Large-aspect-ratio limit of neoclassical transport theory.

Science.gov (United States)

Wong, S K; Chan, V S

2003-06-01

This paper presents a comprehensive description of neoclassical transport theory in the banana regime for large-aspect-ratio flux surfaces of arbitrary shapes. The method of matched-asymptotic expansions is used to obtain analytical solutions for plasma distribution functions and to compute transport coefficients. The method provides justification for retaining only the part of the Fokker-Planck operator that involves the second derivative with respect to the cosine of the pitch angle for the trapped and barely circulating particles. It leads to a simple equation for the freely circulating particles with boundary conditions that embody a discontinuity separating particles moving in opposite directions. Corrections to the transport coefficients are obtained by generalizing an existing boundary layer analysis. The system of moment and field equations is consistently taken in the cylinder limit, which facilitates the discussion of the treatment of dynamical constraints. It is shown that the nonlocal nature of Ohm's law in neoclassical theory renders the mathematical problem of plasma transport with changing flux surfaces nonstandard.

Can Effective Field Theory of inflation generate large tensor-to-scalar ratio within Randall–Sundrum single braneworld?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Choudhury, Sayantan

2015-01-01

In this paper my prime objective is to explain the generation of large tensor-to-scalar ratio from the single field sub-Planckian inflationary paradigm within Randall–Sundrum (RS) single braneworld scenario in a model independent fashion. By explicit computation I have shown that the effective field theory prescription of brane inflation within RS single brane setup is consistent with sub-Planckian excursion of the inflaton field, which will further generate large value of tensor-to-scalar ratio, provided the energy density for inflaton degrees of freedom is high enough compared to the brane tension in high energy regime. Finally, I have mentioned the stringent theoretical constraint on positive brane tension, cut-off of the quantum gravity scale and bulk cosmological constant to get sub-Planckian field excursion along with large tensor-to-scalar ratio as recently observed by BICEP2 or at least generates the tensor-to-scalar ratio consistent with the upper bound of Planck (2013 and 2015) data and Planck+BICEP2+Keck Array joint constraint

Screen-Space Normal Distribution Function Caching for Consistent Multi-Resolution Rendering of Large Particle Data

KAUST Repository

Ibrahim, Mohamed

2017-08-28

Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations are crucial to investigating important processes in physics and thermodynamics. The simulated atoms are usually visualized as hard spheres with Phong shading, where individual particles and their local density can be perceived well in close-up views. However, for large-scale simulations with 10 million particles or more, the visualization of large fields-of-view usually suffers from strong aliasing artifacts, because the mismatch between data size and output resolution leads to severe under-sampling of the geometry. Excessive super-sampling can alleviate this problem, but is prohibitively expensive. This paper presents a novel visualization method for large-scale particle data that addresses aliasing while enabling interactive high-quality rendering. We introduce the novel concept of screen-space normal distribution functions (S-NDFs) for particle data. S-NDFs represent the distribution of surface normals that map to a given pixel in screen space, which enables high-quality re-lighting without re-rendering particles. In order to facilitate interactive zooming, we cache S-NDFs in a screen-space mipmap (S-MIP). Together, these two concepts enable interactive, scale-consistent re-lighting and shading changes, as well as zooming, without having to re-sample the particle data. We show how our method facilitates the interactive exploration of real-world large-scale MD simulation data in different scenarios.

Screen-Space Normal Distribution Function Caching for Consistent Multi-Resolution Rendering of Large Particle Data

KAUST Repository

Ibrahim, Mohamed; Wickenhauser, Patrick; Rautek, Peter; Reina, Guido; Hadwiger, Markus

2017-01-01

Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations are crucial to investigating important processes in physics and thermodynamics. The simulated atoms are usually visualized as hard spheres with Phong shading, where individual particles and their local density can be perceived well in close-up views. However, for large-scale simulations with 10 million particles or more, the visualization of large fields-of-view usually suffers from strong aliasing artifacts, because the mismatch between data size and output resolution leads to severe under-sampling of the geometry. Excessive super-sampling can alleviate this problem, but is prohibitively expensive. This paper presents a novel visualization method for large-scale particle data that addresses aliasing while enabling interactive high-quality rendering. We introduce the novel concept of screen-space normal distribution functions (S-NDFs) for particle data. S-NDFs represent the distribution of surface normals that map to a given pixel in screen space, which enables high-quality re-lighting without re-rendering particles. In order to facilitate interactive zooming, we cache S-NDFs in a screen-space mipmap (S-MIP). Together, these two concepts enable interactive, scale-consistent re-lighting and shading changes, as well as zooming, without having to re-sample the particle data. We show how our method facilitates the interactive exploration of real-world large-scale MD simulation data in different scenarios.

Improving the pseudo-randomness properties of chaotic maps using deep-zoom

Science.gov (United States)

Machicao, Jeaneth; Bruno, Odemir M.

2017-05-01

A generalized method is proposed to compose new orbits from a given chaotic map. The method provides an approach to examine discrete-time chaotic maps in a "deep-zoom" manner by using k-digits to the right from the decimal separator of a given point from the underlying chaotic map. Interesting phenomena have been identified. Rapid randomization was observed, i.e., chaotic patterns tend to become indistinguishable when compared to the original orbits of the underlying chaotic map. Our results were presented using different graphical analyses (i.e., time-evolution, bifurcation diagram, Lyapunov exponent, Poincaré diagram, and frequency distribution). Moreover, taking advantage of this randomization improvement, we propose a Pseudo-Random Number Generator (PRNG) based on the k-logistic map. The pseudo-random qualities of the proposed PRNG passed both tests successfully, i.e., DIEHARD and NIST, and were comparable with other traditional PRNGs such as the Mersenne Twister. The results suggest that simple maps such as the logistic map can be considered as good PRNG methods.

Effect of a combination of flip and zooming stimuli on the performance of a visual brain-computer interface for spelling.

Science.gov (United States)

Cheng, Jiao; Jin, Jing; Daly, Ian; Zhang, Yu; Wang, Bei; Wang, Xingyu; Cichocki, Andrzej

2018-02-13

Brain-computer interface (BCI) systems can allow their users to communicate with the external world by recognizing intention directly from their brain activity without the assistance of the peripheral motor nervous system. The P300-speller is one of the most widely used visual BCI applications. In previous studies, a flip stimulus (rotating the background area of the character) that was based on apparent motion, suffered from less refractory effects. However, its performance was not improved significantly. In addition, a presentation paradigm that used a "zooming" action (changing the size of the symbol) has been shown to evoke relatively higher P300 amplitudes and obtain a better BCI performance. To extend this method of stimuli presentation within a BCI and, consequently, to improve BCI performance, we present a new paradigm combining both the flip stimulus with a zooming action. This new presentation modality allowed BCI users to focus their attention more easily. We investigated whether such an action could combine the advantages of both types of stimuli presentation to bring a significant improvement in performance compared to the conventional flip stimulus. The experimental results showed that the proposed paradigm could obtain significantly higher classification accuracies and bit rates than the conventional flip paradigm (p<0.01).

Technical assessment of Navitar Zoom 6000 optic and Sony HDC-X310 camera for MEMS presentations and training.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Diegert, Carl F.

2006-02-01

This report evaluates a newly-available, high-definition, video camera coupled with a zoom optical system for microscopic imaging of micro-electro-mechanical systems. We did this work to support configuration of three document-camera-like stations as part of an installation in a new Microsystems building at Sandia National Laboratories. The video display walls to be installed as part of these three presentation and training stations are of extraordinary resolution and quality. The new availability of a reasonably-priced, cinema-quality, high-definition video camera offers the prospect of filling these displays with full-motion imaging of Sandia's microscopic products at a quality substantially beyond the quality of typical video microscopes. Simple and robust operation of the microscope stations will allow the extraordinary-quality imaging to contribute to Sandia's day-to-day research and training operations. This report illustrates the disappointing image quality from a camera/lens system comprised of a Sony HDC-X310 high-definition video camera coupled to a Navitar Zoom 6000 lens. We determined that this Sony camera is capable of substantially more image quality than the Navitar optic can deliver. We identified an optical doubler lens from Navitar as the component of their optical system that accounts for a substantial part of the image quality problem. While work continues to incrementally improve performance of the Navitar system, we are also evaluating optical systems from other vendors to couple to this Sony camera.

Renal zoomed EPI-DWI with spatially-selective radiofrequency excitation pulses in two dimensions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

He, Yong-Lan, E-mail: ylhe_526@163.com [Department of Radiology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Peking Union Medical College and Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing (China); Hausmann, Daniel, E-mail: daniel.hausmann@medma.uni-heidelberg.de [Institute of Clinical Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, University Medical Center Mannheim, Medical Faculty Mannheim – Heidelberg University, Mannheim (Germany); Morelli, John N., E-mail: dr.john.morelli@gmail.com [St. John' s Medical Center, Tulsa, OK (United States); Attenberger, Ulrike I., E-mail: ulrike.attenberger@medma.uni-heidelberg.de [Institute of Clinical Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, University Medical Center Mannheim, Medical Faculty Mannheim – Heidelberg University, Mannheim (Germany); Schoenberg, Stefan O., E-mail: stefan.schoenberg@umm.de [Institute of Clinical Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, University Medical Center Mannheim, Medical Faculty Mannheim – Heidelberg University, Mannheim (Germany); Riffel, Philipp, E-mail: philipp.riffel@umm.de [Institute of Clinical Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, University Medical Center Mannheim, Medical Faculty Mannheim – Heidelberg University, Mannheim (Germany)

2016-10-15

Highlights: • Renal zoomed diffusion-weighted imaging with spatially-selective radiofrequency excitation pulses is feasible. • z-EPI offers considerable potential for mitigating the limitations of conventional EPI techniques. • z-EPI of kidney may lead to substantial image quality improvements with reduced artifacts. - Abstract: Purpose: To evaluate the feasibility and clinical robustness of zoomed diffusion-weighted echo planar imaging (z-EPI) relative to conventional single-shot EPI (c-EPI) for DWI of the kidneys. Materials and methods: This retrospective study was approved by the institutional research ethics board. 66 patients (median age 58.5 years ± 13.4, range 23–83 years, 45 men, 21 women) undergoing 3T (Magnetom Skyra{sup ®}, Siemens Healthcare, Erlangen, Germany) using a dynamic parallel transmit array (TimTX TrueShape, Siemens Healthcare, Erlangen, Germany) for renal MRI were included in this study. Both c-EPI and z-EPI images were obtained. For z-EPI, a two-dimensional spatially-selective radiofrequency (RF) pulse was applied for echo planar imaging with the FOV reduced by a factor of 3. Two radiologists, blinded to clinical data and scan parameters evaluated the images with respect to their diagnostic confidence, overall preference, overall image quality, delineation of the kidney, spatial distortion, and image blur. Sequences were compared using a paired Wilcoxon test. ADC values for the upper pole, mid-zone, lower pole of the normal kidneys were compared between sequences as well as ADC values for renal lesions, using a paired t-test. Results: With z-EPI, the kidney was significantly better delineated with sharper boundaries, less image blur and distortion, and overall better image quality relative to c-EPI (all p < 0.001). The z-EPI technique led to greater diagnostic confidence than c-EPI (p = 0.020). z-EPI was preferred to c-EPI in 60 cases (90.9%, 60/66). No statistically significant differences in the ADC values of renal parenchyma or

Renal zoomed EPI-DWI with spatially-selective radiofrequency excitation pulses in two dimensions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

He, Yong-Lan; Hausmann, Daniel; Morelli, John N.; Attenberger, Ulrike I.; Schoenberg, Stefan O.; Riffel, Philipp

2016-01-01

Highlights: • Renal zoomed diffusion-weighted imaging with spatially-selective radiofrequency excitation pulses is feasible. • z-EPI offers considerable potential for mitigating the limitations of conventional EPI techniques. • z-EPI of kidney may lead to substantial image quality improvements with reduced artifacts. - Abstract: Purpose: To evaluate the feasibility and clinical robustness of zoomed diffusion-weighted echo planar imaging (z-EPI) relative to conventional single-shot EPI (c-EPI) for DWI of the kidneys. Materials and methods: This retrospective study was approved by the institutional research ethics board. 66 patients (median age 58.5 years ± 13.4, range 23–83 years, 45 men, 21 women) undergoing 3T (Magnetom Skyra ® , Siemens Healthcare, Erlangen, Germany) using a dynamic parallel transmit array (TimTX TrueShape, Siemens Healthcare, Erlangen, Germany) for renal MRI were included in this study. Both c-EPI and z-EPI images were obtained. For z-EPI, a two-dimensional spatially-selective radiofrequency (RF) pulse was applied for echo planar imaging with the FOV reduced by a factor of 3. Two radiologists, blinded to clinical data and scan parameters evaluated the images with respect to their diagnostic confidence, overall preference, overall image quality, delineation of the kidney, spatial distortion, and image blur. Sequences were compared using a paired Wilcoxon test. ADC values for the upper pole, mid-zone, lower pole of the normal kidneys were compared between sequences as well as ADC values for renal lesions, using a paired t-test. Results: With z-EPI, the kidney was significantly better delineated with sharper boundaries, less image blur and distortion, and overall better image quality relative to c-EPI (all p < 0.001). The z-EPI technique led to greater diagnostic confidence than c-EPI (p = 0.020). z-EPI was preferred to c-EPI in 60 cases (90.9%, 60/66). No statistically significant differences in the ADC values of renal parenchyma or of

Clutter-free Visualization of Large Point Symbols at Multiple Scales by Offset Quadtrees

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

ZHANG Xiang

2016-08-01

Full Text Available To address the cartographic problems in map mash-up applications in the Web 2.0 context, this paper studies a clutter-free technique for visualizing large symbols on Web maps. Basically, a quadtree is used to select one symbol in each grid cell at each zoom level. To resolve the symbol overlaps between neighboring quad-grids, multiple offsets are applied to the quadtree and a voting strategy is used to compute the significant level of symbols for their selection at multiple scales. The method is able to resolve spatial conflicts without explicit conflict detection, thus enabling a highly efficient processing. Also the resulting map forms a visual hierarchy of semantic importance. We discuss issues such as the relative importance, symbol-to-grid size ratio, and effective offset schemes, and propose two extensions to make better use of the free space available on the map. Experiments were carried out to validate the technique,which demonstrates its robustness and efficiency (a non-optimal implementation leads to a sub-second processing for datasets of a 105 magnitude.

Compressible gas flow through idealized cracks of large aspect ratio

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chivers, T.C.; Skinner, J.; Williams, M.E.

1975-07-01

Gas flow through large aspect ratio idealized cracks is considered, where isothermal conditions with choking at exit are assumed in the theoretical analysis. For smooth wall cracks, comparisons are made between experimentally determined flowrates and those predicted, and good agreement is shown. This is followed by consideration of flow through a notional crack to examine the influence of width and surface roughness. By considering flow as simply proportional to Wsup(n), the treatment shows 'n' to reduce with W increasing, but surface roughness increases 'n' over the value appropriate to smooth conditions. From these observations it is concluded that further work is required to determine:- (i) real crack geometry and its influence on any leak-before-break philosophy, and (ii) the influence of real surface roughness on flowrate. (author)

Concept definition of KT-2, a large-aspect-ratio diverter tokamak with FWCD

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, Sung Kyoo; Chang, In Soon; Chung, Moon Kyoo; Hwang, Chul Kyoo; Lee, Kwang Won; In, Sang Ryul; Choi, Byung Ho; Hong, Bong Keun; Oh, Byung Hoon; Chung, Seung Ho; Yoon, Byung Joo; Yoon, Jae Sung; Song, Woo Sub [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Taejon (Korea, Republic of); Chang, Choong Suk; Chang, Hong Yung; Choi, Duk In; Nam, Chang Heui [Korea Advanced Inst. of Science and Technology, Taejon (Korea, Republic of); Chung, Kyoo Sun [Hanyang Univ., Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Hong, Sang Heui [Seoul National Univ., Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Kang, Heui Dong [Kyungpook National Univ., Taegu (Korea, Republic of); Lee, Jae Koo [Pohang Inst. of Science and Technology, Kyungnam (Korea, Republic of)

1994-11-01

A concept definition of the KT-2 tokamak is made. The research goal of the machine is to study the `advanced tokamak` physics and engineering issues on the mid size large-aspect-ratio diverter tokamak with intense RF heating (>5 MW). Survey of the status of the research fields, the physics basis for the concept, operation scenarios, as well as machine design concept are presented. (Author) 86 refs., 17 figs., 22 tabs.

Concept definition of KT-2, a large-aspect-ratio diverter tokamak with FWCD

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Sung Kyoo; Chang, In Soon; Chung, Moon Kyoo; Hwang, Chul Kyoo; Lee, Kwang Won; In, Sang Ryul; Choi, Byung Ho; Hong, Bong Keun; Oh, Byung Hoon; Chung, Seung Ho; Yoon, Byung Joo; Yoon, Jae Sung; Song, Woo Sub; Chang, Choong Suk; Chang, Hong Yung; Choi, Duk In; Nam, Chang Heui; Chung, Kyoo Sun; Hong, Sang Heui; Kang, Heui Dong; Lee, Jae Koo

1994-11-01

A concept definition of the KT-2 tokamak is made. The research goal of the machine is to study the 'advanced tokamak' physics and engineering issues on the mid size large-aspect-ratio diverter tokamak with intense RF heating (>5 MW). Survey of the status of the research fields, the physics basis for the concept, operation scenarios, as well as machine design concept are presented. (Author) 86 refs., 17 figs., 22 tabs

Structural zooming research and development of an interactive computer graphical interface for stress analysis of cracks

Science.gov (United States)

Gerstle, Walter

1989-01-01

Engineering problems sometimes involve the numerical solution of boundary value problems over domains containing geometric feature with widely varying scales. Often, a detailed solution is required at one or more of these features. Small details in large structures may have profound effects upon global performance. Conversely, large-scale conditions may effect local performance. Many man-hours and CPU-hours are currently spent in modeling such problems. With the structural zooming technique, it is now possible to design an integrated program which allows the analyst to interactively focus upon a small region of interest, to modify the local geometry, and then to obtain highly accurate responses in that region which reflect both the properties of the overall structure and the local detail. A boundary integral equation analysis program, called BOAST, was recently developed for the stress analysis of cracks. This program can accurately analyze two-dimensional linear elastic fracture mechanics problems with far less computational effort than existing finite element codes. An interactive computer graphical interface to BOAST was written. The graphical interface would have several requirements: it would be menu-driven, with mouse input; all aspects of input would be entered graphically; the results of a BOAST analysis would be displayed pictorially but also the user would be able to probe interactively to get numerical values of displacement and stress at desired locations within the analysis domain; the entire procedure would be integrated into a single, easy to use package; and it would be written using calls to the graphic package called HOOPS. The program is nearing completion. All of the preprocessing features are working satisfactorily and were debugged. The postprocessing features are under development, and rudimentary postprocessing should be available by the end of the summer. The program was developed and run on a VAX workstation, and must be ported to the SUN

Detection and precise mapping of germline rearrangements in BRCA1, BRCA2, MSH2, and MLH1 using zoom-in array comparative genomic hybridization (aCGH)

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Staaf, Johan; Törngren, Therese; Rambech, Eva

2008-01-01

deletions or duplications occurring in BRCA1 (n=11), BRCA2 (n=2), MSH2 (n=7), or MLH1 (n=9). Additionally, we demonstrate its applicability for uncovering complex somatic rearrangements, exemplified by zoom-in analysis of the PTEN and CDKN2A loci in breast cancer cells. The sizes of rearrangements ranged...

Determination of Electron Optical Properties for Aperture Zoom Lenses Using an Artificial Neural Network Method.

Science.gov (United States)

Isik, Nimet

2016-04-01

Multi-element electrostatic aperture lens systems are widely used to control electron or charged particle beams in many scientific instruments. By means of applied voltages, these lens systems can be operated for different purposes. In this context, numerous methods have been performed to calculate focal properties of these lenses. In this study, an artificial neural network (ANN) classification method is utilized to determine the focused/unfocused charged particle beam in the image point as a function of lens voltages for multi-element electrostatic aperture lenses. A data set for training and testing of ANN is taken from the SIMION 8.1 simulation program, which is a well known and proven accuracy program in charged particle optics. Mean squared error results of this study indicate that the ANN classification method provides notable performance characteristics for electrostatic aperture zoom lenses.

THE STELLAR HALOS OF MASSIVE ELLIPTICAL GALAXIES. II. DETAILED ABUNDANCE RATIOS AT LARGE RADIUS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Greene, Jenny E.; Murphy, Jeremy D.; Graves, Genevieve J.; Gunn, James E.; Raskutti, Sudhir [Department of Astrophysics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08540 (United States); Comerford, Julia M.; Gebhardt, Karl [Department of Astronomy, UT Austin, 1 University Station C1400, Austin, TX 71712 (United States)

2013-10-20

We study the radial dependence in stellar populations of 33 nearby early-type galaxies with central stellar velocity dispersions σ{sub *} ∼> 150 km s{sup –1}. We measure stellar population properties in composite spectra, and use ratios of these composites to highlight the largest spectral changes as a function of radius. Based on stellar population modeling, the typical star at 2R{sub e} is old (∼10 Gyr), relatively metal-poor ([Fe/H] ≈ –0.5), and α-enhanced ([Mg/Fe] ≈ 0.3). The stars were made rapidly at z ≈ 1.5-2 in shallow potential wells. Declining radial gradients in [C/Fe], which follow [Fe/H], also arise from rapid star formation timescales due to declining carbon yields from low-metallicity massive stars. In contrast, [N/Fe] remains high at large radius. Stars at large radius have different abundance ratio patterns from stars in the center of any present-day galaxy, but are similar to average Milky Way thick disk stars. Our observations are thus consistent with a picture in which the stellar outskirts are built up through minor mergers with disky galaxies whose star formation is truncated early (z ≈ 1.5-2)

Zooming into local active galactic nuclei: the power of combining SDSS-IV MaNGA with higher resolution integral field unit observations

Science.gov (United States)

Wylezalek, Dominika; Schnorr Müller, Allan; Zakamska, Nadia L.; Storchi-Bergmann, Thaisa; Greene, Jenny E.; Müller-Sánchez, Francisco; Kelly, Michael; Liu, Guilin; Law, David R.; Barrera-Ballesteros, Jorge K.; Riffel, Rogemar A.; Thomas, Daniel

2017-05-01

Ionized gas outflows driven by active galactic nuclei (AGN) are ubiquitous in high-luminosity AGN with outflow speeds apparently correlated with the total bolometric luminosity of the AGN. This empirical relation and theoretical work suggest that in the range Lbol ˜ 1043-45 erg s-1 there must exist a threshold luminosity above which the AGN becomes powerful enough to launch winds that will be able to escape the galaxy potential. In this paper, we present pilot observations of two AGN in this transitional range that were taken with the Gemini North Multi-Object Spectrograph integral field unit (IFU). Both sources have also previously been observed within the Sloan Digital Sky Survey-IV (SDSS) Mapping Nearby Galaxies at Apache Point Observatory (MaNGA) survey. While the MaNGA IFU maps probe the gas fields on galaxy-wide scales and show that some regions are dominated by AGN ionization, the new Gemini IFU data zoom into the centre with four times better spatial resolution. In the object with the lower Lbol we find evidence of a young or stalled biconical AGN-driven outflow where none was obvious at the MaNGA resolution. In the object with the higher Lbol we trace the large-scale biconical outflow into the nuclear region and connect the outflow from small to large scales. These observations suggest that AGN luminosity and galaxy potential are crucial in shaping wind launching and propagation in low-luminosity AGN. The transition from small and young outflows to galaxy-wide feedback can only be understood by combining large-scale IFU data that trace the galaxy velocity field with higher resolution, small-scale IFU maps.

Real-Time Acquisition of High Quality Face Sequences from an Active Pan-Tilt-Zoom Camera

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Haque, Mohammad A.; Nasrollahi, Kamal; Moeslund, Thomas B.

2013-01-01

-based real-time high-quality face image acquisition system, which utilizes pan-tilt-zoom parameters of a camera to focus on a human face in a scene and employs a face quality assessment method to log the best quality faces from the captured frames. The system consists of four modules: face detection, camera...... control, face tracking, and face quality assessment before logging. Experimental results show that the proposed system can effectively log the high quality faces from the active camera in real-time (an average of 61.74ms was spent per frame) with an accuracy of 85.27% compared to human annotated data.......Traditional still camera-based facial image acquisition systems in surveillance applications produce low quality face images. This is mainly due to the distance between the camera and subjects of interest. Furthermore, people in such videos usually move around, change their head poses, and facial...

Transient heating and entropy generation of a fluid inside a large aspect ratio cavity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cajas, J.C.; Trevino, C.

2013-01-01

In this work, the transient heating of a fluid inside a vertical cavity of large aspect ratio (height/length) was studied numerically by the use of the SIMPLE algorithm. The heat sources are two vertical plates localized in the side walls of the cavity near the bottom. Calculations were performed for a fixed value of the Prandtl number, Pr = 7, aspect ratio of 12 and six different Rayleigh numbers between 10 3 and 10 6 . The temperature and entropy production fields, the non-dimensional heat flux on the heated plates (given by the average Nusselt number) have been obtained. From a clear dependence on the Rayleigh number, different mechanisms of symmetry break and heat transfer in the cavity were found, where vortices dynamics play a very important role. A universal behavior of the mean values of the overall reduced entropy production rate was found, valid after a short initial transient. (authors)

Stability of highly shifted equilibria in a large aspect ratio low-field tokamak

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gourdain, P.-A.; Leboeuf, J.-N.; Neches, R. Y.

2007-01-01

In the long run, the economics of fusion will dictate that reactors confine large plasma pressure rather efficiently. A possible route manifests itself as equilibria with large shift of the plasma magnetic axis. This shift compresses the flux surfaces on the outer part of the plasma, hereby increasing the allowable plasma pressure a machine can confine for a given toroidal magnetic field, which is the main cost of the device. As a first step toward a reactor, we propose investigating the stability of such configurations in a low magnetic field high aspect ratio machine. By focusing our arguments solely on the shape of the toroidal plasma current density profile we discuss the stability of highly shifted equilibria and their robustness to current profile variations that could occur in actual experiments. The evolution of the plasma parameters, as the beta poloidal is increased, is also examined to give a better understanding of the difference in performance between the various regimes

Application of Automatic Zooming and Autofocusing in Microassembly using Visual Servoing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jang, Kyung-Nam; Kim, Jong-Seog

2006-01-01

In recent years, many industrial products and their components are evolving toward miniaturization. To have more functionalities within less dimensional volume, they are usually made of various materials with different characteristics, and they are manufactured using incompatible manufacturing processes with complex geometrical shapes. For these reasons, the assembly technique for mating micro-parts so called microassembly has become important for advanced manufacturing and drawn extensive research interest. Currently, due to various difficulties arising from handling of extremely small size parts, manual assembly method has been widely used. Since this manual method is somehow timeconsuming and not productive enough, automation of micro-assembly has become an essential part for micro parts manufacturing. As an alternative, the vision sensor is widely used in microassembly. The vision sensor has a wide field of view, and it can obtain the wide range data with high speed without contact. In the previous research works, the orientation of the mating parts has not been considered for corrective motion, and, furthermore, the developed vision systems are not adaptive to accommodate various sizes of the mated parts to avoid such criticism, we propose a visual feedback system that accommodates micro parts of various sizes and parts arbitrarily oriented. In this paper, the system that employs adaptive zooming and auto focusing techniques during visual servoing is described

Constraining lowermost mantle structure with PcP/P amplitude ratios from large aperture arrays

Science.gov (United States)

Ventosa, S.; Romanowicz, B. A.

2015-12-01

Observations of weak short-period teleseismic body waves help to resolve lowermost mantle structure at short wavelengths, which is essential for understanding mantle dynamics and the interactions between the mantle and core. Their limited amount and uneven distribution are however major obstacles to solve for volumetric structure of the D" region, topography of the core-mantle boundary (CMB) and D" discontinuity, and the trade-offs among them. While PcP-P differential travel times provide important information, there are trade-offs between velocity structure and core-mantle boundary topography, which PcP/P amplitude ratios can help resolve, as long as lateral variations in attenuation and biases due to focusing are small or can be corrected for. Dense broadband seismic networks help to improve signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of the target phases and signal-to-interference ratio (SIR) of other mantle phases when the slowness difference is large enough. To improve SIR and SNR of teleseismic PcP data, we have introduced the slant-stacklet transform to define coherent-guided filters able to separate and enhance signals according to their slowness, time of arrival and frequency content. We thus obtain optimal PcP/P amplitude ratios in the least-square sense using two short sliding windows to match the P signal with a candidate PcP signal. This method allows us to dramatically increase the amount of high-quality observations of short-period PcP/P amplitude ratios by allowing for smaller events and wider epicentral distance and depth ranges.We present the results of measurement of PcP/P amplitude ratios, sampling regions around the Pacific using dense arrays in North America and Japan. We observe that short-period P waves traveling through slabs are strongly affected by focusing, in agreement with the bias we have observed and corrected for due to mantle heterogeneities on PcP-P travel time differences. In Central America, this bias is by far the stronger anomaly we observe

Flow and Pollutant Transport in Urban Street Canyons of Different Aspect Ratios with Ground Heating: Large-Eddy Simulation

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Xian-Xiang; Britter, Rex E.; Norford, Leslie K.; Koh, Tieh-Yong; Entekhabi, Dara

2012-02-01

A validated large-eddy simulation model was employed to study the effect of the aspect ratio and ground heating on the flow and pollutant dispersion in urban street canyons. Three ground-heating intensities (neutral, weak and strong) were imposed in street canyons of aspect ratio 1, 2, and 0.5. The detailed patterns of flow, turbulence, temperature and pollutant transport were analyzed and compared. Significant changes of flow and scalar patterns were caused by ground heating in the street canyon of aspect ratio 2 and 0.5, while only the street canyon of aspect ratio 0.5 showed a change in flow regime (from wake interference flow to skimming flow). The street canyon of aspect ratio 1 does not show any significant change in the flow field. Ground heating generated strong mixing of heat and pollutant; the normalized temperature inside street canyons was approximately spatially uniform and somewhat insensitive to the aspect ratio and heating intensity. This study helps elucidate the combined effects of urban geometry and thermal stratification on the urban canyon flow and pollutant dispersion.

A multicomponent multiphase lattice Boltzmann model with large liquid–gas density ratios for simulations of wetting phenomena

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang Qing-Yu; Zhu Ming-Fang; Sun Dong-Ke

2017-01-01

A multicomponent multiphase (MCMP) pseudopotential lattice Boltzmann (LB) model with large liquid–gas density ratios is proposed for simulating the wetting phenomena. In the proposed model, two layers of neighboring nodes are adopted to calculate the fluid–fluid cohesion force with higher isotropy order. In addition, the different-time-step method is employed to calculate the processes of particle propagation and collision for the two fluid components with a large pseudo-particle mass contrast. It is found that the spurious current is remarkably reduced by employing the higher isotropy order calculation of the fluid–fluid cohesion force. The maximum spurious current appearing at the phase interfaces is evidently influenced by the magnitudes of fluid–fluid and fluid–solid interaction strengths, but weakly affected by the time step ratio. The density ratio analyses show that the liquid–gas density ratio is dependent on both the fluid–fluid interaction strength and the time step ratio. For the liquid–gas flow simulations without solid phase, the maximum liquid–gas density ratio achieved by the present model is higher than 1000:1. However, the obtainable maximum liquid–gas density ratio in the solid–liquid–gas system is lower. Wetting phenomena of droplets contacting smooth/rough solid surfaces and the dynamic process of liquid movement in a capillary tube are simulated to validate the proposed model in different solid–liquid–gas coexisting systems. It is shown that the simulated intrinsic contact angles of droplets on smooth surfaces are in good agreement with those predicted by the constructed LB formula that is related to Young’s equation. The apparent contact angles of droplets on rough surfaces compare reasonably well with the predictions of Cassie’s law. For the simulation of liquid movement in a capillary tube, the linear relation between the liquid–gas interface position and simulation time is observed, which is identical to

Design of two-DMD based zoom MW and LW dual-band IRSP using pixel fusion

Science.gov (United States)

Pan, Yue; Xu, Xiping; Qiao, Yang

2018-06-01

In order to test the anti-jamming ability of mid-wave infrared (MWIR) and long-wave infrared (LWIR) dual-band imaging system, a zoom mid-wave (MW) and long-wave (LW) dual-band infrared scene projector (IRSP) based on two-digital micro-mirror device (DMD) was designed by using a projection method of pixel fusion. Two illumination systems, which illuminate the two DMDs directly with Kohler telecentric beam respectively, were combined with projection system by a spatial layout way. The distances of projection entrance pupil and illumination exit pupil were also analyzed separately. MWIR and LWIR virtual scenes were generated respectively by two DMDs and fused by a dichroic beam combiner (DBC), resulting in two radiation distributions in projected image. The optical performance of each component was evaluated by ray tracing simulations. Apparent temperature and image contrast were demonstrated by imaging experiments. On the basis of test and simulation results, the aberrations of optical system were well corrected, and the quality of projected image meets test requirements.

Ablative Rayleigh-Taylor instability in the limit of an infinitely large density ratio

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Clavin, P.; Almarcha, Ch.

2005-01-01

The instability of ablation fronts strongly accelerated toward the dense medium under the conditions of inertial confinement fusion (ICF) is addressed in the limit of an infinitely large density ratio. The analysis serves to demonstrate that the flow is irrotational to first order, reducing the nonlinear analysis to solve a two-potential flows problem. Vorticity appears at the following orders in the perturbation analysis. This result simplifies greatly the analysis. The possibility for using boundary integral methods opens new perspectives in the nonlinear theory of the ablative Rayleigh-Taylor instability in ICF. A few examples are given at the end of the paper. (authors)

Flow and Pollutant Transport in Urban Street Canyons of Different Aspect Ratios with Ground Heating: Large-Eddy Simulation

OpenAIRE

Li, Xian-Xiang; Koh, Tieh-Yong; Britter, Rex E; Norford, Leslie Keith; Entekhabi, Dara

2010-01-01

A validated large-eddy simulation model was employed to study the effect of the aspect ratio and ground heating on the flow and pollutant dispersion in urban street canyons. Three ground-heating intensities (neutral, weak and strong) were imposed in street canyons of aspect ratio 1, 2, and 0.5. The detailed patterns of flow, turbulence, temperature and pollutant transport were analyzed and compared. Significant changes of flow and scalar patterns were caused by ground heating in the street ca...

Diffusion-weighted MRI of the Prostate: Advantages of Zoomed EPI with Parallel-transmit-accelerated 2D-selective Excitation Imaging

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Thierfelder, Kolja M.; Scherr, Michael K.; Weiss, Jakob; Mueller-Lisse, Ullrich G.; Theisen, Daniel [Ludwig-Maximilians-University Hospital Munich, Institute for Clinical Radiology, Munich (Germany); Notohamiprodjo, Mike; Nikolaou, Konstantin [Ludwig-Maximilians-University Hospital Munich, Institute for Clinical Radiology, Munich (Germany); University Hospital Tuebingen, Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Tuebingen (Germany); Dietrich, Olaf [Ludwig-Maximilians-University Hospital Munich, Josef Lissner Laboratory for Biomedical Imaging, Institute for Clinical Radiology, Munich (Germany); Pfeuffer, Josef [Siemens Healthcare, Application Development, Erlangen (Germany)

2014-12-15

The purpose of our study was to evaluate the use of 2D-selective, parallel-transmit excitation magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for diffusion-weighted echo-planar imaging (pTX-EPI) of the prostate, and to compare it to conventional, single-shot EPI (c-EPI). The MRI examinations of 35 patients were evaluated in this prospective study. PTX-EPI was performed with a TX-acceleration factor of 1.7 and a field of view (FOV) of 150 x 90 mm{sup 2}, whereas c-EPI used a full FOV of 380 x 297 mm{sup 2}. Two readers evaluated three different aspects of image quality on 5-point Likert scales. To quantify distortion artefacts, maximum diameters and prostate volume were determined for both techniques and compared to T2-weighted imaging. The zoomed pTX-EPI was superior to c-EPI with respect to overall image quality (3.39 ± 0.62 vs 2.45 ± 0.67) and anatomic differentiability (3.29 ± 0.65 vs 2.41 ± 0.65), each with p < 0.0001. Artefacts were significantly less severe in pTX-EPI (0.93 ± 0.73 vs 1.49 ± 1.08), p < 0.001. The quantitative analysis yielded a higher agreement of pTX-EPI with T2-weighted imaging than c-EPI with respect to coronal (ICCs: 0.95 vs 0.93) and sagittal (0.86 vs 0.73) diameters as well as prostate volume (0.94 vs 0.92). Apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values did not differ significantly between the two techniques (p > 0.05). Zoomed pTX-EPI leads to substantial improvements in diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) of the prostate with respect to different aspects of image quality and severity of artefacts. (orig.)

A fully automated calibration method for an optical see-through head-mounted operating microscope with variable zoom and focus.

Science.gov (United States)

Figl, Michael; Ede, Christopher; Hummel, Johann; Wanschitz, Felix; Ewers, Rolf; Bergmann, Helmar; Birkfellner, Wolfgang

2005-11-01

Ever since the development of the first applications in image-guided therapy (IGT), the use of head-mounted displays (HMDs) was considered an important extension of existing IGT technologies. Several approaches to utilizing HMDs and modified medical devices for augmented reality (AR) visualization were implemented. These approaches include video-see through systems, semitransparent mirrors, modified endoscopes, and modified operating microscopes. Common to all these devices is the fact that a precise calibration between the display and three-dimensional coordinates in the patient's frame of reference is compulsory. In optical see-through devices based on complex optical systems such as operating microscopes or operating binoculars-as in the case of the system presented in this paper-this procedure can become increasingly difficult since precise camera calibration for every focus and zoom position is required. We present a method for fully automatic calibration of the operating binocular Varioscope M5 AR for the full range of zoom and focus settings available. Our method uses a special calibration pattern, a linear guide driven by a stepping motor, and special calibration software. The overlay error in the calibration plane was found to be 0.14-0.91 mm, which is less than 1% of the field of view. Using the motorized calibration rig as presented in the paper, we were also able to assess the dynamic latency when viewing augmentation graphics on a mobile target; spatial displacement due to latency was found to be in the range of 1.1-2.8 mm maximum, the disparity between the true object and its computed overlay represented latency of 0.1 s. We conclude that the automatic calibration method presented in this paper is sufficient in terms of accuracy and time requirements for standard uses of optical see-through systems in a clinical environment.

Cine-servo lens technology for 4K broadcast and cinematography

Science.gov (United States)

Nurishi, Ryuji; Wakazono, Tsuyoshi; Usui, Fumiaki

2015-09-01

Central to the rapid evolution of 4K image capture technology in the past few years, deployment of large-format cameras with Super35mm Single Sensors is increasing in TV production for diverse shows such as dramas, documentaries, wildlife, and sports. While large format image capture has been the standard in the cinema world for quite some time, the recent experiences within the broadcast industry have revealed a variety of requirement differences for large format lenses compared to those of the cinema industry. A typical requirement for a broadcast lens is a considerably higher zoom ratio in order to avoid changing lenses in the middle of a live event, which is mostly not the case for traditional cinema productions. Another example is the need for compact size, light weight, and servo operability for a single camera operator shooting in a shoulder-mount ENG style. On the other hand, there are new requirements that are common to both worlds, such as smooth and seamless change in angle of view throughout the long zoom range, which potentially offers new image expression that never existed in the past. This paper will discuss the requirements from the two industries of cinema and broadcast, while at the same time introducing the new technologies and new optical design concepts applied to our latest "CINE-SERVO" lens series which presently consists of two models, CN7x17KAS-S and CN20x50IAS-H. It will further explain how Canon has realized 4K optical performance and fast servo control while simultaneously achieving compact size, light weight and high zoom ratio, by referring to patent-pending technologies such as the optical power layout, lens construction, and glass material combinations.

Adaptation Computing Parameters of Pan-Tilt-Zoom Cameras for Traffic Monitoring

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ya Lin WU

2014-01-01

Full Text Available The Closed- CIRCUIT television (CCTV cameras have been widely used in recent years for traffic monitoring and surveillance applications. We can use CCTV cameras to extract automatically real-time traffic parameters according to the image processing and tracking technologies. Especially, the pan-tilt-zoom (PTZ cameras can provide flexible view selection as well as a wider observation range, and this makes the traffic parameters can be accurately calculated. Therefore, that the parameters of PTZ cameras are calibrated plays an important role in vision-based traffic applications. However, in the specific traffic environment, which is that the license plate number of the illegal parking is located, the parameters of PTZ cameras have to be updated according to the position and distance of illegal parking. In proposed traffic monitoring systems, we use the ordinary webcam and PTZ camera. We get vanishing-point of traffic lane lines in the pixel-based coordinate system by fixed webcam. The parameters of PTZ camera can be initialized by distance of the traffic monitoring and specific objectives and vanishing-point. And then we can use the coordinate position of the illegally parked car to update the parameters of PTZ camera and then get the real word coordinate position of the illegally parked car and use it to compute the distance. The result shows the error of the tested distance and real distance is only 0.2064 meter.

VVER-1000 dominance ratio

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gorodkov, S.

2009-01-01

Dominance ratio, or more precisely, its closeness to unity, is important characteristic of large reactor. It allows evaluate beforehand the number of source iterations required in deterministic calculations of power spatial distribution. Or the minimal number of histories to be modeled for achievement of statistical error level desired in large core Monte Carlo calculations. In this work relatively simple approach for dominance ratio evaluation is proposed. It essentially uses core symmetry. Dependence of dominance ratio on neutron flux spatial distribution is demonstrated. (author)

WWER-1000 dominance ratio

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gorodkov, S.S.

2009-01-01

Dominance ratio, or more precisely, its closeness to unity, is important characteristic of large reactor. It allows evaluate beforehand the number of source iterations required in deterministic calculations of power spatial distribution. Or the minimal number of histories to be modeled for achievement of statistical error level desired in large core Monte Carlo calculations. In this work relatively simple approach for dominance ratio evaluation is proposed. It essentially uses core symmetry. Dependence of dominance ratio on neutron flux spatial distribution is demonstrated. (Authors)

Ablative Rayleigh Taylor instability in the limit of an infinitely large density ratio

Science.gov (United States)

Clavin, Paul; Almarcha, Christophe

2005-05-01

The instability of ablation fronts strongly accelerated toward the dense medium under the conditions of inertial confinement fusion (ICF) is addressed in the limit of an infinitely large density ratio. The analysis serves to demonstrate that the flow is irrotational to first order, reducing the nonlinear analysis to solve a two-potential flows problem. Vorticity appears at the following orders in the perturbation analysis. This result simplifies greatly the analysis. The possibility for using boundary integral methods opens new perspectives in the nonlinear theory of the ablative RT instability in ICF. A few examples are given at the end of the Note. To cite this article: P. Clavin, C. Almarcha, C. R. Mecanique 333 (2005).

Influences of large-scale convection and moisture source on monthly precipitation isotope ratios observed in Thailand, Southeast Asia

Science.gov (United States)

Wei, Zhongwang; Lee, Xuhui; Liu, Zhongfang; Seeboonruang, Uma; Koike, Masahiro; Yoshimura, Kei

2018-04-01

Many paleoclimatic records in Southeast Asia rely on rainfall isotope ratios as proxies for past hydroclimatic variability. However, the physical processes controlling modern rainfall isotopic behaviors in the region is poorly constrained. Here, we combined isotopic measurements at six sites across Thailand with an isotope-incorporated atmospheric circulation model (IsoGSM) and the Hybrid Single-Particle Lagrangian Integrated Trajectory (HYSPLIT) model to investigate the factors that govern the variability of precipitation isotope ratios in this region. Results show that rainfall isotope ratios are both correlated with local rainfall amount and regional outgoing longwave radiation, suggesting that rainfall isotope ratios in this region are controlled not only by local rain amount (amount effect) but also by large-scale convection. As a transition zone between the Indian monsoon and the western North Pacific monsoon, the spatial difference of observed precipitation isotope among different sites are associated with moisture source. These results highlight the importance of regional processes in determining rainfall isotope ratios in the tropics and provide constraints on the interpretation of paleo-precipitation isotope records in the context of regional climate dynamics.

GHz modulation enabled using large extinction ratio waveguide-modulator integrated with 404 nm GaN laser diode

KAUST Repository

Shen, Chao

2017-01-30

A 404-nm emitting InGaN-based laser diode with integrated-waveguide-modulator showing a large extinction ratio of 11.3 dB was demonstrated on semipolar (2021) plane GaN substrate. The device shows a low modulation voltage of −2.5 V and ∼ GHz −3 dB bandwidth, enabling 1.7 Gbps data transmission.

GHz modulation enabled using large extinction ratio waveguide-modulator integrated with 404 nm GaN laser diode

KAUST Repository

Shen, Chao; Lee, Changmin; Ng, Tien Khee; Speck, James S.; Nakamura, Shuji; DenBaars, Steven P.; Alyamani, Ahmed Y.; Eldesouki, Munir M.; Ooi, Boon S.

2017-01-01

A 404-nm emitting InGaN-based laser diode with integrated-waveguide-modulator showing a large extinction ratio of 11.3 dB was demonstrated on semipolar (2021) plane GaN substrate. The device shows a low modulation voltage of −2.5 V and ∼ GHz −3 dB bandwidth, enabling 1.7 Gbps data transmission.

Optimizing pulse shaping and zooming for acceleration to high velocities and fusion neutron production on the Nike laser

Science.gov (United States)

Karasik, Max; Weaver, J. L.; Aglitskiy, Y.; Zalesak, S. T.; Velikovich, A. L.; Oh, J.; Obenschain, S. P.; Arikawa, Y.; Watari, T.

2010-11-01

We will present results from follow-on experiments to the record-high velocities of 1000 km/s achieved on Nike [Karasik et al., Phys. Plasmas 17, 056317 (2010) ], in which highly accelerated planar foils of deuterated polystyrene were made to collide with a witness foil to produce extreme shock pressures and result in heating of matter to thermonuclear temperatures. Still higher velocities and higher target densities are required for impact fast ignition. The aim of these experiments is shaping the driving pulse to minimize shock heating of the accelerated target and using the focal zoom capability of Nike to achieve higher densities and velocities. Spectroscopic measurements of electron temperature achieved upon impact will complement the neutron time-of-flight ion temperature measurement. Work is supported by US DOE and Office of Naval Research.

Variable diameter CO2 laser ring-cutting system adapted to a zoom microscope for applications on polymer tapes.

Science.gov (United States)

Förster, Erik; Bohnert, Patrick; Kraus, Matthias; Kilper, Roland; Müller, Ute; Buchmann, Martin; Brunner, Robert

2016-11-20

This paper presents the conception and implementation of a variable diameter ring-cutting system for a CO2 laser with a working wavelength of 10.6 μm. The laser-cutting system is adapted to an observation zoom microscope for combined use and is applicable for the extraction of small circular areas from polymer films, such as forensic adhesive tapes in a single shot. As an important characteristic for our application, the variable diameter ring-cutting system provides telecentricity in the target area. Ring diameters are continuously tunable between 500 μm and 2 mm. A minimum width of less than 20 μm was found for the ring profile edge. The basic characteristics of the system, including telecentricity, were experimentally evaluated and demonstrated by cutting experiments on different polymer tapes and further exemplary samples.

[Parallel virtual reality visualization of extreme large medical datasets].

Science.gov (United States)

Tang, Min

2010-04-01

On the basis of a brief description of grid computing, the essence and critical techniques of parallel visualization of extreme large medical datasets are discussed in connection with Intranet and common-configuration computers of hospitals. In this paper are introduced several kernel techniques, including the hardware structure, software framework, load balance and virtual reality visualization. The Maximum Intensity Projection algorithm is realized in parallel using common PC cluster. In virtual reality world, three-dimensional models can be rotated, zoomed, translated and cut interactively and conveniently through the control panel built on virtual reality modeling language (VRML). Experimental results demonstrate that this method provides promising and real-time results for playing the role in of a good assistant in making clinical diagnosis.

First shock tuning and backscatter measurements for large case-to-capsule ratio beryllium targets

Science.gov (United States)

Loomis, Eric; Yi, Austin; Kline, John; Kyrala, George; Simakov, Andrei; Wilson, Doug; Ralph, Joe; Dewald, Eduard; Strozzi, David; Celliers, Peter; Millot, Marius; Tommasini, Riccardo

2016-10-01

The current under performance of target implosions on the National Ignition Facility (NIF) has necessitated scaling back from high convergence ratio to access regimes of reduced physics uncertainties. These regimes, we expect, are more predictable by existing radiation hydrodynamics codes giving us a better starting point for isolating key physics questions. One key question is the lack of predictable in-flight and hot spot shape due to a complex hohlraum radiation environment. To achieve more predictable, shape tunable implosions we have designed and fielded a large 4.2 case-to-capsule ratio (CCR) target at the NIF using 6.72 mm diameter Au hohlraums and 1.6 mm diameter Cu-doped Be capsules. Simulations show that at these dimensions during a 10 ns 3-shock laser pulse reaching 270 eV hohlraum temperatures, the interaction between hohlraum and capsule plasma, which at lower CCR lead to beam propagation impedance by artificial plasma stagnation, are reduced. In this talk we will present measurements of early time drive symmetry using two-axis line-imaging velocimetry (VISAR) and streaked radiography measuring velocity of the imploding shell and their comparisons to post-shot calculations using the code HYDRA (Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory).

Use of zooming and pulseshaping for acceleration to high velocities and fusion neutron production on the Nike laser

Science.gov (United States)

Karasik, Max; Weaver, J. L.; Aglitskiy, Y.; Kehne, D. M.; Zalesak, S. T.; Velikovich, A. L.; Oh, J.; Obenschain, S. P.; Arikawa, Y.

2011-10-01

We will present results from follow-on experiments to the record-high velocities of 1000 km/s achieved on Nike [Karasik et al, Phys. Plasmas 17, 056317(2010)], in which highly accelerated planar foils of deuterated polystyrene were made to collide with a witness foil to produce ~ 1 Gbar shock pressures and result in heating of matter to thermonuclear temperatures. Still higher velocities and higher target densities are required for impact fast ignition. The aim of these experiments is using the focal zoom capability of Nike and shaping the driving pulse to minimize shock heating of the accelerated target to achieve higher densities and velocities. In-flight target density is inferred from target heating upon collision via DD neutron time-of-flight ion temperature measurement. Work is supported by US DOE (NNSA) and Office of Naval Research. SAIC

'Finite' non-Gaussianities and tensor-scalar ratio in large volume Swiss-cheese compactifications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Misra, Aalok; Shukla, Pramod

2009-01-01

Developing on 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, Nucl. Phys. B 799 (2008) 165-198, (arXiv: 0707.0105)] and [A. Misra, P. Shukla, Large volume axionic Swiss-cheese inflation, Nucl. Phys. B 800 (2008) 384-400, (arXiv: 0712.1260 [hep-th])] and using the formalisms of [S. Yokoyama, T. Suyama, T. Tanaka, Primordial non-Gaussianity in multi-scalar slow-roll inflation, (arXiv: 0705.3178 [astro-ph]); S. Yokoyama, T. Suyama, T. Tanaka, Primordial non-Gaussianity in multi-scalar inflation, Phys. Rev. D 77 (2008) 083511, (arXiv: 0711.2920 [astro-ph])], 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 getting finite values for the non-linear parameter f NL while looking for non-Gaussianities in type IIB compactifications on orientifolds of the Swiss cheese Calabi-Yau WCP 4 [1,1,1,6,9] in the L(arge) V(olume) S(cenarios) limit. We show the same in two contexts. First is multi-field slow-roll inflation with D3-instanton contribution coming from a large number of multiple wrappings of a single (Euclidean) D3-brane around the 'small' divisor yielding f NL ∼O(1). The second is when the slow-roll conditions are violated and for the number of the aforementioned D3-instanton wrappings being of O(1) but more than one, yielding f NL ∼O(1). Based on general arguments not specific to our (string-theory) set-up, we argue that requiring curvature perturbations not to grow at horizon crossing and at super-horizon scales, automatically picks out hybrid inflationary scenarios which in our set up can yield f NL ∼O(1) and tensor-scalar ratio of O(10 -2 ). For all our calculations, the world-sheet instanton contributions to the Kaehler potential coming from the non-perturbative α ' corrections

Viewing Systems for Large Underground Storage Tanks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Heckendorn, F.M.; Robinson, C.W.; Anderson, E.K.; Pardini, A.F.

1996-01-01

Specialized remote video systems have been successfully developed and deployed in a number of large radiological Underground Storage Tanks (USTs)that tolerate the hostile tank interior, while providing high resolution video to a remotely located operator. The deployment is through 100 mm (4 in) tank openings, while incorporating full video functions of the camera, lights, and zoom lens. The usage of remote video minimizes the potential for personnel exposure to radiological and hazardous conditions, and maximizes the quality of the visual data used to assess the interior conditions of both tank and contents. The robustness of this type of remote system has a direct effect on the potential for radiological exposure that personnel may encounter. The USTs typical of the Savannah River and Hanford Department Of Energy - (DOE) sites are typically 4.5 million liter (1.2 million gal) units under earth. or concrete overburden with limited openings to the surface. The interior is both highly contaminated and radioactive with a wide variety of nuclear processing waste material. Some of the tanks are -flammable rated -to Class 1, Division 1,and personnel presence at or near the openings should be minimized. The interior of these USTs must be assessed periodically as part of the ongoing management of the tanks and as a step towards tank remediation. The systems are unique in their deployment technology, which virtually eliminates the potential for entrapment in a tank, and their ability to withstand flammable environments. A multiplicity of components used within a common packaging allow for cost effective and appropriate levels of technology, with radiation hardened components on some units and lesser requirements on other units. All units are completely self contained for video, zoom lens, lighting, deployment,as well as being self purging, and modular in construction

Zooming in on AdS3/CFT2 near a BPS bound

Science.gov (United States)

Hartong, Jelle; Lei, Yang; Obers, Niels; Oling, Gerben

2018-05-01

Any ( d + 1)-dimensional CFT with a U(1) flavor symmetry, a BPS bound and an exactly marginal coupling admits a decoupling limit in which one zooms in on the spectrum close to the bound. This limit is an Inönü-Wigner contraction of so(2 , d+1)⊕ u(1) that leads to a relativistic algebra with a scaling generator but no conformal generators. In 2D CFTs, Lorentz boosts are abelian and by adding a second u(1) we find a contraction of two copies of sl(2, ℝ) ⊕ u(1) to two copies of P 2 c , the 2-dimensional centrally extended Poincaré algebra. We show that the bulk is described by a novel non-Lorentzian geometry that we refer to as pseudo-Newton-Cartan geometry. Both the Chern-Simons action on sl(2, ℝ) ⊕ u(1) and the entire phase space of asymptotically AdS3 spacetimes are well-behaved in the corresponding limit if we fix the radial component for the u(1) connection. With this choice, the resulting Newton-Cartan foliation structure is now associated not with time, but with the emerging holographic direction. Since the leaves of this foliation do not mix, the emergence of the holographic direction is much simpler than in AdS3 holography. Furthermore, we show that the asymptotic symmetry algebra of the limit theory consists of a left- and a right-moving warped Virasoro algebra.

