery, and calculate absorbed dose. Methods: The magic phantom system was CT scanned and a 20 catheter plan was generated to simulate a nonspecific treatment scenario. This plan was delivered to the MPh and, using a custom developed software suite, the dwell positions and times were measured and compared to the plan. The original plan was also modified, with changes not disclosed to the primary authors, and measured again using the device and software to determine the modifications. A new metric, the “position–time gamma index,” was developed to quantify the quality of a treatment delivery when compared to the treatment plan. The MPh was evaluated to determine the minimum measurable dwell time and step size. The incorporation of the TG-43U1 formalism directly into the software allows for dose calculations to be made based on the measured plan. The estimated dose distributions calculated by the software were compared to the treatment plan and to calibrated EBT3 film, using the 2D gamma analysis method. Results: For the original plan, the magic phantom system was capable of measuring all dwell points and dwell times and the majority were found to be within 0.93 mm and 0.25 s, respectively, from the plan. By measuring the altered plan and comparing it to the unmodified treatment plan, the use of the position–time gamma index showed that all modifications made could be

The evaluation of a 2D diode array in “magic phantom” for use in high dose rate brachytherapy pretreatment quality assurance

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Espinoza, A.; Petasecca, M.; Fuduli, I.; Lerch, M. L. F.; Rosenfeld, A. B., E-mail: anatoly@uow.edu.au [Centre for Medical Radiation Physics, University of Wollongong, New South Wales 2522 (Australia); Howie, A.; Bucci, J. [St George Hospital Cancer Care Centre, New South Wales 2217 (Australia); Corde, S.; Jackson, M. [Department of Radiation Oncology, Prince of Wales Hospital, New South Wales 2031 (Australia)

2015-02-15

Purpose: High dose rate (HDR) brachytherapy is a treatment method that is used increasingly worldwide. The development of a sound quality assurance program for the verification of treatment deliveries can be challenging due to the high source activity utilized and the need for precise measurements of dwell positions and times. This paper describes the application of a novel phantom, based on a 2D 11 × 11 diode array detection system, named “magic phantom” (MPh), to accurately measure plan dwell positions and times, compare them directly to the treatment plan, determine errors in treatment delivery, and calculate absorbed dose. Methods: The magic phantom system was CT scanned and a 20 catheter plan was generated to simulate a nonspecific treatment scenario. This plan was delivered to the MPh and, using a custom developed software suite, the dwell positions and times were measured and compared to the plan. The original plan was also modified, with changes not disclosed to the primary authors, and measured again using the device and software to determine the modifications. A new metric, the “position–time gamma index,” was developed to quantify the quality of a treatment delivery when compared to the treatment plan. The MPh was evaluated to determine the minimum measurable dwell time and step size. The incorporation of the TG-43U1 formalism directly into the software allows for dose calculations to be made based on the measured plan. The estimated dose distributions calculated by the software were compared to the treatment plan and to calibrated EBT3 film, using the 2D gamma analysis method. Results: For the original plan, the magic phantom system was capable of measuring all dwell points and dwell times and the majority were found to be within 0.93 mm and 0.25 s, respectively, from the plan. By measuring the altered plan and comparing it to the unmodified treatment plan, the use of the position–time gamma index showed that all modifications made could be

Stochastic control theory dynamic programming principle

CERN Document Server

Nisio, Makiko

2015-01-01

This book offers a systematic introduction to the optimal stochastic control theory via the dynamic programming principle, which is a powerful tool to analyze control problems. First we consider completely observable control problems with finite horizons. Using a time discretization we construct a nonlinear semigroup related to the dynamic programming principle (DPP), whose generator provides the Hamilton–Jacobi–Bellman (HJB) equation, and we characterize the value function via the nonlinear semigroup, besides the viscosity solution theory. When we control not only the dynamics of a system but also the terminal time of its evolution, control-stopping problems arise. This problem is treated in the same frameworks, via the nonlinear semigroup. Its results are applicable to the American option price problem. Zero-sum two-player time-homogeneous stochastic differential games and viscosity solutions of the Isaacs equations arising from such games are studied via a nonlinear semigroup related to DPP (the min-ma...

An Inquiry-Oriented Approach to Span and Linear Independence: The Case of the Magic Carpet Ride Sequence

Science.gov (United States)

Wawro, Megan; Rasmussen, Chris; Zandieh, Michelle; Sweeney, George Franklin; Larson, Christine

2012-01-01

In this paper we present an innovative instructional sequence for an introductory linear algebra course that supports students' reinvention of the concepts of span, linear dependence, and linear independence. Referred to as the Magic Carpet Ride sequence, the problems begin with an imaginary scenario that allows students to build rich imagery and…

Indians in view : The representation of British Indians in magic lantern presentations, film and on postcards, 1870-1915

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Siebenga, J.A.

2015-01-01

This thesis researched the representation of British Indians in three types of visual media which were enormously popular at the end of the nineteenth and beginning of the twentieth century. Together they reached a wider public than any other visual representations had done before. Magic lantern

Overview of Japanese control rods development program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Koyama, M.

1984-01-01

The Japanese control rods development program was established based on the fast breeder reactor program. Therefore, PNC's efforts have been made mainly for the development of analysis, design and fabrication technologies for ''JOYO'' and ''MONJU'' control rods. Laboratory studies were performed to obtain the information for absorber materials. The design and fabrication of the sealed and vented type control rod pins were completed, and water loop tests and in-sodium tests were carried out. Irradiation behavior of enriched B 4 C pellets with low and high density in DFR was examined. Japan's experimental fast reactor, JOYO, has been operated at the rated power of 50MWt and 75MWt since April 1977 when the MK-I core (breeder core) attained initial criticality. Post irradiation examinations on control rod, removed from the reactor, were carried out and their performance behavior were evaluated. In the MK-II core, a control rods monitoring program has been in investigation. Absorber Materials Irradiation Rigs (AMIR) are scheduled to be loaded and irradiated in the JOYO MK-II core from 1984. (author)

Spin-locking and cross-polarization under magic-angle spinning of uniformly labeled solids.

Science.gov (United States)

Hung, Ivan; Gan, Zhehong

2015-07-01

Spin-locking and cross-polarization under magic-angle spinning are investigated for uniformly (13)C and (15)N labeled solids. In particular, the interferences from chemical shift anisotropy, and (1)H heteronuclear and (13)C homonuclear dipolar couplings are identified. The physical origin of these interferences provides guidelines for selecting the best (13)C and (15)N polarization transfer rf fields. Optimal settings for both the zero- and double-quantum cross-polarization transfer mechanisms are recommended. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The 'Magic Light': A Discussion on Laser Ethics.

Science.gov (United States)

Stylianou, Andreas; Talias, Michael A

2015-08-01

Innovations in technology and science form novel fields that, although beneficial, introduce new bio-ethical issues. In their short history, lasers have greatly influenced our everyday lives, especially in medicine. This paper focuses particularly on medical and para-medical laser ethics and their origins, and presents the complex relationships within laser ethics through a three-dimensional matrix model. The term 'laser' and the myth of the 'magic light' can be identified as landmarks for laser related ethical issues. These ethical issues are divided into five major groups: (1) media, marketing, and advertising; (2) economic outcomes; (3) user training; (4) the user-patient/client relationship; and (5) other issues. In addition, issues arising from two of the most common applications of lasers, laser eye surgery and laser tattoo removal, are discussed. The aim of this paper is to demonstrate that the use of medical and para-medical lasers has so greatly influenced our lives that the scientific community must initiate an earnest discussion of medical laser ethics.

Radiolabelled monoclonal antibodies: magic bullets for colorectal carcinoma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Slade, Linda

1997-01-01

Radiolabelled monoclonal antibodies (MoAbs) have been heralded as highly specific detection agents for many types of tumours. However, because of the many problems that have been associated with the use of these agents, their development and successes did not meet expectations. This paper discusses the use of radiolabelled MoAbs in the diagnosis and staging of colorectal cancer, the type of antibodies and radionuclides investigated over the past thirty years, and the advantages and disadvantages of each. An attempt is made to define the role of radioimmunoscintigraphy (RIS) in the investigation and management of patients with colorectal cancer. It appears that this technique can improve tumour detection, especially when used in conjunction with other imaging modalities. High sensitivities and specificities have been found using radio-labelled MoAbs for investigation of colorectal carcinoma. However, the author estimates there are a number of areas that require further research and improvement before naming radiolabelled MoAbs as 'magic bullets' for colorectal cancer. 8 refs., 3 tabs

Recent findings about the galactic gamma-ray sky by MAGIC

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Strzys, Marcel C. [Max-Planck-Institut fuer Physik, Muenchen (Germany); Collaboration: MAGIC-Collaboration

2015-07-01

The TeV sky currently consists of around 150 sources, about half of them situated within our galaxy. This group comprises various types of cosmic accelerators such as supernova remnants, pulsars, pulsar wind nebula, and binaries. From what we have observed in gamma rays so far, these sources can accelerate particles up to several hundred TeV. In this talk I will present recent results from the observation of galactic gamma-ray sources by MAGIC. This includes, among others, latest findings about the brightest, galactic gamma-ray source in the sky, the Crab nebula, results about one of the rare binary systems at TeV energies, insights into a not yet identified enigmatic source, and the discovery of the, so far, faintest PWN.

The Magic Shrinking Machine Revisited: The Presence of Props at Recall Facilitates Memory in 3-Year-Olds

Science.gov (United States)

Dahl, Jonna J.; Kingo, Osman S.; Krøjgaard, Peter

2015-01-01

In a seminal study Simcock and Hayne (2002) showed that 3-year-olds were unable to use newly acquired words to describe a "magic" event experienced 6 or 12 months earlier. In the reference study the children's verbal recall was tested without props being present. Inspired by recent evidence, the original design was replicated, testing…

Ştefania Cristescu-Golopenţia and the Developing Understanding of the Magical Universe of Romanian Villages

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

ION CUCEU

2013-07-01

Full Text Available This article represents the first part of a study concerning the research on magic carried out by Ştefania Cristescu-Golopenţia in the context of the monographic campaigns of Dimitrie Gusti's School (1929-1945. The second part examines Sanda Golopenţia's 1984-2011 "reconstruction" of her mother's work.

Magic angle and height quantization in nanofacets on SiC(0001) surfaces

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sawada, Keisuke; Iwata, Jun-Ichi; Oshiyama, Atsushi [Department of Applied Physics, The University of Tokyo, Hongo, Tokyo 113-8656 (Japan)

2014-02-03

We report on the density-functional calculations that provide microscopic mechanism of the facet formation on the SiC (0001) surface. We first identify atom-scale structures of single-, double-, and quad-bilayer steps and find that the single-bilayer (SB) step has the lowest formation energy. We then find that the SB steps are bunched to form a nanofacet with a particular angle relative to the (0001) plane (magic facet angle) and with a discretized height along the (0001) direction (height quantization). We also clarify a microscopic reason for the self-organization of the nanofacet observed experimentally.

Orientation-dependent changes in MR signal intensity of articular cartilage: a manifestation of the ``magic angle`` effect

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wacker, F.K.; Bolze, X.; Felsenberg, D.; Wolf, K.J. [Department of Radiology, Benjamin Franklin University Hospital, Free University Berlin, D-12200 Berlin (Germany)

1998-06-01

Objective: To study magnetic resonance (MR) imaging pattern of normal hyaline articular cartilage in the knee joint with regard to the contribution of the ``magic angle`` effect to the MR signal. Design. Thirty-two healthy volunteers were imaged in a standard supine position in a 1.5-T unit using spin echo and gradient echo sequences. Nine volunteers were reimaged with the knee flexed. The signal behavior of the hyaline cartilage of the femoral condyles was evaluated qualitatively and quantitatively. The extended and flexed positions of the nine volunteers were compared. Results. A superficial and a deep hyperintense layer and a hypointense middle cartilage layer were observed. Segments of increased signal intensity were visible along the condyles; a magic angle effect on signal intensity was evident in the hypointense middle layer with both gradient echo and spin echo images. Conclusion. The MR signal behavior of hyaline cartilage is influenced by the alignment of the collagen fibers within the cartilage in relation to the magnetic field. Failure to recognize this effect may lead to inaccurate diagnosis. (orig.) With 4 figs., 17 refs.

Model-Checking Real-Time Control Programs

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Iversen, T. K.; Kristoffersen, K. J.; Larsen, Kim Guldstrand

2000-01-01

In this paper, we present a method for automatic verification of real-time control programs running on LEGO(R) RCX(TM) bricks using the verification tool UPPALL. The control programs, consisting of a number of tasks running concurrently, are automatically translated into the mixed automata model...... of UPPAAL. The fixed scheduling algorithm used by the LEGO(R) RCX(TM) processor is modeled in UPPALL, and supply of similar (sufficient) timed automata models for the environment allows analysis of the overall real-time system using the tools of UPPALL. To illustrate our technique for sorting LEGO(R) bricks...

IADC's well control accreditation program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kropla, S.M.

1997-01-01

WellCAP is a well control accreditation program devised and implemented by the International Association of Drilling Contractors (IADC). It is a worldwide comprehensive system that defines a well control training curriculum, establishes minimum standards and recommends guidelines for course structure. The program began in mid-1993 and is viewed as a means for training institutions to demonstrate industry recognition to customers, contractors and local governments. Schools can apply to have their courses accredited. The accreditation system is administered by a review panel. The application process requires that the school perform a detailed review of its curriculum and operations and bring them in line with the WellCAP curriculum and accreditation criteria. Currently, more than 75 schools around the world have requested application materials for WellCAP. To date fifteen schools have been fully accredited

A multi-parent advanced generation inter-cross (MAGIC) population for genetic analysis and improvement of cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L. Walp.).

Science.gov (United States)

Huynh, Bao-Lam; Ehlers, Jeffrey D; Huang, Bevan Emma; Muñoz-Amatriaín, María; Lonardi, Stefano; Santos, Jansen R P; Ndeve, Arsenio; Batieno, Benoit J; Boukar, Ousmane; Cisse, Ndiaga; Drabo, Issa; Fatokun, Christian; Kusi, Francis; Agyare, Richard Y; Guo, Yi-Ning; Herniter, Ira; Lo, Sassoum; Wanamaker, Steve I; Xu, Shizhong; Close, Timothy J; Roberts, Philip A

2018-03-01

Multi-parent advanced generation inter-cross (MAGIC) populations are an emerging type of resource for dissecting the genetic structure of traits and improving breeding populations. We developed a MAGIC population for cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L. Walp.) from eight founder parents. These founders were genetically diverse and carried many abiotic and biotic stress resistance, seed quality and agronomic traits relevant to cowpea improvement in the United States and sub-Saharan Africa, where cowpea is vitally important in the human diet and local economies. The eight parents were inter-crossed using structured matings to ensure that the population would have balanced representation from each parent, followed by single-seed descent, resulting in 305 F 8 recombinant inbred lines each carrying a mosaic of genome blocks contributed by all founders. This was confirmed by single nucleotide polymorphism genotyping with the Illumina Cowpea Consortium Array. These lines were on average 99.74% homozygous but also diverse in agronomic traits across environments. Quantitative trait loci (QTLs) were identified for several parental traits. Loci with major effects on photoperiod sensitivity and seed size were also verified by biparental genetic mapping. The recombination events were concentrated in telomeric regions. Due to its broad genetic base, this cowpea MAGIC population promises breakthroughs in genetic gain, QTL and gene discovery, enhancement of breeding populations and, for some lines, direct releases as new varieties. © 2018 The Authors. The Plant Journal published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd and Society for Experimental Biology.

Programming Programmable Logic Controller. High-Technology Training Module.

