large slow processes: Topics by WorldWideScience.org

Sample records for large slow processes

Revealing the cluster of slow transients behind a large slow slip event.

Science.gov (United States)

Frank, William B; Rousset, Baptiste; Lasserre, Cécile; Campillo, Michel

2018-05-01

Capable of reaching similar magnitudes to large megathrust earthquakes [ M w (moment magnitude) > 7], slow slip events play a major role in accommodating tectonic motion on plate boundaries through predominantly aseismic rupture. We demonstrate here that large slow slip events are a cluster of short-duration slow transients. Using a dense catalog of low-frequency earthquakes as a guide, we investigate the M w 7.5 slow slip event that occurred in 2006 along the subduction interface 40 km beneath Guerrero, Mexico. We show that while the long-period surface displacement, as recorded by Global Positioning System, suggests a 6-month duration, the motion in the direction of tectonic release only sporadically occurs over 55 days, and its surface signature is attenuated by rapid relocking of the plate interface. Our proposed description of slow slip as a cluster of slow transients forces us to re-evaluate our understanding of the physics and scaling of slow earthquakes.
Identification of low order models for large scale processes

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Wattamwar, S.K.

2010-01-01

Many industrial chemical processes are complex, multi-phase and large scale in nature. These processes are characterized by various nonlinear physiochemical effects and fluid flows. Such processes often show coexistence of fast and slow dynamics during their time evolutions. The increasing demand
Topography of Slow Sigma Power during Sleep is Associated with Processing Speed in Preschool Children.

Science.gov (United States)

Doucette, Margaret R; Kurth, Salome; Chevalier, Nicolas; Munakata, Yuko; LeBourgeois, Monique K

2015-11-04

Cognitive development is influenced by maturational changes in processing speed, a construct reflecting the rapidity of executing cognitive operations. Although cognitive ability and processing speed are linked to spindles and sigma power in the sleep electroencephalogram (EEG), little is known about such associations in early childhood, a time of major neuronal refinement. We calculated EEG power for slow (10-13 Hz) and fast (13.25-17 Hz) sigma power from all-night high-density electroencephalography (EEG) in a cross-sectional sample of healthy preschool children (n = 10, 4.3 ± 1.0 years). Processing speed was assessed as simple reaction time. On average, reaction time was 1409 ± 251 ms; slow sigma power was 4.0 ± 1.5 μV²; and fast sigma power was 0.9 ± 0.2 μV². Both slow and fast sigma power predominated over central areas. Only slow sigma power was correlated with processing speed in a large parietal electrode cluster (p power predicted faster reaction time. Our findings indicate regional correlates between sigma power and processing speed that are specific to early childhood and provide novel insights into the neurobiological features of the EEG that may underlie developing cognitive abilities.
Frequency response of slow beam extraction process

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Toyama, Takeshi; Sato, Hikaru; Marutsuka, Katsumi; Shirakata, Masashi.

1994-01-01

A servo control system has been incorporated into the practical slow extraction system in order to stabilize the spill structure less than a few kHz. Frequency responses of the components of the servo-spill control system and the open-loop frequency response were measured. The beam transfer function of the slow extraction process was derived from the measured data and approximated using a simple function. This is utilized to improve the performance of the servo-loop. (author)
Topography of Slow Sigma Power during Sleep is Associated with Processing Speed in Preschool Children

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Margaret R. Doucette

2015-11-01

Full Text Available Cognitive development is influenced by maturational changes in processing speed, a construct reflecting the rapidity of executing cognitive operations. Although cognitive ability and processing speed are linked to spindles and sigma power in the sleep electroencephalogram (EEG, little is known about such associations in early childhood, a time of major neuronal refinement. We calculated EEG power for slow (10–13 Hz and fast (13.25–17 Hz sigma power from all-night high-density electroencephalography (EEG in a cross-sectional sample of healthy preschool children (n = 10, 4.3 ± 1.0 years. Processing speed was assessed as simple reaction time. On average, reaction time was 1409 ± 251 ms; slow sigma power was 4.0 ± 1.5 μV2; and fast sigma power was 0.9 ± 0.2 μV2. Both slow and fast sigma power predominated over central areas. Only slow sigma power was correlated with processing speed in a large parietal electrode cluster (p < 0.05, r ranging from −0.6 to −0.8, such that greater power predicted faster reaction time. Our findings indicate regional correlates between sigma power and processing speed that are specific to early childhood and provide novel insights into the neurobiological features of the EEG that may underlie developing cognitive abilities.
Explicit and Implicit Processes Constitute the Fast and Slow Processes of Sensorimotor Learning.

Science.gov (United States)

McDougle, Samuel D; Bond, Krista M; Taylor, Jordan A

2015-07-01

A popular model of human sensorimotor learning suggests that a fast process and a slow process work in parallel to produce the canonical learning curve (Smith et al., 2006). Recent evidence supports the subdivision of sensorimotor learning into explicit and implicit processes that simultaneously subserve task performance (Taylor et al., 2014). We set out to test whether these two accounts of learning processes are homologous. Using a recently developed method to assay explicit and implicit learning directly in a sensorimotor task, along with a computational modeling analysis, we show that the fast process closely resembles explicit learning and the slow process approximates implicit learning. In addition, we provide evidence for a subdivision of the slow/implicit process into distinct manifestations of motor memory. We conclude that the two-state model of motor learning is a close approximation of sensorimotor learning, but it is unable to describe adequately the various implicit learning operations that forge the learning curve. Our results suggest that a wider net be cast in the search for the putative psychological mechanisms and neural substrates underlying the multiplicity of processes involved in motor learning. Copyright © 2015 the authors 0270-6474/15/359568-12$15.00/0.
Sound asleep: Processing and retention of slow oscillation phase-targeted stimuli

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Cox, R.; Korjoukov, I.; de Boer, M.; Talamini, L.M.

2014-01-01

The sleeping brain retains some residual information processing capacity. Although direct evidence is scarce, a substantial literature suggests the phase of slow oscillations during deep sleep to be an important determinant for stimulus processing. Here, we introduce an algorithm for predicting slow
Study of Dynamic Characteristics of Slow-Changing Process

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yinong Li

2000-01-01

Full Text Available A vibration system with slow-changing parameters is a typical nonlinear system. Such systems often occur in the working and controlled process of some intelligent structures when vibration and deformation exist synchronously. In this paper, a system with slow-changing stiffness, damping and mass is analyzed in an intelligent structure. The relationship between the amplitude and the frequency of the system is studied, and its dynamic characteristic is also discussed. Finally, a piecewise linear method is developed on the basis of the asymptotic method. The simulation and the experiment show that a suitable slow-changing stiffness can restrain the amplitude of the system when the system passes through the resonant region.
Molecular dynamics simulations of sputtering of organic overlayers by slow, large clusters

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rzeznik, L.; Czerwinski, B.; Garrison, B.J.; Winograd, N.; Postawa, Z.

2008-01-01

The ion-stimulated desorption of organic molecules by impact of large and slow clusters is examined using molecular dynamics (MDs) computer simulations. The investigated system, represented by a monolayer of benzene deposited on Ag{1 1 1}, is irradiated with projectiles composed of thousands of noble gas atoms having a kinetic energy of 0.1-20 eV/atom. The sputtering yield of molecular species and the kinetic energy distributions are analyzed and compared to the results obtain for PS4 overlayer. The simulations demonstrate quite clearly that the physics of ejection by large and slow clusters is distinct from the ejection events stimulated by the popular SIMS clusters, like C 60 , Au 3 and SF 5 at tens of keV energies.
Simulations to investigate the eect of circuit imperfections on the slow extraction process

CERN Document Server

Van De Pontseele, Wouter

2016-01-01

The Super Proton Synchrotron (SPS) is a 400 GeV proton accelerator at CERN. Its main purpose is the last step in pre-acceleration of particles before injecting them into the Large Hadron Collider. Besides that, it is used for experiments directly connected to the SPS. For these xed target experiments, a steady slow extraction of the SPS beam is necessary over thousands of turns. The SPS slow extraction process makes use of the third-integer resonance in combination with an electrostatic septum. The stability of the extracted intensity and the losses at the septum are in uenced by the imperfections of the current circuit that drives the SPS quadrupoles. This report summarizes the studies that were carried out with MAD-X to simulate these imperfections.
Fast and slow spindles during the sleep slow oscillation: disparate coalescence and engagement in memory processing.

Science.gov (United States)

Mölle, Matthias; Bergmann, Til O; Marshall, Lisa; Born, Jan

2011-10-01

Thalamo-cortical spindles driven by the up-state of neocortical slow (memory consolidation during sleep. We examined interactions between SOs and spindles in human slow wave sleep, focusing on the presumed existence of 2 kinds of spindles, i.e., slow frontocortical and fast centro-parietal spindles. Two experiments were performed in healthy humans (24.5 ± 0.9 y) investigating undisturbed sleep (Experiment I) and the effects of prior learning (word paired associates) vs. non-learning (Experiment II) on multichannel EEG recordings during sleep. Only fast spindles (12-15 Hz) were synchronized to the depolarizing SO up-state. Slow spindles (9-12 Hz) occurred preferentially at the transition into the SO down-state, i.e., during waning depolarization. Slow spindles also revealed a higher probability to follow rather than precede fast spindles. For sequences of individual SOs, fast spindle activity was largest for "initial" SOs, whereas SO amplitude and slow spindle activity were largest for succeeding SOs. Prior learning enhanced this pattern. The finding that fast and slow spindles occur at different times of the SO cycle points to disparate generating mechanisms for the 2 kinds of spindles. The reported temporal relationships during SO sequences suggest that fast spindles, driven by the SO up-state feed back to enhance the likelihood of succeeding SOs together with slow spindles. By enforcing such SO-spindle cycles, particularly after prior learning, fast spindles possibly play a key role in sleep-dependent memory processing.
Sound asleep: processing and retention of slow oscillation phase-targeted stimuli.

Science.gov (United States)

Cox, Roy; Korjoukov, Ilia; de Boer, Marieke; Talamini, Lucia M

2014-01-01

The sleeping brain retains some residual information processing capacity. Although direct evidence is scarce, a substantial literature suggests the phase of slow oscillations during deep sleep to be an important determinant for stimulus processing. Here, we introduce an algorithm for predicting slow oscillations in real-time. Using this approach to present stimuli directed at both oscillatory up and down states, we show neural stimulus processing depends importantly on the slow oscillation phase. During ensuing wakefulness, however, we did not observe differential brain or behavioral responses to these stimulus categories, suggesting no enduring memories were formed. We speculate that while simpler forms of learning may occur during sleep, neocortically based memories are not readily established during deep sleep.
Sound asleep: processing and retention of slow oscillation phase-targeted stimuli.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Roy Cox

Full Text Available The sleeping brain retains some residual information processing capacity. Although direct evidence is scarce, a substantial literature suggests the phase of slow oscillations during deep sleep to be an important determinant for stimulus processing. Here, we introduce an algorithm for predicting slow oscillations in real-time. Using this approach to present stimuli directed at both oscillatory up and down states, we show neural stimulus processing depends importantly on the slow oscillation phase. During ensuing wakefulness, however, we did not observe differential brain or behavioral responses to these stimulus categories, suggesting no enduring memories were formed. We speculate that while simpler forms of learning may occur during sleep, neocortically based memories are not readily established during deep sleep.
Delineating psychomotor slowing from reduced processing speed in schizophrenia

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Morrens, M.; Hulstijn, W.; Matton, C.; Madani, Y.; Bouwel, L. van; Peuskens, J.; Sabbe, B.G.C.

2008-01-01

Introduction. Psychomotor slowing is an intrinsic feature of schizophrenia that is poorly delineated from generally reduced processing speed. Although the Symbol Digit Substitution Test (SDST) is widely used to assess psychomotor speed, the task also taps several higher-order cognitive processes.
Distinguishing Fast and Slow Processes in Accuracy - Response Time Data.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Frederik Coomans

Full Text Available We investigate the relation between speed and accuracy within problem solving in its simplest non-trivial form. We consider tests with only two items and code the item responses in two binary variables: one indicating the response accuracy, and one indicating the response speed. Despite being a very basic setup, it enables us to study item pairs stemming from a broad range of domains such as basic arithmetic, first language learning, intelligence-related problems, and chess, with large numbers of observations for every pair of problems under consideration. We carry out a survey over a large number of such item pairs and compare three types of psychometric accuracy-response time models present in the literature: two 'one-process' models, the first of which models accuracy and response time as conditionally independent and the second of which models accuracy and response time as conditionally dependent, and a 'two-process' model which models accuracy contingent on response time. We find that the data clearly violates the restrictions imposed by both one-process models and requires additional complexity which is parsimoniously provided by the two-process model. We supplement our survey with an analysis of the erroneous responses for an example item pair and demonstrate that there are very significant differences between the types of errors in fast and slow responses.
Movement - uncontrolled or slow

Science.gov (United States)

Dystonia; Involuntary slow and twisting movements; Choreoathetosis; Leg and arm movements - uncontrollable; Arm and leg movements - uncontrollable; Slow involuntary movements of large muscle groups; Athetoid movements
Phase of Spontaneous Slow Oscillations during Sleep Influences Memory-Related Processing of Auditory Cues.

Science.gov (United States)

Batterink, Laura J; Creery, Jessica D; Paller, Ken A

2016-01-27

Slow oscillations during slow-wave sleep (SWS) may facilitate memory consolidation by regulating interactions between hippocampal and cortical networks. Slow oscillations appear as high-amplitude, synchronized EEG activity, corresponding to upstates of neuronal depolarization and downstates of hyperpolarization. Memory reactivations occur spontaneously during SWS, and can also be induced by presenting learning-related cues associated with a prior learning episode during sleep. This technique, targeted memory reactivation (TMR), selectively enhances memory consolidation. Given that memory reactivation is thought to occur preferentially during the slow-oscillation upstate, we hypothesized that TMR stimulation effects would depend on the phase of the slow oscillation. Participants learned arbitrary spatial locations for objects that were each paired with a characteristic sound (eg, cat-meow). Then, during SWS periods of an afternoon nap, one-half of the sounds were presented at low intensity. When object location memory was subsequently tested, recall accuracy was significantly better for those objects cued during sleep. We report here for the first time that this memory benefit was predicted by slow-wave phase at the time of stimulation. For cued objects, location memories were categorized according to amount of forgetting from pre- to post-nap. Conditions of high versus low forgetting corresponded to stimulation timing at different slow-oscillation phases, suggesting that learning-related stimuli were more likely to be processed and trigger memory reactivation when they occurred at the optimal phase of a slow oscillation. These findings provide insight into mechanisms of memory reactivation during sleep, supporting the idea that reactivation is most likely during cortical upstates. Slow-wave sleep (SWS) is characterized by synchronized neural activity alternating between active upstates and quiet downstates. The slow-oscillation upstates are thought to provide a
Transient crustal movement in the northern Izu-Bonin arc starting in 2004: A large slow slip event or a slow back-arc rifting event?

Science.gov (United States)

Arisa, Deasy; Heki, Kosuke

2016-07-01

The Izu-Bonin arc lies along the convergent boundary where the Pacific Plate subducts beneath the Philippine Sea Plate. Horizontal velocities of continuous Global Navigation Satellite System stations on the Izu Islands move eastward by up to 1 cm/year relative to the stable part of the Philippine Sea Plate suggesting active back-arc rifting behind the northern part of the arc. Here, we report that such eastward movements transiently accelerated in the middle of 2004 resulting in 3 cm extra movements in 3 years. We compare three different mechanisms possibly responsible for this transient movement, i.e. (1) postseismic movement of the 2004 September earthquake sequence off the Kii Peninsula far to the west, (2) a temporary activation of the back-arc rifting to the west dynamically triggered by seismic waves from a nearby earthquake, and (3) a large slow slip event in the Izu-Bonin Trench to the east. By comparing crustal movements in different regions, the first possibility can be shown unlikely. It is difficult to rule out the second possibility, but current evidence support the third possibility, i.e. a large slow slip event with moment magnitude of 7.5 may have occurred there.
Protective systems and its protective switching elements on local failures of large slow-capacitor bank system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hasegawa, Mitsuo; Inoue, Kunikazu; Ueno, Isao.

1994-01-01

In various applications of pulsed power technologies, large capacitor bank systems are used to feed high current impulse to different experimental devices. The accidental electric breakdown in one of the capacitors in a parallel connection of the large bank may result in serious damages such as mechanical explosion and oil effusion or fire. In most fast banks, each unit capacitor has an output gap switch, which is expected to decouple the capacitors one another. However, no such special element is adopted usually in the slow bank system, partly because of the economical consideration. We have developed a novel and inexpensive protective element for these relatively slow capacitor banks, utilizing a concept of the enclosed type of the fast breakers. The principle of the operation of the protection elements is verified by a simulation experiment. Their practical effectiveness is also successfully demonstrated in the application to the system of the pulsed high magnetic field generator. (author)
Areas prone to slow slip events impede earthquake rupture propagation and promote afterslip

Science.gov (United States)

Rolandone, Frederique; Nocquet, Jean-Mathieu; Mothes, Patricia A.; Jarrin, Paul; Vallée, Martin; Cubas, Nadaya; Hernandez, Stephen; Plain, Morgan; Vaca, Sandro; Font, Yvonne

2018-01-01

At subduction zones, transient aseismic slip occurs either as afterslip following a large earthquake or as episodic slow slip events during the interseismic period. Afterslip and slow slip events are usually considered as distinct processes occurring on separate fault areas governed by different frictional properties. Continuous GPS (Global Positioning System) measurements following the 2016 Mw (moment magnitude) 7.8 Ecuador earthquake reveal that large and rapid afterslip developed at discrete areas of the megathrust that had previously hosted slow slip events. Regardless of whether they were locked or not before the earthquake, these areas appear to persistently release stress by aseismic slip throughout the earthquake cycle and outline the seismic rupture, an observation potentially leading to a better anticipation of future large earthquakes. PMID:29404404

Timing of the Crab pulsar III. The slowing down and the nature of the random process

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Groth, E.J.

1975-01-01

The Crab pulsar arrival times are analyzed. The data are found to be consistent with a smooth slowing down with a braking index of 2.515+-0.005. Superposed on the smooth slowdown is a random process which has the same second moments as a random walk in the frequency. The strength of the random process is R 2 >=0.53 (+0.24, -0.12) x10 -22 Hz 2 s -1 , where R is the mean rate of steps and 2 > is the second moment of the step amplitude distribution. Neither the braking index nor the strength of the random process shows evidence of statistically significant time variations, although small fluctuations in the braking index and rather large fluctuations in the noise strength cannot be ruled out. There is a possibility that the random process contains a small component with the same second moments as a random walk in the phase. If so, a time scale of 3.5 days is indicated
Activated-Lignite-Based Super Large Granular Slow-Release Fertilizers Improve Apple Tree Growth: Synthesis, Characterizations, and Laboratory and Field Evaluations.

Science.gov (United States)

Tang, Yafu; Wang, Xinying; Yang, Yuechao; Gao, Bin; Wan, Yongshan; Li, Yuncong C; Cheng, Dongdong

2017-07-26

In this work, lignite, a low-grade coal, was modified using the solid-phase activation method with the aid of a Pd/CeO 2 nanoparticle catalyst to improve its pore structure and nutrient absorption. Results indicate that the adsorption ability of the activated lignite to NO 3 - , NH 4 + , H 2 PO 4 - , and K + was significantly higher than that of raw lignite. The activated lignite was successfully combined with the polymeric slow-release fertilizer, which exhibits typical slow-release behavior, to prepare the super large granular activated lignite slow-release fertilizer (SAF). In addition to the slow-release ability, the SAF showed excellent water-retention capabilities. Soil column leaching experiments further confirmed the slow-release characteristics of the SAF with fertilizer nutrient loss greatly reduced in comparison to traditional and slow-release fertilizers. Furthermore, field tests of the SAF in an orchard showed that the novel SAF was better than other tested fertilizers in improve the growth of young apple trees. Findings from this study suggest that the newly developed SAF has great potential to be used in apple cultivation and production systems in the future.
Slow dynamics in translation-invariant quantum lattice models

Science.gov (United States)

Michailidis, Alexios A.; Žnidarič, Marko; Medvedyeva, Mariya; Abanin, Dmitry A.; Prosen, Tomaž; Papić, Z.

2018-03-01

Many-body quantum systems typically display fast dynamics and ballistic spreading of information. Here we address the open problem of how slow the dynamics can be after a generic breaking of integrability by local interactions. We develop a method based on degenerate perturbation theory that reveals slow dynamical regimes and delocalization processes in general translation invariant models, along with accurate estimates of their delocalization time scales. Our results shed light on the fundamental questions of the robustness of quantum integrable systems and the possibility of many-body localization without disorder. As an example, we construct a large class of one-dimensional lattice models where, despite the absence of asymptotic localization, the transient dynamics is exceptionally slow, i.e., the dynamics is indistinguishable from that of many-body localized systems for the system sizes and time scales accessible in experiments and numerical simulations.
Slow shock characteristics as a function of distance from the X-line in the magnetotail

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, L.C.; Lin, Y.; Shi, Y.; Tsurutani, B.T.

1989-01-01

Both particle and MHD simulations are performed to study the characteristics of slow shocks in the magnetotail. The particle simulations indicate that switch-off shocks exhibit large amplitude rotational wave trains, while magnetotail slow shocks with an intermediate Mach number M An c congruent 0.98 do not display such rotational wave trains. The MHD simulations show that the spontaneous reconnection process in the near-earth plasma sheet leads to the formation of a pair of slow shocks tailward of the reconnection line (X-line). The properties of slow shocks are found to vary as a function of the distance from X-line due to the fomation of plasmoid. Slow shocks in most regions of the magnetotail are found to be non-switch-off shocks with M An <0.98. The present results are used to discuss the lack of large amplitude rotational wave trains at slow shocks in the deep magnetotail. copyright American Geophysical Union 1989
Unmasking the linear behaviour of slow motor adaptation to prolonged convergence.

Science.gov (United States)

Erkelens, Ian M; Thompson, Benjamin; Bobier, William R

2016-06-01

Adaptation to changing environmental demands is central to maintaining optimal motor system function. Current theories suggest that adaptation in both the skeletal-motor and oculomotor systems involves a combination of fast (reflexive) and slow (recalibration) mechanisms. Here we used the oculomotor vergence system as a model to investigate the mechanisms underlying slow motor adaptation. Unlike reaching with the upper limbs, vergence is less susceptible to changes in cognitive strategy that can affect the behaviour of motor adaptation. We tested the hypothesis that mechanisms of slow motor adaptation reflect early neural processing by assessing the linearity of adaptive responses over a large range of stimuli. Using varied disparity stimuli in conflict with accommodation, the slow adaptation of tonic vergence was found to exhibit a linear response whereby the rate (R(2) = 0.85, P < 0.0001) and amplitude (R(2) = 0.65, P < 0.0001) of the adaptive effects increased proportionally with stimulus amplitude. These results suggest that this slow adaptive mechanism is an early neural process, implying a fundamental physiological nature that is potentially dominated by subcortical and cerebellar substrates. © 2016 Federation of European Neuroscience Societies and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
Processing and properties of large-sized ceramic slabs

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Raimondo, M.; Dondi, M.; Zanelli, C.; Guarini, G.; Gozzi, A.; Marani, F.; Fossa, L.

2010-07-01

Large-sized ceramic slabs with dimensions up to 360x120 cm{sup 2} and thickness down to 2 mm are manufactured through an innovative ceramic process, starting from porcelain stoneware formulations and involving wet ball milling, spray drying, die-less slow-rate pressing, a single stage of fast drying-firing, and finishing (trimming, assembling of ceramic-fiberglass composites). Fired and unfired industrial slabs were selected and characterized from the technological, compositional (XRF, XRD) and microstructural (SEM) viewpoints. Semi-finished products exhibit a remarkable microstructural uniformity and stability in a rather wide window of firing schedules. The phase composition and compact microstructure of fired slabs are very similar to those of porcelain stoneware tiles. The values of water absorption, bulk density, closed porosity, functional performances as well as mechanical and tribological properties conform to the top quality range of porcelain stoneware tiles. However, the large size coupled with low thickness bestow on the slab a certain degree of flexibility, which is emphasized in ceramic-fiberglass composites. These outstanding performances make the large-sized slabs suitable to be used in novel applications: building and construction (new floorings without dismantling the previous paving, ventilated facades, tunnel coverings, insulating panelling), indoor furnitures (table tops, doors), support for photovoltaic ceramic panels. (Author) 24 refs.
Processing and properties of large-sized ceramic slabs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Raimondo, M.; Dondi, M.; Zanelli, C.; Guarini, G.; Gozzi, A.; Marani, F.; Fossa, L.

2010-01-01

Large-sized ceramic slabs with dimensions up to 360x120 cm 2 and thickness down to 2 mm are manufactured through an innovative ceramic process, starting from porcelain stoneware formulations and involving wet ball milling, spray drying, die-less slow-rate pressing, a single stage of fast drying-firing, and finishing (trimming, assembling of ceramic-fiberglass composites). Fired and unfired industrial slabs were selected and characterized from the technological, compositional (XRF, XRD) and microstructural (SEM) viewpoints. Semi-finished products exhibit a remarkable microstructural uniformity and stability in a rather wide window of firing schedules. The phase composition and compact microstructure of fired slabs are very similar to those of porcelain stoneware tiles. The values of water absorption, bulk density, closed porosity, functional performances as well as mechanical and tribological properties conform to the top quality range of porcelain stoneware tiles. However, the large size coupled with low thickness bestow on the slab a certain degree of flexibility, which is emphasized in ceramic-fiberglass composites. These outstanding performances make the large-sized slabs suitable to be used in novel applications: building and construction (new floorings without dismantling the previous paving, ventilated facades, tunnel coverings, insulating panelling), indoor furnitures (table tops, doors), support for photovoltaic ceramic panels. (Author) 24 refs.
Slowing down modernity: A critique : A critique

OpenAIRE

Vostal , Filip

2017-01-01

International audience; The connection between modernization and social acceleration is now a prominent theme in critical social analysis. Taking a cue from these debates, I explore attempts that aim to 'slow down modernity' by resisting the dynamic tempo of various social processes and experiences. The issue of slowdown now accounts for a largely unquestioned measure, expected to deliver unhasty tempo conditioning good and ethical life, mental well-being and accountable democracy. In princip...
Slowed EEG rhythmicity in patients with chronic pancreatitis: evidence of abnormal cerebral pain processing?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Olesen, Søren Schou; Hansen, Tine Maria; Gravesen, Carina

2011-01-01

Intractable pain usually dominates the clinical presentation of chronic pancreatitis (CP). Slowing of electroencephalogram (EEG) rhythmicity has been associated with abnormal cortical pain processing in other chronic pain disorders. The aim of this study was to investigate the spectral distribution...
The space charge effects on the slow extraction process

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ohmori, Chihiro.

1992-06-01

The calculation of the slow extraction which includes the space charge effects has been performed for the Compressor/Stretcher Ring (CSR) of the proposed Japanese Hadron Project. We have investigated the slow extraction of 1 GeV proton beam with an average current of 100μA. Calculation shows not only the emittance growth of the extracted beam but also decrease of the extraction efficiency and discontinuity of beam spill. (author)
FROM SLOW FOOD TO SLOW TOURISM

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bac Dorin Paul

2014-12-01

Full Text Available One of the effects of globalization is the faster pace of our lives. This rhythm can be noticed in all aspects of life: travel, work, shopping, etc. and it has serious negative effects. It has become common knowledge that stress and speed generate serious medical issues. Food and eating habits in the modern world have taken their toll on our health. However, some people took a stand and argued for a new kind of lifestyle. It all started in the field of gastronomy, where a new movement emerged – Slow Food, based on the ideas and philosophy of Carlo Petrini. Slow Food represents an important adversary to the concept of fast food, and is promoting local products, enjoyable meals and healthy food. The philosophy of the Slow Food movement developed in several directions: Cittaslow, slow travel and tourism, slow religion and slow money etc. The present paper will account the evolution of the concept and its development during the most recent years. We will present how the philosophy of slow food was applied in all the other fields it reached and some critical points of view. Also we will focus on the presence of the slow movement in Romania, although it is in a very early stage of development. The main objectives of the present paper are: to present the chronological and ideological evolution of the slow movement; to establish a clear separation of slow travel and slow tourism, as many mistake on for the other; to review the presence of the slow movement in Romania. Regarding the research methodology, information was gathered from relevant academic papers and books and also from interviews and discussions with local entrepreneurs. The research is mostly theoretical and empirical, as slow food and slow tourism are emerging research themes in academic circles.
The Potential of/for 'Slow': Slow Tourists and Slow Destinations

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

J. Guiver

2016-05-01

Full Text Available Slow tourism practices are nothing new; in fact, they were once the norm and still are for millions of people whose annual holiday is spent camping, staying in caravans, rented accommodation, with friends and relations or perhaps in a second home, who immerse themselves in their holiday environment, eat local food, drink local wine and walk or cycle around the area. So why a special edition about slow tourism? Like many aspects of life once considered normal (such as organic farming or free-range eggs, the emergence of new practices has highlighted differences and prompted a re-evaluation of once accepted practices and values. In this way, the concept of ‘slow tourism’ has recently appeared as a type of tourism that contrasts with many contemporary mainstream tourism practices. It has also been associated with similar trends already ‘branded’ slow: slow food and cittaslow (slow towns and concepts such as mindfulness, savouring and well-being.
Myelin Breakdown Mediates Age-Related Slowing in Cognitive Processing Speed in Healthy Elderly Men

Science.gov (United States)

Lu, Po H.; Lee, Grace J.; Tishler, Todd A.; Meghpara, Michael; Thompson, Paul M.; Bartzokis, George

2013-01-01

Background: To assess the hypothesis that in a sample of very healthy elderly men selected to minimize risk for Alzheimer's disease (AD) and cerebrovascular disease, myelin breakdown in late-myelinating regions mediates age-related slowing in cognitive processing speed (CPS). Materials and methods: The prefrontal lobe white matter and the genu of…
Slowing down and straggling of protons and heavy ions in matter

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aernsbergen, L.M. van.

1986-01-01

The Doppler Shift Attenuation (DSA) method is widely used to measure lifetimes of nuclear states. However, many of the lifetimes resulting from DSA measurements display large variations which are caused by an insufficient knowledge of slowing down processes of nucleus recoils. The measurement of 'ranges' is an often used method to study these slowing down processes. In this kind of measurement the distributions of implanted ions are determined for example by the method of Rutherford backscattering or from the yield curve of a resonant nuclear reaction. In this thesis, research on energy-loss processes of protons and Si ions in aluminium is presented. The so-called Resonance Shift method has been improved for the measurements on the protons themselves. This method has only been used occasionally before. A new method has been developed, which is called the Transmission Doppler Shift Attenuation (TDSA) method, for the measurement on Si ions. (Auth.)
Water-Transfer Slows Aging in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Science.gov (United States)

Cohen, Aviv; Weindling, Esther; Rabinovich, Efrat; Nachman, Iftach; Fuchs, Shai; Chuartzman, Silvia; Gal, Lihi; Schuldiner, Maya; Bar-Nun, Shoshana

2016-01-01

Transferring Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells to water is known to extend their lifespan. However, it is unclear whether this lifespan extension is due to slowing the aging process or merely keeping old yeast alive. Here we show that in water-transferred yeast, the toxicity of polyQ proteins is decreased and the aging biomarker 47Q aggregates at a reduced rate and to a lesser extent. These beneficial effects of water-transfer could not be reproduced by diluting the growth medium and depended on de novo protein synthesis and proteasomes levels. Interestingly, we found that upon water-transfer 27 proteins are downregulated, 4 proteins are upregulated and 81 proteins change their intracellular localization, hinting at an active genetic program enabling the lifespan extension. Furthermore, the aging-related deterioration of the heat shock response (HSR), the unfolded protein response (UPR) and the endoplasmic reticulum-associated protein degradation (ERAD), was largely prevented in water-transferred yeast, as the activities of these proteostatic network pathways remained nearly as robust as in young yeast. The characteristics of young yeast that are actively maintained upon water-transfer indicate that the extended lifespan is the outcome of slowing the rate of the aging process.
Measuring the In-Process Figure, Final Prescription, and System Alignment of Large Optics and Segmented Mirrors Using Lidar Metrology

Science.gov (United States)

Ohl, Raymond; Slotwinski, Anthony; Eegholm, Bente; Saif, Babak

2011-01-01

The fabrication of large optics is traditionally a slow process, and fabrication capability is often limited by measurement capability. W hile techniques exist to measure mirror figure with nanometer precis ion, measurements of large-mirror prescription are typically limited to submillimeter accuracy. Using a lidar instrument enables one to measure the optical surface rough figure and prescription in virtuall y all phases of fabrication without moving the mirror from its polis hing setup. This technology improves the uncertainty of mirror presc ription measurement to the micron-regime.
"Slow-scanning" in Ground-based Mid-infrared Observations

Science.gov (United States)

Ohsawa, Ryou; Sako, Shigeyuki; Miyata, Takashi; Kamizuka, Takafumi; Okada, Kazushi; Mori, Kiyoshi; Uchiyama, Masahito S.; Yamaguchi, Junpei; Fujiyoshi, Takuya; Morii, Mikio; Ikeda, Shiro

2018-04-01

Chopping observations with a tip-tilt secondary mirror have conventionally been used in ground-based mid-infrared observations. However, it is not practical for next generation large telescopes to have a large tip-tilt mirror that moves at a frequency larger than a few hertz. We propose an alternative observing method, a "slow-scanning" observation. Images are continuously captured as movie data, while the field of view is slowly moved. The signal from an astronomical object is extracted from the movie data by a low-rank and sparse matrix decomposition. The performance of the "slow-scanning" observation was tested in an experimental observation with Subaru/COMICS. The quality of a resultant image in the "slow-scanning" observation was as good as in a conventional chopping observation with COMICS, at least for a bright point-source object. The observational efficiency in the "slow-scanning" observation was better than that in the chopping observation. The results suggest that the "slow-scanning" observation can be a competitive method for the Subaru telescope and be of potential interest to other ground-based facilities to avoid chopping.
Large scale particle simulations in a virtual memory computer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gray, P.C.; Million, R.; Wagner, J.S.; Tajima, T.

1983-01-01

Virtual memory computers are capable of executing large-scale particle simulations even when the memory requirements exceeds the computer core size. The required address space is automatically mapped onto slow disc memory the the operating system. When the simulation size is very large, frequent random accesses to slow memory occur during the charge accumulation and particle pushing processes. Assesses to slow memory significantly reduce the excecution rate of the simulation. We demonstrate in this paper that with the proper choice of sorting algorithm, a nominal amount of sorting to keep physically adjacent particles near particles with neighboring array indices can reduce random access to slow memory, increase the efficiency of the I/O system, and hence, reduce the required computing time. (orig.)
Large-scale particle simulations in a virtual-memory computer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gray, P.C.; Wagner, J.S.; Tajima, T.; Million, R.

1982-08-01

Virtual memory computers are capable of executing large-scale particle simulations even when the memory requirements exceed the computer core size. The required address space is automatically mapped onto slow disc memory by the operating system. When the simulation size is very large, frequent random accesses to slow memory occur during the charge accumulation and particle pushing processes. Accesses to slow memory significantly reduce the execution rate of the simulation. We demonstrate in this paper that with the proper choice of sorting algorithm, a nominal amount of sorting to keep physically adjacent particles near particles with neighboring array indices can reduce random access to slow memory, increase the efficiency of the I/O system, and hence, reduce the required computing time
Probing the positron moderation process using high-intensity, highly polarized slow-positron beams

Science.gov (United States)

Van House, J.; Zitzewitz, P. W.

1984-01-01

A highly polarized (P = 0.48 + or - 0.02) intense (500,000/sec) beam of 'slow' (Delta E = about 2 eV) positrons (e+) is generated, and it is shown that it is possible to achieve polarization as high as P = 0.69 + or - 0.04 with reduced intensity. The measured polarization of the slow e+ emitted by five different positron moderators showed no dependence on the moderator atomic number (Z). It is concluded that only source positrons with final kinetic energy below 17 keV contribute to the slow-e+ beam, in disagreement with recent yield functions derived from low-energy measurements. Measurements of polarization and yield with absorbers of different Z between the source and moderator show the effects of the energy and angular distributions of the source positrons on P. The depolarization of fast e+ transmitted through high-Z absorbers has been measured. Applications of polarized slow-e+ beams are discussed.

Water-Transfer Slows Aging in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Aviv Cohen

Full Text Available Transferring Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells to water is known to extend their lifespan. However, it is unclear whether this lifespan extension is due to slowing the aging process or merely keeping old yeast alive. Here we show that in water-transferred yeast, the toxicity of polyQ proteins is decreased and the aging biomarker 47Q aggregates at a reduced rate and to a lesser extent. These beneficial effects of water-transfer could not be reproduced by diluting the growth medium and depended on de novo protein synthesis and proteasomes levels. Interestingly, we found that upon water-transfer 27 proteins are downregulated, 4 proteins are upregulated and 81 proteins change their intracellular localization, hinting at an active genetic program enabling the lifespan extension. Furthermore, the aging-related deterioration of the heat shock response (HSR, the unfolded protein response (UPR and the endoplasmic reticulum-associated protein degradation (ERAD, was largely prevented in water-transferred yeast, as the activities of these proteostatic network pathways remained nearly as robust as in young yeast. The characteristics of young yeast that are actively maintained upon water-transfer indicate that the extended lifespan is the outcome of slowing the rate of the aging process.
Kinetic slow mode-type solitons

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

K. Baumgärtel

2005-01-01

Full Text Available One-dimensional hybrid code simulations are presented, carried out in order both to study solitary waves of the slow mode branch in an isotropic, collisionless, medium-β plasma (βi=0.25 and to test the fluid based soliton interpretation of Cluster observed strong magnetic depressions (Stasiewicz et al., 2003; Stasiewicz, 2004 against kinetic theory. In the simulations, a variety of strongly oblique, large amplitude, solitons are seen, including solitons with Alfvenic polarization, similar to those predicted by the Hall-MHD theory, and robust, almost non-propagating, solitary structures of slow magnetosonic type with strong magnetic field depressions and perpendicular ion heating, which have no counterpart in fluid theory. The results support the soliton-based interpretation of the Cluster observations, but reveal substantial deficiencies of Hall-MHD theory in describing slow mode-type solitons in a plasma of moderate beta.
Research on Francis Turbine Modeling for Large Disturbance Hydropower Station Transient Process Simulation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Guangtao Zhang

2015-01-01

Full Text Available In the field of hydropower station transient process simulation (HSTPS, characteristic graph-based iterative hydroturbine model (CGIHM has been widely used when large disturbance hydroturbine modeling is involved. However, by this model, iteration should be used to calculate speed and pressure, and slow convergence or no convergence problems may be encountered for some reasons like special characteristic graph profile, inappropriate iterative algorithm, or inappropriate interpolation algorithm, and so forth. Also, other conventional large disturbance hydroturbine models are of some disadvantages and difficult to be used widely in HSTPS. Therefore, to obtain an accurate simulation result, a simple method for hydroturbine modeling is proposed. By this method, both the initial operating point and the transfer coefficients of linear hydroturbine model keep changing during simulation. Hence, it can reflect the nonlinearity of the hydroturbine and be used for Francis turbine simulation under large disturbance condition. To validate the proposed method, both large disturbance and small disturbance simulations of a single hydrounit supplying a resistive, isolated load were conducted. It was shown that the simulation result is consistent with that of field test. Consequently, the proposed method is an attractive option for HSTPS involving Francis turbine modeling under large disturbance condition.
Sustainable Development of Slow Fashion Businesses: Customer Value Approach

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sojin Jung

2016-06-01

Full Text Available As an alternative to the prevalent fast fashion model, slow fashion has emerged as a way of enhancing sustainability in the fashion industry, yet how slow fashion can enhance profitability is still largely unknown. Based on a customer value creation framework, this study empirically tested a structural model that specified the slow fashion attributes that contribute to creating perceived customer value, which subsequently increases a consumer’s intention to buy and pay a price premium for slow fashion products. An analysis of 221 U.S. consumer data revealed that delivering exclusive product value is significantly critical in creating customer value for slow fashion, and customer value, in turn, positively affects consumers’ purchase intentions. Further analysis also revealed that different slow fashion attributes distinctively affect customer value. This provides potential strategies on which slow fashion businesses can focus to secure an economically sustainable business model, thereby continuously improving environmental and social sustainability with the slow fashion ideal.
Low-Altitude and Slow-Speed Small Target Detection Based on Spectrum Zoom Processing

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xuwang Zhang

2018-01-01

Full Text Available This paper proposes a spectrum zoom processing based target detection algorithm for detecting the weak echo of low-altitude and slow-speed small (LSS targets in heavy ground clutter environments, which can be used to retrofit the existing radar systems. With the existing range-Doppler frequency images, the proposed method firstly concatenates the data from the same Doppler frequency slot of different images and then applies the spectrum zoom processing. After performing the clutter suppression, the target detection can be finally implemented. Through the theoretical analysis and real data verification, it is shown that the proposed algorithm can obtain a preferable spectrum zoom result and improve the signal-to-clutter ratio (SCR with a very low computational load.
MMRW-BOOKS, Legacy books on slowing down, thermalization, particle transport theory, random processes in reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Williams, M.M.R.

2007-01-01

Description: Prof. M.M..R Williams has now released three of his legacy books for free distribution: 1 - M.M.R. Williams: The Slowing Down and Thermalization of Neutrons, North-Holland Publishing Company - Amsterdam, 582 pages, 1966. Content: Part I - The Thermal Energy Region: 1. Introduction and Historical Review, 2. The Scattering Kernel, 3. Neutron Thermalization in an Infinite Homogeneous Medium, 4. Neutron Thermalization in Finite Media, 5. The Spatial Dependence of the Energy Spectrum, 6. Reactor Cell Calculations, 7. Synthetic Scattering Kernels. Part II - The Slowing Down Region: 8. Scattering Kernels in the Slowing Down Region, 9. Neutron Slowing Down in an Infinite Homogeneous Medium, 10.Neutron Slowing Down and Diffusion. 2 - M.M.R. Williams: Mathematical Methods in Particle Transport Theory, Butterworths, London, 430 pages, 1971. Content: 1 The General Problem of Particle Transport, 2 The Boltzmann Equation for Gas Atoms and Neutrons, 3 Boundary Conditions, 4 Scattering Kernels, 5 Some Basic Problems in Neutron Transport and Rarefied Gas Dynamics, 6 The Integral Form of the Transport Equation in Plane, Spherical and Cylindrical Geometries, 7 Exact Solutions of Model Problems, 8 Eigenvalue Problems in Transport Theory, 9 Collision Probability Methods, 10 Variational Methods, 11 Polynomial Approximations. 3 - M.M.R. Williams: Random Processes in Nuclear Reactors, Pergamon Press Oxford New York Toronto Sydney, 243 pages, 1974. Content: 1. Historical Survey and General Discussion, 2. Introductory Mathematical Treatment, 3. Applications of the General Theory, 4. Practical Applications of the Probability Distribution, 5. The Langevin Technique, 6. Point Model Power Reactor Noise, 7. The Spatial Variation of Reactor Noise, 8. Random Phenomena in Heterogeneous Reactor Systems, 9. Associated Fluctuation Problems, Appendix: Noise Equivalent Sources. Note to the user: Prof. M.M.R Williams owns the copyright of these books and he authorises the OECD/NEA Data Bank
Slow Earthquake Hunters: A New Citizen Science Project to Identify and Catalog Slow Slip Events in Geodetic Data

Science.gov (United States)

Bartlow, N. M.

2017-12-01

Slow Earthquake Hunters is a new citizen science project to detect, catalog, and monitor slow slip events. Slow slip events, also called "slow earthquakes", occur when faults slip too slowly to generate significant seismic radiation. They typically take between a few days and over a year to occur, and are most often found on subduction zone plate interfaces. While not dangerous in and of themselves, recent evidence suggests that monitoring slow slip events is important for earthquake hazards, as slow slip events have been known to trigger damaging "regular" earthquakes. Slow slip events, because they do not radiate seismically, are detected with a variety of methods, most commonly continuous geodetic Global Positioning System (GPS) stations. There is now a wealth of GPS data in some regions that experience slow slip events, but a reliable automated method to detect them in GPS data remains elusive. This project aims to recruit human users to view GPS time series data, with some post-processing to highlight slow slip signals, and flag slow slip events for further analysis by the scientific team. Slow Earthquake Hunters will begin with data from the Cascadia subduction zone, where geodetically detectable slow slip events with a duration of at least a few days recur at regular intervals. The project will then expand to other areas with slow slip events or other transient geodetic signals, including other subduction zones, and areas with strike-slip faults. This project has not yet rolled out to the public, and is in a beta testing phase. This presentation will show results from an initial pilot group of student participants at the University of Missouri, and solicit feedback for the future of Slow Earthquake Hunters.
Optical signal processing using slow and fast light technologies

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Capmany, J.; Sales, Salvador; Xue, Weiqi

2009-01-01

We review the theory of slow and fat light effects due to coherent population oscillations in semiconductor waveguides, which can be potentially applied in microwave photonic systems as a RF phase shifters. In order to satisfy the application requirement of 360 degrees RF phase shift at different...
In situ hybridisation of a large repertoire of muscle-specific transcripts in fish larvae: the new superficial slow-twitch fibres exhibit characteristics of fast-twitch differentiation.

Science.gov (United States)

Chauvigné, F; Ralliere, C; Cauty, C; Rescan, P Y

2006-01-01

Much of the present information on muscle differentiation in fish concerns the early embryonic stages. To learn more about the maturation and the diversification of the fish myotomal fibres in later stages of ontogeny, we investigated, by means of in situ hybridisation, the developmental expression of a large repertoire of muscle-specific genes in trout larvae from hatching to yolk resorption. At hatching, transcripts for fast and slow muscle protein isoforms, namely myosins, tropomyosins, troponins and myosin binding protein C were present in the deep fast and the superficial slow areas of the myotome, respectively. During myotome expansion that follows hatching, the expression of fast isoforms became progressively confined to the borders of the fast muscle mass, whereas, in contrast, slow muscle isoform transcripts were uniformly expressed in all the slow fibres. Transcripts for several enzymes involved in oxidative metabolism such as citrate synthase, cytochrome oxidase component IV and succinate dehydrogenase, were present throughout the whole myotome of hatching embryos but in later stages became concentrated in slow fibre as well as in lateral fast fibres. Surprisingly, the slow fibres that are added externally to the single superficial layer of the embryonic (original) slow muscle fibres expressed not only slow twitch muscle isoforms but also, transiently, a subset of fast twitch muscle isoforms including MyLC1, MyLC3, MyHC and myosin binding protein C. Taken together these observations show that the growth of the myotome of the fish larvae is associated with complex patterns of muscular gene expression and demonstrate the unexpected presence of fast muscle isoform-expressing fibres in the most superficial part of the slow muscle.
Eclogitization of the Subducted Oceanic Crust and Its Implications for the Mechanism of Slow Earthquakes

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Xinyang; Zhao, Dapeng; Suzuki, Haruhiko; Li, Jiabiao; Ruan, Aiguo

2017-12-01

The generating mechanism and process of slow earthquakes can help us to better understand the seismogenic process and the petrological evolution of the subduction system, but they are still not very clear. In this work we present robust P and S wave tomography and Poisson's ratio images of the subducting Philippine Sea Plate beneath the Kii peninsula in Southwest Japan. Our results clearly reveal the spatial extent and variation of a low-velocity and high Poisson's ratio layer which is interpreted as the remnant of the subducted oceanic crust. The low-velocity layer disappears at depths >50 km, which is attributed to crustal eclogitization and consumption of fluids. The crustal eclogitization and destruction of the impermeable seal play a key role in the generation of slow earthquakes. The Moho depth of the overlying plate is an important factor affecting the depth range of slow earthquakes in warm subduction zones due to the transition of interface permeability from low to high there. The possible mechanism of the deep slow earthquakes is the dehydrated oceanic crustal rupture and shear slip at the transition zone in response to the crustal eclogitization and the temporal stress/strain field. A potential cause of the slow event gap existing beneath easternmost Shikoku and the Kii channel is the premature rupture of the subducted oceanic crust due to the large tensional force.
Indices of slowness of information processing in head injury patients : Tests for selective attention related to ERP latencies

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Spikman, Jacoba M.; Naalt, van der Joukje; Weerden , van Tiemen; Zomeren , van Adriaan H.

2004-01-01

We explored the relation between neuropsychological (attention tests involving time constraints) and neurophysiological (N2 and P3 event-related potential (ERP) latencies) indices of slowness of information processing after closed head injury (CHI). A group of 44 CHI patients performed worse than
Hydrothermal processes in the Edmond deposits, slow- to intermediate-spreading Central Indian Ridge

Science.gov (United States)

Cao, Hong; Sun, Zhilei; Zhai, Shikui; Cao, Zhimin; Jiang, Xuejun; Huang, Wei; Wang, Libo; Zhang, Xilin; He, Yongjun

2018-04-01

The Edmond hydrothermal field, located on the Central Indian Ridge (CIR), has a distinct mineralization history owing to its unique magmatic, tectonic, and alteration processes. Here, we report the detailed mineralogical and geochemical characteristics of hydrothermal metal sulfides recovered from this area. Based on the mineralogical investigations, the Edmond hydrothermal deposits comprise of high-temperature Fe-rich massive sulfides, medium-temperature Zn-rich sulfide chimney and low-temperature Ca-rich sulfate mineral assemblages. According to these compositions, three distinctive mineralization stages have been identified: (1) low-temperature consisting largely of anhydrite and pyrite/marcasite; (2) medium-high temperature distinguished by the mineral assemblage of pyrite, sphalerite and chalcopyrite; and (3) low-temperature stage characterized by the mineral assemblage of colloidal pyrite/marcasite, barite, quartz, anglesite. Several lines of evidence suggest that the sulfides were influenced by pervasive low-temperature diffuse flows in this area. The hydrothermal deposits are relatively enriched in Fe (5.99-18.93 wt%), Zn (2.10-10.00 wt%) and Ca (0.02-19.15 wt%), but display low Cu (0.28-0.81 wt%). The mineralogical varieties and low metal content of sulfides in the Edmond hydrothermal field both indicate that extensive water circulation is prevalent below the Edmond hydrothermal field. With regard to trace elements, the contents of Pb, Ba, Sr, As, Au, Ag, and Cd are significantly higher than those in other sediment-starved mid-ocean ridges, which is indicative of contribution from felsic rock sources. Furthermore, the multiphase hydrothermal activity and the pervasive water circulation underneath are speculated to play important roles in element remobilization and enrichment. Our findings deepen our understanding about the complex mineralization process in slow- to intermediate-spreading ridges globally.
World's gas processing growth slows; U.S., Canada retain greatest share

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

True, W.R.

1994-01-01

Growth in the world's natural-gas processing industry slowed somewhat in 1993 after strong expansion a year earlier. In 1993, slower growth was more evenly distributed among the world's regions than in 1992 with the US and Canada adding capacity along with the Middle East and Asia-Pacific. The US and Canada continue to lead the world in capacity with more than 107 bcfd; in throughput with almost 76 bcfd; and in production with nearly 115 million gpd (2.7 million b/d). The two countries also continued to lead the world in petroleum-derived sulfur production with more than 54% of the world's capacity and production last year. The paper discusses industry trends; the picture in the US; activities in Texas, Louisiana, Alaska, Alabama, Colorado, Kansas, and Oklahoma; new capacity worldwide; expansion plans in North America; and sulfur recovery
Slow Manifolds and Multiple Equilibria in Stratocumulus-Capped Boundary Layers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Junya Uchida

2010-12-01

Full Text Available In marine stratocumulus-capped boundary layers under strong inversions, the timescale for thermodynamic adjustment is roughly a day, much shorter than the multiday timescale for inversion height adjustment. Slow-manifold analysis is introduced to exploit this timescale separation when boundary layer air columns experience only slow changes in their boundary conditions. Its essence is that the thermodynamic structure of the boundary layer remains approximately slaved to its inversion height and the instantaneous boundary conditions; this slaved structure determines the entrainment rate and hence the slow evolution of the inversion height. Slow-manifold analysis is shown to apply to mixed-layer model and large-eddy simulations of an idealized nocturnal stratocumulus- capped boundary layer; simulations with different initial inversion heights collapse onto single relationships of cloud properties with inversion height. Depending on the initial inversion height, the simulations evolve toward a shallow thin-cloud boundary layer or a deep, well-mixed thick cloud boundary layer. In the large-eddy simulations, these evolutions occur on two separate slow manifolds (one of which becomes unstable if cloud droplet concentration is reduced. Applications to analysis of stratocumulus observations and to pockets of open cells and ship tracks are proposed.
Neutron slowing-down time in matter

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chabod, Sebastien P., E-mail: sebastien.chabod@lpsc.in2p3.fr [LPSC, Universite Joseph Fourier Grenoble 1, CNRS/IN2P3, Institut Polytechnique de Grenoble, 38000 Grenoble (France)

2012-03-21

We formulate the neutron slowing-down time through elastic collisions in a homogeneous, non-absorbing, infinite medium. Our approach allows taking into account for the first time the energy dependence of the scattering cross-section as well as the energy and temporal distribution of the source neutron population in the results. Starting from this development, we investigate the specific case of the propagation in matter of a mono-energetic neutron pulse. We then quantify the perturbation on the neutron slowing-down time induced by resonances in the scattering cross-section. We show that a resonance can induce a permanent reduction of the slowing-down time, preceded by two discontinuities: a first one at the resonance peak position and an echo one, appearing later. From this study, we suggest that a temperature increase of the propagating medium in presence of large resonances could modestly accelerate the neutron moderation.
Reassessing the 2006 Guerrero slow-slip event, Mexico : Implications for large earthquakes in the Guerrero Gap

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bekaert, D.P.S.; Hooper, A.; Wright, T.J.

2015-01-01

In Guerrero, Mexico, slow-slip events have been observed in a seismic gap, where no earthquakes have occurred since 1911. A rupture of the entire gap today could result in a Mw 8.2–8.4 earthquake. However, it remains unclear how slow-slip events change the stress field in the Guerrero seismic region
Investigation of Slow-wave Activity Saturation during Surgical Anesthesia Reveals a Signature of Neural Inertia in Humans.

Science.gov (United States)

Warnaby, Catherine E; Sleigh, Jamie W; Hight, Darren; Jbabdi, Saad; Tracey, Irene

2017-10-01

Previously, we showed experimentally that saturation of slow-wave activity provides a potentially individualized neurophysiologic endpoint for perception loss during anesthesia. Furthermore, it is clear that induction and emergence from anesthesia are not symmetrically reversible processes. The observed hysteresis is potentially underpinned by a neural inertia mechanism as proposed in animal studies. In an advanced secondary analysis of 393 individual electroencephalographic data sets, we used slow-wave activity dose-response relationships to parameterize slow-wave activity saturation during induction and emergence from surgical anesthesia. We determined whether neural inertia exists in humans by comparing slow-wave activity dose responses on induction and emergence. Slow-wave activity saturation occurs for different anesthetics and when opioids and muscle relaxants are used during surgery. There was wide interpatient variability in the hypnotic concentrations required to achieve slow-wave activity saturation. Age negatively correlated with power at slow-wave activity saturation. On emergence, we observed abrupt decreases in slow-wave activity dose responses coincident with recovery of behavioral responsiveness in ~33% individuals. These patients are more likely to have lower power at slow-wave activity saturation, be older, and suffer from short-term confusion on emergence. Slow-wave activity saturation during surgical anesthesia implies that large variability in dosing is required to achieve a targeted potential loss of perception in individual patients. A signature for neural inertia in humans is the maintenance of slow-wave activity even in the presence of very-low hypnotic concentrations during emergence from anesthesia.
Dynamic analysis of the conditional oscillator underlying slow waves in thalamocortical neurons

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Francois eDavid

2016-02-01

Full Text Available During non-REM sleep the EEG shows characteristics waves that are generated by the dynamic interactions between cortical and thalamic oscillators. In thalamic neurons, low-threshold T-type Ca2+ channels play a pivotal role in almost every type of neuronal oscillations, including slow (<1 Hz waves, sleep spindles and delta waves. The transient opening of T channels gives rise to the low threshold spikes (LTSs, and associated high frequency bursts of action potentials, that are characteristically present during sleep spindles and delta waves, whereas the persistent opening of a small fraction of T channels, (i.e. ITwindow is responsible for the membrane potential bistability underlying sleep slow oscillations. Surprisingly thalamocortical (TC neurons express a very high density of T channels that largely exceed the amount required to generate LTSs and therefore, to support certain, if not all, sleep oscillations. Here, to clarify the relationship between T current density and sleep oscillations, we systematically investigated the impact of the T conductance level on the intrinsic rhythmic activities generated in TC neurons, combining in vitro experiments and TC neuron simulation. Using bifurcation analysis, we provide insights into the dynamical processes taking place at the transition between slow and delta oscillations. Our results show that although stable delta oscillations can be evoked with minimal T conductance, the full range of slow oscillation patterns, including groups of delta oscillations separated by Up states (grouped-delta slow waves requires a high density of T channels. Moreover, high levels of T conductance ensure the robustness of different types of slow oscillations.
Observing and modeling the spectrum of a slow slip event: Constraints on the scaling of slow slip and tremor

Science.gov (United States)

Hawthorne, J. C.; Bartlow, N. M.; Ghosh, A.

2017-12-01

We estimate the normalized moment rate spectrum of a slow slip event in Cascadia and then attempt to reproduce it. Our goal is to further assess whether a single physical mechanism could govern slow slip and tremor events, with durations that span 6 orders of magnitude, so we construct the spectrum by parameterizing a large slow slip event as the sum of a number of subevents with various durations. The spectrum estimate uses data from three sources: the GPS-based slip inversion of Bartlow et al (2011), PBO borehole strain measurements, and beamforming-based tremor moment estimates of Ghosh et al (2009). We find that at periods shorter than 1 day, the moment rate power spectrum decays as frequencyn, where n is between 0.7 and 1.4 when measured from strain and between 1.2 and 1.4 when inferred from tremor. The spectrum appears roughly flat at periods of 1 to 10 days, as both the 1-day-period strain and tremor data and the 6-day-period slip inversion data imply a moment rate power of 0.02 times the the total moment squared. We demonstrate one way to reproduce this spectrum: by constructing the large-scale slow slip event as the sum of a series of subevents. The shortest of these subevents could be interpreted as VLFEs or even LFEs, while longer subevents might represent the aseismic slip that drives rapid tremor reverals, streaks, or rapid tremor migrations. We pick the subevent magnitudes from a Gutenberg-Richter distribution and place the events randomly throughout a 30-day interval. Then we assign each subevent a duration that scales with its moment to a specified power. Finally, we create a moment rate function for each subevent and sum all of the moment rates. We compute the summed slow slip moment rate spectra with two approaches: a time-domain numerical computation and a frequency-domain analytical summation. Several sets of subevent parameters can allow the constructed slow slip event to match the observed spectrum. One allowable set of parameters is of
Slow Antihydrogen

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gabrielse, G.; Speck, A.; Storry, C.H.; Le Sage, D.; Guise, N.; Larochelle, P.C.; Grzonka, D.; Oelert, W.; Schepers, G.; Sefzick, T.; Pittner, H.; Herrmann, M.; Walz, J.; Haensch, T.W.; Comeau, D.; Hessels, E.A.

2004-01-01

Slow antihydrogen is now produced by two different production methods. In Method I, large numbers of H atoms are produced during positron-cooling of antiprotons within a nested Penning trap. In a just-demonstrated Method II, lasers control the production of antihydrogen atoms via charge exchange collisions. Field ionization detection makes it possible to probe the internal structure of the antihydrogen atoms being produced - most recently revealing atoms that are too tightly bound to be well described by the guiding center atom approximation. The speed of antihydrogen atoms has recently been measured for the first time. After the requested overview, the recent developments are surveyed

Energy conversion assessment of vacuum, slow and fast pyrolysis processes for low and high ash paper waste sludge

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ridout, Angelo J.; Carrier, Marion; Collard, François-Xavier; Görgens, Johann

2016-01-01

Highlights: • Vacuum, slow and fast pyrolysis of low and high ash paper waste sludge (PWS) is compared. • Reactor temperature and pellet size optimised to maximise liquid and solid product yields. • Gross energy recovery from solid and liquid was assessed. • Fast pyrolysis of low and high ash PWS offers higher energy conversions. - Abstract: The performance of vacuum, slow and fast pyrolysis processes to transfer energy from the paper waste sludge (PWS) to liquid and solid products was compared. Paper waste sludges with low and high ash content (8.5 and 46.7 wt.%) were converted under optimised conditions for temperature and pellet size to maximise both product yields and energy content. Comparison of the gross energy conversions, as a combination of the bio-oil/tarry phase and char (EC_s_u_m), revealed that the fast pyrolysis performance was between 18.5% and 20.1% higher for the low ash PWS, and 18.4% and 36.5% higher for high ash PWS, when compared to the slow and vacuum pyrolysis processes respectively. For both PWSs, this finding was mainly attributed to higher production of condensable organic compounds and lower water yields during FP. The low ash PWS chars, fast pyrolysis bio-oils and vacuum pyrolysis tarry phase products had high calorific values (∼18–23 MJ kg"−"1) making them promising for energy applications. Considering the low calorific values of the chars from alternative pyrolysis processes (∼4–7 MJ kg"−"1), the high ash PWS should rather be converted to fast pyrolysis bio-oil to maximise the recovery of usable energy products.
Slow movement execution in event-related potentials (P300).

Science.gov (United States)

Naruse, Kumi; Sakuma, Haruo; Hirai, Takane

2002-02-01

We examined whether slow movement execution has an effect on cognitive and information processing by measuring the P300 component. 8 subjects performed a continuous slow forearm rotational movement using 2 task speeds. Slow (a 30-50% decrease from the subject's Preferred speed) and Very Slow (a 60-80% decrease). The mean coefficient of variation for rotation speed under Very Slow was higher than that under Slow, showing that the subjects found it difficult to perform the Very Slow task smoothly. The EEG score of alpha-1 (8-10 Hz) under Slow Condition was increased significantly more than under the Preferred Condition; however, the increase under Very Slow was small when compared with Preferred. After performing the task. P300 latency under Very Slow increased significantly as compared to that at pretask. Further, P300 amplitude decreased tinder both speed conditions when compared to that at pretask, and a significant decrease was seen under the Slow Condition at Fz, whereas the decrease under the Very Slow Condition was small. These differences indicated that a more complicated neural composition and an increase in subjects' attention might have been involved when the task was performed under the Very Slow Condition. We concluded that slow movement execution may have an influence on cognitive function and may depend on the percentage of decrease from the Preferred speed of the individual.
Slowed ageing, welfare, and population problems.

