The analysis of stress reactions ana coping patterns of cancer patients who perceived stress by radiotherapy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bang, Dong Han; Kim, Jin Su; Park, Gil Yong; Son, Mi Suk [Dept. of Radiation Oncology, Bundang CHA General Hospital, College of Medicine, Pochon CHA University, Sungnam (Korea, Republic of)

2001-12-15

This study is performed to encourage cancer patients to identify, relieve and effectively overcome the stress caused by radiotherapy, by analyzing stress reactions and coping patterns of cancer patients who perceived stress due to radiotherapy. The study group was composed of 85 cancer patients of the age 20 or higher who were undergoing radiotherapy in four hospitals located in Seoul and Kyonggi-do. The survey questionnaire was used, which had 161 questions inquiring respondents of general status, perceived stress, stress reactions and coping patterns. The surveyed data were analyzed by a SAS program, which employed descriptive statistics. Pearson Correlation Coefficient, t-test, ANOVA and Stepwised Multiple Regression. The stress perception and reaction rates were low in cancer patients comparing to patients of the other study. In the coping patterns. the problem-focused coping patterns were significantly higher than emotion-focused coping patterns. The statistically meaningful differences were observed in the stress perception and reactions depending on the time of diagnosis and perceived health level. As for the problem-focused coping patterns, significant differences were found depending on age, marital status, education, income and the number of family members as well as perceived health level of patients. The level of perceived stress and that of stress reactions was found to have positively significant correlation(r=.764, p<.001) while the perceived stress and the problem-focused coping patterns was correlated negatively (r=-.288, p<.01). The stress reactions and the problem-focused coping patterns was found to have negatively significant correlation(r=-.289, p<.01). The problem-focused coping behavior, which cooperated with doctors, technologists, nurses and families of cancer patients, is advisable for the cancer patients to overcome uncertainty and uneasiness by effectively release the stress.

Fluctuation-Induced Pattern Formation in a Surface Reaction

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Starke, Jens; Reichert, Christian; Eiswirth, Markus

2006-01-01

Spontaneous nucleation, pulse formation, and propagation failure have been observed experimentally in CO oxidation on Pt(110) at intermediate pressures ($\\approx 10^{-2}$mbar). This phenomenon can be reproduced with a stochastic model which includes temperature effects. Nucleation occurs randomly...... due to fluctuations in the reaction processes, whereas the subsequent damping out essentially follows the deterministic path. Conditions for the occurence of stochastic effects in the pattern formation during CO oxidation on Pt are discussed....

Pattern transition between periodic Liesegang pattern and crystal growth regime in reaction-diffusion systems

Science.gov (United States)

Lagzi, István; Ueyama, Daishin

2009-01-01

The pattern transition between periodic precipitation pattern formation (Liesegang phenomenon) and pure crystal growth regimes is investigated in silver nitrate and potassium dichromate system in mixed agarose-gelatin gel. Morphologically different patterns were found depending on the quality of the gel, and transition between these typical patterns can be controlled by the concentration of gelatin in mixed gel. Effect of temperature and hydrodynamic force on precipitation pattern structure was also investigated.

The effect of a crosslinking chemical reaction on pattern formation in viscous fingering of miscible fluids in a Hele-Shaw cell

Science.gov (United States)

Bunton, Patrick H.; Tullier, Michael P.; Meiburg, Eckart; Pojman, John A.

2017-10-01

Viscous fingering can occur in fluid motion whenever a high mobility fluid displaces a low mobility fluid in a Darcy type flow. When the mobility difference is primarily attributable to viscosity (e.g., flow between the two horizontal plates of a Hele-Shaw cell), viscous fingering (VF) occurs, which is sometimes termed the Saffman-Taylor instability. Alternatively, in the presence of differences in density in a gravity field, buoyancy-driven convection can occur. These instabilities have been studied for decades, in part because of their many applications in pollutant dispersal, ocean currents, enhanced petroleum recovery, and so on. More recent interest has emerged regarding the effects of chemical reactions on fingering instabilities. As chemical reactions change the key flow parameters (densities, viscosities, and concentrations), they may have either a destabilizing or stabilizing effect on the flow. Hence, new flow patterns can emerge; moreover, one can then hope to gain some control over flow instabilities through reaction rates, flow rates, and reaction products. We report effects of chemical reactions on VF in a Hele-Shaw cell for a reactive step-growth cross-linking polymerization system. The cross-linked reaction product results in a non-monotonic viscosity profile at the interface, which affects flow stability. Furthermore, three-dimensional internal flows influence the long-term pattern that results.

A cellular automata approach to chemical reactions : 1 reaction controlled systems

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Korte, de A.C.J.; Brouwers, H.J.H.

2013-01-01

A direct link between the chemical reaction controlled (shrinking core) model and cellular automata, to study the dissolution of particles, is derived in this paper. Previous research on first and second order reactions is based on the concentration of the reactant. The present paper describes the

Applications of ultrashort shaped pulses in microscopy and for controlling chemical reactions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lozovoy, Vadim V.; Andegeko, Yair; Zhu Xin; Dantus, Marcos

2008-01-01

This article presents a new perspective on laser control based on insights into the effect of spectral phase on nonlinear optical processes. Gaining this understanding requires the systematic evaluation of the molecular response as a function of a series of pre-defined accurately shaped laser pulses. The effort required is rewarded with robust, highly reproducible, results. This approach is illustrated by results on selective two-photon excitation microscopy of biological samples, where higher signal and less photobleaching damage are achieved by accurate phase measurement and elimination of high-order phase distortions from the ultrashort laser pulses. A similar systematic approach applied to laser control of gas phase chemical reactions reveals surprising general trends. Molecular fragmentation pattern is found to be dependent on phase shaping. Differently shaped pulses with similar pulse duration have been found to produce similar fragmentation patterns. This implies that any single parameter that is proportional to the pulse duration, such as second harmonic generation intensity, allows us to predict the molecular fragmentation pattern within the experimental noise. This finding, is illustrated here for a series of isomers. Bond selectivity, coherent photochemistry and their applications are discussed in light of results from these systematic studies

Pharmacovigilance in oncology: pattern of spontaneous notifications, incidence of adverse drug reactions and under-reporting

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marília Berlofa Visacri

2014-04-01

Full Text Available The high toxicity and narrow therapeutic window of antineoplastic agents makes pharmacovigilance studies essential in oncology. The objectives of the current study were to analyze the pattern of spontaneous notifications of adverse drug reactions (ADRs in oncology patients and to analyze the incidence of ADRs reported by outpatients on antineoplastic treatment in a tertiary care teaching hospital. To compose the pattern of ADR, the notification forms of reactions in oncology patients in 2010 were reviewed, and the reactions were classified based on the drug involved, mechanism, causality, and severity. To evaluate the incidence of reactions, a questionnaire at the time of chemotherapy was included, and the severity was classified based on the Common Terminology Criteria. The profiles of the 10 responses reported to the Pharmacovigilance Sector were type B, severe, possible, and they were primarily related to platinum compounds and taxanes. When the incidence of reactions was analyzed, it was observed that nausea, alopecia, fatigue, diarrhea, and taste disturbance were the most frequently reported reactions by oncology patients, and the grade 3 and 4 reactions were not reported. Based on this analysis, it is proposed that health professionals should be trained regarding notifications and clinical pharmacists should increasingly be brought on board to reduce under-reporting of ADRs.

Nonequilibrium transition and pattern formation in a linear reaction-diffusion system with self-regulated kinetics

Science.gov (United States)

Paul, Shibashis; Ghosh, Shyamolina; Ray, Deb Shankar

2018-02-01

We consider a reaction-diffusion system with linear, stochastic activator-inhibitor kinetics where the time evolution of concentration of a species at any spatial location depends on the relative average concentration of its neighbors. This self-regulating nature of kinetics brings in spatial correlation between the activator and the inhibitor. An interplay of this correlation in kinetics and disparity of diffusivities of the two species leads to symmetry breaking non-equilibrium transition resulting in stationary pattern formation. The role of initial noise strength and the linear reaction terms has been analyzed for pattern selection.

Effect of the Gouy phase on the coherent phase control of chemical reactions.

Science.gov (United States)

Gordon, Robert J; Barge, Vishal J

2007-11-28

We show how the spatial phase of a focused laser beam may be used as a tool for controlling the branching ratio of a chemical reaction. Guoy discovered [Acad. Sci., Paris, C. R. 110, 1250 (1890)] that when an electromagnetic wave passes through a focus its phase increases by pi. In a coherent control scheme involving the absorption of n photons of frequency omega(m) and m photons of frequency omega(n), the overall phase shift produced by the Gouy phase is (n-m)pi. At any given point in space, this phase shift is identical for all reaction products. Nevertheless, if the yields for different reaction channels have different intensity dependencies, the Gouy phase produces a net phase lag between the products that varies with the axial coordinate of the laser focus. We obtain here analytical and numerical values of this phase as the laser focus is scanned across the diameter of the molecular beam, taking into account the Rayleigh range and astigmatism of the laser beam and saturation of the transition. We also show that the modulation depth of the interference pattern may be increased by optimizing the relative intensities of the two fields.

Regularity in an environment produces an internal torque pattern for biped balance control.

Science.gov (United States)

Ito, Satoshi; Kawasaki, Haruhisa

2005-04-01

In this paper, we present a control method for achieving biped static balance under unknown periodic external forces whose periods are only known. In order to maintain static balance adaptively in an uncertain environment, it is essential to have information on the ground reaction forces. However, when the biped is exposed to a steady environment that provides an external force periodically, uncertain factors on the regularity with respect to a steady environment are gradually clarified using learning process, and finally a torque pattern for balancing motion is acquired. Consequently, static balance is maintained without feedback from ground reaction forces and achieved in a feedforward manner.

Pattern formation and control of spatiotemporal chaos in a reaction diffusion prey–predator system supplying additional food

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ghorai, Santu; Poria, Swarup

2016-01-01

Spatiotemporal dynamics of a predator–prey system in presence of spatial diffusion is investigated in presence of additional food exists for predators. Conditions for stability of Hopf as well as Turing patterns in a spatial domain are determined by making use of the linear stability analysis. Impact of additional food is clear from these conditions. Numerical simulation results are presented in order to validate the analytical findings. Finally numerical simulations are carried out around the steady state under zero flux boundary conditions. With the help of numerical simulations, the different types of spatial patterns (including stationary spatial pattern, oscillatory pattern, and spatiotemporal chaos) are identified in this diffusive predator–prey system in presence of additional food, depending on the quantity, quality of the additional food and the spatial domain and other parameters of the model. The key observation is that spatiotemporal chaos can be controlled supplying suitable additional food to predator. These investigations may be useful to understand complex spatiotemporal dynamics of population dynamical models in presence of additional food.

Control of Turing patterns and their usage as sensors, memory arrays, and logic gates

Science.gov (United States)

Muzika, František; Schreiber, Igor

2013-10-01

We study a model system of three diffusively coupled reaction cells arranged in a linear array that display Turing patterns with special focus on the case of equal coupling strength for all components. As a suitable model reaction we consider a two-variable core model of glycolysis. Using numerical continuation and bifurcation techniques we analyze the dependence of the system's steady states on varying rate coefficient of the recycling step while the coupling coefficients of the inhibitor and activator are fixed and set at the ratios 100:1, 1:1, and 4:5. We show that stable Turing patterns occur at all three ratios but, as expected, spontaneous transition from the spatially uniform steady state to the spatially nonuniform Turing patterns occurs only in the first case. The other two cases possess multiple Turing patterns, which are stabilized by secondary bifurcations and coexist with stable uniform periodic oscillations. For the 1:1 ratio we examine modular spatiotemporal perturbations, which allow for controllable switching between the uniform oscillations and various Turing patterns. Such modular perturbations are then used to construct chemical computing devices utilizing the multiple Turing patterns. By classifying various responses we propose: (a) a single-input resettable sensor capable of reading certain value of concentration, (b) two-input and three-input memory arrays capable of storing logic information, (c) three-input, three-output logic gates performing combinations of logical functions OR, XOR, AND, and NAND.

How does practise of internal Chinese martial arts influence postural reaction control?

Science.gov (United States)

Gorgy, Olivier; Vercher, Jean-Louis; Coyle, Thelma

2008-04-01

The aim of this study was to determine the effects of Chinese martial arts practice on postural reaction control after perturbation. Participants standing in Romberg tandem posture were subjected to an unexpected lateral platform translation with the eyes open or closed at two translation amplitudes. The peak displacement of the centre of pressure and of the centre of mass, and the onset latency of muscular activity (tibialis anterior, gastrocnemius, lumbodorsal muscular group, and rectus abdominis), were evaluated for martial arts practitioners and for sport and non-sport participants. Compared with the sport and non-sport participants, the martial arts group showed lower maximal centre of pressure and centre of mass peak displacements in both the lateral and anterior - posterior directions, but no difference was found in the onset of muscular responses. We conclude that martial arts practice influences postural reaction control during a fixed-support strategy in a tandem task. The martial arts group used the ankle joint more frequently than the sport and non-sport participants, especially in the eyes-closed conditions. Our results suggest that the better balance recovery in the martial arts group is a consequence of better control of biomechanical properties of the lower limbs (e.g. through muscular response by co-contraction), not a change in the neuromuscular temporal pattern.

Chemical potential and reaction electronic flux in symmetry controlled reactions.

Science.gov (United States)

Vogt-Geisse, Stefan; Toro-Labbé, Alejandro

2016-07-15

In symmetry controlled reactions, orbital degeneracies among orbitals of different symmetries can occur along a reaction coordinate. In such case Koopmans' theorem and the finite difference approximation provide a chemical potential profile with nondifferentiable points. This results in an ill-defined reaction electronic flux (REF) profile, since it is defined as the derivative of the chemical potential with respect to the reaction coordinate. To overcome this deficiency, we propose a new way for the calculation of the chemical potential based on a many orbital approach, suitable for reactions in which symmetry is preserved. This new approach gives rise to a new descriptor: symmetry adapted chemical potential (SA-CP), which is the chemical potential corresponding to a given irreducible representation of a symmetry group. A corresponding symmetry adapted reaction electronic flux (SA-REF) is also obtained. Using this approach smooth chemical potential profiles and well defined REFs are achieved. An application of SA-CP and SA-REF is presented by studying the Cs enol-keto tautomerization of thioformic acid. Two SA-REFs are obtained, JA'(ξ) and JA'' (ξ). It is found that the tautomerization proceeds via an in-plane delocalized 3-center 4-electron O-H-S hypervalent bond which is predicted to exist only in the transition state (TS) region. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Control of Maillard Reactions in Foods: Strategies and Chemical Mechanisms.

Science.gov (United States)

Lund, Marianne N; Ray, Colin A

2017-06-14

Maillard reactions lead to changes in food color, organoleptic properties, protein functionality, and protein digestibility. Numerous different strategies for controlling Maillard reactions in foods have been attempted during the past decades. In this paper, recent advances in strategies for controlling the Maillard reaction and subsequent downstream reaction products in food systems are critically reviewed. The underlying mechanisms at play are presented, strengths and weaknesses of each strategy are discussed, and reasonable reaction mechanisms are proposed to reinforce the evaluations. The review includes strategies involving addition of functional ingredients, such as plant polyphenols and vitamins, as well as enzymes. The resulting trapping or modification of Maillard targets, reactive intermediates, and advanced glycation endproducts (AGEs) are presented with their potential unwanted side effects. Finally, recent advances in processing for control of Maillard reactions are discussed.

Patterned control of human locomotion

Science.gov (United States)

Lacquaniti, Francesco; Ivanenko, Yuri P; Zago, Myrka

2012-01-01

There is much experimental evidence for the existence of biomechanical constraints which simplify the problem of control of multi-segment movements. In addition, it has been hypothesized that movements are controlled using a small set of basic temporal components or activation patterns, shared by several different muscles and reflecting global kinematic and kinetic goals. Here we review recent studies on human locomotion showing that muscle activity is accounted for by a combination of few basic patterns, each one timed at a different phase of the gait cycle. Similar patterns are involved in walking and running at different speeds, walking forwards or backwards, and walking under different loading conditions. The corresponding weights of distribution to different muscles may change as a function of the condition, allowing highly flexible control. Biomechanical correlates of each activation pattern have been described, leading to the hypothesis that the co-ordination of limb and body segments arises from the coupling of neural oscillators between each other and with limb mechanical oscillators. Muscle activations need only intervene during limited time epochs to force intrinsic oscillations of the system when energy is lost. PMID:22411012

Patterned control of human locomotion.

Science.gov (United States)

Lacquaniti, Francesco; Ivanenko, Yuri P; Zago, Myrka

2012-05-15

There is much experimental evidence for the existence of biomechanical constraints which simplify the problem of control of multi-segment movements. In addition, it has been hypothesized that movements are controlled using a small set of basic temporal components or activation patterns, shared by several different muscles and reflecting global kinematic and kinetic goals. Here we review recent studies on human locomotion showing that muscle activity is accounted for by a combination of few basic patterns, each one timed at a different phase of the gait cycle. Similar patterns are involved in walking and running at different speeds, walking forwards or backwards, and walking under different loading conditions. The corresponding weights of distribution to different muscles may change as a function of the condition, allowing highly flexible control. Biomechanical correlates of each activation pattern have been described, leading to the hypothesis that the co-ordination of limb and body segments arises from the coupling of neural oscillators between each other and with limb mechanical oscillators. Muscle activations need only intervene during limited time epochs to force intrinsic oscillations of the system when energy is lost.

Influence of phase transition on pattern formation during catalytic reactions

OpenAIRE

Andrade, Roberto Fernandes Silva; Lima, D.; Cunha, F. B.

2000-01-01

p.434–445 We investigate the influence of the order of surface phase transitions on pattern formation during chemical reaction on mono-crystal catalysts. We use a model consisting of two partial differential equations, one of which describes the dynamics of the surface state with the help of a Ginzburg–Landau potential. Second- or first-order transitions are described by decreasing or increasing the relative value of the third-order coefficient of the potential. We concentrate on the stabi...

Communication: Control of chemical reactions using electric field gradients

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Deshmukh, Shivaraj D.; Tsori, Yoav, E-mail: tsori@bgu.ac.il [Department of Chemical Engineering, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva 84105 (Israel)

2016-05-21

We examine theoretically a new idea for spatial and temporal control of chemical reactions. When chemical reactions take place in a mixture of solvents, an external electric field can alter the local mixture composition, thereby accelerating or decelerating the rate of reaction. The spatial distribution of electric field strength can be non-trivial and depends on the arrangement of the electrodes producing it. In the absence of electric field, the mixture is homogeneous and the reaction takes place uniformly in the reactor volume. When an electric field is applied, the solvents separate and the reactants are concentrated in the same phase or separate to different phases, depending on their relative miscibility in the solvents, and this can have a large effect on the kinetics of the reaction. This method could provide an alternative way to control runaway reactions and to increase the reaction rate without using catalysts.

Communication: Control of chemical reactions using electric field gradients.

Science.gov (United States)

Deshmukh, Shivaraj D; Tsori, Yoav

2016-05-21

We examine theoretically a new idea for spatial and temporal control of chemical reactions. When chemical reactions take place in a mixture of solvents, an external electric field can alter the local mixture composition, thereby accelerating or decelerating the rate of reaction. The spatial distribution of electric field strength can be non-trivial and depends on the arrangement of the electrodes producing it. In the absence of electric field, the mixture is homogeneous and the reaction takes place uniformly in the reactor volume. When an electric field is applied, the solvents separate and the reactants are concentrated in the same phase or separate to different phases, depending on their relative miscibility in the solvents, and this can have a large effect on the kinetics of the reaction. This method could provide an alternative way to control runaway reactions and to increase the reaction rate without using catalysts.

Integument pattern formation involves genetic and epigenetic controls: feather arrays simulated by digital hormone models.

Science.gov (United States)

Jiang, Ting-Xin; Widelitz, Randall B; Shen, Wei-Min; Will, Peter; Wu, Da-Yu; Lin, Chih-Min; Jung, Han-Sung; Chuong, Cheng-Ming

2004-01-01

Pattern formation is a fundamental morphogenetic process. Models based on genetic and epigenetic control have been proposed but remain controversial. Here we use feather morphogenesis for further evaluation. Adhesion molecules and/or signaling molecules were first expressed homogenously in feather tracts (restrictive mode, appear earlier) or directly in bud or inter-bud regions ( de novo mode, appear later). They either activate or inhibit bud formation, but paradoxically colocalize in the bud. Using feather bud reconstitution, we showed that completely dissociated cells can reform periodic patterns without reference to previous positional codes. The patterning process has the characteristics of being self-organizing, dynamic and plastic. The final pattern is an equilibrium state reached by competition, and the number and size of buds can be altered based on cell number and activator/inhibitor ratio, respectively. We developed a Digital Hormone Model which consists of (1) competent cells without identity that move randomly in a space, (2) extracellular signaling hormones which diffuse by a reaction-diffusion mechanism and activate or inhibit cell adhesion, and (3) cells which respond with topological stochastic actions manifested as changes in cell adhesion. Based on probability, the results are cell clusters arranged in dots or stripes. Thus genetic control provides combinational molecular information which defines the properties of the cells but not the final pattern. Epigenetic control governs interactions among cells and their environment based on physical-chemical rules (such as those described in the Digital Hormone Model). Complex integument patterning is the sum of these two components of control and that is why integument patterns are usually similar but non-identical. These principles may be shared by other pattern formation processes such as barb ridge formation, fingerprints, pigmentation patterning, etc. The Digital Hormone Model can also be applied to

Unique Pattern of Protein-Bound Maillard Reaction Products in Manuka (Leptospermum scoparium) Honey.

Science.gov (United States)

Hellwig, Michael; Rückriemen, Jana; Sandner, Daniel; Henle, Thomas

2017-05-03

As a unique feature, honey from the New Zealand manuka tree (Leptospermum scoparium) contains substantial amounts of dihydroxyacetone (DHA) and methylglyoxal (MGO). Although MGO is a reactive intermediate in the Maillard reaction, very little is known about reactions of MGO with honey proteins. We hypothesized that the abundance of MGO should result in a particular pattern of protein-bound Maillard reaction products (MRPs) in manuka honey. A protein-rich high-molecular-weight fraction was isolated from 12 manuka and 8 non-manuka honeys and hydrolyzed enzymatically. By HPLC-MS/MS, 8 MRPs, namely, N-ε-fructosyllysine, N-ε-maltulosyllysine, carboxymethyllysine, carboxyethyllysine (CEL), pyrraline, formyline, maltosine, and methylglyoxal-derived hydroimidazolone 1 (MG-H1), were quantitated. Compared to non-manuka honeys, the manuka honeys were characterized by high concentrations of CEL and MG-H1, whereas the formation of N-ε-fructosyllysine was suppressed, indicating concurrence reactions of glucose and MGO at the ε-amino group of protein-bound lysine. Up to 31% of the lysine and 8% of the arginine residues, respectively, in the manuka honey protein can be modified to CEL and MG-H1, respectively. CEL and MG-H1 concentrations correlated strongly with the MGO concentration of the honeys. Manuka honey possesses a special pattern of protein-bound MRPs, which might be used to prove the reliability of labeled MGO levels in honeys and possibly enable the detection of fraudulent MGO or DHA addition to honey.

Robotic reactions: Delay-induced patterns in autonomous vehicle systems

Science.gov (United States)

Orosz, Gábor; Moehlis, Jeff; Bullo, Francesco

2010-02-01

Fundamental design principles are presented for vehicle systems governed by autonomous cruise control devices. By analyzing the corresponding delay differential equations, it is shown that for any car-following model short-wavelength oscillations can appear due to robotic reaction times, and that there are tradeoffs between the time delay and the control gains. The analytical findings are demonstrated on an optimal velocity model using numerical continuation and numerical simulation.

Robotic reactions: delay-induced patterns in autonomous vehicle systems.

Science.gov (United States)

Orosz, Gábor; Moehlis, Jeff; Bullo, Francesco

2010-02-01

Fundamental design principles are presented for vehicle systems governed by autonomous cruise control devices. By analyzing the corresponding delay differential equations, it is shown that for any car-following model short-wavelength oscillations can appear due to robotic reaction times, and that there are tradeoffs between the time delay and the control gains. The analytical findings are demonstrated on an optimal velocity model using numerical continuation and numerical simulation.

Organic influences on inorganic patterns of diffusion-controlled precipitation in gels

Science.gov (United States)

Barge, Laura M.; Nealson, Kenneth H.; Petruska, John

2010-06-01

The well-known AgNO 3/K 2CrO 4 reaction-diffusion system produces periodic bands of silver chromate precipitate in gelatin, but only randomly oriented crystals in agarose gel. We show that comparable bands can be produced in agarose gel by adding small amounts of simple organic acids (e.g., acetic acid, N-acetyl glycine, and N-acetyl alanine) that suppress crystal growth and promote formation of rounded particles of precipitate. These results indicate that α-carboxyl groups of amino acids or short peptides in gelatin under mildly acidic conditions can induce periodic band patterns in diffusion-controlled silver chromate precipitates.

Stationary patterns in star networks of bistable units: Theory and application to chemical reactions.

Science.gov (United States)

Kouvaris, Nikos E; Sebek, Michael; Iribarne, Albert; Díaz-Guilera, Albert; Kiss, István Z

2017-04-01

We present theoretical and experimental studies on pattern formation with bistable dynamical units coupled in a star network configuration. By applying a localized perturbation to the central or the peripheral elements, we demonstrate the subsequent spreading, pinning, or retraction of the activations; such analysis enables the characterization of the formation of stationary patterns of localized activity. The results are interpreted with a theoretical analysis of a simplified bistable reaction-diffusion model. Weak coupling results in trivial pinned states where the activation cannot propagate. At strong coupling, a uniform state is expected with active or inactive elements at small or large degree networks, respectively. A nontrivial stationary spatial pattern, corresponding to an activation pinning, is predicted to occur at an intermediate number of peripheral elements and at intermediate coupling strengths, where the central activation of the network is pinned, but the peripheral activation propagates toward the center. The results are confirmed in experiments with star networks of bistable electrochemical reactions. The experiments confirm the existence of the stationary spatial patterns and the dependence of coupling strength on the number of peripheral elements for transitions between pinned and retreating or spreading fronts in forced network configurations (where the central or periphery elements are forced to maintain their states).

Molecular controls of the oxygenation and redox reactions of hemoglobin.

Science.gov (United States)

Bonaventura, Celia; Henkens, Robert; Alayash, Abdu I; Banerjee, Sambuddha; Crumbliss, Alvin L

2013-06-10

The broad classes of O(2)-binding proteins known as hemoglobins (Hbs) carry out oxygenation and redox functions that allow organisms with significantly different physiological demands to exist in a wide range of environments. This is aided by allosteric controls that modulate the protein's redox reactions as well as its O(2)-binding functions. The controls of Hb's redox reactions can differ appreciably from the molecular controls for Hb oxygenation and come into play in elegant mechanisms for dealing with nitrosative stress, in the malarial resistance conferred by sickle cell Hb, and in the as-yet unsuccessful designs for safe and effective blood substitutes. An important basic principle in consideration of Hb's redox reactions is the distinction between kinetic and thermodynamic reaction control. Clarification of these modes of control is critical to gaining an increased understanding of Hb-mediated oxidative processes and oxidative toxicity in vivo. This review addresses emerging concepts and some unresolved questions regarding the interplay between the oxygenation and oxidation reactions of structurally diverse Hbs, both within red blood cells and under acellular conditions. Developing methods that control Hb-mediated oxidative toxicity will be critical to the future development of Hb-based blood substitutes.

Nonlinear control of the Salnikov model reaction

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Recke, Bodil; Jørgensen, Sten Bay

1999-01-01

This paper explores different nonlinear control schemes, applied to a simple model reaction. The model is the Salnikov model, consisting of two ordinary differential equations. The control strategies investigated are I/O-linearisation, Exact linearisation, exact linearisation combined with LQR...

Effects of intrinsic stochasticity on delayed reaction-diffusion patterning systems

KAUST Repository

Woolley, Thomas E.; Baker, Ruth E.; Gaffney, Eamonn A.; Maini, Philip K.; Seirin-Lee, Sungrim

2012-01-01

Cellular gene expression is a complex process involving many steps, including the transcription of DNA and translation of mRNA; hence the synthesis of proteins requires a considerable amount of time, from ten minutes to several hours. Since diffusion-driven instability has been observed to be sensitive to perturbations in kinetic delays, the application of Turing patterning mechanisms to the problem of producing spatially heterogeneous differential gene expression has been questioned. In deterministic systems a small delay in the reactions can cause a large increase in the time it takes a system to pattern. Recently, it has been observed that in undelayed systems intrinsic stochasticity can cause pattern initiation to occur earlier than in the analogous deterministic simulations. Here we are interested in adding both stochasticity and delays to Turing systems in order to assess whether stochasticity can reduce the patterning time scale in delayed Turing systems. As analytical insights to this problem are difficult to attain and often limited in their use, we focus on stochastically simulating delayed systems. We consider four different Turing systems and two different forms of delay. Our results are mixed and lead to the conclusion that, although the sensitivity to delays in the Turing mechanism is not completely removed by the addition of intrinsic noise, the effects of the delays are clearly ameliorated in certain specific cases. © 2012 American Physical Society.

Effects of intrinsic stochasticity on delayed reaction-diffusion patterning systems

KAUST Repository

Woolley, Thomas E.

2012-05-22

Cellular gene expression is a complex process involving many steps, including the transcription of DNA and translation of mRNA; hence the synthesis of proteins requires a considerable amount of time, from ten minutes to several hours. Since diffusion-driven instability has been observed to be sensitive to perturbations in kinetic delays, the application of Turing patterning mechanisms to the problem of producing spatially heterogeneous differential gene expression has been questioned. In deterministic systems a small delay in the reactions can cause a large increase in the time it takes a system to pattern. Recently, it has been observed that in undelayed systems intrinsic stochasticity can cause pattern initiation to occur earlier than in the analogous deterministic simulations. Here we are interested in adding both stochasticity and delays to Turing systems in order to assess whether stochasticity can reduce the patterning time scale in delayed Turing systems. As analytical insights to this problem are difficult to attain and often limited in their use, we focus on stochastically simulating delayed systems. We consider four different Turing systems and two different forms of delay. Our results are mixed and lead to the conclusion that, although the sensitivity to delays in the Turing mechanism is not completely removed by the addition of intrinsic noise, the effects of the delays are clearly ameliorated in certain specific cases. © 2012 American Physical Society.

Polyol synthesis of silver nanocubes via moderate control of the reaction atmosphere.

Science.gov (United States)

Jeon, Seog-Jin; Lee, Jae-Hwang; Thomas, Edwin L

2014-12-01

Silver nanocubes were successfully synthesized at high yield in variously controlled reaction atmospheres by balancing etching of O2/Cl(-) and reduction of glycolaldehyde. There have been efforts to control the O2 content in reaction atmospheres by purging of O2 or Ar gas for the balancing, but we found that moderate control of reaction atmosphere, just by careful timing of the opening and the capping of the reaction vial, greatly enhanced reproducibility. Enhanced reproducibility is attributed to alleviation of evaporation and condensation of glycolaldehyde (b.p.=131°C) by using capping at reaction temperatures higher than the b.p. of glycolaldehyde rather than purging with gas. The most important finding is that seeding is initiated by HNO3 induced deoxygenation reaction in the gas phase. O2 is consumed by oxidation of NO generated from the silver etching reaction by HNO3, which effectively controls the reaction atmosphere without introduction of gas. Our simple method to control reaction atmosphere reduces the overall reaction time to one fifth of the previous result and provides excellent size and distribution selectivity of the Ag nanocube product. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Molecular Controls of the Oxygenation and Redox Reactions of Hemoglobin

Science.gov (United States)

Henkens, Robert; Alayash, Abdu I.; Banerjee, Sambuddha; Crumbliss, Alvin L.

2013-01-01

Abstract Significance: The broad classes of O2-binding proteins known as hemoglobins (Hbs) carry out oxygenation and redox functions that allow organisms with significantly different physiological demands to exist in a wide range of environments. This is aided by allosteric controls that modulate the protein's redox reactions as well as its O2-binding functions. Recent Advances: The controls of Hb's redox reactions can differ appreciably from the molecular controls for Hb oxygenation and come into play in elegant mechanisms for dealing with nitrosative stress, in the malarial resistance conferred by sickle cell Hb, and in the as-yet unsuccessful designs for safe and effective blood substitutes. Critical Issues: An important basic principle in consideration of Hb's redox reactions is the distinction between kinetic and thermodynamic reaction control. Clarification of these modes of control is critical to gaining an increased understanding of Hb-mediated oxidative processes and oxidative toxicity in vivo. Future Directions: This review addresses emerging concepts and some unresolved questions regarding the interplay between the oxygenation and oxidation reactions of structurally diverse Hbs, both within red blood cells and under acellular conditions. Developing methods that control Hb-mediated oxidative toxicity will be critical to the future development of Hb-based blood substitutes. Antioxid. Redox Signal. 18, 2298–2313. PMID:23198874

Study on the Attitude Control of Spacecraft Using Reaction Wheels

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ju-Young Du

1998-06-01

Full Text Available Attitude determination and control of satellite is important component which determines the accomplish satellite missions. In this study, attitude control using reaction wheels and momentum dumping of wheels are considered. Attitude control law is designed by Sliding control and LQR. Attitude maneuver control law is obtained by Shooting method. Wheels momentum dumping control law is designed by Bang-Bang control. Four reaction wheels are configurated for minimized the electric power consumption. Wheels control torque and magnetic moment of magnetic torquer are limited.

Simulations of pattern dynamics for reaction-diffusion systems via SIMULINK.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Kaier; Steyn-Ross, Moira L; Steyn-Ross, D Alistair; Wilson, Marcus T; Sleigh, Jamie W; Shiraishi, Yoichi

2014-04-11

Investigation of the nonlinear pattern dynamics of a reaction-diffusion system almost always requires numerical solution of the system's set of defining differential equations. Traditionally, this would be done by selecting an appropriate differential equation solver from a library of such solvers, then writing computer codes (in a programming language such as C or Matlab) to access the selected solver and display the integrated results as a function of space and time. This "code-based" approach is flexible and powerful, but requires a certain level of programming sophistication. A modern alternative is to use a graphical programming interface such as Simulink to construct a data-flow diagram by assembling and linking appropriate code blocks drawn from a library. The result is a visual representation of the inter-relationships between the state variables whose output can be made completely equivalent to the code-based solution. As a tutorial introduction, we first demonstrate application of the Simulink data-flow technique to the classical van der Pol nonlinear oscillator, and compare Matlab and Simulink coding approaches to solving the van der Pol ordinary differential equations. We then show how to introduce space (in one and two dimensions) by solving numerically the partial differential equations for two different reaction-diffusion systems: the well-known Brusselator chemical reactor, and a continuum model for a two-dimensional sheet of human cortex whose neurons are linked by both chemical and electrical (diffusive) synapses. We compare the relative performances of the Matlab and Simulink implementations. The pattern simulations by Simulink are in good agreement with theoretical predictions. Compared with traditional coding approaches, the Simulink block-diagram paradigm reduces the time and programming burden required to implement a solution for reaction-diffusion systems of equations. Construction of the block-diagram does not require high-level programming

A real-time comparison between direct control, sequential pattern recognition control and simultaneous pattern recognition control using a Fitts' law style assessment procedure.

Science.gov (United States)

Wurth, Sophie M; Hargrove, Levi J

2014-05-30

Pattern recognition (PR) based strategies for the control of myoelectric upper limb prostheses are generally evaluated through offline classification accuracy, which is an admittedly useful metric, but insufficient to discuss functional performance in real time. Existing functional tests are extensive to set up and most fail to provide a challenging, objective framework to assess the strategy performance in real time. Nine able-bodied and two amputee subjects gave informed consent and participated in the local Institutional Review Board approved study. We designed a two-dimensional target acquisition task, based on the principles of Fitts' law for human motor control. Subjects were prompted to steer a cursor from the screen center of into a series of subsequently appearing targets of different difficulties. Three cursor control systems were tested, corresponding to three electromyography-based prosthetic control strategies: 1) amplitude-based direct control (the clinical standard of care), 2) sequential PR control, and 3) simultaneous PR control, allowing for a concurrent activation of two degrees of freedom (DOF). We computed throughput (bits/second), path efficiency (%), reaction time (second), and overshoot (%)) and used general linear models to assess significant differences between the strategies for each metric. We validated the proposed methodology by achieving very high coefficients of determination for Fitts' law. Both PR strategies significantly outperformed direct control in two-DOF targets and were more intuitive to operate. In one-DOF targets, the simultaneous approach was the least precise. The direct control was efficient in one-DOF targets but cumbersome to operate in two-DOF targets through a switch-depended sequential cursor control. We designed a test, capable of comprehensively describing prosthetic control strategies in real time. When implemented on control subjects, the test was able to capture statistically significant differences (p�

Patterns in the bubble-free Belousov-Zhabotinsky reaction dissolved in a microemulsion

Science.gov (United States)

Dähmlow, P.; Almeida, J.; Müller, S. C.

2016-12-01

A newly created system, namely a bubble-free Belousov-Zhabotinsky reaction embedded in a microemulsion is experimentally studied, with 1,4-cyclohexanedione used as substrate. Initially, this system shows oscillations or waves. After some minutes, waves do not form a refractory state in their wake, but the system remains excited. However, within this excited regime, a new wave emerges directly behind the initial one, causing an acceleration of the latter. The excited state lasts for several minutes. Subsequently, three different types of patterns emerge, depending on the initial chemical concentrations: wave turbulence, transient lines (TL) and an intermediate state. TL are neither Turing structures nor excitation waves. The intermediate state is a mixed pattern of TL and wave turbulence.

Femtosecond laser control of chemical reaction of carbon monoxide and hydrogen

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Du Plessis, A

2010-09-01

Full Text Available Femtosecond laser control of chemical reactions is made possible through the use of pulse-shaping techniques coupled to a learning algorithm feedback loop – teaching the laser pulse to control the chemical reaction. This can result in controllable...

Versatile Dual Photoresponsive System for Precise Control of Chemical Reactions.

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Can; Bing, Wei; Wang, Faming; Ren, Jinsong; Qu, Xiaogang

2017-08-22

A versatile method for photoregulation of chemical reactions was developed through a combination of near-infrared (NIR) and ultraviolet (UV) light sensitive materials. This regulatory effect was achieved through photoresponsive modulation of reaction temperature and pH values, two prominent factors influencing reaction kinetics. Photothermal nanomaterial graphene oxide (GO) and photobase reagent malachite green carbinol base (MGCB) were selected for temperature and pH regulation, respectively. Using nanocatalyst- and enzyme-mediated chemical reactions as model systems, we demonstrated the feasibility and high efficiency of this method. In addition, a photoresponsive, multifunctional "Band-aid"-like hydrogel platform was presented for programmable wound healing. Overall, this simple, efficient, and reversible system was found to be effective for controlling a wide variety of chemical reactions. Our work may provide a method for remote and sustainable control over chemical reactions for industrial and biomedical applications.

A Reaction-Diffusion-Based Coding Rate Control Mechanism for Camera Sensor Networks

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Naoki Wakamiya

2010-08-01

Full Text Available A wireless camera sensor network is useful for surveillance and monitoring for its visibility and easy deployment. However, it suffers from the limited capacity of wireless communication and a network is easily overflown with a considerable amount of video traffic. In this paper, we propose an autonomous video coding rate control mechanism where each camera sensor node can autonomously determine its coding rate in accordance with the location and velocity of target objects. For this purpose, we adopted a biological model, i.e., reaction-diffusion model, inspired by the similarity of biological spatial patterns and the spatial distribution of video coding rate. Through simulation and practical experiments, we verify the effectiveness of our proposal.

A reaction-diffusion-based coding rate control mechanism for camera sensor networks.

Science.gov (United States)

Yamamoto, Hiroshi; Hyodo, Katsuya; Wakamiya, Naoki; Murata, Masayuki

2010-01-01

A wireless camera sensor network is useful for surveillance and monitoring for its visibility and easy deployment. However, it suffers from the limited capacity of wireless communication and a network is easily overflown with a considerable amount of video traffic. In this paper, we propose an autonomous video coding rate control mechanism where each camera sensor node can autonomously determine its coding rate in accordance with the location and velocity of target objects. For this purpose, we adopted a biological model, i.e., reaction-diffusion model, inspired by the similarity of biological spatial patterns and the spatial distribution of video coding rate. Through simulation and practical experiments, we verify the effectiveness of our proposal.

Bond-selective control of a gas-surface reaction

Science.gov (United States)

Killelea, Daniel R.

The prospect of using light to selectively control chemical reactions has tantalized chemists since the development of the laser. Unfortunately, the realization of laser-directed chemistry is frequently thwarted by the randomization of energy within the molecule through intramolecular vibrational energy distribution (IVR). However, recent results showing vibrational mode-specific reactivity on metal surfaces suggest that IVR may not always be complete for gas-surface reactions. Here, we combine molecular beam techniques and direct laser excitation to characterize the bond-specific reactivity of trideuteromethane on a Ni(111) surface. Our results reveal important details about how vibrational energy is distributed in the reactive molecule. We use a molecular beam to direct state-selected trideuteromethane (CHD 3) molecules onto a nickel single crystal sample and use the results we obtain to describe the flow of vibrational energy in the methane-surface reaction complex. We show that CHD3 molecules initially excited to v=1, J=2, K=0 of the v 1 symmetric C-H stretching mode will dissociate exclusively via C-H cleavage on Ni(111). This result highlights the localization of vibrational energy in the reaction complex, despite the presence of many energy exchange channels with the high state-density surface. We demonstrate, for the first time, highly parallel bond-selective control of a heterogeneously catalyzed reaction. We place our results in the context of recent experiments investigating IVR for molecules in both the gas phase and liquid solutions. If IVR is fast on the reaction timescale, vibrational energy would be randomly distributed throughout the nascent methane-surface reaction complex and vibrational mode-specific behavior would not occur. The short timescale of a direct gas-surface collision may explain how the exchange of energy via IVR is limited to only a small subset of the energetic configurations available to the reaction complex. This framework

Reaction and catalyst engineering to exploit kinetically controlled whole-cell multistep biocatalysis for terminal FAME oxyfunctionalization.

Science.gov (United States)

Schrewe, Manfred; Julsing, Mattijs K; Lange, Kerstin; Czarnotta, Eik; Schmid, Andreas; Bühler, Bruno

2014-09-01

The oxyfunctionalization of unactivated C−H bonds can selectively and efficiently be catalyzed by oxygenase-containing whole-cell biocatalysts. Recombinant Escherichia coli W3110 containing the alkane monooxygenase AlkBGT and the outer membrane protein AlkL from Pseudomonas putida GPo1 have been shown to efficiently catalyze the terminal oxyfunctionalization of renewable fatty acid methyl esters yielding bifunctional products of interest for polymer synthesis. In this study, AlkBGTL-containing E. coli W3110 is shown to catalyze the multistep conversion of dodecanoic acid methyl ester (DAME) via terminal alcohol and aldehyde to the acid, exhibiting Michaelis-Menten-type kinetics for each reaction step. In two-liquid phase biotransformations, the product formation pattern was found to be controlled by DAME availability. Supplying DAME as bulk organic phase led to accumulation of the terminal alcohol as the predominant product. Limiting DAME availability via application of bis(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate (BEHP) as organic carrier solvent enabled almost exclusive acid accumulation. Furthermore, utilization of BEHP enhanced catalyst stability by reducing toxic effects of substrate and products. A further shift towards the overoxidized products was achieved by co-expression of the gene encoding the alcohol dehydrogenase AlkJ, which was shown to catalyze efficient and irreversible alcohol to aldehyde oxidation in vivo. With DAME as organic phase, the aldehyde accumulated as main product using resting cells containing AlkBGT, AlkL, as well as AlkJ. This study highlights the versatility of whole-cell biocatalysis for synthesis of industrially relevant bifunctional building blocks and demonstrates how integrated reaction and catalyst engineering can be implemented to control product formation patterns in biocatalytic multistep reactions. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Long life reaction control system design

Science.gov (United States)

Fanciullo, Thomas J.; Judd, Craig

1993-02-01

Future single stage to orbit systems will utilize oxygen/hydrogen propellants in their main propulsion means due to the propellant's high energy content and environmental acceptability. Operational effectiveness studies and life cycle cost studies have indicated that minimizing the number of different commodities on a given vehicle not only reduces cost, but reduces the ground span times in both the pre- and postflight operations. Therefore, oxygen and hydrogen should be used for the reaction controls systems, eliminating the need to deal with toxic or corrosive fluids. When the hydrogen scramjet powered NASP design development began in 1985, new system design studies considered overall integration of subsystems; in the context of that approach, O2/H2 reaction controls system were more than competitive with storable propellant systems and had the additional benefits of lower life cycle cost, rapid turnaround times, and O2 and H2 commodities for use throughout the vehicle. Similar benefits were derived in rocket-powered SSTO vehicles.

Modeling how shark and dolphin skin patterns control transitional wall-turbulence vorticity patterns using spatiotemporal phase reset mechanisms.

Science.gov (United States)

Bandyopadhyay, Promode R; Hellum, Aren M

2014-10-23

Many slow-moving biological systems like seashells and zebrafish that do not contend with wall turbulence have somewhat organized pigmentation patterns flush with their outer surfaces that are formed by underlying autonomous reaction-diffusion (RD) mechanisms. In contrast, sharks and dolphins contend with wall turbulence, are fast swimmers, and have more organized skin patterns that are proud and sometimes vibrate. A nonlinear spatiotemporal analytical model is not available that explains the mechanism underlying control of flow with such proud patterns, despite the fact that shark and dolphin skins are major targets of reverse engineering mechanisms of drag and noise reduction. Comparable to RD, a minimal self-regulation model is given for wall turbulence regeneration in the transitional regime--laterally coupled, diffusively--which, although restricted to pre-breakdown durations and to a plane close and parallel to the wall, correctly reproduces many experimentally observed spatiotemporal organizations of vorticity in both laminar-to-turbulence transitioning and very low Reynolds number but turbulent regions. We further show that the onset of vorticity disorganization is delayed if the skin organization is treated as a spatiotemporal template of olivo-cerebellar phase reset mechanism. The model shows that the adaptation mechanisms of sharks and dolphins to their fluid environment have much in common.

Sex-specific patterns of morphological diversification: evolution of reaction norms and static allometries in neriid flies.

Science.gov (United States)

Cassidy, Elizabeth J; Bath, Eleanor; Chenoweth, Stephen F; Bonduriansky, Russell

2014-02-01

The consequences of sex-specific selection for patterns of diversification remain poorly known. Because male secondary sexual traits are typically costly to express, and both costs and benefits are likely to depend on ambient environment and individual condition, such traits may be expected to diversify via changes in reaction norms as well as the scaling of trait size with body size (static allometry). We investigated morphological diversification within two species of Australian neriid flies (Telostylinus angusticollis, Telostylinus lineolatus) by rearing larvae from several populations on larval diets varying sixfold in nutrient concentration. Mean body size varied among populations of T. angusticollis, but body size reaction norms did not vary within either species. However, we detected diversification of reaction norms for body shape in males and females within both species. Moreover, unlike females, males also diversified in static allometry slope and reaction norms for static allometry slope of sexual and nonsexual traits. Our findings reveal qualitative sex differences in patterns of morphological diversification, whereby shape-size relationships diversify extensively in males, but remain conserved in females despite extensive evolution of trait means. Our results highlight the importance of incorporating plasticity and allometry in studies of adaptation and diversification. © 2013 The Author(s). Evolution © 2013 The Society for the Study of Evolution.

Critical regimes driven by recurrent mobility patterns of reaction-diffusion processes in networks

Science.gov (United States)

Gómez-Gardeñes, J.; Soriano-Paños, D.; Arenas, A.

2018-04-01

Reaction-diffusion processes1 have been widely used to study dynamical processes in epidemics2-4 and ecology5 in networked metapopulations. In the context of epidemics6, reaction processes are understood as contagions within each subpopulation (patch), while diffusion represents the mobility of individuals between patches. Recently, the characteristics of human mobility7, such as its recurrent nature, have been proven crucial to understand the phase transition to endemic epidemic states8,9. Here, by developing a framework able to cope with the elementary epidemic processes, the spatial distribution of populations and the commuting mobility patterns, we discover three different critical regimes of the epidemic incidence as a function of these parameters. Interestingly, we reveal a regime of the reaction-diffussion process in which, counter-intuitively, mobility is detrimental to the spread of disease. We analytically determine the precise conditions for the emergence of any of the three possible critical regimes in real and synthetic networks.

Determining two-step control in heterogeneous catalytic reactions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chakrabarty, T; Silveston, P L; Hudgins, R R

1979-10-01

The data by Thaller and Thodos on the sec.-butanol dehydrogenation to methyl ethyl ketone on brass catalyst indicated that a dual site surface reaction was rate-controlling below 575/sup 0/K and hydrogen desorption was rate-controlling above 616/sup 0/K (Vertical BarAIChE J.

Diffusion-controlled reaction. V. Effect of concentration-dependent diffusion coefficient on reaction rate in graft polymerization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Imre, K.; Odian, G.

1979-01-01

The effect of diffusion on radiation-initiated graft polymerization has been studied with emphasis on the single- and two-penetrant cases. When the physical properties of the penetrants are similar, the two-penetrant problems can be reduced to the single-penetrant problem by redefining the characteristic parameters of the system. The diffusion-free graft polymerization rate is assumed to be proportional to the upsilon power of the monomer concentration respectively, and, in which the proportionality constant a = k/sub p/R/sub i//sup w//k/sub t//sup z/, where k/sub p/ and k/sub t/ are the propagation and termination rate constants, respectively, and R/sub i/ is the initiation rate. The values of upsilon, w, and z depend on the particular reaction system. The results of earlier work were generalized by allowing a non-Fickian diffusion rate which predicts an essentially exponential dependence on the monomer concentration of the diffusion coefficient, D = D 0 [exp(deltaC/M)], where M is the saturation concentration. A reaction system is characterized by the three dimensionless parameters, upsilon, delta, and A = (L/2)[aM/sup (upsilon--1)//D 0 ]/sup 1/2/, where L is the polymer film thickness. Graft polymerization tends to become diffusion controlled as A increases. Larger values of delta and ν cause a reaction system to behave closer to the diffusion-free regime. Transition from diffusion-free to diffusion-controlled reaction involves changes in the dependence of the reaction rate on film thickness, initiation rate, and monomer concentration. Although the diffusion-free rate is w order in initiation rate, upsilon order in monomer, and independent of film thickness, the diffusion-controlled rate is w/2 order in initiator rate and inverse first-order in film thickness. Dependence of the diffusion-controlled rate on monomer is dependent in a complex manner on the diffusional characteristics of the reaction system. 11 figures, 4 tables

Acoustic Resonance Reaction Control Thruster (ARCTIC), Phase I

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — ORBITEC proposes to develop and demonstrate the innovative Acoustic Resonance Reaction Control Thruster (ARCTIC) to provide rapid and reliable in-space impulse...

Method of changing the control rod pattern in BWR type reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yoshida, Kenji.

1984-01-01

Purpose: To enable to change the control rod pattern in a short time with ease, as well as improve the availability factor of the reactor. Method: Control rods other than those being inserted into the reactor core are inserted into the reactor core to reduce the power by the reduction in the reactor core flow rate. Then, the control rod to be operated is operated partially for the change of the control rod pattern to restrict the linear heat rating of the fuels to less than 0.1 kW/ft per one hour to change the control pattern to the aimed control rod pattern. Then, the reactor core flow rate is increased after the pattern exchange for the control rod to increase the power. Since only the control rod operation is performed without adjusting the reactor core flow rate upon change of the control rod pattern, procedures can be made simply in a short time to thereby improve the availability factor of the reactor. (Moriyama, K.)

Cutaneous adverse drug reactions: clinical pattern and causative agents--a 6 year series from Chandigarh, India.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sharma V

2001-04-01

Full Text Available AIM: To study the different clinical spectrum of cutaneous adverse drug reactions (ADR and to determine the causative drugs. MATERIALS & METHODS: A prospective, hospital based study was carried out over a period of 6 years recording various cutaneous ADR. RESULTS: A total of 500 patients with cutaneous ADR were enrolled in the study. The most common types of cutaneous ADR patterns were maculopapular rash (34.6%, fixed drug eruption (FDE (30% and urticaria (14%. The drugs most often incriminated for the various cutaneous ADR were antimicrobials (42.6%, anticonvulsants (22.2% and NSAIDs (18%. Anticonvulsants were implicated in 41.6% of maculopapular rashes. Sulfonamides accounted for 43.3% and NSAIDs for 30.7% of FDE. Urticaria was caused mainly by NSAIDs(24.3% and penicillins(20%. Anticonvulsants were responsible for 43.8% of life-threatening toxic epidermal necrolysis and Stevens Johnson syndrome. CONCLUSIONS: The clinical pattern and drugs causing cutaneous ADR are similar to those observed in other countries except for minor variations. Cutaneous ADR patterns and the drugs causing various reactions are changing every year, which may be due to the emergence of newer molecules and changing trends in the use of drugs.