Science.gov (United States)

Lipsky, Kevin

This training module on programming programmable logic controllers (PLC) is part of the memory structure and programming unit used in a packaging systems equipment control course. In the course, students assemble, install, maintain, and repair industrial machinery used in industry. The module contains description, objectives, content outline,…

Probing quantum gravity using photons from a flare of the active galactic nucleus Markarian 501 observed by the MAGIC telescope

CERN Document Server

Albert, J; Anderhub, H; Antonelli, L A; Antoranz, P; Backes, M; Baixeras, C; Barrio, J A; Bartko, H; Bastieri, D; Becker, J K; Bednarek, W; Berger, K; Bernardini, E; Bigongiari, C; Biland, A; Bock, R K; Bordas, P; Bosch-Ramon, V; Bretz, T; Britvitch, I; Camara, M; Carmona, E; Chilingarian, A; Commichau, S; Contreras, J L; Cortina, J; Costado, M T; Covino, S; Dazzi, F; De Angelis, A; De Cea del Pozo, E; Delgado Mendez, C; de los Reyes, R; De Lotto, B; De Maria, M; De Sabata, F; Dominguez, A; Dorner, D; Doro, M; Errando, M; Fagiolini, M; Ferenc, D; Fernández, E; Firpo, R; Fonseca, M V; Font, L; Galante, N; García-López, R J; Garczarczyk, M; Gaug, M; Göbel, F; Hayashida, M; Herrero, A; Höhne, D; Hose, J; Hsu, C C; Huber, S; Jogler, T; Kranich, D; La Barbera, A; Laille, A; Leonardo, E; Lindfors, E; Lombardi, S; Longo, F; López, M; Lorenz, E; Majumdar, P; Maneva, G; Mankuzhiyil, N; Mannheim, K; Maraschi, L; Mariotti, M; Martínez, M; Mazin, D; Meucci, M; Meyer, M; Miranda, J M; Mirzoyan, R; Moles, M; Moralejo, A; Nieto, D; Nilsson, K; Ninkovic, J; Otte, N; Oya, I; Panniello, M; Paoletti, R; Paredes, J M; Pasanen, M; Pascoli, D; Pauss, F; Pegna, R; Pérez-Torres, M A; Persic, M; Peruzzo, L; Piccioli, A; Prada, F; Puchades, N; Raymers, A; Ribó, M; Rico, J; Rissi, M; Robert, A; Rügamer, S; Saggion, A; Saitô, T; Salvati, M; Sanchez-Conde, M; Sartori, P; Satalecka, K; Scalzotto, V; Scapin, V; Schmitt, R; Schweizer, T; Shayduk, M; Shinozaki, K; Sidro, N; Sierpowska-Bartosik, A; Sillanpää, A; Spanier, F; Stamerra, A; Stark, L S; Takalo, L; Tavecchio, F; Temnikov, P; Tescaro, D; Teshima, M; Tluczykont, M; Torres, D F; Turini, N; Vankov, H; Venturini, A; Vitale, V; Wagner, R M; Wittek, W; Zabalza, M; Zandanel, F; Zanin, R; Ellis, Jonathan Richard; Mavromatos, N E; Nanopoulos, D V; Sakharov, Alexander S; Sarkisyan-Grinbaum, E

2008-01-01

We use the timing of photons observed by the MAGIC gamma-ray telescope during a flare of the active galaxy Markarian 501 to probe a vacuum refractive index ~ 1-(E/M_QGn)^n, n = 1,2, that might be induced by quantum gravity. The peaking of the flare is found to maximize for quantum-gravity mass scales M_QG1 ~ 0.4x10^18 GeV or M_QG2 ~ 0.6x10^11 GeV, and we establish lower limits M_QG1 > 0.26x10^18 GeV or M_QG2 > 0.39x10^11 GeV at the 95% C.L. Monte Carlo studies confirm the MAGIC sensitivity to propagation effects at these levels. Thermal plasma effects in the source are negligible, but we cannot exclude the importance of some other source effect.

Synthetic RNA Controllers for Programming Mammalian Cell Fate and Function

Science.gov (United States)

2015-11-04

Final report for “Synthetic RNA controllers for programming mammalian cell fate and function” Principal Investigator: Christina D. Smolke...SUBTITLE Synthetic RNA controllers for programming mammalian cell fate and function 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER 5b. GRANT NUMBER 5c. PROGRAM ELEMENT NUMBER...Form 298 (Rev. 8-98) Prescribed by ANSI Std Z39-18   2 Synthetic RNA controllers for programming mammalian cell fate and function Task 1

Material control system simulator program reference manual

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hollstien, R.B.

1978-01-24

A description is presented of a Material Control System Simulator (MCSS) program for determination of material accounting uncertainty and system response to particular adversary action sequences that constitute plausible material diversion attempts. The program is intended for use in situations where randomness, uncertainty, or interaction of adversary actions and material control system components make it difficult to assess safeguards effectiveness against particular material diversion attempts. Although MCSS may be used independently in the design or analysis of material handling and processing systems, it has been tailored toward the determination of material accountability and the response of material control systems to adversary action sequences.

Material control system simulator program reference manual

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hollstien, R.B.

1978-01-01

A description is presented of a Material Control System Simulator (MCSS) program for determination of material accounting uncertainty and system response to particular adversary action sequences that constitute plausible material diversion attempts. The program is intended for use in situations where randomness, uncertainty, or interaction of adversary actions and material control system components make it difficult to assess safeguards effectiveness against particular material diversion attempts. Although MCSS may be used independently in the design or analysis of material handling and processing systems, it has been tailored toward the determination of material accountability and the response of material control systems to adversary action sequences

Controlled thermonuclear reactions and Tora Supra program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1988-01-01

The research programs for the nuclear energy production by means of thermonuclear fusion are shown. TORA SUPRA, Joint European Torus, Next European Torus and those developed at the Atomic Energy Center are described. The controlled fusion necessary conditions, the energy and confinement balance, and the research of a better tokamak configuration are discussed. A description of TORA SUPRA, the ways of achieving the project and the expected delays are shown. The Controlled Fusion Research Department functions, concerning these programs, are described. The importance of international cooperation and the perspectives about the use of controlled fusion are underlined [fr

Probing the Diffuse Optical-IR Background with TeV Blazars Detected with the MAGIC Telescopes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Prandini, Elisa [Dipartimento di Fisica e Astronomia “G. Galilei”, University of Padova, Padua (Italy); Domínguez, Alberto [Departamento de Física Atómica, Universidad Complutense, Madrid (Spain); Fallah Ramazani, Vandad [Tuorla observatory, University of Turku, Turku (Finland); Hassan, Tarek [IFAE, The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Bellaterra (Spain); Mazin, Daniel [Max Planck Institute for Physics, Munich (Germany); Institute for Cosmic Ray Research, University of Tokyo, Tokyo (Japan); Moralejo, Abelardo [IFAE, The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Bellaterra (Spain); Nievas Rosillo, Mireia [Departamento de Física Atómica, Universidad Complutense, Madrid (Spain); Vanzo, Gaia; Vazquez Acosta, Monica, E-mail: prandini@pd.infn.it [Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias, Tenerife (Spain); Departamento de Astrofisica, Universidad de La Laguna, Tenerife (Spain)

2017-11-22

Blazars are radio loud quasars whose jet points toward the observer. The observed emission is mostly non-thermal, dominated by the jet emission, and in some cases extends up to the very high energy gamma rays (VHE; E > 100 GeV). To date, more than 60 blazars have been detected at VHE mainly with ground-based imaging atmospheric Cherenkov telescopes (IACTs) such as MAGIC, H.E.S.S., and VERITAS. Energetic photons from a blazar may interact with the diffuse optical and IR background (the extragalactic background light, EBL) leaving an imprint on the blazar energy spectrum. This effect can be used to constrain the EBL, with basic assumptions on the intrinsic energy spectrum. Current generation of IACTs is providing valuable measurements of the EBL density and energy spectrum from optical to infrared frequencies. In this contribution, we present the latest results obtained with the data taken with the MAGIC telescopes: using 32 spectra from 12 blazars, the scale factor of the optical density predicted by the EBL model from Domínguez et al. (2011) is constrained to be 0.95 (+0.11, −0.12){sub stat} (+0.16, −0.07){sub sys}, where a value of 1 means the perfect match with the model.

Probing the Diffuse Optical-IR Background with TeV Blazars Detected with the MAGIC Telescopes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Elisa Prandini

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Blazars are radio loud quasars whose jet points toward the observer. The observed emission is mostly non-thermal, dominated by the jet emission, and in some cases extends up to the very high energy gamma rays (VHE; E > 100 GeV. To date, more than 60 blazars have been detected at VHE mainly with ground-based imaging atmospheric Cherenkov telescopes (IACTs such as MAGIC, H.E.S.S., and VERITAS. Energetic photons from a blazar may interact with the diffuse optical and IR background (the extragalactic background light, EBL leaving an imprint on the blazar energy spectrum. This effect can be used to constrain the EBL, with basic assumptions on the intrinsic energy spectrum. Current generation of IACTs is providing valuable measurements of the EBL density and energy spectrum from optical to infrared frequencies. In this contribution, we present the latest results obtained with the data taken with the MAGIC telescopes: using 32 spectra from 12 blazars, the scale factor of the optical density predicted by the EBL model from Domínguez et al. (2011 is constrained to be 0.95 (+0.11, −0.12stat (+0.16, −0.07sys, where a value of 1 means the perfect match with the model.

Controlled thermonuclear research program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1976-01-01

The Plasma Physics and Controlled-Fusion Research Program at the Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory is divided into five projects: Plasma Production and Heating Experiments, Plasma Theory, Atomic Physics Studies, the Tormac Project, and Neutral-Beam Development and Technology listed in order of increasing magnitude, as regards manpower and budget. Some cross sections and yields are shown in atomic physics

Program, policy, and price interventions for tobacco control: quantifying the return on investment of a state tobacco control program.

Science.gov (United States)

Dilley, Julia A; Harris, Jeffrey R; Boysun, Michael J; Reid, Terry R

2012-02-01

We examined health effects associated with 3 tobacco control interventions in Washington State: a comprehensive state program, a state policy banning smoking in public places, and price increases. We used linear regression models to predict changes in smoking prevalence and specific tobacco-related health conditions associated with the interventions. We estimated dollars saved over 10 years (2000-2009) by the value of hospitalizations prevented, discounting for national trends. Smoking declines in the state exceeded declines in the nation. Of the interventions, the state program had the most consistent and largest effect on trends for heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, respiratory disease, and cancer. Over 10 years, implementation of the program was associated with prevention of nearly 36,000 hospitalizations, at a value of about $1.5 billion. The return on investment for the state program was more than $5 to $1. The combined program, policy, and price interventions resulted in reductions in smoking and related health effects, while saving money. Public health and other leaders should continue to invest in tobacco control, including comprehensive programs.

Monitoring control program as a tool for regulatory control

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Silva Peres, Sueli da; Lauria, Dejanaira C.; Martins, Nadia S.F.; Rio, Monica A.P.

2008-01-01

Full text: The Institute of Radiation Protection and Dosimetry (IRD) of the Brazilian Commission of Nuclear Energy (CNEN) is responsible for developing, establishing and carrying out an independent assessment to verify the adequacy, effectiveness and accuracy of environmental radiological control carried out by licensed and controlled facilities. This independent assessment is performed by Environmental Monitoring Control Program (MCP). The MCP is a regulatory control and its main goal is to provide public and environment with an appropriate protection level against harmful effects of ionising radiation. The main purpose of the MCP is to verify whether applicable requirements prescribed by legislation are met, the environmental radiological control of the facilities are adequate and effective and the facilities are able to generate valid measuring results. The MCP is carried out in order to evaluate the quality of environmental radiation monitoring programs (EMP) and the effectiveness of their implementation, sampling conditions in the field, changes of environmental aspects in the impact area, adequacy of and adherence to procedures established and other applicable documents, technical competence of the staff and the necessary resources to ensure the required quality of the EMP. The MCP has been performed by activities should include inspecting and auditing of several types of nuclear and radioactive facilities. The inspection programme include the joint sampling program (CCP). The aim of the CCP is to check data of environmental monitoring of operator. The MCP was implemented in 1994. Ever since several problems related to the environmental control performed by operator was identified. The most important of them include problems related to the preparation and analysis of environmental samples, training of personnel, necessary resources, adherence of procedures to the purpose of the monitoring, fulfillment of procedures established, adequacy of the EMP and EMP

27Al Magic Angle Spinning–Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (MAS-NMR) Analyses Applied to Historical Mortars

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Hanzlíček, Tomáš; Perná, Ivana; Brus, Jiří

2013-01-01

Roč. 7, č. 2 (2013), s. 153-164 ISSN 1558-3058 R&D Projects: GA AV ČR IAA300460702 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z30460519; CEZ:AV0Z40500505 Keywords : mortars * magic angle spinning –nuclear magnetic resonance (MAS-NMR) in solid state * alumina-silicates Subject RIV: DM - Solid Waste and Recycling Impact factor: 0.714, year: 2013 http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/15583058.2011.624253

Shell stabilization of super- and hyperheavy nuclei without magic gaps

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bender, M.; Nazarewicz, W.; Oak Ridge National Lab., TN; Warsaw Univ.; Reinhard, P.G.; Oak Ridge National Lab., TN

2001-05-01

Quantum stabilization of superheavy elements is quantified in terms of the shell-correction energy. We compute the shell correction using self-consistent nuclear models: the non-relativistic Skyrme-Hartree-Fock approach and the relativistic mean-field model, for a number of parametrizations. All the forces applied predict a broad valley of shell stabilization around Z = 120 and N = 172-184. We also predict two broad regions of shell stabilization in hyperheavy elements with N ∼ 258 and N ∼ 308. Due to the large single-particle level density, shell corrections in the superheavy elements differ markedly from those in lighter nuclei. With increasing proton and neutron numbers, the regions of nuclei stabilized by shell effects become poorly localized in particle number, and the familiar pattern of shells separated by magic gaps is basically gone. (orig.)

Methods for magnetic resonance analysis using magic angle technique

Science.gov (United States)

Hu, Jian Zhi [Richland, WA; Wind, Robert A [Kennewick, WA; Minard, Kevin R [Kennewick, WA; Majors, Paul D [Kennewick, WA

2011-11-22

Methods of performing a magnetic resonance analysis of a biological object are disclosed that include placing the object in a main magnetic field (that has a static field direction) and in a radio frequency field; rotating the object at a frequency of less than about 100 Hz around an axis positioned at an angle of about 54.degree.44' relative to the main magnetic static field direction; pulsing the radio frequency to provide a sequence that includes a phase-corrected magic angle turning pulse segment; and collecting data generated by the pulsed radio frequency. In particular embodiments the method includes pulsing the radio frequency to provide at least two of a spatially selective read pulse, a spatially selective phase pulse, and a spatially selective storage pulse. Further disclosed methods provide pulse sequences that provide extended imaging capabilities, such as chemical shift imaging or multiple-voxel data acquisition.

The Art of Magic in the Time of Trump

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Opstrup, Kasper

During the last decade marked by financial and ecological crises, precarity, migration and the return of authoritarian conditions, there has been a marked occult revival in both the arts and the broader popular culture. This paper examines the occult art-activism against Trump and place it in a w......During the last decade marked by financial and ecological crises, precarity, migration and the return of authoritarian conditions, there has been a marked occult revival in both the arts and the broader popular culture. This paper examines the occult art-activism against Trump and place...... it in a wider perspective of eco, gender and anti-fascist critique, and the 'mystical utopianism' of new social and religious movements. Examples include The Magical Resistance who meet once a month in a Brooklyn book shop to cast spells to bind Trump, rendering him incapable of hurting anybody, the Yerbamala...

Employers should disband employee weight control programs.

