Effects of Angular Variation on Split D Differential Eddy Current Probe Response (Postprint)

Science.gov (United States)

2016-02-10

AFRL-RX-WP-JA-2016-0327 EFFECTS OF ANGULAR VARIATION ON SPLIT D DIFFERENTIAL EDDY CURRENT PROBE RESPONSE (POSTPRINT) Ryan D...March 2014 – 22 September 2015 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE EFFECTS OF ANGULAR VARIATION ON SPLIT D DIFFERENTIAL EDDY CURRENT PROBE RESPONSE (POSTPRINT... Current Probe Response Ryan D. Mooers1, a) and John C. Aldrin2 1United States Air Force Research Labs, Materials and Manufacturing Directorate, Structural

Effect of external noise on the current response in superlattices

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Suqing Duan; Wu Binyi; Wang Zhigang; Zhao Xiangeng

2004-01-01

Within the single-band model and the nearest-neighbor approximation we investigate the effect of external noise on the current response driven by dc-ac field which has a fluctuating component. We find the external noise can destroy the current resonant peaks. When the strength of the external noise becomes enough large, all the current resonant peaks will completely disappear

Correlation of eddy current responses between fatigue cracks and electrical-discharge-machining notches

Science.gov (United States)

Seo, Sukho; Choi, Gyudong; Eom, Tae Jhoun; Lee, Bokwon; Lee, Soo Yeol

2017-07-01

The eddy current responses of Electrical Discharge Machining (EDM) notches and fatigue cracks are directly compared to verify the reliability of eddy current inspection. The fatigue crack growth tests using a constant load range control mode were conducted to obtain a variety of edge crack sizes, ranging from 0.9 to 6.6 mm for Al alloy and from 0.1 to 3 mm for Ti alloy. EDM notch specimens of Al and Ti alloys were accordingly prepared in lengths similar to that of the fatigued specimen. The crack length was determined by optical microscope and scanning electron microscope. The eddy current responses between the EDM and fatigued specimens with varying notch/crack length were examined using probe sensors at (100-500) kHz and (1-2) MHz for Al and Ti alloys, respectively. The results show a significant difference in the eddy current signal between the two specimens, based on the correlation between the eddy current response and notch/crack length. This suggests that eddy current inspection using the EDM reference specimen is inaccurate in determining the precise crack size, unless the eddy current response data base is obtained from a fatigue-cracked specimen.

Investigation of protection problems due to geomagnetically induced currents (solar magnetic disturbances, transformers)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1997-01-01

The problems with geomagnetically induced currents (GIC) flowing in power systems during solar magnetic disturbances were studied. Transformers can overheat as a result of GIC because they can cause offset saturation of power system transformers. Harmonic currents can also be introduced into the system which then affect the relay and protection systems. Several studies have been conducted using simplified transformer core models to predict the transformer response to DC excitation. In this study, an accurate transformer core model was developed and validated by comparing the recorded waveforms during GIC events with simulated waveforms using the model. The new transformer core model was used to evaluate the performance of different protection schemes under GIC

Nonlinear response of vessel walls due to short-time thermomechanical loading

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pfeiffer, P.A.; Kulak, R.F.

1994-01-01

Maintaining structural integrity of the reactor pressure vessel (RPV) during a postulated core melt accident is an important safety consideration in the design of the vessel. This study addresses the failure predictions of the vessel due to thermal and pressure loadings fro the molten core debris depositing on the lower head of the vessel. Different loading combinations were considered based on the dead load, yield stress assumptions, material response and internal pressurization. The analyses considered only short term failure (quasi static) modes, long term failure modes were not considered. Short term failure modes include plastic instabilities of the structure and failure due to exceeding the failure strain. Long term failure odes would be caused by creep rupture that leads to plastic instability of the structure. Due to the sort time durations analyzed, creep was not considered in the analyses presented

Computational dosimetry for grounded and ungrounded human models due to contact current

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chan, Kwok Hung; Hattori, Junya; Laakso, Ilkka; Hirata, Akimasa; Taki, Masao

2013-01-01

This study presents the computational dosimetry of contact currents for grounded and ungrounded human models. The uncertainty of the quasi-static (QS) approximation of the in situ electric field induced in a grounded/ungrounded human body due to the contact current is first estimated. Different scenarios of cylindrical and anatomical human body models are considered, and the results are compared with the full-wave analysis. In the QS analysis, the induced field in the grounded cylindrical model is calculated by the QS finite-difference time-domain (QS-FDTD) method, and compared with the analytical solution. Because no analytical solution is available for the grounded/ungrounded anatomical human body model, the results of the QS-FDTD method are then compared with those of the conventional FDTD method. The upper frequency limit for the QS approximation in the contact current dosimetry is found to be 3 MHz, with a relative local error of less than 10%. The error increases above this frequency, which can be attributed to the neglect of the displacement current. The QS or conventional FDTD method is used for the dosimetry of induced electric field and/or specific absorption rate (SAR) for a contact current injected into the index finger of a human body model in the frequency range from 10 Hz to 100 MHz. The in situ electric fields or SAR are compared with the basic restrictions in the international guidelines/standards. The maximum electric field or the 99th percentile value of the electric fields appear not only in the fat and muscle tissues of the finger, but also around the wrist, forearm, and the upper arm. Some discrepancies are observed between the basic restrictions for the electric field and SAR and the reference levels for the contact current, especially in the extremities. These discrepancies are shown by an equation that relates the current density, tissue conductivity, and induced electric field in the finger with a cross-sectional area of 1 cm 2 . (paper)

Coupled analysis of building damage due to tunneling

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Giardina, G.; Hendriks, M.A.N.; Rots, J.G.

2009-01-01

Excavation works in urban areas require a preliminary risk damage assessment. In historical cities, the prediction of building response to settlements is necessary to reduce the risk of damage of the architectural heritage. The current method used to predict the building damage due to ground

Linear Response of Field-Aligned Currents to the Interplanetary Electric Field

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Weimer, D. R.; R. Edwards, T.; Olsen, Nils

2017-01-01

Many studies that have shown that the ionospheric, polar cap electric potentials (PCEP) exhibit a “saturation” behavior in response to the level of the driving by the solar wind. As the magnitude of the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) and electric field (IEF) increase, the PCEP response...... of the field-aligned currents (FAC) with the solar wind/magnetosphere/ionosphere system has a role. As the FAC are more difficult to measure, their behavior in response to the level of the IEF has not been investigated as thoroughly. In order to resolve the question of whether or not the FAC also exhibit...... saturation, we have processed the magnetic field measurements from the Ørsted, CHAMP, and Swarm missions, spanning more than a decade. As the amount of current in each region needs to be known, a new technique is used to separate and sum the current by region, widely known as R0, R1, and R2. These totals...

Transient voltage response of a superconducting strip to a supercritical current pulse

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Attekum, P.M.Th.M. van; Wouters, M.C.H.M.; Wolter, J.; Horstman, R.E.

1981-01-01

A superconductor subject to a supercritical current pulse displays a delay time between the onset of the current pulse and the onset of the corresponding voltage response. From the onset of the voltage response it takes a second (transient) time to reach the stationary state. It is shown that the transient time can be explained with inhomogeneities in the strip which give rise to a distribution of delay times. The transient time is thus not related to a characteristic time in the superconductor. For small supercritical currents also heating effects show up. (author)

Responsivity Dependent Anodization Current Density of Nanoporous Silicon Based MSM Photodetector

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Batool Eneaze B. Al-Jumaili

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Achieving a cheap and ultrafast metal-semiconductor-metal (MSM photodetector (PD for very high-speed communications is ever-demanding. We report the influence of anodization current density variation on the response of nanoporous silicon (NPSi based MSM PD with platinum (Pt contact electrodes. Such NPSi samples are grown from n-type Si (100 wafer using photoelectrochemical etching with three different anodization current densities. FESEM images of as-prepared samples revealed the existence of discrete pores with spherical and square-like shapes. XRD pattern displayed the growth of nanocrystals with (311 lattice orientation. The nanocrystallite sizes obtained using Scherrer formula are found to be between 20.8 nm and 28.6 nm. The observed rectifying behavior in the I-V characteristics is ascribed to the Pt/PSi/n-Si Schottky barrier formation, where the barrier height at the Pt/PSi interface is estimated to be 0.69 eV. Furthermore, this Pt/PSi/Pt MSM PD achieved maximum responsivity of 0.17 A/W and quantum efficiency as much as 39.3%. The photoresponse of this NPSi based MSM PD demonstrated excellent repeatability, fast response, and enhanced saturation current with increasing anodization current density.

Conduction mechanism of leakage current due to the traps in ZrO2 thin film

Science.gov (United States)

Seo, Yohan; Lee, Sangyouk; An, Ilsin; Song, Chulgi; Jeong, Heejun

2009-11-01

In this work, a metal-oxide-semiconductor capacitor with zirconium oxide (ZrO2) gate dielectric was fabricated by an atomic layer deposition (ALD) technique and the leakage current characteristics under negative bias were studied. From the result of current-voltage curves there are two possible conduction mechanisms to explain the leakage current in the ZrO2 thin film. The dominant mechanism is the space charge limited conduction in the high-electric field region (1.5-5.0 MV cm-1) while the trap-assisted tunneling due to the existence of traps is prevailed in the low-electric field region (0.8-1.5 MV cm-1). Conduction caused by the trap-assisted tunneling is found from the experimental results of a weak temperature dependence of current, and the trap barrier height is obtained. The space charge limited conduction is evidenced, for different temperatures, by Child's law dependence of current density versus voltage. Child's law dependence can be explained by considering a single discrete trapping level and we can obtain the activation energy of 0.22 eV.

Response functions of cold neutron matter: density, spin and current fluctuations

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Keller, Jochen; Sedrakian, Armen [Institut fuer Theoretische Physik, Goethe-Universitaet, Frankfurt am Main (Germany)

2014-07-01

We study the response of a single-component pair-correlated baryonic Fermi-liquid to density, spin, and their current perturbations. A complete set of response functions is calculated in the low-temperature regime. We derive the spectral functions of collective excitations associated with the density, density-current, spin, and spin-current perturbations. The dispersion relations of density and spin fluctuations are determined and it is shown that the density fluctuations lead to exciton-like undamped bound states, whereas the spin excitations correspond to diffusive modes above the pair-breaking threshold. The contribution of the collective pair-breaking modes to the specific heat of neutron matter at subnuclear densities is computed and is shown to be comparable to that of the degenerate electron gas at not too low temperatures.

Rectified tunneling current response of bio-functionalized metal-bridge-metal junctions.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Yaqing; Offenhäusser, Andreas; Mayer, Dirk

2010-01-15

Biomolecular bridged nanostructures allow direct electrical addressing of electroactive biomolecules, which is of interest for the development of bioelectronic and biosensing hybrid junctions. In the present paper, the electroactive biomolecule microperoxidase-11 (MP-11) was integrated into metal-bridge-metal (MBM) junctions assembled from a scanning tunneling microscope (STM) setup. Before immobilization of MP-11, the Au working electrode was first modified by a self-assembled monolayer of 1-undecanethiol (UDT). A symmetric and potential independent response of current-bias voltage (I(t)/V(b)) was observed for the Au (substrate)/UDT/Au (tip) junction. However, the I(t)/V(b) characteristics became potential dependent and asymmetrical after binding of MP-11 between the electrodes of the junction. The rectification ratio of the asymmetric current response varies with gate electrode modulation. A resonant tunneling process between metal electrode and MP-11 enhances the tunneling current and is responsible for the observed rectification. Our investigations demonstrated that functional building blocks of proteins can be reassembled into new conceptual devices with operation modes deviating from their native function, which could prove highly useful in the design of future biosensors and bioelectronic devices. Copyright 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Modeling U-Shaped Exposure-Response Relationships for Agents that Demonstrate Toxicity Due to Both Excess and Deficiency.

Science.gov (United States)

Milton, Brittany; Farrell, Patrick J; Birkett, Nicholas; Krewski, Daniel

2017-02-01

Essential elements such as copper and manganese may demonstrate U-shaped exposure-response relationships due to toxic responses occurring as a result of both excess and deficiency. Previous work on a copper toxicity database employed CatReg, a software program for categorical regression developed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, to model copper excess and deficiency exposure-response relationships separately. This analysis involved the use of a severity scoring system to place diverse toxic responses on a common severity scale, thereby allowing their inclusion in the same CatReg model. In this article, we present methods for simultaneously fitting excess and deficiency data in the form of a single U-shaped exposure-response curve, the minimum of which occurs at the exposure level that minimizes the probability of an adverse outcome due to either excess or deficiency (or both). We also present a closed-form expression for the point at which the exposure-response curves for excess and deficiency cross, corresponding to the exposure level at which the risk of an adverse outcome due to excess is equal to that for deficiency. The application of these methods is illustrated using the same copper toxicity database noted above. The use of these methods permits the analysis of all available exposure-response data from multiple studies expressing multiple endpoints due to both excess and deficiency. The exposure level corresponding to the minimum of this U-shaped curve, and the confidence limits around this exposure level, may be useful in establishing an acceptable range of exposures that minimize the overall risk associated with the agent of interest. © 2016 Society for Risk Analysis.

Conduction mechanism of leakage current due to the traps in ZrO2 thin film

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Seo, Yohan; Lee, Sangyouk; An, Ilsin; Jeong, Heejun; Song, Chulgi

2009-01-01

In this work, a metal-oxide-semiconductor capacitor with zirconium oxide (ZrO 2 ) gate dielectric was fabricated by an atomic layer deposition (ALD) technique and the leakage current characteristics under negative bias were studied. From the result of current–voltage curves there are two possible conduction mechanisms to explain the leakage current in the ZrO 2 thin film. The dominant mechanism is the space charge limited conduction in the high-electric field region (1.5–5.0 MV cm −1 ) while the trap-assisted tunneling due to the existence of traps is prevailed in the low-electric field region (0.8–1.5 MV cm −1 ). Conduction caused by the trap-assisted tunneling is found from the experimental results of a weak temperature dependence of current, and the trap barrier height is obtained. The space charge limited conduction is evidenced, for different temperatures, by Child's law dependence of current density versus voltage. Child's law dependence can be explained by considering a single discrete trapping level and we can obtain the activation energy of 0.22 eV

Induced Current Characteristics Due to Laser Induced Plasma and Its Application to Laser Processing Monitoring

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Madjid, Syahrun Nur; Idris, Nasrullah; Kurniawan, Koo Hendrik; Kagawa, Kiichiro

2011-01-01

In laser processing, suitable conditions for laser and gas play important role in ensuring a high quality of processing. To determine suitable conditions, we employed the electromagnetic phenomena associated with laser plasma generation. An electrode circuit was utilised to detect induced current due to the fast electrons propelled from the material during laser material processing. The characteristics of induced current were examined by changing parameters such as supplied voltage, laser pulse energy, number of laser shots, and type of ambient gas. These characteristics were compared with the optical emission characteristics. It was shown that the induced current technique proposed in this study is much more sensitive than the optical method in monitoring laser processing, that is to determine the precise focusing condition, and to accurately determine the moment of completion of laser beam penetration. In this study it was also shown that the induced current technique induced by CW CO 2 laser can be applied in industrial material processing for monitoring the penetration completion in a stainless steel plate drilling process.

Oscillation and decay of particle current due to a quench and dephasing in an interacting fermionic system

OpenAIRE

Choo, Kenny; Bissbort, Ulf; Poletti, Dario

2017-01-01

We study the response of a particle current to dissipative dephasing in an interacting, few-body fermionic lattice system. The particles are prepared in the ground state in presence of an artificial magnetic gauge field, which is subsequently quenched to zero. The initial current decays non-trivially in the dissipative environment and we explore the emerging dynamics and its dependence on various system parameters.

Bias Errors due to Leakage Effects When Estimating Frequency Response Functions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andreas Josefsson

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Frequency response functions are often utilized to characterize a system's dynamic response. For a wide range of engineering applications, it is desirable to determine frequency response functions for a system under stochastic excitation. In practice, the measurement data is contaminated by noise and some form of averaging is needed in order to obtain a consistent estimator. With Welch's method, the discrete Fourier transform is used and the data is segmented into smaller blocks so that averaging can be performed when estimating the spectrum. However, this segmentation introduces leakage effects. As a result, the estimated frequency response function suffers from both systematic (bias and random errors due to leakage. In this paper the bias error in the H1 and H2-estimate is studied and a new method is proposed to derive an approximate expression for the relative bias error at the resonance frequency with different window functions. The method is based on using a sum of real exponentials to describe the window's deterministic autocorrelation function. Simple expressions are derived for a rectangular window and a Hanning window. The theoretical expressions are verified with numerical simulations and a very good agreement is found between the results from the proposed bias expressions and the empirical results.

Lattice Effects Due to High Currents in PEP-II

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Decker, F.-J.; Smith, H.; Turner, J.L.; SLAC

2005-01-01

The very high beam currents in the PEP-II B-Factory have caused many expected and unexpected effects: Synchrotron light fans move the beam pipe and cause dispersion; higher order modes cause excessive heating, e-clouds around the positron beam blow up its beam size. Here we describe an effect where the measured dispersion of the beam in the Low Energy Ring (LER) is different at high and at low beam currents. The dispersion was iteratively lowered by making anti-symmetric orbit bumps in many sextupole duplets, checking each time with a dispersion measurement where a dispersive kick is generated. This can be done parasitically during collisions. It was a surprise when checking the low current characterization data that there is a change. Subsequent high and low current measurements confirmed the effect. One source was believed to be located far away from any synchrotron radiation in the middle of a straight (PR12), away from sextupoles and skew quadrupoles and created a dispersion wave of about 70 mm at high current while at low current it is negligible

A Decentralized Current-Sharing Controller Endows Fast Transient Response to Parallel DC-DC Converters

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Wang, Haojie; Han, Minxiao; Han, Renke

2018-01-01

This paper proposes a decentralized current-sharing control strategy to endow fast transient response to paralleled DC-DC converters systems, such as DC microgrids or distributed power systems. The proposed controller consist of two main control loops: an external voltage droop control for current......-sharing proposes and an internal current loop. The external droop control loop is designed as a voltage loop with embedded virtual impedance, which avoids the use of a slow voltage loop and a separate extra virtual impedance loop that may limit the system bandwidth. The internal current loop, thanks...... and the proposed embedded-virtual-impedance based I-V droop. In order to compare the dynamic response performances between two droop controllers, their state-space models have been developed and analyzed in this paper. The results show that the dynamic response of the I-V droop control is faster than...

Vacuum energies due to delta-like currents: multipole interactions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Barone, F.A.; Borges, K.; Flores-Hidalgo, G.

2009-01-01

Full text. This work is devoted to a study about the quantum description of multipoles distributions by the use of external static currents concentrated along specific regions of space. For this task we consider models of bosonic quantum fields (scalar and electromagnetic fields) interacting with external currents which simulate the presence of charges, dipoles and quadrupoles distributions along D-dimensional static branes. Along the work we consider models in d+D+1 dimensions described by a quantum field coupled with an external current composed by two parts: the first one concentrated along a D-brane and the other one concentrated at a given point of space. This last part represents a point-like test-charge which is used to investigate the force field produced by the former one. Specifically, we consider models for the scalar field, with and without mass, coupled to currents describing distributions of charges, dipoles and quadrupoles currents along D-branes. These currents are given, respectively, by a Dirac's delta function, a directional derivative of a Dirac's delta function and the second derivative of a Dirac's delta function (coupled with a second rank tensor). We also extend the previous results for the electromagnetic case in order to bring them to more realistic contexts. We show that, as expected, there is an overall minus sing in comparing the results obtained for the scalar and electromagnetic fields. (author)

Assessment of the current internal dose due to 137Cs and 90Sr for people living within the Semipalatinsk Test Site, Kazakhstan.

Science.gov (United States)

Semiochkina, N; Voigt, G; Mukusheva, M; Bruk, G; Travnikova, I; Strand, P

2004-02-01

The Semipalatinsk Test Site in Kazakhstan was one of the major sites used by the USSR for testing nuclear weapons for more than 40 y. Since the early 1990's, responsibility for the site has passed to the Kazakh authorities. There has been a gradual re-establishment of agricultural use such as horse and sheep farming. Therefore, it has become important to evaluate the current and future risk to people living on and using the contaminated area. Internal dose assessment is one of the main components of the total dose when deriving risk factors for population living within the test site. Internal doses based on food monitoring and whole body measurements were calculated for adults and are in the range of 13-500 microSv y(-1) due to radiocesium and radiostrontium.

Experimental measurements of the eddy current signal due to a flawed, conducting half space

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Long, S.A.; Toomsawasdi, S.; Zaman, A.J.M.

1984-01-01

This chapter reports on an experimental investigation in which the change in impedance of a practical multi-turn eddy current coil near a conducting half space is measured as a function of the conductivity and the lift-off distance. The results are compared in a qualitative fashion with the analytical results for a single-turn coil. Measurements are also made of the change in impedance due to a small void in the conducting half space as a function of both its depth and radial position. The results indicate that, at least in a qualitative fashion, the precisely derived analytical solutions adequately predict the general behavior of the change in complex impedance of an eddy current coil above a conducting ground plane as a function of lift-off distance. It is determined that the effect of a sub-surface void on the change in inductance of the test coil correlates well with theoretical calculations

Corporate Social responsibility in the petrochemical industry: Exploring current trends in social and environmental disclosure

OpenAIRE

Lei, Juan

2006-01-01

Current trends indicate that we are entering a new phase of corporate responsibility reporting that more emphasis is paid on social responsibility, but significant variation still remains in the maturity of reporting content and styles in industries, and even in the same industry. This study explores the current trend of corporate social and environmental reporting in petrochemical industry. It offers a detailed review of the development of corporate social responsibility reporting, and of th...

Production of charmed particles in nuN collisions due to neutral weak currents

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rekalo, M.P.

1980-01-01

A study is made of associated production of charmed particles in neutrino-nucleon interactions due to neutral weak currents. The angular distribution of the jets of charmed hadrons in nN interactions is determined in the lowest approximation in the quark-gluon coupling constant, according to which a charmed quark and antiquark are produced in an annihilation of a vector gluon and a virtual Z boson. It is shown that only a P-even dependence on the azimuthal angle v occurs in the studied approximation, the P-odd dependence which is possible in the general case being equal to zero. The total cross section for charmed-particle production in neutrino-nucleon interactions is calculated, and the origin of the violation of scale invariance is demonstrated

Sleep disturbance due to noise: Current issues and future research

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ken Hume

2010-01-01

Full Text Available There is growing interest in carrying out further research to understand and reduce the impact of aircraft noise on airport neighborhood in anticipation of the projected substantial increase in global aviation. Soundscapes provide new analytical methods and a broader, more comprehensive appreciation of the aural environment, which may have a useful role in understanding noise-induced sleep disturbance and annoyance. Current noise metrics like Leq do not provide a common language to report noise environment to residents, which is a key obstacle to effective noise management and acceptance. Non-auditory effects complicate the production of consistent dose-response functions for aircraft noise affecting sleep and annoyance. There are various end-points that can be chosen to assess the degree of sleep disturbance, which has detracted from the clarity of results that has been communicated to wider audiences. The World Health Organization (WHO-Europe has produced Night Noise Guidelines for Europe, which act as a clear guide for airports and planners to work towards. Methodological inadequacies and the need for simpler techniques to record sleep will be considered with the exciting potential to greatly increase cost-effective field data acquisition, which is needed for large scale epidemiological studies

Vibration-response due to thickness loss on steel plate excited by resonance frequency

Science.gov (United States)

Kudus, S. A.; Suzuki, Y.; Matsumura, M.; Sugiura, K.

2018-04-01

The degradation of steel structure due to corrosion is a common problem found especially in the marine structure due to exposure to the harsh marine environment. In order to ensure safety and reliability of marine structure, the damage assessment is an indispensable prerequisite for plan of remedial action on damaged structure. The main goal of this paper is to discuss simple vibration measurement on plated structure to give image on overview condition of the monitored structure. The changes of vibration response when damage was introduced in the plate structure were investigated. The damage on plate was simulated in finite element method as loss of thickness section. The size of damage and depth of loss of thickness were varied for different damage cases. The plate was excited with lower order of resonance frequency in accordance estimate the average remaining thickness based on displacement response obtain in the dynamic analysis. Significant reduction of natural frequency and increasing amplitude of vibration can be observed in the presence of severe damage. The vibration analysis summarized in this study can serve as benchmark and reference for researcher and design engineer.

Current profile evolution during fast wave current drive on the DIII-D tokamak

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Petty, C.C.; Forest, C.B.; Baity, F.W.

1995-06-01

The effect of co and counter fast wave current drive (FWCD) on the plasma current profile has been measured for neutral beam heated plasmas with reversed magnetic shear on the DIII-D tokamak. Although the response of the loop voltage profile was consistent with the application of co and counter FWCD, little difference was observed between the current profiles for the opposite directions of FWCD. The evolution of the current profile was successfully modeled using the ONETWO transport code. The simulation showed that the small difference between the current profiles for co and counter FWCD was mainly due to an offsetting change in the o at sign c current proffie. In addition, the time scale for the loop voltage to reach equilibrium (i.e., flatten) was found to be much longer than the FWCD pulse, which limited the ability of the current profile to fully respond to co or counter FWCD

Spin-current emission governed by nonlinear spin dynamics.

Science.gov (United States)

Tashiro, Takaharu; Matsuura, Saki; Nomura, Akiyo; Watanabe, Shun; Kang, Keehoon; Sirringhaus, Henning; Ando, Kazuya

2015-10-16

Coupling between conduction electrons and localized magnetization is responsible for a variety of phenomena in spintronic devices. This coupling enables to generate spin currents from dynamical magnetization. Due to the nonlinearity of magnetization dynamics, the spin-current emission through the dynamical spin-exchange coupling offers a route for nonlinear generation of spin currents. Here, we demonstrate spin-current emission governed by nonlinear magnetization dynamics in a metal/magnetic insulator bilayer. The spin-current emission from the magnetic insulator is probed by the inverse spin Hall effect, which demonstrates nontrivial temperature and excitation power dependences of the voltage generation. The experimental results reveal that nonlinear magnetization dynamics and enhanced spin-current emission due to magnon scatterings are triggered by decreasing temperature. This result illustrates the crucial role of the nonlinear magnon interactions in the spin-current emission driven by dynamical magnetization, or nonequilibrium magnons, from magnetic insulators.

Atmospheric Wind Relaxations and the Oceanic Response in the California Current Large Marine Ecosystem

Science.gov (United States)

Fewings, M. R.; Dorman, C. E.; Washburn, L.; Liu, W.

2010-12-01

On the West Coast of North America in summer, episodic relaxation of the upwelling-favorable winds causes warm water to propagate northward from southern to central California, against the prevailing currents [Harms and Winant 1998, Winant et al. 2003, Melton et al. 2009]. Similar wind relaxations are an important characteristic of coastal upwelling ecosystems worldwide. Although these wind relaxations have an important influence on coastal ocean dynamics, no description exists of the regional atmospheric patterns that lead to wind relaxations in southern California, or of the regional ocean response. We use QuikSCAT wind stress, North American Regional Reanalysis atmospheric pressure products, water temperature and velocity from coastal ocean moorings, surface ocean currents from high-frequency radars, and MODIS satellite sea-surface temperature and ocean color images to analyze wind relaxation events and the ocean response. We identify the events based on an empirical index calculated from NDBC buoy winds [Melton et al. 2009]. We describe the regional evolution of the atmosphere from the Gulf of Alaska to Baja California over the few days leading up to wind relaxations, and the coastal ocean temperature, color, and current response off southern and central California. We analyze ~100 wind relaxation events in June-September during the QuikSCAT mission, 1999-2009. Our results indicate south-central California wind relaxations in summer are tied to mid-level atmospheric low-pressure systems that form in the Gulf of Alaska and propagate southeastward over 3-5 days. As the low-pressure systems reach southern California, the atmospheric pressure gradient along the coast weakens, causing the surface wind stress to relax to near zero. The weak wind signal appears first at San Diego and propagates northward. QuikSCAT data indicate the relaxed winds extend over the entire Southern California Bight and up to 200 km offshore of central California. Atmospheric dynamics in

Due diligence responsibilities of the professional geologist

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hobbs, G.W.

1991-01-01

Whether in the role of independent consultant or company employee, a geologist has certain professional obligations in the evaluation of an oil and gas submittal from a third party. 'Due diligence' is the term used to describe the analysis of an investment opportunity. Due diligence involves a multidisciplinary examination of both the technical and business aspects of a submittal. In addition to the obvious geological considerations, prospect evaluations should include relevant details about the specific technical documentation reviewed, information sources, and how the data were verified. Full disclosure of ownership, technical risks, and negative aspects of the prospect should be included along with the positive elements. After the geological analysis is completed, the economic merits of the prospect should be analyzed, incorporating all lease burdens and terms of participation into the calculations. Estimated exploration, development, and operating costs, together with projected annual production, cash flow, and reserves must be examined as to their reasonableness. Finally, the due diligence review should include a thorough check on the reputation, financial condition, technical and managerial expertise, and prior track record of the operator. Bank, trade, legal, and prior partner references should be contacted. The successful professional geologist in today's competitive world must have multidisciplinary skills. A solid background in geology and geophysics, a basic understanding of the principles of petroleum engineering and economics, and the wits of a private eye are needed for good due diligence work

Modeling Hawaiian ecosystem degradation due to invasive plants under current and future climates.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Adam E Vorsino

Full Text Available Occupation of native ecosystems by invasive plant species alters their structure and/or function. In Hawaii, a subset of introduced plants is regarded as extremely harmful due to competitive ability, ecosystem modification, and biogeochemical habitat degradation. By controlling this subset of highly invasive ecosystem modifiers, conservation managers could significantly reduce native ecosystem degradation. To assess the invasibility of vulnerable native ecosystems, we selected a proxy subset of these invasive plants and developed robust ensemble species distribution models to define their respective potential distributions. The combinations of all species models using both binary and continuous habitat suitability projections resulted in estimates of species richness and diversity that were subsequently used to define an invasibility metric. The invasibility metric was defined from species distribution models with 0.8; True Skill Statistic >0.75 as evaluated per species. Invasibility was further projected onto a 2100 Hawaii regional climate change scenario to assess the change in potential habitat degradation. The distribution defined by the invasibility metric delineates areas of known and potential invasibility under current climate conditions and, when projected into the future, estimates potential reductions in native ecosystem extent due to climate-driven invasive incursion. We have provided the code used to develop these metrics to facilitate their wider use (Code S1. This work will help determine the vulnerability of native-dominated ecosystems to the combined threats of climate change and invasive species, and thus help prioritize ecosystem and species management actions.

Modeling Hawaiian ecosystem degradation due to invasive plants under current and future climates

Science.gov (United States)

Vorsino, Adam E.; Fortini, Lucas B.; Amidon, Fred A.; Miller, Stephen E.; Jacobi, James D.; Price, Jonathan P.; `Ohukani`ohi`a Gon, Sam; Koob, Gregory A.

2014-01-01

Occupation of native ecosystems by invasive plant species alters their structure and/or function. In Hawaii, a subset of introduced plants is regarded as extremely harmful due to competitive ability, ecosystem modification, and biogeochemical habitat degradation. By controlling this subset of highly invasive ecosystem modifiers, conservation managers could significantly reduce native ecosystem degradation. To assess the invasibility of vulnerable native ecosystems, we selected a proxy subset of these invasive plants and developed robust ensemble species distribution models to define their respective potential distributions. The combinations of all species models using both binary and continuous habitat suitability projections resulted in estimates of species richness and diversity that were subsequently used to define an invasibility metric. The invasibility metric was defined from species distribution models with 0.8; True Skill Statistic >0.75) as evaluated per species. Invasibility was further projected onto a 2100 Hawaii regional climate change scenario to assess the change in potential habitat degradation. The distribution defined by the invasibility metric delineates areas of known and potential invasibility under current climate conditions and, when projected into the future, estimates potential reductions in native ecosystem extent due to climate-driven invasive incursion. We have provided the code used to develop these metrics to facilitate their wider use (Code S1). This work will help determine the vulnerability of native-dominated ecosystems to the combined threats of climate change and invasive species, and thus help prioritize ecosystem and species management actions.

Chiral magnetic currents with QGP medium response in heavy-ion collisions at RHIC and LHC energies

Science.gov (United States)

She, Duan; Feng, Sheng-Qin; Zhong, Yang; Yin, Zhong-Bao

2018-03-01

We calculate the electromagnetic current with a more realistic approach in the RHIC and LHC energy regions in the article. We take the partons formation time as the initial time of the magnetic field response of QGP medium. The maximum electromagnetic current and the time-integrated current are two important characteristics of the chiral magnetic effect (CME), which can characterize the intensity and duration of fluctuations of CME. We consider the finite frequency response of CME to a time-varying magnetic field, find a significant impact from QGP medium feedback, and estimate the generated electromagnetic current as a function of time, beam energy and impact parameter.

Fatigue loading on a 5MW offshore wind turbine due to the combined action of waves and current

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Peeringa, Johan M

2014-01-01

In the design of an offshore wind turbine the natural frequencies of the structure are of importance. In the design of fixed offshore wind turbine support structures it cannot be avoided that the first eigenmode of the structure lies in the frequency band of wave excitation. This study indicates that wave-current interaction should be taken into account for support structure design load calculations. Wave-current interaction changes the shape of the wave spectrum and the energy content in the wave frequency range of 0.2 – 0.35Hz. This is in the range of natural frequencies fixed offshore wind turbine structures are designed for. The waves are affected by the current in two ways. First there is a frequency shift, Doppler effect, for the fixed observer when the wave travels on a current. Second the shape of the wave is modified in case the wave travels from an area without current into an area with current. Due to wave-current interaction the wave height and wave length change. For waves on an opposing current the wave energy content increases, while for wave on a following current the wave energy content slightly reduces. Simulations of normal production cases between cut-in and cut-out wind speed are performed for a 5MW wind turbine in 20m water depth including waves with 1) a following current, 2) an opposing current and 3) no current present. In case of waves having an opposing current, the 1Hz equivalent fore-aft tower bending moment at the seabed is about 10% higher compared to load cases with waves only

Power Quality Problems Due to Transformer Inrush Current

OpenAIRE

Tokić, A.; Uglešić, I.

2017-01-01

Transformer energization can produce a large nonsinuoidal inrush current which contains both odd and higher order harmonic components that can put transformer winding under mechanical stress. Additionally, they can cause irregular tripping of harmonic protection relays. Furthermore, in relatively weak power systems, such as is the Bosnian system, the superposition of harmonic components with system resonance frequencies may produce temporary overvoltages (TOV). Transformer wind...

Effects of current physical activity on affective response to exercise: physical and social-cognitive mechanisms.

Science.gov (United States)

Magnan, Renee E; Kwan, Bethany M; Bryan, Angela D

2013-01-01

Affective responses during exercise are often important determinants of exercise initiation and maintenance. Current physical activity may be one individual difference that is associated with the degree to which individuals have positive (or negative) affective experiences during exercise. The objective of this study was to explore physical and cognitive explanations of the relationship between current activity status (more versus less active) and affective response during a 30-minute bout of moderate-intensity exercise. Participants reported their current level of physical activity, exercise self-efficacy and affect during a 30-minute bout of moderate-intensity exercise. More active individuals experienced higher levels of positive affect and tranquillity and lower levels of negative affect and fatigue during exercise. Multivariate models for each affective state indicated separate processes through which physical activity may be associated with changes in affect during exercise. These models indicate that affect experienced during physical activity is related to the current activity level and these relationships can be partially explained by the physical and cognitive factors explored in this study. Recommendations for future research to elucidate whether positive affective response to physical activity improves as a function of becoming more active over time are discussed.

[Extensive injuries due to high-tension electrical current].

Science.gov (United States)

Tomásek, D; Königová, R; Snupárek, Z

1989-03-01

The authors submit a case of severe injury with high tension electric current. They emphasize the necessity of prevention of this injury which occurs most frequently when transformer stations are not adequately safeguarded, in case of inadequate protection when approaching trolley wires on the railway track, and when safety principles are not respected during work on the railway. The authors draw attention to the importance of immediate resuscitation and multidisciplinary comprehensive care.

Giant Dirac point shift of graphene phototransistors by doped silicon substrate current

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Masaaki Shimatani

2016-03-01

Full Text Available Graphene is a promising new material for photodetectors due to its excellent optical properties and high-speed response. However, graphene-based phototransistors have low responsivity due to the weak light absorption of graphene. We have observed a giant Dirac point shift upon white light illumination in graphene-based phototransistors with n-doped Si substrates, but not those with p-doped substrates. The source-drain current and substrate current were investigated with and without illumination for both p-type and n-type Si substrates. The decay time of the drain-source current indicates that the Si substrate, SiO2 layer, and metal electrode comprise a metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS capacitor due to the presence of defects at the interface between the Si substrate and SiO2 layer. The difference in the diffusion time of the intrinsic major carriers (electrons and the photogenerated electron-hole pairs to the depletion layer delays the application of the gate voltage to the graphene channel. Therefore, the giant Dirac point shift is attributed to the n-type Si substrate current. This phenomenon can be exploited to realize high-performance graphene-based phototransistors.

Giant Dirac point shift of graphene phototransistors by doped silicon substrate current

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shimatani, Masaaki; Ogawa, Shinpei, E-mail: Ogawa.Shimpei@eb.MitsubishiElectric.co.jp; Fujisawa, Daisuke [Advanced Technology R& D Center, Mitsubishi Electric Corporation, 8-1-1 Tsukaguchi-Honmachi, Amagasaki, Hyogo 661-8661 (Japan); Okuda, Satoshi [Advanced Technology R& D Center, Mitsubishi Electric Corporation, 8-1-1 Tsukaguchi-Honmachi, Amagasaki, Hyogo 661-8661 (Japan); The Institute of the Scientific and Industrial Research, Osaka University, Ibaraki, Osaka 567-0047 (Japan); Kanai, Yasushi; Ono, Takao; Matsumoto, Kazuhiko [The Institute of the Scientific and Industrial Research, Osaka University, Ibaraki, Osaka 567-0047 (Japan)

2016-03-15

Graphene is a promising new material for photodetectors due to its excellent optical properties and high-speed response. However, graphene-based phototransistors have low responsivity due to the weak light absorption of graphene. We have observed a giant Dirac point shift upon white light illumination in graphene-based phototransistors with n-doped Si substrates, but not those with p-doped substrates. The source-drain current and substrate current were investigated with and without illumination for both p-type and n-type Si substrates. The decay time of the drain-source current indicates that the Si substrate, SiO{sub 2} layer, and metal electrode comprise a metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) capacitor due to the presence of defects at the interface between the Si substrate and SiO{sub 2} layer. The difference in the diffusion time of the intrinsic major carriers (electrons) and the photogenerated electron-hole pairs to the depletion layer delays the application of the gate voltage to the graphene channel. Therefore, the giant Dirac point shift is attributed to the n-type Si substrate current. This phenomenon can be exploited to realize high-performance graphene-based phototransistors.

Responses of the Brans-Dicke field due to gravitational collapses

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hwang, Dong-il; Yeom, Dong-han

2010-01-01

We study responses of the Brans-Dicke field due to gravitational collapses of scalar field pulses using numerical simulations. Double-null formalism is employed to implement the numerical simulations. If we supply a scalar field pulse, it will asymptotically form a black hole via dynamical interactions of the Brans-Dicke field. Hence, we can observe the responses of the Brans-Dicke field by two different regions. First, we observe the late time behaviors after the gravitational collapse, which include formations of a singularity and an apparent horizon. Second, we observe the fully dynamical behaviors during the gravitational collapse and view the energy-momentum tensor components. For the late time behaviors, if the Brans-Dicke coupling is greater (or smaller) than -1.5, the Brans-Dicke field decreases (or increases) during the gravitational collapse. Since the Brans-Dicke field should be relaxed to the asymptotic value with the elapse of time, the final apparent horizon becomes time-like (or space-like). For the dynamical behaviors, we observed the energy-momentum tensors around ω ∼ -1.5. If the Brans-Dicke coupling is greater than -1.5, the T uu component can be negative at the outside of the black hole. This can allow an instantaneous inflating region during the gravitational collapse. If the Brans-Dicke coupling is less than -1.5, the oscillation of the T vv component allows the apparent horizon to shrink. This allows a combination that violates weak cosmic censorship. Finally, we discuss the implications of the violation of the null energy condition and weak cosmic censorship.

Responses of the Brans-Dicke field due to gravitational collapses

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hwang, Dong-il; Yeom, Dong-han, E-mail: enotsae@gmail.co, E-mail: innocent@muon.kaist.ac.k [Department of Physics, KAIST, Daejeon 305-701 (Korea, Republic of)

2010-10-21

We study responses of the Brans-Dicke field due to gravitational collapses of scalar field pulses using numerical simulations. Double-null formalism is employed to implement the numerical simulations. If we supply a scalar field pulse, it will asymptotically form a black hole via dynamical interactions of the Brans-Dicke field. Hence, we can observe the responses of the Brans-Dicke field by two different regions. First, we observe the late time behaviors after the gravitational collapse, which include formations of a singularity and an apparent horizon. Second, we observe the fully dynamical behaviors during the gravitational collapse and view the energy-momentum tensor components. For the late time behaviors, if the Brans-Dicke coupling is greater (or smaller) than -1.5, the Brans-Dicke field decreases (or increases) during the gravitational collapse. Since the Brans-Dicke field should be relaxed to the asymptotic value with the elapse of time, the final apparent horizon becomes time-like (or space-like). For the dynamical behaviors, we observed the energy-momentum tensors around {omega} {approx} -1.5. If the Brans-Dicke coupling is greater than -1.5, the T{sub uu} component can be negative at the outside of the black hole. This can allow an instantaneous inflating region during the gravitational collapse. If the Brans-Dicke coupling is less than -1.5, the oscillation of the T{sub vv} component allows the apparent horizon to shrink. This allows a combination that violates weak cosmic censorship. Finally, we discuss the implications of the violation of the null energy condition and weak cosmic censorship.

Dynamic Response of AP1000 Nuclear Island Due to Safe Shutdown Earthquake Loading

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gan Buntara S.

2017-01-01

Full Text Available AP1000 is a standard nuclear power plant developed by Westinghouse and its partners by using an advanced passive safety feature. Among the five principle building structures, namely the nuclear island, turbine building, annex building, diesel generator building and radwaste building, the safety of the nuclear island building is the most concerned. This paper investigates the dynamic response of the nuclear island building of the AP1000 plant subjected to safe shutdown earthquake loadings. A finite element model for the building, which is assumed to be built in a hard-rock base, is developed and its dynamic response is computed with the aid of the commercial finite element package ANSYS. The dynamic characteristics, including the natural frequencies, the vibration modes, and the time histories for displacements, velocities, and accelerations of the building are obtained for two typical safe shutdown earthquakes, El Centro and Kobe earthquakes. The dynamic behavior of the building due to the earthquakes and its safety is examined and highlighted.

Evidence Report: Risk of Crew Adverse Health Event Due to Altered Immune Response

Science.gov (United States)

Crucian, Brian; Sams, Clarence F.

2013-01-01

The Risk of Crew Adverse Health Event Due to Altered Immune Response is identified by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Human Research Program (HRP) as a recognized risk to human health and performance in space. The HRP Program Requirements Document (PRD) defines these risks. This Evidence Report provides a summary of the evidence that has been used to identify and characterize this risk. It is known that human immune function is altered in- and post-flight, but it is unclear at present if such alterations lead to increased susceptibility to disease. Reactivation of latent viruses has been documented in crewmembers, although this reactivation has not been directly correlated with immune changes or with observed diseases. As described in this report, further research is required to better characterize the relationships between altered immune response and susceptibility to disease during and after spaceflight. This is particularly important for future deep-space exploration missions.

Spectral response, dark current, and noise analyses in resonant tunneling quantum dot infrared photodetectors.

Science.gov (United States)

Jahromi, Hamed Dehdashti; Mahmoodi, Ali; Sheikhi, Mohammad Hossein; Zarifkar, Abbas

2016-10-20

Reduction of dark current at high-temperature operation is a great challenge in conventional quantum dot infrared photodetectors, as the rate of thermal excitations resulting in the dark current increases exponentially with temperature. A resonant tunneling barrier is the best candidate for suppression of dark current, enhancement in signal-to-noise ratio, and selective extraction of different wavelength response. In this paper, we use a physical model developed by the authors recently to design a proper resonant tunneling barrier for quantum infrared photodetectors and to study and analyze the spectral response of these devices. The calculated transmission coefficient of electrons by this model and its dependency on bias voltage are in agreement with experimental results. Furthermore, based on the calculated transmission coefficient, the dark current of a quantum dot infrared photodetector with a resonant tunneling barrier is calculated and compared with the experimental data. The validity of our model is proven through this comparison. Theoretical dark current by our model shows better agreement with the experimental data and is more accurate than the previously developed model. Moreover, noise in the device is calculated. Finally, the effect of different parameters, such as temperature, size of quantum dots, and bias voltage, on the performance of the device is simulated and studied.

Precipitation response to the current ENSO variability in a warming world

Science.gov (United States)

Bonfils, C.; Santer, B. D.; Phillips, T. J.; Marvel, K.; Leung, L.

2013-12-01

The major triggers of past and recent droughts include large modes of variability, such as ENSO, as well as specific and persistent patterns of sea surface temperature anomalies (SSTAs; Hoerling and Kumar, 2003, Shin et al. 2010, Schubert et al. 2009). However, alternative drought initiators are also anticipated in response to increasing greenhouse gases, potentially changing the relative contribution of ocean variability as drought initiator. They include the intensification of the current zonal wet-dry patterns (the thermodynamic mechanism, Held and Soden, 2006), a latitudinal redistribution of global precipitation (the dynamical mechanism, Seager et al. 2007, Seidel et al. 2008, Scheff and Frierson 2008) and a reduction of local soil moisture and precipitation recycling (the land-atmosphere argument). Our ultimate goal is to investigate whether the relative contribution of those mechanisms change over time in response to global warming. In this study, we first perform an EOF analysis of the 1900-1999 time series of observed global SST field and identify a simple ENSO-like (ENSOL) mode of SST variability. We show that this mode is well spatially and temporally correlated with observed worldwide regional precipitation and drought variability. We then develop concise metrics to examine the fidelity with which the CMIP5 coupled global climate models (CGCMs) capture this particular ENSO-like mode in the current climate, and their ability to replicate the observed teleconnections with precipitation. Based on the CMIP5 model projections of future climate change, we finally analyze the potential temporal variations in ENSOL to be anticipated under further global warming, as well as their associated teleconnections with precipitation (pattern, amplitude, and total response). Overall, our approach allows us to determine what will be the effect of the current ENSO-like variability (i.e., as measured with instrumental observations) on precipitation in a warming world. This

Load kick-back effects due to activation of demand response in view of distribution grid operation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Han, Xue; Sossan, Fabrizio; Bindner, Henrik W.

2014-01-01

. The paper has shown how aggregated consumption dynamics introduce new peaks in the system due to the synchronous behaviors of a portfolio of homogeneous DSRs, which is instructed by the flexibility management system. This dynamic effect is recognized as load kick-back effect. The impact of load kick......-back effects onto the distribution grid is analysed in this paper by establishing scenarios based on the estimation of DSR penetration levels from the system operator. The results indicate some risks that the activation of demand response may create critical peaks in the local grid due to kick-back effects....

Is transcranial direct current stimulation a potential method for improving response inhibition?☆

OpenAIRE

Kwon, Yong Hyun; Kwon, Jung Won

2013-01-01

Inhibitory control of movement in motor learning requires the ability to suppress an inappropriate action, a skill needed to stop a planned or ongoing motor response in response to changes in a variety of environments. This study used a stop-signal task to determine whether transcranial direct-current stimulation over the pre-supplementary motor area alters the reaction time in motor inhibition. Forty healthy subjects were recruited for this study and were randomly assigned to either the tran...

Foraging response and acclimation of ambush feeding and feeding-current feeding copepods to toxic dinoflagellates

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Xu, Jiayi; Nielsen, Lasse Tor; Kiørboe, Thomas

2018-01-01

reticulatum. We hypothesize (1) that ambush feeders are less affected by toxic algae than feeding-current feeders, (2) that copepods acclimate to the toxic algae, and (3) that phytoplankton cells previously exposed to copepod cues elicit stronger responses. Both copepod species consumed the toxic algae...... to examine the response and temporal acclimation (5 d) of two copepods with different foraging behaviors to toxic dinoflagellates. Feeding-current feeding Temora longicornis and ambush feeding Acartia tonsa were offered three strains of toxic Alexandrium tamarense and a nontoxic control Protoceratium...... at a reduced rate and there was no difference in their net-response, but the mechanisms differed. T. longicornis responded in strain-specific ways by reducing its feeding activity, by rejecting captured algae, or by regurgitating consumed cells. A. tonsa reduced its consumption rate, jump frequency, and jump...

Leakage Current Degradation Due to Ion Drift and Diffusion in Tantalum and Niobium Oxide Capacitors

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kuparowitz Martin

2017-06-01

Full Text Available High temperature and high electric field applications in tantalum and niobium capacitors are limited by the mechanism of ion migration and field crystallization in a tantalum or niobium pentoxide insulating layer. The study of leakage current (DCL variation in time as a result of increasing temperature and electric field might provide information about the physical mechanism of degradation. The experiments were performed on tantalum and niobium oxide capacitors at temperatures of about 125°C and applied voltages ranging up to rated voltages of 35 V and 16 V for tantalum and niobium oxide capacitors, respectively. Homogeneous distribution of oxygen vacancies acting as positive ions within the pentoxide layer was assumed before the experiments. DCL vs. time characteristics at a fixed temperature have several phases. At the beginning of ageing the DCL increases exponentially with time. In this period ions in the insulating layer are being moved in the electric field by drift only. Due to that the concentration of ions near the cathode increases producing a positively charged region near the cathode. The electric field near the cathode increases and the potential barrier between the cathode and insulating layer decreases which results in increasing DCL. However, redistribution of positive ions in the insulator layer leads to creation of a ion concentration gradient which results in a gradual increase of the ion diffusion current in the direction opposite to the ion drift current component. The equilibrium between the two for a given temperature and electric field results in saturation of the leakage current value. DCL vs. time characteristics are described by the exponential stretched law. We found that during the initial part of ageing an exponent n = 1 applies. That corresponds to the ion drift motion only. After long-time application of the electric field at a high temperature the DCL vs. time characteristics are described by the exponential

Assessment of Nearshore Hazard due to Tsunami-Induced Currents

Science.gov (United States)

Lynett, P. J.; Ayca, A.; Borrero, J. C.; Eskijian, M.; Miller, K.; Wilson, R. I.

2014-12-01

The California Tsunami Program in cooperation with NOAA and FEMA has begun implementing a plan to increase tsunami hazard preparedness and mitigation in maritime communities (both ships and harbor infrastructure) through the development of in-harbor hazard maps, offshore safety zones for boater evacuation, and associated guidance for harbors and marinas before, during and following tsunamis. The hope is that the maritime guidance and associated education program will help save lives and reduce exposure of damage to boats and harbor infrastructure. Findings will be used to develop maps, guidance documents, and consistent policy recommendations for emergency managers and port authorities and provide information critical to real-time decisions required when responding to tsunami alert notifications. The initial goals of the study are to (1) evaluate the effectiveness and sensitivity of existing numerical models for assessing maritime tsunami hazards, (2) find a relationship between current speeds and expected damage levels, (3) evaluate California ports and harbors in terms of tsunami induced hazards by identifying regions that are prone to higher current speeds and damage and to identify regions of relatively lower impact that may be used for evacuation of maritime assets, and (4) determine 'safe depths' for evacuation of vessels from ports and harbors during a tsunami event. We will present details of a new initiative to evaluate the future likelihood of failure for different structural components of a harbor, leading to the identification of high priority areas for mitigation. This presentation will focus on the results from California ports and harbors across the State, and will include feedback we have received from discussions with local harbor masters and port authorities. To help promote accurate and consistent products, the authors are also working through the National Tsunami Hazard Mitigation Program to organize a tsunami current model benchmark workshop.

Variations in insulin responsiveness in rat fat cells are due to metabolic differences rather than insulin binding

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hansen, Finn Mølgård; Nilsson, Poul; Sonne, Ole

1983-01-01

-insulin to fat cells. Insulin binding was not correlated to the plasma insulin level which however was reflected in the lipoprotein lipase activity in the adipose tissue. In conclusion, these results indicate that variations in insulin responsiveness in fat cells are due to alterations in cellular metabolism...

Magnetic response and critical current properties of mesoscopic-size YBCO superconducting samples

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lisboa-Filho, P N; Deimling, C V; Ortiz, W A

2010-01-01

In this contribution superconducting specimens of YBa 2 Cu 3 O 7-δ were synthesized by a modified polymeric precursor method, yielding a ceramic powder with particles of mesoscopic-size. Samples of this powder were then pressed into pellets and sintered under different conditions. The critical current density was analyzed by isothermal AC-susceptibility measurements as a function of the excitation field, as well as with isothermal DC-magnetization runs at different values of the applied field. Relevant features of the magnetic response could be associated to the microstructure of the specimens and, in particular, to the superconducting intra- and intergranular critical current properties.

Magnetic response and critical current properties of mesoscopic-size YBCO superconducting samples

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lisboa-Filho, P N [UNESP - Universidade Estadual Paulista, Grupo de Materiais Avancados, Departamento de Fisica, Bauru (Brazil); Deimling, C V; Ortiz, W A, E-mail: plisboa@fc.unesp.b [Grupo de Supercondutividade e Magnetismo, Departamento de Fisica, Universidade Federal de Sao Carlos, Sao Carlos (Brazil)

2010-01-15

In this contribution superconducting specimens of YBa{sub 2}Cu{sub 3}O{sub 7-{delta}} were synthesized by a modified polymeric precursor method, yielding a ceramic powder with particles of mesoscopic-size. Samples of this powder were then pressed into pellets and sintered under different conditions. The critical current density was analyzed by isothermal AC-susceptibility measurements as a function of the excitation field, as well as with isothermal DC-magnetization runs at different values of the applied field. Relevant features of the magnetic response could be associated to the microstructure of the specimens and, in particular, to the superconducting intra- and intergranular critical current properties.