Mars Ascent Vehicle Reaction Control System, Phase I

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — During this Phase I NASA program, Valley Tech Systems (VTS) will develop an innovative solid Reaction Control System (RCS) architecture concept design that can...

Design of an embedded inverse-feedforward biomolecular tracking controller for enzymatic reaction processes.

Science.gov (United States)

Foo, Mathias; Kim, Jongrae; Sawlekar, Rucha; Bates, Declan G

2017-04-06

Feedback control is widely used in chemical engineering to improve the performance and robustness of chemical processes. Feedback controllers require a 'subtractor' that is able to compute the error between the process output and the reference signal. In the case of embedded biomolecular control circuits, subtractors designed using standard chemical reaction network theory can only realise one-sided subtraction, rendering standard controller design approaches inadequate. Here, we show how a biomolecular controller that allows tracking of required changes in the outputs of enzymatic reaction processes can be designed and implemented within the framework of chemical reaction network theory. The controller architecture employs an inversion-based feedforward controller that compensates for the limitations of the one-sided subtractor that generates the error signals for a feedback controller. The proposed approach requires significantly fewer chemical reactions to implement than alternative designs, and should have wide applicability throughout the fields of synthetic biology and biological engineering.

Modeling Reaction Control System Effects on Mars Odyssey

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Hanna, Jill

2002-01-01

...) simulations to determine rotational motion of the spacecraft. The main objective of this study was to assess the reaction control system models and their effects on the atmospheric flight of Odyssey...

Variable pattern contamination control under positive pressure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Philippi, H.M.

1997-01-01

Airborne contamination control in nuclear and biological laboratories is traditionally achieved by directing the space ventilation air at subatmospheric pressures in one fixed flow pattern. However, biological and nuclear contamination flow control in the new Biological Research Facility, to be commissioned at the Chalk River Laboratories in 1996, will have the flexibility to institute a number of contamination control patterns, all achieved at positive (above atmospheric) pressures. This flexibility feature, made possible by means of a digitally controlled ventilation system, changes the facility ventilation system from being a relatively rigid building service operated by plant personnel into a flexible building service which can be operated by the facility research personnel. This paper focuses on and describes the application of these unique contamination control features in the design of the new Biological Research Facility. 3 refs., 7 figs

Variable pattern contamination control under positive pressure

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Philippi, H.M. [Chalk River Labs., Ontario (Canada)

1997-08-01

Airborne contamination control in nuclear and biological laboratories is traditionally achieved by directing the space ventilation air at subatmospheric pressures in one fixed flow pattern. However, biological and nuclear contamination flow control in the new Biological Research Facility, to be commissioned at the Chalk River Laboratories in 1996, will have the flexibility to institute a number of contamination control patterns, all achieved at positive (above atmospheric) pressures. This flexibility feature, made possible by means of a digitally controlled ventilation system, changes the facility ventilation system from being a relatively rigid building service operated by plant personnel into a flexible building service which can be operated by the facility research personnel. This paper focuses on and describes the application of these unique contamination control features in the design of the new Biological Research Facility. 3 refs., 7 figs.

NASA Ares I Launch Vehicle Roll and Reaction Control Systems Design Status

Science.gov (United States)

Butt, Adam; Popp, Chris G.; Pitts, Hank M.; Sharp, David J.

2009-01-01

This paper provides an update of design status following the preliminary design review of NASA s Ares I first stage roll and upper stage reaction control systems. The Ares I launch vehicle has been chosen to return humans to the moon, mars, and beyond. It consists of a first stage five segment solid rocket booster and an upper stage liquid bi-propellant J-2X engine. Similar to many launch vehicles, the Ares I has reaction control systems used to provide the vehicle with three degrees of freedom stabilization during the mission. During launch, the first stage roll control system will provide the Ares I with the ability to counteract induced roll torque. After first stage booster separation, the upper stage reaction control system will provide the upper stage element with three degrees of freedom control as needed. Trade studies and design assessments conducted on the roll and reaction control systems include: propellant selection, thruster arrangement, pressurization system configuration, and system component trades. Since successful completion of the preliminary design review, work has progressed towards the critical design review with accomplishments made in the following areas: pressurant / propellant tank, thruster assembly, and other component configurations, as well as thruster module design, and waterhammer mitigation approach. Also, results from early development testing are discussed along with plans for upcoming system testing. This paper concludes by summarizing the process of down selecting to the current baseline configuration for the Ares I roll and reaction control systems.

Synthesis of porous gold nanoshells by controlled transmetallation reaction

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pattabi, Manjunatha, E-mail: manjupattabi@yahoo.com; M, Krishnaprabha [Department of Materials Science, Mangalore University, Mangalagangothri-574199 (India)

2015-06-24

Aqueous synthesis of porous gold nanoshells in one step is carried out through controlled transmetallation (TM) reaction using a naturally available egg shell membrane (ESM) as a barrier between the sacrificial silver particles (AgNPs) and the gold precursor solution (HAuCl{sub 4}). The formation of porous gold nanoshells via TM reaction is inferred from UV-Vis spectroscopy and the scanning electron microscopic (SEM) studies.

Reaction parameters for controlled sonosynthesis of gold nanoparticles

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gonzalez M, A. L. [Universidad Autonoma del Estado de Mexico, Facultad de Quimica, Paseo Colon esq. Paseo Tollocan s/n, 50120 Toluca, Estado de Mexico (Mexico); Cabrera L, L. I. [UNAM-UAEM, Centro Conjunto de Investigacion en Quimica Sustentable, Km 14.5 Carretera Toluca-Atlacomulco, 50200 San Cayetano-Toluca, Estado de Mexico (Mexico)

2015-07-01

The synthesis of gold nanoparticles by sonochemical technique has been previously performed with excellent results. The synthesis has been carried out in the presence of citric acid, a strong reducing agent, which allows the nucleation and growth of gold nanoparticles, at the same time that controls particle size. In this work we report the use of sodium tartrate as a mild reducing agent that allows a better understanding of the effect of the reaction parameters during gold nanoparticle synthesis. A conventional sonication bath (37 k Hz) was used for the sonochemical synthesis. This work focuses on the reaction temperature effect and the effect of sodium tartrate concentration. It was confirmed that particle size, and particle morphology is dependent of these two reaction parameters. Equally, colloidal stabilization was related to reaction temperature and sodium tartrate concentration. It was also determined that Ostwald ripening takes place during sonochemical reaction under our conditions, allowing to understand the mechanism that takes place during synthesis. Gold nanoparticles with main particle size of 17 nm were achieved by this method. Characterization techniques used: Fourier transform infrared spectra (Ftir), X-ray diffraction and Atomic Force Microscope was used in order to determine particle size of the synthetic product of reaction M10c by tapping mode. (Author)

Reaction parameters for controlled sonosynthesis of gold nanoparticles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gonzalez M, A. L.; Cabrera L, L. I.

2015-01-01

The synthesis of gold nanoparticles by sonochemical technique has been previously performed with excellent results. The synthesis has been carried out in the presence of citric acid, a strong reducing agent, which allows the nucleation and growth of gold nanoparticles, at the same time that controls particle size. In this work we report the use of sodium tartrate as a mild reducing agent that allows a better understanding of the effect of the reaction parameters during gold nanoparticle synthesis. A conventional sonication bath (37 k Hz) was used for the sonochemical synthesis. This work focuses on the reaction temperature effect and the effect of sodium tartrate concentration. It was confirmed that particle size, and particle morphology is dependent of these two reaction parameters. Equally, colloidal stabilization was related to reaction temperature and sodium tartrate concentration. It was also determined that Ostwald ripening takes place during sonochemical reaction under our conditions, allowing to understand the mechanism that takes place during synthesis. Gold nanoparticles with main particle size of 17 nm were achieved by this method. Characterization techniques used: Fourier transform infrared spectra (Ftir), X-ray diffraction and Atomic Force Microscope was used in order to determine particle size of the synthetic product of reaction M10c by tapping mode. (Author)

Recombinant immunoblot assay reaction patterns and hepatitis C virus RNA in blood donors and non-A, non-B hepatitis patients

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bresters, D.; Zaaijer, H. L.; Cuypers, H. T.; Reesink, H. W.; Winkel, I. N.; van Exel-Oehlers, P. J.; van Drimmelen, A. A.; Jansen, P. L.; van der Poel, C. L.; Lelie, P. N.

1993-01-01

To establish the value of the second-generation recombinant immunoblot assay (RIBA-2) and cDNA polymerase chain reaction (cDNA PCR) for confirmation of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, anti-HCV reaction patterns and the presence of HCV RNA were examined in 610 blood donors and 255 non-A, non-B

Inflammatory bowel disease and patterns of volatile organic compounds in the exhaled breath of children: A case-control study using Ion Molecule Reaction-Mass Spectrometry.

Science.gov (United States)

Monasta, Lorenzo; Pierobon, Chiara; Princivalle, Andrea; Martelossi, Stefano; Marcuzzi, Annalisa; Pasini, Francesco; Perbellini, Luigi

2017-01-01

Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) profoundly affect quality of life and have been gradually increasing in incidence, prevalence and severity in many areas of the world, and in children in particular. Patients with suspected IBD require careful history and clinical examination, while definitive diagnosis relies on endoscopic and histological findings. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether the alveolar air of pediatric patients with IBD presents a specific volatile organic compounds' (VOCs) pattern when compared to controls. Patients 10-17 years of age, were divided into four groups: Crohn's disease (CD), ulcerative colitis (UC), controls with gastrointestinal symptomatology, and surgical controls with no evidence of gastrointestinal problems. Alveolar breath was analyzed by ion molecule reaction mass spectrometry. Four models were built starting from 81 molecules plus the age of subjects as independent variables, adopting a penalizing LASSO logistic regression approach: 1) IBDs vs. controls, finally based on 18 VOCs plus age (sensitivity = 95%, specificity = 69%, AUC = 0.925); 2) CD vs. UC, finally based on 13 VOCs plus age (sensitivity = 94%, specificity = 76%, AUC = 0.934); 3) IBDs vs. gastroenterological controls, finally based on 15 VOCs plus age (sensitivity = 94%, specificity = 65%, AUC = 0.918); 4) IBDs vs. controls, built starting from the 21 directly or indirectly calibrated molecules only, and finally based on 12 VOCs plus age (sensitivity = 94%, specificity = 71%, AUC = 0.888). The molecules identified by the models were carefully studied in relation to the concerned outcomes. This study, with the creation of models based on VOCs profiles, precise instrumentation and advanced statistical methods, can contribute to the development of new non-invasive, fast and relatively inexpensive diagnostic tools, with high sensitivity and specificity. It also represents a crucial step towards gaining further insights on the etiology of IBD through the

Optimization of boiling water reactor control rod patterns using linear search

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kiguchi, T.; Doi, K.; Fikuzaki, T.; Frogner, B.; Lin, C.; Long, A.B.

1984-01-01

A computer program for searching the optimal control rod pattern has been developed. The program is able to find a control rod pattern where the resulting power distribution is optimal in the sense that it is the closest to the desired power distribution, and it satisfies all operational constraints. The search procedure consists of iterative uses of two steps: sensitivity analyses of local power and thermal margins using a three-dimensional reactor simulator for a simplified prediction model; linear search for the optimal control rod pattern with the simplified model. The optimal control rod pattern is found along the direction where the performance index gradient is the steepest. This program has been verified to find the optimal control rod pattern through simulations using operational data from the Oyster Creek Reactor

Controlled trifluoromethylation reactions of alkynes through visible-light photoredox catalysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Iqbal, Naeem; Jung, Jaehun; Park, Sehyun; Cho, Eun Jin

2014-01-07

The control of a reaction that can form multiple products is a highly attractive and challenging concept in synthetic chemistry. A set of valuable CF3 -containing molecules, namely trifluoromethylated alkenyl iodides, alkenes, and alkynes, were selectively generated from alkynes and CF3 I by environmentally benign and efficient visible-light photoredox catalysis. Subtle differences in the combination of catalyst, base, and solvent enabled the control of reactivity and selectivity for the reaction between an alkyne and CF3 I. Copyright © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Knee movement patterns of injured and uninjured adolescent basketball players when landing from a jump: a case-control study.

Science.gov (United States)

Louw, Quinette; Grimmer, Karen; Vaughan, Christopher

2006-03-07

A common knee injury mechanism sustained during basketball is landing badly from a jump. Landing is a complex task and requires good coordination, dynamic muscle control and flexibility. For adolescents whose coordination and motor control has not fully matured, landing badly from a jump can present a significant risk for injury. There is currently limited biomechanical information regarding the lower limb kinetics of adolescents when jumping, specifically regarding jump kinematics comparing injured with uninjured adolescents. This study reports on an investigation of biomechanical differences in landing patterns of uninjured and injured adolescent basketball players. A matched case-control study design was employed. Twenty-two basketball players aged 14-16 years participated in the study: eleven previously knee-injured and eleven uninjured players matched with cases for age, gender, weight, height and years of play, and playing for the same club. Six high-speed, three-dimensional Vicon 370 cameras (120 Hz), Vicon biomechanical software and SAS Version 8 software were employed to analyse landing patterns when subjects performed a "jump shot". Linear correlations determined functional relationships between the biomechanical performance of lower limb joints, and paired t-tests determined differences between the normalised peak biomechanical parameters. The average peak vertical ground reaction forces between the cases and controls were similar. The average peak ground reaction forces between the cases and controls were moderately correlated (r = -0.47). The control (uninjured) players had significantly greater hip and knee flexion angles and significantly greater eccentric activity on landing than the uninjured cases (p jump, at different ages and physical developmental stages, would assist clinicians and coaches to identify players with inappropriate knee performance comparable to their age or developmental stage.

[Effect of air-electric fields on driving and reaction patterns. Test subjects in the car driving simulator (author's transl)].

Science.gov (United States)

Anselm, D; Danner, M; Kirmaier, N; König, H L; Müller-Limmroth, W; Reis, A; Schauerte, W

1977-06-10

In the relevant frequency range of about 10 Hertz cars can be considered very largely as Faraday cages and consequently as screens against air-electric fields. This may have a negative influence on driving and reaction patterns as a result. In an extensive investigation 48 subjects in a driving simulator were exposed to definite artificially produced air-electric fields. The self-rating of the performance and concentration of the subjects, reaction times and driving errors were determined. While the reaction times remained practically constant, the driving behavior of the subjects improved.

Synchronization criteria for generalized reaction-diffusion neural networks via periodically intermittent control.

Science.gov (United States)

Gan, Qintao; Lv, Tianshi; Fu, Zhenhua

2016-04-01

In this paper, the synchronization problem for a class of generalized neural networks with time-varying delays and reaction-diffusion terms is investigated concerning Neumann boundary conditions in terms of p-norm. The proposed generalized neural networks model includes reaction-diffusion local field neural networks and reaction-diffusion static neural networks as its special cases. By establishing a new inequality, some simple and useful conditions are obtained analytically to guarantee the global exponential synchronization of the addressed neural networks under the periodically intermittent control. According to the theoretical results, the influences of diffusion coefficients, diffusion space, and control rate on synchronization are analyzed. Finally, the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed methods are shown by simulation examples, and by choosing different diffusion coefficients, diffusion spaces, and control rates, different controlled synchronization states can be obtained.

Optimization of patterns of control bars using neural networks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mejia S, D.M.; Ortiz S, J.J.

2005-01-01

In this work the RENOPBC system that is based on a recurrent multi state neural network, for the optimization of patterns of control bars in a cycle of balance of a boiling water reactor (BWR for their initials in English) is presented. The design of patterns of bars is based on the execution of operation thermal limits, to maintain criticizes the reactor and that the axial profile of power is adjusted to one predetermined along several steps of burnt. The patterns of control bars proposed by the system are comparable to those proposed by human experts with many hour-man of experience. These results are compared with those proposed by other techniques as genetic algorithms, colonies of ants and tabu search for the same operation cycle. As consequence it is appreciated that the proposed patterns of control bars, have bigger operation easiness that those proposed by the other techniques. (Author)

Optimization of control bars patterns and fuel recharges of coupled form

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mejia S, D.M.; Ortiz S, J.J.

2006-01-01

In this work a system coupled for the optimization of fuel recharges and control bars patterns in boiling water reactors (BWR by its initials in English) is presented. It was used a multi state recurrent neural net like optimization technique. This type of neural net has been used in the solution of diverse problems, in particular the design of patterns of control bars and the design of the fuel recharge. However, these problems have been resolved in an independent way with different optimization techniques. The system was developed in FORTRAN 77 language, it calls OCORN (Optimization of Cycles of Operation using Neural Nets) and it solves both problems of combinatory optimization in a coupled way. OCORN begins creating a seed recharge by means of an optimization through the Haling principle. Later on a pattern of control bars for this recharge seed is proposed. Then a new fuel recharge is designed using the control bars patterns previously found. By this way an iterative process begins among the optimization of control bars patterns and the fuel recharge until a stop criteria it is completed. The stop criteria is completed when the fuel recharges and the control bars patterns don't vary in several successive iterations. The final result is an optimal fuel recharge and its respective control bars pattern. In this work the obtained results by this system for a cycle of balance of 18 months divided in 12 steps of burnt are presented. The obtained results are very encouraging, since the fuel recharge and the control bars pattern, its fulfill with the restrictions imposed in each one of the problems. (Author)

Controlling Chemical Reactions in Confined Environments: Water Dissociation in MOF-74

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Erika M. A. Fuentes-Fernandez

2018-02-01

Full Text Available The confined porous environment of metal organic frameworks (MOFs is an attractive system for studying reaction mechanisms. Compared to flat oxide surfaces, MOFs have the key advantage that they exhibit a well-defined structure and present significantly fewer challenges in experimental characterization. As an example of an important reaction, we study here the dissociation of water—which plays a critical role in biology, chemistry, and materials science—in MOFs and show how the knowledge of the structure in this confined environment allows for an unprecedented level of understanding and control. In particular, combining in-situ infrared spectroscopy and first-principles calculations, we show that the water dissociation reaction can be selectively controlled inside Zn-MOF-74 by alcohol, through both chemical and physical interactions. Methanol is observed to speed up water dissociation by 25% to 100%, depending on the alcohol partial pressure. On the other hand, co-adsorption of isopropanol reduces the speed of the water reaction, due mostly to steric interactions. In addition, we also investigate the stability of the product state after the water dissociation has occurred and find that the presence of additional water significantly stabilizes the dissociated state. Our results show that precise control of reactions within nano-porous materials is possible, opening the way for advances in fields ranging from catalysis to electrochemistry and sensors.

Dietary patterns and adult asthma: population-based case-control study.

Science.gov (United States)

Bakolis, I; Hooper, R; Thompson, R L; Shaheen, S O

2010-05-01

Epidemiological studies of diet and asthma have focused on relations with intakes of individual nutrients and foods and evidence has been conflicting. Few studies have examined associations with dietary patterns. We carried out a population-based case-control study of asthma in adults aged between 16 and 50 in South London, UK. Information about usual diet was obtained by food frequency questionnaire and we used principal components analysis to define five dietary patterns in controls. We used logistic and linear regression, controlling for confounders, to relate these patterns to asthma, asthma severity, rhinitis and chronic bronchitis in 599 cases and 854 controls. Overall, there was weak evidence that a 'vegetarian' dietary pattern was positively associated with asthma [adjusted odds ratio comparing top vs bottom quintile of pattern score 1.43 (95% CI: 0.93-2.20), P trend 0.075], and a 'traditional' pattern (meat and vegetables) was negatively associated [OR 0.68 (0.45-1.03), P trend 0.071]. These associations were stronger amongst nonsupplement users (P trend 0.030 and 0.001, respectively), and the association with the 'vegetarian' pattern was stronger amongst whites (P trend 0.008). No associations were observed with asthma severity. A 'prudent' dietary pattern (wholemeal bread, fish and vegetables) was positively associated with chronic bronchitis [OR 2.61 (1.13-6.05), P trend 0.025], especially amongst nonsupplement users (P trend 0.002). Overall there were no clear relations between dietary patterns and adult asthma; associations in nonsupplement users and whites require confirmation. The finding for chronic bronchitis was unexpected and also requires replication.

Metabolic control analysis of biochemical pathways based on a thermokinetic description of reaction rates

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, Jens Bredal

1997-01-01

Metabolic control analysis is a powerful technique for the evaluation of flux control within biochemical pathways. Its foundation is the elasticity coefficients and the flux control coefficients (FCCs). On the basis of a thermokinetic description of reaction rates it is here shown...... that the elasticity coefficients can be calculated directly from the pool levels of metabolites at steady state. The only requirement is that one thermodynamic parameter be known, namely the reaction affinity at the intercept of the tangent in the inflection point of the curve of reaction rate against reaction...... of the thermokinetic description of reaction rates to include the influence of effecters. Here the reaction rate is written as a linear function of the logarithm of the metabolite concentrations. With this type of rate function it is shown that the approach of Delgado and Liao [Biochem. J. (1992) 282, 919-927] can...

Reaction Control Engine for Space Launch Initiative

Science.gov (United States)

2002-01-01

Engineers at the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) have begun a series of engine tests on a new breed of space propulsion: a Reaction Control Engine developed for the Space Launch Initiative (SLI). The engine, developed by TRW Space and Electronics of Redondo Beach, California, is an auxiliary propulsion engine designed to maneuver vehicles in orbit. It is used for docking, reentry, attitude control, and fine-pointing while the vehicle is in orbit. The engine uses nontoxic chemicals as propellants, a feature that creates a safer environment for ground operators, lowers cost, and increases efficiency with less maintenance and quicker turnaround time between missions. Testing includes 30 hot-firings. This photograph shows the first engine test performed at MSFC that includes SLI technology. Another unique feature of the Reaction Control Engine is that it operates at dual thrust modes, combining two engine functions into one engine. The engine operates at both 25 and 1,000 pounds of force, reducing overall propulsion weight and allowing vehicles to easily maneuver in space. The low-level thrust of 25 pounds of force allows the vehicle to fine-point maneuver and dock while the high-level thrust of 1,000 pounds of force is used for reentry, orbit transfer, and coarse positioning. SLI is a NASA-wide research and development program, managed by the MSFC, designed to improve safety, reliability, and cost effectiveness of space travel for second generation reusable launch vehicles.

Locking of Turing patterns in the chlorine dioxide-iodine-malonic acid reaction with one-dimensional spatial periodic forcing.

Science.gov (United States)

Dolnik, Milos; Bánsági, Tamás; Ansari, Sama; Valent, Ivan; Epstein, Irving R

2011-07-21

We use the photosensitive chlorine dioxide-iodine-malonic acid reaction-diffusion system to study wavenumber locking of Turing patterns with spatial periodic forcing. Wavenumber-locked stripe patterns are the typical resonant structures that labyrinthine patterns exhibit in response to one-dimensional forcing by illumination when images of stripes are projected on a working medium. Our experimental results reveal that segmented oblique, hexagonal and rectangular patterns can also be obtained. However, these two-dimensional resonant structures only develop in a relatively narrow range of forcing parameters, where the unforced stripe pattern is in close proximity to the domain of hexagonal patterns. Numerical simulations based on a model that incorporates the forcing by illumination using an additive term reproduce well the experimental observations. These findings confirm that additive one-dimensional forcing can generate a two-dimensional resonant response. However, such a response is considerably less robust than the effect of multiplicative forcing. This journal is © the Owner Societies 2011

Patterns of development of unspecific reaction of cells and modification of chemical protection

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Veksler, A.M.; Korystov, Yu.N.; Kublik, L.N.; Ehjdus, L.Kh.

1980-01-01

A study was made of a correlation between radioprotective efficiency of different chemical agents (weak electrolytes) and conditions of treatment. It was demonstrated that the pattern of changes in the protection efficiency, with modification thereof, is similar to that of the development of unspecific reaction and determined by the intracellular concentration of the chemical agents, which, in turn, is function of physicochemical parameters of the substance and pH gradient between cell and medium. With similar intracellular concentration, caffeine-benzoate, thioglicolic acid and caffeine proved to be equally effective, while the protective effect of cysteamine was appreciably higher

Method and apparatus for controlling gas evolution from chemical reactions

Science.gov (United States)

Skorpik, James R.; Dodson, Michael G.

1999-01-01

The present invention is directed toward monitoring a thermally driven gas evolving chemical reaction with an acoustic apparatus. Signals from the acoustic apparatus are used to control a heater to prevent a run-away condition. A digestion module in combination with a robotic arm further automate physical handling of sample material reaction vessels. The invention is especially useful for carrying out sample procedures defined in EPA Methods SW-846.

Visual analytics of geo-social interaction patterns for epidemic control.

Science.gov (United States)

Luo, Wei

2016-08-10

Human interaction and population mobility determine the spatio-temporal course of the spread of an airborne disease. This research views such spreads as geo-social interaction problems, because population mobility connects different groups of people over geographical locations via which the viruses transmit. Previous research argued that geo-social interaction patterns identified from population movement data can provide great potential in designing effective pandemic mitigation. However, little work has been done to examine the effectiveness of designing control strategies taking into account geo-social interaction patterns. To address this gap, this research proposes a new framework for effective disease control; specifically this framework proposes that disease control strategies should start from identifying geo-social interaction patterns, designing effective control measures accordingly, and evaluating the efficacy of different control measures. This framework is used to structure design of a new visual analytic tool that consists of three components: a reorderable matrix for geo-social mixing patterns, agent-based epidemic models, and combined visualization methods. With real world human interaction data in a French primary school as a proof of concept, this research compares the efficacy of vaccination strategies between the spatial-social interaction patterns and the whole areas. The simulation results show that locally targeted vaccination has the potential to keep infection to a small number and prevent spread to other regions. At some small probability, the local control strategies will fail; in these cases other control strategies will be needed. This research further explores the impact of varying spatial-social scales on the success of local vaccination strategies. The results show that a proper spatial-social scale can help achieve the best control efficacy with a limited number of vaccines. The case study shows how GS-EpiViz does support the design

Neural control of vascular reactions: impact of emotion and attention.

Science.gov (United States)

Okon-Singer, Hadas; Mehnert, Jan; Hoyer, Jana; Hellrung, Lydia; Schaare, Herma Lina; Dukart, Juergen; Villringer, Arno

2014-03-19

This study investigated the neural regions involved in blood pressure reactions to negative stimuli and their possible modulation by attention. Twenty-four healthy human subjects (11 females; age = 24.75 ± 2.49 years) participated in an affective perceptual load task that manipulated attention to negative/neutral distractor pictures. fMRI data were collected simultaneously with continuous recording of peripheral arterial blood pressure. A parametric modulation analysis examined the impact of attention and emotion on the relation between neural activation and blood pressure reactivity during the task. When attention was available for processing the distractor pictures, negative pictures resulted in behavioral interference, neural activation in brain regions previously related to emotion, a transient decrease of blood pressure, and a positive correlation between blood pressure response and activation in a network including prefrontal and parietal regions, the amygdala, caudate, and mid-brain. These effects were modulated by attention; behavioral and neural responses to highly negative distractor pictures (compared with neutral pictures) were smaller or diminished, as was the negative blood pressure response when the central task involved high perceptual load. Furthermore, comparing high and low load revealed enhanced activation in frontoparietal regions implicated in attention control. Our results fit theories emphasizing the role of attention in the control of behavioral and neural reactions to irrelevant emotional distracting information. Our findings furthermore extend the function of attention to the control of autonomous reactions associated with negative emotions by showing altered blood pressure reactions to emotional stimuli, the latter being of potential clinical relevance.

Femtosecond laser induced and controlled chemical reaction of carbon monoxide and hydrogen

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Du Plessis, A

2011-07-01

Full Text Available Results from experiments aimed at bimolecular chemical reaction control of CO and H2 at room temperature and pressure, without any catalyst, using shaped femtosecond laser pulses are presented. A stable reaction product (CO2) was measured after...

Auditory orientation in crickets: Pattern recognition controls reactive steering

Science.gov (United States)

Poulet, James F. A.; Hedwig, Berthold

2005-10-01

Many groups of insects are specialists in exploiting sensory cues to locate food resources or conspecifics. To achieve orientation, bees and ants analyze the polarization pattern of the sky, male moths orient along the females' odor plume, and cicadas, grasshoppers, and crickets use acoustic signals to locate singing conspecifics. In comparison with olfactory and visual orientation, where learning is involved, auditory processing underlying orientation in insects appears to be more hardwired and genetically determined. In each of these examples, however, orientation requires a recognition process identifying the crucial sensory pattern to interact with a localization process directing the animal's locomotor activity. Here, we characterize this interaction. Using a sensitive trackball system, we show that, during cricket auditory behavior, the recognition process that is tuned toward the species-specific song pattern controls the amplitude of auditory evoked steering responses. Females perform small reactive steering movements toward any sound patterns. Hearing the male's calling song increases the gain of auditory steering within 2-5 s, and the animals even steer toward nonattractive sound patterns inserted into the speciesspecific pattern. This gain control mechanism in the auditory-to-motor pathway allows crickets to pursue species-specific sound patterns temporarily corrupted by environmental factors and may reflect the organization of recognition and localization networks in insects. localization | phonotaxis

Slew Maneuver Control for Spacecraft Equipped with Star Camera and Reaction Wheels

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Wisniewski, Rafal; Kulczycki, P.

2005-01-01

A configuration consisting of a star camera, four reaction wheels and magnetorquers for momentum unloading has become standard for many spacecraft missions. This popularity has motivated numerous agencies and private companies to initiate work on the design of an imbedded attitude control system...... realized on an integrated circuit. This paper provides an easily implementable control algorithm for this type of configuration. The paper considers two issues: slew maneuver with a feature of avoiding direct exposure of the camera's CCD chip to the Sun %, three-axis attitude control and optimal control...... torque distribution in a reaction wheel assembly. The attitude controller is synthesized applying the energy shaping technique, where the desired potential function is carefully designed using a physical insight into the nature of the problem. The system stability is thoroughly analyzed and the control...

General Attitude Control Algorithm for Spacecraft Equipped with Star Camera and Reaction Wheels

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Wisniewski, Rafal; Kulczycki, P.

A configuration consisting of a star camera, four reaction wheels and magnetorquers for momentum unloading has become standard for many spacecraft missions. This popularity has motivated numerous agencies and private companies to initiate work on the design of an imbedded attitude control system...... realized on an integrated circuit. This paper considers two issues: slew maneuver with a feature of avoiding direct exposure of the camera's CCD chip to the Sun %, three-axis attitude control and optimal control torque distribution in a reaction wheel assembly. The attitude controller is synthesized...

Plasma and controlled thermonuclear reaction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kapitsa, P.

1980-01-01

The principle and prospects are given of three methods of achieving controlled thermonuclear reaction. The original and so far most promising TOKAMAK method is presented invented in the USSR. Another method is the heating of a sphere about 1 mm in diameter from a mixture of deuterium and tritium by focused laser light from all sides. The third method consists in continuous plasma heating. A rope-like plasma discharge at a temperature of more than a million K results in the gas from microwave oscillations. The discharge is placed in a magnetic field and the ion temperature is increased by magneto-acoustic waves. A reactor is proposed operating on this principle and problems are pointed out which will have to be resolved. (M.S.)

Plasma and controlled thermonuclear reaction

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kapitsa, P

1980-06-01

The principle and prospects are given of three methods of achieving controlled thermonuclear reaction. The original and so far most promising TOKAMAK method is presented invented in the USSR. Another method is the heating of a sphere about 1 mm in diameter from a mixture of deuterium and tritium by focused laser light from all sides. The third method consists in continuous plasma heating. A rope-like plasma discharge at a temperature of more than a million K results in the gas from microwave oscillations. The discharge is placed in a magnetic field and the ion temperature is increased by magneto-acoustic waves. A reactor is proposed operating on this principle and problems are pointed out which will have to be resolved.

Mechanical-plowing-based high-speed patterning on hard material via advanced-control and ultrasonic probe vibration

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wang, Zhihua; Zou, Qingze, E-mail: qzzou@rci.rutgers.edu [Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Department, Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, New Jersey 08854 (United States); Tan, Jun; Jiang, Wei [Electrical and Computer Engineering Department, Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, New Jersey 08854 (United States)

2013-11-15

In this paper, we present a high-speed direct pattern fabrication on hard materials (e.g., a tungsten-coated quartz substrate) via mechanical plowing. Compared to other probe-based nanolithography techniques based on chemical- and/or physical-reactions (e.g., the Dip-pen technique), mechanical plowing is meritorious for its low cost, ease of process control, and capability of working with a wide variety of materials beyond conductive and/or soft materials. However, direct patterning on hard material faces two daunting challenges. First, the patterning throughput is ultimately hindered by the “writing” (plowing) speed, which, in turn, is limited by the adverse effects that can be excited/induced during high-speed, and/or large-range plowing, including the vibrational dynamics of the actuation system (the piezoelectric actuator, the cantilever, and the mechanical fixture connecting the cantilever to the actuator), the dynamic cross-axis coupling between different axes of motion, and the hysteresis and the drift effects related to the piezoelectric actuators. Secondly, it is very challenging to directly pattern on ultra-hard materials via plowing. Even with a diamond probe, the line depth of the pattern via continuous plowing on ultra-hard materials such as tungsten, is still rather small (<0.5 nm), particularly when the “writing” speed becomes high. To overcome these two challenges, we propose to utilize a novel iterative learning control technique to achieve precision tracking of the desired pattern during high-speed, large-range plowing, and introduce ultrasonic vibration of the probe in the normal (vertical) direction during the plowing process to enable direct patterning on ultra hard materials. The proposed approach was implemented to directly fabricate patterns on a mask with tungsten coating and quartz substrate. The experimental results demonstrated that a large-size pattern of four grooves (20 μm in length with 300 nm spacing between lines) can be

Mathematical analysis and numerical simulation of patterns in fractional and classical reaction-diffusion systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Owolabi, Kolade M.

2016-01-01

The aim of this paper is to examine pattern formation in the sub— and super-diffusive scenarios and compare it with that of classical or standard diffusive processes in two-component fractional reaction-diffusion systems that modeled a predator-prey dynamics. The focus of the work concentrates on the use of two separate mathematical techniques, we formulate a Fourier spectral discretization method as an efficient alternative technique to solve fractional reaction-diffusion problems in higher-dimensional space, and later advance the resulting systems of ODEs in time with the adaptive exponential time-differencing solver. Obviously, the fractional Fourier approach is able to achieve spectral convergence up to machine precision regardless of the fractional order α, owing to the fact that our approach is able to give full diagonal representation of the fractional operator. The complexity of the dynamics in this system is theoretically discussed and graphically displayed with some examples and numerical simulations in one, two and three dimensions.

Parental Interaction Patterns in Children with Adhd and Controls; a Comparative Study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M Afkhami -Aghda

2007-04-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Communicational patterns of the parents can either positively or negatively influence children's personality. Parenting manner has long-term effects on behavior, function, expectations and eventually people's future personality. This study investigates parental interaction patterns in children with attention deficit- hyperactive disorder. Methods :In this study, 50 male children aged 7-12 years were selected in two groups including 1 25 students with ADHD referring to psychiatry clinics in Isfahan according to the diagnostic scale of DSM- IV and 2 25 healthy boys selected by random cluster multistage sampling from primary schools in five districts of Isfahan from Septamber 2005 until March 2005. Schaffer and Edgerton parental interaction questionnaire was filled for them. Results: In "Communication" interaction pattern, the mean score of healthy children was 15.08, while the mean score of ADHD children was 13.42. In "admission" interactional pattern; the mean of the first group was 14.76, while the second group was 11.76. In "control" interactional pattern, mean of group one was 13.28 and the second group was 11.76. In "aggression control" interactional pattern, the mean of group one was 13 and the second group was 14.68. In "lack of aggressive attachment" interactional pattern, mean of the first group was 13.36 and the second group was 16.67. The mean scores of parental interactional pattern in healthy children were all higher than ADHD children except for "aggression control" and "lack of aggressive attachment" interactional patterns. Conclusion: The more the parental "admission" interactional pattern score, the lower the signs of ADHD in children. The signs of severity are lower in cases with more positive parental "control" interactional patterns. If the scores of "lack of aggressive/ attachment" and "aggressive/ control" interactional patterns are higher, ADHD signs are more severe.

Knee movement patterns of injured and uninjured adolescent basketball players when landing from a jump: A case-control study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Grimmer Karen

2006-03-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background A common knee injury mechanism sustained during basketball is landing badly from a jump. Landing is a complex task and requires good coordination, dynamic muscle control and flexibility. For adolescents whose coordination and motor control has not fully matured, landing badly from a jump can present a significant risk for injury. There is currently limited biomechanical information regarding the lower limb kinetics of adolescents when jumping, specifically regarding jump kinematics comparing injured with uninjured adolescents. This study reports on an investigation of biomechanical differences in landing patterns of uninjured and injured adolescent basketball players. Methods A matched case-control study design was employed. Twenty-two basketball players aged 14–16 years participated in the study: eleven previously knee-injured and eleven uninjured players matched with cases for age, gender, weight, height and years of play, and playing for the same club. Six high-speed, three-dimensional Vicon 370 cameras (120 Hz, Vicon biomechanical software and SAS Version 8 software were employed to analyse landing patterns when subjects performed a "jump shot". Linear correlations determined functional relationships between the biomechanical performance of lower limb joints, and paired t-tests determined differences between the normalised peak biomechanical parameters. Results The average peak vertical ground reaction forces between the cases and controls were similar. The average peak ground reaction forces between the cases and controls were moderately correlated (r = -0.47. The control (uninjured players had significantly greater hip and knee flexion angles and significantly greater eccentric activity on landing than the uninjured cases (p Conclusion The findings of the study indicate that players with a history of knee injuries had biomechanically compromised landing techniques when compared with uninjured players matched for

Patterns of adverse drug reaction signals in NAFDAC Pharmacovigilance activities from September to November, 2014.

Science.gov (United States)

Awodele, Olufunsho; Ibrahim, Ali; Orhii, Paul

2016-03-16

Adverse drug reaction signals are reported information on possible causal relationships between an adverse event and a drug. The National Pharmacovigilance Centre (NPC) in Nigeria has over 3,000 reported adverse drug reaction cases which have been adequately entered into the ADR data bank. Data mining of ADR reports from September to November, 2014 were carried out in this present study with the intention to describe the pattern of ADRs and generate possible signals. A total of about 100 reported cases with arrays of adverse drug reactions were reported between September and November, 2014 and the data were analyzed using SPSS version 17. Efavirenz/Tenofovir/Lamivudine combination was the highest reported drugs (24.2%) while efavirenz alone was reported in 8 times (8.8%) and HIV (63.3%) was the highest reported indication of drug use. Efavirenz caused central nervous system adverse reactions as revealed in the ADRs analyses. Zidovudine/Lamivudine/Nevirapine combination in concomitant use with Cotrimoxazole were reported 8 times with generalized maculopapular rashes on the trunk with some area of hyper pigmentation with intense itching documented twice and big/swollen rashes all over the faces. Zidovudine was also reported four times to cause severe anaemia. More surveillance is advocated so as to ascertain the consistency of the observed ADRs and thereafter establish appropriate signals.

Nutrient patterns and risk of cataract: a case-control study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fatemeh Sedaghat

2017-04-01

Full Text Available AIM: To assess the relation between nutrient patterns and cataract risk. METHODS: This is a hospital-based case-control study with 97 cataract patients and 198 matched controls. Dietary consumption was collected through a valid food frequency questionnaire (FFQ. Nutrient patterns were detected by applying factor analysis. Unconditional logistic regression models were used to estimate odds ratio (ORs and 95%CIs. RESULTS: We extracted 5 main nutrient patterns. Factor 1 included niacin, thiamin, carbohydrates, protein, zinc, vitamin B6 and sodium (sodium pattern. Factor 2 was characterized by oleic acid, monounsaturated fats, polyunsaturated fats, linoleic acid, trans fatty acid, linolenic acid, vitamin E and saturated fats (fatty acid pattern. The third factor represented high intake of vitamin B12, vitamin D, cholesterol and calcium (mixed pattern. The 4th pattern was high in intake of beta and alpha carotene, vitamin A and vitamin C (antioxidant pattern. Finally, the 5th pattern loaded heavily on docosahexaenoic acid (DHA and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA (omega-3 pattern. In crude and multivariate analysis, the sodium pattern was associated with increased risk of cataract (OR=1.97, 95%CI: 1.09-3.96. The fatty acid pattern elevated the risk of cataract (OR=1.94, 95%CI: 1.1-3.86. Antioxidant pattern was associated with a significant 79% reduced risk (2nd category compared with the 1st. Omega-3 pattern was significantly negatively associated with risk of cataract (P=0.04. CONCLUSION: These findings imply that nutrient patterns reflecting a combined consumption of nutrients might be important in the etiology of cataract. Additional studies with more efficient designs are warranted to confirm our findings.

Reaction-diffusion systems in intracellular molecular transport and control.

Science.gov (United States)

Soh, Siowling; Byrska, Marta; Kandere-Grzybowska, Kristiana; Grzybowski, Bartosz A

2010-06-07

Chemical reactions make cells work only if the participating chemicals are delivered to desired locations in a timely and precise fashion. Most research to date has focused on active-transport mechanisms, although passive diffusion is often equally rapid and energetically less costly. Capitalizing on these advantages, cells have developed sophisticated reaction-diffusion (RD) systems that control a wide range of cellular functions-from chemotaxis and cell division, through signaling cascades and oscillations, to cell motility. These apparently diverse systems share many common features and are "wired" according to "generic" motifs such as nonlinear kinetics, autocatalysis, and feedback loops. Understanding the operation of these complex (bio)chemical systems requires the analysis of pertinent transport-kinetic equations or, at least on a qualitative level, of the characteristic times of the constituent subprocesses. Therefore, in reviewing the manifestations of cellular RD, we also describe basic theory of reaction-diffusion phenomena.

Genetic control of the angular leaf spot reaction in common bean leaves and pods

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jerônimo Constantino Borel

2011-12-01

Full Text Available Information about genetic control of plant reaction to pathogens is essential in plant breeding programs focusing resistance. This study aimed to obtain information about genetic control of the angular leaf spot reaction in leaves and pods from common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L. line ESAL 686. This line was crossed with cultivars Jalo EEP 558 (resistant, Cornell 49-242 (resistant and Carioca MG (susceptible. Generations F1, F2 and backcrosses (BC11 and BC21 were obtained. In the dry season (2009, parents and respective populations were evaluated for angular leaf spot reaction under field conditions. Disease severity was evaluated on leaves and pods using diagrammatic scales. Severity scores were obtained and mean and variance genetic components were estimated for both. Segregation of F2 generation was analyzed for some crosses. Different genes control angular leaf spot reaction in leaves and pods. Mean and variance components showed predominance of additive effects. Heritability was high, however, was greater on pods than on leaves which indicated that leaf reaction is more influenced by the environment.

Obtention control bars patterns for a BWR using Tabo search

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Castillo, A.; Ortiz, J.J.; Alonso, G.; Morales, L.B.; Valle, E. del

2004-01-01

The obtained results when implementing the technique of tabu search, for to optimize patterns of control bars in a BWR type reactor, using the CM-PRESTO code are presented. The patterns of control bars were obtained for the designs of fuel reloads obtained in a previous work, using the same technique. The obtained results correspond to a cycle of 18 months using 112 fresh fuels enriched at the 3.53 of U-235. The used technique of tabu search, prohibits recently visited movements, in the position that correspond to the axial positions of the control bars, additionally the tiempo t abu matrix is used for to manage a size of variable tabu list and the objective function is punished with the frequency of the forbidden movements. The obtained patterns of control bars improve the longitude of the cycle with regard to the reference values and they complete the restrictions of safety. (Author)

Patterns of Control in the Romanian Executive Agencies: An Exploratory Research

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Călin HINŢEA

2011-12-01

Full Text Available The paper explores the patterns of Romanian ministerial control over executive agencies, based on the data collected in 2010 using the COBRA survey. Seven research questions were constructed starting from the major theories existing in the field aimed at describing and understanding the control patterns. The paper’s main conclusion is that ministries still prefer ex ante types of control in exchange to those after-the-fact, although some rather incremental shifts toward ex post control can be noticed.  

A General Strategy for Nanohybrids Synthesis via Coupled Competitive Reactions Controlled in a Hybrid Process

OpenAIRE

Wang, Rongming; Yang, Wantai; Song, Yuanjun; Shen, Xiaomiao; Wang, Junmei; Zhong, Xiaodi; Li, Shuai; Song, Yujun

2015-01-01

A new methodology based on core alloying and shell gradient-doping are developed for the synthesis of nanohybrids, realized by coupled competitive reactions, or sequenced reducing-nucleation and co-precipitation reaction of mixed metal salts in a microfluidic and batch-cooling process. The latent time of nucleation and the growth of nanohybrids can be well controlled due to the formation of controllable intermediates in the coupled competitive reactions. Thus, spatiotemporal-resolved synthesi...

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

Chemical-Reaction-Controlled Phase Separated Drops: Formation, Size Selection, and Coarsening

Science.gov (United States)

Wurtz, Jean David; Lee, Chiu Fan

2018-02-01

Phase separation under nonequilibrium conditions is exploited by biological cells to organize their cytoplasm but remains poorly understood as a physical phenomenon. Here, we study a ternary fluid model in which phase-separating molecules can be converted into soluble molecules, and vice versa, via chemical reactions. We elucidate using analytical and simulation methods how drop size, formation, and coarsening can be controlled by the chemical reaction rates, and categorize the qualitative behavior of the system into distinct regimes. Ostwald ripening arrest occurs above critical reaction rates, demonstrating that this transition belongs entirely to the nonequilibrium regime. Our model is a minimal representation of the cell cytoplasm.

Continuous flow chemistry: a discovery tool for new chemical reactivity patterns.

Science.gov (United States)

Hartwig, Jan; Metternich, Jan B; Nikbin, Nikzad; Kirschning, Andreas; Ley, Steven V

2014-06-14

Continuous flow chemistry as a process intensification tool is well known. However, its ability to enable chemists to perform reactions which are not possible in batch is less well studied or understood. Here we present an example, where a new reactivity pattern and extended reaction scope has been achieved by transferring a reaction from batch mode to flow. This new reactivity can be explained by suppressing back mixing and precise control of temperature in a flow reactor set up.

Continuous flow chemistry: a discovery tool for new chemical reactivity patterns

OpenAIRE

Hartwig, Jan; Metternich, Jan B.; Nikbin, Nikzad; Kirschning, Andreas; Ley, Steven V.

2014-01-01

Continuous flow chemistry as a process intensification tool is well known. However, its ability to enable chemists to perform reactions which are not possible in batch is less well studied or understood. Here we present an example, where a new reactivity pattern and extended reaction scope has been achieved by transferring a reaction from batch mode to flow. This new reactivity can be explained by suppressing back mixing and precise control of temperature in a flow reactor set up.

Environmental controls on multiscale spatial patterns of salt marsh vegetation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kim, Daehyun; Cairns, David; Bartholdy, Jesper

2010-01-01

In coastal environments, biogeographic patterns are generally influenced by surface elevation and horizontal distance from sea water. However, it is still unclear whether these major topographic factors are significant controls of vegetation patterns across spatial scales at which different physi...

Optimizing pattern recognition-based control for partial-hand prosthesis application.

Science.gov (United States)

Earley, Eric J; Adewuyi, Adenike A; Hargrove, Levi J

2014-01-01

Partial-hand amputees often retain good residual wrist motion, which is essential for functional activities involving use of the hand. Thus, a crucial design criterion for a myoelectric, partial-hand prosthesis control scheme is that it allows the user to retain residual wrist motion. Pattern recognition (PR) of electromyographic (EMG) signals is a well-studied method of controlling myoelectric prostheses. However, wrist motion degrades a PR system's ability to correctly predict hand-grasp patterns. We studied the effects of (1) window length and number of hand-grasps, (2) static and dynamic wrist motion, and (3) EMG muscle source on the ability of a PR-based control scheme to classify functional hand-grasp patterns. Our results show that training PR classifiers with both extrinsic and intrinsic muscle EMG yields a lower error rate than training with either group by itself (pgrasps available to the classifier significantly decrease classification error (pgrasp.

Nanoscale control of reversible chemical reaction between fullerene C60 molecules using scanning tunneling microscope.

Science.gov (United States)

Nakaya, Masato; Kuwahara, Yuji; Aono, Masakazu; Nakayama, Tomonobu

2011-04-01

The nanoscale control of reversible chemical reactions, the polymerization and depolymerization between C60 molecules, has been investigated. Using a scanning tunneling microscope (STM), the polymerization and depolymerization can be controlled at designated positions in ultrathin films of C60 molecules. One of the two chemical reactions can be selectively induced by controlling the sample bias voltage (V(s)); the application of negative and positive values of V(s) results in polymerization and depolymerization, respectively. The selectivity between the two chemical reactions becomes extremely high when the thickness of the C60 film increases to more than three molecular layers. We conclude that STM-induced negative and positive electrostatic ionization are responsible for the control of the polymerization and depolymerization, respectively.

Correlations between reaction product yields as a tool for probing heavy-ion reaction scenarios

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gawlikowicz, W.; Agnihotri, D. K.; Baldwin, S. A.; Schroeder, W. U.; Toke, J.; Charity, R. J.; Sarantites, D. G.; Sobotka, L. G.; Souza, R. T. de; Barczyk, T.; Grotowski, K.; Micek, S.; Planeta, R.; Sosin, Z.

2010-01-01

Experimental multidimensional joint distributions of neutrons and charged reaction products were analyzed for 136 Xe + 209 Bi reactions at E/A=28, 40, and 62 MeV and were found to exhibit several different types of prominent correlation patterns. Some of these correlations have a simple explanation in terms of the system excitation energy and pose little challenge to most statistical decay theories. However, several other types of correlation patterns are difficult to reconcile with some, but not other, possible reaction scenarios. In this respect, correlations between the average atomic numbers of intermediate-mass fragments, on the one hand, and light particle multiplicities, on the other, are notable. This kind of multiparticle correlation provides a useful tool for probing reaction scenarios, which is different from the traditional approach of interpreting inclusive yields of individual reaction products.

Adverse reactions to radiopharmaceuticals. United Kingdom 1977-1983

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Keeling, D.H.

1984-01-01

Details of reports to the UK Adverse Reaction Reporting Scheme for the years 1977-1983 are given. These show a changing pattern since earlier reports, in part due to the discontinuance of older radiopharmaceuticals and changes in quality control measures, but also to the introduction of methylene diphosphonate for bone imaging which has accounted for nearly half of our more recent reports. Colloids for reticulo-endothelial (liver) scans account for about one third of this series. The great majority of reactions are of an idiosyncratic hypersensitive nature and none due to sterility problems or pyrogens. Accurate incidence figures are difficult to obtain but including even the trivial forms of reaction, we estimate a reaction rate of between 1:1000 and 1:10,000 in vivo nuclear medicine procedures, a figure considerably higher than most previous surveys have suggested. (author)

Design and Stability of an On-Orbit Attitude Control System Using Reaction Control Thrusters

Science.gov (United States)

Hall, Robert A.; Hough, Steven; Orphee, Carolina; Clements, Keith

2016-01-01

Basic principles for the design and stability of a spacecraft on-orbit attitude control system employing on-off Reaction Control System (RCS) thrusters are presented. Both vehicle dynamics and the control system actuators are inherently nonlinear, hence traditional linear control system design approaches are not directly applicable. This paper has two main aspects: It summarizes key RCS design principles from earlier NASA vehicles, notably the Space Shuttle and Space Station programs, and introduces advances in the linear modelling and analyses of a phase plane control system derived in the initial development of the NASA's next upper stage vehicle, the Exploration Upper Stage (EUS). Topics include thruster hardware specifications, phase plane design and stability, jet selection approaches, filter design metrics, and RCS rotational maneuver logic.

Impact of the spatial distribution of morphological pattern on the efficiency of electrocatalytic gas evolving reactions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Žerađanin Aleksandar R.

