WorldWideScience

Sample records for impact extended investigation

  1. Impacts of extended working hours in logging

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dana Mitchell; Tom Gallagher

    2008-01-01

    Last year at the 2007 AIM in Minneapolis, MN, the authors presented the human factors impacts to consider when implementing extended working hours in the logging industry. In a continuation of this project, we have researched existing literature to identify possible actions that logging business owners can take to reduce the impact of extended working hours on their...

  2. Extending Impact Analysis in Government Social Media Research

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Medaglia, Rony; Zheng, Lei

    2017-01-01

    of this phenomenon, and falls short of investigating the impacts that these dimensions have on each other. Drawing on a revised framework for classifying existing social media research foci in the categories of management, context, user behavior, user characteristics, platform properties, and effects, we present......The use of social media by governments is a complex phenomenon that touches upon multiple dimensions, and that involves a wide array of relationships between these dimensions. Existing empirical research on government social media, however, is still mostly focusing on describing isolated aspects...... five empirical cases to illustrate impacts between dimensions of government social media. The empirical findings from the cases extend impact analysis beyond the existing foci, and enable us to propose a research agenda for future research on impacts in government social media....

  3. The impact of extended half-life versus conventional factor product on hemophilia caregiver burden.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schwartz, Carolyn E; Powell, Victoria E; Su, Jun; Zhang, Jie; Eldar-Lissai, Adi

    2018-05-01

    Extended half-life factor products have reduced annualized bleeding rates in hemophilia patients. The impact of extended half-life versus conventional factor products on hemophilia caregiver burden has not been investigated. This study aimed to evaluate caregiver burden in extended half-life versus conventional factor products for hemophilia A and B. This cross-sectional web-based study of caregivers of people with hemophilia A or B was recruited from a panel research company and by word of mouth. Participants completed the Hemophilia Caregiver Impact measure, the PedsQL Family Impact Module (PedsQL), and the Work Productivity and Activity Impairment Questionnaire (WPAI). We also collected demographic, insurance coverage, and medical information related to the hemophilia patient(s). Burden differences were assessed using linear regression and matched cohort analyses. The sample (n = 448) included 49 people who were caring for people on extended half-life factor products. Worse caregiver burden was associated with more infusions per week and more bleeds in the past 6 months. Regression analyses suggested that caring for someone who is on a extended half-life factor product is associated with lower emotional impact (β = - 0.11, p factor product had lower Emotional Impact and Practical Impact scores (t = - 2.95 and - 2.94, respectively, p factor product infusions of extended half-life factor products appears to reduce the emotional distress and practical burden of caregiving. Future work should evaluate the longitudinal impact.

  4. SIMS analysis of extended impact features on LDEF experiment

    Science.gov (United States)

    Amari, S.; Foote, J.; Jessberger, E. K.; Simon, C.; Stadermann, F. J.; Swan, P.; Walker, R.; Zinner, E.

    1991-01-01

    Discussed here are the first Secondary Ion Mass Spectroscopy (SIMS) analysis of projectile material deposited in extended impact features on Ge wafers from the trailing edge. Although most capture cells lost their plastic film covers, they contain extended impact features that apparently were produced by high velocity impacts when the plastic foils were still intact. Detailed optical scanning of all bare capture cells from the trailing edge revealed more than 100 impacts. Fifty-eight were selected by scanning electron microscope (SEM) inspection as prime candidates for SIMS analysis. Preliminary SIMS measurements were made on 15 impacts. More than half showed substantial enhancements of Mg, Al, Si, Ca, and Fe in the impact region, indicating micrometeorites as the projectiles.

  5. Extended working hours: Impacts on workers

    Science.gov (United States)

    D. Mitchell; T. Gallagher

    2010-01-01

    Some logging business owners are trying to manage their equipment assets by increasing the scheduled machine hours. The intent is to maximize the total tons produced by a set of equipment. This practice is referred to as multi-shifting, double-shifting, or extended working hours. One area often overlooked is the impact that working non-traditional hours can have on...

  6. Origin, extend and health impacts of air pollution in Sub-Saharan Africa

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bauer, Susanne E.; Mezuman, Keren; Longo, Karla; da Silva, Arlindo

    2017-04-01

    Southern Africa produces about a third of the Earth's biomass burning aerosol particles, yet the fate of these particles, their origin, chemical composition and their influence on regional and global climate is poorly understood. These research questions motivated the NASA field campaign ORACLES (ObseRvations of Aerosols above CLouds and their intEractionS). ORACLES is a five year investigation with three Intensive Observation Periods (IOP) designed to study key processes that determine the climate impacts of African biomass burning aerosols. The first IOP has been carried out in 2016. The main focus of the field campaign are aerosol-cloud interactions, however in our first study related to this area we will investigate the aerosol plume itself, its origin, extend and its resulting health impacts. Here we will discuss results using the global mesoscale model NASA GEOS-5 in conjunction with the NASA GISS-E2 climate model to investigate climate and health impacts that are directly related to the anthropogenic fire activities in Sub-Saharan Africa. Focus will be on the SH winter seasons biomass burning events, its contribution to Sub-Saharan air pollution in relationship to other air-pollution sources and its resulting premature mortality.

  7. Physiological and psychological impacts of extended work hours in logging operations

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dana Mitchell; Tom Gallagher

    2007-01-01

    A study was initiated in 2006 to develop an understanding of the considerations of using extended work hours in the logging industry in the southeastern United States. Through semistructured interviews, it was obvious that loggers were individually creating ways of successfully implementing extended working hours without understanding the impacts that extended working...

  8. An extended value-impact approach for nuclear regulatory decision making

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nelson, P.F.; Kastenberg, W.E.

    1986-01-01

    This paper presents an extended value-impact methodology with aids decision makers in ranking various alternative actions for reducing the risk associated with nuclear power reactors. It extends the state-of-the-art value-impact methodology by using the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP), a formalized decision making tool for ranking alternatives based on judgement. The AHP reduces some of the limitations present in current value-impact work, such as the inability to include subjective factors in a structured approach, as well as controversial questions such as the importance of onsite versus offsite accident costs averted, uncertainty, and impact of public opinion. In the paper, the method is applied to include a value-impact study of the implementation of either a vented-containment system or an alternative decay heat removal system as a means for reducing risk at the Grand Gulf nuclear power plant. The results of this analysis show that the method provides considerable insight to the solution of topics of interest in the decision making area of nuclear power risk management. (orig.)

  9. The impact of the declining extended family support system on the ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    This paper examines the impact of the weakening of the extended family on the education of double orphans in Lesotho through in-depth interviews with participants from 3 of the 10 districts in Lesotho. The findings reveal that in Lesotho the extended family has not yet disintegrated as the literature suggests. However ...

  10. Investigating Underlying Components of the ICT Indicators Measurement Scale: The Extended Version

    Science.gov (United States)

    Akbulut, Yavuz

    2009-01-01

    This study aimed to investigate the underlying components constituting the extended version of the ICT Indicators Measurement Scale (ICTIMS), which was developed in 2007, and extended in the current study through the addition of 34 items. New items addressing successful ICT integration at education faculties were identified through the examination…

  11. Impact of Extended Daylight Saving Time on National Energy Consumption Report to Congress

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Belzer, D. B.; Hadley, S. W.; Chin, S-M.

    2008-10-01

    The Energy Policy Act of 2005 (Pub. L. No. 109-58; EPAct 2005) amended the Uniform Time Act of 1966 (Pub. L. No. 89-387) to increase the portion of the year that is subject to Daylight Saving Time. (15 U.S.C. 260a note) EPAct 2005 extended the duration of Daylight Saving Time in the spring by changing its start date from the first Sunday in April to the second Sunday in March, and in the fall by changing its end date from the last Sunday in October to the first Sunday in November. (15 U.S.C. 260a note) EPAct 2005 also called for the Department of Energy to evaluate the impact of Extended Daylight Saving Time on energy consumption in the United States and to submit a report to Congress. (15 U.S.C. 260a note) This report presents the results of impacts of Extended Daylight Saving Time on the national energy consumption in the United States. The key findings are: (1) The total electricity savings of Extended Daylight Saving Time were about 1.3 Tera Watt-hour (TWh). This corresponds to 0.5 percent per each day of Extended Daylight Saving Time, or 0.03 percent of electricity consumption over the year. In reference, the total 2007 electricity consumption in the United States was 3,900 TWh. (2) In terms of national primary energy consumption, the electricity savings translate to a reduction of 17 Trillion Btu (TBtu) over the spring and fall Extended Daylight Saving Time periods, or roughly 0.02 percent of total U.S. energy consumption during 2007 of 101,000 TBtu. (3) During Extended Daylight Saving Time, electricity savings generally occurred over a three- to five-hour period in the evening with small increases in usage during the early-morning hours. On a daily percentage basis, electricity savings were slightly greater during the March (spring) extension of Extended Daylight Saving Time than the November (fall) extension. On a regional basis, some southern portions of the United States exhibited slightly smaller impacts of Extended Daylight Saving Time on energy savings

  12. Determining the inventory impact of extended-shelf-life platelets with a network simulation model.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Blake, John T

    2017-12-01

    The regulatory shelf life for platelets (PLTs) in many jurisdictions is 5 days. PLT shelf life can be extended to 7 days with an enhanced bacterial detection algorithm. Enhanced testing, however, comes at a cost, which may be offset by reductions in wastage due to longer shelf life. This article describes a method for estimating systemwide reductions in PLT outdates after PLT shelf life is extended. A simulation was used to evaluate the impact of an extended PLT shelf life within a national blood network. A network model of the Canadian Blood Services PLT supply chain was built and validated. PLT shelf life was extended from 5 days to 6, 7, and 8 days and runs were completed to determine the impact on outdates. Results suggest that, in general, a 16.3% reduction in PLT wastage can be expected with each additional day that PLT shelf life is extended. Both suppliers and hospitals will experience fewer outdating units, but wastage will decrease at a faster rate at hospitals. No effect was seen by blood group, but there was some evidence that supplier site characteristics influences both the number of units wasted and the site's ability to benefit from extended-shelf-life PLTs. Extended-shelf-life PLTs will reduce wastage within a blood supply chain. At 7 days, an improvement of 38% reduction in wastage can be expected with outdates being equally distributed between suppliers and hospital customers. © 2017 AABB.

  13. Extending the Multi Regional Input-Output framework to labor related impacts

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hardadi, Gilang; Pizzol, Massimo

    2017-01-01

    -O framework to social impacts. These challenges are addressed in this study where the Exiobase database was extended with new data on five quantitative indicators available from the International Labor Organization: employment; working hours; salary; occupational accident cases; and unemployment....... This required modeling steps, such as the disaggregation of data from sector to product group level, and filling the data gaps for missing countries by primary data collection or interpolation. A characterization step where indicator values are converted into social impacts on human productivity and human well...

  14. Investigation of PAM-4 for extending reach in data center interconnect applications

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Vegas Olmos, Juan José; Teipen, Brian; Eiselt, Nicklas

    2015-01-01

    Optical four-level pulse amplitude modulation (PAM-4) is being widely studied for various short-reach optical interfaces, motivated by the need to keep cost structure low, and to increase link capacity despite various constraints in component bandwidth. When considering PAM-4 in applications...... with reach significantly greater than 10km, such as in extended data center interconnects which require optical amplification, impairments such as chromatic dispersion, optical filtering, and ASE must be controlled. We investigate and report on requirements of PAM-4 for extended-reach, data center...

  15. Field investigations of bacterial contaminants and their effects on extended porcine semen.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Althouse, G C; Kuster, C E; Clark, S G; Weisiger, R M

    2000-03-15

    Field investigations (n=23) were made over a 3-yr period at North American boar studs and farms in which the primary complaint was sperm agglutination in association with decreased sperm longevity of extended semen, and increased regular returns to estrus and/or vaginal discharges across parity. Microscopic examination of extended semen from these units revealed depressed gross motility (usually semen collection and processing regardless of the semen extender used. The extended semen exhibited a high number of induced acrosome abnormalities (>20%). Sample pH was acidic (5.7 to 6.4) in 93% of the submitted samples. Aerobic culture yielded a variety of bacteria from different genera. A single bacterial contaminant was obtained from 66% of the submitted samples (n=37 doses); 34% contained 2 or more different bacterial genera. The most frequently isolated contaminant bacteria from porcine extended semen were Alcaligenes xylosoxydans (n=3), Burkholderia cepacia (n=6), Enterobacter cloacae (n=6), Escherichia coli (n=6), Serratia marcescens (n=5), and Stenotrophomonas [Xanthomonas] maltophilia (n=6); these 6 bacteria accounted for 71% of all contaminated samples, and were spermicidal when re-inoculated and incubated in fresh, high quality extended semen. All contaminant bacteria were found to be resistant to the aminoglycoside gentamicin, a common preservative antibiotic used in commercial porcine semen extenders. Eleven genera were spermicidal in conjunction with an acidic environment, while 2 strains (E. coli, S. maltophilia) were spermicidal without this characteristic acidic environment. Bacteria originated from multiple sources at the stud/farm, and were of animal and nonanimal origin. A minimum contamination technique (MCT) protocol was developed to standardize hygiene and sanitation. This protocol focused on MCT's during boar preparation, semen collection, semen processing and laboratory sanitation. Implementation of the MCT, in addition to specific recommendations

  16. Extended investigation on road fatality in Brunei.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yusof, N B; Hoque, M A; Steele, M C; Yong, S Y

    2018-06-08

    Road fatality is one of the leading causes of death in Brunei with 79 deaths in 1993, the highest ever recorded. The Brunei government has been trying to reduce this by implementing new traffic measures and successfully reduced fatalities to 24 fatalities in 2014. Yearly road fatality has been fluctuating, but there has been a declining tendency overall. The aim of this study is to investigate road fatality in Brunei by extending the research. We developed a multiple regression model and carried out an analysis on road fatality in Brunei. Our analysis indicates that the road fatality appears to rise depending on the increase in the number of young drivers between 15 to 24 years and the number of unemployed people. Comparisons of Brunei road fatality rate per 10,000 vehicles are made with some other countries and we conclude that Brunei has approximately the same rate as Australia in 2014.

  17. Extended X-ray absorption fine structure investigation of nitrogen stabilized expanded austenite

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Oddershede, Jette; Christiansen, Thomas; Ståhl, Kenny

    2010-01-01

    As-delivered austenitic stainless steel and nitrogen stabilized expanded austenite, both fully nitrided and denitrided (in H2), were investigated with Cr, Fe and Ni extended X-ray absorption fine structure. The data shows pronounced short-range ordering of Cr and N. For the denitrided specimen...

  18. Shaping the light for the investigation of depth-extended scattering media

    Science.gov (United States)

    Osten, W.; Frenner, K.; Pedrini, G.; Singh, A. K.; Schindler, J.; Takeda, M.

    2018-02-01

    Scattering media are an ongoing challenge for all kind of imaging technologies including coherent and incoherent principles. Inspired by new approaches of computational imaging and supported by the availability of powerful computers, spatial light modulators, light sources and detectors, a variety of new methods ranging from holography to time-of-flight imaging, phase conjugation, phase recovery using iterative algorithms and correlation techniques have been introduced and applied to different types of objects. However, considering the obvious progress in this field, several problems are still matter of investigation and their solution could open new doors for the inspection and application of scattering media as well. In particular, these open questions include the possibility of extending the 2d-approach to the inspection of depth-extended objects, the direct use of a scattering media as a simple tool for imaging of complex objects and the improvement of coherent inspection techniques for the dimensional characterization of incoherently radiating spots embedded in scattering media. In this paper we show our recent findings in coping with these challenges. First we describe how to explore depth-extended objects by means of a scattering media. Afterwards, we extend this approach by implementing a new type of microscope making use of a simple scatter plate as a kind of flat and unconventional imaging lens. Finally, we introduce our shearing interferometer in combination with structured illumination for retrieving the axial position of fluorescent light emitting spots embedded in scattering media.

  19. 78 FR 72141 - Notice of Determination to Extend Section 301 Investigation of Ukraine

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-12-02

    ... Determination to Extend Section 301 Investigation of Ukraine AGENCY: Office of the United States Trade... practices of the Government of Ukraine with respect to intellectual property rights. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION..., and practices of the Government of Ukraine with respect to intellectual property rights. See...

  20. Investigation of extended blinks and interblink intervals in subjects with and without dry eye

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rodriguez JD

    2013-02-01

    Full Text Available John D Rodriguez,1 George W Ousler III,1 Patrick R Johnston,1 Keith Lane,1 Mark B Abelson1,21Ora, Inc, Andover, MA, 2Schepens Eye Research Institute and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USABackground: The purpose of this study was to investigate the occurrence and duration of extended blinks ≥ 70 msec and their associated interblink intervals in normal subjects and in subjects with mild to moderate dry eye.Methods: This single-center, prospective, double-blind study included 11 subjects with dry eye and eight subjects with normal eyes. Extended blinks were defined as lid closure in at least two successive video frames (≥ 70 msec. Digital video imaging of each subject's eyes was recorded while the subject viewed a 10-minute documentary. The subjects did not know that blink was the outcome being measured. Following capture, the videos were manually analyzed in a masked fashion for the occurrence of extended blinks. The length of the interblink interval (ie, time between blinks before and after these extended blinks (the interblink interval ratio was calculated, as well as differences in lid contact times.Results: The dry eye group had a median extended blink duration which was 2.53 times longer than that of the normal group. For subjects with dry eye, interblink intervals post-extended blink were significantly longer than interblink intervals pre-extended blink (P < 0.001. Interblink intervals did not lengthen significantly in normal subjects. In both groups, the duration of the extended blink was significantly (P = 0.001 and positively correlated with interblink interval ratio (post-extended to pre-extended blink interblink interval, such that for each doubling of extended blink duration, the interblink interval ratio increased by 10%. Blinks longer than one second in duration occurred almost exclusively in subjects with dry eye.Conclusion: This study reports three central findings: blink duration tended to be longer in subjects with dry

  1. Why are women more likely than men to extend paid work? The impact of work-family life history.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Finch, Naomi

    2014-03-01

    Extending working life beyond the state pension age is a key European Union policy. In the UK, women are more likely to extend paid work than men, indicating that factors other than the state pension age play a role in working longer. Women are less able to build pension income due to their role as carer within the family. It, therefore, follows that gender inequalities over the life course continue into older age to influence need, capacity and desire to undertake paid work after state pension age. This paper explores how work, marital and fertility history impact upon the likelihood of extending employment. It uses the British Household Panel Survey's retrospective data from the first 14 waves to summarise work-family histories, and logistic regression to understand the impact of work and family histories on extending paid work. Findings show that, on the one hand, women are extending paid work for financial reasons to make up for 'opportunity costs' as a result of their caring role within the family, with short breaks due to caring, lengthy marriages, divorcing and remaining single with children all being important. Yet, there is also evidence of 'status maintenance' from working life, with the women most likely to extend paid work, also those with the highest work orientation, prior to state pension age. But lengthy dis-attachment (due to caring) from the labour market makes extending working life more difficult. This has implications for policy strategies to entice women into paid work to make up for low independent financial resources.

  2. Extended producer responsibility: The impact of organizational dimensions on WEEE collection from households.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Corsini, Filippo; Rizzi, Francesco; Frey, Marco

    2017-01-01

    Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) has been the backbone of product life cycle management in Europe since the 2000s. Unfortunately, EPR implementation has multiple impacts on the supply chain and, thus, its consequences are not always easily manageable. Although several studies have explored various examples within the EU, the determinants of the effectiveness of EPR management are still not fully understood. This research seeks to bridge this gap by making use of quantitative analyses to investigate how key issues related to: WEEE Directive transposition and organizational settings adopted by each Member State, influenced the results achieved in those Member States in terms of collection from households. In details, a latent class analysis (LCA) has been used to analyse different EPR management strategies based on the policy set, the supply chain structure, and the performance of the household collection of electronic waste. Results highlight the strong connection between allocation of responsibility and organizational model adopted in Member States and performance related to small households equipment's. Conclusions shows the need for stronger coordination of EPR and waste policies in order to achieve adequate levels of Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) collection, the need of a clear delineation of the responsibilities of each subject of the supply chain and also the importance of "clearing houses" in moderating the impacts of short-sighted competition between collective schemes. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. Exploring extended scope of practice in dietetics: A systems approach.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ryan, Dominique; Pelly, Fiona; Purcell, Elizabeth

    2017-09-01

    The aim of this study was to explore health professionals' perceptions of an extended scope of a practice clinic, and develop a framework using a systems approach to facilitate extended scope models across various health settings. A qualitative investigation using semi-structured interviews with four health professionals involved in an extended scope dietitian-led gastroenterology clinic in a hospital in regional Queensland was conducted. A case study design was utilised to investigate interviewees' perceptions of the clinic. Participants were conveniently, purposively sampled. Transcript analysis involved a descriptive analytical approach. Interviewee responses were coded and categorised into themes, and investigator triangulation was used to ensure consistency between individual analyses. A secondary interpretative analysis was conducted where relationships between key themes were mapped to the Systems Engineering Initiative for Patient Safety work system model. Interviewees identified various factors as vital inputs to the work system. These were categorised into the four key elements: stakeholder support, resources, planning and the dietitian. Clinic outcomes were categorised into the impact on four key groups: patients, the dietitian, the multidisciplinary team and the health system. Mapping of the relationships between inputs and outcomes resulted in an implementation framework for extended scope of practice. Extended scope of practice in dietetics may provide positive outcomes for various stakeholders. However, further development of extended scope roles for dietitians requires increased advocacy and support from governments, professional bodies, training institutions and dietitians. We have developed an implementation framework which can be utilised by health professionals interested in embracing an extended scope model of care. © 2016 Dietitians Association of Australia.

  4. SIMS chemical analysis of extended impact features from the trailing edge portion of experiment AO187-2

    Science.gov (United States)

    Amari, Sachiko; Foote, John; Simon, Charles; Jessberger, Elmar K.; Lange, Gundolf; Stadermann, Frank; Swan, Pat; Walker, Robert M.; Zinner, Ernst

    1992-01-01

    One hundred capture cells from the trailing edge, which had lost their cover foils during flight, were optically scanned for extended impact features caused by high velocity projectiles impinging on the cells while the foils were still intact. Of the 53 candidates, 24 impacts were analyzed by secondary ion mass spectroscopy for the chemical composition of the deposits. Projectile material was found in all impacts, and at least 75 percent of them appear to be caused by interplanetary dust particles. Elemental ratios are fractionated, with refractory elements enriched in the impacts relative to interplanetary dust particles collected in the stratosphere. Although this could be due to systematic differences in the compositions, a more likely explanation is volatility fractionation during the impact process.

  5. SIMS chemical analysis of extended impacts on the leading and trailing edges of LDEF experiment AO187-2

    Science.gov (United States)

    Amari, S.; Foote, J.; Swan, P.; Walker, R. M.; Zinner, E.; Lange, G.

    1993-01-01

    Numerous 'extended impacts' found in both leading and trailing edge capture cells were successfully analyzed for the chemical composition of projectile residues by secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS). Most data were obtained from the trailing edge cells where 45 of 58 impacts were classified as 'probably natural' and the remainder as 'possibly man-made debris.' This is in striking contrast to leading edge cells where 9 of 11 impacts so far measured are definitely classified as orbital debris. Although all the leading edge cells had lost their plastic entrance foils during flight, the rate of foil failure was similar to that of the trailing edge cells, 10 percent of which were recovered intact. Ultraviolet embrittlement is suspected as the major cause of failure on both leading and trailing edges. The major impediment to the accurate determination of projectile chemistry is the fractionation of volatile and refractory elements in the hypervelocity impact and redeposition processes. This effect had been noted in a simulation experiment but is more pronounced in the LDEF capture cells, probably due to the higher average velocities of the space impacts. Surface contamination of the pure Ge surfaces with a substance rich in Si, but also containing Mg and Al, provides an additional problem for the accurate determination of impactor chemistry. The effect is variable, being much larger on surfaces that were exposed to space than in those cells that remained intact. Future work will concentrate on the analyses of more leading edge impacts and the development of new SIMS techniques for the measurement of elemental abundances in extended impacts.

  6. Extended investigation of the twelve-flavor β-function

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fodor, Zoltán; Holland, Kieran; Kuti, Julius; Nógrádi, Dániel; Wong, Chik Him

    2018-04-01

    We report new results from high precision analysis of an important BSM gauge theory with twelve massless fermion flavors in the fundamental representation of the SU(3) color gauge group. The range of the renormalized gauge coupling is extended from our earlier work [1] to probe the existence of an infrared fixed point (IRFP) in the β-function reported at two different locations, originally in [2] and at a new location in [3]. We find no evidence for the IRFP of the β-function in the extended range of the renormalized gauge coupling, in disagreement with [2,3]. New arguments to guard the existence of the IRFP remain unconvincing [4], including recent claims of an IRFP with ten massless fermion flavors [5,6] which we also rule out. Predictions of the recently completed 5-loop QCD β-function for general flavor number are discussed in this context.

  7. Case studies of extended model-based flood forecasting: prediction of dike strength and flood impacts

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stuparu, Dana; Bachmann, Daniel; Bogaard, Tom; Twigt, Daniel; Verkade, Jan; de Bruijn, Karin; de Leeuw, Annemargreet

    2017-04-01

    Flood forecasts, warning and emergency response are important components in flood risk management. Most flood forecasting systems use models to translate weather predictions to forecasted discharges or water levels. However, this information is often not sufficient for real time decisions. A sound understanding of the reliability of embankments and flood dynamics is needed to react timely and reduce the negative effects of the flood. Where are the weak points in the dike system? When, how much and where the water will flow? When and where is the greatest impact expected? Model-based flood impact forecasting tries to answer these questions by adding new dimensions to the existing forecasting systems by providing forecasted information about: (a) the dike strength during the event (reliability), (b) the flood extent in case of an overflow or a dike failure (flood spread) and (c) the assets at risk (impacts). This work presents three study-cases in which such a set-up is applied. Special features are highlighted. Forecasting of dike strength. The first study-case focusses on the forecast of dike strength in the Netherlands for the river Rhine branches Waal, Nederrijn and IJssel. A so-called reliability transformation is used to translate the predicted water levels at selected dike sections into failure probabilities during a flood event. The reliability of a dike section is defined by fragility curves - a summary of the dike strength conditional to the water level. The reliability information enhances the emergency management and inspections of embankments. Ensemble forecasting. The second study-case shows the setup of a flood impact forecasting system in Dumfries, Scotland. The existing forecasting system is extended with a 2D flood spreading model in combination with the Delft-FIAT impact model. Ensemble forecasts are used to make use of the uncertainty in the precipitation forecasts, which is useful to quantify the certainty of a forecasted flood event. From global

  8. Investigating Business Schools' Intentions about Offering E-Commerce Education Using an Extended Theory of Planned Behavior

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dodor, Jean Baptiste K.; Rana, Dharam S.

    2009-01-01

    This study investigates business schools' intentions about offering e-commerce education (ECE) using an extended theory of planned behavior (ETPB). The need for an adequate match between future supply and demand of e-commerce skills constitutes the main motivation for the study. The results show that most business schools consider ECE important…

  9. Extended training to prepare GPs for future workforce needs: a qualitative investigation of a 1-year fellowship in urgent care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dale, Jeremy; Russell, Rachel; Harkness, Frances; Wilkie, Veronica; Aiello, Matthew

    2017-09-01

    It has been argued that UK general practice specialist training should be extended to better prepare GPs for the challenges facing 21st-century health care. Evidence is needed to inform how this should occur. To investigate the experience of recently trained GPs undertaking a 1-year full-time fellowship programme designed to provide advanced skills training in urgent care, integrated care, leadership, and academic practice; and its impact on subsequent career development. Semi-structured interviews conducted longitudinally over 2 years augmented by observational data in the West Midlands, England. Participants were interviewed on at least three occasions: twice while undertaking the fellowship, and at least once post-completion. Participants' clinical and academic activities were observed. Data were analysed using a framework approach. Seven GPs participated in the pilot scheme. The fellowship was highly rated and felt to be balanced in terms of the opportunities for skill development, academic advancement, and confidence building. GPs experienced enhanced employability on completing the scheme, and at follow-up were working in a variety of primary care/urgent care interface clinical and leadership roles. Participants believed it was making general practice a more attractive career option for newly qualified doctors. The 1-year fellowship provides a defined framework for training GPs to work in an enhanced manner across organisational interfaces with the skills to support service improvement and integration. It appears to be well suited to preparing GPs for portfolio roles, but its wider applicability and impact on NHS service delivery needs further investigation. © British Journal of General Practice 2017.

  10. Data assimilation with an extended Kalman filter for impact-produced shock-wave dynamics

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kao, Jim; Flicker, Dawn; Henninger, Rudy; Frey, Sarah; Ghil, Michael; Ide, Kayo

    2004-01-01

    Model assimilation of data strives to determine optimally the state of an evolving physical system from a limited number of observations. The present study represents the first attempt of applying the extended Kalman filter (EKF) method of data assimilation to shock-wave dynamics induced by a high-speed impact. EKF solves the full nonlinear state evolution and estimates its associated error-covariance matrix in time. The state variables obtained by the blending of past model evolution with currently available data, along with their associated minimized errors (or uncertainties), are then used as initial conditions for further prediction until the next time at which data becomes available. In this study, a one-dimensional (1D) finite-difference code is used along with data measured from a 1D flyer plate experiment. An ensemble simulation suggests that the nonlinearity of the modeled system can be reasonably tracked by EKF. The results demonstrate that the EKF assimilation of a limited amount of pressure data, measured at the middle of the target plate alone, helps track the evolution of all the state variables. The fidelity of EKF is further investigated with numerically generated synthetic data from so-called 'identical-twin experiments', in which the true state is known and various measurement techniques and strategies can be made easily simulated. We find that the EKF method can effectively assimilate the density fields, which are distributed sparsely in time to mimic radiographic data, into the modeled system

  11. Investigation of a four-body coupling in the one-dimensional extended Penson-Kolb-Hubbard model

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ding, Hanqin; Ma, Xiaojuan; Zhang, Jun

    2017-09-01

    The experimental advances in cold fermion gases motivates the investigation of a one-dimensional (1D) correlated electronic system by incorporating a four-body coupling. Using the low-energy field theory scheme and focusing on the weak-coupling regime, we extend the 1D Penson-Kolb-Hubbard (PKH) model at half filling. It is found that the additional four-body interaction may significantly modify the quantum phase diagram, favoring the presence of the superconducting phase even in the case of two-body repulsions.

  12. Investigating the impact of agrarian policies on conflict and ...

    International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

    2011-07-14

    Jul 14, 2011 ... Investigating the impact of agrarian policies on conflict and peacebuilding ... tourism industry, defusing the conflict impact of relative land scarcity. ... the idea — flowing from the increasingly influential "Economic Theory of War" ...

  13. EarthLabs Modules: Engaging Students In Extended, Rigorous Investigations Of The Ocean, Climate and Weather

    Science.gov (United States)

    Manley, J.; Chegwidden, D.; Mote, A. S.; Ledley, T. S.; Lynds, S. E.; Haddad, N.; Ellins, K.

    2016-02-01

    EarthLabs, envisioned as a national model for high school Earth or Environmental Science lab courses, is adaptable for both undergraduate middle school students. The collection includes ten online modules that combine to feature a global view of our planet as a dynamic, interconnected system, by engaging learners in extended investigations. EarthLabs support state and national guidelines, including the NGSS, for science content. Four modules directly guide students to discover vital aspects of the oceans while five other modules incorporate ocean sciences in order to complete an understanding of Earth's climate system. Students gain a broad perspective on the key role oceans play in fishing industry, droughts, coral reefs, hurricanes, the carbon cycle, as well as life on land and in the seas to drive our changing climate by interacting with scientific research data, manipulating satellite imagery, numerical data, computer visualizations, experiments, and video tutorials. Students explore Earth system processes and build quantitative skills that enable them to objectively evaluate scientific findings for themselves as they move through ordered sequences that guide the learning. As a robust collection, EarthLabs modules engage students in extended, rigorous investigations allowing a deeper understanding of the ocean, climate and weather. This presentation provides an overview of the ten curriculum modules that comprise the EarthLabs collection developed by TERC and found at http://serc.carleton.edu/earthlabs/index.html. Evaluation data on the effectiveness and use in secondary education classrooms will be summarized.

  14. Experimental investigation on carbon nano tubes coated brass rectangular extended surfaces

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Senthilkumar, Rajendran; Prabhu, Sethuramalingam; Cheralathan, Marimuthu

    2013-01-01

    Finned surface has been extensively used for free convection cooling of internal combustion engines and several electronic kits etc. Here rectangular brass fin was preferred for analysis. Thermocouples were attached all over the surface of the fin in equal distances. The measurement of surface temperature and calculated convective heat transfer rate were reported for several heat input values. The overall system performance can be improved by enhancing heat transfer rate of extended surfaces. Based on the above requirement, brass surface was coated by carbon nano tubes. The temperature and heat transfer characteristics were investigated using Taguchi method for experimental design. Finally the performances of coated and non-coated rectangular brass fins were compared. The average percentage of increase in heat transfer rate was proved around 12% for carbon nanocoated rectangular brass fins. - Graphical abstract: The designed Natural and Forced convection Heat Transfer Test Rig measures the enhanced rate of heat transfer for nano coated rectangular fins than in non-coated fins. Highlights: ► Rectangular brass fins were preferred for convective heat transfer process. ► The rectangular brass fins are coated with multi wall carbon nano tubes in EBPVD process with nanometer thickness. ► Temperature and heat transfer rate were investigated for nanocoated and non-coated fins by using Taguchi method. ► Multi wall carbon nanotubes act as a pin fin to enhance surface area for effective convective heat transfer rate.

  15. Integrated Geologic, Hydrologic, and Geophysical Investigations of the Chesapeake Bay Impact Structure, Virginia, USA: A Multi-Agency Program

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gohn, G. S.; Bruce, T. S.; Catchings, R. D.; Emry, S. R.; Johnson, G. H.; Levine, J. S.; McFarland, E. R.; Poag, C. W.; Powars, D. S.

    2001-01-01

    The Chesapeake Bay impact structure is the focus of an ongoing federal-state-local research program. Recent core drilling and geophysical surveys address the formative processes and hydrogeologic properties of this major "wet-target" impact. Additional information is contained in the original extended abstract.

  16. Extended analysis on impact of nuclear technology

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ainul Hayati Daud; Hazmimi Kasim

    2010-01-01

    This chapter discusses a number of economic, social and knowledge impacts of the applications of nuclear technology in Malaysia as well as benchmarking with Japan and the Republic of Korea. Under economic impacts, index of gross value of products and services, index of gross value of exports, index of gross value of training expenditures, and index of total number of human resource trained are developed. In addition, the contribution of the application of nuclear technology to both Gross Domestic Products (GDP) and GDP per capita are also highlighted. The impact of the application of nuclear technology to Total Factor Productivity (TFP) is also covered in this chapter. Much of the discussions on economic impacts are based on findings in private companies. That is because many of their operations can be expressed in monetary terms by virtue of them operating in commercial environment. Public agencies, however, play crucial role in enabling the private companies attain the level of development reported in this study. Towards that end, public agencies invested in Research and development activities, human capital development, as well as in the setting-up, operation and maintenance of both technical and administrative infrastructures. The impact of such activities is discussed in the later part of this chapter. (author)

  17. Investigations of Wind/WAVES Dust Impacts

    Science.gov (United States)

    St Cyr, O. C.; Wilson, L. B., III; Rockcliffe, K.; Mills, A.; Nieves-Chinchilla, T.; Adrian, M. L.; Malaspina, D.

    2017-12-01

    The Wind spacecraft launched in November 1994 with a primary goal to observe and understand the interaction between the solar wind and Earth's magnetosphere. The waveform capture detector, TDS, of the radio and plasma wave investigation, WAVES [Bougeret et al., 1995], onboard Wind incidentally detected micron-sized dust as electric field pulses from the recollection of the impact plasma clouds (an unintended objective). TDS has detected over 100,000 dust impacts spanning almost two solar cycles; a dataset of these impacts has been created and was described in Malaspina & Wilson [2016]. The spacecraft continues to collect data about plasma, energetic particles, and interplanetary dust impacts. Here we report on two investigations recently conducted on the Wind/WAVES TDS database of dust impacts. One possible source of dust particles is the annually-recurring meteor showers. Using the nine major showers defined by the American Meteor Society, we compared dust count rates before, during, and after the peak of the showers using averaging windows of varying duration. However, we found no statistically significant change in the dust count rates due to major meteor showers. This appears to be an expected result since smaller grains, like the micron particles that Wind is sensitive to, are affected by electromagnetic interactions and Poynting-Robertson drag, and so are scattered away from their initial orbits. Larger grains tend to be more gravitationally dominated and stay on the initial trajectory of the parent body so that only the largest dust grains (those that create streaks as they burn up in the atmosphere) are left in the orbit of the parent body. Ragot and Kahler [2003] predicted that coronal mass ejections (CMEs) near the Sun could effectively scatter dust grains of comparable size to those observed by Wind. Thus, we examined the dust count rates immediately before, during, and after the passage of the 350 interplanetary CMEs observed by Wind over its 20+ year

  18. Investigation of evaluation method for marine radiological impact during an accident

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2013-01-01

    In 2012, JNES investigated the evaluation method, long-term seawater and marine deposition for release and diffusion to the ocean at the accident, and marine impact assessment code, in Japan and overseas. Also, the foreign regulations for marine radiological impact (direct release to ocean from the facilities and fallout on marine, etc.) were investigated. Furthermore, the index (e.g., intervention level) at emergency control in USA and Europe were investigated. (author)

  19. Investigation of evaluation method for marine radiological impact during an accident

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    2013-08-15

    In 2012, JNES investigated the evaluation method, long-term seawater and marine deposition for release and diffusion to the ocean at the accident, and marine impact assessment code, in Japan and overseas. Also, the foreign regulations for marine radiological impact (direct release to ocean from the facilities and fallout on marine, etc.) were investigated. Furthermore, the index (e.g., intervention level) at emergency control in USA and Europe were investigated. (author)

  20. Cryopreservation of ram semen with antioxidant supplemented soybean lecithin-based extenders and impacts on incubation resilience.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Toker, M Berk; Alcay, Selim; Gokce, Elif; Ustuner, Burcu

    2016-06-01

    The scope of this study was investigation the affects of various antioxidants on 1% soybean lecithin-based semen extenders for ram semen cryopreservation. Ejaculates, collected via electrically stimulated ejaculation, that have a thick consistency, rapid wave motion (3-5 on a 0-5 scale) and >75% initial motility were pooled. The pooled samples were split into four equal aliquots as 5 mM Methionine, 5 mM Cysteamine, 1 mM Cysteine and a sample of antioxidant-free control group. Each sample group was diluted to a ratio of 1/5 (semen/extender, v/v) as final concentration and two step dilution method was used for cryopreservation. Extender groups were assessed for sperm motility, plasma membrane functional integrity using hypoosmotic swelling test (HOST), damaged acrosome using FITC-Pisum sativum agglutinin (PSA-FITC) and DNA integrity using terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling (TUNEL). Semen samples also incubated for 6 h in humidified air with 5% CO2 at 39 °C to evaluate post-thaw incubation resilience of semen characteristics. The results showed that freezing and thawing procedures had negative effects on motility (P < 0.05), plasma membrane integrity (P < 0.05) and acrosomal integrity (P < 0.05). After 6 h of incubation time, the Cysteine supplemented extender group yielded significantly higher results than other extender groups in terms of spermatological parameters. Furthermore MDA levels in the antioxidant groups were lower than control group (P < 0.05). Nevertheless, there were no significant differences among antioxidant groups. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  1. ERP II: Next-generation Extended Enterprise Resource Planning

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Møller, Charles

    2004-01-01

    ERP II (ERP/2) systems is a new concept introduced by Gartner Group in 2000 in order to label the latest extensions of the ERP-systems. The purpose of this paper is to explore the next-generation of ERP systems, the Extended Enterprise Resource Planning (EERP or as we prefer to use: e...... impact on extended enterprise architecture.....

  2. ERP II - Next-generation Extended Enterprise Resource Planning

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Møller, Charles

    2003-01-01

    ERP II (ERP/2) systems is a new concept introduced by Gartner Group in 2000 in order to label the latest extensions of the ERP-systems. The purpose of this paper is to explore the next-generation of ERP systems, the Extended Enterprise Resource Planning (EERP or as we prefer to use: e...... impact on extended enterprise architecture....

  3. An Investigation of the impact of interest rates and interest rate volatility on Australian financial sector stock return distributions

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Faff, R.; Kremmer, M.; Hodgson, A.

    2004-01-01

    This paper extends the existing literature by analysing the dual impact of changes in the interest rate and interest rate volatility on the distribution of Australian financial sector stock returns. In addition, a multivariate GARCH-M model is used to analyse the impact of deregulation on the

  4. Exergy analysis of thermal management system for range-extended electric vehicles

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hamut, H. S.; Dincer, I.; Naterer, G. F. [Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science, University of Ontario Institute of Technology (Canada)], email: Ibrahim.Dincer@uoit.ca

    2011-07-01

    In the last few decades, the energy crisis, increasing gas prices and concerns over environmental pollution have encouraged the development of electric vehicle (EV) and hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) technologies. In this paper, a thermal management system (TMS) installed in a range-extended electric vehicle is examined and is found to have a substantial impact on battery efficiency and vehicle performance. An exergy analysis was conducted on the refrigeration and coolant circuits and the Coefficient of Performance (COP) of the baseline system was determined to be 2.0 with a range of 1.8 to 2.4. The overall exergy was found to be 32% with a range of 26% to 39%. Ambient temperature had the largest impact on overall exergy efficiency but there is a need to further investigate temperature effects on battery efficiency, since the battery's performance has such a high impact on vehicle performance overall.

  5. An Instrument for Every Child: A Study on Long-Term Effects of Extended Music Education in German Primary Schools

    Science.gov (United States)

    Krupp-Schleußner, Valerie; Lehmann-Wermser, Andreas

    2018-01-01

    Does extended music education during primary school foster long-term musical participation? What other factors contribute to long-term musical participation? In our study on "Impacts and Long-Term Effects of Musical Participation," we investigate how the German programme "An Instrument for Every Child (JeKi)," which fosters the…

  6. Elasto-plastic impact of hemispherical shell impacting on hard rigid sphere

    Science.gov (United States)

    Raftopoulos, D. D.; Spicer, A. L.

    1976-01-01

    An analysis of plastic stress waves for cylindrical metallic projectile in impact is extended to an analysis of a hemispherical shell suffereing plastic deformation during the process of impact. It is assumed that the hemispherical shell with a prescribed launch velocity impinges a fixed rigid sphere of diameter equal to the internal diameter of the shell. The dynamic biaxial state of stress present in the shell during deformation is investigated. The analysis is valuable for studying the state of stress during large plastic deformation of a hemispherical shell.

  7. Extended Testability Analysis Tool

    Science.gov (United States)

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

    2012-01-01

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

  8. "If you can't dazzle them with brilliance, baffle them with nonsense": extending the impact of the disrupt-then-reframe technique of social influence

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Fennis, B.M.; Das, E.; Pruyn, A.Th.H.

    2004-01-01

    Three experiments extended earlier findings on the impact of the Disrupt-Then-Reframe (DTR) technique on compliance. This technique is comprised of a subtle, odd element in a typical scripted request, the "disruption, " followed by a persuasive phrase, the "reframing." Based on the

  9. Cosmological dynamics of extended chameleons

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tamanini, Nicola; Wright, Matthew

    2016-01-01

    We investigate the cosmological dynamics of the recently proposed extended chameleon models at both background and linear perturbation levels. Dynamical systems techniques are employed to fully characterize the evolution of the universe at the largest distances, while structure formation is analysed at sub-horizon scales within the quasi-static approximation. The late time dynamical transition from dark matter to dark energy domination can be well described by almost all extended chameleon models considered, with no deviations from ΛCDM results at both background and perturbation levels. The results obtained in this work confirm the cosmological viability of extended chameleons as alternative dark energy models.

  10. Cosmological dynamics of extended chameleons

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Tamanini, Nicola [Institut de Physique Théorique, CEA-Saclay, CNRS UMR 3681, Université Paris-Saclay, F-91191 Gif-sur-Yvette (France); Wright, Matthew, E-mail: nicola.tamanini@cea.fr, E-mail: matthew.wright.13@ucl.ac.uk [Department of Mathematics, University College London, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT (United Kingdom)

    2016-04-01

    We investigate the cosmological dynamics of the recently proposed extended chameleon models at both background and linear perturbation levels. Dynamical systems techniques are employed to fully characterize the evolution of the universe at the largest distances, while structure formation is analysed at sub-horizon scales within the quasi-static approximation. The late time dynamical transition from dark matter to dark energy domination can be well described by almost all extended chameleon models considered, with no deviations from ΛCDM results at both background and perturbation levels. The results obtained in this work confirm the cosmological viability of extended chameleons as alternative dark energy models.

  11. An Extended System Frequency Response Model Considering Wind Power Participation in Frequency Regulation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yi Tang

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available With increasing penetration of wind power into the power system, wind power participation in frequency regulation is regarded as a beneficial strategy to improve the dynamic frequency response characteristics of power systems. The traditional power system frequency response (SFR model, which only includes synchronous generators, is no longer suitable for power systems with high penetrated wind power. An extended SFR model, based on the reduced-order model of wind turbine generator (WTG and the traditional SFR model, is presented in this paper. In the extended SFR model, the reduced-order model of WTG with combined frequency control is deduced by employing small signal analysis theory. Afterwards, the stability analysis of a closed-loop control system for the extended SFR model is carried out. Time-domain simulations using a test system are performed to validate the effectiveness of the extended SFR model; this model can provide a simpler, clearer and faster way to analyze the dynamic frequency response characteristic for a high-wind integrated power systems. The impact of additional frequency control parameters and wind speed disturbances on the system dynamic frequency response characteristics are investigated.

  12. If you can't dazzle them with brilliance, baffle them with nonsense: extending the impact of the disrupt-then-reframe technique of social influence.

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Fennis, B.M.; Das, Enny H.H.J; Pruyn, Adriaan T.H.

    2004-01-01

    Three experiments extended earlier findings on the impact of the Disrupt-Then-Reframe (DTR) technique on compliance. This technique is comprised of a subtle, odd element in a typical scripted request, the "disruption," followed by a persuasive phrase, the "reframing." Based on the thought-disruption

  13. Investigating the impact of Total Quality Management (TQM) on ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Investigating the impact of Total Quality Management (TQM) on innovation in iranian oil companies. ... Journal of Fundamental and Applied Sciences ... for competing with rival's organized management and to survive in the cycle of change.

  14. The impact of production of extended-spectrum β-lactamases on the 28-day mortality rate of patients with Proteus mirabilis bacteremia in Korea.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ahn, Jin Young; Ann, Hea Won; Jeon, Yongduk; Ahn, Mi Young; Oh, Dong Hyun; Kim, Yong Chan; Kim, Eun Jin; Song, Je Eun; Jung, In Young; Kim, Moo Hyun; Jeong, Wooyoung; Ku, Nam Su; Jeong, Su Jin; Choi, Jun Yong; Yong, Dongeun; Song, Young Goo; Kim, June Myung

    2017-05-03

    The incidence of Proteus mirabilis antimicrobial resistance, especially that mediated by extended-spectrum β-lactamases (ESBLs), has increased. We investigated the impact of ESBL production on the mortality of patients with P. mirabilis bacteremia in Korea. Patients diagnosed with P. mirabilis bacteremia between November 2005 and December 2013 at a 2000-bed tertiary care center in South Korea were included in this study. Phenotypic and molecular analyses were performed to assess ESBL expression. Characteristics and treatment outcomes were investigated among ESBL-producing and non-ESBL-producing P. mirabilis bacteremia groups. A multivariate analysis of 28-day mortality rates was performed to evaluate the independent impact of ESBLs. Among 62 P. mirabilis isolates from 62 patients, 14 expressed ESBLs (CTX-M, 2; TEM, 5; both, 6; other, 1), and the 28-day mortality rate of the 62 patients was 17.74%. No clinical factor was significantly associated with ESBL production. The 28-day mortality rate in the ESBL-producing group was significantly higher than that in the non-ESBL-producing group (50% vs. 8.3%, p = 0.001). A multivariate analysis showed that ESBL production (odds ratio [OR], 11.53, 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.11-63.05, p = 0.005) was independently associated with the 28-day mortality rate in patients with P. mirabilis bacteremia. ESBL production is significantly associated with mortality in patients with bacteremia caused by P. mirabilis. Rapid detection of ESBL expression and prompt appropriate antimicrobial therapy are required to reduce mortality caused by P. mirabilis bacteremia.

  15. Nuclear fragmentation reactions in extended media studied with Geant4 toolkit

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Pshenichnov, Igor, E-mail: pshenich@fias.uni-frankfurt.d [Frankfurt Institute for Advanced Studies, J.-W. Goethe University, 60438 Frankfurt am Main (Germany); Institute for Nuclear Research, Russian Academy of Science, 117312 Moscow (Russian Federation); Botvina, Alexander [Frankfurt Institute for Advanced Studies, J.-W. Goethe University, 60438 Frankfurt am Main (Germany); Institute for Nuclear Research, Russian Academy of Science, 117312 Moscow (Russian Federation); Mishustin, Igor [Frankfurt Institute for Advanced Studies, J.-W. Goethe University, 60438 Frankfurt am Main (Germany); Kurchatov Institute, Russian Research Center, 123182 Moscow (Russian Federation); Greiner, Walter [Frankfurt Institute for Advanced Studies, J.-W. Goethe University, 60438 Frankfurt am Main (Germany)

    2010-03-15

    It is well-known from numerous experiments that nuclear multifragmentation is a dominating mechanism for production of intermediate mass fragments in nucleus-nucleus collisions at energies above 100AMeV. In this paper we investigate the validity and performance of the Fermi break-up model and the statistical multifragmentation model implemented as parts of the Geant4 toolkit. We study the impact of violent nuclear disintegration reactions on the depth-dose profiles and yields of secondary fragments for beams of light and medium-weight nuclei propagating in extended media. Implications for ion-beam cancer therapy and shielding from cosmic radiation are discussed.

  16. Nuclear fragmentation reactions in extended media studied with Geant4 toolkit

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pshenichnov, Igor; Botvina, Alexander; Mishustin, Igor; Greiner, Walter

    2010-01-01

    It is well-known from numerous experiments that nuclear multifragmentation is a dominating mechanism for production of intermediate mass fragments in nucleus-nucleus collisions at energies above 100AMeV. In this paper we investigate the validity and performance of the Fermi break-up model and the statistical multifragmentation model implemented as parts of the Geant4 toolkit. We study the impact of violent nuclear disintegration reactions on the depth-dose profiles and yields of secondary fragments for beams of light and medium-weight nuclei propagating in extended media. Implications for ion-beam cancer therapy and shielding from cosmic radiation are discussed.

  17. Venusian extended ejecta deposits as time-stratigraphic markers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Izenberg, Noam R.

    1992-01-01

    Use of impact crater ejects at time-stratigraphic markers was established during lunar geologic mapping efforts. The basic premise is that the deposition of impact ejecta, either by itself or mixed with impact-excavated material, is superimposed on a surface. The deposit becomes an observable, mappable unit produced in a single instant in geologic time. Up to two-thirds of Venus craters exhibit extended ejecta deposits. A reconnaissance survey of 336 craters (about 40 percent of the total population) was conducted. About half the craters examined were located in and around the Beta-Atla-Themis region, and half were spread over the western hemisphere of the planet. The survey was conducted using primarily C1-MIDR images. The preliminary survey shows: (1) of the 336 craters, 223 were found to have extended ejecta deposits. This proportion is higher than that found in other Venus crater databases by up to a factor of 2. (2) 53 percent of all extended ejecta craters were unambiguously superimposed on all volcanic and tectonic units. Crater Annia Faustina's associated parabolic ejecta deposit is clearly superimposed on volcanic flows coming from Gula Mons to the west. Parabola material from Faustina has covered the lava flows, smoothing the surface and reducing its specific backscatter cross section. The stratigraphy implies that the parabola material is the youngest observable unit in the region. (3) 12 percent of extended ejecta deposits are superimposed by volcanic materials. Crater Hwangcini has extended ejecta that has been covered by volcanic flows from a dome field to the northwest, implying that the volcanic units were emplaced subsequent to the ejecta deposit and are the youngest units in the locality. (4) It is difficult to determine the stratigraphic relationships of the remaining extended ejecta deposits in SAR at C1-MIDR resolution. Examination of higher resolution images and application of the other Magellan datasets in systematic manner should resolve

  18. Impact of extended defects on recombination in CdTe heterostructures grown by molecular beam epitaxy

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zaunbrecher, Katherine N. [Department of Physics, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado 80523 (United States); National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden, Colorado 80401 (United States); Kuciauskas, Darius; Dippo, Pat; Barnes, Teresa M. [National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden, Colorado 80401 (United States); Swartz, Craig H.; Edirisooriya, Madhavie; Ogedengbe, Olanrewaju S.; Sohal, Sandeep; Hancock, Bobby L.; LeBlanc, Elizabeth G.; Jayathilaka, Pathiraja A. R. D.; Myers, Thomas H. [Materials Science, Engineering and Commercialization Program, Texas State University, San Marcos, Texas 78666 (United States)

    2016-08-29

    Heterostructures with CdTe and CdTe{sub 1-x}Se{sub x} (x ∼ 0.01) absorbers between two wider-band-gap Cd{sub 1-x}Mg{sub x}Te barriers (x ∼ 0.25–0.3) were grown by molecular beam epitaxy to study carrier generation and recombination in bulk materials with passivated interfaces. Using a combination of confocal photoluminescence (PL), time-resolved PL, and low-temperature PL emission spectroscopy, two extended defect types were identified and the impact of these defects on charge-carrier recombination was analyzed. The dominant defects identified by confocal PL were dislocations in samples grown on (211)B CdTe substrates and crystallographic twinning-related defects in samples on (100)-oriented InSb substrates. Low-temperature PL shows that twin-related defects have a zero-phonon energy of 1.460 eV and a Huang-Rhys factor of 1.50, while dislocation-dominated samples have a 1.473-eV zero-phonon energy and a Huang-Rhys factor of 1.22. The charge carrier diffusion length near both types of defects is ∼6 μm, suggesting that recombination is limited by diffusion dynamics. For heterostructures with a low concentration of extended defects, the bulk lifetime was determined to be 2.2 μs with an interface recombination velocity of 160 cm/s and an estimated radiative lifetime of 91 μs.

  19. CFD based investigation on the impact acceleration when a gannet impacts with water during plunge diving

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang, T M; Yang, X B; Liang, J H; Yao, G C; Zhao, W D

    2013-01-01

    Plunge diving is the most commonly used feeding method of a gannet, which can make the gannet transit from air to water rapidly and successfully. A large impact acceleration can be generated due to the air-to-water transition. However, the impact acceleration experienced by the gannet during plunge diving has not been studied. In this paper, this issue is investigated by using the CFD method. The effect of the dropping height and the water-entry inclination angle on the impact acceleration is considered. The results reveal that the impact acceleration along the longitudinal body axis increases with either of the two parameters. The peak time decreases with the dropping height. A quadratic relation is found between the peak impact acceleration and the initial water-entry velocity. According to the computation, when the dropping height is 30 m (most of gannets plunge from about this height), the peak impact acceleration can reach about 23 times the gravitational acceleration, which will exert a considerable force on the gannet body. Furthermore, the pressure distribution of different water-entry inclination angles indicates that the large pressure asymmetry caused by a small oblique angle may lead to a large impact acceleration in the direction perpendicular to the longitudinal body axis and cause damage to the neck of the gannet, which partly explains the reason why a gannet performing a high plunge diving in nature enters water with a large oblique angle from the perspective of impact mechanics. The investigation on the plunge-diving behavior in this paper will inspire and promote the development of a biomimetic amphibious robot that transits from air to water with the plunge-diving mode. (paper)

  20. Socially Extended Cognition and Shared Intentionality

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Holger Lyre

    2018-05-01

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

  1. Effect of chain extender on properties of silicone rubber sealant

    Science.gov (United States)

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

    2010-03-01

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

  2. Application of the Extended Theory of Planned Behavior Model to Investigate Purchase Intention of Green Products among Thai Consumers

    OpenAIRE

    Kamonthip Maichum; Surakiat Parichatnon; Ke-Chung Peng

    2016-01-01

    Green products are among the widely used products worldwide due to their environmental benefits. However, information on the consumers’ purchase intention towards green products in developing countries, such as Thailand, is lacking. This study aims to investigate Thai consumers who are aged over 18 years, and whose base education is high school, on purchase intention for green products by using an extended framework of the theory of planned behavior (TPB). We derived and examined the model th...

  3. Investigation of granular impact using positron emission particle tracking

    KAUST Repository

    Marston, Jeremy O.