Cellular immune responses to ESAT-6 discriminate between patients with pulmonary disease due to Mycobacterium avium complex and those with pulmonary disease due to Mycobacterium tuberculosis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lein, A D; von Reyn, C F; Ravn, P

1999-01-01

ESAT-6 (for 6-kDa early secreted antigenic target) is a secreted antigen found almost exclusively in organisms of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex. We compared in vitro gamma interferon (IFN-gamma) responses by peripheral blood mononuclear cells to this antigen in patients with pulmonary...... disease due to either Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) or Mycobacterium tuberculosis with those in healthy, skin test-negative, control subjects. Significant IFN-gamma responses to ESAT-6 were detected in 16 (59%) of 27 M. tuberculosis pulmonary disease patients, 0 (0%) of 8 MAC disease patients, and 0...... (0%) of 8 controls. Significant IFN-gamma responses to M. tuberculosis purified protein derivative were detected in 23 (85%) of 27 M. tuberculosis disease patients, 2 (25%) of 8 MAC disease patients, and 5 (63%) of 8 healthy controls. M. avium sensitin was recognized in 24 (89%) of 27 M. tuberculosis...

Response to 'Comment on 'Pinch current limitation effect in plasma focus'' [Appl. Phys. Lett. 94, 076101 (2009)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, S.; Saw, S. H.

2009-01-01

The main point of the comment [Appl. Phys. Lett. 94, 076101 (2009)] is that Eq. (2) and consequentially Eq. (3) of the commented paper [Appl. Phys. Lett. 92, 021503 (2008)] require correction. The alternative equation suggested in the comment is derived using Kirchhoff's voltage rule. The comment consider only the energy distribution in the inductive components and the resultant equation confirms a progressive lowering of the I pinch /I peak ratio as the static inductance L 0 is reduced, lowering from 0.87 to 0.31 as L 0 is reduced from 100 to 5 nH according to the revised formula corresponding to Eq. (3), compared to 0.63-0.25 according to Eq. (3). This progressive lowering of the ratio I pinch /I peak due to the inductive energy distribution is one of two factors responsible for the pinch current limitation. The other factor is the progressive reduction in the L-C interaction time compared to the current dip duration denoted by δ cap in Eq. (2). The comment does not deal with δ cap at all; hence, its conclusion based on inductive energy distribution only is not useful, since in the low L 0 region when pinch current limitation begins to manifest, δ cap becomes more and more the dominant factor. In any case, the results of the paper do not depend on Eqs. (2) and (3), which are used in the paper only for illustrative purposes

Speech-evoked brainstem frequency-following responses during verbal transformations due to word repetition.

Science.gov (United States)

Galbraith, G C; Jhaveri, S P; Kuo, J

1997-01-01

Speech-evoked brainstem frequency-following responses (FFRs) were recorded to repeated presentations of the same stimulus word. Word repetition results in illusory verbal transformations (VTs) in which word perceptions can differ markedly from the actual stimulus. Previous behavioral studies support an explanation of VTs based on changes in arousal or attention. Horizontal and vertical dipole FFRs were recorded to assess responses with putative origins in the auditory nerve and central brainstem, respectively. FFRs were recorded from 18 subjects when they correctly heard the stimulus and when they reported VTs. Although horizontal and vertical dipole FFRs showed different frequency response patterns, dipoles did not differentiate between perceptual conditions. However, when subjects were divided into low- and high-VT groups (based on percentage of VT trials), a significant Condition x Group interaction resulted. This interaction showed the largest difference in FFR amplitudes during VT trials, with the low-VT group showing increased amplitudes, and the high-VT group showing decreased amplitudes, relative to trials in which the stimulus was correctly perceived. These results demonstrate measurable subject differences in the early processing of complex signals, due to possible effects of attention on the brainstem FFR. The present research shows that the FFR is useful in understanding human language as it is coded and processed in the brainstem auditory pathway.

Critical current degradation of short YBa2Cu3O7-δ coated conductor due to an unprotected quench

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, X; Trociewitz, U P; Schwartz, J

2011-01-01

The critical current of a short YBa 2 Cu 3 O 7-δ (YBCO) coated conductor sample degrades in an unprotected quench performed in a nearly adiabatic environment at 30 K. The conductor has Cu stabilizers on both surfaces. The quench is initiated by a heater attached to the sample surface. The amplitude of the transport current is fixed as 91% of the sample's initial critical current. The duration of the current is increased to simulate an unprotected quench and to reach increasing and controlled voltage and temperature levels. A peak temperature of 490 ± 50 K and a heating rate of 1800 K s -1 are measured when the critical current degrades by ∼ 5%. The applied thermal strain on the YBCO layer from 30 to 490 K is estimated to be 0.31% and is applied at a strain rate of ∼ 1% s -1 . The rate of temperature change and the time to reach a certain peak temperature, determined by the current density in the Cu stabilizer, are estimated assuming adiabatic conditions based on the short sample case. For a Cu stabilizer current density ranging from 1000 to 2000 A mm -2 , achieved in commercial conductors currently available, the quench detection and protection requires a response time -2 may challenge the existing detection and protection techniques for the same 200 K limit. Integrating the substrate as part of the stabilizer may help reduce the stabilizer current density to gain more time for quench detection and protection while maintaining the engineering current density.

Contrasting biogeochemical responses of ENSO induced upwelling variability in the Humboldt Current System

Science.gov (United States)

Franco, Ana C.; Gruber, Nicolas; Münnich, Matthias

2017-04-01

The Humboldt Current System (HCS) is one of the most productive ecosystems in the world. This high productivity is supported by a large input of nutrients from the subsurface layers to the surface due to year-round upwelling. However, upwelling also supplies waters with low pH and low aragonite saturation state potentially affecting many organisms, especially those that calcify. The influence, extent and source of upwelled water vary substantially on interannual timescales in association with the El Niño/Southern Oscillation (ENSO) phenomenon, generating natural contrasting responses on the biogeochemistry of this system. Here we analyze these responses using an eddy resolving, basin-scale ocean model that covers the whole Pacific Ocean with high resolution (4 km) on the west coast of South America. We performed a simulation of the last 30 years (hindcast simulation) that allows us to investigate the influence of at least eight El Niño episodes and eight La Niña episodes on productivity variations and changes in oxygen concentration and aragonite saturation state. An absolute change in surface omega aragonite of almost 2 units, as well as an absolute change of the aragonite saturation depth of 200 m result from the change of an El Niño phase to a La Niña phase. This variability is on the same order of magnitude as the projected change in the aragonite saturation state in a centennial timescale. During La Niña events, a lower aragonite saturation state values and reduced oxygen concentration in the surface layer are a direct consequence of enhanced upwelling and increased net primary productivity. The opposite is true during El Niño events, where high values of omega aragonite occur in concordance with extraordinarily low net primary productivity values.

Due Diligence Processes for Public Acquisition of Mining-Impacted Landscapes

Science.gov (United States)

Martin, E.; Monohan, C.; Keeble-Toll, A. K.

2016-12-01

The acquisition of public land is critical for achieving conservation and habitat goals in rural regions projected to experience continuously high rates of population growth. To ensure that public funds are utilized responsibly in the purchase of conservation easements appropriate due diligence processes must be established that limit landowner liability post-acquisition. Traditional methods of characterizing contamination in regions where legacy mining activities were prevalent may not utilize current scientific knowledge and understanding of contaminant fate, transport and bioavailability, and therefore are likely to have type two error. Agency prescribed assessment methods utilized under CERLA in many cases fail to detect contamination that presents liability issues by failing to require water quality sampling that would reveal offsite transport potential of contaminants posing human health risks, including mercury. Historical analysis can be used to inform judgmental sampling to identify hotspots and contaminants of concern. Land acquisition projects at two historic mine sites in Nevada County, California, the Champion Mine Complex and the Black Swan Preserve have established the necessity of re-thinking due diligence processes for mining-impacted landscapes. These pilot projects demonstrate that pre-acquisition assessment in the Gold Country must include judgmental sampling and evaluation of contaminant transport. Best practices using the current scientific knowledge must be codified by agencies, consultants, and NGOs in order to ensure responsible use of public funds and to safeguard public health.

Detection of defect states responsible for leakage current in ultrathin tantalum pentoxide (Ta2O5) films by zero-bias thermally stimulated current spectroscopy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lau, W.S.; Zhong, L.; Lee, A.; See, C.H.; Han, T.; Sandler, N.P.; Chong, T.C.

1997-01-01

Defect states responsible for leakage current in ultrathin (physical thickness 2 O 5 ) films were measured with a novel zero-bias thermally stimulated current technique. It was found that defect states A, whose activation energy was estimated to be about 0.2 eV, can be more efficiently suppressed by using N 2 O rapid thermal annealing (RTA) instead of using O 2 RTA for postdeposition annealing. The leakage current was also smaller for samples with N 2 O RTA than those with O 2 RTA for postdeposition annealing. Hence, defect states A are quite likely to be important in causing leakage current. copyright 1997 American Institute of Physics

HiSCR (Hidradenitis Suppurativa Clinical Response)

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kimball, B. A.; Sobell, J. M.; Zouboulis, C C

2016-01-01

Background: Determining treatment response for patients with hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) can be challenging due to limitations of current disease activity evaluations. Objective: Evaluate the novel, validated endpoint, Hidradenitis Suppurativa Clinical Response (HiSCR) and its utility as an out......Background: Determining treatment response for patients with hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) can be challenging due to limitations of current disease activity evaluations. Objective: Evaluate the novel, validated endpoint, Hidradenitis Suppurativa Clinical Response (HiSCR) and its utility...... as an outcome measure. Methods: Patients with baseline total abscess and inflammatory nodule count (AN count) of at least three and draining fistula count of 20 or fewer comprised the post hoc subpopulation analysed. HiSCR (at least a 50% reduction in total AN count, with no increase in abscess count...... week, or placebo (1 : 1 : 1). Results: The subpopulation included 132 (85.7%) patients; 70.5% women and 73.5% white. At week 16, HiSCR was achieved by 54.5% receiving weekly adalimumab, 33.3% every other week, and 25.6% placebo and HS-PGA Response was achieved by 20.5% receiving weekly adalimumab, 6...

Latitude-dependent delay in the responses of the equatorial electrojet and Sq currents to X-class solar flares

Science.gov (United States)

Nogueira, Paulo A. B.; Abdu, Mangalathayil A.; Souza, Jonas R.; Denardini, Clezio M.; Barbosa Neto, Paulo F.; Serra de Souza da Costa, João P.; Silva, Ana P. M.

2018-01-01

We have analyzed low-latitude ionospheric current responses to two intense (X-class) solar flares that occurred on 13 May 2013 and 11 March 2015. Sudden intensifications, in response to solar flare radiation impulses, in the Sq and equatorial electrojet (EEJ) currents, as detected by magnetometers over equatorial and low-latitude sites in South America, are studied. In particular we show for the first time that a 5 to 8 min time delay is present in the peak effect in the EEJ, with respect that of Sq current outside the magnetic equator, in response to the flare radiation enhancement. The Sq current intensification peaks close to the flare X-ray peak, while the EEJ peak occurs 5 to 8 min later. We have used the Sheffield University Plasmasphere-Ionosphere Model at National Institute for Space Research (SUPIM-INPE) to simulate the E-region conductivity enhancement as caused by the flare enhanced solar extreme ultraviolet (EUV) and soft X-rays flux. We propose that the flare-induced enhancement in neutral wind occurring with a time delay (with respect to the flare radiation) could be responsible for a delayed zonal electric field disturbance driving the EEJ, in which the Cowling conductivity offers enhanced sensitivity to the driving zonal electric field.

Current Issues and Situation of Producer Responsibility in Waste Management in Indonesia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Antonius Priyo Nugroho Sulami

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Producer responsibility for wastes has been encouraged in Indonesia since 2008. The Ministry of Environment of the Republic of Indonesia also promoted the reduce, reuse, and recycle (3R concept using the community-based approach of waste banks integrated with the extended producer responsibility (EPR concept. However, related research and implementation are still limited. This study aims to identify the challenges of fulfilling producer responsibility in waste management and determine whether the integration concept could generate outcomes expected from the EPR concept. A semi-structured interview survey of several stakeholders from the government, industrial, and waste management sectors was conducted and the data generated was used to simulate an integration scheme using a system dynamics approach. Secondary data and information from Bandung municipality were used as input for the simulation. The interview survey found that the concerns and issues of fulfilling producer responsibility in waste management include lack of awareness, unavailability of clear guidelines, and the limited capacity of the current recycling sector. The results of the simulation suggested that if the integration scheme is applied, each business entity might bear the responsibility of IDR 29.4 million per year and 14.7 tons of waste per year for the scope of four sectors and IDR 34.1 million per year and 17 tons of waste per year for the scope of two sectors.

Current Reversal Due to Coupling Between Asymmetrical Driving Force and Ratchet Potential

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ai Baoquan; Xie Huizhang; Liu Lianggang

2006-01-01

Transport of a Brownian particle moving in a periodic potential is investigated in the presence of an asymmetric unbiased external force. The asymmetry of the external force and the asymmetry of the potential are the two ways of inducing a net current. It is found that the competition of the spatial asymmetry of potential with the temporal asymmetry of the external force leads to the phenomena like current reversal. The competition between the two opposite driving factors is a necessary but not a sufficient condition for current reversals.

Current transformer model with hysteresis for improving the protection response in electrical transmission systems

Science.gov (United States)

Matussek, Robert; Dzienis, Cezary; Blumschein, Jörg; Schulte, Horst

2014-12-01

In this paper, a generic enhanced protection current transformer (CT) model with saturation effects and transient behavior is presented. The model is used for the purpose of analysis and design of power system protection algorithms. Three major classes of protection CT have been modeled which all take into account the nonlinear inductance with remanence effects. The transient short-circuit currents in power systems are simulated under CT saturation condition. The response of a common power system protection algorithm with respect to robustness to nominal parameter variations and sensitivity against maloperation is demonstrated by simulation studies.

Current transformer model with hysteresis for improving the protection response in electrical transmission systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Matussek, Robert; Dzienis, Cezary; Blumschein, Jörg; Schulte, Horst

2014-01-01

In this paper, a generic enhanced protection current transformer (CT) model with saturation effects and transient behavior is presented. The model is used for the purpose of analysis and design of power system protection algorithms. Three major classes of protection CT have been modeled which all take into account the nonlinear inductance with remanence effects. The transient short-circuit currents in power systems are simulated under CT saturation condition. The response of a common power system protection algorithm with respect to robustness to nominal parameter variations and sensitivity against maloperation is demonstrated by simulation studies

Molecularly Imprinted Polymers with Stimuli-Responsive Affinity: Progress and Perspectives

OpenAIRE

Wei Chen; Yue Ma; Jianmin Pan; Zihui Meng; Guoqing Pan; Börje Sellergren

2015-01-01

Intelligent stimuli-responsive molecularly imprinted polymers (SR-MIPs) have attracted considerable research interest in recent years due to the potential applications in drug delivery, biotechnology and separation sciences. This review comprehensively summarizes various SR-MIPs, including the design and applications of thermo-responsive MIPs, pH-responsive MIPs, photo-responsive MIPs, biomolecule-responsive MIPs and ion-responsive MIPs. Besides the development of current SR-MIPs, the advanta...

Current Debates in Corporate Social Responsibility: An Agenda for Research

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

David Crowther

2007-06-01

Full Text Available Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR has a particular prominence at this point in time, featuring heavily in the discourses of both academe and business. The understanding of what is meant by CSR continues to evolve as a consensus is reached. Nevertheless some important debates continue – or are commencing – which need to be resolved. It is the purpose of this paper to highlight these as some of the current debates within the CSR community – and hence form a significant part of an agenda for research in the area. Specifically we focus upon three key areas for the management of business, namely setting standards for reporting, identifying and implementing sustainable practice, and the management of risk.

Analysis and solution of current spike occurred in dynamic compensation of self-powered neutron detectors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Peng, Xingjie; Li, Qing; Wang, Kan

2017-01-01

Highlights: • The current spike problem is observed in the dynamic compensation process of SPNDs. • The current spike is caused by unphysical current change due to range switching. • Modification on the compensation algorithm is introduced to deal with current spike. - Abstract: Dynamic compensation methods are required to improve the response speed of the Self-Powered Neutron Detectors (SPNDs) and make it possible to apply the SPNDs for core monitoring and surveillance. During the experimental test of the compensation method based on linear matrix inequality (LMI), spikes are observed in the compensated SPND current. After analyzing the measurement data, the cause is fixed on the unphysical change of the uncompensated SPND current due to range switching. Then some modifications on the dynamic compensation algorithms are proposed to solve the current spike problem.

Forget the Desk Job: Current Roles and Responsibilities in Entry-Level Reference Job Advertisements

Science.gov (United States)

Detmering, Robert; Sproles, Claudene

2012-01-01

This study examines the evolving roles and responsibilities of entry-level academic reference positions, as stated in recent job advertisements posted on the American Library Association's JobLIST Web site and other sources. Findings from a content analysis of these advertisements indicate that current entry-level reference positions in academic…

Clopidogrel Resistance: Current Issues

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

NS Neki

2016-05-01

Full Text Available Antiplatelet agents are mainly used in the prevention and management of atherothrombotic complications. Dual antiplatelet therapy, combining aspirin and clopidogrel, is the standard care for patients having acute coronary syndromes or undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention according to the current ACC/AHA and ESC guidelines. But in spite of administration of dual antiplatelet therapy, some patients develop recurrent cardiovascular ischemic events especially stent thrombosis which is a serious clinical problem. Antiplatelet response to clopidogrel varies widely among patients based on ex vivo platelet function measurements. Clopidogrel is an effective inhibitor of platelet activation and aggregation due to its selective and irreversible blockade of the P2Y12 receptor. Patients who display little attenuation of platelet reactivity with clopidogrel therapy are labeled as low or nonresponders or clopidogrel resistant. The mechanism of clopidogrel resistance remains incompletely defined but there are certain clinical, cellular and genetic factors including polymorphisms responsible for therapeutic failure. Currently there is no standardized or widely accepted definition of clopidogrel resistance. The future may soon be realised in the routine measurement of platelet activity in the same way that blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar are followed to help guide the therapy, thus improving the care for millions of people. This review focuses on the methods used to identify patients with clopidogrel resistance, the underlying mechanisms, metabolism, clinical significance and current therapeutic strategies to overcome clopidogrel resistance. J Enam Med Col 2016; 6(1: 38-46

Photoionization spectroscopy of deep defects responsible for current collapse in nitride-based field effect transistors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Klein, P B; Binari, S C

2003-01-01

This review is concerned with the characterization and identification of the deep centres that cause current collapse in nitride-based field effect transistors. Photoionization spectroscopy is an optical technique that has been developed to probe the characteristics of these defects. Measured spectral dependences provide information on trap depth, lattice coupling and on the location of the defects in the device structure. The spectrum of an individual trap may also be regarded as a 'fingerprint' of the defect, allowing the trap to be followed in response to the variation of external parameters. The basis for these measurements is derived through a modelling procedure that accounts quantitatively for the light-induced drain current increase in the collapsed device. Applying the model to fit the measured variation of drain current increase with light illumination provides an estimate of the concentrations and photoionization cross-sections of the deep defects. The results of photoionization studies of GaN metal-semiconductor field effect transistors and AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistors (HEMTs) grown by metal-organic chemical vapour deposition (MOCVD) are presented and the conclusions regarding the nature of the deep traps responsible are discussed. Finally, recent photoionization studies of current collapse induced by short-term (several hours) bias stress in AlGaN/GaN HEMTs are described and analysed for devices grown by both MOCVD and molecular beam epitaxy. (topical review)

Innate immune responses against foot-and-mouth disease virus: current understanding and future directions.

Science.gov (United States)

Summerfield, Artur; Guzylack-Piriou, Laurence; Harwood, Lisa; McCullough, Kenneth C

2009-03-15

Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) represents one of the most economically important diseases of farm animals. The basis for the threat caused by this virus is the high speed of replication, short incubation time, high contagiousness, and high mutation rate resulting in constant antigenic changes. Thus, although protective immune responses against FMD virus (FMDV) can be efficacious, the rapidity of virus replication and spread can outpace immune defence development and overrun the immune system. FMDV can also evade innate immune responses through its ability to shut down cellular protein synthesis, including IFN type I, in susceptible epithelial cells. This is important for virus evolution, as FMDV is quite sensitive to the action of IFN. Despite this, innate immune responses are probably induced in vivo, although detailed studies on this subject are lacking. Accordingly, this interaction of FMDV with cells of the innate immune system is of particular interest. Dendritic cells (DC) can be infected by FMDV and support viral RNA replication, and viral protein synthesis but the latter is inefficient or abortive, leading most often to incomplete replication and progeny virus release. As a result DC can be activated, and particularly in the case of plasmacytoid DC (pDC), this is manifest in terms of IFN-alpha release. Our current state of knowledge on innate immune responses induced by FMDV is still only at a relatively early stage of understanding. As we progress, the investigations in this area will help to improve the design of current vaccines and the development of novel control strategies against FMD.

Network coupling via a current-limiting throttle with a high-Tc superconductor core

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bochenek, E.; Fischer, R.; Lampen, U.; Voigt, H.

1989-01-01

A current-limiting concept is tested by means of a choke with a current-responsive inductivity for linking three-phase current supplies. The choke has a core of a material with a high transition point T c . In the case of nominal current, the core is superconductive and keeps the resulting inductance of the choke low by shield currents. In the case of overload, the core passes into the normal conductive state due to the increased magnetic field of the winding. The resulting inductance of the choke rises and, in doing so, effects current limitation. (orig.) [de

Measurement technology of RF interference current in high current system

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, Zhihua; Li, Jianxuan; Zhang, Xiangming; Zhang, Lei

2018-06-01

Current probe is a detection method commonly used in electromagnetic compatibility. With the development of power electronics technology, the power level of power conversion devices is constantly increasing, and the power current of the electric energy conversion device in the electromagnetic launch system can reach 10kA. Current probe conventionally used in EMC (electromagnetic compatibility) detection cannot meet the test requirements on high current system due to the magnetic saturation problem. The conventional high current sensor is also not suitable for the RF (Radio Frequency) interference current measurement in high current power device due to the high noise level in the output of active amplifier. In this paper, a passive flexible current probe based on Rogowski coil and matching resistance is proposed that can withstand high current and has low noise level, to solve the measurement problems of interference current in high current power converter. And both differential mode and common mode current detection can be easily carried out with the proposed probe because of the probe's flexible structure.

Many-body current formula and current conservation for non-equilibrium fully interacting nanojunctions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ness, H; Dash, L K

2012-01-01

We consider the electron transport properties through fully interacting nanoscale junctions beyond the linear-response regime. We calculate the current flowing through an interacting region connected to two interacting leads, with interaction crossing at the left and right contacts, by using a non-equilibrium Green function technique. The total current at one interface (the left one for example) is made of several terms which can be regrouped into two sets. The first set corresponds to a very generalized Landauer-like current formula with physical quantities defined only in the interacting central region and with renormalized lead self-energies. The second set characterizes inelastic scattering events occurring in the left lead. We show how this term can be negligible or even vanish due to the pseudo-equilibrium statistical properties of the lead in the thermodynamic limit. The expressions for the different Green functions needed for practical calculations of the current are also provided. We determine the constraints imposed by the physical condition of current conservation. The corresponding equation imposed on the different self-energy quantities arising from the current conservation is derived. We discuss in detail its physical interpretation and its relation with previously derived expressions. Finally several important key features are discussed in relation to the implementation of our formalism for calculations of quantum transport in realistic systems. (paper)

Neutral weak-current two-body contributions in inclusive scattering from {sup 12}C

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lovato, Alessandro [ANL; Gandolfi, Stefano [LANL; Carlson, Joseph [LANL; Pieper, S. C. [ANL; Schiavilla, Rocco [JLAB, ODU

2014-05-01

An {\\it ab initio} calculation of the sum rules of the neutral weak response functions in $^{12}$C is reported, based on a realistic Hamiltonian, including two- and three-nucleon potentials, and on realistic currents, consisting of one- and two-body terms. We find that the sum rules of the response functions associated with the longitudinal and transverse components of the (space-like) neutral current are largest and that a significant portion ($\\simeq 30$\\%) of the calculated strength is due to two-body terms. This fact may have implications for the MiniBooNE and other neutrino quasi-elastic scattering data on nuclei.

Determination of corrosion rate of reinforcement with a modulated guard ring electrode; analysis of errors due to lateral current distribution

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wojtas, H.

2004-01-01

The main source of errors in measuring the corrosion rate of rebars on site is a non-uniform current distribution between the small counter electrode (CE) on the concrete surface and the large rebar network. Guard ring electrodes (GEs) are used in an attempt to confine the excitation current within a defined area. In order to better understand the functioning of modulated guard ring electrode and to assess its effectiveness in eliminating errors due to lateral spread of current signal from the small CE, measurements of the polarisation resistance performed on a concrete beam have been numerically simulated. Effect of parameters such as rebar corrosion activity, concrete resistivity, concrete cover depth and size of the corroding area on errors in the estimation of polarisation resistance of a single rebar has been examined. The results indicate that modulated GE arrangement fails to confine the lateral spread of the CE current within a constant area. Using the constant diameter of confinement for the calculation of corrosion rate may lead to serious errors when test conditions change. When high corrosion activity of rebar and/or local corrosion occur, the use of the modulated GE confinement may lead to significant underestimation of the corrosion rate

Response of O2 and pH to ENSO in the California Current System in a high-resolution global climate model

Science.gov (United States)

Turi, Giuliana; Alexander, Michael; Lovenduski, Nicole S.; Capotondi, Antonietta; Scott, James; Stock, Charles; Dunne, John; John, Jasmin; Jacox, Michael

2018-02-01

Coastal upwelling systems, such as the California Current System (CalCS), naturally experience a wide range of O2 concentrations and pH values due to the seasonality of upwelling. Nonetheless, changes in the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) have been shown to measurably affect the biogeochemical and physical properties of coastal upwelling regions. In this study, we use a novel, high-resolution global climate model (GFDL-ESM2.6) to investigate the influence of warm and cold ENSO events on variations in the O2 concentration and the pH of the CalCS coastal waters. An assessment of the CalCS response to six El Niño and seven La Niña events in ESM2.6 reveals significant variations in the response between events. However, these variations overlay a consistent physical and biogeochemical (O2 and pH) response in the composite mean. Focusing on the mean response, our results demonstrate that O2 and pH are affected rather differently in the euphotic zone above ˜ 100 m. The strongest O2 response reaches up to several hundreds of kilometers offshore, whereas the pH signal occurs only within a ˜ 100 km wide band along the coast. By splitting the changes in O2 and pH into individual physical and biogeochemical components that are affected by ENSO variability, we found that O2 variability in the surface ocean is primarily driven by changes in surface temperature that affect the O2 solubility. In contrast, surface pH changes are predominantly driven by changes in dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC), which in turn is affected by upwelling, explaining the confined nature of the pH signal close to the coast. Below ˜ 100 m, we find conditions with anomalously low O2 and pH, and by extension also anomalously low aragonite saturation, during La Niña. This result is consistent with findings from previous studies and highlights the stress that the CalCS ecosystem could periodically undergo in addition to impacts due to climate change.

Geometric component of charge pumping current in nMOSFETs due to low-temperature irradiation

Science.gov (United States)

Witczak, S. C.; King, E. E.; Saks, N. S.; Lacoe, R. C.; Shaneyfelt, M. R.; Hash, G. L.; Hjalmarson, H. P.; Mayer, D. C.

2002-12-01

The geometric component of charge pumping current was examined in n-channel metal-oxide-silicon field effect transistors (MOSFETs) following low-temperature irradiation. In addition to the usual dependencies on channel length and gate bias transition time, the geometric component was found to increase with radiation-induced oxide-trapped charge density and decreasing temperature. A postirradiation injection of electrons into the gate oxide reduces the geometric component along with the density of oxide-trapped charge, which clearly demonstrates that the two are correlated. A fit of the injection data to a first-order model for trapping kinetics indicates that the electron trapping occurs predominantly at a single type of Coulomb-attractive trap site. The geometric component results primarily from the bulk recombination of channel electrons that fail to transport to the source or drain during the transition from inversion to accumulation. The radiation response of these transistors suggests that Coulomb scattering by oxide-trapped charge increases the bulk recombination at low temperatures by impeding electron transport. These results imply that the geometric component must be properly accounted for when charge pumping irradiated n-channel MOSFETs at low temperatures.

Fractional Modeling of the AC Large-Signal Frequency Response in Magnetoresistive Current Sensors

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sergio Iván Ravelo Arias

2013-12-01

Full Text Available Fractional calculus is considered when derivatives and integrals of non-integer order are applied over a specific function. In the electrical and electronic domain, the transfer function dependence of a fractional filter not only by the filter order n, but additionally, of the fractional order α is an example of a great number of systems where its input-output behavior could be more exactly modeled by a fractional behavior. Following this aim, the present work shows the experimental ac large-signal frequency response of a family of electrical current sensors based in different spintronic conduction mechanisms. Using an ac characterization set-up the sensor transimpedance function  is obtained considering it as the relationship between sensor output voltage and input sensing current,[PLEASE CHECK FORMULA IN THE PDF]. The study has been extended to various magnetoresistance sensors based in different technologies like anisotropic magnetoresistance (AMR, giant magnetoresistance (GMR, spin-valve (GMR-SV and tunnel magnetoresistance (TMR. The resulting modeling shows two predominant behaviors, the low-pass and the inverse low-pass with fractional index different from the classical integer response. The TMR technology with internal magnetization offers the best dynamic and sensitivity properties opening the way to develop actual industrial applications.

Transcription factors and plant response to drought stress: Current understanding and future directions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rohit Joshi

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Increasing vulnerability of plants to a variety of stresses such as drought, salt and extreme temperatures poses a global threat to sustained growth and productivity of major crops. Of these stresses, drought represents a considerable threat to plant growth and development. In view of this, developing staple food cultivars with improved drought tolerance emerges as the most sustainable solution towards improving crop productivity in a scenario of climate change. In parallel, unraveling the genetic architecture and the targeted identification of molecular networks using modern OMICS analyses, that can underpin drought tolerance mechanisms, is urgently required. Importantly, integrated studies intending to elucidate complex mechanisms can bridge the gap existing in our current knowledge about drought stress tolerance in plants. It is now well established that drought tolerance is regulated by several genes, including transcription factors (TFs that enable plants to withstand unfavorable conditions, and these remain potential genomic candidates for their wide application in crop breeding. These TFs represent the key molecular switches orchestrating the regulation of plant developmental processes in response to a variety of stresses. The current review aims to offer a deeper understanding of TFs engaged in regulating plant’s response under drought stress and to devise potential strategies to improve plant tolerance against drought.

Plagiarism: A Shared Responsibility of All, Current Situation, and Future Actions in Yemen.

Science.gov (United States)

Muthanna, Abdulghani

2016-01-01

As combating plagiarism is a shared responsibility of all, this article focuses on presenting the current situation of higher education in Yemen. The critical review of four implementable policy documents and interviews revealed the absence of research ethics code, research misconduct policy, and institutional policies in the country. This led to the presence of several acts of research dishonesty. The article concludes with an initiative for necessary future actions in the nation.

Electromagnetic torques and forces due to misalignment effects and eddy currents in the homopolar generator, power supply for the Texas Experimental Tokamak (TEXT)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Driga, M.D.; Bird, W.L.; Tolk, K.M.; Weldon, W.F.; Rylander, H.G.; Woodson, H.H.

1977-01-01

Asymmetries in the applied magnetic field due to manufacturing tolerances and rotor-stator misalignments can cause significant forces and moments in a homopolar generator. Parasitic eddy-currents in the rotor, brushes and bearings are also important effects of such asymmetries. The finite element method is used to calculate the magnetic flux distributions in the TEXT homopolar generators. The axial magnetic thrust force and the magnetic tilt moment acting on the rotor are calculated. Eddy-current torques opposing rotor motion are determined using the theory for eddy-current brakes. The results have been used in the design of the TEXT homopolar generator which have been proposed to provide the energy store and conversion for the toroidal field and ohmic heating coils of the new Texas Experimental Tokamak

Dynamic structural response of reactor-core subassemblies (hexcans) due to accident overpressurization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pfeiffer, P.A.; Kulak, R.F.

1993-01-01

This paper presents a two-dimensional structural analysis for the evaluation of a single core subassembly due to internal overpressure associated with possible failure of fuel pins having high fission gas plenum pressure. Structural models are developed for the subassemblies and their surroundings with emphasis on the critical physical aspects of the problem. With these models the strains, deformations and the extent of permanent damage (plastic strain) to the subassemblies can be assessed. The nonlinear structural analyses was performed with a finite element program called STRAW (Structural Transient Response of Assembly Wrappers). This finite element program is applicable to nonlinear large displacement problems. The results of this study indicate that the permanent deformation (damage) is strongly influenced by the rise time (time to reach peak pressure) of the pressure pulse and the pressure in the fuel pin. The rise time is influenced by the opening time of the flow path for release of gas from the fuel pin plenum. Several examples are illustrated with various rise times and pressure magnitudes and the resulting permanent deformation of the hexcan wall. (author)

Dynamic structural response of reactor-core subassemblies (hexcans) due to accident overpressurization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pfeiffer, P.A.; Kulak, R.F.

1993-01-01

This paper presents a two-dimensional structural analysis for the evaluation of a single core subassembly due to internal overpressure associated with possible failure of fuel pins having high fission gas plenum pressure. Structural models are developed for the subassemblies and their surroundings with emphasis on the critical physical aspects of the problem. With these models the strains, deformations and the extent of permanent damage (plastic strain) to the subassemblies can be assessed. The nonlinear structural analyses was performed with a finite element program called STRAW (Structural Transient Response of Assembly Wrappers). This finite element program is applicable to nonlinear large displacement problems. The results of this study indicate that the permanent deformation (damage) is strongly influenced by the rise time (time to reach peak pressure) of the pressure pulse and the pressure in the fuel pin. The rise time is influenced by the opening time of the flow path for release of gas from the fuel pin plenum. Several examples are illustrated with various rise times and pressure magnitudes and the resulting permanent deformation of the hexcan wall

Predictions of Resuspension of Highway Detention Pond Deposits in Interrain Event Periods due to Wind-Induced Currents and Waves

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bentzen, Thomas Ruby; Larsen, Torben; Rasmussen, Michael R.

2009-01-01

-shear stress induced by the return flow near the bed and waves both generated by the wind. Wind statistics for 30 years have been applied for prediction of the annual discharged bulk of suspended solids and associated pollutants; fluoranthene, benzo(b)fluoranthene, benzo(k)fluoranthene, benzo(a)pyrene, dibenzo......(a,h)anthracene and indeno(1,2,3-cd)pyrene (PAHs) and the heavy metals of cadmium, chromium, copper, lead, nickel, and zinc. The current and wave-generated bed-shear stresses entail a discharged bulk of pollutants corresponding to approximately 10% of the annual accumulation of pollutants in the present pond due...

Ordinary mode reflectometry. Modification of the scattering and cut-off responses due to the shape of localized density fluctuations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fanack, C.; Boucher, I.; Heuraux, S.; Leclert, G.; Clairet, F.; Zou, X.L.

1996-01-01

Ordinary wave reflectometry in a plasma containing a localized density perturbation is studied with a 1-D model. The phase response is studied as a function of the wavenumber and position of the perturbation. It is shown that it strongly depends upon the perturbation shape and size. For a small perturbation wavenumber, the response is due to the oscillation of the cut-off layer. For larger wavenumbers, two regimes are found: for a broad perturbation, the phase response is an image of the perturbation itself; for a narrow perturbation, it is rather an image of the Fourier transform. For tokamak plasmas it turns out that, for the fluctuation spectra usually observed, the phase response comes primarily from those fluctuations that are localized at the cut-off. Results of a 2-D numerical model show that geometry effects are negligible for the scattering by radial fluctuations. (author)

Biphasic response of action potential duration to metabolic inhibition in rabbit and human ventricular myocytes: role of transient outward current and ATP-regulated potassium current

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Verkerk, A. O.; Veldkamp, M. W.; van Ginneken, A. C.; Bouman, L. N.

1996-01-01

Inhibition of cell metabolism is associated with significant changes in action potential duration. The aim of this study was to investigate the time course of the changes in action potential duration during metabolic inhibition and to determine what changes in membrane currents are responsible. The

Uncharted territories of the patent-restoration due-diligence challenge.

Science.gov (United States)

Gaudry, Kate S

2011-01-01

The innovation and development incentives offered by the patent system are mitigated if a substantial portion of the patent term is lost while obtaining product approval through the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The Drug Price Competition and Patent Restoration Act was enacted to return some of the lost patent term to the patentee. However, any person can petition the FDA, contending that the patentee did not act with due diligence in seeking FDA approval of the product during the regulatory review period. A successful challenge will reduce the restored term, such that the patentee is not compensated for time lost due to his own non-diligent actions. While the current due-diligence regulations provide a vague and flexible standard, earlier drafts of the regulations and FDA responses to comments provide insight as to the types of factors the FDA is likely to consider when assessing an applicant's diligence. A due-diligence petition has only been filed three times, and in none of these cases did the FDA issue a decision based on substantive diligence matters. Still, detailed examination of these petitions is also instructive in predicting the success of due-diligence challenges. Statute-imposed maximums and applicants' own incentives to act diligently may minimize the utility of the due-diligence challenges in some contexts. However, in other contexts, I propose that these petitions offer a feasible approach towards limiting pharmaceutical monopolies.

Current clinical evidence on pioglitazone pharmacogenomics

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marina eKawaguchi-Suzuki

2013-11-01

Full Text Available Pioglitazone is the most widely used thiazolidinedione and acts as an insulin-sensitizer through activation of the Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor-γ (PPARγ. Pioglitazone is approved for use in the management of type 2 diabetes mellitus, but its use in other therapeutic areas is increasing due to pleiotropic effects. In this hypothesis article, the current clinical evidence on pioglitazone pharmacogenomics is summarized and related to variability in pioglitazone response. How genetic variation in the human genome affects the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of pioglitazone was examined. For pharmacodynamic effects, hypoglycemic and anti-atherosclerotic effects, risks of fracture or edema, and the increase in body mass index in response to pioglitazone based on genotype were examined. The genes CYP2C8 and PPARG are the most extensively studied to date and selected polymorphisms contribute to respective variability in pioglitazone pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics. We hypothesized that genetic variation in pioglitazone pathway genes contributes meaningfully to the clinically observed variability in drug response. To test the hypothesis that genetic variation in PPARG associates with variability in pioglitazone response, we conducted a meta-analysis to synthesize the currently available data on the PPARG p.Pro12Ala polymorphism. The results showed that PPARG 12Ala carriers had a more favorable change in fasting blood glucose from baseline as compared to patients with the wild-type Pro12Pro genotype (p=0.018. Unfortunately, findings for many other genes lack replication in independent cohorts to confirm association; further studies are needed. Also, the biological functionality of these polymorphisms is unknown. Based on current evidence, we propose that pharmacogenomics may provide an important tool to individualize pioglitazone therapy and better optimize therapy in patients with T2DM or other conditions for which pioglitazone

Response of a reactor building due to detonation of flat layered gas clouds

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Frik, G.

1984-05-01

The stress of the containment of a PWR plant of today is calculated for the loading of three detonating flat layered gas clouds. The dynamic response of the structure due to the blast wave is determined and comparisons are made with previous results of the detonating stochiometric gas cloud and with results of the individual task 11A (GRS). The calculations were realized with the method of modal superposition and linear elastic material laws. The stress conditions of the structure were comprehended by three loading cases of the flat, layered gas clouds. The first loading case B(a) leads to high stresses, which are not interpretable with a linear analysis. On the other hand, the loading case B(b) leads to stresses which are not much above and B(c) to stresses which are not much below the yield stress. It is demonstrated for a linear analysis, that the structure will not be injured by the detonation wave of case B(c). (orig./HP) [de

Wave kinematics and response of slender offshore structures. Vol 5: Wave forces and responses

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pedersen, L.M.; Riber, H.J.

1999-08-01

A load measuring system (LMS) and a wave measuring system (WMS) has been used on the North Sea platform Tyra. The LMS consists of an instrumented pipe placed vertically in the crest zone of high and steep waves. The WMS consists of an unique sonar system placed on the sea floor. Simultaneous measurements are carried out of the kinematics of waves and currents and the response of the instrumented pipe during a period of five month in the winter 1994/95. Numerical calculations with LIC22 are carried out of the response of the LMS applying the measured wave and current kinematics. The responses are compared to the measured responses of the LMS. The comparison is based on the statistical main properties of the calculated and measured response as the kinematic field is measured 150 metres away from the instrumented pipe. From the analyses the main parameters (reduced velocity V{sub R} and correlation length l{sub c}) for vortex induced vibrations (VIV) are calibrated and the main environmental conditions for VIV are determined. The hydrodynamic coefficients determining the wave and current forces on slender structures are studied (drag coefficient C{sub D} and added mass coefficient C{sub M}). Further, the effect on the drag coefficient due to air blending in the upper part of the wave is determined. (au)

State of Corporate Social Responsibility in India – Current scenario, Approach and Drivers

OpenAIRE

Nagpal, Kshitij

2016-01-01

Purpose – The aim of the study is to examine the state of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)in India. The report attempts to investigate the current scenario of CSR ctivities and examine how corporations in India interpret CSR. The study also seeks to identify the reported driving forces behind implementation of CSR practices by firms in India. Methodology – CSR personnel from 3O companies that are obligated to spend on CSR activities under the Companies Act, 2013 were surveyed. To cr...

A 3 A sink/source current fast transient response low-dropout Gm driven linear regulator

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chu Xiuqin; Li Qingwei; Lai Xinquan; Yuan Bing; Li Yanming; Zhao Yongrui

2011-01-01

A 3 A sink/source G m -driven CMOS low-dropout regulator (LDO), specially designed for low input voltage and low cost, is presented by utilizing the structure of a current mirror G m (transconductance) driving technique, which provides high stability as well as a fast load transient response. The proposed LDO was fabricated by a 0.5 μm standard CMOS process, and the die size is as small as 1.0 mm 2 . The proposed LDO dissipates 220 μA of quiescent current in no-load conditions and is able to deliver up to 3 A of load current. The measured results show that the output voltage can be resumed within 2 μs with a less than 1 mV overshoot and undershoot in the output current step from -1.8 to 1.8 A with a 0.1 μs rising and falling time at three 10 μF ceramic capacitors. (semiconductor integrated circuits)

Asymmetric current-phase relation due to spin-orbit interaction in semiconductor nanowire Josephson junction

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yokoyama, Tomohiro; Eto, Mikio [Faculty of Science and Technology, Keio University, 3-14-1 Hiyoshi, Kohoku-ku, Yokohama 223-8522 (Japan); Nazarov, Yuli V. [Kavli Institute of Nanoscience, Delft University of Technology, Lorentzweg 1, 2628 CJ Delft, The Netherlands (Netherlands)

2013-12-04

We theoretically study the current-phase relation in semiconductor nanowire Josephson junction in the presence of spin-orbit interaction. In the nanowire, the impurity scattering with strong SO interaction is taken into account using the random matrix theory. In the absence of magnetic field, the Josephson current I and phase difference φ between the superconductors satisfy the relation of I(φ) = –I(–φ). In the presence of magnetic field along the nanowire, the interplay between the SO interaction and Zeeman effect breaks the current-phase relation of I(φ) = –I(–φ). In this case, we show that the critical current depends on the current direction, which qualitatively agrees with recent experimental findings.

Report: EPA’s Information Systems and Data Are at Risk Due to Insufficient Training of Personnel With Significant Information Security Responsibilities

Science.gov (United States)

Report #14-P-0142, March 21, 2014. The EPA places its information systems and data at risk due to an organizational structure that has not specified required duties and responsibilities to ensure personnel are trained on key information security roles.

Biological responses to current UV-B radiation in Arctic regions

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Albert, Kristian Rost; Mikkelsen, Teis Nørgaard; Ro-Poulsen, H.

2008-01-01

Depletion of the ozone layer and the consequent increase in solar ultraviolet-B radiation (UV-B) may impact living conditions for arctic plants significantly. In order to evaluate how the prevailing UV-B fluxes affect the heath ecosystem at Zackenberg (74°30'N, 20°30'W) and other high......-arctic regions, manipulation experiments with various set-ups have been performed. Activation of plant defence mechanisms by production of UV-B absorbing compounds was significant in ambient UV-B in comparison to a filter treatment reducing the UV-B radiation. Despite the UV-B screening response, ambient UV...... (mycorrhiza) or in the biomass of microbes in the soil of the root zone. However, the composition of the soil microbial community was different in the soils under ambient and reduced UV radiation after three treatment years. These results provide new insight into the negative impact of current UV-B fluxes...

The influence of internal current loop on transient response performance of I-V droop controlled paralleled DC-DC converters

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Wang, Haojie; Han, Minxiao; Guerrero, Josep M.

2017-01-01

The external droop control loop of I-V droop control is designed as a voltage loop with embedded virtual impedance, so the internal current loop plays a major role in the system bandwidth. Thus, in this paper, the influence of internal current loop on transient response performance of I-V droop...... controlled paralleled dc-dc converters is analyzed, which is guided and significant for its industry application. The model which is used for dynamic analysis is built, and the root locus method is used based on the model to analyze the dynamic response of the system by shifting different control parameters...

Nonlinear response of a neoclassical four-field magnetic reconnection model to localized current drive

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lazzaro, E.; Comisso, L.; Valdettaro, L.

2010-01-01

In tokamaks magnetic islands arise from an unstable process of tearing and reconnecting of helical field lines across rational surfaces. After a linear stage the magnetic instability develops through three characteristic nonlinear stages where increasingly complex topological alterations occur in the form of the magnetic islands. The problem of response of reconnection process to the injection of an external current suitably localized is addressed using a four-field model in a plane slab plasma, with a novel extension to account consistently of the relevant neoclassical effects, such as bootstrap current and pressure anisotropy. The results found have implications on the interpretation of the possible mechanism of present day experimental results on neoclassical tearing modes as well as on the concepts for their control or avoidance.

Plasma diffusion due to magnetic field fluctuations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Okuda, H.; Lee, W.W.; Lin, A.T.

1979-01-01

Plasma diffusion due to magnetic field fluctuations has been studied in two dimensions for a plasma near thermal equilibrium and when the fluctuations are suprathermal. It is found that near thermal equilibrium electron diffusion varies as B -2 when the collisionless skin depth is greater than the thermal electron gyroradius and is generally smaller than the diffusion due to collisions or electrostatic fluctuations for a low-β plasma. When the suprathermal magnetic fluctuation exists because of macroscopic plasma currents, electron diffusion is enhanced due to the coalescence of current filaments and magnetic islands. Magnetic field energy is found to condense to the longest wavelength available in the system and stays there longer than the electron diffusion time scale

Current trends in gamma radiation detection for radiological emergency response

Science.gov (United States)

Mukhopadhyay, Sanjoy; Guss, Paul; Maurer, Richard

2011-09-01

Passive and active detection of gamma rays from shielded radioactive materials, including special nuclear materials, is an important task for any radiological emergency response organization. This article reports on the current trends and status of gamma radiation detection objectives and measurement techniques as applied to nonproliferation and radiological emergencies. In recent years, since the establishment of the Domestic Nuclear Detection Office by the Department of Homeland Security, a tremendous amount of progress has been made in detection materials (scintillators, semiconductors), imaging techniques (Compton imaging, use of active masking and hybrid imaging), data acquisition systems with digital signal processing, field programmable gate arrays and embedded isotopic analysis software (viz. gamma detector response and analysis software [GADRAS]1), fast template matching, and data fusion (merging radiological data with geo-referenced maps, digital imagery to provide better situational awareness). In this stride to progress, a significant amount of inter-disciplinary research and development has taken place-techniques and spin-offs from medical science (such as x-ray radiography and tomography), materials engineering (systematic planned studies on scintillators to optimize several qualities of a good scintillator, nanoparticle applications, quantum dots, and photonic crystals, just to name a few). No trend analysis of radiation detection systems would be complete without mentioning the unprecedented strategic position taken by the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) to deter, detect, and interdict illicit trafficking in nuclear and other radioactive materials across international borders and through the global maritime transportation-the so-called second line of defense.

Central plane of the ring current responsible for geomagnetic disturbance in the South-American region

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kane, R.P.; Trivedi, N.B.

1981-01-01

Using hourly values of H, D, Z from a network of South American stations, operative during the IGY-IGC, the latitude dependence of storm effects was studied. It was found that whereas there were considerable distortions due to conductivity anomalies under the Andes, there was also evidence of latitudinal excursions of overhead current system, not only from storm to storm but even during the course of the same storm

HVSR Response Evolution due to Seasonal Variation: Observations from 2 Years of Continuous Monitoring

Science.gov (United States)

Nurse, K. B.; Milkereit, B.

2017-12-01

The seismic Horizontal to Vertical Spectral Ratio analysis technique reliably gives overburden depth to bedrock, for an independently determined Vs, based on the frequency of the main resonance peak. Above this, smaller resonances reflect the velocity structure within the overburden itself. This range in the HVSR response shows sufficient sensitivity to be exploited as a monitoring tool, to detect change in seismic physical properties and from that, change in overburden conditions. To explore the variation of the response, several 3C geophones have been deployed in southern Ontario, Canada since December 2015 (and ongoing). The local geology is a sedimentary basin with 30m of overburden, a simple 2D environment well suited for the HVSR method. Data are collected for 15s per minute, with an effective frequency band of 2-400Hz. HVSR estimates are produced for each sampling period and archived. Over these two years, winter freeze/thaw, saturated spring and summer draught conditions were sampled. H/V daily averages are dominated by the stable 3Hz resonance due to the overall surface layer, but smaller spectral peaks up to 100Hz are clear and evolve in frequency and amplitude over the collection period. Ground freeze/thaw cycles are clearly evident by significant reduction in the horizontal field, but also the changing of the soil moisture content throughout the year causes subtle shifts in the response (correlated to rain events and water table variation). The long term sampling does show a sensitivity of the HVSR method to the overburden in proximity to the sensor, and suggests a possibility for its use in monitoring soil / water-table conditions. But it also highlights that the estimate from an isolated H/V acquisition does include this variability and needs to be adequately quantified in VS30 estimates.

Combined RF current drive and bootstrap current in tokamaks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schultz, S. D.; Bers, A.; Ram, A. K.

1999-01-01

By calculating radio frequency current drive (RFCD) and the bootstrap current in a consistent kinetic manner, we find synergistic effects in the total noninductive current density in tokamaks [1]. We include quasilinear diffusion in the Drift Kinetic Equation (DKE) in order to generalize neoclassical theory to highly non-Maxwellian electron distributions due to RFCD. The parallel plasma current is evaluated numerically with the help of the FASTEP Fokker-Planck code [2]. Current drive efficiency is found to be significantly affected by neoclassical effects, even in cases where only circulating electrons interact with the waves. Predictions of the current drive efficiency are made for lower hybrid and electron cyclotron wave current drive scenarios in the presence of bootstrap current

Field-Aligned Current Response to Solar Indices

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

R. Edwards, Thom; Weimer, D. R.; Tobiska, W. K.

2017-01-01

Magnetometer data from three satellite missions have been used to analyze and identify the effects of varying solar radiation on the magnitudes and locations of field-aligned currents in the Earth's upper atmosphere. Data from the CHAMP, Ørsted, and Swarm satellite missions have been bought...... together to provide a database spanning a 15 year period. The extensive time frame has been augmented by data from the ACE satellite, as well as a number of indices of solar radiation. This data set has been sorted by a number of solar wind, interplanetary magnetic field, and solar radiation indices...... to evaluate the effects of variations in four different solar indices on the total current in different regions of the polar cap. While the solar indices do not have major influence on the total current of the polar cap when compared to solar wind and interplanetary magnetic field parameters it does appear...

Geoengineering Downwelling Ocean Currents. A Cost Assessment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhou, S.; Flynn, P.C.

2005-01-01

Downwelling ocean currents carry carbon into the deep ocean (the solubility pump), and play a role in controlling the level of atmospheric carbon. The formation of North Atlantic Deep Water (NADW) also releases heat to the atmosphere, which is a contributor to a mild climate in Europe. One possible response to the increase in anthropogenic carbon in the atmosphere and to the possible weakening of the NADW is modification of downwelling ocean currents, by an increase in carbon concentration or volume. This study assesses the costs of seven possible methods of modifying downwelling currents, including using existing industrial techniques for exchange of heat between water and air. Increasing carbon concentration in downwelling currents is not practical due to the high degree of saturation of high latitude surface water. Two of the methods for increasing the volume of downwelling currents were found to be impractical, and four were too expensive to warrant further consideration. Formation of thicker sea ice by pumping ocean water onto the surface of ice sheets is the least expensive of the methods identified for enhancing downwelling ocean currents. Modifying downwelling ocean currents is highly unlikely to ever be a competitive method of sequestering carbon in the deep ocean, but may find future application for climate modification

Comparative characteristic of transmembrane currents and caffeine-induced responses of intact and irradiated small intestine smooth muscle cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stepanov, Yu.V.; Gordienko, D.V.; Preobrazhenskaya, T.D.; Stepanova, L.I.; Vojtsitskij, V.M.

1994-01-01

A comparative investigation of transmembrane ion currents and caffeine-induced responses of single smooth muscle cells isolated from the circular layer of rat small intestine was curried out by the method of 'patch-clamp'. No reliable difference in potential-dependent and amplitude-kinetic characteristics of transmembrane ion currents in cells of intact and irradiated with dose of 3 Gy rats was revealed. In cells of irradiated animals external application of caffeine (4 mM) was not accompanied by strong quick-inactivated transient Ca 2+ -dependent potassium current as in control

Rigorous treatment of the non-ohmic d.c. conductivity due to phonon-assisted tunneling from localized to extended states

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Majernikova, E.

1984-03-01

A quantitative treatment of the non-ohmic current response due to delocalization of shallow localized electrons in a model of a disordered solid is given. A phonon-assisted tunneling in electric field from shallow localized to extended states is confirmed as a mechanism leading to the dependence which was experimentally found for chalcogenide glasses. (author)

Production regimes in four eastern boundary current systems

Science.gov (United States)

Carr, M. E.; Kearns, E. J.

2003-01-01

High productivity (maxima 3 g C m(sup -2)day(sup -1)) of the Eastern Boundary Currents (EBCs), i.e. the California, Peru-Humboldt, Canary and Benguela Currents, is driven by a combination of local forcing and large-scale circulation. The characteristics of the deep water brought to the surface by upwelling favorable winds depend on the large-scale circulation patterns. Here we use a new hydrographic and nutrient climatology together with satellite measurements ofthe wind vector, sea-surface temperature (SST), chlorophyll concentration, and primary production modeled from ocean color to quantify the meridional and seasonal patterns of upwelling dynamics and biological response. The unprecedented combination of data sets allows us to describe objectively the variability for small regions within each current and to characterize the governing factors for biological production. The temporal and spatial environmental variability was due in most regions to large-scale circulation, alone or in combination with offshore transport (local forcing). The observed meridional and seasonal patterns of biomass and primary production were most highlycorrelated to components representing large-scale circulation. The biomass sustained by a given nutrient concentration in the Atlantic EBCs was twice as large as that of the Pacific EBCs. This apparent greater efficiency may be due toavailability of iron, physical retention, or differences in planktonic community structure.

