Peak tree: a new tool for multiscale hierarchical representation and peak detection of mass spectrometry data.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Peng; Li, Houqiang; Wang, Honghui; Wong, Stephen T C; Zhou, Xiaobo

2011-01-01

Peak detection is one of the most important steps in mass spectrometry (MS) analysis. However, the detection result is greatly affected by severe spectrum variations. Unfortunately, most current peak detection methods are neither flexible enough to revise false detection results nor robust enough to resist spectrum variations. To improve flexibility, we introduce peak tree to represent the peak information in MS spectra. Each tree node is a peak judgment on a range of scales, and each tree decomposition, as a set of nodes, is a candidate peak detection result. To improve robustness, we combine peak detection and common peak alignment into a closed-loop framework, which finds the optimal decomposition via both peak intensity and common peak information. The common peak information is derived and loopily refined from the density clustering of the latest peak detection result. Finally, we present an improved ant colony optimization biomarker selection method to build a whole MS analysis system. Experiment shows that our peak detection method can better resist spectrum variations and provide higher sensitivity and lower false detection rates than conventional methods. The benefits from our peak-tree-based system for MS disease analysis are also proved on real SELDI data.

Multiple current peaks in room-temperature atmospheric pressure homogenous dielectric barrier discharge plasma excited by high-voltage tunable nanosecond pulse in air

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yang, De-Zheng; Wang, Wen-Chun; Zhang, Shuai; Tang, Kai; Liu, Zhi-jie; Wang, Sen [Key Lab of Materials Modification, Dalian University of Technology, Ministry of Education, Dalian 116024 (China)

2013-05-13

Room temperature homogenous dielectric barrier discharge plasma with high instantaneous energy efficiency is acquired by using nanosecond pulse voltage with 20-200 ns tunable pulse width. Increasing the voltage pulse width can lead to the generation of regular and stable multiple current peaks in each discharge sequence. When the voltage pulse width is 200 ns, more than 5 organized current peaks can be observed under 26 kV peak voltage. Investigation also shows that the organized multiple current peaks only appear in homogenous discharge mode. When the discharge is filament mode, organized multiple current peaks are replaced by chaotic filament current peaks.

Digital peak current mode control with adaptive slope compensation for DC-DC converters

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andersen, Karsten Holm; Nymand, Morten

2017-01-01

performance and stability of current mode control. The presented method adapt to DC-DC converter operating conditions by estimating the rising and falling inductor current slopes, to apply a current slope compensation value to obtain a constant quality factor. The experimental results verifies the theoretical......This paper presents an adaptive slope compensation method for peak current mode control of digital controlled DC-DC converters, which controls the quality factor of the complex conjugated poles at half the switching frequency. Using quality factor control enables optimization of the dynamic...

Dependence of electron peak current on hollow cathode dimensions and seed electron energy in a pseudospark discharge

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cetiner, S. O.; Stoltz, P.; Messmer, P.; Cambier, J.-L.

2008-01-01

The prebreakdown and breakdown phases of a pseudospark discharge are investigated using the two-dimensional kinetic plasma simulation code OOPIC PRO. Trends in the peak electron current at the anode are presented as function of the hollow cathode dimensions and mean seed injection velocities at the cavity back wall. The plasma generation process by ionizing collisions is examined, showing the effect on supplying the electrons that determine the density of the beam. The mean seed velocities used here are varied between the velocity corresponding to the energy of peak ionization cross section, 15 times this value and no mean velocity (i.e., electrons injected with a temperature of 2.5 eV). The reliance of the discharge characteristics on the penetrating electric field is shown to decrease as the mean seed injection velocity increases because of its ability to generate a surplus plasma independent of the virtual anode. As a result, the peak current increases with the hollow cathode dimensions for the largest average injection velocity, while for the smallest value it increases with the area of penetration of the electric field in the hollow cathode interior. Additionally, for a given geometry an increase in the peak current with the surplus plasma generated is observed. For the largest seed injection velocity used a dependence of the magnitude of the peak current on the ratio of the hole thickness and hollow cathode depth to the hole height is demonstrated. This means similar trends of the peak current are generated when the geometry is resized. Although the present study uses argon only, the variation in the discharge dependencies with the seed injection energy relative to the ionization threshold is expected to apply independently of the gas type. Secondary electrons due to electron and ion impact are shown to be important only for the largest impact areas and discharge development times of the study

Higher-order turbulence statistics of wave–current flow over a submerged hemisphere

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Barman, Krishnendu; Debnath, Koustuv; Mazumder, Bijoy S, E-mail: debnath_koustuv@yahoo.com [Department of Aerospace Engineering and Applied Mechanics, Indian Institute of Engineering Science and Technology, Shibpur, Howrah 711103, West Bengal (India)

2017-04-15

Higher-order turbulence characteristics such as turbulence production, turbulence kinetic energy flux, third order moments and velocity spectra associated with turbulent bursting events due to the influence of a submerged hemisphere under wave–current interactions are presented. The velocity components were measured using three dimensional (3D) 16 MHz micro-acoustic Doppler velocimetry (Micro-ADV). In the wave–current interactions, the contributions of turbulent bursting events such as ejections and sweeps significantly reduce in comparison to the current-only case. The distributions of the mean time intervals of ejection and sweeping events are found to alter due to the superposition of surface waves. Results also depict that the turbulence production in the wake region of the hemisphere reduces remarkably, due to the superposition of surface waves on the current. Further, spectral and co-spectral analysis demonstrates that there is a significant reduction of power spectral peak for both longitudinal and bottom-normal velocities upon superposition of surface waves, which signifies a remarkable change in energy distribution between different frequencies of waves. (paper)

Higher spin currents in the orthogonal coset theory

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ahn, Changhyun [Kyungpook National University, Department of Physics, Taegu (Korea, Republic of)

2017-06-15

In the coset model (D{sub N}{sup (1)} + D{sub N}{sup (1)}, D{sub N}{sup (1)}) at levels (k{sub 1}, k{sub 2}), the higher spin 4 current that contains the quartic WZW currents contracted with a completely symmetric SO(2N) invariant d tensor of rank 4 is obtained. The three-point functions with two scalars are obtained for any finite N and k{sub 2} with k{sub 1} = 1. They are determined also in the large N 't Hooft limit. When one of the levels is the dual Coxeter number of SO(2N), k{sub 1} = 2N - 2, the higher spin (7)/(2) current, which contains the septic adjoint fermions contracted with the above d tensor and the triple product of structure constants, is obtained from the operator product expansion (OPE) between the spin (3)/(2) current living in the N = 1 superconformal algebra and the above higher spin 4 current. The OPEs between the higher spin (7)/(2), 4 currents are described. For k{sub 1} = k{sub 2} = 2N - 2 where both levels are equal to the dual Coxeter number of SO(2N), the higher spin 3 current of U(1) charge (4)/(3), which contains the six products of spin (1)/(2) (two) adjoint fermions contracted with the product of the d tensor and two structure constants, is obtained. The corresponding N = 2 higher spin multiplet is determined by calculating the remaining higher spin (7)/(2), (7)/(2), 4 currents with the help of two spin (3)/(2) currents in the N = 2 superconformal algebra. The other N = 2 higher spin multiplet, whose U(1) charge is opposite to the one of the above N = 2 higher spin multiplet, is obtained. The OPE between these two N = 2 higher spin multiplets is also discussed. (orig.)

Unified Subharmonic Oscillation Conditions for Peak or Average Current Mode Control

OpenAIRE

Fang, Chung-Chieh

2013-01-01

This paper is an extension of the author's recent research in which only buck converters were analyzed. Similar analysis can be equally applied to other types of converters. In this paper, a unified model is proposed for buck, boost, and buck-boost converters under peak or average current mode control to predict the occurrence of subharmonic oscillation. Based on the unified model, the associated stability conditions are derived in closed forms. The same stability condition can be applied to ...

A Comparative Study of Voltage, Peak Current and Dual Current Mode Control Methods for Noninverting Buck-Boost Converter

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. Č. Bošković

2016-06-01

Full Text Available This paper presents a comparison of voltage mode control (VMC and two current mode control (CMC methods of noninverting buck-boost converter. The converter control-to-output transfer function, line-to-output transfer function and the output impedance are obtained for all methods by averaging converter equations over one switching period and applying small-signal linearization. The obtained results are required for the design procedure of feedback compensator to keep a system stable and robust. A comparative study of VMC, peak current mode control (PCMC and dual-current mode control (DCMC is performed. Performance evaluation of the closed-loop system with obtained compensator between these methods is performed via numerical simulations.

A programmable controller for constant primary peak current in capacitor charging fet switcher for nova

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mihalka, A.

1983-01-01

New switching power supplies were designed for the 10 mm laser amplifiers in the Nova master oscillator room. The flashlamp supply must be repeatable. Therefore, the authors designed a constant current, linearly charging power supply. Since it is a capacitor, the load varies through-out the charge cycle. At first the load is great, and DI/DT of load current is at a maximum. As the capacitor charges the initial conditions for each cycle change, the power supply in effect sees a smaller capacitance, and DI/DT decreases. We need a way of gradually increasing the on-time of the current pulses so that the transistors in the power bridge are turned off when they reach their maximum peak current. The normal current sense response of the control chip is not fast enough to be useful for the application. The deadtime, or the time that all the bridge transistors are turned off, is fixed so that as the pulse width varies so does the period. We end up with a constant peak current, switching power supply whose frequency varies from 50 khz to 20 khz. Finally, an overcurrent latch protects the transistors from bridge or transformer faults. the circuit is described and results are shown

Multiple negative differential resistance devices with ultra-high peak-to-valley current ratio for practical multi-valued logic and memory applications

Science.gov (United States)

Shin, Sunhae; Rok Kim, Kyung

2015-06-01

In this paper, we propose a novel multiple negative differential resistance (NDR) device with ultra-high peak-to-valley current ratio (PVCR) over 106 by combining tunnel diode with a conventional MOSFET, which suppresses the valley current with transistor off-leakage level. Band-to-band tunneling (BTBT) in tunnel junction provides the first peak, and the second peak and valley are generated from the suppression of diffusion current in tunnel diode by the off-state MOSFET. The multiple NDR curves can be controlled by doping concentration of tunnel junction and the threshold voltage of MOSFET. By using complementary multiple NDR devices, five-state memory is demonstrated only with six transistors.

Bifurcation and chaos in high-frequency peak current mode Buck converter

Science.gov (United States)

Chang-Yuan, Chang; Xin, Zhao; Fan, Yang; Cheng-En, Wu

2016-07-01

Bifurcation and chaos in high-frequency peak current mode Buck converter working in continuous conduction mode (CCM) are studied in this paper. First of all, the two-dimensional discrete mapping model is established. Next, reference current at the period-doubling point and the border of inductor current are derived. Then, the bifurcation diagrams are drawn with the aid of MATLAB. Meanwhile, circuit simulations are executed with PSIM, and time domain waveforms as well as phase portraits in i L-v C plane are plotted with MATLAB on the basis of simulation data. After that, we construct the Jacobian matrix and analyze the stability of the system based on the roots of characteristic equations. Finally, the validity of theoretical analysis has been verified by circuit testing. The simulation and experimental results show that, with the increase of reference current I ref, the corresponding switching frequency f is approaching to low-frequency stage continuously when the period-doubling bifurcation happens, leading to the converter tending to be unstable. With the increase of f, the corresponding I ref decreases when the period-doubling bifurcation occurs, indicating the stable working range of the system becomes smaller. Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 61376029), the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities, China, and the College Graduate Research and Innovation Program of Jiangsu Province, China (Grant No. SJLX15_0092).

Process stabilization by peak current regulation in reactive high-power impulse magnetron sputtering of hafnium nitride

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shimizu, T; Villamayor, M; Helmersson, U; Lundin, D

2016-01-01

A simple and cost effective approach to stabilize the sputtering process in the transition zone during reactive high-power impulse magnetron sputtering (HiPIMS) is proposed. The method is based on real-time monitoring and control of the discharge current waveforms. To stabilize the process conditions at a given set point, a feedback control system was implemented that automatically regulates the pulse frequency, and thereby the average sputtering power, to maintain a constant maximum discharge current. In the present study, the variation of the pulse current waveforms over a wide range of reactive gas flows and pulse frequencies during a reactive HiPIMS process of Hf-N in an Ar–N 2 atmosphere illustrates that the discharge current waveform is a an excellent indicator of the process conditions. Activating the reactive HiPIMS peak current regulation, stable process conditions were maintained when varying the N 2 flow from 2.1 to 3.5 sccm by an automatic adjustment of the pulse frequency from 600 Hz to 1150 Hz and consequently an increase of the average power from 110 to 270 W. Hf–N films deposited using peak current regulation exhibited a stable stoichiometry, a nearly constant power-normalized deposition rate, and a polycrystalline cubic phase Hf-N with (1 1 1)-preferred orientation over the entire reactive gas flow range investigated. The physical reasons for the change in the current pulse waveform for different process conditions are discussed in some detail. (paper)

Programmable controller with overcurrent latch for constant primary peak current in capacitor-charging FET switcher for Nova

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mihalka, A.M.

1983-01-01

New switching power supplies were designed for the 10 mm laser amplifiers in the Nova Master Oscillator Room. The flashlamp supply must be repratable. Therefore, we designed a constant current, linearly charging power supply. Since it is a capacitor, the load varies throughout the charge cycle. At first the load is great, and di/dt of load current is at a maximum. As the capacitor charges the initial conditions for each cycle change, the power supply in effect sees a smaller capacitance, and di/dt decreases. We need a way of gradually increasing the on-time of the current pulses so that the transistors in the power bridge are turned off when they reach their maximum peak current. The normal current sense response of the control chip is not fast enough to be useful for our application. The deadtime, or the time that all the bridge transistors are turned off, is fixed so that as the pulse width varies so does the period. We end up with a constant peak current, switching power supply whose frequency varies from 50 khz to 20 khz. Finally, an overcurrent latch protects the transistors from bridge or transformer faults. The circuit is described and results are shown

Peak globalization. Climate change, oil depletion and global trade

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Curtis, Fred [Department of Economics, Drew University, Madison, NJ 07940 (United States)

2009-12-15

The global trade in goods depends upon reliable, inexpensive transportation of freight along complex and long-distance supply chains. Global warming and peak oil undermine globalization by their effects on both transportation costs and the reliable movement of freight. Countering the current geographic pattern of comparative advantage with higher transportation costs, climate change and peak oil will thus result in peak globalization, after which the volume of exports will decline as measured by ton-miles of freight. Policies designed to mitigate climate change and peak oil are very unlikely to change this result due to their late implementation, contradictory effects and insufficient magnitude. The implication is that supply chains will become shorter for most products and that production of goods will be located closer to where they are consumed. (author)

Peak globalization. Climate change, oil depletion and global trade

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Curtis, Fred

2009-01-01

The global trade in goods depends upon reliable, inexpensive transportation of freight along complex and long-distance supply chains. Global warming and peak oil undermine globalization by their effects on both transportation costs and the reliable movement of freight. Countering the current geographic pattern of comparative advantage with higher transportation costs, climate change and peak oil will thus result in peak globalization, after which the volume of exports will decline as measured by ton-miles of freight. Policies designed to mitigate climate change and peak oil are very unlikely to change this result due to their late implementation, contradictory effects and insufficient magnitude. The implication is that supply chains will become shorter for most products and that production of goods will be located closer to where they are consumed. (author)

A fast high-voltage current-peak detection system for the ALICE transition radiation detector

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Verclas, Robert [Physikalisches Institut, Ruprecht-Karls-Universitaet Heidelberg (Germany); Collaboration: ALICE-Collaboration

2016-07-01

During LHC operation in run 1, the gaseous detectors of ALICE occasionally experienced simultaneous trips in their high voltage which affected the majority of the high voltage channels. These trips are caused by large anode currents in the detector and are potentially related to LHC machine operations. We developed and installed a fast current-peak detection system for the ALICE Transition Radiation Detector. This system is based on FPGA technology and monitors 144 out 522 high voltage channels minimally invasively at a maximum readout rate of 2 MHz. It is an integral part of the LHC beam monitoring system. We report on the latest status.

The spatial resolution of epidemic peaks.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Harriet L Mills

2014-04-01

Full Text Available The emergence of novel respiratory pathogens can challenge the capacity of key health care resources, such as intensive care units, that are constrained to serve only specific geographical populations. An ability to predict the magnitude and timing of peak incidence at the scale of a single large population would help to accurately assess the value of interventions designed to reduce that peak. However, current disease-dynamic theory does not provide a clear understanding of the relationship between: epidemic trajectories at the scale of interest (e.g. city; population mobility; and higher resolution spatial effects (e.g. transmission within small neighbourhoods. Here, we used a spatially-explicit stochastic meta-population model of arbitrary spatial resolution to determine the effect of resolution on model-derived epidemic trajectories. We simulated an influenza-like pathogen spreading across theoretical and actual population densities and varied our assumptions about mobility using Latin-Hypercube sampling. Even though, by design, cumulative attack rates were the same for all resolutions and mobilities, peak incidences were different. Clear thresholds existed for all tested populations, such that models with resolutions lower than the threshold substantially overestimated population-wide peak incidence. The effect of resolution was most important in populations which were of lower density and lower mobility. With the expectation of accurate spatial incidence datasets in the near future, our objective was to provide a framework for how to use these data correctly in a spatial meta-population model. Our results suggest that there is a fundamental spatial resolution for any pathogen-population pair. If underlying interactions between pathogens and spatially heterogeneous populations are represented at this resolution or higher, accurate predictions of peak incidence for city-scale epidemics are feasible.

Higher spin currents in orthogonal Wolf space

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ahn, Changhyun; Paeng, Jinsub

2015-01-01

For the N=4 superconformal coset theory by ((SO(N+4))/(SO(N)×SU(2)))×U(1) (that contains an orthogonal Wolf space) with N = 4, the N=2 WZW affine current algebra is obtained. The 16 generators (or 11 generators) of the large N=4 linear (or nonlinear) superconformal algebra are described by these WZW affine currents explicitly. Along the line of large N=4 holography, the extra 16 currents with spins (2,(5/2),(5/2),3), ((5/2),3,3,(7/2)), ((5/2),3,3,(7/2)), and (3,(7/2),(7/2),4) are obtained in terms of the WZW affine currents. The lowest spin of this N=4 multiplet is two rather than one, which is for a unitary Wolf space. The operator product expansions between the above 11 currents and these extra 16 higher spin currents are found explicitly. (paper)

Current Trends in Higher Education Learning and Teaching

Science.gov (United States)

Singh, R. J.

2012-01-01

Current trends in higher education learning and teaching focuses on the use of technology, integrated learning through "blended learning" and writing for academic purposes. This introductory article initiates the debate around the context of South African higher education teaching and learning. It does so by contextualizing the South…

Limitation of peak fitting and peak shape methods for determination of activation energy of thermoluminescence glow peaks

CERN Document Server

Sunta, C M; Piters, T M; Watanabe, S

1999-01-01

This paper shows the limitation of general order peak fitting and peak shape methods for determining the activation energy of the thermoluminescence glow peaks in the cases in which retrapping probability is much higher than the recombination probability and the traps are filled up to near saturation level. Right values can be obtained when the trap occupancy is reduced by using small doses or by post-irradiation partial bleaching. This limitation in the application of these methods has not been indicated earlier. In view of the unknown nature of kinetics in the experimental samples, it is recommended that these methods of activation energy determination should be applied only at doses well below the saturation dose.

Current Trends in Higher Education Technology: Simulation

Science.gov (United States)

Damewood, Andrea M.

2016-01-01

This paper is focused on how technology in use changes over time, and the current trend of simulation technology as a supported classroom technology. Simulation-based training as a learning tool is discussed within the context of adult learning theories, as is the technology used and how today's higher education technology administrators support…

Current interactions from the one-form sector of nonlinear higher-spin equations

Science.gov (United States)

Gelfond, O. A.; Vasiliev, M. A.

2018-06-01

The form of higher-spin current interactions in the sector of one-forms is derived from the nonlinear higher-spin equations in AdS4. Quadratic corrections to higher-spin equations are shown to be independent of the phase of the parameter η = exp ⁡ iφ in the full nonlinear higher-spin equations. The current deformation resulting from the nonlinear higher-spin equations is represented in the canonical form with the minimal number of space-time derivatives. The non-zero spin-dependent coupling constants of the resulting currents are determined in terms of the higher-spin coupling constant η η bar . Our results confirm the conjecture that (anti-)self-dual nonlinear higher-spin equations result from the full system at (η = 0) η bar = 0.

Set potential regulation reveals additional oxidation peaks of Geobacter sulfurreducens anodic biofilms

KAUST Repository

Zhu, Xiuping

2012-08-01

Higher current densities produced in microbial fuel cells and other bioelectrochemical systems are associated with the presence of various Geobacter species. A number of electron transfer components are involved in extracellular electron transfer by the model exoelectrogen, Geobacter sulfurreducens. It has previously been shown that 5 main oxidation peaks can be identified in cyclic voltammetry scans. It is shown here that 7 separate oxidation peaks emerged over relatively long periods of time when a larger range of set potentials was used to acclimate electroactive biofilms. The potentials of oxidation peaks obtained with G. sulfurreducens biofilms acclimated at 0.60 V (vs. Ag/AgCl) were different from those that developed at - 0.46 V, and both of their peaks were different from those obtained for biofilms incubated at - 0.30 V, 0 V, and 0.30 V. These results expand the known range of potentials for which G. sulfurreducens produces identifiable oxidation peaks that could be important for extracellular electron transfer. © 2012 Elsevier B.V.

High peak current operation of x-ray free-electron laser multiple beam lines by suppressing coherent synchrotron radiation effects

Science.gov (United States)

Hara, Toru; Kondo, Chikara; Inagaki, Takahiro; Togawa, Kazuaki; Fukami, Kenji; Nakazawa, Shingo; Hasegawa, Taichi; Morimoto, Osamu; Yoshioka, Masamichi; Maesaka, Hirokazu; Otake, Yuji; Tanaka, Hitoshi

2018-04-01

The parallel operation of multiple beam lines is an important means to expand the opportunity of user experiments at x-ray free-electron laser (XFEL) facilities. At SPring-8 Angstrom free-electron laser (SACLA), the multi-beam-line operation had been tested using two beam lines, but transverse coherent synchrotron radiation (CSR) effects at a dogleg beam transport severely limited the laser performance. To suppress the CSR effects, a new beam optics based on two double bend achromat (DBA) structures was introduced for the dogleg. After the replacement of the beam optics, high peak current bunches of more than 10 kA are now stably transported through the dogleg and the laser pulse output is increased by a factor of 2-3. In the multi-beam-line operation of SACLA, the electron beam parameters, such as the beam energy and peak current, can be adjusted independently for each beam line. Thus the laser output can be optimized and wide spectral tunability is ensured for all beam lines.

Higher spin currents in Wolf space. Part I

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ahn, Changhyun [Department of Physics, Kyungpook National University,Taegu 702-701 (Korea, Republic of)

2014-03-20

For the N=4 superconformal coset theory described by ((SU(N+2))/(SU(N))) (that contains a Wolf space) with N=3, the N=2 WZW affine current algebra with constraints is obtained. The 16 generators of the large N=4 linear superconformal algebra are described by those WZW affine currents explicitly. By factoring out four spin-(1/2) currents and the spin-1 current from these 16 generators, the remaining 11 generators (spin-2 current, four spin-(3/2) currents, and six spin-1 currents) corresponding to the large N=4 nonlinear superconformal algebra are obtained. Based on the recent work by Gaberdiel and Gopakumar on the large N=4 holography, the extra 16 currents, with spin contents (1,(3/2),(3/2),2), ((3/2),2,2,(5/2)), ((3/2),2,2,(5/2)), and (2,(5/2),(5/2),3) described in terms of N=2 multiplets, are obtained and realized by the WZW affine currents. As a first step towards N=4W algebra (which is NOT known so far), the operator product expansions (OPEs) between the above 11 currents and these extra 16 higher spin currents are found explicitly. It turns out that the composite fields with definite U(1) charges, made of above (11+16) currents (which commute with the Wolf space subgroup SU(N=3)×SU(2)×U(1) currents), occur in the right hand sides of these OPEs.

Higher spin currents in the enhanced N=3 Kazama-Suzuki model

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ahn, Changhyun; Kim, Hyunsu [Department of Physics, Kyungpook National University,Taegu 41566 (Korea, Republic of)

2016-12-01

The N=3 Kazama-Suzuki model at the ‘critical’ level has been found by Creutzig, Hikida and Ronne. We construct the lowest higher spin currents of spins ((3/2),2,2,2,(5/2),(5/2),(5/2),3) in terms of various fermions. In order to obtain the operator product expansions (OPEs) between these higher spin currents, we describe three N=2 OPEs between the two N=2 higher spin currents denoted by ((3/2),2,2,(5/2)) and (2,(5/2),(5/2),3) (corresponding 36 OPEs in the component approach). Using the various Jacobi identities, the coefficient functions appearing on the right hand side of these N=2 OPEs are determined in terms of central charge completely. Then we describe them as one single N=3 OPE in the N=3 superspace. The right hand side of this N=3 OPE contains the SO(3)-singlet N=3 higher spin multiplet of spins (2,(5/2),(5/2),(5/2),3,3,3,(7/2)), the SO(3)-singlet N=3 higher spin multiplet of spins ((5/2),3,3,3,(7/2),(7/2),(7/2),4), and the SO(3)-triplet N=3 higher spin multiplets where each multiplet has the spins (3,(7/2),(7/2),(7/2),4,4,4,(9/2)), in addition to N=3 superconformal family of the identity operator. Finally, by factoring out the spin-(1/2) current of N=3 linear superconformal algebra generated by eight currents of spins ((1/2),1,1,1,(3/2),(3/2),(3/2),2), we obtain the extension of so-called SO(3) nonlinear Knizhnik Bershadsky algebra.

Long-Term Geomagnetically Induced Current Observations From New Zealand: Peak Current Estimates for Extreme Geomagnetic Storms

Science.gov (United States)

Rodger, Craig J.; Mac Manus, Daniel H.; Dalzell, Michael; Thomson, Alan W. P.; Clarke, Ellen; Petersen, Tanja; Clilverd, Mark A.; Divett, Tim

2017-11-01

Geomagnetically induced current (GIC) observations made in New Zealand over 14 years show induction effects associated with a rapidly varying horizontal magnetic field (dBH/dt) during geomagnetic storms. This study analyzes the GIC observations in order to estimate the impact of extreme storms as a hazard to the power system in New Zealand. Analysis is undertaken of GIC in transformer number six in Islington, Christchurch (ISL M6), which had the highest observed currents during the 6 November 2001 storm. Using previously published values of 3,000 nT/min as a representation of an extreme storm with 100 year return period, induced currents of 455 A were estimated for Islington (with the 95% confidence interval range being 155-605 A). For 200 year return periods using 5,000 nT/min, current estimates reach 755 A (confidence interval range 155-910 A). GIC measurements from the much shorter data set collected at transformer number 4 in Halfway Bush, Dunedin, (HWB T4), found induced currents to be consistently a factor of 3 higher than at Islington, suggesting equivalent extreme storm effects of 460-1,815 A (100 year return) and 460-2,720 A (200 year return). An estimate was undertaken of likely failure levels for single-phase transformers, such as HWB T4 when it failed during the 6 November 2001 geomagnetic storm, identifying that induced currents of 100 A can put such transformer types at risk of damage. Detailed modeling of the New Zealand power system is therefore required to put this regional analysis into a global context.

Impact of urban WWTP and CSO fluxes on river peak flow extremes under current and future climate conditions.

Science.gov (United States)

Keupers, Ingrid; Willems, Patrick

2013-01-01

The impact of urban water fluxes on the river system outflow of the Grote Nete catchment (Belgium) was studied. First the impact of the Waste Water Treatment Plant (WWTP) and the Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) outflows on the river system for the current climatic conditions was determined by simulating the urban fluxes as point sources in a detailed, hydrodynamic river model. Comparison was made of the simulation results on peak flow extremes with and without the urban point sources. In a second step, the impact of climate change scenarios on the urban fluxes and the consequent impacts on the river flow extremes were studied. It is shown that the change in the 10-year return period hourly peak flow discharge due to climate change (-14% to +45%) was in the same order of magnitude as the change due to the urban fluxes (+5%) in current climate conditions. Different climate change scenarios do not change the impact of the urban fluxes much except for the climate scenario that involves a strong increase in rainfall extremes in summer. This scenario leads to a strong increase of the impact of the urban fluxes on the river system.

Higher-spin currents in the Gross-Neveu model at 1/n"2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Manashov, A.N.

2016-10-01

We calculate the anomalous dimensions of higher-spin currents, both singlet and non-singlet, in the Gross - Neveu model at the 1/n"2 order. It was conjectured that in the critical regime this model is dual to a higher-spin gauge theory on AdS_4. The AdS/CFT correspondence predicts that the masses of higher-spin fields correspond to the scaling dimensions of the singlet currents in the Gross - Neveu model.

Projection Effects of Large-scale Structures on Weak-lensing Peak Abundances

Science.gov (United States)

Yuan, Shuo; Liu, Xiangkun; Pan, Chuzhong; Wang, Qiao; Fan, Zuhui

2018-04-01

High peaks in weak lensing (WL) maps originate dominantly from the lensing effects of single massive halos. Their abundance is therefore closely related to the halo mass function and thus a powerful cosmological probe. However, besides individual massive halos, large-scale structures (LSS) along lines of sight also contribute to the peak signals. In this paper, with ray-tracing simulations, we investigate the LSS projection effects. We show that for current surveys with a large shape noise, the stochastic LSS effects are subdominant. For future WL surveys with source galaxies having a median redshift z med ∼ 1 or higher, however, they are significant. For the cosmological constraints derived from observed WL high-peak counts, severe biases can occur if the LSS effects are not taken into account properly. We extend the model of Fan et al. by incorporating the LSS projection effects into the theoretical considerations. By comparing with simulation results, we demonstrate the good performance of the improved model and its applicability in cosmological studies.

A simple sub-nanosecond ultraviolet light pulse generator with high repetition rate and peak power.

Science.gov (United States)

Binh, P H; Trong, V D; Renucci, P; Marie, X

2013-08-01

We present a simple ultraviolet sub-nanosecond pulse generator using commercial ultraviolet light-emitting diodes with peak emission wavelengths of 290 nm, 318 nm, 338 nm, and 405 nm. The generator is based on step recovery diode, short-circuited transmission line, and current-shaping circuit. The narrowest pulses achieved have 630 ps full width at half maximum at repetition rate of 80 MHz. Optical pulse power in the range of several hundreds of microwatts depends on the applied bias voltage. The bias voltage dependences of the output optical pulse width and peak power are analysed and discussed. Compared to commercial UV sub-nanosecond generators, the proposed generator can produce much higher pulse repetition rate and peak power.

Degree of conversion of resin-based materials cured with dual-peak or single-peak LED light-curing units.

Science.gov (United States)

Lucey, Siobhan M; Santini, Ario; Roebuck, Elizabeth M

2015-03-01

There is a lack of data on polymerization of resin-based materials (RBMs) used in paediatric dentistry, using dual-peak light-emitting diode (LED) light-curing units (LCUs). To evaluate the degree of conversion (DC) of RBMs cured with dual-peak or single-peak LED LCUs. Samples of Vit-l-escence (Ultradent) and Herculite XRV Ultra (Kerr) and fissure sealants Delton Clear and Delton Opaque (Dentsply) were prepared (n = 3 per group) and cured with either one of two dual-peak LCUs (bluephase(®) G2; Ivoclar Vivadent or Valo; Ultradent) or a single-peak (bluephase(®) ; Ivoclar Vivadent). High-performance liquid chromatography and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy were used to confirm the presence or absence of initiators other than camphorquinone. The DC was determined using micro-Raman spectroscopy. Data were analysed using general linear model anova; α = 0.05. With Herculite XRV Ultra, the single-peak LCU gave higher DC values than either of the two dual-peak LCUs (P < 0.05). Both fissure sealants showed higher DC compared with the two RBMs (P < 0.05); the DC at the bottom of the clear sealant was greater than the opaque sealant, (P < 0.05). 2,4,6-trimethylbenzoyldiphenylphosphine oxide (Lucirin(®) TPO) was found only in Vit-l-escence. Dual-peak LED LCUs may not be best suited for curing non-Lucirin(®) TPO-containing materials. A clear sealant showed a better cure throughout the material and may be more appropriate than opaque versions in deep fissures. © 2014 BSPD, IAPD and John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Environmental impacts of public transport. Why peak-period travellers cause a greater environmental burden than off-peak travellers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rietveld, P.

2002-01-01

Given the difference between peak and off-peak occupancy rates in public transport, emissions per traveller kilometre are lower in the peak than in the off-peak period, whereas the opposite pattern is observed for cars. It is argued that it is much more fruitful to analyse environmental effects in marginal terms. This calls for a careful analysis of capacity management policies of public transport suppliers that are facing increased demand during both peak and off-peak periods. A detailed analysis of capacity management by the Netherlands Railways (NS) revealed that off-peak capacity supply is mainly dictated by the demand levels during the peak period. The analysis included the effects of increased frequency and increased vehicle size on environmental impacts, while environmental economies of vehicle size were also taken into account. The main conclusion is that the marginal environmental burden during the peak hours is much higher than is usually thought, whereas it is almost zero during the off-peak period. This implies a pattern that is the precise opposite of the average environmental burden. Thus, an analysis of environmental effects of public transport based on average performance would yield misleading conclusions [nl

[A new peak detection algorithm of Raman spectra].

Science.gov (United States)

Jiang, Cheng-Zhi; Sun, Qiang; Liu, Ying; Liang, Jing-Qiu; An, Yan; Liu, Bing

2014-01-01

The authors proposed a new Raman peak recognition method named bi-scale correlation algorithm. The algorithm uses the combination of the correlation coefficient and the local signal-to-noise ratio under two scales to achieve Raman peak identification. We compared the performance of the proposed algorithm with that of the traditional continuous wavelet transform method through MATLAB, and then tested the algorithm with real Raman spectra. The results show that the average time for identifying a Raman spectrum is 0.51 s with the algorithm, while it is 0.71 s with the continuous wavelet transform. When the signal-to-noise ratio of Raman peak is greater than or equal to 6 (modern Raman spectrometers feature an excellent signal-to-noise ratio), the recognition accuracy with the algorithm is higher than 99%, while it is less than 84% with the continuous wavelet transform method. The mean and the standard deviations of the peak position identification error of the algorithm are both less than that of the continuous wavelet transform method. Simulation analysis and experimental verification prove that the new algorithm possesses the following advantages: no needs of human intervention, no needs of de-noising and background removal operation, higher recognition speed and higher recognition accuracy. The proposed algorithm is operable in Raman peak identification.

Higher-spin currents in the Gross-Neveu model at 1/n{sup 2}

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Manashov, A.N. [Institut für Theoretische Physik, Universität Hamburg,Hamburg, D-22761 (Germany); Institut für Theoretische Physik, Universität Regensburg,Regensburg, D-93040 (Germany); Skvortsov, E.D. [Arnold Sommerfeld Center for Theoretical Physics, Ludwig-Maximilians University Munich, Theresienstr. 37, Munich, D-80333 (Germany); Lebedev Institute of Physics,Leninsky ave. 53, Moscow, 119991 (Russian Federation)

2017-01-30

We calculate the anomalous dimensions of higher-spin currents, both singlet and non-singlet, in the Gross-Neveu model at the 1/n{sup 2} order. It was conjectured that in the critical regime this model is dual to a higher-spin gauge theory on AdS{sub 4}. The AdS/CFT correspondence predicts that the masses of higher-spin fields correspond to the scaling dimensions of the singlet currents in the Gross-Neveu model.

Peak thrust operation of linear induction machines from parameter identification

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhang, Z.; Eastham, T.R.; Dawson, G.E. [Queen`s Univ., Kingston, Ontario (Canada). Dept. of Electrical and Computer Engineering

1995-12-31

Various control strategies are being used to achieve high performance operation of linear drives. To maintain minimum volume and weight of the power supply unit on board the transportation vehicle, peak thrust per unit current operation is a desirable objective. True peak thrust per unit current through slip control is difficult to achieve because the parameters of linear induction machines vary during normal operation. This paper first develops a peak thrust per unit current control law based on the per-phase equivalent circuit for linear induction machines. The algorithm for identification of the variable parameters in induction machines is then presented. Application to an operational linear induction machine (LIM) demonstrates the utility of this algorithm. The control strategy is then simulated, based on an operational transit LIM, to show the capability of achieving true peak thrust operation for linear induction machines.

Higher quantum conserved current in a new completely integrable model

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nissimov, E.R.

1980-06-01

The first higher local quantum conserved current is the recently proposed new completely integrable (2esup(βphi)+esup(-2βphi)) 2 model is explicitly constructed thus proving absence of particle production and factorization of multiparticle scattering. (author)

Preliminary Upper Estimate of Peak Currents in Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation at Distant Locations From a TMS Coil.

Science.gov (United States)

Makarov, Sergey N; Yanamadala, Janakinadh; Piazza, Matthew W; Helderman, Alex M; Thang, Niang S; Burnham, Edward H; Pascual-Leone, Alvaro

2016-09-01

Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is increasingly used as a diagnostic and therapeutic tool for numerous neuropsychiatric disorders. The use of TMS might cause whole-body exposure to undesired induced currents in patients and TMS operators. The aim of this study is to test and justify a simple analytical model known previously, which may be helpful as an upper estimate of eddy current density at a particular distant observation point for any body composition and any coil setup. We compare the analytical solution with comprehensive adaptive mesh refinement-based FEM simulations of a detailed full-body human model, two coil types, five coil positions, about 100 000 observation points, and two distinct pulse rise times; thus, providing a representative number of different datasets for comparison, while also using other numerical data. Our simulations reveal that, after a certain modification, the analytical model provides an upper estimate for the eddy current density at any location within the body. In particular, it overestimates the peak eddy currents at distant locations from a TMS coil by a factor of 10 on average. The simple analytical model tested in this study may be valuable as a rapid method to safely estimate levels of TMS currents at different locations within a human body. At present, safe limits of general exposure to TMS electric and magnetic fields are an open subject, including fetal exposure for pregnant women.

The next 16 higher spin currents and three-point functions in the large N = 4 holography

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ahn, Changhyun; Kim, Dong-gyu; Kim, Man Hea [Kyungpook National University, Department of Physics, Taegu (Korea, Republic of)

2017-08-15

By using the known operator product expansions (OPEs) between the lowest 16 higher spin currents of spins (1, (3)/(2), (3)/(2), (3)/(2), (3)/(2), 2,2,2,2,2,2, (5)/(2), (5)/(2), (5)/(2), (5)/(2), 3) in an extension of the large N = 4 linear superconformal algebra, one determines the OPEs between the lowest 16 higher spin currents in an extension of the large N = 4 nonlinear superconformal algebra for generic N and k. The Wolf space coset contains the group G = SU(N + 2) and the affine Kac-Moody spin 1 current has the level k. The next 16 higher spin currents of spins (2, (5)/(2), (5)/(2), (5)/(2), (5)/(2), 3,3,3,3,3,3, (7)/(2), (7)/(2), (7)/(2), (7)/(2), 4) arise in the above OPEs. The most general lowest higher spin 2 current in this multiplet can be determined in terms of affine Kac-Moody spin (1)/(2), 1 currents. By careful analysis of the zero mode (higher spin) eigenvalue equations, the three-point functions of bosonic higher spin 2, 3, 4 currents with two scalars are obtained for finite N and k. Furthermore, we also analyze the three-point functions of bosonic higher spin 2, 3, 4 currents in the extension of the large N = 4 linear superconformal algebra. It turns out that the three-point functions of higher spin 2, 3 currents in the two cases are equal to each other at finite N and k. Under the large (N, k) 't Hooft limit, the two descriptions for the three-point functions of higher spin 4 current coincide with each other. The higher spin extension of SO(4) Knizhnik Bershadsky algebra is described. (orig.)

Head-to-head comparison of peak supine bicycle exercise echocardiography and treadmill exercise echocardiography at peak and at post-exercise for the detection of coronary artery disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Peteiro, Jesús; Bouzas-Mosquera, Alberto; Estevez, Rodrigo; Pazos, Pablo; Piñeiro, Miriam; Castro-Beiras, Alfonso

2012-03-01

Supine bicycle exercise (SBE) echocardiography and treadmill exercise (TME) echocardiography have been used for evaluation of coronary artery disease (CAD). Although peak imaging acquisition has been considered unfeasible with TME, higher sensitivity for the detection of CAD has been recently found with this method compared with post-TME echocardiography. However, peak TME echocardiography has not been previously compared with the more standardized peak SBE echocardiography. The aim of this study was to compare peak TME echocardiography, peak SBE echocardiography, and post-TME echocardiography for the detection of CAD. A series of 116 patients (mean age, 61 ± 10 years) referred for evaluation of CAD underwent SBE (starting at 25 W, with 25-W increments every 2-3 min) and TME with peak and postexercise imaging acquisition, in a random sequence. Digitized images at baseline, at peak TME, after TME, and at peak SBE were interpreted in a random and blinded fashion. All patients underwent coronary angiography. Maximal heart rate was higher during TME, whereas systolic blood pressure was higher during SBE, resulting in similar rate-pressure products. On quantitative angiography, 75 patients had coronary stenosis (≥50%). In these patients, wall motion score indexes at maximal exercise were higher at peak TME (median, 1.45; interquartile range [IQR], 1.13-1.75) than at peak SBE (median, 1.25; IQR, 1.0-1.56) or after TME (median, 1.13; IQR, 1.0-1.38) (P = .002 between peak TME and peak SBE imaging, P peak TME (median, 5; IQR, 2-12) compared with peak SBE (median, 3; IQR, 0-8) or after TME (median, 2; IQR, 0-4) (P peak TME and peak SBE imaging, P peak TME, peak SBE, and post-TME echocardiography for CAD was 84%, 75%, and 60% (P = .001 between post-TME and peak TME echocardiography, P = .055 between post-TME and peak SBE echocardiography), with specificity of 63%, 80%, and 78%, respectively (P = NS) and accuracy of 77%, 77%, and 66%, respectively (P = NS). Peak TME

Peak effect in twinned superconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Larkin, A.I.; Marchetti, M.C.; Vinokur, V.M.

1995-01-01

A sharp maximum in the critical current J c as a function of temperature just below the melting point of the Abrikosov flux lattice has recently been observed in both low- and high-temperature superconductors. This peak effect is strongest in twinned crystals for fields aligned with the twin planes. We propose that this peak signals the breakdown of the collective pinning regime and the crossover to strong pinning of single vortices on the twin boundaries. This crossover is very sharp and can account for the steep drop of the differential resistivity observed in experiments. copyright 1995 The American Physical Society

Peak effect in surface resistance at microwave frequencies in Dy ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

In the measurements at both frequencies the induced microwave current was always less than the critical current of the films. The reason for observation of this peak effect in these films has been explained in our earlier publication [5]. Comparing figures 1 and 2, it is observed that the peaks in sample S1 are broader and.

Method and apparatus for clockless analog-to-digital conversion and peak detection

Science.gov (United States)

DeGeronimo, Gianluigi

2007-03-06

An apparatus and method for analog-to-digital conversion and peak detection includes at least one stage, which includes a first switch, second switch, current source or capacitor, and discriminator. The discriminator changes state in response to a current or charge associated with the input signal exceeding a threshold, thereby indicating whether the current or charge associated with the input signal is greater than the threshold. The input signal includes a peak or a charge, and the converter includes a peak or charge detect mode in which a state of the switch is retained in response to a decrease in the current or charge associated with the input signal. The state of the switch represents at least a portion of a value of the peak or of the charge.

Views on peak oil and its relation to climate change policy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Verbruggen, Aviel; Al Marchohi, Mohamed

2010-01-01

Definitions of fossil fuel reserves and resources and assessed stock data are reviewed and clarified. Semantics explain a large stake of conflict between advocate and critical voices on peak oil. From a holistic sources-sinks perspective, limited carrying capacity of atmospheric sinks, not absolute scarcity in oil resources, will impose tight constraints on oil use. Eventually observed peaks in oil production in nearby years will result from politically imposed limits on carbon emissions, and not be caused by physical lack of oil resources. Peak-oil belief induces passive climate policy attitudes when suggesting carbon dioxide emissions will peak naturally linked to dwindling oil supplies. Active policies for reducing emissions and use of fossil fuels will also encompass higher energy end-use prices. Revenues obtained from higher levies on oil use can support financing energy efficiency and renewable energy options. But when oil producers charge the higher prices they can pump new oil for many decades, postponing peak oil to occur while extending carbon lock-in.

Peak Running Intensity of International Rugby: Implications for Training Prescription.

Science.gov (United States)

Delaney, Jace A; Thornton, Heidi R; Pryor, John F; Stewart, Andrew M; Dascombe, Ben J; Duthie, Grant M

2017-09-01

To quantify the duration and position-specific peak running intensities of international rugby union for the prescription and monitoring of specific training methodologies. Global positioning systems (GPS) were used to assess the activity profile of 67 elite-level rugby union players from 2 nations across 33 international matches. A moving-average approach was used to identify the peak relative distance (m/min), average acceleration/deceleration (AveAcc; m/s 2 ), and average metabolic power (P met ) for a range of durations (1-10 min). Differences between positions and durations were described using a magnitude-based network. Peak running intensity increased as the length of the moving average decreased. There were likely small to moderate increases in relative distance and AveAcc for outside backs, halfbacks, and loose forwards compared with the tight 5 group across all moving-average durations (effect size [ES] = 0.27-1.00). P met demands were at least likely greater for outside backs and halfbacks than for the tight 5 (ES = 0.86-0.99). Halfbacks demonstrated the greatest relative distance and P met outputs but were similar to outside backs and loose forwards in AveAcc demands. The current study has presented a framework to describe the peak running intensities achieved during international rugby competition by position, which are considerably higher than previously reported whole-period averages. These data provide further knowledge of the peak activity profiles of international rugby competition, and this information can be used to assist coaches and practitioners in adequately preparing athletes for the most demanding periods of play.

Does team lifting increase the variability in peak lumbar compression in ironworkers?

Science.gov (United States)

Faber, Gert; Visser, Steven; van der Molen, Henk F; Kuijer, P Paul F M; Hoozemans, Marco J M; Van Dieën, Jaap H; Frings-Dresen, Monique H W

2012-01-01

Ironworkers frequently perform heavy lifting tasks in teams of two or four workers. Team lifting could potentially lead to a higher variation in peak lumbar compression forces than lifts performed by one worker, resulting in higher maximal peak lumbar compression forces. This study compared single-worker lifts (25-kg, iron bar) to two-worker lifts (50-kg, two iron bars) and to four-worker lifts (100-kg, iron lattice). Inverse dynamics was used to calculate peak lumbar compression forces. To assess the variability in peak lumbar loading, all three lifting tasks were performed six times. Results showed that the variability in peak lumbar loading was somewhat higher in the team lifts compared to the single-worker lifts. However, despite this increased variability, team lifts did not result in larger maximum peak lumbar compression forces. Therefore, it was concluded that, from a biomechanical point of view, team lifting does not result in an additional risk for low back complaints in ironworkers.

State Higher Education Funding Models: An Assessment of Current and Emerging Approaches

Science.gov (United States)

Layzell, Daniel T.

2007-01-01

This article provides an assessment of the current and emerging approaches used by state governments in allocating funding for higher education institutions and programs. It reviews a number of desired characteristics or outcomes for state higher education funding models, including equity, adequacy, stability, and flexibility. Although there is…

Analysis of fuel end-temperature peaking

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Xu, Z.; Jiang, Q.; Lai, L.; Shams, M. [CANDU Energy Inc., Fuel Engineering Dept., Mississauga, Ontario (Canada)

2013-07-01

During normal operation and refuelling of CANDU® fuel, fuel temperatures near bundle ends will increase due to a phenomenon called end flux peaking. Similar phenomenon would also be expected to occur during a postulated large break LOCA event. The end flux peaking in a CANDU fuel element is due to the fact that neutron flux is higher near a bundle end, in contact with a neighbouring bundle or close to heavy water coolant, than in the bundle mid-plane, because of less absorption of thermal neutrons by Zircaloy or heavy water than by the UO{sub 2} material. This paper describes Candu Energy experience in analysing behaviour of bundle due to end flux peaking using fuel codes FEAT, ELESTRES and ELOCA. (author)

Particle in cell simulation of peaking switch for breakdown evaluation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Umbarkar, Sachin B.; Bindu, S.; Mangalvedekar, H.A.; Saxena, A.; Singh, N.M., E-mail: sachin.b.umbarkar@gmail.com [Department of Electric Engineering, Veermata Jijabai Technological Institute, Mumbai (India); Sharma, Archana; Saroj, P.C.; Mittal, K.C. [Accelerator Pulse Power Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai (India)

2014-07-01

Marx generator connected to peaking capacitor and peaking switch can generate Ultra-Wideband (UWB) radiation. A new peaking switch is designed for converting the existing nanosecond Marx generator to a UWB source. The paper explains the particle in cell (PIC) simulation for this peaking switch, using MAGIC 3D software. This peaking switch electrode is made up of copper tungsten material and is fixed inside the hermitically sealed derlin material. The switch can withstand a gas pressure up to 13.5 kg/cm{sup 2}. The lower electrode of the switch is connected to the last stage of the Marx generator. Initially Marx generator (without peaking stage) in air; gives the output pulse with peak amplitude of 113.75 kV and pulse rise time of 25 ns. Thus, we design a new peaking switch to improve the rise time of output pulse and to pressurize this peaking switch separately (i.e. Marx and peaking switch is at different pressure). The PIC simulation gives the particle charge density, current density, E counter plot, emitted electron current, and particle energy along the axis of gap between electrodes. The charge injection and electric field dependence on ionic dissociation phenomenon are briefly analyzed using this simulation. The model is simulated with different gases (N{sub 2}, H{sub 2}, and Air) under different pressure (2 kg/cm{sup 2}, 5 kg/cm{sup 2}, 10 kg/cm{sup 2}). (author)

Forecasting natural gas supply in China: Production peak and import trends

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lin Boqiang; Wang Ting

2012-01-01

China's natural gas consumption has increased rapidly in recent years making China a net gas importer. As a nonrenewable energy, the gas resource is exhaustible. Based on the forecast of this article, China's gas production peak is likely to approach in 2022. However, China is currently in the industrialization and urbanization stage, and its natural gas consumption will persistently increase. With China's gas production peak, China will have to face a massive expansion in gas imports. As the largest developing country, China's massive imports of gas will have an effect on the international gas market. In addition, as China's natural gas price is still controlled by the government and has remained at a low level, the massive imports of higher priced gas will exert great pressure on China's gas price reform. - Highlights: ► We figured out the natural gas production peak of China. ► We predict the import trends of natural gas of China. ► We study the international and national impacts of China's increasing import of gas. ► It is important for China to accelerate price reformation of natural gas.

Explanation of the surface peak in charge integrated LEIS spectra

CERN Document Server

Draxler, M; Taglauer, E; Schmid, K; Gruber, R; Ermolov, S N; Bauer, P

2003-01-01

Low energy ion scattering is very surface sensitive if scattered ions are analyzed. By time-of-flight (TOF) techniques, also neutral and charge integrated spectra (ions plus neutrals) can be obtained, which yield information about deeper layers. In the literature, the observation of a more or less pronounced surface peak was reported for charge integrated spectra, the intensity of the surface peak being higher at low energies and for heavy projectiles. Aiming at a more profound physical understanding of this surface peak, we performed TOF-experiments and computer simulations for He projectiles and a copper target. Experiments were done in the range 1-9 keV for a scattering angle of 129 deg. . The simulation was performed using the MARLOWE code for the given experimental parameters and a polycrystalline target. At low energies, a pronounced surface peak was observed, which fades away at higher energies. This peak is quantitatively reproduced by the simulation, and corresponds to scattering from approx 2 atomic...

Peak loads and network investments in sustainable energy transitions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Blokhuis, Erik, E-mail: e.g.j.blokhuis@tue.nl [Eindhoven University of Technology, Department of Architecture, Building and Planning, Vertigo 8.11, P.O. Box 513, 5600MB Eindhoven (Netherlands); Brouwers, Bart [Eindhoven University of Technology, Department of Architecture, Building and Planning, Vertigo 8.11, P.O. Box 513, 5600MB Eindhoven (Netherlands); Putten, Eric van der [Endinet, Gas and Electricity Network Operations, P.O. Box 2005, 5600CA Eindhoven (Netherlands); Schaefer, Wim [Eindhoven University of Technology, Department of Architecture, Building and Planning, Vertigo 8.11, P.O. Box 513, 5600MB Eindhoven (Netherlands)

2011-10-15

Current energy distribution networks are often not equipped for facilitating expected sustainable transitions. Major concerns for future electricity networks are the possibility of peak load increases and the expected growth of decentralized energy generation. In this article, we focus on peak load increases; the effects of possible future developments on peak loads are studied, together with the consequences for the network. The city of Eindhoven (the Netherlands) is used as reference city, for which a scenario is developed in which the assumed future developments adversely influence the maximum peak loads on the network. In this scenario, the total electricity peak load in Eindhoven is expected to increase from 198 MVA in 2009 to 591-633 MVA in 2040. The necessary investments for facilitating the expected increased peak loads are estimated at 305-375 million Euros. Based upon these projections, it is advocated that - contrary to current Dutch policy - choices regarding sustainable transitions should be made from the viewpoint of integral energy systems, evaluating economic implications of changes to generation, grid development, and consumption. Recently applied and finished policies on energy demand reduction showed to be effective; however, additional and connecting policies on energy generation and distribution should be considered on short term. - Highlights: > Sustainable energy transitions can result in major electricity peak load increases. > Introduction of heat pumps and electrical vehicles requires network expansion. > Under worst case assumptions, peak loads in Eindhoven increase with 200% until 2040. > The necessary investment for facilitating this 2040 peak demand is Euro 305-375 million. > Future policy choices should be made from the viewpoint of the integral energy system.

Peak loads and network investments in sustainable energy transitions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Blokhuis, Erik; Brouwers, Bart; Putten, Eric van der; Schaefer, Wim

2011-01-01

Current energy distribution networks are often not equipped for facilitating expected sustainable transitions. Major concerns for future electricity networks are the possibility of peak load increases and the expected growth of decentralized energy generation. In this article, we focus on peak load increases; the effects of possible future developments on peak loads are studied, together with the consequences for the network. The city of Eindhoven (the Netherlands) is used as reference city, for which a scenario is developed in which the assumed future developments adversely influence the maximum peak loads on the network. In this scenario, the total electricity peak load in Eindhoven is expected to increase from 198 MVA in 2009 to 591-633 MVA in 2040. The necessary investments for facilitating the expected increased peak loads are estimated at 305-375 million Euros. Based upon these projections, it is advocated that - contrary to current Dutch policy - choices regarding sustainable transitions should be made from the viewpoint of integral energy systems, evaluating economic implications of changes to generation, grid development, and consumption. Recently applied and finished policies on energy demand reduction showed to be effective; however, additional and connecting policies on energy generation and distribution should be considered on short term. - Highlights: → Sustainable energy transitions can result in major electricity peak load increases. → Introduction of heat pumps and electrical vehicles requires network expansion. → Under worst case assumptions, peak loads in Eindhoven increase with 200% until 2040. → The necessary investment for facilitating this 2040 peak demand is Euro 305-375 million. → Future policy choices should be made from the viewpoint of the integral energy system.