    2015-04-01

    We present results from an experimental study of granular impact using a combination of high-speed video and positron emission particle tracking (PEPT). The PEPT technique exploits the annihilation of photons from positron decay to determine the position of tracer particles either inside a small granular bed or attached to the object which impacts the bed. We use dense spheres as impactors and the granular beds are comprised of glass beads which are fluidised to achieve a range of different initial packing states. For the first time, we have simultaneously investigated both the trajectory of the sphere, the motion of particles in a 3-D granular bed and particles which jump into the resultant jet, which arises from the collapse of the cavity formed by the impacting sphere.

  4. Investigation of the CANLUB/sheath interface in CANDU fuel at extended burnup by XPS and SEM/WDX

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hocking, W.H.; Behnke, R.; Duclos, A.M.; Gerwing, A.F.; Chan, P.K.

    1997-01-01

    A systematic investigation of the fuel-sheath interface in CANDU fuel as a function of extended burnup has been undertaken by XPS and SEM/WDX analysis. Adherent deposits of UO 2 and fission products, including Cs, Ba, Rb, I, Te, Cd and possibly Ru, have been routinely identified on CANLUB coated and bare Zircaloy surfaces. Some trends in the distribution and chemistry of key fission products have begun to emerge. Several potential mechanisms for degradation of the CANLUB graphite layer at high burnup have been practically excluded. New evidence of carbon relocation within the fuel element and limited reaction with excess oxygen has also been obtained. (author)

  5. Hydrological investigations of forest disturbance and land cover impacts in South-East Asia: a review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Douglas, I

    1999-11-29

    Investigations of land management impacts on hydrology are well developed in South-East Asia, having been greatly extended by national organizations in the last two decades. Regional collaborative efforts, such as the ASEAN-US watershed programme, have helped develop skills and long-running monitoring programmes. Work in different countries is significant for particular aspects: the powerful effects of both cyclones and landsliding in Taiwan, the significance of lahars in Java, of small-scale agriculture in Thailand and plantation establishment in Malaysia. Different aid programmes have contributed specialist knowledge such as British work on reservoir sedimentation, Dutch, Swedish and British work on softwood plantations and US work in hill-tribe agriculture. Much has been achieved through individual university research projects, including PhD and MSc theses. The net result is that for most countries there is now good information on changes in the rainfall-run-off relationship due to forest disturbance or conversion, some information on the impacts on sediment delivery and erosion of hillslopes, but relatively little about the dynamics and magnitude of nutrient losses. Improvements have been made in the ability to model the consequences of forest conversion and of selective logging and exciting prospects exist for the development of better predictions of transfer of water from the hillslopes to the stream channels using techniques such as multilevel modelling. Understanding of the processes involved has advanced through the detailed monitoring made possible at permanent field stations such as that at Danum Valley, Sabah.

  6. Exploring Social Structures in Extended Team Model

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Zahedi, Mansooreh; Ali Babar, Muhammad

    2013-01-01

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

  7. Extended Producer Responsibility in the Aviation Sector

    OpenAIRE

    Brito, Marisa; Laan, Erwin; Irion, B.D.

    2007-01-01

    textabstractIn this paper we investigate recent initiatives with respect to extended producer responsibility in the aviation sector. We compare those with the existing practices in the automobile sector and the emerging regulations in the shipping sector. We describe the challenges and the lessons to be learned from the evolution and state of extended producer responsibility in these two industries.

  8. Extended Impact of Pin1 Catalytic Loop Phosphorylation Revealed by S71E Phosphomimetic.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mahoney, Brendan J; Zhang, Meiling; Zintsmaster, John S; Peng, Jeffrey W

    2018-03-02

    Pin1 is a two-domain human protein that catalyzes the cis-trans isomerization of phospho-Ser/Thr-Pro (pS/T-P) motifs in numerous cell-cycle regulatory proteins. These pS/T-P motifs bind to Pin1's peptidyl-prolyl isomerase (PPIase) domain in a catalytic pocket, between an extended catalytic loop and the PPIase domain core. Previous studies showed that post-translational phosphorylation of S71 in the catalytic loop decreases substrate binding affinity and isomerase activity. To define the origins for these effects, we investigated a phosphomimetic Pin1 mutant, S71E-Pin1, using solution NMR. We find that S71E perturbs not only its host loop but also the nearby PPIase core. The perturbations identify a local network of hydrogen bonds and salt bridges that is more extended than previously thought, and includes interactions between the catalytic loop and the α2/α3 turn in the PPIase core. Explicit-solvent molecular dynamics simulations and phylogenetic analysis suggest that these interactions act as conserved "latches" between the loop and PPIase core that enhance binding of phosphorylated substrates, as they are absent in PPIases lacking pS/T-P specificity. Our results suggest that S71 is a hub residue within an electrostatic network primed for phosphorylation, and may illustrate a common mechanism of phosphorylation-mediated allostery. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. Investigation on low velocity impact resistance of SMA composite material

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hu, Dianyin; Zhang, Long; Wang, Rongqiao; Zhang, Xiaoyong

    2016-04-01

    A method to improve low velocity impact resistance of aeroengine composite casing using shape memory alloy's properties of shape memory(SM) and super-elasticity(SE) is proposed in this study. Firstly, a numerical modeling of SMA reinforced composite laminate under low velocity impact load with impact velocity of 10 m/s is established based on its constitutive model implemented by the VUMAT subroutine of commercial software ABAQUS. Secondly, the responses of SMA composite laminate including stress and deflection distributions were achieved through transient analysis under low velocity impact load. Numerical results show that both peak stress and deflection values of SMA composite laminate are less than that without SMA, which proves that embedding SMA into the composite structure can effectively improve the low velocity impact performance of composite structure. Finally, the influence of SM and SE on low velocity impact resistance is quantitatively investigated. The values of peak stress and deflection of SMA composite based on SM property decrease by 18.28% and 9.43% respectively, compared with those without SMA, instead of 12.87% and 5.19% based on SE. In conclusion, this proposed model described the impact damage of SMA composite structure and turned to be a more beneficial method to enhance the impact resistance by utilizing SM effect.

  10. Review of extended producer responsibility: A case study approach.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gupt, Yamini; Sahay, Samraj

    2015-07-01

    Principles of extended producer responsibility have been the core of most of the recent policies and legislation dealing with the end-of-life management of recyclable goods. This article makes an exploratory review of 27 cases of extended producer responsibility from developed and developing economies with and without informal recycling, to ascertain the most important aspect of extended producer responsibility. A comparative analysis of the cases with respect to role of stakeholders in the upstream and downstream stages of the extended producer responsibility has been carried out. Further, the study uses exploratory factor analysis to determine the important aspects of the extended producer responsibility in practice using 13 variables identified from the review. Findings of the comparative analysis reveal that financial responsibility of the producers and separate collecting and recycling agencies contributed significantly to the success of the extended producer responsibility-based environmental policies. Regulatory provisions, take-back responsibility and financial flow come out to be the three most important aspects of the extended producer responsibility. Presence of informal sector had a negative impact on the regulatory provisions. The outcomes of this study could serve as a guideline for designing of effective extended producer responsibility-based policies. © The Author(s) 2015.

  11. Prevalence and impact of extended-spectrum β-lactamase production on clinical outcomes in cancer patients with Enterobacter species bacteremia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Sun Jong; Park, Ki-Ho; Chung, Jin-Won; Sung, Heungsup; Choi, Seong-Ho; Choi, Sang-Ho

    2014-09-01

    We examined the prevalence of extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL) production and the impact of ESBL on clinical outcomes in cancer patients with Enterobacter spp. bacteremia. Using prospective cohort data on Enterobacter bacteremia obtained between January 2005 and November 2008 from a tertiary care center, the prevalence and clinical impact of ESBL production were evaluated. Two-hundred and three episodes of Enterobacter spp. bacteremia were identified. Thirty-one blood isolates (15.3%, 31/203) scored positive by the double-disk synergy test. Among 17 isolates in which ESBL genes were detected by polymerase chain reaction and sequencing, CTX-M (n = 12), SHV-12 (n = 11), and TEM (n = 4) were the most prevalent ESBL types. Prior usage of antimicrobial agents (77.4% vs. 54.0%, p = 0.02) and inappropriate empirical antimicrobial therapy (22.6% vs. 3.0%, p Enterobacter bacteremia. Although inappropriate empirical therapy was more common in the ESBL-positive group, ESBL production was not associated with poorer outcomes.

  12. Investigation into the impact of privatizing civil engineering operations in Louisiana DOTD.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-06-01

    The purpose of this study is to investigate the impact of privatizing all civil engineering operations in : the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD). It was investigated by : conducting a national and international literature...

  13. Clinical and Economic Impact of Empirical Extended-Infusion Piperacillin-Tazobactam in a Community Medical Center.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brunetti, Luigi; Poustchi, Shirin; Cunningham, Daniel; Toscani, Michael; Nguyen, Joanne; Lim, Jeremy; Ding, Yilun; Nahass, Ronald G

    2015-07-01

    Current medical center practice allows for the automatic conversion of all piperacillin/tazobactam orders from intermittent to extended infusion (EI). To compare the clinical and cost impact of empirical extended-infusion piperacillin/tazobactam. All consecutive patients treated with piperacillin/tazobactam for >48 hours were reviewed for inclusion. Patients were stratified into 2 groups: (1) traditional infusion (TI), preprotocol implementation, and (2) EI, postprotocol implementation. Patient demographics and primary and secondary diagnoses were extracted from the hospital discharge database. All patients were assessed for the primary end point of all cause 14-day in-hospital mortality. Secondary outcomes included length of hospital stay, duration of antibiotic therapy, cost per treatment course, and occurrence of Clostridium difficile infection. A total of 2150 patients were included (EI = 632; TI = 1518). After adjusting for comorbidity, length of stay, and age, 14-day in-hospital mortality was similar between groups (odds ratio = 1.16; 95% CI = 0.85-1.58; P = 0.37). Length of stay was similar between the EI group versus TI (mean ± SD: 12.5 ± 9.58 days vs 11.8 ± 9.58 days, respectively; P = 0.10) after adjusting for age and Chalson-Deyo comorbidity index. Total cost per treatment course was reduced in the EI group by 13% compared with the TI group ($565.90 ± $257.70 vs $648.30 ± $349.20, respectively; P < 0.0001). Automatic substitution of EI for TI piperacillin/tazobactam is safe and associated with significant cost savings. EI piperacillin/tazobactam was not associated with a reduction in mortality or length of stay. © The Author(s) 2015.

  14. NUNOA: a computer simulator of individuals, families, and extended families of the high-altitude Quechua

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Brandt, C.C.; Weinstein, D.A.; Shugart, H.H.; Simmons, B.

    1980-10-01

    The Quechua Indians of the Peruvian Andes are an example of a human population which has developed special cultural adaptations to deal with hypocaloric stress imposed by a harsh environment. A highly detailed human ecosystem model, NUNOA, which simulates the yearly energy balance of individuals, families, and extended families in a hypothetical farming and herding Quechua community of the high Andes was developed. Unlike most population models which use sets of differential equations in which individuals are aggregated into groups, this model considers the response of each individual to a stochastic environment. The model calculates the yearly energy demand for each family based on caloric requirements of its members. For each family, the model simulates the cultivation of seven different crops and the impact of precipitation, temperature, and disease on yield. Herding, slaughter, and market sales of three different animal species are also simulated. Any energy production in excess of the family's energy demand is placed into extended family storage for possible redistribution. A family failing to meet their annual energy demand may slaughter additional herd animals, temporarily migrate from the community, or borrow food from the extended family storage. The energy balance is used in determining births, deaths, marriages, and resource sharing in the Indian community. In addition, the model maintains a record of each individual's ancestry as well as seven genetic traits for use in tracing lineage and gene flow. The model user has the opportunity to investigate the effect of changes in marriage patterns, resource sharing patterns, or subsistence activities on the ability of the human population to survive in the harsh Andean environment. In addition, the user may investigate the impact of external technology on the Indian culture.

  15. An Examination of Extended a-Rescaling Model

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    YAN Zhan-Yuan; DUAN Chun-Gui; HE Zhen-Min

    2001-01-01

    The extended x-rescaling model can explain the quark's nuclear effect very well. Weather it can also explain the gluon's nuclear effect should be investigated further. Associated J/ψ and γ production with large PT is a very clean channel to probe the gluon distribution in proton or nucleus. In this paper, using the extended x-rescaling model, the PT distribution of the nuclear effect factors of p + Fe → J/Ψ + γ+ X process is calculated and discussed. Comparing our theoretical results with the future experimental data, the extended x-rescaling model can be examined.``

  16. Investigating the impact of Total Quality Management (TQM) on ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Investigating the impact of Total Quality Management (TQM) on innovation in iranian oil companies. ... The PDF file you selected should load here if your Web browser has a PDF reader plug-in installed (for example, a recent version of Adobe Acrobat Reader). If you would like more information about how to print, save, and ...

  17. Investigation on impact resistance of steel plate reinforced concrete barriers against aircraft impact. Pt.2: Simulation analysis of scale model impact tests

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jun Mizuno; Norihide Koshika; Hiroshi Morikawa; Kentaro Wakimoto; Ryusuke Fukuda

    2005-01-01

    Steel plate reinforced concrete (SC) structure is one in which the rebars of conventional reinforced concrete (RC) structures are replaced with external steel plates attached to inner concrete with headed studs. SC structures are considered to be more effective than RC structures against aircraft impact, so their application to outer walls and roofs of risk-sensitive structures such as nuclear-related structures is expected to mitigate damage to critical components. The objective of this study was to investigate the fracture behavior and perforation thickness of SC panels against aircraft impact through impact tests and simulation analyses. Objectives of this paper are to analytically investigate the protection performance of SC panels against aircraft model impact through simulation analyses of 1/7.5 scale aircraft model impact tests presented in Part 1 of this study using a discrete element method (DEM), and to examine the applicability and validity of the DEM. Simulation analyses by a finite element method (FEM) were also performed to evaluate its applicability. The fracture process and damage to the SC test panels as well as the aircraft models are closely simulated by the discrete element analyses. The various impact responses and failure mechanisms, such as deceleration curves of projectile, velocity of debris from rear face and deformation mode of SC panels, are also simulated closely by the DEM analyses. The results of analyses confirm the shock-proof performance of SC panels against aircraft impact, and the applicability and validity of DEM for evaluating the complex phenomena of an aircraft impact against an SC panel. The finite element analysis closely simulates the deformation of the SC test panel and strains of rear steel plate where the global bending deformation mode is dominant. (authors)

  18. Experimental Investigation on Low-velocity Impact and Compression After Impact Properties of Three-dimensional Five-directional Braided Composites

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    YAN Shi

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available The low-velocity impact and compression after impact (CAI properties of three-dimensional (3D five-directional carbon fiber/epoxy resin braided composites were experimentally investigated. Specimens prepared with different braiding angles were tested at the same impact energy level. Residual post-impact mechanical properties of the different configurations were characterized by compression after impact tests. Results show that the specimens with bigger braiding angle sustain higher peak loads, and smaller impact damage area, mainly attributes to a more compact space construction. The CAI strength and damage mechanism are found to be mainly dependent on the axial support of the braiding fiber tows. With the increase of braiding angle, the CAI strength decreases, and the damage mode of the composites is changed from transverse fracture to shear failure.

  19. Integrated collector-storage solar water heater with extended storage unit

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kumar, Rakesh; Rosen, Marc A.

    2011-01-01

    The integrated collector-storage solar water heater (ICSSWH) is one of the simplest designs of solar water heater. In ICSSWH systems the conversion of solar energy into useful heat is often simple, efficient and cost effective. To broaden the usefulness of ICSSWH systems, especially for overnight applications, numerous design modifications have been proposed and analyzed in the past. In the present investigation the storage tank of an ICSSWH is coupled with an extended storage section. The total volume of the modified ICSSWH has two sections. Section A is exposed to incoming solar radiation, while section B is insulated on all sides. An expression is developed for the natural convection flow rate in section A. The inter-related energy balances are written for each section and solved to ascertain the impact of the extended storage unit on the water temperature and the water heater efficiency. The volumes of water in the two sections are optimized to achieve a maximum water temperature at a reasonably high efficiency. The influence is investigated of inclination angle of section A on the temperature of water heater and the angle is optimized. It is determined that a volume ratio of 7/3 between sections A and B yields the maximum water temperature and efficiency in the modified solar water heater. The performance of the modified water heater is also compared with a conventional ICSSWH system under similar conditions.

  20. Investigation of impact toughness of a Ni-based superalloy at elevated temperature

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yang, Y.H.; Yu, J.J.; Sun, X.F.; Jin, T.; Guan, H.R.; Hu, Z.Q.

    2012-01-01

    Highlights: ► The samples show highest impact toughness at 600 °C. ► The impact toughness of samples impact at 760 °C drops sharply. ► The voids nucleation and growth are fracture mechanism at elevated temperature. ► The decrease in strength of grain boundaries causes reduction in impact toughness. -- Abstract: The impact toughness of M951 alloy is investigated in temperature range between 20 °C and 800 °C. The results show that the impact toughness of samples impacted at 600 °C shows highest impact toughness value, the impact toughness value drops sharply when the samples impacted at 760 °C. In addition samples impacted at 800 °C show the higher impact toughness than that of samples impact at 760 °C. The scanning electron microscope observations show that cracks initiate at carbides particles due to high stress concentration, which leads to low impact toughness value at 20 °C. The dimples which can absorb more energy are formed during the impact at 600 °C. The samples impacted at 760 °C show lowest impact toughness. Additionally, the dimples nucleation, growth and coalescence are the major fracture mechanism at elevated temperature.

  1. Impact of the Extended Learning Opportunities Summer Adventures in Learning (ELO SAIL) Program on Student Academic Performance: Part 1, Results from Fall 2012 to Fall 2015

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cooper-Martin, Elizabeth; Wolanin, Natalie; Jang, Seong; Modarresi, Shahpar; Zhao, Huafang

    2016-01-01

    Extended Learning Opportunities Summer Adventures in Learning (ELO SAIL) is a Montgomery County Public Schools summer program for students in all Title I elementary schools; it targets students who will be in kindergarten-Grade 2 in the fall following the program. This report analyzed demographic characteristics of attendees and the impact of the…

  2. Developing An Extended Theory Of Planned Behavior Model To Investigate Consumers Consumption Behavior Toward Organic Food A Case Study In Thailand

    OpenAIRE

    Kamonthip Maichum; Surakiat Parichatnon; Ke-Chung Peng

    2017-01-01

    Organic foods are gaining popularity around the world and consumers of organic foods are on the rise. However information on the consumer behavior towards purchasing organic foods in developing countries such as Thailand is lacking. In this study we develop an extended theory of planned behavior TPB research model that incorporates organic knowledge to investigate consumers consumption intention and behavior towards organic food. We derived and examined the model through structural equation m...

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

    Science.gov (United States)

    Faes, Luca; Nollo, Giandomenico

    2010-11-01

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

  4. Investigation of Impact of the Gate Circuitry on IGBT Transistor Dynamic Parameters

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vytautas Bleizgys

    2011-03-01

    Full Text Available The impact of Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor driver circuit parameters on the rise and fall time of the collector current and voltage collector-emitter was investigated. The influence of transistor driver circuit parameters on heating of Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistors was investigated as well.Article in Lithuanian

  5. ADHD symptoms and benefit from extended time testing accommodations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lovett, Benjamin J; Leja, Ashley M

    2015-02-01

    To investigate the relationship between ADHD symptoms, executive functioning problems, and benefit from extended time testing accommodations. College students completed a battery of measures assessing processing speed and reading fluency, reading comprehension (under two different time limits), symptoms of ADHD, executive functioning deficits, and perceptions of need for extended time. Students reporting more symptoms of ADHD and executive functioning deficits actually benefited less from extended time, and students' perceptions of their timing needs did not predict benefit. Students with more ADHD symptoms are less likely to use extended time effectively, possibly because of their associated executive functioning problems. These results suggest there may be little justification for examining a student's ADHD symptoms when making extended time accommodation decisions. © 2013 SAGE Publications.

  6. Lepton flavor violation in an extended MSSM

    CERN Document Server

    Espinosa-Castañeda, R.; Gómez-Bock, M.; Mondragón, M.

    2016-01-01

    In this work we explore a lepton flavor violation effect induced at one loop for a flavor structure in an extended minimal standard supersymmetric model, considering an ansatz for the trilinear term. In particular we find a finite expression which will show the impact of this phenomena in the $h\\to \\mu \\tau$ decay, produced by a mixing in the trilinear coupling of the soft supersymmetric Lagrangian.

  7. New Investigations of the Gow Lake Impact Structure, Saskatchewan, Canada: Impact Melt Rocks, Astronaut Training, and More

    Science.gov (United States)

    Osinski, G. R.; Singleton, A. C.; Ozaruk, A.; Hansen, J. R.

    2012-03-01

    New investigations of the Gow Lake impact structure has revealed an almost complete sequence of impactites from the crater floor upward through a series of melt-free and melt-bearing rocks. This research involved an astronaut training component.

  8. Investigation of the low-speed impact behavior of dual particle size metal matrix composites

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cerit, Afşın Alper

    2014-01-01

    Highlights: • AA2124 matrix composites reinforced with SiC particles were manufactured. • Low-speed impact behaviors of composites were investigated. • Composites were manufactured with single (SPS) and dual particle sizes (DPS). • Impact behaviors of DPS composites are more favorable than the SPS composites. • Approximately 50–60% of input energy was absorbed by the composite samples. - Abstract: SiC-reinforced aluminum matrix composites were manufactured by powder metallurgy using either single or dual particle sized SiC powders and samples sintered under argon atmosphere. Quasi-static loading, low-speed impact tests and hardness tests were used to investigate mechanical behavior and found that dual particle size composites had improved hardness and impact performance compared to single particle size composites. Sample microstructure, particle distributions, plastic deformations and post-testing damages were examined by scanning electron microscopy and identified microstructure agglomerations in SPS composites. Impact traces were characterized by broken and missing SiC particles and plastically deformed composite areas

  9. Extending recommendations for respiratory vaccines : experimental and non-experimental studies

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Jansen, A.G.S.C.

    2007-01-01

    Context: * Many European countries are considering to extend recommendations for influenza vaccination to include otherwise healthy persons aged <65 years. However information about the potential impact of such extension is scarce, particularly for adults. Furthermore, the development of vaccines

  10. Extending Prior Posts in Dyadic Online Text Chat

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tudini, Vincenza

    2015-01-01

    This study explores whether chat users are able to extend prior, apparently completed posts in the dyadic online text chat context. Dyadic text chat has a unique turn-taking system, and most chat softwares do not permit users to monitor one another's written messages-in-progress. This is likely to impact on their use of online extensions as an…

  11. Impact of extended burnup on the nuclear fuel cycle

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1993-04-01

    The Advisory Group Meeting was held in Vienna from 2 to 5 December 1991, to review, analyse, and discuss the effects of burnup extension in both light and heavy water reactors on all aspects of the fuel cycle. Twenty experts from thirteen countries participated in this meeting. There was consensus that both economic and environmental benefits are driving forces toward the achievement of higher burnups and that the present trend of burnup extension may be expected to continue. The extended burnup has been considered for the three main stages of the fuel cycle: the front end, in-reactor issues and the back end. Thirteen papers were presented. A separate abstract was prepared for each of these papers. Refs, figs and tabs

  12. Extending Double Optical Gating to the Midinfrared

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gorman, Timothy; Camper, Antoine; Agostini, Pierre; Dimauro, Louis

    2015-05-01

    In the past decade there has been great interest in creating broadband isolated attosecond pulses (IAPs). Primarily these IAPs have been generated using Ti:Sapphire 800nm short pulses, namely through spatiotemporal gating with the attosecond lighthouse technique, amplitude gating, polarization gating, and double optical gating (DOG). Here we present theoretical calculations and experimental investigations into extending DOG to using a 2 μm driving wavelength, the benefits of which include extended harmonic cutoff and longer input driving pulse durations. It is proposed that broadband IAPs with cutoffs extending up to 250 eV can be generated in Argon by using >30 fs pulses from the passively-CEP stabilized 2 μm idler out of an optical parametric amplifier combined with a collinear DOG experimental setup.

  13. A qualitative study of extended care permit dental hygienists in Kansas.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Delinger, Janette; Gadbury-Amyot, Cynthia C; Mitchell, Tanya Villalpando; Williams, Karen B

    2014-06-01

    Currently, 37 states allow some type of alternative practice settings for dental hygienists. This qualitative study was designed to explore the experiences of the Extended Care Permit (ECP) dental hygienist in the state of Kansas. As a first ever study of this workforce model, a qualitative research design was chosen to illuminate the education and experiences of extended dental hygiene practitioners in order to understand the impact ECP legislation has had on increasing the public's access to oral health care services and define the advantages and limitation of this model as one potential solution to access to oral care. Snowball sampling was used to identify study participants who were actively engaged in extended care practice. Nine subjects, which included one ECP consultant and eight ECP providers, participated in this study. Data obtained via personal interviews and through document analysis data were subsequently coded and thematically analyzed by three examiners. An independent audit was conducted by a fourth examiner to confirm dependability of results. Seven major categories emerged from the data analysis: entrepreneur dental hygienist, partnerships, funding, barriers, sustainability, models of care and the impact of the ECP. The findings of this study revealed that ECP hygienists are making an impact with underserved populations, primarily children, the elderly and special needs patients. Copyright © 2014 The American Dental Hygienists’ Association.

  14. Analysing spatially extended high-dimensional dynamics by recurrence plots

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Marwan, Norbert, E-mail: marwan@pik-potsdam.de [Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, 14412 Potsdam (Germany); Kurths, Jürgen [Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, 14412 Potsdam (Germany); Humboldt Universität zu Berlin, Institut für Physik (Germany); Nizhny Novgorod State University, Department of Control Theory, Nizhny Novgorod (Russian Federation); Foerster, Saskia [GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences, Section 1.4 Remote Sensing, Telegrafenberg, 14473 Potsdam (Germany)

    2015-05-08

    Recurrence plot based measures of complexity are capable tools for characterizing complex dynamics. In this letter we show the potential of selected recurrence plot measures for the investigation of even high-dimensional dynamics. We apply this method on spatially extended chaos, such as derived from the Lorenz96 model and show that the recurrence plot based measures can qualitatively characterize typical dynamical properties such as chaotic or periodic dynamics. Moreover, we demonstrate its power by analysing satellite image time series of vegetation cover with contrasting dynamics as a spatially extended and potentially high-dimensional example from the real world. - Highlights: • We use recurrence plots for analysing partially extended dynamics. • We investigate the high-dimensional chaos of the Lorenz96 model. • The approach distinguishes different spatio-temporal dynamics. • We use the method for studying vegetation cover time series.

  15. How Far Can Extended Knowledge Be Extended?

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Wray, K. Brad

    2018-01-01

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

  16. Extended testing of a modified 18B plutonium nitrate shipping container

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yoshimura, H.R.; Pope, R.B.; Leisher, W.B.; Joseph, B.J.; Schulz-Forberg, B.; Hubner, H.W.

    1980-01-01

    The container damage observed as the result of the high-speed pulldown impact test was more severe than that of either the 185-m free-fall drop of a prototype container onto a semirigid surface or the crush environment produced by a 9-m drop of a 2-tonne block onto a modified container resting on an unyielding surface. In comparison to the extended tests, the 9-m regulatory drop test onto an unyielding surface of the prototype packaging in its most damaging orientation produced the least amount of damage. Very little deformation in the overpack was observed, and there was no influence on the fire resistivity and leaktightness of the containment vessel. The 128 m/s impact test produced a leak in the container. It appears that the 18B packaging, designed to withstand the environments specified in IAEA Safety Series No. 6, can withstand extended environments including longer duration fires and higher velocity impacts on yielding targets. When modified with ring stiffeners, the packaging withstood a dynamic crush test, but did not survive the high speed impact onto an unyielding surface as specified in NUREG 0360

  17. The role of extended family in diverse teens’ sexual health

    OpenAIRE

    Grossman, Jennifer M.; Tracy, Allison; Richer, Amanda; Erkut, Sumru

    2014-01-01

    Despite increasing extended family involvement in childrearing, particularly in minority families, few studies investigate their role in talking with teens about sex or how this relates to teens’ sexual behavior. This mixed methods study assesses extended family sexuality communication through a survey of 1492 diverse middle school students and interviews with 32 students. Logistic regression shows that participants who report having had sex are more likely to report talking with extended fam...

  18. Laboratory Experiment Investigating the Impact of Ocean Acidification on Calcareous Organisms

    Science.gov (United States)

    Perera, Alokya P.; Bopegedera, A. M. R. P.

    2014-01-01

    The increase in ocean acidity since preindustrial times may have deleterious consequences for marine organisms, particularly those with calcareous structures. We present a laboratory experiment to investigate this impact with general, introductory, environmental, and nonmajors chemistry students. For simplicity and homogeneity, calcite was…

  19. Experimental and numerical investigations of liquid mercury droplet impacts

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Naoe, Takashi; Futakawa, Masatoshi; Kenny, Richard Gerrard; Otsuki, Masato

    2014-01-01

    A broad investigation into the hydrodynamics of liquid mercury has been motivated of late by its use in MW-scale spallation neutron sources. One area of particular concern relates to the erosion suffered by vessel walls from the cumulative effects of liquid mercury droplet impacts arising from the collapse of cavitation bubbles. The low speed (< 5 m/s) range of such events forms the focus of this paper and to this end a series of experiments is conducted on spherical droplets of diameter 2.5 mm impacting upon a dry quartz surface. A reasonable simulation of such impacts is made possible by using the VOF (volume of fluid) solver interFoam (a part of the open source package OpenFOAM) in combination with an empirical expression for the dynamic contact angle of the air-mercury-quartz system. This latter represents a 'best fit' to data obtained from high resolution imaging of the droplet profile for a range of contact line velocities. Experiment and simulation are subsequently compared throughout the stages of initial deposition, spread, recession with break-up and, finally, bounce. (author)

  20. Extending the lessons of educational television with young American children

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Piotrowski, J.; Jennings, N.A.; Linebarger, D.L.

    2013-01-01

    As the availability of children's educational television has increased, initiatives to expand the educational impact of programs have emerged. One such initiative is experiential mediation, a form of mediation in which the viewer physically engages with materials designed to extend the program's

  1. The chicken or the egg? Investigating the transformational impact of learning technology

    OpenAIRE

    Buchan, Janet F.

    2011-01-01

    This study aimed to investigate the transformational impact of introducing significant new learning technology in an Australian university over the time period 2007–2009. The exploration of this transformation is grounded in a social–ecological systems approach to the management of technology enhanced learning environments in the face of constant change. The transformational impact is described using the Adaptive Cycle Framework. The single case study had a whole-of-institution systems focus....

  2. The Future of Mobility and its Impact on Tourism: An Investigation into Relevant Long-Term Trends

    OpenAIRE

    Klühspies. Johannes; Ohnmacht, Timo; Diggelmann, Thomas

    2009-01-01

    The study primarily aims to identify the developments in the mobility sector as well as the resulting perspectives and risks as they impact particular areas of tourism and leisure travel. The time frame extends to the year 2030. This study does not forecast how the future will be. Instead, it is a summary of “how experts think the future will be”. In total, 1,608 experts participated in the online-survey in spring 2009. Assuming that the experts’ views describe an accurate picture of the f...

  3. Extending the area of investigation of fine versus coarse quartz optical ages from the Lower Danube to the Carpathian Basin

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Timar-Gabor, Alida; Constantin, Daniela; Marković, S.B.

    2015-01-01

    mm) grains and coarse (63e90 mm) grains respectively. The current study aims at expanding these investigations, both by extending the area of study from the Lower Danube Basin to the Carpathian Basin and by applying time-resolved optically stimulated luminescence (TR-OSL) on quartz, in order to gain...... is observed for both continuous wave (CW-OSL) and pulsed OSL (POSL), where the dose response (up to 1000 Gy) is well described by a sum of two saturating exponential functions. TR-OSL measurements show one single, characteristic quartz lifetime for both natural as well as regenerative signals in the entire...

  4. An experimental and numerical investigation of head dynamics due to stick impacts in girls' lacrosse.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Morse, Justin D; Franck, Jennifer A; Wilcox, Bethany J; Crisco, Joseph J; Franck, Christian

    2014-12-01

    A method of investigating head acceleration and intracranial dynamics from stick impacts in girls' and women's lacrosse was developed using headform impact experiments and a finite element head model. Assessing the likelihood of head injury due to stick-head impacts is of interest in girls' and women's lacrosse due to the current lack of head protection during play. Experimental and simulation data were compared to characterize the head acceleration caused by stick-head impacts. Validation against cadaver head impact experiments ensures that the finite element model, with its relatively simple material properties, can provide means to develop a better understanding of the intracranial dynamics during lacrosse stick impacts. Our numerical results showed the peak acceleration at the center of gravity increased linearly with impact force, and was generally in agreement with the experimental data. von Mises stresses and peak principal strains, two common literature injury indicators, were examined within the finite element model, and peak values were below the previously reported thresholds for mild traumatic brain injury. By reconstructing typical in-game, unprotected stick-head impacts, this investigation lays the foundation for a quantitative methodology of injury prediction in girls' and womens' lacrosse.

  5. Biomechanical investigation of impact induced rib fractures of a porcine infant surrogate model.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Blackburne, William B; Waddell, J Neil; Swain, Michael V; Alves de Sousa, Ricardo J; Kieser, Jules A

    2016-09-01

    This study investigated the structural, biomechanical and fractographic features of rib fractures in a piglet model, to test the hypothesis that fist impact, apart from thoracic squeezing, may result in lateral costal fractures as observed in abused infants. A mechanical fist with an accelerometer was constructed and fixed to a custom jig. Twenty stillborn piglets in the supine position were impacted on the thoracic cage. The resultant force versus time curves from the accelerometer data showed a number of steps indicative of rib fracture. The correlation between impact force and number of fractures was statistically significant (Pearson׳s r=0.528). Of the fractures visualized, 15 completely pierced the parietal pleura of the thoracic wall, and 5 had butterfly fracture patterning. Scanning electron microscopy showed complete bone fractures, at the zone of impact, were normal to the axis of the ribs. Incomplete vertical fractures, with bifurcation, occurred on the periphery of the contact zone. This work suggests the mechanism of rib failure during a fist impact is typical of the transverse fracture pattern in the anterolateral region associated with cases of non-accidental rib injury. The impact events investigated have a velocity of ~2-3m/s, approximately 2×10(4) times faster than previous quasi-static axial and bending tests. While squeezing the infantile may induce buckle fractures in the anterior as well as posterior region of the highly flexible bones, a fist punch impact event may result in anterolateral transverse fractures. Hence, these findings suggest that the presence of anterolateral rib fractures may result from impact rather than manual compression. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  6. An extended range neutron rem counter

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Birattari, C.; Nuccetelli, C.; Pelliccioni, M.; Silari, M.

    1990-01-01

    Extensive Monte Carlo calculations have been carried out to assess the possibility of extending the sensitivity of a neutron rem counter of the Andersson-Braun type up to several hundred MeV. The validity of the model adopted has first been checked by comparing with experimental data the calculated response curve and the angular dependence of the sensitivity for a well known commercial rem counter. Next, a number of modifications to the configuration of the moderator-attenuator have been investigated. The response functions and angular distributions produced by two simple solutions yielding an instrument with a sensitivity extended up to 400 MeV are presented. The response of the original rem counter and of its two modified versions to nine test spectra has also been calculated. The resulting instrument is transportable rather than portable, but the availability of an extended range neutron survey meter would be of great advantage at medium and high energy particle accelerator facilities. (orig.)

  7. Investigation of evaluation method for marine radiological impact during an accident

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    2012-08-15

    In 2012, JNES carried out to investigate the measurement information of radionuclide released to the ocean at Fukushima Daiichi NPP accident, the foreign regulation for marine radiological impact, and the evaluation method for release and diffusion to the ocean at the accident inside and outside Japan. (author)

  8. A numerical investigation on the efficiency of range extending systems using Advanced Vehicle Simulator

    Science.gov (United States)

    Varnhagen, Scott; Same, Adam; Remillard, Jesse; Park, Jae Wan

    2011-03-01

    Series plug-in hybrid electric vehicles of varying engine configuration and battery capacity are modeled using Advanced Vehicle Simulator (ADVISOR). The performance of these vehicles is analyzed on the bases of energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions on the tank-to-wheel and well-to-wheel paths. Both city and highway driving conditions are considered during the simulation. When simulated on the well-to-wheel path, it is shown that the range extender with a Wankel rotary engine consumes less energy and emits fewer greenhouse gases compared to the other systems with reciprocating engines during many driving cycles. The rotary engine has a higher power-to-weight ratio and lower noise, vibration and harshness compared to conventional reciprocating engines, although performs less efficiently. The benefits of a Wankel engine make it an attractive option for use as a range extender in a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle.

  9. Tuning thermal conduction via extended defects in graphene

    Science.gov (United States)

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

    2013-05-01

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

  10. A Comparative Risk Assessment of Extended Integrated Leak Rate Testing Intervals

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Oh, Ji Yong; Hwang, Seok Won; Lee, Byung Sik [Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power Co., Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

    2009-10-15

    This paper presents the risk impacts of extending the Integrated Leak Rate Testing (ILRT) intervals (from five years to ten years) of Yonggwang (YGN) Unit 1 and 2. These risk impacts depended on the annual variances of meteorological data and resident population. Main comparisons were performed between the initial risk assessment (2005) for the purpose of extending ILRT interval and risk reassessment (2009) where the changed plant internal configurations (core inventory and radioisotope release fraction) and plant external alterations (wind directions, rainfall and population distributions) were monitored. The reassessment showed that there was imperceptible risk increase when the ILRT interval was extended compared to the initial risk assessment. In addition, the increased value of the Large Early Release Frequency (LERF) also satisfied the acceptance guideline proposed on Reg. Guide 1.174. The MACCS II code was used for evaluating the offsite consequence analysis. The primary risk index were used as the Probabilistic Population Dose (PPD) by considering the early effects within 80 km. The Probabilistic Safety Assessment (PSA) of YGN 1 and 2 was applied to evaluate the accident frequency of each source term category and the used PSA scope was limited to internal event.

  11. A Framework for a Decision Support System in a Hierarchical Extended Enterprise Decision Context

    Science.gov (United States)

    Boza, Andrés; Ortiz, Angel; Vicens, Eduardo; Poler, Raul

    Decision Support System (DSS) tools provide useful information to decision makers. In an Extended Enterprise, a new goal, changes in the current objectives or small changes in the extended enterprise configuration produce a necessary adjustment in its decision system. A DSS in this context must be flexible and agile to make suitable an easy and quickly adaptation to this new context. This paper proposes to extend the Hierarchical Production Planning (HPP) structure to an Extended Enterprise decision making context. In this way, a framework for DSS in Extended Enterprise context is defined using components of HPP. Interoperability details have been reviewed to identify the impact in this framework. The proposed framework allows overcoming some interoperability barriers, identifying and organizing components for a DSS in Extended Enterprise context, and working in the definition of an architecture to be used in the design process of a flexible DSS in Extended Enterprise context which can reuse components for futures Extended Enterprise configurations.

  12. Investigation of the effects on Charpy impact characteristics by shape of pendulum striking edge

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kawai, Toshihiko; Etoh, Mikio; Hanawa, Namio; Shibaike, Masayuki; Inoue, Kazuo.

    1983-01-01

    Charpy impact test is used versatilely and practically as the method of evaluating the toughness of metals. In Japan, usually the JIS type testing machines are used, but recently, the test with ASTM type testing machines has been often demanded for steel materials for export or for nuclear use. Accordingly, the testing machines of both types must be installed, the testing works become troublesome, and the costs of initial investment, maintenance, management and so on increase. When the standards in various countries were investigated, the stipulation on the various particulars of the testing machines was almost similar except the shape of striking edges, which are 8mm radius in ASTM and 2mm radius in other standards. Recently it was clarified that there was some difference between the impact values of high toughness steel using JIS and ASTM machines. In order to clarify the cause of this difference and to unify the shape of edges, the investigation was carried out by the working group. The investigation of the effect of the difference of edge shapes on impact values, the analysis of fracture phenomena in impact test and the consideration on the results are reported. ASTM type testing machines should not be used for mild steel when absorbed energy exceeds 10kgf-m. (Kako, I.)

  13. Extended objects

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Creutz, M.

    1976-01-01

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

  14. Numerical investigation of road salt impact on an urban wellfield.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bester, M L; Frind, E O; Molson, J W; Rudolph, D L

    2006-01-01

    The impact of road salt on a wellfield in a complex glacial moraine aquifer system is studied by numerical simulation. The moraine underlies an extensive urban and industrial landscape, which draws its water supply from >20 wellfields, several of which are approaching or have exceeded the drinking water limit for chloride. The study investigates the mechanisms of road salt infiltration, storage, and transport in the subsurface and assesses the effectiveness of mitigation measures designed to reduce the impact. The three-dimensional transport model accounts for increases in salt loading, as well as growth of the urbanized area and road network over the past 50 years. The simulations, which focus on one impacted wellfield, show chloride plumes originating mainly at arterial roads and migrating through aquitard windows into the water supply aquifers. The results suggest that the aquifer system contains a large and heterogeneously distributed mass of chloride and that concentrations in the aquifer can be substantially higher than the concentrations in the well water. Future impact scenarios indicate that although the system responds rapidly to reductions in salt loading, the residual chloride mass may take decades to flush out, even if road salting were discontinued. The implications with respect to urban wellfields in typical snow-belt areas are discussed.

  15. Extended impacts of climate change on health and wellbeing

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Thomas, Felicity; Sabel, Clive E.; Morton, Katherine; Hiscock, Rosemary; Depledge, Michael H.

    2014-01-01

    Highlights: • Incorporates wellbeing into understandings of climate change impacts on health. • Considers a range of secondary impacts of climate change on health and wellbeing. • Examines co-benefits and dis-benefits of climate change adaptation and mitigation strategies for health and wellbeing. • Emphasises the spatially and socially differentiated repercussions of adaptation and mitigation measures. - Abstract: Anthropogenic climate change is progressively transforming the environment despite political and technological attempts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to tackle global warming. Here we propose that greater insight and understanding of the health-related impacts of climate change can be gained by integrating the positivist approaches used in public health and epidemiology, with holistic social science perspectives on health in which the concept of ‘wellbeing’ is more explicitly recognised. Such an approach enables us to acknowledge and explore a wide range of more subtle, yet important health-related outcomes of climate change. At the same time, incorporating notions of wellbeing enables recognition of both the health co-benefits and dis-benefits of climate change adaptation and mitigation strategies across different population groups and geographical contexts. The paper recommends that future adaptation and mitigation policies seek to ensure that benefits are available for all since current evidence suggests that they are spatially and socially differentiated, and their accessibility is dependent on a range of contextually specific socio-cultural factors

  16. Neutron shielding performance of water-extended polyester

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

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

    2006-01-01

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

  17. Neutron shielding performance of water-extended polyester

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

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

    2006-07-01

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

  18. Investigation on the innovative impact hydroforming technology

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lihui, Lang; Shaohua, Wang; Chunlei, Yang

    2013-05-01

    Hydroforming has a rapid development recently which has good forming quality and less cost. However, it still cannot meet the requirements of forming complex parts with small features just like convex tables, or bars which are widely employed in automotive and aircraft industries. The impact hydroforming technology means the most features are formed by hydroforming and the small features are rapidly reshaped by high intensity impact energy in a very short time after the traditional hydroforming. The impact pressure rises to the peak in 10ms which belongs to dynamic loading. In this paper, impact hydroforming process is proposed. The generation and transmission of impact hydroforming energy and impact shock wave were studied and simulated. The deformation process of the metal disks under the dynamic impact loading condition presented impact hydroforming is an effective technology to form complex parts with small features.

  19. Extending Wireless Rechargeable Sensor Network Life without Full Knowledge.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Najeeb, Najeeb W; Detweiler, Carrick

    2017-07-17

    When extending the life of Wireless Rechargeable Sensor Networks (WRSN), one challenge is charging networks as they grow larger. Overcoming this limitation will render a WRSN more practical and highly adaptable to growth in the real world. Most charging algorithms require a priori full knowledge of sensor nodes' power levels in order to determine the nodes that require charging. In this work, we present a probabilistic algorithm that extends the life of scalable WRSN without a priori power knowledge and without full network exploration. We develop a probability bound on the power level of the sensor nodes and utilize this bound to make decisions while exploring a WRSN. We verify the algorithm by simulating a wireless power transfer unmanned aerial vehicle, and charging a WRSN to extend its life. Our results show that, without knowledge, our proposed algorithm extends the life of a WRSN on average 90% of what an optimal full knowledge algorithm can achieve. This means that the charging robot does not need to explore the whole network, which enables the scaling of WRSN. We analyze the impact of network parameters on our algorithm and show that it is insensitive to a large range of parameter values.

  20. The Effects of Extended Water Supply Disruptions on the Operations ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    kirstam

    or extended water supply disruptions on the operations of small and medium enterprises ... negatively affected. The results of this study give a better perspective ... water scarcity, which has a detrimental impact on livelihoods and business. 2The incidence of ...... to make contingency plans for their production. Planning for ...

  1. Comparative study on five different commercial extenders for boar semen.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vyt, P; Maes, D; Dejonckheere, E; Castryck, F; Van Soom, A

    2004-02-01

    Increasing interest in a longer preservation of diluted boar sperm raises questions in the field concerning the choice of the extender. The aim of this study was to evaluate the longevity of boar sperm extended in currently used commercial semen extenders. Three long-term extenders and two short-term extenders were compared for different semen quality parameters that can be assessed under routine laboratory conditions. Sperm morphology, motility, pH and bacteriological contamination were investigated during a 7-day period. The number of dead spermatozoa did not differ significantly among the extenders (p > 0.05). Sperm motility was not only related with storage period but most of all with pH, especially in long-term extenders. Differences between the different extenders were prominent (p extender showed good motility during the whole test period. In all cases, the pH of the extended semen increased by 0.3-0.5 in the first days of storage and was significantly correlated with a decrease in motility. Bacteriological quality had no significant influence on motility or pH of the semen. In conclusion, we can state that in both short-term extenders and in only one long-term extender, sperm longevity, as evaluated by the parameters used in this study, was sufficient during the preservation period. To preserve the quality of diluted boar semen during long-term storage, the choice of the long-term extender is important. In addition, the monitoring of the pH of extended boar semen in our study emphasizes the importance of the buffering capacity of semen extenders.

  2. Development of System Architecture to Investigate the Impact of Integrated Air and Missile Defense in a Distributed Lethality Environment

    Science.gov (United States)

    2017-12-01

    SYSTEM ARCHITECTURE TO INVESTIGATE THE IMPACT OF INTEGRATED AIR AND MISSILE DEFENSE IN A DISTRIBUTED LETHALITY ENVIRONMENT by Justin K. Davis...TO INVESTIGATE THE IMPACT OF INTEGRATED AIR AND MISSILE DEFENSE IN A DISTRIBUTED LETHALITY ENVIRONMENT 5. FUNDING NUMBERS 6. AUTHOR(S) Justin K...ARCHITECTURE TO INVESTIGATE THE IMPACT OF INTEGRATED AIR AND MISSILE DEFENSE IN A DISTRIBUTED LETHALITY ENVIRONMENT Justin K. Davis Lieutenant

  3. Fosfomycin versus meropenem in bacteraemic urinary tract infections caused by extended-spectrum β-lactamase-producing Escherichia coli (FOREST): study protocol for an investigator-driven randomised controlled trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rosso-Fernández, Clara; Sojo-Dorado, Jesús; Barriga, Angel; Lavín-Alconero, Lucía; Palacios, Zaira; López-Hernández, Inmaculada; Merino, Vicente; Camean, Manuel; Pascual, Alvaro; Rodríguez-Baño, Jesús

    2015-03-31

    Finding therapeutic alternatives to carbapenems in infections caused by extended-spectrum β-lactamase-producing Escherichia coli (ESBL-EC) is imperative. Although fosfomycin was discovered more than 40 years ago, it was not investigated in accordance with current standards and so is not used in clinical practice except in desperate situations. It is one of the so-called neglected antibiotics of high potential interest for the future. The main objective of this project is to demonstrate the clinical non-inferiority of intravenous fosfomycin with regard to meropenem for treating bacteraemic urinary tract infections (UTI) caused by ESBL-EC. This is a 'real practice' multicentre, open-label, phase III randomised controlled trial, designed to compare the clinical and microbiological efficacy, and safety of intravenous fosfomycin (4 g/6 h) and meropenem (1 g/8 h) as targeted therapy for this infection; a change to oral therapy is permitted after 5 days in both arms, in accordance with predetermined options. The study design follows the latest recommendations for designing trials investigating new options for multidrug-resistant bacteria. Secondary objectives include the study of fosfomycin concentrations in plasma and the impact of both drugs on intestinal colonisation by multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacilli. Ethical approval was obtained from the Andalusian Coordinating Institutional Review Board (IRB) for Biomedical Research (Referral Ethics Committee), which obtained approval from the local ethics committees at all participating sites in Spain (22 sites). Data will be presented at international conferences and published in peer-reviewed journals. This project is proposed as an initial step in the investigation of an orphan antimicrobial of low cost with high potential as a therapeutic alternative in common infections such as UTI in selected patients. These results may have a major impact on the use of antibiotics and the development of new projects

  4. Developing An Extended Theory Of Planned Behavior Model To Investigate Consumers Consumption Behavior Toward Organic Food A Case Study In Thailand

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kamonthip Maichum

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Organic foods are gaining popularity around the world and consumers of organic foods are on the rise. However information on the consumer behavior towards purchasing organic foods in developing countries such as Thailand is lacking. In this study we develop an extended theory of planned behavior TPB research model that incorporates organic knowledge to investigate consumers consumption intention and behavior towards organic food. We derived and examined the model through structural equation modeling SEM on a sample of 412 respondents in Thailand representing 82.40 of the samples that were investigated. Our findings indicated that consumer attitude and perceived behavioral control significantly predicts consumption intention whereas subjective norm does not. Hence consumption intention has a positive influence on organic food consumption behavior. Furthermore our results suggest that TPB model mediates the relationship between organic knowledge and consumption behavior.

  5. Neutron shielding performance of water-extended polyester

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

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

    2006-01-01

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

  6. Perspectives on extended Deterrence

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

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

    2010-05-01

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

  7. An extended family suddenly confronted with a life-threatening hereditary arrhythmia

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Hendriks, K.S.W.H.; Van Langen, I.M.; Van Tintelen, J.P.; Grosfeld, F.J.M.; Wilde, A.A.M.; Ten Kroode, H.F.J.

    2005-01-01

    Objective. This exploratory study serves to illustrate the psychological impact on an extended family in the process of genetic counselling and testing for a potentially life-threatening arrhythmia, the long-QT syndrome (LQTS). Method. All members of the third generation and their partners (n=11)

  8. Investigation of nonlinear processes associated with stimulated Brillouin scattering in an underdense and extended plasma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rizvi, S.A.H.

    1983-01-01

    In our experiment, the plasma was performed by means of a Z-pinch. Although a plasma near or above the critical density could have been produced, our experiment was deliberately restricted to underdense plasma as a) our interest was to investigate similar situations as encountered in the large extended coronal region of laser-pellet interaction which may endanger the prospects of laser fusion, b) it is readily accessible to various diagnostic methods, and, c) there is sufficient experimental data and theory availabe for comparison. After a brief introduction of the subject, the theory of laser-induced parametric instabilities, as well as various saturation mechanisms are discussed in the second chapter. The third Chapter contains the experimental details of the complete CO 2 laser system, the Z-pinch, and the laser plasma interaction experiment. Experimental results are reported in the next Chapter and are analyzed in the light of predictions discussed in the second Chapter. A comparison of our results with other experiments is made in Chapter 5, and the discrepancies are explained on the basis of a simple model. The last Chapter sums up the entire work. For a better understanding of the subject, the physics of the laser has been given in Appendix. (orig./HT)

  9. Extended Emotions

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Krueger, Joel; Szanto, Thomas

    2016-01-01

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

  10. A mass balance approach to investigating geochemical controls on secondary water quality impacts at a crude oil spill site near Bemidji, MN

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ng, Gene-Hua Crystal; Bekins, Barbara A.; Cozzarelli, Isabelle M.; Baedecker, Mary Jo; Bennett, Philip C.; Amos, Richard T.

    2014-01-01

    Secondary water quality impacts can result from a broad range of coupled reactions triggered by primary groundwater contaminants. Data from a crude-oil spill research site near Bemidji, MN provide an ideal test case for investigating the complex interactions controlling secondary impacts, including depleted dissolved oxygen and elevated organic carbon, inorganic carbon, CH4, Mn, Fe, and other dissolved ions. To better understand these secondary impacts, this study began with an extensive data compilation of various data types, comprising aqueous, sediment, gas, and oil phases, covering a 260 m cross-sectional domain over 30 years. Mass balance calculations are used to quantify pathways that control secondary components, by using the data to constrain the sources and sinks for the important redox processes. The results show that oil constituents other than BTEX (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, o-, m- and p-xylenes), including n-alkanes and other aromatic compounds, play significant roles in plume evolution and secondary water quality impacts. The analysis underscores previous results on the importance of non-aqueous phases. Over 99.9% of the Fe2+ plume is attenuated by immobilization on sediments as Fe(II) and 85–95% of the carbon biodegradation products are outgassed. Gaps identified in carbon and Fe mass balances and in pH buffering mechanisms are used to formulate a new conceptual model. This new model includes direct out-gassing of CH4 and CO2 from organic carbon biodegradation, dissolution of directly produced CO2, and sorption with H+ exchange to improve pH buffering. The identification of these mechanisms extends understanding of natural attenuation of potential secondary impacts at enhanced reductive dechlorination sites, particularly for reduced Fe plumes, produced CH4, and pH perturbations.

  11. A mass balance approach to investigating geochemical controls on secondary water quality impacts at a crude oil spill site near Bemidji, MN

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ng, G.-H. Crystal; Bekins, Barbara A.; Cozzarelli, Isabelle M.; Baedecker, Mary Jo; Bennett, Philip C.; Amos, Richard T.

    2014-08-01

    Secondary water quality impacts can result from a broad range of coupled reactions triggered by primary groundwater contaminants. Data from a crude-oil spill research site near Bemidji, MN provide an ideal test case for investigating the complex interactions controlling secondary impacts, including depleted dissolved oxygen and elevated organic carbon, inorganic carbon, CH4, Mn, Fe, and other dissolved ions. To better understand these secondary impacts, this study began with an extensive data compilation of various data types, comprising aqueous, sediment, gas, and oil phases, covering a 260 m cross-sectional domain over 30 years. Mass balance calculations are used to quantify pathways that control secondary components, by using the data to constrain the sources and sinks for the important redox processes. The results show that oil constituents other than BTEX (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, o-, m- and p-xylenes), including n-alkanes and other aromatic compounds, play significant roles in plume evolution and secondary water quality impacts. The analysis underscores previous results on the importance of non-aqueous phases. Over 99.9% of the Fe2 + plume is attenuated by immobilization on sediments as Fe(II) and 85-95% of the carbon biodegradation products are outgassed. Gaps identified in carbon and Fe mass balances and in pH buffering mechanisms are used to formulate a new conceptual model. This new model includes direct out-gassing of CH4 and CO2 from organic carbon biodegradation, dissolution of directly produced CO2, and sorption with H+ exchange to improve pH buffering. The identification of these mechanisms extends understanding of natural attenuation of potential secondary impacts at enhanced reductive dechlorination sites, particularly for reduced Fe plumes, produced CH4, and pH perturbations.

  12. Extended value-impact decision making methodology for nuclear power plant modifications

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nelson, P.F.; Kastenberg, W.E.

    1985-01-01

    Value-impact is the term used by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) to define what is traditionally known as cost-benefit analysis; values measure the beneficial consequences of a proposed action, impacts measure the adverse consequences, i.e. costs of the proposed action. In the regulatory framework, value-impact or cost-benefit is but one input to decision making. The present study was performed in order to illustrate how decision makers can utilize a more structured method for determining nuclear regulatory policy. In order to be useful, the method must treat all dominant factors that influence a decision; including economic, as well as societal factors such as environmental, health and safety. The method must also allow decisions to be consistent with the preferences of the decision maker as well as other interested groups. Major problems in decision making are how to incorporate non-quantifiable attributes in the method and how to reach consensus between opposing viewpoints. The Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) can attack these issues by making it possible to structure the decision in a way that subjective input can be included. In this paper, the AHP is developed and used to rank the value/impact ratios of alternative decay heat removal systems. It is believed that use of the AHP can decrease limitations present in a current value-impact analysis

  13. An extended family suddenly confronted with a life-threatening hereditary arrhythmia

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Hendriks, K. S. W. H.; van Langen, I. M.; van Tintelen, J. P.; Grosfeld, F. J. M.; Wilde, A. A. M.; ten Kroode, H. F. J.

