Direct and semi-direct impacts of absorbing biomass burning aerosol on the climate of southern Africa: a Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory GCM sensitivity study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

C. A. Randles

2010-10-01

Full Text Available Tropospheric aerosols emitted from biomass burning reduce solar radiation at the surface and locally heat the atmosphere. Equilibrium simulations using an atmospheric general circulation model (GFDL AGCM indicate that strong atmospheric absorption from these particles can cool the surface and increase upward motion and low-level convergence over southern Africa during the dry season. These changes increase sea level pressure over land in the biomass burning region and spin-up the hydrologic cycle by increasing clouds, atmospheric water vapor, and, to a lesser extent, precipitation. Cloud increases serve to reinforce the surface radiative cooling tendency of the aerosol. Conversely, if the climate over southern Africa were hypothetically forced by high loadings of scattering aerosol, then the change in the low-level circulation and increased subsidence would serve to decrease clouds, precipitation, and atmospheric water vapor. Surface cooling associated with scattering-only aerosols is mitigated by warming from cloud decreases. The direct and semi-direct climate impacts of biomass burning aerosol over southern Africa are sensitive to the total amount of aerosol absorption and how clouds change in response to the aerosol-induced heating of the atmosphere.

Data systematics and semidirect decay probability of the giant dipole resonance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ishkhanov, B.S.; Kapitonov, I.M.; Tutyn', I.A.

1998-01-01

Information on probability of semidirect decay of giant dipole resonance of nuclei of sd- and fp-shells (A = 16-58) is elaborated on the base of the recent (γ, χγ ' ) experimental results. The shell effect in A-dependence of this probability is discovered

Extended quantum mechanics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pavel Bona

2000-01-01

The work can be considered as an essay on mathematical and conceptual structure of nonrelativistic quantum mechanics which is related here to some other (more general, but also to more special and 'approximative') theories. Quantum mechanics is here primarily reformulated in an equivalent form of a Poisson system on the phase space consisting of density matrices, where the 'observables', as well as 'symmetry generators' are represented by a specific type of real valued (densely defined) functions, namely the usual quantum expectations of corresponding selfjoint operators. It is shown in this paper that inclusion of additional ('nonlinear') symmetry generators (i. e. 'Hamiltonians') into this reformulation of (linear) quantum mechanics leads to a considerable extension of the theory: two kinds of quantum 'mixed states' should be distinguished, and operator - valued functions of density matrices should be used in the role of 'nonlinear observables'. A general framework for physical theories is obtained in this way: By different choices of the sets of 'nonlinear observables' we obtain, as special cases, e.g. classical mechanics on homogeneous spaces of kinematical symmetry groups, standard (linear) quantum mechanics, or nonlinear extensions of quantum mechanics; also various 'quasiclassical approximations' to quantum mechanics are all sub theories of the presented extension of quantum mechanics - a version of the extended quantum mechanics. A general interpretation scheme of extended quantum mechanics extending the usual statistical interpretation of quantum mechanics is also proposed. Eventually, extended quantum mechanics is shown to be (included into) a C * -algebraic (hence linear) quantum theory. Mathematical formulation of these theories is presented. The presentation includes an analysis of problems connected with differentiation on infinite-dimensional manifolds, as well as a solution of some problems connected with the work with only densely defined unbounded

The pick-up mechanism in composite particle emission processes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang Jingshang; Yan Shiwei; Wang Cuilan

1992-01-01

The pick-up mechanism has been included in the exciton model for the light composite particle emissions. Based on the cluster phase space integration method the formation probabilities of α,d,t, 3 He are obtained. The calculation results of (n,t) cross sections indicate that this theoretical method can reproduce the experimental data nicely. For triton emissions in pre-equilibrium reaction processes, the semi-direct reactions are the dominant terms which are just omitted in the previous model calculation

Reasoning about cardinal directions between extended objects

OpenAIRE

Liu, Weiming; Zhang, Xiaotong; Li, Sanjiang; Ying, Mingsheng

2010-01-01

Direction relations between extended spatial objects are important commonsense knowledge. Recently, Goyal and Egenhofer proposed a formal model, known as Cardinal Direction Calculus (CDC), for representing direction relations between connected plane regions. CDC is perhaps the most expressive qualitative calculus for directional information, and has attracted increasing interest from areas such as artificial intelligence, geographical information science, and image retrieval. Given a network ...

Dynamic load-balancing-extended gradient mechanism: Graphic representation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Muniz, Francisco J.

2017-01-01

Load-balancing methods are quite well described in the open literature (hundreds of articles can be found about this subject). In particularly, about the Dynamic Load-balancing mechanism Extended Gradient (EG), several articles of the author are available. Even though, there are some overlap, each one of them is focused on a particular aspect of the mechanism, in a complementary way. In this article, a graphic representation of the Extended Gradient mechanism is done: this representation way had not yet been explored. However, for an in-depth knowledge of the Extended Gradient mechanism, at least, some other articles should to be read. In the CDTN, Clusters are used, mainly, in deterministic methods (CFD) and non-deterministic methods (Monte Carlo). (author)

Dynamic load-balancing-extended gradient mechanism: Graphic representation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Muniz, Francisco J., E-mail: muniz@cdtn.br [Centro de Desenvolvimento da Tecnologia Nuclear (CDTN/CNEN-MG), Belo Horizonte, MG (Brazil)

2017-07-01

Load-balancing methods are quite well described in the open literature (hundreds of articles can be found about this subject). In particularly, about the Dynamic Load-balancing mechanism Extended Gradient (EG), several articles of the author are available. Even though, there are some overlap, each one of them is focused on a particular aspect of the mechanism, in a complementary way. In this article, a graphic representation of the Extended Gradient mechanism is done: this representation way had not yet been explored. However, for an in-depth knowledge of the Extended Gradient mechanism, at least, some other articles should to be read. In the CDTN, Clusters are used, mainly, in deterministic methods (CFD) and non-deterministic methods (Monte Carlo). (author)

Damping mechanisms of high-lying single-particle states in 91Nb

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Molen, H. K. T. van der; Berg, A. M. van den; Harakeh, M. N.; Hunyadi, M.; Kalantar-Nayestanaki, N.; Akimune, H.; Daito, I.; Fujimura, H.; Ihara, F.; Inomata, T.; Ishibashi, K.; Yoshida, H.; Yosoi, M.; Fujita, Y.; Fujiwara, M.; Jaenecke, J.; O'Donnell, T. W.; Laurent, H.; Lhenry, I.; Rodin, V. A.

2007-01-01

Decay by proton emission from high-lying states in 91 Nb, populated in the 90 Zr(α,t) reaction at E α =180 MeV, has been investigated. Decay to the ground state and semidirect decay to the low-lying (2 + ,5 - , and 3 - ) phonon states in 90 Zr were observed. It was found that these phonon states play an important role in the damping process of the single-particle states. An optical-model coupled-channel approach was used successfully to describe the direct and semidirect parts of the decay

Conformal invariance of extended spinning particle mechanics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Siegel, W.

1988-01-01

Recently a mechanics action has been considered with extended, local, one-dimensional supersymmetry. The authors show this action is conformally invariant in arbitrary spacetime dimensions, and derive the corresponding quantum mechanical restriction on the Lorentz representations it describes

Fluctuation effects in radiative capture to unstable final states: A test via the 89Y(rvec p,γ) reaction at Ep = 19.6 MeV

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Parker, W.E.; Chadwick, M.; Dietrich, F.S.

1994-11-01

The authors have developed an extended direct-semidirect (DSD) model for fast-nucleon capture to single-particle configurations that subsequently damp into the compound nucleus or (at sufficiently high excitation energies) escape into the continuum. The inclusion of final-state fluctuation effects is an important feature of this model. To test the model they have measured the spectra of gamma rays from approximately 10 MeV to the endpoint in the 89 Y(rvec P,γ) reaction with 19.6 MeV polarized protons from the TUNL tandem accelerator. Gamma spectra were measured with a pair of 25.4 cm x 25.4 cm anticoincidence-shielded NaI detectors at angles of 30 degree, 55 degree, 90 degree 125 degree and 150 degree with respect to the incident beam. The spectra show significant analyzing powers and forward peaking of the angular distributions. These features allow for the discrimination between compound processes and direct processes. Analyzing powers and fore-aft asymmetries were observed for gamma energies below those associated with direct-semidirect transitions to known bound final states. They have also performed Hauser-Feshbach calculations of the statistical component of the gamma emission, which dominates below approximately 15--16 MeV. The extended DSD model reproduces the spectral shapes and analyzing powers above this energy quite well. There is no evidence in the present reaction that additional mechanisms, such as multistep compound or multistep direct emission, are required

The combinatorics computation for Casimir operators of the symplectic Lie algebra and the application for determining the center of the enveloping algebra of a semidirect product

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Le Van Hop.

1989-12-01

The combinatorics computation is used to describe the Casimir operators of the symplectic Lie Algebra. This result is applied for determining the Center of the enveloping Algebra of the semidirect Product of the Heisenberg Lie Algebra and the symplectic Lie Algebra. (author). 10 refs

Career Transitions after a Long Experience as Trade Union Officer: A Qualitative Study

Science.gov (United States)

Cohen-Scali, Valérie

2016-01-01

In France, trade union officers are former shop stewards who have chosen to work full-time for the union for several years. This research investigates the career transitions of former union officers who have returned to the labour market following extended experience with high-level responsibilities in the union. Semi-directed interviews were…

Semidirect product gauge group [SU(3)cxSU(2)L]xU(1)Y and quantization of hypercharge

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hattori, Chuichiro; Matsunaga, Mamoru; Matsuoka, Takeo

2011-01-01

In the standard model the hypercharges of quarks and leptons are not determined by the gauge group SU(3) c xSU(2) L xU(1) Y alone. We show that, if we choose the semidirect product group [SU(3) c xSU(2) L ]xU(1) Y as its gauge group, the hyperchages are settled to be n/6 mod Z(n=0,1,3,4). In addition, the conditions for gauge-anomaly cancellation give strong constraints. As a result, the ratios of the hypercharges are uniquely determined and the gravitational anomaly is automatically canceled. The standard charge assignment to quarks and leptons can be properly reproduced. For exotic matter fields their hypercharges are also discussed.

Spatial reasoning with augmented points: Extending cardinal directions with local distances

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Reinhard Moratz

2012-12-01

Full Text Available We present an approach for supplying existing qualitative direction calculi with a distance component to support fully fledged positional reasoning. The general underlying idea of augmenting points with local reference properties has already been applied in the OPRAm calculus. In this existing calculus, point objects are attached with a local reference direction to obtain oriented points and able to express relative direction using binary relations. We show how this approach can be extended to attach a granular distance concept to direction calculi such as the cardinal direction calculus or adjustable granularity calculi such as OPRAm or the Star calculus. We focus on the cardinal direction calculus and extend it to a multi-granular positional calculus called EPRAm. We provide a formal specification of EPRAm including a composition table for EPRA2 automatically determined using real algebraic geometry. We also report on an experimental performance analysis of EPRA2 in the context of a topological map-learning task proposed for benchmarking qualitative calculi. Our results confirm that our approach of adding a relative distance component to existing calculi improves the performance in realistic tasks when using algebraic closure for consistency checking.

Brain mechanisms associated with internally directed attention and self-generated thought.

Science.gov (United States)

Benedek, Mathias; Jauk, Emanuel; Beaty, Roger E; Fink, Andreas; Koschutnig, Karl; Neubauer, Aljoscha C

2016-03-10

Internal cognition like imagination and prospection require sustained internally directed attention and involve self-generated thought. This fMRI study aimed to disentangle the brain mechanisms associated with attention-specific and task-specific processes during internally directed cognition. The direction of attention was manipulated by either keeping a relevant stimulus visible throughout the task, or by masking it, so that the task had to be performed "in the mind's eye". The level of self-directed thought was additionally varied between a convergent and a divergent thinking task. Internally directed attention was associated with increased activation in the right anterior inferior parietal lobe (aIPL), bilateral lingual gyrus and the cuneus, as well as with extended deactivations of superior parietal and occipital regions representing parts of the dorsal attention network. The right aIPL further showed increased connectivity with occipital regions suggesting an active top-down mechanism for shielding ongoing internal processes from potentially distracting sensory stimulation in terms of perceptual decoupling. Activation of the default network was not related to internally directed attention per se, but rather to a higher level of self-generated thought. The findings hence shed further light on the roles of inferior and superior parietal cortex for internally directed cognition.

Extending EV Range with Direct Methanol Fuel Cells

OpenAIRE

Steckmann, Kai

2009-01-01

Electric cars are the vehicles of the future, and there is a proven hybrid system for extending their mileage. Direct methanol fuel cells (DMFCs) provide safe, lightweight, onboard battery charging that can free car owners from worry about running out of power. The hybrid system includes a DMFC fuel cell, fuel cell cartridge and electric vehicle batteries. The fuel cell operates almost silently with virtually no exhaust, it is immune to extreme weather and the convenient fuel cartridges featu...

Extending quantum mechanics entails extending special relativity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aravinda, S; Srikanth, R

2016-01-01

The complementarity between signaling and randomness in any communicated resource that can simulate singlet statistics is generalized by relaxing the assumption of free will in the choice of measurement settings. We show how to construct an ontological extension for quantum mechanics (QMs) through the oblivious embedding of a sound simulation protocol in a Newtonian spacetime. Minkowski or other intermediate spacetimes are ruled out as the locus of the embedding by virtue of hidden influence inequalities. The complementarity transferred from a simulation to the extension unifies a number of results about quantum non-locality, and implies that special relativity has a different significance for the ontological model and for the operational theory it reproduces. Only the latter, being experimentally accessible, is required to be Lorentz covariant. There may be certain Lorentz non-covariant elements at the ontological level, but they will be inaccessible at the operational level in a valid extension. Certain arguments against the extendability of QM, due to Conway and Kochen (2009) and Colbeck and Renner (2012), are attributed to their assumption that the spacetime at the ontological level has Minkowski causal structure. (paper)

Coherent states associated to the Jacobi group

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Berceanu, S.

2007-01-01

.The coherent states (CS) offer a useful connection between classical and quantum mechanics. In several previous works we have constructed CS attached to the Jacobi group. It is well known that the Jacobi group appears in Quantum Mechanics, Geometric Quantization, Optics. The mathematicians have given the name 'Jacobi group' to the semidirect product of the Heisenberg-Weyl group and the symplectic group. The same group is known to physicists under other names, as the Schroedinger group. Also the name 'Weyl-symplectic' group is used for the same semi-direct product of the Heisenberg-Weyl group and the symplectic group. In this paper we review and discuss some properties of the coherent states associated to the Jacobi group. (author)

Novel Semi-Direct OH Reactivity (kOH) Measurements by Chemical Ionization Mass Spectrometry during a Chamber Instrument Comparison Campaign and Continuous Ambient Air Sampling at a Central European GAW Station

Science.gov (United States)

Muller, J.; Kubistin, D.; Elste, T.; Plass-Duelmer, C.; Claude, A.; Englert, J.; Holla, R.; Fuchs, H.; Hofzumahaus, A.; Holland, F.; Novelli, A.; Tillmann, R.; Wegener, R.; Rohrer, F.; Yu, Z.; Bohn, B.; Williams, J.; Pfannerstill, E.; Edtbauer, A.; Kluepfel, T.

2016-12-01

Total OH reactivity (kOH) has been recognized as a useful measure to gauge the potential atmospheric oxidation capacity and a few different in-situ measurement techniques have been developed over the last 15 years. Here results are presented from a novel semi-direct method developed by the German Weather Service (DWD) utilizing a chemical ionization mass spectrometer (CIMS). Recently in April 2016, the CIMS system participated in a half-blind kOH instrument comparison campaign at the Forschungszentrum Jülich (FZJ) SAPHIR chamber. Experiments provided controlled conditions with a range of different VOC mixtures and varying NOx levels, representing environments dominated by biogenic or urban emissions. Alongside CIMS, kOH was also measured by systems using the comparative reactivity method (CRM) and the pump-probe technique with OH detection. The intercomparison revealed a good performance of CIMS at lower OH reactivities (0-15 s-1), a range for which the instrumental set up was optimized. Limitations of the CIMS system consist of an upper limit for kOH detection and the need for applying a chemical correction function as a result of instrument-internal HOx recycling. Findings and instrument parameters obtained from the FZJ SAPHIR campaign and flow tube experiments are then applied to ambient air kOH measurements at the Meteorological Observatory Hohenpeissenberg (MOHp), Germany. The CIMS instrument is used there for long-term measurements of OH, H2SO4, ROx and kOH. Here, we show ambient air kOH measurements, interpreted in conjunction with volatile organic compounds (VOC) and inorganic trace gases also measured at the GAW station Hohenpeissenberg. These observations provide a unique dataset to investigate turnover rates and seasonal cycles of reactive trace gases, i.e. sources that make up total OH reactivity in this central European, rural setting.

Extended SUSY quantum mechanics, intertwining operators and coherent states

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bagarello, F.

2008-01-01

We propose an extension of supersymmetric quantum mechanics which produces a family of isospectral Hamiltonians. Our procedure slightly extends the idea of intertwining operators. Several examples of the construction are given. Further, we show how to build up vector coherent states of the Gazeau-Klauder type associated to our Hamiltonians

Direct Power Control for Three-Phase Two-Level Voltage-Source Rectifiers Based on Extended-State Observation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Song, Zhanfeng; Tian, Yanjun; Yan, Zhuo

2016-01-01

This paper proposed a direct power control strategy for three-phase two-level voltage-source rectifiers based on extended-state observation. Active and reactive powers are directly regulated in the stationary reference frame. Similar to the family of predictive controllers whose inherent characte......This paper proposed a direct power control strategy for three-phase two-level voltage-source rectifiers based on extended-state observation. Active and reactive powers are directly regulated in the stationary reference frame. Similar to the family of predictive controllers whose inherent...

Broken symmetries and directed collective energy transport in spatially extended systems

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Flach, S.; Zolotaryuk, Yaroslav; Miroshnichenko, A. E.

2002-01-01

We study the appearance of directed energy current in homogeneous spatially extended systems coupled to a heat bath in the presence of an external ac field E(t) . The systems are described by nonlinear field equations. By making use of a symmetry analysis, we predict the right choice of E(t) and ...

Thermo-mechanically coupled fracture analysis of shape memory alloys using the extended finite element method

Science.gov (United States)

Hatefi Ardakani, S.; Ahmadian, H.; Mohammadi, S.

2015-04-01

In this paper, the extended finite element method is used for fracture analysis of shape memory alloys for both cases of super elastic and shape memory effects. Heat generation during the forward and reverse phase transformations can lead to temperature variation in the material because of strong thermo-mechanical coupling, which significantly influences the SMA mechanical behavior. First, the stationary crack mode is studied and the effects of loading rate on material behavior in the crack tip are examined. Then, the crack propagation analysis is performed in the presence of an initial crack by adopting a weighted averaging criterion, where the direction of crack propagation is determined by weighted averaging of effective stresses at all the integration points in the vicinity of the crack tip. Finally, several numerical examples are analyzed and the obtained results are compared with the available reference results.

Chern-Simons action for inhomogeneous Virasoro group as extension of three dimensional flat gravity

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Barnich, Glenn [Physique Théorique et Mathématique, Université Libre de Bruxelles and International Solvay Institutes, Campus Plaine C.P. 231, B-1050 Bruxelles (Belgium); Giribet, Gastón [Physique Théorique et Mathématique, Université Libre de Bruxelles and International Solvay Institutes, Campus Plaine C.P. 231, B-1050 Bruxelles (Belgium); Universidad de Buenos Aires FCEN-UBA and IFIBA-CONICET, Ciudad Universitaria, Pabellón I, 1428 Buenos Aires (Argentina); Instituto de Física, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, Casilla 4059, Valparaíso (Chile); Leston, Mauricio [Instituto de Astronomía y Física del Espacio IAFE-CONICET, Ciudad Universitaria, Pabellón IAFE, C.C. 67 Suc. 28, 1428 Buenos Aires (Argentina)

2015-07-15

We initiate the study of a Chern-Simons action associated to the semi-direct sum of the Virasoro algebra with its coadjoint representation. This model extends the standard Chern-Simons formulation of three dimensional flat gravity and is similar to the higher-spin extension of three dimensional anti-de Sitter or flat gravity. The extension can also be constructed for the exotic but not for the cosmological constant deformation of flat gravity.

Radiative proton capture to the first excited state of sup 29 P nucleus at subbarrier energies

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Matulewicz, T; Dabrowska, M; Decowski, P; Kicinska-Habior, M; Sikora, B [Warsaw Univ. (Poland). Inst. Fizyki Doswiadczalnej; Toke, J [Rochester Univ., NY (USA). Nuclear Structure Research Lab.; Somorjai, E [Magyar Tudomanyos Akademia, Debrecen (Hungary). Atommag Kutato Intezete

1985-08-01

Differential cross sections at 0 deg and 90 deg measured for {sup 28}Si(p,{gamma}{sub 1}){sup 29}P reaction at proton energy range 2.3-2.9 MeV have been analyzed in terms of the direct-semidirect capture model extended by the effective potential approach. Spectroscopic factor of the first excited states of {sup 29}P nucleus was found to be 0.10+-0.05. 9 refs., 1 fig. (author).

Direct neutron capture and related mechanisms

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lynn, J.E.; Raman, S.

1990-01-01

We consider the evidence for the role of direct and related mechanisms in neutron capture at low and medium energies. Firstly, we compare the experimental data on the thermal neutron cross sections for El transitions in light nuclei with careful estimates of direct capture. Over the full range of light nuclei with small cross sections direct capture is found to be the predominant mechanism, in some cases being remarkable accurate, but in a few showing evidence for collective effects. When resonance effects become substantial there is evidence for an important contribution from the closely related valence mechanism, but full agreement with the data in such cases appears to require the introduction of a more generalised valence model. The possibility of direct and valence mechanisms playing a role in M1 capture is studied, and it is concluded that in light nuclei at relatively low gamma ray energies, it does indeed play some role. In heavier nuclei it appears that the evidence, especially from the correlations between E1 and M1 transitions to the same final states, favours the hypothesis that the main transition strength is governed by the M1 giant resonance. 31 refs., 2 tabs

On the possibility of extending the tests of quantum mechanical correlations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bergia, S.

1984-01-01

Experimental tests of quantum mechanical correlations in connection with Bell's inequality have generally considered decays in sub-systems characterized by two-valued observables. The author analyses the possibility of extending these tests to a much wider class of cases. (Auth.)

Direct design of an energy landscape with bistable DNA origami mechanisms.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhou, Lifeng; Marras, Alexander E; Su, Hai-Jun; Castro, Carlos E

2015-03-11

Structural DNA nanotechnology provides a feasible technique for the design and fabrication of complex geometries even exhibiting controllable dynamic behavior. Recently we have demonstrated the possibility of implementing macroscopic engineering design approaches to construct DNA origami mechanisms (DOM) with programmable motion and tunable flexibility. Here, we implement the design of compliant DNA origami mechanisms to extend from prescribing motion to prescribing an energy landscape. Compliant mechanisms facilitate motion via deformation of components with tunable stiffness resulting in well-defined mechanical energy stored in the structure. We design, fabricate, and characterize a DNA origami nanostructure with an energy landscape defined by two stable states (local energy minima) separated by a designed energy barrier. This nanostructure is a four-bar bistable mechanism with two undeformed states. Traversing between those states requires deformation, and hence mechanical energy storage, in a compliant arm of the linkage. The energy barrier for switching between two states was obtained from the conformational distribution based on a Boltzmann probability function and closely follows a predictive mechanical model. Furthermore, we demonstrated the ability to actuate the mechanism into one stable state via additional DNA inputs and then release the actuation via DNA strand displacement. This controllable multistate system establishes a foundation for direct design of energy landscapes that regulate conformational dynamics similar to biomolecular complexes.

Populisme et démocratie semi-directe : la dénaturation des procédés référendaires en France et aux Etats-Unis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Christophe Premat

2005-09-01

Full Text Available Si le populisme se caractérise par l’incarnation d’un ensemble de frustrations à l’égard du système représentatif, il est primordial de s’interroger sur le lien entre une déception à l’égard des institutions et les instruments de démocratie semi-directe. En nous appuyant sur une comparaison entre la France et les Etats-Unis pour analyser d´une part comment le référendum et l’initiative populaire ont modifié la donne dans certains Etats américains et d’autre part comment en France les référendums nationaux ont connu la suspicion « plébiscitaire » à plusieurs reprises, nous souhaiterions comprendre si par nature la démocratie semi-directe n’est que le ressentiment engendré par la lenteur du travail de représentation ou si elle est le complément essentiel à la transformation du régime représentatif.Si la frustración contra el sistema representativo es expresada por el populismo, es crucial interrogarse por el acoplamiento entre una decepción relacionada con las instituciones y los instrumentos semidirectos de la democracia. Al comparar Francia con Estados Unidos con el objetivo de analizar por una parte, cómo las iniciativas populares y los referendums influenciaron la legislación de algunos estados americanos y por otra, cómo los referéndums nacionales en Francia fueron reducidos a plebiscitos, intentamos descifrar si la naturaleza de la democracia semidirecta es el resultado de un resentimiento contra la lentitud del trabajo representativo o si concluye la transformación del gobierno representativo.If the feelings of frustration against the representative system are expressed by populism, it is crucial to question the link between a disappointment vis-à-vis the institutions and the semi-direct democracy instruments. By comparing France and United States in order to analyze on the one hand how popular initiatives and referenda influenced the legislation of some American States and on the other

Incretin secretion: direct mechanisms

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Balk-Møller, Emilie; Holst, Jens Juul; Kuhre, Rune Ehrenreich

2014-01-01

The incretin hormones glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) and glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) are secreted from gastro-intestinal K- and L-cells, respectively, and play an important role in post-prandial blood glucose regulation. They do this by direct stimulation of the pancreatic β...... enzyme responsible for incretin degradation (dipeptidyl peptidase-4) is inhibited (drugs are already on the market) while the secretion of endogenous GLP-1 secretion is stimulated at the same time may prove particularly rewarding. In this section we review current knowledge on the mechanisms for direct...

Prediction Model of Mechanical Extending Limits in Horizontal Drilling and Design Methods of Tubular Strings to Improve Limits

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wenjun Huang

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Mechanical extending limit in horizontal drilling means the maximum horizontal extending length of a horizontal well under certain ground and down-hole mechanical constraint conditions. Around this concept, the constrained optimization model of mechanical extending limits is built and simplified analytical results for pick-up and slack-off operations are deduced. The horizontal extending limits for kinds of tubular strings under different drilling parameters are calculated and drawn. To improve extending limits, an optimal design model of drill strings is built and applied to a case study. The results indicate that horizontal extending limits are underestimated a lot when the effects of friction force on critical helical buckling loads are neglected. Horizontal extending limits firstly increase and tend to stable values with vertical depths. Horizontal extending limits increase faster but finally become smaller with the increase of horizontal pushing forces for tubular strings of smaller modulus-weight ratio. Sliding slack-off is the main limit operation and high axial friction is the main constraint factor constraining horizontal extending limits. A sophisticated installation of multiple tubular strings can greatly inhibit helical buckling and increase horizontal extending limits. The optimal design model is called only once to obtain design results, which greatly increases the calculation efficiency.

A bistable mechanism for directional sensing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Beta, C; Amselem, G; Bodenschatz, E

2008-01-01

We present a generic mechanism for directional sensing in eukaryotic cells that is based on bistable dynamics. As the key feature of this modeling approach, the velocity of trigger waves in the bistable sensing system changes its sign across cells that are exposed to an external chemoattractant gradient. This is achieved by combining a two-component activator/inhibitor system with a bistable switch that induces an identical symmetry breaking for arbitrary gradient input signals. A simple kinetic example is designed to illustrate the dynamics of a bistable directional sensing mechanism in numerical simulations

Recent developments in the N-extended supersymmetric quantum mechanics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Toppan, Francesco

2007-01-01

In this paper we review some recent developments in the understanding of the supersymmetric quantum mechanics for large-N values of the extended supersymmetries. A list of the topics here covered includes the new available classification of the finite linear irreducible representations, the construction of manifestly off-shell invariant actions without introducing a superfield formalism, the notion of the 'fusion algebra' of the irreducible representations, the connection (for N = 8) with the octonionic structure constants, etc. The results presented are based on the work of the author and his collaborators. (author)

Mechanical Design of Odin, an Extendable Heterogeneous Deformable Modular Robot

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lyder, Andreas; Garcia, Ricardo Franco Mendoza; Støy, Kasper

2008-01-01

Highly sophisticated animals consist of a set of heterogenous modules decided by nature so that they can survive in a complex environment. In this paper we present a new modular robot inspired by biology called Odin. The Odin robot is based on a deformable lattice and consists of an extendable se...... of heterogeneous modules. We present the design and implementation of a cubic closed-packed (CCP) joint module, a telescoping link, and a flexible connection mechanism. The developed robot is highly versatile and opens up for a wide range of new research in modular robotics.......Highly sophisticated animals consist of a set of heterogenous modules decided by nature so that they can survive in a complex environment. In this paper we present a new modular robot inspired by biology called Odin. The Odin robot is based on a deformable lattice and consists of an extendable set...

A non-binary direct digital synthesizer with an extended phase accumulator.

Science.gov (United States)

Nosaka, H; Yamaguchi, Y; Muraguchi, M

2001-01-01

We describe a new direct digital synthesizer (DDS) in which output tuning resolution is flexibly controlled. The new DDS has an extended phase accumulator (EPA) controlled by two frequency control words; one determines the wave number within a single EPA operation cycle, and the other determines the length of the cycle. The EPA allows the DDS to provide jitter-free signals, the frequencies of which are given by arbitrary fractional expressions. (The denominator is fixed in conventional DDS that use normal phase accumulators.) Experimental results showed that the EPA worked well, allowing flexible output tuning resolution.

Extended solid solubility of a Co–Cr system by mechanical alloying

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Betancourt-Cantera, J.A.; Sánchez-De Jesús, F.; Torres-Villaseñor, G.; Bolarín-Miró, A.M.; Cortés-Escobedo, C.A.

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► Solubility of the Co–Cr system is modified by means of Mechanical Alloying (MA). ► MA induces the formation of new solid solutions of Co–Cr system in non-equilibrium. ► MA promote the formation of metastable Co–Cr phases with greater solubility. - Abstract: Mechanical alloying, MA, has been successfully used to extend the limits of solid solubility in many commercially important metallic systems. The aim of this work is to demonstrate that MA modifies the solid solubility of the Co–Cr system. Co and Cr elemental powders were used as precursors and mixed in an adequate weight ratio to obtain Co 100−x Cr x (0 ≤ x ≤ 100, Δx = 10) to study the effect of mechanical processing in the solubility of the Co–Cr system. Processing was carried out at room temperature in a shaker mixer mill using vials and balls of hardened steel as milling media with a ball:powder weight ratio of 10:1. Crystalline structure characterization of the milled powders was conducted using X-ray diffraction, and phase transformations as a function of composition were analyzed. Thermal analysis confirmed structural changes occurred in the mechanically alloyed powders. The evolution of the phase transformations with composition is reported for each composition. The results showed that after high energy ball milling for 7 h, the solid solubility between Co and Cr could be evidently extended, despite the low solid solubility at the equilibrium conditions of this system. Additionally, the micrographs of the milled powders showed that increasing composition of chromium changes the shape and size of the particles while simultaneously reducing their agglomeration; this effect is possibly attributed to the brittleness of elemental chrome.

Extended solid solubility of a Co-Cr system by mechanical alloying

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Betancourt-Cantera, J.A. [Area Academica de Ciencias de la Tierra y Materiales, UAEH Carr. Pachuca-Tulancingo Km. 4.5, Pachuca, Hidalgo 42184 (Mexico); Sanchez-De Jesus, F., E-mail: fsanchez@uaeh.edu.mx [Area Academica de Ciencias de la Tierra y Materiales, UAEH Carr. Pachuca-Tulancingo Km. 4.5, Pachuca, Hidalgo 42184 (Mexico); Torres-Villasenor, G. [Instituto de Investigaciones en Materiales-UNAM, Apdo. Postal 70-360, 04510 Mexico, DF (Mexico); Bolarin-Miro, A.M. [Area Academica de Ciencias de la Tierra y Materiales, UAEH Carr. Pachuca-Tulancingo Km. 4.5, Pachuca, Hidalgo 42184 (Mexico); Cortes-Escobedo, C.A. [Centro de Investigacion e Innovacion Tecnologica del IPN Cda. CECATI S/N, Col. Sta. Catarina, Azcapotzalco, 02250 Mexico, DF (Mexico)

2012-07-15

Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Solubility of the Co-Cr system is modified by means of Mechanical Alloying (MA). Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer MA induces the formation of new solid solutions of Co-Cr system in non-equilibrium. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer MA promote the formation of metastable Co-Cr phases with greater solubility. - Abstract: Mechanical alloying, MA, has been successfully used to extend the limits of solid solubility in many commercially important metallic systems. The aim of this work is to demonstrate that MA modifies the solid solubility of the Co-Cr system. Co and Cr elemental powders were used as precursors and mixed in an adequate weight ratio to obtain Co{sub 100-x}Cr{sub x} (0 {<=} x {<=} 100, {Delta}x = 10) to study the effect of mechanical processing in the solubility of the Co-Cr system. Processing was carried out at room temperature in a shaker mixer mill using vials and balls of hardened steel as milling media with a ball:powder weight ratio of 10:1. Crystalline structure characterization of the milled powders was conducted using X-ray diffraction, and phase transformations as a function of composition were analyzed. Thermal analysis confirmed structural changes occurred in the mechanically alloyed powders. The evolution of the phase transformations with composition is reported for each composition. The results showed that after high energy ball milling for 7 h, the solid solubility between Co and Cr could be evidently extended, despite the low solid solubility at the equilibrium conditions of this system. Additionally, the micrographs of the milled powders showed that increasing composition of chromium changes the shape and size of the particles while simultaneously reducing their agglomeration; this effect is possibly attributed to the brittleness of elemental chrome.

Extended objects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Creutz, M.

1976-01-01

After some disconnected comments on the MIT bag and string models for extended hadrons, I review current understanding of extended objects in classical conventional relativistic field theories and their quantum mechanical interpretation

Conference on Hamiltonian Systems and Celestial Mechanics 2014 & Workshop on Virus Dynamics and Evolution : Extended Abstracts Spring 2014

CERN Document Server

Cors, Josep; Llibre, Jaume; Korobeinikov, Andrei

2015-01-01

The two parts of the present volume contain extended conference abstracts corresponding to selected talks given by participants at the "Conference on Hamiltonian Systems and Celestial Mechanics 2014" (HAMSYS2014) (15 abstracts) and at the "Workshop on Virus Dynamics and Evolution" (12 abstracts), both held at the Centre de Recerca Matemàtica (CRM) in Barcelona from June 2nd to 6th, 2014, and from June 23th to 27th, 2014, respectively. Most of them are brief articles, containing preliminary presentations of new results not yet published in regular research journals. The articles are the result of a direct collaboration between active researchers in the area after working in a dynamic and productive atmosphere. The first part is about Central Configurations, Periodic Orbits and Hamiltonian Systems with applications to Celestial Mechanics – a very modern and active field of research. The second part is dedicated to mathematical methods applied to viral dynamics and evolution. Mathematical modelling of biologi...

Indirect effects in dual radiation action

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zaider, M.; Rossi, H.H.

1988-01-01

The basic aim in this paper is to establish the link between indirect effects of radiation action and the spatial distribution of radicals at the time of energy deposition as well as throughout subsequent diffusion and interaction. The fact that radicals diffuse for a finite distance before damaging a biomolecule has dramatic effects on their subsequent probability to result in lesions. Thus at very low DMSO concentrations, where p = 0.5, one expects - all other things being equal - some 75% of the lesions to result from indirect or semidirect lesions. The number calculated here is lower (15%), a direct result of the fact that such lesions involve proximity functions modulated by diffusion. At higher DMSO concentrations this percentage becomes progressively smaller, as expected. It appears thus that for low-LET radiation, the relative amount of indirect damage in single tracks (also termed intratrack or single events) action is very small. By contrast, intertrack (or two-event) contributions will have the ratio between direct and (indirect + semidirect) contributions given by p 2 /(1-p 2 ). The reason for this is that sublesions from different tracks are uniformly distributed throughout the cell nucleus; their probability of interaction should not depend on any previous diffusional processes. For the example given above (p = 0.5) they do expect 65% of intertrack (two-hit) lesions to have resulted from indirect or semidirect mechanisms. This contrast between the almost exclusively direct character of intratrack lesions and the dominant role of indirect action in intertrack lesions produced by low-LET radiation is an important conclusion of this study

On the irreps of the N-extended supersymmetric quantum mechanics and their fusion graphs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Toppan, Francesco.

2006-12-01

In this talk we review the classification of the irreducible representations of the algebra of the N-extended one-dimensional supersymmetric quantum mechanics presented in hep-th/0511274. We answer some issues raised in hep-th/0611060, proving the agreement of the results here contained with those in hep-th/0511274. We further show that the fusion algebra of the 1D N-extended supersymmetric vacua introduced in hep-th/0511274 admits a graphical presentation. The N = 2 graphs are here explicitly presented for the first time. (author)

The mechanism of directional coronary atherectomy

NARCIS (Netherlands)

V.A.W.M. Umans (Victor); E. Haine; J. Renkin; P.J. de Feyter (Pim); W. Wijns (William); P.W.J.C. Serruys (Patrick)

1993-01-01

textabstractAn attempt was made to assess the mechanism of directional coronary atherectomy using different methods of analysis. Quantitative coronary angiography was used as the gold standard to assess the immediate results of atherectomy, and a comparative quantitative analysis of atherectomy and

An extended evaluation of the readability of tapered, animated, and textured directed-edge representations in node-link graphs

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Holten, D.H.R.; Isenberg, P.; Wijk, van J.J.; Fekete, J.D.

2011-01-01

We present the results of a study comparing five directed-edge representations for use in 2D, screen-based node-link diagrams. The goal of this work is to extend the understanding of tradeoffs and best practices for the representation of edges in directed graphs and to help practitioners choose

An on-line modelling study of the direct effect of atmospheric aerosols over Europe

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Palacios, L.; Baro, R.; Jimenez-Guerrero, P.

2015-01-01

Atmospheric aerosols affect human health, ecosystems, materials, visibility and Earth’s climate. Those effects are studied in this present work and depend mainly on the aerosol optical properties and how they influence the Earth’s radiation budget. Such properties can be divided on direct and semi-direct effect, produced by the scattering and absorption of radiation; and indirect effect, which influences the aerosols-cloud interactions. The aim of this work is to assess the direct effect through the study of the mean temperature; the radiation that reaches the Earth’s surface and at the top of the atmosphere; and the interaction of these meteorological variables with particulate matter (PM10). Results indicate decreases in temperature and radiation that reaches the Earth's surface, together with increases in the outgoing radiation at top of the atmosphere, and changes in the particulate matter, thus proving a colder climate due to the direct effect of atmospheric aerosols. (Author)

An on-line modelling study of the direct effect of atmospheric aerosols over Europe

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Palacios, L.; Baro, R.; Jimenez-Guerrero, P.

2015-07-01

Atmospheric aerosols affect human health, ecosystems, materials, visibility and Earth’s climate. Those effects are studied in this present work and depend mainly on the aerosol optical properties and how they influence the Earth’s radiation budget. Such properties can be divided on direct and semi-direct effect, produced by the scattering and absorption of radiation; and indirect effect, which influences the aerosols-cloud interactions. The aim of this work is to assess the direct effect through the study of the mean temperature; the radiation that reaches the Earth’s surface and at the top of the atmosphere; and the interaction of these meteorological variables with particulate matter (PM10). Results indicate decreases in temperature and radiation that reaches the Earth's surface, together with increases in the outgoing radiation at top of the atmosphere, and changes in the particulate matter, thus proving a colder climate due to the direct effect of atmospheric aerosols. (Author)

An on-line modelling study of the direct effect of atmospheric aerosols over Europe

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Palacios, L.; Baro, R.; Jimenez-Guerrero, P.

2015-07-01

Atmospheric aerosols affect human health, ecosystems, materials, visibility and Earths climate. Those effects are studied in this present work and depend mainly on the aerosol optical properties and how they influence the Earths radiation budget. Such properties can be divided on direct and semi-direct effect, produced by the scattering and absorption of radiation; and indirect effect, which influences the aerosols-cloud interactions. The aim of this work is to assess the direct effect through the study of the mean temperature; the radiation that reaches the Earths surface and at the top of the atmosphere; and the interaction of these meteorological variables with particulate matter (PM10). Results indicate decreases in temperature and radiation that reaches the Earth's surface, together with increases in the outgoing radiation at top of the atmosphere, and changes in the particulate matter, thus proving a colder climate due to the direct effect of atmospheric aerosols. (Author)

Direct and indirect effects of paliperidone extended-release tablets on negative symptoms of schizophrenia

OpenAIRE

Bossie, Cynthia

2008-01-01

Ibrahim Turkoz, Cynthia A Bossie, Bryan Dirks, Carla M CanusoOrtho-McNeil Janssen Scientific Affairs, LLC, Titusville, NJ, USAAbstract: Direct and indirect effects of the new psychotropic paliperidone extended-release (paliperidone ER) tablets on negative symptom improvement in schizophrenia were investigated using path analysis. A post hoc analysis of pooled data from three 6-week, double-blind, placebo-controlled studies of paliperidone ER in patients experiencing acute exacerbation was con...

Extended Fitts' model of pointing time in eye-gaze input system - Incorporating effects of target shape and movement direction into modeling.

Science.gov (United States)

Murata, Atsuo; Fukunaga, Daichi

2018-04-01

This study attempted to investigate the effects of the target shape and the movement direction on the pointing time using an eye-gaze input system and extend Fitts' model so that these factors are incorporated into the model and the predictive power of Fitts' model is enhanced. The target shape, the target size, the movement distance, and the direction of target presentation were set as within-subject experimental variables. The target shape included: a circle, and rectangles with an aspect ratio of 1:1, 1:2, 1:3, and 1:4. The movement direction included eight directions: upper, lower, left, right, upper left, upper right, lower left, and lower right. On the basis of the data for identifying the effects of the target shape and the movement direction on the pointing time, an attempt was made to develop a generalized and extended Fitts' model that took into account the movement direction and the target shape. As a result, the generalized and extended model was found to fit better to the experimental data, and be more effective for predicting the pointing time for a variety of human-computer interaction (HCI) task using an eye-gaze input system. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Statistical mechanics of directed models of polymers in the square lattice

CERN Document Server

Rensburg, J V

2003-01-01

Directed square lattice models of polymers and vesicles have received considerable attention in the recent mathematical and physical sciences literature. These are idealized geometric directed lattice models introduced to study phase behaviour in polymers, and include Dyck paths, partially directed paths, directed trees and directed vesicles models. Directed models are closely related to models studied in the combinatorics literature (and are often exactly solvable). They are also simplified versions of a number of statistical mechanics models, including the self-avoiding walk, lattice animals and lattice vesicles. The exchange of approaches and ideas between statistical mechanics and combinatorics have considerably advanced the description and understanding of directed lattice models, and this will be explored in this review. The combinatorial nature of directed lattice path models makes a study using generating function approaches most natural. In contrast, the statistical mechanics approach would introduce...

Extending Perceived Supply Chain Boundaries to Motivate and Direct Change

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Englyst, Linda

2005-01-01

is argued to lead to different and predictable areas of attention and change. The paper is mainly conceptual, as it is discussed how perception and modeling of a supply chain induces pressures for different directions of change. Supply chain modeling is argued to be a tool to be used actively in change......Many a change effort has been initiated under the hat of supply chain management in the past decades, motivated by promises of improved performance based on network design and integration of business processes, information systems, and even organizations through the construction of various liaison...... structures. The present research is inspired by an industrial case study, which indicates that a widening of the supply chain perception along horizontal and vertical lines might serve as a point of entry for change. Extending the observed system in these dimensions and at different levels of detail...

RNA-directed DNA methylation: Mechanisms and functions

KAUST Repository

Mahfouz, Magdy M.

2010-01-01

Epigenetic RNA based gene silencing mechanisms play a major role in genome stability and control of gene expression. Transcriptional gene silencing via RNA-directed DNA methylation (RdDM) guides the epigenetic regulation of the genome in response

[Application of extended exergy method in driving mechanism and efficiency of regional eco-economy].

Science.gov (United States)

Fan, Xin Gang; Mi, Wen Bao; Hou, Jing Wei

2017-01-01

To analyze social-economic causes of the regional ecological degradation, and avoid such problems as the complex circulation network and difficulty to identify laws caused by extended exergy analysis (EEA) previously applied at the national scale, this paper reduced spatial scale to the county scale and took Pengyang County in Ningxia as an example. Eco-economic system in Peng-yang County was divided into seven interrelated sectors. The exergy value of circulations in the eco-economic system including materials, labor and capital were calculated respectively to analyze the extended exergy characteristics of the driving sectors, factors and paths and evaluate their ecological efficiency. The results showed that agriculture and households were the main driving sectors of the eco-economic system in Pengyang County. The average exergy value of 31 flow paths among the sectors was 0.80 PJ. There were only 8 flow paths whose exergy values were higher than the average value. Eco-economic system in Pengyang County development was driven by two continuous flow paths, labor output of the households sector and demands of the households sector supported by other sectors. The mineral resources were massively exploited, and then directly exported to the outside, which could not promote the local development from the inside, but, on the contrary, increase the ecological environment pressure because of the over-exploitation. The eco-efficiency of Pengyang County in 2014 was 68.1%, almost equivalent to the by-level of the national scale at home and abroad ten years ago, mainly because of the lower eco-efficiencies of the service sector and households sector. EEA had the advantage of networking and structuring, could specify the sectors, factors and driven paths, and break through the bottleneck of driving mechanism research of the eco-economic system. EEA had certain adaptability to explore the operational principle and optimal pattern of the regional eco-economic system. Compared

Pellet Cladding Mechanical Interaction Modeling Using the Extended Finite Element Method

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Spencer, Benjamin W.; Jiang, Wen; Dolbow, John E.; Peco, Christian

2016-09-01

As a brittle material, the ceramic UO2 used as light water reactor fuel experiences significant fracturing throughout its life, beginning with the first rise to power of fresh fuel. This has multiple effects on the thermal and mechanical response of the fuel/cladding system. One such effect that is particularly important is that when there is mechanical contact between the fuel and cladding, cracks that extending from the outer surface of the fuel into the volume of the fuel cause elevated stresses in the adjacent cladding, which can potentially lead to cladding failure. Modeling the thermal and mechanical response of the cladding in the vicinity of these surface-breaking cracks in the fuel can provide important insights into this behavior to help avoid operating conditions that could lead to cladding failure. Such modeling has traditionally been done in the context of finite-element-based fuel performance analysis by modifying the fuel mesh to introduce discrete cracks. While this approach is effective in capturing the important behavior at the fuel/cladding interface, there are multiple drawbacks to explicitly incorporating the cracks in the finite element mesh. Because the cracks are incorporated in the original mesh, the mesh must be modified for cracks of specified location and depth, so it is difficult to account for crack propagation and the formation of new cracks at other locations. The extended finite element method (XFEM) has emerged in recent years as a powerful method to represent arbitrary, evolving, discrete discontinuities within the context of the finite element method. Development work is underway by the authors to implement XFEM in the BISON fuel performance code, and this capability has previously been demonstrated in simulations of fracture propagation in ceramic nuclear fuel. These preliminary demonstrations have included only the fuel, and excluded the cladding for simplicity. This paper presents initial results of efforts to apply XFEM to

The Direct and Indirect Effects of Paliperidone Extended-release on Depressive Symptoms in Schizoaffective Disorder: A Path Analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Turkoz, Ibrahim; Fu, Dong-Jing; Bossie, Cynthia A; Alphs, Larry

2015-01-01

This analysis evaluates improvement in symptoms of depression in patients with schizoaffective disorder administered oral paliperidone extended-release by accounting for the magnitude of direct and indirect (changes in negative and positive symptoms and worsening of extrapyramidal symptoms) treatment effects on depressive symptoms. Data for this post hoc analysis were drawn from two six-week, randomized, placebo-controlled studies of paliperidone extended-release versus placebo in adult subjects with schizoaffective disorder (N=614; NCT00412373, NCT00397033). Subjects with baseline 17-item Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression scores of 16 or greater were included. Structural equation models (path analyses) were used to separate total effects into direct and indirect effects on depressive symptoms. Change from baseline in 17-item Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression score at the Week 6 end point was the dependent variable; changes in Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale positive and negative factors and Simpson-Angus Scale (to evaluate extrapyramidal symptoms) scores were independent variables. At baseline, 332 of 614 (54.1%) subjects had a 17-item Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression score of 16 or greater. Path analysis determined that up to 26.4 percent of the paliperidone extended-release versus placebo effect on depressive symptoms may be attributed to a direct treatment effect, and 45.8 percent and 28.4 percent were mediated indirectly through improvements on positive and negative symptoms, respectively. No effects were identified as mediated through extrapyramidal symptoms changes (-0.7%). RESULTS of this analysis suggest that paliperidone's effect on depressive symptoms in subjects with schizoaffective disorder participating in two six-week, randomized, placebo-controlled studies is mediated through indirect effects (e.g., positive and negative symptom changes) and a direct treatment effect.

New Directions in Mathematical Fluid Mechanics

CERN Document Server

Fursikov, Andrei V

2010-01-01

The scientific interests of Professor A.V. Kazhikhov were fundamentally devoted to Mathematical Fluid Mechanics, where he achieved outstanding results that had, and still have, a significant influence on this field. This volume, dedicated to the memory of A.V. Kazhikhov, presents the latest contributions from renowned world specialists in a number of new important directions of Mathematical Physics, mostly of Mathematical Fluid Mechanics, and, more generally, in the field of nonlinear partial differential equations. These results are mostly related to boundary value problems and to control problems for the Navier-Stokes equations, and for equations of heat convection. Other important topics include non-equilibrium processes, Poisson-Boltzmann equations, dynamics of elastic body, and related problems of function theory and nonlinear analysis.

Mechanics of extended masses in general relativity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Harte, Abraham I

2012-01-01

The 'external' or 'Right' motion of extended bodies is studied in general relativity. Compact material objects of essentially arbitrary shape, spin, internal composition and velocity are allowed as long as there is no direct (non-gravitational) contact with other sources of stress-energy. Physically reasonable linear and angular momenta are proposed for such bodies and exact equations describing their evolution are derived. Changes in the momenta depend on a certain 'effective metric' that is closely related to a non-perturbative generalization of the Detweiler-Whiting R-field originally introduced in the self-force literature. If the effective metric inside a self-gravitating body can be adequately approximated by an appropriate power series, the instantaneous gravitational force and torque exerted on it is shown to be identical to the force and torque exerted on an appropriate test body moving in the effective metric. This result holds to all multipole orders. The only instantaneous effect of a body's self-field is to finitely renormalize the 'bare' multipole moments of its stress-energy tensor. The MiSaTaQuWa expression for the gravitational self-force is recovered as a simple application. A gravitational self-torque is obtained as well. Lastly, it is shown that the effective metric in which objects appear to move is approximately a solution to the vacuum Einstein equation if the physical metric is an approximate solution to Einstein's equation linearized about a vacuum background. (paper)

Direct methods of solution for problems in mechanics from invariance principles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rajan, M.

1986-01-01

Direct solutions to problems in mechanics are developed from variational statements derived from the principle of invariance of the action integral under a one-parameter family of infinitesimal transformations. Exact, direct solution procedures for linear systems are developed by a careful choice of the arbitrary functions used to generate the infinitesimal transformations. It is demonstrated that the well-known methods for the solution of differential equations can be directly adapted to the required variational statements. Examples in particle and continuum mechanics are presented

Toxicogenomics-based identification of mechanisms for direct immunotoxicity.

Science.gov (United States)

Shao, Jia; Katika, Madhumohan R; Schmeits, Peter C J; Hendriksen, Peter J M; van Loveren, Henk; Peijnenburg, Ad A C M; Volger, Oscar L

2013-10-01

Compounds with direct immunotoxic properties, including metals, mycotoxins, agricultural pesticides, and industrial chemicals, form potential human health risks due to exposure through food, drinking water, and the environment. Insights into the mechanisms of action are currently lacking for the majority of these direct immunotoxicants. Therefore, the present work aimed to gain insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying direct immunotoxicity. To this end, we assessed in vitro the effects of 31 test compounds on the transcriptome of the human Jurkat T-cell line. These compounds included direct immunotoxicants, immunosuppressive drugs with different mode of actions, and nonimmunotoxic control chemicals. Pathway analysis of the microarray data allowed us to identify canonical pathways and Gene Ontology processes that were transcriptionally regulated in common by immunotoxicants (1) with structural similarities, such as tributyltin chloride and tributyltin oxide that activated the retinoic acid/X receptor signaling pathway and (2) without structural similarities, such as As2O3, dibutyltin chloride, diazinon, MeHg, ochratoxin A (OTA), S9-treated OTA, S9-treated cyclophosphamide, and S9-treated benzo[a]pyrene, which activated unfolded protein response, and FTY720, lindane, and propanil, which activated the cholesterol biosynthesis pathway. In addition, processes uniquely affected by individual immunotoxicants were identified, such as the induction of Notch receptor signaling and the downregulation of acute-phase response genes by OTA. These findings were validated by quantitative real-time PCR analysis of genes involved in these processes. Our study indicated that diverse modes of action are involved in direct immunotoxicity and that a set of pathways or genes, rather than one single gene, can be used to screen compounds for direct immunotoxicity.

Impact of a stay in the intensive care unit on the preparation of Advance Directives: Descriptive, exploratory, qualitative study.

Science.gov (United States)

Andreu, Pascal; Dargent, Auguste; Large, Audrey; Meunier-Beillard, Nicolas; Vinault, Sandrine; Leiva-Rojas, Uriel; Ecarnot, Fiona; Prin, Sébastien; Charles, Pierre-Emmanuel; Fournel, Isabelle; Rigaud, Jean-Philippe; Quenot, Jean-Pierre

2018-04-01

Our objective was to assess, through a qualitative, exploratory study, the thought processes of patients regarding the formulation of advance directives (AD) after a stay in the ICU. The study was conducted from May to July 2016 using telephone interviews performed by four senior ICU physicians. Inclusion criteria were: patients discharged from ICU to home>3 months earlier. Semi-directive interviews with patients focused on 5 main points surrounding AD. In total, among 159 eligible patients, data from 94 (59%) were available for analysis. Among all those interviewed, 83.5% had never heard of "advance directives". Only 2% had executed AD before ICU admission, and 7% expressed a desire to prepare AD further to their ICU stay. Among the barriers to preparation of AD, lack of information was the main reason cited for not executing AD. Patients noted the following in their AD: withdrawal of life-support in case of vegetative/minimally conscious state or when there is no longer any hope, in case of uncontrollable pain, and if impossible to wean from mechanical ventilation. The ideal time to engage patients in these discussions is most likely well before an acute health event occurs, although this warrants further investigation both before and after ICU admissions. Copyright © 2017 Société française d’anesthésie et de réanimation (Sfar). Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Extended irreversible thermodynamics and non-equilibrium temperature

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Casas-Vazquez, Jose'

2008-02-01

Full Text Available We briefly review the concept of non-equilibrium temperature from the perspectives of extended irreversible thermodynamics, fluctuation theory, and statistical mechanics. The relations between different proposals are explicitly examined in two especially simple systems: an ideal gas in steady shear flow and a forced harmonic oscillator in a thermal bath. We examine with special detail temperatures related to the average molecular kinetic energy along different spatial directions, to the average configurational energy, to the derivative of the entropy with respect to internal energy, to fluctuation-dissipation relation and discuss their measurement.

Infinite dimension algebra and conformal symmetry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ragoucy-Aubezon, E.

1991-04-01

A generalisation of Kac-Moody algebras (current algebras defined on a circle) to algebras defined on a compact supermanifold of any dimension and with any number of supersymmetries is presented. For such a purpose, we compute all the central extensions of loop algebras defined on this supermanifold, i.e. all the cohomology classes of these loop algebras. Then, we try to extend the relation (i.e. semi-direct sum) that exists between the two dimensional conformal algebras (called Virasoro algebra) and the usual Kac-Moody algebras, by considering the derivation algebra of our extended Kac-Moody algebras. The case of superconformal algebras (used in superstrings theories) is treated, as well as the cases of area-preserving diffeomorphisms (used in membranes theories), and Krichever-Novikov algebras (used for interacting strings). Finally, we present some generalizations of the Sugawara construction to the cases of extended Kac-Moody algebras, and Kac-Moody of superalgebras. These constructions allow us to get new realizations of the Virasoro, and Ramond, Neveu-Schwarz algebras

Dynamics of ligand exchange mechanism at Cu(II) in water: an ab initio quantum mechanical charge field molecular dynamics study with extended quantum mechanical region.