Does team lifting increase the variability in peak lumbar compression in ironworkers?

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Faber, Gert; Visser, Steven; van der Molen, Henk F.; Kuijer, P. Paul F. M.; Hoozemans, Marco J. M.; van Dieën, Jaap H.; Frings-Dresen, Monique H. W.

2012-01-01

Ironworkers frequently perform heavy lifting tasks in teams of two or four workers. Team lifting could potentially lead to a higher variation in peak lumbar compression forces than lifts performed by one worker, resulting in higher maximal peak lumbar compression forces. This study compared

Core fueling to produce peaked density profiles in large tokamaks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mikkelsen, D.R.; McGuire, K.M.; Schmidt, G.L.; Zweben, S.J.

1994-06-01

Peaking the density profile increases the usable bootstrap current and the average fusion power density; this could reduce the current drive power and increase the net output of power producing tokamaks. The use of neutral beams and pellet injection to produce peaked density profiles is assessed. We show that with radially ''hollow'' diffusivity profiles (and no particle pinch) moderately peaked density profiles can be produced by particle source profiles which are peaked off-axis. The fueling penetration requirements can therefore be relaxed and this greatly improves the feasibility of generating peaked density profiles in large tokamaks. In particular, neutral beam fueling does not require MeV particle energy. Even with beam voltages of ∼200 keV, however, exceptionally good particle confinement, τ p much-gt τ E is required to achieve net electrical power generation. In system with no power production requirement (e.g., neutron sources) neutral beam fueling should be capable of producing peaked density profiles in devices as large as ITER. Fueling systems with low energy cost per particle (such as cryogenic pellet injection) must be used in power producing tokamaks when τ p ∼ τ E . Simulations with pellet injection speeds of 7 km/sec show the peaking factor, n eo /left-angle n e right-angle, approaching 2

Higher balance task demands are associated with an increase in individual alpha peak frequency

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Thorben eHülsdünker

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Balance control is fundamental for most daily motor activities, and its impairment is associated with an increased risk of falling. Growing evidence suggests the human cortex is essentially contributing to the control of standing balance. However, the exact mechanisms remain unclear and need further investigation. In a previous study we introduced a new protocol to identify electrocortical activity associated with performance of different continuous balance tasks with the eyes opened. The aim of this study was to extend our previous results by investigating the individual alpha peak frequency (iAPF, a neurophysiological marker of thalamo-cortical information transmission, which remained unconsidered so far in balance research. Thirty-seven subjects completed nine balance tasks varying in surface stability and base of support. Electroencephalography (EEG was recorded from 32 scalp locations throughout balancing with the eyes closed to ensure reliable identification of the iAPF. Balance performance was quantified as the sum of anterior-posterior and medio-lateral movements of the supporting platform. The iAPF, as well as power in the theta, lower alpha and upper alpha frequency bands were determined for each balance task after applying an ICA-based artifact rejection procedure. Higher demands on balance control were associated with a global increase in iAPF and a decrease in lower alpha power. These results may indicate increased thalamo-cortical information transfer and general cortical activation, respectively. In addition, a significant increase in upper alpha activity was observed in the fronto-central region whereas it decreased in the centro-parietal region. Furthermore, midline theta increased with higher task demands probably indicating activation of error detection/processing mechanisms. IAPF as well as theta and alpha power were correlated with platform movements. The results provide new insights into spectral and spatial characteristics

Can You Hear That Peak? Utilization of Auditory and Visual Feedback at Peak Limb Velocity

Science.gov (United States)

Loria, Tristan; de Grosbois, John; Tremblay, Luc

2016-01-01

Purpose: At rest, the central nervous system combines and integrates multisensory cues to yield an optimal percept. When engaging in action, the relative weighing of sensory modalities has been shown to be altered. Because the timing of peak velocity is the critical moment in some goal-directed movements (e.g., overarm throwing), the current study…

Hydration-coupled protein boson peak measured by incoherent neutron scattering

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nakagawa, Hiroshi; Kataoka, Mikio; Joti, Yasumasa; Kitao, Akio; Shibata, Kaoru; Tokuhisa, Atsushi; Tsukushi, Itaru; Go, Nobuhiro

2006-01-01

The boson peak of a protein was examined in relation to hydration using staphylococcal nuclease. Although the boson peak is commonly observed in synthetic polymers, glassy materials and amorphous materials, the origin of the boson peak is not fully understood. The motions that contribute to the peak are harmonic vibrations. Upon hydration the peak frequency shifts to a higher frequency and the effective force constant of the vibration increases at low temperatures, suggesting that the protein energy surface is modified. Hydration of the protein leads to a more rugged surface and the vibrational motions are trapped within the local minimum at cryogenic temperatures. The origin of the protein boson peak may be related to this rugged energy surface

Impacts of rising air temperatures on electric transmission ampacity and peak electricity load in the United States

Science.gov (United States)

Bartos, Matthew; Chester, Mikhail; Johnson, Nathan; Gorman, Brandon; Eisenberg, Daniel; Linkov, Igor; Bates, Matthew

2016-11-01

Climate change may constrain future electricity supply adequacy by reducing electric transmission capacity and increasing electricity demand. The carrying capacity of electric power cables decreases as ambient air temperatures rise; similarly, during the summer peak period, electricity loads typically increase with hotter air temperatures due to increased air conditioning usage. As atmospheric carbon concentrations increase, higher ambient air temperatures may strain power infrastructure by simultaneously reducing transmission capacity and increasing peak electricity load. We estimate the impacts of rising ambient air temperatures on electric transmission ampacity and peak per-capita electricity load for 121 planning areas in the United States using downscaled global climate model projections. Together, these planning areas account for roughly 80% of current peak summertime load. We estimate climate-attributable capacity reductions to transmission lines by constructing thermal models of representative conductors, then forcing these models with future temperature projections to determine the percent change in rated ampacity. Next, we assess the impact of climate change on electricity load by using historical relationships between ambient temperature and utility-scale summertime peak load to estimate the extent to which climate change will incur additional peak load increases. We find that by mid-century (2040-2060), increases in ambient air temperature may reduce average summertime transmission capacity by 1.9%-5.8% relative to the 1990-2010 reference period. At the same time, peak per-capita summertime loads may rise by 4.2%-15% on average due to increases in ambient air temperature. In the absence of energy efficiency gains, demand-side management programs and transmission infrastructure upgrades, these load increases have the potential to upset current assumptions about future electricity supply adequacy.

Core fuelling to produce peaked density profiles in large tokamaks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mikkelsen, D.R.; McGuire, K.M.; Schmidt, G.L.; Zweben, S.J.

1995-01-01

Peaking the density profile increases the usable bootstrap current and the average fusion power density; this could reduce the current drive power and increase the net output of power producing tokamaks. The use of neutral beams and pellet injection to produce peaked density profiles is assessed. It is shown that with radially 'hollow' diffusivity profiles (and no particle pinch) moderately peaked density profiles can be produced by particle source profiles that are peaked off-axis. The fuelling penetration requirements can therefore be relaxed and this greatly improves the feasibility of generating peaked density profiles in large tokamaks. In particular, neutral beam fuelling does not require Megavolt particle energies. Even with beam voltages of ∼ 200 keV, however, exceptionally good particle confinement is needed to achieve net electrical power generation. The required ratio of particle to thermal diffusivities is an order of magnitude outside the range reported for tokamaks. In a system with no power production requirement (e.g., neutron sources) neutral beam fuelling should be capable of producing peaked density profiles in devices as large as ITER. Fuelling systems with low energy cost per particle - such as cryogenic pellet injection - must be used in power producing tokamaks when τ P ∼ τ E . Simulations with pellet injection speeds of 7 km/s show that the peaking factor, n e0 / e >, approaches 2. (author). 65 refs, 8 figs

Higher spin currents in the critical O(N) vector model at 1/N2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Manashov, A.N.; Strohmaier, M.

2017-06-01

We calculate the anomalous dimensions of higher spin singlet currents in the critical O(N) vector model at order 1/N 2 . The results are shown to be in agreement with the four-loop perturbative computation in φ 4 theory in 4-2ε dimensions. It is known that the order 1/N anomalous dimensions of higher-spin currents happen to be the same in the Gross-Neveu and the critical vector model. On the contrary, the order 1/N 2 corrections are different. The results can also be interpreted as a prediction for the two-loop computation in the dual higher-spin gravity.

New Raman-peak at 1850 cm(-1) observed in multiwalled carbon nanotubes produced by hydrogen arc discharge.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, B; Kadowaki, Y; Inoue, S; Ohkohchi, M; Zhao, X; Ando, Y

2010-06-01

The new peak (near 1850 cm(-1)) assigned to carbon linear chain included in the centre of very thin innermost multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) has been verified by Raman spectroscopy. These MWNTs were produced by dc arc discharge of pure graphite rods in pure hydrogen gas and existed in the cathode deposit. In this paper, we clarified that the new Raman-peaks could also be observed in the cathode deposit including MWNTs produced by hydrogen dc arc discharge using graphite electrode with added Y or La. By changing the quantity of addition (Y or La), dc arc current and pressure of ambient hydrogen gas, the optimum condition to get maximum intensity of the new Raman-peaks was obtained. For the case of 1 wt% La, dc 50 A, H2 pressure of 50 Torr was found to be optimum, and the intensity of new Raman-peak was even higher than the G-band peak. For the case of 1 wt% Y, dc 50 A, H2 pressure of 50 Torr was optimum, but the intensity of new Raman-peak was weaker than the G-band peak. Transmission electron microscopy observation revealed that the crystallinity of MWNTs produced with pure graphite rod was better than those produced with added Y or La.

Peak Fields of Nb$_{3}$Sn Superconducting Undulators and a Scaling Law

CERN Document Server

Kim, S H

2005-01-01

The peak fields on the beam axis and the maximum fields in the conductor of Nb$_{3}$Sn superconducting undulators (SCUs) were calculated for an undulator period length of 16 mm. Using a simple scaling law for SCUs [1], the peak fields, as well as the conductor maximum fields and the current densities, were calculated for a period range of 8 to 32 mm. The critical current densities of commercially available Nb$_{3}$Sn superconducting strands were used for the calculations. The achievable peak fields are limited mainly by the flux-jump instabilities at low fields. The possible or feasible peak field will also be compared with that achieved in prototype development of SCUs.

[A peak recognition algorithm designed for chromatographic peaks of transformer oil].

Science.gov (United States)

Ou, Linjun; Cao, Jian

2014-09-01

In the field of the chromatographic peak identification of the transformer oil, the traditional first-order derivative requires slope threshold to achieve peak identification. In terms of its shortcomings of low automation and easy distortion, the first-order derivative method was improved by applying the moving average iterative method and the normalized analysis techniques to identify the peaks. Accurate identification of the chromatographic peaks was realized through using multiple iterations of the moving average of signal curves and square wave curves to determine the optimal value of the normalized peak identification parameters, combined with the absolute peak retention times and peak window. The experimental results show that this algorithm can accurately identify the peaks and is not sensitive to the noise, the chromatographic peak width or the peak shape changes. It has strong adaptability to meet the on-site requirements of online monitoring devices of dissolved gases in transformer oil.

The current system of higher education in India inherits the legacy

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

The current system of higher education in India inherits the legacy of colonial proposals and legislations dating back to the early 19th century. The social sciences and humanities still carry disciplinary burdens that need revisiting as we attempt to think of new educational strategies for the 21st century.

Mean Velocity vs. Mean Propulsive Velocity vs. Peak Velocity: Which Variable Determines Bench Press Relative Load With Higher Reliability?

Science.gov (United States)

García-Ramos, Amador; Pestaña-Melero, Francisco L; Pérez-Castilla, Alejandro; Rojas, Francisco J; Gregory Haff, G

2018-05-01

García-Ramos, A, Pestaña-Melero, FL, Pérez-Castilla, A, Rojas, FJ, and Haff, GG. Mean velocity vs. mean propulsive velocity vs. peak velocity: which variable determines bench press relative load with higher reliability? J Strength Cond Res 32(5): 1273-1279, 2018-This study aimed to compare between 3 velocity variables (mean velocity [MV], mean propulsive velocity [MPV], and peak velocity [PV]): (a) the linearity of the load-velocity relationship, (b) the accuracy of general regression equations to predict relative load (%1RM), and (c) the between-session reliability of the velocity attained at each percentage of the 1-repetition maximum (%1RM). The full load-velocity relationship of 30 men was evaluated by means of linear regression models in the concentric-only and eccentric-concentric bench press throw (BPT) variants performed with a Smith machine. The 2 sessions of each BPT variant were performed within the same week separated by 48-72 hours. The main findings were as follows: (a) the MV showed the strongest linearity of the load-velocity relationship (median r = 0.989 for concentric-only BPT and 0.993 for eccentric-concentric BPT), followed by MPV (median r = 0.983 for concentric-only BPT and 0.980 for eccentric-concentric BPT), and finally PV (median r = 0.974 for concentric-only BPT and 0.969 for eccentric-concentric BPT); (b) the accuracy of the general regression equations to predict relative load (%1RM) from movement velocity was higher for MV (SEE = 3.80-4.76%1RM) than for MPV (SEE = 4.91-5.56%1RM) and PV (SEE = 5.36-5.77%1RM); and (c) the PV showed the lowest within-subjects coefficient of variation (3.50%-3.87%), followed by MV (4.05%-4.93%), and finally MPV (5.11%-6.03%). Taken together, these results suggest that the MV could be the most appropriate variable for monitoring the relative load (%1RM) in the BPT exercise performed in a Smith machine.

Associations of maternal macronutrient intake during pregnancy with infant BMI peak characteristics and childhood BMI.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Ling-Wei; Aris, Izzuddin M; Bernard, Jonathan Y; Tint, Mya-Thway; Colega, Marjorelee; Gluckman, Peter D; Tan, Kok Hian; Shek, Lynette Pei-Chi; Chong, Yap-Seng; Yap, Fabian; Godfrey, Keith M; van Dam, Rob M; Chong, Mary Foong-Fong; Lee, Yung Seng

2017-03-01

Background: Infant body mass index (BMI) peak characteristics and early childhood BMI are emerging markers of future obesity and cardiometabolic disease risk, but little is known about their maternal nutritional determinants. Objective: We investigated the associations of maternal macronutrient intake with infant BMI peak characteristics and childhood BMI in the Growing Up in Singapore Towards healthy Outcomes study. Design: With the use of infant BMI data from birth to age 18 mo, infant BMI peak characteristics [age (in months) and magnitude (BMI peak ; in kg/m 2 ) at peak and prepeak velocities] were derived from subject-specific BMI curves that were fitted with the use of mixed-effects model with a natural cubic spline function. Associations of maternal macronutrient intake (assessed by using a 24-h recall during late gestation) with infant BMI peak characteristics ( n = 910) and BMI z scores at ages 2, 3, and 4 y were examined with the use of multivariable linear regression. Results: Mean absolute maternal macronutrient intakes (percentages of energy) were 72 g protein (15.6%), 69 g fat (32.6%), and 238 g carbohydrate (51.8%). A 25-g (∼100-kcal) increase in maternal carbohydrate intake was associated with a 0.01/mo (95% CI: 0.0003, 0.01/mo) higher prepeak velocity and a 0.04 (95% CI: 0.01, 0.08) higher BMI peak These associations were mainly driven by sugar intake, whereby a 25-g increment of maternal sugar intake was associated with a 0.02/mo (95% CI: 0.01, 0.03/mo) higher infant prepeak velocity and a 0.07 (95% CI: 0.01, 0.13) higher BMI peak Higher maternal carbohydrate and sugar intakes were associated with a higher offspring BMI z score at ages 2-4 y. Maternal protein and fat intakes were not consistently associated with the studied outcomes. Conclusion: Higher maternal carbohydrate and sugar intakes are associated with unfavorable infancy BMI peak characteristics and higher early childhood BMI. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT

Similarities in the dynamical behavior across the classical peak effect and the second magnetization peak in single crystals of 2H-NbSe2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Thakur, A.D.; Ramakrishnan, S.; Grover, A.K.; Chandrasekhar Rao, T.V.; Uji, S.; Terashima, T.; Higgins, M.J.

2005-01-01

The classical peak effect (CPE) and the second magnetization peak (SMP) are two distinct anomalies in critical current of superconductors. A nascent pinned single crystal sample of 2HNbSe 2 (T c (0) ∼7.2 K) shows only the sharp CPE. In a moderately pinned sample (T c (0) ∼6 K), the sharp CPE broadens with the addition of characteristic structure (stepwise amorphization) between the onset and the peak positions of the CPE. Also, there emerges another anomalous peak akin to SMP prior to the CPE. We have looked at samples of 2H-NbSe 2 with intermediate levels of quenched random pinning (T c (0) ∼ 7.1 K) and successfully explored the two peaks down to 50 mK. (author)

High peak power tubes and gate effect Klystrons

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gerbelot, N.; Bres, M.; Faillon, G.; Buzzi, J.M.

1993-01-01

The conventional microwave tubes such as TWTs, Magnetrons, Klystrons... deliver the very high peak powers which are required by radar transmitters but more especially by many particle accelerators. In the range of a few hundred MHz to about 10 GHz, some dozen of MWs per unit are currently obtained and commercially available, according to the frequency and the pulse lengths. But peak power requirements are ever increasing, especially for the expected new linear particle acceleratores, where several hundred MWs per tube would be necessary. Also some special military transmitters begin to request GW pulses, with short pulse lengths - of course - but at nonnegligible repetition rates. Therefore several laboratories and microwave vacuum tube manufacturers have engaged - for several years - studies and development in the field of very high peak microwave power (HPM) toward two main directions: extended operation and extrapolation of the conventional tubes and devices; development of new concepts, among which the most promising are likely the high-current relativistic klystrons - that are also referred to as gate effect klystrons

Peak capacity, peak-capacity production rate, and boiling point resolution for temperature-programmed GC with very high programming rates

Science.gov (United States)

Grall; Leonard; Sacks

2000-02-01

Recent advances in column heating technology have made possible very fast linear temperature programming for high-speed gas chromatography. A fused-silica capillary column is contained in a tubular metal jacket, which is resistively heated by a precision power supply. With very rapid column heating, the rate of peak-capacity production is significantly enhanced, but the total peak capacity and the boiling-point resolution (minimum boiling-point difference required for the separation of two nonpolar compounds on a nonpolar column) are reduced relative to more conventional heating rates used with convection-oven instruments. As temperature-programming rates increase, elution temperatures also increase with the result that retention may become insignificant prior to elution. This results in inefficient utilization of the down-stream end of the column and causes a loss in the rate of peak-capacity production. The rate of peak-capacity production is increased by the use of shorter columns and higher carrier gas velocities. With high programming rates (100-600 degrees C/min), column lengths of 6-12 m and average linear carrier gas velocities in the 100-150 cm/s range are satisfactory. In this study, the rate of peak-capacity production, the total peak capacity, and the boiling point resolution are determined for C10-C28 n-alkanes using 6-18 m long columns, 50-200 cm/s average carrier gas velocities, and 60-600 degrees C/min programming rates. It was found that with a 6-meter-long, 0.25-mm i.d. column programmed at a rate of 600 degrees C/min, a maximum peak-capacity production rate of 6.1 peaks/s was obtained. A total peak capacity of about 75 peaks was produced in a 37-s long separation spanning a boiling-point range from n-C10 (174 degrees C) to n-C28 (432 degrees C).

Applying an Appreciative Inquiry Process to a Course Evaluation in Higher Education

Science.gov (United States)

Kung, Susie; Giles, David; Hagan, Bill

2013-01-01

While appreciative inquiry (AI) has its origins in organizational development, this article considers the application of AI within a course evaluation in higher education. An AI process was deemed appropriate given its concern for peak performance or life-centric experiences. Former students of a particular course, along with current students,…

Determination of gaussian peaks in gamma spectra by iterative regression

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nordemann, D.J.R.

1987-05-01

The parameters of the peaks in gamma-ray spectra are determined by a simple iterative regression method. For each peak, the parameters are associated with a gaussian curve (3 parameters) located above a linear continuum (2 parameters). This method may produces the complete result of the calculation of statistical uncertainties and an accuracy higher than others methods. (author) [pt

Higher spin currents in the critical O(N) vector model at 1/N{sup 2}

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Manashov, A.N. [Hamburg Univ. (Germany). 2. Inst. fuer Theoretische Physik; Regensburg Univ. (Germany). Inst. fuer Theoretische Physik; Skvortsov, E.D. [Munich Univ. (Germany). Arnold Sommerfeld Center for Theoretical Physics; Lebedev Institute of Physics, Moscow (Russian Federation); Strohmaier, M. [Regensburg Univ. (Germany). Inst. fuer Theoretische Physik

2017-06-15

We calculate the anomalous dimensions of higher spin singlet currents in the critical O(N) vector model at order 1/N{sup 2}. The results are shown to be in agreement with the four-loop perturbative computation in φ{sup 4} theory in 4-2ε dimensions. It is known that the order 1/N anomalous dimensions of higher-spin currents happen to be the same in the Gross-Neveu and the critical vector model. On the contrary, the order 1/N{sup 2} corrections are different. The results can also be interpreted as a prediction for the two-loop computation in the dual higher-spin gravity.

The Locations of Ring Current Pressure Peaks: Comparison of TWINS Measurements and CIMI Simulations for the 7-10 September 2015 CIR Storm

Science.gov (United States)

Hill, S. C.; Edmond, J. A.; Xu, H.; Perez, J. D.; Fok, M. C. H.; Goldstein, J.; McComas, D. J.; Valek, P. W.

2017-12-01

The characteristics of a four day 7-10 September 2015 co-rotating interaction region (CIR) storm (min. SYM/H ≤ -110 nT) are categorized by storm phase. Ion distributions of trapped particles in the ring current as measured by the Two Wide-Angle Imaging Neutral Atom Spectrometers (TWINS) are compared with the simulated ion distributions of the Comprehensive Inner Magnetosphere-Ionosphere Model (CIMI). The energetic neutral atom (ENA) images obtained by TWINS are deconvolved to extract equatorial pitch angle, energy spectra, ion pressure intensity, and ion pressure anisotropy distributions in the inner magnetosphere. CIMI, using either a self-consistent electric field or a semi-empirical electric field, simulates comparable distributions. There is good agreement between the data measured by TWINS and the different distributions produced by the self-consistent electric field and the semi-empirical electric field of CIMI. Throughout the storm the pitch angle distribution (PAD) is mostly perpendicular in both CIMI and TWINS and there is agreement between the anisotropy distributions. The locations of the ion pressure peaks seen by TWINS and by the self-consistent and semi empirical electric field parameters in CIMI are usually between dusk and midnight. On average, the self-consistent electric field in CIMI reveals ion pressure peaks closer to Earth than its semi empirical counterpart, while TWINS reports somewhat larger radial values for the ion pressure peak locations. There are also notable events throughout the storm during which the simulated observations show some characteristics that differ from those measured by TWINS. At times, there are ion pressure peaks with magnetic local time on the dayside and in the midnight to dawn region. We discuss these events in light of substorm injections indicated by fluctuating peaks in the AE index and a positive By component in the solar wind. There are also times in which there are multiple ion pressure peaks. This may

Discovery and characterization of the first low-peaked and intermediate-peaked BL Lacertae objects in the very high energy {gamma}-ray regime

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Berger, Karsten

2009-12-19

20 years after the discovery of the Crab Nebula as a source of very high energy {gamma}-rays, the number of sources newly discovered above 100 GeV using ground-based Cherenkov telescopes has considerably grown, at the time of writing of this thesis to a total of 81. The sources are of different types, including galactic sources such as supernova remnants, pulsars, binary systems, or so-far unidentified accelerators and extragalactic sources such as blazars and radio galaxies. The goal of this thesis work was to search for {gamma}-ray emission from a particular type of blazars previously undetected at very high {gamma}-ray energies, by using the MAGIC telescope. Those blazars previously detected were all of the same type, the so-called high-peaked BL Lacertae objects. The sources emit purely non-thermal emission, and exhibit a peak in their radio-to-X-ray spectral energy distribution at X-ray energies. The entire blazar population extends from these rare, low-luminosity BL Lacertae objects with peaks at X-ray energies to the much more numerous, high-luminosity infrared-peaked radio quasars. Indeed, the low-peaked sources dominate the source counts obtained from space-borne observations at {gamma}-ray energies up to 10 GeV. Their spectra observed at lower {gamma}-ray energies show power-law extensions to higher energies, although theoretical models suggest them to turn over at energies below 100 GeV. This opened the quest for MAGIC as the Cherenkov telescope with the currently lowest energy threshold. In the framework of this thesis, the search was focused on the prominent sources BL Lac, W Comae and S5 0716+714, respectively. Two of the sources were unambiguously discovered at very high energy {gamma}-rays with the MAGIC telescope, based on the analysis of a total of about 150 hours worth of data collected between 2005 and 2008. The analysis of this very large data set required novel techniques for treating the effects of twilight conditions on the data quality

Discovery and characterization of the first low-peaked and intermediate-peaked BL Lacertae objects in the very high energy γ-ray regime

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Berger, Karsten

2009-01-01

20 years after the discovery of the Crab Nebula as a source of very high energy γ-rays, the number of sources newly discovered above 100 GeV using ground-based Cherenkov telescopes has considerably grown, at the time of writing of this thesis to a total of 81. The sources are of different types, including galactic sources such as supernova remnants, pulsars, binary systems, or so-far unidentified accelerators and extragalactic sources such as blazars and radio galaxies. The goal of this thesis work was to search for γ-ray emission from a particular type of blazars previously undetected at very high γ-ray energies, by using the MAGIC telescope. Those blazars previously detected were all of the same type, the so-called high-peaked BL Lacertae objects. The sources emit purely non-thermal emission, and exhibit a peak in their radio-to-X-ray spectral energy distribution at X-ray energies. The entire blazar population extends from these rare, low-luminosity BL Lacertae objects with peaks at X-ray energies to the much more numerous, high-luminosity infrared-peaked radio quasars. Indeed, the low-peaked sources dominate the source counts obtained from space-borne observations at γ-ray energies up to 10 GeV. Their spectra observed at lower γ-ray energies show power-law extensions to higher energies, although theoretical models suggest them to turn over at energies below 100 GeV. This opened the quest for MAGIC as the Cherenkov telescope with the currently lowest energy threshold. In the framework of this thesis, the search was focused on the prominent sources BL Lac, W Comae and S5 0716+714, respectively. Two of the sources were unambiguously discovered at very high energy γ-rays with the MAGIC telescope, based on the analysis of a total of about 150 hours worth of data collected between 2005 and 2008. The analysis of this very large data set required novel techniques for treating the effects of twilight conditions on the data quality. This was successfully achieved

Peak reading detector circuit

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Courtin, E.; Grund, K.; Traub, S.; Zeeb, H.

1975-01-01

The peak reading detector circuit serves for picking up the instants during which peaks of a given polarity occur in sequences of signals in which the extreme values, their time intervals, and the curve shape of the signals vary. The signal sequences appear in measuring the foetal heart beat frequence from amplitude-modulated ultrasonic, electrocardiagram, and blood pressure signals. In order to prevent undesired emission of output signals from, e. g., disturbing intermediate extreme values, the circuit consists of the series connections of a circuit to simulate an ideal diode, a strong unit, a discriminator for the direction of charging current, a time-delay circuit, and an electronic switch lying in the decharging circuit of the storage unit. The time-delay circuit thereby causes storing of a preliminary maximum value being used only after a certain time delay for the emission of the output signal. If a larger extreme value occurs during the delay time the preliminary maximum value is cleared and the delay time starts running anew. (DG/PB) [de

Students and Instant Messaging: Survey on Current Use and Demands for Higher Education

NARCIS (Netherlands)

De Bakker, Gijs; Sloep, Peter; Jochems, Wim

2008-01-01

De Bakker, G., Sloep, P. B., & Jochems, W. M. G. (2007). Students and instant messaging: survey on current use and demands for higher education. Research in Learning Technology (ALT-J), 15(2), 143-153.

Peak-interviewet

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Raalskov, Jesper; Warming-Rasmussen, Bent

Peak-interviewet er en særlig effektiv metode til at gøre ubevidste menneskelige ressourcer bevidste. Fokuspersonen (den interviewede) interviewes om en selvvalgt, personlig succesoplevelse. Terapeuten/coachen (intervieweren) spørger ind til processen, som ledte hen til denne succes. Herved afdæk...... fokuspersonen ønsker at tage op (nye mål eller nye processer). Nærværende workingpaper beskriver, hvad der menes med et peak-interview, peakinterviwets teoretiske fundament samt metodikken til at foretage et tillidsfuldt og effektiv peak-interview....

'Peak oil' or 'peak demand'?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chevallier, Bruno; Moncomble, Jean-Eudes; Sigonney, Pierre; Vially, Rolland; Bosseboeuf, Didier; Chateau, Bertrand

2012-01-01

This article reports a workshop which addressed several energy issues like the objectives and constraints of energy mix scenarios, the differences between the approaches in different countries, the cost of new technologies implemented for this purposes, how these technologies will be developed and marketed, which will be the environmental and societal acceptability of these technical choices. Different aspects and issues have been more precisely presented and discussed: the peak oil, development of shale gases and their cost (will non conventional hydrocarbons modify the peak oil and be socially accepted?), energy efficiency (its benefits, its reality in France and other countries, its position in front of the challenge of energy transition), and strategies in the transport sector (challenges for mobility, evolution towards a model of sustainable mobility)

Automated Peak Picking and Peak Integration in Macromolecular NMR Spectra Using AUTOPSY

Science.gov (United States)

Koradi, Reto; Billeter, Martin; Engeli, Max; Güntert, Peter; Wüthrich, Kurt

1998-12-01

A new approach for automated peak picking of multidimensional protein NMR spectra with strong overlap is introduced, which makes use of the program AUTOPSY (automatedpeak picking for NMRspectroscopy). The main elements of this program are a novel function for local noise level calculation, the use of symmetry considerations, and the use of lineshapes extracted from well-separated peaks for resolving groups of strongly overlapping peaks. The algorithm generates peak lists with precise chemical shift and integral intensities, and a reliability measure for the recognition of each peak. The results of automated peak picking of NOESY spectra with AUTOPSY were tested in combination with the combined automated NOESY cross peak assignment and structure calculation routine NOAH implemented in the program DYANA. The quality of the resulting structures was found to be comparable with those from corresponding data obtained with manual peak picking.

Mask effects on cosmological studies with weak-lensing peak statistics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu, Xiangkun; Pan, Chuzhong; Fan, Zuhui; Wang, Qiao

2014-01-01

With numerical simulations, we analyze in detail how the bad data removal, i.e., the mask effect, can influence the peak statistics of the weak-lensing convergence field reconstructed from the shear measurement of background galaxies. It is found that high peak fractions are systematically enhanced because of the presence of masks; the larger the masked area is, the higher the enhancement is. In the case where the total masked area is about 13% of the survey area, the fraction of peaks with signal-to-noise ratio ν ≥ 3 is ∼11% of the total number of peaks, compared with ∼7% of the mask-free case in our considered cosmological model. This can have significant effects on cosmological studies with weak-lensing convergence peak statistics, inducing a large bias in the parameter constraints if the effects are not taken into account properly. Even for a survey area of 9 deg 2 , the bias in (Ω m , σ 8 ) is already intolerably large and close to 3σ. It is noted that most of the affected peaks are close to the masked regions. Therefore, excluding peaks in those regions in the peak statistics can reduce the bias effect but at the expense of losing usable survey areas. Further investigations find that the enhancement of the number of high peaks around the masked regions can be largely attributed to the smaller number of galaxies usable in the weak-lensing convergence reconstruction, leading to higher noise than that of the areas away from the masks. We thus develop a model in which we exclude only those very large masks with radius larger than 3' but keep all the other masked regions in peak counting statistics. For the remaining part, we treat the areas close to and away from the masked regions separately with different noise levels. It is shown that this two-noise-level model can account for the mask effect on peak statistics very well, and the bias in cosmological parameters is significantly reduced if this model is applied in the parameter fitting.

Robust Peak Recognition in Intracranial Pressure Signals

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bergsneider Marvin

2010-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The waveform morphology of intracranial pressure pulses (ICP is an essential indicator for monitoring, and forecasting critical intracranial and cerebrovascular pathophysiological variations. While current ICP pulse analysis frameworks offer satisfying results on most of the pulses, we observed that the performance of several of them deteriorates significantly on abnormal, or simply more challenging pulses. Methods This paper provides two contributions to this problem. First, it introduces MOCAIP++, a generic ICP pulse processing framework that generalizes MOCAIP (Morphological Clustering and Analysis of ICP Pulse. Its strength is to integrate several peak recognition methods to describe ICP morphology, and to exploit different ICP features to improve peak recognition. Second, it investigates the effect of incorporating, automatically identified, challenging pulses into the training set of peak recognition models. Results Experiments on a large dataset of ICP signals, as well as on a representative collection of sampled challenging ICP pulses, demonstrate that both contributions are complementary and significantly improve peak recognition performance in clinical conditions. Conclusion The proposed framework allows to extract more reliable statistics about the ICP waveform morphology on challenging pulses to investigate the predictive power of these pulses on the condition of the patient.

Students and recorded lectures: survey on current use and demands for higher education

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Gorissen, Pierre; Van Bruggen, Jan; Jochems, Wim

2012-01-01

Gorissen, P., Van Bruggen, J., & Jochems, W. M. G. (2012). Students and recorded lectures: survey on current use and demands for higher education. Research In Learning Technology, 20(3). doi:10.3402/rlt.v20i0.17299

Mineral Resources: Reserves, Peak Production and the Future

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lawrence D. Meinert

2016-02-01

Full Text Available The adequacy of mineral resources in light of population growth and rising standards of living has been a concern since the time of Malthus (1798, but many studies erroneously forecast impending peak production or exhaustion because they confuse reserves with “all there is”. Reserves are formally defined as a subset of resources, and even current and potential resources are only a small subset of “all there is”. Peak production or exhaustion cannot be modeled accurately from reserves. Using copper as an example, identified resources are twice as large as the amount projected to be needed through 2050. Estimates of yet-to-be discovered copper resources are up to 40-times more than currently-identified resources, amounts that could last for many centuries. Thus, forecasts of imminent peak production due to resource exhaustion in the next 20–30 years are not valid. Short-term supply problems may arise, however, and supply-chain disruptions are possible at any time due to natural disasters (earthquakes, tsunamis, hurricanes or political complications. Needed to resolve these problems are education and exploration technology development, access to prospective terrain, better recycling and better accounting of externalities associated with production (pollution, loss of ecosystem services and water and energy use.

Superoxide dismutase levels and peak expiratory flow in asthmatic children

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Arie Kurniasih

2016-11-01

Full Text Available Background Asthma is a chronic inflammatory process which involve variety of cells such as inflammatory mediators, reactive oxygen species (ROS, and cytokines. The inflammatory process would be exacerbated in the presence of oxidative stress. Superoxide dismutase (SOD is the first important enzyme to protect the respiratory tract against oxidative stress. The decreased of SOD has a correlation with increased of airway obstruction and bronchospasm. Objective To assess for a correlation between superoxide dismutase (SOD levels and peak expiratory flow, as well as to determine the impact of SOD levels for predicting asthma attacks. Methods We conducted a prospective cohort study at Dr. Sardjito Hospital, Yogyakarta, between February and April 2011 involving asthmatic children aged 5-18 years. Subjects’ serum SOD levels and peak expiratory flow were measured at the same time point. We then performed a prospective study following up on the same subjects to find out if they had a recurrent asthma attack within one month of the tests. We also reassessed their peak expiratory flow one month after blood specimens were obtained. Results Thirty-nine patients were enrolled in this study. There was no significant correlation between SOD level and peak expiratory flow [r=0.289; 95%CI -0.025 to 0.47; P=0.074]. However, older age was significantly associated with higher peak expiratory flow (=0.5; 95%CI 3.10 to 11.57; P=0.01. Lower levels of SOD increased the risk of asthma attacks in a month following the initial measurements (RR=5.5; 95%CI 1.6 to 18.9; P=0.009. Conclusion Superoxide dismutase (SOD level is not significantly associated with peak expiratory flow. However, we find a relationship between older age and higher peak expiratory flow and a relationship between lower SOD levels and risk of asthma attacks within one month following the tests.

Physical activity as a long-term predictor of peak oxygen uptake: the HUNT Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Aspenes, Stian Thoresen; Nauman, Javaid; Nilsen, Tom Ivar Lund; Vatten, Lars Johan; Wisløff, Ulrik

2011-09-01

A physically active lifestyle and a relatively high level of cardiorespiratory fitness are important for longevity and long-term health. No population-based study has prospectively assessed the association of physical activity levels with long-term peak oxygen uptake (VO(2peak)). 1843 individuals (906 women and 937 men) who were between 18 and 66 yr at baseline and were free from known lung or heart diseases at both baseline (1984-1986) and follow-up (2006-2008) were included in the study. Self-reported physical activity was recorded at both occasions, and VO(2peak) was measured at follow-up. The association of physical activity levels and VO(2peak) was adjusted for age, level of education, smoking status, and weight change from baseline to follow-up, using ANCOVA statistics. The level of physical activity at baseline was strongly associated with VO(2peak) at follow-up 23 yr later in both men and women (Ptrends active at baseline had higher (3.3 and 4.6 mL·kg(-1)·min(-1)) VO(2peak) at follow-up. Women who were inactive at baseline but highly active at follow-up had 3.7 mL·kg(-1)·min(-1) higher VO(2peak) compared with women who were inactive both at baseline and at follow-up. The corresponding comparison in men showed a difference of 5.2 mL·kg(-1)·min(-1) (95% confidence interval = 3.1-7.3) in VO(2peak). Physical activity level at baseline was positively associated with directly measured cardiorespiratory fitness (VO(2peak)) 23 yr later. People who changed from low to high activity during the observation period had substantially higher V˙O(2peak) at follow-up compared with people whose activity remained low.

COMMUNITARIAN INSTITUTIONS FOR HIGHER EDUCATION: CURRENT ISSUES

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Helio Radke Bittencourt

2014-11-01

Full Text Available Since 2010, the Brazilian communitarian institutions for higher education are not included officially under this designation in the INEP’s microdata, with the extinction of the category “communitarian, religious and philanthropic”. Since then, the Brazilian private’s higher education institutions are classified according to their legal nature: for-profit or non-profit. Nevertheless, the new law 12.881 of 2013, enacted in November 2013, has changed this reality after the approval by the National Congress, establishing the definition and purpose of the Community institutions, and confirming, in particular, their characteristics of non-profit institutions belonging to civil society, and their organization into associations or foundations (BRAZIL, 2013. The recent expansion of the federal and for-profit higher education institutions has directly affected the so far called communitarian institutions, which present differentiated characteristics compared to forprofit private higher education institutions as well as public education. In this article, data and contemporary aspects related to the new scenario of Brazilian higher education are analyzed, with special focus on higher education institutions members of the Association of Community Universities (ABRUC, and were found better performance of these ones in comparison to the private for-profit higher education institutions. The obtained results, combined with the regional impact of the communitarian higher education institutions, justify the importance of these institutions to improve the consolidation of higher education in Brazil.

Ultrasonic Transducer Peak-to-Peak Optical Measurement

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pavel Skarvada

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Possible optical setups for measurement of the peak-to-peak value of an ultrasonic transducer are described in this work. The Michelson interferometer with the calibrated nanopositioner in reference path and laser Doppler vibrometer were used for the basic measurement of vibration displacement. Langevin type of ultrasonic transducer is used for the purposes of Electro-Ultrasonic Nonlinear Spectroscopy (EUNS. Parameters of produced mechanical vibration have to been well known for EUNS. Moreover, a monitoring of mechanical vibration frequency shift with a mass load and sample-transducer coupling is important for EUNS measurement.

Effects of equipment and technique on peak flow measurements

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

O'Driscoll B Ronan

2006-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Different lung function equipment and different respiratory manoeuvres may produce different Peak Expiratory Flow (PEF results. Although the PEF is the most common lung function test, there have been few studies of these effects and no previous study has evaluated both factors in a single group of patients. Methods We studied 36 subjects (PEF range 80–570 l/min. All patients recorded PEF measurements using a short rapid expiration following maximal inspiration (PEF technique or a forced maximal expiration to residual volume (FVC technique. Measurements were made using a Wright's peak flow meter, a turbine spirometer and a Fleisch pneumotachograph spirometer. Results The mean PEF was 8.7% higher when the PEF technique was used (compared with FVC technique, p Conclusion Peak flow measurements are affected by the instruction given and by the device and Peak Flow scale used. Patient management decisions should not be based on PEF measurement made on different instruments.

Photoinduced currents in pristine and ion irradiated kapton-H polyimide

Science.gov (United States)

Sharma, Anu; Sridharbabu, Y.; Quamara, J. K.

2014-10-01

The photoinduced currents in pristine and ion irradiated kapton-H polyimide have been investigated for different applied electric fields at 200°C. Particularly the effect of illumination intensity on the maximum current obtained as a result of photoinduced polarization has been studied. Samples were irradiated by using PELLETRON facility, IUAC, New Delhi. The photo-carrier charge generation depends directly on intensity of illumination. The samples irradiated at higher fluence show a decrease in the peak current with intensity of illumination. The secondary radiation induced crystallinity (SRIC) is responsible for the increase in maximum photoinduced currents generated with intensity of illumination.

Photoinduced currents in pristine and ion irradiated kapton-H polyimide

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sharma, Anu, E-mail: sharmaanu81@gmail.com; Sridharbabu, Y., E-mail: sharmaanu81@gmail.com; Quamara, J. K., E-mail: sharmaanu81@gmail.com [Physics Department, SGTB Khalsa college, Delhi University, Delhi (India); Department of Physics, National Institute of Technology, Kurukshetra-136119 (India); Echelon Group of Institutions, Faridabad (India)

2014-10-15

The photoinduced currents in pristine and ion irradiated kapton-H polyimide have been investigated for different applied electric fields at 200°C. Particularly the effect of illumination intensity on the maximum current obtained as a result of photoinduced polarization has been studied. Samples were irradiated by using PELLETRON facility, IUAC, New Delhi. The photo-carrier charge generation depends directly on intensity of illumination. The samples irradiated at higher fluence show a decrease in the peak current with intensity of illumination. The secondary radiation induced crystallinity (SRIC) is responsible for the increase in maximum photoinduced currents generated with intensity of illumination.

Comparative analysis of peak-detection techniques for comprehensive two-dimensional chromatography.

Science.gov (United States)

Latha, Indu; Reichenbach, Stephen E; Tao, Qingping

2011-09-23

Comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography (GC×GC) is a powerful technology for separating complex samples. The typical goal of GC×GC peak detection is to aggregate data points of analyte peaks based on their retention times and intensities. Two techniques commonly used for two-dimensional peak detection are the two-step algorithm and the watershed algorithm. A recent study [4] compared the performance of the two-step and watershed algorithms for GC×GC data with retention-time shifts in the second-column separations. In that analysis, the peak retention-time shifts were corrected while applying the two-step algorithm but the watershed algorithm was applied without shift correction. The results indicated that the watershed algorithm has a higher probability of erroneously splitting a single two-dimensional peak than the two-step approach. This paper reconsiders the analysis by comparing peak-detection performance for resolved peaks after correcting retention-time shifts for both the two-step and watershed algorithms. Simulations with wide-ranging conditions indicate that when shift correction is employed with both algorithms, the watershed algorithm detects resolved peaks with greater accuracy than the two-step method. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Higher Education in Kenya: An Assessment of Current Responses to the Imperative of Widening Access

Science.gov (United States)

Odhiambo, George

2016-01-01

Higher education is a key factor in a nation's effort to develop a highly skilled workforce for competing in the global economy. In this paper, current trends in accessibility, equity, participation and financing of higher education in Kenya are examined. The paper explores the challenges which need to be confronted and discusses the way forward…

Electric current precedes emergence of a lateral root in higher plants.

Science.gov (United States)

Hamada, S; Ezaki, S; Hayashi, K; Toko, K; Yamafuji, K

1992-10-01

Stable electrochemical patterns appear spontaneously around roots of higher plants and are closely related to growth. An electric potential pattern accompanied by lateral root emergence was measured along the surface of the primary root of adzuki bean (Phaseolus angularis) over 21 h using a microelectrode manipulated by a newly developed apparatus. The electric potential became lower at the point where a lateral root emerged. This change preceded the emergence of the lateral root by about 10 h. A theory is presented for calculating two-dimensional patterns of electric potential and electric current density around the primary root (and a lateral root) using only data on the one-dimensional electric potential measured near the surface of the primary root. The development of the lateral root inside the primary root is associated with the influx of electric current of about 0.7 muA.cm(-2) at the surface.

Deep tissue optical imaging of upconverting nanoparticles enabled by exploiting higher intrinsic quantum yield through use of millisecond single pulse excitation with high peak power

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Liu, Haichun; Xu, Can T.; Dumlupinar, Gökhan

2013-01-01

We have accomplished deep tissue optical imaging of upconverting nanoparticles at 800 nm, using millisecond single pulse excitation with high peak power. This is achieved by carefully choosing the pulse parameters, derived from time-resolved rate-equation analysis, which result in higher intrinsic...... quantum yield that is utilized by upconverting nanoparticles for generating this near infrared upconversion emission. The pulsed excitation approach thus promises previously unreachable imaging depths and shorter data acquisition times compared with continuous wave excitation, while simultaneously keeping...... therapy and remote activation of biomolecules in deep tissues....

Standardization of I-125. Sum-Peak Coincidence Counting

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Grau Carles, A.; Grau Malonda, A.

2011-01-01

I-125 is a nuclide which presents difficulties for standardization. The sum-peak method is one of the procedures used to standardize this radionuclide. Initially NaI (Tl)detectors and then the semiconductor detectors with higher resolution have been used.This paper describes the different methods based on the sum-peak procedure and the different expressions used to calculate the activity are deduced. We describe a general procedure for obtaining all of the above equations and many more. We analyze the influence of uncertainties in the used parameters in the uncertainty of the activity. We give a complete example of the transmission of uncertainty and the effects of correlations in the uncertainty of the activity of the sample. High-resolution spectra show an unresolved doublet of 62.0 keV and 62.8 keV. The paper presents two approaches to solve this problem. One is based on the calculation of area ratio and the sum of peak areas obtained from atomic and nuclear data, in the other we modify the equations so that the sum of the peak areas doublet, rather than its components, is present. (Author) 19 refs.

Standardization of I-125. Sum-Peak Coincidence Counting

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Grau Carles, A.; Grau Malonda, A.

2011-07-01

I-125 is a nuclide which presents difficulties for standardization. The sum-peak method is one of the procedures used to standardize this radionuclide. Initially NaI (Tl)detectors and then the semiconductor detectors with higher resolution have been used.This paper describes the different methods based on the sum-peak procedure and the different expressions used to calculate the activity are deduced. We describe a general procedure for obtaining all of the above equations and many more. We analyze the influence of uncertainties in the used parameters in the uncertainty of the activity. We give a complete example of the transmission of uncertainty and the effects of correlations in the uncertainty of the activity of the sample. High-resolution spectra show an unresolved doublet of 62.0 keV and 62.8 keV. The paper presents two approaches to solve this problem. One is based on the calculation of area ratio and the sum of peak areas obtained from atomic and nuclear data, in the other we modify the equations so that the sum of the peak areas doublet, rather than its components, is present. (Author) 19 refs.

Enhanced vegetation growth peak and its key mechanisms

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, K.; Xia, J.; Wang, Y.; Ahlström, A.; Schwalm, C.; Huntzinger, D. N.; Chen, J.; Cook, R. B.; Fang, Y.; Fisher, J. B.; Jacobson, A. R.; Michalak, A.; Schaefer, K. M.; Wei, Y.; Yan, L.; Luo, Y.

2017-12-01

It remains unclear that whether and how the vegetation growth peak has been shifted globally during the past three decades. Here we used two global datasets of gross primary productivity (GPP) and a satellite-derived Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) to characterize recent changes in seasonal peak vegetation growth. The attribution of changes in peak growth to their driving factors was examined with several datasets. We demonstrated that the growth peak of global vegetation has been linearly increasing during the past three decades. About 65% of this trend is evenly explained by the expanding croplands (21%), rising atmospheric [CO2] (22%), and intensifying nitrogen deposition (22%). The contribution of expanding croplands to the peak growth trend was substantiated by measurements from eddy-flux towers, sun-induced chlorophyll fluorescence and a global database of plant traits, all of which demonstrated that croplands have a higher photosynthetic capacity than other vegetation types. The contribution of rising atmospheric [CO2] and nitrogen deposition are consistent with the positive response of leaf growth to elevated [CO2] (25%) and nitrogen addition (8%) from 346 manipulated experiments. The positive effect of rising atmospheric [CO2] was also well captured by 15 terrestrial biosphere models. However, most models underestimated the contributions of land-cover change and nitrogen deposition, but overestimated the positive effect of climate change.

Rotational and peak torque stiffness of rugby shoes.

Science.gov (United States)

Ballal, Moez S; Usuelli, Federico Giuseppe; Montrasio, Umberto Alfieri; Molloy, Andy; La Barbera, Luigi; Villa, Tomaso; Banfi, Giuseppe

2014-09-01

Sports people always strive to avoid injury. Sports shoe designs in many sports have been shown to affect traction and injury rates. The aim of this study is to demonstrate the differing stiffness and torque in rugby boots that are designed for the same effect. Five different types of rugby shoes commonly worn by scrum forwards were laboratory tested for rotational stiffness and peak torque on a natural playing surface generating force patterns that would be consistent with a rugby scrum. The overall internal rotation peak torque was 57.75±6.26 Nm while that of external rotation was 56.55±4.36 Nm. The Peak internal and external rotational stiffness were 0.696±0.1 and 0.708±0.06 Nm/deg respectively. Our results, when compared to rotational stiffness and peak torques of football shoes published in the literature, show that shoes worn by rugby players exert higher rotational and peak torque stiffness compared to football shoes when tested on the same natural surfaces. There was significant difference between the tested rugby shoes brands. In our opinion, to maximize potential performance and lower the potential of non-contact injury, care should be taken in choosing boots with stiffness appropriate to the players main playing role. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Electricity Portfolio Management: Optimal Peak / Off-Peak Allocations

OpenAIRE

Huisman, Ronald; Mahieu, Ronald; Schlichter, Felix

2007-01-01

textabstractElectricity purchasers manage a portfolio of contracts in order to purchase the expected future electricity consumption profile of a company or a pool of clients. This paper proposes a mean-variance framework to address the concept of structuring the portfolio and focuses on how to allocate optimal positions in peak and off-peak forward contracts. It is shown that the optimal allocations are based on the difference in risk premiums per unit of day-ahead risk as a measure of relati...

Peak regulation right

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gao, Z. |; Ren, Z.; Li, Z.; Zhu, R.

2005-01-01

A peak regulation right concept and corresponding transaction mechanism for an electricity market was presented. The market was based on a power pool and independent system operator (ISO) model. Peak regulation right (PRR) was defined as a downward regulation capacity purchase option which allowed PRR owners to buy certain quantities of peak regulation capacity (PRC) at a specific price during a specified period from suppliers. The PRR owner also had the right to decide whether or not they would buy PRC from suppliers. It was the power pool's responsibility to provide competitive and fair peak regulation trading markets to participants. The introduction of PRR allowed for unit capacity regulation. The PRR and PRC were rated by the supplier, and transactions proceeded through a bidding process. PRR suppliers obtained profits by selling PRR and PRC, and obtained downward regulation fees regardless of whether purchases are made. It was concluded that the peak regulation mechanism reduced the total cost of the generating system and increased the social surplus. 6 refs., 1 tab., 3 figs

Novel five-state latch using double-peak negative differential resistance and standard ternary inverter

Science.gov (United States)

Shin, Sunhae; Rok Kim, Kyung

2016-04-01

We propose complement double-peak negative differential resistance (NDR) devices with ultrahigh peak-to-valley current ratio (PVCR) over 106 by combining tunnel diode with conventional CMOS and its compact five-state latch circuit by introducing standard ternary inverter (STI). At the “high”-state of STI, n-type NDR device (tunnel diode with nMOS) has 1st NDR characteristics with 1st peak and valley by band-to-band tunneling (BTBT) and trap-assisted tunneling (TAT), whereas p-type NDR device (tunnel diode with pMOS) has second NDR characteristics from the suppression of diode current by off-state MOSFET. The “intermediate”-state of STI permits double-peak NDR device to operate five-state latch with only four transistors, which has 33% area reduction compared with that of binary inverter and 57% bit-density reduction compared with binary latch.

Resistive flux saving and current profile control during lower hybrid waves assisted current rise in TORE SUPRA

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

van Houtte, D.; Hoang, G.T.; Joffrin, E.; Lecoustey, P.; Moreau, D.; Parlange, F.; Tonon, G.; Vallet, J.C.

1992-01-01

Resistive flux saving at densities n e = (1 - 2) x 10 19 m -3 has been studied. High flux saving efficiency (0.7 x 10 13 Wb/J/m -1 ) can be achieved for a low rf power (P LH = 0.5 MW) due to the beneficial effect of the electric field on the suprathermal electrons. However for power higher than 1 MW, the efficiency is 0.25 x 10 13 Wb/J/m -1 . This flux saving efficiency is comparable to the one obtained during the flat top phase. The application of the LH power during a low density current ramp-up tends to peak the electron temperature and current density profiles. The rf power level, the parallel wavenumber and the current ramp rate allow to control the trajectories of the plasma discharges during the current rise inside the MHD stable domain

Adjustable direct current and pulsed circuit fault current limiter

Science.gov (United States)

Boenig, Heinrich J.; Schillig, Josef B.

2003-09-23

A fault current limiting system for direct current circuits and for pulsed power circuit. In the circuits, a current source biases a diode that is in series with the circuits' transmission line. If fault current in a circuit exceeds current from the current source biasing the diode open, the diode will cease conducting and route the fault current through the current source and an inductor. This limits the rate of rise and the peak value of the fault current.