    2005-01-01

    This exploratory study serves to illustrate the psychological impact on an extended family in the process of genetic counselling and testing for a potentially life-threatening arrhythmia, the long-QT syndrome (LQTS). All members of the third generation and their partners (n=11) were interviewed, the

  14. Model Predictive Control for Linear Complementarity and Extended Linear Complementarity Systems

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bambang Riyanto

    2005-11-01

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

  15. Investigation on the Crack Behaviour in Kevlar 49 Based Composite Materials using Extended Finite Element Method for Aerospace Applications

    Science.gov (United States)

    Handa, Danish; Sekhar Dondapati, Raja; Kumar, Abhinav

    2017-08-01

    Ductile to brittle transition (DTBT) is extensively observed in materials under cryogenic temperatures, thereby observing brittle failure due to the non-resistance of crack propagation. Owing to its outstanding mechanical and thermal properties, Kevlar 49 composites are widely used in aerospace applications under cryogenic temperatures. Therefore, in this paper, involving the assumption of linear elastic fracture mechanics (LEFM), mechanical characterization of Kevlar 49 composite is done using Extended Finite Element Method (X-FEM) technique in Abaqus/CAE software. Further, the failure of Kevlar 49 composites due to the propagation of crack at room temperature and the cryogenic temperature is investigated. Stress, strain and strain energy density as a function of the width of the Kevlar specimen is predicted, indicates that Kevlar 49 composites are suitable for use under cryogenic temperatures.

  16. Designing a mobile learning game to investigate the impact of role-playing on helping behavior

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Schmitz, Birgit; Ternier, Stefaan; Klemke, Roland; Kalz, Marco; Specht, Marcus

    2013-01-01

    Schmitz, B., Ternier, S., Klemke, R., Kalz, M., & Specht, M. (2013). Designing a mobile learning game to investigate the impact of role-playing on helping behavior. In D. Hernández-Leo et al. (Eds.), Scaling up Learning for Sustained Impact. Proceedings of European Conference on Technology Enhanced

  17. Studies on the impact of an extended Inner Detector tracker and a forward muon tagger on $W^{\\pm}W^{\\pm}$ scattering in $pp$ collisions at the High-Luminosity LHC with the ATLAS experiment

    CERN Document Server

    The ATLAS collaboration

    2017-01-01

    The impact of an extended silicon tracker and a forward muon tagger on the measurement of the \\ssWW vector boson scattering process is evaluated in proton-proton collisions at $\\sqrt{s}$ = 14 TeV at the High-Luminosity Large Hadron Collider. Simulated events with two leptons of the same electric charge, missing transverse momentum, and at least two jets are analysed. The gain in significance and precision obtained with tracking, electron, and muon reconstruction extended up to $|\\eta|$ $\\le$ 4 is reported, with respect to the current coverage of $|\\eta|$ $\\le$ 2.7.

  18. Investigating the Impact of Cambridge International Assessments on U.S. Stakeholders: Student and Teacher Perceptions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shaw, Stuart

    2011-01-01

    As part of the continuing program to study the impact of its international assessments, the University of Cambridge International Examinations ("Cambridge") has undertaken a series of studies investigating the impact on a range of US stakeholders. This paper reports on research designed to respond to a series of washback and impact…

  19. Use of a 33 MJ high-energy rotary impact testing machine for investigations into material behaviour under impact loads

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Issler, W.

    1989-01-01

    To investigate material behaviour under impact loads, previously very different testing machines have been developed. One of these concepts is the rotary impact testing machine which stores rotational energy and on which a tension impact test can be performed with almost unchanged trigger speed. With this device maximum trigger speeds can be achieved by using mechanical, elastically stored or hydraulic energy. Usable sample geometries include in particular smooth or notched round or flat tensile specimen up to 30 mm in diameter and CT10 or CT15 mechanical strength test specimen, permitting a direct comparison with results from quasi-static tests. For present speeds of load application the elastic modulus of steel can be considered as being constant. For Poisson's ratio, measurements indicated changes by approximately -8% to +20%. Early tests to investigate the strain rate showed that the strain rate under purely elastic loads applied to smooth round tensile specimen is approximately 3-10 times slower than the strain rate under plastic deformation, while this ratio may have an order of magnitude of 1:100 for notched tensile specimen. Therefore it is unreasonable to indicate only one value for the strain rate as a test characterising parameter. (orig./MM) [de

  20. A new extended H∞ filter for discrete nonlinear systems

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    张永安; 周荻; 段广仁

    2004-01-01

    Nonlinear estimation problem is investigated in this paper. By extension of a linear H∞ estimation with corrector-predictor form to nonlinear cases, a new extended H∞ filter is proposed for time-varying discretetime nonlinear systems. The new filter has a simple observer structure based on a local linearization model, and can be viewed as a general case of the extended Kalman filter (EKF). An example demonstrates that the new filter with a suitable-chosen prescribed H∞ bound performs better than the EKF.

  1. Highly Shocked Low Density Sedimentary Rocks from the Haughton Impact Structure, Devon Island, Nunavut, Canada

    Science.gov (United States)

    Osinski, G. R.; Spray, J. G.

    2001-01-01

    We present the preliminary results of a detailed investigation of the shock effects in highly shocked, low density sedimentary rocks from the Haughton impact structure. We suggest that some textural features can be explained by carbonate-silicate immiscibility. Additional information is contained in the original extended abstract.

  2. Report on the surveys in fiscal 1999 on the long term energy technology strategy investigations. Investigations on evaluation on impact of research and development investments, and optimal resource distribution; 1999 nendo choki energy gijutsu senryaku chosa hokokusho. Kenkyu kaihatsu toshi no impact hyoka oyobi saiteki shigen haibun ni kansuru chosa

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    2000-03-01

    This paper is a survey report for fiscal 1999 related to investigations on evaluation on impact (influential effect) of research and development investments, and on optimal resource distribution. First, a quantification analysis was performed on the impact imposed by the New Sunshine Project having been executed in the past. The analysis used as the base the regressive analysis between the project techno-stock (an index of the project budget amount depleted by a certain obsoletion rate after having been substantiated and aggregated) and the number of theses. In a case where time-series data can be obtained on the quantity of practical application, the regressive analysis was also performed between the number of theses and the quantity of practical application. A large number of projects are stimulating research and development activities of the subject themes of all about Japan. Some are imposing great influential effect on the practical application. In addition, it was found that emphasized and concentrated investment cases in the initial stage of a project have high influential effect. As a budget distribution pattern, the concentrated and emphasized investments in the initial stage of a project are more effective than investing dispersedly over an extended period of time. Suggestions were acquired on the future budget distribution. (NEDO)

  3. The Chicken or the Egg? Investigating the Transformational Impact of Learning Technology

    Science.gov (United States)

    Buchan, Janet F.

    2011-01-01

    This study aimed to investigate the transformational impact of introducing significant new learning technology in an Australian university over the time period 2007-2009. The exploration of this transformation is grounded in a social-ecological systems approach to the management of technology enhanced learning environments in the face of constant…

  4. The renewable tradition (extended play remix

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mark Amerika

    2009-12-01

    Full Text Available Drawing from a network of appropriation artists, process philosophers, performance poets, pla(ygiarists, and other remix provocateurs, this experimental artist essay investigates the act of remixologically inhabiting the body language of others and, in the process, devises an aesthetic theory that situates the contemporary artist as a "postproduction medium" whose methodologies further extend avant-garde practice into the 21st century.

  5. Extended Spectrum β-Lactamase (ESBL) in Klebsiella Pneumoniae ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Streptococcus Pneumoniae and Serratia spp. Two of the children died in spite of early use of appropriate antibiotics as determined by antibiotic susceptibility testing. Phenotypic and molecualr investigation showed extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL) producing K. pneumoniae to be ...

  6. Nurses' extended work hours: Patient, nurse and organizational outcomes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kunaviktikul, W; Wichaikhum, O; Nantsupawat, A; Nantsupawat, R; Chontawan, R; Klunklin, A; Roongruangsri, S; Nantachaipan, P; Supamanee, T; Chitpakdee, B; Akkadechanunt, T; Sirakamon, S

    2015-09-01

    Nursing shortages have been associated with increased nurse workloads that may result in work errors, thus impacting patient, nurse and organizational outcomes. To examine for the first time in Thailand nurses' extended work hours (working more than 40 h per week) and its relationship to patient, nurse and organizational outcomes. Using multistage sampling, 1524 registered nurses working in 90 hospitals across Thailand completed demographic forms: the Nurses' Extended Work Hours Form; the Patient, Nurse, Organizational Outcomes Form; the Organizational Productivity Questionnaire and the Maslach Burnout Inventory. The data were analysed using descriptive statistics, Spearman's rank correlation and logistic regression. The average extended work hour of respondents was 18.82 h per week. About 80% worked two consecutive shifts. The extended work hours had a positive correlation with patient outcomes, such as patient identification errors, pressure ulcers, communication errors and patient complaints and with nurse outcomes of emotional exhaustion and depersonalization. Furthermore, we found a negative correlation between extended work hours and job satisfaction as a whole, intent to stay and organizational productivity. Nurses who had extended work hours of >16 h per week were significantly more likely to perceive all four adverse patient outcomes than participants working an extended ≤8 h per week. Patient outcomes were measured by respondents' self-reports. This may not always reflect the real occurrence of adverse events. Associations between extended work hours and outcomes for patients, nurses and the organization were found. The findings demonstrate that working two shifts (16 h) more than the regular work hours lead to negative outcomes for patients, nurses and the organization. Our findings add to increasing international evidence that nurses' poor working conditions result in negative outcomes for professionals, patients and health systems

  7. The impact of extended longitudinal observation on the assessment of personality disorders.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pedersen, G; Karterud, S; Hummelen, B; Wilberg, T

    2013-11-01

    Multiple sources of information are necessary for a valid assessment of personality disorders (PDs). This study investigates the impact of longitudinal observation. The sample comprised 1217 patients from 15 different treatment units. PDs were assessed at admission to treatment using the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis II Personality Disorders (SCID-II) and additional clinical information (best estimate diagnosis). After approximately 18 weeks of treatment, the SCID-II protocols were re-examined at clinical conferences and the diagnostic status reassessed on the basis of longitudinal observations in multiple group situations (longitudinal, expert, all data principle). Using this procedure, 78% of the patients' diagnostic criteria sets were changed, and 32% of patients' diagnostic statuses were changed. Many (32%) patients who were evaluated initially as not having a PD received a PD diagnosis after re-examination. The information provided by customary clinical assessment has important limitations, and longitudinal observation provides additional information that may change the diagnostic status in approximately one-third of PD cases. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  8. Extended producer responsibility in oligopoly

    OpenAIRE

    Hiroaki Ino

    2007-01-01

    I investigate the optimal environmental tax under a policy based on extended producer responsibility (EPR) in oligopoly markets. I introduce the recycling market and explicitly consider how these policies affect the incentive for recycling. I derive the optimal tax rule, which depends on the weighted sum of the markup in the product market and the markdown in the recycling market. In contrast to the existing works that emphasize that the optimal tax rate is lower than the marginal external da...

  9. Use of a combination of in vitro models to investigate the impact of chlorpyrifos and inulin on the intestinal microbiota and the permeability of the intestinal mucosa.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Réquilé, Marina; Gonzàlez Alvarez, Dubàn O; Delanaud, Stéphane; Rhazi, Larbi; Bach, Véronique; Depeint, Flore; Khorsi-Cauet, Hafida

    2018-05-28

    Dietary exposure to the organophosphorothionate pesticide chlorpyrifos (CPF) has been linked to dysbiosis of the gut microbiota. We therefore sought to investigate whether (i) CPF's impact extends to the intestinal barrier and (ii) the prebiotic inulin could prevent such an effect. In vitro models mimicking the intestinal environment (the SHIME®) and the intestinal mucosa (Caco-2/TC7 cells) were exposed to CPF. After the SHIME® had been exposed to CPF and/or inulin, we assessed the system's bacterial and metabolic profiles. Extracts from the SHIME®'s colon reactors were then transferred to Caco-2/TC7 cultures, and epithelial barrier integrity and function were assessed. We found that inulin co-treatment partially reversed CPF-induced dysbiosis and increased short-chain fatty acid production in the SHIME®. Furthermore, co-treatment impacted tight junction gene expression and inhibited pro-inflammatory signaling in the Caco-2/TC7 intestinal cell line. Whereas, an isolated in vitro assessment of CPF and inulin effects provides useful information on the mechanism of dysbiosis, combining two in vitro models increases the in vivo relevance.

  10. Risk Assessment of Structural Integrity of Transportation Casks after Extended Storage

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ibarra, Luis; Medina, Ricardo; Yang, Haori

    2018-03-23

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

  11. Forensic Evidence and Criminal Investigations: The Impact of Ballistics Information on the Investigation of Violent Crime in Nine Cities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    King, William R; Campbell, Bradley A; Matusiak, Matthew C; Katz, Charles M

    2017-07-01

    We explore the impact of information from ballistics imaging hit reports on the investigation into violent crimes. Ballistics imaging hits link two crimes involving the same firearm by forensically matching tool marks on the fired bullets or cartridge cases. Interview data collected from detectives who received a hit report were used to explore the relationship between the presence of a hit report and outcomes in 65 gun-related violent crime investigations in nine U.S. police agencies. Findings indicate hit reports rarely contribute to identification, arrest, charging, or sentencing of suspects, because of delays in producing hit reports. On average, hit reports were completed 181.4 days after the focal crime. This delay forces investigations to proceed without the benefit of information from ballistics analysis. Additionally, hit reports rarely contained detailed information that was immediately useful to investigators. Instead, hit reports required additional research by the investigator to unlock useful information. © 2017 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

  12. Extended family childcare arrangements in a context of AIDS: collapse or adaptation?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mathambo, Vuyiswa; Gibbs, Andy

    2009-01-01

    Families are subjected to a number of social, economic, political and demographic challenges. In recent years, the AIDS epidemic has constituted a major challenge for already poor families due to its wide reaching social, economic and health consequences. The devastating consequence of HIV and AIDS is being seen through the prolonged illness and death of family members of prime working age which impacts on family livelihoods and the ability to provide for and protect its members. This paper forms part of a review - commissioned by the Joint Learning Initiative on Children and HIV/AIDS - of qualitative studies of how families in southern Africa have changed, and are changing, as a result of the impact of HIV and AIDS. This paper presents results of how extended family childcare arrangements are changing as a result of the AIDS epidemic. In a southern African context, family denotes a wider array of relations than biological parents and their children - with children growing up amongst a multitude of relations sharing responsibility for their care and upbringing (Chirwa, 2002; Verhoef, 2005). Recently, there has been growing interest in the capacity of the extended family to care for the increasing number of children whose parents have died. However, literature on the role of the extended family in caring for orphaned children remains contradictory. One approach - the social rupture thesis (Chirwa, 2002) - suggests that the extended family network is collapsing under the strain of AIDS. On the other hand, families are portrayed as resilient and dynamic entities which are adapting their systems of childcare in response to the epidemic (Kuo,2007). In line with Abebe and Aase (2007) and Adams, Cekan, and Sauerborn (1998), this paper proposes a continuum of survival rather than a polarisation of extended family childcare arrangements.

  13. The impact of alcohol hand sanitizer use on infection rates in an extended care facility.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fendler, E J; Ali, Y; Hammond, B S; Lyons, M K; Kelley, M B; Vowell, N A

    2002-06-01

    Nosocomial infections are a major problem in health care facilities, resulting in extended durations of care and substantial morbidity. Since alcohol gel hand sanitizers combine high immediate antimicrobial efficacy with ease of use, this study was carried out to determine the effect of the use of alcohol gel hand sanitizer by caregivers on infection types and rates in an extended care facility. Infection rate and type data were collected in a 275-bed extended care facility for 34 months (July 1997 to May 2000), during which an alcohol gel hand sanitizer was used by the caregivers in 2 units of the facility. The primary infection types found were urinary tract with Foley catheter, respiratory tract, and wound infections. Comparison of the infection types and rates for the units where hand sanitizer was used with those for the control units where the hand sanitizer was not used showed a 30.4% decrease in infection rates for the 34-month period in the units where hand sanitizer was used. This study indicates that use of an alcohol gel hand sanitizer can decrease infection rates and provide an additional tool for an effective infection control program.

  14. Thermodynamic investigation and environment impact assessment of hydrogen production from steam reforming of poultry tallow

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hajjaji, Noureddine

    2014-01-01

    Highlights: • Thermodynamic analysis and environmental impact assessment of H 2 production system. • Thermodynamic analysis identifies optimal conditions for H 2 production. • LCA is applied to evaluate the environmental impacts of H 2 production system. • Inventories data are derived from process simulation and from literature review. • Thermal energy process is the main contributor to the environmental impact. - Abstract: In this research, various assessment tools are applied to comprehensively investigate hydrogen production from steam reforming of poultry tallow (PT). These tools investigate the chemical reactions, design and simulate the entire hydrogen production process, study the energetic performance and perform an environment impact assessment using life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology. The chemical reaction investigation identifies thermodynamically optimal operating conditions at which PT may be converted to hydrogen via the steam reforming process. The synthesis gas composition was determined by simulations to minimize the Gibbs free energy using the Aspen Plus™ 10.2 software. These optimal conditions are, subsequently, used in the design and simulation of the entire PT-to-hydrogen process. LCA is applied to evaluate the environmental impacts of PT-to-hydrogen system. The system boundaries include rendering and reforming along with the required transportation process. The reforming inventories data are derived from process simulation in Aspen Plus™, whereas the rendering data are adapted from a literature review. The life cycle inventories data of PT-to-hydrogen are computationally implemented into SimaPro 7.3. A set of seven relevant environmental impact categories are evaluated: global warming, abiotic depletion, acidification, eutrophication, ozone layer depletion, photochemical oxidant formation, and cumulative non-renewable fossil and nuclear energy demand. The results are subject to a systematic sensitivity analysis and compared

  15. Assessing the hydrological impacts of Tropical Cyclones on the Carolinas: An observational and modeling based investigation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Leeper, R. D.; Prat, O. P.; Blanton, B. O.

    2012-12-01

    During the warm season, the Carolinas are particularly prone to tropical cyclone (TC) activity and can be impacted in many different ways depending on storm track. The coasts of the Carolinas are the most vulnerable areas, but particular situations (Frances and Ivan 2004) affected communities far from the coasts (Prat and Nelson 2012). Regardless of where landfall occurs, TCs are often associated with intense precipitation and strong winds triggering a variety of natural hazards (storm surge, flooding, landslides). The assessment of societal and environmental impacts of TCs requires a suite of observations. The scarcity of station coverage, sensor limitations, and rainfall retrieval uncertainties are issues limiting the ability to assess accurately the impact of extreme precipitation events. Therefore, numerical models, such as the Weather Research and Forecasting model (WRF), can be valuable tools to investigate those impacts at regional and local scales and bridge the gap between observations. The goal of this study is to investigate the impact of TCs across the Carolinas using both observational and modeling technologies, and explore the usefulness of numerical methods in data-scarce regions. To fully assess TC impacts on the Carolinas inhabitants, storms impacting both coastal and inner communities will be selected and high-resolution WRF ensemble simulations generated from a suite of physic schemes for each TC to investigate their impact at finer scales. The ensemble member performance will be evaluated with respect to ground-based and satellite observations. Furthermore, results from the high-resolution WRF simulations, including the average wind-speed and the sea level pressure, will be used with the ADCIRC storm-surge and wave-model (Westerink et al, 2008) to simulate storm surge and waves along the Carolinas coast for TCs travelling along the coast or making landfall. This work aims to provide an assessment of the various types of impacts TCs can have

  16. INVESTIGATION OF IMPACTED SUPERNUMERARY TEETH: A CONE BEAM COMPUTED TOMOGRAPH (CBCT STUDY

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gökhan GÜRLER

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the impacted supernumerary teeth which were initially detected on panoramic radiographs by using cone beam computed tomography (CBCT. Materials and Methods: In this retrospective study, supernumerary teeth diagnosed on panoramic radiographs taken from patients who had admitted for routine dental treatment were evaluated using CBCT. Patients’ age, gender, systemic conditions as well as number of supernumerary teeth, unilateral-bilateral presence, anatomical localization (maxilla, mandible, anterior-premolar-molar, mesiodens-lateral-canine, parapremolar-paramolar-distomolar shape (rudimentary, supplemental, tuberculate, odontoma, position (palatal-lingual-buccal-labial-central, shortest distance between the tooth and adjacent cortical plate, complications and treatment were assessed. Results: A total of 47 impacted supernumerary teeth in 34 patients were investigated in this study. Of these, 33 (70.2% were unilateral and 14 (29.8% were bilateral. Only 1 supernumerary tooth was found in 27 patients (79.4% whereas 7 patients (20.6% had 2 or more supernumerary teeth. Most of the teeth located in the anterior region (74.4% of the jaws and maxilla (74.4%. Twenty teeth (42.5% were mesiodens, 11 (23.4% were lateral or canine, 14 (29.7% were parapremolar and 2(4.4% were distomolar. Twenty-seven teeth (57.4% were rudimentary, 15 (31.9% were supplemental and 5 (10.7% were odontoma in shape. The shortest distance between the supernumerary tooth and adjacent cortical plate varied between 0 to 2.5 mm with a mean of 0.66 mm. The most common clinical complaint was the non-eruption of permanent teeth (42.5%. All supernumerary teeth were removed under local anesthesia. Orthodontic traction was performed for those impacted permanent teeth if necessary. Conclusion: Impacted supernumerary teeth are usually in close proximity to cortical bone. Although this may facilitate surgical access, there is a risk of

  17. Medical support for law enforcement-extended operations incidents.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Levy, Matthew J; Tang, Nelson

    2014-01-01

    As the complexity and frequency of law enforcement-extended operations incidents continue to increase, so do the opportunities for adverse health and well-being impacts on the responding officers. These types of clinical encounters have not been well characterized nor have the medical response strategies which have been developed to effectively manage these encounters been well described. The purpose of this article is to provide a descriptive epidemiology of the clinical encounters reported during extended law enforcement operations, as well as to describe a best practices approach for their effective management. This study retrospectively examined the clinical encounters of the Maryland State Police (MSP) Tactical Medical Unit (TMU) during law enforcement extended operations incidents lasting 8 or more hours. In addition, a qualitative analysis was performed on clinical data collected by federal law enforcement agencies during their extended operations. Forty-four percent of missions (455/1,047) supported by the MSP TMU lasted 8 or more hours. Twenty-six percent of these missions (117/455) resulted in at least one patient encounter. Nineteen percent of patient chief complaints (45/238) were related to heat illness/ dehydration. Fifteen percent of encounters (36/238) were for musculoskeletal injury/pain. Eight percent of patients (19/238) had nonspecific sick call (minor illness) complaints. The next most common occurring complaints were cold-related injuries, headache, sinus congestion, and wound/laceration, each of which accounted for 7 percent of patients (16/238), respectively. Analysis of federal law enforcement agencies' response to such events yielded similar clinical encounters. A wide range of health problems are reported by extended law enforcement operations personnel. Timely and effective treatment of these problems can help ensure that the broader operations mission is not compromised. An appropriate operational strategy for managing health complaints

  18. Extended icosahedral structures

    CERN Document Server

    Jaric, Marko V

    1989-01-01

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

  19. Water entry without surface seal: Extended cavity formation

    KAUST Repository

    Mansoor, Mohammad M.

    2014-03-01

    We report results from an experimental study of cavity formation during the impact of superhydrophobic spheres onto water. Using a simple splash-guard mechanism, we block the spray emerging during initial contact from closing thus eliminating the phenomenon known as \\'surface seal\\', which typically occurs at Froude numbers Fr= V0 2/(gR0) = O(100). As such, we are able to observe the evolution of a smooth cavity in a more extended parameter space than has been achieved in previous studies. Furthermore, by systematically varying the tank size and sphere diameter, we examine the influence of increasing wall effects on these guarded impact cavities and note the formation of surface undulations with wavelength λ =O(10)cm and acoustic waves λa=O(D0) along the cavity interface, which produce multiple pinch-off points. Acoustic waves are initiated by pressure perturbations, which themselves are generated by the primary cavity pinch-off. Using high-speed particle image velocimetry (PIV) techniques we study the bulk fluid flow for the most constrained geometry and show the larger undulations ( λ =O (10cm)) have a fixed nature with respect to the lab frame. We show that previously deduced scalings for the normalized (primary) pinch-off location (ratio of pinch-off depth to sphere depth at pinch-off time), Hp/H = 1/2, and pinch-off time, τ α (R0/g) 1/2, do not hold for these extended cavities in the presence of strong wall effects (sphere-to-tank diameter ratio), ε = D 0/Dtank 1/16. Instead, we find multiple distinct regimes for values of Hp/H as the observed undulations are induced above the first pinch-off point as the impact speed increases. We also report observations of \\'kinked\\' pinch-off points and the suppression of downward facing jets in the presence of wall effects. Surprisingly, upward facing jets emanating from first cavity pinch-off points evolve into a \\'flat\\' structure at high impact speeds, both in the presence and absence of wall effects.

  20. Item-Level Psychometrics of the Glasgow Outcome Scale: Extended Structured Interviews.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hong, Ickpyo; Li, Chih-Ying; Velozo, Craig A

    2016-04-01

    The Glasgow Outcome Scale-Extended (GOSE) structured interview captures critical components of activities and participation, including home, shopping, work, leisure, and family/friend relationships. Eighty-nine community dwelling adults with mild-moderate traumatic brain injury (TBI) were recruited (average = 2.7 year post injury). Nine items of the 19 items were used for the psychometrics analysis purpose. Factor analysis and item-level psychometrics were investigated using the Rasch partial-credit model. Although the principal components analysis of residuals suggests that a single measurement factor dominates the measure, the instrument did not meet the factor analysis criteria. Five items met the rating scale criteria. Eight items fit the Rasch model. The instrument demonstrated low person reliability (0.63), low person strata (2.07), and a slight ceiling effect. The GOSE demonstrated limitations in precisely measuring activities/participation for individuals after TBI. Future studies should examine the impact of the low precision of the GOSE on effect size. © The Author(s) 2016.

  1. Investigation of the behaviour of a LILW superficial repository under aircraft impact

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lo Frano, Rosa; Stefanini, Lorenzo

    2016-01-01

    Highlights: • Safety assessment of a LILW superficial repository. • Investigation of the consequences of an aircraft impact with fuel burning. • Experimental material properties. • Numerical simulation of aircraft impact with fuel burning accident by MSC.MARC"© code. • Demonstration that the overall integrity resulted is guaranteed. - Abstract: Safety and security are the two fundamental aspects to guarantee when designing a LILW superficial repository. Because of its safety concern, we have to prove, and build confidence in, the primary and secondary consequences of the crashing will be acceptable. These goals are obtained generally by means of safety assessment supported by calculations. This study is intended to investigate the performance of a superficial repository subjected to aircraft impact and fuel burning. To the purpose a superficial repository similar to that of El Cabril has been considered. Moreover to be confident the facility is safe and that the consequences of such a type of accident on the environment and humans are negligible, an appropriate safety assessment was carried out. The potential damage that aircraft impact could bring into the repository has been therefore analysed and discussed. To attain the intent load functions, calculated according to the Riera approach, and the maximum temperature reached by fuel during its combustion have been considered. FEM (thermo-mechanical) simulations have been done, by MSC"© Marc code, assuming damaging phenomena of concrete and material properties variation with the temperature. The obtained results showed that an empty superficial repository with a wall thickness, ranging from 0.7 to 1 m, is not sufficient to avoid penetration. Nevertheless even in presence of a reduced strength and of (cone) cracking and plugging, the overall integrity resulted guaranteed.

  2. Investigation of the behaviour of a LILW superficial repository under aircraft impact

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lo Frano, Rosa, E-mail: rosa.lofrano@ing.unipi.it; Stefanini, Lorenzo

    2016-04-15

    Highlights: • Safety assessment of a LILW superficial repository. • Investigation of the consequences of an aircraft impact with fuel burning. • Experimental material properties. • Numerical simulation of aircraft impact with fuel burning accident by MSC.MARC{sup ©} code. • Demonstration that the overall integrity resulted is guaranteed. - Abstract: Safety and security are the two fundamental aspects to guarantee when designing a LILW superficial repository. Because of its safety concern, we have to prove, and build confidence in, the primary and secondary consequences of the crashing will be acceptable. These goals are obtained generally by means of safety assessment supported by calculations. This study is intended to investigate the performance of a superficial repository subjected to aircraft impact and fuel burning. To the purpose a superficial repository similar to that of El Cabril has been considered. Moreover to be confident the facility is safe and that the consequences of such a type of accident on the environment and humans are negligible, an appropriate safety assessment was carried out. The potential damage that aircraft impact could bring into the repository has been therefore analysed and discussed. To attain the intent load functions, calculated according to the Riera approach, and the maximum temperature reached by fuel during its combustion have been considered. FEM (thermo-mechanical) simulations have been done, by MSC{sup ©} Marc code, assuming damaging phenomena of concrete and material properties variation with the temperature. The obtained results showed that an empty superficial repository with a wall thickness, ranging from 0.7 to 1 m, is not sufficient to avoid penetration. Nevertheless even in presence of a reduced strength and of (cone) cracking and plugging, the overall integrity resulted guaranteed.

  3. Investigating the impact of fasciolosis on cattle carcase performance.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sanchez-Vazquez, Manuel J; Lewis, Fraser I

    2013-03-31

    Liver fluke is a manifestation of bovine fasciolosis and its presence is compulsorily investigated as part of routine official abattoir inspections. It is known that the presence of fasciolosis negatively influences beef production, interfering with weight gain and fertility. Recent reports suggest increased occurrence of this parasite worldwide. This paper aims to investigate the impact of fasciolosis on beef cattle performance by examining the association of liver fluke with carcase characteristics and its value. Cattle slaughtered between 2005 and 2010 (328, 137 cattle (of which 12.6% were positive to liver fluke) sourced from 2278 farms) are analysed adjusting for the effect of gender, age, breed, season and year. Carcases with liver fluke have lower cold weight than those carcases free of fluke, estimated coefficient -0.63 kg (95% confidence intervals (CI) -0.93, -0.33). Carcases with liver fluke have lower price than those carcases free of fluke, estimated coefficient -£1.5 (95% CI -2.24, -0.74). The presence of liver fluke is associated with lower carcase conformation scores compared to carcases with fluke absence, proportional odds ratio (POR) 0.89 (95% CI 0.87-0.91). Similarly, the presence of liver fluke is associated with lower levels of fat in the carcase compared to carcases with fluke absence, POR 0.97 (95% CI 0.95-0.99). These results indicate a potential negative effect of the parasitism on carcase performance. The downgrading of the carcase impacts its value and therefore the price paid to the farmer. Both farmers and abattoir operators share a common interest in the control of fasciolosis in order to optimise the profitability of beef production. This study shows the utility of abattoir post-mortem inspection as a tool to monitoring animal health and production. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  4. Extended fuel cycle length

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bruyere, M.; Vallee, A.; Collette, C.

    1986-09-01

    Extended fuel cycle length and burnup are currently offered by Framatome and Fragema in order to satisfy the needs of the utilities in terms of fuel cycle cost and of overall systems cost optimization. We intend to point out the consequences of an increased fuel cycle length and burnup on reactor safety, in order to determine whether the bounding safety analyses presented in the Safety Analysis Report are applicable and to evaluate the effect on plant licensing. This paper presents the results of this examination. The first part indicates the consequences of increased fuel cycle length and burnup on the nuclear data used in the bounding accident analyses. In the second part of this paper, the required safety reanalyses are presented and the impact on the safety margins of different fuel management strategies is examined. In addition, systems modifications which can be required are indicated

  5. Extended Plate and Beam Wall System: Concept Investigation and Initial Evaluation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wiehagen, J. [Partnership for Home Innovation, Upper Marlboro, MD (United States); Kochkin, V. [Partnership for Home Innovation, Upper Marlboro, MD (United States)

    2015-08-01

    A new and innovative High-R wall design, referred to as the Extended Plate & Beam (EP&B), is under development. The EP&B system uniquely integrates foam sheathing insulation with wall framing such that wood structural panels are installed exterior of the foam sheathing, enabling the use of standard practices for installation of drainage plane, windows and doors, claddings, cavity insulation, and the standard exterior foam sheathing installation approach prone to damage of the foam during transportation of prefabricated wall panels. As part of the ongoing work, the EP&B wall system concept has undergone structural verification testing and has been positively vetted by a group of industry stakeholders. Having passed these initial milestone markers, the advanced wall system design has been analyzed to assess cost implications relative to other advanced wall systems, undergone design assessment to develop construction details, and has been evaluated to develop representative prescriptive requirements for the building code. This report summarizes the assessment steps conducted to-date and provides details of the concept development.

  6. [Combined hormonal contraception in cycles artificially extended].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bustillos-Alamilla, Edgardo; Zepeda-Zaragoza, J; Hernández-Ruiz, M A; Briones-Landa, Carlos Humberto

    2010-01-01

    To compare the bleeding patterns, satisfaction and tolerability of 3 different contraceptive in an extended regimens in the service of Family Planning of the North Central Hospital of PEMEX. Healthy, adult women with desire of contraception for one year (N 120) were randomly assigned to receive oral contraceptive drospirenone/ethinyl E2 (group1), the norelgestromin/ethinyl E2 transdermal patch (group 2) and vaginal ring etonogestrel/ ethinyl E2 (group 3) in an extended regimen (42 consecutive days, 1 hormone-free week). Study assessments were conducted at scheduled visits at the time of initial screening, at baseline after 1, 3, 6, and 12 months. Subjects recorded menstrual associated symptoms bleeding data and completed satisfaction questionnaires. Subjects and investigators provided overall assessments of the regimens. Extended use of 3 different contraceptive resulted in fewer bleeding days in every group (66.6%, 55% and 58.3% P 0.0024), and less mastalgia and menstrual pain. Subjects were highly satisfied with three regimens (93.3%, 96.6% and 91.6% P 0.00421). Although not mayor adverse events were reported with this regimen, there was an increase in spotting days; it decreased with each successive cycle of therapy. Efficacy and safety were similar to those reported for traditional cycle. Extended-contraceptive regimen delays menses and reduces bleeding, a profile that may be preferred by women who seek flexibility with their contraceptive method.

  7. Climate change impacts on potential recruitment in an ecosystem engineer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Morgan, Emer; O' Riordan, Ruth M; Culloty, Sarah C

    2013-03-01

    Climate variability and the rapid warming of seas undoubtedly have huge ramifications for biological processes such as reproduction. As such, gametogenesis and spawning were investigated at two sites over 200 km apart on the south coast of Ireland in an ecosystem engineer, the common cockle, Cerastoderma edule. Both sites are classed as Special Areas of Conservation (SACs), but are of different water quality. Cerastoderma edule plays a significant biological role by recycling nutrients and affecting sediment structure, with impacts upon assemblage biomass and functional diversity. It plays a key role in food webs, being a common foodstuff for a number of marine birds including the oystercatcher. Both before and during the study (early 2010-mid 2011), Ireland experienced its two coldest winters for 50 years. As the research demonstrated only slight variation in the spawning period between sites, despite site differences in water and environmental quality, temperature and variable climatic conditions were the dominant factor controlling gametogenesis. The most significant finding was that the spawning period in the cockle extended over a greater number of months compared with previous studies and that gametogenesis commenced over winter rather than in spring. Extremely cold winters may impact on the cockle by accelerating and extending the onset and development of gametogenesis. Whether this impact is positive or negative would depend on the associated events occurring on which the cockle depends, that is, presence of primary producers and spring blooms, which would facilitate conversion of this extended gametogenesis into successful recruitment.

  8. Investigating Underlying Principles to Guide Health Impact Assessment

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ali Fakhri

    2014-06-01

    Full Text Available Background Many countries conduct Health Impact Assessment (HIA of their projects and policies to predict their positive and negative health impacts. In recent years many guides have been developed to inform HIA practice, largely reflecting local developments in HIA. These guides have often been designed for specific contexts and specific need, making the choice between guides difficult. The objective of the current study is to identify underlying principles in order to guide HIA practice in Iran. Methods This study was conducted in three stages: 1 Studies comparing HIA guidelines were reviewed to identify criteria used for comparison seeking emphasized principles. 2 The HIA characteristics extracted from published papers were categorized in order to determine the principles that could guide HIA practice. 3 Finally, these principles were agreed by experts using nominal group technique. Results The review of the studies comparing HIA guides demonstrated there are no clear comparison criteria for reviewing HIA guides and no study mentioned HIA principles. Investigating the HIA principles from peer-reviewed papers, we found 14 issues. These were, considering of general features in planning and conducting HIAs such as HIA stream, level, timing and type, considering of the wider socio-political and economic context, considering of economic, technical and legal aspects of HIA and capacities for HIA, rationality and comprehensiveness, using appropriate evidence, elaborating on HIA relation to other forms of Impact Assessment, considering of equity, and encouraging intersectoral and interdisciplinary cooperation, involvement of stakeholders and transparency as underlying principles to guide HIA practice. The results emphasize how critical these technical as well as tactical considerations are in the early scoping step of an HIA which plans the conduct of the HIA in reponse to local contextual issues. Conclusion Determining the principles of HIA from

  9. Investigating underlying principles to guide health impact assessment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fakhri, Ali; Maleki, Mohammadreza; Gohari, Mahmoodreza; Harris, Patrick

    2014-06-01

    Many countries conduct Health Impact Assessment (HIA) of their projects and policies to predict their positive and negative health impacts. In recent years many guides have been developed to inform HIA practice, largely reflecting local developments in HIA. These guides have often been designed for specific contexts and specific need, making the choice between guides difficult. The objective of the current study is to identify underlying principles in order to guide HIA practice in Iran. This study was conducted in three stages: 1) Studies comparing HIA guidelines were reviewed to identify criteria used for comparison seeking emphasized principles. 2) The HIA characteristics extracted from published papers were categorized in order to determine the principles that could guide HIA practice. 3) Finally, these principles were agreed by experts using nominal group technique. The review of the studies comparing HIA guides demonstrated there are no clear comparison criteria for reviewing HIA guides and no study mentioned HIA principles. Investigating the HIA principles from peer-reviewed papers, we found 14 issues. These were, considering of general features in planning and conducting HIAs such as HIA stream, level, timing and type, considering of the wider socio-political and economic context, considering of economic, technical and legal aspects of HIA and capacities for HIA, rationality and comprehensiveness, using appropriate evidence, elaborating on HIA relation to other forms of Impact Assessment, considering of equity, and encouraging intersectoral and interdisciplinary cooperation, involvement of stakeholders and transparency as underlying principles to guide HIA practice. The results emphasize how critical these technical as well as tactical considerations are in the early scoping step of an HIA which plans the conduct of the HIA in reponse to local contextual issues. Determining the principles of HIA from peer-reviewed papers provides an opportunity for guiding

  10. Final report : impacts analysis for cyber attack on electric power systems (National SCADA Test Bed FY08).

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Phillips, Laurence R.; Richardson, Bryan T.; Stamp, Jason Edwin; LaViolette, Randall A.

    2009-02-01

    To analyze the risks due to cyber attack against control systems used in the United States electrical infrastructure, new algorithms are needed to determine the possible impacts. This research is studying the Reliability Impact of Cyber ttack (RICA) in a two-pronged approach. First, malevolent cyber actions are analyzed in terms of reduced grid reliability. Second, power system impacts are investigated using an abstraction of the grid's dynamic model. This second year of esearch extends the work done during the first year.

  11. An Extended-Tag-Induced Matrix Factorization Technique for Recommender Systems

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Huirui Han

    2018-06-01

    Full Text Available Social tag information has been used by recommender systems to handle the problem of data sparsity. Recently, the relationships between users/items and tags are considered by most tag-induced recommendation methods. However, sparse tag information is challenging to most existing methods. In this paper, we propose an Extended-Tag-Induced Matrix Factorization technique for recommender systems, which exploits correlations among tags derived by co-occurrence of tags to improve the performance of recommender systems, even in the case of sparse tag information. The proposed method integrates coupled similarity between tags, which is calculated by the co-occurrences of tags in the same items, to extend each item’s tags. Finally, item similarity based on extended tags is utilized as an item relationship regularization term to constrain the process of matrix factorization. MovieLens dataset and Book-Crossing dataset are adopted to evaluate the performance of the proposed algorithm. The results of experiments show that the proposed method can alleviate the impact of tag sparsity and improve the performance of recommender systems.

  12. Extended thermodynamics

    CERN Document Server

    Müller, Ingo

    1993-01-01

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

  13. The impact of hyperhidrosis on patients' daily life and quality of life: a qualitative investigation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kamudoni, P; Mueller, B; Halford, J; Schouveller, A; Stacey, B; Salek, M S

    2017-06-08

    An understanding of the daily life impacts of hyperhidrosis and how patients deal with them, based on qualitative research, is lacking. This study investigated the impact of hyperhidrosis on the daily life of patients using a mix of qualitative research methods. Participants were recruited through hyperhidrosis patient support groups such as the Hyperhidrosis Support Group UK. Data were collected using focus groups, interviews and online surveys. A grounded theory approach was used in the analysis of data transcripts. Data were collected from 71 participants, out of an initial 100 individuals recruited. Seventeen major themes capturing the impacts of hyperhidrosis were identified; these covered all areas of life including daily life, psychological well-being, social life, professional /school life, dealing with hyperhidrosis, unmet health care needs and physical impact. Psychosocial impacts are central to the overall impacts of hyperhidrosis, cutting across and underlying the limitations experienced in other areas of life.

  14. Extended teams in vocational education : collaboration on the border

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Mazereeuw, Marco; Wopereis, Iwan; McKenney, Susan

    2016-01-01

    Extended Teams (ETs), in which teachers and workplace supervisors are jointly responsible for the quality of education, were established to solve problems concerning school–workplace connections in vocational and professional education. Six ETs were investigated during their 1st year of

  15. Extended teams in vocational education: Collaboration on the border

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Mazereeuw, Marco; Wopereis, Iwan; McKenney, Susan

    2018-01-01

    Extended Teams (ETs), in which teachers and workplace supervisors are jointly responsible for the quality of education, were established to solve problems concerning school–workplace connections in vocational and professional education. Six ETs were investigated during their 1st year of

  16. Extended family medicine training

    Science.gov (United States)

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

    2016-01-01

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

  17. Multi-Instrument Investigation of Ionospheric Flow Channels and Their Impact on the Ionosphere and Thermosphere during Geomagnetic Storms

    Science.gov (United States)

    2017-12-29

    AFRL-AFOSR-JP-TR-2018-0009 Multi-instrument investigation of ionospheric flow channels and their impact on the ionosphere and thermosphere during...SUBTITLE Multi-instrument investigation of ionospheric flow channels and their impact on the ionosphere and thermosphere during geomagnetic storms 5a...Experiment) and GOCE (Gravity field and steady- state Ocean Circulation Explorer) satellite data. We also created a series of computer algorithms to

  18. Scale-invariant extended inflation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

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

    1991-01-01

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

  19. Impact significance determination-Pushing the boundaries

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lawrence, David P.

    2007-01-01

    Impact significance determination practice tends to be highly variable. Too often insufficient consideration is given to good practice insights. Also, impact significance determinations are frequently narrowly defined addressing, for example, only individual, negative impacts, focusing on bio-physical impacts, and not seeking to integrate either the Precautionary Principle or sustainability. This article seeks to extend the boundaries of impact significance determination practice by providing an overview of good general impact significance practices, together with stakeholder roles and potential methods for addressing significance determination challenges. Relevant thresholds, criteria, contextual considerations and support methods are also highlighted. The analysis is then extended to address how impact significance determination practices change for positive as compared with negative impacts, for cumulative as compared with individual impacts, for socio-economic as compared with bio-physical impacts, when the Precautionary Principle is integrated into the process, and when sustainability contributions drive the EIA process and related impact significance determinations. These refinements can assist EIA practitioners in ensuring that the scope and nature of impact significance determinations reflect the broadened scope of emerging EIA requirements and practices. Suggestions are included for further refining and testing of the proposed changes to impact significance determination practice

  20. PREBIOTIC HYDROCARBON SYNTHESIS IN IMPACTING REDUCED ASTROPHYSICAL ICY MIXTURES

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Koziol, Lucas; Goldman, Nir

    2015-01-01

    We present results of prebiotic organic synthesis in shock-compressed reducing mixtures of simple ices from quantum molecular dynamics simulations extended to close to chemical equilibrium timescales. Given the relative abundance of carbon in reduced forms in astrophysical ices as well as the tendency of these mixtures to form complex hydrocarbons under the presence of external stimuli, it is possible that cometary impacts on a planetary surface could have yielded a larger array of prebiotic organic compounds than previously investigated. We find that the high pressures and temperatures due to shock compression yield a large assortment of carbon- and nitrogen-bonded extended structures that are highly reactive with short molecular lifetimes. Expansion and cooling causes these materials to break apart and form a wide variety of stable, potentially life-building compounds, including long-chain linear and branched hydrocarbons, large heterocyclic compounds, and a variety of different amines and exotic amino acids. Our results help provide a bottom-up understanding of hydrocarbon impact synthesis on the early Earth and its role in producing life-building molecules from simple starting materials

  1. PREBIOTIC HYDROCARBON SYNTHESIS IN IMPACTING REDUCED ASTROPHYSICAL ICY MIXTURES

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Koziol, Lucas; Goldman, Nir, E-mail: lucas.koziol@exxonmobil.com, E-mail: ngoldman@llnl.gov [Physical and Life Sciences Directorate, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA 94550 (United States)

    2015-04-20

    We present results of prebiotic organic synthesis in shock-compressed reducing mixtures of simple ices from quantum molecular dynamics simulations extended to close to chemical equilibrium timescales. Given the relative abundance of carbon in reduced forms in astrophysical ices as well as the tendency of these mixtures to form complex hydrocarbons under the presence of external stimuli, it is possible that cometary impacts on a planetary surface could have yielded a larger array of prebiotic organic compounds than previously investigated. We find that the high pressures and temperatures due to shock compression yield a large assortment of carbon- and nitrogen-bonded extended structures that are highly reactive with short molecular lifetimes. Expansion and cooling causes these materials to break apart and form a wide variety of stable, potentially life-building compounds, including long-chain linear and branched hydrocarbons, large heterocyclic compounds, and a variety of different amines and exotic amino acids. Our results help provide a bottom-up understanding of hydrocarbon impact synthesis on the early Earth and its role in producing life-building molecules from simple starting materials.

  2. China’s impact on the global wind power industry

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Lema, Rasmus; Berger, Axel; Schmitz, Hubert

    China’s economic rise has transformed the global economy in a number of manufacturing industries. This paper investigates whether China’s transformative influence extends to the new green economy. Drawing on the debate about how China is driving major economic changes in the world – the ‘Asian...... firms. While the combined impact of Chinese market and production power is already visible, other influences are beginning to be felt – arising from China’s coordination, innovation and financing power....

  3. China’s Impact on the Global Wind Power Industry

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Lema, Rasmus; Berger, Axel; Schmitz, Hubert

    2013-01-01

    China’s economic rise has transformed the global economy in a number of manufacturing industries. This paper investigates whether China’s transformative influence extends to the new green economy. Drawing on the debate about how China is driving major economic changes in the world – the “Asian....... While the combined impact of Chinese market and production power is already visible, other influences are beginning to be felt – arising from China’s coordination, innovation and financing power....

  4. Behaviour of fiber reinforced concrete slabs under impact loading

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Huelsewig, M.; Stilp, A.; Pahl, H.

    1982-01-01

    The behaviour of steel fiber reinforced concrete slabs under impact loads has been investigated. The results obtained show that fracturing and spallation effects are reduced to a large extend due to the high energy absorption and the increased yield strength of this material. Crater depths are comparable to those obtained using normal concrete targets. Systematic tests using different fiber types and dimensions show that the terminal ballistic behaviour is strongly dependent on these parameters. (orig.) [de

  5. Higher-order curvature terms and extended inflation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang Yun

    1990-01-01

    We consider higher-order curvature terms in context of the Brans-Dicke theory of gravity, and investigate the effects of these terms on extended inflationary theories. We find that the higher-order curvature terms tend to speed up inflation, although the original extended-inflation solutions are stable when these terms are small. Analytical solutions are found for two extreme cases: when the higher-order curvature terms are small, and when they dominate. A conformal transformation is employed in solving the latter case, and some of the subtleties in this technique are discussed. We note that percolation is less likely to occur when the higher-order curvature terms are present. An upper bound on α is expected if we are to avoid excessive and inadequate percolation of true-vacuum bubbles

  6. Investigating the response of biotite to impact metamorphism: Examples from the Steen River impact structure, Canada

    Science.gov (United States)

    Walton, E. L.; Sharp, T. G.; Hu, J.; Tschauner, O.

    2018-01-01

    Impact metamorphic effects from quartz and feldspar and to a lesser extent olivine and pyroxene have been studied in detail. Comparatively, studies documenting shock effects in other minerals, such as double chain inosilicates, phyllosilicates, carbonates, and sulfates, are lacking. In this study, we investigate impact metamorphism recorded in crystalline basement rocks from the Steen River impact structure (SRIS), a 25 km diameter complex crater in NW Alberta, Canada. An array of advanced analytical techniques was used to characterize the breakdown of biotite in two distinct settings: along the margins of localized regions of shock melting and within granitic target rocks entrained as clasts in a breccia. In response to elevated temperature gradients along shock vein margins, biotite transformed at high pressure to an almandine-Ca/Fe majorite-rich garnet with a density of 4.2 g cm-3. The shock-produced garnets are poikilitic, with oxide and silicate glass inclusions. Areas interstitial to garnets are vesiculated, in support of models for the formation of shock veins via oscillatory slip, with deformation continuing during pressure release. Biotite within granitic clasts entrained within the hot breccia matrix thermally decomposed at ambient pressure to produce a fine-grained mineral assemblage of orthopyroxene + sanidine + titanomagnetite. These minerals are aligned to the (001) cleavage plane of the original crystal. In this and previous work, the transformation of an inosilicate (pargasite) and a phyllosilicate (biotite) to form garnet, an easily identifiable, robust mineral, has been documented. We contend that in deeply eroded astroblemes, high-pressure minerals that form within or in the environs of shock veins may serve as one of the possibly few surviving indicators of impact metamorphism.

  7. Conceptual Framework To Extend Life Cycle Assessment ...

    Science.gov (United States)

    Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is a decision-making tool that accounts for multiple impacts across the life cycle of a product or service. This paper presents a conceptual framework to integrate human health impact assessment with risk screening approaches to extend LCA to include near-field chemical sources (e.g., those originating from consumer products and building materials) that have traditionally been excluded from LCA. A new generation of rapid human exposure modeling and high-throughput toxicity testing is transforming chemical risk prioritization and provides an opportunity for integration of screening-level risk assessment (RA) with LCA. The combined LCA and RA approach considers environmental impacts of products alongside risks to human health, which is consistent with regulatory frameworks addressing RA within a sustainability mindset. A case study is presented to juxtapose LCA and risk screening approaches for a chemical used in a consumer product. The case study demonstrates how these new risk screening tools can be used to inform toxicity impact estimates in LCA and highlights needs for future research. The framework provides a basis for developing tools and methods to support decision making on the use of chemicals in products. This paper presents a conceptual framework for including near-field exposures into Life Cycle Assessment using advanced human exposure modeling and high-throughput tools

  8. Virtual Field and Internal Structure of Half-Dressed Extended Particles

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Compagno, G.; Persico, F.

    1988-01-01

    A new method is proposed to investigate the internal geometrical structure of an extended particle surrounded by an incomplete virtual dressing field. This method involves analysing the time-dependent virtual field at large distances from the particle, without any direct interaction with the latter. As an example, the pulselike, time-dependent virtual field of an extended QED source is investigated using a model which has a well-known counterpart in meson theory. In the framework of nonrelativistic QED it is shown that, contrary to the case of a point source, the pulse has finite width and height. For the case of a spherically symmetric source, it is explicitly shown that the width and shape of the pulse at distance r from the particle depend on the parameters determining the space structure of the source. It is concluded that the study of the field of half-dressed particles may provide a new method to investigate their internal structure

  9. 78 FR 28622 - Notice of Approval of Record of Decision for Extending F-Line Streetcar Service to Fort Mason...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-05-15

    ...] Notice of Approval of Record of Decision for Extending F-Line Streetcar Service to Fort Mason Center... Environmental Impact Statement (Final EIS) for extending the F-Line historic streetcar service to Fort Mason... turnaround terminus at the Fort Mason Center; and installing appurtenant features such as signals, crossings...

  10. Rational extended thermodynamics

    CERN Document Server

    Müller, Ingo

    1998-01-01

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

  11. Space and power: young mothers' management of smoking in extended families in China.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mao, Aimei

    2013-05-01

    Multigenerational co-residence is a widespread phenomenon in China but there is little knowledge about the impact of power dynamics on smoking behaviors among extended family residents. Using a gender lens, this ethnographic study explored how young mothers in extended families in mainland China managed the smoking of their husbands and other family members. Analysis of data resulted in a model of 'two units-three domains' to reflect gendered relationships between young mothers and other family members, and young mothers' participation in family management. Exploration of the mothers' efforts to deal with household smoking using the model provided an explanation for why the young mothers had limited control over household space and could only impose partial restrictions on home smoking in the extended family. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  12. Investigation of Kodak extended dose range (EDR) film for megavoltage photon beam dosimetry

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chetty, Indrin J.; Charland, Paule M.

    2002-01-01

    We have investigated the dependence of the measured optical density on the incident beam energy, field size and depth for a new type of film, Kodak extended dose range (Kodak EDR). Film measurements have been conducted over a range of field sizes (3x3 cm 2 to 25x25 cm 2 ) and depths (d max to 15 cm), for 6 MV and 15 MV photons within a solid water phantom, and the variation in sensitometric response (net optical density versus dose) has been reported. Kodak EDR film is found to have a linear response with dose, from 0 to 350 cGy, which is much higher than that typically seen for Kodak XV film (0-50 cGy). The variation in sensitometric response for Kodak EDR film as a function of field size and depth is observed to be similar to that of Kodak XV film; the optical density varied in the order of 2-3% for field sizes of 3x3 cm 2 and 10x10 cm 2 at depths of d max , 5 cm and 15 cm in the phantom. Measurements for a 25x25 cm 2 field size showed consistently higher optical densities at depths of d max , 5 cm and 15 cm, relative to a 10x10 cm 2 field size at 5 cm depth, with 4-5% differences noted at a depth of 15 cm. Fractional depth dose and profiles conducted with Kodak EDR film showed good agreement (2%/2 mm) with ion chamber measurements for all field sizes except for the 25x25 cm 2 at depths greater than 15 cm, where differences in the order of 3-5% were observed. In addition, Kodak EDR film measurements were found to be consistent with those of Kodak XV film for all fractional depth doses and profiles. The results of this study indicate that Kodak EDR film may be a useful tool for relative dosimetry at higher dose ranges. (author)

  13. Investigation of Kodak extended dose range (EDR) film for megavoltage photon beam dosimetry.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chetty, Indrin J; Charland, Paule M

    2002-10-21

    We have investigated the dependence of the measured optical density on the incident beam energy, field size and depth for a new type of film, Kodak extended dose range (Kodak EDR). Film measurements have been conducted over a range of field sizes (3 x 3 cm2 to 25 x 25 cm2) and depths (d(max) to 15 cm), for 6 MV and 15 MV photons within a solid water phantom, and the variation in sensitometric response (net optical density versus dose) has been reported. Kodak EDR film is found to have a linear response with dose, from 0 to 350 cGy, which is much higher than that typically seen for Kodak XV film (0-50 cGy). The variation in sensitometric response for Kodak EDR film as a function of field size and depth is observed to be similar to that of Kodak XV film; the optical density varied in the order of 2-3% for field sizes of 3 x 3 cm2 and 10 x 10 cm2 at depths of d(max), 5 cm and 15 cm in the phantom. Measurements for a 25 x 25 cm2 field size showed consistently higher optical densities at depths of d(max), 5 cm and 15 cm, relative to a 10 x 10 cm2 field size at 5 cm depth, with 4-5% differences noted at a depth of 15 cm. Fractional depth dose and profiles conducted with Kodak EDR film showed good agreement (2%/2 mm) with ion chamber measurements for all field sizes except for the 25 x 25 cm2 at depths greater than 15 cm, where differences in the order of 3-5% were observed. In addition, Kodak EDR film measurements were found to be consistent with those of Kodak XV film for all fractional depth doses and profiles. The results of this study indicate that Kodak EDR film may be a useful tool for relative dosimetry at higher dose ranges.

  14. Lab-scale impact test to investigate the pipe-soil interaction and comparative study to evaluate structural responses

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dong-Man Ryu

    2015-07-01

    Full Text Available This study examined the dynamic response of a subsea pipeline under an impact load to determine the effect of the seabed soil. A laboratory-scale soil-based pipeline impact test was carried out to investigate the pipeline deformation/strain as well as the interaction with the soil-pipeline. In addition, an impact test was simulated using the finite element technique, and the calculated strain was compared with the experimental results. During the simulation, the pipeline was described based on an elasto-plastic analysis, and the soil was modeled using the Mohr-Coulomb fail-ure criterion. The results obtained were compared with ASME D31.8, and the differences between the analysis results and the rules were specifically investigated. Modified ASME formulae were proposed to calculate the precise structural behavior of a subsea pipeline under an impact load when considering sand- and clay-based seabed soils.