Dynamic response of thermal neutron measurements in electrochemically produced cold fusion subject to pulsed current

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Granada, Jose; Converti, Jose; Mayer, Roberto; Guido, German; Florido, Pablo; Patino, Nestor; Sobehart, Leonardo; Gomez, Silvia; Larreteguy, Axel

1988-01-01

The present work shows the results of measurements performed on electrolytic cells using a high efficiency (22%) neutron detection system in combination with a procedure involving a non-stationary current through the cell's circuit. Cold fusion was produced in electrolytic cells containing LiH dissolved in heavy water with a palladium cathode. The dynamic response to low frequency current pulses was measured. Characteristic patterns showing one or two bumps were obtained in a repeatable fashion. These patterns are strongly dependent on the previous charging history of the cathode. The technique employed seems to be very convenient as a research tool for a systematic study of the different variables governing the phenomenon. (Author)

Rip current monitoring using GPS buoy system

Science.gov (United States)

Song, DongSeob; Kim, InHo; Kang, DongSoo

2014-05-01

The occurrence of rip current in the Haeundae beach, which is one of the most famous beaches in South Korea, has been threatening beach-goers security in summer season annually. Many coastal scientists have been investigating rip currents by using field observations and measurements, laboratory measurements and wave tank experiments, and computer and numerical modeling. Rip current velocity is intermittent and may rapidly increase within minutes due to larger incoming wave groups or nearshore circulation instabilities. It is important to understand that changes in rip current velocity occur in response to changes in incoming wave height and period as well as changes in water level. GPS buoys have been used to acquire sea level change data, atmospheric parameters and other oceanic variables in sea for the purposes of vertical datum determination, tide correction, radar altimeter calibration, ocean environment and marine pollution monitoring. Therefore, we adopted GPS buoy system for an experiment which is to investigate rip current velocity; it is sporadic and may quickly upsurge within minutes due to larger arriving wave groups or nearshore flow uncertainties. In this study, for high accurate positioning of buy equipment, a Satellite Based Argumentation System DGPS data logger was deployed to investigate within floating object, and it can be acquired three-dimensional coordinate or geodetic position of buoy with continuous NMEA-0183 protocol during 24 hours. The wave height measured by in-situ hydrometer in a cross-shore array clearly increased before and after occurrence of rip current, and wave period also was lengthened around an event. These results show that wave height and period correlate reasonably well with long-shore current interaction in the Haeundae beach. Additionally, current meter data and GPS buoy data showed that rip current velocities, about 0.2 m/s, may become dangerously strong under specific conditions. Acknowledgement This research was

Muscarinic activation of Ca2+-activated Cl- current in interstitial cells of Cajal.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhu, Mei Hong; Sung, In Kyung; Zheng, Haifeng; Sung, Tae Sik; Britton, Fiona C; O'Driscoll, Kate; Koh, Sang Don; Sanders, Kenton M

2011-09-15

Interstitial cells of Cajal (ICC) provide pacemaker activity and functional bridges between enteric motor nerve terminals and gastrointestinal smooth muscle cells. The ionic conductance(s) in ICC that are activated by excitatory neural inputs are unknown. Transgenic mice (Kit(copGFP/+)) with constitutive expression of a bright green fluorescent protein were used to investigate cellular responses of ICC to cholinergic stimulation. ICC displayed spontaneous transient inward currents (STICs) under voltage clamp that corresponded to spontaneous transient depolarizations (STDs) under current clamp. STICs reversed at 0 mV when E(Cl) = 0 mV and at -40 mV when E(Cl) was -40 mV, suggesting the STICs were due to a chloride conductance. Carbachol (CCh, 100 nm and 1 μm) induced a sustained inward current (depolarization in current clamp) and increased the amplitude and frequency of STICs and STDs. CCh responses were blocked by atropine (10 μm) or 4-DAMP (100 nm), an M(3) receptor antagonist. STDs were blocked by niflumic acid and 5-nitro-2-(3-phenylpropylamino)-benzoic acid (both 100 μm), and CCh had no effect in the presence of these drugs. The responses of intact circular muscles to CCh and stimulation of intrinsic excitatory nerves by electrical field stimulation (EFS) were also compared. CCh (1 μm) caused atropine-sensitive depolarization and increased the maximum depolarization of slow waves. Similar atropine-sensitive responses were elicited by stimulation of intrinsic excitatory neurons. Niflumic acid (100 μm) blocked responses to EFS but had minor effect on responses to exogenous CCh. These data suggest that different ionic conductances are responsible for electrical responses elicited by bath-applied CCh and cholinergic nerve stimulation.

The Development of Forms of Corporate Social Responsibility in Russia in the Current Economic Conditions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Natalya Arzumanova

2015-02-01

Full Text Available The article reveals the characteristic features of modern trends in the formation and implementation of corporate social responsibility in Russia in the current economic conditions, which is based on the fact that reasonable economic interests oriented business not only on maximizing profits, but also to improve their own macro - socio-economic, natural, political, through voluntary investment profits in the respective areas.

Simulation and analysis of transient over voltages due to capacitor banks switching

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jadid, Sh.; Yazdanpanah, D.

2002-01-01

The switching of any capacitor bank produces over voltages. Transient overvoltage will always occur in the switching device, the switching of shunt capacitor bank has become the most common source of transient voltage on power systems. Transient over voltages due to switching the capacitor bands hurt not only to the capacitor banks, but also to other equipment, such as circuit breakers and transformers. Several methods are available for reducing energising transients. These devices include pre-insertion resistors, pre-insertion inductors,synchronous closing, and MOV arresters. However, not all are practical or economical. The other important problem is existence of capacitor banks in presence of harmonics.Capacitors do not produce harmonics;however,the addition of capacitors to the electrical system will change the frequency response characteristics of the system will change the frequency response characteristics of the system, and in some cases can result in magnification of the voltage and current distortion in the system. In other word in presence of harmonic-producing loads,the capacitors used for power factor correction,may cause parallel resonance with the system inductance, so they increase the total harmonic distortion of voltage and current waveforms

Clinical predictors of acute response to transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) in major depression.

Science.gov (United States)

D'Urso, Giordano; Dell'Osso, Bernardo; Rossi, Rodolfo; Brunoni, Andre Russowsky; Bortolomasi, Marco; Ferrucci, Roberta; Priori, Alberto; de Bartolomeis, Andrea; Altamura, Alfredo Carlo

2017-09-01

Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a promising neuromodulation intervention for poor-responding or refractory depressed patients. However, little is known about predictors of response to this therapy. The present study aimed to analyze clinical predictors of response to tDCS in depressed patients. Clinical data from 3 independent tDCS trials on 171 depressed patients (including unipolar and bipolar depression), were pooled and analyzed to assess predictors of response. Depression severity and the underlying clinical dimensions were measured using the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS) at baseline and after the tDCS treatment. Age, gender and diagnosis (bipolar/unipolar depression) were also investigated as predictors of response. Linear mixed models were fitted in order to ascertain which HDRS factors were associated with response to tDCS. Age, gender and diagnosis did not show any association with response to treatment. The reduction in HDRS scores after tDCS was strongly associated with the baseline values of "Cognitive Disturbances" and "Retardation" factors, whilst the "Anxiety/Somatization" factor showed a mild association with the response. Open-label design, the lack of control group, and minor differences in stimulation protocols. No differences in response to tDCS were found between unipolar and bipolar patients, suggesting that tDCS is effective for both conditions. "Cognitive disturbance", "Retardation", and "Anxiety/Somatization", were identified as potential clinical predictors of response to tDCS. These findings point to the pre-selection of the potential responders to tDCS, therefore optimizing the clinical use of this technique and the overall cost-effectiveness of the psychiatric intervention for depressed patients. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Field generated within the SSC magnets due to persistant currents in the superconductor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Green, M.A.

1984-01-01

This report presents the results of a number of computer studies of the magnetic fields generated by persistent circulating currents in the superconductor of superconducting dipoles. These magnetic fields are referred to as residual fields throughout this report. Since the field generated by persistent currents have a hysteric behavior, they are analagous to the residual filed found in iron bound conventional solenoids. The residual field calculations presented in this report were done using the LBL SCMAG4 computer code. This code has not been well tested against measured data, but a comparison with measured CBA data given in this report suggests that good agreement is possible. The residual fields generated by persistent superconducting currents are rich in higher multipoles. This is of concern to the accelerator designer for SSC. This report shows the effect of various superconductor parameters and coil parameters on the magnitude and structure of the residual fields. The effect of the magnet charging history on residual fields is aldo discussed. 14 references

Research on Mechanical Shim Application with Compensated Prompt γ Current of Vanadium Detectors

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zhi Xu

2017-02-01

Full Text Available Mechanical shim is an advanced technology for reactor power and axial offset control with control rod assemblies. To address the adverse accuracy impact on the ex-core power range neutron flux measurements-based axial offset control resulting from the variable positions of control rod assemblies, the lead-lag-compensated in-core self-powered vanadium detector signals are utilized. The prompt γ current of self-powered detector is ignored normally due to its weakness compared with the delayed β current, although it promptly reflects the flux change of the core. Based on the features of the prompt γ current, a method for configuration of the lead-lag dynamic compensator is proposed. The simulations indicate that the method can improve dynamic response significantly with negligible adverse effects on the steady response. The robustness of the design implies that the method is of great value for engineering applications.

Research on mechanical shim application with compensated prompt γ current of vanadium detectors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Xu, Zhi [Suzhou Nuclear Power Research Institute, Suzhou (China)

2017-02-15

Mechanical shim is an advanced technology for reactor power and axial offset control with control rod assemblies. To address the adverse accuracy impact on the ex-core power range neutron flux measurements-based axial offset control resulting from the variable positions of control rod assemblies, the lead-lag-compensated in-core self-powered vanadium detector signals are utilized. The prompt γ current of self-powered detector is ignored normally due to its weakness compared with the delayed β current, although it promptly reflects the flux change of the core. Based on the features of the prompt γ current, a method for configuration of the lead-lag dynamic compensator is proposed. The simulations indicate that the method can improve dynamic response significantly with negligible adverse effects on the steady response. The robustness of the design implies that the method is of great value for engineering applications.

Immense Magnetic Response of Exciplex Light Emission due to Correlated Spin-Charge Dynamics

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Yifei; Sahin-Tiras, Kevser; Harmon, Nicholas J.; Wohlgenannt, Markus; Flatté, Michael E.

2016-01-01

As carriers slowly move through a disordered energy landscape in organic semiconductors, tiny spatial variations in spin dynamics relieve spin blocking at transport bottlenecks or in the electron-hole recombination process that produces light. Large room-temperature magnetic-field effects (MFEs) ensue in the conductivity and luminescence. Sources of variable spin dynamics generate much larger MFEs if their spatial structure is correlated on the nanoscale with the energetic sites governing conductivity or luminescence such as in coevaporated organic blends within which the electron resides on one molecule and the hole on the other (an exciplex). Here, we show that exciplex recombination in blends exhibiting thermally activated delayed fluorescence produces MFEs in excess of 60% at room temperature. In addition, effects greater than 4000% can be achieved by tuning the device's current-voltage response curve by device conditioning. Both of these immense MFEs are the largest reported values for their device type at room temperature. Our theory traces this MFE and its unusual temperature dependence to changes in spin mixing between triplet exciplexes and light-emitting singlet exciplexes. In contrast, spin mixing of excitons is energetically suppressed, and thus spin mixing produces comparatively weaker MFEs in materials emitting light from excitons by affecting the precursor pairs. Demonstration of immense MFEs in common organic blends provides a flexible and inexpensive pathway towards magnetic functionality and field sensitivity in current organic devices without patterning the constituent materials on the nanoscale. Magnetic fields increase the power efficiency of unconditioned devices by 30% at room temperature, also showing that magnetic fields may increase the efficiency of the thermally activated delayed fluorescence process.

Immense Magnetic Response of Exciplex Light Emission due to Correlated Spin-Charge Dynamics

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yifei Wang

2016-02-01

Full Text Available As carriers slowly move through a disordered energy landscape in organic semiconductors, tiny spatial variations in spin dynamics relieve spin blocking at transport bottlenecks or in the electron-hole recombination process that produces light. Large room-temperature magnetic-field effects (MFEs ensue in the conductivity and luminescence. Sources of variable spin dynamics generate much larger MFEs if their spatial structure is correlated on the nanoscale with the energetic sites governing conductivity or luminescence such as in coevaporated organic blends within which the electron resides on one molecule and the hole on the other (an exciplex. Here, we show that exciplex recombination in blends exhibiting thermally activated delayed fluorescence produces MFEs in excess of 60% at room temperature. In addition, effects greater than 4000% can be achieved by tuning the device’s current-voltage response curve by device conditioning. Both of these immense MFEs are the largest reported values for their device type at room temperature. Our theory traces this MFE and its unusual temperature dependence to changes in spin mixing between triplet exciplexes and light-emitting singlet exciplexes. In contrast, spin mixing of excitons is energetically suppressed, and thus spin mixing produces comparatively weaker MFEs in materials emitting light from excitons by affecting the precursor pairs. Demonstration of immense MFEs in common organic blends provides a flexible and inexpensive pathway towards magnetic functionality and field sensitivity in current organic devices without patterning the constituent materials on the nanoscale. Magnetic fields increase the power efficiency of unconditioned devices by 30% at room temperature, also showing that magnetic fields may increase the efficiency of the thermally activated delayed fluorescence process.

Marine current energy devices: Current status and possible future applications in Ireland

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rourke, Fergal O.; Boyle, Fergal; Reynolds, Anthony

2010-01-01

There is a growing demand for the use of renewable energy technologies to generate electricity due to concerns over climate change. The oceans provide a huge potential resource of energy. Energy extraction using marine current energy devices (MCEDs) offers a sustainable alternative to conventional sources and a predictable alternative to other renewable energy technologies. A MCED utilises the kinetic energy of the tides as opposed to the potential energy which is utilised by a tidal barrage. Over the past decade MCEDs have become an increasingly popular method of energy extraction. However, marine current energy technology is still not economically viable on a large scale due to its current stage of development. Ireland has an excellent marine current energy resource as it is an island nation and experiences excellent marine current flows. This paper reviews marine current energy devices, including a detailed up-to-date description of the current status of development. Issues such as network integration, economics, and environmental implications are addressed as well as the application and costs of MCEDs in Ireland. (author)

Event terms in the response spectra prediction equation and their deviation due to stress drop variations

Science.gov (United States)

Kawase, H.; Nakano, K.

2015-12-01

We investigated the characteristics of strong ground motions separated from acceleration Fourier spectra and acceleration response spectra of 5% damping calculated from weak and moderate ground motions observed by K-NET, KiK-net, and the JMA Shindokei Network in Japan using the generalized spectral inversion method. The separation method used the outcrop motions at YMGH01 as reference where we extracted site responses due to shallow weathered layers. We include events with JMA magnitude equal to or larger than 4.5 observed from 1996 to 2011. We find that our frequency-dependent Q values are comparable to those of previous studies. From the corner frequencies of Fourier source spectra, we calculate Brune's stress parameters and found a clear magnitude dependence, in which smaller events tend to spread over a wider range while maintaining the same maximum value. We confirm that this is exactly the case for several mainshock-aftershock sequences. The average stress parameters for crustal earthquakes are much smaller than those of subduction zone, which can be explained by their depth dependence. We then compared the strong motion characteristics based on the acceleration response spectra and found that the separated characteristics of strong ground motions are different, especially in the lower frequency range less than 1Hz. These differences comes from the difference between Fourier spectra and response spectra found in the observed data; that is, predominant components in high frequency range of Fourier spectra contribute to increase the response in lower frequency range with small Fourier amplitude because strong high frequency component acts as an impulse to a Single-Degree-of-Freedom system. After the separation of the source terms for 5% damping response spectra we can obtain regression coefficients with respect to the magnitude, which lead to a new GMPE as shown in Fig.1 on the left. Although stress drops for inland earthquakes are 1/7 of the subduction

Generalized space vector control for current source inverters and rectifiers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Roseline J. Anitha

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Current source inverters (CSI is one of the widely used converter topology in medium voltage drive applications due to its simplicity, motor friendly waveforms and reliable short circuit protection. The current source inverters are usually fed by controlled current source rectifiers (CSR with a large inductor to provide a constant supply current. A generalized control applicable for both CSI and CSR and their extension namely current source multilevel inverters (CSMLI are dealt in this paper. As space vector pulse width modulation (SVPWM features the advantages of flexible control, faster dynamic response, better DC utilization and easy digital implementation it is considered for this work. This paper generalizes SVPWM that could be applied for CSI, CSR and CSMLI. The intense computation involved in framing a generalized space vector control are discussed in detail. The algorithm includes determination of band, region, subregions and vectors. The algorithm is validated by simulation using MATLAB /SIMULINK for CSR 5, 7, 13 level CSMLI and for CSR fed CSI.

Current cross-correlations in double quantum dot Cooper pair splitter

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wrzesniewski, Kacper; Trocha, Piotr; Weymann, Ireneusz [Faculty of Physics, Adam Mickiewicz University, 61-614 Poznan (Poland)

2016-07-01

We investigate theoretically transport properties of a quantum dot (QD) system working as a Cooper pair splitter. The device is coupled to one superconducting and two ferromagnetic leads. Presented results are calculated using real-time diagrammatic technique in the sequential tunneling approximation with respect to the coupling to ferromagnetic leads. The transport properties are evaluated within the superconductor subgap regime taking into account Andreev reflection processes solely. We focus on the analysis of current and current cross-correlations, both in linear and nonlinear responses. Current cross-correlations give additional information about dynamics of transport processes. We identify both positive and negative signs of current cross-correlations and discuss mechanisms leading to those results. Strong negative cross-correlations are found when the occupation number of QD system becomes degenerate and near the emergence of the triplet blockade, while positive ones occur in the most range where current flows due to crossed Andreev processes. Finally, we consider ferromagnetic leads polarization and temperature influences on aforementioned features.

Self-reported sleep disturbances due to railway noise: exposure-response relationships for nighttime equivalent and maximum noise levels.

Science.gov (United States)

Aasvang, Gunn Marit; Moum, Torbjorn; Engdahl, Bo

2008-07-01

The objective of the present survey was to study self-reported sleep disturbances due to railway noise with respect to nighttime equivalent noise level (L(p,A,eq,night)) and maximum noise level (L(p,A,max)). A sample of 1349 people in and around Oslo in Norway exposed to railway noise was studied in a cross-sectional survey to obtain data on sleep disturbances, sleep problems due to noise, and personal characteristics including noise sensitivity. Individual noise exposure levels were determined outside of the bedroom facade, the most-exposed facade, and inside the respondents' bedrooms. The exposure-response relationships were analyzed by using logistic regression models, controlling for possible modifying factors including the number of noise events (train pass-by frequency). L(p,A,eq,night) and L(p,A,max) were significantly correlated, and the proportion of reported noise-induced sleep problems increased as both L(p,A,eq,night) and L(p,A,max) increased. Noise sensitivity, type of bedroom window, and pass-by frequency were significant factors affecting noise-induced sleep disturbances, in addition to the noise exposure level. Because about half of the study population did not use a bedroom at the most-exposed side of the house, the exposure-response curve obtained by using noise levels for the most-exposed facade underestimated noise-induced sleep disturbance for those who actually have their bedroom at the most-exposed facade.

Changes of contractile responses due to simulated weightlessness in rat soleus muscle

Science.gov (United States)

Elkhammari, A.; Noireaud, J.; Léoty, C.

1994-08-01

Some contractile and electrophysiological properties of muscle fibers isolated from the slow-twitch soleus (SOL) and fast-twitch extensor digitorum longus (EDL) muscles of rats were compared with those measured in SOL muscles from suspended rats. In suspendede SOL (21 days of tail-suspension) membrane potential (Em), intracellular sodium activity (aiNa) and the slope of the relationship between Em and log [K]o were typical of fast-twitch muscles. The relation between the maximal amplitude of K-contractures vs Em was steeper for control SOL than for EDL and suspended SOL muscles. After suspension, in SOL muscles the contractile threshold and the inactivation curves for K-contractures were shifted to more positive Em. Repriming of K-contractures was unaffected by suspencion. The exposure of isolated fibers to perchlorate (ClO4-)-containing (6-40 mM) solutions resulted ina similar concentration-dependent shift to more negative Em of activation curves for EDL and suspended SOL muscles. On exposure to a Na-free TEA solution, SOL from control and suspended rats, in contrast to EDL muscles, generated slow contractile responses. Suspended SOL showed a reduced sensitivity to the contracture-producing effect of caffeine compared to control muscles. These results suggested that the modification observed due to suspension could be encounted by changes in the characteristics of muscle fibers from slow to fast-twitch type.

Current experience and a new modeling on water hammer due to steam condensation in PWR secondary system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kawanishi, K.; Kasahara, J.; Ueno, T.; Suzuta, T.

1998-01-01

There have been possibilities to occur water hammer in pipelines of turbine system for nuclear or fossil fuel power plants. According to the NUREG report, approximately 150 events have been reported since 1969, we also have an experience recently. Water hammer occurs due to sudden steam condensation with pressure pulse. This kind of pressure pulses has been made by alternative producing and condensing of steam slug in the pipe and its frequency relates subcooling and pipe structures. This paper presents our current experience on water hammer with some experimental studies. The present experiment has been performed to obtain the data base for evaluating the pressure pulses. The test pipe was horizontal tubes with dead end connected to vertical tube which simulating drain line in PWR secondary system. The main results are shown as follows; Magnitude of pressure pulse depends drain velocity and initial subcooling. Pipe structure effects on the frequency and continual time of water hammer phenomenon. A new modeling for quantitative explanation of the phenomena is also presented

A diurnal resonance in the ocean tide and in the earth's load response due to the resonant free 'core nutation'

Science.gov (United States)

Wahr, J. M.; Sasao, T.

1981-01-01

The effects of the oceans, which are subject to a resonance due to a free rotational eigenmode of an elliptical, rotating earth with a fluid outer core having an eigenfrequency of (1 + 1/460) cycle/day, on the body tide and nutational response of the earth to the diurnal luni-tidal force are computed. The response of an elastic, rotating, elliptical, oceanless earth with a fluid outer core to a given load distribution on its surface is first considered, and the tidal sea level height for equilibrium and nonequilibrium oceans is examined. Computations of the effects of equilibrium and nonequilibrium oceans on the nutational and deformational responses of the earth are then presented which show small but significant perturbations to the retrograde 18.6-year and prograde six-month nutations, and more important effects on the earth body tide, which is also resonant at the free core notation eigenfrequency.

Muscarinic activation of Ca2+-activated Cl− current in interstitial cells of Cajal

Science.gov (United States)

Zhu, Mei Hong; Sung, In Kyung; Zheng, Haifeng; Sung, Tae Sik; Britton, Fiona C; O'Driscoll, Kate; Koh, Sang Don; Sanders, Kenton M

2011-01-01

Abstract Interstitial cells of Cajal (ICC) provide pacemaker activity and functional bridges between enteric motor nerve terminals and gastrointestinal smooth muscle cells. The ionic conductance(s) in ICC that are activated by excitatory neural inputs are unknown. Transgenic mice (KitcopGFP/+) with constitutive expression of a bright green fluorescent protein were used to investigate cellular responses of ICC to cholinergic stimulation. ICC displayed spontaneous transient inward currents (STICs) under voltage clamp that corresponded to spontaneous transient depolarizations (STDs) under current clamp. STICs reversed at 0 mV when ECl = 0 mV and at –40 mV when ECl was –40 mV, suggesting the STICs were due to a chloride conductance. Carbachol (CCh, 100 nm and 1 μm) induced a sustained inward current (depolarization in current clamp) and increased the amplitude and frequency of STICs and STDs. CCh responses were blocked by atropine (10 μm) or 4-DAMP (100 nm), an M3 receptor antagonist. STDs were blocked by niflumic acid and 5-nitro-2-(3-phenylpropylamino)-benzoic acid (both 100 μm), and CCh had no effect in the presence of these drugs. The responses of intact circular muscles to CCh and stimulation of intrinsic excitatory nerves by electrical field stimulation (EFS) were also compared. CCh (1 μm) caused atropine-sensitive depolarization and increased the maximum depolarization of slow waves. Similar atropine-sensitive responses were elicited by stimulation of intrinsic excitatory neurons. Niflumic acid (100 μm) blocked responses to EFS but had minor effect on responses to exogenous CCh. These data suggest that different ionic conductances are responsible for electrical responses elicited by bath-applied CCh and cholinergic nerve stimulation. PMID:21768263

[The risk of direct current countershock].

Science.gov (United States)

Gajek, J; Zyśko, D

2001-07-01

Direct current cardioversion (DCC) is a procedure commonly used to restore the sinus rhythm in patients with supraventricular and ventricular arrhythmias. Its safety, regarding the use of electric current, is still a matter of controversy and debate. The patients with atrial fibrillation/flutter, supraventricular or ventricular tachycardia represent a broad spectrum of clinical conditions and it is difficult to draw the conclusions. The high success rate of DCC in restoring the sinus rhythm, may be partly responsible for enhancing and revealing proarrhythmic properties of antiarrhythmic drugs. The deaths described as a complications of DCC were mainly due to the proarrhythmia and less common to the progression of the pathologic process. The embolic, arrhythmic and anesthetic complications of DCC can be prevented if the known recommendations of performing the DCC are followed. The authors review critically the literature data about the complications of the procedure and come to the conclusion of safety of DCC.

Resistive wall heating due to image current on the beam chamber for a superconducting undulator.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, S. H. (Accelerator Systems Division (APS))

2012-03-27

The image-current heating on the resistive beam chamber of a superconducting undulator (SCU) was calculated based on the normal and anomalous skin effects. Using the bulk resistivity of copper for the beam chamber, the heat loads were calculated for the residual resistivity ratios (RRRs) of unity at room temperature to 100 K at a cryogenic temperature as the reference. Then, using the resistivity of the specific aluminum alloy 6053-T5, which will be used for the SCU beam chamber, the heat loads were calculated. An electron beam stored in a storage ring induces an image current on the inner conducting wall, mainly within a skin depth, of the beam chamber. The image current, with opposite charge to the electron beam, travels along the chamber wall in the same direction as the electron beam. The average current in the storage ring consists of a number of bunches. When the pattern of the bunched beam is repeated according to the rf frequency, the beam current may be expressed in terms of a Fourier series. The time structure of the image current is assumed to be the same as that of the beam current. For a given resistivity of the chamber inner wall, the application ofthe normal or anomalous skin effect will depend on the harmonic numbers of the Fourier series of the beam current and the temperature of the chamber. For a round beam chamber with a ratius r, much larger than the beam size, one can assume that the image current density as well as the density square, may be uniform around the perimeter 2{pi}r. For the SCU beam chamber, which has a relatively narrow vertical gap compared to the width, the effective perimeter was estimated since the heat load should be proportional to the inverse of the perimeter.

A systematic review of treatment response rates in Pakistani hepatitis C virus patients; current prospects and future challenges

Science.gov (United States)

Ali, Muhammad; Afzal, Samia; Zia, Asad; Hassan, Ahmed; Khalil, Ali Talha; Ovais, Muhammad; Shinwari, Zabta Khan; Idrees, Muhammad

2016-01-01

Abstract Background: The estimated hepatitis C virus (HCV) carriers are approximately 10 million in Pakistan which usually progresses to chronic hepatitis, with rare cases of spontaneous viral eradication. The present article reviews the treatment status of HCV infection in Pakistani population and various factors associated with the treatment response rates. Methods: Literature on anti-HCV therapy was searched in PubMed, Google Scholar and PakMediNet. Thirty three different studies representing different geographic regions of Pakistan published from 2002 to 2016 were included in the present review. Weighted mean, standard error estimates (SE) and standard deviation (SD) were determined for each population group. Results: Mean value for sustained virological response (SVR) for standard IFN plus ribavirin (RBV) combination therapy was 68.38% ± 14.13% (range 33.8%–87.10%; SE 3.08) and pegylated-IFN plus RBV combination therapy 64.38% ± 8.68% (range 55.0%–76.00%; SE 3.88). The lowest value for SVR has been reported to be 24.3% (for genotype 1; administering INF-α 2b 3MU 3 times/week and RBV 1000–1200 mg/day for 48 weeks) while highest of 87.5% (genotype 3a; INF-α 2a 3MU 3 times/week and RBV 1000–1200 mg/day for 24 weeks). The mean value for rapid virological response (RVR) was found to be 48.18% ± 29.20% (SE 9.73). As PEG-interferon and direct acting antivirals (DAAs) are relatively expensive, interferon-alfa (IFN-α) and RBV combination therapy have been used widely to treat HCV infected patients in Pakistan for the last one and half decade. On average, 2.45% of the patients discontinued treatment due to severe side effects. Conclusion: We encourage further studies on understanding host and viral factors associated with specific focus on harder to treat viral variants (relapsers and nonresponders). These variants are currently rising in the country. PMID:27977575

Malignant gliomas: current perspectives in diagnosis, treatment, and early response assessment using advanced quantitative imaging methods

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ahmed R

2014-03-01

Full Text Available Rafay Ahmed,1 Matthew J Oborski,2 Misun Hwang,1 Frank S Lieberman,3 James M Mountz11Department of Radiology, 2Department of Bioengineering, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA; 3Department of Neurology and Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology/Oncology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USAAbstract: Malignant gliomas consist of glioblastomas, anaplastic astrocytomas, anaplastic oligodendrogliomas and anaplastic oligoastrocytomas, and some less common tumors such as anaplastic ependymomas and anaplastic gangliogliomas. Malignant gliomas have high morbidity and mortality. Even with optimal treatment, median survival is only 12–15 months for glioblastomas and 2–5 years for anaplastic gliomas. However, recent advances in imaging and quantitative analysis of image data have led to earlier diagnosis of tumors and tumor response to therapy, providing oncologists with a greater time window for therapy management. In addition, improved understanding of tumor biology, genetics, and resistance mechanisms has enhanced surgical techniques, chemotherapy methods, and radiotherapy administration. After proper diagnosis and institution of appropriate therapy, there is now a vital need for quantitative methods that can sensitively detect malignant glioma response to therapy at early follow-up times, when changes in management of nonresponders can have its greatest effect. Currently, response is largely evaluated by measuring magnetic resonance contrast and size change, but this approach does not take into account the key biologic steps that precede tumor size reduction. Molecular imaging is ideally suited to measuring early response by quantifying cellular metabolism, proliferation, and apoptosis, activities altered early in treatment. We expect that successful integration of quantitative imaging biomarker assessment into the early phase of clinical trials could provide a novel approach for testing new therapies

Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation and transcranial direct-current stimulation in neuropathic pain due to radiculopathy: a randomized sham-controlled comparative study.

Science.gov (United States)

Attal, Nadine; Ayache, Samar S; Ciampi De Andrade, Daniel; Mhalla, Alaa; Baudic, Sophie; Jazat, Frédérique; Ahdab, Rechdi; Neves, Danusa O; Sorel, Marc; Lefaucheur, Jean-Pascal; Bouhassira, Didier

2016-06-01

No study has directly compared the effectiveness of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) and transcranial direct-current stimulation (tDCS) in neuropathic pain (NP). In this 2-centre randomised double-blind sham-controlled study, we compared the efficacy of 10-Hz rTMS and anodal 2-mA tDCS of the motor cortex and sham stimulation contralateral to the painful area (3 daily sessions) in patients with NP due to lumbosacral radiculopathy. Average pain intensity (primary outcome) was evaluated after each session and 5 days later. Secondary outcomes included neuropathic symptoms and thermal pain thresholds for the upper limbs. We used an innovative design that minimised bias by randomly assigning patients to 1 of 2 groups: active rTMS and tDCS or sham rTMS and tDCS. For each treatment group (active or sham), the order of the sessions was again randomised according to a crossover design. In total, 51 patients were screened and 35 (51% women) were randomized. Active rTMS was superior to tDCS and sham in pain intensity (F = 2.89 and P = 0.023). Transcranial direct-current stimulation was not superior to sham, but its analgesic effects were correlated to that of rTMS (P = 0.046), suggesting common mechanisms of action. Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation lowered cold pain thresholds (P = 0.04) and its effect on cold pain was correlated with its analgesic efficacy (P = 0.006). However, rTMS had no impact on individual neuropathic symptoms. Thus, rTMS is more effective than tDCS and sham in patients with NP due to lumbosacral radiculopathy and may modulate the sensory and affective dimensions of pain.

Non-Markovian response of ultrafast coherent electronic ring currents in chiral aromatic molecules in a condensed phase

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mineo, H.; Lin, S. H.; Fujimura, Y.; Xu, J.; Xu, R. X.; Yan, Y. J.

2013-01-01

Results of a theoretical study on non-Markov response for femtosecond laser-driven coherent ring currents in chiral aromatic molecules embedded in a condensed phase are presented. Coherent ring currents are generated by coherent excitation of a pair of quasi-degenerated π-electronic excited states. The coherent electronic dynamical behaviors are strongly influenced by interactions between the electronic system and phonon bath in a condensed phase. Here, the bath correlation time is not instantaneous but should be taken to be a finite time in ultrashort time-resolved experiments. In such a case, Markov approximation breaks down. A hierarchical master equation approach for an improved semiclassical Drude dissipation model was adopted to examine the non-Markov effects on ultrafast coherent electronic ring currents of (P)-2,2 ′ -biphenol in a condensed phase. Time evolution of the coherent ring current derived in the hierarchical master equation approach was calculated and compared with those in the Drude model in the Markov approximation and in the static limit. The results show how non-Markovian behaviors in quantum beat signals of ring currents depend on the Drude bath damping constant. Effects of temperatures on ultrafast coherent electronic ring currents are also clarified

Technical Due Diligence

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jensen, Per Anker; Varano, Mattia

2011-01-01

carried out for buyers or sellers involved in real estate transactions. It can also be part of mergers including real estate and other assets or part of facilities management outsourcing. This paper is based on a case study and an interview survey of companies involved in TDD consulting in Denmark......Technical Due Diligence (TDD) as an evaluation of the performance of constructed facilities has become an important new field of practice for consultants. Before the financial crisis started in autumn 2008 it represented the fastest growing activity in some consulting companies. TDD is mostly...... and Italy during 2009. The research identifies the current practice and compares it with the recommended practice in international guidelines. The current practice is very diverse and could in many cases be improved by a more structured approach and stricter adherence to international guidelines. However...

Density currents as a desert dust mobilization mechanism

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. Solomos

2012-11-01

Full Text Available The formation and propagation of density currents are well studied processes in fluid dynamics with many applications in other science fields. In the atmosphere, density currents are usually meso-β/γ phenomena and are often associated with storm downdrafts. These storms are responsible for the formation of severe dust episodes (haboobs over desert areas. In the present study, the formation of a convective cool pool and the associated dust mobilization are examined for a representative event over the western part of Sahara desert. The physical processes involved in the mobilization of dust are described with the use of the integrated atmospheric-air quality RAMS/ICLAMS model. Dust is effectively produced due to the development of near surface vortices and increased turbulent mixing along the frontal line. Increased dust emissions and recirculation of the elevated particles inside the head of the density current result in the formation of a moving "dust wall". Transport of the dust particles in higher layers – outside of the density current – occurs mainly in three ways: (1 Uplifting of preexisting dust over the frontal line with the aid of the strong updraft (2 Entrainment at the upper part of the density current head due to turbulent mixing (3 Vertical mixing after the dilution of the system. The role of the dust in the associated convective cloud system was found to be limited. Proper representation of convective processes and dust mobilization requires the use of high resolution (cloud resolving model configuration and online parameterization of dust production. Haboob-type dust storms are effective dust sources and should be treated accordingly in dust modeling applications.

Current-Induced Transistor Sensorics with Electrogenic Cells

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Peter Fromherz

2016-04-01

Full Text Available The concepts of transistor recording of electroactive cells are considered, when the response is determined by a current-induced voltage in the electrolyte due to cellular activity. The relationship to traditional transistor recording, with an interface-induced response due to interactions with the open gate oxide, is addressed. For the geometry of a cell-substrate junction, the theory of a planar core-coat conductor is described with a one-compartment approximation. The fast electrical relaxation of the junction and the slow change of ion concentrations are pointed out. On that basis, various recording situations are considered and documented by experiments. For voltage-gated ion channels under voltage clamp, the effects of a changing extracellular ion concentration and the enhancement/depletion of ion conductances in the adherent membrane are addressed. Inhomogeneous ion conductances are crucial for transistor recording of neuronal action potentials. For a propagating action potential, the effects of an axon-substrate junction and the surrounding volume conductor are distinguished. Finally, a receptor-transistor-sensor is described, where the inhomogeneity of a ligand–activated ion conductance is achieved by diffusion of the agonist and inactivation of the conductance. Problems with regard to a development of reliable biosensors are mentioned.

A 3 A sink/source current fast transient response low-dropout G{sub m} driven linear regulator

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chu Xiuqin; Li Qingwei; Lai Xinquan; Yuan Bing [Institute of Electronic CAD, Xidian University, Xi' an 710071 (China); Li Yanming [School of Electronic and Control Engineering, Chang' an University, Xi' an 710064 (China); Zhao Yongrui, E-mail: liqw309@163.com, E-mail: xqchu@mail.xidian.edu.cn [Key Laboratory of High-Speed Circuit Design and EMC, Ministry of Education, Xidian University, Xi' an 710071 (China)

2011-06-15

A 3 A sink/source G{sub m}-driven CMOS low-dropout regulator (LDO), specially designed for low input voltage and low cost, is presented by utilizing the structure of a current mirror G{sub m} (transconductance) driving technique, which provides high stability as well as a fast load transient response. The proposed LDO was fabricated by a 0.5 {mu}m standard CMOS process, and the die size is as small as 1.0 mm{sup 2}. The proposed LDO dissipates 220 {mu}A of quiescent current in no-load conditions and is able to deliver up to 3 A of load current. The measured results show that the output voltage can be resumed within 2 {mu}s with a less than 1 mV overshoot and undershoot in the output current step from -1.8 to 1.8 A with a 0.1 {mu}s rising and falling time at three 10 {mu}F ceramic capacitors. (semiconductor integrated circuits)

Ion current rectification, limiting and overlimiting conductances in nanopores.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Liesbeth van Oeffelen

Full Text Available Previous reports on Poisson-Nernst-Planck (PNP simulations of solid-state nanopores have focused on steady state behaviour under simplified boundary conditions. These are Neumann boundary conditions for the voltage at the pore walls, and in some cases also Donnan equilibrium boundary conditions for concentrations and voltages at both entrances of the nanopore. In this paper, we report time-dependent and steady state PNP simulations under less restrictive boundary conditions, including Neumann boundary conditions applied throughout the membrane relatively far away from the nanopore. We simulated ion currents through cylindrical and conical nanopores with several surface charge configurations, studying the spatial and temporal dependence of the currents contributed by each ion species. This revealed that, due to slow co-diffusion of oppositely charged ions, steady state is generally not reached in simulations or in practice. Furthermore, it is shown that ion concentration polarization is responsible for the observed limiting conductances and ion current rectification in nanopores with asymmetric surface charges or shapes. Hence, after more than a decade of collective research attempting to understand the nature of ion current rectification in solid-state nanopores, a relatively intuitive model is retrieved. Moreover, we measured and simulated current-voltage characteristics of rectifying silicon nitride nanopores presenting overlimiting conductances. The similarity between measurement and simulation shows that overlimiting conductances can result from the increased conductance of the electric double-layer at the membrane surface at the depletion side due to voltage-induced polarization charges. The MATLAB source code of the simulation software is available via the website http://micr.vub.ac.be.

Generalized Unsafety Theory of Stress: Unsafe Environments and Conditions, and the Default Stress Response.

Science.gov (United States)

Brosschot, Jos F; Verkuil, Bart; Thayer, Julian F

2018-03-07

Prolonged physiological stress responses form an important risk factor for disease. According to neurobiological and evolution-theoretical insights the stress response is a default response that is always "on" but inhibited by the prefrontal cortex when safety is perceived. Based on these insights the Generalized Unsafety Theory of Stress (GUTS) states that prolonged stress responses are due to generalized and largely unconsciously perceived unsafety rather than stressors. This novel perspective necessitates a reconstruction of current stress theory, which we address in this paper. We discuss a variety of very common situations without stressors but with prolonged stress responses, that are not, or not likely to be caused by stressors, including loneliness, low social status, adult life after prenatal or early life adversity, lack of a natural environment, and less fit bodily states such as obesity or fatigue. We argue that in these situations the default stress response may be chronically disinhibited due to unconsciously perceived generalized unsafety. Also, in chronic stress situations such as work stress, the prolonged stress response may be mainly caused by perceived unsafety in stressor-free contexts. Thus, GUTS identifies and explains far more stress-related physiological activity that is responsible for disease and mortality than current stress theories.

Generalized Unsafety Theory of Stress: Unsafe Environments and Conditions, and the Default Stress Response

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jos F. Brosschot

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Prolonged physiological stress responses form an important risk factor for disease. According to neurobiological and evolution-theoretical insights the stress response is a default response that is always “on” but inhibited by the prefrontal cortex when safety is perceived. Based on these insights the Generalized Unsafety Theory of Stress (GUTS states that prolonged stress responses are due to generalized and largely unconsciously perceived unsafety rather than stressors. This novel perspective necessitates a reconstruction of current stress theory, which we address in this paper. We discuss a variety of very common situations without stressors but with prolonged stress responses, that are not, or not likely to be caused by stressors, including loneliness, low social status, adult life after prenatal or early life adversity, lack of a natural environment, and less fit bodily states such as obesity or fatigue. We argue that in these situations the default stress response may be chronically disinhibited due to unconsciously perceived generalized unsafety. Also, in chronic stress situations such as work stress, the prolonged stress response may be mainly caused by perceived unsafety in stressor-free contexts. Thus, GUTS identifies and explains far more stress-related physiological activity that is responsible for disease and mortality than current stress theories.

Electromagnetic response of non-trivially shaped superconductors in external magnetic fields and with applied currents

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cabral, Leonardo Ribeiro Eulalio; Aguiar, Jose Albino Oliveira de

2002-01-01

Full text: The study of the electromagnetic response of high-T c superconductors is essential for future technological applications. Such materials are hard type II superconductors, where the mixed state (a state characterized by quantized normal flux tubes - also called vortices - immersed in a superconductor phase) occupies most of the phase diagram. Therefore, the electromagnetic properties are dictated by the vortex dynamics in these materials. One has also to consider the presence of structural defects and thermal effects, which turn the vortex dynamics very complex. These difficulties may be overcome throughout a macroscopic description, also known as continuum approximation, of the electromagnetic fields in superconductors, obtained from critical state models and constitutive relations E = E(j) and H = H(B) (where E is the electric field generated by moving vortices, j the current density, B the induction - related to the local density of vortices - and H the reversible magnetic field that is in equilibrium with B). In superconductors with negligible demagnetization factors, such as long cylinders and bars with applied magnetic fields and/or currents along their longer dimensions, the Meissner state and the flux penetration is quite well understood. However, the actual specimen shape plays an important role on the electromagnetic behavior of superconductors. Numerical methods are often employed, since such cases are hard to treat analytically. In this work we studied the electromagnetic response of superconductors with various shapes. The Meissner state is obtained for thin curved strips and long cylinders with arbitrary cross-section, in perpendicular field and with applied currents. The flux penetration is numerically calculated for thin curved strips for the Bean (j c =const.) and the Kim (j c (B) = j c0 /(1 + βB)) models. (author)

Downwelling dynamics of the western Adriatic Coastal Current

Science.gov (United States)

Geyer, W. R.; Mullenbach, B. L.; Kineke, G. C.; Sherwood, C. R.; Signell, R. P.; Ogston, A. S.; Puig, P.; Traykovski, P.

2004-12-01

The western Adriatic coastal current (WACC) flows for hundreds of kilometers along the east coast of Italy at speeds of 20 to 100 cm/s. It is fed by the buoyancy input from the Po River and other rivers of the northern Adriatic Sea, with typical freshwater discharge rates of 2000 m**3/s. The Bora winds provide the dominant forcing agent of the WACC during the winter months, resulting in peak southeastward flows reaching 100 cm/s. The energy input of the Bora is principally in the northern Adriatic, and the coastal current response is due mainly to the set up of the pressure field, although there is sometimes an accompanying local component of down-coast winds that further augments the coastal current. Downwelling conditions occur during Bora, with or without local wind-forcing, because the bottom Ekman transport occurs in either case. Downwelling results in destratification of the coastal current, due to both vertical mixing and straining of the cross-shore density gradient. The relative contributions of mixing and straining depends on the value of the Kelvin number K=Lf/(g_Oh)**1/2, where L is the width of the coastal current, f is the Coriolis parameter, g_O is reduced gravity, and h is the plume thickness. For a narrow coastal current (KWACC during Bora events, with strain-induced destratification occurring in less than 24 hours. The straining process limits vertical mixing of the coastal current with the ambient Adriatic water, because once the isopycnals become vertical, no more mixing can occur. This limitation of mixing may explain the persistence of the density anomaly of the coastal current in the presence of high stresses. The straining process also has important implications for sediment transport: destratification allows sediment to be distributed throughout the water column during Bora events, resulting in enhanced down-coast fluxes. The influence of the downwelling dynamics on cross-shore sediment transport is still under examination.

Nontrivial ac spin response in the effective Luttinger model

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hu Liangbin; Zhong Jiansong; Hu Kaige

2006-01-01

Based on the three-dimensional effective Luttinger Hamiltonian and the exact Heisenberg equations of motion and within a self-consistent semiclassical approximation, we present a theoretical investigation on the nontrivial ac spin responses due to the intrinsic spin-orbit coupling of holes in p-doped bulk semiconductors. We show that the nontrivial ac spin responses induced by the combined action of an ac external electric field and the intrinsic spin-orbit coupling of holes may lead to the generation of a nonvanishing ac spin Hall current in a p-doped bulk semiconductor, which shares some similarities with the dissipationless dc spin Hall current conceived previously and also exhibits some interesting new features that was not found before

Can current moisture responses predict soil CO2 efflux under altered precipitation regimes? A synthesis of manipulation experiments

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Vicca, S.; Bahn, M.; Estiarte, M.

2014-01-01

dependencies of SCE. Hence, the most justified answer to the question of whether current moisture responses of SCE can be extrapolated to predict SCE under altered precipitation regimes is 'no' - as based on the most reliable data sets available. We strongly recommend that future experiments focus more...

Protection of Multi-Terminal VSC-HVDC Grids Based on the Response of the First Carrier Frequency Harmonic Current

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ashouri, Mani; Khazraj, Hesam; Silva, Filipe Miguel Faria da

This paper investigates the response of first carrier frequency harmonic (FCFH) current for designing a protection algorithm for multi-terminal Voltage source converter-based HVDC (VSC-MTDC) transmission grids. This transient harmonic current has been used before, to discriminate external AC faults...... various kinds of faults with different locations and resistances. This paper will also consider half-bridge MMC instead of two-level VSCs to test the sensitivity of the FCFH based algorithm for lower harmonic values. A modified meshed version of CIGRE DC model has been used in PSCAD and the signal...

Response variability of different anodal transcranial direct current stimulation intensities across multiple sessions.

Science.gov (United States)

Ammann, Claudia; Lindquist, Martin A; Celnik, Pablo A

It is well known that transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is capable of modulating corticomotor excitability. However, a source of growing concern has been the observed inter- and intra-individual variability of tDCS-responses. Recent studies have assessed whether individuals respond in a predictable manner across repeated sessions of anodal tDCS (atDCS). The findings of these investigations have been inconsistent, and their methods have some limitations (i.e. lack of sham condition or testing only one tDCS intensity). To study inter- and intra-individual variability of atDCS effects at two different intensities on primary motor cortex (M1) excitability. Twelve subjects participated in a crossover study testing 7-min atDCS over M1 in three separate conditions (2 mA, 1 mA, sham) each repeated three times separated by 48 h. Motor evoked potentials were recorded before and after stimulation (up to 30min). Time of testing was maintained consistent within participants. To estimate the reliability of tDCS effects across sessions, we calculated the Intra-class Correlation Coefficient (ICC). AtDCS at 2 mA, but not 1 mA, significantly increased cortical excitability at the group level in all sessions. The overall ICC revealed fair to high reliability of tDCS effects for multiple sessions. Given that the distribution of responses showed important variability in the sham condition, we established a Sham Variability-Based Threshold to classify responses and to track individual changes across sessions. Using this threshold an intra-individual consistent response pattern was then observed only for the 2 mA condition. 2 mA anodal tDCS results in consistent intra- and inter-individual increases of M1 excitability. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Electrolytic tritium enrichment: Current control using current-stabilised Kepco Type JQE modular supplies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1976-01-01

This note describes the principles, design and operation of a current-stabilised power source for tritium electrolytic enrichment cells. A Kepoo Tpe JE, modular supply is current-stabilised by controlled current feedback. The accompanying control unit incorporates a temperature sensor or the cooling unit of the electrolysis cells, a line monitor to register current shut-off due to temporary power failure, a time-of-day clock, a current control potentiometer and a digital voltmeter providing current reading to an accuracy of 0.01A

Electrolytic tritium enrichment: Current control using current-stabilised Kepco Type JQE modular supplies

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1976-07-12

This note describes the principles, design and operation of a current-stabilised power source for tritium electrolytic enrichment cells. A Kepoo Tpe JE, modular supply is current-stabilised by controlled current feedback. The accompanying control unit incorporates a temperature sensor or the cooling unit of the electrolysis cells, a line monitor to register current shut-off due to temporary power failure, a time-of-day clock, a current control potentiometer and a digital voltmeter providing current reading to an accuracy of 0.01A.

Seismic Safety Margins Research Program (Phase I). Project IV. Structural building response; Structural Building Response Review

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Healey, J.J.; Wu, S.T.; Murga, M.

1980-02-01

As part of the Phase I effort of the Seismic Safety Margins Research Program (SSMRP) being performed by the University of California Lawrence Livermore Laboratory for the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission, the basic objective of Subtask IV.1 (Structural Building Response Review) is to review and summarize current methods and data pertaining to seismic response calculations particularly as they relate to the objectives of the SSMRP. This material forms one component in the development of the overall computational methodology involving state of the art computations including explicit consideration of uncertainty and aimed at ultimately deriving estimates of the probability of radioactive releases due to seismic effects on nuclear power plant facilities

Magnetic-Field-Response Measurement-Acquisition System

Science.gov (United States)

Woodward, Stanley E.; Shams, Qamar A.; Fox, Robert L.; Taylor, Bryant D.

2006-01-01

A measurement-acquisition system uses magnetic fields to power sensors and to acquire measurements from sensors. The system alleviates many shortcomings of traditional measurement-acquisition systems, which include a finite number of measurement channels, weight penalty associated with wires, use limited to a single type of measurement, wire degradation due to wear or chemical decay, and the logistics needed to add new sensors. Eliminating wiring for acquiring measurements can alleviate potential hazards associated with wires, such as damaged wires becoming ignition sources due to arcing. The sensors are designed as electrically passive inductive-capacitive or passive inductive-capacitive-resistive circuits that produce magnetic-field-responses. One or more electrical parameters (inductance, capacitance, and resistance) of each sensor can be variable and corresponds to a measured physical state of interest. The magnetic-field- response attributes (frequency, amplitude, and bandwidth) of the inductor correspond to the states of physical properties for which each sensor measures. For each sensor, the measurement-acquisition system produces a series of increasing magnetic-field harmonics within a frequency range dedicated to that sensor. For each harmonic, an antenna electrically coupled to an oscillating current (the frequency of which is that of the harmonic) produces an oscillating magnetic field. Faraday induction via the harmonic magnetic fields produces an electromotive force and therefore a current in the sensor. Once electrically active, the sensor produces its own harmonic magnetic field as the inductor stores and releases magnetic energy. The antenna of the measurement- acquisition system is switched from a transmitting to a receiving mode to acquire the magnetic-field response of the sensor. The rectified amplitude of the received response is compared to previous responses to prior transmitted harmonics, to ascertain if the measurement system has detected a

Electro-optically responsive composites of gold nanospheres in 5CB liquid crystal under direct current and alternating current joint action

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hadjichristov, Georgi B.; Marinov, Yordan G.; Petrov, Alexander G.; Bruno, Emanuela; Marino, Lucia; Scaramuzza, Nicola

2014-01-01

Direct current (DC) electro-optical (EO) control of transmitted laser beam intensity based on EO controlled coherent light scattering and diffraction by stationary longitudinal texture pattern (LTP) is achieved in planar-oriented cells with a composite mixture of polymer-coated gold spherical nanoparticles (Au-NPs) with a mean diameter of about 12 nm and the room-temperature nematic pentylcyanobiphenyl (5CB). At relatively low DC voltage of about 5 V, the effective scattering/diffraction by Au-NPs/5CB composites leads to a spatial spreading of transmitted coherent light from a low-power continuous wave laser beam, resulting in a drastic reduction of its local intensity. The effect is polarization dependent and is strongest when the polarization of the input laser beam is along the LTP. The EO response of Au-NPs/5CB mixtures is studied under DC and alternating current (AC) joint action with the aim of the potential use of these composite materials as EO controlled diffusers. The specific V-shaped sharp dip in the DC voltage-dependent coherent light transmittance of Au-NPs/5CB planar films, as well as the possibility for erasing the scattering/diffractive LTP in the films by joint low AC voltage, can be useful for EO applications in the field of process control and for detection of weak dynamic electric fields

Electro-optically responsive composites of gold nanospheres in 5CB liquid crystal under direct current and alternating current joint action

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hadjichristov, Georgi B.; Marinov, Yordan G.; Petrov, Alexander G. [Institute of Solid State Physics, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Sofia 1784 (Bulgaria); Bruno, Emanuela [Dipartimento di Fisica, Università della Calabria, Via Pietro Bucci, Cubo 31C, 87036 Rende (CS) (Italy); Marino, Lucia, E-mail: lucia.marino@fis.unical.it [CNR-IPCF UoS di Cosenza, Licryl Laboratory, and Centro di Eccellenza CEMIF.CAL, Università della Calabria, 87036 Rende (CS) (Italy); Scaramuzza, Nicola [Dipartimento di Fisica, Università della Calabria, Via Pietro Bucci, Cubo 31C, 87036 Rende (CS) (Italy); CNR-IPCF UoS di Cosenza, Licryl Laboratory, and Centro di Eccellenza CEMIF.CAL, Università della Calabria, 87036 Rende (CS) (Italy)

2014-02-28

Direct current (DC) electro-optical (EO) control of transmitted laser beam intensity based on EO controlled coherent light scattering and diffraction by stationary longitudinal texture pattern (LTP) is achieved in planar-oriented cells with a composite mixture of polymer-coated gold spherical nanoparticles (Au-NPs) with a mean diameter of about 12 nm and the room-temperature nematic pentylcyanobiphenyl (5CB). At relatively low DC voltage of about 5 V, the effective scattering/diffraction by Au-NPs/5CB composites leads to a spatial spreading of transmitted coherent light from a low-power continuous wave laser beam, resulting in a drastic reduction of its local intensity. The effect is polarization dependent and is strongest when the polarization of the input laser beam is along the LTP. The EO response of Au-NPs/5CB mixtures is studied under DC and alternating current (AC) joint action with the aim of the potential use of these composite materials as EO controlled diffusers. The specific V-shaped sharp dip in the DC voltage-dependent coherent light transmittance of Au-NPs/5CB planar films, as well as the possibility for erasing the scattering/diffractive LTP in the films by joint low AC voltage, can be useful for EO applications in the field of process control and for detection of weak dynamic electric fields.