Destruction of magnetic surfaces in the edge of a large aspect ratio Tokamak with ergodic limiter

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Viana, R.L.; Caldas, I.L.

1990-01-01

The model of Martin and Taylor for a large aspect-ratio Tokamak with an ergodic limiter is considered. In order to study the onset of chaotic behaviour for the magnetic field lines in the edge of the vessel, a Hamiltonian formulation is constructed for the system and the overlap of two peripheral magnetic islands is considered. So, it is possible to determine a threshold for the ergodic limiter current to cause destruction of rational magnetic surfaces in this region. (Author)

Large eddy simulation of turbulent flow for wall mounted cantilever cylinders of aspect ratio 6 and 10

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Afgan, Imran; Moulinec, Charles; Prosser, Robert; Laurence, Dominique

2007-01-01

The flow structure around wall mounted circular cylinders of finite heights is numerically investigated via large eddy simulation (LES). The cylinder aspect ratios (AR) are 6 and 10 and the Reynolds number (Re) based on cylinder diameter and free stream velocity is 20,000 for both cases. The cantilever cylinder mounted on a flat plate is chosen since it gives insight into two entirely different flow phenomena; the tip effects of the free end (which show strong three-dimensional wake structures) and the base or junction effects (due to interaction of flow between the cylinder and the flat plate). Regular vortex shedding is found in the wake of the higher aspect ratio case as was anticipated, along with a strong downwash originating from the flow over the free end of the cylinder, whereas irregular and intermittent vortex shedding occurs in the lower aspect ratio case. Pressure distributions are computed along the length of the cylinder and compared to experimental results. Lift and drag values are also computed, along with Strouhal numbers

Multiple-relaxation-time lattice Boltzmann model for incompressible miscible flow with large viscosity ratio and high Péclet number

Science.gov (United States)

Meng, Xuhui; Guo, Zhaoli

2015-10-01

A lattice Boltzmann model with a multiple-relaxation-time (MRT) collision operator is proposed for incompressible miscible flow with a large viscosity ratio as well as a high Péclet number in this paper. The equilibria in the present model are motivated by the lattice kinetic scheme previously developed by Inamuro et al. [Philos. Trans. R. Soc. London, Ser. A 360, 477 (2002), 10.1098/rsta.2001.0942]. The fluid viscosity and diffusion coefficient depend on both the corresponding relaxation times and additional adjustable parameters in this model. As a result, the corresponding relaxation times can be adjusted in proper ranges to enhance the performance of the model. Numerical validations of the Poiseuille flow and a diffusion-reaction problem demonstrate that the proposed model has second-order accuracy in space. Thereafter, the model is used to simulate flow through a porous medium, and the results show that the proposed model has the advantage to obtain a viscosity-independent permeability, which makes it a robust method for simulating flow in porous media. Finally, a set of simulations are conducted on the viscous miscible displacement between two parallel plates. The results reveal that the present model can be used to simulate, to a high level of accuracy, flows with large viscosity ratios and/or high Péclet numbers. Moreover, the present model is shown to provide superior stability in the limit of high kinematic viscosity. In summary, the numerical results indicate that the present lattice Boltzmann model is an ideal numerical tool for simulating flow with a large viscosity ratio and/or a high Péclet number.

Diagnostic value of two modes of cone-beam computed tomography in evaluation of simulated external root resorption: an in vitro study

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dalili, Zahra; Taramsari, Mehran; Mehr, Seyed Zoheir Mousavi; Salamat, Fatemeh [Guilan University of Medical Sciences, Rasht (Iran, Islamic Republic of)

2012-03-15

Field of view and voxel resolution of cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) might affect the diagnostic capability. This study was performed to compare between the standard and HiRes zoom modes in the diagnosis of external root resorption (ERR) using CBCT. Sixty three small cavities (0.25 mm depth and 0.5 mm diameter) were simulated on the buccal, lingual, and proximal surfaces at three different levels of 16 roots of teeth. After covering the root with nail varnish, the roots were inserted in the sockets and the model was placed in a water-containing lacuna. CBCT scans were taken in both standard and HiRes zoom modes using NewTom VG (QR srl Company, Verona, Italy). Then, an observer assessed the images to determine the presence or absence of the cavities. This process was repeated by increasing the size and depth of cavities to 0.5 mm depth and 1 mm diameter. Data were analyzed by McNemar test. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and likelihood ratio in evaluation of the simulated cavities were calculated. There was a significant difference between the two imaging modes in diagnosing the shallow cavities (p=0.02). The sensitivity of the standard zoom in detecting the shallow cavities was lower than that of the HiRes zoom. The likelihood ratio of the HiRes zoom was higher in the diagnosis of both cavity types. This study suggested that a smaller voxel size in the HiRes zoom mode of CBCT is preferred for diagnosis of ERR.

Integrable perturbed magnetic fields in toroidal geometry: An exact analytical flux surface label for large aspect ratio

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kallinikos, N.; Isliker, H.; Vlahos, L.; Meletlidou, E. [Department of Physics, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, GR-54124 Thessaloniki (Greece)

2014-06-15

An analytical description of magnetic islands is presented for the typical case of a single perturbation mode introduced to tokamak plasma equilibrium in the large aspect ratio approximation. Following the Hamiltonian structure directly in terms of toroidal coordinates, the well known integrability of this system is exploited, laying out a precise and practical way for determining the island topology features, as required in various applications, through an analytical and exact flux surface label.

Integrable perturbed magnetic fields in toroidal geometry: An exact analytical flux surface label for large aspect ratio

Science.gov (United States)

Kallinikos, N.; Isliker, H.; Vlahos, L.; Meletlidou, E.

2014-06-01

An analytical description of magnetic islands is presented for the typical case of a single perturbation mode introduced to tokamak plasma equilibrium in the large aspect ratio approximation. Following the Hamiltonian structure directly in terms of toroidal coordinates, the well known integrability of this system is exploited, laying out a precise and practical way for determining the island topology features, as required in various applications, through an analytical and exact flux surface label.

Integrable perturbed magnetic fields in toroidal geometry: An exact analytical flux surface label for large aspect ratio

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kallinikos, N.; Isliker, H.; Vlahos, L.; Meletlidou, E.

2014-01-01

An analytical description of magnetic islands is presented for the typical case of a single perturbation mode introduced to tokamak plasma equilibrium in the large aspect ratio approximation. Following the Hamiltonian structure directly in terms of toroidal coordinates, the well known integrability of this system is exploited, laying out a precise and practical way for determining the island topology features, as required in various applications, through an analytical and exact flux surface label

NaviCell: a web-based environment for navigation, curation and maintenance of large molecular interaction maps.

Science.gov (United States)

Kuperstein, Inna; Cohen, David P A; Pook, Stuart; Viara, Eric; Calzone, Laurence; Barillot, Emmanuel; Zinovyev, Andrei

2013-10-07

Molecular biology knowledge can be formalized and systematically represented in a computer-readable form as a comprehensive map of molecular interactions. There exist an increasing number of maps of molecular interactions containing detailed and step-wise description of various cell mechanisms. It is difficult to explore these large maps, to organize discussion of their content and to maintain them. Several efforts were recently made to combine these capabilities together in one environment, and NaviCell is one of them. NaviCell is a web-based environment for exploiting large maps of molecular interactions, created in CellDesigner, allowing their easy exploration, curation and maintenance. It is characterized by a combination of three essential features: (1) efficient map browsing based on Google Maps; (2) semantic zooming for viewing different levels of details or of abstraction of the map and (3) integrated web-based blog for collecting community feedback. NaviCell can be easily used by experts in the field of molecular biology for studying molecular entities of interest in the context of signaling pathways and crosstalk between pathways within a global signaling network. NaviCell allows both exploration of detailed molecular mechanisms represented on the map and a more abstract view of the map up to a top-level modular representation. NaviCell greatly facilitates curation, maintenance and updating the comprehensive maps of molecular interactions in an interactive and user-friendly fashion due to an imbedded blogging system. NaviCell provides user-friendly exploration of large-scale maps of molecular interactions, thanks to Google Maps and WordPress interfaces, with which many users are already familiar. Semantic zooming which is used for navigating geographical maps is adopted for molecular maps in NaviCell, making any level of visualization readable. In addition, NaviCell provides a framework for community-based curation of maps.

Arbitrary scattering of an acoustical Bessel beam by a rigid spheroid with large aspect-ratio

Science.gov (United States)

Gong, Zhixiong; Li, Wei; Mitri, Farid G.; Chai, Yingbin; Zhao, Yao

2016-11-01

In this paper, the T-matrix (null-field) method is applied to investigate the acoustic scattering by a large-aspect-ratio rigid spheroid immersed in a non-viscous fluid under the illumination of an unbounded zeroth-order Bessel beam with arbitrary orientation. Based on the proposed method, a MATLAB software package is constructed accordingly, and then verified and validated to compute the acoustic scattering by a rigid oblate or prolate spheroid in the Bessel beam. Several numerical examples are carried out to investigate the novel phenomenon of acoustic scattering by spheroids in Bessel beams with arbitrary incidence, with particular emphasis on the aspect ratio (i.e. the ratio of the polar radius over the equatorial radius of the spheroid), the half-cone angle of Bessel beam, the dimensionless frequency, as well as the angle of incidence. The quasi-periodic oscillations are observed in the plots of the far-field backscattering form function modulus versus the dimensionless frequency, owing to the interference between the specular reflection and the Franz wave circumnavigating the spheroid in the surrounding fluid. Furthermore, the 3D far-field scattering directivity patterns at end-on incidence and 2D polar plots at arbitrary angles of incidence are exhibited, which could provide new insights into the physical mechanisms of Bessel beam scattering by flat or elongated spheroid. This research work may provide an impetus for the application of acoustic Bessel beam in engineering practices.

Phase-field-based lattice Boltzmann modeling of large-density-ratio two-phase flows

Science.gov (United States)

Liang, Hong; Xu, Jiangrong; Chen, Jiangxing; Wang, Huili; Chai, Zhenhua; Shi, Baochang

2018-03-01

In this paper, we present a simple and accurate lattice Boltzmann (LB) model for immiscible two-phase flows, which is able to deal with large density contrasts. This model utilizes two LB equations, one of which is used to solve the conservative Allen-Cahn equation, and the other is adopted to solve the incompressible Navier-Stokes equations. A forcing distribution function is elaborately designed in the LB equation for the Navier-Stokes equations, which make it much simpler than the existing LB models. In addition, the proposed model can achieve superior numerical accuracy compared with previous Allen-Cahn type of LB models. Several benchmark two-phase problems, including static droplet, layered Poiseuille flow, and spinodal decomposition are simulated to validate the present LB model. It is found that the present model can achieve relatively small spurious velocity in the LB community, and the obtained numerical results also show good agreement with the analytical solutions or some available results. Lastly, we use the present model to investigate the droplet impact on a thin liquid film with a large density ratio of 1000 and the Reynolds number ranging from 20 to 500. The fascinating phenomena of droplet splashing is successfully reproduced by the present model and the numerically predicted spreading radius exhibits to obey the power law reported in the literature.

Large signal-to-noise ratio quantification in MLE for ARARMAX models

Science.gov (United States)

Zou, Yiqun; Tang, Xiafei

2014-06-01

It has been shown that closed-loop linear system identification by indirect method can be generally transferred to open-loop ARARMAX (AutoRegressive AutoRegressive Moving Average with eXogenous input) estimation. For such models, the gradient-related optimisation with large enough signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) can avoid the potential local convergence in maximum likelihood estimation. To ease the application of this condition, the threshold SNR needs to be quantified. In this paper, we build the amplitude coefficient which is an equivalence to the SNR and prove the finiteness of the threshold amplitude coefficient within the stability region. The quantification of threshold is achieved by the minimisation of an elaborately designed multi-variable cost function which unifies all the restrictions on the amplitude coefficient. The corresponding algorithm based on two sets of physically realisable system input-output data details the minimisation and also points out how to use the gradient-related method to estimate ARARMAX parameters when local minimum is present as the SNR is small. Then, the algorithm is tested on a theoretical AutoRegressive Moving Average with eXogenous input model for the derivation of the threshold and a gas turbine engine real system for model identification, respectively. Finally, the graphical validation of threshold on a two-dimensional plot is discussed.

The effect of parental factors in children with large cup-to-disc ratios.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hae-Young Lopilly Park

Full Text Available To investigate large cup-to-disc ratios (CDR in children and to determine the relationship between parental CDR and clinical characteristics associated with glaucoma.Two hundred thirty six children aged 6 to 12 years with CDR ≥ 0.6 were enrolled in this study. Subjects were classified into two groups based on parental CDR: disc suspect children with disc suspect (CDR ≥0.6 parents and disc suspect children without disc suspect parents. Ocular variables were compared between the two groups.Of the 236 disc suspect children, 100 (42.4% had at least one disc suspect parent. Intraocular pressure (IOP was higher in disc suspect children with disc suspect parents (16.52±2.66 mmHg than in disc suspect children without disc suspect parents (14.38±2.30 mmHg, p = 0.023. In the group with disc suspect parents, vertical CDR significantly correlated with IOP (R = -0.325, p = 0.001, average retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL thickness (R = -0.319, p = 0.001, rim area (R = -0.740, p = 0.001, and cup volume (R = 0.499, p = 0.001. However, spherical equivalent (R = 0.333, p = 0.001, AL (R = -0.223, p = 0.009, and disc area (R = 0.325, p = 0.001 significantly correlated with vertical CDR in disc suspect children without disc suspect parents, in contrast to those with disc suspect parents. Larger vertical CDR was associated with the presence of disc suspect parents (p = 0.001, larger disc area (p = 0.001, thinner rim area (p = 0.001, larger average CDR (p = 0.001, and larger cup volume (p = 0.021.Family history of large CDR was a significant factor associated with large vertical CDR in children. In children with disc suspect parents, there were significant correlations between IOP and average RNFL thickness and vertical CDR.

The effect of parental factors in children with large cup-to-disc ratios.

Science.gov (United States)

Park, Hae-Young Lopilly; Ha, Min Ji; Shin, Sun Young

2017-01-01

To investigate large cup-to-disc ratios (CDR) in children and to determine the relationship between parental CDR and clinical characteristics associated with glaucoma. Two hundred thirty six children aged 6 to 12 years with CDR ≥ 0.6 were enrolled in this study. Subjects were classified into two groups based on parental CDR: disc suspect children with disc suspect (CDR ≥0.6) parents and disc suspect children without disc suspect parents. Ocular variables were compared between the two groups. Of the 236 disc suspect children, 100 (42.4%) had at least one disc suspect parent. Intraocular pressure (IOP) was higher in disc suspect children with disc suspect parents (16.52±2.66 mmHg) than in disc suspect children without disc suspect parents (14.38±2.30 mmHg, p = 0.023). In the group with disc suspect parents, vertical CDR significantly correlated with IOP (R = -0.325, p = 0.001), average retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness (R = -0.319, p = 0.001), rim area (R = -0.740, p = 0.001), and cup volume (R = 0.499, p = 0.001). However, spherical equivalent (R = 0.333, p = 0.001), AL (R = -0.223, p = 0.009), and disc area (R = 0.325, p = 0.001) significantly correlated with vertical CDR in disc suspect children without disc suspect parents, in contrast to those with disc suspect parents. Larger vertical CDR was associated with the presence of disc suspect parents (p = 0.001), larger disc area (p = 0.001), thinner rim area (p = 0.001), larger average CDR (p = 0.001), and larger cup volume (p = 0.021). Family history of large CDR was a significant factor associated with large vertical CDR in children. In children with disc suspect parents, there were significant correlations between IOP and average RNFL thickness and vertical CDR.

A novel large thrust-weight ratio V-shaped linear ultrasonic motor with a flexible joint.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Xiaoniu; Yao, Zhiyuan; Yang, Mojian

2017-06-01

A novel large thrust-weight ratio V-shaped linear ultrasonic motor with a flexible joint is proposed in this paper. The motor is comprised of a V-shaped transducer, a slider, a clamp, and a base. The V-shaped transducer consists of two piezoelectric beams connected through a flexible joint to form an appropriate coupling angle. The V-shaped motor is operated in the coupled longitudinal-bending mode. Longitudinal and bending movements are transferred by the flexible joint between the two beams. Compared with the coupled longitudinal-bending mode of the single piezoelectric beam or the symmetrical and asymmetrical modes of the previous V-shaped transducer, the coupled longitudinal-bending mode of the V-shaped transducer with a flexible joint provides higher vibration efficiency and more convenient mode conformance adjustment. A finite element model of the V-shaped transducer is created to numerically study the influence of geometrical parameters and to determine the final geometrical parameters. In this paper, three prototypes were then fabricated and experimentally investigated. The modal test results match well with the finite element analysis. The motor mechanical output characteristics of three different coupling angles θ indicate that V-90 (θ = 90°) is the optimal angle. The mechanical output experiments conducted using the V-90 prototype (Size: 59.4 mm × 30.7 mm × 4 mm) demonstrate that the maximum unloaded speed is 1.2 m/s under a voltage of 350 Vpp, and the maximum output force is 15 N under a voltage of 300 Vpp. The proposed novel V-shaped linear ultrasonic motor has a compact size and a simple structure with a large thrust-weight ratio (0.75 N/g) and high speed.

Particle Scattering in the Resonance Regime: Full-Wave Solution for Axisymmetric Particles with Large Aspect Ratios

Science.gov (United States)

Zuffada, Cinzia; Crisp, David

1997-01-01

Reliable descriptions of the optical properties of clouds and aerosols are essential for studies of radiative transfer in planetary atmospheres. The scattering algorithms provide accurate estimates of these properties for spherical particles with a wide range of sizes and refractive indices, but these methods are not valid for non-spherical particles (e.g., ice crystals, mineral dust, and smoke). Even though a host of methods exist for deriving the optical properties of nonspherical particles that are very small or very large compared with the wavelength, only a few methods are valid in the resonance regime, where the particle dimensions are comparable with the wavelength. Most such methods are not ideal for particles with sharp edges or large axial ratios. We explore the utility of an integral equation approach for deriving the single-scattering optical properties of axisymmetric particles with large axial ratios. The accuracy of this technique is shown for spheres of increasing size parameters and an ensemble of randomly oriented prolate spheroids of size parameter equal to 10.079368. In this last case our results are compared with published results obtained with the T-matrix approach. Next we derive cross sections, single-scattering albedos, and phase functions for cylinders, disks, and spheroids of ice with dimensions extending from the Rayleigh to the geometric optics regime. Compared with those for a standard surface integral equation method, the storage requirement and the computer time needed by this method are reduced, thus making it attractive for generating databases to be used in multiple-scattering calculations. Our results show that water ice disks and cylinders are more strongly absorbing than equivalent volume spheres at most infrared wavelengths. The geometry of these particles also affects the angular dependence of the scattering. Disks and columns with maximum linear dimensions larger than the wavelength scatter much more radiation in the forward

Simulations and experiments on vibration damping for zoom-holography and nano-scanning at the GINIX

Science.gov (United States)

Osterhoff, Markus; Luley, Peter; Sprung, Michael; Salditt, Tim

2017-09-01

The Göttingen Instrument for Nano-Imaging with X-ray (GINIX) is a holography endstation located at the P10 coherence beamline at PETRA III, designed and operated by the University of Göttingen in close collaboration with DESY Photon science Hamburg [1-2]. GINIX is designed as a waveguide based holography experiment with a Kirkpatrick-Baez nanofocus. Its versatility has stimulated a great manifold of imaging modalities. Today, users choose the GINIX setup not only for its few nm coherent waveguide beams (e.g. for ptychography or holography), but also to carry out scanning SAXS measurements to probe local anisotropies with sub-micron real-space and even higher reciprocal space resolution. In addition, it is possible to combine different detectors for e.g. simultaneous SAXS/WAXS and fluorescence measurements [3]. We summarise our ongoing efforts to reduce vibrations in the setup, and present latest experimental results obtained with GINIX, focusing on the unique capabilities offered by its versatile and flexible design. The overview includes results from different imaging schemes such as waveguide based zoom-tomography and user examples in WAXS geometry. We show how to correlate complementary techniques like holography and scanning SAXS and present first results obtained using a new fast sample scanner for Multilayer Zone Plate imaging..

RATIO_TOOL - SOFTWARE FOR COMPUTING IMAGE RATIOS

Science.gov (United States)

Yates, G. L.

1994-01-01

Geological studies analyze spectral data in order to gain information on surface materials. RATIO_TOOL is an interactive program for viewing and analyzing large multispectral image data sets that have been created by an imaging spectrometer. While the standard approach to classification of multispectral data is to match the spectrum for each input pixel against a library of known mineral spectra, RATIO_TOOL uses ratios of spectral bands in order to spot significant areas of interest within a multispectral image. Each image band can be viewed iteratively, or a selected image band of the data set can be requested and displayed. When the image ratios are computed, the result is displayed as a gray scale image. At this point a histogram option helps in viewing the distribution of values. A thresholding option can then be used to segment the ratio image result into two to four classes. The segmented image is then color coded to indicate threshold classes and displayed alongside the gray scale image. RATIO_TOOL is written in C language for Sun series computers running SunOS 4.0 and later. It requires the XView toolkit and the OpenWindows window manager (version 2.0 or 3.0). The XView toolkit is distributed with Open Windows. A color monitor is also required. The standard distribution medium for RATIO_TOOL is a .25 inch streaming magnetic tape cartridge in UNIX tar format. An electronic copy of the documentation is included on the program media. RATIO_TOOL was developed in 1992 and is a copyrighted work with all copyright vested in NASA. Sun, SunOS, and OpenWindows are trademarks of Sun Microsystems, Inc. UNIX is a registered trademark of AT&T Bell Laboratories.

Social communication and emotion difficulties and second to fourth digit ratio in a large community-based sample.

Science.gov (United States)

Barona, Manuela; Kothari, Radha; Skuse, David; Micali, Nadia

2015-01-01

Recent research investigating the extreme male brain theory of autism spectrum disorders (ASD) has drawn attention to the possibility that autistic type social difficulties may be associated with high prenatal testosterone exposure. This study aims to investigate the association between social communication and emotion recognition difficulties and second to fourth digit ratio (2D:4D) and circulating maternal testosterone during pregnancy in a large community-based cohort: the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC). A secondary aim is to investigate possible gender differences in the associations. Data on social communication (Social and Communication Disorders Checklist, N = 7165), emotion recognition (emotional triangles, N = 5844 and diagnostics analysis of non-verbal accuracy, N = 7488) and 2D:4D (second to fourth digit ratio, N = 7159) were collected in childhood and early adolescence from questionnaires and face-to-face assessments. Complete data was available on 3515 children. Maternal circulating testosterone during pregnancy was available in a subsample of 89 children. Males had lower 2D:4D ratios than females [t (3513) = -9.775, p emotion recognition, and the lowest 10 % of 2D:4D ratios. A significant association was found between maternal circulating testosterone and left hand 2D:4D [OR = 1.65, 95 % CI 1.1-2.4, p < 0.01]. Previous findings on the association between 2D:4D and social communication difficulties were not confirmed. A novel association between an extreme measure of 2D:4D in males suggests threshold effects and warrants replication.

Zooming in - zooming out

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Noer, Vibeke Røn

This paper presents the use of video diaries in ethnographic educational research among nursing students in Denmark. It is based on the researcher’s experiences from an ongoing ethnographic study focusing on the student perspective of being enrolled in a class following an experimental educational...... model. The paper presents video diaries as a way of generating qualitative data, reflects on the ethical strategies and dilemmas of using video diaries and illuminates the possibilities of allowing students to state their voices when and where they choose....

Design and Fabrication of a Large-Stroke Deformable Mirror Using a Gear-Shape Ionic-Conductive Polymer Metal Composite

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Guo-Dung John Su

2012-08-01

Full Text Available Conventional camera modules with image sensors manipulate the focus or zoom by moving lenses. Although motors, such as voice-coil motors, can move the lens sets precisely, large volume, high power consumption, and long moving time are critical issues for motor-type camera modules. A deformable mirror (DM provides a good opportunity to improve these issues. The DM is a reflective type optical component which can alter the optical power to focus the lights on the two dimensional optical image sensors. It can make the camera system operate rapidly. Ionic polymer metal composite (IPMC is a promising electro-actuated polymer material that can be used in micromachining devices because of its large deformation with low actuation voltage. We developed a convenient simulation model based on Young’s modulus and Poisson’s ratio. We divided an ion exchange polymer, also known as Nafion^®, into two virtual layers in the simulation model: one was expansive and the other was contractive, caused by opposite constant surface forces on each surface of the elements. Therefore, the deformation for different IPMC shapes can be described more easily. A standard experiment of voltage vs. tip displacement was used to verify the proposed modeling. Finally, a gear shaped IPMC actuator was designed and tested. Optical power of the IPMC deformable mirror is experimentally demonstrated to be 17 diopters with two volts. The needed voltage was about two orders lower than conventional silicon deformable mirrors and about one order lower than the liquid lens.

Effect of large aspect ratio of biomass particles on carbon burnout in a utility boiler

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

D. Gera; M.P. Mathur; M.C. Freeman; Allen Robinson [Fluent, Inc./NETL, Morgantown, WV (United States)

2002-12-01

This paper reports on the development and validation of comprehensive combustion sub models that include the effect of large aspect ratio of biomass (switchgrass) particles on carbon burnout and temperature distribution inside the particles. Temperature and carbon burnout data are compared from two different models that are formulated by assuming (i) the particles are cylindrical and conduct heat internally, and (ii) the particles are spherical without internal heat conduction, i.e., no temperature gradient exists inside the particle. It was inferred that the latter model significantly underpredicted the temperature of the particle and, consequently, the burnout. Additionally, some results from cofiring biomass (10% heat input) with pulverized coal (90% heat input) are compared with the pulverized coal (100% heat input) simulations and coal experiments in a tangentially fired 150 MW{sub e} utility boiler. 26 refs., 7 figs., 4 tabs.

A Diffuse Interface Model for Incompressible Two-Phase Flow with Large Density Ratios

KAUST Repository

Xie, Yu; Wodo, Olga; Ganapathysubramanian, Baskar

2016-01-01

In this chapter, we explore numerical simulations of incompressible and immiscible two-phase flows. The description of the fluid–fluid interface is introduced via a diffuse interface approach. The two-phase fluid system is represented by a coupled Cahn–Hilliard Navier–Stokes set of equations. We discuss challenges and approaches to solving this coupled set of equations using a stabilized finite element formulation, especially in the case of a large density ratio between the two fluids. Specific features that enabled efficient solution of the equations include: (i) a conservative form of the convective term in the Cahn–Hilliard equation which ensures mass conservation of both fluid components; (ii) a continuous formula to compute the interfacial surface tension which results in lower requirement on the spatial resolution of the interface; and (iii) a four-step fractional scheme to decouple pressure from velocity in the Navier–Stokes equation. These are integrated with standard streamline-upwind Petrov–Galerkin stabilization to avoid spurious oscillations. We perform numerical tests to determine the minimal resolution of spatial discretization. Finally, we illustrate the accuracy of the framework using the analytical results of Prosperetti for a damped oscillating interface between two fluids with a density contrast.

A Diffuse Interface Model for Incompressible Two-Phase Flow with Large Density Ratios

KAUST Repository

Xie, Yu

2016-10-04

In this chapter, we explore numerical simulations of incompressible and immiscible two-phase flows. The description of the fluid–fluid interface is introduced via a diffuse interface approach. The two-phase fluid system is represented by a coupled Cahn–Hilliard Navier–Stokes set of equations. We discuss challenges and approaches to solving this coupled set of equations using a stabilized finite element formulation, especially in the case of a large density ratio between the two fluids. Specific features that enabled efficient solution of the equations include: (i) a conservative form of the convective term in the Cahn–Hilliard equation which ensures mass conservation of both fluid components; (ii) a continuous formula to compute the interfacial surface tension which results in lower requirement on the spatial resolution of the interface; and (iii) a four-step fractional scheme to decouple pressure from velocity in the Navier–Stokes equation. These are integrated with standard streamline-upwind Petrov–Galerkin stabilization to avoid spurious oscillations. We perform numerical tests to determine the minimal resolution of spatial discretization. Finally, we illustrate the accuracy of the framework using the analytical results of Prosperetti for a damped oscillating interface between two fluids with a density contrast.

D-GENIES: dot plot large genomes in an interactive, efficient and simple way.

Science.gov (United States)

Cabanettes, Floréal; Klopp, Christophe

2018-01-01

Dot plots are widely used to quickly compare sequence sets. They provide a synthetic similarity overview, highlighting repetitions, breaks and inversions. Different tools have been developed to easily generated genomic alignment dot plots, but they are often limited in the input sequence size. D-GENIES is a standalone and web application performing large genome alignments using minimap2 software package and generating interactive dot plots. It enables users to sort query sequences along the reference, zoom in the plot and download several image, alignment or sequence files. D-GENIES is an easy-to-install, open-source software package (GPL) developed in Python and JavaScript. The source code is available at https://github.com/genotoul-bioinfo/dgenies and it can be tested at http://dgenies.toulouse.inra.fr/.

Synthetic nebular emission from massive galaxies - I: origin of the cosmic evolution of optical emission-line ratios

Science.gov (United States)

Hirschmann, Michaela; Charlot, Stephane; Feltre, Anna; Naab, Thorsten; Choi, Ena; Ostriker, Jeremiah P.; Somerville, Rachel S.

2017-12-01

Galaxies occupy different regions of the [O III]λ5007/H β-versus-[N II]λ6584/H α emission-line ratio diagram in the distant and local Universe. We investigate the origin of this intriguing result by modelling self-consistently, for the first time, nebular emission from young stars, accreting black holes (BHs) and older, post-asymptotic giant branch (post-AGB) stellar populations in galaxy formation simulations in a full cosmological context. In post-processing, we couple new-generation nebular-emission models with high-resolution, cosmological zoom-in simulations of massive galaxies to explore which galaxy physical properties drive the redshift evolution of the optical-line ratios [O III]λ5007/H β, [N II]λ6584/H α, [S II]λλ6717, 6731/H α and [O I]λ6300/H α. The line ratios of simulated galaxies agree well with observations of both star-forming and active local Sloan Digital Sky Survey galaxies. Towards higher redshifts, at fixed galaxy stellar mass, the average [O III]/H β is predicted to increase and [N II]/H α, [S II]/H α and [O I]/H α to decrease - widely consistent with observations. At fixed stellar mass, we identify star formation history, which controls nebular emission from young stars via the ionization parameter, as the primary driver of the cosmic evolution of [O III]/H β and [N II]/H α. For [S II]/H α and [O I]/H α, this applies only to redshifts greater than z = 1.5, the evolution at lower redshift being driven in roughly equal parts by nebular emission from active galactic nuclei and post-AGB stellar populations. Instead, changes in the hardness of ionizing radiation, ionized-gas density, the prevalence of BH accretion relative to star formation and the dust-to-metal mass ratio (whose impact on the gas-phase N/O ratio we model at fixed O/H) play at most a minor role in the cosmic evolution of simulated galaxy line ratios.

Zoomed MRI Guided by Combined EEG/MEG Source Analysis: A Multimodal Approach for Optimizing Presurgical Epilepsy Work-up and its Application in a Multi-focal Epilepsy Patient Case Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Aydin, Ü; Rampp, S; Wollbrink, A; Kugel, H; Cho, J -H; Knösche, T R; Grova, C; Wellmer, J; Wolters, C H

2017-07-01

In recent years, the use of source analysis based on electroencephalography (EEG) and magnetoencephalography (MEG) has gained considerable attention in presurgical epilepsy diagnosis. However, in many cases the source analysis alone is not used to tailor surgery unless the findings are confirmed by lesions, such as, e.g., cortical malformations in MRI. For many patients, the histology of tissue resected from MRI negative epilepsy shows small lesions, which indicates the need for more sensitive MR sequences. In this paper, we describe a technique to maximize the synergy between combined EEG/MEG (EMEG) source analysis and high resolution MRI. The procedure has three main steps: (1) construction of a detailed and calibrated finite element head model that considers the variation of individual skull conductivities and white matter anisotropy, (2) EMEG source analysis performed on averaged interictal epileptic discharges (IED), (3) high resolution (0.5 mm) zoomed MR imaging, limited to small areas centered at the EMEG source locations. The proposed new diagnosis procedure was then applied in a particularly challenging case of an epilepsy patient: EMEG analysis at the peak of the IED coincided with a right frontal focal cortical dysplasia (FCD), which had been detected at standard 1 mm resolution MRI. Of higher interest, zoomed MR imaging (applying parallel transmission, 'ZOOMit') guided by EMEG at the spike onset revealed a second, fairly subtle, FCD in the left fronto-central region. The evaluation revealed that this second FCD, which had not been detectable with standard 1 mm resolution, was the trigger of the seizures.

Zoomed EPI-DWI of the head and neck with two-dimensional, spatially-selective radiofrequency excitation pulses

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Riffel, Philipp; Michaely, Henrik J.; Attenberger, Ulrike I.; Schoenberg, Stefan O.; Haneder, Stefan [University Medical Center Mannheim, Medical Faculty Mannheim - Heidelberg University, Institute of Clinical Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Mannheim (Germany); Morelli, John N. [Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Baltimore, MD (United States); Pfeuffer, Josef [Siemens Healthcare Sector, Application Development, Erlangen (Germany)

2014-10-15

To evaluate the feasibility of zoomed diffusion-weighted EPI (z-EPI) in the head and neck in a healthy volunteer population and to compare to conventional single-shot EPI (c-EPI). Nine volunteers were included in this prospective, IRB-approved study. Examinations were performed on a 3 T-MR system equipped with a two-channel, fully-dynamic parallel transmit array. The acquired sequences consisted of a T2w-TSE, a c-EPI, and two z-EPI acquisitions. For quantitative assessment of distortion artefacts, DW images were fused with T2-TSE images. Misregistration of DW images with T2-TSE images was assessed in the cervical spine. For qualitative assessment, two readers ranked c-EPI and z-EPI sequences in terms of susceptibility artefacts, image blur, and overall imaging preference. ADC values of several anatomical regions were calculated and compared between sequences. Mean maximum distortion with the c-EPI was 5.9 mm ± 1.6 mm versus 2.4 mm ± 1 mm (p < 0.05) with z-EPI. Both readers found more blur and susceptibility artefacts in every case with c-EPI. No statistically significant differences in calculated ADC values were observed. z-EPI of the head and neck leads to substantial image quality improvements relative to c-EPI due to a reduction in susceptibility artefacts and image blur. (orig.)

Study of ignition in a high compression ratio SI (spark ignition) methanol engine using LES (large eddy simulation) with detailed chemical kinetics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhen, Xudong; Wang, Yang

2013-01-01

Methanol has been recently used as an alternative to conventional fuels for internal combustion engines in order to satisfy some environmental and economical concerns. In this paper, the ignition in a high compression ratio SI (spark ignition) methanol engine was studied by using LES (large eddy simulation) with detailed chemical kinetics. A 21-species, 84-reaction methanol mechanism was adopted to simulate the auto-ignition process of the methanol/air mixture. The MIT (minimum ignition temperature) and MIE (minimum ignition energy) are two important properties for designing safety standards and understanding the ignition process of combustible mixtures. The effects of the flame kernel size, flame kernel temperature and equivalence ratio were also examined on MIT, MIE and IDP (ignition delay period). The methanol mechanism was validated by experimental test. The simulated results showed that the flame kernel size, temperature and energy dramatically affected the values of the MIT, MIE and IDP for a methanol/air mixture, the value of the ignition delay period was not only related to the flame kernel energy, but also to the flame kernel temperature. - Highlights: • We used LES (large eddy simulation) coupled with detailed chemical kinetics to simulate methanol ignition. • The flame kernel size and temperature affected the minimum ignition temperature. • The flame kernel temperature and energy affected the ignition delay period. • The equivalence ratio of methanol–air mixture affected the ignition delay period

Ratios of strange hadrons to pions in collisions of large and small nuclei

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Oeschler, H. [Ruprecht-Karls-Universitaet Heidelberg, Physikalisches Institut, Heidelberg (Germany); Cleymans, J. [University of Cape Town, UCT-CERN Research Centre and Department of Physics, Rondebosch (South Africa); Hippolyte, B. [Universite de Strasbourg, CNRS-IN2P3, Institut Pluridisciplinaire Hubert Curien (IPHC), Strasbourg (France); Redlich, K. [University of Wroclaw, Institute of Theoretical Physics, Wroclaw (Poland); ExtreMe Matter Institute EMMI, GSI, Darmstadt (Germany); Sharma, N. [Panjab University, Department of Physics, Chandigarh (India)

2017-09-15

The dependence of particle production on the size of the colliding nuclei is analyzed in terms of the thermal model using the canonical ensemble. The concept of strangeness correlation in clusters of sub-volume V{sub c} is used to account for the suppression of strangeness. A systematic analysis is presented of the predictions of the thermal model for particle production in collisions of small nuclei. The pattern of the maxima of strange-particles-to-pion ratios as a function of beam energy is quite special, as they do not occur at the same beam energy and are sensitive to the system size. In particular, the Λ/π{sup +} ratio shows a clear maximum even for small systems while the maximum in the K{sup +}/π{sup +} ratio is less pronounced in small systems. (orig.)

High speed forging of solid powder discs of large slenderness ratio

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

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

Slenderness ratio; preform; interfacial friction law. 1. ... Interfacial friction law. Friction condition between deforming tool and work piece in metal forming are of the greatest importance concerning a number of factors such as force and mode of deformation, proper- ... The velocity field for the case under consideration is.

Inspection of aeronautical mechanical parts with a pan-tilt-zoom camera: an approach guided by the computer-aided design model

Science.gov (United States)

Viana, Ilisio; Orteu, Jean-José; Cornille, Nicolas; Bugarin, Florian

2015-11-01

We focus on quality control of mechanical parts in aeronautical context using a single pan-tilt-zoom (PTZ) camera and a computer-aided design (CAD) model of the mechanical part. We use the CAD model to create a theoretical image of the element to be checked, which is further matched with the sensed image of the element to be inspected, using a graph theory-based approach. The matching is carried out in two stages. First, the two images are used to create two attributed graphs representing the primitives (ellipses and line segments) in the images. In the second stage, the graphs are matched using a similarity function built from the primitive parameters. The similarity scores of the matching are injected in the edges of a bipartite graph. A best-match-search procedure in the bipartite graph guarantees the uniqueness of the match solution. The method achieves promising performance in tests with synthetic data including missing elements, displaced elements, size changes, and combinations of these cases. The results open good prospects for using the method with realistic data.

Zooming in: high resolution 3D reconstruction of differently stained histological whole slide images

Science.gov (United States)

Lotz, Johannes; Berger, Judith; Müller, Benedikt; Breuhahn, Kai; Grabe, Niels; Heldmann, Stefan; Homeyer, André; Lahrmann, Bernd; Laue, Hendrik; Olesch, Janine; Schwier, Michael; Sedlaczek, Oliver; Warth, Arne

2014-03-01

Much insight into metabolic interactions, tissue growth, and tissue organization can be gained by analyzing differently stained histological serial sections. One opportunity unavailable to classic histology is three-dimensional (3D) examination and computer aided analysis of tissue samples. In this case, registration is needed to reestablish spatial correspondence between adjacent slides that is lost during the sectioning process. Furthermore, the sectioning introduces various distortions like cuts, folding, tearing, and local deformations to the tissue, which need to be corrected in order to exploit the additional information arising from the analysis of neighboring slide images. In this paper we present a novel image registration based method for reconstructing a 3D tissue block implementing a zooming strategy around a user-defined point of interest. We efficiently align consecutive slides at increasingly fine resolution up to cell level. We use a two-step approach, where after a macroscopic, coarse alignment of the slides as preprocessing, a nonlinear, elastic registration is performed to correct local, non-uniform deformations. Being driven by the optimization of the normalized gradient field (NGF) distance measure, our method is suitable for differently stained and thus multi-modal slides. We applied our method to ultra thin serial sections (2 μm) of a human lung tumor. In total 170 slides, stained alternately with four different stains, have been registered. Thorough visual inspection of virtual cuts through the reconstructed block perpendicular to the cutting plane shows accurate alignment of vessels and other tissue structures. This observation is confirmed by a quantitative analysis. Using nonlinear image registration, our method is able to correct locally varying deformations in tissue structures and exceeds the limitations of globally linear transformations.

Assessment of sodium status in large ruminants by measuring the sodium-to-potassium ratio in muzzle secretions.

Science.gov (United States)

Singh, S P; Rani, D

1999-09-01

To develop a simple diagnostic test to assess sodium status in large ruminants on the basis of the sodium-to-potassium ratio (Na:K) and to determine its relevance. 7 buffalo heifers and 21 lactating, pregnant, and nonpregnant dairy cows and heifers. Buffalo heifers were subjected in 2 experiments to variable dietary sodium intake or sodium depletion and changes in sodium and potassium concentrations; Na:K was simultaneously monitored in various body fluids to study its value for indicating sodium status. Validity of the muzzle secretion test was assessed. Muzzle secretion and urinary Na:K and sodium concentration, but not serum electrolyte concentrations, reflected the sodium status of buffalo heifers in response to the widely variable intake of sodium (0.03 to 0.16% of dry matter [DM]). Progressive sodium depletion during an 11-day period, using saliva deprivation caused reciprocal changes in sodium and potassium concentrations in saliva and muzzle secretion, but not in urine. Decreasing urine sodium concentration was associated with decreasing urine potassium concentration. Saliva, urine, and muzzle secretion Na:K closely reflected the degree of sodium deficit. Buffaloes or dairy cows maintained on optimal sodium intake had muzzle secretion and urine Na:K > 0.30. Muzzle secretion or urine Na:K muzzle secretion Na:K, and to a large extent urine Na:K, may be used as a convenient diagnostic tool to assess sodium status in large ruminants. It has accuracy similar to that of saliva Na:K.

Washout ratio of NaCl particles by raindrops, snowflakes and fog particles obtained using the large artificial climate experiment chamber at ACEF in IES

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kawabata, Hitoshi; Kondo, Kunio; Hasegawa, Hidenao; Akata, Naofumi; Chikuchi, Yuki; Hisamatsu, Shun'ichi; Inaba, Jiro; Komagata, Yuuetsu

2007-01-01

Scavenging of NaCl particles by rainfall, snowfall and fog was examined in a large artificial climate experiment chamber in which the meteorological elements were controlled. The scavenging coefficient of Na by rainfall and snowfall were obtained using Na concentrations in air and precipitation. The washout ratio of Na by fog was also measured using Na concentrations in air and fog water. The scavenging coefficients by snowfall were found to be larger than those by rainfall, and showed that the removal efficiency of the former was higher than that of the latter. The coefficients by both rainfall and snowfall increased linearly with precipitation intensity. When the average diameters of fog droplets were the same, the washout ratio of Na by fog increased with fog liquid water content. On the other hand, when liquid water contents were the same, the washout ratio decreased with increasing average diameter of fog droplets. The washout ratio of Na by fog exponentially increased with the total surface area of fog droplets. (author)

Subcutaneous ICD screening with the Boston Scientific ZOOM programmer versus a 12-lead ECG machine.

Science.gov (United States)

Chang, Shu C; Patton, Kristen K; Robinson, Melissa R; Poole, Jeanne E; Prutkin, Jordan M

2018-02-24

The subcutaneous implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (S-ICD) requires preimplant screening to ensure appropriate sensing and reduce risk of inappropriate shocks. Screening can be performed using either an ICD programmer or a 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG) machine. It is unclear whether differences in signal filtering and digital sampling change the screening success rate. Subjects were recruited if they had a transvenous single-lead ICD without pacing requirements or were candidates for a new ICD. Screening was performed using both a Boston Scientific ZOOM programmer (Marlborough, MA, USA) and General Electric MAC 5000 ECG machine (Fairfield, CT, USA). A pass was defined as having at least one lead that fit within the screening template in both supine and sitting positions. A total of 69 subjects were included and 27 sets of ECG leads had differing screening results between the two machines (7%). Of these sets, 22 (81%) passed using the ECG machine but failed using the programmer and five (19%) passed using the ECG machine but failed using the programmer (P machine but failed using the programmer. No subject passed screening with the programmer but failed with the ECG machine. There can be occasional disagreement in S-ICD patient screening between an ICD programmer and ECG machine, all of whom passed with the ECG machine but failed using the programmer. On a per lead basis, the ECG machine passes more subjects. It is unknown what the inappropriate shock rate would be if an S-ICD was implanted. Clinical judgment should be used in borderline cases. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Ratio Bias and Policy Preferences

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pedersen, Rasmus Tue

2017-01-01

Numbers permeate modern political communication. While current scholarship on framing effects has focused on the persuasive effects of words and arguments, this article shows that framing of numbers can also substantially affect policy preferences. Such effects are caused by ratio bias, which...... is a general tendency to focus on numerators and pay insufficient attention to denominators in ratios. Using a population-based survey experiment, I demonstrate how differently framed but logically equivalent representations of the exact same numerical value can have large effects on citizens’ preferences...... regarding salient political issues such as education and taxes. Furthermore, the effects of numerical framing are found across most groups of the population, largely regardless of their political predisposition and their general ability to understand and use numerical information. These findings have...

Composite flexible skin with large negative Poisson’s ratio range: numerical and experimental analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Y. J.; Scarpa, F.; Farrow, I. R.; Liu, Y. J.; Leng, J. S.

2013-04-01

This paper describes the manufacturing, characterization and parametric modeling of a novel fiber-reinforced composite flexible skin with in-plane negative Poisson’s ratio (auxetic) behavior. The elastic mechanical performance of the auxetic skin is evaluated using a three-dimensional analytical model based on the classical laminate theory (CLT) and Sun’s thick laminate theory. Good agreement is observed between in-plane Poisson’s ratios and Young’s moduli of the composite skin obtained by the theoretical model and the experimental results. A parametric analysis carried out with the validated model shows that significant changes in the in-plane negative Poisson’s ratio can be achieved through different combinations of matrix and fiber materials and stacking sequences. It is also possible to identify fiber-reinforced composite skin configurations with the same in-plane auxeticity but different orthotropic stiffness performance, or the same orthotropic stiffness performance but different in-plane auxeticity. The analysis presented in this work provides useful guidelines to develop and manufacture flexible skins with negative Poisson’s ratio for applications focused on morphing aircraft wing designs.

Composite flexible skin with large negative Poisson’s ratio range: numerical and experimental analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen, Y J; Leng, J S; Scarpa, F; Farrow, I R; Liu, Y J

2013-01-01

This paper describes the manufacturing, characterization and parametric modeling of a novel fiber-reinforced composite flexible skin with in-plane negative Poisson’s ratio (auxetic) behavior. The elastic mechanical performance of the auxetic skin is evaluated using a three-dimensional analytical model based on the classical laminate theory (CLT) and Sun’s thick laminate theory. Good agreement is observed between in-plane Poisson’s ratios and Young’s moduli of the composite skin obtained by the theoretical model and the experimental results. A parametric analysis carried out with the validated model shows that significant changes in the in-plane negative Poisson’s ratio can be achieved through different combinations of matrix and fiber materials and stacking sequences. It is also possible to identify fiber-reinforced composite skin configurations with the same in-plane auxeticity but different orthotropic stiffness performance, or the same orthotropic stiffness performance but different in-plane auxeticity. The analysis presented in this work provides useful guidelines to develop and manufacture flexible skins with negative Poisson’s ratio for applications focused on morphing aircraft wing designs. (paper)

Development of a parallel zoomed EVI sequence for high temporal resolution analysis of the BOLD response

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rabrait, C.

2006-01-01

The hemodynamic impulse response to any short stimulus typically lasts around 20 seconds. Thus, the detection of the Blood Oxygenation Level Dependent (BOLD) effect is usually performed using a 2D Echo Planar Imaging (EPI) sequence, with repetition times on the order of 1 or 2 seconds. This temporal resolution is generally enough for detection purposes. Nevertheless, when trying to accurately estimate the hemodynamic response functions (HRF), higher scanning rates represent a real advantage. Thus, in order to reach a temporal resolution around 200 ms, we developed a new acquisition method, based on Echo Volumar Imaging and 2D parallel acquisition (1). Echo Volumar Imaging (EVI) has been proposed in 1977 by Mansfield (2). EVI intrinsically possesses a lot of advantages for functional neuroimaging, as a 3 D single shot acquisition method. Nevertheless, to date, only a few applications have been reported (3, 4). Actually, very restricting hardware requirements make EVI difficult to perform in satisfactory experimental conditions, even today. The critical point in EVI is the echo train duration, which is longer than in EPI, due to 3D acquisition. Indeed, at equal field of view and spatial resolutions, EVI echo train duration must be approximately equal to EPI echo train duration multiplied by the number of slices acquired in EPI. Consequently, EVI is much more sensitive than EPI to geometric distortions, which are related to phase errors, and also to signal losses, which are due to long echo times (TE). Thus, a first improvement has been brought by 'zoomed' or 'localized' EVI (5), which allows to focus on a small volume of interest and thus limit echo train durations compared to full FOV acquisitions.To reduce echo train durations, we chose to apply parallel acquisition. Moreover, since EVI is a 3D acquisition method, we are able to perform parallel acquisition and SENSE reconstruction along the two phase directions (6). The R = 4 under-sampling consists in the

Proposal for a dual-gate spin field effect transistor: A device with very small switching voltage and a large ON to OFF conductance ratio

Science.gov (United States)

Wan, J.; Cahay, M.; Bandyopadhyay, S.

2008-06-01

We propose a new dual gate spin field effect transistor (SpinFET) consisting of a quasi one-dimensional semiconductor channel sandwiched between two half-metallic contacts. The gate voltage aligns and de-aligns the incident electron energy with Ramsauer resonance levels in the channel, thereby modulating the source-to-drain conductance. The device can be switched from ON to OFF with a few mV change in the gate voltage, resulting in exceedingly low dynamic power dissipation during switching. The conductance ON/OFF ratio stays fairly large ( ∼60) up to a temperature of 10 K. This conductance ratio is comparable to that achievable with carbon nanotube transistors.

Bridging the scales in a eulerian air quality model to assess megacity export of pollution

Science.gov (United States)

Siour, G.; Colette, A.; Menut, L.; Bessagnet, B.; Coll, I.; Meleux, F.

2013-08-01

In Chemistry Transport Models (CTMs), spatial scale interactions are often represented through off-line coupling between large and small scale models. However, those nested configurations cannot give account of the impact of the local scale on its surroundings. This issue can be critical in areas exposed to air mass recirculation (sea breeze cells) or around regions with sharp pollutant emission gradients (large cities). Such phenomena can still be captured by the mean of adaptive gridding, two-way nesting or using model nudging, but these approaches remain relatively costly. We present here the development and the results of a simple alternative multi-scale approach making use of a horizontal stretched grid, in the Eulerian CTM CHIMERE. This method, called "stretching" or "zooming", consists in the introduction of local zooms in a single chemistry-transport simulation. It allows bridging online the spatial scales from the city (∼1 km resolution) to the continental area (∼50 km resolution). The CHIMERE model was run over a continental European domain, zoomed over the BeNeLux (Belgium, Netherlands and Luxembourg) area. We demonstrate that, compared with one-way nesting, the zooming method allows the expression of a significant feedback of the refined domain towards the large scale: around the city cluster of BeNeLuX, NO2 and O3 scores are improved. NO2 variability around BeNeLux is also better accounted for, and the net primary pollutant flux transported back towards BeNeLux is reduced. Although the results could not be validated for ozone over BeNeLux, we show that the zooming approach provides a simple and immediate way to better represent scale interactions within a CTM, and constitutes a useful tool for apprehending the hot topic of megacities within their continental environment.

Bimedial faden recession versus augmented medial rectus recession in the treatment of high ac/a ratio partially accommodative esotropia with large distant near disparity

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mohammed F Farid

2016-01-01

Faden recession achieves marginal superior control of DND and high AC/A ratio in convergence excess partially accommodative ET. Augmented recession also works well with the possible development of consecutive exotropia in cases with extremely high DND. This study recommends Augmented recession for cases with mild to moderate DND and Faden recession for cases with extremely large DND.