Science.gov (United States)

Moin, Syed Tarique; Hofer, Thomas S; Weiss, Alexander K H; Rode, Bernd M

2013-07-07

Ab initio quantum mechanical charge field molecular dynamics (QMCF-MD) were successfully applied to Cu(II) embedded in water to elucidate structure and to understand dynamics of ligand exchange mechanism. From the simulation studies, it was found that using an extended large quantum mechanical region including two shells of hydration is required for a better description of the dynamics of exchanging water molecules. The structural features characterized by radial distribution function, angular distribution function and other analytical parameters were consistent with experimental data. The major outcome of this study was the dynamics of exchange mechanism and reactions in the first hydration shell that could not be studied so far. The dynamical data such as mean residence time of the first shell water molecules and other relevant data from the simulations are close to the results determined experimentally. Another major characteristic of hydrated Cu(II) is the Jahn-Teller distortion which was also successfully reproduced, leading to the final conclusion that the dominating aqua complex is a 6-coordinated species. The ab initio QMCF-MD formalism proved again its capabilities of unraveling even ambiguous properties of hydrated species that are far difficult to explore by any conventional quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics (QM/MM) approach or experiment.

Dynamics of ligand exchange mechanism at Cu(II) in water: An ab initio quantum mechanical charge field molecular dynamics study with extended quantum mechanical region

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moin, Syed Tarique; Hofer, Thomas S.; Weiss, Alexander K. H.; Rode, Bernd M.

2013-01-01

Ab initio quantum mechanical charge field molecular dynamics (QMCF-MD) were successfully applied to Cu(II) embedded in water to elucidate structure and to understand dynamics of ligand exchange mechanism. From the simulation studies, it was found that using an extended large quantum mechanical region including two shells of hydration is required for a better description of the dynamics of exchanging water molecules. The structural features characterized by radial distribution function, angular distribution function and other analytical parameters were consistent with experimental data. The major outcome of this study was the dynamics of exchange mechanism and reactions in the first hydration shell that could not be studied so far. The dynamical data such as mean residence time of the first shell water molecules and other relevant data from the simulations are close to the results determined experimentally. Another major characteristic of hydrated Cu(II) is the Jahn-Teller distortion which was also successfully reproduced, leading to the final conclusion that the dominating aqua complex is a 6-coordinated species. The ab initio QMCF-MD formalism proved again its capabilities of unraveling even ambiguous properties of hydrated species that are far difficult to explore by any conventional quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics (QM/MM) approach or experiment

Pipe crawler with extendable legs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zollinger, W.T.

1992-01-01

A pipe crawler for moving through a pipe in inchworm fashion having front and rear leg assemblies separated by air cylinders to increase and decrease the spacing between assemblies. Each leg of the four legs of an assembly is moved between a wall-engaging, extended position and a retracted position by a separate air cylinder. The air cylinders of the leg assemblies are preferably arranged in pairs of oppositely directed cylinders with no pair lying in the same axial plane as another pair. Therefore, the cylinders can be as long as a leg assembly is wide and the crawler can crawl through sections of pipes where the diameter is twice that of other sections. The crawler carries a valving system, a manifold to distribute air supplied by a single umbilical air hose to the various air cylinders in a sequence controlled electrically by a controller. The crawler also utilizes a rolling mechanism, casters in this case, to reduce friction between the crawler and pipe wall thereby further extending the range of the pipe crawler. 8 figs

Pipe crawler with extendable legs

Science.gov (United States)

Zollinger, W.T.

1992-06-16

A pipe crawler for moving through a pipe in inchworm fashion having front and rear leg assemblies separated by air cylinders to increase and decrease the spacing between assemblies. Each leg of the four legs of an assembly is moved between a wall-engaging, extended position and a retracted position by a separate air cylinder. The air cylinders of the leg assemblies are preferably arranged in pairs of oppositely directed cylinders with no pair lying in the same axial plane as another pair. Therefore, the cylinders can be as long as a leg assembly is wide and the crawler can crawl through sections of pipes where the diameter is twice that of other sections. The crawler carries a valving system, a manifold to distribute air supplied by a single umbilical air hose to the various air cylinders in a sequence controlled electrically by a controller. The crawler also utilizes a rolling mechanism, casters in this case, to reduce friction between the crawler and pipe wall thereby further extending the range of the pipe crawler. 8 figs.

Analysis and Design of Bi-Directional DC-DC Converter in the Extended Run Time DC UPS System Based on Fuel Cell and Supercapacitor

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Zhang, Zhe; Thomsen, Ole Cornelius; Andersen, Michael A. E.

2009-01-01

Abstract-In this paper, an extended run time DC UPS system structure with fuel cell and supercapacitor is investigated. A wide input range bi-directional dc-dc converter is described along with the phase-shift modulation scheme and phase-shift with duty cycle control, in different modes. The deli......Abstract-In this paper, an extended run time DC UPS system structure with fuel cell and supercapacitor is investigated. A wide input range bi-directional dc-dc converter is described along with the phase-shift modulation scheme and phase-shift with duty cycle control, in different modes...

Chaos control of the micro-electro-mechanical resonator by using adaptive dynamic surface technology with extended state observer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Luo, Shaohua; Sun, Quanping; Cheng, Wei

2016-01-01

This paper addresses chaos control of the micro-electro- mechanical resonator by using adaptive dynamic surface technology with extended state observer. To reveal the mechanism of the micro- electro-mechanical resonator, the phase diagrams and corresponding time histories are given to research the nonlinear dynamics and chaotic behavior, and Homoclinic and heteroclinic chaos which relate closely with the appearance of chaos are presented based on the potential function. To eliminate the effect of chaos, an adaptive dynamic surface control scheme with extended state observer is designed to convert random motion into regular motion without precise system model parameters and measured variables. Putting tracking differentiator into chaos controller solves the ‘explosion of complexity’ of backstepping and poor precision of the first-order filters. Meanwhile, to obtain high performance, a neural network with adaptive law is employed to approximate unknown nonlinear function in the process of controller design. The boundedness of all the signals of the closed-loop system is proved in theoretical analysis. Finally, numerical simulations are executed and extensive results illustrate effectiveness and robustness of the proposed scheme.

Statistical mechanics of directed models of polymers in the square lattice

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rensburg, E J Janse van

2003-01-01

Directed square lattice models of polymers and vesicles have received considerable attention in the recent mathematical and physical sciences literature. These are idealized geometric directed lattice models introduced to study phase behaviour in polymers, and include Dyck paths, partially directed paths, directed trees and directed vesicles models. Directed models are closely related to models studied in the combinatorics literature (and are often exactly solvable). They are also simplified versions of a number of statistical mechanics models, including the self-avoiding walk, lattice animals and lattice vesicles. The exchange of approaches and ideas between statistical mechanics and combinatorics have considerably advanced the description and understanding of directed lattice models, and this will be explored in this review. The combinatorial nature of directed lattice path models makes a study using generating function approaches most natural. In contrast, the statistical mechanics approach would introduce partition functions and free energies, and then investigate these using the general framework of critical phenomena. Generating function and statistical mechanics approaches are closely related. For example, questions regarding the limiting free energy may be approached by considering the radius of convergence of a generating function, and the scaling properties of thermodynamic quantities are related to the asymptotic properties of the generating function. In this review the methods for obtaining generating functions and determining free energies in directed lattice path models of linear polymers is presented. These methods include decomposition methods leading to functional recursions, as well as the Temperley method (that is implemented by creating a combinatorial object, one slice at a time). A constant term formulation of the generating function will also be reviewed. The thermodynamic features and critical behaviour in models of directed paths may be

Extended Lagrangian formalism for rheonomic systems with variable mass

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mušicki Đorđe

2017-01-01

Full Text Available In this paper the extended Lagrangian formalism for the rheonomic systems (Dj. Mušicki, 2004, which began with the modification of the mechanics of such systems (V. Vujičić, 1987, is extended to the systems with variable mass, with emphasis on the corresponding energy relations. This extended Lagrangian formalism is based on the extension of the set of chosen generalized coordinates by new quantities, suggested by the form of nonstationary constraints, which determine the position of the frame of reference in respect to which these generalized coordinates refer. As a consequence, an extended system of the Lagrangian equations is formulated, accommodated to the variability of the masses of particles, where the additional ones correspond to the additional generalized coordinates. By means of these equations, the energy relations of such systems have been studied, where it is demonstrated that here there are four types of energy conservation laws. The obtained energy laws are more complete and natural than the corresponding ones in the usual Lagrangian formulation for such systems. It is demonstrated that the obtained energy laws, are in full accordance with the energy laws in the corresponding vector formulation, if they are expressed in terms of the quantities introduced in this formulation of mechanics. The obtained results are illustrated by an example: the motion of a rocket, which ejects the gasses backwards, while this rocket moves up a straight line on an oblique plane, which glides uniformly in a horizontal direction.

Extended causal modeling to assess Partial Directed Coherence in multiple time series with significant instantaneous interactions.

Science.gov (United States)

Faes, Luca; Nollo, Giandomenico

2010-11-01

The Partial Directed Coherence (PDC) and its generalized formulation (gPDC) are popular tools for investigating, in the frequency domain, the concept of Granger causality among multivariate (MV) time series. PDC and gPDC are formalized in terms of the coefficients of an MV autoregressive (MVAR) model which describes only the lagged effects among the time series and forsakes instantaneous effects. However, instantaneous effects are known to affect linear parametric modeling, and are likely to occur in experimental time series. In this study, we investigate the impact on the assessment of frequency domain causality of excluding instantaneous effects from the model underlying PDC evaluation. Moreover, we propose the utilization of an extended MVAR model including both instantaneous and lagged effects. This model is used to assess PDC either in accordance with the definition of Granger causality when considering only lagged effects (iPDC), or with an extended form of causality, when we consider both instantaneous and lagged effects (ePDC). The approach is first evaluated on three theoretical examples of MVAR processes, which show that the presence of instantaneous correlations may produce misleading profiles of PDC and gPDC, while ePDC and iPDC derived from the extended model provide here a correct interpretation of extended and lagged causality. It is then applied to representative examples of cardiorespiratory and EEG MV time series. They suggest that ePDC and iPDC are better interpretable than PDC and gPDC in terms of the known cardiovascular and neural physiologies.

ASSESSMENT OF POTENTIAL TSUNAMI GENERATION IN CHINA'S BOHAI SEA FROM DIRECT GEOTECTONIC AND COLLATERAL SOURCE MECHANISMS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

G. Pararas Carayannis

2009-01-01

Full Text Available The Bohai Sea borders northeastern China's most populous and highest economic valuecoastal areas where several megacities are located. Critical infrastructure facilities exist or areunder construction, including a nuclear power plant and super port facilities. Large reserves of oilhave been discovered and a number of offshore oil platforms have been built. The extent ofdevelopment along coastal areas requires a better assessment of potential tsunami risks. Althoughtsunamis do not pose as much of a threat as earthquakes in this region, locally destructive tsunamishave been generated in the past and future events could have significant impacts on coastalpopulations and China's economy, particularly because most of the development has taken place inlow-lying regions, including river deltas. The present study examines the geotectonics of the Bohaibasin region, the impact of past historical events, and the potential for local tsunami generationfrom a variety of direct and collateral source mechanisms triggered by intra plate earthquakes.More specifically, the present study examines: amajor active faults bounding the Bohai Basin; bthe resulting crustal deformation patterns of tectonic structures that have resulted in catastrophicearthquakes in recent years; c the basin-wide extension - with local inversion - extending into theBohai Sea that generated tsunamigenic earthquakes in 1888 and 1969; and d deformational futureseismic events with the potential to generate local tsunamis directly or by collateral mechanisms offolding, en-echelon bookshelf failures, or from destabilization/dissociation of structuralaccumulations of gas hydrate deposits within the basin's thick sedimentary stratigraphic layers.

Extended Range of a Gun Launched Smart Projectile Using Controllable Canards

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mark Costello

2001-01-01

Full Text Available This effort investigates the extent to which moveable canards can extend the range of indirect fire munitions using both projectile body and canard lift. Implications on terminal velocity and time of flight using this mechanism to extend range are examined for various canard configurations. Performance predictions are conducted using a six-degree-of-freedom simulation model that has previously been validated against range data. The projectile dynamic equations are formed in the body frame and aerodynamic loads from the body and canards are Mach number and angle of attack dependent. The projectile body aerodynamic moments include unsteady aerodynamic damping. The focus of the study is directed toward low cost competent munitions that extend range and as such a simple flight control system is considered which utilizes only timer, roll rate, and roll attitude inputs.

Socially Extended Cognition and Shared Intentionality

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Holger Lyre

2018-05-01

Full Text Available The paper looks at the intersection of extended cognition and social cognition. The central claim is that the mechanisms of shared intentionality can equally be considered as coupling mechanisms of cognitive extension into the social domain. This claim will be demonstrated by investigating a detailed example of cooperative action, and it will be argued that such cases imply that socially extended cognition is not only about cognitive vehicles, but that content must additionally be taken into account. It is finally outlined how social content externalism can in principle be grounded in socially extended cognition.

Strengthening Purity: Moral Purity as a Mediator of Direct and Extended Cross-Group Friendships on Sexual Prejudice.

Science.gov (United States)

Vezzali, Loris; Brambilla, Marco; Giovannini, Dino; Paolo Colucci, Francesco

2017-01-01

The present research investigated whether enhanced perceptions of moral purity drive the effects of intergroup cross-group friendships on the intentions to interact with homosexuals. High-school students (N = 639) reported their direct and extended cross-group friendships with homosexuals as well as their beliefs regarding the moral character of the sexual minority. Participants further reported their desire to interact with homosexuals in the future. Results showed that both face-to-face encounters and extended contact with homosexuals increased their perceived moral purity, which in turn fostered more positive behavioral intentions. Results further revealed the specific role of moral purity in this sense, as differential perceptions along other moral domains (autonomy and community) had no mediation effects on behavioral tendencies toward homosexuals. The importance of these findings for improving intergroup relations is discussed, together with the importance of integrating research on intergroup contact and morality.

A Direct Mechanism of Ultrafast Intramolecular Singlet Fission in Pentacene Dimers

Science.gov (United States)

2016-08-24

Queisser limit of solar power conversion efficiency. In conventional materials, the mechanism of SF is an intermolecular process (xSF), which is mediated by...property for materials used in third-generation solar cells and photodetectors, among other optoelectronic devices.1−3 Unfortunately, techno- logical...mixing. Previous work investigating the mechanism of xSF unfavorably compared the direct coupling mechanism against superexchange mediated by high

Revised Mechanism and Improved Efficiency of the QuikChange Site-Directed Mutagenesis Method.

Science.gov (United States)

Xia, Yongzhen; Xun, Luying

2017-01-01

Site-directed mutagenesis has been widely used for the substitution, addition or deletion of nucleotide residues in a defined DNA sequence. QuikChange™ site-directed mutagenesis and its related protocols have been widely used for this purpose because of convenience and efficiency. We have recently demonstrated that the mechanism of the QuikChange™ site-directed mutagenesis process is different from that being proposed. The new mechanism promotes the use of partially overlapping primers and commercial PCR enzymes for efficient PCR and mutagenesis.

. Effects of extended shutdown on the control rod drive mechanism of nigeria research reactor-1(NIRR-1)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yusuf, I; Mati, A. A.

2010-01-01

The control rod drive mechanism of the Nigeria Research Reactor-1 is being driven by a servo motor, type SDE-45 through a mechanical gear system. The servo motor ensures the position control of the control rod, and hence the stability of the neutron-flux of the nuclear research reactor. The control rod drive mechanism assembly is mounted on top of the reactor vessel, about 0.6m above 30m 3 volume of reactor pool water. The top of the pool is covered with a Perspex material to protect the water in the pool from environmental contamination and to reduce evaporation. Although most of the materials in the control rod drive mechanism assembly are made of stainless steel, the servo motor however contains corrodible materials. The paper reveals a practical experience of failure of the control rod drive mechanism as a result of corrosion growth between the rotor of the servo motor and its stator windings, due to an extended shutdown of the facility.

Mechanisms of acid reflux and how refluxed Acid extends proximally in patients with non-erosive reflux disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Sano, Hirohito; Iwakiri, Katsuhiko; Kawami, Noriyuki; Tanaka, Yuriko; Sakamoto, Choitsu

2014-01-01

The mechanisms that cause acid reflux in patients with non-erosive reflux disease (NERD), including those that determine how acid extends proximally, are not yet clear. Concurrent esophageal manometry and pH monitoring were performed for 3 h after a meal in 13 patients with NERD, 12 with mild reflux esophagitis (RE), and 13 healthy subjects (HS). Transient lower esophageal sphincter (LES) relaxation (TLESR) was the major mechanism of acid reflux in all three groups. LES pressure did not differ between the groups. At 2 cm above the LES, there were no differences between the three groups in the number of TLESR-related acid reflux episodes, rate of TLESRs and rate of acid reflux during TLESR. However, at 7 cm above the LES, the rate of acid reflux during TLESRs was significantly higher in patients with NERD (mean ± SEM 42.3 ± 4.8) than in those with mild RE (28.0 ± 3.8) and HS (10.8 ± 2.5). TLESRs are the sole motor events underlying acid reflux episodes in patients with NERD. Acid extends proximally more readily in patients with NERD than in HS and those with mild RE.

Cooperation mechanisms of the EU renewable energy directive and flexible mechanisms of the Kyoto Protocol: comparison and lessons learnt. Working paper

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Frieden, Dorian; Tuerk, Andreas; Steiner, Daniel

2013-07-15

This working paper discusses similarities and differences between the cooperation mechanisms of the EU renewable energy directive (RES directive) and the flexible mechanisms of the Kyoto Protocol. The cooperation mechanisms allow the (virtual) trade of renewable energy and were introduced with the RES directive to provide Member States (MS) with greater flexibility to achieve their national targets for renewable energy sources (RES). A similar kind of flexibility is known from the flexible mechanisms of the Kyoto Protocol which aim at the cost efficient achievement of emission reduction targets. Lessons learned from the Kyoto mechanisms may allow conclusions to be drawn on the design and implementation of the renewable energy cooperation mechanisms. This paper first gives an overview of the cooperation mechanisms regarding their potential, advantages and disadvantages, barriers and preconditions. This is followed by a brief explanation of and a systematic comparison with the flexible mechanisms of the Kyoto Protocol – Joint Implementation (JI); Clean Development Mechanism (CDM); and International Emissions Trading (IET). A gamut of factors influenced the success of the Kyoto mechanisms in general and in specific national contexts. Therefore, it is not possible to directly transfer past experiences with the Kyoto mechanisms to the capability of specific nations to make use of the renewable energy cooperation mechanisms. A comparison of specific features, such as the mechanism type (transfer, project-based, support scheme), price building and specific barriers can, however, help anticipate the possible dynamics and challenges of the cooperation mechanisms. Experiences with the Kyoto mechanisms show that predictions based on supply-demand analysis were valid only to a limited extent and that specific factors such as institutional capacity constraints or legal uncertainties delayed or prevented the use of the mechanisms in some cases. Similarly, for the cooperation

The dialogically extended mind

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Fusaroli, Riccardo; Gangopadhyay, Nivedita; Tylén, Kristian

2014-01-01

A growing conceptual and empirical literature is advancing the idea that language extends our cognitive skills. One of the most influential positions holds that language – qua material symbols – facilitates individual thought processes by virtue of its material properties. Extending upon this model...... relate our approach to other ideas about collective minds and review a number of empirical studies to identify the mechanisms enabling the constitution of interpersonal cognitive systems....

Outline of a nonlinear, relativistic quantum mechanics of extended particles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mielke, E.W.

1981-01-01

A quantum theory of intrinsically extended particles similar to de Broglie's theory of the Double Solution is proposed. A rational notion of the particle's extension is enthroned by realizing its internal structure via soliton-type solutions of nonlinear, relativistic wave equations. These droplet-type waves have a quasi-objective character except for certain boundary conditions which may be subject to stochastic fluctuations. More precisely, this assumption amounts to a probabilistic description of the center of a soliton such that it would follow the conventional quantum-mechanical formalism in the limit of zero particle radius. At short interaction distances, however, a promising nonlinear and nonlocal theory emerges. This model is not only capable of achieving a conceptually satisfying synthesis of the particle-wave dualism, but may also lead to a rational resolution of epistemological problems in the quantum-theoretical measurement process. Within experimental errors the results for, e.g., the hydrogen atom can be reproduced by appropriately specifying the nature of the nonlinear self-interaction. It is speculated that field theoretical issues raised by such notions as identical particles, field quantization and renormalization are already incorporated or resolved by this nonlocal theory, at least in principle. (author)

Outline of a nonlinear, relativistic quantum mechanics of extended particles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mielke, E.W.

1981-01-01

A quantum theory of intrinsically extended particles similar to de Broglie's Theory of the Double Solution is proposed. A rational notion of the particle's extension is enthroned by realizing its internal structure via soliton-type solutions of nonlinear, relativistic wave equations. These droplet-type waves have a quasi-objective character except for certain boundary conditions which may be subject to stochastic fluctuations. More precisely, this assumption amounts to a probabilistic description of the center of a soliton such that it would follow the conventional quantum-mechanical formalism in the limit of zero particle radius. At short interaction distances, however, a promising nonlinear and nonlocal theory emerges. This model is not only capable of achieving a conceptually satisfying synthesis of the particle-wave dualism, but may also lead to a rational resolution of epistemological problems in the quantum-theoretical measurement process. Within experimental errors the results for, e.g., the hydrogen atom can be reproduced by appropriately specifying the nature of the nonlinear self-interaction. It is speculated that field theoretical issues raised by such notions as identical particles, field quantization and renormalization are already incorporated or resolved by this nonlocal theory, at least in principle. (author)

Reactivity descriptors for direct methanol fuel cell anode catalysts

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ferrin, Peter; Nilekar, Anand Udaykumar; Greeley, Jeff

2008-01-01

oxidation to CO2 are investigated: an indirect mechanism that goes through a CO intermediate and a direct mechanism where methanol is oxidized to CO2 without the formation of a CO intermediate. For the direct mechanism, we find that, because of CO poisoning, only a small current will result on all non......We have investigated the anode reaction in direct methanol fuel cells using a database of adsorption free energies for 16 intermediates on 12 close-packed transition metal surfaces calculated with periodic, self-consistent, density functional theory (DFT-GGA). This database, combined with a simple...... electrokinetic model of the methanol electrooxidation reaction, yields mechanistic insights that are consistent with previous experimental and theoretical studies on Pt, and extends these insights to a broad spectrum of other transition metals. In addition, by using linear scaling relations between...

Preliminary results of sup(40)Ca(e,e'c) reaction analysis c p,α, based on statistical model

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Herdade, S.B.; Emrich, H.J.

1990-01-01

Statistical model calculations relative to the reactions sup(40)Ca (e,e'p) sup(39)K and sup(40)Ca(e,e'P sub(o)) sup(39)K sup(gs), using a modified version of the program STAPRE are compared with experimental results obtained from coincidence experiments carried out at the Mainz microtron MAMI A. Preliminary results indicate that the statistical decay of a 1 sup(-) level in the sup(40)Ca compound nucleus, at an excitation energy + 20 MeV, to the ground state of the sup(39)K residual nucleus is only about 15% of the total decay, indicating that direct and/or semi-direct mechanisms contribute to the major part of the decay. (author)

Prickle isoforms control the direction of tissue polarity by microtubule independent and dependent mechanisms

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Katherine A. Sharp

2016-03-01

Full Text Available Planar cell polarity signaling directs the polarization of cells within the plane of many epithelia. While these tissues exhibit asymmetric localization of a set of core module proteins, in Drosophila, more than one mechanism links the direction of core module polarization to the tissue axes. One signaling system establishes a polarity bias in the parallel, apical microtubules upon which vesicles containing core proteins traffic. Swapping expression of the differentially expressed Prickle isoforms, Prickle and Spiny-legs, reverses the direction of core module polarization. Studies in the proximal wing and the anterior abdomen indicated that this results from their differential control of microtubule polarity. Prickle and Spiny-legs also control the direction of polarization in the distal wing (D-wing and the posterior abdomen (P-abd. We report here that this occurs without affecting microtubule polarity in these tissues. The direction of polarity in the D-wing is therefore likely determined by a novel mechanism independent of microtubule polarity. In the P-abd, Prickle and Spiny-legs interpret at least two directional cues through a microtubule-polarity-independent mechanism.

Statistical analysis of ultrasonic measurements in concrete

Science.gov (United States)

Chiang, Chih-Hung; Chen, Po-Chih

2002-05-01

Stress wave techniques such as measurements of ultrasonic pulse velocity are often used to evaluate concrete quality in structures. For proper interpretation of measurement results, the dependence of pulse transit time on the average acoustic impedance and the material homogeneity along the sound path need to be examined. Semi-direct measurement of pulse velocity could be more convenient than through transmission measurement. It is not necessary to assess both sides of concrete floors or walls. A novel measurement scheme is proposed and verified based on statistical analysis. It is shown that Semi-direct measurements are very effective for gathering large amount of pulse velocity data from concrete reference specimens. The variability of measurements is comparable with that reported by American Concrete Institute using either break-off or pullout tests.

Inclusions and mechanical behavior in the short transverse direction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aubert, H.; Bouleau, M.; Laniesse, J.; Lelong, C.; Pigoury, M.

1977-01-01

The variables liable to characterize the distribution of inclusions in plates, and the relationships between the mechanical properties and the fatigue behavior in, on the one hand, the short transverse direction, and, on the other hand, the inclusions are studied. A decoherence is shown between inclusions and matrix as the cause of the failure by lamellar tearing [fr

Microstructure and mechanical behavior of direct metal laser sintered Inconel alloy 718

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Smith, Derek H. [Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH 03824 (United States); Bicknell, Jonathan; Jorgensen, Luke [Turbocam Energy Solutions, Turbocam International, Dover, NH 03820 (United States); Patterson, Brian M.; Cordes, Nikolaus L. [Materials Science Division, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM 87545 (United States); Tsukrov, Igor [Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH 03824 (United States); Knezevic, Marko, E-mail: marko.knezevic@unh.edu [Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH 03824 (United States)

2016-03-15

In this paper, we investigate microstructure and quasi-static mechanical behavior of the direct metal laser sintered Inconel 718 superalloy as a function of build direction (BD). The printed material was further processed by annealing and double-aging, hot isostatic pressing (HIP), and machining. We characterize porosity fraction and distribution using micro X-ray computed tomography (μXCT), grain structure and crystallographic texture using electron backscattered diffraction (EBSD), and mechanical response in quasi-static tension and compression using standard mechanical testing at room temperature. Analysis of the μXCT imaging shows that majority of porosity develops in the outer layer of the printed material. However, porosity inside the material is also present. The EBSD measurements reveal formation of columnar grains, which favor < 001 > fiber texture components along the BD. These measurements also show evidence of coarse-grained microstructure present in the samples treated by HIP. Finally, analysis of grain boundaries reveal that HIP results in a large number of annealing twins compared to that in samples that underwent annealing and double-aging. The yield strength varies with the testing direction by approximately 7%, which is governed by a combination of grain morphology and crystallographic texture. In particular, we determine tension–compression asymmetry in the yield stress as well as anisotropy of the material flow during compression. We find that HIP lowers yield stress but improves ductility relative to the annealed and aged material. These results are discussed and critically compared with the data reported for wrought material in the same condition. - Highlights: • Microstructure and mechanical properties of DMLS Inconel 718 are studied in function of build direction. • Inhomogeneity of microstructure in the material in several conditions is quantified by μXCT and EBSD. • Anisotropy and asymmetry in the mechanical response are

Microstructure and mechanical behavior of direct metal laser sintered Inconel alloy 718

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Smith, Derek H.; Bicknell, Jonathan; Jorgensen, Luke; Patterson, Brian M.; Cordes, Nikolaus L.; Tsukrov, Igor; Knezevic, Marko

2016-01-01

In this paper, we investigate microstructure and quasi-static mechanical behavior of the direct metal laser sintered Inconel 718 superalloy as a function of build direction (BD). The printed material was further processed by annealing and double-aging, hot isostatic pressing (HIP), and machining. We characterize porosity fraction and distribution using micro X-ray computed tomography (μXCT), grain structure and crystallographic texture using electron backscattered diffraction (EBSD), and mechanical response in quasi-static tension and compression using standard mechanical testing at room temperature. Analysis of the μXCT imaging shows that majority of porosity develops in the outer layer of the printed material. However, porosity inside the material is also present. The EBSD measurements reveal formation of columnar grains, which favor fiber texture components along the BD. These measurements also show evidence of coarse-grained microstructure present in the samples treated by HIP. Finally, analysis of grain boundaries reveal that HIP results in a large number of annealing twins compared to that in samples that underwent annealing and double-aging. The yield strength varies with the testing direction by approximately 7%, which is governed by a combination of grain morphology and crystallographic texture. In particular, we determine tension–compression asymmetry in the yield stress as well as anisotropy of the material flow during compression. We find that HIP lowers yield stress but improves ductility relative to the annealed and aged material. These results are discussed and critically compared with the data reported for wrought material in the same condition. - Highlights: • Microstructure and mechanical properties of DMLS Inconel 718 are studied in function of build direction. • Inhomogeneity of microstructure in the material in several conditions is quantified by μXCT and EBSD. • Anisotropy and asymmetry in the mechanical response are determined by

Hamiltonian dynamics on the symplectic extended phase space for autonomous and non-autonomous systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Struckmeier, Juergen

2005-01-01

We will present a consistent description of Hamiltonian dynamics on the 'symplectic extended phase space' that is analogous to that of a time-independent Hamiltonian system on the conventional symplectic phase space. The extended Hamiltonian H 1 and the pertaining extended symplectic structure that establish the proper canonical extension of a conventional Hamiltonian H will be derived from a generalized formulation of Hamilton's variational principle. The extended canonical transformation theory then naturally permits transformations that also map the time scales of the original and destination system, while preserving the extended Hamiltonian H 1 , and hence the form of the canonical equations derived from H 1 . The Lorentz transformation, as well as time scaling transformations in celestial mechanics, will be shown to represent particular canonical transformations in the symplectic extended phase space. Furthermore, the generalized canonical transformation approach allows us to directly map explicitly time-dependent Hamiltonians into time-independent ones. An 'extended' generating function that defines transformations of this kind will be presented for the time-dependent damped harmonic oscillator and for a general class of explicitly time-dependent potentials. In the appendix, we will re-establish the proper form of the extended Hamiltonian H 1 by means of a Legendre transformation of the extended Lagrangian L 1

Generalization of Abel's mechanical problem: The extended isochronicity condition and the superposition principle

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kinugawa, Tohru, E-mail: kinugawa@phoenix.kobe-u.ac.jp [Institute for Promotion of Higher Education, Kobe University, Kobe 657-8501 (Japan)

2014-02-15

This paper presents a simple but nontrivial generalization of Abel's mechanical problem, based on the extended isochronicity condition and the superposition principle. There are two primary aims. The first one is to reveal the linear relation between the transit-time T and the travel-length X hidden behind the isochronicity problem that is usually discussed in terms of the nonlinear equation of motion (d{sup 2}X)/(dt{sup 2}) +(dU)/(dX) =0 with U(X) being an unknown potential. Second, the isochronicity condition is extended for the possible Abel-transform approach to designing the isochronous trajectories of charged particles in spectrometers and/or accelerators for time-resolving experiments. Our approach is based on the integral formula for the oscillatory motion by Landau and Lifshitz [Mechanics (Pergamon, Oxford, 1976), pp. 27–29]. The same formula is used to treat the non-periodic motion that is driven by U(X). Specifically, this unknown potential is determined by the (linear) Abel transform X(U) ∝ A[T(E)], where X(U) is the inverse function of U(X), A=(1/√(π))∫{sub 0}{sup E}dU/√(E−U) is the so-called Abel operator, and T(E) is the prescribed transit-time for a particle with energy E to spend in the region of interest. Based on this Abel-transform approach, we have introduced the extended isochronicity condition: typically, τ = T{sub A}(E) + T{sub N}(E) where τ is a constant period, T{sub A}(E) is the transit-time in the Abel type [A-type] region spanning X > 0 and T{sub N}(E) is that in the Non-Abel type [N-type] region covering X < 0. As for the A-type region in X > 0, the unknown inverse function X{sub A}(U) is determined from T{sub A}(E) via the Abel-transform relation X{sub A}(U) ∝ A[T{sub A}(E)]. In contrast, the N-type region in X < 0 does not ensure this linear relation: the region is covered with a predetermined potential U{sub N}(X) of some arbitrary choice, not necessarily obeying the Abel-transform relation. In

Effect of excitation direction on cochlear macro-mechanics during bone conduction stimulation

Science.gov (United States)

Kamieniecki, Konrad; Tudruj, Sylwester; Piechna, Janusz; Borkowski, Paweł

2018-05-01

In many instances of hearing loss, audiological improvement can be made via direct excitation of a temporal bone (i.e., bone conduction). In order to design better and more efficient devices, the macro-mechanics of the bone conduction hearing pathway must be better understood. Based on previous empirical work, numerical models are useful. In this work, we present results of a time-domain Fluid Structure Interaction model that describes stimulation of the bone conduction pathway. The cochlea was modelled as uncoiled and consisted of an oval window, a round window, a basilar membrane and a helicotrema. In order to monitor pressure waves in the perilymph, the fluid was considered compressible. The excitation, in form of sinusoidal velocity, was applied to the cochlea bony walls. The system was excited in three perpendicular directions: along the basilar membrane, perpendicularly to the membrane and transversely to the membrane. The numerical simulation examined which stimulation direction maximally excited the basilar membrane, the pressure distributions for each excitation direction, and the associated mechanics.

Mechanisms and direction of allocation bias in randomised clinical trials

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Paludan-Müller, Asger; Teindl Laursen, David Ruben; Hróbjartsson, A.

2016-01-01

clinical trials. Methods: Two systematic reviews and a theoretical analysis. We conducted one systematic review of empirical studies of motives/methods for deciphering patient allocation sequences; and another review of methods publications commenting on allocation bias. We theoretically analysed...... the mechanisms of allocation bias and hypothesised which main factors predicts its direction. Results: Three empirical studies addressed motives/methods for deciphering allocation sequences. Main motives included ensuring best care for patients and ensuring best outcome for the trial. Main methods included...... various manipulations with randomisation envelopes. Out of 57 methods publications 11 (19 %) mentioned explicitly that allocation bias can go in either direction. We hypothesised that the direction of allocation bias is mainly decided by the interaction between the patient allocators’ motives...

Safety and efficacy of direct oral anticoagulants compared to warfarin for extended treatment of venous thromboembolism -a systematic review and meta-analysis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sindet-Pedersen, Caroline; Pallisgaard, Jannik Langtved; Olesen, Jonas Bjerring

2015-01-01

OBJECTIVE: To examine and compare the safety and efficacy of extended treatment with dabigatran, apixaban, rivaroxaban and warfarin in patients with unprovoked venous thromboembolism. METHODS: PubMed and Embase were searched for randomized clinical trials reporting on the use of direct oral...... anticoagulants (DOACs) and warfarin for the extended treatment of VTE. Meta-analysis was performed on studies reporting similar study design and comparator. RESULTS: A total of 729 articles were identified and 5 studies covering 6 randomized clinical trials met the eligibility criteria and were included...... in the study. 5 studies were included in the meta-analysis. Results from the meta-analysis showed that the extended use of DOACs and warfarin significantly decreased the risk of recurrent VTE with 83 % when compared placebo. Warfarin (RR: 0.03, CI: 0.00-0.49) and dabigatran (RR: 0.08, CI: 0.03-0.27) showed...

Classification of irreps and invariants of the N-extended Supersymmetric Quantum Mechanics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kuznetsova, Zhanna; Rojas, Moises; Toppan, Francesco

2006-01-01

We present an algorithmic classification of the irreps of the N-extended one-dimensional supersymmetry algebra linearly realized on a finite number of fields. Our work is based on the 1-to-1 correspondence between Weyl-type Clifford algebras (whose irreps are fully classified) and classes of irreps of the N-extended 1D supersymmetry. The complete classification of irreps is presented up to N ≤ 10. The fields of an irrep are accommodated in l different spin states. N = 10 is the minimal value admitting length l>4 irreps. The classification of length-4 irreps of the N = 12 and real N = 11 extended supersymmetries is also explicitly presented. Tensoring irreps allows us to systematically construct manifestly (N-extended) supersymmetric multi-linear invariants without introducing a superspace formalism. Multi-linear invariants can be constructed both for unconstrained and multi-linearly constrained fields. A whole class of off-shell invariant actions are produced in association with each irreducible representation. The explicit example of the N = 8 off-shell action of the (1,8,7) multiplet is presented. Tensoring zero-energy irreps leads us to the notion of the fusion algebra of the 1D N-extended supersymmetric vacua

Bio-mechanical Analysis of Human Joints and Extension of the Study to Robot

OpenAIRE

S. Parasuraman; Ler Shiaw Pei

2008-01-01

In this paper, the bio-mechanical analysis of human joints is carried out and the study is extended to the robot manipulator. This study will first focus on the kinematics of human arm which include the movement of each joint in shoulder, wrist, elbow and finger complexes. Those analyses are then extended to the design of a human robot manipulator. A simulator is built for Direct Kinematics and Inverse Kinematics of human arm. In the simulation of Direct Kinematics, the human joint angles can...

Topological defects in extended inflation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Copeland, E.J.; Kolb, E.W.; Chicago Univ., IL; Liddle, A.R.

1990-04-01

We consider the production of topological defects, especially cosmic strings, in extended inflation models. In extended inflation, the Universe passes through a first-order phase transition via bubble percolation, which naturally allows defects to form at the end of inflation. The correlation length, which determines the number density of the defects, is related to the mean size of bubbles when they collide. This mechanism allows a natural combination of inflation and large-scale structure via cosmic strings. 18 refs

Topological defects in extended inflation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Copeland, E.J.; Kolb, E.W.; Liddle, A.R.

1990-01-01

We consider the production of topological defects, especially cosmic strings, in extended-inflation models. In extended inflation, the Universe passes through a first-order phase transition via bubble percolation, which naturally allows defects to form at the end of inflation. The correlation length, which determines the number density of the defects, is related to the mean size of the bubbles when they collide. This mechanism allows a natural combination of inflation and large-scale structure via cosmic strings

Extended Kalman filtering for the detection of damage in linear mechanical structures

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, X.; Escamilla-Ambrosio, P. J.; Lieven, N. A. J.

2009-09-01

This paper addresses the problem of assessing the location and extent of damage in a vibrating structure by means of vibration measurements. Frequency domain identification methods (e.g. finite element model updating) have been widely used in this area while time domain methods such as the extended Kalman filter (EKF) method, are more sparsely represented. The difficulty of applying EKF in mechanical system damage identification and localisation lies in: the high computational cost, the dependence of estimation results on the initial estimation error covariance matrix P(0), the initial value of parameters to be estimated, and on the statistics of measurement noise R and process noise Q. To resolve these problems in the EKF, a multiple model adaptive estimator consisting of a bank of EKF in modal domain was designed, each filter in the bank is based on different P(0). The algorithm was iterated by using the weighted global iteration method. A fuzzy logic model was incorporated in each filter to estimate the variance of the measurement noise R. The application of the method is illustrated by simulated and real examples.

Directed networks' different link formation mechanisms causing degree distribution distinction

Science.gov (United States)

Behfar, Stefan Kambiz; Turkina, Ekaterina; Cohendet, Patrick; Burger-Helmchen, Thierry

2016-11-01

Within undirected networks, scientists have shown much interest in presenting power-law features. For instance, Barabási and Albert (1999) claimed that a common property of many large networks is that vertex connectivity follows scale-free power-law distribution, and in another study Barabási et al. (2002) showed power law evolution in the social network of scientific collaboration. At the same time, Jiang et al. (2011) discussed deviation from power-law distribution; others indicated that size effect (Bagrow et al., 2008), information filtering mechanism (Mossa et al., 2002), and birth and death process (Shi et al., 2005) could account for this deviation. Within directed networks, many authors have considered that outlinks follow a similar mechanism of creation as inlinks' (Faloutsos et al., 1999; Krapivsky et al., 2001; Tanimoto, 2009) with link creation rate being the linear function of node degree, resulting in a power-law shape for both indegree and outdegree distribution. Some other authors have made an assumption that directed networks, such as scientific collaboration or citation, behave as undirected, resulting in a power-law degree distribution accordingly (Barabási et al., 2002). At the same time, we claim (1) Outlinks feature different degree distributions than inlinks; where different link formation mechanisms cause the distribution distinctions, (2) in/outdegree distribution distinction holds for different levels of system decomposition; therefore this distribution distinction is a property of directed networks. First, we emphasize in/outlink formation mechanisms as causal factors for distinction between indegree and outdegree distributions (where this distinction has already been noticed in Barker et al. (2010) and Baxter et al. (2006)) within a sample network of OSS projects as well as Java software corpus as a network. Second, we analyze whether this distribution distinction holds for different levels of system decomposition: open

Extended semen for artificial insemination in swine as a potential transmission mechanism for infectious Chlamydia suis.

Science.gov (United States)

Hamonic, G; Pasternak, J A; Käser, T; Meurens, F; Wilson, H L

2016-09-01

of semen is due to adherence to gel fraction. Taken together, the results of this study suggest that C suis remains viable and infectious during chilled storage and is globally unaffected by antibiotics in extender. Thus, ES used in artificial insemination may act as a viable transmission mechanism for C suis in swine. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Supersymmetric mechanics. Vol. 2. The attractor mechanism and space time singularities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bellucci, S.; Marrani, A.; Ferrara, S.

2006-01-01

This is the second volume in a series of books on the general theme of Supersymmetric Mechanics; the series is based on lectures and discussions held in 2005 and 2006 at the INFN-Laboratori Nazionali di Frascati. The first volume appears as Lect. Notes Physics, Vol. 698 ''Supersymmetric Mechanics, Vol.1: Supersymmetry, Noncommutativity and Matrix Models'' (2006) ISBN: 3-540-33313-4. The present extensive lecture supplies a pedagogical introduction, at the non-expert level, to the attractor mechanism in space-time singularities. In such a framework, supersymmetry seems to be related to dynamical systems with fixed points, describing the equilibrium state and the stability features of the thermodynamics of black holes. After a qualitative overview, explicit examples realizing the attractor mechanism are treated at some length; they include relevant cases of asymptotically flat, maximal and non-maximal, extended supergravities in 4 and 5 dimensions. A number of recent advances along various directions of research on the attractor mechanism are also given. (orig.)

Extended mind and after: socially extended mind and actor-network.

Science.gov (United States)

Kono, Tetsuya

2014-03-01

The concept of extended mind has been impressively developed over the last 10 years by many philosophers and cognitive scientists. The extended mind thesis (EM) affirms that the mind is not simply ensconced inside the head, but extends to the whole system of brain-body-environment. Recently, some philosophers and psychologists try to adapt the idea of EM to the domain of social cognition research. Mind is socially extended (SEM). However, EM/SEM theory has problems to analyze the interactions among a subject and its surroundings with opposition, antagonism, or conflict; it also tends to think that the environment surrounding the subject is passive or static, and to neglect the power of non-human actants to direct and regulate the human subject. In these points, actor-network theory (ANT) proposed by Latour and Callon is more persuasive, while sharing some important ideas with EM/SEM theory. Actor-network is a hybrid community which is composed of a series of heterogeneous elements, animate and inanimate for a certain period of time. I shall conclude that EM/SEM could be best analyzed as a special case of actor-network. EM/SEM is a system which can be controlled by a human agent alone. In order to understand collective behavior, philosophy and psychology have to study the actor-network in which human individuals are situated.

Effort Flow Analysis: A Methodology for Directed Product Evolution Using Rigid Body and Compliant Mechanisms

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Greer, James

2002-01-01

This dissertation presents a systematic design methodology for directed product evolution that uses both rigid body and compliant mechanisms to facilitate component combination in the domain of mechanical products...

Design options for cooperation mechanisms under the new European renewable energy directive

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Klessmann, Corinna; Lamers, Patrick; Ragwitz, Mario; Resch, Gustav

2010-01-01

In June 2009, a new EU directive on the promotion of renewable energy sources (RES) entered into effect. The directive 2009/28/EC, provides for three cooperation mechanisms that will allow member states to achieve their national RES target in cooperation with other member states: statistical transfer, joint projects, and joint support schemes. This article analyses the pros and cons of the three mechanisms and explores design options for their implementation through strategic and economic questions: How to counterbalance the major drawbacks of each mechanism? How to reflect a balance of costs and benefits between the involved member states? The analysis identifies a number of design options that respond to these questions, e.g. long term contracts to ensure sufficient flexibility for statistical transfers, a coordinated, standardised joint project approach to increase transparency in the European market, and a stepwise harmonisation of joint support schemes that is based on a cost-effective accounting approach. One conclusion is that the three cooperation mechanisms are closely interlinked. One can consider their relation to be a gradual transition from member state cooperation under fully closed national support systems in case of statistical transfers, to cooperation under fully open national support systems in a joint support scheme.

Pore direction in relation to anisotropy of mechanical strength in a cubic starch compact

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Wu, Yu San; van Vliet, Lucas J; Frijlink, Henderik W; Stokroos, Ietse; van der Voort Maarschalk, Kees

The purpose of this research was to evaluate the relation between preferential direction of pores and mechanical strength of cubic starch compacts. The preferential pore direction was quantified in SEM images of cross sections of starch compacts using a previously described algorithm for

Contributions to perspectives on theoretical nuclear physics-2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Maino, G.; Ventura, A.; Guidotti, R.; Saporetti, F.; Zuffi, L.

1988-01-01

The present report contains two papers dealing with giant electric multipole resonances in the frame of the direct-semidirect model for nuclear radiative capture and the interacting boson model for photonuclear reactions, respectively. Both are included in the 1987 progress report of Italian nuclear theoreticians

Recommendations for DSD model calculations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cvelbar, F.

1999-01-01

The latest achievements of the DSD (direct-semidirect) capture model, such as the extension to unbound final states or to densely distributed bound states, and the introduction of the consistent DSD model are reviewed. Recommendations for the future use of the model are presented. (author)

Economic Evaluation of a Patient-Directed Music Intervention for ICU Patients Receiving Mechanical Ventilatory Support.

Science.gov (United States)

Chlan, Linda L; Heiderscheit, Annette; Skaar, Debra J; Neidecker, Marjorie V

2018-05-04

Music intervention has been shown to reduce anxiety and sedative exposure among mechanically ventilated patients. Whether music intervention reduces ICU costs is not known. The aim of this study was to examine ICU costs for patients receiving a patient-directed music intervention compared with patients who received usual ICU care. A cost-effectiveness analysis from the hospital perspective was conducted to determine if patient-directed music intervention was cost-effective in improving patient-reported anxiety. Cost savings were also evaluated. One-way and probabilistic sensitivity analyses determined the influence of input variation on the cost-effectiveness. Midwestern ICUs. Adult ICU patients from a parent clinical trial receiving mechanical ventilatory support. Patients receiving the experimental patient-directed music intervention received a MP3 player, noise-canceling headphones, and music tailored to individual preferences by a music therapist. The base case cost-effectiveness analysis estimated patient-directed music intervention reduced anxiety by 19 points on the Visual Analogue Scale-Anxiety with a reduction in cost of $2,322/patient compared with usual ICU care, resulting in patient-directed music dominance. The probabilistic cost-effectiveness analysis found that average patient-directed music intervention costs were $2,155 less than usual ICU care and projected that cost saving is achieved in 70% of 1,000 iterations. Based on break-even analyses, cost saving is achieved if the per-patient cost of patient-directed music intervention remains below $2,651, a value eight times the base case of $329. Patient-directed music intervention is cost-effective for reducing anxiety in mechanically ventilated ICU patients.

Contracting automorphisms and L p -cohomology in degree one

Science.gov (United States)

Cornulier, Yves; Tessera, Romain

2011-10-01

We characterize those Lie groups, and algebraic groups over a local field of characteristic zero, whose first reduced L p -cohomology is zero for all p>1, extending a result of Pansu. As an application, we obtain a description of Gromov-hyperbolic groups among those groups. In particular we prove that any non-elementary Gromov-hyperbolic algebraic group over a non-Archimedean local field of zero characteristic is quasi-isometric to a 3-regular tree. We also extend the study to general semidirect products of a locally compact group by a cyclic group acting by contracting automorphisms.

Extended hamiltonian formalism and Lorentz-violating lagrangians

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Don Colladay

2017-09-01

Full Text Available A new perspective on the classical mechanical formulation of particle trajectories in Lorentz-violating theories is presented. Using the extended hamiltonian formalism, a Legendre Transformation between the associated covariant lagrangian and hamiltonian varieties is constructed. This approach enables calculation of trajectories using Hamilton's equations in momentum space and the Euler–Lagrange equations in velocity space away from certain singular points that arise in the theory. Singular points are naturally de-singularized by requiring the trajectories to be smooth functions of both velocity and momentum variables. In addition, it is possible to identify specific sheets of the dispersion relations that correspond to specific solutions for the lagrangian. Examples corresponding to bipartite Finsler functions are computed in detail. A direct connection between the lagrangians and the field-theoretic solutions to the Dirac equation is also established for a special case.

Extended hamiltonian formalism and Lorentz-violating lagrangians

Science.gov (United States)

Colladay, Don

2017-09-01

A new perspective on the classical mechanical formulation of particle trajectories in Lorentz-violating theories is presented. Using the extended hamiltonian formalism, a Legendre Transformation between the associated covariant lagrangian and hamiltonian varieties is constructed. This approach enables calculation of trajectories using Hamilton's equations in momentum space and the Euler-Lagrange equations in velocity space away from certain singular points that arise in the theory. Singular points are naturally de-singularized by requiring the trajectories to be smooth functions of both velocity and momentum variables. In addition, it is possible to identify specific sheets of the dispersion relations that correspond to specific solutions for the lagrangian. Examples corresponding to bipartite Finsler functions are computed in detail. A direct connection between the lagrangians and the field-theoretic solutions to the Dirac equation is also established for a special case.

Skating mechanics of change-of-direction manoeuvres in ice hockey players.

Science.gov (United States)

Fortier, Antoine; Turcotte, René A; Pearsall, David J

2014-11-01

Ice hockey requires rapid transitions between skating trajectories to effectively navigate about the ice surface. Player performance relates in large part to effective change-of-direction manoeuvres, but little is known about how those skills are performed mechanically and the effect of equipment design on them. The purpose of this study was to observe the kinetics involved in those manoeuvres as well as to compare whether kinetic differences may result between two skate models of varying ankle mobility. Eight subjects with competitive ice hockey playing experience performed rapid lateral (90°) left and right change-of-direction manoeuvres. Kinetic data were collected using force strain gauge transducers on the blade holders of the skates. Significantly greater forces were applied by the outside skate (50-70% body weight, %BW) in comparison to the inside skate (12-24%BW, p Skate model and turn direction had no main effect, though significant mixed interactions between leg side (inside/outside) with skate model or turn direction (p skating change-of-direction tasks.

Nucleation mechanism for the direct graphite-to-diamond phase transition

Science.gov (United States)

Khaliullin, Rustam Z.; Eshet, Hagai; Kühne, Thomas D.; Behler, Jörg; Parrinello, Michele

2011-09-01

Graphite and diamond have comparable free energies, yet forming diamond from graphite in the absence of a catalyst requires pressures that are significantly higher than those at equilibrium coexistence. At lower temperatures, the formation of the metastable hexagonal polymorph of diamond is favoured instead of the more stable cubic diamond. These phenomena cannot be explained by the concerted mechanism suggested in previous theoretical studies. Using an ab initio quality neural-network potential, we carried out a large-scale study of the graphite-to-diamond transition assuming that it occurs through nucleation. The nucleation mechanism accounts for the observed phenomenology and reveals its microscopic origins. We demonstrate that the large lattice distortions that accompany the formation of diamond nuclei inhibit the phase transition at low pressure, and direct it towards the hexagonal diamond phase at higher pressure. The proposed nucleation mechanism should improve our understanding of structural transformations in a wide range of carbon-based materials.

Big Gods: Extended prosociality or group binding?

Science.gov (United States)

Galen, Luke W

2016-01-01

Big Gods are described as having a "prosocial" effect. However, this conflates parochialism (group cohesion) with cooperation extended to strangers or out-group members. An examination of the cited experimental studies indicates that religion is actually associated with increased within-group parochialism, rather than extended or universal prosociality, and that the same general mechanisms underlie both religious and secular effects.

Brownian motion or Lévy walk? Stepping towards an extended statistical mechanics for animal locomotion.

Science.gov (United States)

Gautestad, Arild O

2012-09-07

Animals moving under the influence of spatio-temporal scaling and long-term memory generate a kind of space-use pattern that has proved difficult to model within a coherent theoretical framework. An extended kind of statistical mechanics is needed, accounting for both the effects of spatial memory and scale-free space use, and put into a context of ecological conditions. Simulations illustrating the distinction between scale-specific and scale-free locomotion are presented. The results show how observational scale (time lag between relocations of an individual) may critically influence the interpretation of the underlying process. In this respect, a novel protocol is proposed as a method to distinguish between some main movement classes. For example, the 'power law in disguise' paradox-from a composite Brownian motion consisting of a superposition of independent movement processes at different scales-may be resolved by shifting the focus from pattern analysis at one particular temporal resolution towards a more process-oriented approach involving several scales of observation. A more explicit consideration of system complexity within a statistical mechanical framework, supplementing the more traditional mechanistic modelling approach, is advocated.

Implementing a resident lifting system in an extended care hospital. Demonstrating cost-benefit.

Science.gov (United States)

Spiegel, Jerry; Yassi, Analee; Ronald, Lisa A; Tate, Robert B; Hacking, Penny; Colby, Teresa

2002-03-01

1. Implemeting mechanical resident lifting equipment in an extended care facility produced a payback from direct savings alone within 4 years. Payback occurred more quickly when the effect of indirect savings or the trend to rising compensation costs was considered. 2. Combining the observations of the occupational health nurses related to staff well being with relevant cost-benefit data is useful in influencing decision makers and in securing funding for prevention measures. 3. Clear identification of a viewpoint is an important part of an economic evaluation and cost-benefit analysis.

Direct laser sintering of metal powders: Mechanism, kinetics and microstructural features

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Simchi, A.

2006-01-01

In the present work, the densification and microstructural evolution during direct laser sintering of metal powders were studied. Various ferrous powders including Fe, Fe-C, Fe-Cu, Fe-C-Cu-P, 316L stainless steel, and M2 high-speed steel were used. The empirical sintering rate data was related to the energy input of the laser beam according to the first order kinetics equation to establish a simple sintering model. The equation calculates the densification of metal powders during direct laser sintering process as a function of operating parameters including laser power, scan rate, layer thickness and scan line spacing. It was found that when melting/solidification approach is the mechanism of sintering, the densification of metals powders (D) can be expressed as an exponential function of laser specific energy input (ψ) as ln(1 - D) = -Kψ. The coefficient K is designated as 'densification coefficient'; a material dependent parameter that varies with chemical composition, powder particle size, and oxygen content of the powder material. The mechanism of particle bonding and microstructural features of the laser sintered powders are addressed

E1-E2 interference in /sup 159/Tb(γ,n) and /sup 209/Bi(γ,n) reactions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Birenbaum, Y.; Berant, Z.; Kahane, S.; Moreh, R.; Wolf, A.