Peak effect and vortex dynamics in superconducting MgB2 single crystals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Hyun-Sook; Jang, Dong-Jin; Kim, Heon-Jung; Kang, Byeongwon; Lee, Sung-Ik

2007-01-01

The dynamic nature of the vortex state of MgB 2 single crystals near the peak effect (PE) region, which is very different either from that of conventional low-temperature superconductors or from that of high-temperature cuprate superconductors, is introduced in this article. Relaxation from a disordered, metastable field-cooled (FC) state to an ordered, stable zero-field-cooled (ZFC) state of the MgB 2 single crystals under an applied magnetic field and current is investigated. From an analysis of the noise properties in the ZFC state, a dynamic vortex phase diagram of the MgB 2 is obtained near the PE region. Between the onset and the peak region in the critical current vs. magnetic field diagram, crossovers from a high-noise state to a noise-free state are observed with increasing current. Above the peak, however, an opposite phenomenon, crossovers from a noise-free to a high-noise state, is observed which has not been observed in any other superconductors. The hysteresis in the I-V curves and the two-level random telegraph noise in the time evolution of the voltage response under an constant applied current at the ZFC state are also studied in detail

Current Approaches to the Assessment of Graphic Design in a Higher Education Context

Science.gov (United States)

Giloi, Susan; du Toit, Pieter

2013-01-01

This article provides an overview of the current trends in assessment practice within the field of graphic design. The demands placed on educators to apply sound assessment practice for Higher Education subjects is as intense in the field of graphic design as in any other. Forcing the assessment of creative visual work into existing assessment…

Current status of educational services in higher agricultural education in Ukraine

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. S. Cobets’

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Perspective directions of integration state policy of Ukraine Higher Education  into the European educational space and steps of implementation are determined. It is analysed the current state of higher agricultural education and integration current state policy of Ukraine Higher Education into the European educational space which allowed to identify problems and highlighted areas for further development. It is considered that it is necessary to establish cooperation in the triangle «production ­ education – science», extend the impact of scientists and experts on the content of  educational sector, come educational standards to needs and challenges of the real economy, as upgrades of industry standards for higher education, forming curricula, new teaching methods. Professionals training is possible only in a simulation of modern production principles, including the European Union. It is necessary to strengthen the position of agricultural universities as international educational and scientific centers in the framework of the European educational space. This refers to the practice and teaching students abroad, teachers training, participation in international programs, joint research. Ukrainian agricultural education system has competitive advantages despite the general neglect and can be considered unique in the educational market, it has conditions for the creation and testing of innovative products for different agro­climatic zones within a region. This provides the results of knowledge­based real conditions of agricultural production. Among the weaknesses of the education system it is possible to note a lack of cooperation with employers, lack of logistical and information and communication resources, mismatch of modern innovative designs and high technologies. It is therefore necessary to overcome the gap between the content of education and the real needs of innovation economy. In general, you need to ensure long­term practice

Martial arts striking hand peak acceleration, accuracy and consistency.

Science.gov (United States)

Neto, Osmar Pinto; Marzullo, Ana Carolina De Miranda; Bolander, Richard P; Bir, Cynthia A

2013-01-01

The goal of this paper was to investigate the possible trade-off between peak hand acceleration and accuracy and consistency of hand strikes performed by martial artists of different training experiences. Ten male martial artists with training experience ranging from one to nine years volunteered to participate in the experiment. Each participant performed 12 maximum effort goal-directed strikes. Hand acceleration during the strikes was obtained using a tri-axial accelerometer block. A pressure sensor matrix was used to determine the accuracy and consistency of the strikes. Accuracy was estimated by the radial distance between the centroid of each subject's 12 strikes and the target, whereas consistency was estimated by the square root of the 12 strikes mean squared distance from their centroid. We found that training experience was significantly correlated to hand peak acceleration prior to impact (r(2)=0.456, p =0.032) and accuracy (r(2)=0. 621, p=0.012). These correlations suggest that more experienced participants exhibited higher hand peak accelerations and at the same time were more accurate. Training experience, however, was not correlated to consistency (r(2)=0.085, p=0.413). Overall, our results suggest that martial arts training may lead practitioners to achieve higher striking hand accelerations with better accuracy and no change in striking consistency.

Decomposing the Bragg glass and the peak effect in a Type-II superconductor

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Toft-Petersen, Rasmus; Abrahamsen, Asger Bech; Balog, Sandor

2018-01-01

. In Type-II superconductors, disorder generally works to pin vortices, giving zero resistivity below a critical current j(c). However, peaks have been observed in the temperature and field dependences of j(c). This peak effect is difficult to explain in terms of an ordered Abrikosov vortex lattice. Here we...

The fascicular anatomy and peak force capabilities of the sternocleidomastoid muscle.

Science.gov (United States)

Kennedy, Ewan; Albert, Michael; Nicholson, Helen

2017-06-01

The fascicular morphology of the sternocleidomastoid (SCM) is not well described in modern anatomical texts, and the biomechanical forces it exerts on individual cervical motion segments are not known. The purpose of this study is to investigate the fascicular anatomy and peak force capabilities of the SCM combining traditional dissection and modern imaging. This study is comprised of three parts: Dissection, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and biomechanical modelling. Dissection was performed on six embalmed cadavers: three males of age 73-74 years and three females of age 63-93 years. The fascicular arrangement and morphologic data were recorded. MRIs were performed on six young, healthy volunteers: three males of age 24-37 and three females of age 26-28. In vivo volumes of the SCM were calculated using the Cavalieri method. Modelling of the SCM was performed on five sets of computed tomography (CT) scans. This mapped the fascicular arrangement of the SCM with relation to the cervical motion segments, and used volume data from the MRIs to calculate realistic peak force capabilities. Dissection showed the SCM has four parts; sterno-mastoid, sterno-occipital, cleido-mastoid and cleido-occipital portions. Force modelling shows that peak torque capacity of the SCM is higher at lower cervical levels, and minimal at higher levels. Peak shear forces are higher in the lower cervical spine, while compression is consistent throughout. The four-part SCM is capable of producing forces that vary across the cervical motion segments. The implications of these findings are discussed with reference to models of neck muscle function and dysfunction.

Limiting stable states of high-Tc superconductors in the alternating current modes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Romanovskii, V.R.; Watanabe, K.; Awaji, S.

2014-01-01

The limiting current-carrying capacity of high-T c superconductor and superconducting tape has been studied in the alternating current states. The features that are responsible for their stable formation have been investigated under the conduction-cooled conditions when the operating peak values of the electric field and the current may essentially exceed the corresponding critical values of superconductor. Besides, it has been proved that these peak values are higher than the values of the electric field and the current, which lead to the thermal runaway phenomenon when the current instability onset occurs in the operating modes with direct current. As a result, the stable extremely high heat generation exists in these operating states, which can be called as overloaded states. The limiting stable peak values of charged currents and stability conditions have been determined taking into account the flux creep states of superconductors. The analysis performed has revealed that there exist characteristic times defining the corresponding time windows in the stable development of overloaded states of the alternating current. In order to explain their existence, the basic thermo-electrodynamics mechanisms have been formulated, which have allowed to explain the high stable values of the temperature and the induced electric field before the onset of alternating current instability. In general, it has been shown that the high-T c superconductors may stably operate in the overloaded alternating current states even under the not intensive cooling conditions at a very high level of heat generation, which is not considered in the existing theory of losses. (authors)

Make peak flow a habit

Science.gov (United States)

Asthma - make peak flow a habit; Reactive airway disease - peak flow; Bronchial asthma - peak flow ... 2014:chap 55. National Asthma Education and Prevention Program website. How to use a peak flow meter. ...

An Evaluation of Peak Finding for DVR Classification of Biological Data

KAUST Repository

Knoll, Aaron

2012-01-01

In medicine and the life sciences, volume data are frequently entropic, containing numerous features at different scales as well as significant noise from the scan source. Conventional transfer function approaches for direct volume rendering have difficulty handling such data, resulting in poor classification or undersampled rendering. Peak finding addresses issues in classifying noisy data by explicitly solving for isosurfaces at desired peaks in a transfer function. As a result, one can achieve better classification and visualization with fewer samples and correspondingly higher performance. This paper applies peak finding to several medical and biological data sets, particularly examining its potential in directly rendering unfiltered and unsegmented data.

Bifurcation of Jovian magnetotail current sheet

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

P. L. Israelevich

2006-07-01

Full Text Available Multiple crossings of the magnetotail current sheet by a single spacecraft give the possibility to distinguish between two types of electric current density distribution: single-peaked (Harris type current layer and double-peaked (bifurcated current sheet. Magnetic field measurements in the Jovian magnetic tail by Voyager-2 reveal bifurcation of the tail current sheet. The electric current density possesses a minimum at the point of the Bx-component reversal and two maxima at the distance where the magnetic field strength reaches 50% of its value in the tail lobe.

Gnevyshev peaks in solar radio emissions at different frequencies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

R. P. Kane

2009-04-01

Full Text Available Sunspots have a major 11-year cycle, but the years near the sunspot maximum show two or more peaks called GP (Gnevyshev Peaks. In this communication, it was examined whether these peaks in sunspots are reflected in other parameters such as Lyman-α (the chromospheric emission 121.6 nm, radio emissions 242–15 400 MHz emanating from altitude levels 2000–12 000 km, the low latitude (+45° to −45° solar open magnetic flux and the coronal green line emission (Fe XIV, 530.3 nm. In the different solar cycles 20–23, the similarity extended at least upto the level of 609 MHz, but in cycle 22, the highest level was of 242 MHz. The extension to the higher level in cycle 22 does not seem to be related to the cycle strength Rz(max, or to the cycle length.

Disruption, vertical displacement event and halo current characterization for ITER

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wesley, J.; Fujisawa, N.; Ortolani, S.; Putvinski, S.; Rosenbluth, M.N.

1997-01-01

Characteristics, in ITER, of plasma disruptions, vertical displacement events (VDEs) and the conversion of plasma current to runaway electron current in a disruption are presented. In addition to the well known potential of disruptions to produce rapid thermal energy and plasma current quenches and theoretical predictions that show the likelihood of ∼ 50% runaway conversion, an assessment of VDE and halo current characteristics in vertically elongated tokamaks shows that disruptions in ITER will result in VDEs with peak in-vessel halo currents of up to 50% of the predisruption plasma current and with toroidal peaking factors (peak/average current density) of up to 4:1. However, the assessment also shows an inverse correlation between the halo current magnitude and the toroidal peaking factor; hence, ITER VDEs can be expected to have a product of normalized halo current magnitude times toroidal peaking factor of ≤ 75%. (author). 3 refs, 2 figs, 3 tabs

Sensitivity of peak flow to the change of rainfall temporal pattern due to warmer climate

Science.gov (United States)

Fadhel, Sherien; Rico-Ramirez, Miguel Angel; Han, Dawei

2018-05-01

The widely used design storms in urban drainage networks has different drawbacks. One of them is that the shape of the rainfall temporal pattern is fixed regardless of climate change. However, previous studies have shown that the temporal pattern may scale with temperature due to climate change, which consequently affects peak flow. Thus, in addition to the scaling of the rainfall volume, the scaling relationship for the rainfall temporal pattern with temperature needs to be investigated by deriving the scaling values for each fraction within storm events, which is lacking in many parts of the world including the UK. Therefore, this study analysed rainfall data from 28 gauges close to the study area with a 15-min resolution as well as the daily temperature data. It was found that, at warmer temperatures, the rainfall temporal pattern becomes less uniform, with more intensive peak rainfall during higher intensive times and weaker rainfall during less intensive times. This is the case for storms with and without seasonal separations. In addition, the scaling values for both the rainfall volume and the rainfall fractions (i.e. each segment of rainfall temporal pattern) for the summer season were found to be higher than the corresponding results for the winter season. Applying the derived scaling values for the temporal pattern of the summer season in a hydrodynamic sewer network model produced high percentage change of peak flow between the current and future climate. This study on the scaling of rainfall fractions is the first in the UK, and its findings are of importance to modellers and designers of sewer systems because it can provide more robust scenarios for flooding mitigation in urban areas.

Peak Operation of Cascaded Hydropower Plants Serving Multiple Provinces

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jianjian Shen

2015-10-01

Full Text Available The bulk hydropower transmission via trans-provincial and trans-regional power networks in China provides great operational flexibility to dispatch power resources between multiple power grids. This is very beneficial to alleviate the tremendous peak load pressure of most provincial power grids. This study places the focus on peak operations of cascaded hydropower plants serving multiple provinces under a regional connected AC/DC network. The objective is to respond to peak loads of multiple provincial power grids simultaneously. A two-stage search method is developed for this problem. In the first stage, a load reconstruction strategy is proposed to combine multiple load curves of power grids into a total load curve. The purpose is to deal with different load features in load magnitudes, peaks and valleys. A mutative-scale optimization method is then used to determine the generation schedules of hydropower plants. In the second stage, an exterior point search method is established to allocate the generation among multiple receiving power grids. This method produces an initial solution using the load shedding algorithm, and further improves it by iteratively coordinating the generation among different power grids. The proposed method was implemented to the operations of cascaded hydropower plants on Xin-Fu River and another on Hongshui River. The optimization results in two cases satisfied the peak demands of receiving provincial power grids. Moreover, the maximum load difference between peak and valley decreased 12.67% and 11.32% in Shanghai Power Grid (SHPG and Zhejiang Power Grid (ZJPG, exceeding by 4.85% and 6.72% those of the current operational method, respectively. The advantage of the proposed method in alleviating peak-shaving pressure is demonstrated.

Peak Experience Project

Science.gov (United States)

Scott, Daniel G.; Evans, Jessica

2010-01-01

This paper emerges from the continued analysis of data collected in a series of international studies concerning Childhood Peak Experiences (CPEs) based on developments in understanding peak experiences in Maslow's hierarchy of needs initiated by Dr Edward Hoffman. Bridging from the series of studies, Canadian researchers explore collected…

PEAK SHIFTS PRODUCED BY CORRELATED RESPONSE TO SELECTION.

Science.gov (United States)

Price, Trevor; Turelli, Michael; Slatkin, Montgomery

1993-02-01

Traits may evolve both as a consequence of direct selection and also as a correlated response to selection on other traits. While correlated response may be important for both the production of evolutionary novelty and in the build-up of complex characters, its potential role in peak shifts has been neglected empirically and theoretically. We use a quantitative genetic model to investigate the conditions under which a character, Y, which has two alternative optima, can be dragged from one optimum to the other as a correlated response to selection on a second character, X. High genetic correlations between the two characters make the transition, or peak shift, easier, as does weak selection tending to restore Y to the optimum from which it is being dragged. When selection on Y is very weak, the conditions for a peak shift depend only on the location of the new optimum for X and are independent of the strength of selection moving it there. Thus, if the "adaptive valley" for Y is very shallow, little reduction in mean fitness is needed to produce a shift. If the selection acts strongly to keep Y at its current optimum, very intense directional selection on X, associated with a dramatic drop in mean fitness, is required for a peak shift. When strong selection is required, the conditions for peak shifts driven by correlated response might occur rarely, but still with sufficient frequency on a geological timescale to be evolutionarily important. © 1993 The Society for the Study of Evolution.

Bifurcation of Jovian magnetotail current sheet

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

P. L. Israelevich

2006-07-01

Full Text Available Multiple crossings of the magnetotail current sheet by a single spacecraft give the possibility to distinguish between two types of electric current density distribution: single-peaked (Harris type current layer and double-peaked (bifurcated current sheet. Magnetic field measurements in the Jovian magnetic tail by Voyager-2 reveal bifurcation of the tail current sheet. The electric current density possesses a minimum at the point of the B_x-component reversal and two maxima at the distance where the magnetic field strength reaches 50% of its value in the tail lobe.

Hubbert's Peak: the Impending World oil Shortage

Science.gov (United States)

Deffeyes, K. S.

2004-12-01

Global oil production will probably reach a peak sometime during this decade. After the peak, the world's production of crude oil will fall, never to rise again. The world will not run out of energy, but developing alternative energy sources on a large scale will take at least 10 years. The slowdown in oil production may already be beginning; the current price fluctuations for crude oil and natural gas may be the preamble to a major crisis. In 1956, the geologist M. King Hubbert predicted that U.S. oil production would peak in the early 1970s.1 Almost everyone, inside and outside the oil industry, rejected Hubbert's analysis. The controversy raged until 1970, when the U.S. production of crude oil started to fall. Hubbert was right. Around 1995, several analysts began applying Hubbert's method to world oil production, and most of them estimate that the peak year for world oil will be between 2004 and 2008. These analyses were reported in some of the most widely circulated sources: Nature, Science, and Scientific American.2 None of our political leaders seem to be paying attention. If the predictions are correct, there will be enormous effects on the world economy. Even the poorest nations need fuel to run irrigation pumps. The industrialized nations will be bidding against one another for the dwindling oil supply. The good news is that we will put less carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. The bad news is that my pickup truck has a 25-gallon tank.

The effect of current and prospective policies on photovoltaic system economics: An application to the US Midwest

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sesmero, Juan; Jung, Jinho; Tyner, Wallace

2016-01-01

This study models fundamental features of current and prospective policies encouraging adoption of residential photovoltaic (PV) systems. A key finding is that time-of-day (ToD) pricing can enhance or worsen the economics of PV systems. Moreover, increased responsiveness of electricity demand to its price diminishes the effectiveness of ToD pricing in the absence of net metering, but does not affect it otherwise. An application to plausible conditions in the State of Indiana, USA, shows that current policies are unlikely to trigger adoption by a risk-neutral forward-looking residential customer. However, adoption of PV systems can be induced if the Federal Tax Credit is increased to cover 48% of capital cost (instead of the current 30%), which could imply a cost to the Federal Government of about $0.95/kW of installed capacity depending on the panel’s size. We demonstrate that implementation of ToD pricing can trigger adoption under a range of on- and off-peak price combinations. But our analysis also shows that the cost-effectiveness of ToD pricing is enhanced at higher ratios of on-peak to off-peak prices. - Highlights: •Time-of-day (ToD) pricing can enhance or worsen the economics of PV systems. •Effect of ToD is independent of demand elasticity if combined with net metering. •Adoption of PV system requires that Federal Tax Credit cover half of capital cost. •To induce adoption, ToD must act as a tax on grid electricity. •Cost-effectiveness of ToD enhanced at higher ratios of on-peak to off-peak prices.

Peak Oil and other threatening peaks-Chimeras without substance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Radetzki, Marian

2010-01-01

The Peak Oil movement has widely spread its message about an impending peak in global oil production, caused by an inadequate resource base. On closer scrutiny, the underlying analysis is inconsistent, void of a theoretical foundation and without support in empirical observations. Global oil resources are huge and expanding, and pose no threat to continuing output growth within an extended time horizon. In contrast, temporary or prolonged supply crunches are indeed plausible, even likely, on account of growing resource nationalism denying access to efficient exploitation of the existing resource wealth.

A RTS-based method for direct and consistent calculating intermittent peak cooling loads

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen Tingyao; Cui, Mingxian

2010-01-01

The RTS method currently recommended by ASHRAE Handbook is based on continuous operation. However, most of air-conditioning systems, if not all, in commercial buildings, are intermittently operated in practice. The application of the current RTS method to intermittent air-conditioning in nonresidential buildings could result in largely underestimated design cooling loads, and inconsistently sized air-conditioning systems. Improperly sized systems could seriously deteriorate the performance of system operation and management. Therefore, a new method based on both the current RTS method and the principles of heat transfer has been developed. The first part of the new method is the same as the current RTS method in principle, but its calculation procedure is simplified by the derived equations in a close form. The technical data available in the current RTS method can be utilized to compute zone responses to a change in space air temperature so that no efforts are needed for regenerating new technical data. Both the overall RTS coefficients and the hourly cooling loads computed in the first part are used to estimate the additional peak cooling load due to a change from continuous operation to intermittent operation. It only needs one more step after the current RTS method to determine the intermittent peak cooling load. The new RTS-based method has been validated by EnergyPlus simulations. The root mean square deviation (RMSD) between the relative additional peak cooling loads (RAPCLs) computed by the two methods is 1.8%. The deviation of the RAPCL varies from -3.0% to 5.0%, and the mean deviation is 1.35%.

Estimated Prestroke Peak VO2 Is Related to Circulating IGF-1 Levels During Acute Stroke.

Science.gov (United States)

Mattlage, Anna E; Rippee, Michael A; Abraham, Michael G; Sandt, Janice; Billinger, Sandra A

2017-01-01

Background Insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) is neuroprotective after stroke and is regulated by insulin-like binding protein-3 (IGFBP-3). In healthy individuals, exercise and improved aerobic fitness (peak oxygen uptake; peak VO 2 ) increases IGF-1 in circulation. Understanding the relationship between estimated prestroke aerobic fitness and IGF-1 and IGFBP-3 after stroke may provide insight into the benefits of exercise and aerobic fitness on stroke recovery. Objective The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship of IGF-1 and IGFBP-3 to estimated prestroke peak VO 2 in individuals with acute stroke. We hypothesized that (1) estimated prestroke peak VO 2 would be related to IGF-1 and IGFBP-3 and (2) individuals with higher than median IGF-1 levels will have higher estimated prestroke peak VO 2 compared to those with lower than median levels. Methods Fifteen individuals with acute stroke had blood sampled within 72 hours of hospital admission. Prestroke peak VO 2 was estimated using a nonexercise prediction equation. IGF-1 and IGFBP-3 levels were quantified using enzyme-linked immunoassay. Results Estimated prestroke peak VO 2 was significantly related to circulating IGF-1 levels (r = .60; P = .02) but not IGFBP-3. Individuals with higher than median IGF-1 (117.9 ng/mL) had significantly better estimated aerobic fitness (32.4 ± 6.9 mL kg -1 min -1 ) than those with lower than median IGF-1 (20.7 ± 7.8 mL kg -1 min -1 ; P = .03). Conclusions Improving aerobic fitness prior to stroke may be beneficial by increasing baseline IGF-1 levels. These results set the groundwork for future clinical trials to determine whether high IGF-1 and aerobic fitness are beneficial to stroke recovery by providing neuroprotection and improving function. © The Author(s) 2016.

Improving the reproducibility in capillary electrophoresis by incorporating current drift in mobility and peak area calculations

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Petersen, Nickolaj J.; Hansen, Steen H

2012-01-01

The traditional way of calculating mobility and peak areas in capillary electrophoresis does not take into account the changes in the buffer viscosity at different thermostatic control and that the analytes may accelerate during the individual runs due to Joule heating effects. We present a method...

Peak power ratio generator

Science.gov (United States)

Moyer, R.D.

A peak power ratio generator is described for measuring, in combination with a conventional power meter, the peak power level of extremely narrow pulses in the gigahertz radio frequency bands. The present invention in a preferred embodiment utilizes a tunnel diode and a back diode combination in a detector circuit as the only high speed elements. The high speed tunnel diode provides a bistable signal and serves as a memory device of the input pulses for the remaining, slower components. A hybrid digital and analog loop maintains the peak power level of a reference channel at a known amount. Thus, by measuring the average power levels of the reference signal and the source signal, the peak power level of the source signal can be determined.

Beam current monitors at the UNILAC

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schneider, N.

1998-01-01

One of the most basic linac operation tools is a beam current transformer. Using outstanding materials, the latest low-noise amplifiers, and some good ideas, a universal current monitoring system has been developed and installed at the UNILAC at GSI. With a dynamic range of 112 dB, covering the low-current range down to 100 nA peak to peak at S/N=1, as well as 25 mA pulses, provided for high-current injection to the SIS synchrotron, a well-accepted diagnostic instrument could be placed at the disposal of the operaters

Higher order equivalent edge currents for fringe wave radar scattering by perfectly conducting polygonal plates

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Breinbjerg, Olav

1992-01-01

An approach for including higher order edge diffraction in the equivalent edge current (EEC) method is proposed. This approach, which applies to monostatic as well as bistatic radar configurations with perfectly conducting polygonal plates, involves three distinct sets of EECs. All of these sets...

Reference values for peak flow and FEV1 variation in healthy schoolchildren using home spirometry

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Brouwer, A. F. J.; Duiverman, E. J.; Brand, P. L. P.

2008-01-01

Current reference values for diurnal peak flow variation in healthy children (median 8.2%; 95th percentile 31%) are so high that considerable overlap exists with those of asthmatic children. These values have been obtained using written peak flow diaries, which are unreliable. The aim of the present

Coinciding exercise with peak serum caffeine does not improve cycling performance.

Science.gov (United States)

Skinner, Tina L; Jenkins, David G; Taaffe, Dennis R; Leveritt, Michael D; Coombes, Jeff S

2013-01-01

To investigate whether coinciding peak serum caffeine concentration with the onset of exercise enhances subsequent endurance performance. Randomised, double-blind, crossover. In this randomised, placebo-controlled, double-blind crossover study, 14 male trained cyclists and triathletes (age 31±5year, body mass 75.4±5.7 kg, VO₂max 69.5±6.1 mL kg⁻¹ min⁻¹ and peak power output 417±35W, mean±SD) consumed 6 mg kg(-1) caffeine or a placebo either 1h (C(1h)) prior to completing a 40 km time trial or when the start of exercise coincided with individual peak serum caffeine concentrations (C(peak)). C(peak) was determined from a separate 'caffeine profiling' session that involved monitoring caffeine concentrations in the blood every 30 min over a 4h period. Following caffeine ingestion, peak serum caffeine occurred 120 min in 12 participants and 150 min in 2 participants. Time to complete the 40 km time trial was significantly faster (2.0%; p=0.002) in C(1h) compared to placebo. No statistically significant improvement in performance was noted in the C(peak) trial versus placebo (1.1%; p=0.240). Whilst no differences in metabolic markers were found between C(peak) and placebo conditions, plasma concentrations of glucose (p=0.005), norepinephrine and epinephrine (p≤0.002) were higher in the C(1h) trial 6 min post-exercise versus placebo. In contrast to coinciding peak serum caffeine concentration with exercise onset, caffeine consumed 60 min prior to exercise resulted in significant improvements in 40 km time trial performance. The ergogenic effect of caffeine was not found to be related to peak caffeine concentration in the blood at the onset of endurance exercise. Copyright © 2012 Sports Medicine Australia. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Active current management for four-rail railguns

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Beno, J.H.; Weldon, W.F.

1991-01-01

In this paper a system of auxiliary conductors designed to reduce current density peaks in railgun rails for four-rail, round-bore railguns is described. The effects on rail current density and projectile force are discussed. Railgun cross-sectional designs are presented for round-bore, four-rail railguns which operate at lower peak current densities and develop greater projectile forces than conventional two-rail, round-bore railguns

Peak effect in laser ablated DyBa2Cu3O7-δ films at microwave frequencies at subcritical currents

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bhangale, A.R.; Raychaudhuri, P.; Banerjee, T.; Shirodkar, V.S.

2001-01-01

In this article we report the observation of a peak in the microwave surface resistance (at frequencies ~10 GHz) of laser ablated DyBa2Cu3O7-δ films in magnetic field ranging from 2 to 9 kOe (||c) close to the superconducting transition temperature [Tc(H)]. The exact nature of the peak is sample

Historical changes in annual peak flows in Maine and implications for flood-frequency analyses

Science.gov (United States)

Hodgkins, Glenn A.

2010-01-01

Flood-frequency analyses use statistical methods to compute peak streamflows for selected recurrence intervals— the average number of years between peak flows that are equal to or greater than a specified peak flow. Analyses are based on annual peak flows at a stream. It has long been assumed that the annual peak streamflows used in these computations were stationary (non-changing) over very long periods of time, except in river basins subject to direct effects of human activities, such as urbanization and regulation. Because of the potential effects of global warming on peak flows, the assumption of peak-flow stationarity has recently been questioned. Maine has many streamgages with 50 to 105 years of recorded annual peak streamflows. In this study, this long-term record has been tested for historical flood-frequency stationarity, to provide some insight into future flood frequency. Changes over time in annual instantaneous peak streamflows at 28 U.S. Geological Survey streamgages with long-term data (50 or more years) and relatively complete records were investigated by examining linear trends for each streamgage’s period of record. None of the 28 streamgages had more than 5 years of missing data. Eight streamgages have substantial streamflow regulation. Because previous studies have suggested that changes over time may have occurred as a step change around 1970, step changes between each streamgage’s older record (start year to 1970) and newer record (1971 to 2006) also were computed. The median change over time for all 28 streamgages is an increase of 15.9 percent based on a linear change and an increase of 12.4 percent based on a step change. The median change for the 20 unregulated streamgages is slightly higher than for all 28 streamgages; it is 18.4 percent based on a linear change and 15.0 percent based on a step change. Peak flows with 100- and 5-year recurrence intervals were computed for the 28 streamgages using the full annual peak-flow record

Nanosecond electric pulses differentially affect inward and outward currents in patch clamped adrenal chromaffin cells.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lisha Yang

Full Text Available This study examined the effect of 5 ns electric pulses on macroscopic ionic currents in whole-cell voltage-clamped adrenal chromaffin cells. Current-voltage (I-V relationships first established that the early peak inward current was primarily composed of a fast voltage-dependent Na+ current (INa, whereas the late outward current was composed of at least three ionic currents: a voltage-gated Ca2+ current (ICa, a Ca2+-activated K+ current (IK(Ca, and a sustained voltage-dependent delayed rectifier K+ current (IKV. A constant-voltage step protocol was next used to monitor peak inward and late outward currents before and after cell exposure to a 5 ns pulse. A single pulse applied at an electric (E-field amplitude of 5 MV/m resulted in an instantaneous decrease of ~4% in peak INa that then declined exponentially to a level that was ~85% of the initial level after 10 min. Increasing the E-field amplitude to 8 or 10 MV/m caused a twofold greater inhibitory effect on peak INa. The decrease in INa was not due to a change in either the steady-state inactivation or activation of the Na+ channel but instead was associated with a decrease in maximal Na+ conductance. Late outward current was not affected by a pulse applied at 5 MV/m. However, for a pulse applied at the higher E-field amplitudes of 8 and 10 MV/m, late outward current in some cells underwent a progressive ~22% decline over the course of the first 20 s following pulse exposure, with no further decline. The effect was most likely concentrated on ICa and IK(Ca as IKV was not affected. The results of this study indicate that in whole-cell patch clamped adrenal chromaffin cells, a 5 ns pulse differentially inhibits specific voltage-gated ionic currents in a manner that can be manipulated by tuning E-field amplitude.

PolyaPeak: Detecting Transcription Factor Binding Sites from ChIP-seq Using Peak Shape Information

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Hao; Ji, Hongkai

2014-01-01

ChIP-seq is a powerful technology for detecting genomic regions where a protein of interest interacts with DNA. ChIP-seq data for mapping transcription factor binding sites (TFBSs) have a characteristic pattern: around each binding site, sequence reads aligned to the forward and reverse strands of the reference genome form two separate peaks shifted away from each other, and the true binding site is located in between these two peaks. While it has been shown previously that the accuracy and resolution of binding site detection can be improved by modeling the pattern, efficient methods are unavailable to fully utilize that information in TFBS detection procedure. We present PolyaPeak, a new method to improve TFBS detection by incorporating the peak shape information. PolyaPeak describes peak shapes using a flexible Pólya model. The shapes are automatically learnt from the data using Minorization-Maximization (MM) algorithm, then integrated with the read count information via a hierarchical model to distinguish true binding sites from background noises. Extensive real data analyses show that PolyaPeak is capable of robustly improving TFBS detection compared with existing methods. An R package is freely available. PMID:24608116

Parameter selection for peak alignment in chromatographic sample profiling: Objective quality indicators and use of control samples

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Peters, S.; van Velzen, E.; Janssen, H.-G.

2009-01-01

In chromatographic profiling applications, peak alignment is often essential as most chromatographic systems exhibit small peak shifts over time. When using currently available alignment algorithms, there are several parameters that determine the outcome of the alignment process. Selecting the

Demand Side Management: An approach to peak load smoothing

Science.gov (United States)

Gupta, Prachi

A preliminary national-level analysis was conducted to determine whether Demand Side Management (DSM) programs introduced by electric utilities since 1992 have made any progress towards their stated goal of reducing peak load demand. Estimates implied that DSM has a very small effect on peak load reduction and there is substantial regional and end-user variability. A limited scholarly literature on DSM also provides evidence in support of a positive effect of demand response programs. Yet, none of these studies examine the question of how DSM affects peak load at the micro-level by influencing end-users' response to prices. After nearly three decades of experience with DSM, controversy remains over how effective these programs have been. This dissertation considers regional analyses that explore both demand-side solutions and supply-side interventions. On the demand side, models are estimated to provide in-depth evidence of end-user consumption patterns for each North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) region, helping to identify sectors in regions that have made a substantial contribution to peak load reduction. The empirical evidence supports the initial hypothesis that there is substantial regional and end-user variability of reductions in peak demand. These results are quite robust in rapidly-urbanizing regions, where air conditioning and lighting load is substantially higher, and regions where the summer peak is more pronounced than the winter peak. It is also evident from the regional experiences that active government involvement, as shaped by state regulations in the last few years, has been successful in promoting DSM programs, and perhaps for the same reason we witness an uptick in peak load reductions in the years 2008 and 2009. On the supply side, we estimate the effectiveness of DSM programs by analyzing the growth of capacity margin with the introduction of DSM programs. The results indicate that DSM has been successful in offsetting the

A peaking-regulation-balance-based method for wind & PV power integrated accommodation

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Jinfang; Li, Nan; Liu, Jun

2018-02-01

Rapid development of China’s new energy in current and future should be focused on cooperation of wind and PV power. Based on the analysis of system peaking balance, combined with the statistical features of wind and PV power output characteristics, a method of comprehensive integrated accommodation analysis of wind and PV power is put forward. By the electric power balance during night peaking load period in typical day, wind power installed capacity is determined firstly; then PV power installed capacity could be figured out by midday peak load hours, which effectively solves the problem of uncertainty when traditional method hard determines the combination of the wind and solar power simultaneously. The simulation results have validated the effectiveness of the proposed method.

Peaking for optimal performance: Research limitations and future directions.

Science.gov (United States)

Pyne, David B; Mujika, Iñigo; Reilly, Thomas

2009-02-01

A key element of the physical preparation of athletes is the taper period in the weeks immediately preceding competition. Existing research has defined the taper, identified various forms used in contemporary sport, and examined the prescription of training volume, load, intensity, duration, and type (progressive or step). Current limitations include: the lack of studies on team, combative, racquet, and precision (target) sports; the relatively small number of randomized controlled trials; the narrow focus on a single competition (single peak) compared with multiple peaking for weekly, multi-day or multiple events; and limited understanding of the physiological, neuromuscular, and biomechanical basis of the taper. Future research should address these limitations, together with the influence of prior training on optimal tapering strategies, and the interactions between the taper and long-haul travel, heat, and altitude. Practitioners seek information on how to prescribe tapers from season to season during an athlete's career, or a team's progression through a domestic league season, or multi-year Olympic or World Cup cycle. Practical guidelines for planning effective tapers for the Vancouver 2010 and London 2012 Olympics will evolve from both experimental investigations and modelling of successful tapers currently employed in a wide range of sports.

Specific gas turbines for extreme peak-load

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bellot, C.

1992-12-01

As with other European countries, in France peak consumption of electricity occurs during winter. Due to the increasing use of electricity for domestic heating, outside temperature greatly influences consumption (1 200 MW for a drop of 1 deg C). To meet requirements during cold spells, EDF has sought to determine which special facilities are best suited for extreme peak load conditions (i.e. offering short lifespan and minimum capital cost) and has studied the possibility of installing generation means in transformer substations (20 kV). This solution does not require extension of networks since these means are scattered near consumption areas. An experiment conducted on 3 Diesel generators of 800 kWe each at Senlis revealed some of the disadvantages of Diesel (maintenance requirements, polluting emissions and noise). EDF then examined, for this same application, the use of gas turbines, for which these drawbacks are significantly less. A study carried out under an EDF contract by the French manufacturer TURBOMECA showed that it is possible to design a small capacity gas turbine that can compete with Diesel generators, and that capital costs could be minimized by simplifying the machine, adapting its lifespan to extreme peak load needs, and taking advantage of lower cost provided by mass production. TURBOMECA defined the machine's characteristics (2 MW, 6 000 hours lifespan) and aerodynamic flow. It also estimated the cost of packaging. In terms of overall cost (including initial investment, maintenance and fuel) the gas turbine appears cheaper than Diesel generators for annual operation times of less than one hundred hours, which corresponds closely with extreme peak load use. The lower maintenance costs and the better availability counterbalance the higher capital cost (+6%) and the greater consumption (+50%). (author). 7 figs

Smart households: Dispatch strategies and economic analysis of distributed energy storage for residential peak shaving

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zheng, Menglian; Meinrenken, Christoph J.; Lackner, Klaus S.

2015-01-01

Highlights: • Cost-effectiveness of building-based storage for peak shaving has hitherto not been well understood. • Several existing storage technologies are shown to provide cost-effective peak shaving. • Setting grid demand targets rather than hard demand limits improves economics. • Accounting for seasonal demand variations in storage dispatch strategy improves economics further. • Total-energy-throughput approach is used to determine storage lifetimes. - Abstract: Meeting time-varying peak demand poses a key challenge to the U.S. electricity system. Building-based electricity storage – to enable demand response (DR) without curtailing actual appliance usage – offers potential benefits of lower electricity production cost, higher grid reliability, and more flexibility to integrate renewables. DR tariffs are currently available in the U.S. but building-based storage is still underutilized due to insufficiently understood cost-effectiveness and dispatch strategies. Whether DR schemes can yield a profit for building operators (i.e., reduction in electricity bill that exceeds levelized storage cost) and which particular storage technology yields the highest profit is yet to be answered. This study aims to evaluate the economics of providing peak shaving DR under a realistic tariff (Con Edison, New York), using a range of storage technologies (conventional and advanced batteries, flywheel, magnetic storage, pumped hydro, compressed air, and capacitors). An agent-based stochastic model is used to randomly generate appliance-level demand profiles for an average U.S. household. We first introduce a levelized storage cost model which is based on a total-energy-throughput lifetime. We then develop a storage dispatch strategy which optimizes the storage capacity and the demand limit on the grid. We find that (i) several storage technologies provide profitable DR; (ii) annual profit from such DR can range from 1% to 39% of the household’s non-DR electricity

Maximizing utilization of sport halls during peak hours

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Iversen, Evald Bundgård; Forsberg, Peter

the number of participants 7.5 persons higher pr. activity compared to club activities. This implies that clubs during peak hours could include more participants. Another possibility to increase utilization is if the management of sport facilities forced sport clubs and other organisers to adapt...... their activities to a smaller amount of floor space, which would make it possible to have more than one activity on the floor at the same time. Hence, to achieve better utilization during prime time, further analysis and research could focus on how activities in sport halls can be adapted to include more......BACKGROUNDDuring peak hours (4.30pm-8pm) demand for timeslots in sport halls in Denmark are high and there are few timeslots available. Further, focus on how public resources are spent most efficient is increasing (Iversen, 2013). This makes it interesting to analyse how utilization could...

Peak capacity and peak capacity per unit time in capillary and microchip zone electrophoresis.

Science.gov (United States)

Foley, Joe P; Blackney, Donna M; Ennis, Erin J

2017-11-10

The origins of the peak capacity concept are described and the important contributions to the development of that concept in chromatography and electrophoresis are reviewed. Whereas numerous quantitative expressions have been reported for one- and two-dimensional separations, most are focused on chromatographic separations and few, if any, quantitative unbiased expressions have been developed for capillary or microchip zone electrophoresis. Making the common assumption that longitudinal diffusion is the predominant source of zone broadening in capillary electrophoresis, analytical expressions for the peak capacity are derived, first in terms of migration time, diffusion coefficient, migration distance, and desired resolution, and then in terms of the remaining underlying fundamental parameters (electric field, electroosmotic and electrophoretic mobilities) that determine the migration time. The latter expressions clearly illustrate the direct square root dependence of peak capacity on electric field and migration distance and the inverse square root dependence on solute diffusion coefficient. Conditions that result in a high peak capacity will result in a low peak capacity per unit time and vice-versa. For a given symmetrical range of relative electrophoretic mobilities for co- and counter-electroosmotic species (cations and anions), the peak capacity increases with the square root of the electric field even as the temporal window narrows considerably, resulting in a significant reduction in analysis time. Over a broad relative electrophoretic mobility interval [-0.9, 0.9], an approximately two-fold greater amount of peak capacity can be generated for counter-electroosmotic species although it takes about five-fold longer to do so, consistent with the well-known bias in migration time and resolving power for co- and counter-electroosmotic species. The optimum lower bound of the relative electrophoretic mobility interval [μ r,Z , μ r,A ] that provides the maximum

A beam-synchronous gated peak-detector for the LHC beam observation system

CERN Document Server

Levens, T E; Wehrle, U

2013-01-01

Measurements of the bunch peak amplitude using the longitudinal wideband wall-current monitor are a vital tool used in the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) beam observation system. These peak-detected measurements can be used to diagnose bunch shape oscillations, for example coherent quadrupole oscillations, that occur at injection and during beam manipulations. Peak-detected Schottky diagnostics can also be used to obtain the synchrotron frequency distribution and other parameters from a bunched beam under stable conditions. For the LHC a beam-synchronous gated peak detector has been developed to allow individual bunches to be monitored without the influence of other bunches circulating in the machine. The requirement for the observation of both low intensity pilot bunches and high intensity bunches for physics requires a detector front-end with a high bandwidth and a large dynamic range while the usage for Schottky measurements requires low noise electronics. This paper will present the design of this detector s...

Kinetic energy storage of off-peak electricity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Simpson, L.A.; Oldaker, I.E.; Stermscheg, J.

1975-09-01

The concept of using large flywheels to store off-peak electricity has been considered. The development of high strength composite materials has made possible improvements in the energy storage capacity of such devices. The problems involved in designing large flywheels and their economic advantages over alternative means of energy storage are discussed. The economic arguments are based on the present or near future capabilities and costs of structural composite materials. The flywheel costs turn out to be considerably higher than for many alternative schemes including advanced batteries, gas turbine generators and pumped storage schemes. (author)

Multi-peak electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT)-like transmission from bull's-eye-shaped metamaterial.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Jaeyoun; Soref, Richard; Buchwald, Walter R

2010-08-16

We investigate the electromagnetic response of the concentric multi-ring, or the bull's eye, structure as an extension of the dual-ring metamaterial which exhibits electromagnetically-induced transparency (EIT)-like transmission characteristics. Our results show that adding inner rings produces additional EIT-like peaks, and widens the metamaterial's spectral range of operation. Analyses of the dispersion characteristics and induced current distribution further confirmed the peak's EIT-like nature. Impacts of structural and dielectric parameters are also investigated.

The high peak current polarized electron source of the Stanford Linear Collider

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schultz, D.; Alley, R.; Aoyagi, H.; Clendenin, J.; Frisch, J.; Garden, C.; Hoyt, E.; Kirby, R.; Klaisner, L.; Kulikov, A.; Mulhollan, G.; Prescott, C.; Saez, P.; Tang, H.; Turner, J.; Woods, M.; Yeremian, D.; Zolotorev, M.

1994-01-01

The Stanford Linear Collider injector requires two 2 ns pulses of 4.5-5.5 x 10 10 electrons, separated by 61 ns at 120 Hz, from its source. Since 1992, these currents have been provided by a polarized electron source based on GaAs photocathodes. A beam polarization of 76±4% has been measured at the end of the 50 GeV linac. At low photocathode quantum efficiencies, and for excitation near threshold, the maximum current delivered by the source is constrained, not by the space charge limit of the gun, but by a ''charge limit'' of the photocathode. The charge limited current is proportional to the photocathode quantum efficiency, but the proportionality varies for different photocathode types. Experience with high polarization strained GaAs photocathodes on a test beamline and on the SLC is presented. (orig.)

Peak-by-peak correction of Ge(Li) gamma-ray spectra for photopeaks from background

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cutshall, N H; Larsen, I L [Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (USA)

1980-12-01

Background photopeaks can interfere with accurate measurement of low levels of radionuclides by gamma-ray spectrometry. A flowchart for peak-by-peak correction of sample spectra to produce accurate results is presented.

Peaking-factor of PWR

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Morioka, Noboru; Kato, Yasuji; Yokoi, M.

1975-01-01

Output peaking factor often plays an important role in the safety and operation of nuclear reactors. The meaning of the peaking factor of PWRs is categorized into two features or the peaking factor in core (FQ-core) and the peaking factor on the basis of accident analysis (or FQ-limit). FQ-core is the actual peaking factor realized in nuclear core at the time of normal operation, and FQ-limit should be evaluated from loss of coolant accident and other abnormal conditions. If FQ-core is lower than FQ-limit, the reactor may be operated at full load, but if FQ-core is larger than FQ-limit, reactor output should be controlled lower than FQ-limit. FQ-core has two kinds of values, or the one on the basis of nuclear design, and the other actually measured in reactor operation. The first FQ-core should be named as FQ-core-design and the latter as FQ-core-measured. The numerical evaluation of FQ-core-design is as follows; FQ-core-design of three-dimensions is synthesized with FQ-core horizontal value (X-Y) and FQ-core vertical value, the former one is calculated with ASSY-CORE code, and the latter one with one dimensional diffusion code. For the evaluation of FQ-core-measured, on-site data observation from nuclear reactor instrumentation or off-site data observation is used. (Iwase, T.)

Probabilistic peak detection in CE-LIF for STR DNA typing.

Science.gov (United States)

Woldegebriel, Michael; van Asten, Arian; Kloosterman, Ate; Vivó-Truyols, Gabriel

2017-07-01

In this work, we present a novel probabilistic peak detection algorithm based on a Bayesian framework for forensic DNA analysis. The proposed method aims at an exhaustive use of raw electropherogram data from a laser-induced fluorescence multi-CE system. As the raw data are informative up to a single data point, the conventional threshold-based approaches discard relevant forensic information early in the data analysis pipeline. Our proposed method assigns a posterior probability reflecting the data point's relevance with respect to peak detection criteria. Peaks of low intensity generated from a truly existing allele can thus constitute evidential value instead of fully discarding them and contemplating a potential allele drop-out. This way of working utilizes the information available within each individual data point and thus avoids making early (binary) decisions on the data analysis that can lead to error propagation. The proposed method was tested and compared to the application of a set threshold as is current practice in forensic STR DNA profiling. The new method was found to yield a significant improvement in the number of alleles identified, regardless of the peak heights and deviation from Gaussian shape. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Peak-by-peak correction of Ge(Li) gamma-ray spectra for photopeaks from background

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cutshall, N.H.; Larsen, I.L.

1980-01-01

Background photopeaks can interfere with accurate measurement of low levels of radionuclides by gamma-ray spectrometry. A flowchart for peak-by-peak correction of sample spectra to produce accurate results is presented. (orig.)

Peak-summer East Asian rainfall predictability and prediction part II: extratropical East Asia

Science.gov (United States)

Yim, So-Young; Wang, Bin; Xing, Wen

2016-07-01

The part II of the present study focuses on northern East Asia (NEA: 26°N-50°N, 100°-140°E), exploring the source and limit of the predictability of the peak summer (July-August) rainfall. Prediction of NEA peak summer rainfall is extremely challenging because of the exposure of the NEA to midlatitude influence. By examining four coupled climate models' multi-model ensemble (MME) hindcast during 1979-2010, we found that the domain-averaged MME temporal correlation coefficient (TCC) skill is only 0.13. It is unclear whether the dynamical models' poor skills are due to limited predictability of the peak-summer NEA rainfall. In the present study we attempted to address this issue by applying predictable mode analysis method using 35-year observations (1979-2013). Four empirical orthogonal modes of variability and associated major potential sources of variability are identified: (a) an equatorial western Pacific (EWP)-NEA teleconnection driven by EWP sea surface temperature (SST) anomalies, (b) a western Pacific subtropical high and Indo-Pacific dipole SST feedback mode, (c) a central Pacific-El Nino-Southern Oscillation mode, and (d) a Eurasian wave train pattern. Physically meaningful predictors for each principal component (PC) were selected based on analysis of the lead-lag correlations with the persistent and tendency fields of SST and sea-level pressure from March to June. A suite of physical-empirical (P-E) models is established to predict the four leading PCs. The peak summer rainfall anomaly pattern is then objectively predicted by using the predicted PCs and the corresponding observed spatial patterns. A 35-year cross-validated hindcast over the NEA yields a domain-averaged TCC skill of 0.36, which is significantly higher than the MME dynamical hindcast (0.13). The estimated maximum potential attainable TCC skill averaged over the entire domain is around 0.61, suggesting that the current dynamical prediction models may have large rooms to improve

Evaluation of different time domain peak models using extreme learning machine-based peak detection for EEG signal.

Science.gov (United States)

Adam, Asrul; Ibrahim, Zuwairie; Mokhtar, Norrima; Shapiai, Mohd Ibrahim; Cumming, Paul; Mubin, Marizan

2016-01-01

Various peak models have been introduced to detect and analyze peaks in the time domain analysis of electroencephalogram (EEG) signals. In general, peak model in the time domain analysis consists of a set of signal parameters, such as amplitude, width, and slope. Models including those proposed by Dumpala, Acir, Liu, and Dingle are routinely used to detect peaks in EEG signals acquired in clinical studies of epilepsy or eye blink. The optimal peak model is the most reliable peak detection performance in a particular application. A fair measure of performance of different models requires a common and unbiased platform. In this study, we evaluate the performance of the four different peak models using the extreme learning machine (ELM)-based peak detection algorithm. We found that the Dingle model gave the best performance, with 72 % accuracy in the analysis of real EEG data. Statistical analysis conferred that the Dingle model afforded significantly better mean testing accuracy than did the Acir and Liu models, which were in the range 37-52 %. Meanwhile, the Dingle model has no significant difference compared to Dumpala model.

Fatigue affects peak joint torque angle in hamstrings but not in quadriceps.

Science.gov (United States)

Coratella, Giuseppe; Bellin, Giuseppe; Beato, Marco; Schena, Federico

2015-01-01

Primary aim of this study was to investigate peak joint torque angle (i.e. the angle of peak torque) changes recorded during an isokinetic test before and after a fatiguing soccer match simulation. Secondarily we want to investigate functional Hecc:Qconc and conventional Hconc:Qconc ratio changes due to fatigue. Before and after a standardised soccer match simulation, twenty-two healthy male amateur soccer players performed maximal isokinetic strength tests both for hamstrings and for quadriceps muscles at 1.05 rad · s(‒1), 3.14 rad · s(‒1) and 5.24 rad · s(‒1). Peak joint torque angle, peak torque and both functional Hecc:Qconc and conventional Hconc:Qconc ratios were examined. Both dominant and non-dominant limbs were tested. Peak joint torque angle significantly increased only in knee flexors. Both eccentric and concentric contractions resulted in such increment, which occurred in both limbs. No changes were found in quadriceps peak joint torque angle. Participants experienced a significant decrease in torque both in hamstrings and in quadriceps. Functional Hecc:Qconc ratio was lower only in dominant limb at higher velocities, while Hconc:Qconc did not change. This study showed after specific fatiguing task changes in hamstrings only torque/angle relationship. Hamstrings injury risk could depend on altered torque when knee is close to extension, coupled with a greater peak torque decrement compared to quadriceps. These results suggest the use eccentric based training to prevent hamstrings shift towards shorter length.

Improved peak detection in mass spectrum by incorporating continuous wavelet transform-based pattern matching.

Science.gov (United States)

Du, Pan; Kibbe, Warren A; Lin, Simon M

2006-09-01

A major problem for current peak detection algorithms is that noise in mass spectrometry (MS) spectra gives rise to a high rate of false positives. The false positive rate is especially problematic in detecting peaks with low amplitudes. Usually, various baseline correction algorithms and smoothing methods are applied before attempting peak detection. This approach is very sensitive to the amount of smoothing and aggressiveness of the baseline correction, which contribute to making peak detection results inconsistent between runs, instrumentation and analysis methods. Most peak detection algorithms simply identify peaks based on amplitude, ignoring the additional information present in the shape of the peaks in a spectrum. In our experience, 'true' peaks have characteristic shapes, and providing a shape-matching function that provides a 'goodness of fit' coefficient should provide a more robust peak identification method. Based on these observations, a continuous wavelet transform (CWT)-based peak detection algorithm has been devised that identifies peaks with different scales and amplitudes. By transforming the spectrum into wavelet space, the pattern-matching problem is simplified and in addition provides a powerful technique for identifying and separating the signal from the spike noise and colored noise. This transformation, with the additional information provided by the 2D CWT coefficients can greatly enhance the effective signal-to-noise ratio. Furthermore, with this technique no baseline removal or peak smoothing preprocessing steps are required before peak detection, and this improves the robustness of peak detection under a variety of conditions. The algorithm was evaluated with SELDI-TOF spectra with known polypeptide positions. Comparisons with two other popular algorithms were performed. The results show the CWT-based algorithm can identify both strong and weak peaks while keeping false positive rate low. The algorithm is implemented in R and will be

Multiscale peak detection in wavelet space.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Zhi-Min; Tong, Xia; Peng, Ying; Ma, Pan; Zhang, Ming-Jin; Lu, Hong-Mei; Chen, Xiao-Qing; Liang, Yi-Zeng

2015-12-07

Accurate peak detection is essential for analyzing high-throughput datasets generated by analytical instruments. Derivatives with noise reduction and matched filtration are frequently used, but they are sensitive to baseline variations, random noise and deviations in the peak shape. A continuous wavelet transform (CWT)-based method is more practical and popular in this situation, which can increase the accuracy and reliability by identifying peaks across scales in wavelet space and implicitly removing noise as well as the baseline. However, its computational load is relatively high and the estimated features of peaks may not be accurate in the case of peaks that are overlapping, dense or weak. In this study, we present multi-scale peak detection (MSPD) by taking full advantage of additional information in wavelet space including ridges, valleys, and zero-crossings. It can achieve a high accuracy by thresholding each detected peak with the maximum of its ridge. It has been comprehensively evaluated with MALDI-TOF spectra in proteomics, the CAMDA 2006 SELDI dataset as well as the Romanian database of Raman spectra, which is particularly suitable for detecting peaks in high-throughput analytical signals. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves show that MSPD can detect more true peaks while keeping the false discovery rate lower than MassSpecWavelet and MALDIquant methods. Superior results in Raman spectra suggest that MSPD seems to be a more universal method for peak detection. MSPD has been designed and implemented efficiently in Python and Cython. It is available as an open source package at .

Automated asteroseismic peak detections

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

de Montellano, Andres Garcia Saravia Ortiz; Hekker, S.; Themessl, N.

2018-01-01

Space observatories such as Kepler have provided data that can potentially revolutionize our understanding of stars. Through detailed asteroseismic analyses we are capable of determining fundamental stellar parameters and reveal the stellar internal structure with unprecedented accuracy. However......, such detailed analyses, known as peak bagging, have so far been obtained for only a small percentage of the observed stars while most of the scientific potential of the available data remains unexplored. One of the major challenges in peak bagging is identifying how many solar-like oscillation modes are visible...... of detected oscillation modes. The algorithm presented here opens the possibility for detailed and automated peak bagging of the thousands of solar-like oscillators observed by Kepler....