Science.gov (United States)

Wareham, Christopher

2015-10-01

Biological studies have demonstrated that it is possible to slow the ageing process and extend lifespan in a wide variety of organisms, perhaps including humans. Making use of the findings of these studies, this article examines two problems concerning the effect of life extension on population size and welfare. The first--the problem of overpopulation--is that as a result of life extension too many people will co-exist at the same time, resulting in decreases in average welfare. The second--the problem of underpopulation--is that life extension will result in too few people existing across time, resulting in decreases in total welfare. I argue that overpopulation is highly unlikely to result from technologies that slow ageing. Moreover, I claim that the problem of underpopulation relies on claims about life extension that are false in the case of life extension by slowed ageing. The upshot of these arguments is that the population problems discussed provide scant reason to oppose life extension by slowed ageing.
ASGARD: A LARGE SURVEY FOR SLOW GALACTIC RADIO TRANSIENTS. I. OVERVIEW AND FIRST RESULTS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Williams, Peter K. G.; Bower, Geoffrey C.; Croft, Steve; Keating, Garrett K.; Law, Casey J.; Wright, Melvyn C. H., E-mail: pwilliams@astro.berkeley.edu [Department of Astronomy, B-20 Hearst Field Annex 3411, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720-3411 (United States)

2013-01-10

Searches for slow radio transients and variables have generally focused on extragalactic populations, and the basic parameters of Galactic populations remain poorly characterized. We present a large 3 GHz survey performed with the Allen Telescope Array (ATA) that aims to improve this situation: ASGARD, the ATA Survey of Galactic Radio Dynamism. ASGARD observations spanned two years with weekly visits to 23 deg{sup 2} in two fields in the Galactic plane, totaling 900 hr of integration time on science fields and making it significantly larger than previous efforts. The typical blind unresolved source detection limit was 10 mJy. We describe the observations and data analysis techniques in detail, demonstrating our ability to create accurate wide-field images while effectively modeling and subtracting large-scale radio emission, allowing standard transient-and-variability analysis techniques to be used. We present early results from the analysis of two pointings: one centered on the microquasar Cygnus X-3 and one overlapping the Kepler field of view (l = 76 Degree-Sign , b = +13. Degree-Sign 5). Our results include images, catalog statistics, completeness functions, variability measurements, and a transient search. Out of 134 sources detected in these pointings, the only compellingly variable one is Cygnus X-3, and no transients are detected. We estimate number counts for potential Galactic radio transients and compare our current limits to previous work and our projection for the fully analyzed ASGARD data set.
Slow Movement/Slow University: Critical Engagements. Introduction to the Thematic Section

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maggie O'Neill

2014-09-01

Full Text Available This thematic section emerged from two seminars that took place at Durham University in England in November 2013 and March 2014 on the possibilities for thinking through what a change movement towards slow might mean for the University. Slow movements have emerged in relation to a number of topics: Slow food, Citta slow and more recently, slow science. What motivated us in the seminars was to explore how far these movements could help us address the acceleration and intensification of work within our own and other universities, and indeed, what new learning, research, philosophies, practices, structures and governance might emerge. This editorial introduction presents the concept of the "slow university" and introduces our critical engagements with slow. The articles presented here interrogate the potentialities, challenges, problems and pitfalls of the slow university in an era of corporate culture and management rationality. URN: http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:0114-fqs1403166
The influence of slow cooling on Y211 size and content in single-grain YBCO bulk superconductor through the infiltration-growth process

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ouerghi, A [Systems and Applied Mechanics Laboratory LASMAP, Polytechnic School of Tunisia, Rue El Kawarezmi La Marsa 743, Université de Carthage Tunis (Tunisia); Moutalbi, N., E-mail: nahed.moutalbi@yahoo.fr [Systems and Applied Mechanics Laboratory LASMAP, Polytechnic School of Tunisia, Rue El Kawarezmi La Marsa 743, Université de Carthage Tunis (Tunisia); Noudem, J.G. [CRISMAT-ENSICAEN (UMR-CNRS 6508), Université de Caen-Basse-Normandie, F-14050 Caen (France); LUSAC, Université de Caen-Basse-Normandie F-50130 Cherbourg-Octeville (France); M' chirgui, A. [Systems and Applied Mechanics Laboratory LASMAP, Polytechnic School of Tunisia, Rue El Kawarezmi La Marsa 743, Université de Carthage Tunis (Tunisia)

2017-03-15

Highlights: • YBCO bulk superconductors are produced by optimized Seeded Infiltration and Growth process. • The slow cooling time, in a fixed slow cooling temperature window, affects considerably the surface morphology and the bulk’s microstructure. • The Y211 particle’s size and content depend on the slow cooling time and its distribution behavior changes from one position to another. • There is an optimum slow cooling time, estimated to 88h, over which the shrinkage for both the liquid phase and the Y211 pellet is maximal, without any improvement of the crystal grain growth. • The magnetic trapped flux distribution for a given sample brings out the single grain characteristic. - Abstract: Highly textured YBa{sub 2}Cu{sub 3}O{sub 7-δ} (Y123) superconductors were produced using modified Textured Top Seeded Infiltration Growth (TSIG) process. The liquid source is made of only Y123 powder whereas the solid source is composed of Y{sub 2}BaCuO{sub 5} (Y211) powder. We aim to control the amount of liquid that infiltrates the solid pellet, which in turn controls the final amount of Y{sub 2}BaCuO{sub 5} particles in Y123 matrix. The effect of the slow cooling kinetics on sample morphology, on grain growth and on final microstructure was too investigated. It is shown that appropriate slow cooling time may also contribute to the control of the amount of Y211 inclusions in the final structure of Y123 bulk. We report herein the Y211 particle size and density distribution in the whole Y123 matrix. The present work proves that finest Y211 particles locate under the seed and that their size and density increase with distance from the seed.
Large transverse momentum hadronic processes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Darriulat, P.

1977-01-01

The possible relations between deep inelastic leptoproduction and large transverse momentum (psub(t)) processes in hadronic collisions are usually considered in the framework of the quark-parton picture. Experiments observing the structure of the final state in proton-proton collisions producing at least one large transverse momentum particle have led to the following conclusions: a large fraction of produced particles are uneffected by the large psub(t) process. The other products are correlated to the large psub(t) particle. Depending upon the sign of scalar product they can be separated into two groups of ''towards-movers'' and ''away-movers''. The experimental evidence are reviewed favouring such a picture and the properties are discussed of each of three groups (underlying normal event, towards-movers and away-movers). Some phenomenological interpretations are presented. The exact nature of away- and towards-movers must be further investigated. Their apparent jet structure has to be confirmed. Angular correlations between leading away and towards movers are very informative. Quantum number flow, both within the set of away and towards-movers, and between it and the underlying normal event, are predicted to behave very differently in different models
Initial crystallization and growth in melt processing of large-domain YBa2Cu3Ox for magnetic levitation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shi, D.

1994-10-01

Crystallization temperature in YBa 2 Cu 3 O x (123) during peritectic reaction has been studied by differential thermal analysis (DTA) and optical microscopy. It has been found that YBa 2 Cu 3 O x experiences partial melting near 1,010 C during heating while crystallization takes place at a much lower temperature range upon cooling indicating a delayed nucleation process. A series of experiments have been conducted to search for the initial crystallization temperature in the Y 2 BaCuO x + liquid phase field. The authors have found that the slow-cool period (1 C/h) for the 123 grain texturing can start at as low as 960 C. This novel processing has resulted in high-quality, large-domain, strongly pinned 123 magnetic levitators
Ion-implantation induced defects in ZnO studied by a slow positron beam

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen, Z.Q.; Maekawa, M.; Kawasuso, A.; Sekiguchi, T.; Suzuki, R.

2004-01-01

Introduction and annealing behavior of defects in Al + -implanted ZnO have been studied using an energy variable slow positron beam. Vacancy clusters are produced after Al + -implantation. With increasing ion dose above 10 14 Al + /cm 2 the implanted layer is amorphized. Heat treatment up to 600 C enhances the creation of large voids that allow the positronium formation. The large voids disappear accompanying the recrystallization process by further heat treatment above 600 C. Afterwards, implanted Al impurities are completely activated to contribute to the n-type conduction. The ZnO crystal quality is also improved after recrystallization. (orig.)
Theory of neutron slowing down in nuclear reactors

CERN Document Server

Ferziger, Joel H; Dunworth, J V

2013-01-01

The Theory of Neutron Slowing Down in Nuclear Reactors focuses on one facet of nuclear reactor design: the slowing down (or moderation) of neutrons from the high energies with which they are born in fission to the energies at which they are ultimately absorbed. In conjunction with the study of neutron moderation, calculations of reactor criticality are presented. A mathematical description of the slowing-down process is given, with particular emphasis on the problems encountered in the design of thermal reactors. This volume is comprised of four chapters and begins by considering the problems
Efficient querying of large process model repositories

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Jin, Tao; Wang, Jianmin; La Rosa, M.; Hofstede, ter A.H.M.; Wen, Lijie

2013-01-01

Recent years have seen an increased uptake of business process management technology in industries. This has resulted in organizations trying to manage large collections of business process models. One of the challenges facing these organizations concerns the retrieval of models from large business
Slow Money for Soft Energy: Lessons for Energy Finance from the Slow Money Movement

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kock, Beaudry E. [Environmental Change Institute, University of Oxford, Oxford (United Kingdom)], e-mail: beaudry.kock@ouce.ox.ac.uk

2012-12-15

Energy infrastructure is decarbonizing, shifting from dirty coal to cleaner gas- and emissions-free renewables. This is an important and necessary change that unfortunately risks preserving many problematic technical and institutional properties of the old energy system: in particular, the large scales, high aggregation, and excessive centralization of renewable energy infrastructure and, importantly, its financing. Large-scale renewables carry environmental, social and political risks that cannot be ignored, and more importantly they may not alone accomplish the necessary decarbonization of the power sector. We need to revive a different approach to clean energy infrastructure: a 'softer' (Lovins 1978), more distributed, decentralized, local-scale strategy. To achieve this, we need a fundamentally different approach to the financing of clean energy infrastructure. I propose we learn from the 'Slow Money' approach being pioneered in sustainable agriculture (Tasch 2010), emphasizing a better connection to place, smaller scales, and a focus on quality over quantity. This 'slow money, soft energy' vision is not a repudiation of big-scale renewables, since there are some societal needs, which can only be met by big, centralized power. But we do not need the level of concentration in control and finance epitomized by the current trends in the global renewables sector: this can and must change.
The Diversity of Atomic Hydrogen in Slow Rotator Early-type Galaxies

Science.gov (United States)

Young, Lisa M.; Serra, Paolo; Krajnović, Davor; Duc, Pierre-Alain

2018-02-01

We present interferometric observations of H I in nine slow rotator early-type galaxies of the ATLAS3D sample. With these data, we now have sensitive H I searches in 34 of the 36 slow rotators. The aggregate detection rate is 32% ± 8%, consistent with previous work; however, we find two detections with extremely high H I masses, whose gas kinematics are substantially different from what was previously known about H I in slow rotators. These two cases (NGC 1222 and NGC 4191) broaden the known diversity of H I properties in slow rotators. NGC 1222 is a merger remnant with prolate-like rotation and, if it is indeed prolate in shape, an equatorial gas disc; NGC 4191 has two counterrotating stellar discs and an unusually large H I disc. We comment on the implications of this disc for the formation of 2σ galaxies. In general, the H I detection rate, the incidence of relaxed H I discs, and the H I/stellar mass ratios of slow rotators are indistinguishable from those of fast rotators. These broad similarities suggest that the H I we are detecting now is unrelated to the galaxies' formation processes and was often acquired after their stars were mostly in place. We also discuss the H I nondetections; some of these galaxies that are undetected in H I or CO are detected in other tracers (e.g. FIR fine structure lines and dust). The question of whether there is cold gas in massive galaxies' scoured nuclear cores still needs work. Finally, we discuss an unusual isolated H I cloud with a surprisingly faint (undetected) optical counterpart.
Inflationary dynamics with a smooth slow-roll to constant-roll era transition

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Odintsov, S.D. [ICREA, Passeig Luis Companys, 23, 08010 Barcelona (Spain); Oikonomou, V.K., E-mail: odintsov@ieec.uab.es, E-mail: v.k.oikonomou1979@gmail.com [Laboratory for Theoretical Cosmology, Tomsk State University of Control Systems and Radioelectronics (TUSUR), Lenin Avenue 40, 634050 Tomsk (Russian Federation)

2017-04-01

In this paper we investigate the implications of having a varying second slow-roll index on the canonical scalar field inflationary dynamics. We shall be interested in cases that the second slow-roll can take small values and correspondingly large values, for limiting cases of the function that quantifies the variation of the second slow-roll index. As we demonstrate, this can naturally introduce a smooth transition between slow-roll and constant-roll eras. We discuss the theoretical implications of the mechanism we introduce and we use various illustrative examples in order to better understand the new features that the varying second slow-roll index introduces. In the examples we will present, the second slow-roll index has exponential dependence on the scalar field, and in one of these cases, the slow-roll era corresponds to a type of α-attractor inflation. Finally, we briefly discuss how the combination of slow-roll and constant-roll may lead to non-Gaussianities in the primordial perturbations.
Neutron slowing-down time in finite water systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hirschberg, S.

1981-11-01

The influence of the size of a moderator system on the neutron slowing-down time has been investigated. The experimental part of the study was performed on six cubes of water with side lengths from 8 to 30 cm. Neutrons generated in pulses of about 1 ns width were slowed down from 14 MeV to 1.457 eV. The detection method used was based on registration of gamma radiation from the main capture resonance of indium. The most probable slowing-down times were found to be 778 +- 23 ns and 898 +- 25 ns for the smallest and for the largest cubes, respectively. The corresponding mean slowing-down times were 1205 +- 42 ns and 1311 +- 42 ns. In a separate measurement series the space dependence of the slowing-down time close to the source was studied. These experiments were supplemented by a theoretical calculation which gave an indication of the space dependence of the slowingdown time in finite systems. The experimental results were compared to the slowing-down times obtained from various theoretical approaches and from Monte Carlo calculations. All the methods show a decrease of the slowing-down time with decreasing size of the moderator. This effect was least pronounced in the experimental results, which can be explained by the fact the measurements are spatially dependent. The agreement between the Monte Carlo results and those obtained using the diffusion approximation or the age-diffusion theory is surprisingly good, especially for large systems. The P1 approximation, on the other hand, leads to an overestimation of the effect of the finite size on the slowing-down time. (author)
Slowness and sparseness have diverging effects on complex cell learning.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jörn-Philipp Lies

2014-03-01

Full Text Available Following earlier studies which showed that a sparse coding principle may explain the receptive field properties of complex cells in primary visual cortex, it has been concluded that the same properties may be equally derived from a slowness principle. In contrast to this claim, we here show that slowness and sparsity drive the representations towards substantially different receptive field properties. To do so, we present complete sets of basis functions learned with slow subspace analysis (SSA in case of natural movies as well as translations, rotations, and scalings of natural images. SSA directly parallels independent subspace analysis (ISA with the only difference that SSA maximizes slowness instead of sparsity. We find a large discrepancy between the filter shapes learned with SSA and ISA. We argue that SSA can be understood as a generalization of the Fourier transform where the power spectrum corresponds to the maximally slow subspace energies in SSA. Finally, we investigate the trade-off between slowness and sparseness when combined in one objective function.
Arbitrary amplitude slow electron-acoustic solitons in three-electron temperature space plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mbuli, L. N.; Maharaj, S. K.; Bharuthram, R.; Singh, S. V.; Lakhina, G. S.

2015-01-01

We examine the characteristics of large amplitude slow electron-acoustic solitons supported in a four-component unmagnetised plasma composed of cool, warm, hot electrons, and cool ions. The inertia and pressure for all the species in this plasma system are retained by assuming that they are adiabatic fluids. Our findings reveal that both positive and negative potential slow electron-acoustic solitons are supported in the four-component plasma system. The polarity switch of the slow electron-acoustic solitons is determined by the number densities of the cool and warm electrons. Negative potential solitons, which are limited by the cool and warm electron number densities becoming unreal and the occurrence of negative potential double layers, are found for low values of the cool electron density, while the positive potential solitons occurring for large values of the cool electron density are only limited by positive potential double layers. Both the lower and upper Mach numbers for the slow electron-acoustic solitons are computed and discussed
Development of slow pyrolysis business operations in Finland - Hidaspyro

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fagernas, L. [VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, Espoo (Finland)], email: leena.fagernas@vtt.fi

2012-07-01

Birch distillate, a by-product in slow pyrolysis process of charcoal production, was found to be a promising source for biological pesticides. However, product commercialization was problematic, for EU registration is costly, and composition, active ingredients and ecotoxicological properties were not known. In addition, constant quality and process optimisation were needed. More collaboration between SMEs and research institutes was required. The primary aim was to support and develop slow pyrolysis business operations of SMEs in Finland by generating knowledge that was needed.
Ion-implantation induced defects in ZnO studied by a slow positron beam

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chen, Z.Q.; Maekawa, M.; Kawasuso, A. [Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute, Gunma (Japan); Sekiguchi, T. [National Inst. for Materials Science, Tsukuba, Ibaraki (Japan); Suzuki, R. [National Inst. of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, Tsukuba, Ibaraki (Japan)

2004-07-01

Introduction and annealing behavior of defects in Al{sup +}-implanted ZnO have been studied using an energy variable slow positron beam. Vacancy clusters are produced after Al{sup +}-implantation. With increasing ion dose above 10{sup 14} Al{sup +}/cm{sup 2} the implanted layer is amorphized. Heat treatment up to 600 C enhances the creation of large voids that allow the positronium formation. The large voids disappear accompanying the recrystallization process by further heat treatment above 600 C. Afterwards, implanted Al impurities are completely activated to contribute to the n-type conduction. The ZnO crystal quality is also improved after recrystallization. (orig.)
Slow extraction control system of HIRFL-CSR

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu Wufeng; Qiao Weimin; Yuan Youjin; Mao Ruishi; Zhao Tiecheng

2013-01-01

For heavy-ion radiotherapy, HIRFL-CSR (Heavy Ion Research Facility in Lanzhou-Cooler Storage Ring) needs a long term uniform ion beam extraction from HIRFL-CSR main ring to high energy beam transport line to meet the requirement of heavy-ion radiotherapy's ion beam. Slow extraction control system uses the synchronous signal of HIRFL-CSR control system's timing system to realize process control. When the synchronous event data of HIRFL-CSR control system's timing system trigger controlling and changing data (frequency value, tune value, voltage value), the waveform generator will generate waveform by frequency value, tune value and voltage value, and will amplify the generated waveform by power amplifier to electrostatic deflector to achieve RF-KO slow extraction. The synchronous event receiver of slow extraction system is designed by using FPGA and optical fiber interface to keep high transmission speed and anti-jamming. HIRFL-CSR's running for heavy-ion radiotherapy and ten thousand seconds long period slow extraction experiments show that slow extraction control system is workable and can meet the requirement of heavy-ion radiotherapy's ion beam. (authors)

Large scale and big data processing and management

CERN Document Server

Sakr, Sherif

2014-01-01

Large Scale and Big Data: Processing and Management provides readers with a central source of reference on the data management techniques currently available for large-scale data processing. Presenting chapters written by leading researchers, academics, and practitioners, it addresses the fundamental challenges associated with Big Data processing tools and techniques across a range of computing environments.The book begins by discussing the basic concepts and tools of large-scale Big Data processing and cloud computing. It also provides an overview of different programming models and cloud-bas
Large area high-speed metrology SPM system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Klapetek, P; Valtr, M; Martinek, J; Picco, L; Payton, O D; Miles, M; Yacoot, A

2015-01-01

We present a large area high-speed measuring system capable of rapidly generating nanometre resolution scanning probe microscopy data over mm 2 regions. The system combines a slow moving but accurate large area XYZ scanner with a very fast but less accurate small area XY scanner. This arrangement enables very large areas to be scanned by stitching together the small, rapidly acquired, images from the fast XY scanner while simultaneously moving the slow XYZ scanner across the region of interest. In order to successfully merge the image sequences together two software approaches for calibrating the data from the fast scanner are described. The first utilizes the low uncertainty interferometric sensors of the XYZ scanner while the second implements a genetic algorithm with multiple parameter fitting during the data merging step of the image stitching process. The basic uncertainty components related to these high-speed measurements are also discussed. Both techniques are shown to successfully enable high-resolution, large area images to be generated at least an order of magnitude faster than with a conventional atomic force microscope. (paper)
Large area high-speed metrology SPM system

Science.gov (United States)

Klapetek, P.; Valtr, M.; Picco, L.; Payton, O. D.; Martinek, J.; Yacoot, A.; Miles, M.

2015-02-01

We present a large area high-speed measuring system capable of rapidly generating nanometre resolution scanning probe microscopy data over mm2 regions. The system combines a slow moving but accurate large area XYZ scanner with a very fast but less accurate small area XY scanner. This arrangement enables very large areas to be scanned by stitching together the small, rapidly acquired, images from the fast XY scanner while simultaneously moving the slow XYZ scanner across the region of interest. In order to successfully merge the image sequences together two software approaches for calibrating the data from the fast scanner are described. The first utilizes the low uncertainty interferometric sensors of the XYZ scanner while the second implements a genetic algorithm with multiple parameter fitting during the data merging step of the image stitching process. The basic uncertainty components related to these high-speed measurements are also discussed. Both techniques are shown to successfully enable high-resolution, large area images to be generated at least an order of magnitude faster than with a conventional atomic force microscope.
Absolute quantitative profiling of the key metabolic pathways in slow and fast skeletal muscle

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rakus, Dariusz; Gizak, Agnieszka; Deshmukh, Atul

2015-01-01

. Proteomic analysis of mouse slow and fast muscles allowed estimation of the titers of enzymes involved in the carbohydrate, lipid, and energy metabolism. Notably, we observed that differences observed between the two muscle types occur simultaneously for all proteins involved in a specific process......Slow and fast skeletal muscles are composed of, respectively, mainly oxidative and glycolytic muscle fibers, which are the basic cellular motor units of the motility apparatus. They largely differ in excitability, contraction mechanism, and metabolism. Because of their pivotal role in body motion...... and homeostasis, the skeletal muscles have been extensively studied using biochemical and molecular biology approaches. Here we describe a simple analytical and computational approach to estimate titers of enzymes of basic metabolic pathways and proteins of the contractile machinery in the skeletal muscles...
Optimizing detection and analysis of slow waves in sleep EEG.

Science.gov (United States)

Mensen, Armand; Riedner, Brady; Tononi, Giulio

2016-12-01

Analysis of individual slow waves in EEG recording during sleep provides both greater sensitivity and specificity compared to spectral power measures. However, parameters for detection and analysis have not been widely explored and validated. We present a new, open-source, Matlab based, toolbox for the automatic detection and analysis of slow waves; with adjustable parameter settings, as well as manual correction and exploration of the results using a multi-faceted visualization tool. We explore a large search space of parameter settings for slow wave detection and measure their effects on a selection of outcome parameters. Every choice of parameter setting had some effect on at least one outcome parameter. In general, the largest effect sizes were found when choosing the EEG reference, type of canonical waveform, and amplitude thresholding. Previously published methods accurately detect large, global waves but are conservative and miss the detection of smaller amplitude, local slow waves. The toolbox has additional benefits in terms of speed, user-interface, and visualization options to compare and contrast slow waves. The exploration of parameter settings in the toolbox highlights the importance of careful selection of detection METHODS: The sensitivity and specificity of the automated detection can be improved by manually adding or deleting entire waves and or specific channels using the toolbox visualization functions. The toolbox standardizes the detection procedure, sets the stage for reliable results and comparisons and is easy to use without previous programming experience. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
The diversity of atomic hydrogen in slow rotator early-type galaxies

Science.gov (United States)

Young, Lisa M.; Serra, Paolo; Krajnović, Davor; Duc, Pierre-Alain

2018-06-01

We present interferometric observations of H I in nine slow rotator early-type galaxies of the Atlas3D sample. With these data, we now have sensitive H I searches in 34 of the 36 slow rotators. The aggregate detection rate is 32 per cent ± 8 per cent, consistent with the previous work; however, we find two detections with extremely high H I masses, whose gas kinematics are substantially different from what was previously known about H I in slow rotators. These two cases (NGC 1222 and NGC 4191) broaden the known diversity of H I properties in slow rotators. NGC 1222 is a merger remnant with prolate-like rotation and, if it is indeed prolate in shape, an equatorial gas disc; NGC 4191 has two counter-rotating stellar discs and an unusually large H I disc. We comment on the implications of this disc for the formation of 2σ galaxies. In general, the H I detection rate, the incidence of relaxed H I discs, and the H I/stellar mass ratios of slow rotators are indistinguishable from those of fast rotators. These broad similarities suggest that the H I we are detecting now is unrelated to the galaxies' formation processes and was often acquired after their stars were mostly in place. We also discuss the H I non-detections; some of these galaxies that are undetected in H I or CO are detected in other tracers (e.g. FIR fine structure lines and dust). The question of whether there is cold gas in massive galaxies' scoured nuclear cores still needs work. Finally, we discuss an unusual isolated H I cloud with a surprisingly faint (undetected) optical counterpart.
How Radiologists Think: Understanding Fast and Slow Thought Processing and How It Can Improve Our Teaching.

Science.gov (United States)

van der Gijp, Anouk; Webb, Emily M; Naeger, David M

2017-06-01

Scholars have identified two distinct ways of thinking. This "Dual Process Theory" distinguishes a fast, nonanalytical way of thinking, called "System 1," and a slow, analytical way of thinking, referred to as "System 2." In radiology, we use both methods when interpreting and reporting images, and both should ideally be emphasized when educating our trainees. This review provides practical tips for improving radiology education, by enhancing System 1 and System 2 thinking among our trainees. Copyright © 2017 The Association of University Radiologists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Nitrous oxide-induced slow and delta oscillations.

Science.gov (United States)

Pavone, Kara J; Akeju, Oluwaseun; Sampson, Aaron L; Ling, Kelly; Purdon, Patrick L; Brown, Emery N

2016-01-01

Switching from maintenance of general anesthesia with an ether anesthetic to maintenance with high-dose (concentration >50% and total gas flow rate >4 liters per minute) nitrous oxide is a common practice used to facilitate emergence from general anesthesia. The transition from the ether anesthetic to nitrous oxide is associated with a switch in the putative mechanisms and sites of anesthetic action. We investigated whether there is an electroencephalogram (EEG) marker of this transition. We retrospectively studied the ether anesthetic to nitrous oxide transition in 19 patients with EEG monitoring receiving general anesthesia using the ether anesthetic sevoflurane combined with oxygen and air. Following the transition to nitrous oxide, the alpha (8-12 Hz) oscillations associated with sevoflurane dissipated within 3-12 min (median 6 min) and were replaced by highly coherent large-amplitude slow-delta (0.1-4 Hz) oscillations that persisted for 2-12 min (median 3 min). Administration of high-dose nitrous oxide is associated with transient, large amplitude slow-delta oscillations. We postulate that these slow-delta oscillations may result from nitrous oxide-induced blockade of major excitatory inputs (NMDA glutamate projections) from the brainstem (parabrachial nucleus and medial pontine reticular formation) to the thalamus and cortex. This EEG signature of high-dose nitrous oxide may offer new insights into brain states during general anesthesia. Copyright © 2015 International Federation of Clinical Neurophysiology. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.
Slow wave activity and slow oscillations in sleepwalkers and controls: effects of 38 h of sleep deprivation.

Science.gov (United States)

Perrault, Rosemarie; Carrier, Julie; Desautels, Alex; Montplaisir, Jacques; Zadra, Antonio

2013-08-01

Sleepwalkers have been shown to have an unusually high number of arousals from slow wave sleep and lower slow wave activity (SWA) power during the night than controls. Because sleep deprivation increases the frequency of slow wave sleep (SWS) arousals in sleepwalkers, it may also affect the expression of the homeostatic process to a greater extent than shown previously. We thus investigated SWA power as well as slow wave oscillation (SWO) density in 10 sleepwalkers and nine controls at baseline and following 38 h of sleep deprivation. There was a significant increase in SWA during participants' recovery sleep, especially during their second non-rapid eye movement (NREM) period. SWO density was similarly increased during recovery sleep's first two NREM periods. A fronto-central gradient in SWA and SWO was also present on both nights. However, no group differences were noted on any of the 2 nights on SWA or SWO. This unexpected result may be related to the heterogeneity of sleepwalkers as a population, as well as our small sample size. SWA pressure after extended sleep deprivation may also result in a ceiling effect in both sleepwalkers and controls. © 2013 European Sleep Research Society.
On the theory of inelastic scattering of slow electrons by surface excitations: 1. Half-space formalism

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nkoma, J.S.

1982-08-01

A quantum-mechanical theory for the inelastic scattering of slow electrons (ISSE) by surface excitations is developed within the half-space model. The process of transmission of incident electrons into the crystal is described by the homogeneous Schroedinger equation, while the scattering process inside the crystal is described by an inhomogeneous Schroedinger equation. The scattering cross-section for ISSE by surface excitations is derived and is found to be small since it is dependent on an inverse sum of wavevectors which is large. It is also dependent on the fluctuations in the scattering potential. (author)
Single ion induced surface nanostructures: a comparison between slow highly charged and swift heavy ions.

Science.gov (United States)

Aumayr, Friedrich; Facsko, Stefan; El-Said, Ayman S; Trautmann, Christina; Schleberger, Marika

2011-10-05

This topical review focuses on recent advances in the understanding of the formation of surface nanostructures, an intriguing phenomenon in ion-surface interaction due to the impact of individual ions. In many solid targets, swift heavy ions produce narrow cylindrical tracks accompanied by the formation of a surface nanostructure. More recently, a similar nanometric surface effect has been revealed for the impact of individual, very slow but highly charged ions. While swift ions transfer their large kinetic energy to the target via ionization and electronic excitation processes (electronic stopping), slow highly charged ions produce surface structures due to potential energy deposited at the top surface layers. Despite the differences in primary excitation, the similarity between the nanostructures is striking and strongly points to a common mechanism related to the energy transfer from the electronic to the lattice system of the target. A comparison of surface structures induced by swift heavy ions and slow highly charged ions provides a valuable insight to better understand the formation mechanisms. © 2011 IOP Publishing Ltd
Slow wave cyclotron maser

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kho, T.H.; Lin, A.T.

1988-01-01

Cyclotron masers such as Gyrotrons and the Autoresonance Masers, are fast wave devices: the electromagnetic wave's phase velocity v rho , is greater than the electron beam velocity, v b . To be able to convert the beam kinetic energy into radiation in these devices the beam must have an initial transverse momentum, usually obtained by propagating the beam through a transverse wiggler magnet, or along a nonuniform guide magnetic field before entry into the interaction region. Either process introduces a significant amount of thermal spread in the beam which degrades the performance of the maser. However, if the wave phase velocity v rho v b , the beam kinetic energy can be converted directly into radiation without the requirement of an initial transverse beam momentum, making a slow wave cyclotron maser a potentially simpler and more compact device. The authors present the linear and nonlinear physics of the slow wave cyclotron maser and examine its potential for practical application
Slow briefs: slow food....slow architecture

OpenAIRE

Crotch, Joanna

2012-01-01

We are moving too fast…fast lives, fast cars, fast food…..and fast architecture. We are caught up in a world that allows no time to stop and think; to appreciate and enjoy all the really important things in our lives. Recent responses to this seemingly unstoppable trend are the growing movements of Slow Food and Cittaslow. Both initiatives are, within their own realms, attempting to reverse speed, homogeny, expediency and globalisation, considering the values of regionality, patience, craft, ...
Nonvolcanic tremors and their correlation with slow slip events in Mexico

Science.gov (United States)

Kolstoglodov, V.; Shapiro, N. M.; Larson, K.; Payero, J.; Husker, A.; Santiago, L. A.; Clayton, R.; Peyrat, S.

2009-04-01

Significant activity of nonvolcanic tremor (NVT) has been observed in the central Mexico (Guerrero) subduction zone since 2001 when continuous seismic records became available. Albeit the quality of these records is poor, it is possible to estimate a temporal variation of energy in the range of 1-2Hz (best signal/noise ratio for the NVT), which clearly indicate the maximum of NVT energy release (En) during the 2001-2002 and 2006 large aseismic slow slip events (SSE) registered by a GPS network. In particular the En is higher for the 2001-2002 SSE which had larger surface displacements and extension than the 2006 SSE. A more detailed and accurate study of NVT activity was carried out using the data collected during the MASE experiment in Mexico. MASE consisted of 100 broad band seismometers in operation for ~2.5 years (2005-2007) along the profile oriented SSW-NNE from Acapulco, and crossing over the subduction zone for a distance of ~500 km. Epicenters and depths of individual tremor events determined using the envelope cross-correlation technique have rather large uncertainties partly originated from the essentially 2D geometry of the network. The "energy" approach is more efficient in this case because it provides an average NVT activity evolution in time and space. The data processing consists of a band pass (1-2Hz) filter of the raw 100 Hz sampled N-S component records, application a 10 min-width median filter to eliminate an effect of local seismic events and noise, and integration of the energy and normalization of daily En using an average coda amplitude from several regional earthquakes of M~5. A time-space distribution of En reveals a strong correlation between NVT energy release and 2006 SSE, which also replicates the two-phase character of this slow event and a migration of the slow slip maximum from North to South. There are also a few clear episodes of relatively high NVT energy release that do not correspond to any significant geodetic signal in GPS
Comparison of optimization algorithms for the slow shot phase in HPDC

Science.gov (United States)

Frings, Markus; Berkels, Benjamin; Behr, Marek; Elgeti, Stefanie

2018-05-01

High-pressure die casting (HPDC) is a popular manufacturing process for aluminum processing. The slow shot phase in HPDC is the first phase of this process. During this phase, the molten metal is pushed towards the cavity under moderate plunger movement. The so-called shot curve describes this plunger movement. A good design of the shot curve is important to produce high-quality cast parts. Three partially competing process goals characterize the slow shot phase: (1) reducing air entrapment, (2) avoiding temperature loss, and (3) minimizing oxide caused by the air-aluminum contact. Due to the rough process conditions with high pressure and temperature, it is hard to design the shot curve experimentally. There exist a few design rules that are based on theoretical considerations. Nevertheless, the quality of the shot curve design still depends on the experience of the machine operator. To improve the shot curve it seems to be natural to use numerical optimization. This work compares different optimization strategies for the slow shot phase optimization. The aim is to find the best optimization approach on a simple test problem.
Changes in the carotenoid metabolism of capsicum fruits during application of modelized slow drying process for paprika production.

Science.gov (United States)

Pérez-Gálvez, Antonio; Hornero-Méndez, Dámaso; Mínguez-Mosquera, María Isabel

2004-02-11

A temperature profile simulating the traditional slow drying process of red pepper fruits, which is conducted in La Vera region (Spain) for paprika production, was developed. Carotenoid and ascorbic acid content, as well as moisture of fruits, were monitored during the slow drying process designed. Data obtained suggested that the evolution of carotenoid concentration, the main quality trait for paprika, directly depend on the physical conditions imposed. During the drying process, three different stages could be observed in relation to the carotenoids. The first stage corresponds to a physiological adaptation to the new imposed conditions that implied a decrease (ca. 20%) in the carotenoid content during the first 24 h. After that short period and during 5 days, a second stage was noticed, recovering the biosynthetic (carotenogenic) capability of the fruits, which denotes an accommodation of the fruits to the new environmental conditions. During the following 48 h (third stage) a sharp increase in the carotenoid content was observed. This last phenomenon seems to be related with an oxidative-thermal stress, which took place during the first stage, inducing a carotenogenesis similar to that occurring in over-ripening fruits. Results demonstrate that a fine control of the temperature and moisture content would help to positively modulate carotenogenesis and minimize catabolism, making it possible to adjust the drying process to the ripeness stage of fruits with the aim of improving carotenoid retention and therefore quality of the resulting product. In the case of ascorbic acid, data demonstrated that this compound is very sensitive to the drying process, with a decrease of about 76% during the first 24 h and remaining only at trace levels during the rest of the process. Therefore, no antioxidant role should be expected from ascorbic acid during the whole process and in the corresponding final product (paprika), despite that red pepper fruit is well-known to be rich
Exocytosis from chromaffin cells: hydrostatic pressure slows vesicle fusion

Science.gov (United States)

Stühmer, Walter

2015-01-01

Pressure affects reaction kinetics because chemical transitions involve changes in volume, and therefore pressure is a standard thermodynamic parameter to measure these volume changes. Many organisms live in environments at external pressures other than one atmosphere (0.1 MPa). Marine animals have adapted to live at depths of over 7000 m (at pressures over 70 MPa), and microorganisms living in trenches at over 110 MPa have been retrieved. Here, kinetic changes in secretion from chromaffin cells, measured as capacitance changes using the patch-clamp technique at pressures of up to 20 MPa are presented. It is known that these high pressures drastically slow down physiological functions. High hydrostatic pressure also affects the kinetics of ion channel gating and the amount of current carried by them, and it drastically slows down synaptic transmission. The results presented here indicate a similar change in volume (activation volume) of 390 ± 57 Å3 for large dense-core vesicles undergoing fusion in chromaffin cells and for degranulation of mast cells. It is significantly larger than activation volumes of voltage-gated ion channels in chromaffin cells. This information will be useful in finding possible protein conformational changes during the reactions involved in vesicle fusion and in testing possible molecular dynamic models of secretory processes. PMID:26009771
One- and two-electron processes in collisions between hydrogen molecules and slow highly charged ions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wells, E.; Carnes, K.D.; Tawara, H.; Ali, R.; Sidky, Emil Y.; Illescas, Clara; Ben-Itzhak, I.

2005-01-01

A coincidence time-of-flight technique coupled with projectile charge state analysis was used to study electron capture in collisions between slow highly charged ions and hydrogen molecules. We found single electron capture with no target excitation to be the dominant process for both C 6+ projectiles at a velocity of 0.8 atomic units and Ar 11+ projectiles at v 0.63 a.u. Double electron capture and transfer excitation, however, were found to be comparable and occur about 30% of the time relative to single capture. Most projectiles (96%) auto-ionize quickly following double capture into doubly excited states. The data are compared to classical and quantum mechanical model calculations
Magnetic-field-dependent slow light in strontium atom-cavity system

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Zeng-Xing; Wang, Bao; Kong, Cui; Xiong, Hao; Wu, Ying

2018-03-01

Realizing and controlling a long-lived slow light is of fundamental importance in physics and may find applications in quantum router and quantum information processing. In this work, we propose a feasible scheme to realize the slow light in a strontium atom-cavity system, in which the value of group delay can be continuously adjusted within a range of different Zeeman splittings and vacuum Rabi frequencies by varying the applied static magnetic field and the atom number instead of a strong coherent field. In our scheme, the major limitations of the slow-light structure, namely, dispersion and loss, can be effectively resolved, and so our scheme may help to achieve the practical application of slow light relevant to the optical communication network.
Etching of semiconductor cubic crystals: Determination of the dissolution slowness surfaces

Science.gov (United States)

Tellier, C. R.

1990-03-01

Equations of the representative surface of dissolution slowness for cubic crystals are determined in the framework of a tensorial approach of the orientation-dependent etching process. The independent dissolution constants are deduced from symmetry considerations. Using previous data on the chemical etching of germanium and gallium arsenide crystals, some possible polar diagrams of the dissolution slowness are proposed. A numerical and graphical simulation method is used to obtain the derived dissolution shapes. The influence of extrema in the dissolution slowness on the successive dissolution shapes is also examined. A graphical construction of limiting shapes of etched crystals appears possible using the tensorial representation of the dissolution slowness.

Slow information processing after very severe closed head injury : impaired access to declarative knowledge and intact application and acquisition of procedural knowledge

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Timmerman, ME; Brouwer, WH

As an explanation of the pattern of slow information processing after closed head injury (CHI), hypotheses of impaired access to declarative memory and intact application and acquisition of procedural memory after CHI are presented. These two hypotheses were tested by means of four cognitive
Systematic dependence on the slowing down environment, of nuclear lifetime measurements by DSAM

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Toulemonde, M.; Haas, F.

1976-01-01

The meanlife of the 22 Ne 3.34MeV level measured by DSAM (Doppler Shift Attenuation Method) at an average velocity of 0.009 c, shows large fluctuations with different slowing down materials ranging from Li to Pb. These fluctuations are correlated with a linear dependence of the 'apparent' meanlife tau on the electronic slowing down time
Distinct slow and fast cortical theta dynamics in episodic memory retrieval.

Science.gov (United States)

Pastötter, Bernhard; Bäuml, Karl-Heinz T

2014-07-01

Brain oscillations in the theta frequency band (3-8 Hz) have been shown to be critically involved in human episodic memory retrieval. In prior work, both positive and negative relationships between cortical theta power and retrieval success have been reported. This study examined the hypothesis that slow and fast cortical theta oscillations at the edges of the traditional theta frequency band are differentially related to retrieval success. Scalp EEG was recorded in healthy human participants as they performed a cued-recall episodic memory task. Slow (~3 Hz) and fast (~7 Hz) theta oscillations at retrieval were examined as a function of whether an item was recalled or not and as a function of the items' output position at test. Recall success typically declines with output position, due to increases in interference level. The results showed that slow theta power was positively related but fast theta power was negatively related to retrieval success. Concurrent positive and negative episodic memory effects for slow and fast theta oscillations were dissociable in time and space, showing different time courses and different spatial locations on the scalp. Moreover, fast theta power increased from early to late output positions, whereas slow theta power was unaffected by items' output position. Together with prior work, the results suggest that slow and fast theta oscillations have distinct functional roles in episodic memory retrieval, with slow theta oscillations being related to processes of recollection and conscious awareness, and fast theta oscillations being linked to processes of interference and interference resolution. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
A fast-slow logic system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kawashima, Hideo.

1977-01-01

A fast-slow logic system has been made for use in multi-detector experiments in nuclear physics such as particle-gamma and particle-particle coincidence experiments. The system consists of a fast logic system and a slow logic system. The fast logic system has a function of fast coincidences and provides timing signals for the slow logic system. The slow logic system has a function of slow coincidences and a routing control of input analog signals to the ADCs. (auth.)
Neurogenetics of slow axonal transport: from cells to animals.

Science.gov (United States)

Sadananda, Aparna; Ray, Krishanu

2012-09-01

Slow axonal transport is a multivariate phenomenon implicated in several neurodegenerative disorders. Recent reports have unraveled the molecular basis of the transport of certain slow component proteins, such as the neurofilament subunits, tubulin, and certain soluble enzymes such as Ca(2+)/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase IIa (CaM kinase IIa), etc., in tissue cultured neurons. In addition, genetic analyses also implicate microtubule-dependent motors and other housekeeping proteins in this process. However, the biological relevance of this phenomenon is not so well understood. Here, the authors have discussed the possibility of adopting neurogenetic analyses in multiple model organisms to correlate molecular level measurements of the slow transport phenomenon to animal behavior, thus facilitating the investigation of its biological efficacy.
Are There Any Connections between Language Deficits and Cognitive Slowing in Alzheimer's Disease

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Michael Schecker

2014-11-01

Full Text Available Background: Speech disorders already occur in the early phases of Alzheimer's disease (AD. As a possible cause, problems of executive processes are discussed. Cognitive slowing is also repeatedly addressed. Aims: Are there any connections between cognitive slowing and speech disorders in AD? And is there a relationship between cognitive slowing and executive processes? Methods: The data of 72 healthy controls and 52 AD patients were examined with regard to their language performance and their response times in a computerized Stroop paradigm. Results: The AD patients showed significantly worse results in all language tests as well as much longer reaction times in all Stroop conditions, especially in the interference condition (Stroop 3. Speech errors and response times correlated with severity (MMSE, and the speech errors correlated with the reaction times in Stroop 3 (interference condition, which reflects the processing time of executive processes. Conclusion: The most interesting question now is: How are language processing and executive processing time (Stroop 3 related?
Very slow neutrons

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Frank, A.

1983-01-01

The history is briefly presented of the research so far of very slow neutrons and their basic properties are explained. The methods are described of obtaining very slow neutrons and the problems of their preservation are discussed. The existence of very slow neutrons makes it possible to perform experiments which may deepen the knowledge of the fundamental properties of neutrons. Their wavelength approximates that of visible radiation. The possibilities and use are discussed of neutron optical systems (neutron microscope) which could be an effective instrument for the study of the detailed arrangement, especially of organic substances. (B.S.)
Crystal plastic earthquakes in dolostones: from slow to fast ruptures.

Science.gov (United States)

Passelegue, F. X.; Aubry, J.; Nicolas, A.; Fondriest, M.; Schubnel, A.; Di Toro, G.

2017-12-01

Dolostone is the most dominant lithology of the seismogenic upper crust around the Mediterranean Sea. Understanding the internal mechanisms controlling fault friction is crucial for understanding seismicity along active faults. Displacement in such fault zones is frequently highlighted by highly reflective (mirror-like) slip surfaces, created by thin films of nanogranular fault rock. Using saw-cut dolostone samples coming from natural fault zones, we conducted stick-slip experiments under triaxial loading conditions at 30, 60 and 90 MPa confining pressure and temperature ranging from 30 to 100 degrees C. At 30 and 65 degrees C, only slow rupture was observed and the experimental fault exhibits frictional behaviour, i.e. a dependence of normal stress on peak shear stress. At 65 degrees C, a strengthening behaviour is observed after the main rupture, leading to a succession of slow rupture. At 100 degrees C, the macroscopic behaviour of the fault becomes ductile, and no dependence of pressure on the peak shear stress is observed. In addition, the increase of the confining pressure up to 60 and 90 MPa allow the transition from slow to fast rupture, highlighted by the records of acoustic activity and by dynamic stress drop occurring in a few tens of microseconds. Using strain gages located along the fault surface and acoustic transducers, we were able to measure the rupture velocities during slow and fast rupture. Slow ruptures propagated around 0.1 m/s, in agreement with natural observations. Fast ruptures propagated up to supershear velocities, i.e. faster than the shear wave speed (>3500 m/s). A complete study of the microstructures was realized before and after ruptures. Slow ruptures lead to the production of mirror-like surface driven by the production of nanograins due to dislocation processes. Fast ruptures induce the production of amorphous material along the fault surface, which may come from decarbonation and melting processes. We demonstrate that the
The Adaptive Organization and Fast-slow Systems

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andersen, Torben Juul; Hallin, Carina Antonia

2016-01-01

Contemporary organizations operate under turbulent business conditions and must adapt their strategies to ongoing changes. This article argues that sustainable organizational performance is achieved when top management directs and coordinates interactive processes anchored in emerging...... organizational opportunities and forward-looking analytics. The fast and emergent processes performed by local managers at the frontline observe and respond to environmental stimuli and the slow processes initiated by decision makers interpret events and reasons about updated strategic actions. Current...
The unappreciated slowness of conventional tourism

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

G.R. Larsen

2016-05-01

Full Text Available Most tourists are not consciously engaging in ‘slow travel’, but a number of travel behaviours displayed by conventional tourists can be interpreted as slow travel behaviour. Based on Danish tourists’ engagement with the distances they travel across to reach their holiday destination, this paper explores unintended slow travel behaviours displayed by these tourists. None of the tourists participating in this research were consciously doing ‘slow travel’, and yet some of their most valued holiday memories are linked to slow travel behaviours. Based on the analysis of these unintended slow travel behaviours, this paper will discuss the potential this insight might hold for promotion of slow travel. If unappreciated and unintentional slow travel behaviours could be utilised in the deliberate effort of encouraging more people to travel slow, ‘slow travel’ will be in a better position to become integrated into conventional travel behaviour.
Enhanced IMC design of load disturbance rejection for integrating and unstable processes with slow dynamics.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Tao; Gao, Furong

2011-04-01

In view of the deficiencies in existing internal model control (IMC)-based methods for load disturbance rejection for integrating and unstable processes with slow dynamics, a modified IMC-based controller design is proposed to deal with step- or ramp-type load disturbance that is often encountered in engineering practices. By classifying the ways through which such load disturbance enters into the process, analytical controller formulae are correspondingly developed, based on a two-degree-of-freedom (2DOF) control structure that allows for separate optimization of load disturbance rejection from setpoint tracking. An obvious merit is that there is only a single adjustable parameter in the proposed controller, which in essence corresponds to the time constant of the closed-loop transfer function for load disturbance rejection, and can be monotonically tuned to meet a good trade-off between disturbance rejection performance and closed-loop robust stability. At the same time, robust tuning constraints are given to accommodate process uncertainties in practice. Illustrative examples from the recent literature are used to show effectiveness and merits of the proposed method for different cases of load disturbance. Copyright © 2010. Published by Elsevier Ltd.
Continuous neutron slowing down theory applied to resonances

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Segev, M.

1977-01-01

Neutronic formalisms that discretize the neutron slowing down equations in large numerical intervals currently account for the bulk effect of resonances in a given interval by the narrow resonance approximation (NRA). The NRA reduces the original problem to an efficient numerical formalism through two assumptions: resonance narrowness with respect to the scattering bands in the slowing down equations and resonance narrowness with respect to the numerical intervals. Resonances at low energies are narrow neither with respect to the slowing down ranges nor with respect to the numerical intervals, which are usually of a fixed lethargy width. Thus, there are resonances to which the NRA is not applicable. To stay away from the NRA, the continuous slowing down (CSD) theory of Stacey was invoked. The theory is based on a linear expansion in lethargy of the collision density in integrals of the slowing down equations and had notable success in various problems. Applying CSD theory to the assessment of bulk resonance effects raises the problem of obtaining efficient quadratures for integrals involved in the definition of the so-called ''moderating parameter.'' The problem was solved by two approximations: (a) the integrals were simplified through a rationale, such that the correct integrals were reproduced for very narrow or very wide resonances, and (b) the temperature-broadened resonant line shapes were replaced by nonbroadened line shapes to enable analytical integration. The replacement was made in such a way that the integrated capture and scattering probabilities in each resonance were preserved. The resulting formalism is more accurate than the narrow-resonance formalisms and is equally as efficient
Slow decay of magnetic fields in open Friedmann universes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Barrow, John D.; Tsagas, Christos G.

2008-01-01

Magnetic fields in Friedmann universes can experience superadiabatic growth without departing from conventional electromagnetism. The reason is the relativistic coupling between vector fields and spacetime geometry, which slows down the decay of large-scale magnetic fields in open universes, compared to that seen in perfectly flat models. The result is a large relative gain in magnetic strength that can lead to astrophysically interesting B fields, even if our Universe is only marginally open today
Large scale processing of dielectric electroactive polymers

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Vudayagiri, Sindhu

Efficient processing techniques are vital to the success of any manufacturing industry. The processing techniques determine the quality of the products and thus to a large extent the performance and reliability of the products that are manufactured. The dielectric electroactive polymer (DEAP...
Human gamma oscillations during slow wave sleep.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mario Valderrama

Full Text Available Neocortical local field potentials have shown that gamma oscillations occur spontaneously during slow-wave sleep (SWS. At the macroscopic EEG level in the human brain, no evidences were reported so far. In this study, by using simultaneous scalp and intracranial EEG recordings in 20 epileptic subjects, we examined gamma oscillations in cerebral cortex during SWS. We report that gamma oscillations in low (30-50 Hz and high (60-120 Hz frequency bands recurrently emerged in all investigated regions and their amplitudes coincided with specific phases of the cortical slow wave. In most of the cases, multiple oscillatory bursts in different frequency bands from 30 to 120 Hz were correlated with positive peaks of scalp slow waves ("IN-phase" pattern, confirming previous animal findings. In addition, we report another gamma pattern that appears preferentially during the negative phase of the slow wave ("ANTI-phase" pattern. This new pattern presented dominant peaks in the high gamma range and was preferentially expressed in the temporal cortex. Finally, we found that the spatial coherence between cortical sites exhibiting gamma activities was local and fell off quickly when computed between distant sites. Overall, these results provide the first human evidences that gamma oscillations can be observed in macroscopic EEG recordings during sleep. They support the concept that these high-frequency activities might be associated with phasic increases of neural activity during slow oscillations. Such patterned activity in the sleeping brain could play a role in off-line processing of cortical networks.
KEK-IMSS Slow Positron Facility

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hyodo, T; Wada, K; Yagishita, A; Kosuge, T; Saito, Y; Kurihara, T; Kikuchi, T; Shirakawa, A; Sanami, T; Ikeda, M; Ohsawa, S; Kakihara, K; Shidara, T, E-mail: toshio.hyodo@kek.jp [High Energy Accelerator Research Organization (KEK) 1-1 Oho, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-0801 (Japan)

2011-12-01

The Slow Positron Facility at the Institute of Material Structure Science (IMSS) of High Energy Accelerator Research Organization (KEK) is a user dedicated facility with an energy tunable (0.1 - 35 keV) slow positron beam produced by a dedicated 55MeV linac. The present beam line branches have been used for the positronium time-of-flight (Ps-TOF) measurements, the transmission positron microscope (TPM) and the photo-detachment of Ps negative ions (Ps{sup -}). During the year 2010, a reflection high-energy positron diffraction (RHEPD) measurement station is going to be installed. The slow positron generator (converter/ moderator) system will be modified to get a higher slow positron intensity, and a new user-friendly beam line power-supply control and vacuum monitoring system is being developed. Another plan for this year is the transfer of a {sup 22}Na-based slow positron beam from RIKEN. This machine will be used for the continuous slow positron beam applications and for the orientation training of those who are interested in beginning researches with a slow positron beam.
Stochastic dynamic modeling of regular and slow earthquakes

Science.gov (United States)

Aso, N.; Ando, R.; Ide, S.

2017-12-01

Both regular and slow earthquakes are slip phenomena on plate boundaries and are simulated by a (quasi-)dynamic modeling [Liu and Rice, 2005]. In these numerical simulations, spatial heterogeneity is usually considered not only for explaining real physical properties but also for evaluating the stability of the calculations or the sensitivity of the results on the condition. However, even though we discretize the model space with small grids, heterogeneity at smaller scales than the grid size is not considered in the models with deterministic governing equations. To evaluate the effect of heterogeneity at the smaller scales we need to consider stochastic interactions between slip and stress in a dynamic modeling. Tidal stress is known to trigger or affect both regular and slow earthquakes [Yabe et al., 2015; Ide et al., 2016], and such an external force with fluctuation can also be considered as a stochastic external force. A healing process of faults may also be stochastic, so we introduce stochastic friction law. In the present study, we propose a stochastic dynamic model to explain both regular and slow earthquakes. We solve mode III problem, which corresponds to the rupture propagation along the strike direction. We use BIEM (boundary integral equation method) scheme to simulate slip evolution, but we add stochastic perturbations in the governing equations, which is usually written in a deterministic manner. As the simplest type of perturbations, we adopt Gaussian deviations in the formulation of the slip-stress kernel, external force, and friction. By increasing the amplitude of perturbations of the slip-stress kernel, we reproduce complicated rupture process of regular earthquakes including unilateral and bilateral ruptures. By perturbing external force, we reproduce slow rupture propagation at a scale of km/day. The slow propagation generated by a combination of fast interaction at S-wave velocity is analogous to the kinetic theory of gasses: thermal
Slow oscillations orchestrating fast oscillations and memory consolidation.

Science.gov (United States)

Mölle, Matthias; Born, Jan

2011-01-01

Slow-wave sleep (SWS) facilitates the consolidation of hippocampus-dependent declarative memory. Based on the standard two-stage memory model, we propose that memory consolidation during SWS represents a process of system consolidation which is orchestrated by the neocortical memory. The slow oscillations temporally group neuronal activity into up-states of strongly enhanced neuronal activity and down-states of neuronal silence. In a feed-forward efferent action, this grouping is induced not only in the neocortex but also in other structures relevant to consolidation, namely the thalamus generating 10-15Hz spindles, and the hippocampus generating sharp wave-ripples, with the latter well known to accompany a replay of newly encoded memories taking place in hippocampal circuitries. The feed-forward synchronizing effect of the slow oscillation enables the formation of spindle-ripple events where ripples and accompanying reactivated hippocampal memory information become nested into the single troughs of spindles. Spindle-ripple events thus enable reactivated memory-related hippocampal information to be fed back to neocortical networks in the excitable slow oscillation up-state where they can induce enduring plastic synaptic changes underlying the effective formation of long-term memories. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Using Low-Frequency Earthquakes to Investigate Slow Slip Processes and Plate Interface Structure Beneath the Olympic Peninsula, WA

Science.gov (United States)

Chestler, Shelley

This dissertation seeks to further understand the LFE source process, the role LFEs play in generating slow slip, and the utility of using LFEs to examine plate interface structure. The work involves the creation and investigation of a 2-year-long catalog of low-frequency earthquakes beneath the Olympic Peninsula, Washington. In the first chapter, we calculate the seismic moments for 34,264 low-frequency earthquakes (LFEs) beneath the Olympic Peninsula, WA. LFE moments range from 1.4x1010- 1.9x1012 N-m (M W=0.7-2.1). While regular earthquakes follow a power-law moment-frequency distribution with a b-value near 1 (the number of events increases by a factor of 10 for each unit increase in MW), we find that while for large LFEs the b-value is ˜6, for small LFEs it is families, or spots on the plate interface where LFEs repeat, can also be fit by exponential distributions. An exponential moment-frequency distribution implies a scale-limited source process. We consider two end-member models where LFE moment is limited by (1) the amount of slip or (2) slip area. We favor the area-limited model. Based on the observed exponential distribution of LFE moment and geodetically observed total slip we estimate that the total area that slips within an LFE family has a diameter of 300 m. Assuming an area-limited model, we estimate the slips, sub-patch diameters, stress drops, and slip rates for LFEs during ETS events. We allow for LFEs to rupture smaller sub-patches within the LFE family patch. Models with 1-10 sub-patches produce slips of 0.1-1 mm, sub-patch diameters of 80-275 m, and stress drops of 30-1000 kPa. While one sub-patch is often assumed, we believe 3-10 sub-patches are more likely. In the second chapter, using high-resolution relative low-frequency earthquake (LFE) locations, we calculate the patch areas (Ap) of LFE families. During Episodic Tremor and Slip (ETS) events, we define AT as the area that slips during LFEs and ST as the total amount of summed LFE slip
Large Scale Processes and Extreme Floods in Brazil

Science.gov (United States)

Ribeiro Lima, C. H.; AghaKouchak, A.; Lall, U.

2016-12-01

Persistent large scale anomalies in the atmospheric circulation and ocean state have been associated with heavy rainfall and extreme floods in water basins of different sizes across the world. Such studies have emerged in the last years as a new tool to improve the traditional, stationary based approach in flood frequency analysis and flood prediction. Here we seek to advance previous studies by evaluating the dominance of large scale processes (e.g. atmospheric rivers/moisture transport) over local processes (e.g. local convection) in producing floods. We consider flood-prone regions in Brazil as case studies and the role of large scale climate processes in generating extreme floods in such regions is explored by means of observed streamflow, reanalysis data and machine learning methods. The dynamics of the large scale atmospheric circulation in the days prior to the flood events are evaluated based on the vertically integrated moisture flux and its divergence field, which are interpreted in a low-dimensional space as obtained by machine learning techniques, particularly supervised kernel principal component analysis. In such reduced dimensional space, clusters are obtained in order to better understand the role of regional moisture recycling or teleconnected moisture in producing floods of a given magnitude. The convective available potential energy (CAPE) is also used as a measure of local convection activities. We investigate for individual sites the exceedance probability in which large scale atmospheric fluxes dominate the flood process. Finally, we analyze regional patterns of floods and how the scaling law of floods with drainage area responds to changes in the climate forcing mechanisms (e.g. local vs large scale).

Too slow, for Milton

OpenAIRE

Armstrong, N.

2011-01-01

Too slow, for Milton was written in 2011, as part of a memorial project for Milton Babbitt. The piece borrows harmonies from Babbitt's Composition for 12 Instruments (harmonies which Babbitt had in turn borrowed from Schoenberg's Ode to Napoleon), but unfolds them as part of a musical texture characterised by repetition, resonance, and a slow rate of change. As Babbitt once told me that my music was 'too slow', this seemed an appropriately obstinate form of homage.
Considering transient population dynamics in the conservation of slow life-history species: An application to the sandhill crane

Science.gov (United States)

Gerber, Brian D.; Kendall, William L.

2016-01-01

The importance of transient dynamics of structured populations is increasingly recognized in ecology, yet these implications are not largely considered in conservation practices. We investigate transient and long-term population dynamics to demonstrate the process and utility of incorporating transient dynamics into conservation research and to better understand the population management of slow life-history species; these species can be theoretically highly sensitive to short- and long-term transient effects. We are specifically interested in the effects of anthropogenic removal of individuals from populations, such as caused by harvest, poaching, translocation, or incidental take. We use the sandhill crane (Grus canadensis) as an exemplar species; it is long-lived, has low reproduction, late maturity, and multiple populations are subject to sport harvest. We found sandhill cranes to have extremely high potential, but low likelihood for transient dynamics, even when the population is being harvested. The typically low population growth rate of slow life-history species appears to buffer against many perturbations causing large transient effects. Transient dynamics will dominate population trajectories of these species when stage structures are highly biased towards the younger and non-reproducing individuals, a situation that may be rare in established populations of long-lived animals. However, short-term transient population growth can be highly sensitive to vital rates that are relatively insensitive under equilibrium, suggesting that stage structure should be known if perturbation analysis is used to identify effective conservation strategies. For populations of slow life-history species that are not prone to large perturbations to their most productive individuals, population growth may be approximated by equilibrium dynamics.
The S-Web Model for the Sources of the Slow Solar Wind

Science.gov (United States)

Antiochos, Spiro K.; Karpen, Judith T.; DeVore, C. Richard

2012-01-01

Models for the origin of the slow solar wind must account for two seemingly contradictory observations: The slow wind has the composition of the closed-field corona, implying that it originates from the continuous opening and closing of flux at the boundary between open and closed field. On the other hand, the slow wind has large angular width, up to 60 degrees, suggesting that its source extends far from the open-closed boundary. We describe a model that can explain both observations. The key idea is that the source of the slow wind at the Sun is a network of narrow (possibly singular) open-field corridors that map to a web of separatrices (the S-Web) and quasi-separatrix layers in the heliosphere. We discuss the dynamics of the S-Web model and its implications for present observations and for the upcoming observations from Solar Orbiter and Solar Probe Plus.
Compact PCI/Linux platform in FTU slow control system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Iannone, F.; Centioli, C.; Panella, M.; Mazza, G.; Vitale, V.; Wang, L.

2004-01-01

In large fusion experiments, such as tokamak devices, there is a common trend for slow control systems. Because of complexity of the plants, the so-called 'Standard Model' (SM) in slow control has been adopted on several tokamak machines. This model is based on a three-level hierarchical control: 1) High-Level Control (HLC) with a supervisory function; 2) Medium-Level Control (MLC) to interface and concentrate I/O field equipment; 3) Low-Level Control (LLC) with hard real-time I/O function, often managed by PLCs. FTU (Frascati Tokamak Upgrade) control system designed with SM concepts has underwent several stages of developments in its fifteen years duration of runs. The latest evolution was inevitable, due to the obsolescence of the MLC CPUs, based on VME-MOTOROLA 68030 with OS9 operating system. A large amount of C code was developed for that platform to route the data flow from LLC, which is constituted by 24 Westinghouse Numalogic PC-700 PLCs with about 8000 field-points, to HLC, based on a commercial Object-Oriented Real-Time database on Alpha/CompaqTru64 platform. Therefore, authors have to look for cost-effective solutions and finally a CompactPCI-Intel x86 platform with Linux operating system was chosen. A software porting has been done, taking into account the differences between OS9 and Linux operating system in terms of Inter/Network Processes Communications and I/O multi-ports serial driver. This paper describes the hardware/software architecture of the new MLC system, emphasizing the reliability and the low costs of the open source solutions. Moreover, a huge amount of software packages available in open source environment will assure a less painful maintenance, and will open the way to further improvements of the system itself. (authors)
Nonvolcanic Tremor Activity is Highly Correlated With Slow Slip Events, Mexico

Science.gov (United States)

Kostoglodov, V.; Shapiro, N.; Larson, K. M.; Payero, J. S.; Husker, A.; Santiago, L. A.; Clayton, R. W.

2008-12-01

Significant activity of nonvolcanic tremor (NVT) has been observed in the central Mexico (Guerrero) subduction zone since 2001 when continuous seismic records became available. Although the quality of these records is poor, it is possible to estimate a temporal variation of energy in the range of 1-2Hz (best signal/noise ratio for the NVT). These clearly indicate a maximum of NVT energy release (En) during the 2001-2002 and 2006 large aseismic slow slip events (SSE) registered by the Guerrero GPS network. In particular En is higher for the 2001-2002 SSE which had larger surface displacements and extension than the 2006 SSE. A more detailed and accurate study of NVT activity was carried out using the data collected during the MASE experiment in Mexico. MASE consisted of 100 broad band seismometers in operation for ~2.5 years (2005-2007) along the profile oriented SSW-NNE from Acapulco, and crossing over the subduction zone for a distance of ~500 km. Epicenters and depths of individual tremor events determined using the envelope cross-correlation technique have rather large uncertainties, partly originated from the essentially 2D geometry of the network. The 'energy' approach is more efficient in this case because it provides an average NVT activity evolution in time and space. The data processing consists of a band pass (1-2Hz) filter of the raw 100 Hz sampled N-S component records, application a 10 min-width median filter to eliminate the effect of local seismic events and noise, and integration of the energy and normalization of daily En using an average coda amplitude from several regional earthquakes of M~5. A time-space distribution of En reveals a strong correlation between NVT energy release and the 2006 SSE, which also replicates the two-phase character of this slow event and a migration of the slow slip maximum from North to South. There are also a few clear episodes of relatively high NVT energy release that do not correspond to any significant geodetic
Large-Scale Graph Processing Using Apache Giraph

KAUST Repository

Sakr, Sherif

2017-01-07

This book takes its reader on a journey through Apache Giraph, a popular distributed graph processing platform designed to bring the power of big data processing to graph data. Designed as a step-by-step self-study guide for everyone interested in large-scale graph processing, it describes the fundamental abstractions of the system, its programming models and various techniques for using the system to process graph data at scale, including the implementation of several popular and advanced graph analytics algorithms.
Large-Scale Graph Processing Using Apache Giraph

KAUST Repository

Sakr, Sherif; Orakzai, Faisal Moeen; Abdelaziz, Ibrahim; Khayyat, Zuhair

2017-01-01

This book takes its reader on a journey through Apache Giraph, a popular distributed graph processing platform designed to bring the power of big data processing to graph data. Designed as a step-by-step self-study guide for everyone interested in large-scale graph processing, it describes the fundamental abstractions of the system, its programming models and various techniques for using the system to process graph data at scale, including the implementation of several popular and advanced graph analytics algorithms.
Ponderomotive force effects on slow-wave coupling

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wilson, J.R.; Wong, K.L.