2014-01-01

Full Text Available The efficiency of electrocatalytic gas evolving reactions (hydrogen, chlorine and oxygen evolution is a key challenge for the important industrial processes, such as chlor-alkali electrolysis or water electrolysis. Central issue for the aforementioned electrocatalytic processes is huge power consumption. Experimental results accumulated in the past, as well as some predictive models ("volcano" plots indicate that altering the nature of the electrode material cannot significantly increase the activity of mentioned reactions. Consequently, it is necessary to find a qualitatively different strategy for improving the energy efficiency of electrocatalytic gas evolving reactions. Usually disregarded fact is that the gas evolution is an oscillatory phenomenon. Given the oscillatory behavior, a key parameter of macrokinetics of gas electrode is the frequency of gas-bubble detachment. Bearing in mind that the gas evolution greatly depends on the surface morphology, a methodology is proposed that establishes a rational link between the morphological pattern of electrode with electrode activity and stability. Characterization was performed using advanced analytical tools. Frequency of gas-bubble detachment is obtained in the configuration of scanning electrochemical microscopy (SECM while the corrosion stability is analyzed using miniaturized scanning flow electrochemical cell connected to the mass spectrometer (SFC-ICPMS.

Pump-shaped dump optimal control reveals the nuclear reaction pathway of isomerization of a photoexcited cyanine dye.

Science.gov (United States)

Dietzek, Benjamin; Brüggemann, Ben; Pascher, Torbjörn; Yartsev, Arkady

2007-10-31

Using optimal control as a spectroscopic tool we decipher the details of the molecular dynamics of the essential multidimensional excited-state photoisomerization - a fundamental chemical reaction of key importance in biology. Two distinct nuclear motions are identified in addition to the overall bond-twisting motion: Initially, the reaction is dominated by motion perpendicular to the torsion coordinate. At later times, a second optically active vibration drives the system along the reaction path to the bottom of the excited-state potential. The time scales of the wavepacket motion on a different part of the excited-state potential are detailed by pump-shaped dump optimal control. This technique offers new means to control a chemical reaction far from the Franck-Condon point of absorption and to map details of excited-state reaction pathways revealing unique insights into the underlying reaction mechanism.

Who's the Boss? Patterns of Control in Adolescents' Sibling Relationships.

Science.gov (United States)

Tucker, Corinna Jenkins; Updegraff, Kimberly A; Baril, Megan E

2010-12-01

The goals of this study were to examine longitudinal changes in perceived control in adolescents' sibling relationships and to describe the nature and correlates of three distinct control patterns: Firstborn dominant, equal, and secondborn dominant. Firstborn and secondborn adolescents in 184 predominately European-American families participated in home interviews and a series of phone interviews as part of a longitudinal a study of family relationships and adolescent development. Findings revealed changes in control over three years as well as sibling differences. In addition, different patterns of control were linked to qualities of the sibling relationship and to adolescent adjustment. The different roles that firstborn and secondborn siblings assume, and why these roles are linked to relationship experiences and adjustment, are discussed.

Planting pattern and weed control method influence on yield production of corn (Zea mays L.)

Science.gov (United States)

Purba, E.; Nasution, D. P.

2018-02-01

Field experiment was carried out to evaluate the influence of planting patterns and weed control methods on the growth and yield of corn. The effect of the planting pattern and weed control method was studied in a split plot design. The main plots were that of planting pattern single row (25cm x 60cm), double row (25cm x 25cm x 60cm) and triangle row ( 25cm x 25cm x 25cm). Subplot was that of weed control method consisted five methods namely weed free throughout the growing season, hand weeding, sprayed with glyphosate, sprayed with paraquat, and no weeding.. Result showed that both planting pattern and weed control method did not affect the growth of corn. However, planting pattern and weed control method significantly affected yield production. Yield resulted from double row and triangle planting pattern was 14% and 41% higher, consecutively, than that of single row pattern. The triangle planting pattern combined with any weed control method produced the highest yield production of corn.

Inflight performance of the Ulysses reaction control system

Science.gov (United States)

McGarry, Andrew; Berry, William; Parker, David

1997-01-01

The Ulysses spacecraft has been exploring the heliosphere since October 1990 in a six-year polar orbit. Despite varying operational demands, the pressure-fed monopropellant hydrazine reaction control system (RCS) has experienced few problems. The observed anomalies, having minimal operational impact, include plume impingement effects, electrical power overload effects and hydrazine gas generation effects. These anomalies are presented and discussed, with emphasis on the first observation of gas in the hydrazine propellant. The relatively low gas generation rate is attributed to: the use of high purity hydrazine; the configuration of the spin-stabilized spacecraft; the extensive use of titanium alloys; and the efficiency of the thermal control of the propellant tank which maintains a temperature of 21 C.

Artificial control of biocatalytic reaction; Seitai shokubai hanno no jin`iteki seigyo

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nakamura, K. [Kyoto University, Kyoto (Japan). Institute for Chemical Research

1997-08-25

Selective composition of optically active compounds by use of biocatalysts is discussed. No search is made for any particular microbes or enzymes, but predetermined ones are used. For an increase in the selective yield of L-type carnitine by reducing 4-chloroacetoacetic acid ester using baker`s yeast, the ester length should be enlarged to that of octyl ester. Just as in this case, steric control by ground substance modification is often effective. Lipase helps on esterification which is contrary to hydrolysis in an organic solvent and, even in the optical division in this process, steric control by ground substance modification (for example by changing the structure of the acyl section) is effective. Immobilization of biocatalysts for use in reaction occasionally exerts some effect on stereoselectivity. Two types of enzymes may be participating in a reaction and inhibiting selectivity, and then a two-layer system of water and organic solvent may be effective in performing steric control over the situation. Another measure is to inhibit the activity of either of the two enzymes by use of a selective inhibitor utilizing enzyme reaction. The kind of solvent is also an influential factor. 11 refs., 7 figs.

Modeling the Influence of Diffusion-Controlled Reactions and Residual Termination and Deactivation on the Rate and Control of Bulk ATRP at High Conversions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ali Mohammad Rabea

2015-04-01

Full Text Available In high-conversion atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP, all the reactions, such as radical termination, radical deactivation, dormant chain activation, monomer propagation, etc. could become diffusion controlled sooner or later, depending on relative diffusivities of the involved reacting species. These diffusion-controlled reactions directly affect the rate of polymerization and the control of polymer molecular weight. A model is developed to investigate the influence of diffusion-controlled reactions on the high conversion ATRP kinetics. Model simulation reveals that diffusion-controlled termination slightly increases the rate, but it is the diffusion-controlled deactivation that causes auto-acceleration in the rate (“gel effect” and loss of control. At high conversions, radical chains are “trapped” because of high molecular weight. However, radical centers can still migrate through (1 radical deactivation–activation cycles and (2 monomer propagation, which introduce “residual termination” reactions. It is found that the “residual termination” does not have much influence on the polymerization kinetics. The migration of radical centers through propagation can however facilitate catalytic deactivation of radicals, which improves the control of polymer molecular weight to some extent. Dormant chain activation and monomer propagation also become diffusion controlled and finally stop the polymerization when the system approaches its glass state.

Leveraging workflow control patterns in the domain of clinical practice guidelines.

Science.gov (United States)

Kaiser, Katharina; Marcos, Mar

2016-02-10

Clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) include recommendations describing appropriate care for the management of patients with a specific clinical condition. A number of representation languages have been developed to support executable CPGs, with associated authoring/editing tools. Even with tool assistance, authoring of CPG models is a labor-intensive task. We aim at facilitating the early stages of CPG modeling task. In this context, we propose to support the authoring of CPG models based on a set of suitable procedural patterns described in an implementation-independent notation that can be then semi-automatically transformed into one of the alternative executable CPG languages. We have started with the workflow control patterns which have been identified in the fields of workflow systems and business process management. We have analyzed the suitability of these patterns by means of a qualitative analysis of CPG texts. Following our analysis we have implemented a selection of workflow patterns in the Asbru and PROforma CPG languages. As implementation-independent notation for the description of patterns we have chosen BPMN 2.0. Finally, we have developed XSLT transformations to convert the BPMN 2.0 version of the patterns into the Asbru and PROforma languages. We showed that although a significant number of workflow control patterns are suitable to describe CPG procedural knowledge, not all of them are applicable in the context of CPGs due to their focus on single-patient care. Moreover, CPGs may require additional patterns not included in the set of workflow control patterns. We also showed that nearly all the CPG-suitable patterns can be conveniently implemented in the Asbru and PROforma languages. Finally, we demonstrated that individual patterns can be semi-automatically transformed from a process specification in BPMN 2.0 to executable implementations in these languages. We propose a pattern and transformation-based approach for the development of CPG models

Multiphoton control of the 1,3-cyclohexadiene ring-opening reaction in the presence of competing solvent reactions.

Science.gov (United States)

Carroll, Elizabeth C; White, James L; Florean, Andrei C; Bucksbaum, Philip H; Sension, Roseanne J

2008-07-31

Although physical chemistry has often concentrated on the observation and understanding of chemical systems, the defining characteristic of chemistry remains the direction and control of chemical reactivity. Optical control of molecular dynamics, and thus of chemical reactivity provides a path to use photon energy as a smart reagent in a chemical system. In this paper, we discuss recent research in this field in the context of our studies of the multiphoton optical control of the photo-initiated ring-opening reaction of 1,3-cyclohexadiene (CHD) to form 1,3,5- cis-hexatriene (Z-HT). Closed-loop feedback and learning algorithms are able to identify pulses that increase the desired target state by as much as a factor of two. Mechanisms for control are discussed through the influence of the intensity dependence, the nonlinear power spectrum, and the projection of the pulses onto low orders of polynomial phase. Control measurements in neat solvents demonstrate that competing solvent fragmentation reactions must also be considered. In particular, multiphoton excitation of cyclohexane alone is capable of producing hexatriene. Statistical analyses of data sets obtained in learning algorithm searches in neat cyclohexane and for CHD in hexane and cyclohexane highlight the importance of linear and quadratic chirp, while demonstrating that the control features are not so easily defined. Higher order phase components are also important. On the basis of these results the involvement of low-frequency ground-state vibrational modes is proposed. When the population is transferred to the excited state, momentum along the torsional coordinate may keep the wave packet localized as it moves toward the conical intersections controlling the yield of Z-HT.

Control and near-field detection of surface plasmon interference patterns.

Science.gov (United States)

Dvořák, Petr; Neuman, Tomáš; Břínek, Lukáš; Šamořil, Tomáš; Kalousek, Radek; Dub, Petr; Varga, Peter; Šikola, Tomáš

2013-06-12

The tailoring of electromagnetic near-field properties is the central task in the field of nanophotonics. In addition to 2D optics for optical nanocircuits, confined and enhanced electric fields are utilized in detection and sensing, photovoltaics, spatially localized spectroscopy (nanoimaging), as well as in nanolithography and nanomanipulation. For practical purposes, it is necessary to develop easy-to-use methods for controlling the electromagnetic near-field distribution. By imaging optical near-fields using a scanning near-field optical microscope, we demonstrate that surface plasmon polaritons propagating from slits along the metal-dielectric interface form tunable interference patterns. We present a simple way how to control the resulting interference patterns both by variation of the angle between two slits and, for a fixed slit geometry, by a proper combination of laser beam polarization and inhomogeneous far-field illumination of the structure. Thus the modulation period of interference patterns has become adjustable and new variable patterns consisting of stripelike and dotlike motifs have been achieved, respectively.

Internet Connection Control based on Idle Time Using User Behavior Pattern Analysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fadilah Fahrul Hardiansyah

2014-12-01

Full Text Available The increase of smartphone ability is rapidly increasing the power consumption. Many methods have been proposed to reduce smartphone power consumption. Most of these methods use the internet connection control based on the availability of the battery power level regardless of when and where a waste of energy occurs. This paper proposes a new approach to control the internet connection based on idle time using user behavior pattern analysis. User behavior patterns are used to predict idle time duration. Internet connection control performed during idle time. During idle time internet connection periodically switched on and off by a certain time interval. This method effectively reduces a waste of energy. Control of the internet connection does not interfere the user because it is implemented on idle time. Keywords: Smartphone, User Behavior, Pattern Recognition, Idle Time, Internet Connection Control

Predesigned surface patterns and topological defects control the active matter.

Science.gov (United States)

Turiv, Taras; Peng, Chenhui; Guo, Yubing; Wei, Qi-Huo; Lavrentovich, Oleg

Active matter exhibits remarkable patterns of never-ending dynamics with giant fluctuations of concentration, varying order, nucleating and annihilating topological defects. These patterns can be seen in active systems of both biological and artificial origin. A fundamental question is whether and how one can control this chaotic out-of-equilibrium behavior. We demonstrate a robust control of local concentration, trajectories of active self-propelled units and the net flows of active bacteria Bacillus Substilis by imposing pre-designed surface patterns of orientational order in a water-based lyotropic chromonic liquid crystal. The patterns force the bacteria to gather into dynamic swarms with spatially modulated concentration and well-defined polarity of motion. Topological defects produce net motion of bacteria with a unidirectional circulation, while pairs of defects induce a pumping action. The qualitative features of the dynamics can be explained by interplay of curvature and activity, in particular, by ability of mixed splay-bend curvatures to generate threshold-less active flows. The demonstrated level of control opens opportunities in engineering materials and devices that mimic rich functionality of living systems. This work was supported by NSF Grants DMR-1507637, DMS-1434185, CMMI-1436565, by the Petroleum Research Grant PRF# 56046-ND7 administered by the American Chemical Society.

Temporal coding of brain patterns for direct limb control in humans

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gernot Mueller-Putz

2010-06-01

Full Text Available For individuals with a high spinal cord injury (SCI not only the lower limbs, but also the upper extremities are paralyzed. A neuroprosthesis can be used to restore the lost hand and arm function in those tetraplegics. The main problem for this group of individuals, however, is the reduced ability to voluntarily operate device controllers. A Brain-Computer Interface provides a non-manual alternative to conventional input devices by translating brain activity patterns into control commands. We show that the temporal coding of individual mental imagery pattern can be used to control two independent degrees of freedom – grasp and elbow function - of an artificial robotic arm by utilizing a minimum number of EEG scalp electrodes. We describe the procedure from the initial screening to the final application. From eight naïve subjects participating on-line feedback experiments, four were able to voluntarily control an artificial arm by inducing one motor imagery pattern derived from one EEG derivation only.

Control rod pattern exchange in a BWR/6 utilizing gang mode withdrawal

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Auvil, A.B. Jr.; Aldemir, T.; Hajek, B.K.

1986-01-01

The use of checkerboard pattern of alternating inserted and fully withdrawn control rods and the uneven void distribution in boiling water reactor (BWR) cores can cause large burnup gradients even after a short time of operation. To compensate for these effects, power has to be reshaped periodically (typically every two full-power months) by individually manipulating the control rods. During this manipulation process (called the control rod pattern exchange), the core power is reduced to 60% of nominal power by means of flow reduction to limit power swings to tolerable levels and to ensure that fuel thermal limits are not exceeded. A control rod pattern exchange by individual rod manipulation typically takes 4 to 8 h and represents a large cost burden to the utility in terms of reduced system output. The latest generation of BWRs, the BWR/6, possesses the capability to simultaneously move up to four symmetrically located control rods. The rods corresponding to a given gang may have rotational symmetry, mirror symmetry, or a combination of the two. This paper presents a pattern exchange procedure that exploits the capability of gang mode rod withdrawal to reduce the pattern exchange execution time and radial power distribution asymmetry associated with individual rod manipulation. The working model used in the study is the Perry Nuclear Power Plant Unit 1, located in Perry, Ohio, and owned by the Cleveland Electric Illuminating Company

Changing Throwing Pattern: Instruction and Control Parameter

Science.gov (United States)

Southard, Dan

2006-01-01

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of instruction and scaling up a control parameter (velocity of throw) on changes in throwing pattern. Sixty adult female throwers (ages 20-26 years) were randomly placed into one of four practice conditions: (a) scale up on velocity with no instruction, (b) maintain constant velocity with no…

The Maillard reaction and its control during food processing. The potential of emerging technologies.

Science.gov (United States)

Jaeger, H; Janositz, A; Knorr, D

2010-06-01

The Maillard reaction between reducing sugars and amino acids is a common reaction in foods which undergo thermal processing. Desired consequences like the formation of flavor and brown color of some cooked foods but also the destruction of essential amino acids and the production of anti-nutritive compounds require the consideration of the Maillard reaction and relevant mechanisms for its control. This paper aims to exemplify the recent advances in food processing with regard to the controllability of heat-induced changes in the food quality. Firstly, improved thermal technologies, such as ohmic heating, which allows direct heating of the product and overcoming the heat transfer limitations of conventional thermal processing are presented in terms of their applicability to reduce the thermal exposure during food preservation. Secondly, non-thermal technologies such as high hydrostatic pressure and pulsed electric fields and their ability to extend the shelf life of food products without the application of heat, thus also preserving the quality attributes of the food, will be discussed. Finally, an innovative method for the removal of Maillard reaction substrates in food raw materials by the application of pulsed electric field cell disintegration and extraction as well as enzymatic conversion is presented in order to demonstrate the potential of the combination of processes to control the occurrence of the Maillard reaction in food processing. (c) 2009 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Ground reaction force comparison of controlled resistance methods to isoinertial loading of the squat exercise - biomed 2010.

Science.gov (United States)

Paulus, David C; Reynolds, Michael C; Schilling, Brian K

2010-01-01

The ground reaction force during the concentric (raising) portion of the squat exercise was compared to that of isoinertial loading (free weights) for three pneumatically controlled resistance methods: constant resistance, cam force profile, and proportional force control based on velocity. Constant force control showed lower ground reaction forces than isoinertial loading throughout the range of motion (ROM). The cam force profile exhibited slightly greater ground reaction forces than isoinertial loading at 10 and 40% ROM with fifty-percent greater loading at 70% ROM. The proportional force control consistently elicited greater ground reaction force than isoinertial loading, which progressively ranged from twenty to forty percent increase over isoinertial loading except for being approximately equal at 85% ROM. Based on these preliminary results, the proportional control shows the most promise for providing loading that is comparable in magnitude to isoinertial loading. This technology could optimize resistance exercise for sport-specific training or as a countermeasure to atrophy during spaceflight.

An experimental design method leading to chemical Turing patterns.

Science.gov (United States)

Horváth, Judit; Szalai, István; De Kepper, Patrick

2009-05-08

Chemical reaction-diffusion patterns often serve as prototypes for pattern formation in living systems, but only two isothermal single-phase reaction systems have produced sustained stationary reaction-diffusion patterns so far. We designed an experimental method to search for additional systems on the basis of three steps: (i) generate spatial bistability by operating autoactivated reactions in open spatial reactors; (ii) use an independent negative-feedback species to produce spatiotemporal oscillations; and (iii) induce a space-scale separation of the activatory and inhibitory processes with a low-mobility complexing agent. We successfully applied this method to a hydrogen-ion autoactivated reaction, the thiourea-iodate-sulfite (TuIS) reaction, and noticeably produced stationary hexagonal arrays of spots and parallel stripes of pH patterns attributed to a Turing bifurcation. This method could be extended to biochemical reactions.

Application of the arbitrarily primed polymerase chain reaction for the detection of DNA damage

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Atienzar, F.; Evenden, A.; Jha, A.; Depledge, M.; Savva, D.; Walker, C.

1998-01-01

The technique of arbitrarily primed polymerase chain reaction (AP-PCR) shows potential as a selective and sensitive assay for the detection of xenobiotic-induced DNA damage. Problems, however, may occur in AP-PCR, diminishing its discriminative abilities. These problems include the presence of spurious amplification products in non-template-containing negative control reactions, and a lack of reproducibility amongst amplification patterns. Experiments designed to remove contaminated nucleic acids by ultraviolet (UV) treatment indicated that spurious bands are the result of aberrant primer-induced polymerisation, an event shown to be influenced by the concentration of deoxynucleotide triphosphates (dNTP) present in the reaction mixtures. Optimisation of dNTP concentration from 0.22 to 0.33 MM resulted in clear negative controls and highly reproducible amplification patterns with all DNA templates. As an example of the application of the method, in the present study, the macroalga Palmaria palmata (Rhodophyta) was exposed to UV A and B radiations. The study shows that the AP-PCR method can detect DNA damage and may be useful in detecting such damage following exposure of cells to xenobiotics. (author)

Application of the arbitrarily primed polymerase chain reaction for the detection of DNA damage

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Atienzar, F.; Evenden, A.; Jha, A.; Depledge, M. [University of Plymouth (United Kingdom). Environmental Research Centre; Child, P. [ADAS Boxworth (United Kingdom); Savva, D.; Walker, C. [University of Reading (United Kingdom). School of Animal and Microbial Sciences

1998-07-01

The technique of arbitrarily primed polymerase chain reaction (AP-PCR) shows potential as a selective and sensitive assay for the detection of xenobiotic-induced DNA damage. Problems, however, may occur in AP-PCR, diminishing its discriminative abilities. These problems include the presence of spurious amplification products in non-template-containing negative control reactions, and a lack of reproducibility amongst amplification patterns. Experiments designed to remove contaminated nucleic acids by ultraviolet (UV) treatment indicated that spurious bands are the result of aberrant primer-induced polymerisation, an event shown to be influenced by the concentration of deoxynucleotide triphosphates (dNTP) present in the reaction mixtures. Optimisation of dNTP concentration from 0.22 to 0.33 MM resulted in clear negative controls and highly reproducible amplification patterns with all DNA templates. As an example of the application of the method, in the present study, the macroalga Palmaria palmata (Rhodophyta) was exposed to UV A and B radiations. The study shows that the AP-PCR method can detect DNA damage and may be useful in detecting such damage following exposure of cells to xenobiotics. (author)

Firing Patterns and Transitions in Coupled Neurons Controlled by a Pacemaker

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mei-Sheng, Li; Qi-Shao, Lu; Li-Xia, Duan; Qing-Yun, Wang

2008-01-01

To reveal the dynamics of neuronal networks with pacemakers, the firing patterns and their transitions are investigated in a ring HR neuronal network with gap junctions under the control of a pacemaker. Compared with the situation without pacemaker, the neurons in the network can exhibit various firing patterns as the external current is applied or the coupling strength of pacemaker varies. The results are beneficial for understanding the complex cooperative behaviour of large neural assemblies with pacemaker control

Photoreactive polymer brushes for high-density patterned surface derivatization using a Diels-Alder photoclick reaction.

Science.gov (United States)

Arumugam, Selvanathan; Orski, Sara V; Locklin, Jason; Popik, Vladimir V

2012-01-11

Reactive polymer brushes grown on silicon oxide surfaces were derivatized with photoreactive 3-(hydroxymethyl)naphthalene-2-ol (NQMP) moieties. Upon 300 or 350 nm irradiation, NQMP efficiently produces o-naphthoquinone methide (oNQM), which in turn undergoes very rapid Diels-Alder addition to vinyl ether groups attached to a substrate, resulting in the covalent immobilization of the latter. Any unreacted oNQM groups rapidly add water to regenerate NQMP. High-resolution surface patterning is achieved by irradiating NQMP-derivatized surfaces using photolithographic methods. The Diels-Alder photoclick reaction is orthogonal to azide-alkyne click chemistry, enabling sequential photoclick/azide-click derivatizations to generate complex surface functionalities. © 2011 American Chemical Society

Directing Reaction Pathways through Controlled Reactant Binding at Pd-TiO2 Interfaces.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Jing; Wang, Bingwen; Nikolla, Eranda; Medlin, J Will

2017-06-01

Recent efforts to design selective catalysts for multi-step reactions, such as hydrodeoxygenation (HDO), have emphasized the preparation of active sites at the interface between two materials having different properties. However, achieving precise control over interfacial properties, and thus reaction selectivity, has remained a challenge. Here, we encapsulated Pd nanoparticles (NPs) with TiO 2 films of regulated porosity to gain a new level of control over catalyst performance, resulting in essentially 100 % HDO selectivity for two biomass-derived alcohols. This catalyst also showed exceptional reaction specificity in HDO of furfural and m-cresol. In addition to improving HDO activity by maximizing the interfacial contact between the metal and metal oxide sites, encapsulation by the nanoporous oxide film provided a significant selectivity boost by restricting the accessible conformations of aromatics on the surface. © 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

A recovery principle provides insight into auxin pattern control in the Arabidopsis root

Science.gov (United States)

Moore, Simon; Liu, Junli; Zhang, Xiaoxian; Lindsey, Keith

2017-01-01

Regulated auxin patterning provides a key mechanism for controlling root growth and development. We have developed a data-driven mechanistic model using realistic root geometry and formulated a principle to theoretically investigate quantitative auxin pattern recovery following auxin transport perturbation. This principle reveals that auxin patterning is potentially controlled by multiple combinations of interlinked levels and localisation of influx and efflux carriers. We demonstrate that (1) when efflux carriers maintain polarity but change levels, maintaining the same auxin pattern requires non-uniform and polar distribution of influx carriers; (2) the emergence of the same auxin pattern, from different levels of influx carriers with the same nonpolar localisation, requires simultaneous modulation of efflux carrier level and polarity; and (3) multiple patterns of influx and efflux carriers for maintaining an auxin pattern do not have spatially proportional correlation. This reveals that auxin pattern formation requires coordination between influx and efflux carriers. We further show that the model makes various predictions that can be experimentally validated. PMID:28220889

Who’s the Boss? Patterns of Control in Adolescents’ Sibling Relationships

Science.gov (United States)

Tucker, Corinna Jenkins; Updegraff, Kimberly A.; Baril, Megan E.

2011-01-01

The goals of this study were to examine longitudinal changes in perceived control in adolescents’ sibling relationships and to describe the nature and correlates of three distinct control patterns: Firstborn dominant, equal, and secondborn dominant. Firstborn and secondborn adolescents in 184 predominately European-American families participated in home interviews and a series of phone interviews as part of a longitudinal a study of family relationships and adolescent development. Findings revealed changes in control over three years as well as sibling differences. In addition, different patterns of control were linked to qualities of the sibling relationship and to adolescent adjustment. The different roles that firstborn and secondborn siblings assume, and why these roles are linked to relationship experiences and adjustment, are discussed. PMID:21857761

Pre-Vaccination Care-Seeking in Females Reporting Severe Adverse Reactions to HPV Vaccine. A Registry Based Case-Control Study.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kåre Mølbak

Full Text Available Since 2013 the number of suspected adverse reactions to the quadrivalent human papillomavirus (HPV vaccine reported to the Danish Medicines Agency (DMA has increased. Due to the resulting public concerns about vaccine safety, the coverage of HPV vaccinations in the childhood vaccination programme has declined. The aim of the present study was to determine health care-seeking prior to the first HPV vaccination among females who suspected adverse reactions to HPV vaccine.In this registry-based case-control study, we included as cases vaccinated females with reports to the DMA of suspected severe adverse reactions. We selected controls without reports of adverse reactions from the Danish vaccination registry and matched by year of vaccination, age of vaccination, and municipality, and obtained from the Danish National Patient Registry and The National Health Insurance Service Register the history of health care usage two years prior to the first vaccine. We analysed the data by logistic regression while adjusting for the matching variables.The study included 316 cases who received first HPV vaccine between 2006 and 2014. Age range of cases was 11 to 52 years, with a peak at 12 years, corresponding to the recommended age at vaccination, and another peak at 19 to 28 years, corresponding to a catch-up programme targeting young women. Compared with 163,910 controls, cases had increased care-seeking in the two years before receiving the first HPV vaccine. A multivariable model showed higher use of telephone/email consultations (OR 1.9; 95% CI 1.2-3.2, physiotherapy (OR 2.1; 95% CI 1.6-2.8 and psychologist/psychiatrist (OR 1.9; 95% CI 1.3-2.7. Cases were more likely to have a diagnosis in the ICD-10 chapters of diseases of the digestive system (OR 1.6; 95% CI 1.0-2.4, of the musculoskeletal system (OR 1.6; 95% CI 1.1-2.2, symptoms or signs not classified elsewhere (OR 1.8; 95% CI 1.3-2.5 as well as injuries (OR 1.5; 95% CI 1.2-1.9.Before receiving the

Who's the Boss? Patterns of Control in Adolescents' Sibling Relationships

Science.gov (United States)

Tucker, Corinna Jenkins; Updegraff, Kim

2010-01-01

The goals of this study were to examine longitudinal changes in perceived control in adolescents' sibling relationships and to describe the nature and correlates of three distinct control patterns: firstborn dominant, equal, and secondborn dominant. Firstborn and secondborn adolescents in 184 predominately European-American families participated…

Inter vs. intraglycosidic acetal linkages control sulfation pattern in semi-synthetic chondroitin sulfate.

Science.gov (United States)

Laezza, Antonio; De Castro, Cristina; Parrilli, Michelangelo; Bedini, Emiliano

2014-11-04

Microbial-sourced unsulfated chondroitin could be converted into chondroitin sulfate (CS) polysaccharide by a multi-step strategy relying upon benzylidenation and acetylation reactions as key-steps for its regioselective protection. By conducting the two reactions one- or two-pots, CSs with different sulfation patterns could be obtained at the end of the semi-synthesis. In particular, a CS polysaccharide possessing sulfate groups randomly distributed between positions 4 and 6 of N-acetyl-galactosamine (GalNAc) units could be obtained through the two-pots route, whereas the one-pot pathway allowed an additional sulfation at position 3 of some glucuronic acid (GlcA) units. This difference was ascribed to the stabilization of a labile interglycosidic benzylidene acetal involving positions O-3 and O-6 of some GlcA and GalNAc, respectively, when the benzylidene-acetylation reactions were conducted in a one-pot fashion. Isolation and characterization of a polysaccharide intermediate showing interglycosidic acetal moieties was accomplished. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Controlling Behaviors in Middle School Youth's Dating Relationships: Reactions and Help-Seeking Behaviors

Science.gov (United States)

Elias-Lambert, Nada; Black, Beverly M.; Chigbu, Kingsley U.

2014-01-01

This exploratory study examined middle school students' (N = 380) help-seeking behaviors and other reactions to controlling behaviors in their dating relationships. Over three-fourths of the participants perpetrated and were victimized by controlling behaviors in their dating relationships. Youth used emotional/verbal and dominance/isolation forms…

Localized temperature and chemical reaction control in nanoscale space by nanowire array.

Science.gov (United States)

Jin, C Yan; Li, Zhiyong; Williams, R Stanley; Lee, K-Cheol; Park, Inkyu

2011-11-09

We introduce a novel method for chemical reaction control with nanoscale spatial resolution based on localized heating by using a well-aligned nanowire array. Numerical and experimental analysis shows that each individual nanowire could be selectively and rapidly Joule heated for local and ultrafast temperature modulation in nanoscale space (e.g., maximum temperature gradient 2.2 K/nm at the nanowire edge; heating/cooling time chemical reactions such as polymer decomposition/cross-linking and direct and localized hydrothermal synthesis of metal oxide nanowires were demonstrated.

A numerical study of one-dimensional replicating patterns in reaction-diffusion systems with non-linear diffusion coefficients

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ferreri, J. C.; Carmen, A. del

1998-01-01

A numerical study of the dynamics of pattern evolution in reaction-diffusion systems is performed, although limited to one spatial dimension. The diffusion coefficients are nonlinear, based on powers of the scalar variables. The system keeps the dynamics of previous studies in the literature, but the presence of nonlinear diffusion generates a field of strong nonlinear interactions due to the presence of receding travelling waves. This field is limited by the plane of symmetry of the space domain and the last born outgoing travelling wave. These effects are discussed. (author). 10 refs., 7 figs

Measurements and calculations of 10B(n,He) reaction rates in a control rod in ZPPR

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brumbach, S.B.; Collins, P.J.; Grasseschi, G.L.; Oliver, B.M.

1986-01-01

The helium accumulation fluence monitor (HAFM) technique has been used to measure the 10 B(n,He) reaction rate within B 4 C pellets in a control rod in ZPPR. Knowledge of this reaction rate is important to control rod design studies because helium production leads to control rod swelling, buildup of gas pressure and a reduction in thermal conductivity which can limit the lifetime of a control rod. We believe these to be the first measurements of boron capture within boron pins in a fast reactor spectrum. Previously reported measurements used 235 U foils to measure fission rates in a control rod, and to infer boron capture rates

Optimization of patterns of control bars using neural networks; Optimizacion de patrones de barras de control usando redes neuronales

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mejia S, D.M. [IPN, ESFM, Depto. de Ingenieria Nuclear, 07738 Mexico D.F. (Mexico); Ortiz S, J.J. [ININ, 52045 Ocoyoacac, Estado de Mexico (Mexico)]. e-mail: dulcema6715@hotmail.com

2005-07-01

In this work the RENOPBC system that is based on a recurrent multi state neural network, for the optimization of patterns of control bars in a cycle of balance of a boiling water reactor (BWR for their initials in English) is presented. The design of patterns of bars is based on the execution of operation thermal limits, to maintain criticizes the reactor and that the axial profile of power is adjusted to one predetermined along several steps of burnt. The patterns of control bars proposed by the system are comparable to those proposed by human experts with many hour-man of experience. These results are compared with those proposed by other techniques as genetic algorithms, colonies of ants and tabu search for the same operation cycle. As consequence it is appreciated that the proposed patterns of control bars, have bigger operation easiness that those proposed by the other techniques. (Author)

Thermally activated reaction–diffusion-controlled chemical bulk reactions of gases and solids

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. Möller

2015-01-01

Full Text Available The chemical kinetics of the reaction of thin films with reactive gases is investigated. The removal of thin films using thermally activated solid–gas to gas reactions is a method to in-situ control deposition inventory in vacuum and plasma vessels. Significant scatter of experimental deposit removal rates at apparently similar conditions was observed in the past, highlighting the need for understanding the underlying processes. A model based on the presence of reactive gas in the films bulk and chemical kinetics is presented. The model describes the diffusion of reactive gas into the film and its chemical interaction with film constituents in the bulk using a stationary reaction–diffusion equation. This yields the reactive gas concentration and reaction rates. Diffusion and reaction rate limitations are depicted in parameter studies. Comparison with literature data on tokamak co-deposit removal results in good agreement of removal rates as a function of pressure, film thickness and temperature.

On the orientation of stripes in fish skin patterning.

Science.gov (United States)

Míguez, David G; Muñuzuri, Alberto P

2006-11-20

This paper is focused on the study of the stripes orientation in the fish skin patterns. Based on microscopic observations of the pigment cells behavior at the embryonic stage, the key aspects of the pigmentation process are implemented in an experimental reaction-diffusion system. The experiment consists of a photosensitive Turing pattern of stripes growing directionally in one direction with controlled velocity. Different growth velocities of the system rearrange the stripes in the same three possible orientations observed in the skin of the colored fishes: parallel, oblique, and perpendicular. Our results suggest that the spreading velocity of the pigment cells in the fish dermis selects the orientation in the patterning processes.

A silicon central pattern generator controls locomotion in vivo.

Science.gov (United States)

Vogelstein, R J; Tenore, F; Guevremont, L; Etienne-Cummings, R; Mushahwar, V K

2008-09-01

We present a neuromorphic silicon chip that emulates the activity of the biological spinal central pattern generator (CPG) and creates locomotor patterns to support walking. The chip implements ten integrate-and-fire silicon neurons and 190 programmable digital-to-analog converters that act as synapses. This architecture allows for each neuron to make synaptic connections to any of the other neurons as well as to any of eight external input signals and one tonic bias input. The chip's functionality is confirmed by a series of experiments in which it controls the motor output of a paralyzed animal in real-time and enables it to walk along a three-meter platform. The walking is controlled under closed-loop conditions with the aide of sensory feedback that is recorded from the animal's legs and fed into the silicon CPG. Although we and others have previously described biomimetic silicon locomotor control systems for robots, this is the first demonstration of a neuromorphic device that can replace some functions of the central nervous system in vivo.

Thermodynamic Vent System for an On-Orbit Cryogenic Reaction Control Engine

Science.gov (United States)

Hurlbert, Eric A.; Romig, Kris A.; Jimenez, Rafael; Flores, Sam

2012-01-01

A report discusses a cryogenic reaction control system (RCS) that integrates a Joule-Thompson (JT) device (expansion valve) and thermodynamic vent system (TVS) with a cryogenic distribution system to allow fine control of the propellant quality (subcooled liquid) during operation of the device. It enables zero-venting when coupled with an RCS engine. The proper attachment locations and sizing of the orifice are required with the propellant distribution line to facilitate line conditioning. During operations, system instrumentation was strategically installed along the distribution/TVS line assembly, and temperature control bands were identified. A sub-scale run tank, full-scale distribution line, open-loop TVS, and a combination of procured and custom-fabricated cryogenic components were used in the cryogenic RCS build-up. Simulated on-orbit activation and thruster firing profiles were performed to quantify system heat gain and evaluate the TVS s capability to maintain the required propellant conditions at the inlet to the engine valves. Test data determined that a small control valve, such as a piezoelectric, is optimal to provide continuously the required thermal control. The data obtained from testing has also assisted with the development of fluid and thermal models of an RCS to refine integrated cryogenic propulsion system designs. This system allows a liquid oxygenbased main propulsion and reaction control system for a spacecraft, which improves performance, safety, and cost over conventional hypergolic systems due to higher performance, use of nontoxic propellants, potential for integration with life support and power subsystems, and compatibility with in-situ produced propellants.

Diffusion-controlled reactions modeling in Geant4-DNA

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Karamitros, M., E-mail: matkara@gmail.com [CNRS, IN2P3, CENBG, UMR 5797, F-33170 Gradignan (France); CNRS, INCIA, UMR 5287, F-33400 Talence (France); Luan, S. [University of New Mexico, Department of Computer Science, Albuquerque, NM (United States); Bernal, M.A. [Instituto de Física Gleb Wataghin, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, SP (Brazil); Allison, J. [Geant4 Associates International Ltd (United Kingdom); Baldacchino, G. [CEA Saclay, IRAMIS, LIDYL, Radiation Physical Chemistry Group, F-91191 Gif sur Yvette Cedex (France); CNRS, UMR3299, SIS2M, F-91191 Gif sur Yvette Cedex (France); Davidkova, M. [Nuclear Physics Institute of the ASCR, Prague (Czech Republic); Francis, Z. [Saint Joseph University, Faculty of Sciences, Department of Physics, Mkalles, Beirut (Lebanon); Friedland, W. [Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health, Institute of Radiation Protection, Ingolstädter Landstr. 1, 85764 Neuherberg (Germany); Ivantchenko, V. [Ecoanalytica, 119899 Moscow (Russian Federation); Geant4 Associates International Ltd (United Kingdom); Ivantchenko, A. [Geant4 Associates International Ltd (United Kingdom); Mantero, A. [SwHaRD s.r.l., via Buccari 9, 16153 Genova (Italy); Nieminem, P.; Santin, G. [ESA-ESTEC, 2200 AG Noordwijk (Netherlands); Tran, H.N. [Division of Nuclear Physics and Faculty of Applied Sciences, Ton Duc Thang University, Tan Phong Ward, District 7, Ho Chi Minh City (Viet Nam); Stepan, V. [CNRS, IN2P3, CENBG, UMR 5797, F-33170 Gradignan (France); Nuclear Physics Institute of the ASCR, Prague (Czech Republic); Incerti, S., E-mail: incerti@cenbg.in2p3.fr [CNRS, IN2P3, CENBG, UMR 5797, F-33170 Gradignan (France)

2014-10-01

Context Under irradiation, a biological system undergoes a cascade of chemical reactions that can lead to an alteration of its normal operation. There are different types of radiation and many competing reactions. As a result the kinetics of chemical species is extremely complex. The simulation becomes then a powerful tool which, by describing the basic principles of chemical reactions, can reveal the dynamics of the macroscopic system. To understand the dynamics of biological systems under radiation, since the 80s there have been on-going efforts carried out by several research groups to establish a mechanistic model that consists in describing all the physical, chemical and biological phenomena following the irradiation of single cells. This approach is generally divided into a succession of stages that follow each other in time: (1) the physical stage, where the ionizing particles interact directly with the biological material; (2) the physico-chemical stage, where the targeted molecules release their energy by dissociating, creating new chemical species; (3) the chemical stage, where the new chemical species interact with each other or with the biomolecules; (4) the biological stage, where the repairing mechanisms of the cell come into play. This article focuses on the modeling of the chemical stage. Method This article presents a general method of speeding-up chemical reaction simulations in fluids based on the Smoluchowski equation and Monte-Carlo methods, where all molecules are explicitly simulated and the solvent is treated as a continuum. The model describes diffusion-controlled reactions. This method has been implemented in Geant4-DNA. The keys to the new algorithm include: (1) the combination of a method to compute time steps dynamically with a Brownian bridge process to account for chemical reactions, which avoids costly fixed time step simulations; (2) a k–d tree data structure for quickly locating, for a given molecule, its closest reactants. The

Design of an embedded inverse-feedforward biomolecular tracking controller for enzymatic reaction processes

OpenAIRE

Foo, Mathias; Kim, Jongrae; Sawlekar, Rucha; Bates, Declan G.

2017-01-01

Feedback control is widely used in chemical engineering to improve the performance and robustness of chemical processes. Feedback controllers require a ‘subtractor’ that is able to compute the error between the process output and the reference signal. In the case of embedded biomolecular control circuits, subtractors designed using standard chemical reaction network theory can only realise one-sided subtraction, rendering standard controller design approaches inadequate. Here, we show how a b...

Method for predicting enzyme-catalyzed reactions

Science.gov (United States)

Hlavacek, William S.; Unkefer, Clifford J.; Mu, Fangping; Unkefer, Pat J.

2013-03-19

The reactivity of given metabolites is assessed using selected empirical atomic properties in the potential reaction center. Metabolic reactions are represented as biotransformation rules. These rules are generalized from the patterns in reactions. These patterns are not unique to reactants but are widely distributed among metabolites. Using a metabolite database, potential substructures are identified in the metabolites for a given biotransformation. These substructures are divided into reactants or non-reactants, depending on whether they participate in the biotransformation or not. Each potential substructure is then modeled using descriptors of the topological and electronic properties of atoms in the potential reaction center; molecular properties can also be used. A Support Vector Machine (SVM) or classifier is trained to classify a potential reactant as a true or false reactant using these properties.

Motion Normalized Proportional Control for Improved Pattern Recognition-Based Myoelectric Control.

Science.gov (United States)

Scheme, Erik; Lock, Blair; Hargrove, Levi; Hill, Wendy; Kuruganti, Usha; Englehart, Kevin

2014-01-01

This paper describes two novel proportional control algorithms for use with pattern recognition-based myoelectric control. The systems were designed to provide automatic configuration of motion-specific gains and to normalize the control space to the user's usable dynamic range. Class-specific normalization parameters were calculated using data collected during classifier training and require no additional user action or configuration. The new control schemes were compared to the standard method of deriving proportional control using a one degree of freedom Fitts' law test for each of the wrist flexion/extension, wrist pronation/supination and hand close/open degrees of freedom. Performance was evaluated using the Fitts' law throughput value as well as more descriptive metrics including path efficiency, overshoot, stopping distance and completion rate. The proposed normalization methods significantly outperformed the incumbent method in every performance category for able bodied subjects (p < 0.001) and nearly every category for amputee subjects. Furthermore, one proposed method significantly outperformed both other methods in throughput (p < 0.0001), yielding 21% and 40% improvement over the incumbent method for amputee and able bodied subjects, respectively. The proposed control schemes represent a computationally simple method of fundamentally improving myoelectric control users' ability to elicit robust, and controlled, proportional velocity commands.

Virtual Control of Prosthetic Hand Based on Grasping Patterns and Estimated Force from Semg

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zhu Gao-Ke

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Myoelectric prosthetic hands aim to serve upper limb amputees. The myoelectric control of the hand grasp action is a kind of real-time or online method. Thus it is of great necessity to carry on a study of online prosthetic hand electrical control. In this paper, the strategy of simultaneous EMG decoding of grasping patterns and grasping force was realized by controlling a virtual multi-degree-freedom prosthetic hand and a real one-degree-freedom prosthetic hand simultaneously. The former realized the grasping patterns from the recognition of the sEMG pattern. The other implemented the grasping force from sEMG force decoding. The results show that the control method is effective and feasible.

Groundwater controls on river channel pattern

Science.gov (United States)

Bätz, Nico; Colombini, Pauline; Cherubini, Paolo; Lane, Stuart N.

2017-04-01

reduction in flood disturbance, it was still sufficient to maintain a wandering/braided state. Thus, it appears that access to groundwater can control river channel pattern through its impact upon the "engineering effects" of vegetation. The results are important for river management as they highlight the non-linearity of developing vegetation in dynamic alluvial floodplains and the importance of considering the wider environmental setting and associated feedbacks between biotic and abiotic river components in defining long-term geomorphological river response.

Chemistry with spatial control using particles and streams†

Science.gov (United States)

Kalinin, Yevgeniy V.; Murali, Adithya

2012-01-01

Spatial control of chemical reactions, with micro- and nanometer scale resolution, has important consequences for one pot synthesis, engineering complex reactions, developmental biology, cellular biochemistry and emergent behavior. We review synthetic methods to engineer this spatial control using chemical diffusion from spherical particles, shells and polyhedra. We discuss systems that enable both isotropic and anisotropic chemical release from isolated and arrayed particles to create inhomogeneous and spatially patterned chemical fields. In addition to such finite chemical sources, we also discuss spatial control enabled with laminar flow in 2D and 3D microfluidic networks. Throughout the paper, we highlight applications of spatially controlled chemistry in chemical kinetics, reaction-diffusion systems, chemotaxis and morphogenesis. PMID:23145348

Application of photo-excitation reaction on titanium oxide thin film for control of wettability; Sanka chitann hakumakujo no hikari reiki hanno no nuresei seigyo eno oyo

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Watanabe, T.; Nakajima, A.; Hashimoto, K. [The Univ. of Tokyo, Tokyo (Japan); Takada, Y. [Kyushu Univ., Fukuoka (Japan)

2000-03-31

It is clarified that the photo-excitation hydrophilic reaction increasing wettability remarkably is induced by changing surface structure of titanium oxide radiated light. There are already many examples being in practical use of coating products applied hydrophilic reaction of titanium oxide surface such as drip-proof side millers for automobiles, self-cleaning building materials, and the like. When surface of titanium oxide having high activities for oxidisation and decomposition is coated organic materials and radiated light, wettability of surface changes as organic materials are decomposed. If it is possible to change wettability shaping pattern drastically by radiating light, the possibility of application for printing materials will be developed. After increasing contact angle by coating water and oil repellent on the titanium oxide thin film, images can be shaped by radiating light into pattern for changing surface of titanium oxide to be ultra hydrophilicity as decomposition of repellent. At that time, contact angle is 150 degree in water, 80 degree in oil, for not radiated aria, and is 0 degree in water and oil for radiated aria. Application for control technology of wettability keeps possibility of broader development to itself, not staying ability of self-cleaning and drip-proof. (NEDO)

Differences between Drug-Induced and Contrast Media-Induced Adverse Reactions Based on Spontaneously Reported Adverse Drug Reactions.

Science.gov (United States)

Ryu, JiHyeon; Lee, HeeYoung; Suh, JinUk; Yang, MyungSuk; Kang, WonKu; Kim, EunYoung

2015-01-01

We analyzed differences between spontaneously reported drug-induced (not including contrast media) and contrast media-induced adverse reactions. Adverse drug reactions reported by an in-hospital pharmacovigilance center (St. Mary's teaching hospital, Daejeon, Korea) from 2010-2012 were classified as drug-induced or contrast media-induced. Clinical patterns, frequency, causality, severity, Schumock and Thornton's preventability, and type A/B reactions were recorded. The trends among causality tools measuring drug and contrast-induced adverse reactions were analyzed. Of 1,335 reports, 636 drug-induced and contrast media-induced adverse reactions were identified. The prevalence of spontaneously reported adverse drug reaction-related admissions revealed a suspected adverse drug reaction-reporting rate of 20.9/100,000 (inpatient, 0.021%) and 3.9/100,000 (outpatients, 0.004%). The most common adverse drug reaction-associated drug classes included nervous system agents and anti-infectives. Dermatological and gastrointestinal adverse drug reactions were most frequently and similarly reported between drug and contrast media-induced adverse reactions. Compared to contrast media-induced adverse reactions, drug-induced adverse reactions were milder, more likely to be preventable (9.8% vs. 1.1%, p contrast media-induced adverse reactions (56.6%, p = 0.066). Causality patterns differed between the two adverse reaction classes. The World Health Organization-Uppsala Monitoring Centre causality evaluation and Naranjo algorithm results significantly differed from those of the Korean algorithm version II (p contrast media-induced adverse reactions. The World Health Organization-Uppsala Monitoring Centre and Naranjo algorithm causality evaluation afforded similar results.

Elastic strain relaxation in interfacial dislocation patterns: II. From long- and short-range interactions to local reactions

Science.gov (United States)

Vattré, A.

2017-08-01

The long- and short-range interactions as well as planar reactions between two infinitely periodic sets of crossing dislocations are investigated using anisotropic elasticity theory in face- (fcc) and body- (bcc) centered cubic materials. Two preliminary cases are proposed to examine the substantial changes in the elastic stress states and the corresponding strain energies due to a slight rearrangement in the internal dislocation geometries and characters. In general, significant differences and discrepancies resulting from the considered cubic crystal structure and the approximation of isotropic elasticity are exhibited. In a third scenario, special attention is paid to connecting specific internal dislocation structures from the previous cases with non-equilibrium configurations predicted by the quantized Frank-Bilby equation for the (111) fcc and (110) bcc twist grain boundaries. The present solutions lead to the formation of energetically favorable dislocation junctions with non-randomly strain-relaxed configurations of lower energy. In particular, the local dislocation interactions and reactions form equilibrium hexagonal-shaped patterns with planar three-fold dislocation nodes without producing spurious far-field stresses.Numerical application results are presented from a selection of cubic metals including aluminum, copper, tantalum, and niobium. In contrast to the fcc materials, asymmetric dislocation nodes occur in the anisotropic bcc cases, within which the minimum-energy paths for predicting the fully strain-relaxed dislocation patterns depend on the Zener anisotropic factor with respect to unity. The associated changes in the dislocation structures as well as the removal of the elastic strain energy upon relaxations are quantified and also discussed.

Two-pulse atomic coherent control spectroscopy of Eley-Rideal reactions: An application of an atom laser

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Joergensen, Solvejg; Kosloff, Ronnie

2003-01-01

A spectroscopic application of the atom laser is suggested. The spectroscopy termed 2PACC (two-pulse atomic coherent control) employs the coherent properties of matter waves from a two-pulse atom laser. These waves are employed to control a gas-surface chemical recombination reaction. The method is demonstrated for an Eley-Rideal reaction of a hydrogen or alkali atom-laser pulse where the surface target is an adsorbed hydrogen atom. The reaction yields either a hydrogen or alkali hydride molecule. The desorbed gas-phase molecular yield and its internal state is shown to be controlled by the time and phase delay between two atom-laser pulses. The calculation is based on solving the time-dependent Schroedinger equation in a diabatic framework. The probability of desorption which is the predicted 2PACC signal has been calculated as a function of the pulse parameters

SiC Conversion Coating Prepared from Silica-Graphite Reaction

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Back-Sub Sung

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The β-SiC conversion coatings were successfully synthesized by the SiO(v-graphite(s reaction between silica powder and graphite specimen. This paper is to describe the effects on the characteristics of the SiC conversion coatings, fabricated according to two different reaction conditions. FE-SEM, FE-TEM microstructural morphologies, XRD patterns, pore size distribution, and oxidation behavior of the SiC-coated graphite were investigated. In the XRD pattern and SAD pattern, the coating layers showed cubic SiC peak as well as hexagonal SiC peak. The SiC coatings showed somewhat different characteristics with the reaction conditions according to the position arrangement of the graphite samples. The SiC coating on graphite, prepared in reaction zone (2, shows higher intensity of beta-SiC main peak (111 in XRD pattern as well as rather lower porosity and smaller main pore size peak under 1 μm.