K$^{-}$ over K$^{+}$ multiplicity ratio for kaons produced in DIS with a large fraction of the virtual-photon energy

CERN Document Server

Akhunzyanov, R.; The COMPASS collaboration; Alexeev, G.D.; Amoroso, A.; Andrieux, V.; Anfimov, N.V.; Anosov, V.; Antoshkin, A.; Augsten, K.; Augustyniak, W.; Austregesilo, A.; Azevedo, C.D.R.; Badełek, B.; Balestra, F.; Ball, M.; Barth, J.; Beck, R.; Bedfer, Y.; Bernhard, J.; Bicker, K.; Bielert, E.R.; Birsa, R.; Bodlak, M.; Bordalo, P.; Bradamante, F.; Bressan, A.; Büchele, M.; Burtsev, V.E.; Capozza, L.; Chang, W.-C.; Chatterjee, C.; Chiosso, M.; Chumakov, A.G.; Chung, S.-U.; Cicuttin, A.; Crespo, M.L.; Curiel, Q.; Dalla Torre, S.; Dasgupta, S.S.; Dasgupta, S.; Denisov, O.Yu.; Dhara, L.; Donskov, S.V.; Doshita, N.; Dreisbach, Ch.; Dünnweber, W.; Dusaev, R.R.; Dziewiecki, M.; Efremov, A.; Eversheim, P.D.; Faessler, M.; Ferrero, A.; Finger, M.; jr., M.Finger; Fischer, H.; Franco, C.; du Fresne von Hohenesche, N.; Friedrich, J.M.; Frolov, V.; Gautheron, F.; Gavrichtchouk, O.P.; Gerassimov, S.; Giarra, J.; Gnesi, I.; Gorzellik, M.; Grasso, A.; Gridin, A.; Grosse Perdekamp, M.; Grube, B.; Guskov, A.; Hahne, D.; Hamar, G.; von Harrach, D.; Heitz, R.; Herrmann, F.; Horikawa, N.; d'Hose, N.; Hsieh, C.-Y.; Huber, S.; Ishimoto, S.; Ivanov, A.; Ivanshin, Yu.; Iwata, T.; Jary, V.; Joosten, R.; Jörg, P.; Kabuß, E.; Kerbizi, A.; Ketzer, B.; Khaustov, G.V.; Khokhlov, Yu.A.; Kisselev, Yu.; Klein, F.; Koivuniemi, J.H.; Kolosov, V.N.; Kondo, K.; Konorov, I.; Konstantinov, V.F.; Kotzinian, A.M.; Kouznetsov, O.M.; Kral, Z.; Krämer, M.; Krinner, F.; Kroumchtein, Z.V.; Kulinich, Y.; Kunne, F.; Kurek, K.; Kurjata, R.P.; Kuznetsov, I.I.; Kveton, A.; Lednev, A.A.; Levchenko, E.A.; Levorato, S.; Lian, Y.-S.; Lichtenstadt, J.; Longo, R.; Lyubovitskij, V.E.; Maggiora, A.; Magnon, A.; Makins, N.; Makke, N.; Mallot, G.K.; Mamon, S.A.; Marchand, C.; Marianski, B.; Martin, A.; Marzec, J.; Matoušek, J.; Matsuda, H.; Matsuda, T.; Meshcheryakov, G.V.; Meyer, M.; Meyer, W.; Mikhailov, Yu.V.; Mikhasenko, M.; Mitrofanov, E.; Mitrofanov, N.; Miyachi, Y.; Moretti, A.; Nagaytsev, A.; Nerling, F.; Neyret, D.; Nový, J.; Nowak, W.-D.; Nukazuka, G.; Nunes, A.S.; Olshevsky, A.G.; Orlov, I.; Ostrick, M.; Panzieri, D.; Parsamyan, B.; Paul, S.; Peng, J.-C.; Pereira, F.; Pesaro, G.; Pešek, M.; Pešková, M.; Peshekhonov, D.V.; Pierre, N.; Platchkov, S.; Pochodzalla, J.; Polyakov, V.A.; Pretz, J.; Quaresma, M.; Quintans, C.; Ramos, S.; Regali, C.; Reicherz, G.; Riedl, C.; Ryabchikov, D.I.; Rybnikov, A.; Rychter, A.; Salac, R.; Samoylenko, V.D.; Sandacz, A.; Sarkar, S.; Savin, I.A.; Sawada, T.; Sbrizzai, G.; Schiavon, P.; Schmieden, H.; Seder, E.; Selyunin, A.; Silva, L.; Sinha, L.; Sirtl, S.; Slunecka, M.; Sozzi, F.; Smolik, J.; Srnka, A.; Steffen, D.; Stolarski, M.; Subrt, O.; Sulc, M.; Suzuki, H.; Szabelski, A.; Szameitat, T.; Sznajder, P.; Tasevsky, M.; Tessaro, S.; Tessarotto, F.; Thiel, A.; Tomsa, J.; Tosello, F.; Tskhay, V.; Uhl, S.; Vasilishin, B.I.; Vauth, A.; Veit, B.M.; Veloso, J.; Vidon, A.; Virius, M.; Wallner, S.; Wilfert, M.; Windmolders, R.; Zaremba, K.; Zavada, P.; Zavertyaev, M.; Zemlyanichkina, E.; Zhuravlev, N.; Ziembicki, M.

2018-01-01

The K$^{-}$ over K$^{+}$ multiplicity ratio is measured in deep-inelastic scattering, for the first time for kaons carrying a large fraction $z$ of the virtual-photon energy. The data were obtained by the COMPASS collaboration using a 160 GeV muon beam and an isoscalar $^6$LiD target. The regime of deep-inelastic scattering is ensured by requiring $Q^2>1$ (GeV/$c)^2$ for the photon virtuality and $W>5$ GeV/$c^2$ for the invariant mass of the produced hadronic system. Kaons are identified in the momentum range from 12 GeV/$c$ to 40 GeV/$c$, thereby restricting the range in Bjorken-$x$ to $0.010.75$. For very large values of $z$, $i.e.$ $z>0.8$, the results contradict expectations obtained using the formalism of (next-to-)leading order perturbative quantum chromodynamics. This may imply that cross-section factorisation or/and universality of (kaon) fragmentation functions do not hold. Our studies suggest that within this formalism an additional correction may be required, which takes into account th...

Lack of association between digit ratio (2D:4D) and assertiveness: replication in a large sample.

Science.gov (United States)

Voracek, Martin

2009-12-01

Findings regarding within-sex associations of digit ratio (2D:4D), a putative pointer to long-lasting effects of prenatal androgen action, and sexually differentiated personality traits have generally been inconsistent or unreplicable, suggesting that effects in this domain, if any, are likely small. In contrast to evidence from Wilson's important 1983 study, a forerunner of modern 2D:4D research, two recent studies in 2005 and 2008 by Freeman, et al. and Hampson, et al. showed assertiveness, a presumably male-typed personality trait, was not associated with 2D:4D; however, these studies were clearly statistically underpowered. Hence this study examined this question anew, based on a large sample of 491 men and 627 women. Assertiveness was only modestly sexually differentiated, favoring men, and a positive correlate of age and education and a negative correlate of weight and Body Mass Index among women, but not men. Replicating the two prior studies, 2D:4D was throughout unrelated to assertiveness scores. This null finding was preserved with controls for correlates of assertiveness, also in nonparametric analysis and with tests for curvilinear relations. Discussed are implications of this specific null finding, now replicated in a large sample, for studies of 2D:4D and personality in general and novel research approaches to proceed in this field.

A test of the mean density approximation for Lennard-Jones mixtures with large size ratios

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ely, J.F.

1986-01-01

The mean density approximation for mixture radial distribution functions plays a central role in modern corresponding-states theories. This approximation is reasonably accurate for systems that do not differ widely in size and energy ratios and which are nearly equimolar. As the size ratio increases, however, or if one approaches an infinite dilution of one of the components, the approximation becomes progressively worse, especially for the small molecule pair. In an attempt to better understand and improve this approximation, isothermal molecular dynamics simulations have been performed on a series of Lennard-Jones mixtures. Thermodynamic properties, including the mixture radial distribution functions, have been obtained at seven compositions ranging from 5 to 95 mol%. In all cases the size ratio was fixed at two and three energy ratios were investigated, 22 / 11 =0.5, 1.0, and 1.5. The results of the simulations are compared with the mean density approximation and a modification to integrals evaluated with the mean density approximation is proposed

An Accurate Method for Inferring Relatedness in Large Datasets of Unphased Genotypes via an Embedded Likelihood-Ratio Test

KAUST Repository

Rodriguez, Jesse M.

2013-01-01

Studies that map disease genes rely on accurate annotations that indicate whether individuals in the studied cohorts are related to each other or not. For example, in genome-wide association studies, the cohort members are assumed to be unrelated to one another. Investigators can correct for individuals in a cohort with previously-unknown shared familial descent by detecting genomic segments that are shared between them, which are considered to be identical by descent (IBD). Alternatively, elevated frequencies of IBD segments near a particular locus among affected individuals can be indicative of a disease-associated gene. As genotyping studies grow to use increasingly large sample sizes and meta-analyses begin to include many data sets, accurate and efficient detection of hidden relatedness becomes a challenge. To enable disease-mapping studies of increasingly large cohorts, a fast and accurate method to detect IBD segments is required. We present PARENTE, a novel method for detecting related pairs of individuals and shared haplotypic segments within these pairs. PARENTE is a computationally-efficient method based on an embedded likelihood ratio test. As demonstrated by the results of our simulations, our method exhibits better accuracy than the current state of the art, and can be used for the analysis of large genotyped cohorts. PARENTE\\'s higher accuracy becomes even more significant in more challenging scenarios, such as detecting shorter IBD segments or when an extremely low false-positive rate is required. PARENTE is publicly and freely available at http://parente.stanford.edu/. © 2013 Springer-Verlag.

Large-Scale Multi-Resolution Representations for Accurate Interactive Image and Volume Operations

KAUST Repository

Sicat, Ronell B.

2015-11-25

and voxel footprints in input images and volumes. We show that the continuous pdfs encoded in the sparse pdf map representation enable accurate multi-resolution non-linear image operations on gigapixel images. Similarly, we show that sparse pdf volumes enable more consistent multi-resolution volume rendering compared to standard approaches, on both artificial and real world large-scale volumes. The supplementary videos demonstrate our results. In the standard approach, users heavily rely on panning and zooming interactions to navigate the data within the limits of their display devices. However, panning across the whole spatial domain and zooming across all resolution levels of large-scale images to search for interesting regions is not practical. Assisted exploration techniques allow users to quickly narrow down millions to billions of possible regions to a more manageable number for further inspection. However, existing approaches are not fully user-driven because they typically already prescribe what being of interest means. To address this, we introduce the patch sets representation for large-scale images. Patches inside a patch set are grouped and encoded according to similarity via a permutohedral lattice (p-lattice) in a user-defined feature space. Fast set operations on p-lattices facilitate patch set queries that enable users to describe what is interesting. In addition, we introduce an exploration framework—GigaPatchExplorer—for patch set-based image exploration. We show that patch sets in our framework are useful for a variety of user-driven exploration tasks in gigapixel images and whole collections thereof.

Sex allocation and secondary sex ratio in Cuban boa ( Chilabothrus angulifer): mother's body size affects the ratio between sons and daughters

Science.gov (United States)

Frynta, Daniel; Vejvodová, Tereza; Šimková, Olga

2016-06-01

Secondary sex ratios of animals with genetically determined sex may considerably deviate from equality. These deviations may be attributed to several proximate and ultimate factors. Sex ratio theory explains some of them as strategic decisions of mothers improving their fitness by selective investment in sons or daughters, e.g. local resource competition hypothesis (LRC) suggests that philopatric females tend to produce litters with male-biased sex ratios to avoid future competition with their daughters. Until now, only little attention has been paid to examine predictions of sex ratio theory in snakes possessing genetic sex determination and exhibiting large variance in allocation of maternal investment. Cuban boa is an endemic viviparous snake producing large-bodied newborns (˜200 g). Extremely high maternal investment in each offspring increases importance of sex allocation. In a captive colony, we collected breeding records of 42 mothers, 62 litters and 306 newborns and examined secondary sex ratios (SR) and sexual size dimorphism (SSD) of newborns. None of the examined morphometric traits of neonates appeared sexually dimorphic. The sex ratio was slightly male biased (174 males versus 132 females) and litter sex ratio significantly decreased with female snout-vent length. We interpret this relationship as an additional support for LRC as competition between mothers and daughters increases with similarity of body sizes between competing snakes.

ZOOM

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Brooks, Anthony Lewis

2016-01-01

This article posits reflections from the author’s mature body of work that resulted in sizeable national (Denmark) and international (European) funded projects, a patent, commercial product, and a Serious Games company. Main focus is on sharing a two-stage in-action and on-action emergent model...... for evaluating the use of ICT (serious games and creative expression) in healthcare and learning intervention. The model, first published in 2005, being emergent, has evolved to suggest being applicable beyond existing contexts and situations e.g. informal, non-formal and formal. Thus, to advance the model...

Zoom

CERN Document Server

Berman, Bob

2014-01-01

This brilliantly inventive fantasy epic by the award-winning author of Watership Down immerses the reader in a medieval world complete with created languages, detailed maps and elaborate traditions and rituals. Centring on the long-awaited reincarnation of a giant bear among the half-barbaric Orelgan people, Shardik''s appearance sets off a violent chain of events as faith in his divinity sweeps the land. Closest to the bear is the hunter Kelderek, a naturally pious, ignorant, well-meaning man who becomes - in his dedication to Shardik - a prophet, victorious soldier, corrupt priest-king and r

Zooming into the Paraná-Etendeka silicic volcanics, southern Brasil: a physical volcanological approach

Science.gov (United States)

Gualda, G. A. R.; Gravley, D. M.; Harmon, L. J.; Tramontano, S.; Luchetti, A. C. F.; Nardy, A.

2015-12-01

Paraná-Etendeka volcanism led to the opening of the Atlantic Ocean during the early Cretaceous. Most Paraná research has focused on the regional scale geochemistry and geochronology. Complementarily, we have taken a physical volcanological approach to elucidate the styles and locations of silicic eruptions with a focus on extrusive vs. explosive varieties, and an ultimate goal to characterise the crustal magmatic conditions. Through satellite to microscopic observations we can zoom from volcanic edifice and deposit morphologies, remarkably preserved in the Mesozoic landscape, to primary microscopic textures. Lava domes appear in clusters with high relief and are surrounded by lower flat-topped terraces comprised of multiple tabular-shaped packages with conspicuous horizontal jointing. Joint thickness coincides with layering from mm-scale laminations to larger lens-shaped blobs up to 20 cm thick and more than a metre long. These layered deposits appear to be compressed and/or stretched into the finer laminations and grade up into the fatter lens-shaped blobs. In other regions, extensive plateaus dominate the landscape with flat-lying flow packages continuous over 10's of kilometres and possibly further. Rheomorphism is evident in places with sub-parallel joints that grade up into a zone of deformation where curvilinear to overturned joint patterns reflect lateral forcing in a more ductile flow regime. Microscopically the blobs and surrounding matrix are almost indistinguishable except for subtle differences in spherulite textures, zonal alteration and distribution of crystal sizes. Although our research is relatively nascent, our observations suggest eruptions may have ranged from edifice building effusive ones to more explosive ones, albeit possibly relatively low fire fountains feeding hybridised lava/pyroclastic flows. Some of these flows are extensive, tens to possibly hundreds of kilometres long, consistent with high eruption rates of hot magma. These

UNA ESTRATEGIA DE EDUCACION AMBIENTAL EN LA ESCUELA DENOMINADA “ZOOM EN MI ENTORNO”

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Oscar Hernando García Cadena

2015-12-01

Full Text Available La estrategia de educación ambiental en la escuela titulada “Zoom en mi entorno”, surge como una alternativa para retomar el ámbito ambiental desde una perspectiva diferente a la tradicional, buscando que los estudiantes construyan producciones audiovisuales y diseñen herramientas visuales que generen en la comunidad educativa conciencia frente al manejo de los recursos de su entorno inmediato. Particularmente se buscó establecer sentido de pertenencia y apropiación del ambiente, desde la idea que todos podemos ser superhéroes ambientales en la sociedad en la que vivimos.   La estrategia se desarrolló en una línea, que se venía abordando en la institución años atrás llamada “el ambiente desde la comunicación” en la que se propuso el diseño de herramientas audiovisuales ligadas a la visión ambiental de la comunidad (Duarte, et al., 2013.  Sin embargo a medida que la propuesta se ha desarrollado se ha centrado en la construcción de recursos audiovisuales y visuales en busca de propiciar una educación ambiental diferente a la tradicional, que permita el cuidado y reconocimiento del entorno.    De esta manera, se ha planteado la construcción de una propuesta de innovación cuya idea se ha centrado en el diseño e implementación de estrategias que propicien la educación ambiental, desde el reconocimiento de sus problemáticas ambientales, la identificación de su entorno y la utilización de los medios de comunicación y las redes sociales para el cuidado del ambiente, cuyo objetivo gira en la  transformación de la manera de llevar el mensaje del cuidado del ambiente, realizándolo por medios audiovisuales y visuales llamativos para los miembros de la comunidad.

A Multi-Level Middle-Out Cross-Zooming Approach for Large Graph Analytics

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wong, Pak C.; Mackey, Patrick S.; Cook, Kristin A.; Rohrer, Randall M.; Foote, Harlan P.; Whiting, Mark A.

2009-10-11

This paper presents a working graph analytics model that embraces the strengths of the traditional top-down and bottom-up approaches with a resilient crossover concept to exploit the vast middle-ground information overlooked by the two extreme analytical approaches. Our graph analytics model is developed in collaboration with researchers and users, who carefully studied the functional requirements that reflect the critical thinking and interaction pattern of a real-life intelligence analyst. To evaluate the model, we implement a system prototype, known as GreenHornet, which allows our analysts to test the theory in practice, identify the technological and usage-related gaps in the model, and then adapt the new technology in their work space. The paper describes the implementation of GreenHornet and compares its strengths and weaknesses against the other prevailing models and tools.

A Novel Frequency Measurement Method Suitable for a Large Frequency Ratio Condition

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

ZHOU Wei; XUAN Zong-Qiang; YU Jian-Guo; WANG Hai; ZHOU Hui; LI Zhi-Qi

2004-01-01

@@ As for the obstacles to direct comparison between superhigh and lower frequencies, we accomplish the accurate comparison between low and microwave frequencies with the 105 ratios of the operating frequencies on the basis of phase comparison between the signals whose frequencies are related by an arbitrary integer. This method is simple and accurate, and will be widely used as a special frequency comparison approach.

Dynamic Responses of Flexible Cylinders with Low Mass Ratio

Science.gov (United States)

Olaoye, Abiodun; Wang, Zhicheng; Triantafyllou, Michael

2017-11-01

Flexible cylinders with low mass ratios such as composite risers are attractive in the offshore industry because they require lower top tension and are less likely to buckle under self-weight compared to steel risers. However, their relatively low stiffness characteristics make them more vulnerable to vortex induced vibrations. Additionally, numerical investigation of the dynamic responses of such structures based on realistic conditions is limited by high Reynolds number, complex sheared flow profile, large aspect ratio and low mass ratio challenges. In the framework of Fourier spectral/hp element method, the current technique employs entropy-viscosity method (EVM) based large-eddy simulation approach for flow solver and fictitious added mass method for structure solver. The combination of both methods can handle fluid-structure interaction problems at high Reynolds number with low mass ratio. A validation of the numerical approach is provided by comparison with experiments.

Effects of conversion ratio change on the core performances in medium to large TRU burning reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Song, Hoon; Kim, Sang-Ji; Yoo, Jae-Woon; Kim, Yeong-Il

2009-01-01

Conceptual fast reactor core designs with sodium coolant are developed at 1,500, 3,000 and 4,500 MWt which are configured to transmute recycled transuranics (TRU) elements with external feeds consisting of LWR spent fuel. Even at each pre-determined power level, the performance parameters, reactivity coefficients and their implications on the safety analysis can be different when the target TRU conversion ratio changes. In order to address this aspect of design, a study on TRU conversion ratio change was performed. The results indicate that it is feasible to design a TRU burner core to accommodate a wide range of conversion ratios by employing different fuel cladding thicknesses. The TRU consumption rate is found to be proportional to the core power without any significant deterioration in the core performance at higher power levels. A low conversion ratio core has an increased TRU consumption rate and much faster burnup reactivity loss, which calls for appropriate means for reactivity compensation. As for the reactivity coefficients related with the conversion ratio change, the core with a low conversion ratio has a less negative Doppler coefficient, a more negative axial expansion coefficient, a more negative control rod worth per rod, a more negative radial expansion coefficient, a less positive sodium density coefficient and a less positive sodium void worth. A slight decrease in the delayed neutron fraction is also noted, reflecting the fertile U-238 fraction reduction. (author)

Comments on the asymptotic treatment of tokamak MHD-stability at large aspect ratio

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rebhan, E.

1980-01-01

In the asymptotic treatment of tokamak MHD stability at small inverse aspect ratio epsilon, the special case of poloidal wave number m=0 has been treated improperly in the literature for both axisymmetric and non-axisymmetric modes. In axisymmetric stability, a contribution to the perturbational vacuum field is either omitted or cancelled. In a variational stability analysis this field contribution provides σ 2 W with a correction term proportional to (1nepsilon) -1 , which may change the asymptotic range of stability and improve agreement with numerical finite-aspect-ratio results. In non-axisymmetric stability, for the perturbational vacuum field of the m=0 modes, usually the wrong of two possible solutions is chosen. It is shown why in many cases this wrong choice has no consequences on the correctness of the stability results, and circumstances are pointed out under which consequences may arise. (author)

Study by the Prandtl-Glauert method of compressibility effects and critical Mach number for ellipsoids of various aspect ratios and thickness ratios

Science.gov (United States)

Hess, Robert V; Gardner, Clifford S

1947-01-01

By using the Prandtl-Glauert method that is valid for three-dimensional flow problems, the value of the maximum incremental velocity for compressible flow about thin ellipsoids at zero angle of attack is calculated as a function of the Mach number for various aspect ratios and thickness ratios. The critical Mach numbers of the various ellipsoids are also determined. The results indicate an increase in critical Mach number with decrease in aspect ratio which is large enough to explain experimental results on low-aspect-ratio wings at zero lift.

An efficient top-down approach for the fabrication of large-aspect-ratio g-C3N4 nanosheets with enhanced photocatalytic activities.

Science.gov (United States)

Tong, Jincheng; Zhang, Li; Li, Fei; Li, Mingming; Cao, Shaokui

2015-09-28

Graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) nanosheets with large aspect ratios were fabricated from bulk g-C3N4 through an efficient top-down approach of moderate disintegration-exfoliation using diluted H2SO4 as an "efficient knife". By prior disintegration in a diluted H2SO4 solution, the exfoliation of bulk g-C3N4 was effectively accelerated. The as-prepared g-C3N4 nanosheets possess a two-dimensional (2D) thin-layer structure with seven-atom thickness, a large lateral size of about 1 μm, and a high specific surface area of 80 m(2) g(-1). Compared with the bulk precursor, the g-C3N4 nanosheets showed much higher efficiency of photogenerated charge transfer and separation, and consequently exhibited enhanced photocatalytic activity toward hydrogen evolution and pollutant decomposition under both full-sunlight and visible-light irradiation.

Exploring the large-scale structure of Taylor–Couette turbulence through Large-Eddy Simulations

Science.gov (United States)

Ostilla-Mónico, Rodolfo; Zhu, Xiaojue; Verzicco, Roberto

2018-04-01

Large eddy simulations (LES) of Taylor-Couette (TC) flow, the flow between two co-axial and independently rotating cylinders are performed in an attempt to explore the large-scale axially-pinned structures seen in experiments and simulations. Both static and dynamic LES models are used. The Reynolds number is kept fixed at Re = 3.4 · 104, and the radius ratio η = ri /ro is set to η = 0.909, limiting the effects of curvature and resulting in frictional Reynolds numbers of around Re τ ≈ 500. Four rotation ratios from Rot = ‑0.0909 to Rot = 0.3 are simulated. First, the LES of TC is benchmarked for different rotation ratios. Both the Smagorinsky model with a constant of cs = 0.1 and the dynamic model are found to produce reasonable results for no mean rotation and cyclonic rotation, but deviations increase for increasing rotation. This is attributed to the increasing anisotropic character of the fluctuations. Second, “over-damped” LES, i.e. LES with a large Smagorinsky constant is performed and is shown to reproduce some features of the large-scale structures, even when the near-wall region is not adequately modeled. This shows the potential for using over-damped LES for fast explorations of the parameter space where large-scale structures are found.

Binary black hole coalescence in the large-mass-ratio limit: The hyperboloidal layer method and waveforms at null infinity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bernuzzi, Sebastiano; Nagar, Alessandro; Zenginoglu, Anil

2011-01-01

We compute and analyze the gravitational waveform emitted to future null infinity by a system of two black holes in the large-mass-ratio limit. We consider the transition from the quasiadiabatic inspiral to plunge, merger, and ringdown. The relative dynamics is driven by a leading order in the mass ratio, 5PN-resummed, effective-one-body (EOB), analytic-radiation reaction. To compute the waveforms, we solve the Regge-Wheeler-Zerilli equations in the time-domain on a spacelike foliation, which coincides with the standard Schwarzschild foliation in the region including the motion of the small black hole, and is globally hyperboloidal, allowing us to include future null infinity in the computational domain by compactification. This method is called the hyperboloidal layer method, and is discussed here for the first time in a study of the gravitational radiation emitted by black hole binaries. We consider binaries characterized by five mass ratios, ν=10 -2,-3,-4,-5,-6 , that are primary targets of space-based or third-generation gravitational wave detectors. We show significative phase differences between finite-radius and null-infinity waveforms. We test, in our context, the reliability of the extrapolation procedure routinely applied to numerical relativity waveforms. We present an updated calculation of the final and maximum gravitational recoil imparted to the merger remnant by the gravitational wave emission, v kick end /(cν 2 )=0.04474±0.00007 and v kick max /(cν 2 )=0.05248±0.00008. As a self-consistency test of the method, we show an excellent fractional agreement (even during the plunge) between the 5PN EOB-resummed mechanical angular momentum loss and the gravitational wave angular momentum flux computed at null infinity. New results concerning the radiation emitted from unstable circular orbits are also presented. The high accuracy waveforms computed here could be considered for the construction of template banks or for calibrating analytic models such

Human sex ratio at amniocentesis and at birth in Taiwan

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

I-Wen Lee

2012-12-01

Conclusions: The results showed that sex ratio was already skewed toward male at midtrimester. Our data imply that artificial sex selection, if it were present, might have already emerged prior to the timing of amniocentesis. However, more large nationwide studies on sex ratios in Taiwan are warranted.

The general optics structure of millimeter-wave imaging diagnostic on TOKAMAK

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhu, Y.; Xie, J.; Liu, W.D.; Luo, C.; Zhao, Z.; Chen, D.; Domier, C.W.; Luhmann, N.C. Jr.; Chen, M.; Hu, X.

2016-01-01

Advanced imaging optics techniques have significantly improved the performance of millimeter-wave imaging diagnostics, such as Electron Cyclotron Emission imaging and Microwave Imaging of Reflectometry. The fundamental functions of millimeter-wave imaging optics are focusing, collecting the emission or reflected microwave signal from the target area in the plasma and focusing the emitted (reflected) signal on the detector array. The location of the observation area can be changed using the focus lens. Another important function of the imaging optics is zooming. The size of the observation area in poloidal direction can be adjusted by the zoom lenses and the poloidal spatial resolution is determined by the level of zoom. The field curvature adjustment lenses are employed to adjust the shape of the image plane in the poloidal direction to reduce crosstalk between neighboring channels. The incident angle on each channel is controlled using the specific surface type of the front-side lenses to increase the signal-to-noise ratio. All functions are decoupled with the minimum number of lenses. Successful applications are given

A high signal-to-noise ratio composite quasar spectrum

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Francis, P.J.; Hewett, P.C.; Foltz, C.B.; Chaffee, F.H.; Weymann, R.J.

1991-01-01

A very high signal-to-noise ratio (S/N of about 400) composite spectrum of the rest-frame ultraviolet and optical region of high luminosity quasars is presented. The spectrum is derived from 718 individual spectra obtained as part of the Large Bright Quasar Survey. The moderate resolution, 4A or less, and high signal-to-noise ratio allow numerous weak emission features to be identified. Of particular note is the large equivalent-width of the Fe II emission in the rest-frame ultraviolet and the blue continuum slope of the composite. The primary aim of this paper is to provide a reference spectrum for use in line identifications, and a series of large-scale representations of the composite spectrum are shown. A measure of the standard deviation of the individual quasar spectra from the composite spectrum is also presented. 12 refs

Gust load alleviation wind tunnel tests of a large-aspect-ratio flexible wing with piezoelectric control

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ying Bi

2017-02-01

Full Text Available An active control technique utilizing piezoelectric actuators to alleviate gust-response loads of a large-aspect-ratio flexible wing is investigated. Piezoelectric materials have been extensively used for active vibration control of engineering structures. In this paper, piezoelectric materials further attempt to suppress the vibration of the aeroelastic wing caused by gust. The motion equation of the flexible wing with piezoelectric patches is obtained by Hamilton’s principle with the modal approach, and then numerical gust responses are analyzed, based on which a gust load alleviation (GLA control system is proposed. The gust load alleviation system employs classic proportional-integral-derivative (PID controllers which treat piezoelectric patches as control actuators and acceleration as the feedback signal. By a numerical method, the control mechanism that piezoelectric actuators can be used to alleviate gust-response loads is also analyzed qualitatively. Furthermore, through low-speed wind tunnel tests, the effectiveness of the gust load alleviation active control technology is validated. The test results agree well with the numerical results. Test results show that at a certain frequency range, the control scheme can effectively alleviate the z and x wingtip accelerations and the root bending moment of the wing to a certain extent. The control system gives satisfying gust load alleviation efficacy with the reduction rate being generally over 20%.

Large-scale patterns in Rayleigh-Benard convection

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hardenberg, J. von; Parodi, A.; Passoni, G.; Provenzale, A.; Spiegel, E.A.

2008-01-01

Rayleigh-Benard convection at large Rayleigh number is characterized by the presence of intense, vertically moving plumes. Both laboratory and numerical experiments reveal that the rising and descending plumes aggregate into separate clusters so as to produce large-scale updrafts and downdrafts. The horizontal scales of the aggregates reported so far have been comparable to the horizontal extent of the containers, but it has not been clear whether that represents a limitation imposed by domain size. In this work, we present numerical simulations of convection at sufficiently large aspect ratio to ascertain whether there is an intrinsic saturation scale for the clustering process when that ratio is large enough. From a series of simulations of Rayleigh-Benard convection with Rayleigh numbers between 10 5 and 10 8 and with aspect ratios up to 12π, we conclude that the clustering process has a finite horizontal saturation scale with at most a weak dependence on Rayleigh number in the range studied

Ratio of νe/νμ in atmospheric neutrinos

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Barr, S.; Gaisser, T.K.; Tilav, S.

1988-01-01

When the effect of muon polarization is included, the calculated ratio ν e /ν μ for atmospheric neutrinos with energies above ≅ 200 MeV is increased by 10-20% compared to the result when polarization is neglected. We give an analytic derivation of this ratio for the artificial case of a power law differential spectrum of parent pions propagating in an atmosphere in which all pions and muons decay. This is sufficient to estimate the effect on the calculated ratio of electron-like to muon-like events induced by neutrino interactions in large underground detectors. (orig.)

Large-scale solar heat

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tolonen, J.; Konttinen, P.; Lund, P. [Helsinki Univ. of Technology, Otaniemi (Finland). Dept. of Engineering Physics and Mathematics

1998-12-31

In this project a large domestic solar heating system was built and a solar district heating system was modelled and simulated. Objectives were to improve the performance and reduce costs of a large-scale solar heating system. As a result of the project the benefit/cost ratio can be increased by 40 % through dimensioning and optimising the system at the designing stage. (orig.)

A Comprehensive K2 and Ground-based Study of CRTS J035905.9+175034, an Eclipsing SU UMa System with a Large Mass Ratio

Science.gov (United States)

Littlefield, Colin; Garnavich, Peter; Kennedy, Mark; Szkody, Paula; Dai, Zhibin

2018-06-01

CRTS J035905.9+175034 is the first eclipsing SU UMa system for which a superoutburst has been observed by Kepler in the short-cadence mode. The light curve contains one superoutburst, eight normal outbursts (including a precursor to the superoutburst), and several minioutbursts that are present before—but not after—the superoutburst. The superoutburst began with a precursor normal outburst, and shortly after the peak of the precursor, the system developed large-amplitude superhumps that achieved their maximum amplitude after just three superhump cycles. The period excess of the initial superhump period relative to the orbital period implies a mass ratio of 0.281 ± 0.015, placing it marginally above most theoretical predictions of the highest-possible mass ratio for superhump formation. In addition, our analysis of the variations in eclipse width and depth, as well as the hot spot amplitudes, generally provides substantiation of the thermal-tidal instability model. The K2 data, in conjunction with our ground-based time-resolved spectroscopy and photometry from 2014 to 2016, allows us to determine many of the fundamental parameters of this system.

Ratio dependence in small number discrimination is affected by the experimental procedure

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Christian eAgrillo

2015-10-01

Full Text Available Adults, infants and some non-human animals share an approximate number system (ANS to estimate numerical quantities, and are supposed to share a second, ‘object-tracking’, system (OTS that supports the precise representation of a small number of items (up to 3 or 4. In relative numerosity judgments, accuracy depends on the ratio of the two numerosities (Weber’s Law, for numerosities > 4 (the typical ANS range, while for numerosities ≤ 4 (OTS range there is usually no ratio effect. However, recent studies have found evidence for ratio effects for small numerosities, challenging the idea that the OTS might be involved for small number discrimination. Here we tested the hypothesis that the lack of ratio effect in the numbers 1-4 is largely dependent on the type of stimulus presentation.We investigated relative numerosity judgments in college students using three different procedures: a simultaneous presentation of intermingled and separate groups of dots in separate experiments, and a further experiment with sequential presentation. As predicted, in the large number range, ratio dependence was observed in all tasks. By contrast, in the small number range, ratio insensitivity was found in one task (sequential presentation. In a fourth experiment, we showed that the presence of intermingled distractors elicited a ratio effect, while easily distinguishable distractors did not. As the different ratio sensitivity for small and large numbers has been often interpreted in terms of the activation of the OTS and ANS, our results suggest that numbers 1-4 may be represented by both numerical systems and that the experimental context, such as the presence/absence of task-irrelevant items in the visual field, would determine which system is activated.

Transport in a small aspect ratio torus

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

White, R.B.; Gates, D.A.; Mynick, H.E.

2005-01-01

Transport theory in toroidal devices often assumes large aspect ratio and also assumes the poloidal field is small compared to the toroidal field. These assumptions result in transport which in the low collision rate limit is dominated by banana orbits, giving the largest collisionless excursion of a particle from an initial flux surface. However in a small aspect ratio device the gyro radius may be larger than the banana excursion, resulting in significant deviations from the standard neoclassical predictions. In this paper we report numerical simulation of diffusion in low and high beta low aspect ratio equilibria. We also sketch an analytic theory. The diffusion, which we refer to as omniclassical, is a combination of neoclassical and properly averaged classical effects, and can be two or three times the neoclassical value. Good agreement of the analytic theory with numerical simulations is obtained. (author)

The large-scale blast score ratio (LS-BSR pipeline: a method to rapidly compare genetic content between bacterial genomes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jason W. Sahl

2014-04-01

Full Text Available Background. As whole genome sequence data from bacterial isolates becomes cheaper to generate, computational methods are needed to correlate sequence data with biological observations. Here we present the large-scale BLAST score ratio (LS-BSR pipeline, which rapidly compares the genetic content of hundreds to thousands of bacterial genomes, and returns a matrix that describes the relatedness of all coding sequences (CDSs in all genomes surveyed. This matrix can be easily parsed in order to identify genetic relationships between bacterial genomes. Although pipelines have been published that group peptides by sequence similarity, no other software performs the rapid, large-scale, full-genome comparative analyses carried out by LS-BSR.Results. To demonstrate the utility of the method, the LS-BSR pipeline was tested on 96 Escherichia coli and Shigella genomes; the pipeline ran in 163 min using 16 processors, which is a greater than 7-fold speedup compared to using a single processor. The BSR values for each CDS, which indicate a relative level of relatedness, were then mapped to each genome on an independent core genome single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP based phylogeny. Comparisons were then used to identify clade specific CDS markers and validate the LS-BSR pipeline based on molecular markers that delineate between classical E. coli pathogenic variant (pathovar designations. Scalability tests demonstrated that the LS-BSR pipeline can process 1,000 E. coli genomes in 27–57 h, depending upon the alignment method, using 16 processors.Conclusions. LS-BSR is an open-source, parallel implementation of the BSR algorithm, enabling rapid comparison of the genetic content of large numbers of genomes. The results of the pipeline can be used to identify specific markers between user-defined phylogenetic groups, and to identify the loss and/or acquisition of genetic information between bacterial isolates. Taxa-specific genetic markers can then be translated

Material versatility using replica molding for large-scale fabrication of high aspect-ratio, high density arrays of nano-pillars

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, Y; Menon, C; Ng, H W; Gates, B D

2014-01-01

Arrays of high aspect-ratio (AR) nano-pillars have attracted a lot of interest for various applications, such as for use in solar cells, surface acoustic sensors, tissue engineering, bio-inspired adhesives and anti-reflective surfaces. Each application may require a different structural material, which can vary in the required chemical composition and mechanical properties. In this paper, a low cost fabrication procedure is proposed for large scale, high AR and high density arrays of nano-pillars. The proposed method enables the replication of a master with high fidelity, using the subsequent replica molds multiple times, and preparing arrays of nano-pillars in a variety of different materials. As an example applied to bio-inspired dry adhesion, polymeric arrays of nano-pillars are prepared in this work. Thermoset and thermoplastic nano-pillar arrays are examined using an atomic force microscope to assess their adhesion strength and its uniformity. Results indicate the proposed method is robust and can be used to reliably prepare nano-structures with a high AR. (paper)

EEGVIS: A MATLAB toolbox for browsing, exploring, and viewing large datasets

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kay A Robbins

2012-05-01

Full Text Available Recent advances in data monitoring and sensor technology have accelerated the acquisition of very large data sets. Streaming data sets from instrumentation such as multi-channel EEG recording usually must undergo substantial pre-processing and artifact removal. Even when using automated procedures, most scientists engage in laborious manual examination and processing to assure high quality data and to indentify interesting or problematic data segments. Researchers also do not have a convenient method of method of visually assessing the effects of applying any stage in a processing pipeline. EEGVIS is a MATLAB toolbox that allows users to quickly explore multi-channel EEG and other large array-based data sets using multi-scale drill-down techniques. Customizable summary views reveal potentially interesting sections of data, which users can explore further by clicking to examine using detailed viewing components. The viewer and a companion browser are built on our MoBBED framework, which has a library of modular viewing components that can be mixed and matched to best reveal structure. Users can easily create new viewers for their specific data without any programming during the exploration process. These viewers automatically support pan, zoom, resizing of individual components, and cursor exploration. The toolbox can be used directly in MATLAB at any stage in a processing pipeline, as a plug in for EEGLAB, or as a standalone precompiled application without MATLAB running. EEGVIS and its supporting packages are freely available under the GNU general public license at http://visual.cs.utsa.edu/ eegvis.

EEGVIS: A MATLAB Toolbox for Browsing, Exploring, and Viewing Large Datasets.

Science.gov (United States)

Robbins, Kay A

2012-01-01

Recent advances in data monitoring and sensor technology have accelerated the acquisition of very large data sets. Streaming data sets from instrumentation such as multi-channel EEG recording usually must undergo substantial pre-processing and artifact removal. Even when using automated procedures, most scientists engage in laborious manual examination and processing to assure high quality data and to indentify interesting or problematic data segments. Researchers also do not have a convenient method of method of visually assessing the effects of applying any stage in a processing pipeline. EEGVIS is a MATLAB toolbox that allows users to quickly explore multi-channel EEG and other large array-based data sets using multi-scale drill-down techniques. Customizable summary views reveal potentially interesting sections of data, which users can explore further by clicking to examine using detailed viewing components. The viewer and a companion browser are built on our MoBBED framework, which has a library of modular viewing components that can be mixed and matched to best reveal structure. Users can easily create new viewers for their specific data without any programming during the exploration process. These viewers automatically support pan, zoom, resizing of individual components, and cursor exploration. The toolbox can be used directly in MATLAB at any stage in a processing pipeline, as a plug-in for EEGLAB, or as a standalone precompiled application without MATLAB running. EEGVIS and its supporting packages are freely available under the GNU general public license at http://visual.cs.utsa.edu/eegvis.

Can rare SAT formulae be easily recognized? On the efficiency of message-passing algorithms for K-SAT at large clause-to-variable ratios

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Altarelli, Fabrizio; Monasson, Remi; Zamponi, Francesco

2007-01-01

For large clause-to-variable ratios, typical K-SAT instances drawn from the uniform distribution have no solution. We argue, based on statistical mechanics calculations using the replica and cavity methods, that rare satisfiable instances from the uniform distribution are very similar to typical instances drawn from the so-called planted distribution, where instances are chosen uniformly between the ones that admit a given solution. It then follows, from a recent article by Feige, Mossel and Vilenchik (2006 Complete convergence of message passing algorithms for some satisfiability problems Proc. Random 2006 pp 339-50), that these rare instances can be easily recognized (in O(log N) time and with probability close to 1) by a simple message-passing algorithm

GUT Scale Fermion Mass Ratios

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Spinrath, Martin

2014-01-01

We present a series of recent works related to group theoretical factors from GUT symmetry breaking which lead to predictions for the ratios of quark and lepton Yukawa couplings at the unification scale. New predictions for the GUT scale ratios y μ /y s , y τ /y b and y t /y b in particular are shown and compared to experimental data. For this comparison it is important to include possibly large supersymmetric threshold corrections. Due to this reason the structure of the fermion masses at the GUT scale depends on TeV scale physics and makes GUT scale physics testable at the LHC. We also discuss how this new predictions might lead to predictions for mixing angles by discussing the example of the recently measured last missing leptonic mixing angle θ 13 making this new class of GUT models also testable in neutrino experiments

High aspect ratio silver grid transparent electrodes using UV embossing process

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dong Jin Kim

2017-10-01

Full Text Available This study presents a UV embossing process to fabricate high aspect ratio silver grid transparent electrodes on a polymer film. Transparent electrodes with a high optical transmittance (93 % and low sheet resistance (4.6 Ω/sq were fabricated without any high temperature or vacuum processes. The strong adhesion force between the UV resin and the silver ink enables the fabrication of silver microstructures with an aspect ratio higher than 3. The high aspect ratio results in a low sheet resistance while maintaining a high optical transmittance. Multi-layer transparent electrodes were fabricated by repeating the proposed UV process. Additionally, a large-area of 8-inch touch panel was fabricated with the proposed UV process. The proposed UV process is a relatively simple and low cost process making it suitable for large-area production as well as mass production.

Cold-Fluid Equilibrium of a Large-Aspect-Ratio Ellipse-Shaped Charged-Particle Beam in a Non-Axisymmetric Periodic Permanent Magnet Focusing Field

CERN Document Server

Zhou, Jing; Chen Chi Ping

2005-01-01

A new class of equilibrium is discovered for a large-aspect-ratio ellipse-shaped charged-particle beam in a non-axisymmetric periodic permanent magnet focusing field. A paraxial cold-fluid model is employed to derive the equilibrium flow properties and generalized envelope equations with negligibly small emittance. A periodic beam equilibrium solution is obtained numerically from the generalized envelope equations. It is shown that the beam edges are well confined in both transverse directions, and that the equilibrium beam exhibits a small-angle periodic wobble as it propagates. A two-dimensional particle-in-cell (PIC) code, PFB2D, is used to verify the theoretical predictions in the paraxial limit, and to establish validity under non-paraxial situations and the influence of the conductor walls of the beam tunnel.

Investigation into stutter ratio variability between different laboratories.

Science.gov (United States)

Bright, Jo-Anne; Curran, James M

2014-11-01

The determination of parameters such as stutter ratio is important to inform a laboratory's forensic DNA profile interpretation strategy. As part of a large data analysis project to implement a continuous model of DNA profile interpretation we analysed stutter ratio data from eight different forensic laboratories for the Promega PowerPlex(®) 21 multiplex. This allowed a comparison of inter laboratory variation. The maximum difference for any one laboratory from the average of the best fit determined by the model was 0.31%. These results indicate that stutter ratios calculated from samples analysed using the same profiling kit are not expected to differ between laboratories, even those using different capillary electrophoresis platforms. A common set of laboratory parameters are able to be generated and used for profile interpretation at all laboratories using the same multiplex and cycle number, potentially reducing the need for individual laboratories to determine stutter ratios. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Ratio index variables or ANCOVA? Fisher's cats revisited.

Science.gov (United States)

Tu, Yu-Kang; Law, Graham R; Ellison, George T H; Gilthorpe, Mark S

2010-01-01

Over 60 years ago Ronald Fisher demonstrated a number of potential pitfalls with statistical analyses using ratio variables. Nonetheless, these pitfalls are largely overlooked in contemporary clinical and epidemiological research, which routinely uses ratio variables in statistical analyses. This article aims to demonstrate how very different findings can be generated as a result of less than perfect correlations among the data used to generate ratio variables. These imperfect correlations result from measurement error and random biological variation. While the former can often be reduced by improvements in measurement, random biological variation is difficult to estimate and eliminate in observational studies. Moreover, wherever the underlying biological relationships among epidemiological variables are unclear, and hence the choice of statistical model is also unclear, the different findings generated by different analytical strategies can lead to contradictory conclusions. Caution is therefore required when interpreting analyses of ratio variables whenever the underlying biological relationships among the variables involved are unspecified or unclear. (c) 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

On the onset of secondary flow and unsteady solutions through a loosely coiled rectangular duct for large aspect ratio

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shaha, Poly Rani; Poddar, Nayan Kumar; Mondal, Rabindra Nath, E-mail: rnmondal71@yahoo.com [Department of Mathematics, Jagannath University, Dhaka-1100 (Bangladesh); Rudro, Sajal Kanti [Department of Mathematics, Notredame Colleage, Motijheel, Dhaka (Bangladesh)

2016-07-12

The study of flows through coiled ducts and channels has attracted considerable attention not only because of their ample applications in Chemical, Mechanical, Civil, Nuclear and Biomechanical engineering but also because of their ample applications in other areas, such as blood flow in the veins and arteries of human and other animals. In this paper, a numerical study is presented for the fully developed two-dimensional flow of viscous incompressible fluid through a loosely coiled rectangular duct of large aspect ratio. Numerical calculations are carried out by using a spectral method, and covering a wide range of the Dean number, Dn, for two types of curvatures of the duct. The main concern of the present study is to find out effects of curvature as well as formation of secondary vortices on unsteady solutions whether the unsteady flow is steady-state, periodic, multi-periodic or chaotic, if Dn is increased. Time evolution calculations as well as their phase spaces are performed with a view to study the non-linear behavior of the unsteady solutions, and it is found that the steady-state flow turns into chaotic flow through various flow instabilities, if Dn is increased no matter what the curvature is. It is found that the unsteady flow is a steady-state solution for small Dn’s and oscillates periodically or non-periodically (chaotic) between two- and twelve-vortex solutions, if Dn is increased. It is also found that the chaotic solution is weak for small Dn’s but strong as Dn becomes large. Axial flow distribution is also investigated and shown in contour plots.

On the onset of secondary flow and unsteady solutions through a loosely coiled rectangular duct for large aspect ratio

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shaha, Poly Rani; Poddar, Nayan Kumar; Mondal, Rabindra Nath; Rudro, Sajal Kanti

2016-01-01

The study of flows through coiled ducts and channels has attracted considerable attention not only because of their ample applications in Chemical, Mechanical, Civil, Nuclear and Biomechanical engineering but also because of their ample applications in other areas, such as blood flow in the veins and arteries of human and other animals. In this paper, a numerical study is presented for the fully developed two-dimensional flow of viscous incompressible fluid through a loosely coiled rectangular duct of large aspect ratio. Numerical calculations are carried out by using a spectral method, and covering a wide range of the Dean number, Dn, for two types of curvatures of the duct. The main concern of the present study is to find out effects of curvature as well as formation of secondary vortices on unsteady solutions whether the unsteady flow is steady-state, periodic, multi-periodic or chaotic, if Dn is increased. Time evolution calculations as well as their phase spaces are performed with a view to study the non-linear behavior of the unsteady solutions, and it is found that the steady-state flow turns into chaotic flow through various flow instabilities, if Dn is increased no matter what the curvature is. It is found that the unsteady flow is a steady-state solution for small Dn’s and oscillates periodically or non-periodically (chaotic) between two- and twelve-vortex solutions, if Dn is increased. It is also found that the chaotic solution is weak for small Dn’s but strong as Dn becomes large. Axial flow distribution is also investigated and shown in contour plots.

Large Eddy simulation of flat plate film cooling at high blowing ratio using open FOAM

Science.gov (United States)

Baagherzadeh Hushmandi, Narmin

2018-06-01

In this work, numerical analysis was performed to predict the behaviour of high Reynolds number turbulent cross-flows used in film cooling applications. The geometry included one row of three discrete coolant holes inclined at 30 degrees to the main flow. In the computational model, the width of the channel was cut into one sixth and symmetry boundaries were applied in the centreline of the coolant hole and along the line of symmetry between two adjacent holes. One of the main factors that affect the performance of film cooling is the blowing ratio of coolant to the main flow. A blowing ratio equal to two was chosen in this study. Analysis showed that the common practice CFD models that employ RANS equations together with turbulence modelling under predict the film cooling effectiveness up to a factor of four. However, LES method showed better agreement of film cooling effectiveness both in tendency and absolute values compared with experimental results.

“Finite” non-Gaussianities and tensor-scalar ratio in large volume Swiss-cheese compactifications

Science.gov (United States)

Misra, Aalok; Shukla, Pramod

2009-03-01

Developing on 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, Nucl. Phys. B 799 (2008) 165-198, arXiv: 0707.0105] and [A. Misra, P. Shukla, Large volume axionic Swiss-cheese inflation, Nucl. Phys. B 800 (2008) 384-400, arXiv: 0712.1260 [hep-th

Global Carbon Reservoir Oxidative Ratios

Science.gov (United States)

Masiello, C. A.; Gallagher, M. E.; Hockaday, W. C.

2010-12-01

Photosynthesis and respiration move carbon and oxygen between the atmosphere and the biosphere at a ratio that is characteristic of the biogeochemical processes involved. This ratio is called the oxidative ratio (OR) of photosynthesis and respiration, and is defined as the ratio of moles of O2 per moles of CO2. This O2/CO2 ratio is a characteristic of biosphere-atmosphere gas fluxes, much like the 13C signature of CO2 transferred between the biosphere and the atmosphere has a characteristic signature. OR values vary on a scale of 0 (CO2) to 2 (CH4), with most ecosystem values clustered between 0.9 and 1.2. Just as 13C can be measured for both carbon fluxes and carbon pools, OR can also be measured for fluxes and pools and can provide information about the processes involved in carbon and oxygen cycling. OR values also provide information about reservoir organic geochemistry because pool OR values are proportional to the oxidation state of carbon (Cox) in the reservoir. OR may prove to be a particularly valuable biogeochemical tracer because of its ability to couple information about ecosystem gas fluxes with ecosystem organic geochemistry. We have developed 3 methods to measure the OR of ecosystem carbon reservoirs and intercalibrated them to assure that they yield accurate, intercomparable data. Using these tools we have built a large enough database of biomass and soil OR values that it is now possible to consider the implications of global patterns in ecosystem OR values. Here we present a map of the natural range in ecosystem OR values and begin to consider its implications. One striking pattern is an apparent offset between soil and biospheric OR values: soil OR values are frequently higher than that of their source biomass. We discuss this trend in the context of soil organic geochemistry and gas fluxes.

Instabilities with polyacrylamide solution in small and large aspect ratios Taylor-Couette systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Smieszek, M; Egbers, C; Crumeyrolle, O; Mutabazi, I

2008-01-01

We have investigated the stability of viscoelastic polyacrylamide solution in Taylor-Couette system with different aspect ratios. The first instability modes observed in a Taylor-Couette system with Γ = 10 were TVF and WVF, as for Newtonian fluid. At higher Taylor numbers moving vortices occur, a wavy mode with non-stationary vortex size. In the Taylor-Couette system with Γ = 45.9 we note a coexistence of various instability modes. In addition to TVF, counterpropagating waves developed at the transition from the base state flow. At higher Taylor number values Taylor vortices of different sizes occurred. Reduced amplitude Wavy vortex flow has also been observed.

Dependency Tree Annotation Software

Science.gov (United States)

2015-11-01

extended markup language [XML] format), PNG+XML (.png) file or .vdx file (XML drawing file) from their files.* o “Open .conll File” allows the user to...to zoom the graph to. The user can also select “Custom” and enter in a customized zoom percentage .* o “Zoom in” and “Zoom out” cause the graph to

Reproduction and caste ratios under stress in trematode colonies with a division of labour.

Science.gov (United States)

Lloyd, Melanie M; Poulin, Robert

2013-06-01

Trematodes form clonal colonies in their first intermediate host. Individuals are, depending on species, rediae or sporocysts (which asexually reproduce) and cercariae (which develop within rediae or sporocysts and infect the next host). Some species use a division of labour within colonies, with 2 distinct redial morphs: small rediae (non-reproducing) and large rediae (individuals which produce cercariae). The theory of optimal caste ratio predicts that the ratio of caste members (small to large rediae) responds to environmental variability. This was tested in Philophthalmus sp. colonies exposed to host starvation and competition with the trematode, Maritrema novaezealandensis. Philophthalmus sp. infected snails, with and without M. novaezealandensis, were subjected to food treatments. Reproductive output, number of rediae, and the ratio of small to large rediae were compared among treatments. Philophthalmus sp. colonies responded to host starvation and competition; reproductive output was higher in well-fed snails of both infection types compared with snails in lower food treatments and well-fed, single infected snails compared with well-fed double infected snails. Furthermore, the caste ratio in Philophthalmus sp. colonies was altered in response to competition. This is the first study showing caste ratio responses to environmental pressures in trematodes with a division of labour.

BAT AGN Spectroscopic Survey - III. An Observed Link Between AGN Eddington Ratio and Narrow-Emission-Line Ratios

Science.gov (United States)

Oh, Kyuseok; Schawinski, Kevin; Koss, Michael; Trakhtenbrot, Benny; Lamperti, Isabella; Ricci, Claudio; Mushotzky, Richard; Veilleux, Sylvain; Berney, Simon; Crenshaw, D. Michael;

Flexible Conversion Ratio Fast Reactor Systems Evaluation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Neil Todreas; Pavel Hejzlar

2008-06-30

Conceptual designs of lead-cooled and liquid salt-cooled fast flexible conversion ratio reactors were developed. Both concepts have cores reated at 2400 MWt placed in a large-pool-type vessel with dual-free level, which also contains four intermediate heat exchanges coupling a primary coolant to a compact and efficient supercritical CO2 Brayton cycle power conversion system. Decay heat is removed passively using an enhanced Reactor Vessel Auxiliary Cooling System and a Passive Secondary Auxiliary Cooling System. The most important findings were that (1) it is feasible to design the lead-cooled and salt-cooled reactor with the flexible conversion ratio (CR) in the range of CR=0 and CR=1 n a manner that achieves inherent reactor shutdown in unprotected accidents, (2) the salt-cooled reactor requires Lithium thermal Expansion Modules to overcme the inherent salt coolant's large positive coolant temperature reactivity coefficient, (3) the preferable salt for fast spectrum high power density cores is NaCl-Kcl-MgCl2 as opposed to fluoride salts due to its better themal-hydraulic and neutronic characteristics, and (4) both reactor, but attain power density 3 times smaller than that of the sodium-cooled reactor.