1982-01-01

Localized plasma density depressions are observed to form near a multi-ring slow-wave structure when the value of the nonlinearity parameter, s = ω 2 /sub p/eVertical BarE/sub z/Vertical Bar 2 /8πω 2 nkappaT, is of order unity. Consequent changes in the wave propagation and coupling efficiency are reported. For large enough values of s, the coupling efficiency may be reduced by 50% from the linear value
Large forging manufacturing process

Science.gov (United States)

Thamboo, Samuel V.; Yang, Ling

2002-01-01

A process for forging large components of Alloy 718 material so that the components do not exhibit abnormal grain growth includes the steps of: a) providing a billet with an average grain size between ASTM 0 and ASTM 3; b) heating the billet to a temperature of between 1750.degree. F. and 1800.degree. F.; c) upsetting the billet to obtain a component part with a minimum strain of 0.125 in at least selected areas of the part; d) reheating the component part to a temperature between 1750.degree. F. and 1800.degree. F.; e) upsetting the component part to a final configuration such that said selected areas receive no strains between 0.01 and 0.125; f) solution treating the component part at a temperature of between 1725.degree. F. and 1750.degree. F.; and g) aging the component part over predetermined times at different temperatures. A modified process achieves abnormal grain growth in selected areas of a component where desirable.
Source of spill ripple in the RF-KO slow-extraction method with FM and AM

CERN Document Server

Noda, K; Shibuya, S; Muramatsu, M; Uesugi, T; Kanazawa, M; Torikoshi, M; Takada, E; Yamada, S

2002-01-01

The RF-knockout (RF-KO) slow-extraction method with frequency modulation (FM) and amplitude modulation (AM) has brought high-accuracy irradiation to the treatment of a cancer tumor moving with respiration, because of a quick response to beam start/stop. However, a beam spill extracted from a synchrotron ring through RF-KO slow-extraction has a huge ripple with a frequency of around 1 kHz related to the FM. The spill ripple will disturb the lateral dose distribution in the beam scanning methods. Thus, the source of the spill ripple has been investigated through experiments and simulations. There are two tune regions for the extraction process through the RF-KO method: the extraction region and the diffusion region. The particles in the extraction region can be extracted due to amplitude growth through the transverse RF field, only when its frequency matches with the tune in the extraction region. For a large chromaticity, however, the particles in the extraction region can be extracted through the synchrotron ...
Efficient Processing of Multiple DTW Queries in Time Series Databases

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kremer, Hardy; Günnemann, Stephan; Ivanescu, Anca-Maria

2011-01-01

. In many of today’s applications, however, large numbers of queries arise at any given time. Existing DTW techniques do not process multiple DTW queries simultaneously, a serious limitation which slows down overall processing. In this paper, we propose an efficient processing approach for multiple DTW...... for multiple DTW queries....
Human Growth Hormone (HGH): Does It Slow Aging?

Science.gov (United States)

Healthy Lifestyle Healthy aging Human growth hormone is described by some as the key to slowing the aging process. Before you sign up, get the ... slowdown has triggered an interest in using synthetic human growth hormone (HGH) as a way to stave ...
Proposal for an intense slow positron beam facility at PSI

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Waeber, W.B.; Taqqu, D.; Zimmermann, U.; Solt, G.

1990-05-01

In the domain of condensed matter physics and materials sciences monoenergetic slow positrons in the form of highest intensity beams are demonstrated to be extreamly useful and considered to be highly needed. This conclusion has been reached and the scientific relevance of the positron probe has been highlighted at an international workshop in November 1989 at PSI, where the state of the art and the international situation on slow positron beams, the fields of application of intense beams and the technical possibilities at PSI for installing intense positron sources have been evaluated. The participants agreed that a high intensity beam as a large-scale user facility at PSI would serve fundamental and applied research. The analysis of responses given by numerous members of a widespread positron community has revealed a large research potential in the domain of solid-state physics, atomic physics and surface, thin-film and defect physics, for example. The excellent feature of slow positron beams to be a suitable probe also for lattice defects near surfaces or interfaces has attracted the interest not only of science but also of industry.In this report we propose the installation of an intense slow positron beam facility at PSI including various beam lines of different qualities and based on the Cyclotron production of β + emitting source material and on a highest efficiency moderation scheme which exceeds standard moderation efficiencies by two orders of magnitude. In its proposed form, the project is estimated to be realizable in the nineties and costs will amount to between 15 and 20 MSFr. (author) 10 figs., 6 tabs., 78 refs
Perceptions of the Slow Food Cultural Trend among the Youth

OpenAIRE

Lelia Voinea; Anca Atanase; Ion Schileru

2016-01-01

As they become increasingly aware of the importance of healthy eating and of the serious food imbalance caused by the overconsumption of industrial, ultra-processed and superorganoleptic food, consumers are now beginning to turn their attention to food choices guaranteeing both individual health and also of the environment . Thus, in recent years we are witnessing the rise of a cultural trend ‒ Slow Food. Slow Food has become an international movement that advocates for satisfying culinary pl...
Slow slip phenomena in Cascadia from 2007 and beyond: a review

Science.gov (United States)

Gomberg, Joan; ,

2010-01-01

Recent technological advances combined with more detailed analyses of seismologic and geodetic observations have fundamentally changed our understanding of the ways in which tectonic stresses arising from plate motions are accommodated by slip on faults. The traditional view that relative plate motions are accommodated by a simple cycle of stress accumulation and release on “locked” plate-boundary faults has been revolutionized by the serendipitous discovery and recognition of the significance of slow-slip phenomena, mostly in the deeper reaches of subduction zones. The Cascadia subduction zone, located in the Pacific Northwest of the conterminous United States and adjacent Canada, is an archetype of exploration and learning about slow-slip phenomena. These phenomena are manifest as geodetically observed aseismic transient deformations accompanied by a previously unrecognized class of seismic signals. Although secondary failure processes may be involved in generating the seismic signals, the primary origins of both aseismic and seismic phenomena appear to be episodic fault slip, probably facilitated by fluids, on a plate interface that is critically stressed or weakened. In Cascadia, this transient slip evolves more slowly and over more prolonged durations relative to the slip in earthquakes, and it occurs between the 30- and 40-km-depth contours of the plate interface where information was previously elusive. Although there is some underlying organization that relaxes nearly all the accrued plate-motion stresses along the entirety of Cascadia, we now infer that slow slip evolves in complex patterns indicative of propagating stress fronts. Our new understanding provides key constraints not only on the region where the slow slip originates, but also on the probable characteristics of future megathrust earthquakes in Cascadia. Herein, we review the most significant scientific issues and progress related to understanding slow-slip phenomena in Cascadia and
Large deviations for Gaussian processes in Hoelder norm

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fatalov, V R

2003-01-01

Some results are proved on the exact asymptotic representation of large deviation probabilities for Gaussian processes in the Hoeder norm. The following classes of processes are considered: the Wiener process, the Brownian bridge, fractional Brownian motion, and stationary Gaussian processes with power-law covariance function. The investigation uses the method of double sums for Gaussian fields
Slow Tourism: Exploring the discourses

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

J. Guiver

2016-05-01

Full Text Available ‘Slow travel’ and ‘slow tourism’ are relatively new, but contested, concepts. This paper examines the meanings ascribed to them in the academic literature and websites targeted at potential tourists. It finds concurrence on aspects of savouring time at the destination and investing time to appreciate the locality, its people, history, culture and products, but detects different emphases. The academic literature stresses the benefits to the destination and global sustainability, while the websites focus on the personal benefits and ways of becoming a ‘slow tourist’. Food and drink epitomise the immersion in and absorption of the destination and the multi-dimensional tourism experience, contrasted with the superficiality of mainstream tourism. The paper discusses whether tourists practising slow tourism without using the label are slow tourists or not.
Low, slow, small target recognition based on spatial vision network

Science.gov (United States)

Cheng, Zhao; Guo, Pei; Qi, Xin

2018-03-01

Traditional photoelectric monitoring is monitored using a large number of identical cameras. In order to ensure the full coverage of the monitoring area, this monitoring method uses more cameras, which leads to more monitoring and repetition areas, and higher costs, resulting in more waste. In order to reduce the monitoring cost and solve the difficult problem of finding, identifying and tracking a low altitude, slow speed and small target, this paper presents spatial vision network for low-slow-small targets recognition. Based on camera imaging principle and monitoring model, spatial vision network is modeled and optimized. Simulation experiment results demonstrate that the proposed method has good performance.
Mental slowness in patients with Parkinson's disease: Associations with cognitive functions?

Science.gov (United States)

Vlagsma, Thialda T; Koerts, Janneke; Tucha, Oliver; Dijkstra, Hilde T; Duits, Annelien A; van Laar, Teus; Spikman, Jacoba M

2016-10-01

Motor slowness (bradykinesia) is a core feature of Parkinson's disease (PD). It is often assumed that patients show mental slowness (bradyphrenia) as well; however, evidence for this is debated. The aims of this study were to determine whether PD patients show mental slowness apart from motor slowness and, if this is the case, to what extent this affects their performance on neuropsychological tests of attention, memory, and executive functions (EF). Fifty-five nondemented PD patients and 65 healthy controls were assessed with a simple information-processing task in which reaction and motor times could be separated. In addition, all patients and a second control group (N = 138) were assessed with neuropsychological tests of attention, memory, and EF. While PD patients showed significantly longer reaction times than healthy controls, their motor times were not significantly longer. Reaction and motor times were only moderately correlated and were not related to clinical measures of disease severity. PD patients performed significantly worse on tests of attention and EF, and for the majority of neuropsychological tests 11-51% of the patients showed a clinically impaired performance. Reaction times did not, however, predict patients' test performance, while motor times were found to have a significant negative influence on tests of attention. PD patients show mental slowness, which can be separated from motor slowness. Neuropsychological test performance is not influenced by mental slowness; however, motor slowness can have a negative impact. When interpreting neuropsychological test performance of PD patients in clinical practice, motor slowness needs to be taken into account.
On the group approximation errors in description of neutron slowing-down at large distances from a source. Diffusion approach

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kulakovskij, M.Ya.; Savitskij, V.I.

1981-01-01

The errors of multigroup calculating the neutron flux spatial and energy distribution in the fast reactor shield caused by using group and age approximations are considered. It is shown that at small distances from a source the age theory rather well describes the distribution of the slowing-down density. With the distance increase the age approximation leads to underestimating the neutron fluxes, and the error quickly increases at that. At small distances from the source (up to 15 lengths of free path in graphite) the multigroup diffusion approximation describes the distribution of slowing down density quite satisfactorily and at that the results almost do not depend on the number of groups. With the distance increase the multigroup diffusion calculations lead to considerable overestimating of the slowing-down density. The conclusion is drawn that the group approximation proper errors are opposite in sign to the error introduced by the age approximation and to some extent compensate each other

Slow oscillation amplitudes and up-state lengths relate to memory improvement.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dominik P J Heib

Full Text Available There is growing evidence of the active involvement of sleep in memory consolidation. Besides hippocampal sharp wave-ripple complexes and sleep spindles, slow oscillations appear to play a key role in the process of sleep-associated memory consolidation. Furthermore, slow oscillation amplitude and spectral power increase during the night after learning declarative and procedural memory tasks. However, it is unresolved whether learning-induced changes specifically alter characteristics of individual slow oscillations, such as the slow oscillation up-state length and amplitude, which are believed to be important for neuronal replay. 24 subjects (12 men aged between 20 and 30 years participated in a randomized, within-subject, multicenter study. Subjects slept on three occasions for a whole night in the sleep laboratory with full polysomnography. Whereas the first night only served for adaptation purposes, the two remaining nights were preceded by a declarative word-pair task or by a non-learning control task. Slow oscillations were detected in non-rapid eye movement sleep over electrode Fz. Results indicate positive correlations between the length of the up-state as well as the amplitude of both slow oscillation phases and changes in memory performance from pre to post sleep. We speculate that the prolonged slow oscillation up-state length might extend the timeframe for the transfer of initial hippocampal to long-term cortical memory representations, whereas the increase in slow oscillation amplitudes possibly reflects changes in the net synaptic strength of cortical networks.
Sensorimotor and cognitive slowing in schizophrenia as measured by the Symbol Digit Substitution Test

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Morrens, M.; Hulstijn, W.; Hecke, J. van; Peuskens, J.; Sabbe, B.G.C.

2006-01-01

Objectives A vast amount of studies demonstrates the presence of psychomotor slowing in schizophrenia. The objective of the present study was to investigate whether this overall psychomotor slowing can be divided into distinct processes that differentially affect cognitive functioning in
Hydro-Mechanical Modelling of Slow Slip Phenomena at the Subduction Interface.

Science.gov (United States)

Petrini, C.; Gerya, T.; Madonna, C.; van Dinther, Y.

2016-12-01

Subduction zones experience a spectrum of slip phenomena, ranging from large devastating megathrust earthquakes to aseismic slow slip events. Slow slip events, lasting hours to years and being perceptible only by instruments, are believed to have the capability to induce large earthquakes. It is also repeatedly proposed that such slow events are controlled by fluid-rock interactions along the subduction interface, thus calling for development of fully coupled seismo-hydro-mechanical modeling approaches to identify their physics and controlling parameters. We present a newly developed finite difference visco-elasto-plastic numerical code with marker-in-cell technique, which fully couples mechanical deformation and fluid flow. We use this to investigate how the presence of fluids in the pore space of a (de)compacting rock matrix affects elastic stress accumulation and release along a fluid-bearing subduction interface. The model simulates the spontaneous occurrence of quasi-periodic slow slip phenomena along self-consistently forming highly localized shearbands, which accommodate shear displacement between two plates. The produced elastic rebound events show a slip velocity on the order of cm/yr, which is in good agreement with measured data. The governing gradual strength decrease along the slowly propagating shear bands is related to a drop in total pressure caused by shear localization at nearly constant (slightly decreasing) fluid pressure. Gradual reduction of the difference between the total and fluid pressure decreases brittle/plastic strength of fluid-bearing rocks along the shear bands, thus providing a dynamic feedback mechanism for the accumulated elastic stress release at the subduction interface.
A slowing-down problem

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Carlvik, I; Pershagen, B

1958-06-15

An infinitely long circular cylinder of radius a is surrounded by an infinite moderator. Both media are non-capturing. The cylinder emits neutrons of age zero with a constant source density of S. We assume that the ratios of the slowing-down powers and of the diffusion constants are independent of the neutron energy. The slowing-down density is calculated for two cases, a) when the slowing-down power of the cylinder medium is very small, and b) when the cylinder medium is identical with the moderator. The ratios of the slowing-down density at the age {tau} and the source density in the two cases are called {psi}{sub V}, and {psi}{sub M} respectively. {psi}{sub V} and {psi}{sub M} are functions of y=a{sup 2}/4{tau}. These two functions ({psi}{sub V} and {psi}{sub M}) are calculated and tabulated for y = 0-0.25.
Age-related slowing of response selection and production in a visual choice reaction time task

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

David L Woods

2015-04-01

Full Text Available Aging is associated with delayed processing in choice reaction time (CRT tasks, but the processing stages most impacted by aging have not been clearly identified. Here, we analyzed CRT latencies in a computerized serial visual feature-conjunction task. Participants responded to a target letter (probability 40% by pressing one mouse button, and responded to distractor letters differing either in color, shape, or both features from the target (probabilities 20% each, by pressing the other mouse button. Stimuli were presented randomly to the left and right visual fields and stimulus onset asynchronies (SOAs were adaptively reduced following correct responses using a staircase procedure. In Experiment 1, we tested 1466 participants who ranged in age from 18 to 65 years. CRT latencies increased significantly with age (r = 0.47, 2.80 ms/year. Central processing time (CPT, isolated by subtracting simple reaction times (obtained in a companion experiment performed on the same day from CRT latencies, accounted for more than 80% of age-related CRT slowing, with most of the remaining increase in latency due to slowed motor responses. Participants were faster and more accurate when the stimulus location was spatially compatible with the mouse button used for responding, and this effect increased slightly with age. Participants took longer to respond to distractors with target color or shape than to distractors with no target features. However, the additional time needed to discriminate the more target-like distractors did not increase with age. In Experiment 2, we replicated the findings of Experiment 1 in a second population of 178 participants (ages 18-82 years. CRT latencies did not differ significantly in the two experiments, and similar effects of age, distractor similarity, and stimulus-response spatial compatibility were found. The results suggest that the age-related slowing in visual CRT latencies is largely due to delays in response selection and
Role of slow oscillatory activity and slow wave sleep in consolidation of episodic-like memory in rats.

Science.gov (United States)

Oyanedel, Carlos N; Binder, Sonja; Kelemen, Eduard; Petersen, Kimberley; Born, Jan; Inostroza, Marion

2014-12-15

Our previous experiments showed that sleep in rats enhances consolidation of hippocampus dependent episodic-like memory, i.e. the ability to remember an event bound into specific spatio-temporal context. Here we tested the hypothesis that this enhancing effect of sleep is linked to the occurrence of slow oscillatory and spindle activity during slow wave sleep (SWS). Rats were tested on an episodic-like memory task and on three additional tasks covering separately the where (object place recognition), when (temporal memory), and what (novel object recognition) components of episodic memory. In each task, the sample phase (encoding) was followed by an 80-min retention interval that covered either a period of regular morning sleep or sleep deprivation. Memory during retrieval was tested using preferential exploration of novelty vs. familiarity. Consistent with previous findings, the rats which had slept during the retention interval showed significantly stronger episodic-like memory and spatial memory, and a trend of improved temporal memory (although not significant). Object recognition memory was similarly retained across sleep and sleep deprivation retention intervals. Recall of episodic-like memory was associated with increased slow oscillatory activity (0.85-2.0Hz) during SWS in the retention interval. Spatial memory was associated with increased proportions of SWS. Against our hypothesis, a relationship between spindle activity and episodic-like memory performance was not detected, but spindle activity was associated with object recognition memory. The results provide support for the role of SWS and slow oscillatory activity in consolidating hippocampus-dependent memory, the role of spindles in this process needs to be further examined. Copyright © 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Imbricated slip rate processes during slow slip transients imaged by low-frequency earthquakes

Science.gov (United States)

Lengliné, O.; Frank, W.; Marsan, D.; Ampuero, J. P.

2017-12-01

Low Frequency Earthquakes (LFEs) often occur in conjunction with transient strain episodes, or Slow Slip Events (SSEs), in subduction zones. Their focal mechanism and location consistent with shear failure on the plate interface argue for a model where LFEs are discrete dynamic ruptures in an otherwise slowly slipping interface. SSEs are mostly observed by surface geodetic instruments with limited resolution and it is likely that only the largest ones are detected. The time synchronization of LFEs and SSEs suggests that we could use the recorded LFEs to constrain the evolution of SSEs, and notably of the geodetically-undetected small ones. However, inferring slow slip rate from the temporal evolution of LFE activity is complicated by the strong temporal clustering of LFEs. Here we apply dedicated statistical tools to retrieve the temporal evolution of SSE slip rates from the time history of LFE occurrences in two subduction zones, Mexico and Cascadia, and in the deep portion of the San Andreas fault at Parkfield. We find temporal characteristics of LFEs that are similar across these three different regions. The longer term episodic slip transients present in these datasets show a slip rate decay with time after the passage of the SSE front possibly as t-1/4. They are composed of multiple short term transients with steeper slip rate decay as t-α with α between 1.4 and 2. We also find that the maximum slip rate of SSEs has a continuous distribution. Our results indicate that creeping faults host intermittent deformation at various scales resulting from the imbricated occurrence of numerous slow slip events of various amplitudes.
Human skeletal muscle: transition between fast and slow fibre types.

Science.gov (United States)

Neunhäuserer, Daniel; Zebedin, Michaela; Obermoser, Magdalena; Moser, Gerhard; Tauber, Mark; Niebauer, Josef; Resch, Herbert; Galler, Stefan

2011-05-01

Human skeletal muscles consist of different fibre types: slow fibres (slow twitch or type I) containing the myosin heavy chain isoform (MHC)-I and fast fibres (fast twitch or type II) containing MHC-IIa (type IIA) or MHC-IId (type IID). The following order of decreasing kinetics is known: type IID > type IIA > type I. This order is especially based on the kinetics of stretch activation, which is the most discriminative property among fibre types. In this study we tested if hybrid fibres containing both MHC-IIa and MHC-I (type C fibres) provide a transition in kinetics between fast (type IIA) and slow fibres (type I). Our data of stretch activation kinetics suggest that type C fibres, with different ratios of MHC-IIa and MHC-I, do not provide a continuous transition. Instead, a specialized group of slow fibres, which we called "transition fibres", seems to provide a transition. Apart of their kinetics of stretch activation, which is most close to that of type IIA, the transition fibres are characterized by large cross-sectional areas and low maximal tensions. The molecular cause for the mechanical properties of the transition fibres is unknown. It is possible that the transition fibres contain an unknown slow MHC isoform, which cannot be separated by biochemical methods. Alternatively, or in addition, isoforms of myofibrillar proteins, other than MHC, and posttranslational modifications of myofibrillar proteins could play a role regarding the characteristics of the transition fibres.
Modeling of low- and high-frequency noise by slow and fast fluctuators

Science.gov (United States)

Nesterov, Alexander I.; Berman, Gennady P.

2012-05-01

We study the dynamics of dephasing in a quantum two-level system by modeling both 1/f and high-frequency noise by random telegraph processes. Our approach is based on a so-called spin-fluctuator model in which a noisy environment is modeled by a large number of fluctuators. In the continuous limit we obtain an effective random process (ERP) that is described by a distribution function of the fluctuators. In a simplified model, we reduce the ERP to the two (slow and fast) ensembles of fluctuators. Using this model, we study decoherence in a superconducting flux qubit and we compare our theoretical results with the available experimental data. We demonstrate good agreement of our theoretical predictions with the experiments. Our approach can be applied to many quantum systems, such as biological complexes, semiconductors, superconducting, and spin qubits, where the effects of interaction with the environment are essential.
Slow-fast stochastic diffusion dynamics and quasi-stationarity for diploid populations with varying size.

Science.gov (United States)

Coron, Camille

2016-01-01

We are interested in the long-time behavior of a diploid population with sexual reproduction and randomly varying population size, characterized by its genotype composition at one bi-allelic locus. The population is modeled by a 3-dimensional birth-and-death process with competition, weak cooperation and Mendelian reproduction. This stochastic process is indexed by a scaling parameter K that goes to infinity, following a large population assumption. When the individual birth and natural death rates are of order K, the sequence of stochastic processes indexed by K converges toward a new slow-fast dynamics with variable population size. We indeed prove the convergence toward 0 of a fast variable giving the deviation of the population from quasi Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium, while the sequence of slow variables giving the respective numbers of occurrences of each allele converges toward a 2-dimensional diffusion process that reaches (0,0) almost surely in finite time. The population size and the proportion of a given allele converge toward a Wright-Fisher diffusion with stochastically varying population size and diploid selection. We insist on differences between haploid and diploid populations due to population size stochastic variability. Using a non trivial change of variables, we study the absorption of this diffusion and its long time behavior conditioned on non-extinction. In particular we prove that this diffusion starting from any non-trivial state and conditioned on not hitting (0,0) admits a unique quasi-stationary distribution. We give numerical approximations of this quasi-stationary behavior in three biologically relevant cases: neutrality, overdominance, and separate niches.
A slow fashion design model for bluejeans using house of quality approach

Science.gov (United States)

Nergis, B.; Candan, C.; Sarısaltık, S.; Seneloglu, N.; Bozuk, R.; Amzayev, K.

2017-10-01

The purpose of this study was to develop a slow fashion design model using the house of quality model (HOQ) to provide fashion designers a tool to improve the overall sustainability of denim jeans for Y generation consumers in Turkish market. In doing so, a survey was conducted to collect data on the design & performance expectations as well as the perception of slow fashion in design process of denim jeans of the targeted consumer group. The results showed that Y generation in the market gave the most importance to the sustainable production techniques when identifying slow fashion.
Ions and electrons thermal effects on the fast-slow mode conversion process in a three components plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fidone, I.; Gomberoff, L.

1977-07-01

Fast-slow mode conversion in a deuterium plasma with a small amount of hydrogen impurity, for frequencies close to the two-ion hybrid frequency, is investigated. It is shown that while electron thermal effects tend to inhibit the wave conversion process, ion thermal effects tend to restore, qualitatively, the cold plasma properties, favouring therefore, the energy exchange between the two modes. The aforementioned effects are competitive for zetasub(o)sup(e)=1/nsub(parall).vsub(e)>=1. For zetasub(o)sup(e)<=1, electron thermal effects, in particular Landau damping, dominate over ion Larmor radius effects, drastically diminishing the wave conversion efficacy. For zetasub(o)sup(e)<<1, the coupling between the modes disappears altogether
Overall concepts for utilisation of slow pyrolysis products - Hidaspyro II

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fagernas, L. [VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, Espoo (Finland)], email: leena.fagernas@vtt.fi

2012-07-01

Slow pyrolysis is a promising technology to produce biochar (charcoal), distillates and gases for various purposes. However, scientific results on the effects of distillates and biochar on soil improvement are lacking, process conditions to produce biochar of good quality and optimal distillates are not known, and non-existence of environmental risks has to be proved prior to commercialization of the products. The goal is an optimised slow pyrolysis process for new applications of the products. The research carried out in the project Hidaspyro will be continued. The objectives are to determine the effect of biochar and distillates on growth of plants, soil improvement, and odour prevention; to define the quality criteria of biochar in plant production; and to assess the ecotoxicological and environmental impacts of the products.
The use of quasi-isothermal modulated temperature differential scanning calorimetry for the characterization of slow crystallization processes in lipid-based solid self-emulsifying systems.

Science.gov (United States)

Otun, Sarah O; Meehan, Elizabeth; Qi, Sheng; Craig, Duncan Q M

2015-04-01

Slow or incomplete crystallization may be a significant manufacturing issue for solid lipid-based dosage forms, yet little information is available on this phenomenon. In this investigation we suggest a novel means by which slow solidification may be monitored in Gelucire 44/14 using quasi-isothermal modulated temperature DSC (QiMTDSC). Conventional linear heating and cooling DSC methods were employed, along with hot stage microscopy (HSM), for basic thermal profiling of Gelucire 44/14. QiMTDSC experiments were performed on cooling from the melt, using a range of incremental decreases in temperature and isothermal measurement periods. DSC and HSM highlighted the main (primary) crystallization transition; solid fat content analysis and kinetic analysis were used to profile the solidification process. The heat capacity profile from QiMTDSC indicated that after an initial energetic primary crystallisation, the lipid underwent a slower period of crystallization which continued to manifest at much lower temperatures than indicated by standard DSC. We present evidence that Gelucire 44/14 undergoes an initial crystallization followed by a secondary, slower process. QIMTDSC appears to be a promising tool in the investigation of this secondary crystallization process.
The Very Large Array Data Processing Pipeline

Science.gov (United States)

Kent, Brian R.; Masters, Joseph S.; Chandler, Claire J.; Davis, Lindsey E.; Kern, Jeffrey S.; Ott, Juergen; Schinzel, Frank K.; Medlin, Drew; Muders, Dirk; Williams, Stewart; Geers, Vincent C.; Momjian, Emmanuel; Butler, Bryan J.; Nakazato, Takeshi; Sugimoto, Kanako

2018-01-01

We present the VLA Pipeline, software that is part of the larger pipeline processing framework used for the Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array (VLA), and Atacama Large Millimeter/sub-millimeter Array (ALMA) for both interferometric and single dish observations.Through a collection of base code jointly used by the VLA and ALMA, the pipeline builds a hierarchy of classes to execute individual atomic pipeline tasks within the Common Astronomy Software Applications (CASA) package. Each pipeline task contains heuristics designed by the team to actively decide the best processing path and execution parameters for calibration and imaging. The pipeline code is developed and written in Python and uses a "context" structure for tracking the heuristic decisions and processing results. The pipeline "weblog" acts as the user interface in verifying the quality assurance of each calibration and imaging stage. The majority of VLA scheduling blocks above 1 GHz are now processed with the standard continuum recipe of the pipeline and offer a calibrated measurement set as a basic data product to observatory users. In addition, the pipeline is used for processing data from the VLA Sky Survey (VLASS), a seven year community-driven endeavor started in September 2017 to survey the entire sky down to a declination of -40 degrees at S-band (2-4 GHz). This 5500 hour next-generation large radio survey will explore the time and spectral domains, relying on pipeline processing to generate calibrated measurement sets, polarimetry, and imaging data products that are available to the astronomical community with no proprietary period. Here we present an overview of the pipeline design philosophy, heuristics, and calibration and imaging results produced by the pipeline. Future development will include the testing of spectral line recipes, low signal-to-noise heuristics, and serving as a testing platform for science ready data products.The pipeline is developed as part of the CASA software package by an
THE SLOWING DOWN OF THE CORROSION OF ELEMENTS OF THE EQUIPMENT OF HEAVY MET-ALS AT ELEVATED TEMPERATURES

OpenAIRE

Носачова, Юлія Вікторівна; Ярошенко, М. М.; Корзун, А. О.; КОРОВЧЕНКО, К. С.

2017-01-01

In this article examined the heavy metals ions and their ability to slow down the corrosion process also the impact of ambient temperature on their effectiveness. Solving the problem of corrosion will reduce the impact of large industrial enterprises on the environment and minimize the economic costs. To do this, plants should create a system without a discharge of waste water that is closed recycling systems, which result is a significant reduction in intake of fresh water from natural sourc...
Tapping to a slow tempo in the presence of simple and complex meters reveals experience-specific biases for processing music.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sangeeta Ullal-Gupta

Full Text Available Musical meters vary considerably across cultures, yet relatively little is known about how culture-specific experience influences metrical processing. In Experiment 1, we compared American and Indian listeners' synchronous tapping to slow sequences. Inter-tone intervals contained silence or to-be-ignored rhythms that were designed to induce a simple meter (familiar to Americans and Indians or a complex meter (familiar only to Indians. A subset of trials contained an abrupt switch from one rhythm to another to assess the disruptive effects of contradicting the initially implied meter. In the unfilled condition, both groups tapped earlier than the target and showed large tap-tone asynchronies (measured in relative phase. When inter-tone intervals were filled with simple-meter rhythms, American listeners tapped later than targets, but their asynchronies were smaller and declined more rapidly. Likewise, asynchronies rose sharply following a switch away from simple-meter but not from complex-meter rhythm. By contrast, Indian listeners performed similarly across all rhythm types, with asynchronies rapidly declining over the course of complex- and simple-meter trials. For these listeners, a switch from either simple or complex meter increased asynchronies. Experiment 2 tested American listeners but doubled the duration of the synchronization phase prior to (and after the switch. Here, compared with simple meters, complex-meter rhythms elicited larger asynchronies that declined at a slower rate, however, asynchronies increased after the switch for all conditions. Our results provide evidence that ease of meter processing depends to a great extent on the amount of experience with specific meters.
Tapping to a slow tempo in the presence of simple and complex meters reveals experience-specific biases for processing music.

Science.gov (United States)

Ullal-Gupta, Sangeeta; Hannon, Erin E; Snyder, Joel S

2014-01-01

Musical meters vary considerably across cultures, yet relatively little is known about how culture-specific experience influences metrical processing. In Experiment 1, we compared American and Indian listeners' synchronous tapping to slow sequences. Inter-tone intervals contained silence or to-be-ignored rhythms that were designed to induce a simple meter (familiar to Americans and Indians) or a complex meter (familiar only to Indians). A subset of trials contained an abrupt switch from one rhythm to another to assess the disruptive effects of contradicting the initially implied meter. In the unfilled condition, both groups tapped earlier than the target and showed large tap-tone asynchronies (measured in relative phase). When inter-tone intervals were filled with simple-meter rhythms, American listeners tapped later than targets, but their asynchronies were smaller and declined more rapidly. Likewise, asynchronies rose sharply following a switch away from simple-meter but not from complex-meter rhythm. By contrast, Indian listeners performed similarly across all rhythm types, with asynchronies rapidly declining over the course of complex- and simple-meter trials. For these listeners, a switch from either simple or complex meter increased asynchronies. Experiment 2 tested American listeners but doubled the duration of the synchronization phase prior to (and after) the switch. Here, compared with simple meters, complex-meter rhythms elicited larger asynchronies that declined at a slower rate, however, asynchronies increased after the switch for all conditions. Our results provide evidence that ease of meter processing depends to a great extent on the amount of experience with specific meters.
Large-Deviation Results for Discriminant Statistics of Gaussian Locally Stationary Processes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Junichi Hirukawa

2012-01-01

Full Text Available This paper discusses the large-deviation principle of discriminant statistics for Gaussian locally stationary processes. First, large-deviation theorems for quadratic forms and the log-likelihood ratio for a Gaussian locally stationary process with a mean function are proved. Their asymptotics are described by the large deviation rate functions. Second, we consider the situations where processes are misspecified to be stationary. In these misspecified cases, we formally make the log-likelihood ratio discriminant statistics and derive the large deviation theorems of them. Since they are complicated, they are evaluated and illustrated by numerical examples. We realize the misspecification of the process to be stationary seriously affecting our discrimination.
Possibility of a crossed-beam experiment involving slow-neutron capture by unstable nuclei - ``rapid-process tron''

Science.gov (United States)

Yamazaki, T.; Katayama, I.; Uwamino, Y.

1993-02-01

The possibility of a crossed beam facility of slow neutrons capturing unstable nuclei is examined in connection with the Japanese Hadron Project. With a pulsed proton beam of 50 Hz repetition and with a 100 μA average beam current, one obtains a spallation neutron source of 2.4 × 10 8 thermal neutrons/cm 3/spill over a 60 cm length with a 3 ms average duration time by using a D 2O moderator. By confining radioactive nuclei of 10 9 ions in a beam circulation ring of 0.3 MHz revolution frequency, so that nuclei pass through the neutron source, one obtains a collision luminosity of 3.9 × 10 24/cm 2/s. A new research domain aimed at studying rapid processes in nuclear genetics in a laboratory will be created.

Connecting slow earthquakes to huge earthquakes

OpenAIRE

Obara, Kazushige; Kato, Aitaro

2016-01-01

Slow earthquakes are characterized by a wide spectrum of fault slip behaviors and seismic radiation patterns that differ from those of traditional earthquakes. However, slow earthquakes and huge megathrust earthquakes can have common slip mechanisms and are located in neighboring regions of the seismogenic zone. The frequent occurrence of slow earthquakes may help to reveal the physics underlying megathrust events as useful analogs. Slow earthquakes may function as stress meters because of th...
Integrated Photonics Enabled by Slow Light

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mørk, Jesper; Chen, Yuntian; Ek, Sara

2012-01-01

In this talk we will discuss the physics of slow light in semiconductor materials and in particular the possibilities offered for integrated photonics. This includes ultra-compact slow light enabled optical amplifiers, lasers and pulse sources.......In this talk we will discuss the physics of slow light in semiconductor materials and in particular the possibilities offered for integrated photonics. This includes ultra-compact slow light enabled optical amplifiers, lasers and pulse sources....
Light storage via slow-light four-wave mixing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fan, Yun-Fei; Wang, Hai-Hua; Wei, Xiao-Gang; Li, Ai-Jun; Kang, Zhi-Hui; Wu, Jin-Hui; Zhang, Han-Zhuang; Xu, Huai-Liang; Gao, Jin-Yue

2012-01-01

We experimentally demonstrate a light storage via slow-light four-wave mixing in a solid-state medium with a four-level double lambda scheme. Using slow light based on electromagnetically induced transparency, we obtain a slowed four-wave mixing signal pulse together with the slowed probe pulse. During the propagation of light pulses, the storage and retrieval of both the slowed four-wave mixing pulse and the slowed probe pulse are studied by manipulating the intensities of the control fields. -- Highlights: ► A light storage via slow-light four-wave mixing is observed in a solid. ► The probe pulse is slowed under electromagnetically induced transparency. ► A slowed four-wave mixing pulse is obtained by slow light. ► The storage of slowed double pulses is studied.
Large deviations in the presence of cooperativity and slow dynamics

Science.gov (United States)

Whitelam, Stephen

2018-06-01

We study simple models of intermittency, involving switching between two states, within the dynamical large-deviation formalism. Singularities appear in the formalism when switching is cooperative or when its basic time scale diverges. In the first case the unbiased trajectory distribution undergoes a symmetry breaking, leading to a change in shape of the large-deviation rate function for a particular dynamical observable. In the second case the symmetry of the unbiased trajectory distribution remains unbroken. Comparison of these models suggests that singularities of the dynamical large-deviation formalism can signal the dynamical equivalent of an equilibrium phase transition but do not necessarily do so.
Can power spectrum observations rule out slow-roll inflation?

Science.gov (United States)

Vieira, J. P. P.; Byrnes, Christian T.; Lewis, Antony

2018-01-01

The spectral index of scalar perturbations is an important observable that allows us to learn about inflationary physics. In particular, a detection of a significant deviation from a constant spectral index could enable us to rule out the simplest class of inflation models. We investigate whether future observations could rule out canonical single-field slow-roll inflation given the parameters allowed by current observational constraints. We find that future measurements of a constant running (or running of the running) of the spectral index over currently available scales are unlikely to achieve this. However, there remains a large region of parameter space (especially when considering the running of the running) for falsifying the assumed class of slow-roll models if future observations accurately constrain a much wider range of scales.
Bioremediation: Application of slow-release fertilizers on low-energy shorelines

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, K.; Tremblay, G.H.; Levy, E.M.

1993-01-01

In situ biodegradation, the activation of microbial processes capable of destroying contaminants where they are found in the environment, is a biological process that responds rapidly to changing environmental factors. Accordingly, in situ sediment enclosures were used to test the efficacy of selected nutrient formulations to enhance the biodegradation of a waxy crude oil in a low-energy shoreline environment. The addition of soluble inorganic fertilizers (ammonium nitrate and triple superphosphate) and slow-release nutrient formulations (sulfur-coated urea) stimulated microbial activity and prolonged the period of oil degradation, despite a decline in seasonal temperatures. Low temperatures reduced the permeability of the coating on the slow-release fertilizers, effectively suppressing nutrient release. Of the nutrient formulations evaluated, the authors recommend the application of granular slow-release fertilizers (such as sulfur-coated urea) when the overlying water temperatures are above 15 degrees C, and the application of soluble inorganic fertilizers (such as ammonium nitrate) at lower temperatures. Comprehensive analysis of the experimental results indicate that application protocols for bioremediation (form and type of fertilizer or type and frequency of application), be specifically tailored to account for differences in environmental parameters (including oil characteristics) at each contaminated site
The Roles of Cortical Slow Waves in Synaptic Plasticity and Memory Consolidation.

Science.gov (United States)

Miyamoto, Daisuke; Hirai, Daichi; Murayama, Masanori

2017-01-01

Sleep plays important roles in sensory and motor memory consolidation. Sleep oscillations, reflecting neural population activity, involve the reactivation of learning-related neurons and regulate synaptic strength and, thereby affect memory consolidation. Among sleep oscillations, slow waves (0.5-4 Hz) are closely associated with memory consolidation. For example, slow-wave power is regulated in an experience-dependent manner and correlates with acquired memory. Furthermore, manipulating slow waves can enhance or impair memory consolidation. During slow wave sleep, inter-areal interactions between the cortex and hippocampus (HC) have been proposed to consolidate declarative memory; however, interactions for non-declarative (HC-independent) memory remain largely uninvestigated. We recently showed that the directional influence in a slow-wave range through a top-down cortical long-range circuit is involved in the consolidation of non-declarative memory. At the synaptic level, the average cortical synaptic strength is known to be potentiated during wakefulness and depressed during sleep. Moreover, learning causes plasticity in a subset of synapses, allocating memory to them. Sleep may help to differentiate synaptic strength between allocated and non-allocated synapses (i.e., improving the signal-to-noise ratio, which may facilitate memory consolidation). Herein, we offer perspectives on inter-areal interactions and synaptic plasticity for memory consolidation during sleep.
The Roles of Cortical Slow Waves in Synaptic Plasticity and Memory Consolidation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Daisuke Miyamoto

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Sleep plays important roles in sensory and motor memory consolidation. Sleep oscillations, reflecting neural population activity, involve the reactivation of learning-related neurons and regulate synaptic strength and, thereby affect memory consolidation. Among sleep oscillations, slow waves (0.5–4 Hz are closely associated with memory consolidation. For example, slow-wave power is regulated in an experience-dependent manner and correlates with acquired memory. Furthermore, manipulating slow waves can enhance or impair memory consolidation. During slow wave sleep, inter-areal interactions between the cortex and hippocampus (HC have been proposed to consolidate declarative memory; however, interactions for non-declarative (HC-independent memory remain largely uninvestigated. We recently showed that the directional influence in a slow-wave range through a top-down cortical long-range circuit is involved in the consolidation of non-declarative memory. At the synaptic level, the average cortical synaptic strength is known to be potentiated during wakefulness and depressed during sleep. Moreover, learning causes plasticity in a subset of synapses, allocating memory to them. Sleep may help to differentiate synaptic strength between allocated and non-allocated synapses (i.e., improving the signal-to-noise ratio, which may facilitate memory consolidation. Herein, we offer perspectives on inter-areal interactions and synaptic plasticity for memory consolidation during sleep.
A KPI-based process monitoring and fault detection framework for large-scale processes.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Kai; Shardt, Yuri A W; Chen, Zhiwen; Yang, Xu; Ding, Steven X; Peng, Kaixiang

2017-05-01

Large-scale processes, consisting of multiple interconnected subprocesses, are commonly encountered in industrial systems, whose performance needs to be determined. A common approach to this problem is to use a key performance indicator (KPI)-based approach. However, the different KPI-based approaches are not developed with a coherent and consistent framework. Thus, this paper proposes a framework for KPI-based process monitoring and fault detection (PM-FD) for large-scale industrial processes, which considers the static and dynamic relationships between process and KPI variables. For the static case, a least squares-based approach is developed that provides an explicit link with least-squares regression, which gives better performance than partial least squares. For the dynamic case, using the kernel representation of each subprocess, an instrument variable is used to reduce the dynamic case to the static case. This framework is applied to the TE benchmark process and the hot strip mill rolling process. The results show that the proposed method can detect faults better than previous methods. Copyright © 2017 ISA. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Drell–Yan process at Large Hadron Collider

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

the Drell–Yan process [1] first studied with muon final states. In Standard .... Two large-statistics sets of signal events, based on the value of the dimuon invariant mass, .... quality control criteria are applied to this globally reconstructed muon.
Slow rupture of frictional interfaces

Science.gov (United States)

Bar Sinai, Yohai; Brener, Efim A.; Bouchbinder, Eran

2012-02-01

The failure of frictional interfaces and the spatiotemporal structures that accompany it are central to a wide range of geophysical, physical and engineering systems. Recent geophysical and laboratory observations indicated that interfacial failure can be mediated by slow slip rupture phenomena which are distinct from ordinary, earthquake-like, fast rupture. These discoveries have influenced the way we think about frictional motion, yet the nature and properties of slow rupture are not completely understood. We show that slow rupture is an intrinsic and robust property of simple non-monotonic rate-and-state friction laws. It is associated with a new velocity scale cmin, determined by the friction law, below which steady state rupture cannot propagate. We further show that rupture can occur in a continuum of states, spanning a wide range of velocities from cmin to elastic wave-speeds, and predict different properties for slow rupture and ordinary fast rupture. Our results are qualitatively consistent with recent high-resolution laboratory experiments and may provide a theoretical framework for understanding slow rupture phenomena along frictional interfaces.
A Model for the Sources of the Slow Solar Wind

Science.gov (United States)

Antiochos, S. K.; Mikić, Z.; Titov, V. S.; Lionello, R.; Linker, J. A.

2011-04-01

Models for the origin of the slow solar wind must account for two seemingly contradictory observations: the slow wind has the composition of the closed-field corona, implying that it originates from the continuous opening and closing of flux at the boundary between open and closed field. On the other hand, the slow wind also has large angular width, up to ~60°, suggesting that its source extends far from the open-closed boundary. We propose a model that can explain both observations. The key idea is that the source of the slow wind at the Sun is a network of narrow (possibly singular) open-field corridors that map to a web of separatrices and quasi-separatrix layers in the heliosphere. We compute analytically the topology of an open-field corridor and show that it produces a quasi-separatrix layer in the heliosphere that extends to angles far from the heliospheric current sheet. We then use an MHD code and MDI/SOHO observations of the photospheric magnetic field to calculate numerically, with high spatial resolution, the quasi-steady solar wind, and magnetic field for a time period preceding the 2008 August 1 total solar eclipse. Our numerical results imply that, at least for this time period, a web of separatrices (which we term an S-web) forms with sufficient density and extent in the heliosphere to account for the observed properties of the slow wind. We discuss the implications of our S-web model for the structure and dynamics of the corona and heliosphere and propose further tests of the model.
Contribution to analytical solution of neutron slowing down problem in homogeneous and heterogeneous media

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stefanovic, D.B.

1970-12-01

The objective of this work is to describe the new analytical solution of the neutron slowing down equation for infinite monoatomic media with arbitrary energy dependence of cross section. The solution is obtained by introducing Green slowing down functions instead of starting from slowing down equations directly. The previously used methods for calculation of fission neutron spectra in the reactor cell were numerical. The proposed analytical method was used for calculating the space-energy distribution of fast neutrons and number of neutron reactions in a thermal reactor cell. The role of analytical method in solving the neutron slowing down in reactor physics is to enable understating of the slowing down process and neutron transport. The obtained results could be used as standards for testing the accuracy od approximative and practical methods
Slow changing postural cues cancel visual field dependence on self-tilt detection.

Science.gov (United States)

Scotto Di Cesare, C; Macaluso, T; Mestre, D R; Bringoux, L

2015-01-01

Interindividual differences influence the multisensory integration process involved in spatial perception. Here, we assessed the effect of visual field dependence on self-tilt detection relative to upright, as a function of static vs. slow changing visual or postural cues. To that aim, we manipulated slow rotations (i.e., 0.05° s(-1)) of the body and/or the visual scene in pitch. Participants had to indicate whether they felt being tilted forward at successive angles. Results show that thresholds for self-tilt detection substantially differed between visual field dependent/independent subjects, when only the visual scene was rotated. This difference was no longer present when the body was actually rotated, whatever the visual scene condition (i.e., absent, static or rotated relative to the observer). These results suggest that the cancellation of visual field dependence by dynamic postural cues may rely on a multisensory reweighting process, where slow changing vestibular/somatosensory inputs may prevail over visual inputs. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Dynamically slow processes in supercooled water confined between hydrophobic plates

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Franzese, Giancarlo [Departamento de Fisica Fundamental, Universidad de Barcelona, Diagonal 647, Barcelona 08028 (Spain); Santos, Francisco de los, E-mail: gfranzese@ub.ed, E-mail: fdlsant@ugr.e [Departamento de Electromagnetismo y Fisica de la Materia, Universidad de Granada, Fuentenueva s/n, 18071 Granada (Spain)

2009-12-16

We study the dynamics of water confined between hydrophobic flat surfaces at low temperature. At different pressures, we observe different behaviors that we understand in terms of the hydrogen bond dynamics. At high pressure, the formation of the open structure of the hydrogen bond network is inhibited and the surfaces can be rapidly dried (dewetted) by formation of a large cavity with decreasing temperature. At lower pressure we observe strong non-exponential behavior of the correlation function, but with no strong increase of the correlation time. This behavior can be associated, on the one hand, to the rapid ordering of the hydrogen bonds that generates heterogeneities and, on the other hand, to the lack of a single timescale as a consequence of the cooperativity in the vicinity of the liquid-liquid critical point that characterizes the phase diagram at low temperature of the water model considered here. At very low pressures, the gradual formation of the hydrogen bond network is responsible for the large increase of the correlation time and, eventually, the dynamical arrest of the system, with a strikingly different dewetting process, characterized by the formation of many small cavities.
Dynamically slow processes in supercooled water confined between hydrophobic plates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Franzese, Giancarlo; Santos, Francisco de los

2009-01-01

We study the dynamics of water confined between hydrophobic flat surfaces at low temperature. At different pressures, we observe different behaviors that we understand in terms of the hydrogen bond dynamics. At high pressure, the formation of the open structure of the hydrogen bond network is inhibited and the surfaces can be rapidly dried (dewetted) by formation of a large cavity with decreasing temperature. At lower pressure we observe strong non-exponential behavior of the correlation function, but with no strong increase of the correlation time. This behavior can be associated, on the one hand, to the rapid ordering of the hydrogen bonds that generates heterogeneities and, on the other hand, to the lack of a single timescale as a consequence of the cooperativity in the vicinity of the liquid-liquid critical point that characterizes the phase diagram at low temperature of the water model considered here. At very low pressures, the gradual formation of the hydrogen bond network is responsible for the large increase of the correlation time and, eventually, the dynamical arrest of the system, with a strikingly different dewetting process, characterized by the formation of many small cavities.
Cloning, overexpression, crystallization and preliminary X-ray crystallographic analysis of a slow-processing mutant of penicillin G acylase from Kluyvera citrophila

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Varshney, Nishant Kumar; Ramasamy, Sureshkumar; Brannigan, James A.; Wilkinson, Anthony J.; Suresh, C. G.

2013-01-01

The pac gene encoding penicillin G acylase from K. citrophila was cloned and a slow-processing site-directed mutant was prepared, expressed, purified and crystallized. Triclinic and monoclinic crystal forms were obtained which diffracted to 2.5 and 3.5 Å resolution, respectively. Kluyvera citrophila penicillin G acylase (KcPGA) has recently attracted increased attention relative to the well studied and commonly used Escherichia coli PGA (EcPGA) because KcPGA is more resilient to harsh conditions and is easier to immobilize for the industrial hydrolysis of natural penicillins to generate the 6-aminopenicillin (6-APA) nucleus, which is the starting material for semi-synthetic antibiotic production. Like other penicillin acylases, KcPGA is synthesized as a single-chain inactive pro-PGA, which upon autocatalytic processing becomes an active heterodimer of α and β chains. Here, the cloning of the pac gene encoding KcPGA and the preparation of a slow-processing mutant precursor are reported. The purification, crystallization and preliminary X-ray analysis of crystals of this precursor protein are described. The protein crystallized in two different space groups, P1, with unit-cell parameters a = 54.0, b = 124.6, c = 135.1 Å, α = 104.1, β = 101.4, γ = 96.5°, and C2, with unit-cell parameters a = 265.1, b = 54.0, c = 249.2 Å, β = 104.4°, using the sitting-drop vapour-diffusion method. Diffraction data were collected at 100 K and the phases were determined using the molecular-replacement method. The initial maps revealed electron density for the spacer peptide
SDSS-IV MaNGA: the different quenching histories of fast and slow rotators

Science.gov (United States)

Smethurst, R. J.; Masters, K. L.; Lintott, C. J.; Weijmans, A.; Merrifield, M.; Penny, S. J.; Aragón-Salamanca, A.; Brownstein, J.; Bundy, K.; Drory, N.; Law, D. R.; Nichol, R. C.

2018-01-01

Do the theorized different formation mechanisms of fast and slow rotators produce an observable difference in their star formation histories? To study this, we identify quenching slow rotators in the MaNGA sample by selecting those that lie below the star-forming sequence and identify a sample of quenching fast rotators that were matched in stellar mass. This results in a total sample of 194 kinematically classified galaxies, which is agnostic to visual morphology. We use u - r and NUV - u colours from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey and GALEX and an existing inference package, STARPY, to conduct a first look at the onset time and exponentially declining rate of quenching of these galaxies. An Anderson-Darling test on the distribution of the inferred quenching rates across the two kinematic populations reveals they are statistically distinguishable (3.2σ). We find that fast rotators quench at a much wider range of rates than slow rotators, consistent with a wide variety of physical processes such as secular evolution, minor mergers, gas accretion and environmentally driven mechanisms. Quenching is more likely to occur at rapid rates (τ ≲ 1 Gyr) for slow rotators, in agreement with theories suggesting slow rotators are formed in dynamically fast processes, such as major mergers. Interestingly, we also find that a subset of the fast rotators quench at these same rapid rates as the bulk of the slow rotator sample. We therefore discuss how the total gas mass of a merger, rather than the merger mass ratio, may decide a galaxy's ultimate kinematic fate.
EEG slow-wave coherence changes in propofol-induced general anesthesia: Experiment and theory

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kaier eWang

2014-10-01

Full Text Available The electroencephalogram (EEG patterns recorded during general anesthetic-induced coma are closely similar to those seen during slow-wave sleep, the deepest stage of natural sleep; both states show patterns dominated by large amplitude slow waves. Slow oscillations are believed to be important for memory consolidation during natural sleep. Tracking the emergence of slow-wave oscillations during transition to unconsciousness may help us to identify drug-induced alterations of the underlying brain state, and provide insight into the mechanisms of general anesthesia. Although cellular-based mechanisms have been proposed, the origin of the slow oscillation has not yet been unambiguously established. A recent theoretical study by Steyn-Ross et al. [Physical Review X 3(2, 021005 (2013] proposes that the slow oscillation is a network, rather than cellular phenomenon. Modeling anesthesia as a moderate reduction in gap-junction interneuronal coupling, they predict an unconscious state signposted by emergent low-frequency oscillations with chaotic dynamics in space and time. They suggest that anesthetic slow-waves arise from a competitive interaction between symmetry-breaking instabilities in space (Turing and time (Hopf, modulated by gap-junction coupling strength. A significant prediction of their model is that EEG phase coherence will decrease as the cortex transits from Turing--Hopf balance (wake to Hopf-dominated chaotic slow-waves (unconsciousness. Here, we investigate changes in phase coherence during induction of general anesthesia. After examining 128-channel EEG traces recorded from five volunteers undergoing propofol anesthesia, we report a significant drop in sub-delta band (0.05--1.5 Hz slow-wave coherence between frontal, occipital, and frontal-occipital electrode pairs, with the most pronounced wake-versus-unconscious coherence changes occurring at the frontal cortex.
Connecting slow earthquakes to huge earthquakes.

Science.gov (United States)

Obara, Kazushige; Kato, Aitaro

2016-07-15

Slow earthquakes are characterized by a wide spectrum of fault slip behaviors and seismic radiation patterns that differ from those of traditional earthquakes. However, slow earthquakes and huge megathrust earthquakes can have common slip mechanisms and are located in neighboring regions of the seismogenic zone. The frequent occurrence of slow earthquakes may help to reveal the physics underlying megathrust events as useful analogs. Slow earthquakes may function as stress meters because of their high sensitivity to stress changes in the seismogenic zone. Episodic stress transfer to megathrust source faults leads to an increased probability of triggering huge earthquakes if the adjacent locked region is critically loaded. Careful and precise monitoring of slow earthquakes may provide new information on the likelihood of impending huge earthquakes. Copyright © 2016, American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Slow oscillation electrical brain stimulation during waking promotes EEG theta activity and memory encoding

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kirov, Roumen; Weiss, Carsten; Siebner, Hartwig R

2009-01-01

typically occurring during this state of sleep were also enhanced. Here, we show that the same tSOS applied in the waking brain also induced an increase in endogenous EEG slow oscillations (0.4-1.2 Hz), although in a topographically restricted fashion. Applied during wakefulness tSOS, additionally, resulted......The application of transcranial slow oscillation stimulation (tSOS; 0.75 Hz) was previously shown to enhance widespread endogenous EEG slow oscillatory activity when applied during a sleep period characterized by emerging endogenous slow oscillatory activity. Processes of memory consolidation...... induced by tSOS critically depend on brain state. In response to tSOS during wakefulness the brain transposes stimulation by responding preferentially with theta oscillations and facilitated encoding....
Formation of Heliospheric Arcs of Slow Solar Wind

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Higginson, A. K.; Zurbuchen, T. H. [Department of Climate and Space Sciences and Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109 (United States); Antiochos, S. K.; DeVore, C. R. [Heliophysics Science Division, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD 20771 (United States); Wyper, P. F., E-mail: aleida@umich.edu [Department of Mathematical Sciences, Durham University, Durham DH1 3LE (United Kingdom)

2017-05-01

A major challenge in solar and heliospheric physics is understanding the origin and nature of the so-called slow solar wind. The Sun’s atmosphere is divided into magnetically open regions, known as coronal holes, where the plasma streams out freely and fills the solar system, and closed regions, where the plasma is confined to coronal loops. The boundary between these regions extends outward as the heliospheric current sheet (HCS). Measurements of plasma composition strongly imply that much of the slow wind consists of plasma from the closed corona that escapes onto open field lines, presumably by field-line opening or by interchange reconnection. Both of these processes are expected to release closed-field plasma into the solar wind within and immediately adjacent to the HCS. Mysteriously, however, slow wind with closed-field plasma composition is often observed in situ far from the HCS. We use high-resolution, three-dimensional, magnetohydrodynamic simulations to calculate the dynamics of a coronal hole with a geometry that includes a narrow corridor flanked by closed field and is driven by supergranule-like flows at the coronal-hole boundary. These dynamics produce giant arcs of closed-field plasma that originate at the open-closed boundary in the corona, but extend far from the HCS and span tens of degrees in latitude and longitude at Earth. We conclude that such structures can account for the long-puzzling slow-wind observations.
Slow, Wet and Catalytic Pyrolysis of Fowl Manure

OpenAIRE

Renzo Carta; Mario Cruccu; Francesco Desogus

2012-01-01

This work presents the experimental results obtained at a pilot plant which works with a slow, wet and catalytic pyrolysis process of dry fowl manure. This kind of process mainly consists in the cracking of the organic matrix and in the following reaction of carbon with water, which is either already contained in the organic feed or added, to produce carbon monoxide and hydrogen. Reactions are conducted in a rotating reactor maintained at a temperature of 500°C; the requi...
Electron-vibrational transitions under molecular ions collisions with slow electrons

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Andreev, E.A.

1993-01-01

A concept of a multichannel quantum defect is considered and basic theoretic ratios of inelastic collisional processes with the participation of molecular positive ions and slow electrons playing an important role both in atmospheric and laboratory plasma, are presented. The problem of scattering channel number limitation with the provision of S-matrix unique character is considered. Different models of electron rotation-vibrational connection under collision of two-atom molecular ions with slow electrons are analysed. Taking N 2 + as an example, a high efficiency of transitions between different electron states of a molecular ion is shown. 73 refs., 9 figs., 1 tab
Biochar production from freshwater algae by slow pyrolysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tanongkiat Kiatsiriroat

2012-05-01

Full Text Available A study on the feasibility of biochar production from 3 kinds of freshwateralgae, viz. Spirulina, Spirogyra and Cladophora, was undertaken. Using a slow pyrolysis process in a specially designed reactor, biochar could be generated at 550oC under nitrogen atmosphere. The yields of biochar were between 28-31% of the dry algae.
Schrodinger cat state generation using a slow light

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ham, B. S.; Kim, M. S.

2003-01-01

We show a practical application of giant Kerr nonlinearity to quantum information processing based on superposition of two distinct macroscopic states- Schrodinger cat state. The giant Kerr nonlinearity can be achieved by using electromagnetically induced transparency, in which light propagation should be slowed down so that a pi-phase shift can be easily obtained owing to increased interaction time.
Informational support of the investment process in a large city economy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tamara Zurabovna Chargazia

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Large cities possess a sufficient potential to participate in the investment processes both at the national and international levels. A potential investor’s awareness of the possibilities and prospects of a city development is of a great importance for him or her to make a decision. So, providing a potential investor with relevant, laconic and reliable information, the local authorities increase the intensity of the investment process in the city economy and vice-versa. As a hypothesis, there is a proposition that a large city administration can sufficiently activate the investment processes in the economy of a corresponding territorial entity using the tools of the information providing. The purpose of this article is to develop measures for the improvement of the investment portal of a large city as an important instrument of the information providing, which will make it possible to brisk up the investment processes at the level under analysis. The reasons of the unsatisfactory information providing on the investment process in a large city economy are deeply analyzed; the national and international experience in this sphere is studied; advantages and disadvantages of the information providing of the investment process in the economy of the city of Makeyevka are considered; the investment portals of different cities are compared. There are suggested technical approaches for improving the investment portal of a large city. The research results can be used to improve the investment policy of large cities.
Critical slowing down and error analysis in lattice QCD simulations

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Virotta, Francesco

2012-02-21

In this work we investigate the critical slowing down of lattice QCD simulations. We perform a preliminary study in the quenched approximation where we find that our estimate of the exponential auto-correlation time scales as {tau}{sub exp}(a){proportional_to}a{sup -5}, where a is the lattice spacing. In unquenched simulations with O(a) improved Wilson fermions we do not obtain a scaling law but find results compatible with the behavior that we find in the pure gauge theory. The discussion is supported by a large set of ensembles both in pure gauge and in the theory with two degenerate sea quarks. We have moreover investigated the effect of slow algorithmic modes in the error analysis of the expectation value of typical lattice QCD observables (hadronic matrix elements and masses). In the context of simulations affected by slow modes we propose and test a method to obtain reliable estimates of statistical errors. The method is supposed to help in the typical algorithmic setup of lattice QCD, namely when the total statistics collected is of O(10){tau}{sub exp}. This is the typical case when simulating close to the continuum limit where the computational costs for producing two independent data points can be extremely large. We finally discuss the scale setting in N{sub f}=2 simulations using the Kaon decay constant f{sub K} as physical input. The method is explained together with a thorough discussion of the error analysis employed. A description of the publicly available code used for the error analysis is included.
Critical slowing down and error analysis in lattice QCD simulations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Virotta, Francesco

2012-01-01

In this work we investigate the critical slowing down of lattice QCD simulations. We perform a preliminary study in the quenched approximation where we find that our estimate of the exponential auto-correlation time scales as τ exp (a)∝a -5 , where a is the lattice spacing. In unquenched simulations with O(a) improved Wilson fermions we do not obtain a scaling law but find results compatible with the behavior that we find in the pure gauge theory. The discussion is supported by a large set of ensembles both in pure gauge and in the theory with two degenerate sea quarks. We have moreover investigated the effect of slow algorithmic modes in the error analysis of the expectation value of typical lattice QCD observables (hadronic matrix elements and masses). In the context of simulations affected by slow modes we propose and test a method to obtain reliable estimates of statistical errors. The method is supposed to help in the typical algorithmic setup of lattice QCD, namely when the total statistics collected is of O(10)τ exp . This is the typical case when simulating close to the continuum limit where the computational costs for producing two independent data points can be extremely large. We finally discuss the scale setting in N f =2 simulations using the Kaon decay constant f K as physical input. The method is explained together with a thorough discussion of the error analysis employed. A description of the publicly available code used for the error analysis is included.
Multimicronutrient Slow-Release Fertilizer of Zinc, Iron, Manganese, and Copper

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Siladitya Bandyopadhyay

2014-01-01

Full Text Available The process for the production of a slow-release micronutrient fertilizer is described. The compound contains zinc, iron, manganese, and copper as micronutrients and is produced by polymerizing a system containing phosphoric acid, zinc oxide, hematite, pyrolusite, copper sulfate, and magnesium oxide followed by neutralization of the polyphosphate chain with ammonium hydroxide. Changes in temperature, density, and viscosity of the reaction system during polymerization were studied. Reaction kinetics was studied at three different temperatures. Rate curves revealed a multistage process with essentially linear rates at each stage. Thus, each stage displayed zero order kinetics. The product was crystalline and revealed ordering of P-O-P chains. It had low solubility in water but high solubility in 0.33 M citric acid and 0.005 M DTPA. Three different field trials showed significant yield increments using the slow-release micronutrient fertilizer compared to the conventional micronutrients. Yield increments in rice were in the range of 10–55% over control (with no micronutrient and up to 17% over the conventional micronutrient fertilizers. There were significant increases in total uptake of zinc, iron, and manganese in the grain. Slow-release fertilizers also produced significant yield increases in potato as well as significant increase in vitamin C content of the tuber.
A Model fot the Sources of the Slow Solar Wind

Science.gov (United States)

Antiochos, S. K.; Mikic, Z.; Titov, V. S.; Lionello, R.; Linker, J. A.

