Finite-size scaling for quantum chains with an oscillatory energy gap

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hoeger, C.; Gehlen, G. von; Rittenberg, V.

1984-07-01

We show that the existence of zeroes of the energy gap for finite quantum chains is related to a nonvanishing wavevector. Finite-size scaling ansaetze are formulated for incommensurable and oscillatory structures. The ansaetze are verified in the one-dimensional XY model in a transverse field. (orig.)

SU-E-T-454: Impact of Air Gap On PDDs of 6 MV Photon Beam for Various Field Sizes in Inhomogeneous Phantoms

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Oyewale, S [Cancer Centers of Southwest Oklahoma, Lawton, OK (United States); Pokharel [21st Century Oncology, Estero, FL (United States); Singh, H [Procure Proton Therapy Center, Oklahoma City, OK (United States); Islam, M [University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma (United States); Rana, S [ProCure Proton Therapy Center, Oklahoma City, OK (United States)

2015-06-15

Purpose: To investigate how the shape of air gap and its size will impact the percent depth doses (PDDs) of a 6MV photon beam for various field sizes. Methods: Two in-house phantoms were manufactured containing rectangular (phantom A) and circular (phantom B) air gaps. Both phantoms A and B were composed of same top layer (solid-water; 30×30cm{sup 2},5cm thickness) and bottom layer (solid-water; 30×30cm {sup 2},8cm thickness), but middle layer was varied to observe air gap effects and scatter contribution to the measurement point. In phantom A, a rectangular shaped air gap (30×30cm{sup 2},7cm thickness) was created by placing Styrofoam blocks between top and bottom layers of the phantom. In phantom B, middle layer was replaced by “inhomogenous block”, composed of acrylic plate (30×30cm{sup 2}, 4cm thickness) followed by PVC(30×30cm{sup 2},3cm thickness). Additionally, circular air gap was created by drilling a hole (diameter=2.8cm, length=7cm) at the center of “inhomogenous block”. In both phantoms, measurement readings were obtained at 13cm depth (i.e., 1cm after air gap) and depth of maximum dose(6MV energy; 100 MUs; field sizes ranged from 3×3cm{sup 2} to 10×10cm{sup 2}). The PDDs at 13cm depth were compared in both phantoms. Results: The measurements in both phantoms A and B showed an almost linear increase in PDDs with increasing field size, especially for smaller field sizes (from 3×3 to 7×7cm{sup 2}). For each field size, the PDD in phantom A was smaller compared to the one in phantom B. The difference in PDDs between two phantoms decreased with an increase in field size as the PDD difference decreased from 9.0% to 6.4%. Conclusion: The shape and size of air gap affect the PDD measurements in secondary build-up region as 6 MV primary beam traverses through the center of air gap. The scatter contribution due to increase in field size was more noticeable for field sizes ≤7×7cm{sup 2}.

Effects of poison panel shrinkage and gaps on fuel storage rack reactivity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Boyd, W.A.; Mueller, D.E.

1988-01-01

Fixed poison panels are used in spent fuel rack designs to increase enrichment limits and reduce cell spacing; therefore, assurances that the maximum rack reactivity will meet the design limit (0.95) throughout the lifetime of the racks depend on the continued effectiveness of the poison with time. Industry data have shown that poison panels will shrink under irradiated conditions. From recent data, however, poison panels have been found to have gaps spanning their width after relatively short operating periods. This paper presents results of studies showing the fuel rack reactivity changes associated with poison panel shrinkage and formation of gaps. The discovery of gaps in the fuel rack poison panels at an operating plant raises concerns regarding the effectiveness of the poison over the lifetime of the fuel racks. Studies performed to evaluate the effect of the poison panel shrinkage on reactivity show that reactivity changes from zero to several percent are possible depending on the initial panel size. Results of recent studies show that some gaps can be accommodated in the fuel rack poison panels at the fuel midplane without causing the fuel rack K eff limit to be exceeded. With worst-case assumptions concerning gap size and the number of panels affected, other actions will likely be required to show that the rack K eff design limit will not be exceeded

Size and Causes of the Occupational Gender Wage-gap in the Netherlands

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ruijter, Judith M. P. de; Doorne-Huiskes, Anneke van; Schippers, Joop J.

2003-01-01

Research from the United States consistently shows that female-dominated occupations generally yield lower wages than male-dominated occupations. Using detailed occupational data, this study analyses the size andcauses of this occupational genderwage-gap in the Dutch labourmarket using

Grain size and lattice parameter's influence on band gap of SnS thin nano-crystalline films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gupta, Yashika [Department of Electronics, S.G.T.B. Khalsa College, University of Delhi, Delhi 110007 (India); Department of Electronic Science, University of Delhi-South Campus, New Delhi 110021 (India); Arun, P., E-mail: arunp92@physics.du.ac.in [Department of Electronics, S.G.T.B. Khalsa College, University of Delhi, Delhi 110007 (India); Naudi, A.A.; Walz, M.V. [Facultad de Ingeniería, Universidad Nacional de Entre Ríos, 3101 Oro Verde (Argentina); Albanesi, E.A. [Facultad de Ingeniería, Universidad Nacional de Entre Ríos, 3101 Oro Verde (Argentina); Instituto de Física del Litoral (CONICET-UNL), Guemes 3450, 3000 Santa Fe (Argentina)

2016-08-01

Tin sulphide nano-crystalline thin films were fabricated on glass and Indium Tin Oxide (ITO) substrates by thermal evaporation method. The crystal structure orientation of the films was found to be dependent on the substrate. Residual stress existed in the films due to these orientations. This stress led to variation in lattice parameter. The nano-crystalline grain size was also found to vary with film thickness. A plot of band-gap with grain size or with lattice parameter showed the existence of a family of curves. This implied that band-gap of SnS films in the preview of the present study depends on two parameters, lattice parameter and grain size. The band-gap relation with grain size is well known in the nano regime. Experimental data fitted well with this relation for the given lattice constants. The manuscript uses theoretical structure calculations for different lattice constants and shows that the experimental data follows the trend. Thus, confirming that the band gap has a two variable dependency. - Highlights: • Tin sulphide films are grown on glass and ITO substrates. • Both substrates give differently oriented films. • The band-gap is found to depend on grain size and lattice parameter. • Using data from literature, E{sub g} is shown to be two parameter function. • Theoretical structure calculations are used to verify results.

Inter-assembly gap deviations in VVER-1000: Accounting for effects on engineering margin factors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shishkov, Lev; Gorodkov, Sergey; Mikailov, Eldar; Sukhino-Khomenko, Evgenia [Nuclear Research Centre ' ' Kurchatov Institute' ' , Moscow (Russian Federation)

2015-09-15

Jacketless fuel assemblies change their form in the course of operation. Often they bow lengthwise. Primarily, these fuel assembly (FA) bows threaten to reduce the control rods' fall rate, but at the same time they change (e.g. increase) the amount of moderator in inter-assembly gaps, thus producing additional power surges. Gap sizes vary randomly and their impact is accounted for with the help of engineering margin factors. For VVER-1000, this account of engineering margin factors increases the fuel component of electricity generation cost by 3 - 5 %, and a half of this increase is due to inter- assembly gap variations. This paper discusses the technique used to account for the impact produced by these gaps on fuel rod power; gives numerical values of sensitivity factors for power variations vs. gap sizes depending on the computational model assumed; and discusses the interference of gap effects and the account of power and coolant temperature feedbacks.

Finite size effects on the helical edge states on the Lieb lattice

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen Rui; Zhou Bin

2016-01-01

For a two-dimensional Lieb lattice, that is, a line-centered square lattice, the inclusion of the intrinsic spin–orbit (ISO) coupling opens a topologically nontrivial gap, and gives rise to the quantum spin Hall (QSH) effect characterized by two pairs of gapless helical edge states within the bulk gap. Generally, due to the finite size effect in QSH systems, the edge states on the two sides of a strip of finite width can couple together to open a gap in the spectrum. In this paper, we investigate the finite size effect of helical edge states on the Lieb lattice with ISO coupling under three different kinds of boundary conditions, i.e., the straight, bearded and asymmetry edges. The spectrum and wave function of edge modes are derived analytically for a tight-binding model on the Lieb lattice. For a strip Lieb lattice with two straight edges, the ISO coupling induces the Dirac-like bulk states to localize at the edges to become the helical edge states with the same Dirac-like spectrum. Moreover, it is found that in the case with two straight edges the gapless Dirac-like spectrum remains unchanged with decreasing the width of the strip Lieb lattice, and no gap is opened in the edge band. It is concluded that the finite size effect of QSH states is absent in the case with the straight edges. However, in the other two cases with the bearded and asymmetry edges, the energy gap induced by the finite size effect is still opened with decreasing the width of the strip. It is also proposed that the edge band dispersion can be controlled by applying an on-site potential energy on the outermost atoms. (paper)

Firm-Size Wage Gaps along the Formal-Informal Divide: Theory and Evidence

OpenAIRE

Balkan, Binnur; Tumen, Semih

2015-01-01

Observationally equivalent workers are paid higher wages in larger firms. This fact is often named as the “firm-size wage gap” and is regarded as a key empirical puzzle. Using micro-level data from Turkey, we document a new stylized fact : the firm-size wage gap is more pronounced for informal (unregistered) jobs than for formal (registered) jobs. To explain this fact, we develop a two-stage wage-posting game with market imperfections and segmented markets, the solution to which produces wage...

Preliminary Estimation of Local Bypass Flow Gap Sizes for a Prismatic VHTR Core

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Min Hwan; Jo, Chang Keun; Lee, Won Jae

2009-01-01

The Very High Temperature Reactor (VHTR) has been selected for the Nuclear Hydrogen Development and Demonstration (NHDD) project. In the VHTR design, core bypass flow has been one of key issues for core thermal margins and target temperature of the core outlet. The core bypass flow in the prismatic VHTR varies with the core life due to the irradiation shrinkage/ swelling and thermal expansion of the graphite blocks, which could be a significant proportion of the total core flow. Thus, accurate prediction of the bypass flow is of major importance in assuring the core thermal margin. To predict the bypass flow, first of all, local gap sizes between graphite blocks in the core should be determined. The objectives of this work are to develop a methodology for determining the gap sizes and to perform a preliminary evaluation for a reference reactor

First-principles investigation of strain effects on the energy gaps in silicon nanoclusters

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Peng, X-H; Alizadeh, A; Bhate, N; Varanasi, K K; Kumar, S K; Nayak, S K

2007-01-01

First-principles density functional calculations were performed to study strain effects on the energy gaps in silicon nanoclusters with diameter ranging from 0.6 to 2 nm. Hydrostatic and non-hydrostatic strains have been found to affect the energy gaps differently. For the same strain energy density, non-hydrostatic strain leads to a significantly larger change in the energy gap of silicon clusters compared to that of the hydrostatic strain case. In contrast, hydrostatic and non-hydrostatic strain effects on the energy gaps of bulk Si or larger size Si quantum dots are comparable. Non-hydrostatic strains break the tetrahedral bonding symmetry in silicon, resulting in significant variation in the energy gaps due to the splitting of the degenerate orbitals in the clusters. Our results suggest that the combination of energy gaps and strains permits the engineering of photoluminescence in silicon nanoclusters and offers the possibility of designing novel optical devices and chemical sensors

Biofuel manufacturing from woody biomass: effects of sieve size used in biomass size reduction.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Meng; Song, Xiaoxu; Deines, T W; Pei, Z J; Wang, Donghai

2012-01-01

Size reduction is the first step for manufacturing biofuels from woody biomass. It is usually performed using milling machines and the particle size is controlled by the size of the sieve installed on a milling machine. There are reported studies about the effects of sieve size on energy consumption in milling of woody biomass. These studies show that energy consumption increased dramatically as sieve size became smaller. However, in these studies, the sugar yield (proportional to biofuel yield) in hydrolysis of the milled woody biomass was not measured. The lack of comprehensive studies about the effects of sieve size on energy consumption in biomass milling and sugar yield in hydrolysis process makes it difficult to decide which sieve size should be selected in order to minimize the energy consumption in size reduction and maximize the sugar yield in hydrolysis. The purpose of this paper is to fill this gap in the literature. In this paper, knife milling of poplar wood was conducted using sieves of three sizes (1, 2, and 4 mm). Results show that, as sieve size increased, energy consumption in knife milling decreased and sugar yield in hydrolysis increased in the tested range of particle sizes.

An Evaluation of the Gap Sizes of 3-Unit Fixed Dental Prostheses Milled from Sintering Metal Blocks

OpenAIRE

Jung, Jae-Kwan

2017-01-01

This study assessed the clinical acceptability of sintering metal-fabricated 3-unit fixed dental prostheses (FDPs) based on gap sizes. Ten specimens were prepared on research models by milling sintering metal blocks or by the lost-wax technique (LWC group). Gap sizes were assessed at 12 points per abutment (premolar and molar), 24 points per specimen (480 points in a total in 20 specimens). The measured points were categorized as marginal, axial wall, and occlusal for assessment in a silicone...

The influence of gap size on plant species diversity and composition in beech (Fagus orientalis forests, Ramsar, Mazandaran Province, North of Iran

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

MARZIEH BEGYOM-FAGHIR

2013-10-01

Full Text Available Pourbabaei H, Haddadi-Moghaddam H, Begyom-Faghir M, Abedi T. 2013. The influence of gap size on plant species diversity and composition in beech (Fagus orientalis forests, Ramsar, Mazandaran Province, North of Iran. Biodiversitas 14: 89-94.This study was conducted to investigate the influence of gap size on plant species diversity and composition in beech (Fagus orientalis Lipsky. forests, Ramsar, Mazandaran province. Fifteen gaps in small, medium, and large sizes were randomly selected. Abundance of tree saplings, shrubs and herbaceous species were counted on 4 m2 micro-plots within the gaps. Diversity indices including Shannon-Wiener, Simpson, Mc Arthur's N1, Hill's N2, species richness and Smith-Wilson’s evenness index were computed. The results revealed that there was significant difference among three gap categories in terms of diversity. The highest diversity values of tree and herbaceous species were obtained in the large gaps, while the highest diversity value of shrub species was in the medium gaps. Species composition of small gaps (28 species: 7 trees and 21 herbaceous, medium gaps (37 species: 7 trees, 5 shrubs and 25 herbaceous and large gaps (40 species: 7 trees, 4 shrubs and 29 herbaceous were recognized. Therefore, based on the results of this study, it is recommended that in order to maintain plant diversity and composition up to 400 m2 gap size cloud be used in this forests.

Treatment with the gap junction modifier rotigaptide (ZP123) reduces infarct size in rats with chronic myocardial infarction

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Haugan, Ketil; Marcussen, Niels; Kjølbye, Anne Louise

2006-01-01

Treatment with non-selective drugs (eg, long-chain alcohols, halothane) that reduce gap junction intercellular communication (GJIC) is associated with reduced infarct size after myocardial infarction (MI). Therefore, it has been suggested that gap junction intercellular communication stimulating ...

Diabetes Increases Cryoinjury Size with Associated Effects on Cx43 Gap Junction Function and Phosphorylation in the Mouse Heart.

Science.gov (United States)

Palatinus, Joseph A; Gourdie, Robert G

2016-01-01

Diabetic patients develop larger myocardial infarctions and have an increased risk of death following a heart attack. The poor response to myocardial injury in the diabetic heart is likely related to the many metabolic derangements from diabetes that create a poor substrate in general for wound healing, response to injury and infection. Studies in rodents have implicated a role for the gap junction protein connexin 43 (Cx43) in regulating the injury response in diabetic skin wounds. In this study, we sought to determine whether diabetes alters Cx43 molecular interactions or intracellular communication in the cryoinjured STZ type I diabetic mouse heart. We found that epicardial cryoinjury size is increased in diabetic mice and this increase is prevented by preinjury insulin administration. Consistent with these findings, we found that intercellular coupling via gap junctions is decreased after insulin administration in diabetic and nondiabetic mice. This decrease in coupling is associated with a concomitant increase in phosphorylation of Cx43 at serine 368, a residue known to decrease channel conductance. Taken together, our results suggest that insulin regulates both gap junction-mediated intercellular communication and injury propagation in the mouse heart.

Criticality effects of longitudinal gaps in poison for storage/transport casks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wells, A.H.

1985-01-01

A series of criticality calculations was performed with the AMPX/KENO system to determine the sensitivity of the NAC S/T cask 31 assembly basket, which is optimized for a design-basis fuel enrichment of 3.7 wt % 235 U, to axial gaps in the boron neutron poison. The results of these calculations show that axial gaps in the boron cause no statistically detectable change in k/sub eff/ until a minimum gap size is reached. The minimum gap size to change k/sub eff/ is dependent on the basket segment length, because a longer segment length results in fewer gaps for a given active fuel length. Longer segment lengths are less sensitive to gaps in the neutron poison. A typical segment length of 12 to 18 in. is projected for a casting of aluminum/boron alloy, indicating that axial gaps in the neutron poison of 1 in. would be acceptable. This gap thickness is much greater than the intersegment gap produced by modern casting techniques. The investigation described here demonstrated that an axial gap in neutron poison is acceptable for basket castings of large storage/transport casks. A precedent for such gaps is the NLI-6502 cask, so a cask basket with intersegment gaps should be licensable

Thermo-Structural Response Caused by Structure Gap and Gap Design for Solid Rocket Motor Nozzles

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lin Sun

2016-06-01

Full Text Available The thermo-structural response of solid rocket motor nozzles is widely investigated in the design of modern rockets, and many factors related to the material properties have been considered. However, little work has been done to evaluate the effects of structure gaps on the generation of flame leaks. In this paper, a numerical simulation was performed by the finite element method to study the thermo-structural response of a typical nozzle with consideration of the structure gap. Initial boundary conditions for thermo-structural simulation were defined by a quasi-1D model, and then coupled simulations of different gap size matching modes were conducted. It was found that frictional interface treatment could efficiently reduce the stress level. Based on the defined flame leak criteria, gap size optimization was carried out, and the best gap matching mode was determined for designing the nozzle. Testing experiment indicated that the simulation results from the proposed method agreed well with the experimental results. It is believed that the simulation method is effective for investigating thermo-structural responses, as well as designing proper gaps for solid rocket motor nozzles.

Size and Causes of the Occupational Gender Wage-gap in the Netherlands

OpenAIRE

Ruijter, Judith M. P. de; Doorne-Huiskes, Anneke van; Schippers, Joop J.

2003-01-01

Research from the United States consistently shows that female-dominated occupations generally yield lower wages than male-dominated occupations. Using detailed occupational data, this study analyses the size andcauses of this occupational genderwage-gap in the Dutch labourmarket using multi-levelmodelling techniques.The analyses showthat bothmen andwomen earn lowerwages if they are employed in female-dominated occupations. This especially indicates the signi¢cance of gender inWestern labour ...

Period Effects, Cohort Effects, and the Narrowing Gender Wage Gap

Science.gov (United States)

Campbell, Colin; Pearlman, Jessica

2015-01-01

Despite the abundance of sociological research on the gender wage gap, questions remain. In particular, the role of cohorts is under investigated. Using data from the Current Population Survey, we use Age-Period-Cohort analysis to uniquely estimate age, period, and cohort effects on the gender wage gap. The narrowing of the gender wage gap that occurred between 1975 and 2009 is largely due to cohort effects. Since the mid-1990s, the gender wage gap has continued to close absent of period effects. While gains in female wages contributed to declines in the gender wage gap for cohorts born before 1950, for later cohorts the narrowing of the gender wage gap is primarily a result of declines in male wages. PMID:24090861

Effect of Tree-Fall Gaps on Fruit-Feeding Nymphalidae Assemblages in a Peruvian Rainforest

OpenAIRE

Pardonnet, Sylvia

2010-01-01

Tropical rainforests are among the most complex and diverse ecosystems, composed of a mosaic of shady understory under the closed canopy and tree-fall gaps of varying sizes and age. The light reaching the forest floor favors the recruitment of fast growing plant species and provide food resources for other animal species including butterflies. The Nymphalidae are the most species rich butterfly family in the tropics, and are ideal bioindicators. We investigated the effect of the tree-fall gap...

Size and frequency of gaps in newly synthesized DNA of xeroderma pigmentosum human cells irradiated with ultraviolet light

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Meneghini, R.; Cordeiro-Stone, M.; Schumacher, R.I.

1981-01-01

Native newly synthesized DNA from human cells (xeroderma pigmentosum type) irradiated with ultraviolet light releases short pieces of DNA (L-DNA) when incubated with the single-strand specific S 1 nuclease. This is not observed in the case of unirradiated cells. Previous experiments had shown that the L-DNA resulted from the action of S 1 nuclease upon gaps, i.e., single-stranded DNA discontinuities in larger pieces of double-stranded DNA. We verified that the duplex L-DNA, that arises from the inter-gap regions upon S 1 nuclease treatment, has a size which approximates the distance between two pyrimidine dimers on the same strand. A method was devised to measure the size of the gaps. These parameters have been considered in the proposition of a model for DNA synthesis on a template containing pyrimidine dimers

Period effects, cohort effects, and the narrowing gender wage gap.

Science.gov (United States)

Campbell, Colin; Pearlman, Jessica

2013-11-01

Despite the abundance of sociological research on the gender wage gap, questions remain. In particular, the role of cohorts is under investigated. Using data from the Current Population Survey, we use age-period-cohort analysis to uniquely estimate age, period, and cohort effects on the gender wage gap. The narrowing of the gender wage gap that occurred between 1975 and 2009 is largely due to cohort effects. Since the mid-1990s, the gender wage gap has continued to close absent of period effects. While gains in female wages contributed to declines in the gender wage gap for cohorts born before 1950, for later cohorts the narrowing of the gender wage gap is primarily a result of declines in male wages. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

On the size and temperature dependence of the energy gap in cadmium-selenide quantum dots embedded in fluorophosphate glasses

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lipatova, Zh. O., E-mail: zluka-yo@mail.ru; Kolobkova, E. V.; Babkina, A. N.; Nikonorov, N. V. [ITMO University (Russian Federation)

2017-03-15

The temperature and size dependences of the energy gap in CdSe quantum dots with diameters of 2.4, 4.0, and 5.2 nm embedded in fluorophosphate glasses are investigated. It is shown that the temperature coefficient of the band gap dE{sub g}/dT in the quantum dots differs from the bulk value and depends strictly on the dot size. It is found that, furthermore, the energy of each transition in these quantum dots is characterized by an individual temperature coefficient dE/dT.

Application of back-propagation artificial neural network (ANN) to predict crystallite size and band gap energy of ZnO quantum dots

Science.gov (United States)

Pelicano, Christian Mark; Rapadas, Nick; Cagatan, Gerard; Magdaluyo, Eduardo

2017-12-01

Herein, the crystallite size and band gap energy of zinc oxide (ZnO) quantum dots were predicted using artificial neural network (ANN). Three input factors including reagent ratio, growth time, and growth temperature were examined with respect to crystallite size and band gap energy as response factors. The generated results from neural network model were then compared with the experimental results. Experimental crystallite size and band gap energy of ZnO quantum dots were measured from TEM images and absorbance spectra, respectively. The Levenberg-Marquardt (LM) algorithm was used as the learning algorithm for the ANN model. The performance of the ANN model was then assessed through mean square error (MSE) and regression values. Based on the results, the ANN modelling results are in good agreement with the experimental data.

Inhibition of quantum size effects from surface dangling bonds: The first principles study on different morphology SiC nanowires

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Yan-Jing; Li, Shu-Long; Gong, Pei; Li, Ya-Lin; Fang, Xiao-Yong; Jia, Ya-Hui; Cao, Mao-Sheng

2018-06-01

In recent years, we investigated the structure and photoelectric properties of Silicon carbide nanowires (SiCNWs) with different morphologies and sizes by using the first-principle in density functional theory, and found a phenomenon that is opposite to quantum size effect, namely, the band gap of nanowires increases with the increase of the diameter. To reveal the nature of this phenomenon, we further carry out the passivation of SiCNWs. The results show that the hydrogenated SiCNWs are direct band gap semiconductors, and the band gap decreases with the diameter increasing, which indicates the dangling bonds of the SiCNWs suppress its quantum size effect. The optical properties of SiCNWs with different diameters before and after hydrogenated are compared, we found that these surface dangling bonds lead to spectral shift which is different with quantum size effect of SiCNWs. These results have potential scientific value to deepen the understanding of the photoelectric properties of SiCNWs and to promote the development of optoelectronic devices.

Effectiveness of elastic damping in the pivot joints of cargo boom of crane-manipulating installations at large gaps

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lagerev I.A.

2016-03-01

Full Text Available The article was the analysis of dynamic processes in the cylindrical hinges with large gaps in the cargo boom crane-manipulating installations of mobile machines in operation. Consider the design of damping device for articulated joints, which creates a braking force of elastic resistance to the displacement of the hinge pin within the large gap. The mechanism of action of the damping devices was considered. Analysis of the effectiveness of damping device for re-ducing the dynamic stress state in the elements of cargo boom metal structures depending on the gap size and the stiff-ness of the damping device was performed. Damping device with an elastic shock absorbing elements substantially reduces the additional impact load at the time of selection of the gap in the joint, slow the growth of clearance in the pivot joint, limit the size of the gap specified value, which must not be exceeded during the entire service life of swivel independently from the intensity of his load.

Period Effects, Cohort Effects, and the Narrowing Gender Wage Gap

OpenAIRE

Campbell, Colin; Pearlman, Jessica

2013-01-01

Despite the abundance of sociological research on the gender wage gap, questions remain. In particular, the role of cohorts is under investigated. Using data from the Current Population Survey, we use Age-Period-Cohort analysis to uniquely estimate age, period, and cohort effects on the gender wage gap. The narrowing of the gender wage gap that occurred between 1975 and 2009 is largely due to cohort effects. Since the mid-1990s, the gender wage gap has continued to close absent of period effe...

Shape and 'gap' effects on the behavior of variably confined concrete

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Harries, Kent A.; Carey, Shawn A.

2003-01-01

Factors affecting the behavior of variably confined concrete are presented. The effect of debonding the fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) jacket to the concrete substrate and providing a gap between the concrete and confining jacket is investigated. A second parameter--the shape of the cross section--is also investigated. An experimental program involving the compression testing of standard cylinders and similarly sized square specimens having external FRP jackets providing passive confinement is presented. Factors affecting jacket efficiency and the appropriateness of factors accounting for specimen shape are determined experimentally and discussed. The provision of a gap affected the axial stress at which the confining jacket was engaged, resulting in a reduced maximum attainable concrete strength. The jacket efficiency was not affected by the provision of the gap. The shape of the specimens was observed to affect the level of confinement generated. Square specimens exhibit lower confinement levels than circular specimens having the same jacket

A review of finite size effects in quasi-zero dimensional superconductors.

Science.gov (United States)

Bose, Sangita; Ayyub, Pushan

2014-11-01

Quantum confinement and surface effects (SEs) dramatically modify most solid state phenomena as one approaches the nanometer scale, and superconductivity is no exception. Though we may expect significant modifications from bulk superconducting properties when the system dimensions become smaller than the characteristic length scales for bulk superconductors-such as the coherence length or the penetration depth-it is now established that there is a third length scale which ultimately determines the critical size at which Cooper pairing is destroyed. In quasi-zero-dimensional (0D) superconductors (e.g. nanocrystalline materials, isolated or embedded nanoparticles), one may define a critical particle diameter below which the mean energy level spacing arising from quantum confinement becomes equal to the bulk superconducting energy gap. The so-called Anderson criterion provides a remarkably accurate estimate of the limiting size for the destabilization of superconductivity in nanosystems. This review of size effects in quasi-0D superconductors is organized as follows. A general summary of size effects in nanostructured superconductors (section 1) is followed by a brief overview of their synthesis (section 2) and characterization using a variety of techniques (section 3). Section 4 reviews the size-evolution of important superconducting parameters-the transition temperature, critical fields and critical current-as the Anderson limit is approached from above. We then discuss the effect of thermodynamic fluctuations (section 5), which become significant in confined systems. Improvements in fabrication methods and the increasing feasibility of addressing individual nanoparticles using scanning probe techniques have lately opened up new directions in the study of nanoscale superconductivity. Section 6 reviews both experimental and theoretical aspects of the recently discovered phenomena of 'parity effect' and 'shell effect' that lead to a strong, non-monotonic size

Effect of heterogenous and homogenous air gaps on dry heat loss through the garment

Science.gov (United States)

Mert, Emel; Psikuta, Agnes; Bueno, Marie-Ange; Rossi, René M.

2015-11-01

In real life conditions, the trapped air between the human body and the garment has uneven shape and vary over the body parts as a consequence of the complex geometry of the human body. However, the existing clothing models assume uniform air layer between the human body and the garment or its full contact, which may cause large error in the output of simulations. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the effect of a heterogeneous vertical air gap with different configuration of folds (size and frequency) on dry heat loss using a heated cylinder (Torso). It was found that the presence of folds in the garment led to an increased heat loss from the body in comparison to a homogeneous air gap of comparable size. Interestingly, the size of folds did not have an influence on the dry heat loss. Additionally, the effect of the contact area on dry heat loss became important when exceeding a threshold of about 42 %. The results from this study are useful for modelling of a realistic dry heat loss through the clothing and contribute to the improvement of design of protective and active sport garments.

Quantum size effect and thermal stability of carbon-nanotube-based quantum dot

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Huang, N.Y.; Peng, J.; Liang, S.D.; Li, Z.B.; Xu, N.S.

2004-01-01

Full text: Based on semi-experience quantum chemical calculation, we have investigated the quantum size effect and thermal stability of open-end carbon nanotube (5, 5) quantum dots of 20 to 400 atoms. It was found that there is a gap in the energy band of all carbon nanotube (5, 5) quantum dots although a (5, 5) carbon nanotube is metallic. The energy gap of quantum dots is much dependent of the number of atoms in a dot, as a result of the quantization rules imposed by the finite scales in both radial and axial directions of a carbon nanotube quantum dot. Also, the heat of formation of carbon nanotube quantum dots is dependent of the size of a quantum dot. (author)

Indirect effects of emerald ash borer-induced ash mortality and canopy gap formation on epigaeic beetles.

Science.gov (United States)

Gandhi, Kamal J K; Smith, Annemarie; Hartzler, Diane M; Herms, Daniel A

2014-06-01

Exotic herbivorous insects have drastically and irreversibly altered forest structure and composition of North American forests. For example, emerald ash borer (Agrilus planipennis Fairmaire) from Asia has caused wide-scale mortality of ash trees (Fraxinus spp.) in eastern United States and Canada. We studied the effects of forest changes resulting from emerald ash borer invasion on epigaeic or ground beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae) along a gradient of ash dieback and gap sizes in southeastern Michigan. Ground beetles were sampled in hydric, mesic, and xeric habitats in which black (Fraxinus nigra Marshall), green (Fraxinus pennsylvanica Marshall), and white (Fraxinus americana L.) ash were the most common species, respectively. During 2006-2007, we trapped 2,545 adult ground beetles comprising 52 species. There was a negative correlation between percent ash tree mortality in 2006 and catches of all beetles. Catches of Agonum melanarium Dejean (in 2006) and Pterostichus mutus (Say) (in 2006-2007) were negatively correlated with tree mortality and gap size, respectively. However, catches of Pterostichus corvinus Dejean were positively correlated with gap size in 2006. As ash mortality and average gap size increased from 2006 to 2007, catches of all beetles as well as P. mutus and Pterostichus stygicus (Say) increased (1.3-3.9 times), while species diversity decreased, especially in mesic and xeric stands. Cluster analysis revealed that beetle assemblages in hydric and mesic stand diverged (25 and 40%, respectively) in their composition from 2006 to 2007, and that hydric stands had the most unique beetle assemblages. Overall, epigaeic beetle assemblages were altered in ash stands impacted by emerald ash borer; however, these impacts may dissipate as canopy gaps close.

[Edge effects of forest gap in Pinus massoniana plantations on the decomposition of leaf litter recalcitrant components of Cinnamomum camphora and Toona ciliata.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Yan; Zhang, Dan Ju; Li, Xun; Liu, Hua; Zhang, Ming Jin; Yang, Wan Qin; Zhang, Jian

2016-04-22

The objective of the study was to evaluate the dynamics of recalcitrant components during foliar litter decomposition under edge effects of forest gap in Pinus massoniana plantations in the low hilly land, Sichuan basin. A field litterbag experiment was conducted in seven forest gaps with different sizes (100, 225, 400, 625, 900, 1225, 1600 m 2 ) which were generated by thinning P. massoniana plantations. The degradation rate of four recalcitrant components, i.e., condensed tannins, total phenol, lignin and cellulose in foliar litter of two native species (Cinnamomum camphora and Toona ciliata) at the gap edge and under the closed canopy were measured. The results showed that the degradation rate of recalcitrant components in T. ciliata litter except for cellulose at the gap edge were significantly higher than that under the closed canopy. For C. camphora litter, only the degradation of lignin at the gap edge was higher than that under the closed canopy. After one-year decomposition, four recalcitrant components in two types of foliar litter exhibited an increment of degradation rate, and the degradation rate of condensed tannin was the fastest, followed by total phenol and cellulose, but the lignin degradation rate was the slowest. With the increase of gap size, except for cellulose, the degradation rate ofthe other three recalcitrant components of the T. ciliata at the edge of medium sized gaps (400 and 625 m 2 ) were significantly higher than at the edge of other gaps. However, lignin in the C. camphora litter at the 625 m 2 gap edge showed the greatest degradation rate. Both temperature and litter initial content were significantly correlated with litter recalcitrant component degradation. Our results suggested that medium sized gaps (400-625 m 2 ) had a more significant edge effect on the degradation of litter recalcitrant components in the two native species in P. massoniana plantations, however, the effect also depended on species.

Effect of Air Gap Entrapped in Firefighter Protective Clothing on Thermal Resistance and Evaporative Resistance

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

He Hualing

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Heat and water vapor transfer behavior of thermal protective clothing is greatly influenced by the air gap entrapped in multilayer fabric system. In this study, a sweating hot plate method was used to investigate the effect of air gap position and size on thermal resistance and evaporative resistance of firefighter clothing under a range of ambient temperature and humidity. Results indicated that the presence of air gap in multilayer fabric system decreased heat and water vapor transfer abilities under normal wear. Moreover, the air gap position slightly influenced the thermal and evaporative performances of the firefighter clothing. In this study, the multilayer fabric system obtained the highest thermal resistance, when the air space was located at position B. Furthermore, the effect of ambient temperature on heat and water vapor transfer properties of the multilayer fabric system was also investigated in the presence of a specific air gap. It was indicated that ambient temperature did not influence the evaporative resistance of thermal protective clothing. A thermographic image was used to test the surface temperature of multilayer fabric system when an air gap was incorporated. These results suggested that a certain air gap entrapped in thermal protective clothing system could affect wear comfort.

A review of finite size effects in quasi-zero dimensional superconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bose, Sangita; Ayyub, Pushan

2014-01-01

Quantum confinement and surface effects (SEs) dramatically modify most solid state phenomena as one approaches the nanometer scale, and superconductivity is no exception. Though we may expect significant modifications from bulk superconducting properties when the system dimensions become smaller than the characteristic length scales for bulk superconductors—such as the coherence length or the penetration depth—it is now established that there is a third length scale which ultimately determines the critical size at which Cooper pairing is destroyed. In quasi-zero-dimensional (0D) superconductors (e.g. nanocrystalline materials, isolated or embedded nanoparticles), one may define a critical particle diameter below which the mean energy level spacing arising from quantum confinement becomes equal to the bulk superconducting energy gap. The so-called Anderson criterion provides a remarkably accurate estimate of the limiting size for the destabilization of superconductivity in nanosystems. This review of size effects in quasi-0D superconductors is organized as follows. A general summary of size effects in nanostructured superconductors (section 1) is followed by a brief overview of their synthesis (section 2) and characterization using a variety of techniques (section 3). Section 4 reviews the size-evolution of important superconducting parameters—the transition temperature, critical fields and critical current—as the Anderson limit is approached from above. We then discuss the effect of thermodynamic fluctuations (section 5), which become significant in confined systems. Improvements in fabrication methods and the increasing feasibility of addressing individual nanoparticles using scanning probe techniques have lately opened up new directions in the study of nanoscale superconductivity. Section 6 reviews both experimental and theoretical aspects of the recently discovered phenomena of ‘parity effect’ and ‘shell effect’ that lead to a strong, non

The prototype GAPS (pGAPS) experiment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mognet, S.A.I.; Aramaki, T.; Bando, N.; Boggs, S.E.; Doetinchem, P. von; Fuke, H.; Gahbauer, F.H.; Hailey, C.J.; Koglin, J.E.; Madden, N.; Mori, K.; Okazaki, S.; Ong, R.A.; Perez, K.M.; Tajiri, G.; Yoshida, T.; Zweerink, J.

2014-01-01

The General Antiparticle Spectrometer (GAPS) experiment is a novel approach for the detection of cosmic ray antiparticles. A prototype GAPS (pGAPS) experiment was successfully flown on a high-altitude balloon in June of 2012. The goals of the pGAPS experiment were: to test the operation of lithium drifted silicon (Si(Li)) detectors at balloon altitudes, to validate the thermal model and cooling concept needed for engineering of a full-size GAPS instrument, and to characterize cosmic ray and X-ray backgrounds. The instrument was launched from the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's (JAXA) Taiki Aerospace Research Field in Hokkaido, Japan. The flight lasted a total of 6 h, with over 3 h at float altitude (∼33km). Over one million cosmic ray triggers were recorded and all flight goals were met or exceeded

The prototype GAPS (pGAPS) experiment

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mognet, S.A.I., E-mail: mognet@astro.ucla.edu [University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095 (United States); Aramaki, T. [Columbia University, New York, NY 10027 (United States); Bando, N. [Institute of Space and Astronautical Science, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (ISAS/JAXA), Sagamihara, Kanagawa 252-5210 (Japan); Boggs, S.E.; Doetinchem, P. von [Space Sciences Laboratory, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720 (United States); Fuke, H. [Institute of Space and Astronautical Science, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (ISAS/JAXA), Sagamihara, Kanagawa 252-5210 (Japan); Gahbauer, F.H.; Hailey, C.J.; Koglin, J.E.; Madden, N. [Columbia University, New York, NY 10027 (United States); Mori, K.; Okazaki, S. [Institute of Space and Astronautical Science, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (ISAS/JAXA), Sagamihara, Kanagawa 252-5210 (Japan); Ong, R.A. [University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095 (United States); Perez, K.M.; Tajiri, G. [Columbia University, New York, NY 10027 (United States); Yoshida, T. [Institute of Space and Astronautical Science, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (ISAS/JAXA), Sagamihara, Kanagawa 252-5210 (Japan); Zweerink, J. [University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095 (United States)

2014-01-21

The General Antiparticle Spectrometer (GAPS) experiment is a novel approach for the detection of cosmic ray antiparticles. A prototype GAPS (pGAPS) experiment was successfully flown on a high-altitude balloon in June of 2012. The goals of the pGAPS experiment were: to test the operation of lithium drifted silicon (Si(Li)) detectors at balloon altitudes, to validate the thermal model and cooling concept needed for engineering of a full-size GAPS instrument, and to characterize cosmic ray and X-ray backgrounds. The instrument was launched from the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's (JAXA) Taiki Aerospace Research Field in Hokkaido, Japan. The flight lasted a total of 6 h, with over 3 h at float altitude (∼33km). Over one million cosmic ray triggers were recorded and all flight goals were met or exceeded.

A study of residual stress and plastic deformation of a bar with gap size changes between rolls in a two cross roll straightener

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cho, Hyun Soo; Hahm, Ju Hee; Lee Young Ho

2012-01-01

Cold drawn(CD) bars feature superb surface roughness, dimensional precision, and straightness. They are used in the manufacture of automotive parts and home electrical appliances. Two cross roll straighteners have been used to manufacture of automotive parts and home electrical appliances. Two cross roll straighteners have been used to manufacture CD bars for these industries. This study investigated the variation of the gap size between the two cross rolls. It was found that changes in the gap size have a large influence on the residual stress and plastic deformation. Finite element method(FEM) simulations were performed to study the influence of the gap size on the residual stress in CD bars, and experiments were performed to verify the FEM results. The residual stresses were measured with X ray diffraction in both the axial and the hoop directions

Effect of particle size distribution and concentration on flow behavior of dense slurries

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Vlasák, Pavel; Chára, Zdeněk

2011-01-01

Roč. 29, č. 1 (2011), s. 53-65 ISSN 0272-6351 R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GAP105/10/1574 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z20600510 Keywords : concentration effect * dense complex slurry * experimental investigation * flow behavior * particle size distribution effect * pressure drop Subject RIV: BK - Fluid Dynamics Impact factor: 0.545, year: 2011

Mechanics of Fluid-Filled Interstitial Gaps. II. Gap Characteristics in Xenopus Embryonic Ectoderm.

Science.gov (United States)

Barua, Debanjan; Parent, Serge E; Winklbauer, Rudolf

2017-08-22

The ectoderm of the Xenopus embryo is permeated by a network of channels that appear in histological sections as interstitial gaps. We characterized this interstitial space by measuring gap sizes, angles formed between adjacent cells, and curvatures of cell surfaces at gaps. From these parameters, and from surface-tension values measured previously, we estimated the values of critical mechanical variables that determine gap sizes and shapes in the ectoderm, using a general model of interstitial gap mechanics. We concluded that gaps of 1-4 μm side length can be formed by the insertion of extracellular matrix fluid at three-cell junctions such that cell adhesion is locally disrupted and a tension difference between cell-cell contacts and the free cell surface at gaps of 0.003 mJ/m 2 is generated. Furthermore, a cell hydrostatic pressure of 16.8 ± 1.7 Pa and an interstitial pressure of 3.9 ± 3.6 Pa, relative to the central blastocoel cavity of the embryo, was found to be consistent with the observed gap size and shape distribution. Reduction of cell adhesion by the knockdown of C-cadherin increased gap volume while leaving intracellular and interstitial pressures essentially unchanged. In both normal and adhesion-reduced ectoderm, cortical tension of the free cell surfaces at gaps does not return to the high values characteristic of the free surface of the whole tissue. Copyright © 2017 Biophysical Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Note on Hartman effect in gapped graphene

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jahani, D.

2013-01-01

In this manuscript the effect of an opening gap on the dwell time corresponding to the electronic tunneling in graphene is explored. It is shown that tunneling time of quasiparticles in passing through junctions of gapped graphene as well as pure flakes is not independent of the barrier thickness and therefore Hartman effect is not observed due to tunneling of relativistic electrons with a finite effective mass in graphene. The numerical results also reveal that the traversal time in gapped graphene is equal to the traversal time in absence of the barrier for a broad range of incident energy. It is also found that the origin of the problem of Hartman effect could be explained in terms of an average-constant behavior of the probability density of the electronic wave under the barrier

Maximizing band gaps in plate structures

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Halkjær, Søren; Sigmund, Ole; Jensen, Jakob Søndergaard

2006-01-01

periodic plate using Bloch theory, which conveniently reduces the maximization problem to that of a single base cell. Secondly, we construct a finite periodic plate using a number of the optimized base cells in a postprocessed version. The dynamic properties of the finite plate are investigated......Band gaps, i.e., frequency ranges in which waves cannot propagate, can be found in elastic structures for which there is a certain periodic modulation of the material properties or structure. In this paper, we maximize the band gap size for bending waves in a Mindlin plate. We analyze an infinite...... theoretically and experimentally and the issue of finite size effects is addressed....

Effect of actuating voltage and discharge gap on plasma assisted detonation initiation process

Science.gov (United States)

Siyin, ZHOU; Xueke, CHE; Wansheng, NIE; Di, WANG

2018-06-01

The influence of actuating voltage and discharge gap on plasma assisted detonation initiation by alternating current dielectric barrier discharge was studied in detail. A loose coupling method was used to simulate the detonation initiation process of a hydrogen–oxygen mixture in a detonation tube under different actuating voltage amplitudes and discharge gap sizes. Both the discharge products and the detonation forming process assisted by the plasma were analyzed. It was found that the patterns of the temporal and spatial distributions of discharge products in one cycle keep unchanged as changing the two discharge operating parameters. However, the adoption of a higher actuating voltage leads to a higher active species concentration within the discharge zone, and atom H is the most sensitive to the variations of the actuating voltage amplitude among the given species. Adopting a larger discharge gap results in a lower concentration of the active species, and all species have the same sensitivity to the variations of the gap. With respect to the reaction flow of the detonation tube, the corresponding deflagration to detonation transition (DDT) time and distance become slightly longer when a higher actuating voltage is chosen. The acceleration effect of plasma is more prominent with a smaller discharge gap, and the benefit builds gradually throughout the DDT process. Generally, these two control parameters have little effect on the amplitude of the flow field parameters, and they do not alter the combustion degree within the reaction zone.

Invasibility of a nutrient-poor pasture through resident and non-resident herbs is controlled by litter, gap size and propagule pressure.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

R Lutz Eckstein

Full Text Available Since inference concerning the relative effects of propagule pressure, biotic interactions, site conditions and species traits on the invasibility of plant communities is limited, we carried out a field experiment to study the role of these factors for absolute and relative seedling emergence in three resident and three non-resident confamilial herb species on a nutrient-poor temperate pasture. We set up a factorial field experiment with two levels each of the factors litter cover (0 and 400 g m(-2, gap size (0.01 and 0.1 m(2 and propagule pressure (5 and 50 seeds and documented soil temperature, soil water content and relative light availability. Recruitment was recorded in spring and autumn 2010 and in spring 2011 to cover initial seedling emergence, establishment after summer drought and final establishment after the first winter. Litter alleviated temperature and moisture conditions and had positive effects on proportional and absolute seedling emergence during all phases of recruitment. Large gaps presented competition-free space with high light availability but showed higher temperature amplitudes and lower soil moisture. Proportional and absolute seedling recruitment was significantly higher in large than in small gaps. In contrast, propagule pressure facilitated absolute seedling emergence but had no effects on proportional emergence or the chance for successful colonisation. Despite significantly higher initial seedling emergence of resident than non-resident species, seed mass and other species-specific traits may be better predictors for idiosyncratic variation in seedling establishment than status. Our data support the fluctuating resource hypothesis and demonstrate that the reserve effect of seeds may facilitate seedling emergence. The direct comparison of propagule pressure with other environmental factors showed that propagule pressure affects absolute seedling abundance, which may be crucial for species that depend on other

Numerical simulation of gap effect in supersonic flows

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Song Mo

2014-01-01

Full Text Available The gap effect is a key factor in the design of the heat sealing in supersonic vehicles subjected to an aerodynamic heat load. Built on S-A turbulence model and Roe discrete format, the aerodynamic environment around a gap on the surface of a supersonic aircraft was simulated by the finite volume method. As the presented results indicate, the gap effect depends not only on the attack angle, but also on the Mach number.

Quasiparticle band gap of organic-inorganic hybrid perovskites: Crystal structure, spin-orbit coupling, and self-energy effects

Science.gov (United States)

Gao, Weiwei; Gao, Xiang; Abtew, Tesfaye A.; Sun, Yi-Yang; Zhang, Shengbai; Zhang, Peihong

2016-02-01

The quasiparticle band gap is one of the most important materials properties for photovoltaic applications. Often the band gap of a photovoltaic material is determined (and can be controlled) by various factors, complicating predictive materials optimization. An in-depth understanding of how these factors affect the size of the gap will provide valuable guidance for new materials discovery. Here we report a comprehensive investigation on the band gap formation mechanism in organic-inorganic hybrid perovskites by decoupling various contributing factors which ultimately determine their electronic structure and quasiparticle band gap. Major factors, namely, quasiparticle self-energy, spin-orbit coupling, and structural distortions due to the presence of organic molecules, and their influences on the quasiparticle band structure of organic-inorganic hybrid perovskites are illustrated. We find that although methylammonium cations do not contribute directly to the electronic states near band edges, they play an important role in defining the band gap by introducing structural distortions and controlling the overall lattice constants. The spin-orbit coupling effects drastically reduce the electron and hole effective masses in these systems, which is beneficial for high carrier mobilities and small exciton binding energies.