1986-01-01

Angular distributions of fast neutrons from the (γ,n) reactions on /sup 159/Tb and /sup 209/Bi were measured. Gamma sources in the 7--11.4 MeV range were obtained from (n,γ) reactions using thermal neu- trons. Pronounced asymmetries around 90 0 were observed for the angular distributions of photoneu- trons leading to the ground and a few excited states, in both the spherical /sup 209/Bi and the deformed /sup 159/Tb nuclei. These asymmetries indicate strong and similar E1-E2 interference effects in the two nuclei. The direct-semidirect model was modified to be used for target nuclei with one proton outside an even-even core. From a detailed comparison of the data with calculations using the modified direct-semidirect model, the contributions of different partial waves are estimated. Contributions of the compound nucleus process are included, and are shown to affect to some extent the calculated angular distribution's energy dependence

Hydro-mechanical coupled simulation of hydraulic fracturing using the eXtended Finite Element Method (XFEM)

Science.gov (United States)

Youn, Dong Joon

This thesis presents the development and validation of an advanced hydro-mechanical coupled finite element program analyzing hydraulic fracture propagation within unconventional hydrocarbon formations under various conditions. The realistic modeling of hydraulic fracturing is necessarily required to improve the understanding and efficiency of the stimulation technique. Such modeling remains highly challenging, however, due to factors including the complexity of fracture propagation mechanisms, the coupled behavior of fracture displacement and fluid pressure, the interactions between pre-existing natural and initiated hydraulic fractures and the formation heterogeneity of the target reservoir. In this research, an eXtended Finite Element Method (XFEM) scheme is developed allowing for representation of single or multiple fracture propagations without any need for re-meshing. Also, the coupled flows through the fracture are considered in the program to account for their influence on stresses and deformations along the hydraulic fracture. In this research, a sequential coupling scheme is applied to estimate fracture aperture and fluid pressure with the XFEM. Later, the coupled XFEM program is used to estimate wellbore bottomhole pressure during fracture propagation, and the pressure variations are analyzed to determine the geometry and performance of the hydraulic fracturing as pressure leak-off test. Finally, material heterogeneity is included into the XFEM program to check the effect of random formation property distributions to the hydraulic fracture geometry. Random field theory is used to create the random realization of the material heterogeneity with the consideration of mean, standard deviation, and property correlation length. These analyses lead to probabilistic information on the response of unconventional reservoirs and offer a more scientific approach regarding risk management for the unconventional reservoir stimulation. The new stochastic approach

Mechanical stimulation induces mTOR signaling via an ERK-independent mechanism: implications for a direct activation of mTOR by phosphatidic acid.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jae Sung You

Full Text Available Signaling by mTOR is a well-recognized component of the pathway through which mechanical signals regulate protein synthesis and muscle mass. However, the mechanisms involved in the mechanical regulation of mTOR signaling have not been defined. Nevertheless, recent studies suggest that a mechanically-induced increase in phosphatidic acid (PA may be involved. There is also evidence which suggests that mechanical stimuli, and PA, utilize ERK to induce mTOR signaling. Hence, we reasoned that a mechanically-induced increase in PA might promote mTOR signaling via an ERK-dependent mechanism. To test this, we subjected mouse skeletal muscles to mechanical stimulation in the presence or absence of a MEK/ERK inhibitor, and then measured several commonly used markers of mTOR signaling. Transgenic mice expressing a rapamycin-resistant mutant of mTOR were also used to confirm the validity of these markers. The results demonstrated that mechanically-induced increases in p70(s6k T389 and 4E-BP1 S64 phosphorylation, and unexpectedly, a loss in total 4E-BP1, were fully mTOR-dependent signaling events. Furthermore, we determined that mechanical stimulation induced these mTOR-dependent events, and protein synthesis, through an ERK-independent mechanism. Similar to mechanical stimulation, exogenous PA also induced mTOR-dependent signaling via an ERK-independent mechanism. Moreover, PA was able to directly activate mTOR signaling in vitro. Combined, these results demonstrate that mechanical stimulation induces mTOR signaling, and protein synthesis, via an ERK-independent mechanism that potentially involves a direct interaction of PA with mTOR. Furthermore, it appears that a decrease in total 4E-BP1 may be part of the mTOR-dependent mechanism through which mechanical stimuli activate protein synthesis.

Equilibrium statistical mechanics for self-gravitating systems: local ergodicity and extended Boltzmann-Gibbs/White-Narayan statistics

Science.gov (United States)

He, Ping

2012-01-01

The long-standing puzzle surrounding the statistical mechanics of self-gravitating systems has not yet been solved successfully. We formulate a systematic theoretical framework of entropy-based statistical mechanics for spherically symmetric collisionless self-gravitating systems. We use an approach that is very different from that of the conventional statistical mechanics of short-range interaction systems. We demonstrate that the equilibrium states of self-gravitating systems consist of both mechanical and statistical equilibria, with the former characterized by a series of velocity-moment equations and the latter by statistical equilibrium equations, which should be derived from the entropy principle. The velocity-moment equations of all orders are derived from the steady-state collisionless Boltzmann equation. We point out that the ergodicity is invalid for the whole self-gravitating system, but it can be re-established locally. Based on the local ergodicity, using Fermi-Dirac-like statistics, with the non-degenerate condition and the spatial independence of the local microstates, we rederive the Boltzmann-Gibbs entropy. This is consistent with the validity of the collisionless Boltzmann equation, and should be the correct entropy form for collisionless self-gravitating systems. Apart from the usual constraints of mass and energy conservation, we demonstrate that the series of moment or virialization equations must be included as additional constraints on the entropy functional when performing the variational calculus; this is an extension to the original prescription by White & Narayan. Any possible velocity distribution can be produced by the statistical-mechanical approach that we have developed with the extended Boltzmann-Gibbs/White-Narayan statistics. Finally, we discuss the questions of negative specific heat and ensemble inequivalence for self-gravitating systems.

Implementation of a Goal-Directed Mechanical Ventilation Order Set Driven by Respiratory Therapists Improves Compliance With Best Practices for Mechanical Ventilation.

Science.gov (United States)

Radosevich, Misty A; Wanta, Brendan T; Meyer, Todd J; Weber, Verlin W; Brown, Daniel R; Smischney, Nathan J; Diedrich, Daniel A

2017-01-01

Data regarding best practices for ventilator management strategies that improve outcomes in acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) are readily available. However, little is known regarding processes to ensure compliance with these strategies. We developed a goal-directed mechanical ventilation order set that included physician-specified lung-protective ventilation and oxygenation goals to be implemented by respiratory therapists (RTs). We sought as a primary outcome to determine whether an RT-driven order set with predefined oxygenation and ventilation goals could be implemented and associated with improved adherence with best practice. We evaluated 1302 patients undergoing invasive mechanical ventilation (1693 separate episodes of invasive mechanical ventilation) prior to and after institution of a standardized, goal-directed mechanical ventilation order set using a controlled before-and-after study design. Patient-specific goals for oxygenation partial pressure of oxygen in arterial blood (Pao 2 ), ARDS Network [Net] positive end-expiratory pressure [PEEP]/fraction of inspired oxygen [Fio 2 ] table use) and ventilation (pH, partial pressure of carbon dioxide) were selected by prescribers and implemented by RTs. Compliance with the new mechanical ventilation order set was high: 88.2% compliance versus 3.8% before implementation of the order set ( P mechanical ventilation, intensive care unit (ICU) length of stay, and in-hospital or ICU mortality. A standardized best practice mechanical ventilation order set can be implemented by a multidisciplinary team and is associated with improved compliance to written orders and adherence to the ARDSNet PEEP/Fio 2 table.

Soil quality assessment in rice production systems: establishing a minimum data set.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Rodrigues de Lima, A.C.; Hoogmoed, W.B.; Brussaard, L.

2008-01-01

Soil quality, as a measure of the soil's capacity to function, can be assessed by indicators based on physical, chemical, and biological properties. Here we report on the assessment of soil quality in 21 rice (Oryza sativa) fields under three rice production systems (semi-direct, pre-germinated, and

Progress in microscopic direct reaction modeling of nucleon induced reactions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dupuis, M.; Bauge, E.; Hilaire, S.; Lechaftois, F.; Peru, S.; Pillet, N.; Robin, C. [CEA, DAM, DIF, Arpajon (France)

2015-12-15

A microscopic nuclear reaction model is applied to neutron elastic and direct inelastic scatterings, and pre-equilibrium reaction. The JLM folding model is used with nuclear structure information calculated within the quasi-particle random phase approximation implemented with the Gogny D1S interaction. The folding model for direct inelastic scattering is extended to include rearrangement corrections stemming from both isoscalar and isovector density variations occurring during a transition. The quality of the predicted (n,n), (n,n{sup '}), (n,xn) and (n,n{sup '}γ) cross sections, as well as the generality of the present microscopic approach, shows that it is a powerful tool that can help improving nuclear reactions data quality. Short- and long-term perspectives are drawn to extend the present approach to more systems, to include missing reactions mechanisms, and to consistently treat both structure and reaction problems. (orig.)

Mechanical Design of Odin, an Extendable Heterogeneous Deformable Modular Robot

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lyder, Andreas; Garcia, Ricardo Franco Mendoza; Støy, Kasper

2008-01-01

Highly sophisticated animals consist of a set of heterogenous modules decided by nature so that they can survive in a complex environment. In this paper we present a new modular robot inspired by biology called Odin. The Odin robot is based on a deformable lattice and consists of an extendable se...

Encoded Extended Spectrum Beta-Lactamases Produced

African Journals Online (AJOL)

26.1 % Klebsiella spp were positive for extended spectrum beta-lactamases ... issue, and TEM, OXA and SHV type ESBL were the most common genotypes. ... mechanism of action. ..... and Multiplex PCR Screening of AmpC Genes from.

Effect of pore architecture and stacking direction on mechanical properties of solid freeform fabrication-based scaffold for bone tissue engineering.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Jung-Seob; Cha, Hwang Do; Shim, Jin-Hyung; Jung, Jin Woo; Kim, Jong Young; Cho, Dong-Woo

2012-07-01

Fabrication of a three-dimensional (3D) scaffold with increased mechanical strength may be an essential requirement for more advanced bone tissue engineering scaffolds. Various material- and chemical-based approaches have been explored to enhance the mechanical properties of engineered bone tissue scaffolds. In this study, the effects of pore architecture and stacking direction on the mechanical and cell proliferation properties of a scaffold were investigated. The 3D scaffold was prepared using solid freeform fabrication technology with a multihead deposition system. Various types of scaffolds with different pore architectures (lattice, stagger, and triangle types) and stacking directions (horizontal and vertical directions) were fabricated with a blend of polycaprolactone and poly lactic-co-glycolic acid. In compression tests, the triangle-type scaffold was the strongest among the experimental groups. Stacking direction affected the mechanical properties of scaffolds. An in vitro cell counting kit-8 assay showed no significant differences in optical density depending on the different pore architectures and stacking directions. In conclusion, mechanical properties of scaffolds can be enhanced by controlling pore architecture and stacking direction. Copyright © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

EBSD characterization of the growth mechanism of SiC synthesized via direct microwave heating

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wang, Jigang, E-mail: wangjigang@seu.edu.cn [Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Advanced Metallic Materials, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing 211189 (China); Xizang Key Laboratory of Optical Information Processing and Visualization Technology, School of Information Engineering, Xizang Minzu University, Xianyang 712082 (China); Huang, Shan; Liu, Song; Qing, Zhou [Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Advanced Metallic Materials, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing 211189 (China)

2016-04-15

Well-crystallized 3C-silicon carbide (SiC) grains/nanowires have been synthesized rapidly and conveniently via direct microwave heating, simply using silicon dioxide powders and artificial graphite as raw materials. The comprehensive characterizations have been employed to investigate the micro-structure of the obtained 3C-SiC products. Results indicated that, different from the classic screw dislocation growth mechanism, the 3C-SiC grains/nanowires synthesized via high-energy vacuum microwave irradiation were achieved through the two-dimension nucleation and laminar growth mechanism. Especially, the electron backscattered diffraction (EBSD) was employed to characterize the crystal planes of the as-grown SiC products. The calculated Euler angles suggested that the fastest-growing crystal planes (211) were overlapped gradually. Through the formation of the (421) transformation plane, (211) finally evolved to (220) which existed as the side face of SiC grains. The most stable crystal planes (111) became the regular hexagonal planes in the end, which could be explained by the Bravais rule. The characterization results of EBSD provided important experimental information for the evolution of crystal planes. - Graphical abstract: The formation of 3C-SiC prepared via direct microwave heating follows the mechanism of two-dimension nucleation and laminar growth. - Highlights: • 3C−SiC grains/nanowires were obtained via direct microwave heating. • 3C−SiC followed the mechanism of two-dimension nucleation and laminar growth. • In-situ EBSD analysis provided the experimental evidences of the growth.

RNA-directed DNA methylation: Mechanisms and functions

KAUST Repository

Mahfouz, Magdy M.

2010-07-01

Epigenetic RNA based gene silencing mechanisms play a major role in genome stability and control of gene expression. Transcriptional gene silencing via RNA-directed DNA methylation (RdDM) guides the epigenetic regulation of the genome in response to disease states, growth, developmental and stress signals. RdDM machinery is composed of proteins that produce and modify 24-nt- long siRNAs, recruit the RdDM complex to genomic targets, methylate DNA and remodel chromatin. The final DNA methylation pattern is determined by either DNA methyltransferase alone or by the combined action of DNA methyltransferases and demethylases. The dynamic interaction between RdDM and demethylases may render the plant epigenome plastic to growth, developmental, and environmental cues. The epigenome plasticity may allow the plant genome to assume many epigenomes and to have the right epigenome at the right time in response to intracellular or extracellular stimuli. This review discusses recent advances in RdDM research and considers future perspectives.

A quantum-mechanics molecular-mechanics scheme for extended systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hunt, Diego; Scherlis, Damián A; Sanchez, Veronica M

2016-01-01

We introduce and discuss a hybrid quantum-mechanics molecular-mechanics (QM-MM) approach for Car–Parrinello DFT simulations with pseudopotentials and planewaves basis, designed for the treatment of periodic systems. In this implementation the MM atoms are considered as additional QM ions having fractional charges of either sign, which provides conceptual and computational simplicity by exploiting the machinery already existing in planewave codes to deal with electrostatics in periodic boundary conditions. With this strategy, both the QM and MM regions are contained in the same supercell, which determines the periodicity for the whole system. Thus, while this method is not meant to compete with non-periodic QM-MM schemes able to handle extremely large but finite MM regions, it is shown that for periodic systems of a few hundred atoms, our approach provides substantial savings in computational times by treating classically a fraction of the particles. The performance and accuracy of the method is assessed through the study of energetic, structural, and dynamical aspects of the water dimer and of the aqueous bulk phase. Finally, the QM-MM scheme is applied to the computation of the vibrational spectra of water layers adsorbed at the TiO 2 anatase (1 0 1) solid–liquid interface. This investigation suggests that the inclusion of a second monolayer of H 2 O molecules is sufficient to induce on the first adsorbed layer, a vibrational dynamics similar to that taking place in the presence of an aqueous environment. The present QM-MM scheme appears as a very interesting tool to efficiently perform molecular dynamics simulations of complex condensed matter systems, from solutions to nanoconfined fluids to different kind of interfaces. (paper)

A quantum-mechanics molecular-mechanics scheme for extended systems.

Science.gov (United States)

Hunt, Diego; Sanchez, Veronica M; Scherlis, Damián A

2016-08-24

We introduce and discuss a hybrid quantum-mechanics molecular-mechanics (QM-MM) approach for Car-Parrinello DFT simulations with pseudopotentials and planewaves basis, designed for the treatment of periodic systems. In this implementation the MM atoms are considered as additional QM ions having fractional charges of either sign, which provides conceptual and computational simplicity by exploiting the machinery already existing in planewave codes to deal with electrostatics in periodic boundary conditions. With this strategy, both the QM and MM regions are contained in the same supercell, which determines the periodicity for the whole system. Thus, while this method is not meant to compete with non-periodic QM-MM schemes able to handle extremely large but finite MM regions, it is shown that for periodic systems of a few hundred atoms, our approach provides substantial savings in computational times by treating classically a fraction of the particles. The performance and accuracy of the method is assessed through the study of energetic, structural, and dynamical aspects of the water dimer and of the aqueous bulk phase. Finally, the QM-MM scheme is applied to the computation of the vibrational spectra of water layers adsorbed at the TiO2 anatase (1 0 1) solid-liquid interface. This investigation suggests that the inclusion of a second monolayer of H2O molecules is sufficient to induce on the first adsorbed layer, a vibrational dynamics similar to that taking place in the presence of an aqueous environment. The present QM-MM scheme appears as a very interesting tool to efficiently perform molecular dynamics simulations of complex condensed matter systems, from solutions to nanoconfined fluids to different kind of interfaces.

Extended Irreversible Thermodynamics

CERN Document Server

Jou, David

2010-01-01

This is the 4th edition of the highly acclaimed monograph on Extended Irreversible Thermodynamics, a theory that goes beyond the classical theory of irreversible processes. In contrast to the classical approach, the basic variables describing the system are complemented by non-equilibrium quantities. The claims made for extended thermodynamics are confirmed by the kinetic theory of gases and statistical mechanics. The book covers a wide spectrum of applications, and also contains a thorough discussion of the foundations and the scope of the current theories on non-equilibrium thermodynamics. For this new edition, the authors critically revised existing material while taking into account the most recent developments in fast moving fields such as heat transport in micro- and nanosystems or fast solidification fronts in materials sciences. Several fundamental chapters have been revisited emphasizing physics and applications over mathematical derivations. Also, fundamental questions on the definition of non-equil...

A Lever Coupling Mechanism in Dual-Mass Micro-Gyroscopes for Improving the Shock Resistance along the Driving Direction

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yang Gao

2017-04-01

Full Text Available This paper presents the design and application of a lever coupling mechanism to improve the shock resistance of a dual-mass silicon micro-gyroscope with drive mode coupled along the driving direction without sacrificing the mechanical sensitivity. Firstly, the mechanical sensitivity and the shock response of the micro-gyroscope are theoretically analyzed. In the mechanical design, a novel lever coupling mechanism is proposed to change the modal order and to improve the frequency separation. The micro-gyroscope with the lever coupling mechanism optimizes the drive mode order, increasing the in-phase mode frequency to be much larger than the anti-phase one. Shock analysis results show that the micro-gyroscope structure with the designed lever coupling mechanism can notably reduce the magnitudes of the shock response and cut down the stress produced in the shock process compared with the traditional elastic coupled one. Simulations reveal that the shock resistance along the drive direction is greatly increased. Consequently, the lever coupling mechanism can change the gyroscope’s modal order and improve the frequency separation by structurally offering a higher stiffness difference ratio. The shock resistance along the driving direction is tremendously enhanced without loss of the mechanical sensitivity.

Water in contact with extended hydrophobic surfaces: Direct evidence of weak dewetting

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jensen, Torben René; Jensen, Morten Østergaard; Reitzel, Niels

2003-01-01

X-ray reflectivity measurements reveal a significant dewetting of a large hydrophobic paraffin surface floating on water. The dewetting phenomenon extends less than 15 Angstrom into the bulk water phase and results in an integrated density deficit of about one water molecule per 25-30 Angstrom(2...

Geometrical interpretation of extended supergravity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Townsend, P.K.; Nieuwenhuizen, P.van

1977-01-01

SO 2 extended supergravity is shown to be a geometrical theory, whose underlying gauge group is OSp(4,2). The couplings which gauge the SO 2 symmetry as well as the accompanying cosmological and masslike terms are directly obtained, and the usual SO 2 model is obtained after a Wigner-Inoenue group contraction. (Auth.)

Evaluation of glass transition temperature and dynamic mechanical properties of autopolymerized hard direct denture reline resins.

Science.gov (United States)

Takase, Kazuma; Watanabe, Ikuya; Kurogi, Tadafumi; Murata, Hiroshi

2015-01-01

This study assessed methods for evaluation of glass transition temperature (Tg) of autopolymerized hard direct denture reline resins using dynamic mechanical analysis and differential scanning calorimetry in addition to the dynamic mechanical properties. The Tg values of 3 different reline resins were determined using a dynamic viscoelastometer and differential scanning calorimeter, and rheological parameters were also determined. Although all materials exhibited higher storage modulus and loss modulus values, and a lower loss tangent at 37˚C with a higher frequency, the frequency dependence was not large. Tg values obtained by dynamic mechanical analysis were higher than those by differential scanning calorimetry and higher frequency led to higher Tg, while more stable Tg values were also obtained by that method. These results suggest that dynamic mechanical analysis is more advantageous for characterization of autopolymerized hard direct denture reline resins than differential scanning calorimetry.

A comprehensive detailed kinetic mechanism for the simulation of transportation fuels

KAUST Repository

Mehl, Marco; Zhang, Kuiwen; Wagnon, Scott; Kukkadapu, Goutham; Westbrook, Charles K.; Pitz, William J.; Zhang, Yinjia; Curran, Henry J.; Al Rachidi, Mariam; Atef, Nour; Sarathy, Mani; Ahmed, Ahfaz

2017-01-01

This work presents a recently compiled comprehensive model for transportations fuels resulting from the collaboration of three research groups: LLNL, NUI Galway and KAUST. In the past 5 years new fundamental calculations led to significant improvements in the fidelity of detailed kinetic models of important surrogate components (e.g. n-heptane, iso-octane, toluene…) improving predictions of the combustion behavior of pure components and mixtures. By extending the newly adopted reaction rate rules, mechanisms for components that were not included in the previous LLNL gasoline and diesel surrogate mechanisms were developed (e.g. polyalkylated aromatics, cycloalkanes, components from bio-logical sources…). The major features of this updated and extended model are presented together with validation comparisons, examples of applications and future directions.

A comprehensive detailed kinetic mechanism for the simulation of transportation fuels

KAUST Repository

Mehl, Marco

2017-02-27

This work presents a recently compiled comprehensive model for transportations fuels resulting from the collaboration of three research groups: LLNL, NUI Galway and KAUST. In the past 5 years new fundamental calculations led to significant improvements in the fidelity of detailed kinetic models of important surrogate components (e.g. n-heptane, iso-octane, toluene…) improving predictions of the combustion behavior of pure components and mixtures. By extending the newly adopted reaction rate rules, mechanisms for components that were not included in the previous LLNL gasoline and diesel surrogate mechanisms were developed (e.g. polyalkylated aromatics, cycloalkanes, components from bio-logical sources…). The major features of this updated and extended model are presented together with validation comparisons, examples of applications and future directions.

A New Control Method for a Bi-Directional Phase-Shift-Controlled DC-DC Converter with an Extended Load Range

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wenzheng Xu

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Phase-shifted converters are practically important to provide high conversion efficiencies through soft-switching techniques. However, the limitation on a resonant inductor current in the converters often leads to a non-fulfillment of the requirement of minimum load current. This paper presents a new power electronics control technique to enable the dual features of bi-directional power flow and an extended load range for soft-switching in phase-shift-controlled DC-DC converters. The proposed technique utilizes two identical full bridge converters and inverters in conjunction with a new control logic for gate-driving signals to facilitate both Zero Current Switching (ZCS and Zero Voltage Switching (ZVS in a single phase-shift-controlled DC-DC converter. The additional ZCS is designed for light load conditions at which the minimum load current cannot be attained. The bi-directional phase-shift-controlled DC-DC converter can implement the function of synchronous rectification. Its fast dynamic response allows for quick energy recovery during the regenerative braking of traction systems in electrified trains.

EXTENDE MODEL OF COMPETITIVITY THROUG APPLICATION OF NEW APPROACH DIRECTIVES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Slavko Arsovski

2009-03-01

Full Text Available The basic subject of this work is the model of new approach impact on quality and safety products, and competency of our companies. This work represents real hypothesis on the basis of expert's experiences, in regard to that the infrastructure with using new approach directives wasn't examined until now, it isn't known which product or industry of Serbia is related to directives of the new approach and CE mark, and it is not known which are effects of the use of the CE mark. This work should indicate existing quality reserves and product's safety, the level of possible competency improvement and increasing the profit by discharging new approach directive requires.

Next generation extended Lagrangian first principles molecular dynamics.

Science.gov (United States)

Niklasson, Anders M N

2017-08-07

Extended Lagrangian Born-Oppenheimer molecular dynamics [A. M. N. Niklasson, Phys. Rev. Lett. 100, 123004 (2008)] is formulated for general Hohenberg-Kohn density-functional theory and compared with the extended Lagrangian framework of first principles molecular dynamics by Car and Parrinello [Phys. Rev. Lett. 55, 2471 (1985)]. It is shown how extended Lagrangian Born-Oppenheimer molecular dynamics overcomes several shortcomings of regular, direct Born-Oppenheimer molecular dynamics, while improving or maintaining important features of Car-Parrinello simulations. The accuracy of the electronic degrees of freedom in extended Lagrangian Born-Oppenheimer molecular dynamics, with respect to the exact Born-Oppenheimer solution, is of second-order in the size of the integration time step and of fourth order in the potential energy surface. Improved stability over recent formulations of extended Lagrangian Born-Oppenheimer molecular dynamics is achieved by generalizing the theory to finite temperature ensembles, using fractional occupation numbers in the calculation of the inner-product kernel of the extended harmonic oscillator that appears as a preconditioner in the electronic equations of motion. Material systems that normally exhibit slow self-consistent field convergence can be simulated using integration time steps of the same order as in direct Born-Oppenheimer molecular dynamics, but without the requirement of an iterative, non-linear electronic ground-state optimization prior to the force evaluations and without a systematic drift in the total energy. In combination with proposed low-rank and on the fly updates of the kernel, this formulation provides an efficient and general framework for quantum-based Born-Oppenheimer molecular dynamics simulations.

Analytical mechanics for relativity and quantum mechanics

CERN Document Server

Johns, Oliver Davis

2011-01-01

Analytical Mechanics for Relativity and Quantum Mechanics is an innovative and mathematically sound treatment of the foundations of analytical mechanics and the relation of classical mechanics to relativity and quantum theory. It is intended for use at the introductory graduate level. A distinguishing feature of the book is its integration of special relativity into teaching of classical mechanics. After a thorough review of the traditional theory, Part II of the book introduces extended Lagrangian and Hamiltonian methods that treat time as a transformable coordinate rather than the fixed parameter of Newtonian physics. Advanced topics such as covariant Langrangians and Hamiltonians, canonical transformations, and Hamilton-Jacobi methods are simplified by the use of this extended theory. And the definition of canonical transformation no longer excludes the Lorenz transformation of special relativity. This is also a book for those who study analytical mechanics to prepare for a critical exploration of quantum...

The Poincar group in a demisemidirect product with a non-associative algebra with representations that Include particles and quarks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schroeck, Franklin E.

2008-01-01

The quarks have always been a puzzle, as have the particles' mass and mass/spin relations as they seemed to have no coordinates in configuration space and/or momentum space. The solution to this seems to lie in the marriage of ordinary Poincare group representations with a non-associative algebra made through a demisemidirect product. Then, the work of G. Dixon applies; so, we may obtain all the relations between masses, mass and spin, and the attribution of position and momentum to quarks--this in spite of the old restriction that the Poincare group cannot be extended to a larger group by any means (including the (semi)direct product) to get even the mass relations. Finally, we will briefly discuss a possible connection between the phase space representations of the Poincare group and the phase space representations of the object we will obtain. This will take us into Leibniz (co)homology.

Direct Visualization of Mechanical Beats by Means of an Oscillating Smartphone

Science.gov (United States)

Giménez, Marcos H.; Salinas, Isabel; Monsoriu, Juan A.; Castro-Palacio, Juan C.

2017-10-01

The resonance phenomenon is widely known in physics courses. Qualitatively speaking, resonance takes place in a driven oscillating system whenever the frequency approaches the natural frequency, resulting in maximal oscillatory amplitude. Very closely related to resonance is the phenomenon of mechanical beating, which occurs when the driving and natural frequencies of the system are slightly different. The frequency of the beat is just the difference of the natural and driving frequencies. Beats are very familiar in acoustic systems. There are several works in this journal on visualizing the beats in acoustic systems. For instance, the microphone and the speaker of two mobile devices were used in previous work to analyze the acoustic beats produced by two signals of close frequencies. The formation of beats can also be visualized in mechanical systems, such as a mass-spring system or a double-driven string. Here, the mechanical beats in a smartphone-spring system are directly visualized in a simple way. The frequency of the beats is measured by means of the acceleration sensor of a smartphone, which hangs from a spring attached to a mechanical driver. This laboratory experiment is suitable for both high school and first-year university physics courses.

Alternatives to Antibiotics in Semen Extenders: A Review

OpenAIRE

Morrell, Jane M.; Wallgren, Margareta

2014-01-01

Antibiotics are added to semen extenders to be used for artificial insemination (AI) in livestock breeding to control bacterial contamination in semen arising during collection and processing. The antibiotics to be added and their concentrations for semen for international trade are specified by government directives. Since the animal production industry uses large quantities of semen for artificial insemination, large amounts of antibiotics are currently used in semen extenders. Possible alt...

A super-version of quasi-free second quantization. 1. Charged particles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Grosse, H.; Langmann, E.

1990-01-01

We present a formalism comprising and extending quasi-free second quantization of charged bosons and fermions. The second quantization of one-particle observables leads to current superalgebras and a super Schwinger term shows up. We introduce anticommuting parameters in order to construct super Bogoliubov transformations mixing bosons and fermion. As an application, we give representations of Lie superalgebras which are semidirect products of extensions of affine Kac-Moody algebras and the Virasoro algebra, and of the super Virasoro algebra. (Authors) 36 refs

Mechanisms of Hepatitis C Viral Resistance to Direct Acting Antivirals.

Science.gov (United States)

Ahmed, Asma; Felmlee, Daniel J

2015-12-18

There has been a remarkable transformation in the treatment of chronic hepatitis C in recent years with the development of direct acting antiviral agents targeting virus encoded proteins important for viral replication including NS3/4A, NS5A and NS5B. These agents have shown high sustained viral response (SVR) rates of more than 90% in phase 2 and phase 3 clinical trials; however, this is slightly lower in real-life cohorts. Hepatitis C virus resistant variants are seen in most patients who do not achieve SVR due to selection and outgrowth of resistant hepatitis C virus variants within a given host. These resistance associated mutations depend on the class of direct-acting antiviral drugs used and also vary between hepatitis C virus genotypes and subtypes. The understanding of these mutations has a clear clinical implication in terms of choice and combination of drugs used. In this review, we describe mechanism of action of currently available drugs and summarize clinically relevant resistance data.

Nuclear collective vibrations in extended mean-field theory

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lacroix, D. [Lab. de Physique Corpusculaire/ ENSICAEN, 14 - Caen (France); Ayik, S. [Tennessee Technological Univ., Cookeville, TN (United States); Chomaz, Ph. [Grand Accelerateur National d' Ions Lourds (GANIL), 14 - Caen (France)

2003-07-01

The extended mean-field theory, which includes both the incoherent dissipation mechanism due to nucleon-nucleon collisions and the coherent dissipation mechanism due to coupling to low-lying surface vibrations, is briefly reviewed. Expressions of the strength functions for the collective excitations are presented in the small amplitude limit of this approach. This fully microscopic theory is applied by employing effective Skyrme forces to various giant resonance excitations at zero and finite temperature. The theory is able to describe the gross properties of giant resonance excitations, the fragmentation of the strength distributions as well as their fine structure. At finite temperature, the success and limitations of this extended mean-field description are discussed. (authors)

In situ mechanical TEM: seeing and measuring under stress with electrons

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Legros, M.

2014-01-01

From the first observation of moving dislocations in 1956 to the latest developments of piezo-actuated sample holders and direct electron sensing cameras in modern transmission electron microscopes (TEM), in situ mechanical testing has brought an unequaled view of the involved mechanisms during the plastic deformation of materials. Although MEMS-based or load-cell equipped holders provide an almost direct measure of these quantities, deriving stress and strain from in situ TEM experiments has an extensive history. Nowadays, the realization of a complete mechanical test while observing the evolution of a dislocation structure is possible, and it constitutes the perfect combination to explore size effects in plasticity. New cameras, data acquisition rates and intrinsic image-related techniques, such as holography, should extend the efficiency and capabilities of in situ deformation inside a TEM. (author)

Direct-current cathodic vacuum arc system with magnetic-field mechanism for plasma stabilization.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, H-S; Komvopoulos, K

2008-07-01

Filtered cathodic vacuum arc (FCVA) deposition is characterized by plasma beam directionality, plasma energy adjustment via substrate biasing, macroparticle filtering, and independent substrate temperature control. Between the two modes of FCVA deposition, namely, direct current (dc) and pulsed arc, the dc mode yields higher deposition rates than the pulsed mode. However, maintaining the dc arc discharge is challenging because of its inherent plasma instabilities. A system generating a special configuration of magnetic field that stabilizes the dc arc discharge during film deposition is presented. This magnetic field is also part of the out-of-plane magnetic filter used to focus the plasma beam and prevent macroparticle film contamination. The efficiency of the plasma-stabilizing magnetic-field mechanism is demonstrated by the deposition of amorphous carbon (a-C) films exhibiting significantly high hardness and tetrahedral carbon hybridization (sp3) contents higher than 70%. Such high-quality films cannot be produced by dc arc deposition without the plasma-stabilizing mechanism presented in this study.

Direct-current cathodic vacuum arc system with magnetic-field mechanism for plasma stabilization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang, H.-S.; Komvopoulos, K.

2008-01-01

Filtered cathodic vacuum arc (FCVA) deposition is characterized by plasma beam directionality, plasma energy adjustment via substrate biasing, macroparticle filtering, and independent substrate temperature control. Between the two modes of FCVA deposition, namely, direct current (dc) and pulsed arc, the dc mode yields higher deposition rates than the pulsed mode. However, maintaining the dc arc discharge is challenging because of its inherent plasma instabilities. A system generating a special configuration of magnetic field that stabilizes the dc arc discharge during film deposition is presented. This magnetic field is also part of the out-of-plane magnetic filter used to focus the plasma beam and prevent macroparticle film contamination. The efficiency of the plasma-stabilizing magnetic-field mechanism is demonstrated by the deposition of amorphous carbon (a-C) films exhibiting significantly high hardness and tetrahedral carbon hybridization (sp 3 ) contents higher than 70%. Such high-quality films cannot be produced by dc arc deposition without the plasma-stabilizing mechanism presented in this study

Discrete integrable couplings associated with Toda-type lattice and two hierarchies of discrete soliton equations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang Yufeng; Fan Engui; Zhang Yongqing

2006-01-01

With the help of two semi-direct sum Lie algebras, an efficient way to construct discrete integrable couplings is proposed. As its applications, the discrete integrable couplings of the Toda-type lattice equations are obtained. The approach can be devoted to establishing other discrete integrable couplings of the discrete lattice integrable hierarchies of evolution equations

[Molecular characterization of resistance mechanisms: methicillin resistance Staphylococcus aureus, extended spectrum β-lactamases and carbapenemases].

Science.gov (United States)

Oteo, Jesús; Belén Aracil, María

2015-07-01

Multi-drug resistance in bacterial pathogens increases morbidity and mortality in infected patients and it is a threat to public health concern by their high capacity to spread. For both reasons, the rapid detection of multi-drug resistant bacteria is critical. Standard microbiological procedures require 48-72 h to provide the antimicrobial susceptibility results, thus there is emerging interest in the development of rapid detection techniques. In recent years, the use of selective and differential culture-based methods has widely spread. However, the capacity for detecting antibiotic resistance genes and their low turnaround times has made molecular methods a reference for diagnosis of multidrug resistance. This review focusses on the molecular methods for detecting some mechanisms of antibiotic resistance with a high clinical and epidemiological impact: a) Enzymatic resistance to broad spectrum β-lactam antibiotics in Enterobacteriaceae, mainly extended spectrum β-lactamases (ESBL) and carbapenemases; and b) methicillin resistance in Staphylococcus aureus. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Gamma rays from fast neutron capture in silicon and sulphur

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lindholm, A.; Nilsson, L.; Bergqvist, I.

1975-01-01

Gamma-ray spectra from neutron capture in natural samples of silicon and sulphur have been recorded at eight neutron energies between 4 and 15 MeV. Time-of-flight techniques were used to improve the signal-to-background ratio and the gamma radiation was detected by a large NaI(Tl) scintillator. Cross sections have been determined for transitions to individual (or groups of) levels in the final nucleus. Calculations based on the direct-semidirect model show that this model gives a reasonable description of the shapes of the gamma-ray spectra, but fails to account for observed excitation functions. The inclusion of the compound-nucleus capture process gives a conclusive improvement in the description of the excitation functions, in particular at low neutron energies. The ability of the compound-nucleus model to account for the shapes of the gamma-ray spectra is as good as that of the direct-semidirect model. At higher neutron energies, an improvement is obtained for transitions to the region of weakly bound levels, where the single-particle structure is poorly known. (Auth.)

Thermo-mechanical characterization of epoxy nanocomposites with different carbon nanotube distributions obtained by solvent aided and direct mixing.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. Zarrelli

2012-07-01

Full Text Available Two different routes, namely solvent aided dispersion and direct mixing, were employed to disperse Multi-Walled Carbon Nanotubes (MWNTs into a mono-component epoxy system used as matrix for advanced composites. In the first route, MWCNTs were diluted in three different solvents (acetone, sodium dodecyl sulfate and ethanol and then mixed with the matrix by tip sonication. In the second case, carbonaceous nanoparticles were added directly into the hosting system and dispersion was carried out by using three different techniques (mechanical stirring, magnetic agitation and tip sonication. The effects of the solvents and agitation energy were investigated by optical microscopy at micron level, in order assess the more efficient dispersion procedure for the considered epoxy system. It was demonstrated that parameters associated with direct mixing rather than solvent solubility govern MWCNT dispersion. Optical analysis of the nanocomposite morphology evidenced a very low density of MWCNTs micron sized aggregates in the case of direct mixed tip sonicated samples if compared to those obtained by solution aided dispersion. In addition, nanocomposites obtained by sonication showed the lowest density of MWCNTs micron sized aggregates, also when compared with mechanically and magnetically stirred system. Dynamic Mechanical Analysis (DMA and Thermo-Mechanical Analysis (TMA results confirm the final result that among the considered direct mixing techniques, the direct tip sonication represents the most efficient route for MWCNT dispersion. Moreover, the mixing temperature of the hosting matrix system represents a fundamental feature in enhancing the MWCNT de-bundling and dispersion. Small X-ray Scattering analysis revealed that a nanosized structure of nanotubes is formed in the case of the tip sonicated samples that is heuristically correlated with both the maximum enhancement of mechanical modulus and the maximum reduction of thermal expansion coefficients.

Fluid mechanics of directional solidification at reduced gravity

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, C. F.

1992-01-01

The primary objective of the proposed research is to provide additional groundbased support for the flight experiment 'Casting and Solidification Technology' (CAST). This experiment is to be performed in the International Microgravity Laboratory-1 (IML-1) scheduled to be flown on a space shuttle mission scheduled for 1992. In particular, we will provide data on the convective motion and freckle formation during directional solidification of NH4Cl from its aqueous solution at simulated parameter ranges equivalent to reducing the gravity from the sea-level value down to 0.1 g or lower. The secondary objectives of the proposed research are to examine the stability phenomena associated with the onset of freckles and the mechanisms for their subsequent growth and decline (to eventual demise of some) by state-of-the-art imaging techniques and to formulate mathematical models for the prediction of the observed phenomena.

Empirical validation of directed functional connectivity.

Science.gov (United States)

Mill, Ravi D; Bagic, Anto; Bostan, Andreea; Schneider, Walter; Cole, Michael W

2017-02-01

Mapping directions of influence in the human brain connectome represents the next phase in understanding its functional architecture. However, a host of methodological uncertainties have impeded the application of directed connectivity methods, which have primarily been validated via "ground truth" connectivity patterns embedded in simulated functional MRI (fMRI) and magneto-/electro-encephalography (MEG/EEG) datasets. Such simulations rely on many generative assumptions, and we hence utilized a different strategy involving empirical data in which a ground truth directed connectivity pattern could be anticipated with confidence. Specifically, we exploited the established "sensory reactivation" effect in episodic memory, in which retrieval of sensory information reactivates regions involved in perceiving that sensory modality. Subjects performed a paired associate task in separate fMRI and MEG sessions, in which a ground truth reversal in directed connectivity between auditory and visual sensory regions was instantiated across task conditions. This directed connectivity reversal was successfully recovered across different algorithms, including Granger causality and Bayes network (IMAGES) approaches, and across fMRI ("raw" and deconvolved) and source-modeled MEG. These results extend simulation studies of directed connectivity, and offer practical guidelines for the use of such methods in clarifying causal mechanisms of neural processing. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Conformal internal symmetry of 2d σ-models coupled to gravity and a dilaton

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Julia, B.

1996-01-01

General relativity reduced to two dimensions possesses a large group of symmetries that exchange classical solutions. The associated Lie algebra is known to contain the affine Kac-Moody algebra A 1 (1) and half of a real Witt algebra. In this paper we exhibit the full symmetry under the semi-direct product of Lie(A 1 (1) ) by the Witt algebra Lie(W). Furthermore we exhibit the corresponding hidden gauge symmetries. We show that the theory can be understood in terms of an infinite dimensional potential space involving all degrees of freedom: the dilaton as well as matter and gravitation. In the dilaton sector the linear system that extends the previously known Lax pair has the form of a twisted self-duality constraint that is the analog of the self-duality constraint arising in extended supergravities in higher space-time dimensions. Our results furnish a group theoretical explanation for the simultaneous occurrence of two spectral parameters, a constant one (=y) and a variable one (=t). They hold for all 2d non-linear σ-models that are obtained by dimensional reduction of G/H models in three dimensions coupled to pure gravity. (orig./WL) (orig.)

Cognitive Mechanisms Underlying Directional and Non-directional Spatial-Numerical Associations across the Lifespan

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Manuel Ninaus

2017-08-01

Full Text Available There is accumulating evidence suggesting an association of numbers with physical space. However, the origin of such spatial-numerical associations (SNAs is still debated. In the present study we investigated the development of two SNAs in a cross-sectional study involving children, young and middle-aged adults as well as the elderly: (1 the SNARC (spatial-numerical association of response codes effect, reflecting a directional SNA; and (2 the numerical bisection bias in a line bisection task with numerical flankers. Results revealed a consistent SNARC effect in all age groups that continuously increased with age. In contrast, a numerical bisection bias was only observed for children and elderly participants, implying an U-shaped distribution of this bias across age groups. Additionally, individual SNARC effects and numerical bisection biases did not correlate significantly. We argue that the SNARC effect seems to be influenced by longer-lasting experiences of cultural constraints such as reading and writing direction and may thus reflect embodied representations. Contrarily, the numerical bisection bias may originate from insufficient inhibition of the semantic influence of irrelevant numerical flankers, which should be more pronounced in children and elderly people due to development and decline of cognitive control, respectively. As there is an ongoing debate on the origins of SNAs in general and the SNARC effect in particular, the present results are discussed in light of these differing accounts in an integrative approach. However, taken together, the present pattern of results suggests that different cognitive mechanisms underlie the SNARC effect and the numerical bisection bias.

Direct synthesis of BiCuChO-type oxychalcogenides by mechanical alloying

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pele, Vincent; Barreteau, Celine [Institut de Chimie Moléculaire et des Matériaux d’Orsay, Univ. Paris-Sud, UMR 8182, Orsay F-91405 (France); CNRS, Orsay F-91405 (France); Berardan, David, E-mail: david.berardan@u-psud.fr [Institut de Chimie Moléculaire et des Matériaux d’Orsay, Univ. Paris-Sud, UMR 8182, Orsay F-91405 (France); CNRS, Orsay F-91405 (France); Zhao, Lidong; Dragoe, Nita [Institut de Chimie Moléculaire et des Matériaux d’Orsay, Univ. Paris-Sud, UMR 8182, Orsay F-91405 (France); CNRS, Orsay F-91405 (France)

2013-07-15

We report on the direct synthesis of BiCuChO based materials by mechanical alloying (Ch=Se, Te). We show that contrary to the synthesis paths used in the previous reports dealing with this family of materials, which use costly annealings in closed silica tubes under controlled atmosphere, this new synthesis route enables the synthesis of pure phase materials at room temperature under air, with reasonable milling time. This synthesis procedure is easily scalable for large scale applications. - Highlights: • Phase pure BiCuSeO doped and undoped prepared by mechanical alloying. • Synthesis performed under air at room temperature. • Electrical properties similar to that of samples synthesized by a classical path.

Microstructure and mechanical property of dual-directional-extruded Mg alloy AZ31

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lu Liwei; Liu Tianmo; Jiang Shan; Pan Fushen; Liu Qing; Wang Zhongchang

2010-01-01

We report microstructure evolution and mechanical property of Mg alloy AZ31 processed by a new deformation technique, dual-directional extrusion (DDE). Using optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and electron back scatter diffraction technique, we attribute the significant refinement of original coarse grains in the DDE-processed alloy to the occurrence of dynamic recrystallization. Moreover, we find that low temperature is crucial for yielding fine grain, which consequently results in high micro-hardness and yield stress, large fracture strain, and enhanced elongation. The improved mechanical properties are comparable or even superior to those of the alloy subjected to other deformation techniques, rendering the DDE a promising way for further tailoring properties of Mg-based alloys.

Mechanical impedance of the human body in vertical direction.

Science.gov (United States)

Holmlund, P; Lundström, R; Lindberg, L

2000-08-01

The mechanical impedance of the human body in sitting posture and vertical direction was measured during different experimental conditions, such as vibration level (0.5-1.4 m/s2), frequency (2-100 Hz), body weight (57-92 kg), relaxed and erect upper body posture. The outcome shows that impedance increases with frequency up to a peak at about 5 Hz after which it decreases in a complex manner which includes two additional peaks. The frequency at which the first and second impedance peak occurs decreases with higher vibration level. Erect, compared with relaxed body posture resulted in higher impedance magnitudes and with peaks located at somewhat higher frequencies. Heavy persons show higher impedance magnitudes and peaks at lower frequencies.

Mechanisms and Effects of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation

Science.gov (United States)

Giordano, James; Bikson, Marom; Kappenman, Emily S.; Clark, Vincent P.; Coslett, H. Branch; Hamblin, Michael R.; Hamilton, Roy; Jankord, Ryan; Kozumbo, Walter J.; McKinley, R. Andrew; Nitsche, Michael A.; Reilly, J. Patrick; Richardson, Jessica; Wurzman, Rachel

2017-01-01

The US Air Force Office of Scientific Research convened a meeting of researchers in the fields of neuroscience, psychology, engineering, and medicine to discuss most pressing issues facing ongoing research in the field of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) and related techniques. In this study, we present opinions prepared by participants of the meeting, focusing on the most promising areas of research, immediate and future goals for the field, and the potential for hormesis theory to inform tDCS research. Scientific, medical, and ethical considerations support the ongoing testing of tDCS in healthy and clinical populations, provided best protocols are used to maximize safety. Notwithstanding the need for ongoing research, promising applications include enhancing vigilance/attention in healthy volunteers, which can accelerate training and support learning. Commonly, tDCS is used as an adjunct to training/rehabilitation tasks with the goal of leftward shift in the learning/treatment effect curves. Although trials are encouraging, elucidating the basic mechanisms of tDCS will accelerate validation and adoption. To this end, biomarkers (eg, clinical neuroimaging and findings from animal models) can support hypotheses linking neurobiological mechanisms and behavioral effects. Dosage can be optimized using computational models of current flow and understanding dose–response. Both biomarkers and dosimetry should guide individualized interventions with the goal of reducing variability. Insights from other applied energy domains, including ionizing radiation, transcranial magnetic stimulation, and low-level laser (light) therapy, can be prudently leveraged. PMID:28210202

Quality comparison of direct digital panoramic radiography and computed radiography panoramic

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dariush Goodarzipour

2013-09-01

Full Text Available BACKGROUND AND AIM: Digital panoramic X-ray images can be captured using photostimulable phosphors or solid-state detectors (i.e. charge-coupled devices and Flat-Panels. The first category is defined as computed radiography (CR or semi-direct radiography. The second technology that uses solid-state detectors is known as direct digital radiography (DDR. Both of these technologies have their own advantages and disadvantages. One of the most important fields in comparison of these systems is their resultant image quality. The purpose of this study was to compare the subjective image quality of DDR and CR digital panoramic system, and to assess the overall density and contrast of their images. METHODS: 200 patients were randomly allocated to two digital systems: Promax [central control digital (CCD] and XC [photostimulable phosphor plates (PSP]. Image quality was evaluated in six regions on a 3-point scale by three oral and maxillofacial radiologists independently. In addition, observers assessed overall density and contrast of each image on a 3-point scale. RESULTS: Using chi-square test, no statistically significant differences were found (P >0.05 in subjective image quality of anatomic structures between the two radiographic systems. But DDR system outperformed CR system in overall density and contrast of the image. P values for both overall density and contrast of the images was less than 0.001. CONCLUSIONS: The subjective image quality of CR and DDR panoramic systems in specified anatomic regions were found statistically comparable in this study. In overall density and contrast of the radiographs, DDR system proved better than CR system.

Polygonal-path approximation on the path spaces of quantum mechanical systems: extended Feynman maps

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Exner, R.; Kolerov, G.I.

1981-01-01

Various types of polygonal-path approximations appearing in the functional-integration theory are discussed. The uniform approximation is applied to extend the definition of the Feynman maps from our previous paper and to prove consistency of this extension. Relations of the extended Fsub(-i)-map to the Wiener integral are given. In particular, the basic theorem about the sequential Wiener integral by Cameron is improved [ru

Mechanisms of Hepatitis C Viral Resistance to Direct Acting Antivirals

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Asma Ahmed

2015-12-01

Full Text Available There has been a remarkable transformation in the treatment of chronic hepatitis C in recent years with the development of direct acting antiviral agents targeting virus encoded proteins important for viral replication including NS3/4A, NS5A and NS5B. These agents have shown high sustained viral response (SVR rates of more than 90% in phase 2 and phase 3 clinical trials; however, this is slightly lower in real-life cohorts. Hepatitis C virus resistant variants are seen in most patients who do not achieve SVR due to selection and outgrowth of resistant hepatitis C virus variants within a given host. These resistance associated mutations depend on the class of direct-acting antiviral drugs used and also vary between hepatitis C virus genotypes and subtypes. The understanding of these mutations has a clear clinical implication in terms of choice and combination of drugs used. In this review, we describe mechanism of action of currently available drugs and summarize clinically relevant resistance data.

Extended Model-Based Feedforward Compensation in L1 Adaptive Control for Mechanical Manipulators: Design and Experiments

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Moussab eBennehar

2015-12-01

Full Text Available This paper deals with a new control scheme for Parallel Kinematic Manipulators (PKMs based on the L1 adaptive control theory. The original L1 adaptive controller is extended by including an adaptive loop based on the dynamics of the PKM. The additional model-based term is in charge of the compensation of the modeled nonlinear dynamics in the aim of improving the tracking performance. Moreover, the proposed controller is enhanced to reduce the internal forces, which may appear in the case of Redundantly Actuated PKMs (RA-PKMs. The generated control inputs are first regulated through a projection mechanism that reduces the antagonistic internal forces, before being applied to the manipulator. To validate the proposed controller and to show its effectiveness, real-time experiments are conducted on a new four degrees-of-freedom (4-DOFs RA-PKM developed in our laboratory.

Mechanical analysis of non-uniform bi-directional functionally graded intelligent micro-beams using modified couple stress theory

Science.gov (United States)

Bakhshi Khaniki, Hossein; Rajasekaran, Sundaramoorthy

2018-05-01

This study develops a comprehensive investigation on mechanical behavior of non-uniform bi-directional functionally graded beam sensors in the framework of modified couple stress theory. Material variation is modelled through both length and thickness directions using power-law, sigmoid and exponential functions. Moreover, beam is assumed with linear, exponential and parabolic cross-section variation through the length using power-law and sigmoid varying functions. Using these assumptions, a general model for microbeams is presented and formulated by employing Hamilton’s principle. Governing equations are solved using a mixed finite element method with Lagrangian interpolation technique, Gaussian quadrature method and Wilson’s Lagrangian multiplier method. It is shown that by using bi-directional functionally graded materials in nonuniform microbeams, mechanical behavior of such structures could be affected noticeably and scale parameter has a significant effect in changing the rigidity of nonuniform bi-directional functionally graded beams.

Water in contact with extended hydrophobic surfaces: Direct evidence of weak dewetting

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jensen, Torben R.; Kjaer, Kristian; Oestergaard Jensen, Morten; Peters, Guenther H.; Reitzel, Niels; Balashev, Konstantin; Bjoernholm, Thomas

2003-01-01

X-ray reflectivity measurements reveal a significant dewetting of a large hydrophobic paraffin surface floating on water. The dewetting phenomenon extends less than 15 A into the bulk water phase and results in an integrated density deficit of about one water molecule per 25-30 A 2 of water in contact with the paraffin surface. The results are supported by molecular dynamics simulations and related to the hydrophobic effect

Comparison of Rice Direct Seeding Methods (Mechanical and Manual with Transplanting Method

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A Eyvani

2014-04-01

Full Text Available The main method of rice planting in Iran is transplanting. Due to poor mechanization of rice production, this method is laborious and costly. The other method is direct seeding in wet lands which is performed in the one third of rice cultivation area of the world. The most important problem in this method is high labor requirement of weed control. In order to compare the different rice planting methods (direct drilling, transplanting, and seed broadcasting a manually operated rice direct seeder (drum seeder was designed and fabricated. The research was conducted using a randomized complete block design with three treatments and three replications. Required draft force, field efficiency, effective field capacity, yield, and yield components were measured and the treatments were compared economically. Results showed that there were significant differences among the treatments from the view point of rice yield at the confidence level of 95% i.e. the transplanting method had the maximum yield. A higher rice yield was obtained from the direct seeder compared to the manual broadcasting method but, the difference between these two methods for crop yield was not significant even at the confidence level of the 95%. The coefficient of variation of seed distribution with direct seeding was more than 20%. The labor and time requirements per hectare reduced to 7 and 20 times, respectively when comparing the newly designed direct seeder with the transplanting method. The direct seeding method had the highest benefit to cost ratio in spite of its lower yield. Therefore, this method could be recommended in the rice growing regions.

The detection of transient directional couplings based on phase synchronization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wagner, T; Fell, J; Lehnertz, K

2010-01-01

We extend recent approaches based on the concept of phase synchronization to enable the time-resolved investigation of directional relationships between coupled dynamical systems from short and transient noisy time series. For our approach, we consider an observed ensemble of a sufficiently large number of time series as multiple realizations of a process. We derive an index that quantifies the direction of transient interactions and assess its statistical significance using surrogate techniques. Analysing time series from noisy and chaotic systems, we demonstrate numerically the applicability and limitations of our approach. Our findings from an exemplary application to event-related brain activities underline the importance of our method for improving knowledge about the mechanisms underlying memory formation in humans.

The detection of transient directional couplings based on phase synchronization

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wagner, T; Fell, J; Lehnertz, K, E-mail: twagner@uni-bonn.d [Department of Epileptology, University of Bonn, Sigmund-Freud-Strasse 25, 53127 Bonn (Germany)

2010-05-15

We extend recent approaches based on the concept of phase synchronization to enable the time-resolved investigation of directional relationships between coupled dynamical systems from short and transient noisy time series. For our approach, we consider an observed ensemble of a sufficiently large number of time series as multiple realizations of a process. We derive an index that quantifies the direction of transient interactions and assess its statistical significance using surrogate techniques. Analysing time series from noisy and chaotic systems, we demonstrate numerically the applicability and limitations of our approach. Our findings from an exemplary application to event-related brain activities underline the importance of our method for improving knowledge about the mechanisms underlying memory formation in humans.

From Nonradiating Sources to Directionally Invisible Objects

Science.gov (United States)

Hurwitz, Elisa

The goal of this dissertation is to extend the understanding of invisible objects, in particular nonradiating sources and directional nonscattering scatterers. First, variations of null-field nonradiating sources are derived from Maxwell's equations. Next, it is shown how to design a nonscattering scatterer by applying the boundary conditions for nonradiating sources to the scalar wave equation, referred to here as the "field cloak method". This technique is used to demonstrate directionally invisible scatterers for an incident field with one direction of incidence, and the influence of symmetry on the directionality is explored. This technique, when applied to the scalar wave equation, is extended to show that a directionally invisible object may be invisible for multiple directions of incidence simultaneously. This opens the door to the creation of optically switchable, directionally invisible objects which could be implemented in couplers and other novel optical devices. Next, a version of the "field cloak method" is extended to the Maxwell's electro-magnetic vector equations, allowing more flexibility in the variety of directionally invisible objects that can be designed. This thesis concludes with examples of such objects and future applications.

Estimation of three-dimensional radar tracking using modified extended kalman filter

Science.gov (United States)

Aditya, Prima; Apriliani, Erna; Khusnul Arif, Didik; Baihaqi, Komar

2018-03-01

Kalman filter is an estimation method by combining data and mathematical models then developed be extended Kalman filter to handle nonlinear systems. Three-dimensional radar tracking is one of example of nonlinear system. In this paper developed a modification method of extended Kalman filter from the direct decline of the three-dimensional radar tracking case. The development of this filter algorithm can solve the three-dimensional radar measurements in the case proposed in this case the target measured by radar with distance r, azimuth angle θ, and the elevation angle ϕ. Artificial covariance and mean adjusted directly on the three-dimensional radar system. Simulations result show that the proposed formulation is effective in the calculation of nonlinear measurement compared with extended Kalman filter with the value error at 0.77% until 1.15%.

Effect of fiber directionality on the static and dynamic mechanical properties of 3D SiCf/SiC composites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hou, Zhenhua; Luo, Ruiying; Yang, Wei; Xu, Huaizhe; Han, Tao

2016-01-01

The static and dynamic mechanical properties of three-dimensional (3D) 4-directional and 3D 5-directional braided SiC f /SiC composites fabricated by polymer infiltration and pyrolysis (PIP) were investigated using static and dynamic bending tests, as well as microstructural characterization. X-ray diffraction revealed that polycarbosilane was converted into a matrix of crystalline β-SiC after PIP cycling. Test results indicated that the density, flexural strength, elastic modulus, fracture toughness, and storage modulus of 3D 5-directional SiC f /SiC composites were superior to those of 3D 4-directional braided SiC f /SiC composites; the former also showed a smaller internal friction than the latter. Results from Weibull statistical analysis indicated that the scale parameter σ 0 (736.9 MPa) and Weibull modulus m (21.7) of the 3D 5-directional specimen were higher than those of 3D 4-directional braided SiC f /SiC composites (629.6 MPa, 14.7). Both 3D braided composites demonstrated good toughness and avoided catastrophic brittle fractures under loading because of the effective crack energy dissipating mechanisms of crack deflection, interface debonding, and fiber pull-out. The internal friction and storage modulus of the 3D braided composites were sensitive to temperature. The cross angle of fiber placement in the preform and the direction of the applied force, as well as the pre-crack propagation remarkably influenced the static mechanical properties and failure behavior of the 3D braided SiC f /SiC composites. The dynamic mechanical properties of the 3D braided composites, including internal friction and storage modulus, were also considerably affected by fiber directionality in their preforms.