Pattern of Adverse Drug Reactions in Children Attending the Department of Pediatrics in a Tertiary Care Center: A Prospective Observational Study

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Kishour Kumar Digra

2015-01-01

Full Text Available AIM To study the pattern of various adverse drug reactions (ADRs occurring in children attending the Department of Pediatrics, SMGS Hospital, Jammu over 1 year. Subjects and Methods This was a prospective study, with study population of patients attending Department of Pediatrics over a period of 1 year. A structured format was used to enroll the participants. A pilot study was conducted to test the suitability of the format and feasibility of the study. The study was carried out to review various pattern of ADRs by using the Naranjo probability scale, and severity was assessed by using the Hartwig severity scale. ADRs were classified according to the classification used by the Adverse Drug Reaction Monitoring Center, Central Drugs Standard Control Organization, New Delhi, India. Results In the present study, 104 patients were found to have developed acute drug reactions. Among these, 83.6% were type B, 14.42% type A, and 1.92% were type U. Furthermore, 25.96% ADRs were due to anticonvulsants, followed by antibiotics (22.11%, antipyretics (11.53%, vaccination (8.65%, steroids (6.73%, decongestants (5.67%, snake antivenom and antiemetics (3.84%, and fluids, insulin, and antacids (1.92%. The patients’ dermatological system was involved in 67.30%, followed by the central nervous system (CNS in 11.53% patients. Renal system was involved in 6.73% patients. Cardiac, musculoskeletal, metabolic, and other systems were involved in 4.80%, 3.84%, 2.88%, and 0.96%, respectively. According to the Hartwig severity scale of ADRs, 64.4% patients had moderate ADRs, 29.8% patients had severe ADRs, and 5.76% had mild ADRs. In the present study, 64.4% patients expressed moderate severity, whereas 29.8% expressed high severity and 5.76% expressed mild ADRs. Conclusion ADRs were seen in 71% of the patients between 1 and 5 years of age, 26% in the age group of 5–10 years, and 3% were more than 10 years old. Anticonvulsants (25.96% and antibiotics (22.11% were

Fuel loading and control rod patterns optimization in a BWR using tabu search

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Castillo, Alejandro; Ortiz, Juan Jose; Montes, Jose Luis; Perusquia, Raul

2007-01-01

This paper presents the QuinalliBT system, a new approach to solve fuel loading and control rod patterns optimization problem in a coupled way. This system involves three different optimization stages; in the first one, a seed fuel loading using the Haling principle is designed. In the second stage, the corresponding control rod pattern for the previous fuel loading is obtained. Finally, in the last stage, a new fuel loading is created, starting from the previous fuel loading and using the corresponding set of optimized control rod patterns. For each stage, a different objective function is considered. In order to obtain the decision parameters used in those functions, the CM-PRESTO 3D steady-state reactor core simulator was used. Second and third stages are repeated until an appropriate fuel loading and its control rod pattern are obtained, or a stop criterion is achieved. In all stages, the tabu search optimization technique was used. The QuinalliBT system was tested and applied to a real BWR operation cycle. It was found that the value for k eff obtained by QuinalliBT was 0.0024 Δk/k greater than that of the reference cycle

Topological patterns of mesh textures in serpentinites

Science.gov (United States)

Miyazawa, M.; Suzuki, A.; Shimizu, H.; Okamoto, A.; Hiraoka, Y.; Obayashi, I.; Tsuji, T.; Ito, T.

2017-12-01

Serpentinization is a hydration process that forms serpentine minerals and magnetite within the oceanic lithosphere. Microfractures crosscut these minerals during the reactions, and the structures look like mesh textures. It has been known that the patterns of microfractures and the system evolutions are affected by the hydration reaction and fluid transport in fractures and within matrices. This study aims at quantifying the topological patterns of the mesh textures and understanding possible conditions of fluid transport and reaction during serpentinization in the oceanic lithosphere. Two-dimensional simulation by the distinct element method (DEM) generates fracture patterns due to serpentinization. The microfracture patterns are evaluated by persistent homology, which measures features of connected components of a topological space and encodes multi-scale topological features in the persistence diagrams. The persistence diagrams of the different mesh textures are evaluated by principal component analysis to bring out the strong patterns of persistence diagrams. This approach help extract feature values of fracture patterns from high-dimensional and complex datasets.

Surface Patterning: Controlling Fluid Flow Through Dolphin and Shark Skin Biomimicry

Science.gov (United States)

Gamble, Lawren; Lang, Amy; Bradshaw, Michael; McVay, Eric

2013-11-01

Dolphin skin is characterized by circumferential ridges, perpendicular to fluid flow, present from the crest of the head until the tail fluke. When observing a cross section of skin, the ridges have a sinusoidal pattern. Sinusoidal grooves have been proven to induce vortices in the cavities that can help control flow separation which can reduce pressure drag. Shark skin, however, is patterned with flexible scales that bristle up to 50 degrees with reversed flow. Both dolphin ridges and shark scales are thought to help control fluid flow and increase swimming efficiency by delaying the separation of the boundary layer. This study investigates how flow characteristics can be altered with bio-inspired surface patterning. A NACA 4412 hydrofoil was entirely patterned with transverse sinusoidal grooves, inspired by dolphin skin but scaled so the cavities on the model have the same Reynolds number as the cavities on a swimming shark. Static tests were conducted at a Reynolds number of approximately 100,000 and at varying angles of attack. The results were compared to the smooth hydrofoil case. The flow data was quantified using Digital Particle Image Velocimetry (DPIV). The results of this study demonstrated that the patterned hydrofoil experienced greater separation than the smooth hydrofoil. It is hypothesize that this could be remediated if the pattern was placed only after the maximum thickness of the hydrofoil. Funding through NSF REU grant 1062611 is gratefully acknowledged.

Chirality-controlled spontaneous twisting of crystals due to thermal topochemical reaction.

Science.gov (United States)

Rai, Rishika; Krishnan, Baiju P; Sureshan, Kana M

2018-03-20

Crystals that show mechanical response against various stimuli are of great interest. These stimuli induce polymorphic transitions, isomerizations, or chemical reactions in the crystal and the strain generated between the daughter and parent domains is transcribed into mechanical response. We observed that the crystals of modified dipeptide LL (N 3 -l-Ala-l-Val-NHCH 2 C≡CH) undergo spontaneous twisting to form right-handed twisted crystals not only at room temperature but also at 0 °C over time. Using various spectroscopic techniques, we have established that the twisting is due to the spontaneous topochemical azide-alkyne cycloaddition (TAAC) reaction at room temperature or lower temperatures. The rate of twisting can be increased by heating, exploiting the faster kinetics of the TAAC reaction at higher temperatures. To address the role of molecular chirality in the direction of twisting the enantiomer of dipeptide LL, N 3 -d-Ala-d-Val-NHCH 2 C≡CH (DD), was synthesized and topochemical reactivity and mechanoresponse of its crystals were studied. We have found that dipeptide DD not only underwent TAAC reaction, giving 1,4-triazole-linked pseudopolypeptides of d-amino acids, but also underwent twisting with opposite handedness (left-handed twisting), establishing the role of molecular chirality in controlling the direction of mechanoresponse. This paper reports ( i ) a mechanical response due to a thermal reaction and ( ii ) a spontaneous mechanical response in crystals and ( iii ) explains the role of molecular chirality in the handedness of the macroscopic mechanical response.

Control strategy based on SPWM switching patterns for grid connected photovoltaic inverter

Science.gov (United States)

Hassaine, L.; Mraoui, A.

2017-02-01

Generally, for lower installation of photovoltaic systems connected to the grid, pulse width modulation (PWM) is a widely used technique for controlling the voltage source inverters injects currents into the grid. The current injected must be sinusoidal with reduced harmonic distortion. In this paper, a digital implementation of a control strategy based on PWM switching patterns for an inverter for photovoltaic system connected to the grid is presented. This strategy synchronize a sinusoidal inverter output current with a grid voltage The digital implementation of the proposed PWM switching pattern when is compared with the conventional one exhibit the advantage: Simplicity, reduction of the memory requirements and power calculation for the control

Control rod effects on reaction rate distributions in tight pitched PuO2-UO2 fuel assembly

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gil, Choong-Sup; Okumura, Keisuke; Ishiguro, Yukio

1991-11-01

Investigations were made for the heterogeneity effects caused by insertion or withdrawal of a B 4 C control rod on fine structure of reaction rates distributions in a tight pitched PuO 2 -UO 2 fuel assembly. Analysis was carried out by using the VIM and SRAC codes with the libraries based on JENDL-2 for the hexagonal fuel assembly basically corresponding to the PROTEUS-LWHCR experimental core. The reaction rates are affected more remarkably by the withdrawal of the control rod rather than its insertion. The changes of the reaction rates were decomposed into three terms of spectrum shifts, the changes of effective cross sections with fine groups, and their higher order components. From the analysis, it is concluded that most changes of reaction rates are caused by spectral shifts. The SRAC code with fine group constants can predict the distribution of reaction rates and their ratios with the accuracy of about 5 % except for the values related to Pu-242 capture rate, as compared with the VIM results. To increase the accuracy, it is necessary to generate the effective cross sections of the fuel near control rods with consideration of the heterogeneities in the fuel assembly. (author)

Grinding patterns in migraine patients with sleep bruxism: a case-controlled study.

Science.gov (United States)

Kato, Momoko; Saruta, Juri; Takeuchi, Mifumi; Sugimoto, Masahiro; Kamata, Yohei; Shimizu, Tomoko; To, Masahiro; Fuchida, Shinya; Igarashi, Hisaka; Kawata, Toshitsugu; Tsukinoki, Keiichi

2016-11-01

Details on grinding patterns and types of contact during sleep bruxism in association with migraine headache have not yet been elucidated. This study compared the characteristics of sleep bruxism between patients with migraine and controls. The study included 80 female patients who had been diagnosed with migraine and 52 women with no history of migraine. Grinding patterns were measured using the BruxChecker® (Scheu Dental, Iserlohn, Germany). There was a significant difference between the two groups in the distribution of grinding patterns at the laterotrusive side (p grinding area at all sites was significantly larger in the migraine group than in the control group (p grinding over a large area among migraine patients, particularly in the molar region.

Classical Example of Total Kinetic and Thermodynamic Control: The Diels-Alder Reaction between DMAD and Bis-furyl Dienes.

Science.gov (United States)

Borisova, Kseniya K; Kvyatkovskaya, Elizaveta A; Nikitina, Eugeniya V; Aysin, Rinat R; Novikov, Roman A; Zubkov, Fedor I

2018-04-20

A rare example of chemospecificity in the tandem Diels-Alder reaction of activated alkynes and bis-dienes has been revealed. The reaction between bis-furyl dienes and DMAD occurs at 25-80 °C and leads to kinetically controlled "pincer" adducts, 4a,8a-disubstituted 1,4:5,8-diepoxynaphthalenes. On the contrary, only thermodynamically controlled "domino" adducts (2,3-disubstituted 1,4:5,8-diepoxynaphthalenes) are formed in the same reaction at 140 °C. The "pincer" adducts can be transformed to the "domino" adducts at heating. The rate constants for reactions of both types were calculated using dynamic 1 H NMR spectroscopy.

A novel approach to sports concussion assessment: Computerized multilimb reaction times and balance control testing.

Science.gov (United States)

Vartiainen, Matti V; Holm, Anu; Lukander, Jani; Lukander, Kristian; Koskinen, Sanna; Bornstein, Robert; Hokkanen, Laura

2016-01-01

Mild traumatic brain injuries (MTBI) or concussions often result in problems with attention, executive functions, and motor control. For better identification of these diverse problems, novel approaches integrating tests of cognitive and motor functioning are needed. The aim was to characterize minor changes in motor and cognitive performance after sports-related concussions with a novel test battery, including balance tests and a computerized multilimb reaction time test. The cognitive demands of the battery gradually increase from a simple stimulus response to a complex task requiring executive attention. A total of 113 male ice hockey players (mean age = 24.6 years, SD = 5.7) were assessed before a season. During the season, nine concussed players were retested within 36 hours, four to six days after the concussion, and after the season. A control group of seven nonconcussed players from the same pool of players with comparable demographics were retested after the season. Performance was measured using a balance test and the Motor Cognitive Test battery (MotCoTe) with multilimb responses in simple reaction, choice reaction, inhibition, and conflict resolution conditions. The performance of the concussed group declined at the postconcussion assessment compared to both the baseline measurement and the nonconcussed controls. Significant changes were observed in the concussed group for the multilimb choice reaction and inhibition tests. Tapping and balance showed a similar trend, but no statistically significant difference in performance. In sports-related concussions, complex motor tests can be valuable additions in assessing the outcome and recovery. In the current study, using subtasks with varying cognitive demands, it was shown that while simple motor performance was largely unaffected, the more complex tasks induced impaired reaction times for the concussed subjects. The increased reaction times may reflect the disruption of complex and integrative cognitive

Three-dimensional cooling pattern of a granitic pluton 2. The study of deuteric sub-solidus reactions in the Toki granite, Central Japan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yuguchi, Takashi; Tsuruta, Tadahiko; Nishiyama, Tadao

2011-01-01

Petrographical studies examining the development and variations of sub-solidus reactions recorded in the Toki granite represent the three-dimensional cooling pattern of this zoned pluton in Central Japan. Samples collected from 19 boreholes in the Toki granite show characteristics indicative of spatial variations in the extent of the sub-solidus reactions. Exsolution coarsening has produced microperthite, including albite-rich lamellae, in this pluton, while deuteric coarsening has resulted in the formation of patchperthite, myrmekite, and the reaction rim. The extent of the deuteric coarsening reactions can be evaluated from the width and spacing of the albite-rich patch in patchperthite and from the thickness of myrmekite and the reaction rim. The width, spacing, and thickness of these textural features increase systematically with elevation; they also increase gradually in the horizontal inward direction in the western part of the pluton but not in the eastern part of the pluton. The systematic variations in textural development indicate that the Toki granite cooled effectively from the roof and from the western margin during the deuteric coarsening stage. The deuteric coarsening may have occurred at temperatures below 500°C, as indicated by ternary feldspar thermometry. (author)

Laboratory Instrumentation Design Research for Scalable Next Generation Epitaxy: Non-Equilibrium Wide Application Epitaxial Patterning by Intelligent Control (NEW-EPIC). Volume 1. 3D Composition/Doping Control via Micromiror Patterned Deep UV Photodesorption: Revolutionary in situ Characterization/Control

Science.gov (United States)

2009-02-19

34 (to be submitted to APL) " Positron Annihilation Spectroscopy of Annealed and As-grown Be-doped GaN" (to be submitted to APL - delayed by the...WIDE APPLICATION EPITAXIAL PATTERNING BY INTELLIGENT CONTROL (NEW-EPIC) 6. AUTHOR(S) DRS DOOLITTILE, FRAZIER, BURNHAM, PRITCHETT, BILLINGSLEY...NEXT GENERATION EPITAXY: NON-EQUILIBRIUM WIDE APPLICATION EPITAXIAL PATTERNING BY INTELLIGENT CONTROL (NEW-EPIC) VOLUME I 3D COMPOSITION/DOPING

The Reaction Wheel Pendulum

CERN Document Server

Block, Daniel J; Spong, Mark W

2007-01-01

This monograph describes the Reaction Wheel Pendulum, the newest inverted-pendulum-like device for control education and research. We discuss the history and background of the reaction wheel pendulum and other similar experimental devices. We develop mathematical models of the reaction wheel pendulum in depth, including linear and nonlinear models, and models of the sensors and actuators that are used for feedback control. We treat various aspects of the control problem, from linear control of themotor, to stabilization of the pendulum about an equilibrium configuration using linear control, t

Realtime control of multiple-focus phased array heating patterns based on noninvasive ultrasound thermography.

Science.gov (United States)

Casper, Andrew; Liu, Dalong; Ebbini, Emad S

2012-01-01

A system for the realtime generation and control of multiple-focus ultrasound phased-array heating patterns is presented. The system employs a 1-MHz, 64-element array and driving electronics capable of fine spatial and temporal control of the heating pattern. The driver is integrated with a realtime 2-D temperature imaging system implemented on a commercial scanner. The coordinates of the temperature control points are defined on B-mode guidance images from the scanner, together with the temperature set points and controller parameters. The temperature at each point is controlled by an independent proportional, integral, and derivative controller that determines the focal intensity at that point. Optimal multiple-focus synthesis is applied to generate the desired heating pattern at the control points. The controller dynamically reallocates the power available among the foci from the shared power supply upon reaching the desired temperature at each control point. Furthermore, anti-windup compensation is implemented at each control point to improve the system dynamics. In vitro experiments in tissue-mimicking phantom demonstrate the robustness of the controllers for short (2-5 s) and longer multiple-focus high-intensity focused ultrasound exposures. Thermocouple measurements in the vicinity of the control points confirm the dynamics of the temperature variations obtained through noninvasive feedback. © 2011 IEEE

Patterning control strategies for minimum edge placement error in logic devices

Science.gov (United States)

Mulkens, Jan; Hanna, Michael; Slachter, Bram; Tel, Wim; Kubis, Michael; Maslow, Mark; Spence, Chris; Timoshkov, Vadim

2017-03-01

In this paper we discuss the edge placement error (EPE) for multi-patterning semiconductor manufacturing. In a multi-patterning scheme the creation of the final pattern is the result of a sequence of lithography and etching steps, and consequently the contour of the final pattern contains error sources of the different process steps. We describe the fidelity of the final pattern in terms of EPE, which is defined as the relative displacement of the edges of two features from their intended target position. We discuss our holistic patterning optimization approach to understand and minimize the EPE of the final pattern. As an experimental test vehicle we use the 7-nm logic device patterning process flow as developed by IMEC. This patterning process is based on Self-Aligned-Quadruple-Patterning (SAQP) using ArF lithography, combined with line cut exposures using EUV lithography. The computational metrology method to determine EPE is explained. It will be shown that ArF to EUV overlay, CDU from the individual process steps, and local CD and placement of the individual pattern features, are the important contributors. Based on the error budget, we developed an optimization strategy for each individual step and for the final pattern. Solutions include overlay and CD metrology based on angle resolved scatterometry, scanner actuator control to enable high order overlay corrections and computational lithography optimization to minimize imaging induced pattern placement errors of devices and metrology targets.

Independently controlled wing stroke patterns in the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Soma Chakraborty

Full Text Available Flies achieve supreme flight maneuverability through a small set of miniscule steering muscles attached to the wing base. The fast flight maneuvers arise from precisely timed activation of the steering muscles and the resulting subtle modulation of the wing stroke. In addition, slower modulation of wing kinematics arises from changes in the activity of indirect flight muscles in the thorax. We investigated if these modulations can be described as a superposition of a limited number of elementary deformations of the wing stroke that are under independent physiological control. Using a high-speed computer vision system, we recorded the wing motion of tethered flying fruit flies for up to 12,000 consecutive wing strokes at a sampling rate of 6250 Hz. We then decomposed the joint motion pattern of both wings into components that had the minimal mutual information (a measure of statistical dependence. In 100 flight segments measured from 10 individual flies, we identified 7 distinct types of frequently occurring least-dependent components, each defining a kinematic pattern (a specific deformation of the wing stroke and the sequence of its activation from cycle to cycle. Two of these stroke deformations can be associated with the control of yaw torque and total flight force, respectively. A third deformation involves a change in the downstroke-to-upstroke duration ratio, which is expected to alter the pitch torque. A fourth kinematic pattern consists in the alteration of stroke amplitude with a period of 2 wingbeat cycles, extending for dozens of cycles. Our analysis indicates that these four elementary kinematic patterns can be activated mutually independently, and occur both in isolation and in linear superposition. The results strengthen the available evidence for independent control of yaw torque, pitch torque, and total flight force. Our computational method facilitates systematic identification of novel patterns in large kinematic datasets.

Independently controlled wing stroke patterns in the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster.

Science.gov (United States)

Chakraborty, Soma; Bartussek, Jan; Fry, Steven N; Zapotocky, Martin

2015-01-01

Flies achieve supreme flight maneuverability through a small set of miniscule steering muscles attached to the wing base. The fast flight maneuvers arise from precisely timed activation of the steering muscles and the resulting subtle modulation of the wing stroke. In addition, slower modulation of wing kinematics arises from changes in the activity of indirect flight muscles in the thorax. We investigated if these modulations can be described as a superposition of a limited number of elementary deformations of the wing stroke that are under independent physiological control. Using a high-speed computer vision system, we recorded the wing motion of tethered flying fruit flies for up to 12,000 consecutive wing strokes at a sampling rate of 6250 Hz. We then decomposed the joint motion pattern of both wings into components that had the minimal mutual information (a measure of statistical dependence). In 100 flight segments measured from 10 individual flies, we identified 7 distinct types of frequently occurring least-dependent components, each defining a kinematic pattern (a specific deformation of the wing stroke and the sequence of its activation from cycle to cycle). Two of these stroke deformations can be associated with the control of yaw torque and total flight force, respectively. A third deformation involves a change in the downstroke-to-upstroke duration ratio, which is expected to alter the pitch torque. A fourth kinematic pattern consists in the alteration of stroke amplitude with a period of 2 wingbeat cycles, extending for dozens of cycles. Our analysis indicates that these four elementary kinematic patterns can be activated mutually independently, and occur both in isolation and in linear superposition. The results strengthen the available evidence for independent control of yaw torque, pitch torque, and total flight force. Our computational method facilitates systematic identification of novel patterns in large kinematic datasets.

Neural Network Control of CSTR for Reversible Reaction Using Reverence Model Approach

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Duncan ALOKO

2007-01-01

Full Text Available In this work, non-linear control of CSTR for reversible reaction is carried out using Neural Network as design tool. The Model Reverence approach in used to design ANN controller. The idea is to have a control system that will be able to achieve improvement in the level of conversion and to be able to track set point change and reject load disturbance. We use PID control scheme as benchmark to study the performance of the controller. The comparison shows that ANN controller out perform PID in the extreme range of non-linearity.This paper represents a preliminary effort to design a simplified neutral network control scheme for a class of non-linear process. Future works will involve further investigation of the effectiveness of thin approach for the real industrial chemical process

Patterned electrochemical deposition of copper using an electron beam

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mark den Heijer

2014-02-01

Full Text Available We describe a technique for patterning clusters of metal using electrochemical deposition. By operating an electrochemical cell in the transmission electron microscope, we deposit Cu on Au under potentiostatic conditions. For acidified copper sulphate electrolytes, nucleation occurs uniformly over the electrode. However, when chloride ions are added there is a range of applied potentials over which nucleation occurs only in areas irradiated by the electron beam. By scanning the beam we control nucleation to form patterns of deposited copper. We discuss the mechanism for this effect in terms of electron beam-induced reactions with copper chloride, and consider possible applications.

Dietary patterns, goitrogenic food, and thyroid cancer: a case-control study in French Polynesia.

Science.gov (United States)

Cléro, Énora; Doyon, Françoise; Chungue, Vaïana; Rachédi, Frédérique; Boissin, Jean-Louis; Sebbag, Joseph; Shan, Larrys; Rubino, Carole; de Vathaire, Florent

2012-01-01

French Polynesia has one of the world's highest thyroid cancer incidence rates. A case-control study among native residents of French Polynesia included 229 cases of differentiated thyroid cancer diagnosed between 1979 and 2004, and 371 population controls. Dietary patterns and goitrogenic food consumption (cabbage, cassava) were analyzed. We used a factor analysis to identify dietary patterns and a conditional logistic regression analysis to investigate the association between dietary patterns or food items and thyroid cancer risk. Two distinct dietary patterns were identified: traditional Polynesian and Western. A nonsignificant inverse association was observed between the traditional Polynesian dietary pattern and thyroid cancer risk. The Western pattern was not associated with thyroid cancer risk. Cassava consumption was significantly associated with a decreased risk of thyroid cancer. In conclusion, a traditional Polynesian dietary pattern led to a weak reduced risk of thyroid cancer in French Polynesia. The protective effect of cassava on this cancer does not seem to be substantially different from that of cabbage, which was the main goitrogenic food studied to date.

Clastic patterned ground in Lomonosov crater, Mars: examining fracture controlled formation mechanisms

Science.gov (United States)

Barrett, Alexander M.; Balme, Matthew R.; Patel, Manish R.; Hagermann, Axel

2017-10-01

The area surrounding Lomonosov crater on Mars has a high density of seemingly organised boulder patterns. These form seemingly sorted polygons and stripes within kilometre scale blockfields, patches of boulder strewn ground which are common across the Martian high latitudes. Several hypotheses have been suggested to explain the formation of clastic patterned ground on Mars. It has been proposed that these structures could have formed through freeze-thaw sorting, or conversely by the interaction of boulders with underlying fracture polygons. In this investigation a series of sites were examined to evaluate whether boulder patterns appear to be controlled by the distribution of underlying fractures and test the fracture control hypotheses for their formation. It was decided to focus on this suite of mechanisms as they are characterised by a clear morphological relationship, namely the presence of an underlying fracture network which can easily be evaluated over a large area. It was found that in the majority of examples at these sites did not exhibit fracture control. Although fractures were present at many sites there were very few sites where the fracture network appeared to be controlling the boulder distribution. In general these were not the sites with the best examples of organization, suggesting that the fracture control mechanisms are not the dominant geomorphic process organising the boulders in this area.

Employee reactions to the use of management control systems in hospitals: motivation vs. threat

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ernesto Lopez-Valeiras

2018-03-01

Conclusions: The results obtained contribute to creating specific knowledge on the reactions of employees to the use of management control systems in hospitals. This information may be important in adapting management control systems to the characteristics of the hospital and its employees, which may in turn contribute to reducing dysfunctional worker behavior.

Songbird Respiration is Controlled by Multispike Patterns at Millisecond Temporal Resolution

Science.gov (United States)

Holmes, Caroline; Srivastava, Kyle; Vellema, Michiel; Elemans, Coen; Nemenman, Ilya; Sober, Samuel

Although the importance of precise timing of neural action potentials (spikes) is well known in sensory systems, approaches to motor control have focused almost exclusively on firing rates. Here we examined whether precise timing of spikes in multispike patterns has an effect on the motor output in the respiratory system of the Bengalese finch, a songbird. By recording from single motor neurons and the muscle fibers they innervate in freely behaving birds, we find that the spike trains are significantly non-Poisson, suggesting that the precise timing of spikes is tightly controlled. We further find that even a one millisecond shift of an individual spike in a multispike pattern predicts a significantly different air sac pressure. Finally, we provide evidence for the causal relation between precise spike timing and the motor output in this organism by stimulating the motor system with precisely timed patterns of electrical impulses. We observe that shifting a single pulse by as little as two milliseconds elicits differences in resulting air sac pressure. These results demonstrate that the precise timing of spikes does play a role in motor control. This work was partially supported by NSF Grant IOS/1208126, NIH Grant 5R90DA033462 , NIH Grant R01NS084844, and NIH Grant F31DC013753.

Oxytocin influences avoidant reactions to social threat in adults with borderline personality disorder.

Science.gov (United States)

Brüne, Martin; Ebert, Andreas; Kolb, Meike; Tas, Cumhur; Edel, Marc-Andreas; Roser, Patrik

2013-11-01

Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is characterized by interpersonal dysfunction, emotional instability, impulsivity, and risk-taking behavior. Recent research has focused on the role of oxytocin in BPD, with mixed results as regards the processing of social stimuli. In a double-blind randomized placebo-controlled study, 13 BPD patients and 13 controls performed a dot probe task to examine attentional biases to happy and angry faces after intranasal application of oxytocin or placebo. Childhood trauma was examined using the childhood trauma questionnaire. In the placebo condition, patients with BPD (but not controls) showed an avoidant reaction to angry faces (but not happy faces). The strength of the avoidant reaction correlated with the severity of childhood trauma. This behavioral response (as well as the correlation) was abolished in the oxytocin condition. Adult patients with BPD show an avoidant response to social threat, a reaction that is linked with traumatic experiences during childhood. This response pattern is altered by oxytocin, possibly by reducing stress and inhibiting social withdrawal from distressing social stimuli. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Method and device for thermal control of biological and chemical reactions using magnetic particles or magnetic beads and variable magnetic fields

OpenAIRE

Zilch, C.; Gerdes, W.; Bauer, J.; Holschuh, K.

2009-01-01

The invention relates to a method for the thermal control of at least one temperature-dependent enzymatic reaction in the presence of magnetic particles, particularly nanoparticles, or magnetic beads, in vitro by heating the magnetic beads or magnetic particles to at least one defined target temperature using alternating magnetic fields. The thermally controllable enzymatic reaction carried out with the method according to the invention is preferably a PCR reaction or another reaction for elo...

Experimenting with a Visible Copper-Aluminum Displacement Reaction in Agar Gel and Observing Copper Crystal Growth Patterns to Engage Student Interest and Inquiry

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Xinhua; Wu, Meifen; Wang, Xiaogang; Yang, Yangyiwei; Shi, Xiang; Wang, Guoping

2016-01-01

The reaction process of copper-aluminum displacement in agar gel was observed at the microscopic level with a stereomicroscope; pine-like branches of copper crystals growing from aluminum surface into gel at a constant rate were observed. Students were asked to make hypotheses on the pattern formation and design new research approaches to prove…

Local control of globally competing patterns in coupled Swift-Hohenberg equations

Science.gov (United States)

Becker, Maximilian; Frenzel, Thomas; Niedermayer, Thomas; Reichelt, Sina; Mielke, Alexander; Bär, Markus

2018-04-01

We present analytical and numerical investigations of two anti-symmetrically coupled 1D Swift-Hohenberg equations (SHEs) with cubic nonlinearities. The SHE provides a generic formulation for pattern formation at a characteristic length scale. A linear stability analysis of the homogeneous state reveals a wave instability in addition to the usual Turing instability of uncoupled SHEs. We performed weakly nonlinear analysis in the vicinity of the codimension-two point of the Turing-wave instability, resulting in a set of coupled amplitude equations for the Turing pattern as well as left- and right-traveling waves. In particular, these complex Ginzburg-Landau-type equations predict two major things: there exists a parameter regime where multiple different patterns are stable with respect to each other and that the amplitudes of different patterns interact by local mutual suppression. In consequence, different patterns can coexist in distinct spatial regions, separated by localized interfaces. We identified specific mechanisms for controlling the position of these interfaces, which distinguish what kinds of patterns the interface connects and thus allow for global pattern selection. Extensive simulations of the original SHEs confirm our results.

Optimization of control bars patterns and fuel recharges of coupled form; Optimizacion de patrones de barras de control y recargas de combustible de forma acoplada

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mejia S, D.M.; Ortiz S, J.J. [ININ, 52750 Ocoyoacac, Estado de Mexico (Mexico)]. e-mail: dulcema6715@hotmail.com

2006-07-01

In this work a system coupled for the optimization of fuel recharges and control bars patterns in boiling water reactors (BWR by its initials in English) is presented. It was used a multi state recurrent neural net like optimization technique. This type of neural net has been used in the solution of diverse problems, in particular the design of patterns of control bars and the design of the fuel recharge. However, these problems have been resolved in an independent way with different optimization techniques. The system was developed in FORTRAN 77 language, it calls OCORN (Optimization of Cycles of Operation using Neural Nets) and it solves both problems of combinatory optimization in a coupled way. OCORN begins creating a seed recharge by means of an optimization through the Haling principle. Later on a pattern of control bars for this recharge seed is proposed. Then a new fuel recharge is designed using the control bars patterns previously found. By this way an iterative process begins among the optimization of control bars patterns and the fuel recharge until a stop criteria it is completed. The stop criteria is completed when the fuel recharges and the control bars patterns don't vary in several successive iterations. The final result is an optimal fuel recharge and its respective control bars pattern. In this work the obtained results by this system for a cycle of balance of 18 months divided in 12 steps of burnt are presented. The obtained results are very encouraging, since the fuel recharge and the control bars pattern, its fulfill with the restrictions imposed in each one of the problems. (Author)

Adaptive extended-state observer-based fault tolerant attitude control for spacecraft with reaction wheels

Science.gov (United States)

Ran, Dechao; Chen, Xiaoqian; de Ruiter, Anton; Xiao, Bing

2018-04-01

This study presents an adaptive second-order sliding control scheme to solve the attitude fault tolerant control problem of spacecraft subject to system uncertainties, external disturbances and reaction wheel faults. A novel fast terminal sliding mode is preliminarily designed to guarantee that finite-time convergence of the attitude errors can be achieved globally. Based on this novel sliding mode, an adaptive second-order observer is then designed to reconstruct the system uncertainties and the actuator faults. One feature of the proposed observer is that the design of the observer does not necessitate any priori information of the upper bounds of the system uncertainties and the actuator faults. In view of the reconstructed information supplied by the designed observer, a second-order sliding mode controller is developed to accomplish attitude maneuvers with great robustness and precise tracking accuracy. Theoretical stability analysis proves that the designed fault tolerant control scheme can achieve finite-time stability of the closed-loop system, even in the presence of reaction wheel faults and system uncertainties. Numerical simulations are also presented to demonstrate the effectiveness and superiority of the proposed control scheme over existing methodologies.

Global control of colored moiré pattern in layered optical structures

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Kunyang; Zhou, Yangui; Pan, Di; Ma, Xueyan; Ma, Hongqin; Liang, Haowen; Zhou, Jianying

2018-05-01

Accurate description of visual effect of colored moiré pattern caused by layered optical structures consisting of gratings and Fresnel lens is proposed in this work. The colored moiré arising from the periodic and quasi-periodic structures is numerically simulated and experimentally verified. It is found that the visibility of moiré pattern generated by refractive optical elements is related to not only the spatial structures of gratings but also the viewing angles. To effectively control the moiré visibility, two constituting gratings are slightly separated. Such scheme is proved to be effective to globally eliminate moiré pattern for displays containing refractive optical films with quasi-periodic structures.

Control of charged droplets using electrohydrodynamic repulsion for circular droplet patterning

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Bumjoo; Sung, Jungwoo; Lim, Geunbae; Nam, Hyoryung; Kim, Sung Jae; Joo, Sang W

2011-01-01

We report a novel method to form a circular pattern of monodisperse microdroplets using an electrohydrodynamic repulsion (EDR) mechanism. EDR is a phenomenon of electrostatical bounced microdroplets from an accumulated droplet on a bottom substrate. In addition to a regular EDR system, by placing a ring electrode between the capillary and ground substrate, two separate regions were created. A parameter study of two regions was carried out for droplet formation and falling velocity to control the radius of the generated droplets and the circular patterns independently. Based on energy conservation theory, our experimental results showed that the free-falling region exerted crucial influences on the sizes of the circular patterns

Huitzoctli: A system to design Control Rod Pattern for BWR's using a hybrid method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Castillo, Alejandro; Ortiz-Servin, Juan Jose; Perusquia, Raul; Morales, Luis B.

2011-01-01

Highlights: → The system was developed to design Control Rod Patterns for Boiling Water Reactors. → The critical reactor core and the thermal limits were fulfilled in all tested cases. → The Fuel Loading Pattern remains without changes during the iterative process. → The system uses the heuristics techniques: Scatter Search and Tabu Search. → The effective multiplication factor k eff at the EOC was improved in all tested cases. - Abstract: Huitzoctli system was developed to design Control Rod Patterns for Boiling Water Reactors (BWR). The main idea is to obtain a Control Rod Pattern under the following considerations: (a) the critical reactor core state is satisfied, (b) the axial power distribution must be adjusted to a target axial power distribution proposal, and (c) the maximum Fraction of Critical Power Ratio (MFLCPR), the maximum Fraction of Linear Power Density (FLPD) and the maximum Fraction of Average Planar Power Density (MPGR) must be fulfilled. Those parameters were obtained using the 3D CM-PRESTO code. In order to decrease the problem complexity, Control Cell Core load strategy was implemented; in the same way, intermediate axial positions and core eighth symmetry were took into account. In this work, the cycle length was divided in 12 burnup steps. The Fuel Loading Pattern is an input data and it remains without changes during the iterative process. The Huitzoctli system was developed to use the combinatorial heuristics techniques Scatter Search and Tabu Search. The first one was used as a global search method and the second one as a local search method. The Control Rod Patterns obtained with the Huitzoctli system were compared to other Control Rod Patterns designs obtained with other optimization techniques, under the same operating conditions. The results show a good performance of the system. In all cases the thermal limits were satisfied, and the axial power distribution was adjusted to the target axial power distribution almost

Smoking and high-risk mammographic parenchymal patterns: a case-control study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sala, Evis; Warren, Ruth; McCann, Jenny; Duffy, Stephen; Luben, Robert; Day, Nicholas

2000-01-01

,13,14,15]. There are no published studies that assessed the relationship between smoking and mammographic parenchymal patterns. To evaluate whether mammographic parenchymal patterns as classified by Wolfe, which have been positively associated with breast cancer risk, are affected by smoking. In this case-control study, nested within the European Prospective Investigation on Cancer in Norfolk (EPIC-Norfolk) cohort [16], the association between smoking habits and mammographic parenchymal patterns are examined. The full results will be published elsewhere. Study subjects were members of the EPIC cohort in Norwich who also attended the prevalence screening round at the Norwich Breast Screening Centre between November 1989 and December 1997, and were free of breast cancer at that screening. Cases were defined as women with a P2/DY Wolfe's mammographic parenchymal pattern on the prevalence screen mammograms. A total of 203 women with P2/DY patterns were identified as cases and were individually matched by date of birth (within 1 year) and date of prevalence screening (within 3 months) with 203 women with N1/P1 patterns who served as control individuals. Two views, the mediolateral and craniocaudal mammograms, of both breasts were independently reviewed by two of the authors (ES and RW) to determine the Wolfe mammographic parenchymal pattern. Considerable information on health and lifestyle factors was available from the EPIC Health and Lifestyle Questionnaire [16]. In the present study we examined the subjects' personal history of benign breast diseases, menstrual and reproductive factors, oral contraception and hormone replacement therapy, smoking, and anthropometric information such as body mass index and waist:hip ratio. Odds ratios (ORs) and their 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated by conditional logistic regression [17], and were adjusted for possible confounding factors. The characteristics of the cases and controls are presented in Table 1. Cases were

Spatially Localized Chemical Patterns around an A + B → Oscillator Front.

Science.gov (United States)

Budroni, M A; Lemaigre, L; Escala, D M; Muñuzuri, A P; De Wit, A

2016-02-18

When two gels, each loaded with a different set of reactants A and B of an oscillatory reaction, are brought into contact, reaction-diffusion patterns such as waves or Turing patterns can develop in the reactive contact zone. The initial condition which separates the reactants at the beginning leads to a localization in space of the different dynamical regimes accessible to the chemical oscillator. We study here both numerically and experimentally the composite traveling structures resulting from the interaction between chemical fronts and localized waves in the case in which the reactants of such an A + B → oscillator system are those of the canonical Belousov-Zhabotinsky (BZ) oscillating reaction. A transition between different dynamics is obtained by varying the initial concentration of the organic substrate of the BZ reactants, which is one of the parameters controlling the local excitability. We show that the dynamical regime (excitable or oscillatory) characterizing the BZ oscillator in the initial contact area is the key feature which determines the spatiotemporal evolution of the system. The experimental results are in qualitative agreement with the theoretical predictions.

Visual and auditory reaction time for air traffic controllers using quantitative electroencephalograph (QEEG) data.

Science.gov (United States)

Abbass, Hussein A; Tang, Jiangjun; Ellejmi, Mohamed; Kirby, Stephen

2014-12-01

The use of quantitative electroencephalograph in the analysis of air traffic controllers' performance can reveal with a high temporal resolution those mental responses associated with different task demands. To understand the relationship between visual and auditory correct responses, reaction time, and the corresponding brain areas and functions, air traffic controllers were given an integrated visual and auditory continuous reaction task. Strong correlations were found between correct responses to the visual target and the theta band in the frontal lobe, the total power in the medial of the parietal lobe and the theta-to-beta ratio in the left side of the occipital lobe. Incorrect visual responses triggered activations in additional bands including the alpha band in the medial of the frontal and parietal lobes, and the Sensorimotor Rhythm in the medial of the parietal lobe. Controllers' responses to visual cues were found to be more accurate but slower than their corresponding performance on auditory cues. These results suggest that controllers are more susceptible to overload when more visual cues are used in the air traffic control system, and more errors are pruned as more auditory cues are used. Therefore, workload studies should be carried out to assess the usefulness of additional cues and their interactions with the air traffic control environment.

In situ Raman scattering study on a controllable plasmon-driven surface catalysis reaction on Ag nanoparticle arrays

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dai, Z G; Xiao, X H; Zhang, Y P; Ren, F; Wu, W; Zhang, S F; Zhou, J; Jiang, C Z; Mei, F

2012-01-01

Control of the plasmon-driven chemical reaction for the transformation of 4-nitrobenzenethiol to p,p′-dimercaptoazobenzene by Ag nanoparticle arrays was studied. The Ag nanoparticle arrays were fabricated by means of nanosphere lithography. By changing the PS particle size, the localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) peaks of the Ag nanoparticle arrays can be tailored from 460 to 560 nm. The controlled reaction process was monitored by in situ surface-enhanced Raman scattering. The reaction can be dramatically influenced by varying the duration of laser exposure, Ag nanoparticle size, laser power and laser excitation wavelength. The maximum reaction speed was achieved when the LSPR wavelength of the Ag nanoparticle arrays matched the laser excitation wavelength. The experimental results reveal that the strong LSPR can effectively drive the transfer of the ‘hot’ electrons that decay from the plasmon to the reactants. The experimental results were confirmed by theoretical calculations. (paper)

Controlling the photochemical reaction of an azastilbene derivative in water using a water-soluble pillar[6]arene.

Science.gov (United States)

Xia, Danyu; Wang, Pi; Shi, Bingbing

2017-09-20

Photochemistry plays an important role in our lives. It has also been a common tool in the laboratory to construct complicated systems from small molecules. Supramolecular chemistry provides an opportunity to solve some of the problems in controlling photochemical reactions via non-covalent interactions. By using confining media and weak interactions between the medium and the reactant molecule, the excited state behavior of molecules has been successfully manipulated. Pillararenes, a new class of macrocyclic hosts, have rarely been used in the field of photochemical investigations, such as the controlling of photo-induced reactions. Herein, we explore a synthetic macrocyclic host, a water-soluble pillar[6]arene, as a controlling tool to manipulate the photo-induced reactions (hydration) in water. A host-guest system in water based on a water-soluble pillar[6]arene and an azastilbene derivative, (E)-4,4'-dimethyl-4,4'-diazoniastilbene diiodide, has been constructed. Then this water-soluble pillar[6]arene was successfully employed to control the photohydration of the azastilbene derivative in water as a "protective agent".

Controllable deposition distance of aligned pattern via dual-nozzle near-field electrospinning

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Zhifeng; Chen, Xindu; Zeng, Jun; Liang, Feng; Wu, Peixuan; Wang, Han

2017-03-01

For large area micro/nano pattern printing, multi-nozzle electrohydrodynamic (EHD) printing setup is an efficient method to boost productivity in near-field electrospinning (NFES) process. And controlling EHD multi-jet accurate deposition under the interaction of nozzles and other parameters are crucial concerns during the process. The influence and sensitivity of various parameters such as the needle length, needle spacing, electrode-to-collector distance, voltage etc. on the direct-write patterning performance was investigated by orthogonal experiments with dual-nozzle NFES setup, and then the deposition distance estimated based on a novel model was compared with measurement results and proven. More controllable deposition distance and much denser of aligned naofiber can be achieved by rotating the dual-nozzle setup. This study can be greatly contributed to estimate the deposition distance and helpful to guide the multi-nozzle NFES process to accurate direct-write pattern in manufacturing process in future.

Do subitizing deficits in developmental dyscalculia involve pattern recognition weakness?

Science.gov (United States)

Ashkenazi, Sarit; Mark-Zigdon, Nitza; Henik, Avishai

2013-01-01

The abilities of children diagnosed with developmental dyscalculia (DD) were examined in two types of object enumeration: subitizing, and small estimation (5-9 dots). Subitizing is usually defined as a fast and accurate assessment of a number of small dots (range 1 to 4 dots), and estimation is an imprecise process to assess a large number of items (range 5 dots or more). Based on reaction time (RT) and accuracy analysis, our results indicated a deficit in the subitizing and small estimation range among DD participants in relation to controls. There are indications that subitizing is based on pattern recognition, thus presenting dots in a canonical shape in the estimation range should result in a subitizing-like pattern. In line with this theory, our control group presented a subitizing-like pattern in the small estimation range for canonically arranged dots, whereas the DD participants presented a deficit in the estimation of canonically arranged dots. The present finding indicates that pattern recognition difficulties may play a significant role in both subitizing and subitizing deficits among those with DD. © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Pattern control and suppression of spatiotemporal chaos using geometrical resonance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gonzalez, J.A.; Bellorin, A.; Reyes, L.I.; Vasquez, C.; Guerrero, L.E.

2004-01-01

We generalize the concept of geometrical resonance to perturbed sine-Gordon, Nonlinear Schroedinger, phi (cursive,open) Greek 4 , and Complex Ginzburg-Landau equations. Using this theory we can control different dynamical patterns. For instance, we can stabilize breathers and oscillatory patterns of large amplitudes successfully avoiding chaos. On the other hand, this method can be used to suppress spatiotemporal chaos and turbulence in systems where these phenomena are already present. This method can be generalized to even more general spatiotemporal systems. A short report of some of our results has been published in [Europhys. Lett. 64 (2003) 743

Patterned self-assembled monolayers for nanoscale lithography and the control of catalytically produced electroosmosis

Science.gov (United States)

Subramanian, Shyamala

different end-group functionality impart different surface zeta potential to the gold surface. Zeta-potential engineering via patterning various end-group functionalized SAMs on gold surface to control direction of catalytically induced electroosmotic fluid flow is demonstrated for the first time. This work also describes the application of catalytic power to produce controlled rotational motion. Gold gears-like structures made using conventional microfabrication techniques and propelled by catalytic power are shown to rotate at speeds of 1 rotation/sec in a dilute solution of hydrogen peroxide. Fabrication of a force sensor for detection and measurement of catalytic forces is also introduced. The force sensor, with sensitivity in the piconewton range, consists of a microcantilever with a catalytically active silver post patterned on the tip. Changes in cantilever displacement and resonance frequency due to the catalytic force were monitored as a function of concentration of hydrogen peroxide. Overall, this thesis integrates SAM deposition and patterning techniques with conventional fabrication methods to engineer and control nanoscale structures and devices. Possible future device designs are described including CMOS devices having channel width defined using molecular ruler lithography with sacrificial hosts, drug delivery device based on AFM force sensor and channeless pumps powered by catalytic reactions with SAM controlled electroosmotic fluid flow.

Audit, Control and Monitoring Design Patterns (ACMDP for Autonomous Robust Systems (ARS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

C. Trad

2008-11-01

Full Text Available This paper proposes the Audit, Control and Monitoring Design Patterns (ACMDP for building Autonomous and Robust Systems (ARS such as Mobile Robot Systems (MRS. These patterns are also applicable to other Mission Critical and Complex Systems (MCCS. This paper presents a proposal which will help ARS project managers and engineers design, build and estimate the probability that an ARS will succeed or fail. Furthermore, this proposal offers the possibility to ARS problems with the help of audit, monitoring and controlling components, adjust the project management pathways, and define the problem sources as well as their possible solutions, in order to deliver an ARS or an MRS.

Controlling growth density and patterning of single crystalline silicon nanowires

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chang, Tung-Hao; Chang, Yu-Cheng; Liu, Fu-Ken; Chu, Tieh-Chi

2010-01-01

This study examines the usage of well-patterned Au nanoparticles (NPs) as a catalyst for one-dimensional growth of single crystalline Si nanowires (NWs) through the vapor-liquid-solid (VLS) mechanism. The study reports the fabrication of monolayer Au NPs through the self-assembly of Au NPs on a 3-aminopropyltrimethoxysilane (APTMS)-modified silicon substrate. Results indicate that the spin coating time of Au NPs plays a crucial role in determining the density of Au NPs on the surface of the silicon substrate and the later catalysis growth of Si NWs. The experiments in this study employed optical lithography to pattern Au NPs, treating them as a catalyst for Si NW growth. The patterned Si NW structures easily produced and controlled Si NW density. This approach may be useful for further studies on single crystalline Si NW-based nanodevices and their properties.

Global control of reaction wheel pendulum through energy regulation and extended linearization of the state variables

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Oscar D. Montoya-Giraldo

2014-01-01

Full Text Available This paper presents the design and simulation of a global controller for the Reaction Wheel Pendulum system using energy regulation and extended linearization methods for the state feedback. The proposed energy regulation is based on the gradual reduction of the energy of the system to reach the unstable equilibrium point. The signal input for this task is obtained from the Lyapunov stability theory. The extended state feedback controller design is used to get a smooth nonlinear function that extends the region of operation to a bigger range, in contrast with the static linear state feedback obtained through the method of approximate linearization around an operating point. The general designed controller operates with a switching between the two control signals depending upon the region of operation; perturbations are applied in the control signal and the (simulated measured variables to verify the robustness and efficiency of the controller. Finally, simulations and tests using the model of the reaction wheel pendulum system, allow to observe the versatility and functionality of the proposed controller in the entire operation region of the pendulum.

High-resolution liquid patterns via three-dimensional droplet shape control.

Science.gov (United States)

Raj, Rishi; Adera, Solomon; Enright, Ryan; Wang, Evelyn N

2014-09-25

Understanding liquid dynamics on surfaces can provide insight into nature's design and enable fine manipulation capability in biological, manufacturing, microfluidic and thermal management applications. Of particular interest is the ability to control the shape of the droplet contact area on the surface, which is typically circular on a smooth homogeneous surface. Here, we show the ability to tailor various droplet contact area shapes ranging from squares, rectangles, hexagons, octagons, to dodecagons via the design of the structure or chemical heterogeneity on the surface. We simultaneously obtain the necessary physical insights to develop a universal model for the three-dimensional droplet shape by characterizing the droplet side and top profiles. Furthermore, arrays of droplets with controlled shapes and high spatial resolution can be achieved using this approach. This liquid-based patterning strategy promises low-cost fabrication of integrated circuits, conductive patterns and bio-microarrays for high-density information storage and miniaturized biochips and biosensors, among others.

Evidence for a general stiffening motor control pattern in neck pain: a cross sectional study.

Science.gov (United States)

Meisingset, Ingebrigt; Woodhouse, Astrid; Stensdotter, Ann-Katrin; Stavdahl, Øyvind; Lorås, Håvard; Gismervik, Sigmund; Andresen, Hege; Austreim, Kristian; Vasseljen, Ottar

2015-03-17

Neck pain is associated with several alterations in neck motion and motor control. Previous studies have investigated single constructs of neck motor control, while few have applied a comprehensive set of tests to investigate cervical motor control. This comparative cross- sectional study aimed to investigate different motor control constructs in neck pain patients and healthy controls. A total of 166 subjects participated in the study, 91 healthy controls (HC) and 75 neck pain patients (NP) with long-lasting moderate to severe neck pain. Neck flexibility, proprioception, head steadiness, trajectory movement control, and postural sway were assessed using a 3D motion tracking system (Liberty). The different constructs of neck motion and motor control were based on tests used in previous studies. Neck flexibility was lower in NP compared to HC, indicated by reduced cervical ROM and conjunct motion. Movement velocity was slower in NP compared to HC. Tests of head steadiness showed a stiffer movement pattern in NP compared to HC, indicated by lower head angular velocity. NP patients departed less from a predictable trajectory movement pattern (figure of eight) compared to healthy controls, but there was no difference for unpredictable movement patterns (the Fly test). No differences were found for postural sway in standing with eyes open and eyes closed. However, NP patients had significantly larger postural sway when standing on a balance pad. Proprioception did not differ between the groups. Largest effect sizes (ES) were found for neck flexibility (ES range: 0.2-0.8) and head steadiness (ES range: 1.3-2.0). Neck flexibility was the only construct that showed a significant association with current neck pain, while peak velocity was the only variable that showed a significant association with kinesiophobia. NP patients showed an overall stiffer and more rigid neck motor control pattern compared to HC, indicated by lower neck flexibility, slower movement velocity

Experimental studies of water hammer in propellant feed system of reaction control system

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Avanish Kumar

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Water hammer pressure transient produces large dynamic forces which can damage the pipes and other assemblies in the feed line of a reaction control system (RCS. It has led to the failure of pressure transducers monitoring the manifold pressure in the feed line of RCS. Therefore, water hammer studies have been carried out to understand its effect in feed line. Feedline system has been simplified to develop a mathematical model and experiments have been carried out at extensive levels. The mathematical model was developed considering pipe of uniform c/s and moving liquid-gas interface. The experimental studies have been done using water as working medium instead of actual propellant. The studies showed that rate of pressurization have a very critical role on the water hammer amplitude. Sensitivity studies have been also carried out to study the effect of density, friction and initial liquid column length on water hammer amplitude. Keywords: Water hammer, Reaction control system (RCS, Propellant feed system, Experimental study, Testing

Dietary patterns and risk of colorectal cancer in Tehran Province: a case-control study.