2011-01-01

Models for the origin of the slow solar wind must account for two seemingly contradictory observations: the slow wind has the composition of the closed-field corona, implying that it originates from the continuous opening and closing of flux at the boundary between open and closed field. On the other hand, the slow wind also has large angular width, up to approx.60deg, suggesting that its source extends far from the open-closed boundary. We propose a model that can explain both observations. The key idea is that the source of the slow wind at the Sun is a network of narrow (possibly singular) open-field corridors that map to a web of separatrices and quasi-separatrix layers in the heliosphere. We compute analytically the topology of an open-field corridor and show that it produces a quasi-separatrix layer in the heliosphere that extends to angles far from the heliospheric current sheet. We then use an MHD code and MDI/SOHO observations of the photospheric magnetic field to calculate numerically, with high spatial resolution, the quasi-steady solar wind, and magnetic field for a time period preceding the 2008 August 1 total solar eclipse. Our numerical results imply that, at least for this time period, a web of separatrices (which we term an S-web) forms with sufficient density and extent in the heliosphere to account for the observed properties of the slow wind. We discuss the implications of our S-web model for the structure and dynamics of the corona and heliosphere and propose further tests of the model. Key words: solar wind - Sun: corona - Sun: magnetic topology
[Dual process in large number estimation under uncertainty].

Science.gov (United States)

Matsumuro, Miki; Miwa, Kazuhisa; Terai, Hitoshi; Yamada, Kento

2016-08-01

According to dual process theory, there are two systems in the mind: an intuitive and automatic System 1 and a logical and effortful System 2. While many previous studies about number estimation have focused on simple heuristics and automatic processes, the deliberative System 2 process has not been sufficiently studied. This study focused on the System 2 process for large number estimation. First, we described an estimation process based on participants’ verbal reports. The task, corresponding to the problem-solving process, consisted of creating subgoals, retrieving values, and applying operations. Second, we investigated the influence of such deliberative process by System 2 on intuitive estimation by System 1, using anchoring effects. The results of the experiment showed that the System 2 process could mitigate anchoring effects.
Present status of the low energy linac-based slow positron beam and positronium spectrometer in Saclay

Science.gov (United States)

Liszkay, L.; Comini, P.; Corbel, C.; Debu, P.; Grandemange, P.; Pérez, P.; Rey, J.-M.; Reymond, J.-M.; Ruiz, N.; Sacquin, Y.; Vallage, B.

2014-04-01

A new slow positron beamline featuring a large acceptance positronium lifetime spectrometer has been constructed and tested at the linac-based slow positron source at IRFU CEA Saclay, France. The new instrument will be used in the development of a dense positronium target cloud for the GBAR experiment. The GBAR project aims at precise measurement of the gravitational acceleration of antihydrogen in the gravitational field of the Earth. Beyond application in fundamental science, the positron spectrometer will be used in materials research, for testing thin porous films and layers by means of positronium annihilation. The slow positron beamline is being used as a test bench to develop further instrumentation for positron annihilation spectroscopy (Ps time-of-flight, pulsed positron beam). The positron source is built on a low energy linear electron accelerator (linac). The 4.3 MeV electron energy used is well below the photoneutron threshold, making the source a genuine on-off device, without remaining radioactivity. The spectrometer features large BGO (Bismuth Germanate) scintillator detectors, with sufficiently large acceptance to detect all ortho-positronium annihilation lifetime components (annihilation in vacuum and in nanopores).
Initial conditions for slow-roll inflation in a random Gaussian landscape

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Masoumi, Ali; Vilenkin, Alexander; Yamada, Masaki, E-mail: ali@cosmos.phy.tufts.edu, E-mail: vilenkin@cosmos.phy.tufts.edu, E-mail: Masaki.Yamada@tufts.edu [Institute of Cosmology, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Tufts University, Medford, MA 02155 (United States)

2017-07-01

In the landscape perspective, our Universe begins with a quantum tunneling from an eternally-inflating parent vacuum, followed by a period of slow-roll inflation. We investigate the tunneling process and calculate the probability distribution for the initial conditions and for the number of e-folds of slow-roll inflation, modeling the landscape by a small-field one-dimensional random Gaussian potential. We find that such a landscape is fully consistent with observations, but the probability for future detection of spatial curvature is rather low, P ∼ 10{sup −3}.
Recognition Errors Suggest Fast Familiarity and Slow Recollection in Rhesus Monkeys

Science.gov (United States)

Basile, Benjamin M.; Hampton, Robert R.

2013-01-01

One influential model of recognition posits two underlying memory processes: recollection, which is detailed but relatively slow, and familiarity, which is quick but lacks detail. Most of the evidence for this dual-process model in nonhumans has come from analyses of receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves in rats, but whether ROC analyses…
Different maturational changes of fast and slow sleep spindles in the first four years of life.

Science.gov (United States)

D'Atri, Aurora; Novelli, Luana; Ferrara, Michele; Bruni, Oliviero; De Gennaro, Luigi

2018-02-01

Massive changes in brain morphology and function in the first years of life reveal a postero-anterior trajectory of cortical maturation accompanied by regional modifications of NREM sleep. One of the most sensible marker of this maturation process is represented by electroencephalographic (EEG) activity within the frequency range of sleep spindles. However, direct evidence that these changes actually reflect maturational modifications of fast and slow spindles still lacks. Our study aimed at answering the following questions: 1. Do cortical changes at 11.50 Hz frequency correspond to slow spindles? 2. Do fast and slow spindles show different age trajectories and different topographical distributions? 3. Do changes in peak frequency explain age changes of slow and fast spindles? We measured the antero-posterior changes of slow and fast spindles in the first 60 min of nightly sleep of 39 infants and children (0-48 mo.). We found that (A) changes of slow spindles from birth to childhood mostly affect frontal areas (B) variations of fast and slow spindles across age groups go in opposite direction, the latter progressively increasing across ages; (C) this process is not merely reducible to changes of spindle frequency. As a main finding, our cross-sectional study shows that the first form of mature spindle (i.e., corresponding to the adult phasic event of NREM sleep) is marked by the emergence of slow spindles on anterior regions around the age of 12 months. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
A point implicit time integration technique for slow transient flow problems

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kadioglu, Samet Y., E-mail: kadioglu@yildiz.edu.tr [Department of Mathematical Engineering, Yildiz Technical University, 34210 Davutpasa-Esenler, Istanbul (Turkey); Berry, Ray A., E-mail: ray.berry@inl.gov [Idaho National Laboratory, P.O. Box 1625, MS 3840, Idaho Falls, ID 83415 (United States); Martineau, Richard C. [Idaho National Laboratory, P.O. Box 1625, MS 3840, Idaho Falls, ID 83415 (United States)

2015-05-15

Highlights: • This new method does not require implicit iteration; instead it time advances the solutions in a similar spirit to explicit methods. • It is unconditionally stable, as a fully implicit method would be. • It exhibits the simplicity of implementation of an explicit method. • It is specifically designed for slow transient flow problems of long duration such as can occur inside nuclear reactor coolant systems. • Our findings indicate the new method can integrate slow transient problems very efficiently; and its implementation is very robust. - Abstract: We introduce a point implicit time integration technique for slow transient flow problems. The method treats the solution variables of interest (that can be located at cell centers, cell edges, or cell nodes) implicitly and the rest of the information related to same or other variables are handled explicitly. The method does not require implicit iteration; instead it time advances the solutions in a similar spirit to explicit methods, except it involves a few additional function(s) evaluation steps. Moreover, the method is unconditionally stable, as a fully implicit method would be. This new approach exhibits the simplicity of implementation of explicit methods and the stability of implicit methods. It is specifically designed for slow transient flow problems of long duration wherein one would like to perform time integrations with very large time steps. Because the method can be time inaccurate for fast transient problems, particularly with larger time steps, an appropriate solution strategy for a problem that evolves from a fast to a slow transient would be to integrate the fast transient with an explicit or semi-implicit technique and then switch to this point implicit method as soon as the time variation slows sufficiently. We have solved several test problems that result from scalar or systems of flow equations. Our findings indicate the new method can integrate slow transient problems very
A point implicit time integration technique for slow transient flow problems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kadioglu, Samet Y.; Berry, Ray A.; Martineau, Richard C.

2015-01-01

Highlights: • This new method does not require implicit iteration; instead it time advances the solutions in a similar spirit to explicit methods. • It is unconditionally stable, as a fully implicit method would be. • It exhibits the simplicity of implementation of an explicit method. • It is specifically designed for slow transient flow problems of long duration such as can occur inside nuclear reactor coolant systems. • Our findings indicate the new method can integrate slow transient problems very efficiently; and its implementation is very robust. - Abstract: We introduce a point implicit time integration technique for slow transient flow problems. The method treats the solution variables of interest (that can be located at cell centers, cell edges, or cell nodes) implicitly and the rest of the information related to same or other variables are handled explicitly. The method does not require implicit iteration; instead it time advances the solutions in a similar spirit to explicit methods, except it involves a few additional function(s) evaluation steps. Moreover, the method is unconditionally stable, as a fully implicit method would be. This new approach exhibits the simplicity of implementation of explicit methods and the stability of implicit methods. It is specifically designed for slow transient flow problems of long duration wherein one would like to perform time integrations with very large time steps. Because the method can be time inaccurate for fast transient problems, particularly with larger time steps, an appropriate solution strategy for a problem that evolves from a fast to a slow transient would be to integrate the fast transient with an explicit or semi-implicit technique and then switch to this point implicit method as soon as the time variation slows sufficiently. We have solved several test problems that result from scalar or systems of flow equations. Our findings indicate the new method can integrate slow transient problems very
Slow Slip and Earthquake Nucleation in Meter-Scale Laboratory Experiments

Science.gov (United States)

Mclaskey, G.

2017-12-01

The initiation of dynamic rupture is thought to be preceded by a quasistatic nucleation phase. Observations of recent earthquakes sometimes support this by illuminating slow slip and foreshocks in the vicinity of the eventual hypocenter. I describe laboratory earthquake experiments conducted on two large-scale loading machines at Cornell University that provide insight into the way earthquake nucleation varies with normal stress, healing time, and loading rate. The larger of the two machines accommodates a 3 m long granite sample, and when loaded to 7 MPa stress levels, we observe dynamic rupture events that are preceded by a measureable nucleation zone with dimensions on the order of 1 m. The smaller machine accommodates a 0.76 m sample that is roughly the same size as the nucleation zone. On this machine, small variations in nucleation properties result in measurable differences in slip events, and we generate both dynamic rupture events (> 0.1 m/s slip rates) and slow slip events ( 0.001 to 30 mm/s slip rates). Slow events occur when instability cannot fully nucleate before reaching the sample ends. Dynamic events occur after long healing times or abrupt increases in loading rate which suggests that these factors shrink the spatial and temporal extents of the nucleation zone. Arrays of slip, strain, and ground motion sensors installed on the sample allow us to quantify seismic coupling and study details of premonitory slip and afterslip. The slow slip events we observe are primarily aseismic (less than 1% of the seismic coupling of faster events) and produce swarms of very small M -6 to M -8 events. These mechanical and seismic interactions suggest that faults with transitional behavior—where creep, small earthquakes, and tremor are often observed—could become seismically coupled if loaded rapidly, either by a slow slip front or dynamic rupture of an earthquake that nucleated elsewhere.
Carnivora population dynamics are as slow and as fast as those of other mammals

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

van de Kerk, Madelon; de Kroon, Hans; Jongejans, Eelke

2013-01-01

in triangular elasticity plots as those of other mammal species, despite the specific place of Carnivora in the food chain. Furthermore, reproductive loop elasticity analysis shows that the studied species spread out evenly over a slow-fast continuum, but also quantifies the large variation in the duration...... to unstudied species. With several examples we discuss how this slow-fast continuum, and related patterns of variation in reproductive loop elasticity, can be used in the formulation of tentative management plans for threatened species that cannot wait for the results of thorough demographic studies. We argue...

Slowing down of alpha particles in ICF DT plasmas

Science.gov (United States)

He, Bin; Wang, Zhi-Gang; Wang, Jian-Guo

2018-01-01

With the effects of the projectile recoil and plasma polarization considered, the slowing down of 3.54 MeV alpha particles is studied in inertial confinement fusion DT plasmas within the plasma density range from 1024 to 1026 cm-3 and the temperature range from 100 eV to 200 keV. It includes the rate of the energy change and range of the projectile, and the partition fraction of its energy deposition to the deuteron and triton. The comparison with other models is made and the reason for their difference is explored. It is found that the plasmas will not be heated by the alpha particle in its slowing down the process once the projectile energy becomes close to or less than the temperature of the electron or the deuteron and triton in the plasmas. This leads to less energy deposition to the deuteron and triton than that if the recoil of the projectile is neglected when the temperature is close to or higher than 100 keV. Our model is found to be able to provide relevant, reliable data in the large range of the density and temperature mentioned above, even if the density is around 1026 cm-3 while the deuteron and triton temperature is below 500 eV. Meanwhile, the two important models [Phys. Rev. 126, 1 (1962) and Phys. Rev. E 86, 016406 (2012)] are found not to work in this case. Some unreliable data are found in the last model, which include the range of alpha particles and the electron-ion energy partition fraction when the electron is much hotter than the deuteron and triton in the plasmas.
Dynamics of the slow mode in the family of six-carbon monosaccharides monitored by dielectric spectroscopy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kaminski, K; Kaminska, E; Wlodarczyk, P; Adrjanowicz, K; Wojnarowska, Z; Grzybowska, K; Paluch, M [Institute of Physics, Silesian University, ulica Uniwersytecka 4, 40-007 Katowice (Poland)

2010-09-15

Broadband dielectric measurements performed on D-glucose, L-sorbose, D-fructose and D-galactose revealed that, except for the structural relaxation process, one can detect in the liquid phase of these carbohydrates a much slower relaxation mode. Recently we have demonstrated that in D-glucose this relaxation mode might be related to the long range correlation of density fluctuations (LRCDF), also called Fischer clusters (FC). Based on the dielectric data obtained for the four monosaccharides we were able to make a more general conclusion about the characteristic dielectric features of the slow mode in the whole family of carbohydrates. We found out that the timescale separation between structural and considered relaxation reaches up to six decades at the glass transition temperature and the dielectric strength decreases significantly with lowering temperature. Another very interesting feature of the slow process is that it can be described by an almost exponential response function. We have found out that the fragility of the slow process lies within the range m = 44-50. Finally, we have also shown that there is a close link between structural and slow relaxation.
Perceptions of the Slow Food Cultural Trend among the Youth

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lelia Voinea

2016-11-01

Full Text Available As they become increasingly aware of the importance of healthy eating and of the serious food imbalance caused by the overconsumption of industrial, ultra-processed and superorganoleptic food, consumers are now beginning to turn their attention to food choices guaranteeing both individual health and also of the environment . Thus, in recent years we are witnessing the rise of a cultural trend ‒ Slow Food. Slow Food has become an international movement that advocates for satisfying culinary pleasure, protects biological and cultural diversity, spread taste education, links "green" producers to consumers and believes that gastronomy intersects with politics, agriculture and ecology. Slow Food proposes a holistic approach to food problem, where the economic, sociocultural and environmental aspects are interlinked, being pursued as part of an overall strategy. In order to highlight the manner in which the principles of this cultural trend are perceived by the representatives of the new generation of consumers in Romania, exploratory research marketing was conducted among the students in the second year of the master’s program Quality Management, Expertise and Consumer Protection, from the Faculty of Business and Tourism from the Buchares t University of Economic Studies . The results of this research have shown an insufficient knowledge of Slow Food phenomenon and, especially, the Slow Food network activity in Romania. To show that the Slow Food type of food is a healthier option towards which the future consumer demand should be guided, especially those belonging to the younger generation, an antithetical comparative analysis of the nutritional value of two menus was performed: a suggestive one for the Slow Food feeding style and other one, specific to the fast food style. Slow Food style was considered antithetical to the fast food because many previous studies have shown a preference of the young for the fast-food type products, despite the
Biochar for Soil Improvement: Evaluation of Biochar from Gasification and Slow Pyrolysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lydia Fryda

2015-11-01

Full Text Available The growing need for food, energy and materials demands a resource efficient approach as the world’s population keeps increasing. Biochar is a valuable product that can be produced in combination with bio-energy in a cascading approach to make best use of available resources. In addition, there are resources that have not been used up to now, such as, e.g., many agro-residues that can become available. Most agro-residues are not suitable for high temperature energy conversion processes due to high alkali-content, which results in slagging and fouling in conventional energy generation systems. Using agro-residues in thermal processes, therefore, logically moves to lower temperatures in order to avoid operational problems. This provides an ideal situation for the combined energy and biochar production. In this work a slow pyrolysis process (an auger reactor at 400 °C and 600 °C is used as well as two fluidized bed systems for low-temperature (600 °C–750 °C gasification for the combined energy and biochar generation. Comparison of the two different processes focuses here on the biochar quality parameters (physical, chemical and surface properties, although energy generation and biochar quality are not independent parameters. A large number of feedstock were investigated on general char characteristics and in more detail the paper focuses on two main input streams (woody residues, greenhouse waste in order to deduct relationships between char parameters for the same feedstock. It is clear that the process technology influences the main biochar properties such as elemental- and ash composition, specific surface area, pH, in addition to mass yield quality of the gas produced. Slow pyrolysis biochars have smaller specific surface areas (SA and higher PAH than the gasification samples (although below international norms but higher yields. Higher process temperatures and different gaseous conditions in gasification resulted in lower biochar
Canonical single field slow-roll inflation with a non-monotonic tensor-to-scalar ratio

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Germán, Gabriel [Rudolf Peierls Centre for Theoretical Physics, University of Oxford, 1 Keble Road, Oxford, OX1 3NP (United Kingdom); Herrera-Aguilar, Alfredo [Instituto de Física, Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla, Apdo. postal J-48, CP 72570, Puebla, Pue., México (Mexico); Hidalgo, Juan Carlos [Instituto de Ciencias Físicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Apdo. postal 48-3, 62251 Cuernavaca, Morelos, México (Mexico); Sussman, Roberto A., E-mail: gabriel@fis.unam.mx, E-mail: aherrera@ifuap.buap.mx, E-mail: hidalgo@fis.unam.mx, E-mail: sussman@nucleares.unam.mx [Instituto de Ciencias Nucleares, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Apdo. postal 70-543, 04510 México D. F., México (Mexico)

2016-05-01

We take a pragmatic, model independent approach to single field slow-roll canonical inflation by imposing conditions, not on the potential, but on the slow-roll parameter ε(φ) and its derivatives ε'(φ) and ε''(φ), thereby extracting general conditions on the tensor-to-scalar ratio r and the running n {sub sk} at φ {sub H} where the perturbations are produced, some 50–60 e -folds before the end of inflation. We find quite generally that for models where ε(φ) develops a maximum, a relatively large r is most likely accompanied by a positive running while a negligible tensor-to-scalar ratio implies negative running. The definitive answer, however, is given in terms of the slow-roll parameter ξ{sub 2}(φ). To accommodate a large tensor-to-scalar ratio that meets the limiting values allowed by the Planck data, we study a non-monotonic ε(φ) decreasing during most part of inflation. Since at φ {sub H} the slow-roll parameter ε(φ) is increasing, we thus require that ε(φ) develops a maximum for φ > φ {sub H} after which ε(φ) decrease to small values where most e -folds are produced. The end of inflation might occur trough a hybrid mechanism and a small field excursion Δφ {sub e} ≡ |φ {sub H} −φ {sub e} | is obtained with a sufficiently thin profile for ε(φ) which, however, should not conflict with the second slow-roll parameter η(φ). As a consequence of this analysis we find bounds for Δφ {sub e} , r {sub H} and for the scalar spectral index n {sub sH} . Finally we provide examples where these considerations are explicitly realised.
Storage process of large solid radioactive wastes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Morin, Bruno; Thiery, Daniel.

1976-01-01

Process for the storage of large size solid radioactive waste, consisting of contaminated objects such as cartridge filters, metal swarf, tools, etc, whereby such waste is incorporated in a thermohardening resin at room temperature, after prior addition of at least one inert charge to the resin. Cross-linking of the resin is then brought about [fr
Processing and properties of large-sized ceramic slabs

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fossa, L.

2010-10-01

Full Text Available Large-sized ceramic slabs – with dimensions up to 360x120 cm² and thickness down to 2 mm – are manufactured through an innovative ceramic process, starting from porcelain stoneware formulations and involving wet ball milling, spray drying, die-less slow-rate pressing, a single stage of fast drying-firing, and finishing (trimming, assembling of ceramic-fiberglass composites. Fired and unfired industrial slabs were selected and characterized from the technological, compositional (XRF, XRD and microstructural (SEM viewpoints. Semi-finished products exhibit a remarkable microstructural uniformity and stability in a rather wide window of firing schedules. The phase composition and compact microstructure of fired slabs are very similar to those of porcelain stoneware tiles. The values of water absorption, bulk density, closed porosity, functional performances as well as mechanical and tribological properties conform to the top quality range of porcelain stoneware tiles. However, the large size coupled with low thickness bestow on the slab a certain degree of flexibility, which is emphasized in ceramic-fiberglass composites. These outstanding performances make the large-sized slabs suitable to be used in novel applications: building and construction (new floorings without dismantling the previous paving, ventilated façades, tunnel coverings, insulating panelling, indoor furnitures (table tops, doors, support for photovoltaic ceramic panels.

Se han fabricado piezas de gran formato, con dimensiones de hasta 360x120 cm, y menos de 2 mm, de espesor, empleando métodos innovadores de fabricación, partiendo de composiciones de gres porcelánico y utilizando, molienda con bolas por vía húmeda, atomización, prensado a baja velocidad sin boquilla de extrusión, secado y cocción rápido en una sola etapa, y un acabado que incluye la adhesión de fibra de vidrio al soporte cerámico y el rectificado de la pieza final. Se han
Enhanced four-wave mixing in graphene-silicon slow-light photonic crystal waveguides

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhou, Hao; Gu, Tingyi; McMillan, James F.; Wong, Chee Wei; Petrone, Nicholas; Zande, Arend van der; Hone, James C.; Yu, Mingbin; Lo, Guoqiang; Kwong, Dim-Lee; Feng, Guoying; Zhou, Shouhuan

2014-01-01

We demonstrate the enhanced four-wave mixing of monolayer graphene on slow-light silicon photonic crystal waveguides. 200-μm interaction length, a four-wave mixing conversion efficiency of −23 dB is achieved in the graphene-silicon slow-light hybrid, with an enhanced 3-dB conversion bandwidth of about 17 nm. Our measurements match well with nonlinear coupled-mode theory simulations based on the measured waveguide dispersion, and provide an effective way for all-optical signal processing in chip-scale integrated optics.
Variationally optimal selection of slow coordinates and reaction coordinates in macromolecular systems

Science.gov (United States)

Noe, Frank

To efficiently simulate and generate understanding from simulations of complex macromolecular systems, the concept of slow collective coordinates or reaction coordinates is of fundamental importance. Here we will introduce variational approaches to approximate the slow coordinates and the reaction coordinates between selected end-states given MD simulations of the macromolecular system and a (possibly large) basis set of candidate coordinates. We will then discuss how to select physically intuitive order paremeters that are good surrogates of this variationally optimal result. These result can be used in order to construct Markov state models or other models of the stationary and kinetics properties, in order to parametrize low-dimensional / coarse-grained model of the dynamics. Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, European Research Council.
Slow feature analysis: unsupervised learning of invariances.

Science.gov (United States)

Wiskott, Laurenz; Sejnowski, Terrence J

2002-04-01

Invariant features of temporally varying signals are useful for analysis and classification. Slow feature analysis (SFA) is a new method for learning invariant or slowly varying features from a vectorial input signal. It is based on a nonlinear expansion of the input signal and application of principal component analysis to this expanded signal and its time derivative. It is guaranteed to find the optimal solution within a family of functions directly and can learn to extract a large number of decorrelated features, which are ordered by their degree of invariance. SFA can be applied hierarchically to process high-dimensional input signals and extract complex features. SFA is applied first to complex cell tuning properties based on simple cell output, including disparity and motion. Then more complicated input-output functions are learned by repeated application of SFA. Finally, a hierarchical network of SFA modules is presented as a simple model of the visual system. The same unstructured network can learn translation, size, rotation, contrast, or, to a lesser degree, illumination invariance for one-dimensional objects, depending on only the training stimulus. Surprisingly, only a few training objects suffice to achieve good generalization to new objects. The generated representation is suitable for object recognition. Performance degrades if the network is trained to learn multiple invariances simultaneously.
Application of Planar Broadband Slow-Wave Systems

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Edvardas Metlevskis

2012-04-01

Full Text Available Different types of planar broadband slow-wave systems are used for designing microwave devices. The papers published by Lithuanian scientists analyze and investigate the models of helical and meander slow-wave systems. The article carefully examines the applications of meander slow-wave systems and presents the areas where similar systems, e.g. mobile devices, RFID, wireless technologies are used and reviewed nowadays. The paper also focuses on the examples of the papers discussing antennas, filters and couplers that contain designed and fabricated meander slow-wave systems.Article in Lithuanian
Use it or lose it: tonic activity of slow motoneurons promotes their survival and preferentially increases slow fiber-type groupings in muscles of old lifelong recreational sportsmen

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Simone Mosole

2016-11-01

Full Text Available Histochemistry, immuno-histochemistry, gel electrophoresis of single muscle fibers and electromyography of aging muscles and nerves suggest that: i denervation contributes to muscle atrophy, ii impaired mobility accelerates the process, and iii lifelong running protects against loss of motor units. Recent corroborating results on the muscle effects of Functional Electrical Stimulation (FES of aged muscles will be also mentioned, but we will in particular discuss how and why a lifelong increased physical activity sustains reinnervation of muscle fibers. By analyzing distribution and density of muscle fibers co-expressing fast and slow Myosin Heavy Chains (MHC we are able to distinguish the transforming muscle fibers due to activity related plasticity, to those that adapt muscle fiber properties to denervation and reinnervation. In muscle biopsies from septuagenarians with a history of lifelong high-level recreational activity we recently observed in comparison to sedentary seniors: 1. decreased proportion of small-size angular myofibers (denervated muscle fibers; 2. considerable increase of fiber-type groupings of the slow type (reinnervated muscle fibers; 3. sparse presence of muscle fibers co-expressing fast and slow MHC. Immuno-histochemical characteristics fluctuate from those with scarce fiber-type modulation and groupings to almost complete transformed muscles, going through a process in which isolated fibers co-expressing fast and slow MHC fill the gaps among fiber groupings. Data suggest that lifelong high-level exercise allows the body to adapt to the consequences of the age-related denervation and that it preserves muscle structure and function by saving otherwise lost muscle fibers through recruitment to different slow motor units. This is an opposite behavior of that described in long term denervated or resting muscles. These effects of lifelong high level activity seems to act primarily on motor neurons, in particular on those always
Use it or Lose It: Tonic Activity of Slow Motoneurons Promotes Their Survival and Preferentially Increases Slow Fiber-Type Groupings in Muscles of Old Lifelong Recreational Sportsmen

Science.gov (United States)

Mosole, Simone; Carraro, Ugo; Kern, Helmut; Loefler, Stefan; Zampieri, Sandra

2016-01-01

Histochemistry, immuno-histochemistry, gel electrophoresis of single muscle fibers and electromyography of aging muscles and nerves suggest that: i) denervation contributes to muscle atrophy, ii) impaired mobility accelerates the process, and iii) lifelong running protects against loss of motor units. Recent corroborating results on the muscle effects of Functional Electrical Stimulation (FES) of aged muscles will be also mentioned, but we will in particular discuss how and why a lifelong increased physical activity sustains reinnervation of muscle fibers. By analyzing distribution and density of muscle fibers co-expressing fast and slow Myosin Heavy Chains (MHC) we are able to distinguish the transforming muscle fibers due to activity related plasticity, to those that adapt muscle fiber properties to denervation and reinnervation. In muscle biopsies from septuagenarians with a history of lifelong high-level recreational activity we recently observed in comparison to sedentary seniors: 1. decreased proportion of small-size angular myofibers (denervated muscle fibers); 2. considerable increase of fiber-type groupings of the slow type (reinnervated muscle fibers); 3. sparse presence of muscle fibers co-expressing fast and slow MHC. Immuno-histochemical characteristics fluctuate from those with scarce fiber-type modulation and groupings to almost complete transformed muscles, going through a process in which isolated fibers co-expressing fast and slow MHC fill the gaps among fiber groupings. Data suggest that lifelong high-level exercise allows the body to adapt to the consequences of the age-related denervation and that it preserves muscle structure and function by saving otherwise lost muscle fibers through recruitment to different slow motor units. This is an opposite behavior of that described in long term denervated or resting muscles. These effects of lifelong high level activity seems to act primarily on motor neurons, in particular on those always more active
Use it or Lose It: Tonic Activity of Slow Motoneurons Promotes Their Survival and Preferentially Increases Slow Fiber-Type Groupings in Muscles of Old Lifelong Recreational Sportsmen.

Science.gov (United States)

Mosole, Simone; Carraro, Ugo; Kern, Helmut; Loefler, Stefan; Zampieri, Sandra

2016-09-15

Histochemistry, immuno-histochemistry, gel electrophoresis of single muscle fibers and electromyography of aging muscles and nerves suggest that: i) denervation contributes to muscle atrophy, ii) impaired mobility accelerates the process, and iii) lifelong running protects against loss of motor units. Recent corroborating results on the muscle effects of Functional Electrical Stimulation (FES) of aged muscles will be also mentioned, but we will in particular discuss how and why a lifelong increased physical activity sustains reinnervation of muscle fibers. By analyzing distribution and density of muscle fibers co-expressing fast and slow Myosin Heavy Chains (MHC) we are able to distinguish the transforming muscle fibers due to activity related plasticity, to those that adapt muscle fiber properties to denervation and reinnervation. In muscle biopsies from septuagenarians with a history of lifelong high-level recreational activity we recently observed in comparison to sedentary seniors: 1. decreased proportion of small-size angular myofibers (denervated muscle fibers); 2. considerable increase of fiber-type groupings of the slow type (reinnervated muscle fibers); 3. sparse presence of muscle fibers co-expressing fast and slow MHC. Immuno-histochemical characteristics fluctuate from those with scarce fiber-type modulation and groupings to almost complete transformed muscles, going through a process in which isolated fibers co-expressing fast and slow MHC fill the gaps among fiber groupings. Data suggest that lifelong high-level exercise allows the body to adapt to the consequences of the age-related denervation and that it preserves muscle structure and function by saving otherwise lost muscle fibers through recruitment to different slow motor units. This is an opposite behavior of that described in long term denervated or resting muscles. These effects of lifelong high level activity seems to act primarily on motor neurons, in particular on those always more active
Non-Gaussianity in two-field inflation beyond the slow-roll approximation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jung, Gabriel; Tent, Bartjan van, E-mail: gabriel.jung@th.u-psud.fr, E-mail: bartjan.van-tent@th.u-psud.fr [Laboratoire de Physique Théorique (UMR 8627), CNRS, Univ. Paris-Sud, Université Paris-Saclay, Bâtiment 210, 91405 Orsay Cedex (France)

2017-05-01

We use the long-wavelength formalism to investigate the level of bispectral non-Gaussianity produced in two-field inflation models with standard kinetic terms. Even though the Planck satellite has so far not detected any primordial non-Gaussianity, it has tightened the constraints significantly, and it is important to better understand what regions of inflation model space have been ruled out, as well as prepare for the next generation of experiments that might reach the important milestone of Δ f {sub NL}{sup local}=1. We derive an alternative formulation of the previously derived integral expression for f {sub NL}, which makes it easier to physically interpret the result and see which types of potentials can produce large non-Gaussianity. We apply this to the case of a sum potential and show that it is very difficult to satisfy simultaneously the conditions for a large f {sub NL} and the observational constraints on the spectral index n {sub s} . In the case of the sum of two monomial potentials and a constant we explicitly show in which small region of parameter space this is possible, and we show how to construct such a model. Finally, the new general expression for f {sub NL} also allows us to prove that for the sum potential the explicit expressions derived within the slow-roll approximation remain valid even when the slow-roll approximation is broken during the turn of the field trajectory (as long as only the ε slow-roll parameter remains small).
The correlations of electrochromism and thermochromism of tungsten oxide films studied by slow positron beam

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ma Chuangxin; Zhou Chunlan; Zhang Zhiming; Wang Baoyi; Wei Long

2004-01-01

Electrochromic (EC) and thermochromic (TC) tungsten oxide (WO 3 ) films, deposited by magnetron sputtering and vacuum thermal evaporation, were studied systematically by means of slow positron measurements. The S parameters of colored amorphous WO 3 film and crystalline WO 3 film behaved quite similarly in the processes of thermochromism and electrochromism, little influenced by the different deposition methods. It indicates that the coloration processes under various external conditions are correlated with each other. It also shows that the slow positron beam technique may play a particular role in the study of chromogenic materials. (orig.)
Analyses of quenching process during turn-off of plasma electrolytic carburizing on carbon steel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wu, Jie; Liu, Run; Xue, Wenbin; Wang, Bin; Jin, Xiaoyue; Du, Jiancheng

2014-01-01

Highlights: • Cooling rate of carburized steel at the end of PEC treatment is measured. • The quench hardening in the fast or slow turn-off mode hardly takes place. • Decrease of the surface roughness during slow turn-off process is found. • A slow turn-off mode is recommended to replace the conventional turn-off mode. - Abstract: Plasma electrolytic carburizing (PEC) under different turn-off modes was employed to fabricate a hardening layer on carbon steel in glycerol solution without stirring at 380 V for 3 min. The quenching process in fast turn-off mode or slow turn-off mode of power supply was discussed. The temperature in the interior of steel and electron temperature in plasma discharge envelope during the quenching process were evaluated. It was found that the cooling rates of PEC samples in both turn-off modes were below 20 °C/s, because the vapor film boiling around the steel sample reduced the cooling rate greatly in terms of Leidenfrost effect. Thus the quench hardening hardly took place, though the slow turn-off mode slightly decreased the surface roughness of PEC steel. At the end of PEC treatment, the fast turn-off mode used widely at present cannot enhance the surface hardness by quench hardening, and the slow turn-off mode was recommended in order to protect the electronic devices against a large current surge
Slow, stopped and stored light

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Welch, G.; Scully, M.

2005-01-01

Light that can been slowed to walking pace could have applications in telecommunications, optical storage and quantum computing. Whether we use it to estimate how far away a thunderstorm is, or simply take it for granted that we can have a conversation with someone on the other side of the world, we all know that light travels extremely fast. Indeed, special relativity teaches us that nothing in the universe can ever move faster than the speed of light in a vacuum: 299 792 458 ms sup - sup 1. However, there is no such limitation on how slowly light can travel. For the last few years, researchers have been routinely slowing light to just a few metres per second, and have recently even stopped it dead in its tracks so that it can be stored for future use. Slow-light has considerable popular appeal, deriving perhaps from the importance of the speed of light in relativity and cosmology. If everyday objects such as cars or people can travel faster than 'slow' light, for example, then it might appear that relativistic effects could be observed at very low speeds. Although this is not the case, slow light nonetheless promises to play an important role in optical technology because it allows light to be delayed for any period of time desired. This could lead to all-optical routers that would increase the bandwidth of the Internet, and applications in optical data storage, quantum information and even radar. (U.K.)
Slow Controls Using the Axiom M5235BCC

Science.gov (United States)

Hague, Tyler

2008-10-01

The Forward Vertex Detector group at PHENIX plans to adopt the Axiom M5235 Business Card Controller for use as slow controls. It is also being evaluated for slow controls on FermiLab e906. This controller features the Freescale MCF5235 microprocessor. It also has three parallel buses, these being the MCU port, BUS port, and enhanced Time Processing Unit (eTPU) port. The BUS port uses a chip select module with three external chip selects to communicate with peripherals. This will be used to communicate with and configure Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs). The controller also has an Ethernet port which can use several different protocols such as TCP and UDP. This will be used to transfer files with computers on a network. The M5235 Business Card Controller will be placed in a VME crate along with VME card and a Spartan-3 FPGA.
CUTANEUS STIMULATION: SLOW-STROKE BACK MASSAGE REDUCES THE INTENSITY OF OSTEOARTRITIS PAIN OF ELDERLY

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mira Triharini

2017-04-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Osteoarthritis disease is the result of both mechanical and biological process which lead come to unstable degradation and synthesis of condrozyte cartilage and extracellular matrix. The risk factor of this instability is aging process. The aging process stimulates osteophytes formation and degradation of cartilage, and emerged pain as primary clinical symptom. One of the non pharmacological ways to cope this pain is by applying cutaneus stimulation through slow-stroke back massage method. The objective of this study was to analyze the effect of applying cutaneus stimulation with slow-stroke back massage method to osteoarthritis’s pain intensity. Method: Pre experimental design with one group pre test-post test approach was used in this study. The subject of this study were elderly above 50 years old living in Panti Werdha Hargo Dedali Surabaya, 15 participants were involved using purpose sampling technique. This study started on January 29th until February 6th, 2010. Data were collected by interview and observation and analyzed by WIlcoxcon Signed Rank Test α = 0.05, p value <α. Result: The Result showed that the message intervention was significantly affect the elder’s level of osteoarthritis pain in Panti Werdha Hargo Dedali Surabaya (p = 0.003. Discussion: It can be concluded that gives stimulation cutaneus: slow-stroke back massage reduce osteoathritis pain intensity. Slow-stroke back massage increase level of endorphin, so that pain reduction and individual pain perception will decrease.

Fairness, fast and slow: A review of dual process models of fairness

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hallsson, Bjørn Gunnar; Hulme, Oliver; Siebner, Hartwig Roman

2018-01-01

-control to override with reasoning-based fairness concerns, or whether fairness itself can be intuitive. While we find strong support for rejecting the notion that self-interest is always intuitive, the literature has reached conflicting conclusions about the neurocognitive systems underpinning fairness. We propose...... that this disagreement can largely be resolved in light of an extended Social Heuristics Hypothesis. Divergent findings may be attributed to the interpretation of behavioral effects of ego depletion or neurostimulation, reverse inference from brain activity to the underlying psychological process, and insensitivity...
Motorist comprehension of the slow-moving vehicle emblem in Manitoba.

Science.gov (United States)

Kroeker, A M; Mann, D D

2010-04-01

Despite the existence of the slow-moving vehicle (SMV) emblem for almost 50 years, there continues to be a large number of preventable accidents between SMVs and other motorists. In this study, the current SMV emblem was tested against other common road signs as well as alternative slow-moving vehicle emblems to determine motorist comprehension of the signs. An open-ended test method was used to determine the level of comprehension by Manitoba motorists. Written answers from 50 participants were classified as either "correct" or "incorrect" by the authors based on the meaning of the traffic signs provided in a driver's handbook. Only 3 of the 16 Manitoba traffic signs attained the 85% level of comprehension required by ANSI standards. Only 22% of participants correctly identified the current SMV emblem. Two alternatives to the SMV emblem found in the literature, both iconic in nature, were understood to mean "slow-moving vehicle" by only 2% and 8% of participants, respectively. Two alternatives to the SMV developed for this project were evaluated with levels of comprehension of 68% and 84%: however, these levels of comprehension were likely biased by the presence of text. There is insufficient evidence to suggest that the current symbolic SMV emblem should be replaced by an alternative emblem that is iconic in nature.
Experimental demonstration of spinor slow light

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Meng-Jung; Ruseckas, Julius; Lee, Chin-Yuan; Kudriašov, Viačeslav; Chang, Kao-Fang; Cho, Hung-Wen; JuzeliÅ«nas, Gediminas; Yu, Ite A.

2016-03-01

Over the last decade there has been a continuing interest in slow and stored light based on the electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT) effect, because of their potential applications in quantum information manipulation. However, previous experimental works all dealt with the single-component slow light which cannot be employed as a qubit. In this work, we report the first experimental demonstration of two-component or spinor slow light (SSL) using a double tripod (DT) atom-light coupling scheme. The oscillations between the two components, similar to the Rabi oscillation of a two-level system or a qubit, were observed. Single-photon SSL can be considered as two-color qubits. We experimentally demonstrated a possible application of the DT scheme as quantum memory and quantum rotator for the two-color qubits. This work opens up a new direction in the slow light research.
Slow, target associated particles produced in ultrarelativistic heavy-ion interactions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Adamovich, M I; Aggarwal, M M; Alexandrov, Y A; Andreeva, N P; Anson, Z V; Arora, R; Avetyan, F A; Badyal, S K; Basova, E; Bhalla, K B; Bhasin, A; Bhatia, V S; Bogdanov, V G; Bubnov, V I; Burnett, T H; Cai, X; Chasnikov, I Y; Chernova, L P; Chernyavsky, M M; Dressel, B; Eligbaeva, G Z; Eremenko, L E; Friedlander, E M; Gaitinov, A S; Ganssauge, E R; Garpman, S; Gerassimov, S G; Grote, J; Gulamov, K G; Gupta, S K; Gupta, V; Heckman, H H; Huang, H; Jakobsson, B; Judek, B; Kachroo, S; Kadyrov, F G; Kalyachkina, G S; Kanygina, E K; Karabova, M; Kaul, G L; Kaur, M; Kharlamov, S P; Koss, Y; Krasnov,; Kumar,; Lal, P; Larionova,; Lepetan,; Lindstrom,; Liu,; Lokanathan, S; Lord, J; Lukicheva, N S; Luo, S B; Mangotra, L K; Marutyan,; Maslennikova, N V; Mittra, I S; Mookerjee, S; Mueller, C; Nasrulaeva, H; Nasyrov, S H; Navotny, V S; Orlova, G I; Otterlund, I; Palsania, H S; Peresadko, N G; Petrov, N V; Plyushchev, V A; Qian, W Y; Raniwala,; EMU01 Collaboration

1991-06-20

The slow, target associated particles produced in ultrarelativistic heavy-ion interactions are a quantitative probe of the cascading processes in the spectator parts of the target nucleus. These processes are directly influenced by the proper timescale for the formation of hadronic matter. In this letter we show experimental data on singly and multiply charged particles, with velocities smaller than 0.7c, produced in ultrarelativistic heavy-ion interactions in nuclear emulsion. (orig.).
Slow Learner Errors Analysis in Solving Fractions Problems in Inclusive Junior High School Class

Science.gov (United States)

Novitasari, N.; Lukito, A.; Ekawati, R.

2018-01-01

A slow learner whose IQ is between 71 and 89 will have difficulties in solving mathematics problems that often lead to errors. The errors could be analyzed to where the errors may occur and its type. This research is qualitative descriptive which aims to describe the locations, types, and causes of slow learner errors in the inclusive junior high school class in solving the fraction problem. The subject of this research is one slow learner of seventh-grade student which was selected through direct observation by the researcher and through discussion with mathematics teacher and special tutor which handles the slow learner students. Data collection methods used in this study are written tasks and semistructured interviews. The collected data was analyzed by Newman’s Error Analysis (NEA). Results show that there are four locations of errors, namely comprehension, transformation, process skills, and encoding errors. There are four types of errors, such as concept, principle, algorithm, and counting errors. The results of this error analysis will help teachers to identify the causes of the errors made by the slow learner.
The slow demise of Easter Island: insights from a modelling investigation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gunnar eBrandt

2015-02-01

Full Text Available The history of Easter Island and its supposed social-ecological collapse is often taken as a grim warning for the modern world. However, while the loss of a once lush palm forest is largely uncontested, causes and timing of the collapse remain controversial, because many paleoeological and archaeological data are afflicted with considerable uncertainties. According to a scenario named ecocide, the overharvesting of palm trees triggered a dramatic population decline, whereas a contrasting view termed genocide deems diseases and enslavement introduced by Europeans as the main reasons for the collapse. We propose here a third possibility, a slow demise, in which aspects of both ecocide and genocide concur to produce a long and slow decline of the society. We use a dynamic model to illustrate the consequences of the three alternatives with respect to the fate of the paleoecological system of the island.While none of the three model scenarios can be safely ruled out given the uncertainties of the available data, the slow demise appears to be the most plausible model scenario, in particular when considering the temporal pattern of deforestation as inferred from radiocarbon dates of charcoal remains.
MODELING OF REFLECTIVE PROPAGATING SLOW-MODE WAVE IN A FLARING LOOP

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fang, X.; Yuan, D.; Van Doorsselaere, T.; Keppens, R.; Xia, C. [Centre for mathematical Plasma Astrophysics, Department of Mathematics, KU Leuven, Celestijnenlaan 200B, B-3001 Leuven (Belgium)

2015-11-01

Quasi-periodic propagating intensity disturbances have been observed in large coronal loops in extreme ultraviolet images over a decade, and are widely accepted to be slow magnetosonic waves. However, spectroscopic observations from Hinode/EIS revealed their association with persistent coronal upflows, making this interpretation debatable. We perform a 2.5D magnetohydrodynamic simulation to imitate the chromospheric evaporation and the following reflected patterns in a flare loop. Our model encompasses the corona, transition region, and chromosphere. We demonstrate that the quasi periodic propagating intensity variations captured by the synthesized Solar Dynamics Observatory/Atmospheric Imaging Assembly 131, 94 Å emission images match the previous observations well. With particle tracers in the simulation, we confirm that these quasi periodic propagating intensity variations consist of reflected slow mode waves and mass flows with an average speed of 310 km s{sup −1} in an 80 Mm length loop with an average temperature of 9 MK. With the synthesized Doppler shift velocity and intensity maps of the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory/Solar Ultraviolet Measurement of Emitted Radiation Fe xix line emission, we confirm that these reflected slow mode waves are propagating waves.
Slow creep in soft granular packings.

Science.gov (United States)

Srivastava, Ishan; Fisher, Timothy S

2017-05-14

Transient creep mechanisms in soft granular packings are studied numerically using a constant pressure and constant stress simulation method. Rapid compression followed by slow dilation is predicted on the basis of a logarithmic creep phenomenon. Characteristic scales of creep strain and time exhibit a power-law dependence on jamming pressure, and they diverge at the jamming point. Microscopic analysis indicates the existence of a correlation between rheology and nonaffine fluctuations. Localized regions of large strain appear during creep and grow in magnitude and size at short times. At long times, the spatial structure of highly correlated local deformation becomes time-invariant. Finally, a microscale connection between local rheology and local fluctuations is demonstrated in the form of a linear scaling between granular fluidity and nonaffine velocity.
Slow-light effects in photonic crystal membrane lasers

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Xue, Weiqi; Yu, Yi; Ottaviano, Luisa

2015-01-01

In this paper, we present a systematic investigation of photonic crystal cavity laser operating in the slow-light regime. The dependence of lasing threshold on the effect of slow-light will be particularly highlighted.......In this paper, we present a systematic investigation of photonic crystal cavity laser operating in the slow-light regime. The dependence of lasing threshold on the effect of slow-light will be particularly highlighted....
Slow potentials in a melody recognition task.

Science.gov (United States)

Verleger, R; Schellberg, D

1990-01-01

In a previous study, slow negative shifts were found in the EEG of subjects listening to well-known melodies. The two experiments reported here were designed to investigate the variables to which these slow potentials are related. In the first experiment, two opposite hypotheses were tested: The slow shifts might express subjects' acquaintance with the melodies or, on the contrary, the effort invested to identify them. To this end, some of the melodies were presented in the rhythms of other melodies to make recognition more difficult. Further, melodies rated as very well-known and as very unknown were analysed separately. However, the slow shifts were not affected by these experimental variations. Therefore in the second experiment, on the one hand the purely physical parameters intensity and duration were varied, but this variation had no impact on the slow shifts either. On the other hand, recognition was made more difficult by monotonously repeating the pitch of the 4th tone for the rest of some melodies. The slow negative shifts were enhanced with these monotonous melodies. This enhancement supports the "effort" hypothesis. Accordingly, the ofter shifts obtained in both experiments might likewise reflect effort. But since the task was not demanding, it is suggested that these constant shifts reflect the effort invested for coping with the entire underarousing situation rather than with the task. Frequently, slow eye movements occurred in the same time range as the slow potentials, resulting in EOG potentials spreading to the EEG recording sites. Yet results did not change substantially when the EEG recordings were corrected for the influence of EOG potentials.
Slow and stopped light in active gain composite materials of metal nanoparticles. Ultralarge group index-bandwidth product predicted

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, Kwang-Hyon; Choe, Song-Hyok [Institute of Lasers, State Academy of Sciences, Unjong District, Pyongyang (Korea, Democratic People' s Republic of)

2017-08-15

Chip-compatible slow light devices with large group index-bandwidth products and low losses are of great interest in the community of modern photonics. In this work, active gain materials containing metal nanoparticles are proposed as the slow and stopped light materials. Gain-assisted high field enhancement in metal nanoparticles and the resultant strong dispersion lead to such phenomena. From the Maxwell-Garnett model, it is revealed that the metal nanocomposite exhibits the infinitely large group index when the gain of the host medium and the filling factor of metal nanoparticles satisfy a critical condition. For the gain of the host above the critical value, one can observe slowing down effect with amplification of light pulses. Significantly large group index-bandwidth products, which vary from a few to several thousand or even infinity depending on the gain value of the host medium, have been numerically predicted in active silica glasses containing spheroidal metal nanoparticles, as examples. The proposed scheme inherently provides the widely varying operating spectral range by changing the aspect ratio of metal nanoparticles and chip-compatibility with low cost. (copyright 2017 by WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Overall concepts for utilisation of slow pyrolysis products - Hidaspyro II

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fagernaes, L.; Kuoppala, E.; Ranta, J. (VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, Espoo (Finland)), e-mail: leena.fagernas@vtt.fi; Setaelae, H.; Hagner, M. (University of Helsinki, Lahti (Finland), Dept. of Ecological and Environmental Sciences), e-mail: heikki.setala@helsinki.fi; Tiilikkala, K.; Palojaervi, A.; Lindqvist, B. (MTT Agrifood Research Finland, Jokioinen (Finland)), e-mail: kari.tiilikkala@mtt.fi

2011-11-15

The project aims at developing new distributed biorefineries and comprehensive concepts based on slow pyrolysis for SMEs. The research carried out in the project 'Hidaspyro' will be continued in the new project. The goal is an optimised slow pyrolysis process for new applications of the products. The objective is to determine the effects of biochar and distillates on growth of plants, soil improvement, carbon sequestration and emissions of cultivation, to define the quality criteria of biochar, to determine the potential of distillates in odour prevention and to assess the environmental impacts of the products. Optimal process parameters to produce distillates and biochar of high quality will be determined by well-controlled laboratory-scale slow pyrolysis testing facility to be constructed. The main feedstock material will be birchwood, but comparisons with other biomass feedstocks will also be carried out. The efficacy tests will show the effect of biochars and distillates on growth of plants, use of water and nutrients, and biological activity of soil. Demonstrations of soil improvement and odour prevention will be done in co-operation with the partner enterprises. The environmental effects of different biochars will be compared by following the changes in the activity of microbes and the composition of nematode community. The amount and quality of distillate and biochar safe to the environment will be defined. All the results will be utilised in the techno-economic assessment of different concepts. (orig.)
Slow-light pulses in moving media

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fiurasek, J.; Leonhardt, U.; Parentani, R.

2002-01-01

Slow light in moving media reaches a counterintuitive regime when the flow speed of the medium approaches the group velocity of light. Pulses can penetrate a region where a counterpropagating flow exceeds the group velocity. When the counterflow slows down, pulses are reflected
Broadband true time delay for microwave signal processing, using slow light based on stimulated Brillouin scattering in optical fibers.

Science.gov (United States)

Chin, Sanghoon; Thévenaz, Luc; Sancho, Juan; Sales, Salvador; Capmany, José; Berger, Perrine; Bourderionnet, Jérôme; Dolfi, Daniel

2010-10-11

We experimentally demonstrate a novel technique to process broadband microwave signals, using all-optically tunable true time delay in optical fibers. The configuration to achieve true time delay basically consists of two main stages: photonic RF phase shifter and slow light, based on stimulated Brillouin scattering in fibers. Dispersion properties of fibers are controlled, separately at optical carrier frequency and in the vicinity of microwave signal bandwidth. This way time delay induced within the signal bandwidth can be manipulated to correctly act as true time delay with a proper phase compensation introduced to the optical carrier. We completely analyzed the generated true time delay as a promising solution to feed phased array antenna for radar systems and to develop dynamically reconfigurable microwave photonic filters.
The proposed INEL intense slow positron source, beam line, and positron microscope facility

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Makowitz, H.; Denison, A.B.; Brown, B.

1993-01-01

A program is currently underway at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory (INEL) to design and construct an Intense Slow Positron Beam Facility with an associated Positron Microscope. Positron beams have been shown to be valuable research tools and have potential application in industrial processing and nondestructive evaluation (microelectronics, etc.). The limit of resolution or overall usefulness of the technique has been limited because of lack of sufficient intensity. The goal of the INEL positron beam is ≥ 10 12 slow e+/s over a 0.03 cm diameter which represents a 10 3 to 10 4 advancement in beam current over existing beam facilities. The INEL is an ideal site for such a facility because of the nuclear reactors capable of producing intense positron sources and the personnel and facilities capable of handling high levels of radioactivity. A design using 58 Co with moderators and remoderators in conjunction with electrostatic positron beam optics has been reached after numerous computer code studies. Proof-of-principle electron tests have demonstrated the feasibility of the large area source focusing optics. The positron microscope development is occurring in conjunction with the University of Michigan positron microscope group. Such a Beam Facility and associated Intense Slow Positron Source (ISPS) can also be utilized for the generation and study of positron, and positron electron plasmas at ≤ 10 14 particles/cm 3 with plasma temperatures ranging from an eV to many keV, as well as an intense x-ray source via positron channeling radiation. The possibility of a tunable x-ray laser based on channeling positron radiation also exists. In this discussion the authors will present a progress report on various activities associated with the INEL ISPS
Coaxial slow source

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brooks, R.D.; Jarboe, T.R.

1990-01-01

Field reversed configurations (FRCs) are a class of compact toroid with not toroidal field. The field reversed theta pinch technique has been successfully used for formation of FRCs since their inception in 1958. In this method an initial bias field is produced. After ionization of the fill gas, the current in the coil is rapidly reversed producing the radial implosion of a current sheath. At the ends of the coil the reversed field lines rapidly tear and reconnect with the bias field lines until no more bias flux remains. At this point, vacuum reversed field accumulates around the configuration which contracts axially until an equilibrium is reached. When extrapolating the use of such a technique to reactor size plasmas two main shortcomings are found. First, the initial bias field, and hence flux in a given device, which can be reconnected to form the configuration is limited from above by destructive axial dynamics. Second, the voltages required to produce rapid current reversal in the coil are very large. Clearly, a low voltage formation technique without limitations on flux addition is desirable. The Coaxial Slow Source (CSS) device was designed to meet this need. It has two coaxial theta pinch coils. Coaxial coil geometry allows for the addition of as much magnetic flux to the annular plasma between them as can be generated inside the inner coil. Furthermore the device can be operated at charging voltages less than 10 kV and on resistive diffusion, rather than implosive time scales. The inner coil is a novel, concentric, helical design so as to allow it to be cantilevered on one end to permit translation of the plasma. Following translation off the inner coil the Annular Field Reversed Configuration would be re-formed as a true FRC. In this paper we investigate the formation process in the new parallel configuration., CSSP, in which the inner and outer coils are connected in parallel to the main capacitor bank
Advanced Three-Dimensional Finite Element Modeling of a Slow Landslide through the Exploitation of DInSAR Measurements and in Situ Surveys

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vincenzo De Novellis

2016-08-01

Full Text Available In this paper, we propose an advanced methodology to perform three-dimensional (3D Finite Element (FE modeling to investigate the kinematical evolution of a slow landslide phenomenon. Our approach benefits from the effective integration of the available geological, geotechnical and satellite datasets to perform an accurate simulation of the landslide process. More specifically, we fully exploit the capability of the advanced Differential Synthetic Aperture Radar Interferometry (DInSAR technique referred to as the Small BAseline Subset (SBAS approach to provide spatially dense surface displacement information. Subsequently, we analyze the physical behavior characterizing the observed landslide phenomenon by means of an inverse analysis based on an optimization procedure. We focus on the Ivancich landslide phenomenon, which affects a residential area outside the historical center of the town of Assisi (Central Italy. Thanks to the large amount of available information, we have selected this area as a representative case study highlighting the capability of advanced 3D FE modeling to perform effective risk analyses of slow landslide processes and accurate urban development planning. In particular, the FE modeling is constrained by using the data from 7 litho-stratigraphic cross-sections and 62 stratigraphic boreholes; and the optimization procedure is carried out using the SBAS-DInSAR retrieved results by processing 39 SAR images collected by the Cosmo-SkyMed (CSK constellation in the 2009–2012 time span. The achieved results allow us to explore the spatial and temporal evolution of the slow-moving phenomenon and via comparison with the geomorphological data, to derive a synoptic view of the kinematical activity of the urban area affected by the Ivancich landslide.
Pulsar slow-down epochs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Heintzmann, H.; Novello, M.

1981-01-01

The relative importance of magnetospheric currents and low frequency waves for pulsar braking is assessed and a model is developed which tries to account for the available pulsar timing data under the unifying aspect that all pulsars have equal masses and magnetic moments and are born as rapid rotators. Four epochs of slow-down are distinguished which are dominated by different braking mechanisms. According to the model no direct relationship exists between 'slow-down age' and true age of a pulsar and leads to a pulsar birth-rate of one event per hundred years. (Author) [pt
Construction report of the PF slow-positron source. 1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Enomoto, Atsushi; Kurihara, Toshikazu; Kobayashi, Hitoshi

1993-12-01

The slow positron source utilizing the electron beam of the 2.5 GeV electron beam accelerator which is the synchrotron radiation injector is being constructed. The outline of the project and the present state of construction are reported. As of November, 1993, by injecting the electron beam of about 10 W to the targets for producing positrons, the slow positrons of 4 x 10 4 e + /s has been obtained in the laboratory. Finally, with the electron beam of 30 kW, it is aimed at to obtain the slow positron beam of 2 x 10 9 e + /s. In the slow positron source, the electron beam from the 2.5 GeV linear accelerator is used as the primary beam. This beam is led to the target with electromagnets. Radiation shields were strengthened, and the electrostatic lens system was attached to efficiently extract and send out slow positrons. The conveying system for slow positrons is explained. Primary electron beam, target and moderator for producing slow positrons, the change to continuous current of pulsed slow positron beam and the heightening of luminance of slow positron beam, and the experiment on the utilization of slow positron beam, and the control system for positron conveyance path are reported. (K.I.)
Magnon Inflation: Slow Roll with Steep Potentials

CERN Document Server

Adshead, Peter; Burgess, C P; Hayman, Peter; Patil, Subodh P

2016-01-01

We find multi-scalar effective field theories (EFTs) that can achieve a slow inflationary roll despite having a scalar potential that does not satisfy the usual slow-roll condition (d V)^2 << V^2/Mp^2. They evade the usual slow-roll conditions on $V$ because their kinetic energies are dominated by single-derivative terms rather than the usual two-derivative terms. Single derivatives dominate during slow roll and so do not require a breakdown of the usual derivative expansion that underpins calculational control in much of cosmology. The presence of such terms requires some sort of UV Lorentz-symmetry breaking during inflation (besides the usual cosmological breaking). Chromo-natural inflation provides an example of a UV theory that can generate the multi-field single-derivative terms we consider, and we argue that the EFT we find indeed captures the slow-roll conditions for the background evolution for Chromo-natural inflation. We also show that our EFT can be understood as a multi-field generalization ...

Slow-light dynamics in nonlinear periodic waveguides couplers

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sukhorukov, A.A.; Ha, S.; Powell, D.A.

2009-01-01

We predict pulse switching and reshaping through nonlinear mixing of two slow-light states with different phase velocities in the same frequency range, and report on the first experimental observation of slow-light tunneling between coupled periodic waveguides.......We predict pulse switching and reshaping through nonlinear mixing of two slow-light states with different phase velocities in the same frequency range, and report on the first experimental observation of slow-light tunneling between coupled periodic waveguides....
Towards the mass production of slow, trappable molecules

Science.gov (United States)

McCarron, Daniel J.

2018-05-01

The Fast Track Communication by Petzold et al (2018 New J. Phys. 20 042001) demonstrates the first Zeeman slowing scheme for species with type-II optical cycling transitions. This new approach is directly applicable to those 2Σ molecules that have recently been captured and cooled in molecular magneto-optical traps (MOTs) and has the potential to efficiently and continuously load these traps for the first time. This advance could produce molecular MOTs with populations comparable to their atomic counterparts and realize an ideal platform for a wide range of studies using large, dense samples of ultracold molecules.
Contracture Coupling of Slow Striated Muscle in Non-Ionic Solutions and Replacement of Calcium, Sodium, and Potassium

Science.gov (United States)

Irwin, Richard L.; Hein, Manfred M.

1964-01-01

The development of contracture related to changes of ionic environment (ionic contracture coupling) has been studied in the slowly responding fibers of frog skeletal muscle. When deprived of external ions for 30 minutes by use of solutions of sucrose, mannitol, or glucose, the slow skeletal muscle fibers, but not the fast, develop pronounced and easily reversible contractures. Partial replacement of the non-ionic substance with calcium or sodium reduces the development of the contractures but replacement by potassium does not. The concentration of calcium necessary to prevent contracture induced by a non-ionic solution is greater than that needed to maintain relaxation in ionic solutions. To suppress the non-ionic-induced contractures to the same extent as does calcium requires several fold higher concentrations of sodium. Two types of ionic contracture coupling occur in slow type striated muscle fibers: (a) a calcium deprivation type which develops maximally at full physiological concentration of external sodium, shows a flow rate dependency for the calcium-depriving fluid, and is lessened when the sodium concentration is decreased by replacement with sucrose; (b) a sodium deprivation type which occurs maximally without external sodium, is lessened by increasing the sodium concentration, and has no flow rate dependency for ion deprivation. Both types of contracture are largely prevented by the presence of sufficient calcium. There thus seem to be calcium- and sodium-linked processes at work in the ionic contracture coupling of slow striated muscle. PMID:14127603
Identifying factors contributing to slow growth in pigs.

Science.gov (United States)

He, Y; Deen, J; Shurson, G C; Wang, L; Chen, C; Keisler, D H; Li, Y Z

2016-05-01

Pigs that grow slower than their contemporaries can cause complications for animal welfare and profitability. This study was conducted to investigate factors that may contribute to slow growth of pigs. Pigs ( = 440) farrowed by 65 sows were monitored from birth to market. Pigs were categorized as slow, average, and fast growers based on market weight adjusted to 170 d of age (slow growers were 125 kg). Blood samples were collected from 48 focal pigs at 9 and 21 wk of age and analyzed for hormone and free AA concentrations. Data were analyzed using the Mixed and Logistic procedures of SAS. Slow-growing pigs accounted for 10% of pigs marketed, average growers accounted for 49% of pigs marketed, and fast growers accounted for 41% of pigs marketed. Compared with fast growers, slow growers were lighter at birth ( ratio = 2.17, 95% confidence interval = 1.19 to 3.96, = 0.01). Litter size and parity of the pigs' dam were not associated with slow growth. These results suggest that low concentrations of IGF-1, insulin, leptin, and AA may contribute to or be associated with slow growth in pigs.
Slow rupture of frictional interfaces

OpenAIRE

Sinai, Yohai Bar; Brener, Efim A.; Bouchbinder, Eran

2011-01-01

The failure of frictional interfaces and the spatiotemporal structures that accompany it are central to a wide range of geophysical, physical and engineering systems. Recent geophysical and laboratory observations indicated that interfacial failure can be mediated by slow slip rupture phenomena which are distinct from ordinary, earthquake-like, fast rupture. These discoveries have influenced the way we think about frictional motion, yet the nature and properties of slow rupture are not comple...
Gravitational segregation of liquid slag in large ladle

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

J. Chen

2012-04-01

Full Text Available The process of gravitational segregation makes liquid steel slag components occur differentiation. And it shows that the upper part slag in the slag ladle contains higher CaO; and the lower part slag contains higher SiO2. The content of MgO (5,48 % in the upper part slag is higher than that of the lower part (2,50 %, and only Al2O3 content of the upper and the lower part slag is close to each other. The difference of chemical compositions in the slag ladle shows that there is gravitational segregation during slow solidification of liquid steel slag, which will has some impact of the steel slag processing on the large slag ladle.
Different Effects of Sleep Deprivation and Torpor on EEG Slow-Wave Characteristics in Djungarian Hamsters.