Tuning thermal conduction via extended defects in graphene

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Huaqing; Xu, Yong; Zou, Xiaolong; Wu, Jian; Duan, Wenhui

2013-05-01

Designing materials for desired thermal conduction can be achieved via extended defects. We theoretically demonstrate the concept by investigating thermal transport in graphene nanoribbons (GNRs) with the extended line defects observed by recent experiments. Our nonequilibrium Green's function study excluding phonon-phonon interactions finds that thermal conductance can be tuned over wide ranges (more than 50% at room temperature), by controlling the orientation and the bond configuration of the embedded extended defect. Further transmission analysis reveals that the thermal-conduction tuning is attributed to two fundamentally different mechanisms, via modifying the phonon dispersion and/or tailoring the strength of defect scattering. The finding, applicable to other materials, provides useful guidance for designing materials with desired thermal conduction.

The Extended Family and Children's Educational Success

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jæger, Mads Meier

2012-01-01

Research on family background and educational success focuses almost exclusively on two generations and on parents and children. This paper argues that the extended family makes up a significant part of the total effect of family background on educational success. Empirical results based...... on the Wisconsin Longitudinal Study show that, net of family factors shared by siblings from the same immediate family, factors shared by first cousins from the same extended family account for a nontrivial part of the total variance in children’s educational success. Results also show that while socioeconomic...... characteristics of grandparents and aunts and uncles have few direct effects on educational success, resources in the extended family compensate lacking resources in low-SES families, which in turn promote children’s educational success. The main conclusion is that the total effect of family background...

Kinematics of Planetary Roller Screw Mechanism considering Helical Directions of Screw and Roller Threads

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shangjun Ma

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Based on the differential principle of thread transmission, an analytical model considering helical directions between screw and roller threads in planetary roller screw mechanism (PRSM is presented in this work. The model is critical for the design of PRSM with a smaller lead and a bigger pitch to realize a higher transmission accuracy. The kinematic principle of planetary transmission is employed to analyze the PRSM with different screw thread and roller thread directions. In order to investigate the differences with different screw thread and roller thread directions, the numerical model is developed by using the software Adams to validate the analytical solutions calculated by the presented model. The results indicate, when the helical direction of screw thread is identical with the direction of roller thread, that the lead of PRSM is unaffected regardless of whether sliding between screw and rollers occurs or not. Only when the direction of screw thread is reverse to the direction of roller thread, the design of PRSM with a smaller lead can be realized under a bigger pitch. The presented models and numerical simulation method can be used to research the transmission accuracy of PRSM.

Effect of chain extender on properties of silicone rubber sealant

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Jiesheng; Wu, Shaopeng; Mi, Yixuan; Zhu, Guojun; Zheng, Shaoping

2010-03-01

The room-temperature vulcanizing silicone rubber sealant was prepared with chain extender. The effect of chain extender on the properties of silicone rubber sealant was discussed. The composite samples with chain extender were investigated from the aspects of tack-free time, cross-linkage density, hardness (penetration number) and adhesive strength with the concrete slab. It was found that the adding of the chain extender effectively makes the molecular chain length increase and causes the mechanical properties improvement. In addition, the increase in the amount of the chain extender reduces the cross-linkage density and hardness of silicone rubber sealant, which is accompanied with a decrease in the tack-free time. Adhesive strength is one of the most important requirements for sealant. The effect of chain extender on the adhesive strength was also investigated in this study. It was found that the increase in the amount of the chain extender makes the adhesive strength between the sealant and the concrete slab decrease.

Revision of heavy nuclei data in JENDL-3.2

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kawano, Toshihiko [Kyushu Univ., Advanced Energy Engineering Science, Kasuga, Fukuoka (Japan)

2000-03-01

In order to deal with problems concerning the data of heavy nuclides in JENDL-3.2, a working group was organized to update the evaluated nuclear data of Uranium, Plutonium, and Thorium isotopes. The current status of the working group is reviewed, and some results about resonance parameters, secondary neutron energy spectra, fission cross sections, and direct/semidirect capture process are shown. (author)

Fast neutron capture and the microscopic isovector optical potential

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chakrabarty, D.R.; Gupta, S.K.

Neutron capture cross-sections are calculated with the direct-semidirect model employing the complex microscopic optical potential recently calculated by Jeukenne, Lejoune and Mahaux. The data for 89 Y, Ce and 208 Pb for Esub(n)=6-16 MeV agree well with the calculation for a twofold increase in the magnitude of the isovector part of the microscopic potential. (auth.)

Revision of heavy nuclei data in JENDL-3.2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kawano, Toshihiko

2000-01-01

In order to deal with problems concerning the data of heavy nuclides in JENDL-3.2, a working group was organized to update the evaluated nuclear data of Uranium, Plutonium, and Thorium isotopes. The current status of the working group is reviewed, and some results about resonance parameters, secondary neutron energy spectra, fission cross sections, and direct/semidirect capture process are shown. (author)

Direct visualization of glutamate transporter elevator mechanism by high-speed AFM.

Science.gov (United States)

Ruan, Yi; Miyagi, Atsushi; Wang, Xiaoyu; Chami, Mohamed; Boudker, Olga; Scheuring, Simon

2017-02-14

Glutamate transporters are essential for recovery of the neurotransmitter glutamate from the synaptic cleft. Crystal structures in the outward- and inward-facing conformations of a glutamate transporter homolog from archaebacterium Pyrococcus horikoshii , sodium/aspartate symporter Glt Ph , suggested the molecular basis of the transporter cycle. However, dynamic studies of the transport mechanism have been sparse and indirect. Here we present high-speed atomic force microscopy (HS-AFM) observations of membrane-reconstituted Glt Ph at work. HS-AFM movies provide unprecedented real-space and real-time visualization of the transport dynamics. Our results show transport mediated by large amplitude 1.85-nm "elevator" movements of the transport domains consistent with previous crystallographic and spectroscopic studies. Elevator dynamics occur in the absence and presence of sodium ions and aspartate, but stall in sodium alone, providing a direct visualization of the ion and substrate symport mechanism. We show unambiguously that individual protomers within the trimeric transporter function fully independently.

Neutron shielding performance of water-extended polyester

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vega Carrillo, H.R.; Manzanares-Acuna, E.; Hernandez-Davila, V.M.; Vega Carrillo, H.R.; Hernandez-Davila, V.M.; Gallego, E.; Lorente, A.

2006-01-01

A Monte Carlo study to determine the shielding features to neutrons of water-extended polyester (WEP) was carried out. Materials with low atomic number are predominantly used for neutron shielding because these materials effectively attenuate neutrons, mainly through elastic and inelastic collisions. In addition to neutron attenuation properties, other desirable properties for neutron shielding materials include mechanical strength, stability, low cost, and ease of handling. During the selection of materials to design a neutron shield, prompt gamma production as well as radionuclide induced by neutron activation must be considered. In this investigation the Monte Carlo method (MCNP code) was used to evaluate the performance of a water-extended polyester shield designed for the transportation, storage, and use of a 252 Cf isotopic neutron source, for comparison the calculations were extended to water shielding, the bare source in vacuum and in air. (authors)

Neutron shielding performance of water-extended polyester

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Vega Carrillo, H.R.; Manzanares-Acuna, E.; Hernandez-Davila, V.M. [Zacatecas Univ. Autonoma, Nuclear Studies (Mexico); Vega Carrillo, H.R.; Hernandez-Davila, V.M. [Zacatecas Univ. Autonoma, Electric Engineering Academic Units (Mexico); Gallego, E.; Lorente, A. [Madrid Univ. Politecnica, cNuclear Engineering Department (Mexico)

2006-07-01

A Monte Carlo study to determine the shielding features to neutrons of water-extended polyester (WEP) was carried out. Materials with low atomic number are predominantly used for neutron shielding because these materials effectively attenuate neutrons, mainly through elastic and inelastic collisions. In addition to neutron attenuation properties, other desirable properties for neutron shielding materials include mechanical strength, stability, low cost, and ease of handling. During the selection of materials to design a neutron shield, prompt gamma production as well as radionuclide induced by neutron activation must be considered. In this investigation the Monte Carlo method (MCNP code) was used to evaluate the performance of a water-extended polyester shield designed for the transportation, storage, and use of a {sup 252}Cf isotopic neutron source, for comparison the calculations were extended to water shielding, the bare source in vacuum and in air. (authors)

Extended Kalman filtering applied to a two-axis robotic arm with flexible links

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lertpiriyasuwat, V.; Berg, M.C.; Buffinton, K.W.

2000-03-01

An industrial robot today uses measurements of its joint positions and models of its kinematics and dynamics to estimate and control its end-effector position. Substantially better end-effector position estimation and control performance would be obtainable if direct measurements of its end-effector position were also used. The subject of this paper is extended Kalman filtering for precise estimation of the position of the end-effector of a robot using, in addition to the usual measurements of the joint positions, direct measurements of the end-effector position. The estimation performances of extended Kalman filters are compared in applications to a planar two-axis robotic arm with very flexible links. The comparisons shed new light on the dependence of extended Kalman filter estimation performance on the quality of the model of the arm dynamics that the extended Kalman filter operates with.

Quantum Hamilton mechanics: Hamilton equations of quantum motion, origin of quantum operators, and proof of quantization axiom

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yang, C.-D.

2006-01-01

This paper gives a thorough investigation on formulating and solving quantum problems by extended analytical mechanics that extends canonical variables to complex domain. With this complex extension, we show that quantum mechanics becomes a part of analytical mechanics and hence can be treated integrally with classical mechanics. Complex canonical variables are governed by Hamilton equations of motion, which can be derived naturally from Schroedinger equation. Using complex canonical variables, a formal proof of the quantization axiom p → p = -ih∇, which is the kernel in constructing quantum-mechanical systems, becomes a one-line corollary of Hamilton mechanics. The derivation of quantum operators from Hamilton mechanics is coordinate independent and thus allows us to derive quantum operators directly under any coordinate system without transforming back to Cartesian coordinates. Besides deriving quantum operators, we also show that the various prominent quantum effects, such as quantization, tunneling, atomic shell structure, Aharonov-Bohm effect, and spin, all have the root in Hamilton mechanics and can be described entirely by Hamilton equations of motion

An alternative method for the measurement of the mechanical impulse of a vertically directed blast

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Turner, GR

2008-01-01

Full Text Available An alternative method for the measurement of the total mechanical impulse of a vertically directed blast due to an explosive charge is presented. The method differs from apparatus that employ a vertically displaced mass (similar in principle...

Double optomechanical transparency with direct mechanical interaction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li Ling-Chao; Shi Rao; Xu Jun; Hu Xiang-Ming

2015-01-01

We present a mechanism for double transparency in an optomechanical system. This mechanism is based on the coupling of a moving cavity mirror to a second mechanical oscillator. Due to the purely mechanical coupling and the radiation pressure, three pathways are established for excitations of the probe photons into the cavity photons. Destructive interference occurs at two different frequencies, leading to double transparency to the probe field. It is the coupling strength between the mechanical oscillators that determines the locations of the transparency windows. Moreover, the normal splitting appears for the generated Stokes field and the four-wave mixing process is inhibited on resonance. (paper)

A note on extending decision algorithms by stable predicates

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alfredo Ferro

1988-11-01

Full Text Available A general mechanism to extend decision algorithms to deal with additional predicates is described. The only conditions imposed on the predicates is stability with respect to some transitive relations.

Directed Self-Assembly of Nanodispersions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Furst, Eric M [University of Delaware

2013-11-15

Directed self-assembly promises to be the technologically and economically optimal approach to industrial-scale nanotechnology, and will enable the realization of inexpensive, reproducible and active nanostructured materials with tailored photonic, transport and mechanical properties. These new nanomaterials will play a critical role in meeting the 21st century grand challenges of the US, including energy diversity and sustainability, national security and economic competitiveness. The goal of this work was to develop and fundamentally validate methods of directed selfassembly of nanomaterials and nanodispersion processing. The specific aims were: 1. Nanocolloid self-assembly and interactions in AC electric fields. In an effort to reduce the particle sizes used in AC electric field self-assembly to lengthscales, we propose detailed characterizations of field-driven structures and studies of the fundamental underlying particle interactions. We will utilize microscopy and light scattering to assess order-disorder transitions and self-assembled structures under a variety of field and physicochemical conditions. Optical trapping will be used to measure particle interactions. These experiments will be synergetic with calculations of the particle polarizability, enabling us to both validate interactions and predict the order-disorder transition for nanocolloids. 2. Assembly of anisotropic nanocolloids. Particle shape has profound effects on structure and flow behavior of dispersions, and greatly complicates their processing and self-assembly. The methods developed to study the self-assembled structures and underlying particle interactions for dispersions of isotropic nanocolloids will be extended to systems composed of anisotropic particles. This report reviews several key advances that have been made during this project, including, (1) advances in the measurement of particle polarization mechanisms underlying field-directed self-assembly, and (2) progress in the

Consciousness extended

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Carrara-Augustenborg, Claudia

2012-01-01

There is no consensus yet regarding a conceptualization of consciousness able to accommodate all the features of such complex phenomenon. Different theoretical and empirical models lend strength to both the occurrence of a non-accessible informational broadcast, and to the mobilization of specific...... brain areas responsible for the emergence of the individual´s explicit and variable access to given segments of such broadcast. Rather than advocating one model over others, this chapter proposes to broaden the conceptualization of consciousness by letting it embrace both mechanisms. Within...... such extended framework, I propose conceptual and functional distinctions between consciousness (global broadcast of information), awareness (individual´s ability to access the content of such broadcast) and unconsciousness (focally isolated neural activations). My hypothesis is that a demarcation in terms...

Direct methanol fuel cell with extended reaction zone anode: PtRu and PtRuMo supported on graphite felt

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bauer, Alex; Gyenge, Elod L.; Oloman, Colin W. [Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, The University of British Columbia, 2360 East Mall, Vancouver, BC (Canada)

2007-05-15

Pressed graphite felt (thickness {proportional_to}350 {mu}m) with electrodeposited PtRu (43 g m{sup -2}, 1.4:1 atomic ratio) or PtRuMo (52 g m{sup -2}, 1:1:0.3 atomic ratio) nanoparticle catalysts was investigated as an anode for direct methanol fuel cells. At temperatures above 333 K the fuel cell performance of the PtRuMo catalyst was superior compared to PtRu. The power density was 2200 W m{sup -2} with PtRuMo at 5500 A m{sup -2} and 353 K while under the same conditions PtRu yielded 1925 W m{sup -2}. However, the degradation rate of the Mo containing catalyst formulation was higher. Compared to conventional gas diffusion electrodes with comparable PtRu catalyst composition and load, the graphite felt anodes gave higher power densities mainly due to the extended reaction zone for methanol oxidation. (author)

Direct methanol fuel cell with extended reaction zone anode: PtRu and PtRuMo supported on graphite felt

Science.gov (United States)

Bauer, Alex; Gyenge, Előd L.; Oloman, Colin W.

Pressed graphite felt (thickness ∼350 μm) with electrodeposited PtRu (43 g m -2, 1.4:1 atomic ratio) or PtRuMo (52 g m -2, 1:1:0.3 atomic ratio) nanoparticle catalysts was investigated as an anode for direct methanol fuel cells. At temperatures above 333 K the fuel cell performance of the PtRuMo catalyst was superior compared to PtRu. The power density was 2200 W m -2 with PtRuMo at 5500 A m -2 and 353 K while under the same conditions PtRu yielded 1925 W m -2. However, the degradation rate of the Mo containing catalyst formulation was higher. Compared to conventional gas diffusion electrodes with comparable PtRu catalyst composition and load, the graphite felt anodes gave higher power densities mainly due to the extended reaction zone for methanol oxidation.

Minimal representations of supersymmetry and 1D N-extended σ-models

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Toppan, Francesco

2008-01-01

We discuss the minimal representations of the 1D N-Extended Supersymmetry algebra (the Z 2 -graded symmetry algebra of the Supersymmetric Quantum Mechanics) linearly realized on a finite number of fields depending on a real parameter t, the time. Their knowledge allows to construct one-dimensional sigma-models with extended off-shell supersymmetries without using superfields (author)

Neutron shielding performance of water-extended polyester

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vega Carrillo, H.R.; Manzanares-Acuna, E.; Hernandez-Davila, V.M.; Vega Carrillo, H.R.; Gallegoc, E.; Lorentec, A.; Hernandez-Davila, V.M.

2006-01-01

A Monte Carlo study to determine the shielding features to neutrons of water-extended polyester was carried out. Materials with low atomic number are predominantly used for neutron shielding because these materials effectively attenuate neutrons, mainly through elastic and inelastic collisions. In addition to neutron attenuation properties, other desirable properties for neutron shielding materials include mechanical strength, stability, low cost, and ease of handling. During the selection of materials to design a neutron shield, prompt gamma production as well as radionuclide induced by neutron activation must be considered. In this investigation the Monte Carlo method (M.C.N.P. code) was used to evaluate the performance of a water-extended polyester shield designed for the transportation, storage, and use of a 252 Cf isotopic neutron source, for comparison the calculations were extended to water shielding, the bare source in vacuum and in air. (authors)

Mechanical characteristics of a tool steel layer deposited by using direct energy deposition

Science.gov (United States)

Baek, Gyeong Yun; Shin, Gwang Yong; Lee, Eun Mi; Shim, Do Sik; Lee, Ki Yong; Yoon, Hi-Seak; Kim, Myoung Ho

2017-07-01

This study focuses on the mechanical characteristics of layered tool steel deposited using direct energy deposition (DED) technology. In the DED technique, a laser beam bonds injected metal powder and a thin layer of substrate via melting. In this study, AISI D2 substrate was hardfaced with AISI H13 and M2 metal powders for mechanical testing. The mechanical and metallurgical characteristics of each specimen were investigated via microstructure observation and hardness, wear, and impact tests. The obtained characteristics were compared with those of heat-treated tool steel. The microstructures of the H13- and M2-deposited specimens show fine cellular-dendrite solidification structures due to melting and subsequent rapid cooling. Moreover, the cellular grains of the deposited M2 layer were smaller than those of the H13 structure. The hardness and wear resistance were most improved in the M2-deposited specimen, yet the H13-deposited specimen had higher fracture toughness than the M2-deposited specimen and heat-treated D2.

78 FR 10117 - Use of Medicare Procedures To Enter Into Provider Agreements for Extended Care Services

Science.gov (United States)

2013-02-13

... term `noninstitutional extended care services' means such alternatives to institutional extended care..., including alternatives to institutional extended care that [VA] may furnish directly, by contract, or... Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act, Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002...

Atoms for peace: Extending the benefits of nuclear technologies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Qian, J.; Rogov, A.

1995-01-01

The article focuses on the projects co-operatively undertaken through IAEA mechanisms to extend the reach of beneficial nuclear technologies in response to increasing demands for technical support and assistance from its Member States

A dendrite-autonomous mechanism for direction selectivity in retinal starburst amacrine cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Hausselt, Susanne E; Euler, Thomas; Detwiler, Peter B; Denk, Winfried

2007-07-01

Detection of image motion direction begins in the retina, with starburst amacrine cells (SACs) playing a major role. SACs generate larger dendritic Ca(2+) signals when motion is from their somata towards their dendritic tips than for motion in the opposite direction. To study the mechanisms underlying the computation of direction selectivity (DS) in SAC dendrites, electrical responses to expanding and contracting circular wave visual stimuli were measured via somatic whole-cell recordings and quantified using Fourier analysis. Fundamental and, especially, harmonic frequency components were larger for expanding stimuli. This DS persists in the presence of GABA and glycine receptor antagonists, suggesting that inhibitory network interactions are not essential. The presence of harmonics indicates nonlinearity, which, as the relationship between harmonic amplitudes and holding potential indicates, is likely due to the activation of voltage-gated channels. [Ca(2+)] changes in SAC dendrites evoked by voltage steps and monitored by two-photon microscopy suggest that the distal dendrite is tonically depolarized relative to the soma, due in part to resting currents mediated by tonic glutamatergic synaptic input, and that high-voltage-activated Ca(2+) channels are active at rest. Supported by compartmental modeling, we conclude that dendritic DS in SACs can be computed by the dendrites themselves, relying on voltage-gated channels and a dendritic voltage gradient, which provides the spatial asymmetry necessary for direction discrimination.

A dendrite-autonomous mechanism for direction selectivity in retinal starburst amacrine cells.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Susanne E Hausselt

2007-07-01

Full Text Available Detection of image motion direction begins in the retina, with starburst amacrine cells (SACs playing a major role. SACs generate larger dendritic Ca(2+ signals when motion is from their somata towards their dendritic tips than for motion in the opposite direction. To study the mechanisms underlying the computation of direction selectivity (DS in SAC dendrites, electrical responses to expanding and contracting circular wave visual stimuli were measured via somatic whole-cell recordings and quantified using Fourier analysis. Fundamental and, especially, harmonic frequency components were larger for expanding stimuli. This DS persists in the presence of GABA and glycine receptor antagonists, suggesting that inhibitory network interactions are not essential. The presence of harmonics indicates nonlinearity, which, as the relationship between harmonic amplitudes and holding potential indicates, is likely due to the activation of voltage-gated channels. [Ca(2+] changes in SAC dendrites evoked by voltage steps and monitored by two-photon microscopy suggest that the distal dendrite is tonically depolarized relative to the soma, due in part to resting currents mediated by tonic glutamatergic synaptic input, and that high-voltage-activated Ca(2+ channels are active at rest. Supported by compartmental modeling, we conclude that dendritic DS in SACs can be computed by the dendrites themselves, relying on voltage-gated channels and a dendritic voltage gradient, which provides the spatial asymmetry necessary for direction discrimination.

Use of commercial extenders and alternatives to prevent sperm agglutination for cryopreservation of brown bear semen.

Science.gov (United States)

Gomes-Alves, S; Alvarez, M; Nicolas, M; Lopez-Urueña, E; Martínez-Rodríguez, C; Borragan, S; de Paz, P; Anel, L

2014-08-01

The objective of this study was to evaluate different bovine and canine commercial semen extenders for cryopreservation of brown bear ejaculates and the effect of semen collection directly into extender on sperm agglutination. Semen samples were obtained by electroejaculation from 13 adult males. In experiment 1, eleven ejaculates from eight bears were used to evaluate Bioxcell and Andromed as extenders, whereas in experiment 2, nine ejaculates from six bears were used to evaluate Triladyl canine, CaniPro, and Extender 2 as extenders. An extender specifically developed for brown bears (Test-Tris-fructose-egg yolk-glycerol, TTF-ULE/bear) served as a control extender in both experiments. After thawing, total and progressive sperm motility and sperm viability were greater (P bear and Andromed extenders than for Bioxcell in experiment 1 and greater (P bear extender than for Triladyl Canine, CaniPro, and Extender 2 in experiment 2. In experiment 3, addition of handling extender (TTF-H) to the semen collection tube for eight ejaculates from seven bears resulted in less (P bear is the most suitable extender for brown bear semen cryopreservation, but comparable results can be obtained with the commercial extender Andromed. In addition, collection of ejaculates directly in TTF-H extender decreases sperm agglutination in fresh samples. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Next Generation Extended Lagrangian Quantum-based Molecular Dynamics

Science.gov (United States)

Negre, Christian

2017-06-01

A new framework for extended Lagrangian first-principles molecular dynamics simulations is presented, which overcomes shortcomings of regular, direct Born-Oppenheimer molecular dynamics, while maintaining important advantages of the unified extended Lagrangian formulation of density functional theory pioneered by Car and Parrinello three decades ago. The new framework allows, for the first time, energy conserving, linear-scaling Born-Oppenheimer molecular dynamics simulations, which is necessary to study larger and more realistic systems over longer simulation times than previously possible. Expensive, self-consinstent-field optimizations are avoided and normal integration time steps of regular, direct Born-Oppenheimer molecular dynamics can be used. Linear scaling electronic structure theory is presented using a graph-based approach that is ideal for parallel calculations on hybrid computer platforms. For the first time, quantum based Born-Oppenheimer molecular dynamics simulation is becoming a practically feasible approach in simulations of +100,000 atoms-representing a competitive alternative to classical polarizable force field methods. In collaboration with: Anders Niklasson, Los Alamos National Laboratory.

Nonlinear mechanics of thin-walled structures asymptotics, direct approach and numerical analysis

CERN Document Server

Vetyukov, Yury

2014-01-01

This book presents a hybrid approach to the mechanics of thin bodies. Classical theories of rods, plates and shells with constrained shear are based on asymptotic splitting of the equations and boundary conditions of three-dimensional elasticity. The asymptotic solutions become accurate as the thickness decreases, and the three-dimensional fields of stresses and displacements can be determined. The analysis includes practically important effects of electromechanical coupling and material inhomogeneity. The extension to the geometrically nonlinear range uses the direct approach based on the principle of virtual work. Vibrations and buckling of pre-stressed structures are studied with the help of linearized incremental formulations, and direct tensor calculus rounds out the list of analytical techniques used throughout the book. A novel theory of thin-walled rods of open profile is subsequently developed from the models of rods and shells, and traditionally applied equations are proven to be asymptotically exa...

Efficacy in Deep Vein Thrombosis Prevention With Extended Mechanical Compression Device Therapy and Prophylactic Aspirin Following Total Knee Arthroplasty: A Randomized Control Trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Snyder, Mark A; Sympson, Alexandra N; Scheuerman, Christina M; Gregg, Justin L; Hussain, Lala R

2017-05-01

Aspirin at 325 mg twice daily is now included as a nationally approved venous thromboembolism (VTE) prophylaxis protocol for low-risk total knee arthroplasty (TKA) patients. The purpose of this study is to examine whether there is a difference in deep vein thrombosis (DVT) occurrence after a limited tourniquet TKA using aspirin-based prophylaxis with or without extended use of mechanical compression device (MCD) therapy. One hundred limited tourniquet TKA patients, whose DVT risk was managed with aspirin 325 mg twice daily for 3 weeks, were randomized to either using an MCD during hospitalization only or extended use at home up to 6 weeks postoperatively. Lower extremity duplex venous ultrasonography (LEDVU) was completed on the second postoperative day, 14 days postoperatively, and at 3 months postoperatively to confirm the absence of DVT after treatment. The DVT rate for the postdischarge MCD therapy group was 0% and 23.1% for the inpatient MCD group (P aspirin for 3 weeks postoperatively, and on MCD therapy for up to 6 weeks postoperatively experienced superior DVT prophylaxis than patients receiving MCD therapy only as an inpatient (P aspirin and extended-use MCD further validates this type of prophylaxis in low DVT risk TKA patients. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A comparison of the effects of transcranial direct current stimulation and caffeine on vigilance and cognitive performance during extended wakefulness.

Science.gov (United States)

McIntire, Lindsey K; McKinley, R Andy; Goodyear, Chuck; Nelson, Justin

2014-01-01

Sleep deprivation from extended duty hours is a common complaint for many occupations. Caffeine is one of the most common countermeasures used to combat fatigue. However, the benefits of caffeine decline over time and with chronic use. Our objective was to evaluate the efficacy of anodal transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) applied to the pre-frontal cortex at 2 mA for 30 min to remediate the effects of sleep deprivation and to compare the behavioral effects of tDCS with those of caffeine. Three groups of 10 participants each received either active tDCS with placebo gum, caffeine gum with sham tDCS, or sham tDCS with placebo gum during 30 h of extended wakefulness. Our results show that tDCS prevented a decrement in vigilance and led to better subjective ratings for fatigue, drowsiness, energy, and composite mood compared to caffeine and control in sleep-deprived individuals. Both the tDCS and caffeine produced similar improvements in latencies on a short-term memory task and faster reaction times in a psychomotor task when compared to the placebo group. Interestingly, changes in accuracy for the tDCS group were not correlated to changes in mood; whereas, there was a relationship for the caffeine and sham groups. Our data suggest that tDCS could be a useful fatigue countermeasure and may be more beneficial than caffeine since boosts in performance and mood last several hours. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Direct Democracy

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Beramendi, Virginia; Ellis, Andrew; Kaufman, Bruno

While many books on direct democracy have a regional or national approach, or simply focus on one of the many mechanisms associated with direct democracy, this Handbook delves into a global comparison of direct democracy mechanisms, including referendums, citizens' initiatives, agenda initiatives...... learned. In addition, the uniquely comprehensive world survey outlines direct democracy provisions in 214 countries and territories and indicates which, if any, of these provisions are used by each country or territory at both the national and sub-national levels. Furthermore, the world survey includes...

International Conference on Mechanical Engineering and Technology

CERN Document Server

Mechanical Engineering and Technology

2012-01-01

The volume includes a set of selected papers extended and revised from the 2011 International Conference on Mechanical Engineering and Technology, held on London, UK, November 24-25, 2011.   Mechanical engineering technology is the application of physical principles and current technological developments to the creation of useful machinery and operation design. Technologies such as solid models may be used as the basis for finite element analysis (FEA) and / or computational fluid dynamics (CFD) of the design. Through the application of computer-aided manufacturing (CAM), the models may also be used directly by software to create "instructions" for the manufacture of objects represented by the models, through computer numerically controlled (CNC) machining or other automated processes, without the need for intermediate drawings.   This volume covers the subject areas of mechanical engineering and technology, and also covers interdisciplinary subject areas of computers, communications, control and automation...

Dynamics of electrically charged extended bodies: classical and quantum systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aaberge, T.

1987-01-01

The author present generalizations of classical mechanics and quantum mechanics that make it possible to describe N charged extended bodies.In particular, we are able to write down a set of coupled equations for the system of N bodies plus field. The theory is based on a theory for the description of N charged chemical fluid components

A self-seeded, surfactant-directed hydrothermal growth of single crystalline lithium manganese oxide nanobelts from the commercial bulky particles.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Lizhi; Yu, Jimmy C; Xu, An-Wu; Li, Quan; Kwong, Kwan Wai; Wu, Ling

2003-12-07

Single crystalline lithium manganese oxide nanobelts were obtained through a self-seeded, surfactant-directed growth process from the commercial bulky particles under hydrothermal treatment. A possible mechanism was proposed to explain the growth of the nanobelts. This new process could be extended to prepare other one-dimensional nanomaterials such as Se nanorods, Te nanotubes, and MnO2 nanowires.

Comorbidity between Type 2 Diabetes and Depression in the Adult Population: Directions of the Association and Its Possible Pathophysiological Mechanisms

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Line Iden Berge

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Type 2 diabetes and depression are regarded as comorbid conditions, and three possible directions of the association between the diseases can underlie this observation of comorbidity. First, common etiology can increase a person’s risk of both diseases; second, persons with type 2 diabetes have increased prevalence or risk of future development of depression; or third, persons with depression have increased prevalence or risk of development of type 2 diabetes. This review gives an overview over possible pathophysiological mechanisms for each of the directions of the association between type 2 diabetes and depression and further discusses epigenetics as an additional, direction independent approach. We argue that unspecific pathophysiological mechanisms involved in the stress response might, at least to some extent, explain each of the directions of the association between type 2 diabetes and depression, while changes in brain structure and function among persons with diabetes and possible increased risk of development of type 2 diabetes after use of antidepressant agents could represent more disease specific mechanisms underlying the comorbidity.

Disorder structure of free-flow and global jams in the extended BML model

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhao Xiaomei; Xie Dongfan; Jia Bin; Jiang Rui; Gao Ziyou

2011-01-01

The original BML model is extended by introducing extended sites, which can hold several vehicles at each time-step. Unexpectedly, the flow in the extended model sharply transits from free-flow to global jams, but the transition is not one-order in original BML model. And congestion in the extended model appears more easily. This can ascribe to the mixture of vehicles from different directions in one site, leading to the drop-off of the capacity of the site. Furthermore, the typical configuration of free flowing and global jams in the extended models is disorder, different from the regular structure in the original model.

Estimation of the Dynamic States of Synchronous Machines Using an Extended Particle Filter

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhou, Ning; Meng, Da; Lu, Shuai

2013-11-11

In this paper, an extended particle filter (PF) is proposed to estimate the dynamic states of a synchronous machine using phasor measurement unit (PMU) data. A PF propagates the mean and covariance of states via Monte Carlo simulation, is easy to implement, and can be directly applied to a non-linear system with non-Gaussian noise. The extended PF modifies a basic PF to improve robustness. Using Monte Carlo simulations with practical noise and model uncertainty considerations, the extended PF’s performance is evaluated and compared with the basic PF and an extended Kalman filter (EKF). The extended PF results showed high accuracy and robustness against measurement and model noise.

Predictive modeling capabilities from incident powder and laser to mechanical properties for laser directed energy deposition

Science.gov (United States)

Shin, Yung C.; Bailey, Neil; Katinas, Christopher; Tan, Wenda

2018-01-01

This paper presents an overview of vertically integrated comprehensive predictive modeling capabilities for directed energy deposition processes, which have been developed at Purdue University. The overall predictive models consist of vertically integrated several modules, including powder flow model, molten pool model, microstructure prediction model and residual stress model, which can be used for predicting mechanical properties of additively manufactured parts by directed energy deposition processes with blown powder as well as other additive manufacturing processes. Critical governing equations of each model and how various modules are connected are illustrated. Various illustrative results along with corresponding experimental validation results are presented to illustrate the capabilities and fidelity of the models. The good correlations with experimental results prove the integrated models can be used to design the metal additive manufacturing processes and predict the resultant microstructure and mechanical properties.

Predictive modeling capabilities from incident powder and laser to mechanical properties for laser directed energy deposition

Science.gov (United States)

Shin, Yung C.; Bailey, Neil; Katinas, Christopher; Tan, Wenda

2018-05-01

This paper presents an overview of vertically integrated comprehensive predictive modeling capabilities for directed energy deposition processes, which have been developed at Purdue University. The overall predictive models consist of vertically integrated several modules, including powder flow model, molten pool model, microstructure prediction model and residual stress model, which can be used for predicting mechanical properties of additively manufactured parts by directed energy deposition processes with blown powder as well as other additive manufacturing processes. Critical governing equations of each model and how various modules are connected are illustrated. Various illustrative results along with corresponding experimental validation results are presented to illustrate the capabilities and fidelity of the models. The good correlations with experimental results prove the integrated models can be used to design the metal additive manufacturing processes and predict the resultant microstructure and mechanical properties.

Morphogenetic mechanisms of coelom formation in the direct-developing sea urchin Heliocidaris erythrogramma.

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, Margaret S; Collins, Steve; Raff, Rudolf A

2009-01-01

Indirect development via a feeding pluteus larva represents the ancestral mode of sea urchin development. However, some sea urchin species exhibit a derived form of development, called direct development, in which features of the feeding larva are replaced by accelerated development of the adult. A major difference between these two developmental modes is the timing of the formation of the left coelom and initiation of adult development. These processes occur much earlier in developmental and absolute time in direct developers and may be underlain by changes in morphogenetic processes. In this study, we explore whether differences in the cellular mechanisms responsible for the development of the left coelom and adult structures are associated with the change in the timing of their formation in the direct-developing sea urchin Heliocidaris erythrogramma. We present evidence that left coelom formation in H. erythrogramma, which differs in major aspects of coelom formation in indirect developers, is not a result of cell division. Further, we demonstrate that subsequent development of adult structures requires cell division.

Discrete Symmetries and Models of Flavour Mixing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

King, Stephen F

2015-01-01

In this talk we shall give an overview of the role of discrete symmetries, including both CP and family symmetry, in constructing unified models of quark and lepton (including especially neutrino) masses and mixing. Various different approaches to model building will be described, denoted as direct, semi-direct and indirect, and the pros and cons of each approach discussed. Particular examples based on Δ(6n 2 ) will be discussed and an A to Z of Flavour with Pati-Salam will be presented. (paper)

Exploring physicians' extended use of electronic health records (EHRs): A social influence perspective.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Wen; Zhao, Xiping; Sun, Jinglei; Zhou, Guangquan

2016-12-01

Once electronic health records (EHRs) have been fully implemented and integrated into the daily work of a healthcare organisation/hospital, there is considerable pressure on management to demonstrate the benefits that these systems can deliver to the organisation. One practical way to maximise the value and highlight the benefits of EHRs is to encourage physicians to increase and extend their use of EHR functions. This study used a social influence theory context to examine the impact of mechanisms of social influence on the intentions of physicians to extend their use of EHRs. A survey of physicians (n = 205) in a first-class comprehensive hospital in southern China was conducted approximately 2 years after the hospital's introduction of EHRs. A 16-item questionnaire was developed to measure the impact of four social influence factors (reward, punishment, social image and group norm) on physicians' intentions to extend their use of EHRs. The research model included two additional control variables (perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use) to account for potential covariance among social influence measures. The study's research model showed significant relationships between physicians' responses on two of the social influence measures (rewards and group norm) and their intentions to extend their use of EHRs. Punishment and social image measures did not influence physicians' intentions to increase their use of EHRs. These findings have suggested that for healthcare organisations to maximise the benefits of EHRs, the efforts of hospital management should be directed towards rewarding those physicians who increase their use of EHRs; and to promoting and reinforcing the increased usage of EHRs among physicians as a group norm. © The Author(s) 2016.

Backreaction mechanism in multifluid and extended cosmologies

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jiménez, Jose Beltrán [Centre for Cosmology, Particle Physics and Phenomenology, Institute of Mathematics and Physics, Louvain University, 2 Chemin du Cyclotron, 1348 Louvain-la-Neuve (Belgium); Cruz-Dombriz, Álvaro de la [Departamento de Física Teórica I, Ciudad Universitaria, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, E-28040 Madrid (Spain); Dunsby, Peter K.S.; Sáez-Gómez, Diego, E-mail: jose.beltran@uclouvain.be, E-mail: dombriz@fis.ucm.es, E-mail: peter.dunsby@uct.ac.za, E-mail: diego.saezgomez@uct.ac.za [Astrophysics, Cosmology and Gravity Centre (ACGC), University of Cape Town, Rondebosch 7701, Cape Town (South Africa)

2014-05-01

One possible explanation for the present observed acceleration of the Universe is the breakdown of homogeneity and isotropy due to the formation of non-linear structures. How inhomogeneities affect the averaged cosmological expansion rate and lead to late-time acceleration is generally considered to be due to some backreaction mechanism. In the recent literature most averaging calculations have focused their attention on General Relativity together with pressure-free matter. In this communication we focus our attention on more general scenarios, including imperfect fluids as well as alternative theories of gravity, and apply an averaging procedure to them in order to determine possible backreaction effects. For illustrative purposes, we present our results for dark energy models, quintessence and Brans-Dicke theories. We also provide a discussion about the limitations of frame choices in the averaging procedure.

A direct comparison of the defense mechanisms of nondepressed people and depressed psychiatric inpatients.

Science.gov (United States)

Margo, G M; Greenberg, R P; Fisher, S; Dewan, M

1993-01-01

This report presents a direct comparison of defensive styles (as measured by the Defense Mechanisms Inventory [DMI]) in a sample of depressed psychiatric inpatients and samples of nondepressed male and female normative groups. Consistent with the "depressive realism" literature, nondepressed men and women were more likely than their depressed counterparts to bias their perceptions in an overly cheerful, optimistic direction. Counternormative sex differences were also found. Depressed men were more likely to use internalizing defenses and depressed women were more likely to use externalizing defenses than their respective nondepressed comparison groups. Overall, as has been speculated, there was a relationship within depressed subjects between depression severity and the amount of negatively biased self-perception.

A study of the direct effects of ionising and far ultraviolet radiation on nucleic acids

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shaw, A.A.

1987-03-01

This thesis reports the results of a study of the direct effects of gamma and far UV radiation on nucleic acid model systems. For the gamma study, frozen aqueous solutions of 2'-deoxyribonucleosides were chosen as the model systems which best mimic possible radiation chemical events via the direct effects occuring in DNA in vivo. In Chapter I, we report and discuss the results of the study of the direct effects of gamma radiation on thymidine including the isolation and identification of the chemical modifications induced, and describe experiments designed to probe the mechanisms involved in their formation. In Chapters II and III, we extend the study to other 2'-deoxyribo-nucleosides, 2'-deoxycytidine and 2'-deoxyadenosine. Chapter IV presents the results of the study of the direct effects of far UV light on thymidine, a project designed to complement the gamma study and hopefully to bring additional insight into the mechanisms of formation of those products common to both radiation energies. In particular, the mechanisms of the formation of the spore photoproduct, a lesion known to be formed in DNA in vivo, have been elucidated. The study of the direct effects of gamma radiation on thymidine and 2'-deoxycytidine revealed the formation of several new products. Chapter V reports an analysis of the configurational and conformational properties of these molecules. (author)

The ionization mechanisms in direct and dopant-assisted atmospheric pressure photoionization and atmospheric pressure laser ionization.

Science.gov (United States)

Kauppila, Tiina J; Kersten, Hendrik; Benter, Thorsten

2014-11-01

A novel, gas-tight API interface for gas chromatography-mass spectrometry was used to study the ionization mechanism in direct and dopant-assisted atmospheric pressure photoionization (APPI) and atmospheric pressure laser ionization (APLI). Eight analytes (ethylbenzene, bromobenzene, naphthalene, anthracene, benzaldehyde, pyridine, quinolone, and acridine) with varying ionization energies (IEs) and proton affinities (PAs), and four common APPI dopants (toluene, acetone, anisole, and chlorobenzene) were chosen. All the studied compounds were ionized by direct APPI, forming mainly molecular ions. Addition of dopants suppressed the signal of the analytes with IEs above the IE of the dopant. For compounds with suitable IEs or Pas, the dopants increased the ionization efficiency as the analytes could be ionized through dopant-mediated gas-phase reactions, such as charge exchange, proton transfer, and other rather unexpected reactions, such as formation of [M + 77](+) in the presence of chlorobenzene. Experiments with deuterated toluene as the dopant verified that in case of proton transfer, the proton originated from the dopant instead of proton-bound solvent clusters, as in conventional open or non-tight APPI sources. In direct APLI using a 266 nm laser, a narrower range of compounds was ionized than in direct APPI, because of exceedingly high IEs or unfavorable two-photon absorption cross-sections. Introduction of dopants in the APLI system changed the ionization mechanism to similar dopant-mediated gas-phase reactions with the dopant as in APPI, which produced mainly ions of the same form as in APPI, and ionized a wider range of analytes than direct APLI.

Finite subgroups of SU(3)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bovier, A.; Lueling, M.; Wyler, D.

1980-12-01

We present a new class of finite subgroups of SU(3) of the form Zsub(m) s zsub(n) (semidirect product). We also apply the methods used to investigate semidirect products to the known SU(3) subgroups Δ(3n 2 ) and Δ(6n 2 ) and give analytic formulae for representations (characters) and Clebsch-Gordan coefficients. (orig.)

Evolution of group-wise cooperation: Is direct reciprocity insufficient?

Science.gov (United States)

Kurokawa, Shun; Ihara, Yasuo

2017-02-21

Group-wise cooperation, or cooperation among three or more individuals, is an integral part of human societies. It is likely that group-wise cooperation also played a crucial role in the survival of early hominins, who were confronted with novel environmental challenges, long before the emergence of Homo sapiens. However, previous theoretical and empirical studies, focusing mainly on modern humans, have tended to suggest that evolution of cooperation in sizable groups cannot be explained by simple direct reciprocity and requires some additional mechanisms (reputation, punishment, etc.), which are cognitively too demanding for early hominins. As a partial resolution of the paradox, our recent analysis of a stochastic evolutionary model, which considers the effect of random drift, has revealed that evolution of group-wise cooperation is more likely to occur in larger groups when an individual's share of the benefit produced by one cooperator does not decrease with increasing group size (i.e., goods are non-rivalrous). In this paper, we further extend our previous analysis to explore possible consequences of introducing rare mistakes in behavior or imperfect information about behavior of others on the model outcome. Analyses of the extended models show that evolution of group-wise cooperation can be facilitated by large group size even when individuals intending to cooperate sometimes fail to do so or when all the information about the past behavior of group members is not available. We argue, therefore, that evolution of cooperation in sizable groups does not necessarily require other mechanisms than direct reciprocity if the goods to be produced via group-wise cooperation are non-rivalrous. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Building and testing models with extended Higgs sectors

Science.gov (United States)

Ivanov, Igor P.

2017-07-01

Models with non-minimal Higgs sectors represent a mainstream direction in theoretical exploration of physics opportunities beyond the Standard Model. Extended scalar sectors help alleviate difficulties of the Standard Model and lead to a rich spectrum of characteristic collider signatures and astroparticle consequences. In this review, we introduce the reader to the world of extended Higgs sectors. Not pretending to exhaustively cover the entire body of literature, we walk through a selection of the most popular examples: the two- and multi-Higgs-doublet models, as well as singlet and triplet extensions. We will show how one typically builds models with extended Higgs sectors, describe the main goals and the challenges which arise on the way, and mention some methods to overcome them. We will also describe how such models can be tested, what are the key observables one focuses on, and illustrate the general strategy with a subjective selection of results.

Determinations of directions of the mean stress field in Sichuan-Yunnan region from a number of focal mechanism solutions

Science.gov (United States)

Zhong, Ji-Mao; Cheng, Wan-Zheng

2006-07-01

Based on the spatial orientation and slip direction of the fault plane solutions, we present the expression of corresponding mechanical axis tensor in geographic coordinate system, and then put forward a method for calculating average mechanical axis tensor and its eigenvalues, which involves solving the corresponding eigenequation. The method for deducing mean stress field from T, B, and P axes parameters of a number of focal mechanism solutions has been verified by inverting data of mean stress fields in Fuyun region and in Tangshan region with fitting method of slip direction, and both results are consistent. To study regional average stress field, we need to choose a population of focal mechanism solutions of earthquakes in the massifs where there are significant tectonic structures. According to the focal mechanism solutions of 256 moderate-strong earthquakes occurred in 13 seismic zones of Sichuan-Yunnan region, the quantitative analysis results of stress tensor in each seismic zone have been given. The algorithm of such method is simple and convenient, which makes the method for analyzing tectonic stress field with large amount of focal mechanism solution data become quantified.

Effect of direct quenching on the microstructure and mechanical properties of the lean-chemistry HSLA-100 steel plates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dhua, S.K.; Sen, S.K.

2011-01-01

Highlights: → Direct-quenched and tempered (DQT) steels gives better mechanical properties. → Fine Cu and Nb (C, N) precipitates enhance matrix strengthening and tempering resistance. → Boron promotes hardenability, but low temperature Charpy impact toughness gets affected. → Mechanical properties equivalent to HSLA-100 steel is achieved by directly quenched leaner chemistry alloys. - Abstract: The influence of direct quenching on structure-property behavior of lean chemistry HSLA-100 steels was studied. Two laboratory heats, one containing Cu and Nb (C:0.052, Mn:0.99, Cu:1.08, Nb:0.043, Cr:0.57, Ni:1.76, Mo:0.55 pct) and the other containing Cu, Nb and B (C:0.04, Mn:1.02, Cu:1.06, Nb:0.036, Cr:0.87, Ni:1.32, Mo:0.41, B:0.002 percent) were hot-rolled into 25 and 12.5 mm thick plates by varying finish-rolling temperatures. The plates were heat-treated by conventional reheat quenching and tempering (RQT), as well as by direct quenching and tempering (DQT) techniques. In general, direct-quench and tempered plates of Nb-Cu heat exhibited good strength (yield strength ∼ 900 MPa) and low-temperature impact toughness (average: 74 J at -85 deg. C); the Charpy V-notch impact energies were marginally lower than conventional HSLA-100 steel. In Nb-Cu-B heat, impact toughness at low-temperature was inferior owing to boron segregation at grain boundaries. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and scanning auger microprobe (SAM) analysis confirmed existence of borocarbides at grain boundaries in this steel. In general, for both the steels, the mechanical properties of the direct-quench and tempered plates were found to be superior to reheat quench and tempered plates. A detailed transmission electron microscopy study revealed presence of fine Cu and Nb (C, N) precipitates in these steels. It was also observed that smaller martensite inter-lath spacing, finer grains and precipitates in direct-quench and tempered plates compared to the reheat quench and tempered plates

Direct path from microscopic mechanics to Debye shielding, Landau damping and wave-particle interaction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Escande, D F; Elskens, Yves; Doveil, F

2015-01-01

The derivation of Debye shielding and Landau damping from the N-body description of plasmas is performed directly by using Newton’s second law for the N-body system. This is done in a few steps with elementary calculations using standard tools of calculus and no probabilistic setting. Unexpectedly, Debye shielding is encountered together with Landau damping. This approach is shown to be justified in the one-dimensional case when the number of particles in a Debye sphere becomes large. The theory is extended to accommodate a correct description of trapping and chaos due to Langmuir waves. On top of their well-known production of collisional transport, the repulsive deflections of electrons are shown to produce shielding, in such a way that each particle is shielded by all other ones, while keeping in uninterrupted motion. (paper)

A Community-acquired Lung Abscess Attributable to Streptococcus pneumoniae which Extended Directly into the Chest Wall.

Science.gov (United States)

Ko, Yuki; Tobino, Kazunori; Yasuda, Yuichiro; Sueyasu, Takuto; Nishizawa, Saori; Yoshimine, Kouhei; Munechika, Miyuki; Asaji, Mina; Yamaji, Yoshikazu; Tsuruno, Kosuke; Miyajima, Hiroyuki; Mukasa, Yosuke; Ebi, Noriyuki

We herein report the case of 75-year-old Japanese female with a community-acquired lung abscess attributable to Streptococcus pneumoniae (S. penumoniae) which extended into the chest wall. The patient was admitted to our hospital with a painful mass on the left anterior chest wall. A contrast-enhanced chest computed tomography scan showed a lung abscess in the left upper lobe which extended into the chest wall. Surgical debridement of the chest wall abscess and percutaneous transthoracic tube drainage of the lung abscess were performed. A culture of the drainage specimen yielded S. pneumoniae. The patient showed a remarkable improvement after the initiation of intravenous antibiotic therapy.

How Far Can Extended Knowledge Be Extended?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Wray, K. Brad

2018-01-01

by an artifact, like a notebook or telescope. The chapter illustrates this by applying Pritchard’s account of extended knowledge to collaborating scientists. The beliefs acquired through collaborative research cannot satisfy both of Pritchard’s conditions of creditability. Further, there is evidence......Duncan Pritchard (2010) has developed a theory of extended knowledge based on the notion of extended cognition initially developed by Clark and Chalmers (1998). Pritchard’s account gives a central role to the notion of creditability, which requires the following two conditions to be met: (i...... that scientists are not prepared to take responsibility for the actions of the scientists with whom they collaborate....

Intraplate Crustal Deformation Within the Northern Sinai Microplate: Evidence from Paleomagnetic Directions and Mechanical Modeling

Science.gov (United States)

Dembo, N.; Granot, R.; Hamiel, Y.

2017-12-01

The intraplate crustal deformation found in the northern part of the Sinai Microplate, located near the northern Dead Sea Fault plate boundary, is examined. Previous studies have suggested that distributed deformation in Lebanon is accommodated by regional uniform counterclockwise rigid block rotations. However, remanent magnetization directions observed near the Lebanese restraining bend are not entirely homogeneous suggesting that an unexplained and complex internal deformation pattern exists. In order to explain the variations in the amount of vertical-axis rotations we construct a mechanical model of the major active faults in the region that simulates the rotational deformation induced by motion along these faults. The rotational pattern calculated by the mechanical modeling predicts heterogeneous distribution of rotations around the faults. The combined rotation field that considers both the fault induced rotations and the already suggested regional block rotations stands in general agreement with the observed magnetization directions. Overall, the modeling results provide a more detailed and complete picture of the deformation pattern in this region and show that rotations induced by motion along the Dead Sea Fault act in parallel to rigid block rotations. Finally, the new modeling results unravel important insights as to the fashion in which crustal deformation is distributed within the northern part of the Sinai Microplate and propose an improved deformational mechanism that might be appropriate for other plate margins as well.

Origin of density fluctuations in extended inflation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kolb, E.W.; Salopek, D.S.; Turner, M.S.

1990-01-01

We calculate both the curvature and isocurvature density fluctuations that arise due to quantum fluctuations in a simple model of extended inflation based upon the Jordan-Brans-Dicke theory. The curvature fluctuations that arise due to quantum fluctuations in the Brans-Dicke field in general have a non-scale-invariant spectrum and an amplitude that is cosmologically acceptable and interesting without having to tune any coupling constant to a very small value. The curvature perturbations that arise due to the Higgs field are subdominant. If there are other massless fields in the theory, e.g., an axion or an ilion, then isocurvature fluctuations arise in these fields too. Production of gravitational waves and the massless particles associated with excitations of the Brans-Dicke field are also discussed. Several attempts at more realistic models of extended inflation are also analyzed. The importance of the Einstein conformal frame in calculating curvature fluctuations is emphasized. When viewed in this frame, extended inflation closely resembles slow-rollover inflation with an exponential potential, and the usual formula for the amplitude of curvature perturbations applies directly

How birds direct impulse to minimize the energetic cost of foraging flight

Science.gov (United States)

Chin, Diana; Lentink, David

2017-11-01

Foraging arboreal birds frequently hop and fly between branches by extending long-jumps with a few wingbeats. Their legs transfer impulse to the branch during takeoff and landing, and their wings transfer impulse to the air to support their bodyweight during flight. To determine the mechanical energy tradeoffs of this bimodal locomotion, we studied how Pacific parrotlets transfer impulse during voluntary perch-to-perch flights. We tested five foraging flight variations by varying the inclination and distance between instrumented perches inside a novel aerodynamic force platform. This setup enables direct, time-resolved in vivo measurements of both leg and wing forces, which we combined with high-speed kinematics to develop a new bimodal long-jump and flight model. The model demonstrates how parrotlets direct their leg impulse to minimize the mechanical energy needed for each flight, and further shows how even a single proto-wingbeat would have significantly lengthened the long-jump of foraging arboreal dinosaurs. By directing jumps and flapping their wings, both extant and ancestral birds could thus improve foraging effectiveness. Similarly, bimodal robots could also employ these locomotion strategies to traverse cluttered environments more effectively.

Extended vapor-liquid-solid growth of silicon carbide nanowires.

Science.gov (United States)

Rajesh, John Anthuvan; Pandurangan, Arumugam

2014-04-01

We developed an alloy catalytic method to explain extended vapor-liquid-solid (VLS) growth of silicon carbide nanowires (SiC NWs) by a simple thermal evaporation of silicon and activated carbon mixture using lanthanum nickel (LaNi5) alloy as catalyst in a chemical vapor deposition process. The LaNi5 alloy binary phase diagram and the phase relationships in the La-Ni-Si ternary system were play a key role to determine the growth parameters in this VLS mechanism. Different reaction temperatures (1300, 1350 and 1400 degrees C) were applied to prove the established growth process by experimentally. Scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy studies show that the crystalline quality of the SiC NWs increases with the temperature at which they have been synthesized. La-Ni alloyed catalyst particles observed on the top of the SiC NWs confirms that the growth process follows this extended VLS mechanism. The X-ray diffraction and confocal Raman spectroscopy analyses demonstrate that the crystalline structure of the SiC NWs was zinc blende 3C-SiC. Optical property of the SiC NWs was investigated by photoluminescence technique at room temperature. Such a new alloy catalytic method may be extended to synthesis other one-dimensional nanostructures.

Design and application of permanent magnet flux sources for mechanical testing of magnetoactive elastomers at variable field directions.

Science.gov (United States)

Hiptmair, F; Major, Z; Haßlacher, R; Hild, S

2015-08-01

Magnetoactive elastomers (MAEs) are a class of smart materials whose mechanical properties can be rapidly and reversibly changed by an external magnetic field. Due to this tunability, they are useable for actuators or in active vibration control applications. An extensive magnetomechanical characterization is necessary for MAE material development and requires experiments under cyclic loading in uniform but variable magnetic fields. MAE testing apparatus typically rely on fields of adjustable strength, but fixed (transverse) direction, often provided by electromagnets. In this work, two permanent magnet flux sources were developed as an add-on for a modular test stand, to allow for mechanical testing in uniform fields of variable direction. MAE specimens, based on a silicone matrix with isotropic and anisotropic carbonyl iron particle distributions, were subjected to dynamic mechanical analysis under different field and loading configurations. The magneto-induced increase of stiffness and energy dissipation was determined by the change of the hysteresis loop area and dynamic modulus values. A distinct influence of the composite microstructure and the loading state was observed. Due to the very soft and flexible matrix used for preparing the MAE samples, the material stiffness and damping behavior could be varied over a wide range via the applied field direction and intensity.

Research on corrosion mechanism of suspension insulator steel foot of direct current system and measures for corrosion inhibition

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, He; Yang, Yueguang; Su, Guolei; Wang, Xiaoqing; Zhang, Hourong; Sun, Xiaoyu; Fan, Youping

2017-09-01

There are increasingly serious electrocorrosion phenomena on insulator hardware caused by direct current transmission due to the wide-range popularization of extra high voltage direct current transmission engineering in our country. Steel foot corrosion is the main corrosion for insulators on positive polarity side of transmission lines. On one hand, the corrosion leads to the tapering off of steel foot diameter, having a direct influence on mechanical property of insulators; on the other hand, in condition of corrosion on steel foot wrapped in porcelain ware, the volume of the corrosion product is at least 50% more than that of the original steel foot, leading to bursting of porcelain ware, threatening safe operation of transmission lines. Therefore, it is necessary to conduct research on the phenomenon and propose feasible measures for corrosion inhibition. Starting with the corrosion mechanism, this article proposes two measures for corrosion inhibition, and verifies the inhibition effect in laboratory conditions, providing reference for application in engineering.