Effect of Group-Selection Opening Size on Breeding Bird Habitat Use in a Bottomland Forest

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Moorman, C.E.; D.C. Guynn, Jr.

2001-12-01

Research on the effects of creating group-selection openings of various sizes on breeding birds habitat use in a bottomland hardwood forest of the Upper Coastal Plain of South Carolina. Creation of 0.5-ha group selection openings in southern bottomland forests should provide breeding habitat for some field-edge species in gaps and habitat for forest-interior species and canopy-dwelling forest-edge species between gaps provided that enough mature forest is made available.

The effects of temperature, hydrostatic pressure and size on optical gain for GaAs spherical quantum dot laser with hydrogen impurity

Science.gov (United States)

Owji, Erfan; Keshavarz, Alireza; Mokhtari, Hosein

2016-10-01

In this paper, the effects of temperature, hydrostatic pressure and size on optical gain for GaAs spherical quantum dot laser with hydrogen impurity are investigated. For this purpose, the effects of temperature, pressure and quantum dot size on the band gap energy, effective mass, and dielectric constant are studied. The eigenenergies and eigenstates for valence and conduction band are calculated by using Runge-Kutta numerical method. Results show that changes in the temperature, pressure and size lead to the alteration of the band gap energy and effective mass. Also, increasing the temperature redshifts the optical gain peak and at special temperature ranges lead to increasing or decreasing of it. Further, by reducing the size, temperature-dependent of optical gain is decreased. Additionally, enhancing of the hydrostatic pressure blueshifts the peak of optical gain, and its behavior as a function of pressure which depends on the size. Finally, increasing the radius rises the redshifts of the peak of optical gain.

GAP CLEARING BY PLANETS IN A COLLISIONAL DEBRIS DISK

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nesvold, Erika R. [Department of Physics, University of Maryland Baltimore County 1000 Hilltop Circle Baltimore, MD 21250 (United States); Kuchner, Marc J., E-mail: Erika.Nesvold@umbc.edu, E-mail: Marc.Kuchner@nasa.gov [NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Exoplanets and Stellar Astrophysics Laboratory, Code 667 Greenbelt, MD 21230 (United States)

2015-01-10

We apply our 3D debris disk model, SMACK, to simulate a planet on a circular orbit near a ring of planetesimals that are experiencing destructive collisions. Previous simulations of a planet opening a gap in a collisionless debris disk have found that the width of the gap scales as the planet mass to the 2/7th power (α = 2/7). We find that gap sizes in a collisional disk still obey a power law scaling with planet mass, but that the index α of the power law depends on the age of the system t relative to the collisional timescale t {sub coll} of the disk by α = 0.32(t/t {sub coll}){sup –0.04}, with inferred planet masses up to five times smaller than those predicted by the classical gap law. The increased gap sizes likely stem from the interaction between collisions and the mean motion resonances near the chaotic zone. We investigate the effects of the initial eccentricity distribution of the disk particles and find a negligible effect on the gap size at Jovian planet masses, since collisions tend to erase memory of the initial particle eccentricity distributions. Finally, we find that the presence of Trojan analogs is a potentially powerful diagnostic of planets in the mass range ∼1-10 M {sub Jup}. We apply our model to place new upper limits on planets around Fomalhaut, HR 4796 A, HD 202628, HD 181327, and β Pictoris.

GAP CLEARING BY PLANETS IN A COLLISIONAL DEBRIS DISK

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nesvold, Erika R.; Kuchner, Marc J.

2015-01-01

We apply our 3D debris disk model, SMACK, to simulate a planet on a circular orbit near a ring of planetesimals that are experiencing destructive collisions. Previous simulations of a planet opening a gap in a collisionless debris disk have found that the width of the gap scales as the planet mass to the 2/7th power (α = 2/7). We find that gap sizes in a collisional disk still obey a power law scaling with planet mass, but that the index α of the power law depends on the age of the system t relative to the collisional timescale t coll of the disk by α = 0.32(t/t coll ) –0.04 , with inferred planet masses up to five times smaller than those predicted by the classical gap law. The increased gap sizes likely stem from the interaction between collisions and the mean motion resonances near the chaotic zone. We investigate the effects of the initial eccentricity distribution of the disk particles and find a negligible effect on the gap size at Jovian planet masses, since collisions tend to erase memory of the initial particle eccentricity distributions. Finally, we find that the presence of Trojan analogs is a potentially powerful diagnostic of planets in the mass range ∼1-10 M Jup . We apply our model to place new upper limits on planets around Fomalhaut, HR 4796 A, HD 202628, HD 181327, and β Pictoris

The gap year for geographers:effects and paradoxes

OpenAIRE

Blackburn, Alan; Clark, Gordon; Pilgrim, David

2005-01-01

This paper examines why the growing gap-year phenomenon is important for university geography departments in the context of education and employment. The research examines the scale and types of gap years, and their effects on students. The study uses a multi-actor approach comprising information from national statistical sources, university departments, students who have taken gap years and commercial gap-year providers. The paper draws some lessons for geography departments such as the need...

Tunneling Spectroscopy of the Energy Gap in MgB2 Under Magnetic Fields

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ekino, T.; Takasaki, T.; Fujii, H.; Muranaka, T.; Akimitsu, J.

2003-01-01

Effects of magnetic field on the multiple-gap structure in the superconductor MgB 2 have been studied by break junctions. With increasing the field, the gap value decreases with filling up of the states inside of the gap. The gap-closing field B c correlates with the gap size. The extrapolated B c value for the larger gap is almost consistent with the upper critical field of this compound. (author)

Bone compaction enhances implant fixation in a canine gap model

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kold, Søren; Rahbek, Ole; Toft, Marianne

2005-01-01

A new bone preparation technique, compaction, has increased fixation of implants inserted with exact-fit or press-fit to bone. Furthermore, a demonstrated spring-back effect of compacted bone might be of potential value in reducing the initial gaps that often exist between clinical inserted...... implants and bone. However, it is unknown whether the compression and breakage of trabeculae during the compaction procedure results in impaired gap-healing of compacted bone. Therefore, we compared compaction with conventional drilling in a canine gap model. Grit-blasted titanium implants (diameter 6 mm...... that the beneficial effect of reduced gap size, as compacted bone springs back, is not eliminated by an impaired gap-healing of compacted bone....

Forest filled with gaps : effects of gap size on water and nutrient cycling in tropical rain forest : a study in Guyana

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Dam, O. van

2001-01-01

Guyana's forests are selectively logged and a forest management is desired that is economically sustainable and ecologically responsible. Canopy gaps, created by selective logging, induce changes to microclimatic and edaphic conditions. These changes influence the regeneration of the

Finite-size effects on band structure of CdS nanocrystallites studied by positron annihilation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kar, Soumitra; Biswas, Subhajit; Chaudhuri, Subhadra; Nambissan, P.M.G.

2005-01-01

Quantum confinement effects in nanocrystalline CdS were studied using positrons as spectroscopic probes to explore the defect characteristics. The lifetime of positrons annihilating at the vacancy clusters on nanocrystalline grain surfaces increased remarkably consequent to the onset of such finite-size effects. The Doppler broadened line shape was also found to reflect rather sensitively such distinct changes in the electron momentum redistribution scanned by the positrons, owing to the widening of the band gap. The nanocrystalline sizes of the samples used were confirmed from x-ray diffraction and high resolution transmission electron microscopy and the optical absorption results supported the quantum size effects. Positron annihilation results indicated distinct qualitative changes between CdS nanorods and the bulk sample, notwithstanding the identical x-ray diffraction pattern and close resemblance of the optical absorption spectra. The results are promising in the event of positron annihilation being proved to be a very successful tool for the study of such finite-size effects in semiconductor nanoparticles

Grain size dependent optical band gap of CdI2 films

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Unknown

absorption data near band edge can be fitted to an indirect band gap of 3 eV. The dependence of band gap ... while to carry out the optical studies on CdI2 films in order to .... replotted as (αhν)1/2 vs hν to determine indirect gap as shown in the ...

Efeito de diferentes tamanhos de clareiras, sobre o crescimento e a mortalidade de espécies arbóreas, em Moju-PA Effect of diferente gap sizes on the growth and mortality of arboreal species, in Moju-PA

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fernando Cristóvam da Silva Jardim

2007-01-01

crescimento e mortalidade das espécies apresentaram variações em relação aos diferentes tamanhos de clareiras. J. copaia e N. suaveolens apresentaram melhor desempenho, tanto em termos de mortalidade como de crescimento em altura e diâmetro de base nas clareiras médias, todavia essa mortalidade foi elevada em comparação com S. pruriens.Growth and mortality of Sterculia pruriens, Vouacapoua americana, Jacaranda copaia, Protium paraensis, Newtonia suaveolens and Tabebuia serratifolia regarding different gap sizes, had been evaluated in Moju Pará Brazil(2º07'30"S and 2º12'06"S and longitude 48º46'57"W and 48º48'30"W. Nine gaps from forest harvesting had been selected and grouped in small gaps(200m²600m². Around the gaps square plots 5m side had been installed, starting in the gap border to forest inside, according to North, South, East and West directions. In these plots seedlings from natural regeneration of tree species were planted. In the each gap center was installed a square plot of 5m side as testimony, where the plantation was repeated. The total mortality average was 46.9%, not showing significant differences between the small gaps (41,05% and medium-sized gaps (43,86% but these had differed from the large gaps (54,96%. The small gaps environment was most favorable for the establishment of most species, except for J.copaia and N. suaveolens whose mortalities had been lesser in the medium-sized gaps, even so has not had significant differences in mortality between the different gap sizes. Mortality varied from 14,5%(S. pruriens in the small gaps to 70,1%(V. americana in large gaps, but S. pruriens showed lesser mortality in all sizes of gap. All species had shown greater mortality in large gaps, with remark for V. americana (70,1%, J. copaia (69,1% and N. suaveolens (58,7%. The mortality are between those finding in literature and for its variability they allow to conclude that if it cannot classify accurately the species in ecological groups only on

Soil properties in old-growth Douglas-fir gaps in the western Cascade Mountains of Oregon

Science.gov (United States)

Robert P. Griffiths; Andrew N. Gray; Thomas A. Spies

2010-01-01

This study had three objectives: (1) to determine if there are correlations between aboveground vegetation and belowground soil properties within large 50-m-diameter gaps, (2) to determine how large gaps influence forest soils compared with nongap soils, and (3) to measure the effects of differently sized gaps on gap soils. Circular canopy gaps were created in old-...

Performance of a Full-Size Small-Strip Thin Gap Chamber Prototype for the ALTAS New Small Wheel Muon Upgrade

CERN Document Server

Weber, Stephen; The ATLAS collaboration

2015-01-01

The instantaneous luminosity of the Large Hadron Collider at CERN will be increased up to a factor of five with respect to the present design value by undergoing an extensive upgrade program over the coming decade. The most important upgrade project for the ATLAS Muon System is the replacement of the present first station in the forward regions with the so-called New Small Wheels (NSWs). The NSWs will be installed during the LHC long shutdown in 2018/19. Small-Strip Thin Gap Chamber (sTGC) detectors are designed to provide fast trigger and high precision muon tracking under the high luminosity LHC conditions. To validate the design, a full-size prototype sTGC detector of approximately 1.2 × 1.0 m^2 consisting of four gaps has been constructed. Each gap provides pad, strip and wire readouts. The sTGC intrinsic spatial resolution has been measured in a 32 GeV pion beam test at Fermilab. At perpendicular incidence angle, single gap position resolutions of about 50 μm have been obtained, uniform along the sTGC ...

Performance of a Full-Size Small-Strip Thin Gap Chamber Prototype for the ATLAS New Small Wheel Muon Upgrade

CERN Document Server

Abusleme, Angel; Bellerive, A.; Benhammou, Y.; Botte, J.; Cohen, H.; Davies, M.; Du, Y.; Gauthier, L.; Koffas, T.; Kuleshov, S.; Lefebvre, B.; Li, C.; Lupu, N.; Mikenberg, G.; Mori, D.; Ochoa-Ricoux, J.P.; Perez Codina, E.; Rettie, S.; Robichaud-Véronneau, A.; Rojas, R.; Shoa, M.; Smakhtin, V.; Stelzer, B.; Stelzer-Chilton, O.; Toro, A.; Torres, H.; Ulloa, P.; Vachon, B.; Vasquez, G.; Vdovin, A.; Viel, S.; Walker, P.; Weber, S.; Zhu, C.

2016-01-01

The instantaneous luminosity of the Large Hadron Collider at CERN will be increased up to a factor of five with respect to the present design value by undergoing an extensive upgrade program over the coming decade. The most important upgrade project for the ATLAS Muon System is the replacement of the present first station in the forward regions with the so-called New Small Wheels (NSWs). The NSWs will be installed during the LHC long shutdown in 2018/19. Small-Strip Thin Gap Chamber (sTGC) detectors are designed to provide fast trigger and high precision muon tracking under the high luminosity LHC conditions. To validate the design, a full-size prototype sTGC detector of approximately 1.2 $\\times$ $1.0\\, \\mathrm{m}^2$ consisting of four gaps has been constructed. Each gap provides pad, strip and wire readouts. The sTGC intrinsic spatial resolution has been measured in a $32\\, \\mathrm{GeV}$ pion beam test at Fermilab. At perpendicular incidence angle, single gap position resolutions of about $50\\,\\mathrm{\\mu m...

[Gaps in effective coverage by socioeconomic status and poverty condition].

Science.gov (United States)

Gutiérrez, Juan Pablo

2013-01-01

To analyze, in the context of increased health protection in Mexico, the gaps by socioeconomic status and poverty condition on effective coverage of selected preventive interventions. Data from the National Health & Nutrition Survey 2012 and 2006, using previously defined indicators of effective coverage and stratifying them by socioeconomic (SE) status and multidimensional poverty condition. For vaccination interventions, immunological equity has been maintained in Mexico. For indicators related to preventive interventions provided at the clinical setting, effective coverage is lower among those in the lowest SE quintile and among people living in multidimensional poverty. Comparing 2006 and 2012, there is no evidence on gap reduction. While health protection has significantly increased in Mexico, thus reducing SE gaps, those gaps are still important in magnitude for effective coverage of preventive interventions.

The effect of roll gap geometry on microstructure in cold-rolled aluminum

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mishin, Oleg; Bay, B.; Winther, G.

2004-01-01

Microstructure and texture are analyzed through the thickness of two aluminum plates cold-rolled 40% with different roll gap geometries. It is found that both texture and microstructure are strongly affected by the rolling geometry. After rolling with intermediate-size draughts a rolling-type tex......Microstructure and texture are analyzed through the thickness of two aluminum plates cold-rolled 40% with different roll gap geometries. It is found that both texture and microstructure are strongly affected by the rolling geometry. After rolling with intermediate-size draughts a rolling...... layers. In these layers, extended planar dislocation boundaries are frequently found to be inclined closely to the rolling direction. The subsurface and central layers of this plate exhibit microstructures similar to those in the plate rolled with intermediate draughts. It is suggested...

Visualizing the effect of dynamin inhibition on annular gap vesicle formation and fission.

Science.gov (United States)

Nickel, Beth; Boller, Marie; Schneider, Kimberly; Shakespeare, Teresa; Gay, Vernon; Murray, Sandra A

2013-06-15

Although gap junction plaque assembly has been extensively studied, mechanisms involved in plaque disassembly are not well understood. Disassembly involves an internalization process in which annular gap junction vesicles are formed. These vesicles undergo fission, but the molecular machinery needed for these fissions has not been described. The mechanoenzyme dynamin has been previously demonstrated to play a role in gap junction plaque internalization. To investigate the role of dynamin in annular gap junction vesicle fission, immunocytochemical, time-lapse and transmission electron microscopy were used to analyze SW-13 adrenocortical cells in culture. Dynamin was demonstrated to colocalize with gap junction plaques and vesicles. Dynamin inhibition, by siRNA knockdown or treatment with the dynamin GTPase inhibitor dynasore, increased the number and size of gap junction 'buds' suspended from the gap junction plaques. Buds, in control populations, were frequently released to form annular gap junction vesicles. In dynamin-inhibited populations, the buds were larger and infrequently released and thus fewer annular gap junction vesicles were formed. In addition, the number of annular gap junction vesicle fissions per hour was reduced in the dynamin-inhibited populations. We believe this to be the first report addressing the details of annular gap junction vesicle fissions and demonstrating a role of dynamin in this process. This information is crucial for elucidating the relationship between gap junctions, membrane regulation and cell behavior.

Optimization of air gap for two-dimensional imaging system using synchrotron radiation

Science.gov (United States)

Zeniya, Tsutomu; Takeda, Tohoru; Yu, Quanwen; Hyodo, Kazuyuki; Yuasa, Tetsuya; Aiyoshi, Yuji; Hiranaka, Yukio; Itai, Yuji; Akatsuka, Takao

2000-11-01

Since synchrotron radiation (SR) has several excellent properties such as high brilliance, broad continuous energy spectrum and small divergence, we can obtain x-ray images with high contrast and high spatial resolution by using of SR. In 2D imaging using SR, air gap method is very effective to reduce the scatter contamination. However, to use air gap method, the geometrical effect of finite source size of SR must be considered because spatial resolution of image is degraded by air gap. For 2D x-ray imaging with SR, x-ray mammography was chosen to examine the effect of air gap method. We theoretically discussed the optimization of air gap distance suing effective scatter point source model proposed by Muntz, and executed experiment with a newly manufactured monochromator with asymmetrical reflection and an imaging plate.

Electrical characteristics and influence of the air-gap size in a trielectrode plasma curtain at atmospheric pressure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sosa, R; Artana, G; Grondona, D; Marquez, A; Kelly, H

2009-01-01

A study of the electrical characteristics of the trielectrode plasma curtain (TPC) discharge is presented. The influence of the air-gap size (for a fixed value of the inter-electrode distance) on the discharge behaviour has been exhaustively studied. The TPC discharge is based on the combination of a dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) with a corona discharge (CD) in a three electrode system, and basically it consists of the 'stretching' of a pure DBD by the action of a negative CD generated between the active electrode of the dielectric barrier and a remote third electrode. It was found that the general trend of the electrical characteristic curves (the average discharge current and the streamer frequency as functions of the AC and DC biasing voltages) was very similar for all the air-gap values considered. Our results indicate that the development of the TPC discharge requires two conditions: (a) the presence of a positive cycle of a well-developed DBD together with a CD where the remote electrode acts as the cathode and (b) a voltage drop between the DBD electrode and the remote electrode high enough to obtain an average electric field in the gap that must exceed a minimum average electric field value in the streamer channel necessary for its propagation across the gap (∼6.3 kV cm -1 in our experimental conditions).

Using Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV to Quantify Spatial Gap Patterns in Forests

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Stephan Getzin

2014-07-01

Full Text Available Gap distributions in forests reflect the spatial impact of man-made tree harvesting or naturally-induced patterns of tree death being caused by windthrow, inter-tree competition, disease or senescence. Gap sizes can vary from large (>100 m2 to small (<10 m2, and they may have contrasting spatial patterns, such as being aggregated or regularly distributed. However, very small gaps cannot easily be recorded with conventional aerial or satellite images, which calls for new and cost-effective methodologies of forest monitoring. Here, we used an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV and very high-resolution images to record the gaps in 10 temperate managed and unmanaged forests in two regions of Germany. All gaps were extracted for 1-ha study plots and subsequently analyzed with spatially-explicit statistics, such as the conventional pair correlation function (PCF, the polygon-based PCF and the mark correlation function. Gap-size frequency was dominated by small gaps of an area <5 m2, which were particularly frequent in unmanaged forests. We found that gap distances showed a variety of patterns. However, the polygon-based PCF was a better descriptor of patterns than the conventional PCF, because it showed randomness or aggregation for cases when the conventional PCF showed small-scale regularity; albeit, the latter was only a mathematical artifact. The mark correlation function revealed that gap areas were in half of the cases negatively correlated and in the other half independent. Negative size correlations may likely be the result of single-tree harvesting or of repeated gap formation, which both lead to nearby small gaps. Here, we emphasize the usefulness of UAV to record forest gaps of a very small size. These small gaps may originate from repeated gap-creating disturbances, and their spatial patterns should be monitored with spatially-explicit statistics at recurring intervals in order to further insights into forest dynamics.

Effect of hydrogenation on the band gap of graphene nano-flakes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tachikawa, Hiroto; Iyama, Tetsuji; Kawabata, Hiroshi

2014-01-01

The effects of hydrogenation on the band gap of graphene have been investigated by means of density functional theory method. It is generally considered that the band gap increases with increasing coverage of hydrogen atom on the graphene. However, the present study shows that the band gap decreases first with increasing hydrogen coverage and reaches the lowest value at finite coverage (γ = 0.3). Next, the band gap increases to that of insulator with coverage from 0.3 to 1.0. This specific feature of the band gap is reasonably explained by broken symmetry model and the decrease of pi-conjugation. The electronic states of hydrogenated graphene are discussed. - Highlights: • Density functional theory calculations were carried out for hydrogen on graphene • Effects of hydrogenation on the band gap of graphene were examined. • The band gap showed a minimum at a finite coverage. • Mechanism of specific band gap feature was discussed

Impact of high-frequency pumping on anomalous finite-size effects in three-dimensional topological insulators

Science.gov (United States)

Pervishko, Anastasiia A.; Yudin, Dmitry; Shelykh, Ivan A.

2018-02-01

Lowering of the thickness of a thin-film three-dimensional topological insulator down to a few nanometers results in the gap opening in the spectrum of topologically protected two-dimensional surface states. This phenomenon, which is referred to as the anomalous finite-size effect, originates from hybridization between the states propagating along the opposite boundaries. In this work, we consider a bismuth-based topological insulator and show how the coupling to an intense high-frequency linearly polarized pumping can further be used to manipulate the value of a gap. We address this effect within recently proposed Brillouin-Wigner perturbation theory that allows us to map a time-dependent problem into a stationary one. Our analysis reveals that both the gap and the components of the group velocity of the surface states can be tuned in a controllable fashion by adjusting the intensity of the driving field within an experimentally accessible range and demonstrate the effect of light-induced band inversion in the spectrum of the surface states for high enough values of the pump.

Dramatic dwindling of the power spectrum of high order harmonics by shrinking of the gap size in bowtie nanostructures

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hosseinzadeh, F.; Batebi, S., E-mail: s-batebi@guilan.ac.ir [University of Guilan, Department of Faculty of Science (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Soofi, M. Q. [Shahid Beheshti University, Laser and Plasma Research Institute (Iran, Islamic Republic of)

2017-03-15

Our work is based on high harmonic generation in a gaseous medium (helium ion), by exploiting gold bowtie nanostructures as laser field amplifiers. As the result of emission of a laser pulse, the wave function of the atom varies with time; so, it is necessary to solve 1D time-dependent Schrödinger equation by means of split operator method. By illumination of a short duration, long wavelength three color laser pulse inside the gap, the enhanced field not only changes with time, but also varies in space. In this work we considered this space inhomogeneity in linear and nonlinear schemes. We show that in nonlinear case, the plateau region is more extended. We also show that in larger gaps, cutoff occurs on higher frequencies. But limitation of electron motion in bowtie nanostructures leads to the choice of an optimum 16 nm gap size in our case. We predict that, by the superposition of supercontinuum harmonics, a 26 attosecond pulse can be generated.

Perfect GMR effect in gapped graphene-based ferromagnetic normal ferromagnetic junctions

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

Hossein Karbaschi; Gholam Reza Rashedi

2015-01-01

We investigate the quantum transport property in gapped graphene-based ferromagnetic/normal/ferromagnetic (FG/NG/FG) junctions by using the Dirac–Bogoliubov–de Gennes equation. The graphene is fabricated on SiC and BN substrates separately, so carriers in FG/NG/FG structures are considered as massive relativistic particles. Transmission prob-ability, charge, and spin conductances are studied as a function of exchange energy of ferromagnets (h), size of graphene gap, and thickness of normal graphene region (L) respectively. Using the experimental values of Fermi energy in the normal graphene part (EFN∼400 meV) and energy gap in graphene (260 meV for SiC and 50 meV for BN substrate), it is shown that this structure can be used for both spin-up and spin-down polarized current. The latter case has different behavior of gapped FG/NG/FG from that of gapless FG/NG/FG structures. Also perfect charge giant magnetoresistance is observed in a range of EFN−mv2F

Does Class-Size Reduction Close the Achievement Gap? Evidence from TIMSS 2011

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Wei; Konstantopoulos, Spyros

2017-01-01

Policies about reducing class size have been implemented in the US and Europe in the past decades. Only a few studies have discussed the effects of class size at different levels of student achievement, and their findings have been mixed. We employ quantile regression analysis, coupled with instrumental variables, to examine the causal effects of…

Excitonic effects and related properties in semiconductor nanostructures: roles of size and dimensionality

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Shudong; Cheng, Liwen; Wang, Qiang

2017-08-01

The size- and dimensionality-dependence of excitonic effects and related properties in semiconductor nanostructures are theoretically studied in detail within the effective-mass approximation. When nanostructure sizes become smaller than the bulk exciton Bohr radius, excitonic effects are significantly enhanced with reducing size or dimensionality. This is as a result of quantum confinement in more directions leading to larger exciton binding energies and normalized exciton oscillator strengths. These excitonic effects originate from electron-hole Coulombic interactions, which strongly enhance the oscillator strength between the electron and hole. It is also established that the universal scaling of exciton binding energy versus the inverse of the exciton Bohr radius follows a linear scaling law. Herein, we propose a stretched exponential law for the size scaling of optical gap, which is in good agreement with the calculated data. Due to differences in the confinement dimensionality, the radiative lifetime of low-dimensional excitons becomes shorter than that of bulk excitons. The size dependence of the exciton radiative lifetimes is in good agreement with available experimental data. This strongly enhanced electron-hole exchange interaction is expected in low-dimensional structures due to enriched excitonic effects. The main difference in nanostructures compared to the bulk can be interpreted in terms of the enhanced excitonic effects induced by exciton localization. The enhanced excitonic effects are expected to be of importance in developing stable and high-efficiency nanoscale excitonic optoelectronic devices.

Distributional and behavioral effects of the gender wage gap

OpenAIRE

Gallego-Granados, Patricia; Geyer, Johannes

2015-01-01

The gender wage gap is a persistent labor market phenomenon. Most research focuses on the determinants of these wage differences. We contribute to this literature by exploring a different research question: if wages of women are systematically lower than male wages, what are the distributional consequences (disposable income) and what are the labor market effects (labor supply) of the wage gap? We demonstrate how the gender gap in gross hourly wages shows up in the distribution of disposable ...

Interactive effects of body-size structure and adaptive foraging on food-web stability.

Science.gov (United States)

Heckmann, Lotta; Drossel, Barbara; Brose, Ulrich; Guill, Christian

2012-03-01

Body-size structure of food webs and adaptive foraging of consumers are two of the dominant concepts of our understanding how natural ecosystems maintain their stability and diversity. The interplay of these two processes, however, is a critically important yet unresolved issue. To fill this gap in our knowledge of ecosystem stability, we investigate dynamic random and niche model food webs to evaluate the proportion of persistent species. We show that stronger body-size structures and faster adaptation stabilise these food webs. Body-size structures yield stabilising configurations of interaction strength distributions across food webs, and adaptive foraging emphasises links to resources closer to the base. Moreover, both mechanisms combined have a cumulative effect. Most importantly, unstructured random webs evolve via adaptive foraging into stable size-structured food webs. This offers a mechanistic explanation of how size structure adaptively emerges in complex food webs, thus building a novel bridge between these two important stabilising mechanisms. © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd/CNRS.

Adaptation Measurement of CAD/CAM Dental Crowns with X-Ray Micro-CT: Metrological Chain Standardization and 3D Gap Size Distribution

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

L. Tapie

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Computer-Aided Design and Manufacturing systems are increasingly used to produce dental prostheses, but the parts produced suffer from a lack of evaluation, especially concerning the internal gap of the final assembly, that is, the space between the prepared tooth and the prosthesis. X-ray micro-Computed Tomography (micro-CT is a noninvasive imaging technique enabling the internal inspection of the assembly. It has proved to be an efficient tool for measuring the gap. In this study, a critical review of the protocols using micro-CT to quantify the gap is proposed as an introduction to a new protocol aimed at minimizing errors and enabling comparison between CAD/CAM systems. To compare different systems, a standardized protocol is proposed including two reference geometries. Micro-CT is used to acquire the reference geometries. A new 3D method is then proposed and a new indicator is defined (Gap Size Distribution (GSD. In addition, the usual 2D measurements are described and discussed. The 3D gap measurement method proposed can be used in clinical case geometries and has the considerable advantage of minimizing the data processing steps before performing the measurements.

Quantum spill-out in few-nanometer metal gaps: Effect on gap plasmons and reflectance from ultrasharp groove arrays

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Skjølstrup, Enok Johannes Haahr; Søndergaard, Thomas; Pedersen, Thomas Garm

2018-01-01

Plasmons in ultranarrow metal gaps are highly sensitive to the electron density profile at the metal surfaces. Using a quantum mechanical approach and assuming local response, we study the effects of electron spill-out on gap plasmons and reflectance from ultrasharp metal grooves.We demonstrate...... the reflectance from arrays of ultrasharp metal grooves. These findings are explained in terms of enhanced gap plasmon absorption taking place inside the gap 1–2 °A from the walls and delocalization near the groove bottom. Reflectance calculations taking spill-out into account are shown to be in much better...

The disengagement of visual attention in the gap paradigm across adolescence.

Science.gov (United States)

Van der Stigchel, S; Hessels, R S; van Elst, J C; Kemner, C

2017-12-01

Attentional disengagement is important for successful interaction with our environment. The efficiency of attentional disengagement is commonly assessed using the gap paradigm. There is, however, a sharp contrast between the number of studies applying the gap paradigm to clinical populations and the knowledge about the underlying developmental trajectory of the gap effect. The aim of the present study was, therefore, to investigate attentional disengagement in a group of children aged 9-15. Besides the typically deployed gap and the overlap conditions, we also added a baseline condition in which the fixation point was removed at the moment that the target appeared. This allowed us to reveal the appropriate experimental conditions to unravel possible developmental differences. Correlational analyses showed that the size of the gap effect became smaller with increasing age, but only for the difference between the gap and the overlap conditions. This shows that there is a gradual increase in the capacity to disengage visual attention with increasing age, but that this effect only becomes apparent when the gap and the overlap conditions are compared. The gradual decrease of the gap effect with increasing age provides additional evidence that the attentional system becomes more efficient with increasing age and that this is a gradual process.

Influence of removal of invisible fixation on the saccadic and manual gap effect.

Science.gov (United States)

Ueda, Hiroshi; Takahashi, Kohske; Watanabe, Katsumi

2014-01-01

Saccadic and manual reactions to a peripherally presented target are facilitated by removing a central fixation stimulus shortly before a target onset (the gap effect). The present study examined the effects of removal of a visible and invisible fixation point on the saccadic gap effect and the manual gap effect. Participants were required to fixate a central fixation point and respond to a peripherally presented target as quickly and accurately as possible by making a saccade (Experiment 1) or pressing a corresponding key (Experiment 2). The fixation point was dichoptically presented, and visibility was manipulated by using binocular rivalry and continuous flash suppression technique. In both saccade and key-press tasks, removing the visible fixation strongly quickened the responses. Furthermore, the invisible fixation, which remained on the display but suppressed, significantly delayed the saccadic response. Contrarily, the invisible fixation had no effect on the manual task. These results indicate that partially different processes mediate the saccadic gap effect and the manual gap effect. In particular, unconscious processes might modulate an oculomotor-specific component of the saccadic gap effect, presumably via subcortical mechanisms.

On the Feasibility of Gap Detection of Power Transformer Partial Discharge UHF Signals: Gap Propagation Characteristics of Electromagnetic Waves

OpenAIRE

Xiaoxing Zhang; Guozhi Zhang; Yalong Li; Jian Zhang; Rui Huang

2017-01-01

This study analyzed the transformer electromagnetic gap propagation characteristics. The influence of gap size is also analyzed, and the results experimentally verified. The obtained results indicated that the gap propagation characteristics of electromagnetic wave signals radiated by the partial discharge (PD) source in different directions are substantially different. The intensity of the electromagnetic wave in the gap reaches a maximum at a gap height of 1 cm; and inside the gap, the inte...

Effect of eddy current damping on phononic band gaps generated by locally resonant periodic structures

Science.gov (United States)

Ozkaya, Efe; Yilmaz, Cetin

2017-02-01

The effect of eddy current damping on a novel locally resonant periodic structure is investigated. The frequency response characteristics are obtained by using a lumped parameter and a finite element model. In order to obtain wide band gaps at low frequencies, the periodic structure is optimized according to certain constraints, such as mass distribution in the unit cell, lower limit of the band gap, stiffness between the components in the unit cell, the size of magnets used for eddy current damping, and the number of unit cells in the periodic structure. Then, the locally resonant periodic structure with eddy current damping is manufactured and its experimental frequency response is obtained. The frequency response results obtained analytically, numerically and experimentally match quite well. The inclusion of eddy current damping to the periodic structure decreases amplitudes of resonance peaks without disturbing stop band width.

Chalcogenophene comonomer comparison in small band gap diketopyrrolopyrrole-based conjugated polymers for high-performing field-effect transistors and organic solar cells

KAUST Repository

Ashraf, Raja Shahid

2015-01-28

The design, synthesis, and characterization of a series of diketopyrrolopyrrole-based copolymers with different chalcogenophene comonomers (thiophene, selenophene, and tellurophene) for use in field-effect transistors and organic photovoltaic devices are reported. The effect of the heteroatom substitution on the optical, electrochemical, and photovoltaic properties and charge carrier mobilities of these polymers is discussed. The results indicate that by increasing the size of the chalcogen atom (S < Se < Te), polymer band gaps are narrowed mainly due to LUMO energy level stabilization. In addition, the larger heteroatomic size also increases intermolecular heteroatom-heteroatom interactions facilitating the formation of polymer aggregates leading to enhanced field-effect mobilities of 1.6 cm2/(V s). Bulk heterojunction solar cells based on the chalcogenophene polymer series blended with fullerene derivatives show good photovoltaic properties, with power conversion efficiencies ranging from 7.1-8.8%. A high photoresponse in the near-infrared (NIR) region with excellent photocurrents above 20 mA cm-2 was achieved for all polymers, making these highly efficient low band gap polymers promising candidates for use in tandem solar cells. (Graph Presented).

"Narrowing the transmission gap: A synthesis of three decades of research on intergenerational transmission of attachment": Correction.

Science.gov (United States)

2018-04-01

Reports an error in "Narrowing the transmission gap: A synthesis of three decades of research on intergenerational transmission of attachment" by Marije L. Verhage, Carlo Schuengel, Sheri Madigan, R. M. Pasco Fearon, Mirjam Oosterman, Rosalinda Cassibba, Marian J. Bakermans-Kranenburg and Marinus H. van IJzendoorn ( Psychological Bulletin , 2016[Apr], Vol 142[4], 337-366). In the article, there are errors in Table 7. The percentages of the attachment classifications do not add up to 100%. The corrected version of Table 7 is provided in the erratum. (The following abstract of the original article appeared in record 2015-55801-001.) Twenty years ago, meta-analytic results (k = 19) confirmed the association between caregiver attachment representations and child-caregiver attachment (Van IJzendoorn, 1995). A test of caregiver sensitivity as the mechanism behind this intergenerational transmission showed an intriguing "transmission gap." Since then, the intergenerational transmission of attachment and the transmission gap have been studied extensively, and now extend to diverse populations from all over the globe. Two decades later, the current review revisited the effect sizes of intergenerational transmission, the heterogeneity of the transmission effects, and the size of the transmission gap. Analyses were carried out with a total of 95 samples (total N = 4,819). All analyses confirmed intergenerational transmission of attachment, with larger effect sizes for secure-autonomous transmission (r = .31) than for unresolved transmission (r = .21), albeit with significantly smaller effect sizes than 2 decades earlier (r = .47 and r = .31, respectively). Effect sizes were moderated by risk status of the sample, biological relatedness of child-caregiver dyads, and age of the children. Multivariate moderator analyses showed that unpublished and more recent studies had smaller effect sizes than published and older studies. Path analyses showed that the transmission could not

Effect of Guide Vane Clearance Gap on Francis Turbine Performance

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ravi Koirala

2016-04-01

Full Text Available Francis turbine guide vanes have pivoted support with external control mechanism, for conversion of pressure to kinetic energy and to direct them to runner vanes. This movement along the support is dependent on variation of load and flow (operating conditions. Small clearance gaps between facing plates and the upper and lower guide vane tips are available to aid this movement, through which leakage flow occurs. This secondary flow disturbs the main flow stream, resulting performance loss. Additionally, these increased horseshoe vortex, in presence of sand, when crosses through the gaps, both the surfaces are eroded. This causes further serious effect on performance and structural property by increasing gaps. This paper discusses the observation of the severity in hydropower plants and effect of clearance gaps on general performance of the Francis turbine through computational methods. It also relates the primary result with the empirical relation for leakage flow prediction. Additionally, a possible method to computationally estimate thickness depletion has also been presented. With increasing clearance gap, leakage increases, which lowers energy conversion and turbine efficiency along with larger secondary vortex.

Effects of Lithium Dopant on Size and Morphology of Magnesium Oxide Nano powders

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mohd Sufri Mastuli; Siti Nur Hazlinda Hasbu; Noraziahwati Ibrahim; Mohd Azizi Nawawi; Mohd Sufri Mastuli

2014-01-01

Lithium doped of magnesium oxide powders have been synthesized using the sol-gel method with magnesium acetate tetrahydrate, oxalic acid dihydrate and lithium acetate dihydrate used as the starting materials. The dried sol-gel products were calcined at 950 degree Celsius for 36 h to form the Li doped-MgO samples. The calcined samples were characterized using X-Ray diffraction (XRD) and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM). The present work is investigated the effect of lithium ion on the band gap energy of studied samples. The band gap energies were obtained from a Tauc plot that drawn based on absorption edge of each sample that measured using a UV-Vis spectrophotometer. It is found that the doped and undoped MgO samples showed a slightly different in their band gap energies. The lithium ion that present in the MgO as a dopant affects the crystallite size and morphology of the final products. Our study shows that the lithium dopant can modified optical properties of the metal oxide which to be beneficial in some industrial applications. (author)

FDTD simulation study of size/gap and substrate-dependent SERS activity study of Au@SiO2 nanoparticles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yang Jing-Liang; Li Ruo-Ping; Han Jun-He; Huang Ming-Ju

2016-01-01

We use Au@SiO 2 nanoparticles (NPs) to systematically and comprehensively study the relationship between nanostructure and activity for surface-enhanced Raman scattering. Calculation simulation using the finite different time domain method verifies the experiment results and further reveals that the particle size and the distance between the NPs play vital roles in the surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS). Furthermore, in order to better simulate the real experiment, a Au@SiO 2 nanosphere dimer is placed on the silicon substrate and Au substrate, separately. The simulation results show that the large EM field coupling is due to the “hot spots” transferred from the NP–NP gaps to NP–surface of metal gaps, meanwhile, more “hot spots” occur. We also find that the signal intensity strongly depends on the position of the probe molecule. This work provides a better understanding of EM field enhancement. (paper)

Tensile-strain effect of inducing the indirect-to-direct band-gap transition and reducing the band-gap energy of Ge

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Inaoka, Takeshi, E-mail: inaoka@phys.u-ryukyu.ac.jp; Furukawa, Takuro; Toma, Ryo; Yanagisawa, Susumu [Department of Physics and Earth Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of the Ryukyus, 1 Senbaru, Nishihara, Okinawa 903-0213 (Japan)

2015-09-14

By means of a hybrid density-functional method, we investigate the tensile-strain effect of inducing the indirect-to-direct band-gap transition and reducing the band-gap energy of Ge. We consider [001], [111], and [110] uniaxial tensility and (001), (111), and (110) biaxial tensility. Under the condition of no normal stress, we determine both normal compression and internal strain, namely, relative displacement of two atoms in the primitive unit cell, by minimizing the total energy. We identify those strain types which can induce the band-gap transition, and evaluate the critical strain coefficient where the gap transition occurs. Either normal compression or internal strain operates unfavorably to induce the gap transition, which raises the critical strain coefficient or even blocks the transition. We also examine how each type of tensile strain decreases the band-gap energy, depending on its orientation. Our analysis clearly shows that synergistic operation of strain orientation and band anisotropy has a great influence on the gap transition and the gap energy.

Experimental study on in-vessel debris coolability during severe accident - Experimental and analytical model study on gap cooling in gap

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chang, Soon Heung; Baek, Won Pil; Yang, Soo Hyung; Kim, Soo Hyoung; Lee, Yong Ho; Chung, Yong Hun [Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Taejon (Korea)

1999-04-01

To understand the flooding and mechanism in gap geometry, research was conducted. Final objectives of research are as follows: 1) Literature survey of the flooding and heat transfer mechanism in gap geometry 2) Performing CHF experiments using bottom closed rectangular channels test section 3) Development of flooding correlation using flooding data 4) Derive instability wave length in narrow gap. The major results of research are as follows: 1) Gap size and span of channel are important parameter for flooding. 2) Kutateladze number used for analysing flooding data, is appropriate to the analysis of the flooding using non-circular narrow gap channel. 3) Flooding correlation was developed using collected flooding data and it predicts flooding data lower than 10%. 4) CHF correlation derived from developed flooding collreation overpredict CHF. 5) Instability wave length is increased as gap size is decreased. 26 refs., 46 figs., 2 tabs. (Author)

A review of the findings and theories on surface size effects on visual attention.

Science.gov (United States)

Peschel, Anne O; Orquin, Jacob L

2013-12-09

That surface size has an impact on attention has been well-known in advertising research for almost a century; however, theoretical accounts of this effect have been sparse. To address this issue, we review studies on surface size effects on eye movements in this paper. While most studies find that large objects are more likely to be fixated, receive more fixations, and are fixated faster than small objects, a comprehensive explanation of this effect is still lacking. To bridge the theoretical gap, we relate the findings from this review to three theories of surface size effects suggested in the literature: a linear model based on the assumption of random fixations (Lohse, 1997), a theory of surface size as visual saliency (Pieters etal., 2007), and a theory based on competition for attention (CA; Janiszewski, 1998). We furthermore suggest a fourth model - demand for attention - which we derive from the theory of CA by revising the underlying model assumptions. In order to test the models against each other, we reanalyze data from an eye tracking study investigating surface size and saliency effects on attention. The reanalysis revealed little support for the first three theories while the demand for attention model showed a much better alignment with the data. We conclude that surface size effects may best be explained as an increase in object signal strength which depends on object size, number of objects in the visual scene, and object distance to the center of the scene. Our findings suggest that advertisers should take into account how objects in the visual scene interact in order to optimize attention to, for instance, brands and logos.

Modeling pedestrian gap crossing index under mixed traffic condition.

Science.gov (United States)

Naser, Mohamed M; Zulkiple, Adnan; Al Bargi, Walid A; Khalifa, Nasradeen A; Daniel, Basil David

2017-12-01

There are a variety of challenges faced by pedestrians when they walk along and attempt to cross a road, as the most recorded accidents occur during this time. Pedestrians of all types, including both sexes with numerous aging groups, are always subjected to risk and are characterized as the most exposed road users. The increased demand for better traffic management strategies to reduce the risks at intersections, improve quality traffic management, traffic volume, and longer cycle time has further increased concerns over the past decade. This paper aims to develop a sustainable pedestrian gap crossing index model based on traffic flow density. It focusses on the gaps accepted by pedestrians and their decision for street crossing, where (Log-Gap) logarithm of accepted gaps was used to optimize the result of a model for gap crossing behavior. Through a review of extant literature, 15 influential variables were extracted for further empirical analysis. Subsequently, data from the observation at an uncontrolled mid-block in Jalan Ampang in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia was gathered and Multiple Linear Regression (MLR) and Binary Logit Model (BLM) techniques were employed to analyze the results. From the results, different pedestrian behavioral characteristics were considered for a minimum gap size model, out of which only a few (four) variables could explain the pedestrian road crossing behavior while the remaining variables have an insignificant effect. Among the different variables, age, rolling gap, vehicle type, and crossing were the most influential variables. The study concludes that pedestrians' decision to cross the street depends on the pedestrian age, rolling gap, vehicle type, and size of traffic gap before crossing. The inferences from these models will be useful to increase pedestrian safety and performance evaluation of uncontrolled midblock road crossings in developing countries. Copyright © 2017 National Safety Council and Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Do Small Canopy Gaps Created by Japanese Black Bears Facilitate Fruiting of Fleshy-Fruited Plants?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kazuaki Takahashi

Full Text Available Japanese black bears often break branches when climbing trees and feeding on fruit in canopies, thereby creating small canopy gaps. However, the role of black bear-created canopy gaps has not been evaluated in the context of multiple forest dynamics. Our hypothesis was that small canopy gaps created by black bears improve light conditions, which facilitates fruiting of adult fleshy-fruited plants located beneath the gaps, and also that this chain interaction depends on interactions among the size of gaps, improved light conditions, forest layers, and life form of plants. The rPPFD, size of black bear-created canopy gaps, and fruiting/non-fruiting of fleshy-fruited plants were investigated in five forest layers beneath black-bear-created canopy gaps and closed canopies of Mongolian oak (Quercus crispula. We found that light conditions improved beneath black bear-disturbed trees with canopy gaps of large size, and the effect of improvement of light conditions was reduced with descending forest layers. Fruiting of fleshy-fruited plants, especially woody lianas and trees, was facilitated by the improvement of light conditions accompanied by an increase in the size of black-bear-created gaps. Data from this study revealed that canopy disturbance by black bears was key for improving light conditions and accelerating fruiting of fleshy-fruited trees and woody lianas in the canopy layers in particular. Therefore, our hypothesis was mostly supported. Our results provide evidence that Japanese black bears have high potential as ecosystem engineers that increase the availability of resources (light and fruit in this study to other species by causing physical state changes in biotic materials (branches of Q. crispula in this study.

Do Small Canopy Gaps Created by Japanese Black Bears Facilitate Fruiting of Fleshy-Fruited Plants?

Science.gov (United States)

Takahashi, Kazuaki; Takahashi, Kaori; Washitani, Izumi

2015-01-01

Japanese black bears often break branches when climbing trees and feeding on fruit in canopies, thereby creating small canopy gaps. However, the role of black bear-created canopy gaps has not been evaluated in the context of multiple forest dynamics. Our hypothesis was that small canopy gaps created by black bears improve light conditions, which facilitates fruiting of adult fleshy-fruited plants located beneath the gaps, and also that this chain interaction depends on interactions among the size of gaps, improved light conditions, forest layers, and life form of plants. The rPPFD, size of black bear-created canopy gaps, and fruiting/non-fruiting of fleshy-fruited plants were investigated in five forest layers beneath black-bear-created canopy gaps and closed canopies of Mongolian oak (Quercus crispula). We found that light conditions improved beneath black bear-disturbed trees with canopy gaps of large size, and the effect of improvement of light conditions was reduced with descending forest layers. Fruiting of fleshy-fruited plants, especially woody lianas and trees, was facilitated by the improvement of light conditions accompanied by an increase in the size of black-bear-created gaps. Data from this study revealed that canopy disturbance by black bears was key for improving light conditions and accelerating fruiting of fleshy-fruited trees and woody lianas in the canopy layers in particular. Therefore, our hypothesis was mostly supported. Our results provide evidence that Japanese black bears have high potential as ecosystem engineers that increase the availability of resources (light and fruit in this study) to other species by causing physical state changes in biotic materials (branches of Q. crispula in this study).

Spectral Gaps in Graphene Antidot Lattices

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Barbaroux, Jean-Marie; Cornean, Decebal Horia; Stockmeyer, Edgardo

2017-01-01

We consider the gap creation problem in an antidot graphene lattice, i.e. a sheet of graphene with periodically distributed obstacles. We prove several spectral results concerning the size of the gap and its dependence on different natural parameters related to the antidot lattice....