Science.gov (United States)

Lewis, Alfred; Khanna, Vikram; Montrose, Shana

2015-02-01

American corporations continue to expand wellness programs, which now reach an estimated 90% of workers in large organizations, yet no study has demonstrated that the main focus of these programs-weight control-has any positive effect. There is no published evidence that large-scale corporate attempts to control employee body weight through financial incentives and penalties have generated savings from long-term weight loss, or a reduction in inpatient admissions associated with obesity or even long-term weight loss itself. Other evidence contradicts the hypothesis that population obesity rates meaningfully retard economic growth or manufacturing productivity. Quite the contrary, overscreening and crash dieting can impact employee morale and even harm employee health. Therefore, the authors believe that corporations should disband or significantly reconfigure weight-oriented wellness programs, and that the Affordable Care Act should be amended to require such programs to conform to accepted guidelines for harm avoidance.

Search for very high-energy gamma-ray emission from the microquasar Cygnus X-1 with the MAGIC telescopes

Science.gov (United States)

Ahnen, M. L.; Ansoldi, S.; Antonelli, L. A.; Arcaro, C.; Babić, A.; Banerjee, B.; Bangale, P.; Barres de Almeida, U.; Barrio, J. A.; Becerra González, J.; Bednarek, W.; Bernardini, E.; Berti, A.; Bhattacharyya, W.; Biasuzzi, B.; Biland, A.; Blanch, O.; Bonnefoy, S.; Bonnoli, G.; Carosi, R.; Carosi, A.; Chatterjee, A.; Colin, P.; Colombo, E.; Contreras, J. L.; Cortina, J.; Covino, S.; Cumani, P.; da Vela, P.; Dazzi, F.; de Angelis, A.; de Lotto, B.; de Oña Wilhelmi, E.; di Pierro, F.; Doert, M.; Domínguez, A.; Dominis Prester, D.; Dorner, D.; Doro, M.; Einecke, S.; Eisenacher Glawion, D.; Elsaesser, D.; Engelkemeier, M.; Fallah Ramazani, V.; Fernández-Barral, A.; Fidalgo, D.; Fonseca, M. V.; Font, L.; Fruck, C.; Galindo, D.; García López, R. J.; Garczarczyk, M.; Gaug, M.; Giammaria, P.; Godinović, N.; Gora, D.; Guberman, D.; Hadasch, D.; Hahn, A.; Hassan, T.; Hayashida, M.; Herrera, J.; Hose, J.; Hrupec, D.; Ishio, K.; Konno, Y.; Kubo, H.; Kushida, J.; Kuveždić, D.; Lelas, D.; Lindfors, E.; Lombardi, S.; Longo, F.; López, M.; Maggio, C.; Majumdar, P.; Makariev, M.; Maneva, G.; Manganaro, M.; Mannheim, K.; Maraschi, L.; Mariotti, M.; Martínez, M.; Mazin, D.; Menzel, U.; Minev, M.; Mirzoyan, R.; Moralejo, A.; Moreno, V.; Moretti, E.; Neustroev, V.; Niedzwiecki, A.; Nievas Rosillo, M.; Nilsson, K.; Ninci, D.; Nishijima, K.; Noda, K.; Nogués, L.; Paiano, S.; Palacio, J.; Paneque, D.; Paoletti, R.; Paredes, J. M.; Paredes-Fortuny, X.; Pedaletti, G.; Peresano, M.; Perri, L.; Persic, M.; Prada Moroni, P. G.; Prandini, E.; Puljak, I.; Garcia, J. R.; Reichardt, I.; Rhode, W.; Ribó, M.; Rico, J.; Righi, C.; Saito, T.; Satalecka, K.; Schroeder, S.; Schweizer, T.; Sitarek, J.; Šnidarić, I.; Sobczynska, D.; Stamerra, A.; Strzys, M.; Surić, T.; Takalo, L.; Tavecchio, F.; Temnikov, P.; Terzić, T.; Tescaro, D.; Teshima, M.; Torres, D. F.; Torres-Albà, N.; Treves, A.; Vanzo, G.; Vazquez Acosta, M.; Vovk, I.; Ward, J. E.; Will, M.; Zarić, D.; MAGIC Collaboration; Bosch-Ramon, V.; Pooley, G. G.; Trushkin, S. A.; Zanin, R.

2017-12-01

The microquasar Cygnus X-1 displays the two typical soft and hard X-ray states of a black hole transient. During the latter, Cygnus X-1 shows a one-sided relativistic radio-jet. Recent detection of the system in the high energy (HE; E ≳ 60 MeV) gamma-ray range with Fermi-LAT associates this emission with the outflow. Former MAGIC observations revealed a hint of flaring activity in the very high-energy (VHE; E ≳ 100 GeV) regime during this X-ray state. We analyse ∼97 h of Cygnus X-1 data taken with the MAGIC telescopes between July 2007 and October 2014. To shed light on the correlation between hard X-ray and VHE gamma rays as previously suggested, we study each main X-ray state separately. We perform an orbital phase-folded analysis to look for variability in the VHE band. Additionally, to place this variability behaviour in a multiwavelength context, we compare our results with Fermi-LAT, AGILE, Swift-BAT, MAXI, RXTE-ASM, AMI and RATAN-600 data. We do not detect Cygnus X-1 in the VHE regime. We establish upper limits for each X-ray state, assuming a power-law distribution with photon index Γ = 3.2. For steady emission in the hard and soft X-ray states, we set integral upper limits at 95 per cent confidence level for energies above 200 GeV at 2.6 × 10-12 photons cm-2 s-1 and 1.0 × 10-11 photons cm-2 s-1, respectively. We rule out steady VHE gamma-ray emission above this energy range, at the level of the MAGIC sensitivity, originating in the interaction between the relativistic jet and the surrounding medium, while the emission above this flux level produced inside the binary still remains a valid possibility.

The year of magical thinking: Joan Didion and the dialectic of grief.

Science.gov (United States)

Brennan, F; Dash, M

2008-06-01

Joan Didion is a prominent American writer. In late 2003, while her only child lay critically ill, her husband, John, died suddenly. Theirs was a marriage of great intimacy and love. Grief enveloped her. Eventually she began to write an account of the first 12 months of her bereavement and the vigil for her child: The year of magical thinking. Raw, insightful and challenging, it is a rich, generous and graceful document. Didion draws on the literature of grief, personal and professional. Here, those readings are examined and reflections are made on the singular, unique grief of the author in the context of current theories on bereavement.

Control system design and analysis using the INteractive Controls Analysis (INCA) program

Science.gov (United States)

Bauer, Frank H.; Downing, John P.

1987-01-01

The INteractive Controls Analysis (INCA) program was developed at the Goddard Space Flight Center to provide a user friendly efficient environment for the design and analysis of linear control systems. Since its inception, INCA has found extensive use in the design, development, and analysis of control systems for spacecraft, instruments, robotics, and pointing systems. Moreover, the results of the analytic tools imbedded in INCA have been flight proven with at least three currently orbiting spacecraft. This paper describes the INCA program and illustrates, using a flight proven example, how the package can perform complex design analyses with relative ease.

Theoretical and algorithmic advances in multi-parametric programming and control

KAUST Repository

Pistikopoulos, Efstratios N.; Dominguez, Luis; Panos, Christos; Kouramas, Konstantinos; Chinchuluun, Altannar

2012-01-01

This paper presents an overview of recent theoretical and algorithmic advances, and applications in the areas of multi-parametric programming and explicit/multi-parametric model predictive control (mp-MPC). In multi-parametric programming, advances include areas such as nonlinear multi-parametric programming (mp-NLP), bi-level programming, dynamic programming and global optimization for multi-parametric mixed-integer linear programming problems (mp-MILPs). In multi-parametric/explicit MPC (mp-MPC), advances include areas such as robust multi-parametric control, multi-parametric nonlinear MPC (mp-NMPC) and model reduction in mp-MPC. A comprehensive framework for multi-parametric programming and control is also presented. Recent applications include a hydrogen storage device, a fuel cell power generation system, an unmanned autonomous vehicle (UAV) and a hybrid pressure swing adsorption (PSA) system. © 2012 Springer-Verlag.

Theoretical and algorithmic advances in multi-parametric programming and control

KAUST Repository

Pistikopoulos, Efstratios N.

2012-04-21

This paper presents an overview of recent theoretical and algorithmic advances, and applications in the areas of multi-parametric programming and explicit/multi-parametric model predictive control (mp-MPC). In multi-parametric programming, advances include areas such as nonlinear multi-parametric programming (mp-NLP), bi-level programming, dynamic programming and global optimization for multi-parametric mixed-integer linear programming problems (mp-MILPs). In multi-parametric/explicit MPC (mp-MPC), advances include areas such as robust multi-parametric control, multi-parametric nonlinear MPC (mp-NMPC) and model reduction in mp-MPC. A comprehensive framework for multi-parametric programming and control is also presented. Recent applications include a hydrogen storage device, a fuel cell power generation system, an unmanned autonomous vehicle (UAV) and a hybrid pressure swing adsorption (PSA) system. © 2012 Springer-Verlag.

Intelligent Flight Control Simulation Research Program

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Stolarik, Brian

2007-01-01

...). Under the program, entitled "Intelligent Flight Control Simulation Research Laboratory," a variety of technologies were investigated or developed during the course of the research for AFRL/VAC...

Object oriented programming interfaces for accelerator control

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hoff, L.T.

1997-01-01

Several years ago, the AGS controls group was given the task of developing software for the RHIC accelerator. Like the AGS, the RHIC control system needs to control and monitor equipment distributed around a relatively large geographic area. A local area network connects this equipment to a collection of UNIX workstations in a central control room. Similar software had been developed for the AGS about a decade earlier, but isn't well suited for RHIC use for a number of reasons. Rather than adapt the AGS software for RHIC use, the controls group opted to start with a clean slate. To develop software that would address the shortcomings of the AGS software, while preserving the useful features that evolved through years of use. A current trend in control system design is to provide an object oriented programming interface for application developers. This talk will discuss important aspects and features of object oriented application programming interfaces (APIs) for accelerator control systems, and explore why such interfaces are becoming the norm

Salmonella Control Programs in Denmark

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Wegener, Henrik Caspar; Hald, Tine; Wong, Danilo Lo Fo

2003-01-01

We describe Salmonella control programs of broiler chickens, layer hens, and pigs in Denmark. Major reductions in the incidence of foodborne human salmonellosis have occurred by integrated control of farms and food processing plants. Disease control has been achieved by monitoring the herds...... and flocks, eliminating infected animals, and diversifying animals (animals and products are processed differently depending on Salmonella status) and animal food products according to the determined risk. In 2001, the Danish society saved U.S.$25.5 million by controlling Salmonella. The total annual...... Salmonella control costs in year 2001 were U.S.$14.1 million (U.S.$0.075/kg of pork and U.S.$0.02/kg of broiler or egg). These costs are paid almost exclusively by the industry. The control principles described are applicable to most industrialized countries with modern intensive farming systems....

Neutron interaction with doubly-magic {sup 40}Ca

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Smith, A.B. [Argonne National Lab., IL (United States)]|[Univ. of Arizona, Tucson, AZ (United States)

1993-11-01

Differential neutron elastic and inelastic-scattering cross sections of elemental calcium (96.94% doubly-magic {sup 40}Ca) are measured from {approx} 1.5 to 10 MeV with sufficient detail to determine their energy-averaged behavior in the highly fluctuating environment. These results, combined with values previously reported in the literature, are assessed in the contexts of optical-statistical, dispersive optical, and coupled-channels models, applicable to the energy domain 0 {yields} 30+ MeV, with particular emphasis on the lower energies where the interpretations are sensitive to the dispersion relationship and the effective mass. The interpretations define the energy dependencies of the potential parameters (resolving prior ambiguities), suggest that previous estimates of the prominent low-energy (n,p) and (n,a) reactions are too large, reasonably describe observables to at least 30 MeV, and provide a vehicle for extrapolation into the bound-state regime that gives a good description of hole- and particle-state binding energies. The resulting real-potential parameters (in contrast to many {sup 40}Ca parameters reported in the literature) are shown consistent with global trends.

Neutrino parameters with magical beta-beam at INO

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Agarwalla, Sanjib Kumar; Choubey, Sandhya; Raychaudhuri, Amitava [Harish-Chandra Research Institute, Allahabad (India)], E-mail: sanjib@hri.res.in

2008-11-01

We have studied the physics reach of an experiment where neutrinos produced in a beta-beam facility at CERN are observed in a large magnetized iron calorimeter (ICAL) at the India-based Neutrino Observatory (INO). The idea of beta-beam is based on the production of a pure, intense, collimated beam of electron neutrinos or their antiparticles via the beta decay of accelerated radioactive ions circulating in a storage ring. Interestingly, the CERN-INO distance of 7152 km happens to be tantalizingly close to the so-called 'magic' baseline where the sensitivity to the neutrino mass ordering (sign of {delta}m{sup 2}{sub 31} {identical_to} m{sup 2}{sub 3} - m{sup 2}{sub 1}) and more importantly, {theta}{sub 13}, goes up significantly, while the sensitivity to the unknown CP phase is absent. This permits such an experiment involving the golden P{sub e{mu}} channel to make precise measurements of the mixing angle {theta}{sub 13} and neutrino mass hierarchy avoiding the issues of intrinsic degeneracies and correlations which plague other baselines.

Scheduling and control of programs in the CICADA computer system for TFTR

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Christianson, G.B.; Sherrick, M.; Stark, W.

1983-01-01

The CICADA computer system is a network of super minicomputers for data acquisition, reduction, display and device control on the TFTR experiment. Human interaction with the CICADA system is accomplished by consoles offering color displays with a high degree of operator interaction with the computer system, and by interactive terminals offering a limited degree of operator interaction. The authors describe the software packages and data bases used to control the consoles and provide communication to an application program attached to a console. The console control program in its turn schedules the execution of control programs that furnish operating system interfaces to applications programs executing at a console or terminal (in response to human activation), or upon activation by scheduling tasks. The control programs handle functions such as applications task activation. They discuss the implementation of the control programs in the multi-computer CICADA environment, and describe the control program data bases. In a TFTR shot cycle, applications programs must be scheduled for activation at operator-defined stages, in order to accomplish the arming of hardware devices, acquisition of summary waveform data, and the acquisition and archiving of raw data. The authors describe the software tasks and data bases of the CICADA event system, which accomplishes this scheduling of applications task activation in conjunction with the control programs. Future enhancements planned for the console control, program control, and event systems are outlined

A low-cost alternative to the optical experiment commercially known as “Magic Hologram – 3D Mirage”

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Osmar Henrique Moura Silva

2014-09-01

Full Text Available This work presents a low-cost alternative to the commercialized experiment called “Magic Hologram – Mirage 3D”, which reproduces the real image of an object that is seen three-dimensionally in the air. An analysis of this alternative is carried out, indicating educational aspects of its use in the classroom in quantitative terms.

Odd-odd neutron-excess nuclei from the magicity region close to 132Sn

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Erokhina, K.I.; Isakov, V.I.

1994-01-01

This is the second publication in a series devoted to theoretical study of neutron-excess nuclei close to the doubly magic nuclide 132 Sn. Odd-odd nuclei from this region are considered by using the quasi-boson approximation. Energy level spectra, electromagnetic transition probabilities, and β-decay properties of nuclei are analyzed. Among other things, the renormalization of the axial-vector constant in the nucleus is determined. Numerical calculations are made for 134 Sb, 130 In, 132 Sb, and 132 In nuclides. Whenever possible, the results are compared with experimental data. 33 refs., 11 figs., 1 tab

HEALS Hypertension Control Program: Training Church Members as Program Leaders.