Design and evaluation of a continuum robot with extendable balloons

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

E. Y. Yarbasi

2018-02-01

Full Text Available This article presents the design and preliminary evaluation of a novel continuum robot actuated by two extendable balloons. Extendable balloons are utilized as the actuation mechanism of the robot, and they are attached to the tip from their slack sections. These balloons can extend very much in length without having a significant change in diameter. Employing two balloons in an axially extendable, radially rigid flexible shaft, radial strain becomes constricted, allowing high elongation. As inflated, the balloons apply a force on the wall of the tip, pushing it forward. This force enables the robot to move forward. The air is supplied to the balloons by an air compressor and its flow rate to each balloon can be independently controlled. Changing the air volumes differently in each balloon, when they are radially constricted, orients the robot, allowing navigation. Elongation and force generation capabilities and pressure data are measured for different balloons during inflation and deflation. Afterward, the robot is subjected to open field and maze-like environment navigation tests. The contribution of this study is the introduction of a novel actuation mechanism for soft robots to have extreme elongation (2000 % in order to be navigated in substantially long and narrow environments.

Defining Game Mechanics

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sicart (Vila), Miguel Angel

2008-01-01

This article defins game mechanics in relation to rules and challenges. Game mechanics are methods invoked by agents for interacting with the game world. I apply this definition to a comparative analysis of the games Rez, Every Extend Extra and Shadow of the Colossus that will show the relevance...... of a formal definition of game mechanics. Udgivelsesdato: Dec 2008...

Examination of Zircaloy-clad spent fuel after extended pool storage

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bradley, E.R.; Bailey, W.J.; Johnson, A.B. Jr.; Lowry, L.M.

1981-09-01

This report presents the results from metallurgical examinations of Zircaloy-clad fuel rods from two bundles (0551 and 0074) of Shippingport PWR Core 1 blanket fuel after extended water storage. Both bundles were exposed to water in the reactor from late 1957 until discharge. The estimated average burnups were 346 GJ/kgU (4000 MWd/MTU) for bundle 0551 and 1550 GJ/kgU (18,000 MWd/MTU) for bundle 0074. Fuel rods from bundle 0551 were stored in deionized water for nearly 21 yr prior to examination in 1980, representing the world's oldest pool-stored Zircaloy-clad fuel. Bundle 0074 has been stored in deionized water since reactor discharge in 1964. Data from the current metallurgical examinations enable a direct assessment of extended pool storage effects because the metallurgical condition of similar fuel rods was investigated and documented soon after reactor discharge. Data from current and past examinations were compared, and no significant degradation of the Zircaloy cladding was indicated after almost 21 yr in water storage. The cladding dimensions and mechanical properties, fission gas release, hydrogen contents of the cladding, and external oxide film thicknesses that were measured during the current examinations were all within the range of measurements made on fuel bundles soon after reactor discharge. The appearance of the external surfaces and the microstructures of the fuel and cladding were also similar to those reported previously. In addition, no evidence of accelerated corrosion or hydride redistribution in the cladding was observed

A note on the extended dispersionless Toda hierarchy

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Niann-Chern; Tu, Ming-Hsien

2013-04-01

We derive dispersionless Hirota equations for the extended dispersionless Toda hierarchy. We show that the dispersionless Hirota equations are just a direct consequence of the genus-zero topological recurrence relation for the topological ℂP1 model. Using the dispersionless Hirota equations, we compute the twopoint functions and express the result in terms of Catalan numbers

EXTENDED SCALING LAWS IN NUMERICAL SIMULATIONS OF MAGNETOHYDRODYNAMIC TURBULENCE

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mason, Joanne; Cattaneo, Fausto; Perez, Jean Carlos; Boldyrev, Stanislav

2011-01-01

Magnetized turbulence is ubiquitous in astrophysical systems, where it notoriously spans a broad range of spatial scales. Phenomenological theories of MHD turbulence describe the self-similar dynamics of turbulent fluctuations in the inertial range of scales. Numerical simulations serve to guide and test these theories. However, the computational power that is currently available restricts the simulations to Reynolds numbers that are significantly smaller than those in astrophysical settings. In order to increase computational efficiency and, therefore, probe a larger range of scales, one often takes into account the fundamental anisotropy of field-guided MHD turbulence, with gradients being much slower in the field-parallel direction. The simulations are then optimized by employing the reduced MHD equations and relaxing the field-parallel numerical resolution. In this work we explore a different possibility. We propose that there exist certain quantities that are remarkably stable with respect to the Reynolds number. As an illustration, we study the alignment angle between the magnetic and velocity fluctuations in MHD turbulence, measured as the ratio of two specially constructed structure functions. We find that the scaling of this ratio can be extended surprisingly well into the regime of relatively low Reynolds number. However, the extended scaling easily becomes spoiled when the dissipation range in the simulations is underresolved. Thus, taking the numerical optimization methods too far can lead to spurious numerical effects and erroneous representation of the physics of MHD turbulence, which in turn can affect our ability to identify correctly the physical mechanisms that are operating in astrophysical systems.

Extended Range of a Gun Launched Smart Projectile Using Controllable Canards

OpenAIRE

Mark Costello

2001-01-01

This effort investigates the extent to which moveable canards can extend the range of indirect fire munitions using both projectile body and canard lift. Implications on terminal velocity and time of flight using this mechanism to extend range are examined for various canard configurations. Performance predictions are conducted using a six-degree-of-freedom simulation model that has previously been validated against range data. The projectile dynamic equations are formed in the body frame and...

Strengthening mechanisms and dislocation processes in <111> textured nanotwinned copper

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhao, Xing [School of Mechanical, Materials and Mechatronic Engineering, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522 (Australia); State Key Laboratory of High Performance Complex Manufacturing, Central South University, Changsha 410083 (China); Lu, Cheng, E-mail: chenglu@uow.edu.au [School of Mechanical, Materials and Mechatronic Engineering, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522 (Australia); Tieu, Anh Kiet; Pei, Linqing; Zhang, Liang; Cheng, Kuiyu [School of Mechanical, Materials and Mechatronic Engineering, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522 (Australia); Huang, Minghui [State Key Laboratory of High Performance Complex Manufacturing, Central South University, Changsha 410083 (China)

2016-10-31

We use molecular dynamics simulations to elucidate the deformation mechanisms of <111> textured nanotwinned materials under tensile loading parallel to the twin boundary (TB). Our simulations reveal that the tensile strength of nanotwinned Cu increases monotonically as the twin spacing decreases. The strengthening effect mainly results from TB restricting the transmission of dislocations across the TB. Throughout the simulations the transmissions of dislocations across the TBs dominate the plastic deformation. Both direct and indirect transmissions are identified at atomic level. Direct transmission involves either successive transmission of the leading and trailing partials as in the Fleischer cross-slip model or absorption and desorption of the extended dislocation as in the Friedel-Escaig cross-slip mechanism. In contrast, indirect transmission involves the formation of special superjogs. The persistent slip transfer leaves zigzag slip traces on the cross-sectional view and the inhomogeneous deformation leads to the formation of intersecting slip bands on the plane view.

Extended piano techniques : in theory, history and performance practice

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Vaes, Luc Paul Frank

2009-01-01

So-called "extended techniques" have suffered a consistent lack of understanding from a theoretical, historical and practical point of view. Although most of them – e.g. playing directly on the strings, cluster- and glissando-techniques – exist in a substantial part of the repertoire for the piano

Mechanical Responses and Physical Factors of the Fingertip Pulp

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

N. Sakai

2006-01-01

Full Text Available The images of the mechanical responses were analysed when the fingertip was pressed against a plateau plate, and the influence of the contact angle on the loading pressure and the mechanical responses was investigated. As a result, as the contact angle was smaller, the change ratios due to the loading pressure were significantly larger in the contact length, the contact width and the distortion of lateral-view area. These parameters were thought to be useful in clinical medicine as indices for the degrees of mechanical responses of the fingertip. The length of the central axis and the maximum width of the fingertip were inappropriate as the parameters to represent the mechanical responses of the fingertip. The maximum width of the fingertip scarcely changed. This does not reflect the compressibility of the fingertip, and the fingertip as a whole extended along the central axis and in the vertical direction, and the change was not reflected in the maximum width.

Finite element analysis of the effect of force directions on tooth movement in extraction space closure with miniscrew sliding mechanics.

Science.gov (United States)

Kojima, Yukio; Kawamura, Jun; Fukui, Hisao

2012-10-01

Miniscrews placed in bone have been used as orthodontic anchorage in extraction space closure with sliding mechanics. The movement patterns of the teeth depend on the force directions. To move the teeth in a desired pattern, the appropriate direction of force must be selected. The purpose of this article is to clarify the relationship between force directions and movement patterns. By using the finite element method, orthodontic movements were simulated based on the remodeling law of the alveolar bone. The power arm length and the miniscrew position were varied to change the force directions. When the power arm was lengthened, rotation of the entire maxillary dentition decreased. The posterior teeth were effective for preventing rotation of the anterior teeth through an archwire. In cases of a high position of a miniscrew, bodily tooth movement was almost achieved. The vertical component of the force produced intrusion or extrusion of the entire dentition. Within the limits of the method, the mechanical simulations demonstrated the effect of force direction on movement patterns. Copyright © 2012 American Association of Orthodontists. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

Stochastic population dynamics in spatially extended predator-prey systems

Science.gov (United States)

Dobramysl, Ulrich; Mobilia, Mauro; Pleimling, Michel; Täuber, Uwe C.

2018-02-01

Spatially extended population dynamics models that incorporate demographic noise serve as case studies for the crucial role of fluctuations and correlations in biological systems. Numerical and analytic tools from non-equilibrium statistical physics capture the stochastic kinetics of these complex interacting many-particle systems beyond rate equation approximations. Including spatial structure and stochastic noise in models for predator-prey competition invalidates the neutral Lotka-Volterra population cycles. Stochastic models yield long-lived erratic oscillations stemming from a resonant amplification mechanism. Spatially extended predator-prey systems display noise-stabilized activity fronts that generate persistent correlations. Fluctuation-induced renormalizations of the oscillation parameters can be analyzed perturbatively via a Doi-Peliti field theory mapping of the master equation; related tools allow detailed characterization of extinction pathways. The critical steady-state and non-equilibrium relaxation dynamics at the predator extinction threshold are governed by the directed percolation universality class. Spatial predation rate variability results in more localized clusters, enhancing both competing species’ population densities. Affixing variable interaction rates to individual particles and allowing for trait inheritance subject to mutations induces fast evolutionary dynamics for the rate distributions. Stochastic spatial variants of three-species competition with ‘rock-paper-scissors’ interactions metaphorically describe cyclic dominance. These models illustrate intimate connections between population dynamics and evolutionary game theory, underscore the role of fluctuations to drive populations toward extinction, and demonstrate how space can support species diversity. Two-dimensional cyclic three-species May-Leonard models are characterized by the emergence of spiraling patterns whose properties are elucidated by a mapping onto a complex

Directions for computational mechanics in automotive crashworthiness

Science.gov (United States)

Bennett, James A.; Khalil, T. B.

1993-01-01

The automotive industry has used computational methods for crashworthiness since the early 1970's. These methods have ranged from simple lumped parameter models to full finite element models. The emergence of the full finite element models in the mid 1980's has significantly altered the research direction. However, there remains a need for both simple, rapid modeling methods and complex detailed methods. Some directions for continuing research are discussed.

Transjugular Intrahepatic Portosystemic Shunt, Mechanical Aspiration Thrombectomy, and Direct Thrombolysis in the Treatment of Acute Portal and Superior Mesenteric Vein Thrombosis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ferro, Carlo; Rossi, Umberto G.; Bovio, Giulio; Dahamane, M'Hamed; Centanaro, Monica

2007-01-01

A patient was admitted because of severe abdominal pain, anorexia, and intestinal bleeding. Contrast-enhanced multidetector computed tomography demonstrated acute portal and superior mesenteric vein thrombosis (PSMVT). The patient was treated percutaneously with transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS), mechanical aspiration thrombectomy, and direct thrombolysis, and 1 week after the procedure, complete patency of the portal and superior mesenteric veins was demonstrated. TIPS, mechanical aspiration thrombectomy, and direct thrombolysis together are promising endovascular techniques for the treatment of symptomatic acute PSMVT

Extended Testability Analysis Tool

Science.gov (United States)

Melcher, Kevin; Maul, William A.; Fulton, Christopher

2012-01-01

The Extended Testability Analysis (ETA) Tool is a software application that supports fault management (FM) by performing testability analyses on the fault propagation model of a given system. Fault management includes the prevention of faults through robust design margins and quality assurance methods, or the mitigation of system failures. Fault management requires an understanding of the system design and operation, potential failure mechanisms within the system, and the propagation of those potential failures through the system. The purpose of the ETA Tool software is to process the testability analysis results from a commercial software program called TEAMS Designer in order to provide a detailed set of diagnostic assessment reports. The ETA Tool is a command-line process with several user-selectable report output options. The ETA Tool also extends the COTS testability analysis and enables variation studies with sensor sensitivity impacts on system diagnostics and component isolation using a single testability output. The ETA Tool can also provide extended analyses from a single set of testability output files. The following analysis reports are available to the user: (1) the Detectability Report provides a breakdown of how each tested failure mode was detected, (2) the Test Utilization Report identifies all the failure modes that each test detects, (3) the Failure Mode Isolation Report demonstrates the system s ability to discriminate between failure modes, (4) the Component Isolation Report demonstrates the system s ability to discriminate between failure modes relative to the components containing the failure modes, (5) the Sensor Sensor Sensitivity Analysis Report shows the diagnostic impact due to loss of sensor information, and (6) the Effect Mapping Report identifies failure modes that result in specified system-level effects.

Microstructure of directionally solidified Ti-Fe eutectic alloy with low interstitial and high mechanical strength

Science.gov (United States)

Contieri, R. J.; Lopes, E. S. N.; Taquire de La Cruz, M.; Costa, A. M.; Afonso, C. R. M.; Caram, R.

2011-10-01

The performance of Ti alloys can be considerably enhanced by combining Ti and other elements, causing an eutectic transformation and thereby producing composites in situ from the liquid phase. This paper reports on the processing and characterization of a directionally solidified Ti-Fe eutectic alloy. Directional solidification at different growth rates was carried out in a setup that employs a water-cooled copper crucible combined with a voltaic electric arc moving through the sample. The results obtained show that a regular fiber-like eutectic structure was produced and the interphase spacing was found to be a function of the growth rate. Mechanical properties were measured using compression, microindentation and nanoindentation tests to determine the Vickers hardness, compressive strength and elastic modulus. Directionally solidified eutectic samples presented high values of compressive strength in the range of 1844-3000 MPa and ductility between 21.6 and 25.2%.

Statistical model of stress corrosion cracking based on extended

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

The mechanism of stress corrosion cracking (SCC) has been discussed for decades. Here I propose a model of SCC reflecting the feature of fracture in brittle manner based on the variational principle under approximately supposed thermal equilibrium. In that model the functionals are expressed with extended forms of ...

The role of the anomaly cancellation mechanism in the evaluation of the radiatively induced Chern-Simons term in extended QED

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Battistel, O.A.; Dallabona, G.

2004-01-01

We consider the possible role played by the anomaly cancellation mechanism in the evaluation of the radiatively induced Chern-Simons (CS) term, arising from the Lorentz and CPT non-invariant fermionic sector, of an extended version of QED. We explicit evaluate the most general mathematical structure associated to the AVV triangle amplitude, closely related to the one involved in the CS term evaluation, using for this purposes an alternative calculational strategy to handle divergences in QFT's. We show that the requirement of consistency with the choices made in the construction of the Standard Model's renormalizability, in the evaluation of the AVV Green function, leave no room for a nonvanishing radiatively induced CS term, independently of the regularization prescription or equivalent philosophy adopted, in accordance with what was previously conjectured by other authors. (orig.)

Degradation-mediated cellular traction directs stem cell fate in covalently crosslinked three-dimensional hydrogels

Science.gov (United States)

Khetan, Sudhir; Guvendiren, Murat; Legant, Wesley R.; Cohen, Daniel M.; Chen, Christopher S.; Burdick, Jason A.

2013-05-01

Although cell-matrix adhesive interactions are known to regulate stem cell differentiation, the underlying mechanisms, in particular for direct three-dimensional encapsulation within hydrogels, are poorly understood. Here, we demonstrate that in covalently crosslinked hyaluronic acid (HA) hydrogels, the differentiation of human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) is directed by the generation of degradation-mediated cellular traction, independently of cell morphology or matrix mechanics. hMSCs within HA hydrogels of equivalent elastic moduli that permit (restrict) cell-mediated degradation exhibited high (low) degrees of cell spreading and high (low) tractions, and favoured osteogenesis (adipogenesis). Moreover, switching the permissive hydrogel to a restrictive state through delayed secondary crosslinking reduced further hydrogel degradation, suppressed traction, and caused a switch from osteogenesis to adipogenesis in the absence of changes to the extended cellular morphology. Furthermore, inhibiting tension-mediated signalling in the permissive environment mirrored the effects of delayed secondary crosslinking, whereas upregulating tension induced osteogenesis even in the restrictive environment.

Barrier controlled carrier trapping of extended defects in CdZnTe detector

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Guo, Rongrong; Jie, Wanqi; Xu, Yadong; Yu, Hui; Zha, Gangqiang; Wang, Tao; Ren, Jie

2015-01-01

Transient current techniques using alpha particle source were utilized to study the influence of extended defects on the electron drift time and the detector performance of CdZnTe crystals. Different from the case of trapping through isolated point defect, a barrier controlled trapping model was used to explain the mechanism of carrier trapping at the extended defects. The effect of extended defects on the photoconductance was studied by laser beam induced transient current (LBIC) measurement. The results demonstrate that the Schottky-type depletion space charge region is induced at the vicinity of the extended defects, which further distorts the internal electric field distribution and affects the carrier trajectory in CdZnTe crystals. The relationship between the electron drift time and detector performance has been established. - Highlights: • The barrier controlled trapping model was developed around extended defects. • Electron mobility and E-field distribution were distorted by space charge depletion region. • Extended defects act as a recombination-activated region. • The relationships between extended defects and detector performance were established

Syntrophic growth with direct interspecies electron transfer as the primary mechanism for energy exchange

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Shrestha, Pravin Malla; Rotaru, Amelia-Elena; Aklujkar, Muktak

2013-01-01

Direct interspecies electron transfer (DIET) through biological electrical connections is an alternative to interspecies H2 transfer as a mechanism for electron exchange in syntrophic cultures. However, it has not previously been determined whether electrons received via DIET yield energy...... dehydrogenase, the pilus-associated c-type cytochrome OmcS and pili consistent with electron transfer via DIET. These results suggest that electrons transferred via DIET can serve as the sole energy source to support anaerobic respiration....

Estimates for the mixed derivatives of the Green functions on homogeneous manifolds of negative curvature

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Roman Urban

2004-12-01

Full Text Available We consider the Green functions for second-order left-invariant differential operators on homogeneous manifolds of negative curvature, being a semi-direct product of a nilpotent Lie group $N$ and $A=mathbb{R}^+$. We obtain estimates for mixed derivatives of the Green functions both in the coercive and non-coercive case. The current paper completes the previous results obtained by the author in a series of papers [14,15,16,19].

Measurement of the /sup 12/C(n,γ0)/sup 13/C cross section in the giant dipole resonance region

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

August, R.A.; Weller, H.R.; Tilley, D.R.

1987-01-01

The /sup 12/C(n,γ 0 ) /sup 13/C excitation function at 90 0 has been measured for neutron energies from 6.5 to 18.5 MeV. Whereas previous measurements disagreed at the lower energies with a direct-semidirect capture calculation based on /sup 12/C(p,γ 0 ) /sup 13/N data, the present results, especially when the uncertainty in absolute cross section is considered, indicate reasonable qualitative agreement with the calculation

Extended irreversible thermodynamics and the Jeffreys type constitutive equations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Serdyukov, S.I.

2003-01-01

A postulate of extended irreversible thermodynamics is considered, according to which the entropy density is a function of the internal energy, the specific volume, and their material time derivatives. On the basis of this postulate, entropy balance equations and phenomenological equations are obtained, which directly lead to the Jeffreys type constitutive equations

Structure and direct decay of Giant Monopole Resonances

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Avez, B.; Simenel, C.

2013-01-01

We study structure and direct decay of the Giant Monopole Resonance (GMR) at the Random Phase Approximation (RPA) level using the time-dependent energy density functional method in the linear response regime in a few doubly magic nuclei. A proper treatment of the continuum, through the use of large coordinate space, allows for a separation between the nucleus and its emitted nucleons. The microscopic structure of the GMR is investigated with the decomposition of the strength function into individual single-particle quantum numbers. A similar microscopic decomposition of the spectra of emitted nucleons by direct decay of the GMR is performed. In this harmonic picture of giant resonance, shifting every contribution by the initial single-particle energy allows to reconstruct the GMR strength function. The RPA residual interaction couples bound 1-particle 1-hole states to unbound ones, allowing for the total decay of the GMR. In this article, we then intend to get an understanding of the direct decay mechanism from coherent one-particle-one-hole superpositions, while neglecting more complex configurations. Time-dependent beyond mean-field approaches should be used, in the future, to extend this method. (orig.)

Extended system of space-time coordinates and generalized translation group of transformations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yamaleev, R.M.

1980-01-01

A method of extending space-time is considered. In the nonrelativistic case extending goes by joining a scalar to the 3-dimensional radius-vector, completing this to a quaternion. The interpretation of scalar obtained as a parameter of scale transfornation of the generalized translation of group of transformations is given. Some basic expressions of nonrelativistic classical mechanics in the quaternion representation are given. In the relativistic case space-time is constructed from two quaternions: the first one consists of a pair scalar-3-dimensional radius-vector; the second one, of a pair-time-scalar-3-dimensional time-vector. Time and space coordinates, enter into the expression with the opposite signature. The introduction of a time-vector as well as of a new scalar is stipulated by the requirement of the principle of conforming quantum mechanics of the 1/2 spin to classical mechanics [ru

Superior mechanical flexibility of phosphorene and few-layer black phosphorus

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wei, Qun [School of Physics and Optoelectronic Engineering, Xidian University, Xi' an 710071 (China); School of Letters and Sciences, Arizona State University, Mesa, Arizona 85212 (United States); Peng, Xihong, E-mail: Xihong.peng@asu.edu [School of Letters and Sciences, Arizona State University, Mesa, Arizona 85212 (United States)

2014-06-23

Recently, fabricated two dimensional (2D) phosphorene crystal structures have demonstrated great potential in applications of electronics. Mechanical strain was demonstrated to be able to significantly modify the electronic properties of phosphorene and few-layer black phosphorus. In this work, we employed first principles density functional theory calculations to explore the mechanical properties of phosphorene, including ideal tensile strength and critical strain. It was found that a monolayer phosphorene can sustain tensile strain up to 27% and 30% in the zigzag and armchair directions, respectively. This enormous strain limit of phosphorene results from its unique puckered crystal structure. We found that the tensile strain applied in the armchair direction stretches the pucker of phosphorene, rather than significantly extending the P-P bond lengths. The compromised dihedral angles dramatically reduce the required strain energy. Compared to other 2D materials, such as graphene, phosphorene demonstrates superior flexibility with an order of magnitude smaller Young's modulus. This is especially useful in practical large-magnitude-strain engineering. Furthermore, the anisotropic nature of phosphorene was also explored. We derived a general model to calculate the Young's modulus along different directions for a 2D system.

Superior mechanical flexibility of phosphorene and few-layer black phosphorus

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wei, Qun; Peng, Xihong

2014-01-01

Recently, fabricated two dimensional (2D) phosphorene crystal structures have demonstrated great potential in applications of electronics. Mechanical strain was demonstrated to be able to significantly modify the electronic properties of phosphorene and few-layer black phosphorus. In this work, we employed first principles density functional theory calculations to explore the mechanical properties of phosphorene, including ideal tensile strength and critical strain. It was found that a monolayer phosphorene can sustain tensile strain up to 27% and 30% in the zigzag and armchair directions, respectively. This enormous strain limit of phosphorene results from its unique puckered crystal structure. We found that the tensile strain applied in the armchair direction stretches the pucker of phosphorene, rather than significantly extending the P-P bond lengths. The compromised dihedral angles dramatically reduce the required strain energy. Compared to other 2D materials, such as graphene, phosphorene demonstrates superior flexibility with an order of magnitude smaller Young's modulus. This is especially useful in practical large-magnitude-strain engineering. Furthermore, the anisotropic nature of phosphorene was also explored. We derived a general model to calculate the Young's modulus along different directions for a 2D system.

Mechanical response tissue analyzer for estimating bone strength

Science.gov (United States)

Arnaud, Sara B.; Steele, Charles; Mauriello, Anthony

1991-01-01

One of the major concerns for extended space flight is weakness of the long bones of the legs, composed primarily of cortical bone, that functions to provide mechanical support. The strength of cortical bone is due to its complex structure, described simplistically as cylinders of parallel osteons composed of layers of mineralized collagen. The reduced mechanical stresses during space flight or immobilization of bone on Earth reduces the mineral content, and changes the components of its matrix and structure so that its strength is reduced. Currently, the established clinical measures of bone strength are indirect. The measures are based on determinations of mineral density by means of radiography, photon absorptiometry, and quantitative computer tomography. While the mineral content of bone is essential to its strength, there is growing awareness of the limitations of the measurement as the sole predictor of fracture risk in metabolic bone diseases, especially limitations of the measurement as the sole predictor of fracture risk in metabolic bone diseases, especially osteoporosis. Other experimental methods in clinical trials that more directly evaluate the physical properties of bone, and do not require exposure to radiation, include ultrasound, acoustic emission, and low-frequency mechanical vibration. The last method can be considered a direct measure of the functional capacity of a long bone since it quantifies the mechanical response to a stimulus delivered directly to the bone. A low frequency vibration induces a response (impedance) curve with a minimum at the resonant frequency, that a few investigators use for the evaluation of the bone. An alternative approach, the method under consideration, is to use the response curve as the basis for determination of the bone bending stiffness EI (E is the intrinsic material property and I is the cross-sectional moment of inertia) and mass, fundamental mechanical properties of bone.

Extending the Direct Behavior Rating: An Examination of Schoolwide Behavior Ratings and Academic Engagement

Science.gov (United States)

Bruhn, Allison; Barron, Sheila; Fernando, Josephine; Balint-Langel, Kinga

2018-01-01

Direct behavior ratings have been identified as a practical and feasible alternative to direct observation of behavior for monitoring behavioral progress. Despite the evidence of usability, there have been calls for further examination of direct behavior ratings using different behaviors and scales. To this end, we examined the ratings of…

Properties of sulfur-extended asphalt concrete

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gladkikh Vitaliy

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Currently, increased functional reliability of asphalt concrete coatings associated with various modifying additives that improve the durability of pavements. Promising builder is a technical sulfur. Asphalt concrete, made using a complex binder consisting of petroleum bitumen and technical sulfur, were calledsSulfur-Extended Asphalt Concrete. Such asphalt concrete, due to changes in the chemical composition of particulate and bitumen, changes the intensity of the interaction at the interface have increased rates of physical and mechanical properties. There was a lack of essential knowledge concerning mechanical properties of the sulfur-bituminous concrete with such an admixture; therefore, we had carried out the necessary examination. It is revealed that a new material satisfies local regulations in terms of compressive and tensile strength, shear resistance, and internal friction.

Mechanics of Student-Directed Multi-University Internet Video-Conferencing Course

Science.gov (United States)

Durant, A. J.; Mann, C. P.; Rose, W. I.; Stix, J.

2007-12-01

Connecting graduate students with experts in a given discipline is vital to their success but has often been challenging because of logistics, costs, and scheduling. Advances in Internet video-conferencing now allow multiple parties to meet simultaneously in a virtual classroom environment. Here we describe the mechanics of a recent student-directed graduate-level course that enabled students to directly engage in scientific discussion with experts. Conducted under the auspices of the Earth Hazards (EHaz) Consortium, the spring 2007 Volcano Instability course connected nine previously disparate groups over North America in a combined learning and cultural experience. Each week course participants (including the guest speaker, students and university professors) reviewed current journal articles and a speaker presentation, and used Marratech Internet video- conferencing software to meet online and discuss the material with an expert on the subject. Internet video-conferencing provides an inexpensive and innovative approach to teaching across international boundaries. The EHaz 2007 Volcano Instability course connected 14 experts with 64 students and professors. Many universities can participate through this approach, allowing an advanced graduate class that normally contains 4 - 8 students on one campus to become a class of 50 or more dispersed over many campuses. As evidenced by overwhelmingly positive course evaluations, the approach was stimulating and conducive to learning, and has great potential for application over many other disciplines. This dynamic interaction between students and experts will ultimately raise the standard of instruction and motivate students to self-guide their learning experience to levels of greater understanding.

Neural mechanisms underlying transcranial direct current stimulation in aphasia: A feasibility study.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lena eUlm

2015-10-01

Full Text Available Little is known about the neural mechanisms by which transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS impacts on language processing in post-stroke aphasia. This was addressed in a proof-of-principle study that explored the effects of tDCS application in aphasia during simultaneous functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI. We employed a single subject, cross-over, sham-tDCS controlled design and the stimulation was administered to an individualized perilesional stimulation site that was identified by a baseline fMRI scan and a picture naming task. Peak activity during the baseline scan was located in the spared left inferior frontal gyrus (IFG and this area was stimulated during a subsequent cross-over phase. tDCS was successfully administered to the target region and anodal- vs. sham-tDCS resulted in selectively increased activity at the stimulation site. Our results thus demonstrate that it is feasible to precisely target an individualized stimulation site in aphasia patients during simultaneous fMRI which allows assessing the neural mechanisms underlying tDCS application. The functional imaging results of this case report highlight one possible mechanism that may have contributed to beneficial behavioural stimulation effects in previous clinical tDCS trials in aphasia. In the future, this approach will allow identifying distinct patterns of stimulation effects on neural processing in larger cohorts of patients. This may ultimately yield information about the variability of tDCS-effects on brain functions in aphasia.

Mechanical design parameters for detection of nuclear signals by magnetic resonance force microscopy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moore, G.J.; Hanlon, J.A.; Lamartine, B.; Hawley, M.; Solem, J.C.; Signer, S.; Jarmer, J.J.; Penttila, S.; Sillerud, L.O.; Pryputniewicz, R.J.

1993-01-01

Recent theoretical work has shown that mechanical detection of magnetic resonance from a single nuclear spin is in principle possible. This theory has recently been experimentally validated by the mechanical detection of electron spin resonance signals using microscale cantilevers. Currently we are extending this technology in an attempt to detect nuclear signals which are extending this technology in an attempt to detect nuclear signals which are three orders of magnitude lower in intensity than electron signals. In order to achieve the needed thousand-fold improvement in sensitivity we have undertaken the development of optimized mechanical cantilevers and highly polarized samples. Finite element modeling is used as a tool to simulate cantilever beam dynamics and to optimize the mechanical properties including Q, resonant frequency, amplitude of vibration and spring constant. Simulations are compared to experiments using heterodyne hologram interferometry. Nanofabrication of optimized cantilevers via ion milling will be directed by the outcome of these simulations and experiments. Highly polarized samples are developed using a three-fold approach: (1) high magnetic field strength (2.5T), (2) low temperature (1K), and (3) use of samples polarized by dynamic nuclear polarization. Our recent experiments have demonstrated nuclear polarizations in excess of 50% in molecules of toulene

Extending Newton's law from nonlocal-in-time kinetic energy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Suykens, J.A.K.

2009-01-01

We study a new equation of motion derived from a context of classical Newtonian mechanics by replacing the kinetic energy with a form of nonlocal-in-time kinetic energy. It leads to a hypothetical extension of Newton's second law of motion. In a first stage the obtainable solution form is studied by considering an unknown value for the nonlocality time extent. This is done in relation to higher-order Euler-Lagrange equations and a Hamiltonian framework. In a second stage the free particle case and harmonic oscillator case are studied and compared with quantum mechanical results. For a free particle it is shown that the solution form is a superposition of the classical straight line motion and a Fourier series. We discuss the link with quanta interpretations made in Pais-Uhlenbeck oscillators. The discrete nature emerges from the continuous time setting through application of the least action principle. The harmonic oscillator case leads to energy levels that approximately correspond to the quantum harmonic oscillator levels. The solution to the extended Newton equation also admits a quantization of the nonlocality time extent, which is determined by the classical oscillator frequency. The extended equation suggests a new possible way for understanding the relationship between classical and quantum mechanics

Extending Profiles with Stereotypes for Composite Concepts

OpenAIRE

Quartel, Dick; Dijkman, R.M.; van Sinderen, Marten J.; Briand, L.; Williams, C.

2005-01-01

This paper proposes an extension of the UML 2.0 profiling mechanism. This extension facilitates a language designer to introduce composite concepts as separate conceptual and notational elements in a modelling language. Composite concepts are compositions of existing concepts. To facilitate the introduction of composite concepts, the notion of stereotype is extended. This extension defines how a composite concept can be specified and added to a language’s metamodel, ithout modifying the exist...

Direct mechanical data acquisition of dental impressions for the manufacturing of CAD/CAM restorations.

Science.gov (United States)

Quaas, Sebastian; Rudolph, Heike; Luthardt, Ralph G

2007-12-01

The basic prerequisite for the production of dental restorations by means of CAD/CAM technologies is the data acquisition (digitization). Currently, two methods are available, i.e. the extraoral digitization of master casts and the direct intraoral data acquisition. However, it seems to be beneficial to immediately digitize impressions directly at the dental office in order to combine the high precision of mechanical digitizing methods and to shorten the production process. The aim of this study was to investigate the measurement uncertainty (+/-2sigma) and the three-dimensional accuracy of the immediate tactile in-office digitization of dental impressions and of the mechanical digitizing of ceramic master dies using a high-precision touch-probe digitizer. The experimental set-up consisted of ceramic master dies representing tooth 13 and 36 as well as their identical virtual models (CAD models). Fifteen one-step putty-wash impressions were taken from each tooth. The impressions as well as the ceramic master dies were digitized applying a standardized procedure. The datasets were aligned to the corresponding CAD models; then, a computer-aided three-dimensional analysis was performed. The digitizing of the dental impressions showed a measurement uncertainty of 5.8, mean positive deviations between 27 and 28microm, and mean negative deviations between -21 and -31microm. The digitizing of the ceramic master dies showed a measurement uncertainty of 2.8, mean positive deviations between 7.7 and 9.1microm, and mean negative deviations between -8.5 and -8.8microm. Mechanical digitizers show a very low measurement uncertainty and a high precision. The immediate tactile in-office digitization of impressions cannot be recommended as adequate data acquisition method for CAD/CAM restorations. It is recommendable to digitize clinical sites extraorally, i.e. after taking an impression and fabricating a model cast thereof.

Directed polymers versus directed percolation

Science.gov (United States)

Halpin-Healy, Timothy

1998-10-01

Universality plays a central role within the rubric of modern statistical mechanics, wherein an insightful continuum formulation rises above irrelevant microscopic details, capturing essential scaling behaviors. Nevertheless, occasions do arise where the lattice or another discrete aspect can constitute a formidable legacy. Directed polymers in random media, along with its close sibling, directed percolation, provide an intriguing case in point. Indeed, the deep blood relation between these two models may have sabotaged past efforts to fully characterize the Kardar-Parisi-Zhang universality class, to which the directed polymer belongs.

Baryogenesis in extended inflation. II. Baryogenesis via primordial black holes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Barrow, J.D.; Copeland, E.J.; Kolb, E.W.; Liddle, A.R.

1991-01-01

This is the second of two papers devoted to the study of baryogenesis at the end of extended inflation. Extended inflation is brought to an end by the collisions of bubble walls surrounding regions of true vacuum, a process which produces particles well out of thermal equilibrium. In the first paper we considered baryogenesis via direct production and subsequent decay of baryon-number-violating bosons. In this paper we consider the further possibility that the wall collisions may provide a significant density of primordial black holes and examine their possible role in generating a baryon asymmetry

Elucidating Direct Photolysis Mechanisms of Different Dissociation Species of Norfloxacin in Water and Mg2+ Effects by Quantum Chemical Calculations.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Se; Wang, Zhuang

2017-11-11

The study of pollution due to combined antibiotics and metals is urgently needed. Photochemical processes are an important transformation pathway for antibiotics in the environment. The mechanisms underlying the effects of metal-ion complexation on the aquatic photochemical transformation of antibiotics in different dissociation forms are crucial problems in science, and beg solutions. Herein, we investigated the mechanisms of direct photolysis of norfloxacin (NOR) in different dissociation forms in water and metal ion Mg 2+ effects using quantum chemical calculations. Results show that different dissociation forms of NOR had different maximum electronic absorbance wavelengths (NOR 2+ direct photolysis pathways were de-ethylation (N7-C8 bond cleavage) and decarboxylation (C2-C5 bond cleavage). Furthermore, the presence of Mg 2+ changed the order of the wavelength at maximum electronic absorbance (NOR⁺-Mg 2+ direct photolysis of NOR⁰, NOR⁺, and NOR 2+ . The calculated TS results indicated that the presence of Mg 2+ increased E a for most direct photolysis pathways of NOR, while it decreased E a for some direct photolysis pathways such as the loss of the piperazine ring and the damage of the piperazine ring of NOR⁰ and the defluorination of NOR⁺.

Direct right ventricular puncture for hemodynamic evaluation of a mechanical tricuspid valve prosthesis: a new indication for an old procedure.

Science.gov (United States)

Gibson, M A; Carell, E S

1997-11-01

The advent of transvenous right heart catheterization has relegated direct transthoracic right ventricular puncture largely to the role of "interesting historical footnote." However, in the case of a right ventricle that is "protected" by a mechanical tricuspid valve prosthesis, direct right ventricular puncture represents a reasonable alternative for obtaining accurate hemodynamic information.

Microstructure and mechanical properties of direct metal laser sintered TI-6AL-4V

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Becker, Thorsten Hermann

2015-05-01

Full Text Available Direct metal laser sintering (DMLS is a selective laser melting (SLM manufacturing process that can produce near net shape parts from metallic powders. A range of materials are suitable for SLM; they include various metals such as titanium, steel, aluminium, and cobalt-chrome alloys. This paper forms part of a research drive that aims to evaluate the material performance of the SLM-manufactured metals. It presents DMLS-produced Ti-6Al-4V, a titanium alloy often used in biomedical and aerospace applications. This paper also studies the effect of several heat treatments on the microstructure and mechanical properties of Ti-6Al-4V processed by SLM. It reports the achievable mechanical properties of the alloy, including quasi-static, crack growth behaviour, density and porosity distribution, and post-processing using various heat-treatment conditions.

Knowing beans: Human mirror mechanisms revealed through motor adaptation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Arthur M Glenberg

2010-11-01

Full Text Available Human mirror mechanisms (MMs respond during both performed and observed action and appear to underlie action goal recognition. We introduce a behavioral procedure for discovering and clarifying functional MM properties: Blindfolded participants repeatedly move beans either toward or away from themselves to induce motor adaptation. Then, the bias for perceiving direction of ambiguous visual movement in depth is measured. Bias is affected by a number of beans moved, b movement direction, and c similarity of the visual stimulus to the hand used to move beans. This cross-modal adaptation pattern supports both the validity of human MMs and functionality of our testing instrument. We also discuss related work that extends the motor adaptation paradigm to investigate contributions of MMs to speech perception and language comprehension.

Evidence for two concurrent inhibitory mechanisms during response preparation

Science.gov (United States)

Duque, Julie; Lew, David; Mazzocchio, Riccardo; Olivier, Etienne; Ivry, Richard B.

2010-01-01

Inhibitory mechanisms are critically involved in goal-directed behaviors. To gain further insight into how such mechanisms shape motor representations during response preparation, motor evoked potentials (MEPs) elicited by transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) and H-reflexes were recorded from left hand muscles during choice reaction time tasks. The imperative signal, which indicated the required response, was always preceded by a preparatory cue. During the post-cue delay period, left MEPs were suppressed when the left hand had been cued for the forthcoming response, suggestive of a form of inhibition specifically directed at selected response representations. H-reflexes were also suppressed on these trials, indicating that the effects of this inhibition extend to spinal circuits. In addition, left MEPs were suppressed when the right hand was cued, but only when left hand movements were a possible response option before the onset of the cue. Notably, left hand H-reflexes were not modulated on these trials, consistent with a cortical locus of inhibition that lowers the activation of task-relevant, but non-selected responses. These results suggest the concurrent operation of two inhibitory mechanisms during response preparation: one decreases the activation of selected responses at the spinal level, helping to control when selected movements should be initiated by preventing their premature release; a second, upstream mechanism helps to determine what response to make during a competitive selection process. PMID:20220014

Evolution of extended defects in polycrystalline Au-irradiated UO{sub 2} using in situ TEM: Temperature and fluence effects

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Onofri, C., E-mail: claire.onofri@cea.fr [CEA, DEN, DEC, F-13108 Saint Paul Lez Durance Cedex (France); Sabathier, C. [CEA, DEN, DEC, F-13108 Saint Paul Lez Durance Cedex (France); Baumier, C.; Bachelet, C. [CSNSM/CNRS, PARIS-SUD University, F-91400 Orsay (France); Palancher, H. [CEA, DEN, DEC, F-13108 Saint Paul Lez Durance Cedex (France); Legros, M. [CEMES/CNRS, F-31055 Toulouse Cedex 4 (France)

2016-12-15

In situ Transmission Electron Microscopy irradiations were performed on polycrystalline UO{sub 2} thin foils with 4 MeV gold ions at three different temperatures: 600 °C, room and liquid nitrogen temperature. In order to study the dislocation evolution and to determine the growth mechanisms, the dislocation loop and line densities and the loop size repartition were monitored as a function of fluence, and irradiation temperature. We show that dislocation loops, with Burgers vectors along the <110> directions, evolve into dislocation lines with increasing fluence by a loop overlapping mechanism. Furthermore, a fluence offset is highlighted between the irradiations performed at high and low temperature due to an increase of the defect mobility. Indeed, a growth by Oswald ripening is probably activated at room temperature and 600 °C and changes the kinetic evolution of loops into lines. After this transformation, and for all the irradiation temperatures, a steady state equilibrium is reached where both extended defects (dislocation lines and small dislocations loops -around 5 nm in size-) are observed simultaneously. A continuous nucleation of small dislocation loops and of nanometer-sized cavities formed directly by irradiation is also highlighted.

Extracting weights from edge directions to find communities in directed networks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lai, Darong; Lu, Hongtao; Nardini, Christine

2010-01-01

Community structures are found to exist ubiquitously in real-world complex networks. We address here the problem of community detection in directed networks. Most of the previous literature ignores edge directions and applies methods designed for community detection in undirected networks, which discards valuable information and often fails when different communities are defined on the basis of incoming and outgoing edges. We suggest extracting information about edge directions using a PageRank random walk and translating such information into edge weights. After extraction we obtain a new weighted directed network in which edge directions can then be safely ignored. We thus transform community detection in directed networks into community detection in reweighted undirected networks. Such an approach can benefit directly from the large volume of algorithms for the detection of communities in undirected networks already developed, since it is not obvious how to extend these algorithms to account for directed networks and the procedure is often difficult. Validations on synthetic and real-world networks demonstrate that the proposed framework can effectively detect communities in directed networks

Comparative study of mechanical properties of direct core build-up materials

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Girish Kumar

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Background and Objectives: The strength greatly influences the selection of core material because core must withstand forces due to mastication and para-function for many years. This study was conducted to evaluate certain mechanical properties of commonly used materials for direct core build-up, including visible light cured composite, polyacid modified composite, resin modified glass ionomer, high copper amalgam, and silver cermet cement. Materials and Methods: All the materials were manipulated according to the manufacturer′s recommendations and standard test specimens were prepared. A universal testing machine at different cross-head speed was used to determine all the four mechanical properties. Mean compressive strength, diametral tensile strength, flexural strength, and elastic modulus with standard deviations were calculated. Multiple comparisons of the materials were also done. Results: Considerable differences in compressive strength, diametral tensile strength, and flexural strength were observed. Visible light cured composite showed relatively high compressive strength, diametral tensile strength, and flexural strength compared with the other tested materials. Amalgam showed the highest value for elastic modulus. Silver cermet showed less value for all the properties except for elastic modulus. Conclusions: Strength is one of the most important criteria for selection of a core material. Stronger materials better resist deformation and fracture provide more equitable stress distribution, greater stability, and greater probability of clinical success.

Hole-Size Increasing PCFs for Blue-Extended Supercontinuum Generation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sørensen, Simon Toft; Larsen, Casper; Jakobsen, C.

2013-01-01

into the deep-blue in a single mode PCF with varying hole-size and pitch fabricated directly at the draw-tower. The PCFs in this work are fabricated by increasing the pressure on the air holes during the drawing. However, this process alone will lead to an undesirable structure where both the relative hole......Supercontinuum (SC) sources with spectra extending into the deep-blue region below 400 nm are highly desirable in areas such as fluorescent microscopy [1]. Tapering of photonic crystal fibers (PCFs) with high air-fill fractions has proven an effective way of extending the spectra into the deep...... wavelength spectral edge to wavelengths in the deep-blue or even UV. Previous reports on blue-extended SC generation were typically achieved in tapered PCFs where the air-hole structure was preserved [1-4], i.e. the relative hole-size constant. However, such PCFs with high air-fill fractions are inevitably...

Perspectives on extended Deterrence

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tertrais, Bruno; Yost, David S.; Bunn, Elaine; Lee, Seok-soo; Levite, Ariel e.; Russell, James A.; Hokayem, Emile; Kibaroglu, Mustafa; Schulte, Paul; Thraenert, Oliver; Kulesa, Lukasz

2010-05-01

In November 2009, the Foundation for Strategic Research (Fondation pour la recherche strategique, FRS) convened a workshop on 'The Future of extended Deterrence', which included the participation of some of the best experts of this topic, from the United States, Europe, the Middle East and East Asia, as well as French and NATO officials. This document brings together the papers prepared for this seminar. Several of them were updated after the publication in April 2010 of the US Nuclear Posture Review. The seminar was organized with the support of the French Atomic energy Commission (Commissariat a l'energie atomique - CEA). Content: 1 - The future of extended deterrence: a brainstorming paper (Bruno Tertrais); 2 - US extended deterrence in NATO and North-East Asia (David S. Yost); 3 - The future of US extended deterrence (Elaine Bunn); 4 - The future of extended deterrence: a South Korean perspective (Seok-soo Lee); 5 - Reflections on extended deterrence in the Middle East (Ariel e. Levite); 6 - extended deterrence, security guarantees and nuclear weapons: US strategic and policy conundrums in the Gulf (James A. Russell); 7 - extended deterrence in the Gulf: a bridge too far? (Emile Hokayem); 8 - The future of extended deterrence: the case of Turkey (Mustafa Kibaroglu); 9 - The future of extended deterrence: a UK view (Paul Schulte); 10 - NATO and extended deterrence (Oliver Thraenert); 11 - extended deterrence and assurance in Central Europe (Lukasz Kulesa)

Quantum Mechanics/Molecular Mechanics Modeling of Drug Metabolism

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lonsdale, Richard; Fort, Rachel M; Rydberg, Patrik

2016-01-01

)-mexiletine in CYP1A2 with hybrid quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics (QM/MM) methods, providing a more detailed and realistic model. Multiple reaction barriers have been calculated at the QM(B3LYP-D)/MM(CHARMM27) level for the direct N-oxidation and H-abstraction/rebound mechanisms. Our calculated barriers......The mechanism of cytochrome P450(CYP)-catalyzed hydroxylation of primary amines is currently unclear and is relevant to drug metabolism; previous small model calculations have suggested two possible mechanisms: direct N-oxidation and H-abstraction/rebound. We have modeled the N-hydroxylation of (R...... indicate that the direct N-oxidation mechanism is preferred and proceeds via the doublet spin state of Compound I. Molecular dynamics simulations indicate that the presence of an ordered water molecule in the active site assists in the binding of mexiletine in the active site...

Direct writing and electro-mechanical characterization of Ag micro-patterns on polymer substrates for flexible electronics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Torres Arango, Maria A.; Cokeley, Anna M.; Beard, Jared J.; Sierros, Konstantinos A.

2015-01-01

There is currently a great interest in developing flexible electrodes. Such components are used in most electronic devices from displays to solar cells to flexible sensors. To date most of them are fabricated using expensive vacuum techniques, and are based on transparent conducting oxides. These oxides are not entirely compatible with flexible substrates under the application of mechanical stresses, due to their brittle nature. Therefore, there is a need to explore novel low-cost, large-area fabrication methods to deposit alternative conducting materials with enhanced electro-mechanical performance. This work focuses on Ag patterns fabricated at low temperatures (below 150 °C) on flexible polyethylene naphthalate utilizing a robotic printing approach. Such lithography-free method minimizes material waste by printing exact amounts of inks on digitally predefined locations. Additionally, it allows a broad feature size range, from a few μm to a few mm, and a variety of ink viscosities for better pattern control. We investigate the synthesis and direct writing of Ag particle-based inks, patterned-on-flex as lines and grids in the μm scale. We report on a high-yield ink synthesis method (~ 61.6%) with controlled particle size. It is found that the electrical resistivity (1.75 ∗ 10"−"4 Ω cm) of the patterns is in the same range with similar particle-based conductive components. The correlation between annealing temperature, microstructural evolution, and electrical performance is established. Also, the optical transmittance of the patterns can be controlled to meet specific application requirements by regulating the substrate surface area covered. Finally, the mechanical behavior under both monotonic and cyclic conditions shows a superior performance compared to brittle counterparts and underlines the potential of such metallic micro-patterns to be utilized in a wide range of flexible electronic applications. It is believed that direct writing of Ag patterns on

Direct writing and electro-mechanical characterization of Ag micro-patterns on polymer substrates for flexible electronics

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Torres Arango, Maria A.; Cokeley, Anna M.; Beard, Jared J.; Sierros, Konstantinos A., E-mail: kostas.sierros@mail.wvu.edu

2015-12-01

There is currently a great interest in developing flexible electrodes. Such components are used in most electronic devices from displays to solar cells to flexible sensors. To date most of them are fabricated using expensive vacuum techniques, and are based on transparent conducting oxides. These oxides are not entirely compatible with flexible substrates under the application of mechanical stresses, due to their brittle nature. Therefore, there is a need to explore novel low-cost, large-area fabrication methods to deposit alternative conducting materials with enhanced electro-mechanical performance. This work focuses on Ag patterns fabricated at low temperatures (below 150 °C) on flexible polyethylene naphthalate utilizing a robotic printing approach. Such lithography-free method minimizes material waste by printing exact amounts of inks on digitally predefined locations. Additionally, it allows a broad feature size range, from a few μm to a few mm, and a variety of ink viscosities for better pattern control. We investigate the synthesis and direct writing of Ag particle-based inks, patterned-on-flex as lines and grids in the μm scale. We report on a high-yield ink synthesis method (~ 61.6%) with controlled particle size. It is found that the electrical resistivity (1.75 ∗ 10{sup −4} Ω cm) of the patterns is in the same range with similar particle-based conductive components. The correlation between annealing temperature, microstructural evolution, and electrical performance is established. Also, the optical transmittance of the patterns can be controlled to meet specific application requirements by regulating the substrate surface area covered. Finally, the mechanical behavior under both monotonic and cyclic conditions shows a superior performance compared to brittle counterparts and underlines the potential of such metallic micro-patterns to be utilized in a wide range of flexible electronic applications. It is believed that direct writing of Ag patterns

Extended Emotions

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Krueger, Joel; Szanto, Thomas

2016-01-01

beyond the neurophysiological confines of organisms; some even argue that emotions can be socially extended and shared by multiple agents. Call this the extended emotions thesis (ExE). In this article, we consider different ways of understanding ExE in philosophy, psychology, and the cognitive sciences...

Pore structure and mechanical properties of directionally solidified porous aluminum alloys

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Komissarchuk Olga

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Porous aluminum alloys produced by the metal-gas eutectic method or GASAR process need to be performed under a certain pressure of hydrogen, and to carry over melt to a tailor-made apparatus that ensures directional solidification. Hydrogen is driven out of the melt, and then the quasi-cylindrical pores normal to the solidification front are usually formed. In the research, the effects of processing parameters (saturation pressure, solidification pressure, temperature, and holding time on the pore structure and porosity of porous aluminum alloys were analyzed. The mechanical properties of Al-Mg alloys were studied by the compressive tests, and the advantages of the porous structure were indicated. By using the GASAR method, pure aluminum, Al-3wt.%Mg, Al-6wt.%Mg and Al-35wt.%Mg alloys with oriented pores have been successfully produced under processing conditions of varying gas pressure, and the relationship between the final pore structure and the solidification pressure, as well as the influences of Mg quantity on the pore size, porosity and mechanical properties of Al-Mg alloy were investigated. The results show that a higher pressure of solidification tends to yield smaller pores in aluminum and its alloys. In the case of Al-Mg alloys, it was proved that with the increasing of Mg amount, the mechanical properties of the alloys sharply deteriorate. However, since Al-3%Mg and Al-6wt.%Mg alloys are ductile metals, their porous samples have greater compressive strength than that of the dense samples due to the existence of pores. It gives the opportunity to use them in industry at the same conditions as dense alloys with savings in weight and material consumption.

An Adaptive Neural Mechanism for Acoustic Motion Perception with Varying Sparsity.

Science.gov (United States)

Shaikh, Danish; Manoonpong, Poramate

2017-01-01

Biological motion-sensitive neural circuits are quite adept in perceiving the relative motion of a relevant stimulus. Motion perception is a fundamental ability in neural sensory processing and crucial in target tracking tasks. Tracking a stimulus entails the ability to perceive its motion, i.e., extracting information about its direction and velocity. Here we focus on auditory motion perception of sound stimuli, which is poorly understood as compared to its visual counterpart. In earlier work we have developed a bio-inspired neural learning mechanism for acoustic motion perception. The mechanism extracts directional information via a model of the peripheral auditory system of lizards. The mechanism uses only this directional information obtained via specific motor behaviour to learn the angular velocity of unoccluded sound stimuli in motion. In nature however the stimulus being tracked may be occluded by artefacts in the environment, such as an escaping prey momentarily disappearing behind a cover of trees. This article extends the earlier work by presenting a comparative investigation of auditory motion perception for unoccluded and occluded tonal sound stimuli with a frequency of 2.2 kHz in both simulation and practice. Three instances of each stimulus are employed, differing in their movement velocities-0.5°/time step, 1.0°/time step and 1.5°/time step. To validate the approach in practice, we implement the proposed neural mechanism on a wheeled mobile robot and evaluate its performance in auditory tracking.

Directed Self-Assembly of Star-Block Copolymers by Topographic Nanopatterns through Nucleation and Growth Mechanism.

Science.gov (United States)

Krishnan, Mohan Raj; Lu, Kai-Yuan; Chiu, Wen-Yu; Chen, I-Chen; Lin, Jheng-Wei; Lo, Ting-Ya; Georgopanos, Prokopios; Avgeropoulos, Apostolos; Lee, Ming-Chang; Ho, Rong-Ming

2018-04-01

Exploring the ordering mechanism and dynamics of self-assembled block copolymer (BCP) thin films under confined conditions are highly essential in the application of BCP lithography. In this study, it is aimed to examine the self-assembling mechanism and kinetics of silicon-containing 3-arm star-block copolymer composed of polystyrene (PS) and poly(dimethylsiloxane) blocks as nanostructured thin films with perpendicular cylinders and controlled lateral ordering by directed self-assembly using topographically patterned substrates. The ordering process of the star-block copolymer within fabricated topographic patterns with PS-functionalized sidewall can be carried out through the type of secondary (i.e., heterogeneous) nucleation for microphase separation initiated from the edge and/or corner of the topographic patterns, and directed to grow as well-ordered hexagonally packed perpendicular cylinders. The growth rate for the confined microphase separation is highly dependent upon the dimension and also the geometric texture of the preformed pattern. Fast self-assembly for ordering of BCP thin film can be achieved by lowering the confinement dimension and also increasing the concern number of the preformed pattern, providing a new strategy for the design of BCP lithography from the integration of top-down and bottom-up approaches. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

A contribution to the theory of the extended Lagrangian formalism for rheonomic systems

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mušicki Đorđe

2009-01-01

Full Text Available In this paper the generalization of the notion of variation in the extended Lagrangian formalism for the rheonomic mechanical systems (Đ. Mušicki, 2004 is formulated and analyzed in details. This formalism is based on the extension of a set of generalized coordinates by new quantities, which determine the position of the frame of reference to which the chosen generalized coordinates refer. In the process of varying, the notion of variation is extended so that these introduced quantities, being additional generalized coordinates, must also to be varied, since the position of each particle of this system is completely determined only by all these generalized coordinates. With the consistent utilization of this notion of variation, the main results of this extended Lagrangian formalism are systematically presented, with the emphasis on the corresponding energy laws, first examined by V. Vujičić (1987, where there are two types of the energy change laws dE/dt and the corresponding conservation laws. Furthermore, the generalized Noether's theorem for the nonconservative systems with the associated Killing's equations (B. Vujanović, 1978 is extended to this formulation of mechanics, and applied for obtaining the corresponding energy laws. It is demonstrated that these energy laws, which are more general and more natural than the usual ones, are in full accordance with the corresponding ones in the vector formulation of mechanics, if they are expressed in terms of quantities introduced in this extended Lagrangian formalism. Finally, the obtained results are illustrated by an example: the motion of a damped linear harmonious oscillator on an inclined plane, which moves along a horizontal axis, where it is demonstrated that there is valid an energy-like conservation law of Vujanović's type.