Finite size effects for giant magnons on physical strings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Minahan, J.A.; Ohlsson Sax, O.

2008-01-01

Using finite gap methods, we find the leading order finite size corrections for an arbitrary number of giant magnons on physical strings, where the sum of the momenta is a multiple of 2π. Our results are valid for the Hofman-Maldacena fundamental giant magnons as well as their dyonic generalizations. The energy corrections turn out to be surprisingly simple, especially if all the magnons are fundamental, and at leading order are independent of the magnon flavors. We also show how to use the Bethe ansatz to find finite size corrections for dyonic giant magnons with large R-charges

Effects of Calcination Holding Time on Properties of Wide Band Gap Willemite Semiconductor Nanoparticles by the Polymer Thermal Treatment Method

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ibrahim Mustapha Alibe

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Willemite is a wide band gap semiconductor used in modern day technology for optoelectronics application. In this study, a new simple technique with less energy consumption is proposed. Willemite nanoparticles (NPs were produced via a water–based solution consisting of a metallic precursor, polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP, and underwent a calcination process at 900 °C for several holding times between 1–4 h. The FT–IR and Raman spectra indicated the presence of metal oxide bands as well as the effective removal of PVP. The degree of the crystallization and formation of the NPs were determined by XRD. The mean crystallite size of the NPs was between 18.23–27.40 nm. The morphology, particle shape and size distribution were viewed with HR-TEM and FESEM analysis. The willemite NPs aggregate from the smaller to larger particles with an increase in calcination holding time from 1–4 h with the sizes ranging between 19.74–29.71 nm. The energy values obtained from the experimental band gap decreased with increasing the holding time over the range of 5.39 eV at 1 h to at 5.27 at 4 h. These values match well with band gap obtained from the Mott and Davis model for direct transition. The findings in this study are very promising and can justify the use of these novel materials as a potential candidate for green luminescent optoelectronic applications.

Equity gap? - Which equity gap? On the financing structure of Germany's Mittelstand

OpenAIRE

Bannier, Christina E.; Grote, Michael H.

2008-01-01

This paper examines the financing structure of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Germany and questions whether an equity gap - or, more generally, a financing gap -exists. Reviewing the literature and available data sources, we find that financing constraints seem to affect, if at all, only a very small subgroup among highly growth-oriented firms. We do not detect any structural problems in average SME's capital structure. Rather, German Mittelstand firms appear to be non-growth or...

The pack size effect: Influence on consumer perceptions of portion sizes

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hieke, Sophie; Palascha, Aikaterini; Jola, Corinne; Wills, Josephine; Raats, Monique M.

2016-01-01

Larger portions as well as larger packs can lead to larger prospective consumption estimates, larger servings and increased consumption, described as 'portion-size effects' and 'pack size effects'. Although related, the effects of pack sizes on portion estimates have received less attention. While

Wind energy availability above gaps in a forest

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sogachev, Andrey; Mann, Jakob; Dellwik, Ebba

2009-01-01

installation strategies. The canopy-planetary boundary-layer model SCADIS is used to investigate the effect of forest gap size (within the diameter range of 3 - 75 tree heights, h) on wind energy related variables. A wind turbine was assumed with following features: the hub height and rotor diameter of 3.5h...... were estimated from modelled data. The results show that the effect of the forest gaps with diameters smaller than 55h on wind energy captured by the assumed wind turbine and located in the centre of round low-roughness gap is practically insignificant. The high level of spatial variation of considered......There is a lack of data on availability of wind energy above a forest disturbed by clear-cuts, where a wind energy developer may find an opportunity to install a wind farm. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) models can provide spatial patterns of wind and turbulence, and help to develop optimal...

Finite-size effects in the three-state quantum asymmetric clock model

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gehlen, G. v.; Rittenberg, V.

1983-04-01

The one-dimensional quantum Hamiltonian of the asymmetric three-state clock model is studied using finite-size scaling. Various boundary conditions are considered on chains containing up to eight sites. We calculate the boundary of the commensurate phase and the mass gap index. The model shows an interesting finite-size dependence in connexion with the presence of the incommensurate phase indicating that for the infinite system there is no Lifshitz point. (orig.)

Development of Multidimensional Gap Conductance model using Virtual Link Gap Element

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, Hyo Chan; Yang, Yong Sik; Kim, Dae Ho; Bang, Je Geon; Kim, Sun Ki; Koo, Yang Hyun [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2013-10-15

The gap conductance that determines temperature gradient between pellet and cladding can be quite sensitive to gap thickness. For instance, once the gap size increases up to several micrometers in certain region, difference of pellet surface temperatures increases up to 100 Kelvin. Therefore, iterative thermo-mechanical coupled analysis is required to solve temperature distribution throughout pellet and cladding. Recently, multidimensional fuel performance codes have been being developed in the advanced countries to evaluate thermal behavior of fuel for off normal conditions and DBA(design based accident) conditions using the Finite Element Method (FEM). FRAPCON-FRAPTRAN code system, which is well known as the verified and reliable code, incorporates 1D thermal module and multidimensional mechanical module. In this code, multidimensional gap conductance model is not applied. ALCYONE developed by CEA introduces equivalent heat convection coefficient that represents multidimensional gap conductance as a function of gap thickness. BISON, which is multidimensional fuel performance code developed by INL, owns multidimensional gap conductance model using projected thermal contact. In general, thermal contact algorithm is nonlinear calculation which is expensive approach numerically. The gap conductance model for multi-dimension is difficult issue in terms of convergence and nonlinearity because gap conductance is function of gap thickness which depends on mechanical analysis at each iteration step. In this paper, virtual link gap (VLG) element has been proposed to resolve convergence issue and nonlinear characteristic of multidimensional gap conductance. In terms of calculation accuracy and convergence efficiency, the proposed VLG model was evaluated. LWR fuel performance codes should incorporate thermo-mechanical loop to solve gap conductance problem, iteratively. However, gap conductance in multidimensional model is difficult issue owing to its nonlinearity and

Optical properties of a two-gap buncher

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kleeven, W.J.G.M.; Gelbart, W.; Sura, J.

1992-01-01

Transit time effects in a buncher become important if the transverse beam size is comparable to βλ, i.e. the distance travelled by the beam during one rf period. Particles at the edge of the beam will experience a transit time factor which is considerably larger than on axis. This is a transverse-longitudinal coupling which reduces the bunching efficiency. A semianalytical calculation is made of the properties of a two-gap buncher. Electric fields are calculated analytically. These are used to calculate transit time factors, bunching efficiency and radial deflection at the buncher gaps. Furthermore, a general formula is derived for the transverse emittance growth in a buncher due to phase mixing and due to aberrations. (orig.)

Mechanics of Fluid-Filled Interstitial Gaps. I. Modeling Gaps in a Compact Tissue.

Science.gov (United States)

Parent, Serge E; Barua, Debanjan; Winklbauer, Rudolf

2017-08-22

Fluid-filled interstitial gaps are a common feature of compact tissues held together by cell-cell adhesion. Although such gaps can in principle be the result of weak, incomplete cell attachment, adhesion is usually too strong for this to occur. Using a mechanical model of tissue cohesion, we show that, instead, a combination of local prevention of cell adhesion at three-cell junctions by fluidlike extracellular material and a reduction of cortical tension at the gap surface are sufficient to generate stable gaps. The size and shape of these interstitial gaps depends on the mechanical tensions between cells and at gap surfaces, and on the difference between intracellular and interstitial pressures that is related to the volume of the interstitial fluid. As a consequence of the dependence on tension/tension ratios, the presence of gaps does not depend on the absolute strength of cell adhesion, and similar gaps are predicted to occur in tissues of widely differing cohesion. Tissue mechanical parameters can also vary within and between cells of a given tissue, generating asymmetrical gaps. Within limits, these can be approximated by symmetrical gaps. Copyright © 2017 Biophysical Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Hit size effectiveness in relation to the microdosimetric site size

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Varma, M.N.; Wuu, C.S.; Zaider, M.

1994-01-01

This paper examines the effect of site size (that is, the diameter of the microdosimetric volume) on the hit size effectiveness function (HSEF), q(y), for several endpoints relevant in radiation protection. A Bayesian and maximum entropy approach is used to solve the integral equations that determine, given microdosimetric spectra and measured initial slopes, the function q(y). All microdosimetric spectra have been calculated de novo. The somewhat surprising conclusion of this analysis is that site size plays only a minor role in selecting the hit size effectiveness function q(y). It thus appears that practical means (e.g. conventional proportional counters) are already at hand to actually implement the HSEF as a radiation protection tool. (Author)

Characterizing the Variable Dust Permeability of Planet-induced Gaps

Science.gov (United States)

Weber, Philipp; Benítez-Llambay, Pablo; Gressel, Oliver; Krapp, Leonardo; Pessah, Martin E.

2018-02-01

Aerodynamic theory predicts that dust grains in protoplanetary disks will drift radially inward on comparatively short timescales. In this context, it has long been known that the presence of a gap opened by a planet can significantly alter the dust dynamics. In this paper, we carry out a systematic study employing long-term numerical simulations aimed at characterizing the critical particle size for retention outside a gap as a function of particle size, as well as various key parameters defining the protoplanetary disk model. To this end, we perform multifluid hydrodynamical simulations in two dimensions, including different dust species, which we treat as pressureless fluids. We initialize the dust outside of the planet’s orbit and study under which conditions dust grains are able to cross the gap carved by the planet. In agreement with previous work, we find that the permeability of the gap depends both on dust dynamical properties and the gas disk structure: while small dust follows the viscously accreting gas through the gap, dust grains approaching a critical size are progressively filtered out. Moreover, we introduce and compute a depletion factor that enables us to quantify the way in which higher viscosity, smaller planet mass, or a more massive disk can shift this critical size to larger values. Our results indicate that gap-opening planets may act to deplete the inner reaches of protoplanetary disks of large dust grains—potentially limiting the accretion of solids onto forming terrestrial planets.

Modeling and analysis of mover gaps in tubular moving-magnet linear oscillating motors

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xuesong LUO

2018-05-01

Full Text Available A tubular moving-magnet linear oscillating motor (TMMLOM has merits of high efficiency and excellent dynamic capability. To enhance the thrust performance, quasi-Halbach permanent magnet (PM arrays are arranged on its mover in the application of a linear electro-hydrostatic actuator in more electric aircraft. The arrays are assembled by several individual segments, which lead to gaps between them inevitably. To investigate the effects of the gaps on the radial magnetic flux density and the machine thrust in this paper, an analytical model is built considering both axial and radial gaps. The model is validated by finite element simulations and experimental results. Distributions of the magnetic flux are described in condition of different sizes of radial and axial gaps. Besides, the output force is also discussed in normal and end windings. Finally, the model has demonstrated that both kinds of gaps have a negative effect on the thrust, and the linear motor is more sensitive to radial ones. Keywords: Air-gap flux density, Linear motor, Mover gaps, Quasi-Halbach array, Thrust output, Tubular moving-magnet linear oscillating motor (TMMLOM

Design Tool for Liquid-Nitrogen Gaps in Superconducting Apparatus

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pace, Marshall O.; Sauers, Isidor; James, David Randy; Tuncer, Enis; Polyzos, Georgios

2011-01-01

For designers of high temperature superconducting equipment with liquid nitrogen as a dielectric, an expedient universal curve is sought that provides breakdown strength for a specified class of electrode shapes, with any practical sizes of electrodes and gap; thus the universal curve fills in missing experimental data. Universal breakdown strength curves at pressures of or slightly above 100 kPa, are being developed for AC, DC or impulse stress for the class with sphere-sphere, plane-plane and sphere-plane gaps, with three independent parameters: the size of each electrode and gap. A user can normalize his parameters and find the corresponding breakdown strength, even though no data were available for his exact dimensions. For AC and DC stresses the geometrical effects of stressed area/volume are incorporated from most published AC and DC experimental data of the last 50 years, by plotting breakdown field versus new geometrical quantities, such that all data fall approximately on or near one normalized universal curve. This avoids the usual difficult task of calculating stressed area and volume effects on the breakdown values for the graph ordinate. For impulse stress a more traditional plot suffices to produce a universal curve. This suggests that area/volume effects might not be so important with impulse stress. If the method proves reliable, it may be possible to determine design parameters for a broad range of geometries, help unify seemingly disparate breakdown data in the literature, and provide easily used, practical guidance for designers.

Effects of dynamical paths on the energy gap and the corrections to the free energy in path integrals of mean-field quantum spin systems

Science.gov (United States)

Koh, Yang Wei

2018-03-01

In current studies of mean-field quantum spin systems, much attention is placed on the calculation of the ground-state energy and the excitation gap, especially the latter, which plays an important role in quantum annealing. In pure systems, the finite gap can be obtained by various existing methods such as the Holstein-Primakoff transform, while the tunneling splitting at first-order phase transitions has also been studied in detail using instantons in many previous works. In disordered systems, however, it remains challenging to compute the gap of large-size systems with specific realization of disorder. Hitherto, only quantum Monte Carlo techniques are practical for such studies. Recently, Knysh [Nature Comm. 7, 12370 (2016), 10.1038/ncomms12370] proposed a method where the exponentially large dimensionality of such systems is condensed onto a random potential of much lower dimension, enabling efficient study of such systems. Here we propose a slightly different approach, building upon the method of static approximation of the partition function widely used for analyzing mean-field models. Quantum effects giving rise to the excitation gap and nonextensive corrections to the free energy are accounted for by incorporating dynamical paths into the path integral. The time-dependence of the trace of the time-ordered exponential of the effective Hamiltonian is calculated by solving a differential equation perturbatively, yielding a finite-size series expansion of the path integral. Formulae for the first excited-state energy are proposed to aid in computing the gap. We illustrate our approach using the infinite-range ferromagnetic Ising model and the Hopfield model, both in the presence of a transverse field.

Gap Dependent Bifurcation Behavior of a Nano-Beam Subjected to a Nonlinear Electrostatic Pressure

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mohammad Fathalilou

Full Text Available This paper presents a study on the gap dependent bifurcation behavior of an electro statically-actuated nano-beam. The sizedependent behavior of the beam was taken into account by applying the couple stress theory. Two small and large gap distance regimes have been considered in which the intermolecular vdW and Casimir forces are dominant, respectively. It has been shown that changing the gap size can affect the fundamental frequency of the beam. The bifurcation diagrams for small gap distance revealed that by changing the gap size, the number and type of the fixed points can change. However, for large gap regime, where the Casimir force is the dominant intermolecular force, changing the gap size does not affect the quality of the bifurcation behavior.

Trends in China’s gender employment and pay gap: estimating gender pay gaps with employment selection

OpenAIRE

Chi, Wei; Li, Bo

2012-01-01

In contrast to the United States and European countries, China has witnessed a widening gender pay gap in the past two decades. Nevertheless, the size of the gender pay gap could still be underestimated as a result of not accounting for the low-wage women who have dropped out of the labor force. As shown by a large and representative set of household survey data in China, since the 1980s the female employment rate has been falling and the gap between male and female employment rates has been ...

Gender gap on concept inventories in physics: What is consistent, what is inconsistent, and what factors influence the gap?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Adrian Madsen

2013-11-01

Full Text Available We review the literature on the gender gap on concept inventories in physics. Across studies of the most commonly used mechanics concept inventories, the Force Concept Inventory and Force and Motion Conceptual Evaluation, men’s average pretest scores are always higher than women’s, and in most cases men’s posttest scores are higher as well. The weighted average gender difference on these tests is 13% for pretest scores, 12% for posttest scores, and 6% for normalized gain. This difference is much smaller than the average difference in normalized gain between traditional lecture and interactive engagement (25%, but it is large enough that it could impact the results of studies comparing the effectiveness of different teaching methods. There is sometimes a gender gap on commonly used electricity and magnetism concept inventories, the Brief Electricity and Magnetism Assessment and Conceptual Survey of Electricity and Magnetism, but it is usually much smaller and sometimes is zero or favors women. The weighted average gender difference on these tests is 3.7% for pretest scores, 8.5% for posttest scores, and 6% for normalized gain. There are far fewer studies of the gender gap on electricity and magnetism concept inventories and much more variation in the existing studies. Based on our analysis of 26 published articles comparing the impact of 30 factors that could potentially influence the gender gap, no single factor is sufficient to explain the gap. Several high-profile studies that have claimed to account for or reduce the gender gap have failed to be replicated in subsequent studies, suggesting that isolated claims of explanations of the gender gap should be interpreted with caution. For example, claims that the gender gap could be eliminated through interactive engagement teaching methods or through a “values affirmation writing exercise” were not supported by subsequent studies. Suggestions that the gender gap might be reduced by

Gender gap on concept inventories in physics: What is consistent, what is inconsistent, and what factors influence the gap?

Science.gov (United States)

Madsen, Adrian; McKagan, Sarah B.; Sayre, Eleanor C.

2013-12-01

We review the literature on the gender gap on concept inventories in physics. Across studies of the most commonly used mechanics concept inventories, the Force Concept Inventory and Force and Motion Conceptual Evaluation, men’s average pretest scores are always higher than women’s, and in most cases men’s posttest scores are higher as well. The weighted average gender difference on these tests is 13% for pretest scores, 12% for posttest scores, and 6% for normalized gain. This difference is much smaller than the average difference in normalized gain between traditional lecture and interactive engagement (25%), but it is large enough that it could impact the results of studies comparing the effectiveness of different teaching methods. There is sometimes a gender gap on commonly used electricity and magnetism concept inventories, the Brief Electricity and Magnetism Assessment and Conceptual Survey of Electricity and Magnetism, but it is usually much smaller and sometimes is zero or favors women. The weighted average gender difference on these tests is 3.7% for pretest scores, 8.5% for posttest scores, and 6% for normalized gain. There are far fewer studies of the gender gap on electricity and magnetism concept inventories and much more variation in the existing studies. Based on our analysis of 26 published articles comparing the impact of 30 factors that could potentially influence the gender gap, no single factor is sufficient to explain the gap. Several high-profile studies that have claimed to account for or reduce the gender gap have failed to be replicated in subsequent studies, suggesting that isolated claims of explanations of the gender gap should be interpreted with caution. For example, claims that the gender gap could be eliminated through interactive engagement teaching methods or through a “values affirmation writing exercise” were not supported by subsequent studies. Suggestions that the gender gap might be reduced by changing the wording of

Modeling Plasma Formation in a Micro-gap at Microwave Frequency

Science.gov (United States)

Bowman, Arthur; Remillard, Stephen

2013-03-01

In the presence of a strong electric field, gas molecules become ionized, forming a plasma. The study of this dielectric breakdown at microwave frequency has important applications in improving the operation of radio frequency (RF) devices, where the high electric fields present in small gaps can easily ionize gases like air. A cone and tuner resonant structure was used to induce breakdown of diatomic Nitrogen in adjustable micro-gaps ranging from 13 to 1,156 μm. The electric field for plasma formation exhibited strong pressure dependence in the larger gap sizes, as predicted by previous theoretical and experimental work. Pressure is proportional to the frequency of collision between electrons and molecules, which increases with pressure when the gap is large, but levels off in the micro-gap region. A separate model of the breakdown electric field based on the characteristic diffusion length of the plasma also fit the data poorly for these smaller gap sizes. This may be explained by a hypothesis that dielectric breakdown at and below the 100 μm gap size occurs outside the gap, an argument that is supported by the observation of very high breakdown threshold electric fields in this region. Optical emissions revealed that vibrational and rotational molecular transitions of the first positive electronic system are suppressed in micro-gaps, indicating that transitions into the molecular ground state do not occur in micro-gap plasmas. Acknowledgements: National Science Foundation under NSF-REU Grant No. PHY/DMR-1004811, the Provost's Office of Hope College, and the Hope College Division of Natural and Applied Sciences.

Soil moisture in sessile oak forest gaps

Science.gov (United States)

Zagyvainé Kiss, Katalin Anita; Vastag, Viktor; Gribovszki, Zoltán; Kalicz, Péter

2015-04-01

By social demands are being promoted the aspects of the natural forest management. In forestry the concept of continuous forest has been an accepted principle also in Hungary since the last decades. The first step from even-aged stand to continuous forest can be the forest regeneration based on gap cutting, so small openings are formed in a forest due to forestry interventions. This new stand structure modifies the hydrological conditions for the regrowth. Without canopy and due to the decreasing amounts of forest litter the interception is less significant so higher amount of precipitation reaching the soil. This research focuses on soil moisture patterns caused by gaps. The spatio-temporal variability of soil water content is measured in gaps and in surrounding sessile oak (Quercus petraea) forest stand. Soil moisture was determined with manual soil moisture meter which use Time-Domain Reflectometry (TDR) technology. The three different sizes gaps (G1: 10m, G2: 20m, G3: 30m) was opened next to Sopron on the Dalos Hill in Hungary. First, it was determined that there is difference in soil moisture between forest stand and gaps. Second, it was defined that how the gap size influences the soil moisture content. To explore the short term variability of soil moisture, two 24-hour (in growing season) and a 48-hour (in dormant season) field campaign were also performed in case of the medium-sized G2 gap along two/four transects. Subdaily changes of soil moisture were performed. The measured soil moisture pattern was compared with the radiation pattern. It was found that the non-illuminated areas were wetter and in the dormant season the subdaily changes cease. According to our measurements, in the gap there is more available water than under the forest stand due to the less evaporation and interception loss. Acknowledgements: The research was supported by TÁMOP-4.2.2.A-11/1/KONV-2012-0004 and AGRARKLIMA.2 VKSZ_12-1-2013-0034.

Graphene field effect transistor without an energy gap.

Science.gov (United States)

Jang, Min Seok; Kim, Hyungjun; Son, Young-Woo; Atwater, Harry A; Goddard, William A

2013-05-28

Graphene is a room temperature ballistic electron conductor and also a very good thermal conductor. Thus, it has been regarded as an ideal material for postsilicon electronic applications. A major complication is that the relativistic massless electrons in pristine graphene exhibit unimpeded Klein tunneling penetration through gate potential barriers. Thus, previous efforts to realize a field effect transistor for logic applications have assumed that introduction of a band gap in graphene is a prerequisite. Unfortunately, extrinsic treatments designed to open a band gap seriously degrade device quality, yielding very low mobility and uncontrolled on/off current ratios. To solve this dilemma, we propose a gating mechanism that leads to a hundredfold enhancement in on/off transmittance ratio for normally incident electrons without any band gap engineering. Thus, our saw-shaped geometry gate potential (in place of the conventional bar-shaped geometry) leads to switching to an off state while retaining the ultrahigh electron mobility in the on state. In particular, we report that an on/off transmittance ratio of 130 is achievable for a sawtooth gate with a gate length of 80 nm. Our switching mechanism demonstrates that intrinsic graphene can be used in designing logic devices without serious alteration of the conventional field effect transistor architecture. This suggests a new variable for the optimization of the graphene-based device--geometry of the gate electrode.

Effect Sizes in Gifted Education Research

Science.gov (United States)

Gentry, Marcia; Peters, Scott J.

2009-01-01

Recent calls for reporting and interpreting effect sizes have been numerous, with the 5th edition of the "Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association" (2001) calling for the inclusion of effect sizes to interpret quantitative findings. Many top journals have required that effect sizes accompany claims of statistical significance.…

Band gap narrowing and fluorescence properties of nickel doped SnO2 nanoparticles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ahmed, Arham S.; Shafeeq, M. Muhamed; Singla, M.L.; Tabassum, Sartaj; Naqvi, Alim H.; Azam, Ameer

2011-01-01

Nickel-doped tin oxide nanoparticles (sub-5 nm size) with intense fluorescence emission behavior have been synthesized by sol-gel route. The structural and compositional analysis has been carried out by using XRD, TEM, FESEM and EDAX. The optical absorbance spectra indicate a band gap narrowing effect and it was found to increase with the increase in nickel concentration. The band gap narrowing at low dopant concentration ( 2 -SnO 2-x alloying effect and for higher doping it may be due to the formation of defect sub-bands below the conduction band.

[Effect sizes, statistical power and sample sizes in "the Japanese Journal of Psychology"].

Science.gov (United States)

Suzukawa, Yumi; Toyoda, Hideki

2012-04-01

This study analyzed the statistical power of research studies published in the "Japanese Journal of Psychology" in 2008 and 2009. Sample effect sizes and sample statistical powers were calculated for each statistical test and analyzed with respect to the analytical methods and the fields of the studies. The results show that in the fields like perception, cognition or learning, the effect sizes were relatively large, although the sample sizes were small. At the same time, because of the small sample sizes, some meaningful effects could not be detected. In the other fields, because of the large sample sizes, meaningless effects could be detected. This implies that researchers who could not get large enough effect sizes would use larger samples to obtain significant results.

Copper nano composites functionalized by bis-benzimidazole diamide ligand: Effect of size, co-anion dependent conductivity and band gap studies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Singla, Manisha; Mohapatra, Subash Chandra; Ahmad, Sharif

2012-01-01

Copper (I) and copper (II) nano composites capped with a bis-benzimidazole diamide ligand were prepared by reverse micelle method and characterized using CHNS, FTIR, 1 H NMR, TEM and DLS studies. All particles were spherical ranging between 10 and 70 nm. They displayed a quasi reversible redox wave due to the Cu (II)/Cu (I) reduction process. The E g1 ′ values shift anodically as NO 3 − − − . Electrochemical HOMO and LUMO band gap (E g1 ′ ) for the nano composites were +1.80 (NO 3 − ), +2.80 (Cl − ) and +4.10 (SCN − ) eV, respectively. However, the optical band gap (E g1 ) for the nano composites was calculated from their absorption edges and lie between 1.77 and 4.13 eV. Fluorescence studies reveal that nano composites in themselves behave as an enhancer and quencher in respect to ligand, Quantum yield (φ) is varying from 0.008 to 0.02 photon. The activation energies range from 34 to 54 kJ mol −1 and are quite low in comparison to that of the free bis-benzimidazole diamide ligand (137 kJ mol −1 ). The lower activation energies further re-emphasize the nano size of these composites. At room temperature, the dc conductivity lies between 1 × 10 −4 –9.33 × 10 −4 S cm −1 [NO 3 − > SCN − > Cl − ] indicating them to be on the semiconductor insulator interface. The dielectric constant, dielectric loss and the ac conductivity were measured for all nano at room temperature and below the room temperature for the nano composite containing nitrate as co-anion. The conductivity was found to follow the correlated barrier hopping (CBH) mechanism; the exponent factor (s) varies from 0.5 to 1. -- Highlights: ► Nano composites of copper, capped by bis benzimidazole diamide ligand. ► Such copper nano composites have not been used in conductivity studies before. ► Conductance studies for these thus make this work unique. ► The dc conductivity of these composites is much higher than normal.

Size effects in shear interfaces

OpenAIRE

GARNIER, J

2001-01-01

In physical modelling (centrifuge tests, calibration chambers, laboratory tests), the size of the soil particles may not be negligible when compared to the dimensions of the models. Size effects may so disturb the response of the models and the experimental data obtained on these cannot be extended to true scale conditions. Different tests have been performed to study and quantify the size effects that may happen in shear interfaces between soils and structures : modified shear box tests, pul...

A Primer on Basic Effect Size Concepts.

Science.gov (United States)

Elmore, Patricia B.; Rotou, Ourania

The increased interest in reporting effect sizes means that it is necessary to consider what should be included in a primer on effect sizes. A review of papers on effect sizes and commonly repeated statistical analyses suggests that it is important to discuss effect sizes relative to bivariate correlation, t-tests, analysis of variance/covariance,…

Study on the wide-angle Michelson interferometer with large air gap.

Science.gov (United States)

Gao, Haiyang; Tang, Yuanhe; Hua, Dengxin; Liu, Hanchen

2011-10-10

A wide-angle Michelson interferometer with large air gap is proposed to effectively reduce the size of the glass arms and constraint on material. It provides a novel and practical instrument for ground based wind measurement of the upper atmosphere. The field widening conditions for the large air gap are calculated in theory. For the five spectral lines of 557.7 nm, 630.0 nm, 732.0 nm, 834.6 nm, and 865.7 nm, the optimal results under ideal condition are obtained with air gaps of 1.0 cm, 1.5 cm, and 2.0 cm, respectively. With the fixed optical path difference (OPD) of 7.495 cm, three pairs of glass arms are optimized. The pair with length of 1.5 cm for air gap, 5.765 cm for H-ZF12, and 2.956 cm for H-ZLaF54, has better effect of field widening than the other two pairs and its OPD variation is only within 0.30 wavelengths at incident angle of 3°. For developing a more practical wide-angle Michelson interferometer, the H-K9L glass with size of 4.445 cm is employed as the arm material of solid interferometer. The experiment for field of view of 3° is designed and the data processing and analysis for 60 images show the agreement between experimental results and theoretical simulation. The OPD variations are only within 0.27 wavelengths for image edge. The feasibility and practicality of the wide-angle Michelson interferometer with large air gap is proved by means of theory and experiment. © 2011 Optical Society of America

On the Feasibility of Gap Detection of Power Transformer Partial Discharge UHF Signals: Gap Propagation Characteristics of Electromagnetic Waves

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xiaoxing Zhang

2017-10-01

Full Text Available This study analyzed the transformer electromagnetic gap propagation characteristics. The influence of gap size is also analyzed, and the results experimentally verified. The obtained results indicated that the gap propagation characteristics of electromagnetic wave signals radiated by the partial discharge (PD source in different directions are substantially different. The intensity of the electromagnetic wave in the gap reaches a maximum at a gap height of 1 cm; and inside the gap, the intensity of the electromagnetic wave depicted an increasing trend at the tail area of the gap. Finally, from the obtained results, some suggestions on where to install sensors in practical systems for ultra high frequency (UHF PD signal detection in the transformer gap are provided. The obtained results confirmed the feasibility of using this approach. These results can be seen as a benchmark and a challenge for further research in this field.

Effect of Pd ion doping in the band gap of SnO{sub 2} nanoparticles: structural and optical studies

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nandan, Brajesh; Venugopal, B. [Pondicherry University, Centre for Nanoscience and Technology (India); Amirthapandian, S.; Panigrahi, B. K. [Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research, Ion Beam and Computer Simulation Section, Materials Science Group (India); Thangadurai, P., E-mail: thangadurai.p@gmail.com [Pondicherry University, Centre for Nanoscience and Technology (India)

2013-10-15

Pd ion doping has influenced the band gap of SnO{sub 2} nanoparticles. Undoped and Pd ion-doped SnO{sub 2} nanoparticles were synthesized by chemical co-precipitation method. A tetragonal phase of SnO{sub 2} with a grain size range of 7-13 nm was obtained (studied by X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy). A decreasing trend in the particle size with increasing doping concentration was observed. The presence of Pd in doped SnO{sub 2} was confirmed by chemical analysis carried out by energy-dispersive spectroscopy in the transmission electron microscope. Diffuse reflectance spectra showed a blue shift in absorption with increasing palladium concentration. Band gap of SnO{sub 2} nanoparticles was estimated from the diffuse reflectance spectra using Kubelka-Munk function and it was increasing with the increase of Pd ion concentration from 3.73 to 4.21 eV. The variation in band gap is attributed predominantly to the lattice strain and particle size. All the samples showed a broad photoluminescence emission centered at 375 nm when excited at 270 nm. A systematic study on the structural and optical properties of SnO{sub 2} nanoparticles is presented.

Size effects in manufacturing of metallic components

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Vollertsen, F; Biermann, D; Hansen, Hans Nørgaard

2009-01-01

In manufacturing of metallic components, the size of the part plays an important role for the process behaviour. This is due to so called size effects, which lead to changes in the process behaviour even if the relationship between the main geometrical features is kept constant. The aim...... of this paper is to give a systematic review on Such effects and their potential use or remedy. First, the typology of size effects will be explained, followed by a description of size effects on strength and tribology. The last three sections describe size effects on formability, forming processes and cutting...... processes. (C) 2009 CIRP....

Modelling the effect of size-asymmetric competition on size inequality

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rasmussen, Camilla Ruø; Weiner, Jacob

2017-01-01

Abstract The concept of size asymmetry in resource competition among plants, in which larger individuals obtain a disproportionate share of contested resources, appears to be very straightforward, but the effects of size asymmetry on growth and size variation among individuals have proved...... to be controversial. It has often been assumed that competition among individual plants in a population has to be size-asymmetric to result in higher size inequality than in the absence of competition, but here we question this inference. Using very simple, individual-based models, we investigate how size symmetry...... of competition affects the development in size inequality between two competing plants and show that increased size inequality due to competition is not always strong evidence for size-asymmetric competition. Even absolute symmetric competition, in which all plants receive the same amount of resources...

Effects of Radial Gap Ratio between Impeller and Vaned Diffuser on Performance of Centrifugal Compressors

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mohammadjavad Hosseini

2017-07-01

Full Text Available A high-performance centrifugal compressor is needed for numerous industry applications nowadays. The radial gap ratio between the impeller and the diffuser vanes plays an important role in the improvement of the compressor performance. In this paper, the effects of the radial gap ratio on a high-pressure ratio centrifugal compressor are investigated using numerical simulations. The performance and the flow field are compared for six different radial gap ratios and five rotational speeds. The minimal radial gap ratio was 1.04 and the maximal was 1.14. Results showed that reducing the radial gap ratio decreases the choke mass flow rate. For the tip-speed Mach number (impeller inlet with Mu < 1, the pressure recovery and the loss coefficients are not sensitive to the radial gap ratio. However, for Mu ≥ 1, the best radial gap ratio is 1.08 for the pressure recovery and the loss coefficients. Furthermore, the impeller pressure ratio and efficiency are reduced by increasing the radial gap ratio. Finally, the compressor efficiency was compared for different radial gap ratios. For Mu < 1, the radial gap ratio does not have noticeable effects. In comparison, the radial gap ratio of 1.08 has the best performance for Mu ≥ 1.

Effect of gap size on seedling establishment, growth and survival at three years in mountain ash (Eucalyptus regnans F. Muell.) forest in Victoria, Australia

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Meer, van der P.J.; Dignan, P.; Saveneh, A.G.

1999-01-01

Establishment, growth and survival of Eucalyptus regnans F. Muell. seedlings was studied at two sites over three years under a range of small gaps (up to 30mx30m) and large gaps (50mx50m up to clearfells) in a gap cutting experiment in mountain ash forest at Tanjil Bren, Victoria, Australia. In both

A panel study on the relationship between corruption and government size

OpenAIRE

Go, Kotera; Okada, Keisuke; Samreth, Sovannroeun

2010-01-01

Using panel data from 1996 to 2005, this paper shows that the effect of government size on corruption is positive at a low level of democracy, but it is negative at a high level. This finding could fill the gaps in previous studies whose findings on the relationship between corruption and government size are controversial.

Bridging the energy gap through small and medium sized nuclear reactors in India

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Srivastava, R.

1987-01-01

India is the only country in the world which is employing small sized nuclear reactors for its nuclear power programme. It has now embarked on a programme of augmenting the contribution of the nuclear power by way of employing both medium and small sized nuclear reactors in the next 15 years. This paper discusses the Indian experience and its efforts for industrial mobilisation for rapidly constructing 235/500 MWe nuclear reactor units in a period of about 8 to 9 years. The current energy situation in India and this context the near term role of nuclear power for supplementing the existing sources of commercial energy have been evaluated. Nuclear power has reached such a stage of maturity whereby it has now become a commercially viable source of electricity and it could be utilised on large scale to bridge the energy gap. At present six reactor units of 210/235 MWe capacity are in operation and eight more are in different stages of construction. While we are continuing with the construction of 235 MWe units, a programme of being pursued to construct 550 MWe capacity reactor units from midnineties onwards. This has become possible with the strengthening of regional electricity grids and simultaneous efforts undertaken for augmentation of fuel supply, heavy water production and industrial infrastructure. For a developing country like India, implementation of a sizable nuclear power programme has posed certain special challenges as major inputs are required to be made available with indigeneous efforts. This paper discusses such challenges and presents the ways and means adopted to surmount them. Other developing countries with conditions comparable to those in India could benefit from Indian experience in this regard. This paper also proposes India's willingness to cooperate with other countries for exchange of information and assistance in terms of technical knowhow. (author)

Effect of air gap on uniformity of large-scale surface-wave plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lan Chaohui; Hu Xiwei; Jiang Zhonghe; Liu Minghai

2009-01-01

The effect of air gap on the uniformity of large-scale surface-wave plasma (SWP) in a rectangular chamber device is studied by using three-dimensional numerical analyses based on the finite difference time-domain (FDTD) approximation to Maxwell's equations and plasma fluid model. The spatial distributions of surface wave excited by slot-antenna array and the plasma parameters such as electron density and temperature are presented. For different air gap thicknesses, the results show that the existence of air gap would severely weaken the excitations of the surface wave and thereby the SWP. Thus the air gap should be eliminated completely in the design of the SWP source, which is opposite to the former research results. (authors)

Effects of Hydroxyl Radicals on Introduced Organisms of Ship's Ballast Water Based Micro-Gap Discharge

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bai Mindong; Zhang Zhitao; Bai Mindi; Yang Bo; Bai Xiyao

2007-01-01

With the physical method of micro-gap gas discharge, OH· radicals were produced by the ionization of O 2 in air and H 2 O in the gaseous state, in order to explore more effective method to treat the ship's ballast water. The surface morphology of Al 2 O 3 dielectric layer was analysed using Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM), where the size of Al 2 O 3 particles was in the range of 2 μm to 5 μm. At the same time, the biochemical effect of hydroxyl radicals on the introduced organisms and the quality of ship's ballast water were studied. The results indicate that the main reasons of cell death are lipid peroxide and damage of the antioxidant enzyme system in Catalase (CAT), Peroxidase (POD) and Superoxide dismutase (SOD). In addition, the quality of the ballast water was greatly improved

Effect size estimates: current use, calculations, and interpretation.

Science.gov (United States)

Fritz, Catherine O; Morris, Peter E; Richler, Jennifer J

2012-02-01

The Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (American Psychological Association, 2001, American Psychological Association, 2010) calls for the reporting of effect sizes and their confidence intervals. Estimates of effect size are useful for determining the practical or theoretical importance of an effect, the relative contributions of factors, and the power of an analysis. We surveyed articles published in 2009 and 2010 in the Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, noting the statistical analyses reported and the associated reporting of effect size estimates. Effect sizes were reported for fewer than half of the analyses; no article reported a confidence interval for an effect size. The most often reported analysis was analysis of variance, and almost half of these reports were not accompanied by effect sizes. Partial η2 was the most commonly reported effect size estimate for analysis of variance. For t tests, 2/3 of the articles did not report an associated effect size estimate; Cohen's d was the most often reported. We provide a straightforward guide to understanding, selecting, calculating, and interpreting effect sizes for many types of data and to methods for calculating effect size confidence intervals and power analysis.

Magnonic band gaps in two-dimension magnonic crystals with diffuse interfaces

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, Qi; Zhang, Huaiwu; Ma, Guokun; Tang, Xiaoli; Liao, Yulong; Zhong, Zhiyong

2014-01-01

In this paper, the plane wave method is extended to include the diffuse interface in the calculation of the dispersion of spin waves in two-dimension magnonic crystals. The diffuse interfaces with linear and sinusoidal profiles of variation in the spontaneous magnetization and exchange constant are considered and the effects of the thicknesses and profiles of diffuse interfaces on the magnonic band gaps are investigated. The results show that the thicknesses and profiles of diffuse interfaces are clearly seen to play a significant role in determining the size and position of the magnonic band gaps in the both square and triangular lattices in the exchange interaction regime. The smooth (linear or sinusoidal) interface does not lead to disappearance of the band gaps, instead it may lead to larger band gaps than those in the model with sharp (infinitely thin) diffuse interface under certain conditions

Radiation Tests of Real-Sized Prototype RPCs for the Future CMS RPC Upscope

CERN Document Server

Lee, K.S.; Choi, S.Y.; Hong, B.; Go, Y.; Kang, M.H.; Lim, J.H.; Park, S.K.; Cimmino, A.; Crucy, S.; Fagot, A.; Gul, M.; Rios, A.A.O.; Tytgat, M.; Zaganidis, N.; Aly, S.; Assran, Y.; Radi, A.; Sayed, A.; Singh, G.; Abbrescia, M.; Iaselli, G.; Maggi, M.; Pugliese, G.; Verwilligen, P.; Doninck, W.van; Colafranceschi, S.; Sharma, A.; Benussi, L.; Bianco, S.; Piccolo, D.; Primavera, F.; Bhatnagar, V.; Kumarl, R.; Metha, A.; Singh, J.; Ahmad, A.; Ahmad, M.; Ahmed, W.; Asghar, M.I.; Awan, I.M.; Hassan, Q.; Hoorani, H.; Khan, W.A.; Khurshid, T.; Muhammad, S.; Shah, M.A.; Shahzad, H.; Kim, M.S.; Goutzvitz, M.; Grenier, G.; Lagarde, F.; Laktineh, I.B.; Carpinteyro Bernardino, S.; Uribe Estrada, C.; Pedraza, I.; Severiano, C.B.; Carrillo Moreno, S.; Vazquez Valencia, F.; Pant, L.M.; Buontempo, S.; Cavallo, N.; Esposito, M.; Fabozzi, F.; Lanza, G.; Lista, L.; Meola, S.; Merola, M.; Orso, I.; Paolucci, P.; Thyssen, F.; Braghieri, A.; Magnani, A.; Montagna, P.; Riccardi, C.; Salvini, P.; Vai, I.; Vitulo, P.; Ban, Y.; Qian, S.J.; Choi, M.; Choi, Y.; Goh, J.; Kim, D.; Aleksandrov, A.; Hadjiiska, R.; Iaydjiev, P.; Rodozov, M.; Stoykova, S.; Sultanov, G.; Vutova, M.; Dimitrov, A.; Litov, L.; Pavlov, B.; Petkov, P.; Lomidze, D.; Avila, C.; Cabrera, A.; Sanabria, J.C.; Crotty, I.; Vaitkus, J.

2016-08-10

We report on a systematic study of double-gap and four-gap phenolic resistive plate chambers (RPCs) for future high-{\\eta} RPC triggers in the CMS. In the present study, we constructed real-sized double-gap and four-gap RPCs with gap thicknesses of 1.6 and 0.8 mm, respectively, with 2-mm-thick phenolic high-pressure-laminated (HPL) plates. We examined the prototype RPCs for cosmic rays and 100 GeV muons provided by the SPS H4 beam line at CERN. We applied maximum gamma rates of 1.5 kHz cm-2 provided by 137Cs sources at Korea University and the GIF++ irradiation facility installed at the SPS H4 beam line to examine the rate capabilities of the prototype RPCs. In contrast to the case of the four-gap RPCs, we found the relatively high threshold was conducive to effectively suppressing the rapid increase of strip cluster sizes of muon hits with high voltage, especially when measuring the narrow-pitch strips. The gamma-induced currents drawn in the four-gap RPC were about one-fourth of those drawn in the double-ga...

A systematic literature review on the efficacy–effectiveness gap: comparison of randomized controlled trials and observational studies of glucose-lowering drugs

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ankarfeldt MZ

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Mikkel Z Ankarfeldt,1,2 Erpur Adalsteinsson,1 Rolf HH Groenwold,2,3 M Sanni Ali,2,3,4 Olaf H Klungel,2,3 On behalf of GetReal Work Package 2 1Novo Nordisk A/S, 2Julius Center for Health Sciences and Primary Care, University Medical Center Utrecht, 3Division of Pharmacoepidemiology and Clinical Pharmacology, Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Utrecht, Utrecht, the Netherlands; 4Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology, Musculoskeletal Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK Aim: To identify a potential efficacy–effectiveness gap and possible explanations (drivers of effectiveness for differences between results of randomized controlled trials (RCTs and observational studies investigating glucose-lowering drugs. Methods: A systematic literature review was conducted in English language articles published between 1 January, 2000 and 31 January, 2015 describing either RCTs or observational studies comparing glucagon-like peptide-1 analogs (GLP-1 with insulin or comparing dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors (DPP-4i with sulfonylurea, all with change in glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c as outcome. Medline, Embase, Current Content, and Biosis were searched. Information on effect estimates, baseline characteristics of the study population, publication year, study duration, and number of patients, and for observational studies, characteristics related to confounding adjustment and selection- and information bias were extracted. Results: From 312 hits, 11 RCTs and 7 observational studies comparing GLP-1 with insulin, and from 474 hits, 16 RCTs and 4 observational studies comparing DPP-4i with sulfonylurea were finally included. No differences were observed in baseline characteristics of the study populations (age, sex, body mass index, time since diagnosis of type 2 diabetes mellitus, and HbA1c or effect sizes across study designs. Mean effect sizes ranged from −0.43 to 0.91 and from −0.80 to 1.13 in RCTs and

The Gender Wage Gap in Croatia – Estimating the Impact of Differing Rewards by Means of Counterfactual Distributions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Danijel Nestić

2010-04-01

Full Text Available The aim of this paper is to estimate the size of, changes in, and main factors contributing to gender-based wage differentials in Croatia. It utilizes microdata from the Labor Force Surveys of 1998 and 2008 and applies both OLS and quantile regression techniques to assess the gender wage gap across the wage distribution. The average unadjusted gender wage gap is found to be relatively low and declining. This paper argues that employed women in Croatia possess higher-quality labor market characteristics than men, especially in terms of education, but receive much lower rewards for these characteristics. The Machado-Mata decomposition technique is used to estimate the gender wage gap as the sole effect of differing rewards. The results suggest that due to differing rewards the gap exceeds 20 percent on average - twice the size of the unadjusted gap - and that it increased somewhat between 1998 and 2008. The gap is found to be the highest at the lower-to-middle part of the wage distribution.

Achievement gaps and correlates of early mathematics achievement: Evidence from the ECLS K—first grade sample. Vol. 13 No. 46

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Madhabi Chatterji

2005-11-01

Full Text Available In light of the NCLB Act of 2001, this study estimated mathematics achievement gaps in different subgroups of kindergartners and first graders, and identified child- and school-level correlates and moderators of early mathematics achievement. A subset of 2300 students nested in 182 schools from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study K-First Grade data set was analyzed with hierarchical linear models. Relative to school mean estimates at the end of kindergarten, significant mathematics achievement gaps were found in Hispanics, African Americans and high poverty students. At the end of Grade 1, mathematics gaps were significant in African American, high poverty, and female subgroups, but not in Hispanics. School-level correlates of Grade 1 Mathematics achievement were class size (with a small negative main effect, at-home reading time by parents (with a large positive main effect and school size (with a small positive main effect. Cross-level interactions in Grade 1 indicated that schools with larger class and school sizes had a negative effect on African American children's math scores; schools giving more instructional time to reading and math had a positive effect on high poverty students' scores, and schools with higher elementary teacher certification rates had a positive effect on boys' mathematics achievement.

Electrophysiological gap detection thresholds: effects of age and comparison with a behavioral measure.

Science.gov (United States)

Palmer, Shannon B; Musiek, Frank E

2014-01-01

Temporal processing ability has been linked to speech understanding ability and older adults often complain of difficulty understanding speech in difficult listening situations. Temporal processing can be evaluated using gap detection procedures. There is some research showing that gap detection can be evaluated using an electrophysiological procedure. However, there is currently no research establishing gap detection threshold using the N1-P2 response. The purposes of the current study were to 1) determine gap detection thresholds in younger and older normal-hearing adults using an electrophysiological measure, 2) compare the electrophysiological gap detection threshold and behavioral gap detection threshold within each group, and 3) investigate the effect of age on each gap detection measure. This study utilized an older adult group and younger adult group to compare performance on an electrophysiological and behavioral gap detection procedure. The subjects in this study were 11 younger, normal-hearing adults (mean = 22 yrs) and 11 older, normal-hearing adults (mean = 64.36 yrs). All subjects completed an adaptive behavioral gap detection procedure in order to determine their behavioral gap detection threshold (BGDT). Subjects also completed an electrophysiologic gap detection procedure to determine their electrophysiologic gap detection threshold (EGDT). Older adults demonstrated significantly larger gap detection thresholds than the younger adults. However, EGDT and BGDT were not significantly different in either group. The mean difference between EGDT and BGDT for all subjects was 0.43 msec. Older adults show poorer gap detection ability when compared to younger adults. However, this study shows that gap detection thresholds can be measured using evoked potential recordings and yield results similar to a behavioral measure. American Academy of Audiology.