Impact of peak electricity demand in distribution grids: a stress test

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hoogsteen, Gerwin; Molderink, Albert; Hurink, Johann L.; Smit, Gerardus Johannes Maria; Schuring, Friso; Kootstra, Ben

2015-01-01

The number of (hybrid) electric vehicles is growing, leading to a higher demand for electricity in distribution grids. To investigate the effects of the expected peak demand on distribution grids, a stress test with 15 electric vehicles in a single street is conducted and described in this paper.

Statistical analysis of storm-time near-Earth current systems

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. W. Liemohn

2015-08-01

Full Text Available Currents from the Hot Electron and Ion Drift Integrator (HEIDI inner magnetospheric model results for all of the 90 intense storms (disturbance storm-time (Dst minimum < −100 nT from solar cycle 23 (1996–2005 are calculated, presented, and analyzed. We have categorized these currents into the various systems that exist in near-Earth space, specifically the eastward and westward symmetric ring current, the partial ring current, the banana current, and the tail current. The current results from each run set are combined by a normalized superposed epoch analysis technique that scales the timeline of each phase of each storm before summing the results. It is found that there is a systematic ordering to the current systems, with the asymmetric current systems peaking during storm main phase (tail current rising first, then the banana current, followed by the partial ring current and the symmetric current systems peaking during the early recovery phase (westward and eastward symmetric ring current having simultaneous maxima. The median and mean peak amplitudes for the current systems ranged from 1 to 3 MA, depending on the setup configuration used in HEIDI, except for the eastward symmetric ring current, for which the mean never exceeded 0.3 MA for any HEIDI setup. The self-consistent electric field description in HEIDI yielded larger tail and banana currents than the Volland–Stern electric field, while the partial and symmetric ring currents had similar peak values between the two applied electric field models.

Peak-locking centroid bias in Shack-Hartmann wavefront sensing

Science.gov (United States)

Anugu, Narsireddy; Garcia, Paulo J. V.; Correia, Carlos M.

2018-05-01

Shack-Hartmann wavefront sensing relies on accurate spot centre measurement. Several algorithms were developed with this aim, mostly focused on precision, i.e. minimizing random errors. In the solar and extended scene community, the importance of the accuracy (bias error due to peak-locking, quantization, or sampling) of the centroid determination was identified and solutions proposed. But these solutions only allow partial bias corrections. To date, no systematic study of the bias error was conducted. This article bridges the gap by quantifying the bias error for different correlation peak-finding algorithms and types of sub-aperture images and by proposing a practical solution to minimize its effects. Four classes of sub-aperture images (point source, elongated laser guide star, crowded field, and solar extended scene) together with five types of peak-finding algorithms (1D parabola, the centre of gravity, Gaussian, 2D quadratic polynomial, and pyramid) are considered, in a variety of signal-to-noise conditions. The best performing peak-finding algorithm depends on the sub-aperture image type, but none is satisfactory to both bias and random errors. A practical solution is proposed that relies on the antisymmetric response of the bias to the sub-pixel position of the true centre. The solution decreases the bias by a factor of ˜7 to values of ≲ 0.02 pix. The computational cost is typically twice of current cross-correlation algorithms.

Drivers of peak sales for pharmaceutical brands

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Fischer, Marc; Leeflang, Peter S. H.; Verhoef, Peter C.

2010-01-01

Peak sales are an important metric in the pharmaceutical industry. Specifically, managers are focused on the height-of-peak-sales and the time required achieving peak sales. We analyze how order of entry and quality affect the level of peak sales and the time-to-peak-sales of pharmaceutical brands.

Influence Of Number Of Pregnancies In Peak Expiratory Flow And Body Composition Of Pregnant Women

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andrea Carla Brandao da Costa Santos

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Objectives: to describe and compare the mean values of the body composition and the peak expiratory flow (PEF in primigravidae and multigravidae and, to determine its correlation with obstetric, anthropometric and body composition variables. Method: it was performed a cross-sectional study of 120 healthy pregnant women at low risk, including 77 primigravidae and 43 multigravidae. The PEF was measured by spirometry and the body composition by multisegmental electrical impedance. The unpaired t test was used to compare the groups and the Pearson correlation test was used to determine the association between PEF and independent variables. A multiple linear regression was used to estimate the relationship between the dependent variable, the PEF and the independent variables. Results: the body composition variables in multigravidae women showed higher values compared to the primigravidae, being statistically significant, except for fat mass. In primigravidae, the PEF was correlated significantly with maternal age and height. In multigravidae, the PEF was correlated with maternal age, height, pre-pregnancy and current weight, total body water, extracellular water, fat mass, lean mass and fat-free mass. A Multiple linear regression analysis showed that, in primigravidae, height and maternal age were associated with PEF, being responsible for explaining 14.5% of its variability. The current weight and the maternal age explained 42.3% of peak flow variability in multigravidae. Conclusion: The PEF seemed to be influenced by the number of pregnancies. Changes were observed in relation to the body composition, as it was evidenced in correlation with the PEF in multigravidae women. Keywords: Pregnancy. Spirometry. Weight gain.

Current-voltage characteristic of a resonant tunneling diode under electromagnetic radiation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

N Hatefi Kargan

2013-09-01

Full Text Available  In this paper, current-voltage characteristic of a resonant tunneling diode under electromagnetic radiation has been calculated and compared with the results when there is no electromagnetic radiation. For calculating current -voltage characteristic, it is required to calculate the transmission coefficient of electrons from the well and barrier structures of this device. For calculating the transmission coefficient of electrons at the presence of electromagnetic radiation, Finite Difference Time Domain (FDTD method has been used and when there is no electromagnetic radiation Transfer Matrix Method (TMM and finite diffirence time domain method have been used. The results show that the presence of electromagnetic radiation causes resonant states other than principal resonant state (without presence of electromagnetic radiation to appear on the transmition coefficient curve where they are in distances from the principal peak and from each other. Also, the presence of electromagnetic radiation causes peaks other than principal peak to appear on the current-voltage characteristics of the device. Under electromagnetic radiation, the number of peaks on the current-voltage curve is smaller than the number of peaks on the current-voltage transmission coefficient. This is due to the fact that current-voltage curve is the result of integration on the energy of electrons, Thus, the sharper and low height peaks on the transmission coefficient do not appear on the current-voltage characteristic curve.

Protocols for sagebrush seed processing and seedling production at the Lucky Peak Nursery

Science.gov (United States)

Clark D. Fleege

2010-01-01

This paper presents the production protocols currently practiced at the USDA Forest Service Lucky Peak Nursery (Boise, ID) for seed processing and bareroot and container seedling production for three subspecies of big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata).

Neoclassical MHD equilibria with ohmic current

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tokuda, Shinji; Takeda, Tatsuoki; Okamoto, Masao.

1989-01-01

MHD equilibria of tokamak plasmas with neoclassical current effects (neoclassical conductivity and bootstrap current) were calculated self-consistently. Neoclassical effects on JFT-2M tokamak plasmas, sustained by ohmic currents, were studied. Bootstrap currents flow little for L-mode type equilibria because of low attainable values of poloidal beta, β J . H-mode type equilibria give bootstrap currents of 30% ohmic currents for β J attained by JFT-2M and 100% for β J ≥ 1.5, both of which are sufficient to change the current profiles and the resultant MHD equilibria. Neoclassical conductivity which has roughly half value of the classical Spitzer conductivity brings peaked ohmic current profiles to yield low safety factor at the magnetic axis. Neoclassical conductivity reduces the value of effective Z(Z eff ) which is necessary to give the observed one-turn voltage but it needs impurities accumulating at the center when such peaked current profiles are not observed. (author)

How to use your peak flow meter

Science.gov (United States)

... meter - how to use; Asthma - peak flow meter; Reactive airway disease - peak flow meter; Bronchial asthma - peak ... 2014:chap 55. National Asthma Education and Prevention Program website. How to use a peak flow meter. ...

The Risk of Residential Peak Electricity Demand: A Comparison of Five European Countries

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jacopo Torriti

2017-03-01

Full Text Available The creation of a Europe-wide electricity market combined with the increased intermittency of supply from renewable sources calls for an investigation into the risk of aggregate peak demand. This paper makes use of a risk model to assess differences in time-use data from residential end-users in five different European electricity markets. Drawing on the Multinational Time-Use Survey database, it assesses risk in relation to the probability of electrical appliance use within households for five European countries. Findings highlight in which countries and for which activities the risk of aggregate peak demand is higher and link smart home solutions (automated load control, dynamic pricing and smart appliances to different levels of peak demand risk.

Study of lower hybrid current drive for the demonstration reactor

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Molavi-Choobini, Ali Asghar [Dept. of Physics, Faculty of Engineering, Islamic Azad University, Shahr-e-kord Branch, Shahr-e-kord (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Naghidokht, Ahmed [Dept. of Physics, Urmia University, Urmia (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Karami, Zahra [Dept. of Engineering, Islamic Azad University, Zanjan Branch, Zanjan (Iran, Islamic Republic of)

2016-06-15

Steady-state operation of a fusion power plant requires external current drive to minimize the power requirements, and a high fraction of bootstrap current is required. One of the external sources for current drive is lower hybrid current drive, which has been widely applied in many tokamaks. Here, using lower hybrid simulation code, we calculate electron distribution function, electron currents and phase velocity changes for two options of demonstration reactor at the launched lower hybrid wave frequency 5 GHz. Two plasma scenarios pertaining to two different demonstration reactor options, known as pulsed (Option 1) and steady-state (Option 2) models, have been analyzed. We perceive that electron currents have major peaks near the edge of plasma for both options but with higher efficiency for Option 1, although we have access to wider, more peripheral regions for Option 2. Regarding the electron distribution function, major perturbations are at positive velocities for both options for flux surface 16 and at negative velocities for both options for flux surface 64.

Climate Change Impacts on Peak Electricity Consumption: US vs. Europe.

Science.gov (United States)

Auffhammer, M.

2016-12-01

It has been suggested that climate change impacts on the electric sector will account for the majority of global economic damages by the end of the current century and beyond. This finding is at odds with the relatively modest increase in climate driven impacts on consumption. Comprehensive high frequency load balancing authority level data have not been used previously to parameterize the relationship between electric demand and temperature for any major economy. Using statistical models we analyze multi-year data from load balancing authorities in the United States of America and the European Union, which are responsible for more than 90% of the electricity delivered to residential, industrial, commercial and agricultural customers. We couple the estimated response functions between total daily consumption and daily peak load with an ensemble of downscaled GCMs from the CMIP5 archive to simulate climate change driven impacts on both outcomes. We show moderate and highly spatially heterogeneous changes in consumption. The results of our peak load simulations, however, suggest significant changes in the intensity and frequency of peak events throughout the United States and Europe. As the electricity grid is built to endure maximum load, which usually occurs on the hottest day of the year, our findings have significant implications for the construction of costly peak generating and transmission capacity.

Origin of the Drude peak and of zero sound in probe brane holography

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chi-Fang Chen

2017-11-01

Full Text Available At zero temperature, the charge current operator appears to be conserved, within linear response, in certain holographic probe brane models of strange metals. At small but finite temperature, we analytically show that the weak non-conservation of this current leads to both a collective “zero sound” mode and a Drude peak in the electrical conductivity. This simultaneously resolves two outstanding puzzles about probe brane theories. The nonlinear dynamics of the current operator itself appears qualitatively different.

Extension of the TCV Operating Space Towards Higher Elongation and Higher Normalized Current

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hofmann, F.; Coda, S.; Lavanchy, P.; Llobet, X.; Marmillod, Ph.; Martin, Y.; Martynov, A.; Mlynar, J.; Moret, J.-M.; Pochelon, A.; Sauter, O.

2002-01-01

Recently, an experimental campaign has been launched on TCV with the aim of exploring and extending the limits of the operating space. The vertical position control system has been optimized, with the help of extensive model calculations, in order to allow operation at the lowest possible stability margin. In addition, the growth rate of the axisymmetric instability has been minimized by choosing optimum values for the plasma triangularity and squareness and by operating close to the current limit imposed by the n= 1 external kink mode. These measures have allowed us to reach record values of elongation, κ=2.8, and normalized current, I N =3.6, in a tokamak with standard aspect ratio, R/a=3.5. (author)

Twin-Peak Financial Regulatory Regime in China: A Desirability Analysis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hu, Chenchen

2015-01-01

In the past two decades, the Chinese financial markets have witnessed an unprecedented development and expansion, changing the landscape of the whole financial markets. But it has also drawn controversy with many scholars warning the negative consequences of the behemoth size and the increasing...... speed of the expansion of shadow banking activities. The banking activity expansion and the emergence of financial conglomerates have been challenging the effectiveness of the current institutional regulatory structure: the fragmented "One Bank and Three Commissions" system and the "Joint Meeting...... as a "deep context". By drawing on the Australia experience of the twin-peak reform and discussing the new ecology of the Chinese financial markets, the article attempts to answer the question of the desirability of a twin-peak regulatory regime in China....

Robustness of a Neural Network Model for Power Peak Factor Estimation in Protection Systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Souza, Rose Mary G.P.; Moreira, Joao M.L.

2006-01-01

This work presents results of robustness verification of artificial neural network correlations that improve the real time prediction of the power peak factor for reactor protection systems. The input variables considered in the correlation are those available in the reactor protection systems, namely, the axial power differences obtained from measured ex-core detectors, and the position of control rods. The correlations, based on radial basis function (RBF) and multilayer perceptron (MLP) neural networks, estimate the power peak factor, without faulty signals, with average errors between 0.13%, 0.19% and 0.15%, and maximum relative error of 2.35%. The robustness verification was performed for three different neural network correlations. The results show that they are robust against signal degradation, producing results with faulty signals with a maximum error of 6.90%. The average error associated to faulty signals for the MLP network is about half of that of the RBF network, and the maximum error is about 1% smaller. These results demonstrate that MLP neural network correlation is more robust than the RBF neural network correlation. The results also show that the input variables present redundant information. The axial power difference signals compensate the faulty signal for the position of a given control rod, and improves the results by about 10%. The results show that the errors in the power peak factor estimation by these neural network correlations, even in faulty conditions, are smaller than the current PWR schemes which may have uncertainties as high as 8%. Considering the maximum relative error of 2.35%, these neural network correlations would allow decreasing the power peak factor safety margin by about 5%. Such a reduction could be used for operating the reactor with a higher power level or with more flexibility. The neural network correlation has to meet requirements of high integrity software that performs safety grade actions. It is shown that the

Ionospheric Peak Electron Density and Performance Evaluation of IRI-CCIR Near Magnetic Equator in Africa During Two Extreme Solar Activities

Science.gov (United States)

Adebesin, B. O.; Rabiu, A. B.; Obrou, O. K.; Adeniyi, J. O.

2018-03-01

The F2 layer peak electron density (NmF2) was investigated over Korhogo (Geomagnetic: 1.26°S, 67.38°E), a station near the magnetic equator in the African sector. Data for 1996 and 2000 were, respectively, categorized into low solar quiet and disturbed and high solar quiet and disturbed. NmF2 prenoon peak was higher than the postnoon peak during high solar activity irrespective of magnetic activity condition, while the postnoon peak was higher for low solar activity. Higher NmF2 peak amplitude characterizes disturbed magnetic activity than quiet magnetic condition for any solar activity. The maximum peaks appeared in equinox. June solstice noontime bite out lagged other seasons by 1-2 h. For any condition of solar and magnetic activities, the daytime NmF2 percentage variability (%VR) measured by the relative standard deviation maximizes/minimizes in June solstice/equinox. Daytime variability increases with increasing magnetic activity. The highest peak in the morning time NmF2 variability occurs in equinox, while the highest evening/nighttime variability appeared in June solstice for all solar/magnetic conditions. The nighttime annual variability amplitude is higher during disturbed than quiet condition regardless of solar activity period. At daytime, variability is similar for all conditions of solar activities. NmF2 at Korhogo is well represented on the International Reference Ionosphere-International Radio Consultative Committee (IRI-CCIR) option. The model/observation relationship performed best between local midnight and postmidnight period (00-08 LT). The noontime trough characteristics is not prominent in the IRI pattern during high solar activity but evident during low solar conditions when compared with Korhogo observations. The Nash-Sutcliffe coefficients revealed better model performance during disturbed activities.

Determination of activity of I-125 applying sum-peak methods

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Arbelo Penna, Y.; Hernandez Rivero, A.T.; Oropesa Verdecia, P.; Serra Aguila, R.; Moreno Leon, Y.

2011-01-01

The determination of activity of I-125 in radioactive solutions, applying sum-peak methods, by using an n-type HPGe detector of extended range is described. Two procedures were used for obtaining I-125 specific activity in solutions: a) an absolute method, which is independent of nuclear parameters and detector efficiency, and b) an option which consider constant the efficiency in the region of interest and involves calculations using nuclear parameters. The measurement geometries studied are specifically solid point sources. The relative deviations between specific activities, obtained by these different procedures are not higher than 1 %. Moreover, the activity of the radioactive solution was obtained by measuring it in NIST ampoule using a CAPINTEC CRC 35R dose calibrator. The consistency of obtained results, confirm the feasibility of applying direct methods of measurement for I-125 activity determinations, which allow us to achieve lower uncertainties in comparison with the relative methods of measurement. The establishment of these methods is aimed to be applied for the calibration of equipment and radionuclide dose calibrators used currently in clinical RIA/IRMA assays and Nuclear medicine practice respectively. (Author)

Field and current amplification in the SSPX spheromak

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hill, D.N. . hilld@llnl.gov; Bulmer, R.H.; Cohen, B.I.

2003-01-01

Results are presented from experiments relating to magnetic field generation and current amplification in the SSPX spheromak. The SSPX spheromak plasma is driven by DC coaxial helicity injection using a 2MJ capacitor bank. Peak toroidal plasma currents of up to 0.7MA and peak edge poloidal fields of 0.3T are produced; lower current discharges can be sustained up to 3.5msec. When edge magnetic fluctuations are reduced below 1% by driving the plasma near threshold, it is possible to produce plasmas with Te > 150eV, e >∼4% and core χ e ∼30m 2 /s. Helicity balance for these plasmas suggests that sheath dissipation can be significant, pointing to the importance of maximizing the voltage on the coaxial injector. For most operational modes we find a stiff relationship between peak spheromak field and injector current, and little correlation with plasma temperature, which suggests that other processes than ohmic dissipation may limit field amplification. However, slowing spheromak buildup by limiting the initial current pulse increases the ratio of toroidal current to injected current and points to new operating regimes with more favorable current amplification. (author)

Current Trends in Malaysian Higher Education and the Effect on Education Policy and Practice: An Overview

Science.gov (United States)

Grapragasem, Selvaraj; Krishnan, Anbalagan; Mansor, Azlin Norhaini

2014-01-01

Malaysia has evolved from a production-based to knowledge-based economy in order to stay relevant and compete in the global marketplace. Thus, the purpose of this article is to discuss current trends in Malaysian higher education and how these affect education policies and practices. Four main trends are discussed in this study: Globalization,…

Peak activation of lower limb musculature during high flexion kneeling and transitional movements.

Science.gov (United States)

Kingston, David C; Tennant, Liana M; Chong, Helen C; Acker, Stacey M

2016-09-01

Few studies have measured lower limb muscle activation during high knee flexion or investigated the effects of occupational safety footwear. Therefore, our understanding of injury and disease mechanisms, such as knee osteoarthritis, is limited for these high-risk postures. Peak activation was assessed in eight bilateral lower limb muscles for twelve male participants, while shod or barefoot. Transitions between standing and kneeling had peak quadriceps and tibialis anterior (TA) activations above 50% MVC. Static kneeling and simulated tasks performed when kneeling had peak TA activity above 15% MVC but below 10% MVC for remaining muscles. In three cases, peak muscle activity was significantly higher (mean 8.9% MVC) when shod. However, net compressive knee joint forces may not be significantly increased when shod. EMG should be used as a modelling input when estimating joint contact forces for these postures, considering the activation levels in the hamstrings and quadriceps muscles during transitions. Practitioner Summary: Kneeling transitional movements are used in activities of daily living and work but are linked to increased knee osteoarthritis risk. We found peak EMG activity of some lower limb muscles to be over 70% MVC during transitions and minimal influence of wearing safety footwear.

Automated asteroseismic peak detections

Science.gov (United States)

García Saravia Ortiz de Montellano, Andrés; Hekker, S.; Themeßl, N.

2018-05-01

Space observatories such as Kepler have provided data that can potentially revolutionize our understanding of stars. Through detailed asteroseismic analyses we are capable of determining fundamental stellar parameters and reveal the stellar internal structure with unprecedented accuracy. However, such detailed analyses, known as peak bagging, have so far been obtained for only a small percentage of the observed stars while most of the scientific potential of the available data remains unexplored. One of the major challenges in peak bagging is identifying how many solar-like oscillation modes are visible in a power density spectrum. Identification of oscillation modes is usually done by visual inspection that is time-consuming and has a degree of subjectivity. Here, we present a peak-detection algorithm especially suited for the detection of solar-like oscillations. It reliably characterizes the solar-like oscillations in a power density spectrum and estimates their parameters without human intervention. Furthermore, we provide a metric to characterize the false positive and false negative rates to provide further information about the reliability of a detected oscillation mode or the significance of a lack of detected oscillation modes. The algorithm presented here opens the possibility for detailed and automated peak bagging of the thousands of solar-like oscillators observed by Kepler.

Contribution to performing gas solutions and the complementarity of energies to address electric peak consumptions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2015-01-01

This article aims at outlining the contribution that gas-based solutions may have for the reduction of the seasonal electricity peak consumption. After having recalled the principles related to electricity peak consumption (daily peak in summer and in winter due to the use of various equipment which lasts few hours, seasonal peak in winter due to the use of electric heating which may last several weeks) and the associated evolution of electricity consumptions over the last years, this article describes the main challenges related to the electric peak consumption: how to maintain the balance in real time between production and consumption. In France, the network manager must use, beside nuclear power stations, thermal productions (gas or coal-based) which result in higher CO 2 emissions. Electricity imports from Germany also degrade the French carbon footprint. Thus, the management of daily and seasonal peaks can be based on three levers of action: to act on supply by developing capacities to face the residual peak, to act on demand by smoothing the load curve by controlling the load of electric equipment, or to act on demand by a global reduction of the thermo-sensitive consumption of electricity

Reduction of peak energy demand based on smart appliances energy consumption adjustment

Science.gov (United States)

Powroźnik, P.; Szulim, R.

2017-08-01

In the paper the concept of elastic model of energy management for smart grid and micro smart grid is presented. For the proposed model a method for reducing peak demand in micro smart grid has been defined. The idea of peak demand reduction in elastic model of energy management is to introduce a balance between demand and supply of current power for the given Micro Smart Grid in the given moment. The results of the simulations studies were presented. They were carried out on real household data available on UCI Machine Learning Repository. The results may have practical application in the smart grid networks, where there is a need for smart appliances energy consumption adjustment. The article presents a proposal to implement the elastic model of energy management as the cloud computing solution. This approach of peak demand reduction might have application particularly in a large smart grid.

Establishment of peak bone mass.

Science.gov (United States)

Mora, Stefano; Gilsanz, Vicente

2003-03-01

Among the main areas of progress in osteoporosis research during the last decade or so are the general recognition that this condition, which is the cause of so much pain in the elderly population, has its antecedents in childhood and the identification of the structural basis accounting for much of the differences in bone strength among humans. Nevertheless, current understanding of the bone mineral accrual process is far from complete. The search for genes that regulate bone mass acquisition is ongoing, and current results are not sufficient to identify subjects at risk. However, there is solid evidence that BMD measurements can be helpful for the selection of subjects that presumably would benefit from preventive interventions. The questions regarding the type of preventive interventions, their magnitude, and duration remain unanswered. Carefully designed controlled trials are needed. Nevertheless, previous experience indicates that weight-bearing activity and possibly calcium supplements are beneficial if they are begun during childhood and preferably before the onset of puberty. Modification of unhealthy lifestyles and increments in exercise or calcium assumption are logical interventions that should be implemented to improve bone mass gains in all children and adolescents who are at risk of failing to achieve an optimal peak bone mass.

Higher Efficiency HVAC Motors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Flynn, Charles Joseph [QM Power, Inc., Kansas City, MO (United States)

2018-02-13

The objective of this project was to design and build a cost competitive, more efficient heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) motor than what is currently available on the market. Though different potential motor architectures among QMP’s primary technology platforms were investigated and evaluated, including through the building of numerous prototypes, the project ultimately focused on scaling up QM Power, Inc.’s (QMP) Q-Sync permanent magnet synchronous motors from available sub-fractional horsepower (HP) sizes for commercial refrigeration fan applications to larger fractional horsepower sizes appropriate for HVAC applications, and to add multi-speed functionality. The more specific goal became the research, design, development, and testing of a prototype 1/2 HP Q-Sync motor that has at least two operating speeds and 87% peak efficiency compared to incumbent electronically commutated motors (EC or ECM, also known as brushless direct current (DC) motors), the heretofore highest efficiency HVACR fan motor solution, at approximately 82% peak efficiency. The resulting motor prototype built achieved these goals, hitting 90% efficiency and .95 power factor at full load and speed, and 80% efficiency and .7 power factor at half speed. Q-Sync, developed in part through a DOE SBIR grant (Award # DE-SC0006311), is a novel, patented motor technology that improves on electronically commutated permanent magnet motors through an advanced electronic circuit technology. It allows a motor to “sync” with the alternating current (AC) power flow. It does so by eliminating the constant, wasteful power conversions from AC to DC and back to AC through the synthetic creation of a new AC wave on the primary circuit board (PCB) by a process called pulse width modulation (PWM; aka electronic commutation) that is incessantly required to sustain motor operation in an EC permanent magnet motor. The Q-Sync circuit improves the power factor of the motor by removing all

Simultaneous collection method of on-peak window image and off-peak window image in Tl-201 imaging

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Murakami, Tomonori; Noguchi, Yasushi; Kojima, Akihiro; Takagi, Akihiro; Matsumoto, Masanori

2007-01-01

Tl-201 imaging detects the photopeak (71 keV, in on-peak window) of characteristic X-rays of Hg-201 formed from Tl-201 decay. The peak is derived from 4 rays of different energy and emission intensity and does not follow in Gaussian distribution. In the present study, authors made an idea for the method in the title to attain the more effective single imaging, which was examined for its accuracy and reliability with phantoms and applied clinically to Tl-201 scintigraphy in a patient. The authors applied the triple energy window method for data acquisition: the energy window setting was made on Hg-201 X-rays photopeak in three of the lower (3%, L), main (72 keV, M) and upper (14%, U) windows with the gamma camera with 2-gated detector (Toshiba E. CAM/ICON). L, M and U images obtained simultaneously were then constructed to images of on-peak (L+M, Mock on-peak) and off-peak (M+U) window settings for evaluation. Phantoms for line source with Tl-201-containing swab and for multi-defect with acrylic plate containing Tl-201 solution were imaged in water. The female patient with thyroid cancer was subjected to preoperative scintigraphy under the defined conditions. Mock on-, off-peak images were found to be equivalent to the true (ordinary, clinical) on-, off-peak ones, and the present method was thought usable for evaluation of usefulness of off-peak window data. (R.T.)

Distinct structural features of cyclothiazide are responsible for effects on peak current amplitude and desensitization kinetics at iGluR2

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hald, Helle; Ahring, Philip Kiær; Timmermann, Daniel Brunicardi

2009-01-01

Ionotropic glutamate receptors (iGluRs) mediate fast excitatory neurotransmission. Upon glutamate application, 2-amino-3-(3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolyl)propionic acid receptors undergo rapid and almost complete desensitization that can be attenuated by positive allosteric modulators. The molecu......Ionotropic glutamate receptors (iGluRs) mediate fast excitatory neurotransmission. Upon glutamate application, 2-amino-3-(3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolyl)propionic acid receptors undergo rapid and almost complete desensitization that can be attenuated by positive allosteric modulators......) in micromolar: 10 (CTZ), 26 (NS1493), 43 (NS5206), and 48 (NS5217)]. The four modulators divide into three groups according to efficacy and desensitization kinetics: (1) CTZ increases the peak current efficacy twice as much as the three analogues and nearly completely blocks receptor desensitization; (2) NS5206...... and NS5217 have low efficacy and only attenuate desensitization partially; (3) NS1493 has low efficacy but nearly completely blocks receptor desensitization. A hydrophobic substituent at the 3-position of the 1,1-dioxo-3,4-dihydro-2H-benzo[e][1,2,4]thiadiazine ring system is important for compound...

Effect of external noise on the current response in superlattices

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Suqing Duan; Wu Binyi; Wang Zhigang; Zhao Xiangeng

2004-01-01

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

High current, high bandwidth laser diode current driver

Science.gov (United States)

Copeland, David J.; Zimmerman, Robert K., Jr.

1991-01-01

A laser diode current driver has been developed for free space laser communications. The driver provides 300 mA peak modulation current and exhibits an optical risetime of less than 400 ps. The current and optical pulses are well behaved and show minimal ringing. The driver is well suited for QPPM modulation at data rates up to 440 Mbit/s. Much previous work has championed current steering circuits; in contrast, the present driver is a single-ended on/off switch. This results in twice the power efficiency as a current steering driver. The driver electrical efficiency for QPPM data is 34 percent. The high speed switch is realized with a Ku-band GaAsFET transistor, with a suitable pre-drive circuit, on a hybrid microcircuit adjacent to the laser diode.

Test results of fault current limiter using YBCO tapes with shunt protection

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Baldan, Carlos A; Lamas, Jerika S; Shigue, Carlos Y [Escola de Engenharia de Lorena, EEL USP, Lorena - SP (Brazil); Filho, Ernesto Ruppert, E-mail: cabaldan@gmail.co [Faculdade de Engenharia Eletrica, FEEC Unicamp, Campinas - SP (Brazil)

2010-06-01

A Fault Current Limiter (FCL) based on high temperature superconducting elements with four tapes in parallel were designed and tested in 220 V line for a fault current peak between 1 kA to 4 kA. The elements employed second generation (2G) HTS tapes of YBCO coated conductor with stainless steel reinforcement. The tapes were electrically connected in parallel with effective length of 0.4 m per element (16 elements connected in series) constituting a single-phase unit. The FCL performance was evaluated through over-current tests and its recovery characteristics under load current were analyzed using optimized value of the shunt protection. The projected limiting ratio achieved a factor higher than 4 during fault of 5 cycles without degradation. Construction details and further test results will be shown in the paper.

Emission mechanism in high current hollow cathode arcs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Krishnan, M.

1976-01-01

Large (2 cm-diameter) hollow cathodes have been operated in a magnetoplasmadynamic (MPD) arc over wide ranges of current (0.25 to 17 kA) and mass flow (10 -3 to 8 g/sec), with orifice current densities and mass fluxes encompassing those encountered in low current steady-state hollow cathode arcs. Detailed cathode interior measurements of current and potential distributions show that maximum current penetration into the cathode is about one diameter axially upstream from the tip, with peak inner surface current attachment up to one cathode diameter upstream of the tip. The spontaneous attachment of peak current upstream of the cathode tip is suggested as a criterion for characteristic hollow cathode operation. This empirical criterion is verified by experiment

Statistical analysis of the low-temperature dislocation peak of internal friction (Bordoni peak) in nanostructured copper

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vatazhuk, E.N.; Natsik, V.D.

2011-01-01

The temperature-frequency dependence of internal friction in the nanostructured samples of Cu and fibred composite C-32 vol.%Nb with the sizes of structure fragments approx 200 nm is analyzed. Experiments are used as initial information for such analysis. The characteristic for the heavily deformed copper Bordoni peak, located nearby a temperature 90 K, was recorded on temperature dependence of vibration decrement (frequencies 73-350 kHz) in previous experiments. The peak is due to the resonance interaction of sound with the system of thermal activated relaxators, and its width considerably greater in comparison with the width of standard internal friction peak with the single relaxation time. Statistical analysis of the peak is made in terms of assumption that the reason of broadening is random activation energy dispersion of relaxators as a result of intense distortion of copper crystal structure. Good agreement of experimental data and Seeger theory considers thermal activated paired kinks at linear segments of dislocation lines, placed in potential Peierls relief valley, as relaxators of Bordoni peak, was established. It is shown that the registered peak height in experiment correspond to presence at the average one dislocation segment in the interior of crystalline grain with size of 200 nm. Empirical estimates for the critical Peierls stress σp ∼ 2x10 7 Pa and integrated density of the interior grain dislocations ρ d ∼ 10 13 m -2 are made. Nb fibers in the composite Cu-Nb facilitate to formation of nanostructured copper, but do not influence evidently on the Bordoni peak.

Attenuated Increase in Maximal Force of Rat Medial Gastrocnemius Muscle after Concurrent Peak Power and Endurance Training

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Regula Furrer

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Improvement of muscle peak power and oxidative capacity are generally presumed to be mutually exclusive. However, this may not be valid by using fibre type-specific recruitment. Since rat medial gastrocnemius muscle (GM is composed of high and low oxidative compartments which are recruited task specifically, we hypothesised that the adaptive responses to peak power training were unaffected by additional endurance training. Thirty rats were subjected to either no training (control, peak power training (PT, or both peak power and endurance training (PET, which was performed on a treadmill 5 days per week for 6 weeks. Maximal running velocity increased 13.5% throughout the training and was similar in both training groups. Only after PT, GM maximal force was 10% higher than that of the control group. In the low oxidative compartment, mRNA levels of myostatin and MuRF-1 were higher after PT as compared to those of control and PET groups, respectively. Phospho-S6 ribosomal protein levels remained unchanged, suggesting that the elevated myostatin levels after PT did not inhibit mTOR signalling. In conclusion, even by using task-specific recruitment of the compartmentalized rat GM, additional endurance training interfered with the adaptive response of peak power training and attenuated the increase in maximal force after power training.

Operational and structural measures to reduce hydro-peaking impact on fish larvae

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kopecki, Ianina; Schneider, Matthias

2016-01-01

Eco-hydraulic investigations studying the effects of hydro-peaking on river biota are gaining in importance. Negative effects of rapid flow fluctuations due to hydro power production are well documented by many studies, with the larvae and juvenile fish identified among the mostly affected life stages. Therefore, elaboration of efficient hydro-peaking mitigation strategies is an important issue for energy companies as well as for water body administrations responsible for the fulfilment of WFD requirements. The present case study strives for practical solutions allowing to minimize or compensate the negative effects of hydro-peaking on the fish fauna of the 7 km long river reach on the river Lech (southern Germany). Model based investigations allow to access the impact from currently authorized discharge regime, suggest operational and structural measures within the reach in terms of reducing the risk of stranding for fish larvae and select the measures most easy to implement and with the largest ecological benefit. The paper describes the approach for accessing the effects of hydro-peaking based on 2D hydrodynamic modelling, fuzzy logic based habitat modelling and information on cutting-edge biological investigations on fish larvae from Lunz experimental facility (Austria). (authors)

Baseline restoration using current conveyors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Morgado, A.M.L.S.; Simoes, J.B.; Correia, C.M.

1996-01-01

A good performance of high resolution nuclear spectrometry systems, at high pulse rates, demands restoration of baseline between pulses, in order to remove rate dependent baseline shifts. This restoration is performed by circuits named baseline restorers (BLRs) which also remove low frequency noise, such as power supply hum and detector microphonics. This paper presents simple circuits for baseline restoration based on a commercial current conveyor (CCII01). Tests were performed, on two circuits, with periodic trapezoidal shaped pulses in order to measure the baseline restoration for several pulse rates and restorer duty cycles. For the current conveyor based Robinson restorer, the peak shift was less than 10 mV, for duty cycles up to 60%, at high pulse rates. Duty cycles up to 80% were also tested, being the maximum peak shift 21 mV. The peak shift for the current conveyor based Grubic restorer was also measured. The maximum value found was 30 mV at 82% duty cycle. Keeping the duty cycle below 60% improves greatly the restorer performance. The ability of both baseline restorer architectures to reject low frequency modulation is also measured, with good results on both circuits

Mixed Higher Order Variational Model for Image Recovery

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pengfei Liu

2014-01-01

Full Text Available A novel mixed higher order regularizer involving the first and second degree image derivatives is proposed in this paper. Using spectral decomposition, we reformulate the new regularizer as a weighted L1-L2 mixed norm of image derivatives. Due to the equivalent formulation of the proposed regularizer, an efficient fast projected gradient algorithm combined with monotone fast iterative shrinkage thresholding, called, FPG-MFISTA, is designed to solve the resulting variational image recovery problems under majorization-minimization framework. Finally, we demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed regularization scheme by the experimental comparisons with total variation (TV scheme, nonlocal TV scheme, and current second degree methods. Specifically, the proposed approach achieves better results than related state-of-the-art methods in terms of peak signal to ratio (PSNR and restoration quality.

The peak in neutron powder diffraction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Laar, B. van; Yelon, W.B.

1984-01-01

For the application of Rietveld profile analysis to neutron powder diffraction data a precise knowledge of the peak profile, in both shape and position, is required. The method now in use employs a Gaussian shaped profile with a semi-empirical asymmetry correction for low-angle peaks. The integrated intensity is taken to be proportional to the classical Lorentz factor calculated for the X-ray case. In this paper an exact expression is given for the peak profile based upon the geometrical dimensions of the diffractometer. It is shown that the asymmetry of observed peaks is well reproduced by this expression. The angular displacement of the experimental profile with respect to the nominal Bragg angle value is larger than expected. Values for the correction to the classical Lorentz factor for the integrated intensity are given. The exact peak profile expression has been incorporated into a Rietveld profile analysis refinement program. (Auth.)

Equivalence of the Boson Peak in Glasses to the Transverse Acoustic van Hove Singularity in Crystals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chumakov, A. I.; Monaco, G.; Monaco, A.; Crichton, W. A.; Bosak, A.; Rueffer, R.; Meyer, A.; Kargl, F.; Comez, L.; Fioretto, D.; Giefers, H.; Roitsch, S.; Wortmann, G.; Manghnani, M. H.; Hushur, A.; Balogh, J.; Williams, Q.; Parlinski, K.; Jochym, P.; Piekarz, P.

2011-01-01

We compare the atomic dynamics of the glass to that of the relevant crystal. In the spectra of inelastic scattering, the boson peak of the glass appears higher than the transverse acoustic (TA) singularity of the crystal. However, the density of states shows that they have the same number of states. Increasing pressure causes the transformation of the boson peak of the glass towards the TA singularity of the crystal. Once corrected for the difference in the elastic medium, the boson peak matches the TA singularity in energy and height. This suggests the identical nature of the two features.

Gamma-Ray Peak Integration: Accuracy and Precision

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Richard M. Lindstrom

2000-01-01

The accuracy of singlet gamma-ray peak areas obtained by a peak analysis program is immaterial. If the same algorithm is used for sample measurement as for calibration and if the peak shapes are similar, then biases in the integration method cancel. Reproducibility is the only important issue. Even the uncertainty of the areas computed by the program is trivial because the true standard uncertainty can be experimentally assessed by repeated measurements of the same source. Reproducible peak integration was important in a recent standard reference material certification task. The primary tool used for spectrum analysis was SUM, a National Institute of Standards and Technology interactive program to sum peaks and subtract a linear background, using the same channels to integrate all 20 spectra. For comparison, this work examines other peak integration programs. Unlike some published comparisons of peak performance in which synthetic spectra were used, this experiment used spectra collected for a real (though exacting) analytical project, analyzed by conventional software used in routine ways. Because both components of the 559- to 564-keV doublet are from 76 As, they were integrated together with SUM. The other programs, however, deconvoluted the peaks. A sensitive test of the fitting algorithm is the ratio of reported peak areas. In almost all the cases, this ratio was much more variable than expected from the reported uncertainties reported by the program. Other comparisons to be reported indicate that peak integration is still an imperfect tool in the analysis of gamma-ray spectra

Peak effect in untwinned YBa 2Cu 3O 7-δ single crystals

Science.gov (United States)

D'Anna, G.; André, M.-O.; Indenbom, M. V.; Benoit, W.

1994-12-01

We report on the observation of a weak effect of the critical current density in untwinned YBa 2Cu 3O 7-δ single crystals of different purity, using a low frequency torsion pendulum. We construct the peak effect line and the irreversibility line.

Modelling of electric characteristics of 150-watt peak solar panel using Boltzmann sigmoid function under various temperature and irradiance

Science.gov (United States)

Sapteka, A. A. N. G.; Narottama, A. A. N. M.; Winarta, A.; Amerta Yasa, K.; Priambodo, P. S.; Putra, N.

2018-01-01

Solar energy utilized with solar panel is a renewable energy that needs to be studied further. The site nearest to the equator, it is not surprising, receives the highest solar energy. In this paper, a modelling of electrical characteristics of 150-Watt peak solar panels using Boltzmann sigmoid function under various temperature and irradiance is reported. Current, voltage, temperature and irradiance data in Denpasar, a city located at just south of equator, was collected. Solar power meter is used to measure irradiance level, meanwhile digital thermometer is used to measure temperature of front and back panels. Short circuit current and open circuit voltage data was also collected at different temperature and irradiance level. Statistically, the electrical characteristics of 150-Watt peak solar panel can be modelled using Boltzmann sigmoid function with good fit. Therefore, it can be concluded that Boltzmann sigmoid function might be used to determine current and voltage characteristics of 150-Watt peak solar panel under various temperature and irradiance.

Relationships between electroencephalographic spectral peaks across frequency bands

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sacha Jennifer Van Albada

2013-03-01

Full Text Available The degree to which electroenencephalographic (EEG spectral peaks are independent, and the relationships between their frequencies have been debated. A novel fitting method was used to determine peak parameters in the range 2–35 Hz from a large sample of eyes-closed spectra, and their interrelationships were investigated. Findings were compared with a mean-field model of thalamocortical activity, which predicts near-harmonic relationships between peaks. The subject set consisted of 1424 healthy subjects from the Brain Resource International Database. Peaks in the theta range occurred on average near half the alpha peak frequency, while peaks in the beta range tended to occur near twice and three times the alpha peak frequency on an individual-subject basis. Moreover, for the majority of subjects, alpha peak frequencies were significantly positively correlated with frequencies of peaks in the theta and low and high beta ranges. Such a harmonic progression agrees semiquantitatively with theoretical predictions from the mean-field model. These findings indicate a common or analogous source for different rhythms, and help to define appropriate individual frequency bands for peak identification.

Relationships between Electroencephalographic Spectral Peaks Across Frequency Bands

Science.gov (United States)

van Albada, S. J.; Robinson, P. A.

2013-01-01

The degree to which electroencephalographic spectral peaks are independent, and the relationships between their frequencies have been debated. A novel fitting method was used to determine peak parameters in the range 2–35 Hz from a large sample of eyes-closed spectra, and their interrelationships were investigated. Findings were compared with a mean-field model of thalamocortical activity, which predicts near-harmonic relationships between peaks. The subject set consisted of 1424 healthy subjects from the Brain Resource International Database. Peaks in the theta range occurred on average near half the alpha peak frequency, while peaks in the beta range tended to occur near twice and three times the alpha peak frequency on an individual-subject basis. Moreover, for the majority of subjects, alpha peak frequencies were significantly positively correlated with frequencies of peaks in the theta and low and high beta ranges. Such a harmonic progression agrees semiquantitatively with theoretical predictions from the mean-field model. These findings indicate a common or analogous source for different rhythms, and help to define appropriate individual frequency bands for peak identification. PMID:23483663

Hubbert's Peak -- A Physicist's View

Science.gov (United States)

McDonald, Richard

2011-04-01

Oil, as used in agriculture and transportation, is the lifeblood of modern society. It is finite in quantity and will someday be exhausted. In 1956, Hubbert proposed a theory of resource production and applied it successfully to predict peak U.S. oil production in 1970. Bartlett extended this work in publications and lectures on the finite nature of oil and its production peak and depletion. Both Hubbert and Bartlett place peak world oil production at a similar time, essentially now. Central to these analyses are estimates of total ``oil in place'' obtained from engineering studies of oil reservoirs as this quantity determines the area under the Hubbert's Peak. Knowing the production history and the total oil in place allows us to make estimates of reserves, and therefore future oil availability. We will then examine reserves data for various countries, in particular OPEC countries, and see if these data tell us anything about the future availability of oil. Finally, we will comment on synthetic oil and the possibility of carbon-neutral synthetic oil for a sustainable future.

The geomorphic structure of the runoff peak

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

R. Rigon

2011-06-01

Full Text Available This paper develops a theoretical framework to investigate the core dependence of peak flows on the geomorphic properties of river basins. Based on the theory of transport by travel times, and simple hydrodynamic characterization of floods, this new framework invokes the linearity and invariance of the hydrologic response to provide analytical and semi-analytical expressions for peak flow, time to peak, and area contributing to the peak runoff. These results are obtained for the case of constant-intensity hyetograph using the Intensity-Duration-Frequency (IDF curves to estimate extreme flow values as a function of the rainfall return period. Results show that, with constant-intensity hyetographs, the time-to-peak is greater than rainfall duration and usually shorter than the basin concentration time. Moreover, the critical storm duration is shown to be independent of rainfall return period as well as the area contributing to the flow peak. The same results are found when the effects of hydrodynamic dispersion are accounted for. Further, it is shown that, when the effects of hydrodynamic dispersion are negligible, the basin area contributing to the peak discharge does not depend on the channel velocity, but is a geomorphic propriety of the basin. As an example this framework is applied to three watersheds. In particular, the runoff peak, the critical rainfall durations and the time to peak are calculated for all links within a network to assess how they increase with basin area.

Peak Serum AST Is a Better Predictor of Acute Liver Graft Injury after Liver Transplantation When Adjusted for Donor/Recipient BSA Size Mismatch (ASTi

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kyota Fukazawa

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Background. Despite the marked advances in the perioperative management of the liver transplant recipient, an assessment of clinically significant graft injury following preservation and reperfusion remains difficult. In this study, we hypothesized that size-adjusted AST could better approximate real AST values and consequently provide a better reflection of the extent of graft damage, with better sensitivity and specificity than current criteria. Methods. We reviewed data on 930 orthotopic liver transplant recipients. Size-adjusted AST (ASTi was calculated by dividing peak AST by our previously reported index for donor-recipient size mismatch, the BSAi. The predictive value of ASTi of primary nonfunction (PNF and graft survival was assessed by receiver operating characteristic curve, logistic regression, Kaplan-Meier survival, and Cox proportional hazard model. Results. Size-adjusted peak AST (ASTi was significantly associated with subsequent occurrence of PNF and graft failure. In our study cohort, the prediction of PNF by the combination of ASTi and PT-INR had a higher sensitivity and specificity compared to current UNOS criteria. Conclusions. We conclude that size-adjusted AST (ASTi is a simple, reproducible, and sensitive marker of clinically significant graft damage.

A current drive by using the fast wave in frequency range higher than two timeslower hybrid resonance frequency on tokamaks

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kim Sun Ho

2017-01-01

Full Text Available An efficient current drive scheme in central or off-axis region is required for the steady state operation of tokamak fusion reactors. The current drive by using the fast wave in frequency range higher than two times lower hybrid resonance (w>2wlh could be such a scheme in high density, high temperature reactor-grade tokamak plasmas. First, it has relatively higher parallel electric field to the magnetic field favorable to the current generation, compared to fast waves in other frequency range. Second, it can deeply penetrate into high density plasmas compared to the slow wave in the same frequency range. Third, parasitic coupling to the slow wave can contribute also to the current drive avoiding parametric instability, thermal mode conversion and ion heating occured in the frequency range w<2wlh. In this study, the propagation boundary, accessibility, and the energy flow of the fast wave are given via cold dispersion relation and group velocity. The power absorption and current drive efficiency are discussed qualitatively through the hot dispersion relation and the polarization. Finally, those characteristics are confirmed with ray tracing code GENRAY for the KSTAR plasmas.

The Impact of the Twin Peaks Model on the Insurance Industry

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Daleen Millard

2017-02-01

Full Text Available Financial regulation in South Africa changes constantly. In the quest to find the ideal regulatory framework for optimal consumer protection, rules change all the time and international trends have an important influence on lawmakers nationally. The Financial Sector Regulation Bill, also known as the "Twin Peaks" Bill, is the latest invention from the table of the legislature, and some expect this Bill to have far-reaching consequences for the financial services industry. The question is, of course, whether the current dispensation will change so quickly and so dramatically that it will literally be the end of the world as we know it or whether there will be a gradual shift in emphasis away from the so-called silo regulatory approach to an approach that distinguishes between prudential regulation on the one hand and market conduct regulation on the other. A further question is whether insurance as a financial service will change dramatically in the light of the expected twin peak dispensation. The purpose of this paper is to discuss the implications of the FSR Bill for the insurance industry. Instead of analysing the Bill feature for feature, the method that will be used in this enquiry is to identify trends and issues from 2014 and to discuss whether the Twin Peaks model, once implemented, can successfully eradicate similar problems in future. The impact of Twin Peaks will of course have to be tested, but at this point in time it may be very useful to take an educated guess by using recent cases as examples. Recent cases before the courts, the Enforcement Committee and the FAIS Ombud will be discussed not only as examples of the most prevalent issues of the past year or so, but also as examples of how consumer issues and systemic risks are currently being dealt with and how this may change with the implementation of the FSR Bill.

Combined effect of storm movement and drainage network configuration on flood peaks

Science.gov (United States)

Seo, Yongwon; Son, Kwang Ik; Choi, Hyun Il

2016-04-01

This presentation reports the combined effect of storm movement and drainage network layout on resulting hydrographs and its implication to flood process and also flood mitigation. First, we investigate, in general terms, the effects of storm movement on the resulting flood peaks, and the underlying process controls. For this purpose, we utilize a broad theoretical framework that uses characteristic time and space scales associated with stationary rainstorms as well as moving rainstorms. For a stationary rainstorm the characteristic timescales that govern the peak response include two intrinsic timescales of a catchment and one extrinsic timescale of a rainstorm. On the other hand, for a moving rainstorm, two additional extrinsic scales are required; the storm travel time and storm size. We show that the relationship between the peak response and the timescales appropriate for a stationary rainstorm can be extended in a straightforward manner to describe the peak response for a moving rainstorm. For moving rainstorms, we show that the augmentation of peak response arises from both effect of overlaying the responses from subcatchments (resonance condition) and effect of increased responses from subcatchments due to increased duration (interdependence), which results in maximum peak response when the moving rainstorm is slower than the channel flow velocity. Second, we show the relation between channel network configurations and hydrograph sensitivity to storm kinematics. For this purpose, Gibbs' model is used to evaluate the network characteristics. The results show that the storm kinematics that produces the maximum peak discharge depends on the network configuration because the resonance condition changes with the network configuration. We show that an "efficient" network layout is more sensitive and results in higher increase in peak response compared to "inefficient" one. These results imply different flood potential risks for river networks depending on network

INTEGRAL detection of the multi-peaked emission from the Be/X-ray binary pulsar GRO J1008-57

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Fiocchi, M.; Sguera, A.; Chenevez, Jérôme

2014-01-01

Crab (3-10 keV) and 70.5 +/-9 mCrab (10-25 keV), during a 4.9 ks effective exposure. This is the third outburst peak observed from this source during the current X-ray activity which started in September (ATEL #6465, #6630, #6656, #6664, #6819). Multiple peaks are a complex morphology occurring in about 1...

An Improvement on the Junction Temperature Measurement of Light-Emitting Diodes by using the Peak Shift Method Compared with the Forward Voltage Method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

He Su-Ming; Wang Jin-Bin; Luo Xiang-Dong; Zhang Bo; Fu Lei; Cheng Li-Wen; Lu Wei

2012-01-01

The junction temperature of red, green and blue high power light emitting diodes (LEDs) is measured by using the emission peak shift method and the forward voltage method. Both the emission peak shift and the forward voltage decrease show a linear relationship relative to junction temperature. The linear coefficients of the red, green and blue LEDs for the peak shift method and the forward voltage method range from 0.03 to 0.15 nm/°C and from 1.33 to 3.59 mV/°C, respectively. Compared with the forward voltage method, the peak shift method is almost independent of bias current and sample difference. The variation of the slopes is less than 2% for the peak shift method and larger than 30% for the forward voltage method, when the LEDs are driven by different bias currents. It is indicated that the peak shift method gives better stability than the forward voltage method under different LED working conditions

Lightweight Battery Charge Regulator Used to Track Solar Array Peak Power

Science.gov (United States)

Soeder, James F.; Button, Robert M.

1999-01-01

A battery charge regulator based on the series-connected boost regulator (SCBR) technology has been developed for high-voltage spacecraft applications. The SCBR regulates the solar array power during insolation to prevent battery overcharge or undercharge conditions. It can also be used to provide regulated battery output voltage to spacecraft loads if necessary. This technology uses industry-standard dc-dc converters and a unique interconnection to provide size, weight, efficiency, fault tolerance, and modularity benefits over existing systems. The high-voltage SCBR shown in the photograph has demonstrated power densities of over 1000 watts per kilogram (W/kg). Using four 150-W dc-dc converter modules, it can process 2500 W of power at 120 Vdc with a minimum input voltage of 90 Vdc. Efficiency of the SCBR was 94 to 98 percent over the entire operational range. Internally, the unit is made of two separate SCBR s, each with its own analog control circuitry, to demonstrate the modularity of the technology. The analog controllers regulate the output current and incorporate the output voltage limit with active current sharing between the two units. They also include voltage and current telemetry, on/off control, and baseplate temperature sensors. For peak power tracking, the SCBR was connected to a LabView-based data acquisition system for telemetry and control. A digital control algorithm for tracking the peak power point of a solar array was developed using the principle of matching the source impedance with the load impedance for maximum energy transfer. The algorithm was successfully demonstrated in a simulated spacecraft electrical system at the Boeing PhantomWorks High Voltage Test Facility in Seattle, Washington. The system consists of a 42-string, high-voltage solar array simulator, a 77-cell, 80-ampere-hour (A-hr) nickel-hydrogen battery, and a constant power-load module. The SCBR and the LabView control algorithm successfully tracked the solar array peak

A fast novel soft-start circuit for peak current-mode DC—DC buck converters

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li Jie; Yang Miao; Sun Weifeng; Lu Xiaoxia; Xu Shen; Lu Shengli

2013-01-01

A fully integrated soft-start circuit for DC—DC buck converters is presented. The proposed high speed soft-start circuit is made of two sections: an overshoot suppression circuit and an inrush current suppression circuit. The overshoot suppression circuit is presented to control the input of the error amplifier to make output voltage limit increase in steps without using an external capacitor. A variable clock signal is adopted in the inrush current suppression circuit to increase the duty cycle of the system and suppress the inrush current. The DC—DC converter with the proposed soft-start circuit has been fabricated with a standard 0.13 μm CMOS process. Experimental results show that the proposed high speed soft-start circuit has achieved less than 50 μs start-up time. The inductor current and the output voltage increase smoothly over the whole load range. (semiconductor integrated circuits)

On the magnitude and distribution of halo currents during disruptions on MAST

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Counsell, G F; Martin, R; Pinfold, T; Taylor, D

2007-01-01

Recent results from MAST in which all halo current paths are monitored suggest that, during disruptions, the plasma responsible for the generation of halo current acts more as a voltage source than a current source. As a result the resistance of the current path along which the halo current must flow has a profound impact on the magnitude of the current. This may provide opportunities for directing the current away from sensitive components in future devices such as ITER. Analysis of data from over 3800 disruptions shows that the halo currents on MAST are relatively benign, having a peak value less than 25% of the pre-disruption plasma current with a rather symmetric distribution near the centre column (average toroidal peaking factor ∼1.1). The low peaking factor favourably reduces the tilting/bending forces in the region of the centre column, which has limited space for bulky supports

Studies of the absorbance peak on the N719 dye influence by combination between Cadmium Selenide (CdSeQDs and Zinc Sulfide(ZnSQDs

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Saad Mohammad Azren

2018-01-01

Full Text Available The absorption rate of the photoanode can be influenced by the combination between the difference semiconductor quantum dot sensitizer. Six samples were prepared with difference weight percent (wt% of ZnS from 0% to 50% and constant wt% of CdSe which then will be called as semiconductor QDs were immersed in 0.5mM of N719 dye. The purity of ZnS powder and CdSe powder was determined using x-ray diffraction (XRD.The ultraviolet-visible spectrophotometry (Uv-Vis use to investigate the absorption spectrum and absorbance peak of this sample. 50 wt% of ZnS is the best composition to increase the absorbance peak of the photoanode. The Cyclic voltammetry (CV of varying wt% of ZnS, found that the 40 wt% of ZnS is suitable combination for a DSSC’s photoanode and produced the higher current.