Quark mobility in extended nuclear matter

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sivers, D.

1988-01-01

The propagation of an energetic quark through extended nuclear matter is analyzed in terms of a simple model in which localization of color is imposed through chromoelectric flux tubes. A mobile quark in the nuclear medium creates a disturbance which affects neighboring nucleons. The model suggests that the spatial properties of the disturbance involve a competition among different dynamical mechanisms. Experimental measurements involving the target fragmentation region in deep-inelastic leptoproduction on large nuclei may help specify some of the important features of nuclear dynamics. copyright 1988 Academic Press, Inc

Calorie restriction extends the chronological lifespan of Saccharomyces cerevisiae independently of the Sirtuins.

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, Daniel L; McClure, Julie M; Matecic, Mirela; Smith, Jeffrey S

2007-10-01

Calorie restriction (CR) extends the mean and maximum lifespan of a wide variety of organisms ranging from yeast to mammals, although the molecular mechanisms of action remain unclear. For the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae reducing glucose in the growth medium extends both the replicative and chronological lifespans (CLS). The conserved NAD(+)-dependent histone deacetylase, Sir2p, promotes replicative longevity in S. cerevisiae by suppressing recombination within the ribosomal DNA locus and has been proposed to mediate the effects of CR on aging. In this study, we investigated the functional relationships of the yeast Sirtuins (Sir2p, Hst1p, Hst2p, Hst3p and Hst4p) with CLS and CR. SIR2, HST2, and HST4 were not major regulators of CLS and were not required for the lifespan extension caused by shifting the glucose concentration from 2 to 0.5% (CR). Deleting HST1 or HST3 moderately shortened CLS, but did not prevent CR from extending lifespan. CR therefore works through a Sirtuin-independent mechanism in the chronological aging system. We also show that low temperature or high osmolarity additively extends CLS when combined with CR, suggesting that these stresses and CR act through separate pathways. The CR effect on CLS was not specific to glucose. Restricting other simple sugars such as galactose or fructose also extended lifespan. Importantly, growth on nonfermentable carbon sources that force yeast to exclusively utilize respiration extended lifespan at nonrestricted concentrations and provided no additional benefit when restricted, suggesting that elevated respiration capacity is an important determinant of chronological longevity.

Development of a DOI PET Detector Having the Structure of the X'tal Cube Extended in One Direction

Science.gov (United States)

Inadama, Naoko; Hirano, Yoshiyuki; Nishikido, Fumihiko; Murayama, Hideo; Yamaya, Taiga

2016-10-01

X'tal cube is the cubic depth of interaction (DOI) PET detector which our research group developed. In this work, aiming to get higher sensitivity, we developed the long rectangular shape X'tal cube (long-XC) by extending the cubic X'tal cube structure in one direction. We verified performance of this long-XC and also studied detector parameters for optimization. The same as the X'tal cube, the crystal block of the long-XC is composed of a 3D array of cubic scintillation crystal elements. Reflectors are not inserted between these crystal elements. The scintillation light then spreads without being obstructed by reflectors and is detected by multiple numbers of the multi-pixel photon counters (MPPCs) coupled on all six sides of the crystal block. For crystal element identification, a simple Anger-type calculation is used. In this study, we arranged 3.0 mm×3.0 mm×3.0 mm LGSO crystal elements in a 6 × 6 × 14 array for the long-XC. In a previous study, we had already confirmed that for the X'tal cube consisting of a 6 × 6 × 6 array of the same crystal elements and 54 MPPCs, identification of all 216 crystal elements was possible and the average energy resolution for all the elements was about 11 %. The long-XC contains more than twice the number of the crystal elements but less than twice the number of the MPPCs compared to the previous X'tal cube. The detector parameters investigated with the long-XC were: the number of MPPCs on both sides in the extended direction (edge MPPCs); the MPPC type, the MPPCs of 25 μm × 25 μm or 50 μm × 50 μm pixel sizes; the material between the crystal elements, an air gap or an optical glue having a closer refractive index to that of LGSO than air has; and the MPPC signals used in the Anger-type calculation. Results of the crystal element identification performance showed that reducing the number of the edge MPPCs caused performance degradation only at the part near the edge. For the MPPC type, the 50 μm type was better than

Extended BRS algebra and color confinement criteria

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shintani, Meiun.

1983-09-01

We examine the color-confinement criteria proposed by Kugo and Ojima. With the use of the extended BRS symmetry and the Nakanishi's theorem, we look for the representations of the BRS algebra compatible with the first condition of their criteria (the K-O condition) and then ask whether or not they are physically acceptable. As a result, the quartet mechanism does not work, and the K-O condition is not regarded as a confinement condition. (author)

Chromosomal Mosaicism in Human Feto-Placental Development: Implications for Prenatal Diagnosis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Francesca Romana Grati

2014-07-01

Full Text Available Chromosomal mosaicism is one of the primary interpretative issues in prenatal diagnosis. In this review, the mechanisms underlying feto-placental chromosomal mosaicism are presented. Based on the substantial retrospective diagnostic experience with chorionic villi samples (CVS of a prenatal diagnosis laboratory the following items are discussed: (i The frequency of the different types of mosaicism (confined placental, CPM, and true fetal mosaicisms, TFM; (ii The risk of fetal confirmation after the detection of a mosaic in CVS stratified by chromosome abnormality and placental tissue involvement; (iii The frequency of uniparental disomy for imprinted chromosomes associated with CPM; (iv The incidence of false-positive and false-negative results in CVS samples analyzed by only (semi-direct preparation or long term culture; and (v The implications of the presence of a feto-placental mosaicism for microarray analysis of CVS and non-invasive prenatal screening (NIPS.

Extended ellipse-line-ellipse trajectory for long-object cone-beam imaging with a mounted C-arm system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yu, Zhicong; Noo, Frédéric; Lauritsch, Günter; Dennerlein, Frank; Mao, Yanfei; Hornegger, Joachim

2016-01-01

Recent reports show that three-dimensional cone-beam (CB) imaging with a floor-mounted (or ceiling-mounted) C-arm system has become a valuable tool in interventional radiology. Currently, a circular short scan is used for data acquisition, which inevitably yields CB artifacts and a short coverage in the direction of the patient table. To overcome these two limitations, a more sophisticated data acquisition geometry is needed. This geometry should be complete in terms of Tuy’s condition and should allow continuous scanning, while being compatible with the mechanical constraints of mounted C-arm systems. Additionally, the geometry should allow accurate image reconstruction from truncated data. One way to ensure such a feature is to adopt a trajectory that provides full R-line coverage within the field-of-view (FOV). An R-line is any segment of line that connects two points on a source trajectory, and the R-line coverage is the set of points that belong to an R-line. In this work, we propose a novel geometry called the extended ellipse-line-ellipse (ELE) for long-object imaging with a mounted C-arm system. This trajectory is built from modules consisting of two elliptical arcs connected by a line. We demonstrate that the extended ELE can be configured in many ways so that full R-line coverage is guaranteed. Both tight and relaxed parametric settings are presented. All results are supported by extensive mathematical proofs provided in appendices. Our findings make the extended ELE trajectory attractive for axially-extended FOV imaging in interventional radiology. (paper)

Mechanism for longitudinal growth of rod-shaped bacteria

Science.gov (United States)

Taneja, Swadhin; Levitan, Ben; Rutenberg, Andrew

2013-03-01

The peptidoglycan (PG) cell wall along with MreB proteins are major determinants of shape in rod-shaped bacteria. However the mechanism guiding the growth of this elastic network of cross-linked PG (sacculus) that maintains the integrity and shape of the rod-shaped cell remains elusive. We propose that the known anisotropic elasticity and anisotropic loading, due to the shape and turgor pressure, of the sacculus is sufficient to direct small gaps in the sacculus to elongate around the cell, and that subsequent repair leads to longitudinal growth without radial growth. We computationally show in our anisotropically stressed anisotropic elasticity model small gaps can extend stably in the circumferential direction for the known elasticity of the sacculus. We suggest that MreB patches that normally propagate circumferentially, are associated with these gaps and are steered with this common mechanism. This basic picture is unchanged in Gram positive and Gram negative bacteria. We also show that small changes of elastic properties can in fact lead to bi-stable propagation of gaps, both longitudinal and circumferential, that can explain the bi-stability in patch movement observed in ΔmblΔmreb mutants.

Statistical mechanical characteristics of slip-ring induction motors when direct current braking

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kedzior, W; Muchorowski, J; Pienkowski, K

1980-09-01

This paper evaluates methods of braking high capacity belt conveyors used in brown coal surface mines in Poland. Complications associated with belt conveyor braking, particularly when a conveyor moves down a slope, are analyzed. A method of calculating mechanical characteristics of wound-rotor induction motors during direct current braking taking into account saturation of magnetic circuit is presented. Characteristics of the SZUr motor with 630 kW power, used in brown coal mining, are also given. Analyses show that motor operation can be efficiently braked in two ways: 1. by changing additional resistance in rotor circuit (e.g. using thyristor controller); 2. by changing intensity of electric current supplied to stator winding (e.g. using a rectifier). (3 refs.) (In Polish)

A Multi-homed VPN Architecture Based on Extended SOCKS+TLS Protocols

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

无

2005-01-01

A multi-homed VPN architecture based on extended SOCKSv5 and TLS was proposed. The architecture employs a dynamic connection mechanism for multiple proxies in the end system,in which the security-demanded transmission connections can switch smoothly among the multiple proxies by maintaining a coherent connection context. The mechanism is transparent to application programs and can support the building of VPN. With the cooperation of some other security components,the mechanism guarantees the resource availability and reliability of the end system against some attacks to the specific ports or hosts.

The Pedagogue of the Auratic Medium--Extending the Argument

Science.gov (United States)

Dobson, Stephen

2008-01-01

Nick Peim has recently revisited the work of Walter Benjamin; specifically his famous essay on art and mechanical reproduction. In this reply, I too draw upon the inspiration of Benjamin to extend the argument to the question of experience and what might count as knowledge, both in a philosophical sense and also in terms of the curriculum. To…

Extending applicability of bimetric theory: chameleon bigravity

Science.gov (United States)

De Felice, Antonio; Mukohyama, Shinji; Uzan, Jean-Philippe

2018-02-01

This article extends bimetric formulations of massive gravity to make the mass of the graviton to depend on its environment. This minimal extension offers a novel way to reconcile massive gravity with local tests of general relativity without invoking the Vainshtein mechanism. On cosmological scales, it is argued that the model is stable and that it circumvents the Higuchi bound, hence relaxing the constraints on the parameter space. Moreover, with this extension the strong coupling scale is also environmentally dependent in such a way that it is kept sufficiently higher than the expansion rate all the way up to the very early universe, while the present graviton mass is low enough to be phenomenologically interesting. In this sense the extended bigravity theory serves as a partial UV completion of the standard bigravity theory. This extension is very generic and robust and a simple specific example is described.

New directions in computational mechanics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hughes, T.J.R.

1989-01-01

A few areas of computation mechanics are identified in which considerable progress has occurred and continued extension and refinement are anticipated. In particular, some recent results are presented of calculations performed with general purpose large-scale nonlinear finite element programs. Recent progress in the development of finite element methods for fluids is described. Examples of adaptive refinement and ''SUPG'' type methods are presented. The ideas emanating from finite elements in fluids are now having some impact on solids and structures. Examples of new element technology for kinematically constrained media and space-time formulations in elastodynamics are presented. (orig.)

L'analyse ergonomique des besoins en amont de la conception de technologies émergente: le cas de la Réalité Augmentée pour la formation à la maintenance automobile

OpenAIRE

Anastassova, Margarita

2006-01-01

The goal of this PhD work is to compare the advantages and the disadvantages of different methods used for user-needs analysis in early design of an emerging technology, namely Augmented Reality (AR). This technology should be applied to the training of automotive maintenance technicians. After a literature review on the ergonomics issues of AR for maintenance and training, we present four studies using three methods for user-needs analysis (semi-directed interviews, observation-based task an...

Rehearsal of To-Be-Remembered Items Is Unnecessary to Perform Directed Forgetting within Working Memory: Support for an Active Control Mechanism

Science.gov (United States)

Festini, Sara B.; Reuter-Lorenz, Patricia A.

2017-01-01

Directed forgetting tasks instruct people to forget targeted memoranda. In the context of working memory, people attempt to forget representations that are currently held in mind. Here, we evaluated candidate mechanisms of directed forgetting within working memory, by (a) testing the influence of articulatory suppression, a rehearsal-reducing and…

Quantum computation via local control theory: Direct sum vs. direct product Hilbert spaces

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sklarz, Shlomo E.; Tannor, David J.

2006-01-01

The central objective in any quantum computation is the creation of a desired unitary transformation; the mapping that this unitary transformation produces between the input and output states is identified with the computation. In [S.E. Sklarz, D.J. Tannor, arXiv:quant-ph/0404081 (submitted to PRA) (2004)] it was shown that local control theory can be used to calculate fields that will produce such a desired unitary transformation. In contrast with previous strategies for quantum computing based on optimal control theory, the local control scheme maintains the system within the computational subspace at intermediate times, thereby avoiding unwanted decay processes. In [S.E. Sklarz et al.], the structure of the Hilbert space had a direct sum structure with respect to the computational register and the mediating states. In this paper, we extend the formalism to the important case of a direct product Hilbert space. The final equations for the control algorithm for the two cases are remarkably similar in structure, despite the fact that the derivations are completely different and that in one case the dynamics is in a Hilbert space and in the other case the dynamics is in a Liouville space. As shown in [S.E. Sklarz et al.], the direct sum implementation leads to a computational mechanism based on virtual transitions, and can be viewed as an extension of the principles of Stimulated Raman Adiabatic Passage from state manipulation to evolution operator manipulation. The direct product implementation developed here leads to the intriguing concept of virtual entanglement - computation that exploits second-order transitions that pass through entangled states but that leaves the subsystems nearly separable at all intermediate times. Finally, we speculate on a connection between the algorithm developed here and the concept of decoherence free subspaces

Degradation Mechanism in a Direct Carbon Fuel Cell Operated with Demineralised Brown Coal

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rady, Adam C.; Giddey, Sarbjit; Kulkarni, Aniruddha; Badwal, Sukhvinder P.S.; Bhattacharya, Sankar

2014-01-01

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Degradation mechanism studied for demineralised coal in a direct carbon fuel cell. • Diffusion limited processes dominate the electrode polarisation losses in pure N 2 . • Major fuel cell performance loss occurred due to loss of carbon/anode contacts. • The anode retained its phase structure with minor other phases formed in operation. - Abstract: The performance of a demineralised and devolatilised coal from the Morwell mine in the Latrobe Valley, Victoria, has been investigated in a direct carbon fuel cell (DCFC) operated at 850 °C. The focus of the investigation has been on understanding degradation issues as a function of time involving a sequence of electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and voltage-current characteristic. Diffusion limited processes dominate the electrode polarisation losses in pure N 2 atmosphere, however, these decrease substantially in the presence of CO 2 as the anode chamber purge gas, due to in situ generation of fuel species by the reaction of CO 2 with carbon. Post-mortem analysis of anode by SEM and XRD revealed only a minor degradation due to its reduction, particle agglomeration as well as the formation of small quantity of new phases. However, major fuel cell performance degradation (increase of ohmic resistive and electrode polarisation losses) occurred due to loss of carbon/anode contacts and a reduction in the electron-conducting pathways as the fuel was consumed. The investigations revealed that the demineralised coal char can be used as a viable fuel for DCFC, however, further developments on anode materials and fuel feed mechanism would be required to achieve long-term sustained performance

Nano-Electromechanical Systems: Displacement Detection and the Mechanical Single Electron Shuttle

Science.gov (United States)

Blick, R. H.; Beil, F. W.; Höhberger, E.; Erbe, A.; Weiss, C.

For an introduction to nano-electromechanical systems we present measurements on nanomechanical resonators operating in the radio frequency range. We discuss in detail two different schemes of displacement detection for mechanical resonators, namely conventional reflection measurements of a probing signal and direct detection by capacitive coupling via a gate electrode. For capacitive detection we employ an on-chip preamplifier, which enables direct measurements of the resonator's disp lacement. We observe that the mechanical quality factor of the resonator depends on the detection technique applied, which is verified in model calculations and report on the detection of sub-harmonics. In the second part we extend our investigations to include transport of single electrons through an electron island on the tip of a nanomachined mechanical pendulum. The pendulum is operated by applying a modulating electromagnetic field in the range of 1 - 200 MHz, leading to mechanical oscillations between two laterally integrated source and drain contacts. Forming tunneling barriers the metallic tip shuttles single electrons from source to drain. The resulting tunneling current shows distinct features corresponding to the discrete mechanical eigenfrequencies of the pendulum. We report on measurements covering the temperature range from 300 K down to 4.2 K. The transport properties of the device are compared in detail to model calculations based on a Master-equation approach.

Cross Sections for High-Energy Gamma Transitions from MeV Neutron Capture in {sup 206}Pb

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bergqvist, I; Lundberg, B; Nilsson, L

1970-03-15

Gamma-ray spectra from neutron capture in Pb (radiogenic lead) in the energy range 1.5 to 8.5 MeV were recorded using time-of-flight techniques. The spectrometer was a Nal (Tl) crystal, 20.8 cm long and 22.6 cm in diameter. The spectra are dominated by gamma transitions to levels with large single-particle strength, in agreement with predictions of semi-direct capture theories. The theories predict enhancements of the direct capture cross section by a factor of 10 - 15 in the region of the giant dipole resonance. The observed enhancement is about 50.

Biomass Burning Observation Project Science Plan

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kleinman, KI [Brookhaven National Laboratory; Sedlacek, AJ [Brookhaven National Laboratory

2013-09-01

Aerosols from biomass burning perturb Earth’s climate through the direct radiative effect (both scattering and absorption) and through influences on cloud formation and precipitation and the semi-direct effect. Despite much effort, quantities important to determining radiative forcing such as the mass absorption coefficients (MAC) of light-absorbing carbon, secondary organic aerosol (SOA) formation rates, and cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) activity remain in doubt. Field campaigns in northern temperate latitudes have been overwhelmingly devoted to other aerosol sources in spite of biomass burning producing about one-third of the fine particles (PM2.5) in the U.S.

Conformal internal symmetry of 2d σ-models coupled to gravity and a dilaton

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Julia, B.; Nicolai, H.

1996-08-01

General relativity reduced to two dimensions possesses a large group of symmetries that exchange classical solutions. The associated Lie algebra is known to contain the affine Kac-Moody algebra A 1 (1) and half of a real Witt algebra. In this paper we exhibit the full symmetry under the semi-direct product of Lie(A 1 (1) ) by the Witt algebra Lie(W). Furthermore we exhibit the corresponding hidden gauge symmetries. We show that the theory can be understood in terms of an infinite dimensional potential space involving all degrees of freedom: The dilaton as well as matter and gravitation. In the dilaton sector the linear system that extends the previously known Lax pair has the form of a twisted self-duality constraint that is the analog of the self-duality constraint arising in extended supergravities in higher spacetime dimensions. Our results furnish a group theoretical explanation for the simultaneous occurrence of two spectral parameters, a constant one (=y) and a variable one (=t). They hold for all 2d non-linear σ-models that are obtained by dimensional reduction of G/H models in three dimensions coupled to pure gravity. In that case the Lie algebra is Lie(W∝G (1) ); this symmetry acts on a set of off shell fields (in a fixed gauge) and preserves the equations of motion. (orig.)

Action mechanisms of transcranial direct current stimulation in Alzheimer's disease and memory loss.

Science.gov (United States)

Hansen, Niels

2012-01-01

The pharmacological treatment of Alzheimer's disease (AD) is often limited and accompanied by drug side effects. Thus alternative therapeutic strategies such as non-invasive brain stimulation are needed. Few studies have demonstrated that transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), a method of neuromodulation with consecutive robust excitability changes within the stimulated cortex area, is beneficial in AD. There is also evidence that tDCS enhances memory function in cognitive rehabilitation in depressive patients, Parkinson's disease, and stroke. tDCS improves working and visual recognition memory in humans and object-recognition learning in the elderly. AD's neurobiological mechanisms comprise changes in neuronal activity and the cerebral blood flow (CBF) caused by altered microvasculature, synaptic dysregulation from ß-amyloid peptide accumulation, altered neuromodulation via degenerated modulatory amine transmitter systems, altered brain oscillations, and changes in network connectivity. tDCS alters (i) neuronal activity and (ii) human CBF, (iii) has synaptic and non-synaptic after-effects (iv), can modify neurotransmitters polarity-dependently, (v) and alter oscillatory brain activity and (vi) functional connectivity patterns in the brain. It thus is reasonable to use tDCS as a therapeutic instrument in AD as it improves cognitive function in manner based on a disease mechanism. Moreover, it could prove valuable in other types of dementia. Future large-scale clinical and mechanism-oriented studies may enable us to identify its therapeutic validity in other types of demential disorders.

Engineered Barrier System - Mechanical Integrity of KBS-3 Spent Fuel Canisters. Report from a Workshop. Synthesis and extended abstracts

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

2007-09-15

SKI is preparing to review the license applications being developed by the Swedish Nuclear Fuel and Waste Management Company (SKB) for a final repository for the geological disposal of spent nuclear fuel in the year 2009. As part of its preparation, SKI is conducting a series of technical workshops on key aspects of the Engineered Barrier System (EBS). The workshop reported here mainly dealt with the mechanical integrity of KBS-3 spent fuel canisters. This included assessment and review of various loading conditions, structural integrity models and mechanical properties of the copper shell and the cast iron insert. Degradation mechanisms such as stress corrosion cracking and brittle creep fracture were also briefly addressed. Previous workshops have addressed the overall concept for long-term integrity of the EBS, the manufacturing, testing and QA of the EBS, the performance confirmation for the EBS, long-term stability of the buffer and the backfill, corrosion properties of copper canisters and the spent fuel dissolution and source term modelling. The goal of ongoing review work in connection of the workshop series is to achieve a comprehensive overview of all aspects of SKB's EBS and spent fuel work prior to the handling of the forthcoming license application. This report aims to summarise the issues discussed at the workshop and to extract the essential viewpoints that have been expressed. The report is not a comprehensive record of all the discussions at the workshop, and individual statements made by workshop participants should be regarded as personal opinions rather than SKI viewpoints. Results from the EBS workshops series will be used as one important basis in future review work. This reports includes in addition to the workshop synthesis, questions to SKB identified prior to the workshop, and extended abstracts for introductory presentations

Direct binding of ledipasvir to HCV NS5A: mechanism of resistance to an HCV antiviral agent.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hyock Joo Kwon

Full Text Available Ledipasvir, a direct acting antiviral agent (DAA targeting the Hepatitis C Virus NS5A protein, exhibits picomolar activity in replicon cells. While its mechanism of action is unclear, mutations that confer resistance to ledipasvir in HCV replicon cells are located in NS5A, suggesting that NS5A is the direct target of ledipasvir. To date co-precipitation and cross-linking experiments in replicon or NS5A transfected cells have not conclusively shown a direct, specific interaction between NS5A and ledipasvir. Using recombinant, full length NS5A, we show that ledipasvir binds directly, with high affinity and specificity, to NS5A. Ledipasvir binding to recombinant NS5A is saturable with a dissociation constant in the low nanomolar range. A mutant form of NS5A (Y93H that confers resistance to ledipasvir shows diminished binding to ledipasvir. The current study shows that ledipasvir inhibits NS5A through direct binding and that resistance to ledipasvir is the result of a reduction in binding affinity to NS5A mutants.

Level 1 Processing of MODIS Direct Broadcast Data at the GSFC DAAC

Science.gov (United States)

Lynnes, Christopher; Kempler, Steven J. (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

The GSFC DAAC is working to test and package the MODIS Level 1 Processing software for Aqua Direct Broadcast data. This entails the same code base, but different lookup tables for Aqua and Terra. However, the most significant change is the use of ancillary attitude and ephemeris files instead of orbit/attitude information within the science data stream (as with Terra). In addition, we are working on Linux: ports of the algorithms, which could eventually enable processing on PC clusters. Finally, the GSFC DAAC is also working with the GSFC Direct Readout laboratory to ingest Level 0 data from the GSFC DB antenna into the main DAAC, enabling level 1 production in near real time in support of applications users, such as the Synergy project. The mechanism developed for this could conceivably be extended to other participating stations.

Analysis of the flexible support mechanisms in the Directive on the promotion of the use of energy from renewable sources. Final report 8th January 2010

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ruokonen, J.; Sinnemaa, M.A.; Magnusson, R.; Gautesen, K.; Seppaenen, S.; Opsal, O.

2010-07-01

The Nordic countries have a long history in co-operation and a common electricity market. The long-term objective of Nordic countries is to promote an efficient, competitive, secure and sustainable energy supply. The EU countries have set a binding target to increase the share of renewable energy to 20% by 2020. The European Parliament approved a legislative resolution on December 17th 2008 on the proposal for a Directive on the promotion of the use of energy from renewable source ('The Directive'). This Directive become part of the European Community legislation in 2009. The Directive sets national targets for renewable energy, but it also provides various flexibility mechanisms that enable co-operation between countries in reaching the national targets. It is however still not clear how these flexible mechanisms should be used, nor the consequences on the electricity market and renewable energy sources. The objective of this project is to evaluate the usefulness and consequences of utilising the Flexible Mechanisms described in the Articles 6-11 ('Flex-Mex') of the Directive in Nordic Countries. Moreover, the objective is to provide basis for conclusions and political recommendations on whether and how to cooperate and move forward in this area. In addition to basic principles of the flexible mechanisms, the project concentrates on analysing the arrangements needed between the Nordic Countries to utilise the flexible mechanisms and analysis of benefits and problems of using Mechanisms. The report is divided five sections. Chapter 2 introduced the RES directive and Flexible Mechanisms. In chapter 3, lesson learnt from other markets are used as starting point in drawing possible frameworks for Nordic countries. Chapter 4 summarizes presents outcome of various co-operation scenarios and their benefits. In Chapter 5 some selected topics are discussed from RES Flex-Mex point of view. Chapter 6 provides conclusions and recommendations. (Author)

Concrete Materials with Ultra-High Damage Resistance and Self- Sensing Capacity for Extended Nuclear Fuel Storage Systems

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Li, Mo [Univ. of California, Irvine, CA (United States); Nakshatrala, Kalyana [Univ. of Houston, TX (United States); William, Kasper [Univ. of Houston, TX (United States); Xi, Yungping [Univ. of Colorado, Boulder, CO (United States)

2017-02-08

The objective of this project is to develop a new class of multifunctional concrete materials (MSCs) for extended spent nuclear fuel (SNF) storage systems, which combine ultra-high damage resistance through strain-hardening behavior with distributed multi-dimensional damage self-sensing capacity. The beauty of multifunctional concrete materials is two-fold: First, it serves as a major material component for the SNF pool, dry cask shielding and foundation pad with greatly improved resistance to cracking, reinforcement corrosion, and other common deterioration mechanisms under service conditions, and prevention from fracture failure under extreme events (e.g. impact, earthquake). This will be achieved by designing multiple levels of protection mechanisms into the material (i.e., ultrahigh ductility that provides thousands of times greater fracture energy than concrete and normal fiber reinforced concrete; intrinsic cracking control, electrochemical properties modification, reduced chemical and radionuclide transport properties, and crack-healing properties). Second, it offers capacity for distributed and direct sensing of cracking, strain, and corrosion wherever the material is located. This will be achieved by establishing the changes in electrical properties due to mechanical and electrochemical stimulus. The project will combine nano-, micro- and composite technologies, computational mechanics, durability characterization, and structural health monitoring methods, to realize new MSCs for very long-term (greater than 120 years) SNF storage systems.

Quantum control mechanism analysis through field based Hamiltonian encoding

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mitra, Abhra; Rabitz, Herschel

2006-01-01

Optimal control of quantum dynamics in the laboratory is proving to be increasingly successful. The control fields can be complex, and the mechanisms by which they operate have often remained obscure. Hamiltonian encoding (HE) has been proposed as a method for understanding mechanisms in quantum dynamics. In this context mechanism is defined in terms of the dominant quantum pathways leading to the final state of the controlled system. HE operates by encoding a special modulation into the Hamiltonian and decoding its signature in the dynamics to determine the dominant pathway amplitudes. Earlier work encoded the modulation directly into the Hamiltonian operators. This present work introduces the alternative scheme of field based HE, where the modulation is encoded into the control field and not directly into the Hamiltonian operators. This distinct form of modulation yields a new perspective on mechanism and is computationally faster than the earlier approach. Field based encoding is also an important step towards a laboratory based algorithm for HE as it is the only form of encoding that may be experimentally executed. HE is also extended to cover systems with noise and uncertainty and finally, a hierarchical algorithm is introduced to reveal mechanism in a stepwise fashion of ever increasing detail as desired. This new hierarchical algorithm is an improvement over earlier approaches to HE where the entire mechanism was determined in one stroke. The improvement comes from the use of less complex modulation schemes, which leads to fewer evaluations of Schroedinger's equation. A number of simulations are presented on simple systems to illustrate the new field based encoding technique for mechanism assessment

FUZZY LOGIC BASED ADAPTATION MECHANISM FOR ADAPTIVE LUENBERGER OBSERVER SENSORLESS DIRECT TORQUE CONTROL OF INDUCTION MOTOR

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. BENNASSAR

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Many industrial applications require high performance speed sensorless operation and demand new control methods in order to obtain fast dynamic response and insensitive to external disturbances. The current research aims to present the performance of the sensorless direct torque control (DTC of an induction motor (IM using adaptive Luenberger observer (ALO with fuzzy logic controller (FLC for adaptation mechanism. The rotor speed is regulated by proportional integral (PI anti-windup controller. The proposed strategy is directed to reduce the ripple on the torque and the flux. Numerical simulation results show the good performance and effectiveness of the proposed sensorless control for different references of the speed even both low and high speeds.

The Design and Development of an Omni-Directional Mobile Robot Oriented to an Intelligent Manufacturing System.

Science.gov (United States)

Qian, Jun; Zi, Bin; Wang, Daoming; Ma, Yangang; Zhang, Dan

2017-09-10

In order to transport materials flexibly and smoothly in a tight plant environment, an omni-directional mobile robot based on four Mecanum wheels was designed. The mechanical system of the mobile robot is made up of three separable layers so as to simplify its combination and reorganization. Each modularized wheel was installed on a vertical suspension mechanism, which ensures the moving stability and keeps the distances of four wheels invariable. The control system consists of two-level controllers that implement motion control and multi-sensor data processing, respectively. In order to make the mobile robot navigate in an unknown semi-structured indoor environment, the data from a Kinect visual sensor and four wheel encoders were fused to localize the mobile robot using an extended Kalman filter with specific processing. Finally, the mobile robot was integrated in an intelligent manufacturing system for material conveying. Experimental results show that the omni-directional mobile robot can move stably and autonomously in an indoor environment and in industrial fields.

International Conference eXtended Discretization MethodS

CERN Document Server

Benvenuti, Elena

2016-01-01

This book gathers selected contributions on emerging research work presented at the International Conference eXtended Discretization MethodS (X-DMS), held in Ferrara in September 2015. It highlights the most relevant advances made at the international level in the context of expanding classical discretization methods, like finite elements, to the numerical analysis of a variety of physical problems. The improvements are intended to achieve higher computational efficiency and to account for special features of the solution directly in the approximation space and/or in the discretization procedure. The methods described include, among others, partition of unity methods (meshfree, XFEM, GFEM), virtual element methods, fictitious domain methods, and special techniques for static and evolving interfaces. The uniting feature of all contributions is the direct link between computational methodologies and their application to different engineering areas.

Extended release formulations for local anaesthetic agents.

Science.gov (United States)

Weiniger, C F; Golovanevski, L; Domb, A J; Ickowicz, D

2012-08-01

Systemic toxicity through overdose of local anaesthetic agents is a real concern. By encapsulating local anaesthetics in biodegradable carriers to produce a system for prolonged release, their duration of action can be extended. This encapsulation should also improve the safety profile of the local anaesthetic as it is released at a slower rate. Work with naturally occurring local anaestheticss has also shown promise in the area of reducing systemic and neurotoxicity. Extended duration local anaesthetic formulations in current development or clinical use include liposomes, hydrophobic based polymer particles such as Poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) microspheres, pasty injectable and solid polymers like Poly(sebacic-co-ricinoleic acid) P(SA:RA) and their combination with synthetic and natural local anaesthetic. Their duration of action, rationale and limitations are reviewed. Direct comparison of the different agents is limited by their chemical properties, the drug doses encapsulated and the details of in vivo models described. Anaesthesia © 2012 The Association of Anaesthetists of Great Britain and Ireland.

Application of a Three-Dimensional Poroelastic BEM to Modeling the Biphasic Mechanics of Cell-Matrix Interactions in Articular Cartilage (REVISION).

Science.gov (United States)

Haider, Mansoor A; Guilak, Farshid

2007-06-15

Articular cartilage exhibits viscoelasticity in response to mechanical loading that is well described using biphasic or poroelastic continuum models. To date, boundary element methods (BEMs) have not been employed in modeling biphasic tissue mechanics. A three dimensional direct poroelastic BEM, formulated in the Laplace transform domain, is applied to modeling stress relaxation in cartilage. Macroscopic stress relaxation of a poroelastic cylinder in uni-axial confined compression is simulated and validated against a theoretical solution. Microscopic cell deformation due to poroelastic stress relaxation is also modeled. An extended Laplace inversion method is employed to accurately represent mechanical responses in the time domain.

Gengnianchun Extends the Lifespan of Caenorhabditis elegans via the Insulin/IGF-1 Signalling Pathway

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fanhui Meng

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Gengnianchun (GNC, a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM, is believed to have beneficial effects on ageing-related diseases, such as antioxidant properties and effects against Aβ-induced toxicity. We previously found that GNC extended the lifespan of Caenorhabditis elegans. However, the mechanism underlying this effect was unclear. In this study, we further explored the mechanisms of GNC using a C. elegans model. GNC significantly increased the lifespan of C. elegans and enhanced oxidative and thermal stress resistance. Moreover, chemotaxis increased after GNC treatment. RNA-seq analysis showed that GNC regulated genes associated with longevity. We also conducted lifespan assays with a series of worm mutants. The results showed that GNC significantly extended the lifespan of several mutant strains, including eat-2 (ad465, rsks-1 (ok1255, and glp-1 (e2144, suggesting that the prolongevity effect of GNC is independent of the function of these genes. However, GNC failed to extend the lifespan of daf-2 (e1370, age-1 (hx546, and daf-16 (mu86 mutant strains. Our findings suggest that GNC extends the lifespan of C. elegans via the insulin/IGF-1 signalling pathway and may be a potential antiageing agent.

Pivotal role of extended linker 2 in the activation of Gα by G protein-coupled receptor.

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Jianyun; Sun, Yutong; Zhang, J Jillian; Huang, Xin-Yun

2015-01-02

G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) relay extracellular signals mainly to heterotrimeric G-proteins (Gαβγ) and they are the most successful drug targets. The mechanisms of G-protein activation by GPCRs are not well understood. Previous studies have revealed a signal relay route from a GPCR via the C-terminal α5-helix of Gα to the guanine nucleotide-binding pocket. Recent structural and biophysical studies uncover a role for the opening or rotating of the α-helical domain of Gα during the activation of Gα by a GPCR. Here we show that β-adrenergic receptors activate eight Gαs mutant proteins (from a screen of 66 Gαs mutants) that are unable to bind Gβγ subunits in cells. Five of these eight mutants are in the αF/Linker 2/β2 hinge region (extended Linker 2) that connects the Ras-like GTPase domain and the α-helical domain of Gαs. This extended Linker 2 is the target site of a natural product inhibitor of Gq. Our data show that the extended Linker 2 is critical for Gα activation by GPCRs. We propose that a GPCR via its intracellular loop 2 directly interacts with the β2/β3 loop of Gα to communicate to Linker 2, resulting in the opening and closing of the α-helical domain and the release of GDP during G-protein activation. © 2015 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

Goal-Directed Decision Making with Spiking Neurons.

Science.gov (United States)

Friedrich, Johannes; Lengyel, Máté

2016-02-03

Behavioral and neuroscientific data on reward-based decision making point to a fundamental distinction between habitual and goal-directed action selection. The formation of habits, which requires simple updating of cached values, has been studied in great detail, and the reward prediction error theory of dopamine function has enjoyed prominent success in accounting for its neural bases. In contrast, the neural circuit mechanisms of goal-directed decision making, requiring extended iterative computations to estimate values online, are still unknown. Here we present a spiking neural network that provably solves the difficult online value estimation problem underlying goal-directed decision making in a near-optimal way and reproduces behavioral as well as neurophysiological experimental data on tasks ranging from simple binary choice to sequential decision making. Our model uses local plasticity rules to learn the synaptic weights of a simple neural network to achieve optimal performance and solves one-step decision-making tasks, commonly considered in neuroeconomics, as well as more challenging sequential decision-making tasks within 1 s. These decision times, and their parametric dependence on task parameters, as well as the final choice probabilities match behavioral data, whereas the evolution of neural activities in the network closely mimics neural responses recorded in frontal cortices during the execution of such tasks. Our theory provides a principled framework to understand the neural underpinning of goal-directed decision making and makes novel predictions for sequential decision-making tasks with multiple rewards. Goal-directed actions requiring prospective planning pervade decision making, but their circuit-level mechanisms remain elusive. We show how a model circuit of biologically realistic spiking neurons can solve this computationally challenging problem in a novel way. The synaptic weights of our network can be learned using local plasticity rules

Directed network modules

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Palla, Gergely; Farkas, Illes J; Pollner, Peter; Derenyi, Imre; Vicsek, Tamas

2007-01-01

A search technique locating network modules, i.e. internally densely connected groups of nodes in directed networks is introduced by extending the clique percolation method originally proposed for undirected networks. After giving a suitable definition for directed modules we investigate their percolation transition in the Erdos-Renyi graph both analytically and numerically. We also analyse four real-world directed networks, including Google's own web-pages, an email network, a word association graph and the transcriptional regulatory network of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The obtained directed modules are validated by additional information available for the nodes. We find that directed modules of real-world graphs inherently overlap and the investigated networks can be classified into two major groups in terms of the overlaps between the modules. Accordingly, in the word-association network and Google's web-pages, overlaps are likely to contain in-hubs, whereas the modules in the email and transcriptional regulatory network tend to overlap via out-hubs

How Structure-Directing Agents Control Nanocrystal Shape: Polyvinylpyrrolidone-Mediated Growth of Ag Nanocubes.

Science.gov (United States)

Qi, Xin; Balankura, Tonnam; Zhou, Ya; Fichthorn, Kristen A

2015-11-11

The importance of structure-directing agents (SDAs) in the shape-selective synthesis of colloidal nanostructures has been well documented. However, the mechanisms by which SDAs actuate shape control are poorly understood. In the polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP)-mediated growth of {100}-faceted Ag nanocrystals, this capability has been attributed to preferential binding of PVP to Ag(100). We use molecular dynamics simulations to probe the mechanisms by which Ag atoms add to Ag(100) and Ag(111) in ethylene glycol solution with PVP. We find that PVP induces kinetic Ag nanocrystal shapes by regulating the relative Ag fluxes to these facets. Stronger PVP binding to Ag(100) leads to a larger Ag flux to Ag(111) and cubic nanostructures through two mechanisms: enhanced Ag trapping by more extended PVP films on Ag(111) and a reduced free-energy barrier for Ag to cross lower-density films on Ag(111). These flux-regulating capabilities depend on PVP concentration and chain length, consistent with experiment.

Lattice models of directed and semiflexible polymers in anisotropic environment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Haydukivska, K; Blavatska, V

2015-01-01

We study the conformational properties of polymers in presence of extended columnar defects of parallel orientation. Two classes of macromolecules are considered: the so-called partially directed polymers with preferred orientation along direction of the external stretching field and semiflexible polymers. We are working within the frames of lattice models: partially directed self-avoiding walks (PDSAWs) and biased self-avoiding walks (BSAWs). Our numerical analysis of PDSAWs reveals, that competition between the stretching field and anisotropy caused by presence of extended defects leads to existing of three characteristic length scales in the system. At each fixed concentration of disorder we found a transition point, where the influence of extended defects is exactly counterbalanced by the stretching field. Numerical simulations of BSAWs in anisotropic environment reveal an increase of polymer stiffness. In particular, the persistence length of semiflexible polymers increases in presence of disorder. (paper)

Mechanisms governing the direct removal of wastes from the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant repository caused by exploratory drilling

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Berglund, J.W.

1992-12-01

Two processes are identified that can influence the quantity of wastes brought to the ground surface when a waste disposal room of the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant is inadvertently penetrated by an exploratory borehole. The first mechanism is due to the erosion of the borehole wall adjacent to the waste caused by the flowing drilling fluid (mud); a quantitative computational model based upon the flow characteristics of the drilling fluid (laminar or turbulent) and other drilling parameters is developed and example results shown. The second mechanism concerns the motion of the waste and borehole spall caused by the flow of waste-generated gas to the borehole. Some of the available literature concerning this process is discussed, and a number of elastic and elastic-plastic finite-difference and finite-element calculations are described that confirm the potential importance of this process in directly removing wastes from the repository to the ground surface. Based upon the amount of analysis performed to date, it is concluded that it is not unreasonable to expect that volumes of waste several times greater than that resulting from direct cutting of a gauge borehole could eventually reach the ground surface. No definitive quantitative model for waste removal as a result of the second mechanism is presented; it is concluded that decomposed waste constitutive data must be developed and additional experiments performed to assess further the full significance of this latter mechanism

Design and optimization of mechanically down-doped terahertz fiber directional couplers

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bao, Hualong; Nielsen, Kristian; Rasmussen, Henrik K.

2014-01-01

We present a thorough practical design optimization of broadband low loss, terahertz (THz) photonic crystal fiber directional couplers in which the two cores are mechanically down-doped with a triangular array of air holes. A figure of merit taking both the 3-dB bandwidth and loss of the coupler...... into account, is used for optimization of the structure parameters, given by the diameter and pitch of the cladding (d and Λ) and of the core (dc and Λc) air-hole structure. The coupler with Λ = 498.7 μm, dc= 324.2 μm, Λc = 74.8 μm, and dc = 32.5 μm is found to have the best performance at a center frequency...... of 1THz, with a bandwidth of 0.25 THz and a total device loss of 9.2 dB. The robustness of the optimum coupler to structural changes is investigated. © 2014 Optical Society of America....

Quantum information and the problem of mechanisms of biological evolution.

Science.gov (United States)

Melkikh, Alexey V

2014-01-01

One of the most important conditions for replication in early evolution is the de facto elimination of the conformational degrees of freedom of the replicators, the mechanisms of which remain unclear. In addition, realistic evolutionary timescales can be established based only on partially directed evolution, further complicating this issue. A division of the various evolutionary theories into two classes has been proposed based on the presence or absence of a priori information about the evolving system. A priori information plays a key role in solving problems in evolution. Here, a model of partially directed evolution, based on the learning automata theory, which includes a priori information about the fitness space, is proposed. A potential repository of such prior information is the states of biologically important molecules. Thus, the need for extended evolutionary synthesis is discussed. Experiments to test the hypothesis of partially directed evolution are proposed. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Extended High Frequency Audiometry in Polycystic Ovary Syndrome

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cuneyt Kucur

2013-01-01

and BMI of PCOS and control groups were comparable. Each subject was tested with low (250–2000 Hz, high (4000–8000 Hz, and extended high frequency audiometry (8000–20000. Hormonal and biochemical values including LH, LH/FSH, testosterone, fasting glucose, fasting insulin, HOMA-I, and CRP were calculated. Results. PCOS patients showed high levels of LH, LH/FSH, testosterone, fasting insulin, glucose, HOMA-I, and CRP levels. The hearing thresholds of the groups were similar at frequencies of 250, 500, 1000, 2000, and 4000 Hz; statistically significant difference was observed in 8000–14000 Hz in PCOS group compared to control group. Conclusion. PCOS patients have hearing impairment especially in extended high frequencies. Further studies are needed to help elucidate the mechanism behind hearing impairment in association with PCOS.

Exploring Social Structures in Extended Team Model

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Zahedi, Mansooreh; Ali Babar, Muhammad

2013-01-01

Extended Team Model (ETM) as a type of offshore outsourcing is increasingly becoming popular mode of Global Software Development (GSD). There is little knowledge about the social structures in ETM and their impact on collaboration. Within a large interdisciplinary project to develop the next...... generation of GSD technologies, we are exploring the role of social structures to support collaboration. This paper reports some details of our research design and initial findings about the mechanisms to support social structures and their impact on collaboration in an ETM....

Model Predictive Control for Linear Complementarity and Extended Linear Complementarity Systems

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bambang Riyanto

2005-11-01

Full Text Available In this paper, we propose model predictive control method for linear complementarity and extended linear complementarity systems by formulating optimization along prediction horizon as mixed integer quadratic program. Such systems contain interaction between continuous dynamics and discrete event systems, and therefore, can be categorized as hybrid systems. As linear complementarity and extended linear complementarity systems finds applications in different research areas, such as impact mechanical systems, traffic control and process control, this work will contribute to the development of control design method for those areas as well, as shown by three given examples.

Research on oil recovery mechanisms in heavy oil reservoirs

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kovscek, Anthony R.; Brigham, William E., Castanier, Louis M.

2000-03-16

The research described here was directed toward improved understanding of thermal and heavy-oil production mechanisms and is categorized into: (1) flow and rock properties, (2) in-situ combustion, (3) additives to improve mobility control, (4) reservoir definition, and (5) support services. The scope of activities extended over a three-year period. Significant work was accomplished in the area of flow properties of steam, water, and oil in consolidated and unconsolidated porous media, transport in fractured porous media, foam generation and flow in homogeneous and heterogeneous porous media, the effects of displacement pattern geometry and mobility ratio on oil recovery, and analytical representation of water influx.

Direct or indirect - that is the question!

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pallesen, Ulla

2016-01-01

Time has passed since the prevention of caries was performed by extending cavity preparations wide in the tooth and below the gingiva. In the same period adhesive techniques have improved and nowadays made it possible to extend the indications for direct composite resin restorations, also when...... rather destroyed teeth need to be restored. Although much can be solved by direct fillings and thereby make treatments less invasive for the tooth and less expensive for the patient, there still will be teeth, where the prognosis is improved, if an indirect restoration in terms of an inlay, onlay...... or crown is made. Factors as remaining tooth structure, endodontic treatment, number of teeth, caries risk, para-functional habits, material properties, economy etc. will all have an influence, when the dentist guides the patient to choose the best solution. What is best for the tooth – direct or indirect...

Computational comparison of quantum-mechanical models for multistep direct reactions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Koning, A.J.; Akkermans, J.M.

1993-01-01

We have carried out a computational comparison of all existing quantum-mechanical models for multistep direct (MSD) reactions. The various MSD models, including the so-called Feshbach-Kerman-Koonin, Tamura-Udagawa-Lenske and Nishioka-Yoshida-Weidenmueller models, have been implemented in a single computer system. All model calculations thus use the same set of parameters and the same numerical techniques; only one adjustable parameter is employed. The computational results have been compared with experimental energy spectra and angular distributions for several nuclear reactions, namely, 90 Zr(p,p') at 80 MeV, 209 Bi(p,p') at 62 MeV, and 93 Nb(n,n') at 25.7 MeV. In addition, the results have been compared with the Kalbach systematics and with semiclassical exciton model calculations. All quantum MSD models provide a good fit to the experimental data. In addition, they reproduce the systematics very well and are clearly better than semiclassical model calculations. We furthermore show that the calculated predictions do not differ very strongly between the various quantum MSD models, leading to the conclusion that the simplest MSD model (the Feshbach-Kerman-Koonin model) is adequate for the analysis of experimental data

Extended icosahedral structures

CERN Document Server

Jaric, Marko V

1989-01-01

Extended Icosahedral Structures discusses the concepts about crystal structures with extended icosahedral symmetry. This book is organized into six chapters that focus on actual modeling of extended icosahedral crystal structures. This text first presents a tiling approach to the modeling of icosahedral quasiperiodic crystals. It then describes the models for icosahedral alloys based on random connections between icosahedral units, with particular emphasis on diffraction properties. Other chapters examine the glassy structures with only icosahedral orientational order and the extent of tra

A methodology for extending domain coverage in SemRep.

Science.gov (United States)

Rosemblat, Graciela; Shin, Dongwook; Kilicoglu, Halil; Sneiderman, Charles; Rindflesch, Thomas C

2013-12-01

We describe a domain-independent methodology to extend SemRep coverage beyond the biomedical domain. SemRep, a natural language processing application originally designed for biomedical texts, uses the knowledge sources provided by the Unified Medical Language System (UMLS©). Ontological and terminological extensions to the system are needed in order to support other areas of knowledge. We extended SemRep's application by developing a semantic representation of a previously unsupported domain. This was achieved by adapting well-known ontology engineering phases and integrating them with the UMLS knowledge sources on which SemRep crucially depends. While the process to extend SemRep coverage has been successfully applied in earlier projects, this paper presents in detail the step-wise approach we followed and the mechanisms implemented. A case study in the field of medical informatics illustrates how the ontology engineering phases have been adapted for optimal integration with the UMLS. We provide qualitative and quantitative results, which indicate the validity and usefulness of our methodology. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Virtual excitation of the GDR mode in the subbarrier /sup 23/Na(p,. gamma. )/sup 24/Mg reaction

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kicinska-Habior, M; Dabrowska, M; Decowski, P; Matulewicz, T; Sikora, B; Toke, J; Cseh, J; Somorjai, E

1984-10-01

Differential cross sections for nonresonant radiative capture of low energy protons (Esub(p)=1,348 keV and 1,370 keV) by /sup 23/Na nuclei exhibit features pointing to the virtual excitation of the giant dipole resonance (GDR) mode. Theoretical analysis carried out within the framework of the direct - semidirect capture model reveals an enhanced coupling of the GDR with the incident proton f-wave consistent with the microscopic structure of the GDR in the s-d shell nuclei.

Efficient Placement of Directional Antennas

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pan, Feng [Los Alamos National Laboratory; Kasiviswanathan, Shiva [Los Alamos National Laboratory

2010-09-20

Directional antenna is an technology for the proliferation of wireless networks. In centralized wireless network, wireless devices communicate through base stations. Directed antennas are placed on base stations and form a backbone of communication. The communication between base stations and wireless devices can be interfered due to a large number of wireless device. Methodically positioning and orienting directed antennas can help to reduce the interference while saving energy. An integer linear programming is developed for siting and directing antennas on multiple base stations, and this formulation can be extended to model non-overlapping channels. Through the integer programming formulation, optimal antenna positions can be used to analyze the performance of directed antennas with different parameters like the number base stations and the number of non-overlapping channels.

A review of micro-contact physics, materials, and failure mechanisms in direct-contact RF MEMS switches

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Basu, A; Adams, G G; McGruer, N E

2016-01-01

Direct contact, ohmic MEMS switches for RF applications have several advantages over other conventional switching devices. Advantages include lower insertion loss, higher isolation, and better switching figure-of-merit (cut-off frequency). The most important aspect of a direct-contact RF MEMS switch is the metal microcontact which can dictate the lifetime and reliability of the switch. Therefore, an understanding of contact reliability is essential for developing robust MEMS switches. This paper discusses and reviews the most important work done over the past couple of decades toward understanding ohmic micro-contacts. We initially discuss the contact mechanics and multi-physics models for studying Hertzian and multi-asperity contacts. We follow this with a discussion on models and experiments for studying adhesion. We then discuss experimental setups and the development of contact test stations by various groups for accelerated testing of microcontacts, as well as for analysis of contact reliability issues. Subsequently, we analyze a number of material transfer mechanisms in microcontacts under hot and cold switching conditions. We finally review the material properties that can help determine the selection of contact materials. A trade-off between contact resistance and high reliability is almost always necessary during selection of contact material; this paper discusses how the choice of materials can help address such trade-offs. (paper)

Alternatives to Antibiotics in Semen Extenders: A Review

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jane M. Morrell

2014-12-01

Full Text Available Antibiotics are added to semen extenders to be used for artificial insemination (AI in livestock breeding to control bacterial contamination in semen arising during collection and processing. The antibiotics to be added and their concentrations for semen for international trade are specified by government directives. Since the animal production industry uses large quantities of semen for artificial insemination, large amounts of antibiotics are currently used in semen extenders. Possible alternatives to antibiotics are discussed, including physical removal of the bacteria during semen processing, as well as the development of novel antimicrobials. Colloid centrifugation, particularly Single Layer Centrifugation, when carried out with a strict aseptic technique, offers a feasible method for reducing bacterial contamination in semen and is a practical method for semen processing laboratories to adopt. However, none of these alternatives to antibiotics should replace strict attention to hygiene during semen collection and handling.

Book review: ALMOG, J. Referential Mechanics: Direct Reference and the Foundations of Semantics (Oxford University Press, 2014

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Filipe Martone

Full Text Available Abstract: In this review I discuss Joseph Almog's book "Referential Mechanics". The book discusses direct reference as conceived by three of its founding fathers, Kripke, Kaplan and Donnellan, and introduces Almog's ambitious project of providing a referential semantics to all subject-phrases. I offer a brief overview of its four chapters and point out some of their virtues and shortcomings.

Lifetime of Mechanical Equipment

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Leland, K.

1999-07-01

The gas plant at Kaarstoe was built as part of the Statpipe gas transport system and went on stream in 1985. In 1993 another line was routed from the Sleipner field to carry condensate, and the plant was extended accordingly. Today heavy additional supply- and export lines are under construction, and the plant is extended more than ever. The main role of the factory is to separate the raw gas into commercial products and to pump or ship it to the markets. The site covers a large number of well-known mechanical equipment. This presentation deals with piping, mechanical and structural disciplines. The lifetime of mechanical equipment is often difficult to predict as it depends on many factors, and the subject is complex. Mechanical equipment has been kept in-house, which provides detailed knowledge of the stages from a new to a 14 years old plant. The production regularity has always been very high, as required. The standard of the equipment is well kept, support systems are efficient, and human improvisation is extremely valuable.

Fatigue behavior and failure mechanisms of direct laser deposited Ti–6Al–4V

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sterling, Amanda J.; Torries, Brian [Department of Mechanical Engineering, Mississippi State University, Box 9552, Mississippi State, MS 39762 (United States); Shamsaei, Nima, E-mail: shamsaei@me.msstate.edu [Department of Mechanical Engineering, Mississippi State University, Box 9552, Mississippi State, MS 39762 (United States); Center for Advanced Vehicular Systems (CAVS), Mississippi State University, Box 5405, , Mississippi State, MS 39762 (United States); Thompson, Scott M. [Department of Mechanical Engineering, Mississippi State University, Box 9552, Mississippi State, MS 39762 (United States); Center for Advanced Vehicular Systems (CAVS), Mississippi State University, Box 5405, , Mississippi State, MS 39762 (United States); Seely, Denver W. [Center for Advanced Vehicular Systems (CAVS), Mississippi State University, Box 5405, , Mississippi State, MS 39762 (United States)

2016-02-08

In order for additive-manufactured parts to become more widely utilized and trusted in application, it is important to have their mechanical properties well-characterized and certified. The fatigue behavior and failure mechanisms of Ti–6Al–4V specimens fabricated using Laser Engineered Net Shaping (LENS), a Direct Laser Deposition (DLD) additive manufacturing (AM) process, are investigated in this study. A series of fully-reversed strain-controlled fatigue tests is conducted on Ti–6Al–4V specimens manufactured via LENS in their as-built and heat-treated conditions. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) is used to examine the fracture surfaces of fatigue specimens to qualify the failure mechanism, crack initiation sites, and defects such as porosity. Due to the relatively high localized heating and cooling rates experienced during DLD, fabricated parts are observed to possess anisotropic microstructures, and thus, different mechanical properties than those of their traditionally-manufactured wrought counterparts. The fatigue lives of the investigated LENS specimens were found to be shorter than those of wrought specimens, and porosity was found to be the primary contributor to these shorter fatigue lives, with the exception of the heat-treated LENS samples. The presence of pores promotes more unpredictable fatigue behavior, as evidenced by data scatter. Pore shape, size, location, and number were found to impact the fatigue behavior of the as-built and annealed DLD parts. As porosity seems to be the main contributor to the fatigue behavior of DLD parts, it is important to optimize the manufacturing process and design parameters to minimize and control pore generation during the build.