Reforming China’s Pension Scheme for Urban Workers: Liquidity Gap and Policies’ Effects Forecasting

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xiaoxing Liu

2015-08-01

Full Text Available This study forecasts the liquidity gap in China’s pension scheme for urban workers in the context of an ageing population and the possible effects of recent governmental policies by constructing a basic pension model, including “old people”, “middle people” and “new people” and a simulation method. We find, firstly, that China’s liquidity gap of pension will reach its peak of approximately 13.11 trillion yuan in 2038. Subsequently, this gap will gradually decrease with growth in the mortality rate. Secondly, reasonable intervals for the replacement and contribution rates should be set at [0.417, 0.604] and [0.189, 0.262], respectively, to sustain China’s pension system. Thirdly, compared to increasing fiscal subsidies, an income doubling plan, raising the contribution rate, lowering the replacement rate and delaying the retirement age can significantly reduce the liquidity gap, although the policy costs are relatively high. A policy permitting families to have two children will increase the rate of reduction of the liquidity gap, but it cannot effectively narrow the gap at the peak moment.

The band gap in silicon nanocrystallites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ranjan, V.; Kapoor, Manish; Singh, Vijay A.

2002-01-01

The gap in semiconductor nanocrystallites has been extensively studied both theoretically and experimentally over the last two decades. We have compared a recent 'state-of-the-art' theoretical calculation with a recent 'state-of-the-art' experimental observation of the gap in Si nanocrystallite. We find that the two are in substantial disagreement, with the disagreement being more pronounced at smaller sizes. Theoretical calculations appear to overestimate the gap. To reconcile the two we present two scenarios. (i) Recognizing that the experimental observations are for a distribution of crystallite sizes, we proffer a phenomenological model to reconcile the theory with the experiment. We suggest that similar considerations must dictate comparisons between the theory and experiment vis-a-vis other properties such as radiative rate, decay constant, and absorption coefficient. (ii) Either surface passivation or surface orientation may also resolve the conflict between the theory and the experiment. We have carried out tight-binding calculations on silicon clusters to study the role of surface passivation and surface orientation. (author)

Quantifying culture gaps between physicians and managers in Dutch hospitals: a survey

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Meerdink Nienke

2010-04-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The demands in hospitals for safety and quality, combined with limitations in financing health care require effective cooperation between physicians and managers. The complex relationship between both groups has been described in literature. We aim to add a perspective to literature, by developing a questionnaire which provides an opportunity to quantitatively report and elaborate on the size and content of differences between physicians and managers. Insight gained from use of the questionnaire might enable us to reflect on these differences and could provide practical tools to improve cooperation between physicians and managers, with an aim to enhance hospital performance. Methods The CG-Questionnaire was developed by adjusting, pre-testing, and shortening Kralewski's questionnaire, and appeared suitable to measure culture gaps. It was shortened by exploratory factor analysis, using principal-axis factoring extraction with Varimax rotation. The CG-Questionnaire was sent to all physicians and managers within 37 Dutch general hospitals. ANOVA and paired sample T-tests were used to determine significant differences between perceptions of daily work practices based in both professional cultures; culture gaps. The size and content of culture gaps were determined with descriptive statistics. Results The total response (27% consisted of 929 physicians and 310 managers. The Cronbachs alpha's were 0.70 - 0.79. Statistical analyses showed many differences; culture gaps were found in the present situation; they were even larger in the preferred situation. Differences between both groups can be classified into three categories: (1 culture gaps in the present situation and not in the preferred, (2 culture gaps in the preferred situation and not in the present, and (3 culture gaps in both situations. Conclusions With data from the CG-Questionnaire it is now possible to measure the size and content of culture gaps between physicians and

Do class size effects differ across grades?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nandrup, Anne Brink

size cap that creates exogenous variation in class sizes. Significant (albeit modest) negative effects of class size increases are found for children on primary school levels. The effects on math abilities are statistically different across primary and secondary school. Larger classes do not affect......This paper contributes to the class size literature by analyzing whether short-run class size effects are constant across grade levels in compulsory school. Results are based on administrative data on all pupils enroled in Danish public schools. Identification is based on a government-imposed class...

Size Effects on the Strength of Metals

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Huang, Xiaoxu

2014-01-01

The grain size effect and the specimen size effect on the strength of metals are briefly reviewed with respect to their history and current status of research. It is revealed that the fundamental strengthening mechanisms responsible for these two types of size effect are to increase the resistanc...

Inferred residual gaps for IFA-527 rods, compared to PIE measurements

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lanning, D.D.

1983-05-01

The NRC-sponsored assembly IFA-527 contained six xenon-filled rods, each instrumented with fuel thermocouples at each end. Five of the six rods contained stable UO 2 fuel pellets with a fabricated diametral gap size of 230 microns. The rods were unique among instrumented test rods in that their lifetime peak powers were quite low (less than 20 kW/m). The assembly was removed at low exposure (about 2 MWd/kgM) due to pressure seal failures. The prefailure measured fuel temperatures in the five identical rods were quite similar, and indicated an effective fuel relocation of about 30 to 35 percent of the as-fabricated gap. Examination of rod cross sections in PIE, however, reveals virtually no reduction in the as-fabricated gap. In an attempt to reconcile these two observations, it is demonstrated that pellet eccentricity could account for the inferred effective relocation for these xenon-filled rods. That analysis is extended to an estimate of the proper effective relocation value for low-powered He-filled rods

The "efficacy-effectiveness gap" : Historical background and current conceptualization

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Nordon, Clementine; Karcher, Helene; Groenwold, Rolf H H; Ankarfeldt, Mikkel Zöllner; Pichler, Franz; Chevrou-Severac, Helene; Rossignol, Michel; Abbe, Adeline; Abenhaim, Lucien

Background The concept of the "efficacy-effectiveness gap" (EEG) has started to challenge confidence in decisions made for drugs when based on randomized controlled trials alone. Launched by the Innovative Medicines Initiative, the GetReal project aims to improve understanding of how to reconcile

Measuring the Tax Gap in the European Economy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Konrad Raczkowski

2015-07-01

Full Text Available The objective of the paper is to reveal the methodology used to examine the tax gap and calculate the tax gap for all EU states over 2011-2014. The paper draws on the review of reference literature addressing the tax gap in the context of tax avoidance and tax evasion. The paper features the GDP size across countries so as to demonstrate the overall level of the shadow economy compared to the aggregate tax burden. Finally, for the first time, the calculations of the tax gap for all EU states over 2011-2014 were displayed.

[Estimates of the size of inhibitory areas in crowding effects in periphery].

Science.gov (United States)

Bondarko, V M; Danilova, M V; Solnushkin, S D; Chikhman, V N

2014-01-01

In psychophysical experiments we studied how surround influences recognition of test objects. The tests were low-contrast Landolt rings of the size 1.1, 1.5 and 2.3 deg. Their centers were located at 13.2 deg from the fixation point. The additional objects were similar Landolt rings or rings without gaps. The distance between the centers of the test and the additional objects varied from 2.2 to 13.2 deg. Inone experiment, the task of the observer was to identify both the test objects and the surrounding objects. In the second experiment the stimulus layout was the same, but'identification of only the test stimulus was required. In both experiments, deterioration of performance was found at all distances between the test objects and the surround, but the deterioration was more significant when the observer carried out the dual task. The data showed that the size of the inhibitory areas in our case does not comply with the Bouma low which states that the size of the interaction areas are equal to half of the eccentricity where the test is presented. Further deterioration of performance in the dual task reveals the contribution of attention into peripheral crowding effects.

Technique for estimating relocated gap width for gap conductance calculations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Klink, P.H.

1978-01-01

Thermally induced fuel fragmentation and relocation has been demonstrated to influence the thermal behavior of a fuel rod in two ways. The effective fuel pellet conductivity is decreased and pellet-to-cladding heat transfer is improved. This paper presents a correlation between as-built and relocated gap width which, used with the Ross and Stoute Gap Conductance Correlation and an appropriate fuel thermal expansion model, closely predicts the measured gap conductances

Efficiency and Fidelity of Human DNA Polymerases λ and β during Gap-Filling DNA Synthesis

Science.gov (United States)

Brown, Jessica A.; Pack, Lindsey R.; Sanman, Laura E.; Suo, Zucai

2010-01-01

The base excision repair (BER) pathway coordinates the replacement of 1 to 10 nucleotides at sites of single-base lesions. This process generates DNA substrates with various gap sizes which can alter the catalytic efficiency and fidelity of a DNA polymerase during gap-filling DNA synthesis. Here, we quantitatively determined the substrate specificity and base substitution fidelity of human DNA polymerase λ (Pol λ), an enzyme proposed to support the known BER DNA polymerase β (Pol β), as it filled 1- to 10-nucleotide gaps at 1-nucleotide intervals. Pol λ incorporated a correct nucleotide with relatively high efficiency until the gap size exceeded 9 nucleotides. Unlike Pol λ, Pol β did not have an absolute threshold on gap size as the catalytic efficiency for a correct dNTP gradually decreased as the gap size increased from 2 to 10 nucleotides and then recovered for non-gapped DNA. Surprisingly, an increase in gap size resulted in lower polymerase fidelity for Pol λ, and this downregulation of fidelity was controlled by its non-enzymatic N-terminal domains. Overall, Pol λ was up to 160-fold more error-prone than Pol β, thereby suggesting Pol λ would be more mutagenic during long gap-filling DNA synthesis. In addition, dCTP was the preferred misincorporation for Pol λ and its N-terminal domain truncation mutants. This nucleotide preference was shown to be dependent upon the identity of the adjacent 5′-template base. Our results suggested that both Pol λ and Pol β would catalyze nucleotide incorporation with the highest combination of efficiency and accuracy when the DNA substrate contains a single-nucleotide gap. Thus, Pol λ, like Pol β, is better suited to catalyze gap-filling DNA synthesis during short-patch BER in vivo, although, Pol λ may play a role in long-patch BER. PMID:20961817

Union and gender wage gap estimates for young workers in Ireland: a note

OpenAIRE

Reilly, Barry

1995-01-01

This note exploits data from the YEA/ESRI Follow-Up Survey of School-Leavers from 1981 and 1982 to provide union wage gap estimates for young male and female workers. In contrast to the evidence available for the adult labour market in Ireland, the union wage effect for young male workers is found to be relatively small. Young female union members, on the other hand, fare considerably better. The union wage gap is seen to decline with employer size for both gender groups. In addition, the ...

Band gap narrowing and fluorescence properties of nickel doped SnO{sub 2} nanoparticles

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ahmed, Arham S; Shafeeq, M Muhamed [Centre of Excellence in Materials Science (Nanomaterials), Department of Applied Physics, Z. H. College of Engineering and Technology, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh-202002 (India); Singla, M L [Central Scientific Instruments Organization (CSIO), Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Materials Research and Bio-Nanotechnology Division, Sector - 30/C, Chandigarh-160030 (India); Tabassum, Sartaj [Department of Chemistry, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh-202002 (India); Naqvi, Alim H [Centre of Excellence in Materials Science (Nanomaterials), Department of Applied Physics, Z. H. College of Engineering and Technology, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh-202002 (India); Azam, Ameer [Centre of Excellence in Materials Science (Nanomaterials), Department of Applied Physics, Z. H. College of Engineering and Technology, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh-202002 (India)

2011-01-15

Nickel-doped tin oxide nanoparticles (sub-5 nm size) with intense fluorescence emission behavior have been synthesized by sol-gel route. The structural and compositional analysis has been carried out by using XRD, TEM, FESEM and EDAX. The optical absorbance spectra indicate a band gap narrowing effect and it was found to increase with the increase in nickel concentration. The band gap narrowing at low dopant concentration (<5%) can be assigned to SnO{sub 2}-SnO{sub 2-x} alloying effect and for higher doping it may be due to the formation of defect sub-bands below the conduction band.

The gender pay gap in informal employment in Poland

OpenAIRE

Rokicka, Magdalena; Ruzik, Anna

2010-01-01

This paper addresses the issue of the gender pay gap in the formal and informal labour markets in Poland. The authors verify the hypothesis of the existence of a gender pay gap in informal work and compare this gap with the one observed in the formal (registered) labour market. Various analyses of available data show that size and characteristics of gender pay gap differ depending on the level of earnings. The inequality of earnings among unregistered women and men is more pronounced at the b...

Effects of external and gap mean flows on sound transmission through a double-wall sandwich panel

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Yu; Sebastian, Alexis

2015-05-01

This paper studies analytically the effects of an external mean flow and an internal gap mean flow on sound transmission through a double-wall sandwich panel lined with poroelastic materials. Biot's theory is employed to describe wave propagation in poroelastic materials, and the transfer matrix method with three types of boundary conditions is applied to solve the system simultaneously. The random incidence transmission loss in a diffuse field is calculated numerically, and the limiting angle of incidence due to total internal reflection is discussed in detail. The numerical predictions suggest that the sound insulation performance of such a double-wall panel is enhanced considerably by both external and gap mean flows particularly in the high-frequency range. Similar effects on transmission loss are observed for the two mean flows. It is shown that the effect of the gap mean flow depends on flow velocity, flow direction, gap depth and fluid properties and also that the fluid properties within the gap appear to influence the transmission loss more effectively than the gap flow. Despite the implementation difficulty in practice, an internal gap flow provides more design space for tuning the sound insulation performance of a double-wall sandwich panel and has great potential for active/passive noise control.

Effect of Crystallization Firing on Marginal Gap of CAD/CAM Fabricated Lithium Disilicate Crowns.

Science.gov (United States)

Gold, Steven A; Ferracane, Jack L; da Costa, Juliana

2018-01-01

To evaluate the marginal gaps of CAD/CAM (CEREC 3) produced crowns made from leucite-reinforced glass-ceramic (IPS Empress CAD) blocks (LG), and lithium-disilicate (IPS e.max CAD) blocks before (LD-B), and after (LD-A) crystallization firing. A human molar tooth (#19) was mounted with adjacent teeth on a typodont and prepared for a full-coverage ceramic crown. The typodont was assembled in the mannequin head to simulate clinical conditions. After tooth preparation 15 individual optical impressions were taken by the same operator using titanium dioxide powder and a CEREC 3 camera per manufacturer's instructions. One operator designed and machined the crowns in leucite-reinforced glass-ceramic blocks (n = 5) and lithium-disilicate blocks (n = 10) using the CEREC 3 system. The crowns were rigidly seated on the prepared tooth, and marginal gaps (μm) were measured with an optical microscope (500×) at 12 points, 3 on each of the M, B, D, and L surfaces of the leucite-reinforced glass-ceramic crowns and the lithium-disilicate crowns before and after crystallization firing. Results were analyzed by two-way ANOVA followed by a Tukey's post hoc multiple comparison test (α = 0.05). The overall mean marginal gaps (μm) for the crowns evaluated were: LG = 49.2 ± 5.5, LD-B = 42.9 ± 12.2, and LD-A = 57.2 ± 16.0. The marginal gaps for LG and LD-B were not significantly different, but both were significantly less than for LD-A. The type of ceramic material did not affect the marginal gap of CAD/CAM crowns. The crystallization firing process required for lithium-disilicate crowns resulted in a significant increase in marginal gap size, likely due to shrinkage of the ceramic during the crystallization process. The marginal gap of CAD/CAM-fabricated lithium disilicate crowns increases following crystallization firing. The marginal gap still remains within clinically acceptable parameters. © 2017 by the American College of Prosthodontists.

The Ontogeny of Gap Crossing Behaviour in Bornean Orangutans (Pongo pygmaeus wurmbii.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jackie Chappell

Full Text Available For orangutans, the largest predominantly arboreal primates, discontinuous canopy presents a particular challenge. The shortest gaps between trees lie between thin peripheral branches, which offer the least stability to large animals. The affordances of the forest canopy experienced by orangutans of different ages however, must vary substantially as adult males are an order of magnitude larger in size than infants during the early stages of locomotor independence. Orangutans have developed a diverse range of locomotor behaviour to cross gaps between trees, which vary in their physical and cognitive demands. The aims of this study were to examine the ontogeny of orangutan gap crossing behaviours and to determine which factors influence the distance orangutans crossed. A non-invasive photographic technique was used to quantify forearm length as a measure of body size. We also recorded locomotor behaviour, support use and the distance crossed between trees. Our results suggest that gap crossing varies with both physical and cognitive development. More complex locomotor behaviours, which utilized compliant trunks and lianas, were used to cross the largest gaps, but these peaked in frequency much earlier than expected, between the ages of 4 and 5 years old, which probably reflects play behaviour to perfect locomotor techniques. Smaller individuals also crossed disproportionately large gaps relative to their size, by using support deformation. Our results suggest that orangutans acquire the full repertoire of gap crossing techniques, including the more cognitively demanding ones, before weaning, but adjust the frequency of the use of these techniques to their increasing body size.

Northward migrating trees establish in treefall gaps at the northern limit of the temperate-boreal ecotone, Ontario, Canada.

Science.gov (United States)

Leithead, Mark D; Anand, Madhur; Silva, Lucas C R

2010-12-01

Climate change is expected to promote migration of species. In ecotones, areas of ecological tension, disturbances may provide opportunities for some migrating species to establish in otherwise competitive environments. The size of and time since disturbance may determine the establishment ability of these species. We investigated gap dynamics of an old-growth red pine (Pinus resinosa Sol. ex Aiton) forest in the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence forest in northern Ontario, Canada, a transition zone between temperate and boreal forest. We investigated the effects of gaps of different sizes and ages on tree species abundance and basal area. Our results show that tree species from the temperate forest further south, such as red maple (Acer rubrum L.), red oak (Quercus rubra L.), and white pine (Pinus strobus L.), establish more often in large, old gaps; however, tree species that have more northern distributions, such as black spruce (Picea mariana Mill.), paper birch (Betula papyrifera Marsh.), and red pine show no difference in establishment ability with gap size or age. These differences in composition could not be attributed to autogenic succession. We conclude that treefall gaps in this forest facilitate the establishment of northward migrating species, potentially providing a pathway for future forest migration in response to recent changes in climate.

Wide-gap layered oxychalcogenide semiconductors: Materials, electronic structures and optoelectronic properties

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ueda, Kazushige; Hiramatsu, Hidenori; Hirano, Masahiro; Kamiya, Toshio; Hosono, Hideo

2006-01-01

Applying the concept of materials design for transparent conductive oxides to layered oxychalcogenides, several p-type and n-type layered oxychalcogenides were proposed as wide-gap semiconductors and their basic optical and electrical properties were examined. The layered oxychalcogenides are composed of ionic oxide layers and covalent chalcogenide layers, which bring wide-gap and conductive properties to these materials, respectively. The electronic structures of the materials were examined by normal/inverse photoemission spectroscopy and energy band calculations. The results of the examinations suggested that these materials possess unique features more than simple wide-gap semiconductors. Namely, the layered oxychalcogenides are considered to be extremely thin quantum wells composed of the oxide and chalcogenide layers or 2D chalcogenide crystals/molecules embedded in an oxide matrix. Observation of step-like absorption edges, large band gap energy and large exciton binding energy demonstrated these features originating from 2D density of states and quantum size effects in these layered materials

Gender Wage Gap and Segregation in Late Transition

OpenAIRE

Stepan Jurajda

2001-01-01

Transition countries hoping to join the European Union are in the process of introducing western-type anti-discrimination policies aimed at reducing the gender wage gap. The efficacy of these policies depends on the relative size of those elements of the gap they target; therefore, it is important to quantify these parts. In this Paper, large matched employer-employee data sets from the Czech Republic and Slovakia are used to provide such detailed gender wage gap decomposition. The results, b...

Publication Bias in Psychology: A Diagnosis Based on the Correlation between Effect Size and Sample Size

Science.gov (United States)

Kühberger, Anton; Fritz, Astrid; Scherndl, Thomas

2014-01-01

Background The p value obtained from a significance test provides no information about the magnitude or importance of the underlying phenomenon. Therefore, additional reporting of effect size is often recommended. Effect sizes are theoretically independent from sample size. Yet this may not hold true empirically: non-independence could indicate publication bias. Methods We investigate whether effect size is independent from sample size in psychological research. We randomly sampled 1,000 psychological articles from all areas of psychological research. We extracted p values, effect sizes, and sample sizes of all empirical papers, and calculated the correlation between effect size and sample size, and investigated the distribution of p values. Results We found a negative correlation of r = −.45 [95% CI: −.53; −.35] between effect size and sample size. In addition, we found an inordinately high number of p values just passing the boundary of significance. Additional data showed that neither implicit nor explicit power analysis could account for this pattern of findings. Conclusion The negative correlation between effect size and samples size, and the biased distribution of p values indicate pervasive publication bias in the entire field of psychology. PMID:25192357

Closing the Knowledge Gap on Effective Professional Development

Science.gov (United States)

Guskey, Thomas R.

2009-01-01

Achievement gaps concern educators at all levels today. Educators recognize the threats these gaps pose to education quality and equity, and they are working hard to close them--but an equally threatening gap in education with consequences just as serious is largely ignored. It influences every educational-improvement effort and seriously…

Modelling of Size Effect with Regularised Continua

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

H. Askes

2004-01-01

Full Text Available A nonlocal damage continuum and a viscoplastic damage continuum are used to model size effects. Three-point bending specimens are analysed, whereby a distinction is made between unnotched specimens, specimens with a constant notch and specimens with a proportionally scaled notch. Numerical finite element simulations have been performed for specimen sizes in a range of 1:64. Size effects are established in terms of nominal strength and compared to existing size effect models from the literature. 

The effects of gaseous bubble composition and gap distance on the characteristics of nanosecond discharges in distilled water

KAUST Repository

Hamdan, Ahmad; Cha, Min

2016-01-01

of the plasma by time-resolved imaging to find that increasing the size of the gap reduces the injected charges. Moreover, we determine the plasma characteristics, including electron density, excitation temperatures (for atoms and ions), and rotational

Nanocoatings size effect in nanostructured films

CERN Document Server

Aliofkhazraei, Mahmood

2014-01-01

Size effect in structures has been taken into consideration over the last years. In comparison with coatings with micrometer-ranged thickness, nanostructured coatings usually enjoy better and appropriate properties, such as strength and resistance. These coatings enjoy unique magnetic properties and are used with the aim of producing surfaces resistant against erosion, lubricant system, cutting tools, manufacturing hardened sporadic alloys, being resistant against oxidation and corrosion. This book reviews researches on fabrication and classification of nanostructured coatings with focus on size effect in nanometric scale. Size effect on electrochemical, mechanical and physical properties of nanocoatings are presented.

Direct fabrication of nano-gap electrodes by focused ion beam etching

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nagase, Takashi; Gamo, Kenji; Kubota, Tohru; Mashiko, Shinro

2006-01-01

A simple approach to increase the reliability of nano-gap electrode fabrication techniques is presented. The method is based on maskless sputter etching of Au electrodes using a focused ion beam (FIB) and in-situ monitoring of the etching steps by measuring a current fed to the Au electrodes. The in-situ monitoring is crucial to form nano-gaps much narrower than a FIB spot size. By using this approach, gaps of ∼3-6 nm are fabricated with the high yield of ∼90%, and most of the fabricated nano-gap electrodes showed high resistances of 10 GΩ-1 TΩ. The controllability of the fabrication steps is significantly improved by using triple-layered films consisting of top Ti, Au, and bottom adhesion Ti layers. The applicability of the fabricated nano-gap electrodes to electron transport studies of nano-sized objects is demonstrated by electrical measurement of Au colloidal nano-particles

Board affiliation and pay gap

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shenglan Chen

2014-06-01

Full Text Available This paper examines the effects of board affiliation on the corporate pay gap. Using a sample of Chinese listed firms from 2005 to 2011, we find that boards with a greater presence of directors appointed by block shareholders have lower pay gaps. Furthermore, the governance effects of board affiliation with and without pay are distinguished. The empirical results show that board affiliation without pay is negatively related to the pay gap, while board affiliation with pay is positively related to the pay gap. Overall, the results shed light on how block shareholders affect their companies’ pay gaps through board affiliation.

Structural effect of size on interracial friendship.

Science.gov (United States)

Cheng, Siwei; Xie, Yu

2013-04-30

Social contexts exert structural effects on individuals' social relationships, including interracial friendships. In this study, we posit that, net of group composition, total context size has a distinct effect on interracial friendship. Under the assumptions of (i) maximization of preference in choosing a friend, (ii) multidimensionality of preference, and (iii) preference for same-race friends, we conducted analyses using microsimulation that yielded three main findings. First, increased context size decreases the likelihood of forming an interracial friendship. Second, the size effect increases with the number of preference dimensions. Third, the size effect is diluted by noise, i.e., the random component affecting friendship formation. Analysis of actual friendship data among 4,745 American high school students yielded results consistent with the main conclusion that increased context size promotes racial segregation and discourages interracial friendship.

Information gaps in surveillance data and effects on the Ghanaian ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Information gaps in surveillance data and effects on the Ghanaian response to the ... for Medical Research to determine its completeness and appropriateness for ... on CRFs can significantly reduce the utility of results of laboratory analysis for ...

Effects of SF$_{6}$ on the avalanche mode operation of a real-sized double-gap resistive plate chamber for the Compact Muon Solenoid experiment

CERN Document Server

Ahn Sung Hwan; Hong, B; Hong, S J; Ito, M; Kim, B I; Kim, J H; Kim, Y J; Kim, Y U; Koo, D G; Lee, H W; Lee, K B; Lee, K S; Lee, S J; Lim, J K; Moon, D H; Nam, S K; Park, S; Park, W J; Rhee, J T; Ryu, M S; Shim, H H; Sim, K S; Kang, T I

2005-01-01

We present the design and the test, results for a real-sized prototype resistive plate chamber by using cosmic-ray muons for the forward region of the Compact Muon Solenoid (CMS) experiment at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC). In particular, we investigate the effects of adding SF/sub 6/ to the gas mixture for the avalanche mode operation of a resistive plate chamber. A small fraction of SF/sub 6/ is very effective in suppressing streamer signals in a resistive plate chamber. The shapes of the muon detection efficiency and the muon cluster size remain similar, but are shifted to higher operating voltage by SF/sub 6/. The noise cluster rate and size are not influenced by SF/sub 6/.

The strong effect of gaps on the required shaping of the ITER first wall

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stangeby, Peter

2011-01-01

Divertor tokamaks such as ITER also need limiters, namely for startup, rampdown, as well as protection of the main wall from normal and off-normal loads during the diverted phase. In future fusion devices the volume within the magnetic coils will be at a premium and it will be important to make the limiters as thin as possible. A continuous, or almost continuous, wall-limiter can be made thinner than a set of well spaced discrete limiters. The need to be able to remove and replace the components of a wall-limiter requires that its individual panels in fact be discrete but the gaps between the panels should be made as small as possible relative to the panel width to maximize the wall coverage and to minimize the extent of exposed panel edges. The modularity of a wall-limiter leads inevitably to misalignments. The gaps and misalignments reduce the power-handling capability of a modular wall-limiter relative to an ideal wall-limiter, i.e. one without any gaps or misalignments. It is shown that even small gaps and radial misalignments between the individual panels of a modular wall-limiter can require so much shaping, i.e. chamfering, of the panels in order to protect the panel edges that the peak deposited power flux density on the panel face considerably exceeds that for an ideal wall-limiter, typically by an order of magnitude. Nevertheless, compared with a set of discrete limiters which are separated by gaps larger than the limiter toroidal size, a modular, small-gap wall-limiter can still be thinner and can have lower peak deposited power flux densities (MW m -2 ), for a given total power load (MW).

DUST COAGULATION IN THE VICINITY OF A GAP-OPENING JUPITER-MASS PLANET

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Carballido, Augusto; Matthews, Lorin S.; Hyde, Truell W., E-mail: Augusto_Carballido@baylor.edu [Center for Astrophysics, Space Physics and Engineering Research, Baylor University, Waco, TX 76798 (United States)

2016-06-01

We analyze the coagulation of dust in and around a gap opened by a Jupiter-mass planet. To this end, we carry out a high-resolution magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) simulation of the gap environment, which is turbulent due to the magnetorotational instability. From the MHD simulation, we obtain values of the gas velocities, densities, and turbulent stresses (a) close to the gap edge, (b) in one of the two gas streams that accrete onto the planet, (c) inside the low-density gap, and (d) outside the gap. The MHD values are then input into a Monte Carlo dust-coagulation algorithm which models grain sticking and compaction. We also introduce a simple implementation for bouncing, for comparison purposes. We consider two dust populations for each region: one whose initial size distribution is monodisperse, with monomer radius equal to 1 μ m, and another one whose initial size distribution follows the Mathis–Rumpl–Nordsieck distribution for interstellar dust grains, with an initial range of monomer radii between 0.5 and 10 μ m. Without bouncing, our Monte Carlo calculations show steady growth of dust aggregates in all regions, and the mass-weighted (m-w) average porosity of the initially monodisperse population reaches extremely high final values of 98%. The final m-w porosities in all other cases without bouncing range between 30% and 82%. The efficiency of compaction is due to high turbulent relative speeds between dust particles. When bouncing is introduced, growth is slowed down in the planetary wake and inside the gap. Future studies will need to explore the effect of different planet masses and electric charge on grains.

DUST COAGULATION IN THE VICINITY OF A GAP-OPENING JUPITER-MASS PLANET

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Carballido, Augusto; Matthews, Lorin S.; Hyde, Truell W.

2016-01-01

We analyze the coagulation of dust in and around a gap opened by a Jupiter-mass planet. To this end, we carry out a high-resolution magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) simulation of the gap environment, which is turbulent due to the magnetorotational instability. From the MHD simulation, we obtain values of the gas velocities, densities, and turbulent stresses (a) close to the gap edge, (b) in one of the two gas streams that accrete onto the planet, (c) inside the low-density gap, and (d) outside the gap. The MHD values are then input into a Monte Carlo dust-coagulation algorithm which models grain sticking and compaction. We also introduce a simple implementation for bouncing, for comparison purposes. We consider two dust populations for each region: one whose initial size distribution is monodisperse, with monomer radius equal to 1 μ m, and another one whose initial size distribution follows the Mathis–Rumpl–Nordsieck distribution for interstellar dust grains, with an initial range of monomer radii between 0.5 and 10 μ m. Without bouncing, our Monte Carlo calculations show steady growth of dust aggregates in all regions, and the mass-weighted (m-w) average porosity of the initially monodisperse population reaches extremely high final values of 98%. The final m-w porosities in all other cases without bouncing range between 30% and 82%. The efficiency of compaction is due to high turbulent relative speeds between dust particles. When bouncing is introduced, growth is slowed down in the planetary wake and inside the gap. Future studies will need to explore the effect of different planet masses and electric charge on grains.

Effects of Hand Proximity and Movement Direction in Spatial and Temporal Gap Discrimination.

Science.gov (United States)

Wiemers, Michael; Fischer, Martin H

2016-01-01

Previous research on the interplay between static manual postures and visual attention revealed enhanced visual selection near the hands (near-hand effect). During active movements there is also superior visual performance when moving toward compared to away from the stimulus (direction effect). The "modulated visual pathways" hypothesis argues that differential involvement of magno- and parvocellular visual processing streams causes the near-hand effect. The key finding supporting this hypothesis is an increase in temporal and a reduction in spatial processing in near-hand space (Gozli et al., 2012). Since this hypothesis has, so far, only been tested with static hand postures, we provide a conceptual replication of Gozli et al.'s (2012) result with moving hands, thus also probing the generality of the direction effect. Participants performed temporal or spatial gap discriminations while their right hand was moving below the display. In contrast to Gozli et al. (2012), temporal gap discrimination was superior at intermediate and not near hand proximity. In spatial gap discrimination, a direction effect without hand proximity effect suggests that pragmatic attentional maps overshadowed temporal/spatial processing biases for far/near-hand space.

SU-E-T-220: Computational Accuracy of Adaptive Convolution (AC) and Collapsed Cone Convolution (CCC) Algorithms in the Presence of Air Gaps

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Oyewale, S [Cancer Centers of Southwest Oklahoma, Lawton, OK (United States); Pokharel, S [21st Century Oncology, Naples, FL (United States); Rana, S [ProCure Proton Therapy Center, Oklahoma City, OK (United States)

2015-06-15

Purpose: To compare the percentage depth dose (PDD) computational accuracy of Adaptive Convolution (AC) and Collapsed Cone Convolution (CCC) algorithms in the presence of air gaps. Methods: A 30×30×30 cm{sup 3} solid water phantom with two 5cm air gaps was scanned with a CT simulator unit and exported into the Phillips Pinnacle™ treatment planning system. PDDs were computed using the AC and CCC algorithms. Photon energy of 6 MV was used with field sizes of 3×3 cm{sup 2}, 5×5 cm{sup 2}, 10×10 cm{sup 2}, 15×15 cm{sup 2}, and 20×20 cm{sup 2}. Ionization chamber readings were taken at different depths in water for all the field sizes. The percentage differences in the PDDs were computed with normalization to the depth of maximum dose (dmax). The calculated PDDs were then compared with measured PDDs. Results: In the first buildup region, both algorithms overpredicted the dose for all field sizes and under-predicted for all other subsequent buildup regions. After dmax in the three water media, AC under-predicted the dose for field sizes 3×3 and 5×5 cm{sup 2} and overpredicted for larger field sizes, whereas CCC under-predicted for all field sizes. Upon traversing the first air gap, AC showed maximum differences of –3.9%, −1.4%, 2.0%, 2.5%, 2.9% and CCC had maximum differences of −3.9%, −3.0%,–3.1%, −2.7%, −1.8% for field sizes 3×3, 5×5, 10×10, 15×15, and 20×20 cm{sup 2} respectively. Conclusion: The effect of air gaps causes a significant difference in the PDDs computed by both the AC and CCC algorithms in secondary build-up regions. AC computed larger values for the PDDs except at smaller field sizes. For CCC, the size of the errors in prediction of the PDDs has an inverse relationship with respect to field size. These effects should be considered in treatment planning where significant air gaps are encountered.

Size effect in the strength of concrete structures

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

R. Narasimhan (Krishtel eMaging) 1461 1996 Oct 15 13:05:22

The fracture mechanics size effect, as opposed to the Weibull statistical size effect, is a .... Solutions for TPB beam and a typical wedge-splitting geometry have been ..... Bazant Z P 1984 Size effect in blunt fracture: Concrete, rock, metal. J. Eng.

Development of a simplified fuel-cladding gap conductance model for nuclear feedback calculation in 16x16 FA

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yoo, Jong Sung; Park, Chan Oh; Park, Yong Soo

1995-01-01

The accurate determination of the fuel-cladding gap conductance as functions of rod burnup and power level may be a key to the design and safety analysis of a reactor. The incorporation of a sophisticated gap conductance model into nuclear design code for computing thermal hydraulic feedback effect has not been implemented mainly because of computational inefficiency due to complicated behavior of gap conductance. To avoid the time-consuming iteration scheme, simplification of the gap conductance model is done for the current design model. The simplified model considers only the heat conductance contribution to the gap conductance. The simplification is made possible by direct consideration of the gap conductivity depending on the composition of constituent gases in the gap and the fuel-cladding gap size from computer simulation of representative power histories. The simplified gap conductance model is applied to the various fuel power histories and the predicted gap conductances are found to agree well with the results of the design model

Effect of band gap narrowing on GaAs tunnel diode I-V characteristics

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lebib, A.; Hannanchi, R. [Laboratoire d' énergie et de matériaux, LabEM-LR11ES34-Université de sousse (Tunisia); Beji, L., E-mail: lotbej_fr@yahoo.fr [Laboratoire d' énergie et de matériaux, LabEM-LR11ES34-Université de sousse (Tunisia); EL Jani, B. [Unité de Recherche sur les Hétéro-Epitaxies et Applications, Faculté des Sciences, Université de Monastir, 5019 Monastir (Tunisia)

2016-12-01

We report on experimental and theoretical study of current-voltage characteristics of C/Si-doped GaAs tunnel diode. For the investigation of the experimental data, we take into account the band-gap narrowing (BGN) effect due to heavily-doped sides of the tunnel diode. The BGN of the n- and p-sides of tunnel diode was measured by photoluminescence spectroscopy. The comparison between theoretical results and experimental data reveals that BGN effect enhances tunneling currents and hence should be considered to identify more accurately the different transport mechanisms in the junction. For C/Si-doped GaAs tunnel diode, we found that direct tunneling is the dominant transport mechanism at low voltages. At higher voltages, this mechanism is replaced by the rate-controlling tunneling via gap states in the forbidden gap.

Prevention of the Portion Size Effect

NARCIS (Netherlands)

I. Versluis (Iris)

2016-01-01

markdownabstractAn increase in the portion size leads to an increase in energy intake, a phenomenon which is also referred to as the portion size effect. The increase in portion sizes in recent years is regarded as an important contributor to the increase in the prevalence of obesity. Hence, the aim

Resonant atom-field interaction in large-size coupled-cavity arrays

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ciccarello, Francesco

2011-01-01

We consider an array of coupled cavities with staggered intercavity couplings, where each cavity mode interacts with an atom. In contrast to large-size arrays with uniform hopping rates where the atomic dynamics is known to be frozen in the strong-hopping regime, we show that resonant atom-field dynamics with significant energy exchange can occur in the case of staggered hopping rates even in the thermodynamic limit. This effect arises from the joint emergence of an energy gap in the free photonic dispersion relation and a discrete frequency at the gap's center. The latter corresponds to a bound normal mode stemming solely from the finiteness of the array length. Depending on which cavity is excited, either the atomic dynamics is frozen or a Jaynes-Cummings-like energy exchange is triggered between the bound photonic mode and its atomic analog. As these phenomena are effective with any number of cavities, they are prone to be experimentally observed even in small-size arrays.

Genome size variation in Orchidaceae subfamily Apostasioideae: filling the phylogenetic gap

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Jersáková, Jana; Trávníček, Pavel; Kubátová, B.; Krejčíková, Jana; Urfus, Tomáš; Liu, Z.-J.; Lamb, A.; Ponert, J.; Schulte, K.; Čurn, V.; Vrána, Jan; Leitch, I. J.; Suda, Jan

2013-01-01

Roč. 172, č. 1 (2013), s. 95-105 ISSN 0024-4074 R&D Projects: GA ČR GAP506/12/1320 Institutional support: RVO:67179843 ; RVO:67985939 ; RVO:61389030 Keywords : DNA base content * flow cytometry * nuclear C-value * phylogeny * orchids Subject RIV: EH - Ecology, Behaviour; EF - Botanics (BU-J); EF - Botanics (UEB-Q) Impact factor: 2.699, year: 2013

A comparison of the wide gap and narrow gap resistive plate chamber

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cerron Zeballos, E.; Crotty, I.; Hatzifotiadou, D.; Valverde, J.L.; Neupane, S.; Peskov, V.; Singh, S.; Williams, M.C.S.; Zichichi, A.

1996-01-01

In this paper we study the performance of a wide gap RPC and compare it with that of a narrow gap RPC, both operated in avalanche mode. We have studied the total charge produced in the avalanche. We have measured the dependence of the performance with rate. In addition we have considered the effect of the tolerance of gas gap and calculated the power dissipated in these two types of RPC. We find that the narrow gap RPC has better timing ability; however the wide gap has superior rate capability, lower power dissipation in the gas volume and can be constructed with less stringent mechanical tolerances. (orig.)

A comparison of the wide gap and narrow gap resistive plate chamber

CERN Document Server

Cerron-Zeballos, E; Hatzifotiadou, D; Lamas-Valverde, J; Neupane, S; Peskov, Vladimir; Singh, S; Williams, M C S; Zichichi, Antonino

1996-01-01

In this paper we study the performance of a wide gap RPC and compare it with that of a narrow gap RPC, both operated in avalanche mode. We have studied the total charge produced in the avalanche. We have measured the dependence of the performance with rate. In addition we have considered the effect of the tolerance of gas gap and calculated the power dissipated in these two types of RPC. We find that the narrow gap RPC has better timing ability; however the wide gap has superior rate capability, lower power dissipation in the gas volume and can be constructed with less stringent mechanical tolerances.

Quantum mechanical effects in plasmonic structures with subnanometre gaps.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhu, Wenqi; Esteban, Ruben; Borisov, Andrei G; Baumberg, Jeremy J; Nordlander, Peter; Lezec, Henri J; Aizpurua, Javier; Crozier, Kenneth B

2016-06-03

Metallic structures with nanogap features have proven highly effective as building blocks for plasmonic systems, as they can provide a wide tuning range of operating frequencies and large near-field enhancements. Recent work has shown that quantum mechanical effects such as electron tunnelling and nonlocal screening become important as the gap distances approach the subnanometre length-scale. Such quantum effects challenge the classical picture of nanogap plasmons and have stimulated a number of theoretical and experimental studies. This review outlines the findings of many groups into quantum mechanical effects in nanogap plasmons, and discusses outstanding challenges and future directions.

Faraday effect and λ-modulation absorption spectra of GaP

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Petkova, P N; Dimov, T N; Iliev, I A

2007-01-01

There are presented the absorption optical spectra of GaP measured by λ-modulation method at room temperature in the spectral region from 505 nm to 700 nm. It is not possible even by λ-modulation to be registered at room temperature the wave bands due to the exciton-phonon interaction. The absorption spectra of GaP carried out by a λ-modulation can be separated exactly in the spectral parts as follows: the transmittance region where the absorption is too slightly expressed; the region determined by the phonon-assisted indirect transitions; the region of the interband absorption. The purpose of Faraday rotation measurements is to establish the influence of the exciton-phonon interaction on the magneto-optical effect. The magneto-optical effect has been investigated by a φ-modulation. The spectral dependence of dn/dλ in the transmittance region is determined by the φ-modulated spectra

Effects of coverage gap reform on adherence to diabetes medications.

Science.gov (United States)

Zeng, Feng; Patel, Bimal V; Brunetti, Louis

2013-04-01

To investigate the impact of Part D coverage gap reform on diabetes medication adherence. Retrospective data analysis based on pharmacy claims data from a national pharmacy benefit manager. We used a difference-in-difference-indifference method to evaluate the impact of coverage gap reform on adherence to diabetes medications. Two cohorts (2010 and 2011) were constructed to represent the last year before Affordable Care Act (ACA) reform and the first year after reform, respectively. Each patient had 2 observations: 1 before and 1 after entering the coverage gap. Patients in each cohort were divided into groups based on type of gap coverage: no coverage, partial coverage (generics only), and full coverage. Following ACA reform, patients with no gap coverage and patients with partial gap coverage experienced substantial drops in copayments in the coverage gap in 2011. Their adherence to diabetes medications in the gap, measured by percentage of days covered, improved correspondingly (2.99 percentage points, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.49-5.48, P = .019 for patients with no coverage; 6.46 percentage points, 95% CI 3.34-9.58, P gap in 2011. However, their adherence did not increase (-0.13 percentage point, P = .8011). In the first year of ACA coverage gap reform, copayments in the gap decreased substantially for all patients. Patients with no coverage and patients with partial coverage in the gap had better adherence in the gap in 2011.

Effects of shape, size, and pyrene doping on electronic properties of graphene nanoflakes.

Science.gov (United States)

Kuamit, Thanawit; Ratanasak, Manussada; Rungnim, Chompoonut; Parasuk, Vudhichai

2017-11-25

Effects of size, shape, and pyrene doping on electronic properties of graphene nanoflakes (GNFs) were theoretically investigated using density functional theory method with PBE, B3PW91, and M06-2X functionals and cc-pVDZ basis set. Two shapes of zigzag GNFs, hexagonal (HGN) and rhomboidal (RGN), were considered. The energy band gap of GNF depends on shape and decreases with size. The HGN has larger band gap energy (1.23-3.96 eV) than the RGN (0.13-2.12 eV). The doping of pyrene and pyrene derivatives on both HGN and RGN was also studied. The adsorption energy of pyrene and pyrene derivatives on GNF does not depend on the shape of GNFs with energies between 21 and 27 kcal mol -1 . The substituent on pyrene enhances the binding to GNF but the strength does not depend on electron withdrawing or donating capability. The doping by pyrene and pyrene derivatives also shifts the HOMO and LUMO energies of GNFs. Both positive (destabilizing) and negative (stabilizing) shifts on HOMO and LUMO of GNFs were seen. The direction and magnitude of the shift do not follow the electron withdrawing and donating capability of pyrene substituents. However, only a slight shift was observed for doped RGN. A shift of 0.19 eV was noticed for HOMO of HGN doped with 1-aminopyrene (pyNH 2 ) and of 0.04 eV for LUMO of HGN doped with 1-pyrenecarboxylic acid (pyCOOH). Graphical Abstract HOMO and LUMO Energies of pyrene/pyrene derivatives doped Graphene Nanoflakes.

Effect of anisotropy on the magnon energy gap in a two-layer ferromagnetic superlattice

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Qiu Rongke; Liang Jing; Li Qingfeng; Zhang Zhidong; Song Panpan; Hong Xiaomin

2009-01-01

The magnon energy bands or spectra in a two-layer ferromagnetic superlattice are studied. It is found that a modulated energy gap exists in the magnon energy band along K x direction perpendicular to the superlattice plane, which is different from the optical magnon gap at K x =0. The anisotropy, the spin quantum numbers and the interlayer exchange couplings all affect the magnon energy gap. If the anisotropy exists, there will be no acoustic energy branch in the system. There is a competition effect of the anisotropy and the spin quantum number on the magnon energy gap. The competition achieves a balance at the zero energy gap, at which the symmetry of the system is higher. The two energy spectra of the two-layer ferromagnetic superlattice are lowered with increasing temperature.

Band-gap measurements of bulk and nanoscale hematite by soft x-ray spectroscopy

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gilbert, B.; Frandsen, Cathrine; Maxey, E.R.

2009-01-01

Chemical and photochemical processes at semiconductor surfaces are highly influenced by the size of the band gap, and ability to control the band gap by particle size in nanomaterials is part of their promise. The combination of soft x-ray absorption and emission spectroscopies provides band......-gap determination in bulk and nanoscale itinerant electron semiconductors such as CdS and ZnO, but this approach has not been established for materials such as iron oxides that possess band-edge electronic structure dominated by electron correlations. We performed soft x-ray spectroscopy at the oxygen K...

Long-term fragmentation effects on the distribution and dynamics of canopy gaps in a tropical montane forest

Science.gov (United States)

Nicholas R. Vaughn; Gregory P. Asner; Christian P. Giardina

2015-01-01

Fragmentation alters forest canopy structure through various mechanisms, which in turn drive subsequent changes to biogeochemical processes and biological diversity. Using repeated airborne LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) mappings, we investigated the size distribution and dynamics of forest canopy gaps across a topical montane forest landscape in Hawaii naturally...

Causality in Statistical Power: Isomorphic Properties of Measurement, Research Design, Effect Size, and Sample Size

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

R. Eric Heidel

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Statistical power is the ability to detect a significant effect, given that the effect actually exists in a population. Like most statistical concepts, statistical power tends to induce cognitive dissonance in hepatology researchers. However, planning for statistical power by an a priori sample size calculation is of paramount importance when designing a research study. There are five specific empirical components that make up an a priori sample size calculation: the scale of measurement of the outcome, the research design, the magnitude of the effect size, the variance of the effect size, and the sample size. A framework grounded in the phenomenon of isomorphism, or interdependencies amongst different constructs with similar forms, will be presented to understand the isomorphic effects of decisions made on each of the five aforementioned components of statistical power.