Customers` response to residential peak-activated pricing. Evidence from a Japanese experiment; Peak taio ryokinka ni okeru kateiyo juyoka no fuka chosei kodo no bunseki. Kansetsu fuka seigyo jikken data wo mochiita kakaku koka no sokutei

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Asano, H. [Central Research Institute of Electric Power Industry, Tokyo (Japan)

1997-10-01

Demand side management through a pricing mechanism, that is the indirect load control was experimented to analyze the pricing effect. When power consumption in indirect load control groups is compared between peak time band in weekdays in summer and off-the-peak time band, the power is less consumed when price gap is set than in a uniform charge time. When more number of persons is in home in daytime, room cooling is used in daytime including the peak band to adjust the demand. The substitution elasticity in price between demands in the peak time band and the off-the-peak time band is from about 0.06 to 0.07, which cannot be ignored. If the peak price is increased by four times, the demand in the peak band can be reduced by about 0.15 kW (when average power demand per household is assumed 0.75 kW). For room cooling devices, the first device is often installed in a living room and the second and further units in individual rooms such as bed rooms. The more the number of device, the higher the possibility that the use time band is outside the peak time band. This indirect load control experiment is a field test related to the peak-activated pricing for small power users, by which the users` behavior against the pricing effect was identified quantitatively. 5 refs., 1 fig., 8 tabs.

Compact type-I coil planet centrifuge for counter-current chromatography.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Yi; Gu, Dongyu; Liu, Yongqiang; Aisa, Haji Akber; Ito, Yoichiro

2010-02-19

A compact type-I coil planet centrifuge has been developed for performing counter-current chromatography. It has a revolution radius of 10 cm and a column holder height of 5 cm compared with 37 and 50 cm in the original prototype, respectively. The reduction in the revolution radius and column length permits application of higher revolution speed and more stable balancing of the rotor which leads us to learn more about its performance and the future potential of type-I coil planet centrifuge. The chromatographic performance of this apparatus was evaluated in terms of retention of the stationary phase (S(f)), peak resolution (R(s)), theoretical plate (N) and peak retention time (t(R)). The results of the experiment indicated that increasing the revolution speed slightly improved both the retention of the stationary phase and the peak resolution while the separation time is remarkably shortened to yield an excellent peak resolution at a revolution speed of 800 rpm. With a 12 ml capacity coiled column, DNP-DL-glu, DNP-beta-ala and DNP-l-ala were resolved at R(s) of 2.75 and 2.16 within 90 min at a flow rate of 0.4 ml/min. We believe that the compact type-I coil planet centrifuge has a high analytical potential. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Passive radio frequency peak power multiplier

Science.gov (United States)

Farkas, Zoltan D.; Wilson, Perry B.

1977-01-01

Peak power multiplication of a radio frequency source by simultaneous charging of two high-Q resonant microwave cavities by applying the source output through a directional coupler to the cavities and then reversing the phase of the source power to the coupler, thereby permitting the power in the cavities to simultaneously discharge through the coupler to the load in combination with power from the source to apply a peak power to the load that is a multiplication of the source peak power.

Peak load arrangements : Assessment of Nordel guidelines

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

2009-07-01

Two Nordic countries, Sweden and Finland, have legislation that empowers the TSO to acquire designated peak load resources to mitigate the risk for shortage situations during the winter. In Denmark, the system operator procures resources to maintain a satisfactory level of security of supply. In Norway the TSO has set up a Regulation Power Option Market (RKOM) to secure a satisfactory level of operational reserves at all times, also in winter with high load demand. Only the arrangements in Finland and Sweden fall under the heading of Peak Load Arrangements defined in Nordel Guidelines. NordREG has been invited by the Electricity Market Group (EMG) to evaluate Nordel's proposal for 'Guidelines for transitional Peak Load Arrangements'. The EMG has also financed a study made by EC Group to support NordREG in the evaluation of the proposal. The study has been taken into account in NordREG's evaluation. In parallel to the EMG task, the Swedish regulator, the Energy Markets Inspectorate, has been given the task by the Swedish government to investigate a long term solution of the peak load issue. The Swedish and Finnish TSOs have together with Nord Pool Spot worked on finding a harmonized solution for activation of the peak load reserves in the market. An agreement accepted by the relevant authorities was reached in early January 2009, and the arrangement has been implemented since 19th January 2009. NordREG views that the proposed Nordel guidelines have served as a starting point for the presently agreed procedure. However, NordREG does not see any need to further develop the Nordel guidelines for peak load arrangements. NordREG agrees with Nordel that the market should be designed to solve peak load problems through proper incentives to market players. NordREG presumes that the relevant authorities in each country will take decisions on the need for any peak load arrangement to ensure security of supply. NordREG proposes that such decisions should be

Transrectal real-time tissue elastography targeted biopsy coupled with peak strain index improves the detection of clinically important prostate cancer.

Science.gov (United States)

Ma, Qi; Yang, Dong-Rong; Xue, Bo-Xin; Wang, Cheng; Chen, Han-Bin; Dong, Yun; Wang, Cai-Shan; Shan, Yu-Xi

2017-07-01

The focus of the present study was to evaluate transrectal real-time tissue elastography (RTE)-targeted two-core biopsy coupled with peak strain index for the detection of prostate cancer (PCa) and to compare this method with 10-core systematic biopsy. A total of 141 patients were enrolled for evaluation. The diagnostic value of peak strain index was assessed using a receiver operating characteristic curve. The cancer detection rates of the two approaches and corresponding positive cores and Gleason score were compared. The cancer detection rate per core in the RTE-targeted biopsy (44%) was higher compared with that in systematic biopsy (30%). The peak strain index value of PCa was higher compared with that of the benign lesion. PCa was detected with the highest sensitivity (87.5%) and specificity (85.5%) using the threshold value of a peak strain index of ≥5.97 with an area under the curve value of 0.95. When the Gleason score was ≥7, RTE-targeted biopsy coupled with peak strain index detected 95.6% of PCa cases, but 84.4% were detected using systematic biopsy. Peak strain index as a quantitative parameter may improve the differentiation of PCa from benign lesions in the prostate peripheral zone. Transrectal RTE-targeted biopsy coupled with peak strain index may enhance the detection of clinically significant PCa, particularly when combined with systematic biopsy.

Hurricane Mitch: Peak Discharge for Selected River Reachesin Honduras

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, Mark E.; Phillips, Jeffrey V.; Spahr, Norman E.

2002-01-01

Hurricane Mitch began as a tropical depression in the Caribbean Sea on 22 October 1998. By 26 October, Mitch had strengthened to a Category 5 storm as defined by the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale (National Climate Data Center, 1999a), and on 27 October was threatening the northern coast of Honduras (fig. 1). After making landfall 2 days later (29 October), the storm drifted south and west across Honduras, wreaking destruction throughout the country before reaching the Guatemalan border on 31 October. According to the National Climate Data Center of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (National Climate Data Center, 1999b), Hurricane Mitch ranks among the five strongest storms on record in the Atlantic Basin in terms of its sustained winds, barometric pressure, and duration. Hurricane Mitch also was one of the worst Atlantic storms in terms of loss of life and property. The regionwide death toll was estimated to be more than 9,000; thousands of people were reported missing. Economic losses in the region were more than $7.5 billion (U.S. Agency for International Development, 1999). Honduras suffered the most widespread devastation during the storm. More than 5,000 deaths, and economic losses of more than $4 billion, were reported by the Government of Honduras. Honduran officials estimated that Hurricane Mitch destroyed 50 years of economic development. In addition to the human and economic losses, intense flooding and landslides scarred the Honduran landscape - hydrologic and geomorphologic processes throughout the country likely will be affected for many years. As part of the U.S. Government's response to the disaster, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) conducted post-flood measurements of peak discharge at 16 river sites throughout Honduras (fig. 2). Such measurements, termed 'indirect' measurements, are used to determine peak flows when direct measurements (using current meters or dye studies, for example) cannot be made. Indirect measurements of

An analysis of China's CO2 emission peaking target and pathways

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jian-Kun He

2014-12-01

Full Text Available China has set the goal for its CO2 emissions to peak around 2030, which is not only a strategic decision coordinating domestic sustainable development and global climate change mitigation but also an overarching target and a key point of action for China's resource conservation, environmental protection, shift in economic development patterns, and CO2 emission reduction to avoid climate change. The development stage where China maps out the CO2 emission peak target is earlier than that of the developed countries. It is a necessity that the non-fossil energy supplies be able to meet all the increased energy demand for achieving CO2 emission peaking. Given that China's potential GDP annual increasing rate will be more than 4%, and China's total energy demand will continue to increase by approximately 1.0%–1.5% annually around 2030, new and renewable energies will need to increase by 6%–8% annually to meet the desired CO2 emission peak. The share of new and renewable energies in China's total primary energy supply will be approximately 20% by 2030. At that time, the energy consumption elasticity will decrease to around 0.3, and the annual decrease in the rate of CO2 intensity will also be higher than 4% to ensure the sustained growth of GDP. To achieve the CO2 emission peaking target and substantially promote the low-carbon development transformation, China needs to actively promote an energy production and consumption revolution, the innovation of advanced energy technologies, the reform of the energy regulatory system and pricing mechanism, and especially the construction of a national carbon emission cap and trade system.

Off-Axis Driven Current Effects on ETB and ITB Formations based on Bifurcation Concept

Science.gov (United States)

Pakdeewanich, J.; Onjun, T.; Chatthong, B.

2017-09-01

This research studies plasma performance in fusion Tokamak system by investigating parameters such as plasma pressure in the presence of an edge transport barrier (ETB) and an internal transport barrier (ITB) as the off-axis driven current position is varied. The plasma is modeled based on the bifurcation concept using a suppression function that can result in formation of transport barriers. In this model, thermal and particle transport equations, including both neoclassical and anomalous effects, are solved simultaneously in slab geometry. The neoclassical coefficients are assumed to be constant while the anomalous coefficients depend on gradients of local pressure and density. The suppression function, depending on flow shear and magnetic shear, is assumed to affect only on the anomalous channel. The flow shear can be calculated from the force balance equation, while the magnetic shear is calculated from the given plasma current. It is found that as the position of driven current peak is moved outwards from the plasma center, the central pressure is increased. But at some point it stars to decline, mostly when the driven current peak has reached the outer half of the plasma. The higher pressure value results from the combination of ETB and ITB formations. The drop in central pressure occurs because ITB stats to disappear.

Steam generator deposit control program assessment at Comanche Peak

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stevens, J.; Fellers, B.; Orbon, S.

2002-01-01

Comanche Peak has employed a variety of methods to assess the effectiveness of the deposit control program. These include typical methods such as an extensive visual inspection program and detailed corrosion product analysis and trending. In addition, a recently pioneered technique, low frequency eddy current profile analysis (LFEC) has been utilized. LFEC provides a visual mapping of the magnetite deposit profile of the steam generator. Analysis of the LFEC results not only provides general area deposition rates, but can also provide local deposition patterns, which is indicative of steam generator performance. Other techniques utilized include trending of steam pressure, steam generator hideout-return, and flow assisted corrosion (FAC) results. The sum of this information provides a comprehensive assessment of the deposit control program effectiveness and the condition of the steam generator. It also provides important diagnostic and predictive information relative to steam generator life management and mitigative strategies, such as special cleaning procedures. This paper discusses the techniques employed by Comanche Peak Chemistry to monitor the effectiveness of the deposit control program and describes how this information is used in strategic planning. (authors)

Current Issues for Higher Education Information Resources Management.

Science.gov (United States)

CAUSE/EFFECT, 1996

1996-01-01

Issues identified as important to the future of information resources management and use in higher education include information policy in a networked environment, distributed computing, integrating information resources and college planning, benchmarking information technology, integrated digital libraries, technology integration in teaching,…

Peak experiences of psilocybin users and non-users.

Science.gov (United States)

Cummins, Christina; Lyke, Jennifer

2013-01-01

Maslow (1970) defined peak experiences as the most wonderful experiences of a person's life, which may include a sense of awe, well-being, or transcendence. Furthermore, recent research has suggested that psilocybin can produce experiences subjectively rated as uniquely meaningful and significant (Griffiths et al. 2006). It is therefore possible that psilocybin may facilitate or change the nature of peak experiences in users compared to non-users. This study was designed to compare the peak experiences of psilocybin users and non-users, to evaluate the frequency of peak experiences while under the influence of psilocybin, and to assess the perceived degree of alteration of consciousness during these experiences. Participants were recruited through convenience and snowball sampling from undergraduate classes and at a musical event. Participants were divided into three groups, those who reported a peak experience while under the influence of psilocybin (psilocybin peak experience: PPE), participants who had used psilocybin but reported their peak experiences did not occur while they were under the influence of psilocybin (non-psilocybin peak experience: NPPE), and participants who had never used psilocybin (non-user: NU). A total of 101 participants were asked to think about their peak experiences and complete a measure evaluating the degree of alteration of consciousness during that experience. Results indicated that 47% of psilocybin users reported their peak experience occurred while using psilocybin. In addition, there were significant differences among the three groups on all dimensions of alteration of consciousness. Future research is necessary to identify factors that influence the peak experiences of psilocybin users in naturalistic settings and contribute to the different characteristics of peak experiences of psilocybin users and non-users.

Extragalactic Peaked-spectrum Radio Sources at Low Frequencies

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Callingham, J. R.; Gaensler, B. M.; Sadler, E. M.; Lenc, E. [Sydney Institute for Astronomy (SIfA), School of Physics, The University of Sydney, NSW 2006 (Australia); Ekers, R. D.; Bell, M. E. [CSIRO Astronomy and Space Science (CASS), Marsfield, NSW 2122 (Australia); Line, J. L. B.; Hancock, P. J.; Kapińska, A. D.; McKinley, B.; Procopio, P. [ARC Centre of Excellence for All-Sky Astrophysics (CAASTRO) (Australia); Hurley-Walker, N.; Tingay, S. J.; Franzen, T. M. O.; Morgan, J. [International Centre for Radio Astronomy Research (ICRAR), Curtin University, Bentley, WA 6102 (Australia); Dwarakanath, K. S. [Raman Research Institute (RRI), Bangalore 560080 (India); For, B.-Q. [International Centre for Radio Astronomy Research (ICRAR), The University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA 6009 (Australia); Hindson, L.; Johnston-Hollitt, M. [School of Chemical and Physical Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington 6140 (New Zealand); Offringa, A. R., E-mail: joseph.callingham@sydney.edu.au [Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy (ASTRON), Dwingeloo (Netherlands); and others

2017-02-20

We present a sample of 1483 sources that display spectral peaks between 72 MHz and 1.4 GHz, selected from the GaLactic and Extragalactic All-sky Murchison Widefield Array (GLEAM) survey. The GLEAM survey is the widest fractional bandwidth all-sky survey to date, ideal for identifying peaked-spectrum sources at low radio frequencies. Our peaked-spectrum sources are the low-frequency analogs of gigahertz-peaked spectrum (GPS) and compact-steep spectrum (CSS) sources, which have been hypothesized to be the precursors to massive radio galaxies. Our sample more than doubles the number of known peaked-spectrum candidates, and 95% of our sample have a newly characterized spectral peak. We highlight that some GPS sources peaking above 5 GHz have had multiple epochs of nuclear activity, and we demonstrate the possibility of identifying high-redshift ( z > 2) galaxies via steep optically thin spectral indices and low observed peak frequencies. The distribution of the optically thick spectral indices of our sample is consistent with past GPS/CSS samples but with a large dispersion, suggesting that the spectral peak is a product of an inhomogeneous environment that is individualistic. We find no dependence of observed peak frequency with redshift, consistent with the peaked-spectrum sample comprising both local CSS sources and high-redshift GPS sources. The 5 GHz luminosity distribution lacks the brightest GPS and CSS sources of previous samples, implying that a convolution of source evolution and redshift influences the type of peaked-spectrum sources identified below 1 GHz. Finally, we discuss sources with optically thick spectral indices that exceed the synchrotron self-absorption limit.

The dislocation-internal friction peak γ in tantalum

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Baur, J.; Benoit, W.; Schultz, H.

1989-01-01

Torsion-pendulum measurements were carried out on high-purity single crystal specimens of tantalum, having extremely low oxygen contents ( 2 peak, which appears close to γ is small traces of oxygen are presents. The γ 2 peak was formerly explained as a ''dislocation-enhanced Snoek peak''. The γ peak recovers at the peak temperature, whereas the γ 2 peak is more stable. On the basis of their results, and making use of earlier investigations of Rodrian and Schultz, the authors suggest that γ 2 is modified γ relaxation, related to screw-dislocation segments, stabilized by oxygen-decorated kinks. The stability of the γ 2 peak allows an accurate determination of the activation energy, found to be 1.00 +- 0.03 eV. This value is distinctly lower than the activation energy of the oxygen Snoek effect (1.10 eV) and is related here to the mechanism of ''kink-pair formation'' in screw dislocations, as the original γ peak. The numerical value is compatible with recent values derived from flow-stress measurements. The peak γ 2 shows increasing stability with increasing oxygen content. This is explained by single- and multi-decorated kinks

Individual vision and peak distribution in collective actions

Science.gov (United States)

Lu, Peng

2017-06-01

People make decisions on whether they should participate as participants or not as free riders in collective actions with heterogeneous visions. Besides of the utility heterogeneity and cost heterogeneity, this work includes and investigates the effect of vision heterogeneity by constructing a decision model, i.e. the revised peak model of participants. In this model, potential participants make decisions under the joint influence of utility, cost, and vision heterogeneities. The outcomes of simulations indicate that vision heterogeneity reduces the values of peaks, and the relative variance of peaks is stable. Under normal distributions of vision heterogeneity and other factors, the peaks of participants are normally distributed as well. Therefore, it is necessary to predict distribution traits of peaks based on distribution traits of related factors such as vision heterogeneity and so on. We predict the distribution of peaks with parameters of both mean and standard deviation, which provides the confident intervals and robust predictions of peaks. Besides, we validate the peak model of via the Yuyuan Incident, a real case in China (2014), and the model works well in explaining the dynamics and predicting the peak of real case.

Radiative Rates for Forbidden Transitions in Doubly-Ionized Fe-Peak Elements

Science.gov (United States)

Fivet, Vanessa; Quinet, P.; Bautista, M.

2012-05-01

Accurate and reliable atomic data for lowly-ionized Fe-peak species (Sc, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni and Cu) are of paramount importance for the analysis of the high resolution astrophysical spectra currently available. The third spectra of several iron group elements have been observed in different galactic sources like Herbig-Haro objects in the Orion Nebula [1] and stars like Eta Carinae [2]. However, forbidden transitions between low-lying metastable levels of doubly-ionized iron-peak ions have been very little investigated so far and radiative rates for those lines remain sparse or inexistent. We are carrying out a systematic study of the electronic structure of doubly-ionized iron-peak elements. The magnetic dipole (M1) and electric quadrupole (E2) transition probabilities are computed using the pseudo-relativistic Hartree-Fock (HFR) code of Cowan [3] and the central Thomas-Fermi-Dirac potential approximation implemented in AUTOSTRUCTURE [4]. This multi-platform approach allows for consistency checks and intercomparison and has proven very successful in the study of the complex Fe-peak species where many different effects contribute [5]. References [1] A. Mesa-Delgado et al., MNRAS 395 (2009) 855 [2] S. Johansson et al., A&A 361 (2000) 977 [3] R.D. Cowan, The Theory of Atomic Structure and Spectra, Berkeley: Univ. California Press (1981) [4] N.R. Badnell, J. Phys. B: At. Mol. Opt. Phys. 30 (1997) 1 [5] M. Bautista et al., ApJ 718 (2010) L189

Isotope resolution of the iron peak

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Henke, R.P.; Benton, E.V.

1977-01-01

A stack of Lexan detectors from the Apollo 17 mission has been analyzed to obtain Z measurements of sufficient accuracy to resolve the iron peak into its isotopic components. Within this distribution several peaks are present. With the centrally located, most populated peak assumed to be 56 Fe, the measurements imply that the abundances of 54 Fe and 58 Fe are appreciable fractions of the 56 Fe abundance. This result is in agreement with those of Webber et al. and Siegman et al. but in disagreement with the predictions of Tsao et al. (Auth.)

Using elastic peak electron spectroscopy for enhanced depth resolution in sputter profiling

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hofmann, S.; Kesler, V.

2002-01-01

Elastic peak electron spectroscopy (EPES) is an alternative to AES in sputter depth profiling of thin film structures. In contrast to AES, EPES depth profiling is not influenced by chemical effects. The high count rate ensures a good signal to noise ratio, that is lower measurement times and/or higher precision. In addition, because of the elastically scattered electrons travel twice through the sample, the effective escape depth is reduced, an important factor for the depth resolution function. Thus, the depth resolution is increased. EPES depth profiling was successfully applied to a Ge/Si multilayer structure. For an elastic peak energy of 1.0 keV the information depth is considerably lower (0.8 nm) as compared to the Ge (LMM, 1147 eV) peak (1.6 nm) used in AES depth profiling, resulting in a respectively improved depth resolution for EPES profiling under otherwise similar profiling conditions. EPES depth profiling is successfully applied to measure small diffusion lengths at Ge/Si interfaces of the order of 1 nm. (Authors)

Ionoacoustic characterization of the proton Bragg peak with submillimeter accuracy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Assmann, W., E-mail: walter.assmann@lmu.de; Reinhardt, S.; Lehrack, S.; Edlich, A.; Thirolf, P. G.; Parodi, K. [Department for Medical Physics, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Am Coulombwall 1, Garching 85748 (Germany); Kellnberger, S.; Omar, M.; Ntziachristos, V. [Institute for Biological and Medical Imaging, Technische Universität München and Helmholtz Zentrum München, Ingolstädter Landstrasse 1, Neuherberg 85764 (Germany); Moser, M.; Dollinger, G. [Institute for Applied Physics and Measurement Technology, Universität der Bundeswehr, Werner-Heisenberg-Weg 39, Neubiberg 85577 (Germany)

2015-02-15

Purpose: Range verification in ion beam therapy relies to date on nuclear imaging techniques which require complex and costly detector systems. A different approach is the detection of thermoacoustic signals that are generated due to localized energy loss of ion beams in tissue (ionoacoustics). Aim of this work was to study experimentally the achievable position resolution of ionoacoustics under idealized conditions using high frequency ultrasonic transducers and a specifically selected probing beam. Methods: A water phantom was irradiated by a pulsed 20 MeV proton beam with varying pulse intensity and length. The acoustic signal of single proton pulses was measured by different PZT-based ultrasound detectors (3.5 and 10 MHz central frequencies). The proton dose distribution in water was calculated by Geant4 and used as input for simulation of the generated acoustic wave by the matlab toolbox k-WAVE. Results: In measurements from this study, a clear signal of the Bragg peak was observed for an energy deposition as low as 10{sup 12} eV. The signal amplitude showed a linear increase with particle number per pulse and thus, dose. Bragg peak position measurements were reproducible within ±30 μm and agreed with Geant4 simulations to better than 100 μm. The ionoacoustic signal pattern allowed for a detailed analysis of the Bragg peak and could be well reproduced by k-WAVE simulations. Conclusions: The authors have studied the ionoacoustic signal of the Bragg peak in experiments using a 20 MeV proton beam with its correspondingly localized energy deposition, demonstrating submillimeter position resolution and providing a deep insight in the correlation between the acoustic signal and Bragg peak shape. These results, together with earlier experiments and new simulations (including the results in this study) at higher energies, suggest ionoacoustics as a technique for range verification in particle therapy at locations, where the tumor can be localized by ultrasound

Current pulse shaping of the load current on PTS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Minghe Xia

2016-02-01

Full Text Available The typical rise time of PTS machine is ∼110 ns with about 10 MA peak current under short pulse mode when all 24 modules discharge simultaneously. By distributing the trigger times of 12 laser beams logically and adjusting the statues of the pulse output switches, longer rise-time pulse can be obtained on the PTS facility. Based on the required pulse shape, whole circuit simulations will be used to calculate the trigger times of each laser triggering gas switch and the status of the pulse output switches. The rise time of the current is determined by the time difference between the first and last trigged laser triggering gas switches. In order to trigger the laser triggering gas switch, sufficient laser power is needed to be sent into the gap of the gas switches. The gas pressure and voltage difference on the two electrodes of the gas switches also affect the triggering of the gas switches, and the voltage added on the gas switch is determined by its transition time. Traditionally the trigger time difference should be less than the transition time of the two neighboring modules. A new simulation model of PTS shows one can break this transition time limits. Series of current pulse shaping experiments have been investigated on the PTS (Primary Test Stand. As results, more than 5 MA peak current were successfully achieved on the load with a rise time of 600 ns. This study and experiments of the pulse shaping on PTS demonstrate the adaptable ability of the PTS for offering different waveform of mega ampere current pulse for different research purpose.

Two types of peak emotional responses to music: The psychophysiology of chills and tears

Science.gov (United States)

Mori, Kazuma; Iwanaga, Makoto

2017-01-01

People sometimes experience a strong emotional response to artworks. Previous studies have demonstrated that the peak emotional experience of chills (goose bumps or shivers) when listening to music involves psychophysiological arousal and a rewarding effect. However, many aspects of peak emotion are still not understood. The current research takes a new perspective of peak emotional response of tears (weeping, lump in the throat). A psychophysiological experiment showed that self-reported chills increased electrodermal activity and subjective arousal whereas tears produced slow respiration during heartbeat acceleration, although both chills and tears induced pleasure and deep breathing. A song that induced chills was perceived as being both happy and sad whereas a song that induced tears was perceived as sad. A tear-eliciting song was perceived as calmer than a chill-eliciting song. These results show that tears involve pleasure from sadness and that they are psychophysiologically calming; thus, psychophysiological responses permit the distinction between chills and tears. Because tears may have a cathartic effect, the functional significance of chills and tears seems to be different. We believe that the distinction of two types of peak emotions is theoretically relevant and further study of tears would contribute to more understanding of human peak emotional response. PMID:28387335

Two types of peak emotional responses to music: The psychophysiology of chills and tears.

Science.gov (United States)

Mori, Kazuma; Iwanaga, Makoto

2017-04-07

People sometimes experience a strong emotional response to artworks. Previous studies have demonstrated that the peak emotional experience of chills (goose bumps or shivers) when listening to music involves psychophysiological arousal and a rewarding effect. However, many aspects of peak emotion are still not understood. The current research takes a new perspective of peak emotional response of tears (weeping, lump in the throat). A psychophysiological experiment showed that self-reported chills increased electrodermal activity and subjective arousal whereas tears produced slow respiration during heartbeat acceleration, although both chills and tears induced pleasure and deep breathing. A song that induced chills was perceived as being both happy and sad whereas a song that induced tears was perceived as sad. A tear-eliciting song was perceived as calmer than a chill-eliciting song. These results show that tears involve pleasure from sadness and that they are psychophysiologically calming; thus, psychophysiological responses permit the distinction between chills and tears. Because tears may have a cathartic effect, the functional significance of chills and tears seems to be different. We believe that the distinction of two types of peak emotions is theoretically relevant and further study of tears would contribute to more understanding of human peak emotional response.

Instream flow needs below peaking hydroelectric projects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Milhous, R.T.

1991-01-01

This paper reports on a method developed to assist in the determination of instream flow needs below hydroelectric projects operated in a peaking mode. Peaking hydroelectric projects significantly change streamflow over a short period of time; consequently, any instream flow methodology must consider the dual flows associated with peaking projects. The dual flows are the lowest flow and the maximum generation flow of a peaking cycle. The methodology is based on elements of the Physical Habitat Simulation System of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and uses habitat, rather than fish numbers or biomas, as at basic response variable. All aquatic animals are subject to the rapid changes in streamflow which cause rapid swings in habitat quality. Some aquatic organisms are relatively fixed in location in the stream while others can move when flows change. The habitat available from a project operated in peaking mode is considered to be the minimum habitat occurring during a cycle of habitat change. The methodology takes in to consideration that some aquatic animals can move and others cannot move during a peaking cycle

Measuring saccade peak velocity using a low-frequency sampling rate of 50 Hz.

Science.gov (United States)

Wierts, Roel; Janssen, Maurice J A; Kingma, Herman

2008-12-01

During the last decades, small head-mounted video eye trackers have been developed in order to record eye movements. Real-time systems-with a low sampling frequency of 50/60 Hz-are used for clinical vestibular practice, but are generally considered not to be suited for measuring fast eye movements. In this paper, it is shown that saccadic eye movements, having an amplitude of at least 5 degrees, can, in good approximation, be considered to be bandwidth limited up to a frequency of 25-30 Hz. Using the Nyquist theorem to reconstruct saccadic eye movement signals at higher temporal resolutions, it is shown that accurate values for saccade peak velocities, recorded at 50 Hz, can be obtained, but saccade peak accelerations and decelerations cannot. In conclusion, video eye trackers sampling at 50/60 Hz are appropriate for detecting the clinical relevant saccade peak velocities in contrast to what has been stated up till now.

flowPeaks: a fast unsupervised clustering for flow cytometry data via K-means and density peak finding.

Science.gov (United States)

Ge, Yongchao; Sealfon, Stuart C

2012-08-01

For flow cytometry data, there are two common approaches to the unsupervised clustering problem: one is based on the finite mixture model and the other on spatial exploration of the histograms. The former is computationally slow and has difficulty to identify clusters of irregular shapes. The latter approach cannot be applied directly to high-dimensional data as the computational time and memory become unmanageable and the estimated histogram is unreliable. An algorithm without these two problems would be very useful. In this article, we combine ideas from the finite mixture model and histogram spatial exploration. This new algorithm, which we call flowPeaks, can be applied directly to high-dimensional data and identify irregular shape clusters. The algorithm first uses K-means algorithm with a large K to partition the cell population into many small clusters. These partitioned data allow the generation of a smoothed density function using the finite mixture model. All local peaks are exhaustively searched by exploring the density function and the cells are clustered by the associated local peak. The algorithm flowPeaks is automatic, fast and reliable and robust to cluster shape and outliers. This algorithm has been applied to flow cytometry data and it has been compared with state of the art algorithms, including Misty Mountain, FLOCK, flowMeans, flowMerge and FLAME. The R package flowPeaks is available at https://github.com/yongchao/flowPeaks. yongchao.ge@mssm.edu Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.

Effects of drive current rise-time and initial load density distribution on Z-pinch characteristics

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

Duan Yao-Yong; Guo Yong-Hui; Wang Wen-Sheng; Qiu Ai-Ci

2005-01-01

A two-dimensional, three-temperature radiation magneto-hydrodynamics model is applied to the investigation of evolutional trends in x-ray radiation power, energy, peak plasma temperature and density as functions of drive current rise-time and initial load density distribution by using the typical experimental parameters of tungsten wire-array Z-pinch on the Qiangguang-Ⅰ generator. The numerical results show that as the drive current rise-time is shortened, x-ray radiation peak power, energy, peak plasma density and peak ion temperature increase approximately linearly, but among them the x-ray radiation peak power increases more quickly. As the initial plasma density distribution in the radial direction becomes gradually flattened, the peak radiation power and the peak ion-temperature almost exponentially increase, while the radiation energy and the peak plasma density change only a little. The main effect of shortening drive current rise-time is to enhance compression of plasma, and the effect of flattening initial load density distribution in the radial direction is to raise the plasma temperature. Both of the approaches elevate the x-ray peak radiation power.

Upper limit of peak area

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Helene, O.A.M.

1982-08-01

The determination of the upper limit of peak area in a multi-channel spectra, with a known significance level is discussed. This problem is specially important when the peak area is masked by the background statistical fluctuations. The problem is exactly solved and, thus, the results are valid in experiments with small number of events. The results are submitted to a Monte Carlo test and applied to the 92 Nb beta decay. (Author) [pt

Peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR) among Nuclear Fuel Complex (NFC) employees

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vijay Rao, J.; Venkaiah, K.; Mohan Rao, N.

2010-01-01

At Nuclear Fuel Complex (NFC), employees are exposed to ammonia, hydrofluoric acid, acetone, etc., which are respiratory toxicants and inhalation of these pollutants may produce irritation and obstruction in airways. Due to nature of their occupation, tradesman working in plants are having longer duration of exposure (LDE) and others, such as supervisors, scientific officers, helpers, etc., that occasionally visit plants are having shorter duration of exposure (SDE) to these pollutants. The peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR) is an index to diagnose obstruction in larger airways and this is metered with mini peak flow meter among 835 NFC employees. Using ANOVA test, PEFR value was compared according to age and smoking. The value was compared between LDE and SDE employees according to smoking and duration of employment. The multiple regression equation for prediction of PEFR was developed. Age, smokers and higher duration of LDE employees demonstrated significantly lower PEFR value. In comparison to 10 year duration, 30 and above year duration of employment, LDE employees showed a higher decline in PEFR, that is 95 L (17.6%) and in SDE employees, that is 41L (7.8%). This may be due to longer duration of employment of LD employees smoking prevention and follow up study is suggested. (author)

THE CURRENT ASSESSMENT OF TEACHERS IN HIGHER EDUCATION AT THE INSTITUTO POLITÉCNICO NACIONAL

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Juan José Arenas-Romero

2014-07-01

Full Text Available In this paper, the current form of teacher assessment at a higher level and criteria used, based on surveys of student opinion is analyzed. Such surveys do not reflect the real capacity of teachers and only serves as a form of administrative control. This paper establishes the utility of these assessments as a tool for improvement and as part of an early detection of needs, be altered by the biased way he handles himself. In addition, a criticism of this type of evaluation is done; the results are disclosed extemporaneously, which also restricts the development of teachers through the bureaucratic control of that information not timely feedback to teachers in order to improve their performance.

Non-inductive current drive experiments on DIII-D, and future plans

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Prater, R.; Austin, M.; Baity, F.W.; Callis, R.W.; Chiu, S.C.; DeGrassie, J.S.; Freeman, R.L.; Forest, C.B.; Goulding, R.H.; Harvey, R.W.; Hoffman, D.J.; Ikezi, H.; Lohr, J.; James, R.A.; Kupfer, K.; Lin-Liu, Y.R.; Luce, T.C.; Moeller, C.P.; Petty, C.C.; Pinsker, R.I.; Porkolab, M.; Squire, J.; Trukhin, V.

1995-01-01

Experiments on DIII-D (and other tokamaks) have shown that improved performance can follow from optimization of the current density profile. Increased confinement of energy and a higher limit on β have both been found in discharges in which the current density profile is modified through transient means, such as ramping of current or elongation. Peaking of the current distribution to obtain discharges with high internal inductance l i has been found to be beneficial. Alternatively, discharges with broader profiles, as in the VH mode or with high β poloidal, have shown improved performance. Non-inductive current drive is a means to access these modes of improved confinement on a steady state basis. Accordingly, experiments on non-inductive current drive are underway on the DIII-D tokamak using fast waves and electron cyclotron waves. Recent experiments on fast wave current drive have demonstrated the ability to drive up to 180kA of non-inductive current using 1.5MW of power at 60MHz, including the contribution from 1MW of ECCD and the bootstrap current. Higher power r.f. current drive systems are needed to affect strongly the current profile on DIII-D. An upgrade to the fast wave current drive system is underway to increase the total power to 6MW, using two additional antennas and two new 30-120MHz transmitters. Additionally, a 1MW prototype ECH system at 110GHz is being developed (with eventual upgrade to 10MW). With these systems, non-inductive current drive at the 1MA level will be available for experiments on profile control in DIII-D. ((orig.))

Multispecies density peaking in gyrokinetic turbulence simulations of low collisionality Alcator C-Mod plasmas

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mikkelsen, D. R., E-mail: dmikkelsen@pppl.gov; Bitter, M.; Delgado-Aparicio, L.; Hill, K. W. [Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory, P.O. Box 451, Princeton, New Jersey 08543 (United States); Greenwald, M.; Howard, N. T.; Hughes, J. W.; Rice, J. E. [MIT Plasma Science and Fusion Center, 175 Albany St., Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139 (United States); Reinke, M. L. [MIT Plasma Science and Fusion Center, 175 Albany St., Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139 (United States); York Plasma Institute, Department of Physics, University of York, Heslington, York YO10 5DD (United Kingdom); Podpaly, Y. [MIT Plasma Science and Fusion Center, 175 Albany St., Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139 (United States); AAAS S and T Fellow placed in the Directorate for Engineering, NSF, 4201 Wilson Blvd., Arlington, Virginia 22230 (United States); Ma, Y. [MIT Plasma Science and Fusion Center, 175 Albany St., Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139 (United States); ITER Organization, Route de Vinon-sur-Verdon, CS 90 046, 13067 St Paul Lez Durance Cedex (France); Candy, J.; Waltz, R. E. [General Atomics, P.O. Box 85608, San Diego, California 92186-5608 (United States)

2015-06-15

Peaked density profiles in low-collisionality AUG and JET H-mode plasmas are probably caused by a turbulently driven particle pinch, and Alcator C-Mod experiments confirmed that collisionality is a critical parameter. Density peaking in reactors could produce a number of important effects, some beneficial, such as enhanced fusion power and transport of fuel ions from the edge to the core, while others are undesirable, such as lower beta limits, reduced radiation from the plasma edge, and consequently higher divertor heat loads. Fundamental understanding of the pinch will enable planning to optimize these impacts. We show that density peaking is predicted by nonlinear gyrokinetic turbulence simulations based on measured profile data from low collisionality H-mode plasma in Alcator C-Mod. Multiple ion species are included to determine whether hydrogenic density peaking has an isotope dependence or is influenced by typical levels of low-Z impurities, and whether impurity density peaking depends on the species. We find that the deuterium density profile is slightly more peaked than that of hydrogen, and that experimentally relevant levels of boron have no appreciable effect on hydrogenic density peaking. The ratio of density at r/a = 0.44 to that at r/a = 0.74 is 1.2 for the majority D and minority H ions (and for electrons), and increases with impurity Z: 1.1 for helium, 1.15 for boron, 1.3 for neon, 1.4 for argon, and 1.5 for molybdenum. The ion temperature profile is varied to match better the predicted heat flux with the experimental transport analysis, but the resulting factor of two change in heat transport has only a weak effect on the predicted density peaking.

Employer Attitudes towards Peak Hour Avoidance

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Vonk Noordegraaf, D.M.; Annema, J.A.

2012-01-01

Peak Hour Avoidance is a relatively new Dutch mobility management measure. To reduce congestion frequent car drivers are given a financial reward for reducing the proportion of trips that they make during peak hours on a specific motorway section. Although previous studies show that employers are

Employer attitudes towards peak hour avoidance

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Noordegraaf, D.M.V.; Annema, J.A.

2012-01-01

Peak Hour Avoidance is a relatively new Dutch mobility management measure. To reduce congestion frequent car drivers are given a financial reward for reducing the proportion of trips that they make during peak hours on a specific motorway section. Although previous studies show that employers are

KiDS-450: cosmological constraints from weak-lensing peak statistics - II: Inference from shear peaks using N-body simulations

Science.gov (United States)

Martinet, Nicolas; Schneider, Peter; Hildebrandt, Hendrik; Shan, HuanYuan; Asgari, Marika; Dietrich, Jörg P.; Harnois-Déraps, Joachim; Erben, Thomas; Grado, Aniello; Heymans, Catherine; Hoekstra, Henk; Klaes, Dominik; Kuijken, Konrad; Merten, Julian; Nakajima, Reiko

2018-02-01

We study the statistics of peaks in a weak-lensing reconstructed mass map of the first 450 deg2 of the Kilo Degree Survey (KiDS-450). The map is computed with aperture masses directly applied to the shear field with an NFW-like compensated filter. We compare the peak statistics in the observations with that of simulations for various cosmologies to constrain the cosmological parameter S_8 = σ _8 √{Ω _m/0.3}, which probes the (Ωm, σ8) plane perpendicularly to its main degeneracy. We estimate S8 = 0.750 ± 0.059, using peaks in the signal-to-noise range 0 ≤ S/N ≤ 4, and accounting for various systematics, such as multiplicative shear bias, mean redshift bias, baryon feedback, intrinsic alignment, and shear-position coupling. These constraints are ˜ 25 per cent tighter than the constraints from the high significance peaks alone (3 ≤ S/N ≤ 4) which typically trace single-massive haloes. This demonstrates the gain of information from low-S/N peaks. However, we find that including S/N KiDS-450. Combining shear peaks with non-tomographic measurements of the shear two-point correlation functions yields a ˜20 per cent improvement in the uncertainty on S8 compared to the shear two-point correlation functions alone, highlighting the great potential of peaks as a cosmological probe.

Bayesian Peak Picking for NMR Spectra

KAUST Repository

Cheng, Yichen

2014-02-01

Protein structure determination is a very important topic in structural genomics, which helps people to understand varieties of biological functions such as protein-protein interactions, protein–DNA interactions and so on. Nowadays, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) has often been used to determine the three-dimensional structures of protein in vivo. This study aims to automate the peak picking step, the most important and tricky step in NMR structure determination. We propose to model the NMR spectrum by a mixture of bivariate Gaussian densities and use the stochastic approximation Monte Carlo algorithm as the computational tool to solve the problem. Under the Bayesian framework, the peak picking problem is casted as a variable selection problem. The proposed method can automatically distinguish true peaks from false ones without preprocessing the data. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first effort in the literature that tackles the peak picking problem for NMR spectrum data using Bayesian method.

Practical load management - Peak shaving using photovoltaics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Berger, W.

2009-01-01

This article takes a look at how photovoltaic (PV) power generation can be used in a practical way to meet peak demands for electricity. Advice is provided on how photovoltaics can provide peak load 'shaving' through the correlation between its production and the peak loads encountered during the day. The situation regarding feed-in tariffs in Italy is discussed, as are further examples of installations in Germany and Austria. Further, an initiative of the American Southern California Edison utility is discussed which foresees the installation of large PV plant on the roofs of commercial premises to provide local generation of peak energy and thus relieve demands on their power transportation network.

Variations in peak nasal inspiratory flow among healthy students after using saline solutions.

Science.gov (United States)

Olbrich Neto, Jaime; Olbrich, Sandra Regina Leite Rosa; Mori, Natália Leite Rosa; Oliveira, Ana Elisa de; Corrente, José Eduardo

2016-01-01

Nasal hygiene with saline solutions has been shown to relieve congestion, reduce the thickening of the mucus and keep nasal cavity clean and moist. Evaluating whether saline solutions improve nasal inspiratory flow among healthy children. Students between 8 and 11 years of age underwent 6 procedures with saline solutions at different concentrations. The peak nasal inspiratory flow was measured before and 30 min after each procedure. Statistical analysis was performed by means of t test, analysis of variance, and Tukey's test, considering p<0.05. We evaluated 124 children at all stages. There were differences on the way a same concentration was used. There was no difference between 0.9% saline solution and 3% saline solution by using a syringe. The 3% saline solution had higher averages of peak nasal inspiratory flow, but it was not significantly higher than the 0.9% saline solution. It is important to offer various options to patients. Copyright © 2015 Associação Brasileira de Otorrinolaringologia e Cirurgia Cérvico-Facial. Published by Elsevier Editora Ltda. All rights reserved.

Analysis of Expediency to Apply LCL Model with Source of Higher Harmonics of Current While Investigating Resonance Condition of Power Supply Network

OpenAIRE

M. Pavlovsky; A. Shimansky; Z. Fialkovsky

2004-01-01

The paper considers a power system model of a plant with one capacitor bank and with one current source of higher harmonics for higher power factor. The laboratory research results of this system and practical application of the proposed model are given in the paper.

BinQuasi: a peak detection method for ChIP-sequencing data with biological replicates.

Science.gov (United States)

Goren, Emily; Liu, Peng; Wang, Chao; Wang, Chong

2018-04-19

ChIP-seq experiments that are aimed at detecting DNA-protein interactions require biological replication to draw inferential conclusions, however there is no current consensus on how to analyze ChIP-seq data with biological replicates. Very few methodologies exist for the joint analysis of replicated ChIP-seq data, with approaches ranging from combining the results of analyzing replicates individually to joint modeling of all replicates. Combining the results of individual replicates analyzed separately can lead to reduced peak classification performance compared to joint modeling. Currently available methods for joint analysis may fail to control the false discovery rate at the nominal level. We propose BinQuasi, a peak caller for replicated ChIP-seq data, that jointly models biological replicates using a generalized linear model framework and employs a one-sided quasi-likelihood ratio test to detect peaks. When applied to simulated data and real datasets, BinQuasi performs favorably compared to existing methods, including better control of false discovery rate than existing joint modeling approaches. BinQuasi offers a flexible approach to joint modeling of replicated ChIP-seq data which is preferable to combining the results of replicates analyzed individually. Source code is freely available for download at https://cran.r-project.org/package=BinQuasi, implemented in R. pliu@iastate.edu or egoren@iastate.edu. Supplementary material is available at Bioinformatics online.

Assessment of end-use electricity consumption and peak demand by Townsville's housing stock

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ren, Zhengen; Paevere, Phillip; Grozev, George; Egan, Stephen; Anticev, Julia

2013-01-01

We have developed a comprehensive model to estimate annual end-use electricity consumption and peak demand of housing stock, considering occupants' use of air conditioning systems and major appliances. The model was applied to analyse private dwellings in Townsville, Australia's largest tropical city. For the financial year (FY) 2010–11 the predicted results agreed with the actual electricity consumption with an error less than 10% for cooling thermostat settings at the standard setting temperature of 26.5 °C and at 1.0 °C higher than the standard setting. The greatest difference in monthly electricity consumption in the summer season between the model and the actual data decreased from 21% to 2% when the thermostat setting was changed from 26.5 °C to 27.5 °C. Our findings also showed that installation of solar panels in Townville houses could reduce electricity demand from the grid and would have a minor impact on the yearly peak demand. A key new feature of the model is that it can be used to predict probability distribution of energy demand considering (a) that appliances may be used randomly and (b) the way people use thermostats. The peak demand for the FY estimated from the probability distribution tracked the actual peak demand at 97% confidence level. - Highlights: • We developed a model to estimate housing stock energy consumption and peak demand. • Appliances used randomly and thermostat settings for space cooling were considered. • On-site installation of solar panels was also considered. • Its' results agree well with the actual electricity consumption and peak demand. • It shows the model could provide the probability distribution of electricity demand

Thermally induced spin-dependent current based on Zigzag Germanene Nanoribbons

Science.gov (United States)

Majidi, Danial; Faez, Rahim

2017-02-01

In this paper, using first principle calculation and non-equilibrium Green's function, the thermally induced spin current in Hydrogen terminated Zigzag-edge Germanene Nanoribbon (ZGeNR-H) is investigated. In this model, because of the difference between the source and the drain temperature of ZGeNR device, the spin up and spin down currents flow in the opposite direction with two different threshold temperatures (Tth). Hence, a pure spin polarized current which belongs to spin down is obtained. It is shown that, for temperatures above the threshold temperature spin down current increases with the increasing temperature up to 75 K and then decreases. But spin up current rises steadily and in the high temperature we can obtain polarized spin up current. In addition, we show an acceptable spin current around the room temperature for ZGeNR. The transmission peaks in ZGeNR which are closer to the Fermi level rather than Zigzag Graphene Nanoribbon (ZGNRS) which causes ZGeNR to have spin current at higher temperatures. Finally, it is indicated that by tuning the back gate voltage, the spin current can be completely modulated and polarized. Simulation results verify the Zigzag Germanene Nanoribbon as a promising candidate for spin caloritronics devices, which can be applied in future low power consumption technology.

Higher Mellin moments for charged current DIS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rogal, M.; Moch, S.

2007-06-01

We report on our recent results for deep-inelastic neutrino(ν)-proton(P) scattering. We have computed the perturbative QCD corrections to three loops for the charged current structure functions F 2 , F L and F 3 for the combination νP- anti νP. In leading twist approximation we have calculated the first six odd-integer Mellin moments in the case of F 2 and F L and the first six even-integer moments in the case of F 3 . As a new result we have obtained the coefficient functions to O(α 3 s ) and we have found the corresponding anomalous dimensions to agree with known results in the literature. (orig.)

Statistics of peaks of Gaussian random fields

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bardeen, J.M.; Bond, J.R.; Kaiser, N.; Szalay, A.S.; Stanford Univ., CA; California Univ., Berkeley; Cambridge Univ., England; Fermi National Accelerator Lab., Batavia, IL)

1986-01-01

A set of new mathematical results on the theory of Gaussian random fields is presented, and the application of such calculations in cosmology to treat questions of structure formation from small-amplitude initial density fluctuations is addressed. The point process equation is discussed, giving the general formula for the average number density of peaks. The problem of the proper conditional probability constraints appropriate to maxima are examined using a one-dimensional illustration. The average density of maxima of a general three-dimensional Gaussian field is calculated as a function of heights of the maxima, and the average density of upcrossing points on density contour surfaces is computed. The number density of peaks subject to the constraint that the large-scale density field be fixed is determined and used to discuss the segregation of high peaks from the underlying mass distribution. The machinery to calculate n-point peak-peak correlation functions is determined, as are the shapes of the profiles about maxima. 67 references

Fast Metabolite Identification in Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Metabolomic Studies: Statistical Peak Sorting and Peak Overlap Detection for More Reliable Database Queries.

Science.gov (United States)

Hoijemberg, Pablo A; Pelczer, István

2018-01-05

A lot of time is spent by researchers in the identification of metabolites in NMR-based metabolomic studies. The usual metabolite identification starts employing public or commercial databases to match chemical shifts thought to belong to a given compound. Statistical total correlation spectroscopy (STOCSY), in use for more than a decade, speeds the process by finding statistical correlations among peaks, being able to create a better peak list as input for the database query. However, the (normally not automated) analysis becomes challenging due to the intrinsic issue of peak overlap, where correlations of more than one compound appear in the STOCSY trace. Here we present a fully automated methodology that analyzes all STOCSY traces at once (every peak is chosen as driver peak) and overcomes the peak overlap obstacle. Peak overlap detection by clustering analysis and sorting of traces (POD-CAST) first creates an overlap matrix from the STOCSY traces, then clusters the overlap traces based on their similarity and finally calculates a cumulative overlap index (COI) to account for both strong and intermediate correlations. This information is gathered in one plot to help the user identify the groups of peaks that would belong to a single molecule and perform a more reliable database query. The simultaneous examination of all traces reduces the time of analysis, compared to viewing STOCSY traces by pairs or small groups, and condenses the redundant information in the 2D STOCSY matrix into bands containing similar traces. The COI helps in the detection of overlapping peaks, which can be added to the peak list from another cross-correlated band. POD-CAST overcomes the generally overlooked and underestimated presence of overlapping peaks and it detects them to include them in the search of all compounds contributing to the peak overlap, enabling the user to accelerate the metabolite identification process with more successful database queries and searching all tentative

Probabilistic peak detection for first-order chromatographic data.

Science.gov (United States)

Lopatka, M; Vivó-Truyols, G; Sjerps, M J

2014-03-19

We present a novel algorithm for probabilistic peak detection in first-order chromatographic data. Unlike conventional methods that deliver a binary answer pertaining to the expected presence or absence of a chromatographic peak, our method calculates the probability of a point being affected by such a peak. The algorithm makes use of chromatographic information (i.e. the expected width of a single peak and the standard deviation of baseline noise). As prior information of the existence of a peak in a chromatographic run, we make use of the statistical overlap theory. We formulate an exhaustive set of mutually exclusive hypotheses concerning presence or absence of different peak configurations. These models are evaluated by fitting a segment of chromatographic data by least-squares. The evaluation of these competing hypotheses can be performed as a Bayesian inferential task. We outline the potential advantages of adopting this approach for peak detection and provide several examples of both improved performance and increased flexibility afforded by our approach. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Fano resonance and persistent current of a quantum ring

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xiong Yongjian; Liang Xianting

2004-01-01

We investigate electron transport and persistent current of a quantum ring weakly attached to current leads. Assuming there is direct coupling (weakly or strongly) between two leads, electrons can transmit by the inter-lead coupling or tunneling through the quantum ring. The interference between the two paths yields asymmetric Fano line shape for conductance. In presence of interior magnetic flux, there is persistent current along the ring with narrow resonance peaks. The positions of the conductance resonances and the persistent current peaks correspond to the quasibound levels of the closed ring. This feature is helpful to determine the energy spectrum of the quantum ring. Our results show that the proposed setup provides a tunable Fano system

A novel fast phase correlation algorithm for peak wavelength detection of Fiber Bragg Grating sensors.

Science.gov (United States)

Lamberti, A; Vanlanduit, S; De Pauw, B; Berghmans, F

2014-03-24

Fiber Bragg Gratings (FBGs) can be used as sensors for strain, temperature and pressure measurements. For this purpose, the ability to determine the Bragg peak wavelength with adequate wavelength resolution and accuracy is essential. However, conventional peak detection techniques, such as the maximum detection algorithm, can yield inaccurate and imprecise results, especially when the Signal to Noise Ratio (SNR) and the wavelength resolution are poor. Other techniques, such as the cross-correlation demodulation algorithm are more precise and accurate but require a considerable higher computational effort. To overcome these problems, we developed a novel fast phase correlation (FPC) peak detection algorithm, which computes the wavelength shift in the reflected spectrum of a FBG sensor. This paper analyzes the performance of the FPC algorithm for different values of the SNR and wavelength resolution. Using simulations and experiments, we compared the FPC with the maximum detection and cross-correlation algorithms. The FPC method demonstrated a detection precision and accuracy comparable with those of cross-correlation demodulation and considerably higher than those obtained with the maximum detection technique. Additionally, FPC showed to be about 50 times faster than the cross-correlation. It is therefore a promising tool for future implementation in real-time systems or in embedded hardware intended for FBG sensor interrogation.