Stability of vertical posture explored with unexpected mechanical perturbations: synergy indices and motor equivalence.

Science.gov (United States)

Yamagata, Momoko; Falaki, Ali; Latash, Mark L

2018-03-21

We explored the relations between indices of mechanical stability of vertical posture and synergy indices under unexpected perturbations. The main hypotheses predicted higher posture-stabilizing synergy indices and higher mechanical indices of center of pressure stability during perturbations perceived by subjects as less challenging. Healthy subjects stood on a force platform and held in fully extended arms a bar attached to two loads acting downward and upward. One of the loads was unexpectedly released by the experimenter causing a postural perturbations. In different series, subjects either knew or did not know which of the two loads would be released. Forward perturbations were perceived as more challenging and accompanied by co-activation patterns among the main agonist-antagonist pairs. Backward perturbation led to reciprocal muscle activation patterns and was accompanied by indices of mechanical stability and of posture-stabilizing synergy which indicated higher stability. Changes in synergy indices were observed as early as 50-100 ms following the perturbation reflecting involuntary mechanisms. In contrast, predictability of perturbation direction had weak or no effect on mechanical and synergy indices of stability. These observations are interpreted within a hierarchical scheme of synergic control of motor tasks and a hypothesis on the control of movements with shifts of referent coordinates. The findings show direct correspondence between stability indices based on mechanics and on the analysis of multi-muscle synergies. They suggest that involuntary posture-stabilizing mechanisms show synergic organization. They also show that predictability of perturbation direction has strong effects on anticipatory postural adjustment but not corrective adjustments. We offer an interpretation of co-activation patterns that questions their contribution to postural stability.

How diagnostic tests help to disentangle the mechanisms underlying neuropathic pain symptoms in painful neuropathies.

Science.gov (United States)

Truini, Andrea; Cruccu, Giorgio

2016-02-01

Neuropathic pain, ie, pain arising directly from a lesion or disease affecting the somatosensory afferent pathway, manifests with various symptoms, the commonest being ongoing burning pain, electrical shock-like sensations, and dynamic mechanical allodynia. Reliable insights into the mechanisms underlying neuropathic pain symptoms come from diagnostic tests documenting and quantifying somatosensory afferent pathway damage in patients with painful neuropathies. Neurophysiological investigation and skin biopsy studies suggest that ongoing burning pain primarily reflects spontaneous activity in nociceptive-fiber pathways. Electrical shock-like sensations presumably arise from high-frequency ectopic bursts generated in demyelinated, nonnociceptive, Aβ fibers. Although the mechanisms underlying dynamic mechanical allodynia remain debatable, normally innocuous stimuli might cause pain by activating spared and sensitized nociceptive afferents. Extending the mechanistic approach to neuropathic pain symptoms might advance targeted therapy for the individual patient and improve testing for new drugs.

Directed line liquids

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kamien, R.D.

1992-01-01

This thesis is devoted to the study of ensembles of dense directed lines. These lines are principally to be thought of as polymers, though they also have the morphology of flux lines in high temperature superconductors, strings of colloidal spheres in electrorheological fluids and the world lines of quantum mechanical bosons. The authors discuss how directed polymer melts, string-like formations in electrorheological and ferro-fluids, flux lines in high temperature superconductors and the world lines of quantum mechanical bosons all share similar descriptions. They study a continuous transition in all of these systems, and then study the critical mixing properties of binary mixtures of directed polymers through the renormalization group. They predict the exponents for a directed polymer blend consolute point and a novel two-phase superfluid liquid-gas critical point

Comparison of conventional reconstruction plate versus direct metal laser sintering plate: an in vitro mechanical characteristics study.

Science.gov (United States)

Xie, Pusheng; Ouyang, Hanbin; Deng, Yuping; Yang, Yang; Xu, Jing; Huang, Wenhua

2017-09-02

Additive manufacturing (AM) technology has helped to achieve several advances in the medical field, particularly as far as fabrication of implants is concerned. But the application of direct metal laser sintering (DMLS) bone plate is quite limited due to the indeterminate mechanical property. The purposes of this study were to characterize the biomechanical properties of the polished DMLS reconstruction plate and to compare these with the properties of commonly applied implants and to find whether the mechanical performance of DMLS plate meets the requirements for clinical application. In this study, we fabricated two groups of plates by DMLS and computer numerical control (CNC) techniques. After that, we polished all samples and investigated their roughness, components, hardness, static bending, and torsional performance. Moreover, cyclic bending tests and fractographic analysis were conducted. Statistical comparisons of the group by means of monotonic test data were made, and a qualitative comparison was performed to assess failures in fatigue. We found no differences in surface roughness or components after polishing, but the DMLS plate hardness is 7.42% (p direct application of these AM instruments in the operating room requires further validation including animal and clinical experiment.

Extending the bidding format to promote demand response

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu, Yanchao; Holzer, Jesse T.; Ferris, Michael C.

2015-01-01

We propose an extended bidding structure to allow more realistic demand characteristics and behaviors to be expressed via flexible bids. In today's ISO-run energy markets, demand bid formats are all separable over time. However, a significant and growing segment of demand can be shifted across time and therefore has no way to bid its true valuation of consumption. We propose additional bid types that allow deferrable, adjustable and storage-type loads to better express their value, and thus elicit demand response in the most natural way – via direct participation in the market. We show that the additional bid types are easily incorporated into the existing market with no technological barrier and that they preserve the market's efficiency and incentive-compatibility properties. Using real market data, we give a numerical demonstration that the extended bid format could substantially increase social welfare, and also present additional insight on storage expansion scenarios. - Highlights: • Three new bid types are proposed to enrich demand-side participation. • Time value of electricity demand can be clearly conveyed to central dispatcher. • The extended format preserves market efficiency and incentive compatibility. • Energy storage is most effective to neutralize price volatility, with a limitation.

An embedded crack in a constant strain triangle utilizing extended finite element concepts

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Olesen, J.F.; Poulsen, P.N.

2013-01-01

This paper revisits the formulation of the CST element with an embedded discrete crack taking advantage of the direct formulations developed within the framework of the extended finite element method, XFEM. The result is a simple element for modeling cohesive fracture processes in quasi-brittle m......This paper revisits the formulation of the CST element with an embedded discrete crack taking advantage of the direct formulations developed within the framework of the extended finite element method, XFEM. The result is a simple element for modeling cohesive fracture processes in quasi......-element discontinuity of displacements. The formulation is based on a variational principle of virtual work involving only the interpolation of displacements. The good performance of the element is demonstrated through the comparison with three benchmark tests in which a single crack is propagated: The center cracked...

Biomass smoke from southern Africa can significantly enhance the brightness of stratocumulus over the southeastern Atlantic Ocean

Science.gov (United States)

Lu, Zheng; Liu, Xiaohong; Zhang, Zhibo; Zhao, Chun; Meyer, Kerry; Rajapakshe, Chamara; Wu, Chenglai; Yang, Zhifeng; Penner, Joyce E.

2018-03-01

Marine stratocumulus clouds cover nearly one-quarter of the ocean surface and thus play an extremely important role in determining the global radiative balance. The semipermanent marine stratocumulus deck over the southeastern Atlantic Ocean is of particular interest, because of its interactions with seasonal biomass burning aerosols that are emitted in southern Africa. Understanding the impacts of biomass burning aerosols on stratocumulus clouds and the implications for regional and global radiative balance is still very limited. Previous studies have focused on assessing the magnitude of the warming caused by solar scattering and absorption by biomass burning aerosols over stratocumulus (the direct radiative effect) or cloud adjustments to the direct radiative effect (the semidirect effect). Here, using a nested modeling approach in conjunction with observations from multiple satellites, we demonstrate that cloud condensation nuclei activated from biomass burning aerosols entrained into the stratocumulus (the microphysical effect) can play a dominant role in determining the total radiative forcing at the top of the atmosphere, compared with their direct and semidirect radiative effects. Biomass burning aerosols over the region and period with heavy loadings can cause a substantial cooling (daily mean ‑8.05 W m‑2), primarily as a result of clouds brightening by reducing the cloud droplet size (the Twomey effect) and secondarily through modulating the diurnal cycle of cloud liquid water path and coverage (the cloud lifetime effect). Our results highlight the importance of realistically representing the interactions of stratocumulus with biomass burning aerosols in global climate models in this region.

Risk Assessment of Structural Integrity of Transportation Casks after Extended Storage

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ibarra, Luis; Medina, Ricardo; Yang, Haori

2018-03-23

This study assessed the risk of loss of structural integrity of transportation casks and fuel cladding after extended storage. Although it is known that fuel rods discharged from NPPs have a small percentage of rod cladding defects, the behavior of fuel cladding and the structural elements of assemblies during transportation after long-term storage is not well understood. If the fuel degrades during extended storage, it could be susceptible to damage from vibration and impact loads during transport operations, releasing fission-product gases into the canister or the cask interior (NWTRB 2010). Degradation of cladding may occur due to mechanisms associated with hydrogen embrittlement, delayed hydride cracking, low temperature creep, and stress corrosion cracking (SCC) that may affect fuel cladding and canister components after extended storage of hundreds of years. Over extended periods at low temperatures, these mechanisms affect the ductility, strength, and fracture toughness of the fuel cladding, which becomes brittle. For transportation purposes, the fuel may be transferred from storage to shipping casks, or dual-purpose casks may be used for storage and transportation. Currently, most of the transportation casks will be the former case. A risk assessment evaluation is conducted based on results from experimental tests and simulations with advanced numerical models. A novel contribution of this study is the evaluation of the combined effect of component aging and vibration/impact loads in transportation scenarios. The expected levels of deterioration will be obtained from previous and current studies on the effect of aging on fuel and cask components. The emphasis of the study is placed on the structural integrity of fuel cladding and canisters.

Epicardial fat and atrial fibrillation: current evidence, potential mechanisms, clinical implications, and future directions.

Science.gov (United States)

Wong, Christopher X; Ganesan, Anand N; Selvanayagam, Joseph B

2017-05-01

Obesity is increasingly recognized as a major modifiable determinant of atrial fibrillation (AF). Although body mass index and other clinical measures are useful indications of general adiposity, much recent interest has focused on epicardial fat, a distinct adipose tissue depot that can be readily assessed using non-invasive imaging techniques. A growing body of data from epidemiological and clinical studies has demonstrated that epicardial fat is consistently associated with the presence, severity, and recurrence of AF across a range of clinical settings. Evidence from basic science and translational studies has also suggested that arrhythmogenic mechanisms may involve adipocyte infiltration, pro-fibrotic, and pro-inflammatory paracrine effects, oxidative stress, and other pathways. Despite these advances, however, significant uncertainty exists and many questions remain unanswered. In this article, we review our present understanding of epicardial fat, including its classification and quantification, existing evidence implicating its role in AF, potential mechanisms, implications for clinicians, and future directions for research. Published on behalf of the European Society of Cardiology. All rights reserved. © The Author 2016. For permissions please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Extended thermodynamics

CERN Document Server

Müller, Ingo

1993-01-01

Physicists firmly believe that the differential equations of nature should be hyperbolic so as to exclude action at a distance; yet the equations of irreversible thermodynamics - those of Navier-Stokes and Fourier - are parabolic. This incompatibility between the expectation of physicists and the classical laws of thermodynamics has prompted the formulation of extended thermodynamics. After describing the motifs and early evolution of this new branch of irreversible thermodynamics, the authors apply the theory to mon-atomic gases, mixtures of gases, relativistic gases, and "gases" of phonons and photons. The discussion brings into perspective the various phenomena called second sound, such as heat propagation, propagation of shear stress and concentration, and the second sound in liquid helium. The formal mathematical structure of extended thermodynamics is exposed and the theory is shown to be fully compatible with the kinetic theory of gases. The study closes with the testing of extended thermodynamics thro...

Mechanism and bias considerations for design of a bi-directional pneumatic artificial muscle actuator

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vocke III, Robert D; Wereley, Norman M; Kothera, Curt S

2014-01-01

Pneumatic artificial muscles (PAMs), or McKibben actuators, have received considerable attention for robotic manipulators and in aerospace applications due to their similarity to natural muscles. Like natural muscles, PAMs are a purely contractile actuator, so that, in order to produce bi-directional or rotational motion, they must be arranged in an agonist/antagonist pair, which inherently limits the deflection of the system due to the high parasitic stiffness of the antagonistic PAM. This study presents two methods for increasing the performance of an antagonistic PAM system by decreasing the passive parasitic torque, rather than increasing the active torque. The first involves selection of the kinematic mechanism geometry, and the second involves the introduction of bias into the system, both in terms of PAM contraction and passive (antagonistic) PAM pressure. It was found with the proper selection of design parameters, including mechanism geometry, PAM geometry, and bias conditions, that an ideal actuator configuration can be chosen that maximizes deflection for a given arbitrary loading. When comparing a baseline design to an improved design for a simplified case, a nearly 50% increase in maximum deflection was predicted simply by optimizing mechanism geometry and bias contraction. These results were experimentally verified with quasi-static testing that showed a 300% increase in actuator deflection over the baseline design. (paper)

Theoretical modeling of mechanical homeostasis of a mammalian cell under gravity-directed vector.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhou, Lüwen; Zhang, Chen; Zhang, Fan; Lü, Shouqin; Sun, Shujin; Lü, Dongyuan; Long, Mian

2018-02-01

Translocation of dense nucleus along gravity vector initiates mechanical remodeling of a eukaryotic cell. In our previous experiments, we quantified the impact of gravity vector on cell remodeling by placing an MC3T3-E1 cell onto upward (U)-, downward (D)-, or edge-on (E)- orientated substrate. Our experimental data demonstrate that orientation dependence of nucleus longitudinal translocation is positively correlated with cytoskeletal (CSK) remodeling of their expressions and structures and also is associated with rearrangement of focal adhesion complex (FAC). However, the underlying mechanism how CSK network and FACs are reorganized in a mammalian cell remains unclear. In this paper, we developed a theoretical biomechanical model to integrate the mechanosensing of nucleus translocation with CSK remodeling and FAC reorganization induced by a gravity vector. The cell was simplified as a nucleated tensegrity structure in the model. The cell and CSK filaments were considered to be symmetrical. All elements of CSK filaments and cytomembrane that support the nucleus were simplified as springs. FACs were simplified as an adhesion cluster of parallel bonds with shared force. Our model proposed that gravity vector-directed translocation of the cell nucleus is mechanically balanced by CSK remodeling and FAC reorganization induced by a gravitational force. Under gravity, dense nucleus tends to translocate and exert additional compressive or stretching force on the cytoskeleton. Finally, changes of the tension force acting on talin by microfilament alter the size of FACs. Results from our model are in qualitative agreement with those from experiments.

New infinite-dimensional hidden symmetries for heterotic string theory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gao Yajun

2007-01-01

The symmetry structures of two-dimensional heterotic string theory are studied further. A (2d+n)x(2d+n) matrix complex H-potential is constructed and the field equations are extended into a complex matrix formulation. A pair of Hauser-Ernst-type linear systems are established. Based on these linear systems, explicit formulations of new hidden symmetry transformations for the considered theory are given and then these symmetry transformations are verified to constitute infinite-dimensional Lie algebras: the semidirect product of the Kac-Moody o(d,d+n-circumflex) and Virasoro algebras (without center charges). These results demonstrate that the heterotic string theory under consideration possesses more and richer symmetry structures than previously expected

Systems Biology Reveals Cigarette Smoke-Induced Concentration-Dependent Direct and Indirect Mechanisms That Promote Monocyte-Endothelial Cell Adhesion.

Science.gov (United States)

Poussin, Carine; Laurent, Alexandra; Peitsch, Manuel C; Hoeng, Julia; De Leon, Hector

2015-10-01

Cigarette smoke (CS) affects the adhesion of monocytes to endothelial cells, a critical step in atherogenesis. Using an in vitro adhesion assay together with innovative computational systems biology approaches to analyze omics data, our study aimed at investigating CS-induced mechanisms by which monocyte-endothelial cell adhesion is promoted. Primary human coronary artery endothelial cells (HCAECs) were treated for 4 h with (1) conditioned media of human monocytic Mono Mac-6 (MM6) cells preincubated with low or high concentrations of aqueous CS extract (sbPBS) from reference cigarette 3R4F for 2 h (indirect treatment, I), (2) unconditioned media similarly prepared without MM6 cells (direct treatment, D), or (3) freshly generated sbPBS (fresh direct treatment, FD). sbPBS promoted MM6 cells-HCAECs adhesion following I and FD, but not D. In I, the effect was mediated at a low concentration through activation of vascular inflammation processes promoted in HCAECs by a paracrine effect of the soluble mediators secreted by sbPBS-treated MM6 cells. Tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα), a major inducer, was actually shed by unstable CS compound-activated TNFα-converting enzyme. In FD, the effect was triggered at a high concentration that also induced some toxicity. This effect was mediated through an yet unknown mechanism associated with a stress damage response promoted in HCAECs by unstable CS compounds present in freshly generated sbPBS, which had decayed in D unconditioned media. Aqueous CS extract directly and indirectly promotes monocytic cell-endothelial cell adhesion in vitro via distinct concentration-dependent mechanisms. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society of Toxicology. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Extended family medicine training

Science.gov (United States)

Slade, Steve; Ross, Shelley; Lawrence, Kathrine; Archibald, Douglas; Mackay, Maria Palacios; Oandasan, Ivy F.

2016-01-01

Abstract Objective To examine trends in family medicine training at a time when substantial pedagogic change is under way, focusing on factors that relate to extended family medicine training. Design Aggregate-level secondary data analysis based on the Canadian Post-MD Education Registry. Setting Canada. Participants All Canadian citizens and permanent residents who were registered in postgraduate family medicine training programs within Canadian faculties of medicine from 1995 to 2013. Main outcome measures Number and proportion of family medicine residents exiting 2-year and extended (third-year and above) family medicine training programs, as well as the types and numbers of extended training programs offered in 2015. Results The proportion of family medicine trainees pursuing extended training almost doubled during the study period, going from 10.9% in 1995 to 21.1% in 2013. Men and Canadian medical graduates were more likely to take extended family medicine training. Among the 5 most recent family medicine exit cohorts (from 2009 to 2013), 25.9% of men completed extended training programs compared with 18.3% of women, and 23.1% of Canadian medical graduates completed extended training compared with 13.6% of international medical graduates. Family medicine programs vary substantially with respect to the proportion of their trainees who undertake extended training, ranging from a low of 12.3% to a high of 35.1% among trainees exiting from 2011 to 2013. Conclusion New initiatives, such as the Triple C Competency-based Curriculum, CanMEDS–Family Medicine, and Certificates of Added Competence, have emerged as part of family medicine education and credentialing. In acknowledgment of the potential effect of these initiatives, it is important that future research examine how pedagogic change and, in particular, extended training shapes the care family physicians offer their patients. As part of that research it will be important to measure the breadth and uptake of

Development of an extended-burnup Mark B design. Second semiannual progress report, January-June 1979

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1979-11-01

The immediate goal of the DOE/AP and L/B and W project is to extend the burnup of light water reactor fuel assemblies beyond present limits to 50,000 MWd/mtU batch average burnup. Fuel management plans and fuel designs are being directed to attain the increased burnup limits. Lead-test assemblies of extended-burnup designs will be manufactured, irradiated in a commercial pressurized water reactor, and examined to support extended-burnup fuel cycles. This report, covering the period from January through June 1979, is the second semiannual progress report for the program. Efforts have included analyses of extended-burnup fuel cycles, developed of both annular fuel pellet and segmented rod designs, and design of a nondestructive post-irradiation examination system

Use of adjoint methods in the probabilistic finite element approach to fracture mechanics

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Wing Kam; Besterfield, Glen; Lawrence, Mark; Belytschko, Ted

1988-01-01

The adjoint method approach to probabilistic finite element methods (PFEM) is presented. When the number of objective functions is small compared to the number of random variables, the adjoint method is far superior to the direct method in evaluating the objective function derivatives with respect to the random variables. The PFEM is extended to probabilistic fracture mechanics (PFM) using an element which has the near crack-tip singular strain field embedded. Since only two objective functions (i.e., mode I and II stress intensity factors) are needed for PFM, the adjoint method is well suited.

Mechanism of action of direct-acting antiviral agents in treatment of chronic hepatitis C

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

WEN Xiaoyu

2016-09-01

Full Text Available With the development and launch of direct-acting antiviral agents (DAAs in the world in recent years, therapeutic regimens for chronic hepatitis C are constantly evolving. DAAs will also be launched in China in the near future. DAAs mainly target at the non-structural proteins of HCV and can inhibit HCV RNA replication. This article introduces the targets, mechanism of action, and resistance characteristics of different DAAs, as well as their current research and development in China and the results of phase Ⅲ clinical studies, in order to provide a reference for combined therapeutic strategies with DAAs in the treatment for chronic hepatitis C.

Scale-invariant extended inflation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Holman, R.; Kolb, E.W.; Vadas, S.L.; Wang, Y.

1991-01-01

We propose a model of extended inflation which makes use of the nonlinear realization of scale invariance involving the dilaton coupled to an inflaton field whose potential admits a metastable ground state. The resulting theory resembles the Jordan-Brans-Dicke version of extended inflation. However, quantum effects, in the form of the conformal anomaly, generate a mass for the dilaton, thus allowing our model to evade the problems of the original version of extended inflation. We show that extended inflation can occur for a wide range of inflaton potentials with no fine-tuning of dimensionless parameters required. Furthermore, we also find that it is quite natural for the extended-inflation period to be followed by an epoch of slow-rollover inflation as the dilaton settles down to the minimum of its induced potential

Coal as a source of energy to alleviate the crisis facing the cement industry

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Reinert, N

1979-01-01

After recalling the importance of coal in the cement industry up until the end of the 1950s, and the regeneration of interest in this fuel, the author presents some views on the stocking of coal, on its preparation and on its application for firing. The advantages of linear stocking and of de-stocking by the 'front slice' method to ensure good homogenization are described. The precautions to be taken during the fine-grinding process and the transport of the pulverized coal in order to prevent coal-dust explosions are discussed. The main firing systems (direct, semi-direct and indirect) are discussed and their respective advantages and drawbacks examined. (In French)

La coherence conceptuelle d'etudiants collegiaux en mecanique Newtonienne et en metrologie

Science.gov (United States)

Periard, Martin

This thesis evaluates the coherence of the conceptual network demonstrated by college students in life and applied sciences. This evaluation was based on the analysis of Burt tables issuing from multiple choice questionnaires, on the creation and careful examination of a novel tool, the matrix of specific discrimination coefficients, which will be described in the main text, and on the qualitative analysis of actual laboratory work of students doing an experimentation. At the completion of this project, four research axis have been explored. (1) What is the conceptual coherence demonstrated in Newtonian mechanics? (2) Is the mastery of uncertainty quantification related to the development of logical thinking or to mathematical competency? (3) What is the conceptual coherence demonstrated in the quantification of experimental uncertainty? (4) What are the concrete procedures utilized by students to quantify experimental uncertainty in a semi-directed laboratory context? The main conclusions that emerged from each axis of research can be summerized as follow. (1) The most prevalent erroneous conceptions are not solidly set in a rigid conceptual network. For example, a student successful in a question about Newton's third law (the most difficult subject of the Force Concept Inventory) is just slightly more likely to succeed in another related question than the other participants. Many pairs of questions displays a negative specific discrimination coefficient demonstrating a weak conceptual coherence in pre-test and a somewhat ameliorated conceptual coherence in post-test. (2) If a small proportion of students has demonstrated marked deficiencies in questions related with control of variable and in those related to the relationship between the graphical display of experimental data and a mathematical model, the majority of students can be considered as adequately mastering those subjects. However, almost every student demonstrated a lack of mastery of concepts

Some views on mechanical safety of capsules for radioactive waste

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nilsson, F.

1978-02-01

Three different concepts for encapsulation of used nuclear fuel are discussed with respect to their mechanical safety. In the first concept the burnt out fuel elements are encapsulated into a copper capsule. The material properties of copper are discussed especially with reference to toughness and creep. A simple fracture mechanical analysis shows that the risk for direct fracture is negligible at the actual stress levels. The loads on the capsule are studied and are found to be normally less than 40 MPa (residual stresses). Transient loads that might arise in the handling of the capsule might however be dangerous to its integrity. The next concept is encapsulation of the fuel elements into a sintered aluminium oxide capsule. A fracture probability analysis based on Weibull's statistical fracture theory gives fracture probabilities that are acceptable. Extended studies of this concept, especially of the risk for delayed fracture, is recommended. The last concept is a Pb-Ti capsule for glassed refined fuel. An analysis of the relaxation of internal stresses is performed. The critical point of these capsules appears to be the welds on the titanium shell where the risk for a direct fracture is not neglibigle

Understanding the mechanism of direct electrochemistry of mitochondria-modified electrodes from yeast, potato and bovine sources at carbon paper electrodes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Giroud, Fabien; Nicolo, Tera A.; Koepke, Sara J.; Minteer, Shelley D.

2013-01-01

Although mitochondria have been used for bio-electrochemistry for over 5 years, little is known about their direct electrochemistry mechanism. This paper focuses on developing a better understanding of the electron transfer mechanism of mitochondria from three different organisms at carbon electrodes. Yeast, potato and bovine mitochondria have been successfully isolated and immobilized onto Toray paper electrodes via vapor deposited silica. Organelle-modified electrodes were first characterized using cyclic voltammetry. Similar electrochemical signals were obtained for all organisms. Direct electron transfer was observed when a metabolite of the Krebs cycle was present in the buffer solution. Control experiments based on the immobilization of two electron carriers contained in mitochondria, cytochrome c and a quinone (coenzyme Q 10 ), tend to show the electron transfer mechanism to the carbon material comes from the quinone pool of the organelles. As quinones are known to be pH-dependent, we further investigated the response of the electrochemical signal of the three isolated mitochondria and the two electron carriers separately. The half wave potentials obtained from the organelles appeared to be pH-dependent and their variations are comparable to coenzyme Q 10 rather than cytochrome c. Finally, extraction of both the cytochrome c and the quinone pool from intact mitochondria was performed to validate our hypothesis that direct electrochemistry of mitochondria happens via the quinone pool. Electrochemistry of immobilized quinone-depleted mitochondria validated the hypothesis that the mitochondria are communicating with the electrodes through the quinone pool

Estimation of Sideslip Angle Based on Extended Kalman Filter

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yupeng Huang

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The sideslip angle plays an extremely important role in vehicle stability control, but the sideslip angle in production car cannot be obtained from sensor directly in consideration of the cost of the sensor; it is essential to estimate the sideslip angle indirectly by means of other vehicle motion parameters; therefore, an estimation algorithm with real-time performance and accuracy is critical. Traditional estimation method based on Kalman filter algorithm is correct in vehicle linear control area; however, on low adhesion road, vehicles have obvious nonlinear characteristics. In this paper, extended Kalman filtering algorithm had been put forward in consideration of the nonlinear characteristic of the tire and was verified by the Carsim and Simulink joint simulation, such as the simulation on the wet cement road and the ice and snow road with double lane change. To test and verify the effect of extended Kalman filtering estimation algorithm, the real vehicle test was carried out on the limit test field. The experimental results show that the accuracy of vehicle sideslip angle acquired by extended Kalman filtering algorithm is obviously higher than that acquired by Kalman filtering in the area of the nonlinearity.

Direct observation of TALE protein dynamics reveals a two-state search mechanism.

Science.gov (United States)

Cuculis, Luke; Abil, Zhanar; Zhao, Huimin; Schroeder, Charles M

2015-06-01

Transcription activator-like effector (TALE) proteins are a class of programmable DNA-binding proteins for which the fundamental mechanisms governing the search process are not fully understood. Here we use single-molecule techniques to directly observe TALE search dynamics along DNA templates. We find that TALE proteins are capable of rapid diffusion along DNA using a combination of sliding and hopping behaviour, which suggests that the TALE search process is governed in part by facilitated diffusion. We also observe that TALE proteins exhibit two distinct modes of action during the search process-a search state and a recognition state-facilitated by different subdomains in monomeric TALE proteins. Using TALE truncation mutants, we further demonstrate that the N-terminal region of TALEs is required for the initial non-specific binding and subsequent rapid search along DNA, whereas the central repeat domain is required for transitioning into the site-specific recognition state.

Motivation of extended behaviors by anterior cingulate cortex.

Science.gov (United States)

Holroyd, Clay B; Yeung, Nick

2012-02-01

Intense research interest over the past decade has yielded diverse and often discrepant theories about the function of anterior cingulate cortex (ACC). In particular, a dichotomy has emerged between neuropsychological theories suggesting a primary role for ACC in motivating or 'energizing' behavior, and neuroimaging-inspired theories emphasizing its contribution to cognitive control and reinforcement learning. To reconcile these views, we propose that ACC supports the selection and maintenance of 'options' - extended, context-specific sequences of behavior directed toward particular goals - that are learned through a process of hierarchical reinforcement learning. This theory accounts for ACC activity in relation to learning and control while simultaneously explaining the effects of ACC damage as disrupting the motivational context supporting the production of goal-directed action sequences. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Rational extended thermodynamics

CERN Document Server

Müller, Ingo

1998-01-01

Ordinary thermodynamics provides reliable results when the thermodynamic fields are smooth, in the sense that there are no steep gradients and no rapid changes. In fluids and gases this is the domain of the equations of Navier-Stokes and Fourier. Extended thermodynamics becomes relevant for rapidly varying and strongly inhomogeneous processes. Thus the propagation of high­ frequency waves, and the shape of shock waves, and the regression of small-scale fluctuation are governed by extended thermodynamics. The field equations of ordinary thermodynamics are parabolic while extended thermodynamics is governed by hyperbolic systems. The main ingredients of extended thermodynamics are • field equations of balance type, • constitutive quantities depending on the present local state and • entropy as a concave function of the state variables. This set of assumptions leads to first order quasi-linear symmetric hyperbolic systems of field equations; it guarantees the well-posedness of initial value problems and f...

Lorentz covariance of an extended object in the tree approximation. II. Nonspherical object in 3+1 dimensions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Umezawa, M.

1983-01-01

This is the second in the series of the papers in which we investigate the Lorentz covariance of the extended object. In this paper we examine the covariance of the deformed object in 3+1 dimensions in the tree approximation. We construct the solution of the Euler equation, which is Lorentz covariant. In such a covariant solution, the variables associated with the rotational and the translational zero modes appear as classical quantum mechanical operators. Consequently the covariant solution has an intrinsic spin, in addition to the intrinsic quantum mechanical momenta. Then, at the end of this work we will show that such a covariant solution can be obtained also by quantizing a classical solution of the Euler equation, having extra variables signifying the center and the orientation of the deformed object. In the tree approximation, the energy--momentum and the relativistic angular momentum of the extended object psi become pure classical quantum mechanical operators, having been integrated over the space. Then it is proven that such four-momenta and angular momentum operators form a classical quantum mechanics presented in a relativistic manner. The center of mass of the extended object, often called collective coordinate, is shown to be made of these four-momentum and angular momentum

Mechanical model of water inrush from coal seam floor based on triaxial seepage experiments

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

Yihui Pang; Guofa Wang; Ziwei Ding

2014-01-01

In order to study the mechanism of confined water inrush from coal seam floor, the main influences on permeability in the process of triaxial seepage experiments were analyzed with methods such as laboratory experiments, theoretical analysis and mechanical model calculation. The crack extension rule and the ultimate destruction form of the rock specimens were obtained. The mechanism of water inrush was explained reasonably from mechanical point of view. The practical criterion of water inrush was put forward. The results show that the rock permeability ‘‘mutation’’ phe-nomenon reflects the differences of stress state and cracks extension rate when the rock internal crack begins to extend in large-scale. The rock ultimate destruction form is related to the rock lithology and the angle between crack and principal stress. The necessary condition of floor water inrush is that the mining pressure leads to the extension and transfixion of the crack. The sufficient condition of floor water inrush is that the confined water’s expansionary stress in normal direction and shear stress in tangential direction must be larger than the internal stress in the crack. With the two conditions satisfied at the same time, the floor water inrush accident will occur.

Modelling the role of intrinsic electric fields in microtubules as an additional control mechanism of bi-directional intracellular transport.

Science.gov (United States)

Sataric, M V; Budinski-Petkovic, L; Loncarevic, I; Tuszynski, J A

2008-01-01

Active transport is essential for cellular function, while impaired transport has been linked to diseases such as neuronal degeneration. Much long distance transport in cells uses opposite polarity molecular motors of the kinesin and dynein families to move cargos along microtubules. It is clear that many types of cargo are moved by both sets of motors, and frequently in a reverse direction. The general question of how the direction of transport is regulated is still open. The mechanism of the cell's differential control of diverse cargos within the same cytoplasmic background is still unclear as is the answer to the question how endosomes and mitochondria move to different locations within the same cell. To answer these questions we postulate the existence of a local signaling mechanism used by the cell to specifically control different cargos. In particular, we propose an additional physical mechanism that works through the use of constant and alternating intrinsic (endogenous) electric fields as a means of controlling the speed and direction of microtubule-based transport. A specific model is proposed and analyzed in this paper. The model involves the rotational degrees of freedom of the C-termini of tubulin, their interactions and the coupling between elastic and dielectric degrees of freedom. Viscosity of the solution is also included and the resultant equation of motion is found as a nonlinear elliptic equation with dissipation. A particular analytical solution of this equation is obtained in the form of a kink whose properties are analyzed. It is concluded that this solution can be modulated by the presence of electric fields and hence may correspond to the observed behavior of motor protein transport along microtubules.

[Advance directives in clinical practice : Living will, healthcare power of attorney and care directive].

Science.gov (United States)

Hack, J; Buecking, B; Lopez, C L; Ruchholtz, S; Kühne, C A

2017-06-01

In clinical practice, situations continuously occur in which medical professionals and family members are confronted with decisions on whether to extend or limit treatment for severely ill patients in end of life treatment decisions. In these situations, advance directives are helpful tools in decision making according to the wishes of the patient; however, not every patient has made an advance directive and in our experience medical staff as well as patients are often not familiar with these documents. The purpose of this article is therefore to explain the currently available documents (e.g. living will, healthcare power of attorney and care directive) and the possible (legal) applications and limitations in the routine clinical practice.

A review of Green's function methods in computational fluid mechanics: Background, recent developments and future directions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dorning, J.

1981-01-01

The research and development over the past eight years on local Green's function methods for the high-accuracy, high-efficiency numerical solution of nuclear engineering problems is reviewed. The basic concepts and key ideas are presented by starting with an expository review of the original fully two-dimensional local Green's function methods developed for neutron diffusion and heat conduction, and continuing through the progressively more complicated and more efficient nodal Green's function methods for neutron diffusion, heat conduction and neutron transport to establish the background for the recent development of Green's function methods in computational fluid mechanics. Some of the impressive numerical results obtained via these classes of methods for nuclear engineering problems are briefly summarized. Finally, speculations are proffered on future directions in which the development of these types of methods in fluid mechanics and other areas might lead. (orig.) [de

Ideas for the rapid development of the structural models in mechanical engineering

Science.gov (United States)

Oanta, E.; Raicu, A.; Panait, C.

2017-08-01

Conceiving computer based instruments is a long run concern of the authors. Some of the original solutions are: optimal processing of the large matrices, interfaces between the programming languages, approximation theory using spline functions, numerical programming increased accuracy based on the extended arbitrary precision libraries. For the rapid development of the models we identified the following directions: atomization, ‘librarization’, parameterization, automatization and integration. Each of these directions has some particular aspects if we approach mechanical design problems or software development. Atomization means a thorough top-down decomposition analysis which offers an insight regarding the basic features of the phenomenon. Creation of libraries of reusable mechanical parts and libraries of programs (data types, functions) save time, cost and effort when a new model must be conceived. Parameterization leads to flexible definition of the mechanical parts, the values of the parameters being changed either using a dimensioning program or in accord to other parts belonging to the same assembly. The resulting templates may be also included in libraries. Original software applications are useful for the model’s input data generation, to input the data into CAD/FEA commercial applications and for the data integration of the various types of studies included in the same project.

Horizon quantum mechanics of rotating black holes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Casadio, Roberto [Universita di Bologna, Dipartimento di Fisica e Astronomia, Bologna (Italy); I.N.F.N., Sezione di Bologna, I.S. FLAG, Bologna (Italy); Giugno, Andrea [Ludwig-Maximilians-Universitaet, Arnold Sommerfeld Center, Munich (Germany); Giusti, Andrea [Universita di Bologna, Dipartimento di Fisica e Astronomia, Bologna (Italy); I.N.F.N., Sezione di Bologna, I.S. FLAG, Bologna (Italy); Ludwig-Maximilians-Universitaet, Arnold Sommerfeld Center, Munich (Germany); Micu, Octavian [Institute of Space Science, Bucharest, P.O. Box MG-23, Bucharest-Magurele (Romania)

2017-05-15

The horizon quantum mechanics is an approach that was previously introduced in order to analyze the gravitational radius of spherically symmetric systems and compute the probability that a given quantum state is a black hole. In this work, we first extend the formalism to general space-times with asymptotic (ADM) mass and angular momentum. We then apply the extended horizon quantum mechanics to a harmonic model of rotating corpuscular black holes. We find that simple configurations of this model naturally suppress the appearance of the inner horizon and seem to disfavor extremal (macroscopic) geometries. (orig.)

Extending TF1: Argument parsing, function composition, and vectorization

CERN Document Server

Tsang Mang Kin, Arthur Leonard

2017-01-01

In this project, we extend the functionality of the TF1 function class in root. We add argument parsing, making it possible to freely pass variables and parameters into pre-defined and user-defined functions. We also introduce a syntax to use certain compositions of functions, namely normalized sums and convolutions, directly in TF1. Finally, we introduce some simple vectorization functionality to TF1 and demonstrate the potential to speed up parallelizable computations.

Modelling of Mechanical Behavior at High Strain Rate of Ti-6al-4v Manufactured By Means of Direct Metal Laser Sintering Technique

Science.gov (United States)

Iannitti, Gianluca; Bonora, Nicola; Gentile, Domenico; Ruggiero, Andrew; Testa, Gabriel; Gubbioni, Simone

2017-06-01

In this work, the mechanical behavior of Ti-6Al-4V obtained by additive manufacturing technique was investigated, also considering the build direction. Dog-bone shaped specimens and Taylor cylinders were machined from rods manufactured by means of the EOSSINT M2 80 machine, based on Direct Metal Laser Sintering technique. Tensile tests were performed at strain rate ranging from 5E-4 s-1 to 1000 s-1 using an Instron electromechanical machine for quasistatic tests and a Direct-Tension Split Hopkinson Bar for dynamic tests. The mechanical strength of the material was described by a Johnson-Cook model modified to account for stress saturation occurring at high strain. Taylor cylinder tests and their corresponding numerical simulations were carried out in order to validate the constitutive model under a complex deformation path, high strain rates, and high temperatures.

Adrenocortical responses to offspring-directed threats in two open-nesting birds.

Science.gov (United States)

Butler, Luke K; Bisson, Isabelle-Anne; Hayden, Timothy J; Wikelski, Martin; Romero, L Michael

2009-07-01

Dependent young are often easy targets for predators, so for many parent vertebrates, responding to offspring-directed threats is a fundamental part of reproduction. We tested the parental adrenocortical response of the endangered black-capped vireo (Vireo atricapilla) and the common white-eyed vireo (V. griseus) to acute and chronic threats to their offspring. Like many open-nesting birds, our study species experience high offspring mortality. Parents responded behaviorally to a predator decoy or human 1-2m from their nests, but, in contrast to similar studies of cavity-nesting birds, neither these acute threats nor chronic offspring-directed threats altered plasma corticosterone concentrations of parents. Although parents in this study showed no corticosterone response to offspring-directed threats, they always increased corticosterone concentrations in response to capture. To explain these results, we propose that parents perceive their risk of nest-associated death differently depending on nest type, with cavity-nesting adults perceiving greater risk to themselves than open-nesters that can readily detect and escape from offspring-directed threats. Our results agree with previous studies suggesting that the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, a major physiological mechanism for coping with threats to survival, probably plays no role in coping with threats to offspring when risks to parents and offspring are not correlated. We extend that paradigm by demonstrating that nest style may influence how adults perceive the correlation between offspring-directed and self-directed threats.

Optimum ratio of main mechanized operations for direct-flow fertilizers introduction

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

V. P. Uvarov

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Use of transport and technological means is carried out according to the direct-flow scheme and includes stage-by-stage performance as the main standard-setting operations (fertilizers transportation, movement and their distribution across a field, and auxiliary (return from a field and loading of fertilizers. The method of comparison of main types of operations at fertilizers application is given. An estimation criterion is a ratio of cargo movements on a road and across a field, proportionality coefficient between movement of freight and a fertilizers distribution area across the field. These indicators depend on transportation distances and doses of fertilizers application, and also on technology factor that is freight moving frequency across the field. The last characteristic is taken as the optimized parameter. An extremum of this indicator was searched due to a classical method. Optimum values of estimated indicators with the accounting of a variation of a ratio of load capacity and operating width of technical means are received. Concrete combinations of transportation distances and doses of fertilizers application are specified. The authors defined conditions of effective use of tractor and perspective automobile transport and technological means. They recommended to use the automeans allowing to change operating width. Realization of the stated methodological approach will make it possible to select an optimum ratio of the mechanized operations at direct-flow fertilizers application, to exclude additional cargo movements across the field, to cut fuel consumption, to increase productivity. Productivity of transport and technological means increases by 2.0; 1.3 and 1.15 times respectively to length of furrow 3; 9 and 27 km at fertilizers application by a dose of 0.06 kg per sq.m.

Extending student knowledge and interest through super-curricular activities

Science.gov (United States)

Zetie, K. P.

2018-03-01

Any teacher of physics is likely to consider super-curricular reading as an important strategy for successful students. However, there are many more ways to extend a student’s interest in a subject than reading books, and undirected reading (such as providing a long out of date reading list) is not likely to be as helpful as targeted or directed study. I present an approach to directing and supporting additional study pioneered at St Paul’s School in the last 2 years based on two significant steps: • Providing a large, searchable database of reading and other material such as podcasts rather than simply a reading list. • Encouraging students to visualise and plot their trajectory toward a specific goal using a graph

An extended discrete gradient formula for oscillatory Hamiltonian systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu Kai; Shi Wei; Wu Xinyuan

2013-01-01

In this paper, incorporating the idea of the discrete gradient method into the extended Runge–Kutta–Nyström integrator, we derive and analyze an extended discrete gradient formula for the oscillatory Hamiltonian system with the Hamiltonian H(p,q)= 1/2 p T p+ 1/2 q T Mq+U(q), where q:R→R d represents generalized positions, p:R→R d represents generalized momenta and M is an element of R dxd is a symmetric and positive semi-definite matrix. The solution of this system is a nonlinear oscillator. Basically, many nonlinear oscillatory mechanical systems with a partitioned Hamiltonian function lend themselves to this approach. The extended discrete gradient formula presented in this paper exactly preserves the energy H(p, q). We derive some properties of the new formula. The convergence is analyzed for the implicit schemes based on the discrete gradient formula, and it turns out that the convergence of the implicit schemes based on the extended discrete gradient formula is independent of ‖M‖, which is a significant property for the oscillatory Hamiltonian system. Thus, it transpires that a larger step size can be chosen for the new energy-preserving schemes than that for the traditional discrete gradient methods when applied to the oscillatory Hamiltonian system. Illustrative examples show the competence and efficiency of the new schemes in comparison with the traditional discrete gradient methods in the scientific literature. (paper)

Radar correlated imaging for extended target by the combination of negative exponential restraint and total variation

Science.gov (United States)

Qian, Tingting; Wang, Lianlian; Lu, Guanghua

2017-07-01

Radar correlated imaging (RCI) introduces the optical correlated imaging technology to traditional microwave imaging, which has raised widespread concern recently. Conventional RCI methods neglect the structural information of complex extended target, which makes the quality of recovery result not really perfect, thus a novel combination of negative exponential restraint and total variation (NER-TV) algorithm for extended target imaging is proposed in this paper. The sparsity is measured by a sequential order one negative exponential function, then the 2D total variation technique is introduced to design a novel optimization problem for extended target imaging. And the proven alternating direction method of multipliers is applied to solve the new problem. Experimental results show that the proposed algorithm could realize high resolution imaging efficiently for extended target.

Mechanism of enhanced performance on a hybrid direct carbon fuel cell using sawdust biofuels

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Shuangbin; Jiang, Cairong; Liu, Juan; Tao, Haoliang; Meng, Xie; Connor, Paul; Hui, Jianing; Wang, Shaorong; Ma, Jianjun; Irvine, John T. S.

2018-04-01

Biomass is expected to play a significant role in power generation in the near future. With the uprising of carbon fuel cells, hybrid direct carbon fuel cells (HDCFCs) show its intrinsic and incomparable advantages in the generation of clean energy with higher efficiency. In this study, two types of biomass treated by physical sieve and pyrolysis from raw sawdust are investigated on an anode-supported HDCFC. The structure and thermal analysis indicate that raw sawdust has well-formed cellulose I phase with very low ash. Electrochemical performance behaviors for sieved and pyrolyzed sawdust combined with various weight ratios of carbonate are compared in N2 and CO2 purge gas. The results show that the power output of sieved sawdust with 789 mWcm-2 is superior to that of pyrolyzed sawdust in CO2 flowing, as well as in N2 flowing. The anode reaction mechanism for the discrepancy of two fuels is explained and the emphasis is also placed on the modified oxygen-reduction cycle mechanism of catalytic effects of Li2CO3 and K2CO3 salts in promoting cell performance.

Microstructures and mechanical properties of 3D 4-directional, C{sub f}/ZrC–SiC composites using ZrC precursor and polycarbosilane

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Li, Qinggang, E-mail: liqinggang66@gmail.com [School of Material Science and Engineering, University of Jinan, Jinan 250022 (China); Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Preparation and Measurement of Building Materials, Jinan 250022 (China); Dong, Shaoming [Structural Ceramics and Composites Engineering Research Center, Shanghai Institute of Ceramics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200050 (China); Wang, Zhi; Shi, Guopu; Ma, Yan [School of Material Science and Engineering, University of Jinan, Jinan 250022 (China); Zhou, Haijun; Wang, Zhen; He, Ping [Structural Ceramics and Composites Engineering Research Center, Shanghai Institute of Ceramics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200050 (China)

2013-11-01

Highlights: • Three-dimensional 4-directional C{sub f}/ZrC–SiC composites fabricated by polymer infiltration and pyrolysis. • The microstructure and mechanical properties of the composites were studied. • High-temperature oxidation resistance and anti-ablation properties were evaluated. • Results show the composites have good mechanical and excellent ablative properties. -- Abstract: Three-dimensional 4-directional C{sub f}/ZrC–SiC composites were successfully fabricated by polymer infiltration and pyrolysis combined with ZrC precursor impregnation. The microstructure and mechanical properties of the composites were studied. The composite with PyC/SiC interphase had a bulk density of 2.14 g/cm{sup 3}, an open porosity of 10%, and a bending stress of 474 MPa, and exhibited a non-brittle failure behavior due to propagation and deflection of cracks, and fracture and pullout of fibers. Their high-temperature oxidation resistance and anti-ablation properties were evaluated using a muffle furnace and plasma wind tunnel test. Results show that the composites have good mechanical and excellent ablative properties.

Successful treatment of massive pulmonary embolism with prolonged catheter-directed thrombolysis.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Kelly, Peter

2012-02-03

This is a case report of a young woman who presented with an extensive pulmonary embolism and echocardiographic evidence of right ventricular dysfunction. Although hemodynamically stable, the patient\\'s clinical condition failed to improve with standard heparin anticoagulation. Successful local catheter-directed thrombolysis was performed over an extended period of 48 h with regular monitoring of response to therapy by computed tomography-pulmonary angiography and echocardiography. To our knowledge, treatment of a pulmonary embolism by catheter-directed thrombolytic infusion over an extended period of 48 h has not previously been described.

Metallurgical and Mechanical Evaluation of 4340 Steel Produced by Direct Metal Laser Sintering

Science.gov (United States)

Jelis, Elias; Clemente, Matthew; Kerwien, Stacey; Ravindra, Nuggehalli M.; Hespos, Michael R.

2015-03-01

Direct metal laser sintering (DMLS) was used to produce high-strength low-alloy 4340 steel specimens. Mechanical and metallurgical analyses were performed on the specimens to determine the samples with the highest strengths and the least porosity. The optimal process parameters were thus defined based on the corresponding experimental conditions. Additionally, the effects of fabricating specimens with both virgin and recycled powders were studied. Scanning electron microscopy and electron-dispersive spectroscopy were performed on both types of powders to determine the starting morphology and composition. The initial tensile results are promising, suggesting that DMLS can produce specimens equal in strength to wrought materials. However, there is evidence of cracking on several of the heat-treated tensile specimens that is unexplained. Several theories point to disturbances in the build chamber environment that went undetected while the specimens were being fabricated.

Constructing Multidatabase Collections Using Extended ODMG Object Model

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Adrian Skehill Mark Roantree

1999-11-01

Full Text Available Collections are an important feature in database systems. They provide us with the ability to group objects of interest together, and then to manipulate them in the required fashion. The OASIS project is focused on the construction a multidatabase prototype which uses the ODMG model and a canonical model. As part of this work we have extended the base model to provide a more powerful collection mechanism, and to permit the construction of a federated collection, a collection of heterogenous objects taken from distributed data sources

Ludwig Boltzmann, mechanics and vitalism

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Broda, E.

1990-01-01

During most of his life Boltzmann considered classical mechanics, based on the ideas of material points and central forces, as the fundament of physics. On this basis he became one of the founders of Statistical Mechanics, through which thermodynamics was interpreted on an atomistic basis. In this work, Boltzmann was opposed by his colleague, Ernst Mach. Boltzmann also devoted much work to attempts to interpret Maxwell's theory of the electromagnetic field, of which he was a main protagonist in Central Europe, through mechanics. However, as a supporter of mechanics Boltzmann was by no means dogmatic. While he was adamant in his rejection of Wilhelm Ostwald's energism, he was openminded in respect to the relationship of mechanics, electromagnetism and atomistics. Personally, Boltzmann wanted to conserve and transmit the enormous achievements of mechanics, especially in connection with the mechanical theory of heat, so that these results should not be lost to future generations, but he encouraged attempts to proceed in new directions. While within the framework of statistical mechanics the atoms were treated like the material points of classical mechanics, Boltzmann resisted the initial, unwarranted, ideas about the structure and the properties of the atoms. When later valid ideas were evolved, Boltzmann warmly welcomed this progress, without however personally taking part in the new developments. In his later years, Boltzmann took an intense interest in biology. He supported Darwin's theories, and he contributed to them. He may be called an 'absolute Darwinist'. In his search for a natural explanation of the phenomena of life, he used the term 'mechanical', without meaning to limit them to the realm of classical mechanics. This terminological laxity is considered as unfortunate. Extending his application of Darwinian principles to advanced species, including man, Boltzmann put forward 'mechanical' explanations of thought, of morality, of the sense of beauty, and of

Extended Lagrangian Density Functional Tight-Binding Molecular Dynamics for Molecules and Solids

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aradi, Balint; Frauenheim, Thomas

2015-01-01

A computationally fast quantum mechanical molecular dynamics scheme using an extended Lagrangian density functional tight-binding formulation has been developed and implemented in the DFTB+ electronic structure program package for simulations of solids and molecular systems. The scheme combines the computational speed of self-consistent density functional tight-binding theory with the efficiency and long-term accuracy of extended Lagrangian Born-Oppenheimer molecular dynamics. Furthermore, for systems without self-consistent charge instabilities, only a single diagonalization or construction of the single-particle density matrix is required in each time step. The molecular dynamics simulation scheme can also be applied to a broad range of problems in materials science, chemistry, and biology

Extended Lagrangian Density Functional Tight-Binding Molecular Dynamics for Molecules and Solids.

Science.gov (United States)

Aradi, Bálint; Niklasson, Anders M N; Frauenheim, Thomas

2015-07-14

A computationally fast quantum mechanical molecular dynamics scheme using an extended Lagrangian density functional tight-binding formulation has been developed and implemented in the DFTB+ electronic structure program package for simulations of solids and molecular systems. The scheme combines the computational speed of self-consistent density functional tight-binding theory with the efficiency and long-term accuracy of extended Lagrangian Born-Oppenheimer molecular dynamics. For systems without self-consistent charge instabilities, only a single diagonalization or construction of the single-particle density matrix is required in each time step. The molecular dynamics simulation scheme can be applied to a broad range of problems in materials science, chemistry, and biology.

MECHANICAL AND THERMO–MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF BI-DIRECTIONAL AND SHORT CARBON FIBER REINFORCED EPOXY COMPOSITES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

G. AGARWAL

2014-10-01

Full Text Available This paper based on bidirectional and short carbon fiber reinforced epoxy composites reports the effect of fiber loading on physical, mechanical and thermo-mechanical properties respectively. The five different fiber loading, i.e., 10wt. %, 20wt. %, 30wt. %, 40wt. % and 50wt. % were taken for evaluating the above said properties. The physical and mechanical properties, i.e., hardness, tensile strength, flexural strength, inter-laminar shear strength and impact strength are determined to represent the behaviour of composite structures with that of fiber loading. Thermo-mechanical properties of the material are measured with the help of Dynamic Mechanical Analyser to measure the damping capacity of the material that is used to reduce the vibrations. The effect of storage modulus, loss modulus and tan delta with temperature are determined. Finally, Cole–Cole analysis is performed on both bidirectional and short carbon fiber reinforced epoxy composites to distinguish the material properties of either homogeneous or heterogeneous materials. The results show that with the increase in fiber loading the mechanical properties of bidirectional carbon fiber reinforced epoxy composites increases as compared to short carbon fiber reinforced epoxy composites except in case of hardness, short carbon fiber reinforced composites shows better results. Similarly, as far as Loss modulus, storage modulus is concerned bidirectional carbon fiber shows better damping behaviour than short carbon fiber reinforced composites.

Effect of solidification parameters on mechanical properties of directionally solidified Al-Rich Al-Cu alloys

Science.gov (United States)

Çadırlı, Emin

2013-05-01

Al(100-x)-Cux alloys (x=3 wt%, 6 wt%, 15 wt%, 24 wt% and 33 wt%) were prepared using metals of 99.99% high purity in vacuum atmosphere. These alloys were directionally solidified under steady-state conditions by using a Bridgman-type directional solidification furnace. Solidification parameters (G, V and ), microstructure parameters (λ1, λ2 and λE) and mechanical properties (HV, σ) of the Al-Cu alloys were measured. Microstructure parameters were expressed as functions of solidification parameters by using a linear regression analysis. The dependency of HV, σ on the cooling rate, microstructure parameters and composition were determined. According to experimental results, the microhardness and ultimate tensile strength of the solidified samples was increased by increasing the cooling rate and Cu content, but decreased with increasing microstructure parameters. The microscopic fracture surfaces of the different samples were observed using scanning electron microscopy. Fractographic analysis of the tensile fracture surfaces showed that the type of fracture significantly changed from ductile to brittle depending on the composition.

Motivational interviewing as a pedagogical approach in behavioral science education: "walking the talk".

Science.gov (United States)

Triana, A Catalina; Olson, Michael

2013-01-01

Motivational Interviewing (MI) is an evidence-based approach to facilitating behavior change. This approach has been applied in multiple settings (e.g., healthcare, drug and alcohol treatment, psychotherapy, health and wellness coaching, etc.). This article applies MI in a pedagogical context with medical residents as a semi-directive, learner-centered teaching style for eliciting clinical behavior change. Herein we present the foundational theories that inform this approach, describe the process of teaching, address barriers and challenges, and conclude with a review of performance to date including residents' narrative accounts of their experience with the curriculum.

Practical methods for near-term piloted Mars missions

Science.gov (United States)

Zubrin, Robert M.; Weaver, David B.

1993-01-01

An evaluation is made of ways of using near-term technologies for direct and semidirect manned Mars missions. A notable feature of the present schemes is the in situ propellant production of CH4/O2 and H2O on the Martian surface in order to reduce surface consumable and return propellant requirements. Medium-energy conjunction class trajectories are shown to be optimal for such missions. Attention is given to the backup plans and abort philosophy of these missions. Either the Russian Energia B or U.S. Saturn VII launch vehicles may be used.

Analysis of the /sup 28/Si(p,. gamma. )/sup 29/P reaction data in the region of the sub-barrier single particle resonances

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Matulewicz, T; Decowski, P; Kicinska-Habior, M; Sikora, B; Toke, J

1983-01-01

The /sup 28/Si(p, ..gamma..)/sup 29/P reaction data have been analyzed in terms of a modified direct-semidirect capture model which accounts for the presence of broad shape (single-particle) resonances in the entrance channel. Values of the spectroscopic factors for the ground state and 1,65 MeV and 2,88 MeV resonances in /sup 29/P nuclei were extracted and found to be consistent with those obtained in other experiments. The modified theoretical analysis scheme was found to provide a convenient tool for analyzing the radiative capture reaction data.