  15. Two-photon superradiance in extended medium

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Branzan, V.; Enache, N.

    1993-01-01

    The possibility of collectivization of an ensemble of atoms of an extended system (the distance between atoms is larger or equal to the wave-length of a spontaneous emitted radiation) during two-photon spontaneous decay is theoretically investigated. It is demonstrated that such systems of inverted atoms should emit phase-correlated pairs of photons. The time-space correlation among atoms is realized due to the two-photon exchanging through the electromagnetic field's vacuum. An increase of the spontaneous decay rate of the two-atom inverted ensemble is demonstrated. The dependence of two-photon superradiance on the sample geometry is investigated. A non-equilibrium method of the elimination of the atoms level Fermi-operators is proposed. (Author)

  16. Extended Range of a Gun Launched Smart Projectile Using Controllable Canards

    OpenAIRE

    Mark Costello

    2001-01-01

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

  17. Investigating the Impact of Service Quality Dimensions on Reputation and Brand Trust

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Majid Esmaeilpour

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available Purpose - The objective of this study was to investigate the impact of service quality dimensions on brand reputation and brand trust in Iran's Saderat Bank. Design/methodology/approach: The present study is applied in terms of objective and results of study and correlational type of descriptive-survey in terms of nature and method of implementation. The Study Population included customers of Iran's Saderat Bank branches in Bushehr city. Since the population size was large, convenient sampling was used and 400 questionnaires were distributed among the customers of the bank. Structural equation modeling was used to analyze the data through Smart PLS software. Findings: The findings reveal that all dimensions of service quality (tangible factors, reliability, accountability, trustworthiness, and empathy have a positive and significant impact on brand trust and brand reputation. Research limitations/implications: The population of the research was limited to Bushehr city (Iran. Other limitations relates to the data collection tool; the questionnaire has some disadvantages that can influence results. Therefore, we should be cautious in generalizing the findings. Originality/value: This research examines the impact of service quality dimensions and the level of impact of each dimension on brand reputation and trust, in order to identify the dimensions of service quality affecting brand reputation and trust, and to use them in branding. Thus, implementing the suggested actions to enhance the quality of services will have a positive impact on enhancing the brand reputation and brand trust in the banking industry.

  18. Methodology for Selecting Initiating Events and Hazards for Consideration in an Extended PSA

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wielenberg, A.; Hage, M.; Loeffler, H.; Alzbutas, R.; Apostol, M.; Bareith, A.; Siklossy, T.; Brac, P.; Burgazzi, L.; Cazzoli, E.; Vitazkova, J.; Cizelj, L.; Prosek, A.; Volkanovski, A.; Hashimoto, K.; Godefroy, F.; Gonzalez, M.; Groudev, P.; Kolar, L.; Kumar, M.; Nitoi, M.; Raimond, E.

    2016-01-01

    An extended PSA applies to a site of one or several Nuclear Power Plant unit(s) and its environment. It intends to calculate the risk induced by the main sources of radioactivity (reactor core and spent fuel storages) on the site, taking into account all operating states for each main source and all possible relevant accident initiating events (both internal and external) affecting one unit or the whole site. The combination between hazards or initiating events and their impact on a unit or the whole site is a crucial issue for an extended PSA. The report tries to discuss relevant methodologies for this purpose. The report proposes a methodology to select initiating events and hazards for the development of an extended PSA. The proposed methodology for initiating events identification, screening and bounding analysis for an extended PSA consists of four major steps: 1. A comprehensive identification of events and hazards and their respective combinations applicable to the plant and site. Qualitative screening criteria will be applied, 2. The calculation of initial (possibly conservative) frequency claims for events and hazards and their respective combinations applicable to the plant and the site. Quantitative screening criteria will be applied, 3. An impact analysis and bounding assessment for all applicable events and scenarios. Events are either screened out from further more detailed analysis, or are assigned to a bounding event (group), or are retained for detailed analysis, 4. The probabilistic analysis of all retained (bounding) events at the appropriate level of detail. (authors)

  19. Use of integrin-linked kinase to extend function of encapsulated pancreatic tissue

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Blanchette, James O; Langer, Steven J; Leinwand, Leslie L; Sahai, Suchit; Topiwala, Pritesh S; Anseth, Kristi S

    2010-01-01

    We have studied the impact of overexpression of an intracellular signaling protein, integrin-linked kinase (ILK), on the survival and function of encapsulated islet tissue used for the treatment of type 1 diabetes. The dimensions of the encapsulated tissue can impact the stresses placed on the tissue and ILK overexpression shows the ability to extend function of dissociated cells as well as intact islets. These results suggest that lost cell-extracellular matrix interactions in cell encapsulation systems can lead to decreased insulin secretion and ILK signaling is a target to overcome this phenomenon. (communication)

  20. Use of integrin-linked kinase to extend function of encapsulated pancreatic tissue

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Blanchette, James O [Department of Chemical Engineering, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC (United States); Langer, Steven J; Leinwand, Leslie L [Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO (United States); Sahai, Suchit; Topiwala, Pritesh S [Biomedical Engineering Program, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC (United States); Anseth, Kristi S, E-mail: blanchej@cec.sc.ed [Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Boulder, CO (United States)

    2010-12-15

    We have studied the impact of overexpression of an intracellular signaling protein, integrin-linked kinase (ILK), on the survival and function of encapsulated islet tissue used for the treatment of type 1 diabetes. The dimensions of the encapsulated tissue can impact the stresses placed on the tissue and ILK overexpression shows the ability to extend function of dissociated cells as well as intact islets. These results suggest that lost cell-extracellular matrix interactions in cell encapsulation systems can lead to decreased insulin secretion and ILK signaling is a target to overcome this phenomenon. (communication)

  1. Impact of previous extended and daily wear schedules on signs and symptoms with high Dk lotrafilcon A lenses.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chalmers, Robin L; Dillehay, Sally; Long, Bill; Barr, Joseph T; Bergenske, Peter; Donshik, Peter; Secor, Glenda; Yoakum, John

    2005-06-01

    This study measured the impact of previous contact lens wearing schedule on the resolution of signs and contact lens-related symptoms among wearers of lotrafilcon A lenses. One hundred forty adapted low Dk daily wear (DW) and 140 adapted low Dk extended wear (EW) subjects were enrolled and examined for 1 year (overall study length is 3 years). All subjects wore lotrafilcon A lenses on a wearing schedule of up to 30 nights continuous wear with monthly replacement of lenses. Examinations were conducted at 1 week, 1, 6, and 12 months. The former EW wearers presented at baseline with significantly higher conjunctival staining and epithelial microcysts (p Dk DW and EW wearers within 1 week as did severity of dryness during the day for the former DW wearers, in part as a result of their higher prevalence at baseline in the DW group. Subjects reported redness improved significantly by the 1-month visit. Continuous wear of high Dk silicone hydrogel lenses resulted in an improvement in ocular redness and neovascularization and dryness symptoms among subjects in this trial, regardless of their previous low Dk lens-wearing schedule. All improvements in signs and symptoms were sustained through 12 months.

  2. Extended Poisson Exponential Distribution

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Anum Fatima

    2015-09-01

    Full Text Available A new mixture of Modified Exponential (ME and Poisson distribution has been introduced in this paper. Taking the Maximum of Modified Exponential random variable when the sample size follows a zero truncated Poisson distribution we have derived the new distribution, named as Extended Poisson Exponential distribution. This distribution possesses increasing and decreasing failure rates. The Poisson-Exponential, Modified Exponential and Exponential distributions are special cases of this distribution. We have also investigated some mathematical properties of the distribution along with Information entropies and Order statistics of the distribution. The estimation of parameters has been obtained using the Maximum Likelihood Estimation procedure. Finally we have illustrated a real data application of our distribution.

  3. Digital Immigrant Teacher Perceptions of an Extended Cyberhunt Strategy

    Science.gov (United States)

    du Plessis, Andre; Webb, Paul

    2012-01-01

    This quantitative and qualitative interpretive exploratory case study investigates whether exposure to an Internet based "Extended Cyberhunt" strategy enables teachers to attain a set of outcomes similar to Prensky's "Essential 21st Century Skills" and the "Critical Outcomes of the South African National Curriculum…

  4. Advanced and extended scope practice of radiographers: The Scottish perspective

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Henderson, I.; Mathers, S.A.; McConnell, J.; Minnoch, D.

    2016-01-01

    Purpose: The impact of changing roles, skill mix and a shortage of consultant radiologists on the profession of diagnostic radiography is not clearly understood in Scotland although the anecdotal perspective suggests the situation in many areas does not equate to that of England. Method: A questionnaire survey was administered to ‘lead diagnostic radiographers’ across all Health Boards in Scotland and this was supplemented with telephone interviews. Results: The implementation of skill mix initiatives and particularly advanced/extended scope practice was found to be geographically variable with limited evidence of change in some areas. Lack of effective funding and backfill for training was found to be a major barrier to change, although it was also acknowledged that opposition from some professional groups could be a major factor. Conclusion: Although there is some optimism and evidence of accelerating change, development of the radiographic workforce in Scotland does not in general compare favourably to the findings of Price et al., in 2007. The reasons are multi-factorial including fiscal, professional and geographical elements. - Highlights: • Implementation of extended scope practice is geographically inconsistent. • AfC banding of radiographers in extended scope roles is inconsistent. • Funding and backfill for training is a recognised difficulty for many managers. • Professional opposition, primarily from radiologists is a barrier to implementation. • Extended scope roles make a notable contribution to enhanced outcomes.

  5. Strategies to improve sleep during extended search and rescue operations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jenkins, Jennifer Lee; Fredericksen, Kim; Stone, Roger; Tang, Nelson

    2007-01-01

    This study investigated strategies to improve sleeping conditions during search and rescue operations during disaster response. Forty members of the Montgomery County (Maryland) Urban Search and Rescue Team were surveyed for individual sleep habits and sleeping aids used during extended deployments. Team members were also asked to suggest methods to improve sleep on future deployments. The average amount of sleep during field operations was 5.4 hours with a range of 4-8 hours. Eight percent surveyed would prefer another schedule besides the 12-hour work day, all of whom proposed three 8-hour shifts. Fifteen percent of participants were interested in a pharmacological sleeping aid. Fifty percent of search and rescue members interviewed would consider using nonpharmacological sleeping aids. Furthermore, 40% of participants stated they had successfully devised self-employed methods of sleep aids for previous deployments, such as ear plugs, massage, mental imagery, personal routines, music and headphones, reading, and blindfolds. This study suggests that availability of both pharmacological and nonpharmacological sleeping aids to search and rescue workers via the team cache could impact the quantity of sleep. Further investigation into methods of optimizing sleep during field missions could theoretically show enhanced performance through various aspects of missions including mitigation of errors, improved productivity, and improved overall physiological and emotional well-being of search and rescue personnel.

  6. Localized-to-extended-states transition below the Fermi level

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tito, M. A.; Pusep, Yu. A.

    2018-05-01

    Time-resolved photoluminescence is employed to examine a transition from localized to extended electron states below the Fermi level in multiple narrow quantum well GaAs/AlGaAs heterostructures, where disorder was generated by interface roughness. Such a transition resembles the metal-insulator transition profoundly investigated by electric transport measurements. An important distinction distinguishes the localized-to-extended-states transition studied here: it takes place below the Fermi level in an electron system with a constant concentration, which implies unchanging Coulomb correlations. Moreover, for such a localized-to-extended-states transition the temperature is shown to be irrelevant. In the insulating regime the magnetic field was found to cause an additional momentum relaxation which considerably enhanced the recombination rate. Thus, we propose a method to explore the evolution of the localized electron states in a system with a fixed disorder and Coulomb interaction.

  7. An investigation of Crater Diameter on Plain Slab Foamed Concrete Rice Husk Ash (FCRHA Exposed to Low Impact Loading

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hadipramana Josef

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available As sustainable material building and construction, the foamed concrete (FC in this investigation was modified by adding the Rice Husk Ash (RHA as sand replacement to increase its strength. Furthermore, this modification material (is called FCRHA treated on impact loading. This investigation was motivated when the plain slab of FCRHA subjected to small impactor, then the nose impactor over all would penetrate into slab target due to porosity of FCRHA. The experimental produced plain slabs FCRHA and FC (as a control with 1400 kg/m3 and 1600 Kg/m3 of densities. In impact test all plain slabs exposed by 40 mm steel blunt nose impactor with various impact velocities. The result showed the crater which produced by impact loading was not found spalling, scabbing, radial crack and widely cratering. This local damage occurred when porosity of FCRHA took over the impact loading. The nose impactor over all considered have been successful penetrated into slab of FCRHA and FC. Therefore, the diameter of crater equals to diameter of impactor. With this certainty, the prediction penetration depth on plain slab FCRHA (also FC can be determined in future investigation. In addition, the penetration of impactor on FCRHA with low impact velocity give the same impression on penetration impactor with high impact velocity on FC.

  8. Extending Binary Collocations: (Lexicographical Implications of Going beyond the Prototypical a – b

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dušan Gabrovšek

    2014-05-01

    Full Text Available The paper focuses primarily on the Sinclairian concept of extended units of meaning in general and on extended collocations in particular, investigating their nature and types. Such extended units are extremely varied and diverse; they are regarded as instances of the functioning of the coselection principle. Some extended forms are used far more commonly that the corresponding prototypical (binary sequences. The final section delves into the ABCs of extended collocations in the context of lexicography, suggesting that dictionaries should make an effort to include a selection of such strings, especially for encoding tasks that are to be shown as examples of use. Most dictionaries incorporate very few such “loose” units, probably because of a powerful tradition to include as examples of use chiefly binary collocations and full sentences.

  9. An extended technology acceptance model for detecting influencing factors: An empirical investigation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mohamd Hakkak

    2013-11-01

    Full Text Available The rapid diffusion of the Internet has radically changed the delivery channels applied by the financial services industry. The aim of this study is to identify the influencing factors that encourage customers to adopt online banking in Khorramabad. The research constructs are developed based on the technology acceptance model (TAM and incorporates some extra important control variables. The model is empirically verified to study the factors influencing the online banking adoption behavior of 210 customers of Tejarat Banks in Khorramabad. The findings of the study suggest that the quality of the internet connection, the awareness of online banking and its benefits, the social influence and computer self-efficacy have significant impacts on the perceived usefulness (PU and perceived ease of use (PEOU of online banking acceptance. Trust and resistance to change also have significant impact on the attitude towards the likelihood of adopting online banking.

  10. Higgs boson from an extended symmetry

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Barbieri, Riccardo; Bellazzini, Brando; Rychkov, Vyacheslav S.; Varagnolo, Alvise

    2007-01-01

    The variety of ideas put forward in the context of a composite picture for the Higgs boson calls for a simple and effective description of the related phenomenology. Such a description is given here by means of a minimal model and is explicitly applied to the example of a Higgs-top sector from an SO(5) symmetry. We discuss the spectrum, the electroweak precision tests, B-physics, and naturalness. We show the difficulty in complying with the different constraints. The extended gauge sector relative to the standard SU(2)xU(1), if there is any, has little or no impact on these considerations. We also discuss the relation of the minimal model with its 'little Higgs' or holographic extensions based on the same symmetry

  11. Behaviour and Ecological Impacts of Termites: Fecundity Investigations in Mounds

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wako Sutuma Edessa

    2015-03-01

    Full Text Available A radical study was conducted on the behaviour and ecological impacts of termites in Haru District of Western Oromia, Ethiopia. It was aimed at investigating the natural behaviour, fecundity in mounds, ecological impacts and recommending possible solutions to termite problems. Four mounds in different sites were vertically dug down to display the profile of the queen, soldiers, workers, number of laid eggs, nymphs and colonies of termites. On an average, termite queens of the study site may lay about 25 eggs per minute, 36, 000 eggs per day and 13, 140, 000 eggs annually. The fourth queen was unearthed to study the structure, size, number of ovaries and fecundity. It was examined that the death of a queen does not affect the colony, because four small queens are formed and one of them becomes the queen of queens and replaced the dead queen promptly. Accordingly, termites are found to be one of the most destructive agents of our ecosystems and their management requests careful and biological control methods. As a result, the negative effect of termites outweighs the positive effect of termites so that minimising the population size is important for human beings.

  12. Formulation and Evaluation of Extended- Release Tablet of Zolpidem Tartrate by Wet Granulation Technique

    OpenAIRE

    Fatemeh Pourhashem; Mohammad Reza Avadi

    2016-01-01

    The goal of this study was to design and evaluate extended - release system of the hypnotic agent, Zolpidem tartrate usefulness for the treatment of insomnia. The half-life of this drug is about 1.9 - 3 hours that indicating it a candidate for the extended release formulation. Our investigation relates to development of extended drug delivery system based on Hydroxy propyl methyl cellulose (HPMCK4M) as release retardant, polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP k30) as binder and Magnesium S...

  13. Investigation and evaluation for environmental impact at Fukushima Daiichi NPP accident

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2012-01-01

    In 2012, JNES investigated the weather data and the environmental monitoring data and constructed the method to specify contribution of the environmental impact from each plant based on the dose analysis result at Unit 1-3 of Fukushima Daiichi NPP accident. JNES calculated the dose rate in an accident early stage based on analysis of a monitoring data. Moreover, JNES evaluated the dose by additional release of the radioactive material in case of assuming the loss of coolant injection to a nuclear reactor by the request of NISA. (author)

  14. Impact of extended maceration and regulated deficit irrigation (RDI) in Cabernet Sauvignon wines: characterization of proanthocyanidin distribution, anthocyanin extraction, and chromatic properties.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Casassa, L Federico; Larsen, Richard C; Beaver, Christopher W; Mireles, Maria S; Keller, Markus; Riley, William R; Smithyman, Russell; Harbertson, James F

    2013-07-03

    The impact of extended maceration (EM) was studied in Cabernet Sauvignon grapes sourced from a vineyard subjected to four regulated deficit irrigation (RDI) treatments: (I) 100% replenishment of crop evapotranspiration (100% ETc), (II) 70% ETc, (III) 25% ETc until véraison, followed by 100% ETc until harvest, and IV) 25% ETc. Each vineyard replicate was made into wine with two replicates designated as controls (10-day skin contact) and two as extended maceration (EM, 30-day skin contact). The mean degree of polymerization (mDP), size distribution, concentration, and composition of wine proanthocyanidins (PAs) and monomeric flavan-3-ols of 90 fractions were characterized by preparative and analytical HPLC techniques. The maceration length imparted a larger effect on most chemical parameters. The RDI treatment had no effect on the extraction patterns of anthocyanins, PAs, and/or on the origin of the PAs extracted into the wines. Conversely, EM led to anthocyanin losses and increased PA extraction during maceration, with ~73% of seed-derived PAs. Accordingly, the concentration of monomeric flavan-3-ols, oligomeric (2 ≤ mDP < 5) and polymeric PAs (mDP ≥ 5) was higher in EM wines. The size distribution of the wines' PAs revealed two major peaks as a function of concentration at mDP 2 (22-27% of total PAs mass) and at mDP 6-7 (12-17% of total PAs mass) and was found to follow a non-normal Rayleigh-type distribution.

  15. Numerical investigation and Uncertainty Quantification of the Impact of the geological and geomechanical properties on the seismo-acoustic responses of underground chemical explosions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ezzedine, S. M.; Pitarka, A.; Vorobiev, O.; Glenn, L.; Antoun, T.

    2017-12-01

    We have performed three-dimensional high resolution simulations of underground chemical explosions conducted recently in jointed rock outcrop as part of the Source Physics Experiments (SPE) being conducted at the Nevada National Security Site (NNSS). The main goal of the current study is to investigate the effects of the structural and geomechanical properties on the spall phenomena due to underground chemical explosions and its subsequent effect on the seismo-acoustic signature at far distances. Two parametric studies have been undertaken to assess the impact of different 1) conceptual geological models including a single layer and two layers model, with and without joints and with and without varying geomechanical properties, and 2) depth of bursts of the chemical explosions and explosion yields. Through these investigations we have explored not only the near-field response of the chemical explosions but also the far-field responses of the seismic and the acoustic signatures. The near-field simulations were conducted using the Eulerian and Lagrangian codes, GEODYN and GEODYN -L, respectively, while the far-field seismic simulations were conducted using the elastic wave propagation code, WPP, and the acoustic response using the Kirchhoff-Helmholtz-Rayleigh time-dependent approximation code, KHR. Though a series of simulations we have recorded the velocity field histories a) at the ground surface on an acoustic-source-patch for the acoustic simulations, and 2) on a seismic-source-box for the seismic simulations. We first analyzed the SPE3 experimental data and simulated results, then simulated SPE4-prime, SPE5, and SPE6 to anticipate their seismo-acoustic responses given conditions of uncertainties. SPE experiments were conducted in a granitic formation; we have extended the parametric study to include other geological settings such dolomite and alluvial formations. These parametric studies enabled us 1) investigating the geotechnical and geophysical key parameters

  16. The impact of anxiety-inducing distraction on cognitive performance: a combined brain imaging and personality investigation.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ekaterina Denkova

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Previous investigations revealed that the impact of task-irrelevant emotional distraction on ongoing goal-oriented cognitive processing is linked to opposite patterns of activation in emotional and perceptual vs. cognitive control/executive brain regions. However, little is known about the role of individual variations in these responses. The present study investigated the effect of trait anxiety on the neural responses mediating the impact of transient anxiety-inducing task-irrelevant distraction on cognitive performance, and on the neural correlates of coping with such distraction. We investigated whether activity in the brain regions sensitive to emotional distraction would show dissociable patterns of co-variation with measures indexing individual variations in trait anxiety and cognitive performance. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Event-related fMRI data, recorded while healthy female participants performed a delayed-response working memory (WM task with distraction, were investigated in conjunction with behavioural measures that assessed individual variations in both trait anxiety and WM performance. Consistent with increased sensitivity to emotional cues in high anxiety, specific perceptual areas (fusiform gyrus--FG exhibited increased activity that was positively correlated with trait anxiety and negatively correlated with WM performance, whereas specific executive regions (right lateral prefrontal cortex--PFC exhibited decreased activity that was negatively correlated with trait anxiety. The study also identified a role of the medial and left lateral PFC in coping with distraction, as opposed to reflecting a detrimental impact of emotional distraction. CONCLUSIONS: These findings provide initial evidence concerning the neural mechanisms sensitive to individual variations in trait anxiety and WM performance, which dissociate the detrimental impact of emotion distraction and the engagement of mechanisms to cope with

  17. Axisymmetric Lattice Boltzmann Model of Droplet Impact on Solid Surfaces

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dalgamoni, Hussein; Yong, Xin

    2017-11-01

    Droplet impact is a ubiquitous fluid phenomena encountered in scientific and engineering applications such as ink-jet printing, coating, electronics manufacturing, and many others. It is of great technological importance to understand the detailed dynamics of drop impact on various surfaces. The lattice Boltzmann method (LBM) emerges as an efficient method for modeling complex fluid systems involving rapidly evolving fluid-fluid and fluid-solid interfaces with complex geometries. In this work, we model droplet impact on flat solid substrates with well-defined wetting behavior using a two-phase axisymmetric LBM with high density and viscosity contrasts. We extend the two-dimensional Lee and Liu model to capture axisymmetric effect in the normal impact. First we compare the 2D axisymmetric results with the 2D and 3D results reported by Lee and Liu to probe the effect of axisymmetric terms. Then, we explore the effects of Weber number, Ohnesorge number, and droplet-surface equilibrium contact angle on the impact. The dynamic contact angle and spreading factor of the droplet during impact are investigated to qualitatively characterize the impact dynamics.

  18. Investigation on impact resistance of steel plate reinforced concrete barriers against aircraft impact. Pt.3: Analyses of full-scale aircraft impact

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jun Mizuno; Norihide Koshika; Eiichi Tanaka; Atsushi Suzuki; Yoshinori Mihara; Isao Nishimura

    2005-01-01

    Steel plate reinforced concrete (SC) walls and slabs are structural members in which the rebars of reinforced concrete are replaced by steel plates. Steel plate reinforced concrete structures are more attractive structural design alternatives to reinforced concrete structures, especially with thick, heavily reinforced walls and slabs such as nuclear structures, because they enable a much shorter construction period, greater earthquake resistant and more cost effectiveness. Experimental and analytical studies performed by the authors have also shown that SC structures are much more effective in mitigating damage against scaled aircraft models , as described in Parts 1 and 2 of this study. The objective of Part 3 was to determine the protective capability of SC walls and roofs against a full-scale aircraft impact by conducting numerical experiments to investigate the fracture behaviors and limit thicknesses of SC panels and to examine the effectiveness of SC panels in detail under design conditions. Furthermore, a simplified method is proposed for evaluating the localized damage induced by a full-scale engine impact. (authors)

  19. Conceptual Framework To Extend Life Cycle Assessment Using Near-Field Human Exposure Modeling and High-Throughput Tools for Chemicals

    Science.gov (United States)

    Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is a decision-making tool that accounts for multiple impacts across the life cycle of a product or service. This paper presents a conceptual framework to integrate human health impact assessment with risk screening approaches to extend LCA to include n...

  20. The Impact of Adolescent Deviance on Marital Trajectories.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Doherty, Elaine Eggleston; Green, Kerry M; Ensminger, Margaret E

    2012-01-01

    Marriage is a key life event that has numerous benefits. Recent research extends these benefits to include desistance from crime and drug use yet there has been little investigation regarding whether deviant behavior in adolescence impacts long-term marital patterns. Since rates of marriage are low among African Americans and rates of adolescent deviance and crime are high, we investigate the long-term relationship between the two drawing on longitudinal data from the Woodlawn cohort of urban African Americans. This article investigates whether serious adolescent delinquency and marijuana use predict marital trajectories, controlling for known correlates. Multivariate findings indicate that within this African-American population, deviance predicts the probability of marriage, stability of marriage, and timing of marriage for men yet deviance relates solely to the probability of marriage for women.

  1. Cold light dark matter in extended seesaw models

    Science.gov (United States)

    Boulebnane, Sami; Heeck, Julian; Nguyen, Anne; Teresi, Daniele

    2018-04-01

    We present a thorough discussion of light dark matter produced via freeze-in in two-body decays A→ B DM . If A and B are quasi-degenerate, the dark matter particle has a cold spectrum even for keV masses. We show this explicitly by calculating the transfer function that encodes the impact on structure formation. As examples for this setup we study extended seesaw mechanisms with a spontaneously broken global U(1) symmetry, such as the inverse seesaw. The keV-scale pseudo-Goldstone dark matter particle is then naturally produced cold by the decays of the quasi-degenerate right-handed neutrinos.

  2. Continuity of Accelerator Operations during an Extended Pandemic

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Noel Okay

    2010-01-01

    The Operations group for the Continuous Electron Accelerator Facility in Newport News Virginia has developed a Continuity of Operations plan for pandemic conditions when high absenteeism may impact accelerator control room operations. Protocols to address both the potential spread of illnesses in the control room environment as well as maintaining minimum staffing requirements for contiguous accelerator operation will be presented. During acute pandemic conditions local government restrictions may prevent continued operations but during extended periods of high absenteeism accelerator operations can continue when some added precautionary measures and staffing adjustments are made in the way business is done.

  3. Gender and Extended Actuarial Functions in Pension Insurance

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jana Špirková

    2012-12-01

    Full Text Available This paper brings analysis of the impact of a ban on the use of gender in insurance, with special stress on pension annuity, according to the requirements of the European Court of Justice. The paper brings a state-of-theart overview of known and extended actuarial functions which relate to modeling of a premium of endowment, term life insurance and pension annuity. Moreover, the amounts of the pension annuities payable thly per year in a model of the third pillar pension are modeled and analyzed for different interest rates using life tables for both genders and unisex.

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

    Science.gov (United States)

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

    2016-12-01

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

  5. A CBCT Investigation of the Association between Sella-Turcica Bridging and Maxillary Palatal Canine Impaction

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pamela M. Ortiz

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Objectives. To investigate the association between unilateral/bilateral maxillary canine impaction and sella-turcica bridging using CBCT imaging. Methods. This retrospective comparative study analyzed 76 CBCT images of the craniofacial complex including sella-turcica. The impacted cuspid group consisted of thirty-eight subjects (7 males, 31 females; mean age, 14.6 ± 3.2 years diagnosed with unilateral (left n=14, right n=11 or bilateral (n=13 palatal canine impaction. The control group included thirty-eight subjects matched by sex (7 males, 31 females; mean age, 19.5 ± 3.6 years with no impaction. Multinomial logistic regression analysis was used to determine the association between unilateral/bilateral canine impaction and right and left sella-turcica bridging. Results. The prevalence of sella-turcica bridging was 59.3% and 50% in the impacted canine and control groups, respectively. Although the odds for unilateral canine impaction were increased in the right and left sella-turcica bridging groups compared to the controls, the difference was not statistically significant. The risk of bilateral impaction was different between the two sides of sella-turcica bridging, but, again, the findings were not statistically significant. Conclusion. Contrary to previous 2D studies, there is no statistically significant association between unilateral/bilateral palatal canine impaction and sella-turcica bridging when using 3D CBCT.

  6. Investigation on gallium ions impacting monolayer graphene

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wu, Xin; Zhao, Haiyan, E-mail: hyzhao@tsinghua.edu.cn; Yan, Dong; Pei, Jiayun [State Key Laboratory of Tribology, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, P. R. Chinaand Department of Mechanical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084 (China)

    2015-06-15

    In this paper, the physical phenomena of gallium (Ga{sup +}) ion impacting monolayer graphene in the nanosculpting process are investigated experimentally, and the mechanisms are explained by using Monte Carlo (MC) and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. Firstly, the MC method is employed to clarify the phenomena happened to the monolayer graphene target under Ga{sup +} ion irradiation. It is found that substrate has strong influence on the damage mode of graphene. The mean sputtering yield of graphene under 30 keV Ga{sup +} ion irradiation is 1.77 and the least ion dose to completely remove carbon atoms in graphene is 21.6 ion/nm{sup 2}. Afterwards, the focused ion beam over 21.6 ion/nm{sup 2} is used for the irradiation on a monolayer graphene supported by SiO2 experimentally, resulting in the nanostructures, i.e., nanodot and nanowire array on the graphene. The performances of the nanostructures are characterized by atomic force microscopy and Raman spectrum. A plasma plume shielding model is put forward to explain the nanosculpting results of graphene under different irradiation parameters. In addition, two damage mechanisms are found existing in the fabrication process of the nanostructures by using empirical MD simulations. The results can help us open the possibilities for better control of nanocarbon devices.

  7. Extended spider cognition.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Japyassú, Hilton F; Laland, Kevin N

    2017-05-01

    There is a tension between the conception of cognition as a central nervous system (CNS) process and a view of cognition as extending towards the body or the contiguous environment. The centralised conception requires large or complex nervous systems to cope with complex environments. Conversely, the extended conception involves the outsourcing of information processing to the body or environment, thus making fewer demands on the processing power of the CNS. The evolution of extended cognition should be particularly favoured among small, generalist predators such as spiders, and here, we review the literature to evaluate the fit of empirical data with these contrasting models of cognition. Spiders do not seem to be cognitively limited, displaying a large diversity of learning processes, from habituation to contextual learning, including a sense of numerosity. To tease apart the central from the extended cognition, we apply the mutual manipulability criterion, testing the existence of reciprocal causal links between the putative elements of the system. We conclude that the web threads and configurations are integral parts of the cognitive systems. The extension of cognition to the web helps to explain some puzzling features of spider behaviour and seems to promote evolvability within the group, enhancing innovation through cognitive connectivity to variable habitat features. Graded changes in relative brain size could also be explained by outsourcing information processing to environmental features. More generally, niche-constructed structures emerge as prime candidates for extending animal cognition, generating the selective pressures that help to shape the evolving cognitive system.

  8. Robotic radical perineal cystectomy and extended pelvic lymphadenectomy: initial investigation using a purpose-built single-port robotic system.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Maurice, Matthew J; Kaouk, Jihad H

    2017-12-01

    To assess the feasibility of radical perineal cystoprostatectomy using the latest generation purpose-built single-port robotic surgical system. In two male cadavers the da Vinci ® SP1098 Surgical System (Intuitive Surgical, Sunnyvale, CA, USA) was used to perform radical perineal cystoprostatectomy and bilateral extended pelvic lymph node dissection (ePLND). New features in this model include enhanced high-definition three-dimensional optics, improved instrument manoeuvrability, and a real-time instrument tracking and guidance system. The surgery was accomplished through a 3-cm perineal incision via a novel robotic single-port system, which accommodates three double-jointed articulating robotic instruments, an articulating camera, and an accessory laparoscopic instrument. The primary outcomes were technical feasibility, intraoperative complications, and total robotic operative time. The cases were completed successfully without conversion. There were no accidental punctures or lacerations. The robotic operative times were 197 and 202 min. In this preclinical model, robotic radical perineal cystoprostatectomy and ePLND was feasible using the SP1098 robotic platform. Further investigation is needed to assess the feasibility of urinary diversion using this novel approach and new technology. © 2017 The Authors BJU International © 2017 BJU International Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  9. Impact of supplementation of semen extender with antioxidants on the quality of chilled or cryopreserved Arabian stallion spermatozoa.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ghallab, AbdelRaouf M; Shahat, Abdallah M; Fadl, Aya M; Ayoub, Mohamed M; Moawad, Adel R

    2017-12-01

    The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of supplementation of semen extender with various non-enzymatic antioxidants on the quality of cooled or cryopreserved Arabian stallion spermatozoa. Semen collected from four pure Arabian stallions was centrifuged at 600g for 15 min. Spermatozoa were then diluted in INRA-82 extender supplemented with bovine serum albumin (BSA; 0, 10, 15 and 20 mg/mL) or trehalose (0, 75, 100 and 150 mM) or zinc sulphate (0, 100, 150 and 200 μM). The diluted semen was then either cooled at 5 °C or cryopreserved in 0.5-ml plastic straws. After cooling or thawing, sperm motility, viability, sperm abnormalities, viability index, and plasma membrane integrity were evaluated. The results showed that supplementation of semen extender with 150 mM trehalose or with 200 μM zinc sulphate significantly (P < 0.05) improved motility, viability, sperm membrane integrity and acrosome status in Arabian stallion spermatozoa after cooling or after freezing and thawing compared with controls (non-supplemented media) or with those supplemented with other concentrations of trehalose or zinc sulphate. Supplementation of semen extender with BSA did not improve sperm motility or cryosurvival of Arabian stallion spermatozoa after cooling or after freezing and thawing. In conclusion, supplementation of semen extender with non-enzymatic antioxidants (trehalose or zinc sulphate) improved the quality of chilled and frozen/thawed Arabian stallion spermatozoa. The most beneficial effects occur when semen diluent was supplemented with 150 mM trehalose or 200 μM zinc sulphate. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kono, Tetsuya

    2014-03-01

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

  11. A preliminary investigation: the impact of microscopic condenser on depth of field in cytogenetic imaging

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ren, Liqiang; Qiu, Yuchen; Li, Zheng; Li, Yuhua; Zheng, Bin; Li, Shibo; Chen, Wei R.; Liu, Hong

    2013-02-01

    As one of the important components of optical microscopes, the condenser has a considerable impact on system performance, especially on the depth of field (DOF). DOF is a critical technical feature in cytogenetic imaging that may affect the efficiency and accuracy of clinical diagnosis. The purpose of this study is to investigate the influence of microscopic condenser on DOF using a prototype of transmitted optical microscope, based on objective and subjective evaluations. After the description of the relationship between condenser and objective lens and the theoretical analysis of the condenser impact on system numerical aperture and DOF, a standard resolution pattern and several cytogenetic samples are adopted to assess the condenser impact on DOF, respectively. The experimental results of these objective and subjective evaluations are in agreement with the theoretical analysis and show that, under the specific intermediate range of condenser numerical aperture ( NAcond ), the DOF value decreases with the increase of NAcond . Although the above qualitative results are obtained under the experimental conditions with a specific prototype system, the methods presented in this preliminary investigation could offer useful guidelines for optimizing operational parameters in cytogenetic imaging.

  12. Analysis on the Impact of Pop-Up Flight Occurrence when Extending the Arrival Management Horizon

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Ellerbroek, J.; Hoekstra, J.M.; Westerveld, E

    2017-01-01

    The occurrence of pop-up flights negatively affects the (extended) arrival manager. This issue is known already for a long time by operational experts, but the extent thereof has now been assessed during experiments. An arrival manager research model was developed and integrated in BlueSky, an

  13. Calculation study of the WWER-440 fuel performance for extended burnup

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kujal, J.; Pazdera, F.; Barta, O.

    1984-01-01

    The results of preliminary calculational study of extended burnup cycling schemes impact on WWER-440 fuel performance are presented. Two high burnup schemes were proposed with three and four cycles, resp. Comparison was made with three cycle reference case. The thermal mechanical analysis was performed with PIN and RELA codes. The values of rod internal pressure, fuel centerline temperatures and fuel-cladding gap are expressed as function of power history. (author)

  14. Estimating model parameters for an impact-produced shock-wave simulation: Optimal use of partial data with the extended Kalman filter

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kao, Jim; Flicker, Dawn; Ide, Kayo; Ghil, Michael

    2006-01-01

    This paper builds upon our recent data assimilation work with the extended Kalman filter (EKF) method [J. Kao, D. Flicker, R. Henninger, S. Frey, M. Ghil, K. Ide, Data assimilation with an extended Kalman filter for an impact-produced shock-wave study, J. Comp. Phys. 196 (2004) 705-723.]. The purpose is to test the capability of EKF in optimizing a model's physical parameters. The problem is to simulate the evolution of a shock produced through a high-speed flyer plate. In the earlier work, we have showed that the EKF allows one to estimate the evolving state of the shock wave from a single pressure measurement, assuming that all model parameters are known. In the present paper, we show that imperfectly known model parameters can also be estimated accordingly, along with the evolving model state, from the same single measurement. The model parameter optimization using the EKF can be achieved through a simple modification of the original EKF formalism by including the model parameters into an augmented state variable vector. While the regular state variables are governed by both deterministic and stochastic forcing mechanisms, the parameters are only subject to the latter. The optimally estimated model parameters are thus obtained through a unified assimilation operation. We show that improving the accuracy of the model parameters also improves the state estimate. The time variation of the optimized model parameters results from blending the data and the corresponding values generated from the model and lies within a small range, of less than 2%, from the parameter values of the original model. The solution computed with the optimized parameters performs considerably better and has a smaller total variance than its counterpart using the original time-constant parameters. These results indicate that the model parameters play a dominant role in the performance of the shock-wave hydrodynamic code at hand

  15. Cryonics suspension – debating life finitude, extending time capital and cancelling death

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Oana Mara Stan

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available The study discusses the anti-death movement inside the life extension paradigm and its social implications in terms of enhanced permeability of life-death boundaries, by reconciling mysticism, theology, technology and scientific innovation. It analyses current debates, the transmission of polemic information over extreme life extension by cryogenic suspension through vernacular knowledge. Ethical, scientific, financial and spiritual controversies come into consideration, as pro and counter-arguments emerge from ongoing debates investigated by netnography of themed blogs and forums. Digital platforms facilitate in-depth access to beliefs and attitudes expressed in relationship to continuity of stream of consciousness across the projected post-self project. The study calls for the questioning of agency and performativity in the context of transcending time dynamics and achieving biological and chronological time suspension. Solutions for extending longevity are explored in terms of critical reflection as to providers’ market, financial impact (e.g. creation of new niche products such as afterlife insurance to cover expenses of cryogenic suspension or fundraising for cryo-preserving young persons who died tragically and relocating the burden of proof in arguing whether human cryonics is potentially viable in the future. It brings a new perspective on the traceability and sustainability of time capital (Preda, 2013, while discussing the impact of the belief that death is ultimately curable and avoidable, by future medical progress and overall scientific and technological advancement.

  16. Exotic superconducting states in the extended attractive Hubbard model.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nayak, Swagatam; Kumar, Sanjeev

    2018-04-04

    We show that the extended attractive Hubbard model on a square lattice allows for a variety of superconducting phases, including exotic mixed-symmetry phases with [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] symmetries, and a novel [Formula: see text] state. The calculations are performed within the Hartree-Fock Bardeen-Cooper-Schrieffer framework. The ground states of the mean-field Hamiltonian are obtained via a minimization scheme that relaxes the symmetry constraints on the superconducting solutions, hence allowing for a mixing of s-, p- and d-wave order parameters. The results are obtained within the assumption of uniform-density states. Our results show that extended attractive Hubbard model can serve as an effective model for investigating properties of exotic superconductors.

  17. An experimental investigation on the effects of exponential window and impact force level on harmonic reduction in impact-synchronous model analysis

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Chao, Ong Zhi; Cheet, Lim Hong; Yee, Khoo Shin [Mechanical Engineering Department, Faculty of EngineeringUniversity of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia); Rahman, Abdul Ghaffar Abdul [Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, University Malaysia Pahang, Pekan (Malaysia); Ismail, Zubaidah [Civil Engineering Department, Faculty of Engineering, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia)

    2016-08-15

    A novel method called Impact-synchronous modal analysis (ISMA) was proposed previously which allows modal testing to be performed during operation. This technique focuses on signal processing of the upstream data to provide cleaner Frequency response function (FRF) estimation prior to modal extraction. Two important parameters, i.e., windowing function and impact force level were identified and their effect on the effectiveness of this technique were experimentally investigated. When performing modal testing during running condition, the cyclic loads signals are dominant in the measured response for the entire time history. Exponential window is effectively in minimizing leakage and attenuating signals of non-synchronous running speed, its harmonics and noises to zero at the end of each time record window block. Besides, with the information of the calculated cyclic force, suitable amount of impact force to be applied on the system could be decided prior to performing ISMA. Maximum allowable impact force could be determined from nonlinearity test using coherence function. By applying higher impact forces than the cyclic loads along with an ideal decay rate in ISMA, harmonic reduction is significantly achieved in FRF estimation. Subsequently, the dynamic characteristics of the system are successfully extracted from a cleaner FRF and the results obtained are comparable with Experimental modal analysis (EMA)

  18. An experimental investigation on the effects of exponential window and impact force level on harmonic reduction in impact-synchronous model analysis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chao, Ong Zhi; Cheet, Lim Hong; Yee, Khoo Shin; Rahman, Abdul Ghaffar Abdul; Ismail, Zubaidah

    2016-01-01

    A novel method called Impact-synchronous modal analysis (ISMA) was proposed previously which allows modal testing to be performed during operation. This technique focuses on signal processing of the upstream data to provide cleaner Frequency response function (FRF) estimation prior to modal extraction. Two important parameters, i.e., windowing function and impact force level were identified and their effect on the effectiveness of this technique were experimentally investigated. When performing modal testing during running condition, the cyclic loads signals are dominant in the measured response for the entire time history. Exponential window is effectively in minimizing leakage and attenuating signals of non-synchronous running speed, its harmonics and noises to zero at the end of each time record window block. Besides, with the information of the calculated cyclic force, suitable amount of impact force to be applied on the system could be decided prior to performing ISMA. Maximum allowable impact force could be determined from nonlinearity test using coherence function. By applying higher impact forces than the cyclic loads along with an ideal decay rate in ISMA, harmonic reduction is significantly achieved in FRF estimation. Subsequently, the dynamic characteristics of the system are successfully extracted from a cleaner FRF and the results obtained are comparable with Experimental modal analysis (EMA)

  19. Numerical investigations on pressurized AL-composite vessel response to hypervelocity impacts: Comparison between experimental works and a numerical code

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mespoulet Jérôme

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Response of pressurized composite-Al vessels to hypervelocity impact of aluminum spheres have been numerically investigated to evaluate the influence of initial pressure on the vulnerability of these vessels. Investigated tanks are carbon-fiber overwrapped prestressed Al vessels. Explored internal air pressure ranges from 1 bar to 300 bar and impact velocity are around 4400 m/s. Data obtained from experiments (Xray radiographies, particle velocity measurement and post-mortem vessels have been compared to numerical results given from LS-DYNA ALE-Lagrange-SPH full coupling models. Simulations exhibit an under estimation in term of debris cloud evolution and shock wave propagation in pressurized air but main modes of damage/rupture on the vessels given by simulations are coherent with post-mortem recovered vessels from experiments. First results of this numerical work are promising and further simulation investigations with additional experimental data will be done to increase the reliability of the simulation model. The final aim of this crossed work is to numerically explore a wide range of impact conditions (impact angle, projectile weight, impact velocity, initial pressure that cannot be explore experimentally. Those whole results will define a rule of thumbs for the definition of a vulnerability analytical model for a given pressurized vessel.

  20. The Extended Enterprise concept

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Larsen, Lars Bjørn; Vesterager, Johan; Gobbi, Chiara

    1999-01-01

    This paper provides an overview of the work that has been done regarding the Extended Enterprise concept in the Common Concept team of Globeman 21 including references to results deliverables concerning the development of the Extended Enterprise concept. The first section presents the basic concept...... picture from Globeman21, which illustrates the Globeman21 way of realising the Extended Enterprise concept. The second section presents the Globeman21 EE concept in a life cycle perspective, which to a large extent is based on the thoughts and ideas behind GERAM (ISO/DIS 15704)....

  1. Extended Enterprise performance Management

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Bobbink, Maria Lammerdina; Hartmann, Andreas

    2014-01-01

    The allegiance of partnering organisations and their employees to an Extended Enterprise performance is its proverbial sword of Damocles. Literature on Extended Enterprises focuses on collaboration, inter-organizational integration and learning to avoid diminishing or missing allegiance becoming an

  2. Higher Education as an Extended Duration Service: An Investigation of the Determinants of Vietnamese Overseas Student Loyalty

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pham, Hiep-Hung; Lai, Sue Ling

    2016-01-01

    Regarding higher education as a type of extended duration service, this article proposes a framework considering adjusted expectation, disconfirmation, satisfaction, and commitment in a conceptual model to explain international student loyalty. Employing a structure equation model to the sample data collected from 252 Vietnam overseas students…

  3. Investigation of Ductile-to-Brittle Transition of RPV Materials by using the Pre-cracked Charpy Impact Data

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lee, Ho Jin; Lee, Bong Sang; Hong, Jun Hwa

    2005-01-01

    Much recent work in the field of elastic-plastic fracture mechanics has been directed to developing a mechanics-based relationship between the onset of cleavage fracture in structural components and that of Charpy V-notch specimens. The assessing processes of the cracks located in the reactor pressure vessel (RPV) is described in the ASME code Sec. III, App. G and Sec. XI, App. A. The RTNDT obtained from the impact test using standard Charpy V-notch (CVN) specimens is used as a reference temperature to assess the integrity of RPV materials. The initial RTNDT, for the Linde 80 weld, was determined by the 67.8J Charpy impact energy instead of drop weight test. Generally, Linde 80 weld has low upper-shelf energy. The initial RTNDT obtained from the Charpy impact energy curve has been considered overly conservative. Recently, master curve method has been investigated to assess the integrity of RPV materials directly. The initial RTT0 obtained from the master curve method is considered more realistic than the initial RTNDT obtained from impact test for low upper-shelf fracture toughness RPV materials. In this research, the correlation of transition regions between the master curves and the Charpy impact energy curves was investigated using the dynamic fracture toughness curve and the impact energy curve obtained from the impact test of pre-cracked Charpy (PCC) specimens. For the low toughness RPV material the ductile-to-brittle transition corresponding to the static master curve was anticipated using the invested correlation

  4. Investigation of breached depleted UF{sub 6} cylinders

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    DeVan, J.H. [Martin Marietta Energy Systems, Inc., Oak Ridge, TN (United States)

    1991-12-31

    In June 1990, during a three-site inspection of cylinders being used for long-term storage of solid depleted UF{sub 6}, two 14-ton cylinders at Portsmouth, Ohio, were discovered with holes in the barrel section of the cylinders. An investigation team was immediately formed to determine the cause of the failures and their impact on future storage procedures and to recommend corrective actions. Subsequent investigation showed that the failures most probably resulted from mechanical damage that occurred at the time that the cylinders had been placed in the storage yard. In both cylinders evidence pointed to the impact of a lifting lug of an adjacent cylinder near the front stiffening ring, where deflection of the cylinder could occur only by tearing the cylinder. The impacts appear to have punctured the cylinders and thereby set up corrosion processes that greatly extended the openings in the wall and obliterated the original crack. Fortunately, the reaction products formed by this process were relatively protective and prevented any large-scale loss of uranium. The main factors that precipitated the failures were inadequate spacing between cylinders and deviations in the orientations of lifting lugs from their intended horizontal position. After reviewing the causes and effects of the failures, the team`s principal recommendation for remedial action concerned improved cylinder handling and inspection procedures. Design modifications and supplementary mechanical tests were also recommended to improve the cylinder containment integrity during the stacking operation.

  5. A two-stage preventive maintenance optimization model incorporating two-dimensional extended warranty

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Su, Chun; Wang, Xiaolin

    2016-01-01

    In practice, customers can decide whether to buy an extended warranty or not, at the time of item sale or at the end of the basic warranty. In this paper, by taking into account the moments of customers purchasing two-dimensional extended warranty, the optimization of imperfect preventive maintenance for repairable items is investigated from the manufacturer's perspective. A two-dimensional preventive maintenance strategy is proposed, under which the item is preventively maintained according to a specified age interval or usage interval, whichever occurs first. It is highlighted that when the extended warranty is purchased upon the expiration of the basic warranty, the manufacturer faces a two-stage preventive maintenance optimization problem. Moreover, in the second stage, the possibility of reducing the servicing cost over the extended warranty period is explored by classifying customers on the basis of their usage rates and then providing them with customized preventive maintenance programs. Numerical examples show that offering customized preventive maintenance programs can reduce the manufacturer's warranty cost, while a larger saving in warranty cost comes from encouraging customers to buy the extended warranty at the time of item sale. - Highlights: • A two-dimensional PM strategy is investigated. • Imperfect PM strategy is optimized by considering both two-dimensional BW and EW. • Customers are categorized based on their usage rates throughout the BW period. • Servicing cost of the EW is reduced by offering customized PM programs. • Customers buying the EW at the time of sale is preferred for the manufacturer.

  6. A framework to investigate the economic growth impact of sea level rise

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hallegatte, Stéphane

    2012-01-01

    This article reviews the channels through which sea level rise can affect economic growth, namely the loss of land, the loss of infrastructure and physical capital, the loss of social capital, the additional cost from extreme events and coastal floods, and the increased expenditure for coastal protection. It discusses how existing studies on the direct impact of sea level rise could be used to investigate the resulting consequences on economic growth, emphasizes research needs on this question, and discusses consequences on migration. (letter)

  7. Experimental and Numerical Investigation of Metal Type and Thickness Effects on the Impact Resistance of Fiber Metal Laminates

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Sadighi, M.; Pärnänen, T.; Alderliesten, R.C.; Sayeaftabi, M.; Benedictus, R.

    2012-01-01

    The impact response of fiber metal laminates (FMLs), has been investigated with experiments and numerical simulations, which is reported in this article. Low-velocity impacts were carried out to study the effects of metal type and thickness within FMLs. Glare5-3/2 laminates with two aluminum layer

  8. Optical absorption in compact and extended dendrimers

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Supritz, C.; Engelmann, A.; Reineker, P.

    2005-01-01

    Dendrimers are highly branched molecules, which are expected to be useful, for example, as efficient artificial light harvesting systems, in nano-technological or in medical applications. There are two different classes of dendrimers: compact dendrimers with constant distance between neighboring branching points throughout the macromolecule and extended dendrimers, where this distance increases from the system periphery to the center. We investigate the linear optical absorption spectra of these dendrimer types using the Frenkel exciton concept. The electron-phonon interaction is taken into account by introducing a heat bath that interacts with the exciton in a stochastic manner. We discuss compact dendrimers with equal excitation energies at all molecules, dendrimers with a functionalized core as well as with a whole branch functionalized. Furthermore the line shape of a compact dendrimer is discussed when neighboring molecules at the periphery interact and when all molecules have randomly distributed excitation energies due to disorder. Finally, we discuss two models for extended dendrimers

  9. Barriers and facilitators to extended working lives in Europe: a gender focus.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Edge, Clare Ellen; Cooper, Anna Mary; Coffey, Margaret

    2017-01-01

    There is a global imperative to respond to the challenge of a growing 'old-age dependency ratio' by ensuring the workforce is healthy enough to remain in work for longer. Currently more than half of older workers leave before the default retirement age, and in some countries (e.g. the UK), the time spent in retirement is increasing. At the same time across Europe, there is a gender employment gap, with 14.5% fewer female workers between 55-64 years old, and a large variation in the participation of older women in the workforce (ranging from 30-75%). As older women are under-represented in the workforce, increasing employment in this group has the propensity to go some way towards reducing the old-age dependency ratio to ensure continued economic growth. This review explores the barriers and facilitators to extended working lives in Europe, particularly those that impact on women. A systematic mapping review process was undertaken using four electronic databases, MEDLINE, PsychoINFO, PsychEXTRA via Ovid and AgeLine via EBSCO, using the terms, 'work', 'ageing', 'retirement', 'pension', 'old', 'barrier', 'extended working life', 'gender' and 'health and well-being'. Hand searching was also carried out in the International Journal of Aging and Human Development and the International Journal of Aging and Society . The search resulted in 15 English language studies published from 1st January 2005 to the current date that met the inclusion criteria. The key factors that influenced decisions to retire or extend working lives in Europe were health, social factors, workplace factors, and financial security and pension arrangements. Health was found to be the most commonly cited barrier to extended working lives in Europe, and a number of social inequalities to work exist by gender. Structural factors exist, such as the gender pay gap, which disadvantages women, while the nature of work itself differs by gender and can have a negative impact on health. Currently, women tend

  10. 75 FR 22641 - Order Extending and Modifying Temporary Conditional Exemptions Under the Securities Exchange Act...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-29

    ... those positions. Under Eurex customer clearing, the clearing relationship and Eurex's guarantee extends... member default. The customer relationship would be governed by an agreement between the customer and the... risks inherent in the CDS market, and thus can help mitigate potential systemic impact. We have...

  11. In vitro solubility, dissolution and permeability studies combined with semi-mechanistic modeling to investigate the intestinal absorption of desvenlafaxine from an immediate- and extended release formulation

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Franek, F; Jarlfors, A; Larsen, F.

    2015-01-01

    Desvenlafaxine is a biopharmaceutics classification system (BCS) class 1 (high solubility, high permeability) and biopharmaceutical drug disposition classification system (BDDCS) class 3, (high solubility, poor metabolism; implying low permeability) compound. Thus the rate-limiting step...... not imply low intestinal permeability, as indicated by the BDDCS, merely low duodenal/jejunal permeability....... for desvenlafaxine absorption (i.e. intestinal dissolution or permeation) is not fully clarified. The aim of this study was to investigate whether dissolution and/or intestinal permeability rate-limit desvenlafaxine absorption from an immediate-release formulation (IRF) and Pristiq®, an extended release formulation...

  12. Extended random-phase approximation with three-body ground-state correlations

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tohyama, M.; Schuck, P.

    2008-01-01

    An extended random-phase approximation (ERPA) which contains the effects of ground-state correlations up to a three-body level is applied to an extended Lipkin model which contains an additional particle-scattering term. Three-body correlations in the ground state are necessary to preserve the hermiticity of the Hamiltonian matrix of ERPA. Two approximate forms of ERPA which neglect the three-body correlations are also applied to investigate the importance of three-body correlations. It is found that the ground-state energy is little affected by the inclusion of the three-body correlations. On the contrary, three-body correlations for the excited states can become quite important. (orig.)

  13. Investigation of Prescribed Fires Impacts on Air Quality in the Pacific Northwest

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ravi, V.; Chung, S. H.; Vaughan, J. K.; Lamb, B. K.

    2014-12-01

    Emissions from wildland and prescribed fires cause significant aerosol loading in the atmospheric environment. Using 2011 NEI-Fire emission inventory, we investigate the impacts of prescribed fire emissions on the air quality of the Pacific Northwest (PNW) for a month long period in October-November 2011. This study utilizes the AIRAPCT-4 regional air quality forecasting system, which is based on the WRF-SMOKE-CMAQ framework. We simulate three different emission scenarios - 1) emissions with prescribed fires, 2) emissions without prescribed fires and 3) a scenario where prescribed fire emissions are reduced by 60%. AIRPACT-4 results are examined for impacts of prescribed fire emissions on ambient levels of PM2.5 and Ozone for entire PNW. We also look at the contribution of prescribed fire emissions to ambient PM2.5 concentrations for selected non-attainment areas in the PNW. This work supports the analysis of using woody residue as a feedstock for an aviation biofuel supply chain through the Northwest Advanced Renewables Alliance (NARA).

  14. Origin, extent and health impacts of air pollution in Sub-Saharan Africa

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bauer, S.; Im, U.; Mezuman, K.