Science.gov (United States)

Dodani, Sunita; Beayler, Irmatine; Lewis, Jennifer; Sowders, Lindsey A

2014-01-01

Health disparities related to cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) including stroke have remained higher in the African-Americans (AAs) than in other populations. HEALS is a faith-based hypertension (HTN) control program modified according to AA community needs, and delivered by the church-lay members called church health advisors (CHAs). This study examined the feasibility and acceptability of training CHAs as HEALS program leaders. Four CHAs completed a 10-hour HEALS program training workshop at the Church, conducted by the nutrition experts. Workshop was evaluated by CHAs on their level of satisfaction, clarity of contents covered and comfort in delivery the program to the church congregation. The overall six main HEALS curriculum components were completed. Workshop was highly evaluated by CHAs on length of training, balance between content and skills development, and level of satisfaction with program delivery. Church-based culturally modified health promotion interventions conducted by the community lay members may be a way to reduce health disparities in ethnic minorities.

Intensity-modulated polarizabilities and magic trapping of alkali-metal and divalent atoms in infrared optical lattices

Science.gov (United States)

Topcu, Turker; Derevianko, Andrei

2014-05-01

Long range interactions between neutral Rydberg atoms has emerged as a potential means for implementing quantum logical gates. These experiments utilize hyperfine manifold of ground state atoms to act as a qubit basis, while exploiting the Rydberg blockade mechanism to mediate conditional quantum logic. The necessity for overcoming several sources of decoherence makes magic wavelength trapping in optical lattices an indispensable tool for gate experiments. The common wisdom is that atoms in Rydberg states see trapping potentials that are essentially that of a free electron, and can only be trapped at laser intensity minima. We show that although the polarizability of a Rydberg state is always negative, the optical potential can be both attractive or repulsive at long wavelengths (up to ~104 nm). This opens up the possibility of magic trapping Rydberg states with ground state atoms in optical lattices, thereby eliminating the necessity to turn off trapping fields during gate operations. Because the wavelengths are near the CO2 laser band, the photon scattering and the ensuing motional heating is also reduced compared to conventional traps near low lying resonances, alleviating an important source of decoherence. This work was supported by the National Science Foundation (NSF) Grant No. PHY-1212482.

Multinuclear solid-state high-resolution and C-13 -{Al-27} double-resonance magic-angle spinning NMR studies on aluminum alkoxides

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Abraham, A.; Prins, R.; Bokhoven, J.A. van; Eck, E.R.H. van; Kentgens, A.P.M.

2006-01-01

A combination of Al-27 magic-angle spinning (MAS)/multiple quantum (MQ)-MAS, C-13-H-1 CPMAS, and C-13-{Al-27} transfer of population in double-resonance (TRAPDOR) nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) were used for the structural elucidation of the aluminum alkoxides aluminum ethoxide, aluminum

Gustave Flaubert, Charles Dickens, and Isaac Pulvermacher's "magic band".

Science.gov (United States)

Waits, Robert K

2013-01-01

Around 1850, Isaac L. Pulvermacher (1815-1884) joined the ranks of so-called "galvanists" who had, for nearly a century, been touting the shocks and sparks of electricity as a miracle cure for all ills, including neurological complaints such as palsy and hemiplegia. The famed authors, Gustave Flaubert (1821-1880), in France, and Charles Dickens (1812-1870), in England, although contemporaries, apparently never met or corresponded. But during their lives, they both became aware of Pulvermacher and his patented Hydro-Electric Chains, claimed to impart vigor and cure nearly every complaint. Pulvermacher's chains made a cameo appearance in Madame Bovary (1857), Flaubert's controversial (and most successful) novel. Among Dickens's last letters (1870) was an order for I. L. Pulvermacher and Company's "magic band." Since the Victorian age, electrical and magnetic cures, for better or worse, continue to be products of both the medical profession and quackery. © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The magic ring systems thinking approach to control systems

CERN Document Server

Mella, Piero

2014-01-01

This book presents a gradual path toward ""educating"" readers in understanding how Control Systems truly operate and in recognizing, simulating and improving them in all fields of activity. Starting from the hypothesis that knowledge of Control Systems is not only a technical fact but also represents a discipline - that is, ""A discipline is a developmental path for acquiring certain skills or competencies. (...) To practice a discipline is to be a lifelong learner. You ""never arrive""; you spend your life mastering disciplines."" (Senge, 2006, p. 10) - Piero Mella has set the objective of m

Performance expectations of measurement control programs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hammond, G.A.

1985-01-01

The principal index for designing and assessing the effectiveness of safeguards is the sensitivity and reliability of gauging the true status of material balances involving material flows, transfers, inventories, and process holdup. The measurement system must not only be capable of characterizing the material for gradation or intensity of protection, but also be responsive to needs for detection and localization of losses, provide confirmation that no diversion has occurred, and help meet requirements for process control, health and safety. Consequently, the judicious application of a measurement control and quality assurance program is vital to a complete understanding of the capabilities and limitations of the measurement system including systematic and random components of error for weight, volume, sampling, chemical, isotopic, and nondestructive determinations of material quantities in each material balance area. This paper describes performance expectations or criteria for a measurement control program in terms of ''what'' is desired and ''why'', relative to safeguards and security objectives

Making the MagIC (Magnetics Information Consortium) Web Application Accessible to New Users and Useful to Experts

Science.gov (United States)

Minnett, R.; Koppers, A.; Jarboe, N.; Tauxe, L.; Constable, C.; Jonestrask, L.

2017-12-01

Challenges are faced by both new and experienced users interested in contributing their data to community repositories, in data discovery, or engaged in potentially transformative science. The Magnetics Information Consortium (https://earthref.org/MagIC) has recently simplified its data model and developed a new containerized web application to reduce the friction in contributing, exploring, and combining valuable and complex datasets for the paleo-, geo-, and rock magnetic scientific community. The new data model more closely reflects the hierarchical workflow in paleomagnetic experiments to enable adequate annotation of scientific results and ensure reproducibility. The new open-source (https://github.com/earthref/MagIC) application includes an upload tool that is integrated with the data model to provide early data validation feedback and ease the friction of contributing and updating datasets. The search interface provides a powerful full text search of contributions indexed by ElasticSearch and a wide array of filters, including specific geographic and geological timescale filtering, to support both novice users exploring the database and experts interested in compiling new datasets with specific criteria across thousands of studies and millions of measurements. The datasets are not large, but they are complex, with many results from evolving experimental and analytical approaches. These data are also extremely valuable due to the cost in collecting or creating physical samples and the, often, destructive nature of the experiments. MagIC is heavily invested in encouraging young scientists as well as established labs to cultivate workflows that facilitate contributing their data in a consistent format. This eLightning presentation includes a live demonstration of the MagIC web application, developed as a configurable container hosting an isomorphic Meteor JavaScript application, MongoDB database, and ElasticSearch search engine. Visitors can explore the MagIC

The magic stone : a video game to improve communication skills of people with intellectual disabilities

OpenAIRE

Corrales Astorgano, Mario

2016-01-01

'The Magic Stone' is a video game whose main aim is to help people with Down syndrome to improve communication skills that have been affected due to their disability, especially those related with prosody. The interface of the video game includes a number of elements to motivate the users to practice and train their pronunciation. The usability tests of the system have reported high degrees of satisfaction of users and trainers. Perception tests have permitted to confirm that players improve ...

Status of selected air pollution control programs, February 1992

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1992-02-01

The collection of status reports has been prepared in order to provide a timely summary of selected EPA air pollution control activities to those individuals who are involved with the implementation of these programs. The report contains ozone/carbon monoxide (CO) programs; mobile sources programs; particulate matter nominally 10M and less (PM-10), sulfur dioxide (SO2) and lead programs; New Source Review (NSR); economics programs; emission standards programs; Indian activity programs; mobile sources programs; air toxics programs; acid rain programs; permits programs; chlorofluorocarbons programs; enforcement programs; and other programs

Recovery of acidified mountain lakes in Norway as predicted by the MAGIC model

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bernard J. COSBY

2004-02-01

Full Text Available As part of the EU project EMERGE the biogeochemical model MAGIC was used to reconstruct acidification history and predict future recovery for mountain lakes in two regions of Norway. Central Norway (19 lakes receives low levels of acid deposition, most of the lakes have undergone only minor amounts of acidification, and all are predicted to recover in the future. Central Norway thus represents a reference area for more polluted regions in southern Norway and elsewhere in Europe. Southern Norway (23 lakes, on the other hand, receives higher levels of acid deposition, nearly all the studied lakes were acidified and had lost fish populations, and although some recovery has occurred during the period 1980-2000 and additional recovery is predicted for the next decades, the model simulations indicated that the majority of the lakes will not achieve water quality sufficient to support trout populations. Uncertainties in these predictions include possible future N saturation and the exacerbating effects of climate change. The mountain lakes of southern Norway are among the most sensitive in Europe. For southern Norway additional measures such as stricter controls of emissions of air pollutants will be required to obtain satisfactory water quality in the future.

A Performance Management Initiative for Local Health Department Vector Control Programs.

Science.gov (United States)

Gerding, Justin; Kirshy, Micaela; Moran, John W; Bialek, Ron; Lamers, Vanessa; Sarisky, John

2016-01-01

Local health department (LHD) vector control programs have experienced reductions in funding and capacity. Acknowledging this situation and its potential effect on the ability to respond to vector-borne diseases, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Public Health Foundation partnered on a performance management initiative for LHD vector control programs. The initiative involved 14 programs that conducted a performance assessment using the Environmental Public Health Performance Standards. The programs, assisted by quality improvement (QI) experts, used the assessment results to prioritize improvement areas that were addressed with QI projects intended to increase effectiveness and efficiency in the delivery of services such as responding to mosquito complaints and educating the public about vector-borne disease prevention. This article describes the initiative as a process LHD vector control programs may adapt to meet their performance management needs. This study also reviews aggregate performance assessment results and QI projects, which may reveal common aspects of LHD vector control program performance and priority improvement areas. LHD vector control programs interested in performance assessment and improvement may benefit from engaging in an approach similar to this performance management initiative.

Team Teaching an Interdisciplinary First-Year Seminar on Magic, Religion, and the Origins of Science: A "Pieces-to-Picture" Approach

Science.gov (United States)

Nungsari, Melati; Dedrick, Maia; Patel, Shaily

2017-01-01

Interdisciplinary teaching has been advocated as a means to foster cooperation between traditionally separate fields and broaden students' perspectives in the classroom. We explored the pedagogical difficulties of interdisciplinary team teaching through a first-year seminar in magic, religion, and the origins of science. Although many accounts in…

Applied Research of Enterprise Cost Control Based on Linear Programming

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yu Shuo

2015-01-01

This paper researches the enterprise cost control through the linear programming model, and analyzes the restriction factors of the labor of enterprise production, raw materials, processing equipment, sales price, and other factors affecting the enterprise income, so as to obtain an enterprise cost control model based on the linear programming. This model can calculate rational production mode in the case of limited resources, and acquire optimal enterprise income. The production guiding program and scheduling arrangement of the enterprise can be obtained through calculation results, so as to provide scientific and effective guidance for the enterprise production. This paper adds the sensitivity analysis in the linear programming model, so as to learn about the stability of the enterprise cost control model based on linear programming through the sensitivity analysis, and verify the rationality of the model, and indicate the direction for the enterprise cost control. The calculation results of the model can provide a certain reference for the enterprise planning in the market economy environment, which have strong reference and practical significance in terms of the enterprise cost control.

Nucleus Z=126 with magic neutron number N=184 may be related to the measured Maruhn–Greiner maximum at A/2=155 from compound nuclei at low energy nuclear reactions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Prelas, M.A. [University of Missouri, Columbia, MO (United States); Hora, H. [University of New South Wales, Sydney (Australia); Miley, G.H. [University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign (United States)

2014-07-04

Evaluation of nuclear binding energies from theory close to available measurements of a very high number of superheavy elements (SHE) based on α-decay energies Q{sub α}, arrived at a closing shell with a significant neutron number 184. Within the option of several discussed magic numbers for protons of around 120, Bagge's numbers 126 and 184 fit well and are supported by the element generation measurements by low energy nuclear reactions (LENR) discovered in deuterium loaded host metals. These measurements were showing a Maruhn–Greiner maximum from fission of compound nuclei in an excited state with double magic numbers for mutual confirmation. - Highlights: • Use of Bagge procedure confirmed that Z=126 and N=184 are proper magic numbers. • Elements are generated by low energy nuclear reactions in deuterium loaded metal. • Postulated from measured distribution that a compound nucleus {sup 310}X{sub 126} was formed. • Formation of 164 deuterons in Bose–Einstein state clusters with 2 pm spacing.

Nucleus Z=126 with magic neutron number N=184 may be related to the measured Maruhn–Greiner maximum at A/2=155 from compound nuclei at low energy nuclear reactions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Prelas, M.A.; Hora, H.; Miley, G.H.

2014-01-01

Evaluation of nuclear binding energies from theory close to available measurements of a very high number of superheavy elements (SHE) based on α-decay energies Q α , arrived at a closing shell with a significant neutron number 184. Within the option of several discussed magic numbers for protons of around 120, Bagge's numbers 126 and 184 fit well and are supported by the element generation measurements by low energy nuclear reactions (LENR) discovered in deuterium loaded host metals. These measurements were showing a Maruhn–Greiner maximum from fission of compound nuclei in an excited state with double magic numbers for mutual confirmation. - Highlights: • Use of Bagge procedure confirmed that Z=126 and N=184 are proper magic numbers. • Elements are generated by low energy nuclear reactions in deuterium loaded metal. • Postulated from measured distribution that a compound nucleus 310 X 126 was formed. • Formation of 164 deuterons in Bose–Einstein state clusters with 2 pm spacing

Effluent controls and environmental monitoring programs for uranium milling operations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Maixner, R.D.

1979-01-01

Controls will reduce gaseous, particulate, and liquid discharges. Monitoring programs are used to determine effectiveness. The controls and programs discussed are used at Cotter Corporation's Canon City Mill in Colorado. 3 refs

Accio e-Libri: Magically Delivering Digital Resources to Patrons Using NFC Technology

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Christopher M. Jimenez

2018-02-01

Full Text Available To coincide with the 20th anniversary of the publication of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s/Sorcerer’s Stone, our library created a Happee Birthdae Harry display incorporating Near Field Communication (NFC technology alongside print materials in order to magically place electronic resources in our users’ hands. The display was a spellbinding success, increasing usage of both print and electronic items, and helping our students become familiar with this innovative technology in an engaging manner. This article will provide step-by-step instructions on the materials and procedures librarians need to implement NFC technology in their own libraries, and will discuss the challenges and opportunities associated with this rapidly spreading technology.

Traditional use and management of medicinal and magical plants in the Sibundoy Valley, High Putumayo, and their relationship with local processes of environmental construction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rodriguez Echeverry, John James

2010-01-01

This study generated ethno-botanical knowledge and community experience that contribute to local processes of environmental construction processes from the recognition, evaluation and strengthening of traditional forms of use and handling of medicinal and magical plants among Inga, kamentza and quillacinga ethnics that live in the Valle de Sibundoy, high Putumayo, Colombia. It was referenced the Environmental Building Model used by the three ethnic groups, from traditional use and management of medicinal and magical plants in the Chagra agro-ecosystem, model based on the traditional medical system and everyday practices involving environmental assessment, practices that facilitate the preservation and dynamics of flora and indigenous traditional knowledge. Finally, this important environmental information contributes to the quality of the actions of regional planning.

Economics of area-wide sit control programs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Enkerlin, Walther

2003-01-01

The economic feasibility of using the sterile insect technique (SIT) to control certain key insect pests has been demonstrated clearly. The successful implementation of a number of area-wide and large-scale SIT programs has produced substantial economic benefits for the beneficiaries of the technology. The economic advantages of this technology will become more evident as indirect benefits of SIT application are incorporated into total program benefit estimates. Awareness of the technical and economic advantages of the SIT, and market forces favoring the use of environmentally clean pest control methods, will encourage private investment in this technology. (author)

Mission informed needed information: discoverable, available sensing sources (MINI-DASS): the operators and process flows the magic rabbits must negotiate

Science.gov (United States)

Kolodny, Michael A.