Micro-environmental changes induced by shape and size of forest openings: effects on Austrocedrus chilensis and Nothofagus dombeyi seedlings performance in a Pinus contorta plantation of Patagonia, Argentina

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pafundi, L.; Urretavizcaya, M.F.; Defosse, G.E.

2016-07-01

Aim of the study: to analyze, within a Pinus contorta plantation, the effects of artificially created small rectangular and small medium circular canopy gaps on: i) photosynthetic active radiation (PAR), and soil temperature and moisture, and ii) survival and growth of planted Austrocedrus chilensis and Nothofagus dombeyi seedlings, species which formerly composed the natural forest of the area. Study area: A 2 ha stand of a Pinus contorta stand in Los Alerces National Park, Argentina (42°43’S, 71°43’W, 490 m.a.s.l.). Material and methods: The Pinus contorta stand was 25 yr old, 22 m height and 26 cm DBH, presenting 1000 trees ha-1 of density and 53 m2 ha-1 of basal area. In 2009, rectangular and circular gaps were created within the stand and then seedlings were planted. During two growing seasons (2010-2011 and 2011-2012), PAR, soil temperature and moisture were measured in gaps and understory (control), and seedling survival and growth in gaps. Main results: During both seasons, soil temperature did not differ among gaps and control, whereas PAR and soil moisture were lower in control than in gaps. Seedling survival was high in all gaps regardless of species and season. Seedlings showed higher diameter growth in rectangular than in circular gaps. Research highlights: Austrocedrus chilensis and N. dombeyi seedlings survival is high and their growth slightly affected, when planted in differently-sized canopy gaps within a Pinus contorta plantation in Patagonia. However, other gap sizes and stand densities should be tested before recommending which one shows better results for reconverting monocultures into former native forests. Abbreviations used: PAR (Photosynthetic Active Radiation); DBH (Diameter at Breast Height); INTA (Argentinean Institute of Agricultural Technology); IFONA (Argentinean Forest Institute). (Author)

Correlation between the band gap expansion and melting temperature depression of nanostructured semiconductors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Li, Jianwei, E-mail: jwl189@163.com; Zhao, Xinsheng [Laboratory for Quantum Design of Functional Material, School of Physics and Electronic Engineering, Jiangsu Normal University, Xuzhou 221116 (China); Liu, Xinjuan [Center for Coordination Bond and Electronic Engineering, College of Materials Science and Engineering, China Jiliang University, Hangzhou 310018 (China); Zheng, Xuejun [School of Mechanical Engineering, Xiangtan University, Xiangtan, Hunan 411105 (China); Yang, Xuexian [Department of Physics, Jishou University, Jishou 416000, Hunan (China); Zhu, Zhe [School of Materials Science and Engineering, Xiangtan University, Xiangtan, Hunan 411105 (China)

2015-09-28

The band gap and melting temperature of a semiconductor are tunable with the size and shape of the specimen at the nanometer scale, and related mechanisms remain as yet unclear. In order to understand the common origin of the size and shape effect on these two seemingly irrelevant properties, we clarify, correlate, formulate, and quantify these two properties of GaAs, GaN, InP, and InN nanocrystals from the perspectives of bond order-length-strength correlation using the core-shell configuration. The consistency in the theoretical predictions, experimental observations, and numerical calculations verify that the broken-bond-induced local bond contraction and strength gain dictates the band gap expansion, while the atomic cohesive energy loss due to bond number reduction depresses the melting point. The fraction of the under-coordinated atoms in the skin shell quantitatively determines the shape and size dependency. The atomic under-coordination in the skin down to a depth of two atomic layers inducing a change in the local chemical bond is the common physical origin.

Experimental study on in-vessel debris coolability; experiments on heat transfer in downward-facing hemicircular gap

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Suh, Kune Yull; Kim, Yong Hoon; Kim, Seong Joong; Lee, Seung Dong [Seoul National University, Seoul (Korea)

2002-03-01

Experiments were performed to measure the CHF and the critical power and to investigate the heat transfer mechanism in the narrow gap with 2D slice test sections. Test parameters in this study included the gap size of 1, 2, 5, and 10mm and the system pressure from 0.1 to 1.0 MPa. The CHF was measured for the distilled water. Results of this study may be summarized as follows. 1) In the narrow gap size of 1 and 2mm, the CHF occurs at the bottom and propagates upwards as the inclination angle relative to gravitational force increases. 2) Dryout is the limiting heat transfer mechanism in the 2D sliced experiments, and the CHF reaches 80-90% of the 3D CHFG value. 3) In the narrow gap size of 1 and 2mm the CHF values lie on the order of 104 kW/m2, while in the gap sizes of 5 and 10mm the CHF values have an order of 105 kW/m2. 4) The flow visualization study revealed that the shape of bubble is elliptic and the hydrodynamic bubble diameter exceeds the size of 20mm. 5) In analyzing the CHF with the inclination angle of the heated surface in the narrow gap size of 1 and 2mm, there exists a transition angle in the vicinity of 20-30 .deg.. From the region of the inclination angle of 0 .deg. C to 20 .deg. C or 30 .deg. C, the dryout mechanism may be directly applicable. On the contrary the transition angle is not conspicuously seen in the gap sizes of 5 and 10mm in which dominant mechanism is closer to pool boiling. 27 refs., 29 figs., 8 tabs. (Author)

Nonlinear optical effects of opening a gap in graphene

Science.gov (United States)

Carvalho, David N.; Biancalana, Fabio; Marini, Andrea

2018-05-01

Graphene possesses remarkable electronic, optical, and mechanical properties that have taken the research of two-dimensional relativistic condensed matter systems to prolific levels. However, the understanding of how its nonlinear optical properties are affected by relativisticlike effects has been broadly uncharted. It has been recently shown that highly nontrivial currents can be generated in free-standing samples, notably leading to the generation of even harmonics. Since graphene monolayers are centrosymmetric media, for which such harmonic generation at normal incidence is deemed inaccessible, this light-driven phenomenon is both startling and promising. More realistically, graphene samples are often deposited on a dielectric substrate, leading to additional intricate interactions. Here, we present a treatment to study this instance by gapping the spectrum and we show this leads to the appearance of a Berry phase in the carrier dynamics. We analyze the role of such a phase in the generated nonlinear current and conclude that it suppresses odd-harmonic generation. The pump energy can be tuned to the energy gap to yield interference among odd harmonics mediated by interband transitions, allowing even harmonics to be generated. Our results and general methodology pave the way for understanding the role of gap opening in the nonlinear optics of two-dimensional lattices.

Dosimetric comparison between proton and photon beams in the moving gap region in cranio-spinal irradiation (CSI)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cheng, Chee-Wai; Das, Indra J.; Zhao, Li; Wolanski, Mark; Johnstone, Peter A.S.; Buchsbaum, Jeffrey C. [IU Health Proton Therapy Center, Bloomington (United States); Dept. of Radiation Oncology, Indiana Univ. School of Medicine, Indianapolis (United States)], e-mail: ccheng1@iuhealth.org; Srivastava, Shiv P. [Dept. of Radiation Oncology, Indiana Univ. School of Medicine, Indianapolis (United States); Dept. of Radiation Oncology, Reid Hospital, Richmond (United States); Simmons, Joseph [IU Health Proton Therapy Center, Bloomington (United States)

2013-04-15

Purpose: To investigate the moving gap region dosimetry in proton beam cranio-spinal irradiation (CSI) to provide optimal dose uniformity across the treatment volume. Material and methods: Proton beams of ranges 11.6 cm and 16 cm are used for the spine and the brain fields, respectively. Beam profiles for a 30 cm snout are first matched at the 50% level (hot match) on the computer. Feathering is simulated by shifting the dose profiles by a known distance two successive times to simulate a 2 x feathering scheme. The process is repeated for 2 mm and 4 mm gaps. Similar procedures are used to determine the dose profiles in the moving gap for a series of gap widths, 0-10 mm, and feathering step sizes, 4-10 mm, for a Varian iX 6MV beam. The proton and photon dose profiles in the moving gap region are compared. Results: The dose profiles in the moving gap exhibit valleys and peaks in both proton and photon beam CSI. The dose in the moving gap for protons is around 100% or higher for 0 mm gap, for both 5 and 10 mm feathering step sizes. When the field gap is comparable or larger than the penumbra, dose minima as low as 66% is obtained. The dosimetric characteristics for 6 MV photon beams can be made similar to those of the protons by appropriately combining gap width and feathering step size. Conclusion: The dose in the moving gap region is determined by the lateral penumbras, the width of the gap and the feathering step size. The dose decreases with increasing gap width or decreasing feathering step size. The dosimetric characteristics are similar for photon and proton beams. However, proton CSI has virtually no exit dose and is beneficial for pediatric patients, whereas with photon beams the whole lung and abdomen receive non-negligible exit dose.

How to Estimate and Interpret Various Effect Sizes

Science.gov (United States)

Vacha-Haase, Tammi; Thompson, Bruce

2004-01-01

The present article presents a tutorial on how to estimate and interpret various effect sizes. The 5th edition of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (2001) described the failure to report effect sizes as a "defect" (p. 5), and 23 journals have published author guidelines requiring effect size reporting. Although…

Photonic band gap structures for long-range surface plasmon polaritons

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bozhevolnyi, Sergey I.; Boltasseva, Alexandra; Søndergaard, Thomas

2005-01-01

Propagation of long-range surface plasmon polaritons (LR-SPPs) along periodically thickness-modulated metal stripes embedded in dielectric is studied both theoretically and experimentally for light wavelengths in the telecom range. We demonstrate that symmetric (with respect to the film surface) nm......-size thickness variations result in the pronounced band gap effect, and obtain very good agreement between measured and simulated (transmission and reflection) spectra. This effect is exploited to realize a compact wavelength add-drop filter with the bandwidth of ~20 nm centered at 1550 nm. The possibilities...

A study of the effects of changing burn-up and gap gaseous compound on the gap convection coefficient (in a hot fuel pin) in VVER-1000 reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rahgoshay, M.; Rahmani, Y.

2007-01-01

In this article we worked on the result and process of calculation of the gap heat transfer coefficient for a hot fuel pin in accordance with burn-up changes in the VVER-1000 reactor at the Bushehr nuclear power plant (Iran). With regard to the fact that in calculating the fuel gap heat transfer coefficient, various parameters are effective and the need for designing a model is being felt, therefore, in this article we used Ross and Stoute gap model to study impacts of different effective parameters such as thermal expansion and gaseous fission products on the h gap change rate. Over time and with changes in fuel burn-up some gaseous fission products such as xenon, argon and krypton gases are released to the gas mixture in the gap, which originally contained helium. In this study, the composition of gaseous elements in the gap volume during different times of reactor operation was found using ORIGEN code. Considering that the thermal conduction of these gases is lower than that of helium, and by using the Ross and Stoute gap model, we find first that the changes in gaseous compounds in the gap reduce the values of gap thermal conductivity coefficient, but considering thermal expansion (due to burn-up alterations) of fuel and clad resulting in the reduction of gap thickness we find that the gap heat transfer coefficient will augment in a broad range of burn-up changes. These changes result in a higher rate of gap thickness reduction than the low rate of decrease of heat conduction coefficient of the gas in the gap during burn-up. Once these changes have been defined, we can proceed with the analysis of the results of calculations based on the Ross and Stoute model and compare the results obtained with the experimental results for a hot fuel pin as presented in the final safety analysis report of the VVER-1000 reactor at Bushehr. It is noteworthy that the results of accomplished calculations based on the Ross and Stoute model correspond well with the existing

Evaluation of the influence of bypass flow gap distribution on the core hot spot in a prismatic VHTR core

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Min-Hwan; Lim, Hong-Sik

2011-01-01

Highlights: → A procedure to evaluate the local gap size variation between graphite blocks was developed and applied to a prismatic core VHTR. → The analysis for the core bypass flow and hot spot was carried out based on the calculated gap distributions. → The predicted gap size is large enough to affect the flow distribution in the core. → The bypass gap and flow distributions are closely related to the local hot spot temperature and its location. → The core restraint mechanism preventing outward movement of graphite block reduces the bypass gap size and hot spot temperature. - Abstract: Core bypass flow in VHTR is one of the key issues for core thermal margins and efficiency. The bypass flow in the prismatic core varies during core cycles due to the irradiation shrinkage/swelling and thermal expansion of the graphite blocks. A procedure to evaluate the local gap size variation between graphite blocks was developed and applied to a prismatic core VHTR. The influence of the core restraint mechanism on the bypass flow gap was evaluated. The predicted gap size is as much as 8 mm when the graphite block is exposed to its allowable limit of fast neutron fluence. The analysis for the core bypass flow and hot spot was carried out based on the calculated gap distributions. The results indicate that the bypass gap and flow distributions are closely related to the local hot spot and its location and the core restraint mechanism preventing outward movement of the graphite block by a fastening device reduces the bypass gap size, which results in the decrease of maximum fuel temperature not less than 100 deg. C, when compared to the case without it.

DUST FILTRATION BY PLANET-INDUCED GAP EDGES: IMPLICATIONS FOR TRANSITIONAL DISKS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhu Zhaohuan; Dong Ruobing [Department of Astrophysical Sciences, 4 Ivy Lane, Peyton Hall, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544 (United States); Nelson, Richard P. [Astronomy Unit, Queen Mary University of London, Mile End Road, London E1 4NS (United Kingdom); Espaillat, Catherine [Center for Astrophysics, 60 Garden Street, Cambridge, MA 02138 (United States); Hartmann, Lee, E-mail: zhzhu@astro.princeton.edu, E-mail: rdong@astro.princeton.edu, E-mail: lhartm@umich.edu, E-mail: r.p.nelson@qmul.ac.uk, E-mail: cespaillat@cfa.harvard.edu [Department of Astronomy, University of Michigan, 500 Church St., Ann Arbor, MI 48109 (United States)

2012-08-10

By carrying out two-dimensional two-fluid global simulations, we have studied the response of dust to gap formation by a single planet in the gaseous component of a protoplanetary disk-the so-called dust filtration mechanism. We have found that a gap opened by a giant planet at 20 AU in an {alpha} = 0.01, M-dot =10{sup -8} M{sub Sun} yr{sup -1} disk can effectively stop dust particles larger than 0.1 mm drifting inward, leaving a submillimeter (submm) dust cavity/hole. However, smaller particles are difficult to filter by a gap induced by a several M{sub J} planet due to (1) dust diffusion and (2) a high gas accretion velocity at the gap edge. Based on these simulations, an analytic model is derived to understand what size particles can be filtered by the planet-induced gap edge. We show that a dimensionless parameter T{sub s} /{alpha}, which is the ratio between the dimensionless dust stopping time and the disk viscosity parameter, is important for the dust filtration process. Finally, with our updated understanding of dust filtration, we have computed Monte Carlo radiative transfer models with variable dust size distributions to generate the spectral energy distributions of disks with gaps. By comparing with transitional disk observations (e.g., GM Aur), we have found that dust filtration alone has difficulties depleting small particles sufficiently to explain the near-IR deficit of moderate M-dot transitional disks, except under some extreme circumstances. The scenario of gap opening by multiple planets studied previously suffers the same difficulty. One possible solution is to invoke both dust filtration and dust growth in the inner disk. In this scenario, a planet-induced gap filters large dust particles in the disk, and the remaining small dust particles passing to the inner disk can grow efficiently without replenishment from fragmentation of large grains. Predictions for ALMA have also been made based on all these scenarios. We conclude that dust filtration

DUST FILTRATION BY PLANET-INDUCED GAP EDGES: IMPLICATIONS FOR TRANSITIONAL DISKS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhu Zhaohuan; Dong Ruobing; Nelson, Richard P.; Espaillat, Catherine; Hartmann, Lee

2012-01-01

By carrying out two-dimensional two-fluid global simulations, we have studied the response of dust to gap formation by a single planet in the gaseous component of a protoplanetary disk—the so-called dust filtration mechanism. We have found that a gap opened by a giant planet at 20 AU in an α = 0.01, M-dot =10 -8 M ☉ yr -1 disk can effectively stop dust particles larger than 0.1 mm drifting inward, leaving a submillimeter (submm) dust cavity/hole. However, smaller particles are difficult to filter by a gap induced by a several M J planet due to (1) dust diffusion and (2) a high gas accretion velocity at the gap edge. Based on these simulations, an analytic model is derived to understand what size particles can be filtered by the planet-induced gap edge. We show that a dimensionless parameter T s /α, which is the ratio between the dimensionless dust stopping time and the disk viscosity parameter, is important for the dust filtration process. Finally, with our updated understanding of dust filtration, we have computed Monte Carlo radiative transfer models with variable dust size distributions to generate the spectral energy distributions of disks with gaps. By comparing with transitional disk observations (e.g., GM Aur), we have found that dust filtration alone has difficulties depleting small particles sufficiently to explain the near-IR deficit of moderate M-dot transitional disks, except under some extreme circumstances. The scenario of gap opening by multiple planets studied previously suffers the same difficulty. One possible solution is to invoke both dust filtration and dust growth in the inner disk. In this scenario, a planet-induced gap filters large dust particles in the disk, and the remaining small dust particles passing to the inner disk can grow efficiently without replenishment from fragmentation of large grains. Predictions for ALMA have also been made based on all these scenarios. We conclude that dust filtration with planet(s) in the disk is a

Regression analysis for bivariate gap time with missing first gap time data.

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Chia-Hui; Chen, Yi-Hau

2017-01-01

We consider ordered bivariate gap time while data on the first gap time are unobservable. This study is motivated by the HIV infection and AIDS study, where the initial HIV contracting time is unavailable, but the diagnosis times for HIV and AIDS are available. We are interested in studying the risk factors for the gap time between initial HIV contraction and HIV diagnosis, and gap time between HIV and AIDS diagnoses. Besides, the association between the two gap times is also of interest. Accordingly, in the data analysis we are faced with two-fold complexity, namely data on the first gap time is completely missing, and the second gap time is subject to induced informative censoring due to dependence between the two gap times. We propose a modeling framework for regression analysis of bivariate gap time under the complexity of the data. The estimating equations for the covariate effects on, as well as the association between, the two gap times are derived through maximum likelihood and suitable counting processes. Large sample properties of the resulting estimators are developed by martingale theory. Simulations are performed to examine the performance of the proposed analysis procedure. An application of data from the HIV and AIDS study mentioned above is reported for illustration.

Do air-gaps behind soft body armour affect protection?

Science.gov (United States)

Tilsley, Lee; Carr, D J; Lankester, C; Malbon, C

2018-02-01

Body armour typically comprises a fabric garment covering the torso combined with hard armour (ceramic/composite). Some users wear only soft armour which provides protection from sharp weapons and pistol ammunition. It is usually recommended that body armour is worn against the body with no air-gaps being present between the wearer and the armour. However, air-gaps can occur in certain situations such as females around the breasts, in badly fitting armour and where manufacturers have incorporated an air-gap claiming improvements in thermophysiological burden. The effect of an air-gap on the ballistic protection and the back face signature (BFS) as a result of a non-perforating ballistic impact was determined. Armour panels representative of typical police armour (400x400 mm) were mounted on calibrated Roma Plastilina No 1 and impacted with 9 mm Luger FMJ (9×19 mm; full metal jacket; Dynamit Nobel DM11A1B2) ammunition at 365±10 m/s with a range of air-gaps (0-15 mm). Whether or not the ammunition perforated the armour was noted, the BFS was measured and the incidence of pencilling (a severe, deep and narrow BFS) was identified. For 0° impacts, a critical air-gap size of 10 mm is detrimental to armour performance for the armour/ammunition combination assessed in this work. Specifically, the incidences of pencilling were more common with a 10 mm air-gap and resulted in BFS depth:volume ratios ≥1.0. For impacts at 30° the armour was susceptible to perforation irrespective of air-gap. This work suggested that an air-gap behind police body armour might result in an increased likelihood of injury. It is recommended that body armour is worn with no air-gap underneath. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Realization of size controllable graphene micro/nanogap with a micro/nanowire mask method for organic field-effect transistors

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Liao, Zhiyu; Wan, Qing; Liu, Huixuan

2011-01-01

with the graphene micro/nanogap bottom electrodes. The ultrathin thickness of the graphene, combined with its good compatibility with organic semiconductors, and high electrical conductivity produced high-performance CuPc film device with mobility at 0.053 cm(2)/Vs and on/off ratio at 10(5), showing promising......A size controllable graphene micro/nanogap fabrication method using micro/nanowire as mask is presented. The gap dimension can be adjusted by the diameter of the mask wire. As a typical application, copper phthalocyanine (CuPc) film organic field-effect transistors (OFETs) were fabricated...

Theoretical analysis of gold nano-strip gap plasmon resonators

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Soendergaard, T; Jung, J; Bozhevolnyi, S I; Della Valle, G [Department of Physics and Nanotechnology, Aalborg University, Skjernvej 4A, DK-9220 Aalborg Oest (Denmark)], E-mail: ts@nano.aau.dk

2008-10-15

Gold gap plasmon resonators consisting of two nm-thin and sub-micron-wide gold strips separated by a nm-thin air or quartz gap are considered. Scattering resonances and resonant fields are related to a model of resonances being due to counter-propagating gap plasmon polaritons forming standing waves. A small gap ({approx}10 nm) is found to result in small resonance peaks in scattering spectra but large electric field magnitude enhancement ({approx}20), whereas a large gap ({approx}100 nm) is found to result in more pronounced scattering peaks but smaller field enhancement. Design curves are presented that allow construction of gap plasmon resonators with any desired resonance wavelength in the range from the visible to the infrared, including telecom wavelengths. The relation between resonance wavelength and resonator width is close to being linear. The field magnitude enhancement mid between the gold strips is systematically investigated versus gap size and wavelength.

The Breakdown Mechanisms In Electrical Discharges: The Role Of The Field Emission Effect In Direct Current Discharges In Micro gaps

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Radmilovic-Radjenovic, M.; Radjenovic, B.; Bojarov, A.; Klas, M.; Matejcik, S.

2013-01-01

This review represents an attempt to sum up the current state of the research in the field of breakdown phenomena in electrical discharges. The paper provides facts and theories concerning different classes of direct current, radio and microwave frequency discharges, in vacuum, in the gas and in liquids, without and in the presence of the magnetic fields. The emphasize was made on the field emission effects and on the fundamental aspects of the breakdown phenomena in micro discharges via discussions and analysis of the experimental, theoretical and simulation results. It was found that the Paschen's law is not applicable for the micron gap sizes, when deviations from the standard scaling law become evident and modified Paschen curve should be used. The explanation of the deviations from the Paschen law was attributed to the secondary electron emission enhanced by the strong field generated in micro gaps. The experiments were carried out in order to establish scaling law in micro gaps. The volt-ampere characteristics were also recorded and compared with the theoretical predictions based on the Fowler-Nordheim theory. The importance of the enhancement factor and the space charge on results was also considered. On the basis of the experimental breakdown voltage curves, the effective yields in micro gaps have been estimated for different gases which can be served as input data in modeling. The effective yields allow analytically produce modified Paschen curves that predicts the deviations from the Paschen law observed in the experiments. In addition, we present results of computer simulations using a Particle-in-cell/Monte Carlo Collisions (PIC/MCC) code with the secondary emission model in order to include the field emission enhanced secondary electron production in micro gaps. The agreement between simulation and experimental results suggest that computer simulations can be used to improve understanding of the plasma physics as an alternative to analytical

FILLED GAP EFFECT AND SEMANTIC PLAUSIBILITY IN BRAZILIAN PORTUGUESE SENTENCE PROCESSING

OpenAIRE

Marcus Maia

2014-01-01

The Filled Gap Effect (FGE) is investigated in Brazilian Portuguese through eye- tracking and self paced reading experiments. Results detect the presence of FGE, indicating that the parser is strictly syntactic in the early stage of processing. The final measures in the two experiments present discrepant results, motivating a discussion on possible good-enough effects.

Size effects in ductile cellular solids. Part I : modeling

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Onck, P.R.; Andrews, E.W.; Gibson, L.J.

2001-01-01

In the mechanical testing of metallic foams, an important issue is the effect of the specimen size, relative to the cell size, on the measured properties. Here we analyze size effects for the modulus and strength of regular, hexagonal honeycombs under uniaxial and shear loadings. Size effects for

Factors responsible for the stability and the existence of a clean energy gap of a silicon nanocluster

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu, Lei; Jayanthi, C. S.; Wu, Shi-Yu

2001-01-01

We present a critical theoretical study of electronic properties of silicon nanoclusters, in particular the roles played by symmetry, relaxation, and hydrogen passivation on the stability, the gap states and the energy gap of the system using the order N [O(N)] nonorthogonal tight-binding molecular dynamics and the local analysis of electronic structure. We find that for an unrelaxed cluster with its atoms occupying the regular tetrahedral network, the presence of undistorted local bonding configuration is sufficient for the appearance of a small clean energy gap. However, the energy gap of the unrelaxed cluster does not start at the highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO). In fact, between the HOMO and the lower edge of the energy gap, localized dangling bond states are found. With hydrogen passivation, the localized dangling bond states are eliminated, resulting in a wider and clean energy gap. Relaxation of these hydrogen passivated clusters does not alter either the structure or the energy gap appreciably. However, if the silicon clusters are allowed to relax first, the majority of the dangling bonds are eliminated but additional defect states due to bond distortion appear, making the energy gap dirty. Hydrogen passivation of these relaxed clusters will further eliminate most of the remnant dangling bonds but no appreciable effect on the defect states associated with bond distortions will take place, thus still resulting in a dirty gap. For the hydrogen-passivated Si N nanoclusters with no bond distortion and no overall symmetry, we have studied the variation of the energy gap as a function of size of the cluster for N in the range of 80< N<6000. The dependence of the energy gap on the size shows similar behavior to that for silicon nanoclusters with no bond distortion but possessing overall symmetry

An opening criterion for dust gaps in protoplanetary discs

OpenAIRE

Dipierro, Giovanni; Laibe, Guillaume

2017-01-01

We aim to understand under which conditions a low mass planet can open a gap in viscous dusty protoplanetary discs. For this purpose, we extend the theory of dust radial drift to include the contribution from the tides of an embedded planet and from the gas viscous forces. From this formalism, we derive i) a grain size-dependent criterion for dust gap opening in discs, ii) an estimate of the location of the outer edge of the dust gap and iii) an estimate of the minimum Stokes number above whi...

Effect of operating parameters and membrane characteristics on air gap membrane distillation performance for the treatment of highly saline water

KAUST Repository

Xu, Jingli

2016-04-07

In this study, ten different commercially available PTFE, PP and PVDF membranes were tested in desalination of highly saline water by air gap membrane distillation (AGMD). Process performance was investigated under different operating parameters, such as feed temperatures, feed flow velocities and salt concentrations reaching 120 g/L, and different membrane characteristics, such as membrane material, thickness, pore size and support layer, using a locally designed and fabricatd AGMD module and spacer. Results showed that increasing feed temperature increases permeate flux regardless of the feed concentration. However, feed flow velocity does not significantly affect the flux, especially at low feed temperatures. The PP membrane showed a better performance than the PVDF and PTFE membranes. Permeate flux decreases with the increase of salt concentration of feed solution, especially at higher concentrations above 90 g/L. The existence of membrane support layer led to a slight decrease of permeate flux. Membranes with pore sizes of 0.2 and 0.45 μm gave the best performance. Smaller pore size led to lower flux and larger pore size led to pore wetting due to lower LEP values. The effect of concentration polarization and temperature polarization has also been studied and compared.

Electrokinetic Flow in Microchannels with Finite Reservoir Size Effects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yan, D; Yang, C; Nguyen, N-T; Huang, X

2006-01-01

In electrokinetically-driven microfluidic applications, reservoirs are indispensable and have finite sizes. During operation processes, as the liquid level difference in reservoirs keeps changing as time elapses, the flow characteristics in a microchannel exhibit a combination of the electroosmotic flow and the time-dependent induced backpressure-driven flow. In this work, an assessment of the finite reservoir size effect on electroosmotic flows is presented theoretically and experimentally. A model is developed to describe the timedependent electrokinetic flow with finite reservoir size effects. The theoretical analysis shows that under certain conditions the finite reservoir size effect is significant. The important parameters that describe the effect of finite reservoir size on the flow characteristics are discussed. A new concept denoted as 'effective pumping period' is introduced to characterize the reservoir size effect. The proposed model clearly identifies the mechanisms of the finitereservoir size effects and is further confirmed by using micro-PIV technique. The results of this study can be used for facilitating the design of microfluidic devices

Statistical properties of four effect-size measures for mediation models.

Science.gov (United States)

Miočević, Milica; O'Rourke, Holly P; MacKinnon, David P; Brown, Hendricks C

2018-02-01

This project examined the performance of classical and Bayesian estimators of four effect size measures for the indirect effect in a single-mediator model and a two-mediator model. Compared to the proportion and ratio mediation effect sizes, standardized mediation effect-size measures were relatively unbiased and efficient in the single-mediator model and the two-mediator model. Percentile and bias-corrected bootstrap interval estimates of ab/s Y , and ab(s X )/s Y in the single-mediator model outperformed interval estimates of the proportion and ratio effect sizes in terms of power, Type I error rate, coverage, imbalance, and interval width. For the two-mediator model, standardized effect-size measures were superior to the proportion and ratio effect-size measures. Furthermore, it was found that Bayesian point and interval summaries of posterior distributions of standardized effect-size measures reduced excessive relative bias for certain parameter combinations. The standardized effect-size measures are the best effect-size measures for quantifying mediated effects.

Thermo hydraulic analysis of narrow channel effect in supercritical-pressure light water reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhou Tao; Chen Juan; Cheng Wanxu

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► Detailed thermal analysis with different narrow gaps between fuel rods is given. ► Special characteristics of narrow channels effect on heat transfer in supercritical pressure are shown. ► Reasonable size selection of gaps between fuel rods is proposed for SCWR. - Abstract: The size of the gap between fuel rods has important effects on flow and heat transfer in a supercritical-pressure light water reactor. Based on thermal analysis at different coolant flow rates, the reasonable value range of gap size between fuel rods is obtained, for which the maximum cladding temperature safety limits and installation technology are comprehensively considered. Firstly, for a given design flow rate of coolant, thermal hydraulic analysis of supercritical pressure light water reactor with different gap sizes is provided by changing the fuel rod pitch only. The results show that, by means of reducing the gap size between fuel rods, the heat transfer coefficients between coolant and fuel rod, as well as the heat transfer coefficient between coolant and water rod, would both increase noticeably. Furthermore, the maximum cladding temperature will significantly decrease when the moderator temperature is decreased but coolant temperature remains essentially constant. Meanwhile, the reduction in the maximum cladding temperature in the inner assemblies is much larger than that in the outer assemblies. In addition, the maximum cladding temperature could be further reduced by means of increasing coolant flow rate for each gap size. Finally, the characteristics of narrow channels effect are proposed, and the maximum allowable gap between fuel rods is obtained by making full use of the enhancing narrow channels effect on heat transfer, and concurrently considering installation. This could provide a theoretical reference for supercritical-pressure light water reactor design optimization, in which the effects of gap size and flow rate on heat transfer are both considered.

[Recombinant human gapM1 expressed in Pichia pastoris and its anti-diabetic effect].

Science.gov (United States)

Mei, Xiang; Du, Renqian; Li, Xi; Huang, Haiyan; Yu, Min; Tang, Qiqun

2009-08-01

Adiponectin is an adipokine predominantly synthesized and secreted by adipocytes in the white adipose tissue, and it can lower the blood glucose level and increase free fatty acid oxidation. In the current study, we developed the globular domain of adiponectin (gapM1) to treat type II diabetes. In both flask and fermentor, we cultivated Pichia pastoris expressing recombinant gapM1 and established the purification procedure by using gel filtration and anion exchange chromatography. To evaluate the biological activity of recombinant gapM1, we used rat type II diabetes model fed high-fat diet in combination with low-dose STZ (Streptozocin) induction. We purified 200 mg gapM1 with purity of 96% from 10 liters of supernatant. The recombinant gapM1 significantly lowered blood glucose (34.2%), serum triglyceride (79.6%) and total cholesterol (62.1%) in type II diabetes induced rat. Therefore, the recombinant human gapM1 is successfully expressed in Pichia pastoris and effectively treated type II diabetes in rat models.

FILLED GAP EFFECT AND SEMANTIC PLAUSIBILITY IN BRAZILIAN PORTUGUESE SENTENCE PROCESSING

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marcus Maia

2014-12-01

Full Text Available The Filled Gap Effect (FGE is investigated in Brazilian Portuguese through eye- tracking and self paced reading experiments. Results detect the presence of FGE, indicating that the parser is strictly syntactic in the early stage of processing. The final measures in the two experiments present discrepant results, motivating a discussion on possible good-enough effects.

Experimental study of critical heat flux in inclined rectangular gap

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, S.J.; Kim, Y.H.; Noh, S.W.; Suh, K.Y.; Rempe, J.L.; Cheung, F.B.; Kim, S.B.

2003-01-01

In the TMI-2 accident, the lower part of the reactor pressure vessel was overheated and then rather rapidly cooled down, as was later found out in a vessel investigation project. This accounted for the possibility of gap cooling feasibility. For this reason, a great deal of investigations was performed to determine the critical heat flux (CHF) from the standpoint of in-vessel retention (IVR). As part of a joint Korean-U.S. International Nuclear Energy Research Initiative (INERI) project, Tests were conducted to examine the critical heat flux (CHF) on the one-dimensional downward heating rectangular channel having a narrow gap by changing the orientation of the copper test heater assembly in a pool of saturated water under the atmospheric pressure. The test parameters include both the gap sizes of 1, 2, 5 and 10 mm, and the surface orientation angles from the downward-facing position (180deg) to the vertical position (90deg), respectively. It was observed that the CHF generally decreases as the surface inclination angle increases and as the gap size decreases. However, in downward-facing position (180deg), somewhat differing results were detected relative to previous reports. For a certain gap size having a similar dimension with vapor layer thickness, more efficient heat transfer was detected and this may be interpreted by characteristic property such as the vapor layer thickness of water. In consistency with several studies reported in the literature, it was found that there exists a transition angle above that the CHF changes with a rapid slope. (author)

The Development of Layered Photonic Band Gap Structures Using a Micro-Transfer Molding Technique

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kevin Jerome Sutherland

2001-01-01

Photonic band gap (PBG) crystals are periodic dielectric structures that manipulate electromagnetic radiation in a manner similar to semiconductor devices manipulating electrons. Whereas a semiconductor material exhibits an electronic band gap in which electrons cannot exist, similarly, a photonic crystal containing a photonic band gap does not allow the propagation of specific frequencies of electromagnetic radiation. This phenomenon results from the destructive Bragg diffraction interference that a wave propagating at a specific frequency will experience because of the periodic change in dielectric permitivity. This gives rise to a variety of optical applications for improving the efficiency and effectiveness of opto-electronic devices. These applications are reviewed later. Several methods are currently used to fabricate photonic crystals, which are also discussed in detail. This research involves a layer-by-layer micro-transfer molding ((mu)TM) and stacking method to create three-dimensional FCC structures of epoxy or titania. The structures, once reduced significantly in size can be infiltrated with an organic gain media and stacked on a semiconductor to improve the efficiency of an electronically pumped light-emitting diode. Photonic band gap structures have been proven to effectively create a band gap for certain frequencies of electro-magnetic radiation in the microwave and near-infrared ranges. The objective of this research project was originally two-fold: to fabricate a three dimensional (3-D) structure of a size scaled to prohibit electromagnetic propagation within the visible wavelength range, and then to characterize that structure using laser dye emission spectra. As a master mold has not yet been developed for the micro transfer molding technique in the visible range, the research was limited to scaling down the length scale as much as possible with the current available technology and characterizing these structures with other methods

The Development of Layered Photonic Band Gap Structures Using a Micro-Transfer Molding Technique

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sutherland, Kevin Jerome [Iowa State Univ., Ames, IA (United States)

2001-01-01

Photonic band gap (PBG) crystals are periodic dielectric structures that manipulate electromagnetic radiation in a manner similar to semiconductor devices manipulating electrons. Whereas a semiconductor material exhibits an electronic band gap in which electrons cannot exist, similarly, a photonic crystal containing a photonic band gap does not allow the propagation of specific frequencies of electromagnetic radiation. This phenomenon results from the destructive Bragg diffraction interference that a wave propagating at a specific frequency will experience because of the periodic change in dielectric permitivity. This gives rise to a variety of optical applications for improving the efficiency and effectiveness of opto-electronic devices. These applications are reviewed later. Several methods are currently used to fabricate photonic crystals, which are also discussed in detail. This research involves a layer-by-layer micro-transfer molding ({mu}TM) and stacking method to create three-dimensional FCC structures of epoxy or titania. The structures, once reduced significantly in size can be infiltrated with an organic gain media and stacked on a semiconductor to improve the efficiency of an electronically pumped light-emitting diode. Photonic band gap structures have been proven to effectively create a band gap for certain frequencies of electro-magnetic radiation in the microwave and near-infrared ranges. The objective of this research project was originally two-fold: to fabricate a three dimensional (3-D) structure of a size scaled to prohibit electromagnetic propagation within the visible wavelength range, and then to characterize that structure using laser dye emission spectra. As a master mold has not yet been developed for the micro transfer molding technique in the visible range, the research was limited to scaling down the length scale as much as possible with the current available technology and characterizing these structures with other methods.

Mass-media information campaigns and knowledge-gap effects

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Weenig, M.W.H.; Midden, C.J.H.

1997-01-01

The knowledge-gap hypothesis of Tichenor, Donohue, and Olien (1970) states that people from the higher socioeconomic segments of society acquire information at a faster rate than people from the lower socioeconomic segments. The consequence is a growing knowledge gap between the high and low

Size effects in crystal plasticity

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Borg, Ulrik

2007-01-01

Numerical analyses of plasticity size effects have been carried out for different problems using a developed strain gradient crystal plasticiy theory. The theory employs higher order stresses as work conjugates to slip gradients and uses higher order boundary conditions. Problems on localization...... of plastic flow in a single crystal, grain boundary effects in a bicrystal, and grain size effects in a polycrystal are studied. Single crystals containing micro-scale voids have also been analyzed at different loading conditions with focus on the stress and deformation fields around the voids, on void...... growth and interaction between neighboring voids, and on a comparison between the developed strain gradient crystal plasticity theory and a discrete dislocation plasticity theory. Furthermore, voids and rigid inclusions in isotropic materials have been studied using a strain gradient plasticity theory...

Bridging the gaps: An overview of wood across time and space in diverse rivers

Science.gov (United States)

Wohl, Ellen

2017-02-01

fluctuations in LW load over time intervals greater than a few years. Other knowledge gaps relate to physical and ecological effects of wood, including the magnitude of flow resistance caused by LW; patterns of wood-related sediment storage for diverse river sizes and channel geometry; quantification of channel-floodplain-LW interactions; and potential threshold effects of LW in relation to physical processes and biotic communities. Finally, knowledge gaps are related to management of large wood and river corridors, including understanding the consequences of enormous historical reductions in LW load in rivers through the forested portions of the temperate zone; and how to effectively reintroduce and manage existing LW in river corridors, which includes enhancing public understanding of the importance of LW. Addressing these knowledge gaps requires more case studies from diverse rivers, as well as more syntheses and metadata analyses.

Interpreting and Reporting Effect Sizes in Research Investigations.

Science.gov (United States)

Tapia, Martha; Marsh, George E., II

Since 1994, the American Psychological Association (APA) has advocated the inclusion of effect size indices in reporting research to elucidate the statistical significance of studies based on sample size. In 2001, the fifth edition of the APA "Publication Manual" stressed the importance of including an index of effect size to clarify…

Effect of a gap opening on the conductance of graphene with magnetic barrier structures

Science.gov (United States)

Esmailpour, Mohammad

2018-04-01

In the present study Klein tunneling in a single-layer gapped graphene was investigated by transfer matrix method under normal magnetic field for one and two magnetic barriers. Calculations show that electron transmission through a magnetic barrier is deflected to positive angles and reduces as the magnitude of magnetic field and especially the energy gap increases. This reduction is even more significant in larger fields so that after reaching a specific value of energy gap, an effective confinement for fermions and suppression of Klein tunneling is reached particularly in normal incidence and the conductance becomes zero. Unlike one barrier, the process of tunneling through two magnetic barriers induces symmetric transmission probability versus the incident angle; even, for lower energy gaps, electron transmission probability increases which in turn reduces total conductance via proper changes in the value of the magnetic field and energy gap. In general, it is concluded that confining electrons in asymmetric transmission through one barrier is conducted better than two barriers.

Portion size and intended consumption. Evidence for a pre-consumption portion size effect in males?

Science.gov (United States)

Robinson, Eric; te Raa, Wesselien; Hardman, Charlotte A

2015-08-01

Larger portions increase energy intake (the 'portion size effect'); however, the mechanisms behind this effect are unclear. Although pre-meal intentions are thought to be an important determinant of energy intake, little research has examined how much of a meal individuals intend to eat when served standard versus larger portion sizes. Three studies examined the effect of manipulating portion size on intended food consumption. In Studies 1 (spaghetti bolognese) and 2 (curry and rice) male participants were shown an image of either a standard or a larger meal and indicated how much of the meal they intended to consume. In Study 3 male and female participants were served either a standard or a larger portion of ice cream for dessert, they indicated how much they intended to consume and then ate as much of the ice cream as they desired. Regardless of being shown standard or large portion sizes, in Studies 1 and 2 participants reported that they intended to eat the majority of the meal, equating to a large difference in intended energy consumption between portion size conditions (a 'pre-consumption portion size effect'). This finding was replicated in male participants in Study 3, although females intended to eat a smaller proportion of the larger portion of ice cream, compared to the standard portion. Both male and female participants tended to eat in accordance with their pre-meal intentions and a portion size effect on actual consumption was subsequently observed in males, but not in females. The portion size effect may be observed when measuring pre-meal intended consumption in males. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Contributions of retinal input and phenomenal representation of a fixation object to the saccadic gap effect.

Science.gov (United States)

Ueda, Hiroshi; Takahashi, Kohske; Watanabe, Katsumi

2013-04-19

The saccadic "gap effect" refers to a phenomenon whereby saccadic reaction times (SRTs) are shortened by the removal of a visual fixation stimulus prior to target presentation. In the current study, we investigated whether the gap effect was influenced by retinal input of a fixation stimulus, as well as phenomenal permanence and/or expectation of the re-emergence of a fixation stimulus. In Experiment 1, we used an occluded fixation stimulus that was gradually hidden by a moving plate prior to the target presentation, which produced the impression that the fixation stimulus still remained and would reappear from behind the plate. We found that the gap effect was significantly weakened with the occluded fixation stimulus. However, the SRT with the occluded fixation stimulus was still shorter in comparison to when the fixation stimulus physically remained on the screen. In Experiment 2, we investigated whether this effect was due to phenomenal maintenance or expectation of the reappearance of the fixation stimulus; this was achieved by using occluding plates that were an identical color to the background screen, giving the impression of reappearance of the fixation stimulus but not of its maintenance. The result showed that the gap effect was still weakened by the same degree even without phenomenal maintenance of the fixation stimulus. These results suggest that the saccadic gap effect is modulated by both retinal input and subjective expectation of re-emergence of the fixation stimulus. In addition to oculomotor mechanisms, other components, such as attentional mechanisms, likely contribute to facilitation of the subsequent action. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Large-scale transport across narrow gaps in rod bundles

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Guellouz, M.S.; Tavoularis, S. [Univ. of Ottawa (Canada)

1995-09-01

Flow visualization and how-wire anemometry were used to investigate the velocity field in a rectangular channel containing a single cylindrical rod, which could be traversed on the centreplane to form gaps of different widths with the plane wall. The presence of large-scale, quasi-periodic structures in the vicinity of the gap has been demonstrated through flow visualization, spectral analysis and space-time correlation measurements. These structures are seen to exist even for relatively large gaps, at least up to W/D=1.350 (W is the sum of the rod diameter, D, and the gap width). The above measurements appear to compatible with the field of a street of three-dimensional, counter-rotating vortices, whose detailed structure, however, remains to be determined. The convection speed and the streamwise spacing of these vortices have been determined as functions of the gap size.

A study on bypass flow gap distribution in a prismatic VHTR core

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, M. H.; Jo, C. K.; Lim, H. S.

2010-01-01

Core bypass flow in VHTR is one of the key issues for core thermal margins and efficiency. The bypass flow in the prismatic core varies during core cycles due to the irradiation shrinkage and thermal expansion of the graphite blocks. A procedure to evaluate the local gap size variation between graphite blocks was developed and applied to a prismatic core VHTR. The influence of the core restraint mechanism on the bypass flow gap was evaluated. The predicted gap size is as much as 8 mm when the graphite block is exposed to its allowable limit of irradiation fluence. The analysis for the core bypass flow and hot spot was carried out based on the calculated gap distributions. The results indicate that the bypass flow and the location of core hot spots are closely related and a measure to reduce the bypass flow is necessary. (authors)

Search for a proximity effect induced gap in gold/high Tc junctions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dessau, D.S.; Wells, B.O.; Shen, Z.; Spicer, W.E.; Arko, A.J.; List, R.S.; Olson, C.G.; Eom, C.B.; Mitzi, D.B.; Kapitulnik, A.; Geballe, T.H.

1991-01-01

We have used high-resolution photoemission spectroscopy to search for a proximity effect induced superconducting gap in gold overlayers on c-axis single crystals of Bi 2 Sr 2 CaCu 2 O 8 and a-axis thin films of YBa 2 Cu 3 O 7 . These two junction types give us a representative sampling of very well characterized near-ideal interfaces (gold/c-axis Bi 2 Sr 2 CaCu 2 O 8 ) and junctions in which the geometry more strongly favors the existence of the proximity effect but the interfacial quality may not be as ideal (gold/a-axis YBa 2 Cu 3 O 7 ). In neither of these junction types did we observe any evidence for a proximity effect induced gap, and we place an upper limit of approximately 5 meV on its existence in the junctions that we have studied

Sequence and expression analysis of gaps in human chromosome 20

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Minocherhomji, Sheroy; Seemann, Stefan; Mang, Yuan

2012-01-01

/or overlap disease-associated loci, including the DLGAP4 locus. In this study, we sequenced ~99% of all three unfinished gaps on human chr 20, determined their complete genomic sizes and assessed epigenetic profiles using a combination of Sanger sequencing, mate pair paired-end high-throughput sequencing......The finished human genome-assemblies comprise several hundred un-sequenced euchromatic gaps, which may be rich in long polypurine/polypyrimidine stretches. Human chromosome 20 (chr 20) currently has three unfinished gaps remaining on its q-arm. All three gaps are within gene-dense regions and...... and chromatin, methylation and expression analyses. We found histone 3 trimethylated at Lysine 27 to be distributed across all three gaps in immortalized B-lymphocytes. In one gap, five novel CpG islands were predominantly hypermethylated in genomic DNA from peripheral blood lymphocytes and human cerebellum...

Effects of quantum confinement and shape on band gap of core/shell quantum dots and nanowires

Science.gov (United States)

Gao, Faming

2011-05-01

A quantum confinement model for nanocrystals developed is extended to study for the optical gap shifts in core/shell quantum dots and nanowires. The chemical bond properties and gap shifts in the InP/ZnS, CdSe/CdS, CdSe/ZnS, and CdTe/ZnS core/shell quantum dots are calculated in detail. The calculated band gaps are in excellent agreement with experimental values. The effects of structural taping and twinning on quantum confinement of InP and Si nanowires are elucidated. It is found theoretically that a competition between the positive Kubo energy-gap shift and the negative surface energy shift plays the crucial role in the optical gaps of these nanosystems.

Thermoelectricity in correlated narrow-gap semiconductors

Science.gov (United States)

Tomczak, Jan M.