    2017-12-01

    Southern Africa produces about a third of the Earth's biomass burning aerosol particles, yet the fate of these particles, their origin, chemical composition and their influence on regional and global climate is poorly understood. These research questions motivated the NASA field campaign ORACLES (ObseRvations of Aerosols above CLouds and their intEractionS). ORACLES is a five year investigation with three Intensive Observation Periods (IOP) designed to study key processes that determine the climate impacts of African biomass burning aerosols. The first IOP has been carried out in 2016. The main focus of the field campaign are aerosol-cloud interactions, however in our first study related to this area we will investigate the aerosol plume itself, its origin, extend and its resulting health impacts. Here we will discuss results using the global mesoscale model NASA GEOS-5 in conjunction with the NASA GISS-E2 climate model to investigate climate and health impacts that are directly related to the anthropogenic fire activities in Sub-Saharan Africa. Focus will be on the SH winter seasons biomass burning events, its contribution to Sub-Saharan air pollution in relationship to other air-pollution sources and its resulting premature mortality.

  15. Impact of the digital divide on information literacy training in a higher education context

    OpenAIRE

    Segarani Naidoo; Jaya Raju

    2012-01-01

    This paper reports on a master’s study undertaken to investigate the impact of the digital divide on information literacy(IL) training of Extended Curriculum Programme (ECP) students at the Durban University of Technology (DUT). Since1994 the demographics of higher education institutions in South Africa have changed. Today these institutions compriseheterogeneous groups of students, by race, economic background, digital background, etc. and consequently with differentlevels of literacy, infor...

  16. Comparative study on deformation and mechanical behavior of corroded pipe: Part I–Numerical simulation and experimental investigation under impact load

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dong-Man Ryu

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available Experiments and a numerical simulation were conducted to investigate the deformation and impact behavior of a corroded pipe, as corrosion, fatigue, and collision phenomena frequently occur in subsea pipelines. This study focuses on the deformation of the corrosion region and the variation of the geometry of the pipe under impact loading. The experiments for the impact behavior of the corroded pipe were performed using an impact test apparatus to validate the results of the simulation. In addition, during the simulation, material tests were performed, and the results were applied to the simulation. The ABAQUS explicit finite element analysis program was used to perform numerical simulations for the parametric study, as well as experiment scenarios, to investigate the effects of defects under impact loading. In addition, the modified ASME B31.8 code formula was proposed to define the damage range for the dented pipe.

  17. Center for Extended Magnetohydrodynamics Modeling

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ramos, Jesus [Massachusetts Inst. of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, MA (United States)

    2017-02-14

    This researcher participated in the DOE-funded Center for Extended Magnetohydrodynamics Modeling (CEMM), a multi-institutional collaboration led by the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory with Dr. Stephen Jardin as the overall Principal Investigator. This project developed advanced simulation tools to study the non-linear macroscopic dynamics of magnetically confined plasmas. The collaborative effort focused on the development of two large numerical simulation codes, M3D-C1 and NIMROD, and their application to a wide variety of problems. Dr. Ramos was responsible for theoretical aspects of the project, deriving consistent sets of model equations applicable to weakly collisional plasmas and devising test problems for verification of the numerical codes. This activity was funded for twelve years.

  18. Extending Self-Management Strategies: The Use of a Classwide Approach

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hoff, Kathryn E.; Ervin, Ruth A.

    2013-01-01

    Notwithstanding the wealth of research that documents the effectiveness of self-management programs in the classroom, few investigations have explored classwide use of self-management procedures as a universal intervention. To extend existing research in this area, we examined the effectiveness of a classwide self-management intervention for…

  19. Assessment of airborne and impact noise from neighbours

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Rindel, Jens Holger; Rasmussen, Birgit

    1997-01-01

    at an A-weighted level of 27-28 dB. The results from a number of field investigations lead to the conclusion that in order to meet the users' demands for acoustic quality in dwellings, the airborne sound insulation between flats in new buildings should fulfil 60 dB and the impact sound pressure level...... should fulfil 48 dB, preferably evasluated in an extended frequency range down to 50 Hz. It can be assumed that this level of sound insulation will be characterized as 'satisfactory' by most people, and only a very limited number of complaints can be foreseen....

  20. The symmetric extendibility of quantum states

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nowakowski, Marcin L

    2016-01-01

    Studies on the symmetric extendibility of quantum states have become particularly important in the context of the analysis of one-way quantum measures of entanglement, and the distillability and security of quantum protocols. In this paper we analyze composite systems containing a symmetric extendible part, with particular attention devoted to the one-way security of such systems. Further, we introduce a new one-way entanglement monotone based on the best symmetric approximation of a quantum state and the extendible number of a quantum state. We underpin these results with geometric observations about the structures of multi-party settings which posses substantial symmetric extendible components in their subspaces. The impossibility of reducing the maximal symmetric extendibility by means of the one-way local operations and classical communication method is pointed out on multiple copies. Finally, we state a conjecture linking symmetric extendibility with the one-way distillability and security of all quantum states, analyzing the behavior of a private key in the neighborhood of symmetric extendible states. (paper)

  1. A CFD Investigation on the Effect of the Air Entrainment in Breaking Wave Impacts on a Mono-Pile

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Tomaselli, Pietro; Christensen, Erik Damgaard

    2017-01-01

    In impacts of breaking waves on offshore structures, it is still not well-known how the air entrainment phenomenon affects the exerted loads. In this paper, a developed CFD solver capable of simulating the air entrainment process was employed to repro-duce an experimental investigation on the imp......In impacts of breaking waves on offshore structures, it is still not well-known how the air entrainment phenomenon affects the exerted loads. In this paper, a developed CFD solver capable of simulating the air entrainment process was employed to repro-duce an experimental investigation...... on the impact of a spilling wave against a circular cylinder. The exerted in-line force was computed with and without the inclusion of dispersed bubbles. Results showed that the magnitude of the computed force was affected when the entrainment of bubbles was simulated....

  2. Extended Moment Formation in Monolayer WS2 Doped with 3d Transition-Metals

    KAUST Repository

    Singh, Nirpendra

    2016-08-30

    First-principles calculations with onsite Coulomb interaction and spin-orbit coupling are used to investigate the electronic structure of monolayer WS2 doped substitutionally with 3d transition-metals. While neither W vacancies nor strain induce spin polarization, we demonstrate an unprecedented tendency to extended moment formation under doping. The extended magnetic moments are characterized by dopant-specific spin density patterns with rich structural features involving the nearest neighbor W and S atoms.

  3. Extended Range of a Gun Launched Smart Projectile Using Controllable Canards

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mark Costello

    2001-01-01

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

  4. Injuries across adolescence: an investigation using the extended adolescent injury checklist (E-AIC).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chapman, Rebekah; Buckley, Lisa; Sheehan, Mary

    2011-08-01

    Injuries are the leading cause of death among adolescents. The current research examined a measure of adolescent injury in terms of whether it encompasses the diverse injury experiences of Australian adolescents, including high-risk and normative adolescents, and thus determine its utility as a tool for health promotion research. Grade 9 students from two Brisbane high schools (n=202, aged 13-14 years) and adolescents recruited from the Emergency Department waiting rooms of four Brisbane hospitals (n=98, aged 16-18 years) completed the Extended Adolescent Injury Checklist (E-AIC). The most common cause of injury among adolescents was a sports activity, followed by fights for all participants except school-based males, who experienced more bicycle injuries. Alcohol use was most frequently reported in association with interpersonal violence injuries. A broad variety of injuries, occurring in context of multiple risk as well as normative behaviours, were reported by adolescents in both school and ED settings, and were captured by the E-AIC.

  5. Classification of Headache Disorders: Extending to a Multiaxial System.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Martin, Paul R

    2016-11-01

    This article argues for extending the International Classification of Headache Disorders to include information that goes beyond diagnosis. The obvious model is a multiaxial system as has been developed for other taxonomies. An axis for recording disability and impact on functioning, and an axis for recording the triggers of headache/migraine, are perhaps the strongest contenders for adding to the system, but there are other possibilities such as lifestyle factors relevant to headache. Extensions such as these would contribute to headache management, provide clear targets for change, and encourage adoption of a biopsychosocial perspective. © 2016 American Headache Society.

  6. Extended likelihood inference in reliability

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Martz, H.F. Jr.; Beckman, R.J.; Waller, R.A.

    1978-10-01

    Extended likelihood methods of inference are developed in which subjective information in the form of a prior distribution is combined with sampling results by means of an extended likelihood function. The extended likelihood function is standardized for use in obtaining extended likelihood intervals. Extended likelihood intervals are derived for the mean of a normal distribution with known variance, the failure-rate of an exponential distribution, and the parameter of a binomial distribution. Extended second-order likelihood methods are developed and used to solve several prediction problems associated with the exponential and binomial distributions. In particular, such quantities as the next failure-time, the number of failures in a given time period, and the time required to observe a given number of failures are predicted for the exponential model with a gamma prior distribution on the failure-rate. In addition, six types of life testing experiments are considered. For the binomial model with a beta prior distribution on the probability of nonsurvival, methods are obtained for predicting the number of nonsurvivors in a given sample size and for predicting the required sample size for observing a specified number of nonsurvivors. Examples illustrate each of the methods developed. Finally, comparisons are made with Bayesian intervals in those cases where these are known to exist

  7. Extended Year, Extended Contracts: Increasing Teacher Salary Options.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gandara, Patricia

    1992-01-01

    Reports on an attempt to raise teacher salaries through an extended contract made possible through year-round school schedules. Teacher satisfaction with the 1987 experiment in three California schools (the Orchard Plan) has been high. Elements that have contributed to job satisfaction are discussed. (SLD)

  8. A Novel Biped Pattern Generator Based on Extended ZMP and Extended Cart-Table Model

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Guangbin Sun

    2015-07-01

    Full Text Available This paper focuses on planning patterns for biped walking on complex terrains. Two problems are solved: ZMP (zero moment point cannot be used on uneven terrain, and the conventional cart-table model does not allow vertical CM (centre of mass motion. For the ZMP definition problem, we propose the extended ZMP (EZMP concept as an extension of ZMP to uneven terrains. It can be used to judge dynamic balance on universal terrains. We achieve a deeper insight into the connection and difference between ZMP and EZMP by adding different constraints. For the model problem, we extend the cart-table model by using a dynamic constraint instead of constant height constraint, which results in a mathematically symmetric set of three equations. In this way, the vertical motion is enabled and the resultant equations are still linear. Based on the extended ZMP concept and extended cart-table model, a biped pattern generator using triple preview controllers is constructed and implemented simultaneously to three dimensions. Using the proposed pattern generator, the Atlas robot is simulated. The simulation results show the robot can walk stably on rather complex terrains by accurately tracking extended ZMP.

  9. Extended KN algebras and extended conformal field theories over higher genus Riemann surfaces

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ceresole, A.; Huang Chaoshang

    1990-01-01

    A global operator formalism for extended conformal field theories over higher genus Riemann surfaces is introduced and extended KN algebra are obtained by means of the KN bases. The BBSS construction of the spin-3 operator is carried out for Kac-Moody algebra A 2 over a Riemann surface of arbitrary genus. (orig.)

  10. Reply to ''Comment on 'Extended self-similarity in turbulent flows' ''

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Benzi, R.; Ciliberto, S.; Tripiccione, R.; Baudet, C.; Massaioli, F.; Succi, S.

    1995-01-01

    In this Reply we question the conclusion of van de Water and Herweijer (WH) [preceding Comment, Phys. Rev. E 51, 2669 (1995)] about the evidence of multiscaling behavior in the dissipation range of turbulence. We perform the same analysis suggested by WH for the data set used by Benzi et al. [Phys. Rev. E 48, 29, (1993)] to establish extended self-similarity. At variance with WH, we do not observe any evidence of multiscaling. We argue that data filtering in WH could produce a misleading effect at very small scales. The combined effect of multiscaling and extended self-similarity is an important question that needs to be investigated in more detail, both theoretically and experimentally

  11. Range extender module. Enabler for electric mobility; Range-Extender-Modul. Wegbereiter fuer elektrische Mobilitaet

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Fischer, Robert; Fraidl, Guenter Karl; Hubmann, Christian; Kapus, Paul Ernst; Kunzemann, Ralf; Sifferlinger, Bernhard; Beste, Frank [AVL List GmbH, Graz (Austria)

    2009-10-15

    The Range Extender as an auxiliary power supply for extended driving ranges is of significant importance in achieving a high level of customer acceptance for electric vehicles. The AVL concept is optimized for electric power generation in single-point operation and allows a compactly integrated, cost-efficient and weight-efficient module design. The internal combustion engine requirements of the Pure Range Extender from AVL permit not only the use of simplified four-stroke concepts but also the application of emission-optimized and fuel consumption-optimized two-stroke and rotary piston engines. (orig.)

  12. Military Internal Medicine Resident Decision to Apply to Fellowship and Extend Military Commitment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barsoumian, Alice E; Hartzell, Joshua D; Bonura, Erin M; Ressner, Roseanne A; Whitman, Timothy J; Yun, Heather C

    2018-02-06

    Nationally, the number of internal medicine physicians practicing in primary care has decreased amidst increasing interest in hospitalist medicine. Current priorities in the Military Health System include access to primary care and retention of trained personnel. Recently, we have conducted a study of military internal medicine residents' decision to enter infectious disease. As part of our larger effort, we saw an opportunity to characterize factors impacting decision making of internal medicine residents' desire to apply for subspecialty training and to extend active duty service obligations. Questions were developed after discussion with various military graduate medical education and internal medicine leaders, underwent external review, and were added to a larger question set. The survey link was distributed electronically to all U.S. military affiliated residencies' graduating internal medicine residents in December 2016-January 2017. Data were analyzed by decision to apply to fellowship and decision to extend military obligation using Fisher's exact test or Pearon's chi-square test. Sixty-eight residents from 10 of 11 military residency programs responded, for a response rate of 51%. The majority (62%) applied to fellowship to start after residency completion. Reasons cited for applying to fellowship included wanting to become a specialist as soon as possible (74%), wishing to avoid being a general internist (57%), and because they are unable to practice as a hospitalist in the military (52%). Fellowship applicants were more likely to plan to extend their military obligation than non-applicants, as did those with longer duration of military commitments. No other factors, including Uniformed Services University attendance or participation in undergraduate military experiences, were found to impact plan to extend active duty service commitment. The majority of graduating internal medicine residents apply for fellowship and report a desire to avoid being a

  13. An Investigation of the Factors Affecting Performance of Environmental Impact Assessment Practices (EIA in Pakistan

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shahbaz Hussain

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Environmental Impact Assessment is used to detect changes that a proposed project may have on environment. The intent of present study is to investigate impact of institutional capacity and legal framework on performance of Environmental Impact Assessment practices in Pakistan such as screening, scoping and mitigation, environmental management plan and reporting. Sample of 200 EIA professionals have been selected by using random sampling approach from all provinces of Pakistan. Data has been collected through structured questionnaire and analysed by using AMOS 19 (Analysis of Moment Structures software. Results of path analysis indicated that institutional capacity and legal framework have significant direct impact on performance of all EIA practices in Pakistan. Model fit statistics such as GFI, RMR, NFI, IFI, TLI, RFI, CFI indicate the fitness of research model in this context. It has been suggested that there must be relevant and sufficient human resources that can uplift institutional capacity and legal framework must be well implemented because it will lead to enhanced performance of EIA practices in Pakistan.

  14. Impact of Chromosome 4p- Syndrome on Communication and Expressive Language Skills: A Preliminary Investigation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marshall, Althea T.

    2010-01-01

    Purpose: The purpose of this investigation was to examine the impact of Chromosome 4p- syndrome on the communication and expressive language phenotype of a large cross-cultural population of children, adolescents, and adults. Method: A large-scale survey study was conducted and a descriptive research design was used to analyze quantitative and…

  15. Assessing the Impact of Testing Aids on Post-Secondary Student Performance: A Meta-Analytic Investigation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Larwin, Karen H.; Gorman, Jennifer; Larwin, David A.

    2013-01-01

    Testing aids, including student-prepared testing aids (a.k.a., cheat sheets or crib notes) and open-textbook exams, are common practice in post-secondary assessment. There is a considerable amount of published research that discusses and investigates the impact of these testing aids. However, the findings of this research are contradictory and…

  16. Extending Stochastic Network Calculus to Loss Analysis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chao Luo

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Loss is an important parameter of Quality of Service (QoS. Though stochastic network calculus is a very useful tool for performance evaluation of computer networks, existing studies on stochastic service guarantees mainly focused on the delay and backlog. Some efforts have been made to analyse loss by deterministic network calculus, but there are few results to extend stochastic network calculus for loss analysis. In this paper, we introduce a new parameter named loss factor into stochastic network calculus and then derive the loss bound through the existing arrival curve and service curve via this parameter. We then prove that our result is suitable for the networks with multiple input flows. Simulations show the impact of buffer size, arrival traffic, and service on the loss factor.

  17. eXtended variational quasicontinuum methodology for lattice networks with damage and crack propagation

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Rokoš, O.; Peerlings, R. H. J.; Zeman, Jan

    2017-01-01

    Roč. 320, č. 1 (2017), s. 769-792 ISSN 0045-7825 R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GF16-34894L Institutional support: RVO:67985556 Keywords : Lattice networks * Quasicontinuum method * Damage * Extended finite element method * Multiscale modelling * Variational formulation Subject RIV: JJ - Other Materials OBOR OECD: Materials engineering Impact factor: 3.949, year: 2016 http://library.utia.cas.cz/separaty/2017/AS/zeman-0475349.pdf

  18. Applying extender devices in patients with penile dysmorphophobia: assessment of tolerability, efficacy, and impact on erectile function.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nowroozi, Mohammad Reza; Amini, Erfan; Ayati, Mohsen; Jamshidian, Hassan; Radkhah, Kayvan; Amini, Shahab

    2015-05-01

    Most men seeking penile enhancement techniques have a normal penile size. They are either misinformed or suffer from penile dysmorphophobia and should be discouraged from undergoing invasive procedures. Less invasive techniques including penile extenders are not associated with major complications and may be beneficial from a psychological perspective. We conducted this study to assess the efficacy and safety of AndroPenis (Andromedical, Madrid, Spain) penile extender. Between December 2010 and December 2013, 163 men presented to our institution complaining of small penile length and/or girth. All patients received structured psychosexual counseling. Fifty-four patients were willing to use the AndroPenis penile extender after counseling. Patients with major psychiatric disorders were excluded from enrollment. The patients were instructed to wear the device between 4 and 6 hours per day for 6 months. Penile dimensions including flaccid stretched and erected lengths were measured at baseline and after 1, 3, 6, and 9 months. Erectile function was assessed at baseline and 9 months after treatment using the simplified International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF-5). An institutional nonstandardized questionnaire was used to evaluate patient satisfaction at the end of study. Penile length and girth enhancement as well as satisfaction rate and improvement in erectile function were assessed during follow-up. At 6-month follow-up, a mean gain of 1.7 ± 0.8, 1.3 ± 0.4, and 1.2 ± 0.4 cm was noted for the flaccid, stretched, and erected penile lengths, respectively (all P values < 0.001). During the off treatment period, there were no significant changes in penile lengths. No effect on penile girth was observed. Patient satisfaction survey revealed modest satisfaction. From 13 patients with mild baseline erectile dysfunction, nine patients reported normal erectile function after 9 months. Penile extender as a minimally invasive technique is safe and

  19. Viability of bull semen extended with commercial semen extender ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Andrea Raseona

    stored at 24 °C. Sperm motility parameters, morphology, and viability were analysed ... body size, slow average daily weight gain, decreased fertility, extended .... were determined by counting a total of 200 spermatozoa per each stained slide.

  20. Investigating impact of motor oil quality on vehicles engine induced noise level

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    I. Arefian

    2015-09-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: Vehicle engine id one of the main sources of noise which its level is influenced by various parameters. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of motor oils quality before and after oil change on the variability of vehicle engine induced noise level. In this study it is tried to follow-up the efficacy of motor oil quality on engines sound level. Material and Method: First, engine noise of 94 vehicles were recorded for 30 seconds before and after oil change and all the vehicles technical information including mileage, type of motor oil, and type of vehicle were registered. Following, the recorded noises were calibrated in semi-anechoic chamber and the sound pressure levels were measured with A and C-weighting network and main octav bands, using a sound level meters. The obtained results analyzed using SPSS software version 17. Results: The effects of motor oil quality on different noise levels of engines were determined and a significant reduction in noise level of vehicles engine was observed. Investigation of the relationship between mileage and motor oil quality on various engines sound level manifested that vehicles with mileage ranged 100000-150000 miles had significant reduction in their sound pressure levels in comparison with other vehicles. Conclusion: The results revealed that engine oil is among factors reducing the vehicle engine induced noise level. Moreover, the engine oil type and the vehicle mileage are key variables which determine the impact of engine oil quality on reduction of the sound level of vehicles engine.

  1. Nucleation, growth and dissolution of extended defects in implanted Si: impact on dopant diffusion

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Claverie, A.; Giles, L.F.; Omri, M.; Mauduit, B. de; Ben Assayag, G.; Mathiot, D.

    1999-01-01

    Transient Enhanced Diffusion (TED) of boron in silicon is driven by the large supersaturations of self-interstitial silicon atoms left after implantation which also often lead to the nucleation and subsequent growth, upon annealing, of extended defects. In this paper we review selected experimental results and concepts concerning boron diffusion and/or defect behavior which have recently emerged with the ion implantation community and briefly indicate how they are, or will be, currently used to improve 'predictive simulations' softwares aimed at predicting TED. In a first part, we focus our attention on TED and on the formation of defects in the case of 'direct' implantation of boron in silicon. In a second part, we review our current knowledge of the defects and of the diffusion behavior of boron when annealing preamorphised Si. In a last part, we try to compare these two cases and to find out what are the reasons for some similarities and many differences in defect types and thermal evolution depending on whether boron is implanted in crystalline or amorphous silicon. While rising many more questions, we propose a 'thermodynamical' vision of the nucleation and growth of clusters and extended defects and stress the interactions between these defects and the free Si self-interstitial atoms which surround them and are the source for TED in all cases. A pragmatic approach to the simulation of TED for various experimental conditions is proposed

  2. Investigating the Performance Impact of Newness from a Design Perspective

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Salomo, Søren; Talke, Katrin; Lutz, Antje

    2008-01-01

    and consumer research, we build an argument for why product innovativeness both from a design and technology perspective may impact sales performance of new products. In order to investigate these effects, we conducted a study based on a sample of 157 new car models launched in the German market between 1978...... innovativeness is very rarely assessed from a design perspective. This fact is surprising, especially when considering that in many markets new products are very similar in technological features, but compete on the product design (Veryzer, 1995). Drawing from different literature streams, such as design...... and 2006. For measuring both innovativeness dimensions, different data collection methods are combined, such as expert interviews, expert ratings, and document analyses. Responding to recent calls for more objective performance metrics (Sourescu et al., 2003), actual sales data are used as a performance...

  3. Changes in the influence of alcohol-paired stimuli on alcohol seeking across extended training.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Laura H. Corbit

    2016-10-01

    Full Text Available Previous work has demonstrated that goal-directed control of alcohol seeking and other drug-related behaviors is reduced following extended self-administration and drug exposure. Here we examined how the magnitude of stimulus influences on responding changes across similar training and drug exposure. Rats self-administered alcohol or sucrose for two or eight weeks. Previous work has shown that eight, but not two weeks of self-administration produces habitual alcohol seeking. Next, all animals received equivalent Pavlovian conditioning sessions where a discrete stimulus predicted the delivery of alcohol or sucrose. Finally, the impact of the stimuli on ongoing instrumental responding was examined in a Pavlovian-instrumental transfer (PIT test. While a significant PIT effect was observed following two weeks of either alcohol or sucrose self-administration, the magnitude of this effect was greater following eight weeks of training. The specificity of the PIT effect appeared unchanged by extended training. While it is well established that evaluation of the outcome of responding contributes less to behavioral control following extended training and/or drug exposure, our data indicate that reward-predictive stimuli have a stronger contribution to responding after extended training. Together, these findings provide insight into the factors that control behavior after extended drug use which will be important for developing effective methods for controlling and ideally reducing these behaviors.

  4. Changes in the Influence of Alcohol-Paired Stimuli on Alcohol Seeking across Extended Training

    Science.gov (United States)

    Corbit, Laura H.; Janak, Patricia H.

    2016-01-01

    Previous work has demonstrated that goal-directed control of alcohol-seeking and other drug-related behaviors is reduced following extended self-administration and drug exposure. Here, we examined how the magnitude of stimulus influences on responding changes across similar training and drug exposure. Rats self-administered alcohol or sucrose for 2 or 8 weeks. Previous work has shown that 8 weeks, but not 2 weeks of self-administration produces habitual alcohol seeking. Next, all animals received equivalent Pavlovian conditioning sessions where a discrete stimulus predicted the delivery of alcohol or sucrose. Finally, the impact of the stimuli on ongoing instrumental responding was examined in a Pavlovian–instrumental transfer (PIT) test. While a significant PIT effect was observed following 2 weeks of either alcohol or sucrose self-administration, the magnitude of this effect was greater following 8 weeks of training. The specificity of the PIT effect appeared unchanged by extended training. While it is well established that evaluation of the outcome of responding contributes less to behavioral control following extended training and/or drug exposure, our data indicate that reward–predictive stimuli have a stronger contribution to responding after extended training. Together, these findings provide insight into the factors that control behavior after extended drug use, which will be important for developing effective methods for controlling and ideally reducing these behaviors. PMID:27777560

  5. Ceramic bar impact experiments for improved material model

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Brar, N.S.; Proud, W.G.; Rajendran, A.M.

    2004-01-01

    Ceramic bar-on-bar (uniaxial stress) experiments are performed to extend uniaxial strain deformation states imposed in flyer plate impact experiments. A number of investigators engaged in modeling the bar-on-bar experiments have varying degrees of success in capturing the observed fracture modes in bars and correctly simulating the measured in-situ axial stress or free surface velocity histories. The difficulties encountered are related to uncertainties in understanding the dominant failure mechanisms as a function of different stress states imposed in bar impacts. Free surface velocity of the far end of the target AD998 bar were measured using a VISAR in a series of bar-on-bar impact experiments at nominal impact speeds of 100 m/s, 220 m/s, and 300 m/s. Velocity history data at an impact of 100 m/s show the material response as elastic. At higher impact velocities of 200 m/s and 300 m/s the velocity history data suggest an inelastic material response. A high-speed (Imacon) camera was employed to examine the fracture and failure of impactor and target bars. High speed photographs provide comprehensive data on geometry of damage and failure patterns as a function of time to check the validity of a particular constitutive material model for AD998 alumina used in numerical simulations of fracture and failure of the bars on impact

  6. The Extended Family in U.S. Black Societies: Findings and Problems.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shimkin, Demitri B.; Shimkin, Edith M.

    Investigations of the structure, rule systems, and histories of black families in rural Mississippi, Chicago, New Orleans, East Texas, and Southern California have shown the presence of well-integrated, multigeneration, multihousehold, bilateral extended families in varying U.S. social environments. These families, while varying in detail, share…

  7. Investigating the impact of alliance-focused training on interpersonal process and therapists' capacity for experiential reflection.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Safran, Jeremy; Muran, J Christopher; Demaria, Anthony; Boutwell, Catherine; Eubanks-Carter, Catherine; Winston, Arnold

    2014-01-01

    In this article we present preliminary findings from a research program designed to investigate the value of alliance-focused training (AFT), a supervision approach designed to enhance therapists' ability to work constructively with negative therapeutic process. In the context of a multiple baseline design, all therapists began treating their patients using cognitive therapy and then joined AFT supervision groups at either session 8 or 16 of a 30 session protocol. Study I investigated the impact of AFT on patient and therapist interpersonal process as assessed through the Structural Analysis of Social Behavior (SASB). Study 2 investigated the impact of AFT on therapists' tendency to reflect on their relationships with their patients in an experientially grounded fashion, as assessed via the Experiencing Scale (EXP). Since one of the goals of AFT is to train therapists to use their own emerging feelings as important clues regarding what may be taking place in the therapeutic relationship, we hypothesized that they would show increased levels of EXP after undergoing AFT. The results of both studies 1 and 2 were for the most part consistent with hypotheses. Implications and future research directions are discussed.

  8. Constraining extended scalar sectors at the LHC and beyond

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ilnicka, Agnieszka; Robens, Tania; Stefaniak, Tim

    2018-04-01

    We give a brief overview of beyond the Standard Model (BSM) theories with an extended scalar sector and their phenomenological status in the light of recent experimental results. We discuss the relevant theoretical and experimental constraints, and show their impact on the allowed parameter space of two specific models: the real scalar singlet extension of the Standard Model (SM) and the Inert Doublet Model. We emphasize the importance of the LHC measurements, both the direct searches for additional scalar bosons, as well as the precise measurements of properties of the Higgs boson of mass 125 GeV. We show the complementarity of these measurements to electroweak and dark matter observables.

  9. Performance Modelling of Automatic Identification System with Extended Field of View

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Lauersen, Troels; Mortensen, Hans Peter; Pedersen, Nikolaj Bisgaard

    2010-01-01

    This paper deals with AIS (Automatic Identification System) behavior, to investigate the severity of packet collisions in an extended field of view (FOV). This is an important issue for satellite-based AIS, and the main goal is a feasibility study to find out to what extent an increased FOV...

  10. International symposium on the uranium production cycle and the environment. Book of extended synopses

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    2000-10-01

    This document contains 74 extended synopses of the presentations delivered at the meeting. The five sessions of the meeting covered various aspects of uranium mining and energy production including global aspects of sustainable development, uranium supply and nuclear energy; socio-economic and environmental impacts; safety considerations; production technology; waste management and decommissioning; and regulatory affairs. Each of the presentations was indexed separately.

  11. International symposium on the uranium production cycle and the environment. Book of extended synopses

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2000-10-01

    This document contains 74 extended synopses of the presentations delivered at the meeting. The five sessions of the meeting covered various aspects of uranium mining and energy production including global aspects of sustainable development, uranium supply and nuclear energy; socio-economic and environmental impacts; safety considerations; production technology; waste management and decommissioning; and regulatory affairs. Each of the presentations was indexed separately

  12. Numerical investigation of a high head Francis turbine under steady operating conditions using foam-extend

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lenarcic, M; Eichhorn, M; Schoder, S J; Bauer, Ch

    2015-01-01

    In this work the incompressible turbulent flow in a high head Francis turbine under steady operating conditions is investigated using the open source CFD software package FOAM-extend- 3.1. By varying computational domains (cyclic model, full model), coupling methods between stationary and rotating frames (mixing-plane, frozen-rotor) and turbulence models (kω-SST, κε), numerical flow simulations are performed at the best efficiency point as well as at operating points in part load and high load. The discretization is adjusted according the y + -criterion with y + mean > 30. A grid independence study quantifies the discretization error and the corresponding computational costs for the appropriate simulations, reaching a GCI < 1% for the chosen grid. Specific quantities such as efficiency, head, runner shaft torque as well as static pressure and velocity components are computed and compared with experimental data and commercial code. Focusing on the computed results of integral quantities and static pressures, the highest level of accuracy is obtained using FOAM in combination with the full model discretization, the mixing-plane coupling method and the κω-SST turbulence model. The corresponding relative deviations regarding the efficiency reach values of Δη rel ∼ 7% at part load, Δη rel ∼ 0.5% at best efficiency point and Δη rel ∼ 5.6% at high load. The computed static pressures deviate from the measurements by a maximum of Δp rel = 9.3% at part load, Δp rel = 4.3% at best efficiency point and Δp rel = 6.7% at high load. Commercial code in turn yields slightly better predictions for the velocity components in the draft tube cone, reaching a good accordance with the measurements at part load. Although FOAM also shows an adequate correspondence to the experimental data at part load, local effects near the runner hub are captured less accurate at best efficiency point and high load. Nevertheless, FOAM is a reasonable alternative to commercial code

  13. The dialogically extended mind

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Fusaroli, Riccardo; Gangopadhyay, Nivedita; Tylén, Kristian

    2014-01-01

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

  14. Quasi-extended asymptotic functions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Todorov, T.D.

    1979-01-01

    The class F of ''quasi-extended asymptotic functions'' is introduced. It contains all extended asymptotic functions as well as some new asymptotic functions very similar to the Schwartz distributions. On the other hand, every two quasiextended asymptotic functions can be multiplied as opposed to the Schwartz distributions; in particular, the square delta 2 of an asymptotic function delta similar to Dirac's delta-function, is constructed as an example

  15. CHEERS Results from NGC 3393. II. Investigating the Extended Narrow-line Region Using Deep Chandra Observations and Hubble Space Telescope Narrow-line Imaging

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Maksym, W. Peter; Fabbiano, Giuseppina; Elvis, Martin; Karovska, Margarita; Paggi, Alessandro; Raymond, John [Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, 60 Garden St., Cambridge, MA 02138 (United States); Wang, Junfeng [Department of Astronomy, Physics Building, Xiamen University Xiamen, Fujian, 361005 (China); Storchi-Bergmann, Thaisa, E-mail: walter.maksym@cfa.harvard.edu [Departamento de Astronomia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, IF, CP 15051, 91501-970 Porto Alegre, RS (Brazil)

    2017-07-20

    The CHandra Extended Emission Line Region Survey (CHEERS) is an X-ray study of nearby active galactic nuclei (AGNs) designed to take full advantage of Chandra 's unique angular resolution by spatially resolving feedback signatures and effects. In the second paper of a series on CHEERS target NGC 3393, we examine deep high-resolution Chandra images and compare them with Hubble Space Telescope narrow-line images of [O iii], [S ii], and H α , as well as previously unpublished mid-ultraviolet (MUV) images. The X-rays provide unprecedented evidence that the S-shaped arms that envelope the nuclear radio outflows extend only ≲0.″2 (≲50 pc) across. The high-resolution multiwavelength data suggest that the extended narrow-line region is a complex multiphase structure in the circumnuclear interstellar medium (ISM). Its ionization structure is highly stratified with respect to outflow-driven bubbles in the bicone and varies dramatically on scales of ∼10 pc. Multiple findings show likely contributions from shocks to the feedback in regions where radio outflows from the AGN most directly influence the ISM. These findings include H α evidence for gas compression and extended MUV emission and are in agreement with existing STIS kinematics. Extended filamentary structure in the X-rays and optical suggests the presence of an undetected plasma component, whose existence could be tested with deeper radio observations.

  16. CHEERS Results from NGC 3393. II. Investigating the Extended Narrow-line Region Using Deep Chandra Observations and Hubble Space Telescope Narrow-line Imaging

    Science.gov (United States)

    Maksym, W. Peter; Fabbiano, Giuseppina; Elvis, Martin; Karovska, Margarita; Paggi, Alessandro; Raymond, John; Wang, Junfeng; Storchi-Bergmann, Thaisa

    2017-07-01

    The CHandra Extended Emission Line Region Survey (CHEERS) is an X-ray study of nearby active galactic nuclei (AGNs) designed to take full advantage of Chandra's unique angular resolution by spatially resolving feedback signatures and effects. In the second paper of a series on CHEERS target NGC 3393, we examine deep high-resolution Chandra images and compare them with Hubble Space Telescope narrow-line images of [O III], [S II], and Hα, as well as previously unpublished mid-ultraviolet (MUV) images. The X-rays provide unprecedented evidence that the S-shaped arms that envelope the nuclear radio outflows extend only ≲0.″2 (≲50 pc) across. The high-resolution multiwavelength data suggest that the extended narrow-line region is a complex multiphase structure in the circumnuclear interstellar medium (ISM). Its ionization structure is highly stratified with respect to outflow-driven bubbles in the bicone and varies dramatically on scales of ˜10 pc. Multiple findings show likely contributions from shocks to the feedback in regions where radio outflows from the AGN most directly influence the ISM. These findings include Hα evidence for gas compression and extended MUV emission and are in agreement with existing STIS kinematics. Extended filamentary structure in the X-rays and optical suggests the presence of an undetected plasma component, whose existence could be tested with deeper radio observations.

  17. CHEERS Results from NGC 3393. II. Investigating the Extended Narrow-line Region Using Deep Chandra Observations and Hubble Space Telescope Narrow-line Imaging

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Maksym, W. Peter; Fabbiano, Giuseppina; Elvis, Martin; Karovska, Margarita; Paggi, Alessandro; Raymond, John; Wang, Junfeng; Storchi-Bergmann, Thaisa

    2017-01-01

    The CHandra Extended Emission Line Region Survey (CHEERS) is an X-ray study of nearby active galactic nuclei (AGNs) designed to take full advantage of Chandra 's unique angular resolution by spatially resolving feedback signatures and effects. In the second paper of a series on CHEERS target NGC 3393, we examine deep high-resolution Chandra images and compare them with Hubble Space Telescope narrow-line images of [O iii], [S ii], and H α , as well as previously unpublished mid-ultraviolet (MUV) images. The X-rays provide unprecedented evidence that the S-shaped arms that envelope the nuclear radio outflows extend only ≲0.″2 (≲50 pc) across. The high-resolution multiwavelength data suggest that the extended narrow-line region is a complex multiphase structure in the circumnuclear interstellar medium (ISM). Its ionization structure is highly stratified with respect to outflow-driven bubbles in the bicone and varies dramatically on scales of ∼10 pc. Multiple findings show likely contributions from shocks to the feedback in regions where radio outflows from the AGN most directly influence the ISM. These findings include H α evidence for gas compression and extended MUV emission and are in agreement with existing STIS kinematics. Extended filamentary structure in the X-rays and optical suggests the presence of an undetected plasma component, whose existence could be tested with deeper radio observations.

  18. Impact of nutrition on social decision making.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Strang, Sabrina; Hoeber, Christina; Uhl, Olaf; Koletzko, Berthold; Münte, Thomas F; Lehnert, Hendrik; Dolan, Raymond J; Schmid, Sebastian M; Park, Soyoung Q

    2017-06-20

    Food intake is essential for maintaining homeostasis, which is necessary for survival in all species. However, food intake also impacts multiple biochemical processes that influence our behavior. Here, we investigate the causal relationship between macronutrient composition, its bodily biochemical impact, and a modulation of human social decision making. Across two studies, we show that breakfasts with different macronutrient compositions modulated human social behavior. Breakfasts with a high-carbohydrate/protein ratio increased social punishment behavior in response to norm violations compared with that in response to a low carbohydrate/protein meal. We show that these macronutrient-induced behavioral changes in social decision making are causally related to a lowering of plasma tyrosine levels. The findings indicate that, in a limited sense, "we are what we eat" and provide a perspective on a nutrition-driven modulation of cognition. The findings have implications for education, economics, and public policy, and emphasize that the importance of a balanced diet may extend beyond the mere physical benefits of adequate nutrition.

  19. a Study on Impact Analysis of Side Kick in Taekwondo

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Jung-Hyun; Lee, Young-Shin; Han, Kyu-Hyun

    Taekwondo is a martial art form and sport that uses the hands and feet for attack and defense. Taekwondo basic motion is composed of the breaking, competition and poomsea motions. The side kick is one of the most important breaking motions. The side kick with the front foot can be made in two steps. In the first step, the front foot is extended forward from the back stance free-fighting position. For the second step, the rear foot is followed simultaneously. Then, the side kick is executed while the entire body weight rests on the rear foot. In this paper, the impact analysis on a human model for kicking posture was carried out. The ADAMS/LifeMOD used numerical modeling and simulation for the side kick. The numerical human models for assailant and opponent in competition motion were developed. The maximum impact force on the human body was obtained by experiment and was applied to impact simulation. As a result, the impact displacement and velocity of the numerical human model were investigated.

  20. Application of the Extended Theory of Planned Behavior Model to Investigate Purchase Intention of Green Products among Thai Consumers

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kamonthip Maichum

    2016-10-01

    Full Text Available Green products are among the widely used products worldwide due to their environmental benefits. However, information on the consumers’ purchase intention towards green products in developing countries, such as Thailand, is lacking. This study aims to investigate Thai consumers who are aged over 18 years, and whose base education is high school, on purchase intention for green products by using an extended framework of the theory of planned behavior (TPB. We derived and examined the model through structural equation modeling in a sample of 483 respondents in Thailand. The findings of this model indicated that consumer attitude, subjective norm and perceived behavioral control have significant positive influences on the purchase intention for green products. Furthermore, our results indicated that environmental concerns have a significant effect on attitude, perceived behavioral control and purchase intention for green products, but subjective norm. Moreover, environmental knowledge had no significant effect on the purchase intention for green products. Instead, it had a distinct indirect effect through attitude towards purchasing green products, subjective norm and perceived behavioral control. The findings from this study contribute to improving the understanding of intention to purchase green products, which could play a major role towards sustainable consumption.

  1. EAES: Extended Advanced Encryption Standard with Extended Security

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Abul Kalam Azad

    2018-05-01

    Full Text Available Though AES is the highest secure symmetric cipher at present, many attacks are now effective against AES too which is seen from the review of recent attacks of AES. This paper describes an extended AES algorithm with key sizes of 256, 384 and 512 bits with round numbers of 10, 12 and 14 respectively. Data block length is 128 bits, same as AES. But unlike AES each round of encryption and decryption of this proposed algorithm consists of five stages except the last one which consists of four stages. Unlike AES, this algorithm uses two different key expansion algorithms with two different round constants that ensure higher security than AES. Basically, this algorithm takes one cipher key and divides the selected key of two separate sub-keys: FirstKey and SecondKey. Then expand them through two different key expansion schedules. Performance analysis shows that the proposed extended AES algorithm takes almost same amount of time to encrypt and decrypt the same amount of data as AES but with higher security than AES.

  2. Economic and Environmental Impacts of the Columbia-Snake River Extended Lock Outage

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-03-01

    This reports main objective is to analyze the change in rates and modal costs for shippers, commodity industries and ports prior to, during and after the fifteen week lock outage and to determine the impacts on the environment in the form of energ...

  3. Extending cosmology: the metric approach

    OpenAIRE

    Mendoza, S.

    2012-01-01

    Comment: 2012, Extending Cosmology: The Metric Approach, Open Questions in Cosmology; Review article for an Intech "Open questions in cosmology" book chapter (19 pages, 3 figures). Available from: http://www.intechopen.com/books/open-questions-in-cosmology/extending-cosmology-the-metric-approach

  4. Extended cognition and epistemic luck

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Carter, J.A.

    2013-01-01

    When extended cognition is extended into mainstream epistemology, an awkward tension arises when considering cases of environmental epistemic luck. Surprisingly, it is not at all clear how the mainstream verdict that agents lack knowledge in cases of environmental luck can be reconciled with

  5. Environmental impact assessment. Investigation of marine mammals in relation to the establishment of a marine wind farm on Horns Reef

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    2000-02-15

    Elsamproject has decided to carry out an environmental impact assessment with the aim to investigate whether the establishment of a marine wind farm on Horns Reef may impact on breeding and non-breeding marine mammals, particularly harbour porpoise Phocoena phocoena and common seal Phoca vitulina. The marine mammals of the northern part of the German Bight can be characterised by a regular occurrence of harbour porpoise and common seal throughout the year, an irregular occurrence of grey seal Halichoerus grypus and white-beaked dolphin Lagenorhynchus albirostris and rare occurrences of white-sided dolphin Lagenorhynchus acutus, minke whale Balaenoptera acutorostrata, sperm whale Physeter macrocephalus, long-finned pilot whale Globicephala melas and killer whale Orcinus orca. The environment impact assessment therefore focuses on the evaluation of the possible effects on harbour porpoise and common seal. The investigation constitutes the first phase of a before-after-control-impact (BACI) analysis of the occurrence of harbour porpoise before, during and after the construction of the wind farm. (au)

  6. Extending Mondrian Memory Protection

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-11-01

    a kernel semaphore is locked or unlocked. In addition, we extended the system call interface to receive notifications about user-land locking...operations (such as calls to the mutex and semaphore code provided by the C library). By patching the dynamically loadable GLibC5, we are able to test... semaphores , and spinlocks. RTO-MP-IST-091 10- 9 Extending Mondrian Memory Protection to loading extension plugins. This prevents any untrusted code

  7. Extended Cognitive System and Epistemic Subject

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Trybulec Barbara

    2015-03-01

    Full Text Available The concept of an extended cognitive system is central to contemporary studies of cognition. In the paper I analyze the place of the epistemic subject within the extended cognitive system. Is it extended as well? In answering this question I focus on the differences between the first and the second wave of arguments for the extended mind thesis. I argue that the position of Cognitive Integration represented by Richard Menary is much more intuitive and fruitful in analyses of cognition and knowledge than the early argument formulated by Andy Clark and David Chalmers. Cognitive Integration is compatible with virtue epistemology of John Greco’s agent reliabilism. The epistemic subject is constituted by its cognitive character composed of an integrated set of cognitive abilities and processes. Some of these processes are extended, they are a manipulation of external informational structures and, as such, they constitute epistemic practices. Epistemic practices are normative; to conduct them correctly the epistemic subject needs to obey epistemic norms embedded in the cultural context. The epistemic subject is not extended because of the casual coupling with external informational artifacts which extend his mind from inside the head and into the world. Rather, cognitive practices constitute the subject’s mind, they transform his cognitive abilities, and this is what makes the mind and epistemic subject “extended”.

  8. Comparing sugar type supplementation for cryopreservation of boar semen in egg yolk based extender.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Malo, C; Gil, L; Gonzalez, N; Cano, R; de Blas, I; Espinosa, E

    2010-08-01

    Cryopreservation of boar semen is still considered suboptimal due to lower fertility when compared to fresh semen. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of the addition of different sugars (lactose, trehalose and glucose) on boar spermatozoa cryopreserved in an egg yolk based extender. Ejaculates were collected from a boar previously selected and semen samples were processed using the straw freezing procedure. In experiment 1, subsamples of semen were frozen in three different extenders: recommended lactose egg yolk extender (LEY); trehalose egg yolk extender (TEY) and glucose egg yolk extender (GEY). Sperm quality was assessed for motility, viability, acrosome integrity and hypoosmotic swelling test response upon collection, after freezing and thawing and then every hour for 3h. Results showed that total motility at 1 and 3h, progressive motility at 3h, positive hypoosmotic response at 2 and 3h and acrosome integrity at all times were significantly improved when trehalose was added to the extender. In experiment 2, sugar influence was also demonstrated in vitro fertilization. A total of 1691 oocytes were in vitro matured and inseminated with frozen-thawed sperm at 2000:1 sperm:oocyte ratio and coincubated for 6h. Presumptive zygotes were cultured in NCSU-23 medium to assess fertilization parameters and embryo development. Both penetration and monospermy rates were significantly higher for trehalose frozen semen. A significant increase was observed in efficiency and blastocyst formation rates from TEY to the other groups. Our results demonstrated that trehalose extender enhances spermatozoa viability and its in vitro fertilization parameters in boar ejaculates with good sperm freezability. Further studies are necessary to assess the impact of sugars on the entire population. (c) 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  9. Blunt liver injury with intact ribs under impacts on the abdomen: a biomechanical investigation.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yu Shao

    Full Text Available Abdominal trauma accounts for nearly 20% of all severe traffic injuries and can often result from intentional physical violence, from which blunt liver injury is regarded as the most common result and is associated with a high mortality rate. Liver injury may be caused by a direct impact with a certain velocity and energy on the abdomen, which may result in a lacerated liver by penetration of fractured ribs. However, liver ruptures without rib cage fractures were found in autopsies in a series of cases. All the victims sustained punches on the abdomen by fist. Many studies have been dedicated to determining the mechanism underlying hepatic injury following abdominal trauma, but most have been empirical. The actual process and biomechanism of liver injury induced by blunt impact on the abdomen, especially with intact ribs remained, are still inexhaustive. In order to investigate this, finite element methods and numerical simulation technology were used. A finite element human torso model was developed from high resolution CT data. The model consists of geometrically-detailed liver and rib cage models and simplified models of soft tissues, thoracic and abdominal organs. Then, the torso model was used in simulations in which the right hypochondrium was punched by a fist from the frontal, lateral, and rear directions, and in each direction with several impact velocities. Overall, the results showed that liver rupture was primarily caused by a direct strike of the ribs induced by blunt impact to the abdomen. Among three impact directions, a lateral impact was most likely to cause liver injury with a minimum punch speed of 5 m/s (the momentum was about 2.447 kg.m/s. Liver injuries could occur in isolation and were not accompanied by rib fractures due to different material characteristics and injury tolerance.

  10. Extended asymptotic functions - some examples

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Todorov, T.D.

    1981-01-01

    Several examples of extended asymptotic functions of two variables are given. This type of asymptotic functions has been introduced as an extension of continuous ordinary functions. The presented examples are realizations of some Schwartz distributions delta(x), THETA(x), P(1/xsup(n)) and can be multiplied in the class of the asymptotic functions as opposed to the theory of Schwartz distributions. The examples illustrate the method of construction of extended asymptotic functions similar to the distributions. The set formed by the extended asymptotic functions is also considered. It is shown, that this set is not closed with respect to addition and multiplication

  11. On the Cλ-extended w∞-symmetry

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Douari, J.; El Kinani, E.H.

    2003-08-01

    Starting from the C λ -extended oscillator algebras, we obtain a new deformed w ∞ -algebra. More precisely, we show that the C λ -extended w ∞ -algebra generators may be expressed via the annihilation and creation operators of the C λ -extended oscillator algebras a and a † as an infinite-dimensional extension of the realization of sp(2) algebra. (author)

  12. Extended recency effect extended: blocking, presentation mode, and retention interval.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Glidden, L M; Pawelski, C; Mar, H; Zigman, W

    1979-07-01

    The effect of blocking of stimulus items on the free recall of EMR adolescents was examined. In Experiment 1 a multitrial free-recall list of 15 pictures was presented either simultaneously in groups of 3, or sequentially, one at a time. Consistent ordering was used in both conditions, so that on each trial, each item in each set of 3 pictures was presented contiguously with the other 2 items from that set. In addition, recall came immediately or after a filled or unfilled delay of 24.5 seconds. Results showed that simultaneous presentation led to higher recall, subjective organization, and clustering than did sequential presentation, but analysis of serial-position curves showed a much reduced extended recency effect in comparison with previous studies. Experiment 2 was designed to determine whether the cause of the reduced extended recency was the use of pictures rather than words as stimuli. Stimuli were presented either as pictures, as pictures with auditory labels, or as words with auditory labels, with both simultaneous and consistent ordering for all conditions. Results indicated a strong extended recency effect for all groups, eliminating presentation mode as a causal factor in the data of Experiment 1. We concluded that blocking leads to increased organization and recall over a variety of presentation modes, rates, and block sizes.

  13. Bacteriospermia in extended porcine semen.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Althouse, Gary C; Lu, Kristina G

    2005-01-15

    Bacteriospermia is a frequent finding in freshly extended porcine semen and can result in detrimental effects on semen quality and longevity if left uncontrolled. The primary source of bacterial contamination is the boar. Other sources that have been identified include environment, personnel, and the water used for extender preparation. A 1-year retrospective study was performed on submissions of extended porcine semen for routine quality control bacteriological screening at the University of Pennsylvania. Out of 250 sample submissions, 78 (31.2%) tested positive for bacterial contamination. The most popular contaminants included Enterococcus spp. (20.5%), Stenotrophomonas maltophilia (15.4%), Alcaligenes xylosoxidans (10.3%), Serratia marcescens (10.3%), Acinetobacter lwoffi (7.7%), Escherichia coli (6.4%), Pseudomonas spp. (6.4%), and others (23.0%). Prudent individual hygiene, good overall sanitation, and regular monitoring can contribute greatly in controlling bacterial load. Strategies that incorporate temperature-dependent bacterial growth and hyperthermic augmentation of antimicrobial activity are valuable for effective control of susceptible bacterial loads. Aminoglycosides remain the most popular antimicrobial class used in porcine semen extenders, with beta-lactam and lincosamide use increasing. With the advent of more novel antimicrobial selection and semen extender compositions in swine, prudent application and understanding of in vitro pharmacodynamics are becoming paramount to industry success in the use of this breeding modality.

  14. Extended quantum mechanics

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pavel Bona

    2000-01-01

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

  15. Investigation of the impact of extraterrestrial energetic particles on stratospheric nitrogen compounds and ozone on the basis of three dimensional model studies

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wieters, Nadine

    2013-06-17

    As a result of solar events like Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs) and solar flares, highly energetic charged particles including protons and electrons can precipitate in the direction of the Earth. Having sufficient energies, these particles can penetrate down to the middle atmosphere and lead to a change in the chemical composition of the atmosphere. In particular during strong events, these charged particles induce an ionisation in the atmosphere that can reach down to the lower stratosphere. This ionisation is followed by a fast positive ion chemistry that causes a strong increase in reactive HO{sub x} (H,OH,HO{sub 2}) an NO{sub x} (N,NO,NO{sub 2}). HO{sub x} and NO{sub x} constituents eventually destroy O{sub 3} in catalytical reaction cycles. Furthermore, NO{sub x} is long-lived during polar winter and can be transported into the middle and lower stratosphere, where it can contribute to the O{sub 3} depletion. The increase in NO{sub x} in the upper and middle atmosphere due to solar events and the consequential depletion of O{sub 3} has been observed as during the Solar Proton Event (SPE) in October/November 2003 by satellite instruments. In atmospheric models, the generation of HO{sub x} and NO{sub x} can be well described by parametrisations to include in neutral models. Whereas other changes, for instance in chlorine compounds, can not be described sufficiently by this parametrisation. The purpose of this PhD thesis is, to investigate the impact of strong solar particle events on the abundance in NO{sub x} and O{sub 3} in the stratosphere and mesosphere on the basis of three-dimensional model studies. For this purpose a three-dimensional Chemistry and Transport Model (CTM) has been extended to the upper atmosphere (lower thermosphere). To include the processes in the mesosphere and lower thermosphere a new meteorological data set has been implemented to the model. To describe the ionising effect of energetic particle on the atmosphere, three

  16. Practitioner perspectives on extended clinical placement programs in optometry.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bentley, Sharon A; Cartledge, Amy; Guest, Daryl J; Cappuccio, Skye; Woods, Craig A

    2016-05-01

    Some universities are looking to provide a more diverse range of clinical learning experiences through extended clinical placement programs. This approach will potentially have a significant impact on practitioners. The aim of this study was to conduct a national survey of optometrists to ascertain their perspectives on participating in extended clinical placement programs. Members of Optometry Australia were invited to participate in a survey conducted during June and July 2014. A total of 268 practitioners participated (six per cent of registered Australian optometrists): 159 were predominantly employees or locums and 109 were owners or managers who identified as the key representative of a practice or organisation for the purpose of this survey. Almost two-thirds (65 per cent) of participants, who were employees or locums were supportive of extended clinical placement programs. Among this group, females were more likely to be supportive than males (p = 0.033). In comparison, just over one-third (34 per cent) of participants who were key decision-makers were supportive, with 30 per cent possibly supportive and 36 per cent not supportive. Among key decision-makers, males were more likely to be supportive (p = 0.009). The top three perceived advantages of supervising a student were: opportunity to mentor early career development, opportunity to give back to the profession and future recruitment. The top three perceived disadvantages were: burden on time, decrease in number of patients examined and burden on support staff. Suggested incentives for supervising students were credit for continuing professional development and financial remuneration. There appears to be moderate support for extended clinical placement programs; however, there are incentives that might engage a larger proportion of the profession in the future. These findings can inform the development of effective and sustainable clinical training programs for optometry students. Additionally

  17. Extended Life Coolant Testing

    Science.gov (United States)

    2016-06-06

    number. PLEASE DO NOT RETURN YOUR FORM TO THE ABOVE ADDRESS. 1. REPORT DATE (DD-MM-YYYY) 06-06-2016 2. REPORT TYPE Interim Report 3. DATES COVERED ... Corrosion Testing of Traditional and Extended Life Coolants 5b. GRANT NUMBER 5c. PROGRAM ELEMENT NUMBER 6. AUTHOR(S) Hansen, Gregory A. T...providing vehicle specific coolants. Several laboratory corrosion tests were performed according to ASTM D1384 and D2570, but with a 2.5x extended time

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

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rajesh, John Anthuvan; Pandurangan, Arumugam

    2014-04-01

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

  19. Making Connections: Replicating and Extending the Utility Value Intervention in the Classroom

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hulleman, Chris S.; Kosovich, Jeff J.; Barron, Kenneth E.; Daniel, David B.