Probabilistic evaluation of near-field ground motions due to buried-rupture earthquakes caused by undefined faults

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shohei Motohashi; Katsumi Ebisawa; Masaharu Sakagmi; Kazuo Dan; Yasuhiro Ohtsuka; Takao Kagawa

2005-01-01

The Nuclear Safety Commission of Japan has been reviewing the current Guideline for Earthquake Resistant Design of Nuclear Power Plants since July 2001. According to recent earthquake research, one of the main issues in the review is the design earthquake motion due to close-by earthquakes caused by undefined faults. This paper proposes a probabilistic method for covering variations of earthquake magnitude and location of undefined faults by strong motion simulation technique based on fault models for scenario earthquakes, and describes probabilistic response spectra due to close-by scenario earthquakes caused by undefined faults. Horizontal uniform hazard spectra evaluated by a hybrid technique are compared with those evaluated by an empirical approach. The response spectra with a damping factor of 5% at 0.02 s simulated by the hybrid technique are about 160, 340, 570, and 800 cm/s/s for annual exceedance probabilities of 10 -3 , 10 -4 , 10 -5 , and 10 -6 , respectively, which are in good agreement with the response spectra evaluated by the empirical approach. It is also recognized that the response spectrum proposed by Kato et al. (2004) as the upper level of the strong motion records of buried-rupture earthquakes corresponded to the uniform hazard spectra between 10 -5 and 10 -4 in the period range shorter than 0.4 s. (authors)

Early response to sibutramine in patients not meeting current label criteria: preliminary analysis of SCOUT lead-in period

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Caterson, Ian; Coutinho, Walmir; Finer, Nick

2010-01-01

The Sibutramine Cardiovascular Outcomes (SCOUT) trial protocol defines a patient population predominantly outside current European Union label criteria. This article explores responses to sibutramine during the 6-week, single-blind, lead-in period between patients who conformed to the label...... requirements ("conformers") and those who did not ("nonconformers"). SCOUT is an ongoing, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled outcome trial in overweight/obese patients at high risk of a cardiovascular event. In total, 10,742 patients received sibutramine and weight management during the lead...... with sibutramine confirms its good tolerability and efficacy in patients who meet current label criteria. Preliminary data from high-risk patients for whom sibutramine is currently contraindicated suggest a low discontinuation rate and few serious adverse events but confirmation from the SCOUT outcome data...

Morphological changes at Godavari delta region due to waves, currents and the associated physical processes

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Sastry, J.S.; Vethamony, P.; Swamy, G.N.

, especially their seaward section. Dye experiments conducted in Kakinada Bay show that tidal currents are generally of the order of 10-20 cm/sec. However, during the period of maximum discharge from the Godavari River (June-November) the ebb current exceeds...

Analytical Expressions for Harmonic Distortion at Low Frequencies due to Device Mismatch in CMOS Current Mirrors

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bruun, Erik

1999-01-01

One of the origins of harmonic distortion in current mirrors is the inevitable mismatch between the mirror transistors. In this brief we examine both single current mirrors and complementary class AB current mirrors and develop analytical expressions for the mismatch induced harmonic distortion. ...

Using genetic algorithms to optimise current and future health planning - the example of ambulance locations

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Suzuki Hiroshi

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Ambulance response time is a crucial factor in patient survival. The number of emergency cases (EMS cases requiring an ambulance is increasing due to changes in population demographics. This is decreasing ambulance response times to the emergency scene. This paper predicts EMS cases for 5-year intervals from 2020, to 2050 by correlating current EMS cases with demographic factors at the level of the census area and predicted population changes. It then applies a modified grouping genetic algorithm to compare current and future optimal locations and numbers of ambulances. Sets of potential locations were evaluated in terms of the (current and predicted EMS case distances to those locations. Results Future EMS demands were predicted to increase by 2030 using the model (R2 = 0.71. The optimal locations of ambulances based on future EMS cases were compared with current locations and with optimal locations modelled on current EMS case data. Optimising the location of ambulance stations locations reduced the average response times by 57 seconds. Current and predicted future EMS demand at modelled locations were calculated and compared. Conclusions The reallocation of ambulances to optimal locations improved response times and could contribute to higher survival rates from life-threatening medical events. Modelling EMS case 'demand' over census areas allows the data to be correlated to population characteristics and optimal 'supply' locations to be identified. Comparing current and future optimal scenarios allows more nuanced planning decisions to be made. This is a generic methodology that could be used to provide evidence in support of public health planning and decision making.

Plasma response to sustainment with imposed-dynamo current drive in HIT-SI and HIT-SI3

Science.gov (United States)

Hossack, A. C.; Jarboe, T. R.; Chandra, R. N.; Morgan, K. D.; Sutherland, D. A.; Penna, J. M.; Everson, C. J.; Nelson, B. A.

2017-07-01

The helicity injected torus—steady inductive (HIT-SI) program studies efficient, steady-state current drive for magnetic confinement plasmas using a novel experimental method. Stable, high-beta spheromaks have been sustained using steady, inductive current drive. Externally induced loop voltage and magnetic flux are oscillated together so that helicity and power injection are always positive, sustaining the edge plasma current indefinitely. Imposed-dynamo current drive (IDCD) theory further shows that the entire plasma current is sustained. The method is ideal for low aspect ratio, toroidal geometries with closed flux surfaces. Experimental studies of spheromak plasmas sustained with IDCD have shown stable magnetic profiles with evidence of pressure confinement. New measurements show coherent motion of a stable spheromak in response to the imposed perturbations. On the original device two helicity injectors were mounted on either side of the spheromak and the injected mode spectrum was predominantly n  =  1. Coherent, rigid motion indicates that the spheromak is stable and a lack of plasma-generated n  =  1 energy indicates that the maximum q is maintained below 1 during sustainment. Results from the HIT-SI3 device are also presented. Three inductive helicity injectors are mounted on one side of the spheromak flux conserver. Varying the relative injector phasing changes the injected mode spectrum which includes n  =  2, 3, and higher modes.

[Lower lymphocyte response in severe cases of acute bronchiolitis due to respiratory syncytial virus].

Science.gov (United States)

Ramos-Fernández, José Miguel; Moreno-Pérez, David; Antúnez-Fernández, Cristina; Milano-Manso, Guillermo; Cordón-Martínez, Ana María; Urda-Cardona, Antonio

2017-08-14

Acute bronchiolitis (AB) of the infant has a serious outcome in 6-16% of the hospital admitted cases. Its pathogenesis and evolution is related to the response of the T lymphocytes. The objective of the present study is to determine if the lower systemic lymphocytic response is related to a worse outcome of AB in hospitalised infants. Retrospective observational-analytical study of cases-controls nested in a cohort of patients admitted due to RSV-AB between the period from October 2010 to March 2015. Those with a full blood count in the first 48hours of respiratory distress were included. Infants with underlying disease, bacterial superinfection, and premature infants <32 weeks of gestation were excluded. The main dichotomous variable was PICU admission. Other variables were: gender, age, post-menstrual age, gestational and post-natal tobacco exposure, admission month, type of lactation, and days of onset of respiratory distress. Lymphocyte counts were categorised by quartiles. Bivariate analysis was performed with the main variable and then by logistic regression to analyse confounding factors. The study included 252 infants, of whom 6.6% (17) required PICU admission. The difference in mean±SD of lymphocytes for patients admitted to and not admitted to PICU was 4,044±1755 and 5,035±1786, respectively (Student-t test, P<.05). An association was found between PICU admission and lymphocyte count <3700/ml (Chi-squared, P=.019; OR: 3.2) and it was found to be maintained in the logistic regression, regardless of age and all other studied factors (Wald 4.191 P=.041, OR: 3.8). A relationship was found between lymphocytosis <3700/ml in the first days of respiratory distress and a worse outcome in previously healthy infants <12 months and gestational age greater than 32 weeks with RSV-AB. Copyright © 2017. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U.

Estimates of thermal fatigue due to beam interruptions for an ALMR-type ATW

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dunn, F. E.; Wade, D. C.

1999-01-01

Thermal fatigue due to beam interruptions has been investigated in a sodium cooled ATW using the Advanced Liquid Metal mod B design as a basis for the subcritical source driven reactor. A k eff of 0.975 was used for the reactor. Temperature response in the primary coolant system was calculated, using the SASSYS- 1 code, for a drop in beam current from full power to zero in 1 microsecond.. Temperature differences were used to calculate thermal stresses. Fatigue curves from the American Society of Mechanical Engineers Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code were used to determine the number of cycles various components should be designed for, based on these thermal stresses

Management of Current Psychiatric Disorders

Science.gov (United States)

Carbonnel, François; David, Michel; Norton, Joanna; Bourrel, Gérard; Boulenger, Jean-Philippe; Capdevielle, Delphine

2016-01-01

Objective: Describe and analyse the experience of family physicians in managing current psychiatric disorders to obtain a better understanding of the underlying reasons of under-detection and inadequate prescribing identified in studies. Methods: A qualitative study using in-depth interviews. Sample of 15 practicing family physicians, recruited by telephone from a precedent cohort (Sesame1) with a maximum variation: sex, age, single or group practice, urban or rural. Qualitative method is inspired by the completed grounded theory of a verbatim semiopragmatic analysis from 2 experts in this approach. Results: Family physicians found that current psychiatric disorders were related to psychological symptoms in reaction to life events. Their role was to make patients aware of a psychiatric symptom rather than establish a diagnosis. Their management responsibility was considered in contrasting ways: it was claimed or endured. They defined their position as facilitating compliance to psychiatrist consultations, while assuring a complementary psychotherapeutic approach. Prescribing medication was not a priority for them. Conclusions: The identified under-detection is essentially due to inherent frontline conditions and complexity of clinical forms. The family physician role, facilitating compliance to psychiatrist consultations while assuring a support psychotherapy is the main result of this study. More studies should be conducted to define more accurately the clinical reality, management and course of current psychiatric disorders in primary care.

Individualized model predicts brain current flow during transcranial direct-current stimulation treatment in responsive stroke patient.

Science.gov (United States)

Datta, Abhishek; Baker, Julie M; Bikson, Marom; Fridriksson, Julius

2011-07-01

Although numerous published reports have demonstrated the beneficial effects of transcranial direct-current stimulation (tDCS) on task performance, fundamental questions remain regarding the optimal electrode configuration on the scalp. Moreover, it is expected that lesioned brain tissue will influence current flow and should therefore be considered (and perhaps leveraged) in the design of individualized tDCS therapies for stroke. The current report demonstrates how different electrode configurations influence the flow of electrical current through brain tissue in a patient who responded positively to a tDCS treatment targeting aphasia. The patient, a 60-year-old man, sustained a left hemisphere ischemic stroke (lesion size = 87.42 mL) 64 months before his participation. In this study, we present results from the first high-resolution (1 mm(3)) model of tDCS in a brain with considerable stroke-related damage; the model was individualized for the patient who received anodal tDCS to his left frontal cortex with the reference cathode electrode placed on his right shoulder. We modeled the resulting brain current flow and also considered three additional reference electrode positions: right mastoid, right orbitofrontal cortex, and a "mirror" configuration with the anode over the undamaged right cortex. Our results demonstrate the profound effect of lesioned tissue on resulting current flow and the ability to modulate current pattern through the brain, including perilesional regions, through electrode montage design. The complexity of brain current flow modulation by detailed normal and pathologic anatomy suggest: (1) That computational models are critical for the rational interpretation and design of individualized tDCS stroke-therapy; and (2) These models must accurately reproduce head anatomy as shown here. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Epidemics: Lessons from the past and current patterns of response

Science.gov (United States)

Martin, Paul

2008-09-01

Hippocrates gave the term 'epidemic' its medical meaning. From antiquity to modern times, the meaning of the word epidemic has continued to evolve. Over the centuries, researchers have reached an understanding of the varying aspects of epidemics and have tried to combat them. The role played by travel, trade, and human exchanges in the propagation of epidemic infectious diseases has been understood. In 1948, the World Health Organization was created and given the task of advancing ways of combating epidemics. An early warning system to combat epidemics has been implemented by the WHO. The Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network (GOARN) is collaboration between existing institutions and networks that pool their human and technical resources to fight outbreaks. Avian influenza constitutes currently the most deadly epidemic threat, with fears that it could rapidly reach pandemic proportions and put several thousands of lives in jeopardy. Thanks to the WHO's support, most of the world's countries have mobilised and implemented an 'Action Plan for Pandemic Influenza'. As a result, most outbreaks of the H5N1 avian flu virus have so far been speedily contained. Cases of dengue virus introduction in countries possessing every circumstance required for its epidemic spread provide another example pertinent to the prevention of epidemics caused by vector-borne pathogens.

Dynamic response of HTS composite tapes to pulsed currents

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Meerovich, V; Sokolovsky, V; Prigozhin, L; Rozman, D

2006-01-01

Dynamic voltage-current characteristics of an HTS Ag/BiSCCO composite tape are studied both experimentally and theoretically. The tape is subjected to pulsed currents with different shapes and magnitudes and voltage traces are measured using the four-point method with different locations of potential taps on the sample surface. Clockwise and anticlockwise hysteresis loops are obtained for the same sample depending on the location of the potential taps. The dynamic characteristics deviate substantially from the DC characteristic, especially in the range of low voltages where a criterion for the critical current value is usually chosen (1-10 μV cm -1 ). The critical current determined from dynamic characteristics and its change with the pulse magnitude depend on the location of the potential taps and on the curve branch chosen for the critical current determination (ascending or descending). The theoretical analysis is based on a model of the magnetic flux diffusion into a composite tape for a superconductor described by the flux creep characteristic. Numerical simulation based on this model gives results in good agreement with the experimental ones and explains the observed peculiarities of the dynamic characteristics of HTS composite tapes. The difference between the magnetic diffusion into a tape and a slab is discussed

A face a mother could love: depression-related maternal neural responses to infant emotion faces.

Science.gov (United States)

Laurent, Heidemarie K; Ablow, Jennifer C

2013-01-01

Depressed mothers show negatively biased responses to their infants' emotional bids, perhaps due to faulty processing of infant cues. This study is the first to examine depression-related differences in mothers' neural response to their own infant's emotion faces, considering both effects of perinatal depression history and current depressive symptoms. Primiparous mothers (n = 22), half of whom had a history of major depressive episodes (with one episode occurring during pregnancy and/or postpartum), were exposed to images of their own and unfamiliar infants' joy and distress faces during functional neuroimaging. Group differences (depression vs. no-depression) and continuous effects of current depressive symptoms were tested in relation to neural response to own infant emotion faces. Compared to mothers with no psychiatric diagnoses, those with depression showed blunted responses to their own infant's distress faces in the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex. Mothers with higher levels of current symptomatology showed reduced responses to their own infant's joy faces in the orbitofrontal cortex and insula. Current symptomatology also predicted lower responses to own infant joy-distress in left-sided prefrontal and insula/striatal regions. These deficits in self-regulatory and motivational response circuits may help explain parenting difficulties in depressed mothers.

An overview of HCV molecular biology, replication and immune responses

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nawaz Zafar

2011-04-01

Full Text Available Abstract Hepatitis C virus (HCV causes acute and chronic hepatitis which can eventually lead to permanent liver damage, hepatocellular carcinoma and death. Currently, there is no vaccine available for prevention of HCV infection due to high degree of strain variation. The current treatment of care, Pegylated interferon α in combination with ribavirin is costly, has significant side effects and fails to cure about half of all infections. In this review, we summarize molecular virology, replication and immune responses against HCV and discussed how HCV escape from adaptive and humoral immune responses. This advance knowledge will be helpful for development of vaccine against HCV and discovery of new medicines both from synthetic chemistry and natural sources.

Procedure for determining the SSE response from the OBE response

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Curreri, J.

1985-01-01

Regulatory Guide 1.61 specifies the damping that should be used for all modes that are considered in an elastic spectral or time history dynamic seismic analysis of Seismic Category I components. Table 1 of R.G 1.61 specifies damping values for dynamic analysis for two different earthquakes, the Safe Shutdown Earthquake and the Operating Basis Earthquake. The guide specifies that ''...if the maximum stresses due to static, seismic and other dynamic loading are significantly lower than the yield stresses and 1/2 yield stress for SSE and 1/2 SSE respectively, in any structure a component damping values lower than those specified in Table 1 ....should be used .... to avoid underestimating the amplitude of vibration of dynamic stress.'' The guide requires that the appropiate damping values be used which reflect the state of stress that will be experienced by the equipment. In applying these values to the response of equipment, to an OBE and to an SSE, the selected damping should result in a dynamic response for the SSE that is greater than the response due to the OBE, all other factors being equal. The purpose of the statement in the guide is to note that at higher stress levels, the higher damping values could be used, but at lower stress levels, the lower values of damping should be used. Current procedures that are used in implementing R.G. 1.61 frequently result in an OBE response that is greater than the SSE response. This is because the higher damping under the SSE is used at all stress levels, low as well as high. This is obviously not the intent of the Regulatory Guide. A procedure has been developed which derives an expression relating the SSE response to the OBE response. Two factors are involved in the equation. The first involves the damping ratios for the SSE and OBE events and the second is the ratio between the levels of the OBE and SSE

Observation of ocean current response to 1998 Hurricane Georges in the Gulf of Mexico

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

无

2006-01-01

The ocean current response to a hurricane on the shelf-break is examined. The study area is the DeSoto Canyon in the northeast Gulf of Mexico, and the event is the passage of 1998 Hurricane Georges with a maximum wind speed of 49 m/s. The data sets used for analysis consist of the mooring data taken by the Field Program of the DeSoto Canyon Eddy Intrusion Study, and simultaneous winds observed by NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) Moored Buoy 42040. Time-depth ocean current energy density images derived from the observed data show that the ocean currents respond almost immediately to the hurricane with important differences on and offthe shelf. On the shelf, in the shallow water of 100 m, the disturbance penetrates rapidly downward to the bottom and forms two energy peaks, the major peak is located in the mixed layer and the secondary one in the lower layer. The response dissipates quickly after external forcing disappears. Off the shelf, in the deep water, the major disturbance energy seems to be trapped in the mixed layer with a trailing oscillation; although the disturbance signals may still be observed at the depths of 500 and 1 290 m. Vertical dispersion analysis reveals that the near-initial wave packet generated off the shelf consists of two modes. One is a barotropic wave mode characterized by a fast decay rate of velocity amplitude of 0.020 s-1, and the other is baroclinic wave mode characterized by a slow decay rate of 0.006 9 s-1. The band-pass-filtering and empirical function techniques are employed to the frequency analysis. The results indicate that all frequencies shift above the local inertial frequency. On the shelf, the average frequency is 1.04fin the mixed layer, close to the diagnosed frequency of the first baroclinic mode, and the average frequency increases to 1.07fin the thermocline.Off the shelf, all frequencies are a little smaller than the diagnosed frequency of the first mode. The average frequency decreases from 1

Can current moisture responses predict soil CO2 efflux under altered precipitation regimes? A synthesis of manipulation experiments

Science.gov (United States)

S. Vicca; M. Bahn; M. Estiarte; E. E. van Loon; R. Vargas; G. Alberti; P. Ambus; M. A. Arain; C. Beier; L. P. Bentley; W. Borken; N. Buchmann; S. L. Collins; G. de Dato; J. S. Dukes; C. Escolar; P. Fay; G. Guidolotti; P. J. Hanson; A. Kahmen; G. Kröel-Dulay; T. Ladreiter-Knauss; K. S. Larsen; E. Lellei-Kovacs; E. Lebrija-Trejos; F. T. Maestre; S. Marhan; M. Marshall; P. Meir; Y. Miao; J. Muhr; P. A. Niklaus; R. Ogaya; J. Peñuelas; C. Poll; L. E. Rustad; K. Savage; A. Schindlbacher; I. K. Schmidt; A. R. Smith; E. D. Sotta; V. Suseela; A. Tietema; N. van Gestel; O. van Straaten; S. Wan; U. Weber; I. A. Janssens

2014-01-01

As a key component of the carbon cycle, soil CO2 efflux (SCE) is being increasingly studied to improve our mechanistic understanding of this important carbon flux. Predicting ecosystem responses to climate change often depends an extrapolation of current relationships between ecosystem processes and their climatic drivers to conditions not yet experienced by the...

Optimal swimming speed in head currents and effects on distance movement of winter-migrating fish

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Brodersen, J.; Nilsson, P.A.; Ammitzbøl, J.

2008-01-01

ecologically and economically important. We here use passive and active telemetry to study how winter migrating roach regulate swimming speed and distance travelled per day in response to variations in head current velocity. Furthermore, we provide theoretical predictions on optimal swimming speeds in head...... currents and relate these to our empirical results. We show that fish migrate farther on days with low current velocity, but travel at a greater ground speed on days with high current velocity. The latter result agrees with our predictions on optimal swimming speed in head currents, but disagrees...... with previously reported predictions suggesting that fish ground speed should not change with head current velocity. We suggest that this difference is due to different assumptions on fish swimming energetics. We conclude that fish are able to adjust both swimming speed and timing of swimming activity during...

Behavioral Responses Of Fish To A Current-Based Hydrokinetic Turbine Under Mutlipe Operational Conditions: Final Report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Grippo, Mark A. [Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States); Shen, Haixue [Univ. of Maine, Orono, ME (United States); Zydlewski, Gayle [Univ. of Maine, Orono, ME (United States); Rao, Shivanesh [Univ. of Maine, Orono, ME (United States); Goodwin, Andy [United States Army Engineer R & D Center, Vicksburg, MI (United States)

2017-02-01

There is significant interest in the interaction of aquatic organisms with current-based marine and hydrokinetic (MHK) technologies. Determining the potential impacts of MHK devices on fish behavior is critical to addressing the environmental concerns that could act as barriers to the permitting and deployment of MHK devices. To address these concerns, we use field monitoring and fish behavior models to characterize the behavioral responses of fish to MHK turbines and infer potential stimuli that may have elicited the observed behavioral changes.

LANSCE beam current limiter

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gallegos, F.R.

1996-01-01

The Radiation Security System (RSS) at the Los Alamos Neutron Science Center (LANSCE) provides personnel protection from prompt radiation due to accelerated beam. Active instrumentation, such as the Beam Current Limiter, is a component of the RSS. The current limiter is designed to limit the average current in a beam line below a specific level, thus minimizing the maximum current available for a beam spill accident. The beam current limiter is a self-contained, electrically isolated toroidal beam transformer which continuously monitors beam current. It is designed as fail-safe instrumentation. The design philosophy, hardware design, operation, and limitations of the device are described

Inhibition linearizes firing rate responses in human motor units: implications for the role of persistent inward currents.

Science.gov (United States)

Revill, Ann L; Fuglevand, Andrew J

2017-01-01

Motor neurons are the output neurons of the central nervous system and are responsible for controlling muscle contraction. When initially activated during voluntary contraction, firing rates of motor neurons increase steeply but then level out at modest rates. Activation of an intrinsic source of excitatory current at recruitment onset may underlie the initial steep increase in firing rate in motor neurons. We attempted to disable this intrinsic excitatory current by artificially activating an inhibitory reflex. When motor neuron activity was recorded while the inhibitory reflex was engaged, firing rates no longer increased steeply, suggesting that the intrinsic excitatory current was probably responsible for the initial sharp rise in motor neuron firing rate. During graded isometric contractions, motor unit (MU) firing rates increase steeply upon recruitment but then level off at modest rates even though muscle force continues to increase. The mechanisms underlying such firing behaviour are not known although activation of persistent inward currents (PICs) might be involved. PICs are intrinsic, voltage-dependent currents that activate strongly when motor neurons (MNs) are first recruited. Such activation might cause a sharp escalation in depolarizing current and underlie the steep initial rise in MU firing rate. Because PICs can be disabled with synaptic inhibition, we hypothesized that artificial activation of an inhibitory pathway might curb this initial steep rise in firing rate. To test this, human subjects performed slow triangular ramp contractions of the ankle dorsiflexors in the absence and presence of tonic synaptic inhibition delivered to tibialis anterior (TA) MNs by sural nerve stimulation. Firing rate profiles (expressed as a function of contraction force) of TA MUs recorded during these tasks were compared for control and stimulation conditions. Under control conditions, during the ascending phase of the triangular contractions, 93% of the firing

3D reconnection due to oblique modes: a simulation of Harris current sheets

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

G. Lapenta

2000-01-01

Full Text Available Simulations in three dimensions of a Harris current sheet with mass ratio, mi/me = 180, and current sheet thickness, pi/L = 0.5, suggest the existence of a linearly unstable oblique mode, which is independent from either the drift-kink or the tearing instability. The new oblique mode causes reconnection independently from the tearing mode. During the initial linear stage, the system is unstable to the tearing mode and the drift kink mode, with growth rates that are accurately described by existing linear theories. How-ever, oblique modes are also linearly unstable, but with smaller growth rates than either the tearing or the drift-kink mode. The non-linear stage is first reached by the drift-kink mode, which alters the initial equilibrium and leads to a change in the growth rates of the tearing and oblique modes. In the non-linear stage, the resulting changes in magnetic topology are incompatible with a pure tearing mode. The oblique mode is shown to introduce a helical structure into the magnetic field lines.

Magnetic analysis including the field due to vacuum vessel eddy currents in the Hitachi Tokamak (HT-2)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abe, Mitsushi; Takeuchi, Kazuhiro; Fukumoto, Hideshi; Otsuka, Michio

1989-01-01

A magnetic analysis to determine plasma surface position is applied to the magnetic data of the Hitachi Tokamak (HT-2). The analysis takes account of toroidal eddy currents on the vacuum vessel wall. Magnetic probes in HT-2 are placed on both sides of the wall (plasma side and outside), making it possible to determine magnitudes of eddy currents which flow in the toroidal direction. The magnitudes of the coil currents and eddy currents are determined so as to reproduce the measured magnetic fields, and to reconstruct flux surfaces and plasma surface are reconstructed. Taking into account the eddy currents, the determination errors of the plasma surface position are reduced by up to 1/2.3 during start-up and terminating phases, compared with the case without eddy currents. (author)

Computer programs for eddy-current defect studies

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pate, J. R.; Dodd, C. V. [Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (USA)

1990-06-01

Several computer programs to aid in the design of eddy-current tests and probes have been written. The programs, written in Fortran, deal in various ways with the response to defects exhibited by four types of probes: the pancake probe, the reflection probe, the circumferential boreside probe, and the circumferential encircling probe. Programs are included which calculate the impedance or voltage change in a coil due to a defect, which calculate and plot the defect sensitivity factor of a coil, and which invert calculated or experimental readings to obtain the size of a defect. The theory upon which the programs are based is the Burrows point defect theory, and thus the calculations of the programs will be more accurate for small defects. 6 refs., 21 figs.

Computer programs for eddy-current defect studies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pate, J.R.; Dodd, C.V.

1990-06-01

Several computer programs to aid in the design of eddy-current tests and probes have been written. The programs, written in Fortran, deal in various ways with the response to defects exhibited by four types of probes: the pancake probe, the reflection probe, the circumferential boreside probe, and the circumferential encircling probe. Programs are included which calculate the impedance or voltage change in a coil due to a defect, which calculate and plot the defect sensitivity factor of a coil, and which invert calculated or experimental readings to obtain the size of a defect. The theory upon which the programs are based is the Burrows point defect theory, and thus the calculations of the programs will be more accurate for small defects. 6 refs., 21 figs

Seasonal effects in the ionosphere-thermosphere response to the precipitation and field-aligned current variations in the cusp region

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. A. Namgaladze

Full Text Available The seasonal effects in the thermosphere and ionosphere responses to the precipitating electron flux and field-aligned current variations, of the order of an hour in duration, in the summer and winter cusp regions have been investigated using the global numerical model of the Earth's upper atmosphere. Two variants of the calculations have been performed both for the IMF B_y < 0. In the first variant, the model input data for the summer and winter precipitating fluxes and field-aligned currents have been taken as geomagnetically symmetric and equal to those used earlier in the calculations for the equinoctial conditions. It has been found that both ionospheric and thermospheric disturbances are more intensive in the winter cusp region due to the lower conductivity of the winter polar cap ionosphere and correspondingly larger electric field variations leading to the larger Joule heating effects in the ion and neutral gas temperature, ion drag effects in the thermospheric winds and ion drift effects in the F2-region electron concentration. In the second variant, the calculations have been performed for the events of 28–29 January, 1992 when precipitations were weaker but the magnetospheric convection was stronger than in the first variant. Geomagnetically asymmetric input data for the summer and winter precipitating fluxes and field-aligned currents have been taken from the patterns derived by combining data obtained from the satellite, radar and ground magnetometer observations for these events. Calculated patterns of the ionospheric convection and thermospheric circulation have been compared with observations and it has been established that calculated patterns of the ionospheric convection for both winter and summer hemispheres are in a good agreement with the observations. Calculated patterns of the thermospheric circulation are in a good agreement with the average circulation for the Southern (summer Hemisphere obtained

The Ring Current Response to Solar and Interplanetary Storm Drivers

Science.gov (United States)

Mouikis, C.; Kistler, L. M.; Bingham, S.; Kronberg, E. A.; Gkioulidou, M.; Huang, C. L.; Farrugia, C. J.

2014-12-01

The ring current responds differently to the different solar and interplanetary storm drivers such as coronal mass injections, (CME's), corotating interaction regions (CIR's), high-speed streamers and other structures. The resulting changes in the ring current particle pressure, in turn, change the global magnetic field, controlling the transport of the radiation belts. To quantitatively determine the field changes during a storm throughout the magnetosphere, it is necessary to understand the transport, sources and losses of the particles that contribute to the ring current. Because the measured ring current energy spectra depend not only on local processes, but also on the history of the ions along their entire drift path, measurements of ring current energy spectra at two or more locations can be used to strongly constrain the time dependent magnetic and electric fields. In this study we use data predominantly from the Cluster and the Van Allen Probes, covering more than a full solar cycle (from 2001 to 2014). For the period 2001-2012, the Cluster CODIF and RAPID measurements of the inner magnetosphere are the primary data set used to monitor the storm time ring current variability. After 2012, the Cluster data set complements the data from the Van Allen Probes HOPE and RBSPICE instruments, providing additional measurements from different MLT and L shells. Selected storms from this periods, allow us to study the ring current dynamics and pressure changes, as a function of L shell, magnetic local time, and the type of interplanetary disturbances.

Thermodynamics, electrostatics, and ionic current in nanochannels grafted with pH-responsive end-charged polyelectrolyte brushes.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Guang; Das, Siddhartha

2017-03-01

In this paper, we study the thermodynamics, electrostatics, and an external electric field driven ionic current in a pH-responsive, end-charged polyelectrolyte (PE) brush grafted nanochannel. By employing a mean field theory, we unravel a highly nonintuitive interplay of pH and electrolyte salt concentration in dictating the height of the end-charged PE brush. Larger pH or weak hydrogen ion concentration leads to maximum ionization of the charge-producing group-as a consequence, the resulting the electric double layer (EDL) energy get maximized causing a maximum deviation of the brush height from the value (d 0 ) of the uncharged brush. This deviation may result in enhancement or lowering of the brush height as compared to d 0 depending on whether the PE end locates lower or higher than h/2 (h is the nanochannel half height) and the salt concentration. Subsequently, we use this combined PE-brush-configuration-EDL-electrostatics framework to compute the ionic current in the nanochannel. We witness that the ionic current for smaller pH is much larger despite the corresponding magnitude of the EDL electrostatic potential being much smaller-this stems from the presence of a much larger concentration of H+ ions at small pH and the fact that H+ ions have very large mobilities. In fact, this ionic current shows a steep variation with pH that can be useful in exploring new designs for applications involving quantification and characterization of ionic current in PE-brush-grafted nanochannels. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Brake Performance Analysis of ABS for Eddy Current and Electrohydraulic Hybrid Brake System

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ren He

2013-01-01

Full Text Available This paper introduces an eddy current and electro-hydraulic hybrid brake system to solve problems such as wear, thermal failure, and slow response of traditional vehicle brake system. Mathematical model was built to calculate the torque of the eddy current brake system and hydraulic brake system and analyze the braking force distribution between two types of brake systems. A fuzzy controller on personal computer based on LabVIEW and Matlab was designed and a set of hardware in the loop system was constructed to validate and analyze the performance of the hybrid brake system. Through lots of experiments on dry and wet asphalt roads, the hybrid brake system achieves perfect performance on the experimental bench, the hybrid system reduces abrasion and temperature of the brake disk, response speed is enhanced obviously, fuzzy controller keeps high utilization coefficient due to the optimal slip ratio regulation, and the total brake time has a smaller decrease than traditional hydraulic brake system.

Eddy current inspection of steam generator tubing plugs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cullen, W.K.

1990-01-01

In response to the issues raised regarding the integrity of nuclear steam generator tubing plugs manufactured from certain heats of Inconel 600, Westinghouse engineers have developed, qualified and implemented an eddy current inspection system for the in-place assessment of these plugs. The heart of the system is a robotic and effector which delivers an eddy current sensor through the reduced diameter of the plug expander and actuates the coil to physical contact with the expanded inside bore of the plug. Once deployed, the eddy current sensor is rotated along a helical path to produce a detailed scan of the plug surface above the final position of the expander. This testing produces an isometric display of degradation due to primary water stress corrosion cracking, on the inside surface of the plug. To date, successful inspections have been conducted at two nuclear units with two different robotic delivery systems. While designed specifically for mechanical plugs with a bottle bore cavity, the inspection system can also be used for expanded straight bore plugs. Details of the inspection system along with a discussion of qualification activities and actual field results are presented in this paper

Effect of a superconducting coil as a fault current limiter on current density distribution in BSCCO tape after an over-current pulse

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tallouli, M; Yamaguchi, S.; Shyshkin, O.

2017-01-01

The development of power transmission lines based on long-length high temperature superconducting (HTS) tapes is complicated and technically challenging task. A serious problem for transmission line operation could become HTS power cable damage due to over-current pulse conditions. To avoid the cable damage in any urgent case the superconducting coil technology, i.e. superconductor fault current limiter (SFCL) is required. Comprehensive understanding of the current density characteristics of HTS tapes in both cases, either after pure over-current pulse or after over-current pulse limited by SFCL, is needed to restart or to continue the operation of the power transmission line. Moreover, current density distribution along and across the HTS tape provides us with the sufficient information about the quality of the tape performance in different current feeding regimes. In present paper we examine BSCCO HTS tape under two current feeding regimes. The first one is 100A feeding preceded by 900A over-current pulse. In this case none of tape protection was used. The second scenario is similar to the fist one but SFCL is used to limit an over-current value. For both scenarios after the pulse is gone and the current feeding is set up at 100A we scan magnetic field above the tape by means of Hall probe sensor. Then the feeding is turned of and the magnetic field scanning is repeated. Using the inverse problem numerical solver we calculate the corresponding direct and permanent current density distributions during the feeding and after switch off. It is demonstrated that in the absence of SFCL the current distribution is highly peaked at the tape center. At the same time the current distribution in the experiment with SFCL is similar to that observed under normal current feeding condition. The current peaking in the first case is explained by the effect of an opposite electric field induced at the tape edges during the overcurrent pulse decay, and by degradation of

Calculation of the Critical Current Reduction in a Brittle Round Multifilamentary Wire due to External Forces

NARCIS (Netherlands)

ten Haken, Bernard; Godeke, A.; ten Kate, Herman H.J.

1994-01-01

A simple model is presented that can describe the electro-mechanical state of a multifilamentary wire. An elastic cylinder model is used to derive the strain state analytically. Axial and transverse forces came a position dependent critical current density in the wire. The integral critical current

Investigation of steel to dielectric transition using microminiature eddy-current converter

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Malikov Vladimir

2018-01-01

Full Text Available The research aims to develop a microminiature converter for electrical steel investigation. The research topic is considered relevant due to the need for evaluation and forecasting of safe operating life of electric steel products. The authors determined the capability to study steel characteristics at different depths based on variations of eddy-current converter amplitude at the steel-dielectric boundary. A microminiature transformer-type converter was designed, which enables to perform local investigations of ferromagnetic materials using eddy-current method based on local studies of the steel electrical conductivity. Having the designed converter as a basis, a hardware-software complex was built to perform experimental studies of steel at the interface boundary. A system was developed for automated converter relocation above the studied object at a specified velocity. Test results are reported for a specimen with continuous and discrete measurements taken at different frequencies. Response dependence of eddy-current converter was found to demonstrate non-linear behavior at steel to dielectric transition. The effect of gap between the eddy-current converter and the test object is investigated.

LANSCE Beam Current Limiter (XL)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gallegos, F.R.; Hall, M.J.

1997-01-01

The Radiation Security System (RSS) at the Los Alamos Neutron Science Center (LANSCE) is an engineered safety system that provides personnel protection from prompt radiation due to accelerated proton beams. The Beam Current Limiter (XL), as an active component of the RSS, limits the maximum average current in a beamline, thus the current available for a beam spill accident. Exceeding the pre-set limit initiates action by the RSS to mitigate the hazard (insertion of beam stoppers in the low energy beam transport). The beam limiter is an electrically isolated, toroidal transformer and associated electronics. The device was designed to continuously monitor beamline currents independent of any external timing. Fail-safe operation was a prime consideration in its development. Fail-safe operation is defined as functioning as intended (due to redundant circuitry), functioning with a more sensitive fault threshold, or generating a fault condition. This report describes the design philosophy, hardware, implementation, operation, and limitations of the device

Limitations Of The Current State Space Modelling Approach In Multistage Machining Processes Due To Operation Variations

Science.gov (United States)

Abellán-Nebot, J. V.; Liu, J.; Romero, F.

2009-11-01

The State Space modelling approach has been recently proposed as an engineering-driven technique for part quality prediction in Multistage Machining Processes (MMP). Current State Space models incorporate fixture and datum variations in the multi-stage variation propagation, without explicitly considering common operation variations such as machine-tool thermal distortions, cutting-tool wear, cutting-tool deflections, etc. This paper shows the limitations of the current State Space model through an experimental case study where the effect of the spindle thermal expansion, cutting-tool flank wear and locator errors are introduced. The paper also discusses the extension of the current State Space model to include operation variations and its potential benefits.

Excessive current in wide superconducting films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Volotskaya, V.G.; Sivakov, A.G.; Turutanov, O.G.

1986-01-01

The resistive state of a wide long film due to superconductivity destruction by current is studied. The voltage-independent excess current I 0 is observed on I-V curves at high transport currents. The two-dimensional image of the current-carrying sample obtained by laser scanning technique in this current range indicates that the whole film is in the resistive state. The current I 0 is measured as a function of magnetic field and SHF power

On-power verification of the dynamic response of self-powered in-core detectors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Serdula, K.; Beaudet, M.

1996-01-01

Self-powered in-core detectors are used for on-line safety and regulation purposes in CANDU reactors. Such applications require use of detectors whose response is primarily prompt to changes in flux. In-service verification of the detectors' response is required to ensure significant degradation in performance has not occurred during long-term operation. Changes in the detector characteristics occur due to nuclear interactions and failures. Present verification requires significant station resources and disrupts power production. Use of the 'noise' in the detector signal is being investigated as an alternative to assess the dynamic response of the detectors during long-term operation. Measurements of reference 'signatures' were obtained from replacement shutdown system detectors. Results show 'noise' measurements are a promising alternative to the current verification method. Identification of changes in the detector response function assist in accurate diagnosis and prognosis of changes in detector signals due to process changes. (author)

Thermally stimulated current in PTFE and its application in radiation dosimetry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ozdemir, S.

1985-01-01

Thermally Stimulated Current (TSC) measurement was made on PTFE (Polytetrafluoro ethylene) in an attempt to develop an integrating radiation dosimeter material and the system. TSC spectra, dose response, energy response, fading and background charge stability characteristics were used as a measure of suitability of various untreated and heat treated PTFE samples for dosimetry applications. For practical TSC dosimetry system, it was discovered that the PTFE samples should be subjected to a specific heat treatment in order to produce samples with better dosimeter characteristics. A treatment at a temperature of 240 C produces a high dose response and low fading characteristics. It was found that the spurious charges due to storage and low sensitivity to irradiation caused the limitation in the measurement of low doses with PTFE samples for personnel protection. However, a TSC Dosimetry system using PTFE is proposed which is suitable for radiation doses in the radiotherapy range from *approx* 50 to *approx* 800 mGy. (author)

Modulation of electric brain responses evoked by pitch deviants through transcranial direct current stimulation.

Science.gov (United States)

Royal, Isabelle; Zendel, Benjamin Rich; Desjardins, Marie-Ève; Robitaille, Nicolas; Peretz, Isabelle

2018-01-31

Congenital amusia is a neurodevelopmental disorder, characterized by a difficulty detecting pitch deviation that is related to abnormal electrical brain responses. Abnormalities found along the right fronto-temporal pathway between the inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) and the auditory cortex (AC) are the likely neural mechanism responsible for amusia. To investigate the causal role of these regions during the detection of pitch deviants, we applied cathodal (inhibitory) transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) over right frontal and right temporal regions during separate testing sessions. We recorded participants' electrical brain activity (EEG) before and after tDCS stimulation while they performed a pitch change detection task. Relative to a sham condition, there was a decrease in P3 amplitude after cathodal stimulation over both frontal and temporal regions compared to pre-stimulation baseline. This decrease was associated with small pitch deviations (6.25 cents), but not large pitch deviations (200 cents). Overall, this demonstrates that using tDCS to disrupt regions around the IFG and AC can induce temporary changes in evoked brain activity when processing pitch deviants. These electrophysiological changes are similar to those observed in amusia and provide causal support for the connection between P3 and fronto-temporal brain regions. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effects due to induced azimuthal eddy currents in a self-exciting Faraday disk homopolar dynamo with a nonlinear series motor. I.. Two special cases

Science.gov (United States)

Hide, Raymond; Moroz, Irene M.

1999-10-01

The elucidation of the behaviour of physically realistic self-exciting Faraday-disk dynamos bears inter alia on attempts by theoretical geophysicists to interpret observations of geomagnetic polarity reversals. Hide [The nonlinear differential equations governing a hierarchy of self-exciting coupled Faraday-disk homopolar dynamos, Phys. Earth Planet. Interiors 103 (1997) 281-291; Nonlinear quenching of current fluctuations in a self-exciting homopolar dynamo, Nonlinear Processes in Geophysics 4 (1998) 201-205] has introduced a novel 4-mode set of nonlinear ordinary differential equations to describe such a dynamo in which a nonlinear electric motor is connected in series with the coil. The applied couple, α, driving the disk is steady and the Lorentz couple driving the motor is a quadratic function, x(1-ɛ)+ɛσx 2, of the dynamo-generated current x, with 0≤ɛ≤1. When there are no additional biasing effects due to background magnetic fields etc., the behaviour of the dynamo is determined by eight independent non-negative control parameters. These include ρ, proportional to the resistance of the disk to azimuthal eddy currents, and β, an inverse measure of the moment of inertia of the armature of the motor. When β=0 (the case when the motor is absent and ɛ and σ are redundant) and ρ -1≠0 , the 4-mode dynamo equations reduce to the 3-mode Lorenz equations, which can behave chaotically [E. Knobloch, Chaos in the segmented disc dynamo, Phys. Lett. A 82 (1981) 439-440]. When β≠0 but ρ -1=0 , the 4-mode set of equations reduces to a 3-mode dynamo [R. Hide (1997), see above], which can also behave chaotically when ɛ=0 [R. Hide, A.C. Skeldon, D.J. Acheson, A study of two novel self-exciting single-disk homopolar dynamos: theory, Proc. R. Soc. Lond. A 452 (1996) 1369-1395] but not when ɛ=1 [R. Hide (1998), see above]. In the latter case, however, all persistent fluctuations are completely quenched [R. Hide (1998), see above]. In this paper we investigate

Pivotal response treatment for autism spectrum disorder: current perspectives

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lei J

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Jiedi Lei, Pamela Ventola Yale Child Study Center, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA Abstract: Pivotal response treatment (PRT is an evidence-based behavioral intervention based on applied behavior analysis principles aimed to improve social communication skills in individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD. PRT adopts a more naturalistic approach and focuses on using a number of strategies to help increase children’s motivation during intervention. Since its conceptualization, PRT has received much empirical support for eliciting therapeutic gains in greater use of functional social communication skills in individuals with ASD. Building upon the empirical evidence supporting PRT, recent advancements have increasingly turned to using interdisciplinary research integrating neuroimaging techniques and behavioral measures to help identify objective biomarkers of treatment, which have two primary purposes. First, neuroimaging results can help characterize how PRT may elicit change, and facilitate partitioning of the heterogeneous profiles of neural mechanisms underlying similar profile of behavioral changes observed over PRT. Second, neuroimaging provides an objective means to both map and track how biomarkers may serve as reliable and sensitive predictors of responder profiles to PRT, assisting clinicians to identify who will most likely benefit from PRT. Together, a better understanding of both mechanisms of change and predictors of responder profile will help PRT to serve as a more precise and targeted intervention for individuals with ASD, thus moving towards the goal of precision medicine and improving quality of care. This review focuses on the recent emerging neuroimaging evidences supporting PRT, offering current perspectives on the importance of interdisciplinary research to help clinicians better understand how PRT works and predict who will respond to PRT. Keywords: PRT, ASD, biomarkers, neuroimaging

Evolution and current status of demand response (DR) in electricity markets: Insights from PJM and NYISO

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Walawalkar, Rahul; Fernands, Stephen; Thakur, Netra; Chevva, Konda Reddy

2010-01-01

In electricity markets, traditional demand side management programs are slowly getting replaced with demand response (DR) programs. These programs have evolved since the early pilot programs launched in late 1990s. With the changes in market rules the opportunities have generally increased for DR for participating in emergency, economic and ancillary service programs. In recent times, various regulators have suggested that DR can also be used as a solution to meet supply - demand fluctuations in scenarios with significant penetration of variable renewable sources in grid. This paper provides an overview of the evolution of the DR programs in PJM and NYISO markets as well as analyzes current opportunities. Although DR participation has grown, most of the current participation is in the reliability programs, which are designed to provide load curtailment during peak days. This suggests that there is a significant gap between perception of ability of DR to mitigate variability of renewables and reality of current participation. DR in future can be scaled to play a more dynamic role in electricity markets, but that would require changes both on technology as well as policy front. Advances in building technologies and energy storage combined with appropriate price signals can lead to enhanced DR participation. (author)

Electrical resistivity response due to elastic-plastic deformations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stout, R.B.

1987-01-01

The electrical resistivity of many materials is sensitive to changes in the electronic band configurations surrounding the atoms, changes in the electron-phonon interaction cross-sections, and changes in the density of intrinsic defect structures. These changes are most directly dependent on interatomic measures of relative deformation. For this reason, a model for resistivity response is developed in terms of interatomic measures of relative deformation. The relative deformation consists of two terms, a continuous function to describe the recoverable displacement between two atoms in the atomic lattice structure and a functional to describe the nonrecoverable displacement between two atoms as a result of interatomic discontinuities from dislocation kinetics. This model for resistivity extends the classical piezoresistance representation and relates electric resistance change directly to physical mechanisms. An analysis for the resistivity change of a thin foil ideally embedded in a material that undergoes elastic-plastic deformation is presented. For the case of elastic deformations, stress information in the material surrounding the thin foil is inferred for the cases of pure strain coupling boundary conditions, pure stress coupling boundary conditions, and a combination of stress-strain coupling boundary conditions. 42 refs., 4 figs

Impact of Social Responsibility on Customer Loyalty Due to the Mediating Role of Mental Image and Trust in Yazd Teaching Hospitals

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N jalalian

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Introduction: It is clear that customer's loyalty is one of the main factors which influences on the success of organizations. Therefore, all productive and serving organizations should investigate the factors having influence on such criterion and present them to the managers. Regarding the mediating role of trust and mental imagination of the customers, this article focuses on investigating the effect of social responsibility of training hospitals on the loyalty of patients in Yazd city. Methods: This is a descriptive, correlation-casual study in which 384 persons were selected as the sample data was gathered by use of a questionnaire. The achieved Cronbach's alpha was more than7%. Finally, data was analyzed by use of Pearson's correlation coefficient. Moreover, the relationship between the variables was investigated using SPSS and Amos software. Results: Due to the findings, it became clear that most of the answerers were male employees among whom 45% were at the ages of 41 to 50. At statistic part, it became clear that there is a meaningful relationship between the all variables. Conclusion: Results show that factors loyalty and mental imagination are positively influenced by social responsibility. Furthermore, mental imagination influences positively on trust and social responsibility has indirect effect on it. Moreover, results show that there is a direct relationship between factors social responsibility and loyalty of the clients.

Modification of the Current Profile in DIII-D by Off-Axis Electron Cyclotron Current Drive

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Luce, T.C.; Lin-Liu, Y.R.; Harvey, R.W.; Giruzzi, G.; Lohr, J.M.; Petty, C.C.; Politzer, P.A.; Prater; Rice, B.W.

1999-01-01

Localized non-inductive currents due to electron cyclotron wave absorption have been measured on the DIII-D tokamak. Clear evidence of the non-inductive currents is seen on the internal magnetic field measurements by motional Stark effect spectroscopy. The magnitude and location of the non-inductive current is evaluated by comparing the total and Ohmic current profiles of discharges with and without electron cyclotron wave power. The measured current agrees with Fokker-Planck calculations near the magnetic axis, but exceeds the predicted value as the location of the current drive is moved to the half radius

The impact of anti-HY responses on outcome in current and subsequent pregnancies of patients with recurrent pregnancy losses

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Christiansen, Ole Bjarne; Steffensen, Rudi Nora; Nielsen, Henriette Svarre

2010-01-01

Women pregnant with a male fetus often generate cellular and humoral immune responses against male-specific minor histocompatibility (HY) antigens-however, the importance of these responses for pregnancy outcome is unclear. Epidemiologic studies have shown that the birth of a boy compared...... with a girl prior to a series of miscarriages significantly reduces the chance of a subsequent live birth and pregnancies with boys have an increased risk of placental abruption. This paper aims to review the current knowledge about the impact of anti-HY immunity on pregnancy outcome in terms of miscarriage...... and placental abruption. Our knowledge primarily comes from studies of the impact on pregnancy outcome of HLA class II alleles known to restrict CD4 T cell mediated anti-HY responses among 358 secondary recurrent miscarriage (SRM) patients and 203 of their children born prior to the miscarriages...

[Mass casualty incidents - current concepts and developments].

Science.gov (United States)

Savinsky, Godo; Stuhr, Markus; Kappus, Stefan; Trümpler, Stefan; Wenderoth, Stephan; Wohlers, Jan-Hauke; Paschen, Hans-Richard; Kerner, Thoralf

2014-12-01

Medical concepts and strategies are permanently changing. Due to the emergency response in a mass casualty incident everyone who is involved has to work together with different organisations and public authorities, which are not part of the regular emergency medical service. Within the last 25 years throughout the whole country of Germany the role of a "chief emergency physician" has been implemented and in preparation for the FIFA World Cup 2006 mobile treatment units were set up. In 2007, special units of the "Medical Task Force" - funded by the german state - were introduced and have been established by now. They will be a permanent part of regional plannings for mass casualty incidents. This article highlights current concepts and developments in different parts of Germany. © Georg Thieme Verlag Stuttgart · New York.

Modulated Current Drive Measurements

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Petty, C.C.; Lohr, J.; Luce, T.C.; Prater, R.; Cox, W.A.; Forest, C.B.; Jayakumar, R.J.; Makowski, M.A.

2005-01-01

A new measurement approach is presented which directly determines the noninductive current profile from the periodic response of the motional Stark effect (MSE) signals to the slow modulation of the external current drive source. A Fourier transform of the poloidal magnetic flux diffusion equation is used to analyze the MSE data. An example of this measurement technique is shown using modulated electron cyclotron current drive (ECCD) discharges from the DIII-D tokamak

CURRENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR COMBINATION TREATMENT OF LOWER URINARY TRACT SYMPTOMS DUE TO BENIGN PROSTATIC HYPERPLASIA IN MEN

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

G. R. Kasyan

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS associated with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH are widely presented, particularly among elderly men. It was commonly accepted that LUTS are directly or indirectly connected with the prostate. Recent studies have shown that mild andsevere forms of LUTS may have a different etiology, such as, bladder related problems: overactive bladder (OAB/detrusor overactivity or, conversely, an underactive bladder due to compromised contractions of the detrusor. There are three main groups of LUTS: storage symptoms, voiding symptoms and post-micturition symptoms. Patients with LUTS/BPH who are not sufficiently respond to monotherapy with alpha-blockers should receive additional treatment with M‑anticholinergics in accordance with the European urological guidelines. Current studies show that up to 65% of patients with LUTS/BPH with symptoms of urgency and frequency do not have sufficient reduction of symptoms after 3 months of treatment with alphablocker as monotherapy. Until recently, alpha-blockers and M‑anticholinergic medications were prescribed in combination therapy as a two separate pills. Vesomni is a combination of antimuscarinic drug solifenacin 6 mg with α1‑blocker tamsulosin OCAS 0.4 mg in one tablet. It is developed to relieve storage (urgency and frequency and voiding symptoms in men with LUTS/BPH. Solifenacin suppresses the overactivity of the detrusor and reduces storage symptoms. Tamsulosin OCAS relaxes smooth muscle of the prostate, prostatic urethra and bladder neck, and eliminates most voiding symptoms and, to a lesser extent, storage symptoms.