Science.gov (United States)

Vyazovskiy, V V; Palchykova, S; Achermann, P; Tobler, I; Deboer, T

2017-02-01

It has been shown previously in Djungarian hamsters that the initial electroencephalography (EEG) slow-wave activity (power in the 0.5-4.0 Hz band; SWA) in non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep following an episode of daily torpor is consistently enhanced, similar to the SWA increase after sleep deprivation (SD). However, it is unknown whether the network mechanisms underlying the SWA increase after torpor and SD are similar. EEG slow waves recorded in the neocortex during sleep reflect synchronized transitions between periods of activity and silence among large neuronal populations. We therefore set out to investigate characteristics of individual cortical EEG slow waves recorded during NREM sleep after 4 h SD and during sleep after emergence from an episode of daily torpor in adult male Djungarian hamsters. We found that during the first hour after both SD and torpor, the SWA increase was associated with an increase in slow-wave incidence and amplitude. However, the slopes of single slow waves during NREM sleep were steeper in the first hour after SD but not after torpor, and, in contrast to sleep after SD, the magnitude of change in slopes after torpor was unrelated to the changes in SWA. Furthermore, slow-wave slopes decreased progressively within the first 2 h after SD, while a progressive increase in slow-wave slopes was apparent during the first 2 h after torpor. The data suggest that prolonged waking and torpor have different effects on cortical network activity underlying slow-wave characteristics, while resulting in a similar homeostatic sleep response of SWA. We suggest that sleep plays an important role in network homeostasis after both waking and torpor, consistent with a recovery function for both states. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press.
Big slow movers: a look at weathered-rock slides in Western North Carolina

Science.gov (United States)

Rebecca S. Latham; Richard M. Wooten; Anne C. Witt; Stephen J. Fuemmeler; Kenneth a. Gillon; Thomas J. Douglas; Jennifer B. Bauer; Barton D. Clinton

2007-01-01

The North Carolina Geological Survey (NCGS) is currently implementing a landslide hazard-mapping program in western North Carolina authorized by the North Carolina Hurricane Recovery Act of 2005. To date, over 2700 landslides and landslide deposits have been documented. A small number of these landslides are relatively large, slow-moving, weathered-rock slides...
Shallow very-low-frequency earthquakes accompany slow slip events in the Nankai subduction zone.

Science.gov (United States)

Nakano, Masaru; Hori, Takane; Araki, Eiichiro; Kodaira, Shuichi; Ide, Satoshi

2018-03-14

Recent studies of slow earthquakes along plate boundaries have shown that tectonic tremor, low-frequency earthquakes, very-low-frequency events (VLFEs), and slow-slip events (SSEs) often accompany each other and appear to share common source faults. However, the source processes of slow events occurring in the shallow part of plate boundaries are not well known because seismic observations have been limited to land-based stations, which offer poor resolution beneath offshore plate boundaries. Here we use data obtained from seafloor observation networks in the Nankai trough, southwest of Japan, to investigate shallow VLFEs in detail. Coincident with the VLFE activity, signals indicative of shallow SSEs were detected by geodetic observations at seafloor borehole observatories in the same region. We find that the shallow VLFEs and SSEs share common source regions and almost identical time histories of moment release. We conclude that these slow events arise from the same fault slip and that VLFEs represent relatively high-frequency fluctuations of slip during SSEs.
Slowing the flow: Setting priorities and defining success in Lake Superior’s South Shore watersheds

Science.gov (United States)

For over 60 years, watershed conservation efforts to improve water quality have largely focused on restoring and protecting hydrology under the mantra “slow the flow”. This approach seeks to reduce peak flows with landscape scale watershed restoration approaches that ...
Just enough inflation. Power spectrum modifications at large scales

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cicoli, Michele; Downes, Sean

2014-07-01

We show that models of 'just enough' inflation, where the slow-roll evolution lasted only 50-60 e-foldings, feature modifications of the CMB power spectrum at large angular scales. We perform a systematic and model-independent analysis of any possible non-slow-roll background evolution prior to the final stage of slow-roll inflation. We find a high degree of universality since most common backgrounds like fast-roll evolution, matter or radiation-dominance give rise to a power loss at large angular scales and a peak together with an oscillatory behaviour at scales around the value of the Hubble parameter at the beginning of slow-roll inflation. Depending on the value of the equation of state parameter, different pre-inflationary epochs lead instead to an enhancement of power at low-l, and so seem disfavoured by recent observational hints for a lack of CMB power at l< or similar 40. We also comment on the importance of initial conditions and the possibility to have multiple pre-inflationary stages.
How decoherence affects the probability of slow-roll eternal inflation

Science.gov (United States)

Boddy, Kimberly K.; Carroll, Sean M.; Pollack, Jason

2017-07-01

Slow-roll inflation can become eternal if the quantum variance of the inflaton field around its slowly rolling classical trajectory is converted into a distribution of classical spacetimes inflating at different rates, and if the variance is large enough compared to the rate of classical rolling that the probability of an increased rate of expansion is sufficiently high. Both of these criteria depend sensitively on whether and how perturbation modes of the inflaton interact and decohere. Decoherence is inevitable as a result of gravitationally sourced interactions whose strength are proportional to the slow-roll parameters. However, the weakness of these interactions means that decoherence is typically delayed until several Hubble times after modes grow beyond the Hubble scale. We present perturbative evidence that decoherence of long-wavelength inflaton modes indeed leads to an ensemble of classical spacetimes with differing cosmological evolutions. We introduce the notion of per-branch observables—expectation values with respect to the different decohered branches of the wave function—and show that the evolution of modes on individual branches varies from branch to branch. Thus, single-field slow-roll inflation fulfills the quantum-mechanical criteria required for the validity of the standard picture of eternal inflation. For a given potential, the delayed decoherence can lead to slight quantitative adjustments to the regime in which the inflaton undergoes eternal inflation.
Taking account of sample finite dimensions in processing measurements of double differential cross sections of slow neutron scattering

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lisichkin, Yu.V.; Dovbenko, A.G.; Efimenko, B.A.; Novikov, A.G.; Smirenkina, L.D.; Tikhonova, S.I.

1979-01-01

Described is a method of taking account of finite sample dimensions in processing measurement results of double differential cross sections (DDCS) of slow neutron scattering. A necessity of corrective approach to the account taken of the effect of sample finite dimensions is shown, and, in particular, the necessity to conduct preliminary processing of DDCS, the account being taken of attenuation coefficients of single scattered neutrons (SSN) for measurements on the sample with a container, and on the container. Correction for multiple scattering (MS) calculated on the base of the dynamic model should be obtained, the account being taken of resolution effects. To minimize the effect of the dynamic model used in calculations it is preferred to make absolute measurements of DDCS and to use the subraction method. The above method was realized in the set of programs for the BESM-5 computer. The FISC program computes the coefficients of SSN attenuation and correction for MS. The DDS program serves to compute a model DDCS averaged as per the resolution function of an instrument. The SCATL program is intended to prepare initial information necessary for the FISC program, and permits to compute the scattering law for all materials. Presented are the results of using the above method while processing experimental data on measuring DDCS of water by the DIN-1M spectrometer
Analysis of the servo-spill control for slow beam extraction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sato, Hikaru; Toyama, Takeshi; Marutsuka, Katsumi; Shirakata, Masashi.

1994-01-01

This report describes an analysis of servo-spill control system for the slow beam extraction from the KEK PS. Transfer function of extraction process is derived from measurement of the closed-loop characteristic using measured frequency response of each equipment. Result indicates the restriction of the present servo-spill control and give a guide line for the improvement. (author)
Ultra slow muon microscopy by laser resonant ionization at J-PARC, MUSE

Science.gov (United States)

Miyake, Y.; Ikedo, Y.; Shimomura, K.; Strasser, P.; Kawamura, N.; Nishiyama, K.; Koda, A.; Fujimori, H.; Makimura, S.; Nakamura, J.; Nagatomo, T.; Kadono, R.; Torikai, E.; Iwasaki, M.; Wada, S.; Saito, N.; Okamura, K.; Yokoyama, K.; Ito, T.; Higemoto, W.

2013-04-01

As one of the principal muon beam line at the J-PARC muon facility (MUSE), we are now constructing a Muon beam line (U-Line), which consists of a large acceptance solenoid made of mineral insulation cables (MIC), a superconducting curved transport solenoid and superconducting axial focusing magnets. There, we can extract 2 × 108/s surface muons towards a hot tungsten target. At the U-Line, we are now establishing a new type of muon microscopy; a new technique with use of the intense ultra-slow muon source generated by resonant ionization of thermal Muonium (designated as Mu; consisting of a μ + and an e - ) atoms generated from the surface of the tungsten target. In this contribution, the latest status of the Ultra Slow Muon Microscopy project, fully funded, is reported.
Threshold Characteristics of Slow-Light Photonic Crystal Lasers

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Xue, Weiqi; Yu, Yi; Ottaviano, Luisa

2016-01-01

The threshold properties of photonic crystal quantum dot lasers operating in the slow-light regime are investigated experimentally and theoretically. Measurements show that, in contrast to conventional lasers, the threshold gain attains a minimum value for a specific cavity length. The experimental...... results are explained by an analytical theory for the laser threshold that takes into account the effects of slow light and random disorder due to unavoidable fabrication imperfections. Longer lasers are found to operate deeper into the slow-light region, leading to a trade-off between slow-light induced...
Towards Portable Large-Scale Image Processing with High-Performance Computing.

Science.gov (United States)

Huo, Yuankai; Blaber, Justin; Damon, Stephen M; Boyd, Brian D; Bao, Shunxing; Parvathaneni, Prasanna; Noguera, Camilo Bermudez; Chaganti, Shikha; Nath, Vishwesh; Greer, Jasmine M; Lyu, Ilwoo; French, William R; Newton, Allen T; Rogers, Baxter P; Landman, Bennett A

2018-05-03

High-throughput, large-scale medical image computing demands tight integration of high-performance computing (HPC) infrastructure for data storage, job distribution, and image processing. The Vanderbilt University Institute for Imaging Science (VUIIS) Center for Computational Imaging (CCI) has constructed a large-scale image storage and processing infrastructure that is composed of (1) a large-scale image database using the eXtensible Neuroimaging Archive Toolkit (XNAT), (2) a content-aware job scheduling platform using the Distributed Automation for XNAT pipeline automation tool (DAX), and (3) a wide variety of encapsulated image processing pipelines called "spiders." The VUIIS CCI medical image data storage and processing infrastructure have housed and processed nearly half-million medical image volumes with Vanderbilt Advanced Computing Center for Research and Education (ACCRE), which is the HPC facility at the Vanderbilt University. The initial deployment was natively deployed (i.e., direct installations on a bare-metal server) within the ACCRE hardware and software environments, which lead to issues of portability and sustainability. First, it could be laborious to deploy the entire VUIIS CCI medical image data storage and processing infrastructure to another HPC center with varying hardware infrastructure, library availability, and software permission policies. Second, the spiders were not developed in an isolated manner, which has led to software dependency issues during system upgrades or remote software installation. To address such issues, herein, we describe recent innovations using containerization techniques with XNAT/DAX which are used to isolate the VUIIS CCI medical image data storage and processing infrastructure from the underlying hardware and software environments. The newly presented XNAT/DAX solution has the following new features: (1) multi-level portability from system level to the application level, (2) flexible and dynamic software
Big and slow: phylogenetic estimates of molecular evolution in baleen whales (suborder mysticeti).

Science.gov (United States)

Jackson, J A; Baker, C S; Vant, M; Steel, D J; Medrano-González, L; Palumbi, S R

2009-11-01

Baleen whales are the largest animals that have ever lived. To develop an improved estimation of substitution rate for nuclear and mitochondrial DNA for this taxon, we implemented a relaxed-clock phylogenetic approach using three fossil calibration dates: the divergence between odontocetes and mysticetes approximately 34 million years ago (Ma), between the balaenids and balaenopterids approximately 28 Ma, and the time to most recent common ancestor within the Balaenopteridae approximately 12 Ma. We examined seven mitochondrial genomes, a large number of mitochondrial control region sequences (219 haplotypes for 465 bp) and nine nuclear introns representing five species of whales, within which multiple species-specific alleles were sequenced to account for within-species diversity (1-15 for each locus). The total data set represents >1.65 Mbp of mitogenome and nuclear genomic sequence. The estimated substitution rate for the humpback whale control region (3.9%/million years, My) was higher than previous estimates for baleen whales but slow relative to other mammal species with similar generation times (e.g., human-chimp mean rate > 20%/My). The mitogenomic third codon position rate was also slow relative to other mammals (mean estimate 1%/My compared with a mammalian average of 9.8%/My for the cytochrome b gene). The mean nuclear genomic substitution rate (0.05%/My) was substantially slower than average synonymous estimates for other mammals (0.21-0.37%/My across a range of studies). The nuclear and mitogenome rate estimates for baleen whales were thus roughly consistent with an 8- to 10-fold slowing due to a combination of large body size and long generation times. Surprisingly, despite the large data set of nuclear intron sequences, there was only weak and conflicting support for alternate hypotheses about the phylogeny of balaenopterid whales, suggesting that interspecies introgressions or a rapid radiation has obscured species relationships in the nuclear genome.
Dynamics of the exponential integrate-and-fire model with slow currents and adaptation.

Science.gov (United States)

Barranca, Victor J; Johnson, Daniel C; Moyher, Jennifer L; Sauppe, Joshua P; Shkarayev, Maxim S; Kovačič, Gregor; Cai, David

2014-08-01

In order to properly capture spike-frequency adaptation with a simplified point-neuron model, we study approximations of Hodgkin-Huxley (HH) models including slow currents by exponential integrate-and-fire (EIF) models that incorporate the same types of currents. We optimize the parameters of the EIF models under the external drive consisting of AMPA-type conductance pulses using the current-voltage curves and the van Rossum metric to best capture the subthreshold membrane potential, firing rate, and jump size of the slow current at the neuron's spike times. Our numerical simulations demonstrate that, in addition to these quantities, the approximate EIF-type models faithfully reproduce bifurcation properties of the HH neurons with slow currents, which include spike-frequency adaptation, phase-response curves, critical exponents at the transition between a finite and infinite number of spikes with increasing constant external drive, and bifurcation diagrams of interspike intervals in time-periodically forced models. Dynamics of networks of HH neurons with slow currents can also be approximated by corresponding EIF-type networks, with the approximation being at least statistically accurate over a broad range of Poisson rates of the external drive. For the form of external drive resembling realistic, AMPA-like synaptic conductance response to incoming action potentials, the EIF model affords great savings of computation time as compared with the corresponding HH-type model. Our work shows that the EIF model with additional slow currents is well suited for use in large-scale, point-neuron models in which spike-frequency adaptation is important.
Slow brushing reduces heat pain in humans.

Science.gov (United States)

Liljencrantz, J; Strigo, I; Ellingsen, D M; Krämer, H H; Lundblad, L C; Nagi, S S; Leknes, S; Olausson, H

2017-08-01

C-tactile (CT) afferents are unmyelinated low-threshold mechanoreceptors optimized for signalling affective, gentle touch. In three separate psychophysical experiments, we examined the contribution of CT afferents to pain modulation. In total, 44 healthy volunteers experienced heat pain and CT optimal (slow brushing) and CT sub-optimal (fast brushing or vibration) stimuli. Three different experimental paradigms were used: Concurrent application of heat pain and tactile (slow brushing or vibration) stimulation; Slow brushing, applied for variable duration and intervals, preceding heat pain; Slow versus fast brushing preceding heat pain. Slow brushing was effective in reducing pain, whereas fast brushing or vibration was not. The reduction in pain was significant not only when the CT optimal touch was applied simultaneously with the painful stimulus but also when the two stimuli were separated in time. For subsequent stimulation, the pain reduction was more pronounced for a shorter time interval between brushing and pain. Likewise, the effect was more robust when pain was preceded by a longer duration of brush stimulation. Strong CT-related pain reduction was associated with low anxiety and high calmness scores obtained by a state anxiety questionnaire. Slow brushing - optimal for CT activation - is effective in reducing pain from cutaneous heating. The precise mechanisms for the pain relief are as yet unknown but possible mechanisms include inhibition of nociceptive projection neurons at the level of the dorsal horn as well as analgesia through cortical mechanisms. Slow brushing stimuli - optimal for activation of C-tactile fibres - can reduce pain from cutaneous heating. No such effect was seen with fast brushing or vibration. These observations indicate the role of C-tactile fibres in pain modulation. © 2017 European Pain Federation - EFIC®.

Tandem queue with server slow-down

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Miretskiy, D.I.; Scheinhardt, W.R.W.; Mandjes, M.R.H.

2007-01-01

We study how rare events happen in the standard two-node tandem Jackson queue and in a generalization, the socalled slow-down network, see [2]. In the latter model the service rate of the first server depends on the number of jobs in the second queue: the first server slows down if the amount of
Study on efficiency of multi-wire tungsten moderator for slow positron source on SPring-8 hard synchrotron radiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Plokhoi, Vladimir; Kandiev, Yadgar; Samarin, Sergey; Malyshkin, Gennady; Baidin, Grigory; Litvinenko, Igor; Nikitin, Valery

1999-01-01

The paper provides results of numeric simulations of in-target positron production process, processes of moderation, thermalization, diffusion, and reemission of positrons in high efficiency multi-wire moderator made of tungsten monocrystalline wire with regular wire spacing. The paper looks into dynamics of slow positrons in the moderator's vacuum gaps taking into account of external fields. The possibility for using multi-wire moderator with non-regular structure - multi-layer w ire felt m oderator is discussed. According to maximal estimate the multi-wire moderators can reach very high efficiency of fast-slow positron transformation ∼ 10 -2 . Using such moderator the intensity of slow positron source on hard synchrotron radiation of Spring-8 can reach the level of ∼10 11 e + /s. (author)
Numerical modelling comparison of slow landslides: the Portalet case study (Central Pyrenees-Spain)

Science.gov (United States)

Fernandez-Merodo, Jose Antonio; Garcia-Davalillo, Juan Carlos; Herrera, Gerardo

2013-04-01

Slow-moving landslides are a wide-spread type of active mass movement that cause severe damages to infrastructures and may be a precursor of sudden catastrophic slope failures. In this context, modelling slow-moving landslide behaviour is an important task in order to quantify and reduce the risk associated to this geological process. In practice, landslide occurrence and stability conditions are evaluated for a given scenario through a stability factor based on limit equilibrium analysis. This "static" approximation is hardly applied when boundary conditions are time dependent. Apart from earthquake studies, time dependent analysis is required when: (i) hydrological conditions change as in the case of rainfall; (ii) resistant parameters are reduced as in the case of strain softening or weathering processes and (iii) creep behaviour is taken into account. Different numerical models can be applied to reproduce the kinematic behaviour of large slow landslides. This paper compares four different models: i) a direct correlation with measured rainfall, ii) a simple 1D infinite slope viscoplastic model [1], iii) a 2D elasto-plastic finite element model [2] and iv) a 2D visco-plastic finite element model [3]. These models, ordered by increasing level of complexity, are compared by applying them to the Portalet case study. The Portalet landslide (Central Spanish Pyrenees) is an active paleo-landslide that has been "reactivated" by the construction of a parking area at the toe of the slope in 2004. This landslide is still active despite the corrective measures carried out to stabilize it. The measurements obtained with different monitoring techniques (ground based SAR, advanced DInSAR processing of satellite SAR images, DGPS and inclinometers) indicate that the hillside is still moving today following two patterns. The first one corresponds to a slow continuous motion of constant speed of about 100 mm/year, the second one corresponds to accelerations of the moving mass when
Slow-transit Constipation.

Science.gov (United States)

Bharucha, Adil E.; Philips, Sidney F.

2001-08-01

Idiopathic slow-transit constipation is a clinical syndrome predominantly affecting women, characterized by intractable constipation and delayed colonic transit. This syndrome is attributed to disordered colonic motor function. The disorder spans a spectrum of variable severity, ranging from patients who have relatively mild delays in transit but are otherwise indistinguishable from irritable bowel syndrome to patients with colonic inertia or chronic megacolon. The diagnosis is made after excluding colonic obstruction, metabolic disorders (hypothyroidism, hypercalcemia), drug-induced constipation, and pelvic floor dysfunction (as discussed by Wald ). Most patients are treated with one or more pharmacologic agents, including dietary fiber supplementation, saline laxatives (milk of magnesia), osmotic agents (lactulose, sorbitol, and polyethylene glycol 3350), and stimulant laxatives (bisacodyl and glycerol). A subtotal colectomy is effective and occasionally is indicated for patients with medically refractory, severe slow-transit constipation, provided pelvic floor dysfunction has been excluded or treated.
Quantum corrections to scalar field dynamics in a slow-roll space-time

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Herranen, Matti [Niels Bohr International Academy and Discovery Center, Niels Bohr Institute,University of Copenhagen,Blegdamsvej 17, 2100 Copenhagen (Denmark); Markkanen, Tommi [Helsinki Institute of Physics and Department of Physics,P.O. Box 64, FI-00014, University of Helsinki (Finland); Tranberg, Anders [Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Stavanger, 4036 Stavanger (Norway)

2014-05-07

We consider the dynamics of a quantum scalar field in the background of a slow-roll inflating Universe. We compute the one-loop quantum corrections to the field and Friedmann equation of motion, in both a 1PI and a 2PI expansion, to leading order in slow-roll. Generalizing the works of http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.nuclphysb.2006.04.029, http://dx.doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.107.191103, http://dx.doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevD.76.103507 and http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.nuclphysb.2006.04.010, we then solve these equations to compute the effect on the primordial power spectrum, for the case of a self-interacting inflaton and a self-interacting spectator field. We find that for the inflaton the corrections are negligible due to the smallness of the coupling constant despite the large IR enhancement of the loop contributions. For a curvaton scenario, on the other hand, we find tension in using the 1PI loop corrections, which may indicate that the quantum corrections could be non-perturbatively large in this case, thus requiring resummation.
Characteristics of broadband slow earthquakes explained by a Brownian model

Science.gov (United States)

Ide, S.; Takeo, A.

2017-12-01

Brownian slow earthquake (BSE) model (Ide, 2008; 2010) is a stochastic model for the temporal change of seismic moment release by slow earthquakes, which can be considered as a broadband phenomena including tectonic tremors, low frequency earthquakes, and very low frequency (VLF) earthquakes in the seismological frequency range, and slow slip events in geodetic range. Although the concept of broadband slow earthquake may not have been widely accepted, most of recent observations are consistent with this concept. Then, we review the characteristics of slow earthquakes and how they are explained by BSE model. In BSE model, the characteristic size of slow earthquake source is represented by a random variable, changed by a Gaussian fluctuation added at every time step. The model also includes a time constant, which divides the model behavior into short- and long-time regimes. In nature, the time constant corresponds to the spatial limit of tremor/SSE zone. In the long-time regime, the seismic moment rate is constant, which explains the moment-duration scaling law (Ide et al., 2007). For a shorter duration, the moment rate increases with size, as often observed for VLF earthquakes (Ide et al., 2008). The ratio between seismic energy and seismic moment is constant, as shown in Japan, Cascadia, and Mexico (Maury et al., 2017). The moment rate spectrum has a section of -1 slope, limited by two frequencies corresponding to the above time constant and the time increment of the stochastic process. Such broadband spectra have been observed for slow earthquakes near the trench axis (Kaneko et al., 2017). This spectrum also explains why we can obtain VLF signals by stacking broadband seismograms relative to tremor occurrence (e.g., Takeo et al., 2010; Ide and Yabe, 2014). The fluctuation in BSE model can be non-Gaussian, as far as the variance is finite, as supported by the central limit theorem. Recent observations suggest that tremors and LFEs are spatially characteristic
Toward standardization of slow earthquake catalog -Development of database website-

Science.gov (United States)

Kano, M.; Aso, N.; Annoura, S.; Arai, R.; Ito, Y.; Kamaya, N.; Maury, J.; Nakamura, M.; Nishimura, T.; Obana, K.; Sugioka, H.; Takagi, R.; Takahashi, T.; Takeo, A.; Yamashita, Y.; Matsuzawa, T.; Ide, S.; Obara, K.

2017-12-01

Slow earthquakes have now been widely discovered in the world based on the recent development of geodetic and seismic observations. Many researchers detect a wide frequency range of slow earthquakes including low frequency tremors, low frequency earthquakes, very low frequency earthquakes and slow slip events by using various methods. Catalogs of the detected slow earthquakes are open to us in different formats by each referring paper or through a website (e.g., Wech 2010; Idehara et al. 2014). However, we need to download catalogs from different sources, to deal with unformatted catalogs and to understand the characteristics of different catalogs, which may be somewhat complex especially for those who are not familiar with slow earthquakes. In order to standardize slow earthquake catalogs and to make such a complicated work easier, Scientific Research on Innovative Areas "Science of Slow Earthquakes" has been developing a slow earthquake catalog website. In the website, we can plot locations of various slow earthquakes via the Google Maps by compiling a variety of slow earthquake catalogs including slow slip events. This enables us to clearly visualize spatial relations among slow earthquakes at a glance and to compare the regional activities of slow earthquakes or the locations of different catalogs. In addition, we can download catalogs in the unified format and refer the information on each catalog on the single website. Such standardization will make it more convenient for users to utilize the previous achievements and to promote research on slow earthquakes, which eventually leads to collaborations with researchers in various fields and further understanding of the mechanisms, environmental conditions, and underlying physics of slow earthquakes. Furthermore, we expect that the website has a leading role in the international standardization of slow earthquake catalogs. We report the overview of the website and the progress of construction. Acknowledgment: This
RESOURCE SAVING TECHNOLOGICAL PROCESS OF LARGE-SIZE DIE THERMAL TREATMENT

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

L. A. Glazkov

2009-01-01

Full Text Available The given paper presents a development of a technological process pertaining to hardening large-size parts made of die steel. The proposed process applies a water-air mixture instead of a conventional hardening medium that is industrial oil.While developing this new technological process it has been necessary to solve the following problems: reduction of thermal treatment duration, reduction of power resource expense (natural gas and mineral oil, elimination of fire danger and increase of process ecological efficiency.
Fast and slow neutrons in an 18-MV photon beam from a Philips SL/75-20 linear accelerator

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gur, D.; Rosen, J.C.; Bukovitz, A.G.; Gill, A.W.

1978-01-01

Fast- and slow-neutron contamination in an 18-MV photon beam from a Philips SL/75-20 linear accelerator has been measured. Aluminum and indium foils were activated to determine fast- and slow-neutron fluence, which were largely independent of field sizes. Measured fast-neutron fluences were typically 13.9 x 10 4 and 4.4 x 10 4 neutrons/cm 2 /rad of x ray inside and 5 cm outside the field, respectively. Slow-neutron fluences, 1.3 x 10 4 neutrons/cm 2 /rad of x ray, remained relatively constant inside and outside the field. The reported results are about three times higher than neutron fluences recently reported with a betatron operated at the same energy
Book reviews: Daniel Kahneman - Thinking, Fast and Slow

OpenAIRE

Cristian Uta

2016-01-01

Although he has won the Nobel Prize for Economy (for his works on the decision theory), Daniel Kahneman is, surprisingly, a psychologist. Thinking, Fast and Slow presents us ideas and theories regarding the way in which the mind works and how this thing affects us when making a decision. In his opinion, the human thinking is a dual process, duality presented from three different perspec-tives. First (as the title suggests it), there are highlighted the differences between the fast and the slo...
Valid knowledge for the professional design of large and complex design processes

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Aken, van J.E.

2004-01-01

The organization and planning of design processes, which we may regard as design process design, is an important issue. Especially for large and complex design-processes traditional approaches to process design may no longer suffice. The design literature gives quite some design process models. As
Visual analysis of inter-process communication for large-scale parallel computing.

Science.gov (United States)

Muelder, Chris; Gygi, Francois; Ma, Kwan-Liu

2009-01-01

In serial computation, program profiling is often helpful for optimization of key sections of code. When moving to parallel computation, not only does the code execution need to be considered but also communication between the different processes which can induce delays that are detrimental to performance. As the number of processes increases, so does the impact of the communication delays on performance. For large-scale parallel applications, it is critical to understand how the communication impacts performance in order to make the code more efficient. There are several tools available for visualizing program execution and communications on parallel systems. These tools generally provide either views which statistically summarize the entire program execution or process-centric views. However, process-centric visualizations do not scale well as the number of processes gets very large. In particular, the most common representation of parallel processes is a Gantt char t with a row for each process. As the number of processes increases, these charts can become difficult to work with and can even exceed screen resolution. We propose a new visualization approach that affords more scalability and then demonstrate it on systems running with up to 16,384 processes.
Comparison between different dispersion engineering methods in slow light photonic crystal waveguides

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Wang, Fengwen; Jensen, Jakob Søndergaard; Sigmund, Ole

2011-01-01

This paper compares the performance of different dispersion engineering methods in slow light photonic crystal waveguides, i.e., geometrical parameter optimization and topology optimization. In both methods, the design robustness is enforced by considering the dilated, intermediate and eroded...... that waveguides with optimized hole sizes and positions can be efficient for dispersion engineering but that large improvements are possible if irregular geometries are allowed using topology optimization....
Slow electron contribution to inelastic reflection anisotropy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Podsvirov, O.A.; Kuznetsov, Yu.A.

1980-01-01

Investigated is electron contribution with low energy (up to 1 keV) to the anisotropy of electron inelastic reflection (IRE) from silicon monocrystal (111) within 12-50 keV energy range of primary electrons. Experimental data on IRE anisotropy are presented: delay curves for silicon monocrystal, permitting to separate electrons with the energy up to 1 keV, dependences of IRE anisotropy on the energy of primary electrons for the systems - monocrystalline silicon-amorphous silicon film and delay curves for such systems (film thickness varies from 20 to 2000 A). Suggested is a phenomenologic model, permitting to take into account the contribution of slow electrons to IRE anisotropy: it is supposed, that three groups of electrons take part in the formation of the latter: elastic and inelastic reflected electrons, slow electrons, excited by primary electrons and slow electrons, generated by the reverse flow of the scattered electrons. Contribution of electrons, different by origin, to IRE anisotropy is evaluated in accordance with the experimental data on the basis of this model. It is stated, that slow electrons constitute approximately one half of the IRE anisotropy value, the contribution of both groups of slow electrons being approximately equal
Effects of body mass index on gastric slow wave: a magnetogastrographic study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Somarajan, S; Cassilly, S; Obioha, C; Bradshaw, L A; Richards, W O

2014-01-01

We measured gastric slow wave activity simultaneously with magnetogastrogram (MGG), mucosal electromyogram (EMG) and electrogastrogram (EGG) in human subjects with varying body mass index (BMI) before and after a meal. In order to investigate the effect of BMI on gastric slow wave parameters, each subject's BMI was calculated and divided into two groups: subjects with BMI ≤ 27 and BMI > 27. Signals were processed with Fourier spectral analysis and second-order blind identification (SOBI) techniques. Our results showed that increased BMI does not affect signal characteristics such as frequency and amplitude of EMG and MGG. Comparison of the postprandial EGG power, on the other hand, showed a statistically significant reduction in subjects with BMI > 27 compared with BMI ≤ 27. In addition to the frequency and amplitude, the use of SOBI-computed propagation maps from MGG data allowed us to visualize the propagating slow wave and compute the propagation velocity in both BMI groups. No significant change in velocity with increasing BMI or meal was observed in our study. In conclusion, multichannel MGG provides an assessment of frequency, amplitude and propagation velocity of the slow wave in subjects with differing BMI categories and was observed to be independent of BMI. (paper)
Nonterrestrial material processing and manufacturing of large space systems

Science.gov (United States)

Von Tiesenhausen, G.

1979-01-01

Nonterrestrial processing of materials and manufacturing of large space system components from preprocessed lunar materials at a manufacturing site in space is described. Lunar materials mined and preprocessed at the lunar resource complex will be flown to the space manufacturing facility (SMF), where together with supplementary terrestrial materials, they will be final processed and fabricated into space communication systems, solar cell blankets, radio frequency generators, and electrical equipment. Satellite Power System (SPS) material requirements and lunar material availability and utilization are detailed, and the SMF processing, refining, fabricating facilities, material flow and manpower requirements are described.
The cryogenic source of slow monochromatic positrons

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Meshkov, I.N.; Pavlov, V.N.; Sidorin, A.O.; Yakovenko, S.L.

2008-01-01

The cryogenic source of slow monochromatic positrons based on the 22 Na isotope has been designed and constructed at JINR. Positrons emitted from radioactive source 22 Na have a very broad energy spectrum up to 0.5 MeV. To generate monochromatic beam of slow positrons the solid neon is used as a moderator. The solid neon allows forming slow positron beam of the energy of 1.2 eV at the spectrum width of 1 eV. The efficiency of moderation is 1 % of total positron flux
Advanced SAR Interferometric Analysis to Support Geomorphological Interpretation of Slow-Moving Coastal Landslides (Malta, Mediterranean Sea

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Matteo Mantovani

2016-05-01

Full Text Available An advanced SAR interferometric analysis has been combined with a methodology for the automatic classification of radar reflectors phase histories to interpret slope-failure kinematics and trend of displacements of slow-moving landslides. To accomplish this goal, the large dataset of radar images, acquired in more than 20 years by the two European Space Agency (ESA missions ERS-1/2 and ENVISAT, was exploited. The analysis was performed over the northern sector of Island of Malta (central Mediterranean Sea, where extensive landslides occur. The study was assisted by field surveys and with the analysis of existing thematic maps and landslide inventories. The outcomes allowed definition of a model capable of describing the geomorphological evolution of slow-moving landslides, providing a key for interpreting such phenomena that, due to their slowness, are usually scarcely investigated.
Costs of storing colour and complex shape in visual working memory: Insights from pupil size and slow waves.

Science.gov (United States)

Kursawe, Michael A; Zimmer, Hubert D

2015-06-01

We investigated the impact of perceptual processing demands on visual working memory of coloured complex random polygons during change detection. Processing load was assessed by pupil size (Exp. 1) and additionally slow wave potentials (Exp. 2). Task difficulty was manipulated by presenting different set sizes (1, 2, 4 items) and by making different features (colour, shape, or both) task-relevant. Memory performance in the colour condition was better than in the shape and both condition which did not differ. Pupil dilation and the posterior N1 increased with set size independent of type of feature. In contrast, slow waves and a posterior P2 component showed set size effects but only if shape was task-relevant. In the colour condition slow waves did not vary with set size. We suggest that pupil size and N1 indicates different states of attentional effort corresponding to the number of presented items. In contrast, slow waves reflect processes related to encoding and maintenance strategies. The observation that their potentials vary with the type of feature (simple colour versus complex shape) indicates that perceptual complexity already influences encoding and storage and not only comparison of targets with memory entries at the moment of testing. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Data-driven process decomposition and robust online distributed modelling for large-scale processes

Science.gov (United States)

Shu, Zhang; Lijuan, Li; Lijuan, Yao; Shipin, Yang; Tao, Zou

2018-02-01

With the increasing attention of networked control, system decomposition and distributed models show significant importance in the implementation of model-based control strategy. In this paper, a data-driven system decomposition and online distributed subsystem modelling algorithm was proposed for large-scale chemical processes. The key controlled variables are first partitioned by affinity propagation clustering algorithm into several clusters. Each cluster can be regarded as a subsystem. Then the inputs of each subsystem are selected by offline canonical correlation analysis between all process variables and its controlled variables. Process decomposition is then realised after the screening of input and output variables. When the system decomposition is finished, the online subsystem modelling can be carried out by recursively block-wise renewing the samples. The proposed algorithm was applied in the Tennessee Eastman process and the validity was verified.

Ultra slow muon microscopy by laser resonant ionization at J-PARC, MUSE

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Miyake, Y., E-mail: yasuhiro.miyake@kek.jp; Ikedo, Y.; Shimomura, K.; Strasser, P.; Kawamura, N.; Nishiyama, K.; Koda, A.; Fujimori, H.; Makimura, S.; Nakamura, J.; Nagatomo, T.; Kadono, R. [High Energy Accelerator Research Organization (KEK), Muon Science Laboratory (Japan); Torikai, E. [Yamanashi University, Faculty of Engineering (Japan); Iwasaki, M. [RIKEN Nishina Center, Advanced Meson Science Laboratory (Japan); Wada, S.; Saito, N. [RIKEN, Advanced Science Institute (Japan); Okamura, K. [RIKEN-WAKO Incubation Plaza 301, Megaopto Co., Ltd. (Japan); Yokoyama, K. [RIKEN Nishina Center, Advanced Meson Science Laboratory (Japan); Ito, T.; Higemoto, W. [J-PARC Center, Muon Section, Materials and Life Science Division (Japan)

2013-04-15

As one of the principal muon beam line at the J-PARC muon facility (MUSE), we are now constructing a Muon beam line (U-Line), which consists of a large acceptance solenoid made of mineral insulation cables (MIC), a superconducting curved transport solenoid and superconducting axial focusing magnets. There, we can extract 2 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup 8}/s surface muons towards a hot tungsten target. At the U-Line, we are now establishing a new type of muon microscopy; a new technique with use of the intense ultra-slow muon source generated by resonant ionization of thermal Muonium (designated as Mu; consisting of a {mu}{sup + } and an e{sup - }) atoms generated from the surface of the tungsten target. In this contribution, the latest status of the Ultra Slow Muon Microscopy project, fully funded, is reported.
Slow Images and Entangled Photons

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Swordy, Simon

2007-01-01

I will discuss some recent experiments using slow light and entangled photons. We recently showed that it was possible to map a two dimensional image onto very low light level signals, slow them down in a hot atomic vapor while preserving the amplitude and phase of the images. If time remains, I will discuss some of our recent work with time-energy entangled photons for quantum cryptography. We were able to show that we could have a measurable state space of over 1000 states for a single pair of entangled photons in fiber.
Physical processes in spin polarized plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kulsrud, R.M.; Valeo, E.J.; Cowley, S.

1984-05-01

If the plasma in a nuclear fusion reactor is polarized, the nuclear reactions are modified in such a way as to enhance the reactor performance. We calculate in detail the modification of these nuclear reactions by different modes of polarization of the nuclear fuel. We also consider in detail the various physical processes that can lead to depolarization and show that they are by and large slow enough that a high degree of polarization can be maintained
QCD phenomenology of the large P/sub T/ processes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stroynowski, R.

1979-11-01

Quantum Chromodynamics (QCD) provides a framework for the possible high-accuracy calculations of the large-p/sub T/ processes. The description of the large-transverse-momentum phenomena is introduced in terms of the parton model, and the modifications expected from QCD are described by using as an example single-particle distributions. The present status of available data (π, K, p, p-bar, eta, particle ratios, beam ratios, direct photons, nuclear target dependence), the evidence for jets, and the future prospects are reviewed. 80 references, 33 figures, 3 tables
Combined process automation for large-scale EEG analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Sfondouris, John L; Quebedeaux, Tabitha M; Holdgraf, Chris; Musto, Alberto E

2012-01-01

Epileptogenesis is a dynamic process producing increased seizure susceptibility. Electroencephalography (EEG) data provides information critical in understanding the evolution of epileptiform changes throughout epileptic foci. We designed an algorithm to facilitate efficient large-scale EEG analysis via linked automation of multiple data processing steps. Using EEG recordings obtained from electrical stimulation studies, the following steps of EEG analysis were automated: (1) alignment and isolation of pre- and post-stimulation intervals, (2) generation of user-defined band frequency waveforms, (3) spike-sorting, (4) quantification of spike and burst data and (5) power spectral density analysis. This algorithm allows for quicker, more efficient EEG analysis. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Epigenomic maintenance through dietary intervention can facilitate DNA repair process to slow down the progress of premature aging.

Science.gov (United States)

Ghosh, Shampa; Sinha, Jitendra Kumar; Raghunath, Manchala

2016-09-01

DNA damage caused by various sources remains one of the most researched topics in the area of aging and neurodegeneration. Increased DNA damage causes premature aging. Aging is plastic and is characterised by the decline in the ability of a cell/organism to maintain genomic stability. Lifespan can be modulated by various interventions like calorie restriction, a balanced diet of macro and micronutrients or supplementation with nutrients/nutrient formulations such as Amalaki rasayana, docosahexaenoic acid, resveratrol, curcumin, etc. Increased levels of DNA damage in the form of double stranded and single stranded breaks are associated with decreased longevity in animal models like WNIN/Ob obese rats. Erroneous DNA repair can result in accumulation of DNA damage products, which in turn result in premature aging disorders such as Hutchinson-Gilford progeria syndrome. Epigenomic studies of the aging process have opened a completely new arena for research and development of drugs and therapeutic agents. We propose here that agents or interventions that can maintain epigenomic stability and facilitate the DNA repair process can slow down the progress of premature aging, if not completely prevent it. © 2016 IUBMB Life, 68(9):717-721, 2016. © 2016 International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.
Development of lead slowing down spectrometer for isotopic fissile assay

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Yong Deok; Park, Chang Je; Ahn, Sang Joon; Kim, Ho Dong

2014-01-01

A lead slowing down spectrometer (LSDS) is under development for analysis of isotopic fissile material contents in pyro-processed material, or spent fuel. Many current commercial fissile assay technologies have a limitation in accurate and direct assay of fissile content. However, LSDS is very sensitive in distinguishing fissile fission signals from each isotope. A neutron spectrum analysis was conducted in the spectrometer and the energy resolution was investigated from 0.1eV to 100keV. The spectrum was well shaped in the slowing down energy. The resolution was enough to obtain each fissile from 0.2eV to 1keV. The detector existence in the lead will disturb the source neutron spectrum. It causes a change in resolution and peak amplitude. The intense source neutron production was designed for ∼E12 n's/sec to overcome spent fuel background. The detection sensitivity of U238 and Th232 fission chamber was investigated. The first and second layer detectors increase detection efficiency. Thorium also has a threshold property to detect the fast fission neutrons from fissile fission. However, the detection of Th232 is about 76% of that of U238. A linear detection model was set up over the slowing down neutron energy to obtain each fissile material content. The isotopic fissile assay using LSDS is applicable for the optimum design of spent fuel storage to maximize burnup credit and quality assurance of the recycled nuclear material for safety and economics. LSDS technology will contribute to the transparency and credibility of pyro-process using spent fuel, as internationally demanded.
Process variations in surface nano geometries manufacture on large area substrates

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Calaon, Matteo; Hansen, Hans Nørgaard; Tosello, Guido

2014-01-01

The need of transporting, treating and measuring increasingly smaller biomedical samples has pushed the integration of a far reaching number of nanofeatures over large substrates size in respect to the conventional processes working area windows. Dimensional stability of nano fabrication processe...
The slow control system of the HADES RPC wall

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gil, A.; Blanco, A.; Castro, E.; Díaz, J.; Garzón, J.A.; Gonzalez-Diaz, D.; Fouedjio, L.; Kolb, B.W.; Palka, M.; Traxler, M.; Trebacz, R.; Zumbruch, P.

2012-01-01

The control and monitoring system for the new HADES RPC time of flight wall installed at GSI Helmholtzzentrum für Schwerionenforschung GmbH (Darmstadt, Germany), is described. The slow control system controls/monitors about 6000 variables from different physical devices via a distributed architecture, which uses intensively the 1-wire ® bus. The software implementation is based on the Experimental Physics and Industrial Control System (EPICS) software tool kit providing low cost, reliability and adaptability without requiring large hardware resources. The control and monitoring system attends five different subsystems: front-end electronics, low voltage, high voltage, gases, and detector.
Transformer Industry Productivity Slows.

Science.gov (United States)

Otto, Phyllis Flohr

1981-01-01

Annual productivity increases averaged 2.4 percent during 1963-79, slowing since 1972 to 1.5 percent; computer-assisted design and product standardization aided growth in output per employee-hour. (Author)
Response of electret dosemeter to slow neutrons

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ghilardi, A.J.P.; Pela, C.A.; Zimmerman, R.L.

1987-01-01

The response of electret dosemeter to slow neutrons exposure is cited, mentioning the preparation and the irradiation of dosemeter with Am-Be source. Some theory considerations about the response of electret dosemeter to slow and fast neutrons are also presented. (C.G.C.) [pt
Dystonia Associated with Idiopathic Slow Orthostatic Tremor

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Christopher Kobylecki

2016-02-01

Full Text Available Background: We aimed to characterize the clinical and electrophysiological features of patients with slow orthostatic tremor.Case Report: The clinical and neurophysiological data of patients referred for lower limb tremor on standing were reviewed. Patients with symptomatic or primary orthostatic tremor were excluded. Eight patients were identified with idiopathic slow 4–8 Hz orthostatic tremor, which was associated with tremor and dystonia in cervical and upper limb musculature. Coherence analysis in two patients showed findings different to those seen in primary orthostatic tremor.Discussion: Slow orthostatic tremor may be associated with dystonia and dystonic tremor.
Slow positron applications at slow positron facility of institute of materials structure science, KEK

Science.gov (United States)

Hyodo, Toshio; Mochizuki, Izumi; Wada, Ken; Toge, Nobukazu; Shidara, Tetsuo

2018-05-01

Slow Positron Facility at High Energy Accelerator Research Organization (KEK) is a user dedicated facility with an energy-tunable (0.1 - 35 keV) slow positron beam created by a dedicated ˜ 50 MeV linac. It operates in a short pulse (width 1-12 ns, variable, 5×106 e+/s) and a long pulse (width 1.2 µs, 5×107 e+/s) modes of 50 Hz. High energy positrons from pair creation are moderated by reemission after thermalization in W foils. The reemitted positrons are then electrostatically accelerated to a desired energy up to 35 keV and magnetically transported. A pulse-stretching section (pulse stretcher) is installed in the middle of the beamline. It stretches the slow positron pulse for the experiments where too many positrons annihilating in the sample at the same time has to be avoided. Four experiment stations for TRHEPD (total-reflection high-energy positron diffraction), LEPD (low-energy positron diffraction), Ps- (positronium negative ion), and Ps-TOF (positronium time-of-flight) experiments are connected to the beamline branches, SPF-A3, SPF-A4, SPF-B1 and SPF-B2, respectively. Recent results of these stations are briefly described.
Hidden slow pulsars in binaries

Science.gov (United States)

Tavani, Marco; Brookshaw, Leigh

1993-01-01

The recent discovery of the binary containing the slow pulsar PSR 1718-19 orbiting around a low-mass companion star adds new light on the characteristics of binary pulsars. The properties of the radio eclipses of PSR 1718-19 are the most striking observational characteristics of this system. The surface of the companion star produces a mass outflow which leaves only a small 'window' in orbital phase for the detection of PSR 1718-19 around 400 MHz. At this observing frequency, PSR 1718-19 is clearly observable only for about 1 hr out of the total 6.2 hr orbital period. The aim of this Letter is twofold: (1) to model the hydrodynamical behavior of the eclipsing material from the companion star of PSR 1718-19 and (2) to argue that a population of binary slow pulsars might have escaped detection in pulsar surveys carried out at 400 MHz. The possible existence of a population of partially or totally hidden slow pulsars in binaries will have a strong impact on current theories of binary evolution of neutron stars.
Is there a relation between EEG-slow waves and memory dysfunction in epilepsy? A critical appraisal.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Höller eYvonne

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Is there a relationship between peri-ictal slow waves, loss of consciousness, memory, and slow wave sleep, in patients with different forms of epilepsy? We hypothesize that mechanisms which result in peri-ictal slow wave activity as detected by the electroencephalogram could negatively affect memory processes.Slow waves (≤ 4 Hz can be found in seizures with impairment of consciousness and also occur in focal seizures without impairment of consciousness but with inhibited access to memory functions. Peri-ictal slow waves are regarded as dysfunctional and are probably caused by mechanisms which are essential to disturb the consolidation of memory entries in these patients. This is in strong contrast to physiological slow wave activity during deep sleep, which is thought to group memory-consolidating fast oscillatory activity.In patients with epilepsy, slow waves may not only correlate with the peri-ictal clouding of consciousness, but could be the epiphenomenon of mechanisms which interfere with normal brain function in a wider range. These mechanisms may have transient impacts on memory, such as temporary inhibition of memory systems, altered patterns of hippocampal-neocortical interactions during slow wave sleep, or disturbed cross-frequency coupling of slow and fast oscillations. In addition, repeated tonic-clonic seizures over the years in uncontrolled chronic epilepsy may cause a progressive cognitive decline.This hypothesis can only be assessed in long term prospective studies. These studies could disentangle the reversible short-term impacts of seizures, and the impacts of chronic uncontrolled seizures. Chronic uncontrolled seizures lead to irreversible memory impairment. In contrast, short term impacts do not necessarily lead to a progressive cognitive decline but result in significantly impaired peri-ictal memory performance.
Broadband Reflective Coating Process for Large FUVOIR Mirrors, Phase I

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — ZeCoat Corporation will develop and demonstrate a set of revolutionary coating processes for making broadband reflective coatings suitable for very large mirrors (4+...
Analysis of the neutron slowing down equation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sengupta, A.; Karnick, H.

1978-01-01

The infinite series solution of the elementary neutron slowing down equation is studied using the theory of entire functions of exponential type and nonharmonic Fourier series. It is shown from Muntz--Szasz and Paley--Wiener theorems, that the set of exponentials ]exp(ilambda/sub n/u) ]/sup infinity//sub n/=-infinity, where ]lambda/sub n/]/sup infinity//sub n/=-infinity are the roots of the transcendental equation in slowing down theory, is complete and forms a basis in a lethargy interval epsilon. This distinctive role of the maximum lethargy change per collision is due to the Fredholm character of the slowing down operator which need not be quasinilpotent. The discontinuities in the derivatives of the collision density are examined by treating the slowing down equation in its differential-difference form. The solution (Hilbert) space is the union of a countable number of subspaces L 2 (-epsilon/2, epsilon/2) over each of which the exponential functions are complete
A new slow positron beam facility using a compact cyclotron

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hirose, Masafumi

1998-01-01

In 1993, Sumitomo Heavy Industries became the first in the world to successfully produce a slow positron beam using a compact cyclotron. Slow positron beam production using an accelerator had mainly consisted of using an electron linear accelerator (LINAC). However, the newly developed system that uses a compact cyclotron enabled cost reduction, downsizing of equipment, production of a DC slow positron beam, a polarized slow positron beam, and other benefits. After that, a genuine slow positron beam facility was developed with the construction of compact cyclotron No.2, and beam production in the new facility has already been started. The features of this new slow positron beam facility are explained below. 1) It is the world's first compact slow positron beam facility using a compact cyclotron. 2) It is the only genuine slow positron beam facility in the world which incorporates the production and use of a slow positron beam in the design stage of the cyclotron. To use a slow positron beam for non-destructive detection of lattice defects in semiconductor material, it is necessary to convert the beam into ultra-short pulses of several hundreds of pico-seconds. Sumitomo Heavy Industries has devised a new short-pulsing method (i.e. an induction bunching method) that enables the conversion of a slow positron beam into short pulses with an optimum pulsing electric field change, and succeeded in converting a slow positron beam into short pulses using this method for the first time in the world. Non-destructive detection of lattice defects in semiconductor material using this equipment has already been started, and some information about the depth distribution, size, density, etc. of lattice defects has already been obtained. (J.P.N.)
Source of spill ripple in the RF-KO slow-extraction method with FM and AM

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Noda, K.; Furukawa, T.; Shibuya, S.; Muramatsu, M.; Uesugi, T.; Kanazawa, M.; Torikoshi, M.; Takada, E.; Yamada, S.

2002-01-01

The RF-knockout (RF-KO) slow-extraction method with frequency modulation (FM) and amplitude modulation (AM) has brought high-accuracy irradiation to the treatment of a cancer tumor moving with respiration, because of a quick response to beam start/stop. However, a beam spill extracted from a synchrotron ring through RF-KO slow-extraction has a huge ripple with a frequency of around 1 kHz related to the FM. The spill ripple will disturb the lateral dose distribution in the beam scanning methods. Thus, the source of the spill ripple has been investigated through experiments and simulations. There are two tune regions for the extraction process through the RF-KO method: the extraction region and the diffusion region. The particles in the extraction region can be extracted due to amplitude growth through the transverse RF field, only when its frequency matches with the tune in the extraction region. For a large chromaticity, however, the particles in the extraction region can be extracted through the synchrotron oscillation, even when the frequency does not match with the tune in the extraction region. Thus, the spill structure during one period of the FM strongly depends on the horizontal chromaticity. They are repeated with the repetition frequency of the FM, which is the very source of the spill ripple in the RF-KO method
Can fast and slow intelligence be differentiated?

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Partchev, I.; de Boeck, P.

2012-01-01

Responses to items from an intelligence test may be fast or slow. The research issue dealt with in this paper is whether the intelligence involved in fast correct responses differs in nature from the intelligence involved in slow correct responses. There are two questions related to this issue: 1.

A practical process for light-water detritiation at large scales

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Boniface, H.A. [Atomic Energy of Canada Limited, Chalk River, ON (Canada); Robinson, J., E-mail: jr@tyne-engineering.com [Tyne Engineering, Burlington, ON (Canada); Gnanapragasam, N.V.; Castillo, I.; Suppiah, S. [Atomic Energy of Canada Limited, Chalk River, ON (Canada)

2014-07-01

AECL and Tyne Engineering have recently completed a preliminary engineering design for a modest-scale tritium removal plant for light water, intended for installation at AECL's Chalk River Laboratories (CRL). This plant design was based on the Combined Electrolysis and Catalytic Exchange (CECE) technology developed at CRL over many years and demonstrated there and elsewhere. The general features and capabilities of this design have been reported as well as the versatility of the design for separating any pair of the three hydrogen isotopes. The same CECE technology could be applied directly to very large-scale wastewater detritiation, such as the case at Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station. However, since the CECE process scales linearly with throughput, the required capital and operating costs are substantial for such large-scale applications. This paper discusses some options for reducing the costs of very large-scale detritiation. Options include: Reducing tritium removal effectiveness; Energy recovery; Improving the tolerance of impurities; Use of less expensive or more efficient equipment. A brief comparison with alternative processes is also presented. (author)
Traditional Procurement is too Slow

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ann Kong

2012-11-01

Full Text Available This paper reports on an exploratory interview survey of construction project participants aimed at identifying the reasons for the decrease in use of the traditional, lump-sum, procurement system in Malaysia. The results show that most people believe it is too slow. This appears to be in part due to the contiguous nature of the various phase and stages of the process and especially the separation of the design and construction phases. The delays caused by disputes between the various parties are also seen as a contributory factor - the most prominent cause being the frequency of variations, with design and scope changes being a particular source of discontent. It is concluded that an up scaling of the whole of the time related reward/penalty system may be the most appropriate measure for the practice in future.
Revealing Hidden Structural Order Controlling Both Fast and Slow Glassy Dynamics in Supercooled Liquids

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hua Tong

2018-03-01

Full Text Available The dynamics of a supercooled liquid near the glass transition is characterized by two-step relaxation, fast β and slow α relaxations. Because of the apparently disordered nature of glassy structures, there have been long debates over whether the origin of drastic slowing-down of the α relaxation accompanied by heterogeneous dynamics is thermodynamic or dynamic. Furthermore, it has been elusive whether there is any deep connection between fast β and slow α modes. To settle these issues, here we introduce a set of new structural order parameters characterizing sterically favored structures with high local packing capability, and then access structure-dynamics correlation by a novel nonlocal approach. We find that the particle mobility is under control of the static order parameter field. The fast β process is controlled by the instantaneous order parameter field locally, resulting in short-time particle-scale dynamics. Then the mobility field progressively develops with time t, following the initial order parameter field from disorder to more ordered regions. As is well known, the heterogeneity in the mobility field (dynamic heterogeneity is maximized with a characteristic length ξ_{4}, when t reaches the relaxation time τ_{α}. We discover that this mobility pattern can be predicted solely by a spatial coarse graining of the initial order parameter field at t=0 over a length ξ without any dynamical information. Furthermore, we find a relation ξ∼ξ_{4}, indicating that the static length ξ grows coherently with the dynamic one ξ_{4} upon cooling. This further suggests an intrinsic link between τ_{α} and ξ: the growth of the static length ξ is the origin of dynamical slowing-down. These we confirm for the first time in binary glass formers both in two and three spatial dimensions. Thus, a static structure has two intrinsic characteristic lengths, particle size and ξ, which control dynamics in local and nonlocal manners, resulting
Revealing Hidden Structural Order Controlling Both Fast and Slow Glassy Dynamics in Supercooled Liquids

Science.gov (United States)

Tong, Hua; Tanaka, Hajime

2018-01-01

The dynamics of a supercooled liquid near the glass transition is characterized by two-step relaxation, fast β and slow α relaxations. Because of the apparently disordered nature of glassy structures, there have been long debates over whether the origin of drastic slowing-down of the α relaxation accompanied by heterogeneous dynamics is thermodynamic or dynamic. Furthermore, it has been elusive whether there is any deep connection between fast β and slow α modes. To settle these issues, here we introduce a set of new structural order parameters characterizing sterically favored structures with high local packing capability, and then access structure-dynamics correlation by a novel nonlocal approach. We find that the particle mobility is under control of the static order parameter field. The fast β process is controlled by the instantaneous order parameter field locally, resulting in short-time particle-scale dynamics. Then the mobility field progressively develops with time t , following the initial order parameter field from disorder to more ordered regions. As is well known, the heterogeneity in the mobility field (dynamic heterogeneity) is maximized with a characteristic length ξ4, when t reaches the relaxation time τα. We discover that this mobility pattern can be predicted solely by a spatial coarse graining of the initial order parameter field at t =0 over a length ξ without any dynamical information. Furthermore, we find a relation ξ ˜ξ4, indicating that the static length ξ grows coherently with the dynamic one ξ4 upon cooling. This further suggests an intrinsic link between τα and ξ : the growth of the static length ξ is the origin of dynamical slowing-down. These we confirm for the first time in binary glass formers both in two and three spatial dimensions. Thus, a static structure has two intrinsic characteristic lengths, particle size and ξ , which control dynamics in local and nonlocal manners, resulting in the emergence of the two
Responsive demand to mitigate slow recovery voltage sags

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Garcia-Valle, Rodrigo; da Silva, Luiz Carlos Pereira; Xu, Zhao

2012-01-01

, and reactive power reserve for peak load management through price responsive methods and also as energy providers through embedded generation technologies. This article introduces a new technology, called demand as voltagecontrolled reserve, which can help mitigation of momentary voltage sags. The technology...... faults. This article presents detailed models, discussion, and simulation tests to demonstrate the technical viability and effectiveness of the demand as voltage-controlled reserve technology for mitigating voltage sags....... can be provided by thermostatically controlled loads as well as other types of load. This technology has proven to be effective in distribution systems with a large composition of induction motors, when voltage sags present slow recovery characteristics because of the deceleration of the motors during...
Phonon properties and slow organic-to-inorganic sub-lattice thermalization in hybrid perovskites

Science.gov (United States)

Chan, Maria; Chang, Angela; Xia, Yi; Sadasivam, Sridhar; Guo, Peijun; Kinaci, Alper; Lin, Hao-Wu; Darancet, Pierre; Schaller, Richard

Organic-inorganic hybrid perovskite halide compounds have been investigated extensively for photovoltaics (PVs) and related applications. The thermal transport properties of hybrid perovskites, including phonon-carrier and phonon-phonon interactions, are of significance for their PV and solar thermoelectric applications. The interlocking organic and inorganic sublattices can be thought of as an extreme form of nanostructuring. A result of this nanostructuring is the large gap in phonon frequencies between the organic and inorganic sublattices, which is expected to create bottlenecks in phonon equilibration. In this work, we use a combination of ultrafast spectroscopy including photoluminescence and transient absorption, as well as first principles density functional theory (DFT), ab initio molecular dynamics calculations, phonon lifetimes derived from DFT force constants, and non-equilibrium phonon dynamics accounting for phonon lifetimes, to determine the phonon and charge interaction processes. We find evidence that thermalization of carriers occur at an atypically slow 50-100 ps time scale owing to the complex interplay between electronic and phonon excitations.
Interacting Turing-Hopf Instabilities Drive Symmetry-Breaking Transitions in a Mean-Field Model of the Cortex: A Mechanism for the Slow Oscillation

Science.gov (United States)

Steyn-Ross, Moira L.; Steyn-Ross, D. A.; Sleigh, J. W.

2013-04-01

Electrical recordings of brain activity during the transition from wake to anesthetic coma show temporal and spectral alterations that are correlated with gross changes in the underlying brain state. Entry into anesthetic unconsciousness is signposted by the emergence of large, slow oscillations of electrical activity (≲1Hz) similar to the slow waves observed in natural sleep. Here we present a two-dimensional mean-field model of the cortex in which slow spatiotemporal oscillations arise spontaneously through a Turing (spatial) symmetry-breaking bifurcation that is modulated by a Hopf (temporal) instability. In our model, populations of neurons are densely interlinked by chemical synapses, and by interneuronal gap junctions represented as an inhibitory diffusive coupling. To demonstrate cortical behavior over a wide range of distinct brain states, we explore model dynamics in the vicinity of a general-anesthetic-induced transition from “wake” to “coma.” In this region, the system is poised at a codimension-2 point where competing Turing and Hopf instabilities coexist. We model anesthesia as a moderate reduction in inhibitory diffusion, paired with an increase in inhibitory postsynaptic response, producing a coma state that is characterized by emergent low-frequency oscillations whose dynamics is chaotic in time and space. The effect of long-range axonal white-matter connectivity is probed with the inclusion of a single idealized point-to-point connection. We find that the additional excitation from the long-range connection can provoke seizurelike bursts of cortical activity when inhibitory diffusion is weak, but has little impact on an active cortex. Our proposed dynamic mechanism for the origin of anesthetic slow waves complements—and contrasts with—conventional explanations that require cyclic modulation of ion-channel conductances. We postulate that a similar bifurcation mechanism might underpin the slow waves of natural sleep and comment on the
A framework for the correction of slow physiological drifts during MR-guided HIFU therapies : Proof of concept

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Zachiu, Cornel; de Senneville, Baudouin Denis; Moonen, Chrit; Ries, Mario

Purpose: While respiratory motion compensation for magnetic resonance (MR)-guided high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) interventions has been extensively studied, the influence of slow physiological motion due to, for example, peristaltic activity, has so far been largely neglected. During
Physical models and primary design of reactor based slow positron source at CMRR

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Guanbo; Li, Rundong; Qian, Dazhi; Yang, Xin

2018-07-01

Slow positron facilities are widely used in material science. A high intensity slow positron source is now at the design stage based on the China Mianyang Research Reactor (CMRR). This paper describes the physical models and our primary design. We use different computer programs or mathematical formula to simulate different physical process, and validate them by proper experiments. Considering the feasibility, we propose a primary design, containing a cadmium shield, a honeycomb arranged W tubes assembly, electrical lenses, and a solenoid. It is planned to be vertically inserted in the Si-doping channel. And the beam intensity is expected to be 5 ×109
The GLUT4 density in slow fibres is not increased in athletes. How does training increase the GLUT4 pool originating from slow fibres?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gaster, M; Franch, J; Beck-Nielsen, H

2001-01-01

% of the fraction in the control group. Thus, GLUT4 originating from slow-twitch fibres was increased by 30% (Pincreases slow-twitch fibre GLUT4 expression by means of an elevated slow-twitch fibre mass in human skeletal muscle.......The influence of training on GLUT4 expression in slow- and fast-twitch skeletal muscle fibres was studied in male endurance-trained athletes and control subjects. The trained state was ensured by elevated maximal oxygen uptake (29%), as well as citrate synthase (60%) and 3-hydroxy......-acyl-CoA dehydrogenase (38%) activities in muscle biopsy samples of the vastus lateralis. GLUT4 densities in slow- and fast-twitch fibres were measured by the use of a newly developed, sensitive method combining immunohistochemistry with morphometry, and no effect of training was found. GLUT4 density was higher in slow...
Magnon inflation: slow roll with steep potentials

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Adshead, Peter [Department of Physics, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign,Urbana, IL 61801 (United States); Blas, Diego [Theoretical Physics Department, CERN,CH-1211 Geneva 23 (Switzerland); Burgess, C.P.; Hayman, Peter [Physics & Astronomy, McMaster University,Hamilton, ON, L8S 4M1 (Canada); Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics, Waterloo, Ontario N2L 2Y5 (Canada); Patil, Subodh P. [Department of Theoretical Physics, University of Geneva,24 Quai Ansermet, Geneva, CH-1211 (Switzerland)

2016-11-04

We find multi-scalar effective field theories (EFTs) that can achieve a slow inflationary roll despite having a scalar potential that does not satisfy G{sup ab}∂{sub a}V∂{sub b}V≪V{sup 2}/M{sub p}{sup 2} (where G{sub ab} is the target-space metric). They evade the usual slow-roll conditions on V because their kinetic energies are dominated by single-derivative terms rather than the usual two-derivative terms. Single derivatives dominate during slow roll and so do not require a breakdown of the usual derivative expansion that underpins calculational control in much of cosmology. The presence of such terms requires some sort of UV Lorentz-symmetry breaking during inflation (besides the usual cosmological breaking). Chromo-natural inflation provides one particular example of a UV theory that can generate the multi-field single-derivative terms we consider, and we argue that the EFT we find indeed captures the slow-roll conditions for its background evolution. We also show that our EFT can be understood as a multi-field generalization of the single-field Cuscuton models. The multi-field case introduces a new feature, however: the scalar kinetic terms define a target-space 2-form, F{sub ab}, whose antisymmetry gives new ways for slow roll to be achieved.
Patients' and procedural characteristics of AV-block during slow pathway modulation for AVNRT-single center 10year experience.