Extended spider cognition.

Science.gov (United States)

Japyassú, Hilton F; Laland, Kevin N

2017-05-01

There is a tension between the conception of cognition as a central nervous system (CNS) process and a view of cognition as extending towards the body or the contiguous environment. The centralised conception requires large or complex nervous systems to cope with complex environments. Conversely, the extended conception involves the outsourcing of information processing to the body or environment, thus making fewer demands on the processing power of the CNS. The evolution of extended cognition should be particularly favoured among small, generalist predators such as spiders, and here, we review the literature to evaluate the fit of empirical data with these contrasting models of cognition. Spiders do not seem to be cognitively limited, displaying a large diversity of learning processes, from habituation to contextual learning, including a sense of numerosity. To tease apart the central from the extended cognition, we apply the mutual manipulability criterion, testing the existence of reciprocal causal links between the putative elements of the system. We conclude that the web threads and configurations are integral parts of the cognitive systems. The extension of cognition to the web helps to explain some puzzling features of spider behaviour and seems to promote evolvability within the group, enhancing innovation through cognitive connectivity to variable habitat features. Graded changes in relative brain size could also be explained by outsourcing information processing to environmental features. More generally, niche-constructed structures emerge as prime candidates for extending animal cognition, generating the selective pressures that help to shape the evolving cognitive system.

Supersymmetric quantum mechanics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Crombrugghe, M. de; Rittenberg, V.

1982-12-01

We give a general construction for supersymmetric Hamiltonians in quantum mechanics. We find that N-extended supersymmetry imposes very strong constraints, and for N > 4 the Hamiltonian is integrable. We give a variety of examples, for one-particle and for many-particle systems, in different numbers of dimensions. (orig.)

Pillared graphene on the basis of zigzag carbon nanotubes for adsorption in medicine: mechanical properties

Science.gov (United States)

Kolesnikova, Anna S.; Mazepa, Margarita M.

2018-02-01

In nowadays the nanoscale materials are actively used in medicine, based on the properties of adsorption. One of the main problems of this field of medicine is the increase in specific surface of sorbent. We proposed to use carbon composites consisting of an extended in its directions graphene sheet with attached to it by chemical bonds zigzag carbon nanotubes (CNT). This paper presents the results of a theoretical study of the mechanical properties of graphene based on the CNT zigzag depending on the geometric dimensions of the composite (length and diameter of CNTs).

MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF THIN GDP SHELLS USED AS CRYOGENIC DIRECT DRIVE TARGETS AT OMEGA

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

NIKROO, A.; CZECHOWICZ, D.; CHEN, K.C.; DICKEN, M.; MORRIS, C.; ANDREWS, R.; GREENWOOD, A.L; CASTILLO, E.

2003-09-01

OAK-B135 Thin glow discharge polymer (GDP) shells are currently used as the targets for cryogenic direct drive laser fusion experiments. These shells need to be filled with nearly 1000 atm of D 2 and cooled to cryogenic temperatures without failing due to buckling and bursting pressures they experience in this process. Therefore, the mechanical and permeation properties of these shells are of utmost importance in successful and rapid filling with D 2 . In this paper, they present an overview of buckle and burst pressures of several different types of GDP shells. These include those made using traditional GDP deposition parameters (standard GDP) using a high deposition pressure and using modified parameters (strong GDP) of low deposition pressure that leads to more robust shells

Lifespan-extending effects of royal jelly and its related substances on the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yoko Honda

Full Text Available One of the most important challenges in the study of aging is to discover compounds with longevity-promoting activities and to unravel their underlying mechanisms. Royal jelly (RJ has been reported to possess diverse beneficial properties. Furthermore, protease-treated RJ (pRJ has additional pharmacological activities. Exactly how RJ and pRJ exert these effects and which of their components are responsible for these effects are largely unknown. The evolutionarily conserved mechanisms that control longevity have been indicated. The purpose of the present study was to determine whether RJ and its related substances exert a lifespan-extending function in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans and to gain insights into the active agents in RJ and their mechanism of action.We found that both RJ and pRJ extended the lifespan of C. elegans. The lifespan-extending activity of pRJ was enhanced by Octadecyl-silica column chromatography (pRJ-Fraction 5. pRJ-Fr.5 increased the animals' lifespan in part by acting through the FOXO transcription factor DAF-16, the activation of which is known to promote longevity in C. elegans by reducing insulin/IGF-1 signaling (IIS. pRJ-Fr.5 reduced the expression of ins-9, one of the insulin-like peptide genes. Moreover, pRJ-Fr.5 and reduced IIS shared some common features in terms of their effects on gene expression, such as the up-regulation of dod-3 and the down-regulation of dod-19, dao-4 and fkb-4. 10-Hydroxy-2-decenoic acid (10-HDA, which was present at high concentrations in pRJ-Fr.5, increased lifespan independently of DAF-16 activity.These results demonstrate that RJ and its related substances extend lifespan in C. elegans, suggesting that RJ may contain longevity-promoting factors. Further analysis and characterization of the lifespan-extending agents in RJ and pRJ may broaden our understanding of the gene network involved in longevity regulation in diverse species and may lead to the development of nutraceutical

Thermal and Mechanical Non-Equilibrium Effects on Turbulent Flows: Fundamental Studies of Energy Exchanges Through Direct Numerical Simulations, Molecular Simulations and Experiments

Science.gov (United States)

2016-02-26

photochemical TNE generation, and chemistry of non- equilibrium phenomena. We have investigated a new concept to generate turbulence using photo-initiated...AFRL-AFOSR-VA-TR-2016-0104 Thermal and mechanical non- equilibrium effects on turbulent flows:fundamental studies of energy exchanges through direct...Performance 3. DATES COVERED (From - To) 15-09-2012 to 14-11-2015 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE Thermal and mechanical non- equilibrium effects on turbulent

Role of the extended MAPT haplotype in the worsening of psychotic symptoms and treatment response in Alzheimer disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Creese, Byron; Corbett, Anne; Jones, Emma; Fox, Chris; Ballard, Clive

2014-12-01

There is evidence that neurofibrillary tangle (NFT) burden is associated with psychotic symptoms in Alzheimer disease (AD). However, it is not clear whether this association is direct or mediated through the increased cognitive impairment associated with NFTs. We sought to determine whether the extended MAPT haplotype was associated with the worsening of delusions and hallucinations in a combined cohort of 95 patients who participated in 2 clinical trials of treatment with memantine. After controlling for baseline dementia severity, exposure to memantine, and antipsychotics, analysis shows that carriers of at least one H2 allele had a 5.4-fold (P = .03) increased risk of worsening hallucinations. There was some evidence of association with worsening delusions but only in analysis by allele. These results are the first to indicate that the H2 allele of the extended MAPT haplotype negatively affects the course of psychotic symptoms in AD independently of disease severity. It will be important for future research to examine MAPT transcription in people with AD with and without psychotic symptoms to understand the exact mechanisms underlying these findings. Copyright © 2014 AMDA – The Society for Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Mechanical Design of an Omni-Directional Sensor Mount

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Rosheim, Mark

2002-01-01

This effort has been directed to development and demonstration of a gimbal mount capable of 180 degree singularity- free pitch and yaw motion about a two-axis center, avoiding the common problem of gimbal lock...

Optimization of mechanical properties of Al-metal matrix composite produced by direct fusion of beverage cans

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Carrasco, C.; Inzunza, G.; Camurri, C.; Rodríguez, C.; Radovic, L.; Soldera, F.; Suarez, S.

2014-01-01

The collection of used beverage cans is limited in countries where they are not fabricated; their low value does not justify the extra charge of exporting them for further processing. To address this increasingly serious problem, here we optimize the properties of an aluminum metal matrix composite (Al-MMC) obtained through direct fusion of beverage cans by using the slag generated in the melting process as reinforcement. This method consists of a modified rheocasting process followed by thixoforming. Our main operational variable is the shear rate applied to a semi-solid bath, subsequent to which a suitable heat treatment (T8) is proposed to improve the mechanical properties. The microstructure, the phases obtained and their effect on composite mechanical properties are analyzed. The composite material produced has, under the best conditions, a yield stress of 175 MPa and a tensile strength of 273 MPa. These results demonstrate that the proposed process does indeed transform the used beverage cans into promising composite materials, e.g., for structural applications

Optimization of mechanical properties of Al-metal matrix composite produced by direct fusion of beverage cans

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Carrasco, C., E-mail: ccarrascoc@udec.cl [Department of Materials Engineering, University of Concepción, Edmundo Larenas 270, Concepción (Chile); Inzunza, G.; Camurri, C.; Rodríguez, C. [Department of Materials Engineering, University of Concepción, Edmundo Larenas 270, Concepción (Chile); Radovic, L. [Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Concepción, Edmundo Larenas 129, Concepción (Chile); Department of Energy and Geo-Environmental Engineering, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802 (United States); Soldera, F.; Suarez, S. [Department of Materials Science, Saarland University, Campus D3.3, 66123 Saarbrücken (Germany)

2014-11-03

The collection of used beverage cans is limited in countries where they are not fabricated; their low value does not justify the extra charge of exporting them for further processing. To address this increasingly serious problem, here we optimize the properties of an aluminum metal matrix composite (Al-MMC) obtained through direct fusion of beverage cans by using the slag generated in the melting process as reinforcement. This method consists of a modified rheocasting process followed by thixoforming. Our main operational variable is the shear rate applied to a semi-solid bath, subsequent to which a suitable heat treatment (T8) is proposed to improve the mechanical properties. The microstructure, the phases obtained and their effect on composite mechanical properties are analyzed. The composite material produced has, under the best conditions, a yield stress of 175 MPa and a tensile strength of 273 MPa. These results demonstrate that the proposed process does indeed transform the used beverage cans into promising composite materials, e.g., for structural applications.

Clarkson-Kruskal Direct Similarity Approach for Differential-Difference Equations

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

SHEN Shou-Feng

2005-01-01

In this letter, the Clarkson-Kruskal direct method is extended to similarity reduce some differentialdifference equations. As examples, the differential-difference KZ equation and KP equation are considered.

Quantum groups, non-commutative differential geometry and applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schupp, P.; California Univ., Berkeley, CA

1993-01-01

The topic of this thesis is the development of a versatile and geometrically motivated differential calculus on non-commutative or quantum spaces, providing powerful but easy-to-use mathematical tools for applications in physics and related sciences. A generalization of unitary time evolution is proposed and studied for a simple 2-level system, leading to non-conservation of microscopic entropy, a phenomenon new to quantum mechanics. A Cartan calculus that combines functions, forms, Lie derivatives and inner derivations along general vector fields into one big algebra is constructed for quantum groups and then extended to quantum planes. The construction of a tangent bundle on a quantum group manifold and an BRST type approach to quantum group gauge theory are given as further examples of applications. The material is organized in two parts: Part I studies vector fields on quantum groups, emphasizing Hopf algebraic structures, but also introducing a ''quantum geometric'' construction. Using a generalized semi-direct product construction we combine the dual Hopf algebras A of functions and U of left-invariant vector fields into one fully bicovariant algebra of differential operators. The pure braid group is introduced as the commutant of Δ(U). It provides invariant maps A → U and thereby bicovariant vector fields, casimirs and metrics. This construction allows the translation of undeformed matrix expressions into their less obvious quantum algebraic counter parts. We study this in detail for quasitriangular Hopf algebras, giving the determinant and orthogonality relation for the ''reflection'' matrix. Part II considers the additional structures of differential forms and finitely generated quantum Lie algebras -- it is devoted to the construction of the Cartan calculus, based on an undeformed Cartan identity

Effects of mechanical feedback on the stability of cardiac scroll waves: A bidomain electro-mechanical simulation study.

Science.gov (United States)

Colli Franzone, P; Pavarino, L F; Scacchi, S

2017-09-01

In this work, we investigate the influence of cardiac tissue deformation on re-entrant wave dynamics. We have developed a 3D strongly coupled electro-mechanical Bidomain model posed on an ideal monoventricular geometry, including fiber direction anisotropy and stretch-activated currents (SACs). The cardiac mechanical deformation influences the bioelectrical activity with two main mechanical feedback: (a) the geometric feedback (GEF) due to the presence of the deformation gradient in the diffusion coefficients and in a convective term depending on the deformation rate and (b) the mechano-electric feedback (MEF) due to SACs. Here, we investigate the relative contribution of these two factors with respect to scroll wave stability. We extend the previous works [Keldermann et al., Am. J. Physiol. Heart Circ. Physiol. 299, H134-H143 (2010) and Hu et al., PLoS One 8(4), e60287 (2013)] that were based on the Monodomain model and a simple non-selective linear SAC, while here we consider the full Bidomain model and both selective and non-selective components of SACs. Our simulation results show that the stability of cardiac scroll waves is influenced by MEF, which in case of low reversal potential of non-selective SACs might be responsible for the onset of ventricular fibrillation; GEF increases the scroll wave meandering but does not determine the scroll wave stability.

The potential for extending the spectral range accessible to the european X-ray free electron laser in the direction of longer wavelengths

CERN Document Server

Saldin, E L; Yurkov, M V

2004-01-01

The baseline specifications of European XFEL give a range of wavelengths between 0.1 nm and 2 nm. This wavelength range at fixed electron beam energy 17.5 GeV can be covered by operating the SASE FEL with three undulators which have different period and tunable gap. A study of the potential for the extending the spectral range accessible to the XFEL in the direction of longer wavelengths is presented. The extension of the wavelength range to 6 nm would be cover the water window in the VUV region, opening the facility to a new class of experiments. There are at least two possible sources of VUV radiation associated with the X-ray FEL; the "low (2.5 GeV) energy electron beam dedicated" and the " 17.5 GeV spent beam parasitic" (or "after-burner") source modes. The second alternative, "after-burner undulator" is the one we regard as most favorable. It is possible to place an undulator as long as 80 meters after 2 nm undulator. Ultimately, VUV undulator would be able to deliver output power approaching 100 GW. A b...

Accelerated in-vitro release testing methods for extended-release parenteral dosage forms.

Science.gov (United States)

Shen, Jie; Burgess, Diane J

2012-07-01

This review highlights current methods and strategies for accelerated in-vitro drug release testing of extended-release parenteral dosage forms such as polymeric microparticulate systems, lipid microparticulate systems, in-situ depot-forming systems and implants. Extended-release parenteral dosage forms are typically designed to maintain the effective drug concentration over periods of weeks, months or even years. Consequently, 'real-time' in-vitro release tests for these dosage forms are often run over a long time period. Accelerated in-vitro release methods can provide rapid evaluation and therefore are desirable for quality control purposes. To this end, different accelerated in-vitro release methods using United States Pharmacopeia (USP) apparatus have been developed. Different mechanisms of accelerating drug release from extended-release parenteral dosage forms, along with the accelerated in-vitro release testing methods currently employed are discussed. Accelerated in-vitro release testing methods with good discriminatory ability are critical for quality control of extended-release parenteral products. Methods that can be used in the development of in-vitro-in-vivo correlation (IVIVC) are desirable; however, for complex parenteral products this may not always be achievable. © 2012 The Authors. JPP © 2012 Royal Pharmaceutical Society.

Accelerated in vitro release testing methods for extended release parenteral dosage forms

Science.gov (United States)

Shen, Jie; Burgess, Diane J.

2012-01-01

Objectives This review highlights current methods and strategies for accelerated in vitro drug release testing of extended release parenteral dosage forms such as polymeric microparticulate systems, lipid microparticulate systems, in situ depot-forming systems, and implants. Key findings Extended release parenteral dosage forms are typically designed to maintain the effective drug concentration over periods of weeks, months or even years. Consequently, “real-time” in vitro release tests for these dosage forms are often run over a long time period. Accelerated in vitro release methods can provide rapid evaluation and therefore are desirable for quality control purposes. To this end, different accelerated in vitro release methods using United States Pharmacopoeia (USP) apparatus have been developed. Different mechanisms of accelerating drug release from extended release parenteral dosage forms, along with the accelerated in vitro release testing methods currently employed are discussed. Conclusions Accelerated in vitro release testing methods with good discriminatory ability are critical for quality control of extended release parenteral products. Methods that can be used in the development of in vitro-in vivo correlation (IVIVC) are desirable, however for complex parenteral products this may not always be achievable. PMID:22686344

The Extended Enterprise concept

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Larsen, Lars Bjørn; Vesterager, Johan; Gobbi, Chiara

1999-01-01

This paper provides an overview of the work that has been done regarding the Extended Enterprise concept in the Common Concept team of Globeman 21 including references to results deliverables concerning the development of the Extended Enterprise concept. The first section presents the basic concept...... picture from Globeman21, which illustrates the Globeman21 way of realising the Extended Enterprise concept. The second section presents the Globeman21 EE concept in a life cycle perspective, which to a large extent is based on the thoughts and ideas behind GERAM (ISO/DIS 15704)....

Extended Enterprise performance Management

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bobbink, Maria Lammerdina; Hartmann, Andreas

2014-01-01

The allegiance of partnering organisations and their employees to an Extended Enterprise performance is its proverbial sword of Damocles. Literature on Extended Enterprises focuses on collaboration, inter-organizational integration and learning to avoid diminishing or missing allegiance becoming an

The place of the body in young adults' use of the new technologies: Virtual bodies?

Science.gov (United States)

Riazuelo, H; Chaudoye, G; Cupa, D

2015-01-01

This research was initiated by the remark that new technologies allow young adults (from 18 to 25 years old) to have a faster and more direct access to the world, as well as a social life that is both broader and hidden from parental view. The aim of this research is therefore to understand better the role of new technologies in young adults' life, especially how they perceive their body through both images and others' eyes. Also, we intended to study the impact of new technologies on the psychical links and psychical functioning during the transition to adulthood. From a methodological point of view, we obtained qualitative results from semi-directive interviews.

The Synthesis of Nanostructured WC-Based Hardmetals Using Mechanical Alloying and Their Direct Consolidation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

N. Al-Aqeeli

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Tungsten carbide- (WC- based hardmetals or cemented carbides represent an important class of materials used in a wide range of industrial applications which primarily include cutting/drilling tools and wear resistant components. The introduction and processing of nanostructured WC-based cemented carbides and their subsequent consolidation to produce dense components have been the subject of several investigations. One of the attractive means of producing this class of materials is by mechanical alloying technique. However, one of the challenging issues in obtaining the right end-product is the possible loss of the nanocrystallite sizes due to the undesirable grain growth during powder sintering step. Many research groups have engaged in multiple projects aiming at exploring the right path of consolidating the nanostructured WC-based powders without substantially loosing the attained nanostructure. The present paper highlights some key issues related to powder synthesis and sintering of WC-based nanostructured materials using mechanical alloying. The path of directly consolidating the powders using nonconventional consolidation techniques will be addressed and some light will be shed on the advantageous use of such techniques. Cobalt-bonded hardmetals will be principally covered in this work along with an additional exposure of the use of other binders in the WC-based hardmetals.

Optical and mechanical design of the extended x-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) beam-line at Indus-II synchrotron source

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Das, N.C.; Jha, S.N.; Bhattacharyya, D.; Sinha, A.K.; Mishra, V.K.; Verma, Vishnu; Ghosh, A.K.

2002-11-01

An extended x-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) beam line for x-ray absorption studies using energy dispersive geometry and position sensitive detector is being designed for the INDUS-II Synchrotron source. The beam line would be used for doing x-ray absorption experiments involving measurements of fme structures above the absorption edge of different species of atoms in a material The results of the above experiments would lead to the determination of different important structural parameters of materials viz.. inter-atomic distance. co-ordination number, degree of disorder and radial distribution function etc. The optical design of the beam line has been completed based on the working principle that a single crystal bent in the shape of an ellipse by a crystal bender would act as a dispersing as well as focusing element. The mechanical design of the beam line including the crystal bender has also been completed and discussed here. Calculations have been done to detennine the temperature profile on the different components of the beam line under exposure to synchrotron radiation and proper cooling channels have been designed to bring down the heat load on the components. (author)

Mechanical Material Engineering

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Mun Il

1993-01-01

This book introduced mechanical material with introduction, basic problems about metal ingredient of machine of metal and alloy, property of metal material mechanical metal material such as categorization of metal material and high tensile structure steel, mechanic design and steel material with three important points on using of steel materials, selection and directions machine structural steel, selection and directions of steel for tool, selection and instruction of special steel like stainless steel and spring steel, nonferrous metal materials and plastic.

Microcellular injection-molding of polylactide with chain-extender

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pilla, Srikanth; Kramschuster, Adam; Yang Liqiang; Lee, Junghoo; Gong Shaoqin; Turng, Lih-Sheng

2009-01-01

The effects of adding an epoxy-based chain-extender (CE) on the properties of injection-molded solid and microcellular polylactide (PLA) were studied. PLA and PLA with 8 wt.% CE (PLA-CE) were melt-compounded using a twin-screw extruder. Solid and microcellular specimens were produced via a conventional and microcellular injection-molding process, respectively. Various characterization techniques including gel permeation chromatography, tensile testing and dynamic mechanical analysis, scanning electron microscopy and differential scanning calorimetry were applied to study the molecular weight, static and dynamic mechanical properties, cell morphology, and crystallization behavior, respectively. The addition of CE enhanced the molecular weight but decreased the crystallinity of PLA. The addition of CE also reduced the cell size and increased the cell density. Furthermore, the decomposition temperatures and several tensile properties, including specific strength, specific toughness, and strain-at-break of both solid and microcellular PLA specimens, increased with the addition of CE.

Hot Press as a Sustainable Direct Recycling Technique of Aluminium: Mechanical Properties and Surface Integrity.

Science.gov (United States)

Yusuf, Nur Kamilah; Lajis, Mohd Amri; Ahmad, Azlan

2017-08-03

Meltless recycling technique has been utilized to overcome the lack of primary resources, focusing on reducing the usage of energy and materials. Hot press was proposed as a novel direct recycling technique which results in astoundingly low energy usage in contrast with conventional recycling. The aim of this study is to prove the technical feasibility of this approach by characterizing the recycled samples. For this purpose, AA6061 aluminium chips were recycled by utilizing hot press process under various operating temperature (T s = 430, 480, and 530 °C) and holding times (t s = 60, 90, and 120 min). The maximum mechanical properties of recycled chip are Ultimate tensile strength (UTS) = 266.78 MPa, Elongation to failure (ETF) = 16.129%, while, for surface integrity of the chips, the calculated microhardness is 81.744 HV, exhibited at T s = 530 °C and t s = 120 min. It is comparable to theoretical AA6061 T4-temper where maximum UTS and microhardness is increased up to 9.27% and 20.48%, respectively. As the desired mechanical properties of forgings can only be obtained by means of a final heat treatment, T5-temper, aging after forging process was employed. Heat treated recycled billet AA6061 (T5-temper) are considered comparable with as-received AA6061 T6, where the value of microhardness (98.649 HV) at 175 °C and 120 min of aging condition was revealed to be greater than 3.18%. Although it is quite early to put a base mainly on the observations in experimental settings, the potential for significant improvement offered by the direct recycling methods for production aluminium scrap can be clearly demonstrated. This overtures perspectives for industrial development of solid state recycling processes as environmentally benign alternatives of current melting based practices.

Review on mechanism of directly fabricating wafer-scale graphene on dielectric substrates by chemical vapor deposition

Science.gov (United States)

Ning, Jing; Wang, Dong; Chai, Yang; Feng, Xin; Mu, Meishan; Guo, Lixin; Zhang, Jincheng; Hao, Yue

2017-07-01

To date, chemical vapor deposition on transition metal catalysts is a potential way to achieve low cost, high quality and uniform wafer-scale graphene. However, the removal and transfer process of the annoying catalytic metals underneath can bring large amounts of uncertain factors causing the performance deterioration of graphene, such as the pollution of surface polymeric residues, unmentioned doping and structural damages. Thus, to develop a technique of directly fabricating graphene on dielectric substrates is quite meaningful. In this review, we will present specific methods of catalyst- or transfer-free techniques for graphene growth and discuss the diversity of growth mechanisms.

Cold light dark matter in extended seesaw models

Science.gov (United States)

Boulebnane, Sami; Heeck, Julian; Nguyen, Anne; Teresi, Daniele

2018-04-01

We present a thorough discussion of light dark matter produced via freeze-in in two-body decays A→ B DM . If A and B are quasi-degenerate, the dark matter particle has a cold spectrum even for keV masses. We show this explicitly by calculating the transfer function that encodes the impact on structure formation. As examples for this setup we study extended seesaw mechanisms with a spontaneously broken global U(1) symmetry, such as the inverse seesaw. The keV-scale pseudo-Goldstone dark matter particle is then naturally produced cold by the decays of the quasi-degenerate right-handed neutrinos.

3-D simulation of soot formation in a direct-injection diesel engine based on a comprehensive chemical mechanism and method of moments

Science.gov (United States)

Zhong, Bei-Jing; Dang, Shuai; Song, Ya-Na; Gong, Jing-Song

2012-02-01

Here, we propose both a comprehensive chemical mechanism and a reduced mechanism for a three-dimensional combustion simulation, describing the formation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), in a direct-injection diesel engine. A soot model based on the reduced mechanism and a method of moments is also presented. The turbulent diffusion flame and PAH formation in the diesel engine were modelled using the reduced mechanism based on the detailed mechanism using a fixed wall temperature as a boundary condition. The spatial distribution of PAH concentrations and the characteristic parameters for soot formation in the engine cylinder were obtained by coupling a detailed chemical kinetic model with the three-dimensional computational fluid dynamic (CFD) model. Comparison of the simulated results with limited experimental data shows that the chemical mechanisms and soot model are realistic and correctly describe the basic physics of diesel combustion but require further development to improve their accuracy.

Action mechanisms of transcranial direct current stimulation in Alzheimer´s disease and memory loss

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Niels eHansen

2012-05-01

Full Text Available The pharmacological treatment of Alzheimer´s disease (AD is often limited and accompanied by drug side effects. Thus alternative therapeutic strategies such as non-invasive brain stimulation are needed. Few studies have demonstrated that transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS, a method of neuromodulation with consecutive robust excitability changes within the stimulated cortex area, is beneficial in AD. There is also evidence that tDCS enhances memory function in cognitive rehabilitation in depressive patients, Parkinson´s disease and stroke. TDCS improves working and visual recognition memory in humans and object-recognition learning in the elderly. Neurobiological mechanisms of AD comprise changes in neuronal activity and the cerebral blood flow caused by altered microvasculature, synaptic dysregulation from ß-amyloid peptide accumulation, altered neuromodulation by degeneration of modulatory amine transmitter systems, altered brain oscillations, and changes in network connectivity. tDCS alters (i neuronal activity and (ii human cerebral blood flow, (iii has synaptic and non-synaptic after-effects (iv, can modify neurotransmitters polarity-dependently, (v and alter oscillatory brain activity and (vi functional connectivity patterns in the brain. It thus is reasonable to use tDCS as a therapeutic instrument in AD as it improves cognitive function in manner based on a disease mechanism. Moreover, it might prove valuable in other types of dementia. Future large-scale clinical and mechanism-oriented studies may enable to identify its therapeutic validity in other types of demential disorders.

The Utility of the Extended Images in Ambient Seismic Wavefield Migration

Science.gov (United States)

Girard, A. J.; Shragge, J. C.

2015-12-01

Active-source 3D seismic migration and migration velocity analysis (MVA) are robust and highly used methods for imaging Earth structure. One class of migration methods uses extended images constructed by incorporating spatial and/or temporal wavefield correlation lags to the imaging conditions. These extended images allow users to directly assess whether images focus better with different parameters, which leads to MVA techniques that are based on the tenets of adjoint-state theory. Under certain conditions (e.g., geographical, cultural or financial), however, active-source methods can prove impractical. Utilizing ambient seismic energy that naturally propagates through the Earth is an alternate method currently used in the scientific community. Thus, an open question is whether extended images are similarly useful for ambient seismic migration processing and verifying subsurface velocity models, and whether one can similarly apply adjoint-state methods to perform ambient migration velocity analysis (AMVA). Herein, we conduct a number of numerical experiments that construct extended images from ambient seismic recordings. We demonstrate that, similar to active-source methods, there is a sensitivity to velocity in ambient seismic recordings in the migrated extended image domain. In synthetic ambient imaging tests with varying degrees of error introduced to the velocity model, the extended images are sensitive to velocity model errors. To determine the extent of this sensitivity, we utilize acoustic wave-equation propagation and cross-correlation-based migration methods to image weak body-wave signals present in the recordings. Importantly, we have also observed scenarios where non-zero correlation lags show signal while zero-lags show none. This may be a valuable missing piece for ambient migration techniques that have yielded largely inconclusive results, and might be an important piece of information for performing AMVA from ambient seismic recordings.

Extended spectrum beta-lactamases in urinary gram-negative bacilli and their susceptibility pattern

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mumtaz, S.

2008-01-01

Beta-lactamases of gram-negative bacteria are the most important mechanism of resistance against beta lactams. Two types of beta-lactamases can confer resistance against third generation cephalosporins inducible Chromosomal beta -lactamases and extended-spectrum beta-lactamases. The extended-spectrum beta lactamases producing Strains of Enterobacteriaceae have emerged as a major problem in hospitalized as well as community based infections resulting in range of infections from uncomplicated urinary tract infection to life threatening sepsis. The study was conducted at the Microbiology Department of Fauji Foundation Hospital, Rawalpindi over a period of two years (April 2004-March 2006). Multidrug resistance and extended spectrum beta-lactamases production was studied in 111 enteric Gram-negative bacilli isolated from urine of symptomatic patients (1- 70 years) including males and females from indoor and outdoor patients by using double disc diffusion technique. Prevalence of extended-spectrum beta-lactamases production was seen in 71 (61.2%) enteric gram-negative organisms, the most prevalent gram-negative organism was Klebsiella pneumoniae 40 (71.4%) followed by Escherichia coli 27 (62.8%) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa 3 (25%). The extended-spectrum beta-lactamases producers were more prevalent in indoor patients 63 (88.7%) compared to outdoor patients 8 (11.3%), more in females 43 (60.6%) than males, 28 (39.4%). The extended-spectrum beta-lactamases producing gram-negative rods had more antibiotic-resistant profile than non-producers. All enteric gram negative rods should be tested for the production of extended-spectrum beta-lactamases in routine microbiology laboratory. (author)

Multi-rate sensor fusion-based adaptive discrete finite-time synergetic control for flexible-joint mechanical systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xue Guang-Yue; Ren Xue-Mei; Xia Yuan-Qing

2013-01-01

This paper proposes an adaptive discrete finite-time synergetic control (ADFTSC) scheme based on a multi-rate sensor fusion estimator for flexible-joint mechanical systems in the presence of unmeasured states and dynamic uncertainties. Multi-rate sensors are employed to observe the system states which cannot be directly obtained by encoders due to the existence of joint flexibilities. By using an extended Kalman filter (EKF), the finite-time synergetic controller is designed based on a sensor fusion estimator which estimates states and parameters of the mechanical system with multi-rate measurements. The proposed controller can guarantee the finite-time convergence of tracking errors by the theoretical derivation. Simulation and experimental studies are included to validate the effectiveness of the proposed approach. (general)

Oncogenic Receptor Tyrosine Kinases Directly Phosphorylate Focal Adhesion Kinase (FAK) as a Resistance Mechanism to FAK-Kinase Inhibitors.

Science.gov (United States)

Marlowe, Timothy A; Lenzo, Felicia L; Figel, Sheila A; Grapes, Abigail T; Cance, William G

2016-12-01

Focal adhesion kinase (FAK) is a major drug target in cancer and current inhibitors targeted to the ATP-binding pocket of the kinase domain have entered clinical trials. However, preliminary results have shown limited single-agent efficacy in patients. Despite these unfavorable data, the molecular mechanisms that drive intrinsic and acquired resistance to FAK-kinase inhibitors are largely unknown. We have demonstrated that receptor tyrosine kinases (RTK) can directly bypass FAK-kinase inhibition in cancer cells through phosphorylation of FAK's critical tyrosine 397 (Y397). We also showed that HER2 forms a direct protein-protein interaction with the FAK-FERM-F1 lobe, promoting direct phosphorylation of Y397. In addition, FAK-kinase inhibition induced two forms of compensatory RTK reprogramming: (i) the rapid phosphorylation and activation of RTK signaling pathways in RTK High cells and (ii) the long-term acquisition of RTKs novel to the parental cell line in RTK Low cells. Finally, HER2 +: cancer cells displayed resistance to FAK-kinase inhibition in 3D growth assays using a HER2 isogenic system and HER2 + cancer cell lines. Our data indicate a novel drug resistance mechanism to FAK-kinase inhibitors whereby HER2 and other RTKs can rescue and maintain FAK activation (pY397) even in the presence of FAK-kinase inhibition. These data may have important ramifications for existing clinical trials of FAK inhibitors and suggest that individual tumor stratification by RTK expression would be important to predict patient response to FAK-kinase inhibitors. Mol Cancer Ther; 15(12); 3028-39. ©2016 AACR. ©2016 American Association for Cancer Research.

Physical mechanisms of SiNx layer structuring with ultrafast lasers by direct and confined laser ablation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rapp, S.; Heinrich, G.; Wollgarten, M.; Huber, H. P.; Schmidt, M.

2015-01-01

In the production process of silicon microelectronic devices and high efficiency silicon solar cells, local contact openings in thin dielectric layers are required. Instead of photolithography, these openings can be selectively structured with ultra-short laser pulses by confined laser ablation in a fast and efficient lift off production step. Thereby, the ultrafast laser pulse is transmitted by the dielectric layer and absorbed at the substrate surface leading to a selective layer removal in the nanosecond time domain. Thermal damage in the substrate due to absorption is an unwanted side effect. The aim of this work is to obtain a deeper understanding of the physical laser-material interaction with the goal of finding a damage-free ablation mechanism. For this, thin silicon nitride (SiN x ) layers on planar silicon (Si) wafers are processed with infrared fs-laser pulses. Two ablation types can be distinguished: The known confined ablation at fluences below 300 mJ/cm 2 and a combined partial confined and partial direct ablation at higher fluences. The partial direct ablation process is caused by nonlinear absorption in the SiN x layer in the center of the applied Gaussian shaped laser pulses. Pump-probe investigations of the central area show ultra-fast reflectivity changes typical for direct laser ablation. Transmission electron microscopy results demonstrate that the Si surface under the remaining SiN x island is not damaged by the laser ablation process. At optimized process parameters, the method of direct laser ablation could be a good candidate for damage-free selective structuring of dielectric layers on absorbing substrates

Investigation of the direct runoff generation mechanism for the analysis of the SCS-CN method applicability to a partial area experimental watershed

OpenAIRE

Soulis, K. X.; Valiantzas, J. D.; Dercas, N.; Londra, P. A.

2009-01-01

The Soil Conservation Service Curve Number (SCS-CN) method is widely used for predicting direct runoff volume for a given rainfall event. The applicability of the SCS-CN method and the direct runoff generation mechanism were thoroughly analysed in a Mediterranean experimental watershed in Greece. The region is characterized by a Mediterranean semi-arid climate. A detailed land cover and soil survey using remote sensing and GIS techniques, showed that the watershed is dominated by coarse soils...

Microstructures and mechanical properties of directionally solidified Ni-25%Si full lamellar in situ composites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang, Binggang; Li, Xiaopeng; Wang, Ting; Liu, Zheng

2016-01-01

Directional solidification experiments have been performed on Ni-25 at% Si alloy using electron beam floating zone method. A fully regular eutectic microstructures consisting of Ni, γ-Ni 31 Si 12 and β 1 -Ni 3 Si have been obtained. The influences of the directional solidification rate on the microstructures and properties of the full lamellar structures have been studied. The results show that the relationship between the mean interphase spacing (λ) and withdrawal rate (v) meets λ=29.9v −0.65 . The hardness increases with the increasing of growth rate (v) and decreasing of the interlamellar spacing (λ) which meets the relationship of H V =445.2v 0.14 and H V =910λ −0.21 . The maximum compressive strength, 2576 MPa, for DS samples is obtained by 10 mm/h. The average fracture toughness value found for 5 mm/h, 7 mm/h, 10 mm/h is 28.3 MPa m 1/2 , 29.1 MPa m 1/2 and 35.9 MPa m 1/2 , respectively. The crack bridging and crack deflection/interface debonding are the main toughening mechanism of Ni-25 at% Si with full lamellar structures.

Mechanically stable, hierarchically porous Cu3(btc)2 (HKUST-1) monoliths via direct conversion of copper(II) hydroxide-based monoliths.

Science.gov (United States)

Moitra, Nirmalya; Fukumoto, Shotaro; Reboul, Julien; Sumida, Kenji; Zhu, Yang; Nakanishi, Kazuki; Furukawa, Shuhei; Kitagawa, Susumu; Kanamori, Kazuyoshi

2015-02-28

The synthesis of highly crystalline macro-meso-microporous monolithic Cu3(btc)2 (HKUST-1; btc(3-) = benzene-1,3,5-tricarboxylate) is demonstrated by direct conversion of Cu(OH)2-based monoliths while preserving the characteristic macroporous structure. The high mechanical strength of the monoliths is promising for possible applications to continuous flow reactors.

S-equivalents lagrangians in generalized mechanics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Negri, L.J.; Silva, Edna G. da.

1985-01-01

The problem of s-equivalent lagrangians is considered in the realm of generalized mechanics. Some results corresponding to the ordinary (non-generalized) mechanics are extended to the generalized case. A theorem for the reduction of the higher order lagrangian description to the usual order is found to be useful for the analysis of generalized mechanical systems and leads to a new class of equivalence between lagrangian functions. Some new perspectives are pointed out. (Author) [pt

Friction Force: From Mechanics to Thermodynamics

Science.gov (United States)

Ferrari, Christian; Gruber, Christian

2010-01-01

We study some mechanical problems in which a friction force is acting on a system. Using the fundamental concepts of state, time evolution and energy conservation, we explain how to extend Newtonian mechanics to thermodynamics. We arrive at the two laws of thermodynamics and then apply them to investigate the time evolution and heat transfer of…

Bail in Mechanisms in the Bank Recovery and Resolution Directive

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Joosen, B.P.M.

2014-01-01

With the adoption of the Bank Recovery and Resolution Directive, Europe has completed one of the three important pillars of the Banking Union. This directive introduces the resolution tool of ‘bail in’ that aims at putting the burden of bank rescue operations with the private sector. Bail outs

Direct 4D reconstruction of parametric images incorporating anato-functional joint entropy.

Science.gov (United States)

Tang, Jing; Kuwabara, Hiroto; Wong, Dean F; Rahmim, Arman

2010-08-07

We developed an anatomy-guided 4D closed-form algorithm to directly reconstruct parametric images from projection data for (nearly) irreversible tracers. Conventional methods consist of individually reconstructing 2D/3D PET data, followed by graphical analysis on the sequence of reconstructed image frames. The proposed direct reconstruction approach maintains the simplicity and accuracy of the expectation-maximization (EM) algorithm by extending the system matrix to include the relation between the parametric images and the measured data. A closed-form solution was achieved using a different hidden complete-data formulation within the EM framework. Furthermore, the proposed method was extended to maximum a posterior reconstruction via incorporation of MR image information, taking the joint entropy between MR and parametric PET features as the prior. Using realistic simulated noisy [(11)C]-naltrindole PET and MR brain images/data, the quantitative performance of the proposed methods was investigated. Significant improvements in terms of noise versus bias performance were demonstrated when performing direct parametric reconstruction, and additionally upon extending the algorithm to its Bayesian counterpart using the MR-PET joint entropy measure.

The symmetric extendibility of quantum states

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nowakowski, Marcin L

2016-01-01

Studies on the symmetric extendibility of quantum states have become particularly important in the context of the analysis of one-way quantum measures of entanglement, and the distillability and security of quantum protocols. In this paper we analyze composite systems containing a symmetric extendible part, with particular attention devoted to the one-way security of such systems. Further, we introduce a new one-way entanglement monotone based on the best symmetric approximation of a quantum state and the extendible number of a quantum state. We underpin these results with geometric observations about the structures of multi-party settings which posses substantial symmetric extendible components in their subspaces. The impossibility of reducing the maximal symmetric extendibility by means of the one-way local operations and classical communication method is pointed out on multiple copies. Finally, we state a conjecture linking symmetric extendibility with the one-way distillability and security of all quantum states, analyzing the behavior of a private key in the neighborhood of symmetric extendible states. (paper)

Calculation study of the WWER-440 fuel performance for extended burnup

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kujal, J.; Pazdera, F.; Barta, O.

1984-01-01

The results of preliminary calculational study of extended burnup cycling schemes impact on WWER-440 fuel performance are presented. Two high burnup schemes were proposed with three and four cycles, resp. Comparison was made with three cycle reference case. The thermal mechanical analysis was performed with PIN and RELA codes. The values of rod internal pressure, fuel centerline temperatures and fuel-cladding gap are expressed as function of power history. (author)

Directly writing resistor, inductor and capacitor to composite functional circuits: a super-simple way for alternative electronics.

Science.gov (United States)

Gao, Yunxia; Li, Haiyan; Liu, Jing

2013-01-01

The current strategies for making electronic devices are generally time, water, material and energy consuming. Here, the direct writing of composite functional circuits through comprehensive use of GaIn10-based liquid metal inks and matching material is proposed and investigated, which is a rather easy going and cost effective electronics fabrication way compared with the conventional approaches. Owing to its excellent adhesion and electrical properties, the liquid metal ink was demonstrated as a generalist in directly making various basic electronic components such as planar resistor, inductor and capacitor or their combination and thus composing circuits with expected electrical functions. For a precise control of the geometric sizes of the writing, a mask with a designed pattern was employed and demonstrated. Mechanisms for justifying the chemical components of the inks and the magnitudes of the target electronic elements so as to compose various practical circuits were disclosed. Fundamental tests on the electrical components including capacitor and inductor directly written on paper with working time up to 48 h and elevated temperature demonstrated their good stability and potential widespread adaptability especially when used in some high frequency circuits. As the first proof-of-concept experiment, a typical functional oscillating circuit including an integrated chip of 74HC04 with a supply voltage of 5 V, a capacitor of 10 nF and two resistors of 5 kΩ and 1 kΩ respectively was directly composed on paper through integrating specific electrical elements together, which presented an oscillation frequency of 8.8 kHz. The present method significantly extends the roles of the metal ink in recent works serving as only a single electrical conductor or interconnecting wires. It opens the way for directly writing out complex functional circuits or devices on different substrates. Such circuit composition strategy has generalized purpose and can be extended to more

Extended spectrum SWIR camera with user-accessible Dewar

Science.gov (United States)

Benapfl, Brendan; Miller, John Lester; Vemuri, Hari; Grein, Christoph; Sivananthan, Siva

2017-02-01

Episensors has developed a series of extended short wavelength infrared (eSWIR) cameras based on high-Cd concentration Hg1-xCdxTe absorbers. The cameras have a bandpass extending to 3 microns cutoff wavelength, opening new applications relative to traditional InGaAs-based cameras. Applications and uses are discussed and examples given. A liquid nitrogen pour-filled version was initially developed. This was followed by a compact Stirling-cooled version with detectors operating at 200 K. Each camera has unique sensitivity and performance characteristics. The cameras' size, weight and power specifications are presented along with images captured with band pass filters and eSWIR sources to demonstrate spectral response beyond 1.7 microns. The soft seal Dewars of the cameras are designed for accessibility, and can be opened and modified in a standard laboratory environment. This modular approach allows user flexibility for swapping internal components such as cold filters and cold stops. The core electronics of the Stirlingcooled camera are based on a single commercial field programmable gate array (FPGA) that also performs on-board non-uniformity corrections, bad pixel replacement, and directly drives any standard HDMI display.

Mechanical Behaviour of Materials Volume II Fracture Mechanics and Damage

CERN Document Server

François, Dominique; Zaoui, André

2013-01-01

Designing new structural materials, extending lifetimes and guarding against fracture in service are among the preoccupations of engineers, and to deal with these they need to have command of the mechanics of material behaviour. This ought to reflect in the training of students. In this respect, the first volume of this work deals with elastic, elastoplastic, elastoviscoplastic and viscoelastic behaviours; this second volume continues with fracture mechanics and damage, and with contact mechanics, friction and wear. As in Volume I, the treatment links the active mechanisms on the microscopic scale and the laws of macroscopic behaviour. Chapter I is an introduction to the various damage phenomena. Chapter II gives the essential of fracture mechanics. Chapter III is devoted to brittle fracture, chapter IV to ductile fracture and chapter V to the brittle-ductile transition. Chapter VI is a survey of fatigue damage. Chapter VII is devoted to hydogen embrittlement and to environment assisted cracking, chapter VIII...

A Comparative Risk Assessment of Extended Integrated Leak Rate Testing Intervals

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Oh, Ji Yong; Hwang, Seok Won; Lee, Byung Sik [Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power Co., Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2009-10-15

This paper presents the risk impacts of extending the Integrated Leak Rate Testing (ILRT) intervals (from five years to ten years) of Yonggwang (YGN) Unit 1 and 2. These risk impacts depended on the annual variances of meteorological data and resident population. Main comparisons were performed between the initial risk assessment (2005) for the purpose of extending ILRT interval and risk reassessment (2009) where the changed plant internal configurations (core inventory and radioisotope release fraction) and plant external alterations (wind directions, rainfall and population distributions) were monitored. The reassessment showed that there was imperceptible risk increase when the ILRT interval was extended compared to the initial risk assessment. In addition, the increased value of the Large Early Release Frequency (LERF) also satisfied the acceptance guideline proposed on Reg. Guide 1.174. The MACCS II code was used for evaluating the offsite consequence analysis. The primary risk index were used as the Probabilistic Population Dose (PPD) by considering the early effects within 80 km. The Probabilistic Safety Assessment (PSA) of YGN 1 and 2 was applied to evaluate the accident frequency of each source term category and the used PSA scope was limited to internal event.

Extending Penning trap mass measurements with SHIPTRAP to the heaviest elements

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Block, M.; Ackermann, D.; Herfurth, F.; Hofmann, S.; Blaum, K.; Droese, C.; Marx, G.; Schweikhard, L.; Düllmann, Ch. E.; Eibach, M.; Eliseev, S.; Haettner, E.; Plaß, W. R.; Scheidenberger, C.; Heßberger, F. P.; Ramirez, E. Minaya; Nesterenko, D.

2013-01-01

Penning-trap mass spectrometry of radionuclides provides accurate mass values and absolute binding energies. Such mass measurements are sensitive indicators of the nuclear structure evolution far away from stability. Recently, direct mass measurements have been extended to the heavy elements nobelium (Z=102) and lawrencium (Z=103) with the Penning-trap mass spectrometer SHIPTRAP. The results probe nuclear shell effects at N=152. New developments will pave the way to access even heavier nuclides.

Extended incident-angle dependence formula of sputter yield

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ono, T.; Shibata, K.; Muramoto, T.; Kenmotsu, T.; Li Z.; Kawamura, T.

2006-06-01

We extend a new semi-empirical formula for incident-angle dependence of normalized sputter yield that includes the contribution to sputter yield from the direct knock-out process that was not considered in the previously proposed one. Three parameters included in the new one are estimated for data calculated with ACAT code for D + ions incident obliquely on C, Fe and W materials in incident-energy regions from several tens of eV to 10 keV. Then, the parameters are expressed with functions of incident energy. The formula with the functions derived well reproduces that using the ACAT data in the whole energy range. (author)

Magnetosensitive e-skins with directional perception for augmented reality

Science.gov (United States)

Cañón Bermúdez, Gilbert Santiago; Karnaushenko, Dmitriy D.; Karnaushenko, Daniil; Lebanov, Ana; Bischoff, Lothar; Kaltenbrunner, Martin; Fassbender, Jürgen; Schmidt, Oliver G.; Makarov, Denys

2018-01-01

Electronic skins equipped with artificial receptors are able to extend our perception beyond the modalities that have naturally evolved. These synthetic receptors offer complimentary information on our surroundings and endow us with novel means of manipulating physical or even virtual objects. We realize highly compliant magnetosensitive skins with directional perception that enable magnetic cognition, body position tracking, and touchless object manipulation. Transfer printing of eight high-performance spin valve sensors arranged into two Wheatstone bridges onto 1.7-μm-thick polyimide foils ensures mechanical imperceptibility. This resembles a new class of interactive devices extracting information from the surroundings through magnetic tags. We demonstrate this concept in augmented reality systems with virtual knob-turning functions and the operation of virtual dialing pads, based on the interaction with magnetic fields. This technology will enable a cornucopia of applications from navigation, motion tracking in robotics, regenerative medicine, and sports and gaming to interaction in supplemented reality. PMID:29376121

Inactivation of Staphylococcus aureus and Enterococcus faecalis by a direct-current, cold atmospheric-pressure air plasma microjet.

Science.gov (United States)

Tian, Ye; Sun, Peng; Wu, Haiyan; Bai, Na; Wang, Ruixue; Zhu, Weidong; Zhang, Jue; Liu, Fuxiang

2010-07-01

A direct-current, cold atmospheric-pressure air plasma microjet (PMJ) was performed to inactivate Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) and Enterococcus faecalis (E. faecalis) in air. The process of sterilization and morphology of bacteria was observed. We wish to know the possible inactivation mechanisms of PMJ and explore a potential application in dental and other temperature sensitive treatment. In this study, we employed a direct current, atmospheric pressure, cold air PMJ to inactivate bacterias. Scanning electron microscopy was employed to evaluate the morphology of S. aureus and showed rupture of cell walls after the plasma treatment and Optical emission spectrum (OES) were used to understand the possible inactivation mechanisms of PMJ. The inactivation rates could reach 100% in 5 min. When the distance between the exit nozzle of the PMJ device and Petri dish was extended from 1 cm to 3 cm, effective inactivation was also observed with a similar inactivation curve. The inactivation of bacteria is attributed to the abundant reactive oxygen and nitrogen species, as well as ultroviolet radiation in the plasma. Different life spans and defensibilities of these killing agents may hold the key to understanding the different inactivation curves at different treatment distances.

Extended likelihood inference in reliability

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Martz, H.F. Jr.; Beckman, R.J.; Waller, R.A.

1978-10-01

Extended likelihood methods of inference are developed in which subjective information in the form of a prior distribution is combined with sampling results by means of an extended likelihood function. The extended likelihood function is standardized for use in obtaining extended likelihood intervals. Extended likelihood intervals are derived for the mean of a normal distribution with known variance, the failure-rate of an exponential distribution, and the parameter of a binomial distribution. Extended second-order likelihood methods are developed and used to solve several prediction problems associated with the exponential and binomial distributions. In particular, such quantities as the next failure-time, the number of failures in a given time period, and the time required to observe a given number of failures are predicted for the exponential model with a gamma prior distribution on the failure-rate. In addition, six types of life testing experiments are considered. For the binomial model with a beta prior distribution on the probability of nonsurvival, methods are obtained for predicting the number of nonsurvivors in a given sample size and for predicting the required sample size for observing a specified number of nonsurvivors. Examples illustrate each of the methods developed. Finally, comparisons are made with Bayesian intervals in those cases where these are known to exist

Isolation of coagulase-negative staphylococci from extended-wear soft contact lenses in asymptomatic patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Faghri, Jamshid

2008-05-01

Coagulase-negative staphylococci and diphtheroids are normal inhabitants of the outer surface of the human eye. These microorganisms serve as part of the defense mechanism of the ocular anatomy in preventing colonization and infection by pathogenic bacteria. Nevertheless, infections associated with contaminated solutions and cases became serious problems for people who wear soft contact lenses. The aim of this study is to isolate and identify aerobic bacteria, particularly, gram-negative species associated with the use of extended-wear soft contact lenses. Extended-wear contact lenses were collected, using aseptic technique, from the eyes of individuals after 30 days of extended wear (5-7 day intermittent periods) and were examined for adhered aerobic bacteria. Coagulase-negative staphylococci were isolated from 74% of the lenses. Serratia marcescens was found at an incidence of 10% and Pseudomonas aeruginosa at an incidence of 6%. The presence of species of bacteria, including P. aeruginosa and S. marcescens, which have been associated with daily wear soft contact lenses, solutions, and cases also seem to be associated with extended-wear lenses.

Biased Brownian motion mechanism for processivity and directionality of single-headed myosin-VI.

Science.gov (United States)

Iwaki, Mitsuhiro; Iwane, Atsuko Hikikoshi; Ikebe, Mitsuo; Yanagida, Toshio

2008-01-01

Conventional form to function as a vesicle transporter is not a 'single molecule' but a coordinated 'two molecules'. The coordinated two molecules make it complicated to reveal its mechanism. To overcome the difficulty, we adopted a single-headed myosin-VI as a model protein. Myosin-VI is an intracellular vesicle and organelle transporter that moves along actin filaments in a direction opposite to most other known myosin classes. The myosin-VI was expected to form a dimer to move processively along actin filaments with a hand-over-hand mechanism like other myosin organelle transporters. However, wild-type myosin-VI was demonstrated to be monomer and single-headed, casting doubt on its processivity. Using single molecule techniques, we show that green fluorescent protein (GFP)-fused single-headed myosin-VI does not move processively. However, when coupled to a 200 nm polystyrene bead (comparable to an intracellular vesicle in size) at a ratio of one head per bead, single-headed myosin-VI moves processively with large (40 nm) steps. Furthermore, we found that a single-headed myosin-VI-bead complex moved more processively in a high-viscous solution (40-fold higher than water) similar to cellular environment. Because diffusion of the bead is 60-fold slower than myosin-VI heads alone in water, we propose a model in which the bead acts as a diffusional anchor for the myosin-VI, enhancing the head's rebinding following detachment and supporting processive movement of the bead-monomer complex. This investigation will help us understand how molecular motors utilize Brownian motion in cells.

Effect of Chain-Extenders on the Properties and Hydrolytic Degradation Behavior of the Poly(lactide/ Poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate Blends

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mingqing Chen

2013-10-01

Full Text Available Biodegradable poly(lactide/poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate (PLA/PBAT blends were prepared by reactive blending in the presence of chain-extenders. Two chain-extenders with multi-epoxy groups were studied. The effect of chain-extenders on the morphology, mechanical properties, thermal behavior, and hydrolytic degradation of the blends was investigated. The compatibility between the PLA and PBAT was significantly improved by in situ formation of PLA-co-PBAT copolymers in the presence of the chain-extenders, results in an enhanced ductility of the blends, e.g., the elongation at break was increased to 500% without any decrease in the tensile strength. The differential scanning calorimeter (DSC results reveal that cold crystallization of PLA was enhanced due to heterogeneous nucleation effect of the in situ compatibilized PBAT domains. As known before, PLA is sensitive to hydrolysis and in the presence of PBAT and the chain-extenders, the hydrolytic degradation of the blend was evident. A three-stage hydrolysis mechanism for the system is proposed based on a study of weight loss and molecular weight reduction of the samples and the pH variation of the degradation medium.

The Basic Documentation for Psycho-Oncology (PO-Bado): an innovative tool to combine screening for psychological distress and patient support at cancer diagnosis.

Science.gov (United States)

Stadelmaier, Nena; Duguey-Cachet, Odile; Saada, Yael; Quintard, Bruno

2014-03-01

The Basic Documentation for Psycho-Oncology (PO-Bado) is a semi-directive instrument for assessing psychosocial difficulties in cancer patients. It is based on subjective status and not on degree of symptom severity. Our objectives were to assess whether use of the PO-Bado during post-cancer-diagnosis consultations improves the quality of communication by establishing a supportive relationship between nurses and patients and to assess nurses' satisfaction of their communication skills. Data were collected from post-diagnosis 'bad-news' consultations across four Cancer treatment centres in South West France. Eleven nurses who had never used the PO-Bado ('inexperienced group') received training on the instrument (short-form). Twenty-one pre-training consultations without the PO-Bado were recorded and compared with 21 post-training consultations with the PO-Bado. Twenty consultations with four nurses with experience using the PO-Bado ('experienced group') were included for between-group comparisons. Nurses' satisfaction was evaluated through semi-directive consultations at the end of the study and completed by a visual analogue scale. We transcribed and analysed 62 consultations. We observed greater use of techniques encouraging patient expression in consultations with PO-Bado-experienced nurses (p communications skills after PO-Bado training and stated that they felt more competent, particularly for referrals to psychologists. The PO-Bado is beneficial for the quality of the communication between nurses and patients at bad-news delivery consultations and for the satisfaction of nurses with regard to their relational skills. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Extended Year, Extended Contracts: Increasing Teacher Salary Options.

Science.gov (United States)

Gandara, Patricia

1992-01-01

Reports on an attempt to raise teacher salaries through an extended contract made possible through year-round school schedules. Teacher satisfaction with the 1987 experiment in three California schools (the Orchard Plan) has been high. Elements that have contributed to job satisfaction are discussed. (SLD)

Direct comparison of coronary bare metal vs. drug-eluting stents: same platform, different mechanics?

Science.gov (United States)

Schmidt, Wolfram; Lanzer, Peter; Behrens, Peter; Brandt-Wunderlich, Christoph; Öner, Alper; Ince, Hüseyin; Schmitz, Klaus-Peter; Grabow, Niels

2018-01-08