2017-05-01

Today's battlefield space is extremely complex, dealing with an enemy that is neither well-defined nor well-understood. Adversaries are comprised of widely-distributed, loosely-networked groups engaging in nefarious activities. Situational understanding is needed by decision makers; understanding of adversarial capabilities and intent is essential. Information needed at any time is dependent on the mission/task at hand. Information sources potentially providing mission-relevant information are disparate and numerous; they include sensors, social networks, fusion engines, internet, etc. Management of these multi-dimensional informational sources is critical. This paper will present a new approach being undertaken to answer the challenge of enhancing battlefield understanding by optimizing the utilization of available informational sources (means) to required missions/tasks as well as determining the "goodness'" of the information acquired in meeting the capabilities needed. Requirements are usually expressed in terms of a presumed technology solution (e.g., imagery). A metaphor of the "magic rabbits" was conceived to remove presumed technology solutions from requirements by claiming the "required" technology is obsolete. Instead, intelligent "magic rabbits" are used to provide needed information. The question then becomes: "WHAT INFORMATION DO YOU NEED THE RABBITS TO PROVIDE YOU?" This paper will describe a new approach called Mission-Informed Needed Information - Discoverable, Available Sensing Sources (MINI-DASS) that designs a process that builds information acquisition missions and determines what the "magic rabbits" need to provide in a manner that is machine understandable. Also described is the Missions and Means Framework (MMF) model used, the process flow utilized, the approach to developing an ontology of information source means and the approach for determining the value of the information acquired.

Control and evaluation programs for TANSY-KM5

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Grosshoeg, G.; Aronsson, D.; Hoek, M.; Rydz, R.; Norberg, L.; Urholm, L.

1991-01-01

Our first task was to purchase a computer and to create a basic software library for the preliminary test of the components. Our choice was a Starburst system from CES. The computer was a PDP-11/70 on a chip. It is the same computer as the ones used by the auxiliary CAMAC crate controllers in the TANSY system. However, the host has a 256 kbyte memory instead of the 64 kbyte memory used in the crate controllers. The operation system is RSX11-M. It is a real time system with properties suitable for laboratory works. However, the computer works in 64 kbyte partitions which limits the size of the programs. Four program systems were written. The two first were one-parameter systems for amplitude and time measurements using the ADCs and TDCs which later should be included in the TANSY system. These systems were supplemented with two two-parameter systems, one for time and amplitude measurements and one for time measurements on 16 detectors simultaneously. The display capabilities of these program systems have been used extensively by the TANSY programs. The programs needed for the manipulation of the system give the user a possibility to manually run the system without any intervention from the normal CODAS control system. The programs have been used for calibration measurements as well as test of the TANSY system. The evaluation programs use the output file from a normal measurement. The data file may be tested for errors. The true events can be sorted into different configurations. The final one is the neutron energy sort program, which gives the neutron energy distribution

A stochastic programming approach to manufacturing flow control

OpenAIRE

Haurie, Alain; Moresino, Francesco

2012-01-01

This paper proposes and tests an approximation of the solution of a class of piecewise deterministic control problems, typically used in the modeling of manufacturing flow processes. This approximation uses a stochastic programming approach on a suitably discretized and sampled system. The method proceeds through two stages: (i) the Hamilton-Jacobi-Bellman (HJB) dynamic programming equations for the finite horizon continuous time stochastic control problem are discretized over a set of sample...

Tank waste remediation system heat stress control program report, 1995

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Carls, D.R.

1995-01-01

Protecting employees from heat stress within tank farms during the summer months is challenging. Work constraints typically experienced in tank farms complicate the measures taken to protect employees from heat stress. TWRS-Industrial Hygiene (IH) has endeavored to control heat stress injuries by anticipating, recognizing, evaluating and controlling the factors which lead or contribute to heat stress in Tank Farms. The TWRS Heat Stress Control Program covers such areas as: employee and PIC training, communication of daily heat stress alerts to tank farm personnel, setting work/rest regimens, and the use of engineering and personal protective controls when applicable. The program has increased worker awareness of heat stress and prevention, established provisions for worker rest periods, increased drinking water availability to help ensure worker hydration, and allowed for the increased use of other protective controls to combat heat stress. The TWRS Heat Stress Control Program is the cornerstone for controlling heat stress among tank farm employees. The program has made great strides since it's inception during the summer of 1994. Some improvements can still be made to enhance the program for the summer of 1996, such as: (1) procurement and use of personal heat stress monitoring equipment to ensure appropriate application of administrative controls, (2) decrease the need for use of containment tents and anti-contamination clothing, and (3) providing a wider variety of engineering and personal protective controls for heat stress prevention

Magic Learning Pill: Ontological and Instrumental Learning in Order to Speed Up Education.

Science.gov (United States)

Matusov, Eugene; Baker, Daniella; Fan, Yueyue; Choi, Hye Jung; L Hampel, Robert

2017-09-01

The purpose of this research is to investigate the phenomenology of learning - people"s attitudes toward their learning experiences that have inherent worth in themselves (i.e., ontological learning) or have value outside of the learning itself (i.e., instrumental learning). In order to explore this topic, 58 participants from the U.S., Russia, and Brazil were interviewed with a central question derived from the science fiction writer Isaac Asimov's short story "Profession": whether participants would take a "Magic Learning Pill" (MLP) to avoid the process of learning, and instead magically acquire the knowledge. The MLP would guarantee the immediate learning by skipping the process of learning while achieving the same effect of gaining skills and knowledge. Almost all participants could think of some learning experiences for which they would take MLP and others for which they would not. Many participants would not take MLP for ontological learning, which is learning experiences that have inherent value for the people, while they would take MLP for instrumental learning, which is learning that mainly serves some other non-educational purposes. The main finding suggests that both instrumental and ontological types of learning are recognized by a wide range of people from diverse cultures as present and valued in their lives. This is especially significant in light of the overwhelmingly instrumental tone of public discourse about education. In the context of formal education, ontological learning was mentioned 35 times (28.0%) while instrumental learning was mentioned 74 times (60.2%). Although ontological learning was often mentioned as taking place outside of school, incorporating pedagogy supporting ontological learning at school deserves consideration.

A method of numerically controlled machine part programming

Science.gov (United States)

1970-01-01

Computer program is designed for automatically programmed tools. Preprocessor computes desired tool path and postprocessor computes actual commands causing machine tool to follow specific path. It is used on a Cincinnati ATC-430 numerically controlled machine tool.

Study of NpNn scheme in some near magic light nuclei

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pradeep Kumar; Singh, M.; Rajesh Kumar; Singh, Y.; Varshney, A.K.; Gupta, D.K.

2014-01-01

Study of N p N n is undertaken in present work on light mass near magic even nuclei e.g. Ar, Ca, Ti, Zn, Cr and Ni. Besides deformation β, the energy head of ground band E2 1 + is also studied in N p N n scheme. It is important to look at both of these quantities β and E2 1 + since β is derived from one basic observable B(E2; 2 1 + → 0 1 + ) and E2 1 + is another generally known quantity. The values of B(E2; 2 1 + → 0 1 + and E2 1 + and reach their saturation following different physics and as such while values decrease, the β values increase with the increase of N p N n values

Magic and Misdirection: The Influence of Social Cues on the Allocation of Visual Attention While Watching a Cups-and-Balls Routine

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andreas eHergovich

2016-05-01

Full Text Available In recent years, a body of research that regards the scientific study of magic performances as a promising method of investigating psychological phenomena in an ecologically valid setting has emerged. Seemingly contradictory findings concerning the ability of social cues to strengthen a magic trick’s effectiveness have been published. In this experiment, an effort was made to disentangle the unique influence of different social and physical triggers of attentional misdirection on observers’ overt and covert attention. The ability of 120 participants to detect the mechanism of a cups-and-balls trick was assessed, and their visual fixations were recorded using an eye-tracker while they were watching the routine. All the investigated techniques of misdirection, including sole usage of social cues, were shown to increase the probability of missing the trick mechanism. Depending on the technique of misdirection used, very different gaze patterns were observed. A combination of social and physical techniques of misdirection influenced participants’ overt attention most effectively.

Status of Pantex Plant Waste Management Project/program control system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Price, Wesley J.; Matthews, William L.

1992-01-01

During a December 1990 Waste Management Program Review held in Albuquerque, New Mexico, the Waste Management and Operational Surety Division (WMOSD) introduced the project control system to be used for the Waste Management (WM) Operations Program. The system was entitled 'TRAC-WM' (Tracking and Control for Waste Management). The stated objective for this system was to establish a frame work for planning, managing, and controlling work within the WM program. As a result Mason and Hanger (the operating contractor at the Pantex Plant) initiated the development of a computerized waste management project tracking system. (author)

The impact of the oxygen scavenger on the dose-rate dependence and dose sensitivity of MAGIC type polymer gels

Science.gov (United States)

Khan, Muzafar; Heilemann, Gerd; Kuess, Peter; Georg, Dietmar; Berg, Andreas

2018-03-01

Recent developments in radiation therapy aimed at more precise dose delivery along with higher dose gradients (dose painting) and more efficient dose delivery with higher dose rates e.g. flattening filter free (FFF) irradiation. Magnetic-resonance-imaging based polymer gel dosimetry offers 3D information for precise dose delivery techniques. Many of the proposed polymer gels have been reported to exhibit a dose response, measured as relaxation rate ΔR2(D), which is dose rate dependent. A lack of or a reduced dose-rate sensitivity is very important for dosimetric accuracy, especially with regard to the increasing clinical use of FFF irradiation protocols with LINACs at high dose rates. Some commonly used polymer gels are based on Methacrylic-Acid-Gel-Initiated-by-Copper (MAGIC). Here, we report on the dose sensitivity (ΔR2/ΔD) of MAGIC-type gels with different oxygen scavenger concentration for their specific dependence on the applied dose rate in order to improve the dosimetric performance, especially for high dose rates. A preclinical x-ray machine (‘Yxlon’, E  =  200 kV) was used for irradiation to cover a range of dose rates from low \\dot{D} min  =  0.6 Gy min-1 to high \\dot{D} max  =  18 Gy min-1. The dose response was evaluated using R2-imaging of the gel on a human high-field (7T) MR-scanner. The results indicate that all of the investigated dose rates had an impact on the dose response in polymer gel dosimeters, being strongest in the high dose region and less effective for low dose levels. The absolute dose rate dependence \\frac{(Δ R2/Δ D)}{Δ \\dot{D}} of the dose response in MAGIC-type gel is significantly reduced using higher concentrations of oxygen scavenger at the expense of reduced dose sensitivity. For quantitative dose evaluations the relative dose rate dependence of a polymer gel, normalized to its sensitivity is important. Based on this normalized sensitivity the dose rate sensitivity was reduced distinctly

Evaluation of the response of polymeric gel modified MAGIC-f using a clinical brachytherapy source and Monte Carlo simulation with package PENELOPE; Avaliacao da resposta do gel polimerico MAGIC-f modificado utilizando uma fonte clinica de braquiterapia e simulacao Monte Carlo com o pacote PENELOPE

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Quevedo, Ana Luiza; Nicolucci, Patricia [Universidade de Sao Paulo (USP), Ribeirao Preto, SP (Brazil). Faculdade de Filosofia Ciencias e Letras. Dept. de Fisica; Borges, Leandro F. [Universidade de Sao Paulo (USP), Ribeirao Preto, SP (Brazil). Hospital das Clinicas. Setor de Radioterapia

2016-07-01

In this work a comparison of experimental and simulated relative doses of a clinical brachytherapy source was performed. A 5 x 5 x 7 cm{sup 3} phantom with a modified MAGIC-f gel was irradiated using a clinical {sup 192}Ir source and read using Magnetic Resonance Imaging. The Monte Carlo simulation package PENELOPE was used to simulate the dose distributions of the same radiation source. The dose distributions were obtained in two planes perpendicular to the source: one passing through the source's center and the other at 0.5 cm away from the source's center. The higher differences found between experimental and computational distributions were 12.5% at a point 0.62 cm from the source for the central plane and 8.6% at 1.3 cm from the source to the plane 0.5 cm away from the source's center. Considering the high dose gradient of these dose distributions, the results obtained show that the modified MAGIC-f gel is promising for brachytherapy dosimetry. (author)

Structure of ground status in magic nuclei and description of their electric transition probabilities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Savane, Y.Sy.

1996-11-01

The structure of the low-lying states in the even-even semi-magic nuclei ( 106-114 50 Sn) and the reduced transition probabilities B(E2, 6 + 1 → 4 = 1 ) for E2-transition have been investigated in the frame of the quasiparticle-phonon nuclear model. The model wave function includes a quasiparticle + two phonons components. It is shown that the small values of the transitions are connected with the non collective structure of the states. The calculated values are in agreement with the observed property of decreasing of the transition with increasing of mass number. (author). 16 refs, 6 tabs

Nuclear materials control and accountability internal audit program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Barham, M.A.; Abbott, R.R.

1991-01-01

This paper reports that the Department of Energy Order (DOE) 5633.3, Control and Accountability for Nuclear Materials, includes several requirements for development and implementation of an internal audit program. Martin Marietta Energy System, Inc., manages five sites in Tennessee, Kentucky, and Ohio for the DOE Field Office, Oak Ridge and has a Central Nuclear Materials Control and Accountability (NMC and A) Manager with matrixed responsibility for the NMC and A program at the five sites. The Energy Systems Central NMC and A Manager has developed an NMC and A Internal Audit Handbook which defines the functional responsibilities, performance criteria, and reporting and documentation requirements for the Energy Systems NMC and A Internal Audit Program. The initial work to develop and implement these standards was tested at the K-25 Site when the site hired an internal auditor to meet the DOE requirements for an NMC and A Internal Audit program

Adaptive Dynamic Programming for Control Algorithms and Stability

CERN Document Server

Zhang, Huaguang; Luo, Yanhong; Wang, Ding

2013-01-01

There are many methods of stable controller design for nonlinear systems. In seeking to go beyond the minimum requirement of stability, Adaptive Dynamic Programming for Control approaches the challenging topic of optimal control for nonlinear systems using the tools of  adaptive dynamic programming (ADP). The range of systems treated is extensive; affine, switched, singularly perturbed and time-delay nonlinear systems are discussed as are the uses of neural networks and techniques of value and policy iteration. The text features three main aspects of ADP in which the methods proposed for stabilization and for tracking and games benefit from the incorporation of optimal control methods: • infinite-horizon control for which the difficulty of solving partial differential Hamilton–Jacobi–Bellman equations directly is overcome, and  proof provided that the iterative value function updating sequence converges to the infimum of all the value functions obtained by admissible control law sequences; • finite-...

Tailor-made ultrathin manganese oxide nanostripes: ‘magic widths’ on Pd(1 1 N) terraces

Science.gov (United States)

Franchini, C.; Li, F.; Surnev, S.; Podloucky, R.; Allegretti, F.; Netzer, F. P.

2012-02-01

The growth of ultrathin two-dimensional manganese oxide nanostripes on vicinal Pd(1 1 N) surfaces leads to particular stable configurations for certain combinations of oxide stripe and substrate terrace widths. Scanning tunneling microscopy and high-resolution low-energy electron diffraction measurements reveal highly ordered nanostructured surfaces with excellent local and long-range order. Density functional theory calculations provide the physical origin of the stabilization mechanism of ‘magic width’ stripes in terms of a finite-size effect, caused by the significant relaxations observed at the stripe boundaries.

Performance of a fast low noise front-end preamplifier for the MAGIC imaging Cherenkov telescope

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Blanch, O.; Blanchot, G.; Bosman, M.