Science.gov (United States)

Wasmer, Kristina; Dechering, Dirk G; Köbe, Julia; Leitz, Patrick; Frommeyer, Gerrit; Lange, Phillip S; Kochhäuser, Simon; Reinke, Florian; Pott, Christian; Mönnig, Gerold; Breithardt, Günter; Eckardt, Lars

2017-10-01

Permanent AV-block is a recognized and feared complication of slow pathway modulation for AVNRT. We aimed to assess incidence of transient and permanent AV-block as well as consequences of transient AV-block in a large contemporary AVNRT ablation cohort. We searched our single center prospective ablation database for occurrence of transient and permanent AV-block during slow pathway modulation between January 2004 and October 2015. We analyzed patients' and procedural characteristics as well as outcome of patients in whom transient or permanent AV-block occurred. Of 9170 patients who underwent a catheter ablation at our institution between January 2004 and October 2015, 2101 patients (64% women, mean age 50±18years) underwent slow pathway modulation. In three patients, permanent AV-block occurred during RF application. Additional two patients had transient AV-block that recovered (after a few minutes and 25min), but recurred within two days of the procedure. All five patients underwent dual chamber pacemaker implantation (0.2%). Transient AV-block related to RF delivery occurred in 44 patients (2%). Transient mechanical AV-block occurred in additional 17 patients (0.8%). In 12 patients, ablation was continued despite transient AV-block. One of these patients developed permanent AV-block. Permanent AV-block following slow pathway modulation is a rare event, occurring in 0.2% of patients in a large contemporary single center cohort. Transient AV-block is more frequent (2%). Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Processing and properties of large grain (RE)BCO

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cardwell, D.A.

1998-01-01

The potential of high temperature superconductors to generate large magnetic fields and to carry current with low power dissipation at 77 K is particularly attractive for a variety of permanent magnet applications. As a result large grain bulk (RE)-Ba-Cu-O ((RE)BCO) materials have been developed by melt process techniques in an attempt to fabricate practical materials for use in high field devices. This review outlines the current state of the art in this field of processing, including seeding requirements for the controlled fabrication of these materials, the origin of striking growth features such as the formation of a facet plane around the seed, platelet boundaries and (RE) 2 BaCuO 5 (RE-211) inclusions in the seeded melt grown microstructure. An observed variation in critical current density in large grain (RE)BCO samples is accounted for by Sm contamination of the material in the vicinity of the seed and with the development of a non-uniform growth morphology at ∼4 mm from the seed position. (RE)Ba 2 Cu 3 O 7-δ (RE-123) dendrites are observed to form and bro[en preferentially within the a/b plane of the lattice in this growth regime. Finally, trapped fields in excess of 3 T have been reported in irr[iated U-doped YBCO and (RE) 1+x Ba 2-x Cu 3 O y (RE=Sm, Nd) materials have been observed to carry transport current in fields of up to 10 T at 77 K. This underlines the potential of bulk (RE)BCO materials for practical permanent magnet type applications. (orig.)
A Decomposition-Based Pricing Method for Solving a Large-Scale MILP Model for an Integrated Fishery

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. Babul Hasan

2007-01-01

The IFP can be decomposed into a trawler-scheduling subproblem and a fish-processing subproblem in two different ways by relaxing different sets of constraints. We tried conventional decomposition techniques including subgradient optimization and Dantzig-Wolfe decomposition, both of which were unacceptably slow. We then developed a decomposition-based pricing method for solving the large fishery model, which gives excellent computation times. Numerical results for several planning horizon models are presented.
Large volume axionic Swiss cheese inflation

Science.gov (United States)

Misra, Aalok; Shukla, Pramod

2008-09-01

Continuing with the ideas of (Section 4 of) [A. Misra, P. Shukla, Moduli stabilization, large-volume dS minimum without anti-D3-branes, (non-)supersymmetric black hole attractors and two-parameter Swiss cheese Calabi Yau's, arXiv: 0707.0105 [hep-th], Nucl. Phys. B, in press], after inclusion of perturbative and non-perturbative α corrections to the Kähler potential and (D1- and D3-) instanton generated superpotential, we show the possibility of slow roll axionic inflation in the large volume limit of Swiss cheese Calabi Yau orientifold compactifications of type IIB string theory. We also include one- and two-loop corrections to the Kähler potential but find the same to be subdominant to the (perturbative and non-perturbative) α corrections. The NS NS axions provide a flat direction for slow roll inflation to proceed from a saddle point to the nearest dS minimum.
Large volume axionic Swiss cheese inflation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Misra, Aalok; Shukla, Pramod

2008-01-01

Continuing with the ideas of (Section 4 of) [A. Misra, P. Shukla, Moduli stabilization, large-volume dS minimum without anti-D3-branes, (non-)supersymmetric black hole attractors and two-parameter Swiss cheese Calabi-Yau's, (arXiv: 0707.0105 [hep-th]), Nucl. Phys. B, in press], after inclusion of perturbative and non-perturbative α ' corrections to the Kaehler potential and (D1- and D3-) instanton generated superpotential, we show the possibility of slow roll axionic inflation in the large volume limit of Swiss cheese Calabi-Yau orientifold compactifications of type IIB string theory. We also include one- and two-loop corrections to the Kaehler potential but find the same to be subdominant to the (perturbative and non-perturbative) α ' corrections. The NS-NS axions provide a flat direction for slow roll inflation to proceed from a saddle point to the nearest dS minimum
The Applicability of Incoherent Array Processing to IMS Seismic Array Stations

Science.gov (United States)

Gibbons, S. J.

2012-04-01

The seismic arrays of the International Monitoring System for the CTBT differ greatly in size and geometry, with apertures ranging from below 1 km to over 60 km. Large and medium aperture arrays with large inter-site spacings complicate the detection and estimation of high frequency phases since signals are often incoherent between sensors. Many such phases, typically from events at regional distances, remain undetected since pipeline algorithms often consider only frequencies low enough to allow coherent array processing. High frequency phases that are detected are frequently attributed qualitatively incorrect backazimuth and slowness estimates and are consequently not associated with the correct event hypotheses. This can lead to missed events both due to a lack of contributing phase detections and by corruption of event hypotheses by spurious detections. Continuous spectral estimation can be used for phase detection and parameter estimation on the largest aperture arrays, with phase arrivals identified as local maxima on beams of transformed spectrograms. The estimation procedure in effect measures group velocity rather than phase velocity and the ability to estimate backazimuth and slowness requires that the spatial extent of the array is large enough to resolve time-delays between envelopes with a period of approximately 4 or 5 seconds. The NOA, AKASG, YKA, WRA, and KURK arrays have apertures in excess of 20 km and spectrogram beamforming on these stations provides high quality slowness estimates for regional phases without additional post-processing. Seven arrays with aperture between 10 and 20 km (MJAR, ESDC, ILAR, KSRS, CMAR, ASAR, and EKA) can provide robust parameter estimates subject to a smoothing of the resulting slowness grids, most effectively achieved by convolving the measured slowness grids with the array response function for a 4 or 5 second period signal. The MJAR array in Japan recorded high SNR Pn signals for both the 2006 and 2009 North Korea
miRNA targeted signaling pathway in the early stage of denervated fast and slow muscle atrophy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gang Li

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Denervation often results in skeletal muscle atrophy. Different mechanisms seem to be involved in the determination between denervated slow and fast skeletal muscle atrophy. At the epigenetic level, miRNAs are thought to be highly involved in the pathophysiological progress of denervated muscles. We used miRNA microarrays to determine miRNA expression profiles from a typical slow muscle (soleus muscle and a typical fast muscle (tibialis anterior muscle at an early denervation stage in a rat model. Results showed that miR-206, miR-195, miR-23a, and miR-30e might be key factors in the transformation process from slow to fast muscle in denervated slow muscles. Additionally, certain miRNA molecules (miR-214, miR-221, miR-222, miR-152, miR-320, and Let-7e could be key regulatory factors in the denervated atrophy process involved in fast muscle. Analysis of signaling pathway networks revealed the miRNA molecules that were responsible for regulating certain signaling pathways, which were the final targets (e.g., p38 MAPK pathway; Pax3/Pax7 regulates Utrophin and follistatin by HDAC4; IGF1/PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway regulates atrogin-1 and MuRF1 expression via FoxO phosphorylation. Our results provide a better understanding of the mechanisms of denervated skeletal muscle pathophysiology.
Suppression of chaos at slow variables by rapidly mixing fast dynamics

Science.gov (United States)

Abramov, R.

2012-04-01

One of the key questions about chaotic multiscale systems is how the fast dynamics affects chaos at the slow variables, and, therefore, impacts uncertainty and predictability of the slow dynamics. Here we demonstrate that the linear slow-fast coupling with the total energy conservation property promotes the suppression of chaos at the slow variables through the rapid mixing at the fast variables, both theoretically and through numerical simulations. A suitable mathematical framework is developed, connecting the slow dynamics on the tangent subspaces to the infinite-time linear response of the mean state to a constant external forcing at the fast variables. Additionally, it is shown that the uncoupled dynamics for the slow variables may remain chaotic while the complete multiscale system loses chaos and becomes completely predictable at the slow variables through increasing chaos and turbulence at the fast variables. This result contradicts the common sense intuition, where, naturally, one would think that coupling a slow weakly chaotic system with another much faster and much stronger mixing system would result in general increase of chaos at the slow variables.
How the next US president should slow global warming

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lokey, Elizabeth

2007-01-01

This paper addresses the energy technologies and policies that the next US president should immediately implement to slow global warming. Increased reliance on renewable energy through deployment of a National Renewable Portfolio Standard will help meet increased electrical demand in a sustainable way. Carbon regulation through an internationally fungible cap and trade system will help make renewables more cost competitive with conventional energy. Mandating National Energy Efficiency Portfolio Standards will also help decrease electrical demand and reduce the need for large investments in new generation. Within the transportation sector, plug-in hybrid and electric vehicles should be rapidly deployed to shift this sector's liquid fuel requirements to the electrical grid. (author)

Physical condition for the slowing down of cosmic acceleration

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Ming-Jian; Xia, Jun-Qing

2018-04-01

The possible slowing down of cosmic acceleration was widely studied. However, judgment on this effect in different dark energy parameterizations was very ambiguous. Moreover, the reason of generating these uncertainties was still unknown. In the present paper, we analyze the derivative of deceleration parameter q‧ (z) using the Gaussian processes. This model-independent reconstruction suggests that no slowing down of acceleration is presented within 95% C.L. from the Union2.1 and JLA supernova data. However, q‧ (z) from the observational H (z) data is a little smaller than zero at 95% C.L., which indicates that future H (z) data may have a potential to test this effect. From the evolution of q‧ (z), we present an interesting constraint on the dark energy and observational data. The physical constraint clearly solves the problem of why some dark energy models cannot produce this effect in previous work. Comparison between the constraint and observational data also shows that most of current data are not in the allowed regions. This implies a reason of why current data cannot convincingly measure this effect.
Effect of loss on slow-light-enhanced second-harmonic generation in periodic nanostructures

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Saravi, Sina; Quintero-Bermudez, Rafael; Setzpfandt, Frank

2016-01-01

We theoretically analyze the dependence of second-harmonic generation efficiency on the group index in periodic optical waveguides with loss. We investigate different possible scenarios of using slow light to enhance the efficiency of this process and show that in some cases there exists a maxima...
PF slow positron source

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shirakawa, A.; Enomoto, A.; Kurihara, T.

1993-01-01

A new slow-positron source is under construction at the Photon Factory. Positrons are produced by bombarding a tantalum rod with high-energy electrons; they are moderated in multiple tungsten vanes. We report here the present status of this project. (author)
Constructing large scale SCI-based processing systems by switch elements

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wu, B.; Kristiansen, E.; Skaali, B.; Bogaerts, A.; Divia, R.; Mueller, H.

1993-05-01

The goal of this paper is to study some of the design criteria for the switch elements to form the interconnection of large scale SCI-based processing systems. The approved IEEE standard 1596 makes it possible to couple up to 64K nodes together. In order to connect thousands of nodes to construct large scale SCI-based processing systems, one has to interconnect these nodes by switch elements to form different topologies. A summary of the requirements and key points of interconnection networks and switches is presented. Two models of the SCI switch elements are proposed. The authors investigate several examples of systems constructed for 4-switches with simulations and the results are analyzed. Some issues and enhancements are discussed to provide the ideas behind the switch design that can improve performance and reduce latency. 29 refs., 11 figs., 3 tabs
Non-equilibrium reactive flux: A unified framework for slow and fast reaction kinetics.

Science.gov (United States)

Bose, Amartya; Makri, Nancy

2017-10-21

The flux formulation of reaction rate theory is recast in terms of the expectation value of the reactive flux with an initial condition that corresponds to a non-equilibrium, factorized reactant density. In the common case of slow reactive processes, the non-equilibrium expression reaches the plateau regime only slightly slower than the equilibrium flux form. When the reactants are described by a single quantum state, as in the case of electron transfer reactions, the factorized reactant density describes the true initial condition of the reactive process. In such cases, the time integral of the non-equilibrium flux expression yields the reactant population as a function of time, allowing characterization of the dynamics in cases where there is no clear separation of time scales and thus a plateau regime cannot be identified. The non-equilibrium flux offers a unified approach to the kinetics of slow and fast chemical reactions and is ideally suited to mixed quantum-classical methods.
The embodied embedded character of system 1 processing.

Science.gov (United States)

Bellini-Leite, Samuel de Castro

2013-01-01

In the last thirty years, a relatively large group of cognitive scientists have begun characterising the mind in terms of two distinct, relatively autonomous systems. To account for paradoxes in empirical results of studies mainly on reasoning, Dual Process Theories were developed. Such Dual Process Theories generally agree that System 1 is rapid, automatic, parallel, and heuristic-based and System 2 is slow, capacity-demanding, sequential, and related to consciousness. While System 2 can still be decently understood from a traditional cognitivist approach, I will argue that it is essential for System 1 processing to be comprehended in an Embodied Embedded approach to Cognition.
Fundamental limitations to gain enhancement in slow-light photonic structures

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Grgic, Jure; Ott, Johan Raunkjar; Wang, Fengwen

2012-01-01

We present a non-perturbative analysis of light-matter interaction in active photonic crystal waveguides in the slow-light regime. Inclusion of gain is shown to modify the underlying dispersion law, thereby degrading the slow-light enhancement.......We present a non-perturbative analysis of light-matter interaction in active photonic crystal waveguides in the slow-light regime. Inclusion of gain is shown to modify the underlying dispersion law, thereby degrading the slow-light enhancement....
Nonlinear Gain Saturation in Active Slow Light Photonic Crystal Waveguides

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Chen, Yaohui; Mørk, Jesper

2013-01-01

We present a quantitative three-dimensional analysis of slow-light enhanced traveling wave amplification in an active semiconductor photonic crystal waveguides. The impact of slow-light propagation on the nonlinear gain saturation of the device is investigated.......We present a quantitative three-dimensional analysis of slow-light enhanced traveling wave amplification in an active semiconductor photonic crystal waveguides. The impact of slow-light propagation on the nonlinear gain saturation of the device is investigated....
Slow light enhancement and limitations in periodic media

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Grgic, Jure

in the vicinity of the band edge. The minimum attainable group velocity will depend on the amount of imperfections. Since imperfections are inherited as part of any periodic structure it is necessary to take them into account when we are interested in slow light applications. Slowly propagating light gives rise......Properties of periodic dielectric media have attracted a big interest in the last two decades due to numerous exciting physical phenomena that cannot occur in homogeneous media. Due to their strong dispersive properties, the speed of light can be significantly slowed down in periodic structures....... When light velocity is much smaller than the speed of light in a vacuum, we describe this phenomena as slow light. In this thesis, we analyze important properties of slow light enhancement and limitations in periodic structures. We analyze quantitatively and qualitatively different technologies...
Slow growth rates of Amazonian trees: Consequences for carbon cycling

Science.gov (United States)

Vieira, Simone; Trumbore, Susan; Camargo, Plinio B.; Selhorst, Diogo; Chambers, Jeffrey Q.; Higuchi, Niro; Martinelli, Luiz Antonio

2005-01-01

Quantifying age structure and tree growth rate of Amazonian forests is essential for understanding their role in the carbon cycle. Here, we use radiocarbon dating and direct measurement of diameter increment to document unexpectedly slow growth rates for trees from three locations spanning the Brazilian Amazon basin. Central Amazon trees, averaging only ≈1mm/year diameter increment, grow half as fast as those from areas with more seasonal rainfall to the east and west. Slow growth rates mean that trees can attain great ages; across our sites we estimate 17-50% of trees with diameter >10 cm have ages exceeding 300 years. Whereas a few emergent trees that make up a large portion of the biomass grow faster, small trees that are more abundant grow slowly and attain ages of hundreds of years. The mean age of carbon in living trees (60-110 years) is within the range of or slightly longer than the mean residence time calculated from C inventory divided by annual C allocation to wood growth (40-100 years). Faster C turnover is observed in stands with overall higher rates of diameter increment and a larger fraction of the biomass in large, fast-growing trees. As a consequence, forests can recover biomass relatively quickly after disturbance, whereas recovering species composition may take many centuries. Carbon cycle models that apply a single turnover time for carbon in forest biomass do not account for variations in life strategy and therefore may overestimate the carbon sequestration potential of Amazon forests. PMID:16339903
Polarized (3) He Spin Filters for Slow Neutron Physics.

Science.gov (United States)

Gentile, T R; Chen, W C; Jones, G L; Babcock, E; Walker, T G

2005-01-01

Polarized (3)He spin filters are needed for a variety of experiments with slow neutrons. Their demonstrated utility for highly accurate determination of neutron polarization are critical to the next generation of betadecay correlation coefficient measurements. In addition, they are broadband devices that can polarize large area and high divergence neutron beams with little gamma-ray background, and allow for an additional spin-flip for systematic tests. These attributes are relevant to all neutron sources, but are particularly well-matched to time of flight analysis at spallation sources. There are several issues in the practical use of (3)He spin filters for slow neutron physics. Besides the essential goal of maximizing the (3)He polarization, we also seek to decrease the constraints on cell lifetimes and magnetic field homogeneity. In addition, cells with highly uniform gas thickness are required to produce the spatially uniform neutron polarization needed for beta-decay correlation coefficient experiments. We are currently employing spin-exchange (SE) and metastability-exchange (ME) optical pumping to polarize (3)He, but will focus on SE. We will discuss the recent demonstration of 75 % (3)He polarization, temperature-dependent relaxation mechanism of unknown origin, cell development, spectrally narrowed lasers, and hybrid spin-exchange optical pumping.
Feasibility of large volume casting cementation process for intermediate level radioactive waste

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen Zhuying; Chen Baisong; Zeng Jishu; Yu Chengze

1988-01-01

The recent tendency of radioactive waste treatment and disposal both in China and abroad is reviewed. The feasibility of the large volume casting cementation process for treating and disposing the intermediate level radioactive waste from spent fuel reprocessing plant in shallow land is assessed on the basis of the analyses of the experimental results (such as formulation study, solidified radioactive waste properties measurement ect.). It can be concluded large volume casting cementation process is a promising, safe and economic process. It is feasible to dispose the intermediate level radioactive waste from reprocessing plant it the disposal site chosen has resonable geological and geographical conditions and some additional effective protection means are taken
Large-scale membrane transfer process: its application to single-crystal-silicon continuous membrane deformable mirror

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wu, Tong; Sasaki, Takashi; Hane, Kazuhiro; Akiyama, Masayuki

2013-01-01

This paper describes a large-scale membrane transfer process developed for the construction of large-scale membrane devices via the transfer of continuous single-crystal-silicon membranes from one substrate to another. This technique is applied for fabricating a large stroke deformable mirror. A bimorph spring array is used to generate a large air gap between the mirror membrane and the electrode. A 1.9 mm × 1.9 mm × 2 µm single-crystal-silicon membrane is successfully transferred to the electrode substrate by Au–Si eutectic bonding and the subsequent all-dry release process. This process provides an effective approach for transferring a free-standing large continuous single-crystal-silicon to a flexible suspension spring array with a large air gap. (paper)
Nonlinear effects in optical pumping of a cold and slow atomic beam

KAUST Repository

Porfido, N.

2015-10-12

By photoionizing hyperfine (HF) levels of the Cs state 62P3/2 in a slow and cold atom beam, we find how their population depends on the excitation laser power. The long time (around 180μs) spent by the slow atoms inside the resonant laser beam is large enough to enable exploration of a unique atom-light interaction regime heavily affected by time-dependent optical pumping. We demonstrate that, under such conditions, the onset of nonlinear effects in the population dynamics and optical pumping occurs at excitation laser intensities much smaller than the conventional respective saturation values. The evolution of population within the HF structure is calculated by numerical integration of the multilevel optical Bloch equations. The agreement between numerical results and experiment outcomes is excellent. All main features in the experimental findings are explained by the occurrence of “dark” and “bright” resonances leading to power-dependent branching coefficients.
The Intense Slow Positron Source concept: A theoretical perspective on a proposed INEL Facility

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Makowitz, H.; Abrashoff, J.D.; Landman, W.H.; Albano, R.K.; Tajima, T.

1992-01-01

An analysis has been performed of the INEL Intense Slow Positron Source (ISPS) concept. The results of the theoretical study are encouraging. A full-scale device with a monoenergetic 5 KeV positron beam of ≥10 12 e + /s on a ≤0.03-cmdiameter target appears feasible and can be obtained within the existing infrastructure of INEL reactor facilities. A 30.0-cm-diameter, large area source dish, moderated at first with thin crystalline W films and later by solid Ne, is proposed as the initial device in order to explore problems with a facility scale system. A demonstration scale beam at ≥10 10 slow e + /s is proposed using a 58 Co source plated on a 6-cm-diameter source dish insert, placed in a 30- cm adapter
Improved Visualization of Gastrointestinal Slow Wave Propagation Using a Novel Wavefront-Orientation Interpolation Technique.

Science.gov (United States)

Mayne, Terence P; Paskaranandavadivel, Niranchan; Erickson, Jonathan C; OGrady, Gregory; Cheng, Leo K; Angeli, Timothy R

2018-02-01

High-resolution mapping of gastrointestinal (GI) slow waves is a valuable technique for research and clinical applications. Interpretation of high-resolution GI mapping data relies on animations of slow wave propagation, but current methods remain as rudimentary, pixelated electrode activation animations. This study aimed to develop improved methods of visualizing high-resolution slow wave recordings that increases ease of interpretation. The novel method of "wavefront-orientation" interpolation was created to account for the planar movement of the slow wave wavefront, negate any need for distance calculations, remain robust in atypical wavefronts (i.e., dysrhythmias), and produce an appropriate interpolation boundary. The wavefront-orientation method determines the orthogonal wavefront direction and calculates interpolated values as the mean slow wave activation-time (AT) of the pair of linearly adjacent electrodes along that direction. Stairstep upsampling increased smoothness and clarity. Animation accuracy of 17 human high-resolution slow wave recordings (64-256 electrodes) was verified by visual comparison to the prior method showing a clear improvement in wave smoothness that enabled more accurate interpretation of propagation, as confirmed by an assessment of clinical applicability performed by eight GI clinicians. Quantitatively, the new method produced accurate interpolation values compared to experimental data (mean difference 0.02 ± 0.05 s) and was accurate when applied solely to dysrhythmic data (0.02 ± 0.06 s), both within the error in manual AT marking (mean 0.2 s). Mean interpolation processing time was 6.0 s per wave. These novel methods provide a validated visualization platform that will improve analysis of high-resolution GI mapping in research and clinical translation.
On novel mechanisms of slow ion induced electron emission

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Eder, H.

2000-09-01

The present work has contributed in new ways to the field of slow ion induced electron emission. First, measurements of the total electron yield γ for impact of slow singly and multiply charged ions on atomically clean polycrystalline gold and graphite have been made. The respective yields were determined by current measurements and measurements of the electron number statistics. A new mechanism for kinetic emission (KE) below the so called 'classical threshold' was found and discussed. For a given ion species and impact velocity a slight decrease of the yields was found for ion charge state q = 1 toward 3, but no significant differences in KE yields for higher q values. Comparison of the results from gold and graphite showed overall similar behavior, but for C+ a relatively strong difference was observed and ascribed to more effective electron promotion in the C-C- than in the C-Au system. Secondly, for the very specific system H0 on LiF we investigated single electron excitation processes under grazing incidence conditions. In this way long-range interactions of hydrogen atoms with the ionic crystal surface could be probed. Position- and velocity-dependent electron production rates were found which indicate that an electron promotion mechanism is responsible for the observed electron emission. Thirdly, in order to investigate the importance of plasmon excitation and -decay in slow ion induced electron emission, measurements of electron energy distributions from impact of singly and doubly charged ions on poly- and monocrystalline aluminum surfaces were performed. From the results we conclude that direct plasmon excitation by slow ions occurs due to the potential energy of the projectile in a quasi-resonant fashion. The highest relative plasmon intensities were found for impact of 5 keV Ne+ on Al(111) with 5 % of the total yield. For impact of H + and H 2 + characteristical differences were observed for Al(111) and polycrystalline aluminum. We show that
Slow perceptual processing at the core of developmental dyslexia: a parameter-based assessment of visual attention.

Science.gov (United States)

Stenneken, Prisca; Egetemeir, Johanna; Schulte-Körne, Gerd; Müller, Hermann J; Schneider, Werner X; Finke, Kathrin

2011-10-01

The cognitive causes as well as the neurological and genetic basis of developmental dyslexia, a complex disorder of written language acquisition, are intensely discussed with regard to multiple-deficit models. Accumulating evidence has revealed dyslexics' impairments in a variety of tasks requiring visual attention. The heterogeneity of these experimental results, however, points to the need for measures that are sufficiently sensitive to differentiate between impaired and preserved attentional components within a unified framework. This first parameter-based group study of attentional components in developmental dyslexia addresses potentially altered attentional components that have recently been associated with parietal dysfunctions in dyslexia. We aimed to isolate the general attentional resources that might underlie reduced span performance, i.e., either a deficient working memory storage capacity, or a slowing in visual perceptual processing speed, or both. Furthermore, by analysing attentional selectivity in dyslexia, we addressed a potential lateralized abnormality of visual attention, i.e., a previously suggested rightward spatial deviation compared to normal readers. We investigated a group of high-achieving young adults with persisting dyslexia and matched normal readers in an experimental whole report and a partial report of briefly presented letter arrays. Possible deviations in the parametric values of the dyslexic compared to the control group were taken as markers for the underlying deficit. The dyslexic group showed a striking reduction in perceptual processing speed (by 26% compared to controls) while their working memory storage capacity was in the normal range. In addition, a spatial deviation of attentional weighting compared to the control group was confirmed in dyslexic readers, which was larger in participants with a more severe dyslexic disorder. In general, the present study supports the relevance of perceptual processing speed in disorders
Modelling hydrologic and hydrodynamic processes in basins with large semi-arid wetlands

Science.gov (United States)

Fleischmann, Ayan; Siqueira, Vinícius; Paris, Adrien; Collischonn, Walter; Paiva, Rodrigo; Pontes, Paulo; Crétaux, Jean-François; Bergé-Nguyen, Muriel; Biancamaria, Sylvain; Gosset, Marielle; Calmant, Stephane; Tanimoun, Bachir

2018-06-01

Hydrological and hydrodynamic models are core tools for simulation of large basins and complex river systems associated to wetlands. Recent studies have pointed towards the importance of online coupling strategies, representing feedbacks between floodplain inundation and vertical hydrology. Especially across semi-arid regions, soil-floodplain interactions can be strong. In this study, we included a two-way coupling scheme in a large scale hydrological-hydrodynamic model (MGB) and tested different model structures, in order to assess which processes are important to be simulated in large semi-arid wetlands and how these processes interact with water budget components. To demonstrate benefits from this coupling over a validation case, the model was applied to the Upper Niger River basin encompassing the Niger Inner Delta, a vast semi-arid wetland in the Sahel Desert. Simulation was carried out from 1999 to 2014 with daily TMPA 3B42 precipitation as forcing, using both in-situ and remotely sensed data for calibration and validation. Model outputs were in good agreement with discharge and water levels at stations both upstream and downstream of the Inner Delta (Nash-Sutcliffe Efficiency (NSE) >0.6 for most gauges), as well as for flooded areas within the Delta region (NSE = 0.6; r = 0.85). Model estimates of annual water losses across the Delta varied between 20.1 and 30.6 km3/yr, while annual evapotranspiration ranged between 760 mm/yr and 1130 mm/yr. Evaluation of model structure indicated that representation of both floodplain channels hydrodynamics (storage, bifurcations, lateral connections) and vertical hydrological processes (floodplain water infiltration into soil column; evapotranspiration from soil and vegetation and evaporation of open water) are necessary to correctly simulate flood wave attenuation and evapotranspiration along the basin. Two-way coupled models are necessary to better understand processes in large semi-arid wetlands. Finally, such coupled
Excitatory Neuronal Hubs Configure Multisensory Integration of Slow Waves in Association Cortex

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Satoshi Kuroki

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Summary: Multisensory integration (MSI is a fundamental emergent property of the mammalian brain. During MSI, perceptual information encoded in patterned activity is processed in multimodal association cortex. The systems-level neuronal dynamics that coordinate MSI, however, are unknown. Here, we demonstrate intrinsic hub-like network activity in the association cortex that regulates MSI. We engineered calcium reporter mouse lines based on the fluorescence resonance energy transfer sensor yellow cameleon (YC2.60 expressed in excitatory or inhibitory neurons. In medial and parietal association cortex, we observed spontaneous slow waves that self-organized into hubs defined by long-range excitatory and local inhibitory circuits. Unlike directional source/sink-like flows in sensory areas, medial/parietal excitatory and inhibitory hubs had net-zero balanced inputs. Remarkably, multisensory stimulation triggered rapid phase-locking mainly of excitatory hub activity persisting for seconds after the stimulus offset. Therefore, association cortex tends to form balanced excitatory networks that configure slow-wave phase-locking for MSI. Video Abstract: : Kuroki et al. performed cell-type-specific, wide-field FRET-based calcium imaging to visualize cortical network activity induced by multisensory inputs. They observed phase-locking of cortical slow waves in excitatory neuronal hubs in association cortical areas that may underlie multisensory integration. Keywords: wide-field calcium imaging, multisensory integration, cortical slow waves, association cortex, phase locking, fluorescence resonance energy transfer, spontaneous activity, excitatory neuron, inhibitory neuron, mouse

Enhancement of sleep slow waves: underlying mechanisms and practical consequences.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Michele eBellesi

2014-10-01

Full Text Available Even modest sleep restriction, especially the loss of sleep slow wave activity, is invariably associated with slower EEG activity during wake, the occurrence of local sleep in an otherwise awake brain, and impaired performance due to cognitive and memory deficits. Recent studies not only confirm the beneficial role of sleep in memory consolidation, but also point to a specific role for sleep slow waves. Thus, the implementation of methods to enhance sleep slow waves without unwanted arousals or lightening of sleep could have significant practical implications. Here we first review the evidence that it is possible to enhance sleep slow waves in humans using transcranial direct-current stimulation and transcranial magnetic stimulation. Since these methods are currently impractical and their safety is questionable, especially for chronic long-term exposure, we then discuss novel data suggesting that it is possible to enhance slow waves using sensory stimuli. We consider the physiology of the K-complex, a peripheral evoked slow wave, and show that, among different sensory modalities, acoustic stimulation is the most effective in increasing the magnitude of slow waves, likely through the activation of non-lemniscal ascending pathways to the thalamo-cortical system. In addition, we discuss how intensity and frequency of the acoustic stimuli, as well as exact timing and pattern of stimulation, affect sleep enhancement. Finally, we discuss automated algorithms that read the EEG and, in real-time, adjust the stimulation parameters in a closed-loop manner to obtain an increase in sleep slow waves and avoid undesirable arousals. In conclusion, while discussing the mechanisms that underlie the generation of sleep slow waves, we review the converging evidence showing that acoustic stimulation is safe and represents an ideal tool for slow wave sleep enhancement.
Ballooning mode instability due to slowed-down ALPHA -particles and associated transport

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Itoh, Sanae; Itoh, Kimitaka; Tuda, Takashi; Tokuda, Shinji.

1982-01-01

The microscopic stability of tokamak plasma, which contains slowed-down alpha-particles and the anomalous fluxes enhanced by the fluctuation, was studied. The local maxwellian distribution with the density inhomogeneity as the equilibrium distribution of electrons, ions and alpha-particles was closen. In the zero-beta limit, two branches of eigenmodes, which are electrostatic, were obtained. The electrostatic ballooning mode became unstable by the grad B drift of particles in the toroidal plasma. It should be noted that there was no critical alpha-particle density and no critical beta-value for the onset of the instability in toroidal plasma even in the presence of the magnetic shear. When the beta-value exceeded the critical beta-value of the MHD ballooning mode, the growth rate approached to that of the MHD mode, and the mode sturcture became very close to that of the MHD mode. The unstable mode in toroidal plasma was the ballooning mode, and was unstable for all plasma parameters. The associated cross-field transport by the ballooning mode is considered. It was found that if the distribution function was assumed to be the birth distribution, the loss rate was very slow and slower than the slowing down time. The effect of alpha-particles on the large scale MHD activity of plasma is discussed. (Kato, T.)
Design of a Slowed-Rotor Compound Helicopter for Future Joint Service Missions

Science.gov (United States)

Silva, Christopher; Yeo, Hyeonsoo; Johnson, Wayne R.

2010-01-01

A slowed-rotor compound helicopter has been synthesized using the NASA Design and Analysis of Rotorcraft (NDARC) conceptual design software. An overview of the design process and the capabilities of NDARC are presented. The benefits of trading rotor speed, wing-rotor lift share, and trim strategies are presented for an example set of sizing conditions and missions.
Process γ*γ → σ at large virtuality of γ*

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Volkov, M.K.; Radzhabov, A.E.; Yudichev, V.L.

2004-01-01

The process γ*γ → σ is investigated in the framework of the SU(2) x SU(2) chiral NJL model, where γ*γ are photons with the large and small virtuality, respectively, and σ is a pseudoscalar meson. The form factor of the process is derived for arbitrary virtuality of γ* in the Euclidean kinematic domain. The asymptotic behavior of this form factor resembles the asymptotic behavior of the γ*γ → π form factor [ru
Slow release coating remedy for nitrogen loss from conventional urea: a review.

Science.gov (United States)

Naz, Muhammad Yasin; Sulaiman, Shaharin Anwar

2016-03-10

Developing countries are consuming major part of the global urea production with an anticipated nitrogen use efficiency of 20 to 35%. The release of excess nitrogen in the soil is not only detrimental to the environment but also lessens the efficiency of the conventional urea. The urea performance can be enhanced by encapsulating it with slow release coating materials and synchronizing the nutrients' release with the plant up-taking. However, the present cost of most of the coated fertilizers is considerably higher than the conventional fertilizers. The high cost factor prevents their widespread use in mainstream agriculture. This paper documents a review of literature related to the global urea market, issues pertaining to the conventional urea use, natural and synthetic materials for slow release urea and fluidized bed spray coating process. The aim of the current review is to develop technical understanding of the conventional and non-conventional coating materials and associated spray coating mechanism for slow release urea production. The study also investigated the potential of starch as the coating material in relation to the coatings tested previously for controlled release fertilizers. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
The testing of thermal-mechanical-hydrological-chemical processes using a large block

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lin, W.; Wilder, D.G.; Blink, J.A.; Blair, S.C.; Buscheck, T.A.; Chesnut, D.A.; Glassley, W.E.; Lee, K.; Roberts, J.J.

1994-01-01

The radioactive decay heat from nuclear waste packages may, depending on the thermal load, create coupled thermal-mechanical-hydrological-chemical (TMHC) processes in the near-field environment of a repository. A group of tests on a large block (LBT) are planned to provide a timely opportunity to test and calibrate some of the TMHC model concepts. The LBT is advantageous for testing and verifying model concepts because the boundary conditions are controlled, and the block can be characterized before and after the experiment. A block of Topopah Spring tuff of about 3 x 3 x 4.5 m will be sawed and isolated at Fran Ridge, Nevada Test Site. Small blocks of the rock adjacent to the large block will be collected for laboratory testing of some individual thermal-mechanical, hydrological, and chemical processes. A constant load of about 4 MPa will be applied to the top and sides of the large block. The sides will be sealed with moisture and thermal barriers. The large block will be heated with one heater in each borehole and guard heaters on the sides so that a dry-out zone and a condensate zone will exist simultaneously. Temperature, moisture content, pore pressure, chemical composition, stress and displacement will be measured throughout the block during the heating and cool-down phases. The results from the experiments on small blocks and the tests on the large block will provide a better understanding of some concepts of the coupled TMHC processes
Proton energy dependence of slow neutron intensity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Teshigawara, Makoto; Harada, Masahide; Watanabe, Noboru; Kai, Tetsuya; Sakata, Hideaki; Ikeda, Yujiro

2001-01-01

The choice of the proton energy is an important issue for the design of an intense-pulsed-spallation source. The optimal proton beam energy is rather unique from a viewpoint of the leakage neutron intensity but no yet clear from the slow-neutron intensity view point. It also depends on an accelerator type. Since it is also important to know the proton energy dependence of slow-neutrons from the moderators in a realistic target-moderator-reflector assembly (TMRA). We studied on the TMRA proposed for Japan Spallation Neutron Source. The slow-neutron intensities from the moderators per unit proton beam power (MW) exhibit the maximum at about 1-2 GeV. At higher proton energies the intensity per MW goes down; at 3 and 50 GeV about 0.91 and 0.47 times as low as that at 1 GeV. The proton energy dependence of slow-neutron intensities was found to be almost the same as that of total neutron yield (leakage neutrons) from the same bare target. It was also found that proton energy dependence was almost the same for the coupled and decoupled moderators, regardless the different moderator type, geometry and coupling scheme. (author)
The SSC field bus: A high-performance control system front end concentrator for 'slow' accelerator controls

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Haenni, D.R.; Saltmarsh, C.G.; Lue, H.C.; Hunt, S.M.

1991-01-01

The SSC control system must support a large number of 'slow' or industrial type control points. A front-end system is described which could serve as both a data concentrator and a distributed process controller for these points. Unlike many distributed control systems, this front end is designed to provide strong support for centralized controls. The live parameter data base in the central system can be updated at a rate which is fast compared to that usually needed for process control loops. Portions of this data base can be optionally replicated in regional computers to provide both local control stations and distributed control loops. In addition to the global and regional levels the system also allows the distribution of loops to the local I/O crate level. A possible implementation of this system is under development which is based on industrial standard STD-Bus for accelerator hardware interfacing, time domain multiplexing (TDM) for communications transport, and a form of reflective memory for the back-end interface to the rest of the control system
Deciding about fast and slow decisions.

Science.gov (United States)

Croskerry, Pat; Petrie, David A; Reilly, James B; Tait, Gordon

2014-02-01

Two reports in this issue address the important topic of clinical decision making. Dual process theory has emerged as the dominant model for understanding the complex processes that underlie human decision making. This theory distinguishes between the reflexive, autonomous processes that characterize intuitive decision making and the deliberate reasoning of an analytical approach. In this commentary, the authors address the polarization of viewpoints that has developed around the relative merits of the two systems. Although intuitive processes are typically fast and analytical processes slow, speed alone does not distinguish them. In any event, the majority of decisions in clinical medicine are not dependent on very short response times. What does appear relevant to diagnostic ease and accuracy is the degree to which the symptoms of the disease being diagnosed are characteristic ones. There are also concerns around some methodological issues related to research design in this area of enquiry. Reductionist approaches that attempt to isolate dependent variables may create such artificial experimental conditions that both external and ecological validity are sacrificed. Clinical decision making is a complex process with many independent (and interdependent) variables that need to be separated out in a discrete fashion and then reflected on in real time to preserve the fidelity of clinical practice. With these caveats in mind, the authors believe that research in this area should promote a better understanding of clinical practice and teaching by focusing less on the deficiencies of intuitive and analytical systems and more on their adaptive strengths.
Techniques for slow positron beam generation and the applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Okada, Sohei

1994-01-01

Slow positron beams have been expected to be a powerful tool for observation of nature in wide range of research fields from materials science to basic physics, chemistry and biology. In this paper, at first, the beam technology is reviewed, which includes the positron generation, the transformation to slow positron beams and the beam manipulation such as beam stretching, bunching and brightness enhancement. Next, the present status of the slow positron beam applications to a variety of fields is demonstrated in terms of special characteristics of positron, that is, depth controllability, surface sensitivity, unique ionization channels and elemental anti-particle properties. Finally, prospects to produce intense slow positron beams are described. (author) 65 refs
Slow wave maturation on a visual working memory task.

Science.gov (United States)

Barriga-Paulino, Catarina I; Rodríguez-Martínez, Elena I; Rojas-Benjumea, Ma Ángeles; Gómez, Carlos M

2014-07-01

The purpose of the present study is to analyze how the Slow Wave develops in the retention period on a visual Delayed Match-to-Sample task performed by 170 subjects between 6 and 26 years old, divided into 5 age groups. In addition, a neuropsychological test (Working Memory Test Battery for Children) was correlated with this Event Related Potential (ERP) in order to observe possible relationships between Slow Wave maturation and the components of Baddeley and Hitch's Working Memory model. The results showed a slow negativity during the retention period in the posterior region in all the age groups, possibly resulting from sustained neural activity related to the visual item presented. In the anterior region, a positive slow wave was observed in the youngest subjects. Dipole analysis suggests that this fronto-central positivity in children (6-13 years old) consists of the positive side of the posterior negativity, once these subjects only needed two posterior dipoles to explain almost all the neural activity. Negative correlations were shown between the Slow Wave and the Working Memory Test Battery for Children, indicating a commonality in assessing Working Memory with the Slow Wave and the neuropsychological testing. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Beneficial Effects of Slow Steaming in Bulk Freight Markets

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sarah Boone

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Slow steaming has recently been adopted into normal practice by many maritime shipping companies for the fuel and monetary savings it offers. The practice also offers savings in Greenhouse Gas (GHG emissions. With regulations coming into play such as the 2020 sulfur cap, slow steaming may be the least costly option for some maritime companies to adjust their operations. While some have accepted the new practice, there are still companies and vessels that see this exercise as a loss of revenue due to the extra time it takes to deliver goods to their destination. This paper reviews how the method of rating ships by their GHG emissions per nautical mile can be directly related to slow steaming. We propose that ships with poor ratings (E, F, G find mandatory regulations to slow steam or improve their CO2 output in some way. Those with superior ratings (A, B, C, D would benefit from incentives packages tied to their implementation of slow steaming practices. It will also examine how slow steaming benefits maritime businesses both economically and environmentally to find ways to lower their emissions and discusses the possible chain reaction that may occur if these eco-friendly shipping practices are observed.
AGS slow extraction improvements

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Glenn, J.W.; Smith, G.A.; Sandberg, J.N.; Repeta, L.; Weisberg, H.

1979-01-01

Improvement of the straightness of the F5 copper septum increased the AGS slow extraction efficiency from approx. 80% to approx. 90%. Installation of an electrostatic septum at H2O, 24 betatron wavelengths upstream of F5, further improved the extraction efficiency to approx. 97%
Saddle Slow Manifolds and Canard Orbits in [Formula: see text] and Application to the Full Hodgkin-Huxley Model.

Science.gov (United States)

Hasan, Cris R; Krauskopf, Bernd; Osinga, Hinke M

2018-04-19

Many physiological phenomena have the property that some variables evolve much faster than others. For example, neuron models typically involve observable differences in time scales. The Hodgkin-Huxley model is well known for explaining the ionic mechanism that generates the action potential in the squid giant axon. Rubin and Wechselberger (Biol. Cybern. 97:5-32, 2007) nondimensionalized this model and obtained a singularly perturbed system with two fast, two slow variables, and an explicit time-scale ratio ε. The dynamics of this system are complex and feature periodic orbits with a series of action potentials separated by small-amplitude oscillations (SAOs); also referred to as mixed-mode oscillations (MMOs). The slow dynamics of this system are organized by two-dimensional locally invariant manifolds called slow manifolds which can be either attracting or of saddle type.In this paper, we introduce a general approach for computing two-dimensional saddle slow manifolds and their stable and unstable fast manifolds. We also develop a technique for detecting and continuing associated canard orbits, which arise from the interaction between attracting and saddle slow manifolds, and provide a mechanism for the organization of SAOs in [Formula: see text]. We first test our approach with an extended four-dimensional normal form of a folded node. Our results demonstrate that our computations give reliable approximations of slow manifolds and canard orbits of this model. Our computational approach is then utilized to investigate the role of saddle slow manifolds and associated canard orbits of the full Hodgkin-Huxley model in organizing MMOs and determining the firing rates of action potentials. For ε sufficiently large, canard orbits are arranged in pairs of twin canard orbits with the same number of SAOs. We illustrate how twin canard orbits partition the attracting slow manifold into a number of ribbons that play the role of sectors of rotations. The upshot is that we
Birth control - slow release methods

Science.gov (United States)

Contraception - slow-release hormonal methods; Progestin implants; Progestin injections; Skin patch; Vaginal ring ... might want to consider a different birth control method. SKIN PATCH The skin patch is placed on ...
Accelerating Relevance Vector Machine for Large-Scale Data on Spark

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Liu Fang

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Relevance vector machine (RVM is a machine learning algorithm based on a sparse Bayesian framework, which performs well when running classification and regression tasks on small-scale datasets. However, RVM also has certain drawbacks which restricts its practical applications such as (1 slow training process, (2 poor performance on training large-scale datasets. In order to solve these problem, we propose Discrete AdaBoost RVM (DAB-RVM which incorporate ensemble learning in RVM at first. This method performs well with large-scale low-dimensional datasets. However, as the number of features increases, the training time of DAB-RVM increases as well. To avoid this phenomenon, we utilize the sufficient training samples of large-scale datasets and propose all features boosting RVM (AFB-RVM, which modifies the way of obtaining weak classifiers. In our experiments we study the differences between various boosting techniques with RVM, demonstrating the performance of the proposed approaches on Spark. As a result of this paper, two proposed approaches on Spark for different types of large-scale datasets are available.
Slow neutron mapping technique for level interface measurement

Science.gov (United States)

Zain, R. M.; Ithnin, H.; Razali, A. M.; Yusof, N. H. M.; Mustapha, I.; Yahya, R.; Othman, N.; Rahman, M. F. A.

2017-01-01

Modern industrial plant operations often require accurate level measurement of process liquids in production and storage vessels. A variety of advanced level indicators are commercially available to meet the demand, but these may not suit specific need of situations. The neutron backscatter technique is exceptionally useful for occasional and routine determination, particularly in situations such as pressure vessel with wall thickness up to 10 cm, toxic and corrosive chemical in sealed containers, liquid petroleum gas storage vessels. In level measurement, high energy neutrons from 241Am-Be radioactive source are beamed onto a vessel. Fast neutrons are slowed down mostly by collision with hydrogen atoms of material inside the vessel. Parts of thermal neutron are bounced back towards the source. By placing a thermal detector next to the source, these backscatter neutrons can be measured. The number of backscattered neutrons is directly proportional to the concentration of the hydrogen atoms in front of the neutron detector. As the source and detector moved by the matrix around the side of the vessel, interfaces can be determined as long as it involves a change in hydrogen atom concentration. This paper presents the slow neutron mapping technique to indicate level interface of a test vessel.
Vegetative deviation in patients with slow-repair processes in the post-operative wound and effect of the combined use of low-intensity laser therapy and pantovegin electrophoresis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dugieva M.Z.

2013-12-01

Full Text Available Aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of combined use of low-intensity infrared laser therapy when exposed area of the thymus and electrophoresis of pantovegin on vegetative status of patients with the slowdown in the wound recovery reparative processes. Material study were 190 patients after gynecological laparotomy. Result. The article presents data on changes in vegetative status in postoperative gynecological patients with a slowdown in the wound recovery reparative processes. In this group of patients in the postoperative period parasimpatikotony prevails. By combination of low-intensity infrared laser therapy when exposed area of the thymus and pantovegin electrophoresis achieved more rapid normalization of available changes with the transition to the use of combination eitony. It is recommended to use physiotherapy method for slowing reparative processes in the wound.
Good, Clean, Fair: The Rhetoric of the Slow Food Movement

Science.gov (United States)

Schneider, Stephen

2008-01-01

This article outlines the origins of the Slow Food movement before examining the ways in which Slow Food rhetoric seeks to redefine gastronomy and combat the more deleterious effects of globalization. In articulating a new gastronomy, Slow Food founder Carlo Petrini attempts to reconstruct the gastronomy of Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin, at once…
Experimental determination of the slow-neutron wavelength distribution

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lebech, Bente; Mikke, K.; Sledziewska-Blocka, D.

1970-01-01

Different experiments for determining the slow-neutron wavelength distribution in the region 227-3 meV have been carried out, and the results compared. It is concluded that the slow-neutron wave-length distribution can be determined accurately by elastic scattering on a pure incoherent or a pure...

SPS slow extraction septa

CERN Multimedia

CERN PhotoLab

1979-01-01

SPS long straight section (LSS) with a series of 5 septum tanks for slow extraction (view in the direction of the proton beam). There are 2 of these: in LSS2, towards the N-Area; in LSS6 towards the W-Area. See also Annual Report 1975, p.175.
PRINCIPLES OF SLOW TRAVEL APPLIED TO TOURIST LEISURE CONTEMPORARY

OpenAIRE

Bauer, Rafael Chequer; Netto, Alexandre Panosso

2014-01-01

The article shows the concept of Slow Travel, a travel’s modality based in a new perspective of touristic use considering a slowdown style. In this way, the paper analyses the context of growing and development about Slow Travel, including its ideological matrix based in industrial revolution’s contestation, specially about the acceleration noted at contemporary society and its application inside the leisure and travel universes. At least, shows the main characteristics of Slow Travel, and it...
Midwives׳ decision making about transfers for 'slow' labour in rural New Zealand.

Science.gov (United States)

Patterson, Jean; Skinner, Joan; Foureur, Maralyn

2015-06-01

Midwives who provided Lead Maternity Care (LMC) to women in rural areas were invited to share their experiences of decision making around transfer in labour. Ethics approval was obtained from the NZ National Ethics Committee. to explore midwives׳ decision making processes when making transfer decisions for slow labour progress from rural areas to specialist care. individual and group interviews were conducted with a purposive sample of rural midwives. The recalled decision processes of the midwives were subjected to a content and thematic analysis to expose experiences in common and to highlight aspects of probabilistic (normative), heuristic (behavioural), and group decision making theory within the rural context. New Zealand. 15 midwives who provided LMC services to women in their rural areas. 'making the mind shift', 'sitting on the boundary', 'timing the transfer' and 'the community interest' emerged as key themes. The decision processes were also influenced by the woman׳s preferences and the distance and time involved in the transfer. the findings contribute insights into the challenge of making transfer decisions in rural units; particularly for otherwise well women who were experiencing slow labour progress. Knowledge of the fallibility of our heuristic decision making strategies may encourage the practitioner to step back and take a more deliberative, probabilistic view of the situation. In addition to the clinical picture, this process should include the relational and aspirational aspects for the woman, and any logistical challenges of the particular rural context. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
GLUT4 is reduced in slow muscle fibers of type 2 diabetic patients: is insulin resistance in type 2 diabetes a slow, type 1 fiber disease?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gaster, M; Staehr, P; Beck-Nielsen, H

2001-01-01

To gain further insight into the mechanisms underlying muscle insulin resistance, the influence of obesity and type 2 diabetes on GLUT4 immunoreactivity in slow and fast skeletal muscle fibers was studied. Through a newly developed, very sensitive method using immunohistochemistry combined...... with morphometry, GLUT4 density was found to be significantly higher in slow compared with fast fibers in biopsy specimens from lean and obese subjects. In contrast, in type 2 diabetic subjects, GLUT4 density was significantly lower in slow compared with fast fibers. GLUT4 density in slow fibers from diabetic...... was reduced to 77% in the obese subjects and to 61% in type 2 diabetic patients compared with the control subjects. We propose that a reduction in the fraction of slow-twitch fibers, combined with a reduction in GLUT4 expression in slow fibers, may reduce the insulin-sensitive GLUT4 pool in type 2 diabetes...
Physical condition for the slowing down of cosmic acceleration

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ming-Jian Zhang

2018-04-01

Full Text Available The possible slowing down of cosmic acceleration was widely studied. However, judgment on this effect in different dark energy parameterizations was very ambiguous. Moreover, the reason of generating these uncertainties was still unknown. In the present paper, we analyze the derivative of deceleration parameter q′(z using the Gaussian processes. This model-independent reconstruction suggests that no slowing down of acceleration is presented within 95% C.L. from the Union2.1 and JLA supernova data. However, q′(z from the observational H(z data is a little smaller than zero at 95% C.L., which indicates that future H(z data may have a potential to test this effect. From the evolution of q′(z, we present an interesting constraint on the dark energy and observational data. The physical constraint clearly solves the problem of why some dark energy models cannot produce this effect in previous work. Comparison between the constraint and observational data also shows that most of current data are not in the allowed regions. This implies a reason of why current data cannot convincingly measure this effect.
Cognitive Slowing in Gulf War Illness Predicts Executive Network Hyperconnectivity: Study in a Population-Representative Sample

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Monroe P. Turner

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Cognitive slowing is a prevalent symptom observed in Gulf War Illness (GWI. The present study assessed the extent to which functional connectivity between dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC and other task-relevant brain regions was predictive of GWI-related cognitive slowing. GWI patients (n = 54 and healthy veteran controls (n = 29 were assessed on performance of a processing speed task (the Digit Symbol Substitution Task; DSST while undergoing functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI. GWI patients were slower on the DSST relative to controls. Bilateral DLPFC connectivity with task-relevant nodes was altered in GWI patients compared to healthy controls during DSST performance. Moreover, hyperconnectivity in these networks predicted GWI-related increases in reaction time on the DSST, whereas hypoconnectivity did not. These results suggest that GWI-related cognitive slowing reflects reduced efficiency in cortical networks.
Slow crack growth in post-consumer recycled high-density polyethylene

OpenAIRE

Sciammarella, Cesar A.; Yang, Y.

2015-01-01

An experimental study of slow crack growth behavior of post-consumer recycled high-density polyethylene blended with virgin high-density polyethylene copolymer has been done. The study has been performed under constant load and in baths of distilled water at 40, 60, 80°C. The specimen used is notched with side grooves. The test results of crack growth have been analyzed using linear fracture mechanics and the rate process theory. The results show that the resistance to crack growth increases ...
On slow particle production in hadron-nucleus interactions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stenlund, E.; Otterlund, I.

1982-01-01

A model for slow particle production in hadron-nucleus interactions is presented. The model succesfully predicts correlations between the number of knock-on particles and the number of particles associated with the evaporation process as well as correlations with the number of collisions, ν, between the incident hadron and the nucleons inside the target nucleus. The model provides two independent possibilities to determine the number of primary intranuclear collisions, ν, i.e. by its correlation to the number of knock-on particles or to the number of evaporated particles. The good agreement indicates that the model gives an impact-parameter sensitive description of hardron nucleus reactions. (orig.)
Development of slow positron beam lines and applications

Science.gov (United States)

Mondal, Nagendra Nath

2018-05-01

A positron is an antiparticle of an electron that can be formed in diverse methods: natural or artificial β-decay process, fission and fusion reactions, and a pair production of electron-positron occurred in the reactor and the high energy accelerator centers. Usually a long-lifetime radio isotope is customized for the construction of a slow positron beam lines in many laboratories. The typical intensity of this beam depends upon the strength of the positron source, moderator efficiency, and guiding, pulsing, focusing and detecting systems. This article will review a few positron beam lines and their potential applications in research, especially in the Positronium Bose-Einstein Condensation.
Influences of rolling method on deformation force in cold roll-beating forming process

Science.gov (United States)

Su, Yongxiang; Cui, Fengkui; Liang, Xiaoming; Li, Yan

2018-03-01

In process, the research object, the gear rack was selected to study the influence law of rolling method on the deformation force. By the mean of the cold roll forming finite element simulation, the variation regularity of radial and tangential deformation was analysed under different rolling methods. The variation of deformation force of the complete forming racks and the single roll during the steady state under different rolling modes was analyzed. The results show: when upbeating and down beating, radial single point average force is similar, the tangential single point average force gap is bigger, the gap of tangential single point average force is relatively large. Add itionally, the tangential force at the time of direct beating is large, and the dire ction is opposite with down beating. With directly beating, deformation force loading fast and uninstall slow. Correspondingly, with down beating, deformat ion force loading slow and uninstall fast.
ON THE ORIGIN OF THE SLOW SPEED SOLAR WIND: HELIUM ABUNDANCE VARIATIONS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rakowski, Cara E.; Laming, J. Martin [Space Science Division, Naval Research Laboratory Code 7674L, Washington, DC 20375 (United States)

2012-07-20

The first ionization potential (FIP) effect is the by now well-known enhancement in abundance over photospheric values of Fe and other elements with FIP below about 10 eV observed in the solar corona and slow speed solar wind. In our model, this fractionation is achieved by means of the ponderomotive force, arising as Alfven waves propagate through or reflect from steep density gradients in the solar chromosphere. This is also the region where low FIP elements are ionized, and high FIP elements are largely neutral leading to the fractionation as ions interact with the waves but neutrals do not. Helium, the element with the highest FIP and consequently the last to remain neutral as one moves upward, can be depleted in such models. Here, we investigate this depletion for varying loop lengths and magnetic field strengths. Variations in this depletion arise as the concentration of the ponderomotive force at the top of the chromosphere varies in response to Alfven wave frequency with respect to the resonant frequency of the overlying coronal loop, the magnetic field, and possibly also the loop length. We find that stronger depletions of He are obtained for weaker magnetic field, at frequencies close to or just above the loop resonance. These results may have relevance to observed variations of the slow wind solar He abundance with wind speed, with slower slow speed solar wind having a stronger depletion of He.
Interacting Turing-Hopf Instabilities Drive Symmetry-Breaking Transitions in a Mean-Field Model of the Cortex: A Mechanism for the Slow Oscillation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Moira L. Steyn-Ross

2013-05-01

Full Text Available Electrical recordings of brain activity during the transition from wake to anesthetic coma show temporal and spectral alterations that are correlated with gross changes in the underlying brain state. Entry into anesthetic unconsciousness is signposted by the emergence of large, slow oscillations of electrical activity (≲1 Hz similar to the slow waves observed in natural sleep. Here we present a two-dimensional mean-field model of the cortex in which slow spatiotemporal oscillations arise spontaneously through a Turing (spatial symmetry-breaking bifurcation that is modulated by a Hopf (temporal instability. In our model, populations of neurons are densely interlinked by chemical synapses, and by interneuronal gap junctions represented as an inhibitory diffusive coupling. To demonstrate cortical behavior over a wide range of distinct brain states, we explore model dynamics in the vicinity of a general-anesthetic-induced transition from “wake” to “coma.” In this region, the system is poised at a codimension-2 point where competing Turing and Hopf instabilities coexist. We model anesthesia as a moderate reduction in inhibitory diffusion, paired with an increase in inhibitory postsynaptic response, producing a coma state that is characterized by emergent low-frequency oscillations whose dynamics is chaotic in time and space. The effect of long-range axonal white-matter connectivity is probed with the inclusion of a single idealized point-to-point connection. We find that the additional excitation from the long-range connection can provoke seizurelike bursts of cortical activity when inhibitory diffusion is weak, but has little impact on an active cortex. Our proposed dynamic mechanism for the origin of anesthetic slow waves complements—and contrasts with—conventional explanations that require cyclic modulation of ion-channel conductances. We postulate that a similar bifurcation mechanism might underpin the slow waves of natural
[Italy's Slow Medicine: a new paradigm in medicine].

Science.gov (United States)

Bonaldi, Antonio; Vernero, Sandra

2015-02-01

Italy's Slow Medicine was founded in 2011 as a movement aimed to promote processes of care based on appropriateness, but within a relation of listening, dialogue and decision sharing with the patient. The mission of Slow Medicine is synthetized by three key words: measured, because it acts with moderation, gradually and without waste; respectful, because it is careful in preserving the dignity and values of each person; and equitable, because it is committed to ensuring access to appropriate care for all. In a short time, the association spreads at national and international level, gathering the needs of change of a growing number of health professionals, patients and citizens, committed to manage health problems with a new cultural and methodological paradigm. Medicine is soaked with inappropriateness, wastes, conflicts of interest, and many clichés induce professionals and patients to consume more and more healthcare services in the illusion that it is always better doing more for improving health. Moreover, the dominant reductionist cultural model, on which the concept of health and disease is based today, considers man as a machine, investigated by a growing number of specialists, particularly interested in the pathophysiological mechanisms of diseases. The interest is mainly focused on technologies, while the person along with the relations with his/her family and the social environment are completely neglected. The systemic approach adopted by Slow Medicine, on the contrary, teaches us that health and disease are complex phenomena and the life of a person is more than the sum of the chemical reactions that occur in its cells. At different levels of complexity, in fact, new and unexpected properties appear, such as thinking, emotions, pleasure, health. These properties are not detectable in the individual elements and can only be studied using methods of analysis and knowledge belonging to other domains of knowledge, such as humanity sciences: philosophy
Recovery of Copper from Slow Cooled Ausmelt Furnace Slag by Floatation

Science.gov (United States)

Xue, Ping; Li, Guangqiang; Qin, Qingwei

Ausmelt furnace slag contains about 0.9% Cu (mass %). With increasing the amount of Ausmelt furnace slag, the recovery of copper from it will produce an enormous economic yield. The recovery of copper by floatation from slow cooled Ausmelt furnace slag was studied in this paper. The phases and composition of the slow cooled slag were analyzed. The factors which affected the copper recovery efficiency such as grinding fineness, pH value of flotation medium, different collectors and floating process were investigated. It was shown that the size distribution of the primary grinding and secondary grinding of middling were 75% for particles less than 0.074mm and 82% for particles less than 0.043mm respectively. The closed-circuit experimental results with butyl xanthate as collector in laboratory showed that the copper grade reached 16.11% and the recovery rate of copper reached 69.90% and the copper grade of tailings was only 0.2%.
Face recognition using slow feature analysis and contourlet transform

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Yuehao; Peng, Lingling; Zhe, Fuchuan

2018-04-01

In this paper we propose a novel face recognition approach based on slow feature analysis (SFA) in contourlet transform domain. This method firstly use contourlet transform to decompose the face image into low frequency and high frequency part, and then takes technological advantages of slow feature analysis for facial feature extraction. We named the new method combining the slow feature analysis and contourlet transform as CT-SFA. The experimental results on international standard face database demonstrate that the new face recognition method is effective and competitive.
Fuel pin behavior under slow ramp-type transient-overpower conditions in the CABRI-FAST experiments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fukano, Yoshitaka; Onoda, Yuichi; Sato, Ikken; Charpenel, Jean

2009-01-01

In the CABRI-FAST experimental program, four in-pile tests were performed with slow power-ramp-type transient-overpower conditions (called hereafter as 'slow TOP') to study transient fuel pin behavior under inadvertent control rod withdrawal events in liquid metal cooled fast breeder reactors. Annular-pellet fuel pins were used in three tests, while a solid-pellet fuel pin was used in the other test. All of these pins were pre-irradiated in Phenix. The slow TOP test with a solid-pellet fuel pin was realized as a comparatory test against an existing test (E12) in the CABRI-2 program. In the CABRI-FAST test (BCF1), a power ramp rate of 3% Po/s was applied, while in the CABRI-2 test, 1% Po/s was adopted. Moreover, overpower condition was maintained for a few seconds beyond the observed pin failure in the BCF1 test. In spite of the different power ramp rates, evaluated fuel thermal conditions at the observed failure time are quite similar. The continued overpower condition in the BCF1 test resulted in gradual degradation of the pin structure providing information effective for evaluation of various accident scenarios. Three slow TOP tests with the annular fuel in the CABRI-FAST program resulted in no pin failure showing high failure threshold. Based on post-test examination data and a theoretical evaluation, it was concluded that intra-pin free spaces, such as central hole, macroscopic cracks and fuel-cladding gap effectively mitigated fuel cladding mechanical interaction. It was also clarified that cavity pressurization became effective only in case of very large amount of fuel melting. Furthermore, such cavity pressurization was effectively mitigated by a molten-fuel squirting into the upper blanket region pushing the blanket pellets upward. These CABRI FAST slow TOP tests, in combination with the existing CABRI and TREAT tests, provided an extended slow TOP test database with various fuel and transient conditions. (author)
General Slowing and Education Mediate Task Switching Performance Across the Life-Span

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Luca Moretti

2018-05-01

Full Text Available Objective: This study considered the potential role of both protective factors (cognitive reserve, CR and adverse ones (general slowing in modulating cognitive flexibility in the adult life-span.Method: Ninety-eight individuals performed a task-switching (TS paradigm in which we adopted a manipulation concerning the timing between the cue and the target. Working memory demands were minimized by using transparent cues. Additionally, indices of cognitive integrity, depression, processing speed and different CR dimensions were collected and used in linear models accounting for TS performance under the different time constraints.Results: The main results showed similar mixing costs and higher switching costs in older adults, with an overall age-dependent effect of general slowing on these costs. The link between processing speed and TS performance was attenuated when participants had more time to prepare. Among the different CR indices, formal education only was associated with reduced switch costs under time pressure.Discussion: Even though CR is often operationalized as a unitary construct, the present research confirms the benefits of using tools designed to distinguish between different CR dimensions. Furthermore, our results provide empirical support to the assumption that processing speed influence on executive performance depends on time constraints. Finally, it is suggested that whether age differences appear in terms of switch or mixing costs depends on working memory demands (which were low in our tasks with transparent cues.
Enhancing physics demos using iPhone slow motion

Science.gov (United States)

Lincoln, James

2017-12-01

Slow motion video enhances our ability to perceive and experience the physical world. This can help students and teachers especially in cases of fast moving objects or detailed events that happen too quickly for the eye to follow. As often as possible, demonstrations should be performed by the students themselves and luckily many of them will already have this technology in their pockets. The "S" series of iPhone has the slow motion video feature standard, which also includes simultaneous sound recording (somewhat unusual among slow motion cameras). In this article I share some of my experiences using this feature and provide advice on how to successfully use this technology in the classroom.
Slow-light solitons in atomic media and doped optical fibers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Korolkova, N.; Sinclair, G.F.; Leonhardt, U.