Science.gov (United States)

Safari, Akram; Shariff, Zalilah Mohd; Kandiah, Mirnalini; Rashidkhani, Bahram; Fereidooni, Foroozandeh

2013-03-12

Colorectal cancer is the third and fourth leading cause of cancer incidence and mortality among men and women, respectively in Iran. However, the role of dietary factors that could contribute to this high cancer incidence remains unclear. The aim of this study was to determine major dietary patterns and its relationship with colorectal cancer. This case-control study was conducted in four hospitals in Tehran city of Iran. A total of 71 patients (35 men and 36 women, aged 40-75 years) with incident clinically confirmed colorectal cancer (CRC) and 142 controls (70 men and 72 women, aged 40-75 years) admitted to hospital for acute, non-neoplastic diseases were recruited and interviewed. Dietary data were assessed by 125-item semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire. Multivariate logistic regression was used to estimate the relationship between dietary patterns and risk of colorectal cancer. Two major dietary patterns (Healthy pattern and Western pattern) were derived using principal component analysis. Each dietary pattern explained 11.9% (Healthy pattern) and 10.3% (Western pattern) of the variation in food intake, respectively. After adjusting for confounding factors, the Healthy dietary pattern was significantly associated with a decreased risk of colorectal cancer (OR= 0.227; 95% CI=0.108-0.478) while an increased risk of colorectal cancer was observed with the Western dietary pattern (OR=2.616; 95% CI= 1.361-5.030). Specific dietary patterns, which include healthy and western patterns, may be associated with the risk of colorectal cancer. This diet-disease relationship can be used for developing interventions that aim to promote healthy eating for the prevention of chronic disease, particularly colorectal cancer in the Iranian population.

The CD control improvement by using CDSEM 2D measurement of complex OPC patterns

Science.gov (United States)

Chou, William; Cheng, Jeffrey; Lee, Adder; Cheng, James; Tzeng, Alex C.; Lu, Colbert; Yang, Ray; Lee, Hong Jen; Bandoh, Hideaki; Santo, Izumi; Zhang, Hao; Chen, Chien Kang

2016-10-01

As the process node becomes more advanced, the accuracy and precision in OPC pattern CD are required in mask manufacturing. CD SEM is an essential tool to confirm the mask quality such as CD control, CD uniformity and CD mean to target (MTT). Unfortunately, in some cases of arbitrary enclosed patterns or aggressive OPC patterns, for instance, line with tiny jogs and curvilinear SRAF, CD variation depending on region of interest (ROI) is a very serious problem in mask CD control, even it decreases the wafer yield. For overcoming this situation, the 2-dimensional (2D) method by Holon is adopted. In this paper, we summarize the comparisons of error budget between conventional (1D) and 2D data using CD SEM and the CD performance between mask and wafer by complex OPC patterns including ILT features.

A rule-based expert system for control rod pattern of boiling water reactors by hovering around haling exposure shape

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kao, P.-W.; Lin, L.-S.; Yang, J.-T.

2004-01-01

Feasible strategies for automatic BWR control rod pattern generation have been implemented in a rule-based expert system. These strategies are majorly based on a concept for which exposure distributions are hovering around the Haling exposure distribution through a cycle while radial and axial power distributions are dominantly controlled by some abstracted factors indicating the desired distributions. The system can either automatically generate expert-level control rod patterns or search for criteria-satisfied patterns originated from user's input. It has successfully been demonstrated by generating control rod patterns for the the 1775 MWth Chinshan plant in Unit I Cycle 13 alternate loading pattern and Unit 2 Cycle 8 but with longer cycle length. All rod patterns for two cycles result in all-rod-out at EOC and no violation against the four criteria. The demonstrations show that the system is considerably good in choosing initial trial rod patterns and adjusting rod patterns to satisfy the design criteria. (author)

An Analysis of Intrinsic and Extrinsic Hand Muscle EMG for Improved Pattern Recognition Control.

Science.gov (United States)

Adewuyi, Adenike A; Hargrove, Levi J; Kuiken, Todd A

2016-04-01

Pattern recognition control combined with surface electromyography (EMG) from the extrinsic hand muscles has shown great promise for control of multiple prosthetic functions for transradial amputees. There is, however, a need to adapt this control method when implemented for partial-hand amputees, who possess both a functional wrist and information-rich residual intrinsic hand muscles. We demonstrate that combining EMG data from both intrinsic and extrinsic hand muscles to classify hand grasps and finger motions allows up to 19 classes of hand grasps and individual finger motions to be decoded, with an accuracy of 96% for non-amputees and 85% for partial-hand amputees. We evaluated real-time pattern recognition control of three hand motions in seven different wrist positions. We found that a system trained with both intrinsic and extrinsic muscle EMG data, collected while statically and dynamically varying wrist position increased completion rates from 73% to 96% for partial-hand amputees and from 88% to 100% for non-amputees when compared to a system trained with only extrinsic muscle EMG data collected in a neutral wrist position. Our study shows that incorporating intrinsic muscle EMG data and wrist motion can significantly improve the robustness of pattern recognition control for application to partial-hand prosthetic control.

Motor control patterns during an active straight leg raise in pain-free subjects.

Science.gov (United States)

Beales, Darren John; O'Sullivan, Peter Bruce; Briffa, N Kathryn

2009-01-01

Repeated measures. To investigate motor control (MC) patterns of normal subjects during the low level physical load of the active straight leg raise (ASLR). Aberrant MC patterns, as observed with the ASLR test, are considered to be a mechanism for ongoing pain and disability in subjects with chronic musculoskeletal pelvic girdle pain. These patterns may not only affect the provision of lumbopelvic stability, but also respiration and the control of continence. Greater understanding of MC patterns in pain-free subjects may improve the management of pelvic girdle pain. METHODS.: Fourteen pain-free nulliparous women were examined during the ASLR. Electromyography of the anterior abdominal wall, right chest wall and the anterior scaleni, intraabdominal pressure (IAP), intrathoracic pressure (ITP), respiratory rate, pelvic floor kinematics, and downward leg pressure of the nonlifted leg were compared between a left and right ASLR. There was greater activation of obliquus internus abdominis and obliquus externus abdominis on the side of the ASLR. The predominant pattern of activation for the chest wall was tonic activation during an ipsilateral ASLR, and phasic respiratory activation lifting the contralateral leg. Respiratory fluctuation of both IAP and ITP did not differ lifting either leg. The baseline shifts of these pressure variables in response to the physical demand of lifting the leg was also the same either side. There was no difference in respiratory rate, pelvic floor kinematics, or downward leg pressure. Pain-free subjects demonstrate a predominant pattern of greater ipsilateral tonic activation of the abdominal wall and chest wall on the side of the ASLR. This was achieved with minimal apparent disruption to IAP and ITP. The findings of this study demonstrate the plastic nature of the abdominal cylinder and the flexibility of the neuromuscular system in controlling load transference during an ASLR.

Reaction-Diffusion Automata Phenomenology, Localisations, Computation

CERN Document Server

Adamatzky, Andrew

2013-01-01

Reaction-diffusion and excitable media are amongst most intriguing substrates. Despite apparent simplicity of the physical processes involved the media exhibit a wide range of amazing patterns: from target and spiral waves to travelling localisations and stationary breathing patterns. These media are at the heart of most natural processes, including morphogenesis of living beings, geological formations, nervous and muscular activity, and socio-economic developments.   This book explores a minimalist paradigm of studying reaction-diffusion and excitable media using locally-connected networks of finite-state machines: cellular automata and automata on proximity graphs. Cellular automata are marvellous objects per se because they show us how to generate and manage complexity using very simple rules of dynamical transitions. When combined with the reaction-diffusion paradigm the cellular automata become an essential user-friendly tool for modelling natural systems and designing future and emergent computing arch...

Fabrication of self-written waveguide in photosensitive polyimide resin by controlling photochemical reaction of photosensitizer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yamashita, K.; Kuro, T.; Oe, K.; Mune, K.; Tagawa, K.; Naitou, R.; Mochizuki, A.

2004-01-01

We have investigated optical properties of photosensitive polyimide appropriating for long self-written waveguide fabrication. From systematic measurements of absorption properties, it was found that photochemical reaction of photosensitizer dissolved in the photosensitive polyimide resins relates to transparency after the exposure, which limits the length of the fabricated self-written waveguide. By controlling the photochemical reaction, in which the photosensitive polyimide resin has sufficient transparency during exposure, four times longer self-written waveguide core was fabricated

Engineering systems for the generation of patterned co-cultures for controlling cell-cell interactions.

Science.gov (United States)

Kaji, Hirokazu; Camci-Unal, Gulden; Langer, Robert; Khademhosseini, Ali

2011-03-01

Inside the body, cells lie in direct contact or in close proximity to other cell types in a tightly controlled architecture that often regulates the resulting tissue function. Therefore, tissue engineering constructs that aim to reproduce the architecture and the geometry of tissues will benefit from methods of controlling cell-cell interactions with microscale resolution. We discuss the use of microfabrication technologies for generating patterned co-cultures. In addition, we categorize patterned co-culture systems by cell type and discuss the implications of regulating cell-cell interactions in the resulting biological function of the tissues. Patterned co-cultures are a useful tool for fabricating tissue engineered constructs and for studying cell-cell interactions in vitro, because they can be used to control the degree of homotypic and heterotypic cell-cell contact. In addition, this approach can be manipulated to elucidate important factors involved in cell-matrix interactions. Patterned co-culture strategies hold significant potential to develop biomimetic structures for tissue engineering. It is expected that they would create opportunities to develop artificial tissues in the future. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled Nanotechnologies - Emerging Applications in Biomedicine. 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

An equilibrium-point model of electromyographic patterns during single-joint movements based on experimentally reconstructed control signals.

Science.gov (United States)

Latash, M L; Goodman, S R

1994-01-01

The purpose of this work has been to develop a model of electromyographic (EMG) patterns during single-joint movements based on a version of the equilibrium-point hypothesis, a method for experimental reconstruction of the joint compliant characteristics, the dual-strategy hypothesis, and a kinematic model of movement trajectory. EMG patterns are considered emergent properties of hypothetical control patterns that are equally affected by the control signals and peripheral feedback reflecting actual movement trajectory. A computer model generated the EMG patterns based on simulated movement kinematics and hypothetical control signals derived from the reconstructed joint compliant characteristics. The model predictions have been compared to published recordings of movement kinematics and EMG patterns in a variety of movement conditions, including movements over different distances, at different speeds, against different-known inertial loads, and in conditions of possible unexpected decrease in the inertial load. Changes in task parameters within the model led to simulated EMG patterns qualitatively similar to the experimentally recorded EMG patterns. The model's predictive power compares it favourably to the existing models of the EMG patterns. Copyright © 1994. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Parametric spatiotemporal oscillation in reaction-diffusion systems.

Science.gov (United States)

Ghosh, Shyamolina; Ray, Deb Shankar

2016-03-01

We consider a reaction-diffusion system in a homogeneous stable steady state. On perturbation by a time-dependent sinusoidal forcing of a suitable scaling parameter the system exhibits parametric spatiotemporal instability beyond a critical threshold frequency. We have formulated a general scheme to calculate the threshold condition for oscillation and the range of unstable spatial modes lying within a V-shaped region reminiscent of Arnold's tongue. Full numerical simulations show that depending on the specificity of nonlinearity of the models, the instability may result in time-periodic stationary patterns in the form of standing clusters or spatially localized breathing patterns with characteristic wavelengths. Our theoretical analysis of the parametric oscillation in reaction-diffusion system is corroborated by full numerical simulation of two well-known chemical dynamical models: chlorite-iodine-malonic acid and Briggs-Rauscher reactions.

Optically Controlled Electron-Transfer Reaction Kinetics and Solvation Dynamics : Effect of Franck-Condon States

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Gupta, Kriti; Patra, Aniket; Dhole, Kajal; Samanta, Alok Kumar; Ghosh, Swapan K.

2017-01-01

Experimental results for optically controlled electron-transfer reaction kinetics (ETRK) and nonequilibrium solvation dynamics (NESD) of Coumarin 480 in DMPC vesicle show their dependence on excitation wavelength λex. However, the celebrated Marcus theory and linear-response-theory-based approaches

Method for improving the electrostatics perforation pattern using power controlled discharges

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Garzon, C; Miranda, E; GarcIa-Garcia, J [Departament d' Enginyeria Electronica, Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Barcelona (Spain); Martinez-Cisneros, C; Alonso, J, E-mail: carolina.garzon@uab.cat [Departament de Quimica Analitica, Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Barcelona (Spain)

2011-06-23

The aims of this work are to show the influence of adding a series resistance at the output of a discharge generator circuit and to point out that this component can be used to control the spark energy in electrostatic perforation systems. Analysis of the experimental results reveals that there exists a close connection between the resistor value and the obtained perforation pattern both in hole density and size. The use of a series resistor has a strong influence on the material porosity, which is an important industrial parameter for assessing the pattern perforation quality.

Alkyne Benzannulation Reactions for the Synthesis of Novel Aromatic Architectures.

Science.gov (United States)

Hein, Samuel J; Lehnherr, Dan; Arslan, Hasan; J Uribe-Romo, Fernando; Dichtel, William R

2017-11-21

Aromatic compounds and polymers are integrated into organic field effect transistors, light-emitting diodes, photovoltaic devices, and redox-flow batteries. These compounds and materials feature increasingly complex designs, and substituents influence energy levels, bandgaps, solution conformation, and crystal packing, all of which impact performance. However, many polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons of interest are difficult to prepare because their substitution patterns lie outside the scope of current synthetic methods, as strategies for functionalizing benzene are often unselective when applied to naphthalene or larger systems. For example, cross-coupling and nucleophilic aromatic substitution reactions rely on prefunctionalized arenes, and even directed metalation methods most often modify positions near Lewis basic sites. Similarly, electrophilic aromatic substitutions access single regioisomers under substrate control. Cycloadditions provide a convergent route to densely functionalized aromatic compounds that compliment the above methods. After surveying cycloaddition reactions that might be used to modify the conjugated backbone of poly(phenylene ethynylene)s, we discovered that the Asao-Yamamoto benzannulation reaction is notably efficient. Although this reaction had been reported a decade earlier, its scope and usefulness for synthesizing complex aromatic systems had been under-recognized. This benzannulation reaction combines substituted 2-(phenylethynyl)benzaldehydes and substituted alkynes to form 2,3-substituted naphthalenes. The reaction tolerates a variety of sterically congested alkynes, making it well-suited for accessing poly- and oligo(ortho-arylene)s and contorted hexabenzocoronenes. In many cases in which asymmetric benzaldehyde and alkyne cycloaddition partners are used, the reaction is regiospecific based on the electronic character of the alkyne substrate. Recognizing these desirable features, we broadened the substrate scope to include silyl

Position paper of the EAACI: food allergy due to immunological cross-reactions with common inhalant allergens.

Science.gov (United States)

Werfel, T; Asero, R; Ballmer-Weber, B K; Beyer, K; Enrique, E; Knulst, A C; Mari, A; Muraro, A; Ollert, M; Poulsen, L K; Vieths, S; Worm, M; Hoffmann-Sommergruber, K

2015-09-01

In older children, adolescents, and adults, a substantial part of all IgE-mediated food allergies is caused by cross-reacting allergenic structures shared by inhalants and foods. IgE stimulated by a cross-reactive inhalant allergen can result in diverse patterns of allergic reactions to various foods. Local, mild, or severe systemic reactions may occur already after the first consumption of a food containing a cross-reactive allergen. In clinical practice, clinically relevant sensitizations are elucidated by skin prick testing or by the determination of specific IgE in vitro. Component-resolved diagnosis may help to reach a diagnosis and may predict the risk of a systemic reaction. Allergy needs to be confirmed in cases of unclear history by oral challenge tests. The therapeutic potential of allergen immunotherapy with inhalant allergens in pollen-related food allergy is not clear, and more placebo-controlled studies are needed. As we are facing an increasing incidence of pollen allergies, a shift in sensitization patterns and changes in nutritional habits, and the occurrence of new, so far unknown allergies due to cross-reactions are expected. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Randomised controlled trial of site specific advice on school travel patterns.

Science.gov (United States)

Rowland, D; DiGuiseppi, C; Gross, M; Afolabi, E; Roberts, I

2003-01-01

To evaluate the effect of site specific advice from a school travel coordinator on school travel patterns. Cluster randomised controlled trial of children attending 21 primary schools in the London boroughs of Camden and Islington. A post-intervention survey measured the proportion of children walking, cycling, or using public transport for travel to school, and the proportion of parents/carers very or quite worried about traffic and abduction. The proportion of schools that developed and implemented travel plans was assessed. One year post-intervention, nine of 11 intervention schools and none of 10 control schools had travel plans. Proportions of children walking, cycling, or using public transport on the school journey were similar in intervention and control schools. The proportion of parents who were very or quite worried about traffic danger was similar in the intervention (85%) and control groups (87%). However, after adjusting for baseline and other potential confounding factors we could not exclude the possibility of a modest reduction in parental concern about traffic danger as a result of the intervention. Having a school travel coordinator increased the production of school travel plans but there was no evidence that this changed travel patterns or reduced parental fears. Given the uncertainty about effectiveness, the policy of providing school travel coordinators should only be implemented within the context of a randomised controlled trial.

Design of an Adaptive-Neural Network Attitude Controller of a Satellite using Reaction Wheels

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Abbas Ajorkar

2015-04-01

Full Text Available In this paper, an adaptive attitude control algorithm is developed based on neural network for a satellite using four reaction wheels in a tetrahedron configuration. Then, an attitude control based on feedback linearization control has been designed and uncertainties in the moment of inertia matrix and disturbances torque have been considered. In order to eliminate the effect of these uncertainties, a multilayer neural network with back-propagation law is designed. In this structure, the parameters of the moment of inertia matrix and external disturbances are estimated and used in feedback linearization control law. Finally, the performance of the designed attitude controller is investigated by several simulations.

DOOCS patterns, reusable software components for FPGA based RF GUN field controller

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pucyk, P. [Institute of Electronic Systems, Warsaw (Poland)

2006-07-01

Modern accelerator technology combines software and hardware solutions to provide distributed, high efficiency digital systems for High Energy Physics experiments. Providing flexible, maintainable software is crucial for ensuring high availability of the whole system. In order to fulfil all these requirements, appropriate design and development techniques have to be used. Software patterns are well known solution for common programming issues, providing proven development paradigms, which can help to avoid many design issues. DOOCS patterns introduces new concepts of reusable software components for control system algorithms development and implementation in DOOCS framework. Chosen patterns have been described and usage examples have been presented in this paper. (orig.)

DOOCS patterns, reusable software components for FPGA based RF GUN field controller

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pucyk, P.

2006-01-01

Modern accelerator technology combines software and hardware solutions to provide distributed, high efficiency digital systems for High Energy Physics experiments. Providing flexible, maintainable software is crucial for ensuring high availability of the whole system. In order to fulfil all these requirements, appropriate design and development techniques have to be used. Software patterns are well known solution for common programming issues, providing proven development paradigms, which can help to avoid many design issues. DOOCS patterns introduces new concepts of reusable software components for control system algorithms development and implementation in DOOCS framework. Chosen patterns have been described and usage examples have been presented in this paper. (orig.)

Age influences the skin reaction pattern to mechanical stress and its repair level through skin care products.

Science.gov (United States)

Zouboulis, Christos C; Elewa, Rana; Ottaviani, Monica; Fluhr, Joachim; Picardo, Mauro; Bernois, Armand; Heusèle, Catherine; Camera, Emanuela

2018-03-01

Skin aging is associated with alterations of surface texture, sebum composition and immune response. Mechanical stress induces repair mechanisms, which may be dependent on the age and quality of the skin. The response to mechanical stress in young and aged individuals, their subjective opinion and the objective effectiveness of skin care products were evaluated by biophysical skin quality parameters (stratum corneum hydration, transepidermal water loss, skin pH, pigmentation and erythema) at baseline, 1, 6, 24h and 7days at the forearms of 2 groups of healthy volunteers, younger than 35 years (n=11) and older than 60 years (n=13). In addition, casual surface lipid composition was studied under the same conditions at the baseline and day 7 after mechanical stress induction. Evaluations were also performed in stressed skin areas treated daily with skin care products and the subjective opinion of the volunteers was additionally documented. The tested groups exhibited age-associated baseline skin functions as well as casual surface lipid composition and different reaction patterns to mechanical stress. Skin care was more effective in normalizing skin reaction to stress in the young than in the aged group. The subjective volunteer opinion correlated with the objective measurements. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Inherent-opening-controlled pattern formation in carbon nanotube arrays

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Huang Xiao; Zhou, Jijie J; Sansom, Elijah; Gharib, Morteza; Haur, Sow Chorng

2007-01-01

We have introduced inherent openings into densely packed carbon nanotube arrays to study self-organized pattern formation when the arrays undergo a wetting-dewetting treatment from nanotube tips. These inherent openings, made of circular or elongated hollows in nanotube mats, serve as dewetting centres, from where liquid recedes from. As the dewetting centres initiate dry zones and the dry zones expand, surrounding nanotubes are pulled away from the dewetting centres by liquid surface tension. Among short nanotubes, the self-organized patterns are consistent with the shape of the inherent openings, i.e. slender openings lead to elongated trench-like structures, and circular holes result in relatively round nest-like arrangements. Nanotubes in a relatively high mat are more connected, like in an elastic body, than those in a short mat. Small cracks often initialize themselves in a relatively high mat, along two or more adjacent round openings; each of the cracks evolves into a trench as liquid dries up. Self-organized pattern control with inherent openings needs to initiate the dewetting process above the nanotube tips. If there is no liquid on top, inherent openings barely enlarge themselves after the wetting-dewetting treatment

The ecology and evolution of temperature-dependent reaction norms for sex determination in reptiles: a mechanistic conceptual model.

Science.gov (United States)

Pezaro, Nadav; Doody, J Sean; Thompson, Michael B

2017-08-01

Sex-determining mechanisms are broadly categorised as being based on either genetic or environmental factors. Vertebrate sex determination exhibits remarkable diversity but displays distinct phylogenetic patterns. While all eutherian mammals possess XY male heterogamety and female heterogamety (ZW) is ubiquitous in birds, poikilothermic vertebrates (fish, amphibians and reptiles) exhibit multiple genetic sex-determination (GSD) systems as well as environmental sex determination (ESD). Temperature is the factor controlling ESD in reptiles and temperature-dependent sex determination (TSD) in reptiles has become a focal point in the study of this phenomenon. Current patterns of climate change may cause detrimental skews in the population sex ratios of reptiles exhibiting TSD. Understanding the patterns of variation, both within and among populations and linking such patterns with the selection processes they are associated with, is the central challenge of research aimed at predicting the capacity of populations to adapt to novel conditions. Here we present a conceptual model that innovates by defining an individual reaction norm for sex determination as a range of incubation temperatures. By deconstructing individual reaction norms for TSD and revealing their underlying interacting elements, we offer a conceptual solution that explains how variation among individual reaction norms can be inferred from the pattern of population reaction norms. The model also links environmental variation with the different patterns of TSD and describes the processes from which they may arise. Specific climate scenarios are singled out as eco-evolutionary traps that may lead to demographic extinction or a transition to either male or female heterogametic GSD. We describe how the conceptual principles can be applied to interpret TSD data and to explain the adaptive capacity of TSD to climate change as well as its limits and the potential applications for conservation and management

Nutrient dietary patterns and the risk of colorectal cancer: a case-control study from Italy.

Science.gov (United States)

Bravi, Francesca; Edefonti, Valeria; Bosetti, Cristina; Talamini, Renato; Montella, Maurizio; Giacosa, Attilio; Franceschi, Silvia; Negri, Eva; Ferraroni, Monica; La Vecchia, Carlo; Decarli, Adriano

2010-11-01

The role of diet on colorectal cancer has been considered in terms of single foods and nutrients, but less frequently in terms of dietary patterns. Data were derived from an Italian case-control study, including 1,225 subjects with cancer of the colon, 728 subjects with rectal cancer, and 4,154 hospital controls. We identified dietary patterns on a selected set of nutrients through principal component factor analysis. Odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals for both cancers were estimated using unconditional multiple logistic regression. We identified 5 major dietary patterns. Direct associations were observed between the Starch-rich pattern and both cancer of the colon (OR = 1.68) and of the rectum (OR = 1.74). Inverse relationships were found between the Vitamins and fiber pattern and rectal cancer (OR = 0.61), between the Unsaturated fats (animal source) and the Unsaturated fats (vegetable source) and cancer of the colon (OR = 0.80 and OR = 0.79, respectively). No other significant association was found. The Starch-rich pattern is potentially an unfavorable indicator of risk for both colon and rectal cancer, whereas the Vitamins and fiber pattern is associated with a reduced risk of rectal cancer and the Unsaturated fats patterns with a reduced risk of colon cancer.

Foam patterns

Science.gov (United States)

Chaudhry, Anil R; Dzugan, Robert; Harrington, Richard M; Neece, Faurice D; Singh, Nipendra P; Westendorf, Travis

2013-11-26

A method of creating a foam pattern comprises mixing a polyol component and an isocyanate component to form a liquid mixture. The method further comprises placing a temporary core having a shape corresponding to a desired internal feature in a cavity of a mold and inserting the mixture into the cavity of the mold so that the mixture surrounds a portion of the temporary core. The method optionally further comprises using supporting pins made of foam to support the core in the mold cavity, with such pins becoming integral part of the pattern material simplifying subsequent processing. The method further comprises waiting for a predetermined time sufficient for a reaction from the mixture to form a foam pattern structure corresponding to the cavity of the mold, wherein the foam pattern structure encloses a portion of the temporary core and removing the temporary core from the pattern independent of chemical leaching.

Papulo-Nodular Reactions in Black Tattoos as Markers of Sarcoidosis: Study of 92 Tattoo Reactions from a Hospital Material.

Science.gov (United States)

Sepehri, Mitra; Hutton Carlsen, Katrina; Serup, Jørgen

2016-01-01

Sarcoidosis is, from historical data, suggested to be more prevalent among patients with tattoo reactions. We aimed to evaluate this association in a systematic study. This is a consecutive study of patients with tattoo complications, diagnosed in the "Tattoo Clinic" at Bispebjerg University Hospital in Copenhagen, Denmark, from 2008 to 2015, based on clinical assessment and histology. From the overall group of 494 tattoo complications in 406 patients, 92 reactions in 72 patients showed a papulo-nodular pattern studied for local and systemic sarcoidosis, since sarcoidosis is expected to be nodular. Of the 92 reactions with a papulo-nodular pattern, 27 (29%) reactions in 19 patients were diagnosed as cutaneous or systemic sarcoidosis, supported by histology; 65 (71%) were diagnosed as non-sarcoidosis due to histology and no clinical sarcoid manifestations. "Rush phenomenon" with concomitant reaction in many other black tattoos, triggered by a recent tattoo with a papulo-nodular reaction, was observed in 70% in the sarcoidosis group and 28% in the non-sarcoidosis group, indicating a predisposing factor which may be autoimmune and linked with sarcoidosis. Agglomerates of black pigment forming foreign bodies may in the predisposed individual trigger widespread reaction in the skin and internal organs. Black tattoos with papulo-nodular reactions should be seen as markers of sarcoidosis. Papulo-nodular reactions may, as triggers, induce widespread reactions in other black tattoos - a "rush phenomenon" - depending on individual predisposition. Sarcoidosis is estimated to be 500-fold increased in papulo-nodular reactions compared to the prevalence in the general population, and the association with black tattoos is strong. © 2017 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Employee reactions to the use of management control systems in hospitals: motivation vs. threat.

Science.gov (United States)

Lopez-Valeiras, Ernesto; Gomez-Conde, Jacobo; Lunkes, Rogerio Joao

Management control systems (such as budgets or balanced scorecards) are formal procedures used by managers to promote employee behavior aligned with organisational objectives. Employees may react to these control systems by either becoming more motivated or perceiving them as a threat. The aim of this paper is to determine the extent to which hospital ownership (public or private), professional group (physician, nurse, pharmacist or administrative employee), type of contract (fixed or temporary), gender and tenure can condition employee reaction to management control systems. We conducted the study in the three largest hospitals in the State of Santa Catarina (Brazil), two public (federal and state-owned) and one private (non-profit organisation). Physicians, nurses, pharmacists and administrative employees received a questionnaire between October 2013 and January 2014 concerning their current perceptions. We obtained 100 valid responses and conducted an ANOVA variance analysis. Our results show that the effect of management control systems on employees differs according to hospital ownership, professional group and type of contract. However, no significant evidence was found concerning gender or tenure. The results obtained contribute to creating specific knowledge on the reactions of employees to the use of management control systems in hospitals. This information may be important in adapting management control systems to the characteristics of the hospital and its employees, which may in turn contribute to reducing dysfunctional worker behavior. Copyright © 2017 SESPAS. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Discussion of the Investigation Method on the Reaction Kinetics of Metallurgical Reaction Engineering

Science.gov (United States)

Du, Ruiling; Wu, Keng; Zhang, Jiazhi; Zhao, Yong

Reaction kinetics of metallurgical physical chemistry which was successfully applied in metallurgy (as ferrous metallurgy, non-ferrous metallurgy) became an important theoretical foundation for subject system of traditional metallurgy. Not only the research methods were very perfect, but also the independent structures and systems of it had been formed. One of the important tasks of metallurgical reaction engineering was the simulation of metallurgical process. And then, the mechanism of reaction process and the conversion time points of different control links should be obtained accurately. Therefore, the research methods and results of reaction kinetics in metallurgical physical chemistry were not very suitable for metallurgical reaction engineering. In order to provide the definite conditions of transmission, reaction kinetics parameters and the conversion time points of different control links for solving the transmission and reaction equations in metallurgical reaction engineering, a new method for researching kinetics mechanisms in metallurgical reaction engineering was proposed, which was named stepwise attempt method. Then the comparison of results between the two methods and the further development of stepwise attempt method were discussed in this paper. As a new research method for reaction kinetics in metallurgical reaction engineering, stepwise attempt method could not only satisfy the development of metallurgical reaction engineering, but also provide necessary guarantees for establishing its independent subject system.

Computer code PRECIP-II for the calculation of Zr-steam reaction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Suzuki, Motoye; Kawasaki, Satoru; Furuta, Teruo

1978-06-01

The computer code PRECIP-II developed, a modification of S.Malang's SIMTRAN-I, is to calculate Zr-Steam reaction under LOCA conditions. Improved are the following: 1. treatment of boundary conditions at alpha/beta phase interface during temperature decrease. 2. method of time-mesh control. 3. number of input-controllable parameters, and output format. These improvements made possible physically reasonable calculations for an increased number of temperature history patterns, including the cladding temperature excursion assumed during LOCA. Calculations were made along various transient temperature histories, with the parameters so modified as to enable fitting of numerical results of weight gain, oxide thickness and alpha phase thickness in isothermal reactions to the experimental data. Then the computed results were compared with the corresponding experimental values, which revealed that most of the differences lie within +-10%. Slow cooling effect on ductility change of Zircaloy-4 was investigated with some of the oxidized specimens by a ring compression test; the effect is only slight. (auth.)

A review and guidance for pattern selection in spatiotemporal system

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Chunni; Ma, Jun

2018-03-01

Pattern estimation and selection in media can give important clues to understand the collective response to external stimulus by detecting the observable variables. Both reaction-diffusion systems (RDs) and neuronal networks can be treated as multi-agent systems from molecular level, intrinsic cooperation, competition. An external stimulus or attack can cause collapse of spatial order and distribution, while appropriate noise can enhance the consensus in the spatiotemporal systems. Pattern formation and synchronization stability can bridge isolated oscillators and the network by coupling these nodes with appropriate connection types. As a result, the dynamical behaviors can be detected and discussed by developing different spatial patterns and realizing network synchronization. Indeed, the collective response of network and multi-agent system depends on the local kinetics of nodes and cells. It is better to know the standard bifurcation analysis and stability control schemes before dealing with network problems. In this review, dynamics discussion and synchronization control on low-dimensional systems, pattern formation and synchronization stability on network, wave stability in RDs and neuronal network are summarized. Finally, possible guidance is presented when some physical effects such as polarization field and electromagnetic induction are considered.

Adaptive FTC based on Control Allocation and Fault Accommodation for Satellite Reaction Wheels

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Baldi, P.; Blanke, Mogens; Castaldi, P.

2016-01-01

and fault accommodation module directly exploiting the on-line fault estimates. The use of the nonlinear geometric approach and radial basis function neural networks allows to obtain a precise fault isolation, independently from the knowledge of aerodynamic disturbance parameters, and to design generalised......This paper proposes an active fault tolerant control scheme to cope with faults or failures affecting the flywheel spin rate sensors or satellite reaction wheel motors. The active fault tolerant control system consists of a fault detection and diagnosis module along with a control allocation...... estimation filters, which do not need a priori information about the internal model of the signal to be estimated. The adaptive control allocation and sensor fault accommodation can handle both temporal faults and failures. Simulation results illustrate the convincing fault correction and attitude control...

Light-induced spatial control of pH-jump reaction at smart gel interface.

Science.gov (United States)

Techawanitchai, Prapatsorn; Ebara, Mitsuhiro; Idota, Naokazu; Aoyagi, Takao

2012-11-01

We proposed here a 'smart' control of an interface movement of proton diffusion in temperature- and pH-responsive hydrogels using a light-induced spatial pH-jump reaction. A photoinitiated proton-releasing reaction of o-nitrobenzaldehyde (NBA) was integrated into poly(N-isopropylacrylamide-o-2-carboxyisopropylacrylamide) (P(NIPAAm-co-CIPAAm)) hydrogels. NBA-integrated hydrogels demonstrated quick release of proton upon UV irradiation, allowing the pH inside the gel to decrease below the pK(a) of P(NIPAAm-co-CIPAAm) within a minute. The NBA-integrated gel was shown to shrink rapidly upon UV irradiation without polymer "skin layer" formation due to a uniform decrease of pH inside the gel. Spatial control of gel shrinking was also created by irradiating UV light to a limited region of the gel through a photomask. The interface of proton diffusion ("active interface") gradually moved toward non-illuminated area. The apparent position of "active interface", however, did not change remarkably above the LCST, while protons continuously diffused outward direction. This is because the "active interface" also moved inward direction as gel shrank above the LCST. As a result, slow movement of the apparent interface was observed. The NBA-integrated gel was also successfully employed for the controlled release of an entrapped dextran in a light controlled manner. This system is highly promising as smart platforms for triggered and programmed transportation of drugs. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Optimal control of a Cope rearrangement by coupling the reaction path to a dissipative bath or a second active mode

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chenel, A.; Meier, C.; Dive, G.; Desouter-Lecomte, M.

2015-01-01

We compare the strategy found by the optimal control theory in a complex molecular system according to the active subspace coupled to the field. The model is the isomerization during a Cope rearrangement of Thiele’s ester that is the most stable dimer obtained by the dimerization of methyl-cyclopentadienenylcarboxylate. The crudest partitioning consists in retaining in the active space only the reaction coordinate, coupled to a dissipative bath of harmonic oscillators which are not coupled to the field. The control then fights against dissipation by accelerating the passage across the transition region which is very wide and flat in a Cope reaction. This mechanism has been observed in our previous simulations [Chenel et al., J. Phys. Chem. A 116, 11273 (2012)]. We compare here, the response of the control field when the reaction path is coupled to a second active mode. Constraints on the integrated intensity and on the maximum amplitude of the fields are imposed limiting the control landscape. Then, optimum field from one-dimensional simulation cannot provide a very high yield. Better guess fields based on the two-dimensional model allow the control to exploit different mechanisms providing a high control yield. By coupling the reaction surface to a bath, we confirm the link between the robustness of the field against dissipation and the time spent in the delocalized states above the transition barrier

Influence of a photochemical reaction on the controlled potential coulometric determination of plutonium in a mixture with uranium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Le Duigou, Y.; Leidert, W.

1976-01-01

Data are provided in support of a photochemical reaction which takes place simultaneously with the electrochemical reduction of quadrivalent plutonium during the controlled potential coulometric determination of plutonium in a mixture with uranium. The interfering effect of this reaction is overcome by placing the cell in a dark environment. (orig.) [de

Extent of reaction in open systems with multiple heterogeneous reactions

Science.gov (United States)

Friedly, John C.

1991-01-01

The familiar batch concept of extent of reaction is reexamined for systems of reactions occurring in open systems. Because species concentrations change as a result of transport processes as well as reactions in open systems, the extent of reaction has been less useful in practice in these applications. It is shown that by defining the extent of the equivalent batch reaction and a second contribution to the extent of reaction due to the transport processes, it is possible to treat the description of the dynamics of flow through porous media accompanied by many chemical reactions in a uniform, concise manner. This approach tends to isolate the reaction terms among themselves and away from the model partial differential equations, thereby enabling treatment of large problems involving both equilibrium and kinetically controlled reactions. Implications on the number of coupled partial differential equations necessary to be solved and on numerical algorithms for solving such problems are discussed. Examples provided illustrate the theory applied to solute transport in groundwater flow.

Nutritional patterns on prevention and control of hypertension

Science.gov (United States)

Ortega Anta, Rosa M; Jiménez Ortega, Ana Isabel; Perea Sánchez, José Miguel; Cuadrado Soto, Esther; López Sobaler, Ana M

2016-07-12

Objectives: Hypertension is a common health problem and with severe health impacts, underdiagnosed and modulated by dietary habits, lifestyle and intake of several nutrients, so analyze the latest data on the involvement of nutrition in preventing and control of hypertension is the subject of this review. Methods: Literature search regarding the topic. Results: Although the best known and followed patterns are the restriction in sodium intake, weight control, and moderation in alcohol consumption; improving diet (increasing consumption of cereals, vegetables, fruits...) and physical activity seem to have a major impact on the control of blood pressure, also consume less saturated fat (with increased MUFA and omega-3), adequate intake of calcium, magnesium, protein, vitamin D and fiber and improving the antioxidant capacity of the diet can have great importance in fighting the problem of hypertension. Given that the average Spanish diet does not meet the advised requirements for many of the nutrients mentioned as favorable in control of the blood pressure, an approximation of the diet to the theoretical ideal can be very helpful in the fight against this problem that has great health impact. Conclusions: Improving feeding, increasing the intake of vegetables, legumes, whole grains, dairy, fish, avoiding an inadequate supply of nutrients (especially calcium, magnesium, protein, and vitamin D) can have a greater benefit in controlling blood pressure, than most widespread monitoring restrictive guidelines in practice.

Multi-scale modeling of diffusion-controlled reactions in polymers: renormalisation of reactivity parameters.

Science.gov (United States)

Everaers, Ralf; Rosa, Angelo

2012-01-07

The quantitative description of polymeric systems requires hierarchical modeling schemes, which bridge the gap between the atomic scale, relevant to chemical or biomolecular reactions, and the macromolecular scale, where the longest relaxation modes occur. Here, we use the formalism for diffusion-controlled reactions in polymers developed by Wilemski, Fixman, and Doi to discuss the renormalisation of the reactivity parameters in polymer models with varying spatial resolution. In particular, we show that the adjustments are independent of chain length. As a consequence, it is possible to match reactions times between descriptions with different resolution for relatively short reference chains and to use the coarse-grained model to make quantitative predictions for longer chains. We illustrate our results by a detailed discussion of the classical problem of chain cyclization in the Rouse model, which offers the simplest example of a multi-scale descriptions, if we consider differently discretized Rouse models for the same physical system. Moreover, we are able to explore different combinations of compact and non-compact diffusion in the local and large-scale dynamics by varying the embedding dimension.

Real-Time Control of an Exoskeleton Hand Robot with Myoelectric Pattern Recognition.

Science.gov (United States)

Lu, Zhiyuan; Chen, Xiang; Zhang, Xu; Tong, Kay-Yu; Zhou, Ping

2017-08-01

Robot-assisted training provides an effective approach to neurological injury rehabilitation. To meet the challenge of hand rehabilitation after neurological injuries, this study presents an advanced myoelectric pattern recognition scheme for real-time intention-driven control of a hand exoskeleton. The developed scheme detects and recognizes user's intention of six different hand motions using four channels of surface electromyography (EMG) signals acquired from the forearm and hand muscles, and then drives the exoskeleton to assist the user accomplish the intended motion. The system was tested with eight neurologically intact subjects and two individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI). The overall control accuracy was [Formula: see text] for the neurologically intact subjects and [Formula: see text] for the SCI subjects. The total lag of the system was approximately 250[Formula: see text]ms including data acquisition, transmission and processing. One SCI subject also participated in training sessions in his second and third visits. Both the control accuracy and efficiency tended to improve. These results show great potential for applying the advanced myoelectric pattern recognition control of the wearable robotic hand system toward improving hand function after neurological injuries.

pH-Controlled Oxidation of an Aromatic Ketone: Structural Elucidation of the Products of Two Green Chemical Reactions

Science.gov (United States)

Ballard, C. Eric

2010-01-01

A laboratory experiment emphasizing the structural elucidation of organic compounds has been developed as a discovery exercise. The "unknown" compounds are the products of the pH-controlled oxidation of 4'-methoxyacetophenone with bleach. The chemoselectivity of this reaction is highly dependent on the pH of the reaction media: under basic…

THE HYDROVINYLATION AND RELATED REACTIONS: NEW PROTOCOLS AND CONTROL ELEMENTS IN SEARCH OF GREATER SYNTHETIC EFFICIENCY AND SELECTIVITY. (R826120)

Science.gov (United States)

New reaction conditions and stereochemical control elements for heterodimerization between ethylene (or propylene) and functionalized vinyl arenes are highlighted (see equation). For example, an enantioselective version of the hydrovinylation reaction uses [{(allyl)NiBr}...

Dietary pattern and lifestyle factors in asthma control

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mohammed Noufal Poongadan

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Background: The prevalence of asthma in adults varied from 0.96% to 11.03% while in children ranged from 2.3% to 11.9% in India. A number of factors including genetic predisposition, environment, and lifestyle factors including dietary habits influence the development and expression of asthma. The goal of asthma treatment is to achieve and maintain clinical control, which can be achieved in a majority of patients with pharmacologic intervention strategy. Objective: To assess the role of diet and lifestyle factors in asthma control in Indian population. Materials and Methods: Diagnosed asthma patients (aged 12-40 years were enrolled from the outpatient clinics. All patients were followed up and reassessed after 4 weeks with asthma control test (ACT and dietary and lifestyle questionnaire. The assessment of dietary pattern was performed by food frequency questionnaire (Nordic Nutrition Recommendations-Danish Physical Activity Questionnaire. The lifestyle factor included body mass index, smoking status, tobacco chewing, alcohol consumption, duration of travel (h/week, mental stress (visual analog scale: 0-10, sports activity - h/day, television (TV watching/video games - h/day, duration of sleep - h/day. Results: Seventy-five asthma patients (43 males and 32 females were divided into three groups according to ACT, 18 (24% patients in poorly-controlled asthma, 35 (46.7% in well-controlled asthma, and 22 (29.3% patients with totally-controlled asthma. Increased consumption of vegetables and cereals in patients with total-controlled asthma while increased consumption of sugar, nonvegetarian, fast food, salted and fried snacks in patients with poorly-controlled asthma. Poorly-controlled asthma had the highest duration of watching TV and sleep and least duration of travel and sports, though the results failed to reach statistical significance. Conclusion: The dietary and lifestyle factors too contribute to degree of control of asthma in India.

Model Predictive Control-based gait pattern generation for wearable exoskeletons.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Letian; van Asseldonk, Edwin H F; van der Kooij, Herman

2011-01-01

This paper introduces a new method for controlling wearable exoskeletons that do not need predefined joint trajectories. Instead, it only needs basic gait descriptors such as step length, swing duration, and walking speed. End point Model Predictive Control (MPC) is used to generate the online joint trajectories based on these gait parameters. Real-time ability and control performance of the method during the swing phase of gait cycle is studied in this paper. Experiments are performed by helping a human subject swing his leg with different patterns in the LOPES gait trainer. Results show that the method is able to assist subjects to make steps with different step length and step duration without predefined joint trajectories and is fast enough for real-time implementation. Future study of the method will focus on controlling the exoskeletons in the entire gait cycle. © 2011 IEEE

Patterned genital injury in cases of rape - A case-control study

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Astrup, Birgitte Schmidt; Ravn, Pernille; Thomsen, Jørgen Lange

2013-01-01

A pattern of genital injury that separates trauma seen in sexual assault cases from trauma seen following consensual sexual intercourse has been a matter of debate. This study aimed at clarifying the question by eliminating as many confounders as possible in a prospective, case-control setup. A t...

Pattern Electrodes for Studying SOFC Electrochemistry

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Patel, H.C.; Biradar, N.; Venkataraman, V.; Aravind, P.V.

2013-01-01

Pattern anodes can be used to localize reactions and study individual processes like charge transfer, adsorption, diffusion etc. Ceria and Nickel (Ni) pattern anodes were fabricated with the same dimensions with Triple phase boundary (TPB) lengths of 0.2707 m/cm2. Electrochemical Impedance

Measurement from sun-synchronous orbit of a reaction rate controlling the diurnal NOx cycle in the stratosphere

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. Dudhia

2011-05-01

Full Text Available A reaction rate associated with the nighttime formation of an important diurnally varying species, N2O5, is determined from MIPAS-ENVISAT. During the day, photolysis of N2O5 in the stratosphere contributes to nitrogen-catalysed ozone destruction. However, at night concentrations of N2O5 increase, temporarily sequestering reactive NOx NO and NO2 in a natural cycle which regulates the majority of stratospheric ozone. In this paper, the reaction rate controlling the formation of N2O5 is determined from this instrument for the first time. The observed reaction rate is compared to the currently accepted rate determined from laboratory measurements. Good agreement is obtained between the observed and accepted experimental reaction rates within the error bars.

Obtention control bars patterns for a BWR using Tabo search; Obtencion de patrones de barras de control para un BWR usando busqueda Tabu

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Castillo, A.; Ortiz, J.J.; Alonso, G. [Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones Nucleares, Km. 36.5 Carretera Mexico-Toluca, Ocoyoacac, Estado de Mexico 52045 (Mexico); Morales, L.B. [UNAM, IIMAS, Ciudad Universitaria, D. F. 04510 (Mexico); Valle, E. del [IPN, ESFM, Unidad Profesional ' Adolfo Lopez Mateos' , Col. Lindavista 07738, D. F. (Mexico)]. e-mail: jacm@nuclear.inin.mx

2004-07-01

The obtained results when implementing the technique of tabu search, for to optimize patterns of control bars in a BWR type reactor, using the CM-PRESTO code are presented. The patterns of control bars were obtained for the designs of fuel reloads obtained in a previous work, using the same technique. The obtained results correspond to a cycle of 18 months using 112 fresh fuels enriched at the 3.53 of U-235. The used technique of tabu search, prohibits recently visited movements, in the position that correspond to the axial positions of the control bars, additionally the tiempo{sub t}abu matrix is used for to manage a size of variable tabu list and the objective function is punished with the frequency of the forbidden movements. The obtained patterns of control bars improve the longitude of the cycle with regard to the reference values and they complete the restrictions of safety. (Author)

Control of the Radiation Patterns Using Homogeneous and Isotropic Impedance Metasurface

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fan Yang

2015-01-01

Full Text Available We propose to control the radiation patterns of a two-dimensional (2D point source by using impedance metasurfaces. We show that the radiation patterns can be manipulated by altering the surface impedance of the metasurface. Full-wave simulation results are provided to validate the theoretical derivations. The proposed design enjoys novel properties of isotropy, homogeneity, low profile, and high selectivity of frequency, making it potentially applicable in many applications. We also point out that this design can be implemented with active metasurfaces and the surface impedance can be tuned by modulating the value of loaded elements, like resistors, inductors, and capacitors.

Biomechanics of gecko locomotion: the patterns of reaction forces on inverted, vertical and horizontal substrates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, Zhouyi; Dai, Zhendong; Ji, Aihong; Xing, Qiang; Ren, Lei; Dai, Liming

2015-01-01

The excellent locomotion ability of geckos on various rough and/or inclined substrates has attracted scientists’ attention for centuries. However, the moving ability of gecko-mimicking robots on various inclined surfaces still lags far behind that of geckos, mainly because our understanding of how geckos govern their locomotion is still very poor. To reveal the fundamental mechanism of gecko locomotion and also to facilitate the design of gecko-mimicking robots, we have measured the reaction forces (RFs) acting on each individual foot of moving geckos on inverted, vertical and horizontal substrates (i.e. ceiling, wall and floor), have associated the RFs with locomotion behaviors by using high-speed camera, and have presented the relationships of the force components with patterns of reaction forces (PRFs). Geckos generate different PRF on ceiling, wall and floor, that is, the PRF is determined by the angles between the direction of gravity and the substrate on which geckos move. On the ceiling, geckos produce reversed shear forces acting on the front and hind feet, which pull away from the body in both lateral and fore-aft directions. They use a very large supporting angle from 21° to 24° to reduce the forces acting on their legs and feet. On the floor, geckos lift their bodies using a supporting angle from 76° to 78°, which not only decreases the RFs but also improves their locomotion ability. On the wall, geckos generate a reliable self-locking attachment by using a supporting angle of 14.8°, which is only about half of the critical angle of detachment. (paper)

Knowledge-Based Trajectory Error Pattern Method Applied to an Active Force Control Scheme

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Endra Pitowarno, Musa Mailah, Hishamuddin Jamaluddin

2012-08-01

Full Text Available The active force control (AFC method is known as a robust control scheme that dramatically enhances the performance of a robot arm particularly in compensating the disturbance effects. The main task of the AFC method is to estimate the inertia matrix in the feedback loop to provide the correct (motor torque required to cancel out these disturbances. Several intelligent control schemes have already been introduced to enhance the estimation methods of acquiring the inertia matrix such as those using neural network, iterative learning and fuzzy logic. In this paper, we propose an alternative scheme called Knowledge-Based Trajectory Error Pattern Method (KBTEPM to suppress the trajectory track error of the AFC scheme. The knowledge is developed from the trajectory track error characteristic based on the previous experimental results of the crude approximation method. It produces a unique, new and desirable error pattern when a trajectory command is forced. An experimental study was performed using simulation work on the AFC scheme with KBTEPM applied to a two-planar manipulator in which a set of rule-based algorithm is derived. A number of previous AFC schemes are also reviewed as benchmark. The simulation results show that the AFC-KBTEPM scheme successfully reduces the trajectory track error significantly even in the presence of the introduced disturbances.Key Words:  Active force control, estimated inertia matrix, robot arm, trajectory error pattern, knowledge-based.

Effect of expertise in shooting and Taekwondo on bipedal and unipedal postural control isolated or concurrent with a reaction-time task.

Science.gov (United States)

Negahban, Hossein; Aryan, Najmolhoda; Mazaheri, Masood; Norasteh, Ali Asghar; Sanjari, Mohammad Ali

2013-06-01

It was hypothesized that training in 'static balance' or 'dynamic balance' sports has differential effects on postural control and its attention demands during quiet standing. In order to test this hypothesis, two groups of female athletes practicing shooting, as a 'static balance' sport, and Taekwondo, as a 'dynamic balance' sport, and a control group of non-physically active females voluntarily participated in this study. Postural control was assessed during bipedal and unipedal stance with and without performing a Go/No-go reaction time task. Visual and/or support surface conditions were manipulated in bipedal and unipedal stances in order to modify postural difficulty. Mixed model analysis of variance was used to determine the effects of dual tasking on postural and cognitive performance. Similar pattern of results were found in bipedal and unipedal stances, with Taekwondo practitioners displaying larger sway, shooters displaying lower sway and non-athletes displaying sway characteristics intermediate to Taekwondo and shooting athletes. Larger effect was found in bipedal stance. Single to dual-task comparison of postural control showed no significant effect of mental task on sway velocity in shooters, indicating less cognitive effort invested in balance control during bipedal stance. We suggest that expertise in shooting has a more pronounced effect on decreased sway in static balance conditions. Furthermore, shooters invest less attention in postures that are more specific to their training, i.e. bipedal stance. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The Energy Saving Potential of Occupancy-Based Lighting Control Strategies in Open-Plan Offices: The Influence of Occupancy Patterns

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Christel de Bakker

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Occupancy-based lighting control strategies have been proven to be effective in diminishing offices’ energy consumption. These strategies have typically worked by controlling lighting at the room level but, recently, lighting systems have begun to be equipped with sensors on a more fine-grained level, enabling lighting control at the desk level. For some office cases, however, the savings gained using this strategy may not outweigh the costs and design efforts compared to room control. This is because, in some offices, individual occupancy patterns are similar, hence the difference in savings between desk and room control would be minimal. This study examined the influence of occupancy pattern variance within an office space on the relative energy savings of control strategies with different control zone sizes. We applied stochastic modeling to estimate the occupancy patterns, as this method can account for uncertainty. To validate our model, simulation results were compared to earlier studies and real measurements, which demonstrated that our simulations provided realistic occupancy patterns. Next, office cases varying in both job-function type distribution and office policy were investigated on energy savings potential to determine the influence of occupancy pattern variance. The relative energy savings potential of the different control strategies differed minimally for the test cases, suggesting that variations in individual occupancy patterns negligibly influence energy savings. In all cases, lighting control at the desk level showed a significantly higher energy savings potential than strategies with lower control zone granularity, suggesting that it is useful to implement occupancy-based lighting at the desk level in all office cases. This strategy should, thus, receive more attention from both researchers and lighting designers.