Flexible Conversion Ratio Fast Reactor Systems Evaluation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Neil Todreas; Pavel Hejzlar

2008-01-01

Conceptual designs of lead-cooled and liquid salt-cooled fast flexible conversion ratio reactors were developed. Both concepts have cores treated at 2400 MWt placed in a large-pool-type vessel with dual-free level, which also contains four intermediate heat exchanges coupling a primary coolant to a compact and efficient supercritical CO2 Brayton cycle power conversion system. Decay heat is removed passively using an enhanced Reactor Vessel Auxiliary Cooling System and a Passive Secondary Auxiliary Cooling System. The most important findings were that (1) it is feasible to design the lead-cooled and salt-cooled reactor with the flexible conversion ratio (CR) in the range of CR=0 and CR=1 n a manner that achieves inherent reactor shutdown in unprotected accidents, (2) the salt-cooled reactor requires Lithium thermal Expansion Modules to overcome the inherent salt coolant's large positive coolant temperature reactivity coefficient, (3) the preferable salt for fast spectrum high power density cores is NaCl-Kcl-MgCl2 as opposed to fluoride salts due to its better thermal-hydraulic and neutronic characteristics, and (4) both reactor, but attain power density 3 times smaller than that of the sodium-cooled reactor

Reference interval for the disc-macula distance to disc diameter ratio in a large population of healthy Japanese adults

Science.gov (United States)

Sato, Ken-ichi

2017-01-01

Abstract This study presents the calculated reference interval for the disc-to-macula distance to disc diameter ratio (DM:DD) based on a large population of healthy Japanese adults. A total of 308 consecutive, healthy Japanese adults were examined in this prospective observational study. Eighteen subjects were also excluded because of poor quality of the fundus photograph of one or both eyes; 290 (161 men and 129 women) were included in this study. For each subject, a color fundus photograph of one eye, either the right or left, was randomly selected and used for analysis. On the photograph, the distances between the fovea and the nearest temporal margin of the optic disc (Dft), and the two kinds of disc diameters (D1 and D2), which bisected at right angles and one of which was directed to the fovea (D1), were measured. DM:DD was estimated using the formula: (2Dft + D1)/(D1 + D2). The mean ± standard deviation of DM:DD was 2.91 ± 0.49 for men and 2.96 ± 0.54 for women; there was no sex difference (P = .78, Mann–Whitney U test). Also, almost no relationship was found between DM:DD and age (ρ = −.12, P = .04, Spearman's rank correlation coefficient). The data did not fit a normal distribution (P < .001, Kolmogorov–Smirnov test). The estimated reference interval for DM:DD corresponding to the 2.5th and 97.5th percentiles was 2.12 to 4.18. Using a nonparametric approach, the reference interval for DM:DD of a large population of healthy Japanese adults was calculated to be 2.12 to 4.18, regardless of age or sex. PMID:28403107

Abnormal sex ratios in human populations: causes and consequences.

Science.gov (United States)

Hesketh, Therese; Xing, Zhu Wei

2006-09-05

In the absence of manipulation, both the sex ratio at birth and the population sex ratio are remarkably constant in human populations. Small alterations do occur naturally; for example, a small excess of male births has been reported to occur during and after war. The tradition of son preference, however, has distorted these natural sex ratios in large parts of Asia and North Africa. This son preference is manifest in sex-selective abortion and in discrimination in care practices for girls, both of which lead to higher female mortality. Differential gender mortality has been a documented problem for decades and led to reports in the early 1990s of 100 million "missing women" across the developing world. Since that time, improved health care and conditions for women have resulted in reductions in female mortality, but these advances have now been offset by a huge increase in the use of sex-selective abortion, which became available in the mid-1980s. Largely as a result of this practice, there are now an estimated 80 million missing females in India and China alone. The large cohorts of "surplus" males now reaching adulthood are predominantly of low socioeconomic class, and concerns have been expressed that their lack of marriageability, and consequent marginalization in society, may lead to antisocial behavior and violence, threatening societal stability and security. Measures to reduce sex selection must include strict enforcement of existing legislation, the ensuring of equal rights for women, and public awareness campaigns about the dangers of gender imbalance.

Lead isotope ratios in artists' lead white: a progress report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Keisch, B; Callahan, R C [Carnegie-Mellon Univ., Pittsburgh, Pa. (USA)

1976-07-01

The lead isotope ratios in over four hundred samples of lead white have been determined. The samples represent various geographical sources and dates from the thirteenth century to the present. A new method for organizing this large volume of data is described which helps with the visualization of temporal and geographic patterns. A number of interesting relationships between lead isotope ratio and date or source are shown to exist. Some examples of successful applications of this methodology are described.

Design of a compact thermal ionization mass spectrometer for isotopic ratio measurement of nuclear material

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bhatia, R.K.; Yadav, V.K.; Ravisankar, E.; Nataraju, V.; Gadkari, S.C.

2017-01-01

High precision isotope ratio analysis of materials of interest in nuclear and geological applications is carried out by thermal ionization mass spectrometry (TIMS) technique. One of the important mandates of Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) has been developing these instruments and several TIMS instruments have been developed and deployed at user sites covering a wide range material of interest relevant to various stages of the nuclear power cycle. The instrument designs for above applications are based on two geometries of magnetic sector ie., 15 cm sector radius and 30 cm sector radius with resolutions as 200 and 400 respectively. There has been a conscious effort to improve the the sensitivity and precision of these models by modifying the designs of the sub-systems. In the recent past, a new ion optical element viz., variable dispersion zoom optics (VDZO) was introduced in the collector system of the standard model with 30cm radius magnet, to increase the dispersion of the ion beams which enabled to fix the locations of the Faraday cups (upto 6 nos.) instead of the conventional movable ones. After establishing the usefulness of VDZO, an attempt is being made to design and develop a 20 cm magnet based TIMS which will have a much smaller foot print compared to the standard 30 cm model and also covers the usual range of elements (viz. Li - U). The ion optical design was optimized using computer simulations with SIMION 7.0 software and subsequently the mechanical design was carried out using Autocad computer software. Some of the details of this new design are presented in this abstract

Measurement and Study of Lidar Ratio by Using a Raman Lidar in Central China

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wei Wang

2016-05-01

Full Text Available We comprehensively evaluated particle lidar ratios (i.e., particle extinction to backscatter ratio at 532 nm over Wuhan in Central China by using a Raman lidar from July 2013 to May 2015. We utilized the Raman lidar data to obtain homogeneous aerosol lidar ratios near the surface through the Raman method during no-rain nights. The lidar ratios were approximately 57 ± 7 sr, 50 ± 5 sr, and 22 ± 4 sr under the three cases with obviously different pollution levels. The haze layer below 1.8 km has a large particle extinction coefficient (from 5.4e-4 m−1 to 1.6e-4 m−1 and particle backscatter coefficient (between 1.1e-05 m−1sr−1 and 1.7e-06 m−1sr−1 in the heavily polluted case. Furthermore, the particle lidar ratios varied according to season, especially between winter (57 ± 13 sr and summer (33 ± 10 sr. The seasonal variation in lidar ratios at Wuhan suggests that the East Asian monsoon significantly affects the primary aerosol types and aerosol optical properties in this region. The relationships between particle lidar ratios and wind indicate that large lidar ratio values correspond well with weak winds and strong northerly winds, whereas significantly low lidar ratio values are associated with prevailing southwesterly and southerly wind.

Measurement and Study of Lidar Ratio by Using a Raman Lidar in Central China.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Wei; Gong, Wei; Mao, Feiyue; Pan, Zengxin; Liu, Boming

2016-05-18

We comprehensively evaluated particle lidar ratios (i.e., particle extinction to backscatter ratio) at 532 nm over Wuhan in Central China by using a Raman lidar from July 2013 to May 2015. We utilized the Raman lidar data to obtain homogeneous aerosol lidar ratios near the surface through the Raman method during no-rain nights. The lidar ratios were approximately 57 ± 7 sr, 50 ± 5 sr, and 22 ± 4 sr under the three cases with obviously different pollution levels. The haze layer below 1.8 km has a large particle extinction coefficient (from 5.4e-4 m(-1) to 1.6e-4 m(-1)) and particle backscatter coefficient (between 1.1e-05 m(-1)sr(-1) and 1.7e-06 m(-1)sr(-1)) in the heavily polluted case. Furthermore, the particle lidar ratios varied according to season, especially between winter (57 ± 13 sr) and summer (33 ± 10 sr). The seasonal variation in lidar ratios at Wuhan suggests that the East Asian monsoon significantly affects the primary aerosol types and aerosol optical properties in this region. The relationships between particle lidar ratios and wind indicate that large lidar ratio values correspond well with weak winds and strong northerly winds, whereas significantly low lidar ratio values are associated with prevailing southwesterly and southerly wind.

Cocaine tolerance: acute versus chronic effects as dependent upon fixed-ratio size.

OpenAIRE

Hoffman, S H; Branch, M N; Sizemore, G M

1987-01-01

The effects of cocaine on operant behavior were studied by examining fixed-ratio value as a factor in the development of tolerance. Pigeons pecked a response key under a three-component multiple schedule, with each bird being exposed to fixed-ratio values that were categorized as small, medium, or large. Administered acutely, cocaine (1.0 to 10.0 mg/kg) produced dose-related decreases in overall rate of responding. Responding maintained by the largest ratio was decreased by lower doses than t...

A novel fabrication method for suspended high-aspect-ratio microstructures

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Yao-Joe; Kuo, Wen-Cheng

2005-11-01

Suspended high-aspect-ratio structures (suspended HARS) are widely used for MEMS devices such as micro-gyroscopes, micro-accelerometers, optical switches and so on. Various fabrication methods, such as SOI, SCREAM, AIM, SBM and BELST processes, were proposed to fabricate HARS. However, these methods focus on the fabrication of suspended microstructures with relatively small widths of trench opening (e.g. less than 10 µm). In this paper, we propose a novel process for fabricating very high-aspect-ratio suspended structures with large widths of trench opening using photoresist as an etching mask. By enhancing the microtrenching effect, we can easily release the suspended structure without thoroughly removing the floor polymer inside the trenches for the cases with a relatively small trench aspect ratio. All the process steps can be integrated into a single-run single-mask ICP-RIE process, which effectively reduces the process complexity and fabrication cost. We also discuss the phenomenon of corner erosion, which results in the undesired etching of silicon structures during the structure-releasing step. By using the proposed process, 100 µm thick suspended structures with the trench aspect ratio of about 20 are demonstrated. Also, the proposed process can be used to fabricate devices for applications which require large in-plane displacement. This paper was orally presented in the Transducers'05, Seoul, Korea (paper ID: 3B1.3).

Current drive and profile control in low aspect ratio tokamaks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chan, V.S.; Chiu, S.C.; Lin-Liu, Y.R.; Miller, R.L.; Turnbull, A.D.

1995-07-01

The key to the theoretically predicted high performance of a low aspect ratio tokamak (LAT) is its ability to operate at very large plasma current*I p . The plasma current at low aspect ratios follows the approximate formula: I p ∼ (5a 2 B t /Rqψ) [(1 + κ 2 )/2] [A/(A - 1)] where A quadruple-bond R/a which was derived from equilibrium studies. For constant qψ and B t , I p can increase by an order of magnitude over the case of tokamaks with A approx-gt 2.5. The large current results in a significantly enhanced β t (quadruple-bond β N I p /aB t ) possibly of order unity. It also compensates for the reduction in A to maintain the same confinement performance assuming the confinement time τ follows the generic form ∼ HI p P -1 / 2 R 3 / 2 κ 1 / 2 . The initiation and maintenance of such a large current is therefore a key issue for LATs

The Liquidity Coverage Ratio: the need for further complementary ratios?

OpenAIRE

Ojo, Marianne

2013-01-01

This paper considers components of the Liquidity Coverage Ratio – as well as certain prevailing gaps which may necessitate the introduction of a complementary liquidity ratio. The definitions and objectives accorded to the Liquidity Coverage Ratio (LCR) and Net Stable Funding Ratio (NSFR) highlight the focus which is accorded to time horizons for funding bank operations. A ratio which would focus on the rate of liquidity transformations and which could also serve as a complementary metric gi...

Golden Ratio

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Keywords. Fibonacci numbers, golden ratio, Sanskrit prosody, solar panel. Abstract. Our attraction to another body increases if the body is symmetricaland in proportion. If a face or a structure is in proportion,we are more likely to notice it and find it beautiful.The universal ratio of beauty is the 'Golden Ratio', found inmany ...

Lead isotope ratios in artists' lead white: a progress report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Keisch, B.; Callahan, R.C.

1976-01-01

The lead isotope ratios in over four hundred samples of lead white have been determined. The samples represent various geographical sources and dates from the thirteenth century to the present. A new method for organizing this large volume of data is described which helps with the visualization of temporal and geographic patterns. A number of interesting relationships between lead isotope ratio and date or source are shown to exist. Some examples of successful applications of this methodology are described. (author)

Omniclassical Diffusion in Low Aspect Ratio Tokamaks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mynick, H.E.; White, R.B.; Gates, D.A.

2004-01-01

Recently reported numerical results for axisymmetric devices with low aspect ratio A found radial transport enhanced over the expected neoclassical value by a factor of 2 to 3. In this paper, we provide an explanation for this enhancement. Transport theory in toroidal devices usually assumes large A, and that the ratio B p /B t of the poloidal to the toroidal magnetic field is small. These assumptions result in transport which, in the low collision limit, is dominated by banana orbits, giving the largest collisionless excursion of a particle from an initial flux surface. However in a small aspect ratio device one may have B p /B t ∼ 1, and the gyroradius may be larger than the banana excursion. Here, we develop an approximate analytic transport theory valid for devices with arbitrary A. For low A, we find that the enhanced transport, referred to as omniclassical, is a combination of neoclassical and properly generalized classical effects, which become dominant in the low-A, B p /B t ∼ 1 regime. Good agreement of the analytic theory with numerical simulations is obtained

Golden Ratio

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Our attraction to another body increases if the body is symmetricaland in proportion. If a face or a structure is in proportion,we are more likely to notice it and find it beautiful.The universal ratio of beauty is the 'Golden Ratio', found inmany structures. This ratio comes from Fibonacci numbers.In this article, we explore this ...

Large mass hierarchies from strongly-coupled dynamics

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Athenodorou, Andreas [Department of Physics, University of Cyprus,B.O. Box 20537, 1678 Nicosia (Cyprus); Bennett, Ed [Department of Physics, College of Science, Swansea University,Singleton Park, Swansea SA2 8PP (United Kingdom); Kobayashi-Maskawa Institute for the Origin of Particles and the Universe (KMI),Nagoya University,Furo, Chikusa, Nagoya 464-8602 (Japan); Bergner, Georg [Albert Einstein Center for Fundamental Physics, Institute for Theoretical Physics,University of Bern,Sidlerstrasse 5, CH-3012 Bern (Switzerland); Elander, Daniel [National Institute for Theoretical Physics, School of Physics andMandelstam Institute for Theoretical Physics, University of the Witwatersrand,1 Jan Smuts Avenue, Johannesburg, Wits 2050 (South Africa); Lin, C.-J. David [Institute of Physics, National Chiao-Tung University,1001 Ta-Hsueh Road, Hsinchu 30010, Taiwan (China); CNRS, Aix Marseille Université, Université de Toulon, Centre de Physique Théorique,UMR 7332, F-13288 Marseille (France); Lucini, Biagio; Piai, Maurizio [Department of Physics, College of Science, Swansea University,Singleton Park, Swansea SA2 8PP (United Kingdom)

2016-06-20

Besides the Higgs particle discovered in 2012, with mass 125 GeV, recent LHC data show tentative signals for new resonances in diboson as well as diphoton searches at high center-of-mass energies (2 TeV and 750 GeV, respectively). If these signals are confirmed (or other new resonances are discovered at the TeV scale), the large hierarchies between masses of new bosons require a dynamical explanation. Motivated by these tentative signals of new physics, we investigate the theoretical possibility that large hierarchies in the masses of glueballs could arise dynamically in new strongly-coupled gauge theories extending the standard model of particle physics. We study lattice data on non-Abelian gauge theories in the (near-)conformal regime as well as a simple toy model in the context of gauge/gravity dualities. We focus our attention on the ratio R between the mass of the lightest spin-2 and spin-0 resonances, that for technical reasons is a particularly convenient and clean observable to study. For models in which (non-perturbative) large anomalous dimensions arise dynamically, we show indications that this mass ratio can be large, with R>5. Moreover, our results suggest that R might be related to universal properties of the IR fixed point. Our findings provide an interesting step towards understanding large mass ratios in the non-perturbative regime of quantum field theories with (near) IR conformal behaviour.

Tests and Confidence Intervals for an Extended Variance Component Using the Modified Likelihood Ratio Statistic

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Christensen, Ole Fredslund; Frydenberg, Morten; Jensen, Jens Ledet

2005-01-01

The large deviation modified likelihood ratio statistic is studied for testing a variance component equal to a specified value. Formulas are presented in the general balanced case, whereas in the unbalanced case only the one-way random effects model is studied. Simulation studies are presented......, showing that the normal approximation to the large deviation modified likelihood ratio statistic gives confidence intervals for variance components with coverage probabilities very close to the nominal confidence coefficient....

A Reduced Model for Salt-Finger Convection in the Small Diffusivity Ratio Limit

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jin-Han Xie

2017-01-01

Full Text Available A simple model of nonlinear salt-finger convection in two dimensions is derived and studied. The model is valid in the limit of a small solute to heat diffusivity ratio and a large density ratio, which is relevant to both oceanographic and astrophysical applications. Two limits distinguished by the magnitude of the Schmidt number are found. For order one Schmidt numbers, appropriate for astrophysical applications, a modified Rayleigh–Bénard system with large-scale damping due to a stabilizing temperature is obtained. For large Schmidt numbers, appropriate for the oceanic setting, the model combines a prognostic equation for the solute field and a diagnostic equation for inertia-free momentum dynamics. Two distinct saturation regimes are identified for the second model: the weakly driven regime is characterized by a large-scale flow associated with a balance between advection and linear instability, while the strongly-driven regime produces multiscale structures, resulting in a balance between energy input through linear instability and energy transfer between scales. For both regimes, we analytically predict and numerically confirm the dependence of the kinetic energy and salinity fluxes on the ratio between solutal and thermal Rayleigh numbers. The spectra and probability density functions are also computed.

Golden Ratio

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Our attraction to another body increases if the body is sym- metrical and in proportion. If a face or a structure is in pro- portion, we are more likely to notice it and find it beautiful. The universal ratio of beauty is the 'Golden Ratio', found in many structures. This ratio comes from Fibonacci numbers. In this article, we explore this ...

Large number discrimination by mosquitofish.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Christian Agrillo

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Recent studies have demonstrated that fish display rudimentary numerical abilities similar to those observed in mammals and birds. The mechanisms underlying the discrimination of small quantities (<4 were recently investigated while, to date, no study has examined the discrimination of large numerosities in fish. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Subjects were trained to discriminate between two sets of small geometric figures using social reinforcement. In the first experiment mosquitofish were required to discriminate 4 from 8 objects with or without experimental control of the continuous variables that co-vary with number (area, space, density, total luminance. Results showed that fish can use the sole numerical information to compare quantities but that they preferentially use cumulative surface area as a proxy of the number when this information is available. A second experiment investigated the influence of the total number of elements to discriminate large quantities. Fish proved to be able to discriminate up to 100 vs. 200 objects, without showing any significant decrease in accuracy compared with the 4 vs. 8 discrimination. The third experiment investigated the influence of the ratio between the numerosities. Performance was found to decrease when decreasing the numerical distance. Fish were able to discriminate numbers when ratios were 1:2 or 2:3 but not when the ratio was 3:4. The performance of a sample of undergraduate students, tested non-verbally using the same sets of stimuli, largely overlapped that of fish. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Fish are able to use pure numerical information when discriminating between quantities larger than 4 units. As observed in human and non-human primates, the numerical system of fish appears to have virtually no upper limit while the numerical ratio has a clear effect on performance. These similarities further reinforce the view of a common origin of non-verbal numerical systems in all

The twenty-four/four hour ratio (T/F ratio) of Tc-99m MDP uptake in patients with bone metastases and degenerative changes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Israel, O.; Kleinhaus, U.; Keren, R.; Frankel, A.; Front, D.

1984-01-01

Normal and metastatic bone differ in their histological structure. Normal bone is mainly lamellar while metastatic bone formation is made in a large part out of new woven bone. The woven bone has a much larger surface area than the more stable lamellar bone and it is lined with metabolically active osteoblasts. The crystalline structures in the woven bone are smaller and have a larger surface area available for absorption. Uptake of bone seeking radiopharmaceuticals continues in new woven bone longer than in the lamellar bone. Bone scintigraphy was performed in 89 patients at four hours and 24 hours using a digital camera. The lesion to non lesion (L/N) ratio was determined using the camera computer. The T/F ratio was calculated: T/F=((L/N)-24)/((L/N)-4). Three groups were investigated. In 15 patients with metastatic bone carcinoma, T/F ratio was 1.46 +- 0.4. In 47 patients with degenerative joint disease the T/F ratio was 1.05 +- 0.06. In 27 patients with treated metastatic bone carcinoma the T/F ratio was 1.12 +- 0.13. The T/F ratio is significantly (p<0.001) different in patients with metastases compared to patients with benign degenerative disease. Chemotherapeutic and hormonal treatment cause significant (p<0.001) reduction in the T/F ratio. The T/F ratio may have a potential in differentiating degenerative from neoplastic diseases and in the evaluation of patients with bone metastases undergoing treatment

arXiv Tensor to scalar ratio from single field magnetogenesis

CERN Document Server

Giovannini, Massimo

2017-08-10

The tensor to scalar ratio is affected by the evolution of the large-scale gauge fields potentially amplified during an inflationary stage of expansion. After deriving the exact evolution equations for the scalar and tensor modes of the geometry in the presence of dynamical gauge fields, it is shown that the tensor to scalar ratio is bounded from below by the dominance of the adiabatic contribution and it cannot be smaller than one thousands whenever the magnetogenesis is driven by a single inflaton field.

All eyes on the monitor

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mollenbach, Emilie; Stefansson, Thorarinn; Hansen, John Paulin

2008-01-01

The experiment described in this paper, shows a test environment constructed with two information spaces; one large with 2000 nodes ordered in semi-structured groups in which participants performed search and browse tasks; the other was smaller and designed for precision zooming, where subjects p...

Sex ratios

OpenAIRE

West, Stuart A; Reece, S E; Sheldon, Ben C

2002-01-01

Sex ratio theory attempts to explain variation at all levels (species, population, individual, brood) in the proportion of offspring that are male (the sex ratio). In many cases this work has been extremely successful, providing qualitative and even quantitative explanations of sex ratio variation. However, this is not always the situation, and one of the greatest remaining problems is explaining broad taxonomic patterns. Specifically, why do different organisms show so ...

Sex Ratio Elasticity Influences the Selection of Sex Ratio Strategy

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Yaqiang; Wang, Ruiwu; Li, Yaotang; (Sam) Ma, Zhanshan

2016-12-01

There are three sex ratio strategies (SRS) in nature—male-biased sex ratio, female-biased sex ratio and, equal sex ratio. It was R. A. Fisher who first explained why most species in nature display a sex ratio of ½. Consequent SRS theories such as Hamilton’s local mate competition (LMC) and Clark’s local resource competition (LRC) separately explained the observed deviations from the seemingly universal 1:1 ratio. However, to the best of our knowledge, there is not yet a unified theory that accounts for the mechanisms of the three SRS. Here, we introduce the price elasticity theory in economics to define sex ratio elasticity (SRE), and present an analytical model that derives three SRSs based on the following assumption: simultaneously existing competitions for both resources A and resources B influence the level of SRE in both sexes differently. Consequently, it is the difference (between two sexes) in the level of their sex ratio elasticity that leads to three different SRS. Our analytical results demonstrate that the elasticity-based model not only reveals a highly plausible mechanism that explains the evolution of SRS in nature, but also offers a novel framework for unifying two major classical theories (i.e., LMC & LRC) in the field of SRS research.

Reproducibility of isotope ratio measurements

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Elmore, D.

1981-01-01

The use of an accelerator as part of a mass spectrometer has improved the sensitivity for measuring low levels of long-lived radionuclides by several orders of magnitude. However, the complexity of a large tandem accelerator and beam transport system has made it difficult to match the precision of low energy mass spectrometry. Although uncertainties for accelerator measured isotope ratios as low as 1% have been obtained under favorable conditions, most errors quoted in the literature for natural samples are in the 5 to 20% range. These errors are dominated by statistics and generally the reproducibility is unknown since the samples are only measured once

Genome-wide association studies of human adiposity: Zooming in on synapses

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sandholt, Camilla H.; Grarup, Niels; Pedersen, Oluf

2015-01-01

role, recently with two comprehensive meta-analyses, one focusing on general obesity, analyzing body-mass index (BMI) and the other on fat distribution, focusing on waist-hip ratio adjusted for BMI. With the in silico methods applied in these two studies as the pivot, this review looks into some...... of the biol. knowledge, beginning to emerge from the intricate genomic background behind the genetic determinants of human adiposity. These include synaptic dysfunction, where GWAS pinpoint potential new mechanisms in pathways already known to be linked with obesity....

Analysis of Case-Parent Trios Using a Loglinear Model with Adjustment for Transmission Ratio Distortion

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Huang, Lam Opal; Infante-RIvard, Claire; Labbe, Aurélie

2016-01-01

Transmission of the two parental alleles to offspring deviating from the Mendelian ratio is termed Transmission Ratio Distortion (TRD), occurs throughout gametic and embryonic development. TRD has been well-studied in animals, but remains largely unknown in humans. The Transmission Disequilibrium...

Laser assisted ratio analysis - An alternative to GC/IRMS for CO2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Murnick, D.E.

2001-01-01

A new technique for laser based analysis of carbon isotope ratios, with the acronym LARA, based on large isotope shifts in molecular spectra, the use of fixed frequency isotopic lasers, and sensitive detection via the laser optogalvanic effect is reviewed and compared with GC/IRMS for carbon dioxide in specific applications. The possibility for development of new classes of isotope ratio measurement systems with LARA is explored. (author)

Envera Variable Compression Ratio Engine

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Charles Mendler

2011-03-15

technologies are packaged together to provide the greatest gains at the least cost. Aggressive engine downsizing with variable compression ratio and use of the extended Atkinson cycle can provide large fuel economy gains that are exceptionally cost effective. Analysis indicates that a 2.2L supercharged Envera VCR engine can match the torque of a larger V8 engine at 2000 rpm. The VCR engine's high torque value at low engine speed is beneficial for maintaining the driving feel and responsiveness of the larger V8 engine. The Envera VCR engine will attain high efficiency at {approx}100 Nm primarily due to the combination of engine down-sizing and use of the Atkinson cycle. Qualitatively the fuel economy gain realized from down-sizing from a V8 to an Atkinson-cycle I-4 is about twice as large as the benefits from down-sizing from a V8 to a Turbo V6 when evaluated at 100 Nm 2000 rpm.

Pitfalls with the use of enhancement ratios or normalized excess mixing ratios measured in plumes to characterize pollution sources and aging

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

R. J. Yokelson

2013-08-01

Full Text Available Normalized excess mixing ratios (NEMRs, also known as enhancement ratios, are a common way to characterize plumes of pollution in atmospheric research. As single-source pollutant plumes disperse in the atmosphere, they are diluted by mixing with the adjacent background air. Changes in the composition of this background air can cause large changes to the NEMR that is subsequently measured by remote-sensing, airborne, or ground-based instruments. This scenario is common when boundary layer plumes enter the free troposphere and could also impact long-range transport or plumes near the top of the troposphere. We provide a context for these issues and an example showing that neglect of this effect could lead to serious errors in data interpretation.

Numerical Study of the Rib Arrangements for Enhancing Heat Transfer in a Two-pass Channel of Large Aspect Ratio

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Han, Sol; Choi, Seok Min; Sohn, Ho-Seong; Cho, Hyung Hee [Yonsei Univ., Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

2017-03-15

The present study investigated the effect of the rib arrangement and a guide vane for enhancing internal cooling of the blade. Two types of rib arrangements were used in the first and second passage in parallel. Aspect ratio of the channel was 5 and a fixed Reynolds number based on hydraulic diameter was 10,000. The attack angle of rib was 60°, rib pitch-to-height ratio (p/e) was 10, and the rib height-to-hydraulic-diameter ratio (e/D{sub n}) was 0.075. The effect of an interaction between Dean vortices and the secondary vortices from the first passage was observed. Overall, the attack angle of rib in the first passage was dominant factor to heat transfer and flow patterns in turning region. Also, the channel with a guide vane showed enhanced heat transfer at the tip surface with reducing flow separation and recirculation.

Open source tools for management and archiving of digital microscopy data to allow integration with patient pathology and treatment information.

Science.gov (United States)

Khushi, Matloob; Edwards, Georgina; de Marcos, Diego Alonso; Carpenter, Jane E; Graham, J Dinny; Clarke, Christine L

2013-02-12

Virtual microscopy includes digitisation of histology slides and the use of computer technologies for complex investigation of diseases such as cancer. However, automated image analysis, or website publishing of such digital images, is hampered by their large file sizes. We have developed two Java based open source tools: Snapshot Creator and NDPI-Splitter. Snapshot Creator converts a portion of a large digital slide into a desired quality JPEG image. The image is linked to the patient's clinical and treatment information in a customised open source cancer data management software (Caisis) in use at the Australian Breast Cancer Tissue Bank (ABCTB) and then published on the ABCTB website (http://www.abctb.org.au) using Deep Zoom open source technology. Using the ABCTB online search engine, digital images can be searched by defining various criteria such as cancer type, or biomarkers expressed. NDPI-Splitter splits a large image file into smaller sections of TIFF images so that they can be easily analysed by image analysis software such as Metamorph or Matlab. NDPI-Splitter also has the capacity to filter out empty images. Snapshot Creator and NDPI-Splitter are novel open source Java tools. They convert digital slides into files of smaller size for further processing. In conjunction with other open source tools such as Deep Zoom and Caisis, this suite of tools is used for the management and archiving of digital microscopy images, enabling digitised images to be explored and zoomed online. Our online image repository also has the capacity to be used as a teaching resource. These tools also enable large files to be sectioned for image analysis. The virtual slide(s) for this article can be found here: http://www.diagnosticpathology.diagnomx.eu/vs/5330903258483934.

Open source tools for management and archiving of digital microscopy data to allow integration with patient pathology and treatment information

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Khushi Matloob

2013-02-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Virtual microscopy includes digitisation of histology slides and the use of computer technologies for complex investigation of diseases such as cancer. However, automated image analysis, or website publishing of such digital images, is hampered by their large file sizes. Results We have developed two Java based open source tools: Snapshot Creator and NDPI-Splitter. Snapshot Creator converts a portion of a large digital slide into a desired quality JPEG image. The image is linked to the patient’s clinical and treatment information in a customised open source cancer data management software (Caisis in use at the Australian Breast Cancer Tissue Bank (ABCTB and then published on the ABCTB website (http://www.abctb.org.au using Deep Zoom open source technology. Using the ABCTB online search engine, digital images can be searched by defining various criteria such as cancer type, or biomarkers expressed. NDPI-Splitter splits a large image file into smaller sections of TIFF images so that they can be easily analysed by image analysis software such as Metamorph or Matlab. NDPI-Splitter also has the capacity to filter out empty images. Conclusions Snapshot Creator and NDPI-Splitter are novel open source Java tools. They convert digital slides into files of smaller size for further processing. In conjunction with other open source tools such as Deep Zoom and Caisis, this suite of tools is used for the management and archiving of digital microscopy images, enabling digitised images to be explored and zoomed online. Our online image repository also has the capacity to be used as a teaching resource. These tools also enable large files to be sectioned for image analysis. Virtual Slides The virtual slide(s for this article can be found here: http://www.diagnosticpathology.diagnomx.eu/vs/5330903258483934

PENGARUH PERUBAHAN RETURN ON ASSETS, PERUBAHAN DEBT TO EQUITY RATIO DAN PERUBAHAN CASH RATIO TERHADAP PERUBAHAN DIVIDEND PAYOUT RATIO

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yuli Soesetio

2008-02-01

Full Text Available Dividend Payout Ratio used to calculate all of revenue that will be accepted by stockholders as cash dividend, usually explained as percentage. This research was conducted to know several factors that affected change of Dividend Payout Ratio and to know the significance level and the correlation between dependent and independent variable. Analysis instrument used was parametric statistic. Based on the result of statistic test,  The Change of Return on Asset (X1, The Change of Debt to Equity Ratio (X2,  were able to explain dependent variable of the change Dividend Payout Ratio, and The Change of CashRatio can’t explain dependent variable of the change Dividend Payout Ratio

THE CONFLUENCE RATIO OF THE TRANSYLVANIAN BASIN RIVERS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

ROŞIAN GH.

2014-03-01

Full Text Available There are many possibilities to assess the hydrological and geomorphological evolution of a territory. Among them, one remarks the confluence ratio of the rivers belonging to different catchment areas. The values of this indicator may provide information regarding the stage of evolution of the fluvial landforms in the Transylvanian Basin. Also, the values may serve for the calculation of other parameters of catchment areas like: the degree of finishing of the drainage basin for its corresponding order, the density of river segments within a catchment area etc. To calculate the confluence ratio, 35 catchment areas of different orders have been selected. The confluence ratio varies between 3.04 and 6.07. The large range of values demonstrates the existence of a heterogeneous lithology and of morphological and hydrographical contrasts from one catchment area to the other. The existence of values above 5, correlated also with observations in the field, reveals an accelerated dynamics of the geomorphological processes in those catchment areas. This dynamic is mainly supported by the high landform fragmentation due to the first order rivers. In contrast, the catchment areas that have a confluence ratio below 5 are in a more advanced stage of evolution with stable slopes, unable to initiate new first order river segments.

Ventilation and ventilation/perfusion ratios

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Valind, S.O.

1989-01-01

The thesis is based on five different papers. The labelling of specific tracer compounds with positron emitting radionuclides enables a range of structural, physiological and biochemical parameters in the lung to be measured non-invasively, using positron emission tomography. This concept affords a unique opportunity for in vivo studies of different expressions of pulmonary pathophysiology at the regional level. The present thesis describes the application of positron emission tomography to the measurements of ventilation and ventilation/perfusion ratios using inert gas tracers, neon-19 and nitrogen-13 respectively. The validity of the methods applied was investigated with respect to the transport of inert gas tracers in the human lung. Both ventilation and the ventilation/perfusion ratio may be obtained with errors less than 10 % in the normal lung. In disease, however, errors may increase in those instances where the regional ventilation is very low or the intra-regional gas flow distribution is markedly nonuniform. A 2-3 fold increase in ventilation was demonstrated in normal nonsmoking subjects going from ventral to dorsal regions in the supine posture. These large regional differences could be well explained by the intrinsic elastic properties of lung tissue, considering the gravitational gradient in transpulmonary pressure. In asymptomatic smokers substantial regional ventilatroy abnormalities were found whilst the regional gas volume was similar in smokers and nonsmokers. The uncoupling between ventilation and gas volume probably reflects inflammatory changes in the airways. The regional differences in dV/dt/dQ/dt were relatively small and blood flow was largely matched to ventilation in the supine posture. However, small regions of lung with very low ventilation, unmatched by blood flow commonly exists in the most dependent parts of the lung in both smokers and nonsmokers. (29 illustrations, 7 tables, 113 references)

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.

True gender ratios and stereotype rating norms

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alan eGarnham

2015-07-01

Full Text Available We present a study comparing, in English, perceived distributions of men and women in 422 named occupations with actual real world distributions. The first set of data was obtained from previous a large-scale norming study, whereas the second set was mostly drawn from UK governmental sources. In total, real world ratios for 290 occupations were obtained for our perceive vs. real world comparison, of which 205 were deemed to be unproblematic. The means for the two sources were similar and the correlation between them was high, suggesting that people are generally accurate at judging real gender ratios, though there were some notable exceptions. Beside this correlation, some interesting patterns emerged from the two sources, suggesting some response strategies when people complete norming studies. We discuss these patterns in terms of the way real world data might complement norming studies in determining gender stereotypicality.

Improved environmental and forensics measurements using multiple ion counters in isotope ratio mass spectrometry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Goldberg, S.A.; Richter, S.; Schwieters, H.

2002-01-01

Full text: A new detector system designed for isotope ratio mass spectrometers provides improved precision on measurements of samples with very low amounts ( -11 grams) of analyte. An array of continuous dynode electron multipliers has been installed on a new ThermoFinnigan MAT Triton thermal ionization mass spectrometer acquired by the New Brunswick Laboratory. These ion counters are modifications of miniaturized, commercially-available continuous dynode electron multipliers. They can be readily installed to replace individual Faraday cups in a multi-detector mass spectrometer or bundled together and located along the detector plane with a set of Faraday cups. On the New Brunswick Laboratory mass spectrometer, nine Faraday cups, one conventional discrete dynode electron multiplier, and seven miniaturized ion counters were installed. Six of the small ion counters were bundled together and positioned on the high mass side of the Low 4 Faraday cup. One additional ion counter was positioned on the low mass side of the Low 4 Faraday cup. This arrangement allows for the simultaneous measurement of all uranium (including 233 U) or plutonium (including 244 Pu) isotopes, and allows for the measurement of larger 238 U intensities on the Faraday cup if needed. Unit mass spacing of U, Pu, or other actinides is readily achieved by the use of a mass dispersion zoom lens. The advantage of multiple ion counting is the simultaneous collection of isotopes. It overcomes many of the problems such as transient signal variation in sample emission and ionization. For a given sample, multiple ion counting generates a greater number of counts for each isotope relative to single detector ion counting and provides improved counting statistics by a factor of two or more. Initial tests indicate that the multiple ion counters exhibit high counting efficiency, a dark noise of less than 10 counts per minute and typically less than 1 count per minute, and show linear response characteristics over

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

Abundance ratios in dwarf elliptical galaxies

Science.gov (United States)

Şen, Ş.; Peletier, R. F.; Boselli, A.; den Brok, M.; Falcón-Barroso, J.; Hensler, G.; Janz, J.; Laurikainen, E.; Lisker, T.; Mentz, J. J.; Paudel, S.; Salo, H.; Sybilska, A.; Toloba, E.; van de Ven, G.; Vazdekis, A.; Yesilyaprak, C.

2018-04-01

We determine abundance ratios of 37 dwarf ellipticals (dEs) in the nearby Virgo cluster. This sample is representative of the early-type population of galaxies in the absolute magnitude range -19.0 originate from late-type dwarfs or small spirals. Na-yields appear to be very metal-dependent, in agreement with studies of giant ellipticals, probably due to the large dependence on the neutron-excess in stars. We conclude that dEs have undergone a considerable amount of chemical evolution, they are therefore not uniformly old, but have extended SFH, similar to many of the Local Group galaxies.

Zero-inflated Poisson model based likelihood ratio test for drug safety signal detection.

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Lan; Zheng, Dan; Zalkikar, Jyoti; Tiwari, Ram

2017-02-01

In recent decades, numerous methods have been developed for data mining of large drug safety databases, such as Food and Drug Administration's (FDA's) Adverse Event Reporting System, where data matrices are formed by drugs such as columns and adverse events as rows. Often, a large number of cells in these data matrices have zero cell counts and some of them are "true zeros" indicating that the drug-adverse event pairs cannot occur, and these zero counts are distinguished from the other zero counts that are modeled zero counts and simply indicate that the drug-adverse event pairs have not occurred yet or have not been reported yet. In this paper, a zero-inflated Poisson model based likelihood ratio test method is proposed to identify drug-adverse event pairs that have disproportionately high reporting rates, which are also called signals. The maximum likelihood estimates of the model parameters of zero-inflated Poisson model based likelihood ratio test are obtained using the expectation and maximization algorithm. The zero-inflated Poisson model based likelihood ratio test is also modified to handle the stratified analyses for binary and categorical covariates (e.g. gender and age) in the data. The proposed zero-inflated Poisson model based likelihood ratio test method is shown to asymptotically control the type I error and false discovery rate, and its finite sample performance for signal detection is evaluated through a simulation study. The simulation results show that the zero-inflated Poisson model based likelihood ratio test method performs similar to Poisson model based likelihood ratio test method when the estimated percentage of true zeros in the database is small. Both the zero-inflated Poisson model based likelihood ratio test and likelihood ratio test methods are applied to six selected drugs, from the 2006 to 2011 Adverse Event Reporting System database, with varying percentages of observed zero-count cells.

The ratio of double to single ionization of helium: The relationship of photon and bare charged particle impact ionization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Manson, S.T.

1994-01-01

In this paper the author derives expressions for the ratio of double to single ionization of helium from its ground state, by both single photons, and charged particle impact. He shows that in the limit of large reduced incident energy T of a charged particle, that the ratio of the double to single ionization cross sections at some energy transfer ΔE is equal to the ratio of photoionization cross sections for a photon of energy hν = ΔE, independent of T. He then goes on to find a relationship for this ionization ratio which is not restricted to some specific energy transfer, and shows that the double to single ionization cross section ratio approaches an asymtotic limit for large enough T

Sharpening Sharpe Ratios

OpenAIRE

William N. Goetzmann; Jonathan E. Ingersoll Jr.; Matthew I. Spiegel; Ivo Welch

2002-01-01

It is now well known that the Sharpe ratio and other related reward-to-risk measures may be manipulated with option-like strategies. In this paper we derive the general conditions for achieving the maximum expected Sharpe ratio. We derive static rules for achieving the maximum Sharpe ratio with two or more options, as well as a continuum of derivative contracts. The optimal strategy has a truncated right tail and a fat left tail. We also derive dynamic rules for increasing the Sharpe ratio. O...

Non-invasive in-cell determination of free cytosolic [NAD+]/[NADH] ratios using hyperpolarized glucose show large variations in metabolic phenotypes

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Christensen, Caspar Elo; Karlsson, Magnus; Winther, Jakob R.

2014-01-01

Accumulating evidence suggest that the pyridine nucleotide NAD has far wider biological functions than its classical role in energy metabolism. NAD is used by hundreds of enzymes that catalyse substrate oxidation and as such it plays a key role in various biological processes such as aging, cell...... death and oxidative stress. It has been suggested that changes in the ratio of free cytosolic [NAD+]/[NADH] reflects metabolic alterations leading to, or correlating with, pathological states. We have designed an isotopically labelled metabolic bioprobe of free cytosolic [NAD+]/[NADH] by combining...... a magnetic enhancement technique (hyperpolarization) with cellular glycolytic activity. The bioprobe reports free cytosolic [NAD+]/[NADH] ratios based on dynamically measured in-cell [pyruvate]/ [lactate] ratios. We demonstrate its utility in breast and prostate cancer cells. The free cytosolic [NAD...

Large-eddy simulation of highly underexpanded transient gas jets

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Vuorinen, V.; Yu, J.; Tirunagari, S.; Kaario, O.; Larmi, M.; Duwig, C.; Boersma, B.J.

2013-01-01

Large-eddy simulations (LES) based on scale-selective implicit filtering are carried out in order to study the effect of nozzle pressure ratios on the characteristics of highly underexpanded jets. Pressure ratios ranging from 4.5 to 8.5 with Reynolds numbers of the order 75?000–140?000 are

Influence of magnification on the calculated value of left ventricular ejection fraction and volumes using quantitative gated perfusion SPECT

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nunez, M.; Beretta, M.; Alonso, O.; Alvarez, B.; Canepa, J.; Mut, F.

2002-01-01

Aim: To compare left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), end-diastolic volumes (EDV) and end-systolic volumes (ESV) measured by quantitative gated SPECT (QGSPECT) in studies acquired with and without magnification factor (zoom). Material and Methods: We studied 30 consecutive patients (17 men, ages 61±14 years) referred for myocardial perfusion evaluation with a 2-day protocol. Studies were performed after injection of 925 MBq (25 mCi) of 99mTc-MIBI in the resting state. Gated SPECT was first acquired using a x2 zoom factor and immediately repeated with x1 zoom (no magnification), using a 64x64 matrix and 8 frames/cardiac cycle. Patients with arrhythmia were not included in the investigation. According to the median EDV calculated with the x2 zoom acquisition, the population was further divided in two sub-groups regarding the size of the LV cavity. Average LVEF, EDV, ESV and difference between values (delta) were then calculated for the total population and for each sub-group (a and b). Results: For the total population, results are expressed.Pearson correlation showed r=0.954 between LVEF with and without zoom (p<0.0001), but linear regression analysis did not fit a specific model (p=0.18). Median EDV with zoom was 92.5 ml, allowing to separate 15 cases with EDV above (a) and 15 below that value (b). Results for both sub-groups are presented. Conclusion: Calculated LVEF is higher with no zoom, at the expense of decreasing both EDV and ESV. Although differences were very significant for all parameters, ESV changes were specially relevant with no zoom, particularly in patients with smaller hearts. Although good correlation was found between LVEF with and without zoom, no specific correction factor was found to convert one value into the other. Magnification factor should be kept constant in gated SPECT if calculated LVEF values QGSPECT are expected to be reliable, and validation of the method using different zoom factors should be considered

Ratios of differential cross sections of heavy-flavour hadron production with ALICE

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hornung, Sebastian [Physikalisches Institut, Heidelberg (Germany); Collaboration: ALICE-Collaboration

2016-07-01

Measurements of heavy-flavour hadrons in pp collisions are important to test pertubative Quantum ChromoDynamics and as a reference for measurements in heavy-ion collisions. ALICE has measured several observables in this sector, e.g. p{sub T}-differential cross-sections of prompt D mesons and semi-electronic decays of beauty and charm hadrons at different energies. These measurements are compared to theoretical calculations, like General-Mass Variable Flavour Number Scheme (GM-VFNS) and Fixed-Order plus Next-to-Leading-Logarithms (FONLL), which are affected by large uncertainties caused by renormalisation scale, factorization scale and the heavy quark mass. Because of low statistics, the pp reference spectra for PbPb data are often obtained by extrapolation of data taken at different centre-of-mass energies. This procedure is guided by theory and also affected by large systematic uncertainties. The FONLL authors proposed to consider ratios of cross-sections at different centre-of-mass energies for a substantial reduction of the systematic uncertainties. Therefore, ratios of p{sub T}-differential cross-sections were studied to investigate the possibility to reduce theoretical uncertainties. Such ratios could benefit from the possibility to cancel some systematic errors on the measured data. Simulations with POWHEG are performed to provide an additional theory-based reference. By comparing calculated and measured ratios, sensitivity to the gluon distribution function may be obtained.

Visible-near-infrared spectroscopy can predict the clay/organic carbon and mineral fines/organic carbon ratios

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hermansen, Cecilie; Knadel, Maria; Møldrup, Per

2016-01-01

The ratios of mineral fines (carbon (OC), consisting of the n-ratio (i.e., the clay/OC ratio) and m-ratio (i.e., the fines/OC ratio) have recently been used to analyze and predict soil functional properties such as tilth conditions, clay dispersibility, degree...... from seven Danish and one Greenlandic fields, with a large textural range (clay: 0.027–0.355 kg kg−1; OC: 0.011–0.084 kg kg−1; n-ratio: 0.49–16.80; m-ratio: 1.46–32.14), were analyzed for texture and OC and subsequently scanned with a vis-NIR spectrometer from 400 to 2500 nm. The spectral data were...

Nondestructive measurement of the grid ratio using a single image

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pasciak, A. S.; Jones, A. Kyle

2009-01-01

The antiscatter grid is an essential part of modern radiographic systems. Since the introduction of the antiscatter grid, however, there have been few methods proposed for acceptance testing and verification of manufacturer-supplied grid specifications. The grid ratio (r) is an important parameter describing the antiscatter grid because it affects many other grid quality metrics, such as the contrast improvement ratio (K), primary transmission (T p ), and scatter transmission (T s ). Also, the grid ratio in large part determines the primary clinical use of the grid. To this end, the authors present a technique for the nondestructive measurement of the grid ratio of antiscatter grids. They derived an equation that can be used to calculate the grid ratio from a single off-focus flat field image by exploiting the relationship between grid cutoff and off-focus distance. The calculation can be performed by hand or with included analysis software. They calculated the grid ratios of several different grids throughout the institution, and afterward they destructively measured the grid ratio of a nominal r8 grid previously evaluated with the method. They also studied the sensitivity of the method to technical factors and choice of parameters. With one exception, the results for the grids found in the institution were in agreement with the manufacturer's specifications and international standards. The nondestructive evaluation of the r8 grid indicated a ratio of 7.3, while the destructive measurement indicated a ratio of 7.53±0.28. Repeated evaluations of the same grid yielded consistent results. The technique provides the medical physicist with a new tool for quantitative evaluation of the grid ratio, an important grid performance criterion. The method is robust and repeatable when appropriate choices of technical factors and other parameters are made.

Determination of hydrogen/deuterium ratio with neutron measurements on MAST

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Klimek, I., E-mail: iwona.klimek@physics.uu.se; Cecconello, M.; Ericsson, G. [Department of Physics and Astronomy, Uppsala University, Uppsala (Sweden); Sharapov, S. E.; Harrison, J. [CCFE, Culham Science Centre, Abingdon (United Kingdom)

2014-11-15

On MAST, compressional Alfvén eigenmodes can be destabilized by the presence of a sufficiently large population of energetic particles in the plasma. This dependence was studied in a series of very similar discharges in which increasing amounts of hydrogen were puffed into a deuterium plasma. A simple method to estimate the isotopic ratio n{sub H}/n{sub D} using neutron emission measurements is here described. The inferred isotopic ratio ranged from 0.0 to 0.6 and no experimental indication of changes in radial profile of n{sub H}/n{sub D} were observed. These findings are confirmed by TRANSP/NUBEAM simulations of the neutron emission.

Measurement of the form factor ratios in semileptonic decays of charm mesons

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

R. Zaliznyak

1999-01-01

I have measured the form factor ratios r 2 = A 2 (0)/A 1 (0) and r V = V (0)/A 1 (0) in the semileptonic charm meson decay D + → (anti K) *0 e + ν e from data collected by the Fermilab E791 collaboration. Form factors are introduced in the calculation of the hadronic current in semileptonic decays of strange, charm, or bottom mesons, such as D + → (anti K) *0 e + ν e . Semileptonic decays provide insight into quark coupling to the W boson since the leptonic and hadronic amplitudes in the Feynman diagram for the decay are completely separate. There are no strong interactions between the final state leptons and quarks. A number of theoretical models predict the values of the form factors for D + → (anti K) *0 e + ν e , though there is a large range of predictions. E791 is a hadroproduction experiment that recorded over 20 billion interactions with a 500 GeV π - beam incident on five thin targets during the 1991-92 Fermilab fixed-target run. Approximately 3000 D + → (anti K) *0 e + ν e decays are fully reconstructed. In order to extract the form factor ratios from the data, I implement a multidimensional unbinned maximum likelihood fit with a large sample of simulated (Monte Carlo) D + → (anti K) *0 e + ν e events. The large E791 data sample provides the most precise measurement of the form factor ratios to date. The measured values for the form factor ratios are r 2 = 0.71 ± 0.08 ± 0.09 and r V = 1.84 ± 0.11 ± 0.08. These results are in good agreement with some Lattice Gauge calculations. However the agreement with quark model predictions is not as good

The influence of Mg/Si ratio on the negative natural aging effect in Al–Mg–Si–Cu alloys

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tao, G.H.; Liu, C.H.; Chen, J.H.; Lai, Y.X.; Ma, P.P.; Liu, L.M.

2015-01-01

The effects of natural aging (NA) on subsequent artificial aging (AA) at 180 °C in Al–Mg–Si–Cu alloys with varied Mg/Si ratios (0.5, 1 and 2) were systematically studied by Vickers micro-hardness measurements, differential scanning calorimetry and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The alloy with large Mg/Si ratio possesses a significant negative NA effect on the maximum hardness achieved during AA preceded by an extended NA, while the alloy with small Mg/Si ratio shows a negligible negative NA effect. Though few lath-like Q''/L precipitates exist, needle-like β'' precipitates are the primary hardening precipitates in all the peak-aged alloys. The negative NA effect is demonstrated to be determined by precipitate coarsening, which is manifested microscopically as the broader precipitate length distributions (PLD) and shift of PLD toward larger length range, in AA with the prolonging of NA. Our results suggest the nature of NA clusters is quite different in Al–Mg–Si–Cu alloy varying in Mg/Si ratio. Only a small fraction of NA clusters in alloy with large Mg/Si ratio are stable and could induce preferential growth of precipitates to be considerably coarsened during AA. A large fraction of stable NA clusters in alloy with low Mg/Si ratio lead to synchronous growth of β'' precipitates, thus restricting the preferential growth

Maternal Eating Disorders Influence Sex Ratio at Birth

OpenAIRE

Bulik, Cynthia M; Von Holle, Ann; Gendall, Kelly; Kveim Lie, Kari; Hoffman, Elizabeth; Mo, Xiaofei; Torgersen, Leila; Reichborn-Kjennerud, Ted

2008-01-01

We explored sex ratio at birth, defined as the proportion of male live births, in women with anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder, and eating disorders not otherwise specified-purging type (EDNOS-P) relative to a referent group in a large population based sample of 38,340 pregnant women in Norway. Poisson regressions were adjusted for mother’s age, pre-pregnancy BMI, lifetime smoking status, maternal education, income, marital status, gestational age, and parity. Lower pro...

Flight Loads Prediction of High Aspect Ratio Wing Aircraft Using Multibody Dynamics

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Michele Castellani

2016-01-01

Full Text Available A framework based on multibody dynamics has been developed for the static and dynamic aeroelastic analyses of flexible high aspect ratio wing aircraft subject to structural geometric nonlinearities. Multibody dynamics allows kinematic nonlinearities and nonlinear relationships in the forces definition and is an efficient and promising methodology to model high aspect ratio wings, which are known to be prone to structural nonlinear effects because of the high deflections in flight. The multibody dynamics framework developed employs quasi-steady aerodynamics strip theory and discretizes the wing as a series of rigid bodies interconnected by beam elements, representative of the stiffness distribution, which can undergo arbitrarily large displacements and rotations. The method is applied to a flexible high aspect ratio wing commercial aircraft and both trim and gust response analyses are performed in order to calculate flight loads. These results are then compared to those obtained with the standard linear aeroelastic approach provided by the Finite Element Solver Nastran. Nonlinear effects come into play mainly because of the need of taking into account the large deflections of the wing for flight loads computation and of considering the aerodynamic forces as follower forces.

Density ratios in compressions driven by radiation pressure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, S.

1988-01-01

It has been suggested that in the cannonball scheme of laser compression the pellet may be considered to be compressed by the 'brute force' of the radiation pressure. For such a radiation-driven compression, an energy balance method is applied to give an equation fixing the radius compression ratio K which is a key parameter for such intense compressions. A shock model is used to yield specific results. For a square-pulse driving power compressing a spherical pellet with a specific heat ratio of 5/3, a density compression ratio Γ of 27 is computed. Double (stepped) pulsing with linearly rising power enhances Γ to 1750. The value of Γ is not dependent on the absolute magnitude of the piston power, as long as this is large enough. Further enhancement of compression by multiple (stepped) pulsing becomes obvious. The enhanced compression increases the energy gain factor G for a 100 μm DT pellet driven by radiation power of 10 16 W from 6 for a square pulse power with 0.5 MJ absorbed energy to 90 for a double (stepped) linearly rising pulse with absorbed energy of 0.4 MJ assuming perfect coupling efficiency. (author)

Orientation of X Lines in Asymmetric Magnetic Reconnection-Mass Ratio Dependency

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Yi-Hsin; Hesse, M.; Kuznetsova, M.