2018-05-01

We review many-body effects, their microscopic origin, as well as their impact on thermoelectricity in correlated narrow-gap semiconductors. Members of this class—such as FeSi and FeSb2—display an unusual temperature dependence in various observables: insulating with large thermopowers at low temperatures, they turn bad metals at temperatures much smaller than the size of their gaps. This insulator-to-metal crossover is accompanied by spectral weight-transfers over large energies in the optical conductivity and by a gradual transition from activated to Curie–Weiss-like behaviour in the magnetic susceptibility. We show a retrospective of the understanding of these phenomena, discuss the relation to heavy-fermion Kondo insulators—such as Ce3Bi4Pt3 for which we present new results—and propose a general classification of paramagnetic insulators. From the latter, FeSi emerges as an orbital-selective Kondo insulator. Focussing on intermetallics such as silicides, antimonides, skutterudites, and Heusler compounds we showcase successes and challenges for the realistic simulation of transport properties in the presence of electronic correlations. Further, we explore new avenues in which electronic correlations may contribute to the improvement of thermoelectric performance.

Far Sidelobe Effects from Panel Gaps of the Atacama Cosmology Telescope

Science.gov (United States)

Fluxa, Pedro R.; Duenner, Rolando; Maurin, Loiec; Choi, Steve K.; Devlin, Mark J.; Gallardo, Patricio A.; Shuay-Pwu, P. Ho; Koopman, Brian J.; Louis, Thibaut; Wollack, Edward J.

2016-01-01

The Atacama Cosmology Telescope is a 6 meter diameter CMB telescope located at 5200 meters in the Chilean desert. ACT has made arc-minute scale maps of the sky at 90 and 150 GHz which have led to precise measurements of the fine angular power spectrum of the CMB fluctuations in temperature and polarization. One of the goals of ACT is to search for the B-mode polarization signal from primordial gravity waves, and thus extending ACT's data analysis to larger angular scales. This goal introduces new challenges in the control of systematic effects, including better understanding of far sidelobe effects that might enter the power spectrum at degree angular scales. Here we study the effects of the gaps between panels of the ACT primary and secondary reflectors in the worst case scenario in which the gaps remain open. We produced numerical simulations of the optics using GRASP up to 8 degrees away from the main beam and simulated timestreams for observations with this beam using real pointing information from ACT data. Maps from these simulated timestreams showed leakage from the sidelobes, indicating that this effect must be taken into consideration at large angular scales.

Finite size effects of a pion matrix element

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Guagnelli, M.; Jansen, K.; Palombi, F.; Petronzio, R.; Shindler, A.; Wetzorke, I.

2004-01-01

We investigate finite size effects of the pion matrix element of the non-singlet, twist-2 operator corresponding to the average momentum of non-singlet quark densities. Using the quenched approximation, they come out to be surprisingly large when compared to the finite size effects of the pion mass. As a consequence, simulations of corresponding nucleon matrix elements could be affected by finite size effects even stronger which could lead to serious systematic uncertainties in their evaluation

Looking for the GAP effect in manual responses and the role of contextual influences in reaction time experiments

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Faria Jr. A.J.P.

2004-01-01

Full Text Available When the offset of a visual stimulus (GAP condition precedes the onset of a target, saccadic reaction times are reduced in relation to the condition with no offset (overlap condition - the GAP effect. However, the existence of the GAP effect for manual responses is still controversial. In two experiments using both simple (Experiment 1, N = 18 and choice key-press procedures (Experiment 2, N = 12, we looked for the GAP effect in manual responses and investigated possible contextual influences on it. Participants were asked to respond to the imperative stimulus that would occur under different experimental contexts, created by varying the array of warning-stimulus intervals (0, 300 and 1000 ms and conditions (GAP and overlap: i intervals and conditions were randomized throughout the experiment; ii conditions were run in different blocks and intervals were randomized; iii intervals were run in different blocks and conditions were randomized. Our data showed that no GAP effect was obtained for any manipulation. The predictability of stimulus occurrence produced the strongest influence on response latencies. In Experiment 1, simple manual responses were shorter when the intervals were blocked (247 ms, P < 0.001 in relation to the other two contexts (274 and 279 ms. Despite the use of choice key-press procedures, Experiment 2 produced a similar pattern of results. A discussion addressing the critical conditions to obtain the GAP effect for distinct motor responses is presented. In short, our data stress the relevance of the temporal allocation of attention for behavioral performance.

Influences of Herbivory and Canopy Opening Size on Forest Regeneration in a Southern Bottomland Hardwood Forest

Science.gov (United States)

Steven B. Castleberry; W. Mark Ford; Carl V. Miller; Winston P. Smith

2000-01-01

We examined the effects of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) browsing and canopy opening size on relative abundance and diversity of woody and herbaceous regeneration in various sized forest openings in a southern, bottomland hardwood forest over three growing seasons (1995-1997). We created 36 canopy openings (gaps), ranging from 7 to 40m...

Model based optimization of driver-pickup separation for eddy current measurement of gap

Science.gov (United States)

Klein, G.; Morelli, J.; Krause, T. W.

2018-04-01

The fuel channels in CANDU® (CANada Deuterium Uranium) nuclear reactors consist of a pressure tube (PT) contained within a larger diameter calandria tube (CT). The separation between the tubes, known as the PT-CT gap, ensures PT hydride blisters, which could lead to potential cracking of the PT, do not develop. Therefore, accurate measurements are required to confirm that contact between PT and CT is not imminent. Gap measurement uses an eddy current probe. However this probe is sensitive to lift-off variations, which can adversely affect estimated gap. A validated analytical flat plate model of eddy current response to gap was used to examine the effect of driver-pickup spacing on lift-off and response to gap at a frequency of 4 kHz, which is used for in-reactor measurements. This model was compared against, and shown to have good agreement with, a COMSOL® finite element method (FEM) model. The optimum coil separation, which included the constraint of coil size, was found to be 11 mm, resulting in a phase response between lift-off and response to change in gap of 66°. This work demonstrates the advantages of using analytical models for optimizing coil designs for measurement of parameters that may negatively influence the outcome of an inspection measurement.

Do Class Size Effects Differ across Grades?

Science.gov (United States)

Nandrup, Anne Brink

2016-01-01

This paper contributes to the class size literature by analysing whether short-run class size effects are constant across grade levels in compulsory school. Results are based on administrative data on all pupils enrolled in Danish public schools. Identification is based on a government-imposed class size cap that creates exogenous variation in…

Effect of two prophylaxis methods on marginal gap of Cl Vresin-modified glass-ionomer restorations.

Science.gov (United States)

Kimyai, Soodabeh; Pournaghi-Azar, Fatemeh; Daneshpooy, Mehdi; Abed Kahnamoii, Mehdi; Davoodi, Farnaz

2016-01-01

Background. This study evaluated the effect of two prophylaxis techniques on the marginal gap of CI V resin-modified glass-ionomer restorations. Methods. Standard Cl V cavities were prepared on the buccal surfaces of 48 sound bovine mandibular incisors in this in vitro study. After restoration of the cavities with GC Fuji II LC resin-modified glass-ionomer, the samples were randomly assigned to 3 groups of 16. In group 1, the prophylactic procedures were carried out with rubber cup and pumice powder and in group 2 with air-powder polishing device (APD). In group 3 (control), the samples did not undergo any prophylactic procedures. Then the marginal gaps were measured. Two-way ANOVA was used to compare marginal gaps at the occlusal and gingival margins between the groups. Post hoc Tukey test was used for two-by-two comparisons. Statistical significance was set at P marginal gaps in terms of prophylactic techniques (P marginal gaps in the APD group compared to the pumice and rubber cup group, which in turn exhibited significantly larger marginal gaps compared to the control group (P marginal gaps were significant in terms of the margin type (P margins compared to the occlusal margins (P marginal gaps of Cl V resin-modified glass-ionomer restorations.

Interviewer Effects on a Network-Size Filter Question

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Josten Michael

2016-06-01

Full Text Available There is evidence that survey interviewers may be tempted to manipulate answers to filter questions in a way that minimizes the number of follow-up questions. This becomes relevant when ego-centered network data are collected. The reported network size has a huge impact on interview duration if multiple questions on each alter are triggered. We analyze interviewer effects on a network-size question in the mixed-mode survey “Panel Study ‘Labour Market and Social Security’” (PASS, where interviewers could skip up to 15 follow-up questions by generating small networks. Applying multilevel models, we find almost no interviewer effects in CATI mode, where interviewers are paid by the hour and frequently supervised. In CAPI, however, where interviewers are paid by case and no close supervision is possible, we find strong interviewer effects on network size. As the area-specific network size is known from telephone mode, where allocation to interviewers is random, interviewer and area effects can be separated. Furthermore, a difference-in-difference analysis reveals the negative effect of introducing the follow-up questions in Wave 3 on CAPI network size. Attempting to explain interviewer effects we neither find significant main effects of experience within a wave, nor significantly different slopes between interviewers.

Size effect in tension perpendicular to the grain

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pedersen, Martin Bo Uhre; Clorius, Christian Odin; Damkilde, Lars

1999-01-01

The strength in tension perpendicular to the grain is known to decrease with an increase in the stressed volume. Usually this size effect is explained on a stochastic basis, that is an explanation relying on an increased probability of encountering a strength reducing flaw when the volume...... of the material under stress is increased. This paper presents a small experimental investigation on specimens with well defined structural orientation of the material. The experiments exhibit a larger size effect than expected and furthermore the data and the nature of the failures encountered suggest...... that the size effect can be explained on a deterministic basis. Arguments for such a simple deterministic explanation of size effect is found in finite element modelling using the orthotropic stiffness characteristics in the transverse plane of wood....

Filling the gap between buffer and rock in the deposition hole

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Marjavaara, P.; Kivikoski, H.

2011-06-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate different methods and materials which could be used for filling the gap between bentonite buffer and rock in the deposition hole. This work included a short literature survey of the previous gap filling tests which have been done in the recent years. The experimental work done during the study was divided in two phases. In the first phase small scale laboratory experiments were done using several different bentonite materials, material combinations and installation methods for 25 mm and 35 mm gaps. The sizes of these rectangular gap elements used in these tests were approximately 1 m in height and 2 m wide. Based on the first stage results the second sets of experiments were commenced. This time two materials and two methods were used in larger scale with gap widths of 35 mm and 50 mm. The large scale tests were done with cylinder shaped elements which had real size deposition hole radius of 1.75 m but the height was limited to 2 meters. Materials used in these gap filling tests included bentonite pellets and granules and their combination mixtures. Installation methods studied were free fall pouring method, shotcrete spraying method, Proctor hammer compaction method and two vibration methods to verify their functioning with these materials, material types and material forms. The achieved dry density was determined after each filling. The homogeneities of the fillings were also studied with X-ray imaging. The results from the small scale tests suggest that all the filling materials and methods used during the test would have high enough dry density average value needed by current buffer design options. The dry density values ranged from 800-1200 kg/m 3 . The lowest values were noted from free fall pouring of the largest Cebogel QSE pellets and the highest values were obtained from compacted small grain size Minelco bentonite. The X-ray images and their analysis showed that Minelco and Ibeco Seal S-FGS had the most

The Gender Wage Gaps, 'Sticky Floors' and 'Glass Ceilings' of the European Union

OpenAIRE

Christofides, Louis N.; Polycarpou, Alexandros; Vrachimis, Konstantinos

2010-01-01

We consider and attempt to understand the gender wage gap across 24 EU member states, all of which share the objective of gender equality, using 2007 data from the European Union Statistics on Income and Living Conditions. The size of the gender wage gap varies considerably across countries and selection corrections affect the offered gap, sometimes substantially. Most of the gap cannot be explained by the characteristics available in this data set. Quantile regressions show that, in most cou...

The causal effect of board size in the performance of small and medium-sized firms

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bennedsen, Morten; Kongsted, Hans Christian; Meisner Nielsen, Kasper

2008-01-01

correlation between family size and board size and show this correlation to be driven by firms where the CEO's relatives serve on the board. Second, we find empirical evidence of a small adverse board size effect driven by the minority of small and medium-sized firms that are characterized by having......Empirical studies of large publicly traded firms have shown a robust negative relationship between board size and firm performance. The evidence on small and medium-sized firms is less clear; we show that existing work has been incomplete in analyzing the causal relationship due to weak...... identification strategies. Using a rich data set of almost 7000 closely held corporations we provide a causal analysis of board size effects on firm performance: We use a novel instrument given by the number of children of the chief executive officer (CEO) of the firms. First, we find a strong positive...

THE PAL 5 STAR STREAM GAPS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Carlberg, R. G.; Hetherington, Nathan; Grillmair, C. J.

2012-01-01

Pal 5 is a low-mass, low-velocity-dispersion, globular cluster with spectacular tidal tails. We use the Sloan Digital Sky Survey Data Release 8 data to extend the density measurements of the trailing star stream to 23 deg distance from the cluster, at which point the stream runs off the edge of the available sky coverage. The size and the number of gaps in the stream are measured using a filter which approximates the structure of the gaps found in stream simulations. We find 5 gaps that are at least 99% confidence detections with about a dozen gaps at 90% confidence. The statistical significance of a gap is estimated using bootstrap resampling of the control regions on either side of the stream. The density minimum closest to the cluster is likely the result of the epicyclic orbits of the tidal outflow and has been discounted. To create the number of 99% confidence gaps per unit length at the mean age of the stream requires a halo population of nearly a thousand dark matter sub-halos with peak circular velocities above 1 km s –1 within 30 kpc of the galactic center. These numbers are a factor of about three below cold stream simulation at this sub-halo mass or velocity but, given the uncertainties in both measurement and more realistic warm stream modeling, are in substantial agreement with the LCDM prediction.

Synthesis of copper quantum dots by chemical reduction method and tailoring of its band gap

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

P. G. Prabhash

2016-05-01

Full Text Available Metallic copper nano particles are synthesized with citric acid and CTAB (cetyltrimethylammonium bromide as surfactant and chlorides as precursors. The particle size and surface morphology are analyzed by High Resolution Transmission Electron Microscopy. The average size of the nano particle is found to be 3 - 10 nm. The optical absorption characteristics are done by UV-Visible spectrophotometer. From the Tauc plots, the energy band gaps are calculated and because of their smaller size the particles have much higher band gap than the bulk material. The energy band gap is changed from 3.67 eV to 4.27 eV in citric acid coated copper quantum dots and 4.17 eV to 4.52 eV in CTAB coated copper quantum dots.

Band gap effects of hexagonal boron nitride using oxygen plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sevak Singh, Ram; Leong Chow, Wai; Yingjie Tay, Roland; Hon Tsang, Siu; Mallick, Govind; Tong Teo, Edwin Hang

2014-01-01

Tuning of band gap of hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) has been a challenging problem due to its inherent chemical stability and inertness. In this work, we report the changes in band gaps in a few layers of chemical vapor deposition processed as-grown h-BN using a simple oxygen plasma treatment. Optical absorption spectra show a trend of band gap narrowing monotonically from 6 eV of pristine h-BN to 4.31 eV when exposed to oxygen plasma for 12 s. The narrowing of band gap causes the reduction in electrical resistance by ∼100 fold. The x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy results of plasma treated hexagonal boron nitride surface show the predominant doping of oxygen for the nitrogen vacancy. Energy sub-band formations inside the band gap of h-BN, due to the incorporation of oxygen dopants, cause a red shift in absorption edge corresponding to the band gap narrowing

Band gap effects of hexagonal boron nitride using oxygen plasma

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sevak Singh, Ram; Leong Chow, Wai [School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, Singapore 639798 (Singapore); Yingjie Tay, Roland [School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, Singapore 639798 (Singapore); Temasek Laboratories-NTU, 50 Nanyang Avenue, Singapore 639798 (Singapore); Hon Tsang, Siu [Temasek Laboratories-NTU, 50 Nanyang Avenue, Singapore 639798 (Singapore); Mallick, Govind [Temasek Laboratories-NTU, 50 Nanyang Avenue, Singapore 639798 (Singapore); Weapons and Materials Research Directorate, U.S. Army Research Laboratory, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland 21005 (United States); Tong Teo, Edwin Hang, E-mail: htteo@ntu.edu.sg [School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, Singapore 639798 (Singapore); School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, Singapore 639798 (Singapore)

2014-04-21

Tuning of band gap of hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) has been a challenging problem due to its inherent chemical stability and inertness. In this work, we report the changes in band gaps in a few layers of chemical vapor deposition processed as-grown h-BN using a simple oxygen plasma treatment. Optical absorption spectra show a trend of band gap narrowing monotonically from 6 eV of pristine h-BN to 4.31 eV when exposed to oxygen plasma for 12 s. The narrowing of band gap causes the reduction in electrical resistance by ∼100 fold. The x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy results of plasma treated hexagonal boron nitride surface show the predominant doping of oxygen for the nitrogen vacancy. Energy sub-band formations inside the band gap of h-BN, due to the incorporation of oxygen dopants, cause a red shift in absorption edge corresponding to the band gap narrowing.

Tying it all together: telomeres, sexual size dimorphism and the gender gap in life expectancy.

Science.gov (United States)

Stindl, Reinhard

2004-01-01

The classic explanation that women outlive men solely due to hormonal and lifestyle differences, does not withstand a critical analysis. In developed countries, the average gap in life expectancy between the sexes is 7 years. It has widened over the last decades, despite the trend of women copying the 'unhealthy' lifestyle of men. Estrogen levels in postmenopausal women are virtually identical to estrogen levels in males and can hardly explain the discrepancy. Furthermore, testosterone got its bad reputation from one study on mentally retarded men, which has to be interpreted with caution. However, sexual size dimorphism with men being the larger sex in conjunction with the limited replication potential of human somatic cells might account for higher mortality rates in males, especially at old age. The hypothesis, as presented here, is based on the well-known concept of a cellular mitotic clock, which was discovered by Leonard Hayflick almost half a century ago. The underlying counting mechanism, namely the gradual erosion of chromosome ends (telomeres) due to the end replication problem of linear DNA molecules, was first described by Alexey Olovnikov in 1971 and with minor modifications has become a widely accepted paradigm. In a recent Lancet study, an inverse correlation between mean telomere length and mortality in people has been found. In this and two other studies, it was confirmed that males do have shorter telomeres than females at the same age. This is almost certainly a consequence of men being usually taller than women, although nobody has done an investigation yet. Clearly, a larger body requires more cell doublings, especially due to the ongoing regeneration of tissues over a lifetime. Accordingly, the replicative history of male cells might be longer than that of female cells, resulting in the exhaustion of the regeneration potential and the early onset of age-associated diseases predominantly in large-bodied males. Inherited telomere length

Structural Dynamics of Tropical Moist Forest Gaps

Science.gov (United States)

Hunter, Maria O.; Keller, Michael; Morton, Douglas; Cook, Bruce; Lefsky, Michael; Ducey, Mark; Saleska, Scott; de Oliveira, Raimundo Cosme; Schietti, Juliana

2015-01-01

Gap phase dynamics are the dominant mode of forest turnover in tropical forests. However, gap processes are infrequently studied at the landscape scale. Airborne lidar data offer detailed information on three-dimensional forest structure, providing a means to characterize fine-scale (1 m) processes in tropical forests over large areas. Lidar-based estimates of forest structure (top down) differ from traditional field measurements (bottom up), and necessitate clear-cut definitions unencumbered by the wisdom of a field observer. We offer a new definition of a forest gap that is driven by forest dynamics and consistent with precise ranging measurements from airborne lidar data and tall, multi-layered tropical forest structure. We used 1000 ha of multi-temporal lidar data (2008, 2012) at two sites, the Tapajos National Forest and Ducke Reserve, to study gap dynamics in the Brazilian Amazon. Here, we identified dynamic gaps as contiguous areas of significant growth, that correspond to areas > 10 m2, with height gap at Tapajos National Forest (4.8 %) as compared to Ducke Reserve (2.0 %). On average, gaps were smaller at Ducke Reserve and closed slightly more rapidly, with estimated height gains of 1.2 m y-1 versus 1.1 m y-1 at Tapajos. At the Tapajos site, height growth in gap centers was greater than the average height gain in gaps (1.3 m y-1 versus 1.1 m y-1). Rates of height growth between lidar acquisitions reflect the interplay between gap edge mortality, horizontal ingrowth and gap size at the two sites. We estimated that approximately 10 % of gap area closed via horizontal ingrowth at Ducke Reserve as opposed to 6 % at Tapajos National Forest. Height loss (interpreted as repeat damage and/or mortality) and horizontal ingrowth accounted for similar proportions of gap area at Ducke Reserve (13 % and 10 %, respectively). At Tapajos, height loss had a much stronger signal (23 % versus 6 %) within gaps. Both sites demonstrate limited gap contagiousness defined by an

Closing the 21st century global water gap: costs and effectiveness of adaptation measures

Science.gov (United States)

Bierkens, M. F.; Droogers, P.; Hunink, J.; Buitink, J.; Sutanudjaja, E.; Karssenberg, D.; Van Beek, L. P.; Straatsma, M. W.

2017-12-01

Water scarcity affects a major part of the globe, and is expected to increase significantly until 2100 as a result of climate change and socioeconomic developments. Yet, global projections are unavailable on the effectiveness and costs of adaptation measures to close the future water gap under global change. Here, we present a 21st century projection of the closure of the water gap under two contrasting climate and socio-economic scenarios: RCP2.6/SSP1(s1) and RCP8.5/SSP5(s5). We coupled a global hydrological model to water demand and redistribution model, and forced them with five General Circulation Models (GCMs) to assess the future water gap for 1604 water provinces covering most of the global land mass. Subsequently, using so-called water availability cost curves, we determined the water gap reduction that could be achieved by increasingly aggressive and expensive sets of adaptation measures, respectively aimed at improving agriculture, increasing water supply, and reducing water demands. Our results show that for s1, the water gap peaks around 2050 and declines towards 2100. Contrastingly, for s5, the gap increases linearly. Hotspots in water scarcity are found in the USA, India, and China. The proposed adaptation sets reduce the water gap, but for the majority of the hotspots are not sufficient to close the water gap completely. The median annual adaptation costs for the proposed measures amount to less than 2% of the GDP of the affected water provinces. Although these costs are already substantial, they do leave room for additional unorthodox adaptation measures.

Disruption effects on the beam size measurement

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Raimondi, P.; Decker, F.J.; Chen, P.

1995-06-01

At the SLC Final Focus with higher currents and smaller beam sizes, the disruption parameter D{sub y} is close to one and so the pinch effect should produce a luminosity enhancement. Since a flat beam-beam function is fit to deflection scan data to measure the beam size, disruption can affect the measurement. Here the authors discuss the quantitative effects of disruption for typical SLC beam parameters. With 3.5 10{sup 10} particles per pulse, bunch length of 0.8 mm and beam sizes of 2.1 {mu}m horizontally and 0.55 {mu}m vertically, the measured vertical size can be as much as 25% bigger than the real one. Furthermore during the collision the spot size actually decrease, producing an enhancement factor H{sub D} of about 1.25. This would yield to a true luminosity which is 1.6 times that which is estimated from the beam-beam deflection fit.

Disruption effects on the beam size measurement

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Raimondi, P.; Decker, F.J.; Chen, P.

1995-01-01

At the SLC Final Focus with higher currents and smaller beam sizes, the disruption parameter D y is close to one and so the pinch effect should produce a luminosity enhancement. Since a flat beam-beam function is fit to deflection scan data to measure the beam size, disruption can affect the measurement. Here the authors discuss the quantitative effects of disruption for typical SLC beam parameters. With 3.5 10 10 particles per pulse, bunch length of 0.8 mm and beam sizes of 2.1 μm horizontally and 0.55 μm vertically, the measured vertical size can be as much as 25% bigger than the real one. Furthermore during the collision the spot size actually decrease, producing an enhancement factor H D of about 1.25. This would yield to a true luminosity which is 1.6 times that which is estimated from the beam-beam deflection fit

Systematic design of phononic band-gap materials and structures by topology optimization

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sigmund, Ole; Jensen, Jakob Søndergaard

2003-01-01

Phononic band-gap materials prevent elastic waves in certain frequency ranges from propagating, and they may therefore be used to generate frequency filters, as beam splitters, as sound or vibration protection devices, or as waveguides. In this work we show how topology optimization can be used...... to design and optimize periodic materials and structures exhibiting phononic band gaps. Firstly, we optimize infinitely periodic band-gap materials by maximizing the relative size of the band gaps. Then, finite structures subjected to periodic loading are optimized in order to either minimize the structural...

Gap solitons in a chain of split-ring resonator dimers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cui, Wei-na, E-mail: cuiweinaa@163.com [Department of Applied Physics, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, Nanjing 210094 (China); Li, Hong-xia, E-mail: hxli@njust.edu.cn [Department of Applied Physics, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, Nanjing 210094 (China); Sun, Min [Department of Applied Physics, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, Nanjing 210094 (China); Bu, Ling-bing [Collaborative Innovation Center on Forecast and Evaluation of Meteorological Disasters, Key Laboratory for Aerosol-Cloud-Precipitation of China Meteorological Administration, Key Laboratory of Meteorological Disaster of Ministry of Education, Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology, Nanjing 210044 (China)

2017-06-21

Dynamics of a chain of split-ring resonator dimers with Kerr nonlinear interaction are investigated. A dimer is built as a pair of coupled split-ring resonators with different size. It is shown that the gap solitons with frequency lying in the gap exist due to the interaction of the discreteness and nonlinearity. Such localized structures are studied in the phase plane and analytical and numerical expressions are also obtained. - Highlights: • The coupling of the two modes is studied in the chain of split-ring resonator dimers with Kerr nonlinear interaction. • The evolution of the localized structures is studied in the phase plane. • This system supports gap solitons with the frequencies lying in the gap.

Effect of interfragmentary gap on the mechanical behavior of mandibular angle fracture with three fixation designs: A finite element analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Russell; Liu, Yunfeng; Wang, Joanne Helen; Baur, Dale Allen

2017-03-01

The aim of this study was to simulate stress and strain distribution numerically on a normal mandible under physiological occlusal loadings. The results were compared with those of mandibles that had an angle fracture stabilized with different fixation designs under the same loadings. The amount of displacement at two interfragmentary gaps was also studied. A three-dimensional (3D) virtual mandible was reconstructed with an angle fracture that had a fracture gap of either 0.1 or 1 mm. Three types of plate fixation designs were used: Type I, a miniplate was placed across the fracture line following the Champy technique; Type II, two miniplates were used; and Type III, a reconstruction plate was used on the inferior border of the mandible. Loads of 100 and 500 N were applied to the models. The maximum von Mises stress, strain, and displacement were computed using finite element analysis. The results from the control and experimental groups were analyzed and compared. The results demonstrated that high stresses and strains were distributed to the condylar and angular areas regardless of the loading position. The ratio of the plate/bone average stress ranged from 215% (Type II design) to 848% (Type I design) irrespective of the interfragmentary gap size. With a 1-mm fracture gap, the ratio of the plate/bone stress ranged from 204% (Type II design) to 1130% (Type I design). All strains were well below critical bone strain thresholds. Displacement on the cross-sectional mapping at fracture interface indicated that uneven movement occurred in x, y, and z directions. Interfragmentary gaps between 0.1 and 1 mm did not have a substantial effect on the average stress distribution to the fractured bony segments; however, they had a greater effect on the stress distribution to the plates and screws. Type II fixation was the best mechanical design under bite loads. Type I design was the least stable system and had the highest stress distribution and the largest displacement

Do female newts modify thermoregulatory behavior to manipulate egg size?

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Toufarová, E.; Gvoždík, Lumír

2016-01-01

Roč. 57, April (2016), s. 72-77 ISSN 0306-4565 R&D Projects: GA ČR GAP506/10/2170; GA ČR(CZ) GA15-07140S Institutional support: RVO:68081766 Keywords : Amphibians * Egg size * Gravidity * Jelly coat * Mother-offspring conflict * Oviparity * Oviposition rate * Parental effect * Preferred temperature Subject RIV: EG - Zoology Impact factor: 2.157, year: 2016

Quasiparticle self-consistent GW theory of III-V nitride semiconductors: Bands, gap bowing, and effective masses

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Svane, Axel; Christensen, Niels Egede; Gorczyca, I.

2010-01-01

on the basis of the local approximation to density functional theory, although generally overestimated by 0.2–0.3 eV in comparison with experimental gap values. Details of the electronic energies and the effective masses including their pressure dependence are compared with available experimental information....... The band gap of InGaN2 is considerably smaller than what would be expected by linear interpolation implying a significant band gap bowing in InGaN alloys....

Effect of display size on visual attention.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, I-Ping; Liao, Chia-Ning; Yeh, Shih-Hao

2011-06-01

Attention plays an important role in the design of human-machine interfaces. However, current knowledge about attention is largely based on data obtained when using devices of moderate display size. With advancement in display technology comes the need for understanding attention behavior over a wider range of viewing sizes. The effect of display size on test participants' visual search performance was studied. The participants (N = 12) performed two types of visual search tasks, that is, parallel and serial search, under three display-size conditions (16 degrees, 32 degrees, and 60 degrees). Serial, but not parallel, search was affected by display size. In the serial task, mean reaction time for detecting a target increased with the display size.

On energy consumption for size-reduction and yields from subsequent enzymatic saccharification of pretreated lodgepole pine.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhu, W; Zhu, J Y; Gleisner, R; Pan, X J

2010-04-01

This study investigated the effects of chemical pretreatment and disk-milling conditions on energy consumption for size-reduction and the efficiency of enzymatic cellulose saccharification of a softwood. Lodgepole pine wood chips produced from thinnings of a 100-year-old unmanaged forest were pretreated by hot-water, dilute-acid, and two SPORL processes (Sulfite Pretreatment to Overcome Recalcitrance of Lignocellulose) at acid charge on oven dry (od) wood of 0% and 2.21%. The pretreated wood chips were then milled using a laboratory disk mill under various solids-loadings and disk-plate gaps to produce substrates for enzymatic hydrolysis. We found that post-chemical-pretreatment size-reduction of forest biomass can decrease size-reduction energy consumption by 20-80% depending on the pretreatment applied under 20% solids-loading and a disk-plate gap of 0.76 mm in milling. SPORL with a sodium bisulfite charge of 8% and sulfuric acid charge of 2.21% on wood was the most effective in decreasing size-reduction energy consumption. Solids-loading had the most significant effect on disk-milling energy. When solids-loading was reduced from 30% to 3%, disk-milling energy could be decreased by more than a factor of 10 for wood chips pretreated by both SPORL and dilute-acid at an acid charge of 2.21%. The enzymatic hydrolysis glucose yields (EHGY) from the substrates produced by all pretreatments were independent of the solids-loading in milling, indicating that these energy savings in size-reduction can be realized without affecting EHGY. When wood chips were pretreated by SPORL with 2.21% acid charge, size-reduction energy consumption was decreased to less than 50 Wh/kg od wood at a practical solids-loading of approximately 10-20%, equivalent to that used in size-reduction of agriculture biomass, with excellent EHGY of about 370 g per kg od wood. Similar effects on size-reduction energy savings and excellent EHGY were also achieved when large disk-plate gaps (up to 1.52 mm

Effect of particle size distribution on sintering of tungsten

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Patterson, B.R.; Griffin, J.A.

1984-01-01

To date, very little is known about the effect of the nature of the particle size distribution on sintering. It is reasonable that there should be an effect of size distribution, and theory and prior experimental work examining the effects of variations in bimodal and continuous distributions have shown marked effects on sintering. Most importantly, even with constant mean particle size, variations in distribution width, or standard deviation, have been shown to produce marked variations in microstructure and sintering rate. In the latter work, in which spherical copper powders were blended to produce lognormal distributions of constant geometric mean particle size by weight frequency, blends with larger values of geometric standard deviation, 1nσ, sintered more rapidly. The goals of the present study were to examine in more detail the effects of variations in the width of lognormal particle size distributions of tungsten powder and determine the effects of 1nσ on the microstructural evolution during sintering

FIRM SIZE EFFECTS ON TRANSACTION COSTS

NARCIS (Netherlands)

NOOTEBOOM, B

1993-01-01

Associated with effects of scale, scope, experience and learning there are effects of firm size on transaction costs; in the stages of contact, contract and control. These effects are due to ''threshold costs'' in setting up contacts, contracts and governance schemes, and to differences with respect

Structural Transformation of Wireframe DNA Origami via DNA Polymerase Assisted Gap-Filling.

Science.gov (United States)

Agarwal, Nayan P; Matthies, Michael; Joffroy, Bastian; Schmidt, Thorsten L

2018-03-27

The programmability of DNA enables constructing nanostructures with almost any arbitrary shape, which can be decorated with many functional materials. Moreover, dynamic structures can be realized such as molecular motors and walkers. In this work, we have explored the possibility to synthesize the complementary sequences to single-stranded gap regions in the DNA origami scaffold cost effectively by a DNA polymerase rather than by a DNA synthesizer. For this purpose, four different wireframe DNA origami structures were designed to have single-stranded gap regions. This reduced the number of staple strands needed to determine the shape and size of the final structure after gap filling. For this, several DNA polymerases and single-stranded binding (SSB) proteins were tested, with T4 DNA polymerase being the best fit. The structures could be folded in as little as 6 min, and the subsequent optimized gap-filling reaction was completed in less than 3 min. The introduction of flexible gap regions results in fully collapsed or partially bent structures due to entropic spring effects. Finally, we demonstrated structural transformations of such deformed wireframe DNA origami structures with DNA polymerases including the expansion of collapsed structures and the straightening of curved tubes. We anticipate that this approach will become a powerful tool to build DNA wireframe structures more material-efficiently, and to quickly prototype and test new wireframe designs that can be expanded, rigidified, or mechanically switched. Mechanical force generation and structural transitions will enable applications in structural DNA nanotechnology, plasmonics, or single-molecule biophysics.

Development of neural basis for chinese orthographic neighborhood size effect.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, Jing; Li, Qing-Lin; Ding, Guo-Sheng; Bi, Hong-Yan

2016-02-01

The brain activity of orthographic neighborhood size (N size) effect in Chinese character naming has been studied in adults, meanwhile behavioral studies have revealed a developmental trend of Chinese N-size effect in developing readers. However, it is unclear whether and how the neural mechanism of N-size effect changes in Chinese children along with development. Here we address this issue using functional magnetic resonance imaging. Forty-four students from the 3(rd) , 5(th) , and 7(th) grades were scanned during silent naming of Chinese characters. After scanning, all participants took part in an overt naming test outside the scanner, and results of the naming task showed that the 3(rd) graders named characters from large neighborhoods faster than those from small neighborhoods, revealing a facilitatory N-size effect; the 5(th) graders showed null N-size effect while the 7(th) graders showed an inhibitory N-size effect. Neuroimaging results revealed that only the 3(rd) graders exhibited a significant N-size effect in the left middle occipital activity, with greater activation for large N-size characters. Results of 5(th) and 7(th) graders showed significant N-size effects in the left middle frontal gyrus, in which 5(th) graders induced greater activation in large N-size condition than in small N-size condition, while 7(th) graders exhibited an opposite effect which was similar to the adult pattern reported in a previous study. The current findings suggested the transition from broadly tuned to finely tuned orthographic representation with reading development, and the inhibition from neighbors' phonology for higher graders. Hum Brain Mapp 37:632-647, 2016. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Effects of major-road vehicle speed and driver age and gender on left-turn gap acceptance.

Science.gov (United States)

Yan, Xuedong; Radwan, Essam; Guo, Dahai

2007-07-01

Because the driver's gap-acceptance maneuver is a complex and risky driving behavior, it is a highly concerned topic for traffic safety and operation. Previous studies have mainly focused on the driver's gap acceptance decision itself but did not pay attention to the maneuver process and driving behaviors. Using a driving simulator experiment for left-turn gap acceptance at a stop-controlled intersection, this study evaluated the effects of major traffic speed and driver age and gender on gap acceptance behaviors. The experiment results illustrate relationships among drivers' left-turn gap decision, driver's acceleration rate, steering action, and the influence of the gap-acceptance maneuver on the vehicles in the major traffic stream. The experiment results identified an association between high crash risk and high traffic speed at stop-controlled intersections. The older drivers, especially older female drivers, displayed a conservative driving attitude as a compensation for reduced driving ability, but also showed to be the most vulnerable group for the relatively complex driving maneuvers.

An Examination of Effective Practice: Moving Toward Elimination of Achievement Gaps in Science

Science.gov (United States)

Johnson, Carla C.

2009-06-01

This longitudinal study of middle school science teachers explored the relationship between effective science instruction, as defined by the National Science Education Standards (NRC in National science education standards. National Academy Press, Washington, DC, 1996), and student achievement in science. Eleven teachers participated in a three year study of teacher effectiveness, determined by the LSC Classroom Observation Protocol (Horizon Research, Inc. in Local Systemic Change Classroom Observation Protocol. May 1, 2002) and student achievement, which was assessed using the Discovery Inquiry Test in Science. Findings in this study revealed the positive impact that effective science teachers have on student learning, eliminating achievement gaps between White and Non-White students. Case studies of three teachers, both effective and ineffective explore the beliefs and experiences that influence teachers to change, or not to change practice. This study provides justification for teaching science effectively to narrow achievement gaps in science and provides insight to stakeholders in science education as to how to support teachers in becoming more effective, through addressing existing teacher beliefs and providing experiences that challenge those beliefs.

Mind the gap. Quantifying principal-agent problems in energy efficiency

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2007-10-15

Energy efficiency presents a unique opportunity to address three energy-related challenges in IEA member countries: energy security, climate change, and economic development. Yet an energy-efficiency gap exists between actual and optimal energy use. That is, significant cost-effective energy efficiency potential is wasted because market barriers prevent countries from achieving optimal levels. Market barriers take many forms, from inadequate access to capital, isolation from price signals, information asymmetry, and split-incentives. Though many studies have reported the existence of such market barriers, none so far have attempted to quantify the magnitude of their effect on energy use and efficiency. This publication is an unprecedented attempt to quantify the size of one of the most pervasive barriers to energy efficiency - principal-agent problems, or in common parlance, variations on the 'landlord-tenant' problem. In doing so, the book provides energy analysts and economists with unique insights into the amount of energy affected by principal-agent problems. Using an innovative methodology applied to eight case studies (covering commercial and residential sectors, and end-use appliances) from five different IEA countries, the analysis identifies over 3,800 PJ/year of affected energy use - that is, around 85% of the annual energy use of a country the size of Spain. The book builds on these findings to suggest a range of possible policy solutions that can reduce the impact of principal-agent problems and help policy makers mind the energy efficiency gap.

Study of the effect of Titanium dioxide nano particle size on efficiency of the dye-sensitized Solar cell using natural Pomegranate juice

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A Behjat

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC using natural Pomegranate juice as dye-sensitizeris fabricated and characterized. DSSCS consist of a working electrode, a redox electrolyte containing iodide and tri-iodide ions and a counter electrode. A nanocrystalline TiO2 semiconductor with a wide band-gap coated with a monolayer dye-sensitizer is used as working electrode. The effect of titanium dioxide (TiO2 nanoparticle size on efficiency of the DSSC based Pomegranate juice as a sensitizer is studied. For monolayer structure, we used two sizes of TiO2 nanoparticle (25 nm and 100 nm and a mixture of these two sizes. The highest efficiency of 0.61% was obtained with mixture of 25 and 100 nm TiO2 nano-particles in working electrode. For double-layer structure, we used 100 and 400 nm size TiO2 particles as light-scattering. The best efficiency was obtained using 400 nm TiO2 as light-scattering particles.

Filling Predictable and Unpredictable Gaps, with and without Similarity-Based Interference: Evidence for LIFG Effects of Dependency Processing.

Science.gov (United States)

Leiken, Kimberly; McElree, Brian; Pylkkänen, Liina

2015-01-01

One of the most replicated findings in neurolinguistic literature on syntax is the increase of hemodynamic activity in the left inferior frontal gyrus (LIFG) in response to object relative (OR) clauses compared to subject relative clauses. However, behavioral studies have shown that ORs are primarily only costly when similarity-based interference is involved and recently, Leiken and Pylkkänen (2014) showed with magnetoencephalography (MEG) that an LIFG increase at an OR gap is also dependent on such interference. However, since ORs always involve a cue indicating an upcoming dependency formation, OR dependencies could be processed already prior to the gap-site and thus show no sheer dependency effects at the gap itself. To investigate the role of gap predictability in LIFG dependency effects, this MEG study compared ORs to verb phrase ellipsis (VPE), which was used as an example of a non-predictable dependency. Additionally, we explored LIFG sensitivity to filler-gap order by including right node raising structures, in which the order of filler and gap is reverse to that of ORs and VPE. Half of the stimuli invoked similarity-based interference and half did not. Our results demonstrate that LIFG effects of dependency can be elicited regardless of whether the dependency is predictable, the stimulus materials evoke similarity-based interference, or the filler precedes the gap. Thus, contrary to our own prior data, the current findings suggest a highly general role for the LIFG in dependency interpretation that is not limited to environments involving similarity-based interference. Additionally, the millisecond time-resolution of MEG allowed for a detailed characterization of the temporal profiles of LIFG dependency effects across our three constructions, revealing that the timing of these effects is somewhat construction-specific.

Effect of surface roughness on substrate-tuned gold nanoparticle gap plasmon resonances.

Science.gov (United States)

Lumdee, Chatdanai; Yun, Binfeng; Kik, Pieter G

2015-03-07

The effect of nanoscale surface roughness on the gap plasmon resonance of gold nanoparticles on thermally evaporated gold films is investigated experimentally and numerically. Single-particle scattering spectra obtained from 80 nm diameter gold particles on a gold film show significant particle-to-particle variation of the peak scattering wavelength of ±28 nm. The experimental results are compared with numerical simulations of gold nanoparticles positioned on representative rough gold surfaces, modeled based on atomic force microscopy measurements. The predicted spectral variation and average resonance wavelength show good agreement with the measured data. The study shows that nanometer scale surface roughness can significantly affect the performance of gap plasmon-based devices.

Effect Size in Efficacy Trials of Women With Decreased Sexual Desire.

Science.gov (United States)

Pyke, Robert E; Clayton, Anita H

2018-03-22

Regarding hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD) in women, some reviewers judge the effect size small for medications vs placebo, but substantial for cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) or mindfulness meditation training (MMT) vs wait list. However, we lack comparisons of the effect sizes for the active intervention itself, for the control treatment, and for the differential between the two. For efficacy trials of HSDD in women, compare effect sizes for medications (testosterone/testosterone transdermal system, flibanserin, and bremelanotide) and placebo vs effect sizes for psychotherapy and wait-list control. We conducted a literature search for mean changes and SD on main measures of sexual desire and associated distress in trials of medications, CBT, or MMT. Effect size was used as it measures the magnitude of the intervention without confounding by sample size. Cohen d was used to determine effect sizes. For medications, mean (SD) effect size was 1.0 (0.34); for CBT and MMT, 1.0 (0.36); for placebo, 0.55 (0.16); and for wait list, 0.05 (0.26). Recommendations of psychotherapy over medication for treatment of HSDD are premature and not supported by data on effect sizes. Active participation in treatment conveys considerable non-specific benefits. Caregivers should attend to biological and psychosocial elements, and patient preference, to optimize response. Few clinical trials of psychotherapies were substantial in size or utilized adequate control paradigms. Medications and psychotherapies had similar, large effect sizes. Effect size of placebo was moderate. Effect size of wait-list control was very small, about one quarter that of placebo. Thus, a substantial non-specific therapeutic effect is associated with receiving placebo plus active care and evaluation. The difference in effect size between placebo and wait-list controls distorts the value of the subtraction of effect of the control paradigms to estimate intervention effectiveness. Pyke RE, Clayton AH

Effect of sound on gap-junction-based intercellular signaling: Calcium waves under acoustic irradiation.

Science.gov (United States)

Deymier, P A; Swinteck, N; Runge, K; Deymier-Black, A; Hoying, J B

2015-01-01

We present a previously unrecognized effect of sound waves on gap-junction-based intercellular signaling such as in biological tissues composed of endothelial cells. We suggest that sound irradiation may, through temporal and spatial modulation of cell-to-cell conductance, create intercellular calcium waves with unidirectional signal propagation associated with nonconventional topologies. Nonreciprocity in calcium wave propagation induced by sound wave irradiation is demonstrated in the case of a linear and a nonlinear reaction-diffusion model. This demonstration should be applicable to other types of gap-junction-based intercellular signals, and it is thought that it should be of help in interpreting a broad range of biological phenomena associated with the beneficial therapeutic effects of sound irradiation and possibly the harmful effects of sound waves on health.

Local control of T3 carcinomas after accelerated fractionation: a look at the 'gap'

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, C.C.; Efird, Jimmy; Nakfoor, Bruce; Martins, Patricia

1996-01-01

Purpose: To study the effects of midcourse treatment break or gaps related to the local control of T3 carcinoma of the oropharynx and larynx following accelerated hyperfractionated radiation therapy. Methods and Materials: All patients were treated at the Massachusetts General Hospital from 1979 through 1994 with treatment consisting of 1.6 Gy per fraction, two fractions a day for the treatment of T3 carcinoma of the oropharynx and larynx. They were entered in the head and neck data base. Their treatment dates, treatment breaks, and doses vs. local control were analyzed and compared. A p-value of 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: A total of 162 patients were available for review. Due to the acute severe mucosal effects, most of the patients required a midcourse pause or 'break' after a dose of 38.4-48 Gy before treatment could be resumed and completed. The data indicate that (a) prolongation of the treatment gap for more than 14 days, (b) total treatment course longer than 45 days, (c) total dose less than 67 Gy, and (d) male gender adversely affected local control. In spite of the gaps, the female patients with advanced carcinomas enjoyed the benefits of improved local control after the accelerated hyperfractionated radiation therapy. Conclusions: Accelerated hyperfractionation radiation therapy using 1.6 Gy per fraction/twice-a-day (b.i.d.) for a total dose of 70.4 Gy in 6 weeks is effective in achieving high local control of T3 squamous cell carcinoma of the oropharynx and larynx. The midcourse treatment gap should be as short as possible with the projected total dose and time. Should the gaps be unduly prolonged due to various circumstances, further increase in the total dose, for example, 72-75 Gy, and/or increase of the fraction sizes, for example, 1.8-2.0 Gy/f b.i.d. after the gap may be necessary to compensate for the adverse effects of the tumor regeneration from the prolonged gap

The Role of Social Norms in the Portion Size Effect: Reducing normative relevance reduces the effect of portion size on consumption decisions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Iris eVersluis

2016-05-01

Full Text Available People typically eat more from large portions of food than from small portions. An explanation that has often been given for this so-called portion size effect is that the portion size acts as a social norm and as such communicates how much is appropriate to eat. In this paper, we tested this explanation by examining whether manipulating the relevance of the portion size as a social norm changes the portion size effect, as assessed by prospective consumption decisions. We conducted one pilot experiment and one full experiment in which participants respectively indicated how much they would eat or serve themselves from a given amount of different foods. In the pilot (N = 63, we manipulated normative relevance by allegedly basing the portion size on the behavior of either students of the own university (in-group or of another university (out-group. In the main experiment (N = 321, we told participants that either a minority or majority of people similar to them approved of the portion size. Results show that in both experiments, participants expected to serve themselves and to eat more from larger than from smaller portions. As expected, however, the portion size effect was less pronounced when the reference portions were allegedly based on the behavior of an out-group (pilot or approved only by a minority (main experiment. These findings suggest that the portion size indeed provides normative information, because participants were less influenced by it if it communicated the behaviors or values of a less relevant social group. In addition, in the main experiment, the relation between portion size and the expected amount served was partially mediated by the amount that was considered appropriate, suggesting that concerns about eating an appropriate amount indeed play a role in the portion size effect. However, since the portion size effect was weakened but not eliminated by the normative relevance manipulations and since mediation was only partial

Subharmonic energy-gap structure and heating effects in superconducting niobium point contacts

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Flensberg, K.; Hansen, Jørn Bindslev

1989-01-01

We present experimental data of the temperature-dependent subharmonic energy-gap structure (SGS) in the current-voltage (I-V) curves of superconducting niobium point contacts. The observed SGS is modified by heating effects. We construct a model of the quasiparticle conductance of metallic...

Family size and effective population size in a hatchery stock of coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch)

Science.gov (United States)

Simon, R.C.; McIntyre, J.D.; Hemmingsen, A.R.