Online Reliable Peak Charge/Discharge Power Estimation of Series-Connected Lithium-Ion Battery Packs

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bo Jiang

2017-03-01

Full Text Available The accurate peak power estimation of a battery pack is essential to the power-train control of electric vehicles (EVs. It helps to evaluate the maximum charge and discharge capability of the battery system, and thus to optimally control the power-train system to meet the requirement of acceleration, gradient climbing and regenerative braking while achieving a high energy efficiency. A novel online peak power estimation method for series-connected lithium-ion battery packs is proposed, which considers the influence of cell difference on the peak power of the battery packs. A new parameter identification algorithm based on adaptive ratio vectors is designed to online identify the parameters of each individual cell in a series-connected battery pack. The ratio vectors reflecting cell difference are deduced strictly based on the analysis of battery characteristics. Based on the online parameter identification, the peak power estimation considering cell difference is further developed. Some validation experiments in different battery aging conditions and with different current profiles have been implemented to verify the proposed method. The results indicate that the ratio vector-based identification algorithm can achieve the same accuracy as the repetitive RLS (recursive least squares based identification while evidently reducing the computation cost, and the proposed peak power estimation method is more effective and reliable for series-connected battery packs due to the consideration of cell difference.

Higher Mortality in registrants with sudden model for end-stage liver disease increase: Disadvantaged by the current allocation policy.

Science.gov (United States)

Massie, Allan B; Luo, Xun; Alejo, Jennifer L; Poon, Anna K; Cameron, Andrew M; Segev, Dorry L

2015-05-01

Liver allocation is based on current Model for End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD) scores, with priority in the case of a tie being given to those waiting the longest with a given MELD score. We hypothesized that this priority might not reflect risk: registrants whose MELD score has recently increased receive lower priority but might have higher wait-list mortality. We studied wait-list and posttransplant mortality in 69,643 adult registrants from 2002 to 2013. By likelihood maximization, we empirically defined a MELD spike as a MELD increase ≥ 30% over the previous 7 days. At any given time, only 0.6% of wait-list patients experienced a spike; however, these patients accounted for 25% of all wait-list deaths. Registrants who reached a given MELD score after a spike had higher wait-list mortality in the ensuing 7 days than those with the same resulting MELD score who did not spike, but they had no difference in posttransplant mortality. The spike-associated wait-list mortality increase was highest for registrants with medium MELD scores: specifically, 2.3-fold higher (spike versus no spike) for a MELD score of 10, 4.0-fold higher for a MELD score of 20, and 2.5-fold higher for a MELD score of 30. A model incorporating the MELD score and spikes predicted wait-list mortality risk much better than a model incorporating only the MELD score. Registrants with a sudden MELD increase have a higher risk of short-term wait-list mortality than is indicated by their current MELD score but have no increased risk of posttransplant mortality; allocation policy should be adjusted accordingly. © 2015 American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases.

High Field Side Lower Hybrid Current Drive Simulations for Off- axis Current Drive in DIII-D

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wukitch S.J.

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Efficient off-axis current drive scalable to reactors is a key enabling technology for developing economical, steady state tokamak. Previous studies have focussed on high field side (HFS launch of lower hybrid current drive (LHCD in double null configurations in reactor grade plasmas and found improved wave penetration and high current drive efficiency with driven current profile peaked near a normalized radius, ρ, of 0.6-0.8, consistent with advanced tokamak scenarios. Further, HFS launch potentially mitigates plasma material interaction and coupling issues. For this work, we sought credible HFS LHCD scenario for DIII-D advanced tokamak discharges through utilizing advanced ray tracing and Fokker Planck simulation tools (GENRAY+CQL3D constrained by experimental considerations. For a model and existing discharge, HFS LHCD scenarios with excellent wave penetration and current drive were identified. The LHCD is peaked off axis, ρ∼0.6-0.8, with FWHM Δρ=0.2 and driven current up to 0.37 MA/MW coupled. For HFS near mid plane launch, wave penetration is excellent and have access to single pass absorption scenarios for variety of plasmas for n||=2.6-3.4. These DIII-D discharge simulations indicate that HFS LHCD has potential to demonstrate efficient off axis current drive and current profile control in DIII-D existing and model discharge.

Analytic fitting of x- and gamma-ray peaks in Ge and Si(Li) spectroscopy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Campbell, J.L.; Maxwell, J.A.

1984-01-01

A review is presented of current methodology for non-linear least squares fitting of single and multiple peaks, with the emphasis on planar Ge detectors used in the 50-150 keV energy region. The need for new work on Si(Li) detectors at energies 1-40 keV is stressed

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

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

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

2017-01-01

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

Peak load pricing lowers generation costs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lande, R.H.

1980-01-01

Before a utility implements peak load pricing for different classes of consumers, the costs and the benefits should be compared. The methodology described enables a utility to determine whether peak load pricing should be introduced for specific users. Cost-benefit analyses for domestic consumers and commercial/industrial consumers, showing break-even points are presented. (author)

Analysis of Expediency to Apply LCL Model with Source of Higher Harmonics of Current While Investigating Resonance Condition of Power Supply Network

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. Pavlovsky

2004-01-01

Full Text Available The paper considers a power system model of a plant with one capacitor bank and with one current source of higher harmonics for higher power factor. The laboratory research results of this system and practical application of the proposed model are given in the paper.

Low frequency noise peak near magnon emission energy in magnetic tunnel junctions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Liu, Liang; Xiang, Li; Guo, Huiqiang; Wei, Jian, E-mail: weijian6791@pku.edu.cn [International Center for Quantum Materials, School of Physics, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China and Collaborative Innovation Center of Quantum Matter, Beijing (China); Li, D. L.; Yuan, Z. H.; Feng, J. F., E-mail: jiafengfeng@iphy.ac.cn; Han, X. F. [Beijing National Laboratory of Condensed Matter Physics, Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190 (China); Coey, J. M. D. [CRANN and School of Physics, Trinity College, Dublin 2 (Ireland)

2014-12-15

We report on the low frequency (LF) noise measurements in magnetic tunnel junctions (MTJs) below 4 K and at low bias, where the transport is strongly affected by scattering with magnons emitted by hot tunnelling electrons, as thermal activation of magnons from the environment is suppressed. For both CoFeB/MgO/CoFeB and CoFeB/AlO{sub x}/CoFeB MTJs, enhanced LF noise is observed at bias voltage around magnon emission energy, forming a peak in the bias dependence of noise power spectra density, independent of magnetic configurations. The noise peak is much higher and broader for unannealed AlO{sub x}-based MTJ, and besides Lorentzian shape noise spectra in the frequency domain, random telegraph noise (RTN) is visible in the time traces. During repeated measurements the noise peak reduces and the RTN becomes difficult to resolve, suggesting defects being annealed. The Lorentzian shape noise spectra can be fitted with bias-dependent activation of RTN, with the attempt frequency in the MHz range, consistent with magnon dynamics. These findings suggest magnon-assisted activation of defects as the origin of the enhanced LF noise.

Low frequency noise peak near magnon emission energy in magnetic tunnel junctions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Liang Liu

2014-12-01

Full Text Available We report on the low frequency (LF noise measurements in magnetic tunnel junctions (MTJs below 4 K and at low bias, where the transport is strongly affected by scattering with magnons emitted by hot tunnelling electrons, as thermal activation of magnons from the environment is suppressed. For both CoFeB/MgO/CoFeB and CoFeB/AlOx/CoFeB MTJs, enhanced LF noise is observed at bias voltage around magnon emission energy, forming a peak in the bias dependence of noise power spectra density, independent of magnetic configurations. The noise peak is much higher and broader for unannealed AlOx-based MTJ, and besides Lorentzian shape noise spectra in the frequency domain, random telegraph noise (RTN is visible in the time traces. During repeated measurements the noise peak reduces and the RTN becomes difficult to resolve, suggesting defects being annealed. The Lorentzian shape noise spectra can be fitted with bias-dependent activation of RTN, with the attempt frequency in the MHz range, consistent with magnon dynamics. These findings suggest magnon-assisted activation of defects as the origin of the enhanced LF noise.

Peak Shaving Considering Streamflow Uncertainties | Iwuagwu ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The main thrust of this paper is peak shaving with a Stochastic hydro model. In peak sharing, the amount of hydro energy scheduled may be a minimum but it serves to replace less efficient thermal units. The sample system is die Kainji hydro plant and the thermal units of the National Electric Power Authority. The random ...

Peak Oil, Peak Coal and Climate Change

Science.gov (United States)

Murray, J. W.

2009-05-01

Research on future climate change is driven by the family of scenarios developed for the IPCC assessment reports. These scenarios create projections of future energy demand using different story lines consisting of government policies, population projections, and economic models. None of these scenarios consider resources to be limiting. In many of these scenarios oil production is still increasing to 2100. Resource limitation (in a geological sense) is a real possibility that needs more serious consideration. The concept of 'Peak Oil' has been discussed since M. King Hubbert proposed in 1956 that US oil production would peak in 1970. His prediction was accurate. This concept is about production rate not reserves. For many oil producing countries (and all OPEC countries) reserves are closely guarded state secrets and appear to be overstated. Claims that the reserves are 'proven' cannot be independently verified. Hubbert's Linearization Model can be used to predict when half the ultimate oil will be produced and what the ultimate total cumulative production (Qt) will be. US oil production can be used as an example. This conceptual model shows that 90% of the ultimate US oil production (Qt = 225 billion barrels) will have occurred by 2011. This approach can then be used to suggest that total global production will be about 2200 billion barrels and that the half way point will be reached by about 2010. This amount is about 5 to 7 times less than assumed by the IPCC scenarios. The decline of Non-OPEC oil production appears to have started in 2004. Of the OPEC countries, only Saudi Arabia may have spare capacity, but even that is uncertain, because of lack of data transparency. The concept of 'Peak Coal' is more controversial, but even the US National Academy Report in 2007 concluded only a small fraction of previously estimated reserves in the US are actually minable reserves and that US reserves should be reassessed using modern methods. British coal production can be

Peak Oil, threat or energy worlds' phantasm?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Favennec, Jean-Pierre

2011-01-01

The concept of Peak Oil is based on the work of King Hubbert, a petroleum geologist who worked for Shell in the USA in the 1960's. Based on the fact that discoveries in America reached a maximum in the 1930's, he announced that American production would reach a maximum in 1969, which did actually occur. Geologists members of the Association for the Study of Peak Oil have extrapolated this result to a worldwide scale and, since oil discoveries reached a peak in the 1960's, argued that production will peak in the very near future. It is clear that hydrocarbon reserves are finite and therefore exhaustible. But little is known regarding the level of ultimate (i.e. total existing) reserves. There are probably very large reserves of non conventional oil in addition to the reserves of conventional oil. An increasing number of specialists put maximum production at less than 100 Mb/d more for geopolitical than physical reasons. Attainable peak production will probably vary from year to year and will depend on how crude oil prices develop

Infant BMI peak as a predictor of overweight and obesity at age 2 years in a Chinese community-based cohort

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Jie; Nwaru, Bright I; Hua, Jing; Li, Xiaohong; Wu, Zhuochun

2017-01-01

Objectives Infant body mass index (BMI) peak has proven to be a useful indicator for predicting childhood obesity risk in American and European populations. However, it has not been assessed in China. We characterised infant BMI trajectories in a Chinese longitudinal cohort and evaluated whether BMI peak can predict overweight and obesity at age 2 years. Methods Serial measurements (n=6–12) of weight and length were taken from healthy term infants (n=2073) in a birth cohort established in urban Shanghai. Measurements were used to estimate BMI growth curves from birth to 13.5 months using a polynomial regression model. BMI peak characteristics, including age (in months) and magnitude (BMI, in kg/m2) at peak and prepeak velocities (in kg/m2/month), were estimated. The relationship between infant BMI peak and childhood BMI at age 2 years was examined using binary logistic analysis. Results Mean age at peak BMI was 7.61 months, with a magnitude of 18.33 kg/m2. Boys (n=1022) had a higher average peak BMI (18.60 vs 18.07 kg/m2, pBMI and 1 month increase in peak time, the risk of overweight at age 2 years increased by 2.11 times (OR 3.11; 95% CI 2.64 to 3.66) and 35% (OR 1.35; 95% CI 1.21 to 1.50), respectively. Similarly, higher BMI magnitude (OR 2.69; 95% CI 2.00 to 3.61) and later timing of infant BMI peak (OR 1.35; 95% CI 1.08 to 1.68) were associated with an increased risk of childhood obesity at age 2 years. Conclusions We have shown that infant BMI peak is valuable for predicting early childhood overweight and obesity in urban Shanghai. Because this is the first Chinese community-based cohort study of this nature, future research is required to examine infant populations in other areas of China. PMID:28988164

Detecting and accounting for multiple sources of positional variance in peak list registration analysis and spin system grouping.

Science.gov (United States)

Smelter, Andrey; Rouchka, Eric C; Moseley, Hunter N B

2017-08-01

Peak lists derived from nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectra are commonly used as input data for a variety of computer assisted and automated analyses. These include automated protein resonance assignment and protein structure calculation software tools. Prior to these analyses, peak lists must be aligned to each other and sets of related peaks must be grouped based on common chemical shift dimensions. Even when programs can perform peak grouping, they require the user to provide uniform match tolerances or use default values. However, peak grouping is further complicated by multiple sources of variance in peak position limiting the effectiveness of grouping methods that utilize uniform match tolerances. In addition, no method currently exists for deriving peak positional variances from single peak lists for grouping peaks into spin systems, i.e. spin system grouping within a single peak list. Therefore, we developed a complementary pair of peak list registration analysis and spin system grouping algorithms designed to overcome these limitations. We have implemented these algorithms into an approach that can identify multiple dimension-specific positional variances that exist in a single peak list and group peaks from a single peak list into spin systems. The resulting software tools generate a variety of useful statistics on both a single peak list and pairwise peak list alignment, especially for quality assessment of peak list datasets. We used a range of low and high quality experimental solution NMR and solid-state NMR peak lists to assess performance of our registration analysis and grouping algorithms. Analyses show that an algorithm using a single iteration and uniform match tolerances approach is only able to recover from 50 to 80% of the spin systems due to the presence of multiple sources of variance. Our algorithm recovers additional spin systems by reevaluating match tolerances in multiple iterations. To facilitate evaluation of the

7 CFR 457.163 - Nursery peak inventory endorsement.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 6 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Nursery peak inventory endorsement. 457.163 Section... CORPORATION, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE COMMON CROP INSURANCE REGULATIONS § 457.163 Nursery peak inventory endorsement. Nursery Crop Insurance Peak Inventory Endorsement This endorsement is not continuous and must be...

Diffraction peaks in x-ray spectroscopy: Friend or foe?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tissot, R.G.; Goehner, R.P.

1992-01-01

Diffraction peaks can occur as unidentifiable peaks in the energy spectrum of an x-ray spectrometric analysis. Recently, there has been increased interest in oriented polycrystalline films and epitaxial films on single crystal substrates for electronic applications. Since these materials diffract x-rays more efficiently than randomly oriented polycrystalline materials, diffraction peaks are being observed more frequently in x-ray fluorescent spectra. In addition, micro x-ray spectrometric analysis utilizes a small, intense, collimated x-ray beam that can yield well defined diffraction peaks. In some cases these diffraction peaks can occur at the same position as elemental peaks. These diffraction peaks, although a possible problem in qualitative and quantitative elemental analysis, can give very useful information about the crystallographic structure and orientation of the material being analyzed. The observed diffraction peaks are dependent on the geometry of the x-ray spectrometer, the degree of collimation and the distribution of wavelengths (energies) originating from the x-ray tube and striking the sample

Automatic Peak Selection by a Benjamini-Hochberg-Based Algorithm

KAUST Repository

Abbas, Ahmed; Kong, Xin-Bing; Liu, Zhi; Jing, Bing-Yi; Gao, Xin

2013-01-01

A common issue in bioinformatics is that computational methods often generate a large number of predictions sorted according to certain confidence scores. A key problem is then determining how many predictions must be selected to include most of the true predictions while maintaining reasonably high precision. In nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR)-based protein structure determination, for instance, computational peak picking methods are becoming more and more common, although expert-knowledge remains the method of choice to determine how many peaks among thousands of candidate peaks should be taken into consideration to capture the true peaks. Here, we propose a Benjamini-Hochberg (B-H)-based approach that automatically selects the number of peaks. We formulate the peak selection problem as a multiple testing problem. Given a candidate peak list sorted by either volumes or intensities, we first convert the peaks into p-values and then apply the B-H-based algorithm to automatically select the number of peaks. The proposed approach is tested on the state-of-the-art peak picking methods, including WaVPeak [1] and PICKY [2]. Compared with the traditional fixed number-based approach, our approach returns significantly more true peaks. For instance, by combining WaVPeak or PICKY with the proposed method, the missing peak rates are on average reduced by 20% and 26%, respectively, in a benchmark set of 32 spectra extracted from eight proteins. The consensus of the B-H-selected peaks from both WaVPeak and PICKY achieves 88% recall and 83% precision, which significantly outperforms each individual method and the consensus method without using the B-H algorithm. The proposed method can be used as a standard procedure for any peak picking method and straightforwardly applied to some other prediction selection problems in bioinformatics. The source code, documentation and example data of the proposed method is available at http://sfb.kaust.edu.sa/pages/software.aspx. © 2013

Automatic Peak Selection by a Benjamini-Hochberg-Based Algorithm

KAUST Repository

Abbas, Ahmed

2013-01-07

A common issue in bioinformatics is that computational methods often generate a large number of predictions sorted according to certain confidence scores. A key problem is then determining how many predictions must be selected to include most of the true predictions while maintaining reasonably high precision. In nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR)-based protein structure determination, for instance, computational peak picking methods are becoming more and more common, although expert-knowledge remains the method of choice to determine how many peaks among thousands of candidate peaks should be taken into consideration to capture the true peaks. Here, we propose a Benjamini-Hochberg (B-H)-based approach that automatically selects the number of peaks. We formulate the peak selection problem as a multiple testing problem. Given a candidate peak list sorted by either volumes or intensities, we first convert the peaks into p-values and then apply the B-H-based algorithm to automatically select the number of peaks. The proposed approach is tested on the state-of-the-art peak picking methods, including WaVPeak [1] and PICKY [2]. Compared with the traditional fixed number-based approach, our approach returns significantly more true peaks. For instance, by combining WaVPeak or PICKY with the proposed method, the missing peak rates are on average reduced by 20% and 26%, respectively, in a benchmark set of 32 spectra extracted from eight proteins. The consensus of the B-H-selected peaks from both WaVPeak and PICKY achieves 88% recall and 83% precision, which significantly outperforms each individual method and the consensus method without using the B-H algorithm. The proposed method can be used as a standard procedure for any peak picking method and straightforwardly applied to some other prediction selection problems in bioinformatics. The source code, documentation and example data of the proposed method is available at http://sfb.kaust.edu.sa/pages/software.aspx. © 2013

Digital processing with single electrons for arbitrary waveform generation of current

Science.gov (United States)

Okazaki, Yuma; Nakamura, Shuji; Onomitsu, Koji; Kaneko, Nobu-Hisa

2018-03-01

We demonstrate arbitrary waveform generation of current using a GaAs-based single-electron pump. In our experiment, a digital processing algorithm known as delta-sigma modulation is incorporated into single-electron pumping to generate a density-modulated single-electron stream, by which we demonstrate the generation of arbitrary waveforms of current including sinusoidal, square, and triangular waves with a peak-to-peak amplitude of approximately 10 pA and an output bandwidth ranging from dc to close to 1 MHz. The developed current generator can be used as the precise and calculable current reference required for measurements of current noise in low-temperature experiments.

A prospective population study of resting heart rate and peak oxygen uptake (the HUNT Study, Norway.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Javaid Nauman

Full Text Available OBJECTIVES: We assessed the prospective association of resting heart rate (RHR at baseline with peak oxygen uptake (VO(2peak 23 years later, and evaluated whether physical activity (PA could modify this association. BACKGROUND: Both RHR and VO(2peak are strong and independent predictors of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. However, the association of RHR with VO(2peak and modifying effect of PA have not been prospectively assessed in population studies. METHODS: In 807 men and 810 women free from cardiovascular disease both at baseline (1984-86 and follow-up 23 years later, RHR was recorded at both occasions, and VO(2peak was measured by ergospirometry at follow-up. We used Generalized Linear Models to assess the association of baseline RHR with VO(2peak, and to study combined effects of RHR and self-reported PA on later VO(2peak. RESULTS: There was an inverse association of RHR at baseline with VO(2peak (p<0.01. Men and women with baseline RHR greater than 80 bpm had 4.6 mL.kg(-1.min(-1 (95% confidence interval [CI], 2.8 to 6.3 and 1.4 mL.kg(-1.min(-1 (95% CI, -0.4 to 3.1 lower VO(2peak at follow-up compared with men and women with RHR below 60 bpm at baseline. We found a linear association of change in RHR with VO(2peak (p=0.03, suggesting that a decrease in RHR over time is likely to be beneficial for cardiovascular fitness. Participants with low RHR and high PA at baseline had higher VO(2peak than inactive people with relatively high RHR. However, among participants with relatively high RHR and high PA at baseline, VO(2peak was similar to inactive people with relatively low RHR. CONCLUSION: RHR is an important predictor of VO(2peak, and serial assessments of RHR may provide useful and inexpensive information on cardiovascular fitness. The results suggest that high levels of PA may compensate for the lower VO(2peak associated with a high RHR.

Physical performance and peak aerobic power at different body temperatures.

Science.gov (United States)

Bergh, U; Ekblom, B

1979-05-01

In eight male subjects we studied the effect of different core (esophageal, (Tes 34.9--38.4 degrees C) and muscle (Tm 35.1--39.3 degrees C) temperature on 1) physical performance (time to exhaustion at a standard maximal rate of work, WT), 2) aerobic power (VO2), 3) heart rate (HR), and 4) blood lactate (LA) concentration during exhaustive combined arm and leg exercise. In three subjects the effects at different mean skin temperatures (Tsk 27 and 31 degrees C, respectively) were also studied. Peak VO2 was positively correlated to both Tes (r = 0.88) and Tm (r = 0.91). None of the subjects attained control VO2max at Tes and Tm lower than 37.5 and 38.0 degrees C, respectively. HR was correlated to both Tes (r = 0.97) and Tm (r = 0.95). Different Tsk did not affect peak VO2 and HR at subnormal body temperatures. Pulmonary ventilation was independent of Tes and Tm in all experimental situations. LA was significantly higher at Tes 37.5 degrees C compared to both Tes 34.9 and 38.5 degrees C, respectively. At Tes less than 37.5 degrees C and Tm less than 38.0 degrees C, there was a linear reduction in WT (20%.degrees C-1), peak VO2 (5--6%.degrees C-1), and HR (8 beats.min-1.degrees C-1) with lowered Tes and Tm.

Measurement of optical-beat frequency in a photoconductive terahertz-wave generator using microwave higher harmonics.

Science.gov (United States)

Murasawa, Kengo; Sato, Koki; Hidaka, Takehiko

2011-05-01

A new method for measuring optical-beat frequencies in the terahertz (THz) region using microwave higher harmonics is presented. A microwave signal was applied to the antenna gap of a photoconductive (PC) device emitting a continuous electromagnetic wave at about 1 THz by the photomixing technique. The microwave higher harmonics with THz frequencies are generated in the PC device owing to the nonlinearity of the biased photoconductance, which is briefly described in this article. Thirteen nearly periodic peaks in the photocurrent were observed when the microwave was swept from 16 to 20 GHz at a power of -48 dBm. The nearly periodic peaks are generated by the homodyne detection of the optical beat with the microwave higher harmonics when the frequency of the harmonics coincides with the optical-beat frequency. Each peak frequency and its peak width were determined by fitting a Gaussian function, and the order of microwave harmonics was determined using a coarse (i.e., lower resolution) measurement of the optical-beat frequency. By applying the Kalman algorithm to the peak frequencies of the higher harmonics and their standard deviations, the optical-beat frequency near 1 THz was estimated to be 1029.81 GHz with the standard deviation of 0.82 GHz. The proposed method is applicable to a conventional THz-wave generator with a photomixer.

IR Camera Validation of IGBT Junction Temperature Measurement via Peak Gate Current

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Baker, Nick; Dupont, Laurent; Munk-Nielsen, Stig

2017-01-01

partial bond-wire lift-off. Results are also compared with a traditional electrical temperature measurement method: the voltage drop under low current (VCE(low)). In all cases, the IGPeak method is found to provide a temperature slightly overestimating the temperature of the gate pad. Consequently, both...... the gate pad position and chip temperature distribution influence whether the measurement is representative of the mean junction temperature. These results remain consistent after chips are degraded through bondwire lift-off. In a paralleled IGBT configuration with non-negligible temperature disequilibrium...

Solid state cathodoluminescence and the properties of its two emission peaks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xu Xurong

2007-01-01

We discovered solid state cathodoluminescence (SSCL). For its identification we excluded all artifacts, carried out its cross proof and studied its generality. Its spectrum is characterized by the appearance of short wavelength peak when the applied voltage is increased. Three voltage ranges are distinguished, in the lower voltage range we have the long wavelength emission, in the middle range we have both long and short wavelength emissions, and in the higher voltage range we have only the short wavelength emission. The mechanism of this spectral shift lies in the electrical field ionization of excitons. This effect initiates the applicability of band model besides molecular excitons theory. The temporal behaviors of both peaks in SSCL are studied with a method of estimating lifetime by means of frequency dependence on intensity. The lifetime of short wavelength emission is found to be 5 ms and that of long wavelength emission is less than 0.05 ms

Pre-operative renal volume predicts peak creatinine after congenital heart surgery in neonates.

Science.gov (United States)

Carmody, J Bryan; Seckeler, Michael D; Ballengee, Cortney R; Conaway, Mark; Jayakumar, K Anitha; Charlton, Jennifer R

2014-10-01

Acute kidney injury is common in neonates following surgery for congenital heart disease. We conducted a retrospective analysis to determine whether neonates with smaller pre-operative renal volume were more likely to develop post-operative acute kidney injury. We conducted a retrospective review of 72 neonates who underwent congenital heart surgery for any lesion other than patent ductus arteriosus at our institution from January 2007 to December 2011. Renal volume was calculated by ultrasound using the prolate ellipsoid formula. The presence and severity of post-operative acute kidney injury was determined both by measuring the peak serum creatinine in the first 7 days post-operatively and by using the Acute Kidney Injury Network scoring system. Using a linear change point model, a threshold renal volume of 17 cm³ was identified. Below this threshold, there was an inverse linear relationship between renal volume and peak post-operative creatinine for all patients (p = 0.036) and the subgroup with a single morphologic right ventricle (p = 0.046). There was a non-significant trend towards more acute kidney injury using Acute Kidney Injury Network criteria in all neonates with renal volume ≤17 cm³ (p = 0.11) and in the subgroup with a single morphologic right ventricle (p = 0.17). Pre-operative renal volume ≤17 cm³ is associated with a higher peak post-operative creatinine and potentially greater risk for post-operative acute kidney injury for neonates undergoing congenital heart surgery. Neonates with a single right ventricle may be at higher risk.

A Metabolic Biofuel Cell: Conversion of Human Leukocyte Metabolic Activity to Electrical Currents

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cui X Tracy

2011-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract An investigation of the electrochemical activity of human white blood cells (WBC for biofuel cell (BFC applications is described. WBCs isolated from whole human blood were suspended in PBS and introduced into the anode compartment of a proton exchange membrane (PEM fuel cell. The cathode compartment contained a 50 mM potassium ferricyanide solution. Average current densities between 0.9 and 1.6 μA cm-2 and open circuit potentials (Voc between 83 and 102 mV were obtained, which were both higher than control values. Cyclic voltammetry was used to investigate the electrochemical activity of the activated WBCs in an attempt to elucidate the mechanism of electron transfer between the cells and electrode. Voltammograms were obtained for the WBCs, including peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs - a lymphocyte-monocyte mixture isolated on a Ficoll gradient, a B lymphoblastoid cell line (BLCL, and two leukemia cell lines, namely K562 and Jurkat. An oxidation peak at about 363 mV vs. SCE for the PMA (phorbol ester activated primary cells, with a notable absence of a reduction peak was observed. Oxidation peaks were not observed for the BLCL, K562 or Jurkat cell lines. HPLC confirmed the release of serotonin (5-HT from the PMA activated primary cells. It is believed that serotonin, among other biochemical species released by the activated cells, contributes to the observed BFC currents.

High current induction linacs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Barletta, W.; Faltens, A.; Henestroza, E.; Lee, E.

1994-07-01

Induction linacs are among the most powerful accelerators in existence. They have accelerated electron bunches of several kiloamperes, and are being investigated as drivers for heavy ion driven inertial confinement fusion (HIF), which requires peak beam currents of kiloamperes and average beam powers of some tens of megawatts. The requirement for waste transmutation with an 800 MeV proton or deuteron beam with an average current of 50 mA and an average power of 40 MW lies midway between the electron machines and the heavy ion machines in overall difficulty. Much of the technology and understanding of beam physics carries over from the previous machines to the new requirements. The induction linac allows use of a very large beam aperture, which may turn out to be crucial to reducing beam loss and machine activation from the beam halo. The major issues addressed here are transport of high intensity beams, availability of sources, efficiency of acceleration, and the state of the needed technology for the waste treatment application. Because of the transformer-like action of an induction core and the accompanying magnetizing current, induction linacs make the most economic sense and have the highest efficiencies with large beam currents. Based on present understanding of beam transport limits, induction core magnetizing current requirements, and pulse modulators, the efficiencies could be very high. The study of beam transport at high intensities has been the major activity of the HIF community. Beam transport and sources are limiting at low energies but are not significant constraints at the higher energies. As will be shown, the proton beams will be space-charge-dominated, for which the emittance has only a minor effect on the overall beam diameter but does determine the density falloff at the beam edge

Valence of wind power, photovoltaic and peak-load power plants as a part of the entire electricity system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schüppel, A.

2014-01-01

The transition to a higher share of renewable energy sources in the electricity sector leads to a multitude of challenges for the current electricity system. Within this thesis, the development of wind power and photovoltaics generation capacities in Germany is analysed based on the evaluation of technical and economic criteria. In order to derive those criteria, different scenarios with a separated and combined increase of wind and photovoltaics capacity are simulated using the model ATLANTIS. The results are compared to a reference scenario without additional wind and PV capacities. Furthermore, the value and functionality of the energy only market based on economic methods, as well as the value of peak load power plants based on opportunity costs are determined. The results of this thesis show, that the current market system is able to gain an additional annual welfare of four to six billion Euro at the best. This result shows that the task of optimising the power plant dispatch is well fulfilled by the current market design. However, the effects, e.g. fuel costs, which may influence this margin. The value of wind power and photovoltaics within the overall electricity system can be derived from the effort which is necessary to integrate these generation technologies into the existing system, and the changes in total costs of electricity generation. Based on the evaluation of time dependencies (seasonality of energy yield from wind and PV) as well as the development of total generation costs, the conclusion can be drawn that wind power is the more suitable RES generation technology for Germany. However, when it comes to grid integration measures, PV shows better results due to a higher generation potential in Southern Germany, which leads to a higher degree of utilisation. Therefore, there is no need to transport electricity from Northern to Southern Germany as it is the case with wind power. A common expansion of wind power and photovoltaics even shows slight

Study on the influence of lipid peak to the results of MR spectroscopy in the central gland of prostate

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dong Yanjun; Wang Xiaoying; Li Feiyu; Jiang Xuexiang

2007-01-01

Objective: To study the influence of lipid peak to MRS in central gland of prostate gland. Methods: Seventeen patients performed transurethral resection of prostate (TURP) for benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH) were enrolled in this study. Three groups were divided according to the pathological findings: glandular-BPH (GBPH) (7 cases), stromal-BPH (SBPH) (6 cases), and incidentally detected prostate carcinoma (IDPC) (4 cases). The voxel with lipid peak in the field of volume was counted. Compared with pathology, the following studies were performed: (1) The location of the voxels that more frequently presented lipid peak in the central gland. (2) Whether the appearance of the lipid peak would obscure the identification of the peaks of the endogenous metabolites. Results: The ratio of voxels with lipid peak in central gland was about 22.8% (834/3567). There were 1477 (397 voxels with lipid peak), 1434(396 voxels with lipid peak), and 656(41 voxels with lipid peak) voxels in CBPH, SBPH, and IDPC groups, respectively. The percentage in GBPH, SBPH, and IDPC groups was 23.6%, 27.2%, and 6.4%, respectively. The percentage of voxels with lipid peak at the edge of the central gland (79.6%, 68.6% and 72.4%, respectively) was higher than that in other regions. The lipid peak in most of the voxels didn't influence the identification of the citrate and choline peak (82.8%, 98.0%, and 96.4%, respectively). Conclusion: The lipid peak in the central gland may result from the lipid tissues near the gland, and most lipid peak had no influence on the identification of endogenous metabolites. (authors)

Can We Distinguish Emotions from Faces? Investigation of Implicit and Explicit Processes of Peak Facial Expressions.

Science.gov (United States)

Xiao, Ruiqi; Li, Xianchun; Li, Lin; Wang, Yanmei

2016-01-01

Most previous studies on facial expression recognition have focused on the moderate emotions; to date, few studies have been conducted to investigate the explicit and implicit processes of peak emotions. In the current study, we used transiently peak intense expression images of athletes at the winning or losing point in competition as materials, and investigated the diagnosability of peak facial expressions at both implicit and explicit levels. In Experiment 1, participants were instructed to evaluate isolated faces, isolated bodies, and the face-body compounds, and eye-tracking movement was recorded. The results revealed that the isolated body and face-body congruent images were better recognized than isolated face and face-body incongruent images, indicating that the emotional information conveyed by facial cues was ambiguous, and the body cues influenced facial emotion recognition. Furthermore, eye movement records showed that the participants displayed distinct gaze patterns for the congruent and incongruent compounds. In Experiment 2A, the subliminal affective priming task was used, with faces as primes and bodies as targets, to investigate the unconscious emotion perception of peak facial expressions. The results showed that winning face prime facilitated reaction to winning body target, whereas losing face prime inhibited reaction to winning body target, suggesting that peak facial expressions could be perceived at the implicit level. In general, the results indicate that peak facial expressions cannot be consciously recognized but can be perceived at the unconscious level. In Experiment 2B, revised subliminal affective priming task and a strict awareness test were used to examine the validity of unconscious perception of peak facial expressions found in Experiment 2A. Results of Experiment 2B showed that reaction time to both winning body targets and losing body targets was influenced by the invisibly peak facial expression primes, which indicated the

Bayesian approach for peak detection in two-dimensional chromatography.

Science.gov (United States)

Vivó-Truyols, Gabriel

2012-03-20

A new method for peak detection in two-dimensional chromatography is presented. In a first step, the method starts with a conventional one-dimensional peak detection algorithm to detect modulated peaks. In a second step, a sophisticated algorithm is constructed to decide which of the individual one-dimensional peaks have been originated from the same compound and should then be arranged in a two-dimensional peak. The merging algorithm is based on Bayesian inference. The user sets prior information about certain parameters (e.g., second-dimension retention time variability, first-dimension band broadening, chromatographic noise). On the basis of these priors, the algorithm calculates the probability of myriads of peak arrangements (i.e., ways of merging one-dimensional peaks), finding which of them holds the highest value. Uncertainty in each parameter can be accounted by adapting conveniently its probability distribution function, which in turn may change the final decision of the most probable peak arrangement. It has been demonstrated that the Bayesian approach presented in this paper follows the chromatographers' intuition. The algorithm has been applied and tested with LC × LC and GC × GC data and takes around 1 min to process chromatograms with several thousands of peaks.

Development of the modified sum-peak method and its application

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ogata, Y.; Miyahara, H.; Ishihara, M.; Ishigure, N.; Yamamoto, S.; Kojima, S.

2016-01-01

As the sum-peak method requires the total count rate as well as the peak count rates and the sum peak count rate, this meets difficulties when a sample contains other radionuclides than the one to be measured. To solve the problem, a new method using solely the peak and the sum peak count rates was developed. The method was theoretically and experimentally confirmed using "6"0Co, "2"2Na and "1"3"4Cs. We demonstrate that the modified sum-peak method is quite simple and practical and is useful to measure multiple nuclides. - Highlights: • A modified sum-peak method for simple radioactivity measurement was developed. • The method solely requires the peak count rates and the sum peak count rate. • The method is applicable to multiple radionuclides.

Peak broadening in paper chromatography and related techniques : III. Peak broadening in thin-layer chromatography on cellulose powder

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ligny, C.L. de; Remijnse, A.G.

1968-01-01

The mechanism of peak broadening in thin-layer chromatography on cellulose powder was investigated by comparing the peak widths obtained in chromatography with those caused only by diffusion in the cellulose powder, for a set of amino acids of widely differing RF values and six kinds of cellulose

An Overview of the Current State of Women’s Leadership in Higher Education in Saudi Arabia and a Proposal for Future Research Directions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Azzah Alsubaie

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Despite the predominance of perspectives on women’s leadership, which consistently emphasize the underrepresentation of women in virtually every sphere of political and economic life in countries around the world, very little is known about women’s leadership, especially in higher education, in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA. This has resulted in a gap in the literature, since higher education is one area of employment where Saudi women have made progress, and in spite of complex social, religious, cultural and organisational barriers, some have broken through the glass ceiling into higher education leadership. One goal of this paper is to highlight, through a synthesis of existing literature, the current state of women’s higher education leadership in Saudi Arabia. The second goal of this paper is to propose new directions for future research to address the current dearth of empirical work on women’s leadership in higher education in Saudi Arabia. This may be relevant to other regions of the Middle East and elsewhere.

OccuPeak: ChIP-Seq peak calling based on internal background modelling

NARCIS (Netherlands)

de Boer, Bouke A.; van Duijvenboden, Karel; van den Boogaard, Malou; Christoffels, Vincent M.; Barnett, Phil; Ruijter, Jan M.

2014-01-01

ChIP-seq has become a major tool for the genome-wide identification of transcription factor binding or histone modification sites. Most peak-calling algorithms require input control datasets to model the occurrence of background reads to account for local sequencing and GC bias. However, the

Precise determination of the Bragg peak position of proton beams in liquid water

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Marouane, Abdelhak; Ouaskit, Said; Inchaouh, Jamal

2011-01-01

The influence of water molecules on the surrounding biological molecules during irradiation with protons is currently a major subject in radiation science. Proton collisions with the water molecules are estimated around the Bragg peak region, taking into account ionization, excitation, charge-changing processes, and energetic secondary electron behavior. The Bragg peak profile and position was determined by adopting a new approach involving discretization, incrementation, and dividing the target into layers, the thickness of each layer being selected randomly from a distribution weighted by the values of the total interaction cross section, from excitation up to ionization of the target and the incident projectile charge exchange. The calculation was carried out by a Monte-Carlo simulation in the energy range 20 ≤ E ≤ 10 8 eV, including the relativistic corrections.

Assessing peak aerobic capacity in Dutch law enforcement officers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Harriet Wittink

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Objectives: To cross-validate the existing peak rate of oxygen consumption (VO2peak prediction equations in Dutch law enforcement officers and to determine whether these prediction equations can be used to predict VO2peak for groups and in a single individual. A further objective was to report normative absolute and relative VO2peak values of a sample of law enforcement officers in the Netherlands. Material and Methods: The peak rate of oxygen consumption (ml×kg–1×min–1 was measured using a maximal incremental bicycle test in 1530 subjects, including 1068 male and 461 female police officers. Validity of the prediction equations for groups was assessed by comparing predicted VO2peak with measured VO2peak using paired t-tests. For individual differences limits of agreement (LoA were calculated. Equations were considered valid for individuals when the difference between measured and predicted VO2peak did not exceed ±1 metabolic equivalent (MET in 95% of individuals. Results: None of the equations met the validity criterion of 95% of individuals having ±1 MET difference or less than the measured value. Limits of agreement (LoAs were large in all predictions. At the individual level, none of the equations were valid predictors of VO2peak (ml×kg–1×min–1. Normative values for Dutch law enforcement officers were presented. Conclusions: Substantial differences between measured and predicted VO2peak (ml×kg–1×min–1 were found. Most tested equations were invalid predictors of VO2peak at group level and all were invalid at individual levels.

TU-H-CAMPUS-TeP3-03: Dose Enhancement by Gold Nanoparticles Around the Bragg Peak of Proton Beams

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kwon, J; Sutherland, K [Department of Medical Physics, Hokkaido University Graduate School of Medicine (Japan); Hashimoto, T [Department of Radiation Medicine, Hokkaido University Graduate School of Medicine (Japan); Peng, H; Xing, L [Department of Radiation Oncology, Stanford University and Global Station for Quantum Medical Science and Engineering, Global Institution for Collaborative Research and Education (GI-CoRE), Hokkaido University (Japan); Shirato, H [Department of Radiation Medicine, Hokkaido University Graduate School of Medicine and Global Station for Quantum Medical Science and Engineering, Global Institution for Collaborative Research and Education (GI-CoRE), Hokkaido University (Japan); Date, H [Faculty of Health Sciences, Hokkaido University (Japan)

2016-06-15

Purpose: To make clear the spatial distribution of dose enhancement around gold nanoparticles (GNPs) located near the proton Bragg peak, and to evaluate the potential of GNPs as a radio sensitizer. Methods: The dose enhancement by electrons emitted from GNPs under proton irradiation was estimated by Geant4 Monte Carlo simulation toolkit in two steps. In an initial macroscopic step, 100 and 195 MeV proton beams were incident on a water cube, 30 cm on a side. Energy distributions of protons were calculated at four depths, 50% and 75% proximal to the Bragg peak, 100% peak, and 75% distal to the peak (P50, P75, Peak, and D75, respectively). In a subsequent microscopic step, protons with the energy distribution calculated above were incident on a 20 nm diameter GNP in a nanometer-size water box and the spatial distribution of dose around the GNP was determined for each energy distribution. The dose enhancement factor (DEF) was also deduced. Results: The dose enhancement effect was spread to several tens of nanometers in the both depth and radial directions. The enhancement area increased in the order of P50, P75, Peak, and D75 for both cases with 100 and 195 MeV protons. In every position around the Bragg peak, the 100 MeV beam resulted in a higher dose enhancement than the 195 MeV beam. At P75, the average and maximum DEF were 3.9 and 17.0 for 100 MeV, and 3.5 and 16.2 for 195 MeV, respectively. These results indicate that lower energy protons caused higher dose enhancement in this incident proton energy range. Conclusion: The dose enhancement around GNPs spread as the position in the Bragg peak region becomes deeper and depends on proton energy. It is expected that GNPs can be used as a radio sensitizer with consideration of the location and proton beam energy.

Statistics of peaks in cosmological nonlinear density fields

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Suginohara, Tatsushi; Suto, Yasushi.

1990-06-01

Distribution of the high-density peaks in the universe is examined using N-body simulations. Nonlinear evolution of the underlying density field significantly changes the statistical properties of the peaks, compared with the analytic results valid for the random Gaussian field. In particular, the abundances and correlations of the initial density peaks are discussed in the context of biased galaxy formation theory. (author)

Current status of the quantification of roughness and the peak shear strength criteria for rock joints

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Park, Byoung Yoon; Kang, Chul Hyung

1999-04-01

In order to understand the effects of spent nuclear fuel on the hydraulic behaviour of the rock mass it is necessary to have knowledge about the relationship between the stresses and hydraulic properties of the fractures. The roughness of a fracture surface govern the dilation of the fracture and the displacement of the fracture surface under shear stress. The peak shear strength and hydraulic flow properties of fractures depend very much on the surface roughness. This report describes different methods and techniques used in the characterization of rock joint surfaces and their applications in rock mechanics. Joint roughness is an important factor in the shear resistance of a joint. The joint shear strength shows anisotropic properties due to roughness variation with the shearing direction in direct shear tests. Various shear strength criteria are described in this report. (author)

Electromagnetic modelling of current flow in the heart from TASER devices and the risk of cardiac dysrhythmias

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Holden, S J [Defence Science and Technology Laboratory, Porton Down, Salisbury, Wiltshire SP4 0JQ (United Kingdom); Sheridan, R D [Defence Science and Technology Laboratory, Porton Down, Salisbury, Wiltshire SP4 0JQ (United Kingdom); Coffey, T J [Mathshop Ltd, Porton Down Science Park, Salisbury, Wiltshire SP4 0JQ (United Kingdom); Scaramuzza, R A [Flomerics Ltd, Electromagnetic Division, TLM House, Percy Street, Nottingham NG16 3EP (United Kingdom); Diamantopoulos, P [Bio-Medical Modelling Unit, School of Engineering, University of Sussex, Falmer, Sussex BN1 9QT (United Kingdom)

2007-12-21

Increasing use by law enforcement agencies of the M26 and X26 TASER electrical incapacitation devices has raised concerns about the arrhythmogenic potential of these weapons. Using a numerical phantom constructed from medical images of the human body in which the material properties of the tissues are represented, computational electromagnetic modelling has been used to predict the currents arising at the heart following injection of M26 and X26 waveforms at the anterior surface of the chest (with one TASER 'barb' directly overlying the ventricles). The modelling indicated that the peak absolute current densities at the ventricles were 0.66 and 0.11 mA mm{sup -2} for the M26 and X26 waveforms, respectively. When applied during the vulnerable period to the ventricular epicardial surface of guinea-pig isolated hearts, the M26 and X26 waveforms induced ectopic beats, but only at current densities greater than 60-fold those predicted by the modelling. When applied to the ventricles in trains designed to mimic the discharge patterns of the TASER devices, neither waveform induced ventricular fibrillation at peak currents >70-fold (for the M26 waveform) and >240-fold (for the X26) higher than the modelled current densities. This study provides evidence for a lack of arrhythmogenic action of the M26 and X26 TASER devices.

HigherEd 2.0: Using social media in engineering education

OpenAIRE

Berger, Edward

2014-01-01

Social media (blogs, wikis, video, and a digital authoring culture) has emerged in the last decade as a dominant feature of the technology landscape, especially for our current generation of digital-native students. Leveraging these tools for higher education in general, and engineering education in particular, should be of immediate and pressing concern for engineering educators. This discussion summarizes the HigherEd 2.0 project, the creative convergence of higher education and “web 2.0” t...

Evaluation of peak-fitting software for gamma spectrum analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zahn, Guilherme S.; Genezini, Frederico A.; Moralles, Mauricio

2009-01-01

In all applications of gamma-ray spectroscopy, one of the most important and delicate parts of the data analysis is the fitting of the gamma-ray spectra, where information as the number of counts, the position of the centroid and the width, for instance, are associated with each peak of each spectrum. There's a huge choice of computer programs that perform this type of analysis, and the most commonly used in routine work are the ones that automatically locate and fit the peaks; this fit can be made in several different ways - the most common ways are to fit a Gaussian function to each peak or simply to integrate the area under the peak, but some software go far beyond and include several small corrections to the simple Gaussian peak function, in order to compensate for secondary effects. In this work several gamma-ray spectroscopy software are compared in the task of finding and fitting the gamma-ray peaks in spectra taken with standard sources of 137 Cs, 60 Co, 133 Ba and 152 Eu. The results show that all of the automatic software can be properly used in the task of finding and fitting peaks, with the exception of GammaVision; also, it was possible to verify that the automatic peak-fitting software did perform as well as - and sometimes even better than - a manual peak-fitting software. (author)

Association between Infancy BMI Peak and Body Composition and Blood Pressure at Age 5–6 Years

Science.gov (United States)

Hof, Michel H. P.; Vrijkotte, Tanja G. M.; de Hoog, Marieke L. A.; van Eijsden, Manon; Zwinderman, Aeilko H.

2013-01-01

Introduction The development of overweight is often measured with the body mass index (BMI). During childhood the BMI curve has two characteristic points: the adiposity rebound at 6 years and the BMI peak at 9 months of age. In this study, the associations between the BMI peak and body composition measures and blood pressure at age 5–6 years were investigated. Methods Measurements from the Amsterdam Born Children and their Development (ABCD) study were available for this study. Blood pressure (systolic and diastolic) and body composition measures (BMI, waist-to-height ratio, fat percentage) were gathered during a health check at about 6 years of age (n = 2822). All children had multiple BMI measurements between the 0–4 years of age. For boys and girls separately, child-specific BMI peaks were extracted from mixed effect models. Associations between the estimated BMI peak and the health check measurements were analysed with linear models. In addition, we investigated the potential use of the BMI at 9 months as a surrogate measure for the magnitude of the BMI peak. Results After correction for the confounding effect of fetal growth, both timing and magnitude of the BMI peak were significantly and positively associated (pBMI peak showed no direct association with blood pressure at the age 5–6 year, but was mediated by the current BMI. The correlation between the magnitude of the BMI peak and BMI at 9 months was approximately 0.93 and similar associations with the measures at 5–6 years were found. Conclusion The magnitude of the BMI peak was associated with body composition measures at 5–6 years of age. Moreover, the BMI at 9 months could be used as surrogate measure for the magnitude of the BMI peak. PMID:24324605

Growth and characterization of high current density, high-speed InAs/AlSb resonant tunneling diodes

Science.gov (United States)

Soderstrom, J. R.; Brown, E. R.; Parker, C. D.; Mahoney, L. J.; Yao, J. Y.

1991-01-01

InAs/AlSb double-barrier resonant tunneling diodes with peak current densities up to 370,000 A/sq cm and high peak-to-valley current ratios of 3.2 at room temperature have been fabricated. The peak current density is well-explained by a stationary-state transport model with the two-band envelope function approximation. The valley current density predicted by this model is less than the experimental value by a factor that is typical of the discrepancy found in other double-barrier structures. It is concluded that threading dislocations are largely inactive in the resonant tunneling process.

The peak in anomalous magnetic viscosity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Collocott, S.J.; Watterson, P.A.; Tan, X.H.; Xu, H.

2014-01-01

Anomalous magnetic viscosity, where the magnetization as a function of time exhibits non-monotonic behaviour, being seen to increase, reach a peak, and then decrease, is observed on recoil lines in bulk amorphous ferromagnets, for certain magnetic prehistories. A simple geometrical approach based on the motion of the state line on the Preisach plane gives a theoretical framework for interpreting non-monotonic behaviour and explains the origin of the peak. This approach gives an expression for the time taken to reach the peak as a function of the applied (or holding) field. The theory is applied to experimental data for bulk amorphous ferromagnet alloys of composition Nd 60−x Fe 30 Al 10 Dy x , x = 0, 1, 2, 3 and 4, and it gives a reasonable description of the observed behaviour. The role played by other key magnetic parameters, such as the intrinsic coercivity and fluctuation field, is also discussed. When the non-monotonic behaviour of the magnetization of a number of alloys is viewed in the context of the model, features of universal behaviour emerge, that are independent of alloy composition. - Highlights: • Development of a simple geometrical model based on the Preisach model which gives a complete explanation of the peak in the magnetic viscosity. • Geometrical approach is extended by considering equations that govern the motion of the state line. • The model is used to deduce the relationship between the holding field and the time it takes to reach the peak. • The model is tested with experimental results for a range of Nd–Fe–Al–Dy bulk amorphous ferromagnets. • There is good agreement between the model and the experimental data

Decomposition and correction overlapping peaks of LIBS using an error compensation method combined with curve fitting.

Science.gov (United States)

Tan, Bing; Huang, Min; Zhu, Qibing; Guo, Ya; Qin, Jianwei

2017-09-01

The laser induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) technique is an effective method to detect material composition by obtaining the plasma emission spectrum. The overlapping peaks in the spectrum are a fundamental problem in the qualitative and quantitative analysis of LIBS. Based on a curve fitting method, this paper studies an error compensation method to achieve the decomposition and correction of overlapping peaks. The vital step is that the fitting residual is fed back to the overlapping peaks and performs multiple curve fitting processes to obtain a lower residual result. For the quantitative experiments of Cu, the Cu-Fe overlapping peaks in the range of 321-327 nm obtained from the LIBS spectrum of five different concentrations of CuSO 4 ·5H 2 O solution were decomposed and corrected using curve fitting and error compensation methods. Compared with the curve fitting method, the error compensation reduced the fitting residual about 18.12-32.64% and improved the correlation about 0.86-1.82%. Then, the calibration curve between the intensity and concentration of the Cu was established. It can be seen that the error compensation method exhibits a higher linear correlation between the intensity and concentration of Cu, which can be applied to the decomposition and correction of overlapping peaks in the LIBS spectrum.

Issue of ecological impacts due to hydro-peaking management. Characterization of hydro-peaks - Operating experience on Maronne River; Impacts ecologiques des eclusees hydroelectriques. Caracterisaton des regimes d'eclusees et Retour d'experience sur la Maronne

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Courret, Dominique; Larinier, Michel [Office National de l' Eau et des Milieux Aquatiques - ONEMA, Pole Ecohydraulique, IMFT, Cemagref, Avenue du Professeur Camille Soula, 31400 Toulouse (France); Chanseau, Matthieu [MIGADO, 18ter rue de la Garonne - 47520 Le Passage (France); Office National de l' Eau et des Milieux Aquatiques - ONEMA, Direction Interregionale de Toulouse, Avenue du Professeur Camille Soula, 31400 Toulouse (France); Lascaux, Jean-Marc [Etudes et COnseils en Gestion de l' Environnement Aquatique - ECOGEA, 10 avenue de Toulouse, 31860 Pins-Justaret (France)

2012-01-15

Hydro-peaking management can consistently alter fish populations, and particularly recruitment of diadromous species, like salmon. To progress in understanding the impacts and defining mitigation measures, it appears essential to combine long-term biological survey, hydrological analysis including hydro-peaks characterization, and hydro-morphologic approach. In a first time, a methodology for hydrological characterization of hydro-peaks is presented. Their diversity and high variability are illustrated. Then, we present operating experience on Maronne River, a tributary of the Dordogne River downstream Argentat affected by hydro-peaks of Hautefage scheme. Biological surveys and hydrologic and hydro-morphologic studies allowed a better understanding and a quantification of some biological impacts (redds dewatering, stranding-trapping of alevins), to support mitigation measures and to assess its effectiveness. The relevance of work on morphology, in addition to measures on flow management, is also illustrated. Some positive results have already been obtained. Studies on the Maronne River are pursued to achieve a really satisfactory situation. This example shows that the current knowledge does not allow, on a given stream, to pre-define mitigation measures and ensure their efficiency. This leads to advocate the setting up of similar approach on other river, to identify biological communities' responses depending on the characteristics of hydro-peaks and hydro-systems. (authors)

Evolution of mechanical properties of ultrafine grained 1050 alloy annealing with electric current

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cao, Yiheng; He, Lizi; Zhang, Lin; Zhou, Yizhou; Wang, Ping; Cui, Jianzhong

2016-01-01

The tensile properties and microstructures of 1050 aluminum alloy prepared by equal channel angular pressing at cryogenic temperature (cryoECAP) after electric current annealing at 90–210 °C for 3 h were investigated by tensile test, electron back scattering diffraction (EBSD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). An unexpected annealing-induced strengthening phenomenon occurs at 90–210 °C, due to a significant decrease in the density of mobile dislocations after annealing, and thus a higher yield stress is required to nucleate alternative dislocation sources during tensile test. The electric current can enhance the motion of dislocations, lead to a lower dislocation density at 90–150 °C, and thus shift the peak annealing temperature from 150 °C to 120 °C. Moreover, the electric current can promote the migration of grain boundaries at 150–210 °C, result in a larger grain size at 150 °C and 210 °C, and thus causes a lower yield stress. The sample annealed with electric current has a lower uniform elongation at 90–120 °C, and the deviation in the uniform elongation between samples annealed without and with electric current becomes smaller at 150–210 °C. - Highlights: • An unexpected annealing-induced strengthening phenomenon occurs at 90–210 °C. • The d. c. current can enhance the motion of dislocations at 90–150 °C, and thus shift the peak annealing temperature from 150 °C to 120 °C. • The d. c. current can promote the grain growth at 150–210 °C, and thus cause a lower yield stress. • The DC annealed sample has a lower uniform elongation at 90–120 °C.