2015-01-01

Using fully kinetic simulations, we study the X line orientation of magnetic reconnection in an asymmetric configuration. A spatially localized perturbation is employed to induce a single X line, which has sufficient freedom to choose its orientation in three-dimensional systems. The effect of ion to electron mass ratio is investigated, and the X line appears to bisect the magnetic shear angle across the current sheet in the large mass ratio limit. The orientation can generally be deduced by scanning through the corresponding 2-D simulations to find the reconnection plane that maximizes the peak reconnection electric field. The deviation from the bisection angle in the lower mass ratio limit is consistent with the orientation shift of the most unstable linear tearing mode in an electron-scale current sheet.

Radiosurgery for Large Brain Metastases

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Han, Jung Ho; Kim, Dong Gyu; Chung, Hyun-Tai; Paek, Sun Ha; Park, Chul-Kee; Jung, Hee-Won

2012-01-01

Purpose: To determine the efficacy and safety of radiosurgery in patients with large brain metastases treated with radiosurgery. Patients and Methods: Eighty patients with large brain metastases (>14 cm 3 ) were treated with radiosurgery between 1998 and 2009. The mean age was 59 ± 11 years, and 49 (61.3%) were men. Neurologic symptoms were identified in 77 patients (96.3%), and 30 (37.5%) exhibited a dependent functional status. The primary disease was under control in 36 patients (45.0%), and 44 (55.0%) had a single lesion. The mean tumor volume was 22.4 ± 8.8 cm 3 , and the mean marginal dose prescribed was 13.8 ± 2.2 Gy. Results: The median survival time from radiosurgery was 7.9 months (95% confidence interval [CI], 5.343–10.46), and the 1-year survival rate was 39.2%. Functional improvement within 1–4 months or the maintenance of the initial independent status was observed in 48 (60.0%) and 20 (25.0%) patients after radiosurgery, respectively. Control of the primary disease, a marginal dose of ≥11 Gy, and a tumor volume ≥26 cm 3 were significantly associated with overall survival (hazard ratio, 0.479; p = .018; 95% CI, 0.261–0.880; hazard ratio, 0.350; p = .004; 95% CI, 0.171–0.718; hazard ratio, 2.307; p = .006; 95% CI, 1.274–4.180, respectively). Unacceptable radiation-related toxicities (Radiation Toxicity Oncology Group central nervous system toxicity Grade 3, 4, and 5 in 7, 6, and 2 patients, respectively) developed in 15 patients (18.8%). Conclusion: Radiosurgery seems to have a comparable efficacy with surgery for large brain metastases. However, the rate of radiation-related toxicities after radiosurgery should be considered when deciding on a treatment modality.

Large aperture optical switching devices

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Goldhar, J.; Henesian, M.A.

1983-01-01

We have developed a new approach to constructing large aperture optical switches for next generation inertial confinement fusion lasers. A transparent plasma electrode formed in low pressure ionized gas acts as a conductive coating to allow the uniform charging of the optical faces of an electro-optic material. In this manner large electric fields can be applied longitudinally to large aperture, high aspect ratio Pockels cells. We propose a four-electrode geometry to create the necessary high conductivity plasma sheets, and have demonstrated fast (less than 10 nsec) switching in a 5x5 cm aperture KD*P Pockels cell with such a design. Detaid modelling of Pockels cell performance with plasma electrodes has been carried out for 15 and 30 cm aperture designs

Tree species is the major factor explaining C:N ratios in European forest soils

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Cools, Nathalie; Vesterdal, Lars; De Vos, Bruno

2014-01-01

The C:N ratio is considered as an indicator of nitrate leaching in response to high atmospheric nitrogen (N) deposition. However, the C:N ratio is influenced by a multitude of other site-related factors. This study aimed to unravel the factors determining C:N ratios of forest floor, mineral soil...... mineral soil layers it was the humus type. Deposition and climatic variables were of minor importance at the European scale. Further analysis for eight main forest tree species individually, showed that the influence of environmental variables on C:N ratios was tree species dependent. For Aleppo pine...... and peat top soils in more than 4000 plots of the ICP Forests large-scale monitoring network. The first objective was to quantify forest floor, mineral and peat soil C:N ratios across European forests. Secondly we determined the main factors explaining this C:N ratio using a boosted regression tree...

Lock-on characteristics behind two side-by-side cylinders of diameter ratio two at small gap ratio

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Petry Y. R.; Lu, Wei-Ting; Chou, Shy-Tsin; Kuo, Cheng-Hsiung

2012-10-01

The lock-on characteristics, the detailed interactions and downstream evolutions of the wakes behind side-by-side cylinders of unequal diameter ( D/ d = 2), spaced by a gap ratio 0.75 ( G/ D = 0.75), are investigated at Reynolds number 600 by the dye flow visualization, laser Doppler anemometry (LDA) and particle image velocimeter (PIV) velocity measurements. The lock-on frequency bands are studied by LDA and PIV at Reynolds number 2,000. The D, d and G are the diameters of the large, the small cylinders and the net gap between two cylinders, respectively. Periodic excitations, in form of rotary oscillation about the cylinder center, are applied to the large cylinder with the same amplitude. It is found that while the large cylinder is excited, two lock-on frequency bands of the wake behind the large cylinder are detected. These two lock-on frequency bands correspond to the primary and the one-third sub-harmonic lock-on of the wake behind large cylinder, respectively. These two lock-on frequency bands distribute symmetrically about the fundamental and the third superharmonic of the natural shedding frequency behind a single cylinder at the same Reynolds number. The left-shifted frequency band (1.8 ≤ f e / f os ≤ 2.0) is not considered as a locked-on frequency band because the phase difference between two excitation frequencies across f e / f os = 2.0 vary significantly. While the wake behind the large cylinder is locked-on at f e /3 (or f os ), the gap flow becomes unbiased and the frequency of the wake behind small cylinder remains around the natural shedding frequency. Thus, the frequency band of 3.0 ≤ f e / f os ≤ 3.22 is also not locked-on because the phase difference in the narrow wake excited at f e / f os = 2.93 and 3.07 changes significantly. Note f e and f os denote the excitation frequency and the natural shedding frequency behind a single large cylinder, respectively.

Lock-on characteristics behind two side-by-side cylinders of diameter ratio two at small gap ratio

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee, Petry Y.R.; Lu, Wei-Ting; Chou, Shy-Tsin; Kuo, Cheng-Hsiung [National Chung Hsing University, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Taichung (China)

2012-10-15

The lock-on characteristics, the detailed interactions and downstream evolutions of the wakes behind side-by-side cylinders of unequal diameter (D/d = 2), spaced by a gap ratio 0.75 (G/D = 0.75), are investigated at Reynolds number 600 by the dye flow visualization, laser Doppler anemometry (LDA) and particle image velocimeter (PIV) velocity measurements. The lock-on frequency bands are studied by LDA and PIV at Reynolds number 2,000. The D, d and G are the diameters of the large, the small cylinders and the net gap between two cylinders, respectively. Periodic excitations, in form of rotary oscillation about the cylinder center, are applied to the large cylinder with the same amplitude. It is found that while the large cylinder is excited, two lock-on frequency bands of the wake behind the large cylinder are detected. These two lock-on frequency bands correspond to the primary and the one-third sub-harmonic lock-on of the wake behind large cylinder, respectively. These two lock-on frequency bands distribute symmetrically about the fundamental and the third superharmonic of the natural shedding frequency behind a single cylinder at the same Reynolds number. The left-shifted frequency band (1.8 {<=} f{sub e} /f{sub os} {<=} 2.0) is not considered as a locked-on frequency band because the phase difference between two excitation frequencies across f{sub e} /f{sub os} = 2.0 vary significantly. While the wake behind the large cylinder is locked-on at f{sub e} /3 (or f{sub os}), the gap flow becomes unbiased and the frequency of the wake behind small cylinder remains around the natural shedding frequency. Thus, the frequency band of 3.0 {<=} f{sub e} /f{sub os} {<=} 3.22 is also not locked-on because the phase difference in the narrow wake excited at f{sub e} /f{sub os} = 2.93 and 3.07 changes significantly. Note f{sub e} and f{sub os} denote the excitation frequency and the natural shedding frequency behind a single large cylinder, respectively. (orig.)

Key Techniques on Preparing High Aspect Ratio Micro and Nano Structures

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jian, Zhao; Lianhe, Dong; Xiaoli, Zhu

2016-01-01

effectively. The mechanism of action between NaCl and HSQ was analyzed. The collapse and adhesion of resist structure due to the effect of gas-liquid interfacial capillary surface tension were suppressed by the CO2 supercritical drying method. Large-area dense nano-structures with the aspect ratio of 12...

Utilization of AHWR critical facility for research and development work on large sample NAA

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Acharya, R.; Dasari, K.B.; Pujari, P.K.; Swain, K.K.; Reddy, A.V.R.; Verma, S.K.; De, S.K.

2014-01-01

The graphite reflector position of AHWR critical facility (CF) was utilized for analysis of large size (g-kg scale) samples using internal mono standard neutron activation analysis (IM-NAA). The reactor position was characterized by cadmium ratio method using In monitor for total flux and sub cadmium to epithermal flux ratio (f). Large sample neutron activation analysis (LSNAA) work was carried out for samples of stainless steel, ancient and new clay potteries and dross. Large as well as non-standard geometry samples (1 g - 0.5 kg) were irradiated. Radioactive assay was carried out using high resolution gamma ray spectrometry. Concentration ratios obtained by IM-NAA were used for provenance study of 30 clay potteries, obtained from excavated Buddhist sites of AP, India. Concentrations of Au and Ag were determined in not so homogeneous three large size samples of dross. An X-Z rotary scanning unit has been installed for counting large and not so homogeneous samples. (author)

Invited review: sex ratio and rheumatic disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Lockshin, M D

2001-11-01

Human illnesses affect men and women differently. In some cases (diseases of sex organs, diseases resulting from X or Y chromosome mutations), reasons for sex discrepancy are obvious, but in other cases no reason is apparent. Explanations for sex discrepancy of illness occur at different biological levels: molecular (e.g., imprinting, X-inactivation), cellular (sex-specific receptor activity), organ (endocrine influences), whole organism (size, age), and environmental-behavioral, including intrauterine influences. Autoimmunity represents a prototypical class of illness that has high female-to-male (F/M) ratios. Although the F/M ratios in autoimmune diseases are usually attributed to the influence of estrogenic hormones, evidence demonstrates that the attributed ratios are imprecise and that definitions and classifications of autoimmune diseases vary, rendering at least part of the counting imprecise. In addition, many studies on sex discrepancy of human disease fail to distinguish between disease incidence and disease severity. In April 2001, the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences published Exploring the Biological Contributions to Human Health: Does Sex Matter? (Wizemann T and Pardue M-L, editors). This minireview summarizes the section of that report that concerns autoimmune and infectious disease. Some thyroid, rheumatic, and hepatic autoimmune diseases have high F/M ratios, whereas others have low. Those that have high ratios occur primarily in young adulthood. Gonadal hormones, if they play a role, likely do so through a threshold or permissive mechanism. Examples of sex differences that could be caused by environmental exposure, X inactivation, imprinting, X or Y chromosome genetic modulators, and intrauterine influences are presented as alternate, theoretical, and largely unexplored explanations for sex differences of incidence. The epidemiology of autoimmune diseases (young, female) suggests that an explanation for sex discrepancy of

Analysis of Signal-to-Noise Ratio of the Laser Doppler Velocimeter

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lading, Lars

1973-01-01

The signal-to-shot-noise ratio of the photocurrent of a laser Doppler anemometer is calculated as a function of the parameters which describe the system. It is found that the S/N is generally a growing function of receiver area, that few large particles are better than many small ones, and that g...

Financial Key Ratios

OpenAIRE

Tănase Alin-Eliodor

2014-01-01

This article focuses on computing techniques starting from trial balance data regarding financial key ratios. There are presented activity, liquidity, solvency and profitability financial key ratios. It is presented a computing methodology in three steps based on a trial balance.

High aspect ratio channels in glass and porous silicon

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Liang, H.D. [Centre for Ion Beam Applications (CIBA), Department of Physics, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117542 (Singapore); Nanoscience and Nanotechnology Initiative (NNI), National University of Singapore, Singapore 117411 (Singapore); Dang, Z.Y. [Centre for Ion Beam Applications (CIBA), Department of Physics, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117542 (Singapore); Wu, J.F. [Centre for Ion Beam Applications (CIBA), Department of Physics, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117542 (Singapore); Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117583 (Singapore); Kan, J.A. van; Qureshi, S. [Centre for Ion Beam Applications (CIBA), Department of Physics, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117542 (Singapore); Ynsa, M.D.; Torres-Costa, V. [Department of Applied Physics, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Campus de Cantoblanco, 28049 Madrid (Spain); Centro de Micro-Análisis de Materiales (CMAM), Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Campus de Cantoblanco Edif. 22, Faraday 3, E-28049 Madrid (Spain); Maira, A. [Department of Applied Physics, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Campus de Cantoblanco, 28049 Madrid (Spain); Venkatesan, T.V. [Nanoscience and Nanotechnology Initiative (NNI), National University of Singapore, Singapore 117411 (Singapore); Breese, M.B.H., E-mail: phymbhb@nus.edu.sg [Centre for Ion Beam Applications (CIBA), Department of Physics, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117542 (Singapore)

2017-03-01

We have developed a micromachining process to produce high-aspect-ratio channels and holes in glass and porous silicon. Our process utilizes MeV proton beam irradiation of silicon using direct writing with a focused beam, followed by electrochemical etching. To increase throughput we have also developed another process for large area ion irradiation based on a radiation-resistant gold surface mask, allowing many square inches to be patterned. We present a study of the achievable channel width, depth and period and sidewall verticality for a range of channels which can be over 100 μm deep or 100 nm wide with aspect ratios up to 80. This process overcomes the difficulty of machining glass on a micro- and nanometer scale which has limited many areas of applications in different fields such as microelectronics and microfluidics.

Fast dictionary generation and searching for magnetic resonance fingerprinting.

Science.gov (United States)

Jun Xie; Mengye Lyu; Jian Zhang; Hui, Edward S; Wu, Ed X; Ze Wang

2017-07-01

A super-fast dictionary generation and searching (DGS) algorithm was developed for MR parameter quantification using magnetic resonance fingerprinting (MRF). MRF is a new technique for simultaneously quantifying multiple MR parameters using one temporally resolved MR scan. But it has a multiplicative computation complexity, resulting in a big burden of dictionary generating, saving, and retrieving, which can easily be intractable for any state-of-art computers. Based on retrospective analysis of the dictionary matching object function, a multi-scale ZOOM like DGS algorithm, dubbed as MRF-ZOOM, was proposed. MRF ZOOM is quasi-parameter-separable so the multiplicative computation complexity is broken into additive one. Evaluations showed that MRF ZOOM was hundreds or thousands of times faster than the original MRF parameter quantification method even without counting the dictionary generation time in. Using real data, it yielded nearly the same results as produced by the original method. MRF ZOOM provides a super-fast solution for MR parameter quantification.

UDP ratios on intake and milk production efficiency in Saanen ewes

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Unknown

Feed intake was significantly influenced by the RDP: UDP ratio and the LD diet achieved a higher feed intake than the MD and HD diets. The HD diet has a better feed conversion efficiency largely due to a better utilisation of body reserves to complement available protein (Change in body Weight, Table 1). The milk ...

Low power very high frequency resonant converter with high step down ratio

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Madsen, Mickey Pierre; Knott, Arnold; Andersen, Michael A. E.

2013-01-01

This paper presents the design of a resonant converter with a switching frequency in the very high frequency range (30-300MHz), a large step down ratio and low output power. This gives the designed converters specifications which are far from previous results. The class E inverter and rectifier...

Cerebral net exchange of large neutral amino acids after lipopolysaccharide infusion in healthy humans

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Berg, Ronan Mg; Taudorf, Sarah; Bailey, Damian M

2010-01-01

Alterations in circulating large neutral amino acids (LNAAs), leading to a decrease in the plasma ratio between branched-chain and aromatic amino acids (BCAA/AAA ratio), may be involved in sepsis-associated encephalopathy. We hypothesised that a decrease in the BCAA/AAA ratio occurs along...

Cerebrospinal fluid lactate and pyruvate concentrations and their ratio.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Wan-Ming; Natowicz, Marvin R

2013-05-01

Determinations of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) lactate and pyruvate concentrations and CSF lactate:pyruvate (L/P) ratios are important in several clinical settings, yet published normative data have significant limitations. We sought to determine a large dataset of stringently-defined normative data for CSF lactate and pyruvate concentrations and CSF L/P ratios. We evaluated data from 627 patients who had determinations of CSF lactate and/or CSF pyruvate from 2001 to 2011 at the Cleveland Clinic. Inclusion in the normal reference population required normal CSF cell counts, glucose and protein and routine serum chemistries and absence of progressive brain disorder, epilepsy, or seizure within 24h. Brain MRI, if done, showed no evidence of tumor, acute changes or basal ganglia abnormality. CSF cytology, CSF alanine and immunoglobulin levels, and oligoclonal band analysis were required to be normal, if done. Various inclusion/exclusion criteria were compared. 92 patients fulfilled inclusion/exclusion criteria for a reference population. The 95% central intervals (2.5%-97.5%) for CSF lactate and pyruvate levels were 1.01-2.09mM and 0.03-0.15mM, respectively, and 9.05-26.37 for CSF L/P. There were no significant gender-related differences of CSF lactate or pyruvate concentrations or of CSF L/P. Weak positive correlations between the concentration of CSF lactate or pyruvate and age were noted. Using stringent inclusion/exclusion criteria, we determined normative data for CSF lactate and pyruvate concentrations and CSF L/P ratios in a large, well-characterized reference population. Normalcy of routine CSF and blood analytes are the most important parameters in determining reference intervals for CSF lactate and pyruvate. Copyright © 2012 The Canadian Society of Clinical Chemists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Large momentum transfer phenomena

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Imachi, Masahiro; Otsuki, Shoichiro; Matsuoka, Takeo; Sawada, Shoji.

1978-01-01

The large momentum transfer phenomena in hadron reaction drastically differ from small momentum transfer phenomena, and are described in this paper. Brief review on the features of the large transverse momentum transfer reactions is described in relation with two-body reactions, single particle productions, particle ratios, two jet structure, two particle correlations, jet production cross section, and the component of momentum perpendicular to the plane defined by the incident protons and the triggered pions and transverse momentum relative to jet axis. In case of two-body process, the exponent N of the power law of the differential cross section is a value between 10 to 11.5 in the large momentum transfer region. The breaks of the exponential behaviors into the power ones are observed at the large momentum transfer region. The break would enable to estimate the order of a critical length. The large momentum transfer phenomena strongly suggest an important role of constituents of hadrons in the hard region. Hard rearrangement of constituents from different initial hadrons induces large momentum transfer reactions. Several rules to count constituents in the hard region have been proposed so far to explain the power behavior. Scale invariant quark interaction and hard reactions are explained, and a summary of the possible types of hard subprocess is presented. (Kato, T.)

Unattached radon daughter atoms and radon daughter equilibrium ratios in uranium mines. Final report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Holaday, D.A.

1972-01-01

Uranium mines in Colorado and New Mexico were surveyed for airborne concentrations of radon (10043922) and radon daughters. A procedure for measuring individual daughters and the fraction of each existing as free atoms was developed and used for field monitoring. Samples were taken in working areas and particle counts were made. The data was analyzed to determine the ratio of radon to radon daughters as well as the ratios among the radon daughters. The author concludes that since the radon to working level ratios have not changed much in 20 years, using the ratio as the basis for estimating relative biological hazard is just as uncertain now as then. The large number of daughters present as free atoms indicate that the lung radiation doses calculated using any of the lung models need reexamination

Possibility of a large electroweak penguin contribution in B→Kπ modes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yoshikawa, Tadashi

2003-01-01

We discuss the possibility of a large electroweak penguin contribution in B→Kπ from recent experimental data. The several relations among the branching ratios which realize when the contributions from tree type and electroweak penguin contributions are small compared with the gluon penguin can be treated as the expansion parameters do not satisfy the data. The difference comes from the r 2 term which is the square of the ratio with the gluon penguin diagram and the main contribution comes from the electroweak penguin diagram. We find that the electroweak penguin contribution may be too large to explain the experimental data. If the magnitude estimated from experiment is quite large compared with the theoretical estimation, then it may be including some new physics effects

Tumour alpha/beta ratios and dose-rate selection in brachytherapy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Duchesne, G.M.

2003-01-01

Traditionally brachytherapy employed low dose rate (LDR) techniques. Recent adoption of high dose rate (HDR) applications, addressing radiation protection concerns, has sparked debate over possible reductions in therapeutic ratio. The radiobiological characteristics of two contrasting examples, prostate cancer and cervical cancer, are examined. Both in-vitro and clinical observations of prostate cancer suggest a low α/β ratio. Labelling indices are below 2.5%, translating into long potential doubling times (Tpot ) of 16 to 61 days or more. Clinical PSA doubling times are in the order of years. Analysis of clinical endpoints in prostate cancer treated with either LDR or HDR techniques indicates that its α/β ratio may lie between 1 - 4 Gy, similar to slowly proliferating late reacting tissues. As such, therapeutic gain may arise from the use of hypofractionated HDR treatments, exploiting the sensitivity to large fraction sizes, effectively escalating dose. The slow proliferative rate also gives credence to the use of LDR, although several tumour doublings may occur during the effective treatment time, and analysis of the clinical data using a low α/β ratio suggests that LDR doses are only equivalent to 70 Gy with conventional fractionation. Cervical carcinoma is a rapidly proliferating tumour with Tpot values of 3-6 days. LDR implants were delivered over relatively short treatment times, negating repopulation effects, and the 'hyperfractionation' effect of LDR was suited to the high α/β ratio. HDR, although also preventing significant repopulation, has the potential to decrease the therapeutic ratio if low α/β , late-reacting tissues are not protected. Clinical data however show improved outcomes and reduced morbidity with HDR through reduced doses to normal tissues. Choosing the optimal dose rate in brachytherapy depends on tumour behaviour and achievable accuracy. HDR offers some advantages even for high α/β ratio tumours, and may be the technique of

A large area plastic Cherenkov detector

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bernabei, R.; Bidoli, V.; Zorzi, G. de; Biagio, A. di

1978-01-01

A large area Cherenkov counter has been built up using as a radiator a sheet of Pilot 425 plastic, (180x20)cm 2 x2.5 cm. Experimental tests performed with a pion beam in order to measure the average number of photoelectrons collected by photomultipliers and the scintillation to Cherenkov light ratio. (Auth.)

Invited commentary: Natural versus unnatural sex ratios--a quandary of modern times.

Science.gov (United States)

Wilcox, Allen J; Baird, Donna D

2011-12-15

The typical dilemma with sex-ratio findings is that when they are real, they aren't interesting, and when they are interesting, they aren't real. In this issue of the Journal, Fernández et al. (Am J Epidemiol. 2011;174(12):1327-1331) describe a deviation of the sex ratio that is apparently both large and real. There was a temporary but distinct spike in the proportion of boys born in Cuba around the time of the collapse of the national economy during the 1990s. Although an excess of boys does not fit the prevailing biologic theory regarding maternal stress and the sex ratio, the data are consistent with results from the Dutch famine (where population-level deprivation was even more extreme). A new quandary arises in the modern era with interpretation of the sex ratio: If the decision to abort a pregnancy is influenced by the sex of the fetus, a change in the behavior of even a small proportion of women could influence the sex ratio at birth. The possible role of sex selection in the Cuban context is discussed.

Effect of channel aspect ratio on chemical recuperation process in advanced aeroengines

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang, Silong; Cui, Naigang; Xiong, Yuefei; Feng, Yu; Qin, Jiang; Bao, Wen

2017-01-01

The working process of an advanced aeroengine such as scramjet with endothermic hydrocarbon fuel cooling is a chemical recuperative cycle. The design of cooling channel in terms of engine real working conditions is very important for the chemical recuperation process. To study the effects of channel aspect ratio (AR) on chemical recuperation process of advanced aeroengines, three dimensional model of pyrolysis coolant flow inside asymmetrical rectangular cooling channels with fins is introduced and validated through experiments. Cases when AR varies from 1 to 8 are carried out. In the pyrolysis zone of the cooling channel, decreasing the channel aspect ratio can reduce the temperature difference and non-uniformity of fuel conversion in the channel cross section, and it can also increase the final conversion and corresponding chemical heat absorption. A small channel aspect ratio is beneficial for the chemical recuperation process and can guarantee the engine cooling performance in the pyrolysis zone of the cooling channel. - Highlights: • Large non-uniformity of conversion is bad for the chemical recuperation. • Small channel aspect ratio is beneficial for improving the chemical recuperation effectiveness. • Small channel aspect ratio is also beneficial for reducing the engine wall temperature.

Cerebral net exchange of large neutral amino acids after lipopolysaccharide infusion in healthy humans

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Berg, Ronan Mg; Taudorf, Sarah; Bailey, Damian M

2010-01-01

Alterations in circulating large neutral amino acids (LNAAs), leading to a decrease in the plasma ratio between branched-chain and aromatic amino acids (BCAA/AAA ratio), may be involved in sepsis-associated encephalopathy. We hypothesised that a decrease in the BCAA/AAA ratio occurs along with a ...

On the ratio probability of the smallest eigenvalues in the Laguerre unitary ensemble

Science.gov (United States)

Atkin, Max R.; Charlier, Christophe; Zohren, Stefan

2018-04-01

We study the probability distribution of the ratio between the second smallest and smallest eigenvalue in the Laguerre unitary ensemble. The probability that this ratio is greater than r  >  1 is expressed in terms of an Hankel determinant with a perturbed Laguerre weight. The limiting probability distribution for the ratio as is found as an integral over containing two functions q 1(x) and q 2(x). These functions satisfy a system of two coupled Painlevé V equations, which are derived from a Lax pair of a Riemann-Hilbert problem. We compute asymptotic behaviours of these functions as and , as well as large n asymptotics for the associated Hankel determinants in several regimes of r and x.

A heritable component in sex ratio and caste determination in a Cardiocondyla ant

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Heinze Jürgen

2009-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract Studies on sex ratios in social insects provide among the most compelling evidence for the importance of kin selection in social evolution. The elegant synthesis of Fisher's sex ratio principle and Hamilton's inclusive fitness theory predicts that colony-level sex ratios vary with the colonies' social and genetic structures. Numerous empirical studies in ants, bees, and wasps have corroborated these predictions. However, the evolutionary optimization of sex ratios requires genetic variation, but one fundamental determinant of sex ratios - the propensity of female larvae to develop into young queens or workers ("queen bias" - is thought to be largely controlled by the environment. Evidence for a genetic influence on sex ratio and queen bias is as yet restricted to a few taxa, in particular hybrids. Because of the very short lifetime of their queens, ants of the genus Cardiocondyla are ideal model systems for the study of complete lifetime reproductive success, queen bias, and sex ratios. We found that lifetime sex ratios of the ant Cardiocondyla kagutsuchi have a heritable component. In experimental single-queen colonies, 22 queens from a genetic lineage with a highly female-biased sex ratio produced significantly more female-biased offspring sex ratios than 16 queens from a lineage with a more male-biased sex ratio (median 91.5% vs. 58.5% female sexuals. Sex ratio variation resulted from different likelihood of female larvae developing into sexuals (median 50% vs. 22.6% female sexuals even when uniformly nursed by workers from another colony. Consistent differences in lifetime sex ratios and queen bias among queens of C. kagutsuchi suggest that heritable, genetic or maternal effects strongly affect caste determination. Such variation might provide the basis for adaptive evolution of queen and worker strategies, though it momentarily constrains the power of workers and queens to optimize caste ratios.

A heritable component in sex ratio and caste determination in a Cardiocondyla ant.

Science.gov (United States)

Frohschammer, Sabine; Heinze, Jürgen

2009-10-28

Studies on sex ratios in social insects provide among the most compelling evidence for the importance of kin selection in social evolution. The elegant synthesis of Fisher's sex ratio principle and Hamilton's inclusive fitness theory predicts that colony-level sex ratios vary with the colonies' social and genetic structures. Numerous empirical studies in ants, bees, and wasps have corroborated these predictions. However, the evolutionary optimization of sex ratios requires genetic variation, but one fundamental determinant of sex ratios - the propensity of female larvae to develop into young queens or workers ("queen bias") - is thought to be largely controlled by the environment. Evidence for a genetic influence on sex ratio and queen bias is as yet restricted to a few taxa, in particular hybrids.Because of the very short lifetime of their queens, ants of the genus Cardiocondyla are ideal model systems for the study of complete lifetime reproductive success, queen bias, and sex ratios. We found that lifetime sex ratios of the ant Cardiocondyla kagutsuchi have a heritable component. In experimental single-queen colonies, 22 queens from a genetic lineage with a highly female-biased sex ratio produced significantly more female-biased offspring sex ratios than 16 queens from a lineage with a more male-biased sex ratio (median 91.5% vs. 58.5% female sexuals). Sex ratio variation resulted from different likelihood of female larvae developing into sexuals (median 50% vs. 22.6% female sexuals) even when uniformly nursed by workers from another colony.Consistent differences in lifetime sex ratios and queen bias among queens of C. kagutsuchi suggest that heritable, genetic or maternal effects strongly affect caste determination. Such variation might provide the basis for adaptive evolution of queen and worker strategies, though it momentarily constrains the power of workers and queens to optimize caste ratios.

On the stability limits of the Pinch-conductor current ratio in Extrap

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lehnert, B.

1987-12-01

A first attempt is made to take the special stability features of the Extrap confinement scheme into account, thereby including kinetic large Larmor radius (LLR) effects. This approach predicts Extrap to be unstable outside a domain defined by a lower and an upper ratio a - /a x is related to the ratio J p /J v between the pinch current J p and the conductor current J v . Stability within the predicted domain seems to agree with so far performed linear and toroidal experiments, and can explain the observed increase in J p /J v and in the plasma temperature, in terms of an increased ratio a - /a x . According to present analysis, an optimum value of the conductor current J v should further exist with respect to pinch equilibrium and stability, as given by the condition a - approx = a x . (author)

Reference interval for the disc-macula distance to disc diameter ratio in a large population of healthy Japanese adults: A prospective, observational study.

Science.gov (United States)

Sato, Ken-Ichi

2017-04-01

This study presents the calculated reference interval for the disc-to-macula distance to disc diameter ratio (DM:DD) based on a large population of healthy Japanese adults.A total of 308 consecutive, healthy Japanese adults were examined in this prospective observational study. Eighteen subjects were also excluded because of poor quality of the fundus photograph of one or both eyes; 290 (161 men and 129 women) were included in this study. For each subject, a color fundus photograph of one eye, either the right or left, was randomly selected and used for analysis. On the photograph, the distances between the fovea and the nearest temporal margin of the optic disc (Dft), and the two kinds of disc diameters (D1 and D2), which bisected at right angles and one of which was directed to the fovea (D1), were measured. DM:DD was estimated using the formula: (2Dft + D1)/(D1 + D2).The mean ± standard deviation of DM:DD was 2.91 ± 0.49 for men and 2.96 ± 0.54 for women; there was no sex difference (P = .78, Mann-Whitney U test). Also, almost no relationship was found between DM:DD and age (ρ = -.12, P = .04, Spearman's rank correlation coefficient). The data did not fit a normal distribution (P < .001, Kolmogorov-Smirnov test). The estimated reference interval for DM:DD corresponding to the 2.5th and 97.5th percentiles was 2.12 to 4.18.Using a nonparametric approach, the reference interval for DM:DD of a large population of healthy Japanese adults was calculated to be 2.12 to 4.18, regardless of age or sex.

Large Eddy Simulation of Film-Cooling Jets

Science.gov (United States)

Iourokina, Ioulia

2005-11-01

Large Eddy Simulation of inclined jets issuing into a turbulent boundary layer crossflow has been performed. The simulation models film-cooling experiments of Pietrzyk et al. (J. of. Turb., 1989), consisting of a large plenum feeding an array of jets inclined at 35° to the flat surface with a pitch 3D and L/D=3.5. The blowing ratio is 0.5 with unity density ratio. The numerical method used is a hybrid combining external compressible solver with a low-Mach number code for the plenum and film holes. Vorticity dynamics pertinent to jet-in-crossflow interactions is analyzed and three-dimensional vortical structures are revealed. Turbulence statistics are compared to the experimental data. The turbulence production due to shearing in the crossflow is compared to that within the jet hole. The influence of three-dimensional coherent structures on the wall heat transfer is investigated and strategies to increase film- cooling performance are discussed.

Hyperthermia in low aspect-ratio magnetic nanotubes for biomedical applications

Science.gov (United States)

Gutierrez-Guzman, D. F.; Lizardi, L. I.; Otálora, J. A.; Landeros, P.

2017-03-01

A simple model for the magnetization reversal process of low aspect-ratio ferromagnetic nanotubes (MNTs) is presented. Because of advantages over other geometries, these structures are interesting for biomedical applications, such as magnetic hyperthermia cancer therapy, where the heat released during magnetic reversal is used to destroy tumors. For example, the tubular geometry provides two independent functional surfaces that may be selectively manipulated and also gives a storage cavity. Owing to their large surface to weight ratio and low mass density, MNTs are not decanted by gravity. We calculated magnetic phase diagrams, energy barriers, nucleation fields, and the amount of dissipated heat and specific absorption rate for magnetite nanotubes. The geometrical parameters were varied, and simple formulae were used to optimize the tube response under alternating excitation, as required for magnetic hyperthermia applications.

Calibrating recruitment estimates for mourning doves from harvest age ratios

Science.gov (United States)

Miller, David A.; Otis, David L.

2010-01-01

We examined results from the first national-scale effort to estimate mourning dove (Zenaida macroura) age ratios and developed a simple, efficient, and generalizable methodology for calibrating estimates. Our method predicted age classes of unknown-age wings based on backward projection of molt distributions from fall harvest collections to preseason banding. We estimated 1) the proportion of late-molt individuals in each age class, and 2) the molt rates of juvenile and adult birds. Monte Carlo simulations demonstrated our estimator was minimally biased. We estimated model parameters using 96,811 wings collected from hunters and 42,189 birds banded during preseason from 68 collection blocks in 22 states during the 2005–2007 hunting seasons. We also used estimates to derive a correction factor, based on latitude and longitude of samples, which can be applied to future surveys. We estimated differential vulnerability of age classes to harvest using data from banded birds and applied that to harvest age ratios to estimate population age ratios. Average, uncorrected age ratio of known-age wings for states that allow hunting was 2.25 (SD 0.85) juveniles:adult, and average, corrected ratio was 1.91 (SD 0.68), as determined from harvest age ratios from an independent sample of 41,084 wings collected from random hunters in 2007 and 2008. We used an independent estimate of differential vulnerability to adjust corrected harvest age ratios and estimated the average population age ratio as 1.45 (SD 0.52), a direct measure of recruitment rates. Average annual recruitment rates were highest east of the Mississippi River and in the northwestern United States, with lower rates between. Our results demonstrate a robust methodology for calibrating recruitment estimates for mourning doves and represent the first large-scale estimates of recruitment for the species. Our methods can be used by managers to correct future harvest survey data to generate recruitment estimates for use in

Zooming Albanian factor in the nineteenth century through Western lenses

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

MA. Arben Salihu

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The developments of the nineteenth century were determining for the history of Balkan region as it shaped the future of many generations to come, resulting in (mainly growing discontents that led to several wars during the last century. It was beginning of the decay of the Ottoman Empire that many longed for, and many nations used every opportunity to take a full advantage of it. The aim of this work is to explore exclusively (only Western sources in an attempt to provide, as much as possible, an objective and neutral picture. Therefore, the idea behind the decision to examine non-Balkan sources is impartiality, in order to bring the reader as close as possible to the reality of the nineteenth century. A number of nineteenth century books, magazines and newspapers of the time, by respective Western authors, are explored and analysed. Reading and examining a large volume of data and information of this period, offers a unique sense of feeling, similar to that of living the nineteenth century world. Albanians, who have historically populated the heart of Balkans, are focal point of this region (in many of the regional and international sources for this particular period, vis-à-vis the Ottoman governance as well as relations with other regional neighbours. Their contribution to the history of nations in the region was unquestionably critical, but their conduct in relations to their own cause has produced an unproductive image, portrayed often with confused and incomprehensible deeds. By using authentic sources of the time, the study intends to develop arguments on many points raised, like population and religion. This work also touches briefly the sensitive issue of education in the region and initial Albanian inputs in the history of Balkan education map. Finally the study concludes that Albanians’ altruism and largely visionless focus, produced a relatively expected detrimental outcome.

A terahertz EO detector with large dynamical range, high modulation depth and signal-noise ratio

Science.gov (United States)

Pan, Xinjian; Cai, Yi; Zeng, Xuanke; Zheng, Shuiqin; Li, Jingzhen; Xu, Shixiang

2017-05-01

The paper presents a novel design for terahertz (THz) free-space time domain electro-optic (EO) detection where the static birefringent phases of the two balanced arms are set close to zero but opposite to each other. Our theoretical and numerical analyses show this design has much stronger ability to cancel the optical background noise than both THz ellipsometer and traditional crossed polarizer geometry (CPG). Its optical modulation depth is about twice as high as that of traditional CPG, but about ten times as high as that of THz ellipsometer. As for the dynamical range, our improved design is comparable to the THz ellipsometer but obviously larger than the traditional CPG. Some experiments for comparing our improved CPG with traditional CPG agree well with the corresponding theoretical predictions. Our experiments also show that the splitting ratio of the used non-polarization beam splitter is critical for the performance of our design.

Impact of influent COD/N ratio on disintegration of aerobic granular sludge.

Science.gov (United States)

Luo, Jinghai; Hao, Tianwei; Wei, Li; Mackey, Hamish R; Lin, Ziqiao; Chen, Guang-Hao

2014-10-01

Disintegration of aerobic granular sludge (AGS) is a challenging issue in the long-term operation of an AGS system. Chemical oxygen demand (COD)-to-nitrogen (N) ratio (COD/N), often variable in industrial wastewaters, could be a destabilizing factor causing granule disintegration. This study investigates the impact of this ratio on AGS disintegration and identifies the key causes, through close monitoring of AGS changes in its physical and chemical characteristics, microbial community and treatment performance. For specific comparison, two lab-scale air-lift type sequencing batch reactors, one for aerobic granular and the other for flocculent sludge, were operated in parallel with three COD/N ratios (4, 2, 1) applied in the influent of each reactor. The decreased COD/N ratios of 2 and 1 strongly influenced the stability of AGS with regard to physical properties and nitrification efficiency, leading to AGS disintegration when the ratio was decreased to 1. Comparatively the flocculent sludge maintained relatively stable structure and nitrification efficiency under all tested COD/N ratios. The lowest COD/N ratio resulted in a large microbial community shift and extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) reduction in both flocculent and granular sludges. The disintegration of AGS was associated with two possible causes: 1) reduction in net tyrosine production in the EPS and 2) a major microbial community shift including reduction in filamentous bacteria leading to the collapse of granule structure. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Toxic Combustion Product Yields as a Function of Equivalence Ratio and Flame Retardants in Under-Ventilated Fires: Bench-Large-Scale Comparisons

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

David A. Purser

2016-09-01

Full Text Available In large-scale compartment fires; combustion product yields vary with combustion conditions mainly in relation to the fuel:air equivalence ratio (Φ and the effects of gas-phase flame retardants. Yields of products of inefficient combustion; including the major toxic products CO; HCN and organic irritants; increase considerably as combustion changes from well-ventilated (Φ < 1 to under-ventilated (Φ = 1–3. It is therefore essential that bench-scale toxicity tests reproduce this behaviour across the Φ range. Yield data from repeat compartment fire tests for any specific fuel show some variation on either side of a best-fit curve for CO yield as a function of Φ. In order to quantify the extent to which data from the steady state tube furnace (SSTF [1]; ISO TS19700 [2] represents compartment fire yields; the range and average deviations of SSTF data for CO yields from the compartment fire best-fit curve were compared to those for direct compartment fire measurements for six different polymeric fuels with textile and non-textile applications and for generic post-flashover fire CO yield data. The average yields; range and standard deviations of the SSTF data around the best-fit compartment fire curves were found to be close to those for the compartment fire data. It is concluded that SSTF data are as good a predictor of compartment fire yields as are repeat compartment fire test data.

Biogas Production from Water Hyacinth (Eichhornia Crassipes): The Effect of F/M Ratio

Science.gov (United States)

Nugraha, W. D.; Syafrudin; Pradita, L. L.; Matin, H. H. A.; Budiyono

2018-05-01

Distribution of water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes), generally considered as a water weed, that has been a problem which can harm the environment, irrigation system, and agriculture. However water hyacinth can be used in biogas production because it has large enough amount of hemicellulose contents. The purpose of this study was to know the effect of F/M ratio to biogas production from water hyacinth waste with Liquid Anaerobic Digestion (LAD) method. A series of laboratory experiments using biodigester were performed in batch anaerobic operation at room temperature. F/M ratio that used in each reactor was 39.76, 20.03, 13.32, and 10.01. Degradation process was done in 60 days. The result showed that F/M ratio effects to the biogas production. The best performance of biogas production from this research will be obtained if F/M ratio is in the range of 10.01-20.03 (correspond to 25%-50% of rumen fluid) with water hyacinth as the main substrate.

A Plant-Based Proxy for the Oxygen Isotope Ratio of Atmospheric Water Vapor

Science.gov (United States)

Helliker, B.

2007-12-01

Atmospheric water vapor is a major component of the global hydrological cycle, but the isotopic balance of vapor is largely unknown. It is shown here that the oxygen isotope ratio of leaf water in the epiphytic Crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM) plant Tillandsia usneoides (Spanish Moss) is controlled by the oxygen isotope ratio of atmospheric water vapor in both field and lab studies. Assuming that the leaf-water isotopic signature (and hence the atmospheric water vapor signature) is recorded in plant organic material, the atmospheric water vapor oxygen isotope ratios for Miami, Florida (USA) were reconstructed for several years from 1878 to 2005 using contemporary and herbarium specimens. T. usneoides ranges from Virginia, USA southwards through the tropics to Argentina, and the CAM epiphytic lifeform is widespread in other species. Therefore, epiphytes may be used to reconstruct the isotope ratio of atmospheric water for spatial scales that span over 60° of latitude and temporal scales that cover the last century of global temperature increase.

Monthly analysis of PM ratio characteristics and its relation to AOD.

Science.gov (United States)

Sorek-Hamer, Meytar; Broday, David M; Chatfield, Robert; Esswein, Robert; Stafoggia, Massimo; Lepeule, Johanna; Lyapustin, Alexei; Kloog, Itai

2017-01-01

Airborne particulate matter (PM) is derived from diverse sources-natural and anthropogenic. Climate change processes and remote sensing measurements are affected by the PM properties, which are often lumped into homogeneous size fractions that show spatiotemporal variation. Since different sources are attributed to different geographic locations and show specific spatial and temporal PM patterns, we explored the spatiotemporal characteristics of the PM 2.5 /PM 10 ratio in different areas. Furthermore, we examined the statistical relationships between AERONET aerosol optical depth (AOD) products, satellite-based AOD, and the PM ratio, as well as the specific PM size fractions. PM data from the northeastern United States, from San Joaquin Valley, CA, and from Italy, Israel, and France were analyzed, as well as the spatial and temporal co-measured AOD products obtained from the MultiAngle Implementation of Atmospheric Correction (MAIAC) algorithm. Our results suggest that when both the AERONET AOD and the AERONET fine-mode AOD are available, the AERONET AOD ratio can be a fair proxy for the ground PM ratio. Therefore, we recommend incorporating the fine-mode AERONET AOD in the calibration of MAIAC. Along with a relatively large variation in the observed PM ratio (especially in the northeastern United States), this shows the need to revisit MAIAC assumptions on aerosol microphysical properties, and perhaps their seasonal variability, which are used to generate the look-up tables and conduct aerosol retrievals. Our results call for further scrutiny of satellite-borne AOD, in particular its errors, limitations, and relation to the vertical aerosol profile and the particle size, shape, and composition distribution. This work is one step of the required analyses to gain better understanding of what the satellite-based AOD represents. The analysis results recommend incorporating the fine-mode AERONET AOD in MAIAC calibration. Specifically, they indicate the need to revisit

[Research of input water ratio's impact on the quality of effluent water from hydrolysis reactor].

Science.gov (United States)

Liang, Kang-Qiang; Xiong, Ya; Qi, Mao-Rong; Lin, Xiu-Jun; Zhu, Min; Song, Ying-Hao

2012-11-01

Based on high SS/BOD and low C/N ratio of waste water of municipal wastewater treatment plant, the structure of currently existing hydrolysis reactor was reformed to improve the influent quality. In order to strengthen the sludge hydrolysis and improve effluent water quality, two layers water distributors were set up so that the sludge hydrolysis zone was formed between the two layers distribution. For the purpose of the hydrolysis reactor not only plays the role of the primary sedimentation tank but also improves the effluent water biodegradability, input water ratios of the upper and lower water distributor in the experiment were changed to get the best input water ratio to guide the large-scale application of this sort hydrolysis reactor. Results show, four kinds of input water ratio have varying degrees COD and SS removal efficiency, however, input water ratio for 1 : 1 can substantially increase SCOD/COD ratio and VFA concentration of effluent water compared with the other three input water ratios. To improve the effluent biodegradability, input water ratio for 1 : 1 was chosen for the best input water ratio. That was the ratio of flow of upper distributor was 50%, and the ratio of the lower one was 50%, at this case it can reduce the processing burden of COD and SS for follow-up treatment, but also improve the biodegradability of the effluent.

IASI-derived NH3 enhancement ratios relative to CO for the tropical biomass burning regions

Science.gov (United States)

Whitburn, Simon; Van Damme, Martin; Clarisse, Lieven; Hurtmans, Daniel; Clerbaux, Cathy; Coheur, Pierre-François

2017-10-01

Vegetation fires are a major source of ammonia (NH3) in the atmosphere. Their emissions are mainly estimated using bottom-up approaches that rely on uncertain emission factors. In this study, we derive new biome-specific NH3 enhancement ratios relative to carbon monoxide (CO), ERNH3 / CO (directly related to the emission factors), from the measurements of the IASI sounder onboard the Metop-A satellite. This is achieved for large tropical regions and for an 8-year period (2008-2015). We find substantial differences in the ERNH3 / CO ratios between the biomes studied, with calculated values ranging from 7 × 10-3 to 23 × 10-3. For evergreen broadleaf forest these are typically 50-75 % higher than for woody savanna and savanna biomes. This variability is attributed to differences in fuel types and size and is in line with previous studies. The analysis of the spatial and temporal distribution of the ERNH3 / CO ratio also reveals a (sometimes large) within-biome variability. On a regional level, woody savanna shows, for example, a mean ERNH3 / CO ratio for the region of Africa south of the Equator that is 40-75 % lower than in the other five regions studied, probably reflecting regional differences in fuel type and burning conditions. The same variability is also observed on a yearly basis, with a peak in the ERNH3 / CO ratio observed for the year 2010 for all biomes. These results highlight the need for the development of dynamic emission factors that take into better account local variations in fuel type and fire conditions. We also compare the IASI-derived ERNH3 / CO ratio with values reported in the literature, usually calculated from ground-based or airborne measurements. We find general good agreement in the referenced ERNH3 / CO ratio except for cropland, for which the ERNH3 / CO ratio shows an underestimation of about 2-2.5 times.

Effect of the Hartmann number on phase separation controlled by magnetic field for binary mixture system with large component ratio

Science.gov (United States)

Heping, Wang; Xiaoguang, Li; Duyang, Zang; Rui, Hu; Xingguo, Geng

2017-11-01

This paper presents an exploration for phase separation in a magnetic field using a coupled lattice Boltzmann method (LBM) with magnetohydrodynamics (MHD). The left vertical wall was kept at a constant magnetic field. Simulations were conducted by the strong magnetic field to enhance phase separation and increase the size of separated phases. The focus was on the effect of magnetic intensity by defining the Hartmann number (Ha) on the phase separation properties. The numerical investigation was carried out for different governing parameters, namely Ha and the component ratio of the mixed liquid. The effective morphological evolutions of phase separation in different magnetic fields were demonstrated. The patterns showed that the slant elliptical phases were created by increasing Ha, due to the formation and increase of magnetic torque and force. The dataset was rearranged for growth kinetics of magnetic phase separation in a plot by spherically averaged structure factor and the ratio of separated phases and total system. The results indicate that the increase in Ha can increase the average size of separated phases and accelerate the spinodal decomposition and domain growth stages. Specially for the larger component ratio of mixed phases, the separation degree was also significantly improved by increasing magnetic intensity. These numerical results provide guidance for setting the optimum condition for the phase separation induced by magnetic field.

Prehospital shock index and pulse pressure/heart rate ratio to predict massive transfusion after severe trauma: Retrospective analysis of a large regional trauma database.

Science.gov (United States)

Pottecher, Julien; Ageron, François-Xavier; Fauché, Clémence; Chemla, Denis; Noll, Eric; Duranteau, Jacques; Chapiteau, Laurent; Payen, Jean-François; Bouzat, Pierre

2016-10-01

Early and accurate detection of severe hemorrhage is critical for a timely trigger of massive transfusion (MT). Hemodynamic indices combining heart rate (HR) and either systolic (shock index [SI]) or pulse pressure (PP) (PP/HR ratio) have been shown to track blood loss during hemorrhage. The present study assessed the accuracy of prehospital SI and PP/HR ratio to predict subsequent MT, using the gray-zone approach. This was a retrospective analysis (January 1, 2009, to December 31, 2011) of a prospectively developed trauma registry (TRENAU), in which the triage scheme combines patient severity and hospital facilities. Thresholds for MT were defined as either classic (≥10 red blood cell units within the first 24 hours [MT1]) or critical (≥3 red blood cells within the first hour [MT2]). The receiver operating characteristic curves and gray zones were defined for SI and PP/HR ratio to predict MT1 and MT2 and faced with initial triage scheme. The TRENAU registry included 3,689 trauma patients, of which 2,557 had complete chart recovery and 176 (6.9%) required MT. In the whole population, PP/HR ratio and SI moderately and similarly predicted MT1 (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve, 0.77 [95% confidence interval {CI}, 0.70-0.84] and 0.80 [95% CI, 0.74-0.87], respectively, p = 0.064) and MT2 (0.71 [95% CI, 0.67-0.76] and 0.72 [95% CI, 0.68-0.77], respectively, p = 0.48). The proportions of patients in the gray zone for PP/HR ratio and SI were 61% versus 40%, respectively, to predict MT1 (p ratio outperformed SI to predict MT2 (0.72 [95% CI, 0.59-0.84] vs. 0.54 [95% CI, 0.33-0.74]; p ratio were moderately accurate in predicting MT. In the seemingly least severe patients, an improvement of prehospital undertriage for MT may be gained by using the PP/HR ratio. Epidemiolgic study, level III.

Tensor-to-scalar ratio in punctuated inflation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jain, Rajeev Kumar; Sriramkumar, L.; Chingangbam, Pravabati; Souradeep, Tarun

2010-01-01

Recently, we have shown that scalar spectra with lower power on large scales and certain other features naturally occur in punctuated inflation, i.e. the scenario wherein a brief period of rapid roll is sandwiched between two stages of slow roll inflation. Such spectra gain importance due to the fact that they can lead to a better fit of the observed CMB anisotropies, when compared to the conventional, featureless, power law spectrum. In this paper, with examples from the canonical scalar field as well as the tachyonic models, we illustrate that, in punctuated inflation, a drop in the scalar power on large scales is always accompanied by a rise in the tensor power and, hence, an even more pronounced increase in the tensor-to-scalar ratio r on these scales. Interestingly, we find that r actually exceeds well beyond unity over a small range of scales. To our knowledge, this work presents for the first time, examples of single scalar field inflationary models wherein r>>1. This feature opens up interesting possibilities. For instance, we show that the rise in r on large scales translates to a rapid increase in the angular power spectrum, C l BB , of the B-mode polarization of the CMB at the low multipoles. We discuss the observational implications of these results.

A balanced hazard ratio for risk group evaluation from survival data.

Science.gov (United States)

Branders, Samuel; Dupont, Pierre

2015-07-30

Common clinical studies assess the quality of prognostic factors, such as gene expression signatures, clinical variables or environmental factors, and cluster patients into various risk groups. Typical examples include cancer clinical trials where patients are clustered into high or low risk groups. Whenever applied to survival data analysis, such groups are intended to represent patients with similar survival odds and to select the most appropriate therapy accordingly. The relevance of such risk groups, and of the related prognostic factors, is typically assessed through the computation of a hazard ratio. We first stress three limitations of assessing risk groups through the hazard ratio: (1) it may promote the definition of arbitrarily unbalanced risk groups; (2) an apparently optimal group hazard ratio can be largely inconsistent with the p-value commonly associated to it; and (3) some marginal changes between risk group proportions may lead to highly different hazard ratio values. Those issues could lead to inappropriate comparisons between various prognostic factors. Next, we propose the balanced hazard ratio to solve those issues. This new performance metric keeps an intuitive interpretation and is as simple to compute. We also show how the balanced hazard ratio leads to a natural cut-off choice to define risk groups from continuous risk scores. The proposed methodology is validated through controlled experiments for which a prescribed cut-off value is defined by design. Further results are also reported on several cancer prognosis studies, and the proposed methodology could be applied more generally to assess the quality of any prognostic markers. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

PENGARUH FREE CASH FLOW DAN STRUKTUR KEMPEMILIKAN TERHADAP DIVIDEND PAYOUT RATIO

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jurica Lucyanda

2012-12-01

Full Text Available Penelitian ini bertujuan menguji bagaimana free cash flow dan struktur kepemilikan berpengaruh terhadap dividend payout ratio pada perusahaan nonkeuangan yang terdaftar pada Bursa Efek Indonesia. Metode analisis yang digunakan adalah regresi berganda. Penelitian ini menggunakan data empiris dari Bursa Efek Indonesia dengan sampel sebanyak 70 perusahaan per tahun untuk tiga periode (2007-2009. Berdasarkan hasil pengujian, ditemukan bahwa variabel yang mempunyai pengaruh yang signifikan terhadap pembagian dividen adalah free cash flow, kepemilikan institusional, dan ukuran perusahaan. Jumlah free cash flow perusahaan yang tinggi, persentase kepemilikan institusional yang rendah, dan ukuran perusahaan yang besar akan menghasilkan dividend payout ratio yang tinggi. Variabel kepemilikan keluarga, kepemilikan asing, kebijakan utang, dan kesempatan investasi tidak terbukti mempunyai pengaruh yang signifikan terhadap Dividend Payout Ratio perusahaan.This study aims at testing the effect of free cash flow and ownership structure on the dividend payout ratio of non-financial companies, listed on the Indonesia Stock Exchange. Multiple regression was employed to analyze data. The study collected empirical data from the Indonesia Stock Exchange consisting of 70 companies. The data were collected from financial report from three consecutive years (2007-2009. The finding indicates that the variables which have a significant effect on the dividend payout ratio are free cash flow, institutional ownership, and firm size. The high free cash flow,  the low percentage of institutional ownership, and the large size companies will produce high dividends. The variable of family ownership, foreign ownership, debt policy, and investment opportunities do not significantly effect corporate dividend payout ratio.