Response Analysis Of Payload Fairing Due To Acoustic Excitation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Annu Cherian

2015-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract During flight missions launch vehicles are subjected to a severe dynamic pressure loading aero-acoustic and structure-borne excitations of various circumstances which can endanger the survivability of the payload and the vehicles electronic equipment and consequently the success of the mission. The purpose of the fairing is to protect the satellite from damage during launch until deployment in space. Both the structural and acoustic loads are significant during the first few minutes of a launch and have the potential to damage the payload. This paper describes the analysis of mechanical structure and the inner acoustic cavity of the payload fairing subjected to acoustic field. The vibro-acoustic behaviour of the fairing is analyzed using Statistical Energy Analysis SEA Model. The software VA One is used for the statistical energy analysis of launch vehicle payload fairing due to acoustic excitation.

Measurement of current density fluctuations and ambipolar particle flux due to magnetic fluctuations in MST

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shen, Weimin.

1992-08-01

Studies of magnetic fluctuation induced particle transport on Reversed Field Pinch plasmas were done on the Madison Symmetric Torus. Plasma current density and current density fluctuations were measured using a multi-coil magnetic probes. The low frequency (f parallel B r >. The result of zero net charged particle loss was obtained, meaning the flux is ambipolar. The ambipolarity of low frequency global tearing modes is satisfied through the phase relations determined by tearing instabilities. The ambipolarity of high frequency localized modes could be partially explained by the simple model of Waltz based on the radial average of small scale turbulence

Asymmetric current-phase relation due to spin-orbit interaction in semiconductor nanowire Josephson junction

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Yokoyama, T.; Eto, M.; Nazarov, Y.V.

2012-01-01

We theoretically study the current-phase relation in semiconductor nanowire Josephson junction in the presence of spin-orbit interaction. In the nanowire, the impurity scattering with strong SO interaction is taken into account using the random matrix theory. In the absence of magnetic field, the

Polarization retention loss in PbTiO3 ferroelectric films due to leakage currents

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Morelli, A.; Venkatesan, Sriram; Palasantzas, G.; Kooi, B. J.; De Hosson, J. Th. M.

2007-01-01

The relationship between retention loss in single crystal PbTiO3 ferroelectric thin films and leakage currents is demonstrated by piezoresponse and conductive atomic force microscopy measurements. It was found that the polarization reversal in the absence of an electric field followed a stretched

Current distribution tomography for determination of internal current density distributions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gailey, P.C.

1993-01-01

A method is presented for determination of current densities inside a cylindrical object using measurements of the magnetic fields outside the object. The cross section of the object is discretized with the current assumed constant over each defined region. Magnetic fields outside the object are related to the internal current densities through a geometry matrix which can be inverted to yield a solution for the current densities in terms of the measured fields. The primary limitation of this technique results from singularities in the geometry matrix that arise due to cylindrical symmetry of the problem. Methods for circumventing the singularities to obtain information about the distribution of current densities are discussed. This process of current distribution tomography is designed to determine internal body current densities using measurements of the external magnetic field distribution. It is non-invasive, and relatively simple to implement. Although related to a more general study of magnetic imaging which has been used to investigate endogenous currents in the brain and other parts of the body, it is restricted to currents either applied directly or induced by exposure to an external field. The research is related to public concern about the possibility of health effects resulting from exposure to power frequency electric and magnetic fields

Current nuclear threats and possible responses

Science.gov (United States)

Lamb, Frederick K.

2005-04-01

Over the last 50 years, the United States has spent more than 100 billion developing and building a variety of systems intended to defend its territory against intercontinental-range ballistic missiles. Most of these systems never became operational and ultimately all were judged ineffective. The United States is currently spending about 10 billion per year developing technologies and systems intended to defend against missiles that might be acquired in the future by North Korea or Iran. This presentation will discuss these efforts ad whether they are likely to be more effective than those of the past. It will also discuss the proper role of anti-ballistic programs at a time when the threat of a nuclear attack on the U.S. by terrorists armed with nuclear weapons is thought to be much higher than the threat of an attack by nuclear-armed ballistic missles.

Are there novel resonances in nanoplasmonic structures due to nonlocal response?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Wubs, Martijn; Raza, Søren; Toscano, Giuseppe

2012-01-01

In tiny metallic nanostructures, quantum confinement and nonlocal response change the collective plasmonic behaviour with resulting important consequences for e.g. field-enhancement and extinction cross sections. Here we report on nonlocal resonances in the hydrodynamical Drude model for plasmonic...

The inverse thermal spin–orbit torque and the relation of the Dzyaloshinskii–Moriya interaction to ground-state energy currents

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Freimuth, Frank; Blügel, Stefan; Mokrousov, Yuriy

2016-01-01

Using the Kubo linear-response formalism we derive expressions to calculate the electronic contribution to the heat current generated by magnetization dynamics in ferromagnetic metals with broken inversion symmetry and spin–orbit interaction (SOI). The effect of producing heat currents by magnetization dynamics constitutes the Onsager reciprocal of the thermal spin–orbit torque (TSOT), i.e. the generation of torques on the magnetization due to temperature gradients. We find that the energy current driven by magnetization dynamics contains a contribution from the Dzyaloshinskii–Moriya interaction (DMI), which needs to be subtracted from the Kubo linear response of the energy current in order to extract the heat current. We show that the expressions of the DMI coefficient can be derived elegantly from the DMI energy current. Guided by formal analogies between the Berry phase theory of DMI on the one hand and the modern theory of orbital magnetization on the other hand we are led to an interpretation of the latter in terms of energy currents as well. Based on ab initio calculations we investigate the electronic contribution to the heat current driven by magnetization dynamics in Mn/W(0 0 1) magnetic bilayers. We predict that fast domain walls drive strong heat currents. (paper)

RF generator interlock by plasma grid bias current - An alternate to Hα interlock

Science.gov (United States)

Bandyopadhyay, M.; Gahlaut, A.; Yadav, R. K.; Pandya, K.; Tyagi, H.; Vupugalla, M.; Bhuyan, M.; Bhagora, J.; Chakraborty, A.

2017-08-01

operation, BC rises due to the presence of plasma electrons, almost in the same timescale as plasma light detection system and so, BC signal can also be used as RFG interlock. The BC signal transmission is through optical isolation to reduce noise interference with the signal. The response of the current monitoring signal available from the PG power supply of ROBIN is quite slow (in the order of few tens of milliseconds). Therefore, a fast response current detection electronic circuit having the ability to generate a PG current detection pulse with adjustable threshold set point has been developed and integrated with ROBIN, and the above concept has been demonstrated in ROBIN recently. The present paper will discuss this experimental activity and its results.

A review on current status of municipal solid waste management in India.

Science.gov (United States)

Gupta, Neha; Yadav, Krishna Kumar; Kumar, Vinit

2015-11-01

Municipal solid waste management is a major environmental issue in India. Due to rapid increase in urbanization, industrialization and population, the generation rate of municipal solid waste in Indian cities and towns is also increased. Mismanagement of municipal solid waste can cause adverse environmental impacts, public health risk and other socio-economic problem. This paper presents an overview of current status of solid waste management in India which can help the competent authorities responsible for municipal solid waste management and researchers to prepare more efficient plans. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Dynamics of Intense Currents in the Solar Wind

Science.gov (United States)

Artemyev, Anton V.; Angelopoulos, Vassilis; Halekas, Jasper S.; Vinogradov, Alexander A.; Vasko, Ivan Y.; Zelenyi, Lev M.

2018-06-01

Transient currents in the solar wind are carried by various magnetic field discontinuities that contribute significantly to the magnetic field fluctuation spectrum. Internal instabilities and dynamics of these discontinuities are believed to be responsible for magnetic field energy dissipation and corresponding charged particle acceleration and heating. Accurate modeling of these phenomena requires detailed investigation of transient current formation and evolution. By examining such evolution using a unique data set compiled from observations of the same solar wind flow by two spacecraft at Earth’s and Mars’s orbits, we show that it consists of several processes: discontinuity thinning (decrease in thickness normalized by the ion inertial length), intensification of currents normalized to the proton thermal current (i.e., the product of proton charge, density, and thermal velocity), and increase in the compressional component of magnetic field variations across discontinuities. The significant proton temperature variation around most observed discontinuities indicates possible proton heating. Plasma velocity jumps across the discontinuities are well correlated with Alfvén velocity changes. We discuss possible explanations of the observed discontinuity evolution. We also compare the observed evolution with predictions of models describing discontinuity formation due to Alfvén wave steepening. Our results show that discontinuity modeling likely requires taking into account both the effects of nonlinear Alfvén wave dynamics and solar wind expansion.

Current density tensors

Science.gov (United States)

Lazzeretti, Paolo

2018-04-01

It is shown that nonsymmetric second-rank current density tensors, related to the current densities induced by magnetic fields and nuclear magnetic dipole moments, are fundamental properties of a molecule. Together with magnetizability, nuclear magnetic shielding, and nuclear spin-spin coupling, they completely characterize its response to magnetic perturbations. Gauge invariance, resolution into isotropic, deviatoric, and antisymmetric parts, and contributions of current density tensors to magnetic properties are discussed. The components of the second-rank tensor properties are rationalized via relationships explicitly connecting them to the direction of the induced current density vectors and to the components of the current density tensors. The contribution of the deviatoric part to the average value of magnetizability, nuclear shielding, and nuclear spin-spin coupling, uniquely determined by the antisymmetric part of current density tensors, vanishes identically. The physical meaning of isotropic and anisotropic invariants of current density tensors has been investigated, and the connection between anisotropy magnitude and electron delocalization has been discussed.

Thermal Response of Cooled Silicon Nitride Plate Due to Thermal Conductivity Effects Analyzed

Science.gov (United States)

Baaklini, George Y.; Abdul-Aziz, Ali; Bhatt, Ramakrishna

2003-01-01

Lightweight, strong, tough high-temperature materials are required to complement efficiency improvements for next-generation gas turbine engines that can operate with minimum cooling. Because of their low density, high-temperature strength, and high thermal conductivity, ceramics are being investigated as materials to replace the nickelbase superalloys that are currently used for engine hot-section components. Ceramic structures can withstand higher operating temperatures and a harsh combustion environment. In addition, their low densities relative to metals help reduce component mass (ref. 1). To complement the effectiveness of the ceramics and their applicability for turbine engine applications, a parametric study using the finite element method is being carried out. The NASA Glenn Research Center remains very active in conducting and supporting a variety of research activities related to ceramic matrix composites through both experimental and analytical efforts (ref. 1). The objectives of this work are to develop manufacturing technology, develop a thermal and environmental barrier coating (TBC/EBC), develop an analytical modeling capability to predict thermomechanical stresses, and perform a minimal burner rig test on silicon nitride (Si3N4) and SiC/SiC turbine nozzle vanes under simulated engine conditions. Moreover, we intend to generate a detailed database of the material s property characteristics and their effects on structural response. We expect to offer a wide range of data since the modeling will account for other variables, such as cooling channel geometry and spacing. Comprehensive analyses have begun on a plate specimen with Si3N4 cooling holes.

Current-voltage model of LED light sources

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Beczkowski, Szymon; Munk-Nielsen, Stig

2012-01-01

Amplitude modulation is rarely used for dimming light-emitting diodes in polychromatic luminaires due to big color shifts caused by varying magnitude of LED driving current and nonlinear relationship between intensity of a diode and driving current. Current-voltage empirical model of light...

General Method for Calculating the Response and Noise Spectra of Active Fabry-Perot Semiconductor Waveguides With External Optical Injection

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Blaaberg, Søren; Mørk, Jesper

2009-01-01

We present a theoretical method for calculating small-signal modulation responses and noise spectra of active Fabry-Perot semiconductor waveguides with external light injection. Small-signal responses due to either a modulation of the pump current or due to an optical amplitude or phase modulatio...... amplifiers and an injection-locked laser. We also demonstrate the applicability of the method to analyze slow and fast light effects in semiconductor waveguides. Finite reflectivities of the facets are found to influence the phase changes of the injected microwave-modulated light....

Bleaching susceptibility and recovery of Colombian Caribbean corals in response to water current exposure and seasonal upwelling.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Elisa Bayraktarov

Full Text Available Coral bleaching events are globally occurring more frequently and with higher intensity, mainly caused by increases in seawater temperature. In Tayrona National Natural Park (TNNP in the Colombian Caribbean, local coral communities are subjected to seasonal wind-triggered upwelling events coinciding with stronger water currents depending on location. This natural phenomenon offers the unique opportunity to study potential water current-induced mitigation mechanisms of coral bleaching in an upwelling influenced region. Therefore, coral bleaching susceptibility and recovery patterns were compared during a moderate and a mild bleaching event in December 2010 and 2011, and at the end of the subsequent upwelling periods at a water current-exposed and -sheltered site of an exemplary bay using permanent transect and labeling tools. This was accompanied by parallel monitoring of key environmental variables. Findings revealed that in 2010 overall coral bleaching before upwelling was significantly higher at the sheltered (34% compared to the exposed site (8%. Whereas 97% of all previously bleached corals at the water current-exposed site had recovered from bleaching by April 2011, only 77% recovered at the sheltered site, but 12% had died there. In December 2011, only mild bleaching (<10% at both sites was observed, but corals recovered significantly at both sites in the course of upwelling. No differences in water temperatures between sites occurred, but water current exposure and turbidity were significantly higher at the exposed site, suggesting that these variables may be responsible for the observed site-specific mitigation of coral bleaching. This indicates the existence of local resilience patterns against coral bleaching in Caribbean reefs.

Bleaching susceptibility and recovery of Colombian Caribbean corals in response to water current exposure and seasonal upwelling.

Science.gov (United States)

Bayraktarov, Elisa; Pizarro, Valeria; Eidens, Corvin; Wilke, Thomas; Wild, Christian

2013-01-01

Coral bleaching events are globally occurring more frequently and with higher intensity, mainly caused by increases in seawater temperature. In Tayrona National Natural Park (TNNP) in the Colombian Caribbean, local coral communities are subjected to seasonal wind-triggered upwelling events coinciding with stronger water currents depending on location. This natural phenomenon offers the unique opportunity to study potential water current-induced mitigation mechanisms of coral bleaching in an upwelling influenced region. Therefore, coral bleaching susceptibility and recovery patterns were compared during a moderate and a mild bleaching event in December 2010 and 2011, and at the end of the subsequent upwelling periods at a water current-exposed and -sheltered site of an exemplary bay using permanent transect and labeling tools. This was accompanied by parallel monitoring of key environmental variables. Findings revealed that in 2010 overall coral bleaching before upwelling was significantly higher at the sheltered (34%) compared to the exposed site (8%). Whereas 97% of all previously bleached corals at the water current-exposed site had recovered from bleaching by April 2011, only 77% recovered at the sheltered site, but 12% had died there. In December 2011, only mild bleaching (corals recovered significantly at both sites in the course of upwelling. No differences in water temperatures between sites occurred, but water current exposure and turbidity were significantly higher at the exposed site, suggesting that these variables may be responsible for the observed site-specific mitigation of coral bleaching. This indicates the existence of local resilience patterns against coral bleaching in Caribbean reefs.

Near-earth Thin Current Sheets and Birkeland Currents during Substorm Growth Phase

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sorin Zaharia; Cheng, C.Z.

2003-01-01

Two important phenomena observed during the magnetospheric substorm growth phase are modeled: the formation of a near-Earth (|X| ∼ 9 R E ) thin cross-tail current sheet, as well as the equatorward shift of the ionospheric Birkeland currents. Our study is performed by solving the 3-D force-balance equation with realistic boundary conditions and pressure distributions. The results show a cross-tail current sheet with large current (J φ ∼ 10 nA/m 2 ) and very high plasma β (β ∼ 40) between 7 and 10 R E . The obtained region-1 and region-2 Birkeland currents, formed on closed field lines due to pressure gradients, move equatorward and become more intense (J parallel max ∼ 3 (micro)A/m 2 ) compared to quiet times. Both results are in agreement with substorm growth phase observations. Our results also predict that the cross-tail current sheet maps into the ionosphere in the transition region between the region-1 and region-2 currents

Microwave-detected optical response of YBa2Cu3O7-x thin films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kaplan, R.; Carlos, W.E.; Cukauskas, E.J.; Ryu, J.

1990-01-01

Microwave-detected optical response (MDOR) of YBa 2 Cu 3 O 7-x and other oxide superconductor thin films is shown to yield information complementary to that provided by trasnport photoconductivity measurements. The MDOR technique yields a superposition of response from all illuminated portions of a sample, irrespective of the existence of a resistive macroscopic percolative current path. The response is found to be bolometric at temperatures for which resistance appears in transport measurements. At low temperatures MDOR results imply a nonbolometric response which in some respects is consistent with nonequilibrium quasiparticle concentration due to radiative pair breaking

Electronically Tunable Current Controlled Current Conveyor Transconductance Amplifier-Based Mixed-Mode Biquadratic Filter with Resistorless and Grounded Capacitors

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hua-Pin Chen

2017-03-01

Full Text Available A new electronically tunable mixed-mode biquadratic filter with three current controlled current conveyor transconductance amplifiers (CCCCTAs and two grounded capacitors is proposed. With current input, the filter can realise lowpass (LP, bandpass (BP, highpass (HP, bandstop (BS and allpass (AP responses in current mode and LP, BP and HP responses in transimpedance mode. With voltage input, the filter can realise LP, BP, HP, BS and AP responses in voltage and transadmittance modes. Other attractive features of the mixed-mode biquadratic filter are (1 the use of two grounded capacitors, which is ideal for integrated circuit implementation; (2 orthogonal control of the quality factor (Q and resonance angular frequency (ωo for easy electronic tenability; (3 low input impedance and high output impedance for current signals; (4 high input impedance for voltage signal; (5 avoidance of need for component-matching conditions; (6 resistorless and electronically tunable structure; (7 low active and passive sensitivities; and (8 independent control of the voltage transfer gains without affecting the parameters ωo and Q.

Acute nicotine induced pressor response is in part due to interaction ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Arterial baro-reception is regarded as one of the most powerful rapidly acting homeostatic mechanism regulating blood pressure. Investigation had suggested that nicotine may interact with aortic baro-receptors to produce its sustained presser response, an effect that had received little attention. Anaesthetized Wister albino ...

Fault current limiter using bulk oxides superconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Belmont, O.; Ferracci, P.; Porcar, L.; Barbut, J.M.; Tixador, P.; Noudem, J.G.; Bourgault, D.; Tournier, R.

1998-01-01

We study the limitation possibilities of bulk Bi high T c materials. For this we test these materials with AC or DC currents above their critical currents. We study particularly the evolution of the voltage with time or with current. The material, the value of the current and the time duration play important parts. For sintered Bi samples the voltage depends only on the current even for values much larger than the critical current. With textured samples the V(I) curves shows an hysteretic behaviour due to a warming up. The textured materials are more interesting than sintered ones in terms of required volume for the current limitation. In both cases the superconductors are in a dissipative state but not in the normal state. This state is nevertheless reached if the dissipated energy inside the sample is sufficient. We have tried to apply a magnetic field on the samples in order to trigger a more effective limitation. The voltage increases but with a limited effect for currents much higher (3-4 times) than the critical zero field current. We think that the dissipative state is due mainly to the grain boundaries which become resistive above the critical current. (orig.)

Loads on a 3D body due to second order waves and a current

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Skourup, Jesper; Cheung, K. F.; Bingham, Harry B.

2000-01-01

are expanded about the still-water level by Taylor series so that the solution is evaluated on a time-invariant geometry. A formulation correct to second order in the wave steepness and to first order in the current speed is used. Numerical results are obtained for the first-order and the second...

Microscopic origin of gating current fluctuations in a potassium channel voltage sensor.

Science.gov (United States)

Freites, J Alfredo; Schow, Eric V; White, Stephen H; Tobias, Douglas J

2012-06-06

Voltage-dependent ion channels open and close in response to changes in membrane electrical potential due to the motion of their voltage-sensing domains (VSDs). VSD charge displacements within the membrane electric field are observed in electrophysiology experiments as gating currents preceding ionic conduction. The elementary charge motions that give rise to the gating current cannot be observed directly, but appear as discrete current pulses that generate fluctuations in gating current measurements. Here we report direct observation of gating-charge displacements in an atomistic molecular dynamics simulation of the isolated VSD from the KvAP channel in a hydrated lipid bilayer on the timescale (10-μs) expected for elementary gating charge transitions. The results reveal that gating-charge displacements are associated with the water-catalyzed rearrangement of salt bridges between the S4 arginines and a set of conserved acidic side chains on the S1-S3 transmembrane segments in the hydrated interior of the VSD. Copyright © 2012 Biophysical Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Current concepts in the management of acute pancreatitis

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Gautham Srinivasan

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Guidelines for the management of acute pancreatitis (AP are based on the Western experience, which may be difficult to extrapolate in India due to socioeconomic constraints. Hence, modifications based on the available resources and referral patterns should be introduced so as to ensure appropriate care. We reviewed the current literature on the management of AP available in English on Medline and proposed guidelines locally applicable. Patients of AP presenting with systemic inflammatory response syndrome are at risk of moderate-severe pancreatitis and hence, should be referred to a tertiary center early. The vast majority of patients with AP have mild disease and can be managed at smaller centers. Early aggressive fluid resuscitation with controlled fluid expansion, early enteral nutrition, and culture-directed antibiotics improve outcomes in AP. Infected pancreatic necrosis should be managed in a tertiary care hospital within a multidisciplinary setup. The “step up” approach involving antibiotics, percutaneous drainage, and minimally invasive necrosectomy instituted sequentially based on clinical response has improved the outcomes in this subgroup of patients.

Amplitude-independent flaw length determination using differential eddy current

Science.gov (United States)

Shell, E.

2013-01-01

Military engine component manufacturers typically specify the eddy current (EC) inspection requirements as a crack length or depth with the assumption that the cracks in both the test specimens and inspected component are of a similar fixed aspect ratio. However, differential EC response amplitude is dependent on the area of the crack face, not the length or depth. Additionally, due to complex stresses, in-service cracks do not always grow in the assumed manner. It would be advantageous to use more of the information contained in the EC data to better determine the full profile of cracks independent of the fixed aspect ratio amplitude response curve. A specimen with narrow width notches is used to mimic cracks of varying aspect ratios in a controllable manner. The specimen notches have aspect ratios that vary from 1:1 to 10:1. Analysis routines have been developed using the shape of the EC response signals that can determine the length of a surface flaw of common orientations without use of the amplitude of the signal or any supporting traditional probability of detection basis. Combined with the relationship between signal amplitude and area, the depth of the flaw can also be calculated.

Top-Down Effect of Direct Current Stimulation on the Nociceptive Response of Rats.

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Luiz Fabio Dimov

Full Text Available Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS is an emerging, noninvasive technique of neurostimulation for treating pain. However, the mechanisms and pathways involved in its analgesic effects are poorly understood. Therefore, we investigated the effects of direct current stimulation (DCS on thermal and mechanical nociceptive thresholds and on the activation of the midbrain periaqueductal gray (PAG and the dorsal horn of the spinal cord (DHSC in rats; these central nervous system areas are associated with pain processing. Male Wistar rats underwent cathodal DCS of the motor cortex and, while still under stimulation, were evaluated using tail-flick and paw pressure nociceptive tests. Sham stimulation and naive rats were used as controls. We used a randomized design; the assays were not blinded to the experimenter. Immunoreactivity of the early growth response gene 1 (Egr-1, which is a marker of neuronal activation, was evaluated in the PAG and DHSC, and enkephalin immunoreactivity was evaluated in the DHSC. DCS did not change the thermal nociceptive threshold; however, it increased the mechanical nociceptive threshold of both hind paws compared with that of controls, characterizing a topographical effect. DCS decreased the Egr-1 labeling in the PAG and DHSC as well as the immunoreactivity of spinal enkephalin. Altogether, the data suggest that DCS disinhibits the midbrain descending analgesic pathway, consequently inhibiting spinal nociceptive neurons and causing an increase in the nociceptive threshold. This study reinforces the idea that the motor cortex participates in the neurocircuitry that is involved in analgesia and further clarifies the mechanisms of action of tDCS in pain treatment.

Spin relaxation in quantum dots due to electron exchange with leads.

Science.gov (United States)

Vorontsov, A B; Vavilov, M G

2008-11-28

We calculate spin relaxation rates in lateral quantum dot systems due to electron exchange between dots and leads. Using rate equations, we develop a theoretical description of the experimentally observed electric current in the spin blockade regime of double quantum dots. A single expression fits the entire current profile and describes the structure of both the conduction peaks and the suppressed ("valley") region. Extrinsic rates calculated here have to be taken into account for accurate extraction of intrinsic relaxation rates due to the spin-orbit and hyperfine spin scattering mechanisms from spin blockade measurements.

Ankylosis Due Sequel Of Fracture Of The Mandibular Condyle: Case Report

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Alina Alencar Ferreira Gomes

2017-08-01

Full Text Available The Ankylosis of the Temporomandibular joint (TMJ is a disorder of craniofacial complex that results in the merger between the condyle and the mandibular fossa, causing partial or complete immobilization of the mandible. The etiological factors are local and systemic inflammation, infection in the area of TMJ, rheumatic diseases and neoplasms, having the trauma as the main etiologic factor. The traumas are responsible for 31% to 98% of cases of ankylosis. The diagnosis is made from the anamnesis and imaging scans (computed tomography pointing to the union of joint components. The treatment of ankylosis is a big challenge due the high rate of recurrence that can be affected by factors such as type of ankylosis, surgical technique, age of the patient, post-operative physiotherapy and systematic follow-up of the patient. The various forms of treatment require careful analysis of type of ankylosis if it is intra or extra-articular, unilateral or bilateral and if it is bony or fibrous, There is no consensus in current literature regarding the best treatment. The aim of this work is to present through the report of a clinical case, a surgical treatment of Unilateral Temporomandibular joint Ankylosis, due to sequel of condylar fracture with re-establishment of the stomatognathic functions in postoperative follow-up.

Pathogenesis and inflammatory response in experimental caprine mastitis due to Staphylococcus chromogenes.

Science.gov (United States)

Lasagno, M; Ortiz, M; Vissio, C; Yaciuk, R; Bonetto, C; Pellegrino, M; Bogni, C; Odierno, L; Raspanti, C

2018-03-01

Coagulase-negative staphylococci (CNS) are the most frequently isolated bacteria in cases of subclinical mastitis in dairy cows. CNS species may differ in their pathogenicity, but very little is known about their virulence factors or their immune response in intramammary infections. To our knowledge, no experimental studies into the mastitis pathogenesis caused by CNS have been described in lactating goats. The aim of this study was to induce an experimentally Staphylococcus chromogenes mastitis in lactating goats aimed at verifying if the model can be used to evaluate the inflammatory response, the dynamics of infection and the pathological findings within the first hours of intramammary inoculation. Six Saanen goats in mid-lactation were inoculated with 1 × 10 7 colony forming units of S. chromogenes. Bacterial growth peaked in milk from the challenged right halves of the mammary glands (RMG) at 4 h post inoculation (PI). Shedding of viable bacteria showed a marked decrease at 12 h PI. An increase in mean somatic cell counts was observed in the milk samples from 8 h PI onwards. Mild clinical signs were evoked by intramammary inoculation. Staphylococcus chromogenes could be isolated in tissue from all RMG. Histological examination of specimens of the RMG and lymph nodes of the goats showed an increased inflammatory response throughout the experiment with respect to control halves. In conclusion, the experimental inoculation of S. chromogenes in lactating goats is capable of eliciting an inflammatory response and capable of causing pathological changes. This research represents a preliminary study for a better knowledge of the mastitis pathogenesis caused by S. chromogenes. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A new amplifier for improving piezoelectric actuator linearity based on current switching in precision positioning

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ru, Changhai; Chen, Liguo; Shao, Bing; Rong, Weibin; Sun, Lining

2008-01-01

Piezoelectric actuators have traditionally been driven by voltage amplifiers. When driven at large voltages these actuators exhibit a significant amount of distortion, known as hysteresis, which may reduce the stability robustness of the system in feedback control applications. Piezoelectric transducers are known to exhibit less hysteresis when driven with current or charge rather than voltage. Despite this advantage, such methods have found little practical application due to the poor low frequency response of present current and charge driver designs. In this paper, a new piezoelectric amplifier based on current switching is presented which can reduce hysteresis. Special circuits and a hybrid control algorithm realize quick and precise positioning. Experimental results demonstrate that the amplifier can be used for dynamic and static applications and low frequency bandwidths can also be achieved

Analysis of the dynamic response improvement of a turbocharged diesel engine driven alternating current generating set

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Katrasnik, Tomaz; Medica, Vladimir; Trenc, Ferdinand

2005-01-01

Reliability of electric supply systems is among the most required necessities of modern society. Turbocharged diesel engine driven alternating current generating sets are often used to prevent electric black outs and/or as prime electric energy suppliers. It is well known that turbocharged diesel engines suffer from an inadequate response to a sudden load increase, this being a consequence of the nature of the energy exchange between the engine and the turbocharger. The dynamic response of turbocharged diesel engines could be improved by electric assisting systems, either by direct energy supply with an integrated starter-generator-booster (ISG) mounted on the engine flywheel, or by an indirect energy supply with an electrically assisted turbocharger. An experimentally verified zero dimensional computer simulation method was used for the analysis of both types of electrical assistance. The paper offers an analysis of the interaction between a turbocharged diesel engine and different electric assisting systems, as well as the requirements for the supporting electric motors that could improve the dynamic response of a diesel engine while driving an AC generating set. When performance class compliance is a concern, it is evident that an integrated starter-generator-booster outperforms an electrically assisted turbocharger for the investigated generating set. However, the electric energy consumption and frequency recovery times are smaller when an electrically assisted turbocharger is applied

Optimal swimming speed in head currents and effects on distance movement of winter-migrating fish.

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Jakob Brodersen

Full Text Available Migration is a commonly described phenomenon in nature that is often caused by spatial and temporal differences in habitat quality. However, as migration requires energy, the timing of migration may depend not only on differences in habitat quality, but also on temporal variation in migration costs. Such variation can, for instance, arise from changes in wind or current velocity for migrating birds and fish, respectively. Whereas behavioural responses of birds to such changing environmental conditions have been relatively well described, this is not the case for fish, although fish migrations are both ecologically and economically important. We here use passive and active telemetry to study how winter migrating roach regulate swimming speed and distance travelled per day in response to variations in head current velocity. Furthermore, we provide theoretical predictions on optimal swimming speeds in head currents and relate these to our empirical results. We show that fish migrate farther on days with low current velocity, but travel at a greater ground speed on days with high current velocity. The latter result agrees with our predictions on optimal swimming speed in head currents, but disagrees with previously reported predictions suggesting that fish ground speed should not change with head current velocity. We suggest that this difference is due to different assumptions on fish swimming energetics. We conclude that fish are able to adjust both swimming speed and timing of swimming activity during migration to changes in head current velocity in order to minimize energy use.

Maturation of cognitive control: delineating response inhibition and interference suppression.

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Christopher R Brydges

Full Text Available Cognitive control is integral to the ability to attend to a relevant task whilst suppressing distracting information or inhibiting prepotent responses. The current study examined the development of these two subprocesses by examining electrophysiological indices elicited during each process. Thirteen 18 year-old adults and thirteen children aged 8-11 years (mean=9.77 years completed a hybrid Go/Nogo flanker task while continuous EEG data were recorded. The N2 topography for both response inhibition and interference suppression changed with increasing age. The neural activation associated with response inhibition became increasingly frontally distributed with age, and showed decreases of both amplitude and peak latency from childhood to adulthood, possibly due to reduced cognitive demands and myelination respectively occurring during this period. Interestingly, a significant N2 effect was apparent in adults, but not observed in children during trials requiring interference suppression. This could be due to more diffuse activation in children, which would require smaller levels of activation over a larger region of the brain than is reported in adults. Overall, these results provide evidence of distinct maturational processes occurring throughout late childhood and adolescence, highlighting the separability of response inhibition and interference suppression.

Enhanced Brain Responses to Pain-Related Words in Chronic Back Pain Patients and Their Modulation by Current Pain.

Science.gov (United States)

Ritter, Alexander; Franz, Marcel; Puta, Christian; Dietrich, Caroline; Miltner, Wolfgang H R; Weiss, Thomas

2016-08-10

Previous functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies in healthy controls (HC) and pain-free migraine patients found activations to pain-related words in brain regions known to be activated while subjects experience pain. The aim of the present study was to identify neural activations induced by pain-related words in a sample of chronic back pain (CBP) patients experiencing current chronic pain compared to HC. In particular, we were interested in how current pain influences brain activations induced by pain-related adjectives. Subjects viewed pain-related, negative, positive, and neutral words; subjects were asked to generate mental images related to these words during fMRI scanning. Brain activation was compared between CBP patients and HC in response to the different word categories and examined in relation to current pain in CBP patients. Pain-related words vs. neutral words activated a network of brain regions including cingulate cortex and insula in subjects and patients. There was stronger activation in medial and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) and anterior midcingulate cortex in CPB patients than in HC. The magnitude of activation for pain-related vs. negative words showed a negative linear relationship to CBP patients' current pain. Our findings confirm earlier observations showing that pain-related words activate brain networks similar to noxious stimulation. Importantly, CBP patients show even stronger activation of these structures while merely processing pain-related words. Current pain directly influences on this activation.

A direct current amplifier with linear or logarithmic response; Amplificateur courant continu a reponse lineaire ou logarithmique

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ailloud, J; Chandanson, P [Commissariat a l' Energie Atomique, Saclay (France). Centre d' Etudes Nucleaires

1956-07-01

The following paper examines the conditions governing the construction of an instrument with logarithmic response, capable of measuring currents between 10{sup -10} A and 10{sup -4} A. The development is described of a type of stabilised direct current amplifier, designed particularly to operate in a Pile control board, giving indications proportional either to the power, on to the log. of this power, and which may also be linked to an instrument for measuring reactivity. (author) [French] On examine dans ce qui suit les conditions qui president a la realisation d'un ensemble a reponse logarithmique, utilisable pour mesurer des courants compris entre 10{sup -10} A et 10{sup -4} A. On decrit la realisation d'un type d'amplificateur courant continu stable, destine plus specialement a fonctionner dans un tableau de commande de Pile, donnant des indications proportionnelles soit a la puissance, soit au logarithme de cette puissance et de plus associe avec un ensemble de mesure de reactivite. (auteur)

Numerical simulation of dipolar magnetic field inflation due to equatorial ring-current

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kajimura, Yoshihiro; Funaki, Ikkoh; Shinohara, Iku; Usui, Hideyuki; Matsumoto, Masaharu; Yamakawa, Hiroshi

2014-01-01

Magneto Plasma Sail (MPS) is one of the next generation space propulsion systems which generates a propulsive force using the interaction between the solar wind plasma and an artificial inflated magnetosphere generated by a superconductive coil. In the MPS system, the magnetosphere as a sail must be inflated by the plasma injection from the spacecraft in order to obtain the thrust gain. In the present study, the magnetic inflation concept is numerically tested by so-called ion one-component plasma model. As a simulation result, the magnetic moment of the system is drastically increased up to 45 times that of the coil current at plasma-β = 20 and r Li /L (radius of gyro motion / characteristics length of the magnetic field) = 0.01, and this is the first successful magnetosphere inflation obtained by numerical simulation. Corresponding maximum thrust gain is also estimated to be about 45. (author)

Being prepared on time: On the importance of the previous foreperiod on current preparation, as reflected in speed force and preparation-related brain potentials.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Van der Lubbe, R.H.J.; Los, S.A.; Jaskowski, P.; Verleger, R.

2004-01-01

How do participants adapt to temporal variation of preparatory foreperiods? For reaction times, specific sequential effects have been observed. Responses become slower when the foreperiod is shorter on the current than on the previous trial. If this effect is due to changes in motor activation, it

Being prepared on time: on the importance of the previous foreperiod to current preparation, as reflected in speed, force and preparation-related brain potentials

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van der Lubbe, Robert Henricus Johannes; Los, Sander A.; Jaśkowski, Piotr; Verleger, Rolf

2004-01-01

How do participants adapt to temporal variation of preparatory foreperiods? For reaction times, specific sequential effects have been observed. Responses become slower when the foreperiod is shorter on the current than on the previous trial. If this effect is due to changes in motor activation, it

SQUID based cryogenic current comparator for measurements of the dark current of superconducting cavities

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Vodel, W.; Nietzsche, S.; Neubert, R.; Nawrodt, R. [Friedrich Schiller Univ. Jena (Germany); Peters, A. [GSI Darmstadt (Germany); Knaack, K.; Wendt, M.; Wittenburg, K. [DESY Hamburg (Germany)

2005-07-01

The linear accelerator technology, based on super-conducting L-band (1.3 GHz) is currently under study at DESY (Hamburg, Germany). The two 10 km long main Linacs will be equipped with a total of nearly 20.000 cavities. The dark current due to the emission of electrons in these high gradient field super-conducting cavities is an unwanted particle source. A newly high performance SQUID based measurement system for detecting dark currents is proposed. It makes use of the Cryogenic Current Comparator principle and senses dark currents in the pA range with a measurement bandwidth of up to 70 kHz. The use of a cryogenic current comparator as dark current sensor has some important advantages: -) the measurement of the absolute value of the dark current, -) the non-dependence on the electron trajectories, -) the accurate absolute calibration with an additional wire loop, and -) extremely high resolution.

Monitoring and modeling shoreline response due to shoreface nourishment on a high-energy coast

Science.gov (United States)

Barnard, P. L.; Erikson, Li H.; Hansen, J. E.

2009-01-01

Shoreface nourishment can be an efficient technique to feed sediment into the littoral zone without the order of magnitude cost increase incurred by directly nourishing the beach. An erosion hot spot at Ocean Beach in San Francisco, California, USA, threatens valuable public infrastructure as well as safe recreational use of the beach. In an effort to reduce the erosion at this location, a new beneficial reuse plan was implemented in May 2005 for the sediment dredged annually from the main shipping channel at the mouth of San Francisco Bay. From 2005 to 2007, approximately 230,000 m of sand was placed annually at depths between 9 and 14 m, in a location where strong tidal currents and open-ocean waves could potentially feed sediment onto the section of beach experiencing critical erosion. The evolution of the disposal mound and adjacent beach were monitored with 12 multibeam bathymetric surveys, and over 40 high-resolution beach topographic surveys. In addition, sediment transport processes were investigated using sediment grab samples, acoustic Doppler profilers, and two separate models: a cross-shore profile model (UNIBEST-TC) and a coastal area model (Delft3D). The results of the monitoring and modeling demonstrate that the disposal mound may be effective in dissipating wave energy striking this vulnerable stretch of coast with negligible shadowing effects, but a positive shoreline response can only be achieved by placing the sediment in water depths less than 5 m. 

No effect of anodal transcranial direct current stimulation over the motor cortex on response-related ERPs during a conflict task.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alexander Christian Conley

2016-08-01

Full Text Available Anodal transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS over the motor cortex is considered a potential treatment for motor rehabilitation following stroke and other neurological pathologies. However, both the context under which this stimulation is effective and the underlying mechanisms remain to be determined. In this study, we examined the mechanisms by which anodal tDCS may affect motor performance by recording event-related potentials (ERPs during a cued go/nogo task after anodal tDCS over dominant M1 in young adults (Experiment 1 and both dominant and non-dominant M1 in old adults (Experiment 2. In both experiments, anodal tDCS had no effect on either response time or response-related ERPs, including the cue-locked contingent negative variation (CNV and both target-locked and response-locked lateralised readiness potentials (LRP. Bayesian model selection analyses showed that, for all measures, the null effects model was stronger than a model including anodal tDCS vs. sham. We conclude that anodal tDCS has no effect on response time or response-related ERPs during a cued go/nogo task in either young or old adults.

Global earthquake casualties due to secondary effects: A quantitative analysis for improving rapid loss analyses

Science.gov (United States)

Marano, K.D.; Wald, D.J.; Allen, T.I.

2010-01-01

This study presents a quantitative and geospatial description of global losses due to earthquake-induced secondary effects, including landslide, liquefaction, tsunami, and fire for events during the past 40 years. These processes are of great importance to the US Geological Survey's (USGS) Prompt Assessment of Global Earthquakes for Response (PAGER) system, which is currently being developed to deliver rapid earthquake impact and loss assessments following large/significant global earthquakes. An important question is how dominant are losses due to secondary effects (and under what conditions, and in which regions)? Thus, which of these effects should receive higher priority research efforts in order to enhance PAGER's overall assessment of earthquakes losses and alerting for the likelihood of secondary impacts? We find that while 21.5% of fatal earthquakes have deaths due to secondary (non-shaking) causes, only rarely are secondary effects the main cause of fatalities. The recent 2004 Great Sumatra-Andaman Islands earthquake is a notable exception, with extraordinary losses due to tsunami. The potential for secondary hazards varies greatly, and systematically, due to regional geologic and geomorphic conditions. Based on our findings, we have built country-specific disclaimers for PAGER that address potential for each hazard (Earle et al., Proceedings of the 14th World Conference of the Earthquake Engineering, Beijing, China, 2008). We will now focus on ways to model casualties from secondary effects based on their relative importance as well as their general predictability. ?? Springer Science+Business Media B.V. 2009.

Development of a beam current monitor by using an amorphous magnetic core

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kobayashi, T.; Ueda, T.; Yoshida, Y.; Miya, K.; Tagawa, S.; Kobayashi, H.

1993-01-01

The high performance amorphous magnetic core monitor (ACM) for the measurement of electron beam currents has been developed. This monitor is composed of an amorphous magnetic core, radiation shields, a winding, magnetic absorbers, a ceramic vacuum duct and a SMA connecter. The ACM showed the very fast rise and fall times (< 1 ns), the high sensitivity (5 V/A at 50 Ω load), the good linearity, and good S/N ratio due to the high permeability of the amorphous magnetic core. The monitor works as a primary transformer. The time-response was simulated by an electric circuit analysis code. (orig.)

Run-up on a structure due to second-order waves and current in a numerical wave tank

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Buchmann, Bjarne; Skourup, Jesper; Cheung, Kwok Fai

1998-01-01

order in current speed. The boundary-value problem is separated into a known incident wave field and an unknown scattered wave field, the latter being absorbed at the radiation boundaries using active wave absorption. The present paper focuses on the wave run-up on a structure in waves and current...

Maedi-Visna virus: current perspectives

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gomez-Lucia E

2018-05-01

Full Text Available Esperanza Gomez-Lucia, Nuria Barquero, Ana Domenech Department of Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Complutense University, Madrid, Spain Abstract: Maedi-Visna virus (MVV and caprine arthritis-encephalitis virus are commonly known as small ruminant lentiviruses (SRLVs due to their genetic, structural, and pathogenic similarities. They produce lifelong lasting infections in their hosts, which are characterized by slow progression till overt disease happens. There are four major clinical forms derived from a chronic inflammatory response due to the constant low grade production of viruses from monocyte-derived macrophages: respiratory (caused by interstitial pneumonia, mammary (which may produce a decrease in milk production due to subclinical mastitis, joint (characterized by lameness, and neurological (characterized by chronic nonpurulent meningoencephalomyelitis. There are three levels which try to eliminate the virus: cellular, body, and the flock level. However, SRLVs have ways to counteract these defenses. This review examines some of them. Keywords: small ruminant lentivirus, molecular biology, immune response, genetic resistance

Midbroken Reinforced Concrete Shear Frames Due to Earthquakes

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Köylüoglu, H. U.; Cakmak, A. S.; Nielsen, Søren R. K.

A non-linear hysteretic model for the response and local damage analyses of reinforced concrete shear frames subject to earthquake excitation is proposed, and, the model is applied to analyse midbroken reinforced concrete (RC) structures due to earthquake loads. Each storey of the shear frame...

Bleaching response of coral species in the context of assemblage response

Science.gov (United States)

Swain, Timothy D.; DuBois, Emily; Goldberg, Scott J.; Backman, Vadim; Marcelino, Luisa A.

2017-06-01

Caribbean coral reefs are declining due to a mosaic of local and global stresses, including climate change-induced thermal stress. Species and assemblage responses differ due to factors that are not easily identifiable or quantifiable. We calculated a novel species-specific metric of coral bleaching response, taxon- α and - β, which relates the response of a species to that of its assemblages for 16 species over 18 assemblages. By contextualizing species responses within the response of their assemblages, the effects of environmental factors are removed and intrinsic differences among taxa are revealed. Most corals experience either a saturation response, overly sensitive to weak stress ( α > 0) but under-responsive compared to assemblage bleaching ( β bleaching ( β > 1). This metric may help reveal key factors of bleaching susceptibility and identify species as targets for conservation.

Conformational basis for the Li(+)-induced leak current in the rat gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) transporter-1

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

MacAulay, Nanna; Zeuthen, Thomas; Gether, Ulrik

2002-01-01

The rat gamma-aminobutyric acid transporter-1 (GAT-1) was expressed in Xenopus laevis oocytes and the substrate-independent Li(+)-induced leak current was examined using two-electrode voltage clamp. The leak current was not affected by the addition of GABA and was not due to H(+) permeation. The Li......(+)-bound conformation of the protein displayed a lower passive water permeability than that of the Na(+)- and choline (Ch(+))-bound conformations and the leak current did not saturate with increasing amounts of Li(+) in the test solution. The mechanism that gives rise to the leak current did not support active water...... transport in contrast to the mechanism responsible for GABA translocation (approximately 330 water molecules per charge). Altogether, these data support the distinct nature of the leak conductance in relation to the substrate translocation process. It was observed that the leak current was inhibited by low...

Magnetic levitation by induced eddy currents in non-magnetic conductors and conductivity measurements

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Iniguez, J; Raposo, V; Flores, A G; Zazo, M; Hernandez-Lopez, A

2005-01-01

We report a study on magnetic levitation by induced ac currents in non-magnetic conductors at low frequencies. Our discussion, based on Faraday's induction law, allows us to distinguish the two components of the current responsible for levitation and heating, respectively. The experimental evaluation of the levitation force in a copper ring revealed the accuracy of our analysis, clearly illustrating its asymptotic behaviour versus frequency, and validating it for the qualitative analysis of magnetic levitation and heating in conductors of different shapes such as tubes and discs, composed of collections of conductive loops. The analysis of the results allows precise values of its electrical conductivity to be found. With the help of a simulation technique, this work also reveals the progressive deformation undergone by magnetic induction lines due to magnetic screening when frequency increases

Responsible tourism

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Birkaš E.

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Realising tourism in the context of responsibility is a problem of historical-social and economic time-space continuum; the problem of possibility of temporal unification of these parts. The study aims to emphasize that the essence of problem can only be understood in the depth of a general problematic of tourism, as a question of temporalisation of historical-social space, which, however, leads to a grand question of today: does the human activity which creates temporalised spaces have its own gravitational direction? Ad deliberandum. The study proposes the viewpoint that the context of responsibility requires overcoming the dimension of interpretation where the subject is understood as an ultimate human-singularity and a perfect match of responsibility with a dominant and current form of temporalisation of time suggests a paradigm of participating consciousness, the consciousness of unity, which, in Berdyaev's words, is never logical, but existential. The study, on the basis of a meticulous studying of a new narrative of tourism, primarily due to volume restrictions does not go beyond presenting the key attributes of this ever-expanding understanding of tourism - with a demonstration of a concrete practice - but all this with an emphasis that qualification of the actors' activities is possible only along the lines of a previous consideration of comprehension of structure of space and time - along the revalorisation of a motivational horison (Anzenbacher, A 1987, 264.p. and also the very term of responsibility and freedom. Responsibility can only then become an orientation of tourist activities, if the primary focus is set on re-comprehension (revalorisation of civilisational legacies in a timeless perspective.

Older adults who have previously fallen due to a trip walk differently than those who have fallen due to a slip.

Science.gov (United States)

Wright, Rachel L; Peters, Derek M; Robinson, Paul D; Watt, Thomas N; Hollands, Mark A

2015-01-01

Studying the relationships between centre of mass (COM) and centre of pressure (COP) during walking has been shown to be useful in determining movement stability. The aim of the current study was to compare COM-COP separation measures during walking between groups of older adults with no history of falling, and a history of falling due to tripping or slipping. Any differences between individuals who have fallen due to a slip and those who have fallen due to a trip in measures of dynamic balance could potentially indicate differences in the mechanisms responsible for falls. Forty older adults were allocated into groups based on their self-reported fall history during walking. The non-faller group had not experienced a fall in at least the previous year. Participants who had experienced a fall were split into two groups based on whether a trip or slip resulted in the fall(s). A Vicon system was used to collect full body kinematic trajectories. Two force platforms were used to measure ground reaction forces. The COM was significantly further ahead of the COP at heel strike for the trip (14.3 ± 2.7 cm) and slip (15.3 ± 1.1 cm) groups compared to the non-fallers (12.0 ± 2.7 cm). COM was significantly further behind the COP at foot flat for the slip group (-14.9 ± 3.6 cm) compared to the non-fallers (-10.3 ± 3.9 cm). At mid-swing, the COM of the trip group was ahead of the COP (0.9 ± 1.6 cm), whereas for the slip group the COM was behind the COP (-1.2 ± 2.2 cm). These results show identifiable differences in dynamic balance control of walking between older adults with a history of tripping or slipping and non-fallers. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

High current density ion beam measurement techniques

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ko, W.C.; Sawatzky, E.

1976-01-01

High ion beam current measurements are difficult due to the presence of the secondary particles and beam neutralization. For long Faraday cages, true current can be obtained only by negative bias on the target and by summing the cage wall and target currents; otherwise, the beam will be greatly distorted. For short Faraday cages, a combination of small magnetic field and the negative target bias results in correct beam current. Either component alone does not give true current

Soil-structure interaction for transient loads due to safety relief valve discharges

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tseng, W.S.; Tsai, N.C.

1978-01-01

Dynamic responses of BWR Mark II containment structures subjected to axisymmetric transient pressure loadings due to simultaneous safety relief valve discharges were investigated using finite element analysis, including the soil-structure interaction effect. To properly consider the soil-structure interaction effect, a simplified lumped parameter foundation model and axisymmetric finite element foundation model with viscous boundary impedance are used. Analytical results are presented to demonstrate the effectiveness of the simplified foundation model and to exhibit the dynamic response behavior of the structure as the transient loading frequency and the foundation rigidity vary. The impact of the dynamic structural response due to this type of loading on the equipment design is also discussed. (Auth.)

Impedance Spectroscopic Investigation of the Degraded Dye-Sensitized Solar Cell due to Ageing

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Parth Bhatt

2016-01-01

Full Text Available This paper investigates the effect of ageing on the performance of dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs. The electrical characterization of fresh and degraded DSCs is done under AM1.5G spectrum and the current density-voltage (J-V characteristics are analyzed. Short circuit current density (JSC decreases significantly whereas a noticeable increase in open circuit voltage is observed. These results have been further investigated electroanalytically using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS. An increase in net resistance results in a lower JSC for the degraded DSC. This decrease in current is mainly due to degradation of TiO2-dye interface, which is observed from light and dark J-V characteristics and is further confirmed by EIS measurements. A reduction in the chemical capacitance of the degraded DSC is observed, which is responsible for the shifting of Fermi level with respect to conduction band edge that further results in an increase of open circuit voltage for the degraded DSC. It is also confirmed from EIS that the degradation leads to a better contact formation between the electrolyte and Pt electrode, which improves the fill factor of the DSC. But the recombination throughout the DSC is found to increase along with degradation. This study suggests that the DSC should be used under low illumination conditions and around room temperature for a longer life.

Modulation of Current Source Inverter

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Golam Reza Arab Markadeh

2011-04-01

Full Text Available Direct torque control with Current Source Inverter (CSI instead of voltage source inverter is so appropriate because of determining the torque of induction motor with machine current and air gap flux. In addition, Space-Vector Modulation (SVM is a more proper method for CSI because of low order harmonics reduction, lower switching frequency and easier implementation. This paper introduces the SVM method for CSI and uses the proposed inverter for vector control of an induction motor. The simulation results illustrate fast dynamic response and desirable torque and speed output. Fast and accurate response to changes of speed and load torque reference completely proves the prominence of this method.

Circuit Model Simulations for Ionospheric Plasma Response to High Potential System

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hwang-Jae Rhee

2000-06-01

Full Text Available When a deployed probe is biased by a high positive potential during a space experiment, the payload is induced to a negative voltage in order to balance the total current in the whole system. The return currents are due to the responding ions and secondary electrons on the payload surface. In order to understand the current collection mechanism, the process was simulated with a combination of resistor, inductor, and capacitor in SPICE program which was equivalent to the background plasma sheath. The simulation results were compared with experimental results from SPEAR-3 (Space Power Experiment Aboard Rocket-3. The return current curve in the simulation was compatible to the experimental result, and the simulation helped to predict the transient plasma response to a high voltage during the plasma sheath formation.

Numerical modeling of transformer inrush currents

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cardelli, E. [Department of Industrial Engineering, University of Perugia, I-06125 Perugia (Italy); Center for Electric and Magnetic Applied Research (Italy); Faba, A., E-mail: faba@unipg.it [Department of Industrial Engineering, University of Perugia, I-06125 Perugia (Italy); Center for Electric and Magnetic Applied Research (Italy)

2014-02-15

This paper presents an application of a vector hysteresis model to the prediction of the inrush current due the arbitrary initial excitation of a transformer after a fault. The approach proposed seems promising in order to predict the transient overshoot in current and the optimal time to close the circuit after the fault.

Demand Response Within Current Electricity Wholesale Market Design

OpenAIRE

Ramos Gutierrez, Ariana Isabel; De Jonghe, Cedric; Six, Daan; Belmans, Ronnie

2013-01-01

The introduction of intermittent energy resources calls for the ability to modulate consumption patterns according to electricity availability. This paper provides a brief overview of the main electricity market design characteristics and places demand response within the framework of the existing timeline of market operation. The main differences between electricity markets lie in the price formation mechanisms where some markets pay-as- cleared and some pay- as- bid for the electricity tran...

Ponderomotive enhancement of charged particle beam limiting current

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Grebogi, C.; Uhm, H.S.