2005-01-01

Full text: We show how to generate optical solitons in atomic media that can be slowed down or accelerated at will. Such slow-light soliton is a polarization structure propagating with a speed that is proportional to the total intensity of the incident light. Ultimately, this method will allow the storage, retrieval and possibly the manipulation of the quantum information in atomic media. Solitons with controllable speed are constructed generalizing the theory of slow-light propagation to an integrable regime of nonlinear dynamics. For the first time, the inverse scattering method for slow-light solitons is developed. In contrast to the pioneering experimental demonstrations of slow light, we consider strong spin modulations where the non-linear dynamics of light and atoms creates polarization solitons. We also analyze how this scheme can be implemented in optical fibers doped with Lambda-atoms. In quantum-information applications, such slow-light solitons could complement the use of quantum solitons in fibres with the advantage of storing quantum information in media and complement methods for quantum memory with the advantages of non-linear dynamics, in particular the intrinsic stability of solitons. (author)
Nonlinear dynamical triggering of slow slip

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Johnson, Paul A [Los Alamos National Laboratory; Knuth, Matthew W [WISCONSIN; Kaproth, Bryan M [PENN STATE; Carpenter, Brett [PENN STATE; Guyer, Robert A [Los Alamos National Laboratory; Le Bas, Pierre - Yves [Los Alamos National Laboratory; Daub, Eric G [Los Alamos National Laboratory; Marone, Chris [PENN STATE

2010-12-10

Among the most fascinating, recent discoveries in seismology have been the phenomena of triggered slip, including triggered earthquakes and triggered-tremor, as well as triggered slow, silent-slip during which no seismic energy is radiated. Because fault nucleation depths cannot be probed directly, the physical regimes in which these phenomena occur are poorly understood. Thus determining physical properties that control diverse types of triggered fault sliding and what frictional constitutive laws govern triggered faulting variability is challenging. We are characterizing the physical controls of triggered faulting with the goal of developing constitutive relations by conducting laboratory and numerical modeling experiments in sheared granular media at varying load conditions. In order to simulate granular fault zone gouge in the laboratory, glass beads are sheared in a double-direct configuration under constant normal stress, while subject to transient perturbation by acoustic waves. We find that triggered, slow, silent-slip occurs at very small confining loads ({approx}1-3 MPa) that are smaller than those where dynamic earthquake triggering takes place (4-7 MPa), and that triggered slow-slip is associated with bursts of LFE-like acoustic emission. Experimental evidence suggests that the nonlinear dynamical response of the gouge material induced by dynamic waves may be responsible for the triggered slip behavior: the slip-duration, stress-drop and along-strike slip displacement are proportional to the triggering wave amplitude. Further, we observe a shear-modulus decrease corresponding to dynamic-wave triggering relative to the shear modulus of stick-slips. Modulus decrease in response to dynamical wave amplitudes of roughly a microstrain and above is a hallmark of elastic nonlinear behavior. We believe that the dynamical waves increase the material non-affine elastic deformation during shearing, simultaneously leading to instability and slow-slip. The inferred

Processing graded feedback: electrophysiological correlates of learning from small and large errors.

Science.gov (United States)

Luft, Caroline Di Bernardi; Takase, Emilio; Bhattacharya, Joydeep

2014-05-01

Feedback processing is important for learning and therefore may affect the consolidation of skills. Considerable research demonstrates electrophysiological differences between correct and incorrect feedback, but how we learn from small versus large errors is usually overlooked. This study investigated electrophysiological differences when processing small or large error feedback during a time estimation task. Data from high-learners and low-learners were analyzed separately. In both high- and low-learners, large error feedback was associated with higher feedback-related negativity (FRN) and small error feedback was associated with a larger P300 and increased amplitude over the motor related areas of the left hemisphere. In addition, small error feedback induced larger desynchronization in the alpha and beta bands with distinctly different topographies between the two learning groups: The high-learners showed a more localized decrease in beta power over the left frontocentral areas, and the low-learners showed a widespread reduction in the alpha power following small error feedback. Furthermore, only the high-learners showed an increase in phase synchronization between the midfrontal and left central areas. Importantly, this synchronization was correlated to how well the participants consolidated the estimation of the time interval. Thus, although large errors were associated with higher FRN, small errors were associated with larger oscillatory responses, which was more evident in the high-learners. Altogether, our results suggest an important role of the motor areas in the processing of error feedback for skill consolidation.
Slow sleep spindle and procedural memory consolidation in patients with major depressive disorder

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nishida M

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Masaki Nishida,1 Yusaku Nakashima,2 Toru Nishikawa11Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Yushima, Bunkyo, 2Medical Technology Research Laboratory, Research and Development Division, Medical Business Unit, Sony Corporation, Tokyo, JapanIntroduction: Evidence has accumulated, which indicates that, in healthy individuals, sleep enhances procedural memory consolidation, and that sleep spindle activity modulates this process. However, whether sleep-dependent procedural memory consolidation occurs in patients medicated for major depressive disorder remains unclear, as are the pharmacological and physiological mechanisms that underlie this process.Methods: Healthy control participants (n=17 and patients medicated for major depressive disorder (n=11 were recruited and subjected to a finger-tapping motor sequence test (MST; nondominant hand paradigm to compare the averaged scores of different learning phases (presleep, postsleep, and overnight improvement. Participants' brain activity was recorded during sleep with 16 electroencephalography channels (between MSTs. Sleep scoring and frequency analyses were performed on the electroencephalography data. Additionally, we evaluated sleep spindle activity, which divided the spindles into fast-frequency spindle activity (12.5–16 Hz and slow-frequency spindle activity (10.5–12.5 Hz.Result: Sleep-dependent motor memory consolidation in patients with depression was impaired in comparison with that in control participants. In patients with depression, age correlated negatively with overnight improvement. The duration of slow-wave sleep correlated with the magnitude of motor memory consolidation in patients with depression, but not in healthy controls. Slow-frequency spindle activity was associated with reduction in the magnitude of motor memory consolidation in both groups.Conclusion: Because the changes in slow
Slowing-down of non-relativistic ions in a hot dense plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Maynard, G.

1982-01-01

The parameter γ (action of the free-electrons of the plasma) was investigated: calculation of the mean value of γ for a great number of monokinetic incident ions and of the dispersion about this mean value, using the random phase approximation; and calculation of the dielectric function. The contribution of the plasma ions to the stopping power was studied and the description of the ion-plasma interaction improved. The slowing-down of an ion at large distance by the bound electrons of an atom was calculated. This study is applied to the ion-plasma interaction in the ion-beam inertial confinement [fr
Slow Food: por um alimento bom, limpo e justo

OpenAIRE

Porazzi, Fabiele

2012-01-01

REVIEW:PETRINI, Carlo. Slow Food: princípios da nova gastronomia. Trad. de Renata Lúcia Botina. São Paulo: Editora Senac, 2009. 245 p. RESEÑA:PETRINI, Carlo. Slow Food: princípios da nova gastronomia. Trad. de Renata Lúcia Botina. São Paulo: Editora Senac, 2009. 245 p. http://dx.doi.org/10.5007/1807-1384.2012v9n1p384 RESENHA:PETRINI, Carlo. Slow Food: princípios da nova gastronomia. Trad. de Renata Lúcia Botina. São Paulo: Editora Senac, 2009. 245 p.
Slow light invisibility, teleportation, and other mysteries of light

CERN Document Server

Perkowitz, Sidney

2011-01-01

Slow Light is a popular treatment of today's astonishing breakthroughs in the science of light. Even though we don't understand light's quantum mysteries, we can slow it to a stop and speed it up beyond its Einsteinian speed limit, 186,000 miles/sec; use it for quantum telecommunications; teleport it; manipulate it to create invisibility; and perhaps generate hydrogen fusion power with it. All this is lucidly presented for non-scientists who wonder about teleportation, Harry Potter invisibility cloaks, and other fantastic outcomes. Slow Light shows how the real science and the fantasy inspire
The effects of electron transfer on the energy loss of slow He2+, C2+, and C4+ ions penetrating a graphene fragment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mao, Fei; Zhang, Chao; Gao, Cong-Zhang; Dai, Jinxia; Zhang, Feng-Shou

2014-01-01

Electronic energy loss in the collision processes of slow ions with a graphene fragment is investigated by combining ab initio time-dependent density functional theory calculations for electrons with molecular dynamics simulations for ions in real time and real space. We study the electronic energy loss of slow He 2+ , C 2+ , and C 4+ ions penetrating the graphene fragment as a function of the ion velocity, and establish the velocity-proportional energy loss for low-charged ions down to 0.1 a.u. One mechanism clarified in the simulations for electron transfer is polarization capture, which is effective for bare ions at low velocities. The other one is resonance capture, by which the incident ion can capture electrons from the graphene fragment to its electron affinity levels, which have the same, or nearly the same, energy as those of the electron donor levels. The results demonstrate that the nonlinear behavior of energy loss of C 4+ is attributed to the large number of electrons captured by this multi-charged ion during the collision. (paper)
Mental slowness in patients with Parkinson's disease : Associations with cognitive functions?

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Vlagsma, Thialda T.; Koerts, Janneke; Tucha, Oliver; Dijkstra, Hilde T.; Duits, Annelien A.; Laar, van Teus; Spikman, Jacoba M.

2016-01-01

Introduction: Motor slowness (bradykinesia) is a core feature of Parkinson's disease (PD). It is often assumed that patients show mental slowness (bradyphrenia) as well; however, evidence for this is debated. The aims of this study were to determine whether PD patients show mental slowness apart
Process automation system for integration and operation of Large Volume Plasma Device

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sugandhi, R.; Srivastava, P.K.; Sanyasi, A.K.; Srivastav, Prabhakar; Awasthi, L.M.; Mattoo, S.K.

2016-01-01

Highlights: • Analysis and design of process automation system for Large Volume Plasma Device (LVPD). • Data flow modeling for process model development. • Modbus based data communication and interfacing. • Interface software development for subsystem control in LabVIEW. - Abstract: Large Volume Plasma Device (LVPD) has been successfully contributing towards understanding of the plasma turbulence driven by Electron Temperature Gradient (ETG), considered as a major contributor for the plasma loss in the fusion devices. Large size of the device imposes certain difficulties in the operation, such as access of the diagnostics, manual control of subsystems and large number of signals monitoring etc. To achieve integrated operation of the machine, automation is essential for the enhanced performance and operational efficiency. Recently, the machine is undergoing major upgradation for the new physics experiments. The new operation and control system consists of following: (1) PXIe based fast data acquisition system for the equipped diagnostics; (2) Modbus based Process Automation System (PAS) for the subsystem controls and (3) Data Utilization System (DUS) for efficient storage, processing and retrieval of the acquired data. In the ongoing development, data flow model of the machine’s operation has been developed. As a proof of concept, following two subsystems have been successfully integrated: (1) Filament Power Supply (FPS) for the heating of W- filaments based plasma source and (2) Probe Positioning System (PPS) for control of 12 number of linear probe drives for a travel length of 100 cm. The process model of the vacuum production system has been prepared and validated against acquired pressure data. In the next upgrade, all the subsystems of the machine will be integrated in a systematic manner. The automation backbone is based on 4-wire multi-drop serial interface (RS485) using Modbus communication protocol. Software is developed on LabVIEW platform using
Process automation system for integration and operation of Large Volume Plasma Device

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sugandhi, R., E-mail: ritesh@ipr.res.in; Srivastava, P.K.; Sanyasi, A.K.; Srivastav, Prabhakar; Awasthi, L.M.; Mattoo, S.K.

2016-11-15

Highlights: • Analysis and design of process automation system for Large Volume Plasma Device (LVPD). • Data flow modeling for process model development. • Modbus based data communication and interfacing. • Interface software development for subsystem control in LabVIEW. - Abstract: Large Volume Plasma Device (LVPD) has been successfully contributing towards understanding of the plasma turbulence driven by Electron Temperature Gradient (ETG), considered as a major contributor for the plasma loss in the fusion devices. Large size of the device imposes certain difficulties in the operation, such as access of the diagnostics, manual control of subsystems and large number of signals monitoring etc. To achieve integrated operation of the machine, automation is essential for the enhanced performance and operational efficiency. Recently, the machine is undergoing major upgradation for the new physics experiments. The new operation and control system consists of following: (1) PXIe based fast data acquisition system for the equipped diagnostics; (2) Modbus based Process Automation System (PAS) for the subsystem controls and (3) Data Utilization System (DUS) for efficient storage, processing and retrieval of the acquired data. In the ongoing development, data flow model of the machine’s operation has been developed. As a proof of concept, following two subsystems have been successfully integrated: (1) Filament Power Supply (FPS) for the heating of W- filaments based plasma source and (2) Probe Positioning System (PPS) for control of 12 number of linear probe drives for a travel length of 100 cm. The process model of the vacuum production system has been prepared and validated against acquired pressure data. In the next upgrade, all the subsystems of the machine will be integrated in a systematic manner. The automation backbone is based on 4-wire multi-drop serial interface (RS485) using Modbus communication protocol. Software is developed on LabVIEW platform using
Dilute scintillators for large-volume tracking detectors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Reeder, R.A. (University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM (United States)); Dieterle, B.D. (University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM (United States)); Gregory, C. (University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM (United States)); Schaefer, F. (University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM (United States)); Schum, K. (University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM (United States)); Strossman, W. (University of California, Riverside, CA (United States)); Smith, D. (Embry-Riddle Aeronautical Univ., Prescott, AZ (United States)); Christofek, L. (Los Alamos National Lab., NM (United States)); Johnston, K. (Los Alamos National Lab., NM (United States)); Louis, W.C. (Los Alamos National Lab., NM (United States)); Schillaci, M. (Los Alamos National Lab., NM (United States)); Volta, M. (Los Alamos National Lab., NM (United States)); White, D.H. (Los Alamos National Lab., NM (United States)); Whitehouse, D. (Los Alamos National Lab., NM (United States)); Albert, M. (University of Pennsylvania, Phi

1993-10-01

Dilute scintillation mixtures emit isotropic light for both fast and slow particles, but retain the Cherenkov light cone from fast particles. Large volume detectors using photomultipliers to reconstruct relativistic tracks will also be sensitive to slow particles if they are filled with these mixtures. Our data show that 0.03 g/l of b-PBD in mineral oil has a 2.4:1 ratio (in the first 12 ns) of isotropic light to Cherenkov light for positron tracks. The light attenuation length is greater than 15 m for wavelength above 400 nm, and the scintillation decay time is about 2 ns for the fast component. There is also a slow isotropic light component that is larger (relative to the fast component) for protons than for electrons. This effect allows particle identification by a technique similar to pulse shape discrimination. These features will be utilized in LSND, a neutrino detector at LAMPF. (orig.)
On Building and Processing of Large Digitalized Map Archive

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Milan Simunek

2011-07-01

Full Text Available A tall list of problems needs to be solved during a long-time work on a virtual model of Prague aim of which is to show historical development of the city in virtual reality. This paper presents an integrated solution to digitalizing, cataloguing and processing of a large number of maps from different periods and from variety of sources. A specialized (GIS software application was developed to allow for a fast georeferencing (using an evolutionary algorithm, for cataloguing in an internal database, and subsequently for an easy lookup of relevant maps. So the maps could be processed further to serve as a main input for a proper modeling of a changing face of the city through times.
Design of a fast-rise slow-fall magnet modulator

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lambiase, R.F.

1982-01-01

Brookhaven National Laboratory is now in the process of expanding the capability of the AGS to include the acceleration of polarized protons. One of the requirements to accomplish this is to pulse twelve quadrupole magnets to rapidly cross depolarizing resonances. Having crossed the resonance, the field in the magnet must be maintained so as not to re-cross the resonance. The problem is addressed with two mirror image circuits, one to produce positive pulses, and the other negative. Each of these circuits are further divided into two sections, one to cause the rapid rise, and the other to maintain the slow fall
Slow sedimentary processes on-a-chip: experiments on porous flow effects on granular bed creep

Science.gov (United States)

Houssais, M.; Maldarelli, C.; Shattuck, M.; Morris, J. F.

2017-12-01

Steep soils dynamics is hard to catch. they exhibit very slow granular creep most of the time, and sometimes, mostly under or after rain, turn into a landslide, a very fast avalanche flow.The conditions of transition from soil creep to avalanching remains a lot non-understood, and Safe Factor law (empirical criteria, function of rain intensity and duration). On another side, in marine fast deposition environments, compaction drives vertical porous flow, which makes bed shear resistance change, and form over time bed size patterns (pipes, dishes) or mechanical heterogeneities.Capturing how the slow creep dynamics depends on the porous flow would allow for much more accurate landscape evolution modeling.We present here preliminary results of an experimental investigation of one the major triggering condition for soils destabilization: rain infiltration, and more generally porous flow through a tilted granular bed. In a quasi-2D microfluidics channel, a flat sediment bed made of spherical particles is prepared, in fully submerged condition. It is thereafter tilted (at slope under critical slope of avalanching) and simultaneously put under vertical weak porous flow (well under the critical flow of liquefaction regarding positive pressure gradients). The two control parameters are varied, and local particles concentration and motion are measured. Interestingly, although staying in the sub-critical creeping regime, we observe an acceleration of the bed deformation downward, as the porous flow and the bed slope are increased, until the criteria for avalanching is reached. Those results appear to present similitudes with the case of tilted dry sediment bed under controlled vibrations. Consequently it opens the discussion about a potential universal model of landslides triggering due to frequent seismological and rainstorm events.
A mesh density study for application to large deformation rolling process evaluation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Martin, J.A.

1997-12-01

When addressing large deformation through an elastic-plastic analysis the mesh density is paramount in determining the accuracy of the solution. However, given the nonlinear nature of the problem, a highly-refined mesh will generally require a prohibitive amount of computer resources. This paper addresses finite element mesh optimization studies considering accuracy of results and computer resource needs as applied to large deformation rolling processes. In particular, the simulation of the thread rolling manufacturing process is considered using the MARC software package and a Cray C90 supercomputer. Both mesh density and adaptive meshing on final results for both indentation of a rigid body to a specified depth and contact rolling along a predetermined length are evaluated
A review of slow-release fluoride devices.

Science.gov (United States)

Toumba, K J; Al-Ibrahim, N S; Curzon, M E J

2009-09-01

Fluoride has been used to combat dental caries using a number of different clinical approaches. An exciting relatively new development is fluoride slow-releasing devices that consistently elevate intra-oral fluoride levels of plaque and saliva for prolonged periods of up to two years. The literature on the use of slow-releasing fluoride devices in dentistry were reviewed. A Medline search on key words was carried out. All papers in English were individually reviewed. Slow-releasing fluoride devices have been shown to be effective in elevating salivary fluoride levels in both animals and human studies and to enhance the remineralisation of dental enamel. They have been demonstrated to be safe to use and without the risk of fluoride toxicity. A double blind randomised clinical trial demonstrated 76% fewer new carious surface increment in high caries-risk children after two years. These devices have a number of potential uses in dentistry and in particular have great potential for caries prevention of non-compliant high caries-risk groups.
ISOTOPIC MASS FRACTIONATION OF SOLAR WIND: EVIDENCE FROM FAST AND SLOW SOLAR WIND COLLECTED BY THE GENESIS MISSION

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Heber, Veronika S.; Baur, Heinrich; Wieler, Rainer; Bochsler, Peter; McKeegan, Kevin D.; Neugebauer, Marcia; Reisenfeld, Daniel B.; Wiens, Roger C.

2012-01-01

NASA's Genesis space mission returned samples of solar wind collected over ∼2.3 years. We present elemental and isotopic compositions of He, Ne, and Ar analyzed in diamond-like carbon targets from the slow and fast solar wind collectors to investigate isotopic fractionation processes during solar wind formation. The solar wind provides information on the isotopic composition for most volatile elements for the solar atmosphere, the bulk Sun and hence, on the solar nebula from which it formed 4.6 Ga ago. Our data reveal a heavy isotope depletion in the slow solar wind compared to the fast wind composition by 63.1 ± 2.1 per mille for He, 4.2 ± 0.5 per mille amu –1 for Ne and 2.6 ± 0.5 per mille amu –1 for Ar. The three Ne isotopes suggest that isotopic fractionation processes between fast and slow solar wind are mass dependent. The He/H ratios of the collected slow and fast solar wind samples are 0.0344 and 0.0406, respectively. The inefficient Coulomb drag model reproduces the measured isotopic fractionation between fast and slow wind. Therefore, we apply this model to infer the photospheric isotopic composition of He, Ne, and Ar from our solar wind data. We also compare the isotopic composition of oxygen and nitrogen measured in the solar wind with values of early solar system condensates, probably representing solar nebula composition. We interpret the differences between these samples as being due to isotopic fractionation during solar wind formation. For both elements, the magnitude and sign of the observed differences are in good agreement with the values predicted by the inefficient Coulomb drag model.
ISOTOPIC MASS FRACTIONATION OF SOLAR WIND: EVIDENCE FROM FAST AND SLOW SOLAR WIND COLLECTED BY THE GENESIS MISSION

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Heber, Veronika S.; Baur, Heinrich; Wieler, Rainer [Institute for Geochemistry and Petrology, ETH Zurich, Clausiusstrasse 25, CH-8092 Zurich (Switzerland); Bochsler, Peter [Physikalisches Institut, Universitaet Bern, Sidlerstasse 5, CH-3012 Bern (Switzerland); McKeegan, Kevin D. [Department of Earth and Space Sciences, University of California Los Angeles, 595 Charles Young Drive East, Box 951567, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1567 (United States); Neugebauer, Marcia [Lunar and Planetary Laboratory, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721-0092 (United States); Reisenfeld, Daniel B. [Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Montana, Missoula, MT 59812 (United States); Wiens, Roger C., E-mail: heber@ess.ucla.edu [Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM 87545 (United States)

2012-11-10

NASA's Genesis space mission returned samples of solar wind collected over {approx}2.3 years. We present elemental and isotopic compositions of He, Ne, and Ar analyzed in diamond-like carbon targets from the slow and fast solar wind collectors to investigate isotopic fractionation processes during solar wind formation. The solar wind provides information on the isotopic composition for most volatile elements for the solar atmosphere, the bulk Sun and hence, on the solar nebula from which it formed 4.6 Ga ago. Our data reveal a heavy isotope depletion in the slow solar wind compared to the fast wind composition by 63.1 {+-} 2.1 per mille for He, 4.2 {+-} 0.5 per mille amu{sup -1} for Ne and 2.6 {+-} 0.5 per mille amu{sup -1} for Ar. The three Ne isotopes suggest that isotopic fractionation processes between fast and slow solar wind are mass dependent. The He/H ratios of the collected slow and fast solar wind samples are 0.0344 and 0.0406, respectively. The inefficient Coulomb drag model reproduces the measured isotopic fractionation between fast and slow wind. Therefore, we apply this model to infer the photospheric isotopic composition of He, Ne, and Ar from our solar wind data. We also compare the isotopic composition of oxygen and nitrogen measured in the solar wind with values of early solar system condensates, probably representing solar nebula composition. We interpret the differences between these samples as being due to isotopic fractionation during solar wind formation. For both elements, the magnitude and sign of the observed differences are in good agreement with the values predicted by the inefficient Coulomb drag model.
Quick-Connect, Slow-Disconnect Bolt

Science.gov (United States)

Weddendorf, Bruce

1995-01-01

Proposed bolt functions similarly to device described in article "Quick-Connect, Slow-Disconnect Nut" (MFS-28833). Bolt installed in standard threaded hole simply by pushing it into hole. Once inserted, bolt withdrawn only by turning it in conventional way.
Book reviews: Daniel Kahneman - Thinking, Fast and Slow

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cristian Uta

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Although he has won the Nobel Prize for Economy (for his works on the decision theory, Daniel Kahneman is, surprisingly, a psychologist. Thinking, Fast and Slow presents us ideas and theories regarding the way in which the mind works and how this thing affects us when making a decision. In his opinion, the human thinking is a dual process, duality presented from three different perspec-tives. First (as the title suggests it, there are highlighted the differences between the fast and the slow thinking. Then the distinction between econs (rational agents of the classical economic theory and of the importance of economic schools of Chicago and humans (real people, which are not irrational but to whom the rational model does not fit is argued. Finally, the author presents us the conflicts between the remembering self and the experiencing self in respect to the way in which these selves perceive the wellbeing. The volume contains 38 chapters structured in five parts. At the end, there is a Conclusions section and there are attached two articles written by Kahneman together with his friend Amos Tversky which present the contributions that have been cited by the Nobel committee for justifying the award given in 2002 (Tversky died in 1996 and he could not be awarded the Nobel Prize, although he would have deserved it.
PROSES PEMBELAJARAN MATEMATIKA PADA ANAK SLOW LEARNERS (LAMBAN BELAJAR

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fida Rahmantika Hadi

2016-11-01

Full Text Available This research is aimed to find out the mathematics learning process in class includes readiness of teacher before learning process, implementation and evaluation and follow up. It was a qualitative research. The subjects were taken by purposive sampling. The subjects of this research were mathematics teacher. Data collection techniques in this research were interviews and observation. Technical validity of the data used is triangulation time. The data analysis technique used was consisted of data reduction, data display, and conclusion. The results of this study were (1 teacher preparedness before learning process are by preparing syllabus, lesson plan (RPP, media and learning resources before the learning process begins. (2 the mathematics learning implementation in class done through three activities: pre activity, whilst activity and post activity (3 in evaluation and follow-up stage, teachers plan follow-up activities in the form of remedial learning, enrichment programs, counseling services for students (4 Factors and constraints experienced from slow learners child is may lose interest in the task and refused to resume the task.

Large Scale Gaussian Processes for Atmospheric Parameter Retrieval and Cloud Screening

Science.gov (United States)

Camps-Valls, G.; Gomez-Chova, L.; Mateo, G.; Laparra, V.; Perez-Suay, A.; Munoz-Mari, J.

2017-12-01

Current Earth-observation (EO) applications for image classification have to deal with an unprecedented big amount of heterogeneous and complex data sources. Spatio-temporally explicit classification methods are a requirement in a variety of Earth system data processing applications. Upcoming missions such as the super-spectral Copernicus Sentinels EnMAP and FLEX will soon provide unprecedented data streams. Very high resolution (VHR) sensors like Worldview-3 also pose big challenges to data processing. The challenge is not only attached to optical sensors but also to infrared sounders and radar images which increased in spectral, spatial and temporal resolution. Besides, we should not forget the availability of the extremely large remote sensing data archives already collected by several past missions, such ENVISAT, Cosmo-SkyMED, Landsat, SPOT, or Seviri/MSG. These large-scale data problems require enhanced processing techniques that should be accurate, robust and fast. Standard parameter retrieval and classification algorithms cannot cope with this new scenario efficiently. In this work, we review the field of large scale kernel methods for both atmospheric parameter retrieval and cloud detection using infrared sounding IASI data and optical Seviri/MSG imagery. We propose novel Gaussian Processes (GPs) to train problems with millions of instances and high number of input features. Algorithms can cope with non-linearities efficiently, accommodate multi-output problems, and provide confidence intervals for the predictions. Several strategies to speed up algorithms are devised: random Fourier features and variational approaches for cloud classification using IASI data and Seviri/MSG, and engineered randomized kernel functions and emulation in temperature, moisture and ozone atmospheric profile retrieval from IASI as a proxy to the upcoming MTG-IRS sensor. Excellent compromise between accuracy and scalability are obtained in all applications.
Critical slowing down and error analysis in lattice QCD simulations

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Schaefer, Stefan [Humboldt-Universitaet, Berlin (Germany). Inst. fuer Physik; Sommer, Rainer; Virotta, Francesco [Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron (DESY), Zeuthen (Germany). John von Neumann-Inst. fuer Computing NIC

2010-09-15

We study the critical slowing down towards the continuum limit of lattice QCD simulations with Hybrid Monte Carlo type algorithms. In particular for the squared topological charge we find it to be very severe with an effective dynamical critical exponent of about 5 in pure gauge theory. We also consider Wilson loops which we can demonstrate to decouple from the modes which slow down the topological charge. Quenched observables are studied and a comparison to simulations of full QCD is made. In order to deal with the slow modes in the simulation, we propose a method to incorporate the information from slow observables into the error analysis of physical observables and arrive at safer error estimates. (orig.)
Slowing down of 100 keV antiprotons in Al foils

Science.gov (United States)

Nordlund, K.

2018-03-01

Using energy degrading foils to slow down antiprotons is of interest for producing antihydrogen atoms. I consider here the slowing down of 100 keV antiprotons, that will be produced in the ELENA storage ring under construction at CERN, to energies below 10 keV. At these low energies, they are suitable for efficient antihydrogen production. I simulate the antihydrogen motion and slowing down in Al foils using a recently developed molecular dynamics approach. The results show that the optimal Al foil thickness for slowing down the antiprotons to below 5 keV is 910 nm, and to below 10 keV is 840 nm. Also the lateral spreading of the transmitted antiprotons is reported and the uncertainties discussed.
Critical slowing down and error analysis in lattice QCD simulations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schaefer, Stefan; Sommer, Rainer; Virotta, Francesco

2010-09-01

We study the critical slowing down towards the continuum limit of lattice QCD simulations with Hybrid Monte Carlo type algorithms. In particular for the squared topological charge we find it to be very severe with an effective dynamical critical exponent of about 5 in pure gauge theory. We also consider Wilson loops which we can demonstrate to decouple from the modes which slow down the topological charge. Quenched observables are studied and a comparison to simulations of full QCD is made. In order to deal with the slow modes in the simulation, we propose a method to incorporate the information from slow observables into the error analysis of physical observables and arrive at safer error estimates. (orig.)
Electrom emission from slow highly charged ions interacting with a metal surface

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aumayr, F.; Kurz, H.; Toeglhofer, K.; Winter, H.

1992-01-01

Recent progress in investigating electron emission from slow highly charged ions approaching a metal surface is discussed. In particular, new informations on generation and decay of transient multiply excited ''hollow atoms'' developing during these processes have been gained from measurement of the statistics of emitted electrons (ES). ES and precise total electron yields derived from the former have been measured for normal incidence of slow (impact velocity 1/15.10 4 ms -1 ) multicharged ions N q+ (q≤6), Ne q+ (q≤10), Ar q+ (q≤16), Kr q+ (q≤10), Xe q+ (q≤10) and I q+ (q≤25) on clean polycrystalline gold. A classical over-barrier approach as recently introduced by Burgdoerfer et al. 1991 has been extended and successfully applied to model the measured impact-velocity dependences of total electron yields. In this way contributions from different electron emission mechanisms could be identified. (orig.)
Large-scale methanol plants. [Based on Japanese-developed process

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tado, Y

1978-02-01

A study was made on how to produce methanol economically which is expected as a growth item for use as a material for pollution-free energy or for chemical use, centering on the following subjects: (1) Improvement of thermal economy, (2) Improvement of process, and (3) Problems of hardware attending the expansion of scale. The results of this study were already adopted in actual plants, obtaining good results, and large-scale methanol plants are going to be realized.
An abnormally slow proton transfer reaction in a simple HBO derivative due to ultrafast intramolecular-charge transfer events.

Science.gov (United States)

Alarcos, Noemí; Gutierrez, Mario; Liras, Marta; Sánchez, Félix; Douhal, Abderrazzak

2015-07-07

We report on the steady-state, picosecond and femtosecond time-resolved studies of a charge and proton transfer dye 6-amino-2-(2'-hydroxyphenyl)benzoxazole (6A-HBO) and its methylated derivative 6-amino-2-(2'-methoxyphenyl)benzoxazole (6A-MBO), in different solvents. With femtosecond resolution and comparison with the photobehaviour of 6A-MBO, we demonstrate for 6A-HBO in solution, the photoproduction of an intramolecular charge-transfer (ICT) process at S1 taking place in ∼140 fs or shorter, followed by solvent relaxation in the charge transferred species. The generated structure (syn-enol charge transfer conformer) experiences an excited-state intramolecular proton-transfer (ESIPT) reaction to produce a keto-type tautomer. This subsequent proton motion occurs in 1.2 ps (n-heptane), 14 ps (DCM) and 35 ps (MeOH). In MeOH, it is assisted by the solvent molecules and occurs through tunneling for which we got a large kinetic isotope effect (KIE) of about 13. For the 6A-DBO (deuterated sample in CD3OD) the global proton-transfer reaction takes place in 200 ps, showing a remarkable slow KIE regime. The slow ESIPT reaction in DCM (14 ps), not through tunnelling as it is not sensitive to OH/OD exchange, has however to overcome an energy barrier using intramolecular as well as solvent coordinates. The rich ESIPT dynamics of 6A-HBO in the used solutions is governed by an ICT reaction, triggered by the amino group, and it is solvent dependent. Thus, the charge injection to a 6A-HBO molecular frame makes the ICT species more stable, and the phenol group less acidic, slowing down the subsequent ESIPT reaction. Our findings bring new insights into the coupling between ICT and ESIPT reactions on the potential-energy surfaces of several barriers.
Slow light in moving media

Science.gov (United States)

Leonhardt, U.; Piwnicki, P.

2001-06-01

We review the theory of light propagation in moving media with extremely low group velocity. We intend to clarify the most elementary features of monochromatic slow light in a moving medium and, whenever possible, to give an instructive simplified picture.
Time-Lapse and Slow-Motion Tracking of Temperature Changes: Response Time of a Thermometer

Science.gov (United States)

Moggio, L.; Onorato, P.; Gratton, L. M.; Oss, S.

2017-01-01

We propose the use of a smartphone based time-lapse and slow-motion video techniques together with tracking analysis as valuable tools for investigating thermal processes such as the response time of a thermometer. The two simple experimental activities presented here, suitable also for high school and undergraduate students, allow one to measure…
The Widom-Rowlinson mixture on a sphere: elimination of exponential slowing down at first-order phase transitions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fischer, T; Vink, R L C

2010-01-01

Computer simulations of first-order phase transitions using 'standard' toroidal boundary conditions are generally hampered by exponential slowing down. This is partly due to interface formation, and partly due to shape transitions. The latter occur when droplets become large such that they self-interact through the periodic boundaries. On a spherical simulation topology, however, shape transitions are absent. We expect that by using an appropriate bias function, exponential slowing down can be largely eliminated. In this work, these ideas are applied to the two-dimensional Widom-Rowlinson mixture confined to the surface of a sphere. Indeed, on the sphere, we find that the number of Monte Carlo steps needed to sample a first-order phase transition does not increase exponentially with system size, but rather as a power law τ∝V α , with α∼2.5, and V the system area. This is remarkably close to a random walk for which α RW = 2. The benefit of this improved scaling behavior for biased sampling methods, such as the Wang-Landau algorithm, is investigated in detail.
Large Data at Small Universities: Astronomical processing using a computer classroom

Science.gov (United States)

Fuller, Nathaniel James; Clarkson, William I.; Fluharty, Bill; Belanger, Zach; Dage, Kristen

2016-06-01

The use of large computing clusters for astronomy research is becoming more commonplace as datasets expand, but access to these required resources is sometimes difficult for research groups working at smaller Universities. As an alternative to purchasing processing time on an off-site computing cluster, or purchasing dedicated hardware, we show how one can easily build a crude on-site cluster by utilizing idle cycles on instructional computers in computer-lab classrooms. Since these computers are maintained as part of the educational mission of the University, the resource impact on the investigator is generally low.By using open source Python routines, it is possible to have a large number of desktop computers working together via a local network to sort through large data sets. By running traditional analysis routines in an “embarrassingly parallel” manner, gains in speed are accomplished without requiring the investigator to learn how to write routines using highly specialized methodology. We demonstrate this concept here applied to 1. photometry of large-format images and 2. Statistical significance-tests for X-ray lightcurve analysis. In these scenarios, we see a speed-up factor which scales almost linearly with the number of cores in the cluster. Additionally, we show that the usage of the cluster does not severely limit performance for a local user, and indeed the processing can be performed while the computers are in use for classroom purposes.
The slowness I cherish: An attempt at sociological and political self-analysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

P. Lannoy

2016-05-01

Full Text Available Providing short accounts of personal experiences of slow travelling, the paper analyses the dimensions that, in the eyes of the author, lend these practices a genuine consistency and value. ‘Slow travel’, however, is not just a personal aspiration; it is also promoted as a fully-fledged policy, under the name of ‘slow tourism’. Yet, does the policy’s slowness reflect the same type of experiences as those that bring so much personal satisfaction to the author? The paper answers this question through a detailed self-analysis of the conditions for personal enjoyment of slow travel experiences; it demonstrates that ‘un-embeddedness’, unusual body sensations and techniques, visual anticipation, and symbolic isolation are its main ingredients. These dimensions are then compared with the policy principles of ‘slow tourism’, arguing that these two forms of slowness share nothing in common but their name, because they prove to be based on radically distinct enjoyment structures.
Late-type components of slow novae and symbiotic stars

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Allen, D A [Anglo-Australian Observatory, Epping (Australia); Royal Observatory, Edinburgh (UK))

1980-08-01

It is argued that the various types of symbiotic stars and the slow novae are the same phenomena exhibiting a range of associated time-scales, the slow novae being of intermediate speed. Evidence is summarized showing that both types of object contain normal M giants or mira variables. This fact is at odds with currently fashionable single-star models for slow novae, according to which the M star is totally disrupted before the outburst. Spectral types of the late-type components are presented for nearly 80 symbiotic stars and slow novae, derived from 2 ..mu..m spectroscopy. It is found that both the intensity of the emission spectrum and the electron density of the gas are functions of the spectral type of the late-type star. Explanations for these correlations are given. On the assumption that the late-type components are normal giants, spectroscopic parallaxes are determined; credible distances are derived which indicate that the known symbiotic stars have been sampled as far afield as the Galactic Centre. Hydrogen shell flashes on a white dwarf accreting gas from the late-type components offer an attractive explanation of the phenomena of slow novae and symbiotic stars, and such models are discussed in the concluding section.
Preparation and Properties of a Novel Semi-IPN Slow-Release Fertilizer with the Function of Water Retention.

Science.gov (United States)

Xiang, Yang; Ru, Xudong; Shi, Jinguo; Song, Jiang; Zhao, Haidong; Liu, Yaqing; Guo, Dongdong; Lu, Xin

2017-12-20

A new semi-interpenetrating polymer network (semi-IPN) slow-release fertilizer (SISRF) with water absorbency, based on the kaolin-g-poly(acrylic acid-co-acrylic amide) (kaolin-g-P(AA-co-AM)) network and linear urea-formaldehyde oligomers (UF), was prepared by solution polymerization. Nutrients phosphorus and potassium were supplied by adding dipotassium hydrogen phosphate during the preparation process. The structure and properties of SISRF were characterized by various characterization methods. SISRF showed excellent water absorbency of 68 g g -1 in tap water. The slow-release behavior of nutrients and water-retention capacity of SISRF were also measured. Meanwhile, the swelling kinetics was well described by a pseudo-second-order kinetics model. Results suggested the formation of SISRF with simultaneously good slow-release and water-retention capacity, which was expected to apply in modern agriculture and horticulture.
Expression of multiple slow myosin heavy chain genes reveals a diversity of zebrafish slow twitch muscle fibres with differing requirements for Hedgehog and Prdm1 activity.

Science.gov (United States)

Elworthy, Stone; Hargrave, Murray; Knight, Robert; Mebus, Katharina; Ingham, Philip W

2008-06-01

The zebrafish embryo develops a series of anatomically distinct slow twitch muscle fibres that characteristically express genes encoding lineage-specific isoforms of sarcomeric proteins such as MyHC and troponin. We show here that different subsets of these slow fibres express distinct members of a tandem array of slow MyHC genes. The first slow twitch muscle fibres to differentiate, which are specified by the activity of the transcription factor Prdm1 (also called Ubo or Blimp1) in response to Hedgehog (Hh) signalling, express the smyhc1 gene. Subsequently, secondary slow twitch fibres differentiate in most cases independently of Hh activity. We find that although some of these later-forming fibres also express smyhc1, others express smyhc2 or smyhc3. We show that the smyhc1-positive fibres express the ubo (prdm1) gene and adopt fast twitch fibre characteristics in the absence of Prdm1 activity, whereas those that do not express smyhc1 can differentiate independently of Prdm1 function. Conversely, some smyhc2-expressing fibres, although independent of Prdm1 function, require Hh activity to form. The adult trunk slow fibres express smyhc2 and smyhc3, but lack smyhc1 expression. The different slow fibres in the craniofacial muscles variously express smyhc1, smyhc2 and smyhc3, and all differentiate independently of Prdm1.
Applicability of vector processing to large-scale nuclear codes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ishiguro, Misako; Harada, Hiroo; Matsuura, Toshihiko; Okuda, Motoi; Ohta, Fumio; Umeya, Makoto.

1982-03-01

To meet the growing trend of computational requirements in JAERI, introduction of a high-speed computer with vector processing faculty (a vector processor) is desirable in the near future. To make effective use of a vector processor, appropriate optimization of nuclear codes to pipelined-vector architecture is vital, which will pose new problems concerning code development and maintenance. In this report, vector processing efficiency is assessed with respect to large-scale nuclear codes by examining the following items: 1) The present feature of computational load in JAERI is analyzed by compiling the computer utilization statistics. 2) Vector processing efficiency is estimated for the ten heavily-used nuclear codes by analyzing their dynamic behaviors run on a scalar machine. 3) Vector processing efficiency is measured for the other five nuclear codes by using the current vector processors, FACOM 230-75 APU and CRAY-1. 4) Effectiveness of applying a high-speed vector processor to nuclear codes is evaluated by taking account of the characteristics in JAERI jobs. Problems of vector processors are also discussed from the view points of code performance and ease of use. (author)
Applications of Slow Light in Telecommunications

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Boyd, Robert W; Gauthier, Daniel J; Gaeta, Alexander L

2006-01-01

.... Now, optical scientists are turning their attention toward developing useful applications of slow light, including controllable optical delay lines, optical buffers and true time delay methods...
Dehydrogenation in large ingot casting process

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ubukata, Takashi; Suzuki, Tadashi; Ueda, Sou; Shibata, Takashi

2009-01-01

Forging components (for nuclear power plants) have become larger and larger because of decreased weld lines from a safety point of view. Consequently they have been manufactured from ingots requirement for 200 tons or more. Dehydrogenation is one of the key issues for large ingot manufacturing process. In the case of ingots of 200 tons or heavier, mold stream degassing (MSD) has been applied for dehydrogenation. Although JSW had developed mold stream degassing by argon (MSD-Ar) as a more effective dehydrogenating practice, MSD-Ar was not applied for these ingots, because conventional refractory materials of a stopper rod for the Ar blowing hole had low durability. In this study, we have developed a new type of stopper rod through modification of both refractory materials and the stopper rod construction and have successfully expanded the application range of MSD-Ar up to ingots weighting 330 tons. Compared with the conventional MSD, the hydrogen content in ingots after MSD-Ar has decreased by 24 percent due to the dehydrogenation rate of MSD-Ar increased by 34 percent. (author)
Controlled elaboration of large-area plasmonic substrates by plasma process

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pugliara, A; Despax, B; Makasheva, K; Bonafos, C; Carles, R

2015-01-01

Elaboration in a controlled way of large-area and efficient plasmonic substrates is achieved by combining sputtering of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) and plasma polymerization of the embedding dielectric matrix in an axially asymmetric, capacitively coupled RF discharge maintained at low gas pressure. The plasma parameters and deposition conditions were optimized according to the optical response of these substrates. Structural and optical characterizations of the samples confirm the process efficiency. The obtained results indicate that to deposit a single layer of large and closely situated AgNPs, a high injected power and short sputtering times must be privileged. The plasma-elaborated plasmonic substrates appear to be very sensitive to any stimuli that affect their plasmonic response. (paper)
Individualized Education Program (IEP Mata Pelajaran Kimia untuk Siswa Slow Learner

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rovik Rovik

2017-06-01

[Siswa slow learner menempati populasi tertinggi untuk siswa berkebutuhan khusus. Sebagai salah satu jenis learning disability, slow learner masih dapat belajar dengan teman sebayanya asalkan guru mempersiapkan program pembelajaran khusus yang telah dimodifikasi dari pembelajaran reguler. Program ini disebut Individualized Education Program (IEP. Penelitian ini mencoba mengembangkan IEP mata pelajaran kimia untuk slow learner, mengidentifikasi komponen yang dibutuhkan dalam menyusun IEP untuk slow learner, dan menganalisis judgement reviewers (guru kimia dan guru pendamping khusus dan peer reviewers terhadap IEP yang dikembangkan. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan slow learner membutuhkan IEP sebagai dokumen utama panduan guru dalam pembelajaran kimia di kelas. Komponen pengembangan IEP meliputi identitas peserta didik, tim pengembangan dan pelaksana, asesmen yang pernah dilakukan, hambatan dan kekuatan, kebutuhan dan perlakuan, faktor pendukung dan penghambat, rencana perlakuan, dan modifikasi terhadap perangkat pembelajaran kimia reguler

Fairness, fast and slow: A review of dual process models of fairness.

Science.gov (United States)

Hallsson, Bjørn G; Siebner, Hartwig R; Hulme, Oliver J

2018-06-01

Fairness, the notion that people deserve or have rights to certain resources or kinds of treatment, is a fundamental dimension of moral cognition. Drawing on recent evidence from economics, psychology, and neuroscience, we ask whether self-interest is always intuitive, requiring self-control to override with reasoning-based fairness concerns, or whether fairness itself can be intuitive. While we find strong support for rejecting the notion that self-interest is always intuitive, the literature has reached conflicting conclusions about the neurocognitive systems underpinning fairness. We propose that this disagreement can largely be resolved in light of an extended Social Heuristics Hypothesis. Divergent findings may be attributed to the interpretation of behavioral effects of ego depletion or neurostimulation, reverse inference from brain activity to the underlying psychological process, and insensitivity to social context and inter-individual differences. To better dissect the neurobiological basis of fairness, we outline how future research should embrace cross-disciplinary methods that combine psychological manipulations with neuroimaging, and that can probe inter-individual, and cultural heterogeneities. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Extraterrestrial processing and manufacturing of large space systems. Volume 3: Executive summary

Science.gov (United States)

Miller, R. H.; Smith, D. B. S.

1979-01-01

Facilities and equipment are defined for refining processes to commercial grade of lunar material that is delivered to a 'space manufacturing facility' in beneficiated, primary processed quality. The manufacturing facilities and the equipment for producing elements of large space systems from these materials and providing programmatic assessments of the concepts are also defined. In-space production processes of solar cells (by vapor deposition) and arrays, structures and joints, conduits, waveguides, RF equipment radiators, wire cables, converters, and others are described.
FOXO/DAF-16 Activation Slows Down Turnover of the Majority of Proteins in C. elegans

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ineke Dhondt

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Most aging hypotheses assume the accumulation of damage, resulting in gradual physiological decline and, ultimately, death. Avoiding protein damage accumulation by enhanced turnover should slow down the aging process and extend the lifespan. However, lowering translational efficiency extends rather than shortens the lifespan in C. elegans. We studied turnover of individual proteins in the long-lived daf-2 mutant by combining SILeNCe (stable isotope labeling by nitrogen in Caenorhabditis elegans and mass spectrometry. Intriguingly, the majority of proteins displayed prolonged half-lives in daf-2, whereas others remained unchanged, signifying that longevity is not supported by high protein turnover. This slowdown was most prominent for translation-related and mitochondrial proteins. In contrast, the high turnover of lysosomal hydrolases and very low turnover of cytoskeletal proteins remained largely unchanged. The slowdown of protein dynamics and decreased abundance of the translational machinery may point to the importance of anabolic attenuation in lifespan extension, as suggested by the hyperfunction theory.
Slow slip events in Guerrero, Mexico, and consequences on strain accumulation over the past 15 years.

Science.gov (United States)

Radiguet, M.; Cotton, F.; Cavalié, O.; Pathier, E.; Kostoglodov, V.; Vergnolle, M.; Campillo, M.; Walpersdorf, A.; Cotte, N.; Santiago, J.; Franco, S.

2012-12-01

Continuous Global Positioning System (cGPS) time series in Guerrero, Mexico, reveal the widespread existence of large Slow Slip Events (SSEs) at the boundary between the Cocos and North American plates. The existence of these SSEs asks the question of how seismic and aseismic slips complement each other in subduction zones. We examined the last three SSEs that occurred in 2001/2002, 2006 and 2009/2010, and their impact on the strain accumulation along the Guerrero subduction margin. We use continuous cGPS time series and InSAR images to evaluate the surface displacement during SSEs and inter-SSE periods. The slip distributions on the plate interface associated with each SSE, as well as the inter-SSE (short-term) coupling rates are evaluated by inverting these surface displacements. Our results reveal that the three analyzed SSEs have equivalent moment magnitudes of around 7.5 and their lateral extension is variable.The slip distributions for the three SSEs show that in the Guerrero gap area, the slow slip occurs at shallower depth (updip limit around 15-20 km) than in surrounding regions. The InSAR data provide additional information for the 2006 SSE. The joint inversion of InSAR and cGPS data confirms the lateral variation of the slip distribution along the trench, with shallower slip in the Guerrero seismic gap, west of Acapulco, and deeper slip further east. Inversion of inter-SSE displacement rates reveal that during the inter-SSE time intervals, the interplate coupling is high in the area where the slow slip subsequently occurs. Over a 12 year period, corresponding to three cycles of SSEs, our results reveal that the accumulated slip deficit in the Guerrero gap area is only ¼ of the slip deficit accumulated on both sides of the gap. Moreover, the regions of large slip deficit coincide with the rupture areas of recent large earthquakes. We conclude that the SSEs account for a major portion of the overall moment release budget in the Guerrero gap. If large
Slow light in semiconductor waveguides: Theory and experiment

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mørk, Jesper; Öhman, Filip; Poel, Mike van der

2007-01-01

Slow light in multi-section quantum well waveguide structure is realized using either coherent population oscillations (CPO) and electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT) is studied. The properties of the two schemes are compared and discussed.......Slow light in multi-section quantum well waveguide structure is realized using either coherent population oscillations (CPO) and electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT) is studied. The properties of the two schemes are compared and discussed....
A methodology for fault diagnosis in large chemical processes and an application to a multistage flash desalination process: Part II

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tarifa, Enrique E.; Scenna, Nicolas J.

1998-01-01

In Part I, an efficient method for identifying faults in large processes was presented. The whole plant is divided into sectors by using structural, functional, or causal decomposition. A signed directed graph (SDG) is the model used for each sector. The SDG represents interactions among process variables. This qualitative model is used to carry out qualitative simulation for all possible faults. The output of this step is information about the process behaviour. This information is used to build rules. When a symptom is detected in one sector, its rules are evaluated using on-line data and fuzzy logic to yield the diagnosis. In this paper the proposed methodology is applied to a multiple stage flash (MSF) desalination process. This process is composed of sequential flash chambers. It was designed for a pilot plant that produces drinkable water for a community in Argentina; that is, it is a real case. Due to the large number of variables, recycles, phase changes, etc., this process is a good challenge for the proposed diagnosis method
Microarray Data Processing Techniques for Genome-Scale Network Inference from Large Public Repositories.

Science.gov (United States)

Chockalingam, Sriram; Aluru, Maneesha; Aluru, Srinivas

2016-09-19

Pre-processing of microarray data is a well-studied problem. Furthermore, all popular platforms come with their own recommended best practices for differential analysis of genes. However, for genome-scale network inference using microarray data collected from large public repositories, these methods filter out a considerable number of genes. This is primarily due to the effects of aggregating a diverse array of experiments with different technical and biological scenarios. Here we introduce a pre-processing pipeline suitable for inferring genome-scale gene networks from large microarray datasets. We show that partitioning of the available microarray datasets according to biological relevance into tissue- and process-specific categories significantly extends the limits of downstream network construction. We demonstrate the effectiveness of our pre-processing pipeline by inferring genome-scale networks for the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana using two different construction methods and a collection of 11,760 Affymetrix ATH1 microarray chips. Our pre-processing pipeline and the datasets used in this paper are made available at http://alurulab.cc.gatech.edu/microarray-pp.
Simplified slow anti-coincidence circuit for Compton suppression systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Al-Azmi, Darwish

2008-01-01

Slow coincidence circuits for the anti-coincidence measurements have been considered for use in Compton suppression technique. The simplified version of the slow circuit has been found to be fast enough, satisfactory and allows an easy system setup, particularly with the advantage of the automatic threshold setting of the low-level discrimination. A well-type NaI detector as the main detector surrounded by plastic guard detector has been arranged to investigate the performance of the Compton suppression spectrometer using the simplified slow circuit. The system has been tested to observe the improvement in the energy spectra for medium to high-energy gamma-ray photons from terrestrial and environmental samples
The Use of Quasi-Isothermal Modulated Temperature Differential Scanning Calorimetry for the Characterization of Slow Crystallization Processes in Lipid-Based Solid Self-Emulsifying Systems

OpenAIRE

Otun, Sarah O.; Meehan, Elizabeth; Qi, Sheng; Craig, Duncan Q. M.

2014-01-01

Purpose Slow or incomplete crystallization may be a significant manufacturing issue for solid lipid-based dosage forms, yet little information is available on this phenomenon. In this investigation we suggest a novel means by which slow solidification may be monitored in Gelucire 44/14 using quasi-isothermal modulated temperature DSC (QiMTDSC). Methods Conventional linear heating and cooling DSC methods were employed, along with hot stage microscopy (HSM), for basic thermal profiling of Geluc...
Slowing down of 100 keV antiprotons in Al foils

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

K. Nordlund

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Using energy degrading foils to slow down antiprotons is of interest for producing antihydrogen atoms. I consider here the slowing down of 100 keV antiprotons, that will be produced in the ELENA storage ring under construction at CERN, to energies below 10 keV. At these low energies, they are suitable for efficient antihydrogen production. I simulate the antihydrogen motion and slowing down in Al foils using a recently developed molecular dynamics approach. The results show that the optimal Al foil thickness for slowing down the antiprotons to below 5 keV is 910 nm, and to below 10 keV is 840 nm. Also the lateral spreading of the transmitted antiprotons is reported and the uncertainties discussed. Keywords: Antiprotons, Stopping power, Slowing down, Molecular dynamics
Medical students perceive better group learning processes when large classes are made to seem small.

Science.gov (United States)

Hommes, Juliette; Arah, Onyebuchi A; de Grave, Willem; Schuwirth, Lambert W T; Scherpbier, Albert J J A; Bos, Gerard M J

2014-01-01

Medical schools struggle with large classes, which might interfere with the effectiveness of learning within small groups due to students being unfamiliar to fellow students. The aim of this study was to assess the effects of making a large class seem small on the students' collaborative learning processes. A randomised controlled intervention study was undertaken to make a large class seem small, without the need to reduce the number of students enrolling in the medical programme. The class was divided into subsets: two small subsets (n=50) as the intervention groups; a control group (n=102) was mixed with the remaining students (the non-randomised group n∼100) to create one large subset. The undergraduate curriculum of the Maastricht Medical School, applying the Problem-Based Learning principles. In this learning context, students learn mainly in tutorial groups, composed randomly from a large class every 6-10 weeks. The formal group learning activities were organised within the subsets. Students from the intervention groups met frequently within the formal groups, in contrast to the students from the large subset who hardly enrolled with the same students in formal activities. Three outcome measures assessed students' group learning processes over time: learning within formally organised small groups, learning with other students in the informal context and perceptions of the intervention. Formal group learning processes were perceived more positive in the intervention groups from the second study year on, with a mean increase of β=0.48. Informal group learning activities occurred almost exclusively within the subsets as defined by the intervention from the first week involved in the medical curriculum (E-I indexes>-0.69). Interviews tapped mainly positive effects and negligible negative side effects of the intervention. Better group learning processes can be achieved in large medical schools by making large classes seem small.
Fast wave current drive above the slow wave density limit

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McWilliams, R.; Sheehan, D.P.; Wolf, N.S.; Edrich, D.

1989-01-01

Fast wave and slow wave current drive near the mean gyrofrequency were compared in the Irvine Torus using distinct phased array antennae of similar principal wavelengths, frequencies, and input powers. The slow wave current drive density limit was measured for 50ω ci ≤ω≤500ω ci and found to agree with trends in tokamaks. Fast wave current drive was observed at densities up to the operating limit of the torus, demonstrably above the slow wave density limit
Particle-in-cell studies of fast-ion slowing-down rates in cool tenuous magnetized plasma

Science.gov (United States)

Evans, Eugene S.; Cohen, Samuel A.; Welch, Dale R.

2018-04-01

We report on 3D-3V particle-in-cell simulations of fast-ion energy-loss rates in a cold, weakly-magnetized, weakly-coupled plasma where the electron gyroradius, ρe, is comparable to or less than the Debye length, λDe, and the fast-ion velocity exceeds the electron thermal velocity, a regime in which the electron response may be impeded. These simulations use explicit algorithms, spatially resolve ρe and λDe, and temporally resolve the electron cyclotron and plasma frequencies. For mono-energetic dilute fast ions with isotropic velocity distributions, these scaling studies of the slowing-down time, τs, versus fast-ion charge are in agreement with unmagnetized slowing-down theory; with an applied magnetic field, no consistent anisotropy between τs in the cross-field and field-parallel directions could be resolved. Scaling the fast-ion charge is confirmed as a viable way to reduce the required computational time for each simulation. The implications of these slowing down processes are described for one magnetic-confinement fusion concept, the small, advanced-fuel, field-reversed configuration device.
Low oxygen levels slow embryonic development of Limulus polyphemus

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Funch, Peter; Wang, Tobias; Pertoldi, Cino

2016-01-01

The American horseshoe crab Limulus polyphemus typically spawns in the upper intertidal zone, where the developing embryos are exposed to large variations in abiotic factors such as temperature, humidity, salinity, and oxygen, which affect the rate of development. It has been shown that embryonic...... pronounced hypoxia in later embryonic developmental stages, but also in earlier, previously unexplored, developmental stages....... development is slowed at both high and low salinities and temperatures, and that late embryos close to hatching tolerate periodic hypoxia. In this study we investigated the influence of hypoxia on both early and late embryonic development in L. polyphemus under controlled laboratory conditions. Embryos were...
Slow magnetic monopoles search in NOvA

Science.gov (United States)

Antoshkin, Alexander; Frank, Martin

2018-04-01

The NOvA far detector is well suited for finding exotic particles due to its technical features (see [1]). One type of those exotic particles is a "slow" magnetic monopole. It is assumed that the energy deposition of such monopoles should be enough to be registered (see [2]). Measurement of the expected signals was performed on the NOvA test bench at JINR (see [3]). Result of this measurement allows us to perform slow monopole's research using NOvA software and hardware with high efficiency. As a whole, the research can lead to a discovery, or it can limit the existence of monopoles in a wide range of parameters, previously unreachable in other experiments (MACRO, SLIM, RICE, IceCube). Several special software tools have been developed. Slow Monopole Trigger has been created and implemented in the NOvA Data-Driven-Trigger system. Also, an online reconstruction algorithm has been developed and tested on 5% of the data. A technical description of these tools and current results of the analysis are presented in this work.
Role of biological membranes in slow-wave sleep.