Lead isotope ratios of ancient Chinese and Japanese glasses

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yamasaki, Kazuo; Murozumi, Masayo; Nakamura, Seiji; Yuasa, Mitsuaki; Watarai, Motohiko.

1980-01-01

Lead isotope ratios of 29 archaeological glass samples (5 samples excavated in China, 10 samples excavated in Japan, and 14 samples made in Japan) were determined by surface ionization mass spectrometry with a HITACHI RMU-6 spectrometer. Of these glass samples, 28 were made of high lead glass, and one, of alkali-lime glass. Glass samples were decomposed in a mixture of hydrofluoric and nitric acids, and lead was separated from other elements by extraction with dithizone-chloroform. The lead nitrate solution thus prepared (corresponding to 0.5 μg Pb) was loaded on the rhenium single filament. The coefficients of variation of the determined ratios, 207 Pb/ 206 Pb and 208 Pb/ 206 Pb, were 0.1 -- 0.3%. Among the glasses excavated in Japan, some samples of the Yayoi period (ca. 3 rd C. B.C. -- ca. 3 rd C. A.D.) contained a large amount of barium in addition to lead, and resembled closely Chinese pre-Han glasses not only in chemical compositions, but also in lead isotope ratios. This means that pre-Han glasses were brought to Japan and then re-cast into glass beads characteristic of Japan. The lead isotope ratios of the glasses were compared with those of Chinese (2 samples), Korean (2) and Japanese (17) galena orea, and it was found that 12 glass beads made in the 8th century at Nara and 2 fine glass tubes made at Saga in the 18 th -- 19 th centuries showed similar lead isotope ratios with those of the Japanese galena ores. Consequently it is considered that the Japanese galena ores were already used as one of raw materials at manufacturing of these glass beads in ancient centuries. (author)

Financial ratios in diagnostic radiology practices: variability and trends.

Science.gov (United States)

Hogan, Christopher; Sunshine, Jonathan H

2004-03-01

To evaluate variation in financial ratios for radiology practices nationwide and trends in these ratios and in payments. In 1999, the American College of Radiology surveyed radiology practices by mail. The final response rate was 66%. Weighting was used to make responses representative of all radiology practices in the United States. Self-reported financial ratios (payments, charges, accounts receivable turnover) were analyzed; 449 responses had usable data on these ratios. Comparison with results of a similar 1992 survey and combined analysis with Medicare data on billed charges provided information on trends. All measures of payment collections declined sharply from 1992 to 1999, with the gross collections rate (revenues as percentage of billed charges) decreasing from 71% to 55%. Average payment for a typical radiology service decreased approximately 4% in dollar terms or approximately 19% in inflation-adjusted terms. In 1999, nonmetropolitan practices appeared to fare better than others. Among insurers, Medicaid stood out as a low and slow payer, but neither managed care nor Medicare had a consistent effect on financial ratios. The gross collections rate varied substantially across geographic areas, as did, in an inverse pattern, the level of billed charges. One-quarter of practices had accounts receivable equal to 90 or more days of billings. The opposing geographic pattern of billed charges and gross collection rate suggests that geographic variation in the latter is driven more by variation in billed charges than by variation in payment levels. Radiologists saw a substantial decrease in the real (inflation-adjusted) value of payment per service during the 1990s. The large fraction of practices with accounts receivable of 90 or more days of billings-a level considered potentially imprudent by financial management advisors-suggests that many practices should improve financial management and that state prompt-payment laws have not had a substantial positive

Measurement of the form factor ratios in semileptonic decays of charm mesons

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zaliznyak, Renata [Stanford Univ., CA (United States)

1998-05-01

I have measured the form factor ratios r₂ = A₂ (0)/A₁ (0) and r_V = V (0)/A₁ (0) in the semileptonic charm meson decay D⁺ → $\\bar{K}$^*0 e⁺v_e from data collected by the Fermilab E791 collaboration. Form factors are introduced in the calculation of the hadronic current in semileptonic decays of strange, charm, or bottom mesons, such as D⁺ → $\\bar{K}$^*0 e⁺ v_e . Semileptonic decays provide insight into quark coupling to the W boson since the leptonic and hadronic amplitudes in the Feynman diagram for the decay are completely separate. There are no strong interactions between the final state leptons and quarks. A number of theoretical models predict the values of the form factors for D⁺ → $\\bar{K}$^*0 e⁺ v_e , though there is a large range of predictions. E791 is a hadroproduction experiment that recorded over 20 billion interactions with a 500 GeV π^- beam incident on five thin targets during the 1991-92 Fermilab fixed-target run. Approximately 3000 D⁺ → $\\bar{K}$^*0 e⁺ v_e decays are fully reconstructed. In order to extract the form factor ratios from the data, I implement a multidimensional unbinned maximum likelihood fit with a large sample of simulated (Monte Carlo) D⁺ → $\\bar{K}$^*0 e⁺v_e events. The large E791 data sample provides the most precise measurement of the form factor ratios to date. The measured values for the form factor ratios are r₂ = 0.71 ± 0.08 ± 0.09 and r_V = 1.84 ± 0.11 ±} 0.08. These results are in good agreement with some Lattice Gauge calculations. However the agreement with quark model predictions is not as good.

Modeling of finite aspect ratio effects on current drive

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wright, J.C.; Phillips, C.K.

1996-01-01

Most 2D RF modeling codes use a parameterization of current drive efficiencies to calculate fast wave driven currents. This parameterization assumes a uniform diffusion coefficient and requires a priori knowledge of the wave polarizations. These difficulties may be avoided by a direct calculation of the quasilinear diffusion coefficient from the Kennel-Englemann form with the field polarizations calculated by a full wave code. This eliminates the need to use the approximation inherent in the parameterization. Current profiles are then calculated using the adjoint formulation. This approach has been implemented in the FISIC code. The accuracy of the parameterization of the current drive efficiency, η, is judged by a comparison with a direct calculation: where χ is the adjoint function, ε is the kinetic energy, and rvec Γ is the quasilinear flux. It is shown that for large aspect ratio devices (ε → 0), the parameterization is nearly identical to the direct calculation. As the aspect ratio approaches unity, visible differences between the two calculations appear

The ZOOM minimization package

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fischler, Mark S.; Sachs, D.

2004-01-01

A new object-oriented Minimization package is available for distribution in the same manner as CLHEP. This package, designed for use in HEP applications, has all the capabilities of Minuit, but is a re-write from scratch, adhering to modern C++ design principles. A primary goal of this package is extensibility in several directions, so that its capabilities can be kept fresh with as little maintenance effort as possible. This package is distinguished by the priority that was assigned to C++ design issues, and the focus on producing an extensible system that will resist becoming obsolete

Craniometric ratios of microcephaly and LB1, Homo floresiensis, using MRI and endocasts

Science.gov (United States)

Vannucci, Robert C.; Barron, Todd F.; Holloway, Ralph L.

2011-01-01

The designation of Homo floresiensis as a new species derived from an ancient population is controversial, because the type specimen, LB1, might represent a pathological microcephalic modern Homo sapiens. Accordingly, two specific craniometric ratios (relative frontal breadth and cerebellar protrusion) were ascertained in 21 microcephalic infants and children by using MRI. Data on 118 age-equivalent control (normocephalic) subjects were collected for comparative purposes. In addition, the same craniometric ratios were determined on the endocasts of 10 microcephalic individuals, 79 normal controls (anatomically modern humans), and 17 Homo erectus specimens. These ratios were then compared with those of two LB1 endocasts. The findings showed that the calculated cerebral/cerebellar ratios of the LB1 endocast [Falk D, et al. (2007) Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 104:2513–2518] fall outside the range of living normocephalic individuals. The ratios derived from two LB1 endocasts also fall largely outside the range of modern normal human and H. erectus endocasts and within the range of microcephalic endocasts. The findings support but do not prove the contention that LB1 represents a pathological microcephalic Homo sapiens rather than a new species, (i.e., H. floresiensis). PMID:21825126

Methane measurement by the Pioneer Venus large probe neutral mass spectrometer

Science.gov (United States)

Donahue, T. M.; Hodges, R. R., Jr.

1992-12-01

The Pioneer Venus Large Probe Mass Spectrometer detected a large quantity of methane as it descended below 20 km in the atmosphere of Venus. Terrestrial methane and Xe-136, both originating in the same container and flowing through the same plumbing, were deliberately released inside the mass spectrometer for instrumental reasons. However, the Xe-136 did not exhibit behavior similar to methane during Venus entry, nor did CH4 in laboratory simulations. The CH4 was deuterium poor compared to Venus water and hydrogen. While the inlet to the mass spectrometer was clogged with sulfuric acid droplets, significant deuteration of CH4 and its H2 progeny was observed. Since the only source of deuterium identifiable was water from sulfuric acid, we have concluded that we should correct the HDO/H2O ratio in Venus water from 3.2 x 10-2 to (5 plus or minus 0.7) x 10-2. When the probe was in the lower atmosphere, transfer of deuterium from Venus HDO and HD to CH4 can account quantitatively for the deficiencies recorded in HDO and HD below 10 km, and consequently, the mysterious gradients in water vapor and hydrogen mixing ratios we have reported. The revision in the D/H ratio reduces the mixing ratio of water vapor (and H2) reported previously by a factor of 3.2/5. We are not yet able to say whether the methane detected was atmospheric or an instrumental artifact. If it was atmospheric, its release must have been episodic and highly localized. Otherwise, the large D/H ratio in Venus water and hydrogen could not be maintained.

Analysis of fission ratio distribution in spherical lithium metal assembly with a graphite reflector

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Seki, Yasushi; Maekawa, Hiroshi; Hiraoka, Toru; Hirota, Jitsuya; Moriyama, Masatoshi.

1975-08-01

For the investigation of neutronics in the fusion reactor blanket, a spherical lithium assembly with a graphite reflector was prepared by piling up lithium and graphite blocks. The ratio of U-238 to U-235 fission rates was measured by micro fission chambers, and the result of the measurement was compared with that of the preliminary calculation. It has been shown that there is a large discrepancy between experiment and calculation, which is too large to be explained only by the experimental error. In this paper, the calculational procedure is reviewed and probable causes of the calculational error are listed. Further calculation of the fission ratio is carried out employing refined methods and with varied calculational models. As the result, it is concluded that the cause of the discrepancy is most likely the uncertainties of the nuclear data of the constituent elements of the assembly. (auth.)

Observable tensor-to-scalar ratio and secondary gravitational wave background

Science.gov (United States)

Chatterjee, Arindam; Mazumdar, Anupam

2018-03-01

In this paper we will highlight how a simple vacuum energy dominated inflection-point inflation can match the current data from cosmic microwave background radiation, and predict large primordial tensor to scalar ratio, r ˜O (10-3-10-2), with observable second order gravitational wave background, which can be potentially detectable from future experiments, such as DECi-hertz Interferometer Gravitational wave Observatory (DECIGO), Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (eLISA), cosmic explorer (CE), and big bang observatory (BBO).

Using Imagers for Scaling Ecological Observations

OpenAIRE

Graham, Eric; Hicks, John; Riordan, Erin; Wang, Eric; Yuen, Eric

2009-01-01

Stationary and mobile ground-based cameras can be used to scale ecological observations, relating pixel information in images to in situ measurements. Currently there are four CENS projects that involve using cameras for scaling ecological observations: 1. Scaling from one individual to the landscape. Pan-Tilt-Zoom cameras can be zoomed in on a tight focus on individual plants and parts of individuals and then zoomed out to get a landscape view, composed of the same and similar species. 2...

A Model Suggestion to Predict Leverage Ratio for Construction Projects

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Özlem Tüz

2013-12-01

Full Text Available Due to the nature, construction is an industry with high uncertainty and risk. Construction industry carries high leverage ratios. Firms with low equities work in big projects through progress payment system, but in this case, even a small negative in the planned cash flows constitute a major risk for the company.The use of leverage, with a small investment to achieve profit targets large-scale, high-profit, but also brings a high risk with it. Investors may lose all or the portion of the money. In this study, monitoring and measuring of the leverage ratio because of the displacement in cash inflows of construction projects which uses high leverage and low cash to do business in the sector is targeted. Cash need because of drifting the cash inflows may be seen due to the model. Work should be done in the early stages of the project with little capital but in the later stages, rapidly growing capital need arises.The values obtained from the model may be used to supply the capital held in the right time by anticipating the risks because of the delay in cashflow of construction projects which uses high leverage ratio.

Parametric spectro-temporal analyzer (PASTA) for ultrafast optical performance monitoring

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Chi; Wong, Kenneth K. Y.

2013-12-01

Ultrafast optical spectrum monitoring is one of the most challenging tasks in observing ultrafast phenomena, such as the spectroscopy, dynamic observation of the laser cavity, and spectral encoded imaging systems. However, conventional method such as optical spectrum analyzer (OSA) spatially disperses the spectrum, but the space-to-time mapping is realized by mechanical rotation of a grating, so are incapable of operating at high speed. Besides the spatial dispersion, temporal dispersion provided by dispersive fiber can also stretches the spectrum in time domain in an ultrafast manner, but is primarily confined in measuring short pulses. In view of these constraints, here we present a real-time spectrum analyzer called parametric spectro-temporal analyzer (PASTA), which is based on the time-lens focusing mechanism. It achieves a 100-MHz frame rate and can measure arbitrary waveforms. For the first time, we observe the dynamic spectrum of an ultrafast swept-source: Fourier domain mode-locked (FDML) laser, and the spectrum evolution of a laser cavity during its stabilizing process. In addition to the basic single-lens structure, the multi-lens configurations (e.g. telescope or wide-angle scope) will provide a versatile operating condition, which can zoom in to achieve 0.05-nm resolution and zoom out to achieve 10-nm observation range, namely 17 times zoom in/out ratio. In view of the goal of achieving spectrum analysis with fine accuracy, PASTA provides a promising path to study the real-time spectrum of some dynamic phenomena and non-repetitive events, with orders of magnitude enhancement in the frame rate over conventional OSAs.

Systematic design of 3D auxetic lattice materials with programmable Poisson's ratio for finite strains

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Fengwen

2018-05-01

This paper presents a systematic approach for designing 3D auxetic lattice materials, which exhibit constant negative Poisson's ratios over large strain intervals. A unit cell model mimicking tensile tests is established and based on the proposed model, the secant Poisson's ratio is defined as the negative ratio between the lateral and the longitudinal engineering strains. The optimization problem for designing a material unit cell with a target Poisson's ratio is formulated to minimize the average lateral engineering stresses under the prescribed deformations. Numerical results demonstrate that 3D auxetic lattice materials with constant Poisson's ratios can be achieved by the proposed optimization formulation and that two sets of material architectures are obtained by imposing different symmetry on the unit cell. Moreover, inspired by the topology-optimized material architecture, a subsequent shape optimization is proposed by parametrizing material architectures using super-ellipsoids. By designing two geometrical parameters, simple optimized material microstructures with different target Poisson's ratios are obtained. By interpolating these two parameters as polynomial functions of Poisson's ratios, material architectures for any Poisson's ratio in the interval of ν ∈ [ - 0.78 , 0.00 ] are explicitly presented. Numerical evaluations show that interpolated auxetic lattice materials exhibit constant Poisson's ratios in the target strain interval of [0.00, 0.20] and that 3D auxetic lattice material architectures with programmable Poisson's ratio are achievable.

Carbon nanotube feedback-gate field-effect transistor: suppressing current leakage and increasing on/off ratio.

Science.gov (United States)

Qiu, Chenguang; Zhang, Zhiyong; Zhong, Donglai; Si, Jia; Yang, Yingjun; Peng, Lian-Mao

2015-01-27

Field-effect transistors (FETs) based on moderate or large diameter carbon nanotubes (CNTs) usually suffer from ambipolar behavior, large off-state current and small current on/off ratio, which are highly undesirable for digital electronics. To overcome these problems, a feedback-gate (FBG) FET structure is designed and tested. This FBG FET differs from normal top-gate FET by an extra feedback-gate, which is connected directly to the drain electrode of the FET. It is demonstrated that a FBG FET based on a semiconducting CNT with a diameter of 1.5 nm may exhibit low off-state current of about 1 × 10(-13) A, high current on/off ratio of larger than 1 × 10(8), negligible drain-induced off-state leakage current, and good subthreshold swing of 75 mV/DEC even at large source-drain bias and room temperature. The FBG structure is promising for CNT FETs to meet the standard for low-static-power logic electronics applications, and could also be utilized for building FETs using other small band gap semiconductors to suppress leakage current.

Volatile organic compound mixing ratios above Beijing in November and December 2016

Science.gov (United States)

Acton, William; Shaw, Marvin; Huang, Zhonghui; Wang, Zhaoyi; Wang, Xinming; Zhang, Yanli; Davison, Brian; Langford, Ben; Mullinger, Neil; Nemitz, Eiko; Fu, Pingqing; Squires, Freya; Carpenter, Lucy; Lewis, Alastair; Hewitt, Nick

2017-04-01

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are emitted into the atmosphere from vegetation and anthropogenic sources such as fossil fuel combustion, biomass burning and the evaporation of petroleum products. These compounds play an important role in the chemistry of the lower atmosphere through secondary organic aerosol (SOA) formation and facilitating the formation of tropospheric ozone. As well as their indirect impact on human health via the formation of ozone and SOA, some VOCs, including benzene, directly affect human health adversely. Here we report VOC mixing ratios measured in Beijing during a 5 week intensive field campaign from the 7th November to the 10th December 2016. This work was carried out as part of the Sources and Emissions of Air Pollutants in Beijing (AIRPOLL-Beijing) work project within the Air Pollution and Human Health in a Developing Megacity (APHH-Beijing) research programme. APHH is a large multi-institutional study which aims to record the concentrations and identify the sources of urban air pollutants in Beijing, determine exposure, understand their effects on human health, and to identify solutions. VOC mixing ratios were recorded using a Proton Transfer Reaction-Time of Flight-Mass Spectrometer (PTR-ToF-MS, Ionicon Analytik) and a Selected Ion Flow Tube-Mass Spectrometer (SIFT-MS, SYFT Technologies). During the measurement period Beijing was subject to multiple pollution events that alternated with periods of relatively good air quality, allowing the VOCs within the polluted air masses to be identified and quantified. VOCs were sampled at 102 m with additional gradient measurements made at 3, 15, 32 and 64 m providing a vertical profile of VOC mixing ratios. Mixing ratios of methanol, acetonitrile, acetaldehyde, acetone, isoprene and aromatics species will be reported together with a discussion of potential sources. Comparisons will then be drawn with other large cities.

The Study on Grinding Ratio in Form Grinding with White Fused Alumina (WA) Grinding Wheels

Science.gov (United States)

Junming, Wang; Jiong, Wang; Deyuan, Lou

2018-03-01

The study is carried out based on an experiment of form grinding spur rack with white fused alumina (WA) grinding wheels. In the experiment, SOV-3020A type tri-axial image mapper is utilized to measure the profile of the tooth space in the rack, and the curve equations between the sectional area of the tooth space and the tooth sequence under different grinding depths are established by nonlinear curve regress using software of origin8.0. Then, it deduces the prediction equations for current grinding ratio and cumulative grinding ratio under different grinding depths. The result shows that the grinding ratio is exponential decline relationship with the increase of the number of the tooth to be ground under the same grinding depth, and the decline speed is fast in the initial stage. With the increase of grinding depth, the grinding ratio increases gradually. The cumulative grinding ratio is about twice as high as the current grinding ratio. Thus, large grinding depth is generally used in rough grinding to improve grinding efficiency.

Dependence of transformer ratio on the shaper weighting function in transformer-coupled low noise preamplifiers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ripamonti, G.

1987-10-01

The optimum turn-ratio of transformers used for coupling large capacitance detectors to amplifiers is demonstrated to be dependent on the actual weighting function of the following shaper. As an example, the optimum finite cusp shaping with a flat top is considered. For this case, the optimum turn-ratio is found to be dependent on the flat top duration. As finite magnetizing inductance in real transformers produces diverging noise with unipolar shaping, flat-top tripolar zero-area shapers are also considered.

INFLUENCE OF SCALE RATIO, ASPECT RATIO, AND PLANFORM ON THE PERFORMANCE OF SUPERCAVITATING HYDROFOILS.

Science.gov (United States)

performance of supercavitating hydrofoils. No appreciable scale effect was found for scale ratios up to 3 in the fully-cavitating flow region. The...overall performance of the hydrofoil by increasing the aspect ratio above 3, and (2) moderate taper ratio seems to be advantageous in view of the overall performance of supercavitating hydrofoils. (Author)

Morphometric analysis of the diameter and g-ratio of the myelinated nerve fibers of the human sciatic nerve during the aging process.

Science.gov (United States)

Ugrenović, Sladjana; Jovanović, Ivan; Vasović, Ljiljana; Kundalić, Braca; Čukuranović, Rade; Stefanović, Vladisav

2016-06-01

Myelinated nerve fibers suffer from different degrees of atrophy with age. The success of subsequent regeneration varies. The aim of this research was to analyze myelinated fibers of the human sciatic nerve during the aging process. Morphometric analysis was performed on 17 cases with an age range from 9 to 93 years. The outer and inner diameter of 100 randomly selected nerve fibers was measured in each of the cases evaluated, and the g-ratio (axonal diameter/outer diameter of the whole nerve fiber) of each was calculated. Scatter plots of the diameters and g-ratios of the analyzed fibers were then analyzed. Nerve fibers of each case were classified into three groups according to the g-ratio values: group I (g-ratio lower than 0.6), group II (g-ratio from 0.6 to 0.7) and group III (g-ratio higher than 0.7). Afterwards, nerve fibers of group II were further classified into small and large subgroups. The percentages of each group of nerve fibers were computed for each case and these values were used for correlational and bivariate linear regression analysis. The percentage of myelinated nerve fibers with large diameter and optimal g-ratio of the sciatic nerve declines significantly with age. This is accompanied by a simultaneous significant increase in the percentage of small myelinated fibers with g-ratio values close to 1 that occupy the upper left quadrant of the scatter plot. It can be concluded that aging of the sciatic nerve is associated with significant atrophy of large myelinated fibers. Additionally, a significant increase in regenerated nerve fibers with thinner myelin sheath is observed with age, which, together with the large myelinated fiber atrophy, might be the cause of the age-related decline in conduction velocity. A better understanding of the changes in aging peripheral nerves might improve interpretation of their pathological changes, as well as comprehension of their regeneration in individuals of different age.

Ratio-Based Gradual Aggregation of Data

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Iftikhar, Nadeem

2012-01-01

cause data management and data storage issues. However, non-flexible and ineffective means of data aggregation not only reduce performance of database queries but also lead to erroneous reporting. This paper presents flexible and effective ratio-based methods for gradual data aggregation in databases....... Gradual data aggregation is a process that reduces data volume by converting the detailed data into multiple levels of summarized data as the data gets older. This paper also describes implementation strategies of the proposed methods based on standard database technology.......Majority of databases contain large amounts of data, gathered over long intervals of time. In most cases, the data is aggregated so that it can be used for analysis and reporting purposes. The other reason of data aggregation is to reduce data volume in order to avoid over-sized databases that may...

Investigations into the Impact of the Equivalence Ratio on Turbulent Premixed Combustion Using Particle Image Velocimetry and Large Eddy Simulation Techniques: “V” and “M” Flame Configurations in a Swirl Combustor

KAUST Repository

Kewlani, Gaurav

2016-03-24

Turbulent premixed combustion is studied using experiments and numerical simulations in an acoustically uncoupled cylindrical sudden-expansion swirl combustor, and the impact of the equivalence ratio on the flame–flow characteristics is analyzed. In order to numerically capture the inherent unsteadiness exhibited in the flow, the large eddy simulation (LES) technique based on the artificial flame thickening combustion model is employed. The experimental data are obtained using particle image velocimetry. It is observed that changes in heat loading, in the presence of wall confinement, significantly influence the flow field in the wake region, the stabilization location of the flame, and the flame intensity. Specifically, increasing the equivalence ratio drastically reduces the average inner recirculation zone size and causes transition of the flame macrostructure from the “V” configuration to the “M” configuration. In other words, while the flame stabilizes along the inner shear layer for the V flame, a persistent diffuse reaction zone is also manifested along the outer shear layer for the M flame. The average chemiluminescence intensity increases in the case of the M flame macrostructure, while the axial span of the reaction zone within the combustion chamber decreases. The predictions of the numerical approach resemble the experimental observations, suggesting that the LES framework can be an effective tool for examining the effect of heat loading on flame–flow interactions and the mechanism of transition of the flame macrostructure with a corresponding change in the equivalence ratio.

Power deposition for ion cyclotron heating in large tokamaks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hellsten, T.; Villard, L.

1988-01-01

The power deposition profiles during minority ion cyclotron heating are analysed in large tokamaks by using the global, toroidal wave code LION. For tokamaks with large aspect ratio and with circular cross-section, the wave is focused on the magnetic axis and can be absorbed there by cyclotron absorption when the cyclotron resonance passes through the magnetic axis. The power deposition profile is then essentially determined by the Doppler broadening of the ion cyclotron resonance. For equilibria either non-circular or with a small aspect ratio the power deposition profile depends also on the strength of the damping. In this case the power deposition profile can be expressed as a sum of two power deposition profiles. One is related to the power absorbed in a single pass, and its shape is similar to that obtained for large aspect ratio and circular cross-section. The other profile is obtained by calculating the power deposition in the limit of weak damping, in which case the wave electric field is almost constant along the cyclotron resonance layer. A heuristic formula for the power deposition is given. The formula includes a number of calibration curves and functions which has been calculated with the LION code for JET relevant equilibria. The formula enables calculation of the power deposition profile in a simple way when the launched wave spectrum and damping coefficients are known. (author). 7 refs, 11 figs

Inorganic Nitrogen Deposition and Its Impacts on N:P-Ratios and Lake Productivity

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Dag O. Hessen

2013-03-01

Full Text Available The pronounced increase in the cycling and deposition of biologically reactive dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN over large areas globally not only cause increased concentrations of DIN in surface waters, but it will also affect nutrient ratios in rivers, lakes and coastal areas. This review addresses the flux and fate of DIN, focusing NO3 in lakes of boreal and alpine catchments. Not only DIN-deposition, but also catchment properties strongly affect the concentrations of NO3 in lakes, as well as NO3:total P (TP ratios. This ratio displays an extreme variability, and does also serve as an indicator of shift between N and P-limitation of aquatic autotrophs. A high share of forests and bogs in the catchment generally decreases NO3:total P ratios, while alpine and subalpine catchments with sparse vegetation cover may have high NO3:total P ratios, especially in regions with high DIN-deposition. Several empirical and experimental studies indicate a shift from an initial N to P-limitation, but for N-limited lakes, an increased growth of phytoplankton, periphytes and macrophytes may be accredited to elevated inputs of DIN. An intensified P-limitation may also be a consequence of elevated DIN-deposition. This P-limitation may again yield higher C:P-ratios in autotrophs with negative impacts on grazers and higher trophic levels.

Word Class Ratios and Genres in Written Japanese: Revisiting the Modifier Verb Ratio

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Bor HODOŠČEK

2011-10-01

Full Text Available This paper explores the variability of genres in the Balanced Corpus of Contemporary Written Japanese using the modifier-verb ratio proposed by Kabashima and Jukaku (1965. Using bagplots to quantifying the relation between noun and modifier-verb ratios, as well as some summary statistics obtain from them, we attempt to classify genres according to Kabashima and Jugaku (1965. Our initial analysis confirms previous research results, while at the same time uncovering some contradictions in the ratios of the genre of magazines.

Dynamic response of low aspect ratio piezoelectric microcantilevers actuated in different liquid environments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vázquez, J; Rivera, M A; Hernando, J; Sánchez-Rojas, J L

2009-01-01

The response of commercial piezoelectric AFM probes for potential applications in the field of chemical or biological sensors operating in liquids is investigated using laser Doppler vibrometry. The present work investigates the roles played in the frequency response by the density and the viscosity of different water–glycerol mixtures, in a frequency range of up to 1 MHz in air. Since the width of the tested probes is relatively large (and hence the aspect ratio remains small), inertial loading effects dominate viscous effects, unlike in cantilevers characterized by larger aspect ratios. Measurements are compared with results provided by a simplified computer model of a probe immersed in an inviscid surrounding fluid

Patterns and Environmental Determinants of Medicinal Plant : Vascular Plant Ratios in Xinjiang, Northwest China

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Bengang; Xiao, Peigen; Qi, Yaodong; Zhang, Zhao; Liu, Haitao; Li, Xiaojin; Wang, Guoping; Terwei, André

2016-01-01

With both a full collection of native vascular plant distributions and a full checklist of source plants of the Chinese Materia Medica (CMM), the Uygur Medicine (UM), and the Kazak Medicine (KM) for the Xinjiang region, we defined medicinal plant: vascular plant ratios (simplified as medicinal plant ratios hereafter) as the value of medicinal plant richness divided by vascular plant richness. We aimed to find whether the ratios are constant or change in different environments, which environmental variables determine medicinal plant ratios, and whether the ratios are more influenced by human or by natural environments. Finally, suggestions for medicinal plant conservation were addressed. We found that (1) medicinal plant ratios were not constant, and they were high in the Tarim Basin which was largely covered by desert, while they were relatively low in mountainous areas, especially in the Tianshan Mountains where the general species richness was high; (2) medicinal plant ratios were not significantly influenced by human activities, indicated by human population density distributions, but they were highly correlated with plant species richness and climate, i.e. ratios decreased with plant species richness and MAP, and were related quadratically with MAT; (3) CMM ratio and UM ratio were more influenced by plant richness than by climate, while KM ratio was more influenced by climate. We concluded that the percentages of plants used as medicines were not influenced by distances from human settlements, but were determined by species richness or climate. We suggest that (1), in general, the medicinal plant ratio could be a complementary indicator for medicinal plant conservation planning and (2), for the region of Xinjiang, not only high diversity areas, but also some extreme environments should be considered as compensation for a better protection of medicinal plants. PMID:27391239

Patterns and Environmental Determinants of Medicinal Plant : Vascular Plant Ratios in Xinjiang, Northwest China.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Liping Li

Full Text Available With both a full collection of native vascular plant distributions and a full checklist of source plants of the Chinese Materia Medica (CMM, the Uygur Medicine (UM, and the Kazak Medicine (KM for the Xinjiang region, we defined medicinal plant: vascular plant ratios (simplified as medicinal plant ratios hereafter as the value of medicinal plant richness divided by vascular plant richness. We aimed to find whether the ratios are constant or change in different environments, which environmental variables determine medicinal plant ratios, and whether the ratios are more influenced by human or by natural environments. Finally, suggestions for medicinal plant conservation were addressed. We found that (1 medicinal plant ratios were not constant, and they were high in the Tarim Basin which was largely covered by desert, while they were relatively low in mountainous areas, especially in the Tianshan Mountains where the general species richness was high; (2 medicinal plant ratios were not significantly influenced by human activities, indicated by human population density distributions, but they were highly correlated with plant species richness and climate, i.e. ratios decreased with plant species richness and MAP, and were related quadratically with MAT; (3 CMM ratio and UM ratio were more influenced by plant richness than by climate, while KM ratio was more influenced by climate. We concluded that the percentages of plants used as medicines were not influenced by distances from human settlements, but were determined by species richness or climate. We suggest that (1, in general, the medicinal plant ratio could be a complementary indicator for medicinal plant conservation planning and (2, for the region of Xinjiang, not only high diversity areas, but also some extreme environments should be considered as compensation for a better protection of medicinal plants.

Patterns and Environmental Determinants of Medicinal Plant : Vascular Plant Ratios in Xinjiang, Northwest China.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Liping; Zhang, Bengang; Xiao, Peigen; Qi, Yaodong; Zhang, Zhao; Liu, Haitao; Li, Xiaojin; Wang, Guoping; Terwei, André

2016-01-01

With both a full collection of native vascular plant distributions and a full checklist of source plants of the Chinese Materia Medica (CMM), the Uygur Medicine (UM), and the Kazak Medicine (KM) for the Xinjiang region, we defined medicinal plant: vascular plant ratios (simplified as medicinal plant ratios hereafter) as the value of medicinal plant richness divided by vascular plant richness. We aimed to find whether the ratios are constant or change in different environments, which environmental variables determine medicinal plant ratios, and whether the ratios are more influenced by human or by natural environments. Finally, suggestions for medicinal plant conservation were addressed. We found that (1) medicinal plant ratios were not constant, and they were high in the Tarim Basin which was largely covered by desert, while they were relatively low in mountainous areas, especially in the Tianshan Mountains where the general species richness was high; (2) medicinal plant ratios were not significantly influenced by human activities, indicated by human population density distributions, but they were highly correlated with plant species richness and climate, i.e. ratios decreased with plant species richness and MAP, and were related quadratically with MAT; (3) CMM ratio and UM ratio were more influenced by plant richness than by climate, while KM ratio was more influenced by climate. We concluded that the percentages of plants used as medicines were not influenced by distances from human settlements, but were determined by species richness or climate. We suggest that (1), in general, the medicinal plant ratio could be a complementary indicator for medicinal plant conservation planning and (2), for the region of Xinjiang, not only high diversity areas, but also some extreme environments should be considered as compensation for a better protection of medicinal plants.

OGLE-2017-BLG-1434Lb: Eighth qTurnover in Planet Mass-Ratio Function

Science.gov (United States)

Udalski, A.; Ryu, Y.-H.; Sajadian, S.; Gould, A.; Mrǎłz, P.; Poleski, R.; Szymański, M. K.; Skowron, J.; Soszyński, I.; Kozłowski, S.; Pietrukowicz, P.; Ulaczyk, K.; Pawlak, M.; Rybicki, K.; Iwanek, P.; Albrow, M. D.; Chung, S.-J.; Han, C.; Hwang, K.-H.; Jung, Y., K.; Shin, I.-G.; Shvartzvald, Y.; Yee, J. C.; Zang, W.; Zhu, W.; Cha, S.-M.; Kim, D.-J.; Kim, H.-W.; Kim, S.-L.; Lee, C.-U.; Lee, D.-J.; Lee, Y.; Park, B.-G.; Pogge, R. W.; Bozza, V.; Dominik, M.; Helling, C.; Hundertmark, M.; Jørgensen, U. G.; Longa-Peña, P.; Lowry, S.; Burgdorf, M.; Campbell-White, J.; Ciceri, S.; Evans, D.; Figuera Jaimes, R.; Fujii, Y. I.; Haikala, L. K.; Henning, T.; Hinse, T. C.; Mancini, L.; Peixinho, N.; Rahvar, S.; Rabus, M.; Skottfelt, J.; Snodgrass, C.; Southworth, J.; von Essen, C.

2018-03-01

We report the discovery of a cold Super-Earth planet (mp=4.4±0.5 M⊙) orbiting a low-mass (M=0.23±0.03) M⊙ dwarf at projected separation a⊥=1.18±0.10 a.u., i.e., about 1.9 times the distance the snow line. The system is quite nearby for a microlensing planet, DL=0.86±0.09 kpc. Indeed, it was the large lens-source relative parallax πrel=1.0 mas (combined with the low mass M) that gave rise to the large, and thus well-measured, "microlens parallax" πE∝(πrel/M)1/2 that enabled these precise measurements. OGLE-2017-BLG-1434Lb is the eighth microlensing planet with planet-host mass ratio qturnover" in the mass function found by Suzuki et al. relative to the power law of opposite sign n=-0.93±0.13 at higher mass ratios q≳2×10-4. We combine our result with that of Suzuki et al. to obtain p=0.73+0.42-0.34.

Relativistic effects on large amplitude nonlinear Langmuir waves in a two-fluid plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nejoh, Yasunori

1994-07-01

Large amplitude relativistic nonlinear Langmuir waves are analyzed by the pseudo-potential method. The existence conditions for nonlinear Langmuir waves are confirmed by considering relativistic high-speed electrons in a two-fluid plasma. The significant feature of this investigation is that the propagation of nonlinear Langmuir waves depends on the ratio of the electron streaming velocity to the velocity of light, the normalized potential and the ion mass to electron mass ratio. The constant energy is determined by the specific range of the relativistic effect. In the non-relativistic limit, large amplitude relativistic Langmuir waves do not exist. The present investigation predicts new findings of large amplitude nonlinear Langmuir waves in space plasma phenomena in which relativistic electrons are important. (author)

Identifying Malignant Pleural Effusion by A Cancer Ratio (Serum LDH: Pleural Fluid ADA Ratio).

Science.gov (United States)

Verma, Akash; Abisheganaden, John; Light, R W

2016-02-01

We studied the diagnostic potential of serum lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) in malignant pleural effusion. Retrospective analysis of patients hospitalized with exudative pleural effusion in 2013. Serum LDH and serum LDH: pleural fluid ADA ratio was significantly higher in cancer patients presenting with exudative pleural effusion. In multivariate logistic regression analysis, pleural fluid ADA was negatively correlated 0.62 (0.45-0.85, p = 0.003) with malignancy, whereas serum LDH 1.02 (1.0-1.03, p = 0.004) and serum LDH: pleural fluid ADA ratio 0.94 (0.99-1.0, p = 0.04) was correlated positively with malignant pleural effusion. For serum LDH: pleural fluid ADA ratio, a cut-off level of >20 showed sensitivity, specificity of 0.98 (95 % CI 0.92-0.99) and 0.94 (95 % CI 0.83-0.98), respectively. The positive likelihood ratio was 32.6 (95 % CI 10.7-99.6), while the negative likelihood ratio at this cut-off was 0.03 (95 % CI 0.01-0.15). Higher serum LDH and serum LDH: pleural fluid ADA ratio in patients presenting with exudative pleural effusion can distinguish between malignant and non-malignant effusion on the first day of hospitalization. The cut-off level for serum LDH: pleural fluid ADA ratio of >20 is highly predictive of malignancy in patients with exudative pleural effusion (whether lymphocytic or neutrophilic) with high sensitivity and specificity.

The isotope systematics of a juvenile intraplate volcano: Pb, Nd, and Srisotope ratios of basalts from Loihi Seamount, Hawaii

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Staudigel, H.; Zindler, A.; Leslie, T.

1984-01-01

Sr, Nd, and Pb isotope ratios for a representative suite of 15 basanites, alkali basalts, transitional basalts and tholeiites from Loihi Seamount, Hawaii, display unusually large variations for a single volcano, but lie within known ranges for Hawaiian basalts. Nd isotope ratios in alkali basalts show the largest relative variation (0.51291 - 0.51305), and include the nearly constant tholeiite value (approx.= 0.51297). Pb isotope ratios show similarly large ranges for tholeiites and alkali basalts and continue Tatsumoto's [31] 'Loa' trend towards higher 206 Pb/ 204 Pb, ratios, resulting in a substantial overlap with the 'Kea' trend. 206 Pb/ 204 Pb ratios for Loihi and other volcanoes along the Loa and Kea trends [31] are observed to correlate with the age of the underlying lithosphere suggesting lithosphere involvement in the formation of Hawaiian tholeiites. Loihi lavas display no correlation of Nd, Sr, or Pb isotope ratios with major element compositions or eruptive age, in contrast with observations of some other Hawaiian volcanoes. Isotope data for Loihi, as well as average values for Hawaiian volcanoes, are not adequately explained by previously proposed two-end-member models; new models for the origin and the development of Hawaiian volcanoes must include mixing of at least three geochemically distinct source regions and allow for the involvement of heterogeneous oceanic lithosphere. (orig.)

Stability of low aspect ratio inverted flags and rods in a uniform flow

Science.gov (United States)

Huertas-Cerdeira, Cecilia; Sader, John E.; Gharib, Morteza

2016-11-01

Cantilevered elastic plates and rods in an inverted configuration, where the leading edge is free to move and the trailing edge is clamped, undergo complex dynamics when subjected to a uniform flow. The stability of low aspect ratio inverted plates and rods is theoretically examined, showing that it is markedly different from that of their large aspect ratio counterpart. In the limit of zero aspect ratio, the undeflected equilibrium position is found to be stable for all wind speeds. A saddle-node bifurcation emerges at finite wind speed, giving rise to a strongly deflected stable and a weakly deflected unstable equilibria. This theory is compared to experimental measurements, where good agreement is found. This research was supported by a Grant of the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, the Australian Research Council Grants scheme and a "la Caixa" Fellowship Grant for Post-Graduate Studies of "la Caixa" Banking Foundation.

CSF/serum albumin ratio in dementias: a cross-sectional study on 1861 patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Skillbäck, Tobias; Delsing, Louise; Synnergren, Jane; Mattsson, Niklas; Janelidze, Shorena; Nägga, Katarina; Kilander, Lena; Hicks, Ryan; Wimo, Anders; Winblad, Bengt; Hansson, Oskar; Blennow, Kaj; Eriksdotter, Maria; Zetterberg, Henrik

2017-11-01

A connection between dementias and blood-brain barrier (BBB) dysfunction has been suggested, but previous studies have yielded conflicting results. We examined cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)/serum albumin ratio in a large cohort of patients diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease (AD, early onset [EAD, n = 130], late onset AD [LAD, n = 666]), vascular dementia (VaD, n = 255), mixed AD and VaD (MIX, n = 362), Lewy body dementia (DLB, n = 50), frontotemporal dementia (FTD, n = 56), Parkinson's disease dementia (PDD, n = 23), other dementias (other, n = 48), and dementia not otherwise specified (NOS, n = 271). We compared CSF/serum albumin ratio to 2 healthy control groups (n = 292, n = 20), between dementia diagnoses, and tested biomarker associations. Patients in DLB, LAD, VaD, MIX, other, and NOS groups had higher CSF/serum albumin ratio than controls. CSF/serum albumin ratio correlated with CSF neurofilament light in LAD, MIX, VaD, and other groups but not with AD biomarkers. Our data show that BBB leakage is common in dementias. The lack of association between CSF/serum albumin ratio and AD biomarkers suggests that BBB dysfunction is not inherent to AD but might represent concomitant cerebrovascular pathology. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Benthic foraminiferal Mn / Ca ratios reflect microhabitat preferences

Science.gov (United States)

Koho, Karoliina A.; de Nooijer, Lennart J.; Fontanier, Christophe; Toyofuku, Takashi; Oguri, Kazumasa; Kitazato, Hiroshi; Reichart, Gert-Jan

2017-06-01

The Mn / Ca of calcium carbonate tests of living (rose-Bengal-stained) benthic foraminifera (Elphidium batialis, Uvigerina spp., Bolivina spissa, Nonionellina labradorica and Chilostomellina fimbriata) were determined in relation to pore water manganese (Mn) concentrations for the first time along a bottom water oxygen gradient across the continental slope along the NE Japan margin (western Pacific). The local bottom water oxygen (BWO) gradient differs from previous field study sites focusing on foraminiferal Mn / Ca and redox chemistry, therefore allowing further resolution of previously observed trends. The Mn / Ca ratios were analysed using laser ablation inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometer (ICP-MS), allowing single-chamber determination of Mn / Ca. The incorporation of Mn into the carbonate tests reflects environmental conditions and is not influenced by ontogeny. The inter-species variability in Mn / Ca reflected foraminiferal in-sediment habitat preferences and associated pore water chemistry but also showed large interspecific differences in Mn partitioning. At each station, Mn / Ca ratios were always lower in the shallow infaunal E. batialis, occupying relatively oxygenated sediments, compared to intermediate infaunal species, Uvigerina spp. and B. spissa, which were typically found at greater depth, under more reducing conditions. The highest Mn / Ca was always recorded by the deep infaunal species N. labradorica and C. fimbriata. Our results suggest that although partitioning differs, Mn / Ca ratios in the intermediate infaunal taxa are promising tools for palaeoceanographic reconstructions as their microhabitat exposes them to higher variability in pore water Mn, thereby making them relatively sensitive recorders of redox conditions and/or bottom water oxygenation.

Measurement of the nuclear multiplicity ratio for Ks0 hadronization at CLAS

Science.gov (United States)

Daniel, A.; Hicks, K.; Brooks, W. K.; Hakobyan, H.; Adhikari, K. P.; Adikaram, D.; Aghasyan, M.; Amarian, M.; Anghinolfi, M.; Avakian, H.; Baghdasaryan, H.; Battaglieri, M.; Batourine, V.; Bedlinskiy, I.; Bennett, R. P.; Biselli, A. S.; Bookwalter, C.; Briscoe, W. J.; Burkert, V. D.; Carman, D. S.; Casey, L.; Celentano, A.; Chandavar, S.; Cole, P. L.; Contalbrigo, M.; Crede, V.; D'Angelo, A.; Dashyan, N.; De Vita, R.; De Sanctis, E.; Deur, A.; Dey, B.; Dickson, R.; Djalali, C.; Dodge, G. E.; Doughty, D.; Egiyan, H.; El Fassi, L.; Elouadrhiri, L.; Eugenio, P.; Fedotov, G.; Fegan, S.; Gabrielyan, M. Y.; Gevorgyan, N.; Gilfoyle, G. P.; Giovanetti, K. L.; Girod, F. X.; Goetz, J. T.; Gohn, W.; Golovatch, E.; Gothe, R. W.; Griffioen, K. A.; Guidal, M.; Guo, L.; Hanretty, C.; Heddle, D.; Holtrop, M.; Hyde, C. E.; Ilieva, Y.; Ireland, D. G.; Ishkhanov, B. S.; Isupov, E. L.; Jawalkar, S. S.; Jo, H. S.; Joo, K.; Kalantarians, N.; Keller, D.; Khandaker, M.; Khetarpal, P.; Kim, A.; Kim, W.; Klein, A.; Klein, F. J.; Kubarovsky, V.; Kuleshov, S. V.; Kuznetsov, V.; Lu, H. Y.; MacGregor, I. J. D.; Mao, Y.; Markov, N.; Mayer, M.; McAndrew, J.; McKinnon, B.; Meyer, C. A.; Mineeva, T.; Mirazita, M.; Mokeev, V.; Moutarde, H.; Munevar, E.; Nadel-Turonski, P.; Ni, A.; Niccolai, S.; Niculescu, G.; Niculescu, I.; Osipenko, M.; Ostrovidov, A. I.; Paolone, M.; Pappalardo, L.; Paremuzyan, R.; Park, K.; Park, S.; Pasyuk, E.; Anefalos Pereira, S.; Phelps, E.; Pisano, S.; Pogorelko, O.; Pozdniakov, S.; Price, J. W.; Procureur, S.; Protopopescu, D.; Raue, B. A.; Ricco, G.; Rimal, D.; Ripani, M.; Rosner, G.; Rossi, P.; Sabatié, F.; Saini, M. S.; Salgado, C.; Schott, D.; Schumacher, R. A.; Seraydaryan, H.; Sharabian, Y. G.; Smith, G. D.; Sober, D. I.; Sokhan, D.; Stepanyan, S. S.; Stepanyan, S.; Strauch, S.; Taiuti, M.; Tang, W.; Taylor, C. E.; Tkachenko, S.; Ungaro, M.; Vernarsky, B.; Vineyard, M. F.; Voskanyan, H.; Voutier, E.; Watts, D. P.; Weinstein, L. B.; Weygand, D. P.; Wood, M. H.; Zana, L.; Zachariou, N.; Zhao, B.; Zhao, Z. W.

2011-11-01

The influence of cold nuclear matter on lepto-production of hadrons in semi-inclusive deep inelastic scattering is measured using the CLAS detector in Hall B at Jefferson Lab and a 5.014 GeV electron beam. We report the Ks0 multiplicity ratios for targets of C, Fe, and Pb relative to deuterium as a function of the fractional virtual photon energy z transferred to the Ks0 and the transverse momentum squared pT2 of the Ks0. We find that the multiplicity ratios for Ks0 are reduced in the nuclear medium at high z and low pT2, with a trend for the Ks0 transverse momentum to be broadened in the nucleus for large pT2.

EXPLORING OPTIMAL FEED TO MICROBES RATIO FOR ANAEROBIC ACIDOGENIC FERMENTATION OF CASSAVA RESIDUE FROM BREWERY

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xinying Wang,

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Cassava residue from breweries is being generated in large amounts in Guangxi Province of China, and this has potential to cause serious environmental problems if disposed of improperly. Two-stage anaerobic fermentation is a promising method for the treatment of such residue. In this study, the effect of feed to microbes ratio (F/M ratio on the anaerobic acidogenic fermentation of cassava residue was studied to determine the optimal F/M ratio and to maximize the performance in a subsequent methanogenic stage. The experiments were carried out at the F/M ratios of 0.2, 0.61, 1.02, 2.05, 3.07, and 4.09 g cassava-TS/g sludge-VSS in six laboratory-scale, completely stirred, tank reactors (CSTR at mesophilic temperature (35°C. An F/M ratio of 1.02 g cassava-TS/g sludge-VSS resulted in the highest solid removal efficiency and VFA/COD ratio, while starch removal efficiency was still near 100 percent, and acidification was relatively high. As a further benefit, the VFA distribution was more suitable for the subsequent methanogenic fermentation stage.

A Model Suggestion to Predict Leverage Ratio for Construction Projects

OpenAIRE

Özlem Tüz; Şafak Ebesek

2013-01-01

Due to the nature, construction is an industry with high uncertainty and risk. Construction industry carries high leverage ratios. Firms with low equities work in big projects through progress payment system, but in this case, even a small negative in the planned cash flows constitute a major risk for the company.The use of leverage, with a small investment to achieve profit targets large-scale, high-profit, but also brings a high risk with it. Investors may lose all or the portion of th...

Temperature and air-fuel ratio dependent specific heat ratio functions for lean burned and unburned mixture

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ceviz, M.A.; Kaymaz, I.

2005-01-01

The most important thermodynamic property used in heat release calculations for engines is the specific heat ratio. The functions proposed in the literature for the specific heat ratio are temperature dependent and apply at or near stoichiometric air-fuel ratios. However, the specific heat ratio is also influenced by the gas composition in the engine cylinder and especially becomes important for lean combustion engines. In this study, temperature and air-fuel ratio dependent specific heat ratio functions were derived to minimize the error by using an equilibrium combustion model for burned and unburned mixtures separately. After the error analysis between the equilibrium combustion model and the derived functions is presented, the results of the global specific heat ratio function, as varying with mass fraction burned, were compared with the proposed functions in the literature. The results of the study showed that the derived functions are more feasible at lean operating conditions of a spark ignition engine

Uniform irradiation of adjustable target spots in high-power laser driver

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jiang Xiujuan; Li Jinghui; Li Huagang; Li Yang; Lin Zunqi

2011-01-01

For smoothing and shaping the on-target laser patterns flexibly in high-power laser drivers, a scheme has been developed that includes a zoom lens array and two-dimensional smoothing by spectral dispersion (SSD). The size of the target pattern can be controlled handily by adjusting the focal length of the zoom lens array, while the profile of the pattern can be shaped by fine tuning the distance between the target and the focal plane of the principal focusing lens. High-frequency stripes inside the pattern caused by beamlet interference are wiped off by spectral dispersion. Detailed simulations indicate that SSD works somewhat differently for spots of different sizes. For small spots, SSD mainly smooths the intensity modulation of low-to-middle spatial frequency, while for large spots, SSD sweeps the fine speckle structure to reduce nonuniformity of middle-to-high frequency. Spatial spectra of the target patterns are given and their uniformity is evaluated.

Large energy absorption in Ni-Mn-Ga/polymer composites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Feuchtwanger, Jorge; Richard, Marc L.; Tang, Yun J.; Berkowitz, Ami E.; O'Handley, Robert C.; Allen, Samuel M.

2005-01-01

Ferromagnetic shape memory alloys can respond to a magnetic field or applied stress by the motion of twin boundaries and hence they show large hysteresis or energy loss. Ni-Mn-Ga particles made by spark erosion have been dispersed and oriented in a polymer matrix to form pseudo 3:1 composites which are studied under applied stress. Loss ratios have been determined from the stress-strain data. The loss ratios of the composites range from 63% to 67% compared to only about 17% for the pure, unfilled polymer samples

Large negative differential resistance in graphene nanoribbon superlattices

Science.gov (United States)

Tseng, P.; Chen, C. H.; Hsu, S. A.; Hsueh, W. J.

2018-05-01

A graphene nanoribbon superlattice with a large negative differential resistance (NDR) is proposed. Our results show that the peak-to-valley ratio (PVR) of the graphene superlattices can reach 21 at room temperature with bias voltages between 90-220 mV, which is quite large compared with the one of traditional graphene-based devices. It is found that the NDR is strongly influenced by the thicknesses of the potential barrier. Therefore, the NDR effect can be optimized by designing a proper barrier thickness. The large NDR effect can be attributed to the splitting of the gap in transmission spectrum (segment of Wannier-Stark ladder) with larger thicknesses of barrier when the applied voltage increases.

Poisson's ratio of fiber-reinforced composites

Science.gov (United States)

Christiansson, Henrik; Helsing, Johan

1996-05-01

Poisson's ratio flow diagrams, that is, the Poisson's ratio versus the fiber fraction, are obtained numerically for hexagonal arrays of elastic circular fibers in an elastic matrix. High numerical accuracy is achieved through the use of an interface integral equation method. Questions concerning fixed point theorems and the validity of existing asymptotic relations are investigated and partially resolved. Our findings for the transverse effective Poisson's ratio, together with earlier results for random systems by other authors, make it possible to formulate a general statement for Poisson's ratio flow diagrams: For composites with circular fibers and where the phase Poisson's ratios are equal to 1/3, the system with the lowest stiffness ratio has the highest Poisson's ratio. For other choices of the elastic moduli for the phases, no simple statement can be made.

Intensity ratio among Ne-like FeXVII n=3-2 transitions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Morita, Shigeru; Oishi, Tetsutarou; Murakami, Izumi; Goto, Motoshi; Huang, Xianli; Zhang, Hongming

2016-01-01

Radial profiles of FeXVII 3s-2p and 3d-2p transitions emitted in wavelength range of 15-17A have been observed in Large Helical Device (LHD). The Chord-integrated radial profiles are converted into radial emissivity profile by means of Abel inversion. The emissivity ratios among FeXVII n=3-2 transitions calculated from the radial emissivity profile are compared with calculation based on a collisional-radiative (CR) model developed for Fe ions. The result reasonably confirms the effect of electron temperature and density on the emissivity ratios. However, the emissivity of 3C (2p"53d "1P_1 → 2p"6) transition is obviously lower than the prediction from the CR model. This discrepancy is consistent with measurements in the solar corona and other laboratory plasmas. (author)

Detecting isotopic ratio outliers

Science.gov (United States)

Bayne, C. K.; Smith, D. H.