1986-01-01

Means and variances of family size measured in five year-classes of wire-tagged coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) were linearly related. Population effective size was calculated by using estimated means and variances of family size in a 25-yr data set. Although numbers of age 3 adults returning to the hatchery appeared to be large enough to avoid inbreeding problems (the 25-yr mean exceeded 4500), the numbers actually contributing to the hatchery production may be too low. Several strategies are proposed to correct the problem perceived. Argument is given to support the contention that the problem of effective size is fairly general and is not confined to the present study population.

Generation of nanobubbles by ceramic membrane filters: The dependence of bubble size and zeta potential on surface coating, pore size and injected gas pressure.

Science.gov (United States)

Ahmed, Ahmed Khaled Abdella; Sun, Cuizhen; Hua, Likun; Zhang, Zhibin; Zhang, Yanhao; Zhang, Wen; Marhaba, Taha

2018-07-01

Generation of gaseous nanobubbles (NBs) by simple, efficient, and scalable methods is critical for industrialization and applications of nanobubbles. Traditional generation methods mainly rely on hydrodynamic, acoustic, particle, and optical cavitation. These generation processes render issues such as high energy consumption, non-flexibility, and complexity. This research investigated the use of tubular ceramic nanofiltration membranes to generate NBs in water with air, nitrogen and oxygen gases. This system injects pressurized gases through a tubular ceramic membrane with nanopores to create NBs. The effects of membrane pores size, surface energy, and the injected gas pressures on the bubble size and zeta potential were examined. The results show that the gas injection pressure had considerable effects on the bubble size, zeta potential, pH, and dissolved oxygen of the produced NBs. For example, increasing the injection air pressure from 69 kPa to 414 kPa, the air bubble size was reduced from 600 to 340 nm respectively. Membrane pores size and surface energy also had significant effects on sizes and zeta potentials of NBs. The results presented here aim to fill out the gaps of fundamental knowledge about NBs and development of efficient generation methods. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Low-Symmetry Gap Functions of Organic Superconductors

Science.gov (United States)

Mori, Takehiko

2018-04-01

Superconducting gap functions of various low-symmetry organic superconductors are investigated starting from the tight-binding energy band and the random phase approximation by numerically solving Eliashberg's equation. The obtained singlet gap function is approximately represented by an asymmetrical dx2 - y2 form, where two cosine functions are mixed in an appropriate ratio. This is usually called d + s wave, where the ratio of the two cosine functions varies from 1:1 in the two-dimensional limit to 1:0 in the one-dimensional limit. A single cosine function does not make a superconducting gap in an ideal one-dimensional conductor, but works as a relevant gap function in quasi-one-dimensional conductors with slight interchain transfer integrals. Even when the Fermi surface is composed of small pockets, the gap function is obtained supposing a globally connected elliptical Fermi surface. In such a case, we have to connect the second energy band in the second Brillouin zone. The periodicity of the resulting gap function is larger than the first Brillouin zone. This is because the susceptibility has peaks at 2kF, where the periodicity has to be twice the size of the global Fermi surface. In general, periodicity of gap function corresponds to one electron or two molecules in the real space. In the κ-phase, two axes are nonequivalent, but the exact dx2 - y2 symmetry is maintained because the diagonal transfer integral introduced to a square lattice is oriented to the node direction of the dx2 - y2 wave. By contrast, the θ-phase gap function shows considerable anisotropy because a quarter-filled square lattice has a different dxy symmetry.

Measuring wage effects of plant size

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Albæk, Karsten; Arai, Mahmood; Asplund, Rita

1998-01-01

There are large plant size–wage effects in the Nordic countries after taking into account individual and job characteristics as well as systematical sorting of the workers into various plant-sizes. The plant size–wage elasticities we obtain are, in contrast to other dimensions of the wage distrib......–wage elasticity. Our results indicate that using size–class midpoints yields essentially the same results as using exact measures of plant size...

Acoustic beam splitting in a sonic crystal around a directional band gap

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cicek Ahmet; Kaya Olgun Adem; Ulug Bulent

2013-01-01

Beam splitting upon refraction in a triangular sonic crystal composed of aluminum cylinders in air is experimentally and numerically demonstrated to occur due to finite source size, which facilitates circumvention of a directional band gap. Experiments reveal that two distinct beams emerge at crystal output, in agreement with the numerical results obtained through the finite-element method. Beam splitting occurs at sufficiently-small source sizes comparable to lattice periodicity determined by the spatial gap width in reciprocal space. Split beams propagate in equal amplitude, whereas beam splitting is destructed for oblique incidence above a critical incidence angle

Non-magnetic impurity effect on suppression of Tc and gap evolution in the two-gap superconductor Lu2Fe3Si5

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nakajima, Y.; Hidaka, H.; Tamegai, T.

2013-01-01

Highlights: ► Non-magnetic impurities suppress T c and the amplitude of gaps in Lu 2 Fe 3 Si 5 . ► Critical scattering rate is higher than that expected in s ± -pairing scenario. ► The evolution of two distinct gaps dose not show merging the amplitude of gaps. -- Abstract: We report the suppression of T c and the evolution of amplitudes of the two gaps with the introduction of non-magnetic impurities in a two-gap superconductor Lu 2 Fe 3 Si 5 . While T c rapidly decreases by a small amount of substitution of Sc for Lu, the suppression of T c is more than ten times slower than that expected from the Abrikosov–Gor’kov equation describing the reduction of T c in a superconductor with sign reversal in the gap function. The evolution of two distinct gaps by the introduction of non-magnetic impurities does not show merging the amplitude of two gaps, which is strikingly different from the typical two-gap superconductor MgB 2

Sapling growth and crown expansion in canopy gaps of Nothofagus pumilio (lenga) forests in Chubut, Patagonia, Argentina

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lopez Bernal, P. M.; Defosse, G. E.; Quinteros, C. P.; Bava, J. O.

2012-07-01

In the province of Chubut in Patagonia, Argentina, Nothofagus pumilio forests (locally known as lenga), are managed through selective cuts, which imply the opening of canopy gaps. This management scheme is carried out without taking into consideration the changes of sapling requirements through either a cutting cycle or the precipitation gradient in which these forests thrive. To analyze these changes, we inferred the facilitation-competition balance between the canopy and regeneration, studying the effects of precipitation levels, gap size and gap age on saplings growth in height on 45 canopy gaps artificially created between 1960 and 1993. Results showed that during the first 20 years since gap opening, growth of regeneration is determined by light availability in mesic sites and by water availability in xeric sites. However, differences due to precipitation levels gradually decrease over time. Moreover, in the period between 20 and 35 years after gap opening, in both mesic and xeric sites, growth is limited by light availability. This indicates that in xeric sites, sapling growth requirements shift from a water-dependent situation to a light-dependent situation. The average closing rate of gaps due to lateral growth of bordering trees is high enough so that within the proposed gap size range, gap healing can occur before regeneration reaches the upper stratum. Consequently, in mesic sites gap opening can be done by a single operation that generates gaps with diameters of approximately twice the average height of the canopy (D/H). While in xeric environments, lenga seedling establishment and initial growth require the cover of small gaps, but advanced regeneration requires bigger gaps to reach the canopy. For this reason, gaps should be opened in two stages: the first gaps should be opened with a D/H between 0.8 and 1, and after a cutting cycle of 35 years, these openings should be enlarged to a D/H between 1.5 and 2. The close relationship maintained between the

Energy gap of ferromagnet-superconductor bilayers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Halterman, Klaus; Valls, Oriol T

2003-10-15

The excitation spectrum of clean ferromagnet-superconductor bilayers is calculated within the framework of the self-consistent Bogoliubov-de Gennes theory. Because of the proximity effect, the superconductor induces a gap in the ferromagnet spectrum, for thin ferromagnetic layers. The effect depends strongly on the exchange field in the ferromagnet. We find that as the thickness of the ferromagnetic layer increases, the gap disappears, and that its destruction arises from those quasiparticle excitations with wave vectors mainly along the interface. We discuss the influence that the interface quality and Fermi energy mismatch between the ferromagnet and superconductor have on the calculated energy gap. We also evaluate the density of states in the ferromagnet, and we find it in all cases consistent with the gap results.

Size-effects in porous metals

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Niordson, Christian Frithiof; Tvergaard, Viggo

The intrinsic size-effect for porous metals is investigated. The analyses are carried out numerically using a finite strain generalization of a higher order strain gradient plasticity model. Results for plane strain growth of cylindrical voids are presented in terms of response curves and curves...

Size-effects in porous metals

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Niordson, Christian Frithiof; Tvergaard, Viggo

2007-01-01

The intrinsic size-effect for porous metals is investigated. The analyses are carried out numerically using a finite strain generalization of a higher order strain gradient plasticity model. Results for plane strain growth of cylindrical voids are presented in terms of response curves and curves...

Sustained inhibition of rat myometrial gap junctions and contractions by lindane

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Grindatti Carmen M

2003-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Gap junctions increase in size and abundance coincident with parturition, forming an intercellular communication network that permits the uterus to develop the forceful, coordinated contractions necessary for delivery of the fetus. Lindane, a pesticide used in the human and veterinary treatment of scabies and lice as well as in agricultural applications, inhibits uterine contractions in vitro, inhibits myometrial gap junctions, and has been associated with prolonged gestation length in rats. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether brief exposures to lindane would elicit sustained inhibition of rat uterine contractile activity and myometrial gap junction intercellular communication. Methods To examine effects on uterine contraction, longitudinal uterine strips isolated from late gestation (day 20 rats were exposed to lindane in muscle baths and monitored for changes in spontaneous phasic contractions during and after exposure to lindane. Lucifer yellow dye transfer between myometrial cells in culture was used to monitor gap junction intercellular communication. Results During a 1-h exposure, 10 micro M and 100 micro M lindane decreased peak force and frequency of uterine contraction but 1 micro M lindane did not. After removal of the exposure buffer, contraction force remained significantly depressed in uterine strips exposed to 100 micro M lindane, returning to less than 50% basal levels 5 h after cessation of lindane exposure. In cultured myometrial myocytes, significant sustained inhibition of Lucifer yellow dye transfer was observed 24 h after lindane exposures as brief as 10 min and as low as 0.1 micro M lindane. Conclusion Brief in vitro exposures to lindane have long-term effects on myometrial functions that are necessary for parturition, inhibiting spontaneous phasic contractions in late gestation rat uterus and gap junction intercellular communication in myometrial cell cultures.

The Effect of Gap Angle on Tensile Strength of Preceramic Base Metal Solder Joints.

Science.gov (United States)

Fattahi, Farnaz; Hashemi Ardakani, Zahra; Hashemi Ardakani, Maryam

2015-12-01

Soldering is a process commonly used in fabricating dental prosthesis. Since most soldered prosthesis fail at the solder joints; the joint strength is of utmost importance. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of gap angle on the tensile strength of base metal solder joints. A total number of 40 Ni-Cr samples were fabricated according to ADA/ISO 9693 specifications for tensile test. Samples were cut at the midpoint of the bar, and were placed at the considered angles by employing an explicitly designed device. They were divided into 4 groups regarding the gap angle; Group C (control group) with parallel gap on steady distance of 0.2mm, Group 1: 10°, Group 2: 20°, and Group3: 30° gap angles. When soldered, the specimens were all tested for tensile strength using a universal testing machine at a cross-head speed of 0.5 mm/min with a preload of 10N. Kruskal-Wallis H test was used to compare tensile strength among the groups (ptensile strength values obtained from the study groups were respectively 307.84, 391.50, 365.18, and 368.86 MPa. The tensile strength was not statistically different among the four groups in general (p≤ 0.490). Making the gap angular at the solder joints and the subsequent unsteady increase of the gap distance would not change the tensile strength of the joint.

Effect of gap distance on tensile strength of preceramic base metal solder joints.

Science.gov (United States)

Fattahi, Farnaz; Motamedi, Milad

2011-01-01

In order to fabricate prostheses with high accuracy and durability, soldering techniques have been introduced to clinical dentistry. However, these prostheses always fail at their solder joints. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of gap distance on the tensile strength of base metal solder joints. Based on ADA/ISO 9693 specifications for tensile test, 40 specimens were fabricated from a Ni-Cr alloy and cut at the midpoint of 3-mm diameter bar and placed at desired positions by a specially designed device. The specimens were divided into four groups of 10 samples according to the desired solder gap distance: Group1: 0.1mm; Group2: 0.25mm; Group3: 0.5mm; and Group4: 0.75mm. After soldering, specimens were tested for tensile strength by a universal testing machine at a cross-head speed of 0.5mm/min with a preload of 10N. The mean tensile strength values of the groups were 162, 307.8, 206.1 and 336.7 MPa, respectively. The group with 0.75-mm gap had the highest and the group with 0.1-mm gap had the lowest tensile strength. Bonferroni test showed that Group1 and Group4 had statistically different values (P=0.023), but the differences between other groups were not sig-nificant at a significance level of 0.05. There was no direct relationship between increasing soldering gap distance and tensile strength of the solder joints.

The Earnings Gap between Women and Men.

Science.gov (United States)

Women's Bureau (DOL), Washington, DC.

The size of the earnings gap between men and women has not changed substantially in recent years. The sustained earnings differential contrasts significantly with recent gains women have made in the job market. Several factors contribute to the wage differences: (1) The majority of women are in lower-paying occupations and lower-status jobs even…

Gap probability - Measurements and models of a pecan orchard

Science.gov (United States)

Strahler, Alan H.; Li, Xiaowen; Moody, Aaron; Liu, YI

1992-01-01

Measurements and models are compared for gap probability in a pecan orchard. Measurements are based on panoramic photographs of 50* by 135 view angle made under the canopy looking upwards at regular positions along transects between orchard trees. The gap probability model is driven by geometric parameters at two levels-crown and leaf. Crown level parameters include the shape of the crown envelope and spacing of crowns; leaf level parameters include leaf size and shape, leaf area index, and leaf angle, all as functions of canopy position.

Spatial scale and sampling resolution affect measures of gap disturbance in a lowland tropical forest: implications for understanding forest regeneration and carbon storage

Science.gov (United States)

Lobo, Elena; Dalling, James W.

2014-01-01

Treefall gaps play an important role in tropical forest dynamics and in determining above-ground biomass (AGB). However, our understanding of gap disturbance regimes is largely based either on surveys of forest plots that are small relative to spatial variation in gap disturbance, or on satellite imagery, which cannot accurately detect small gaps. We used high-resolution light detection and ranging data from a 1500 ha forest in Panama to: (i) determine how gap disturbance parameters are influenced by study area size, and the criteria used to define gaps; and (ii) to evaluate how accurately previous ground-based canopy height sampling can determine the size and location of gaps. We found that plot-scale disturbance parameters frequently differed significantly from those measured at the landscape-level, and that canopy height thresholds used to define gaps strongly influenced the gap-size distribution, an important metric influencing AGB. Furthermore, simulated ground surveys of canopy height frequently misrepresented the true location of gaps, which may affect conclusions about how relatively small canopy gaps affect successional processes and contribute to the maintenance of diversity. Across site comparisons need to consider how gap definition, scale and spatial resolution affect characterizations of gap disturbance, and its inferred importance for carbon storage and community composition. PMID:24452032

Experimental results of the effective water head in downcomer during reflood phase of a PWR LOCA

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sudo, Yukio; Murao, Yoshio; Akimoto, Hajime

1980-08-01

The results and analysis of an experiment for the effective water head in downcomer with 50mm gap size are described. The main objective of the experiment was to clarify the effect of gap size on reflooding in a PWR LOCA. The effective water head in downcomer is the driving force for feeding emergency coolant into the core during reflood phase of a PWR LOCA. Discussions presented here follow those of a previous report in which experimental results and analysis were described for the case of 200mm gap size. Experimental Conditions were: Initial Wall Temperature = 200 -- 300 0 C, Back Pressure = 1 atm., Coolant Temperature = 71 -- 100 0 C, Extraction Water Velocity = 0 -- 2 cm/s, Gap Size = 50 mm. The effective water head history obtained in the experiment was compared with those predicted with Sudo's void fraction correlation. In the prediction, heat input to coolant was calculated from the response of measured wall temperature with heat condition analysis. The experimental results and analysis reveals that: (1) The effects of the gap size and initial wall temperature are evident, (2) The effect of extraction water velocity is negligible, and (3) The predicted history of effective water head is in good agreement with the experimental results except during the transient period in which the effective water head is descreasing. (author)

What big size you have! Using effect sizes to determine the impact of public health nursing interventions.

Science.gov (United States)

Johnson, K E; McMorris, B J; Raynor, L A; Monsen, K A

2013-01-01

The Omaha System is a standardized interface terminology that is used extensively by public health nurses in community settings to document interventions and client outcomes. Researchers using Omaha System data to analyze the effectiveness of interventions have typically calculated p-values to determine whether significant client changes occurred between admission and discharge. However, p-values are highly dependent on sample size, making it difficult to distinguish statistically significant changes from clinically meaningful changes. Effect sizes can help identify practical differences but have not yet been applied to Omaha System data. We compared p-values and effect sizes (Cohen's d) for mean differences between admission and discharge for 13 client problems documented in the electronic health records of 1,016 young low-income parents. Client problems were documented anywhere from 6 (Health Care Supervision) to 906 (Caretaking/parenting) times. On a scale from 1 to 5, the mean change needed to yield a large effect size (Cohen's d ≥ 0.80) was approximately 0.60 (range = 0.50 - 1.03) regardless of p-value or sample size (i.e., the number of times a client problem was documented in the electronic health record). Researchers using the Omaha System should report effect sizes to help readers determine which differences are practical and meaningful. Such disclosures will allow for increased recognition of effective interventions.

Nonlinearity in data with gaps: Application to ecological and ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

apply this to the multifractal spectra of multiple datasets with missing data from the SMEAR ... that there are certain values of gap size and frequency ... Most nonlinear quantifiers require large evenly ..... This adds weight to the claims in the.

Optical properties of uniformly sized silicon nanocrystals within a single silicon oxide layer

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

En Naciri, A., E-mail: aotmane.en-naciri@univ-lorraine.fr [Universite de Lorraine, LCP-A2MC, Institut Jean Barriol (France); Miska, P. [Universite de Lorraine, Institut Jean Lamour CNRS UMR 7198 (France); Keita, A.-S. [Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems (Germany); Battie, Y. [Universite de Lorraine, LCP-A2MC, Institut Jean Barriol (France); Rinnert, H.; Vergnat, M. [Universite de Lorraine, Institut Jean Lamour CNRS UMR 7198 (France)

2013-04-15

Silicon nanocrystals (Si-NC) with different sizes (2-6 nm) are synthesized by evaporation. The system is composed of a single Si-NC layer that is well controlled in size. The numerical modeling of such system, without a large size distribution, is suitable to perform easily the optical calculations. The nanocrystal size and confinement effects on the optical properties are determined by photoluminescence (PL) measurements, absorption in the UV visible range, and spectroscopic ellipsometry (SE). The optical constants and the bandgap energies are then extracted and analyzed. The dependence of the optical responses with the decrease of the size of the Si-NC occurs not only with a drastic reduction of the amplitudes of dielectric function but also by a significant expansion of the optical gap. This study supports the idea of a presence of a critical size of Si-NC for which the confinement effect becomes weak. The evolution of those bandgap energies are discussed in comparison with values reported in literature.

Anisotropic Effective Mass, Optical Property, and Enhanced Band Gap in BN/Phosphorene/BN Heterostructures.

Science.gov (United States)

Hu, Tao; Hong, Jisang

2015-10-28

Phosphorene is receiving great research interests because of its peculiar physical properties. Nonetheless, the phosphorus has a trouble of degradation due to oxidation. Hereby, we propose that the electrical and optical anisotropic properties can be preserved by encapsulating into hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN). We found that the h-BN contributed to enhancing the band gap of the phosphorene layer. Comparing the band gap of the pristine phosphorene layer, the band gap of the phosphorene/BN(1ML) system was enhanced by 0.15 eV. It was further enhanced by 0.31 eV in the BN(1ML)/phosphorene/BN(1ML) trilayer structure. However, the band gap was not further enhanced when we increased the thickness of the h-BN layers even up to 4 MLs. Interestingly, the anisotropic effective mass and optical property were still preserved in BN/phosphorene/BN heterostructures. Overall, we predict that the capping of phosphorene by the h-BN layers can be an excellent solution to protect the intrinsic properties of the phosphorene.

Seed regeneration potential of canopy gaps at early formation stage in temperate secondary forests, Northeast China.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Qiao-Ling Yan

Full Text Available Promoting the seed regeneration potential of secondary forests undergoing gap disturbances is an important approach for achieving forest restoration and sustainable management. Seedling recruitment from seed banks strongly determines the seed regeneration potential, but the process is poorly understood in the gaps of secondary forests. The objectives of the present study were to evaluate the effects of gap size, seed availability, and environmental conditions on the seed regeneration potential in temperate secondary forests. It was found that gap formation could favor the invasion of more varieties of species in seed banks, but it also could speed up the turnover rate of seed banks leading to lower seed densities. Seeds of the dominant species, Fraxinus rhynchophylla, were transient in soil and there was a minor and discontinuous contribution of the seed bank to its seedling emergence. For Quercus mongolica, emerging seedling number was positively correlated with seed density in gaps (R = 0.32, P<0.01, especially in medium and small gaps (<500 m(2. Furthermore, under canopies, there was a positive correlation between seedling number and seed density of Acer mono (R = 0.43, P<0.01. Gap formation could promote seedling emergence of two gap-dependent species (i.e., Q. mongolica and A. mono, but the contribution of seed banks to seedlings was below 10% after gap creation. Soil moisture and temperature were the restrictive factors controlling the seedling emergence from seeds in gaps and under canopies, respectively. Thus, the regeneration potential from seed banks is limited after gap formation.

Seed Regeneration Potential of Canopy Gaps at Early Formation Stage in Temperate Secondary Forests, Northeast China

Science.gov (United States)

Yan, Qiao-Ling; Zhu, Jiao-Jun; Yu, Li-Zhong

2012-01-01

Promoting the seed regeneration potential of secondary forests undergoing gap disturbances is an important approach for achieving forest restoration and sustainable management. Seedling recruitment from seed banks strongly determines the seed regeneration potential, but the process is poorly understood in the gaps of secondary forests. The objectives of the present study were to evaluate the effects of gap size, seed availability, and environmental conditions on the seed regeneration potential in temperate secondary forests. It was found that gap formation could favor the invasion of more varieties of species in seed banks, but it also could speed up the turnover rate of seed banks leading to lower seed densities. Seeds of the dominant species, Fraxinus rhynchophylla, were transient in soil and there was a minor and discontinuous contribution of the seed bank to its seedling emergence. For Quercus mongolica, emerging seedling number was positively correlated with seed density in gaps (R = 0.32, P<0.01), especially in medium and small gaps (<500 m2). Furthermore, under canopies, there was a positive correlation between seedling number and seed density of Acer mono (R = 0.43, P<0.01). Gap formation could promote seedling emergence of two gap-dependent species (i.e., Q. mongolica and A. mono), but the contribution of seed banks to seedlings was below 10% after gap creation. Soil moisture and temperature were the restrictive factors controlling the seedling emergence from seeds in gaps and under canopies, respectively. Thus, the regeneration potential from seed banks is limited after gap formation. PMID:22745771

GAP junctional intercellular communication confers an enhanced bystander effect as well as a protective effect in HSV-TK/gancyclovir mediated cytotoxicity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wygoda, Marc R.; Rehemtulla, Alnawaz; Davis, Mary A.; Lawrence, Theodore S.

1996-01-01

Purpose/Objective: The 'Bystander Effect' is the phenomenon by which cells which are not transduced with the Herpes Simplex Virus - Thymidine Kinase (HSV-TK) gene are killed by the guanosine analog Gancyclovir (GCV) when they are nearby HSV-TK positive cells. Since currently available gene transfer technologies have a low efficiency (typically less than 10% of cells are transduced), a better understanding of the mechanism underlying the bystander effect is crucial for the success of the HSV-TK/GCV enzyme prodrug gene therapy approach. Gap junctions, which are specialized cell membrane channels allowing the passage of molecules < 1000 daltons in size directly from cell to cell, have been proposed as a possible mediator of the bystander effect. In particular, gap junctions could permit the transfer of toxic metabolites from the HSV-TK positive cells to the bystander cells. Our aim was to assess the role of gap junctional intercellular communication (GJIC) in the bystander effect. Materials and Methods: Co-culture of an HSV-TK transduced rat liver epithelial cell line (WB-TK), with either its communication competent parental cell line (WB), or an isogenic cell line differing by its communication incompetence (aB1). The ratios of effector cells (WB-TK) to bystander cells (WB or aB1), were (100(0)), (50(50)), (5(95)), or(0(100)) . These various mixed populations were exposed for 24 hours to 10μM GCV and thereafter placed at clonal density into selective media, allowing for growth of either the bystander (TK negative) cells or the effector (TK-positive) cells. Results: 1) When the effector/bystander ratio was (50(50)) the surviving fraction of the bystander cells was 3.5% and 37% for the WB and aB1, respectively. When the effector/bystander ratio was (5(95)), the surviving fraction was 51% and 65% for the WB and aB1, respectively. Either cell line (WB or aB1) cultured alone was unaffected by GCV. These results demonstrate that the bystander effect is much higher when

Photonic band gap engineering in 2D photonic crystals

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

-dimensional photonic crystals with square lattices composed of air holes in dielectric and vice versa i.e., dielectric rods in air, using the plane-wave expansion method are investigated. We then study, how the photonic band gap size is ...

Electrostatic tuning of Kondo effect in a rare-earth-doped wide-band-gap oxide

KAUST Repository

Li, Yongfeng; Deng, Rui; Lin, Weinan; Tian, Yufeng; Peng, Haiyang; Yi, Jiabao; Yao, Bin; Wu, Tao

2013-01-01

As a long-lived theme in solid-state physics, the Kondo effect reflects the many-body physics involving the short-range Coulomb interactions between itinerant electrons and localized spins in metallic materials. Here we show that the Kondo effect is present in ZnO, a prototypical wide-band-gap oxide, doped with a rare-earth element (Gd). The localized 4f electrons of Gd ions do not produce remanent magnetism, but interact strongly with the host electrons, giving rise to a saturating resistance upturn and negative magnetoresistance at low temperatures. Furthermore, the Kondo temperature and resistance can be electrostatically modulated using electric-double-layer gating with liquid ionic electrolyte. Our experiments provide the experimental evidence of tunable Kondo effect in ZnO, underscoring the magnetic interactions between localized and itinerant electrons and the emergent transport behaviors in such doped wide-band-gap oxides.

Effects of weak nonlinearity on dispersion relations and frequency band-gaps of periodic structures

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sorokin, Vladislav; Thomsen, Jon Juel

2015-01-01

of these for nonlinear problems is impossible or cumbersome, since Floquet theory is applicable for linear systems only. Thus the nonlinear effects for periodic structures are not yet fully uncovered, while at the same time applica-tions may demand effects of nonlinearity on structural response to be accounted for....... The present work deals with analytically predicting dynamic responses for nonlinear continuous elastic periodic structures. Specifically, the effects of weak nonlinearity on the dispersion re-lation and frequency band-gaps of a periodic Bernoulli-Euler beam performing bending os-cillations are analyzed......The analysis of the behaviour of linear periodic structures can be traced back over 300 years, to Sir Isaac Newton, and still attracts much attention. An essential feature of periodic struc-tures is the presence of frequency band-gaps, i.e. frequency ranges in which waves cannot propagate...

Electrostatic tuning of Kondo effect in a rare-earth-doped wide-band-gap oxide

KAUST Repository

Li, Yongfeng

2013-04-29

As a long-lived theme in solid-state physics, the Kondo effect reflects the many-body physics involving the short-range Coulomb interactions between itinerant electrons and localized spins in metallic materials. Here we show that the Kondo effect is present in ZnO, a prototypical wide-band-gap oxide, doped with a rare-earth element (Gd). The localized 4f electrons of Gd ions do not produce remanent magnetism, but interact strongly with the host electrons, giving rise to a saturating resistance upturn and negative magnetoresistance at low temperatures. Furthermore, the Kondo temperature and resistance can be electrostatically modulated using electric-double-layer gating with liquid ionic electrolyte. Our experiments provide the experimental evidence of tunable Kondo effect in ZnO, underscoring the magnetic interactions between localized and itinerant electrons and the emergent transport behaviors in such doped wide-band-gap oxides.

Flexible parents: joint effects of handicapping and brood size manipulation on female parental care in Nicrophorus vespilloides.

Science.gov (United States)

Ratz, Tom; Smiseth, Per T

2018-02-22

Parental care is highly variable, reflecting that parents make flexible decisions in response to variation in the cost of care to themselves and the benefit to their offspring. Much of the evidence that parents respond to such variation derives from handicapping and brood size manipulations, the separate effects of which are well understood. However, little is known about their joint effects. Here, we fill this gap by conducting a joint handicapping and brood size manipulation in the burying beetle Nicrophorus vespilloides. We handicapped half of the females by attaching a lead weight to their pronotum, leaving the remaining females as controls. We also manipulated brood size by providing each female with 5, 20 or 40 larvae. In contrast to what we predicted, handicapped females spent more time provisioning food than controls. We also found that handicapped females spent more time consuming carrion. Furthermore, handicapped females spent a similar amount of time consuming carrion regardless of brood size, whereas controls spent more time consuming carrion as brood increased. Females spent more time provisioning food towards larger broods, and females were more likely to engage in carrion consumption when caring for larger broods. We conclude that females respond to both handicapping and brood size manipulations, but these responses are largely independent of each other. Overall, our results suggest that handicapping might lead to a higher investment into current reproduction and that it might be associated with compensatory responses that negate the detrimental impact of higher cost of care in handicapped parents. © 2018 Crown copyright. Journal of Evolutionary Biology © 2018 European Society For Evolutionary Biology This article is published with the permission of the Controller of HMSO and the Queen’s Printer for Scotland. Note: some government agencies may require additional wording and acknowledgement.

A descriptive study of effect-size reporting in research reviews.

Science.gov (United States)

Floyd, Judith A

2017-06-01

To describe effect-size reporting in research reviews completed in support of evidence-based practice in nursing. Many research reviews report nurses' critical appraisal of level, quality and overall strength of evidence available to address clinical questions. Several studies of research-review quality suggest effect-size information would be useful to include in these reviews, but none focused on reviewers' attention to effect sizes. Descriptive. One hundred and four reviews indexed in CINAHL as systematic reviews and published from July 2012-February 2014 were examined. Papers were required to be peer-reviewed, written in English, contain an abstract and have at least one nurse author. Reviews were excluded if they did not use critical appraisal methods to address evidence of correlation, prediction or effectiveness. Data from remaining papers (N = 73) were extracted by three or more independent coders using a structured coding form and detailed codebook. Data were stored, viewed and analysed using Microsoft Office Excel ® spreadsheet functions. Sixteen percent (n = 12) of the sample contained effect-size information. Of the 12, six included all the effect-size information recommended by APA guidelines. Independent of completeness of reporting, seven contained discussion of effect sizes in the paper, but none included effect-size information in abstracts. Research reviews available to practicing nurses often fail to include information needed to accurately assess how much improvement may result from implementation of evidence-based policies, programs, protocols or practices. Manuscript reviewers are urged to hold authors to APA standards for reporting/discussing effect-size information in both primary research reports and research reviews. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Understanding the Financial Knowledge Gap: A New Dimension of Inequality in Later Life.

Science.gov (United States)

Khan, Mohammad Nuruzzaman; Rothwell, David W; Cherney, Katrina; Sussman, Tamara

2017-01-01

To understand individuals' financial behaviors, it is important to understand the financial knowledge gap - the distance between one's objective and subjective financial knowledge. Overestimating one's financial knowledge can lead to risky financial behaviors. To date, limited empirical work has examined how financial knowledge gap varies across age groups. We analyze the size and nature of the financial knowledge gap and its variation across age groups. Using nationally representative data, we find robust evidence that older adults overestimate their financial knowledge. Social workers can assess the financial knowledge gap and educate their clients to protect from financial fraud, exploitation, and abuse.

Natural convection heat transfer of water in a horizontal circular gap

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

SU Guanghui; Kenichiro Sugiyama; WU Yingwei

2007-01-01

An experimental study on the natural convection heat transfer on a horizontal downward facing heated surface in a water gap was carried out under atmospheric pressure conditions. A total of 700 experimental data points were correlated using Rayleigh versus Nusselt number in various forms, based on different independent variables. The effects of different characteristic lengths and film temperatures were discussed. The results show that the buoyancy force acts as a resistance force for natural convecti on beat transfer ona downward facing horizontal heated surface in a confined space. For the estimation of the natural convection heat transfer under the present conditions, empirical correlations in which Nusselt number is expressed as a function of the Rayleigh number, or both Rayleigh and Prandtl numbers, may be used. When it is accurately predicted, the Nusselt number is expressed as a function of the Rayleigh and Prandtl numbers, as well as the gap width-to-heated surface diameter ratio; and uses the temperature difference between the heated surface and the ambient fluid in the definition of Rayleigh number. The characteristic length is the gap size and the film temperature is the average fluid temperature.

Knowledge Gaps

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lyles, Marjorie; Pedersen, Torben; Petersen, Bent

2003-01-01

The study explores what factors influence the reduction of managers' perceivedknowledge gaps in the context of the environments of foreign markets. Potentialdeterminants are derived from traditional internationalization theory as well asorganizational learning theory, including the concept...... of absorptive capacity. Building onthese literature streams a conceptual model is developed and tested on a set of primarydata of Danish firms and their foreign market operations. The empirical study suggeststhat the factors that pertain to the absorptive capacity concept - capabilities ofrecognizing......, assimilating, and utilizing knowledge - are crucial determinants ofknowledge gap elimination. In contrast, the two factors deemed essential in traditionalinternationalization process theory - elapsed time of operations and experientiallearning - are found to have no or limited effect.Key words...

Electronic properties of graphene nano-flakes: energy gap, permanent dipole, termination effect, and Raman spectroscopy.

Science.gov (United States)

Singh, Sandeep Kumar; Neek-Amal, M; Peeters, F M

2014-02-21

The electronic properties of graphene nano-flakes (GNFs) with different edge passivation are investigated by using density functional theory. Passivation with F and H atoms is considered: C(N(c)) X(N(x)) (X = F or H). We studied GNFs with 10 GNFs and enhance the electric polarization, (iii) the mutual interaction of bilayer GNFs can be understood by dipole-dipole interaction which were found sensitive to the relative orientation of the GNFs, (iv) the permanent dipoles depend on the edge terminated atom, while the energy gap is independent of it, and (v) the presence of heptagon and pentagon defects in the GNFs results in the largest difference between the energy of the spin-up and spin-down electrons which is larger for the H-passivated GNFs as compared to F-passivated GNFs. Our study shows clearly the effect of geometry, size, termination, and bilayer on the electronic properties of small GNFs. This study reveals important features of graphene nano-flakes which can be detected using Raman spectroscopy.

Gap Assessment in the Emergency Response Community

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Barr, Jonathan L.; Burtner, Edwin R.; Pike, William A.; Peddicord, Annie M Boe; Minsk, Brian S.

2010-09-27

This report describes a gap analysis of the emergency response and management (EM) community, performed during the fall of 2009. Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) undertook this effort to identify potential improvements to the functional domains in EM that could be provided by the application of current or future technology. To perform this domain-based gap analysis, PNNL personnel interviewed subject matter experts (SMEs) across the EM domain; to make certain that the analyses reflected a representative view of the community, the SMEs were from a variety of geographic areas and from various sized communities (urban, suburban, and rural). PNNL personnel also examined recent and relevant after-action reports and U.S. Government Accountability Office reports.

Treefall Gap Mapping Using Sentinel-2 Images

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Iván Barton

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Proper knowledge about resources in forest management is fundamental. One of the most important parameters of forests is their size or spatial extension. By determining the area of treefall gaps inside the compartments, a more accurate yield can be calculated and the scheduling of forestry operations could be planned better. Several field- and remote sensing-based approaches are in use for mapping but they provide only static measurements at high cost. The Earth Observation satellite mission Sentinel-2 was put in orbit as part of the Copernicus programme. With the 10-m resolution bands, it is possible to observe small-scale forestry operations like treefall gaps. The spatial extension of these gaps is often less than 200 m2, thus their detection can only be done on sub-pixel level. Due to the higher temporal resolution of Sentinel-2, multiple observations are available in a year; therefore, a time series evaluation is possible. The modelling of illumination can increase the accuracy of classification in mountainous areas. The method was tested on three deciduous forest sites in the Börzsöny Mountains in Hungary. The area evaluation produced less than 10% overestimation with the best possible solutions on the sites. The presented work shows a low-cost method for mapping treefall gaps which delivers annual information about the gap area in a deciduous forest.

Aligned fibers direct collective cell migration to engineer closing and nonclosing wound gaps.

Science.gov (United States)

Sharma, Puja; Ng, Colin; Jana, Aniket; Padhi, Abinash; Szymanski, Paige; Lee, Jerry S H; Behkam, Bahareh; Nain, Amrinder S

2017-09-15

Cell emergence onto damaged or organized fibrous extracellular matrix (ECM) is a crucial precursor to collective cell migration in wound closure and cancer metastasis, respectively. However, there is a fundamental gap in our quantitative understanding of the role of local ECM size and arrangement in cell emergence-based migration and local gap closure. Here, using ECM-mimicking nanofibers bridging cell monolayers, we describe a method to recapitulate and quantitatively describe these in vivo behaviors over multispatial (single cell to cell sheets) and temporal (minutes to weeks) scales. On fiber arrays with large interfiber spacing, cells emerge (invade) either singularly by breaking cell-cell junctions analogous to release of a stretched rubber band (recoil), or in groups of few cells (chains), whereas on closely spaced fibers, multiple chains emerge collectively. Advancing cells on fibers form cell streams, which support suspended cell sheets (SCS) of various sizes and curvatures. SCS converge to form local gaps that close based on both the gap size and shape. We document that cell stream spacing of 375 µm and larger hinders SCS advancement, thus providing abilities to engineer closing and nonclosing gaps. Altogether we highlight the importance of studying cell-fiber interactions and matrix structural remodeling in fundamental and translational cell biology. © 2017 Sharma et al. This article is distributed by The American Society for Cell Biology under license from the author(s). Two months after publication it is available to the public under an Attribution–Noncommercial–Share Alike 3.0 Unported Creative Commons License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0).

Size effects in lithium ion batteries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yao Hu-Rong; Yin Ya-Xia; Guo Yu-Gao

2016-01-01

Size-related properties of novel lithium battery materials, arising from kinetics, thermodynamics, and newly discovered lithium storage mechanisms, are reviewed. Complementary experimental and computational investigations of the use of the size effects to modify electrodes and electrolytes for lithium ion batteries are enumerated and discussed together. Size differences in the materials in lithium ion batteries lead to a variety of exciting phenomena. Smaller-particle materials with highly connective interfaces and reduced diffusion paths exhibit higher rate performance than the corresponding bulk materials. The thermodynamics is also changed by the higher surface energy of smaller particles, affecting, for example, secondary surface reactions, lattice parameter, voltage, and the phase transformation mechanism. Newly discovered lithium storage mechanisms that result in superior storage capacity are also briefly highlighted. (topical review)

Effect of shear rate on aggregate size and structure in the process of aggregation and at steady state

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Bubáková, Petra; Pivokonský, Martin; Filip, Petr

2013-01-01

Roč. 235, February (2013), s. 540-549 ISSN 0032-5910 R&D Projects: GA ČR GAP105/11/0247 Institutional support: RVO:67985874 Keywords : aggregation * aggregate size * fractal dimension * shear rate * steady state * time evolution Subject RIV: BK - Fluid Dynamics Impact factor: 2.269, year: 2013

Effect of Climate and Management Factors on Potential and Gap of Wheat Yield in Iran with Using WOFOST Model

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A Koocheki

2017-10-01

intensification. We estimated a stochastic frontier production function to calculate global datasets of maximum attainable grain yields, yield gaps, and efficiencies of grain production at. Applying a stochastic frontier production function facilitates estimating the yield gap based on the actual grain yield data only, instead of using actual and potential grain yield data from different sources. Therefore, the method allows for a robust and consistent analysis of the yield gap. The factors determining the yield gap are quantified at both global and regional scales. For this purpose, climatic information and wheat yield of different provinces were obtained from Iran meteorological organization and Agriculture Jahade organization, respectively. Wheat potential yield in different provinces was simulated by WOFOST model. Wheat gap was gained by difference between actual and potential yield in different provinces. Relative share of climatic variables in potential yield and also relative share of management variables included irrigation, fertilizer application, mechanization, pesticide application and manure in wheat yield gap was calculated by frontier production function. Results and Discussion The results showed that the effect of precipitation and radiation on wheat potential yield was positive and the impact of temperature was negative. Precipitation had the highest impact on wheat potential yield among other climatic variables. The range of wheat yield gap was from 1646 to 4470 kg ha-1 and 29 to 58% in Iran. Generally, the effect of all management variables on wheat yield gap was negative so that wheat yield gap was reduced by improving of these variables. Among studied management variables, irrigation had the highest effect on yield gap reduction, especially in dry-warm climate and fertilizer application was the second factor which had high effect on yield gap reduction. Therefore, to reduce wheat yield gap in Iran, irrigation management and fertilizer application should be

Hall measurements and grain-size effects in polycrystalline silicon

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ghosh, A.K.; Rose, A.; Maruska, H.P.; Eustace, D.J.; Feng, T.

1980-01-01

The effects of grain size on Hall measurements in polycrystalline silicon are analyzed and interpreted, with some modifications, using the model proposed by Bube. This modified model predicts that the measured effective Hall voltage is composed of components originating from the bulk and space-charge regions. For materials with large grain sizes, the carrier concentration is independent of the intergrain boundary barrier, whereas the mobility is dependent on it. However, for small grains, both the carrier density and mobility depend on the barrier. These predictions are consistent with experimental results of mm-size Wacker and μm-size neutron-transmutation-doped polycrystalline silicon

Development of stress relaxation measurement by a small size C-ring specimen method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shimanuki, Shizuka; Nakata, Kiyotomo; Kasahara, Shigeki; Kuniya, Jiro

2002-01-01

A stress relaxation measurement method has been developed by using C-ring specimens, and a specimen size effect has been evaluated taking radiation-induced stress relaxation into consideration. C-ring specimens were stressed by forcing a wedge in the gap. Giving an appropriate eccentric configuration in the half of the ring opposite the gap, the stress gradient along the circumference was eliminated in the section and the stress level could be varied by changing the gap spacing. The validity of the C-ring test method was confirmed by thermally stress relaxation experiments at annealing temperatures from 300 to 600degC for 1 min to 200 h in carbon steel: considerable stress relaxation could be measured for all levels of applied stress even at relatively low annealing temperatures. The relaxation results obtained from the C-ring test were in good agreement with those from a uniaxial tensile stress relaxation test. The smaller C-ring specimen with about 40 mm diameter, which is required for radiation-induced stress relaxation test, also showed adequate accuracy on stress relaxation at 600 to 830degC in stainless steel, compared with the large size C-ring specimen test. (author)

GapBlaster-A Graphical Gap Filler for Prokaryote Genomes.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pablo H C G de Sá

Full Text Available The advent of NGS (Next Generation Sequencing technologies has resulted in an exponential increase in the number of complete genomes available in biological databases. This advance has allowed the development of several computational tools enabling analyses of large amounts of data in each of the various steps, from processing and quality filtering to gap filling and manual curation. The tools developed for gap closure are very useful as they result in more complete genomes, which will influence downstream analyses of genomic plasticity and comparative genomics. However, the gap filling step remains a challenge for genome assembly, often requiring manual intervention. Here, we present GapBlaster, a graphical application to evaluate and close gaps. GapBlaster was developed via Java programming language. The software uses contigs obtained in the assembly of the genome to perform an alignment against a draft of the genome/scaffold, using BLAST or Mummer to close gaps. Then, all identified alignments of contigs that extend through the gaps in the draft sequence are presented to the user for further evaluation via the GapBlaster graphical interface. GapBlaster presents significant results compared to other similar software and has the advantage of offering a graphical interface for manual curation of the gaps. GapBlaster program, the user guide and the test datasets are freely available at https://sourceforge.net/projects/gapblaster2015/. It requires Sun JDK 8 and Blast or Mummer.

Vertical hydraulic generators experience with dynamic air gap monitoring

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pollock, G.B.; Lyles, J.F.

1992-01-01

Until recently, dynamic monitoring of the rotor to stator air gap of hydraulic generators was not practical. Cost effective and reliable dyamic air gap monitoring equipment has been developed in recent years. Dynamic air gap monitoring was originally justified because of the desire of the owner to minimize the effects of catastrophic air gap failure. However, monitoring air gaps on a time basis has been shown to be beneficial by assisting in the assessment of hydraulic generator condition. The air gap monitor provides useful information on rotor and stator condition and generator vibration. The data generated by air gap monitors will assist managers in the decision process with respect to the timing and extent of required maintenance for a particular generating unit

Effect of field view size and lighting on unique-hue selection using Natural Color System object colors.

Science.gov (United States)

Shamey, Renzo; Zubair, Muhammad; Cheema, Hammad

2015-08-01

The aim of this study was twofold, first to determine the effect of field view size and second of illumination conditions on the selection of unique hue samples (UHs: R, Y, G and B) from two rotatable trays, each containing forty highly chromatic Natural Color System (NCS) samples, on one tray corresponding to 1.4° and on the other to 5.7° field of view size. UH selections were made by 25 color-normal observers who repeated assessments three times with a gap of at least 24h between trials. Observers separately assessed UHs under four illumination conditions simulating illuminants D65, A, F2 and F11. An apparent hue shift (statistically significant for UR) was noted for UH selections at 5.7° field of view compared to those at 1.4°. Observers' overall variability was found to be higher for UH stimuli selections at the larger field of view. Intra-observer variability was found to be approximately 18.7% of inter-observer variability in selection of samples for both sample sizes. The highest intra-observer variability was under simulated illuminant D65, followed by A, F11, and F2. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Thermo-Fluid Verification of Fuel Column with Crossflow Gap

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Sung Nam; Tak, Nam Il; Kim, Min Hwan; Noh, Jae Man

2013-01-01

Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI) has been developing thermal-hydraulic code to design a safe and effective VHTR. Core reliable Optimization and Network thermo-fluid Analysis (CORONA) is a code that solves the fluid region as 1-D and the solid domain as 3-D. The postulated event is modeled to secure safety during design process. The reactor core of VHTR is piled with multi-fuel block layers. The helium gas goes through coolant channel holes after distributed from upper plenum. The fuel blocks are irradiated during operation and there might be cross gaps between blocks. These cross gaps change the passage of coolant channels and could affect the temperature of fuel compact. Therefore, two types of single fuel assembly (i. e., standard and Reserved Shutdown Control (RSC) hole fuel assemblies) were investigated in this study. The CORONA, thermo-fluid analysis code, has been developing to compute the reactor core of VHTR. Crossflow model was applied to predict temperature and flow distribution between fuel blocks in this study. The calculated results are compared with the data of commercial software, CFX. The temperature variations along the axial direction well agree for both standard / RSC fuel assemblies. The flow redistribution due to crossflow matches well. The hot spot temperature and locations might differ depending on the cross gap size. This research will be done in detail for further study

Interaction of the Bragg gap with polaritonic gap in opal photonic crystals

Science.gov (United States)

Nayer, Eradat; Sivachenko, Andrey Yu; Li, Sergey; Raikh, Mikhail E.; Valy Vardeny, Z.