Science.gov (United States)

Karnovsky, M L

1991-02-01

Two involvements of cellular membranes in slow-wave sleep (SWS) are discussed. In the first the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is focussed upon, and in the second, the plasmalemma, where specific binding sites (receptors?) for promoters of slow-wave sleep are believed to be located. The study concerning the ER focuses on an enzyme in the brain, glucose-6-phosphatase, which, although present at low levels, manifests greatly increased activity during SWS compared to the waking state. The work on the plasmalemma has to do with the specific binding of muramyl peptides, inducers of slow-wave sleep, to various cells, and membrane preparations of various sorts, including those from brain tissue. Such cells as macrophages from mice, B-lymphocytes from human blood, and cells from a cell line (C-6 glioma) have been examined in this context.
Mutually-modulated cross-gain modulation and slow light

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sternklar, Shmuel; Sarid, Eyal; Wart, Maxim; Granot, Er'el

2010-01-01

The interaction of pump and Stokes light in a Brillouin medium, where both beams are modulated, can be utilized for controlling the group velocity of the amplified Stokes (or depleted pump). The dependence of the group velocity for this mutually-modulated cross-gain modulation (MMXGM) technique on the Brillouin gain parameter is studied. A sharp transition to slow light occurs in the G 1 α/β≈1 regime, where G 1 is the Brillouin gain parameter, and α and β are the pump and Stokes modulation indices, respectively. A comparison of MMXGM slow light to the Brillouin dispersion-based slow-light technique reveals the fundamental differences between them. The formation of higher harmonics of the modulation frequency is also discussed. The theoretical predictions are experimentally corroborated and potential applications in fiber-based sensing and interferometry are discussed
Frictional processes in smectite-rich gouges sheared at slow to high slip rates

Science.gov (United States)

Aretusini, Stefano; Mittempergher, Silvia; Gualtieri, Alessandro; Di Toro, Giulio

2015-04-01

The slipping zones of shallow sections of megathrusts and of large landslides are often smectite-rich (e.g., montmorillonite type). Consequently, similar "frictional" processes operating at high slip rates (> 1 m/s) might be responsible of the large slips estimated in megathrust (50 m for the 2011 Tohoku Mw 9.1 earthquake) and measured in large landslides (500 m for the 1963 Vajont slide, Italy). At present, only rotary shear apparatuses can reproduce simultaneously the large slips and slip rates of these events. Noteworthy, the frictional processes proposed so far (thermal and thermochemical pressurization, etc.) remain rather obscure. Here we present preliminary results obtained with the ROtary Shear Apparatus (ROSA) installed at Padua University. Thirty-one experiments were performed at ambient conditions on pure end-members of (1) smectite-rich standard powders (STx-1b: ~68 wt% Ca-montmorillonite, ~30 wt% opal-CT and ~2 wt% quartz), (2) quartz powders (qtz) and (3) on 80:20 = Stx-1b:qtz mixtures. The gouges were sandwiched between two (1) hollow (25/15 mm external/internal diameter) or (2) solid (25 mm in diameter) stainless-steel made cylinders and confined by inner and outer Teflon rings (only outer for solid cylinders). Gouges were sheared at a normal stress of 5 MPa, slip rates V from 300 μm/s to 1.5 m/s and total slip of 3 m. The deformed gouges were investigated with quantitative (Rietveld method with internal standard) X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). In the smectite-rich standard endmember, (1) for 300 μm/s ≤ V ≤ 0.1 m/s, initial friction coefficient (μi) was 0.6±0.05 whereas the steady-state friction coefficient (μss) was velocity and slip strengthening (μss 0.85±0.05), (2) for 0.1 m/s 0.8 m/s, velocity and slip weakening (μi = 0.7±0.1 and μss = 0.25±0.05). In the 80:20 Stx-1b:qtz mixtures, (1) for 300 μm/s ≤ V ≤ 0.1 m/s, μi ranged was 0.7±0.05 and increased with slip to μss = 0.77±0
On the reasons for bombarding uranium with slow neutrons

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xu Diyu

1997-01-01

Form the concepts of slow neutrons, the binding energy and the excitation energy of complex nuclei, and the activation energy in nuclear fission, the four reasons for bombarding uranium with slow neutrons are summed up. Not only the reasons for uranium fission are brought in light, but also the micromechanism is dealt with
Slow-light enhancement of Beer-Lambert-Bouguer absorption

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mortensen, Asger; Xiao, Sanshui

2007-01-01

We theoretically show how slow light in an optofluidic environment facilitates enhanced light-matter interactions, by orders of magnitude. The proposed concept provides strong opportunities for improving existing miniaturized chemical absorbance cells for Beer-Lambert-Bouguer absorption measureme......We theoretically show how slow light in an optofluidic environment facilitates enhanced light-matter interactions, by orders of magnitude. The proposed concept provides strong opportunities for improving existing miniaturized chemical absorbance cells for Beer-Lambert-Bouguer absorption...

Exploring carrier dynamics in semiconductors for slow light

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mørk, Jesper; Xue, Weiqi; Chen, Yaohui

2009-01-01

We give an overview of recent results on slow and fast light in active semiconductor waveguides. The cases of coherent population oscillations as well as electromagnetically induced transparency are covered, emphasizing the physics and fundamental limitations.......We give an overview of recent results on slow and fast light in active semiconductor waveguides. The cases of coherent population oscillations as well as electromagnetically induced transparency are covered, emphasizing the physics and fundamental limitations....
Resin infusion of large composite structures modeling and manufacturing process

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Loos, A.C. [Michigan State Univ., Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, East Lansing, MI (United States)

2006-07-01

The resin infusion processes resin transfer molding (RTM), resin film infusion (RFI) and vacuum assisted resin transfer molding (VARTM) are cost effective techniques for the fabrication of complex shaped composite structures. The dry fibrous preform is placed in the mold, consolidated, resin impregnated and cured in a single step process. The fibrous performs are often constructed near net shape using highly automated textile processes such as knitting, weaving and braiding. In this paper, the infusion processes RTM, RFI and VARTM are discussed along with the advantages of each technique compared with traditional composite fabrication methods such as prepreg tape lay up and autoclave cure. The large number of processing variables and the complex material behavior during infiltration and cure make experimental optimization of the infusion processes costly and inefficient. Numerical models have been developed which can be used to simulate the resin infusion processes. The model formulation and solution procedures for the VARTM process are presented. A VARTM process simulation of a carbon fiber preform was presented to demonstrate the type of information that can be generated by the model and to compare the model predictions with experimental measurements. Overall, the predicted flow front positions, resin pressures and preform thicknesses agree well with the measured values. The results of the simulation show the potential cost and performance benefits that can be realized by using a simulation model as part of the development process. (au)
PLANNING QUALITY ASSURANCE PROCESSES IN A LARGE SCALE GEOGRAPHICALLY SPREAD HYBRID SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT PROJECT

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Святослав Аркадійович МУРАВЕЦЬКИЙ

2016-02-01

Full Text Available There have been discussed key points of operational activates in a large scale geographically spread software development projects. A look taken at required QA processes structure in such project. There have been given up to date methods of integration quality assurance processes into software development processes. There have been reviewed existing groups of software development methodologies. Such as sequential, agile and based on RPINCE2. There have been given a condensed overview of quality assurance processes in each group. There have been given a review of common challenges that sequential and agile models are having in case of large geographically spread hybrid software development project. Recommendations were given in order to tackle those challenges. The conclusions about the best methodology choice and appliance to the particular project have been made.
Azimuthal asymmetry of slow particles in high energy nuclear interaction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sarkar, Subir; Goswami, T.D.

2002-01-01

An asymmetry in the angular distribution of slow particles in the azimuthal plane has been observed during high energy nuclear disintegration of photo emulsion nuclei exposed to 1.8 GeV/c k - and 20 GeV/c protons. The mechanism of disintegration is not in accordance with the cascade-evaporation model, which is based on isotropic emission of slow particles. Deviation from isotropy indicates that some of the slow particles might be emitted well before the thermal equilibrium is reached in the disintegrating system. (author)
Large break frequency for the SRS (Savannah River Site) production reactor process water system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Daugherty, W.L.; Awadalla, N.G.; Sindelar, R.L.; Bush, S.H.

1989-01-01

The objective of this paper is to present the results and conclusions of an evaluation of the large break frequency for the process water system (primary coolant system), including the piping, reactor tank, heat exchangers, expansion joints and other process water system components. This evaluation was performed to support the ongoing PRA effort and to complement deterministic analyses addressing the credibility of a double-ended guillotine break. This evaluation encompasses three specific areas: the failure probability of large process water piping directly from imposed loads, the indirect failure probability of piping caused by the seismic-induced failure of surrounding structures, and the failure of all other process water components. The first two of these areas are discussed in detail in other papers. This paper primarily addresses the failure frequency of components other than piping, and includes the other two areas as contributions to the overall process water system break frequency
Linear and circular polarized tunable slow light in Bragg-spaced graphene layers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Liu, Jiang-Tao, E-mail: jtliu@semi.ac.cn [Nanoscale Science and Technology Laboratory, Institute for Advanced Study, Nanchang University, Nanchang 330031 (China); Department of Physics, Nanchang University, Nanchang 330031 (China); Liu, Nian-Hua [Nanoscale Science and Technology Laboratory, Institute for Advanced Study, Nanchang University, Nanchang 330031 (China); Department of Physics, Nanchang University, Nanchang 330031 (China); Wang, Hai [Department of Physics, Capital Normal University, Beijing 100037 (China); Wang, Tong-Biao [Department of Physics, Nanchang University, Nanchang 330031 (China); Li, Xiao-Jing [College of Physics and Energy, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou 350007 (China)

2014-11-01

The light pulse delay in Bragg-spaced graphene layers (BSGs) combined with a magnetic field is investigated theoretically. BSGs can slow down the group velocity of light more effectively than traditional Bragg-spaced quantum wells due to the large binding energy and strong dipole oscillator strength of the magnetic-exciton of graphene. The group velocity can be tuned by varying the pulse frequency, the Bragg frequency, and the magnetic field. Especially, by tuning the occupation number of the Landau level the group velocity in BSGs shows strong tunable circular dichroism. Our findings could have applications in photonic integrated circuits and quantum computation.
Enhancing the sensitivity of slow light MZI biosensors through multi-hole defects

Science.gov (United States)

Qin, Kun; Zhao, Yiliang; Hu, Shuren; Weiss, Sharon M.

2018-02-01

We demonstrate enhanced detection sensitivity of a slow light Mach-Zehnder interferometer (MZI) sensor by incorporating multi-hole defects (MHDs). Slow light MZI biosensors with a one-dimensional photonic crystal in one arm have been previously shown to improve the performance of traditional MZI sensors based on the increased lightmatter interaction that takes place in the photonic crystal region of the structure. Introducing MHDs in the photonic crystal region increases the available surface area for molecular attachment and further increases the enhanced lightmatter interaction capability of slow light MZIs. The MHDs allow analyte to interact with a greater fraction of the guided wave in the MZI. For a slow light MHD MZI sensor with a 16 μm long sensing arm, a bulk sensitivity of 151,000 rad/RIU-cm is demonstrated experimentally, which is approximately two-fold higher than our previously reported slow light MZI sensors and thirteen-fold higher than traditional MZI biosensors with millimeter length sensing regions. For the label-free detection of nucleic acids, the slow light MZI with MHDs also exhibits a two-fold sensitivity improvement in experiment compared to the slow light MZI without MHDs. Because the detection sensitivity of slow light MHD MZIs scales with the length of the sensing arm, the tradeoff between detection limit and device size can be appropriately mitigated for different applications. All experimental results presented in this work are in good agreement with finite difference-time domain-calculations. Overall, the slow light MZI biosensors with MHDs are a promising platform for highly sensitive and multiplexed lab-on-chip systems.
Slow and Fast Light, Phase I

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — In response to the NASA Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program 2015 Phase I Solicitation S3.08: Slow and Fast Light, Torch Technologies in partnership...
Fast But Fleeting: Adaptive Motor Learning Processes Associated with Aging and Cognitive Decline

Science.gov (United States)

Trewartha, Kevin M.; Garcia, Angeles; Wolpert, Daniel M.

2014-01-01

Motor learning has been shown to depend on multiple interacting learning processes. For example, learning to adapt when moving grasped objects with novel dynamics involves a fast process that adapts and decays quickly—and that has been linked to explicit memory—and a slower process that adapts and decays more gradually. Each process is characterized by a learning rate that controls how strongly motor memory is updated based on experienced errors and a retention factor determining the movement-to-movement decay in motor memory. Here we examined whether fast and slow motor learning processes involved in learning novel dynamics differ between younger and older adults. In addition, we investigated how age-related decline in explicit memory performance influences learning and retention parameters. Although the groups adapted equally well, they did so with markedly different underlying processes. Whereas the groups had similar fast processes, they had different slow processes. Specifically, the older adults exhibited decreased retention in their slow process compared with younger adults. Within the older group, who exhibited considerable variation in explicit memory performance, we found that poor explicit memory was associated with reduced retention in the fast process, as well as the slow process. These findings suggest that explicit memory resources are a determining factor in impairments in the both the fast and slow processes for motor learning but that aging effects on the slow process are independent of explicit memory declines. PMID:25274819
Fast but fleeting: adaptive motor learning processes associated with aging and cognitive decline.

Science.gov (United States)

Trewartha, Kevin M; Garcia, Angeles; Wolpert, Daniel M; Flanagan, J Randall

2014-10-01

Motor learning has been shown to depend on multiple interacting learning processes. For example, learning to adapt when moving grasped objects with novel dynamics involves a fast process that adapts and decays quickly-and that has been linked to explicit memory-and a slower process that adapts and decays more gradually. Each process is characterized by a learning rate that controls how strongly motor memory is updated based on experienced errors and a retention factor determining the movement-to-movement decay in motor memory. Here we examined whether fast and slow motor learning processes involved in learning novel dynamics differ between younger and older adults. In addition, we investigated how age-related decline in explicit memory performance influences learning and retention parameters. Although the groups adapted equally well, they did so with markedly different underlying processes. Whereas the groups had similar fast processes, they had different slow processes. Specifically, the older adults exhibited decreased retention in their slow process compared with younger adults. Within the older group, who exhibited considerable variation in explicit memory performance, we found that poor explicit memory was associated with reduced retention in the fast process, as well as the slow process. These findings suggest that explicit memory resources are a determining factor in impairments in the both the fast and slow processes for motor learning but that aging effects on the slow process are independent of explicit memory declines. Copyright © 2014 the authors 0270-6474/14/3413411-11$15.00/0.
Investigation of phase matching for third-harmonic generation in silicon slow light photonic crystal waveguides using Fourier optics.

Science.gov (United States)

Monat, Christelle; Grillet, Christian; Corcoran, Bill; Moss, David J; Eggleton, Benjamin J; White, Thomas P; Krauss, Thomas F

2010-03-29

Using Fourier optics, we retrieve the wavevector dependence of the third-harmonic (green) light generated in a slow light silicon photonic crystal waveguide. We show that quasi-phase matching between the third-harmonic signal and the fundamental mode is provided in this geometry by coupling to the continuum of radiation modes above the light line. This process sustains third-harmonic generation with a relatively high efficiency and a substantial bandwidth limited only by the slow light window of the fundamental mode. The results give us insights into the physics of this nonlinear process in the presence of strong absorption and dispersion at visible wavelengths where bandstructure calculations are problematic. Since the characteristics (e.g. angular pattern) of the third-harmonic light primarily depend on the fundamental mode dispersion, they could be readily engineered.
Slowing Quantum Decoherence by Squeezing in Phase Space

Science.gov (United States)

Le Jeannic, H.; Cavaillès, A.; Huang, K.; Filip, R.; Laurat, J.

2018-02-01

Non-Gaussian states, and specifically the paradigmatic cat state, are well known to be very sensitive to losses. When propagating through damping channels, these states quickly lose their nonclassical features and the associated negative oscillations of their Wigner function. However, by squeezing the superposition states, the decoherence process can be qualitatively changed and substantially slowed down. Here, as a first example, we experimentally observe the reduced decoherence of squeezed optical coherent-state superpositions through a lossy channel. To quantify the robustness of states, we introduce a combination of a decaying value and a rate of decay of the Wigner function negativity. This work, which uses squeezing as an ancillary Gaussian resource, opens new possibilities to protect and manipulate quantum superpositions in phase space.
Concepts for a slow-positron target at the advanced photon source

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lessner, E.; White, M.

1997-01-01

The Advanced Photon Source (APS) linear accelerator beam could be used to produce slow positrons during the hours between the storage ring injection cycles. Initial concepts for the design of a target that is optimized for slow-positron production are discussed, and simulation results are presented. Some possible ways to increase the nominal linac beam power for improved slow-positron production are also discussed
Implications of the Deep Minimum for Slow Solar Wind Origin

Science.gov (United States)

Antiochos, S. K.; Mikic, Z.; Lionello, R.; Titov, V. S.; Linker, J. A.

2009-12-01

The origin of the slow solar wind has long been one of the most important problems in solar/heliospheric physics. Two observational constraints make this problem especially challenging. First, the slow wind has the composition of the closed-field corona, unlike the fast wind that originates on open field lines. Second, the slow wind has substantial angular extent, of order 30 degrees, which is much larger than the widths observed for streamer stalks or the widths expected theoretically for a dynamic heliospheric current sheet. We propose that the slow wind originates from an intricate network of narrow (possibly singular) open-field corridors that emanate from the polar coronal hole regions. Using topological arguments, we show that these corridors must be ubiquitous in the solar corona. The total solar eclipse in August 2008, near the lowest point of the Deep Minimum, affords an ideal opportunity to test this theory by using the ultra-high resolution Predictive Science's (PSI) eclipse model for the corona and wind. Analysis of the PSI eclipse model demonstrates that the extent and scales of the open-field corridors can account for both the angular width of the slow wind and its closed-field composition. We discuss the implications of our slow wind theory for the structure of the corona and heliosphere at the Deep Minimum and describe further observational and theoretical tests. This work has been supported by the NASA HTP, SR&T, and LWS programs.
Dual-processing accounts of reasoning, judgment, and social cognition.

Science.gov (United States)

Evans, Jonathan St B T

2008-01-01

This article reviews a diverse set of proposals for dual processing in higher cognition within largely disconnected literatures in cognitive and social psychology. All these theories have in common the distinction between cognitive processes that are fast, automatic, and unconscious and those that are slow, deliberative, and conscious. A number of authors have recently suggested that there may be two architecturally (and evolutionarily) distinct cognitive systems underlying these dual-process accounts. However, it emerges that (a) there are multiple kinds of implicit processes described by different theorists and (b) not all of the proposed attributes of the two kinds of processing can be sensibly mapped on to two systems as currently conceived. It is suggested that while some dual-process theories are concerned with parallel competing processes involving explicit and implicit knowledge systems, others are concerned with the influence of preconscious processes that contextualize and shape deliberative reasoning and decision-making.
The 2012 Mw5.6 earthquake in Sofia seismogenic zone - is it a slow earthquake

Science.gov (United States)

Raykova, Plamena; Solakov, Dimcho; Slavcheva, Krasimira; Simeonova, Stela; Aleksandrova, Irena

2017-04-01

Recently our understanding of tectonic faulting has been shaken by the discoveries of seismic tremor, low frequency earthquakes, slow slip events, and other models of fault slip. These phenomenas represent models of failure that were thought to be non-existent and theoretically impossible only a few years ago. Slow earthquakes are seismic phenomena in which the rupture of geological faults in the earth's crust occurs gradually without creating strong tremors. Despite the growing number of observations of slow earthquakes their origin remains unresolved. Studies show that the duration of slow earthquakes ranges from a few seconds to a few hundred seconds. The regular earthquakes with which most people are familiar release a burst of built-up stress in seconds, slow earthquakes release energy in ways that do little damage. This study focus on the characteristics of the Mw5.6 earthquake occurred in Sofia seismic zone on May 22nd, 2012. The Sofia area is the most populated, industrial and cultural region of Bulgaria that faces considerable earthquake risk. The Sofia seismic zone is located in South-western Bulgaria - the area with pronounce tectonic activity and proved crustal movement. In 19th century the city of Sofia (situated in the centre of the Sofia seismic zone) has experienced two strong earthquakes with epicentral intensity of 10 MSK. During the 20th century the strongest event occurred in the vicinity of the city of Sofia is the 1917 earthquake with MS=5.3 (I0=7-8 MSK64).The 2012 quake occurs in an area characterized by a long quiescence (of 95 years) for moderate events. Moreover, a reduced number of small earthquakes have also been registered in the recent past. The Mw5.6 earthquake is largely felt on the territory of Bulgaria and neighbouring countries. No casualties and severe injuries have been reported. Mostly moderate damages were observed in the cities of Pernik and Sofia and their surroundings. These observations could be assumed indicative for a
Slow cortical potential and theta/beta neurofeedback training in adults: effects on attentional processes and motor system excitability

OpenAIRE

Studer, Petra; Kratz, Oliver; Gevensleben, Holger; Rothenberger, Aribert; Moll, Gunther H.; Hautzinger, Martin; Heinrich, Hartmut

2014-01-01

Neurofeedback (NF) is being successfully applied, among others, in children with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and as a peak performance training in healthy subjects. However, the neuronal mechanisms mediating a successful NF training have not yet been sufficiently uncovered for both theta/beta (T/B), and slow cortical potential (SCP) training, two protocols established in NF in ADHD. In the present, randomized, controlled investigation in adults without a clinical diagnosis...
Vagus Nerve Stimulation for Electrographic Status Epilepticus in Slow-Wave Sleep.

Science.gov (United States)

Carosella, Christopher M; Greiner, Hansel M; Byars, Anna W; Arthur, Todd M; Leach, James L; Turner, Michele; Holland, Katherine D; Mangano, Francesco T; Arya, Ravindra

2016-07-01

Electrographic status epilepticus in slow sleep or continuous spike and waves during slow-wave sleep is an epileptic encephalopathy characterized by seizures, neurocognitive regression, and significant activation of epileptiform discharges during nonrapid eye movement sleep. There is no consensus on the diagnostic criteria and evidence-based optimal treatment algorithm for children with electrographic status epilepticus in slow sleep. We describe a 12-year-old girl with drug-resistant electrographic status epilepticus in slow wave sleep that was successfully treated with vagus nerve stimulation. Her clinical presentation, presurgical evaluation, decision-making, and course after vagus nerve stimulator implantation are described in detail. After vagus nerve stimulator implantation, the girl remained seizure free for more than a year, resolved the electrographic status epilepticus in slow sleep pattern on electroencephalography, and exhibited significant cognitive improvement. Vagus nerve stimulation may be considered for electrographic status epilepticus in slow sleep. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Modeling fast and slow earthquakes at various scales.

Science.gov (United States)

Ide, Satoshi

2014-01-01

Earthquake sources represent dynamic rupture within rocky materials at depth and often can be modeled as propagating shear slip controlled by friction laws. These laws provide boundary conditions on fault planes embedded in elastic media. Recent developments in observation networks, laboratory experiments, and methods of data analysis have expanded our knowledge of the physics of earthquakes. Newly discovered slow earthquakes are qualitatively different phenomena from ordinary fast earthquakes and provide independent information on slow deformation at depth. Many numerical simulations have been carried out to model both fast and slow earthquakes, but problems remain, especially with scaling laws. Some mechanisms are required to explain the power-law nature of earthquake rupture and the lack of characteristic length. Conceptual models that include a hierarchical structure over a wide range of scales would be helpful for characterizing diverse behavior in different seismic regions and for improving probabilistic forecasts of earthquakes.
Slow Orbit Feedback at the ALS Using Matlab

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Portmann, G.

1999-01-01

The third generation Advanced Light Source (ALS) produces extremely bright and finely focused photon beams using undulatory, wigglers, and bend magnets. In order to position the photon beams accurately, a slow global orbit feedback system has been developed. The dominant causes of orbit motion at the ALS are temperature variation and insertion device motion. This type of motion can be removed using slow global orbit feedback with a data rate of a few Hertz. The remaining orbit motion in the ALS is only 1-3 micron rms. Slow orbit feedback does not require high computational throughput. At the ALS, the global orbit feedback algorithm, based on the singular valued decomposition method, is coded in MATLAB and runs on a control room workstation. Using the MATLAB environment to develop, test, and run the storage ring control algorithms has proven to be a fast and efficient way to operate the ALS

Human myosin VIIa is a very slow processive motor protein on various cellular actin structures.

Science.gov (United States)

Sato, Osamu; Komatsu, Satoshi; Sakai, Tsuyoshi; Tsukasaki, Yoshikazu; Tanaka, Ryosuke; Mizutani, Takeomi; Watanabe, Tomonobu M; Ikebe, Reiko; Ikebe, Mitsuo

2017-06-30

Human myosin VIIa (MYO7A) is an actin-linked motor protein associated with human Usher syndrome (USH) type 1B, which causes human congenital hearing and visual loss. Although it has been thought that the role of human myosin VIIa is critical for USH1 protein tethering with actin and transportation along actin bundles in inner-ear hair cells, myosin VIIa's motor function remains unclear. Here, we studied the motor function of the tail-truncated human myosin VIIa dimer (HM7AΔTail/LZ) at the single-molecule level. We found that the HM7AΔTail/LZ moves processively on single actin filaments with a step size of 35 nm. Dwell-time distribution analysis indicated an average waiting time of 3.4 s, yielding ∼0.3 s -1 for the mechanical turnover rate; hence, the velocity of HM7AΔTail/LZ was extremely slow, at 11 nm·s -1 We also examined HM7AΔTail/LZ movement on various actin structures in demembranated cells. HM7AΔTail/LZ showed unidirectional movement on actin structures at cell edges, such as lamellipodia and filopodia. However, HM7AΔTail/LZ frequently missed steps on actin tracks and exhibited bidirectional movement at stress fibers, which was not observed with tail-truncated myosin Va. These results suggest that the movement of the human myosin VIIa motor protein is more efficient on lamellipodial and filopodial actin tracks than on stress fibers, which are composed of actin filaments with different polarity, and that the actin structures influence the characteristics of cargo transportation by human myosin VIIa. In conclusion, myosin VIIa movement appears to be suitable for translocating USH1 proteins on stereocilia actin bundles in inner-ear hair cells. © 2017 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.
SLOW SLIP EVENTS: PARAMETERS, CONDITIONS OF OCCURRENCE, AND FUTURE RESEARCH PROSPECTS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

G. G. Kocharyan

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Slow slip events along faults and fractures are reviewed. Such inter-block displacements can be recorded at various scale levels and considered as transitional from quasi-stable (creep to dynamic slip (earthquake. Such events include seismogenic slip along faults at velocities by one to three orders lower than those in case of 'normal' earthquakes, as well as aseismic slip cases. Discovering such events facilitates better understanding of how energy accumulated during deformation of the crust is released.Studying conditions and the evolution of transitional regimes can provide new important information on the structure and regularities of deformation in fault zones.Data from latest publications by different authors are consolidated, and the data analysis results are presented. Over 170 slow slip events are reviewed. Based on the consolidated data and modelling results obtained by the authors, relationships between parameters of the reviewed process are established, scale relations between the events are considered, and a first-approximation analysis is conducted for impacts of geomaterial characteristics on various deformation regimes.Low-frequency earthquake foci and slow slip sites are most typically located in zones of transition from stable creep areas to seismogenic segments of the discontinuity (Fig. 3 It can be logically supposed that in such transitional zones, the interface has specific frictional properties providing for a regime that can be termed as 'conditionally stable slip'.The duration of slow deformation events is roughly proportional to the released seismic moment, while such a ratio is close to self-similarity in case of 'normal' earthquakes (Fig. 4. In case of slow slip, an area of the displaced section is larger by many factors than the corresponding value for an earthquake with the same seismic moment, while an average displacement amplitude along the fault is significantly smaller (Figures 5 and 6. Velocities of slip
Fast and slow myosins as markers of muscle injury.

Science.gov (United States)

Guerrero, M; Guiu-Comadevall, M; Cadefau, J A; Parra, J; Balius, R; Estruch, A; Rodas, G; Bedini, J L; Cussó, R

2008-07-01

The diagnosis of muscular lesions suffered by athletes is usually made by clinical criteria combined with imaging of the lesion (ultrasonography and/or magnetic resonance) and blood tests to detect the presence of non-specific muscle markers. This study was undertaken to evaluate injury to fast and slow-twitch fibres using specific muscle markers for these fibres. Blood samples were obtained from 51 non-sports people and 38 sportsmen with skeletal muscle injury. Western blood analysis was performed to determine fast and slow myosin and creatine kinase (CK) levels. Skeletal muscle damage was diagnosed by physical examination, ultrasonography and magnetic resonance and biochemical markers. The imaging tests were found to be excellent for detecting and confirming grade II and III lesions. However, grade I lesions were often unconfirmed by these techniques. Grade I lesions have higher levels of fast myosin than slow myosin with a very small increase in CK levels. Grade II and III lesions have high values of both fast and slow myosin. The evaluation of fast and slow myosin in the blood 48 h after the lesion occurs is a useful aid for the detection of type I lesions in particular, since fast myosin is an exclusive skeletal muscle marker. The correct diagnosis of grade I lesions can prevent progression of the injury in athletes undergoing continual training sessions and competitions, thus aiding sports physicians in their decision making.
Contribution to analytical solution of neutron slowing down problem in homogeneous and heterogeneous media; Prilog analitickom resavanju problema usporavanja neutrona u homogenim i heterogenim sredinama

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Stefanovic, D B [Institute of Nuclear Sciences Boris Kidric, Vinca, Beograd (Yugoslavia)

1970-07-01

The objective of this work is to describe the new analytical solution of the neutron slowing down equation for infinite monoatomic media with arbitrary energy dependence of cross section. The solution is obtained by introducing Green slowing down functions instead of starting from slowing down equations directly. The previously used methods for calculation of fission neutron spectra in the reactor cell were numerical. The proposed analytical method was used for calculating the space-energy distribution of fast neutrons and number of neutron reactions in a thermal reactor cell. The role of analytical method in solving the neutron slowing down in reactor physics is to enable understating of the slowing down process and neutron transport. The obtained results could be used as standards for testing the accuracy od approximative and practical methods.
Speed of mental processing in the middle of the night

Science.gov (United States)

Monk, T. H.; Carrier, J.

1997-01-01

This study aimed to determine whether human mental processing actually slows down during the night hours, separately from the previously documented microsleeps, lapses in attention, and general slowing of motor responses. Eighteen healthy young adults were studied during 36 hours of constant wakeful bedrest. Every 2 hours, they performed a logical reasoning task. Items phrased in the negative voice took reliably longer to respond to than items phrased in the positive voice, indicating the need for more mental processing in those items. By subtracting "negative" from "positive" reaction times at each time of day, we were able to plot a circadian rhythm in the time taken for this extra mental processing to be done separately from microsleeps, psychomotor slowing, and inattention. The extra mental processing took longer at night and on the day following sleep loss than it did during the day before the sleep loss, suggesting that human mental processing slows down during the night under sleep deprivation.
Visualization of the Flux Rope Generation Process Using Large Quantities of MHD Simulation Data

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Y Kubota

2013-03-01

Full Text Available We present a new concept of analysis using visualization of large quantities of simulation data. The time development of 3D objects with high temporal resolution provides the opportunity for scientific discovery. We visualize large quantities of simulation data using the visualization application 'Virtual Aurora' based on AVS (Advanced Visual Systems and the parallel distributed processing at "Space Weather Cloud" in NICT based on Gfarm technology. We introduce two results of high temporal resolution visualization: the magnetic flux rope generation process and dayside reconnection using a system of magnetic field line tracing.
Large sample hydrology in NZ: Spatial organisation in process diagnostics

Science.gov (United States)

McMillan, H. K.; Woods, R. A.; Clark, M. P.

2013-12-01

A key question in hydrology is how to predict the dominant runoff generation processes in any given catchment. This knowledge is vital for a range of applications in forecasting hydrological response and related processes such as nutrient and sediment transport. A step towards this goal is to map dominant processes in locations where data is available. In this presentation, we use data from 900 flow gauging stations and 680 rain gauges in New Zealand, to assess hydrological processes. These catchments range in character from rolling pasture, to alluvial plains, to temperate rainforest, to volcanic areas. By taking advantage of so many flow regimes, we harness the benefits of large-sample and comparative hydrology to study patterns and spatial organisation in runoff processes, and their relationship to physical catchment characteristics. The approach we use to assess hydrological processes is based on the concept of diagnostic signatures. Diagnostic signatures in hydrology are targeted analyses of measured data which allow us to investigate specific aspects of catchment response. We apply signatures which target the water balance, the flood response and the recession behaviour. We explore the organisation, similarity and diversity in hydrological processes across the New Zealand landscape, and how these patterns change with scale. We discuss our findings in the context of the strong hydro-climatic gradients in New Zealand, and consider the implications for hydrological model building on a national scale.
Simulation research on the process of large scale ship plane segmentation intelligent workshop

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Peng; Liao, Liangchuang; Zhou, Chao; Xue, Rui; Fu, Wei

2017-04-01

Large scale ship plane segmentation intelligent workshop is a new thing, and there is no research work in related fields at home and abroad. The mode of production should be transformed by the existing industry 2.0 or part of industry 3.0, also transformed from "human brain analysis and judgment + machine manufacturing" to "machine analysis and judgment + machine manufacturing". In this transforming process, there are a great deal of tasks need to be determined on the aspects of management and technology, such as workshop structure evolution, development of intelligent equipment and changes in business model. Along with them is the reformation of the whole workshop. Process simulation in this project would verify general layout and process flow of large scale ship plane section intelligent workshop, also would analyze intelligent workshop working efficiency, which is significant to the next step of the transformation of plane segmentation intelligent workshop.
The slow oscillation in cortical and thalamic networks: mechanisms and functions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Garrett T. Neske

2016-01-01

Full Text Available During even the most quiescent behavioral periods, the cortex and thalamus express rich spontaneous activity in the form of slow (<1 Hz, synchronous network state transitions. Throughout this so-called slow oscillation, cortical and thalamic neurons fluctuate between periods of intense synaptic activity (Up states and almost complete silence (Down states. The two decades since the original characterization of the slow oscillation in the cortex and thalamus have seen considerable advances in deciphering the cellular and network mechanisms associated with this pervasive phenomenon. There are, nevertheless, many questions regarding the slow oscillation that await more thorough illumination, particularly the mechanisms by which Up states initiate and terminate, the functional role of the rhythmic activity cycles in unconscious or minimally conscious states, and the precise relation between Up states and the activated states associated with waking behavior. Given the substantial advances in multineuronal recording and imaging methods in both in vivo and in vitro preparations, the time is ripe to take stock of our current understanding of the slow oscillation and pave the way for future investigations of its mechanisms and functions. My aim in this Review is to provide a comprehensive account of the mechanisms and functions of the slow oscillation, and to suggest avenues for further exploration.
AN ANOMALOUS COMPOSITION IN SLOW SOLAR WIND AS A SIGNATURE OF MAGNETIC RECONNECTION IN ITS SOURCE REGION

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhao, L.; Landi, E.; Lepri, S. T.; Kocher, M.; Zurbuchen, T. H.; Fisk, L. A.; Raines, J. M., E-mail: lzh@umich.edu [Department of Climate and Space Sciences and Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109 (United States)

2017-01-01

In this paper, we study a subset of slow solar winds characterized by an anomalous charge state composition and ion temperatures compared to average solar wind distributions, and thus referred to as an “Outlier” wind. We find that although this wind is slower and denser than normal slow wind, it is accelerated from the same source regions (active regions and quiet-Sun regions) as the latter and its occurrence rate depends on the solar cycle. The defining property of the Outlier wind is that its charge state composition is the same as that of normal slow wind, with the only exception being a very large decrease in the abundance of fully charged species (He{sup 2+}, C{sup 6+}, N{sup 7+}, O{sup 8+}, Mg{sup 12+}), resulting in a significant depletion of the He and C element abundances. Based on these observations, we suggest three possible scenarios for the origin of this wind: (1) local magnetic waves preferentially accelerating non-fully stripped ions over fully stripped ions from a loop opened by reconnection; (2) depleted fully stripped ions already contained in the corona magnetic loops before they are opened up by reconnection; or (3) fully stripped ions depleted by Coulomb collision after magnetic reconnection in the solar corona. If any one of these three scenarios is confirmed, the Outlier wind represents a direct signature of slow wind release through magnetic reconnection.
Medical Students Perceive Better Group Learning Processes when Large Classes Are Made to Seem Small

Science.gov (United States)

Hommes, Juliette; Arah, Onyebuchi A.; de Grave, Willem; Schuwirth, Lambert W. T.; Scherpbier, Albert J. J. A.; Bos, Gerard M. J.

2014-01-01

Objective Medical schools struggle with large classes, which might interfere with the effectiveness of learning within small groups due to students being unfamiliar to fellow students. The aim of this study was to assess the effects of making a large class seem small on the students' collaborative learning processes. Design A randomised controlled intervention study was undertaken to make a large class seem small, without the need to reduce the number of students enrolling in the medical programme. The class was divided into subsets: two small subsets (n = 50) as the intervention groups; a control group (n = 102) was mixed with the remaining students (the non-randomised group n∼100) to create one large subset. Setting The undergraduate curriculum of the Maastricht Medical School, applying the Problem-Based Learning principles. In this learning context, students learn mainly in tutorial groups, composed randomly from a large class every 6–10 weeks. Intervention The formal group learning activities were organised within the subsets. Students from the intervention groups met frequently within the formal groups, in contrast to the students from the large subset who hardly enrolled with the same students in formal activities. Main Outcome Measures Three outcome measures assessed students' group learning processes over time: learning within formally organised small groups, learning with other students in the informal context and perceptions of the intervention. Results Formal group learning processes were perceived more positive in the intervention groups from the second study year on, with a mean increase of β = 0.48. Informal group learning activities occurred almost exclusively within the subsets as defined by the intervention from the first week involved in the medical curriculum (E-I indexes>−0.69). Interviews tapped mainly positive effects and negligible negative side effects of the intervention. Conclusion Better group learning processes can be
Structure of intermediate shocks and slow shocks in a magnetized plasma with heat conduction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tsai, C.L.; Wu, B.H.; Lee, L.C.

2005-01-01

The structure of slow shocks and intermediate shocks in the presence of a heat conduction parallel to the local magnetic field is simulated from the set of magnetohydrodynamic equations. This study is an extension of an earlier work [C. L. Tsai, R. H. Tsai, B. H. Wu, and L. C. Lee, Phys. Plasmas 9, 1185 (2002)], in which the effects of heat conduction are examined for the case that the tangential magnetic fields on the two side of initial current sheet are exactly antiparallel (B y =0). For the B y =0 case, a pair of slow shocks is formed as the result of evolution of the initial current sheet, and each slow shock consists of two parts: the isothermal main shock and the foreshock. In the present paper, cases with B y ≠0 are also considered, in which the evolution process leads to the presence of an additional pair of time-dependent intermediate shocks (TDISs). Across the main shock of the slow shock, jumps in plasma density, velocity, and magnetic field are significant, but the temperature is continuous. The plasma density downstream of the main shock decreases with time, while the downstream temperature increases with time, keeping the downstream pressure constant. The foreshock is featured by a smooth temperature variation and is formed due to the heat flow from downstream to upstream region. In contrast to the earlier study, the foreshock is found to reach a steady state with a constant width in the slow shock frame. In cases with B y ≠0, the plasma density and pressure increase and the magnetic field decreases across TDIS. The TDIS initially can be embedded in the slow shock's foreshock structure, and then moves out of the foreshock region. With an increasing B y , the propagation speed of foreshock leading edge tends to decrease and the foreshock reaches its steady state at an earlier time. Both the pressure and temperature downstreams of the main shock decrease with increasing B y . The results can be applied to the shock heating in the solar corona and
Generalized slow roll for noncanonical kinetic terms

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hu, Wayne

2011-01-01

We show that the generalized slow roll approach for calculating the power spectrum where the inflationary slow roll parameters are neither small nor slowly varying can be readily extended to models with noncanonical kinetic terms in the inflaton action. For example, rapid sound speed variations can arise in Dirac-Born-Infeld models with features in the warp factor leading to features in the power spectrum. Nonetheless there remains a single source function for deviations that is simply related to the power spectrum. Empirical constraints on this source function can be readily interpreted in the context of features in the inflaton potential or sound speed.
Nonsynonymous substitution rate (Ka is a relatively consistent parameter for defining fast-evolving and slow-evolving protein-coding genes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wang Lei

2011-02-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Mammalian genome sequence data are being acquired in large quantities and at enormous speeds. We now have a tremendous opportunity to better understand which genes are the most variable or conserved, and what their particular functions and evolutionary dynamics are, through comparative genomics. Results We chose human and eleven other high-coverage mammalian genome data–as well as an avian genome as an outgroup–to analyze orthologous protein-coding genes using nonsynonymous (Ka and synonymous (Ks substitution rates. After evaluating eight commonly-used methods of Ka and Ks calculation, we observed that these methods yielded a nearly uniform result when estimating Ka, but not Ks (or Ka/Ks. When sorting genes based on Ka, we noticed that fast-evolving and slow-evolving genes often belonged to different functional classes, with respect to species-specificity and lineage-specificity. In particular, we identified two functional classes of genes in the acquired immune system. Fast-evolving genes coded for signal-transducing proteins, such as receptors, ligands, cytokines, and CDs (cluster of differentiation, mostly surface proteins, whereas the slow-evolving genes were for function-modulating proteins, such as kinases and adaptor proteins. In addition, among slow-evolving genes that had functions related to the central nervous system, neurodegenerative disease-related pathways were enriched significantly in most mammalian species. We also confirmed that gene expression was negatively correlated with evolution rate, i.e. slow-evolving genes were expressed at higher levels than fast-evolving genes. Our results indicated that the functional specializations of the three major mammalian clades were: sensory perception and oncogenesis in primates, reproduction and hormone regulation in large mammals, and immunity and angiotensin in rodents. Conclusion Our study suggests that Ka calculation, which is less biased compared to Ks and Ka
On the role of memory effects for dissipation and diffusion in slow collective nuclear motion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cassing, W.; Noerenberg, W.

1983-01-01

The energy dissipation in slow collective nuclear motion is viewed as a combined effect of a diabatic production of particle-hole excitations, leading to a conservative storage of collective energy, and a subsequent equilibration due to residual two-body collisions. The effective equation of motion for the collective degree of freedom turns out to be nonlocal in time due to the large mean free path of the nucleons and allows for a simultaneous description of two different attitudes of nuclear matter. The elastic response of heavy nuclei for ''fast'' collective motion switches over to pure friction for very slow collective motion. The time development of the fluctuations in the velocities may show oscillations for times comparable to the local equilibration time and hence, is qualitatively different from the classical limit. A first application of the diabatic dynamical approach is made for the quadrupole motion within a diabatic deformed harmonic oscillator basis. (orig.)
Slow cortical potential and theta/beta neurofeedback training in adults: effects on attentional processes, and motor system excitability

OpenAIRE

Petra eStuder; Oliver eKratz; Holger eGevensleben; Aribert eRothenberger; Gunther H Moll; Martin eHautzinger; Hartmut eHeinrich; Hartmut eHeinrich

2014-01-01

Neurofeedback (NF) is being successfully applied, among others, in children with ADHD and as a peak performance training in healthy subjects. However, the neuronal mechanisms mediating a successful NF training have not yet been sufficiently uncovered for both theta/beta (T/B), and slow cortical potential (SCP) training, two protocols established in NF in ADHD. In the present randomized controlled investigation in adults without a clinical diagnosis (n = 59), the specificity of the effects of ...
Large-scale functional networks connect differently for processing words and symbol strings.

Science.gov (United States)

Liljeström, Mia; Vartiainen, Johanna; Kujala, Jan; Salmelin, Riitta

2018-01-01

Reconfigurations of synchronized large-scale networks are thought to be central neural mechanisms that support cognition and behavior in the human brain. Magnetoencephalography (MEG) recordings together with recent advances in network analysis now allow for sub-second snapshots of such networks. In the present study, we compared frequency-resolved functional connectivity patterns underlying reading of single words and visual recognition of symbol strings. Word reading emphasized coherence in a left-lateralized network with nodes in classical perisylvian language regions, whereas symbol processing recruited a bilateral network, including connections between frontal and parietal regions previously associated with spatial attention and visual working memory. Our results illustrate the flexible nature of functional networks, whereby processing of different form categories, written words vs. symbol strings, leads to the formation of large-scale functional networks that operate at distinct oscillatory frequencies and incorporate task-relevant regions. These results suggest that category-specific processing should be viewed not so much as a local process but as a distributed neural process implemented in signature networks. For words, increased coherence was detected particularly in the alpha (8-13 Hz) and high gamma (60-90 Hz) frequency bands, whereas increased coherence for symbol strings was observed in the high beta (21-29 Hz) and low gamma (30-45 Hz) frequency range. These findings attest to the role of coherence in specific frequency bands as a general mechanism for integrating stimulus-dependent information across brain regions.
Efficient all-optical switching using slow light within a hollow fiber

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bajcsy, Michal; Hofferberth, S.; Balic, Vlatko

2009-01-01

We demonstrate a fiber-optical switch that is activated at tiny energies corresponding to a few hundred optical photons per pulse. This is achieved by simultaneously confining both photons and a small laser-cooled ensemble of atoms inside the microscopic hollow core of a single-mode photonic-crys......-crystal fiber and using quantum optical techniques for generating slow light propagation and large nonlinear interaction between light beams.......We demonstrate a fiber-optical switch that is activated at tiny energies corresponding to a few hundred optical photons per pulse. This is achieved by simultaneously confining both photons and a small laser-cooled ensemble of atoms inside the microscopic hollow core of a single-mode photonic...
A Proactive Complex Event Processing Method for Large-Scale Transportation Internet of Things

OpenAIRE

Wang, Yongheng; Cao, Kening

2014-01-01

The Internet of Things (IoT) provides a new way to improve the transportation system. The key issue is how to process the numerous events generated by IoT. In this paper, a proactive complex event processing method is proposed for large-scale transportation IoT. Based on a multilayered adaptive dynamic Bayesian model, a Bayesian network structure learning algorithm using search-and-score is proposed to support accurate predictive analytics. A parallel Markov decision processes model is design...
MapReduce Based Parallel Neural Networks in Enabling Large Scale Machine Learning.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Yang; Yang, Jie; Huang, Yuan; Xu, Lixiong; Li, Siguang; Qi, Man

2015-01-01

Artificial neural networks (ANNs) have been widely used in pattern recognition and classification applications. However, ANNs are notably slow in computation especially when the size of data is large. Nowadays, big data has received a momentum from both industry and academia. To fulfill the potentials of ANNs for big data applications, the computation process must be speeded up. For this purpose, this paper parallelizes neural networks based on MapReduce, which has become a major computing model to facilitate data intensive applications. Three data intensive scenarios are considered in the parallelization process in terms of the volume of classification data, the size of the training data, and the number of neurons in the neural network. The performance of the parallelized neural networks is evaluated in an experimental MapReduce computer cluster from the aspects of accuracy in classification and efficiency in computation.

The Localizing Value Of Focal Delta Slowing In Temporal Lobe ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Slow wave EEG had a higher marginal probability than neuropsychological assessment of predicting the focus, and was equally effective as other investigative methods. Conclusion These results suggest that focal temporal delta slowing is useful in the localization of epileptogenic foci. There was no discordance with the ...
Processes with large Psub(T) in the quantum chromodynamics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Slepchenko, L.A.

1981-01-01

Necessary data on deep inelastic processes and processes of hard collision of hadrons and their interpretation in QCD are stated. Low of power reduction of exclusive and inclusive cross sections at large transverse momenta, electromagnetic and inelastic (structural functions) formfactors of hadrons have been discussed. When searching for a method of taking account of QCD effects scaling disturbance was considered. It is shown that for the large transverse momenta the deep inelastic l-h scatterina is represented as the scattering with a compound system (hadron) in the pulse approximation. In an assumption of a parton model obtained was a hadron cross section calculated through a renormalized structural parton function was obtained. Proof of the factorization in the principal logarithmic approximation of QCD has been obtained by means of a quark-gluon diagram technique. The cross section of the hadron reaction in the factorized form, which is analogous to the l-h scattering, has been calculated. It is shown that a) the diagram summing with the gluon emission generates the scaling disturbance in renormalized structural functions (SF) of quarks and gluons and a running coupling constant arises simultaneously; b) the disturbance character of the Bjorken scaling of SF is the same as in the deep inelasic lepton scattering. QCD problems which can not be solved within the framework of the perturbation theory, are discussed. The evolution of SF describing the bound state of a hadron and the hadron light cone have been studied. Radiation corrections arising in two-loop and higher approximations have been evaluated. QCD corrections for point-similar power asymptotes of processes with high energies and transfers of momenta have been studied on the example of the inclusive production of quark and gluon jets. Rules of the quark counting of anomalous dimensionalities of QCD have been obtained. It is concluded that the considered limit of the inclusive cross sections is close to
Fast or slow-foods? Describing natural variations in oral processing characteristics across a wide range of Asian foods.

Science.gov (United States)

Forde, C G; Leong, C; Chia-Ming, E; McCrickerd, K

2017-02-22

The structural properties of foods have a functional role to play in oral processing behaviours and sensory perception, and also impact on meal size and the experience of fullness. This study adopted a new approach by using behavioural coding analysis of eating behaviours to explore how a range of food textures manifest as the microstructural properties of eating and expectations of fullness. A selection of 47 Asian foods were served in fixed quantities to a panel of participants (N = 12) and their eating behaviours were captured via web-camera recordings. Behavioural coding analysis was completed on the recordings to extract total bites, chews and swallows and cumulative time of the food spent in the mouth. From these measurements a series of microstructural properties including average bite size (g), chews per bite, oro-sensory exposure time (seconds) and average eating rate (g min -1 ) were derived per food. The sensory and macronutrient properties of each food were correlated with the microstructure of eating to compare the differences in eating behaviour on a gram for gram basis. There were strong relationships between the perceived food textural properties and its eating behaviours and a food's total water content was the best predictor of its eating rate. Foods that were eaten at a slower eating rate, with smaller bites and more chews per bite were rated as higher in the expected fullness. These relationships are important as oral processing behaviours and beliefs about the potential satiating value of food influence portion decisions and moderate meal size. These data support the idea that naturally occurring differences in the food structure and texture could be used to design meals that slow the rate of eating and maximise fullness.
Slow shocks and their transition to fast shocks in the inner solar wind

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, Y.C.

1987-01-01

The jump conditions of MHD shocks may be directly calculated as functions of three upstream conditions: the shock Alfven number based on the normal component of the relative shock speed, the shock angle, and the plasma β value. The shock Alfven number is less than 1 for a slow shock and greater than 1 for a fast shock. A traveling, forward shock can be a slow shock in coronal space, where the Alfven speed is of the order of 1000 km/s. The surface of a forward slow shock has a bow-shaped geometry with its nose facing toward the sun. The decrease in the Alfven speed at increasing heliocentric distance causes the shock Alfven number of a forward slow shock to become greater than 1, and the shock eventually evolves from a slow shock into a fast shock. During the transition the shock system consists of a slow shock, a fast shock, and a rotational discontinuity. They intersect along a closed transition line. As the system moves outward from the sun, the area enclosed by the transition line expands, the fast shock grows stronger, and the slow shock becomes weaker. Eventually, the slow shock diminishes, and the entire shock system evolves into a forward fast shock. copyrightAmerican Geophysical Union 1987
Hierarchical optimal control of large-scale nonlinear chemical processes.

Science.gov (United States)

Ramezani, Mohammad Hossein; Sadati, Nasser

2009-01-01

In this paper, a new approach is presented for optimal control of large-scale chemical processes. In this approach, the chemical process is decomposed into smaller sub-systems at the first level, and a coordinator at the second level, for which a two-level hierarchical control strategy is designed. For this purpose, each sub-system in the first level can be solved separately, by using any conventional optimization algorithm. In the second level, the solutions obtained from the first level are coordinated using a new gradient-type strategy, which is updated by the error of the coordination vector. The proposed algorithm is used to solve the optimal control problem of a complex nonlinear chemical stirred tank reactor (CSTR), where its solution is also compared with the ones obtained using the centralized approach. The simulation results show the efficiency and the capability of the proposed hierarchical approach, in finding the optimal solution, over the centralized method.
Possible implications of large scale radiation processing of food

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zagorski, Z.P.

1990-01-01

Large scale irradiation has been discussed in terms of the participation of processing cost in the final value of the improved product. Another factor has been taken into account and that is the saturation of the market with the new product. In the case of successful projects the participation of irradiation cost is low, and the demand for the better product is covered. A limited availability of sources makes the modest saturation of the market difficult with all food subjected to correct radiation treatment. The implementation of the preservation of food needs a decided selection of these kinds of food which comply to all conditions i.e. of acceptance by regulatory bodies, real improvement of quality and economy. The last condition prefers the possibility of use of electron beams of low energy. The best fulfilment of conditions for successful processing is observed in the group of dry food, in expensive spices in particular. (author)
Possible implications of large scale radiation processing of food

Science.gov (United States)

Zagórski, Z. P.

Large scale irradiation has been discussed in terms of the participation of processing cost in the final value of the improved product. Another factor has been taken into account and that is the saturation of the market with the new product. In the case of succesful projects the participation of irradiation cost is low, and the demand for the better product is covered. A limited availability of sources makes the modest saturation of the market difficult with all food subjected to correct radiation treatment. The implementation of the preservation of food needs a decided selection of these kinds of food which comply to all conditions i.e. of acceptance by regulatory bodies, real improvement of quality and economy. The last condition prefers the possibility of use of electron beams of low energy. The best fullfilment of conditions for succesful processing is observed in the group of dry food, in expensive spices in particular.
Numerical studies of fast ion slowing down rates in cool magnetized plasma using LSP

Science.gov (United States)

Evans, Eugene S.; Kolmes, Elijah; Cohen, Samuel A.; Rognlien, Tom; Cohen, Bruce; Meier, Eric; Welch, Dale R.

2016-10-01

In MFE devices, rapid transport of fusion products from the core into the scrape-off layer (SOL) could perform the dual roles of energy and ash removal. The first-orbit trajectories of most fusion products from small field-reversed configuration (FRC) devices will traverse the SOL, allowing those particles to deposit their energy in the SOL and be exhausted along the open field lines. Thus, the fast ion slowing-down time should affect the energy balance of an FRC reactor and its neutron emissions. However, the dynamics of fast ion energy loss processes under the conditions expected in the FRC SOL (with ρe code, to examine the effects of SOL density and background B-field on the slowing-down time of fast ions in a cool plasma. As we use explicit algorithms, these simulations must spatially resolve both ρe and λDe, as well as temporally resolve both Ωe and ωpe, increasing computation time. Scaling studies of the fast ion charge (Z) and background plasma density are in good agreement with unmagnetized slowing down theory. Notably, Z-scaling represents a viable way to dramatically reduce the required CPU time for each simulation. This work was supported, in part, by DOE Contract Number DE-AC02-09CH11466.
Large Eddy Simulation of Cryogenic Injection Processes at Supercritical Pressure

Science.gov (United States)

Oefelein, Joseph C.

2002-01-01

This paper highlights results from the first of a series of hierarchical simulations aimed at assessing the modeling requirements for application of the large eddy simulation technique to cryogenic injection and combustion processes in liquid rocket engines. The focus is on liquid-oxygen-hydrogen coaxial injectors at a condition where the liquid-oxygen is injected at a subcritical temperature into a supercritical environment. For this situation a diffusion dominated mode of combustion occurs in the presence of exceedingly large thermophysical property gradients. Though continuous, these gradients approach the behavior of a contact discontinuity. Significant real gas effects and transport anomalies coexist locally in colder regions of the flow, with ideal gas and transport characteristics occurring within the flame zone. The current focal point is on the interfacial region between the liquid-oxygen core and the coaxial hydrogen jet where the flame anchors itself.
Differential Macrophage Response to Slow- and Fast-Growing Pathogenic Mycobacteria

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. Cecilia Helguera-Repetto

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM have recently been recognized as important species that cause disease even in immunocompetent individuals. The mechanisms that these species use to infect and persist inside macrophages are not well characterised. To gain insight concerning this process we used THP-1 macrophages infected with M. abscessus, M. fortuitum, M. celatum, and M. tuberculosis. Our results showed that slow-growing mycobacteria gained entrance into these cells with more efficiency than fast-growing mycobacteria. We have also demonstrated that viable slow-growing M. celatum persisted inside macrophages without causing cell damage and without inducing reactive oxygen species (ROS, as M. tuberculosis caused. In contrast, fast-growing mycobacteria destroyed the cells and induced high levels of ROS. Additionally, the macrophage cytokine pattern induced by M. celatum was different from the one induced by either M. tuberculosis or fast-growing mycobacteria. Our results also suggest that, in some cases, the intracellular survival of mycobacteria and the immune response that they induce in macrophages could be related to their growth rate. In addition, the modulation of macrophage cytokine production, caused by M. celatum, might be a novel immune-evasion strategy used to survive inside macrophages that is different from the one reported for M. tuberculosis.
Formation of large target residues in intermediate energy nuclear collisions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Loveland, W.; Aleklett, K.; Sihver, L.; Xu, Z.; Seaborg, G.T.

1987-04-01

We have used radiochemical techniques to measure the yields, angular distributions and velocity spectra of the large (A/sub frag/ ≥ 2/3 A/sub tgt/) target residues from the fragmentation of 197 Au by intermediate energy 12 C, 20 Ne, 32 S, 40 Ar, 84 Kr, and 139 La projectiles. The fragment moving frame angular distributions are asymmetric for the lighter projectiles (C-Ar). The fragment velocity spectra are Maxwellian for the Kr induced reactions and non-Maxwellian for the reactions induced by the lighter ions. We interpret these results in terms of a change in the dominant fragment production mechanism(s) from one(s) involving a fast non-equilibrium process for the lighter ions to a slow, equilibrium process for Kr. Comparison of the measured yields and angular distributions with calculations made using a Boltzmann transport equation with appropriate modifications for Pauli blocking, etc., show excellent agreement between data and theory. 12 refs., 12 figs
Characterizing free volumes and layer structures in polymeric membranes using slow positron annihilation spectroscopy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jean, Y C; Chen Hongmin; Awad, Somia; Zhang Sui; Chen Hangzheng; Lau, Cher Hon; Wang Huan; Li Fuyun; Chung, Tai-Shung; Lee, L James; Huang, James

2011-01-01

Positron annihilation spectroscopy coupled with a newly built slow positron beam at National University of Singapore has been used to study the free volume, pore, and depth profile (0 - 10 μm) in cellulose acetate polymeric membrane at the bottom and top sides of membranes for ionic separation in water purification applications. The S and R parameters from Doppler broadening energy of annihilation radiation representing free volumes (0.1-1 nm size) and pores (>1 nm-μm) as a function of depth have been analyzed into multilayers, i.e. skin dense, transition, and porous layers, respectively. The top side of membrane has large free volumes and pores and the bottom side has a skin dense layer, which plays a key role in membrane performance. Positron annihilation lifetime results provide additional information about free-volume size and distribution at the atomic and molecular scale in polymeric membrane systems. Doppler broadening energy and lifetime spectroscopies coupled with a variable mono-energy slow positron beam are sensitive and novel techniques for characterization of polymeric membrane in separation applications.
Observation of Ultra-Slow Antiprotons using Micro-channel Plate

Science.gov (United States)

Imao, H.; Torii, H. A.; Nagata, Y.; Toyoda, H.; Shimoyama, T.; Enomoto, Y.; Higaki, H.; Kanai, Y.; Mohri, A.; Yamazaki, Y.

2008-08-01

Our group ASACUSA-MUSASHI has succeeded in accumulating several million antiprotons and extracting them as monochromatic ultra-slow antiproton beams (10 eV-1 keV) at CERN AD. We have observed ultra-slow antiprotons using micro-channel plates (MCP). The integrated pulse area of the output signals generated when the MCP was irradiated by ultra-slow antiprotons was 6 times higher than that by electrons. As a long-term effect, we also observed an increase in the background rate presumably due to the radioactivation of the MCP surface. Irradiating the antiproton beams on the MCP induces antiproton-nuclear annihilations only on the first layer of the surface. Low-energy and short-range secondary particles like charged nuclear fragments caused by the "surface nuclear reactions" would be the origin of our observed phenomena.
The key network communication technology in large radiation image cooperative process system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li Zheng; Kang Kejun; Gao Wenhuan; Wang Jingjin

1998-01-01

Large container inspection system (LCIS) based on radiation imaging technology is a powerful tool for the customs to check the contents inside a large container without opening it. An image distributed network system is composed of operation manager station, image acquisition station, environment control station, inspection processing station, check-in station, check-out station, database station by using advanced network technology. Mass data, such as container image data, container general information, manifest scanning data, commands and status, must be on-line transferred between different stations. Advanced network communication technology is presented
Current Sheets in the Corona and the Complexity of Slow Wind

Science.gov (United States)

Antiochos, Spiro

2010-01-01

The origin of the slow solar wind has long been one of the most important problems in solar/heliospheric physics. Two observational constraints make this problem especially challenging. First, the slow wind has the composition of the closed-field corona, unlike the fast wind that originates on open field lines. Second, the slow wind has substantial angular extent, of order 30 degrees, which is much larger than the widths observed for streamer stalks or the widths expected theoretically for a dynamic heliospheric current sheet. We propose that the slow wind originates from an intricate network of narrow (possibly singular) open-field corridors that emanate from the polar coronal hole regions. Using topological arguments, we show that these corridors must be ubiquitous in the solar corona. The total solar eclipse in August 2008, near the lowest point of cycle 23 affords an ideal opportunity to test this theory by using the ultra-high resolution Predictive Science's (PSI) eclipse model for the corona and wind. Analysis of the PSI eclipse model demonstrates that the extent and scales of the open-field corridors can account for both the angular width of the slow wind and its closed-field composition. We discuss the implications of our slow wind theory for the structure of the corona and heliosphere at solar minimum and describe further observational and theoretical tests.
Differing Patterns of Altered Slow-5 Oscillations in Healthy Aging and Ischemic Stroke.

Science.gov (United States)

La, Christian; Mossahebi, Pouria; Nair, Veena A; Young, Brittany M; Stamm, Julie; Birn, Rasmus; Meyerand, Mary E; Prabhakaran, Vivek

2016-01-01

The 'default-mode' network (DMN) has been investigated in the presence of various disorders, such as Alzheimer's disease and Autism spectrum disorders. More recently, this investigation has expanded to include patients with ischemic injury. Here, we characterized the effects of ischemic injury in terms of its spectral distribution of resting-state low-frequency oscillations and further investigated whether those specific disruptions were unique to the DMN, or rather more general, affecting the global cortical system. With 43 young healthy adults, 42 older healthy adults, 14 stroke patients in their early stage (system disruption may differ between healthy aging and following the event of an ischemic stroke. The stroke group in the later stage demonstrated a global reduction in the amplitude of the slow-5 oscillations (0.01-0.027 Hz) in the DMN as well as in the primary visual and sensorimotor networks, two 'task-positive' networks. In comparison to the young healthy group, the older healthy subjects presented a decrease in the amplitude of the slow-5 oscillations specific to the components of the DMN, while exhibiting an increase in oscillation power in the task-positive networks. These two processes of a decrease DMN and an increase in 'task-positive' slow-5 oscillations may potentially be related, with a deficit in DMN inhibition, leading to an elevation of oscillations in non-DMN systems. These findings also suggest that disruptions of the slow-5 oscillations in healthy aging may be more specific to the DMN while the disruptions of those oscillations following a stroke through remote (diaschisis) effects may be more widespread, highlighting a non-specificity of disruption on the DMN in stroke population. The mechanisms underlying those differing modes of network disruption need to be further explored to better inform our understanding of brain function in healthy individuals and following injury.
Response of deep and shallow tropical maritime cumuli to large-scale processes

Science.gov (United States)

Yanai, M.; Chu, J.-H.; Stark, T. E.; Nitta, T.

1976-01-01

The bulk diagnostic method of Yanai et al. (1973) and a simplified version of the spectral diagnostic method of Nitta (1975) are used for a more quantitative evaluation of the response of various types of cumuliform clouds to large-scale processes, using the same data set in the Marshall Islands area for a 100-day period in 1956. The dependence of the cloud mass flux distribution on radiative cooling, large-scale vertical motion, and evaporation from the sea is examined. It is shown that typical radiative cooling rates in the tropics tend to produce a bimodal distribution of mass spectrum exhibiting deep and shallow clouds. The bimodal distribution is further enhanced when the large-scale vertical motion is upward, and a nearly unimodal distribution of shallow clouds prevails when the relative cooling is compensated by the heating due to the large-scale subsidence. Both deep and shallow clouds are modulated by large-scale disturbances. The primary role of surface evaporation is to maintain the moisture flux at the cloud base.
Large scale production and downstream processing of a recombinant porcine parvovirus vaccine

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Maranga, L.; Rueda, P.; Antonis, A.F.G.; Vela, C.; Langeveld, J.P.M.; Casal, J.I.; Carrondo, M.J.T.

2002-01-01

Porcine parvovirus (PPV) virus-like particles (VLPs) constitute a potential vaccine for prevention of parvovirus-induced reproductive failure in gilts. Here we report the development of a large scale (25 l) production process for PPV-VLPs with baculovirus-infected insect cells. A low multiplicity of
Slow extraction from the IHEP accelerator by internal target scattering

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Maksimov, A.V.

1994-01-01

The existing slow extraction system is not able to satisfy the required quality of the beam time structure in the intensity region 10 10 - 10 11 ppp. Calculations on simulation of slow extraction by internal target scattering are presented. Two regime of slow extraction are analysed: nonresonant and resonant extraction by target scattering. Resonant extraction by target scattering is able to ensure intensity of extracted beam up to 10 11 . The agreement between calculations and experimental data is good enough. The calculation of extraction possibility by thin W-target scattering are also presented. In this case the extraction efficiency is about 85%. 15 refs., 6 figs
Efficiency evaluation of slow extraction from the synchrotron

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kazarinov, N.Yu.; Mikhajlov, V.A.

1986-01-01

Analytical calculation of slow extraction of the beam out of the JINR synchrotron is made. The formulae for evaluation of the sextupole amplitudes and phases, quadrupole lens gradient range are obtained, the connection with circulated and extracted beam parameters is shown. The formulae for calculating optimal position of the septum-magnet or electrostatic septum are presented. On this basis the formula for estimating the efficiency of beam slow extraction out of the synchrotron is obtained under assumption that in the septum region during the extraction a quasistationary distribution of the beam density occurs

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