An alternative method is proposed for improving isotopic ratio estimates. This method mathematically models pulse-count data and uses iterative reweighted Poisson regression to estimate model parameters to calculate the isotopic ratios. This computer-oriented approach provides theoretically better methods than conventional techniques to establish error limits and to identify outliers.

Detecting isotopic ratio outliers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bayne, C.K.; Smith, D.H.

1986-01-01

An alternative method is proposed for improving isotopic ratio estimates. This method mathematically models pulse-count data and uses iterative reweighted Poisson regression to estimate model parameters to calculate the isotopic ratios. This computer-oriented approach provides theoretically better methods than conventional techniques to establish error limits and to identify outliers

Polar and non-polar organic aerosols from large-scale agricultural-waste burning emissions in Northern India: Implications to organic mass-to-organic carbon ratio.

Science.gov (United States)

Rajput, Prashant; Sarin, M M

2014-05-01

This study focuses on characteristics of organic aerosols (polar and non-polar) and total organic mass-to-organic carbon ratio (OM/OC) from post-harvest agricultural-waste (paddy- and wheat-residue) burning emissions in Northern India. Aerosol samples from an upwind location (Patiala: 30.2°N, 76.3°E) in the Indo-Gangetic Plain were analyzed for non-polar and polar fractions of organic carbon (OC1 and OC2) and their respective mass (OM1 and OM2). On average, polar organic aerosols (OM2) contribute nearly 85% of the total organic mass (OM) from the paddy- and wheat-residue burning emissions. The water-soluble-OC (WSOC) to OC2 ratio, within the analytical uncertainty, is close to 1 from both paddy- and wheat-residue burning emissions. However, temporal variability and relatively low WSOC/OC2 ratio (Av: 0.67±0.06) is attributed to high moisture content and poor combustion efficiency during paddy-residue burning, indicating significant contribution (∼30%) of aromatic carbon to OC2. The OM/OC ratio for non-polar (OM1/OC1∼1.2) and polar organic aerosols (OM2/OC2∼2.2), hitherto unknown for open agricultural-waste burning emissions, is documented in this study. The total OM/OC ratio is nearly identical, 1.9±0.2 and 1.8±0.2, from paddy- and wheat-residue burning emissions. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Validation of DNA-based identification software by computation of pedigree likelihood ratios.

Science.gov (United States)

Slooten, K

2011-08-01

Disaster victim identification (DVI) can be aided by DNA-evidence, by comparing the DNA-profiles of unidentified individuals with those of surviving relatives. The DNA-evidence is used optimally when such a comparison is done by calculating the appropriate likelihood ratios. Though conceptually simple, the calculations can be quite involved, especially with large pedigrees, precise mutation models etc. In this article we describe a series of test cases designed to check if software designed to calculate such likelihood ratios computes them correctly. The cases include both simple and more complicated pedigrees, among which inbred ones. We show how to calculate the likelihood ratio numerically and algebraically, including a general mutation model and possibility of allelic dropout. In Appendix A we show how to derive such algebraic expressions mathematically. We have set up these cases to validate new software, called Bonaparte, which performs pedigree likelihood ratio calculations in a DVI context. Bonaparte has been developed by SNN Nijmegen (The Netherlands) for the Netherlands Forensic Institute (NFI). It is available free of charge for non-commercial purposes (see www.dnadvi.nl for details). Commercial licenses can also be obtained. The software uses Bayesian networks and the junction tree algorithm to perform its calculations. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Qubit-qutrit separability-probability ratios

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Slater, Paul B.

2005-01-01

Paralleling our recent computationally intensive (quasi-Monte Carlo) work for the case N=4 (e-print quant-ph/0308037), we undertake the task for N=6 of computing to high numerical accuracy, the formulas of Sommers and Zyczkowski (e-print quant-ph/0304041) for the (N 2 -1)-dimensional volume and (N 2 -2)-dimensional hyperarea of the (separable and nonseparable) NxN density matrices, based on the Bures (minimal monotone) metric--and also their analogous formulas (e-print quant-ph/0302197) for the (nonmonotone) flat Hilbert-Schmidt metric. With the same seven 10 9 well-distributed ('low-discrepancy') sample points, we estimate the unknown volumes and hyperareas based on five additional (monotone) metrics of interest, including the Kubo-Mori and Wigner-Yanase. Further, we estimate all of these seven volume and seven hyperarea (unknown) quantities when restricted to the separable density matrices. The ratios of separable volumes (hyperareas) to separable plus nonseparable volumes (hyperareas) yield estimates of the separability probabilities of generically rank-6 (rank-5) density matrices. The (rank-6) separability probabilities obtained based on the 35-dimensional volumes appear to be--independently of the metric (each of the seven inducing Haar measure) employed--twice as large as those (rank-5 ones) based on the 34-dimensional hyperareas. (An additional estimate--33.9982--of the ratio of the rank-6 Hilbert-Schmidt separability probability to the rank-4 one is quite clearly close to integral too.) The doubling relationship also appears to hold for the N=4 case for the Hilbert-Schmidt metric, but not the others. We fit simple exact formulas to our estimates of the Hilbert-Schmidt separable volumes and hyperareas in both the N=4 and N=6 cases

Increased sex ratio in Russia and Cuba after Chernobyl: a radiological hypothesis.

Science.gov (United States)

Scherb, Hagen; Kusmierz, Ralf; Voigt, Kristina

2013-08-15

The ratio of male to female offspring at birth may be a simple and non-invasive way to monitor the reproductive health of a population. Except in societies where selective abortion skews the sex ratio, approximately 105 boys are born for every 100 girls. Generally, the human sex ratio at birth is remarkably constant in large populations. After the Chernobyl nuclear power plant accident in April 1986, a long lasting significant elevation in the sex ratio has been found in Russia, i.e. more boys or fewer girls compared to expectation were born. Recently, also for Cuba an escalated sex ratio from 1987 onward has been documented and discussed in the scientific literature. By the end of the eighties of the last century in Cuba as much as about 60% of the food imports were provided by the former Soviet Union. Due to its difficult economic situation, Cuba had neither the necessary insight nor the political strength to circumvent the detrimental genetic effects of imported radioactively contaminated foodstuffs after Chernobyl. We propose that the long term stable sex ratio increase in Cuba is essentially due to ionizing radiation. A synoptic trend analysis of Russian and Cuban annual sex ratios discloses upward jumps in 1987. The estimated jump height from 1986 to 1987 in Russia measures 0.51% with a 95% confidence interval (0.28, 0.75), p value Cuba the estimated jump height measures 2.99% (2.39, 3.60), p value Cuba and by radiological analyses of remains in Cuba for Cs-137 and Sr-90. If the evidence for the hypothesis is strengthened, there is potential to learn about genetic radiation risks and to prevent similar effects in present and future exposure situations.

Arcjet nozzle area ratio effects

Science.gov (United States)

Curran, Francis M.; Sarmiento, Charles J.; Birkner, Bjorn W.; Kwasny, James

1990-01-01

An experimental investigation was conducted to determine the effect of nozzle area ratio on the operating characteristics and performance of a low power dc arcjet thruster. Conical thoriated tungsten nozzle inserts were tested in a modular laboratory arcjet thruster run on hydrogen/nitrogen mixtures simulating the decomposition products of hydrazine. The converging and diverging sides of the inserts had half angles of 30 and 20 degrees, respectively, similar to a flight type unit currently under development. The length of the diverging side was varied to change the area ratio. The nozzle inserts were run over a wide range of specific power. Current, voltage, mass flow rate, and thrust were monitored to provide accurate comparisons between tests. While small differences in performance were observed between the two nozzle inserts, it was determined that for each nozzle insert, arcjet performance improved with increasing nozzle area ratio to the highest area ratio tested and that the losses become very pronounced for area ratios below 50. These trends are somewhat different than those obtained in previous experimental and analytical studies of low Re number nozzles. It appears that arcjet performance can be enhanced via area ratio optimization.

Arcjet Nozzle Area Ratio Effects

Science.gov (United States)

Curran, Francis M.; Sarmiento, Charles J.; Birkner, Bjorn W.; Kwasny, James

1990-01-01

An experimental investigation was conducted to determine the effect of nozzle area ratio on the operating characteristics and performance of a low power dc arcjet thruster. Conical thoriated tungsten nozzle inserts were tested in a modular laboratory arcjet thruster run on hydrogen/nitrogen mixtures simulating the decomposition products of hydrazine. The converging and diverging sides of the inserts had half angles of 30 and 20 degrees, respectively, similar to a flight type unit currently under development. The length of the diverging side was varied to change the area ratio. The nozzle inserts were run over a wide range of specific power. Current, voltage, mass flow rate, and thrust were monitored to provide accurate comparisons between tests. While small differences in performance were observed between the two nozzle inserts, it was determined that for each nozzle insert, arcjet performance improved with increasing nozzle area ratio to the highest area ratio tested and that the losses become very pronounced for area ratios below 50. These trends are somewhat different than those obtained in previous experimental and analytical studies of low Re number nozzles. It appears that arcjet performance can be enhanced via area ratio optimization.

Feasibility study of a large-scale tuned mass damper with eddy current damping mechanism

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Zhihao; Chen, Zhengqing; Wang, Jianhui

2012-09-01

Tuned mass dampers (TMDs) have been widely used in recent years to mitigate structural vibration. However, the damping mechanisms employed in the TMDs are mostly based on viscous dampers, which have several well-known disadvantages, such as oil leakage and difficult adjustment of damping ratio for an operating TMD. Alternatively, eddy current damping (ECD) that does not require any contact with the main structure is a potential solution. This paper discusses the design, analysis, manufacture and testing of a large-scale horizontal TMD based on ECD. First, the theoretical model of ECD is formulated, then one large-scale horizontal TMD using ECD is constructed, and finally performance tests of the TMD are conducted. The test results show that the proposed TMD has a very low intrinsic damping ratio, while the damping ratio due to ECD is the dominant damping source, which can be as large as 15% in a proper configuration. In addition, the damping ratios estimated with the theoretical model are roughly consistent with those identified from the test results, and the source of this error is investigated. Moreover, it is demonstrated that the damping ratio in the proposed TMD can be easily adjusted by varying the air gap between permanent magnets and conductive plates. In view of practical applications, possible improvements and feasibility considerations for the proposed TMD are then discussed. It is confirmed that the proposed TMD with ECD is reliable and feasible for use in structural vibration control.

Transverse momentum dependence of γ'/γ ratio in heavy ion collisions at LHC

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shukla, P.; Abdulsalam, Abdulla; Kumar, Vineet

2011-01-01

The heavy ion collisions at high energy are performed to produce and study strongly interacting matter at high temperatures where a formation of quark gluon plasma (QGP) is expected. The most popular signal of this phase is the suppression of quarkonia due to screening by color charges. The suppression is predicted to occur above a critical temperature T c , sequentially, in order of the binding energy. It was shown many years back that the ρ T dependence of such ratio would show large variation and would be a direct probe of the QGP. In this work, the ratio γ'/γ has been calculated using essentially same model with the parameters relevant for LHC

Large-sized seaweed monitoring based on MODIS

Science.gov (United States)

Ma, Long; Li, Ying; Lan, Guo-xin; Li, Chuan-long

2009-10-01

In recent years, large-sized seaweed, such as ulva lactuca, blooms frequently in coastal water in China, which threatens marine eco-environment. In order to take effective measures, it is important to make operational surveillance. A case of large-sized seaweed blooming (i.e. enteromorpha), occurred in June, 2008, in the sea near Qingdao city, is studied. Seaweed blooming is dynamically monitored using Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS). After analyzing imaging spectral characteristics of enteromorpha, MODIS band 1 and 2 are used to create a band ratio algorithm for detecting and mapping large-sized seaweed blooming. In addition, chlorophyll-α concentration is inversed based on an empirical model developed using MODIS. Chlorophyll-α concentration maps are derived using multitemporal MODIS data, and chlorophyll-α concentration change is analyzed. Results show that the presented methods are useful to get the dynamic distribution and the growth of large-sized seaweed, and can support contingency planning.

Large catchment area recharges Titan's Ontario Lacus

Science.gov (United States)

Dhingra, Rajani D.; Barnes, Jason W.; Yanites, Brian J.; Kirk, Randolph L.

2018-01-01

We seek to address the question of what processes are at work to fill Ontario Lacus while other, deeper south polar basins remain empty. Our hydrological analysis indicates that Ontario Lacus has a catchment area spanning 5.5% of Titan's surface and a large catchment area to lake surface area ratio. This large catchment area translates into large volumes of liquid making their way to Ontario Lacus after rainfall. The areal extent of the catchment extends to at least southern mid-latitudes (40°S). Mass conservation calculations indicate that runoff alone might completely fill Ontario Lacus within less than half a Titan year (1 Titan year = 29.5 Earth years) assuming no infiltration. Cassini Visual and Infrared Mapping Spectrometer (VIMS) observations of clouds over the southern mid and high-latitudes are consistent with precipitation feeding Ontario's large catchment area. This far-flung rain may be keeping Ontario Lacus filled, making it a liquid hydrocarbon oasis in the relatively dry south polar region.

Deriving aerosol scattering ratio using range-resolved lidar ratio

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

2014-02-13

Feb 13, 2014 ... ratio (LDR) are used to suggest the type of aerosols. The altitude-dependent ... to the station and the experimentally measured lidar data. The 'model ... The integrated aerosol extinction profile with altitude-dependent S and k.

"Precipitation on Nanoparticles": Attractive Intermolecular Interactions Stabilize Specific Ligand Ratios on the Surfaces of Nanoparticles.

Science.gov (United States)

Chu, Zonglin; Han, Yanxiao; Kral, Petr; Klajn, Rafal

2018-04-19

Confining organic molecules to the surfaces of inorganic nanoparticles can induce intermolecular interactions between them, which can affect the composition of the mixed self-assembled monolayers obtained by co-adsorption from solution of two different molecules. Here, we study co-adsorption of two thiolated ligands-a dialkylviologen and a zwitterionic sulfobetaine-that can interact with each other electrostatically, onto gold nanoparticles. Consequently, the nanoparticles favor a narrow range of ratios of these two molecules that is largely independent of the molar ratio in solution. We show that changing the solution molar ratio of two ligands by a factor of ~5,000 affects the on-nanoparticle ratio of these ligands by only 3 times. This behavior is reminiscent of the formation of insoluble inorganic salts (e.g., AgCl), which similarly compensate positive and negative charges upon crystallizing. Our results pave the way towards developing well-defined hybrid organic-inorganic nanostructures. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

A low aspect ratio electrothermal gun for metal plasma vapor discharge and ceramic nanopowder production

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Kyoung Jin; Peterson, Dennis R.

2008-01-01

Traditionally, the electrothermal gun design has the bore of a large aspect ratio: however, a low aspect ratio design with a shorter bore length has been employed for efficient production of metal plasma vapors and synthesis of nanomaterials. In a comparison of the arc resistance-current relationship, a low aspect ratio design is found to exhibit distinctively different characteristics compared to a high aspect ratio design, and this trend is explained by the scaling law of plasma properties including theory of plasma electrical conductivity. A one-dimensional isothermal model has been applied to the present experiments to confirm the scaling laws, and it was found that the present modification of the electrothermal gun is able to produce fully ionized metal plasma vapor, while the plasma vapor produced in a conventional design is partially ionized. Also, by reacting metal plasma vapors with the controlled gases in the reaction chamber, nanoscale materials such as aluminum oxide, aluminum nitride, and titanium oxide were synthesized successfully

European view of the EGEE infrastructure

CERN Multimedia

2007-01-01

This view is of the Enabling Grids for E-sciencE (EGEE) infrastructure zoomed in on Europe. The EGEE allows the processing power of many computers to be shared so that the huge amount of data produced at CERN's new collider, the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) can be processed. The sites used in the Grid can be downloaded in a zipped .kmz format, which can be imported into Google Earth.

The Secret Lives of Galaxies

Science.gov (United States)

2001-01-01

The ground-based image in visible light locates the hub imaged with the Hubble Space Telescope. This barred galaxy feeds material into its hub, igniting star birth. The Hubble NICMOS instrument penetrates beneath the dust to reveal clusters of young stars. Footage shows ground-based, WFPC2, and NICMOS images of NGS 1365. An animation of a large spiral galaxy zooms from the edge to the galactic bulge.

Detecting isotopic ratio outliers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bayne, C.K.; Smith, D.H.

1985-01-01

An alternative method is proposed for improving isotopic ratio estimates. This method mathematically models pulse-count data and uses iterative reweighted Poisson regression to estimate model parameters to calculate the isotopic ratios. This computer-oriented approach provides theoretically better methods than conventional techniques to establish error limits and to identify outliers. 6 refs., 3 figs., 3 tabs

Comparison of the large muscle group widths of the pelvic limb in seven breeds of dogs.

Science.gov (United States)

Sabanci, Seyyid Said; Ocal, Mehmet Kamil

2018-05-14

Orthopaedic diseases are common in the pelvic limbs of dogs, and reference values for large muscle groups of the pelvic limb may aid in diagnosis such diseases. As such, the objective of this study was to compare the large muscle groups of the pelvic limb in seven breeds of dogs. A total of 126 dogs from different breeds were included, and the widths of the quadriceps, hamstring and gastrocnemius muscles were measured from images of the lateral radiographies. The width of the quadriceps was not different between the breeds, but the widths of the hamstring and gastrocnemius muscles were significantly different between the breeds. The widest hamstring and gastrocnemius muscles were seen in the Rottweilers and the Boxers, respectively. The narrowest hamstring and gastrocnemius muscles were seen in the Belgian Malinois and the Golden retrievers, respectively. All ratios between the measured muscles differed significantly between the breeds. Doberman pinschers and Belgian Malinois had the highest ratio of gastrocnemius width:hamstring width. Doberman pinschers had also the highest ratio of quadriceps width:hamstring width. German shepherds had the highest ratio of gastrocnemius width:quadriceps width. The lowest ratios of quadriceps width:hamstring width were determined in the German shepherds. The ratios of the muscle widths may be used as reference values to assess muscular atrophy or hypertrophy in cases of bilateral or unilateral orthopaedic diseases of the pelvic limbs. Further studies are required to determine the widths and ratios of the large muscle groups of the pelvic limbs in other dog breeds. © 2018 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

THE BLACK HOLE MASS, STELLAR MASS-TO-LIGHT RATIO, AND DARK HALO IN M87

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gebhardt, Karl; Thomas, Jens

2009-01-01

We model the dynamical structure of M87 (NGC4486) using high spatial resolution long-slit observations of stellar light in the central regions, two-dimensional stellar light kinematics out to half of the effective radius, and globular cluster velocities out to eight effective radii. We simultaneously fit for four parameters: black hole mass, dark halo core radius, dark halo circular velocity, and stellar mass-to-light (M/L) ratio. We find a black hole mass of 6.4(±0.5) x 10 9 M sun (the uncertainty is 68% confidence marginalized over the other parameters). The stellar M/L V = 6.3 ± 0.8. The best-fit dark halo core radius is 14 ± 2 kpc, assuming a cored logarithmic potential. The best-fit dark halo circular velocity is 715 ± 15 km s -1 . Our black hole mass is over a factor of 2 larger than previous stellar dynamical measures, and our derived stellar M/L ratio is two times lower than previous dynamical measures. When we do not include a dark halo, we measure a black hole mass and stellar M/L ratio that is consistent with previous measures, implying that the major difference is in the model assumptions. The stellar M/L ratio from our models is very similar to that derived from stellar population models of M87. The reason for the difference in the black hole mass is because we allow the M/L ratio to change with radius. The dark halo is degenerate with the stellar M/L ratio, which is subsequently degenerate with the black hole mass. We argue that dynamical models of galaxies that do not include the contribution from a dark halo may produce a biased result for the black hole mass. This bias is especially large for a galaxy with a shallow light profile such as M87, and may not be as severe in galaxies with steeper light profiles unless they have a large stellar population change with radius.

Holes at High Blowing Ratios

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Phillip M. Ligrani

1996-01-01

Full Text Available Experimental results are presented which describe the development and structure of flow downstream of a single row of holes with compound angle orientations producing film cooling at high blowing ratios. This film cooling configuration is important because similar arrangements are frequently employed on the first stage of rotating blades of operating gas turbine engines. With this configuration, holes are spaced 6d apart in the spanwise direction, with inclination angles of 24 degrees, and angles of orientation of 50.5 degrees. Blowing ratios range from 1.5 to 4.0 and the ratio of injectant to freestream density is near 1.0. Results show that spanwise averaged adiabatic effectiveness, spanwise-averaged iso-energetic Stanton number ratios, surveys of streamwise mean velocity, and surveys of injectant distributions change by important amounts as the blowing ratio increases. This is due to injectant lift-off from the test surface just downstream of the holes.

Regulation of the Docosapentaenoic Acid/Docosahexaenoic Acid Ratio (DPA/DHA Ratio) in Schizochytrium limacinum B4D1.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Ke; Li, Huidong; Chen, Wuxi; Zhao, Minli; Cui, Haiyang; Min, Qingsong; Wang, Haijun; Chen, Shulin; Li, Demao

2017-05-01

Docosapentaenoic acid/docosahexaenoic acid ratio (DPA/DHA ratio) in Schizochytrium was relatively stable. But ideally the ratio of DPA/DHA will vary according to the desired end use. This study reports several ways of modulating the DPA/DHA ratio. Incubation times changed the DPA/DHA ratio, and changes in this ratio were associated with the variations in the saturated fatty acid (SFAs) content. Propionic acid sharply increased the SFAs content in lipids, dramatically decreased the even-chain SFAs content, and reduced the DPA/DHA ratio. Pentanoic acid (C5:0) and heptanoic acid (C7:0) had similar effects as propionic acid, whereas butyric acid (C4:0), hexanoic acid (C6:0), and octanoic acid (C8:0) did not change the fatty acid profile and the DPA/DHA ratio. Transcription analyses show that β-oxidation might be responsible for this phenomenon. Iodoacetamide upregulated polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) synthase genes, reduced the DHA content, and improved the DPA content, causing the DPA/DHA ratio to increase. These results present new insights into the regulation of the DPA/DHA ratio.

Maternal condition but not corticosterone is linked to offspring sex ratio in a passerine bird.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lindsay J Henderson

Full Text Available There is evidence of offspring sex ratio adjustment in a range of species, but the potential mechanisms remain largely unknown. Elevated maternal corticosterone (CORT is associated with factors that can favour brood sex ratio adjustment, such as reduced maternal condition, food availability and partner attractiveness. Therefore, the steroid hormone has been suggested to play a key role in sex ratio manipulation. However, despite correlative and causal evidence CORT is linked to sex ratio manipulation in some avian species, the timing of adjustment varies between studies. Consequently, whether CORT is consistently involved in sex-ratio adjustment, and how the hormone acts as a mechanism for this adjustment remains unclear. Here we measured maternal baseline CORT and body condition in free-living blue tits (Cyanistes caeruleus over three years and related these factors to brood sex ratio and nestling quality. In addition, a non-invasive technique was employed to experimentally elevate maternal CORT during egg laying, and its effects upon sex ratio and nestling quality were measured. We found that maternal CORT was not correlated with brood sex ratio, but mothers with elevated CORT fledged lighter offspring. Also, experimental elevation of maternal CORT did not influence brood sex ratio or nestling quality. In one year, mothers in superior body condition produced male biased broods, and maternal condition was positively correlated with both nestling mass and growth rate in all years. Unlike previous studies maternal condition was not correlated with maternal CORT. This study provides evidence that maternal condition is linked to brood sex ratio manipulation in blue tits. However, maternal baseline CORT may not be the mechanistic link between the maternal condition and sex ratio adjustment. Overall, this study serves to highlight the complexity of sex ratio adjustment in birds and the difficulties associated with identifying sex biasing mechanisms.

Assessment of uniformity and signal-to-noise ratio in radiological image intensifier TV systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Malone, J.F.; O'Connor, M.K.; Maher, K.P.

1985-01-01

A method of measuring the uniformity of radiological Image Intensifier-TV systems is described. Large non-uniformities were observed in the systems tested. A method of estimating the Signal-to-Noise Ratio in such systems is also presented and applied to characterise the effectiveness of the noise reduction techniques used in digital fluoroscopy. (author)

Effects of stabilizer ratio on photoluminescence properties of sol-gel ZnO nano-structured thin films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Boudjouan, F.; Chelouche, A.; Touam, T.; Djouadi, D.; Khodja, S.; Tazerout, M.; Ouerdane, Y.; Hadjoub, Z.

2015-01-01

Nanostructured ZnO thin films with different molar ratios of MEA to zinc acetate (0.5, 1.0, 1.5 and 2.0) have been deposited on glass substrates by a sol–gel dip coating technique. X-ray diffraction, Scanning Electron Microscopy, UV–visible spectrophotometry and photoluminescence spectroscopy have been employed to investigate the effect of MEA stabilizer ratio on structural, morphological, absorbance and emission properties of the ZnO thin films. Diffraction patterns have shown that all the films are polycrystalline and exhibit a wurtzite hexagonal structure. The c axis orientation has been enhanced with increasing stabilizer ratio. SEM micrographs have revealed that the morphology of the ZnO films depend on stabilizer ratio. The UV–visible absorption spectra have demonstrated that the optical absorption is affected by stabilizer ratio. The photoluminescence spectra have indicated one ultraviolet and two visible emission bands (green and red), while band intensities are found to be dependent on stabilizer ratio. ZnO thin films deposited at MEA ratio of 1.0 show the highest UV emission while the minimum UV emission intensity is observed in thin films deposited at ratio of 0.5 and the maximum green has been recorded for films deposited at MEA ratio of 2.0. - Highlight: • c axis orientation increases with increasing MEA ratio. • The increase of MEA ration from 0.5 to 1.0 enhances greatly the UV emission. • The larger I UV /I visible is obtained for the MEA to Zn ratio of 1:1. • The MEA ratio of 0.5 favors the formation of large density of V zn . • The MEA ratio of 2.0 increases the V o density

Influence of feedstock-to-inoculum ratio on performance and microbial community succession during solid-state thermophilic anaerobic co-digestion of pig urine and rice straw.

Science.gov (United States)

Meng, Lingyu; Xie, Li; Kinh, Co Thi; Suenaga, Toshikazu; Hori, Tomoyuki; Riya, Shohei; Terada, Akihiko; Hosomi, Masaaki

2018-03-01

This study investigated the effect of the feedstock-to-inoculum (F/I) ratio on performance of the solid-state anaerobic co-digestion of pig urine and rice straw inoculated with a solid digestate, and clarified the microbial community succession. A 44-day biochemical methane potential test at F/I ratios of 0.5, 1, 2 and 3 at 55 °C and a 35-day large-scale batch test at F/I ratios of 0.5 and 3 at 55 °C were conducted to investigate the effects of F/I ratio on anaerobic digestibility and analyze microbial community succession, respectively. The highest cumulative methane yield was 353.7 m 3 /t VS in the large-scale batch test. Volatile fatty acids did not accumulate at any F/I ratios. The volatile solids reduction rate was highest at a F/I ratio of 0.5. Microbial community structures were similar between F/I ratios of 3 and 0.5, despite differences in digestion performance, suggesting that stable operation can be achieved at these ratios. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Using Ratio Analysis to Evaluate Financial Performance.

Science.gov (United States)

Minter, John; And Others

1982-01-01

The ways in which ratio analysis can help in long-range planning, budgeting, and asset management to strengthen financial performance and help avoid financial difficulties are explained. Types of ratios considered include balance sheet ratios, net operating ratios, and contribution and demand ratios. (MSE)

Compost feedstock characteristics and ratio modelling for organic waste materials co-composting in Malaysia.

Science.gov (United States)

Chai, E W; H'ng, P S; Peng, S H; Wan-Azha, W M; Chin, K L; Chow, M J; Wong, W Z

2013-01-01

In Malaysia, large amounts of organic materials, which lead to disposal problems, are generated from agricultural residues especially from palm oil industries. Increasing landfill costs and regulations, which limit many types of waste accepted at landfills, have increased the interest in composting as a component of waste management. The objectives of this study were to characterize compost feedstock properties of common organic waste materials available in Malaysia. Thus, a ratio modelling of matching ingredients for empty fruit bunches (EFBs) co-composting using different organic materials in Malaysia was done. Organic waste materials with a C/N ratio of composting. The outcome of this study suggested that the percentage of EFB ranged between 50% and 60%, which is considered as the ideal mixing ratio in EFB co-composting. Conclusively, EFB can be utilized in composting if appropriate feedstock in term of physical and chemical characteristics is coordinated in the co-composting process.

Formation of large (≃100 μm ice crystals near the tropical tropopause

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. J. Alexander

2008-03-01

Full Text Available Recent high-altitude aircraft measurements with in situ imaging instruments indicated the presence of relatively large (≃100 μm length, thin (aspect ratios of ≃6:1 or larger hexagonal plate ice crystals near the tropical tropopause in very low concentrations (<0.01 L−1. These crystals were not produced by deep convection or aggregation. We use simple growth-sedimentation calculations as well as detailed cloud simulations to evaluate the conditions required to grow the large crystals. Uncertainties in crystal aspect ratio leave a range of possibilities, which could be constrained by knowledge of the water vapor concentration in the air where the crystal growth occurred. Unfortunately, water vapor measurements made in the cloud formation region near the tropopause with different instruments ranged from <2 ppmv to ≃3.5 ppmv. The higher water vapor concentrations correspond to very large ice supersaturations (relative humidities with respect to ice of about 200%. If the aspect ratios of the hexagonal plate crystals are as small as the image analysis suggests (6:1, see companion paper (Lawson et al., 2008 then growth of the large crystals before they sediment out of the supersaturated layer would only be possible if the water vapor concentration were on the high end of the range indicated by the different measurements (>3 ppmv. On the other hand, if the crystal aspect ratios are quite a bit larger (≃10:1, then H2O concentrations toward the low end of the measurement range (≃2–2.5 ppmv would suffice to grow the large crystals. Gravity-wave driven temperature and vertical wind perturbations only slightly modify the H2O concentrations needed to grow the crystals. We find that it would not be possible to grow the large crystals with water concentrations less than 2 ppmv, even with assumptions of a very high aspect ratio of 15 and steady upward motion of 2 cm s−1 to loft the crystals in the tropopause region. These calculations would seem

Mating competitiveness of sterile male Anopheles coluzzii in large cages.

Science.gov (United States)

Maïga, Hamidou; Damiens, David; Niang, Abdoulaye; Sawadogo, Simon P; Fatherhaman, Omnia; Lees, Rosemary S; Roux, Olivier; Dabiré, Roch K; Ouédraogo, Georges A; Tripet, Fréderic; Diabaté, Abdoulaye; Gilles, Jeremie R L

2014-11-26

Understanding the factors that account for male mating competitiveness is critical to the development of the sterile insect technique (SIT). Here, the effects of partial sterilization with 90 Gy of radiation on sexual competitiveness of Anopheles coluzzii allowed to mate in different ratios of sterile to untreated males have been assessed. Moreover, competitiveness was compared between males allowed one versus two days of contact with females. Sterile and untreated males four to six days of age were released in large cages (~1.75 sq m) with females of similar age at the following ratios of sterile males: untreated males: untreated virgin females: 100:100:100, 300:100:100, 500:100:100 (three replicates of each) and left for two days. Competitiveness was determined by assessing the egg hatch rate and the insemination rate, determined by dissecting recaptured females. An additional experiment was conducted with a ratio of 500:100:100 and a mating period of either one or two days. Two controls of 0:100:100 (untreated control) and 100:0:100 (sterile control) were used in each experiment. When males and females consort for two days with different ratios, a significant difference in insemination rate was observed between ratio treatments. The competitiveness index (C) of sterile males compared to controls was 0.53. The number of days of exposure to mates significantly increased the insemination rate, as did the increased number of males present in the untreated: sterile male ratio treatments, but the number of days of exposure did not have any effect on the hatch rate. The comparability of the hatch rates between experiments suggest that An. coluzzii mating competitiveness experiments in large cages could be run for one instead of two days, shortening the required length of the experiment. Sterilized males were half as competitive as untreated males, but an effective release ratio of at least five sterile for one untreated male has the potential to impact the fertility of

Holes generation in glass using large spot femtosecond laser pulses

Science.gov (United States)

Berg, Yuval; Kotler, Zvi; Shacham-Diamand, Yosi

2018-03-01

We demonstrate high-throughput, symmetrical, holes generation in fused silica glass using a large spot size, femtosecond IR-laser irradiation which modifies the glass properties and yields an enhanced chemical etching rate. The process relies on a balanced interplay between the nonlinear Kerr effect and multiphoton absorption in the glass which translates into symmetrical glass modification and increased etching rate. The use of a large laser spot size makes it possible to process thick glasses at high speeds over a large area. We have demonstrated such fabricated holes with an aspect ratio of 1:10 in a 1 mm thick glass samples.

Facial Width-to-Height Ratio Does Not Predict Self-Reported Behavioral Tendencies

OpenAIRE

Kosinski, Michal

2017-01-01

A growing number of studies have linked facial width-to-height ratio (fWHR) with various antisocial or violent behavioral tendencies. However, those studies have predominantly been laboratory based and low powered. This work reexamined the links between fWHR and behavioral tendencies in a large sample of 137,163 participants. Behavioral tendencies were measured using 55 well-established psychometric scales, including self-report scales measuring intelligence, domains and facets of the five-fa...

Estimating 24-h urinary sodium/potassium ratio from casual ('spot') urinary sodium/potassium ratio: the INTERSALT Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Iwahori, Toshiyuki; Miura, Katsuyuki; Ueshima, Hirotsugu; Chan, Queenie; Dyer, Alan R; Elliott, Paul; Stamler, Jeremiah

2017-10-01

Association between casual and 24-h urinary sodium-to-potassium (Na/K) ratio is well recognized, although it has not been validated in diverse demographic groups. Our aim was to assess utility across and within populations of casual urine to estimate 24-h urinary Na/K ratio using data from the INTERSALT Study. The INTERSALT Study collected cross-sectional standardized data on casual urinary sodium and potassium and also on timed 24-h urinary sodium and potassium for 10 065 individuals from 52 population samples in 32 countries (1985-87). Pearson correlation coefficients and agreement were computed for Na/K ratio of casual urine against 24-h urinary Na/K ratio both at population and individual levels. Pearson correlation coefficients relating means of 24-h urine and casual urine Na/K ratio were r = 0.96 and r = 0.69 in analyses across populations and individuals, respectively. Correlations of casual urine Na/creatinine and K/creatinine ratios with 24-h urinary Na and K excretion, respectively, were lower than correlation of casual and 24-h urinary Na/K ratio in analyses across populations and individuals. The bias estimate with the Bland-Altman method, defined as the difference between Na/K ratio of 24-h urine and casual urine, was approximately 0.4 across both populations and individuals. Spread around, the mean bias was higher for individuals than populations. With appropriate bias correction, casual urine Na/K ratio may be a useful, low-burden alternative method to 24-h urine for estimation of population urinary Na/K ratio. It may also be applicable for assessment of the urinary Na/K ratio of individuals, with use of repeated measurements to reduce measurement error and increase precision. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the International Epidemiological Association

Selenium:Mercury Molar Ratios in Freshwater Fish from Tennessee: Individual, Species, and Geographical Variations have Implications for Management

Science.gov (United States)

Burger, Joanna; Gochfeld, Michael; Jeitner, C.; Donio, M.; Pittfield, T.

2014-01-01

Vertebrates, including humans, can experience adverse effects from mercury consumed in fish. Humans often prefer large predatory fish that bioaccumulate high mercury levels. Recent attention has focused on the role of selenium countering mercury toxicity, but there is little research on the selenium:mercury molar ratios in freshwater fish. We examine selenium:mercury molar ratios in freshwater fish from Tennessee at Poplar Creek which receives ongoing inputs of mercury from the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge Y-12 facility. Our objective was to determine variation of the ratios within species that might affect the protectiveness of selenium against mercury toxicity. Within species, the ratio was correlated significantly and positively with fish length only for two species. There was great individual variation in the selenium:mercury molar ratio within each species, except striped bass. The lack of a clear relationship between the selenium:mercury molar ratio and fish length, and the intraspecific variation, suggests that it would be difficult to use the molar ratio in predicting either the risk from mercury toxicity or in devising consumption advisories. PMID:22456727

CARBON AND OXYGEN ISOTOPIC RATIOS FOR NEARBY MIRAS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hinkle, Kenneth H. [National Optical Astronomy Observatory P.O. Box 26732, Tucson, AZ 85726 (United States); Lebzelter, Thomas [Department of Astrophysics, University of Vienna Türkenschanzstrasse 17, A-1180 Vienna (Austria); Straniero, Oscar, E-mail: khinkle@noao.edu, E-mail: thomas.lebzelter@univie.ac.at, E-mail: straniero@oa-teramo.inaf.it [INAF, Osservatorio Astronomico di Collurania I-64100 Teramo (Italy)

2016-07-01

Carbon and oxygen isotopic ratios are reported for a sample of 46 Mira and SRa-type variable asymptotic giant branch (AGB) stars. Vibration–rotation first and second-overtone CO lines in 1.5–2.5 μ m spectra were measured to derive isotopic ratios for {sup 12}C/{sup 13}C, {sup 16}O/{sup 17}O, and {sup 16}O/{sup 18}O. Comparisons with previous measurements for individual stars and with various samples of evolved stars, as available in the extant literature, are discussed. Models for solar composition AGB stars of different initial masses are used to interpret our results. We find that the majority of M-stars have main sequence masses ≤2 M {sub ⊙} and have not experienced sizable third dredge-up (TDU) episodes. The progenitors of the four S-type stars in our sample are slightly more massive. Of the six C-stars in the sample three have clear evidence relating their origin to the occurrence of TDU. Comparisons with O-rich presolar grains from AGB stars that lived before the formation of the solar system reveal variations in the interstellar medium chemical composition. The present generation of low-mass AGB stars, as represented by our sample of long period variables (LPVs), shows a large spread of {sup 16}O/{sup 17}O ratios, similar to that of group 1 presolar grains and in agreement with theoretical expectations for the composition of mass 1.2–2 M {sub ⊙} stars after the first dredge-up. In contrast, the {sup 16}O/{sup 18}O ratios of present-day LPVs are definitely smaller than those of group 1 grains. This is most probably a consequence of the the decrease with time of the {sup 16}O/{sup 18}O ratio in the interstellar medium due to the chemical evolution of the Milky Way. One star in our sample has an O composition similar to that of group 2 presolar grains originating in an AGB star undergoing extra-mixing. This may indicate that the extra-mixing process is hampered at high metallicity, or, equivalently, favored at low metallicity. Similarly to O

Evaluation of serum sialic acid, fucose levels and their ratio in oral squamous cell carcinoma.

Science.gov (United States)

Chinnannavar, Sangamesh Ningappa; Ashok, Lingappa; Vidya, Kodige Chandrashekhar; Setty, Sunil Mysore Kantharaja; Narasimha, Guru Eraiah; Garg, Ranjana

2015-01-01

Detection of cancer at the early stage is of utmost importance to decrease the morbidity and mortality of the disease. Apart from the conventional biopsy, minimally invasive methods like serum evaluation are used for screening large populations. Thus, this study aimed to estimate serum levels of sialic acid and fucose and their ratio in oral cancer patients and in healthy control group to evaluate their role in diagnosis. Serum samples were collected from 52 healthy controls (group I) and 52 squamous cell carcinoma patients (group II). Estimation of serum levels of sialic acid and fucose and their ratio was performed. This was correlated histopathologically with the grades of carcinoma. Statistical analysis was done by using analysis of variance (ANOVA) test and unpaired "t" test. Results showed that serum levels of sialic acid and fucose were significantly higher in oral cancer patients compared to normal healthy controls (P ratio was significantly lower in cancer patients than in normal controls (P ratio showed decreasing trend from controls to malignant group. The ratio of sialic acid to fucose can be a useful diagnostic aid for oral cancer patients.

detection of optimum maturity of maize using image processing and ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Ayuba et al.

2017-04-13

Apr 13, 2017 ... The need for increase in food production in the entire world is eminent due to the .... Zoom with 32.4 mm wide optical zoom video camera was used to ... The prediction of the inputs class based on 60 samples of 10 elements ...

Estimation of indoor and outdoor ratios of selected volatile organic compounds in Canada

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Jing; Szyszkowicz, Mieczyslaw; Jovic, Branka; Cakmak, Sabit; Austin, Claire C.; Zhu, Jiping

2016-09-01

Indoor air and outdoor air concentration (I/O) ratio can be used to identify the origins of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). I/O ratios of 25 VOCs in Canada were estimated based on the data collected in various areas in Canada between September 2009 and December 2011. The indoor VOC data were extracted from the Canadian Health Measures Survey (CHMS). Outdoor VOC data were obtained from Canada's National Air Pollution Surveillance (NAPS) Network. The sampling locations covered nine areas in six provinces in Canada. Indoor air concentrations were found higher than outdoor air for all studied VOCs, except for carbon tetrachloride. Two different approaches were employed to estimate the I/O ratios; both approaches produced similar I/O values. The I/O ratios obtained from this study were similar to two other Canadian studies where indoor air and outdoor air of individual dwellings were measured. However, the I/O ratios found in Canada were higher than those in European cities and in two large USA cities, possibly due to the fact that the outdoor air concentrations recorded in the Canadian studies were lower. Possible source origins identified for the studied VOCs based on their I/O ratios were similar to those reported by others. In general, chlorinated hydrocarbons, short-chain (C5, C6) n-alkanes and benzene had significant outdoor sources, while long-chain (C10sbnd C12) n-alkanes, terpenes, naphthalene and styrene had significant indoor sources. The remaining VOCs had mixed indoor and outdoor sources.

Active accumulation of internal DIC pools reduces transport limitation in large colonies of Nostoc pruniforme

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Raun, Ane-Marie Løvendahl; Borum, Jens; Jensen, Kaj Sand

2009-01-01

Nostoc pruniforme is a freshwater cyanobacterium forming large spherical colonies of up to several centimeters in diameter. The size and shape result in low surface area to volume (SA/V) ratios that potentially put severe constraints on resource acquisition. In the present study we have specifica......Nostoc pruniforme is a freshwater cyanobacterium forming large spherical colonies of up to several centimeters in diameter. The size and shape result in low surface area to volume (SA/V) ratios that potentially put severe constraints on resource acquisition. In the present study we have...

The fast ratio: A rapid measure for testing the dominance of the fast component in the initial OSL signal from quartz

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Durcan, Julie A.; Duller, Geoff A.T.

2011-01-01

The signal from the fast component is usually considered preferable for quartz optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating, however its presence in a continuous wave (CW) OSL signal is often assumed, rather than verified. This paper presents an objective measure (termed the fast ratio) for testing the dominance of the fast component in the initial part of a quartz OSL signal. The ratio is based upon the photo ionisation cross-sections of the fast and medium components and the power of the measurement equipment used to record the OSL signal, and it compares parts of the OSL signal selected to represent the fast and medium components. The ability of the fast ratio to distinguish between samples whose CW-OSL signal is dominated by the fast and non-fast components is demonstrated by comparing the fast ratio with the contribution of the fast component calculated from curve deconvolution of measured OSL signals and from simulated data. The ratio offers a rapid method for screening a large number of OSL signals obtained for individual equivalent dose estimates, it can be calculated and applied as easily as other routine screening methods, and is transferrable between different aliquots, samples and measurement equipment. - Highlights: → Fast ratio is a measure which tests dominance of fast component in quartz OSL signals. → A fast ratio above 20 implies a CW-OSL signal is dominated by fast component. → Fast ratio can be easily and rapidly applied to a large number of OSL signals. → Uses include signal comparison, data screening, identify need for further analysis.

Effective electro-optical modulation with high extinction ratio by a graphene-silicon microring resonator

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ding, Yunhong; Zhu, Xiaolong; Xiao, Sanshui

2015-01-01

Graphene opens up for novel optoelectronic applications thanks to its high carrier mobility, ultra-large absorption bandwidth, and extremely fast material response. In particular, the opportunity to control optoelectronic properties through tuning of the Fermi level enables electro-optical modula......Graphene opens up for novel optoelectronic applications thanks to its high carrier mobility, ultra-large absorption bandwidth, and extremely fast material response. In particular, the opportunity to control optoelectronic properties through tuning of the Fermi level enables electro...... with an extinction ratio of 3.8 dB is successfully demonstrated by applying a square-waveform with a 4 V peak-to-peak voltage....

Stress Ratios in Entire Mine Stopes with Cohesionless Backfill: A Numerical Study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pengyu Yang

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Evaluation of stress states in backfilled mine stopes (or similar openings, using arching theory, can be largely impacted by the value selected for the earth pressure coefficient, K = σ′h/σ′v. Recently, the current study’s authors addressed the debate about the value of K near the opening center, based on Rankine’s active coefficient (Ka and at-rest coefficient (K0. Here, stress ratios in vertical backfilled stopes are numerically assessed (in two dimension, 2D, considering both the independent and related backfill internal friction angle (ϕ′ and Poisson’s ratio (ν. Emphasis is placed on the backfill state near stope walls, where local rotation of stresses occurs, so the coefficient (K and principal stress ratio, Kps (= σ′3/σ′1, should be distinguished. Parametric analyses indicate that values of K and Kps depend on the position and the relationship between ϕ′ and ν. Near the opening center, K (= Kps is close to Ka when ν or ϕ′ is below a critical value; otherwise the value approaches K0, defined from ν. Near both walls, Kps is always close to Ka, while K is near K0 for related ν − ϕ′ cases and depends on their respective values for independent ν and ϕ′. Additional simulations conducted with interface elements indicate that the stress ratios near the opening center line are insensitive to interface roughness and are almost identical to values obtained without interfaces, but the stress ratios near walls may change for less rough or smooth interfaces.

Response of partially premixed flames to acoustic velocity and equivalence ratio perturbations

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, K.T.; Lee, J.G.; Quay, B.D.; Santavicca, D.A. [Center for Advanced Power Generation, Department of Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA (United States)

2010-09-15

This article describes an experimental investigation of the forced response of a swirl-stabilized partially premixed flame when it is subjected to acoustic velocity and equivalence ratio fluctuations. The flame's response is analyzed using phase-resolved CH{sup *} chemiluminescence images and flame transfer function (FTF) measurements, and compared with the response of a perfectly premixed flame under acoustic perturbations. The nonlinear response of the partially premixed flame is manifested by a partial extinction of the reaction zone, leading to rapid reduction of flame surface area. This nonlinearity, however, is observed only when the phase difference between the acoustic velocity and the equivalence ratio at the combustor inlet is close to zero. The condition, {delta}{phi}{sub {phi}}'-V'{approx}0 , indicates that reactant mixtures with high equivalence ratio impinge on the flame front with high velocity, inducing large fluctuations of the rate of heat release. It is found that the phase difference between the acoustic velocity and equivalence ratio nonuniformities is a key parameter governing the linear/nonlinear response of a partially premixed flame, and it is a function of modulation frequency, inlet velocity, fuel injection location, and fuel injector impedance. The results presented in this article will provide insight into the response of a partially premixed flame, which has not been well explored to date. (author)

Assessment of pulmonary ventilation/perfusion ratio by dual radionuclides SPECT using 81mKr gas and 99mTc-MAA

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sando, Yoshichika

1994-01-01

The accuracy and clinical availability of pulmonary ventilation/perfusion (V/Q) ratio images by 81m Kr gas and 99m Tc-MAA dual radionuclides SPECT was assessed in 10 normal volunteers and 31 patients with pulmonary diseases. After equalizing the total acquisition counts of both radionuclides, the ratio of 81m Kr/ 99m Tc count was calculated in each pixel and expressed as the functional map of V/Q. Then, the histogram of pixel numbers against V/Q ratio was drawn and the center of weight (CW) and standard deviation (SD) of the distribution were determined. The reproducibility of this method was excellent. In normal volunteers, CW was 1.07 and the SD was 0.25. The V/Q was lower in dorsal than in the ventral portion. SD was large and lobar or segmental high V/Q areas were clearly noted in the patients with pulmonary vascular diseases. In pulmonary emphysema, large low V/Q areas coexisted with patchy high V/Q areas. CW was small and SD was large in this group. There was a significant positive correlation between SD and P A-a O 2 . The author believes that the pulmonary ventilation/perfusion (V/Q) ratio images by dual radionuclides SPECT is a useful diagnostic procedure. Further, SD determined by this examination is thought to be a good parameter of uneven distribution of pulmonary ventilation and perfusion. (author)

Energy ratios in Finnish agricultural production

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

H. J. MIKKOLA

2008-12-01

Full Text Available The objective of this study was to assess energy ratios and net energy in plant production and energy ratios in animal production in Finland. Energy ratios and net energy were determined on the basis of plant- and animal-specific energy analyses. In plant production, energy ratios and net energy were assessed as a function of nitrogen fertilization, because indirect energy input in the form of agrochemicals was 54—73% from the total energy input and nitrogen was responsible for the major part of this. The highest energy ratio was 18.6 for reed canary grass. As a whole reed canary grass was superior to the other crops, which were barley, spring wheat, spring turnip rape, ley for silage, potato and sugar beet. Reed canary grass and sugar beet gained the highest net energy yields of 111–115 GJ ha-1. The optimum energy ratio was gained in general with less nitrogen fertilization intensity than farmers use. The energy ratios in pork production varied between 0.14–1.28 depending on what was included or excluded in the analysis and for milk production between 0.15–1.85. Ratios of 1.28 in pork production and 1.85 in milk production are unrealistic as they do not give any shelter to the animals, although they can be approached in very low-input production systems. If the ratio is calculated with feed energy content then the ratio is low, 0.14–0.22 for pork and 0.15 for milk. This shows that animals can convert 14–22 percent of the input energy to usable products. In pork production, the largest portion of the energy input was the ventilation of the building. In milk production milking and cooling consumes a lot of energy and for this reason the electricity consumption is high.;

Heterogeneity in the 238U/235U Ratios of Angrites.

Science.gov (United States)

Tissot, F.; Dauphas, N.; Grove, T. L.

2016-12-01

Angrites are differentiated meteorites of basaltic composition, of either volcanic or plutonic origin, that display minimal post-crystallization alteration, metamorphism, shock or impact brecciation. Because quenched angrites cooled very rapidly, all radiochronometric systems closed simultaneously in these samples. Quenched angrites are thus often used as anchors for cross-calibrating short-lived dating methods (e.g., 26Al-26Mg) and the absolute dating techniques (e.g, Pb-Pb). Due to the constancy of the 238U/235U ratio in natural samples, Pb-Pb ages have long been calculated using a "consensus" 238U/235U ratio, but the discovery of resolvable variations in the 238U/235U ratio of natural samples, means that the U isotopic composition of the material to date also has to be determined in order to obtain high-precision Pb-Pb ages. We set out (a) to measure at high-precision the 238U/235U ratio of a large array of angrites to correct their Pb-Pb ages, and (b) to identify whether all angrites have a similar U isotopic composition, and, if not, what were the processes responsible for this variability. Recently, Brennecka & Wadhwa (2012) suggested that the angrite-parent body had a homogeneous 238U/235U ratio. They reached this conclusion partly because they propagated the uncertainties of the U isotopic composition of the various U double spikes that they used onto the final 238U/235U ratio the sample. Because this error is systematic (i.e., it affects all samples similarly), differences in the δ238U values of samples corrected by the same double spike are better known than one would be led to believe if uncertainties on the spike composition are propagated. At the conference, we will present the results of the high-precision U isotope analyses for six angrite samples: NWA 4590, NWA 4801, NWA 6291, Angra dos Reis, D'Orbigny, and Sahara 99555. We will show that there is some heterogeneity in the δ238U values of the angrites and will discuss the possible processes by

Large magnetoresistance tunnelling through a magnetically modulated nanostructure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lu Maowang; Zhang Lide

2003-01-01

Based on a combination of an inhomogeneous magnetic field and a two-dimensional electron gas, we have constructed a giant magnetoresistance nanostructure, which can be realized experimentally by the deposition of two parallel ferromagnetic strips on top of a semiconductor heterostructure. We have theoretically studied the magnetoresistance for electrons tunnelling through this nanostructure. It is shown that there exists a significant transmission difference between the parallel and antiparallel magnetization configurations, which leads to a large magnetoresistance. It is also shown that the magnetoresistance ratio strongly depends not only on incident electronic energy but also on the ferromagnetic strips, and thus a much larger magnetoresistance ratio can be obtained by properly fabricating the ferromagnetic strips in the system

Basel III : how have banks adjusted to increase CET1 ratios?

OpenAIRE

Bjerketvedt, Oda; Arneberg-Bauer, Tonje

2013-01-01

In 2010 the Basel Committee finalised the global framework called Basel III, which will have a significant impact on the global banking sector. A large part of the framework focuses on capital adequacy, where the Common Equity Tier 1 (CET1) ratio is essential. Through an analysis of four banks from the United Kingdom – HSBC, Barclays, Lloyds Banking Group and Standard Chartered – this thesis aim to examine how these banks have adjusted to the new CET1 requirements. In the EU the Basel III ...

Effect of embedment ratio on buried pipelines subject to combined loading

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mahdavi, H. [Memorial Univ. of Newfoundland, St. John' s, NL (Canada); Kenny, S. [Memorial Univ. of Newfoundland, St. John' s, NL (Canada). Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science; Phillips, R. [Memorial Univ. of Newfoundland, St. John' s, NL (Canada). C-Core; Radu Popecsu [Princeton Univ., Princeton, NJ (United States). URS Corp.

2009-07-01

Pipelines along certain route corridors may be subject to long term, large scale ground movement due to accumulated soil deformation such as subsidence, thaw settlement, frost heave, and slope movement. The pipeline may therefore deform, yield, and experience local buckling mechanisms. This study investigated the influence of geotechnical loads and restraint on the local buckling response of buried pipelines. Two soil types were studied, notably stiff clay and dense sand. Three-dimensional continuum modelling procedures were developed, using ABAQUS/Standard, and calibrated against limited physical data on the buckling response of an unpressurized buried pipeline. The influence of soil restraint and embedment ratio (H/D) on the pipeline peak moment capacity, critical strain and ovalization were investigated through a parametric analysis. The study showed that as the H/D ratio increases, the soil failure mechanism changes from passive wedge formation to soil local failure around a pipeline. The contact surface between the pipeline and surrounding soil is influenced by changes in soil failure mechanisms. Therefore, the magnitude and distribution of loads that can be transferred varies. Also the location of the critical section, the factor of ovalization, and the moment-strain relationship of a buried pipeline changes with increasing H/D ratio. 21 refs., 4 tabs.,10 figs.

Meal composition and plasma amino acid ratios: Effect of various proteins or carbohydrates, and of various protein concentrations

Science.gov (United States)

Yokogoshi, Hidehiko; Wurtman, Richard J.