1999-01-01

The observation of high energy cosmic gamma rays with an energy threshold of 15 GeV using the proposed MAGIC ground based air imaging Cherenkov telescope requires the development of new low noise fast preamplifiers for the camera photosensors. The speed and noise performance of a transimpedance preamplifier that resolves the multi photoelectron peaks from a hybrid photomultiplier with a peaking time below 7 ns is presented. The new front-end circuit is designed with RF low noise bipolar transistors and provides fast output pulses that allow for fast trigger settings

On a program manifold's stability of one contour automatic control systems

Science.gov (United States)

Zumatov, S. S.

2017-12-01

Methodology of analysis of stability is expounded to the one contour systems automatic control feedback in the presence of non-linearities. The methodology is based on the use of the simplest mathematical models of the nonlinear controllable systems. Stability of program manifolds of one contour automatic control systems is investigated. The sufficient conditions of program manifold's absolute stability of one contour automatic control systems are obtained. The Hurwitz's angle of absolute stability was determined. The sufficient conditions of program manifold's absolute stability of control systems by the course of plane in the mode of autopilot are obtained by means Lyapunov's second method.

Lithium formate ion clusters formation during electrospray ionization: Evidence of magic number clusters by mass spectrometry and ab initio calculations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shukla, Anil; Bogdanov, Bogdan

2015-01-01

Small cationic and anionic clusters of lithium formate were generated by electrospray ionization and their fragmentations were studied by tandem mass spectrometry (collision-induced dissociation with N 2 ). Singly as well as multiply charged clusters were formed in both positive and negative ion modes with the general formulae, (HCOOLi) n Li + , (HCOOLi) n Li m m+ , (HCOOLi) n HCOO − , and (HCOOLi) n (HCOO) m m− . Several magic number cluster (MNC) ions were observed in both the positive and negative ion modes although more predominant in the positive ion mode with (HCOOLi) 3 Li + being the most abundant and stable cluster ion. Fragmentations of singly charged positive clusters proceed first by the loss of a dimer unit ((HCOOLi) 2 ) followed by the loss of monomer units (HCOOLi) although the former remains the dominant dissociation process. In the case of positive cluster ions, all fragmentations lead to the magic cluster (HCOOLi) 3 Li + as the most abundant fragment ion at higher collision energies which then fragments further to dimer and monomer ions at lower abundances. In the negative ion mode, however, singly charged clusters dissociated via sequential loss of monomer units. Multiply charged clusters in both positive and negative ion modes dissociated mainly via Coulomb repulsion. Quantum chemical calculations performed for smaller cluster ions showed that the trimer ion has a closed ring structure similar to the phenalenylium structure with three closed rings connected to the central lithium ion. Further additions of monomer units result in similar symmetric structures for hexamer and nonamer cluster ions. Thermochemical calculations show that trimer cluster ion is relatively more stable than neighboring cluster ions, supporting the experimental observation of a magic number cluster with enhanced stability

A comparison of methods for estimating soil characteristics in regional acidification models; an application of the MAGIC model to Scotland

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

R. C. Helliwell

1998-01-01

Full Text Available The results from an application of MAGIC (Model of Acidification of Groundwater In Catchments to 733 Scottish catchments are presented. The availability of representative, good quality soil data is frequently limiting factor for biogeochemical modelling, particularly those involving modelling at various spatial scales. This study tests the sensitivity of MAGIC to soil input data derived from two different methodologies; the 'nearest neighbour method' considers the closest representative soil profile to a catchment, and the 'spatial weighting method' of all soil types identified in a catchment, based on a soil physico-chemical classification of Scotland. Soil data (soil depth, density, cation exchange capacity and base saturation calculated using the 'nearest neighbour method' and the 'spatial weighting method' were highly variable, although the range of upper and lower limits were greater for soil data produced using the nearest neighbour method. In contrast to the predominantly organic soil data calculated by the nearest neighbour method, the spatially weighted soil parameters included a greater proportion of mineral soils. With regard to simulated surface water Acid Neutralising Capacity (ANC for 1851, 1997 and 2050, MAGIC predictions were similar irrespective of the methodology used to determine soil input parameters. However, soil input data derived from both methods resulted in variable base saturation predictions. It is concluded that the 'nearest neighbour' methodology is most appropriate if the objective is to determine the predicted response of the most acid- sensitive sites within a region in line with the approach used in Critical Laod mapping. On the other hand, 'spatial weighting' integrates catchment soils and represents a more robust methodology by which to determine changes in median soil and water response in a regional context. The anticipated reductions in S emissions associated with the Second S Protocol are predicted to have

Magic-angle-spinning NMR spectroscopy. January 1978-May 1988 (Citations from the INSPEC: Information Services for the Physics and Engineering Communities data base). Report for January 1978-May 1988

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1988-05-01

This bibliography contains citations concerning the principles and applications of magic-angle spinning (MAS) nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) in high-resolution spectra analysis of solids. Magic-angle spinning NMR is a very powerful spectrographic technique for the study of structures, dynamics, and reactivity of solids, and polcrystalline and amorphous solids. Studies of various materials are presented, including zeolites, organic compounds and polymers, liquid crystals, silicate and borate glasses, and alumina and oxide films. Applications in conductive polymers, biological systems, and organic matrixes of composite materials are presented. (Contains 89 citations fully indexed and including a title list.)

Application oriented programming and control of industrial robots

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nilsson, Klas.

1992-07-01

Efficient use of industrial robots requires a strong interplay between user level commands, the motion control system, and external equipment. It should also be possible for an experienced application engineer to tailor the motion control to a specific application in a convenient way, instead of deficient utilization of the device or tricky user programming which is often the case today. A layered software architecture has been designed based on an application oriented view, considering typical hardware and software constraints. The top layers or the architecture support improved integration of off-line programming with interactive teach-in programming. The proposed solution is based on a transformation of robot programs between an on-line and an off-line representation. A central part of the architecture is an intermediate software layer, allowing the experienced user to introduce application specific motion primitives, on top of the motion control system. Flexibility during system configuration combined with computing efficiency and performance at run-time is of major importance. The solution is based on so called actions, which are methods to be passed between different software layers. Such methods can be specification of nonlinear control parameters, application specific control strategies, or treatment of external sensor signals. The actions can be implemented efficiently even in the multiprocessor case by using relocatable executable pieces of code generated from a special cross-compilation strategy. The lowest layers, comprising the motion control, have to be efficient and still fit in with the upper layers. In these layers, software solutions include an external sensor interface and a concept of motion pipelining allowing sensor based motions to be partly computed in advance. An experimental platform, built around commercially available robots, has been developed to verify the proposed solutions. (au)

The value of partnerships in state obesity prevention and control programs.

Science.gov (United States)

Hersey, James; Kelly, Bridget; Roussel, Amy; Curtis, LaShawn; Horne, Joseph; Williams-Piehota, Pamela; Kuester, Sarah; Farris, Rosanne

2012-03-01

State health departments funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity Program collaborate with multiple partners to develop and implement comprehensive obesity prevention and control programs. A mixed-methods evaluation of 28 state programs over a 5-year period assessed states' progress on program requirements, including developing statewide partnerships and coordinating with partners to support obesity prevention and control efforts. States with greater partnership involvement leveraged more funding support for their programs, passed more obesity-related policies, and were more likely to implement obesity interventions in multiple settings. Case studies provided guidance for establishing and maintaining strong partnerships. Findings from this study offer emerging evidence to support assumptions about the centrality of partnerships to states' success in obesity program development and implementation and related health promotion activities.

A user's guide to the Flexible Spacecraft Dynamics and Control Program

Science.gov (United States)

Fedor, J. V.

1984-01-01

A guide to the use of the Flexible Spacecraft Dynamics Program (FSD) is presented covering input requirements, control words, orbit generation, spacecraft description and simulation options, and output definition. The program can be used in dynamics and control analysis as well as in orbit support of deployment and control of spacecraft. The program is applicable to inertially oriented spinning, Earth oriented or gravity gradient stabilized spacecraft. Internal and external environmental effects can be simulated.

Knowledge based system for control rod programming of BWRs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fukuzaki, Takaharu; Yoshida, Ken-ichi; Kobayashi, Yasuhiro

1988-01-01

A knowledge based system has been developed to support designers in control rod programming of BWRs. The programming searches through optimal control rod patterns to realize safe and effective burning of nuclear fuel. Knowledge of experienced designers plays the main role in minimizing the number of calculations by the core performance evaluation code. This code predicts power distibution and thermal margins of the nuclear fuel. This knowledge is transformed into 'if-then' type rules and subroutines, and is stored in a knowledge base of the knowledge based system. The system consists of working area, an inference engine and the knowledge base. The inference engine can detect those data which have to be regenerated, call those subroutine which control the user's interface and numerical computations, and store competitive sets of data in different parts of the working area. Using this system, control rod programming of a BWR plant was traced with about 500 rules and 150 subroutines. Both the generation of control rod patterns for the first calculation of the code and the modification of a control rod pattern to reflect the calculation were completed more effectively than in a conventional method. (author)

The first decade of the Massachusetts Tobacco Control Program.

Science.gov (United States)

Koh, Howard K; Judge, Christine M; Robbins, Harriet; Celebucki, Carolyn Cobb; Walker, Deborah K; Connolly, Gregory N

2005-01-01

This article provides a comprehensive overview of the first decade of the Massachusetts Tobacco Control Program (MTCP). Born after Massachusetts passed a 1992 ballot initiative raising cigarette excise taxes to fund the program, MTCP greatly reduced statewide cigarette consumption before being reduced to a skeletal state by funding cuts. The article describes the program's components and goals, details outcomes, presents a summary of policy accomplishments, and reviews the present status of MTCP in the current climate of national and state fiscal crises. The first decade of the MTCP offers many lessons learned for the future of tobacco control.

Computer program for automatic generation of BWR control rod patterns

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Taner, M.S.; Levine, S.H.; Hsia, M.Y.

1990-01-01

A computer program named OCTOPUS has been developed to automatically determine a control rod pattern that approximates some desired target power distribution as closely as possible without violating any thermal safety or reactor criticality constraints. The program OCTOPUS performs a semi-optimization task based on the method of approximation programming (MAP) to develop control rod patterns. The SIMULATE-E code is used to determine the nucleonic characteristics of the reactor core state

Magicity of neutron-rich nuclei within relativistic self-consistent approaches

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jia Jie Li

2016-02-01

Full Text Available The formation of new shell gaps in intermediate mass neutron-rich nuclei is investigated within the relativistic Hartree–Fock–Bogoliubov theory, and the role of the Lorentz pseudo-vector and tensor interactions is analyzed. Based on the Foldy–Wouthuysen transformation, we discuss in detail the role played by the different terms of the Lorentz pseudo-vector and tensor interactions in the appearing of the N=16, 32 and 34 shell gaps. The nuclei 24O, 48Si and 52,54Ca are predicted with a large shell gap and zero (24O, 52Ca or almost zero (48Si, 54Ca pairing gap, making them candidates for new magic numbers in exotic nuclei. We find from our analysis that the Lorentz pseudo-vector and tensor interactions induce very specific evolutions of single-particle energies, which could clearly sign their presence and reveal the need for relativistic approaches with exchange interactions.

An improved instrument setpoint control program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cash, J.S. Jr.; George, R.T.; Kincaid, S.C.

1991-01-01

Instrument setpoints have a definite and often significant impact on plant safety, reliability, and availability. Although typically overshadowed by plant design, modification, and physical change activities, instrument setpoints can alter plant status and system operating characteristics just as significantly. Recognizing the need for a formal program that provides configuration control of instrument setpoints, provides a readily accessible and clearly documented basis for instrument setpoints, and integrates and coordinates operations, engineering, and maintenance activities that influence the basis for instrument setpoints, Philadelphia Electric Company (PECo) is developing an Improved Instrument Setpoint Control Program (IISCP) that incorporates current industry guidance and practices and state-of-the-art information systems technology. The IISCP was designed around PECo's then existing business processes for setpoint control, determination, and maintenance. A task force representing the various constituencies from both plants and the engineering and services organizations were formed to identify objectives and design features for the IISCP. Utilizing industry standards and guidance, regulatory documents, the experiences and good practices obtained from other utilities, and PECo's nuclear group strategies, objectives, and goals, specific objectives were identified to enhance the business processes

Scalable control program for multiprecursor flow-type atomic layer deposition system

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Selvaraj, Sathees Kannan [Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60607 (United States); Takoudis, Christos G., E-mail: takoudis@uic.edu [Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60607 and Department of Bioengineering, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60607 (United States)

2015-01-01

The authors report the development and implementation of a scalable control program to control flow type atomic layer deposition (ALD) reactor with multiple precursor delivery lines. The program logic is written and tested in LABVIEW environment to control ALD reactor with four precursor delivery lines to deposit up to four layers of different materials in cyclic manner. The programming logic is conceived such that to facilitate scale up for depositing more layers with multiple precursors and scale down for using single layer with any one precursor in the ALD reactor. The program takes precursor and oxidizer exposure and purging times as input and controls the sequential opening and closing of the valves to facilitate the complex ALD process in cyclic manner. The program could be used to deposit materials from any single line or in tandem with other lines in any combination and in any sequence.

Model-based control strategies for systems with constraints of the program type

Science.gov (United States)

Jarzębowska, Elżbieta

2006-08-01

The paper presents a model-based tracking control strategy for constrained mechanical systems. Constraints we consider can be material and non-material ones referred to as program constraints. The program constraint equations represent tasks put upon system motions and they can be differential equations of orders higher than one or two, and be non-integrable. The tracking control strategy relies upon two dynamic models: a reference model, which is a dynamic model of a system with arbitrary order differential constraints and a dynamic control model. The reference model serves as a motion planner, which generates inputs to the dynamic control model. It is based upon a generalized program motion equations (GPME) method. The method enables to combine material and program constraints and merge them both into the motion equations. Lagrange's equations with multipliers are the peculiar case of the GPME, since they can be applied to systems with constraints of first orders. Our tracking strategy referred to as a model reference program motion tracking control strategy enables tracking of any program motion predefined by the program constraints. It extends the "trajectory tracking" to the "program motion tracking". We also demonstrate that our tracking strategy can be extended to a hybrid program motion/force tracking.

PLC and DTAM Software Programs for Pumping Instrumentation and Control Skid N

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

KOCH, M.R.

2000-01-01

This document describe the software programs for the Programmable Logic Controller and the Datable Access Module for Pumping Instrumentation and Control skid ''N''. The Appendices contains copies of the printouts of these software programs. This document describes the software programs for the Allen-Bradley SLC 500 programmable logic controller (PLC) and the Allen-Bradley DTAM PLUS operator interface module used on Pumping Instrumentation and Control (PIC) skid ''N''. The software programs for the SLC 500 and DTAM Plus are based on the core programs provided by Allen-Bradley. The PLC and DTAM software programs on skid ''D'' for SX-104 are the baseline programs. These baselines have been tailored for U-farm skids. The skid ''N'' program for U-109 is similar to the skid ''M'' program for U-102. An Acceptance Test Procedure (ATP) and an Operational Test Procedure (OTP) verify that the software programs meet the specific requirements for U-109 pumping. This document represents the final PLC and DTAM programs for PIC skid ''N'' at U-109. These programs were printed out after the performance of the OTP. The OTP acts as the final qualification test for the software programs. Functional requirements and details of the PLC ladder logic are described in this document. The final programs entered into the PLC and DTAM Plus are included as Appendices to this document

THE FUNCTIONS OF IDIOMS WITH MAGICAL TERMINOLOGY IN BUILDING THE STORY OF J. K. ROWLING’S “HARRY POTTER AND THE ORDER OF THE PHOENIX”

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Haris Fadhillah

2014-10-01

Full Text Available This study describes the functions of idioms with magical terminology in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix in building the story. This study analyzed the novel from the linguistics perspective. The idioms with magical terminology found in the novel were compared to real English idioms. Comparison was done word by word and also to the context of the story. The analysis was also done by comparing words’ meaning and the semantic features. Finally the data were analyzed with related theories of linguistics and discourse analysis. The results of this study can be used as a consideration in teaching cultural relevancy in language teaching from the linguistic point of view in a novel. Keywords: functions of idioms, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, cultural relevancy in language teaching

Systematic control of large computer programs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Goedbloed, J.P.; Klieb, L.