RESULTS OF TESTS OF LIGHTNING-RODS WITH UNIVERSAL CLAMPS BY THE APERIODIC IMPULSES OF CURRENT OF ARTIFICIAL LIGHTNING WITH THE PEAK-TEMPORAL PARAMETERS RATIONED ON FOREIGN STANDARDS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M.I. Baranov

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Purpose. Test in obedience to the requirements of row of operating foreign standards of round metallic lightning-rods with the flat metallic universal clamps of the special type on firmness to direct action of аperiodic impulses of current of temporal form 10/350 μs by amplitude of 50 кА (N− class and 100 кА (H− class. Methodology. The order of leadthrough of these tests is certain the followings normative documents: International IEC 62305-1: 2010, Russian national GOST R IEC 62305-1-2010 and German national DIN EN 50164-1:2008 Standards. Results. Conducted on a powerful high-voltage pulsed current of artificial linear lightning with the peak-temporal parameters and admittances of test rationed on the indicated foreign standards rationed that all of the lightning-rods tested in collection with universal clamps, isolating holders and ceramic elements of roof of technical building were survive electrodynamics and electrothermal action of in-use single short blow of an artificial storm digit. Originality. First in domestic practice the similar model tests of lightning-rods are conducted with universal clamps, executed from different explorer materials, on firmness to flowing to on by it the indicated large impulsive currents of artificial lightning. Practical value. Real firmness to lightning of round copper and zincked steel lightning-rods is certain with the flat copper, zincked steel and non-rusting steel universal clamps of the special execution.

Filament heater current modulation for increased filament lifetime

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Paul, J.D.; Williams, H.E. III.

1996-01-01

The surface conversion H-minus ion source employs two 60 mil tungsten filaments which are approximately 17 centimeters in length. These filaments are heated to approximately 2,800 degrees centigrade by 95--100 amperes of DC heater current. The arc is struck at a 120 hertz rate, for 800 microseconds and is generally run at 30 amperes peak current. Although sputtering is considered a contributing factor in the demise of the filament, evaporation is of greater concern. If the peak arc current can be maintained with less average heater current, the filament evaporation rate for this arc current will diminish. In the vacuum of an ion source, the authors expect the filaments to retain much of their heat throughout a 1 millisecond (12% duty) loss of heater current. A circuit to eliminate 100 ampere heater currents from filaments during the arc pulse was developed. The magnetic field due to the 100 ampere current tends to hold electrons to the filament, decreasing the arc current. By eliminating this magnetic field, the arc should be more efficient, allowing the filaments to run at a lower average heater current. This should extend the filament lifetime. The circuit development and preliminary filament results are discussed

Sound-Intensity Feedback During Running Reduces Loading Rates and Impact Peak.

Science.gov (United States)

Tate, Jeremiah J; Milner, Clare E

2017-08-01

Study Design Controlled laboratory study, within-session design. Background Gait retraining has been proposed as an effective intervention to reduce impact loading in runners at risk of stress fractures. Interventions that can be easily implemented in the clinic are needed. Objective To assess the immediate effects of sound-intensity feedback related to impact during running on vertical impact peak, peak vertical instantaneous loading rate, and vertical average loading rate. Methods Fourteen healthy, college-aged runners who ran at least 9.7 km/wk participated (4 male, 10 female; mean ± SD age, 23.7 ± 2.0 years; height, 1.67 ± 0.08 m; mass, 60.9 ± 8.7 kg). A decibel meter provided real-time sound-intensity feedback of treadmill running via an iPad application. Participants were asked to reduce the sound intensity of running while receiving continuous feedback for 15 minutes, while running at their self-selected preferred speed. Baseline and follow-up ground reaction force data were collected during overground running at participants' self-selected preferred running speed. Results Dependent t tests indicated a statistically significant reduction in vertical impact peak (1.56 BW to 1.13 BW, P≤.001), vertical instantaneous loading rate (95.48 BW/s to 62.79 BW/s, P = .001), and vertical average loading rate (69.09 BW/s to 43.91 BW/s, P≤.001) after gait retraining, compared to baseline. Conclusion The results of the current study support the use of sound-intensity feedback during treadmill running to immediately reduce loading rate and impact force. The transfer of within-session reductions in impact peak and loading rates to overground running was demonstrated. Decreases in loading were of comparable magnitude to those observed in other gait retraining methods. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 2017;47(8):565-569. Epub 6 Jul 2017. doi:10.2519/jospt.2017.7275.

MEASURING PRIMORDIAL NON-GAUSSIANITY THROUGH WEAK-LENSING PEAK COUNTS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Marian, Laura; Hilbert, Stefan; Smith, Robert E.; Schneider, Peter; Desjacques, Vincent

2011-01-01

We explore the possibility of detecting primordial non-Gaussianity of the local type using weak-lensing peak counts. We measure the peak abundance in sets of simulated weak-lensing maps corresponding to three models f NL = 0, - 100, and 100. Using survey specifications similar to those of EUCLID and without assuming any knowledge of the lens and source redshifts, we find the peak functions of the non-Gaussian models with f NL = ±100 to differ by up to 15% from the Gaussian peak function at the high-mass end. For the assumed survey parameters, the probability of fitting an f NL = 0 peak function to the f NL = ±100 peak functions is less than 0.1%. Assuming the other cosmological parameters are known, f NL can be measured with an error Δf NL ∼ 13. It is therefore possible that future weak-lensing surveys like EUCLID and LSST may detect primordial non-Gaussianity from the abundance of peak counts, and provide information complementary to that obtained from the cosmic microwave background.

Maximum likelihood estimation of biophysical parameters of synaptic receptors from macroscopic currents

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andrey eStepanyuk

2014-10-01

Full Text Available Dendritic integration and neuronal firing patterns strongly depend on biophysical properties of synaptic ligand-gated channels. However, precise estimation of biophysical parameters of these channels in their intrinsic environment is complicated and still unresolved problem. Here we describe a novel method based on a maximum likelihood approach that allows to estimate not only the unitary current of synaptic receptor channels but also their multiple conductance levels, kinetic constants, the number of receptors bound with a neurotransmitter and the peak open probability from experimentally feasible number of postsynaptic currents. The new method also improves the accuracy of evaluation of unitary current as compared to the peak-scaled non-stationary fluctuation analysis, leading to a possibility to precisely estimate this important parameter from a few postsynaptic currents recorded in steady-state conditions. Estimation of unitary current with this method is robust even if postsynaptic currents are generated by receptors having different kinetic parameters, the case when peak-scaled non-stationary fluctuation analysis is not applicable. Thus, with the new method, routinely recorded postsynaptic currents could be used to study the properties of synaptic receptors in their native biochemical environment.

Non-Gaussian bias: insights from discrete density peaks

CERN Document Server

Desjacques, Vincent; Riotto, Antonio

2013-01-01

Corrections induced by primordial non-Gaussianity to the linear halo bias can be computed from a peak-background split or the widespread local bias model. However, numerical simulations clearly support the prediction of the former, in which the non-Gaussian amplitude is proportional to the linear halo bias. To understand better the reasons behind the failure of standard Lagrangian local bias, in which the halo overdensity is a function of the local mass overdensity only, we explore the effect of a primordial bispectrum on the 2-point correlation of discrete density peaks. We show that the effective local bias expansion to peak clustering vastly simplifies the calculation. We generalize this approach to excursion set peaks and demonstrate that the resulting non-Gaussian amplitude, which is a weighted sum of quadratic bias factors, precisely agrees with the peak-background split expectation, which is a logarithmic derivative of the halo mass function with respect to the normalisation amplitude. We point out tha...

Progress of African Americans in higher education attainment: The widening gender gap and its current and future implications.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Amadu J. Kaba

2005-04-01

Full Text Available This research argues that despite all of the obstacles that African Americans have confronted in the history of the United States, they have made substantial progress in higher education attainment from the 1970s to the beginning of the 21st century. It reveals that the rise in attainment of college and university degrees has resulted in a substantial increase in living standards and that African Americans are making important economic, social and political contributions to the United States. I present several reasons why black males are not performing as well as black females in higher education attainment. Analyses are also presented regarding the current and future implications of the growing gap between black males and black females.

Welfare Effects of Tariff Peak Conversion: The Case of Monopolistic Competition

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Schröder, Philipp; Jørgensen, Jan Guldager

dispersion in initial tariffs (tariff peaks) and gaps between bound and applied tariff rates. This paper presents a general equilibrium model with monopolistic competition to examine the welfare effects of different formulas in a process of improving market access. Products with initially high and low......WTO negotiations have introduced formula approaches to reduce protection and improve market access. It has been argued that formula approaches are needed even more in current and future negotiations to secure success due to the large number of countries involved in the negotiations, the wider...

Storing of Extracts in Polypropylene Microcentrifuge Tubes Yields Contaminant Peak During Ultra-flow Liquid Chromatographic Analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Kshirsagar, Parthraj R; Hegde, Harsha; Pai, Sandeep R

2016-05-01

This study was designed to understand the effect of storage in polypropylene microcentrifuge tubes and glass vials during ultra-flow liquid chromatographic (UFLC) analysis. One ml of methanol was placed in polypropylene microcentrifuge tubes (PP material, Autoclavable) and glass vials (Borosilicate) separately for 1, 2, 4, 8, 10, 20, 40, and 80 days intervals stored at -4°C. Contaminant peak was detected in methanol stored in polypropylene microcentrifuge tubes using UFLC analysis. The contaminant peak detected was prominent, sharp detectable at 9.176 ± 0.138 min on a Waters 250-4.6 mm, 4 μ, Nova-Pak C18 column with mobile phase consisting of methanol:water (70:30). It was evident from the study that long-term storage of biological samples prepared using methanol in polypropylene microcentrifuge tubes produce contaminant peak. Further, this may mislead in future reporting an unnatural compound by researchers. Long-term storage of biological samples prepared using methanol in polypropylene microcentrifuge tubes produce contaminant peakContamination peak with higher area under the curve (609993) was obtained in ultra-flow liquid chromatographic run for methanol stored in PP microcentrifuge tubesContamination peak was detected at retention time 9.113 min with a lambda max of 220.38 nm and 300 mAU intensity on the given chromatographic conditionsGlass vials serve better option over PP microcentrifuge tubes for storing biological samples. Abbreviations used: UFLC: Ultra Flow Liquid Chromatography; LC: Liquid Chromatography; MS: Mass spectrometry; AUC: Area Under Curve.

A method for estimating peak and time of peak streamflow from excess rainfall for 10- to 640-acre watersheds in the Houston, Texas, metropolitan area

Science.gov (United States)

Asquith, William H.; Cleveland, Theodore G.; Roussel, Meghan C.

2011-01-01

Estimates of peak and time of peak streamflow for small watersheds (less than about 640 acres) in a suburban to urban, low-slope setting are needed for drainage design that is cost-effective and risk-mitigated. During 2007-10, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the Harris County Flood Control District and the Texas Department of Transportation, developed a method to estimate peak and time of peak streamflow from excess rainfall for 10- to 640-acre watersheds in the Houston, Texas, metropolitan area. To develop the method, 24 watersheds in the study area with drainage areas less than about 3.5 square miles (2,240 acres) and with concomitant rainfall and runoff data were selected. The method is based on conjunctive analysis of rainfall and runoff data in the context of the unit hydrograph method and the rational method. For the unit hydrograph analysis, a gamma distribution model of unit hydrograph shape (a gamma unit hydrograph) was chosen and parameters estimated through matching of modeled peak and time of peak streamflow to observed values on a storm-by-storm basis. Watershed mean or watershed-specific values of peak and time to peak ("time to peak" is a parameter of the gamma unit hydrograph and is distinct from "time of peak") of the gamma unit hydrograph were computed. Two regression equations to estimate peak and time to peak of the gamma unit hydrograph that are based on watershed characteristics of drainage area and basin-development factor (BDF) were developed. For the rational method analysis, a lag time (time-R), volumetric runoff coefficient, and runoff coefficient were computed on a storm-by-storm basis. Watershed-specific values of these three metrics were computed. A regression equation to estimate time-R based on drainage area and BDF was developed. Overall arithmetic means of volumetric runoff coefficient (0.41 dimensionless) and runoff coefficient (0.25 dimensionless) for the 24 watersheds were used to express the rational

Online peak power prediction based on a parameter and state estimator for lithium-ion batteries in electric vehicles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pei, Lei; Zhu, Chunbo; Wang, Tiansi; Lu, Rengui; Chan, C.C.

2014-01-01

The goal of this study is to realize real-time predictions of the peak power/state of power (SOP) for lithium-ion batteries in electric vehicles (EVs). To allow the proposed method to be applicable to different temperature and aging conditions, a training-free battery parameter/state estimator is presented based on an equivalent circuit model using a dual extended Kalman filter (DEKF). In this estimator, the model parameters are no longer taken as functions of factors such as SOC (state of charge), temperature, and aging; instead, all parameters will be directly estimated under the present conditions, and the impact of the temperature and aging on the battery model will be included in the parameter identification results. Then, the peak power/SOP will be calculated using the estimated results under the given limits. As an improvement to the calculation method, a combined limit of current and voltage is proposed to obtain results that are more reasonable. Additionally, novel verification experiments are designed to provide the true values of the cells' peak power under various operating conditions. The proposed methods are implemented in experiments with LiFePO 4 /graphite cells. The validating results demonstrate that the proposed methods have good accuracy and high adaptability. - Highlights: • A real-time peak power/SOP prediction method for lithium-ion batteries is proposed. • A training-free method based on DEKF is presented for parameter identification. • The proposed method can be applied to different temperature and aging conditions. • The calculation of peak power under the current and voltage limits is improved. • Validation experiments are designed to verify the accuracy of prediction results

A FAST study of quasi-static structure ("Inverted-V") potential drops and their latitudinal dependence in the premidnight sector and ramifications for the current-voltage relationship

Science.gov (United States)

Dombeck, J.; Cattell, C.; McFadden, J.

2013-09-01

Utilizing FAST satellite electron measurements, we present the first reported investigation of the dependency on latitude of quasi-static structure ("inverted-V") potential drop magnitude (Φ). A trend of lower Φ at lower latitudes in the premidnight sector on field lines with dark foot points was observed. This trend is supported both statistically and in individual satellite crossings. The existence of two distinct peaks in occurrence probability for Φ was also observed: one between ~2 kV and 10 kV and the other at somewhat less than 1 kV. The relative occurrence of structures with Φ in the higher (>2 kV) peak is significantly reduced with decreasing latitude. This partially accounts for the statistical trend of lower potential drop magnitudes at lower latitudes. The two Φ occurrence frequency peaks correspond to two different regimes (one with eΦ/kTe ~ or > 1 and one with eΦ/kTe current-voltage relation where source electron density rather than Φ is most directly controlled by the field-aligned current density. These observations and their ramifications represent a significant step forward in the understanding of field-aligned currents, auroral acceleration, and magnetospheric-ionospheric coupling.

Total peak shape analysis: detection and quantitation of concurrent fronting, tailing, and their effect on asymmetry measurements.

Science.gov (United States)

Wahab, M Farooq; Patel, Darshan C; Armstrong, Daniel W

2017-08-04

Most peak shapes obtained in separation science depart from linearity for various reasons such as thermodynamic, kinetic, or flow based effects. An indication of the nature of asymmetry often helps in problem solving e.g. in column overloading, slurry packing, buffer mismatch, and extra-column band broadening. However, existing tests for symmetry/asymmetry only indicate the skewness in excess (tail or front) and not the presence of both. Two simple graphical approaches are presented to analyze peak shapes typically observed in gas, liquid, and supercritical fluid chromatography as well as capillary electrophoresis. The derivative test relies on the symmetry of the inflection points and the maximum and minimum values of the derivative. The Gaussian test is a constrained curve fitting approach and determines the residuals. The residual pattern graphically allows the user to assess the problematic regions in a given peak, e.g., concurrent tailing or fronting, something which cannot be easily done with other current methods. The template provided in MS Excel automates this process. The total peak shape analysis extracts the peak parameters from the upper sections (>80% height) of the peak rather than the half height as is done conventionally. A number of situations are presented and the utility of this approach in solving practical problems is demonstrated. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Improving peak detection in high-resolution LC/MS metabolomics data using preexisting knowledge and machine learning approach.

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, Tianwei; Jones, Dean P

2014-10-15

Peak detection is a key step in the preprocessing of untargeted metabolomics data generated from high-resolution liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC/MS). The common practice is to use filters with predetermined parameters to select peaks in the LC/MS profile. This rigid approach can cause suboptimal performance when the choice of peak model and parameters do not suit the data characteristics. Here we present a method that learns directly from various data features of the extracted ion chromatograms (EICs) to differentiate between true peak regions from noise regions in the LC/MS profile. It utilizes the knowledge of known metabolites, as well as robust machine learning approaches. Unlike currently available methods, this new approach does not assume a parametric peak shape model and allows maximum flexibility. We demonstrate the superiority of the new approach using real data. Because matching to known metabolites entails uncertainties and cannot be considered a gold standard, we also developed a probabilistic receiver-operating characteristic (pROC) approach that can incorporate uncertainties. The new peak detection approach is implemented as part of the apLCMS package available at http://web1.sph.emory.edu/apLCMS/ CONTACT: tyu8@emory.edu Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

An allowable cladding peak temperature for spent nuclear fuels in interim dry storage

Science.gov (United States)

Cha, Hyun-Jin; Jang, Ki-Nam; Kim, Kyu-Tae

2018-01-01

Allowable cladding peak temperatures for spent fuel cladding integrity in interim dry storage were investigated, considering hydride reorientation and mechanical property degradation behaviors of unirradiated and neutron irradiated Zr-Nb cladding tubes. Cladding tube specimens were heated up to various temperatures and then cooled down under tensile hoop stresses. Cool-down specimens indicate that higher heat-up temperature and larger tensile hoop stress generated larger radial hydride precipitation and smaller tensile strength and plastic hoop strain. Unirradiated specimens generated relatively larger radial hydride precipitation and plastic strain than did neutron irradiated specimens. Assuming a minimum plastic strain requirement of 5% for cladding integrity maintenance in interim dry storage, it is proposed that a cladding peak temperature during the interim dry storage is to keep below 250 °C if cladding tubes are cooled down to room temperature.

Determination of the upper limit of a peak area

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Helene, O.

1990-03-01

This paper reports the procedure to extract an upper limit of a peak area in a multichannel spectrum. This procedure takes into account the finite shape of the peak and the uncertanties in the background and in the expected position of the peak. (author) [pt

Determination of the upper limit of a peak area

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Helene, O.

1991-01-01

This article reports the procedure to extract an upper limit of a peak area in a multichannel spectrum. This procedure takes into account the finite shape of the peak and the uncertainties both in the background and in the expected position of the peak. (orig.)

Sources and Dynamic Processes Controlling Background and Peak Concentrations of TGM in Nanjing, China

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Casey B. Hall

2014-03-01

Full Text Available Total gaseous mercury (TGM data from urban Nanjing, at the western edge of the Yangtze River Delta (YRD region in China, over nine months, were analyzed for peak and background mercury concentrations. The background concentration of TGM was found to be 2.2 ng∙m−3. In examining episodic influences of free tropospheric air masses on the surface TGM concentrations in Nanjing, we hypothesize heterogeneity in the global distribution of TGM concentrations in the free troposphere. The nine-month averaged diurnal cycles of TGM indicate a strong co-emission with SO2 and an underestimation of greater than 80% TGM emissions in current inventories. Regular peak concentrations of mercury were investigated and the major causes were YRD emissions, transport from rural areas, and monsoonal transport. Transport of rural emissions is hypothesized to be from illegal artisanal small-scale gold mining that are currently missing in the emission inventories. Enhancement of TGM associated with summer monsoon contributed to a maximum TGM concentration in mid-May–early June, an inverse seasonality in comparison to most other observations in China, North America, and Europe.

System dynamics model of Hubbert Peak for China's oil

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tao Zaipu; Li Mingyu

2007-01-01

American geophysicist M. King Hubbert in 1956 first introduced a logistic equation to estimate the peak and lifetime production for oil of USA. Since then, a fierce debate ensued on the so-called Hubbert Peak, including also its methodology. This paper proposes to use the generic STELLA model to simulate Hubbert Peak, particularly for the Chinese oil production. This model is demonstrated as being robust. We used three scenarios to estimate the Chinese oil peak: according to scenario 1 of this model, the Hubbert Peak for China's crude oil production appears to be in 2019 with a value of 199.5 million tonnes, which is about 1.1 times the 2005 output. Before the peak comes, Chinese oil output will grow by about 1-2% annually, after the peak, however, the output will fall. By 2040, the annual production of Chinese crude oil would be equivalent to the level of 1990. During the coming 20 years, the crude oil demand of China will probably grow at the rate of 2-3% annually, and the gap between domestic supply and total demand may be more than half of this demand

The Mechanics of Peak-Ring Impact Crater Formation from the IODP-ICDP Expedition 364

Science.gov (United States)

Melosh, H.; Collins, G. S.; Morgan, J. V.; Gulick, S. P. S.

2017-12-01

The Chicxulub impact crater is one of very few peak-ring impact craters on Earth. While small (less than 3 km on Earth) impact craters are typically bowl-shaped, larger craters exhibit central peaks, which in still larger (more than about 100 km on Earth) craters expand into mountainous rings with diameters close to half that of the crater rim. The origin of these peak rings has been contentious: Such craters are far too large to create in laboratory experiments and remote sensing of extraterrestrial examples has not clarified the mechanics of their formation. Two principal models of peak ring formation are currently in vogue, the "nested crater" model, in which the peak ring originates at shallow depths in the target, and the "dynamic collapse" model in which the peak ring is uplifted at the base of a collapsing, over-steepened central peak and its rocks originate at mid-crustal depths. IODP-ICDP Expedition 364 sought to elucidate, among other important goals, the mechanics of peak ring formation in the young (66 Myr), fresh, but completely buried Chicxulub impact crater. The cores from this borehole now show unambiguously that the rocks in the Chicxulub peak ring originated at mid-crustal depths, apparently ruling out the nested crater model. These rocks were shocked to pressures on the order of 10-35 GPa and were so shattered that their densities and seismic velocities now resemble those of sedimentary rocks. The morphology of the final crater, its structure as revealed in previous seismic imaging, and the results from the cores are completely consistent with modern numerical models of impact crater excavation and collapse that incorporate a model for post-impact weakening. Subsequent to the opening of a ca. 100 km diameter and 30 km deep transient crater, this enormous hole in the crust collapsed over a period of about 10 minutes. Collapse was enabled by movement of the underlying rocks, which briefly behaved in the manner of a high-viscosity fluid, a brittle

Bayesian approach for peak detection in two-dimensional chromatography

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Vivó-Truyols, G.

2012-01-01

A new method for peak detection in two-dimensional chromatography is presented. In a first step, the method starts with a conventional one-dimensional peak detection algorithm to detect modulated peaks. In a second step, a sophisticated algorithm is constructed to decide which of the individual

Estimation of the peak factor based on watershed characteristics

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gauthier, Jean; Nolin, Simon; Ruest, Benoit [BPR Inc., Quebec, (Canada)

2010-07-01

Hydraulic modeling and dam structure design require the river flood flow as a primary input. For a given flood event, the ratio of peak flow over mean daily flow defines the peak factor. The peak factor value is dependent on the watershed and location along the river. The main goal of this study consisted in finding a relationship between watershed characteristics and this peak factor. Regression analyses were carried out on 53 natural watersheds located in the southern part of the province of Quebec using data from the Centre d'expertise hydrique du Quebec (CEHQ). The watershed characteristics included in the analyses were the watershed area, the maximum flow length, the mean slope, the lake proportion and the mean elevation. The results showed that watershed area and length are the major parameters influencing the peak factor. Nine natural watersheds were also used to test the use of a multivariable model in order to determine the peak factor for ungauged watersheds.

Higher energy dissociative electron attachment cross sections in sulfur dioxide

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kurepa, M.; Pejcev, V.; Cadez, I.

2000-01-01

Experimental results of total electron attachment cross sections are presented with, for comparison, two additional sets of data, those of Orient and Srivastava and of Spyrou et al.. Both were normalized to present values of the first attachment peak at 4,6 eV, in order to show more clearly differences in cross section curve shapes. In fact, data of Orient and Srivastava are larger that the present ones for a factor of 2,82; while those of Spyrou et al. are higher only for 3,70 %. Both these sets of data, as well as those by Cadez et al., cover an incident electron energy range 3,40 - 9,40 eV. Electron attachment processes at energies higher that 9,40 eV have been in fact detected and measured in the same set of experiments that led to former publication of lower energy attachment processes by Cadez et al.. At that time in none of experiments, that could distinguished ionic species formed in dissociation attachment processes, was a sign of ions at incident electron energies exceeding 9,40 eV. That caused our ignorance toward processes detected and measured at higher incident electron energies, mainly since they were at least one order of magnitude lower that the two peaks at 4,6 eV and 7,3 eV, respectively. Without additional experiments, that include mass analysis of ionic species formed in dissociative electron attachment processes, it is not possible to give any sound explanation to causes of peaks at energies higher that 8,0 eV

SPANISH PEAKS WILDERNESS STUDY AREA, COLORADO.

Science.gov (United States)

Budding, Karin E.; Kluender, Steven E.

1984-01-01

A geologic and geochemical investigation and a survey of mines and prospects were conducted to evaluate the mineral-resource potential of the Spanish Peaks Wilderness Study Area, Huerfano and Las Animas Counties, in south-central Colorado. Anomalous gold, silver, copper, lead, and zinc concentrations in rocks and in stream sediments from drainage basins in the vicinity of the old mines and prospects on West Spanish Peak indicate a substantiated mineral-resource potential for base and precious metals in the area surrounding this peak; however, the mineralized veins are sparse, small in size, and generally low in grade. There is a possibility that coal may underlie the study area, but it would be at great depth and it is unlikely that it would have survived the intense igneous activity in the area. There is little likelihood for the occurrence of oil and gas because of the lack of structural traps and the igneous activity.

An ac susceptibility study in capped Ni/Ni(OH)2 core-shell nanoassemblies: dual peak observations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Godsell, Jeffrey F; Roy, Saibal; Bala, Tanushree; Ryan, Kevin M.

2011-01-01

In this study, the ac susceptibility (χ' and χ'') variation with temperature (10-100 K) for oleic acid (OA) capped Ni/Ni(OH) 2 core-shell nanoparticle assemblies are reported at frequencies varying from 0.1 to 1000 Hz. Nanoparticle assemblies, with two average particle diameters of ∼34 nm and ∼14 nm, were synthesized using a wet chemical synthesis approach. Two peaks in the ac susceptibility versus temperature curves are clearly discernable for each of the samples. The first, occurring at ∼22 K was attributed to the paramagnetic/antiferromagnetic transition of the Ni(OH) 2 present in the shell. The second higher temperature peak was attributed to the superparamagnetic blocking of the pure Ni situated at the core of the nanoparticles. The higher temperature peaks in both the χ' and χ'' curves were observed to increase with increasing frequency. Thus the Neel and the blocking temperatures for such core-shell nanoassemblies were clearly identified from the ac analysis, whereas they were not discernible (superimposed) even from very low dc (FC/ZFC) field measurements. Interparticle interactions within the assemblies were studied through the fitting of phenomenological laws to the experimental datasets. It is observed that even with an OA capping layer, larger Ni/Ni(OH) 2 nanoparticles experience a greater degree of sub-capping layer oxidation thus producing lower magnetic interaction strengths.

Superconducting toroidal field coil current densities for the TFCX

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kalsi, S.S.; Hooper, R.J.

1985-04-01

A major goal of the Tokamak Fusion Core Experiment (TFCX) study was to minimize the size of the device and achieve lowest cost. Two key factors influencing the size of the device employing superconducting magnets are toroidal field (TF) winding current density and its nuclear heat load withstand capability. Lower winding current density requires larger radial build of the winding pack. Likewise, lower allowable nuclear heating in the winding requires larger shield thickness between the plasma and coil. In order to achieve a low-cost device, it is essential to maximize the winding's current density and nuclear heating withhstand capability. To meet the above objective, the TFCX design specification adopted as goals a nominal winding current density of 3500 A/cm 2 with 10-T peak field at the winding and peak nuclear heat load limits of 1 MW/cm 3 for the nominal design and 50 MW/cm 3 for an advanced design. This study developed justification for these current density and nuclear heat load limits

Avoiding the False Peaks in Correlation Discrimination

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Awwal, A.S.

2009-01-01

Fiducials imprinted on laser beams are used to perform video image based alignment of the 192 laser beams in the National Ignition Facility (NIF) of Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. In many video images, matched filtering is used to detect the location of these fiducials. Generally, the highest correlation peak is used to determine the position of the fiducials. However, when the signal to-be-detected is very weak compared to the noise, this approach totally breaks down. The highest peaks act as traps for false detection. The active target images used for automatic alignment in the National Ignition Facility are examples of such images. In these images, the fiducials of interest exhibit extremely low intensity and contrast, surrounded by high intensity reflection from metallic objects. Consequently, the highest correlation peaks are caused by these bright objects. In this work, we show how the shape of the correlation is exploited to isolate the valid matches from hundreds of invalid correlation peaks, and therefore identify extremely faint fiducials under very challenging imaging conditions

Variable threshold method for ECG R-peak detection.

Science.gov (United States)

Kew, Hsein-Ping; Jeong, Do-Un

2011-10-01

In this paper, a wearable belt-type ECG electrode worn around the chest by measuring the real-time ECG is produced in order to minimize the inconvenient in wearing. ECG signal is detected using a potential instrument system. The measured ECG signal is transmits via an ultra low power consumption wireless data communications unit to personal computer using Zigbee-compatible wireless sensor node. ECG signals carry a lot of clinical information for a cardiologist especially the R-peak detection in ECG. R-peak detection generally uses the threshold value which is fixed. There will be errors in peak detection when the baseline changes due to motion artifacts and signal size changes. Preprocessing process which includes differentiation process and Hilbert transform is used as signal preprocessing algorithm. Thereafter, variable threshold method is used to detect the R-peak which is more accurate and efficient than fixed threshold value method. R-peak detection using MIT-BIH databases and Long Term Real-Time ECG is performed in this research in order to evaluate the performance analysis.

Climate change and peak demand for electricity: Evaluating policies for reducing peak demand under different climate change scenarios

Science.gov (United States)

Anthony, Abigail Walker

This research focuses on the relative advantages and disadvantages of using price-based and quantity-based controls for electricity markets. It also presents a detailed analysis of one specific approach to quantity based controls: the SmartAC program implemented in Stockton, California. Finally, the research forecasts electricity demand under various climate scenarios, and estimates potential cost savings that could result from a direct quantity control program over the next 50 years in each scenario. The traditional approach to dealing with the problem of peak demand for electricity is to invest in a large stock of excess capital that is rarely used, thereby greatly increasing production costs. Because this approach has proved so expensive, there has been a focus on identifying alternative approaches for dealing with peak demand problems. This research focuses on two approaches: price based approaches, such as real time pricing, and quantity based approaches, whereby the utility directly controls at least some elements of electricity used by consumers. This research suggests that well-designed policies for reducing peak demand might include both price and quantity controls. In theory, sufficiently high peak prices occurring during periods of peak demand and/or low supply can cause the quantity of electricity demanded to decline until demand is in balance with system capacity, potentially reducing the total amount of generation capacity needed to meet demand and helping meet electricity demand at the lowest cost. However, consumers need to be well informed about real-time prices for the pricing strategy to work as well as theory suggests. While this might be an appropriate assumption for large industrial and commercial users who have potentially large economic incentives, there is not yet enough research on whether households will fully understand and respond to real-time prices. Thus, while real-time pricing can be an effective tool for addressing the peak load

Assessing peak aerobic capacity in Dutch law enforcement officers

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Wittink, Harriet; Takken, Tim; de Groot, Janke; Reneman, Michiel; Peters, Roelof; Vanhees, Luc

2015-01-01

Objectives: To cross-validate the existing peak rate of oxygen consumption (VO2peak) prediction equations in Dutch law enforcement officers and to determine whether these prediction equations can be used to predict VO2peak for groups and in a single individual. A further objective was to report

PEAK TRACKING WITH A NEURAL NETWORK FOR SPECTRAL RECOGNITION

NARCIS (Netherlands)

COENEGRACHT, PMJ; METTING, HJ; VANLOO, EM; SNOEIJER, GJ; DOORNBOS, DA

1993-01-01

A peak tracking method based on a simulated feed-forward neural network with back-propagation is presented. The network uses the normalized UV spectra and peak areas measured in one chromatogram for peak recognition. It suffices to train the network with only one set of spectra recorded in one

Assessing peak aerobic capacity in Dutch law enforcement officers.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Wittink, H.; Takken, T.; Groot, J.F. de; Reneman, M.; Peters, R.; Vanhees, L.

2015-01-01

Objectives: To cross-validate the existing peak rate of oxygen consumption (VO2peak) prediction equations in Dutch law enforcement officers and to determine whether these prediction equations can be used to predict VO2peak for groups and in a single individual. A further objective was to report

An adaptive model for vanadium redox flow battery and its application for online peak power estimation

Science.gov (United States)

Wei, Zhongbao; Meng, Shujuan; Tseng, King Jet; Lim, Tuti Mariana; Soong, Boon Hee; Skyllas-Kazacos, Maria

2017-03-01

An accurate battery model is the prerequisite for reliable state estimate of vanadium redox battery (VRB). As the battery model parameters are time varying with operating condition variation and battery aging, the common methods where model parameters are empirical or prescribed offline lacks accuracy and robustness. To address this issue, this paper proposes to use an online adaptive battery model to reproduce the VRB dynamics accurately. The model parameters are online identified with both the recursive least squares (RLS) and the extended Kalman filter (EKF). Performance comparison shows that the RLS is superior with respect to the modeling accuracy, convergence property, and computational complexity. Based on the online identified battery model, an adaptive peak power estimator which incorporates the constraints of voltage limit, SOC limit and design limit of current is proposed to fully exploit the potential of the VRB. Experiments are conducted on a lab-scale VRB system and the proposed peak power estimator is verified with a specifically designed "two-step verification" method. It is shown that different constraints dominate the allowable peak power at different stages of cycling. The influence of prediction time horizon selection on the peak power is also analyzed.

Storage coordination and peak-shaving operation in urban areas with high renewable penetration

OpenAIRE

Voulis, N.; Warnier, Martijn; Brazier, F.M.

2017-01-01

As renewable power generation gains importance, balancing of power demand and supply becomes more and more challenging. This paper addresses this challenge by exploring the potential of individually-owned storage units in decentralised power systems with a high share of renewables. The focus is on the influence of coordination and peak-shaving operation of these individual units in realistic urban areas. Currently extensive amount of research exits on specific applications related to storage ...

QRS peak detection for heart rate monitoring on Android smartphone

Science.gov (United States)

Pambudi Utomo, Trio; Nuryani, Nuryani; Darmanto

2017-11-01

In this study, Android smartphone is used for heart rate monitoring and displaying electrocardiogram (ECG) graph. Heart rate determination is based on QRS peak detection. Two methods are studied to detect the QRS complex peak; they are Peak Threshold and Peak Filter. The acquisition of ECG data is utilized by AD8232 module from Analog Devices, three electrodes, and Microcontroller Arduino UNO R3. To record the ECG data from a patient, three electrodes are attached to particular body’s surface of a patient. Patient’s heart activity which is recorded by AD8232 module is decoded by Arduino UNO R3 into analog data. Then, the analog data is converted into a voltage value (mV) and is processed to get the QRS complex peak. Heart rate value is calculated by Microcontroller Arduino UNO R3 uses the QRS complex peak. Voltage, heart rate, and the QRS complex peak are sent to Android smartphone by Bluetooth HC-05. ECG data is displayed as the graph by Android smartphone. To evaluate the performance of QRS complex peak detection method, three parameters are used; they are positive predictive, accuracy and sensitivity. Positive predictive, accuracy, and sensitivity of Peak Threshold method is 92.39%, 70.30%, 74.62% and for Peak Filter method are 98.38%, 82.47%, 83.61%, respectively.

21 CFR 868.1860 - Peak-flow meter for spirometry.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Peak-flow meter for spirometry. 868.1860 Section... (CONTINUED) MEDICAL DEVICES ANESTHESIOLOGY DEVICES Diagnostic Devices § 868.1860 Peak-flow meter for spirometry. (a) Identification. A peak-flow meter for spirometry is a device used to measure a patient's...

Peak Wind Tool for General Forecasting

Science.gov (United States)

Barrett, Joe H., III

2010-01-01

The expected peak wind speed of the day is an important forecast element in the 45th Weather Squadron's (45 WS) daily 24-Hour and Weekly Planning Forecasts. The forecasts are used for ground and space launch operations at the Kennedy Space Center (KSC) and Cape Canaveral Air Force Station (CCAFS). The 45 WS also issues wind advisories for KSC/CCAFS when they expect wind gusts to meet or exceed 25 kt, 35 kt and 50 kt thresholds at any level from the surface to 300 ft. The 45 WS forecasters have indicated peak wind speeds are challenging to forecast, particularly in the cool season months of October - April. In Phase I of this task, the Applied Meteorology Unit (AMU) developed a tool to help the 45 WS forecast non-convective winds at KSC/CCAFS for the 24-hour period of 0800 to 0800 local time. The tool was delivered as a Microsoft Excel graphical user interface (GUI). The GUI displayed the forecast of peak wind speed, 5-minute average wind speed at the time of the peak wind, timing of the peak wind and probability the peak speed would meet or exceed 25 kt, 35 kt and 50 kt. For the current task (Phase II ), the 45 WS requested additional observations be used for the creation of the forecast equations by expanding the period of record (POR). Additional parameters were evaluated as predictors, including wind speeds between 500 ft and 3000 ft, static stability classification, Bulk Richardson Number, mixing depth, vertical wind shear, temperature inversion strength and depth and wind direction. Using a verification data set, the AMU compared the performance of the Phase I and II prediction methods. Just as in Phase I, the tool was delivered as a Microsoft Excel GUI. The 45 WS requested the tool also be available in the Meteorological Interactive Data Display System (MIDDS). The AMU first expanded the POR by two years by adding tower observations, surface observations and CCAFS (XMR) soundings for the cool season months of March 2007 to April 2009. The POR was expanded

Glutathionylation-Dependence of Na+-K+-Pump Currents Can Mimic Reduced Subsarcolemmal Na+ Diffusion

Science.gov (United States)

Garcia, Alvaro; Liu, Chia-Chi; Cornelius, Flemming; Clarke, Ronald J.; Rasmussen, Helge H.

2016-01-01

The existence of a subsarcolemmal space with restricted diffusion for Na+ in cardiac myocytes has been inferred from a transient peak electrogenic Na+-K+ pump current beyond steady state on reexposure of myocytes to K+ after a period of exposure to K+-free extracellular solution. The transient peak current is attributed to enhanced electrogenic pumping of Na+ that accumulated in the diffusion-restricted space during pump inhibition in K+-free extracellular solution. However, there are no known physical barriers that account for such restricted Na+ diffusion, and we examined if changes of activity of the Na+-K+ pump itself cause the transient peak current. Reexposure to K+ reproduced a transient current beyond steady state in voltage-clamped ventricular myocytes as reported by others. Persistence of it when the Na+ concentration in patch pipette solutions perfusing the intracellular compartment was high and elimination of it with K+-free pipette solution could not be reconciled with restricted subsarcolemmal Na+ diffusion. The pattern of the transient current early after pump activation was dependent on transmembrane Na+- and K+ concentration gradients suggesting the currents were related to the conformational poise imposed on the pump. We examined if the currents might be accounted for by changes in glutathionylation of the β1 Na+-K+ pump subunit, a reversible oxidative modification that inhibits the pump. Susceptibility of the β1 subunit to glutathionylation depends on the conformational poise of the Na+-K+ pump, and glutathionylation with the pump stabilized in conformations equivalent to those expected to be imposed on voltage-clamped myocytes supported this hypothesis. So did elimination of the transient K+-induced peak Na+-K+ pump current when we included glutaredoxin 1 in patch pipette solutions to reverse glutathionylation. We conclude that transient K+-induced peak Na+-K+ pump current reflects the effect of conformation-dependent β1 pump subunit

Glutathionylation-Dependence of Na(+)-K(+)-Pump Currents Can Mimic Reduced Subsarcolemmal Na(+) Diffusion.

Science.gov (United States)

Garcia, Alvaro; Liu, Chia-Chi; Cornelius, Flemming; Clarke, Ronald J; Rasmussen, Helge H

2016-03-08

The existence of a subsarcolemmal space with restricted diffusion for Na(+) in cardiac myocytes has been inferred from a transient peak electrogenic Na(+)-K(+) pump current beyond steady state on reexposure of myocytes to K(+) after a period of exposure to K(+)-free extracellular solution. The transient peak current is attributed to enhanced electrogenic pumping of Na(+) that accumulated in the diffusion-restricted space during pump inhibition in K(+)-free extracellular solution. However, there are no known physical barriers that account for such restricted Na(+) diffusion, and we examined if changes of activity of the Na(+)-K(+) pump itself cause the transient peak current. Reexposure to K(+) reproduced a transient current beyond steady state in voltage-clamped ventricular myocytes as reported by others. Persistence of it when the Na(+) concentration in patch pipette solutions perfusing the intracellular compartment was high and elimination of it with K(+)-free pipette solution could not be reconciled with restricted subsarcolemmal Na(+) diffusion. The pattern of the transient current early after pump activation was dependent on transmembrane Na(+)- and K(+) concentration gradients suggesting the currents were related to the conformational poise imposed on the pump. We examined if the currents might be accounted for by changes in glutathionylation of the β1 Na(+)-K(+) pump subunit, a reversible oxidative modification that inhibits the pump. Susceptibility of the β1 subunit to glutathionylation depends on the conformational poise of the Na(+)-K(+) pump, and glutathionylation with the pump stabilized in conformations equivalent to those expected to be imposed on voltage-clamped myocytes supported this hypothesis. So did elimination of the transient K(+)-induced peak Na(+)-K(+) pump current when we included glutaredoxin 1 in patch pipette solutions to reverse glutathionylation. We conclude that transient K(+)-induced peak Na(+)-K(+) pump current reflects the effect

Electric peak power forecasting by year 2025

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alsayegh, O.A.; Al-Matar, O.A.; Fairouz, F.A.; Al-Mulla Ali, A.

2005-01-01

Peak power demand in Kuwait up to the year 2025 was predicted using an artificial neural network (ANN) model. The aim of the study was to investigate the effect of air conditioning (A/C) units on long-term power demand. Five socio-economic factors were selected as inputs for the simulation: (1) gross national product, (2) population, (3) number of buildings, (4) imports of A/C units, and (5) index of industrial production. The study used socio-economic data from 1978 to 2000. Historical data of the first 10 years of the studied time period were used to train the ANN. The electrical network was then simulated to forecast peak power for the following 11 years. The calculated error was then used for years in which power consumption data were not available. The study demonstrated that average peak power rates increased by 4100 MW every 5 years. Various scenarios related to changes in population, the number of buildings, and the quantity of A/C units were then modelled to estimate long-term peak power demand. Results of the study demonstrated that population had the strongest impact on future power demand, while the number of buildings had the smallest impact. It was concluded that peak power growth can be controlled through the use of different immigration policies, increased A/C efficiency, and the use of vertical housing. 7 refs., 2 tabs., 6 figs

Electric peak power forecasting by year 2025

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Alsayegh, O.A.; Al-Matar, O.A.; Fairouz, F.A.; Al-Mulla Ali, A. [Kuwait Inst. for Scientific Research, Kuwait City (Kuwait). Div. of Environment and Urban Development

2005-07-01

Peak power demand in Kuwait up to the year 2025 was predicted using an artificial neural network (ANN) model. The aim of the study was to investigate the effect of air conditioning (A/C) units on long-term power demand. Five socio-economic factors were selected as inputs for the simulation: (1) gross national product, (2) population, (3) number of buildings, (4) imports of A/C units, and (5) index of industrial production. The study used socio-economic data from 1978 to 2000. Historical data of the first 10 years of the studied time period were used to train the ANN. The electrical network was then simulated to forecast peak power for the following 11 years. The calculated error was then used for years in which power consumption data were not available. The study demonstrated that average peak power rates increased by 4100 MW every 5 years. Various scenarios related to changes in population, the number of buildings, and the quantity of A/C units were then modelled to estimate long-term peak power demand. Results of the study demonstrated that population had the strongest impact on future power demand, while the number of buildings had the smallest impact. It was concluded that peak power growth can be controlled through the use of different immigration policies, increased A/C efficiency, and the use of vertical housing. 7 refs., 2 tabs., 6 figs.

Enhanced Power Quality and Minimized Peak Current Control in An Inverter based Microgrid under Unbalanced Grid Faults

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Liu, Wenzhao; Guo, Xiaoqiang; Sulligoi, Giorgio

2016-01-01

The microgrid inverter experiences the power oscillations and current harmonics in case of the unbalanced grid voltage faults. However, there is a trade-off between power oscillations and current harmonics should be considered in three phase three wire inverter systems during the conventional fault...... ride through control. In order to solve this problem, a novel control strategy is proposed to enhance the output current quality while mitigating the active and reactive output power oscillations. Moreover, a simple current-limited control strategy can be achieved without the necessity of the voltage....../current positive/negative sequence extraction. Finally, the simulation tests of the conventional and proposed control solutions are carried out. The results verify the effectiveness of the proposed strategy....

Exploring the Current Position of ESD in UK Higher Education Institutions

Science.gov (United States)

Fiselier, Evelien S.; Longhurst, James W. S.; Gough, Georgina K.

2018-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to consider the position of education for sustainable development in the UK Higher Education (HE) sector with respect to the Quality Assurance Agency (QAA) and Higher Education Academy (HEA) Guidance for education for sustainable development (ESD). Design/methodology/approach: By means of a mixed-method…

Benchmarking in European Higher Education: A Step beyond Current Quality Models

Science.gov (United States)

Burquel, Nadine; van Vught, Frans

2010-01-01

This paper presents the findings of a two-year EU-funded project (DG Education and Culture) "Benchmarking in European Higher Education", carried out from 2006 to 2008 by a consortium led by the European Centre for Strategic Management of Universities (ESMU), with the Centre for Higher Education Development, UNESCO-CEPES, and the…

A non-parametric peak calling algorithm for DamID-Seq.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Renhua Li

Full Text Available Protein-DNA interactions play a significant role in gene regulation and expression. In order to identify transcription factor binding sites (TFBS of double sex (DSX-an important transcription factor in sex determination, we applied the DNA adenine methylation identification (DamID technology to the fat body tissue of Drosophila, followed by deep sequencing (DamID-Seq. One feature of DamID-Seq data is that induced adenine methylation signals are not assured to be symmetrically distributed at TFBS, which renders the existing peak calling algorithms for ChIP-Seq, including SPP and MACS, inappropriate for DamID-Seq data. This challenged us to develop a new algorithm for peak calling. A challenge in peaking calling based on sequence data is estimating the averaged behavior of background signals. We applied a bootstrap resampling method to short sequence reads in the control (Dam only. After data quality check and mapping reads to a reference genome, the peaking calling procedure compromises the following steps: 1 reads resampling; 2 reads scaling (normalization and computing signal-to-noise fold changes; 3 filtering; 4 Calling peaks based on a statistically significant threshold. This is a non-parametric method for peak calling (NPPC. We also used irreproducible discovery rate (IDR analysis, as well as ChIP-Seq data to compare the peaks called by the NPPC. We identified approximately 6,000 peaks for DSX, which point to 1,225 genes related to the fat body tissue difference between female and male Drosophila. Statistical evidence from IDR analysis indicated that these peaks are reproducible across biological replicates. In addition, these peaks are comparable to those identified by use of ChIP-Seq on S2 cells, in terms of peak number, location, and peaks width.

A non-parametric peak calling algorithm for DamID-Seq.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Renhua; Hempel, Leonie U; Jiang, Tingbo

2015-01-01

Protein-DNA interactions play a significant role in gene regulation and expression. In order to identify transcription factor binding sites (TFBS) of double sex (DSX)-an important transcription factor in sex determination, we applied the DNA adenine methylation identification (DamID) technology to the fat body tissue of Drosophila, followed by deep sequencing (DamID-Seq). One feature of DamID-Seq data is that induced adenine methylation signals are not assured to be symmetrically distributed at TFBS, which renders the existing peak calling algorithms for ChIP-Seq, including SPP and MACS, inappropriate for DamID-Seq data. This challenged us to develop a new algorithm for peak calling. A challenge in peaking calling based on sequence data is estimating the averaged behavior of background signals. We applied a bootstrap resampling method to short sequence reads in the control (Dam only). After data quality check and mapping reads to a reference genome, the peaking calling procedure compromises the following steps: 1) reads resampling; 2) reads scaling (normalization) and computing signal-to-noise fold changes; 3) filtering; 4) Calling peaks based on a statistically significant threshold. This is a non-parametric method for peak calling (NPPC). We also used irreproducible discovery rate (IDR) analysis, as well as ChIP-Seq data to compare the peaks called by the NPPC. We identified approximately 6,000 peaks for DSX, which point to 1,225 genes related to the fat body tissue difference between female and male Drosophila. Statistical evidence from IDR analysis indicated that these peaks are reproducible across biological replicates. In addition, these peaks are comparable to those identified by use of ChIP-Seq on S2 cells, in terms of peak number, location, and peaks width.

Simple DCM or CRM analog peak current controller for HV capacitor charge-discharge applications

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Trintis, Ionut; Dimopoulos, Emmanouil; Munk-Nielsen, Stig

2013-01-01

This paper presents a simple analog current controller suitable for buck and boost converter topologies. The controller operates in DCM or CRM, depending on the setup. The experimental results are presented to validate the proposed controller functionality for a high voltage capacitor charge...

Peak heart rate decreases with increasing severity of acute hypoxia

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lundby, C; Araoz, M; Van Hall, Gerrit

2001-01-01

, 459, and 404 mmHg) in a hypobaric chamber and while breathing 9% O(2) in N(2). These conditions were equivalent to altitudes of 3300, 4300, 5300, and 6300 m above sea level, respectively. At 4300 m, maximal exercise was also repeated after 4 and 8 h. Peak heart rate (HR) decreased from 191 (182......-202) (mean and range) at sea level to 189 (179-200), 182 (172-189), 175 (166-183), and 165 (162-169) in the acute hypoxic conditions. Peak HR did not decrease further after 4 and 8 h at 4300 m compared to the acute exposure at this altitude. Between barometric pressures of 518 and 355 mmHg (approximately...... 3300 and 6300 m), peak HR decreased linearly: peak HR(hypobaria) = peak HR(sea level) - 0.135 x [hypobaria(3100) - hypobaria (mmHg)]; or peak HR(altitude) = peak HR(sea level) - 0.15 x (altitude - 3100 m). This corresponds to approximately 1-beat x min(-1) reduction in peak HR for every 7-mmHg decrease...

GRB physics and cosmology with peak energy-intensity correlations

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sawant, Disha, E-mail: sawant@fe.infn.it [University of Ferrara, Via Saragat-1, Block C, Ferrara 44122 (Italy); University of Nice, 28 Avenue Valrose, Nice 06103 (France); IRAP Erasmus PhD Program, European Union and INAF - IASF Bologna, Via P. Gobetti 101, Bologna 41125 (Italy); Amati, Lorenzo, E-mail: amati@iasfbo.inaf.it [INAF - IASF Bologna, Via P. Gobetti 101, Bologna 41125 (Italy); ICRANet, Piazzale Aldo Moro-5, Rome 00185 (Italy)

2015-12-17

Gamma Ray Bursts (GRBs) are immensely energetic explosions radiating up to 10{sup 54} erg of energy isotropically (E{sub iso}) and they are observed within a wide range of redshift (from ∼ 0.01 up to ∼ 9). Such enormous power and high redshift point at these phenomena being highly favorable to investigate the history and evolution of our universe. The major obstacle in their application as cosmological study-tools is to find a way to standardize the GRBs, for instance similar to SNe Ia. With respect to this goal, the correlation between spectral peak energy (E{sub p,i}) and the “intensity” is a positively useful and investigated criterion. Moreover, it has been demonstrated that, through the E{sub p,i} – E{sub iso} correlation, the current data set of GRBs can already contribute to the independent evidence of the matter density Ω{sub M} being ∼ 0.3 for a flat universe scenario. We try to inspect and compare the correlations of E{sub p,i} with different intensity indicators (e.g., radiated energy, average and peak luminosity, bolometric vs. monochromatic quantities, etc.) both in terms of intrinsic dispersion and precise estimation of Ω{sub M}. The outcome of such studies are further analyzed in verifying the reliability of the correlations for both GRB physics and their standardization for cosmology.

Does Peak Urine Flow Rate Predict the Development of Incident Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms in Men with Mild to No Current Symptoms? Results from REDUCE.