1986-01-01

The effects of meals containing various proteins and carbohydrates, and of those containing various proportions of protein (0 percent to 20 percent of a meal, by weight) or of carbohydrate (0 percent to 75 percent), on plasma levels of certain large neutral amino acids (LNAA) in rats previously fasted for 19 hours were examined. Also the plasma tryptophan ratios (the ratio of the plasma trytophan concentration to the summed concentrations of the other large neutral amino acids) and other plasma amino acid ratios were calculated. (The plasma tryptophan ratio has been shown to determine brain tryptophan levels and, thereby, to affect the synthesis and release of the neurotransmitter serotonin). A meal containing 70 percent to 75 percent of an insulin-secreting carbohydrate (dextrose or dextrin) increased plasma insulin levels and the tryptophan ratio; those containing 0 percent or 25 percent carbohydrate failed to do so. Addition of as little as 5 percent casein to a 70 percent carbohydrate meal fully blocked the increase in the plasma tryptophan ratio without affecting the secretion of insulin - probably by contributing much larger quantities of the other LNAA than of tryptophan to the blood. Dietary proteins differed in their ability to suppress the carbohydrate-induced rise in the plasma tryptophan ratio. Addition of 10 percent casein, peanut meal, or gelatin fully blocked this increase, but lactalbumin failed to do so, and egg white did so only partially. (Consumption of the 10 percent gelatin meal also produced a major reduction in the plasma tyrosine ratio, and may thereby have affected brain tyrosine levels and catecholamine synthesis.) These observations suggest that serotonin-releasing neurons in brains of fasted rats are capable of distinguishing (by their metabolic effects) between meals poor in protein but rich in carbohydrates that elicit insulin secretion, and all other meals. The changes in brain serotonin caused by carbohydrate-rich, protein

Evaluating gaze-based interface tools to facilitate point-and-select tasks with small targets

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Skovsgaard, Henrik; Mateo, Julio C.; Hansen, John Paulin

2011-01-01

-and-select tasks. We conducted two experiments comparing the performance of dwell, magnification and zoom methods in point-and-select tasks with small targets in single- and multiple-target layouts. Both magnification and zoom showed higher hit rates than dwell. Hit rates were higher when using magnification than...

Radionuclide ratios of cesium and strontium in Tarapur marine environment, west coast of India

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Baburajan, A.; Rao, D.D.; Chandramouli, S.; Iyer, R.S.; Hegde, A.G.

1999-01-01

Marine environment of Tarapur located 100 km north of Mumbai on the west coast, receives low level liquid waste from Tarapur Atomic Power Station (TAPS) and Fuel Reprocessing Plant (FRP). Radionuclide ratios of cesium and strontium were obtained in source term (the quantum of radioactive liquid waste available for discharge) and different marine samples viz, seawater, sediment, seaweed and marine organisms. A constant ratio of 137 Cs: 134 Cs was observed in seawater and source term. But the ratio of 137 Cs: 90 Sr had wide variation due to selective scavenging of 137 Cs by sedimentary particles at the discharge location. Among the other matrices, sediment showed a higher value of 137 Cs: 134 Cs and 137 Cs: 90 Sr reflecting the cumulative effects of releases from TAPS and FRP and higher distribution coefficient of radiocesium from seawater to sediment. Marine algae indicate a discrimination against sorption of 90 Sr due to the isotopic dilution by stable strontium present in seawater (8mg/l). The marine organisms preying on sediment containing microflora and fauna exhibited radionuclide ratios similar to seawater as the sediment sorbed cesium is not available for assimilation due to the mineral nature of the sediment. The matrices other than sediment indicated the equilibrated activity ratio of radionuclides in seawater which is the recipient medium and reflected the influence of continuous discharge. The sedimentary radionuclide ratio is largely dependent on sorption characteristics of radionuclides and their retention. (author)

Choice with frequently changing food rates and food ratios.

Science.gov (United States)

Baum, William M; Davison, Michael

2014-03-01

In studies of operant choice, when one schedule of a concurrent pair is varied while the other is held constant, the constancy of the constant schedule may exert discriminative control over performance. In our earlier experiments, schedules varied reciprocally across components within sessions, so that while food ratio varied food rate remained constant. In the present experiment, we held one variable-interval (VI) schedule constant while varying the concurrent VI schedule within sessions. We studied five conditions, each with a different constant left VI schedule. On the right key, seven different VI schedules were presented in seven different unsignaled components. We analyzed performances at several different time scales. At the longest time scale, across conditions, behavior ratios varied with food ratios as would be expected from the generalized matching law. At shorter time scales, effects due to holding the left VI constant became more and more apparent, the shorter the time scale. In choice relations across components, preference for the left key leveled off as the right key became leaner. Interfood choice approximated strict matching for the varied right key, whereas interfood choice hardly varied at all for the constant left key. At the shortest time scale, visit patterns differed for the left and right keys. Much evidence indicated the development of a fix-and-sample pattern. In sum, the procedural difference made a large difference to performance, except for choice at the longest time scale and the fix-and-sample pattern at the shortest time scale. © Society for the Experimental Analysis of Behavior.

Therapeutic ratio and fractionation in cancer of the lung

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cox, J.D.; Bauer, M.

1988-01-01

Bronchopulmonary carcinomas have long been considered among the most frustrating problems in radiation oncology. In spite of the reasonably favorable results reported over 30 years ago with conventional X-irradiation of patients with operable carcinoma of the lung, the patients usually referred for radiation therapy with unresectable tumors permit few opportunities for successful treatment and thus lead to a general nihilism about this disease. The potential damage that can occur from radiation therapy to the normal lung can be life-threatening. Such damage was thought, erroneously, to be increased dramatically with even moderately high doses, e.g.; more than 50 Gy in 5 weeks. Therefore, few attempts were made to deliver the same high doses of radiations that would be considered mandatory for epithelial tumors of other locations such as the upper respiratory and digestive tract or the female genital tract. The therapeutic ratio was altered in an unfavorable direction with the use of small numbers of large fractions. Based on the earliest RTOG studies of carcinoma of the lung, the therapeutic ratio is at an acceptable level with 60 Gy in 30 fractions of 2.0 Gy in 6 weeks. It is encouraging that there is no evidence of an increased rate of morbidity in the hyperfractionation trials of the RTOG. The data are too preliminary with regard to therapeutic effect to know if there will truly be an increase in therapeutic ratio. It was evident that 12-24 months of follow-up are necessary before definitive answers are available

Revisiting the concept of Redfield ratios applied to plankton stoichiometry - Addressing model uncertainties with respect to the choice of C:N:P ratios for phytoplankton

Science.gov (United States)

Kreus, Markus; Paetsch, Johannes; Grosse, Fabian; Lenhart, Hermann; Peck, Myron; Pohlmann, Thomas

2017-04-01

Ongoing Ocean Acidification (OA) and climate change related trends impact on physical (temperature), chemical (CO2 buffer capacity) and biological (stoichiometric) properties of the marine environment. These threats affect the global ocean but they appear particularly pronounced in marginal and shelf seas. Marine biogeochemical models are often used to investigate the impacts of climate change and changes in OA on the marine system as well as its exchange with the atmosphere. Different studies showed that both the structural composition of the models and the elemental ratios of particulate organic matter in the surface ocean affect the key processes controlling the ocean's efficiency storing atmospheric excess carbon. Recent studies focus on the variability of the elemental ratios of phytoplankton and found that the high plasticity of C:N:P ratios enables the storage of large amounts of carbon by incorporation into carbohydrates and lipids. Our analysis focuses on the North Sea, a temperate European shelf sea, for the period 2000-2014. We performed an ensemble of model runs differing only in phytoplankton stoichiometry, representing combinations of C:P = [132.5, 106, 79.5] and N:P=[20, 16, 12] (i.e., Redfield ratio +/- 25%). We examine systematically the variations in annual averages of net primary production (NPP), net ecosystem production in the upper 30 m (NEP30), export production below 30 m depth (EXP30), and the air-sea flux of CO2 (ASF). Ensemble average fluxes (and standard deviations) resulted in NPP = 15.4 (2.8) mol C m-2 a-1, NEP30 = 5.4 (1.1) mol C m-2 a-1, EXP30 = 8.1 (1.1) mol C m-2 a-1 and ASF = 1.1 (0.5) mol C m-2 a-1. All key parameters exhibit only minor variations along the axis of constant C:N, but correlate positively with increasing C:P and decreasing N:P ratios. Concerning regional differences, lowest variations in local fluxes due to different stoichiometric ratios can be found in the shallow southern and coastal North Sea. Highest

Applications of computed nuclear structure functions to inclusive scattering, R-ratios and their moments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rinat, A.S.

2000-01-01

We discuss applications of previously computed nuclear structure functions (SF) to inclusive cross sections, compare predictions with recent CEBAF data and perform two scaling tests. We mention that the large Q 2 plateau of scaling functions may only in part be due to the asymptotic limit of SF, which prevents the extraction of the nucleon momentum distribution in a model- independent way. We show that there may be sizable discrepancies between computed and semi-heuristic estimates of SF ratios. We compute ratios of moments of nuclear SF and show these to be in reasonable agreement with data. We speculate that an effective theory may underly the model for the nuclear SF, which produces overall agreement with several observables. (author)

hf alkylation in the 1980's: the role of isobutane/olefin ratio

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hutson, T. Jr.

1978-08-01

Research devoted to maximizing no-lead octane numbers in motor fuel is reported. Results of the studies are the basis for the following conclusions: 1. Isobutane alkylate made from either propylene, butene-2, or C/sub 3/--C/sub 4/ mixed olefins is a low sensitivity, high motor octane product. Typically, C/sub 3/--C/sub 4/ mixed olefin alkylate has a clear motor octane number of about 92.2 and a clear Research octane number of about 93.5. 2. In separate studies with propylene, butene-2 and C/sub 3/--C/sub 4/ mixed olefins, increasing the isobutane-to-olefin ratio suppressed the formation of high molecular weight residue, indicating a substantial reduction in the role of olefin polymerization to large ions. The overall result of increasing ratio was an improvement in selectivity to high-octane components in the alkylate. 3. When alkylating isobutane with propylene, increasing the ratio resulted in a decrease in the concentration of C/sub 7/-fraction (primary product) and an increase in the C/sub 8/-fraction (from chain initiation and subsequent hydrogen transfer). At the same time, the production of chain-termination-product propane also increased. 4. When alkylating isobutane with C/sub 3/--C/sub 4/ mixed olefins, increasing the ratio showed the same trend obtained in separate alkylation tests with propylene and butene-2. As the ratio increased, the concentration of C/sub 7/-fraction (primary propylene--isobutane product) decreased and the concentration of C/sub 8/-fraction increased markedly. Thus, increasing isobutane-to-olefin ratio exerted a strong effect on alkylate quality in the area of about 5 to 1 to 20 to 1; this effect diminished at ratios 20:1.

Output factors and scatter ratios

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shrivastava, P N; Summers, R E; Samulski, T V; Baird, L C [Allegheny General Hospital, Pittsburgh, PA (USA); Ahuja, A S; Dubuque, G L; Hendee, W R; Chhabra, A S

1979-07-01

Reference is made to a previous publication on output factors and scatter ratios for radiotherapy units in which it was suggested that the output factor should be included in the definitions of scatter-air ratio and tissue-maximum ratio. In the present correspondence from other authors and from the authors of the previous publication, the original definitions and the proposed changes are discussed. Radiation scatter from source and collimator degradation of beam energy and calculation of dose in tissue are considered in relation to the objective of accurate dosimetry.

Manipulation of primary sex ratio in birds: lessons from the homing pigeon (Columba livia domestica).

Science.gov (United States)

Goerlich-Jansson, Vivian C; Müller, Martina S; Groothuis, Ton G G

2013-12-01

Across various animal taxa not only the secondary sex ratio but also the primary sex ratio (at conception) shows significant deviations from the expected equal proportions of sons and daughters. Birds are especially intriguing to study this phenomenon as avian females are the heterogametic sex (ZW); therefore sex determination might be under direct control of the mother. Avian sex ratios vary in relation to environmental or maternal condition, which can also affect the production of maternal steroids that in turn are involved in reproduction and accumulate in the developing follicle before meiosis. As the proximate mechanisms underlying biased primary sex ratio are largely elusive, we explored how, and to what extent, maternal steroid hormones may be involved in affecting primary or secondary sex ratio in clutches of various species of pigeons. First we demonstrated a clear case of seasonal change in sex ratio in first eggs both in the Rock Pigeon (Columba livia) and in a related species, the Wood Pigeon (Columba palumbus), both producing clutches of two eggs. In the Homing Pigeon (Columba livia domestica), domesticated from the Rock Pigeon, testosterone treatment of breeding females induced a clear male bias, while corticosterone induced a female bias in first eggs and we argue that this is in line with sex allocation theory. We next analyzed treatment effects on follicle formation, yolk mass, and yolk hormones, the latter both pre- and post-ovulatory, in order to test a diversity of potential mechanisms related to both primary and secondary sex ratio manipulation. We conclude that maternal plasma hormone levels may affect several pre-ovulatory mechanisms affecting primary sex ratio, whereas egg hormones are probably involved in secondary sex ratio manipulation only.

Influence of La/W ratio on electrical conductivity of lanthanum tungstate with high La/W ratio

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kojo, Gen; Shono, Yohei; Ushiyama, Hiroshi; Oshima, Yoshito; Otomo, Junichiro

2017-01-01

The proton-conducting properties of lanthanum tungstates (LWOs) with high La/W ratios were investigated using electrochemical measurements and quantum chemical calculations. Single phases of LWOs with high La/W ratios (6.3≤La/W≤6.7) were synthesized by high-temperature sintering at around 1700 °C. The electrical conductivity of LWO increased with increasing La/W ratio in the single-phase region. The LWO synthesized at the optimum sintering temperature and time, and with the optimum La/W ratio gave the maximum conductivity, i.e., 2.7×10 −3 S cm −1 with La/W=6.7 at 500 °C. Density functional theory calculations, using the nudged elastic band method, were performed to investigate the proton diffusion barrier. The results suggest that the proton diffusion paths around La sites have the lowest proton diffusion barrier. These findings improve our understanding of LWO synthesis and the proton-conducting mechanism and provide a strategy for improving proton conduction in LWOs. - Graphical abstract: The LWOs with high La/W ratios were synthesized for the first time. The optimum La/W ratio gave the maximum conductivity with La/W=6.7 at 500 °C. The proton diffusion paths were also considered with density functional theory calculations. - Highlights: • The proton-conducting properties of lanthanum tungstates (LWOs) were investigated. • Single phase LWOs with high La/W ratios (6.3≤La/W≤6.7) were synthesized successfully. • LWOs with the high La/W ratios showed high proton conductivity. • The DFT calculation suggested the lowest proton diffusion barrier in the path around La sites.

Ratio of dialytic coefficients of hydrogen and tritium in permeation through palladium alloy film

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fujita, Haruyuki; Fujita, Kunio; Sakamoto, Hiroshi; Higashi, Kunio; Okada, Sakae.

1982-01-01

The dialytic coefficient for hydrogen is especially large in palladium and its alloys. Recently, with the research on fusion reactors, the dialytic coefficient of tritium permeating through solids and its isotopic effect have been the object of interest. The ratio of the dialytic coefficients of tritium and hydrogen has been usually assumed to be 3. The measurement of the dialytic coefficient in solids using pure tritium is practically difficult. Therefore, the authors carried out the experiment to determine the ratio of the dialytic coefficients of pure T 2 and pure H 2 by permeating the mixed gas of T and H through Pd-Au-Ag alloy. The mixed hydrogen gas was filled in a separation cell containing a palladium alloy tube, and the separation factor of tritium and hydrogen was measured by changing pressure, flow rate and temperature. The separation factor depends mainly on the relative dialytic coefficients of tritium and hydrogen, therefore, the ratio of dialytic coefficients can be determined by the simple analysis of the experimental results. This experimental method is suitable to determine the relative value of dialytic coefficients, and the obtained ratio was about 2.1. (Kako, I.)

Increased sex ratio in Russia and Cuba after Chernobyl: a radiological hypothesis

Science.gov (United States)

2013-01-01

Background The ratio of male to female offspring at birth may be a simple and non-invasive way to monitor the reproductive health of a population. Except in societies where selective abortion skews the sex ratio, approximately 105 boys are born for every 100 girls. Generally, the human sex ratio at birth is remarkably constant in large populations. After the Chernobyl nuclear power plant accident in April 1986, a long lasting significant elevation in the sex ratio has been found in Russia, i.e. more boys or fewer girls compared to expectation were born. Recently, also for Cuba an escalated sex ratio from 1987 onward has been documented and discussed in the scientific literature. Presentation of the hypothesis By the end of the eighties of the last century in Cuba as much as about 60% of the food imports were provided by the former Soviet Union. Due to its difficult economic situation, Cuba had neither the necessary insight nor the political strength to circumvent the detrimental genetic effects of imported radioactively contaminated foodstuffs after Chernobyl. We propose that the long term stable sex ratio increase in Cuba is essentially due to ionizing radiation. Testing of the hypothesis A synoptic trend analysis of Russian and Cuban annual sex ratios discloses upward jumps in 1987. The estimated jump height from 1986 to 1987 in Russia measures 0.51% with a 95% confidence interval (0.28, 0.75), p value < 0.0001. In Cuba the estimated jump height measures 2.99% (2.39, 3.60), p value < 0.0001. The hypothesis may be tested by reconstruction of imports from the world markets to Cuba and by radiological analyses of remains in Cuba for Cs-137 and Sr-90. Implications of the hypothesis If the evidence for the hypothesis is strengthened, there is potential to learn about genetic radiation risks and to prevent similar effects in present and future exposure situations. PMID:23947741

Bin Ratio-Based Histogram Distances and Their Application to Image Classification.

Science.gov (United States)

Hu, Weiming; Xie, Nianhua; Hu, Ruiguang; Ling, Haibin; Chen, Qiang; Yan, Shuicheng; Maybank, Stephen

2014-12-01

Large variations in image background may cause partial matching and normalization problems for histogram-based representations, i.e., the histograms of the same category may have bins which are significantly different, and normalization may produce large changes in the differences between corresponding bins. In this paper, we deal with this problem by using the ratios between bin values of histograms, rather than bin values' differences which are used in the traditional histogram distances. We propose a bin ratio-based histogram distance (BRD), which is an intra-cross-bin distance, in contrast with previous bin-to-bin distances and cross-bin distances. The BRD is robust to partial matching and histogram normalization, and captures correlations between bins with only a linear computational complexity. We combine the BRD with the ℓ1 histogram distance and the χ(2) histogram distance to generate the ℓ1 BRD and the χ(2) BRD, respectively. These combinations exploit and benefit from the robustness of the BRD under partial matching and the robustness of the ℓ1 and χ(2) distances to small noise. We propose a method for assessing the robustness of histogram distances to partial matching. The BRDs and logistic regression-based histogram fusion are applied to image classification. The experimental results on synthetic data sets show the robustness of the BRDs to partial matching, and the experiments on seven benchmark data sets demonstrate promising results of the BRDs for image classification.

Metadata-Assisted Global Motion Estimation for Medium-Altitude Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Video Applications

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hongguang Li

2015-09-01

Full Text Available Global motion estimation (GME is a key technology in unmanned aerial vehicle remote sensing (UAVRS. However, when a UAV’s motion and behavior change significantly or the image information is not rich, traditional image-based methods for GME often perform poorly. Introducing bottom metadata can improve precision in a large-scale motion condition and reduce the dependence on unreliable image information. GME is divided into coarse and residual GME through coordinate transformation and based on the study hypotheses. In coarse GME, an auxiliary image is built to convert image matching from a wide baseline condition to a narrow baseline one. In residual GME, a novel information and contrast feature detection algorithm is proposed for big-block matching to maximize the use of reliable image information and ensure that the contents of interest are well estimated. Additionally, an image motion monitor is designed to select the appropriate processing strategy by monitoring the motion scales of translation, rotation, and zoom. A medium-altitude UAV is employed to collect three types of large-scale motion datasets. Peak signal to noise ratio (PSNR and motion scale are computed. This study’s result is encouraging and applicable to other medium- or high-altitude UAVs with a similar system structure.

The hydrophilic/hydrophobic ratio vs. dissolved organics removal by coagulation – A review

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Djamel Ghernaout

2014-07-01

Full Text Available This review discusses the hydrophilic/hydrophobic ratio as a function of the hydrophilic and hydrophobic contents removal by coagulation process. It is well established that coagulation process could bring a reduction in dissolved organic carbon of around 30–60% by increasing the coagulant dose and optimising reaction pH, in which large organic molecules with hydrophobic property was removed preferentially. Furthermore, the literature affirmed that the greater removal of UV-absorbing substances indicates that alum coagulation preferentially removed the hydrophobic fraction of the total organic carbon. For the hydrophobic fraction, it needs to be removed entirely without its transformation into hydrophilic fractions by coagulation process avoiding pre-chlorination/pre-oxidation due to the risk of organic molecules fragmentation. Determining the exact numerical values of the hydrophilic/hydrophobic ratio for raw water and treated water at different stages of the treatment processes in a water treatment plant, as for the DCO/DBO5 ratio in the case of wastewater treatment, would help on more focusing on OM control and removal.

Sex ratio meiotic drive as a plausible evolutionary mechanism for hybrid male sterility.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Linbin; Sun, Tianai; Woldesellassie, Fitsum; Xiao, Hailian; Tao, Yun

2015-03-01

Biological diversity on Earth depends on the multiplication of species or speciation, which is the evolution of reproductive isolation such as hybrid sterility between two new species. An unsolved puzzle is the exact mechanism(s) that causes two genomes to diverge from their common ancestor so that some divergent genes no longer function properly in the hybrids. Here we report genetic analyses of divergent genes controlling male fertility and sex ratio in two very young fruitfly species, Drosophila albomicans and D. nasuta. A majority of the genetic divergence for both traits is mapped to the same regions by quantitative trait loci mappings. With introgressions, six major loci are found to contribute to both traits. This genetic colocalization implicates that genes for hybrid male sterility have evolved primarily for controlling sex ratio. We propose that genetic conflicts over sex ratio may operate as a perpetual dynamo for genome divergence. This particular evolutionary mechanism may largely contribute to the rapid evolution of hybrid male sterility and the disproportionate enrichment of its underlying genes on the X chromosome--two patterns widely observed across animals.

Liquidity Analysis Using Cash Flow Ratios as Compared to Traditional Ratios in the Pharmaceutical Sector in Jordan

OpenAIRE

Sulayman H. Atieh

2014-01-01

The purpose of this study is to examine the liquidity position of the Jordanian pharmaceutical sector using the traditional ratios as compared to the more recently developed cash flow ratios. The research involved the comparison between traditional ratios and cash flow ratios of the big seven companies of the pharmaceutical industry in Jordan over six years period (2007¨C2012). The companies were all from the same sector, and the data was obtained from the annual reports of these companies. T...

Large eddy simulation of soot evolution in an aircraft combustor

Science.gov (United States)

Mueller, Michael E.; Pitsch, Heinz

2013-11-01

An integrated kinetics-based Large Eddy Simulation (LES) approach for soot evolution in turbulent reacting flows is applied to the simulation of a Pratt & Whitney aircraft gas turbine combustor, and the results are analyzed to provide insights into the complex interactions of the hydrodynamics, mixing, chemistry, and soot. The integrated approach includes detailed models for soot, combustion, and the unresolved interactions between soot, chemistry, and turbulence. The soot model is based on the Hybrid Method of Moments and detailed descriptions of soot aggregates and the various physical and chemical processes governing their evolution. The detailed kinetics of jet fuel oxidation and soot precursor formation is described with the Radiation Flamelet/Progress Variable model, which has been modified to account for the removal of soot precursors from the gas-phase. The unclosed filtered quantities in the soot and combustion models, such as source terms, are closed with a novel presumed subfilter PDF approach that accounts for the high subfilter spatial intermittency of soot. For the combustor simulation, the integrated approach is combined with a Lagrangian parcel method for the liquid spray and state-of-the-art unstructured LES technology for complex geometries. Two overall fuel-to-air ratios are simulated to evaluate the ability of the model to make not only absolute predictions but also quantitative predictions of trends. The Pratt & Whitney combustor is a Rich-Quench-Lean combustor in which combustion first occurs in a fuel-rich primary zone characterized by a large recirculation zone. Dilution air is then added downstream of the recirculation zone, and combustion continues in a fuel-lean secondary zone. The simulations show that large quantities of soot are formed in the fuel-rich recirculation zone, and, furthermore, the overall fuel-to-air ratio dictates both the dominant soot growth process and the location of maximum soot volume fraction. At the higher fuel

Image magnification based on similarity analogy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen Zuoping; Ye Zhenglin; Wang Shuxun; Peng Guohua

2009-01-01

Aiming at the high time complexity of the decoding phase in the traditional image enlargement methods based on fractal coding, a novel image magnification algorithm is proposed in this paper, which has the advantage of iteration-free decoding, by using the similarity analogy between an image and its zoom-out and zoom-in. A new pixel selection technique is also presented to further improve the performance of the proposed method. Furthermore, by combining some existing fractal zooming techniques, an efficient image magnification algorithm is obtained, which can provides the image quality as good as the state of the art while greatly decrease the time complexity of the decoding phase.

A Study on the Effects of Compression Ratio, Engine Speed and Equivalence Ratio on HCCI Combustion of DME

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pedersen, Troels Dyhr; Schramm, Jesper

2007-01-01

An experimental study has been carried out on the homogeneous charge compression ignition (HCCI) combustion of Dimethyl Ether (DME). The study was performed as a parameter variation of engine speed and compression ratio on excess air ratios of approximately 2.5, 3 and 4. The compression ratio...... was adjusted in steps to find suitable regions of operation, and the effect of engine speed was studied at 1000, 2000 and 3000 RPM. It was found that leaner excess air ratios require higher compression ratios to achieve satisfactory combustion. Engine speed also affects operation significantly....

Variations in the D/H and 18O/16O ratios in cellulose extracted from a peat bog core

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brenninkmeijer, C.A.M.; Mook, W.G.; Geel, B. van

1982-01-01

A peat core from a raised bog covering the period 3100 to 2400 14 C years B.P. has been analysed for D/H and 18 O/ 16 O ratios. These analyses were applied to cellulose, extracted from 56 successive layers of 1 cm thickness. D/H ratios were determined for the carbon bonded hydrogen; 18 O/ 16 O analyses were performed by applying a new method. For the interpretation of the results obtained on peat, the isotopic ratios of 11 living bog plant species were measured, showing a relatively large scatter. Most pronounced is a depletion in D of about 25per mille and in 18 O of about 5per mille of the Sphagnum mosses relative to the vascular bog plants. This different isotopic composition is reflected by the deltaD and delta 18 O records of the peat core, because the abundance of the remains of non-vascular plants is variable. If this effect is taken account of, the remaining deltaD variations appear to be too large to be attributed to variations in the isotopic compositions of precipitation. As palaeoclimatic indicators the D/H and 18 O/ 16 O ratio qualitatively agree with the pollen analytical evidence for the climatic deterioration of the Subboreal-Subatlantic transition. (orig.)

Weathering reactions and isometric log-ratio coordinates: Do they speak to each other?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Buccianti, Antonella; Zuo, Renguang

2016-01-01

The aim of this contribution is to explore the relationship among some concepts, often considered to be unrelated, such as weathering reactions, compositional data and fractals by means of distribution analysis. Weathering reactions represent the necessary transfer of heat and entropy to the environment in geochemical cycles. Compositional data express the relative abundance of chemical elements/species in a given total (i.e. volume or weight). Fractals are temporal or spatial objects with self-similarity and scale-invariance, so that internal structures repeat themselves over multiple levels of magnification or scales of measurement. Gibbs's free energy and the application of the Law Mass Action can be used to model weathering reactions, under the hypothesis of chemical equilibrium. Compositional data are obtained in the analytical phase after the determination of the concentrations of chemicals in sampled solid, liquid or gaseous materials. Fractals can be measured by using their fractal dimensions. In this paper, the presence of fractal structures is observed when the frequency distribution of isometric log-ratio coordinates is investigated, showing the logarithm of the cumulative number of samples exceeding a certain coordinate value plotted against the coordinate value itself. Isometric log-ratio coordinates (or balances) were constructed by using the sequential binary partition (SBP) method. The balances were identified to maintain, as far as possible, the similarity with a corresponding weathering reaction affecting the Arno river catchment (Tuscany, central Italy) as described by the Law of Mass Action. The emergence of fractal structures indicates the presence of dissipative systems, which require complexity, large numbers of inter-connected elements and stochasticity. - Highlights: • Frequency distribution analysis links compositional data and fractals. • Isometric log-ratio coordinates simulate chemical reactions in weathering processes. • Fractal

Exploring the 13CO/C18O abundance ratio towards Galactic young stellar objects and HII regions

Science.gov (United States)

Areal, M. B.; Paron, S.; Celis Peña, M.; Ortega, M. E.

2018-05-01

Aims: Determining molecular abundance ratios is important not only for the study of Galactic chemistry, but also because they are useful to estimate physical parameters in a large variety of interstellar medium environments. One of the most important molecules for tracing the molecular gas in the interstellar medium is CO, and the 13CO/C18O abundance ratio is usually used to estimate molecular masses and densities of regions with moderate to high densities. Nowadays isotope ratios are in general indirectly derived from elemental abundances ratios. We present the first 13CO/C18O abundance ratio study performed from CO isotope observations towards a large sample of Galactic sources of different natures at different locations. Methods: To study the 13CO/C18O abundance ratio, we used 12CO J = 3 - 2 data obtained from the CO High-Resolution Survey, 13CO and C18O J = 3 - 2 data from the 13CO/C18O (J = 3 - 2) Heterodyne Inner Milky Way Plane Survey, and some complementary data extracted from the James Clerk Maxwell Telescope database. We analyzed a sample of 198 sources composed of young stellar objects (YSOs), and HII and diffuse HII regions as catalogued in the Red MSX Source Survey in 27.°5 ≤ l ≤ 46.°5 and |b|0.°5. Results: Most of the analyzed sources are located in the galactocentric distance range 4.0-6.5 kpc. We found that YSOs have, on average, lower 13CO/C18O abundance ratios than HII and diffuse HII regions. Taking into account that the gas associated with YSOs should be less affected by the radiation than in the case of the others sources, selective far-UV photodissociation of C18O is confirmed. The 13CO/C18O abundance ratios obtained in this work are systematically lower than those predicted from the known elemental abundance relations. These results will be useful in future studies of molecular gas related to YSOs and HII regions based on the observation of these isotopes.

An Accurate Method for Inferring Relatedness in Large Datasets of Unphased Genotypes via an Embedded Likelihood-Ratio Test

KAUST Repository

Rodriguez, Jesse M.; Batzoglou, Serafim; Bercovici, Sivan

2013-01-01

, accurate and efficient detection of hidden relatedness becomes a challenge. To enable disease-mapping studies of increasingly large cohorts, a fast and accurate method to detect IBD segments is required. We present PARENTE, a novel method for detecting

Difference and ratio plots

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Svendsen, Anders Jørgen; Holmskov, U; Bro, Peter

1995-01-01

and systemic lupus erythematosus from another previously published study (Macanovic, M. and Lachmann, P.J. (1979) Clin. Exp. Immunol. 38, 274) are also represented using ratio plots. Our observations indicate that analysis by regression analysis may often be misleading....... hitherto unnoted differences between controls and patients with either rheumatoid arthritis or systemic lupus erythematosus. For this we use simple, but unconventional, graphic representations of the data, based on difference plots and ratio plots. Differences between patients with Burkitt's lymphoma...

Iberian Spanish "Macho": Vantages and Polysemy in Culturally Defined Meaning

Science.gov (United States)

Grace, Caroline A.; Glaz, Adam

2010-01-01

This study explores some specific aspects of compatibility between cognitive models. Robert E. MacLaury's theory of vantages as arrangements of coordinates and Lakoff's concept of radial categories are mutually reinforcing to an analysis of semantic polysemy. Vantage Theory (VT) includes the notions of "zooming in" and "zooming out", allowing…

Flock sizes and sex ratios of canvasbacks in Chesapeake Bay and North Carolina

Science.gov (United States)

Haramis, G.M.; Derleth, E.L.; Link, W.A.

1994-01-01

Knowledge of the distribution, size, and sex ratios of flocks of wintering canvasbacks (Aythya valisineria) is fundamental to understanding the species' winter ecology and providing guidelines for management. Consequently, in winter 1986-87, we conducted 4 monthly aerial photographic surveys to investigate temporal changes in distribution, size, and sex ratios of canvasback flocks in traditional wintering areas of Chesapeake Bay and coastal North Carolina. Surveys yielded 35mm imagery of 194,664 canvasbacks in 842 flocks. Models revealed monthly patterns of flock size in North Carolina and Virginia, but no pattern of change in Maryland. A stepwise analysis of flock size and sex ratio fit a common positive slope (increasing proportion male) for all state-month datasets, except for North Carolina in February where the slope was larger (P lt 0.001). State and month effects on intercepts were significant (P lt 0.001) and confirmed a previously identified latitudinal gradient in sex ratio in the survey region. There was no relationship between flock purity (% canvasbacks vs. other species) and flock size except in North Carolina in January, February, and March when flock purity was related to flock size. Contrasting characteristics in North Carolina with regard to flock size (larger flocks) and flock purity suggested that proximate factors were reinforcing flocking behavior and possibly species fidelity there. Of possible factors, the need to locate foraging sites within this large, open-water environment was hypothesized to be of primary importance. Comparison of January 1981 and 1987 sex ratios indicated no change in Maryland, but lower (P lt 0.05) canvasback sex ratios (proportion male) in Virginia and North Carolina.

High ratio recirculating gas compressor

Science.gov (United States)

Weinbrecht, J.F.

1989-08-22

A high ratio positive displacement recirculating rotary compressor is disclosed. The compressor includes an integral heat exchanger and recirculation conduits for returning cooled, high pressure discharge gas to the compressor housing to reducing heating of the compressor and enable higher pressure ratios to be sustained. The compressor features a recirculation system which results in continuous and uninterrupted flow of recirculation gas to the compressor with no direct leakage to either the discharge port or the intake port of the compressor, resulting in a capability of higher sustained pressure ratios without overheating of the compressor. 10 figs.

Inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry for elemental analysis and isotope ratio determinations in individual organic compounds separated by gas chromatography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chong, N.S.; Houk, R.S.

1987-01-01

A gas chromatograph (GC) with a packed column was interfaced to an inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometer (ICP-MS) to yield atomic mass spectra from volatile organic compounds. Atomization of injected compounds was nearly complete and independent of molecular structure, so that elemental ratios could be determined. Detection limits were in the range 0.001 to 400 ng s -1 , depending on the ionization energy of the element and its abundance in the background spectrum. The relative standard deviation of measured isotope ratios varied from 0.4% for Br (i.e., a ratio close to unity) to 18% for N (a very large ratio). Thus, GC-ICP-MS provides elemental and isotope ratio information that is complementary to the molecular information derived from GC-MS with conventional ionization methods

Internal Flow Analysis of Large L/D Solid Rocket Motors

Science.gov (United States)

Laubacher, Brian A.

2000-01-01

Traditionally, Solid Rocket Motor (SRM) internal ballistic performance has been analyzed and predicted with either zero-dimensional (volume filling) codes or one-dimensional ballistics codes. One dimensional simulation of SRM performance is only necessary for ignition modeling, or for motors that have large length to port diameter ratios which exhibit an axial "pressure drop" during the early burn times. This type of prediction works quite well for many types of motors, however, when motor aspect ratios get large, and port to throat ratios get closer to one, two dimensional effects can become significant. The initial propellant grain configuration for the Space Shuttle Reusable Solid Rocket Motor (RSRM) was analyzed with 2-D, steady, axi-symmetric computational fluid dynamics (CFD). The results of the CFD analysis show that the steady-state performance prediction at the initial burn geometry, in general, agrees well with 1-D transient prediction results at an early time, however, significant features of the 2-D flow are captured with the CFD results that would otherwise go unnoticed. Capturing these subtle differences gives a greater confidence to modeling accuracy, and additional insight with which to model secondary internal flow effects like erosive burning. Detailed analysis of the 2-D flowfield has led to the discovery of its hidden 1-D isentropic behavior, and provided the means for a thorough and simplified understanding of internal solid rocket motor flow. Performance parameters such as nozzle stagnation pressure, static pressure drop, characteristic velocity, thrust and specific impulse are discussed in detail and compared for different modeling and prediction methods. The predicted performance using both the 1-D codes and the CFD results are compared with measured data obtained from static tests of the RSRM. The differences and limitations of predictions using ID and 2-D flow fields are discussed and some suggestions for the design of large L/D motors and

The ATP/DNA Ratio Is a Better Indicator of Islet Cell Viability Than the ADP/ATP Ratio

Science.gov (United States)

Suszynski, T.M.; Wildey, G.M.; Falde, E.J.; Cline, G.W.; Maynard, K. Stewart; Ko, N.; Sotiris, J.; Naji, A.; Hering, B.J.; Papas, K.K.

2009-01-01

Real-time, accurate assessment of islet viability is critical for avoiding transplantation of nontherapeutic preparations. Measurements of the intracellular ADP/ATP ratio have been recently proposed as useful prospective estimates of islet cell viability and potency. However, dead cells may be rapidly depleted of both ATP and ADP, which would render the ratio incapable of accounting for dead cells. Since the DNA of dead cells is expected to remain stable over prolonged periods of time (days), we hypothesized that use of the ATP/DNA ratio would take into account dead cells and may be a better indicator of islet cell viability than the ADP/ATP ratio. We tested this hypothesis using mixtures of healthy and lethally heat-treated (HT) rat insulinoma cells and human islets. Measurements of ATP/DNA and ADP/ATP from the known mixtures of healthy and HT cells and islets were used to evaluate how well these parameters correlated with viability. The results indicated that ATP and ADP were rapidly (within 1 hour) depleted in HT cells. The fraction of HT cells in a mixture correlated linearly with the ATP/DNA ratio, whereas the ADP/ADP ratio was highly scattered, remaining effectively unchanged. Despite similar limitations in both ADP/ADP and ATP/DNA ratios, in that ATP levels may fluctuate significantly and reversibly with metabolic stress, the results indicated that ATP/DNA was a better measure of islet viability than the ADP/ATP ratio. PMID:18374063

Precision Branching Ratio Measurement for the Superallowed β+ Emitter Ga62 and Isospin-Symmetry-Breaking Corrections in A≥62 Nuclei

Science.gov (United States)

Hyland, B.; Svensson, C. E.; Ball, G. C.; Leslie, J. R.; Achtzehn, T.; Albers, D.; Andreoiu, C.; Bricault, P.; Churchman, R.; Cross, D.; Dombsky, M.; Finlay, P.; Garrett, P. E.; Geppert, C.; Grinyer, G. F.; Hackman, G.; Hanemaayer, V.; Lassen, J.; Lavoie, J. P.; Melconian, D.; Morton, A. C.; Pearson, C. J.; Pearson, M. R.; Phillips, A. A.; Schumaker, M. A.; Smith, M. B.; Towner, I. S.; Valiente-Dobón, J. J.; Wendt, K.; Zganjar, E. F.

2006-09-01

A high-precision branching ratio measurement for the superallowed β+ decay of Ga62 was performed at the Isotope Separator and Accelerator radioactive ion beam facility. Nineteen γ rays emitted following β+ decay of Ga62 were identified, establishing the dominant superallowed branching ratio to be (99.861±0.011)%. Combined with recent half-life and Q-value measurements, this branching ratio yields a superallowed ft value of 3075.6±1.4s for Ga62 decay. These results demonstrate the feasibility of high-precision superallowed branching ratio measurements in the A≥62 mass region and provide the first stringent tests of the large isospin-symmetry-breaking effects predicted for these decays.

15N/14N isotopic ratio and statistical analysis: an efficient way of linking seized Ecstasy tablets

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Palhol, Fabien; Lamoureux, Catherine; Chabrillat, Martine; Naulet, Norbert

2004-01-01

In this study, the 15 N/ 14 N isotopic ratios of 106 samples of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) extracted from Ecstasy tablets are presented. These ratios, measured using gas chromatography-combustion-isotope ratio mass spectrometry (GC-C-IRMS), show a large discrimination between samples with a range of δ 15 N values between -17 and +19%o, depending on the precursors and the method used in clandestine laboratories. Thus, δ 15 N values can be used in a statistical analysis carried out in order to link Ecstasy tablets prepared with the same precursors and synthetic pathway. The similarity index obtained after principal component analysis and hierarchical cluster analysis appears to be an efficient way to group tablets seized in different places

A measurement of the holographic minimum-observable beam branching ratio in the Fermilab 15-foot bubble chamber

CERN Document Server

Aderholz, Michael; Akbari, H; Allport, P P; Badyal, S K; Ballagh, H C; Barth, Monique; Baton, Jean-Pierre; Bingham, Harry H; Bjelkhagen, H I; Brucker, E B; Burnstein, R A; Campbell, J Ronald; Cence, R J; Chatterjee, T K; Clayton, E F; Corrigan, G; Coutures, C; De Prospo, D F; Devanand, P; De Wolf, E A; Faulkner, P J W; Föth, H; Fretter, W B; Geissler, Kryno K; Gupta, V K; Hanlon, J; Harigel, G G; Harris, F A; Hawkins, J; Jabiol, M A; Jacques, P; Jones, G T; Jones, M D; Kafka, T; Kalelkar, M S; Kasper, P; Kohli, J M; Koller, E L; Krawiec, R J; Lauko, M; Lys, J E; Marage, P; Milburn, R H; Miller, D B; Mitra, I S; Mobayyen, M M; Moreels, J; Morrison, Douglas Robert Ogston; Myatt, Gerald; Naon, R; Napier, A; Naylor, P; Neveu, M; Passmore, D; Peters, M W; Peterson, V Z; Plano, R J; Rao, N K; Rubin, H A; Sacton, J; Sambyal, S S; Schmitz, N; Schneps, J; Sekulin, R L; Sewell, S J; Singh, J B; Smart, W M; Stamer, P E; Varvell, K E; Verluyten, L; Voyvodic, L; Wachsmuth, H W; Wainstein, S; Williams, W; Willocq, S; Yost, G P

1999-01-01

Holography has been used successfully in combination with conventional optics for the first time in a large cryogenic bubble chamber, the 15-Foot Bubble Chamber at Fermilab, during a physics run. The innovative system combined the reference beam with the object beam, illuminating a conical volume of $\\sim 1.4$~m$^3$. Bubble tracks from neutrino interactions with a width of $\\sim 120\\;\\mu$m have been recorded with good contrast. The ratio of intensities of the object light to the reference light striking the film is called the Beam Branching Ratio. We obtained in our experiment an exceedingly small minimum-observable ratio of $(0.54 \\pm 0.21) \\times 10^{-7}$. The technology has the potential for a wide range of applications.

A measurement of the holographic minimum-observable beam branching ratio in the FERMILAB 15-ft bubble chamber

Science.gov (United States)

Aderholz, M.; Aggarwal, M. M.; Akbari, H.; Allport, P. P.; Badyal, S. K.; Ballagh, H. C.; Barth, M.; Baton, J. P.; Bingham, H. H.; Bjelkhagen, H.; Brucker, E. B.; Burnstein, R. A.; Campbell, J. R.; Cence, R. J.; Chatterjee, T. K.; Clayton, E. F.; Corrigan, G.; Coutures, C.; DeProspo, D.; Devanand; De Wolf, E. A.; Faulkner, P. J. W.; Foeth, H.; Fretter, W. B.; Geissler, K.; Gupta, V. K.; Hanlon, J.; Harigel, G. G.; Harris, F. A.; Hawkins, J.; Jabiol, M. A.; Jacques, P.; Jones, G. T.; Jones, M. D.; Kafka, T.; Kalelkar, M.; Kasper, P.; Kohli, J. M.; Koller, E. L.; Krawiec, R. J.; Lauko, M.; Lys, J. E.; Marage, P.; Milburn, R. H.; Miller, D. B.; Mittra, I. S.; Mobayyen, M. M.; Moreels, J.; Morrison, D. R. O.; Myatt, G.; Naon, R.; Napier, A.; Naylor, P.; Neveu, M.; Passmore, D.; Peters, M. W.; Peterson, V. Z.; Plano, R.; Rao, N. K.; Rubin, H. A.; Sacton, J.; Sambyal, S. S.; Schmitz, N.; Schneps, J.; Sekulin, R. L.; Sewell, S.; Singh, J. B.; Smart, W.; Stamer, P.; Varvell, K. E.; Verluyten, L.; Voyvodic, L.; Wachsmuth, H.; Wainstein, S.; Williams, W.; Willocq, S.; Yost, G. P.; E-632 Collaboration

1999-01-01

Holography has been used successfully in combination with conventional optics for the first time in a large cryogenic bubble chamber, the 15-foot bubble chamber at Fermilab, during a physics run. The innovative system combined the reference beam with the object beam, irradiating a conical volume of ˜1.4 m 3. Bubble tracks from neutrino interactions with a width of ˜120 μm have been recorded with good contrast. The ratio of intensities of the object light to the reference light striking the film is called the beam branching ratio. We obtained in our experiment an exceedingly small minimum-observable ratio of (0.54±0.21)×10 -7. The technology has the potential for a wide range of applications.

The prognostic value of lymph node ratio in a national cohort of rectal cancer patients

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lykke, J; Jess, P; Roikjaer, O

2016-01-01

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the prognostic implications of the lymph node ratio (LNR) in curative resected rectal cancer. SUMMARY BACKGROUND DATA: It has been proposed that the LNR has a high prognostic impact in colorectal cancer, but the lymph node ratio has not been evaluated exclusively for rectal......-adjuvant treatment had been given. RESULTS: In a multivariate analysis the pN status, ypN status and lymph node yield were found to be independent prognostic factors for overall survival, irrespective of neo-adjuvant therapy. The LNR was also found to be a significant prognostic factor with a Hazard Ratio ranging...... cancer in a large national cohort study. METHODS: All 6793 patients in Denmark diagnosed with stage I to III adenocarcinoma of the rectum, and so treated in the period from 2003 to 2011, were included in the analysis. The cohort was divided into two groups according to whether or not neo...

Decomposition of residual oil by large scale HSC plant

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Washimi, Koichi; Ogata, Yoshitaka; Limmer, H.; Schuetter, H. (Toyo Engineering Corp., funabashi, Japan VEB Petrolchemisches Kombinat Schwedt, Schwedt (East Germany))

1989-07-01

Regarding large scale and high decomposition ratio visbreaker HSC, characteristic points and operation conditions of a new plant in East Germany were introduced. As for the characteristics of the process, high decomposition ratio and stable decpmposed oil, availability of high sulfur content oil or even decomposed residuum of visbreaker, stableness of produced light oil with low content of unsaturated components, low investment with low running cost, were indicated. For the realization of high decomposition ratio, designing for suppressing the decomposition in heating furnace and accelaration of it in soaking drum, high space velocity of gas phase for better agitation, were raised. As the main subject of technical development, design of soaking drum was indicated with main dimensions for the designing. Operation conditions of the process in East Germany using residual oil supplied from already working visbreaker for USSR crude oil were introduced. 6 refs., 4 figs., 2 tabs.

The role of fragmentation mechanism in large-scale vapor explosions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu, Jie

2003-01-01

A non-equilibrium, multi-phase, multi-component code PROVER-I is developed for propagation phase of vapor explosion. Two fragmentation models are used. The hydrodynamic fragmentation model is the same as Fletcher's one. A new thermal fragmentation model is proposed with three kinds of time scale for modeling instant fragmentation, spontaneous nucleation fragmentation and normal boiling fragmentation. The role of fragmentation mechanisms is investigated by the simulations of the pressure wave propagation and energy conversion ratio of ex-vessel vapor explosion. The spontaneous nucleation fragmentation results in a much higher pressure peak and a larger energy conversion ratio than hydrodynamic fragmentation. The instant fragmentation gives a slightly larger energy conversion ratio than spontaneous nucleation fragmentation, and the normal boiling fragmentation results in a smaller energy conversion ratio. The detailed analysis of the structure of pressure wave makes it clear that thermal detonation exists only under the thermal fragmentation circumstance. The high energy conversion ratio is obtained in a small vapor volume fraction. However, in larger vapor volume fraction conditions, the vapor explosion is weak. In a large-scale vapor explosion, the hydrodynamic fragmentation is essential when the pressure wave becomes strong, so a small energy conversion ratio is expected. (author)

The puzzle of the CNO isotope ratios in asymptotic giant branch carbon stars

Science.gov (United States)

Abia, C.; Hedrosa, R. P.; Domínguez, I.; Straniero, O.

2017-03-01

Context. The abundance ratios of the main isotopes of carbon, nitrogen and oxygen are modified by the CNO-cycle in the stellar interiors. When the different dredge-up events mix the burning material with the envelope, valuable information on the nucleosynthesis and mixing processes can be extracted by measuring these isotope ratios. Aims: Previous determinations of the oxygen isotopic ratios in asymptotic giant branch (AGB) carbon stars were at odds with the existing theoretical predictions. We aim to redetermine the oxygen ratios in these stars using new spectral analysis tools and further develop discussions on the carbon and nitrogen isotopic ratios in order to elucidate this problem. Methods: Oxygen isotopic ratios were derived from spectra in the K-band in a sample of galactic AGB carbon stars of different spectral types and near solar metallicity. Synthetic spectra calculated in local thermodynamic equillibrium (LTE) with spherical carbon-rich atmosphere models and updated molecular line lists were used. The CNO isotope ratios derived in a homogeneous way, were compared with theoretical predictions for low-mass (1.5-3 M⊙) AGB stars computed with the FUNS code assuming extra mixing both during the RGB and AGB phases. Results: For most of the stars the 16O/17O/18O ratios derived are in good agreement with theoretical predictions confirming that, for AGB stars, are established using the values reached after the first dredge-up (FDU) according to the initial stellar mass. This fact, as far as the oxygen isotopic ratios are concerned, leaves little space for the operation of any extra mixing mechanism during the AGB phase. Nevertheless, for a few stars with large 16O/17O/18O, the operation of such a mechanism might be required, although their observed 12C/13C and 14N/15N ratios would be difficult to reconcile within this scenario. Furthermore, J-type stars tend to have lower 16O/17O ratios than the normal carbon stars, as already indicated in previous studies

Application of Performance Ratios in Portfolio Optimization

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Aleš Kresta

2015-01-01

Full Text Available The cornerstone of modern portfolio theory was established by pioneer work of Harry Markowitz. Based on his mean-variance framework, Sharpe formulated his well-known Sharpe ratio aiming to measure the performance of mutual funds. The contemporary development in computer’s computational power allowed to apply more complex performance ratios, which take into account also higher moments of return probability distribution. Although these ratios were proposed to help the investors to improve the results of portfolio optimization, we empirically demonstrated in our paper that this may not necessarily be true. On the historical dataset of DJIA components we empirically showed that both Sharpe ratio and MAD ratio outperformed Rachev ratio. However, for Rachev ratio we assumed only one level of parameters value. Different set-ups of parameters may provide different results and thus further analysis is certainly required.

Influence of accommodative lag upon the far-gradient measurement of accommodative convergence to accommodation ratio in strabismic patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Miyata, Manabu; Hasebe, Satoshi; Ohtsuki, Hiroshi

2006-01-01

To determine the influence of the lag of accommodation (LOA) on the accommodative convergence to accommodation (AC/A) ratio measured by the far-gradient method in strabismic patients. The AC/A ratio was measured with a distance target viewed with and without -3.00 diopter (D) addition lenses in 63 patients with different types of strabismus (age range, 7-34 years; range of strabismic angle, -60 to +40 prism diopters; refractive error range, -7.33 to +6.63 D). The LOA for the same lens was measured with an open-view-type autorefractometer. The stimulus AC/A ratio and the AC/A ratio adjusted by the individually measured LOA (adjusted AC/A ratio) were compared. The mean +/- SD of the LOA to the -3.00 D lenses was 1.06 +/- 0.43 D. The mean adjusted AC/A ratio was 41% greater than the stimulus AC/A ratio. The LOA differed widely among patients (0.13 to 2.14 D), and a large LOA tended to appear in myopic or young patients. The AC/A ratio obtained using the conventional far-gradient method is significantly biased by the LOA, and thus does not always represent the actual relationship between accommodation and vergence control systems. Copyright Japanese Ophthalmological Society 2006.

Hunting Down Interpretations of the HERA Large-$Q^{2}$ data

CERN Document Server

Ellis, John R.

1999-01-01

Possible interpretations of the HERA large-Q^2 data are reviewed briefly. The possibility of statistical fluctuations cannot be ruled out, and it seems premature to argue that the H1 and ZEUS anomalies are incompatible. The data cannot be explained away by modifications of parton distributions, nor do contact interactions help. A leptoquark interpretation would need a large tau-q branching ratio. Several R-violating squark interpretations are still viable despite all the constraints, and offer interesting experimental signatures, but please do not hold your breath.

Discovery Mondays: Zoom on materials

CERN Multimedia

2003-01-01

Following the success of the first Discovery Monday, which had over 100 visitors, the series of evening events in Microcosm continues. On Monday 2nd June, discover the world of materials. Find out how CERN scientists examine, manufacture and study different materials, at different scales. Did you know for example that using electrons you can observe a hair at a scale equivalent to looking at a boat with the naked eye? Also, that using ultrasound, you can measure the thickness of an object that is completely inaccessible? Find out more about these techniques, and also the high-tech machining and soldering that is carried out in CERN's central workshop. Plus, see how engineers can detect tiny leaks through solder points - essential for maintaining the vacuum in the LHC. The evening is open to all, without reservation, suggested age 12 and above. Rendez-vous in Microcosm on Monday 2nd June From 19.30 - 21.00 Free entry For more information : http://www.cern.ch/microcosm Using a scanning microscope, the head o...

ISLA: An Isochronous Spectrometer with Large Acceptances

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bazin, D., E-mail: bazin@nscl.msu.edu; Mittig, W.

2013-12-15

A novel type of recoil mass spectrometer and separator is proposed for the future secondary radioactive beams of the ReA12 accelerator at NSCL/FRIB, inspired from the TOFI spectrometer developed at the Los Alamos National Laboratory for online mass measurements. The Isochronous Spectrometer with Large Acceptances (ISLA) is able to achieve superior characteristics without the compromises that usually plague the design of large acceptance spectrometers. ISLA can provide mass-to-charge ratio (m/q) measurements to better than 1 part in 1000 by using an optically isochronous time-of-flight independent of the momentum vector of the recoiling ions, despite large acceptances of 20% in momentum and 64 msr in solid angle. The characteristics of this unique design are shown, including requirements for auxiliary detectors around the target and the various types of reactions to be used with the re-accelerated radioactive beams of the future ReA12 accelerator.

Density-dependent sex ratio and sex-specific preference for host traits in parasitic bat flies.