    2017-01-01

    We replicated and extended prior research investigating a theoretically guided intervention based on expectancy-value theory designed to enhance student learning outcomes (e.g., Hulleman & Harackiewicz, 2009). First, we replicated prior work by demonstrating that the utility value intervention, which manipulated whether students made…

  20. Heat transfer effect of an extended surface in downward-facing subcooled flow boiling

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Khan, Abdul R., E-mail: khan@vis.t.u-tokyo.ac.jp [Department of Nuclear Engineering and Management, School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8656 (Japan); Erkan, Nejdet, E-mail: erkan@vis.t.u-tokyo.ac.jp [Nuclear Professional School, School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo, 2-22 Shirakata, Tokai-mura, Ibaraki, 319-1188 (Japan); Okamoto, Koji, E-mail: okamoto@n.t.u-tokyo.ac.jp [Nuclear Professional School, School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo, 2-22 Shirakata, Tokai-mura, Ibaraki, 319-1188 (Japan)

    2015-12-15

    Highlights: • Compare downward-facing flow boiling results from bare and extended surfaces. • Upstream and downstream temperatures were measured on the extended surface. • Downstream temperatures exceed upstream temperatures for all flow rates. • Bubble accumulation occurs downstream on extended surface. • Extended surface heat transfer lower than bare surface as flow rate reduced. - Abstract: New BWR containment designs are considering cavity flooding as an accident management strategy. Unlike the PWR, the BWR has many Control Rod Guide Tube (CRGT) penetrations in the lower head. During a severe accident scenario with core melt in the lower plenum along with cavity flooding, the penetrations may affect the heat transfer on the ex-vessel surface and disrupt fluid flow during the boiling process. A small-scale experiment was performed to investigate the issues existing in downward-facing boiling phenomenon with an extended surface. The results were compared with a bare (flat) surface. The mass flux of 244 kg/m{sup 2} s, 215 kg/m{sup 2} s, and 177 kg/m{sup 2} s were applied in this study. CHF conditions were observed only for the 177 kg/m{sup 2} s case. The boiling curves for both types of surfaces and all flow rates were obtained. The boiling curves for the highest flow rate showed lower surface temperatures for the extended surface experiments when compared to the bare surface. The downstream location on the extended surface yielded the highest surface temperatures as the flow rate was reduced. The bubble accumulation and low velocity in the wake produced by flow around the extended surface was believed to have caused the elevated temperatures in the downstream location. Although an extended surface may enhance the overall heat transfer, a reduction in the local heat transfer was observed in the current experiments.

  1. Investigating impacts of oil and gas development on greater sage-grouse

    Science.gov (United States)

    Green, Adam; Aldridge, Cameron L.; O'Donnell, Michael

    2017-01-01

    The sagebrush (Artemisia spp.) ecosystem is one of the largest ecosystems in western North America providing habitat for species found nowhere else. Sagebrush habitats have experienced dramatic declines since the 1950s, mostly due to anthropogenic disturbances. The greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) is a sagebrush-obligate species that has experienced population declines over the last several decades, which are attributed to a variety of disturbances including the more recent threat of oil and gas development. We developed a hierarchical, Bayesian state-space model to investigate the impacts of 2 measures of oil and gas development, and environmental and habitat conditions, on sage-grouse populations in Wyoming, USA using male lek counts from 1984 to 2008. Lek attendance of male sage-grouse declined by approximately 2.5%/year and was negatively related to oil and gas well density. We found little support for the influence of sagebrush cover and precipitation on changes in lek counts. Our results support those of other studies reporting negative impacts of oil and gas development on sage-grouse populations and our modeling approach allowed us to make inference to a longer time scale and larger spatial extent than in previous studies. In addition to sage-grouse, development may also negatively affect other sagebrush-obligate species, and active management of sagebrush habitats may be necessary to maintain some species. 

  2. Extending Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Detection to Older Age Groups

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Makrygiannis, Georgios; Labalue, Philippe; Erpicum, Marie

    2016-01-01

    . Current screening policies (e.g., men aged 65-74 years), however, do not account for aging and increased life expectancy of Western populations. This study investigated AAA detection by extending the target population to older age groups (75-85 years). METHODS: AAA screening was conducted in the County......-74 age group but rose to 7.3% in the age-extended group (75-85 years). Further in addition to age, height, current smoking, history of coronary artery disease, hypercholesterolemia, peripheral artery disease of the lower limbs, and varicose veins were significantly associated with the presence of AAA......BACKGROUND: There is evident benefit in terms of reduced aneurysm-related mortality from screening programs of abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) in men aged 65 years and more. Recent studies in the United Kingdom and Sweden have shown a decline of the prevalence of AAA in the general population...

  3. User Acceptance of Social Learning Systems in Higher Education: An Application of the Extended Technology Acceptance Model

    Science.gov (United States)

    Akman, Ibrahim; Turhan, Cigdem

    2017-01-01

    This study aims to explore the users' behaviour and acceptance of social media for learning in higher educational institutions with the help of the extended Technology Acceptance Model (TAM). TAM has been extended to investigate how ethical and security awareness of users affect the actual usage of social learning applications. For this purpose, a…

  4. Investigating the psychological impact of bank robbery: a cohort study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hansen, Maj; Armour, Cherie; Shevlin, Mark; Elklit, Ask

    2014-06-01

    Despite numerous annual bank robberies worldwide, research in the psychological sequelae of bank robberies is sparse and characterized by several limitations. To overcome these limitations we investigated the psychological impact of bank robbery in a cohort study by comparing general levels of traumatization and somatization in employees never exposed to robbery and employees exposed to robbery at different degrees and time-points, while controlling for selected risk factors of posttraumatic distress. Multivariate regression analyses showed that only the acute directly exposed robbery group which had a significantly higher score on general traumatization and somatization compared to the control group whilst controlling for other factors. In conclusion, bank robbery exposure appears to be especially associated with psychological distress in the acute phase and in victims present during the robbery. After the acute phase, other factors appear more important in predicting general traumatization and somatization in bank employees compared to exposure to robbery. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  5. Georges Bank drilling moratorium gets extended until 2015

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Anon.

    2010-07-15

    A moratorium on oil and gas exploration and drilling on the Georges Bank will continue until the end of 2015. Governments require a full public review and research concerning the potential environmental impacts of the project before lifting the moratorium. Canada's federal and provincial governments have agreed to gather information related to the region's fragile ecosystem, and investigate the potential impacts that petroleum-related activities may have in the area. Preliminary reviews are being conducted to study the socio-economic impacts of offshore petroleum activities and to assess new technologies and drilling practices that may be used to reduce the impacts of oil and gas operations. 1 fig.

  6. Seismo-Acoustic Numerical Investigation of Land Impacts, Water Impacts, or Air Bursts of Asteroids

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ezzedine, S. M.; Dearborn, D. S.; Miller, P. L.

    2017-12-01

    The annual probability of an asteroid impact is low, but over time, such catastrophic events are inevitable. Interest in assessing the impact consequences has led us to develop a physics-based framework to seamlessly simulate the event from entry to impact, including air, water and ground shock propagation and wave generation. The non-linear effects are simulated using the hydrodynamics code GEODYN. As effects propagate outward, they become a wave source for the linear-elastic-wave propagation code and simulated using SAW or SWWP, depends on whether the asteroid impacts the land or the ocean, respectively. The GEODYN-SAW-SWWP coupling is based on the structured adaptive-mesh-refinement infrastructure, SAMRAI, and has been used in FEMA table-top exercises conducted in 2013 and 2014, and more recently, the 2015 Planetary Defense Conference exercise. Moreover, during atmospheric entry, asteroids create an acoustic trace that could be used to infer several physical characteristics of asteroid itself. Using SAW we explore the physical space parameters in order to rank the most important characteristics; Results from these simulations provide an estimate of onshore and offshore effects and can inform more sophisticated inundation and structural models. The capabilities of this methodology are illustrated by providing results for different impact locations, and an exploration of asteroid size on the waves arriving at the shoreline of area cities. We constructed the maximum and minimum envelops of water-wave heights or acceleration spectra given the size of the asteroid and the location of the impact along the risk corridor. Such profiles can inform emergency response and disaster-mitigation efforts. This work was performed under the auspices of the U.S. Department of Energy by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory under Contract DE-AC52-07NA27344.

  7. A Proportional Resonant Control Strategy for Efficiency Improvement in Extended Range Electric Vehicles

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xiaoyuan Wang

    2017-02-01

    Full Text Available The key to control the range extender generation system is to improve the efficiency and reduce the emissions of the electric vehicle (EV. In this paper, based on the purpose of efficiency optimization, both engine and generator are matched to get a public high efficiency region, and a partial power following control strategy was presented. The engine speed is constant in the defined power range, so the output power regulation of the range extender is only realized by the adjustment of the torque of the generator. Engine speed and generator torque were decoupled. An improved proportional resonant (PR controller is adopted to achieve fast output power regulation. In order to ensure the response characteristics of the control system and to improve the robustness, the impacts on system’s characteristics and stability caused by PR controller and parameters in the inner-current loop were analyzed via frequency response characteristics. A pre-Tustin with deviation compensation is proposed for PR controller’s discretization. A stable and robust power following control method is obtained for the range extender control system. Finally, simulation and experiment of the proposed control strategy illustrated its feasibility and correctness.

  8. Extended suicides in families in Eastern Denmark in the period 1993-2012

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Slot, Liselott; Thomsen, Asser Hedegaard; Leth, Peter Mygind

    2014-01-01

    So called extended suicides are a parents murder of his or hers own children, and sometimes also of the other parent, followed by the perpetrators suicide. Our investigation documents that these homicides has decreased in number in Denmark and that the perpetrators are now predominantly the fathers...

  9. ECG Denoising Using Marginalized Particle Extended Kalman Filter With an Automatic Particle Weighting Strategy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hesar, Hamed Danandeh; Mohebbi, Maryam

    2017-05-01

    In this paper, a model-based Bayesian filtering framework called the "marginalized particle-extended Kalman filter (MP-EKF) algorithm" is proposed for electrocardiogram (ECG) denoising. This algorithm does not have the extended Kalman filter (EKF) shortcoming in handling non-Gaussian nonstationary situations because of its nonlinear framework. In addition, it has less computational complexity compared with particle filter. This filter improves ECG denoising performance by implementing marginalized particle filter framework while reducing its computational complexity using EKF framework. An automatic particle weighting strategy is also proposed here that controls the reliance of our framework to the acquired measurements. We evaluated the proposed filter on several normal ECGs selected from MIT-BIH normal sinus rhythm database. To do so, artificial white Gaussian and colored noises as well as nonstationary real muscle artifact (MA) noise over a range of low SNRs from 10 to -5 dB were added to these normal ECG segments. The benchmark methods were the EKF and extended Kalman smoother (EKS) algorithms which are the first model-based Bayesian algorithms introduced in the field of ECG denoising. From SNR viewpoint, the experiments showed that in the presence of Gaussian white noise, the proposed framework outperforms the EKF and EKS algorithms in lower input SNRs where the measurements and state model are not reliable. Owing to its nonlinear framework and particle weighting strategy, the proposed algorithm attained better results at all input SNRs in non-Gaussian nonstationary situations (such as presence of pink noise, brown noise, and real MA). In addition, the impact of the proposed filtering method on the distortion of diagnostic features of the ECG was investigated and compared with EKF/EKS methods using an ECG diagnostic distortion measure called the "Multi-Scale Entropy Based Weighted Distortion Measure" or MSEWPRD. The results revealed that our proposed

  10. Observation Impact over the Antarctic During the Concordiasi Field Campaign

    Science.gov (United States)

    Boullot, Nathalie; Rabier, Florence; Langland, Rolf; Gelaro, Ron; Cardinali, Carla; Guidard, Vincent; Bauer, Peter; Doerenbecher, Alexis

    2014-01-01

    The impact of observations on analysis uncertainty and forecast performance was investigated for Austral Spring 2010 over the Southern polar area for four different systems (NRL, GMAO, ECMWF and Meteo-France), at the time of the Concordiasi field experiment. The largest multi model variance in 500 hPa height analyses is found in the southern sub-Antarctic oceanic region, where there are strong atmospheric dynamics, rapid forecast error growth, and fewer upper air wind observation data to constrain the analyses. In terms of data impact the most important observation components are shown to be AMSU, IASI, AIRS, GPS-RO, radiosonde, surface and atmospheric motion vector observations. For sounding data, radiosondes and dropsondes, one can note a large impact of temperature at low levels and a large impact of wind at high levels. Observing system experiments using the Concordiasi dropsondes show a large impact of the observations over the Antarctic plateau extending to lower latitudes with the forecast range, with a large impact around 50 to 70deg South. These experiments indicate there is a potential benefit of better using radiance data over land and sea-ice and innovative atmospheric motion vectors obtained from a combination of various satellites to fill the current data gaps and improve NWP in this region.

  11. Detection of extended galactic sources with an underwater neutrino telescope

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Leisos, A.; Tsirigotis, A. G.; Tzamarias, S. E.; Lenis, D.

    2014-01-01

    In this study we investigate the discovery capability of a Very Large Volume Neutrino Telescope to Galactic extended sources. We focus on the brightest HESS gamma rays sources which are considered also as very high energy neutrino emitters. We use the unbinned method taking into account both the spatial and the energy distribution of high energy neutrinos and we investigate parts of the Galactic plane where nearby potential neutrino emitters form neutrino source clusters. Neutrino source clusters as well as isolated neutrino sources are combined to estimate the observation period for 5 sigma discovery of neutrino signals from these objects

  12. Full-potential theoretical investigations of electron inelastic mean free paths and extended x-ray absorption fine structure in molybdenum

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chantler, C T; Bourke, J D

    2014-01-01

    X-ray absorption fine structure (XAFS) spectroscopy is one of the most robust, adaptable, and widely used structural analysis tools available for a range of material classes from bulk solids to aqueous solutions and active catalytic structures. Recent developments in XAFS theory have enabled high-accuracy calculations of spectra over an extended energy range using full-potential cluster modelling, and have demonstrated particular sensitivity in XAFS to a fundamental electron transport property—the electron inelastic mean free path (IMFP). We develop electron IMFP theory using a unique hybrid model that simultaneously incorporates second-order excitation losses, while precisely accounting for optical transitions dictated by the complex band structure of the solid. These advances are coupled with improved XAFS modelling to determine wide energy-range absorption spectra for molybdenum. This represents a critical test case of the theory, as measurements of molybdenum K-edge XAFS represent the most accurate determinations of XAFS spectra for any material. We find that we are able to reproduce an extended range of oscillatory structure in the absorption spectrum, and demonstrate a first-time theoretical determination of the absorption coefficient of molybdenum over the entire extended XAFS range utilizing a full-potential cluster model. (paper)

  13. Retrospective Correction of Physiological Noise in DTI Using an Extended Tensor Model and Peripheral Measurements

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mohammadi, Siawoosh; Hutton, Chloe; Nagy, Zoltan; Josephs, Oliver; Weiskopf, Nikolaus

    2013-01-01

    Diffusion tensor imaging is widely used in research and clinical applications, but this modality is highly sensitive to artefacts. We developed an easy-to-implement extension of the original diffusion tensor model to account for physiological noise in diffusion tensor imaging using measures of peripheral physiology (pulse and respiration), the so-called extended tensor model. Within the framework of the extended tensor model two types of regressors, which respectively modeled small (linear) and strong (nonlinear) variations in the diffusion signal, were derived from peripheral measures. We tested the performance of four extended tensor models with different physiological noise regressors on nongated and gated diffusion tensor imaging data, and compared it to an established data-driven robust fitting method. In the brainstem and cerebellum the extended tensor models reduced the noise in the tensor-fit by up to 23% in accordance with previous studies on physiological noise. The extended tensor model addresses both large-amplitude outliers and small-amplitude signal-changes. The framework of the extended tensor model also facilitates further investigation into physiological noise in diffusion tensor imaging. The proposed extended tensor model can be readily combined with other artefact correction methods such as robust fitting and eddy current correction. PMID:22936599

  14. An Investigation of LED Street Lighting's Impact on Sky Glow

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kinzey, Bruce R. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Perrin, Tess E. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Miller, Naomi J. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Kocifaj, Miroslav [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Aube, Martin [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Lamphar, Hector A. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)

    2017-04-25

    A significant amount of public attention has recently focused on perceived impacts of converting street lighting from incumbent lamp-based products to LED technology. Much of this attention pertains to the higher content of short wavelength light (commonly referred to as "blue light") of LEDs and its attendant influences on sky glow (a brightening of the night sky that can interfere with astronomical observation and may be associated with a host of other issues). The complexity of this topic leads to common misunderstandings and misperceptions among the public, and for this reason the U.S. Department of Energy Solid-State Lighting Program embarked on a study of sky glow using a well-established astronomical model to investigate some of the primary factors influencing sky glow. This report details the results of the investigation and attempts to present those results in terms accessible to the general lighting community. The report also strives to put the results into a larger context, and help educate interested readers on various topics relevant to the issues being discussed.

  15. Technological Packages Extended To Farmers by Non ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Global Approaches to Extension Practice: A Journal of Agricultural Extension ... extended to farmers by Non Governmental Organizations in the Niger Delta area of Nigeria. ... Modern snailery was the only identified agro forestry technology extended, ... technologies were the significant soil management practices extended.

  16. A Numerical Investigation into Low-Speed Impact Cratering Events

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schwartz, Stephen; Richardson, D. C.; Michel, P.

    2012-10-01

    Impact craters are the geological features most commonly observed on the surface of solid Solar System bodies. Crater shapes and features are crucial sources of information regarding past and present surface environments, and can provide indirect information about the internal structures of these bodies. In this study, we consider the effects of low-speed impacts into granular material. Studies of low-speed impact events are suitable for understanding the cratering process leading, for instance, to secondary craters. In addition, upcoming asteroid sample return missions will employ surface sampling strategies that use impacts into the surface by a projectile. An understanding of the process can lead to better sampling strategies. We use our implementation of the Soft-Sphere Discrete Element Method (SSDEM) (Schwartz et al. 2012, Granular Matter 14, 363-380) into the parallel N-body code PKDGRAV (cf. Richardson et al. 2011, Icarus 212, 427-437) to model the impact cratering process into granular material. We consider the effects of boundary conditions on the ejecta velocity profile and discuss how results relate to the Maxwell Z-Model during the crater growth phase. Cratering simulations are compared to those of Wada et al. 2006 (Icarus 180, 528-545) and to impact experiments performed in conjunction with Hayabusa 2. This work is supported in part by grants from the National Science Foundation under grant number AST1009579 and from the Office of Space Science of NASA under grant number NNX08AM39G. Part of this study resulted from discussions with the International Team (#202) sponsored by ISSI in Bern (Switzerland). Some simulations were performed on the YORP cluster administered by the Center for Theory and Computation of the Department of Astronomy at the University of Maryland in College Park and on the SIGGAM computer cluster hosted by the Côte d'Azur Observatory in Nice (France).

  17. Distributed Dynamic State Estimation with Extended Kalman Filter

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Du, Pengwei; Huang, Zhenyu; Sun, Yannan; Diao, Ruisheng; Kalsi, Karanjit; Anderson, Kevin K.; Li, Yulan; Lee, Barry

    2011-08-04

    Increasing complexity associated with large-scale renewable resources and novel smart-grid technologies necessitates real-time monitoring and control. Our previous work applied the extended Kalman filter (EKF) with the use of phasor measurement data (PMU) for dynamic state estimation. However, high computation complexity creates significant challenges for real-time applications. In this paper, the problem of distributed dynamic state estimation is investigated. One domain decomposition method is proposed to utilize decentralized computing resources. The performance of distributed dynamic state estimation is tested on a 16-machine, 68-bus test system.

  18. The integrability of an extended fifth-order KdV equation with Riccati ...

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    method was extended to investigate variable coefficient NLEEs, which included gener- alized KdV equation, generalized modified KdV equation and generalized Boussinesq equation [11,12]. It is well known that KdV equation models a variety of nonlinear phenomena, including ion-acoustic waves in plasmas and shallow ...

  19. Astrocytic mitochondrial membrane hyperpolarization following extended oxygen and glucose deprivation.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Andrej Korenić

    Full Text Available Astrocytes can tolerate longer periods of oxygen and glucose deprivation (OGD as compared to neurons. The reasons for this reduced vulnerability are not well understood. Particularly, changes in mitochondrial membrane potential (Δψ(m in astrocytes, an indicator of the cellular redox state, have not been investigated during reperfusion after extended OGD exposure. Here, we subjected primary mouse astrocytes to glucose deprivation (GD, OGD and combinations of both conditions varying in duration and sequence. Changes in Δψ(m, visualized by change in the fluorescence of JC-1, were investigated within one hour after reconstitution of oxygen and glucose supply, intended to model in vivo reperfusion. In all experiments, astrocytes showed resilience to extended periods of OGD, which had little effect on Δψ(m during reperfusion, whereas GD caused a robust Δψ(m negativation. In case no Δψ(m negativation was observed after OGD, subsequent chemical oxygen deprivation (OD induced by sodium azide caused depolarization, which, however, was significantly delayed as compared to normoxic group. When GD preceded OD for 12 h, Δψ(m hyperpolarization was induced by both GD and subsequent OD, but significant interaction between these conditions was not detected. However, when GD was extended to 48 h preceding OGD, hyperpolarization enhanced during reperfusion. This implicates synergistic effects of both conditions in that sequence. These findings provide novel information regarding the role of the two main substrates of electron transport chain (glucose and oxygen and their hyperpolarizing effect on Δψ(m during substrate deprivation, thus shedding new light on mechanisms of astrocyte resilience to prolonged ischemic injury.

  20. Isolate extended state in the DNA molecular transistor with surface interaction

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wang, Le, E-mail: wang_le917@gs.zzu.edu.cn; Qin, Zhi-Jie

    2016-02-01

    The field effect characteristic of a DNA molecular device is investigated in a tight binding model with binary disorder and side site correlation. Using the transfer-matrix method and Landauer–Büttiker theory, we find that the system has isolated extended state that is irrespective of the DNA sequence and can be modulated by the gate voltage. When the gate voltage reaches some proper value, the isolated extended state appears at the Fermi level of the system and the long range charge transport is greatly enhanced. We attribute this phenomenon to the combination of the external field, the surface interaction, and the intrinsic disorder of DNA. The result is a generic feature of the nanowire with binary disorder and surface interaction.

  1. The impact of packaging, price and brand awareness on brand loyalty: Evidence from the paint retailing industry

    OpenAIRE

    Manilall Dhurup; Chengedzai Mafini; Tshepiso Dumasi

    2014-01-01

    Purpose: The purpose of the study was to investigate the impact of packaging, price and brand awareness on brand loyalty. Rationale: The study sought to extend empirical evidence on the association between brand loyalty and product-related factors: packaging, price and brand awareness. Methodology: The study adopted a quantitative survey approach and was conducted in a paint retailing environment. Data were elicited from a conveniently selected sample of 212 consumers who purchased var...

  2. Laboratory investigation of antenna signals from dust impacts on spacecraft

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sternovsky, Zoltan; Collette, Andrew; Malaspina, David M.; Thayer, Frederick

    2016-04-01

    Electric field and plasma wave instruments act as dust detectors picking up voltage pulses induced by impacts of particulates on the spacecraft body. These signals enable the characterization of cosmic dust environments even with missions without dedicated dust instruments. For example, the Voyager 1 and 2 spacecraft performed the first detection of dust particles near Uranus, Neptune, and in the outer solar system [Gurnett et al., 1987, 1991, 1997]. The two STEREO spacecraft observed distinct signals at high rate that were interpreted as nano-sized particles originating from near the Sun and accelerated to high velocities by the solar wind [MeyerVernet et al, 2009a, Zaslavsky et al., 2012]. The MAVEN spacecraft is using the antennas onboard to characterize the dust environment of Mars [Andersson et al., 2014] and Solar Probe Plus will do the same in the inner heliosphere. The challenge, however, is the correct interpretation of the impact signals and calculating the mass of the dust particles. The uncertainties result from the incomplete understanding of the signal pickup mechanisms, and the variation of the signal amplitude with impact location, the ambient plasma environment, and impact speed. A comprehensive laboratory study of impact generated antenna signals has been performed recently using the IMPACT dust accelerator facility operated at the University of Colorado. Dust particles of micron and submicron sizes with velocities of tens of km/s are generated using a 3 MV electrostatic analyzer. A scaled down model spacecraft is exposed to the dust impacts and one or more antennas, connected to sensitive electronics, are used to detect the impact signals. The measurements showed that there are three clearly distinct signal pickup mechanisms due to spacecraft charging, antenna charging and antenna pickup sensing space charge from the expanding plasma cloud. All mechanisms vary with the spacecraft and antenna bias voltages and, furthermore, the latter two

  3. Investigation for the extended application of melanoma Boron Neutron Capture Therapy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mishima, Yutaka

    1991-11-01

    This issue is the Part B of the Progress Report (III) which includes our latest research results focusing mainly on the successful treatment of the first human melanoma patient who had metastasis in the scalp region. We also include the subsequent clinical treatment of various types of human primary melanoma lesions and the additional basic investigations necessary to perform the treatment. (J.P.N.)

  4. Computer simulation of the interaction between an extended dislocation and radiation defects in the fcc lattice

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kuramoto, E.; Nakamura, Y.; Tsutsumi, T.

    1993-01-01

    The interaction between an extended dislocation and a radiation-induced defect, especially, a self-interstitial atom (SIA), has been investigated in the model fcc lattice by computer simulation technique. An SIA was absorbed into the core of one of the two partial dislocations of the extended screw dislocation as a crowdion which extends along the dislocation line. Under the applied shear stress this crowdion acted as a pinning point, resulting in irradiation hardening. On the other hand, an SIA was absorbed at the jog site of the extended edge dislocation (at one of the two jog sites on two partial dislocations) and after some relaxation the total jog was shifted to one atomic distance through the spreading out of the strain due to an SIA from one partial side to the other side. (orig.)

  5. Manager support for work-family issues and its impact on employee-reported pain in the extended care setting.

    Science.gov (United States)

    O'Donnell, Emily M; Berkman, Lisa F; Subramanian, S V

    2012-09-01

    Supervisor-level policies and the presence of a manager engaged in an employee's need to achieve work-family balance, or "supervisory support," may benefit employee health, including self-reported pain. We conducted a census of employees at four selected extended care facilities in the Boston metropolitan region (n = 368). Supervisory support was assessed through interviews with managers and pain was reported by employees. Our multilevel logistic models indicate that employees with managers who report the lowest levels of support for work-family balance experience twice as much overall pain as employees with managers who report high levels of support. Low supervisory support for work-family balance is associated with an increased prevalence of employee-reported pain in extended care facilities. We recommend that manager-level policies and practices receive additional attention as a potential risk factor for poor health in this setting.

  6. Soya-lecithin in extender improves the freezability and fertility of buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) bull spermatozoa.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Akhter, S; Ansari, M S; Andrabi, S M H; Rakha, B A; Ullah, N; Khalid, M

    2012-10-01

    Egg yolk is routinely used as a cryoprotectant in semen extenders. However, it may contain cryoprotective antagonists, and there are hygienic risks associated with its use. Proteins of plant origin, like soya-lecithin, lack these hazards. The aim of this study was to use soya-lecithin as a cryoprotectant in extender and to investigate its effects on in vitro quality and in vivo fertility of buffalo semen. Semen from three buffalo bulls was frozen in tris-citric extender containing 5.0%, 10% or 15% soya-lecithin or 20% egg yolk. Sperm motility, plasma membrane integrity and viability were assessed post-dilution, pre-freezing and post-thaw. In Post-dilution and pre-freezing, the values for motility, plasma membrane integrity and viability remained higher (p ≤ 0.05) in extenders containing 10% soya-lecithin and control compared with extender containing 5% and 15% soya-lecithin. However, motility, plasma membrane integrity and viability were higher (p lecithin compared with control and extenders containing 5% and 15% soya-lecithin. Semen from two buffalo bulls was frozen in tris-citric extender containing either 10% soya-lecithin or 20% egg yolk. Higher (p lecithin (56%) compared with 20% egg yolk (41.5%). The results suggest that 10% soya-lecithin in extender improves the freezability and fertility of buffalo bull spermatozoa and can be used as an alternate to egg yolk in cryopreservation of buffalo semen. © 2011 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

  7. Calculation of forces arising from impacting projectiles upon yielding structures

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Drittler, K.; Gruner, P.; Krivy, J.

    1977-01-01

    Calculations concerning the impact of airplanes upon nuclear power plant buildings usually imply that the building [QUOTE]acts' as a rigid target. This assumption is justified for considerations concerning the structural integrity of the building being hit. However, for investigating induced vibrations of components within the structure, this approach might-in general-be too conservative. It is expected, that yielding of the structure during impact reduces the peak values of the loads and changes the temporal behaviour of the load function which is obtained for a rigid target. To calculate the changes of the load function which are due to deformations of the structure, Riera's method is extended for the case of a yielding target. The calculations are performed with a one-dimensional model for the projectile. The presented model calculations seem to verify that the motion of the target does not have much influence on the impact force for projectiles similar to the model projectile, provided the displacement of the yielding target is small in comparison with the path covered by the free-flying projectile during a time which is equivalent to the total time of impact. (Auth.)

  8. Formulation and Evaluation of Extended- Release Tablet of Zolpidem Tartrate by Wet Granulation Technique

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fatemeh Pourhashem

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available The goal of this study was to design and evaluate extended - release system of the hypnotic agent, Zolpidem tartrate usefulness for the treatment of insomnia. The half-life of this drug is about 1.9 - 3 hours that indicating it a candidate for the extended release formulation. Our investigation relates to development of extended drug delivery system based on Hydroxy propyl methyl cellulose (HPMCK4M as release retardant, polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP k30 as binder and Magnesium Stearate using Factorial design. In vitro release study of matrix tablets was carried out in 0.01N HCl for 2 hours. All prepared matrix tablets were evaluated for physicochemical evaluation and drug content. The formulation that had release profile according to United State Pharmacopoeia selected for stability study according to ICH guidelines.

  9. From observations to experiments in phenology research: investigating climate change impacts on trees and shrubs using dormant twigs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Primack, Richard B; Laube, Julia; Gallinat, Amanda S; Menzel, Annette

    2015-11-01

    Climate change is advancing the leaf-out times of many plant species and mostly extending the growing season in temperate ecosystems. Laboratory experiments using twig cuttings from woody plant species present an affordable, easily replicated approach to investigate the relative importance of factors such as winter chilling, photoperiod, spring warming and frost tolerance on the leafing-out times of plant communities. This Viewpoint article demonstrates how the results of these experiments deepen our understanding beyond what is possible via analyses of remote sensing and field observation data, and can be used to improve climate change forecasts of shifts in phenology, ecosystem processes and ecological interactions. The twig method involves cutting dormant twigs from trees, shrubs and vines on a single date or at intervals over the course of the winter and early spring, placing them in containers of water in controlled environments, and regularly recording leaf-out, flowering or other phenomena. Prior to or following leaf-out or flowering, twigs may be assigned to treatment groups for experiments involving temperature, photoperiod, frost, humidity and more. Recent studies using these methods have shown that winter chilling requirements and spring warming strongly affect leaf-out and flowering times of temperate trees and shrubs, whereas photoperiod requirements are less important than previously thought for most species. Invasive plant species have weaker winter chilling requirements than native species in temperate ecosystems, and species that leaf-out early in the season have greater frost tolerance than later leafing species. This methodology could be extended to investigate additional drivers of leaf-out phenology, leaf senescence in the autumn, and other phenomena, and could be a useful tool for education and outreach. Additional ecosystems, such as boreal, southern hemisphere and sub-tropical forests, could also be investigated using dormant twigs to

  10. Stall Recovery in a Centrifuge-Based Flight Simulator With an Extended Aerodynamic Model

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Ledegang, W.D.; Groen, E.L.

    2015-01-01

    We investigated the performance of 12 airline pilots in recovering from an asymmetrical stall in a flight simulator featuring an extended aerodynamic model of a transport-category aircraft, and a centrifuge-based motion platform capable of generating enhanced buffet motion and g-cueing. All pilots

  11. Ultrametric distribution of culture vectors in an extended Axelrod model of cultural dissemination

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stivala, Alex; Robins, Garry; Kashima, Yoshihisa; Kirley, Michael

    2014-05-01

    The Axelrod model of cultural diffusion is an apparently simple model that is capable of complex behaviour. A recent work used a real-world dataset of opinions as initial conditions, demonstrating the effects of the ultrametric distribution of empirical opinion vectors in promoting cultural diversity in the model. Here we quantify the degree of ultrametricity of the initial culture vectors and investigate the effect of varying degrees of ultrametricity on the absorbing state of both a simple and extended model. Unlike the simple model, ultrametricity alone is not sufficient to sustain long-term diversity in the extended Axelrod model; rather, the initial conditions must also have sufficiently large variance in intervector distances. Further, we find that a scheme for evolving synthetic opinion vectors from cultural ``prototypes'' shows the same behaviour as real opinion data in maintaining cultural diversity in the extended model; whereas neutral evolution of cultural vectors does not.

  12. Extended radio sources in the cluster environment

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Burns, J.O. Jr.

    1979-01-01

    Extended radio galaxies that lie in rich and poor clusters were studied. A sample of 3CR and 4C radio sources that spatially coincide with poor Zwicky clusters of galaxies was observed to obtain accurate positions and flux densities. Then interferometer observations at a resolution of approx. = 10 arcsec were performed on the sample. The resulting maps were used to determine the nature of the extended source structure, to make secure optical identifications, and to eliminate possible background sources. The results suggest that the environments around both classical double and head-tail radio sources are similar in rich and poor clusters. The majority of the poor cluster sources exhibit some signs of morphological distortion (i.e., head-tails) indicative of dynamic interaction with a relatively dense intracluster medium. A large fraction (60 to 100%) of all radio sources appear to be members of clusters of galaxies if one includes both poor and rich cluster sources. Detailed total intensity and polarization observations for a more restricted sample of two classical double sources and nine head-tail galaxies were also performed. The purpose was to examine the spatial distributions of spectral index and polarization. Thin streams of radio emission appear to connect the nuclear radio-point components to the more extended structures in the head-tail galaxies. It is suggested that a non-relativistic plasma beam can explain both the appearance of the thin streams and larger-scale structure as well as the energy needed to generate the observed radio emission. The rich and poor radio cluster samples are combined to investigate the relationship between source morphology and the scale sizes of clustering. There is some indication that a large fraction of radio sources, including those in these samples, are in superclusters of galaxies

  13. Shelf life extension as solution for environmental impact mitigation: A case study for bakery products.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bacenetti, Jacopo; Cavaliere, Alessia; Falcone, Giacomo; Giovenzana, Valentina; Banterle, Alessandro; Guidetti, Riccardo

    2018-06-15

    Over the last years, increasing attention has been paid to environmental concerns related to food production and potential solutions to this issue. Among the different strategies being considered to reduce the impact food production has on the environment, only moderate has been paid to the extension of shelf life; a longer shelf life can reduce food losses as well as the economic and environmental impacts of the distribution logistics. The aim of this study is to assess the environmental performance of whole-wheat breadsticks with extended shelf lives and to evaluate whether the shelf-life extension is an effective mitigation solution from an environmental point of view. To this purpose, the life cycle assessment (LCA) approach was applied from a "cradle-to-grave" perspective. Rosmarinic acid was used as an antioxidant to extend the shelf life. To test the robustness of the results and to investigate the influence of the choices made in the modelling phase, a sensitivity and uncertainty analysis were carried out. The achieved results highlighted how, for 10 of the 12 evaluated impact categories, the shelf-life extension is a proper mitigation solution, and its effectiveness depends on the magnitude of product loss reduction that is achieved. The shelf-life extension doesn't allow for the reduction of environmental impact in the categories of human toxicity, cancer effects and freshwater eutrophication. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  14. Extended cognition in science communication.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ludwig, David

    2014-11-01

    The aim of this article is to propose a methodological externalism that takes knowledge about science to be partly constituted by the environment. My starting point is the debate about extended cognition in contemporary philosophy and cognitive science. Externalists claim that human cognition extends beyond the brain and can be partly constituted by external devices. First, I show that most studies of public knowledge about science are based on an internalist framework that excludes the environment we usually utilize to make sense of science and does not allow the possibility of extended knowledge. In a second step, I argue that science communication studies should adopt a methodological externalism and accept that knowledge about science can be partly realized by external information resources such as Wikipedia. © The Author(s) 2013.

  15. Impact disruption and recovery of the deep subsurface biosphere

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cockell, Charles S.; Voytek, Mary A.; Gronstal, Aaron L.; Finster, Kai; Kirshtein, Julie D.; Howard, Kieren; Reitner, Joachim; Gohn, Gregory S.; Sanford, Ward E.; Horton, J. Wright; Kallmeyer, Jens; Kelly, Laura; Powars, David S.

    2012-01-01

    Although a large fraction of the world's biomass resides in the subsurface, there has been no study of the effects of catastrophic disturbance on the deep biosphere and the rate of its subsequent recovery. We carried out an investigation of the microbiology of a 1.76 km drill core obtained from the ~35 million-year-old Chesapeake Bay impact structure, USA, with robust contamination control. Microbial enumerations displayed a logarithmic downward decline, but the different gradient, when compared to previously studied sites, and the scatter of the data are consistent with a microbiota influenced by the geological disturbances caused by the impact. Microbial abundance is low in buried crater-fill, ocean-resurge, and avalanche deposits despite the presence of redox couples for growth. Coupled with the low hydraulic conductivity, the data suggest the microbial community has not yet recovered from the impact ~35 million years ago. Microbial enumerations, molecular analysis of microbial enrichment cultures, and geochemical analysis showed recolonization of a deep region of impact-fractured rock that was heated to above the upper temperature limit for life at the time of impact. These results show how, by fracturing subsurface rocks, impacts can extend the depth of the biosphere. This phenomenon would have provided deep refugia for life on the more heavily bombarded early Earth, and it shows that the deeply fractured regions of impact craters are promising targets to study the past and present habitability of Mars.

  16. Manager support for work/family issues and its impact on employee-reported pain in the extended care setting

    Science.gov (United States)

    O’Donnell, Emily M.; Berkman, Lisa F.; Subramanian, Sv

    2012-01-01

    Objective Supervisor-level policies and the presence of a manager engaged in an employee’s need to achieve work/family balance, or “supervisory support,” may benefit employee health, including self-reported pain. Methods We conducted a census of employees at four selected extended-care facilities in the Boston metropolitan region (n= 368). Supervisory support was assessed through interviews with managers and pain was employee-reported. Results Our multilevel logistic models indicate that employees with managers who report the lowest levels of support for work/family balance experience twice as much overall pain as employees with managers who report high levels of support. Conclusions Low supervisory support for work/family balance is associated with an increased prevalence of employee-reported pain in extended-care facilities. We recommend that manager-level policies and practices receive additional attention as a potential risk factor for poor health in this setting. PMID:22892547

  17. Do glycine-extended hormone precursors have clinical significance?

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Rehfeld, Jens Frederik

    2014-01-01

    Half of the known peptide hormones are C-terminally amidated. Subsequent biogenesis studies have shown that the immediate precursor is a glycine-extended peptide. The clinical interest in glycine-extended hormones began in 1994, when it was suggested that glycine-extended gastrin stimulated cancer...... and clinical effects of glycine-extended precursors for most other amidated hormones than gastrin and cholecystokinin (CCK). The idea of glycine-extended peptides as independent messengers was interesting. But clinical science has to move ahead from ideas that cannot be supported at key points after decades...

  18. Investigating the Impact of Lighting Educational Spaces on Learning and Academic Achievement of Elementary Students

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Abdolreza Gilavand

    2016-05-01

    Full Text Available Background In modern education, physical space is considered as a dynamic factor in students' educational activities. This study was conducted to investigating the impact of lighting educational spaces on learning and academic achievement of elementary students. Materials and Methods At a cross-sectional study (2015-2016, a total of 210 students were selected randomly as sample of study. Cluster sampling was done by appropriate allocation and questionnaires were randomly divided among students. Data collection tools included Hermance’s achievement motivation questionnaire and researcher-constructed questionnaire (observation checklist to examine the physical parameters of learning environment lighting and interviews with students. Data of study were analyzed using SPSS- 21 software. Results Results of this study showed that lighting educational spaces has a significant impact on learning and academic achievement of elementary school students in Ahvaz, Iran (P

  19. Investigating the Impact of Schools' Open Space on Learning and Educational Achievement of Elementary Students

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Abdolreza Gilavand

    2016-04-01

    Full Text Available Background It is obvious that most of informal learnings of social skills and constructive plays occur in school yards and play-fields where children spend much of their non-official time of teaching. This study aimed to investigate the impact of schools' open space on learning and educational achievement of elementary students in Ahvaz, Southwest of Iran. Materials and Methods At a cross-sectional study, 210 students were selected randomly as sample of study. Data collection tools included Hermance’s achievement motivation questionnaire and researcher-constructed questionnaire (observation checklist to examine the physical parameters of learning schools' open space and interviews with students. Data of study were analyzed in SPSS- 21 software. Results Results of this study showed that schools' open space has a significant impact on learning and academic achievement of elementary school students in Ahvaz- Iran (P

  20. Proceedings of the 3rd workshop of the South Pacific Environmental Radioactivity Association (SPERA). Extended abstracts

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1994-01-01

    The 1994 workshop of the South Pacific Environmental Radioactivity Association (SPERA) was held in Canberra, at the Australian National University. Presentations were grouped around the themes of geochronology, environmental impact and analytical techniques. This volume contains 26 extended abstracts and 3 poster-presentations which have been separately indexed for inclusion in the INIS database. A list of participants is also included

  1. Proceedings of the 3rd workshop of the South Pacific Environmental Radioactivity Association (SPERA). Extended abstracts

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    1994-12-31

    The 1994 workshop of the South Pacific Environmental Radioactivity Association (SPERA) was held in Canberra, at the Australian National University. Presentations were grouped around the themes of geochronology, environmental impact and analytical techniques. This volume contains 26 extended abstracts and 3 poster-presentations which have been separately indexed for inclusion in the INIS database. A list of participants is also included.

  2. Extended Majorana zero modes in a topological superconducting-normal T-junction

    Science.gov (United States)

    Spånslätt, Christian; Ardonne, Eddy

    2017-03-01

    We investigate the sub gap properties of a three terminal Josephson T-junction composed of topologically superconducting wires connected by a normal metal region. This system naturally hosts zero energy Andreev bound states which are of self-conjugate Majorana nature and we show that they are, in contrast to ordinary Majorana zero modes, spatially extended in the normal metal region. If the T-junction respects time-reversal symmetry, we show that a zero mode is distributed only in two out of three arms in the junction and tuning the superconducting phases allows for transfer of the mode between the junction arms. We further provide tunneling conductance calculations showing that these features can be detected in experiments. Our findings suggest an experimental platform for studying the nature of spatially extended Majorana zero modes.

  3. Extending i-line capabilities through variance characterization and tool enhancement

    Science.gov (United States)

    Miller, Dan; Salinas, Adrian; Peterson, Joel; Vickers, David; Williams, Dan

    2006-03-01

    Continuous economic pressures have moved a large percent of integrated device manufacturing (IDM) operations either overseas or to foundry operations over the last 10 years. These pressures have left the IDM fabs in the U.S. with required COO improvements in order to maintain operations domestically. While the assets of many of these factories are at a very favorable point in the depreciation life cycle, the equipment and processes are constrained to the quality of the equipment in its original state and the degradation over its installed life. With the objective to enhance output and improve process performance, this factory and their primary lithography process tool supplier have been able to extend the usable life of the existing process tools, increase the output of the tool base, and improve the distribution of the CDs on the product produced. Texas Instruments Incorporated lead an investigation with the POLARIS ® Systems & Services business of FSI International to determine the sources of variance in the i-line processing of a wide array of IC device types. Data from the sources of variance were investigated such as PEB temp, PEB delay time, develop recipe, develop time, and develop programming. While PEB processes are a primary driver of acid catalyzed resists, the develop mode is shown in this work to have an overwhelming impact on the wafer to wafer and across wafer CD performance of these i-line processes. These changes have been able to improve the wafer to wafer CD distribution by more than 80 %, and the within wafer CD distribution by more than 50 % while enabling a greater than 50 % increase in lithography cluster throughput. The paper will discuss the contribution from each of the sources of variance and their importance in overall system performance.

  4. Extending mine life

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Anon.

    1984-01-01

    Mine layouts, new machines and techniques, research into problem areas of ground control and so on, are highlighted in this report on extending mine life. The main resources taken into account are coal mining, uranium mining, molybdenum and gold mining

  5. The Impact of Taxes on Competition for CEOs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Krenn, Peter

    2017-07-03

    This paper contributes to the question of how taxation of corporate profits and wages affects competition among firms for highly skilled human resources such as CEOs. Use of a theoretical model shows that wage taxes can have a substantial impact on the outcome of such a competition if marginal tax rates are different as in an international labor market. Further, the paper shows that increasing the wage tax rate unilaterally can have an ambiguous effect on observed gross compensation levels. However, in a local labor market for CEOs, observed gross fixed salaries should decline in the wage tax rate. Tax effects in a market for CEOs is a particularly interesting topic because recent developments with respect to compensation practices of top-level managers have opened a public debate about the use of instruments for regulating compensation of those managers. Furthermore, many countries around the world use tax incentives in order to facilitate immigration of highly skilled human resources. The investigation follows an analytical economics-based approach by extending an LEN model with elements of competition for scarce human resources and income taxation. It investigates the impact of differential taxation on the competition between two firms for the exclusive service of a unique, highly skilled CEO.

  6. An Agent-Based Simulation for Investigating the Impact of Stereotypes on Task-Oriented Group Formation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Maghami, Mahsa; Sukthankar, Gita

    In this paper, we introduce an agent-based simulation for investigating the impact of social factors on the formation and evolution of task-oriented groups. Task-oriented groups are created explicitly to perform a task, and all members derive benefits from task completion. However, even in cases when all group members act in a way that is locally optimal for task completion, social forces that have mild effects on choice of associates can have a measurable impact on task completion performance. In this paper, we show how our simulation can be used to model the impact of stereotypes on group formation. In our simulation, stereotypes are based on observable features, learned from prior experience, and only affect an agent's link formation preferences. Even without assuming stereotypes affect the agents' willingness or ability to complete tasks, the long-term modifications that stereotypes have on the agents' social network impair the agents' ability to form groups with sufficient diversity of skills, as compared to agents who form links randomly. An interesting finding is that this effect holds even in cases where stereotype preference and skill existence are completely uncorrelated.

  7. Playing, Debugging, Learning: A Proposal between Game and Instructional Designs via Extended Prototyping

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gandolfi, Enrico

    2018-01-01

    This article investigates the phenomenon of open and participative development (e.g. beta testing, Kickstarter projects)--i.e. extended prototyping--in digital entertainment as a potential source of insights for instructional interventions. Despite the increasing popularity of this practice and the potential implications for educators and…

  8. Extended resolvent and inverse scattering with an application to KPI

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Boiti, M.; Pempinelli, F.; Pogrebkov, A.K.; Prinari, B.

    2003-01-01

    We present in detail an extended resolvent approach for investigating linear problems associated to 2+1 dimensional integrable equations. Our presentation is based as an example on the nonstationary Schroedinger equation with potential being a perturbation of the one-soliton potential by means of a decaying two-dimensional function. Modification of the inverse scattering theory as well as properties of the Jost solutions and spectral data as follows from the resolvent approach are given

  9. Experimental investigation of extended Kalman Filter combined with carrier phase recovery for 16-QAM system

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shu, Tong; Li, Yan; Yu, Miao; Zhang, Yifan; Zhou, Honghang; Qiu, Jifang; Guo, Hongxiang; Hong, Xiaobin; Wu, Jian

    2018-02-01

    Performance of Extended Kalman Filter combined with the Viterbi-Viterbi phase estimation (VVPE-EKF) for joint phase noise mitigation and amplitude noise equalization is experimental demonstrated. Experimental results show that, for 11.2 Gbaud SP-16-QAM, the proposed VVPE-EKF achieves 0.9 dB required OSNR reduction at bit error ratio (BER) of 3.8e-3 compared to the VVPE. The result of maximum likelihood combined with VVPE (VVPE-ML) is only 0.3 dB. For 28 GBaud SP-16-QAM signal, VVPE-EKF achieves 3 dB required OSNR reduction at BER=3.8e-3 (7% HD-FEC threshold) compared to VVPE. And VVPE-ML can reduce the required OSNR for 1.7 dB compared to the VVPE. VVPE-EKF outperforms DD-EKF 3.7 dB and 0.7 dB for 11.2 GBaud and 28 GBaud system, respectively.

  10. Exciton localization-delocalization transition in an extended dendrimer

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Pouthier, Vincent, E-mail: vincent.pouthier@univ-fcomte.fr [Institut UTINAM, Université de Franche-Comté, CNRS UMR 6213, 25030 Besançon Cedex (France)

    2013-12-21

    Exciton-mediated quantum state transfer between the periphery and the core of an extended dendrimer is investigated numerically. By mapping the dynamics onto that of a linear chain, it is shown that a localization-delocalization transition arises for a critical value of the generation number G{sub c} ≈ 5. This transition originates in the quantum interferences experienced by the excitonic wave due to the multiple scatterings that arise each time the wave tunnels from one generation to another. These results suggest that only small-size dendrimers could be used for designing an efficient quantum communication protocol.

  11. Exciton localization-delocalization transition in an extended dendrimer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pouthier, Vincent

    2013-01-01

    Exciton-mediated quantum state transfer between the periphery and the core of an extended dendrimer is investigated numerically. By mapping the dynamics onto that of a linear chain, it is shown that a localization-delocalization transition arises for a critical value of the generation number G c ≈ 5. This transition originates in the quantum interferences experienced by the excitonic wave due to the multiple scatterings that arise each time the wave tunnels from one generation to another. These results suggest that only small-size dendrimers could be used for designing an efficient quantum communication protocol

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

    Science.gov (United States)

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

    2007-10-01

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

  13. Modelling the impact, spreading and freezing of a water droplet on horizontal and inclined superhydrophobic cooled surfaces

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yao, Yina; Li, Cong; Zhang, Hui; Yang, Rui

    2017-10-01

    It is quite important to clearly understand the dynamic and freezing process of water droplets impacting a cold substrate for the prevention of ice accretion. In this study, a three-dimensional model including an extended phase change method was developed on OpenFOAM platform to simulate the impact, spreading and freezing of a water droplet on a cooled solid substrate. Both normal and oblique impact conditions were studied numerically. The evolution of the droplet shape and dynamic characteristics such as area ratio and spread factor were compared between numerical and experimental results. Good agreements were obtained. The effects of Weber number and Ohnersorge number on the oblique impact and freezing process were investigated. A regime map which depicts the different responses of droplets as a function of normal Weber number and Ohnesorge number was obtained. Moreover, the impact, spreading and freezing behaviour of water droplets were analyzed in detail from the numerical results.

  14. Extended blackout mitigation strategy for PWR

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Prošek, Andrej; Volkanovski, Andrija

    2015-01-01

    Highlights: • Equipment for mitigation of the extended blackout is investigated. • Analysis is done with deterministic safety analysis methods. • Strategy to prevent core heatup and not overfill steam generator is proposed. • Six types of reactor coolant system loss scenarios are investigated. • Pump flowrates and available start time to feed steam generators is determined. - Abstract: The accident at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant demonstrated the vulnerability of the plants on the loss of electrical power and loss of the ultimate heat sink events. A set of measures are proposed and currently implemented in response of the accident at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant. Those measures include diverse and flexible mitigation strategies that increase the defence-in-depth for beyond-design-basis scenarios. Mitigation strategies are based on the utilization of the portable equipment to provide power and water to the nuclear power plants in order to maintain or restore key safety functions. The verification of the proposed measures with the plant specific safety analyses is endorsed in the mitigation strategies. This paper investigates utilization of the turbine driven auxiliary feedwater pump (TD-AFW) or portable water injection pump for the mitigation of the event of loss of all alternate current sources and batteries (extended station blackout). Methodology for assessment of the required pump injection flow rate with the application of the standard deterministic safety analysis code is developed and presented. The required injection rate to the steam generators is calculated from the cumulative water mass injected by the turbine driven auxiliary feedwater pump in the analysed scenarios, when desired normal level is maintained automatically. The developed methodology allows assessment of the required injections rates of pump, TD-AFW or portable, for different plant configurations and number of flow rate changes. The methodology is applied

  15. Extended blackout mitigation strategy for PWR

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Prošek, Andrej, E-mail: andrej.prosek@ijs.si; Volkanovski, Andrija, E-mail: andrija.volkanovski@ijs.si

    2015-12-15

    Highlights: • Equipment for mitigation of the extended blackout is investigated. • Analysis is done with deterministic safety analysis methods. • Strategy to prevent core heatup and not overfill steam generator is proposed. • Six types of reactor coolant system loss scenarios are investigated. • Pump flowrates and available start time to feed steam generators is determined. - Abstract: The accident at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant demonstrated the vulnerability of the plants on the loss of electrical power and loss of the ultimate heat sink events. A set of measures are proposed and currently implemented in response of the accident at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant. Those measures include diverse and flexible mitigation strategies that increase the defence-in-depth for beyond-design-basis scenarios. Mitigation strategies are based on the utilization of the portable equipment to provide power and water to the nuclear power plants in order to maintain or restore key safety functions. The verification of the proposed measures with the plant specific safety analyses is endorsed in the mitigation strategies. This paper investigates utilization of the turbine driven auxiliary feedwater pump (TD-AFW) or portable water injection pump for the mitigation of the event of loss of all alternate current sources and batteries (extended station blackout). Methodology for assessment of the required pump injection flow rate with the application of the standard deterministic safety analysis code is developed and presented. The required injection rate to the steam generators is calculated from the cumulative water mass injected by the turbine driven auxiliary feedwater pump in the analysed scenarios, when desired normal level is maintained automatically. The developed methodology allows assessment of the required injections rates of pump, TD-AFW or portable, for different plant configurations and number of flow rate changes. The methodology is applied

  16. Transversally extended string

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Akama, Keiichi

    1988-01-01

    Starting with the space-time action of the transversally extended string, we derive its world-sheet action, which is that of a gravitational and gauge theory with matter fields on the world-sheet, with additional effects of the second fundamental quantity. (author)

  17. Investigating the fall-injury reducing effect of impact absorbing flooring among female nursing home residents: initial results.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gustavsson, Johanna; Bonander, Carl; Andersson, Ragnar; Nilson, Finn

    2015-10-01

    Fall-related injuries affect the lives of elderly to a substantial degree. This quasi-experimental study investigates the fall-injury reducing effect of impact absorbing flooring among female nursing home residents. The intervention site is a nursing home in Sweden where impact absorbing flooring was installed in parts of one of six wards (six out of 10 apartments (excluding bathrooms), the communal dining-room and parts of the corridor). The impact absorbing flooring is a 12 mm thick closed cell flexible polyurethane/polyurea composite tile (500×500 mm) with an exterior surface of polyurethane/polyurea. A generalised linear model (log-binomial) was used to calculate the RR of injury from falls on impact absorbing flooring compared to falls on regular flooring, adjusted for age, body mass index, visual and cognitive impairments. During the study period (1 October 2011 to 31 March 2014), 254 falls occurred on regular flooring and 77 falls on impact absorbing flooring. The injury/fall rate was 30.3% for falls on regular flooring and 16.9% for falls on impact absorbing flooring. Adjusted for covariates, the impact absorbing flooring significantly reduced the RR of injury in the event of a fall by 59% (RR 0.41 (95% Cl 0.20 to 0.80)). This is, to our knowledge, the first study evaluating the injury-reducing effect of impact absorbing flooring in a nursing home showing statistically significant effect. The results from this study are promising, indicating the considerable potential of impact absorbing flooring as a fall-related injury intervention among frail elderly. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

  18. Extended Irreversible Thermodynamics

    CERN Document Server

    Jou, David

    2010-01-01

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

  19. Equilibrium and stability of relativistic stars in extended theories of gravity

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wojnar, Aneta [Maria Curie-Sklodowska University, Institute of Physics, Lublin (Poland); Univ. di Monte S. Angelo, Napoli (Italy); Universita' di Napoli Federico II, Complesso Universitario di Monte S. Angelo, Dipartimento di Fisica ' ' E. Pancini' ' , Naples (Italy); INFN, Napoli (Italy); Velten, Hermano [Universidade Federal do Espirito Santo (UFES), Vitoria (Brazil)

    2016-12-15

    We study static, spherically symmetric equilibrium configurations in extended theories of gravity (ETG) following the notation introduced by Capozziello et al. We calculate the differential equations for the stellar structure in such theories in a very generic form i.e., the Tolman-Oppenheimer-Volkoff generalization for any ETG is introduced. Stability analysis is also investigated with special focus on the particular example of scalar-tensor gravity. (orig.)

  20. Symmetric extendibility of quantum states

    OpenAIRE

    Nowakowski, Marcin L.

    2015-01-01

    Studies on symmetric extendibility of quantum states become especially important in a context of analysis of one-way quantum measures of entanglement, distilabillity and security of quantum protocols. In this paper we analyse composite systems containing a symmetric extendible part with a particular attention devoted to one-way security of such systems. Further, we introduce a new one-way monotone based on the best symmetric approximation of quantum state. We underpin those results with geome...

  1. Associations between Extending Access to Primary Care and Emergency Department Visits: A Difference-In-Differences Analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Whittaker, William; Anselmi, Laura; Kristensen, Søren Rud; Lau, Yiu-Shing; Bailey, Simon; Bower, Peter; Checkland, Katherine; Elvey, Rebecca; Rothwell, Katy; Stokes, Jonathan; Hodgson, Damian

    2016-09-01

    department visits (95% CI -6.4% to 0.2%). Our results were robust to several sensitivity checks. A lack of detailed cost reporting of the running costs of extended access and an inability to capture health outcomes and other health service impacts constrain the study from assessing the full cost-effectiveness of extended access to primary care. The study found that extending access was associated with a reduction in emergency department visits in the first 12 months. The results of the research have already informed the decision by National Health Service England to extend primary care access across Greater Manchester from 2016. However, further evidence is needed to understand whether extending primary care access is cost-effective and sustainable.