Science.gov (United States)

Simon, Ross M; Howard, Lauren E; Moreira, Daniel M; Roehrborn, Claus; Vidal, Adriana; Castro-Santamaria, Ramiro; Freedland, Stephen J

2017-09-01

We determined whether decreased peak urine flow is associated with future incident lower urinary tract symptoms in men with mild to no lower urinary tract symptoms. Our population consisted of 3,140 men from the REDUCE (Reduction by Dutasteride of Prostate Cancer Events) trial with mild to no lower urinary tract symptoms, defined as I-PSS (International Prostate Symptom Score) less than 8. REDUCE was a randomized trial of dutasteride vs placebo for prostate cancer prevention in men with elevated prostate specific antigen and negative biopsy. I-PSS measures were obtained every 6 months throughout the 4-year study. The association between peak urine flow rate and progression to incident lower urinary tract symptoms, defined as the first of medical treatment, surgery or sustained and clinically significant lower urinary tract symptoms, was tested by multivariable Cox models, adjusting for various baseline characteristics and treatment arm. On multivariable analysis as a continuous variable, decreased peak urine flow rate was significantly associated with an increased risk of incident lower urinary tract symptoms (p = 0.002). Results were similar in the dutasteride and placebo arms. On univariable analysis when peak flow was categorized as 15 or greater, 10 to 14.9 and less than 10 ml per second, flow rates of 10 to 14.9 and less than 10 ml per second were associated with a significantly increased risk of incident lower urinary tract symptoms (HR 1.39, p = 0.011 and 1.67, p urinary tract symptoms a decreased peak urine flow rate is independently associated with incident lower urinary tract symptoms. If confirmed, these men should be followed closer for incident lower urinary tract symptoms. Copyright © 2017 American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Multiple relaxation processes in high-energy ion irradiated kapton-H polyimide: Thermally stimulated depolarization current study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Garg, Maneesha; Quamara, J.K.

2006-01-01

High-energy ion irradiation effects on the thermally stimulated depolarization current (Tdc) behaviour of kapton-H samples (12.5 μm) irradiated with 50 MeV Li ion (fluence 5 x 10 4 , 10 5 and 5 x 10 5 ions/cm 2 ) have been investigated. The TSDC spectra of the irradiated samples reveal that the β-peak (appearing around 80-110 deg. C) associated with dipolar relaxation has been significantly affected owing to the demerization of carbonyl groups due to irradiation. The TSDC spectra also reveal a new relaxation process (termed as γ-relaxation) around 30 deg. C, due to increased water absorptivity in irradiated samples. The peak around 200 deg. C (α-peak) associated with space charge relaxation process also shows a behavioural change with ion irradiation. The peak not only shifts towards the higher temperature with increasing fluence but also show an increase in its activation energy (0.33-0.99 eV) with increasing polarizing field. The creation of new deep energy trap centers due to the formation of conjugated bonds after irradiation is responsible for this modification. The Cole-Cole distribution curves show the formation of new sub-polar group with different characteristic relaxation time

Peak torque and muscle balance in the knees of young U-15 and U-17 soccer athletes playing various tactical positions.

Science.gov (United States)

Chiamonti Bona, Cleiton; Tourinho Filho, Hugo; Izquierdo, Mikel; Pires Ferraz, Ricardo M; Marques, Mário C

2017-01-01

Soccer is a sport that is practiced worldwide and has been investigated in its various aspects, particularly muscle strength, which is an essential motor skill for sports performance. The objective of this study was to investigate the peak torque and muscle balance on the knee extensor and flexor of young soccer players in the tactical positions of goalkeeper, defender, full back, midfielder, defensive midfielder and striker, as well as to determine which field position has the highest peak torque. Forty-nine male players were recruited and divided into two categories during the preparatory period of the season: the Under-15 (U-15) group (N.=23, mean age 14.7±0.5 years, body mass 58.2±10.5 kg, body height 168.5±7.6 cm), and the Under-17 (U-17) group (N.=26, mean age 16.8±0.4 years, body mass 69.2±7.9 kg, body height 176.2±6.6 cm). The U-17 athletes presented a higher peak torque in all the movements of flexion and extension in the two angular velocities (i.e. 60°/s and 300°/s), but only the dominant knee extensor at 300°/s was significantly different between the two categories as well as the percentage change in peak torque compared between U-15 and U-17 was always above 20%. The peak torque variation in the U-17 category (i.e. mostly above 20%) highlights a higher peak torque compared to U-15 athletes. The muscular deficit of the two categories presented a low average of 10-15%, indicating a good muscle balance between knee extensors and flexors. Finally, goalkeepers and defenders achieved the highest peak torque amongst the field positions.

Current Status of the MOOC Movement in the World and Reaction of the Turkish Higher Education Institutions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cengiz Hakan Aydin

2017-03-01

Full Text Available This manuscript intends to elaborate the current status of MOOC movement in the world and to reveal the results of a survey study in which the Turkish higher education institutions’ reactions to this movement was investigated. The survey was actually a part of a larger survey study that, as a deliverable of the EU funded HOME project, was conducted to contribute to the literature by providing an insight about European perspectives on MOOCs, to gain a better understanding of the strategic reasons why a higher education institution is or isn’t involved in MOOCs, and to compare these reasons with the results of similar studies in U.S. After a brief background and history of MOOC movement, following sections of the manuscript present the details (methodology and results of the survey study on the Turkish HE institutions’ strategies regarding adaptation of MOOCs. The final part of the manuscript consists of discussions and conclusions drawn in the light of the results of the study.

Time structure measurement of the ATLAS RPC gap current

CERN Document Server

Aielli, G; The ATLAS collaboration

2010-01-01

The current absorbed by an RPC represents the sum of the charge delivered in the gas by the ionizing events interesting the gap, integrated by the electrodes time constant. This is typically of the order of tens of ms thus dominating the gas discharge time scale and characterizing the granular structure observed in the current signal. In most cases this structure is considered as noise to be further integrated to observe the average gap current, used often as a detector monitoring parameter or to precisely measure the uncorrelated background rate effects. A remarkable case is given if a large number of particles is passing trough the detector within an integration time constant producing a current peak clearly detectable above the average noise. The ATLAS RPC system is equipped with a dedicated current monitoring based on an ADC capable of reading out the average value as well as the transient peaks of the currents above a given threshold. A study on such data was used to spot the gap HV noise, to monitor the...

Peak-valley-peak pattern of histone modifications delineates active regulatory elements and their directionality

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pundhir, Sachin; Bagger, Frederik Otzen; Lauridsen, Felicia Kathrine Bratt

2016-01-01

Formation of nucleosome free region (NFR) accompanied by specific histone modifications at flanking nucleosomes is an important prerequisite for enhancer and promoter activity. Due to this process, active regulatory elements often exhibit a distinct shape of histone signal in the form of a peak......-valley-peak (PVP) pattern. However, different features of PVP patterns and their robustness in predicting active regulatory elements have never been systematically analyzed. Here, we present PARE, a novel computational method that systematically analyzes the H3K4me1 or H3K4me3 PVP patterns to predict NFRs. We show...... four ENCODE cell lines and four hematopoietic differentiation stages, we identified several enhancers whose regulatory activity is stage specific and correlates positively with the expression of proximal genes in a particular stage. In conclusion, our results demonstrate that PVP patterns delineate...

Scenario analysis on the goal of carbon emission peaking around 2030 of China proposed in the China-U.S. joint statement on climate change

Science.gov (United States)

Zheng, T.

2015-12-01

A goal of carbon (C) emission peaking around 2030 of China was declared in the China-U.S. joint statement on climate change, and emphasized in China's intended nationally determined contributions (INDC). Here, we predicted the carbon emission of China during the period 2011~2050 under seven scenarios, and analyzed the scientific and social implications of realizing the goal. Our results showed that: (1) C emissions of China will reach their peaks at 2022~2045 (with peak values 3.15~5.10 Pg C), and the predicted decay rates of C intensity were 2.1~4.2% in 2011~2050; (2) the precondition that the national C emission reaches the peak before 2030 is that the annual decay rates of C intensity must exceed 3.3% , as decay rates under different scenarios were predicted higher than that except for Past G8 scenario; (3) the national C emission would reach the peak before 2030, if the government of China should realize the C emissions reduction goals of China's 12th five-year plan, climate commitments of Copenhagen and INDC; (4) Chinese government could realize the goal of C emission peaking around 2030 from just controlling C emission intensity , but associated with relatively higher government's burden. In summary, China's C emission may well peak before 2030, meanwhile the combination of emissions reduction and economic macro-control would be demanded to avoid heavier social pressure of C emissions reduction occurred.

Revisiting the Correlations of Peak Luminosity with Spectral Lag and Peak Energy of the Observed Gamma-ray Bursts

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yun-A Jo

2016-12-01

Full Text Available An analysis of light curves and spectra of observed gamma-ray bursts in gamma-ray ranges is frequently demanded because the prompt emission contains immediate details regarding the central engine of gamma-ray bursts (GRBs. We have revisited the relationship between the collimation-corrected peak luminosity and the spectral lag, investigating the lag-luminosity relationships in great detail by focusing on spectral lags resulting from all possible combinations of channels. Firstly, we compiled the opening angle data and demonstrated that the distribution of opening angles of 205 long GRBs is represented by a double Gaussian function having maxima at ~ 0.1 and ~ 0.3 radians. We confirmed that the peak luminosity and the spectral lag are anti-correlated, both in the observer frame and in the source frame. We found that, in agreement with our previous conclusion, the correlation coefficient improves significantly in the source frame. It should be noted that spectral lags involving channel 2 (25-50 keV yield high correlation coefficients, where Swift/Burst Alert Telescope (BAT has four energy channels (channel 1: 15-25 keV, channel 2: 25-50 keV, channel 3: 50-100 keV, channel 4: 100-200 keV. We also found that peak luminosity is positively correlated with peak energy.

Evaluation of peak power prediction equations in male basketball players.

Science.gov (United States)

Duncan, Michael J; Lyons, Mark; Nevill, Alan M

2008-07-01

This study compared peak power estimated using 4 commonly used regression equations with actual peak power derived from force platform data in a group of adolescent basketball players. Twenty-five elite junior male basketball players (age, 16.5 +/- 0.5 years; mass, 74.2 +/- 11.8 kg; height, 181.8 +/- 8.1 cm) volunteered to participate in the study. Actual peak power was determined using a countermovement vertical jump on a force platform. Estimated peak power was determined using countermovement jump height and body mass. All 4 prediction equations were significantly related to actual peak power (all p jump prediction equations, 12% for the Canavan and Vescovi equation, and 6% for the Sayers countermovement jump equation. In all cases peak power was underestimated.

Comparative study of boson peak in normal and secondary alcohols with terahertz time-domain spectroscopy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yomogida, Yoshiki; Sato, Yuki; Nozaki, Ryusuke; Mishina, Tomobumi; Nakahara, Jun'ichiro

2010-01-01

Using terahertz (THz) time-domain spectroscopy, we measured the complex permittivity of some normal (1-propanol, 1-butanol, and 1-pentanol) and secondary alcohols (2-propanol, 2-butanol, and 2-pentanol) in the frequency ranges from 0.2 to 2.5 THz at temperatures from 253 to 323 K. For all the samples, the complex permittivity in the THz region includes the following three components: (i) a high frequency side of dielectric relaxation processes, (ii) a broad mode around 1 THz, and (iii) a low frequency side of an intermolecular vibration mode located above 2.5 THz. The mode around 1 THz is recognized as a boson peak which is related to the local structure of disordered materials. The intensity of the boson peak in secondary alcohols is higher than that in normal alcohols. On the other hand, the number of carbon atoms slightly affects the appearance of the boson peak. These observations indicate that the position of an OH group in a molecule has a profound effect on the local structures in monohydric alcohols.

National energy peak leveling program (NEPLP). Final report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

None

1977-12-01

This three-volume report is responsive to the requirements of Contract E (04-3)-1152 to provide a detailed methodology, to include management, technology, and socio-economic aspects, of a voluntary community program of computer-assisted peak load leveling and energy conservation in commercial community facilities. The demonstration project established proof-of-concept in reducing the kW-demand peak by the unofficial goal of 10%, with concurrent kWh savings. This section of the three volume report is a final report appendix with information on the National Energy Peak Leveling Program (NEPLP).

Active inductor shunt peaking in high-speed VCSEL driver design

CERN Document Server

Liang, Futian; Hou, Suen; Liu, Chonghan; Liu, Tiankuan; Su, Da-Shung; Teng, Ping-Kun; Xiang, Annie; Ye, Jingbo; Jin, Ge

2013-01-01

An all transistor active inductor shunt peaking structure has been used in a prototype of 8-Gbps high-speed VCSEL driver which is designed for the optical link in ATLAS liquid Argon calorimeter upgrade. The VCSEL driver is fabricated in a commercial 0.25-um Silicon-on-Sapphire (SoS) CMOS process for radiation tolerant purpose. The all transistor active inductor shunt peaking is used to overcome the bandwidth limitation from the CMOS process. The peaking structure has the same peaking effect as the passive one, but takes a small area, does not need linear resistors and can overcome the process variation by adjust the peaking strength via an external control. The design has been tapped out, and the prototype has been proofed by the preliminary electrical test results and bit error ratio test results. The driver achieves 8-Gbps data rate as simulated with the peaking. We present the all transistor active inductor shunt peaking structure, simulation and test results in this paper.

Application of the (Hg,Re)-1223 ceramic on superconducting fault current limiter

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Passos, C.A.C.; Passamai, J.L.; Orlando, M.T.D.; Medeiros, E.F.; Sampaio, R.V.; Oliveira, F.D.C.; Fardin, J.F.; Simonetti, D.S.L.

2007-01-01

We have investigated a small resistive SFCL device based on Hg 0.8 Re 0.2 Ba 2 Ca 2 Cu 3 O 8+δ , (Hg,Re)-1223, ceramic in order to obtain in the future a SFCL prototype for protecting a low impedance and high current system. Our initial study has shown that a fault current of 1.55 x 10 2 A peak /cm 2 at 60 Hz was reduced to 0.82 x 10 2 A peak /cm 2 , that is, the device limited the current at 59% without any damage on the (Hg,Re)-1223 superconductor in this range of current. It was observed that the device immediately recovered the initial conditions after that the fault current event is finished without any damage

Maximal intensity higher-order Akhmediev breathers of the nonlinear Schrödinger equation and their systematic generation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chin, Siu A., E-mail: chin@physics.tamu.edu [Department of Physics and Astronomy, Texas A& M University, College Station, TX 77843 (United States); Ashour, Omar A. [Department of Physics and Astronomy, Texas A& M University, College Station, TX 77843 (United States); Science Program, Texas A& M University at Qatar, P.O. Box 23874 Doha (Qatar); Nikolić, Stanko N. [Science Program, Texas A& M University at Qatar, P.O. Box 23874 Doha (Qatar); Institute of Physics, University of Belgrade, Pregrevica 118, 11080 Belgrade (Serbia); Belić, Milivoj R. [Science Program, Texas A& M University at Qatar, P.O. Box 23874 Doha (Qatar)

2016-10-23

It is well known that Akhmediev breathers of the nonlinear cubic Schrödinger equation can be superposed nonlinearly via the Darboux transformation to yield breathers of higher order. Surprisingly, we find that the peak height of each Akhmediev breather only adds linearly to form the peak height of the final breather. Using this peak-height formula, we show that at any given periodicity, there exists a unique high-order breather of maximal intensity. Moreover, these high-order breathers form a continuous hierarchy, growing in intensity with increasing periodicity. For any such higher-order breather, a simple initial wave function can be extracted from the Darboux transformation to dynamically generate that breather from the nonlinear Schrödinger equation. - Highlights: • Proved an analytical formula for the peak-height of an nth-order Akhmediev breather. • Constructed nth-order Akhmediev breathers of maximal peak intensity. • Extracted initial wave functions that can be used experimentally to produce these maximal breathers in optical fibers.

Peak-locking reduction for particle image velocimetry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Michaelis, Dirk; Wieneke, Bernhard; Neal, Douglas R

2016-01-01

A parametric study of the factors contributing to peak-locking, a known bias error source in particle image velocimetry (PIV), is conducted using synthetic data that are processed with a state-of-the-art PIV algorithm. The investigated parameters include: particle image diameter, image interpolation techniques, the effect of asymmetric versus symmetric window deformation, number of passes and the interrogation window size. Some of these parameters are found to have a profound effect on the magnitude of the peak-locking error. The effects for specific PIV cameras are also studied experimentally using a precision turntable to generate a known rotating velocity field. Image time series recorded using this experiment show a linear range of pixel and sub-pixel shifts ranging from 0 to  ±4 pixels. Deviations in the constant vorticity field (ω z ) reveal how peak-locking can be affected systematically both by varying parameters of the detection system such as the focal distance and f -number, and also by varying the settings of the PIV analysis. A new a priori technique for reducing the bias errors associated with peak-locking in PIV is introduced using an optical diffuser to avoid undersampled particle images during the recording of the raw images. This technique is evaluated against other a priori approaches using experimental data and is shown to perform favorably. Finally, a new a posteriori anti peak-locking filter (APLF) is developed and investigated, which shows promising results for both synthetic data and real measurements for very small particle image sizes. (paper)

Two-peaked 5-ALA-induced PpIX fluorescence emission spectrum distinguishes glioblastomas from low grade gliomas and infiltrative component of glioblastomas.

Science.gov (United States)

Montcel, Bruno; Mahieu-Williame, Laurent; Armoiry, Xavier; Meyronet, David; Guyotat, Jacques

2013-04-01

5-ALA-induced protoporphyrin IX (PpIX) fluorescence enables to guiding in intra-operative surgical glioma resection. However at present, it has yet to be shown that this method is able to identify infiltrative component of glioma. In extracted tumor tissues we measured a two-peaked emission in low grade gliomas and in the infiltrative component of glioblastomas due to multiple photochemical states of PpIX. The second emission peak appearing at 620 nm (shifted by 14 nm from the main peak at 634 nm) limits the sensibility of current methods to measured PpIX concentration. We propose new measured parameters, by taking into consideration the two-peaked emission, to overcome these limitations in sensitivity. These parameters clearly distinguish the solid component of glioblastomas from low grade gliomas and infiltrative component of glioblastomas.

Holographic heat current as Noether current

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Hai-Shan; Lü, H.; Pope, C. N.

2017-09-01

We employ the Noether procedure to derive a general formula for the radially conserved heat current in AdS planar black holes with certain transverse and traceless perturbations, for a general class of gravity theories. For Einstein gravity, the general higher-order Lovelock gravities and also a class of Horndeski gravities, we derive the boundary stress tensor and show that the resulting boundary heat current matches precisely the bulk Noether current.

Degree of thoracic kyphosis and peak torque of trunk flexors and extensors among healthy women.

Science.gov (United States)

Granito, Renata Neves; Aveiro, Mariana Chaves; Rennó, Ana Claudia Muniz; Oishi, Jorge; Driusso, Patricia

2014-01-01

The aim of this study was to analyze the effects of aging on the degree of thoracic kyphosis and peak torque of the trunk flexor and extensor muscles among women without a densitometric diagnosis of osteoporosis. Thirty women were selected to make up three groups: young women (n = 10; 24.60 ± 2.27 years of age); adults (n = 10; 43.50 ± 2.88); and elderly women (n = 10; 62.40 ± 2.67). Bone mineral density (BMD), degree of thoracic kyphosis and peak torque of the trunk flexors and extensors were evaluated. Differences between the groups were evaluated using the Kruskal-Wallis ANOVA and Mann-Whitney U tests. Pearson's correlation coefficient was used to assess correlations between the variables. The significance level was taken to be 5% (p ≤ 0.05). The elderly group presented a greater degree of thoracic kyphosis (p = 0.009) and lower peak torque of the trunk flexors and extensors than the young group. The adult group presented lower peak torque of the trunk than the young group. A negative correlation was observed between age and peak torque of the trunk flexors and extensors (p ≤ 0.001), and a positive correlation between age and the degree of thoracic kyphosis (r = 0.58; p ≤ 0.001). The elderly group presented higher values for the eccentric/concentric ratio of the peak torque for flexors (p = 0.03) and extensors (p = 0.02). This study suggests that physiological aging may be associated with a greater degree of thoracic kyphosis and lower muscle strength of the trunk flexors and extensors. Moreover, the elderly women showed a relative capacity for preservation of eccentric strength.

Degree of thoracic kyphosis and peak torque of trunk flexors and extensors among healthy women,

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Renata Neves Granito

2014-06-01

Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to analyze the effects of aging on the degree of thoracic kyphosis and peak torque of the trunk flexor and extensor muscles among women without a densitometric diagnosis of osteoporosis.METHODS: Thirty women were selected to make up three groups: young women (n = 10; 24.60 ± 2.27 years of age; adults (n = 10; 43.50 ± 2.88; and elderly women (n= 10; 62.40 ± 2.67. Bone mineral density (BMD, degree of thoracic kyphosis and peak torque of the trunk flexors and extensors were evaluated. Differences between the groups were evaluated using the Kruskal-Wallis ANOVA and Mann-Whitney U tests. Pearson's correlation coefficient was used to assess correlations between the variables. The significance level was taken to be 5% (p < 0.05.RESULTS: The elderly group presented a greater degree of thoracic kyphosis (p = 0.009 and lower peak torque of the trunk flexors and extensors than the young group. The adult group presented lower peak torque of the trunk than the young group. A negative correlation was observed between age and peak torque of the trunk flexors and extensors (p < 0.001, and a positive correlation between age and the degree of thoracic kyphosis (r = 0.58; p < 0.001. The elderly group presented higher values for the eccentric/concentric ratio of the peak torque for flexors (p = 0.03 and extensors (p = 0.02.CONCLUSION: This study suggests that physiological aging may be associated with a greater degree of thoracic kyphosis and lower muscle strength of the trunk flexors and extensors. Moreover, the elderly women showed a relative capacity for preservation of eccentric strength.

Determination of the diagnostic x-ray tube practical peak voltage (PPV) from average or average peak voltage measurements

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hourdakis, C J, E-mail: khour@gaec.gr [Ionizing Radiation Calibration Laboratory-Greek Atomic Energy Commission, PO Box 60092, 15310 Agia Paraskevi, Athens, Attiki (Greece)

2011-04-07

The practical peak voltage (PPV) has been adopted as the reference measuring quantity for the x-ray tube voltage. However, the majority of commercial kV-meter models measure the average peak, U-bar{sub P}, the average, U-bar, the effective, U{sub eff} or the maximum peak, U{sub P} tube voltage. This work proposed a method for determination of the PPV from measurements with a kV-meter that measures the average U-bar or the average peak, U-bar{sub p} voltage. The kV-meter reading can be converted to the PPV by applying appropriate calibration coefficients and conversion factors. The average peak k{sub PPV,kVp} and the average k{sub PPV,Uav} conversion factors were calculated from virtual voltage waveforms for conventional diagnostic radiology (50-150 kV) and mammography (22-35 kV) tube voltages and for voltage ripples from 0% to 100%. Regression equation and coefficients provide the appropriate conversion factors at any given tube voltage and ripple. The influence of voltage waveform irregularities, like 'spikes' and pulse amplitude variations, on the conversion factors was investigated and discussed. The proposed method and the conversion factors were tested using six commercial kV-meters at several x-ray units. The deviations between the reference and the calculated - according to the proposed method - PPV values were less than 2%. Practical aspects on the voltage ripple measurement were addressed and discussed. The proposed method provides a rigorous base to determine the PPV with kV-meters from U-bar{sub p} and U-bar measurement. Users can benefit, since all kV-meters, irrespective of their measuring quantity, can be used to determine the PPV, complying with the IEC standard requirements.

Knee joint moments during high flexion movements: Timing of peak moments and the effect of safety footwear.

Science.gov (United States)

Chong, Helen C; Tennant, Liana M; Kingston, David C; Acker, Stacey M

2017-03-01

(1) Characterize knee joint moments and peak knee flexion moment timing during kneeling transitions, with the intent of identifying high-risk postures. (2) Determine whether safety footwear worn by kneeling workers (construction workers, tile setters, masons, roofers) alters high flexion kneeling mechanics. Fifteen males performed high flexion kneeling transitions. Kinetics and kinematics were analyzed for differences in ascent and descent in the lead and trail legs. Mean±standard deviation peak external knee adduction and flexion moments during transitions ranged from 1.01±0.31 to 2.04±0.66% body weight times height (BW∗Ht) and from 3.33 to 12.6% BW∗Ht respectively. The lead leg experienced significantly higher adduction moments compared to the trail leg during descent, when work boots were worn (interaction, p=0.005). There was a main effect of leg (higher lead vs. trail) on the internal rotation moment in both descent (p=0.0119) and ascent (p=0.0129) phases. Peak external knee adduction moments during transitions did not exceed those exhibited during level walking, thus increased knee adduction moment magnitude is likely not a main factor in the development of knee OA in occupational kneelers. Additionally, work boots only significantly increased the adduction moment in the lead leg during descent. In cases where one knee is painful, diseased, or injured, the unaffected knee should be used as the lead leg during asymmetric bilateral kneeling. Peak flexion moments occurred at flexion angles above the maximum flexion angle exhibited during walking (approximately 60°), supporting the theory that the loading of atypical surfaces may aid disease development or progression. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Hubbert's Oil Peak Revisited by a Simulation Model

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Giraud, P.N.; Sutter, A.; Denis, T.; Leonard, C.

2010-01-01

As conventional oil reserves are declining, the debate on the oil production peak has become a burning issue. An increasing number of papers refer to Hubbert's peak oil theory to forecast the date of the production peak, both at regional and world levels. However, in our views, this theory lacks micro-economic foundations. Notably, it does not assume that exploration and production decisions in the oil industry depend on market prices. In an attempt to overcome these shortcomings, we have built an adaptative model, accounting for the behavior of one agent, standing for the competitive exploration-production industry, subjected to incomplete but improving information on the remaining reserves. Our work yields challenging results on the reasons for an Hubbert type peak oil, lying mainly 'above the ground', both at regional and world levels, and on the shape of the production and marginal cost trajectories. (authors)

Impacts of Using Distributed Energy Resources to Reduce Peak Loads in Vermont

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ruth, Mark F. [National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Lunacek, Monte S. [National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Jones, Birk [Univ. of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM (United States); Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)

2017-11-28

To help the United States develop a modern electricity grid that provides reliable power from multiple resources as well as resiliency under extreme conditions, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is leading the Grid Modernization Initiative (GMI) to help shape the future of the nation's grid. Under the GMI, DOE funded the Vermont Regional Initiative project to provide the technical support and analysis to utilities that need to mitigate possible impacts of increasing renewable generation required by statewide goals. Advanced control of distributed energy resources (DER) can both support higher penetrations of renewable energy by balancing controllable loads to wind and photovoltaic (PV) solar generation and reduce peak demand by shedding noncritical loads. This work focuses on the latter. This document reports on an experiment that evaluated and quantified the potential benefits and impacts of reducing the peak load through demand response (DR) using centrally controllable electric water heaters (EWHs) and batteries on two Green Mountain Power (GMP) feeders. The experiment simulated various hypothetical scenarios that varied the number of controllable EWHs, the amount of distributed PV systems, and the number of distributed residential batteries. The control schemes were designed with several objectives. For the first objective, the primary simulations focused on reducing the load during the independent system operator (ISO) peak when capacity charges were the primary concern. The second objective was to mitigate DR rebound to avoid new peak loads and high ramp rates. The final objective was to minimize customers' discomfort, which is defined by the lack of hot water when it is needed. We performed the simulations using the National Renewable Energy Laboratory's (NREL's) Integrated Energy System Model (IESM) because it can simulate both electric power distribution feeder and appliance end use performance and it includes the ability to simulate

Particle transport analysis in lower hybrid current drive discharges of JT-60U

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nagashima, K.; Ide, S.; Naito, O.

1996-01-01

Particle transport is modified in lower hybrid current drive discharges of JT-60U. The density profile becomes broad during the lower hybrid wave injection and the profile change depends on the injected wave spectrum. Particle transport coefficients (diffusion coefficient and profile peaking factor) were evaluated using gas-puff modulation experiments. The diffusion coefficient in the current drive discharges is about three times larger than in the ohmic discharges. The profile peaking factor decreases in the current drive discharges and the evaluated values are consistent with the measured density profiles. (author)

Peak-load pricing in two-step-modeling of power generation and transmission

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Korunig, Jens-Holger

2005-01-01

For the use of electric current transmission and distribution networks, which represent a monopolistic bottleneck, are inevitable. In the context of the liberalization of the current markets vertical separation is possible to create a competitive generator market and separated current transmission and distribution networks, which can made be available to the same conditions to all potential net users. A private, independent network carrier, however, would arrange its net from the interest of profit: He would dimension the net probably smaller and would try to orientate the transmission prices to the actual costs. From the point of view of the system operator as well as from the economic point of view time-dependent transmission prices are preferable at the sight of periodically changing demand. The question, which arises thereby, is, to what extent the property structure affects prices and quantities for the current transmission and which property structure under economical aspects (maximization of the welfare, ...) represents the best. It is to be expected, that with a higher degree of competition a higher efficiency and a larger social welfare are obtained. This is to be analysed in a two-stage model with period-dependent demand and modelling both the power generation and the transmission sector regarding different property structures. Different types of market are assumed both on the production and on the distribution stage. Those market results are examined on their welfare effects. This is to accompany with a realistic modelling above all the network area, which represents further (in contrast to the power generation) a natural monopoly: A natural monopoly has compellingly sub additive cost functions. The net sector (and in a further step also the power generation) is to be modelled with decreasing average and marginal costs (current research task). If one permits each behaviour, an enterprise, which possesses this natural monopoly, will extract monopolist

Characteristic of 120 degree C thermoluminescence peak of iceland spar

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lu Xinwei; Han Jia

2006-01-01

The basic characteristic of 120 degree C thermoluminescence peak of iceland spar was studied. The experimental result indicates the longevity of 120 degree C thermoluminescence peak of iceland spar is about 2 h under 30 degree C. The thermoluminescence peak moves to the high temperature when the heating speed increasing. The intensity of 120 degree C thermoluminescence peak of iceland spar is directly proportional to radiation dose under 15 Gy. (authors)

Neutron-induced peaks in Ge detectors from evaporation neutrons

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gete, E.; Measday, D.F.; Moftah, B.A.; Saliba, M.A.; Stocki, T.J.

1997-01-01

We have studied the peak shapes at 596 and 691 keV resulting from fast neutron interactions inside germanium detectors. We have used neutrons from a 252 Cf source, as well as from the 28 Si(μ - , nν), and 209 Bi(π - , xn) reactions to compare the peaks and to check for a dependence of peak shape on the incoming neutron energy. In our investigation, no difference between these three measurements has been observed. In a comparison of these peak shapes with other studies, we found similar results to ours except for those measurements using monoenergetic neutrons in which a significant variation with neutron energy has been observed. (orig.)

Improving the peak power density estimation for the DNBR trip signal

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moreira, Joao M. L.; Souza, Rose Mary G.P.

2002-01-01

The departure from nucleate boiling (DNB) core protection in PWR reactors is usually carried out through the over temperature trip or the instantaneous minimum DNB ratio (DNBR) trip. The protection is obtained through specialized correlations or fast digital computer simulators that infer the core power level, and local coolant thermal and flow conditions out of process variables furnished by the instrumentation. The power density distribution information is usually expressed in terms of F q , the power peak factor, and its location. F q , in its turn, can be determined through the control rod position or, more often, through the power axial offset (AO) F q =f (AO, control rod positions). The AO, defined as the difference between upper and lower long ion chambers signals, is supplied for each channel by separate sets of out-of-core detectors positioned 90 or 120 degrees apart in plan. The AO is given by AO=(S t -S b )/(S t +S b ) where S t and S b are the out-of-core signals from the top and the bottom sections, respectively. In current PWRs a large penalty is imposed to the result of the first equation, because of the difficult of inferring with good accuracy the peak factor from the AO obtained from the out-of-core instrumentation. This ends up reducing the plant capacity factor. In this work, the f function in the first equation, which correlates the power peak factor with the axial offset yielded by out-of-core detectors and control rod positions, is obtained through a combination of specific experiments in the IPEN/MB-01 zero-power reactor and calculation results. For improving the peak factor estimation, it is necessary to consider accurately the response of the out-of-core detectors to different power density distribution in the core. This task is not easily accomplished through calculation due to the difficulties involved in the necessary neutron transport treatment for the out-of-core detector responses

Solar cells from 120 PPMA carbon-contaminated feedstock without significantly higher reverse current or shunt

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Manshanden, P.; Coletti, G. [ECN Solar Energy, Petten (Netherlands)

2012-09-15

In a bid to drive down the cost of silicon wafers, several options for solar grade silicon feedstock have been investigated over the years. All methods have in common that the resulting silicon contains higher levels of impurities like dopants, oxygen, carbon or transition metals, the type and level of impurities depending on the raw materials and refining processes. In this work wafers from a p-type mc-Si ingot made with feedstock contaminated with 120 ppma of carbon have been processed into solar cells together with reference uncontaminated feedstock from semiconductor grade polysilicon with <0.4 ppma carbon. The results show that comparable reverse current, shunts, and efficiencies can be reached for both types of wafers. Gettering and defect hydrogenation effectiveness also did not deviate from the reference. Electroluminescence pictures do not show increased hotspot formation, even at -16V.

Probabilistic peak detection for first-order chromatographic data

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Lopatka, M.; Vivó-Truyols, G.; Sjerps, M.J.

2014-01-01

We present a novel algorithm for probabilistic peak detection in first-order chromatographic data. Unlike conventional methods that deliver a binary answer pertaining to the expected presence or absence of a chromatographic peak, our method calculates the probability of a point being affected by

Current State of the Art: Management of Higher Risk Myelodysplastic Syndromes.

Science.gov (United States)

Komrokji, Rami S

2016-08-01

The higher risk myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) patients, defined by the International Prognostic Scoring System (IPSS) as intermediate-2 or high-risk groups, compromise a third of MDS patients who have an expected survival of less than 1.5 years. Our ability to better define higher risk MDS improved with the proposal of new clinical risk models such as the revised IPSS and by integration of molecular data, including somatic gene mutations. Allogeneic hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation (AHSCT) remains the only curative option. In higher risk MDS patients, proceeding early with AHSCT is associated with maximum survival gain. The decision to pursue AHSCT is individualized according to disease risk, comorbidities, and functional status. The role of therapy before AHSCT remains controversial, and the role of post-AHSCT maintenance is evolving. Hypomethylating agents are the only medications that alter the natural history of the disease. Azacitidine is the only drug reported to improve overall survival in higher risk MDS patients. Appropriate use and assessment of response is key for assuring patients benefit of such limited options. Treatment after failure of hypomethylating agents is an unmet need. The role of detectable somatic gene mutations in prognosis and tailoring therapy continue to emerge. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The environmental impacts of peaking at hydropower plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Halleraker, Jo Halvard

2001-01-01

A recent energy act in Norway allows hydropower plants to be operated so that hydro peaking is permitted. However, it is uncertain how fish react to the variations in discharge and depth that follow hydro peaking. SINTEF Energy Research is cooperating with other research institutions to investigate the consequences of these variations on the biota. Among the research tools is an aqua channel which is an indoor laboratory flume where fish behaviour can be studied in detail. It has been constructed to provide the hydropower industry and public authorities with means of better determining the effects of hydro peaking. (author)

ASPeak: an abundance sensitive peak detection algorithm for RIP-Seq.

Science.gov (United States)

Kucukural, Alper; Özadam, Hakan; Singh, Guramrit; Moore, Melissa J; Cenik, Can

2013-10-01

Unlike DNA, RNA abundances can vary over several orders of magnitude. Thus, identification of RNA-protein binding sites from high-throughput sequencing data presents unique challenges. Although peak identification in ChIP-Seq data has been extensively explored, there are few bioinformatics tools tailored for peak calling on analogous datasets for RNA-binding proteins. Here we describe ASPeak (abundance sensitive peak detection algorithm), an implementation of an algorithm that we previously applied to detect peaks in exon junction complex RNA immunoprecipitation in tandem experiments. Our peak detection algorithm yields stringent and robust target sets enabling sensitive motif finding and downstream functional analyses. ASPeak is implemented in Perl as a complete pipeline that takes bedGraph files as input. ASPeak implementation is freely available at https://sourceforge.net/projects/as-peak under the GNU General Public License. ASPeak can be run on a personal computer, yet is designed to be easily parallelizable. ASPeak can also run on high performance computing clusters providing efficient speedup. The documentation and user manual can be obtained from http://master.dl.sourceforge.net/project/as-peak/manual.pdf.

Effects of peatland drainage management on peak flows

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

C. E. Ballard

2012-07-01

Full Text Available Open ditch drainage has historically been a common land management practice in upland blanket peats, particularly in the UK. However, peatland drainage is now generally considered to have adverse effects on the upland environment, including increased peak flows. As a result, drain blocking has become a common management strategy in the UK over recent years, although there is only anecdotal evidence to suggest that this might decrease peak flows. The change in the hydrological regime associated with the drainage of blanket peat and the subsequent blocking of drains is poorly understood, therefore a new physics-based model has been developed that allows the exploration of the associated hydrological processes. A series of simulations is used to explore the response of intact, drained and blocked drain sites at field scales. While drainage is generally found to increase peak flows, the effect of drain blocking appears to be dependent on local conditions, sometimes decreasing and sometimes increasing peak flows. Based on insights from these simulations we identify steep smooth drains as those that would experience the greatest reduction in field-scale peak flows if blocked and recommend that future targeted field studies should be focused on examining surface runoff characteristics.

Automatic fitting of Gaussian peaks using abductive machine learning

Science.gov (United States)

Abdel-Aal, R. E.

1998-02-01

Analytical techniques have been used for many years for fitting Gaussian peaks in nuclear spectroscopy. However, the complexity of the approach warrants looking for machine-learning alternatives where intensive computations are required only once (during training), while actual analysis on individual spectra is greatly simplified and quickened. This should allow the use of simple portable systems for fast and automated analysis of large numbers of spectra, particularly in situations where accuracy may be traded for speed and simplicity. This paper proposes the use of abductive networks machine learning for this purpose. The Abductory Induction Mechanism (AIM) tool was used to build models for analyzing both single and double Gaussian peaks in the presence of noise depicting statistical uncertainties in collected spectra. AIM networks were synthesized by training on 1000 representative simulated spectra and evaluated on 500 new spectra. A classifier network determines the multiplicity of single/double peaks with an accuracy of 5.8%. With statistical uncertainties corresponding to a peak count of 100, average percentage absolute errors for the height, position, and width of single peaks are 4.9, 2.9, and 4.2%, respectively. For double peaks, these average errors are within 7.0, 3.1, and 5.9%, respectively. Models have been developed which account for the effect of a linear background on a single peak. Performance is compared with a neural network application and with an analytical curve-fitting routine, and the new technique is applied to actual data of an alpha spectrum.

Automatic fitting of Gaussian peaks using abductive machine learning

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abdel-Aal, R.E.

1998-01-01

Analytical techniques have been used for many years for fitting Gaussian peaks in nuclear spectroscopy. However, the complexity of the approach warrants looking for machine-learning alternatives where intensive computations are required only once (during training), while actual analysis on individual spectra is greatly simplified and quickened. This should allow the use of simple portable systems for fast and automated analysis of large numbers of spectra, particularly in situations where accuracy may be traded for speed and simplicity. This paper proposes the use of abductive networks machine learning for this purpose. The Abductory Induction Mechanism (AIM) tool was used to build models for analyzing both single and double Gaussian peaks in the presence of noise depicting statistical uncertainties in collected spectra. AIM networks were synthesized by training on 1,000 representative simulated spectra and evaluated on 500 new spectra. A classifier network determines the multiplicity of single/double peaks with an accuracy of 98%. With statistical uncertainties corresponding to a peak count of 100, average percentage absolute errors for the height, position, and width of single peaks are 4.9, 2.9, and 4.2%, respectively. For double peaks, these average errors are within 7.0, 3.1, and 5.9%, respectively. Models have been developed which account for the effect of a linear background on a single peak. Performance is compared with a neural network application and with an analytical curve-fitting routine, and the new technique is applied to actual data of an alpha spectrum

Similarities between normal- and super-currents in topological insulator magnetic tunnel junctions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Soodchomshom, Bumned; Chantngarm, Peerasak

2010-01-01

This work compares the normal-current in a NM/Fi/NM junction with the super-current in a SC/Fi/SC junction, where both are topological insulator systems. NM and Fi are normal region and ferromagnetic region of thickness d with exchange energy m playing a role of the mass of the Dirac electrons and with the gate voltage V G , respectively. SC is superconducting region induced by a s-wave superconductor. We show that, interestingly, the critical super-current passing through a SC/Fi/SC junction behaves quite similar to the normal-current passing through a NM/Fi/NM junction. The normal-current and super-current exhibit N-peak oscillation, found when currents are plotted as a function of the magnetic barrier strength χ ∼ md/hv F . With the barrier strength Z ∼ V G d/hv F , the number of peaks N is determined through the relation Z ∼ Nπ + σπ (with 0 < σ≤1 for χ < Z). The normal- and the super-currents also exhibit oscillating with the same height for all of peaks, corresponding to the Dirac fermion tunneling behavior. These anomalous oscillating currents due to the interplay between gate voltage and magnetic field in the barrier were not found in graphene-based NM/Fi/NM and SC/Fi/SC junctions. This is due to the different magnetic effect between the Dirac fermions in topological insulator and graphene.

The modified relaxation time function: A novel analysis technique for relaxation processes. Application to high-temperature molybdenum internal friction peaks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Matteo, C.L.; Lambri, O.A.; Zelada-Lambri, G.I.; Sorichetti, P.A.; Garcia, J.A.

2008-01-01

The modified relaxation time (MRT) function, which is based on a general linear viscoelastic formalism, has several important mathematical properties that greatly simplify the analysis of relaxation processes. In this work, the MRT is applied to the study of the relaxation damping peaks in deformed molybdenum at high temperatures. The dependence of experimental data from these relaxation processes with temperature are adequately described by a Havriliak-Negami (HN) function, and the MRT makes it possible to find a relation between the parameters of the HN function and the activation energy of the process. The analysis reveals that for the relaxation peak appearing at temperatures below 900 K, the physical mechanism is related to a vacancy-diffusion-controlled movement of dislocations. In contrast, when the peak appears at temperatures higher than 900 K, the damping is controlled by a mechanism of diffusion in the low-temperature tail of the peak, and in the high-temperature tail of the peak the creation plus diffusion of vacancies at the dislocation line occurs

Prediction of peak overlap in NMR spectra

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hefke, Frederik; Schmucki, Roland; Güntert, Peter

2013-01-01

Peak overlap is one of the major factors complicating the analysis of biomolecular NMR spectra. We present a general method for predicting the extent of peak overlap in multidimensional NMR spectra and its validation using both, experimental data sets and Monte Carlo simulation. The method is based on knowledge of the magnetization transfer pathways of the NMR experiments and chemical shift statistics from the Biological Magnetic Resonance Data Bank. Assuming a normal distribution with characteristic mean value and standard deviation for the chemical shift of each observable atom, an analytic expression was derived for the expected overlap probability of the cross peaks. The analytical approach was verified to agree with the average peak overlap in a large number of individual peak lists simulated using the same chemical shift statistics. The method was applied to eight proteins, including an intrinsically disordered one, for which the prediction results could be compared with the actual overlap based on the experimentally measured chemical shifts. The extent of overlap predicted using only statistical chemical shift information was in good agreement with the overlap that was observed when the measured shifts were used in the virtual spectrum, except for the intrinsically disordered protein. Since the spectral complexity of a protein NMR spectrum is a crucial factor for protein structure determination, analytical overlap prediction can be used to identify potentially difficult proteins before conducting NMR experiments. Overlap predictions can be tailored to particular classes of proteins by preparing statistics from corresponding protein databases. The method is also suitable for optimizing recording parameters and labeling schemes for NMR experiments and improving the reliability of automated spectra analysis and protein structure determination.

Experimental study on magnetically insulated transmission line electrode surface evolution process under MA/cm current density

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhang, PengFei; Qiu, Aici [State Key Laboratory of Electrical Insulation and Power Equipment, Xi' an Jiaotong University, Xi' an 710049 (China); State Key Laboratory of Intense Pulse Radiation of Simulation and Effect, Northwest Institute of Nuclear Technology, Xi' an 710024 (China); Hu, Yang; Yang, HaiLiang; Sun, Jiang; Wang, Liangping; Cong, Peitian [State Key Laboratory of Intense Pulse Radiation of Simulation and Effect, Northwest Institute of Nuclear Technology, Xi' an 710024 (China)

2016-03-15

The design of high-current density magnetically insulated transmission line (MITL) is a difficult problem of current large-scale Z-pinch device. In particular, a thorough understanding of the MITL electrode surface evolution process under high current density is lacking. On the “QiangGuang-I” accelerator, the load area possesses a low inductance short-circuit structure with a diameter of 2.85 mm at the cathode, and three reflux columns with a diameter of 3 mm and uniformly distributed circumference at the anode. The length of the high density MITL area is 20 mm. A laser interferometer is used to assess and analyze the state of the MITL cathode and anode gap, and their evolution process under high current density. Experimental results indicate that evident current loss is not observed in the current density area at pulse leading edge, and peak when the surface current density reaches MA/cm. Analysis on electrode surface working conditions indicates that when the current leading edge is at 71.5% of the peak, the total evaporation of MITL cathode structure can be realized by energy deposition caused by ohmic heating. The electrode state changes, and diffusion conditions are reflected in the laser interferometer image. The MITL cathode area mainly exists in metal vapor form. The metal vapor density in the cathode central region is higher than the upper limit of laser penetration density (∼4 × 10{sup 21}/cm{sup 3}), with an expansion velocity of ∼0.96 km/s. The metal vapor density in the electrode outer area may lead to evident distortion of fringes, and its expansion velocity is faster than that in the center area (1.53 km/s).

A new automatic fixed peak technology of microcontroller

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Huang Liguo; Wang Dequan; Zhang Damin; Li Jun; Liu Yuwen; Guo Qingxue; Wang Guifeng

1999-01-01

The microcontroller automatic fixed peak technology which differs from fashion half channel fixed peak is described. It bases on the principles of selecting double single channel and readjusting the voltage of power source. This technology is suitable to the industrial isotope instruments with various radioactive sources

TSD current investigations in pristine and 100 MeV Ni-ion irradiated PET/0.3 PHB polymer liquid crystal

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Quamara, J.K.; Singh, Nafa; Prabhavathi, T.; Sridharbabu, Y.

2002-01-01

The dielectric relaxations investigations have been carried out in pristine as well as 100 MeV 58 Ni ion irradiated (PELLETRON facility, Nuclear Science Center, New Delhi) PET/0.3 PHB PLC samples. Thermally stimulated depolarization current technique (TSDC) has been employed for this purpose. The plc samples were polarized at 180 deg C under the influence of various polarizing fields following the usual method. Three current maxima are observed around 35deg, 120deg and 155degC which are ascribed as β', β and α transitions. These transitions are mainly due to the fast reacting dipoles of PHB regions, dipolar character due to carbonyl groups in PET rich phase and to the cold crystallization of PET. The results confirm the biphasic nature of this plc. The high energy irradiation influences both β and α transitions. Increase in fluence shifts the β peak as well as α peak towards higher temperature. This confirms that high energy irradiation has not only affected the carbonyl groups but has created new phases. (author)

Scheduling Non-Preemptible Jobs to Minimize Peak Demand

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sean Yaw

2017-10-01

Full Text Available This paper examines an important problem in smart grid energy scheduling; peaks in power demand are proportionally more expensive to generate and provision for. The issue is exacerbated in local microgrids that do not benefit from the aggregate smoothing experienced by large grids. Demand-side scheduling can reduce these peaks by taking advantage of the fact that there is often flexibility in job start times. We focus attention on the case where the jobs are non-preemptible, meaning once started, they run to completion. The associated optimization problem is called the peak demand minimization problem, and has been previously shown to be NP-hard. Our results include an optimal fixed-parameter tractable algorithm, a polynomial-time approximation algorithm, as well as an effective heuristic that can also be used in an online setting of the problem. Simulation results show that these methods can reduce peak demand by up to 50% versus on-demand scheduling for household power jobs.

The sharp peak-flat trough pattern and critical speculation

OpenAIRE

Roehner, B. M.; Sornette, D.

1998-01-01

We find empirically a characteristic sharp peak-flat trough pattern in a large set of commodity prices. We argue that the sharp peak structure reflects an endogenous inter-market organization, and that peaks may be seen as local ``singularities'' resulting from imitation and herding. These findings impose a novel stringent constraint on the construction of models. Intermittent amplification is not sufficient and nonlinear effects seem necessary to account for the observations.

Design and initial tests of beam current monitoring systems for the APS transport lines

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, Xucheng.

1992-01-01

The non-intercepting beam current monitoring systems suitable for a wide, range of beam parameters have been developed for the Advanced Photon Source (APS) low energy transport lines and high energy transport line. The positron or electron beam pulse in the transport lines wig have peak beam currents ranging from 8 mA to 29 A with pulse widths varying from 120 ps to 30 ns and pulse repetition rates from 2 Hz to 60 Hz. The peak beam current or total beam charge is measured with the fast or integrating current transformer, respectively, manufactured by Bergoz. In-house high speed beam signal processing electronics provide a DC level output proportional to the peak current or total charge for the digitizer input. The prototype systems were tested on the linacs which have beam pulse structures similar to that of the APS transport lines. This paper describes the design of beam signal processing electronics and grounding and shielding methods for current transformers. The results of the initial operations are presented. A short introduction on the preliminary design of current monitoring systems for the APS rings is also included

Push-pull converter with energy saving circuit for protecting switching transistors from peak power stress

Science.gov (United States)

Mclyman, W. T. (Inventor)

1981-01-01

In a push-pull converter, switching transistors are protected from peak power stresses by a separate snubber circuit in parallel with each comprising a capacitor and an inductor in series, and a diode in parallel with the inductor. The diode is connected to conduct current of the same polarity as the base-emitter juction of the transistor so that energy stored in the capacitor while the transistor is switched off, to protect it against peak power stress, discharges through the inductor when the transistor is turned on, and after the capacitor is discharges through the diode. To return this energy to the power supply, or to utilize this energy in some external circuit, the inductor may be replaced by a transformer having its secondary winding connected to the power supply or to the external circuit.

Effects of Mass Ablation on the Scaling of X-Ray Power with Current in Wire-Array Z Pinches

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lemke, R. W.; Sinars, D. B.; Waisman, E. M.; Cuneo, M. E.; Yu, E. P.; Haill, T. A.; Hanshaw, H. L.; Brunner, T. A.; Jennings, C. A.; Stygar, W. A.; Desjarlais, M. P.; Mehlhorn, T. A.; Porter, J. L.

2009-01-01

X-ray production by imploding wire-array Z pinches is studied using radiation magnetohydrodynamics simulation. It is found that the density distribution created by ablating wire material influences both x-ray power production, and how the peak power scales with applied current. For a given array there is an optimum ablation rate that maximizes the peak x-ray power, and produces the strongest scaling of peak power with peak current. This work is consistent with trends in wire-array Z pinch x-ray power scaling experiments on the Z accelerator

Between Two Worlds: Twin Peaks and the Film/Television Divide

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Siobhan Lyons

2017-04-01

Full Text Available In 1992, the year David Lynch’s cult television series 'Twin Peaks' was pulled off air, Lynch released the film 'Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me', a prequel to the television series which filled in some of the gaps left from the series finale cliff-hanger. The film was received with unanimously negative reviews from critics and fans alike, condemning both its subtle and obvious deviations from the series and its inclusion of the character Laura Palmer, whose absence was a crucial narrative device at the centre of 'Twin Peaks'. In film form, the 'Twin Peaks' narrative suffers from thematic inconsistencies and aesthetic deviations. The scope of 'Twin Peaks' seems much more capable in the setting of television and its gradual, episodic set-up. In recent years, however, with the announcement of a revival of the series, retrospective analysis of 'Fire Walk with Me' has become more positive, and the film has also become an integral part of the overall 'Twin Peaks' canon. Nevertheless, the transition from television to film in the case of 'Twin Peaks' has remained a point of fan and scholarly controversy, with issues of continuity, narrative and aesthetics between the two different mediums continually being addressed and compared. In light of the news that the new season of 'Twin Peaks' is set to be released in 2017, this article examines the significance of 'Fire Walk with Me' as a cinematic counterpart and prequel to the original series, and how this has helped shape – whether positively or not – the overall narrative of 'Twin Peaks'.

Investigating the impact of land cover change on peak river flow in UK upland peat catchments, based on modelled scenarios

Science.gov (United States)

Gao, Jihui; Holden, Joseph; Kirkby, Mike

2014-05-01

Changes to land cover can influence the velocity of overland flow. In headwater peatlands, saturation means that overland flow is a dominant source of runoff, particularly during heavy rainfall events. Human modifications in headwater peatlands may include removal of vegetation (e.g. by erosion processes, fire, pollution, overgrazing) or pro-active revegetation of peat with sedges such as Eriophorum or mosses such as Sphagnum. How these modifications affect the river flow, and in particular the flood peak, in headwater peatlands is a key problem for land management. In particular, the impact of the spatial distribution of land cover change (e.g. different locations and sizes of land cover change area) on river flow is not clear. In this presentation a new fully distributed version of TOPMODEL, which represents the effects of distributed land cover change on river discharge, was employed to investigate land cover change impacts in three UK upland peat catchments (Trout Beck in the North Pennines, the Wye in mid-Wales and the East Dart in southwest England). Land cover scenarios with three typical land covers (i.e. Eriophorum, Sphagnum and bare peat) having different surface roughness in upland peatlands were designed for these catchments to investigate land cover impacts on river flow through simulation runs of the distributed model. As a result of hypothesis testing three land cover principles emerged from the work as follows: Principle (1): Well vegetated buffer strips are important for reducing flow peaks. A wider bare peat strip nearer to the river channel gives a higher flow peak and reduces the delay to peak; conversely, a wider buffer strip with higher density vegetation (e.g. Sphagnum) leads to a lower peak and postpones the peak. In both cases, a narrower buffer strip surrounding upstream and downstream channels has a greater effect than a thicker buffer strip just based around the downstream river network. Principle (2): When the area of change is equal

Managing peak loads in energy grids: Comparative economic analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhuk, A.; Zeigarnik, Yu.; Buzoverov, E.; Sheindlin, A.

2016-01-01

One of the key issues in modern energy technology is managing the imbalance between the generated power and the load, particularly during times of peak demand. The increasing use of renewable energy sources makes this problem even more acute. Various existing technologies, including stationary battery energy storage systems (BESS), can be employed to provide additional power during peak demand times. In the future, integration of on-board batteries of the growing fleet of electric vehicles (EV) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV) into the grid can provide power during peak demand hours (vehicle-to-grid, or V2G technology). This work provides cost estimates of managing peak energy demands using traditional technologies, such as maneuverable power plants, conventional hydroelectric, pumped storage plants and peaker generators, as well as BESS and V2G technologies. The derived estimates provide both per kWh and kW year of energy supplied to the grid. The analysis demonstrates that the use of battery storage is economically justified for short peak demand periods of <1 h. For longer durations, the most suitable technology remains the use of maneuverable steam gas power plants, gas turbine,reciprocating gas engine peaker generators, conventional hydroelectric, pumped storage plants. - Highlights: • Cost of managing peak energy demand employing different technologies are estimated. • Traditional technologies, stationary battery storage and V2G are compared. • Battery storage is economically justified for peak demand periods of <1 h. • V2G appears to have better efficiency than stationary battery storage in low voltage power grids.

Psychological Preparation for Peak Performance in Sports Competition

Science.gov (United States)