Longer reaction time of the fibularis longus muscle and reduced postural control in basketball players with functional ankle instability: A pilot study.

Science.gov (United States)

Méndez-Rebolledo, Guillermo; Guzmán-Muñoz, Eduardo; Gatica-Rojas, Valeska; Zbinden-Foncea, Hermann

2015-08-01

Motor control evaluation in subjects with functional ankle instability is questionable when both ankles of the same subject are compared (affected vs non-affected). To compare the postural control and reaction time of ankle muscles among: basketball players with FAI (instability group), basketball players without FAI (non-instability group) and healthy non-basketball-playing participants (control group). Case-control study. Laboratory. Instability (n = 10), non-instability (n = 10), and control groups (n = 11). Centre of pressure variables (area, velocity and sway) were measured with a force platform. Reaction time of ankle muscles was measured via electromyography. A one-way ANOVA demonstrated that there were significant differences between the instability and non-instability groups in the fibularis longus (p postural control and longer reaction time of the fibularis and tibialis anterior muscles. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Searching for full power control rod patterns in a boiling water reactor using genetic algorithms

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Montes, Jose Luis [Departamento Sistemas Nucleares, ININ, Carr. Mexico-Toluca Km. 36.5, Ocoyoacac, Edo. de Mexico (Mexico)]. E-mail: jlmt@nuclear.inin.mx; Ortiz, Juan Jose [Departamento Sistemas Nucleares, ININ, Carr. Mexico-Toluca Km. 36.5, Ocoyoacac, Edo. de Mexico (Mexico)]. E-mail: jjortiz@nuclear.inin.mx; Requena, Ignacio [Departamento Ciencias Computacion e I.A. ETSII, Informatica, Universidad de Granada, C. Daniel Saucedo Aranda s/n. 18071 Granada (Spain)]. E-mail: requena@decsai.ugr.es; Perusquia, Raul [Departamento Sistemas Nucleares, ININ, Carr. Mexico-Toluca Km. 36.5, Ocoyoacac, Edo. de Mexico (Mexico)]. E-mail: rpc@nuclear.inin.mx

2004-11-01

One of the most important questions related to both safety and economic aspects in a nuclear power reactor operation, is without any doubt its reactivity control. During normal operation of a boiling water reactor, the reactivity control of its core is strongly determined by control rods patterns efficiency. In this paper, GACRP system is proposed based on the concepts of genetic algorithms for full power control rod patterns search. This system was carried out using LVNPP transition cycle characteristics, being applied too to an equilibrium cycle. Several operation scenarios, including core water flow variation throughout the cycle and different target axial power distributions, are considered. Genetic algorithm fitness function includes reactor security parameters, such as MLHGR, MCPR, reactor k{sub eff} and axial power density.

Communication: State-to-state dynamics of the Cl + H2O → HCl + OH reaction: Energy flow into reaction coordinate and transition-state control of product energy disposal.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, Bin; Sun, Zhigang; Guo, Hua

2015-06-28

Quantum state-to-state dynamics of a prototypical four-atom reaction, namely, Cl + H2O → HCl + OH, is investigated for the first time in full dimensionality using a transition-state wave packet method. The state-to-state reactivity and its dependence on the reactant internal excitations are analyzed and found to share many similarities both energetically and dynamically with the H + H2O → H2 + OH reaction. The strong enhancement of reactivity by the H2O stretching vibrational excitations in both reactions is attributed to the favorable energy flow into the reaction coordinate near the transition state. On the other hand, the insensitivity of the product state distributions with regard to reactant internal excitation stems apparently from the transition-state control of product energy disposal.

Communication: State-to-state dynamics of the Cl + H2O → HCl + OH reaction: Energy flow into reaction coordinate and transition-state control of product energy disposal

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhao, Bin; Guo, Hua; Sun, Zhigang

2015-01-01

Quantum state-to-state dynamics of a prototypical four-atom reaction, namely, Cl + H 2 O → HCl + OH, is investigated for the first time in full dimensionality using a transition-state wave packet method. The state-to-state reactivity and its dependence on the reactant internal excitations are analyzed and found to share many similarities both energetically and dynamically with the H + H 2 O → H 2 + OH reaction. The strong enhancement of reactivity by the H 2 O stretching vibrational excitations in both reactions is attributed to the favorable energy flow into the reaction coordinate near the transition state. On the other hand, the insensitivity of the product state distributions with regard to reactant internal excitation stems apparently from the transition-state control of product energy disposal

Are muscle activation patterns altered during shod and barefoot running with a forefoot footfall pattern?

Science.gov (United States)

Ervilha, Ulysses Fernandes; Mochizuki, Luis; Figueira, Aylton; Hamill, Joseph

2017-09-01

This study aimed to investigate the activation of lower limb muscles during barefoot and shod running with forefoot or rearfoot footfall patterns. Nine habitually shod runners were asked to run straight for 20 m at self-selected speed. Ground reaction forces and thigh and shank muscle surface electromyographic (EMG) were recorded. EMG outcomes (EMG intensity [iEMG], latency between muscle activation and ground reaction force, latency between muscle pairs and co-activation index between muscle pairs) were compared across condition (shod and barefoot), running cycle epochs (pre-strike, strike, propulsion) and footfall (rearfoot and forefoot) by ANOVA. Condition affected iEMG at pre-strike epoch. Forefoot and rearfoot strike patterns induced different EMG activation time patterns affecting co-activation index for pairs of thigh and shank muscles. All these timing changes suggest that wearing shoes or not is less important for muscle activation than the way runners strike the foot on the ground. In conclusion, the guidance for changing external forces applied on lower limbs should be pointed to the question of rearfoot or forefoot footfall patterns.

Waterhammer modeling for the Ares I Upper Stage Reaction Control System cold flow development test article

Science.gov (United States)

Williams, Jonathan Hunter

The Upper Stage Reaction Control System provides in-flight three-axis attitude control for the Ares I Upper Stage. The system design must accommodate rapid thruster firing to maintain proper launch trajectory and thus allow for the possibility to pulse multiple thrusters simultaneously. Rapid thruster valve closure creates an increase in static pressure, known as waterhammer, which propagates throughout the propellant system at pressures exceeding nominal design values. A series of development tests conducted at Marshall Space Flight Center in 2009 were performed using a water-flow test article to better understand fluid characteristics of the Upper Stage Reaction Control System. A subset of the tests examined the waterhammer pressure and frequency response in the flight-representative system and provided data to anchor numerical models. This thesis presents a comparison of waterhammer test results with numerical model and analytical results. An overview of the flight system, test article, modeling and analysis are also provided.

Waterhammer Modeling for the Ares I Upper Stage Reaction Control System Cold Flow Development Test Article

Science.gov (United States)

Williams, Jonathan H.

2010-01-01

The Upper Stage Reaction Control System provides three-axis attitude control for the Ares I launch vehicle during active Upper Stage flight. The system design must accommodate rapid thruster firing to maintain the proper launch trajectory and thus allow for the possibility to pulse multiple thrusters simultaneously. Rapid thruster valve closure creates an increase in static pressure, known as waterhammer, which propagates throughout the propellant system at pressures exceeding nominal design values. A series of development tests conducted in the fall of 2009 at Marshall Space Flight Center were performed using a water-flow test article to better understand fluid performance characteristics of the Upper Stage Reaction Control System. A subset of the tests examined waterhammer along with the subsequent pressure and frequency response in the flight-representative system and provided data to anchor numerical models. This thesis presents a comparison of waterhammer test results with numerical model and analytical results. An overview of the flight system, test article, modeling and analysis are also provided.

Introduction to chemical reaction engineering

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Yeong Geol

1990-10-01

This deals with chemical reaction engineering with thirteen chapters. The contents of this book are introduction on reaction engineering, chemical kinetics, thermodynamics and chemical reaction, abnormal reactor, non-isothermal reactor, nonideal reactor, catalysis in nonuniform system, diffusion and reaction in porosity catalyst, design catalyst heterogeneous reactor in solid bed, a high molecule polymerization, bio reaction engineering, reaction engineering in material process, control multi-variable reactor process using digital computer.

Parental interaction patterns in children with attention deficit hyperactive disorder and control group

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mojgan Karahmadi

2007-07-01

Full Text Available

BACKGROUND: Parental communication patterns influence children's personality. This study investigated effects of parental interaction patterns on children with attention deficit hyperactive disorder (ADHD.
METHODS: There were 50 male children, 7-12 years old, selected in two groups. The first group included students with ADHD referred to psychiatry clinics in Isfahan-based on diagnostic scale of DSM-IV (25 subjects. The second group involved healthy boys selected by random cluster multistage sampling from primary schools in five districts of Isfahan (25 subjects from September 2005 to March 2005. Schaffer and Edgerton parental interaction questionnaire was filled for them.
RESULTS: Mean scores of parental interaction patterns in healthy children were all higher than those in ADHD children except for “aggression control” and “lack of aggressive attachment”.
CONCLUSIONS: The severity of ADHD signs has negative relationship with parental "admission" and parental "control" patterns. It also has positive relationship with “lack of aggressive/attachment” and “aggressive/control” patterns.
KEY WORDS: Parental interaction patterns, ADHD.

Walking Pattern Generation of Dual-Arm Mobile Robot Using Preview Controller

OpenAIRE

P. Wu; W. Wu

2012-01-01

Based on the stability request of robot’s moving on the ground, the motion planning of dual-arm mobile robot when moving on the ground is studied and the preview control system is applied in the robot walking pattern generation. Direct question of robot kinematics in the extended task space is analyzed according to Degrees of Freedom configuration of the dual-arm mobile robot. It is proved that the preview control system could be used in the generation of robot Center of Mass forward trajecto...

Controlled structures in laterally patterned barrier discharges by illumination of the semiconductor electrode

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wild, R; Schumann, T; Stollenwerk, L

2014-01-01

In this contribution, we present a possibility to actively control emerging patterns in laterally extended barrier discharges. One of the barriers is a high-ohmic semiconductive GaAs electrode. As the electrode is illuminated from its plasma-far side, the voltage inside the plasma gap is increased. If the gap voltage becomes higher than the ignition voltage of the gas, a discharge is started. A corresponding electrical model is given. The lateral resolution of control for a laterally homogeneous discharge is investigated. It is found that the luminescence of the discharge is controlled by both a variation of illumination power density and a variation of the applied voltage. However, during an increase in the applied voltage, the discharge may become larger than the area of illumination. Further, an investigation of the patterned discharge control shows that the number of current spots depends on the illumination power density and the area of illumination. The behaviour of current spot appearance suggests an inhibitory influence, preventing a discharge in its immediate surrounding and limiting the total number of current spots. (paper)

Chemical and physical factors which control the substitution reactions of direct fission-produced iodine with gaseous methane and the methyl halides

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kikuchi, M.; Church, L.B.

1976-01-01

The factors controlling the hydrogen and halogen substitution reactions resulting from direct fission-produced iodine isotopes (*I) with gaseous methane and methyl halides were investigated. The chemical reaction probabilities, corrected for any secondary decomposition, were compared as a function of various chemical and physical parameters. These include carbon-halogen bond strength, halogen electronegativity, volume and cross sectional area of the substituted and neighboring atoms. On the basis of this analysis, it is concluded that *I-for-X (where X = H, F, Cl, Br and I) substitution reactions are controlled by the cross sectional area of the X atom. The *I-for-H substitution probability is reduced in proportion to the volume of X, suggesting that steric interference is the dominant factor influencing the reaction probability. (orig.) [de

Federated Access Control in Heterogeneous Intercloud Environment: Basic Models and Architecture Patterns

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Demchenko, Y.; Ngo, C.; de Laat, C.; Lee, C.

2014-01-01

This paper presents on-going research to define the basic models and architecture patterns for federated access control in heterogeneous (multi-provider) multi-cloud and inter-cloud environment. The proposed research contributes to the further definition of Intercloud Federation Framework (ICFF)

Assessment of changes in gait parameters and vertical ground reaction forces after total hip arthroplasty

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bhargava P

2007-01-01

Full Text Available The principal objectives of arthroplasty are relief of pain and enhancement of range of motion. Currently, postoperative pain and functional capacity are assessed largely on the basis of subjective evaluation scores. Because of the lack of control inherent in this method it is often difficult to interpret data presented by different observers in the critical evaluation of surgical method, new components and modes of rehabilitation. Gait analysis is a rapid, simple and reliable method to assess functional outcome. This study was undertaken in an effort to evaluate the gait characteristics of patients who underwent arthroplasty, using an Ultraflex gait analyzer. Materials and Methods: The study was based on the assessment of gait and weight-bearing pattern of both hips in patients who underwent total hip replacement and its comparison with an age and sex-matched control group. Twenty subjects of total arthroplasty group having unilateral involvement, operated by posterior approach at our institution with a minimum six-month postoperative period were selected. Control group was age and sex-matched, randomly selected from the general population. Gait analysis was done using Ultraflex gait analyzer. Gait parameters and vertical ground reaction forces assessment was done by measuring the gait cycle properties, step time parameters and VGRF variables. Data of affected limb was compared with unaffected limb as well as control group to assess the weight-bearing pattern. Statistical analysis was done by′t′ test. Results: Frequency is reduced and gait cycle duration increased in total arthroplasty group as compared with control. Step time parameters including Step time, Stance time and Single support time are significantly reduced ( P value < .05 while Double support time and Single swing time are significantly increased ( P value < .05 in the THR group. Forces over each sensor are increased more on the unaffected limb of the THR group as compared to

Substrate-Directed Catalytic Selective Chemical Reactions.

Science.gov (United States)

Sawano, Takahiro; Yamamoto, Hisashi

2018-05-04

The development of highly efficient reactions at only the desired position is one of the most important subjects in organic chemistry. Most of the reactions in current organic chemistry are reagent- or catalyst-controlled reactions, and the regio- and stereoselectivity of the reactions are determined by the inherent nature of the reagent or catalyst. In sharp contrast, substrate-directed reaction determines the selectivity of the reactions by the functional group on the substrate and can strictly distinguish sterically and electronically similar multiple reaction sites in the substrate. In this Perspective, three topics of substrate-directed reaction are mainly reviewed: (1) directing group-assisted epoxidation of alkenes, (2) ring-opening reactions of epoxides by various nucleophiles, and (3) catalytic peptide synthesis. Our newly developed synthetic methods with new ligands including hydroxamic acid derived ligands realized not only highly efficient reactions but also pinpointed reactions at the expected position, demonstrating the substrate-directed reaction as a powerful method to achieve the desired regio- and stereoselective functionalization of molecules from different viewpoints of reagent- or catalyst-controlled reactions.

Portfolio Dietary Pattern and Cardiovascular Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Controlled Trials.

Science.gov (United States)

Chiavaroli, Laura; Nishi, Stephanie K; Khan, Tauseef A; Braunstein, Catherine R; Glenn, Andrea J; Mejia, Sonia Blanco; Rahelić, Dario; Kahleová, Hana; Salas-Salvadó, Jordi; Jenkins, David J A; Kendall, Cyril W C; Sievenpiper, John L

2018-05-25

The evidence for the Portfolio dietary pattern, a plant-based dietary pattern that combines recognized cholesterol-lowering foods (nuts, plant protein, viscous fibre, plant sterols), has not been summarized. To update the European Association for the Study of Diabetes clinical practice guidelines for nutrition therapy, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of controlled trials using GRADE of the effect of the Portfolio dietary pattern on the primary therapeutic lipid target for cardiovascular disease prevention, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and other established cardiometabolic risk factors. We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, and The Cochrane Library through April 19, 2018. We included controlled trials ≥ 3-weeks assessing the effect of the Portfolio dietary pattern on cardiometabolic risk factors compared with an energy-matched control diet free of Portfolio dietary pattern components. Two independent reviewers extracted data and assessed risk of bias. The primary outcome was LDL-C. Data were pooled using the generic inverse-variance method and expressed as mean differences (MDs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Heterogeneity was assessed (Cochran Q statistic) and quantified (I 2 -statistic). GRADE assessed the certainty of the evidence. Eligibility criteria were met by 7 trial comparisons in 439 participants with hyperlipidemia, in which the Portfolio dietary pattern was given on a background of a National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) Step II diet. The combination of a portfolio dietary pattern and NCEP Step II diet significantly reduced the primary outcome LDL-C by ~17% (MD, -0.73mmol/L, [95% CI, -0.89 to -0.56 mmol/L]) as well as non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, apolipoprotein B, total cholesterol, triglycerides, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, C-reactive protein, and estimated 10-year coronary heart disease (CHD) risk, compared with an NCEP Step 2 diet alone (PPortfolio dietary pattern leads to clinically

Topographically-controlled site conditions drive vegetation pattern on inland dunes in Poland

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Sewerniak, Piotr; Jankowski, Michał

2017-07-01

The inland dunes of Central Europe are commonly overplanted by Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) monocultures in which the primary occurrence of the natural vegetation pattern is obliterated. We hypothesize that on naturally revegetated inland dunes the pattern is clear and driven by topographically-controlled site conditions. To test this hypothesis, we addressed the following research questions: (1) Does topography drive vegetation patterns on inland dunes and if so, what are main differences between vegetation in varying relief positions? (2) To what extent does topography involve the variability of microclimates and of soil properties, and how does the topographically-induced differentiation of these site conditions control vegetation patterns? We conducted interdisciplinary studies (applying floristic, pedological and microclimatic research techniques) on a naturally revegetated inland dune area situated on a military artillery training ground near Toruń, northern Poland. We investigated vegetation patterns with reference to three topographical position variants (north-facing slopes, south-facing slopes, and intra-dune depressions). We found distinct differences in vegetation characteristics covering the aforementioned topographical positions. This primarily concerned species composition of ground vegetation: Calluna vulgaris was dominant species on north-facing slopes, Corynephorus canescens on south-facing slopes, while Calamagrostis epigejos in intra-dune depressions. In comparison to dune slopes, the depressions were characterized by much higher biodiversity of vascular plant species. This followed the most favorable soil conditions for the existence of plants (higher moisture and nutrient pools) occurring in low topographical positions. However, tree succession was most advanced not in depressions, where the competitive impact of tall grasses on seedlings was recognized, but on north-facing slopes. Based on our results, we formulated some suggestions, which

Mass transfer rate through liquid membranes: interfacial chemical reactions and diffusion as simultaneous permeability controlling factors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Danesi, P.R.; Horwitz, E.P.; Vandegrift, G.F.; Chiarizia, R.

1981-01-01

Equations describing the permeability of a liquid membrane to metal cations have been derived taking into account aqueous diffusion, membrane diffusion, and interfacial chemical reactions as simultaneous permeability controlling factors. Diffusion and chemical reactions have been coupled by a simple model analogous to the one previously described by us to represent liquid-liquid extraction kinetics. The derived equations, which make use of experimentally determined interfacial reaction mechanisms, qualitatively fit unexplained literature data regarding Cu 2+ transfer through liquid membranes. Their use to predict and optimize membrane permeability in practical separation processes by setting the appropriate concentration of the membrane carrier [LIX 64 (General Mills), a commercial β-hydroxy-oxime] and the pH of the aqueous copper feed solution is briefly discussed. 4 figures

Reaction time, impulsivity, and attention in hyperactive children and controls: a video game technique.

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Mitchell, W G; Chavez, J M; Baker, S A; Guzman, B L; Azen, S P

1990-07-01

Maturation of sustained attention was studied in a group of 52 hyperactive elementary school children and 152 controls using a microcomputer-based test formatted to resemble a video game. In nonhyperactive children, both simple and complex reaction time decreased with age, as did variability of response time. Omission errors were extremely infrequent on simple reaction time and decreased with age on the more complex tasks. Commission errors had an inconsistent relationship with age. Hyperactive children were slower, more variable, and made more errors on all segments of the game than did controls. Both motor speed and calculated mental speed were slower in hyperactive children, with greater discrepancy for responses directed to the nondominant hand, suggesting that a selective right hemisphere deficit may be present in hyperactives. A summary score (number of individual game scores above the 95th percentile) of 4 or more detected 60% of hyperactive subjects with a false positive rate of 5%. Agreement with the Matching Familiar Figures Test was 75% in the hyperactive group.

Longitudinal relations among parents' reactions to children's negative emotions, effortful control, and math achievement in early elementary school.

Science.gov (United States)

Swanson, Jodi; Valiente, Carlos; Lemery-Chalfant, Kathryn; Bradley, Robert H; Eggum-Wilkens, Natalie D

2014-01-01

Panel mediation models and fixed-effects models were used to explore longitudinal relations among parents' reactions to children's displays of negative emotions, children's effortful control (EC), and children's math achievement (N = 291; M age in fall of kindergarten = 5.66 years, SD = .39 year) across kindergarten through second grade. Parents reported their reactions and children's EC. Math achievement was assessed with a standardized achievement test. First-grade EC mediated the relation between parents' reactions at kindergarten and second-grade math achievement, beyond stability in constructs across study years. Panel mediation model results suggested that socialization of EC may be one method of promoting math achievement in early school; however, when all omitted time-invariant covariates of EC and math achievement were controlled, first-grade EC no longer predicted second-grade math achievement. © 2014 The Authors. Child Development © 2014 Society for Research in Child Development, Inc.

Fractal sets generated by chemical reactions discrete chaotic dynamics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gontar, V.; Grechko, O.

2007-01-01

Fractal sets composed by the parameters values of difference equations derived from chemical reactions discrete chaotic dynamics (DCD) and corresponding to the sequences of symmetrical patterns were obtained in this work. Examples of fractal sets with the corresponding symmetrical patterns have been presented

Effect of a perturbation-based balance training program on compensatory stepping and grasping reactions in older adults: a randomized controlled trial.

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Mansfield, Avril; Peters, Amy L; Liu, Barbara A; Maki, Brian E

2010-04-01

Compensatory stepping and grasping reactions are prevalent responses to sudden loss of balance and play a critical role in preventing falls. The ability to execute these reactions effectively is impaired in older adults. The purpose of this study was to evaluate a perturbation-based balance training program designed to target specific age-related impairments in compensatory stepping and grasping balance recovery reactions. This was a double-blind randomized controlled trial. The study was conducted at research laboratories in a large urban hospital. Thirty community-dwelling older adults (aged 64-80 years) with a recent history of falls or self-reported instability participated in the study. Participants were randomly assigned to receive either a 6-week perturbation-based (motion platform) balance training program or a 6-week control program involving flexibility and relaxation training. Features of balance reactions targeted by the perturbation-based program were: (1) multi-step reactions, (2) extra lateral steps following anteroposterior perturbations, (3) foot collisions following lateral perturbations, and (4) time to complete grasping reactions. The reactions were evoked during testing by highly unpredictable surface translation and cable pull perturbations, both of which differed from the perturbations used during training. /b> Compared with the control program, the perturbation-based training led to greater reductions in frequency of multi-step reactions and foot collisions that were statistically significant for surface translations but not cable pulls. The perturbation group also showed significantly greater reduction in handrail contact time compared with the control group for cable pulls and a possible trend in this direction for surface translations. Further work is needed to determine whether a maintenance program is needed to retain the training benefits and to assess whether these benefits reduce fall risk in daily life. Perturbation-based training

Pattern optimizing verification of self-align quadruple patterning

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Yamato, Masatoshi; Yamada, Kazuki; Oyama, Kenichi; Hara, Arisa; Natori, Sakurako; Yamauchi, Shouhei; Koike, Kyohei; Yaegashi, Hidetami

2017-03-01

Lithographic scaling continues to advance by extending the life of 193nm immersion technology, and spacer-type multi-patterning is undeniably the driving force behind this trend. Multi-patterning techniques such as self-aligned double patterning (SADP) and self-aligned quadruple patterning (SAQP) have come to be used in memory devices, and they have also been adopted in logic devices to create constituent patterns in the formation of 1D layout designs. Multi-patterning has consequently become an indispensible technology in the fabrication of all advanced devices. In general, items that must be managed when using multi-patterning include critical dimension uniformity (CDU), line edge roughness (LER), and line width roughness (LWR). Recently, moreover, there has been increasing focus on judging and managing pattern resolution performance from a more detailed perspective and on making a right/wrong judgment from the perspective of edge placement error (EPE). To begin with, pattern resolution performance in spacer-type multi-patterning is affected by the process accuracy of the core (mandrel) pattern. Improving the controllability of CD and LER of the mandrel is most important, and to reduce LER, an appropriate smoothing technique should be carefully selected. In addition, the atomic layer deposition (ALD) technique is generally used to meet the need for high accuracy in forming the spacer film. Advances in scaling are accompanied by stricter requirements in the controllability of fine processing. In this paper, we first describe our efforts in improving controllability by selecting the most appropriate materials for the mandrel pattern and spacer film. Then, based on the materials selected, we present experimental results on a technique for improving etching selectivity.

Patterned Roughness for Cross-flow Transition Control at Mach 6

Science.gov (United States)

Arndt, Alexander; Matlis, Eric; Semper, Michael; Corke, Thomas

2017-11-01

Experiments are performed to investigate patterned discrete roughness for transition control on a sharp right-circular cone at an angle of attack at Mach 6.0. The approach to transition control is based on exciting less-amplified (subcritical) stationary cross-flow (CF) modes that suppress the growth of the more-amplified (critical) CF modes, and thereby delay transition. The experiments were performed in the Air Force Academy Ludwieg Tube which is a conventional (noisy) design. The cone model is equipped with a motorized 3-D traversing mechanism that mounts on the support sting. The traversing mechanism held a closely-spaced pair of fast-response total pressure Pitot probes. The model utilized a removable tip to exchange between different tip-roughness conditions. Mean flow distortion x-development indicated that the transition Reynolds number increased by 25% with the addition of the subcritical roughness. The energy in traveling disturbances was centered in the band of most amplified traveling CF modes predicted by linear theory. The spatial pattern in the amplitude of the traveling CF modes indicated a nonlinear (sum and difference) interaction between the stationary and traveling CF modes that might explain differences in Retrans between noisy and quiet environments. Air Force Grant FA9550-15-1-0278.

Controlled growth of gold nanoparticles in zeolite L via ion-exchange reactions and thermal reduction processes

KAUST Repository

Zeng, Shangjing; Ding, Shuang; Li, Shangyu; Wang, Runwei; Zhang, Zongtao

2014-01-01

The growth of gold nanoparticles in zeolite can be controlled using ion-exchange reactions and thermal reduction processes. We produce a number of different sizes of the gold nanoparticles with the particle size increasing with increased temperature

Development of Fractal Pattern Making Application using L-System for Enhanced Machine Controller

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gunawan Alexander A S

2014-03-01

Full Text Available One big issue facing the industry today is an automated machine lack of flexibility for customization because it is designed by the manufacturers based on certain standards. In this research, it is developed customized application software for CNC (Computer Numerically Controlled machines using open source platform. The application is enable us to create designs by means of fractal patterns using L-System, developed by turtle geometry interpretation and Python programming languages. The result of the application is the G-Code of fractal pattern formed by the method of L-System. In the experiment on the CNC machine, the G-Code of fractal pattern which involving the branching structure has been able to run well.

Reaching to a featured formula to deduce the energy of the heaviest particles producing from the controlled thermonuclear fusion reactions

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Majeed, Raad H.; Oudah, Osamah N.

2018-05-01

Thermonuclear fusion reaction plays an important role in developing and construction any power plant system. Studying the physical behavior for the possible mechanism governed energies released by the fusion products to precise understanding the related kinematics. In this work a theoretical formula controlled the general applied thermonuclear fusion reactions is achieved to calculating the fusion products energy depending upon the reactants physical properties and therefore, one can calculate other parameters governed a given reaction. By using this formula, the energy spectrum of 4He produced from T-3He fusion reaction has been sketched with respect to reaction angle and incident energy ranged from (0.08-0.6) MeV.

Mittag-Leffler synchronization of fractional neural networks with time-varying delays and reaction-diffusion terms using impulsive and linear controllers.

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Stamova, Ivanka; Stamov, Gani

2017-12-01

In this paper, we propose a fractional-order neural network system with time-varying delays and reaction-diffusion terms. We first develop a new Mittag-Leffler synchronization strategy for the controlled nodes via impulsive controllers. Using the fractional Lyapunov method sufficient conditions are given. We also study the global Mittag-Leffler synchronization of two identical fractional impulsive reaction-diffusion neural networks using linear controllers, which was an open problem even for integer-order models. Since the Mittag-Leffler stability notion is a generalization of the exponential stability concept for fractional-order systems, our results extend and improve the exponential impulsive control theory of neural network system with time-varying delays and reaction-diffusion terms to the fractional-order case. The fractional-order derivatives allow us to model the long-term memory in the neural networks, and thus the present research provides with a conceptually straightforward mathematical representation of rather complex processes. Illustrative examples are presented to show the validity of the obtained results. We show that by means of appropriate impulsive controllers we can realize the stability goal and to control the qualitative behavior of the states. An image encryption scheme is extended using fractional derivatives. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Perceived control, voluntariness and emotional reactions. A study conducted in relocated areas of Russia, Ukraine and Belarus

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Figueiredo, C.J.

1999-01-01

This paper use data from a pilot study to analyse relationships between type of resettlement (voluntary or involuntary) and individuals' everyday feelings, perceptions of risk, health status and control. The data were collected in 1995, within the Joint Study Project 2, i.e., a collaborative research project of the European Union and the Commonwealth of Independent States of Russia, Ukraine and Belarus, 1991/92 - 95/96. The aim of the study was to investigate reactions to change and new life conditions of people who had been resettled due to the Chernobyl accident. Participants from the respective countries included adult individuals sampled from two age groups of less than 45 years and 45 years and older, with approximately the same number of men and women. The questionnaire presented various topics to which responses were indicated on quantitative response scales, as well as in open ended response formats. The results presented here focus on emotional reactions, perceived risk and self-rated health among resettled people. The effects of type of resettlement on emotional reactions, Perceived risk and control are discussed

Perceived control, voluntariness and emotional reactions. A study conducted in relocated areas of Russia, Ukraine and Belarus

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Figueiredo, C.J. [Norwegian Univ. of Science and Technology, Trondheim (Norway). Dept. of Psychology

1999-12-01

This paper use data from a pilot study to analyse relationships between type of resettlement (voluntary or involuntary) and individuals' everyday feelings, perceptions of risk, health status and control. The data were collected in 1995, within the Joint Study Project 2, i.e., a collaborative research project of the European Union and the Commonwealth of Independent States of Russia, Ukraine and Belarus, 1991/92 - 95/96. The aim of the study was to investigate reactions to change and new life conditions of people who had been resettled due to the Chernobyl accident. Participants from the respective countries included adult individuals sampled from two age groups of less than 45 years and 45 years and older, with approximately the same number of men and women. The questionnaire presented various topics to which responses were indicated on quantitative response scales, as well as in open ended response formats. The results presented here focus on emotional reactions, perceived risk and self-rated health among resettled people. The effects of type of resettlement on emotional reactions, Perceived risk and control are discussed.

Flip, flop and fly: modulated motor control and highly variable movement patterns of autotomized gecko tails.

Science.gov (United States)

Higham, Timothy E; Russell, Anthony P

2010-02-23

Many animals lose and regenerate appendages, and tail autotomy in lizards is an extremely well-studied example of this. Whereas the energetic, ecological and functional ramifications of tail loss for many lizards have been extensively documented, little is known about the behaviour and neuromuscular control of the autotomized tail. We used electromyography and high-speed video to quantify the motor control and movement patterns of autotomized tails of leopard geckos (Eublepharis macularius). In addition to rhythmic swinging, we show that they exhibit extremely complex movement patterns for up to 30 min following autotomy, including acrobatic flips up to 3 cm in height. Unlike the output of most central pattern generators (CPGs), muscular control of the tail is variable and can be arrhythmic. We suggest that the gecko tail is well suited for studies involving CPGs, given that this spinal preparation is naturally occurring, requires no surgery and exhibits complex modulation.

Modification of hemiplegic compensatory gait pattern by symmetry-based motion controller of HAL.

Science.gov (United States)

Kawamoto, Hiroaki; Kadone, Hideki; Sakurai, Takeru; Sankai, Yoshiyuki

2015-01-01

As one of several characteristics of hemiplegic patients after stroke, compensatory gait caused by affected limb is often seen. The purpose of this research is to apply a symmetry-based controller of a wearable type lower limb robot, Hybrid Assistive Limb (HAL) to hemiplegic patients with compensatory gait, and to investigate improvement of gait symmetry. The controller is designed respectively for swing phase and support phase according to characteristics of hemiplegic gait pattern. The controller during swing phase stores the motion of the unaffected limb and then provides motion support on the affected limb during the subsequent swing using the stored pattern to realize symmetric gait based on spontaneous limb swing. Moreover, the controller during support phase provides motion to extend hip and knee joints to support wearer's body. Clinical tests were conducted in order to assess the modification of gait symmetry. Our case study involved participation of one chronic stroke patient who performs abnormally-compensatory gait for both of the affected and unaffected limbs. As a result, the patient's gait symmetry was improved by providing motion support during the swing phase on the affected side and motion constraint during the support phase on the unaffected side. The study showed promising basis for the effectiveness of the controller for the future clinical study.

An Advanced Electrospinning Method of Fabricating Nanofibrous Patterned Architectures with Controlled Deposition and Desired Alignment

Science.gov (United States)

Rasel, Sheikh Md

We introduce a versatile advanced method of electrospinning for fabricating various kinds of nanofibrous patterns along with desired alignment, controlled amount of deposition and locally variable density into the architectures. In this method, we employed multiple electrodes whose potentials have been altered in milliseconds with the help of microprocessor based control system. Therefore, key success of this method was that the electrical field as well as charge carrying fibers could be switched shortly from one electrode's location to another, as a result, electrospun fibers could be deposited on the designated areas with desired alignment. A wide range of nanofibrous patterned architectures were constructed using proper arrangement of multiple electrodes. By controlling the concurrent activation time of two adjacent electrodes, we demonstrated that amount of fibers going into the pattern can be adjusted and desired alignment in electrospun fibers can be obtained. We also revealed that the deposition density of electrospun fibers in different areas of patterned architectures can be varied. We showed that by controlling the deposition time between two adjacent electrodes, a number of functionally graded patterns can be generated with uniaxial alignment. We also demonstrated that this handy method was capable of producing random, aligned, and multidirectional nanofibrous mats by engaging a number of electrodes and switching them in desired patterns. A comprehensive study using finite element method was carried out to understand the effects of electrical field. Simulation results revealed that electrical field strength alters shortly based on electrode control switch patterns. Nanofibrous polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) scaffolds and its composite reinforced with wollastonite and wood flour were fabricated using rotating drum electrospinning technique. Morphological, mechanical, and thermal, properties were characterized on PVA/wollastonite and PVA/wood flour nanocomposites

Tailoring galvanic replacement reaction for the preparation of Pt/Ag bimetallic hollow nanostructures with controlled number of voids.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Weiqing; Yang, Jizheng; Lu, Xianmao

2012-08-28

Here we report the synthesis of Pt/Ag bimetallic nanostructures with controlled number of void spaces via a tailored galvanic replacement reaction (GRR). Ag nanocubes (NCs) were employed as the template to react with Pt ions in the presence of HCl. The use of HCl in the GRR caused rapid precipitation of AgCl, which grew on the surface of Ag NCs and acted as a removable secondary template for the deposition of Pt. The number of nucleation sites for AgCl was tailored by controlling the amount of HCl added to the Ag NCs or by introducing PVP to the reaction. This strategy led to the formation of Pt/Ag hollow nanoboxes, dimers, multimers, or popcorn-shaped nanostructures consisting of one, two, or multiple hollow domains. Due to the presence of large void space and porous walls, these nanostructures exhibited high surface area and improved catalytic activity for methanol oxidation reaction.

ReactionPredictor: prediction of complex chemical reactions at the mechanistic level using machine learning.

Science.gov (United States)

Kayala, Matthew A; Baldi, Pierre

2012-10-22

Proposing reasonable mechanisms and predicting the course of chemical reactions is important to the practice of organic chemistry. Approaches to reaction prediction have historically used obfuscating representations and manually encoded patterns or rules. Here we present ReactionPredictor, a machine learning approach to reaction prediction that models elementary, mechanistic reactions as interactions between approximate molecular orbitals (MOs). A training data set of productive reactions known to occur at reasonable rates and yields and verified by inclusion in the literature or textbooks is derived from an existing rule-based system and expanded upon with manual curation from graduate level textbooks. Using this training data set of complex polar, hypervalent, radical, and pericyclic reactions, a two-stage machine learning prediction framework is trained and validated. In the first stage, filtering models trained at the level of individual MOs are used to reduce the space of possible reactions to consider. In the second stage, ranking models over the filtered space of possible reactions are used to order the reactions such that the productive reactions are the top ranked. The resulting model, ReactionPredictor, perfectly ranks polar reactions 78.1% of the time and recovers all productive reactions 95.7% of the time when allowing for small numbers of errors. Pericyclic and radical reactions are perfectly ranked 85.8% and 77.0% of the time, respectively, rising to >93% recovery for both reaction types with a small number of allowed errors. Decisions about which of the polar, pericyclic, or radical reaction type ranking models to use can be made with >99% accuracy. Finally, for multistep reaction pathways, we implement the first mechanistic pathway predictor using constrained tree-search to discover a set of reasonable mechanistic steps from given reactants to given products. Webserver implementations of both the single step and pathway versions of Reaction

Cutaneous adverse drug reactions seen in a tertiary hospital in Johor, Malaysia.

Science.gov (United States)

Ding, Wen Yi; Lee, Chew Kek; Choon, Siew Eng

2010-07-01

Adverse drug reactions are most commonly cutaneous in nature. Patterns of cutaneous adverse drug reactions (ADRs) and their causative drugs vary among the different populations previously studied. Our aim is to determine the clinical pattern of drug eruptions and the common drugs implicated, particularly in severe cutaneous ADRs in our population. This study was done by analyzing the database established for all adverse cutaneous drug reactions seen from January 2001 until December 2008. A total of 281 cutaneous ADRs were seen in 280 patients. The most common reaction pattern was maculopapular eruption (111 cases, 39.5%) followed by Stevens-Johnson Syndrome (SJS: 79 cases, 28.1%), drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms (DRESS: 19 cases, 6.8%), toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN: 16 cases, 5.7 %), urticaria/angioedema (15 cases, 5.3%) and fixed drug eruptions (15 cases, 5.3%). Antibiotics (38.8%) and anticonvulsants (23.8%) accounted for 62.6% of the 281 cutaneous ADRs seen. Allopurinol was implicated in 39 (13.9%), carbamazepine in 29 (10.3%), phenytoin in 27 (9.6%) and cotrimoxazole in 26 (9.3%) cases. Carbamazepine, allopurinol and cotrimoxazole were the three main causative drugs of SJS/TEN accounting for 24.0%, 18.8% and 12.5% respectively of the 96 cases seen whereas DRESS was mainly caused by allopurinol (10 cases, 52.6%) and phenytoin (3 cases, 15.8%). The reaction patterns and drugs causing cutaneous ADRs in our population are similar to those seen in other countries although we have a much higher proportion of severe cutaneous ADRs probably due to referral bias, different prescribing habit and a higher prevalence of HLA-B*1502 and HLA-B*5801 which are genetic markers for carbamazepine-induced SJS/TEN and allopurinol-induced SJS/TEN/DRESS respectively. The most common reaction pattern seen in our study population was maculopapular eruptions. Antibiotics, anticonvulsants and NSAIDs were the most frequently implicated drug groups. Carbamazepine

Shavenbaby couples patterning to epidermal cell shape control.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hélène Chanut-Delalande

2006-09-01

Full Text Available It is well established that developmental programs act during embryogenesis to determine animal morphogenesis. How these developmental cues produce specific cell shape during morphogenesis, however, has remained elusive. We addressed this question by studying the morphological differentiation of the Drosophila epidermis, governed by a well-known circuit of regulators leading to a stereotyped pattern of smooth cells and cells forming actin-rich extensions (trichomes. It was shown that the transcription factor Shavenbaby plays a pivotal role in the formation of trichomes and underlies all examined cases of the evolutionary diversification of their pattern. To gain insight into the mechanisms of morphological differentiation, we sought to identify shavenbaby's downstream targets. We show here that Shavenbaby controls epidermal cell shape, through the transcriptional activation of different classes of cellular effectors, directly contributing to the organization of actin filaments, regulation of the extracellular matrix, and modification of the cuticle. Individual inactivation of shavenbaby's targets produces distinct trichome defects and only their simultaneous inactivation prevent trichome formation. Our data show that shavenbaby governs an evolutionarily conserved developmental module consisting of a set of genes collectively responsible for trichome formation, shedding new light on molecular mechanisms acting during morphogenesis and the way they can influence evolution of animal forms.

Complex Reaction Kinetics in Chemistry: A Unified Picture Suggested by Mechanics in Physics

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Elena Agliari

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Complex biochemical pathways can be reduced to chains of elementary reactions, which can be described in terms of chemical kinetics. Among the elementary reactions so far extensively investigated, we recall the Michaelis-Menten and the Hill positive-cooperative kinetics, which apply to molecular binding and are characterized by the absence and the presence, respectively, of cooperative interactions between binding sites. However, there is evidence of reactions displaying a more complex pattern: these follow the positive-cooperative scenario at small substrate concentration, yet negative-cooperative effects emerge as the substrate concentration is increased. Here, we analyze the formal analogy between the mathematical backbone of (classical reaction kinetics in Chemistry and that of (classical mechanics in Physics. We first show that standard cooperative kinetics can be framed in terms of classical mechanics, where the emerging phenomenology can be obtained by applying the principle of least action of classical mechanics. Further, since the saturation function plays in Chemistry the same role played by velocity in Physics, we show that a relativistic scaffold naturally accounts for the kinetics of the above-mentioned complex reactions. The proposed formalism yields to a unique, consistent picture for cooperative-like reactions and to a stronger mathematical control.

Optimal control of bond selectivity in unimolecular reactions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shi Shenghua; Rabitz, H.

1991-01-01

The optimal control theory approach to designing optimal fields for bond-selective unimolecular reactions is presented. A set of equations for determining the optimal fields, which will lead to the achievement of the objective of bond-selective dissociation is developed. The numerical procedure given for solving these equations requires the repeated calculation of the time propagator for the system with the time-dependent Hamiltonian. The splitting approximation combined with the fast Fourier transform algorithm is used for computing the short time propagator. As an illustrative example, a model linear triatomic molecule is treated. The model system consists of two Morse oscillators coupled via kinetic coupling. The magnitude of the dipoles of the two Morse oscillators are the same, the fundamental frequencies are almost the same, but the dissociation energies are different. The rather demanding objective under these conditions is to break the stronger bond while leaving the weaker one intact. It is encouraging that the present computational method efficiently gives rise to the optimal field, which leads to the excellent achievement of the objective of bond selective dissociation. (orig.)

Chemical reactions confined within carbon nanotubes.

Science.gov (United States)

Miners, Scott A; Rance, Graham A; Khlobystov, Andrei N

2016-08-22

In this critical review, we survey the wide range of chemical reactions that have been confined within carbon nanotubes, particularly emphasising how the pairwise interactions between the catalysts, reactants, transition states and products of a particular molecular transformation with the host nanotube can be used to control the yields and distributions of products of chemical reactions. We demonstrate that nanoscale confinement within carbon nanotubes enables the control of catalyst activity, morphology and stability, influences the local concentration of reactants and products thus affecting equilibria, rates and selectivity, pre-arranges the reactants for desired reactions and alters the relative stability of isomeric products. We critically evaluate the relative advantages and disadvantages of the confinement of chemical reactions inside carbon nanotubes from a chemical perspective and describe how further developments in the controlled synthesis of carbon nanotubes and the incorporation of multifunctionality are essential for the development of this ever-expanding field, ultimately leading to the effective control of the pathways of chemical reactions through the rational design of multi-functional carbon nanoreactors.

Reporting patterns of adverse drug reactions over recent years in China: analysis from publications.

Science.gov (United States)

Guo, Xiao-jing; Ye, Xiao-fei; Wang, Xing-xing; Wang, Jing; Shi, Wen-tao; Gao, Qing-bin; Zhang, Tian-yi; Xu, Jin-fang; Zhu, Tian-tian; He, Jia

2015-02-01

The goal of this study was to clarify the reporting patterns of self-reported adverse drug reactions (ADRs) in China. A variety of sources were searched, including the official website of China FDA, the national center for ADR monitoring center, publications from PubMed, and so on. We retrieved the relevant information and made descriptive and comparative analysis from the year 2009 to 2013. The ADR reporting numbers were 638,996, 692,904, 852,799, 1,200,000 and 1,317,000 from 2009 to 2013, respectively. Healthcare professionals contributed significantly, and their proportion always exceeded 80% before 2012. The average report per million inhabitants has increased from 479 to 983 from 2009 to 2013. However, the proportion of new or serious report was always below 25%. The reports mainly concern anti-infective agents and traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), especially TCM injection. The proportion of ADR reports in geriatric patients has increased for 4 consecutive years. ADR report numbers and reporting rates in China are on the rise. However, the proportion of new or serious reports as well as the proportion of reports contributed by consumers and pharmaceutical companies are still quite low. More attention should be paid to the elderly, anti-infective agents and TCM, especially TCM injections.

Organisational Pattern Driven Recovery Mechanisms

Science.gov (United States)

Giacomo, Valentina Di; Presenza, Domenico; Riccucci, Carlo

The process of reaction to system failures and security attacks is strongly influenced by its infrastructural, procedural and organisational settings. Analysis of reaction procedures and practices from different domains (Air Traffic Management, Response to Computer Security Incident, Response to emergencies, recovery in Chemical Process Industry) highlight three key requirements for this activity: smooth collaboration and coordination among responders, accurate monitoring and management of resources and ability to adapt pre-established reaction plans to the actual context. The SERENITY Reaction Mechanisms (SRM) is the subsystem of the SERENITY Run-time Framework aimed to provide SERENITY aware AmI settings (i.e. socio-technical systems with highly distributed dynamic services) with functionalities to implement applications specific reaction strategies. The SRM uses SERENITY Organisational S&D Patterns as run-time models to drive these three key functionalities.

Stochastic Turing Patterns: Analysis of Compartment-Based Approaches

KAUST Repository

Cao, Yang; Erban, Radek

2014-01-01

© 2014, Society for Mathematical Biology. Turing patterns can be observed in reaction-diffusion systems where chemical species have different diffusion constants. In recent years, several studies investigated the effects of noise on Turing patterns and showed that the parameter regimes, for which stochastic Turing patterns are observed, can be larger than the parameter regimes predicted by deterministic models, which are written in terms of partial differential equations (PDEs) for species concentrations. A common stochastic reaction-diffusion approach is written in terms of compartment-based (lattice-based) models, where the domain of interest is divided into artificial compartments and the number of molecules in each compartment is simulated. In this paper, the dependence of stochastic Turing patterns on the compartment size is investigated. It has previously been shown (for relatively simpler systems) that a modeler should not choose compartment sizes which are too small or too large, and that the optimal compartment size depends on the diffusion constant. Taking these results into account, we propose and study a compartment-based model of Turing patterns where each chemical species is described using a different set of compartments. It is shown that the parameter regions where spatial patterns form are different from the regions obtained by classical deterministic PDE-based models, but they are also different from the results obtained for the stochastic reaction-diffusion models which use a single set of compartments for all chemical species. In particular, it is argued that some previously reported results on the effect of noise on Turing patterns in biological systems need to be reinterpreted.

Stochastic Turing Patterns: Analysis of Compartment-Based Approaches

KAUST Repository

Cao, Yang

2014-11-25

© 2014, Society for Mathematical Biology. Turing patterns can be observed in reaction-diffusion systems where chemical species have different diffusion constants. In recent years, several studies investigated the effects of noise on Turing patterns and showed that the parameter regimes, for which stochastic Turing patterns are observed, can be larger than the parameter regimes predicted by deterministic models, which are written in terms of partial differential equations (PDEs) for species concentrations. A common stochastic reaction-diffusion approach is written in terms of compartment-based (lattice-based) models, where the domain of interest is divided into artificial compartments and the number of molecules in each compartment is simulated. In this paper, the dependence of stochastic Turing patterns on the compartment size is investigated. It has previously been shown (for relatively simpler systems) that a modeler should not choose compartment sizes which are too small or too large, and that the optimal compartment size depends on the diffusion constant. Taking these results into account, we propose and study a compartment-based model of Turing patterns where each chemical species is described using a different set of compartments. It is shown that the parameter regions where spatial patterns form are different from the regions obtained by classical deterministic PDE-based models, but they are also different from the results obtained for the stochastic reaction-diffusion models which use a single set of compartments for all chemical species. In particular, it is argued that some previously reported results on the effect of noise on Turing patterns in biological systems need to be reinterpreted.

The RiverFish Approach to Business Process Modeling: Linking Business Steps to Control-Flow Patterns

Science.gov (United States)

Zuliane, Devanir; Oikawa, Marcio K.; Malkowski, Simon; Alcazar, José Perez; Ferreira, João Eduardo

Despite the recent advances in the area of Business Process Management (BPM), today’s business processes have largely been implemented without clearly defined conceptual modeling. This results in growing difficulties for identification, maintenance, and reuse of rules, processes, and control-flow patterns. To mitigate these problems in future implementations, we propose a new approach to business process modeling using conceptual schemas, which represent hierarchies of concepts for rules and processes shared among collaborating information systems. This methodology bridges the gap between conceptual model description and identification of actual control-flow patterns for workflow implementation. We identify modeling guidelines that are characterized by clear phase separation, step-by-step execution, and process building through diagrams and tables. The separation of business process modeling in seven mutually exclusive phases clearly delimits information technology from business expertise. The sequential execution of these phases leads to the step-by-step creation of complex control-flow graphs. The process model is refined through intuitive table and diagram generation in each phase. Not only does the rigorous application of our modeling framework minimize the impact of rule and process changes, but it also facilitates the identification and maintenance of control-flow patterns in BPM-based information system architectures.

Nonlinear effects on Turing patterns: Time oscillations and chaos

KAUST Repository

Aragón, J. L.

2012-08-08

We show that a model reaction-diffusion system with two species in a monostable regime and over a large region of parameter space produces Turing patterns coexisting with a limit cycle which cannot be discerned from the linear analysis. As a consequence, the patterns oscillate in time. When varying a single parameter, a series of bifurcations leads to period doubling, quasiperiodic, and chaotic oscillations without modifying the underlying Turing pattern. A Ruelle-Takens-Newhouse route to chaos is identified. We also examine the Turing conditions for obtaining a diffusion-driven instability and show that the patterns obtained are not necessarily stationary for certain values of the diffusion coefficients. These results demonstrate the limitations of the linear analysis for reaction-diffusion systems. © 2012 American Physical Society.

The association of dietary pattern and breast cancer in Jiangsu, China: A population-based case-control study.

Science.gov (United States)

Lu, Shurong; Qian, Yun; Huang, Xingyu; Yu, Hao; Yang, Jie; Han, Renqiang; Su, Jian; Du, Wencong; Zhou, Jinyi; Dong, Meihua; Yu, Xiaojin; Duijnhoven, Fränzel J B van; Kampman, Ellen; Wu, Ming

2017-01-01

This study aims to examine the association of breast cancer with dietary patterns among Chinese women. A population-based case-control study was conducted in Jiangsu, China. Newly diagnosed primary breast cancer patients were recruited as cases (n = 818). Controls (n = 935), selected from the general population, were frequency matched to cases. A validated food frequency questionnaire was used to assess dietary intake. Dietary patterns were identified by factor analysis and multivariable odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were estimated. Four dietary patterns were identified: salty, vegetarian, sweet and traditional Chinese. The traditional Chinese pattern was found to be robustly associated with a lower risk of breast cancer among both pre- and post-menopausal women (4th vs. 1st quartile: OR for pre- and post-menopausal women was 0.47 and 0.68, respectively). Women with high factor scores of the sweet pattern also showed a decreased risk of breast cancer (4th vs. 1st quartile: OR for pre- and post-menopausal women was 0.47 and 0.68, respectively). No marked association was observed between a vegetarian pattern or a salty pattern and breast cancer. These findings indicate that dietary patterns of the traditional Chinese and the sweet may favorably associate with the risk of breast cancer among Chinese women.