1987-01-01

The space charge limiting current problem is investigated for a magnetized particle beam propagating in a cylindrical drift tube and in presence of a waveguide mode. It is shown that with a proper choice of a waveguide mode, the limiting current can be greatly enhanced due to ponderomotive effects. Physically, this is accomplished by using the ponderomotive energy to reduce the potential depression due to the beam's self space charge field. Formulas for the limiting current as a function of beam energy and waveguide r.f. field for solid and hollow beams are derived. It is found from these formulas that, in appropriate parameter regimes, the space charge limiting current, say, of a 250kV bem can be enhanced by 70%

Surface modification of polyacrylonitrile co-polymer membranes using pulsed direct current nitrogen plasma

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pal, Dipankar; Neogi, Sudarsan; De, Sirshendu, E-mail: sde@che.iitkgp.ernet.in

2015-12-31

Low temperature plasma treatment using pulsed direct current discharge of nitrogen gas was employed to enhance hydrophilicity of the polyacrylonitrile co-polymer membranes. The membranes were characterized in terms of morphology, structure, hydrophilicity, and membrane performance. Properties and functional groups on the surface of polyacrylonitrile co-polymer membranes were investigated by contact angle, scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Effects of plasma conditions, namely, pulsed voltage, duty cycle and treatment time on increase in membrane hydrophilicity were studied. Permeability of treated membrane was increased by 47% and it was retained up to 70 days. Surface etching due to plasma treatment was confirmed by weight loss of the treated membranes. Due to surface etching, average pore size increased and rejection of 200 kDa polyethylene glycol decreased to about 70% for the treated membrane. Oxygen and nitrogen functional groups were responsible for surface hydrophilicity. - Highlights: • Surface modification of polyacrylonitrile co-polymer membranes by pulsed direct current nitrogen plasma • Hydrophilic functional groups incorporated on the membrane surface • Significant enhancement of the permeability and wettability of the membranes • Water contact angle increased with storage time and finally stabilized.

Surface modification of polyacrylonitrile co-polymer membranes using pulsed direct current nitrogen plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pal, Dipankar; Neogi, Sudarsan; De, Sirshendu

2015-01-01

Low temperature plasma treatment using pulsed direct current discharge of nitrogen gas was employed to enhance hydrophilicity of the polyacrylonitrile co-polymer membranes. The membranes were characterized in terms of morphology, structure, hydrophilicity, and membrane performance. Properties and functional groups on the surface of polyacrylonitrile co-polymer membranes were investigated by contact angle, scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Effects of plasma conditions, namely, pulsed voltage, duty cycle and treatment time on increase in membrane hydrophilicity were studied. Permeability of treated membrane was increased by 47% and it was retained up to 70 days. Surface etching due to plasma treatment was confirmed by weight loss of the treated membranes. Due to surface etching, average pore size increased and rejection of 200 kDa polyethylene glycol decreased to about 70% for the treated membrane. Oxygen and nitrogen functional groups were responsible for surface hydrophilicity. - Highlights: • Surface modification of polyacrylonitrile co-polymer membranes by pulsed direct current nitrogen plasma • Hydrophilic functional groups incorporated on the membrane surface • Significant enhancement of the permeability and wettability of the membranes • Water contact angle increased with storage time and finally stabilized.

Leakage current measurement in transformerless PV inverters

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kerekes, Tamas; Sera, Dezso; Mathe, Laszlo

2012-01-01

Photovoltaic (PV) installations have seen a huge increase during the last couple of years. Transformerless PV inverters are gaining more share of the total inverter market, due to their high conversion efficiency, small weight and size. Nevertheless safety should have an important role in case...... of these tranformerless systems, due to the missing galvanic isolation. Leakage and fault current measurement is a key issue for these inverter topologies to be able to comply with the required safety standards. This article presents the test results of two different current measurement sensors that were suggested...

Paraneoplastic Cushing Syndrome Due To Wilm's Tumor.

Science.gov (United States)

Faizan, Mahwish; Manzoor, Jaida; Saleem, Muhammad; Anwar, Saadia; Mehmood, Qaiser; Hameed, Ambreen; Ali, Agha Shabbir

2017-05-01

Paraneoplastic syndromes are rare disorders that are triggered by an altered immune system response to neoplasm. Paraneoplastic syndromes may be the first or the most prominent manifestations of cancer. Wilm's tumor is the most frequent pediatric renal malignancy and usually presents with abdominal mass. Unusual presentations like acquired von Willebrand disease, sudden death due to pulmonary embolism and Cushing syndrome have been described in the literature. Cushing syndrome, as the presenting symptom of a malignant renal tumor in children, is a very rare entity. Few case reports are available in the literature exploring the option of preoperative chemotherapy as well as upfront nephrectomy. We report a rare case of paraneoplastic Cushing syndrome due to a Wilm's tumor. Based on gradual decrease of postoperative weight, blood pressure, serum adrenocorticotropic hormone, and plasma cortisol levels, along with histological confirmation of Wilm's tumor, paraneoplastic Cushing syndrome due to Wilm's tumor was confirmed.

Paraneoplastic cushing syndrome due to wilm's tumor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Faizan, M.; Anwar, S.; Hameed, A.; Manzoor, J.; Saleem, M.; Mehmood, Q.; Ali, A. S.

2017-01-01

Paraneoplastic syndromes are rare disorders that are triggered by an altered immune system response to neoplasm. Paraneoplastic syndromes may be the first or the most prominent manifestations of cancer. Wilm's tumor is the most frequent pediatric renal malignancy and usually presents with abdominal mass. Unusual presentations like acquired von Willebrand disease, sudden death due to pulmonary embolism and Cushing syndrome have been described in the literature. Cushing syndrome, as the presenting symptom of a malignant renal tumor in children, is a very rare entity. Few case reports are available in the literature exploring the option of preoperative chemotherapy as well as upfront nephrectomy. We report a rare case of paraneoplastic Cushing syndrome due to a Wilm's tumor. Based on gradual decrease of postoperative weight, blood pressure, serum adrenocorticotropic hormone, and plasma cortisol levels, alongwith histological confirmation of Wilm's tumor, paraneoplastic Cushing syndrome due to Wilm's tumor was confirmed. (author)

Current limiting capability of diffused resistors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shedd, W.; Cappelli, J.

1979-01-01

An experimental evaluation of the current limiting capability of dielectrically isolated diffused resistors at transient ionizing dose rates up to 6*10 12 rads(Si)/sec is presented. Existing theoretical predictions of the transient response of diffused resistors are summarized and compared to the experimentally measured values. The test resistors used allow the effects of sheet resistance and geometry on the transient response to be determined. The experimental results show that typical dielectrically isolated diffused resistors maintain adequate current limiting capability for use in radiation hardened integrated circuits

Coastal tomographic mapping of nonlinear tidal currents and residual currents

Science.gov (United States)

Zhu, Ze-Nan; Zhu, Xiao-Hua; Guo, Xinyu

2017-07-01

Depth-averaged current data, which were obtained by coastal acoustic tomography (CAT) July 12-13, 2009 in Zhitouyang Bay on the western side of the East China Sea, are used to estimate the semidiurnal tidal current (M2) as well as its first two overtide currents (M4 and M6). Spatial mean amplitude ratios M2:M4:M6 in the bay are 1.00:0.15:0.11. The shallow-water equations are used to analyze the generation mechanisms of M4 and M6. In the deep area, where water depths are larger than 60 m, M4 velocity amplitudes measured by CAT agree well with those predicted by the advection terms in the shallow water equations, indicating that M4 in the deep area is predominantly generated by the advection terms. M6 measured by CAT and M6 predicted by the nonlinear quadratic bottom friction terms agree well in the area where water depths are less than 20 m, indicating that friction mechanisms are predominant for generating M6 in the shallow area. In addition, dynamic analysis of the residual currents using the tidally averaged momentum equation shows that spatial mean values of the horizontal pressure gradient due to residual sea level and of the advection of residual currents together contribute about 75% of the spatial mean values of the advection by the tidal currents, indicating that residual currents in this bay are induced mainly by the nonlinear effects of tidal currents. This is the first ever nonlinear tidal current study by CAT.

Main steam system piping response under safety/relief valve opening events

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Swain, E.O.; Esswein, G.A.; Hwang, H.L.; Nieh, C.T.

1980-01-01

The stresses in the main steam branch pipe of a Boiling Water Reactor due to safety/relief valve blowdown has been measured from an in situ piping system test. The test results were compared with analytical results. The predicted stresses using the current state of art analytical methods used for BWR SRV discharge transient piping response loads were found to be conservative when compared to the measured stress values. 3 refs

Sedimentological regimes for turbidity currents: Depth-averaged theory

Science.gov (United States)

Halsey, Thomas C.; Kumar, Amit; Perillo, Mauricio M.

2017-07-01

Turbidity currents are one of the most significant means by which sediment is moved from the continents into the deep ocean; their properties are interesting both as elements of the global sediment cycle and due to their role in contributing to the formation of deep water oil and gas reservoirs. One of the simplest models of the dynamics of turbidity current flow was introduced three decades ago, and is based on depth-averaging of the fluid mechanical equations governing the turbulent gravity-driven flow of relatively dilute turbidity currents. We examine the sedimentological regimes of a simplified version of this model, focusing on the role of the Richardson number Ri [dimensionless inertia] and Rouse number Ro [dimensionless sedimentation velocity] in determining whether a current is net depositional or net erosional. We find that for large Rouse numbers, the currents are strongly net depositional due to the disappearance of local equilibria between erosion and deposition. At lower Rouse numbers, the Richardson number also plays a role in determining the degree of erosion versus deposition. The currents become more erosive at lower values of the product Ro × Ri, due to the effect of clear water entrainment. At higher values of this product, the turbulence becomes insufficient to maintain the sediment in suspension, as first pointed out by Knapp and Bagnold. We speculate on the potential for two-layer solutions in this insufficiently turbulent regime, which would comprise substantial bedload flow with an overlying turbidity current.

Steady-state configurations of Dzyaloshinskii domain walls driven by field and current

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sánchez-Tejerina, L., E-mail: luis.st@ee.uva.es [Departamento de Electricidad y Electrónica, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Valladolid, 47011 Valladolid (Spain); Departamento de Física Aplicada, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Salamanca, 37011 Salamanca (Spain); Alejos, O. [Departamento de Electricidad y Electrónica, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Valladolid, 47011 Valladolid (Spain); Martínez, E. [Departamento de Física Aplicada, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Salamanca, 37011 Salamanca (Spain)

2017-02-01

The dynamics of Dzyaloshinskii domain walls (DDW) in ultrathin ferromagnetic strips with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy, for different values of both perpendicular field and longitudinal current excitation associated to the Spin-Hall effect, has been studied, taking into account different values of the interfacial Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction (DMI). This study has been carried out with the help of the q-Φ one-dimensional model and micromagnetic simulations. We have found that Walker breakdown may be avoided by applying a certain threshold current, even though the inverse effect is also possible. We have also found that, for particular values of field and current, the magnetization within the DDW experiences an abrupt change of orientation, which provokes a change on the contribution of current to the terminal DDW velocity. This effect disappears for sufficiently strong DMI, as it is expected from the model. - Highlights: • Steady-state configurations of Dzyaloshinskii domain walls driven by field and current have been reported. • Field-like torques and Slonczewskii-like torques due to spin-orbit interactions have been considered. • The response is associated with the rotation of the domain wall inner magnetization. • An asymmetric behavior arising from the existence of degenerate states is shown. • The asymmetry results in different travelled distances and/or terminal speeds.

Steady-state configurations of Dzyaloshinskii domain walls driven by field and current

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sánchez-Tejerina, L.; Alejos, O.; Martínez, E.

2017-01-01

The dynamics of Dzyaloshinskii domain walls (DDW) in ultrathin ferromagnetic strips with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy, for different values of both perpendicular field and longitudinal current excitation associated to the Spin-Hall effect, has been studied, taking into account different values of the interfacial Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction (DMI). This study has been carried out with the help of the q-Φ one-dimensional model and micromagnetic simulations. We have found that Walker breakdown may be avoided by applying a certain threshold current, even though the inverse effect is also possible. We have also found that, for particular values of field and current, the magnetization within the DDW experiences an abrupt change of orientation, which provokes a change on the contribution of current to the terminal DDW velocity. This effect disappears for sufficiently strong DMI, as it is expected from the model. - Highlights: • Steady-state configurations of Dzyaloshinskii domain walls driven by field and current have been reported. • Field-like torques and Slonczewskii-like torques due to spin-orbit interactions have been considered. • The response is associated with the rotation of the domain wall inner magnetization. • An asymmetric behavior arising from the existence of degenerate states is shown. • The asymmetry results in different travelled distances and/or terminal speeds.

Comparison of Unmodulated Current Control Characteristics of Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motor

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anwar Muqorobin

2014-12-01

Full Text Available This paper discusses comparison of unmodulated current controls in PMSM, more specifically, on-off, sliding mode, predictive and hybrid controls. The purpose of this study is to select the most appropriate control technique to be adopted. The comparison method is preceded by modeling the motor and entering the values of the motor parameters. PI control is used for speed control and zero d-axis current is employed. Furthermore, performing simulation for each type ofthe selected current controls and analyzing their responses in terms of dq and abc currents, q-axis current response with step reference, as well as THD. Simulation results show that the on-off control gives the best overall performance based on its abc-axis current ripple and THD at large load torque. The hybrid control shows the best response occurring only at the fastest transient time of q-axis current but its response exhibits bad qualities compared with other controls. The predictive control yields the best responses offering the smallest d-axis ripple current and THD at small load torque condition. The sliding mode control, however, does not exhibit any prominent performance compared to the others. Results presented in this paper further indicate that for the PMSM used in the simulation the most appropriate control is the predictive control.

Estimating PM2.5-associated mortality increase in California due to the Volkswagen emission control defeat device

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Tianyang; Jerrett, Michael; Sinsheimer, Peter; Zhu, Yifang

2016-11-01

The Volkswagen Group of America (VW) was found by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the California Air Resources Board (CARB) to have installed "defeat devices" and emit more oxides of nitrogen (NOx) than permitted under current EPA standards. In this paper, we quantify the hidden NOx emissions from this so-called VW scandal and the resulting public health impacts in California. The NOx emissions are calculated based on VW road test data and the CARB Emission Factors (EMFAC) model. Cumulative hidden NOx emissions from 2009 to 2015 were estimated to be over 3500 tons. Adult mortality changes were estimated based on ambient fine particulate matter (PM2.5) change due to secondary nitrate formation and the related concentration-response functions. We estimated that hidden NOx emissions from 2009 to 2015 have resulted in a total of 12 PM2.5-associated adult mortality increases in California. Most of the mortality increase happened in metropolitan areas, due to their high population and vehicle density.

Wavelet analysis of near-inertial currents at the East Flower Garden Bank

Science.gov (United States)

Teague, W. J.; Wijesekera, H. W.; Jarosz, E.; Lugo-Fernández, A.; Hallock, Z. R.

2014-10-01

Near-inertial currents (NICs) often dominate the mean circulation at the East Flower Garden Bank (EFGB), part of the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary. The EFGB, one of several submerged coral reefs, is located in the northwestern Gulf of Mexico, about 190 km southeast of Galveston, Texas. The bank is about 6 km wide in the east-west direction and rises to within about 20 m from the surface. NICs near the EFGB are described using current data from 5 acoustic Doppler current profilers that were moored at the edges of the bank and on top of the bank for about a year. A wavelet analysis was used in order to better describe the nonstationarity of the NICs. NICs were strongest during spring and summer due to their near resonant response with sea breeze and the shallowness of the mixed layer, and exhibited a first-baroclinic-mode vertical structure. NICS were generally larger near the surface and extended to the bottom on the west side of the EFGB but only to within about 20 m of the bottom on the eastern side of the bank. NIC ellipses were nearly circular and rotated clockwise above the top of the EFGB but became flatter and aligned with the bathymetry with increasing depth; occasionally, on the eastern side of the bank, the NIC vectors rotated counterclockwise due to probable effects of lee vortices arising from the mean flow interacting with the bank. Most energy input by the wind at the surface was likely transferred downward through divergence of the meridional flow against the coastal boundary. The inertial currents were at times more energetic than the mean flow, and often accounted for more than 50% of the total current energy.

Aberrations due to solenoid focusing of a multiply charged high-current ion beam

CERN Document Server

Grégoire, G; Lisi, N; Schnuriger, J C; Scrivens, R; Tambini, J

2000-01-01

At the output of a laser ion source, a high current of highly charged ions with a large range of charge states is available. The focusing of such a beam by magnetic elements causes a nonlinear space-charge field to develop which can induce large aberrations and emittance growth in the beam. Simulation of the beam from the CERN laser ion source will be presented for an ideal magnetic and electrostatic system using a radially symmetric model. In addition, the three dimensional software KOBRA3 is used for the simulation of the solenoid line. The results of these simulations will be compared with experiments performed on the CERN laser ion source with solenoids (resulting in a hollow beam) and a series of gridded electrostatic lenses. (5 refs).

[Male contraception - the current state of knowledge].

Science.gov (United States)

Zdrojewicz, Zygmynt; Kasperska, Karolina; Lewandowska, Marta

2016-08-01

Contraception is important from a health, psychological and socioeconomic point of view. Due to the fact that male-based contraceptive methods are mostly represented by condoms and vasectomy, researchers are working on the new solutions, which could let the men be more involved in a conscious family planning. In this review we will present the current state of knowledge on this subject. There is a lot going on in the field of hormonal contraception. Studies including testosterone, progestins, synthetic androgens and other derivatives are on a different stages of clinical trials and mostly demonstrate high efficacy rates. Recent discovers of Izumo and Juno proteins, essential for the fertilization process, give hope for an easily reversible, non-hormonal method. Researchers are also trying to interfere with the process of spermatogenesis using BRDT inhibitor - JQ1, or neutralize the sperm by injecting styrene maleic anhydride (SMA) into the lumen of the vas deferens. The other studies explore processes involved in proper sperm motility. A vaccine which induces an immune response to the reproductive system is also an interesting method. The latest research use ultrasound waves and mechanical device which blocks the patency of vas deferens. The aim of the study current state of knowledge male contraception. © 2016 MEDPRESS.

Overcurrent protection issues due to the DG connection

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gomez, J.C.; Tourn, D.H.; Amatti, J.C. [Rio Cuarto National University (IPSEP/UNRC), Cordoba (Argentina). Electric Power Systems Protection Institute], E-mail: jcgomez@ing.unrc.edu.ar

2009-07-01

The present energy crisis drives to carry to an extreme the use of all the available energy sources, which need to be connected to the network in their closest point. Traditional electric systems are changing their characteristics, in what concerns to structure, operation, and especially on protection methodologies. The new protection problems of the different parts of the system are explained. The solution presents positive and negative aspects that impact the utility and the customer in different ways. A revision about interconnection international standards is presented. The contributions of generators to short circuit currents is analyzed, especially the double fed generator. Philosophy changes are studied, such as: fault current bi directionality, modification of the protection reach, failures of the overcurrent coordination due to current share, etc. Solicitations to DG due to the normal unbalance of distribution systems are also studied. It is analyzed the discrepancy between the customers and utilities regarding the 'islanding operation', presenting the semi-rigid connection. The changes in the coordination methodology fusible-recloser are also studied, proposing a new methodology to check this coordination. Experimental results on 13.2 kV are presented that relate the deionization without zero current, with arc length and with 'network power to DG power ratio'. It is concluded that DG application offers technical-economic advantages so much to the utility as to the user; and that the technology for these new protection approaches is already available, requiring of investments whose justification needs of a specific analysis for each particular case. (author)

Effects of Climate on the Zooplankton of the California Current

Science.gov (United States)

Lavaniegos, B. E.

2007-05-01

Almost six decades of sampling of the California Current system, carried out by the CalCOFI program (California Cooperative Fisheries Investigation) complemented by a decade of observations from the IMECOCAL program (Investigaciones Mexicanas de la Corriente de California), have revealed changing patterns in zooplankton abundances, species composition, and distributions over interannual through multidecadal time scales. Interannual changes associated with ENSO variability are manifested as strong but transitory perturbations in the mean annual cycle in seasonal abundances (and distributions) of particular species. An investigation of longer- term change, limited to the region off southern California, shows a persistent decline in zooplankton volumes (a proxy for overall biomass of macrozooplankton) between 1977 and 1998 that is considered to be a response to the well documented shift in basin-scale climate forcing that occurred in 1976-77. Further examination of this decline in zooplankton volumes indicates that it was due principally to the disappearance of several salp species after 1977. Other species and functional groups did not decline after the change in climate regime, while some species have followed persistent secular trends that appear to be associated more with the phenomenon of long-term global warming. Differences in the regional responses to climate change throughout the California Current system have also been observed recently in the spatial distribution of zooplankton biomass and changes in latitudinal ranges of certain species. For example, zooplankton biomass in the Baja California region show typical values for the 1997-98 El Niño that were followed by a decrease during the sharp transition to the cool La Niña conditions in 1999. This contrasts with the nearby region off southern California that was characterized by reduced biomass during the El Niño period and the subsequent recovery during the La Niña. Another regional contrast in

Regularization of a massless dirac model to describe anomalous electromagnetic response of Weyl semimetals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Takane, Yoshitake

2016-01-01

An unbounded massless Dirac model with two nondegenerate Dirac cones is the simplest model for Weyl semimetals, which show the anomalous electromagnetic response of chiral magnetic effect (CME) and anomalous Hall effect (AHE). However, if this model is naively used to analyze the electromagnetic response within a linear response theory, it gives the result apparently inconsistent with the persuasive prediction based on a lattice model. We show that this serious difficulty is related to the breaking of current conservation in the Dirac model due to quantum anomaly and can be removed if current and charge operators are redefined to include the contribution from the anomaly. We demonstrate that the CME as well as the AHE can be properly described using newly defined operators, and clarify that the CME is determined by the competition between the contribution from the anomaly and that from low-energy electrons. (author)

Current interruption by density depression

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wagner, J.S.; Tajima, T.; Akasofu, S.I.

1985-04-01

Using a one-dimensional electrostatic particle code, we examine processes associated with current interruption in a collisionless plasma when a density depression is present along the current channel. Current interruption due to double layers was suggested by Alfven and Carlqvist (1967) as a cause of solar flares. At a local density depression, plasma instabilities caused by an electron current flow are accentuated, leading to current disruption. Our simulation study encompasses a wide range of the parameters in such a way that under appropriate conditions, both the Alfven and Carlqvist (1967) regime and the Smith and Priest (1972) regime take place. In the latter regime the density depression decays into a stationary structure (''ion-acoustic layer'') which spawns a series of ion-acoustic ''solitons'' and ion phase space holes travelling upstream. A large inductance of the current circuit tends to enhance the plasma instabilities

Broadband spectroscopy of magnetic response in a nano-scale magnetic wire

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yamaguchi, A.; Motoi, K.; Miyajima, H.; Utsumi, Y.

2014-01-01

We measure the broadband spectra of magnetic response in a single layered ferromagnetic nano-scale wire in order to investigate the size effect on the ferromagnetic resonance. We found that the resonance frequency difference between 300-nm- and 5-μm-wide wires was varied by about 5 GHz due to the shape anisotropy. Furthermore, we experimentally detected the magnetization precession induced by the thermal fluctuation via the rectification of a radio-frequency (rf) current by incorporating an additional direct current (dc) by using Wheatstone bridge circuit. Our investigation renders that the shape anisotropy is of great importance to control the resonance frequency and to provide thermal stability of the microwave devices. - Highlights: • We describe an experimental investigation of the magnetic response of a single layered ferromagnetic nano-scale wire. • We present the conventional broadband microwave spectroscopy with a vector network analyzer and rectifying spectroscopy obtained with a Wheatstone bridge technique. • The investigation enables us to characterize the size effect on the ferromagnetic response and also to detect the magnetization precession induced by the thermal fluctuations

Study of the impact of board orientation on radiated emissions due to common-mode currents on attached cables

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sørensen, Morten; Hubing, Todd H.; Jensen, Kim

2016-01-01

Common-mode current on attached cables is a typical source for radiated emission. Several models have been made for conversion of the intended differential signal to unwanted common-mode current on cables. In this paper we refine a method for identifying the radiation sources arising from a long...... microstrip. This method is used to show that the radiated emission from a PCB with attached cable(s) caused by a long trace depends on whether the trace is facing up or down with different result for voltage and current sources....

Considerations on ECFH current drive and bootstrap current for W VII-X

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gasparino, U.; Maassberg, H.

1988-01-01

Low shear is the characteristic of all proposed Wendelstein VII-X configurations. To avoid low harmonic rational numbers within the rotational transform profile, the current contribution to the rotational transform, Δt a α I/B, should be typically less than 10%. This leads to an upper limit of 50 kA (at B = 2.5 T) for the tolerable net toroidal current. A considerable net toroidal current (bootstrap current) is expected by neoclassical theory in the plateau and the low-collisionality regimes. Both radial transport as well as the bootstrap current densities depend sensitively on the magnetic configuration (see A. Montvai, this workshop). In case of an axisymmetric configuration with dimension and plasma parameters as predicted for the high- regime of WVII-X ( ∼ 5%), this current (∼ 0.5/1 MA) would dominate the rotational transform profile. This requires a reduction of magnitude of the bootstrap current to some % of the value of an equivalent tokamak. This reduction must act on the current profile itself and should not be merely obtained by having two channels of currents of different sign at different radii. Due to the possibility of controlling absorbed power and driven current profiles, electron cyclotron waves are a natural candidate for current profile control. Linear calculations show the possibility to drive a counteracting current with a profile similar to the bootstrap one. For ∼ 5% conditions, however, the optimium current drive efficiency (η ∼ 10 kA per MW) is far too low to make ECF-current drive suitable

Collisionless current sheet equilibria

Science.gov (United States)

Neukirch, T.; Wilson, F.; Allanson, O.

2018-01-01

Current sheets are important for the structure and dynamics of many plasma systems. In space and astrophysical plasmas they play a crucial role in activity processes, for example by facilitating the release of magnetic energy via processes such as magnetic reconnection. In this contribution we will focus on collisionless plasma systems. A sensible first step in any investigation of physical processes involving current sheets is to find appropriate equilibrium solutions. The theory of collisionless plasma equilibria is well established, but over the past few years there has been a renewed interest in finding equilibrium distribution functions for collisionless current sheets with particular properties, for example for cases where the current density is parallel to the magnetic field (force-free current sheets). This interest is due to a combination of scientific curiosity and potential applications to space and astrophysical plasmas. In this paper we will give an overview of some of the recent developments, discuss their potential applications and address a number of open questions.

Digitally compensated beam current transformer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kesselman, Martin

2005-01-01

The Spallation Neutron Source (SNS) is being built by a collaboration of six laboratories. Beam current monitors (BCMs) will be used to record the current of H-minus and H-plus beams ranging from 15 mA (tune-up in the Front End and Linac) to over 60A fully accumulated in the Ring and dumped to the load as a single pulse in the Ring to Beam Target (RTBT). The time structure of these beams ranges from 645 ns 'mini' bunches at the 1.05 MHz ring revolution rate, to an overall 1 ms long macro-pulse. The requirements for the BCMs will depend upon their location within the system. The need to measure individual mini-pulses, examine the characteristics of the chopper edge, as well as the longer average current pulse of the macropulse, or long duration pulses during Linac tuning place wide requirements upon the response of current transformers. To obtain the desired accuracy and resolution, current transformers must have <1 ns rise time and droops of 0.1%/ms. This places a significant design burden on the current transformer; such a design is almost impossible to achieve. Extremely large expensive cores are needed to meet the low droop, while leakage inductance increases with size, thereby reducing the achievable rise time. In this paper, I discuss a digital compensation approach [M. Kesselman, Spallation neutron source beam current monitor electronics, PAC2001 June 18-22, 2001, Chicago, IL.] that extends the lower cut-off frequency of the current transformer, optimized for high frequency response, so that it can be used in this application with improvements in droop of the order of 1000:1. Transformer saturation (current-time product) is a separate issue and the transformer must be designed to handle the current-time product of the signal to assure it does not saturate

Magnetic levitation by induced eddy currents in non-magnetic conductors and conductivity measurements

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Iniguez, J; Raposo, V; Flores, A G; Zazo, M; Hernandez-Lopez, A [Departamento de Fisica Aplicada, Universidad de Salamanca, E-37071, Salamanca (Spain)

2005-11-01

We report a study on magnetic levitation by induced ac currents in non-magnetic conductors at low frequencies. Our discussion, based on Faraday's induction law, allows us to distinguish the two components of the current responsible for levitation and heating, respectively. The experimental evaluation of the levitation force in a copper ring revealed the accuracy of our analysis, clearly illustrating its asymptotic behaviour versus frequency, and validating it for the qualitative analysis of magnetic levitation and heating in conductors of different shapes such as tubes and discs, composed of collections of conductive loops. The analysis of the results allows precise values of its electrical conductivity to be found. With the help of a simulation technique, this work also reveals the progressive deformation undergone by magnetic induction lines due to magnetic screening when frequency increases.

Bootstrap current of fast ions in neutral beam injection heating

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Huang Qianhong; Gong Xueyu; Yang Lei; Li Xinxia; Lu Xingqiang; Yu Jun

2012-01-01

The bootstrap current of fast ions produced by the neutral beam injection is investigated in a large aspect ratio tokamak with circular cross-section under specific parameters. The bootstrap current density distribution and the total bootstrap current are figured out. In addition, the beam bootstrap current always accompanies the electron return current due to the parallel momentum transfer from fast ions. With the electron return current considered, the net current density obviously decreases due to electron return current, at the same time the peak of current moves towards the centre plasma. Numerical results show that the value of the net current depends sensitively not only on the angle of the neutral beam injection but also on the ratio of the velocity of fast ions to the critical velocity: the value of net current is small for the neutral beam parallel injection but increases multipliedly for perpendicular injection, and increases with beam energy increasing. (authors)

The storm time ring current dynamics and response to CMEs and CIRs using Van Allen Probes observations and CIMI simulations

Science.gov (United States)

Mouikis, Christopher; Bingham, Samuel; Kistler, Lynn; Spence, Harlan; Gkioulidou, Matina

2017-04-01

The ring current responds differently to the different solar and interplanetary storm drivers such as coronal mass injections, (CME's), and co-rotating interaction regions (CIR's). Using Van Allen Probes observations, we develop an empirical ring current model of the ring current pressure, the pressure anisotropy and the current density development during the storm phases for both types of storm drivers and for all MLTs inside L 6. Delineating the differences in the ring current development between these two drivers will aid our understanding of the ring current dynamics. We find that during the storm main phase most of the ring current pressure in the pre-midnight inner magnetosphere is contributed by particles on open drift paths that cause the development of a strong partial ring current that causes most of the main phase Dst drop. These particles can reach as deep as L 2 and their pressure compares to the local magnetic field pressure as deep as L 3. During the recovery phase, if these particles are not lost at the magnetopause, will become trapped and will contribute to the symmetric ring current. However, the largest difference between the CME and CIR ring current responses during the storm main and early recovery phases is caused by how the 15 - 60 keV O+ responds to these drivers. This empirical model is compared to the results of CIMI simulations of a CMEs and a CIRs where the model input is comprised of the superposed epoch solar wind conditions of the storms that comprise the empirical model. Different inner magnetosphere boundary conditions are tested in order to match the empirical model results. Comparing the model and simulation results improves our understanding of the ring current dynamics as part of the highly coupled inner magnetosphere system. In addition, within the framework of this empirical model, the prediction of the EMIC wave generation linear theory is tested using the observed plasma parameters and comparing with the observations of

Prefrontal mediation of the reading network predicts intervention response in dyslexia.

Science.gov (United States)

Aboud, Katherine S; Barquero, Laura A; Cutting, Laurie E

2018-04-01

A primary challenge facing the development of interventions for dyslexia is identifying effective predictors of intervention response. While behavioral literature has identified core cognitive characteristics of response, the distinction of reading versus executive cognitive contributions to response profiles remains unclear, due in part to the difficulty of segregating these constructs using behavioral outputs. In the current study we used functional neuroimaging to piece apart the mechanisms of how/whether executive and reading network relationships are predictive of intervention response. We found that readers who are responsive to intervention have more typical pre-intervention functional interactions between executive and reading systems compared to nonresponsive readers. These findings suggest that intervention response in dyslexia is influenced not only by domain-specific reading regions, but also by contributions from intervening domain-general networks. Our results make a significant gain in identifying predictive bio-markers of outcomes in dyslexia, and have important implications for the development of personalized clinical interventions. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

CMV latent infection improves CD8+ T response to SEB due to expansion of polyfunctional CD57+ cells in young individuals.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alejandra Pera

Full Text Available Cytomegalovirus (CMV latent infection has a deleterious effect on the efficacy of influenza vaccination in the elderly, suggesting that CMV restricts immunological diversity impairing the immune system functionality in old age. Polyfunctional T cells produce multiple cytokines and higher amounts than mono-functional T cells. High number of polyfunctional T cells correlates with better prognosis during infection. Thus, the efficiency of T cell response associates with quality (polyfunctionality rather than with quantity (percentage of T cells. We analyze the effect of CMV infection on CD8+ T cells polyfunctionality --degranulation (CD107a, IFN-gamma and TNF-alpha production--, from young CMV-seropositive and CMV-seronegative individuals and in middle age CMV-seropositive donors, in response to Staphylococcal Enterotoxin B (SEB. Our results show a higher percentage of polyfunctional CD8+ T cells in young CMV-seropositive individuals compared to CMV-seronegative. Also, we find an expansion of CD8+CD57+ T cells in CMV-seropositive individuals, which are more polyfunctional than CD8+CD57- cells. In middle age individuals there is a higher frequency of SEB-responding CD8+ T cells, mainly TNF-alpha or TNF-alpha/IFN-gamma producers, whereas the percentage of polyfunctional cells (IFN-gamma/TNF-alpha/CD107a is similar to the percentages found in young CMV-seropositive. Therefore, whereas it has been shown that CMV latent infection can be detrimental for immune response in old individuals, our results indicate that CMV-seropositivity is associated to higher levels of polyfunctional CD8+ T cells in young and middle age donors. This increase in polyfunctionality, which can provide an immunological advantage in the response to other pathogens, is due to a CD8+CD57+ T cell expansion in CMV-seropositive individuals and it is independent of age. Conversely, age could contribute to the inflammation found in old individuals by increasing the percentage of cells

Treeline dynamics in response to climate change in the Min Mountains, southwestern China.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, Zhi-Jiang; Shen, Guo-Zhen; Tan, Liu-Yi; Kang, Dong-Wei; Wang, Meng-Jun; Kang, Wen; Guo, Wen-Xia; Zeppel, Melanie Jb; Yu, Qiang; Li, Jun-Qing

2013-12-01

Abies faxoniana is the dominant plant species of the forest ecosystem on the eastern edge of Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, where the treeline is strongly defined by climate. The tree-ring chronologies and age structure of Abies faxoniana were developed in the treeline ecotones on the northwestern and southeastern aspects of the Min Mountains in the Wanglang Nature Reserve to examine the treeline dynamics of recent decades in response to climate change. On the northwestern aspect, correlation analysis showed that the radial growth was significantly and positively correlated with precipitation in current January and monthly mean temperature in current April, but significantly and negatively correlated with monthly mean temperature in previous August. On the southeastern aspect, the radial growth was significantly negatively correlated with monthly mean temperature in previous July and August. The different responses of radial growth to climatic variability on both the aspects might be mainly due to the micro-environmental conditions. The recruitment benefited from the warm temperature in current April, July and September on the northwestern aspect. The responses of radial growth and recruitment to climatic variability were similar on the northwestern slope. Recruitment was greatly restricted by competition with dense bamboos on the southeastern aspect.

Toward superconducting critical current by design

OpenAIRE

Sadovskyy, I. A.; Jia, Y.; Leroux, M.; Kwon, J.; Hu, H.; Fang, L.; Chaparro, C.; Zhu, S.; Welp, U.; Zuo, J. -M.; Zhang, Y.; Nakasaki, R.; Selvamanickam, V.; Crabtree, G. W.; Koshelev, A. E.

2015-01-01

We present the new paradigm of critical current by design. Analogous to materials by design, it aims at predicting the optimal defect landscape in a superconductor for targeted applications by elucidating the vortex dynamics responsible for the bulk critical current. To highlight this approach, we demonstrate the synergistic combination of critical current measurements on commercial high-temperature superconductors containing self-assembled and irradiation tailored correlated defects by using...

Toward Superconducting Critical Current by Design.

Science.gov (United States)

Sadovskyy, Ivan A; Jia, Ying; Leroux, Maxime; Kwon, Jihwan; Hu, Hefei; Fang, Lei; Chaparro, Carlos; Zhu, Shaofei; Welp, Ulrich; Zuo, Jian-Min; Zhang, Yifei; Nakasaki, Ryusuke; Selvamanickam, Venkat; Crabtree, George W; Koshelev, Alexei E; Glatz, Andreas; Kwok, Wai-Kwong

2016-06-01

A new critical-current-by-design paradigm is presented. It aims at predicting the optimal defect landscape in superconductors for targeted applications by elucidating the vortex dynamics responsible for the bulk critical current. To this end, critical current measurements on commercial high-temperature superconductors are combined with large-scale time-dependent Ginzburg-Landau simulations of vortex dynamics. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Developing mathematical models to predict tensile properties of pulsed current gas tungsten arc welded Ti-6Al-4V alloy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Balasubramanian, M.; Jayabalan, V.; Balasubramanian, V.

2008-01-01

Titanium (Ti-6Al-4V) alloy has gathered wide acceptance in the fabrication of light weight structures requiring a high strength-to-weight ratio, such as transportable bridge girders, military vehicles, road tankers and railway transport systems. The preferred welding process of titanium alloy is frequently gas tungsten arc (GTA) welding due to its comparatively easier applicability and better economy. In the case of single pass GTA welding of thinner section of this alloy, the pulsed current has been found beneficial due to its advantages over the conventional continuous current process. Many considerations come into the picture and one need to carefully balance various pulse current parameters to arrive at an optimum combination. Hence, in this investigation an attempt has been made to develop mathematical models to predict tensile properties of pulsed current GTA welded titanium alloy weldments. Four factors, five level, central composite, rotatable design matrix is used to optimise the required number of experiments. The mathematical models have been developed by response surface method (RSM). The adequacy of the models has been checked by ANOVA technique. By using the developed mathematical models, the tensile properties of the joints can be predicted with 99% confidence level

Developing mathematical models to predict tensile properties of pulsed current gas tungsten arc welded Ti-6Al-4V alloy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Balasubramanian, M. [Department of Production Engineering, Sathyabama University, Old Mamallapuram Road, Chennai 600 119 (India)], E-mail: manianmb@rediffmail.com; Jayabalan, V. [Department of Manufacturing Engineering, Anna University, Guindy, Chennai 600 025 (India)], E-mail: jbalan@annauniv.edu; Balasubramanian, V. [Department of Manufacturing Engineering, Annamalai University, Annamalai Nagar 608 002 (India)], E-mail: visvabalu@yahoo.com

2008-07-01

Titanium (Ti-6Al-4V) alloy has gathered wide acceptance in the fabrication of light weight structures requiring a high strength-to-weight ratio, such as transportable bridge girders, military vehicles, road tankers and railway transport systems. The preferred welding process of titanium alloy is frequently gas tungsten arc (GTA) welding due to its comparatively easier applicability and better economy. In the case of single pass GTA welding of thinner section of this alloy, the pulsed current has been found beneficial due to its advantages over the conventional continuous current process. Many considerations come into the picture and one need to carefully balance various pulse current parameters to arrive at an optimum combination. Hence, in this investigation an attempt has been made to develop mathematical models to predict tensile properties of pulsed current GTA welded titanium alloy weldments. Four factors, five level, central composite, rotatable design matrix is used to optimise the required number of experiments. The mathematical models have been developed by response surface method (RSM). The adequacy of the models has been checked by ANOVA technique. By using the developed mathematical models, the tensile properties of the joints can be predicted with 99% confidence level.

Modelling earth current precursors in earthquake prediction

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

R. Di Maio

1997-06-01

Full Text Available This paper deals with the theory of earth current precursors of earthquake. A dilatancy-diffusion-polarization model is proposed to explain the anomalies of the electric potential, which are observed on the ground surface prior to some earthquakes. The electric polarization is believed to be the electrokinetic effect due to the invasion of fluids into new pores, which are opened inside a stressed-dilated rock body. The time and space variation of the distribution of the electric potential in a layered earth as well as in a faulted half-space is studied in detail. It results that the surface response depends on the underground conductivity distribution and on the relative disposition of the measuring dipole with respect to the buried bipole source. A field procedure based on the use of an areal layout of the recording sites is proposed, in order to obtain the most complete information on the time and space evolution of the precursory phenomena in any given seismic region.

Load Torque Compensator for Model Predictive Direct Current Control in High Power PMSM Drive Systems

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Preindl, Matthias; Schaltz, Erik

2011-01-01

The widely used cascade speed and torque controllers have a limited control performance in most high power applications due to the low switching frequency of power electronic converters and the convenience to avoid speed overshoots and oscillations for lifetime considerations. Model Predictive...... Direct Current Control (MPDCC) leads to an increase of torque control performance taking into account the discrete nature of inverters but temporary offsets and poor responses to load torque variations are still issues in speed control. A load torque estimator is proposed in this paper in order...

Acute Respiratory Distress due to Thymoma in a Patient Treated with TK Inhibitor: A Case Report and Review of the Current Treatment Options

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

P. Zarogoulidis

2011-03-01

Full Text Available Thymic malignancies are rare intrathoracic tumors that may be aggressive and difficult to treat in advanced stage. Surgery is the cornerstone of the management of thymomas: it is significant for the definite histopathological diagnosis and staging, and in most cases, it constitutes the first step of the treatment strategy. For patients with primary unresectable thymomas, the multimodal treatment schedule nowadays includes neoadjuvant chemotherapy, extensive surgery, adjuvant radiotherapy, and in some cases, adjuvant chemotherapy. A patient with a history of stage III COPD and an undiagnosed thoracic mass was admitted to the intensive care unit with acute respiratory distress. A radiologic evaluation by CT scan revealed a mass of 13 cm in diameter at the mediastinum. Fine needle aspiration was performed and revealed a thymoma. Due to poor performance status, the patient was not able to undergo surgery. He refused to be treated with neither chemotherapy nor radiotherapy, but due to EGFR overexpression, treatment with TK inhibitor was suggested. Fine needle aspiration biopsy is commonly used to identify metastasis to the mediastinum. However, it is less often employed as a primary diagnostic tool for tumors, particularly thymic neoplasms. The use of targeted therapies for the treatment of thymic malignancies has been described in the literature. Over the past years, significant efforts have been made to dissect the molecular pathways involved in the carcinogenesis of these tumors. Insights have been obtained following anecdotal clinical responses to targeted therapies, and large-scale genomic analyses have been conducted.

Ground Return Current Behaviour in High Voltage Alternating Current Insulated Cables

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Roberto Benato

2014-12-01

Full Text Available The knowledge of ground return current in fault occurrence plays a key role in the dimensioning of the earthing grid of substations and of cable sealing end compounds, in the computation of rise of earth potential at substation sites and in electromagnetic interference (EMI on neighbouring parallel metallic conductors (pipes, handrails, etc.. Moreover, the ground return current evaluation is also important in steady-state regime since this stray current can be responsible for EMI and also for alternating current (AC corrosion. In fault situations and under some assumptions, the ground return current value at a substation site can be computed by means of k-factors. The paper shows that these simplified and approximated approaches have a lot of limitations and only multiconductor analysis can show the ground return current behaviour along the cable (not only the two end values both in steady-state regime and in short circuit occurrence (e.g., phase-to-ground and phase-to-phase-to-ground. Multiconductor cell analysis (MCA considers the cable system in its real asymmetry without simplified and approximated hypotheses. The sensitivity of ground return current on circuit parameters (cross-bonding box resistances, substation earthing resistances, soil resistivity is presented in the paper.

Nicotine inhibits potassium currents in Aplysia bag cell neurons

Science.gov (United States)

White, Sean H.; Sturgeon, Raymond M.

2016-01-01

Acetylcholine and the archetypal cholinergic agonist, nicotine, are typically associated with the opening of ionotropic receptors. In the bag cell neurons, which govern the reproductive behavior of the marine snail, Aplysia californica, there are two cholinergic responses: a relatively large acetylcholine-induced current and a relatively small nicotine-induced current. Both currents are readily apparent at resting membrane potential and result from the opening of distinct ionotropic receptors. We now report a separate current response elicited by applying nicotine to cultured bag cell neurons under whole cell voltage-clamp. This current was ostensibly inward, best resolved at depolarized voltages, presented a noncooperative dose-response with a half-maximal concentration near 1.5 mM, and associated with a decrease in membrane conductance. The unique nicotine-evoked response was not altered by intracellular perfusion with the G protein blocker GDPβS or exposure to classical nicotinic antagonists but was occluded by replacing intracellular K+ with Cs+. Consistent with an underlying mechanism of direct inhibition of one or more K+ channels, nicotine was found to rapidly reduce the fast-inactivating A-type K+ current as well as both components of the delayed-rectifier K+ current. Finally, nicotine increased bag cell neuron excitability, which manifested as reduction in spike threshold, greater action potential height and width, and markedly more spiking to continuous depolarizing current injection. In contrast to conventional transient activation of nicotinic ionotropic receptors, block of K+ channels could represent a nonstandard means for nicotine to profoundly alter the electrical properties of neurons over prolonged periods of time. PMID:26864763

Will Outer Tropical Cyclone Size Change due to Anthropogenic Warming?

Science.gov (United States)

Schenkel, B. A.; Lin, N.; Chavas, D. R.; Vecchi, G. A.; Knutson, T. R.; Oppenheimer, M.

2017-12-01

Prior research has shown significant interbasin and intrabasin variability in outer tropical cyclone (TC) size. Moreover, outer TC size has even been shown to vary substantially over the lifetime of the majority of TCs. However, the factors responsible for both setting initial outer TC size and determining its evolution throughout the TC lifetime remain uncertain. Given these gaps in our physical understanding, there remains uncertainty in how outer TC size will change, if at all, due to anthropogenic warming. The present study seeks to quantify whether outer TC size will change significantly in response to anthropogenic warming using data from a high-resolution global climate model and a regional hurricane model. Similar to prior work, the outer TC size metric used in this study is the radius in which the azimuthal-mean surface azimuthal wind equals 8 m/s. The initial results from the high-resolution global climate model data suggest that the distribution of outer TC size shifts significantly towards larger values in each global TC basin during future climates, as revealed by 1) statistically significant increase of the median outer TC size by 5-10% (p<0.05) according to a 1,000-sample bootstrap resampling approach with replacement and 2) statistically significant differences between distributions of outer TC size from current and future climate simulations as shown using two-sample Kolmogorov Smirnov testing (p<<0.01). Additional analysis of the high-resolution global climate model data reveals that outer TC size does not uniformly increase within each basin in future climates, but rather shows substantial locational dependence. Future work will incorporate the regional mesoscale hurricane model data to help focus on identifying the source of the spatial variability in outer TC size increases within each basin during future climates and, more importantly, why outer TC size changes in response to anthropogenic warming.

Morphological response of the saltmarsh habitats of the Guadiana estuary due to flow regulation and sea-level rise

Science.gov (United States)

Sampath, D. M. R.; Boski, T.

2016-12-01

In the context of rapid sea-level rise in the 21st century, the reduction of fluvial sediment supply due to the regulation of river discharge represents a major challenge for the management of estuarine ecosystems. Therefore, the present study aims to assess the cumulative impacts of the reduction of river discharge and projected sea-level rise on the morphological evolution of the Guadiana estuary during the 21st century. The assessment was based on a set of analytical solutions to simplified equations of tidal wave propagation in shallow waters and empirical knowledge of the system. As methods applied to estimate environmental flows do not take into consideration the fluvial discharge required to maintain saltmarsh habitats and the impact of sea-level rise, simulations were carried out for ten cases in terms of base river flow and sea-level rise so as to understand their sensitivity on the deepening of saltmarsh platforms. Results suggest saltmarsh habitats may not be affected severely in response to lower limit scenarios of sea-level rise and sedimentation. A similar behaviour can be expected even due to the upper limit scenarios until 2050, but with a significant submergence afterwards. In the case of the upper limit scenarios under scrutiny, there was a net erosion of sediment from the estuary. Multiplications of amplitudes of the base flow function by factors 1.5, 2, and 5 result in reduction of the estimated net eroded sediment volume by 25, 40, and 80%, respectively, with respect to the net eroded volume for observed river discharge. The results also indicate that defining the minimum environmental flow as a percentage of dry season flow (as done presently) should be updated to include the full spectrum of natural flows, incorporating temporal variability to better anticipate scenarios of sea-level rise during this century. As permanent submergence of intertidal habitats can be significant after 2050, due to the projected 79 cm rise of sea-level by the year

Severe Hypertriglyceridemia due to a novel p.Q240H mutation in the Lipoprotein Lipase gene.

Science.gov (United States)

Soto, Angela Ganan; McIntyre, Adam; Agrawal, Sungeeta; Bialo, Shara R; Hegele, Robert A; Boney, Charlotte M

2015-09-04

Lipoprotein Lipase (LPL) deficiency is a rare autosomal recessive disorder with a heterogeneous clinical presentation. Several mutations in the LPL gene have been identified to cause decreased activity of the enzyme. An 11-week-old, exclusively breastfed male presented with coffee-ground emesis, melena, xanthomas, lipemia retinalis and chylomicronemia. Genomic DNA analysis identified lipoprotein lipase deficiency due to compound heterozygosity including a novel p.Q240H mutation in exon 5 of the lipoprotein lipase (LPL) gene. His severe hypertriglyceridemia, including xanthomas, resolved with dietary long-chain fat restriction. We describe a novel mutation of the LPL gene causing severe hypertriglyceridemia and report the response to treatment. A review of the current literature regarding LPL deficiency syndrome reveals a few potential new therapies under investigation.

Response matrix properties and convergence implications for an interface-current nodal formulation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yang, W.S.

1995-01-01

An analytic study was performed of the properties and the associated convergence implications of the response matrix equations derived via the widely used nodal expansion method. By using the DIF3D nodal formulation in hexagonal-z geometry as a concrete example, an analytic expression for the response matrix is first derived by using the hexagonal prism symmetry transformations. The spectral radius of the local response matrix is shown to be always 2 -norm of the response matrix is shown to be ∞ -norm is not always 2 - and l ∞ -norms of the response matrix are found to increase as the removal cross section decreases. On the other hand, for a given removal cross section, each of these matrix norms takes its minimum at a certain diffusion coefficient and increases as the diffusion coefficient deviates from this value. Based on these matrix norms, sufficient conditions for the convergence of the iteration schemes for solving the response matrix equations are discussed. The range of node-height-to-hexagon-pitch ratios that guarantees a positive solution is derived as a function of the diffusion coefficient and the removal cross section

Loads as a Resource: Frequency Responsive Demand

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kalsi, Karanjit [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Hansen, Jacob [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Fuller, Jason C. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Marinovici, Laurentiu D. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Elizondo, Marcelo A. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Williams, Tess L. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Lian, Jianming [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Sun, Yannan [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)

2015-12-01

Current power grid operation predominantly relies on scheduling and regulating generation resources to supply loads and balance load changes. Due to the inherent intermittency of renewable energy, more flexible and fast ramping capacity is required to compensate for the uncertainty and variability introduced by renewable energy resources. With the advancement of information technologies, power system end-use loads are becoming more agile and can participate in provision of balancing energy and other grid services. The use of demand response can greatly reduce the required generation reserve in a clean and environmentally friendly way. In this report, a new frequency responsive load (FRL) controller was proposed based on the GFA controller, which can respond to both over and under-frequency events. A supervisory control was introduced to coordinate the autonomous response from FRLs in order to overcome the issues of excessive system response due to high penetration of FRLs. The effectiveness of the proposed FRL controller was demonstrated by large-scale simulation studies on the WECC system. Specifically, the FRLs were deployed in the WECC system at different penetration levels to analyze the performance of the proposed strategy both with and without supervisory level control. While both methods have their own advantages, the case without supervisory control could lead to system-wide instability depending on the size of the contingency and the number of FRLs deployed in the system. In addition, the voltage impacts of this controller on distribution system were also carefully investigated. Finally, a preliminary measurement and verification approach was also developed.

Mitigation of grid-current distortion for LCL-filtered grid-connected voltage-source inverter with inverter-side current control

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Xin, Zhen; Mattavelli, Paolo; Yao, WenLi

2017-01-01

Due to the low inductance of an LCL-filter, the grid current generated by an LCL-filtered Voltage Source Inverter (VSI) is sensitive to low-order grid-voltage harmonics. This issue is especially tough for the control system with Inverter Current Feedback (ICF), because the grid-current harmonics...... can freely flow into the filter capacitor without control. To cope with this issue, this paper develops an approach for the ICF control system to suppress the grid-current harmonics without adding extra sensors. The proposed method applies harmonic controllers and feedforward scheme simultaneously...

Response of ENSO amplitude to global warming in CESM large ensemble: uncertainty due to internal variability

Science.gov (United States)

Zheng, Xiao-Tong; Hui, Chang; Yeh, Sang-Wook

2018-06-01

El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) is the dominant mode of variability in the coupled ocean-atmospheric system. Future projections of ENSO change under global warming are highly uncertain among models. In this study, the effect of internal variability on ENSO amplitude change in future climate projections is investigated based on a 40-member ensemble from the Community Earth System Model Large Ensemble (CESM-LE) project. A large uncertainty is identified among ensemble members due to internal variability. The inter-member diversity is associated with a zonal dipole pattern of sea surface temperature (SST) change in the mean along the equator, which is similar to the second empirical orthogonal function (EOF) mode of tropical Pacific decadal variability (TPDV) in the unforced control simulation. The uncertainty in CESM-LE is comparable in magnitude to that among models of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project phase 5 (CMIP5), suggesting the contribution of internal variability to the intermodel uncertainty in ENSO amplitude change. However, the causations between changes in ENSO amplitude and the mean state are distinct between CESM-LE and CMIP5 ensemble. The CESM-LE results indicate that a large ensemble of 15 members is needed to separate the relative contributions to ENSO amplitude change over the twenty-first century between forced response and internal variability.

Postoperative hypoxemia due to fat embolism

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tarun Bhalla

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Although the reported incidence of fat embolism syndrome (FES is low (approximately 1%, it is likely that microscopic fat emboli are showered during manipulation of long bone fractures. Even though there continues to be debate regarding the etiology and proposed mechanism responsible for FES, significant systemic manifestations may occur. Treatment is generally symptomatic based on the clinical presentations. We report a 10-year-old girl who developed hypoxemia following treatment of a displaced Salter-Harris type II fracture of the distal tibia. The subsequent evaluation and hospital course pointed to fat embolism as the most likely etiology for the hypoxemia. We discuss the etiology for FES, review the proposed pathophysiological mechanisms responsible for its clinical manifestations, present currently accepted diagnostic criteria, and discuss its treatment.

Multiple Cranial Nerve Palsy Due to Cerebral Venous Thrombosis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Esra Eruyar

2017-04-01

Full Text Available Cerebral venous thrombosis (CVT is a rare clinical condition between cerebrovasculer diases. The most common findings are headache, seizure and focal neurological deficit. Multiple cranial nerve palsy due to CVT is rarely seen and it is not clear pathology. A pathology that could explain the lack of cranial nerve imaging is carrying suspected diagnosis but the disease is known to provide early diagnosis and treatment. We want to emphasize with this case multipl cranial nerve palsy due to CVT is seen rarely and good response to treatment.