1986-07-01

A package of CCL, UPDATE, and FORTRAN procedures is described which facilitates the systematic control and development of large scientific computer programs. The package provides a general tool box for this purpose which contains many conveniences for the systematic administration of files, editing, reformating of line printer output files, etc. In addition, a small number of procedures is devoted to the problem of structured development of a large computer program which is used by a group of scientists. The essence of the method is contained in three procedures N, R, and X for the creation of a new UPDATE program library, its revision, and execution, resp., and a procedure REVISE which provides a joint editor - UPDATE session which combines the advantages of the two systems, viz. speed and rigor. (Auth.)

Nucleus Z=126 with magic neutron number N=184 may be related to the measured Maruhn-Greiner maximum at A/2=155 from compound nuclei at low energy nuclear reactions

Science.gov (United States)

Prelas, M. A.; Hora, H.; Miley, G. H.

2014-07-01

Evaluation of nuclear binding energies from theory close to available measurements of a very high number of superheavy elements (SHE) based on α-decay energies Qα, arrived at a closing shell with a significant neutron number 184. Within the option of several discussed magic numbers for protons of around 120, Bagge's numbers 126 and 184 fit well and are supported by the element generation measurements by low energy nuclear reactions (LENR) discovered in deuterium loaded host metals. These measurements were showing a Maruhn-Greiner maximum from fission of compound nuclei in an excited state with double magic numbers for mutual confirmation.

Steam generator deposit control program assessment at Comanche Peak

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stevens, J.; Fellers, B.; Orbon, S.

2002-01-01

Comanche Peak has employed a variety of methods to assess the effectiveness of the deposit control program. These include typical methods such as an extensive visual inspection program and detailed corrosion product analysis and trending. In addition, a recently pioneered technique, low frequency eddy current profile analysis (LFEC) has been utilized. LFEC provides a visual mapping of the magnetite deposit profile of the steam generator. Analysis of the LFEC results not only provides general area deposition rates, but can also provide local deposition patterns, which is indicative of steam generator performance. Other techniques utilized include trending of steam pressure, steam generator hideout-return, and flow assisted corrosion (FAC) results. The sum of this information provides a comprehensive assessment of the deposit control program effectiveness and the condition of the steam generator. It also provides important diagnostic and predictive information relative to steam generator life management and mitigative strategies, such as special cleaning procedures. This paper discusses the techniques employed by Comanche Peak Chemistry to monitor the effectiveness of the deposit control program and describes how this information is used in strategic planning. (authors)

Chemical profile of beans cultivars (Phaseolus vulgaris) by 1H NMR - high resolution magic angle spinning (HR-MAS);Perfil quimico de cultivares de feijao (Phaseolus vulgaris) pela tecnica de high resolution magic angle spinning (HR-MAS)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Liao, Luciano Morais; Choze, Rafael; Cavalcante, Pedro Paulo Araujo; Santos, Suzana da Costa; Ferri, Pedro Henrique, E-mail: luciano@quimica.ufg.b [Universidade Federal de Goias (UFG), Goiania, GO (Brazil). Inst. de Quimica; Ferreira, Antonio Gilberto [Universidade Federal de Sao Carlos (UFScar), SP (Brazil). Dept. de Quimica

2010-07-01

The application of one-dimensional proton high-resolution magic angle spinning ({sup 1}H HR-MAS) NMR combined with a typical advantages of solid and liquid-state NMR techniques was used as input variables for the multivariate statistical analysis. In this paper, different cultivars of beans (Phaseolus vulgaris) developed and in development by EMBRAPA - Arroz e Feijao were analyzed by {sup 1}H HR-MAS, which have been demonstrated to be a valuable tool in its differentiation according chemical composition and avoid the manipulation of the samples as used in other techniques. (author)

Rewriting rural community and dictatorial history through magical realism in Márquez’s One Hundred Years of Solitude

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Abdullah Abu Shahid

2015-05-01

Full Text Available Márquez was greatly influenced by his grandmother’s story-telling ability, and was highly indebted to the socio-political history of Latin America, particularly Colombia. In One Hundred Years of Solitude, he wants to reconstruct the lost world of childhood by using magical realism which gives expression to the world-view of a rural people who live in isolation from modern world. By retelling the official history from the perspective of the oppressed, he reveals the fact that history is never factual and impartial but serves the interest of those who write it. Through the banana company massacre and the subsequent hide and seek over the number of dead workers, Márquez exposes the way official history becomes fabricated and distorted by authorities, and fails to provide the original occurrences. He was disgusted with the political violence and civil wars which had distraught people; he was also against capitalism, scientific and technological inventions, and so-called modernization, which are the means through which foreign culture brings corruption and brutality, dominates, exploits and oppresses the natives, and threatens the native culture and identity. By employing magical realism, he was able to recreate Colombian history to protest against the way capitalism dominated the socio-political and economic structure of the region.

Expert system for control rod programming of boiling water reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fukuzaki, T.; Yoshida, K.; Kobayashi, Y.; Matsuura, H.; Hoshi, K.

1986-01-01

Control rod programming, one of the main tasks in reactor core management of boiling water reactors (BWRs), can be successfully accomplished by well-experienced engineers. By use of core performance evaluation codes, their knowledge plays the main role in searching through optimal control rod patterns and exposure points for adjusting notch positions and exchanging rod patterns. An expert system has been developed, based on a method of knowledge engineering, to lighten the engineer's load in control rod programming. This system utilizes an inference engine suited for planning/designing problems, and stores the knowledge of well-experienced engineers in its knowledge base. In this report, the inference engine, developed considering the characteristics of the control rod programming, is introduced. Then the constitution and function of the expert system are discussed

Food and Nutrition Services Quality Control Management Program.

Science.gov (United States)

Wimsatt-Fraim, Teresa S.

A program was conducted to improve the quality of food service through the training of 44 food and nutrition service employees in a 200-bed hospital. A 12-week quality control program was implemented to address four key areas: food temperatures, food accuracy, food quality, and dietary personnel. Learning strategies, emphasizing critical thinking…

PLC/DTAM Software Programs for Pumping Instrumentation and Control Skid ''L''

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

KOCH, M.R.

2000-01-01

This document describes the software programs for the Programmable Logic Controller and the Data Table Access Module for Pumping Instrumentation and Control skid ''L''. The Appendices contains copies of the printouts of these software programs

Dedicated Programming Language for Small Distributed Control Divices

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Madsen, Per Printz; Borch, Ole

2007-01-01

. This paper describes a new, flexible and simple language for programming distributed control tasks. The compiler for this language generates a target code that is very easy to interpret. A interpreter, that can be easy ported to different hardwares, is described. The new language is simple and easy to learn...... become a reality if each of these controlling computers can be configured to perform a cooperative task. This again requires the necessary communicating facilities. In other words this requires that all these simple and distributed computers can be programmed in a simple and hardware independent way...

The sheep blowfly genetic control program in Australia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Foster, Geoffrey G.

1989-01-01

The blowfly Lucilia cuprina is the most important myiasis pet of sheep in Australia. Other species are associated with sheep myiasis, but L. cuprina is probably responsible for initiating more than 90% of infestations. Annual costs of production losses, prevention and treatment have been estimated at $149 millions in 1985. Prevention and treatment encompass both insecticidal applications to sheep and non-chemical management practices. In the absence of effective preventive measures, the sheep industry would be non-viable over much of Australia. Insecticide usage against L. cuprina has been marked by the appearance of widespread resistance to cyclodienes in 1956, the organophosphates in 1965, and carbamates in 1966. Resistance has not yet been reported against the triazine compounds introduced for blowfly control in 1981. The most effective non-chemical control measures are surgical (removal of skin from the breech in certain breeds of sheep, and tail-docking). They protect sheep by reducing favourable oviposition sites (dung and urine-stained wool). The spectre of insecticide resistance and the early success of the sterile insect technique (SIT) against screwworm fly in the U.S.A., led this Division to consider SIT and other autocidal methods in the 1960s. The L. cuprina genetics research program was established in 1966 and subsequently expanded in 1971. More recently, lobbying by animal welfare groups against surgical blowfly control practices, as well as increasing consumer awareness of insecticide residues in animal products, have accelerated the search for alternatives to chemical control. When SIT was first considered for L. cuprina control in 1960, little was known about the population dynamics of L. cuprina. There were insufficient ecological data to evaluate the prospects of alternative strategies such as suppression or containment. The number of flies which would have to be released in a SIT program was unknown, as were the costs. Assuming that the cost of

Solid-state 13C magic angle spinning NMR spectroscopy characterization of particle size structural variations in synthetic nanodiamonds

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alam, Todd M.

2004-01-01

Solid-state 13 C magic angle spinning (MAS) NMR spectroscopy has been used to quantify the different carbon species observed in synthetically produced nanodiamonds. Two different diamond-like carbon species were observed using 13 C MAS NMR, which have been attributed to a highly ordered crystalline diamond phase and a disordered crystalline diamond phase. The relative ratio of these different diamond phases was found to vary with the particle size of the nanodiamond materials

The Zen of Magic Squares, Circles, and Stars An Exhibition of Surprising Structures across Dimensions

CERN Document Server

Pickover, Clifford A

2011-01-01

Humanity's love affair with mathematics and mysticism reached a critical juncture, legend has it, on the back of a turtle in ancient China. As Clifford Pickover briefly recounts in this enthralling book, the most comprehensive in decades on magic squares, Emperor Yu was supposedly strolling along the Yellow River one day around 2200 B.C. when he spotted the creature: its shell had a series of dots within squares. To Yu's amazement, each row of squares contained fifteen dots, as did the columns and diagonals. When he added any two cells opposite along a line through the center square, like 2 a

Lipossomas: a bala mágica acertou? Liposomes: has the magic bullet hit the target?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nuno C. Santos

2002-12-01

Full Text Available Efficient drug delivery systems are as important as drug themselves. A powerful drug unable to reach the target cell is useless in practice. Ehrlich's Magic Bullet was the first carrier system to be proposed. The evolution in this domain has been quite slow as the natural mechanisms of mammals against foreign products are hard to overcome. However, lipid-based systems (liposomes and related vesicles have attained reasonable success. The basic preparations and structural features of liposomes and related vesicles as well as their applications are addressed from the chemist's and biochemist's point of view.

[Science and magic. Motives from ethnology and the psychology of perception in the epistemology of Ludwik Fleck].

Science.gov (United States)

Werner, Sylwia

2014-01-01

Fleck's social theory of science refers to many ethnological examples in order to explain how collective thinking and acting constructs certain systems of belief and knowing. According to Fleck, scientific concepts and practices are comparable with magic terms and ceremonies. This essay aims to identify the ethnological sources that Fleck's epistemology is using. By confronting them with other relativistic theories that were circulating in Lemberg during the interwar period, the originality of Fleck's own position can be contextualized and explained as well.

CDC Best Practices for Comprehensive Tobacco Control Programs - 2007

Data.gov (United States)

U.S. Department of Health & Human Services — Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Best Practices for Comprehensive Tobacco Control Programs. Funding. CDC's Best Practices for Comprehensive Tobacco...

CDC Best Practices for Comprehensive Tobacco Control Programs - 2014

Data.gov (United States)

U.S. Department of Health & Human Services — Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Best Practices for Comprehensive Tobacco Control Programs. Funding. CDC's Best Practices for Comprehensive Tobacco...

PLC/DTAM Software Programs for Pumping Instrumentation and Control Skid L

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

KOCH, M.R.

2000-01-03

This document describes the software programs for the Programmable Logic Controller and the Data Table Access Module for Pumping Instrumentation and Control skid ''L''. The Appendices contains copies of the printouts of these software programs.

Before the Deluge: Ştefania Cristescu-Golopenţia's Pioneering Work on Women, Magic, and Peasant Household Integrity in the Inter-War Years

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

DAVID A. KIDECKEL

Full Text Available This essay seeks to locate the person and scholarship of Ştefania Cristescu-Golopenţia in the tumultuous scientific and historical conditions of inter-war and immediate post-war Romanian society and social science. I suggest how Ştefania's promising career was cut short by political transformation and personal tragedy, represented by the imprisonment and death of her husband, sociologist Anton Golopenţia. Subsequently I evaluate the work of Şt.C.-G., focusing on her description and analysis of women's quotidian magical and ritual practices as critical for the strength of the Tara Oltului peasant household. This magic was directed to keep the household safe and ward off danger. I discuss the ideas of Şt.C.-G. in the context of my own fieldwork in the region in the 1970s and try to consider how and to what effects socialist state policies might have articulated with women's magico-religious household ritual.

OVERVIEW OF ADVANCED PETROLEUM-BASED FUELS-DIESEL EMISSIONS CONTROL PROGRAM (APBF-DEC)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sverdrup, George M.

2000-08-20

The Advanced Petroleum-Based Fuels-Diesel Emissions Control Program (APBF-DEC) began in February 2000 and is supported by government agencies and industry. The purpose of the APBF-DEC program is to identify and evaluate the optimal combinations of fuels, lubricants, diesel engines, and emission control systems to meet the projected emission standards for the 2000 to 2010 time period. APBF-DEC is an outgrowth of the earlier Diesel Emission Control-Sulfur Effects Program (DECSE), whose objective is to determine the impact of the sulfur levels in fuel on emission control systems that could lower the emissions of NOx and particulate matter (PM) from diesel powered vehicles in the 2002 to 2004 period. Results from the DECSE studies of two emission control technologies-diesel particle filter (DPF) and NOx adsorber-will be used in the APBF-DEC program. These data are expected to provide initial information on emission control technology options and the effects of fuel properties (including additives) on the performance of emission control systems.

Conjuring up New Technology - Using Magic Objects in Co-Ideation with Stroke Survivors.

Science.gov (United States)

Rassmus-Gröhn, Kirsten; Magnusson, Charlotte; Rydeman, Bitte; Randall, Gary; Belson, Sarah

2017-01-01

Ideation means to generate ideas, and when involving non-designers in these activities they need to be informed about the scope of the possibilities without limiting their imagination. This is a general challenge, which becomes particularly important when it comes to advanced technology ideation together with participants that may not have in-depth knowledge of technological designs and solutions. In this study, we supported the ideation process by presenting a kit of magic objects (consisting of cards and physical props) to stroke survivors participating in a co-design workshop carried out within the STARR EU project. The kit was seen to generally work well, but improvements are suggested for the introduction, the design of the cards and the number of objects used.

Implementation contexts of a Tuberculosis Control Program in Brazilian prisons

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Luisa Gonçalves Dutra de Oliveira

2015-01-01

Full Text Available OBJECTIVE To analyze the influence from context characteristics in the control of tuberculosis in prisons, and the influence from the program implementation degrees in observed effects.METHODS A multiple case study, with a qualitative approach, conducted in the prison systems of two Brazilian states in 2011 and 2012. Two prisons were analyzed in each state, and a prison hospital was analyzed in one of them. The data were submitted to a content analysis, which was based on external, political-organizational, implementation, and effect dimensions. Contextual factors and the ones in the program organization were correlated. The independent variable was the program implementation degree and the dependent one, the effects from the Tuberculosis Control Program in prisons.RESULTS The context with the highest sociodemographic vulnerability, the highest incidence rate of tuberculosis, and the smallest amount of available resources were associated with the low implementation degree of the program. The results from tuberculosis treatment in the prison system were better where the program had already been partially implemented than in the case with low implementation degree in both cases.CONCLUSIONS The implementation degree and its contexts – external and political-organizational dimensions – simultaneously contribute to the effects that are observed in the control of tuberculosis in analyzed prisons.