2001-03-01

Photonic crystals (PC) are a class of artificial structures with a periodic dielectric function. PCs can be a laboratory for testing fundamental processes involving interactions of radiation with matter in novel conditions. We have studied the optical properties of opal PCs that are infiltrated with highly polarizable media such as j-aggregates of cyanine dyes. Opals are self- assembled structures of silica (SiO_2) spheres. We report our studies on clarifying the relationship between a polaritonic gap and a photonic stop band (Bragg gap) when they resonantly coexist in the same structure. Infiltration of opal with polarizable molecules combines the polaritonic and Bragg diffractive effects. Both effects exist independently when the Bragg (at ω=ω_B) and polaritonic (at ω=ω_T) resonances are well separated in frequency. A completely different situation occurs when ωT =ω_B. Such a condition was achieved in opals that were infiltrated with J-aggregates of cyanine dyes that have large Rabi frequency. Our measurements show some dramatic changes in the shape of the reflectivity plateaus, which are due to the interplay between the photonic band gap and the polaritonic gap. The experimental results on reflectivity and its dependence on the light propagation angle and concentration of the cyanie dyes are in agreement with the theoretical calculations. (The work was supported in part by Army Research office DAAD19-00-1-0406.)

Effects of sample size on the second magnetization peak in ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

the sample size decreases – a result that could be interpreted as a size effect in the order– disorder vortex matter phase transition. However, local magnetic measurements trace this effect to metastable disordered vortex states, revealing the same order–disorder transition induction in samples of different size. Keywords.

FDI technology spillover and threshold effect of the technology gap: regional differences in the Chinese industrial sector.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Hui; Liu, Huifang; Cao, Zhiyong; Wang, Bowen

2016-01-01

This paper presents a new perspective that there is a double-threshold effect in terms of the technology gap existing in the foreign direct investment (FDI) technology spillover process in different regional Chinese industrial sectors. In this paper, a double-threshold regression model was established to examine the relation between the threshold effect of the technology gap and technology spillover. Based on the provincial panel data of Chinese industrial sectors from 2000 to 2011, the empirical results reveal that there are two threshold values, which are 1.254 and 2.163, in terms of the technology gap in the industrial sector in eastern China. There are also two threshold values in both the central and western industrial sector, which are 1.516, 2.694 and 1.635, 2.714, respectively. The technology spillover is a decreasing function of the technology gap in both the eastern and western industrial sectors, but a concave curve function of the technology gap is in the central industrial sectors. Furthermore, the FDI technology spillover has increased gradually in recent years. Based on the empirical results, suggestions were proposed to elucidate the introduction of the FDI and the improvement in the industrial added value in different regions of China.

Size effects in nanoindentation: an experimental and analytical study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Voyiadjis, G.Z.; Peters, Rick

2009-01-01

This work addresses the size effect encountered in nanoindentation experiments. It is generally referred to as the indentation size effect (ISE). Classical descriptions of the ISE show a decrease in hardness for increasing indentation depth. Recently new experiments have shown that after the initial

Does neighborhood size really cause the word length effect?

Science.gov (United States)

Guitard, Dominic; Saint-Aubin, Jean; Tehan, Gerald; Tolan, Anne

2018-02-01

In short-term serial recall, it is well-known that short words are remembered better than long words. This word length effect has been the cornerstone of the working memory model and a benchmark effect that all models of immediate memory should account for. Currently, there is no consensus as to what determines the word length effect. Jalbert and colleagues (Jalbert, Neath, Bireta, & Surprenant, 2011a; Jalbert, Neath, & Surprenant, 2011b) suggested that neighborhood size is one causal factor. In six experiments we systematically examined their suggestion. In Experiment 1, with an immediate serial recall task, multiple word lengths, and a large pool of words controlled for neighborhood size, the typical word length effect was present. In Experiments 2 and 3, with an order reconstruction task and words with either many or few neighbors, we observed the typical word length effect. In Experiment 4 we tested the hypothesis that the previous abolition of the word length effect when neighborhood size was controlled was due to a confounded factor: frequency of orthographic structure. As predicted, we reversed the word length effect when using short words with less frequent orthographic structures than the long words, as was done in both of Jalbert et al.'s studies. In Experiments 5 and 6, we again observed the typical word length effect, even if we controlled for neighborhood size and frequency of orthographic structure. Overall, the results were not consistent with the predictions of Jalbert et al. and clearly showed a large and reliable word length effect after controlling for neighborhood size.

Effects of pellet-to-cladding gap design parameters on the reliability of high burnup PWR fuel rods under steady state and transient conditions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tas, Fatma Burcu; Ergun, Sule

2013-01-01

Highlights: • Fuel performance of a typical Pressurized Water Reactor rod is analyzed. • Steady state fuel rod behavior is examined to see the effects of pellet to cladding gap thickness and gap gas pressure. • Transient fuel rod behavior is examined to see the effects of pellet to cladding gap thickness and gap gas pressure. • The optimum pellet to cladding gap thickness and gap gas pressure values of the simulated fuel are determined. • The effects of pellet to cladding gap design parameters on nuclear fuel reliability are examined. - Abstract: As an important improvement in the light water nuclear reactor operations, the nuclear fuel burnup rate is increased in recent decades and this increase causes heavier duty for the nuclear fuel. Since the high burnup fuel is exposed to very high thermal and mechanical stresses and since it operates in an environment with high radiation for about 18 month cycles, it carries the risk of losing its integrity. In this study; it is aimed to determine the effects of pellet–cladding gap thickness and gap pressure on reliability of high burnup nuclear fuel in Pressurized Water Reactors (PWRs) under steady state operation conditions and suggest optimum values for the examined parameters only and validate these suggestions for a transient condition. In the presented study, fuel performance was analyzed by examining the effects of pellet–cladding gap thickness and gap pressure on the integrity of high burnup fuels. This work is carried out for a typical Westinghouse type PWR fuel. The steady state conditions were modeled and simulated with FRAPCON-3.4a steady state fuel performance code and the FRAPTRAN-1.4 fuel transient code was used to calculate transient fuel behavior. The analysis included the changes in the important nuclear fuel design limitations such as the centerline temperature, cladding stress, strain and oxidation with the change in pellet–cladding gap thickness and initial pellet–cladding gap gas

Size effect in barium titanate powders synthesized by different hydrothermal methods

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sun Weian

2006-01-01

The size effect in barium titanate (BaTiO 3 ) was investigated both experimentally and theoretically. Tetragonal BaTiO 3 powders with average sizes from 80 to 420 nm were directly prepared by different hydrothermal methods. The tetragonality of the hydrothermal BaTiO 3 decreased with decreasing particle size, which exhibited a dependence on the synthesis method. A phenomenological model for the size effect was proposed to interpret the experimental observations. The influence of the defects, mainly the lattice hydroxyl, on the size effect was investigated to understand the correlation between the size effect and synthesis condition. The permittivities of BaTiO 3 powder at different particle sizes were calculated, which predicted a maximum permittivity of over 16 000 around the room-temperature critical size of ∼70 nm. The prediction was in good accordance with the experimental data reported recently

Gender gap v cestovním ruchu v ČR

OpenAIRE

Křivanová, Klára

2015-01-01

Bachelor's thesis describes the factors and how they affect gender gap, the differ-ence in salary for women versus men for the same work. The thesis is focused on the tourism sector in the Czech Republic. The work includes a review of literature dealing with available data and according to appropriate methods of measuring the size of gender gap in tourism in the Czech Republic.

First-principle study of quantum confinement effect on small sized silicon quantum dots using density-functional theory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anas, M. M.; Othman, A. P.; Gopir, G.

2014-01-01

Density functional theory (DFT), as a first-principle approach has successfully been implemented to study nanoscale material. Here, DFT by numerical basis-set was used to study the quantum confinement effect as well as electronic properties of silicon quantum dots (Si-QDs) in ground state condition. Selection of quantum dot models were studied intensively before choosing the right structure for simulation. Next, the computational result were used to examine and deduce the electronic properties and its density of state (DOS) for 14 spherical Si-QDs ranging in size up to ∼ 2 nm in diameter. The energy gap was also deduced from the HOMO-LUMO results. The atomistic model of each silicon QDs was constructed by repeating its crystal unit cell of face-centered cubic (FCC) structure, and reconstructed until the spherical shape obtained. The core structure shows tetrahedral (T d ) symmetry structure. It was found that the model need to be passivated, and hence it was noticed that the confinement effect was more pronounced. The model was optimized using Quasi-Newton method for each size of Si-QDs to get relaxed structure before it was simulated. In this model the exchange-correlation potential (V xc ) of the electrons was treated by Local Density Approximation (LDA) functional and Perdew-Zunger (PZ) functional

The characteristics of Chinese orthographic neighborhood size effect for developing readers.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jing Zhao

Full Text Available Orthographic neighborhood size (N size effect in Chinese character naming has been studied in adults. In the present study, we aimed to explore the developmental characteristics of Chinese N size effect. One hundred and seventeen students (40 from the 3(rd grade with mean age of 9 years; 40 from the 5(th grade with mean age of 11 years; 37 from the 7(th grade with mean age of 13 years were recruited in the study. A naming task of Chinese characters was adopted to elucidate N-size- effect development. Reaction times and error rates were recorded. Results showed that children in the 3(rd grade named characters from large neighborhoods faster than named those from small neighborhoods, revealing a facilitatory N size effect; the 5(th graders showed null N size effect; while the 7(th graders showed an inhibitory N size effect, with longer reaction times for the characters from large neighborhoods than for those from small neighborhoods. The change from facilitation to inhibition of neighborhood size effect across grades suggested the transition from broadly tuned to finely tuned lexical representation in reading development, and the possible inhibition from higher frequency neighbors for higher graders.

Conduction bands and invariant energy gaps in alkali bromides

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Boer, P.K. de; Groot, R.A. de

1998-01-01

Electronic structure calculations of the alkali bromides LiBr, NaBr, KBr, RbBr and CsBr are reported. It is shown that the conduction band has primarily bromine character. The size of the band gaps of bromides and alkali halides in general is reinterpreted.

Investigating the effect of independent, blinded digital image assessment on the STOP GAP trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Patsko, Emily; Godolphin, Peter J; Thomas, Kim S; Hepburn, Trish; Mitchell, Eleanor J; Craig, Fiona E; Bath, Philip M; Montgomery, Alan A

2017-02-02

Blinding is the process of keeping treatment assignment hidden and is used to minimise the possibility of bias. Trials at high risk of bias have been shown to report larger treatment effects than low-risk studies. In dermatology, one popular method of blinding is to have independent outcome assessors who are unaware of treatment allocation assessing the endpoint using digital photographs. However, this can be complex, expensive and time-consuming. The objective of this study was to compare the effect of blinded and unblinded outcome assessment on the results of the STOP GAP trial. The STOP GAP trial compared prednisolone to ciclosporin in treating pyoderma gangrenosum. Participants' lesions were measured at baseline and at 6 weeks to calculate the primary outcome, speed of healing. Independent blinded assessors obtained measurements from digital photographs using specialist software. In addition, unblinded treating clinicians estimated lesion area by measuring length and width. The primary outcome was determined using blinded measurements where available, otherwise unblinded measurements were used (method referred to as trial measurements). In this study, agreement between the trial and unblinded measurements was determined using the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). The STOP GAP trial's primary analysis was repeated using unblinded measurements only. We introduced differential and nondifferential error in unblinded measurements and investigated the effect on the STOP GAP trial's primary analysis. Eighty-six (80%) of the 108 patients were assessed using digital images. Agreement between trial and unblinded measurements was excellent (ICC = 0.92 at baseline; 0.83 at 6 weeks). There was no evidence that the results of the trial primary analysis differed according to how the primary outcome was assessed (p value for homogeneity = 1.00). Blinded digital image assessment in the STOP GAP trial did not meaningfully alter trial conclusions compared with

Kinetics-Driven Superconducting Gap in Underdoped Cuprate Superconductors Within the Strong-Coupling Limit

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yucel Yildirim

2011-09-01

Full Text Available A generic theory of the quasiparticle superconducting gap in underdoped cuprates is derived in the strong-coupling limit, and found to describe the experimental “second gap” in absolute scale. In drastic contrast to the standard pairing gap associated with Bogoliubov quasiparticle excitations, the quasiparticle gap is shown to originate from anomalous kinetic (scattering processes, with a size unrelated to the pairing strength. Consequently, the k dependence of the gap deviates significantly from the pure d_{x^{2}-y^{2}} wave of the order parameter. Our study reveals a new paradigm for the nature of the superconducting gap, and is expected to reconcile numerous apparent contradictions among existing experiments and point toward a more coherent understanding of high-temperature superconductivity.

Specimen size effects in Charpy impact testing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alexander, D.J.; Klueh, R.L.

1989-01-01

Full-size , half-size, and third-size specimens from several different steels have been tested as part of an ongoing alloy development program. The smaller specimens permit more specimens to be made from small trail heats and are much more efficient for irradiation experiments. The results of several comparisons between the different specimen sizes have shown that the smaller specimens show qualitatively similar behavior to large specimens, although the upper-shelf energy level and ductile-to-ductile transition temperature are reduced. The upper-shelf energy levels from different specimen sizes can be compared by using a simple volume normalization method. The effect of specimen size and geometry on the ductile-to-ductile transition temperature is more difficult to predict, although the available data suggest a simple shift in the transition temperature due to specimen size changes.The relatively shallower notch used in smaller specimens alters the deformation pattern, and permits yielding to spread back to the notched surface as well as through to the back. This reduces the constraint and the peak stresses, and thus the initiation of cleavage is more difficult. A better understanding of the stress and strain distributions is needed. 19 refs., 3 figs., 3 tabs

Divide and conquer method for proving gaps of frustration free Hamiltonians

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kastoryano, Michael J.; Lucia, Angelo

2018-01-01

Providing system-size independent lower bounds on the spectral gap of local Hamiltonian is in general a hard problem. For the case of finite-range, frustration free Hamiltonians on a spin lattice of arbitrary dimension, we show that a property of the ground state space is sufficient to obtain...... such a bound. We furthermore show that such a condition is necessary and equivalent to a constant spectral gap. Thanks to this equivalence, we can prove that for gapless models in any dimension, the spectral gap on regions of diameter $n$ is at most $o\\left(\\frac{\\log(n)^{2+\\epsilon}}{n}\\right)$ for any...... positive $\\epsilon$....

Bottom-up and top-down attentional contributions to the size congruity effect.

Science.gov (United States)

Sobel, Kenith V; Puri, Amrita M; Faulkenberry, Thomas J

2016-07-01

The size congruity effect refers to the interaction between the numerical and physical (i.e., font) sizes of digits in a numerical (or physical) magnitude selection task. Although various accounts of the size congruity effect have attributed this interaction to either an early representational stage or a late decision stage, only Risko, Maloney, and Fugelsang (Attention, Perception, & Psychophysics, 75, 1137-1147, 2013) have asserted a central role for attention. In the present study, we used a visual search paradigm to further study the role of attention in the size congruity effect. In Experiments 1 and 2, we showed that manipulating top-down attention (via the task instructions) had a significant impact on the size congruity effect. The interaction between numerical and physical size was larger for numerical size comparison (Exp. 1) than for physical size comparison (Exp. 2). In the remaining experiments, we boosted the feature salience by using a unique target color (Exp. 3) or by increasing the display density by using three-digit numerals (Exps. 4 and 5). As expected, a color singleton target abolished the size congruity effect. Searching for three-digit targets based on numerical size (Exp. 4) resulted in a large size congruity effect, but search based on physical size (Exp. 5) abolished the effect. Our results reveal a substantial role for top-down attention in the size congruity effect, which we interpreted as support for a shared-decision account.

Explaining the Gender Wealth Gap

Science.gov (United States)

Ruel, Erin; Hauser, Robert M.

2013-01-01

To assess and explain the United States’ gender wealth gap, we use the Wisconsin Longitudinal Study to examine wealth accumulated by a single cohort over 50 years by gender, by marital status, and limited to the respondents who are their family’s best financial reporters. We find large gender wealth gaps between currently married men and women, and never-married men and women. The never-married accumulate less wealth than the currently married, and there is a marital disruption cost to wealth accumulation. The status-attainment model shows the most power in explaining gender wealth gaps between these groups explaining about one-third to one-half of the gap, followed by the human-capital explanation. In other words, a lifetime of lower earnings for women translates into greatly reduced wealth accumulation. A gender wealth gap remains between married men and women after controlling for the full model that we speculate may be related to gender differences in investment strategies and selection effects. PMID:23264038

Effect size calculation in meta-analyses of psychotherapy outcome research.

Science.gov (United States)

Hoyt, William T; Del Re, A C

2018-05-01

Meta-analysis of psychotherapy intervention research normally examines differences between treatment groups and some form of comparison group (e.g., wait list control; alternative treatment group). The effect of treatment is normally quantified as a standardized mean difference (SMD). We describe procedures for computing unbiased estimates of the population SMD from sample data (e.g., group Ms and SDs), and provide guidance about a number of complications that may arise related to effect size computation. These complications include (a) incomplete data in research reports; (b) use of baseline data in computing SMDs and estimating the population standard deviation (σ); (c) combining effect size data from studies using different research designs; and (d) appropriate techniques for analysis of data from studies providing multiple estimates of the effect of interest (i.e., dependent effect sizes). Clinical or Methodological Significance of this article: Meta-analysis is a set of techniques for producing valid summaries of existing research. The initial computational step for meta-analyses of research on intervention outcomes involves computing an effect size quantifying the change attributable to the intervention. We discuss common issues in the computation of effect sizes and provide recommended procedures to address them.

The gastropod Phorcus sauciatus (Koch, 1845) along the north-west Iberian Peninsula: filling historical gaps

Science.gov (United States)

Rubal, Marcos; Veiga, Puri; Moreira, Juan; Sousa-Pinto, Isabel

2014-03-01

The intertidal gastropod Phorcus sauciatus is a subtropical grazer that reaches its northern boundary in the Iberian Peninsula. Distribution of P. sauciatus along the Iberian Peninsula shows, however, gaps in its distribution. The present study was aimed at detecting possible recent changes on the population structure and distribution of P. sauciatus along the north-west Atlantic coast of the Iberian Peninsula. To achieve this aim, we adopted a qualitative sampling design to explore the presence of P. sauciatus along a region within its historical gap of distribution (north Portuguese coast). In addition, a quantitative sampling design was adopted to test hypotheses about the abundance and size structure of P. sauciatus populations among regions with different historical records of its abundance and among shores with different exposure. Results showed that P. sauciatus was present along the north Portuguese coast. However, the abundance and size structure of the newly settled populations were significantly different to those of the historically recorded populations. Moreover, P. sauciatus was able to establish populations at sheltered shores. Considering these results, we propose models for the distribution of P. sauciatus along the Iberian Peninsula, based on effects of sea surface temperature, and to explain the size-frequency of their populations based on their density.

True photonic band-gap mode-control in VCSEL structures

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Romstad, F.; Madsen, M.; Birkedal, Dan

2003-01-01

Photonic band-gap mode confinement in novel nano-structured large area VCSEL structures is confirmed by the amplified spontaneous emission spectrum. Both guide and anti-guide VCSEL structures are experimentally characterised to verify the photonic band-gap effect.......Photonic band-gap mode confinement in novel nano-structured large area VCSEL structures is confirmed by the amplified spontaneous emission spectrum. Both guide and anti-guide VCSEL structures are experimentally characterised to verify the photonic band-gap effect....

Simulation of finite size effects of the fiber bundle model

Science.gov (United States)

Hao, Da-Peng; Tang, Gang; Xun, Zhi-Peng; Xia, Hui; Han, Kui

2018-01-01

In theory, the macroscopic fracture of materials should correspond with the thermodynamic limit of the fiber bundle model. However, the simulation of a fiber bundle model with an infinite size is unrealistic. To study the finite size effects of the fiber bundle model, fiber bundle models of various size are simulated in detail. The effects of system size on the constitutive behavior, critical stress, maximum avalanche size, avalanche size distribution, and increased step number of external load are explored. The simulation results imply that there is no feature size or cut size for macroscopic mechanical and statistical properties of the model. The constitutive curves near the macroscopic failure for various system size can collapse well with a simple scaling relationship. Simultaneously, the introduction of a simple extrapolation method facilitates the acquisition of more accurate simulation results in a large-limit system, which is better for comparison with theoretical results.

Gender wage gap in Vietnam 1993 - 98

OpenAIRE

Amy Y.C. Liu

2003-01-01

This paper uses the Vietnam Living Standards Surveys 1992–93 and 1997–98 to examine changes in the gender wage gap. The intertemporal decomposition of Juhn et al. (1991) indicates that changes in observed variables, skill prices and wage inequality have tended to narrow the gap, but the gap effect has tended to widen it, with the net effect being one of little change. This finding is in contrast with that for the EEC but in line with the experience of China. Improving education about equity p...

Group-size effect on scanning behaviour of Maasai Ostrich Struthio ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Group-size effect on scanning behaviour of Maasai Ostrich Struthio camelus ... minute) among different group sizes in late 2006 in Serengeti National Park, ... be influenced by factors other than group size, such as body size and habitat type.

Effect of anitiferromagnetism on superconducting gap of cuprates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rout, G.C.; Panda, B.N.; Bishoyi, K.C.

2000-01-01

The interplay between superconductivity (SC) and antiferromagnetism (AF) is studied in strongly correlated systems: R 2-x M x CuO 4 (R = Nd, La, Pr, Gd; M = Sr, Ge). It is assumed that superconductivity arises due to BCS pairing mechanism in presence of AF in Cu lattices of Cu-O planes. Temperature dependence of SC gap as well as staggered magnetic field are calculated analytically and solved self-consistently with respect to half-filled band situation for different model parameters λ 1 , and λ 2 being SC and AF coupling parameters respectively. The SC gap is studied in the coexistent phase of SC and AFM. (author)

Do Effect-Size Measures Measure up?: A Brief Assessment

Science.gov (United States)

Onwuegbuzie, Anthony J.; Levin, Joel R.; Leech, Nancy L.

2003-01-01

Because of criticisms leveled at statistical hypothesis testing, some researchers have argued that measures of effect size should replace the significance-testing practice. We contend that although effect-size measures have logical appeal, they are also associated with a number of limitations that may result in problematic interpretations of them…

The effect of body postures on the distribution of air gap thickness and contact area.

Science.gov (United States)

Mert, Emel; Psikuta, Agnes; Bueno, Marie-Ange; Rossi, René M

2017-02-01

The heat and mass transfer in clothing is predominantly dependent on the thickness of air layer and the magnitude of contact area between the body and the garment. The air gap thickness and magnitude of the contact area can be affected by the posture of the human body. Therefore, in this study, the distribution of the air gap and the contact area were investigated for different body postures of a flexible manikin. In addition, the effect of the garment fit (regular and loose) and style (t-shirts, sweatpants, jacket and trousers) were analysed for the interaction between the body postures and the garment properties. A flexible manikin was scanned using a three-dimensional (3D) body scanning technique, and the scans were post-processed in dedicated software. The body posture had a strong effect on the air gap thickness and the contact area for regions where the garment had a certain distance from the body. Furthermore, a mathematical model was proposed to estimate the possible heat transfer coefficient for the observed air layers and their change with posture. The outcome of this study can be used to improve the design of the protective and functional garments and predict their effect on the human body.

Toward Customer-Centric Organizational Science: A Common Language Effect Size Indicator for Multiple Linear Regressions and Regressions With Higher-Order Terms.

Science.gov (United States)

Krasikova, Dina V; Le, Huy; Bachura, Eric

2018-01-22

To address a long-standing concern regarding a gap between organizational science and practice, scholars called for more intuitive and meaningful ways of communicating research results to users of academic research. In this article, we develop a common language effect size index (CLβ) that can help translate research results to practice. We demonstrate how CLβ can be computed and used to interpret the effects of continuous and categorical predictors in multiple linear regression models. We also elaborate on how the proposed CLβ index is computed and used to interpret interactions and nonlinear effects in regression models. In addition, we test the robustness of the proposed index to violations of normality and provide means for computing standard errors and constructing confidence intervals around its estimates. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

Will Big Data Close the Missing Heritability Gap?

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Hwasoon; Grueneberg, Alexander; Vazquez, Ana I; Hsu, Stephen; de Los Campos, Gustavo

2017-11-01

Despite the important discoveries reported by genome-wide association (GWA) studies, for most traits and diseases the prediction R-squared (R-sq.) achieved with genetic scores remains considerably lower than the trait heritability. Modern biobanks will soon deliver unprecedentedly large biomedical data sets: Will the advent of big data close the gap between the trait heritability and the proportion of variance that can be explained by a genomic predictor? We addressed this question using Bayesian methods and a data analysis approach that produces a surface response relating prediction R-sq. with sample size and model complexity ( e.g. , number of SNPs). We applied the methodology to data from the interim release of the UK Biobank. Focusing on human height as a model trait and using 80,000 records for model training, we achieved a prediction R-sq. in testing ( n = 22,221) of 0.24 (95% C.I.: 0.23-0.25). Our estimates show that prediction R-sq. increases with sample size, reaching an estimated plateau at values that ranged from 0.1 to 0.37 for models using 500 and 50,000 (GWA-selected) SNPs, respectively. Soon much larger data sets will become available. Using the estimated surface response, we forecast that larger sample sizes will lead to further improvements in prediction R-sq. We conclude that big data will lead to a substantial reduction of the gap between trait heritability and the proportion of interindividual differences that can be explained with a genomic predictor. However, even with the power of big data, for complex traits we anticipate that the gap between prediction R-sq. and trait heritability will not be fully closed. Copyright © 2017 by the Genetics Society of America.

Gap Dynamics and Structure of Two Old-Growth Beech Forest Remnants in Slovenia

Science.gov (United States)

Rugani, Tihomir; Diaci, Jurij; Hladnik, David

2013-01-01

Context Due to a long history of intensive forest exploitation, few European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) old-growth forests have been preserved in Europe. Material and Methods We studied two beech forest reserves in southern Slovenia. We examined the structural characteristics of the two forest reserves based on data from sample plots and complete inventory obtained from four previous forest management plans. To gain a better understanding of disturbance dynamics, we used aerial imagery to study the characteristics of canopy gaps over an 11-year period in the Kopa forest reserve and a 20-year period in the Gorjanci forest reserve. Results The results suggest that these forests are structurally heterogeneous over small spatial scales. Gap size analysis showed that gaps smaller than 500 m2 are the dominant driving force of stand development. The percentage of forest area in canopy gaps ranged from 3.2 to 4.5% in the Kopa forest reserve and from 9.1 to 10.6% in the Gorjanci forest reserve. These forests exhibit relatively high annual rates of coverage by newly established (0.15 and 0.25%) and closed (0.08 and 0.16%) canopy gaps. New gap formation is dependant on senescent trees located throughout the reserve. Conclusion We conclude that these stands are not even-sized, but rather unevenly structured. This is due to the fact that the disturbance regime is characterized by low intensity, small-scale disturbances. PMID:23308115

Investigation of photonic band gaps with special emphasis on hyperuniform structures

OpenAIRE

Siedentop, Lukas

2016-01-01

A toolbox of considerable size was collected within the course of this work that enables the study of photonic meta materials. It is now possible to successfully simulate, fabricate and moreover characterise meta materials with a photonic band gap. This is of great interest for applications, where waveguides are one possible object of interest, as well as fundamental theoretical investigations, namely identify the properties a pattern needs to posses to form such a photonic band gap, for exam...

Finite size effects in the intermittency analysis of the fragment-size correlations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bozek, P.; Ploszajczak, M.; Tucholski, A.

1991-01-01

An influence of the finite size effect on the fragment-size correlations in the nuclear multifragmentation is studied using the method of scaled factorial moments for a 1 - dim percolation model and for a statistical model of the fragmentation process, which for a certain value of a tuning parameter yields the power-law behaviour of the fragment-size distribution. It is shown that the statistical models of this type contain only repulsive correlations due to the conservation laws. The comparison of the results with those obtained in the non-critical 1 - dim percolation and in the 3 - dim percolation at around the critical point is presented. Correlations in the 1 - dim percolation model are analysed analytically and the mechanism of the attractive correlations in 1 - dim and 3 - dim is identified. (author) 30 refs., 7 figs

The Los Alamos Gap Stick Test

Science.gov (United States)

Preston, Daniel; Hill, Larry; Johnson, Carl

2015-06-01

In this paper we describe a novel shock sensitivity test, the Gap Stick Test, which is a generalized variant of the ubiquitous Gap Test. Despite the popularity of the Gap Test, it has some disadvantages: multiple tests must be fired to obtain a single metric, and many tests must be fired to obtain its value to high precision and confidence. Our solution is a test wherein multiple gap tests are joined in series to form a rate stick. The complex re-initiation character of the traditional gap test is thereby retained, but the propagation speed is steady when measured at periodic intervals, and initiation delay in individual segments acts to decrement the average speed. We measure the shock arrival time before and after each inert gap, and compute the average detonation speed through the HE alone (discounting the gap thicknesses). We perform tests for a range of gap thicknesses. We then plot the aforementioned propagation speed as a function of gap thickness. The resulting curve has the same basic structure as a Diameter Effect (DE) curve, and (like the DE curve) terminates at a failure point. Comparison between experiment and hydrocode calculations using ALE3D and the Ignition and Growth reactive burn model calibrated for short duration shock inputs in PBX 9501 is discussed.

Effect of the plate surface characteristics and gap height on yield stresses of a magnetorheological fluid

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jonkkari, I; Syrjala, S; Kostamo, E; Kostamo, J; Pietola, M

2012-01-01

Effects of the plate material, surface roughness and measuring gap height on static and dynamic yield stresses of a magnetorheological (MR) fluid were investigated with a commercial plate–plate magnetorheometer. Magnetic and non-magnetic plates with smooth (Ra ∼ 0.3 μm) and rough (Ra ∼ 10 μm) surface finishes were used. It was shown by Hall probe measurements and finite element simulations that the use of magnetic plates or higher gap heights increases the level of magnetic flux density and changes the shape of the radial flux density profile. The yield stress increase caused by these factors was determined and subtracted from the measured values in order to examine only the effect of the wall characteristics or the gap height. Roughening of the surfaces offered a significant increase in the yield stresses for non-magnetic plates. With magnetic plates the yield stresses were higher to start with, but roughening did not increase them further. A significant part of the difference in measured stresses between rough non-magnetic and magnetic plates was caused by changes in magnetic flux density rather than by better contact of the particles to the plate surfaces. In a similar manner, an increase in gap height from 0.25 to 1.00 mm can lead to over 20% increase in measured stresses due to changes in the flux density profile. When these changes were compensated the dynamic yield stresses generally remained independent of the gap height, even in the cases where it was obvious that the wall slip was present. This suggests that with MR fluids the wall slip cannot be reliably detected by comparison of flow curves measured at different gap heights. (paper)

Dual conception of risk in the Iowa Gambling Task: Effects of sleep deprivation and test-retest gap

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Varsha eSingh

2013-09-01

Full Text Available Risk in the Iowa Gambling Task (IGT is often understood in terms of intertemporal choices, i.e., preference for immediate outcomes in favor of delayed outcomes is considered risky. According to behavioral economics, decision makers refrain from choosing the short-sighted immediate gain because, over time (10 trials, the immediate gains result in a net loss. Instead decision makers are expected to maximize their gains by choosing options that, over time (10 trials, result in net gain. However, task choices are sometimes made on the basis of the frequency of reward and punishment such that infrequent punishments are favored over frequent punishments. The presence of these two attributes (intertemporality and frequency may correspond to the emotion-cognition dichotomy and reflect a dual conception of risk. Decision making on the basis of the two attributes was tested under two conditions: test-retest gap and sleep deprivation. An interaction between these two was expected to attenuate the difference between the two attributes (n=40 male. Analysis of the effects of IGT attribute type (intertemporal vs. frequency, sleep deprivation (sleep deprivation vs. no sleep deprivation, and test-retest gap (short vs. long showed a significant effect of IGT attribute type thus confirming the difference between the two attributes. Sleep deprivation had no effect on the attributes, but test-retest gap and the three-way interaction between attribute type, test-retest gap, and sleep deprivation were significant. Post-hoc tests showed sleep deprivation and short test-retest gap to attenuate the difference between the two attributes. As expected intertemporal decision making benefited from repeated task exposure. The findings add to understanding of the emotion-cognition dichotomy and show a time-dependent effect of a universally experienced constraint (sleep deprivation.

Modeling the radiation transfer of discontinuous canopies: results for gap probability and single-scattering contribution

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, Feng; Zou, Kai; Shang, Hong; Ji, Zheng; Zhao, Huijie; Huang, Wenjiang; Li, Cunjun

2010-10-01

In this paper we present an analytical model for the computation of radiation transfer of discontinuous vegetation canopies. Some initial results of gap probability and bidirectional gap probability of discontinuous vegetation canopies, which are important parameters determining the radiative environment of the canopies, are given and compared with a 3- D computer simulation model. In the model, negative exponential attenuation of light within individual plant canopies is assumed. Then the computation of gap probability is resolved by determining the entry points and exiting points of the ray with the individual plants via their equations in space. For the bidirectional gap probability, which determines the single-scattering contribution of the canopy, a gap statistical analysis based model was adopted to correct the dependence of gap probabilities for both solar and viewing directions. The model incorporates the structural characteristics, such as plant sizes, leaf size, row spacing, foliage density, planting density, leaf inclination distribution. Available experimental data are inadequate for a complete validation of the model. So it was evaluated with a three dimensional computer simulation model for 3D vegetative scenes, which shows good agreement between these two models' results. This model should be useful to the quantification of light interception and the modeling of bidirectional reflectance distributions of discontinuous canopies.

Determination of band structure parameters and the quasi-particle gap of CdSe quantum dots by cyclic voltammetry.

Science.gov (United States)

Inamdar, Shaukatali N; Ingole, Pravin P; Haram, Santosh K

2008-12-01

Band structure parameters such as the conduction band edge, the valence band edge and the quasi-particle gap of diffusing CdSe quantum dots (Q-dots) of various sizes were determined using cyclic voltammetry. These parameters are strongly dependent on the size of the Q-dots. The results obtained from voltammetric measurements are compared to spectroscopic and theoretical data. The fit obtained to the reported calculations based on the semi-empirical pseudopotential method (SEPM)-especially in the strong size-confinement region, is the best reported so far, according to our knowledge. For the smallest CdSe Q-dots, the difference between the quasi-particle gap and the optical band gap gives the electron-hole Coulombic interaction energy (J(e1,h1)). Interband states seen in the photoluminescence spectra were verified with cyclic voltammetry measurements.

Transport and acceleration of the high-current ion beam in magneto-isolated gap

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Karas', V.I.; Kornilov, E.A.; Manuilenko, O.V.; Fedorovskaya, O.V.; Tarakanov, V.P.

2015-01-01

The possibility of transportation and acceleration of the high-current ion beam in the magneto-isolated gap has been demonstrated. Found the parameters of the system and beams (the magnetic field produced by the coils with opposing currents, the size of the system, and the parameters of the beams), under which the uniform acceleration of the high-current ion beam all along the gap length is realized. It is shown that the quality of the ion beam, during transport and acceleration, at the exit of the gap is acceptable for many technological applications.

Salary Structure Effects and the Gender Pay Gap in Academia

Science.gov (United States)

Barbezat, Debra A.; Hughes, James W.

2005-01-01

This paper presents estimates of the gender salary gap and discrimination based on the most recent national faculty survey data. New estimates for 1999 indicate that male faculty members still earn 20.7% more than comparable female colleagues. Depending upon which decomposition technique is employed, the portion of this gap attributable to…

A likely planet-induced gap in the disc around T Cha

Science.gov (United States)

Hendler, Nathanial P.; Pinilla, Paola; Pascucci, Ilaria; Pohl, Adriana; Mulders, Gijs; Henning, Thomas; Dong, Ruobing; Clarke, Cathie; Owen, James; Hollenbach, David

2018-03-01

We present high-resolution (0.11 × 0.06 arcsec2) 3 mm ALMA observations of the highly inclined transition disc around the star T Cha. Our continuum image reveals multiple dust structures: an inner disc, a spatially resolved dust gap, and an outer ring. When fitting sky-brightness models to the real component of the 3 mm visibilities, we infer that the inner emission is compact (≤1 au in radius), the gap width is between 18 and 28 au, and the emission from the outer ring peaks at ˜36 au. We compare our ALMA image with previously published 1.6 μm VLT/SPHERE imagery. This comparison reveals that the location of the outer ring is wavelength dependent. More specifically, the peak emission of the 3 mm ring is at a larger radial distance than that of the 1.6 μm ring, suggesting that millimeter-sized grains in the outer disc are located farther away from the central star than micron-sized grains. We discuss different scenarios to explain our findings, including dead zones, star-driven photoevaporation, and planet-disc interactions. We find that the most likely origin of the dust gap is from an embedded planet, and estimate - for a single planet scenario - that T Cha's gap is carved by a 1.2MJup planet.

Size effects in fcc crystals during the high rate compression test

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yaghoobi, Mohammadreza; Voyiadjis, George Z.

2016-01-01

The present work studies the different mechanisms of size effects in fcc metallic samples of confined volumes during high rate compression tests using large scale atomistic simulation. Different mechanisms of size effects, including the dislocation starvation, source exhaustion, and dislocation source length effect are investigated for pillars with different sizes. The results show that the controlling mechanisms of size effects depend only on the pillar size and not on the value of applied strain. Dislocation starvation is the governing mechanism for very small pillars, i.e. pillars with diameters less than 30 nm. Increasing the pillar size, the dislocation exhaustion mechanism becomes active and there is no more source-limited activations. Next, the average dislocation source length is obtained and compared for pillars with different sizes. The results show that in the case of high rate deformations, the source length does not depend on the sample size, and the related size effects mechanisms are not active anymore. Also, in the case of high rate deformations, there are no size effects for pristine pillars with the diameters larger than 135 nm. In other words, increasing the strain rate decreases the pillar size at which there is no more size effects in the absence of strain gradient. The governing mechanisms of plastic deformation at high strain rate experiments are also different from those of the quasi-static tests. First, the diameter in which the dislocation nucleation at the free surface becomes the dominant mechanism changes from around 200 nm–30 nm. Next, in the case of the pillars with larger diameters, the plastic deformation is governed by the cross-slip instead of the operation of truncated dislocation sources, which is dominant at slower rates of deformation. In order to study the effects of pillar initial structure on the controlling mechanism of size effects, an initial loading and unloading procedure is conducted on some samples prior to the

Local extinction and recolonization, species effective population size, and modern human origins.

Science.gov (United States)

Eller, Elise; Hawks, John; Relethford, John H

2004-10-01

A primary objection from a population genetics perspective to a multiregional model of modern human origins is that the model posits a large census size, whereas genetic data suggest a small effective population size. The relationship between census size and effective size is complex, but arguments based on an island model of migration show that if the effective population size reflects the number of breeding individuals and the effects of population subdivision, then an effective population size of 10,000 is inconsistent with the census size of 500,000 to 1,000,000 that has been suggested by archeological evidence. However, these models have ignored the effects of population extinction and recolonization, which increase the expected variance among demes and reduce the inbreeding effective population size. Using models developed for population extinction and recolonization, we show that a large census size consistent with the multiregional model can be reconciled with an effective population size of 10,000, but genetic variation among demes must be high, reflecting low interdeme migration rates and a colonization process that involves a small number of colonists or kin-structured colonization. Ethnographic and archeological evidence is insufficient to determine whether such demographic conditions existed among Pleistocene human populations, and further work needs to be done. More realistic models that incorporate isolation by distance and heterogeneity in extinction rates and effective deme sizes also need to be developed. However, if true, a process of population extinction and recolonization has interesting implications for human demographic history.

Investigating the effect of the reality gap on the human psychophysiological state in the context of human-swarm interaction

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gaëtan Podevijn

2016-09-01

Full Text Available The reality gap is the discrepancy between simulation and reality—the same behavioural algorithm results in different robot swarm behaviours in simulation and in reality (with real robots. In this paper, we study the effect of the reality gap on the psychophysiological reactions of humans interacting with a robot swarm. We compare the psychophysiological reactions of 28 participants interacting with a simulated robot swarm and with a real (non-simulated robot swarm. Our results show that a real robot swarm provokes stronger reactions in our participants than a simulated robot swarm. We also investigate how to mitigate the effect of the reality gap (i.e., how to diminish the difference in the psychophysiological reactions between reality and simulation by comparing psychophysiological reactions in simulation displayed on a computer screen and psychophysiological reactions in simulation displayed in virtual reality. Our results show that our participants tend to have stronger psychophysiological reactions in simulation displayed in virtual reality (suggesting a potential way of diminishing the effect of the reality gap.

Effects of fuel particle size distributions on neutron transport in stochastic media

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liang, Chao; Pavlou, Andrew T.; Ji, Wei

2014-01-01

Highlights: • Effects of fuel particle size distributions on neutron transport are evaluated. • Neutron channeling is identified as the fundamental reason for the effects. • The effects are noticeable at low packing and low optical thickness systems. • Unit cells of realistic reactor designs are studied for different size particles. • Fuel particle size distribution effects are not negligible in realistic designs. - Abstract: This paper presents a study of the fuel particle size distribution effects on neutron transport in three-dimensional stochastic media. Particle fuel is used in gas-cooled nuclear reactor designs and innovative light water reactor designs loaded with accident tolerant fuel. Due to the design requirements and fuel fabrication limits, the size of fuel particles may not be perfectly constant but instead follows a certain distribution. This brings a fundamental question to the radiation transport computation community: how does the fuel particle size distribution affect the neutron transport in particle fuel systems? To answer this question, size distribution effects and their physical interpretations are investigated by performing a series of neutron transport simulations at different fuel particle size distributions. An eigenvalue problem is simulated in a cylindrical container consisting of fissile fuel particles with five different size distributions: constant, uniform, power, exponential and Gaussian. A total of 15 parametric cases are constructed by altering the fissile particle volume packing fraction and its optical thickness, but keeping the mean chord length of the spherical fuel particle the same at different size distributions. The tallied effective multiplication factor (k eff ) and the spatial distribution of fission power density along axial and radial directions are compared between different size distributions. At low packing fraction and low optical thickness, the size distribution shows a noticeable effect on neutron

Spontaneous nano-gap formation in Ag film using NaCl sacrificial layer for Raman enhancement

Science.gov (United States)

Min, Kyungchan; Jeon, Wook Jin; Kim, Youngho; Choi, Jae-Young; Yu, Hak Ki

2018-03-01

We report the method of fabrication of nano-gaps (known as hot spots) in Ag thin film using a sodium chloride (NaCl) sacrificial layer for Raman enhancement. The Ag thin film (20-50 nm) on the NaCl sacrificial layer undergoes an interfacial reaction due to the AgCl formed at the interface during water molecule intercalation. The intercalated water molecules can dissolve the NaCl molecules at interfaces and form the ionic state of Na+ and Cl-, promoting the AgCl formation. The Ag atoms can migrate by the driving force of this interfacial reaction, resulting in the formation of nano-size gaps in the film. The surface-enhanced Raman scattering activity of Ag films with nano-size gaps has been investigated using Raman reporter molecules, Rhodamine 6G (R6G).

Nature of size effects in compact models of field effect transistors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Torkhov, N. A., E-mail: trkf@mail.ru [Tomsk State University, Tomsk 634050 (Russian Federation); Scientific-Research Institute of Semiconductor Devices, Tomsk 634050 (Russian Federation); Tomsk State University of Control Systems and Radioelectronics, Tomsk 634050 (Russian Federation); Babak, L. I.; Kokolov, A. A.; Salnikov, A. S.; Dobush, I. M. [Tomsk State University of Control Systems and Radioelectronics, Tomsk 634050 (Russian Federation); Novikov, V. A., E-mail: novikovvadim@mail.ru; Ivonin, I. V. [Tomsk State University, Tomsk 634050 (Russian Federation)

2016-03-07

Investigations have shown that in the local approximation (for sizes L < 100 μm), AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistor (HEMT) structures satisfy to all properties of chaotic systems and can be described in the language of fractal geometry of fractional dimensions. For such objects, values of their electrophysical characteristics depend on the linear sizes of the examined regions, which explain the presence of the so-called size effects—dependences of the electrophysical and instrumental characteristics on the linear sizes of the active elements of semiconductor devices. In the present work, a relationship has been established for the linear model parameters of the equivalent circuit elements of internal transistors with fractal geometry of the heteroepitaxial structure manifested through a dependence of its relative electrophysical characteristics on the linear sizes of the examined surface areas. For the HEMTs, this implies dependences of their relative static (A/mm, mA/V/mm, Ω/mm, etc.) and microwave characteristics (W/mm) on the width d of the sink-source channel and on the number of sections n that leads to a nonlinear dependence of the retrieved parameter values of equivalent circuit elements of linear internal transistor models on n and d. Thus, it has been demonstrated that the size effects in semiconductors determined by the fractal geometry must be taken into account when investigating the properties of semiconductor objects on the levels less than the local approximation limit and designing and manufacturing field effect transistors. In general, the suggested approach allows a complex of problems to be solved on designing, optimizing, and retrieving the parameters of equivalent circuits of linear and nonlinear models of not only field effect transistors but also any arbitrary semiconductor devices with nonlinear instrumental characteristics.

Sizes of Black Holes Throughout the Universe

Science.gov (United States)

Kohler, Susanna

2018-05-01

What is the distribution of sizes of black holes in our universe? Can black holes of any mass exist, or are there gaps in their possible sizes? The shape of this black-hole mass function has been debated for decades and the dawn of gravitational-wave astronomy has only spurred further questions.Mind the GapsThe starting point for the black-hole mass function lies in the initial mass function (IMF) for stellar black holes the beginning size distribution of black holes after they are born from stars. Instead of allowing for the formation of stellar black holes of any mass, theoretical models propose two gaps in the black-hole IMF:An upper mass gap at 50130 solar masses, due to the fact that stellar progenitors of black holes in this mass range are destroyed by pair-instability supernovae.A lower mass gap below 5 solar masses, which is argued to arise naturally from the mechanics of supernova explosions.Missing black-hole (BH) formation channels due to the existence of the lower gap (LG) and the upper gap (UG) in the initial mass function. a) The number of BHs at all scales are lowered because no BH can merge with BHs in the LG to form a larger BH. b) The missing channel responsible for the break at 10 solar masses, resulting from the LG. c) The missing channel responsible for the break at 60 solar masses, due to the interaction between the LG and the UG. [Christian et al. 2018]We can estimate the IMF for black holes by scaling a typical IMF for stars and then adding in these theorized gaps. But is this initial distribution of black-hole masses the same as the distribution that we observe in the universe today?The Influence of MergersBased on recent events, the answer appears to be no! Since the first detections of gravitational waves in September 2015, we now know that black holes can merge to form bigger black holes. An initial distribution of black-hole masses must therefore evolve over time, as mergers cause the depletion of low-mass black holes and an increase in

Directionally solidified Al2O3/GAP eutectic ceramics by micro-pulling-down method

Science.gov (United States)

Cao, Xue; Su, Haijun; Guo, Fengwei; Tan, Xi; Cao, Lamei

2016-11-01

We reported a novel route to prepare directionally solidified (DS) Al2O3/GAP eutectic ceramics by micro-pulling-down (μ-PD) method. The eutectic crystallizations, microstructure characters and evolutions, and their mechanical properties were investigated in detail. The results showed that the Al2O3/GAP eutectic composites can be successfully fabricated through μ-PD method, possessed smooth surface, full density and large crystal size (the maximal size: φ90 mm × 20 mm). At the process of Diameter, the as-solidified Al2O3/GAP eutectic presented a combination of "Chinese script" and elongated colony microstructure with complex regular structure. Inside the colonies, the rod-type or lamellar-type eutectic microstructures with ultra-fine GAP surrounded by the Al2O3 matrix were observed. At an appropriate solidificational rate, the binary eutectic exhibited a typical DS irregular eutectic structure of "chinese script" consisting of interpenetrating network of α-Al2O3 and GAP phases without any other phases. Therefore, the interphase spacing was refined to 1-2 µm and the irregular microstructure led to an outstanding vickers hardness of 17.04 GPa and fracture toughness of 6.3 MPa × m1/2 at room temperature.

Gap deformation and classical wave localization in disordered two-dimensional photonic-band-gap materials