Diagnosis Lost: Differences between Children who Had and who Currently Have an Autism Spectrum Disorder Diagnosis

Science.gov (United States)

Blumberg, Stephen J; Zablotsky, Benjamin; Avila, Rosa M; Colpe, Lisa J; Pringle, Beverly A; Kogan, Michael D

2016-01-01

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) diagnoses sometimes change due to misdiagnosis, maturation, or treatment. This study uses a probability-based national survey—the Survey of Pathways to Diagnosis and Services—to compare currently diagnosed (n=1420) and previously diagnosed (n=187) children aged 6–17 years based on retrospective parental reports of early concerns about their children’s development, responses to those concerns by doctors and other health care providers, the type of provider who made the first ASD diagnosis, and the ASD subtype diagnoses received (if any). Propensity score matching was used to control for differences between the groups on children’s current level of functioning and other current characteristics that may have been related to diagnosis loss. Approximately 13% of the children ever diagnosed with ASD were estimated to have lost the diagnosis, and parents of 74% of them believe it was changed due to new information. Previously diagnosed children were less likely to have parents with early concerns about verbal skills, nonverbal communication, learning, and unusual gestures or movements. They were also less likely to have been referred to and diagnosed by a specialist. Previously diagnosed children were less likely to have ever received a diagnosis of Asperger’s disorder or autistic disorder. PMID:26489772

Numerical simulation of baseflow modification due to effects of ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Numerical simulation of baseflow modification due to effects of sediment yield. ... Physically-based mathematical modelling affords the opportunity to look at this kind of interaction, which should be simulated by deterministic responses of both water and fluvial processes. In addition to simulating the streamflow and ...

High-temperature response functions and the non-Abelian Kubo formula

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jackiw, R.; Nair, V.P.

1993-01-01

We describe the relationship between time-ordered and retarded response functions in a plasma. We obtain an expression, including the proper iε prescription, for the induced current due to hard thermal loops in a non-Abelian theory, thus giving the non-Abelian generalization of the Kubo formula. The result is closely related to the eikonal for a Chern-Simons theory and is relevant for a guage-invariant description of Landau damping in the quark-gluon plasma at high temperature

Acute desensitization of acetylcholine and endothelin-1 activated inward rectifier K+ current in myocytes from the cardiac atrioventricular node.

Science.gov (United States)

Choisy, Stéphanie C M; James, Andrew F; Hancox, Jules C

2012-07-06

The atrioventricular node (AVN) is a vital component of the pacemaker-conduction system of the heart, co-ordinating conduction of electrical excitation from cardiac atria to ventricles and acting as a secondary pacemaker. The electrical behaviour of the AVN is modulated by vagal activity via activation of muscarinic potassium current, IKACh. However, it is not yet known if this response exhibits 'fade' or desensitization in the AVN, as established for the heart's primary pacemaker--the sinoatrial node. In this study, acute activation of IKACh in rabbit single AVN cells was investigated using whole-cell patch clamp at 37 °C. 0.1-1 μM acetylcholine (ACh) rapidly activated a robust IKACh in AVN myocytes during a descending voltage-ramp protocol. This response was inhibited by tertiapin-Q (TQ; 300 nM) and by the M2 muscarinic ACh receptor antagonist AFDX-116 (1 μM). During sustained ACh exposure the elicited IKACh exhibited bi-exponential fade (τf of 2.0 s and τs 76.9 s at -120 mV; 1 μM ACh). 10 nM ET-1 elicited a current similar to IKACh, which faded with a mono-exponential time-course (τ of 52.6 s at -120 mV). When ET-1 was applied following ACh, the ET-1 activated response was greatly attenuated, demonstrating that ACh could desensitize the response to ET-1. For neither ACh nor ET-1 was the rate of current fade dependent upon the initial response magnitude, which is inconsistent with K+ flux mediated changes in electrochemical driving force as the underlying mechanism. Collectively, these findings demonstrate that TQ sensitive inwardly rectifying K+ current in cardiac AVN cells, elicited by M2 muscarinic receptor or ET-1 receptor activation, exhibits fade due to rapid desensitization. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Low-dose oral tolerance due to antigen in the diet suppresses differentially the cholera toxin-adjuvantized IgE, IgA and IgG response

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Christensen, Hanne Risager; Kjær, Tanja; Frøkiær, Hanne

2003-01-01

Background: Cholera toxin (CT) is used as a mucosal adjuvant amongst other applications for studying food allergy because oral administration of antigen with CT induces an antigen-specific type 2 response, including IgE and IgA production. Priorly established oral tolerance due to antigen...... soy-trypsin inhibitor (KSTI) (F0 mice) and mice fed a soy-free diet (F2 mice) were orally immunized with KSTI and CT. KSTI-specific serum IgG1, IgG2a, IgA and IgE and fecal IgA were monitored. KSTI-stimulated cell proliferation and interleukin (IL)-6 production were determined. Results: The anti...... immunizations. However, cell proliferation and IL-6 production were clearly suppressed even after five immunizations. Conclusions: Priorly established low-dose oral tolerance considerably suppressed the CT-adjuvantized KSTI-specific IgE, IgA and cellular immune response but only weakly and transiently the Ig...

The Pedersen current carried by electrons: a non-linear response of the ionosphere to magnetospheric forcing

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. C. Buchert

2008-09-01

Full Text Available Observations by the EISCAT Svalbard radar show that electron temperatures T_e in the cusp electrojet reach up to about 4000 K. The heat is tapped and converted from plasma convection in the near Earth space by a Pedersen current that is carried by electrons due to the presence of irregularities and their demagnetising effect. The heat is transfered to the neutral gas by collisions. In order to enhance T_e to such high temperatures the maximally possible dissipation at 50% demagnetisation must nearly be reached. The effective Pedersen conductances are found to be enhanced by up to 60% compared to classical values. Conductivities and conductances respond significantly to variations of the electric field strength E, and "Ohm's law" for the ionosphere becomes non-linear for large E.

Bradykinin Contributes to Sympathetic and Pressor Responses Evoked by Activation of Skeletal Muscle Afferents P2X in Heart Failure

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jihong Xing

2016-11-01

Full Text Available Background/Aims: Published data suggest that purinergic P2X receptors of muscle afferent nerves contribute to the enhanced sympathetic nervous activity (SNA and blood pressure (BP responses during static exercise in heart failure (HF. In this study, we examined engagement of bradykinin (BK in regulating responses of SNA and BP evoked by P2X stimulation in rats with HF. We further examined cellular mechanisms responsible for BK. We hypothesized that BK potentiates P2X currents of muscle dorsal root ganglion (DRG neurons, and this effect is greater in HF due to upregulation of BK kinin B2 and P2X3 receptor. As a result, BK amplifies muscle afferents P2X-mediated SNA and BP responses. Methods: Renal SNA and BP responses were recorded in control rats and rats with HF. Western Blot analysis and patch-clamp methods were employed to examine the receptor expression and function of DRG neurons involved in the effects of BK. Results: BK injected into the arterial blood supply of the hindlimb muscles heightened the reflex SNA and BP responses induced by P2X activation with α,β-methylene ATP to a greater degree in HF rats. In addition, HF upregulated the protein expression of kinin B2 and P2X3 in DRG and the prior application of BK increased the magnitude of α,β-methylene ATP-induced currents in muscle DRG neurons from HF rats. Conclusion: BK plays a facilitating role in modulating muscle afferent P2X-engaged reflex sympathetic and pressor responses. In HF, P2X responsivness is augmented due to increases in expression of kinin B2 and P2X3 receptors and P2X current activity.

Thermal instability and current-voltage scaling in superconducting fault current limiters

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zeimetz, B [Department of Materials Science and Metallurgy, Cambridge University, Pembroke Street, Cambridge CB1 3QZ (United Kingdom); Tadinada, K [Department of Engineering, Cambridge University, Trumpington Road, Cambridge CB2 1PZ (United Kingdom); Eves, D E [Department of Engineering, Cambridge University, Trumpington Road, Cambridge CB2 1PZ (United Kingdom); Coombs, T A [Department of Engineering, Cambridge University, Trumpington Road, Cambridge CB2 1PZ (United Kingdom); Evetts, J E [Department of Materials Science and Metallurgy, Cambridge University, Pembroke Street, Cambridge CB1 3QZ (United Kingdom); Campbell, A M [Department of Engineering, Cambridge University, Trumpington Road, Cambridge CB2 1PZ (United Kingdom)

2004-04-01

We have developed a computer model for the simulation of resistive superconducting fault current limiters in three dimensions. The program calculates the electromagnetic and thermal response of a superconductor to a time-dependent overload voltage, with different possible cooling conditions for the surfaces, and locally variable superconducting and thermal properties. We find that the cryogen boil-off parameters critically influence the stability of a limiter. The recovery time after a fault increases strongly with thickness. Above a critical thickness, the temperature is unstable even for a small applied AC voltage. The maximum voltage and maximum current during a short fault are correlated by a simple exponential law.

Ocean current data measured by the Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (ADCP) aboard the Discoverer Enterprise oil platform from May 23, 2010 to July 04, 2010 in the Gulf of Mexico in response to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill (NODC Accession 0083684)

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Ocean current data were collected by ADCP aboard the Discoverer Enterprise in the Gulf of Mexico in response to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill event on April 20,...

Ocean current data measured by the Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (ADCP) aboard the Development Driller III from 2010-05-31 to 2010-07-04 in the Gulf of Mexico in response to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill (NODC Accession 0083634)

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Ocean current data were collected by ADCP aboard the Discoverer Enterprise in the Gulf of Mexico in response to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill event on April 20,...

Current noise in tunnel junctions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Frey, Moritz; Grabert, Hermann [Physikalisches Institut, Universitaet Freiburg, Hermann-Herder-Strasse 3, 79104, Freiburg (Germany)

2017-06-15

We study current fluctuations in tunnel junctions driven by a voltage source. The voltage is applied to the tunneling element via an impedance providing an electromagnetic environment of the junction. We use circuit theory to relate the fluctuations of the current flowing in the leads of the junction with the voltage fluctuations generated by the environmental impedance and the fluctuations of the tunneling current. The spectrum of current fluctuations is found to consist of three parts: a term arising from the environmental Johnson-Nyquist noise, a term due to the shot noise of the tunneling current and a third term describing the cross-correlation between these two noise sources. Our phenomenological theory reproduces previous results based on the Hamiltonian model for the dynamical Coulomb blockade and provides a simple understanding of the current fluctuation spectrum in terms of circuit theory and properties of the average current. Specific results are given for a tunnel junction driven through a resonator. (copyright 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

Evaluation of telluric current effects on the Maritimes and Northeast Pipeline

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Boteler, D.H. [Natural Resources Canada, Geological Survey of Canada, Geomagnetic Laboratory, Ottawa, ON (Canada); Gummow, R.A.; Rix, B.C. [CORRENG Consulting Services, Inc., Downsview, ON (Canada)

1999-07-01

The Maritimes and Northeast Pipeline, currently under construction, runs through an area where large geomagnetic disturbances, and electric fields amplified by the coast effect, can be reasonably expected. Because of this, and because of the high tide in the Bay of Fundy, significant telluric currents (a current flowing through the ground, such as the earth's geomagnetic field) are anticipated. Under these circumstances, it was essential to consider the likely effects of telluric currents as one of the factors in designing the cathodic protection system for the new pipeline. Likely effects of the geomagnetic disturbances and their extent were evaluated and pipeline response to these electric fields examined by means of a computer model. Pipe-to-soil potentials were calculated with different coating resistances and placement of insulating flanges and ground beds. Telluric current potentials were found to vary with increased electric field, with electric fields more parallel to the pipeline, and higher resistance coatings. The potential difference between the pipe and the soil was found to be greatest at the Goldboro end of the pipeline due to potential gradients produced in the land near the coast during geomagnetic disturbances. Tidal water movements in the Bay of Fundy generate electrical fields in the water which cause potential gradients in the lands, however, because of the nature of the potential gradients in this instance, the dynamo effect on pipe-to soil potentials is expected to be very small. 19 refs., 1 tab., 12 figs.

Sodium Overload Due To a Persistent Current That Attenuates The Arrhythmogenic Potential of a Novel LQT3 Mutation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Adrien eMoreau

2013-10-01

Full Text Available Long QT syndrome (LQTS is a congenital abnormality of cardiac repolarization that manifests as a prolonged QT interval on 12-lead electrocardiograms. The syndrome may lead to syncope and sudden death from ventricular tachyarrhythmias known as torsades de pointes. An increased persistent Na+ current is known to cause a Ca2+ overload in case of ischemia for example. Such increased Na+ persistent current is also usually associated to the LQT3 syndrome. The purpose of this study was to investigate the pathological consequences of a novel mutation in a family affected by LQTS. The impact of biophysical defects on cellular homeostasis are also investigated.Genomic DNA was extracted from blood samples, and a combination of PCR and DNA sequencing of several LQTS-linked genes was used to identify mutations. The mutation was reproduced in vitro and was characterized using the patch clamp technique and in silico quantitative analysis.A novel mutation (Q1476R was identified on the SCN5A gene encoding the cardiac Na+ channel. Cells expressing the Q1476R mutation exhibited biophysical alterations, including a shift of SS inactivation and a significant increase in the persistent Na+ current. The in silico analysis confirmed the arrhythmogenic character of the Q1476R mutation. It further revealed that the increase in persistent Na+ current causes a frequency-dependent Na+ overload in cardiomyocytes co-expressing WT and mutant Nav1.5 channels, that, in turn, exerts a moderating effect on the lengthening of the action potential duration caused by the mutation.The Q1476R mutation in SCN5A results in a three-fold increase in the window current and a persistent inward Na+ current. These biophysical defects may expose the carrier of the mutation to arrhythmias that occur preferentially in the patient at rest or during tachycardia. However, the Na+ overload counterbalances the gain-of-function of the mutation and is beneficial in that it prevents severe arrhythmias at

The Potential of Stimuli-Responsive Nanogels in Drug and Active Molecule Delivery for Targeted Therapy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marta Vicario-de-la-Torre

2017-05-01

Full Text Available Nanogels (NGs are currently under extensive investigation due to their unique properties, such as small particle size, high encapsulation efficiency and protection of active agents from degradation, which make them ideal candidates as drug delivery systems (DDS. Stimuli-responsive NGs are cross-linked nanoparticles (NPs, composed of polymers, natural, synthetic, or a combination thereof that can swell by absorption (uptake of large amounts of solvent, but not dissolve due to the constituent structure of the polymeric network. NGs can undergo change from a polymeric solution (swell form to a hard particle (collapsed form in response to (i physical stimuli such as temperature, ionic strength, magnetic or electric fields; (ii chemical stimuli such as pH, ions, specific molecules or (iii biochemical stimuli such as enzymatic substrates or affinity ligands. The interest in NGs comes from their multi-stimuli nature involving reversible phase transitions in response to changes in the external media in a faster way than macroscopic gels or hydrogels due to their nanometric size. NGs have a porous structure able to encapsulate small molecules such as drugs and genes, then releasing them by changing their volume when external stimuli are applied.

Enhanced motor learning with bilateral transcranial direct current stimulation: Impact of polarity or current flow direction?

Science.gov (United States)

Naros, Georgios; Geyer, Marc; Koch, Susanne; Mayr, Lena; Ellinger, Tabea; Grimm, Florian; Gharabaghi, Alireza

2016-04-01

Bilateral transcranial direct current stimulation (TDCS) is superior to unilateral TDCS when targeting motor learning. This effect could be related to either the current flow direction or additive polarity-specific effects on each hemisphere. This sham-controlled randomized study included fifty right-handed healthy subjects in a parallel-group design who performed an exoskeleton-based motor task of the proximal left arm on three consecutive days. Prior to training, we applied either sham, right anodal (a-TDCS), left cathodal (c-TDCS), concurrent a-TDCS and c-TDCS with two independent current sources and return electrodes (double source (ds)-TDCS) or classical bilateral stimulation (bi-TDCS). Motor performance improved over time for both unilateral (a-TDCS, c-TDCS) and bilateral (bi-TDCS, ds-TDCS) TDCS montages. However, only the two bilateral paradigms led to an improvement of the final motor performance at the end of the training period as compared to the sham condition. There was no difference between the two bilateral stimulation conditions (bi-TDCS, ds-TDCS). Bilateral TDCS is more effective than unilateral stimulation due to its polarity-specific effects on each hemisphere rather than due to its current flow direction. This study is the first systematic evaluation of stimulation polarity and current flow direction of bi-hemispheric motor cortex TDCS on motor learning of proximal upper limb muscles. Copyright © 2016 International Federation of Clinical Neurophysiology. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Direct current contamination of kilohertz frequency alternating current waveforms.

Science.gov (United States)

Franke, Manfred; Bhadra, Niloy; Bhadra, Narendra; Kilgore, Kevin

2014-07-30

Kilohertz frequency alternating current (KHFAC) waveforms are being evaluated in a variety of physiological settings because of their potential to modulate neural activity uniquely when compared to frequencies in the sub-kilohertz range. However, the use of waveforms in this frequency range presents some unique challenges regarding the generator output. In this study we explored the possibility of undesirable contamination of the KHFAC waveforms by direct current (DC). We evaluated current- and voltage-controlled KHFAC waveform generators in configurations that included a capacitive coupling between generator and electrode, a resistive coupling and combinations of capacitive with inductive coupling. Our results demonstrate that both voltage- and current-controlled signal generators can unintentionally add DC-contamination to a KHFAC signal, and that capacitive coupling is not always sufficient to eliminate this contamination. We furthermore demonstrated that high value inductors, placed in parallel with the electrode, can be effective in eliminating DC-contamination irrespective of the type of stimulator, reducing the DC contamination to less than 1 μA. This study highlights the importance of carefully designing the electronic setup used in KHFAC studies and suggests specific testing that should be performed and reported in all studies that assess the neural response to KHFAC waveforms. Published by Elsevier B.V.

X-ray tube current control

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dupuis, W.A.; Resnick, T.A.

1982-01-01

A closed loop feedback system for controlling the current output of an x-ray tube. The system has circuitry for improving the transient response and stability of the x-ray tube current over a substantial nonlinear portion of the tube current production characteristic. The system includes a reference generator for applying adjustable step function reference signals representing desired tube currents. The system also includes means for instantaneous sensing of actual tube current. An error detector compares the value of actual and reference tube current and produces an error signal as a function of their difference. The system feedback loop includes amplification circuitry for controlling x-ray tube filament dc voltage to regulate tube current as a function of the error signal value. The system also includes compensation circuitry, between the reference generator and the amplification circuitry, to vary the loop gain of the feedback control system as a function of the reference magnitude

Development of a high current ion implanter

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Choi, Byung Ho; Kim, Wan; Jin, Jeong Tae

1990-01-01

A high current ion implanter of the energy of 100 Kev and the current of about 100 mA has been developed for using the high dose ion implantation, surface modification of steels and ceramics, and ion beam milling. The characteristics of the beam extraction and transportation are investigated. A duoPIGatron ion source compatible with gas ion extraction of about 100 mA, a single gap acceleration tube which is able to compensate the divergence due to the space charge effect, and a beam transport system with the concept of the space charge neutralization are developed for the high current machine. The performance of the constructed machine shows that nitrogen, argon, helium, hydrogen and oxygen ion beams are successfully extracted and transported at a beam divergence due to space charge effect is negligible in the operation pressure of 2 x 10 -5 torr. (author)

Are there missing convective currents?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen, C.Y.

1992-01-01

It is revealed in this letter that as far as distribution functions obtained from gyrokinetic equations are concerned, the standard formulae to evaluate currents in plasmas are not applicable due to the fact that those distribution functions are given in a moving coordinate frame and the moving is essentially related to perturbed fields. With heuristic and analytic approaches, appropriate formulae are obtained to evaluate several types of currents in plasmas of which some have been missing in previous approaches. (author). 6 refs, 1 fig

The halo current in ASDEX Upgrade

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pautasso, G.; Giannone, L.; Gruber, O.; Herrmann, A.; Maraschek, M.; Schuhbeck, K.H.

2011-01-01

Due to the complexity of the phenomena involved, a self-consistent physical model for the prediction of the halo current is not available. Therefore the ITER specifications of the spatial distribution and evolution of the halo current rely on empirical assumptions. This paper presents the results of an extensive analysis of the halo current measured in ASDEX Upgrade with particular emphasis on the evolution of the halo region, on the magnitude and time history of the halo current, and on the structure and duration of its toroidal and poloidal asymmetries. The effective length of the poloidal path of the halo current in the vessel is found to be rather insensitive to plasma parameters. Large values of the toroidally averaged halo current are observed in both vertical displacement events and centred disruptions but last a small fraction of the current quench; they coincide typically with a large but short-lived MHD event.

The halo current in ASDEX Upgrade

Science.gov (United States)

Pautasso, G.; Giannone, L.; Gruber, O.; Herrmann, A.; Maraschek, M.; Schuhbeck, K. H.; ASDEX Upgrade Team

2011-04-01

Due to the complexity of the phenomena involved, a self-consistent physical model for the prediction of the halo current is not available. Therefore the ITER specifications of the spatial distribution and evolution of the halo current rely on empirical assumptions. This paper presents the results of an extensive analysis of the halo current measured in ASDEX Upgrade with particular emphasis on the evolution of the halo region, on the magnitude and time history of the halo current, and on the structure and duration of its toroidal and poloidal asymmetries. The effective length of the poloidal path of the halo current in the vessel is found to be rather insensitive to plasma parameters. Large values of the toroidally averaged halo current are observed in both vertical displacement events and centred disruptions but last a small fraction of the current quench; they coincide typically with a large but short-lived MHD event.

Response to ``Comment on `Small field behavior of critical current in Y1Ba2Cu3O7 sintered samples' ''

Science.gov (United States)

Paternò, G.; Alvani, C.; Casadio, S.; Gambardella, U.; Maritato, L.

1989-05-01

In our response we would like to point out the fitting of the data has done to account for the shift of the maximum magnetic field dependence of the critical current. This shift on the order of 1 Gauss or less is gener ally observed in all our data and is attributable to the residual external field. Since we used a crude junction model, the self-field effects were not included. (AIP)

Nanoparticle heterodimers: The role of size and interparticle gap distance on the optical response

Science.gov (United States)

Mokkath, Junais Habeeb

2018-05-01

Composite plasmonic nanostructures with controlled size, shape and relative arrangement is a subject of significant current research interest. Much of this is stimulated by the prospects by generating enormous near-field enhancements of the surface and interparticle gap regions for potential applications in surface-enhanced spectroscopies. In this manuscript, using time-dependent density functional theory (TDDFT) calculations, we investigate how the optical response in size matched homodimers and size mismatched heterodimers composed of Aluminum modify while varying the size and interparticle gap distances in the sub-nanometer range. Both systems show interesting optical response evolution. In particular, the size mismatched heterodimers show even more complex optical response evolution due to a symmetry-breaking in the system.

Improving Role of Construction Industry for More Effective Post-Disaster Emergency Response To Road Infrastructure in Indonesia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pribadi Krishna S.

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Geo- and hydro-meteorological disasters typically caused disruptive impact to road networks due to damaged road infrastructure, which in turn disconnect access to and isolate the disaster affected areas. Road clearing work and emergency road recovery operation are considered a priority to reconnect the access during post-disaster emergency response. However, the operation is not always smooth and in many cases delayed due to various problems. An investigation is conducted to understand the current practice of post-disaster emergency road recovery operation in Indonesia and to study possible participation of construction industry in order to improve its effectiveness. In-depth interviews with Local Disaster Management Agencies (BPBDs and local road agencies in West Java Province were conducted to understand current practices in emergency road recovery operation and to view perspectives on local contractor participation. The surveys showed supports from the local governments for contractor involvement as long as it is still under guidance of related agencies (Ministry of Public Works and Housing despite some possible obstacles from the current regulation that may hamper contractors’ participation, which indicate that there is a potential role of construction industry for more effective post-disaster emergency response, provided that contractor associations are involved and existing procurement regulation is improved.

Tidal current energy resource assessment in Ireland: Current status and future update

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

O'Rourke, Fergal; Boyle, Fergal; Reynolds, Anthony

2010-01-01

Interest in renewable energy in Ireland has increased continually over the past decade. This interest is due primarily to security of supply issues and the effects of climate change. Ireland imports over 90% of its primary energy consumption, mostly in the form of fossil fuels. The exploitation of Ireland's vast indigenous renewable energy resources is required in order to reduce this over-dependence on fossil fuel imports to meet energy demand. Various targets have been set by the Irish government to incorporate renewable energy technologies into Ireland's energy market. As a result of these targets, the development in wind energy has increased substantially over the past decade; however this method of energy extraction is intermittent and unpredictable. Ireland has an excellent tidal current energy resource and the use of this resource will assist in the development of a sustainable energy future. Energy extraction using tidal current energy technologies offers a vast and predictable energy resource. This paper reviews the currently accepted tidal current energy resource assessment for Ireland. This assessment was compiled by Sustainable Energy Ireland in a report in 2004. The assessment employed a 2-dimensional numerical model of the tidal current velocities around Ireland, and from this numerical model the theoretical tidal current energy resource was identified. With the introduction of constraints and limitations, the technical, practical, accessible and viable tidal current energy resources were obtained. The paper discusses why the assessment needs updating including the effect on the assessment of the current stage of development of tidal current turbines and their deployment technology. (author)

Competing responsibly

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Jeurissen, R.J.M.; Ven, van de B.W.

2005-01-01

In this paper we examine the effects of different competitive conditions on the determination and evaluation of strategies of corporate social responsibility (CSR). Although the mainstream of current thinking in business ethics recognizes that a firm should invest in social responsibility, the

Due diligence duties for an environmental liability

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Huebsch, M.

2000-04-01

Jurisdiction turned out well to create a basic ruling for due diligence duties. These due diligence duties are high standards for the law of torts (outside of contracts) within the Austrian civil law and represent a liability-extension for the holder of the source of danger. They establish an action for injunction in particular for preventing (further) damages. Therewith due diligence duties get a general sense in the range of a civil law for environmental liability. The responsible holder of a danger zone will therefore influence his way of acting to protect potential victims and the environment. The burden of proof is on the plaintiff (victims) under the Civil Code. Victims have specific sources of danger including high endangering special facilities in their argumentation with the so-called prima-facie-proof or first-appearance-proof. A turning back of the presentation of evidence to the polluter is wrong. The polluter himself has a continuing liability for dangerous activities and his clerks in the case of an extremely high danger of damage. All due diligence duties can be arranged in three areas: in information-, danger-avoidance- and danger-prevention-duties. The determination of range and essence of the duties has to be adjusted to each individual case. The range of the specific danger area is the essential link. The intensity of due diligence duties is increasing with the size of danger in the way of a movable system depending on the protected interest. Due diligence duties have to be kept within reasonable limits with two criterions: necessarity and demand. Proportionality of actions is a third criterion to avoid exaggeration of due diligence duties to obtain an effective protection for victims including the environment. (author)

Diagnosis of antisocial personality disorder and criminal responsibility.

Science.gov (United States)

Spaans, Marleen; Barendregt, Marko; Haan, Bernadette; Nijman, Henk; de Beurs, Edwin

2011-01-01

The present study empirically investigates whether personality disorders and psychopathic traits in criminal suspects are reasons for diminished criminal responsibility or enforced treatment in high security hospitals. Recently, the tenability of the claim that individuals with personality disorders and psychopathy can be held fully responsible for crimes has been questioned on theoretical bases. According to some interpretations, these disorders are due to cognitive, biological and developmental deficits that diminish the individual's accountability. The current article presents two studies among suspects of serious crimes under forensic evaluation in a Dutch forensic psychiatric observation clinic. The first study examined how experts weigh personality disorders in their conclusions as far as the degree of criminal responsibility and the need for enforced forensic psychiatric treatment are concerned (n=843). The second study investigated associations between PCL-R scores and experts' responsibility and treatment advisements (n=108). The results suggest that in Dutch forensic practice, the presence of a personality disorder decreased responsibility and led to an advice for enforced forensic treatment. Experts also take characteristics of psychopathy concerning impulsivity and (ir)responsibility into consideration when judging criminal accountability. Furthermore, they deem affective deficiencies sufficiently important to indicate suspects' threat to society or dangerousness and warrant a need for forensic treatment. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Role of Nrf2 in preventing oxidative stress induced chloride current alteration in human lung cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Canella, Rita; Benedusi, Mascia; Martini, Marta; Cervellati, Franco; Cavicchio, Carlotta; Valacchi, Giuseppe

2018-08-01

The lung tissue is one of the main targets of oxidative stress due to external sources and respiratory activity. In our previous work, we have demonstrated in that O 3 exposure alters the Cl - current-voltage relationship, with the appearance of a large outward rectifier component mainly sustained by outward rectifier chloride channels (ORCCs) in human lung epithelial cells (A549 line). In the present study, we have performed patch clamp experiments, in order to identify which one of the O 3 byproducts (4hydroxynonenal (HNE) and/or H 2 O 2 ) was responsible for chloride current change. While 4HNE exposition (up to 25 μM for 30' before electrophysiological analysis) did not reproduce O 3 effect, H 2 O 2 produced by glucose oxidase 10 mU for 24 hr before electrophysiological analysis mimicked O 3 response. This result was confirmed treating the cell with catalase (CAT) before O 3 exposure (1,000 U/ml for 2 hr): CAT was able to rescue Cl - current alteration. Since CAT is regulated by Nrf2 transcription factor, we pre-treated the cells with the Nrf2 activators, resveratrol and tBHQ. Immunochemical and immunocytochemical results showed Nrf2 activation with both substances that lead to prevent OS effect on Cl - current. These data bring new insights into the mechanisms involved in OS-induced lung tissue damage, pointing out the role of H 2 O 2 in chloride current alteration and the ability of Nfr2 activation in preventing this effect. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Collective neutrino-pair emission due to Cooper pairing of protons in superconducting neutron stars

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Leinson, L.B.

2001-01-01

The neutrino emission due to formation and breaking of Cooper pairs of protons in superconducting cores of neutron stars is considered with taking into account the electromagnetic coupling of protons to ambient electrons. It is shown that collective response of electrons to the proton quantum transition contributes coherently to the complete interaction with a neutrino field and enhances the neutrino-pair production. Our calculation shows that the contribution of the vector weak current to the ννbar emissivity of protons is much larger than that calculated by different authors without taking into account the plasma effects. Partial contribution of the pairing protons to the total neutrino radiation from the neutron star core is very sensitive to the critical temperatures for the proton and neutron pairing. We show domains of these parameters where the neutrino radiation, caused by a singlet-state pairing of protons is dominating

Correcting bias in commercial CPUE time series due to response of mixed fisheries to management

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Quirijns, F.J.; Rijnsdorp, A.D.

2005-01-01

Catch per Unit Effort (CPUE) is an important source of information on the development of fish stocks. To get an unbiased estimate of CPUE one of the issues that need to be investigated is the effect of the response of a fleet to management measures. This paper deals with the effect of the response

Ring Current Response to Different Storm Drivers. Van Allen Probes and Cluster Observations.

Science.gov (United States)

Bingham, S.; Mouikis, C.; Kistler, L. M.; Spence, H. E.; Gkioulidou, M.; Claudepierre, S. G.; Farrugia, C. J.

2015-12-01

The ring current responds differently to the different solar and interplanetary storm drivers such as coronal mass injections, (CME's), co-rotating interaction regions (CIR's), high-speed streamers and other structures. The resulting changes in the ring current particle pressure change the global magnetic field, which affects the transport of the radiation belts. In order to determine the field changes during a storm it is necessary to understand the transport, sources and losses of the particles that contribute to the ring current. The source population of the storm time ring current is the night side plasma sheet. However, it is not clear how these convecting particles affect the storm time ring current pressure development. We use Van Allen Probes and Cluster observations together with the Volland-Stern and dipole magnetic field models to determine the contribution in the ring current pressure of the plasma sheet particles convecting from the night side that are on open drift paths, during the storm evolution. We compare storms that are related to different interplanetary drivers, CME and CIR, as observed at different local times.

Particle transport due to magnetic fluctuations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stoneking, M.R.; Hokin, S.A.; Prager, S.C.; Fiksel, G.; Ji, H.; Den Hartog, D.J.

1994-01-01

Electron current fluctuations are measured with an electrostatic energy analyzer at the edge of the MST reversed-field pinch plasma. The radial flux of fast electrons (E>T e ) due to parallel streaming along a fluctuating magnetic field is determined locally by measuring the correlated product e B r >. Particle transport is small just inside the last closed flux surface (Γ e,mag e,total ), but can account for all observed particle losses inside r/a=0.8. Electron diffusion is found to increase with parallel velocity, as expected for diffusion in a region of field stochasticity

Properties of Red Sea coastal currents

KAUST Repository

Churchill, J.H.

2014-02-14

Properties of coastal flows of the central Red Sea are examined using 2 years of velocity data acquired off the coast of Saudi Arabia near 22 °N. The tidal flow is found to be very weak. The strongest tidal constituent, the M2 tide, has a magnitude of order 4 cm s−1. Energetic near-inertial and diurnal period motions are observed. These are surface-intensified currents, reaching magnitudes of >10 cm s−1. Although the diurnal currents appear to be principally wind-driven, their relationship with the surface wind stress record is complex. Less than 50% of the diurnal current variance is related to the diurnal wind stress through linear correlation. Correlation analysis reveals a classical upwelling/downwelling response to the alongshore wind stress. However, less than 30% of the overall sub-inertial variance can be accounted for by this response. The action of basin-scale eddies, impinging on the coastal zone, is implicated as a primary mechanism for driving coastal flows.

21 CFR 60.32 - Applicant response to petition.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... PATENT TERM RESTORATION Due Diligence Petitions § 60.32 Applicant response to petition. (a) The applicant... applicant acted with due diligence during the regulatory review period. The applicant's response may include... term restoration application, due diligence petition, and FDA records. ...

Interaction of Waves and Currents.

Science.gov (United States)

1983-03-01

glitter due to the greater surface roughness on the current. This surface roughness has value in remote sensing, particularly when infrared observations...34Pneumatic Breakwaters to Protect Dredges," Journal of Waterways and Harbors Division, Vol. 87, No. WW2 , May 1961, pp. 67- 87. Discussion 87 (Nov.) 127

Effective Dose Equivalent To The Cypriot Population Due To Natural Radiation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Christofides, S [Medical Physics Department, Nicosia General Hospital (Cyprus)

1994-12-31

A study was initiated by the Biomedical Research Foundation, two years ago, to estimate the various natural radiation components that contribute to the Effective Dose Equivalent (EDE) to the Cypriot population. The present study has shown that the contribution due to cosmic radiation is estimated to be less than 270 microSiverts per annum, while that due to airborne Rn-222 concentration in Cypriot houses is estimated to be less then 330 microSieverts per annum. The contribution due to terrestrial gamma radiations, which is currently under investigation, is so far estimated to be around 108 microSieverts per annum. Therefore the EDE to the Cypriot population due to natural radiation is likely to be around 700 microSieverts per annum, not taking into account the internal exposure due to other naturally occuring radionuclides. (author). 7 refs, 4 figs, 4 tabs.

On the pressure response in the brain due to short duration blunt impacts.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Christopher W Pearce

Full Text Available When the head is subject to non-penetrating (blunt impact, contusion-type injuries are commonly identified beneath the impact site (the coup and, in some instances, at the opposite pole (the contre-coup. This pattern of injury has long eluded satisfactory explanation and blunt head injury mechanisms in general remain poorly understood. There are only a small number of studies in the open literature investigating the head's response to short duration impacts, which can occur in collisions with light projectiles. As such, the head impact literature to date has focussed almost exclusively on impact scenarios which lead to a quasi-static pressure response in the brain. In order to investigate the response of the head to a wide range of impact durations, parametric numerical studies were performed on a highly bio-fidelic finite element model of the human head created from in vivo magnetic resonance imaging (MRI scan data with non-linear tissue material properties. We demonstrate that short duration head impacts can lead to potentially deleterious transients of positive and negative intra-cranial pressure over an order of magnitude larger than those observed in the quasi-static regime despite reduced impact force and energy. The onset of this phenomenon is shown to be effectively predicted by the ratio of impact duration to the period of oscillation of the first ovalling mode of the system. These findings point to dramatically different pressure distributions in the brain and hence different patterns of injury depending on projectile mass, and provide a potential explanation for dual coup/contre-coup injuries observed clinically.

Force-Deformation Response of a SMA-Based Actuator Considering the Electric Current Intensity as Step-Input

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ion-Cornel Mituletu

2015-06-01

Full Text Available The goal of the paper is to accomplish the response regarding the force-displacement characteristic evolution, of a Shape Memory Alloy (SMA actuator element. This reveals the first research stage in controlling the SMA behavior, providing important information about the heating-cooling time intervals. Step excitation of the SMA is performed by few values of electric current intensity, which produces the heating of SMA element up to 90-95 oC. To meet the testing requirements, an adequate test stand has been set up, consisting of sensors for force, displacement and temperature. The analog values provided by sensors were acquired and afterwards analyzed. The values of temperature, displacement and force were achieved, and their characteristic evolution has been performed. Thus, the time intervals are resulted and some other important aspects have been observed, regarding the delay between parameters and the temperature overshoot

CRIMINAL RESPONSIBILITY OF STUDENTS REGARDING USING MOBILE DEVICES AND VIOLATING THE PRINCIPLES OF INFORMATION SECURITY

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Blaž Markelj

2014-01-01

Full Text Available The combination of information security and criminal law in the case of usage of smart mobile phones among the students is a very relevant and current topic. Namely, the number of smart mobile phones’ users is rising daily, including among the student population, due to the need for perpetual communication and constant access to information. However, the lack of knowledge about recommendations on information security and safe use of smart mobile phone together with their disregard could lead to criminal responsibility of the users of smart mobile phones, including students. The purpose of this paper is therefore to represent the potential consequences of criminal responsibility and how to avoid it. The knowledge on safe use of smart mobile phones, their software, but also threats and safety solutions is very low among students, as the survey shows. Due to the loss, conveyance or disclosure of protected data, criminal responsibility of a user could therefore be relevant. In certain cases the juvenile criminal justice system is partly still relevant due to the students’ age, whereas in every case the students' culpability should be assessed precisely. This assessment namely distinguishes the cases, when the student is a perpetrator of a criminal act from the cases, when the student is only a victim of a criminal act due to his improper use of smart mobile phones.

Current Views of Toll-Like Receptor Signaling Pathways

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Masahiro Yamamoto

2010-01-01

Full Text Available On microbial invasion, the host immediately evokes innate immune responses. Recent studies have demonstrated that Toll-like receptors (TLRs play crucial roles in innate responses that lead not only to the clearance of pathogens but also to the efficient establishment of acquired immunity by directly detecting molecules from microbes. In terms of intracellular TLR-mediated signaling pathways, cytoplasmic adaptor molecules containing Toll/IL-1R (TIR domains play important roles in inflammatory immune responses through the production of proinflammatory cytokines, nitric oxide, and type I interferon, and upregulation of costimulatory molecules. In this paper, we will describe our current understanding of the relationship between TLRs and their ligands derived from pathogens such as viruses, bacteria, fungi, and parasites. Moreover, we will review the historical and current literature to describe the mechanisms behind TLR-mediated activation of innate immune responses.

Surface Modified Multifunctional and Stimuli Responsive Nanoparticles for Drug Targeting: Current Status and Uses

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Panoraia I. Siafaka

2016-08-01

Full Text Available Nanocarriers, due to their unique features, are of increased interest among researchers working with pharmaceutical formulations. Polymeric nanoparticles and nanocapsules, involving non-toxic biodegradable polymers, liposomes, solid lipid nanoparticles, and inorganic–organic nanomaterials, are among the most used carriers for drugs for a broad spectrum of targeted diseases. In fact, oral, injectable, transdermal-dermal and ocular formulations mainly consist of the aforementioned nanomaterials demonstrating promising characteristics such as long circulation, specific targeting, high drug loading capacity, enhanced intracellular penetration, and so on. Over the last decade, huge advances in the development of novel, safer and less toxic nanocarriers with amended properties have been made. In addition, multifunctional nanocarriers combining chemical substances, vitamins and peptides via coupling chemistry, inorganic particles coated by biocompatible materials seem to play a key role considering that functionalization can enhance characteristics such as biocompatibility, targetability, environmental friendliness, and intracellular penetration while also have limited side effects. This review aims to summarize the “state of the art” of drug delivery carriers in nanosize, paying attention to their surface functionalization with ligands and other small or polymeric compounds so as to upgrade active and passive targeting, different release patterns as well as cell targeting and stimuli responsibility. Lastly, future aspects and potential uses of nanoparticulated drug systems are outlined.

Currents in the DIII-D Tokamak

Science.gov (United States)

Azari, A.; Eidietis, N. W.

2012-10-01

Loss of vertical control of an elongated tokamak plasma results in a vertical displacement event (VDE) which can induce large currents on open field lines and exert high JxB forces on in-vessel components. An array of first-wall tile current monitors on DIII-D provides direct measurement of the poloidal halo currents. These measurements are analyzed to create a database of halo current magnitude and asymmetry, which are found to lie within the ranges seen by numerous other tokamaks in the ITPA Disruption Database. In addition, an analysis of halo asymmetry rotation is presented, as rotation at the resonance frequencies of in-vessel components could lead to significant amplification of the halo forces. Halo current rotation is found to be far more prevalent in old (1997-2002) DIII-D halo current data than recent data (2009), perhaps due to a change in divertor geometry over that time.

Biological responses to current UV-B radiation in Arctic regions

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Albert, Kristian Rost; Mikkelsen, Teis Nørgaard; Ro-Poulsen, H.

2008-01-01

on high-arctic vegetation. They supplement previous investigations from the Arctic focussing on other variables like growth etc., which have reported no or minor plant responses to UV-B, and clearly indicates that UV-B radiation is an important factor affecting plant life at high-arctic Zackenberg......Depletion of the ozone layer and the consequent increase in solar ultraviolet-B radiation (UV-B) may impact living conditions for arctic plants significantly. In order to evaluate how the prevailing UV-B fluxes affect the heath ecosystem at Zackenberg (74°30'N, 20°30'W) and other high......-arctic regions, manipulation experiments with various set-ups have been performed. Activation of plant defence mechanisms by production of UV-B absorbing compounds was significant in ambient UV-B in comparison to a filter treatment reducing the UV-B radiation. Despite the UV-B screening response, ambient UV...

Multiple brain abscesses due to Enterobacter cloacae in an immune-competent child

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Arushi G. Saini

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Brain abscesses due to Enterobacteriaceae in immune-competent children are rare, and those due to Enterobacter cloacae are even rarer. We report an interesting case of community-acquired E. cloacae neuroinfection resulting in multiple brain abscesses in a young child with no underlying risk-factors. A 10 year-old-boy presented with low-grade fever, headache, neck pain and progressive deterioration of sensorium. On examination, he was conscious but drowsy with photophobia, normal fundii, meningeal signs, mild hypertonia, brisk muscle stretch reflexes and extensor plantar responses. Magnetic resonance imaging of brain showed bilateral, multiple pyogenic abscesses. Culture of the abscess material aspirated at the time of surgical drainage showed growth of E. cloacae. He received intravenous imipenem for 18 weeks guided by clinical and radiological response. A pragmatic approach combining early surgical drainage, targeted antimicrobial therapy and patient-tailored duration based on the clinico-radiological response is needed in such difficult cases. Keywords: Neuroinfection, Enterobacter, Brain abscess, Pyogenic, Carbapenems

High current densities enable exoelectrogens to outcompete aerobic heterotrophs for substrate

KAUST Repository

Ren, Lijiao

2014-08-05

© 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal rates could be described by first-order kinetics with respect to COD concentration at different current densities, even under open circuit conditions with no current generation. The COD concentration was reduced more quickly with current generation due to the greater consumption of substrate by exoelectrogens, and less substrate was lost to aerobic heterotrophs. Higher current densities enabled exoelectrogens to outcompete aerobic heterotrophs for substrate, allowing for increased coulombic efficiencies with current densities. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. In mixed-culture microbial fuel cells (MFCs), exoelectrogens and other microorganisms compete for substrate. It has previously been assumed that substrate losses to other terminal electron acceptors over a fed-batch cycle, such as dissolved oxygen, are constant. However, a constant rate of substrate loss would only explain small increases in coulombic efficiencies (CEs, the fraction of substrate recovered as electrical current) with shorter cycle times, but not the large increases in CE that are usually observed with higher current densities and reduced cycle times. To better understand changes in CEs, COD concentrations were measured over time in fed-batch, single-chamber, air-cathode MFCs at different current densities (external resistances). COD degradation rates were all found to be first-order with respect to COD concentration, even under open circuit conditions with no current generation (first-order rate constant of 0.14±0.01h-1). The rate of COD removal increased when there was current generation, with the highest rate constant (0.33±0.02h-1) obtained at the lowest external resistance (100Ω). Therefore, as the substrate concentration was reduced more quickly due to current generation, the rate of loss of substrate to non-exoelectrogens decreased due to this first-order substrate-concentration dependence. As a result, coulombic

High current densities enable exoelectrogens to outcompete aerobic heterotrophs for substrate

KAUST Repository

Ren, Lijiao; Zhang, Xiaoyuan; He, Weihua; Logan, Bruce E.

2014-01-01

© 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal rates could be described by first-order kinetics with respect to COD concentration at different current densities, even under open circuit conditions with no current generation. The COD concentration was reduced more quickly with current generation due to the greater consumption of substrate by exoelectrogens, and less substrate was lost to aerobic heterotrophs. Higher current densities enabled exoelectrogens to outcompete aerobic heterotrophs for substrate, allowing for increased coulombic efficiencies with current densities. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. In mixed-culture microbial fuel cells (MFCs), exoelectrogens and other microorganisms compete for substrate. It has previously been assumed that substrate losses to other terminal electron acceptors over a fed-batch cycle, such as dissolved oxygen, are constant. However, a constant rate of substrate loss would only explain small increases in coulombic efficiencies (CEs, the fraction of substrate recovered as electrical current) with shorter cycle times, but not the large increases in CE that are usually observed with higher current densities and reduced cycle times. To better understand changes in CEs, COD concentrations were measured over time in fed-batch, single-chamber, air-cathode MFCs at different current densities (external resistances). COD degradation rates were all found to be first-order with respect to COD concentration, even under open circuit conditions with no current generation (first-order rate constant of 0.14±0.01h-1). The rate of COD removal increased when there was current generation, with the highest rate constant (0.33±0.02h-1) obtained at the lowest external resistance (100Ω). Therefore, as the substrate concentration was reduced more quickly due to current generation, the rate of loss of substrate to non-exoelectrogens decreased due to this first-order substrate-concentration dependence. As a result, coulombic

Neutral currents, supernovae neutrinos, and nucleosynthesis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Haxton, W.C.

1988-01-01

The inelastic interactions of neutrinos during stellar collapse and neutron star cooling are discussed. The primary mechanism for dissipative neutrino reactions is nuclear excitation by neutral current scattering, a process not included in standard descriptions of supernovae. Charge-current and neutral current ''preheating'' of iron lying outside the shock front appears to be significant in the few milliseconds near shock breakout. This could help produce a more energetic shock. During the cooling phase, the neutral current interactions of muon and taon neutrinos appear to be responsible for some interesting nucleosynthesis. I discuss two examples the production of fluorine and neutrino-induced r-process nucleosynthesis. 26 refs., 1 fig., 3 tabs

Charged particle beam current monitoring tutorial

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Webber, R.C.

1994-10-01

A tutorial presentation is made on topics related to the measurement of charged particle beam currents. The fundamental physics of electricity and magnetism pertinent to the problem is reviewed. The physics is presented with a stress on its interpretation from an electrical circuit theory point of view. The operation of devices including video pulse current transformers, direct current transformers, and gigahertz bandwidth wall current style transformers is described. Design examples are given for each of these types of devices. Sensitivity, frequency response, and physical environment are typical parameters which influence the design of these instruments in any particular application. Practical engineering considerations, potential pitfalls, and performance limitations are discussed

Coral record of variability in the upstream Kuroshio Current during 1953-2004

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Xiaohua; Liu, Yi; Hsin, Yi-Chia; Liu, Weiguo; Shi, Zhengguo; Chiang, Hong-Wei; Shen, Chuan-Chou

2017-08-01

The Kuroshio Current (KC), one of the most important western boundary currents in the North Pacific Ocean, strongly affects regional hydroclimate in East Asia and upper ocean thermal structure. Limited by few on-site observations, the responses of the KC to regional and remote climate forcings are still poorly understood. Here we use monthly coral δ18O data to reconstruct a KC transport record with annual to interannual resolution for the interval 1953-2004. The field site is located in southern Taiwan on the western flank of the upstream KC. Increased (reduced) KC transport would generate strong (weak) upwelling, resulting in relatively high (low) local coral δ18O. The upstream KC transport and downstream transport, off Tatsukushi Bay, Japan, covary on interannual and decadal time scales. This suggests common forcings, such as meridional drift of the North Equatorial Current bifurcation, or zonal climatic oscillations in the Pacific. The intensities of KC transport off southeastern and northeastern Taiwan are in phase before 1990 and antiphase after 1990. This difference may be due to a poleward shift of the subtropical western boundary current as a response to global warming.Plain Language SummaryThe connection between climate and oceanic circulation has long been recognized, particularly with regard to western boundary currents such as the Gulf Stream and the Kuroshio Current (KC). These systems play a crucial role in transferring solar energy from the subtropical regions to the poles. As we begin to experience the impacts of global climate change, it is critical that we understand the affect global change has on variability leading to significant changes in the structure and heat transport of such currents. Current knowledge of the KC is limited to observations over individual 10 year periods or to paleorecords of very low resolution (one sample per roughly 1000 years). Neither data set allows for a detailed understanding of the natural variability of the KC

Younger Dryas cooling and the Greenland climate response to CO2.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Zhengyu; Carlson, Anders E; He, Feng; Brady, Esther C; Otto-Bliesner, Bette L; Briegleb, Bruce P; Wehrenberg, Mark; Clark, Peter U; Wu, Shu; Cheng, Jun; Zhang, Jiaxu; Noone, David; Zhu, Jiang

2012-07-10

Greenland ice-core δ(18)O-temperature reconstructions suggest a dramatic cooling during the Younger Dryas (YD; 12.9-11.7 ka), with temperatures being as cold as the earlier Oldest Dryas (OD; 18.0-14.6 ka) despite an approximately 50 ppm rise in atmospheric CO(2). Such YD cooling implies a muted Greenland climate response to atmospheric CO(2), contrary to physical predictions of an enhanced high-latitude response to future increases in CO(2). Here we show that North Atlantic sea surface temperature reconstructions as well as transient climate model simulations suggest that the YD over Greenland should be substantially warmer than the OD by approximately 5 °C in response to increased atmospheric CO(2). Additional experiments with an isotope-enabled model suggest that the apparent YD temperature reconstruction derived from the ice-core δ(18)O record is likely an artifact of an altered temperature-δ(18)O relationship due to changing deglacial atmospheric circulation. Our results thus suggest that Greenland climate was warmer during the YD relative to the OD in response to rising atmospheric CO(2), consistent with sea surface temperature reconstructions and physical predictions, and has a sensitivity approximately twice that found in climate models for current climate due to an enhanced albedo feedback during the last deglaciation.

Radiation induced leakage current and stress induced leakage current in ultra-thin gate oxides

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ceschia, M.; Paccagnella, A.; Cester, A.; Scarpa, A.

1998-01-01

Low-field leakage current has been measured in thin oxides after exposure to ionizing radiation. This Radiation Induced Leakage Current (RILC) can be described as an inelastic tunneling process mediated by neutral traps in the oxide, with an energy loss of about 1 eV. The neutral trap distribution is influenced by the oxide field applied during irradiation, thus indicating that the precursors of the neutral defects are charged, likely being defects associated to trapped holes. The maximum leakage current is found under zero-field condition during irradiation, and it rapidly decreases as the field is enhanced, due to a displacement of the defect distribution across the oxide towards the cathodic interface. The RILC kinetics are linear with the cumulative dose, in contrast with the power law found on electrically stressed devices

Estimating Derived Response Levels at the Savannah River Site for Use with Emergency Response Models

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Simpkins, A.A.

2002-01-01

Emergency response computer models at the Savannah River Site (SRS) are coupled with real-time meteorological data to estimate dose to individuals downwind of accidental radioactive releases. Currently, these models estimate doses for inhalation and shine pathways, but do not consider dose due to ingestion of contaminated food products. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has developed derived intervention levels (DIL) which refer to the radionuclide-specific concentration in food present throughout the relevant period of time, with no intervention, that could lead to an individual receiving a radiation dose equal to the protective action guide. In the event of an emergency, concentrations in various food types are compared with these levels to make interdictions decisions. Prior to monitoring results being available, concentrations in the environmental media (i.e. soil), called derived response levels (DRLs), can be estimated from the DILs and directly compared with computer output to provide preliminary guidance as to whether intervention is necessary. Site-specific derived response levels (DRLs) are developed for ingestion pathways pertinent to SRS: milk, meat, fish, grain, produce, and beverage. This provides decision-makers with an additional tool for use immediately following an accident prior to the acquisition of food monitoring data

Beam current monitors in the NLCTA

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nantista, C.; Adolphsen, C.

1997-05-01

The current profile along the 126 ns, multi-bunch beam pulse in the Next Linear Collider Test Accelerator (NLCTA) is monitored with fast toroids (rise time ∼ 1 ns). Inserted at several positions along the beam line, they allow one to track current transmission as a function of position along the bunch train. Various measurements, such as rise time, current, width, and slope, are made on the digitized signals, which can be corrected in software by means of stored frequency response files. The design and implementation of these devices is described

A segmented cell approach for studying the effects of serpentine flow field parameters on PEMFC current distribution

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Reshetenko, Tatyana V.; Bender, Guido; Bethune, Keith; Rocheleau, Richard

2013-01-01

Highlights: ► Effects of a flow field design on PEMFC were investigated. ► A segmented cell was used to study 6- and 10-channel serpentine flow fields. ► 10-Channel flow field improved a fuel cell's performance at high current. ► Performance distribution was more uniform for 10-channel than for 6-channel flow field. ► The performance improvement was due to an increased pressure drop. -- Abstract: A serpentine flow field is a commonly used design in proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs). Consequently, optimization of the flow field parameters is critically needed. A segmented cell system was used to study the impact of the flow field's parameters on the current distribution in a PEMFC, and the data obtained were analyzed in terms of voltage overpotentials. 6-Channel and 10-channel serpentine flow field designs were investigated. At low current the segments performance was found to slightly decrease for a 10-channel serpentine flow field. However, increasing the number of channels increased the fuel cell performance when operating at high current and the cell performance became more uniform downstream. The observed improvement in fuel cell performance was attributed to a decrease in mass transfer voltage losses (permeability and diffusion), due to an increased pressure drop. Spatially distributed electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) data showed differences in the local segment impedance response and confirmed the performance distribution and the impact of the flow field design

Canine rangeliosis due to Rangelia vitalii: from first report in Brazil in 1910 to current day - a review.