Traffic Control Device Evaluation Program : FY 2017

Science.gov (United States)

2018-03-01

This report presents findings on the activities conducted in the Traffic Control Device Evaluation Program during the 2017 fiscal year. The research on sponsored changeable message signs (continued from the previous year) was terminated by the Federa...

Chemical Shifts of the Carbohydrate Binding Domain of Galectin-3 from Magic Angle Spinning NMR and Hybrid Quantum Mechanics/Molecular Mechanics Calculations.

Science.gov (United States)

Kraus, Jodi; Gupta, Rupal; Yehl, Jenna; Lu, Manman; Case, David A; Gronenborn, Angela M; Akke, Mikael; Polenova, Tatyana

2018-03-22

Magic angle spinning NMR spectroscopy is uniquely suited to probe the structure and dynamics of insoluble proteins and protein assemblies at atomic resolution, with NMR chemical shifts containing rich information about biomolecular structure. Access to this information, however, is problematic, since accurate quantum mechanical calculation of chemical shifts in proteins remains challenging, particularly for 15 N H . Here we report on isotropic chemical shift predictions for the carbohydrate recognition domain of microcrystalline galectin-3, obtained from using hybrid quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics (QM/MM) calculations, implemented using an automated fragmentation approach, and using very high resolution (0.86 Å lactose-bound and 1.25 Å apo form) X-ray crystal structures. The resolution of the X-ray crystal structure used as an input into the AF-NMR program did not affect the accuracy of the chemical shift calculations to any significant extent. Excellent agreement between experimental and computed shifts is obtained for 13 C α , while larger scatter is observed for 15 N H chemical shifts, which are influenced to a greater extent by electrostatic interactions, hydrogen bonding, and solvation.

Genealogía hipnótica del mito del zombi: The Magic Island (1929

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Carcavilla Puey, Lorenzo

2013-06-01

Full Text Available This is the first of series of articles that aims to study the history and psychological significance of the “myth of the zombie” through the analysis of its allegorical and symbolic elements, based on a myth’s conceptualization extracted from the notions of Jung’s analytical psychology and Eliade’s history of religions. Here, we’ll look deeply into the symbolic genealogy that comes before and it’s inserted in zombie conception in Seabrook’s The magic island (first text where zombie appears as living dead through a comparative analysis with the somnambulist in literature and filmography of “the dark side of animal magnetism and hypnosis” and its connection with the automaton.Este es el primero de una serie de artículos en los que se pretende estudiar la historia y la significación psicológica del “mito del zombi” a través del análisis de sus elementos alegóricos y simbólicos partiendo de una conceptualización de “mito” extraída de las nociones de la psicología analítica de Jung y de la historia de las religiones de Eliade. Aquí profundizaremos en la genealogía simbólica que antecede y se inserta en la concepción del zombi en The Magic Island de Seabrook (primer texto donde aparece el zombi como muerto viviente a través del análisis comparativo con el sonámbulo de la literatura y cinematografía del “lado oscuro del magnetismo animal y la hipnosis” y su relación con el autómata.

Development of in-plant real-time materials control: the DYMAC program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Augustson, R.H.

1976-01-01

LASL is in the process of developing a dynamic materials control program, called DYMAC, to provide the technology for stringent real-time nuclear materials control. The DYMAC program combines hardware and software into four component subsystems: nondestructive assay (NDA), instrumentation, data acquisition, data base management, and real-time accountability. To demonstrate the feasibility of DYMAC, a working real-time materials control system will be installed at the new plutonium facility presently under construction at LASL. Program emphasis is on developing practical solutions to generic problems and communicating those solutions to other installations for use throughout the nuclear fuel cycle

On a program manifold’s stability of one contour automatic control systems

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Zumatov S. S.

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Methodology of analysis of stability is expounded to the one contour systems automatic control feedback in the presence of non-linearities. The methodology is based on the use of the simplest mathematical models of the nonlinear controllable systems. Stability of program manifolds of one contour automatic control systems is investigated. The sufficient conditions of program manifold’s absolute stability of one contour automatic control systems are obtained. The Hurwitz’s angle of absolute stability was determined. The sufficient conditions of program manifold’s absolute stability of control systems by the course of plane in the mode of autopilot are obtained by means Lyapunov’s second method.

Seismic anisotropy in the upper mantle beneath the MAGIC array, mid-Atlantic Appalachians: Constraints from SKS splitting and quasi-Love wave propagation

Science.gov (United States)

Aragon, J. C.; Long, M. D.; Benoit, M. H.; Servali, A.

2016-12-01

North America's eastern passive continental margin has been modified by several cycles of supercontinent assembly. Its complex surface geology and distinct topography provide evidence of these events, while also raising questions about the extent of deformation in the continental crust, lithosphere, and mantle during past episodes of rifting and mountain building. The Mid-Atlantic Geophysical Integrative Collaboration (MAGIC) is an EarthScope and GeoPRISMS-funded project that involves a collaborative effort among seismologists, geodynamicists, and geomorphologists. One component of the project is a broadband seismic array consisting of 28 instruments in a linear path from coastal Virginia to western Ohio, which operated between October 2013 and October 2016. A key science question addressed by the MAGIC project is the geometry of past lithospheric deformation and present-day mantle flow beneath the Appalachians, which can be probed using observations of seismic anisotropy Here we present observations of SKS splitting and quasi-Love wave arrivals from stations of the MAGIC array, which together constrain seismic anisotropy in the upper mantle. SKS splitting along the array reveals distinct regions of upper mantle anisotropy, with stations in and to the west of the range exhibiting fast directions parallel to the strike of the mountains. In contrast, weak splitting and null SKS arrivals dominate eastern stations in the coastal plain. Documented Love-to-Rayleigh wave scattering for surface waves originating the magnitude 8.3 Illapel, Chile earthquakes in September 2015 provides complementary constraints on anisotropy. These quasi-Love wave arrivals suggest a pronounced change in upper mantle anisotropy at the eastern edge of present-day Appalachian topography. Together, these observations increase our understanding of the extent of lithospheric deformation beneath North America associated with Appalachian orogenesis, as well as the pattern of present-day mantle flow

Robust Control Design via Linear Programming

Science.gov (United States)

Keel, L. H.; Bhattacharyya, S. P.

1998-01-01

This paper deals with the problem of synthesizing or designing a feedback controller of fixed dynamic order. The closed loop specifications considered here are given in terms of a target performance vector representing a desired set of closed loop transfer functions connecting various signals. In general these point targets are unattainable with a fixed order controller. By enlarging the target from a fixed point set to an interval set the solvability conditions with a fixed order controller are relaxed and a solution is more easily enabled. Results from the parametric robust control literature can be used to design the interval target family so that the performance deterioration is acceptable, even when plant uncertainty is present. It is shown that it is possible to devise a computationally simple linear programming approach that attempts to meet the desired closed loop specifications.

Aplikasi Augmented Reality Magic Book Pengenalan Binatang Untuk Siswa TK

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I Dewa Gede Wahya Dhiyatmika

2015-11-01

Full Text Available Augmented Reality is a technology combining 2 or 3 dimensional virtual objects into a real 3 dimensional environment and projected real time. Children at 5 to 7 years old, are in their golden age where they are getting more sensitive to stimulus and easier on learning new things, that they are easier on receiving new and interesting things. So, it seems to be important for children at this age to learn about living creature around them, one of it is learning about animals. Media about animal introduction for kindergarten students, such as book with 2 dimensional animal form, seems like incapable yet to excite children on learning about animal species. This Augmented Reality Magic Book Animals Introduction Application for Kindergarten Students has been developed using Android base with marker that identified 3 dimensional animal objects, their voices, and the informations about the animals using Augmented Reality Technology. Augmented Reality technology makes animal introduction to children become easier and more interesting, this application shows 3 dimensional form of animals and their voices with more innovative interface using Smartphone.

Probing the semi-magicity of $^{68}$Ni via the $^{66}$Ni(t,p)$^{68}$Ni two-neutron transfer reaction in inverse kinematics

CERN Document Server

AUTHOR|(CDS)2079390; Van Duppen, Piet

The region around the nucleus $^{68}$Ni, with a shell closure for its protons at Z=28 and a harmonic oscillator shell gap for its neutrons at N=40, has drawn considerable interest over the past decades. $^{68}$Ni has properties that are typical for a doubly-magic nucleus, such as a high excitation energy and low B($E2:2^{+} \\rightarrow 0^{+}$) transition probability for the first excited 2$^{+}$ level and a 0$^{+}$ level as the first excited state. However, it has been suggested that the magic properties of $^{68}$Ni arise due to the fact that the N=40 separates the negative parity $pf$-shell from the positive parity 1$g_{9/2}$ orbital, and indeed, recent mass measurements have not revealed a clear N = 40 energy gap. Despite all additional information that was acquired over the last decade the specific role of the N=40 is not yet understood and a new experimental approach to study $^{68}$Ni was proposed. Namely, a two-neutron transfer reaction on $^{66}$Ni to characterize and disentangle the structure of the ...

Evaluation of the response of polymeric gel modified MAGIC-f using a clinical brachytherapy source and Monte Carlo simulation with package PENELOPE

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Quevedo, Ana Luiza; Nicolucci, Patricia; Borges, Leandro F.

2016-01-01

In this work a comparison of experimental and simulated relative doses of a clinical brachytherapy source was performed. A 5 x 5 x 7 cm"3 phantom with a modified MAGIC-f gel was irradiated using a clinical "1"9"2Ir source and read using Magnetic Resonance Imaging. The Monte Carlo simulation package PENELOPE was used to simulate the dose distributions of the same radiation source. The dose distributions were obtained in two planes perpendicular to the source: one passing through the source's center and the other at 0.5 cm away from the source's center. The higher differences found between experimental and computational distributions were 12.5% at a point 0.62 cm from the source for the central plane and 8.6% at 1.3 cm from the source to the plane 0.5 cm away from the source's center. Considering the high dose gradient of these dose distributions, the results obtained show that the modified MAGIC-f gel is promising for brachytherapy dosimetry. (author)

Heritage in the Limelight, a Collection in Progress: Uncovering, Connecting, Researching and Animating Australia’s Magic Lantern Past

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Martyn Jolly

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Once they are formed, the digital collections of cultural and collecting institutions do not exist in splendid isolation. As well as being aggregated data sets, digital heritage collections are also links to tangible objects and specific historical experiences. Digital collections may allow users to find the actual analogue objects from which they were derived, they may allow users to understand a particular historical experience (or a simulation of it, they may connect them to a particular place, or they may lead them to other digital collections. Digital heritage collections need to develop generous interfaces in order to maximise their unity across these different demands and to appeal to a variety of users. This article takes as its case study the digital database and interface made by the Australian-based research team, ‘Heritage in the Limelight: The Magic Lantern in Australia and the World’. It examines how the culture, ephemera and documentation around the magic lantern’s use in Australia across the nineteenth and twentieth century calls for its digital presentation in a dynamic, operational archive. The following piece surveys scholarly debates around digital collections that have informed the construction of the Heritage in the Limelight database and prototype 'Collection Explorer' as well placing the creation of this Australian initiative in the context of work being done on lantern slide digital resources globally.

Of magic wands and kaleidoscopes: fixing problems in the individual market.

Science.gov (United States)

Hall, Mark A

2002-01-01

Policy analysts sometimes imagine that problems in the individual market can be fixed by waving a magic wand that makes the individual market function more like the group market. However, prior studies reveal that purchasing cooperatives fail to achieve substantial economies of scale; market reforms that reduce the impact of medical underwriting are difficult to implement in the individual market; and it may not be as easy as imagined to induce people to purchase over the Internet or from new or smaller companies that are at higher risk for exiting the market. The best solution is to limit the use of subsidies to certain purchasing options, such as with purchasing cooperatives that abide by rating, issuance, and renewability rules. What is not acceptable is to hand people subsidies and send them to the unstructured and relatively unregulated individual market, nor will it work to give people unhindered choice between two basically different market segments.

7 CFR 58.149 - Alternate quality control programs for dairy products.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 3 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Alternate quality control programs for dairy products... for dairy products. (a) When a plant has in operation an acceptable quality control program which is... (CONTINUED) REGULATIONS AND STANDARDS UNDER THE AGRICULTURAL MARKETING ACT OF 1946 AND THE EGG PRODUCTS...

Programs for control of an analog-signal switching network

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

D'Ottavio, T.; Enriquez, R.; Katz, R.; Skelly, J.

1989-01-01

A suite of programs has been developed to control the network of analog-signal switching multiplexers in the AGS complex. The software is driven by a relational database which describes the architecture of the multiplexer tree and the set of available analog signals. Signals are routed through a three-layer multiplexer tree, to be made available at four consoles each with three 4-trace oscilloscopes. A menu-structured operator interface program is available at each console, to accept requests to route any available analog signal to any of that console's 12 oscilloscope traces. A common routing-server program provides automatic routing-server program provides automatic routing of requested signals through the layers of multiplexers, maintaining a reservation database to denote free and in-use trunks. Expansion of the analog signal system is easily accommodated in software by adding new signals, trunks, multiplexers, or consoles to the database. Programmatic control of the triggering signals for each of the oscilloscopes is also provided. 3 refs., 4 figs., 3 tabs

Coordination Between the HEU Transparency Program and the Material Protection, Control and Accountability Program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Glaser, J.; Hernandez, J.; Dougherty, D.; Bieniawski, A.; Cahalane, P.; Mastal, E.

2000-01-01

DOE sponsored programs such as Material Protection Control and Accountability (MPC and A) and implementation of the Highly-Enriched Uranium (HEU) Transparency Program send US personnel into Russian nuclear facilities and receive Russian representatives from these programs. While there is overlap in the Russian nuclear facilities visited by these two programs, there had not been any formal mechanism to share information between them. Recently, an MPC and A/HEU Working Group was developed to facilitate the sharing of appropriate information and to address concerns expressed by Minatom and Russian facility personnel such as US visit scheduling conflicts. This paper discusses the goals of the Working Group and ways it has helped to allow the programs to work more efficiently with the Russian facilities

Quality-control activities of the Hanford Environmental Surveillance Program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Price, K.R.; Jaquish, R.E.

1982-01-01

A comprehensive approach to quality control (QC) has been developed by the Pacific Northwest Laboratory for the Hanford Environmental Surveillance Program. The framework of quality control for the surveillance program has been documented in a QC implementation guide wherein QC requirements are specified and specific responsibilities and authorities are described. Subjects in the guide include the collection, analysis, and reporting of samples as well as equipment calibration and maintenance, training, audits, and record keeping. A QC file and library have been established to store pertinent documentation, records, and references for ready access

PLC/DTAM Software Programs for Pumping Instrumentation and Control Skid X

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

HORNER, T.M.

2001-01-01

This document describes the software programs for the Allen-Bradley SLC 500 programmable logic controller (PLC) and the Allen-Bradley DTAM PLUS operator interface module used on Pumping Instrumentation and Control (PIC) skid ''X''. The software programs for the SLC 500 and DTAM Plus are based on the core programs provided by Allen-Bradley. The PLC and DTAM software programs on skid ''D'' for SX-104 are the baseline programs. These baselines will be tailored for each individual BY-farm skid. An Acceptance Test Procedure (ATP) and an Operational Test Procedure (OTP) verify that the software programs meet the specific requirements for BY-105 pumping. This document represents the final PLC and DTAM programs for PIC skid ''X'' at BY-105. These programs were printed out after the performance of the OTP. The OTP acts as the final qualification test for the software programs. Functional requirements and details of the PLC ladder logic are described in this document. The final programs entered into the PLC and DTAM Plus are included as Appendices to this document

PLC and DTAM Software Programs for Pumping Instrumentation and Control Skid P

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

KOCH, M.R.

2000-01-01

This document describe the software programs for the Programmable Logic Controller and the Datable Access Module for Pumping Instrumentation and Control skid ''P''. The Appendices contains copies of the printouts of these software programs