Field-controlled electron transfer and reaction kinetics of the biological catalytic system of microperoxidase-11 and hydrogen peroxide

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yongki Choi

2011-12-01

Full Text Available Controlled reaction kinetics of the bio-catalytic system of microperoxidase-11 and hydrogen peroxide has been achieved using an electrostatic technique. The technique allowed independent control of 1 the thermodynamics of the system using electrochemical setup and 2 the quantum mechanical tunneling at the interface between microperoxidase-11 and the working electrode by applying a gating voltage to the electrode. The cathodic currents of electrodes immobilized with microperoxidase-11 showed a dependence on the gating voltage in the presence of hydrogen peroxide, indicating a controllable reduction reaction. The measured kinetic parameters of the bio-catalytic reduction showed nonlinear dependences on the gating voltage as the result of modified interfacial electron tunnel due to the field induced at the microperoxidase-11-electrode interface. Our results indicate that the kinetics of the reduction of hydrogen peroxide can be controlled by a gating voltage and illustrate the operation of a field-effect bio-catalytic transistor, whose current-generating mechanism is the conversion of hydrogen peroxide to water with the current being controlled by the gating voltage.

A Prosthetic Hand Body Area Controller Based on Efficient Pattern Recognition Control Strategies.

Science.gov (United States)

Benatti, Simone; Milosevic, Bojan; Farella, Elisabetta; Gruppioni, Emanuele; Benini, Luca

2017-04-15

Poliarticulated prosthetic hands represent a powerful tool to restore functionality and improve quality of life for upper limb amputees. Such devices offer, on the same wearable node, sensing and actuation capabilities, which are not equally supported by natural interaction and control strategies. The control in state-of-the-art solutions is still performed mainly through complex encoding of gestures in bursts of contractions of the residual forearm muscles, resulting in a non-intuitive Human-Machine Interface (HMI). Recent research efforts explore the use of myoelectric gesture recognition for innovative interaction solutions, however there persists a considerable gap between research evaluation and implementation into successful complete systems. In this paper, we present the design of a wearable prosthetic hand controller, based on intuitive gesture recognition and a custom control strategy. The wearable node directly actuates a poliarticulated hand and wirelessly interacts with a personal gateway (i.e., a smartphone) for the training and personalization of the recognition algorithm. Through the whole system development, we address the challenge of integrating an efficient embedded gesture classifier with a control strategy tailored for an intuitive interaction between the user and the prosthesis. We demonstrate that this combined approach outperforms systems based on mere pattern recognition, since they target the accuracy of a classification algorithm rather than the control of a gesture. The system was fully implemented, tested on healthy and amputee subjects and compared against benchmark repositories. The proposed approach achieves an error rate of 1.6% in the end-to-end real time control of commonly used hand gestures, while complying with the power and performance budget of a low-cost microcontroller.

Nodal methods for calculating nuclear reactor transients, control rod patterns, and fuel pin powers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cho, Byungoh.

1990-01-01

Nodal methods which are used to calculate reactor transients, control rod patterns, and fuel pin powers are investigated. The 3-D nodal code, STORM, has been modified to perform these calculations. Several numerical examples lead to the following conclusions: (1) By employing a thermal leakage-to-absorption ratio (TLAR) approximation for the spatial shape of the thermal fluxes for the 3-D Langenbuch-Maurer-Werner (LMW) and the superprompt critical transient problems, the convergence of the conventional two-group scheme is accelerated. (2) By employing the steepest-ascent hill climbing search with heuristic strategies, Optimum Control Rod Pattern Searcher (OCRPS) is developed for solving control rod positioning problem in BWRs. Using the method of approximation programming the objective function and the nuclear and thermal-hydraulic constraints are modified as heuristic functions that guide the search. The test calculations have demonstrated that, for the first cycle of the Edwin Hatch Unit number-sign 2 reactor, OCRPS shows excellent performance for finding a series of optimum control rod patterns for six burnup steps during the operating cycle. (3) For the modified two-dimensional EPRI-9R problem, the least square second-order polynomial flux expansion method was demonstrated to be computationally about 30 times faster than a fine-mesh finite difference calculation in order to achieve comparable accuracy for pin powers. The basic assumption of this method is that the reconstructed flux can be expressed as a product of an assembly form function and a second-order polynomial function

Patterning the Stiffness of Elastomeric Nanocomposites by Magnetophoretic Control of Cross-linking Impeder Distribution

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Suvojit Ghosh

2015-01-01

Full Text Available We report a novel method to pattern the stiffness of an elastomeric nanocomposite by selectively impeding the cross-linking reactions at desired locations while curing. This is accomplished by using a magnetic field to enforce a desired concentration distribution of colloidal magnetite nanoparticles (MNPs in the liquid precursor of polydimethysiloxane (PDMS elastomer. MNPs impede the cross-linking of PDMS; when they are dispersed in liquid PDMS, the cured elastomer exhibits lower stiffness in portions containing a higher nanoparticle concentration. Consequently, a desired stiffness pattern is produced by selecting the required magnetic field distribution a priori. Up to 200% variation in the reduced modulus is observed over a 2 mm length, and gradients of up to 12.6 MPa·mm−1 are obtained. This is a significant improvement over conventional nanocomposite systems where only small unidirectional variations can be achieved by varying nanoparticle concentration. The method has promising prospects in additive manufacturing; it can be integrated with existing systems thereby adding the capability to produce microscale heterogeneities in mechanical properties.

Fluorination reaction uranium dioxide by fluorine

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ogata, Shinji; Homma, Shunji; Koga, Jiro; Matsumoto, Shiro; Sasahira, Akira; Kawamura, Fumio

2004-01-01

Kinetics of the fluorination reaction of uranium dioxide is studied using un-reacted core model with shrinking particles. The model includes the film mass transfer of fluorine gas and its diffusion in the particle. The rate constants of the model are determined by fitting the experimental data for 370-450degC. The model successfully represents the fluorination in this temperature range. The rate control step is identified by examining the rate constants of the model for 300-1,800degC. For temperature range up to 900degC, the fluorination reaction is rate controlling. For over 900degC, both mechanisms of the mass transfer of fluorine and the fluorination reaction control the rate of the fluorination. With further increase of the temperature, however, the fluorination reaction becomes so fast that the mass transfer of fluorine eventually controls the rate of the fluorination. (author)

Patterns of glycemic control using glycosylated hemoglobin in diabetics.

Science.gov (United States)

Kahlon, Arunpreet Singh; Pathak, Rambha

2011-07-01

Till now estimation of blood glucose is the highly effective method for diagnosing diabetes mellitus but it provides a short-term picture of control. More evidence is required to prove that plasma glucose and glycosylated hemoglobin levels together gives a better estimate of glycemic control and compliance with treatment. Indian diabetes risk score (IDRS) is a simplified screening tool for identifying undiagnosed diabetic subjects, requires minimum time, and effort and can help to considerably reduce the costs of screening. To study patterns of glycemic control using glycosylated hemoglobin in diabetic patients. To find out correlation between levels of plasma glucose and glycosylated hemoglobin in diabetics and to calculate IDRS of the study population. A cross sectional study was conducted among 300 known diabetic patients attending outpatient department of a rural medical college in Haryana, India. Following standard procedures and protocols FPG and glycosylated hemoglobin were measured to find out a pattern of glycemic control in them after taking their written and informed consent. A correlation between the levels of glycosylated hemoglobin and fasting blood glucose was also calculated. These patients were made to fill a performa and their demographic and clinical risk factors were noted and based on this, their IDRS was calculated. This was done to validate the IDRS in Indian rural population. Fifty-two percent of the population had fasting plasma glucose level between 125-150 mg/dl, 21% had this level between 151-175 mg/dl. Thirteen percent of the study subjects had HbA1C between 6.5-7.5, more than half (57.3%) had this value between 7.5-8.5, 12% and 18% had values between 8.5-9.5 and 9.5-10.5, respectively. Twelve percent of the participants had HbA1C level higher than 10.5. Correlation of fasting plasma glucose level and HbA1C was also studied and found that correlation coefficient came out to be .311. This correlation was found to be statistically

Spiral patterns near Turing instability in a discrete reaction diffusion system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, Meifeng; Han, Bo; Xu, Li; Zhang, Guang

2013-01-01

In this paper, linear stability analysis is applied to an exponential discrete Lotka–Volterra system, which describes the competition between two identical species. Conditions for the Turing instability are obtained and the emergence of spiral patterns is demonstrated by means of numerical simulations in the vicinity of the bifurcation point. Moreover, the impact of crucial system parameters on the stability and coherence of spiral patterns is illustrated on several examples

Ligand-Controlled Synthesis of Azoles via Ir-Catalyzed Reactions of Sulfoxonium Ylides with 2-Amino Heterocycles.

Science.gov (United States)

Phelps, Alicia M; Chan, Vincent S; Napolitano, José G; Krabbe, Scott W; Schomaker, Jennifer M; Shekhar, Shashank

2016-05-20

An iridium-catalyzed method was developed for the synthesis of imidazo-fused pyrrolopyrazines. The presence or absence of a nitrogenated ligand controlled the outcome of the reaction, leading to simple β-keto amine products in the absence of added ligand and the cyclized 7- and 8-substituted-imidazo[1,2-a]pyrrolo[2,3-e]pyrazine products in the presence of ligand. This catalyst control was conserved across a variety of ylide and amine coupling partners. The substrate was shown to act as a ligand for the iridium catalyst in the absence of other ligands via NMR spectroscopy. Kinetic studies indicated that formation of the Ir-carbene was reversible and the slow step of the reaction. These mechanistic investigations suggest that the β-keto amine products form via an intramolecular carbene N-H insertion, and the imidazopyrrolopyrazines form via an intermolecular carbene N-H insertion.

Temporal changes of spatial soil moisture patterns: controlling factors explained with a multidisciplinary approach

Science.gov (United States)

Martini, Edoardo; Wollschläger, Ute; Kögler, Simon; Behrens, Thorsten; Dietrich, Peter; Reinstorf, Frido; Schmidt, Karsten; Weiler, Markus; Werban, Ulrike; Zacharias, Steffen

2016-04-01

Characterizing the spatial patterns of soil moisture is critical for hydrological and meteorological models, as soil moisture is a key variable that controls matter and energy fluxes and soil-vegetation-atmosphere exchange processes. Deriving detailed process understanding at the hillslope scale is not trivial, because of the temporal variability of local soil moisture dynamics. Nevertheless, it remains a challenge to provide adequate information on the temporal variability of soil moisture and its controlling factors. Recent advances in wireless sensor technology allow monitoring of soil moisture dynamics with high temporal resolution at varying scales. In addition, mobile geophysical methods such as electromagnetic induction (EMI) have been widely used for mapping soil water content at the field scale with high spatial resolution, as being related to soil apparent electrical conductivity (ECa). The objective of this study was to characterize the spatial and temporal pattern of soil moisture at the hillslope scale and to infer the controlling hydrological processes, integrating well established and innovative sensing techniques, as well as new statistical methods. We combined soil hydrological and pedological expertise with geophysical measurements and methods from digital soil mapping for designing a wireless soil moisture monitoring network. For a hillslope site within the Schäfertal catchment (Central Germany), soil water dynamics were observed during 14 months, and soil ECa was mapped on seven occasions whithin this period of time using an EM38-DD device. Using the Spearman rank correlation coefficient, we described the temporal persistence of a dry and a wet characteristic state of soil moisture as well as the switching mechanisms, inferring the local properties that control the observed spatial patterns and the hydrological processes driving the transitions. Based on this, we evaluated the use of EMI for mapping the spatial pattern of soil moisture under

Pre-vaccination care-seeking in females reporting severe adverse reactions to HPV vaccine. A registry based case-control study

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mølbak, Kåre; Hansen, Niels Dalum; Valentiner-Branth, Palle

2016-01-01

to the DMA of suspected severe adverse reactions.We selected controls without reports of adverse reactions from the Danish vaccination registry and matched by year of vaccination, age of vaccination, and municipality, and obtained from the Danish National Patient Registry and The National Health Insurance...... vaccination programme has declined. The aim of the present study was to determine health care-seeking prior to the first HPV vaccination among females who suspected adverse reactions to HPV vaccine. Methods In this registry-based case-control study, we included as cases vaccinated females with reports...... Service Register the history of health care usage two years prior to the first vaccine. We analysed the data by logistic regression while adjusting for the matching variables. Results The study included 316 cases who received first HPV vaccine between 2006 and 2014. Age range of cases was 11 to 52 years...

Visual guidance of forward flight in hummingbirds reveals control based on image features instead of pattern velocity.

Science.gov (United States)

Dakin, Roslyn; Fellows, Tyee K; Altshuler, Douglas L

2016-08-02

Information about self-motion and obstacles in the environment is encoded by optic flow, the movement of images on the eye. Decades of research have revealed that flying insects control speed, altitude, and trajectory by a simple strategy of maintaining or balancing the translational velocity of images on the eyes, known as pattern velocity. It has been proposed that birds may use a similar algorithm but this hypothesis has not been tested directly. We examined the influence of pattern velocity on avian flight by manipulating the motion of patterns on the walls of a tunnel traversed by Anna's hummingbirds. Contrary to prediction, we found that lateral course control is not based on regulating nasal-to-temporal pattern velocity. Instead, birds closely monitored feature height in the vertical axis, and steered away from taller features even in the absence of nasal-to-temporal pattern velocity cues. For vertical course control, we observed that birds adjusted their flight altitude in response to upward motion of the horizontal plane, which simulates vertical descent. Collectively, our results suggest that birds avoid collisions using visual cues in the vertical axis. Specifically, we propose that birds monitor the vertical extent of features in the lateral visual field to assess distances to the side, and vertical pattern velocity to avoid collisions with the ground. These distinct strategies may derive from greater need to avoid collisions in birds, compared with small insects.

Nonlinear analysis of a reaction-diffusion system: Amplitude equations

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zemskov, E. P., E-mail: zemskov@ccas.ru [Russian Academy of Sciences, Dorodnicyn Computing Center (Russian Federation)

2012-10-15

A reaction-diffusion system with a nonlinear diffusion term is considered. Based on nonlinear analysis, the amplitude equations are obtained in the cases of the Hopf and Turing instabilities in the system. Turing pattern-forming regions in the parameter space are determined for supercritical and subcritical instabilities in a two-component reaction-diffusion system.

Microtransfer printing of metal ink patterns onto plastic substrates utilizing an adhesion-controlled polymeric donor layer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Park, Ji-Sub; Choi, Jun-Chan; Park, Min-Kyu; Bae, Jeong Min; Bae, Jin-Hyuk; Kim, Hak-Rin

2016-01-01

We propose a method for transfer-printed electrode patterns onto flexible/plastic substrates, specifically intended for metal ink that requires a high sintering temperature. Typically, metal-ink-based electrodes cannot be picked up for microtransfer printing because the adhesion between the electrodes and the donor substrate greatly increases after the sintering process due to the binding materials. We introduced a polymeric donor layer between the printed electrodes and the donor substrate and effectively reduced the adhesion between the Ag pattern and the polymeric donor layer by controlling the interfacial contact area. After completing a wet-etching process for the polymeric donor layer, we obtained Ag patterns supported on the fine polymeric anchor structures; the Ag patterns could be picked up onto the stamp surface even after the sintering process by utilizing the viscoelastic properties of the elastomeric stamp with a pick-up velocity control. The proposed method enables highly conductive metal-ink-based electrode patterns to be applied on thermally weak plastic substrates via an all-solution process. Metal electrodes transferred onto a film showed superior electrical and mechanical stability under the bending stress test required for use in printed flexible electronics. (paper)

Temperature-controlled cross-linking of silver nanoparticles with Diels-Alder reaction and its application on antibacterial property

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu, Lian; Yang, Pengfei; Li, Junying; Zhang, Zhiliang; Yu, Xi; Lu, Ling

2017-01-01

Highlights: • Silver nanoparticles were functionalized by furan groups. • The DA reaction of furan with bismaleimide was used to cross-link the particles. • The reverse cross-linking could be controlled by temperature. • The antibacterial activity of silvers could be adjusted by the cross-linking. - Abstract: Sliver nanoparticles (AgNPs) were synthesized and functionalized with furan group on their surface, followed by the reverse Diels-Alder (DA) reaction with bismaleimide to vary the particle size, so as to give different antibacterial activities. These nanoparticles were characterized using Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), Ultraviolet-Visible (UV–vis), Nanoparticle Size Analyzer and X-Ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS). It was found that the cross-linking reaction with bismaleimide had a great effect on the size of AgNPs. The size of the AgNPs could be controlled by the temperature of DA/r-DA equilibrium. The antibacterial activity was assessed using the inhibition zone diameter by introducing the particles into a media containing Escherichia coli, Listeria monocytogenes, and Staphylococcus aureus, respectively. It was found that these particles were effective bactericides. Furthermore, the antibacterial activity of the nanoparticles decreased orderly as the particle size enlarged.

Temperature-controlled cross-linking of silver nanoparticles with Diels-Alder reaction and its application on antibacterial property

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Liu, Lian; Yang, Pengfei, E-mail: ypf@qlu.edu.cn; Li, Junying; Zhang, Zhiliang; Yu, Xi; Lu, Ling

2017-05-01

Highlights: • Silver nanoparticles were functionalized by furan groups. • The DA reaction of furan with bismaleimide was used to cross-link the particles. • The reverse cross-linking could be controlled by temperature. • The antibacterial activity of silvers could be adjusted by the cross-linking. - Abstract: Sliver nanoparticles (AgNPs) were synthesized and functionalized with furan group on their surface, followed by the reverse Diels-Alder (DA) reaction with bismaleimide to vary the particle size, so as to give different antibacterial activities. These nanoparticles were characterized using Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), Ultraviolet-Visible (UV–vis), Nanoparticle Size Analyzer and X-Ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS). It was found that the cross-linking reaction with bismaleimide had a great effect on the size of AgNPs. The size of the AgNPs could be controlled by the temperature of DA/r-DA equilibrium. The antibacterial activity was assessed using the inhibition zone diameter by introducing the particles into a media containing Escherichia coli, Listeria monocytogenes, and Staphylococcus aureus, respectively. It was found that these particles were effective bactericides. Furthermore, the antibacterial activity of the nanoparticles decreased orderly as the particle size enlarged.

Fluid transport in reaction induced fractures

Science.gov (United States)

Ulven, Ole Ivar; Sun, WaiChing; Malthe-Sørenssen, Anders

2015-04-01

The process of fracture formation due to a volume increasing chemical reaction has been studied in a variety of different settings, e.g. weathering of dolerites by Røyne et al. te{royne}, serpentinization and carbonation of peridotite by Rudge et al. te{rudge} and replacement reactions in silica-poor igneous rocks by Jamtveit et al. te{jamtveit}. It is generally assumed that fracture formation will increase the net permeability of the rock, and thus increase the reactant transport rate and subsequently the total rate of material conversion, as summarised by Kelemen et al. te{kelemen}. Ulven et al. te{ulven_1} have shown that for fluid-mediated processes the ratio between chemical reaction rate and fluid transport rate in bulk rock controls the fracture pattern formed, and Ulven et al. te{ulven_2} have shown that instantaneous fluid transport in fractures lead to a significant increase in the total rate of the volume expanding process. However, instantaneous fluid transport in fractures is clearly an overestimate, and achievable fluid transport rates in fractures have apparently not been studied in any detail. Fractures cutting through an entire domain might experience relatively fast advective reactant transport, whereas dead-end fractures will be limited to diffusion of reactants in the fluid, internal fluid mixing in the fracture or capillary flow into newly formed fractures. Understanding the feedback process between fracture formation and permeability changes is essential in assessing industrial scale CO2 sequestration in ultramafic rock, but little is seemingly known about how large the permeability change will be in reaction-induced fracturing. In this work, we study the feedback between fracture formation during volume expansion and fluid transport in different fracture settings. We combine a discrete element model (DEM) describing a volume expanding process and the related fracture formation with different models that describe the fluid transport in the

Report on thermic effects in the study of the control and propagation of nuclear reactions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Naudet, R.

It is very likely that nuclear reactions in natural reactors are governed by temperature, chiefly as a result of the moderation rate when the water density is altered. Since reactors operate under high pressure, with supercritical water, high temperatures (at least 350 to 400 0 C in some instances) are required in order to stabilize the reactors. Some typical calculations are shown in order to illustrate the changes in the control temperature during irradiation. The speed and, therefore, the duration of reactions is determined by the need to maintain the necessary temperature required for criticality, with heat dissipation conditions taken into account. Apparent measured durations are compatible with heat dissipation by simple conduction. However, it is likely that convection currents exist, and that their effects are superimposed on those of simple conduction. Reaction propagation must also be taken into consideration since criticality cannot be realized simultaneously at every point. The presence of impurities such as gadolinium or samarium in the mineral ore allows reactions to propagate in initially subcritical increments, through progressive breakdown of the impurities by means of neutronic diffusion. However, it has been shown that this phenomenon is seriously affected by thermic effects. Typical calculations are presented. Results clearly depend on temperature distribution hypotheses; sufficient thermic coupling can totally inhibit reaction propagation. It is concluded that, if convection currents are present, propagation is favored inversely with respect to the currents, and therefore a priori downstream of the reactors. 6 figures

The association of dietary pattern and breast cancer in Jiangsu, China: A population-based case-control study.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shurong Lu

Full Text Available This study aims to examine the association of breast cancer with dietary patterns among Chinese women. A population-based case-control study was conducted in Jiangsu, China. Newly diagnosed primary breast cancer patients were recruited as cases (n = 818. Controls (n = 935, selected from the general population, were frequency matched to cases. A validated food frequency questionnaire was used to assess dietary intake. Dietary patterns were identified by factor analysis and multivariable odds ratios (OR and 95% confidence intervals (CI were estimated. Four dietary patterns were identified: salty, vegetarian, sweet and traditional Chinese. The traditional Chinese pattern was found to be robustly associated with a lower risk of breast cancer among both pre- and post-menopausal women (4th vs. 1st quartile: OR for pre- and post-menopausal women was 0.47 and 0.68, respectively. Women with high factor scores of the sweet pattern also showed a decreased risk of breast cancer (4th vs. 1st quartile: OR for pre- and post-menopausal women was 0.47 and 0.68, respectively. No marked association was observed between a vegetarian pattern or a salty pattern and breast cancer. These findings indicate that dietary patterns of the traditional Chinese and the sweet may favorably associate with the risk of breast cancer among Chinese women.

Adaptive oriented PDEs filtering methods based on new controlling speed function for discontinuous optical fringe patterns

Science.gov (United States)

Zhou, Qiuling; Tang, Chen; Li, Biyuan; Wang, Linlin; Lei, Zhenkun; Tang, Shuwei

2018-01-01

The filtering of discontinuous optical fringe patterns is a challenging problem faced in this area. This paper is concerned with oriented partial differential equations (OPDEs)-based image filtering methods for discontinuous optical fringe patterns. We redefine a new controlling speed function to depend on the orientation coherence. The orientation coherence can be used to distinguish the continuous regions and the discontinuous regions, and can be calculated by utilizing fringe orientation. We introduce the new controlling speed function to the previous OPDEs and propose adaptive OPDEs filtering models. According to our proposed adaptive OPDEs filtering models, the filtering in the continuous and discontinuous regions can be selectively carried out. We demonstrate the performance of the proposed adaptive OPDEs via application to the simulated and experimental fringe patterns, and compare our methods with the previous OPDEs.

Effects of regular Tai Chi practice and jogging on neuromuscular reaction during lateral postural control in older people.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Shao-Jun; Xu, Dong-Qing; Li, Jing-Xian

2017-01-01

This study examined the effects of regular Tai Chi practice and jogging on the neuromuscular activity of the trunk, hip, and ankle joint muscles of older people during lateral postural perturbation. A total of 42 older people participated in the study and formed the Tai Chi, jogging, and sedentary control groups. Electromyography signals were collected from the peroneus longus, anterior tibialis, gluteus medius, and erector spinae during unpredictable mediolateral perturbation. The Tai Chi group exhibited significantly faster latencies of the tibialis anterior and erector spinae than the control group. The jogging group showed a significantly shorter neuromuscular reaction time of the erector spinae than the control group. No significant difference was observed between the Tai Chi and jogging groups. Long-term regular Tai Chi practice enhanced the neuromuscular reaction of the erector spinae and tibialis anterior to lateral perturbation and will help timely posture correction when lateral postural distributions occur.

Azcatl-CRP: An ant colony-based system for searching full power control rod patterns in BWRs

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ortiz, Juan Jose [Dpto. Sistemas Nucleares, ININ, Carr. Mexico-Toluca Km. 36.5, Salazar, Edo. de Mexico (Mexico)]. E-mail: jjortiz@nuclear.inin.mx; Requena, Ignacio [Dpto. Ciencias Computacion e I.A. ETSII Informatica, University of Granada, C. Daniel Saucedo Aranda s/n, 18071 Granada (Spain)]. E-mail: requena@decsai.ugr.es

2006-01-15

We show a new system named AZCATL-CRP to design full power control rod patterns in BWRs. Azcatl-CRP uses an ant colony system and a reactor core simulator for this purpose. Transition and equilibrium cycles of Laguna Verde Nuclear Power Plant (LVNPP) reactor core in Mexico were used to test Azcatl-CRP. LVNPP has 109 control rods grouped in four sequences and currently uses control cell core (CCC) strategy in its fuel reload design. With CCC method only one sequence is employed for reactivity control at full power operation. Several operation scenarios are considered, including core water flow variation throughout the cycle, target different axial power distributions and Haling conditions. Azcatl-CRP designs control rod patterns (CRP) taking into account safety aspects such as k {sub eff} core value and thermal limits. Axial power distributions are also adjusted to a predetermined power shape.

Spontaneous Hedonic Reactions to Social Media Cues.

Science.gov (United States)

van Koningsbruggen, Guido M; Hartmann, Tilo; Eden, Allison; Veling, Harm

2017-05-01

Why is it so difficult to resist the desire to use social media? One possibility is that frequent social media users possess strong and spontaneous hedonic reactions to social media cues, which, in turn, makes it difficult to resist social media temptations. In two studies (total N = 200), we investigated less-frequent and frequent social media users' spontaneous hedonic reactions to social media cues using the Affect Misattribution Procedure-an implicit measure of affective reactions. Results demonstrated that frequent social media users showed more favorable affective reactions in response to social media (vs. control) cues, whereas less-frequent social media users' affective reactions did not differ between social media and control cues (Studies 1 and 2). Moreover, the spontaneous hedonic reactions to social media (vs. control) cues were related to self-reported cravings to use social media and partially accounted for the link between social media use and social media cravings (Study 2). These findings suggest that frequent social media users' spontaneous hedonic reactions in response to social media cues might contribute to their difficulties in resisting desires to use social media.

Controlled growth of gold nanoparticles in zeolite L via ion-exchange reactions and thermal reduction processes

KAUST Repository

Zeng, Shangjing

2014-09-01

The growth of gold nanoparticles in zeolite can be controlled using ion-exchange reactions and thermal reduction processes. We produce a number of different sizes of the gold nanoparticles with the particle size increasing with increased temperature of the final heat treatment. © 2014 Elsevier B.V.

Controlling Interfacial Separation in Porous Structures by Void Patterning

Science.gov (United States)

Ghareeb, Ahmed; Elbanna, Ahmed

Manipulating interfacial response for enhanced adhesion or fracture resistance is a problem of great interest to scientists and engineers. In many natural materials and engineering applications, an interface exists between a porous structure and a substrate. A question that arises is how the void distribution in the bulk may affect the interfacial response and whether it is possible to alter the interfacial toughness without changing the surface physical chemistry. In this paper, we address this question by studying the effect of patterning voids on the interfacial-to-the overall response of an elastic plate glued to a rigid substrate by bilinear cohesive material. Different patterning categories are investigated; uniform, graded, and binary voids. Each case is subjected to upward displacement at the upper edge of the plate. We show that the peak force and maximum elongation at failure depend on the voids design and by changing the void size, alignment or gradation we may control these performance measures. We relate these changes in the measured force displacement response to energy release rate as a measure of interfacial toughness. We discuss the implications of our results on design of bulk heterogeneities for enhanced interfacial behavior.

Ring-Expansion/Contraction Radical Crossover Reactions of Cyclic Alkoxyamines: A Mechanism for Ring Expansion-Controlled Radical Polymerization

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Atsushi Narumi

2018-06-01

Full Text Available Macrocyclic polymers present an important class of macromolecules, displaying the reduced radius of gyration or impossibility to entangle. A rare approach for their synthesis is the ring expansion-controlled radical “vinyl” polymerization, starting from a cyclic alkoxyamine. We here describe ring-expansion radical crossover reactions of cyclic alkoxyamines which run in parallel to chain-propagation reactions in the polymerization system. The radical crossover reactions extensively occurred at 105–125 °C, eventually producing high molecular weight polymers with multiple inherent dynamic covalent bonds (NOC bonds. A subsequent ring-contraction radical crossover reaction and the second ring-expansion radical crossover reaction are also described. The major products for the respective three stages were shown to possess cyclic morphologies by the molecular weight profiles and the residual ratios for the NOC bonds (φ in %. In particular, the high φ values ranging from ca. 80% to 98% were achieved for this cyclic alkoxyamine system. This result verifies the high availability of this system as a tool demonstrating the ring-expansion “vinyl” polymerization that allows them to produce macrocyclic polymers via a one-step vinyl polymerization.

Generalized perturbation theory error control within PWR core-loading pattern optimization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Imbriani, J.S.; Turinsky, P.J.; Kropaczek, D.J.

1995-01-01

The fuel management optimization code FORMOSA-P has been developed to determine the family of near-optimum loading patterns for PWR reactors. The code couples the optimization technique of simulated annealing (SA) with a generalized perturbation theory (GPT) model for evaluating core physics characteristics. To ensure the accuracy of the GPT predictions, as well as to maximize the efficient of the SA search, a GPT error control method has been developed

A multi target approach to control chemical reactions in their inhomogeneous solvent environment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Keefer, Daniel; Thallmair, Sebastian; Zauleck, Julius P P; Vivie-Riedle, Regina de

2015-01-01

Shaped laser pulses offer a powerful tool to manipulate molecular quantum systems. Their application to chemical reactions in solution is a promising concept to redesign chemical synthesis. Along this road, theoretical developments to include the solvent surrounding are necessary. An appropriate theoretical treatment is helpful to understand the underlying mechanisms. In our approach we simulate the solvent by randomly selected snapshots from molecular dynamics trajectories. We use multi target optimal control theory to optimize pulses for the various arrangements of explicit solvent molecules simultaneously. This constitutes a major challenge for the control algorithm, as the solvent configurations introduce a large inhomogeneity to the potential surfaces. We investigate how the algorithm handles the new challenges and how well the controllability of the system is preserved with increasing complexity. Additionally, we introduce a way to statistically estimate the efficiency of the optimized laser pulses in the complete thermodynamical ensemble. (paper)

Tandem Reaction of Cationic Copolymerization and Concertedly Induced Hetero-Diels-Alder Reaction Preparing Sequence-Regulated Polymers.

Science.gov (United States)

Matsumoto, Suzuka; Kanazawa, Arihiro; Kanaoka, Shokyoku; Aoshima, Sadahito

2017-06-14

A unique tandem reaction of sequence-controlled cationic copolymerization and site-specific hetero-Diels-Alder (DA) reaction is demonstrated. In the controlled cationic copolymerization of furfural and 2-acetoxyethyl vinyl ether (AcOVE), only the furan ring adjacent to the propagating carbocation underwent the hetero-DA reaction with the aldehyde moiety of another furfural molecule. A further and equally important feature of the copolymerization is that the obtained copolymers had unprecedented 2:(1 + 1)-type alternating structures of repeating sequences of two VE and one furfural units in the main chain and one furfural unit in the side chain. The specific DA reaction is attributed to the delocalization of the positive charge to the side furan ring.

Method for depleting BWRs using optimal control rod patterns

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Taner, M.S.; Levine, S.H.; Hsiao, M.Y.

1991-01-01

Control rod (CR) programming is an essential core management activity for boiling water reactors (BWRs). After establishing a core reload design for a BWR, CR programming is performed to develop a sequence of exposure-dependent CR patterns that assure the safe and effective depletion of the core through a reactor cycle. A time-variant target power distribution approach has been assumed in this study. The authors have developed OCTOPUS to implement a new two-step method for designing semioptimal CR programs for BWRs. The optimization procedure of OCTOPUS is based on the method of approximation programming and uses the SIMULATE-E code for nucleonics calculations

Vibrations and spatial patterns in biomimetic surfaces: using the shark-skin effect to control blood clotting.

Science.gov (United States)

Ramachandran, Rahul; Maani, Nazanin; Rayz, Vitaliy L; Nosonovsky, Michael

2016-08-06

We study the effect of small-amplitude fast vibrations and small-amplitude spatial patterns on various systems involving wetting and liquid flow, such as superhydrophobic surfaces, membranes and flow pipes. First, we introduce a mathematical method of averaging the effect of small spatial and temporal patterns and substituting them with an effective force. Such an effective force can change the equilibrium state of a system as well as a phase state, leading to surface texture-induced and vibration-induced phase control. Vibration and patterns can effectively jam holes in vessels with liquid, separate multi-phase flow, change membrane properties, result in propulsion and locomotion and lead to many other multi-scale, nonlinear effects including the shark-skin effect. We discuss the application of such effects to blood flow for novel biomedical 'haemophobic' applications which can prevent blood clotting and thrombosis by controlling the surface pattern at a wall of a vessel (e.g. a catheter or stent).This article is part of the themed issue 'Bioinspired hierarchically structured surfaces for green science'. © 2016 The Author(s).

Circadian blood pressure patterns and blood pressure control in patients with chronic kidney disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Di Daniele, Nicola; Fegatelli, Danilo Alunni; Rovella, Valentina; Castagnola, Veronica; Gabriele, Marco; Scuteri, Angelo

2017-12-01

Hypertension is a major risk factor for chronic kidney disease (CKD), and CKD progression is associated with suboptimal blood pressure (BP) control. Here we evaluate the impact of CKD on the attainment of BP control and the circadian BP profile in older subjects. In this observational study, we studied 547 patients referred to the hypertension clinic, of whom 224 (40.9%) had CKD. Blood pressure (BP) control and circadian BP patterns were evaluated by 24-hour ambulatory BP monitoring. Circadian BP variability was measured as the within-subject SD of BP, the percentage of measurements exceeding normal values, hypotension, and dipping status. The attainment of adequate BP control was similar in subjects with or without CKD (around 31%). Logistic regression analysis indicated that CKD was not a determinant of adequate BP control (OR 1.004; 95% CI 0.989-1.019; p = 0.58). Patients with CKD presented as twice as higher prevalence of reverse dipper (night-time peak) for systolic BP and episodes of hypotension during daytime, independently of BP control. Knowledge of the circadian pattern of BP in hypertensive subjects with CKD could inform better than attainment of BP target about risky condition for CKD progression and cognitive decline and allow a more personalized antihypertensive treatment. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Global patterns of adverse drug reactions over a decade

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Aagaard, Lise; Strandell, Johanna; Melskens, Lars

2012-01-01

Background: Although systems to collect information about suspected adverse drug reactions (ADRs) were established in many countries and by the WHO in the 1960s, few studies have examined reported ADRs related to national income. Objective: The aim of the study was to characterize ADRs reported......, classified in accordance with the World Bank definition: low, lower-middle, upper-middle and high. Results: We analysed 1¿359¿067 ADR reports including 3¿013¿074 ADRs. Overall, 16% of reports were serious and 60% were reported for females. High-income countries had the highest ADR reporting rates (range 3...

Patterns of glycemic control using glycosylated hemoglobin in diabetics

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Arunpreet Singh Kahlon

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Aim : Till now estimation of blood glucose is the highly effective method for diagnosing diabetes mellitus but it provides a short-term picture of control. More evidence is required to prove that plasma glucose and glycosylated hemoglobin levels together gives a better estimate of glycemic control and compliance with treatment. Indian diabetes risk score (IDRS is a simplified screening tool for identifying undiagnosed diabetic subjects, requires minimum time, and effort and can help to considerably reduce the costs of screening. Objective : To study patterns of glycemic control using glycosylated hemoglobin in diabetic patients. To find out correlation between levels of plasma glucose and glycosylated hemoglobin in diabetics and to calculate IDRS of the study population. Materials and Methods : A cross sectional study was conducted among 300 known diabetic patients attending outpatient department of a rural medical college in Haryana, India. Following standard procedures and protocols FPG and glycosylated hemoglobin were measured to find out a pattern of glycemic control in them after taking their written and informed consent. A correlation between the levels of glycosylated hemoglobin and fasting blood glucose was also calculated. These patients were made to fill a performa and their demographic and clinical risk factors were noted and based on this, their IDRS was calculated. This was done to validate the IDRS in Indian rural population. Results : Fifty-two percent of the population had fasting plasma glucose level between 125-150 mg/dl, 21% had this level between 151-175 mg/dl. Thirteen percent of the study subjects had HbA1C between 6.5-7.5, more than half (57.3% had this value between 7.5-8.5, 12% and 18% had values between 8.5-9.5 and 9.5-10.5, respectively. Twelve percent of the participants had HbA1C level higher than 10.5. Correlation of fasting plasma glucose level and HbA1C was also studied and found that correlation coefficient came

Control of cell nucleus shapes via micropillar patterns.

Science.gov (United States)

Pan, Zhen; Yan, Ce; Peng, Rong; Zhao, Yingchun; He, Yao; Ding, Jiandong

2012-02-01

We herein report a material technique to control the shapes of cell nuclei by the design of the microtopography of substrates to which the cells adhere. Poly(D,L-lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) micropillars or micropits of a series of height or depth were fabricated, and some surprising self deformation of the nuclei of bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs) was found in the case of micropillars with a sufficient height. Despite severe nucleus deformation, BMSCs kept the ability of proliferation and differentiation. We further demonstrated that the shapes of cell nuclei could be regulated by the appropriate micropillar patterns. Besides circular and elliptoid shapes, some unusual nucleus shapes of BMSCs have been achieved, such as square, cross, dumbbell, and asymmetric sphere-protrusion. Crown Copyright © 2011. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Dietary pattern and risk of hodgkin lymphoma in a population-based case-control study.

Science.gov (United States)

Epstein, Mara M; Chang, Ellen T; Zhang, Yawei; Fung, Teresa T; Batista, Julie L; Ambinder, Richard F; Zheng, Tongzhang; Mueller, Nancy E; Birmann, Brenda M

2015-09-01

Classic Hodgkin lymphoma (cHL) has few known modifiable risk factors, and the relationship between diet and cHL risk is unclear. We performed the first investigation of an association between dietary pattern and cHL risk in 435 cHL cases and 563 population-based controls from Massachusetts and Connecticut (1997-2000) who completed baseline diet questionnaires. We identified 4 major dietary patterns ("vegetable," "high meat," "fruit/low-fat dairy," "desserts/sweets") using principal components analysis. We computed multivariable odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals for associations of dietary pattern score (quartiles) with younger-adult (age dietary patterns were not clearly associated with cHL. We report the first evidence for a role of dietary pattern in cHL etiology. Diets featuring high intake of meat or desserts and sweets may increase cHL risk. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health 2015. This work is written by (a) US Government employee(s) and is in the public domain in the US.

Study on the instrumentation and control of the fermentaion process

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nanba, Akira

1988-03-25

An attempt was made to create models representing various fermentation processes, and these models were applied to a computer-controlled bread yeast culture plant. First, batch ethanol fermentation processes using yeast were analyzed in the light of reaction rate theory, and various model equations were presented. Using these models, analysis was made at various fermentation temperatures. As a result, it was found that the model equations are applicable to ethanol production and that the reaction rate equation is useful for analyzing high-concentration ethanol fermentation processes. Next, heat involved in ethanol fermentation was measured with a calorimeter. In combination with the above models, automatic montitoring based on microcomputer control, data processing, and display on a screen was attempted, with good results. Using the above findings, the ethanol generation reaction in the bread yeast culture was analyzed qualitatively. Culture control was performed with ethanol growth patterns as signals. The above technique has proved to be applicable to industrial bread yeast production. (17 figs, 3 tabs, 29 refs)

Kinetics of Carbon Monoxide Electro-Oxidation in Solid-Oxide Fuel Cells from Ni-YSZ Patterned-Anode Measurements

KAUST Repository

Hanna, J.; Lee, W. Y.; Ghoniem, A. F.

2013-01-01

A mathematical model is developed around the framework of a reduced mechanism describing electrochemical oxidation of carbon monoxide on Ni-YSZ patterned anodes. The electro-oxidation mechanism involves three reactions, one describing adsorption/ desorption of COonNi, and two single-electron charge-transfer steps inwhich the surface adsorbate CO(Ni) participates directly. These steps are coupled with surface transport in a reaction-diffusion model for which analytic equilibrium and steady-state solutions are derived. As much as possible, we make use of existing, independent, published information about heterogeneous chemistry, surface transport, and other model parameters. The only unknowns in our model are taken to be the kinetic rate constants of the electrochemical reactions, which we evaluate by fitting the model predictions to previously published patterned-anode experiments [B. Habibzadeh, Ph.D. Thesis, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA (2007)]. The results show that diffusion of CO on the Ni surface to the three-phase boundary is the rate-controlling process for CO electro-oxidation. Moreover, from a reaction standpoint, the charge-transfer process is dominated by a slow step involving CO(Ni). These findings collectively demonstrate the critical dependence of the electro-oxidation process to the direct participation of CO. © 2013 The Electrochemical Society. All rights reserved.

Kinetics of Carbon Monoxide Electro-Oxidation in Solid-Oxide Fuel Cells from Ni-YSZ Patterned-Anode Measurements

KAUST Repository

Hanna, J.

2013-04-17

A mathematical model is developed around the framework of a reduced mechanism describing electrochemical oxidation of carbon monoxide on Ni-YSZ patterned anodes. The electro-oxidation mechanism involves three reactions, one describing adsorption/ desorption of COonNi, and two single-electron charge-transfer steps inwhich the surface adsorbate CO(Ni) participates directly. These steps are coupled with surface transport in a reaction-diffusion model for which analytic equilibrium and steady-state solutions are derived. As much as possible, we make use of existing, independent, published information about heterogeneous chemistry, surface transport, and other model parameters. The only unknowns in our model are taken to be the kinetic rate constants of the electrochemical reactions, which we evaluate by fitting the model predictions to previously published patterned-anode experiments [B. Habibzadeh, Ph.D. Thesis, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA (2007)]. The results show that diffusion of CO on the Ni surface to the three-phase boundary is the rate-controlling process for CO electro-oxidation. Moreover, from a reaction standpoint, the charge-transfer process is dominated by a slow step involving CO(Ni). These findings collectively demonstrate the critical dependence of the electro-oxidation process to the direct participation of CO. © 2013 The Electrochemical Society. All rights reserved.

Glider-based computing in reaction-diffusion hexagonal cellular automata

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Adamatzky, Andrew; Wuensche, Andrew; De Lacy Costello, Benjamin

2006-01-01

A three-state hexagonal cellular automaton, discovered in [Wuensche A. Glider dynamics in 3-value hexagonal cellular automata: the beehive rule. Int J Unconvention Comput, in press], presents a conceptual discrete model of a reaction-diffusion system with inhibitor and activator reagents. The automaton model of reaction-diffusion exhibits mobile localized patterns (gliders) in its space-time dynamics. We show how to implement the basic computational operations with these mobile localizations, and thus demonstrate collision-based logical universality of the hexagonal reaction-diffusion cellular automaton

Controlling droplet-based deposition uniformity of long silver nanowires by micrometer scale substrate patterning

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Basu, Nandita; Cross, Graham L W

2015-01-01

We report control of droplet-deposit uniformity of long silver nanowires suspended in solutions by microscopic influence of the liquid contact line. Substrates with microfabricated line patterns with a pitch far smaller than mean wire length lead to deposit thickness uniformity compared to unpatterned substrates. For high boiling-point solvents, two significant effects were observed: The substrate patterns suppressed coffee ring staining, and the wire deposits exhibited a common orientation lying perpendicular over top the lines. The latter result is completely distinct from previously reported substrate groove channeling effects. This work shows that microscopic influence of the droplet contact line geometry including the contact angle by altered substrate wetting allows significant and advantageous influence of deposition patterns of wire-like solutes as the drop dries. (paper)

Complex temporal and spatial patterns in nonequilibrium processes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1992-01-01

Dynamical systems methods have been used to study bifurcations and pattern formation in nonequilibrium systems. Accomplishments during this period include: information-theoretic methods for analyzing chaos, chemical reactors for studying sustained reaction-diffusion patterns, a reactor exploiting pattern formation to extract short- lived intermediate species, observation of bifurcation from periodic to quasiperiodic rotating chemical spiral patterns, observation of a Turing bifurcation (transition from uniform state to a stationary chemical pattern), method for extracting noise strength in ramped convection, self-similar fractal structure of Zn clusters in electrodeposition, and dynamical instability in crack propagation

Optically reconfigurable patterning for control of the propagation characteristics of a planar waveguide

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Y.; Klittnick, A.; Clark, N. A.; Keller, P.

2008-10-01

We demonstrate an easily fabricated all-optical and freely reconfigurable method of controlling the propagating characteristics of the optic path within a planar waveguide with low insertion losses by employing the optical patterning of the refractive index of an erasable and rewriteable photosensitive liquid crystal polymer cladding layer.

Flexible method for fabricating protein patterns on superhydrophobic platforms controlled by magnetic field.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Jian; Li, Hao; Zou, Haoyang; Wang, Chenmiao; Zhang, Hao; Mano, João F; Song, Wenlong

2017-02-28

Inspired by the rolling of water droplets on lotus leaves, we developed a novel, magnetic field-controlled patterning method for water-soluble proteins and other functional materials on superhydrophobic platforms. This simple method can be used to fabricate biochips and open micro-fluidic devices in a simple way.

Automated numerical simulation of biological pattern formation based on visual feedback simulation framework.

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Mingzhu; Xu, Hui; Zeng, Xingjuan; Zhao, Xin

2017-01-01

There are various fantastic biological phenomena in biological pattern formation. Mathematical modeling using reaction-diffusion partial differential equation systems is employed to study the mechanism of pattern formation. However, model parameter selection is both difficult and time consuming. In this paper, a visual feedback simulation framework is proposed to calculate the parameters of a mathematical model automatically based on the basic principle of feedback control. In the simulation framework, the simulation results are visualized, and the image features are extracted as the system feedback. Then, the unknown model parameters are obtained by comparing the image features of the simulation image and the target biological pattern. Considering two typical applications, the visual feedback simulation framework is applied to fulfill pattern formation simulations for vascular mesenchymal cells and lung development. In the simulation framework, the spot, stripe, labyrinthine patterns of vascular mesenchymal cells, the normal branching pattern and the branching pattern lacking side branching for lung branching are obtained in a finite number of iterations. The simulation results indicate that it is easy to achieve the simulation targets, especially when the simulation patterns are sensitive to the model parameters. Moreover, this simulation framework can expand to other types of biological pattern formation.

(4+2) Cycloaddition reactions with inverse electron demand of nitrogen bearing, heteroaromatic cations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ritzberger-Baumgartner, W.

1996-06-01

Three cationic, heteroaromatic diene-systems (1, 2, 3, 4-tetramethoxycarbonyl-quinolizinium-tetrafluoroborate (M), 8, 9, 10, 11-tetrarnethoxycarbonylpyrido[2,1-a]-isoquinolinium-TFB and triazolo[1,5-b]isoquinolinium-TFBs) and a cationic, non-aromatic diene (2,5,5-trimethyl-3-oxo-1, 2, 4-triazolium-TFB) were synthesized. The dienes were employed successfully in cycloaddition reactions with a number ofconjugated dienophiles (including norbornene). The mechanism underlying these cycloaddition reactions was discussed in the theoretical section. At first quantumchemical calculations of the frontier orbital energies provided the proof, that the reactions followed the pattern of reactions with inverse electron demand. Calculation of the charge distribution and of the orbital coefficients led to the conclusion, that these reactions are mainly orbital controlled. Two mechanistic variants were in discussion. Either the reactions proceed in a concerted manner resembling the Diels-Alder reaction with inverse electron demand or in two distinct steps with the formation of a cationic intermediate following the attack of the heterodienes acting as weak electrophiles at the dienophiles being weak nucleophiles. Calculations of a possible transition state of these cycloaddition reactions revealed a pronounced preference for the formation of the bond between the logical reaction centers in the first step of a two-step reaction. However, experimental and theoretical findings led to the conviction, that cationic polar cycloaddition reactions proceed exactly along the crossroad between a concerted and a two-step mechanism and depending on the electrophilic strength of the diene and the nucleophilic strength of the dienophile these reactions show more characteristics of one of the two mechanistic possibilities. The high regioselectivity as well as the high stereoselectivity could be explained satisfactory with the help of the calculated orbital coefficients. (author)

Aerodynamic Interactions of Propulsive Deceleration and Reaction Control System Jets on Mars-Entry Aeroshells

Science.gov (United States)

Alkandry, Hicham

Future missions to Mars, including sample-return and human-exploration missions, may require alternative entry, descent, and landing technologies in order to perform pinpoint landing of heavy vehicles. Two such alternatives are propulsive deceleration (PD) and reaction control systems (RCS). PD can slow the vehicle during Mars atmospheric descent by directing thrusters into the incoming freestream. RCS can provide vehicle control and steering by inducing moments using thrusters on the hack of the entry capsule. The use of these PD and RCS jets, however, involves complex flow interactions that are still not well understood. The fluid interactions induced by PD and RCS jets for Mars-entry vehicles in hypersonic freestream conditions are investigated using computational fluid dynamics (CFD). The effects of central and peripheral PD configurations using both sonic and supersonic jets at various thrust conditions are examined in this dissertation. The RCS jet is directed either parallel or transverse to the freestream flow at different thrust conditions in order to examine the effects of the thruster orientation with respect to the center of gravity of the aeroshell. The physical accuracy of the computational method is also assessed by comparing the numerical results with available experimental data. The central PD configuration decreases the drag force acting on the entry capsule due to a shielding effect that prevents mass and momentum in the hypersonic freestream from reaching the aeroshell. The peripheral PD configuration also decreases the drag force by obstructing the flow around the aeroshell and creating low surface pressure regions downstream of the PD nozzles. The Mach number of the PD jets, however, does not have a significant effect on the induced fluid interactions. The reaction control system also alters the flowfield, surface, and aerodynamic properties of the aeroshell, while the jet orientation can have a significant effect on the control effectiveness

Simulating the control of molecular reactions via modulated light fields: from gas phase to solution

Science.gov (United States)

Thallmair, Sebastian; Keefer, Daniel; Rott, Florian; de Vivie-Riedle, Regina

2017-04-01

Over the past few years quantum control has proven to be very successful in steering molecular processes. By combining theory with experiment, even highly complex control aims were realized in the gas phase. In this topical review, we illustrate the past achievements on several examples in the molecular context. The next step for the quantum control of chemical processes is to translate the fruitful interplay between theory and experiment to the condensed phase and thus to the regime where chemical synthesis can be supported. On the theory side, increased efforts to include solvent effects in quantum control simulations were made recently. We discuss two major concepts, namely an implicit description of the environment via the density matrix algorithm and an explicit inclusion of solvent molecules. By application to chemical reactions, both concepts conclude that despite environmental perturbations leading to more complex control tasks, efficient quantum control in the condensed phase is still feasible.