Science.gov (United States)

França, Raqueli T; Da Silva, Aleksandro S; Loretti, Alexandre P; Mazzanti, Cinthia M; Lopes, Sonia T A

2014-09-01

Canine rangeliosis (popular names: "nambi-uvú", i.e. ``bleeding ears''; "peste de sangue", i.e. ``bleeding plague''; and "febre amarela dos cães", i.e. ``yellow fever of dogs'') is a tick-borne haemolytic and haemorrhagic disease caused by the protozoan parasite Rangelia vitalii which infects erythrocytes, leukocytes, and endothelial cells of blood capillaries. Rangelia vitalii was first reported as a novel piroplasm of dogs in 1910 in Brazil, a discovery that was met with skepticism at that time. Canine rangeliosis has been diagnosed in domestic dogs not only in Brazil but also in other South American countries (Argentina and Uruguay). Rangelia vitalii infection has also been found incidentally in Brazil in wild dogs (Cerdocyon thous, the crab-eating fox). Despite the fact that researchers in the early 1900s suggested that R. vitalii was a hitherto unidentified piroplasm that would be transmitted by the tick Amblyomma aureolatum, it was not until 2012 that these hypotheses were actually confirmed by PCR and transmission studies. Molecular studies have shown that R. vitalii is related to the Babesia sensu strictu clade, but genetically different from other morphologically similar species of Babesia that infect dogs. Another difference between Babesia spp. and R. vitalii is the ability of R. vitalii to invade endothelial cells, erythrocytes, and leukocytes. Experimental infection in dogs has successfully reproduced the clinical picture and pathology of the natural disease. In this article, epidemiology, clinical signs, laboratory findings, pathogenetic mechanisms including oxidative stress and immune response, necropsy findings, microscopic lesions, diagnosis, and treatment of canine rangeliosis are reviewed. What is currently known about this protozoal disease since its first report over a century ago is presented herein. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Economic losses occurring due to brucellosis in Indian livestock populations.

Science.gov (United States)

Singh, B B; Dhand, N K; Gill, J P S

2015-05-01

Brucellosis is a serious public health issue in India. Estimation of economic losses occurring due to brucellosis is required to help formulate prevention and control strategies, but has not been done in India. We estimated economic losses due to brucellosis by sourcing prevalence data from epidemiological surveys conducted in India. Data for livestock populations were obtained from official records. Probability distributions were used for many of the input parameters to account for uncertainty and variability. The analysis revealed that brucellosis in livestock is responsible for a median loss of US $ 3.4 billion (5th-95th percentile 2.8-4.2 billion). The disease in cattle and buffalo accounted for 95.6% of the total losses occurring due to brucellosis in livestock populations. The disease is responsible for a loss of US $ 6.8 per cattle, US$18.2 per buffalo, US $ 0.7 per sheep, US $ 0.5 per goat and US $ 0.6 per pig. These losses are additional to the economic and social consequences of the disease in humans. The results suggest that the disease causes significant economic losses in the country and should be controlled on a priority basis. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Hidden Markov Item Response Theory Models for Responses and Response Times.

Science.gov (United States)

Molenaar, Dylan; Oberski, Daniel; Vermunt, Jeroen; De Boeck, Paul

2016-01-01

Current approaches to model responses and response times to psychometric tests solely focus on between-subject differences in speed and ability. Within subjects, speed and ability are assumed to be constants. Violations of this assumption are generally absorbed in the residual of the model. As a result, within-subject departures from the between-subject speed and ability level remain undetected. These departures may be of interest to the researcher as they reflect differences in the response processes adopted on the items of a test. In this article, we propose a dynamic approach for responses and response times based on hidden Markov modeling to account for within-subject differences in responses and response times. A simulation study is conducted to demonstrate acceptable parameter recovery and acceptable performance of various fit indices in distinguishing between different models. In addition, both a confirmatory and an exploratory application are presented to demonstrate the practical value of the modeling approach.

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.

Electrical short circuit and current overload tests on aircraft wiring

Science.gov (United States)

Cahill, Patricia

1995-01-01

The findings of electrical short circuit and current overload tests performed on commercial aircraft wiring are presented. A series of bench-scale tests were conducted to evaluate circuit breaker response to overcurrent and to determine if the wire showed any visible signs of thermal degradation due to overcurrent. Three types of wire used in commercial aircraft were evaluated: MIL-W-22759/34 (150 C rated), MIL-W-81381/12 (200 C rated), and BMS 1360 (260 C rated). A second series of tests evaluated circuit breaker response to short circuits and ticking faults. These tests were also meant to determine if the three test wires behaved differently under these conditions and if a short circuit or ticking fault could start a fire. It is concluded that circuit breakers provided reliable overcurrent protection. Circuit breakers may not protect wire from ticking faults but can protect wire from direct shorts. These tests indicated that the appearance of a wire subjected to a current that totally degrades the insulation looks identical to a wire subjected to a fire; however the 'fire exposed' conductor was more brittle than the conductor degraded by overcurrent. Preliminary testing indicates that direct short circuits are not likely to start a fire. Preliminary testing indicated that direct short circuits do not erode insulation and conductor to the extent that ticking faults did. Circuit breakers may not safeguard against the ignition of flammable materials by ticking faults. The flammability of materials near ticking faults is far more important than the rating of the wire insulation material.

Odd-parity currents induced by dynamic deformations in graphene-like systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang, Kai; Zhang, Erhu; Chen, Huawei; Zhang, Shengli

2016-01-01

Reduced (3  +  1)-dimensional Dirac systems with inter-pseudo-spin and inter-valley scattering are employed to investigate current responses to (chiral) gauge fields in graphene-like systems. From (chiral) current—(chiral) current correlation functions, we derive the current responses. Except for electric currents induced by external gauge fields, we find the inter-valley scattering can break the topological nature of odd-parity currents. Given the proper conditions, this property can help us realize valley-polarized electric currents. Through the dynamic deformations generating the chiral gauge fields, we find the vortex-like currents while their profiles can be tuned by superposition of some deformations. In particular, we find a more manageable approach to realize the topological electric current by choosing a linear dynamic deformation. (paper)

Melt Motion Due to Peltier Marking During Bridgman Crystal Growth with an Axial Magnetic Field

Science.gov (United States)

Sellers, C. C.; Walker, John S.; Szofran, Frank R.; Motakef, Shariar

2000-01-01

This paper treats a liquid-metal flow inside an electrically insulating cylinder with electrically conducting solids above and below the liquid region. There is a uniform axial magnetic field, and there is an electric current through the liquid and both solids. Since the lower liquid-solid interface is concave into the solid and since the liquid is a better electrical conductor than the adjacent solid, the electric current is locally concentrated near the centerline. The return to a uniform current distribution involves a radial electric current which interacts with the axial magnetic field to drive an azimuthal flow. The axial variation of the centrifugal force due to the azimuthal velocity drives a meridional circulation with radial and axial velocities. This problem models the effects of Peltier marking during the vertical Bridgman growth of semiconductor crystals with an externally applied magnetic field, where the meridional circulation due to the Peltier Current may produce important mixing in the molten semiconductor.

The effect of tibia element on the tibia response due to impact loading

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Pandelani, T

2014-10-01

Full Text Available , specifically for anti-vehicular mine blast scenarios. The aim of this study was to assess under impact loading to ensure that it represents the natural lower leg response. Axial impact loads were applied to the MIL-Lx at impact velocities of 2.7 to 10.2 m...

Problems and limitations of eddy current tube inspection

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ilham Mukriz Zainal Abidin; Khairul Anuar Mohd Salleh; Mohamed Hairul Hasmoni

2003-01-01

Incomplete appreciation of eddy current limitations has contributed to both under-utilization and misapplication of the technique. A brief review on the physical principle of eddy current is presented. Eddy current technique in identifying inhomogeneity in tested tubes is discussed, highlighting its limitation in distinguishing between real pit type defects and other mundane anomalies. The variables responsible for limitation in eddy current tube inspection are discussed and alternative approaches, where they exist, are suggested. (Author)

Sensitive beam current measurement for FAIR

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Schwickert, Marcus; Kurian, Febin; Reeg, Hansjoerg [GSI Helmholtzzentrum fuer Schwerionenforschung GmbH, Darmstadt (Germany); Seidel, Paul; Neubert, Ralf [Friedrich-Schiller-Universitaet Jena (Germany); Geithner, Rene; Vodel, Wolfgang [Helmholtz-Institut Jena (Germany)

2012-07-01

Presently FAIR, the Facility for Antiproton and Ion Research, entered the final planning phase at GSI. The new accelerator facility requires precise devices for beam current measurements due to the large dynamics in beam intensities for the various synchrotrons, transport lines and storage rings. We report on the actual developments of beam diagnostic devices for the measurement of beam intensities ranging from 5 x 10{sup 11} uranium ions down to the detection of less than 10{sup 4} antiprotons. This contribution gives an overview of the planned instruments with a focus on non-intercepting beam current transformers, and summarizes the on-going development of a cryogenic current comparator.

Local eddy current measurements in pulsed fields

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Espina-Hernandez, J.H. [SEPI-Electronica, ESIME-IPN, UPALM Edif. ' Z' . Zacatenco, Mexico DF 07738 (Mexico)], E-mail: jhespina@gmail.com; Groessinger, R. [Institute of Solid State Physics, Vienna University of Technology, Wiedner Hauptstrasse 8-10, A-1040 Vienna (Austria); Hallen, J.M. [Departamento de Ingenieria Metalurgica, IPN-ESIQIE, UPALM Edif. 7, Zacatenco, Mexico DF 07738 (Mexico)

2008-07-15

This work presents new eddy current measurements in pulsed fields. A commercial point pick-up coil is used to detect the induction signal along the radius of Cu and Al samples with cylindrical shape and diameters between 5 and 35 mm. Local eddy current measurements were performed on the surface of conducting materials due to the small dimensions of the coil. A simple electrical circuit, used as a model, is proposed to describe the local eddy current effect in pulsed fields. The proposed model allows to calculate the phase shift angle between the signal proportional to eddy currents and the applied external field in a pulsed field magnetometer.

Chronic suppurative joint effusion due to burkholderia pseudomallei: A case report

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Madhavi Deshmukh

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Burkholderia pseudomallei, a Gram-negative bacillus is the causative agent of Melioidosis, a glanders-like disease, primarily a disease of animals. Melioidosis has been only a rare and sporadic disease in humans outside its endemic region. Currently, diagnosis of B. pseudomallei in the clinical laboratory is very difficult, owing to low awareness of physicians to the nonspecific clinical manifestations, lack of responsiveness among microbiologists outside endemic areas, identification systems in the average sentinel laboratory, and the biosafety conditions necessary to process these organisms. We report a case of chronic left hip joint effusion in a known case of diabetes mellitus. Gram stain of computed tomography (CT-guided aspirate from the joint revealed Gram-negative bacilli along with pus cells. Culture was confirmed as Burkholderia pseudomallei on Vitek2C, which was sensitive to ceftazidime and trimethoprim/sulfmethoxazole. Unfortunately, patient could not be started on appropriate antibiotics due to delay in detection and patient succumbed to severe septicemia. This case is reported to highlight importance of automated identification and sensitivity especially in nonendemic areas and unusual antibiogram of this organism for which disc diffusion method is not standardized.

High-Average, High-Peak Current Injector Design

CERN Document Server

Biedron, S G; Virgo, M

2005-01-01

There is increasing interest in high-average-power (>100 kW), um-range FELs. These machines require high peak current (~1 kA), modest transverse emittance, and beam energies of ~100 MeV. High average currents (~1 A) place additional constraints on the design of the injector. We present a design for an injector intended to produce the required peak currents at the injector, eliminating the need for magnetic compression within the linac. This reduces the potential for beam quality degradation due to CSR and space charge effects within magnetic chicanes.

Current generation by phased injection of pellets

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fisch, N.J.

1983-08-01

By phasing the injection of frozen pellets into a tokamak plasma, it is possible to generate current. The current occurs when the electron flux to individual members of an array of pellets is asymmetric with respect to the magnetic field. The utility of this method for tokamak reactors, however, is unclear; the current, even though free in a pellet-fueled reactor, may not be large enough to be worth the trouble. Uncertainty as to the utility of this method is, in part, due to uncertainty as to proper modeling of the one-pellet problem

Space Vector Modulation for DC-Link Current Ripple Reduction in Back-To-Back Current Source Converters for Microgrid Applications

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Guo, Xiaoqiang; Xu, David; Guerrero, Josep M.

2015-01-01

Back-to-back converters have been typically used to interconnect the microgrids. For a back-to-back current source converter, the dc-link current ripple is one of the important parameters. A large ripple will cause the electromagnetic interference, undesirable high-frequency losses, and system...... instability. Conventionally, with a given switching frequency and rated voltage, the current ripple can be reduced by increasing the dc-link inductor, but it leads to bulky size, high cost and slow dynamic response. In order to solve this problem, this paper reveals that the current ripple can...

Suppression of the reactive hyperemic response in the forearm due to local hand cooling.

Science.gov (United States)

Kilgour, R D; Carranza, A; Findlay, R

1997-01-01

Forearm blood flow (FBF) was measured by electrical impedance plethysmography in order to identify the influence of local cooling of the contralateral hand after 3 min of arterial occlusion. Ten volunteers (six females, four males) were randomly assigned to the following three experimental conditions on separate days: a) 6 min of local hand cooling (5-7 degrees C); b) 3 min of arterial occlusion of the forearm; and c) combined arterial occlusion and local cooling. All subjects experienced the typical pressor response during 6 min of hand cooling as evidenced by the significant increase (p forearm vascular resistance (FVR = MAP/FBF) made an initial drop during the first 30 s of cooling and then gradually rose to reach peak levels between 5-6 min of cooling. With respect to the hyperemic response, FBF significantly increased (p cooling, FBF increased above baseline values and reached peak levels during the initial 30 s of the post-occlusion period. However, the magnitude of the hyperemic response was significantly lower in the cold condition compared to the hyperemia alone (3.20 +/- 0.42 vs 6.75 +/- 0.64 ml x 100 ml-1.min-1; p cooling had an overriding effect on the factors that promote peripheral vasodilation following brief periods (3 min) of arterial occlusion.

Haul truck tire dynamics due to tire condition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anzabi, R Vaghar; Nobes, D S; Lipsett, M G

2012-01-01

Pneumatic tires are costly components on large off-road haul trucks used in surface mining operations. Tires are prone to damage during operation, and these events can lead to injuries to personnel, loss of equipment, and reduced productivity. Damage rates have significant variability, due to operating conditions and a range of tire fault modes. Currently, monitoring of tire condition is done by physical inspection; and the mean time between inspections is often longer than the mean time between incipient failure and functional failure of the tire. Options for new condition monitoring methods include off-board thermal imaging and camera-based optical methods for detecting abnormal deformation and surface features, as well as on-board sensors to detect tire faults during vehicle operation. Physics-based modeling of tire dynamics can provide a good understanding of the tire behavior, and give insight into observability requirements for improved monitoring systems. This paper describes a model to simulate the dynamics of haul truck tires when a fault is present to determine the effects of physical parameter changes that relate to faults. To simulate the dynamics, a lumped mass 'quarter-vehicle' model has been used to determine the response of the system to a road profile when a failure changes the original properties of the tire. The result is a model of tire vertical displacement that can be used to detect a fault, which will be tested under field conditions in time-varying conditions.

Haul truck tire dynamics due to tire condition

Science.gov (United States)

Vaghar Anzabi, R.; Nobes, D. S.; Lipsett, M. G.

2012-05-01

Pneumatic tires are costly components on large off-road haul trucks used in surface mining operations. Tires are prone to damage during operation, and these events can lead to injuries to personnel, loss of equipment, and reduced productivity. Damage rates have significant variability, due to operating conditions and a range of tire fault modes. Currently, monitoring of tire condition is done by physical inspection; and the mean time between inspections is often longer than the mean time between incipient failure and functional failure of the tire. Options for new condition monitoring methods include off-board thermal imaging and camera-based optical methods for detecting abnormal deformation and surface features, as well as on-board sensors to detect tire faults during vehicle operation. Physics-based modeling of tire dynamics can provide a good understanding of the tire behavior, and give insight into observability requirements for improved monitoring systems. This paper describes a model to simulate the dynamics of haul truck tires when a fault is present to determine the effects of physical parameter changes that relate to faults. To simulate the dynamics, a lumped mass 'quarter-vehicle' model has been used to determine the response of the system to a road profile when a failure changes the original properties of the tire. The result is a model of tire vertical displacement that can be used to detect a fault, which will be tested under field conditions in time-varying conditions.

Bidirectional current-voltage converters based on magnetostrictive/piezoelectric composites

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Jia, Y.; Or, S.W.; Chan, H.L.W.; Jiao, J.; Luo, H.; Van der Zwaag, S.

2009-01-01

We report a power supply-free, bidirectional electric current-voltage converter based on a coil-wound laminated composite of magnetostrictive alloy and piezoelectric crystal. An electric current applied to the coil induces a magnetic field, resulting in an electric voltage from the composite due to

Measures to prevent concrete damage due to alkali-silica reaction in the Netherlands: Current state-of-affairs

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Heijnen, W.M.M.; Larbi, J.A.

1999-01-01

In CUR-Recommendation 38, various vital measures that need to be taken during design of new concrete-mixtures in order to prevent damage due to ASR in the concrete have been outlined. The most important of these measures are: • the use of blast furnace slag cement (with a high slag content: 50 % by

Inhibition of cardiac sodium currents by toluene exposure

Science.gov (United States)

Cruz, Silvia L; Orta-Salazar, Gerardo; Gauthereau, Marcia Y; Millan-Perez Peña, Lourdes; Salinas-Stefanón, Eduardo M

2003-01-01

Toluene is an industrial solvent widely used as a drug of abuse, which can produce sudden sniffing death due to cardiac arrhythmias. In this paper, we tested the hypothesis that toluene inhibits cardiac sodium channels in Xenopus laevis oocytes transfected with Nav1.5 cDNA and in isolated rat ventricular myocytes. In oocytes, toluene inhibited sodium currents (INa+) in a concentration-dependent manner, with an IC50 of 274 μM (confidence limits: 141–407μM). The inhibition was complete, voltage-independent, and slowly reversible. Toluene had no effect on: (i) the shape of the I–V curves; (ii) the reversal potential of Na+; and (iii) the steady-state inactivation. The slow recovery time constant from inactivation of INa+ decreased with toluene exposure, while the fast recovery time constant remained unchanged. Block of INa+ by toluene was use- and frequency-dependent. In rat cardiac myocytes, 300 μM toluene inhibited the sodium current (INa+) by 62%; this inhibition was voltage independent. These results suggest that toluene binds to cardiac Na+ channels in the open state and unbinds either when channels move between inactivated states or from an inactivated to a closed state. The use- and frequency-dependent block of INa+ by toluene might be responsible, at least in part, for its arrhythmogenic effect. PMID:14534149

Converter for Measurement of non-sinusoidal current peak value

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Butvin, P.; Nielsen, Otto V; Brauer, Peter

1997-01-01

A linear-response toroid with core wound of rapidly quenched soft magnetic metallic ribbon and fitted with two windings is used to enable correct measurement of mean peak value of non-sinusoidal and not noise-free alternating current.......A linear-response toroid with core wound of rapidly quenched soft magnetic metallic ribbon and fitted with two windings is used to enable correct measurement of mean peak value of non-sinusoidal and not noise-free alternating current....

A fast transient response low dropout regulator with current control methodology

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ma Zhuo; Guo Yang; Duan Zhikui; Xie Lunguo; Chen Jihua; Yu Jinshan, E-mail: guoyang@nudt.edu.cn [School of Computer, National University of Defense Technology, Changsha 410073 (China)

2011-08-15

A transient performance optimized CCL-LDO regulator is proposed. In the CCL-LDO, the control method of the charge pump phase-locked loop is adopted. A current control loop has the feedback signal and reference current to be compared, and then a loop filter generates the gate voltage of the power MOSFET by integrating the error current. The CCL-LDO has the optimized damping coefficient and natural resonant frequency, while its output voltage can be sub-1-V and is not restricted by the reference voltage. With a 1 {mu}F decoupling capacitor, the experimental results based on a 0.13 {mu}m CMOS process show that the output voltage is 1.0 V; when the workload changes from 100 {mu}A to 100 mA transiently, the stable dropout is 4.25 mV, the settling time is 8.2 {mu}s and the undershoot is 5.11 mV; when the workload changes from 100 mA to 100 {mu}A transiently, the stable dropout is 4.25 mV, the settling time is 23.3 {mu}s and the overshoot is 6.21 mV. The PSRR value is more than -95 dB. Most of the attributes of the CCL-LDO are improved rapidly with a FOM value of 0.0097.

A fast transient response low dropout regulator with current control methodology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ma Zhuo; Guo Yang; Duan Zhikui; Xie Lunguo; Chen Jihua; Yu Jinshan

2011-01-01

A transient performance optimized CCL-LDO regulator is proposed. In the CCL-LDO, the control method of the charge pump phase-locked loop is adopted. A current control loop has the feedback signal and reference current to be compared, and then a loop filter generates the gate voltage of the power MOSFET by integrating the error current. The CCL-LDO has the optimized damping coefficient and natural resonant frequency, while its output voltage can be sub-1-V and is not restricted by the reference voltage. With a 1 μF decoupling capacitor, the experimental results based on a 0.13 μm CMOS process show that the output voltage is 1.0 V; when the workload changes from 100 μA to 100 mA transiently, the stable dropout is 4.25 mV, the settling time is 8.2 μs and the undershoot is 5.11 mV; when the workload changes from 100 mA to 100 μA transiently, the stable dropout is 4.25 mV, the settling time is 23.3 μs and the overshoot is 6.21 mV. The PSRR value is more than -95 dB. Most of the attributes of the CCL-LDO are improved rapidly with a FOM value of 0.0097.

Design and Application of Hybrid Magnetic Field-Eddy Current Probe

Science.gov (United States)

Wincheski, Buzz; Wallace, Terryl; Newman, Andy; Leser, Paul; Simpson, John

2013-01-01

The incorporation of magnetic field sensors into eddy current probes can result in novel probe designs with unique performance characteristics. One such example is a recently developed electromagnetic probe consisting of a two-channel magnetoresistive sensor with an embedded single-strand eddy current inducer. Magnetic flux leakage maps of ferrous materials are generated from the DC sensor response while high-resolution eddy current imaging is simultaneously performed at frequencies up to 5 megahertz. In this work the design and optimization of this probe will be presented, along with an application toward analysis of sensory materials with embedded ferromagnetic shape-memory alloy (FSMA) particles. The sensory material is designed to produce a paramagnetic to ferromagnetic transition in the FSMA particles under strain. Mapping of the stray magnetic field and eddy current response of the sample with the hybrid probe can thereby image locations in the structure which have experienced an overstrain condition. Numerical modeling of the probe response is performed with good agreement with experimental results.

ST5 Observations of the Imbalance of Region 1 and 2 Field-Aligned Currents and Its Implication to the Cross-Polar Cap Pedersen Currents

Science.gov (United States)

Le, Guan; Slavin, J. A.; Strangeway, Robert

2011-01-01

In this study, we use the in-situ magnetic field observations from Space Technology 5 mission to quantify the imbalance of Region 1 (R1) and Region 2 (R2) currents. During the three-month duration of the ST5 mission, geomagnetic conditions range from quiet to moderately active. We find that the R1 current intensity is consistently stronger than the R2 current intensity both for the dawnside and the duskside large-scale field-aligned current system. The net currents flowing into (out of) the ionosphere in the dawnside (duskside) are in the order of 5% of the total R1 currents. We also find that the net currents flowing into or out of the ionosphere are controlled by the solar wind-magnetosphere interaction in the same way as the field-aligned currents themselves are. Since the net currents due to the imbalance of the R1 and R2 currents require that their closure currents flow across the polar cap from dawn to dusk as Pedersen currents, our results indicate that the total amount of the cross-polar cap Pedersen currents is in the order of 0.1 MA. This study, although with a very limited dataset, is one of the first attempts to quantify the cross-polar cap Pedersen currents. Given the importance of the Joule heating due to Pedersen currents to the high-latitude ionospheric electrodynamics, quantifying the cross-polar cap Pedersen currents and associated Joule heating is needed for developing models of the magnetosphere-ionosphere coupling.

A high-current, high-voltage power supply with special output current waveform for APS injector synchrotron dipole magnets

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fathizadeh, M.; Despe, O.D.; McGhee, D.G.; Mills, F.E.; Turner, L.R.

1991-01-01

This paper describes a high-voltage, high-current power supply for the injector synchrotron dipole magnets at APS. In order to reset the dipole magnets in each cycle two different current waveforms are suggested. The first current waveform consists of three sections, namely: dc-reset, linear ramp, and recovery sections where injection is done ''on the fly''. The second current waveform consists of six different sections, dc-reset, transition to injection level, injection flat level, parabolic, linear ramp and recovery sections. The effect of such waveforms on the beam is discussed and the power supply limitations to follow such waveforms are given. The power supply limitations are due to the power components and control loops. The reference for the current loop is generated by a DAC which is discussed

Early pathogenesis and inflammatory response in experimental bovine mastitis due to Streptococcus uberis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pedersen, L.H.; Aalbæk, B.; Røntved, C.M.

2003-01-01

A generally similar clinical response was observed in six lactating Holstein-Friesian cows after intramammary inoculation with approximately 107 colony-forming units of Streptococcus uberis. Increased concentrations of serum amyloid A (SAA) were measured in both milk and serum taken 6 and 11 h af...... proteins as potential diagnostic markers for the early detection of S. uberis-associated mastitis....

Recognizing limitations in eddy current testing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Van Drunen, G.; Cecco, V.S.

1981-11-01

This paper addresses known limitations and constraints in eddy current nondestructive testing. Incomplete appreciation for eddy current limitations is believed to have contributed to both under-utilization and misapplication of the technique. Neither situation need arise if known limitations are recognized. Some, such as the skin depth effect, are inherent to electromagnetic test methods and define the role of eddy current testing. Others can be overcome with available technology such as surface probes to find circumferential cracks in tubes and magnetic saturation of ferromagnetic alloys to eliminate permeability effects. The variables responsible for limitations in eddy current testing are discussed and where alternative approaches exist, these are presented. Areas with potential for further research and development are also identified

Germination responses to current and future temperatures of four seeder shrubs across a latitudinal gradient in western Iberia.

Science.gov (United States)

Chamorro, Daniel; Luna, Belén; Moreno, José M

2017-01-01

Species differ in their temperature germination niche. Populations of a species may similarly differ across the distribution range of the species. Anticipating the impacts of climate variability and change requires understanding the differential sensitivity to germination temperature among and within species. Here we studied the germination responses of four hard-seeded Cistaceae seeders to a range of current and future temperatures. Seeds were collected at sites across the Iberian Peninsula and exposed or not exposed to a heat shock to break dormancy, then set to germinate under four temperature regimes. Temperatures were varied daily and seasonally, simulating the temperature range across the gradient, plus an increased temperature simulating future climate. Time to germination onset and cumulative germination at the end of each season were analyzed for the effects of temperature treatments, seasons, and local climate (temperature of the germination period, T gp ) at each site. T gp was a significant covariate of germination in all species but Cistus populifolius. Temperature treatments significantly affected Cistus ladanifer, C. salviifolius, and Halimium ocymoides. Germination occurred in simulated autumn conditions, with little germination occurring at later seasons, except in unheated seeds of H. ocymoides. Exposure to a heat shock changed the sensitivity to temperature treatments and the relationships with T gp . Germination responses to temperature differ not only among species but also within species across their latitudinal range. The responses were idiosyncratic and related to the local climate of the population. This germination variability complicates generalizing the impacts of climate variability and climate change. © 2017 Botanical Society of America.

CLT and CLS job responsibilities: current distinctions and updates.

Science.gov (United States)

Doig, K; Beck, S J; Kolenc, K

2001-01-01

This study was undertaken to address the following questions: 1. What tasks distinguish the job of a clinical laboratory scientist (CLS) from that of a clinical laboratory technician (CLT)? 2. What changes in role distinctions, have occurred for entry-level CLS and CLT practitioners over the five-year period 1993-98? 3. What tasks have been deleted from the CLT and CLS content outlines because they were not frequently performed or not considered entry-level? 4. What changes in practice are reflected in the current job analyses? A national job analysis of tasks constituting the job of clinical laboratory scientists (CLSs) and clinical laboratory technicians (CLTs) was conducted in 1998-99 as part of a standard setting process for the certifying examinations of the National Credentialing Agency for Laboratory Personnel (NCA). The job analyses relied upon mail surveys to 1200 individuals for each job level asking respondents to identify tasks significant to effective practice at job entry. The task lists resulting from statistical analysis of those surveys were examined to answer the study questions. The sample for each survey included 1200 practitioners, educators and laboratory managers selected at random from membership in professional organizations or from NCA certificant lists. Sampling was stratified to insure adequate practitioner representation. The mean rating on a four point scale for each item on the surveys was evaluated for overall significance as well as significance across geographic regions. The tasks meeting specified criteria were retained in the final task lists. Tasks were counted and their content evaluated to compare CLS and CLT job tasks. The response rates to the surveys were 33% for CLT and 21% for CLS. Reliability was judged based on average intraclass correlation coefficients of .86 and .82 for the CLT and CLS surveys, respectively. There were 952 tasks retained on the CLS content outline and 725 retained on the CLT content outline of the

Properties of the Agulhas Current's Inshore Front During The Shelf Agulhas Glider Experiment (SAGE)

Science.gov (United States)

Krug, M.; Swart, S.; Goschen, W.

2016-02-01

The response of coastal and shelf regions to changes in the Agulhas Current remains poorly studied. This is partly due to observational challenges associated with sampling western boundary currents. Cross-shelf exchange in such energetic current systems occurs through a range of meso- ( 50-200 km) and sub-meso (sample the energetic inshore regions of the Agulhas Current at a high spatial (100's of meters to 3km - well within the sub-mesoscale range) and temporal (0.5-4 hourly) resolution. In April 2015, two SeaGliders were deployed off Port Elizabeth (34S) at the inshore edge of the Agulhas Current as part of the Shelf Agulhas Glider Experiment (SAGE), testing for the very 1st time the feasibility of operating autonomous platforms in this highly turbulent and energetic western boundary current system. For a period of approximately two months, the Seagliders provided continuous observations at the inshore boundary of the Agulhas Current at an unprecedented spatial resolution. Observations from the Seagliders showed that at the inshore edge of the Agulhas Current, both surface and depth averaged currents are aligned in a south-west / north- east direction, with stronger flows encountered over deeper regions of the shelf, when the gliders are closer to the Agulhas Current. In the absence of large meanders, the mean flow at the inshore boundary of the Agulhas Current is characterised by strong shear with a counter current flowing in opposite direction to the mean current field. Instances of counter currents occur 45% of the time in the surface flow and 54% of the time in the depth-averaged record. More than 80% of return flow occurrences occur when glider is in water depth of less than 200m.

Monitoring dc stray current corrosion at sheet pile structures

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Peelen, W.H.A.; Neeft, E.A.C.; Leegwater, G.; Kanten-Roos, W. van; Courage, W.M.G.

2012-01-01

Steel is discarded by railway owners as a material for underground structures near railway lines, due to uncertainty over increased corrosion by DC stray currents stemming from the traction power system. This paper presents a large scale field test in which stray currents interference of a sheet

Interaction between current imbalance and magnetization in LHC cables

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Haverkamp, M.; Kuijper, A.; Kuijper, A.; den Ouden, A.; ten Haken, Bernard; Bottura, L.; ten Kate, Herman H.J.

2001-01-01

The quality of the magnetic field in superconducting accelerator magnets is associated with the properties of the superconducting cable. Current imbalances due to coupling currents ¿I, as large as 100 A, are induced by spatial variations of the field sweep rate and contact resistances. During

Partial clinical response to anakinra in severe palmoplantar pustular psoriasis.

Science.gov (United States)

Tauber, M; Viguier, M; Alimova, E; Petit, A; Lioté, F; Smahi, A; Bachelez, H

2014-09-01

Palmoplantar pustular psoriasis is a clinical psoriasis variant characterised by a high impact on quality of life and poor response to biologics approved for plaque type psoriasis.The recombinant interleukin-1 (IL-1) receptor antagonist anakinra has been recently used for the treatment of isolated refractory cases of generalised pustular psoriasis with contrasted results. To report the clinical response in two patients treated with anakinra as salvage therapy in two patients with severe palmoplantar pustular psoriasis refractory to currently available antipsoriatic systemic therapies. Anakinra was given subcutaneously at the daily dose of 100 mg, and clinical response was evaluated using the palmoplantar psoriasis area and severity index (PPPASI). Only partial and transient responses were observed in both patients, who had to stop anakinra due to lack of efficacy and to side effects. Anakinra appears to provide only partial clinical improvement in refractory palmoplantar pustular psoriasis. Prospective clinical studies on larger populations are warranted to investigate more accurately both efficacy and safety of IL-1-inhibiting strategies in pustular psoriasis. © 2014 British Association of Dermatologists.

Numerical analysis on the synergy between electron cyclotron current drive and lower hybrid current drive in tokamak plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen, S Y; Hong, B B; Liu, Y; Lu, W; Huang, J; Tang, C J; Ding, X T; Zhang, X J; Hu, Y J

2012-01-01

The synergy between electron cyclotron current drive (ECCD) and lower hybrid current drive (LHCD) is investigated numerically with the parameters of the HL-2A tokamak. Based on the understanding of the synergy mechanisms, a high current driven efficiency or a desired radial current profile can be achieved through properly matching the parameters of ECCD and LHCD due to the flexibility of ECCD. Meanwhile, it is found that the total current driven by the electron cyclotron wave (ECW) and the lower hybrid wave (LHW) simultaneously can be smaller than the sum of the currents driven by the ECW and LHW separately, when the power of the ECW is much larger than the LHW power. One of the reasons leading to this phenomenon (referred to as negative synergy in this context) is that fast current-carrying electrons tend to be trapped, when the perpendicular velocity driven by the ECW is large and the parallel velocity decided by the LHW is correspondingly small. (paper)

On tridimensional rip current modeling

Science.gov (United States)

Marchesiello, Patrick; Benshila, Rachid; Almar, Rafael; Uchiyama, Yusuke; McWilliams, James C.; Shchepetkin, Alexander

2015-12-01

Do lateral shear instabilities of nearshore circulation account for a substantial part of Very Low-Frequency (VLF) variability? If yes, it would promote stirring and mixing of coastal waters and surf-shelf exchanges. Another question is whether tridimensional transient processes are important for instability generation. An innovative modeling system with tridimensional wave-current interactions was designed to investigate transient nearshore currents and interactions between nearshore and innershelf circulations. We present here some validation of rip current modeling for the Aquitanian coast of France, using in-situ and remote video sensing. We then proceed to show the benefits of 3D versus 2D (depth-mean flow) modeling of rip currents and their low-frequency variability. It appears that a large part of VLF motions is due to intrinsic variability of the tridimensional flow. 3D models may thus provide a valuable, only marginally more expensive alternative to conventional 2D approaches that miss the vertical flow structure and its nonlinear interaction with the depth-averaged flow.

Energy losses in magnetically insulated transmission lines due to microparticles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gray, E.W.; Stinnett, R.W.

1987-01-01

We discuss the effects of high-velocity and hypervelocity microparticles in the magnetically insulated transmission lines of multiterawatt accelerators used for particle beam fusion and radiation effects simulation. These microparticles may be a possible source for plasma production near the anode and cathode in early stages of the voltage pulse, and current carriers during and after the power pulse, resulting in power flow losses. Losses in the current pulse, due to microparticles, are estimated to be approximately 12 mA/cm 2 (0.3 kA) as a lower limit, and --0.3 A/cm 2 (7.2 kA) for microparticle initiated, anode plasma positive ion transport. We have calculated the velocities reached by these microparticles and the effects on them of Van der Waals forces. Field emission from the particles and their effects on cathode and anode plasma formation have been examined. Particle collision with the electrodes is also examined in terms of plasma production, as in the electron deposition in the particles in transit across the anode-cathode gap. Blistering of the electrode surface, thought to be due to H - bombardment was also observed and appears to be consistent with losses due to negative ions previously reported by J. P. VanDevender, R. W. Stinnett, and R. J. Anderson [App. Phys. Lett. 38, 229 (1981)

Superconducting fault current-limiter with variable shunt impedance

Science.gov (United States)

Llambes, Juan Carlos H; Xiong, Xuming

2013-11-19

A superconducting fault current-limiter is provided, including a superconducting element configured to resistively or inductively limit a fault current, and one or more variable-impedance shunts electrically coupled in parallel with the superconducting element. The variable-impedance shunt(s) is configured to present a first impedance during a superconducting state of the superconducting element and a second impedance during a normal resistive state of the superconducting element. The superconducting element transitions from the superconducting state to the normal resistive state responsive to the fault current, and responsive thereto, the variable-impedance shunt(s) transitions from the first to the second impedance. The second impedance of the variable-impedance shunt(s) is a lower impedance than the first impedance, which facilitates current flow through the variable-impedance shunt(s) during a recovery transition of the superconducting element from the normal resistive state to the superconducting state, and thus, facilitates recovery of the superconducting element under load.

Development of the immune response in pneumonia due to Staphylococcus aureus (part 1

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A.E. Abaturov

2017-03-01

Full Text Available The literature review presents modern data on the pathogen-associated molecular structures of Staphylococcus aureus and its role in the occurrence of pneumonia: activation and modulation of the immune response, oxidative and metabolic stress, apoptosis. Particular attention is paid to the factors of virulence of the pathogen, which can induce an inflammatory process without activating the image-recognition receptors.

Wave form of current quench during disruptions in tokamaks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sugihara, Masayoshi; Gribov, Yuri; Shimada, Michiya; Lukash, Victor; Kawano, Yasunori; Yoshino, Ryuji; Miki, Nobuharu; Ohmori, Junji; Khayrutdinov, Rustam

2003-01-01

The time dependence of the current decay during the current quench phase of disruptions, which can significantly influence the electro-magnetic force on the in-vessel components due to the induced eddy currents, is investigated using data obtained in JT-60U experiments in order to derive a relevant physics guideline for the predictive simulations of disruptions in ITER. It is shown that an exponential decay can fit the time dependence of current quench for discharges with large quench rate (fast current quench). On the other hand, for discharges with smaller quench rate (slow current quench), a linear decay can fit the time dependence of current quench better than exponential. (author)

Investigation on dynamic response with foundation uplift

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ohtomo, Keizo; Iwatate, Hisahiro

1987-01-01

In order to rationalize the aseismatic design of nuclear power stations, it is necessary to elucidate the characteristics of effective input when the earthquake motion for the design is inputted in the foundations of nuclear power stations. In this study, among the research subjects concerning the reduction of effective earthquake input, regarding the uplift of foundations, its response characteristics and the method of the rational evaluation of earth contact ratio were experimentally examined, and the method of analysis which can evaluate the damping effect due to the uplift was proposed. The experimental method is reported. It was found that accompanying the uplift of foundations, vertical motion was induced, and horizontal motion showed nonlinear response. It was confirmed that the nonlinear response accompanying the uplift can be approximately evaluated by the conventional analysis technique using the S-R model. The current equation for evaluating earth contact ratio is adequate for a soft ground model, and tends to undervaluate for a hard ground model. The S-R analysis model introducing the experimentally obtained characteristics in the dampling coefficient of a nonlinear rocking spring was newly made. (Kako, I.)

Apparatuses and method for converting electromagnetic radiation to direct current

Science.gov (United States)

Kotter, Dale K; Novack, Steven D

2014-09-30

An energy conversion device may include a first antenna and a second antenna configured to generate an AC current responsive to incident radiation, at least one stripline, and a rectifier coupled with the at least one stripline along a length of the at least one stripline. An energy conversion device may also include an array of nanoantennas configured to generate an AC current in response to receiving incident radiation. Each nanoantenna of the array includes a pair of resonant elements, and a shared rectifier operably coupled to the pair of resonant elements, the shared rectifier configured to convert the AC current to a DC current. The energy conversion device may further include a bus structure operably coupled with the array of nanoantennas and configured to receive the DC current from the array of nanoantennas and transmit the DC current away from the array of nanoantennas.

Due diligence

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sanghera, G.S.

1999-01-01

The Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Act requires that every employer shall ensure the health and safety of workers in the workplace. Issues regarding the practices at workplaces and how they should reflect the standards of due diligence were discussed. Due diligence was described as being the need for employers to identify hazards in the workplace and to take active steps to prevent workers from potentially dangerous incidents. The paper discussed various aspects of due diligence including policy, training, procedures, measurement and enforcement. The consequences of contravening the OHS Act were also described

Methodology for combining dynamic responses

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cudlin, R.; Hosford, S.; Mattu, R.; Wichman, K.

1978-09-01

The NRC has historically required that the structural/mechanical responses due to various accident loads and loads caused by natural phenomena, (such as earthquakes) be combined when analyzing structures, systems, and components important to safety. Several approaches to account for the potential interaction of loads resulting from accidents and natural phenomena have been used. One approach, the so-called absolute or linear summation (ABS) method, linearly adds the peak structural responses due to the individual dynamic loads. In general, the ABS method has also reflected the staff's conservative preference for the combination of dynamic load responses. A second approach, referred to as SRSS, yields a combined response equal to the square root of the sum of the squares of the peak responses due to the individual dynamic loads. The lack of a physical relationship between some of the loads has raised questions as to the proper methodology to be used in the design of nuclear power plants. An NRR Working Group was constituted to examine load combination methodologies and to develop a recommendation concerning criteria or conditions for their application. Evaluations of and recommendations on the use of the ABS and SRSS methods are provided in the report

Avian mortalities due to transmission line collisions: a review of current estimates and field methods with an emphasis on applications to the Canadian electric network

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sébastien Rioux

2013-12-01

Full Text Available Birds are vulnerable to collisions with human-made fixed structures. Despite ongoing development and increases in infrastructure, we have few estimates of the magnitude of collision mortality. We reviewed the existing literature on avian mortality associated with transmission lines and derived an initial estimate for Canada. Estimating mortality from collisions with power lines is challenging due to the lack of studies, especially from sites within Canada, and due to uncertainty about the magnitude of detection biases. Detection of bird collisions with transmission lines varies due to habitat type, species size, and scavenging rates. In addition, birds can be crippled by the impact and subsequently die, although crippling rates are poorly known and rarely incorporated into estimates. We used existing data to derive a range of estimates of avian mortality associated with collisions with transmission lines in Canada by incorporating detection, scavenging, and crippling biases. There are 231,966 km of transmission lines across Canada, mostly in the boreal forest. Mortality estimates ranged from 1 million to 229.5 million birds per year, depending on the bias corrections applied. We consider our most realistic estimate, taking into account variation in risk across Canada, to range from 2.5 million to 25.6 million birds killed per year. Data from multiple studies across Canada and the northern U.S. indicate that the most vulnerable bird groups are (1 waterfowl, (2 grebes, (3 shorebirds, and (4 cranes, which is consistent with other studies. Populations of several groups that are vulnerable to collisions are increasing across Canada (e.g., waterfowl, raptors, which suggests that collision mortality, at current levels, is not limiting population growth. However, there may be impacts on other declining species, such as shorebirds and some species at risk, including Alberta's Trumpeter Swans (Cygnus buccinator and western Canada's endangered Whooping

In- and out-of-plane response of a stretched string due to an in-plane harmonic excitation

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Van Horssen, W.T.; Van der Burgh, A.H.P

2004-01-01

In this paper a model of the dynamics of a stretched string is derived. The sag of the string due to gravity is neglected. The string is suspended between a fixed support and a vibrating support. Due to the vibrating support the oscillation of the string in vertical direction is influenced by a

Life Interference Due to Gambling in Three Canadian Provinces.

Science.gov (United States)

Afifi, Tracie O; Sareen, Jitender; Taillieu, Tamara; Turner, Sarah; Fortier, Janique

2018-03-28

The gambling landscape among provinces in Canada is diverse. Yet, few studies have investigated provincial differences related to life interference due to gambling. The objectives of the current study were to examine: (1) provincial differences with regard to gambling types and (2) if gender, family history of gambling, and alcohol or drug use while gambling were related to an increased likelihood of life interference in three Canadian provinces. Data were drawn from the 2013 and 2014 cycles of the Canadian Community Health Survey from Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and British Columbia (n = 30,150). Analyses were conducted stratified by provinces and also combined using logistic regression models. Provincial differences were noted with individuals from British Columbia compared to Manitoba being less likely to play VLTs outside of casinos, play live horse racing at a track or off track, and participate in sports gambling. Those in Saskatchewan compared to Manitoba were more likely to play VLTs inside a casino. When examining all provinces combined, family history of gambling was associated with increased odds of life interference. Gender was not associated with life interference. Provincial differences were noted, which may be in part related to differences in gambling landscapes. Family history of gambling may have clinical relevance for understanding which individuals may be more likely to experience life interference due to gambling. Further research is needed to clarify the link between alcohol and drug use while gambling and life interference due to gambling as the models in the current research were likely underpowered.

Two high accuracy digital integrators for Rogowski current transducers

Science.gov (United States)

Luo, Pan-dian; Li, Hong-bin; Li, Zhen-hua

2014-01-01

The Rogowski current transducers have been widely used in AC current measurement, but their accuracy is mainly subject to the analog integrators, which have typical problems such as poor long-term stability and being susceptible to environmental conditions. The digital integrators can be another choice, but they cannot obtain a stable and accurate output for the reason that the DC component in original signal can be accumulated, which will lead to output DC drift. Unknown initial conditions can also result in integral output DC offset. This paper proposes two improved digital integrators used in Rogowski current transducers instead of traditional analog integrators for high measuring accuracy. A proportional-integral-derivative (PID) feedback controller and an attenuation coefficient have been applied in improving the Al-Alaoui integrator to change its DC response and get an ideal frequency response. For the special design in the field of digital signal processing, the improved digital integrators have better performance than analog integrators. Simulation models are built for the purpose of verification and comparison. The experiments prove that the designed integrators can achieve higher accuracy than analog integrators in steady-state response, transient-state response, and temperature changing condition.

Campus Crisis Response at Viberg College

Science.gov (United States)

Eaker, Rachel; Viars, Jamie

2014-01-01

This fictional case study examines crisis response in higher education settings. Information about current crisis response procedures, plans, and trends was gathered from informational interviews, current crisis management literature, and multiple college and university websites. The information was synthesized into a fictional case study using…

Lifetime-Enhanced Transport in Silicon due to Spin and Valley Blockade

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Lansbergen, G.P.; Rahman, R.; Verduijn, J.; Tettamanzi, G.C.; Collaert, N.; Biesemans, S.; Klimeck, G.; Hollenberg, L.C.L.; Rogge, S.

2011-01-01

We report the observation of lifetime-enhanced transport (LET) based on perpendicular valleys in silicon by transport spectroscopy measurements of a two-electron system in a silicon transistor. The LET is manifested as a peculiar current step in the stability diagram due to a forbidden transition

Analysis of high field effects on the steady-state current-voltage response of semi-insulating 4H-SiC for photoconductive switch applications

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tiskumara, R. [Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, Virginia 23529 (United States); Joshi, R. P., E-mail: ravi.joshi@ttu.edu; Mauch, D.; Dickens, J. C.; Neuber, A. A. [Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas 79409 (United States)

2015-09-07

A model-based analysis of the steady-state, current-voltage response of semi-insulating 4H-SiC is carried out to probe the internal mechanisms, focusing on electric field driven effects. Relevant physical processes, such as multiple defects, repulsive potential barriers to electron trapping, band-to-trap impact ionization, and field-dependent detrapping, are comprehensively included. Results of our model match the available experimental data fairly well over orders of magnitude variation in the current density. A number of important parameters are also extracted in the process through comparisons with available data. Finally, based on our analysis, the possible presence of holes in the samples can be discounted up to applied fields as high as ∼275 kV/cm.

Current approach to liver traumas.

Science.gov (United States)

Kaptanoglu, Levent; Kurt, Necmi; Sikar, Hasan Ediz

2017-03-01

Liver injuries remain major obstacle for successful treatment, due to size and location of the liver. Requirement for surgery should be determined by clinical factors, most notably hemodynamical state. In this present study we tried to declare our approach to liver traumas. We also tried to emphasize the importance of conservative treatment, since surgeries for liver traumas carry high mortality rates. Patients admitted to the Department of Emergency Surgery at Kartal Research and Education Hospital, due to liver trauma were retrospectively analyzed between 2003 and 2013. Patient demographics, hepatic panel, APTT (activated partial thromboplastin time), PT (prothrombin time), INR (international normalized ratio), fibrinogen, biochemistry panel were recorded. Hemodynamic instability was the most prominent factor for surgery decision, in the lead of current Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS) protocols. Operation records and imaging modalities revealed liver injuries according to the Organ Injury Scale of the American Association for the Surgery of Trauma. 300 patients admitted to emergency department were included in our study (187 males and 113 females). Mean age was 47 years (range, 12-87). The overall mortality rate was 13% (40 out of 300). Major factor responsible for mortality rates and outcome was stability of cases on admission. 188 (% 63) patients were counted as stable, whereas 112 (% 37) cases were found unstable (blood pressure ≤ 90, after massive resuscitation). 192 patients were observed conservatively, whereas 108 cases received abdominal surgery. High levels of AST, ALT, LDH, INR, creatinine and low levels of fibrinogen and low platelet counts on admission were found to be associated with mortality and these cases also had Grade 4 and 5 injuries. Hemodynamic instability on admission and the type and grade of injury played major role in mortality rates). Packing was performed in 35 patients, with Grade 4 and 5 injuries. Mortality rate was %13 (40

Selfconsistent RF driven and bootstrap currents

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Peysson, Y.

2002-01-01

This important problem selfconsistent calculations of the bootstrap current with RF, taking into account possible synergistic effects, is addressed for the case of lower hybrid (LH) and electron cyclotron (EC) current drive by numerically solving the electron drift kinetic equation. Calculations are performed using a new, fast, and fully implicit code which solves the 3-D relativistic Fokker-Planck equation with quasilinear diffusion. These calculations take into account the perturbations to the electron distribution due to radial drifts induced by magnetic field gradient and curvature. While the synergism between bootstrap and LH-driven current does not seem to exceed 15%, it can reach 30-40% with the EC-driven current for some plasma parameters. In addition, considerable current can be generated by judiciously using ECCD with the Okhawa effect. This is in contrast to the usual ECCD which tries to avoid it. A detailed analysis of the numerical results is presented using a simplified analytical model which incorporates the underlying physical processes. (author)

Variations in the magnetopause current layer

Science.gov (United States)

Laakso, H. E.; Middleton, H. R.

2017-12-01

We use multi-point observations from the Cluster spacecraft to investigate the variations in the magnetopause current layer. With help of the curlometer technique one can determine the magnetopause current and its variability. Most of the time the magnetopause location is moving back and forth, so during any given pass the current layer is crossed several times. We use such crossings to investigate the characteristics of the current layer as the solar wind pressure varies (and the magnetopause moves accordingly). In addition we take an advantage of the ambient electron measurements from the EDI experiment which have been calibrated against the PEACE electron spectrometer data. These data can be used to detect fast variations of 1 keV electrons at resolution of 1-100 ms. Overall, Cluster observations are highly complimentary to the MMS observations due to the polar orbit of the Cluster spacecraft which provide fast vertical profiles of the magnetopause current layer.

Current-induced magnetization changes in a spin valve due to incoherent emission of non-equilibrium magnons

OpenAIRE

Kozub, V. I.; Caro, J.

2004-01-01

We describe spin transfer in a ferromagnet/normal metal/ferromagnet spin-valve point contact. Spin is transferred from the spin-polarized device current to the magnetization of the free layer by the mechanism of incoherent magnon emission by electrons. Our approach is based on the rate equation for the magnon occupation, using Fermi's golden rule for magnon emission and absorption and the non-equilibrium electron distribution for a biased spin valve. The magnon emission reduces the magnetizat...

Emergence of burrowing urchins from California continental shelf sediments-A response to alongshore current reversals?

Science.gov (United States)

Nichols, F.H.; Cacchione, D.A.; Drake, D.E.; Thompson, J.K.

1989-01-01

Two sequences of bottom photographs taken every two or four hours for two months during the Coastal Ocean Dynamics Experiment (CODE) off the Russian River, California, reveal the dynamic nature of interations between the water column, the sediments, and benthic organisms in the mid-shelf silt deposit. Time-lapse photographs taken between late spring and early summer in 1981 and 1982 show that the subsurface-dwelling urchin Brisaster latifrons (one of the largest invertebrates found in shelf-depth fine sediment off the U.S. Pacific coast) occasionally emerged from the sediment, plowed the sediment surface during the course of a few hours to several days, then buried themselves again. Frame-by-frame study of the film sequences shows that the urchins typically emerged following relaxation of coastal upwelling, periods characterized by current direction reversals and increases in bottom water turbidity. Among the possible causes of the emergence of urchins and the consequent bioturbation of the upper few cm of sediment, a response to an enhanced food supply seems most plausible. Circumstantial evidence suggests the possibility that phytoplankton sedimentation during periods of upwelling relaxation could provide a new source of food at the sediment surface. ?? 1989.

A heteroscedastic generalized linear model with a non-normal speed factor for responses and response times.

Science.gov (United States)

Molenaar, Dylan; Bolsinova, Maria

2017-05-01

In generalized linear modelling of responses and response times, the observed response time variables are commonly transformed to make their distribution approximately normal. A normal distribution for the transformed response times is desirable as it justifies the linearity and homoscedasticity assumptions in the underlying linear model. Past research has, however, shown that the transformed response times are not always normal. Models have been developed to accommodate this violation. In the present study, we propose a modelling approach for responses and response times to test and model non-normality in the transformed response times. Most importantly, we distinguish between non-normality due to heteroscedastic residual variances, and non-normality due to a skewed speed factor. In a simulation study, we establish parameter recovery and the power to separate both effects. In addition, we apply the model to a real data set. © 2017 The Authors. British Journal of Mathematical and Statistical Psychology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of British Psychological Society.