  2. Associations between Extending Access to Primary Care and Emergency Department Visits: A Difference-In-Differences Analysis.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    William Whittaker

    2016-09-01

    total emergency department visits (95% CI -6.4% to 0.2%. Our results were robust to several sensitivity checks. A lack of detailed cost reporting of the running costs of extended access and an inability to capture health outcomes and other health service impacts constrain the study from assessing the full cost-effectiveness of extended access to primary care.The study found that extending access was associated with a reduction in emergency department visits in the first 12 months. The results of the research have already informed the decision by National Health Service England to extend primary care access across Greater Manchester from 2016. However, further evidence is needed to understand whether extending primary care access is cost-effective and sustainable.

  3. THE IMPACT OF SELENIUM STATUS ON THE METABLISM AND DISPOSITION OF ARSENIC AND ITS IMPLICATIONS FOR EPIDEMIOLOGIC INVESTIGATIONS

    Science.gov (United States)

    The Impact of Selenium Status on the Metabolism and Disposition of Arsenic and Its Implications for Epidemiologic InvestigationsE. M. Kenyon1*, M.F. Hughes1, L.M. Del Razo2, and O.A. Levander31Office of Research and Development, Experimental Toxicology Division, N...

  4. Differences in chunking behavior between young and older adults diminish with extended practice

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Barnhoorn, J. S.; van Asseldonk, E. H.F.; Verwey, W. B.

    2017-01-01

    Previous research found reduced motor chunking behavior in older adults compared to young adults. However, it remains unclear whether older adults are unable to use a chunking strategy or whether they are just slower in developing them. Our goal was to investigate the effect of extended practice on

  5. Extended evolutionary psychology: the importance of transgenerational developmental plasticity

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Karola eStotz

    2014-08-01

    Full Text Available What kind mechanisms one deems central for the evolutionary process deeply influences one’s understanding of the nature of organisms, including cognition. Reversely, adopting a certain approach to the nature of life and cognition and the relationship between them or between the organism and its environment should affect one’s view of evolutionary theory. This paper explores this reciprocal relationship in more detail. In particular it argues that the view of living and cognitive systems, especially humans, as deeply integrated beings embedded in and transformed by their genetic, epigenetic (molecular and cellular, behavioral, ecological, socio-cultural and cognitive-symbolic legacies calls for an extended evolutionary synthesis that goes beyond either a theory of genes juxtaposed against a theory of cultural evolution and or even more sophisticated theories of gene-culture coevolution and niche construction. Environments, particularly in the form of developmental environments, do not just select for variation, they also create new variation by influencing development through the reliable transmission of non-genetic but heritable information. This paper stresses particularly views of embodied, embedded, enacted and extended cognition, and their relationship to those aspects of extended inheritance that lie between genetic and cultural inheritance, the still grey area of epigenetic and behavioral inheritance systems that play a role in parental effect. These are the processes that can be regarded as transgenerational developmental plasticity and that I think can most fruitfully contribute to, and be investigated by, developmental psychology.

  6. Extended evolutionary psychology: the importance of transgenerational developmental plasticity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stotz, Karola

    2014-01-01

    What kind mechanisms one deems central for the evolutionary process deeply influences one's understanding of the nature of organisms, including cognition. Reversely, adopting a certain approach to the nature of life and cognition and the relationship between them or between the organism and its environment should affect one's view of evolutionary theory. This paper explores this reciprocal relationship in more detail. In particular it argues that the view of living and cognitive systems, especially humans, as deeply integrated beings embedded in and transformed by their genetic, epigenetic (molecular and cellular), behavioral, ecological, socio-cultural and cognitive-symbolic legacies calls for an extended evolutionary synthesis that goes beyond either a theory of genes juxtaposed against a theory of cultural evolution and or even more sophisticated theories of gene-culture coevolution and niche construction. Environments, particularly in the form of developmental environments, do not just select for variation, they also create new variation by influencing development through the reliable transmission of non-genetic but heritable information. This paper stresses particularly views of embodied, embedded, enacted and extended cognition, and their relationship to those aspects of extended inheritance that lie between genetic and cultural inheritance, the still gray area of epigenetic and behavioral inheritance systems that play a role in parental effect. These are the processes that can be regarded as transgenerational developmental plasticity and that I think can most fruitfully contribute to, and be investigated by, developmental psychology.

  7. Women's experiences of recovery from childbirth: focus on pelvis problems that extend beyond the puerperium.

    Science.gov (United States)

    O'Reilly, Rebecca; Peters, Kath; Beale, Barbara; Jackson, Debra

    2009-07-01

    This study aimed to build understandings of women's recovery experiences in the presence of continued pelvic problems extending beyond the puerperium to provide nurses and other health care professionals with information to enhance current practice. Trauma to the pelvic floor during childbirth is a relatively common occurrence and can include damage to structures and nerves. A significant number of women will experience ongoing physical pelvic problems resulting from childbirth that extend past the puerperium; however, little is known about the experiential aspects of recovery for these women. A qualitative, phenomenological study. Narrative data were collected during conversational interviews with 10 mothers who had sustained pelvic injury during the birth process that persisted past the puerperium. Recruitment was via media releases and brochures distributed through childcare facilities. The data was analysed using Van Manen's thematic analysis. The themes that arose from the analysis were: 'fearing intimacy', 'managing an unpredictable body', 'being resigned' and 'feeling devalued and dismissed'. Pelvic injuries that extend beyond the postpartum period are distressing for women. They negatively affect women's views of themselves and have an impact on various aspects of life including intimate relationships and social activities. Currently, postpartum care may have a focus on baby rather than mother and this focus may impede women making full disclosures of ongoing health needs arising from their delivery. Findings of this study suggest that women may have specific needs that extend beyond the puerperium, indicating a need for continued holistic assessments and extending practice to identify and support women experiencing persistent pelvic postpartum complications.

  8. Population aging and the extended family in Taiwan

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    2004-05-01

    Full Text Available Population aging produces changes in the availability of kin with uncertain implications for extended living arrangements. We propose a highly stylized model that can be used to analyze and project age-specific proportions of adults living in extended and nuclear households. The model is applied to Taiwan using annual data from 1978-1998. We estimate cohort and age effects showing that more recently born cohorts of seniors are less likely to live in extended households, but that as seniors age the proportion living in extended households increases. The effect of individual aging has diminished over time, however. The proportion of non-senior adults living in extended households has increased steadily because changes in the age structure have increased the availability of older kin. The model is used to project living arrangements and we conclude that the proportion living in extended households will begin to decline gradually for both seniors and non-seniors. The extended family is becoming less important in Taiwan, but it is not on the way out.

  9. An extended L-curve method for choosing a regularization parameter in electrical resistance tomography

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Xu, Yanbin; Pei, Yang; Dong, Feng

    2016-01-01

    The L-curve method is a popular regularization parameter choice method for the ill-posed inverse problem of electrical resistance tomography (ERT). However the method cannot always determine a proper parameter for all situations. An investigation into those situations where the L-curve method failed show that a new corner point appears on the L-curve and the parameter corresponding to the new corner point can obtain a satisfactory reconstructed solution. Thus an extended L-curve method, which determines the regularization parameter associated with either global corner or the new corner, is proposed. Furthermore, two strategies are provided to determine the new corner–one is based on the second-order differential of L-curve, and the other is based on the curvature of L-curve. The proposed method is examined by both numerical simulations and experimental tests. And the results indicate that the extended method can handle the parameter choice problem even in the case where the typical L-curve method fails. Finally, in order to reduce the running time of the method, the extended method is combined with a projection method based on the Krylov subspace, which was able to boost the extended L-curve method. The results verify that the speed of the extended L-curve method is distinctly improved. The proposed method extends the application of the L-curve in the field of choosing regularization parameter with an acceptable running time and can also be used in other kinds of tomography. (paper)

  10. The management of schizophrenia: focus on extended-release quetiapine fumarate

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Peuskens J

    2011-09-01

    Full Text Available Joseph Peuskens Universitair Psychiatrisch Centrum KU Leuven, Campus St Jozef Kortenberg, Kortenberg, Belgium Abstract: Effective management of schizophrenia remains a significant clinical challenge. While antipsychotic medications have proven efficacy in this disease, there remains an opportunity to further improve symptom control and long-term relapse prevention. Also, a number of factors, including tolerability and complex dosing regimens, can result in nonadherence to medication. Quetiapine is an atypical antipsychotic with proven efficacy and an established tolerability profile in schizophrenia. The once-daily extended-release formulation (quetiapine XR offers a simplified dosing regimen and titration schedule. Short-term clinical studies have shown that quetiapine XR (400–800 mg/d is efficacious in the acute treatment of schizophrenia, while a long-term study has shown that quetiapine XR was significantly more effective than placebo at preventing relapse. Furthermore, an investigation in which stable patients switched from the immediate-release formulation (quetiapine IR to quetiapine XR showed that quetiapine XR is generally well tolerated and has no loss of efficacy compared with quetiapine IR. In patients who experienced insufficient efficacy or poor tolerability on their previous antipsychotic, switching to quetiapine XR significantly improved efficacy compared with the previous treatment. In conclusion, quetiapine XR is an effective and generally well tolerated treatment for schizophrenia. Furthermore, once-daily dosing may improve patient adherence, which may impact positively on patient outcomes. Keywords: adherence, atypical antipsychotics, adverse events

  11. Deep repository and encapsulation plant for spent nuclear fuel. Consultation and environmental impact assessment according to the Environmental Code and the Nuclear Activities Act

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2002-11-01

    As a part of its programme for siting of a deep repository for spent nuclear fuel, SKB has recently commenced site investigations at Forsmark in Oesthammar Municipality and at Simpevarp in Oskarshamn Municipality. At the same time, SKB has initiated the consultation process prior to application for permits/licences under the Environmental Code and the Nuclear Activities Act. Early consultation has been carried out for both sites, and a consultation report has been submitted to the county administrative boards in Kalmar County and Uppsala County for decisions regarding significant environmental impact. After decisions by the county administrative boards, SKB will commence the work with environmental impact assessment and extended consultation. SKB's main alternative for the encapsulation plant is siting adjacent to CLAB. In the spring of 2003, SKB will convene early consultation on the encapsulation plant. This will be followed by extended consultation up to 2005. This process will be coordinated with the extended consultation for a deep repository in Oskarshamn. An alternative is to locate the encapsulation plant at a deep repository at Forsmark. This alternative is being dealt with completely within the extended consultation for the deep repository at Forsmark. Three different permits/licences are required for both the encapsulation plant and the deep repository: a permit under the Environmental Code, a licence under the Nuclear Activities Act, and a building permit under the Planning and Building Act. Licensing under the Environmental Code and the Nuclear Activities Act takes place in parallel. The applications under both laws must include an environmental impact statement (EIS) prepared according to the rules in Chapter 6 of the Environmental Code. The same EIS is thus used in both applications. Separate EISs are prepared for the encapsulation plant and the deep repository. According to the Environmental Code, the consultation shall relate to the location, scope

  12. Topological defects in extended inflation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

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

    1990-04-01

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

  13. Some problems with extended inflation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Weinberg, E.J.

    1989-01-01

    The recently proposed extended inflation scenario is examined. Upper bounds on the Brans-Dicke parameter ω are obtained by requiring that the recovery from the supercooled regime be such that the presently observed Universe could have emerged. These bounds are well below the present-day experimental limits, implying that one must use models which have a potential to fix the present value of the Brans-Dicke-like scalar field. The implications for extended inflation in such models are discussed

  14. Topological defects in extended inflation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

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

    1990-01-01

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

  15. Microstructural characterization of Charpy-impact-tested nanostructured bainite

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Tsai, Y.T.; Chang, H.T.; Huang, B.M. [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10617, Taiwan, ROC (China); Huang, C.Y. [Iron and Steel R& D Department, China Steel Corporation, Kaohsiung, Taiwan, ROC (China); Yang, J.R., E-mail: jryang@ntu.edu.tw [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10617, Taiwan, ROC (China)

    2015-09-15

    In this work, a possible cause of the extraordinary low impact toughness of nanostructured bainite has been investigated. The microstructure of nanostructured bainite consisted chiefly of carbide-free bainitic ferrite with retained austenite films. X-ray diffractometry (XRD) measurement indicated that no retained austenite existed in the fractured surface of the Charpy-impact-tested specimens. Fractographs showed that cracks propagated mainly along bainitic ferrite platelet boundaries. The change in microstructure after impact loading was verified by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) observations, confirming that retained austenite was completely transformed to strain-induced martensite during the Charpy impact test. However, the zone affected by strained-induced martensite was found to be extremely shallow, only to a depth of several micrometers from the fracture surface. It is appropriately concluded that upon impact, as the crack forms and propagates, strain-induced martensitic transformation immediately occurs ahead of the advancing crack tip. The successive martensitic transformation profoundly facilitates the crack propagation, resulting in the extremely low impact toughness of nanostructured bainite. Retained austenite, in contrast to its well-known beneficial role, has a deteriorating effect on toughness during the course of Charpy impact. - Highlights: • The microstructure of nanostructured bainite consisted of nano-sized bainitic ferrite subunits with retained austenite films. • Special sample preparations for SEM, XRD and TEM were made, and the strain-affected structures have been explored. • Retained austenite films were found to transform into martensite after impact loading, as evidenced by XRD and TEM results. • The zone of strain-induced martensite was found to extend to only several micrometers from the fracture surface. • The poor Charpy impact toughness is associated with the fracture of martensite at a high strain rate during

  16. Extended resolvent and inverse scattering with an application to KPI

    Science.gov (United States)

    Boiti, M.; Pempinelli, F.; Pogrebkov, A. K.; Prinari, B.

    2003-08-01

    We present in detail an extended resolvent approach for investigating linear problems associated to 2+1 dimensional integrable equations. Our presentation is based as an example on the nonstationary Schrödinger equation with potential being a perturbation of the one-soliton potential by means of a decaying two-dimensional function. Modification of the inverse scattering theory as well as properties of the Jost solutions and spectral data as follows from the resolvent approach are given.

  17. An Empirical Investigation of the Impact of the Anchor and Adjustment Heuristic on the Audit Judgment Process

    Science.gov (United States)

    1988-01-01

    Pe ~ ** . . . ’ S .- ..% - - -- - - An Empirical Investigation of the Impact of the Anchor and Adjustment Heuristic on the Audit Judgment Process A...1 Introduction ....... ............... 1 Audit Opinion Process ... ............ 2 Professional Judgment ..... ........... 5 Heuristics in the Audit Process...to evaluating the results of analytic reviews and internal control compliance tests (Felix and Kinney 1982, also Libby 1981). Decomposing the audit opinion

  18. Method for investigating management impact to causes and consequences of specific hazards MIMIX

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Heikkilae, J; Rouhiainen, V; Suokas, J [VTT Manufacturing Technology, Tampere (Finland). Safety Engineering; Rasmussen, B [Risoe National Lab., Roskilde (Denmark)

    1996-12-31

    Method for Investigating Management Impact to Causes and Consequences of Specific Hazards (MIMIX) is a new method for the identification of deficiencies in managerial means and practices used for maintaining and improving safety in a plant. MIMIX is a part of TOMHID methodology which is aimed for overall identification of hazards in a chemical plant. However, MIMIX can be used independently. This report includes guidelines for carrying out a MIMIX analysis. Some experiences from TOMHID analysis case studies, forms and other supporting material (appendix A) and an example of the preparation of incident scenarios (appendix B) are also included in the report. MIMIX consists of three main stages: preparation of incident scenarios, worker interviews and management interviews. A couple of incident scenarios are prepared to support the worker interviews. In each worker interview, such undesired conditions in the plant which promote errors and violations affecting the incident described in a scenario are identified. Deficiencies in managerial means and practices used for correcting the identified undesired conditions are investigated with management interviews. (author)

  19. Method for investigating management impact to causes and consequences of specific hazards MIMIX

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Heikkilae, J.; Rouhiainen, V.; Suokas, J. [VTT Manufacturing Technology, Tampere (Finland). Safety Engineering; Rasmussen, B. [Risoe National Lab., Roskilde (Denmark)

    1995-12-31

    Method for Investigating Management Impact to Causes and Consequences of Specific Hazards (MIMIX) is a new method for the identification of deficiencies in managerial means and practices used for maintaining and improving safety in a plant. MIMIX is a part of TOMHID methodology which is aimed for overall identification of hazards in a chemical plant. However, MIMIX can be used independently. This report includes guidelines for carrying out a MIMIX analysis. Some experiences from TOMHID analysis case studies, forms and other supporting material (appendix A) and an example of the preparation of incident scenarios (appendix B) are also included in the report. MIMIX consists of three main stages: preparation of incident scenarios, worker interviews and management interviews. A couple of incident scenarios are prepared to support the worker interviews. In each worker interview, such undesired conditions in the plant which promote errors and violations affecting the incident described in a scenario are identified. Deficiencies in managerial means and practices used for correcting the identified undesired conditions are investigated with management interviews. (author)

  20. Calculation of forces arising from impacting projectiles upon yielding structures

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Drittler, K.; Gruner, P.; Krivy, J.

    1977-01-01

    Calculations concerning the impact of airplanes upon nuclear power plant buildings usually imply that the building 'acts' as a rigid target. This assumption is justified for considerations concerning the structural integrity of the building being hit. However, for investigating induced vibrations of components within the structure, this approach might -in general- be too conservative. It is expected, that yielding of the structure during impact reduces the peak values of the loads and changes the temporal behavior of the load function which is obtained for a rigid target. To calculate the changes of the load function which are due to deformations of the structure, Riera's method is extended for the case of a yielding target. In view of the applications of the calculations to the impact of airplanes upon buildings which are constructed to withstand loads of this kind without serious damage and without large deformations, it is possible to simplify the calculations to some extent. That is, the investigations need not take into account in detail the behavior of the target during impact. The calculations are performed with a one-dimensional model for the projectile. The direction of impact is perpendicular to the target surface; direction of impact and projectile axis coincide. The calculations were performed for several initial velocities of the projectiles simulating a fast flying military airplane. Variations of the peak values of the load functions as compared to corresponding values for a rigid target do not exceed about 10%. The overall temporal behavior of the load curves turns out to be not very sensitive to the yielding of the target, though, in some cases displacements in time of the peak positions within a single load curve do arise

  1. Simultaneous nephrectomy and coronary artery bypass grafting through extended sternotomy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Budrikis Algimantas

    2012-08-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The advances in surgical techniques, resuscitation and anesthesiology support over the last years have allowed simultaneous thoracic and abdominal operations to be made for cancer and concomitant severe heart vessel disease relieving the patient from several diseases simultaneously and achieving long lasting remission or cure. Clinical case A simultaneous nephrectomy and coronary artery bypass grafting procedure through extended sternotomy is reported. A 63-year-old man with severe coronary artery disease was found to have renal carcinoma. Diagnosis Postoperative pathological investigation of the tumor revealed the presence of renal cell carcinoma pT3a N0 M0, G2. Coronarography revealed advanced three-vessel coronary artery disease. Treatment We successfully performed a simultaneous curative surgery for renal carcinoma and coronary artery bypass graft surgery under cardiopulmonary bypass using a novel technique of extended sternotomy. Simultaneous surgery thus appears to be a beneficial and safe approach for the treatment of coronary artery disease and resectable renal cancer in carefully selected patients.

  2. Impact of empirical treatment in extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing Escherichia coli and Klebsiella spp. bacteremia. A multicentric cohort study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Peralta Galo

    2012-10-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The objective of this study is to analyze the factors that are associated with the adequacy of empirical antibiotic therapy and its impact in mortality in a large cohort of patients with extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL - producing Escherichia coli and Klebsiella spp. bacteremia. Methods Cases of ESBL producing Enterobacteriaceae (ESBL-E bacteremia collected from 2003 through 2008 in 19 hospitals in Spain. Statistical analysis was performed using multivariate logistic regression. Results We analyzed 387 cases ESBL-E bloodstream infections. The main sources of bacteremia were urinary tract (55.3%, biliary tract (12.7%, intra-abdominal (8.8% and unknown origin (9.6%. Among all the 387 episodes, E. coli was isolated from blood cultures in 343 and in 45.71% the ESBL-E was multidrug resistant. Empirical antibiotic treatment was adequate in 48.8% of the cases and the in hospital mortality was 20.9%. In a multivariate analysis adequacy was a risk factor for death [adjusted OR (95% CI: 0.39 (0.31-0.97; P = 0.04], but not in patients without severe sepsis or shock. The class of antibiotic used empirically was not associated with prognosis in adequately treated patients. Conclusion ESBL-E bacteremia has a relatively high mortality that is partly related with a low adequacy of empirical antibiotic treatment. In selected subgroups the relevance of the adequacy of empirical therapy is limited.

  3. Social Isolation in Later Life: Extending the Conversation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Weldrick, Rachel; Grenier, Amanda

    2018-03-01

    As Canada's population continues to age, social isolation among older people is a growing concern and national-level priority. Although much is known about individual-level risks and negative health outcomes associated with social isolation in later life, the impact of life course trajectories and the more collective experiences are seldom considered. Current definitions and program responses tend to rely on individualized approaches to social isolation. Here, we argue that the conversation be extended to consider the social and cultural aspects of social isolation among older people. Specifically, we suggest that definitions and approaches consider three particular dimensions: temporal factors, spatial factors, and the relationship between social isolation and exclusion. Doing so, we argue, would result in a more inclusive approach to social isolation in late life, and the development of capacity to address social isolation among a wide range of older people, particularly the needs of vulnerable or marginalized groups.

  4. Extending Database Integration Technology

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Buneman, Peter

    1999-01-01

    Formal approaches to the semantics of databases and database languages can have immediate and practical consequences in extending database integration technologies to include a vastly greater range...

  5. Extended artistic appreciation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wilson, Robert A

    2013-04-01

    I propose that in at least some cases, objects of artistic appreciation are best thought of not simply as causes of artistic appreciation, but as parts of the cognitive machinery that drives aesthetic appreciation. In effect, this is to say that aesthetic appreciation operates via extended cognitive systems.

  6. Investigation of polyelectrolyte desorption by single molecule force spectroscopy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Friedsam, C; Seitz, M; Gaub, H E

    2004-01-01

    Single molecule force spectroscopy has evolved into a powerful method for the investigation of intra- and intermolecular interactions at the level of individual molecules. Many examples, including the investigation of the dynamic properties of complex biological systems as well as the properties of covalent bonds or intermolecular transitions within individual polymers, are reported in the literature. The technique has recently been extended to the systematic investigation of desorption processes of individual polyelectrolyte molecules adsorbed on generic surfaces. The stable covalent attachment of polyelectrolyte molecules to the AFM-tip provides the possibility of performing long-term measurements with the same set of molecules and therefore allows the in situ observation of the impact of environmental changes on the adsorption behaviour of individual molecules. Different types of interactions, e.g. electrostatic or hydrophobic interactions, that determine the adsorption process could be identified and characterized. The experiments provided valuable details that help to understand the nature and the properties of non-covalent interactions, which is helpful with regard to biological systems as well as for technical applications. Apart from this, desorption experiments can be utilized to characterize the properties of surfaces or polymer coatings. Therefore they represent a versatile tool that can be further developed in terms of various aspects

  7. Investigating the biological impacts of nanoengineered materials in Caenorhabditis elegans and in vitro

    Science.gov (United States)

    Contreras, Elizabeth Quevedo

    In nematode Caenorhabditis elegans, the chronic and multi-generational toxicological effects of commercially relevant engineered nanoparticles (ENPs), such as quantum dots (QDs) and silver (AgNP) caused significant changes in a number of physiological endpoints. The increased water-solubility of ENPs in commercial products, for example, makes them increasingly bioavailable to terrestrial organisms exposed to pollution and waste in the soil. Since 2008, attention to the toxicology of nanomaterials in C. elegans continues to grow. Quantitative data on multiple physiological endpoints paired with metal analysis show the uptake of QDs and AgNPs, and their effects on nematode fitness. First, C. elegans were exposed for four generations through feeding to amphiphilic polymer coated CdSe/ZnS (core-shell QDs), CdSe (core QDs), and different sizes of AgNPs. These ENPs were readily ingested. QDs were qualitatively imaged in the digestive tract using a fluorescence microscopy and their and AgNP uptake quantitatively measured using ICP-MS. Each generation was analyzed for changes in lifespan, reproduction, growth and motility using an automated computer vision system. Core-shell QDs had little impact on C. elegans due to its metal shell coating. In contrast, core QDs lacked a metal shell coating, which caused significant changes to nematode physiology. iii In the same way, at high concentrations of 100 ppm, AgNP caused the most adverse effect to lifespan and reproduction related to particle size, but its adverse effect to motility had no correlation to particle size. Using C. elegans as an animal model allowed for a better understanding of the negative impacts of ENPs than with cytotoxicity tests. Lastly, to test the toxicity of water-dispersed fullerene (nanoC60) using human dermal fibroblast cells, this thesis investigated a suite of assays and methods in order to establish a standard set of cytotoxicity tests. Ten assays and methods assessed nanoC60 samples of different

  8. Collection and valuation of numerical models with the aim to investigate the impact of aircraft emissions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dameris, M.

    1993-01-01

    Numerical models which are used to simulate the dynamics and chemistry of the Earth atmosphere are an important expedient to improve the knowledge of atmospheric processes. With such models it is possible to investigate single effects separately and to estimate their meaning for the whole system. It is possible to make sensitivity studies as well as calculations of different scenarios. This paper aims to describe different models which are available in the present time and which can be used for investigations dealing with the impact of aircraft emission on the Earth climate. Actual deficits of the modelling of atmospheric processes are discussed and the subsequent conclusions are presented. (orig.) 49 refs [de

  9. Spatially Extended Habitat Modification by Intertidal Reef-Building Bivalves has Implications for Consumer-Resource Interactions

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van der Zee, E.M.; van der Heide, T.; Donadi, S.; Eklöf, J.S.; Eriksson, B.K.; Olff, H.; van der Veer, H.W.; Piersma, T.

    2012-01-01

    Ecosystem engineers can strongly modify habitat structure and resource availability across space. In theory, this should alter the spatial distributions of trophically interacting species. In this article, we empirically investigated the importance of spatially extended habitat modification by

  10. Spatially extended habitat modification by intertidal reef-building bivalves has implications for consumer-resource interactions

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van der Zee, Els M.; van der Heide, Tjisse; Donadi, Serena; Eklöf, Johan S.; Eriksson, Britas Klemens; Olff, Han; van der Veer, Henk W.; Piersma, Theunis

    Ecosystem engineers can strongly modify habitat structure and resource availability across space. In theory, this should alter the spatial distributions of trophically interacting species. In this article, we empirically investigated the importance of spatially extended habitat modification by

  11. The extended Betz-Lanchester limit

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Cuerva, A.; Sanz-Andres, A. [Universidad Politecnica de Madrid (Spain). IDR/UPM, E.T.S.I.

    2005-04-01

    A proposal for an extended formulation of the power coefficient of a wind turbine is presented. This new formulation is a generalization of the Betz-Lanchester expression for the power coefficient as function of the axial deceleration of the wind speed provoked by the wind turbine in operation. The extended power coefficient takes into account the benefits of the power produced and the cost associated to the production of this energy. By the simple model proposed is evidenced that the purely energetic optimum operation condition giving rise to the Betz-Lanchester limit (maximum energy produced) does not coincide with the global optimum operational condition (maximum benefit generated) if cost of energy and degradation of the wind turbine during operation is considered. The new extended power coefficient is a general parameter useful to define global optimum operation conditions for wind turbines, considering not only the energy production but also the maintenance cost and the economic cost associated to the life reduction of the machine. (author)

  12. Planning of the Extended Reach well Dieksand 2; Planung der Extended Reach Bohrung Dieksand 2

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Frank, U.; Berners, H. [RWE-DEA AG, Hamburg (Germany). Drilling Team Mittelplate und Dieksand; Hadow, A.; Klop, G.; Sickinger, W. [Wintershall AG Erdoelwerke, Barnstdorf (Germany); Sudron, K.

    1998-12-31

    The Mittelplate oil field is located 7 km offshore the town of Friedrichskoog. Reserves are estimated at 30 million tonnes of oil. At a production rate of 2,500 t/d, it will last about 33 years. The transport capacity of the offshore platform is limited, so that attempts were made to enhance production by constructing the extended reach borehole Dieksand 2. Details are presented. (orig.) [Deutsch] Das Erdoelfeld Mittelplate liegt am suedlichen Rand des Nationalparks Schleswig Holsteinisches Wattenmeer, ca. 7000 m westlich der Ortschaft Friedrichskoog. Die gewinnbaren Reserven betragen ca. 30 Millionen t Oel. Bei einer Foerderkapazitaet von 2.500 t/Tag betraegt die Foerderdauer ca. 33 Jahre. Aufgrund der begrenzten Transportkapazitaeten von der Insel, laesst sich durch zusaetzliche Bohrungen von der kuenstlichen Insel Mittelplate keine entscheidende Erhoehung der Foerderkapazitaet erzielen. Ab Sommer 1996 wurde erstmals die Moeglichkeit der Lagerstaettenerschliessung von Land untersucht. Ein im Mai 1997 in Hamburg etabliertes Drilling Team wurde mit der Aufgabe betraut, die Extended Reach Bohrung Dieksand 2 zu planen und abzuteufen. Die Planungsphasen fuer die Extended Reach Bohrung Dieksand 2 wurden aufgezeigt. Die fuer den Erfolg einer Extended Reach Bohrung wichtigen Planungsparameter wurden erlaeutert. Es wurden Wege gezeigt, wie bei diesem Projekt technische und geologische Risiken in der Planung mit beruecksichtigt und nach Beginn der Bohrung weiter bearbeitet werden koennen. (orig.)

  13. A Bonner Sphere Spectrometer with extended response matrix

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Birattari, C. [University of Milan, Department of Physics, Via Celoria 16, 20133 Milan (Italy); Dimovasili, E.; Mitaroff, A. [CERN, 1211 Geneva 23 (Switzerland); Silari, M., E-mail: marco.silari@cern.c [CERN, 1211 Geneva 23 (Switzerland)

    2010-08-21

    This paper describes the design, calibration and applications at high-energy accelerators of an extended-range Bonner Sphere neutron Spectrometer (BSS). The BSS was designed by the FLUKA Monte Carlo code, investigating several combinations of materials and diameters of the moderators for the high-energy channels. The system was calibrated at PTB in Braunschweig, Germany, using monoenergetic neutron beams in the energy range 144 keV-19 MeV. It was subsequently tested with Am-Be source neutrons and in the simulated workplace neutron field at CERF (the CERN-EU high-energy reference field facility). Since 2002, it has been employed for neutron spectral measurements around CERN accelerators.

  14. A Bonner Sphere Spectrometer with extended response matrix

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Birattari, C.; Dimovasili, E.; Mitaroff, A.; Silari, M.

    2010-01-01

    This paper describes the design, calibration and applications at high-energy accelerators of an extended-range Bonner Sphere neutron Spectrometer (BSS). The BSS was designed by the FLUKA Monte Carlo code, investigating several combinations of materials and diameters of the moderators for the high-energy channels. The system was calibrated at PTB in Braunschweig, Germany, using monoenergetic neutron beams in the energy range 144 keV-19 MeV. It was subsequently tested with Am-Be source neutrons and in the simulated workplace neutron field at CERF (the CERN-EU high-energy reference field facility). Since 2002, it has been employed for neutron spectral measurements around CERN accelerators.

  15. A Bonner Sphere Spectrometer with extended response matrix

    Science.gov (United States)

    Birattari, C.; Dimovasili, E.; Mitaroff, A.; Silari, M.

    2010-08-01

    This paper describes the design, calibration and applications at high-energy accelerators of an extended-range Bonner Sphere neutron Spectrometer (BSS). The BSS was designed by the FLUKA Monte Carlo code, investigating several combinations of materials and diameters of the moderators for the high-energy channels. The system was calibrated at PTB in Braunschweig, Germany, using monoenergetic neutron beams in the energy range 144 keV-19 MeV. It was subsequently tested with Am-Be source neutrons and in the simulated workplace neutron field at CERF (the CERN-EU high-energy reference field facility). Since 2002, it has been employed for neutron spectral measurements around CERN accelerators.

  16. Extended inflation from higher-dimensional theories

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

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

    1991-01-01

    We consider the possibility that higher-dimensional theories may, upon reduction to four dimensions, allow extended inflation to occur. We analyze two separate models. One is a very simple toy model consisting of higher-dimensional gravity coupled to a scalar field whose potential allows for a first-order phase transition. The other is a more sophisticated model incorporating the effects of nontrivial field configurations (monopole, Casimir, and fermion bilinear condensate effects) that yield a nontrivial potential for the radius of the internal space. We find that extended inflation does not occur in these models. We also find that the bubble nucleation rate in these theories is time dependent unlike the case in the original version of extended inflation

  17. Plications of extended ultra-violet circular dichroism spectroscopy in biology and medicine.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jones, Gareth R; Clarke, David T

    2004-01-01

    Deep ultra-violet circular dichroism is fast becoming an important technique in structural biology. The exponential increase in the number of protein structures deposited in the Protein Data Bank together with programs that extract protein secondary structure from atomic coordinates and the advancement of the software to analyse circular dichroic spectra, have revolutionised the technique. In addition, the extended short wavelength data afforded by synchrotron radiation is set to have a major impact on the development of the area. We have selected three diverse areas of research and development in the biomedical sciences to illustrate the ubiquity of the technique for future applications in the area of biomedical research. For example, the high flux of synchrotron radiation has provided a gold standard for the assay of the lipoprotein HDL in serum which has been proven to reverse the effects of coronary heart disease. In a second example, the high flux of synchrotron radiation enables the recording of millisecond data during the conformational changes in proteins over their spectrum, mapping out changes to protein secondary structure and thus providing absolute structural measurements in the millisecond time regime. In the third example, subtle conformational changes are interpreted from the extended CD spectra on protein drug binding, distinguishing between induced binding effects and the conformational changes in the target protein. The strengths and weaknesses of extended ultra-violet circular dichroism using synchrotron radiation are discussed using these examples as a template.

  18. EAES: Extended Advanced Encryption Standard with Extended Security

    OpenAIRE

    Abul Kalam Azad; Md. Yamin Mollah

    2018-01-01

    Though AES is the highest secure symmetric cipher at present, many attacks are now effective against AES too which is seen from the review of recent attacks of AES. This paper describes an extended AES algorithm with key sizes of 256, 384 and 512 bits with round numbers of 10, 12 and 14 respectively. Data block length is 128 bits, same as AES. But unlike AES each round of encryption and decryption of this proposed algorithm consists of five stages except the last one which consists of four st...

  19. Development of an efficient and compact range extender engine; Entwicklung eines effizienten und kompakten Range-Extender-Motors

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Mahr, Bernd; Bassett, Mike; Hall, Jonathan; Warth, Marco [Mahle Powertrain Ltd., Northampton (United Kingdom)

    2011-10-15

    Mahle Powertrain has developed a compact, two-cylinder, spark-ignition engine that is specifically designed to be used as a range extender. Drive-cycle simulations and engine tests indicate that a range-extended vehicle using this engine would achieve a significant reduction in fuel consumption and tail-pipe CO{sub 2} levels. (orig.)

  20. Particle Acceleration in Mildly Relativistic Shearing Flows: The Interplay of Systematic and Stochastic Effects, and the Origin of the Extended High-energy Emission in AGN Jets

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Liu, Ruo-Yu; Rieger, F. M.; Aharonian, F. A., E-mail: ruoyu@mpi-hd.mpg.de, E-mail: frank.rieger@mpi-hd.mpg.de, E-mail: aharon@mpi-hd.mpg.de [Max-Planck-Institut für Kernphysik, Saupfercheckweg 1, D-69117 Heidelberg (Germany)

    2017-06-10

    The origin of the extended X-ray emission in the large-scale jets of active galactic nuclei (AGNs) poses challenges to conventional models of acceleration and emission. Although electron synchrotron radiation is considered the most feasible radiation mechanism, the formation of the continuous large-scale X-ray structure remains an open issue. As astrophysical jets are expected to exhibit some turbulence and shearing motion, we here investigate the potential of shearing flows to facilitate an extended acceleration of particles and evaluate its impact on the resultant particle distribution. Our treatment incorporates systematic shear and stochastic second-order Fermi effects. We show that for typical parameters applicable to large-scale AGN jets, stochastic second-order Fermi acceleration, which always accompanies shear particle acceleration, can play an important role in facilitating the whole process of particle energization. We study the time-dependent evolution of the resultant particle distribution in the presence of second-order Fermi acceleration, shear acceleration, and synchrotron losses using a simple Fokker–Planck approach and provide illustrations for the possible emergence of a complex (multicomponent) particle energy distribution with different spectral branches. We present examples for typical parameters applicable to large-scale AGN jets, indicating the relevance of the underlying processes for understanding the extended X-ray emission and the origin of ultrahigh-energy cosmic rays.

  1. Impact of Prolonged Blood Incubation and Extended Serum Storage at Room Temperature on the Human Serum Metabolome

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Beate Kamlage

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Metabolomics is a powerful technology with broad applications in life science that, like other -omics approaches, requires high-quality samples to achieve reliable results and ensure reproducibility. Therefore, along with quality assurance, methods to assess sample quality regarding pre-analytical confounders are urgently needed. In this study, we analyzed the response of the human serum metabolome to pre-analytical variations comprising prolonged blood incubation and extended serum storage at room temperature by using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS -based metabolomics. We found that the prolonged incubation of blood results in a statistically significant 20% increase and 4% decrease of 225 tested serum metabolites. Extended serum storage affected 21% of the analyzed metabolites (14% increased, 7% decreased. Amino acids and nucleobases showed the highest percentage of changed metabolites in both confounding conditions, whereas lipids were remarkably stable. Interestingly, the amounts of taurine and O-phosphoethanolamine, which have both been discussed as biomarkers for various diseases, were 1.8- and 2.9-fold increased after 6 h of blood incubation. Since we found that both are more stable in ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA blood, EDTA plasma should be the preferred metabolomics matrix.

  2. An Investigation of the Impact of an Intervention to Reduce Academic Procrastination Using Short Message Service (SMS) Technology

    Science.gov (United States)

    Davis, Darrel R.; Abbitt, Jason T.

    2013-01-01

    This mixed-method pilot study investigated the impact of a custom Short Message Service (SMS) reminder system developed to help students reduce procrastination and increase performance on weekly content-related quizzes in a high-enrollment hybrid online course. Text message reminders were sent to three students with high procrastination and low…

  3. Investigation of the impact of dose fluctuations on tumour control

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zavgorodni, S.F.; Royal Adelaide Hospital,; Booth, J.; Adelaide University,; Rosenfeld, A.

    2001-01-01

    Full text: The importance of spatial uniformity of the dose across the Planning Target Volume (PTV) has been investigated previously with the conclusion stated in 'uniform dose theorem' concluding that the uniform dose results in the highest Tumour Control Probability (TCP). The dose fluctuations, which appear in fractionated treatments as a result of setup errors, organ motion, treatment machine calibration and other reasons can be seen as temporal dose non-uniformity. The intuitive expectation, that the temporal dose non-uniformity would also reduce TCP, has been tested. The impact of temporal dose non-uniformity has been investigated considering intra and inter-treatment dose fluctuations. The dose was considered to be spatially uniform. The convolution technique was used and analytical expression of TCP accounting for the dose fluctuation has also been derived. Both techniques used Probability Density Function (PDF) to account for the dose fluctuations. The dose fluctuations with PDF symmetrical around its mean value (Gaussian) as well as non-symmetrical PDFs were both investigated. The symmetrical PDFs represented the fluctuations, which appear in the whole PTV as a result of day to day variation in treatment machine output. Non-symmetrical PDFs represented the dose fluctuations at the edges of PTV as a result of setup errors and organ motion. The effect of the dose fluctuations has been expressed in terms of an extra dose δ (positive or negative) which should be added to the value of temporally uniform dose in order to provide the same TCP as the one resulting from temporally non-uniform (fluctuating) dose. Intra-treatment dose fluctuations resulted in an increased TCP, though the effect is relatively small (δ<1 Gy for the treatment dose of 60 Gy). However, inter-treatment fluctuations of the dose reduced TCP for a patient population. The size of effect increases with the standard deviation of the PDF. Random ultra-treatment dose fluctuations resulted in

  4. Extending the Impact of RAC1b Overexpression to Follicular Thyroid Carcinomas

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Márcia Faria

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available RAC1b is a hyperactive variant of the small GTPase RAC1 known to be a relevant molecular player in different cancers. Previous studies from our group lead to the evidence that its overexpression in papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC is associated with an unfavorable prognosis. In the present study, we intended to extend the analysis of RAC1b expression to thyroid follicular neoplasms and to seek for clinical correlations. RAC1b expression levels were determined by RT-qPCR in thyroid follicular tumor samples comprising 23 follicular thyroid carcinomas (FTCs and 33 follicular thyroid adenomas (FTAs. RAC1b was found to be overexpressed in 33% of carcinomas while no RAC1b overexpression was documented among follicular adenomas. Patients with a diagnosis of FTC were divided into two groups based on longitudinal evolution and final outcome. RAC1b overexpression was significantly associated with both the presence of distant metastases (P = 0.01 and poorer clinical outcome (P = 0.01 suggesting that, similarly to that previously found in PTCs, RAC1b overexpression in FTCs is also associated with worse outcomes. Furthermore, the absence of RAC1b overexpression in follicular adenomas hints its potential as a molecular marker likely to contribute, in conjunction with other putative markers, to the preoperative differential diagnosis of thyroid follicular lesions.

  5. Extending the Impact of RAC1b Overexpression to Follicular Thyroid Carcinomas

    Science.gov (United States)

    Faria, Márcia; Capinha, Liliana; Simões-Pereira, Joana; Bugalho, Maria João; Silva, Ana Luísa

    2016-01-01

    RAC1b is a hyperactive variant of the small GTPase RAC1 known to be a relevant molecular player in different cancers. Previous studies from our group lead to the evidence that its overexpression in papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) is associated with an unfavorable prognosis. In the present study, we intended to extend the analysis of RAC1b expression to thyroid follicular neoplasms and to seek for clinical correlations. RAC1b expression levels were determined by RT-qPCR in thyroid follicular tumor samples comprising 23 follicular thyroid carcinomas (FTCs) and 33 follicular thyroid adenomas (FTAs). RAC1b was found to be overexpressed in 33% of carcinomas while no RAC1b overexpression was documented among follicular adenomas. Patients with a diagnosis of FTC were divided into two groups based on longitudinal evolution and final outcome. RAC1b overexpression was significantly associated with both the presence of distant metastases (P = 0.01) and poorer clinical outcome (P = 0.01) suggesting that, similarly to that previously found in PTCs, RAC1b overexpression in FTCs is also associated with worse outcomes. Furthermore, the absence of RAC1b overexpression in follicular adenomas hints its potential as a molecular marker likely to contribute, in conjunction with other putative markers, to the preoperative differential diagnosis of thyroid follicular lesions. PMID:27127508

  6. Severe Space Weather Events--Understanding Societal and Economic Impacts: A Workshop Report - Extended Summary

    Science.gov (United States)

    2009-01-01

    The effects of space weather on modern technological systems are well documented in both the technical literature and popular accounts. Most often cited perhaps is the collapse within 90 seconds of northeastern Canada's Hydro-Quebec power grid during the great geomagnetic storm of March 1989, which left millions of people without electricity for up to 9 hours. This event exemplifies the dramatic impact that severe space weather can have on a technology upon which modern society critically depends. Nearly two decades have passed since the March 1989 event. During that time, awareness of the risks of severe space weather has increased among the affected industries, mitigation strategies have been developed, new sources of data have become available, new models of the space environment have been created, and a national space weather infrastructure has evolved to provide data, alerts, and forecasts to an increasing number of users. Now, 20 years later and approaching a new interval of increased solar activity, how well equipped are we to manage the effects of space weather? Have recent technological developments made our critical technologies more or less vulnerable? How well do we understand the broader societal and economic impacts of severe space weather events? Are our institutions prepared to cope with the effects of a 'space weather Katrina,' a rare, but according to the historical record, not inconceivable eventuality? On May 22 and 23, 2008, a one-and-a-half-day workshop held in Washington, D.C., under the auspices of the National Research Council's (NRC's) Space Studies Board brought together representatives of industry, the federal government, and the social science community to explore these and related questions. The key themes, ideas, and insights that emerged during the presentations and discussions are summarized in 'Severe Space Weather Events--Understanding Societal and Economic Impacts: A Workshop Report' (The National Academies Press, Washington, D

  7. Boolean Operations, Joins, and the Extended Low Hierarchy

    OpenAIRE

    Hemaspaandra, Lane A.; Jiang, Zhigen; Rothe, Joerg; Watanabe, Osamu

    1999-01-01

    We prove that the join of two sets may actually fall into a lower level of the extended low hierarchy than either of the sets. In particular, there exist sets that are not in the second level of the extended low hierarchy, EL_2, yet their join is in EL_2. That is, in terms of extended lowness, the join operator can lower complexity. Since in a strong intuitive sense the join does not lower complexity, our result suggests that the extended low hierarchy is unnatural as a complexity measure. We...

  8. Matchings Extend to Hamiltonian Cycles in 5-Cube

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wang Fan

    2018-02-01

    Full Text Available Ruskey and Savage asked the following question: Does every matching in a hypercube Qn for n ≥ 2 extend to a Hamiltonian cycle of Qn? Fink confirmed that every perfect matching can be extended to a Hamiltonian cycle of Qn, thus solved Kreweras’ conjecture. Also, Fink pointed out that every matching can be extended to a Hamiltonian cycle of Qn for n ∈ {2, 3, 4}. In this paper, we prove that every matching in Q5 can be extended to a Hamiltonian cycle of Q5.

  9. Longitudinal study of extended-spectrum-β-lactamase- and AmpC-Producing Enterobacteriaceae in household dogs

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Baede, V.O.; Wagenaar, J.A.; Broens, E.M.; Duim, Birgitta; Dohmen, Wietske; Nijsse, Rolf; Timmerman, Arjen J.; Hordijk, Joost

    2015-01-01

    A longitudinal study was performed to (i) investigate the continuity of shedding of extended-spectrum-beta-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Enterobacteriaceae in dogs without clinical signs, (ii) identify dominant plasmid-mediated ESBL genes, and (iii) quantify ESBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae in

  10. Comparison of different extenders and storage temperature on the ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Semen was pooled and randomly allocated to four groups and diluted at a ratio of 1:1 (v/v) with Beltsville thawing solution (BTS), Kobidil+, egg yolk citrate (EYC) and non-extended semen (Control). Each extender had two similar semen samples, making a total of eight samples. Extended and non-extended semen were ...

  11. Investigation the Impact of Exchange Rate Volatility on the Export of Agricultural Products

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M. Jamalipour

    2016-10-01

    coefficients. Results and Discussion: Main results showed that real exchange rate volatility and export value of selected commodities are Co-integrated. The coefficient estimation of FMOLS and DOLS methods are equal and statically significant; so, these methods aren’t statically different and they showed that real exchange rate volatility has a negative impact on exported value for whole panel. However, the specific coefficient for each commodity showed contradictory behavior in short run and long run; for example real exchange rate fluctuation has a negative and significant impact on all the commodities; but, in short run this variable has a positive and significant impact on exported value. Moreover, based on estimated results it seems that fluctuation in exchange market has a greater impact on more valuable commodities like date. Conclusion: Considering the importance of agricultural product trade and in order to overcome mono-product economy, this study investigated long term and short term relation between export of grape, orange, date and exchange rate volatilities. To this aim, first the index of exchange volatility using generated autoregressive conditional heteroscedasticity (GARCH was calculated. In order to investigate the relation between exchange rate volatilities and export value of agricultural product, unit root test and cointegration test related to panel data were used during years 1971-2013. The results of model estimation showed that exchange rate volatilities in short term and long term have respectively positive and negative effects on the export value of orange, grape and date. In long term, the negative effects of Exchange rate volatilities on high-export-value products are more than its effects on low-export-value products. Based on the estimation results we can conclude that, in short run, exporters are willing to increase their interchange and gain profits of the volatility in exchange market; however, in long run exchange rate fluctuation has

  12. Quantifying the potential impact of measurement error in an investigation of autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Heavner, Karyn; Newschaffer, Craig; Hertz-Picciotto, Irva; Bennett, Deborah; Burstyn, Igor

    2014-05-01

    The Early Autism Risk Longitudinal Investigation (EARLI), an ongoing study of a risk-enriched pregnancy cohort, examines genetic and environmental risk factors for autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). We simulated the potential effects of both measurement error (ME) in exposures and misclassification of ASD-related phenotype (assessed as Autism Observation Scale for Infants (AOSI) scores) on measures of association generated under this study design. We investigated the impact on the power to detect true associations with exposure and the false positive rate (FPR) for a non-causal correlate of exposure (X2, r=0.7) for continuous AOSI score (linear model) versus dichotomised AOSI (logistic regression) when the sample size (n), degree of ME in exposure, and strength of the expected (true) OR (eOR)) between exposure and AOSI varied. Exposure was a continuous variable in all linear models and dichotomised at one SD above the mean in logistic models. Simulations reveal complex patterns and suggest that: (1) There was attenuation of associations that increased with eOR and ME; (2) The FPR was considerable under many scenarios; and (3) The FPR has a complex dependence on the eOR, ME and model choice, but was greater for logistic models. The findings will stimulate work examining cost-effective strategies to reduce the impact of ME in realistic sample sizes and affirm the importance for EARLI of investment in biological samples that help precisely quantify a wide range of environmental exposures.

  13. Extending Puppet

    CERN Document Server

    Franceschi, Alessandro

    2014-01-01

    This book is a clear, detailed and practical guide to learn about designing and deploying you puppet architecture, with informative examples to highlight and explain concepts in a focused manner. This book is designed for users who already have good experience with Puppet, and will surprise experienced users with innovative topics that explore how to design, implement, adapt, and deploy a Puppet architecture. The key to extending Puppet is the development of types and providers, for which you must be familiar with Ruby.

  14. Exclusion Bounds for Extended Anyons

    Science.gov (United States)

    Larson, Simon; Lundholm, Douglas

    2018-01-01

    We introduce a rigorous approach to the many-body spectral theory of extended anyons, that is quantum particles confined to two dimensions that interact via attached magnetic fluxes of finite extent. Our main results are many-body magnetic Hardy inequalities and local exclusion principles for these particles, leading to estimates for the ground-state energy of the anyon gas over the full range of the parameters. This brings out further non-trivial aspects in the dependence on the anyonic statistics parameter, and also gives improvements in the ideal (non-extended) case.

  15. Extended inflation from higher dimensional theories

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

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

    1990-04-01

    The possibility is considered that higher dimensional theories may, upon reduction to four dimensions, allow extended inflation to occur. Two separate models are analayzed. One is a very simple toy model consisting of higher dimensional gravity coupled to a scalar field whose potential allows for a first-order phase transition. The other is a more sophisticated model incorporating the effects of non-trivial field configurations (monopole, Casimir, and fermion bilinear condensate effects) that yield a non-trivial potential for the radius of the internal space. It was found that extended inflation does not occur in these models. It was also found that the bubble nucleation rate in these theories is time dependent unlike the case in the original version of extended inflation

  16. Extended radio emission and the nature of blazars

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Antonucci, R.R.J.; Ulvestad, J.S.

    1985-01-01

    The VLA has been used at 20 cm to map all 23 of the 54 confirmed blazars listed in the Angel and Stockman review paper that had not been mapped before at high resolution. (Blazars include BL Lac objects and optically violently variable quasars.) In addition, data on most of the previously mapped blazars have been reprocessed in order to achieve higher dynamic range. Extended emission has been detected associated with 49 of the 54 objects. The extended radio emission has been used to test the hypothesis that blazars are normal radio galaxies and radio quasars viewed along the jet axes. We find that blazars have substantial extended power, consistent with this hypothesis. Many have extended powers as high as the luminous Fanaroff-Riley class 2 radio doubles. The projected linear sizes are small, as expected from foreshortening of the extended sources, and many blazars have the expected core-halo morphology. There are also several small doubles, a head-tail source, and some one-sided sources, and these could be in cases where the line of sight is slightly off the jet axis, or projections of asymmetrical radio galaxies and quasars. The ratio of core to extended radio emission has been studied as a possible indicator of viewing aspect or beaming intensity. It is found to correlate with optical polarization, optical and radio core variability, and one-sided radio morphology. We can go beyond these consistency checks and work toward a proof of the hypothesis under discussion. The flux from the extended emission alone is sufficient in some blazars to qualify them for inclusion in the 3C and 4C catalogs. Suppose that the radio core emission is anisotropic, but the extended emission is predominantly isotropic. The isotropy of the extended emission implies that these blazars would be in the catalogs even if viewed from the side

  17. Evaluating the Non-Academic Impact of Academic Research: Design Considerations

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gunn, Andrew; Mintrom, Michael

    2017-01-01

    Evaluation of academic research plays a significant role in government efforts to steer public universities. The scope of such evaluation is now being extended to include the "relevance" or "impact" of academic research outside the academy. We address how evaluation of non-academic research impact can promote more such impact…

  18. Electrical conductivity in tokamaks and extended neoclassical theory

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Segre, S.E.; Zanza, V.

    1992-01-01

    The electrical conductivity measurements reported from various tokamaks (D-III, PLT, TEXT, ASDEX, JT-60, TEXTOR, JET, TFTR) and compared with the usual neoclassical theory are here also compared with the extended neoclassical theory where the electron-electron collision rate is anomalous while the electron-ion collision rate remains Coulombian. It is found that, out of the 14 experiments considered, three are consistent with both the neoclassical and the extended neoclassical theories, four are consistent only with the extended neoclassical theory, and four are consistent with the neoclassical theory and also, within the experimental errors, not inconsistent with the extended neoclassical theory; the remaining three experiments appear to be incompatible with both theories. It is concluded that the extended neoclassical theory is in better agreement with conductivity experiments than the conventional neoclassical theory and, indeed, the extended theory is a serious candidate for explaining tokamak behaviour, since it accommodates naturally an anomalous electron thermal transport, which the conventional neoclassical theory is unable to do. (author). 31 refs, 1 fig

  19. EXPERIMENTAL INVESTIGATION OF THE IMPACT OF FLIGHT SPEED ON DRAG FORCE IN THE AUTOGYRO MODEL

    OpenAIRE

    Zbigniew Czyż; Paweł Magryta; Marcin Szlachetka

    2015-01-01

    The paper presents the experimental investigation of the impact of velocity on drag force in the autogyro model. One of the methods which simulate motion of the flying object consists of using a wind tunnel. In this case, test object is stationary and the motion of air is forced by e.g. a special fan. The costs related with renting and the wind tunnel service are still very high. In this paper, the motion of the autogyro with respect to the air, was produced by fixing this model with scale to...

  20. Extended Access List untuk Mengendalikan Trafik Jaringan

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hari Antoni Musril

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available Keamana jaringan komputer saat ini menjadi hal penting untuk diterapkan. Banyak organisasi yang telah menjadikan teknologi informasi sebagai bahagian penting dalam menunjang aktivitasnya. Akses pengguna yang tidak dibatasi menjadi ancaman bagi sebuah organisasi, karena banyak data dan informasi penting yang tersebar dalam perangkat jaringan komputer di organisasi tersebut dapat disusupi oleh pihak yang tidak berwenang. Salah satu usaha yang dapat dilakukan adalah dengan menerapkan extended access list yang merupakan salah satu bagian dari metode access control list. Extended access list dapat menyaring lalu lintas data suatu jaringan dengan mengontrol apakah paket-paket tersebut dilewatkan atau dihentikan. Extended access list juga dapat menjamin keamanan untuk setiap komputer sehingga jalur komunikasi serta hak akses setiap komputer dapat berjalan dengan baik. Extended access list memungkinkan penyaringan berdasarkan sumber atau alamat tujuan, protokol yang dipilih, port yang digunakan, dan apakah koneksi sudah ditetapkan. Tulisan ini membahas penerapan extended access list dalam jaringan supaya dapat melakukan filter terhadap paket data yang melewati jaringan. Penerapannya menggunakan software Packet Tracer 6.1.1 untuk membuat prototipe jaringan dan mensimulasikannya. Sehingga nanti dapat diterapkan pada jaringan yang sebenarnya. List yang dibangun pada penelitian ini diterapkan untuk protokol antara lain : TCP (WWW, FTP, Telnet, SMTP, POP3, UDP (DNS, dan ICMP (Ping. Hasilnya didapatkan extended access list yang dikonfigurasi pada router dalam topologi penelitian ini mampu melakukan filter terhadap paket yang melewati jaringan. Hasil konfigurasinya sangat spesifik, sehingga penerapan hak akses permit dan deny dapat dilakukan sesuai dengan aturan dan skenario yang dirancang.