Tree-, stand- and site-specific controls on landscape-scale patterns of transpiration

Science.gov (United States)

Kathrin Hassler, Sibylle; Weiler, Markus; Blume, Theresa

2018-01-01

Transpiration is a key process in the hydrological cycle, and a sound understanding and quantification of transpiration and its spatial variability is essential for management decisions as well as for improving the parameterisation and evaluation of hydrological and soil-vegetation-atmosphere transfer models. For individual trees, transpiration is commonly estimated by measuring sap flow. Besides evaporative demand and water availability, tree-specific characteristics such as species, size or social status control sap flow amounts of individual trees. Within forest stands, properties such as species composition, basal area or stand density additionally affect sap flow, for example via competition mechanisms. Finally, sap flow patterns might also be influenced by landscape-scale characteristics such as geology and soils, slope position or aspect because they affect water and energy availability; however, little is known about the dynamic interplay of these controls.We studied the relative importance of various tree-, stand- and site-specific characteristics with multiple linear regression models to explain the variability of sap velocity measurements in 61 beech and oak trees, located at 24 sites across a 290 km2 catchment in Luxembourg. For each of 132 consecutive days of the growing season of 2014 we modelled the daily sap velocity and derived sap flow patterns of these 61 trees, and we determined the importance of the different controls.Results indicate that a combination of mainly tree- and site-specific factors controls sap velocity patterns in the landscape, namely tree species, tree diameter, geology and aspect. For sap flow we included only the stand- and site-specific predictors in the models to ensure variable independence. Of those, geology and aspect were most important. Compared to these predictors, spatial variability of atmospheric demand and soil moisture explains only a small fraction of the variability in the daily datasets. However, the temporal

Synthetic Control of Kinetic Reaction Pathway and Cationic Ordering in High-Ni Layered Oxide Cathodes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wang, Dawei [Sustainable Energy Technologies Department, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton NY 11973 USA; Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials, State Key Laboratory Physical Chemistry Solid Surfaces, Department of Chemistry, Xiamen University, Xiamen Fujian 361005 China; Kou, Ronghui [X-Ray Science Division, Advanced Photon Source, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne IL 60439 USA; Ren, Yang [X-Ray Science Division, Advanced Photon Source, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne IL 60439 USA; Sun, Cheng-Jun [X-Ray Science Division, Advanced Photon Source, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne IL 60439 USA; Zhao, Hu [Sustainable Energy Technologies Department, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton NY 11973 USA; Zhang, Ming-Jian [Sustainable Energy Technologies Department, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton NY 11973 USA; School of Advanced Materials, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen Guangdong 518055 P. R. China; Li, Yan [Chemical Sciences and Engineering Division, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne IL 60439 USA; Huq, Ashifia [Chemical and Engineering Materials Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge TN 37831 USA; Ko, J. Y. Peter [The Cornell High Energy Synchrotron Source, Cornell University, Ithaca NY 14853 USA; Pan, Feng [School of Advanced Materials, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen Guangdong 518055 P. R. China; Sun, Yang-Kook [Department of Energy Engineering, Hanyang University, Seoul 133-791 South Korea; Yang, Yong [Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials, State Key Laboratory Physical Chemistry Solid Surfaces, Department of Chemistry, Xiamen University, Xiamen Fujian 361005 China; Amine, Khalil [Chemical Sciences and Engineering Division, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne IL 60439 USA; Bai, Jianming [National Synchrotron Light Source II, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton NY 11973 USA; Chen, Zonghai [Chemical Sciences and Engineering Division, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne IL 60439 USA; Wang, Feng [Sustainable Energy Technologies Department, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton NY 11973 USA

2017-08-25

Nickel-rich layered transition metal oxides, LiNi1-x(MnCo)(x)O-2 (1-x >= 0.5), are appealing candidates for cathodes in next-generation lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) for electric vehicles and other large-scale applications, due to their high capacity and low cost. However, synthetic control of the structural ordering in such a complex quaternary system has been a great challenge, especially in the presence of high Ni content. Herein, synthesis reactions for preparing layered LiNi0.7Mn0.15Co0.15O2 (NMC71515) by solid-state methods are investigated through a combination of time-resolved in situ high-energy X-ray diffraction and absorption spectroscopy measurements. The real-time observation reveals a strong temperature dependence of the kinetics of cationic ordering in NMC71515 as a result of thermal-driven oxidation of transition metals and lithium/oxygen loss that concomitantly occur during heat treatment. Through synthetic control of the kinetic reaction pathway, a layered NMC71515 with low cationic disordering and a high reversible capacity is prepared in air. The findings may help to pave the way for designing high-Ni layered oxide cathodes for LIBs.

Emergent structures in reaction-advection-diffusion systems on a sphere

Science.gov (United States)

Krause, Andrew L.; Burton, Abigail M.; Fadai, Nabil T.; Van Gorder, Robert A.

2018-04-01

We demonstrate unusual effects due to the addition of advection into a two-species reaction-diffusion system on the sphere. We find that advection introduces emergent behavior due to an interplay of the traditional Turing patterning mechanisms with the compact geometry of the sphere. Unidirectional advection within the Turing space of the reaction-diffusion system causes patterns to be generated at one point of the sphere, and transported to the antipodal point where they are destroyed. We illustrate these effects numerically and deduce conditions for Turing instabilities on local projections to understand the mechanisms behind these behaviors. We compare this behavior to planar advection which is shown to only transport patterns across the domain. Analogous transport results seem to hold for the sphere under azimuthal transport or away from the antipodal points in unidirectional flow regimes.

Stability test and analysis of the Space Shuttle Primary Reaction Control Subsystem thruster

Science.gov (United States)

Applewhite, John; Hurlbert, Eric; Krohn, Douglas; Arndt, Scott; Clark, Robert

1992-01-01

The results are reported of a test program conducted on the Space Shuttle Primary Reaction Control Subsystem thruster in order to investigate the effects of trapped helium bubbles and saturated propellants on stability, determine if thruster-to-thruster stability variations are significant, and determine stability under STS-representative conditions. It is concluded that the thruster design is highly reliable in flight and that burn-through has not occurred. Significantly unstable thrusters are screened out, and wire wrap is found to protect against chamber burn-throughs and to provide a fail-safe thruster for this situation.

Blood fatty acid patterns are associated with prostate cancer risk in a prospective nested case-control study.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Meng; Ayuningtyas, Azalea; Kenfield, Stacey A; Sesso, Howard D; Campos, Hannia; Ma, Jing; Stampfer, Meir J; Chavarro, Jorge E

2016-09-01

Circulating fatty acids are highly correlated with each other, and analyzing fatty acid patterns could better capture their interactions and their relation to prostate cancer. We aimed to assess the associations between data-derived blood fatty acid patterns and prostate cancer risk. We conducted a nested case-control study in the Physicians' Health Study. Fatty acids levels were measured in whole blood samples of 476 cases and their matched controls by age and smoking status. Fatty acid patterns were identified using principal component analysis. Conditional logistic regression was used to estimate odds ratio (OR) and 95 % confidence interval (CI). Two patterns explaining 40.9 % of total variation in blood fatty acid levels were identified. Pattern 1, which mainly reflects polyunsaturated fatty acid metabolism, was suggestively positively related to prostate cancer risk (ORquintile 5 vs. quintile 1 = 1.37, 95 % CI = 0.91-2.05, P trend = 0.07). Pattern 2, which largely reflects de novo lipogenesis, was significantly associated with higher prostate cancer risk (ORquintile5 vs. quintile1 = 1.63, 95 % CI = 1.04-2.55, P trend = 0.02). This association was similar across tumor stage, grade, clinical aggressiveness categories and follow-up time. The two patterns of fatty acids we identified were consistent with known interactions between fatty acid intake and metabolism. A pattern suggestive of higher activity in the de novo lipogenesis pathway was related to higher risk of prostate cancer.

Morphology and Pattern Control of Diphenylalanine Self-Assembly via Evaporative Dewetting.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Jiarui; Qin, Shuyu; Wu, Xinglong; Chu, And Paul K

2016-01-26

Self-assembled peptide nanostructures have unique physical and biological properties and promising applications in electrical devices and functional molecular recognition. Although solution-based peptide molecules can self-assemble into different morphologies, it is challenging to control the self-assembly process. Herein, controllable self-assembly of diphenylalanine (FF) in an evaporative dewetting solution is reported. The fluid mechanical dimensionless numbers, namely Rayleigh, Marangoni, and capillary numbers, are introduced to control the interaction between the solution and FF molecules in the self-assembly process. The difference in the film thickness reflects the effects of Rayleigh and Marangoni convection, and the water vapor flow rate reveals the role of viscous fingering in the emergence of aligned FF flakes. By employing dewetting, various FF self-assembled patterns, like concentric and spokelike, and morphologies, like strips and hexagonal tubes/rods, can be produced, and there are no significant lattice structural changes in the FF nanostructures.

Dietary patterns and colorectal cancer risk in a Korean population: A case-control study.

Science.gov (United States)

Park, Yoon; Lee, Jeonghee; Oh, Jae Hwan; Shin, Aesun; Kim, Jeongseon

2016-06-01

Colorectal cancer (CRC) has been recognized as one of the major malignancies in Korea. Analyses of dietary patterns can provide insight into the complex interactions of foods, nutrients, and biologically active components within a diet, which vary among populations. We aimed to investigate the associations between dietary patterns and colorectal cancer risk in Koreans. In a study of 923 cases and 1846 controls, principal component analysis was used to identify dietary patterns based on 33 predefined food groups using a 106-item semiquantitative food frequency questionnaire (SQFFQ). The associations between dietary patterns and CRC risk were assessed using binary and polytomous logistic regression models to estimate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Three dietary patterns (traditional, Westernized, and prudent) were derived. The proportion of total variation explained by 3 patterns was 24.2% for men and 25.3% for women. The traditional and prudent patterns were inversely associated with CRC risk [OR and 95% CI for the highest intake tertile of pattern score vs. the lowest = 0.35 (0.27-0.46) and 0.37 (0.28-0.48), respectively], whereas the Westernized pattern showed a positive association, especially among women [OR = 2.13 (1.35-3.34) for the highest tertile vs. the lowest]. A decrease in CRC risk among those with the highest intake of the prudent pattern was observed in all anatomical subsites in both men [OR = 0.36 (0.19-0.68) for proximal colon; 0.21 (0.12-0.36) for distal colon; 0.28 (0.18-0.44) for rectum] and women [OR = 0.28 (0.11-0.71); 0.27 (0.13-0.54); 0.45 (0.25-0.83)]. Our results indicate that individuals who prefer the Westernized dietary pattern should be made aware of their increased CRC risk. The traditional dietary pattern and the prudent pattern, which are rich in fruits and dairy products, are recommended for the Korean population to prevent CRC.

Pattern recognition methods in air pollution control

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tauber, S

1978-01-01

The use of pattern recognition methods for predicting air pollution developments is discussed. Computer analysis of historical pollution data allows comparison in graphical form. An example of crisis prediction for carbon monoxide concentrations, using the pattern recognition method of analysis, is presented. Results of the analysis agreed well with actual CO conditions. (6 graphs, 4 references, 1 table)

On the Green's function of the partially diffusion-controlled reversible ABCD reaction for radiation chemistry codes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Plante, Ianik, E-mail: ianik.plante-1@nasa.gov [Wyle Science, Technology & Engineering, 1290 Hercules, Houston, TX 77058 (United States); Devroye, Luc, E-mail: lucdevroye@gmail.com [School of Computer Science, McGill University, 3480 University Street, Montreal H3A 0E9 (Canada)

2015-09-15

Several computer codes simulating chemical reactions in particles systems are based on the Green's functions of the diffusion equation (GFDE). Indeed, many types of chemical systems have been simulated using the exact GFDE, which has also become the gold standard for validating other theoretical models. In this work, a simulation algorithm is presented to sample the interparticle distance for partially diffusion-controlled reversible ABCD reaction. This algorithm is considered exact for 2-particles systems, is faster than conventional look-up tables and uses only a few kilobytes of memory. The simulation results obtained with this method are compared with those obtained with the independent reaction times (IRT) method. This work is part of our effort in developing models to understand the role of chemical reactions in the radiation effects on cells and tissues and may eventually be included in event-based models of space radiation risks. However, as many reactions are of this type in biological systems, this algorithm might play a pivotal role in future simulation programs not only in radiation chemistry, but also in the simulation of biochemical networks in time and space as well.

On the Green's function of the partially diffusion-controlled reversible ABCD reaction for radiation chemistry codes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Plante, Ianik; Devroye, Luc

2015-01-01

Several computer codes simulating chemical reactions in particles systems are based on the Green's functions of the diffusion equation (GFDE). Indeed, many types of chemical systems have been simulated using the exact GFDE, which has also become the gold standard for validating other theoretical models. In this work, a simulation algorithm is presented to sample the interparticle distance for partially diffusion-controlled reversible ABCD reaction. This algorithm is considered exact for 2-particles systems, is faster than conventional look-up tables and uses only a few kilobytes of memory. The simulation results obtained with this method are compared with those obtained with the independent reaction times (IRT) method. This work is part of our effort in developing models to understand the role of chemical reactions in the radiation effects on cells and tissues and may eventually be included in event-based models of space radiation risks. However, as many reactions are of this type in biological systems, this algorithm might play a pivotal role in future simulation programs not only in radiation chemistry, but also in the simulation of biochemical networks in time and space as well

Gender differences in scalp hair growth rates are maintained but reduced in pattern hair loss compared to controls.

Science.gov (United States)

Van Neste, D J J; Rushton, D H

2016-08-01

Hair loss is related to follicular density, programmed regrowth and hair productivity. The dissatisfaction with hair growth in patients experiencing hair loss might be due to slower linear hair growth rate (LHGR). LHGR and hair diameter was evaluated in Caucasian controls and patients with patterned hair loss employing the validated non-invasive, contrast-enhanced-phototrichogram with exogen collection. We evaluated 59,765 anagen hairs (controls 24,609, patients 35,156) and found thinner hairs grew slower than thicker hairs. LHGR in normal women was generally higher than in normal men. LHGR correlates with hair diameter (P hair of equal thickness in controls, subjects affected with patterned hair loss showed reduced hair growth rates, an observation found in both male and female patients. Males with pattern hair loss showed further reduction in growth rates as clinical severity worsened. However, sample size limitations prevented statistical evaluation of LHGR in severely affected females. Caucasian ethnicity. In pattern hair loss, LHGR significantly contributes to the apparent decrease in hair volume in affected areas. In early onset, LHRG might have a prognostic value in females but not in males. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Multifragmentation in 30 MeV/u [sup 129]Xe induced reactions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Colonna, N. (INFN, Bari (Italy)); Bowman, D.R. (Chalk River Lab. (Canada)); Brambilla, S. (Dipt. di Fisica and INFN, Milan (Italy)); Bruno, M. (Dipt. di Fisica and INFN, Bologna (Italy)); Buttazzo, P. (Dipt. di Fisica and INFN, Trieste (Italy)); Celano, L. (INFN, Bari (Italy)); Chiodini, S. (Dipt. di Fisica and INFN, Milan (Italy)); D' Agostino, M. (Dipt. di Fisica and INFN, Bologna (Italy)); Dinius, J.D. (Michigan State Univ., East Lansing, MI (United States). National Superconducting Cyclotron Lab.); Ferrero, A. (Dipt. di Fisica and INFN, Milan (Italy)); Gelbke, K. (Michigan State Univ., East Lansing, MI (United States). National Superconducting Cyclotron Lab.); Glasmacher, T. (Michigan State Univ., East Lansing, MI (United States). National Superconducting Cyclotron Lab.); Gramegna, F. (INFN, Lab. Nazionali, Legnaro (Italy)); Handzy, D.O. (Michigan State Univ., East Lansing, MI (United States). National Superconducting Cyclotron Lab.); Horn, D. (Chalk River Lab. (Canad

1994-01-01

Multifragmentation processes in the 30 MeV/u [sup 129]Xe + [sup nat]Cu and [sup 129]Xe + [sup 197]Au reactions were studied with a low threshold, high-granularity 4[pi] detection system. Fragment velocity distributions have been measured at forward angles as a function of the total charged particle multiplicity. While a two-source pattern is observed for the peripheral collisions, no evidence of a dinuclear emission pattern is found for the most central collisions. Kinematical observables, such as fragment relative velocity, relative angle and reduced velocity correlation functions indicate a fast timescale of the multifragmentation process in these reactions. (orig.)

Thermally multiplexed polymerase chain reaction.

Science.gov (United States)

Phaneuf, Christopher R; Pak, Nikita; Saunders, D Curtis; Holst, Gregory L; Birjiniuk, Joav; Nagpal, Nikita; Culpepper, Stephen; Popler, Emily; Shane, Andi L; Jerris, Robert; Forest, Craig R

2015-07-01

Amplification of multiple unique genetic targets using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is commonly required in molecular biology laboratories. Such reactions are typically performed either serially or by multiplex PCR. Serial reactions are time consuming, and multiplex PCR, while powerful and widely used, can be prone to amplification bias, PCR drift, and primer-primer interactions. We present a new thermocycling method, termed thermal multiplexing, in which a single heat source is uniformly distributed and selectively modulated for independent temperature control of an array of PCR reactions. Thermal multiplexing allows amplification of multiple targets simultaneously-each reaction segregated and performed at optimal conditions. We demonstrate the method using a microfluidic system consisting of an infrared laser thermocycler, a polymer microchip featuring 1 μl, oil-encapsulated reactions, and closed-loop pulse-width modulation control. Heat transfer modeling is used to characterize thermal performance limitations of the system. We validate the model and perform two reactions simultaneously with widely varying annealing temperatures (48 °C and 68 °C), demonstrating excellent amplification. In addition, to demonstrate microfluidic infrared PCR using clinical specimens, we successfully amplified and detected both influenza A and B from human nasopharyngeal swabs. Thermal multiplexing is scalable and applicable to challenges such as pathogen detection where patients presenting non-specific symptoms need to be efficiently screened across a viral or bacterial panel.

Reaction kinetics of cellulose hydrolysis in subcritical and supercritical water

Science.gov (United States)

Olanrewaju, Kazeem Bode

The uncertainties in the continuous supply of fossil fuels from the crisis-ridden oil-rich region of the world is fast shifting focus on the need to utilize cellulosic biomass and develop more efficient technologies for its conversion to fuels and chemicals. One such technology is the rapid degradation of cellulose in supercritical water without the need for an enzyme or inorganic catalyst such as acid. This project focused on the study of reaction kinetics of cellulose hydrolysis in subcritical and supercritical water. Cellulose reactions at hydrothermal conditions can proceed via the homogeneous route involving dissolution and hydrolysis or the heterogeneous path of surface hydrolysis. The work is divided into three main parts. First, the detailed kinetic analysis of cellulose reactions in micro- and tubular reactors was conducted. Reaction kinetics models were applied, and kinetics parameters at both subcritical and supercritical conditions were evaluated. The second major task was the evaluation of yields of water soluble hydrolysates obtained from the hydrolysis of cellulose and starch in hydrothermal reactors. Lastly, changes in molecular weight distribution due to hydrothermolytic degradation of cellulose were investigated. These changes were also simulated based on different modes of scission, and the pattern generated from simulation was compared with the distribution pattern from experiments. For a better understanding of the reaction kinetics of cellulose in subcritical and supercritical water, a series of reactions was conducted in the microreactor. Hydrolysis of cellulose was performed at subcritical temperatures ranging from 270 to 340 °C (tau = 0.40--0.88 s). For the dissolution of cellulose, the reaction was conducted at supercritical temperatures ranging from 375 to 395 °C (tau = 0.27--0.44 s). The operating pressure for the reactions at both subcritical and supercritical conditions was 5000 psig. The results show that the rate-limiting step in

Nuclear chain reaction: forty years later

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sachs, R.G.

1984-01-01

The proceedings from a 1982 symposium 40 years after the first controlled nuclear chain reaction took place in Chicago covers four sessions and public discussion. The session covered the history of the chain reaction; peaceful uses in technology, medicine, and biological science; peaceful uses in power generation; and nuclear weapons control. Among the speakers were Eugene Wigner, Glenn Seaborg, Alvin Weinberg, and others who participated in the first chain reaction experiments. The proceedings reflect differences of opinion among the scientists as well as the general public. References, slides, and tables used to illustrate the individual talks are included with the papers

Coupled processes of fluid flow, solute transport, and geochemical reactions in reactive barriers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, Jeongkon; Schwartz, Franklin W.; Xu, Tianfu; Choi, Heechul, and Kim, In S.

2004-01-02

A complex pattern of coupling between fluid flow and mass transport develops when heterogeneous reactions occur. For instance, dissolution and precipitation reactions can change a porous medium's physical properties, such as pore geometry and thus permeability. These changes influence fluid flow, which in turn impacts the composition of dissolved constituents and the solid phases, and the rate and direction of advective transport. Two-dimensional modeling studies using TOUGHREACT were conducted to investigate the coupling between flow and transport developed as a consequence of differences in density, dissolution precipitation, and medium heterogeneity. The model includes equilibrium reactions for aqueous species, kinetic reactions between the solid phases and aqueous constituents, and full coupling of porosity and permeability changes resulting from precipitation and dissolution reactions in porous media. In addition, a new permeability relationship is implemented in TOUGHREACT to examine the effects of geochemical reactions and density difference on plume migration in porous media. Generally, the evolutions in the concentrations of the aqueous phase are intimately related to the reaction-front dynamics. Plugging of the medium contributed to significant transients in patterns of flow and mass transport.

Parental Reactions to Cleft Palate Children.

Science.gov (United States)

Vanpoelvoorde, Leah

This literature review examines parental reactions following the birth of a cleft lip/palate child, focusing primarily on the mother's reactions. The research studies cited have explored such influences on maternal reactions as her feelings of lack of control over external forces and her feelings of guilt that the deformity was her fault. Delays…

Bifurcation analysis of a delay reaction-diffusion malware propagation model with feedback control

Science.gov (United States)

Zhu, Linhe; Zhao, Hongyong; Wang, Xiaoming

2015-05-01

With the rapid development of network information technology, information networks security has become a very critical issue in our work and daily life. This paper attempts to develop a delay reaction-diffusion model with a state feedback controller to describe the process of malware propagation in mobile wireless sensor networks (MWSNs). By analyzing the stability and Hopf bifurcation, we show that the state feedback method can successfully be used to control unstable steady states or periodic oscillations. Moreover, formulas for determining the properties of the bifurcating periodic oscillations are derived by applying the normal form method and center manifold theorem. Finally, we conduct extensive simulations on large-scale MWSNs to evaluate the proposed model. Numerical evidences show that the linear term of the controller is enough to delay the onset of the Hopf bifurcation and the properties of the bifurcation can be regulated to achieve some desirable behaviors by choosing the appropriate higher terms of the controller. Furthermore, we obtain that the spatial-temporal dynamic characteristics of malware propagation are closely related to the rate constant for nodes leaving the infective class for recovered class and the mobile behavior of nodes.

Modeling and analyzing stripe patterns in fish skin

Science.gov (United States)

Zheng, Yibo; Zhang, Lei; Wang, Yuan; Liang, Ping; Kang, Junjian

2009-11-01

The formation mechanism of stripe patterns in the skin of tropical fishes has been investigated by a coupled two variable reaction diffusion model. Two types of spatial inhomogeneities have been introduced into a homogenous system. Several Turing modes pumped by the Turing instability give rise to a simple stripe pattern. It is found that the Turing mechanism can only determine the wavelength of stripe pattern. The orientation of stripe pattern is determined by the spatial inhomogeneity. Our numerical results suggest that it may be the most possible mechanism for the forming process of fish skin patterns.

Thermal decomposition of specifically phosphorylated D-glucoses and their role in the control of the Maillard reaction.

Science.gov (United States)

Yaylayan, Varoujan A; Machiels, David; Istasse, Louis

2003-05-21

One of the main shortcomings of the information available on the Maillard reaction is the lack of knowledge to control the different pathways, especially when it is desired to direct the reaction away from the formation of carcinogenic and other toxic substances to more aroma and color generation. The use of specifically phosphorylated sugars may impart some elements of control over the aroma profile generated by the Maillard reaction. Thermal decomposition of 1- and 6-phosphorylated glucoses was studied in the presence and absence of ammonia and selected amino acids through pyrolysis/gas chromatography/mass spectrometry using nonpolar PLOT and medium polar DB-1 columns. The analysis of the data has indicated that glucose-1-phosphate relative to glucose undergoes more extensive phosphate-catalyzed ring opening followed by formation of sugar-derived reactive intermediates as was indicated by a 9-fold increase in the amount of trimethylpyrazine and a 5-fold increase in the amount of 2,3-dimethylpyrazine, when pyrolyzed in the presence of glycine. In addition, glucose-1-phosphate alone generated a 6-fold excess of acetol as compared to glucose. On the other hand, glucose-6-phosphate enhanced retro-aldol reactions initiated from a C-6 hydroxyl group and increased the subsequent formation of furfural and 4-cyclopentene-1,3-dione. Furthermore, it also stabilized 1- and 3-deoxyglucosone intermediates and enhanced the formation of six carbon atom-containing Maillard products derived directly from them through elimination reactions such as 1,6-dimethyl-2,4-dihydroxy-3-(2H)-furanone (acetylformoin), 2-acetylpyrrole, 5-methylfurfural, 5-hydroxymethylfurfural, and 4-hydroxy-2,5-dimethyl-3-(2H)-furanone (Furaneol), due to the enhanced leaving group ability of the phosphate moiety at the C-6 carbon. However, Maillard products generated through the nucleophilic action of the C-6 hydroxyl group such as 2-acetylfuran and 2,3-dihydro-3,5-dihydroxy-4H-pyran-4-one were retarded, due

Characterization of catalytic supports based in mixed oxides for control reactions of NO and N2O

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Garcia C, M.A.; Perez H, R.; Gomez C, A.; Diaz, G.

1999-01-01

The catalytic supports Al 2 O 3 , La 2 O 3 and Al 2 O 3 -La 2 O 3 were prepared by the Precipitation and Coprecipitation techniques. The catalytic supports Al 2 O 3 , La 2 O 3 and Al 2 O 3 -La 2 O 3 were characterized by several techniques to determine: texture (Bet), crystallinity (XRD), chemical composition (Sem)(Ftir) and it was evaluated their total acidity by reaction with 2-propanol. The investigation will be continued with the cobalt addition and this will be evaluated for its catalytic activity in control reactions of N O and N 2 O. (Author)

Laser spot detection based on reaction diffusion

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Vázquez-Otero, Alejandro; Khikhlukha, Danila; Solano-Altamirano, J. M.; Dormido, R.; Duro, N.

2016-01-01

Roč. 16, č. 3 (2016), s. 1-11, č. článku 315. ISSN 1424-8220 R&D Projects: GA MŠk EF15_008/0000162 Grant - others:ELI Beamlines(XE) CZ.02.1.01/0.0/0.0/15_008/0000162 Institutional support: RVO:68378271 Keywords : laser spot detection * laser beam detection * reaction diffusion models * Fitzhugh-Nagumo model * reaction diffusion computation * Turing patterns Subject RIV: BL - Plasma and Gas Discharge Physics OBOR OECD: Fluids and plasma physics (including surface physics) Impact factor: 2.677, year: 2016

Microscale metallization on conducting polyaniline patterns

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Uh, Kyung Chan; Lee, Joosub; Kim, Tae Geun; Lee, Chan Woo; Kim, Jong Man

2016-01-01

Fabrication of metallic nanomaterial patterns is very important in the electronic industry. A variety of techniques for producing these metallic nanoparticle patterns have been developed, such as ink-jet printing, 2 direct writing, 3,4 electroplati ng, 5,6 screen printing, 7 and soft lithography including micro-contact printing (μCP) 8–10 and we developed a simple and facile strategy for the fabrication of silver micropatterns on the surface of PANI patterns which were prepared by employing a photo- lithographic method. The silver was metallized along the PANI pattern through the oxidation-reduction reaction without requiring any reducing agent. The straightforward approach described above could open new avenues for the fabrication of metal micropatterns

Microscale metallization on conducting polyaniline patterns

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Uh, Kyung Chan; Lee, Joosub; Kim, Tae Geun; Lee, Chan Woo; Kim, Jong Man [Hanyang University, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

2016-12-15

Fabrication of metallic nanomaterial patterns is very important in the electronic industry. A variety of techniques for producing these metallic nanoparticle patterns have been developed, such as ink-jet printing, 2 direct writing, 3,4 electroplati ng, 5,6 screen printing, 7 and soft lithography including micro-contact printing (μCP) 8–10 and we developed a simple and facile strategy for the fabrication of silver micropatterns on the surface of PANI patterns which were prepared by employing a photo- lithographic method. The silver was metallized along the PANI pattern through the oxidation-reduction reaction without requiring any reducing agent. The straightforward approach described above could open new avenues for the fabrication of metal micropatterns.

Photocatalysis reaction on ordered arrays of Au nanorads with controlled orientations

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, Min Jung; Han, Sang Woo [Dept. of Chemistry and KI for the NanoCentury, KAIST, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2015-03-15

Surface photocatalysis reactions of aromatic compounds self-assembled on metal surfaces have been extensively explored for the past decades. Despite the numerous studies on the surface photocatalysis reactions of aromatic compounds, that on Au surface has rarely been reported due to the inefficiency of Au toward these reactions compared to Ag. The detailed experimental and theoretical studies on the mechanism of the enhanced photocatalytic function of the AuNR arrays are currently underway.

A methodology for obtaining the control rods patterns in a BWR using systems based on ants colonies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ortiz S, J.J.; Requena R, I.

2003-01-01

In this work the AZCATL-PBC system based on a technique of ants colonies for the search of control rods patterns of those reactors of the Nuclear Power station of Laguna Verde (CNLV) is presented. The technique was applied to a transition cycle and one of balance. For both cycles they were compared the k ef values obtained with a Haling calculation and the control rods pattern proposed by AZCATL-PBC for a burnt one fixed. It was found that the methodology is able to extend the length of the cycle with respect to the Haling prediction, maintaining sure to the reactor. (Author)

Nutritional Profile and Dietary Patterns of Lebanese Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease Patients: A Case-Control Study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nicole Fakhoury-Sayegh

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD is considered the most common liver disease in the world. Dietary habits have a significant impact on the biological and physical profile of patients and increase the risk of NAFLD. The overall pattern of diet intake is more associated with health outcomes than nutrients. The aim of this study was to evaluate the nutritional profile and the dietary patterns of Lebanese NAFLD patients and compare it with controls. During this study; 112 NAFLD Lebanese adult patients (55 men and 57 women; and 110 controls (44 men and 66 women were recruited. Dietary intake was evaluated by two 24-h recalls and a semi-quantitative 90-item food frequency questionnaire. Dietary patterns were determined by factor analysis. Results from the study demonstrated that 40% of cases belonged to the high fruit group as compared to 30% following a high meat; fast food dietary pattern. Both groups increased the odds of NAFLD by four-fold (p < 0.05. The traditional diet decreases the odds by 33% after adjustment with the covariables. The high fruit diet group was, as with the high meat, fast food dietary pattern, the main potential risk factor for NAFLD in Lebanese patients.

Stoichiometric control in Bi₄Ti₃O₁₂ synthesis by novel hybrid solid state reaction

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gadea, C.; Phatharapeetranun, N.; Ksapabutr, B.

2018-01-01

The synthesis of bismuth titanate Bi4Ti3O12 (BiT) is performed via a novel solid state reaction. The reaction is designed to control the stoichiometric content of the highly volatile element, i.e. Bi. The chemical route consists in trapping bismuth oxide colloids in a stabilized titanium based sol...

Radiosurgery for brain metastases: relationship of dose and pattern of enhancement to local control

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shiau, C.-Y.; Sneed, Penny K.; Shu, H.-K.G.; Lamborn, Kathleen R.; McDermott, Michael W.; Chang, Susan; Nowak, Peter; Petti, Paula L.; Smith, Vernon; Verhey, Lynn J.; Ho, Maria; Park, Elaine; Wara, William M.; Gutin, Philip H.; Larson, David A.

1997-01-01

Purpose: This study aimed to analyze dose, initial pattern of enhancement, and other factors associated with freedom from progression (FFP) of brain metastases after radiosurgery (RS). Methods and Materials: All brain metastases treated with gamma-knife RS at the University of California, San Francisco, from 1991 to 1994 were reviewed. Evaluable lesions were those with follow-up magnetic resonance or computed tomographic imaging. Actuarial FFP was calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method, measuring FFP from the date of RS to the first imaging study showing tumor progression. Controlled lesions were censored at the time of the last imaging study. Multivariate analyses were performed using a stepwise Cox proportional hazards model. Results: Of 261 lesions treated in 119 patients, 219 lesions in 100 patients were evaluable. Major histologies included adenocarcinoma (86 lesions), melanoma (77), renal cell carcinoma (21), and carcinoma not otherwise specified (17). The median prescribed RS dose was 18.5 Gy (range, 10-22) and the median tumor volume was 1.3 ml (range, 0.02-30.9). The initial pattern of contrast enhancement was homogeneous in 68% of lesions, heterogeneous in 12%, and ring-enhancing in 19%. The actuarial FFP was 82% at 6 months and 77% at 1 year for all lesions, and 93 and 90%, respectively, for 145 lesions receiving ≥ 18 Gy. Multivariate analysis showed that longer FFP was significantly associated with higher prescribed RS dose, a homogeneous pattern of contrast enhancement, and a longer interval between primary diagnosis and RS. Adjusted for these factors, adenocarcinomas had longer FFP than melanomas. No significant differences in FFP were noted among lesions undergoing RS for recurrence after prior radiotherapy (119 lesions), RS alone as initial treatment (45), or RS boost (55). Conclusion: A minimum prescribed radiosurgical dose ≥ 18 Gy yields excellent local control of brain metastases. The influence of pattern of enhancement on local control, a

Chemistry and reaction kinetics of biowaste torrefaction

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Stelt, van der M.J.C.

2011-01-01

This thesis addresses the question of how the chemistry and reaction kinetics of torrefaction are influenced by reaction conditions and the effects occuring during the reaction. This research question can be specified by questions such as, what controls their kinetics during torrefaction and what

Psychosocial Factors of Different Health Behaviour Patterns in Adolescents: Association with Overweight and Weight Control Behaviours

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Susana M. Veloso

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Physical activity, nutrition, and sedentary behaviour combine to influence the risk of overweight among adolescents. This paper aims to identify psychosocial factors of different health behaviour patterns in adolescents and its association with overweight and weight control behaviours. The 3069 adolescents of both genders (average of 14.8 years old from the 2010 Portuguese survey of Health Behaviour School-Aged Children (HBSC answered the 2010 HBSC self-reported questionnaire. It used the cluster k-means (nonhierarchy method, qui-square, one-way ANOVA, and logistic regression. Three clusters with different behavioural patterns (physical activity, sedentary, and eating composed the results obtained. The sedentary group (34% had lower self-regulation, body satisfaction, health and wellness, family and classmates relationships, communication with the father than the other two groups. The active gamers (25% had a smaller BMI but used more unhealthy weight control strategies than the other two groups. The healthy group (41% was more motivated and more satisfied with school but was not different than the active gamers in most psychosocial variables. Differences were found between clusters for weight control behaviours and psychosocial variables. Different strategies for different patterns were necessary in order to promote obesity prevention and, simultaneously, target healthy lifestyle and wellbeing in adolescents.

Psychosocial Factors of Different Health Behaviour Patterns in Adolescents: Association with Overweight and Weight Control Behaviours

Science.gov (United States)

Veloso, Susana M.; Matos, Margarida G.; Carvalho, Marina; Diniz, José A.

2012-01-01

Physical activity, nutrition, and sedentary behaviour combine to influence the risk of overweight among adolescents. This paper aims to identify psychosocial factors of different health behaviour patterns in adolescents and its association with overweight and weight control behaviours. The 3069 adolescents of both genders (average of 14.8 years old) from the 2010 Portuguese survey of Health Behaviour School-Aged Children (HBSC) answered the 2010 HBSC self-reported questionnaire. It used the cluster k-means (nonhierarchy method), qui-square, one-way ANOVA, and logistic regression. Three clusters with different behavioural patterns (physical activity, sedentary, and eating) composed the results obtained. The sedentary group (34%) had lower self-regulation, body satisfaction, health and wellness, family and classmates relationships, communication with the father than the other two groups. The active gamers (25%) had a smaller BMI but used more unhealthy weight control strategies than the other two groups. The healthy group (41%) was more motivated and more satisfied with school but was not different than the active gamers in most psychosocial variables. Differences were found between clusters for weight control behaviours and psychosocial variables. Different strategies for different patterns were necessary in order to promote obesity prevention and, simultaneously, target healthy lifestyle and wellbeing in adolescents. PMID:22811890

In situ generation of N-Boc-protected alkenyl imines: controlling the E/Z geometry of alkenyl moieties in the Mukaiyama-Mannich reaction.

Science.gov (United States)

Bai, Jian-Fei; Sasagawa, Hajime; Yurino, Taiga; Kano, Taichi; Maruoka, Keiji

2017-07-18

Readily available Boc-protected Z-alkenyl aminals could be used as Z-alkenyl and E-alkenyl imine precursors under acidic conditions. In the Mukaiyama-Mannich reaction of Z-alkenyl Boc-aminals, the E/Z geometry of the products was controlled by the catalyst used. The present method was also applied to asymmetric Mukaiyama-Mannich reactions.

Reaction wheels for kinetic energy storage

Science.gov (United States)

Studer, P. A.

1984-11-01

In contrast to all existing reaction wheel implementations, an order of magnitude increase in speed can be obtained efficiently if power to the actuators can be recovered. This allows a combined attitude control-energy storage system to be developed with structure mounted reaction wheels. The feasibility of combining reaction wheels with energy storage wwheels is demonstrated. The power required for control torques is a function of wheel speed but this energy is not dissipated; it is stored in the wheel. The I(2)R loss resulting from a given torque is shown to be constant, independent of the design speed of the motor. What remains, in order to efficiently use high speed wheels (essential for energy storage) for control purposes, is to reduce rotational losses to acceptable levels. Progress was made in permanent magnet motor design for high speed operation. Variable field motors offer more control flexibility and efficiency over a broader speed range.

Comparison of bar pattern and edge method for MTF measurement in radiology quality control

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Alvarez, M.; Alves, A.F.F; Bacchim Neto, F.A.; Pavan, A.L.M.; Rosa, M.E.D.; Miranda, J.R.A.; Pina, D.R. de, E-mail: drpina@fmb.unesp.br [Universidade Estadual Paulista Julio de Mesquita Filho (UNESP), Botucatu, SP (Brazil)

2015-08-15

Spatial resolution is one of the parameters that is routinely checked during acceptance procedures and regular quality control measurements. The spatial resolution of a radiographic imaging device is most appropriately expressed in terms of its modulation transfer function (MTF), which indicates the decline of detector spatial resolution with spatial frequency. Traditionally used methods of MTF measurement involve imaging either a narrow slit or a sharp edge to obtain the detector line spread function (LSF), whose frequency transform leads to the MTF. In this work is presented a study of the measurement of the limiting spatial resolution using the MTF method and the line-pair bar-pattern method. Our aim is to compare the bar-pattern method with the MTF method and then evaluate what method is the best for the dairy quality control tests and when is better to perform one test or other. These acquisition procedures were tested according to its reproducibility and variation due to noise. (author)

A comparison of patterns of spontaneous adverse drug reaction reporting with St. John's Wort and fluoxetine during the period 2000-2013.

Science.gov (United States)

Hoban, Claire L; Byard, Roger W; Musgrave, Ian F

2015-07-01

Herbal medicines are perceived to be safe by the general public and medical practitioners, despite abundant evidence from clinical trials and case reports that show herbal preparations can have significant adverse effects. The overall impact of adverse events to herbal medicines in Australia is currently unknown. Post marketing surveillance of medications through spontaneous adverse drug reaction (ADR) reports to the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) is one way to estimate this risk. The patterns of spontaneously reported ADRs provide insight to herbal dangers, especially when compared with patterns of a mechanistically similar conventional drug. The study compared the pattern of spontaneously reported ADRs to St. John's Wort (Hypericum perforatum), a common herbal treatment for depression which contains selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI), to fluoxetine, a commonly prescribed synthetic SSRI antidepressant. Spontaneous ADR reports sent to the TGA between 2000-2013 for St. John's Wort (n = 84) and fluoxetine (n = 447) were obtained and analysed. The demographic information, types of interaction, severity of the ADR, and the body systems affected (using the Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical classification system) were recorded for individual ADR cases. The majority of spontaneously reported ADRs for St. John's Wort and fluoxetine were concerning females aged 26-50 years (28.6%, 22.8%). The organ systems affected by ADRs to St John's Wort and fluoxetine have a similar profile, with the majority of cases affecting the central nervous system (45.2%, 61.7%). This result demonstrates that herbal preparations can result in ADRs similar to those of prescription medications. © 2015 Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

Multifunctional surfaces with biomimetic nanofibres and drug-eluting micro-patterns for infection control and bone tissue formation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

XN Chen

2012-09-01

Full Text Available For long-term orthopaedic implants, the creation of a surface that is repulsive to bacteria while adhesive to tissue cells represents a promising strategy to control infection. To obtain such multifunctional surfaces, two possible approaches were explored to incorporate a model antibiotic, rifampicin (Rf, into the osteogenic polycaprolactone (PCL/chitosan (CHS biomimetic nanofibre meshes by (1 blending Rf into the electrospinning solutions and then electrospinning into nanofibres (i.e., Rf-incorporating fibres, or (2 depositing Rf-containing poly(D,L-lactic-co-glycolic acid (PLGA micro-patterns onto the PCL/chitosan nanofibre meshes via ink-jet printing (i.e., Rf-eluting micro-pattern/fibre. Rapid release of Rf from both meshes was measured even though a relatively slower release rate was obtained from the Rf-eluting micro-pattern ones. Antibacterial assay with Staphylococcus epidermidis showed that both mesh surfaces could effectively kill bacteria and prevent biofilm formation. However, only Rf-eluting micro-pattern meshes favoured the attachment, spreading and metabolic activity of preosteoblasts in the cell culture study. Furthermore, the Rf-eluting micro-pattern meshes could better support the osteogenic differentiation of preosteoblasts by up-regulating the gene expression of bone markers (type I collagen and alkaline phosphatase. Clearly, compared to Rf-incorporating nanofibre meshes, Rf-eluting micro-patterns could effectively prevent biofilm formation without sacrificing the osteogenic properties of PCL/chitosan nanofibre surfaces. This finding provides an innovative avenue to design multifunctional surfaces for enhancing bone tissue formation while controlling infection.

EXPLORING THE PATTERN OF POLYPHARMACY AND PROPORTION OF DRUG TO DRUG INTERACTIONS AND ADVERSE DRUG REACTIONS IN THE ELDERLY

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vijayashree Thyagaraj

2017-07-01

Full Text Available BACKGROUND The geriatric population is increasing as a result of advanced medical facilities. This population also faces a number of medical health challenges. They tend to receive multiple medications often leading to Drug-Drug Interactions (DDIs Adverse Drug Reactions (ADRs and other clinical consequences, which compromises their quality of life if not endangering it as well. There are few Indian studies focusing on this problem. Hence, this study was undertaken with the aim to assess the polypharmacy pattern, proportion of DDIs and adverse drug reactions in the geriatric population in a tertiary care hospital. MATERIALS AND METHODS This was a cross-sectional study wherein data from 201 geriatric inpatient’s prescriptions were collected. The prescriptions were assessed for demographic details such as age, gender, comorbidities and drugs prescribed. All prescriptions were evaluated for polypharmacy, DDIs and ADRs. DDIs were assessed using Micromedex software. Patients were stratified into groups and DDIs were compared between the groups, gender and also with number of drugs used. RESULTS There were 201 patients with a mean age of approximately 70 years. Polypharmacy occurred in 73.63% of them with mean number of drugs being 6.23. The number of drugs used increased significantly with age (p=0.0001. Hypertension was the most common comorbidity. Polypharmacy was strongly associated with hypertension and dyslipidaemia. A total of 129 (64.17% patients accounted for 425 potential DDIs. The most common drug involved in DDIs was aspirin. A subset analysis of ADRs showed an occurrence of 50.68% with 10.81% being definitely avoidable. CONCLUSION Elderly individuals are at increased risk of being on polypharmacy. This comes with the risk of several potential DDIs, which in turn may lead to adverse drug reactions, which results in morbidity. Doctors involved in the care of the elderly should be aware of these facts and exercise caution while adding any

Pattern formation and self-organization in a simple precipitation system

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Volford, Andras; Izsak, F.; Ripzam, Matyas; Lagzi, Istvan

Various types of pattern formation and self-organization phenomena can be observed in biological, chemical, and geochemical systems due to the interaction of reaction with diffusion. The appearance of static precipitation patterns was reported first by Liesegang in 1896. Traveling waves and

A Study of Interactions between Mixing and Chemical Reaction Using the Rate-Controlled Constrained-Equilibrium Method

Science.gov (United States)

Hadi, Fatemeh; Janbozorgi, Mohammad; Sheikhi, M. Reza H.; Metghalchi, Hameed

2016-10-01

The rate-controlled constrained-equilibrium (RCCE) method is employed to study the interactions between mixing and chemical reaction. Considering that mixing can influence the RCCE state, the key objective is to assess the accuracy and numerical performance of the method in simulations involving both reaction and mixing. The RCCE formulation includes rate equations for constraint potentials, density and temperature, which allows taking account of mixing alongside chemical reaction without splitting. The RCCE is a dimension reduction method for chemical kinetics based on thermodynamics laws. It describes the time evolution of reacting systems using a series of constrained-equilibrium states determined by RCCE constraints. The full chemical composition at each state is obtained by maximizing the entropy subject to the instantaneous values of the constraints. The RCCE is applied to a spatially homogeneous constant pressure partially stirred reactor (PaSR) involving methane combustion in oxygen. Simulations are carried out over a wide range of initial temperatures and equivalence ratios. The chemical kinetics, comprised of 29 species and 133 reaction steps, is represented by 12 RCCE constraints. The RCCE predictions are compared with those obtained by direct integration of the same kinetics, termed detailed kinetics model (DKM). The RCCE shows accurate prediction of combustion in PaSR with different mixing intensities. The method also demonstrates reduced numerical stiffness and overall computational cost compared to DKM.

Leisure-time physical activity patterns by weight control status: 1999-2002 NHANES.

Science.gov (United States)

Kruger, Judy; Yore, Michelle M; Kohl, Harold W

2007-05-01

Regular physical activity reduces the risk of hypertension, type 2 diabetes, coronary heart disease, stroke, and some cancers. Physical activity is associated inversely with overweight and obesity prevalence, thus potentially assisting in weight control efforts. The purpose of this paper is to examine the variability of physical activity levels and their patterns by self-reported weight control status in a nationally representative sample. Four years of data from the 1999-2002 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) were used to examine leisure-time physical activity patterns (regular, irregular, inactive) and the prevalence of weight control practices (trying to lose, trying to maintain, not trying to lose or maintain) among U.S. adults (N = 9496). The prevalence of regular physical activity was 32.6% among people trying to lose weight, 37.9% among people trying to maintain weight, and 21.8% among those not trying to lose or maintain weight. Those trying to lose weight were almost three times as likely to be regularly active (vs inactive), and those trying to maintain weight were over three times more likely to be regularly active (vs inactive) than those not trying to lose or maintain weight. The most commonly reported activities among those trying to lose weight were walking (38.3%), yard work (14.5%), biking (12.5%), and running (11.6%). Despite the importance of physical activity, fewer than half the people trying to lose or maintain weight were regularly active during leisure-time. People trying to lose or maintain weight had a higher likelihood of being regularly active than those not trying to lose or maintain weight. Walking was the most common type of physical activity among all weight control groups. Health promotion efforts should promote increased levels of physical activity among all adults.

Reflection Patterns Generated by Condensed-Phase Oblique Detonation Interaction with a Rigid Wall

Science.gov (United States)

Short, Mark; Chiquete, Carlos; Bdzil, John; Meyer, Chad

2017-11-01

We examine numerically the wave reflection patterns generated by a detonation in a condensed phase explosive inclined obliquely but traveling parallel to a rigid wall as a function of incident angle. The problem is motivated by the characterization of detonation-material confiner interactions. We compare the reflection patterns for two detonation models, one where the reaction zone is spatially distributed, and the other where the reaction is instantaneous (a Chapman-Jouguet detonation). For the Chapman-Jouguet model, we compare the results of the computations with an asymptotic study recently conducted by Bdzil and Short for small detonation incident angles. We show that the ability of a spatially distributed reaction energy release to turn flow streamlines has a significant impact on the nature of the observed reflection patterns. The computational approach uses a shock-fit methodology.

The association of dietary pattern and breast cancer in Jiangsu, China: A population-based case-control study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Lu, S.; Qian, Y.; Huang, X.; Yu, H.; Yang, J.; Han, R.; Su, J.; Du, W.; Zhou, J; Dong, M.; Yu, X.; Duijnhoven, F.; Kampman, E.; Wu, M.

2017-01-01

This study aims to examine the association of breast cancer with dietary patterns among Chinese women. A population-based case-control study was conducted in Jiangsu, China. Newly diagnosed primary breast cancer patients were recruited as cases (n = 818). Controls (n = 935), selected from the

Coupled transport-reaction pathways and distribution patterns between siliciclastic-carbonate sediments at the Ria de Vigo

Science.gov (United States)

García, T.; Velo, A.; Fernandez-Bastero, S.; Gago-Duport, L.; Santos, A.; Alejo, I.; Vilas, F.

2005-02-01

This paper examines the linkages between the space-distribution of grain sizes and the relative percentage of the amount of mineral species that result from the mixing process of siliciclastic and carbonate sediments at the Ria de Vigo (NW of Spain). The space-distribution of minerals was initially determined, starting from a detailed mineralogical study based on XRD-Rietveld analysis of the superficial sediments. Correlations between the maps obtained for grain sizes, average fractions of either siliciclastic or carbonates, as well as for individual-minerals, were further stabilised. From this analysis, spatially organized patterns were found between carbonates and several minerals involved in the siliciclastic fraction. In particular, a coupled behaviour is observed between plagioclases and carbonates, in terms of their relative percentage amounts and the grain size distribution. In order to explain these results a conceptual model is proposed, based on the interplay between chemical processes at the seawater-sediment interface and hydrodynamical factors. This model suggests the existence of chemical control mechanisms that, by selective processes of dissolution-crystallization, constrain the mixed environment's long-term evolution, inducing the formation of self-organized sedimentary patterns.

Controlled release of volatiles under mild reaction conditions: from nature to everyday products.

Science.gov (United States)

Herrmann, Andreas

2007-01-01

Volatile organic compounds serve in nature as semiochemicals for communication between species, and are often used as flavors and fragrances in our everyday life. The quite limited longevity of olfactive perception has led to the development of pro-perfumes or pro-fragrances--ideally nonvolatile and odorless fragrance precursors which release the active volatiles by bond cleavage. Only a limited amount of reaction conditions, such as hydrolysis, temperature changes, as well as the action of light, oxygen, enzymes, or microorganisms, can be used to liberate the many different chemical functionalities. This Review describes the controlled chemical release of fragrances and discusses additional challenges such as precursor stability during product storage as well as some aspects concerning toxicity and biodegradability. As the same systems can be applied in different areas of research, the scope of this Review covers fragrance delivery as well as the controlled release of volatiles in general.

Reduced-graphene-oxide supported tantalum-based electrocatalysts: Controlled nitrogen doping and oxygen reduction reaction

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Xiaoyun; Mo, Qijie; Guo, Yulin; Chen, Nana; Gao, Qingsheng

2018-03-01

Controlled N-doping is feasible to engineer the surface stoichiometry and the electronic configuration of metal-oxide electrocatalysts toward efficient oxygen reduction reactions (ORR). Taking reduced graphene oxide supported tantalum-oxides (TaOx/RGO) for example, this work illustrated the controlled N-doping in both metal-oxides and carbon supports, and the contribution to the improved ORR activity. The active N-doped TaOx/RGO electrocatalysts were fabricated via SiO2-assisted pyrolysis, in which the amount and kind of N-doping were tailored toward efficient electrocatalysis. The optimal nanocomposites showed a quite positive half-wave potential (0.80 V vs. RHE), the excellent long-term stability, and the outstanding tolerance to methanol crossing. The improvement in ORR was reasonably attributed to the synergy between N-doped TaOx and N-doped RGO. Elucidating the importance of controlled N-doping for electrocatalysis, this work will open up new opportunities to explore noble-metal-free materials for renewable energy applications.

Parabolic equations in biology growth, reaction, movement and diffusion

CERN Document Server

Perthame, Benoît

2015-01-01

This book presents several fundamental questions in mathematical biology such as Turing instability, pattern formation, reaction-diffusion systems, invasion waves and Fokker-Planck equations. These are classical modeling tools for mathematical biology with applications to ecology and population dynamics, the neurosciences, enzymatic reactions, chemotaxis, invasion waves etc. The book presents these aspects from a mathematical perspective, with the aim of identifying those qualitative properties of the models that are relevant for biological applications. To do so, it uncovers the mechanisms at work behind Turing instability, pattern formation and invasion waves. This involves several mathematical tools, such as stability and instability analysis, blow-up in finite time, asymptotic methods and relative entropy properties. Given the content presented, the book is well suited as a textbook for master-level coursework.

Controllable synthesis of Co3O4 nanocrystals as efficient catalysts for oxygen reduction reaction