  1. Investigating Time-Varying Drivers of Grid Project Emissions Impacts

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Barrett, Emily L.; Thayer, Brandon L.; Pal, Seemita; Studarus, Karen E.

    2017-11-15

    The emissions consequences of smart grid technologies depend heavily on their context and vary not only by geographical location, but by time of year. The same technology operated to meet the same objective may increase the emissions associated with energy generation for part of the year and decrease emissions during other times. The Grid Project Impact Quantification (GridPIQ) tool provides the ability to estimate these seasonal variations and garner insight into the time-varying drivers of grid project emissions impacts. This work leverages GridPIQ to examine the emissions implications across years and seasons of adding energy storage technology to reduce daily peak demand in California and New York.

  2. Geochemical, isotopic, and petrographic investigations of rocks from the Bosumtwi impact

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Losiak, A.

    2013-01-01

    The Bosumtwi structure is a 1.07 milion year old, well-preserved, 10.5 km wide complex impact crater. It is associated with one of only four tektite strewn fields known on Earth and it is the source of the Ivory Coast tektites. It was drilled in 2004 by the International Continental Scientific Drilling Program (ICDP), and since then it has been the object of intensive research on various aspects of impact cratering process. This thesis is a continuation of those studies. Chapter 3 of this thesis presents a full and detailed characterization of the three granitoid intrusions and one mafic dike located in the vicinity of the Bosumtwi crater in terms of petrology, major and trace element geochemistry, geochronology, as well as isotopic composition. This allows us to characterize magmatic evolution of the West African Craton in this area and better understand the geological framework and target rocks of the impact. This study shows that the similar composition (strongly peraluminous muscovite granites and granodiorites) and age (between 2092±6 Ma and 2098±6 Ma) of granitic intrusions in the proximity of the Bosumtwi crater suggest that they are co-genetic. The granitoids were probably formed as a result of anatexis of TTGs (or rocks derived from them) at relatively low pressure and temperature. We propose that the intrusions from the Bosumtwi area are genetically related to the Banso granite occurring to the east of the crater and can be classified as basin-type, late-stage granitoids. Also a mafic dike located to the NE of the Bosumtwi crater seems to be genetically related to those felsic intrusions. Based on those findings a revised version of the geological map of the Bosumtwi crater area is proposed. Chapter 4 presents results of the investigation of the spatial relations between a statistically significant number of shocked quartz grains (278) showing PDFs (409) developed within a given area of a single thin section (⁓35 mm 2 ) from the Bosumtwi impact crater

  3. WARM EXTENDED DENSE GAS AT THE HEART OF A COLD COLLAPSING DENSE CORE

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shinnaga, Hiroko; Phillips, Thomas G.; Furuya, Ray S.; Kitamura, Yoshimi

    2009-01-01

    In order to investigate when and how the birth of a protostellar core occurs, we made survey observations of four well-studied dense cores in the Taurus molecular cloud using CO transitions in submillimeter bands. We report here the detection of unexpectedly warm (∼30-70 K), extended (radius of ∼2400 AU), dense (a few times 10 5 cm -3 ) gas at the heart of one of the dense cores, L1521F (MC27), within the cold dynamically collapsing components. We argue that the detected warm, extended, dense gas may originate from shock regions caused by collisions between the dynamically collapsing components and outflowing/rotating components within the dense core. We propose a new stage of star formation, 'warm-in-cold core stage (WICCS)', i.e., the cold collapsing envelope encases the warm extended dense gas at the center due to the formation of a protostellar core. WICCS would constitute a missing link in evolution between a cold quiescent starless core and a young protostar in class 0 stage that has a large-scale bipolar outflow.

  4. Investigating the Impact of NGSS-Aligned Professional Development on PreK-3 Teachers' Science Content Knowledge and Pedagogy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tuttle, Nicole; Kaderavek, Joan N.; Molitor, Scott; Czerniak, Charlene M.; Johnson-Whitt, Eugenia; Bloomquist, Debra; Namatovu, Winnifred; Wilson, Grant

    2016-01-01

    This pilot study investigates the impact of a 2-week professional development Summer Institute on PK-3 teachers' knowledge and practices. This Summer Institute is a component of [program], a large-scale early-childhood science project that aims to transform PK-3 science teaching. The mixed-methods study examined concept maps, lesson plans, and…

  5. An extended technicolor model

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Appelquist, T.; Terning, J.

    1994-01-01

    An extended technicolor model is constructed. Quark and lepton masses, spontaneous CP violation, and precision electroweak measurements are discussed. Dynamical symmetry breaking is analyzed using the concept of the big MAC (most attractive channel)

  6. The impact of contextual factors on auditors' ability to resist management pressure

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Dijk, M. van; Jansman, A.J.E.

    1999-01-01

    This study examines the impact of the extend to which auditors will be able to justify errors in case of litigation, the strategy of the audit firm, the authority of the client’s management to choose the audit firm and the extend to which auditors are successful in their careers on auditors’

  7. Lost Impacts (Invited)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schultz, P. H.; Stickle, A. M.

    2009-12-01

    The absence of a clearly identified crater (or craters) for the proposed YDB impact has raised questions concerning the reality of such an event. Geologic studies have identified impact deposits well before recognizing a causative crater (e.g., Chicxulub and Chesapeake Bay); some have yet to be discovered (e.g., Australasian tektite strewnfields). The absence of a crater, therefore, cannot be used as an argument against the reality of the YDB impact (and its possible consequences). The study here addresses how a large on-land impact during the late Pleistocene or early Holocene could avoid easy detection today. It does not argue the case for a YDB impact, since such evidence must come from the rock record. During the late Pleistocene, the receding Laurentide ice sheet still covered a significant portion of Canada. While a large (1km) body impacting vertically (90°) would penetrate such a low-impedance ice layer and excavate the substrate, an oblique impact couples more of its energy into the surface layer, thereby partially shielding the substrate. Three approaches address the effectiveness of this flak-jacket effect. First, hypervelocity impact experiments at the NASA Ames Vertical Gun Range investigated the effectiveness of low-impedance layers of different thicknesses for mitigating substrate damage. Second, selected experiments were compared with hydrocode models (see Stickle and Schultz, this volume) and extended to large scales. Third, comparisons were made with relict craters found in eroding sediment and ice covers on Mars. Oblique impacts (30 degrees) into soft particulates (no. 24 sand) covering a solid substrate (aluminum) have no effect on the final crater diameter for layer thicknesses exceeding a projectile diameter and result in only plastic deformation in the substrate. In contrast, a vertical impact requires a surface layer at least 3 times the projectile diameter to achieve the same diameter (with significant substrate damage). Oblique impacts

  8. Mid-infrared two-photon absorption in an extended-wavelength InGaAs photodetector

    Science.gov (United States)

    Piccardo, Marco; Rubin, Noah A.; Meadowcroft, Lauren; Chevalier, Paul; Yuan, Henry; Kimchi, Joseph; Capasso, Federico

    2018-01-01

    We investigate the nonlinear optical response of a commercial extended-wavelength In0.81Ga0.19As uncooled photodetector. Degenerate two-photon absorption in the mid-infrared range is observed using a quantum cascade laser emitting at λ = 4.5 μm as the excitation source. From the measured two-photon photocurrent signal, we extract a two-photon absorption coefficient β(2) = 0.6 ± 0.2 cm/MW, in agreement with the theoretical value obtained from the Eg-3 scaling law. Considering the wide spectral range covered by extended-wavelength InxGa1-xAs alloys, this result holds promise for applications based on two-photon absorption for this family of materials at wavelengths between 1.8 and 5.6 μm.

  9. Application of foam-extend on turbulent fluid-structure interaction

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rege, K.; Hjertager, B. H.

    2017-12-01

    Turbulent flow around flexible structures is likely to induce structural vibrations which may eventually lead to fatigue failure. In order to assess the fatigue life of these structures, it is necessary to take the action of the flow on the structure into account, but also the influence of the vibrating structure on the fluid flow. This is achieved by performing fluid-structure interaction (FSI) simulations. In this work, we have investigated the capability of a FSI toolkit for the finite volume computational fluid dynamics software foam-extend to simulate turbulence-induced vibrations of a flexible structure. A large-eddy simulation (LES) turbulence model has been implemented to a basic FSI problem of a flexible wall which is placed in a confined, turbulent flow. This problem was simulated for 2.32 seconds. This short simulation required over 200 computation hours, using 20 processor cores. Thereby, it has been shown that the simulation of FSI with LES is possible, but also computationally demanding. In order to make turbulent FSI simulations with foam-extend more applicable, more sophisticated turbulence models and/or faster FSI iteration schemes should be applied.

  10. Crude palm oil as fuel extender for diesel engines

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mohamed M El-Awad; Fuad Abas; Mak Kian Sin

    2000-01-01

    In this work an investigation has been conducted into the use of Crude Palm Oil (CPO) as an extender fuel for diesel engines. Mixtures of CPO with normal diesel fuel (with a percentage of 25%, 50% and 75% CPO by volume) were used to fuel a stationary diesel engine and the engine performance variables, i.e., power output, fuel consumption, and exhaust-gas emission, were compared to those of normal diesel fuel. The results obtained, for a fixed throttle opening and variable speed, indicate that at high engine speeds, the engine performance with CP0/diesel mixtures with up to 50% CPO is comparable to that of diesel fuel. However, the results of the 75% CPO mixture showed a higher temperature and emission of CO and NO compared to the diesel fuel. At low engine speeds, the engine performance with CPO mixtures gave higher power output and lower emission of NO compared to that with diesel fuel, but showed higher specific fuel consumption and higher emission of CO. Based on these results, the study recommends that CPO can be used to extend diesel fuel in a mixture of up to 50% CPO by volume for an unmodified engine. (Author)

  11. Investigation of impact of water type on borate ore flotation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ozkan, S G; Acar, A

    2004-04-01

    In this work, the impact of water type on borate ore flotation was investigated, while various physical parameters during flotation were considered in order to compare the results. Two different colemanite samples from Emet deposits of Turkey, named as Emet-A and Emet-B contained 44% B(2)O(3) and 40% B(2)O(3), respectively. The flotation tests were performed at feed particle size range of -210 +20 microm. Optimal consumption values for the reagents were determined as 2000 gt(-1) for AeroPromoter R825 from Cytec Company, a sulphonate type collector, 1500 gt(-1) for Procol CA927 from Allied Colloids Company, a sulphosuccinamate type collector and 100 gt(-1) for AeroFrother 70 from Cytec Company, an alcohol-type frother. In the tests, the impeller speed of the Denver-type flotation machine was set to 1200 rpm and the samples were fed into a litre cell at 25% solid/liquid ratio and at natural pH value of the slurry at room temperature. The flotation results obtained from the tests with use of tap water, demineralised water and the artificial water prepared with Ca(2+) and Mg(2+) cations deliberately added into demineralised water were compared to each other in optimal flotation conditions.

  12. On the Reconciliation of the Extended Nelson-Siegel and the Extended Vasicek Models (with a View Towards Swap and Swaption Valuation)

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jørgensen, Peter Løchte

    Extended Nelson-Siegel models are widely used by e.g. practitioners and central banks to estimate current term structures of riskless zero-coupon interest rates, whereas other models such as the extended Vasicek model (a.k.a. the Hull-White model) are popular for pricing interest rate derivatives....... This paper establishes theoretical consistency between these two types of models by showing how to specify the extended Vasicek model such that its implied initial term structure curve precisely matches a given extended Nelson-Siegel specification. That is, we show how to reconcile the two classes of models...

  13. Anomalous X-ray scattering studies of short-, intermediate- and extended-range order in glasses

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Price, D.L.; Saboungi, M.L.; Armand, P.; Cox, D.E.

    1998-01-01

    The authors present the formalism of anomalous x-ray scattering as applied to partial structure analysis of disordered materials, and give an example of how the technique has been applied, together with that of neutron diffraction, to investigate short-, intermediate- and extended-range order in vitreous germania and rubidium germanate

  14. Ultimate Cavity Dynamics of Hydrophobic Spheres Impacting on Free Water Surfaces

    KAUST Repository

    Mansoor, Mohammad M.

    2012-12-01

    Cavity formation resulting from the water-entry of solid objects has been the subject of extensive research owing to its practical relevance in naval, military, industrial, sports and biological applications. The cavity formed by an impacting hydrophobic sphere normally seals at two places, one below (deep seal) and the other above the water surface (surface seal). For Froude numbers , the air flow into the resulting cavity is strong enough to suck the splash crown above the surface and disrupt the cavity dynamics before it deep seals. In this research work we eliminate surface seals by means of a novel practice of using cone splash-guards and examine the undisturbed transient cavity dynamics by impact of hydrophobic spheres for Froude numbers ranging . This enabled the measurement of extremely accurate pinch-off heights, pinch-off times, radial cavity collapse rates, and jet speeds in an extended range of Froude numbers compared to the previous work of Duclaux et al. (2007). Results in the extended regime were in remarkable agreement with the theoretical prediction of scaled pinch-off depth, and experimentally derived pinch-off time for . Furthermore, we investigated the influence of confinement on cavity formation by varying the cross-sectional area of the tank of liquid. In conjunction with surface seal elimination we observed the formation of multiple pinch-off points where a maximum of four deep seals were obtained in a sequential order for the Froude number range investigated. The presence of an elongated cavity beneath the first pinch-off point 5 resulted in evident "kinks" primarily related to the greatly diminished air pressure at the necking region caused by supersonic air flows (Gekle et al. 2010). Such flows passing through second pinch-offs were also found to choke the cavities beneath the first pinch- off depths causing radial expansion and hence disappearance of downward jets.

  15. A Bonner Sphere Spectrometer with extended response matrix

    CERN Document Server

    Silari, M; Dimovasili, E; Birattari, C

    2010-01-01

    This paper describes the design, calibration and applications at high-energy accelerators of an extended-range Bonner Sphere neutron Spectrometer (BSS). The BSS was designed by the FLUKA Monte Carlo code, investigating several combinations of materials and diameters of the moderators for the high-energy channels. The system was calibrated at PTB in Braunschweig, Germany, using monoenergetic neutron beams in the energy range 144 keV-19 MeV. It was subsequently tested with Am-Be source neutrons and in the simulated workplace neutron field at CERF (the CERN-EU high-energy reference field facility). Since 2002, it has been employed for neutron spectral measurements around CERN accelerators. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  16. Experimental low-frequency sound equalization in an extended region of an enclosure using adaptive filters

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Orozco-Santillán, Arturo

    1998-01-01

    An experimental investigation of sound equalization in an extended region inside an enclosure is presented. DSP and the multiple LMS algorithm is used to obtain the optimal solution. Equalization at single frequencies in the stationary state is studied. Also analyzed is the equalization of band...

  17. Extending the amygdala in theories of threat processing

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fox, Andrew S.; Oler, Jonathan A.; Tromp, Do P.M.; Fudge, Julie L.; Kalin, Ned H.

    2015-01-01

    The central extended amygdala is an evolutionarily conserved set of interconnected brain regions that play an important role in threat processing to promote survival. Two core components of the central extended amygdala, the central nucleus of the amygdala (Ce) and the lateral bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BST) are highly similar regions that serve complimentary roles by integrating fear- and anxiety-relevant information. Survival depends on the central extended amygdala's ability to rapidly integrate and respond to threats that vary in their immediacy, proximity, and characteristics. Future studies will benefit from understanding alterations in central extended amygdala function in relation to stress-related psychopathology. PMID:25851307

  18. A Study on How Conference Papers are Extended into Journal Articles in the Fields of Information Management

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yu-Hui Lu

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available In recent years, some scholarly journals have indicated that they accept rewritten or extended version of a conference paper as long as new content are added to the journal article manuscript and that the original conference paper is included in the references. The extended publishing of conference papers now becomes topic worthy of investigation. This study analyzed the extended works of the conference papers from three major conferences in the fields of information management, i.e., Association for Computing Machinery (ACM’s ACM Conference on Electronic Commerce (ACM EC, ACM Conference on Knowledge Discovery and Data Mining (ACM KDD, and ACM International Conference on Information and Knowledge Management (ACM CIKM. Papers from the 2011 meetings were used as the sample to understand to what extent conference papers have been extended into journal articles and other forms and the lag between conference and journal publishing. It also examined the differences between the conference papers and their extended versions (i.e., journal papers by comparing the changes in authorship, references, article length, tables, and figures. It reveals the current practices of extending conference papers for journal publishing in the information management fields and may help us understand the contemporary scholarly publishing behavior. [Article content in Chinese

  19. Extended criteria and predictors in college admission: Exploring the structure of study success and investigating the validity of domain knowledge

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    OLGA KUNINA

    2007-06-01

    Full Text Available The utility of aptitude tests and intelligence measures in the prediction of the success in college is one of the empirically best supported results in ability research. However, the structure of the criterion “study success” has not been appropriately investigated so far. Moreover, it remains unclear which aspect of intelligence – fluid intelligence or crystallized intelligence – has the major impact on the prediction. In three studies we have investigated the dimensionality of the criterion achievements as well as the relative contributions of competing ability predictors. In the first study, the dimensionality of college grades was explored in a sample of 629 alumni. A measurement model with two correlated latent factors distinguishing undergraduate college grades on the one hand from graduate college grades on the other hand had the best fit to the data. In the second study, a group of 179 graduate students completed a Psychology knowledge test and provided available college grades in undergraduate studies. A model separating a general latent factor for Psychology knowledge from a nested method factor for college grades, and a second nested factor for “experimental orientation” had the best fit to the data. In the third study the predictive power of domain specific knowledge tests in Mathematics, English, and Biology was investigated. A sample of 387 undergraduate students in this prospective study additionally completed a compilation of fluid intelligence tests. The results of this study indicate as expected that: a ability measures are incrementally predictive over school grades in predicting exam grades; and b that knowledge tests from relevant domains were incrementally predictive over fluid intelligence. The results of these studies suggest that criteria for college admission tests deserve and warrant more attention, and that domain specific ability indicators can contribute to the predictive validity of established

  20. Investigating industrial investigation: examining the impact of a priori knowledge and tunnel vision education.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Maclean, Carla L; Brimacombe, C A Elizabeth; Lindsay, D Stephen

    2013-12-01

    The current study addressed tunnel vision in industrial incident investigation by experimentally testing how a priori information and a human bias (generated via the fundamental attribution error or correspondence bias) affected participants' investigative behavior as well as the effectiveness of a debiasing intervention. Undergraduates and professional investigators engaged in a simulated industrial investigation exercise. We found that participants' judgments were biased by knowledge about the safety history of either a worker or piece of equipment and that a human bias was evident in participants' decision making. However, bias was successfully reduced with "tunnel vision education." Professional investigators demonstrated a greater sophistication in their investigative decision making compared to undergraduates. The similarities and differences between these two populations are discussed. (c) 2013 APA, all rights reserved

  1. The effects of pressure dependent constitutive model to simulate concrete structures failure under impact loads

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mokhatar, S. N.; Sonoda, Y.; Kamarudin, A. F.; Noh, M. S. Md; Tokumaru, S.

    2018-04-01

    The main objective of this paper is to explore the effect of confining pressure in the compression and tension zone by simulating the behaviour of reinforced concrete/mortar structures subjected to the impact load. The analysis comprises the numerical simulation of the influences of high mass low speed impact weight dropping on concrete structures, where the analyses are incorporated with meshless method namely as Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics (SPH) method. The derivation of the plastic stiffness matrix of Drucker-Prager (DP) that extended from Von-Mises (VM) yield criteria to simulate the concrete behaviour were presented in this paper. In which, the displacements for concrete/mortar structures are assumed to be infinitesimal. Furthermore, the influence of the different material model of DP and VM that used numerically for concrete and mortar structures are also discussed. Validation upon existing experimental test results is carried out to investigate the effect of confining pressure, it is found that VM criterion causes unreal impact failure (flexural cracking) of concrete structures.

  2. Some Aspects of Extended Kinetic Equation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dilip Kumar

    2015-09-01

    Full Text Available Motivated by the pathway model of Mathai introduced in 2005 [Linear Algebra and Its Applications, 396, 317–328] we extend the standard kinetic equations. Connection of the extended kinetic equation with fractional calculus operator is established. The solution of the general form of the fractional kinetic equation is obtained through Laplace transform. The results for the standard kinetic equation are obtained as the limiting case.

  3. Extended Lagrangian formulation of charge-constrained tight-binding molecular dynamics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cawkwell, M J; Coe, J D; Yadav, S K; Liu, X-Y; Niklasson, A M N

    2015-06-09

    The extended Lagrangian Born-Oppenheimer molecular dynamics formalism [Niklasson, Phys. Rev. Lett., 2008, 100, 123004] has been applied to a tight-binding model under the constraint of local charge neutrality to yield microcanonical trajectories with both precise, long-term energy conservation and a reduced number of self-consistent field optimizations at each time step. The extended Lagrangian molecular dynamics formalism restores time reversal symmetry in the propagation of the electronic degrees of freedom, and it enables the efficient and accurate self-consistent optimization of the chemical potential and atomwise potential energy shifts in the on-site elements of the tight-binding Hamiltonian that are required when enforcing local charge neutrality. These capabilities are illustrated with microcanonical molecular dynamics simulations of a small metallic cluster using an sd-valent tight-binding model for titanium. The effects of weak dissipation on the propagation of the auxiliary degrees of freedom for the chemical potential and on-site Hamiltonian matrix elements that is used to counteract the accumulation of numerical noise during trajectories was also investigated.

  4. ESA STSE Project “Sea Surface Temperature Diurnal Variability: Regional Extend – Implications in Atmospheric Modelling”

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Karagali, Ioanna

    of the vertical extend of diurnal signals. Drifting buoys provide measurements close to the surface but are not always available. Moored buoys are generally not able to resolve the daily SST signal, which strongly weakens with depth within the upper water column. For such reasons, the General Ocean Turbulence......, atmospheric and oceanic modelling, bio-chemical processes and oceanic CO2 studies. The diurnal variability of SST, driven by the coincident occurrence of low enough wind and solar heating, is currently not properly understood. Atmospheric, oceanic and climate models are currently not adequately resolving...... the daily SST variability, resulting in biases of the total heat budget estimates and therefore, demised model accuracies. The ESA STSE funded project SSTDV:R.EX.-IM.A.M. aimed at characterising the regional extend of diurnal SST signals and their impact in atmospheric modelling. This study will briefly...

  5. The Impact of Speech Impairment in Early Childhood: Investigating Parents' and Speech-Language Pathologists' Perspectives Using the ICF-CY

    Science.gov (United States)

    McCormack, Jane; McLeod, Sharynne; Harrison, Linda J.; McAllister, Lindy

    2010-01-01

    Purpose: To explore the application of the Activities and Participation component of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health - Children and Youth (ICF-CY, World Health Organization, 2007) as a framework for investigating the perceived impact of speech impairment in childhood. Method: A 32-item questionnaire based on…

  6. Extended Theories of Gravity

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Capozziello, Salvatore; De Laurentis, Mariafelicia

    2011-01-01

    Extended Theories of Gravity can be considered as a new paradigm to cure shortcomings of General Relativity at infrared and ultraviolet scales. They are an approach that, by preserving the undoubtedly positive results of Einstein’s theory, is aimed to address conceptual and experimental problems recently emerged in astrophysics, cosmology and High Energy Physics. In particular, the goal is to encompass, in a self-consistent scheme, problems like inflation, dark energy, dark matter, large scale structure and, first of all, to give at least an effective description of Quantum Gravity. We review the basic principles that any gravitational theory has to follow. The geometrical interpretation is discussed in a broad perspective in order to highlight the basic assumptions of General Relativity and its possible extensions in the general framework of gauge theories. Principles of such modifications are presented, focusing on specific classes of theories like f(R)-gravity and scalar–tensor gravity in the metric and Palatini approaches. The special role of torsion is also discussed. The conceptual features of these theories are fully explored and attention is paid to the issues of dynamical and conformal equivalence between them considering also the initial value problem. A number of viability criteria are presented considering the post-Newtonian and the post-Minkowskian limits. In particular, we discuss the problems of neutrino oscillations and gravitational waves in extended gravity. Finally, future perspectives of extended gravity are considered with possibility to go beyond a trial and error approach.

  7. Impact of GDP and tax revenue on health care financing: An empirical investigation from Indian states

    OpenAIRE

    Deepak Kumar BEHERA; Umakant DASH

    2017-01-01

    This paper investigates the long run impact of GDP and tax revenue on public health care expenditure using panel FMOLS and DOLS models for sixteen major states of India over the period 1980-2013. This study is more relevant in order to measure the progress in universal health care financing across the states of India because states are heterogeneous in terms of health care spending, associated with low tax bases and low level of GDP growth. The empirical result shows that healt...

  8. An Investigation of the Impact on Hong Kong's English Language Teaching Profession of the Language Proficiency Assessment for Teachers of English (LPATE)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Coniam, David; Falvey, Peter; Xiao, Yangyu

    2017-01-01

    This study investigates the perceptions of stakeholders on the impact of a high-stakes assessment of English language teachers' proficiency--the minimum language standards Language Proficiency Assessment for Teachers (English) [LPATE], which was introduced in 2000. Given that the test has now been in place for 17 years, the study investigates the…

  9. The Incredible Shrinking Iguana: Impact of Galapagos

    Science.gov (United States)

    Murtugudde, R.; Karnauskas, K.

    2007-05-01

    Galapagos Islands are well known for Darwin's epiphany about evolution after his 'discovery' of the islands. The incredible transformation that the key species on this island undergo on ENSO time-scales is recorded extensively. The impact of Galapagos on SSTs and ocean primary production has been conjectured but some recent work demonstrates that their influence extdends thousands of kilometers via stronger TIWs and modulations of the termination of EUC and related air-sea interactions. Tropical Pacific is not only the theater of action for ENSO dynamics but the ecosystem is the most studied iron limited region due to its HNLC characteristics. This study addresses the physical and biogeochemical impacts of the Galapagos islands with a OGCM-biogeochemical model coupled to a simple wind-anomaliy model. The impact of Galapagos is to warm the cold-tongue by upto 1C with a major impact on the termination of the EUC that results in large-scale circulation changes that extend to the South American coast as far south as 20S. If the islands are not included, then the equatorial Kelvin waves extend their impact on thermocline variability all the way to the eastern boundary and lead to a quasi-biennial ENSO whereas the impact of Galapagos islands shifts the frequency to a quasi- quadrennial time-scale. The impacts on the ecosystem are commensurate with the seasonal and interannual variability changes with the addition of dissolved iron supply related to EUC changes. Bio-physical feedbacks in the deep tropical Pacific also tend to warm SSTs and the impact of Galapagos is thus to flatten the east-west SST gradient resulting in less-frequent and weaker ENSO events. The relevance of these results to longer time-scale variability and any potential analogs to global warming and sea level change are discussed in detail.

  10. Defined Combinations of Cryomedia and Thawing Extenders Influence the Viable X-Y Boar Sperm Ratio in Vitro.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Korchunjit, W; Kaeoket, K; Kitiyanant, Y; Taylor, J; Wongtawan, T

    It is believed that plasma membrane X- and Y-chromosome bearing sperm are different; therefore the freezing and thawing process may affect X- and Y-sperm differently. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of cryomedia and thawing extenders on the survival of X and Y-sperm. Three different cryomedia and thawing extenders were compared. Viable motile sperm were separated using a swim-up technique. Real-time PCR was used to identify the sperm type. Using CryoA for freezing and Beltsville-Thawing-Solution (BTS) as the thawing extender yielded significantly higher numbers of viable motile Y sperm (64 percent) than control (48 percent) (P semen freezing with CryoC and thawing with Androstar Plus gave a significantly lower number of viable motile Y sperm (32 percent) than control (51 percent). Our results revealed that defined combinations of cryomedia and thawing extenders significantly altered the survival ratio of frozen-thawed X-Y sperm in vitro, which has potential implications for artificial insemination.

  11. LR-parsing of Extended Context-free Grammars

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Madsen, Ole Lehrmann; Kristensen, Bent Bruun

    1976-01-01

    To improve the readability of a grammar it is common to use extended context free grammars (ECFGs) which are context free grammars (CFGs) extended with the repetition operator (*), the alternation operator (¦) and parentheses to express the right hand sides of the productions. The topic treated h...

  12. Extended, Embodied Cognition and Second Language Acquisition

    Science.gov (United States)

    Atkinson, Dwight

    2010-01-01

    A "cognitivist" approach to cognition has traditionally dominated second language acquisition (SLA) studies. In this article, I examine two alternative approaches--"extended cognition" and "embodied cognition"--for how they might help us conceptualize SLA. More specifically, I present: (i) summaries of extended and embodied cognition, followed by…

  13. Analytical and experimental investigation on a multiple-mass-element pendulum impact damper for vibration mitigation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Egger, Philipp; Caracoglia, Luca

    2015-09-01

    Impact dampers are often used in the field of civil, mechanical and aerospace engineering for reducing structural vibrations. The behavior of this type of passive control device has been investigated for several decades. In this research a distributed-mass impact damper, similar to the "chain damper" used in wind engineering, has been examined and applied to the vibration reduction on a slender line-like structural element (stay-cable). This study is motivated by a practical problem and describes the derivation of a reduced-order model for explaining the behavior, observed during a field experiment on a prototype system. In its simplest form, the dynamics of the apparatus is modeled as a "resilient damper", composed of mass-spring-dashpot secondary elements, attached to the primary structure. Various sources of excitation are analyzed: free vibration, external harmonic force and random excitation. The proposed model is general and potentially applicable to the analysis of several structural systems. The study also shows that the model can adequately describe and explain the experimentally observed behavior.

  14. Investigation of whether various types of radioactive waste are equivalent in terms of the radiological impact associated with their disposal

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fearn, H.S.; Smith, G.M.; Davis, J.P.; Hill, M.D.

    1989-01-01

    The aim of this study is to investigate the possibility that various types of waste are equivalent in terms of the risks associated with their disposal in so far as they are viewed by different sections of society. If such a framework can be established it could be used as an aid to decisions as to whether central disposal facilities, to accept waste from several countries, should be constructed. Details are presented of assumed radionuclide inventories for a representative range of radioactive wastes, calculations and results of the radiological impacts of their disposal, and illustrative methods for weighting the various components of impact which when summed provide an overall measure of impact. Five sets of weighting factors have been devised which are intended to represent the views of a) the radiological protection community, b) those with a pro-nuclear industry view, c) those who oppose nuclear power on safety grounds, d) the inhabitants of the country receiving wastes for disposal, and e) the inhabitants of the country dispatching wastes. On the basis of the calculated weighted radiological impacts it is demonstrated how conclusions can be drawn about general views on the disposal of each waste, about likely attitudes to the export of wastes from one country for disposal in another, and attitudes to exchanging wastes between countries. The study is preliminary and of limited scope. However, the results show that the general methodology is practicable and could be applied in a wider ranging investigation

  15. Signatures of extended gauge sectors in e+e- → ν anti νγ

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hewett, J.L.

    1997-03-01

    The ability of high energy e + e - colliders to indirectly probe the existence of heavy new charged gauge bosons via their exchange in the reaction e + e - → ν anti νγ is investigated. It is shown that examination of the resulting photon energy spectrum with polarized beams can extend the W' search reach above the center of mass energy

  16. Carbonate Melt Rocks from the Haughton Impact Structure, Devon Island, Nunavut, Canada

    Science.gov (United States)

    Osinski, G. R.; Spray, J. G.; Lee, P.

    2002-01-01

    The target rocks at the Haughton impact structure, Canada, are predominantly carbonates. The well preserved allochthonous crater-fill deposits are reinterpreted here as being carbonatitic impact melt rocks. The implications of our findings will be discussed. Additional information is contained in the original extended abstract.

  17. Investigation of Carbonaceous Aerosol Optical Properties to Understand Impacts on Air Quality and Composition

    Science.gov (United States)

    Olson, Michael R.

    The optical properties of carbonaceous aerosols were investigated to understand the impact source emissions and ambient particulate matter (PM) have on atmospheric radiative forcing. Black carbon (BC) is a strong absorber of visible light and contributes highly to atmospheric radiative forcing, therefore it is important to link BC properties to combustion emission sources. Brown carbon (BrC) is poorly understood and may be an important contributor to both positive and negative radiative forcing. The research investigates these primary knowledge gaps. The optical properties of carbonaceous aerosols were investigated to understand the impact source emissions and ambient particulate matter (PM) have on atmospheric radiative forcing. Black carbon (BC) is a strong absorber of visible light and contributes highly to atmospheric radiative forcing, therefore it is important to link BC properties to combustion emission sources. Brown carbon (BrC) is poorly understood and may be an important contributor to both positive and negative radiative forcing. The research investigates these primary knowledge gaps. Multiple methods were developed and applied to quantify the mass absorption cross-section (MAC) at multiple wavelengths of source and ambient samples. The MAC of BC was determined to be approximately 7.5 m2g-1 at 520nm. However, the MAC was highly variable with OC fraction and wavelength. The BrC MAC was similar for all sources, with the highest absorption in the UV at 370nm; the MAC quickly decreases at larger wavelengths. In the UV, the light absorption by BrC could exceed BC contribution by over 100 times, but only when the OC fraction is large (>90%) as compared to the total carbon. BrC was investigated by measuring the light absorption of solvent extracted fractions in water, dichloromethane, and methanol. Source emissions exhibited greater light absorption in methanol extractions as compared to water and DCM extracts. The BrC MAC was 2.4 to 3.7 m2g-1 at 370nm in

  18. Effect of extended photoperiod during winter on growth and onset of puberty in Murrah buffalo heifers

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ashwani Kumar Roy

    2016-02-01

    Full Text Available Aim: To investigate the effect of extended photoperiod on growth rate, hormonal levels, and puberty in Murrah heifers. Materials and Methods: About 14 Murrah buffalo heifers were divided into normal day photoperiod (NDP; n=7 and extended NDP (ENDP; n=7 groups. The ENDP group was exposed to 4 h of extended photoperiod with artificial light (160 lux after sunset for 3 months during winter. Results: Group, age and group-by-age interaction effects on plasma glucose concentrations were non-significant (p>0.05. A significant effect of age on non-esterified fatty acids (p0.05 while significant (p0.05. Average daily gain and dry matter intake of heifers were nonsignificant between the NDP and ENDP groups but were comparatively higher in ENDP group. By the end of the experiment, 6 out of 7 heifers attained puberty in ENDP group in comparison to 4 out of 7 in NDP group. Conclusion: Extending the photoperiod by artificial light for 4 h during winter season resulted in better growth rate and early onset of puberty in Murrah buffalo heifers.

  19. Investigation of detector tube impacting in the Ringhals-1 BWR

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sunde, C.; Pazsit, I. [Department of Nuclear Engineering, Chalmers University of Technology, SE-412 96 Goteborg (Sweden)]. E-mail: kalle@nephy.chalmers.se; imre@nephy.chalmers.se

    2006-07-01

    Neutron noise measurements were made in two consecutive fuel cycles in the Swedish BWR Ringhals-1 with the purpose of diagnostics of vibrations and impacting of detector strings. Two diagnostic tools were used, first a traditional spectral analysis and second a wavelet-based method. Both types of methods have been used in the past, but not simultaneously during one fuel cycle. In addition, a new method, wavelet-based coherence, was tested with success. Based on the results of the analysis, with emphasis on the traditional method, the detector tubes were divided into three groups with respect to the severity and likelihood of impacting. For the first series of measurements, these conclusions could be checked against visual inspection of the fuel assemblies during refuelling after the cycle, in order to find impacting damage. A good correlation between the prediction of the analysis and the inspection results was found. (author)

  20. Investigation of detector tube impacting in the Ringhals-1 BWR

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sunde, C.; Pazsit, I.

    2006-01-01

    Neutron noise measurements were made in two consecutive fuel cycles in the Swedish BWR Ringhals-1 with the purpose of diagnostics of vibrations and impacting of detector strings. Two diagnostic tools were used, first a traditional spectral analysis and second a wavelet-based method. Both types of methods have been used in the past, but not simultaneously during one fuel cycle. In addition, a new method, wavelet-based coherence, was tested with success. Based on the results of the analysis, with emphasis on the traditional method, the detector tubes were divided into three groups with respect to the severity and likelihood of impacting. For the first series of measurements, these conclusions could be checked against visual inspection of the fuel assemblies during refuelling after the cycle, in order to find impacting damage. A good correlation between the prediction of the analysis and the inspection results was found. (author)

  1. Experimental and Analytical Investigations on Multiple Liquid Impact Erosion

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Thiruvengadam, A

    1969-01-01

    .... High speed motion pictures as well as conventional movie films with stroboscopic illumination were taken to show the phenomenon of liquid jet impact with the test material in a qualitative manner...

  2. Climate change impacts utilizing regional models for agriculture, hydrology and natural ecosystems

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kafatos, M.; Asrar, G. R.; El-Askary, H. M.; Hatzopoulos, N.; Kim, J.; Kim, S.; Medvigy, D.; Prasad, A. K.; Smith, E.; Stack, D. H.; Tremback, C.; Walko, R. L.

    2012-12-01

    Climate change impacts the entire Earth but with crucial and often catastrophic impacts at local and regional levels. Extreme phenomena such as fires, dust storms, droughts and other natural hazards present immediate risks and challenges. Such phenomena will become more extreme as climate change and anthropogenic activities accelerate in the future. We describe a major project funded by NIFA (Grant # 2011-67004-30224), under the joint NSF-DOE-USDA Earth System Models (EaSM) program, to investigate the impacts of climate variability and change on the agricultural and natural (i.e. rangeland) ecosystems in the Southwest USA using a combination of historical and present observations together with climate, and ecosystem models, both in hind-cast and forecast modes. The applicability of the methodology to other regions is relevant (for similar geographic regions as well as other parts of the world with different agriculture and ecosystems) and should advance the state of knowledge for regional impacts of climate change. A combination of multi-model global climate projections from the decadal predictability simulations, to downscale dynamically these projections using three regional climate models, combined with remote sensing MODIS and other data, in order to obtain high-resolution climate data that can be used with hydrological and ecosystem models for impacts analysis, is described in this presentation. Such analysis is needed to assess the future risks and potential impacts of projected changes on these natural and managed ecosystems. The results from our analysis can be used by scientists to assist extended communities to determine agricultural coping strategies, and is, therefore, of interest to wide communities of stakeholders. In future work we will be including surface hydrologic modeling and water resources, extend modeling to higher resolutions and include significantly more crops and geographical regions with different weather and climate conditions

  3. A holistic person perspective in measuring entrepreneurship education impact

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jensen, Tine Lynfort

    2014-01-01

    and impact of entrepreneurship education and social entrepreneurship education, a number of interrelated factors are identified that are important to address in assessment and measurement of impact. In addition to these factors, a supplementary dimension is suggested – the holistic person perspective...... of the article is that it can be fruitful to understand entrepreneurial activities in a dynamic and holistic manner with attention to extended time and space dimensions in order to fully capture assessment and impact of entrepreneurship education....

  4. Analysis of RTM extended images for VTI media

    KAUST Repository

    Li, Vladimir

    2016-04-28

    Extended images obtained from reverse time migration (RTM) contain information about the accuracy of the velocity field and subsurface illumination at different incidence angles. Here, we evaluate the influence of errors in the anisotropy parameters on the shape of the residual moveout (RMO) in P-wave RTM extended images for VTI (transversely isotropic with a vertical symmetry axis) media. Using the actual spatial distribution of the zero-dip NMO velocity (Vnmo), which could be approximately estimated by conventional techniques, we analyze the extended images obtained with distorted fields of the parameters η and δ. Differential semblance optimization (DSO) and stack-power estimates are employed to study the sensitivity of focusing to the anisotropy parameters. We also build angle gathers to facilitate interpretation of the shape of RMO in the extended images. The results show that the signature of η is dip-dependent, whereas errors in δ cause defocusing only if that parameter is laterally varying. Hence, earlier results regarding the influence of η and δ on reflection moveout and migration velocity analysis remain generally valid in the extended image space for complex media. The dependence of RMO on errors in the anisotropy parameters provides essential insights for anisotropic wavefield tomography using extended images.

  5. Analysis of RTM extended images for VTI media

    KAUST Repository

    Li, Vladimir; Tsvankin, Ilya; Alkhalifah, Tariq Ali

    2016-01-01

    Extended images obtained from reverse time migration (RTM) contain information about the accuracy of the velocity field and subsurface illumination at different incidence angles. Here, we evaluate the influence of errors in the anisotropy parameters on the shape of the residual moveout (RMO) in P-wave RTM extended images for VTI (transversely isotropic with a vertical symmetry axis) media. Using the actual spatial distribution of the zero-dip NMO velocity (Vnmo), which could be approximately estimated by conventional techniques, we analyze the extended images obtained with distorted fields of the parameters η and δ. Differential semblance optimization (DSO) and stack-power estimates are employed to study the sensitivity of focusing to the anisotropy parameters. We also build angle gathers to facilitate interpretation of the shape of RMO in the extended images. The results show that the signature of η is dip-dependent, whereas errors in δ cause defocusing only if that parameter is laterally varying. Hence, earlier results regarding the influence of η and δ on reflection moveout and migration velocity analysis remain generally valid in the extended image space for complex media. The dependence of RMO on errors in the anisotropy parameters provides essential insights for anisotropic wavefield tomography using extended images.

  6. Design and evaluation of nicorandil extended-release tablet

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ju-Young Kim

    2015-04-01

    Full Text Available The aim of this study was to design and evaluate extended-release formulations of a model drug, nicorandil, in order to achieve the desired steady-state plasma concentration of drug in vivo. Simulation was employed to estimate optimum dissolution and absorption rate of nicorandil. The dissolution test was employed using pH 1.2, 4.0, 6.8 buffer solution, or water, to measure the in vitro release behaviors of nicorandil formulations. A single dose (15 mg of each formulation was orally administered to four beagle dogs under fasted conditions, and the pharmacokinetic parameters were calculated. The in vitro/in vivo relationship of the extended-release formulation was confirmed using in vitro dissolution profiles and plasma concentrations of drug in beagle dogs. Nicorandil was released completely within 30 min from the immediate-release tablets and released for 24 h from the extended-release tablets. The nicorandil plasma concentration could be modified by adjusting the drug release rate from the extended-release formulation. The release rate of nicorandil was the rate-limiting step in the overall absorption of drug from the extended-release formulations. These results highlight the potential of a nicorandil extended-release formulation in the treatment of angina pectoris.

  7. Children, AIDS and the politics of orphan care in Ethiopia: the extended family revisited.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Abebe, Tatek; Aase, Asbjorn

    2007-05-01

    The astounding rise in the number of orphans due to the HIV/AIDS epidemic has left many Ethiopian families and communities with enormous childcare problems. Available studies on the capacity and sustainability of the extended family system, which culturally performs the role of care for children in need, suggest two competing theories. The first is grounded in the social rupture thesis and assumes that the traditional system of orphan care is stretched by the impact of the epidemic, and is actually collapsing. By contrast, the second theory counter-suggests that the flexibility and strength of the informal childcare practise, if supported by appropriate interventions, can still support a large number of orphans. Based on a seven-month period of child-focused, qualitative research fieldwork in Ethiopia involving observations; in-depth interviews with orphans (42), social workers (12) and heads of households (18); focus group discussions with orphans (8), elderly people and community leaders (6); and story-writing by children in school contexts, this article explores the trade-offs and social dynamics of orphan care within extended family structures in Ethiopia. It argues that there is a rural-urban divide in the capacity to cater for orphans that emanates from structural differences as well as the socio-cultural and economic values associated with children. The care of orphans within extended family households is also characterised by multiple and reciprocal relationships in care-giving and care-receiving practices. By calling for a contextual understanding of the 'orphan burden', the paper concludes that interventions for orphans may consider care as a continuum in the light of four profiles of extended families, namely rupturing, transient, adaptive, and capable families.

  8. Extending Critical Performativity

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Spicer, André; Alvesson, Mats; Kärreman, Dan

    2016-01-01

    In this article we extend the debate about critical performativity. We begin by outlining the basic tenets of critical performativity and how this has been applied in the study of management and organization. We then address recent critiques of critical performance. We note these arguments suffer...... of public importance; engaging with non-academic groups using dialectical reasoning; scaling up insights through movement building; and propagating deliberation...

  9. Investigating methods for determining mismatch in near side vehicle impacts - biomed 2009.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Loftis, Kathryn; Martin, R Shayn; Meredith, J Wayne; Stitzel, Joel

    2009-01-01

    This study investigates vehicle mismatch in severe side-impact motor vehicle collisions. Research conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has determined that vehicle mismatch often leads to very severe injuries for occupants in the struck vehicle, because the larger striking vehicle does not engage the lower sill upon impact, resulting in severe intrusions into the occupant compartment. Previous studies have analyzed mismatched collisions according to vehicle type, not by the difference in vehicle height and weight. It is hypothesized that the combination of a heavier striking vehicle at a taller height results in more intrusion for the struck vehicle and severe injury for the near side occupant. By analyzing Crash Injury Research and Engineering Network (CIREN) data and occupant injury severity, it is possible to study intrusion and injuries that occur due to vehicle mismatch. CIREN enrolls seriously injured occupants involved in motor vehicle crashes (MVC) across the United States. From the Toyota-Wake Forest University CIREN center, 23 near side impact cases involving two vehicles were recorded. Only 3 of these seriously injured occupant cases were not considered mismatched according to vehicle curb weight, and only 2 were not considered vehicle mismatched according to height differences. The mismatched CIREN cases had an average difference in vehicle curb weight of 737.0 kg (standard deviation of 646.8) and an average difference in vehicle height of 16.38 cm (standard deviation of 7.186). There were 13 occupants with rib fractures, 12 occupants with pelvic fractures, 9 occupants with pulmonary contusion, and 5 occupants with head injuries, among other multiple injuries. The average Injury Severity Score (ISS) for these occupants was 27, with a standard deviation of 16. The most serious injuries resulted in an Abbreviated Injury Scale (AIS) of 5, which included 3 occupants. Each of these AIS 5 injuries were to different body regions on different

  10. Possibility of extending space-time coordinates

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang Yongcheng.

    1993-11-01

    It has been shown that one coordinate system can describe a whole space-time region except some supersurfaces on which there are coordinate singularities. The conditions of extending a coordinate from real field to complex field are studied. It has been shown that many-valued coordinate transformations may help us to extend space-time regions and many-valued metric functions may make one coordinate region to describe more than one space-time regions. (author). 11 refs

  11. Investigating a computerised test of the Stroop effect extended by inclusion of a third, more difficult task.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Federmann, Rolf; Goldsmith, Robert; Bäckström, Martin

    2007-04-01

    A validation study of a computerised test recently developed involving the Stroop effect, extended here by inclusion of a third, more difficult test series, is presented. Three groups of men belonging to the Swedish armed forces and adjudged to differ in their qualifications (20, 32, and 19 men of levels 1, 2, and 3, respectively) and a fourth group of 18 men convicted of serious crimes of violence were given this test, termed the Stress Strategy Test. Discriminant analysis of the test's 12 variables (four for each of the three test series) yielded a discriminant power of 65% for the total group, highest for the level 1 group (80%) and for the nonmilitary group (72%), results substantially better than obtained for the original version of the test with use of similar subject groups.

  12. Investigation of electromagnetic launcher behavior for impact fusion. Annual report, July 1, 1983-May 1, 1984

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Thio, Y.C.

    1984-06-01

    A program to develop an ultrahigh velocity accelerator (SUVAC), based on the electromagnetic railgun accelerator concept and sponsored by the US Department of Energy, has been initiated at Westinghouse R and D Center. The program involves the construction over a 4-year period (July 1983 to June 1987) of a multi-stage railgun accelerator which has the potential of accelerating a 1-g projectile to about 30 km/s (Mach 100). The scientific objective of the program is to use the accelerator so built as the experimental apparatus to investigate the potential technical problems of accelerating macroparticles to velocity presently thought to be required to produce impact fusion. The program is part of a joint program with the University of Washington to develop the scientific and technological basis to achieve controlled thermonuclear fusion by hypervelocity impact. This report summarizes the progress made in the first year of the program. It covers work done for the period July 1, 1983 to May 1, 1984

  13. The impact of SOA for achieving healthcare interoperability. An empirical investigation based on a hypothetical adoption.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Daskalakis, S; Mantas, J

    2009-01-01

    The evaluation of a service-oriented prototype implementation for healthcare interoperability. A prototype framework was developed, aiming to exploit the use of service-oriented architecture (SOA) concepts for achieving healthcare interoperability and to move towards a virtual patient record (VPR) paradigm. The prototype implementation was evaluated for its hypothetical adoption. The evaluation strategy was based on the initial proposition of the DeLone and McLean model of information systems (IS) success [1], as modeled by Iivari [2]. A set of SOA and VPR characteristics were empirically encapsulated within the dimensions of IS success model, combined with measures from previous research works. The data gathered was analyzed using partial least squares (PLS). The results highlighted that system quality is a partial predictor of system use but not of user satisfaction. On the contrary, information quality proved to be a significant predictor of user satisfaction and partially a strong significant predictor of system use. Moreover, system use did not prove to be a significant predictor of individual impact whereas the bi-directional relation between use and user satisfaction did not confirm. Additionally, user satisfaction was found to be a strong significant predictor of individual impact. Finally, individual impact proved to be a strong significant predictor of organizational impact. The empirical study attempted to obtain hypothetical, but still useful beliefs and perceptions regarding the SOA prototype implementation. The deduced observations can form the basis for further investigation regarding the adaptability of SOA implementations with VPR characteristics in the healthcare domain.

  14. Near field wireless power transfer using curved relay resonators for extended transfer distance

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhu, D; Beeby, S P; Clare, L; Stark, B H

    2015-01-01

    This paper investigates the performance of a near field wireless power transfer system that uses curved relay resonator to extend transfer distance. Near field wireless power transfer operates based on the near-field electromagnetic coupling of coils. Such a system can transfer energy over a relatively short distance which is of the same order of dimensions of the coupled coils. The energy transfer distance can be increased using flat relay resonators. Recent developments in printing electronics and e-textiles have seen increasing demand of embedding electronics into fabrics. Near field wireless power transfer is one of the most promising methods to power electronics on fabrics. The concept can be applied to body-worn textiles by, for example, integrating a transmitter coil into upholstery, and a flexible receiver coil into garments. Flexible textile coils take on the shape of the supporting materials such as garments, and therefore curved resonator and receiver coils are investigated in this work. Experimental results showed that using curved relay resonator can effectively extend the wireless power transfer distance. However, as the curvature of the coil increases, the performance of the wireless power transfer, especially the maximum received power, deteriorates. (paper)

  15. The Anticipated Positive Psychosocial Impact of Present Web-Based E-Health Services and Future Mobile Health Applications: An Investigation among Older Swedes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wiklund Axelsson, S; Nyberg, L; Näslund, A; Melander Wikman, A

    2013-01-01

    This study investigates the anticipated psychosocial impact of present web-based e-health services and future mobile health applications among older Swedes. Random sample's of Swedish citizens aged 55 years old and older were given a survey containing two different e-health scenarios which respondents rated according to their anticipated psychosocial impact by means of the PIADS instrument. Results consistently demonstrated the positive anticipation of psychosocial impacts for both scenarios. The future mobile health applications scored more positively than the present web-based e-health services. An increase in age correlated positively to lower impact scores. These findings indicate that from a psychosocial perspective, web-based e-health services and mobile health applications are likely to positively impact quality of life. This knowledge can be helpful when tailoring and implementing e-health services that are directed to older people.

  16. The benefits of cooling boar semen in long-term extenders prior to cryopreservation on sperm quality characteristics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wasilewska, K; Zasiadczyk, Ł; Fraser, L; Mogielnicka-Brzozowska, M; Kordan, W

    2016-10-01

    This study investigated the effects of long-term extenders on post-thaw sperm quality characteristics following different holding times (HT) of boar semen at 17 and 10°C. Sperm-rich fractions, collected from five boars, were diluted in Androhep(®) Plus (AHP), Androstar(®) Plus (ASP), Safecell(®) Plus and TRIXcell(®) Plus (TCP) extenders. The extended semen samples were held for 2 hr at 17°C (HT 1) and additionally for 24 hr at 10°C (HT 2), after they were evaluated and frozen. CASA sperm motility and motion patterns, mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), plasma membrane integrity (PMI) and normal apical ridge (NAR) acrosome integrity were assessed in the pre-freeze and frozen-thawed semen. The Vybrant Apoptosis Assay Kit was used to analyse the proportions of viable and plasma membrane apoptotic-like changes in spermatozoa. Results indicated that boar variability, extender and HT significantly affected the sperm quality characteristics, particularly after freezing-thawing. Differences in the pre-freeze semen were more marked in the sperm motion patterns between the HTs. Pre-freeze semen in HT 2 showed significantly higher VCL and VAP, whereas no marked effects were observed in the sperm membrane integrity and viability (YO-PRO-1(-) /PI(-) ) among the extenders. Post-thaw sperm TMOT and PMOT were significantly higher in the AHP and ASP extenders of HT 2 group, whereas VSL, VCL and VAP were markedly lower in the TCP extender. Furthermore, spermatozoa from the AHP- and ASP-extended semen of HT 2 group were characterized by higher MMP, PMI and NAR acrosome integrity following freezing-thawing. In most of the extenders, the incidence of frozen-thawed spermatozoa with apoptotic-like changes was greater in HT 1. The findings of this study indicate that holding of boar semen at 10°C for 24 hr in long-term preservation extenders modulates post-thaw sperm quality characteristics in an extender-dependent manner. These results will further contribute to the

  17. Investigating the traffic-related environmental impacts of hydraulic-fracturing (fracking) operations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Goodman, Paul S; Galatioto, Fabio; Thorpe, Neil; Namdeo, Anil K; Davies, Richard J; Bird, Roger N

    2016-01-01

    Hydraulic fracturing (fracking) has been used extensively in the US and Canada since the 1950s and offers the potential for significant new sources of oil and gas supply. Numerous other countries around the world (including the UK, Germany, China, South Africa, Australia and Argentina) are now giving serious consideration to sanctioning the technique to provide additional security over the future supply of domestic energy. However, relatively high population densities in many countries and the potential negative environmental impacts that may be associated with fracking operations has stimulated controversy and significant public debate regarding if and where fracking should be permitted. Road traffic generated by fracking operations is one possible source of environmental impact whose significance has, until now, been largely neglected in the available literature. This paper therefore presents a scoping-level environmental assessment for individual and groups of fracking sites using a newly-created Traffic Impacts Model (TIM). The model produces estimates of the traffic-related impacts of fracking on greenhouse gas emissions, local air quality emissions, noise and road pavement wear, using a range of hypothetical fracking scenarios to quantify changes in impacts against baseline levels. Results suggest that the local impacts of a single well pad may be short duration but large magnitude. That is, whilst single digit percentile increases in emissions of CO2, NOx and PM are estimated for the period from start of construction to pad completion (potentially several months or years), excess emissions of NOx on individual days of peak activity can reach 30% over baseline. Likewise, excess noise emissions appear negligible (fracking water and flowback waste requirements. The TIM model is designed to be adaptable to any geographic area where the required input data are available (such as fleet characteristics, road type and quality), and we suggest could be deployed as a

  18. Extended data acquisition support at GSI

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Marinescu, D.C.; Busch, F.; Hultzsch, H.; Lowsky, J.; Richter, M.

    1984-01-01

    The Experiment Data Acquisition and Analysis System (EDAS) of GSI, designed to support the data processing associated with nuclear physics experiments, provides three modes of operation: real-time, interactive replay and batch replay. The real-time mode is used for data acquisition and data analysis during an experiment performed at the heavy ion accelerator at GSI. An experiment may be performed either in Stand Alone Mode, using only the Experiment Computers, or in Extended Mode using all computing resources available. The Extended Mode combines the advantages of the real-time response of a dedicated minicomputer with the availability of computing resources in a large computing environment. This paper first gives an overview of EDAS and presents the GSI High Speed Data Acquisition Network. Data Acquisition Modes and the Extended Mode are then introduced. The structure of the system components, their implementation and the functions pertinent to the Extended Mode are presented. The control functions of the Experiment Computer sub-system are discussed in detail. Two aspects of the design of the sub-system running on the mainframe are stressed, namely the use of a multi-user installation for real-time processing and the use of a high level programming language, PL/I, as an implementation language for a system which uses parallel processing. The experience accumulated is summarized in a number of conclusions

  19. 48 CFR 52.217-8 - Option To Extend Services.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-10-01

    ... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 2 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Option To Extend Services....217-8 Option To Extend Services. As prescribed in 17.208(f), insert a clause substantially the same as the following: Option To Extend Services (NOV 1999) The Government may require continued performance...

  20. Preliminary investigation into the impacts of assimilating SST and SLA on the surface velocities in a HYCOM of the Agulhas Current

    CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

    Rapeti, T

    2016-10-01

    Full Text Available Data assimilative ocean models play crucial roles in furthering the understanding, and providing forecasts of the Agulhas Current system. This study investigates the impact that assimilating sea surface temperatures (SST) combined with sea level...